嗜热真菌纤维素酶的CBD与海栖热袍菌的纤维素酶融合表达

将嗜热真菌毛壳菌纤维素酶Cel7A的纤维素结合结构域编码区与极端嗜热厌氧菌海栖热袍菌的纤维素酶CelB基因进行融合, 构建重组质粒pHsh-CBD-CelB, 并在大肠杆菌中表达。对融合蛋白进行纯化, 通过热处理和离子交换层析, 纯化到的融合蛋白SDS-PAGE 电泳图谱显示为单一条带。对融合蛋白的特性研究, 结果表明融合蛋白降解CMC的最适反应温度为90°C, 结晶纤维素吸附实验表明该融合蛋白具有结合结晶纤维素的能力, 并且融合蛋白降解CMC与结晶纤维素的能力得到提高。     

纤维素酶纤维素吸附区的结构与功能

大多数纤维素酶含有催化区和可与纤维素结合且氨基酸序列较为保守的纤维素吸附区(cellulosebindingdomain,CBD)。纤维素吸附区促进酶与底物的结合,有利于催化区对不溶性底物的作用,但对可溶性底物的催化作用无影响。对CBD结构的研究和进一步的诱变研究揭示:纤维素吸附区是通过几个芳香族氨基酸结合到纤维素表面。有实验证明外切葡聚糖酶的CBD对结晶纤维素有疏解作用。CBD结构域已成功地应用于一系列重组融合蛋白的纯化和固定化。对纤维素吸附区结构与功能的深入了解对进一步了解酶的作用机制,促进纤维素酶类生物技术的发展是重要的 。     

新型耐热β-1,4-木糖苷酶的重组表达及酶学性质

【目的】拟对来源于热解纤维素果汁杆菌的新型β-木糖苷酶基因(CoXyl B)进行重组表达和酶学性质研究。【方法】在大肠杆菌系统中成功表达CoXyl B基因,并通过镍柱亲和层析、强阴离子交换和凝胶层析等纯化方法获得纯酶。【结果】对CoXyl B酶学性质的研究结果显示,在以4-对硝基苯酚-β-D-木糖苷为底物时,该酶的最适反应温度为90℃,最适反应pH为6.0。在40–70℃范围内CoXyl B酶活较高且比较稳定。在pH 5.0–6.0之间,70℃孵育1 h后,CoXyl B的相对酶活仍保留80%以上。Ag~+、高浓度的SDS和PMSF对酶活力的抑制作用较显著,而高浓度Mg~(2+)、Li~+和EDTA对酶活力的激活作用较为明显。CoXyl B的k_(cat)和K_m值分别为5.0×10~(–3)s~(–1)和1.9 mmol/L。薄层层析色谱显示CoXyl B具有降解木二糖、木三糖和木四糖的能力。【结论】本研究鉴定出CoXyl B为一种新型的极端耐热木糖苷酶,CoXyl B的酶学性质研究将为其在食品热加工以及生物降解领域中的应用提供参考。     

脱硫链霉菌LD48产硫化物氧化酶酶学性质研究

从土壤中分离出1株能氧化硫化物的耐热链霉菌菌株LD48(Streptomyces sp.LD48),对其所产的硫化物氧化醇粗酶液的酶学性质进行了较系统的研究。结果表明:该酶的最适反应温度是37℃以上;该酶极耐高温,在50-100℃范围内处理6h,未见酶活损失,甚至高压蒸汽灭菌(0.1MPa)30min后,亦未见酶活损失;其最适反应体系pH为8.0-10.6;该酶耐受pH范围较广,在pH为3-7时比较稳定,在pH11-13的强碱性环境中仍能保持70%的活性,但不耐受pH8-10的碱性环境;Mn2 对该酶有激活作用,EDTA则100%的抑制,而酶对Al3 、Mg2 、Ca2 及Zn2 等几种金属离子不敏感。     

荔枝果皮过氧化物酶的纯化及部分酶学性质研究

经硫酸铵分级盐析、DEAE-Sepharose和Sephadex G-75柱层析分离,从荔枝果皮中分离提纯了过氧化物酶(POD),该酶被纯化了12．5倍,产率为1．9％。经SDS-PAGE确定为单一条带。该酶最适反应温度为35℃,对热具有较强的稳定性,经75℃处理30min,酶活性只损失50％。最适pH约为6．5,但在pH4．0—8．0范围内活力仍比较稳定。该酶在25℃和0．05mol／L磷酸缓冲液(pH7．0)条件下对愈创木酚、邻苯二酚和没食子酸的Km分别是2．75、12．4和12．8mmol／L。二硫苏糖醇和抗坏血酸能完全抑制POD活性,L-半胱氨酸、柠檬酸、FeS04、GSH、SDS和ZnS04对POD活性有一定的抑制作用,而FeCl,和CuSOt对POD则有较好的激活作用。     

