title: A New Strategy for Smoking Cessation: Characterization of a Bacterial Enzyme for the Degradation of Nicotine.
abstract: Smoking is the leading cause of preventable diseases; thus, effective smoking cessation aids are crucial for reducing the prevalence of cigarette smoking and smoking-related illnesses. In our current campaign we offer a nicotine-degrading enzyme from Pseudomonas putida, NicA2, a flavin-containing protein. To explore its potential, a kinetic evaluation of the enzyme was conducted, which included determination of K(m), k(cat), buffer/serum half-life, and thermostability. Additionally, the catabolism profile of NicA2 was elucidated to assess the potential toxicity of the nicotine-derived products. In characterizing the enzyme, a favorable biochemical profile of the enzyme was discovered, making NicA2 a prospective therapeutic candidate. This approach provides a new avenue for the field of nicotine addiction therapy.
authors.affiliation: †Departments of Chemistry and Immunology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and ‡Worm Institute for Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: †Departments of Chemistry and Immunology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and ‡Worm Institute for Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Schlosburg
authors.affiliation: †Departments of Chemistry and Immunology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and ‡Worm Institute for Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.
authors.forename: Kim D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Janda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D004138:Dinitrocresols / Q000378:metabolism; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009538:Nicotine / Q000378:metabolism*; D016958:Pseudomonas putida / Q000201:enzymology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004138:Dinitrocresols; D004798:Enzymes; C024132:4,6-dinitro-o-cresol; D009538:Nicotine