一种来源于红螺菌科细菌新型卤醇脱卤酶的克隆表达及其酶学性质鉴定

作为一类多功能生物催化剂,卤醇脱卤酶在手性β-取代醇和环氧化合物合成应用方面备受关注。目前催化功能较为清楚的卤醇脱卤酶不足40种,且绝大部分催化性能并不能满足科学研究和实际应用的要求,因此挖掘并鉴定更多的卤醇脱卤酶具有重要意义。本文克隆表达了来源于红螺菌科细菌Rhodospirillaceaebacterium中一个假定卤醇脱卤酶(HHDH-Ra)并对其催化特性以及酶学性质进行研究。将HHDH-Ra基因克隆到表达宿主大肠杆菌Escherichia coli BL21(DE3),结果显示目的蛋白为可溶性表达。底物特异性研究显示HHDH-Ra对1,3-二氯-2-丙醇(1,3-DCP)和4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯(CHBE)具有良好的特异性。以1,3-DCP为反应底物获得HHDH-Ra的最适pH和最适温度分别为8.0和30℃。pH稳定性结果显示HHDH-Ra在pH 6.0–8.0具有较好的稳定性且经过100 h处理以后仍能保持70%左右的酶活。温度稳定性结果显示HHDH-Ra在30℃、40℃条件下的半衰期为60h,且当温度提高到50℃时,该酶的半衰期仍有20h,远高于已报道的酶。因此,来源于Rhodospirillaceae bacterium新型卤醇脱卤酶具有较好的温度、pH稳定性以及催化活性,在合成关键化学、医药中间体中具有一定的应用潜力。     

荧光假单胞菌短链脱氢酶的克隆、表达及酶学性质分析

为了研究荧光假单胞菌中短链脱氢酶的生理角色和催化特性,从荧光假单胞菌Pseudomonas fluorescens GIM1.49基因组DNA克隆表达了一个短链脱氢酶的编码基因pfd,并分析了该基因产物的酶学性质。基因pfd全长684 bp,编码227个氨基酸,推算分子量为24.2 kDa。将携带短链脱氢酶基因的重组质粒pET28b-pfd转入大肠杆菌BL21(DE3) 进行表达,得到了28 kDa的表达产物。重组荧光假单胞菌短链脱氢酶 (PFD) 能氧化4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯、1-苯乙醇、苯甲醇、仲丁醇和还原4-氯-乙酰乙酸乙酯、2-溴-苯乙酮、4-溴-苯乙酮等底物。以4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯为底物时活力最高,Km值为186.90 mmol/L,Vmax为89.56 U/mg。氧化4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯时,最适反应温度和pH分别为12 ℃和10.5,倾向于利用NAD+作辅酶;而还原4-氯-乙酰乙酸乙酯时,最适温度和pH为24 ℃和8.8,倾向于利用NADPH作辅酶。重组PFD能耐受50％ (V/V) 的甲醇等有机助溶剂,Ca2+ (1 mmol/L) 和EDTA (5 mmol/L) 对其酶活有一定的促进作用。上述结果表明,重组PFD是一个新型的短链脱氢酶,其代谢角色推测与卤代次级醇的氧化降解有关。     

Bacillus megaterium WZ009催化合成(R)-4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯和(S)-3-羟基-γ-丁内酯

以外消旋4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯为唯一C源的富集培养筛选得到一株菌株WZ009,经16S rDNA测序鉴定为巨大芽胞杆菌(Bacillus megaterium)。B.megaterium WZ009静息细胞可以立体选择性催化(S)-4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯水解和脱氯反应得到光学纯的(R)-4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯(e.e.≥99%)和(S)-3-羟基-γ-丁内酯(e.e.≥95%)。笔者对B.megaterium WZ009不对称催化反应影响因素(温度、pH、中和剂、底物浓度、时间进程以及细胞重复利用)进行优化研究,确定了该反应体系最优条件:底物浓度200 mmol/L,中和剂氨水,pH 7.2,40℃反应12 h,转化率达到50.6%,底物对映体过量值为99.6%。该生物催化合成(R)-4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯和(S)-3-羟基-γ-丁内酯过程具有良好的工业化应用前景。     