微紫青霉外切葡聚糖纤维二糖水解酶（CBHI）的纤维素结合结构域及其链结区非水解性破坏纤维素结晶区结构

天然纤维素的结晶区必需在内、外切纤维素酶的协同作用下,始可被降解,这是纤维素降解的限速步骤。内、外切纤维素酶均为β－1,4－糖苷键的水解酶,但单一的内、外切纤维素酶却都不能水解天然纤维素的结晶区。内、外切纤维素酶怎样协同降解纤维素的机理一直未得阐明,是天然纤维素降解机制研究中的难点。纤维素酶分子是由具有催化功能的催化结构域（catalytic domain,CD）和具有结合纤维素功能的纤维素结合（吸附）结构域（cellulse biding domain,CBD）及涟结它们的链结区（linker）序列组成。已知一细菌的CBD在吸附纤维素后,纤维素聚合物断裂形成短小纤维,但这一现象还未在真菌中有类似发现,通过对插入质粒pUC-18上的微紫青霉外切葡聚糖纤维二糖水解酶CBHI的 cDNA基因,进行系列序列定向缺失等体外操作,得到了催化结构域序列缺失的重组质粒,转化大肠杆菌JM109后,利用纤维素结合结构域CBD可吸附纤维素的特性,筛选到含CBD编码区的转化子PUC18G,生产出了LacZ－CBD融合蛋白,经木瓜蛋白酶有限酶切后,分离纯化得到了CBD结构域及其链结区称为：CBDCBHI。经X光衍射、红外光谱分析、热活力测定和扫描电镜观察表明,CBDCBHI吸附纤维素后,能够导致纤维素聚合物氢键断裂,结晶度减低和形成短纤维,从而在底物可及性上为内切葡聚糖酶的水解糖化作用提供了条件,为真菌内、外切纤维素酶协同降解天然纤维素的作用机制提供了实验支持,并提出了内切纤维素酶的水解作用可为外切纤维素酶吸附纤维素提供能量的推论。     

嗜热毛壳菌内切β-葡聚糖酶的分离纯化及特性

探讨了液体发酵嗜热毛壳菌（Chaetomium thermophile)产生的内切β－葡聚糖酶的分离纯化及特性。粗酶液经硫酸铵分级沉淀,DEAE－Seplharose Fast Flow阴离子层析,Pheny1-Sepha-rose疏水层析,Sephacry1 S-100分子筛层析等步骤便可获得凝胶电泳均一的内切β－葡聚糖酶,经12．5％SDS－PAGE和凝胶过滤层析法分离纯化酶蛋白的分子量约为67．8kD的69．8kD。该酶反应的最适温度和pH分别为60℃和4．0－4．5在pH5.0条件下,该酶在60℃下稳定：70℃保温1h后,仍保留30％的活性;在80摄氏度的半衰期为25min,金属离子内切β－葡聚糖酶的活性影响较大,其中Na^ 对酶有激活作用;Fe^2 ,Ag^ ,Cu^2 ,Ba^2 ,Zn^2 等对酶有抑制作用。该酶对结晶纤维素有没水解能力。     

活性炭吸附固定化粪产碱杆菌青霉素G酰化酶

目的：以活性炭为载体固定化粪产碱杆菌来源的青霉素G酰化酶,考察固定化酶的性质。方法：对影响酶固定化的因素优化筛选,确定有显著影响的因素：pH、离子强度、酶量、固定化时间进行L934的正交实验,获得最佳固定化条件,并对固定化酶的最适反应温度、pH及批次稳定性进行研究。结果：最佳固定化条件为：载体0.3g,酶量5mL,总反应体系为12mL,离子强度1mol/L,温度4℃,pH 7.0,固定化40h;最高固定化酶活性为135.9U/g湿载体。固定化酶性最适反应温度为55℃,最适pH为10,重复使用12次后没有活性损失。结论：活性炭吸附固定化青霉素G酰化酶的活性高,批次反应稳定,具有工业应用潜力。     

