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The conserved C-terminus of the citrate (CitP) and malate (MleP) transporters of lactic acid bacteria is involved in substrate recognition.

The membrane potential-generating transporters CitP of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and MleP of Lactococcus lactis are homologous proteins with 48% identical residues that catalyze citrate-lactate and malate-lactate exchange, respectively. The two transporters are highly specific for substrates containing a 2-hydroxycarboxylate motif (HO-CR(2)-COO(-)) in which substitutions of the R groups are tolerated well. Differences in substrate specificity between MleP and CitP are based on subtle changes in the interaction of the protein with the R groups affecting both binding and translocation properties. The conserved, 46-residue long C-terminal region of the transporters containing the C-terminal putative transmembrane segment XI was investigated for its role in substrate recognition by constructing chimeric transporters. Replacement of the C-terminal region of MleP with that of CitP and vice versa did not alter the exchange kinetics with the substrates malate and citrate, indicating that the main interactions between the proteins and di- and tricarboxylate substrates were not altered. In contrast, the interaction of the proteins with the monocarboxylate substrates mandelate and 2-hydroxyisovalerate changed in a complementary manner. The affinity of CitP for the S-enantiomers of these substrates was at least 1 order of magnitude lower than observed for MleP. Introduction of the C-terminal residues of MleP in CitP resulted in a higher affinity and vice versa. Interchanging the C-termini had a more complicated effect on the R-enantiomers, affecting different kinetic parameters with different substrates, indicating multiple interactions of the R groups at this side of the binding pocket. It is suggested that the binding pocket is located between transmembrane segment XI and the other transmembrane segments of the transporters.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural characterization of lacticin 3147, a two-peptide lantibiotic with synergistic activity.

Lantibiotics are antibacterial peptides isolated from bacterial sources that exhibit activity toward Gram-positive organisms and are usually several orders of magnitude more potent than traditional antibiotics such as penicillin. They contain a number of unique structural features including dehydro amino acid and lanthionine (thioether) residues. Introduced following ribosomal translation of the parent peptide, these moieties render conventional methods of peptide analysis ineffective. We report herein a new method using nickel boride (Ni(2)B), in the presence of deuterium gas, to reduce dehydro side chains and reductively desulfurize lanthionine bridges found in lantibiotics. Using this approach, it is possible to identify and distinguish the original locations of dehydro side chains and lanthionine bridges by traditional peptide sequencing (Edman degradation) followed by mass spectrometry. The strategy was initially verified using nisin A, a structurally well characterized lantibiotic, and subsequently extended to the novel two-component lantibiotic, lacticin 3147, produced by Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis DPC3147. The primary structures of both lacticin 3147 peptides were then fully assigned by use of multidimensional NMR spectroscopy, showing that lacticin 3147 A1 has a specific lanthionine bridging pattern which resembles the globular type-B lantibiotic mersacidin, whereas the A2 peptide is a member of the elongated type-A lantibiotic class. Also obtained by NMR were solution conformations of both lacticin 3147 peptides, indicating that A1 may adopt a conformation similar to that of mersacidin and that the A2 peptide adopts alpha-helical structure. These results are the first of their kind for a synergistic lantibiotic pair (only four such pairs have been reported to date).

Alanine↗

Heterologously expressed bacterial and human multidrug resistance proteins confer cadmium resistance to Escherichia coli.

The human MDR1 gene is induced by cadmium exposure although no resistance to this metal is observed in human cells overexpressing hMDR1. To access the role of MDR proteins in cadmium resistance, human MDR1, Lactococcus lactis lmrA, and Oenococcus oeni omrA were expressed in an Escherichia coli tolC mutant strain which proved to be hypersensitive to cadmium. Both the human and bacterial MDR genes conferred cadmium resistance to E. coli up to 0.4 mM concentration. Protection was abolished by 100 microM verapamil. Quantification of intracellular cadmium concentration by atomic absorption spectrometry showed a reduced cadmium accumulation in cells expressing the MDR genes. Inside-out membrane vesicles of L. lactis overexpressing lmrA displayed an ATP-dependent (109)Cd(2+) uptake that was stimulated by glutathione. An evolutionary model is discussed in which MDR proteins have evolved independently from an ancestor protein displaying both organic xenobiotic- and divalent metal-extrusion abilities.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Lantibiotic structures as guidelines for the design of peptides that can be modified by lantibiotic enzymes.