2-卤代酸脱卤酶研究进展

2-卤代酸脱卤酶(EC 3.8.1.X)催化2-卤代酸脱卤水解形成相应的2-羟基酸。该类酶不仅能够降解环境中的卤代污染物,而且具有宽广底物谱和高效手性拆分特性,因而在环保和手性中间体的绿色合成中具有广阔应用前景。目前已经对多种2-卤代酸脱卤酶进行生化特性表征,并对酶分子三维结构及催化机制进行了深入研究。文中从2-卤代酸脱卤酶的来源、蛋白质结构与催化反应机制、催化特性及应用方面等研究取得的新进展进行综述,并展望了2-卤代酸脱卤酶的进一步研究方向。     

一种新型微生物卤醇脱卤酶的研究进展

卤醇脱卤酶是细菌降解环境中重要污染物有机卤化物的关键酶之一,具有与其他已知脱卤酶不同的脱卤机制。它是一类通过分子内亲核取代机制催化邻卤醇转化为环氧化物的脱卤酶,可以高效催化有机邻卤醇进行脱卤反应,在治理环境污染方面具有十分重要作用。此外,在催化环氧化物和邻卤醇之间的转化反应中,卤醇脱卤酶具有很高的立体选择性,因而在手性药物合成方面也有广阔的应用前景。我们着重从卤化物生物降解途径、脱卤机制及应用等方面介绍了卤醇脱卤酶的最新研究进展,同时对卤醇脱卤酶改造的新方法进行了阐述与展望。     

β-脱卤酶的基因克隆表达及其酶学性质

根据GenBank中的序列设计引物,克隆芽孢杆菌中的β-脱卤酶基因(命名为bhd)。以pET30a(+)为载体、Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-CondonPlus为宿主菌,实现了bhd的高效表达。使用HisTrapTMFF亲和层析柱纯化重组β-脱卤酶,分子量约为23.1 kD。酶学性质研究表明,纯化的重组β-脱卤酶水解3-氯丙酸制备3-羟基丙酸的最适反应体系为30°C,100 mmol/L,pH 7.0的磷酸钠缓冲液。在最适反应条件下,重组β-脱卤酶的比活为16.2 U/mg,Km和Vmax分别为3.26μmol/L和17.86 mmol/(min.g protein)。在最适反应条件下,以10 mmol/L 3-氯丙酸为底物,反应36 h的转化率在93%以上。     

R-2-卤代酸脱卤酶的同源模建及底物对映体选择性研究

对来自假单胞菌ZJU26中的R-2-卤代酸脱卤酶(DehI-R)进行同源模建,分析其与底物的相互作用,为解析酶的底物对映体选择性提供理论依据.采用Sybyl中的APM模块首次构建并优化了R-2-卤代酸脱卤酶的三维结构,并用Procheck 验证结构模型的合理性.使用Suflex-Docking模块将结构模型与底物分别进行对接,分析相互之间的作用.序列比对结果显示,R-2-卤代酸脱卤酶与恶臭假单胞菌PP3中DehI的相似性达23.71％.Deh-R模建后的结构与模板很好的吻合.模型比对分析DehI-R中参与催化的残基,除Asn2.03外大部分都比较保守.分子对接结果表明,R-2-氯丙酸和S-2-氯丙酸都可以结合到活性位点上,决定其选择性的是值点Asn203,在RS-2-卤代酸脱卤酶所对应位点的残基为Ala,相比之下,Aan具备较大的空间位阻,从而阻止了S-2-氯丙酸的反应.利用Sybyl中的Biopolymer模块对R-2-卤代酸脱卤酶中的Asn203突变成具有不同空间位阻的Ala、Gly和Gln.突变酶与底物对接结果进一步证实了Asn203位点对R-2-卤代酸脱卤酶的底物对映体选择性作用.     