里氏木霉Cel5A基因优化及其在毕赤酵母中的高效表达

内切纤维素酶Cel5A缺乏是限制纤维素酶制剂高效酶解天然纤维素的关键因素。本文尝试构建高效表达里氏木霉Cel5A的毕赤酵母重组菌株以弥补目前Cel5A的天然分泌不足,通过基因密码子偏好性优化里氏木霉Cel5A基因和构建表达载体p PIC9K-eg2,并将其电转入毕赤酵母GS115以构建重组子,利用浓度梯度平板和摇瓶发酵筛选获得一株高产毕赤酵母Pichia pastoris菌株GS115-EGⅡ。重组酶的酶学性质分析显示,该酶分子量50 k Da、最适p H(p H 4.5)略有降低及最适反应温度为60℃,专一性地作用于非结晶纤维素,与天然里氏木霉Cel5A并无明显区别。通过摇瓶发酵的初步优化,该菌摇瓶培养条件:培养温度28℃、起始p H 5.0、接种量2%、每24 h添加甲醇1.5%(V/V)、每24 h添加山梨醇4 g/L及吐温80添加4 g/L,发酵192 h重组酶酶活达到24.0 U/m L。进一步上罐(5 L)发酵180 h,该重组酶Cel5A酶活高达270.9 U/m L,蛋白含量达到4.16 g/L。重组毕赤酵母P.pastoris GS115-EGⅡ是一株适合于外源表达Cel5A的工程菌,该重组酶可替代天然分泌Cel5A适用于当前酶基生物炼制模式下木质纤维素基质高效水解中。     

一株嗜热嗜酸纤维素酶高产霉菌分离鉴定及其酶学性质研究

从含有大量纤维素物质的堆肥里分离到一株土曲霉,其最适生长温度为45℃,最适生长酸碱度为pH2.0,在最适条件下培养该菌的最高CMCase活性可达3.680IU/mL,此酶最适反应温度和酸碱度为60℃和pH2.0,并且具有较高的热稳定性。     

Xylanase XynA from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima: structure and stability of the recombinant enzyme and its isolated cellulose-binding domain.

The hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima is capable of gaining metabolic energy utilizing xylan. XynA, one of the corresponding hydrolases required for its degradation, is a 120-kDa endo-1,4-D-xylanase exhibiting high intrinsic stability and a temperature optimum approximately 90 degrees C. Sequence alignments with other xylanases suggest the enzyme to consist of five domains. The C-terminal part of XynA was previously shown to be responsible for cellulose binding (Winterhalter C, Heinrich P, Candussio A, Wich G, Liebl W. 1995. Identification of a novel cellulose-binding domain within the multi-domain 120 kDa Xylanase XynA of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima. Mol Microbiol 15:431-444). In order to characterize the domain organization and the stability of XynA and its C-terminal cellulose-binding domain (CBD), the two separate proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli. CBD, because of its instability in its ligand-free form, was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein with a specific thrombin cleavage site as linker. XynA and CBD were compared regarding their hydrodynamic and spectral properties. As taken from analytical ultracentrifugation and gel permeation chromatography, both are monomers with 116 and 22 kDa molecular masses, respectively. In the presence of glucose as a ligand, CBD shows high intrinsic stability. Denaturation/renaturation experiments with isolated CBD yield > 80% renaturation, indicating that the domain folds independently. Making use of fluorescence emission and far-UV circular dichroism in order to characterize protein stability, guanidine-induced unfolding of XynA leads to biphasic transitions, with half-concentrations c1/2 (GdmCl) approximately 4 M and > 5 M, in accordance with the extreme thermal stability. At acid pH, XynA exhibits increased stability, indicated by a shift of the second guanidine-transition from 5 to 7 M GdmCl. This can be tentatively attributed to the cellulose-binding domain. Differences in the transition profiles monitored by fluorescence emission and dichroic absorption indicate multi-state behavior of XynA. In the case of CBD, a temperature-induced increase in negative ellipticity at 217 nm is caused by alterations in the environment of aromatic residues that contribute to the far-UV CD in the native state.     

