Studies on Pectolytic Enzymes of Molds

The process of apple juice clarification by pectolytic enzymes has been successfully observed turbidimetrically and macroscopically by heating of reaction mixtures. It has been shown that the process of apple juice clarification varies with the varieties and conditions of apple juices as well as with the sources of enzyme preparations. From a study of the turbidimetry of apple juice clarification, α method for determination of clarification values been described.     

Studies on Pectolytic Enzymes of Molds

Two hundred and fifty strains of molds including plant pathogenic microorganisms were cultured on solid media, and the production of pectolytic enzymes was followed by the clarification of fruit juice. Forty-four of them were found to have the action of clarifying fruit juice.

Out of the said 44 strains, the following 7 strains, Coniothyrium diplodiella, Agaricus capentris, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium citrinum, Sclerotinia libertiana, Carpenteles javanicus and Aspergillus niger, were choosen as producers of effective pectolytic enzymes, and C. diplodiella proved the most active of all in clarifying fruit juice and hydrolyzing pectin or pectic acid.     

Studies on Pectolytic Enzymes of Molds

Experiments have been made on fractionation of the pectolytic enzymes produced by Coniothyrium diplodiella. It has been observed that 30 to 35% of the polygalacturonase (PG) activity of the pectolytic enzymes of the said microorganism is salted out with ammonium sulfate, and this portion contains cndo-PG I, endo-PG II and pectin esterase (PE) (with a trace of exo-PG). The endo-PG I accounts for 60 to 65% of the total PG activity, and the endo-PG II, 25 to 30%. Both types of endo-PG scarcely act on pectin, and hydrolyze pectic acid to the extent of 65 to 70%.     

Studies on Pectolytic Enzymes of Molds

Exopolygalacturonase from Coniothyrium diplodiella has been purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and column zone electrophoresis. The enzyme was concentrated about 5-fold with a yield of 0.24% on the basis of polygalacturonase activity per weight of total nitrogen. The purified enzyme was homogenous On free-boundary electrophoresis. The enzyme was most active in the pH range 4.0~4.5. The enzyme was stable at 50°C and pH range of 3.5~6.0, but inactivated at higher than 55°C. Hydrolysis of pectic acid by the enzyme went to completion via galacturonic acid liberation from the end of the chain, but pectin was little affected by the enzyme.     

Pectolytic Enzymes of Exo-Types

A bacterium identified as Pseudomonas sp. was found to be a better source of oligogalacturonide transeliminase (OGTE) than Erwinia aroideae.

The OGTE of Pseudomonas sp. differed from that of Erwinia aroideae in the following respects: (1) The activity was maximal with tetramer and followed by trimer, dimer and polymers. (2) The OGTE of Pseudomonas sp. degraded the saturated uronides as rapidly as, or a little more rapidly than, the corresponding unsaturated uronides. (3) Calcium ion stimulated considerably the OGTE activity.

Both oxidized and reduced acid-soluble pectic acids were resistant to the action of the OGTE.

With the purified enzyme preparation, 4-deoxy-5-keto-d-glucuronic acid was the end product of the OGTE action on oligo- and polygalacturonides. 4,5-Unsaturated galacturonic acid is probably the intermediate in the formation of 4-deoxy-5-keto-d-glucuronic acid.     

Paper Electrophoretic Studies on the Diastatic Enzymes of Molds

A detailed procedure for the separation of diastatic enzymes of molds was established, which was based on their electrophoretic behaviours on a paper strip. For the detection of enzymes, a bioautographical method was newly devised. Comparing the enzymatic images appeared on the paper strip, the authors classified mold enzyme systems into five types.     

Studies on the Pectolytic Enzyme

Pectinesterase was extracted from the pulp of tomato fruit (Lycopersicum esculentum var. Hikari) pericarp with 250 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 8.0, and purified about 60 folds by means of ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 column. The enzyme preparation thus obtained was confirmed to be homogeneous state both ultracentrifugationally and disk electrophoretically. The sedimentation coefficient of this enzyme was calculated to be 3.17 S.     

果胶酶与桃果实冷害的关系

桃果实在８℃以下贮藏奶容易干化发绵、不能软化,甚至褐变。这种被称为絮败的冷害特征。与交质的异常代谢有关。果胶酯酶（ＰＥ）和多聚半乳糖醛权酶（ＰＧ）活性的异常导致果胶质不能正常卫解。文章介绍果胶酶与桃果实冷害的关系、桃果实ＰＧ基因克隆及其ＲＮＡ和蛋白质分析的研究进展,并对桃果实冷害发生机理研究中存在的问题作了讨论。     

Studies in the Physiology of Parasitism: XXII. The Production of Pectolytic Enzymes by Pythium de Baryanum Hesse

The incorporation of sodium chloride in a synthetic medium stimulatedthe pectolytic activity of cultures of Pythium de Baryanum.The Cl^– ion appeared to be mainly responsible for thiseffect; on the other hand, presence of the Ca⁺⁺ ion depressedenzymic activity. Glucose, fructose, and mannose were about equally suitable forgrowth and enzyme production. Sucrose, if used as sole carbohydratesource, gave good mycelial growth but poor enzyme production,but if a small proportion was replaced by glucose, enzyme productionwas as good as on glucose itself. Galactose gave very poor growthand negligible enzyme production. For optimum production of pectolytic enzyme, glucose (or fructoseor mannose) requires to be autoclaved in a somewhat alkalinemedium—very conveniently with the K₂HPO₄ or K₃PO₄ of thenutrient medium. A yellow to brown coloration (due to caramelization)is produced in the process, but the stimulating factor is notbound up with the colouring substance. The same stimulatingeffect on enzyme production was obtained by adding to the nutrientmedium a small quantity of glucose which had been dry heatedat 150° C. for 20 minutes. Chromatographic analysis suggestedthat the stimulating substance was probably glyceraldehyde,though it is not excluded that other breakdown products of sugarsmay also play a part.     

