Cleavage Product Accumulation Decreases the Activity of Cutinase during PET Hydrolysis

J Chem Inf Model. 2017 Feb 27;57(2):243-255. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.6b00556. Epub 2017 Jan 27.

Abstract

The Fusarium solani cutinase (FsC) is a promising candidate for the enzymatic degradation of the synthetic polyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET) but still suffers from a lack of activity. Using atomic MD simulations with different concentrations of cleavage product ethylene glycol (EG), we show influences of EG on the dynamic of FsC. We observed accumulation of EG in the active site region reducing the local flexibility of FsC. Furthermore, we used a coarse-grained mechanical model to investigate whether substrate binding in the active site causes an induced fit. We observed this supposed induced fit or "breath-like" movement during substrate binding indicating that the active site has to be flexible for substrate conversion. This guides rational design: mutants with an increased flexibility near the active site should be considered to compensate the solvent-mediated reduction in activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocatalysis
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / chemistry
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Fusarium / enzymology
  • Fusarium / metabolism
  • Hydrolysis
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Polyethylene Terephthalates / isolation & purification
  • Polyethylene Terephthalates / metabolism*

Substances

  • Polyethylene Terephthalates
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases
  • cutinase