Biochemical characterization of Thermotoga maritima endoglucanase Cel74 with and without a carbohydrate binding module (CBM)

The genome of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima (Tm) encodes at least eight glycoside hydrolases with putative signal peptides; the biochemical characteristics of seven of these have been reported previously. The eighth, Tm Cel74, is encoded by an open reading frame of 2124 bp corresponding to a polypeptide of 79 kDa with a signal peptide at the amino-terminus. The gene (lacking the signal peptide) encoding Tm Cel74 was expressed as a 77 kDa monomeric polypeptide in Escherichia coli and found to be optimally active at pH 6, 90 degrees C, with a melting temperature of approximately 105 degrees C. The cel74 gene was previously found to be induced during T. maritima growth on a variety of polysaccharides, including barley glucan, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), glucomannan, galactomannan and starch. However, while Tm Cel74 was most active towards barley glucan and to a lesser extent CMC, glucomannan and tamarind (xyloglucan), no activity was detected on other glycans, including galactomannan, laminarin and starch. Also, Tm Cel74 did not contain a carbohydrate binding module (CBM), versions of which have been identified in the amino acid sequences of other family 74 enzymes. As such, a CBM associated with a chitinase in another hyperthermophile, Pyrococcus furiosus, was used to create a fusion protein that was active on crystalline cellulose; Tm Cel74 lacked activity on this substrate. Based on the cleavage pattern determined for Tm Cel74 on glucan-based substrates, this enzyme likely initiates recruitment of carbohydrate carbon and energy sources by creating oligosaccharides that are transported into the cell for further processing.     

Hypocrea jecorina (Trichoderma reesei) Cel7A as a molecular machine: A docking study

Hypocrea jecorina (formerly Trichoderma reesei) Cel7A has a catalytic domain (CD) and a cellulose-binding domain (CBD) separated by a highly glycosylated linker. Very little is known of how the 2 domains interact to degrade crystalline cellulose. Based on the interaction energies and forces on cello-oligosaccharides computationally docked to the CD and CBD, we propose a molecular machine model, where the CBD wedges itself under a free chain end on the crystalline cellulose surface and feeds it to the CD active site tunnel. Enzyme-substrate interactions produce the forces required to pull cellulose chains from the surface and also to help the enzyme move on the cellulose chain for processive hydrolysis. The energy to generate these forces is ultimately derived from the chemical energy of glycosidic bond breakage.     

Engineering a family 9 processive endoglucanase from Paenibacillus barcinonensis displaying a novel architecture

Cel9B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis is a modular endoglucanase with a novel molecular architecture among family 9 enzymes that comprises a catalytic domain (GH9), a family 3c cellulose-binding domain (CBM3c), a fibronectin III-like domain repeat (Fn3_1,2), and a C-terminal family 3b cellulose-binding domain (CBM3b). A series of truncated derivatives of endoglucanase Cel9B have been constructed and characterized. Deletion of CBM3c produced a notable reduction in hydrolytic activity, while it did not affect the cellulose-binding properties as CBM3c did not show the ability to bind to cellulose. On the contrary, CBM3b exhibited binding to cellulose. The truncated forms devoid of CBM3b lost cellulose-binding ability and showed a reduced activity on crystalline cellulose, although activity on amorphous celluloses was not affected. Endoglucanase Cel9B produced only a small ratio of insoluble products from filter paper, while most of the reducing ends produced by the enzyme were released as soluble sugars (91%), indicating that it is a processive enzyme. Processivity of Cel9B resides in traits contained in the tandem of domains GH9–CBM3c, although the slightly reduced processivity of truncated form GH9–CBM3c suggests a minor contribution of domains Fn3_1,2 or CBM3b, not contained in it, on processivity of endoglucanase Cel9B.     

Characterization of the cellulose-binding domain of the Clostridium cellulovorans cellulose-binding protein A.

Cellulose-binding protein A (CbpA), a component of the cellulase complex of Clostridium cellulovorans, contains a unique sequence which has been demonstrated to be a cellulose-binding domain (CBD). The DNA coding for this putative CBD was subcloned into pET-8c, an Escherichia coli expression vector. The protein produced under the direction of the recombinant plasmid, pET-CBD, had a high affinity for crystalline cellulose. Affinity-purified CBD protein was used in equilibrium binding experiments to characterize the interaction of the protein with various polysaccharides. It was found that the binding capacity of highly crystalline cellulose samples (e.g., cotton) was greater than that of samples of low crystallinity (e.g., fibrous cellulose). At saturating CBD concentration, about 6.4 mumol of protein was bound by 1 g of cotton. Under the same conditions, fibrous cellulose bound only 0.2 mumol of CBD per g. The measured dissociation constant was in the 1 microM range for all cellulose samples. The results suggest that the CBD binds specifically to crystalline cellulose. Chitin, which has a crystal structure similar to that of cellulose, also was bound by the CBD. The presence of high levels of cellobiose or carboxymethyl cellulose in the assay mixture had no effect on the binding of CBD protein to crystalline cellulose. This result suggests that the CBD recognition site is larger than a simple cellobiose unit or more complex than a repeating cellobiose moiety. This CBD is of particular interest because it is the first CBD from a completely sequenced nonenzymatic protein shown to be an independently functional domain.     