Studies on the Compounds Produced by Molds

Three isocoumarin compounds (BV 1, 2 and 3) were isolated from the cultural broth of Aspergillus oniki 1784. BV 1 was mellein (3-methyl-8-hydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin). BV 2 and 3 were assigned to be 3-methyl-4,8-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin, 3-methyl-3,8-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin, respectively. These two compounds (BV 2, 3) were newly isolated. Also another component named BV 4 was proved to be 6-methylsalicylic acid.     

Studies on the Amylolytic System of Black-koji Molds

The saccharogenic amylase fraction was prepared from a black-koji amylase system, and its debranching activity was investigated. From its different attitude towards various chemical procedures, such as (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation, corn starch adsorption, and paper electrophoresis, it is suggested that two saccharogenic amylases one with and the other without debranching activity, may exist in the saccharogenic amylase fraction.     

Studies on Bacteriolytic Enzymes

About 100 soil samples were subjected to screening for microorganisms which were capable of producing lytic enzyme toward Staphylococcus aureus. A strain belonging to Streptomyces was isolated and found to produce lytic enzyme(s) noninduciblly, when grown aerobically at 37°C for 25 hr in a medium containing 7.5% soybean cake extract, 2% dextrin, 0.6% K₂HPO₄, 0.02% each of MgSO₄·7H₂O and KCl, pH 7.0. The crude enzyme preparation was active at pH values of 8.5 and 5.8 toward S. aureus, B. subtilis, L. bulgaricus and Str. faecalis but was completely inert against M. lysodeikticus, indicating the enzyme(s) to be distinguished from other bacteriolytic enzymes of Streptomyces so far reported.     

Studies on Sugar-isomerizing Enzymes

The effect of a borate on the isomerization reaction between glucose and fructose which is catalyzed by a glucose isomerase was investigated. The yield of fructose was dependent on both the ratio of sugar to the borate and pH. A maximum of 88 to 90% of glucose was converted into fructose when the isomerization reaction was carried out at around pH 7.5 and in the presence of an appropriate amount of the borate which forms a complex between one molecule of sugar and one molecle of boric acid.     

Studies on the Amylolytic System of the Black-koji Molds

The amylase system of black-koji molds was fractionated, in respect to its activity, into two fractions, the dextrinogenic and saccharogenic. Their separate and combined activities to digest raw starch were investigated. Contrary to the knowledge established so far, the dextrinogenic amylase fraction was found to be capable of digesting the raw starch though only weakly, while the saccharogenic amylase fraction much more strongly. When the two fractions were combined, digestion proceeded with twice or thrice the velocity of the, sum of each component. This accelerating interaction, which never occurs in cooked-starch digestion, is worthy to be stressed as a characteristic of raw starch digestion by this amylase system. The raw starches of corn, wheat and glutinous rice are in this way, digested completely to glucose. Among them, glutinous rice starch displays peculiar facility in the digestion.     

Studies on the Amylolytic System of the Black-koji Molds

Saccharogenic and dextrinogenic amylase fractions were prepared from Black-koji amylase system and their actions investigated with a number of different substrates.

It was found that saccharogenic amylase fraction completely hydrolyzes glutinous rice starch and glycogen to glucose, without leaving any limit dextrin. On the other hand, this enzyme fraction converts potato starch to an extent of about 90% theoretical glucose, the remainder being left as limit dextrin, which is colored purple by iodine. The complete hydrolysis of the branched substrates except potato starch shows that the saccharogenic amylase fraction is capable of hydrolyzing the l,6-α-d-glucosidic linkage besides the 1,4-linkage, while the branched fraction of potato starch may contain some sort of anomaly to the enzyme. Dextrinogenic amylase fraction hydrolyzes starch and glycogen just as malt α-amylase.     

Analysis of the Components Released from Potato Tuber Tissues during Maceration by Pectolytic Enzymes

Endo-pectin lyase and endo-polygalacturonase of Aspergillus japonicus attack the middle lamella of plant tissue and cause tissue maceration. Galacturonides, neutral sugars, and proteins were released from potato tuber tissues during maceration by both purified enzymes. These three components accounted for 92% of the soluble products. The neutral sugars released were rhamnose, arabinose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 1:3:15. They were covalently linked to galacturonides. Over 85% of the galacturonides released by the enzymes were short chain products, which indicated that a large portion of the main chain of pectic substances is a homogalacturonan. The results of chromatography on columns of Sephadex G-100 and DEAE-cellulose suggested that a protein component may be attached to pectic substances. This protein did not contain hydroxyproline and, therefore, was different from the cell wall structural glycoprotein.     

Studies on Pectic Enzymes of Microorganisms

Conditions for the production of endo-polygalacturonase (endo-PG) with Aspergillus saitoi IAM 2217 in the submerged culture was examined. This strain was selected as the most potent producer of endo-PG. Endo-PG of this strain was produced in the absence of pectin, but the addition of pectin increased endo-PG activity when inoculated with proliferated mycelia.

As far as examined with a modified Czapek medium (ordinary constituents + pectin and ammonium tartrate), the addition of organic nitrogen sources, such as corn steep liquor, markedly reduced the enzyme producibility. As for the carbon and nitrogen amount in the medium, sucrose: 4%, pectin: 2%, NaNO₃: 1.15%, C/N = 10, gave the best result among tested.