UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA METABOLIC REGULATION ANALYSIS OF RECOMBINANT Lactococcus lactis BASED ON GENE EXPRESSION AND ENZYME ACTIVITY FARZANEH HEIDARNIA FBSB 2011 11
METABOLIC REGULATION ANALYSIS OF RECOMBINANT Lactococcus lactis BASED ON GENE EXPRESSION AND ENZYME ACTIVITY By FARZANEH HEIDARNIA Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies,, in Fulfilment of Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science July 2011 i
Dedicated to my parents: Mohammad Ali and Ashraf For their endless supports ii
Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of the in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science METABOLIC REGULATION ANALYSIS OF RECOMBINANT Lactococcus lactis BASED ON GENE EXPRESSION AND ENZYME ACTIVITY Chairman: Faculty: By FARZANEH HEIDARNIA July 2011 Nor Aini Abdul Rahman, PhD Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are industrially important microorganisms that are widely used in industrial food fermentations for dairy production. However, there is a growing interest in their application in genetic modification and biotechnology processes. Lactococcus lactis is a non-pathogenic bacterium whose genome has been completely sequenced and its metabolic pathways are well studied. These reasons make L. lactis an attractive target for those approaches including creating live vector vaccine. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of aerolysin on the metabolic regulation and fermentation characteristics of the recombinant L. lactis. Both L. lactis NZ9000 and Recombinant L. lactis carrying D1 of aerolysin gene (Lac-D1ae) were cultivated in M17 medium supplemented with 0.5% (w/v) glucose incubated at 30 C with an agitation of 150 rpm. Chloramphenichol (7.5 µg/ml) was added to maintain the plasmid. Samples for gene expression and enzyme activity assays were taken during late-exponential growth phase. iii
The alteration of expression of 10 genes (glk, pfk, pyk, acka, mdh, ldh, pgi, zwf, gnd) responsible for enzymes at the main metabolic pathways i.e. glycolysis, Triarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle, fermentation and pentose phosphate pathway (PP pathway) were examined by using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Real-Time PCR. The activity of these enzymes including glucokinase (GLK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PYK), acetate kinase (ACK), Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) were also measured to understand the metabolic regulation in Lac-D1ae. According to the fermentation results obtained, cell growth, lactate production rate and acetate production rate in the Lac-D1ae were 0.77 g/l, 0.82 mg/l/h and 0.16 mg/l/h, respectively. The values were slightly lower compared to the parental strain (0.8 g/l, 0.84 mg/l/h and 0.18 mg/l/h). Glucose consumption rate also showed a considerable decrease in the recombinant strain (3.48 g/l/h) in comparison with L.lactis NZ9000 (4.27 g/l/h). HPLC results showed the production of lactate (8.20 g/l) and acetate (1.58 g/l) were reduced in Lac-D1ae in contrast with parental strain (8.35 g/l and 1.83 g/l). In conclusion, the fermentation characteristics of the recombinant L. lactis showed that the presence of aerolysin gene has no inhibitory effect on the growth. Furthermore, integrating methods based on gene expression and enzyme activities showed up-regulation of glycolysis and TCA cycle and down-regulation of Pentose Phosphate pathway in the recombinant L. lactis carrying aerolysin gene (Lac-D1ae). iv
Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk ijazah Master Sains ANALISIS PENGAWALAN METABOLIK REKOMBINAN Lactococcus lactis BERDASARKAN KEPADA EKSPRESI GEN DAN AKTIVITI ENZIM Oleh FARZANEH HEIDARNIA Julai 2011 Pengerusi: Nor Aini Abdul Rahman, PhD Fakulti: Bioteknologi dan Sains Biomolekul Bakteria asid laktik (LAB) merupakan mikroorganisma yang penting dalam industri dimana ia digunakan secara meluas dalam industri pemakanan untuk produk tenusu. Disamping itu pada masa kini aplikasi modifikasi gen dan proses bioteknologi terhadap bakteria ini semakin meningkat. Lactococcus lactis merupakan bakteria bukan patogen dimana genomnya telah dijujukkan sepenuhnya serta tapak jalannya telah banyak dikaji. Oleh itu L.lactis menjadi target yang menarik melalui pendekatan tersebut seperti menghasilkan vektor vaksin hidup. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk menilai kesan aerolysin terhadap pengawalan metabolik dan kriteria fermentasi rekombinan L.lactis. Kedua-dua L.lactis NZ9000 (strain asal) and rekombinan L.lactis pembawa gen aerolysin D1 (Lac-D1ae) telah ditumbuhkan dalam medium M17 yang dibekalkan dengan glukosa 0.5% (w/v) dan diinkubasi pada 30 C dengan goncangan pada 150 rpm. Chloramphenicol (7.5 ug/ml) telah ditambah untuk mengekalkan plasmid. Sampel untuk ekspresi gen dan asai aktiviti enzim telah diambil semasa akhir fasa eksponen. v
Perubahan ekspresi 10 gen (glk, pfk, pyk, acka, mdh, ldh, pgi, zwf, gnd) yang bertanggungjawab untuk enzim yang terdapat pada tapak jalan utama, contohnya Glikolisis, Kitaran TriKarboksilik, Fermentasi, dan Tapak Jalan Pentos Posfat telah ditentukan menggunakan semi-kuantitatif RT-PCR dan Real-Time PCR. Aktiviti untuk enzim-enzim tersebut termasuk glucokinase (GLK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PYK), acetate kinase (ACK), Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), Glucose- 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) juga diukur untuk memahami pengawalan metabolik dalam Lac-D1ae. Berdasarkan kepada keputusan fermentasi pertumbuhan sel, kadar penghasilan asid laktik, dan asid asetik oleh Lac-D1ae masing-masing adalah 0.17 g/l, 0.82 mg/l/h dan 0.16 mg/l/h. Nilai-nilai tersebut adalah kurang sedikit berbanding dengan strain asal (0.8 g/l, 0.84 mg/l/h dan 0.18 mg/l/h). Kadar penggunaan glukosa menunjukkan pengurangan yang ketara pada strain rekombinan (3.48 g/l/h) berbanding dengan strain asal L.lactis NZ9000 (4.27 g/l/h). Keputusan HPLC menunjukkan penghasilan asid laktik (8.20 g/l) dan asid asetik (1.58 g/l) adalah kurang dalam Lac-D1ae dibandingkan dengan strain asal (8.35 g/l dan 1.83 g/l). Secara umumnya kriteria fermentasi Lac-D1ae menunjukkan kehadiran aerolysin tidak merencatkan pertumbuhan strain tersebut. Sebagai kesimpulan, kriteria fermentasi rekombinan L.lactis menunjukkan kehadiran gen aerolysin tidak merencatkan pertumbuhan L.lactis. Melalui kaedah integrasi berasaskan ekspresi gen dan aktiviti enzim, pengawalan metabolik rekombinan L.lactis pembawa gen aerolysin (Lac-D1ae) menunjukkan peningkatan pengawalan Glikolisis dan Kitaran TCA dan penurunan pengawalan tapak jalan Pentos Posfat. vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, my praise to Allah for giving me the strength and wisdom to fulfill this challenging task. I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Nor Aini Abdul Rahman under whose guidance and supervision had provided me the opportunity and easily conducive environment to complete this study. Her invaluable constructive criticisms and continuous supports had built in me the confidence to undertake the laboratory investigations with patience and optimism throughout the course of my study. Special thanks go to the members of my supervisory committee Prof. Dr. Raha Abdul Rahim, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rosfarizan Mohamad for their suggestions and useful deliberative discussion to make this study more comprehensive and meaningful. I would like to thank all staff at the Department of Bioprocess Technology, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences for their numerous help and support during my study. vii