柴油食烷菌B-5及其卤代烷烃脱卤酶DadA对卤代化合物的降解

【目的】柴油食烷菌(Alcanivorax dieselolei)B-5是重要的石油降解菌。为研究其对卤代化合物的降解范围和降解机制,【方法】以不同的卤代化合物作为唯一碳源,观察菌株B-5在其中的生长情况;通过多重序列比对、系统发育分析和三维结构同源建模,分析该菌株基因组内一个假定的卤代烷烃脱卤酶(Haloalkane dehalogenase,HLD)DadA;利用大肠杆菌异源表达、纯化DadA,并测定了其对46个卤代底物的酶活。【结果】菌株B-5能够利用C3-C18链长范围的多种卤代化合物为唯一碳源生长;在系统进化树中,DadA相对独立于其他HLD-II亚家族成员,但具有典型的HLD-II亚家族的催化五联体残基;DadA确实具有脱卤活性,但该酶特异性高,底物范围明显小于其他已鉴定的HLDs,仅对1,2,3-三溴丙烷、1,2-二溴-3-氯丙烷和2,3-二氯-1-丙烯有脱卤酶活。【结论】因为DadA对很多B-5菌株可以利用做碳源的卤代底物没有脱卤酶活,所以推测B-5菌中可能还有其他脱卤酶参与了卤代烷烃的降解。菌株B-5及其卤代烷烃脱卤酶DadA在卤代烷烃污染物的生物降解方面具有应用潜力。     

一种新型醛酮还原酶的克隆表达、性质研究以及在不对称合成(R)-CHBE中的应用

为开发催化4-氯乙酰乙酸乙酯(COBE)制备(R)-4-氯-3-羟基丁酸乙酯((R)-CHBE)的新型催化剂,挖掘到了来自白色念珠菌SC5314中的一种NADPH辅酶依赖型醛酮还原酶CAK基因(cak),并将该基因在大肠杆菌中表达。将重组酶进行纯化后,测定其酶学性质,并构建了以葡萄糖为辅底物的双酶偶联辅酶再生系统,考察其不对称转化制备(R)-CHBE的能力。结果表明:CAK对多种醛酮类化合物有催化活性,其催化COBE的最适反应温度为40℃,最适p H为5。CAK在40℃下以及酸性条件中能保持较好的稳定性。Mg2+、Na+、K+对酶活有一定的激活作用,而Cu2+存在条件下酶会彻底失活。乙酸乙酯、邻苯二甲酸二丁酯对酶活的抑制作用较小。利用双酶偶联辅酶再生系统不对称转化制备(R)-CHBE。在合适的条件下,转化600 mmol/L的底物,产率达80.6%,产物对映体过量值(e.e.值)99%。     

基于宏基因组学的卤醇脱卤酶筛选

环境中的多数有机卤化物具有高毒性和低可降解性,卤醇脱卤酶可以催化邻卤醇进行分子内亲和取代生成相应的环氧化物,在消除有机卤化物的污染方面具有十分重要的作用.此外,在催化环氧化物和邻卤醇之间的转化反应中卤醇脱卤酶具有很高的立体选择性,因而在手性药物合成方面也有广阔的应用前景.宏基因组是生境中全部微小生物遗传物质的总和,极大地扩展了微生物资源的利用空间.本文介绍了卤醇脱卤酶的特性及利用宏基因组方法筛选新的卤醇脱卤酶的两种方法及各自的优缺点.     

Biochemical and structural studies of a l-haloacid dehalogenase from the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii

Haloacid dehalogenases have potential applications in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industry as well as in the remediation of contaminated land. The l-2-haloacid dehalogenase from the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii has been cloned and over-expressed in Escherichia coli and successfully purified to homogeneity. Here we report the structure of the recombinant dehalogenase solved by molecular replacement in two different crystal forms. The enzyme is a homodimer with each monomer being composed of a core-domain of a β-sheet bundle surrounded by α-helices and an α-helical sub-domain. This fold is similar to previously solved mesophilic l-haloacid dehalogenase structures. The monoclinic crystal form contains a putative inhibitor l-lactate in the active site. The enzyme displays haloacid dehalogenase activity towards carboxylic acids with the halide attached at the C2 position with the highest activity towards chloropropionic acid. The enzyme is thermostable with maximum activity at 60°C and a half-life of over 1 h at 70°C. The enzyme is relatively stable to solvents with 25% activity lost when incubated for 1 h in 20% v/v DMSO.     

