Immobilized β-glucosidase fromCurvularia lunata

β-Glucosidase fromCurvularia lunata was immobilized in pellets of polyacrylamide, sodium alginate and agar. The activity of the enzyme was estimated at different times by measuring the absorbance of a solution into which 2-nitrophenol was released by the enzyme. The effect of pH and temperature was studied to select the optimum conditions. Thermostability of the β-glucosidase in each of the carriers was assessed over a period of 12–26 d. The immobilized enzyme on all the three carriers retained its activity longer than free enzyme did. Polyacrylamide was the best carrier both in terms of thermostability and of reusability of the immobilized enzyme preparations. The Michaelis constant (K _m) for each of the immobilized enzyme preparation was calculated.     

Activity of plasma membrane β-galactosidase and β-glucosidase

Human fibroblasts produce ceramide from sialyllactosylceramide on the plasma membranes. Sialidase Neu3 is known to be plasma membrane associated, while only indirect data suggest the plasma membrane association of β-galactosidase and β-glucosidase. To determine the presence of β-galactosidase and β-glucosidase on plasma membrane, cells were submitted to cell surface biotinylation. Biotinylated proteins were purified by affinity column and analyzed for enzymatic activities on artificial substrates. Both enzyme activities were found associated with the cell surface and were up-regulated in Neu3 overexpressing cells. These enzymes were capable to act on both artificial and natural substrates without any addition of activator proteins or detergents and displayed a trans activity in living cells.     

Picrocrocin hydrolysis by immobilized β-glucosidase

Summary -Glucosidase from sweet almond was immobilized onto a nylon support and used to hydrolyze picrocrocin, the glycoside precursor of the saffron essential volatile oil, safranal. The nylon support was derivatized as hydrazide and the enzyme attached through Schiff base to bonds. The coupling efficiency was 46.8%, the immobilization yield 29.5%, and the derivative showed 24.2 and 4.0 U/mg activity for p-nitrophenylglucoside and picrocrocin, respectively, as substrates. Kinetic parameters of the immobilized derivative were determined, with picrocrocin as substrate, showing K_M=7.2 mM and V_max=4,0 U/mg. Glucose behaved as a competitive inhibitor (K_i=95.0 mM). The immobilized derivative was thermally stable up to 45°C; from that temperature onwards thermoinactivation occured. The operational deactivation showed a biphasic pattern, t_1/2 being 4.2 days for the first four days of continuous operation, and 20.1 days from that point on. The immobilized enzyme lost a 50% of its initial activity after 30.7 days of storage at 4°C.     

Synthetic inhibitors of glucocerebroside β-glucosidase

The glucocerebrosidase of human placenta was studied with various potential inhibitors. Several compounds that resemble the lipoidal product of enzyme action, ceramide, proved to be excellent inhibitors, acting by mixed modes (primarily noncompetitively). These were N-decyl-dl-erythro-3-phenyl-2-amino-l, 3-propanediol and several p-substituted derivatives. These compounds were also highly effective in rat spleen toward glucocerebroside and p-nitrophenyl β-glucoside as substrates. The compounds were inactive toward the analogous enzyme, galactocerebrosidase of rat brain, and were slightly stimulatory toward the rat brain enzyme which makes galactocerebroside. Longer and shorter N-alkyl groups proved to be less effective. Decanoic acid amides of phenylaminopropanediol and related compounds proved to be relatively inert, although some were stimulatory. Deoxycorticosterone β-glucoside was a moderately effective noncompetitive inhibitor and is apparently hydrolyzed by a different glucosidase. p-Nitrophenyl β-glucoside was also a moderately effective inhibitor, acting by mixed modes. p-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate was a good inhibitor, presumably acting on a sensitive cysteine residue. It is concluded that cerebrosidase contains two sensitive sites, one catalytic and the other allosteric, each containing an important anionic group and able to bind glucosides and ceramide-like compounds.     

Production of β-glucosidase byCladosporium resinae

Summary Cladosporium resinae QM 7998 produced high activities of extracellular and constitutive -glucosidase when grown on a variety of sugars or cellulose. Starch and ribose induced enzyme synthesis several fold.Cladosporium resinae could utilize agricultural waste residues for growth and -glucosidase production. The initial pH of the medium had a marked effect on enzyme prowduction and optimum pH was between 4.0 and 5.0 depending on the assay method. Mixed culturing ofC. resinae with yeasts, viz.Saccharomyces cerevisiae andCandida utilis, increased the -glucosidase production while that with other fungi decreased the enzyme yield. The- glucosidase preparation fromC. resinae significantly increased the saccharification of rice and wheat straw (untreated or delignified) withTrichoderma reesei QM 9414 cellulase preparation.