Lantibiotics are (methyl)lanthionine-containing bacterial peptides. (Methyl)lanthionines are posttranslationally introduced into the prepropeptides by biosynthetic enzymes that dehydrate serines and threonines and couple these dehydrated residues to cysteine residues. Thirty seven lantibiotic primary structures have been proposed to date, but little is known about the substrate specificity of the lantibiotic modifying enzymes. To define rules for the rational design of modified peptides, we compared all known lantibiotic structures by in silico analysis. Although no strict sequence motifs can be defined that govern the modification, statistical analysis demonstrates that dehydratable serines and threonines are more often flanked by hydrophobic than by hydrophilic amino acids. Serine residues escape dehydration more often than threonines. With these rules, novel hexapeptides were designed that either were predicted to become modified or will escape modification. The hexapeptides were fused to the nisin leader and expressed in a Lactococcus lactis strain containing the nisin modifying and export enzymes. The excreted peptides were analyzed by mass spectrometry. All designed fusion peptides were produced, and the presence or absence of modifications was found to be in full agreement with the predictions based on the statistical analysis. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of the rational design of a wide range of novel peptides with dehydrated amino acid residues.

Alanine↗

Catalytic cycling in beta-phosphoglucomutase: a kinetic and structural analysis.

Lactococcus lactis beta-phosphoglucomutase (beta-PGM) catalyzes the interconversion of beta-d-glucose 1-phosphate (beta-G1P) and beta-d-glucose 6-phosphate (G6P), forming beta-d-glucose 1,6-(bis)phosphate (beta-G16P) as an intermediate. Beta-PGM conserves the core domain catalytic scaffold of the phosphatase branch of the HAD (haloalkanoic acid dehalogenase) enzyme superfamily, yet it has evolved to function as a mutase rather than as a phosphatase. This work was carried out to identify the structural basis underlying this diversification of function. In this paper, we examine beta-PGM activation by the Mg(2+) cofactor, beta-PGM activation by Asp8 phosphorylation, and the role of cap domain closure in substrate discrimination. First, the 1.90 A resolution X-ray crystal structure of the Mg(2+)-beta-PGM complex is examined in the context of previously reported structures of the Mg(2+)-alpha-d-galactose-1-phosphate-beta-PGM, Mg(2+)-phospho-beta-PGM, and Mg(2+)-beta-glucose-6-phosphate-1-phosphorane-beta-PGM complexes to identify conformational changes that occur during catalytic turnover. The essential role of Asp8 in nucleophilic catalysis was confirmed by demonstrating that the D8A and D8E mutants are devoid of catalytic activity. Comparison of the ligands to Mg(2+) in the different complexes shows that a single Mg(2+) coordination site must alternatively accommodate water, phosphate, and the phosphorane intermediate during catalytic turnover. Limited involvement of the HAD family metal-binding loop in Mg(2+) anchoring in beta-PGM is consistent with the relatively loose binding indicated by the large K(m) for Mg(2+) activation (270 +/- 20 microM) and with the retention of activity found in the E169A/D170A double loop mutant. Comparison of the relative positions of cap and core domains in the different complexes indicated that interaction of cap domain Arg49 with the "nontransferring" phosphoryl group of the substrate ligand might stabilize the cap-closed conformation, as required for active site desolvation and alignment of Asp10 for acid-base catalysis. Kinetic analyses of the specificity of beta-PGM toward phosphoryl group donors and the specificity of phospho-beta-PGM toward phosphoryl group acceptors were carried out. The results support a substrate induced-fit mechanism of beta-PGM catalysis, which allows phosphomutase activity to dominate over the intrinsic phosphatase activity. Last, we present evidence that the autophosphorylation of beta-PGM by the substrate beta-G1P accounts for the origin of phospho-beta-PGM in the cell.

Bacteroides↗

Post-translational modification of therapeutic peptides by NisB, the dehydratase of the lantibiotic nisin.