Structure and denaturation of 4-chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A dehalogenase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arthrobacter</Emphasis> sp. strain TM-1

The secondary structure of the trimeric protein 4-chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A dehalogenase from Arthrobacter sp. strain TM-1, the second of three enzymes involved in the dechlorination of 4-chlorobenzoate to form 4-hydroxybenzoate, has been examined. E_mM for the enzyme was 12.59. Analysis by circular dichroism spectrometry in the far uv indicated that 4-chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A dehalogenase was composed mostly of α-helix (56%) with lesser amounts of random coil (21%), β-turn (13%) and β-sheet (9%). These data are in close agreement with a computational prediction of secondary structure from the primary amino acid sequence, which indicated 55.8% α-helix, 33.7% random coil and 10.5% β-sheet; the enzyme is, therefore, similar to the 4-chlorobenzoyl coenzyme A dehalogenase from Pseudomonas sp. CBS-3. The three-dimensional structure, including that of the presumed active site, predicted by computational analysis, is also closely similar to that of the Pseudomonas dehalogenase. Study of the stability and physicochemical properties revealed that at room temperature, the enzyme was stable for 24 h but was completely inactivated by heating to 60°C for 5 min; thereafter by cooling at 1°C min⁻¹ to 45°C, 20.6% of the activity could be recovered. Mildly acidic (pH 5.2) or alkaline (pH 10.1) conditions caused complete inactivation, but activity was fully recovered on returning the enzyme to pH 7.4. Circular dichroism studies also indicated that secondary structure was little altered by heating to 60°C, or by changing the pH from 7.4 to 6.0 or 9.2. Complete, irreversible destruction of, and maximal decrease in the fluorescence yield of the protein at 330–350 nm were brought about by 4.5 M urea or 1.1 M guanidinium chloride. Evidence was obtained to support the hypothetical three-dimensional model, that residues W140 and W167 are buried in a non-polar environment, whereas W182 appears at or close to the surface of the protein. At least one of the enzymes of the dehalogenase system (the combined 4-chlorobenzoate:CoA ligase, the dehalogenase and 4-hydroxybenzoyl coenzyme A thioesterase) appears to be capable of association with the cell membrane.

Thermoalkalophilic lipase from an extremely halophilic bacterial strain Bacillus atrophaeus FSHM2: Purification,biochemical characterization and application

The present study was designed to isolate and identify an extremely halophilic lipase-producing bacterial strain, purify and characterize the related enzyme and evaluate its application for ethyl and methyl valerate synthesis. Among four halophilic isolates, the lipolytic ability of one isolate (identified as Bacillus atrophaeus FSHM2) was confirmed. The enzyme (designated as BaL) was purified using three sequential steps of ethanol precipitation and dialysis, Q-Sepharose XL anion-exchange chromatography and SP Sepharose cation-exchange chromatography with a final yield of 9.9% and a purification factor of 31.8. The purified BaL (Mw～85?kDa) was most active at 70?°C and pH 9 in the presence of 4 M NaCl and retained 58.7% of its initial activity after 150?min of incubation at 80?°C. The enzyme was inhibited by Cd²⁺ (35.6?±?1.7%) but activated by Ca²⁺ (132.4?±?2.2%). Evaluation of BaL's stability in the presence of organic solvents showed that xylene (25%) enhanced the relative activity of the enzyme to 334.2?±?0.6% after 1?h of incubation. The results of esterification studies using the purified BaL revealed that maximum ethyl valerate (88.5%) and methyl valerate (67.5%) synthesis occurred in the organic solvent medium (xylene) after 48?h of incubation at 50?°C.     

Characterization of a newly synthesized carbonyl reductase and construction of a biocatalytic process for the synthesis of ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate with high space-time yield