I certify that a Thesis Examination Committee has met on to conduct the final examination of Farzaneh Heidarnia on her thesis entitled Metabolic Regulation Analysis of Recombinant Lactococcus lactis, Based on Gene Expression and Enzyme Activity in accordance with the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and Construction of the [P.U.(A) 106] 15 March 1998. The Committee recommends that the student be awarded the degree of Master of Science. Members of the Thesis Examination Committee were as follows:., PhD.. (position) Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Chairman), PhD.. (position) Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Internal Examiner), PhD.. (position) Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Internal Examiner), PhD.(position) Faculty of University (External Examiner) ----------------------------------------------- BUJANG BIN KIM HUAT, PhD Professor and Deputy Dean School of Graduate Studies Date: viii
The thesis was submitted to the senate of has been accepted as the fulfillment requirement for the degree of Master of Science. The members of Supervisor Committee were as follows: Nor Aini Abdul Rahman, PhD Professor Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Chairman) Raha Abdul Rahim, PhD Professor Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Member) Rosfarizan Mohamad, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (Member) HASANAH MOHD GHAZALII, PhD Professor and Dean School of Graduate Studies Date: ix
DECLARATION I declare that the thesis is my original work except for the quotation and citation which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously or currently submitted for any other degree at or at any other institution. ------------------------------------ FARZANEH HEIDARNIA Date: 18 July 2011 x
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION ABSTRACT ABSTRAK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS APPROVAL DECLARATION LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ii iii v vii viii x x iii xiv xvi 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 5 2.1 Lactic Acid Bacteria 5 2.1.1 Lactococcus lactis 6 2.1.2 Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering of L. lactis 7 2.1.3 L. Lactis as a Live Vaccine Vector 8 2.1.4 Gene cloning and effects of exogenous gene 9 2.1.5 Metabolic pathway 11 2.2 Aeromonads 16 2.2.1 Aeromonas hydrophila 17 2.2.2 Aerolysin 21 2.3.3 Structure of Aerolysin 22 2.3 Gene Expression 24 2.3.1 Northern Blots 25 2.3.2 Ribonuclease Protection Assays 27 2.3.3 DNA Microarray Technology 28 2.3.4 Serial Analysis of Gene Expression 30 2.3.5 RT-PCR 32 2.3.6 Real-Time RT-PCR 33 2.3.7 Real-Time PCR vs. Conventional RT-PCR 35 2.4 Enzymes 36 2.4.1 Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity 36 3. METABOLIC REGULATION ANALYSIS OF RECOMBINANT L. LACTIS BASED ON GENE EXPRESSION AND ENZYME ACTIVITIES 39 3.1 Introduction 39 3.2 Material and Methods 40 3.2.1 General Experimental Design 40 3.2.1 Bacterial strain and culture condition 42 3.2.2 Verification of the recombinant pnz8048d1aer plasmid 43 3.2.3 Inocula Preparation 43 3.2.4 Shake-flask fermentation 44 xi
3.2.5 Cell Concentration 44 3.2.6 Sugar Concentration 44 3.2.6 RNA Extraction 45 3.2.7 Primer design 46 3.2.8 Semi-quantitative RT-PCR 46 3.2.9 Real-Time PCR 49 3.2.10 Enzymatic Assays 52 3.2.12 Measurement of organic acids concentration by HPLC 55 3.3 Results 55 3.3.1 Fermentation characteristics 55 3.3.2 Verification of the recombinant plasmid, pnz8084d1aer 61 3.3.3 Optimization of PCR conditions 62 3.3.4 Semi-quantitative RT-PCR 63 3.3.5 Quantitative RT-PCR 65 3.3.6 Real-Time PCR 67 3.3.7 Enzyme activity measurement 72 3.4 Discussion 74 3.4.1 Glycolytic pathway and PP pathway 74 3.4.2 TCA cycle 77 3.4.3 Fermentation pathway 78 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 80 4.1 Conclusions 80 4.2 Recommendations 81 REFERENCES APPENDIX BIODATA OF STUDENT 83 99 ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. xii