Enhancement of transglycosylation activity by construction of chimeras between mesophilic and thermophilic beta-glucosidase

The family 3 beta-glucosidase from Thermotoga maritima is a highly thermostable enzyme (85 degrees C) that displays transglycosylation activity. In contrast, the beta-glucosidase from Cellvibrio gilvus is mesophilic (35 degrees C) and displays no such transglycosylation activity. Both enzymes consist of two domains, an N-terminal and a C-terminal domain, and the amino acid identities between the two enzymes in these domains are 32.4 and 36.4%, respectively. In an attempt to identify the molecular basis underpinning the display of transglycosylation activity and the requirements for thermal stability, eight chimeric genes were constructed by shuffling the two parental beta-glucosidase genes at four selected borders, two in the N-terminal domain and two in the C-terminal domain. Of the eight chimeric genes constructed, only two chimeric enzymes (Tm578/606Cg and Tm638/666Cg) gave catalytically active forms and these were the ones shuffled in the C-terminal domain. For these active chimeric enzymes, 80% (Tm578/606Cg) and 88% (Tm638/666Cg) of their amino acid sequences originated from T. maritima. With regard to their thermal profiles, the two active chimeric enzymes, Tm578/606Cg and Tm638/666Cg, displayed profiles intermediate to those of the two parental enzymes as they were optimally active at 65 and 70 degrees C, respectively. These two chimeric enzymes were optimally active at pH 4.1 and 3.9, which is closer to that observed for the T. maritima enzyme (pH 3.2-3.5) than that for the C. gilvus enzyme (pH 6.2-6.5). Kinetic parameters for the chimeric enzymes were investigated with five different substrates including pNP-beta-D-glucopyranoside. The kinetic parameters obtained for the chimeric enzymes were closer to those of the T. maritima enzyme than to those of the C. gilvus enzyme. Transglycosylation activity was observed for both chimeric enzymes and the activity of the Tm578/606Cg chimera was at a level twice that observed with the T. maritima enzyme. This study is an effective demonstration of the usefulness of chimeric enzymes in altering the characteristics of an enzyme.     

Hydrolysis of amorphous and crystalline cellulose by heterologously produced cellulases of Melanocarpus albomyces

Three thermostable neutral cellulases from Melanocarpus albomyces, a 20-kDa endoglucanase (Cel45A), a 50-kDa endoglucanase (Cel7A), and a 50-kDa cellobiohydrolase (Cel7B) heterologously produced in a recombinant Trichoderma reesei were purified and studied in hydrolysis (50 degrees C, pH 6.0) of crystalline and amorphous cellulose. To improve their efficiency, M. albomyces cellulases naturally harboring no cellulose-binding module (CBM) were genetically modified to carry the CBM of T. reesei CBHI/Cel7A, and were studied under similar experimental conditions. Hydrolysis performance and product profiles were used to evaluate hydrolytic features of the investigated enzymes. Each cellulase proved to be active against the tested substrates; the cellobiohydrolase Cel7B had greater activity than the endoglucanases Cel45A and Cel7A against crystalline cellulose, whereas in the case of amorphous substrate the order was reversed. Evidence of synergism was observed when mixtures of the novel enzymes were applied in a constant total protein dosage. Presence of the CBM improved the hydrolytic potential of each enzyme in all experimental configurations; it had a greater effect on the endoglucanases Cel45A and Cel7A than the cellobiohydrolase Cel7B, especially against crystalline substrate. The novel cellobiohydrolase performed comparably to the major cellobiohydrolase of T. reesei (CBHI/Cel7A) under the applied experimental conditions.     