A carbonyl reductase (SCR2) gene was synthesized and expressed in Escherichia coli after codon optimization to investigate its biochemical properties and application in biosynthesis of ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ((S)-CHBE), which is an important chiral synthon for the side chain of cholesterol-lowering drug. The recombinant SCR2 was purified and characterized using ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) as substrate. The specific activity of purified enzyme was 11.9 U mg^?1. The optimum temperature and pH for enzyme activity were 45 °C and pH 6.0, respectively. The half-lives of recombinant SCR2 were 16.5, 7.7, 2.2, 0.41, and 0.05 h at 30 °C, 35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, and 50 °C, respectively, and it was highly stable in acidic environment. This SCR2 displayed a relatively narrow substrate specificity. The apparent K _m and V _max values of purified enzyme for COBE are 6.4 mM and 63.3 μmol min^?1 mg^?1, respectively. The biocatalytic process for the synthesis of (S)-CHBE was constructed by this SCR2 in an aqueous–organic solvent system with a substrate fed-batch strategy. At the final COBE concentration of 1 M, (S)-CHBE with yield of 95.3 % and e.e. of 99 % was obtained after 6-h reaction. In this process, the space-time yield per gram of biomass (dry cell weight, DCW) and turnover number of NADP⁺ to (S)-CHBE were 26.5 mmol L^?1 h^?1 g^?1 DCW and 40,000 mol/mol, respectively, which were the highest values as compared with other works.     

Purification and characterization of a novel 3-chlorobenzoate-reductive dehalogenase from the cytoplasmic membrane of Desulfomonile tiedjei DCB-1.

Although reductive dehalogenation by anaerobic microorganisms offers great potential for the degradation of halocarbons, little is known about the biochemical mechanisms involved. It has previously been demonstrated that the dehalogenase activity involved in 3-chlorobenzoate dehalogenation by Desulfomonile tiedjei DCB-1 is present in the membrane fraction of the cell extracts. We report herein the purification of a 3-chlorobenzoate-reductive dehalogenase from the cytoplasmic membrane of D. tiedjei DCB-1. The dehalogenase activity was monitored by the conversion of 3-chlorobenzoate to benzoate with reduced methyl viologen as a reducing agent. The membrane fraction of the cell extracts was obtained by ultracentrifugation, and the membrane proteins were solubilized with either the detergent CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethyl-ammonio]-1-propanesulfonate) or Triton X-100 in the presence of glycerol. The solubilized dehalogenase was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and a combination of anion exchange, hydroxyapatite, and hydrophobic interaction chromatographies. This procedure yielded about 7% of the total dehalogenase activity with a 120-fold increase in specific activity. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the purified dehalogenase consisted of two subunits with molecular weights of 64,000 and 37,000. The enzyme converted 3-chlorobenzoate to benzoate at its highest specific activity in 10 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) at 38 degrees C. The enzyme was yellow and probably a heme protein. The enzyme had an adsorbance peak at 408 nm. The dithionite-reduced enzyme displayed absorbance peaks at 416, 522, and 550 nm. The dithionite-reduced enzyme was able to complex with carbon monoxide. The nature of the heme chromophore is currently unknown.     

Purification and characterization of the tetrachloroethene reductive dehalogenase of strain PCE-S

The membrane-associated tetrachloroethene reductive dehalogenase from the tetrachloroethene-reducing anaerobe, strain PCE-S, was purified 165-fold to apparent homogeneity in the presence of the detergent Triton X-100. The purified dehalogenase catalyzed the reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethene to trichloroethene and of trichloroethene to cis-1,2-dichloroethene with reduced methyl viologen as the electron donor, showing a specific activity of 650 nkat/mg protein. The apparent K _m values of the enzyme for tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and methyl viologen were 10 μM, 4 μM, and 0.3 mM, respectively. SDS-PAGE revealed a single protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 65 kDa. The apparent molecular mass of the native enzyme was 200 kDa as determined by gel filtration. Tetrachloroethene dehalogenase contained 0.7 ± 0.3 mol corrinoid, 1.0 ± 0.3 mol cobalt, 7.8 ± 0.5 mol iron, and 10.3 ± 2.0 mol acid-labile sulfur per mol subunit. The pH optimum was approximately 7.2, and the temperature optimum was approximately 50 °C. The dehalogenase was oxygen-sensitive with a half-life of approximately 50 min. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was determined, and no significant similarity was found to any part of the amino acid sequence of the tetrachloroethene (PCE) reductive dehalogenase from Dehalospirillum multivorans. Received: 4 December 1997 / Accepted: 10 February 1998     

Characterisation of an l-Haloacid Dehalogenase from the Marine Psychrophile Psychromonas ingrahamii with Potential Industrial Application