Post-translationally introduced dehydroamino acids often play an important role in the activity and receptor specificity of biologically active peptides. In addition, a dehydroamino acid can be coupled to a cysteine to yield a cyclized peptide with increased biostability and resistance against proteolytic degradation and/or modified specificity. The lantibiotic nisin is an antimicrobial peptide produced by Lactococcus lactis. Its post-translational enzymatic modification involves NisB-mediated dehydration of serines and threonines and NisC-catalyzed coupling of cysteines to dehydroresidues, followed by NisT-mediated secretion. Here, we demonstrate that a L. lactis strain containing the nisBTC genes effectively dehydrates and secretes a wide range of medically relevant nonlantibiotic peptides among which variants of adrenocorticotropic hormone, vasopressin, an inhibitor of tripeptidyl peptidase II, enkephalin, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, angiotensin, and erythropoietin. For most of these peptides, ring formation was demonstrated. These data show that lantibiotic enzymes can be applied for the modification of peptides, thereby enabling the biotechnological production of dehydroresidue-containing and/or thioether-bridged therapeutic peptides with enhanced stability and/or modulated activities.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Conformational cycling in beta-phosphoglucomutase catalysis: reorientation of the beta-D-glucose 1,6-(Bis)phosphate intermediate.

Activated Lactococcus lactis beta-phosphoglucomutase (betaPGM) catalyzes the conversion of beta-d-glucose 1-phosphate (betaG1P) derived from maltose to beta-d-glucose 6-phosphate (G6P). Activation requires Mg(2+) binding and phosphorylation of the active site residue Asp8. Initial velocity techniques were used to define the steady-state kinetic constants k(cat) = 177 +/- 9 s(-)(1), K(m) = 49 +/- 4 microM for the substrate betaG1P and K(m) = 6.5 +/- 0.7 microM for the activator beta-d-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (betaG1,6bisP). The observed transient accumulation of [(14)C]betaG1,6bisP (12% at approximately 0.1 s) in the single turnover reaction carried out with excess betaPGM (40 microM) and limiting [(14)C]betaG1P (5 microM) and betaG1,6bisP (5 microM) supported the role of betaG1,6bisP as a reaction intermediate in the conversion of the betaG1P to G6P. Single turnover reactions of [(14)C]betaG1,6bisP with excess betaPGM were carried out to demonstrate that phosphoryl transfer rather than ligand binding is rate-limiting and to show that the betaG1,6bisP binds to the active site in two different orientations (one positioning the C(1)phosphoryl group for reaction with Asp8, and the other orientation positioning the C(6)phosphoryl group for reaction with Asp8) with roughly the same efficiency. Single turnover reactions carried out with betaPGM, [(14)C]betaG1P, and unlabeled betaG1,6bisP demonstrated complete exchange of label to the betaG1,6bisP during the catalytic cycle. Thus, the reorientation of the betaG1,6bisP intermediate that is required to complete the catalytic cycle occurs by diffusion into solvent followed by binding in the opposite orientation. Published X-ray structures of betaG1P suggest that the reorientation and phosphoryl transfer from betaG1,6bisP occur by conformational cycling of the enzyme between the active site open and closed forms via cap domain movement. Last, the equilibrium ratio of betaG1,6bisP to betaG1P plus G6P was examined to evidence a significant stabilization of betaPGM aspartyl phosphate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Atomic force microscopy reveals DNA bending during group II intron ribonucleoprotein particle integration into double-stranded DNA.

The mobile Lactococcus lactis Ll.LtrB group II intron integrates into DNA target sites by a mechanism in which the intron RNA reverse splices into one DNA strand while the intron-encoded protein uses a C-terminal DNA endonuclease domain to cleave the opposite strand and then uses the cleaved 3' end to prime reverse transcription of the inserted intron RNA. These reactions are mediated by an RNP particle that contains the intron-encoded protein and the excised intron lariat RNA, with both the protein and base pairing of the intron RNA used to recognize DNA target sequences. Here, computational analysis indicates that Escherichia coli DNA target sequences that support Ll.LtrB integration have greater predicted bendability than do random E. coli genomic sequences, and atomic force microscopy shows that target DNA is bent during the reaction with Ll.LtrB RNPs. Time course and mutational analyses show that DNA bending occurs after reverse splicing and requires subsequent interactions between the intron-encoded protein and the 3' exon, which lead to two progressively larger bend angles. Our results suggest a model in which RNPs bend the target DNA by maintaining initial contacts with the 5' exon while engaging in subsequent 3' exon interactions that successively position the scissile phosphate for bottom-strand cleavage at the DNA endonuclease active site and then reposition the 3' end of the cleaved bottom strand to the reverse transcriptase active site for initiation of cDNA synthesis. Our findings indicate that bendability of the DNA target site is a significant factor for Ll.LtrB RNP integration.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Structure-function relations of variant and fragment nisins studied with model membrane systems.

