Enhancement of protein thermostability by three consecutive mutations using loop-walking method and machine learning

Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 4;11(1):11883. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-91339-4.

Abstract

We developed a method to improve protein thermostability, "loop-walking method". Three consecutive positions in 12 loops of Burkholderia cepacia lipase were subjected to random mutagenesis to make 12 libraries. Screening allowed us to identify L7 as a hot-spot loop having an impact on thermostability, and the P233G/L234E/V235M mutant was found from 214 variants in the L7 library. Although a more excellent mutant might be discovered by screening all the 8000 P233X/L234X/V235X mutants, it was difficult to assay all of them. We therefore employed machine learning. Using thermostability data of the 214 mutants, a computational discrimination model was constructed to predict thermostability potentials. Among 7786 combinations ranked in silico, 20 promising candidates were selected and assayed. The P233D/L234P/V235S mutant retained 66% activity after heat treatment at 60 °C for 30 min, which was higher than those of the wild-type enzyme (5%) and the P233G/L234E/V235M mutant (35%).

MeSH terms

  • Burkholderia cepacia / genetics*
  • Computational Biology
  • Enzyme Stability*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Hot Temperature
  • Hydrolases / chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Lipase / chemistry*
  • Machine Learning*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Mutagenesis*
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation*
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protein Engineering / methods*
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Hydrolases
  • Lipase