Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone from Lolium temulentum L. encoding for a sucrose hydrolytic enzyme which shows alkaline/neutral invertase activity

A novel cDNA clone, functionally expressed in E. coli, was isolated from a L. temulentum L. cDNA library. The expressed protein hydrolysed sucrose with an apparent Km of approximately 18 mM, and produced equi-molar concentrations of glucose and fructose. Optimum activity was observed at pH 7-7.5; there was little or no activity at pH 5.5. The expressed protein did not hydrolyse raffinose, stachyose or maltose. The activity of the expressed protein was inhibited by fructose (50% at 15 mM) and TRIS (50% at 2.5 mM), but was not affected by MgCl2, CaCl2 or MnCl2. These findings suggest that this cDNA clone encodes for an alkaline/neutral invertase. Sequence analysis revealed little homology with published sequences for acid invertase, however the invertase motif (NDPN) identified in other invertases was present. Expression studies show that the gene encoding for this enzyme is not regulated by sucrose accumulation in leaf tissue.