Nisin, a 34 residue lantibiotic produced by strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, exerts antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria at the cytoplasmic membrane. The structural aspects of nisin which facilitate membrane interaction and permeabilization have been investigated in planar lipid bilayers and liposomes with proteolytic fragments and site-directed variants. N-Terminal nisin fragments N1-12 and N1-20 had little effect on phospholipid mobility, on macroscopic electrical conductance, or on calcein release from liposomes. By contrast, the I30W nisin A variant induced a time-dependent reduction in lipid mobility, indicative of nisin-membrane surface interactions, as well as a decline in membrane capacitance, rise in conductance, and calcein release from liposomes. In these respects I30W nisin A is similar to native nisin. Charge substitutions were also engineered to generate K12L and H27K nisin A variants, both of which were similar to I30W nisin A with respect to an overall reduction in phospholipid mobility. While the K12L nisin A variant elicited a higher increase in membrane capacitance and electrical conductance than I30W nisin A, the H27K nisin A variant elicited weaker effects. These results point to a substantial role for intramembrane charged residues in controlling ion flow through nisin-doped membranes. Native nisin and variants elicit an enhanced release of calcein from liposomes composed of the negatively-charged phospholipids cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine, compared with phospholipid bearing no net charge, suggesting that an electrostatic attraction encourages the initial nisin-membrane association. The results are discussed in the context of other recently proposed models for nisin action.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Restrictive use of detergents in the functional reconstitution of the secondary multidrug transporter LmrP.

The histidine-tagged secondary multidrug transporter LmrP was overexpressed in Lactococcus lactis, using a novel protein expression system for cytotoxic proteins based on the tightly regulated, nisin-inducible nisA promoter. LmrP-mediated H+/drug antiport activity in inside-out membrane vesicles was inhibited by detergents, such as Triton X-100, Triton X-114, and Tween 80, at low concentrations that did not affect the magnitude or composition of the proton motive force. The inhibition of the activity of LmrP by detergents restricted the range of compounds that could be used for the solubilization and reconstitution of the protein because low concentrations of detergent are retained in proteoliposomes. Surprisingly, dodecyl maltoside did not modulate the activity of LmrP. Therefore, LmrP was solubilized with dodecyl maltoside, purified by nickel-chelate affinity chromatography, and reconstituted in dodecyl maltoside-destabilized, preformed liposomes prepared from Escherichia coli phospholipids and egg phosphatidylcholine. Reconstituted LmrP mediated the transport of multiple drugs in response to an artificially imposed pH gradient, demonstrating that the protein functions as a proton motive force-dependent multidrug transporter, independent of accessory proteins. These observations are relevant for the effective solubilization and reconstitution of multidrug transporters belonging to the major facilitator superfamily, which, in view of their broad drug specificity, may strongly interact with detergents.

Bacterial Proteins↗

RNA and protein catalysis in group II intron splicing and mobility reactions using purified components.

Group II introns encode proteins with reverse transcriptase activity. These proteins also promote RNA splicing (maturase activity) and then, with the excised intron, form a site-specific DNA endonuclease that promotes intron mobility by reverse splicing into DNA followed by target DNA-primed reverse transcription. Here, we used an Escherichia coli expression system for the Lactococcus lactis group II intron Ll.LtrB to show that the intron-encoded protein (LtrA) alone is sufficient for maturase activity, and that RNP particles containing only the LtrA protein and excised intron RNA have site-specific DNA endonuclease and target DNA-primed reverse transcriptase activity. Detailed analysis of the splicing reaction indicates that LtrA is an intron-specific splicing factor that binds to unspliced precursor RNA with a K(d) of </=0.12 pM at 30 degrees C. This binding occurs in a rapid bimolecular reaction, which is followed by a slower step, presumably an RNA conformational change, required for splicing to occur. Our results constitute the first biochemical analysis of protein-dependent splicing of a group II intron and demonstrate that a single intron-encoded protein can interact with the intron RNA to carry out a coordinated series of reactions leading to splicing and mobility.

Bacterial Proteins↗

The secondary multidrug transporter LmrP contains multiple drug interaction sites.