Cloning and expression of an endocellulase gene from a novel streptomycete isolated from an East African soda lake

Alkaline cellulase-producing actinomycete strains were isolated from mud samples collected from East African soda lakes. The strains were identified as novel Streptomyces spp. by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. A cellulase gene (cel12A) from Streptomyces sp. strain 11AG8 was cloned by expression screening of a genomic DNA library in Escherichia coli. From the nucleotide sequence of a 1.5-kb DNA fragment, an open reading frame of 1,113 nucleotides was identified encoding a protein of 371 amino acids. From computer analysis of the sequence, it was deduced that the Cel12A mature enzyme is a protein of 340 amino acids. The protein contained a catalytic domain, a glycine-rich linker region, and a cellulose-binding domain of 221, 12, and 107 amino acids, respectively. FASTA analysis of the catalytic domain of Cel12A classified the enzyme as a family 12 endoglucanase and the cellulose-binding domain as a family IIa CBD. Streptomyces rochei EglS was determined as nearest neighbor with a similarity of 75.2% and 61.0% to the catalytic domain and the cellulose-binding domain, respectively. The cell2A gene was subcloned in a Bacillus high-expression vector carrying the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens amylase regulatory sequences, and the construct was transformed to a Bacillus subtilis host strain. Crude enzyme preparations were obtained by ultrafiltration of cultures of the Bacillus subtilis recombinant strain containing the 11AG8 cell2A gene. The enzyme showed carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase) activities over a broad pH range (5-10) with an optimum activity at pH 8 and 50 degrees C. The enzyme retained more than 95% of its activity after incubation for 30 min under these conditions.     

Incorporation of fungal cellulases in bacterial minicellulosomes yields viable, synergistically acting cellulolytic complexes

Artificial designer minicellulosomes comprise a chimeric scaffoldin that displays an optional cellulose-binding module (CBM) and bacterial cohesins from divergent species which bind strongly to enzymes engineered to bear complementary dockerins. Incorporation of cellulosomal cellulases from Clostridium cellulolyticum into minicellulosomes leads to artificial complexes with enhanced activity on crystalline cellulose, due to enzyme proximity and substrate targeting induced by the scaffoldin-borne CBM. In the present study, a bacterial dockerin was appended to the family 6 fungal cellulase Cel6A, produced by Neocallimastix patriciarum, for subsequent incorporation into minicellulosomes in combination with various cellulosomal cellulases from C. cellulolyticum. The binding of the fungal Cel6A with a bacterial family 5 endoglucanase onto chimeric miniscaffoldins had no impact on their activity toward crystalline cellulose. Replacement of the bacterial family 5 enzyme with homologous endoglucanase Cel5D from N. patriciarum bearing a clostridial dockerin gave similar results. In contrast, enzyme pairs comprising the fungal Cel6A and bacterial family 9 endoglucanases were substantially stimulated (up to 2.6-fold) by complexation on chimeric scaffoldins, compared to the free-enzyme system. Incorporation of enzyme pairs including Cel6A and a processive bacterial cellulase generally induced lower stimulation levels. Enhanced activity on crystalline cellulose appeared to result from either proximity or CBM effects alone but never from both simultaneously, unlike minicellulosomes composed exclusively of bacterial cellulases. The present study is the first demonstration that viable designer minicellulosomes can be produced that include (i) free (noncellulosomal) enzymes, (ii) fungal enzymes combined with bacterial enzymes, and (iii) a type (family 6) of cellulase never known to occur in natural cellulosomes.     

Functional analysis of a gene encoding endoglucanase that belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 12 from the brown-rot basidiomycete Fomitopsis palustris

The brown-rot basidiomycete Fomitopsis palustris is known to degrade crystalline cellulose (Avicel) and produce three major cellulases, exoglucanases, endoglucanases, and beta- glucosidases. A gene encoding endoglucanase, designated as cel12, was cloned from total RNA prepared from F. palustris grown at the expense of Avicel. The gene encoding Cel12 has an open reading frame of 732 bp, encoding a putative protein of 244 amino acid residues with a putative signal peptide residing at the first 18 amino acid residues of the N-terminus of the protein. Sequence analysis of Cel12 identified three consensus regions, which are highly conserved among fungal cellulases belonging to GH family 12. However, a cellulose-binding domain was not found in Cel12, like other GH family 12 fungal cellulases. Northern blot analysis showed a dramatic increase of cel12 mRNA levels in F. palustris cells cultivated on Avicel from the early to late stages of growth and the maintenance of a high level of expression in the late stage, suggesting that Cel12 takes a significant part in endoglucanase activity throughout the growth of F. palustris. Adventitious expression of cel12 in the yeast Pichia pastoris successfully produced the recombinant protein that exhibited endoglucanase activity with carboxymethyl cellulose, but not with crystalline cellulose, suggesting that the enzyme is not a processive endoglucanase unlike two other endoglucanases previously identified in F. palustris.