---

Résumé Cladosporium resinae QM 7998 produit des concentrations élevées de -glucosidase tant extracellulaire que constitutive lorsqu'elle croît sur une variété de sucres ou sur la cellulose. On a trouvé que l'amidon et le ribose augmentent de plusieurs fois la quantité d'enzyme synthétisée.Cladosporium resinae peut utiliser des résidus agricoles pour sa croissance et pour la production de -glucosidase. Le pH initial du milieu exerce un effet marqué sur la production d'enzyme et le pH optimum est compris entre 4.0 et 5.0 selon les conditions de l'essai. La croissance mixte deCladosporium resinae avec diverses levures, notammentSaccharomyces cerevisiae etCandida utilis, augmente la production de -glucosidase tandis que celle avec d'autres moisissures diminue le rendement en enzyme. La -glucosidase deCladosporium resinae augmente de manière significative la saccharification des pailles de riz et de froment (non-traitées ou délignifiées) traités par la cellulase deTrichoderma reesei QM 9414.

     

Exocellular β-glucosidase inducibility in a mutant strain ofCandida wickerhamii derepressed for endocellular β-glucosidase production

Summary Candida wickerhamii produces one endocellular and one exocellular -glucosidase. Both enzymes are repressed by glucose in the wild-type strain. In the M7 mutant ofC. wickerhamii, which was previously demonstrated to be derepressed for endocellular -glucosidase biosynthesis, the exocellular -glucosidase is derepressed and hyperproduced when cellodextrins are added to the culture medium. This enzyme, which was produced constitutively in the wildtype, has thus become inducible in the M7 mutant strain. The interest of this strain for industrial production of -glucosidases is discussed.

---

Resumen Candida wikerhamii produce dos -glucosidasas: una endocelular y otra exocelular. Ambos enzimas son reprimidos por glucosa en la cepa salvaje. Al añadir celodextrina al medio de cultivo del mutante M7 deC. wickerhamii, en el cual se ha demostrado ya la desrepresión de la síntesis de -glucosidasa endocelular, se desreprime la -glucosidasa extracelular obteniéndose una hiperproducción de este enzima. Dicho enzima que era producido de forma constitutiva en el tipo salvaje, se ha convertido en inducible en la cepa mutante M7. Se discute el interés de esta cepa para la producción industrial de -glucosidasas.

---

Résumé Candida wickerhamii produit deux -glucosidases, l'une endo- et l'autre exocellulaire. Les deux enzymes de la souche sauvage sont réprimées par le glucose. Le mutant M7, chez qui il a été antérieurement constaté que la synthèse de la -glucosidase endocellulaire est déréprimée, l'enzyme exocellulaire est elle aussi déréprimée et hyper-produite lorsque des cellodextrines sont ajoutées au milieu de culture. Cette enzyme, qui est constitutive chez la souche sauvage, est donc devenue inductible chez le mutant M7. Cette souche est intéressante pour la production industrielle de -glucosidases.

     

Production of β-glucosidase by Aspergillus terreus

The production of -glucosidase by Aspergillus terreus was investigated in liquid shake cultures. Enzyme production was maximum on the 7th day of growth (2.18 U/ml) with the initial pH of the medium in the range of 4.0–5.5. Cellulose (Sigmacell Type 100) at 1.0% (wt/vol) gave maximum -glucosidase activity among the various soluble and insoluble carbon sources tested. Potassium nitrate was a suitable nitrogen source for enzyme production. Triton X-100 at 0.15% (vol/vol) increased the enzyme levels of A. terreus. The test fungal strain showed an ability to ferment glucose to ethanol.     