The secondary multidrug transporter LmrP of Lactococcus lactis mediates the efflux of Hoechst 33342 from the cytoplasmic leaflet of the membrane. Kinetic analysis of Hoechst 33342 transport in inside-out membrane vesicles of L. lactis showed that the LmrP-mediated H(+)/Hoechst 33342 antiport reaction obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with a low apparent affinity constant of 0.63 microM Hoechst 33342 (= 0.5 mmol Hoechst 33342/mol phospholipid). Several drugs significantly inhibited LmrP-mediated Hoechst 33342 transport through a direct interaction with the protein rather than through dissipation of the proton motive force or reduction of the membrane partitioning of Hoechst 33342. The characterization of the mechanism of inhibition of LmrP-mediated Hoechst 33342 transport indicated competitive inhibition by quinine and verapamil, noncompetitive inhibition by nicardipin and vinblastin, and uncompetitive inhibition by TPP(+). The three types of inhibition of LmrP-mediated Hoechst 33342 transport in inside-out membrane vesicles indicate for the first time the presence of multiple drug interaction sites in a secondary multidrug transporter.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Effect of inoculum composition and low KCl supplementation on the biological and rheological stability of an immobilized-cell system for mixed mesophilic lactic starter production.

Two strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (L. lactis KB and KBP) and one of L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis (L. diacetylactis MD) were immobilized separately in kappa-carrageenan-locust bean gum gel beads. Continuous fermentations were carried out in supplemented whey permeate in a 1-L pH-controlled stirred tank reactor inoculated with a 30% (v/v) bead inoculum and a bead ratio of 55:30:15 for KB, KBP, and MD, respectively. The process demonstrated a high productivity and microbial stability during the 7-week continuous culture. Compared with previous experiments carried out with an inoculum bead ratio of 33:33:33 for KB, KBP, and MD beads, respectively, the modification of the inoculum bead ratio had apparently little effect on free and immobilized, total and specific populations. A dominant behavior of L. diacetylactis MD over the other strains of the mixed culture was observed both with free-cell populations in the effluent and with immobilized-cell populations. Additional experiments were carried out with other strain combinations for continuous inoculation-prefermentation of milk. The data also confirmed the dominance of L. diacetylactis during long-term continuous immobilized-cell fermentations. This dominance may be tentatively explained by the local competition involved in the development of the bead cross-contamination and in citrate utilization by L. diacetylactis strains. The gel beads demonstrated a high rheological stability during the 7-week continuous fermentation even at low KCl supplementation of the broth medium (25 mM KCl).

Animals↗

Continuous production of mixed lactic starters containing probiotics using immobilized cell technology.

The production of a mixed lactic culture containing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis MD and Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707 was studied during a 17-day continuous immobilized-cell culture at different temperatures between 32 and 37 degrees C. The two-stage fermentation system was composed of a first reactor (R1) containing cells of the two strains separately immobilized in kappa-carrageenan/locust bean gum gel beads and a second reactor (R2) operated with free cells released from the first reactor. The system allowed continuous production of a concentrated mixed culture with a strain ratio whose composition depended on temperature and fermentation time. A stable mixed culture (with a 22:1 ratio of L. diacetylactis and B. longum) was produced at 35 degrees C in the effluent of R2, whereas the mixed culture was rapidly unbalanced in favor of B. longum at a higher temperature (37 degrees C) or L. diacetylactis at a lower temperature (32 degrees C). Strain redistribution in beads originally immobilizing pure cultures of L. diacetylactis or B. longum was observed. At the end of culture, the strain ratio (7:1 L. diacetylactis/B. longum) in bulk bead samples was similar to that of individual beads. The determination of the spatial distribution of the two strains in gel beads by immunofluorescence and confocal laser-scanning microscopy showed that bead cross-contamination was limited to a 100 microm peripheral layer. Data from this study validate a previous model for population dynamics and cell release in gel beads during mixed immobilized-cell cultures.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

Efficient succinic acid production from glucose through overexpression of pyruvate carboxylase in an Escherichia coli alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase mutant.

