Thermophilic carboxylesterases from hydrothermal vents of the volcanic island of Ischia active on synthetic and biobased polymers and mycotoxins

Abstract

Hydrothermal vents have a widespread geographical distribution and are of high interest for investigating microbial communities and robust enzymes for various industrial applications. We examined microbial communities and carboxylesterases of two terrestrial hydrothermal vents of the volcanic island of Ischia (Italy) predominantly composed of Firmicutes ( Geobacillus and Brevibacillus spp.), Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota . High-temperature enrichment cultures with the polyester plastics polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polylactic acid (PLA) resulted in an increase of Thermus and Geobacillus spp., and to some extent, Fontimonas and Schleiferia spp. The screening at 37-70ºC of metagenomic fosmid library from above enrichment cultures resulted in identification and successful production in Escherichia coli of three hydrolases (IS10, IS11 and IS12), all derived from yet uncultured Chloroflexota and showing low sequence identity (33-56%) to characterized enzymes. Enzymes exhibited maximal esterase activity at temperatures 70-90ºC, with IS11 showing the highest thermostability (90% activity after 20 min incubation at 80ºC). IS10 and IS12 were highly substrate-promiscuous and hydrolysed all 51 monoester substrates tested. Enzymes were active with polyesters (PLA and polyethylene terephthalate model substrate, 3PET) and mycotoxin T-2 (IS12). IS10 and IS12 had a classical α/β hydrolase core domain with a serine hydrolase catalytic triad (Ser155, His280, and Asp250) in the hydrophobic active sites. The crystal structure of IS11 resolved at 2.92 Å revealed the presence of the N-terminal β-lactamase-like domain and C-terminal lipocalin domain. The catalytic cleft of IS11 includes catalytic residues Ser68, Lys71, Tyr160, and Asn162, whereas the lipocalin domain encloses the catalytic cleft like a lid contributing to substrate binding. Thus, this study has identified novel thermotolerant carboxylesterases with a broad substrate range including polyesters and mycotoxins for potential applications in biotechnology. IMPORTANCE: High-temperature-active microbial enzymes are important biocatalysts for many industrial applications including recycling of synthetic and biobased polyesters increasingly used in textiles, fibres, coatings and adhesives. Here, we have discovered three novel thermotolerant carboxylesterases (IS10, IS11 and IS12) from high-temperature enrichment cultures from the Ischia hydrothermal vents incubated with biobased polymers. The identified metagenomic enzymes originated from uncultured Chloroflexota and showed low sequence similarity to known carboxylesterases. Active sites of IS10 and IS12 had the largest “effective volumes” among the characterized prokaryotic carboxylesterases and exhibited high substrate promiscuity, including hydrolysis of polyesters and mycotoxin T-2 (IS12). Though less promiscuous compared to IS10 and IS12, IS11 had a higher thermostability with high temperature optimum (80-90 ºC) for activity, hydrolysed polyesters, and its crystal structure revealed an unusual lipocalin domain likely involved in substrate binding. The polyesterase activity in these enzymes makes them attractive candidates for further optimisation and potential application in plastics recycling.