Secretion of β-glucosidase by Ochromonas danica

-Glucosidase released by the phytoflagellate Ochromonas danica was the result of secretion; this was adduced from the following: (1) The enzyme was released during growth, including early log phase. (2) The amount released was calculated to be much more than could be attributed to cell lysis. (3) -Glucosidase was released by cells during short term incubation in a dilute salt solution; this release was nearly linear for at least 24 h. (4) Release occurred while cell counts remained nearly constant and cells remained viable. (5) Control experiments excluded cell damage resulting from incubation and cell manipulation as a source of the exoenzyme. (6) No alkaline phosphatase was released and 5 times less phosphoglucose isomerase than glucosidase was released while the cells contained 7 times more phosphoglucose isomerase. (7) The kinetics of release of nonspecific protein and UV absorbing material was markedly different from glucosidase release. (8) Glucosidase release was temperature and energy dependent; anaerobiosis decreased enzyme release. (9) Release was inhibited by cycloheximide. (10) Cells incubated with ³H-leucine synthesized labeled protein which was secreted linearly for at least 24h. Cycloheximide inhibited incorporation of ³H-leucine into protein and the secretion of the labeled protein.Non-Standard Abbreviations CHI cycloheximide - DNP 2,4-dinitrophenol - IAA iodoacetic acid - PGI phosphoglucose isomerase - SIS salt incubation solution     

Stabilization of β-glucosidase by polyhydric alcohols

Thermal stability of β-glucosidase in Thermomonospora curvata lysed cell extracts, culture solids and lyophilized cells was increased 9–16-fold by polyhydric alcohols. Sorbitol, the most soluble of these alcohols, doubled the recovery of β-glucosidase during preliminary purification procedures.     

Fungal β-glucosidase expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains expressing β-glucosidases from Thermoascus aurantiacus (Tabgl1) and Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PcbglB and Pccbgl1) were constructed and compared to S. cerevisiae Y294[SFI], previously identified as the best β-glucosidase-producing strain. The PcbglB was also intracellularly expressed in combination with the lac12 lactose permease of Kluyveromyces lactis in S. cerevisiae Y294[PcbglB?+?Lac12]. The recombinant extracellular β-glucosidases indicated maximum activity in the pH range 4-5 and temperature optima varying from 50 to 75?°C. The S.?cerevisiae Y294[Pccbgl1] strain performed best under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, producing 2.6 times more β-glucosidase activity than S. cerevisiae Y294[SFI] and an ethanol concentration of 4.8?g?l(-1) after 24?h of cultivation on cellobiose as sole carbohydrate source. S. cerevisiae Y294[Tabgl1] was unable to grow on cellobiose (liquid medium), whereas S. cerevisiae Y294[PcbglB?+?Lac12] exhibited limited growth.     

New strictosidine β-glucosidase from Strychnos mellodora

A stable strictosidine glucosidase was isolated from dried powdered material of Strychnos mellodora. The kinetic parameters K_m and V_max of the purified glucosidases from Catharanthus roseus and S. mellodora towards strictosidine, dolichantoside and palicoside were determined and compared.     

Properties of β-glucosidase purified fromAspergillus niger

Summary Extracellular -glucosidase fromAspergillus niger USDB 0355 was purified 120-fold. It gave a single band on PAGE and had an M_r of 325 000. It was optimally active at 60°C and pH 4.6. It had K_m values forp-nitrophenyl--glucoside and cellobiose of 0.82±0.10mm and 1.33±0.20mm, respectively. It was competitively inhibited by glucose and non-competitively (mixed) inhibited by glucono--lactone.

---

Resumen Se purificó la glucosidasa extracelular deAspergillus niger USDB 0355 120 veces. Su electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida (PAGE) resultó en una única banda con peso molecular de 325000D. La actividad fue óptima a 60°C y pH 4.6. Los valores de la Km para elp-nitrofenol-glucosido y para la celobiosa fueron de 0.82±0.10mm y 1.33±0.20mm respectivamente. La glucosa inhibió competitivamente el enzima mientras que la glucono--lactona lo inhibió no competitivamente (inhibición mixta).

---

Résumé La -glucosidase extracellulaire d'Aspergillus niger USDB 0355 a été purifiée 120 fois. L'enzyme a révélé une bande unique sur PAGE et avait un M_r de 325 kdaltons. Elle était optiquement active à 60°C et à pH 4.6. Elle présentait des valeur des Km pour lep-nitrophenyl--glucoside et la cellobiose, respectivement de 0.82±0.10mm et de 1.33±20mm. Elle était complètement inhibée par le glucose et présentait une inhibition non-compétitive mixte par la glucono--lactone.