An adhE, ldhA double mutant Escherichia coli strain, SBS110MG, has been constructed to produce succinic acid in the presence of heterologous pyruvate carboxylase (PYC). The strategic design aims at diverting maximum quantities of NADH for succinate synthesis by inactivation of NADH competing pathways to increase succinate yield and productivity. Additionally an operational PFL enzyme allows formation of acetyl-CoA for biosynthesis and formate as a potential source of reducing equivalents. Furthermore, PYC diverts pyruvate toward OAA to favor succinate generation. SBS110MG harboring plasmid pHL413, which encodes the heterologous pyruvate carboxylase from Lactococcus lactis, produced 15.6 g/L (132 mM) of succinate from 18.7 g/L (104 mM) of glucose after 24 h of culture in an atmosphere of CO(2) yielding 1.3 mol of succinate per mole of glucose. This molar yield exceeded the maximum theoretical yield of succinate that can be achieved from glucose (1 mol/mol) under anaerobic conditions in terms of NADH balance. The current work further explores the importance of the presence of formate as a source of reducing equivalents in SBS110MG(pHL413). Inactivation of the native formate dehydrogenase pathway (FDH) in this strain significantly reduced succinate yield, suggesting that reducing power was lost in the form of formate. Additionally we investigated the effect of ptsG inactivation in SBS110MG(pHL413) to evaluate the possibility of a further increase in succinate yield. Elimination of the ptsG system increased the succinate yield to 1.4 mol/mol at the expense of a reduction in glucose consumption of 33%. In the presence of PYC and an efficient conversion of glucose to products, the ptsG mutation is not indispensable since PEP converted to pyruvate as a result of glucose phosphorylation by the glucose specific PTS permease EIICB(glu) can be rediverted toward OAA favoring succinate production.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

High-energy intermediate or stable transition state analogue: theoretical perspective of the active site and mechanism of beta-phosphoglucomutase.

A recent crystal structure of beta-phosphoglucomutase from Lactococcus lactis is reported to contain a five-coordinate phosphorus with five oxygen ligands that is a high-energy reaction intermediate during the phosphoryl transfer in the isomerization of beta-glucose 1-phosphate to beta-glucose 6-phosphate. Subsequently, it has been suggested that this structure is a transition state analogue with a five-coordinate magnesium with two oxygen and three fluorine ligands. Two layer ONIOM(B3LYP:PM3MM) calculations have been performed to address the nature of this intermediate and the mechanism of the phosphoryl transfer. These calculations provide evidence that (1) the observed crystal structure is consistent with a five-coordinate magnesium (a stable transition state analogue), not a five-coordinate phosphorus (a phosphorane) as a high-energy intermediate, (2) the active site is stabilized by the extensive hydrogen-bonding network, (3) the transfer of the phosphoryl group proceeds through a moderate barrier (14 kcal mol-1) five-coordinate phosphorus without a stable phosphorane or metaphosphate intermediate, (4) this concerted transition state is directly coupled to a proton transfer from the oxygen of glucose to the carboxylic group of aspartate 10, and (5) a stable glucose 1,6-bis-phosphoglucose intermediate is formed.

Binding Sites↗

Chemical confirmation of a pentavalent phosphorane in complex with beta-phosphoglucomutase.

This communication reports the X-ray crystal structure of the alpha-d-galactose-1-phosphate complex with that of Lactococcus lactis beta-phosphoglucomutase (beta-PGM) crystallized in the presence of Mg2+ cofactor and the enzyme-to-phosphorus ratio determined by protein and phosphate analyses of the crystalline complex. The 1:1 ratio determined for this complex was compared to the 1:2 ratio determined for the crystals of beta-PGM grown in the presence of substrate and Mg2+ cofactor. This result verifies the published structure assignment of this latter complex as the phosphorane adduct formed by covalent bonding between the active site Asp8 carboxylate to the C(1)phosphorus of the beta-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate ligand and rules out the proposal of a beta-PGM-glucose-6-phosphate-1-MgF3- complex.

Galactosephosphates↗

Analysis of free fatty acids in whey products by solid-phase microextraction.

To evaluate the impact of Cheddar cheese starter cultures on the level of free fatty acids in liquid whey, a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique was utilized. The determination of response factors relative to an internal standard and the verification of linearity over a wide concentration range allowed for the quantitation of free fatty acids in experimentally produced liquid whey and in a wide range of dry whey ingredients. Results indicated that whey produced with a Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis starter culture contained the highest level of total free fatty acids with significantly higher levels of lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids. Significant declines in oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acid occurred during storage. Commercial whey ingredients demonstrated a linear increase in free fatty acids with increasing percent protein, except for whey protein isolate, which had the lowest concentration. The use of SPME for the rapid analysis of free fatty acids in whey products should allow for further research to determine the importance of these compounds on the quality and stability of whey products.

Cheese↗