Agmatine production by Escherichia coli cells expressing SpeA on the extracellular surface

A plasmid was constructed to express the CapA-SpeA fusion protein from the capA gene, which encodes one of the subunits of capsular poly-γ-glutamate synthetase of Bacillus subtilis subsp. natto, and the speA gene, encoding biosynthetic arginine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.19) of Escherichia coli, under the control of the T5 promoter. The expression of SpeA on the extracellular surface of cells was confirmed by confocal microscopy with the anti-SpeA_{E. coli} antibody and anti-rabbit IgG L & H conjugated with Alexa Fluor 488. The constructed strain SH2290 produced 200 mM agmatine from 200 mM arginine, 20 mM MgSO₄, 0.9 % NaCl, and 0.02 mg/mL pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (initial pH 5.3) by adjusting pH of the reaction mixture to 6.8 with HCl after each sampling during the reaction. The addition of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate to the reaction mixture was required for the maximum agmatine production. The present results demonstrate that the expression of enzymes on the extracellular surface of cells is a very powerful method for enzymatic conversion.