     

Studies of Antarctic yeast for β-glucosidase production

Moss and lichen samples from the region of the Bulgarian base on Livingston Island, Antarctica were examined for the presence of yeasts. Six pure cultures were obtained. They were screened for -glucosidase production and two of them were selected. These were identified as Cryptococcus albidus AL₂ and C. albidus AL₃, according to their morphology, reproductive behaviour, and growth at different temperatures, salt concentrations, nutritional characteristics and various biochemical tests. These strains were examined for biosynthesis of -glucosidase on different carbon sources under aerobic conditions. High exocellular and endocellular activities were obtained when they were grown on cellobiose, methyl--D-glucopyranoside and salicin. The time course of growth and -glucosidase production of the yeast was examined by cultivation in a medium with cellobiose under aerobic conditions at temperatures 18 and 24 °C for 96 h. Cryptococcus albidus AL₂ and C. albidus AL₃ synthesized exocellular enzyme, respectively 58.33 and 55.83 U/ml and endocellular enzyme 137.75 and 205.34 U/ml at 24 °C for 72 h of the cultivation.     

Kinetic properties of β-glucosidase from Aspergillus ornatus

Summary Kinetic properties of extracellular -glucosidase from Aspergillus ornatus were determined. The pH and temperature optima for the enzyme were found to be 4.6 and 60°C, respectively. Under these conditions, the enzyme exhibited a K _m (p-nitrophenyl--glucoside) value of 0.76±0.11 mM. The activation energy for the enzyme was 11.8 kcal/mol. Several divalent metal ions inhibited -glucosidase activity, some of which showed inhibition of enzyme activity only at higher concentrations. Ag²⁺ was the most potent inhibitor. A metal chelating agent, EDTA, also inhibited -glucosidase activity. Except for trehalose, glucose, glucono--lactone, cellobiose, gentiobiose, laminaribiose, maltose and isomaltose inhibited -glucosidase activity. Glucose was found to be a competitive inhibitor, whereas glucono--lactone and other -linked disaccharides were noncompetitive (mixed) inhibitors of the enzyme.     

Selenium-mediated differential response of β-glucosidase and β-galactosidase of germinatingTrigonella foenum-graecum

β-Glucosidase and β-galactosidase activity profile tested in different seeds during 24 h germination revealed reasonably high levels of activity inVigna radiata, Cicer arietinum, andTrigonella foenum-graecum. In all seeds tested, β-galactosidase activity was, in general, higher than that of β-glucosidase.T. foenum-graecum seedlings exhibited maximal total and specific activities for both the enzymes during 72 h germination. Se supplementation as Na₂SeO₃ up to 0.75 ppm was found to be beneficial to growth and revealed selective enhancement of β-galactosidase activity by 40% at 0.5 ppm Se. The activities of both the enzymes drastically decreased at 1.0 ppm level of Se supplementation. On the contrary, addition of Na₂SeO₃ in vitro up to 1 ppm to the enzyme extracts did not influence these activities. Hydrolytic rates of β-glucosidase in both control and Se-supplemented groups were enhanced by 20% with 0.05M glycerol in the medium and 30% at 0.1M glycerol. The rates were marginally higher in Se-supplemented seedlings than the controls, irrespective of added glycerol in the medium. In contrast, hydrolysis by β-galactosidase showed a trend of decrease in Se-supplemented seedlings compared to the control, when glycerol was present in the medium. Addition of Se in vitro in the assay medium showed no difference in the hydrolytic rate by β-galactosidase when compared to control, while the activity of β-glucosidase declined by 50%. Se-grown seedlings showed an enhancement of transglucosidation rate by 40% in the presence of 0.1M glycerol. The study reveals a differential response to Se among the β-galactosidase and β-glucosidase ofT. foenumgraecum with increase in the levels of β-galactosidase activity.     

Alkyl glucoside synthesis using Thai rosewood β-glucosidase

-Glucosidase from Thai Rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis Pierre) catalyses transglucosylation of alcohols to synthesise alkyl glucosides. Good yields were obtained with primary alcohols, often approaching 90% in terms of alkyl glucoside, but secondary alcohols gave poorer yields, and tertiary alcohols did not react. The enzyme showed higher transglucosylation yields than almond -glucosidase with all alcohols tested.     

Characterization of two β-glucosidase genes fromClostridium thermocellum

Summary Two -glucosidase genes, designatedbglA andbglB, were isolated from a gene bank ofClostridium thermocellum DSM 1237. The coding sequences forbglA andbglB were located on non-homologous DNA fragments of 3.2– and 3.4-kb, respectively. Both genes direct inEscherichia coli the synthesis of cytoplasmic -glucosidases, which differ with respect to substrate specificity and temperature profile. The properties of thebglA-encoded -glucosidase A closely resemble that of a -glucosidase previously isolated fromC. thermocellum cultures.     

