Biochemical Profiling of DMSP Lyases

Lei Lei, Uria Alcolombri, Dan S. Tawfik*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is released at rates of > 107 tons annually and plays a key role in the oceanic sulfur cycle and ecology. Marine bacteria, algae, and possibly other organisms release DMS via cleavage of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). DMSP lyases have been identified in various organisms, including bacteria, coral, and algae, thus comprising a range of gene families putatively assigned as DMSP lyases. Metagenomics may therefore provide insight regarding the presence of DMSP lyases in various marine environments, thereby promoting a better understanding of global DMS emission. However, gene counts, and even mRNA levels, do not necessarily reflect the level of DMSP cleavage activity in a given environmental sample, especially because some of the families assigned as DMSP lyases may merely exhibit promiscuous lyase activity. Here, we describe a range of biochemical profiling methods that can assign an observed DMSP lysis activity to a specific gene family. These methods include selective inhibitors and DMSP substrate analogues. Combined with genomics and metagenomics, biochemical profiling may enable a more reliable identification of the origins of DMS release in specific organisms and in crude environmental samples.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMethods in Enzymology
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
Pages269-289
Number of pages21
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2018
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameMethods in Enzymology
Volume605
ISSN (Print)0076-6879
ISSN (Electronic)1557-7988

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Inc.

Keywords

  • Dimethyl sulfide
  • Dimethylsulfoniopropionate
  • Enzyme promiscuity
  • Enzyme superfamily
  • Mechanism-based inhibitor
  • Substrate profiling

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