The recombinant l-haloacid dehalogenase from the marine bacterium Psychromonas ingrahamii has been cloned and over-expressed in Escherichia coli. It shows activity towards monobromoacetic (100 %), monochloroacetic acid (62 %), S-chloropropionic acid (42 %), S-bromopropionic acid (31 %), dichloroacetic acid (28 %) and 2-chlorobutyric acid (10 %), respectively. The l-haloacid dehalogenase has highest activity towards substrates with shorter carbon chain lengths (≤C3), without preference towards a chlorine or bromine at the α-carbon position. Despite being isolated from a psychrophilic bacterium, the enzyme has mesophilic properties with an optimal temperature for activity of 45 °C. It retains above 70 % of its activity after being incubated at 65 °C for 90 min before being assayed at 25 °C. The enzyme is relatively stable in organic solvents as demonstrated by activity and thermal shift analysis. The V _max and K _m were calculated to be 0.6 μM min^?1 mg^?1 and 1.36 mM with monobromoacetic acid, respectively. This solvent-resistant and stable l-haloacid dehalogenase from P. ingrahamii has potential to be used as a biocatalyst in industrial processes.     

Enzymatic Synthesis of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives

Using Novozym 435 as catalyst, the syntheses of ethyl ferulate (EF) from ferulic acid (4-hydroxy 3-methoxy cinnamic acid) and ethanol, and octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) from p-methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethyl hexanol were successfully carried out in this study. A conversion of 87% was obtained within 2 days at 75 °C for the synthesis of EF. For the synthesis of OMC at 80 °C, 90% conversion can be obtained within 1 day. The use of solvent and high reaction temperature resulted in better conversion for the synthesis of cinnamic acid derivatives. Some cinnamic acid esters could also be obtained with higher conversion and shorter reaction times in comparison to other methods reported in the literature. The enzyme can be reused several times before significant activity loss was observed. Revisions requested 10 January 2006; Revisions received 17 January 2006     

POST MORTEM STABILITY AND STORAGE IN THE COLD OF BRAIN ENZYMES

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), glutamate-decarboxylase (GAD) and choline acetyltransferase (CAT) were estimated in the striatum of rat brains kept at 20°C or 4°C for various periods of time up to 48 h after death. At 20°C TH and GAD activities decreased up to 4&50% of controls after 48 h; CAT activity was not affected. Maintenance of dead animals at 4°C completely (GAD and CAT) or partially (TH) prevented the decrease in enzyme activities. In a second series of experiments, TH, G A D and CAT activities were measured in striata (tissue or homogenate) stored immediately after death at different temperatures (4°C; -35°C; -70°C) for various time intervals up to 3 months. Storage of striata at 4°C induced a rapid decrease of all enzyme activities with time (GAD > CAT > TH). TH, GAD and CAT activities in striata kept at -35°C or -70°C were fairly stable. However, CAT activity was slightly decreased when the dissected striata were not homogenized; GAD activity was substantially reduced after 3 months at -35°C. Stability of TH, GAD and CAT activities were confirmed in homogenates of human caudate nucleus stored at -70°C for 1 month. If human enzymes behave similarly to the rat enzymes the following conclusions should be drawn: (1) brains should be obtained at autopsy within 8 h after death; (2) placement of dead bodies in the refrigerator should be done as soon as possible; (3) dissected brain structures (preferably as homogenates) should be stored at -70°C.     

Catalytic properties of endo-1,3-β-D-glucanase from the Vietnamese edible mussel Perna viridis

A β-1,3-glucanase with a molecular mass of 33 kDa was isolated in the homogeneous state from a crystalline stalk of the commercially available Vietnamese edible mussel Perna viridis. It hydrolyzes β-1,3-bonds in glucans and is capable of catalyzing the transglycosylation reaction. The β-1,3-glucanase has a K _m value of 0.3 mg/ml for the hydrolysis of laminaran and shows a maximum activity in the pH range from 4 to 6.5 and at 45°C. Its half-inactivation time is 180 min at 45°C and 20 min at 50°C. The enzyme was ascribed to glucan-endo-(1 → 3)-β-D-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.39). The enzyme could be used in the structure determination of β-1,3-glucans and enzymatic synthesis of new carbohydrate-containing compounds.