Developmental expression of β-glucosidase in olive leaves

Plant β-glucosidases catalyze the hydrolysis of glycosidic linkages and play a vital role in defense against pathogens and stress. The present work investigated the relationship between leaf development and β-glucosidase protein content in Olea europea L. (cv. Picual) leaves. The total chlorophyll content increased with leaf age in current-season leaves. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the content of 61 kD protein of β-glucosidase also increased with leaf age, and that the enzyme existed in three isoforms (pI 5.8–6.2). Statistical analysis indicated a strong correlation between chlorophyll and β-glucosidase protein contents.     

Salt effects on β-glucosidase: pH-profile narrowing

Salts inhibit the activity of sweet almond β-glucosidase. For cations (Cl⁻ salts) the effectiveness follows the series: Cu⁺², Fe⁺² > Zn⁺² > Li⁺ > Ca⁺² > Mg⁺² > Cs⁺ > NH₄⁺ > Rb⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ and for anions (Na⁺ salts) the series is: I⁻ > ClO₄⁻ > ⁻SCN > Br⁻ ≈ NO₃⁻ > Cl⁻ ≈ ⁻OAc > F⁻ ≈ SO₄^− 2. The activity of the enzyme, like that of most glycohydrolases, depends on a deprotonated carboxylate (nucleophile) and a protonated carboxylic acid for optimal activity. The resulting pH-profile of k_cat/K_m for the β-glucosidase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl glucoside is characterized by a width at half height that is strongly sensitive to the nature and concentration of the salt. Most of the inhibition is due to a shift in the enzymic pK_as and not to an effect on the pH-independent second-order rate constant, (k_cat/K_m)^lim. For example, as the NaCl concentration is increased from 0.01 M to 1.0 M the apparent pK_a1 increases (from 3.7 to 4.9) and the apparent pK_a2 decreases (from 7.2 to 5.9). With p-nitrophenyl glucoside, the value of the pH-independent (k_cat/K_m)^lim (= 9 × 10⁴ M^− 1 s^− 1) is reduced by less than 4% as the NaCl concentration is increased. There is a similar shift in the pK_as when the LiCl concentration is increased to 1.0 M. The results of these salt-induced pK_a shifts rule out a significant contribution of reverse protonation to the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. At low salt concentration, the fraction of the catalytically active monoprotonated enzyme in the reverse protonated form (i.e., proton on the group with a pK_a of 3.7 and dissociated from the group with a pK_a of 7.2) is very small (≈ 0.03%). At higher salt concentrations, where the two pK_as become closer, the fraction of the monoprotonated enzyme in the reverse protonated form increases over 300-fold. However, there is no increase in the intrinsic reactivity, (k_cat/K_m)^lim, of the monoprotonated species. For other enzymes which may show such salt-induced pK_a shifts, this provides a convenient test for the role of reverse protonation.     

Beta-glucosidase 1 (GBA1) is a second bile acid β-glucosidase in addition to β-glucosidase 2 (GBA2). Study in β-glucosidase deficient mice and humans

Beta-glucosidase 1 (GBA1; lysosomal glucocerebrosidase) and β-glucosidase 2 (GBA2, non-lysosomal glucocerebrosidase) both have glucosylceramide as a main natural substrate. The enzyme-deficient conditions with glucosylceramide accumulation are Gaucher disease (GBA-/- in humans), modelled by the Gba-/- mouse, and the syndrome with male infertility in the Gba2-/- mouse, respectively. Before the leading role of glucosylceramide was recognised for both deficient conditions, bile acid-3-O-β-glucoside (BG), another natural substrate, was viewed as the main substrate of GBA2. Given that GBA2 hydrolyses both BG and glucosylceramide, it was asked whether vice versa GBA1 hydrolyses both glucosylceramide and BG. Here we show that GBA1 also hydrolyses BG. We compared the residual BG hydrolysing activities in the GBA1-/-, Gba1-/- conditions (where GBA2 is the almost only active β-glucosidase) and those in the Gba2-/- condition (GBA1 active), with wild-type activities, but we used also the GBA1 inhibitor isofagomine. GBA1 and GBA2 activities had characteristic differences between the studied fibroblast, liver and brain samples. Independently, the hydrolysis of BG by pure recombinant GBA1 was shown. The fact that both GBA1 and GBA2 are glucocerebrosidases as well as bile acid β-glucosidases raises the question, why lysosomal accumulation of glucosylceramide in GBA1 deficiency, and extra-lysosomal accumulation in GBA2 deficiency, are not associated with an accumulation of BG in either condition.