Purification and characterization of an extracellular poly(L-lactic acid) depolymerase from a soil isolate, Amycolatopsis sp. strain K104-1

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA)-degrading Amycolatopsis sp. strains K104-1 and K104-2 were isolated by screening 300 soil samples for the ability to form clear zones on the PLA-emulsified mineral agar plates. Both of the strains assimilated >90% of emulsified 0.1% (wt/vol) PLA within 8 days under aerobic conditions. A novel PLA depolymerase with a molecular weight of 24,000 was purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant of strain K104-1. The purified enzyme degraded high-molecular-weight PLA in emulsion and in solid film, ultimately forming lactic acid. The optimum pH for the enzyme activity was 9.5, and the optimum temperature was 55 to 60 degrees C. The PLA depolymerase also degraded casein and fibrin but did not hydrolyze collagen type I, triolein, tributyrin, poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate), or poly(epsilon-caprolactone). The PLA-degrading and caseinolytic activities of the enzyme were inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride but were not significantly affected by soybean trypsin inhibitor, N-tosyl-L-lysyl chloromethyl ketone, N-tosyl-L-phenylalanyl chloromethyl ketone, and Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor. Thus, Amycolatopsis sp. strain K104-1 excretes the unique PLA-degrading and fibrinolytic serine enzyme, utilizing extracellular polylactide as a sole carbon source.     

Purification and characterization of poly(L-lactic acid)-degrading enzymes from Amycolatopsis orientalis ssp. orientalis

Polylactide or poly(l-lactic acid) (PLA) is a commercially promising material for use as a renewable and biodegradable plastic. Three novel PLA-degrading enzymes, named PLAase I, II and III, were purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant of an effective PLA-degrading bacterium, Amycolatopsis orientalis ssp. orientalis. The molecular masses of these three PLAases as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were 24.0, 19.5 and 18.0 kDa, with the pH optima being 9.5, 10.5 and 9.5, respectively. The optimal temperature for the enzyme activities was 50-60 degrees C. All the purified enzymes could degrade high-molecular-weight PLA film as well as casein, and the PLA-degrading activities were strongly inhibited by serine protease inhibitors such as phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and aprotinin, but were not susceptive to chymostatin and pepstatin. Taken together, these data demonstrated that A. orientalis ssp. orientalis produces multiple serine-like proteases to utilize extracellular polylactide as a sole carbon source.     

Purification and characterization of an extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) depolymerase from Acidovorax sp. HB01

The poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)-degrading strain Acidovorax sp. HB01 was isolated from an activated sludge sample. A novel PHBV depolymerase with a molecular weight of 43.4 kDa was purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant of the HB01 strain. The optimum pH and temperature of the PHBV depolymerase were 7.0 and 50 °C, respectively. The PHBV depolymerase can also degrade polyhydroxybutyrate, poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), and poly(caprolactone); however, the PHBV degradation activity of the depolymerase is higher than its activity against the other polymers. Effect of metal ions and various inhibitors on the PHBV depolymerase activity was examined. The addition of Na(+), K(+), and Ca(2+) markedly increased the hydrolysis rate, whereas the enzyme activity was inhibited by Zn(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), and particularly by Cu(2+) and Fe(2+). Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was found to have a significant inhibitory effect. The main degradation product of depolymerase was identified as the 3-hydroxybutyric acid monomer and 3-hydroxyvaleric acid monomers via mass spectrometry.     

Identification and characterization of a novel class of extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase from Bacillus sp. strain NRRL B-14911

The catalytic, linker, and denatured poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (dPHB)-binding domains of bacterial extracellular PHB depolymerases (PhaZs) are classified into several different types. We now report a novel class of extracellular PHB depolymerase from Bacillus sp. strain NRRL B-14911. Its catalytic domain belongs to type 1, whereas its putative linker region neither possesses the sequence features of the three known types of linker domains nor exhibits significant amino acid sequence similarity to them. Instead, this putative linker region can be divided into two distinct linker domains of novel types: LD1 and LD2. LD1 shows significant amino acid sequence similarity to certain regions of a large group of PHB depolymerase-unrelated proteins. LD2 and its homologs are present in a small group of PhaZs. The remaining C-terminal portion of this PhaZ can be further divided into two distinct domains: SBD1 and SBD2. Each domain showed strong binding to dPHB, and there is no significant sequence similarity between them. Each domain neither possesses the sequence features of the two known types of dPHB-binding domains nor shows significant amino acid sequence similarity to them. These unique features indicate the presence of two novel and distinct types of dPHB-binding domains. Homologs of these novel domains also are present in the extracellular PhaZ of Bacillus megaterium and the putative extracellular PhaZs of Bacillus pseudofirmus and Bacillus sp. strain SG-1. The Bacillus sp. NRRL B-14911 PhaZ appears to be a representative of a novel class of extracellular PHB depolymerases.     

Characterization of an extracellular medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) depolymerase from Streptomyces sp. KJ-72

A bacterial strain capable of degrading medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (MCL-PHAs) was isolated from a soil sample. This organism, which was identified as Streptomyces sp. KJ-72, secreted MCL-PHA depolymerase into the culture fluid only when it was cultivated on MCL-PHAs. The extracellular MCL-PHA depolymerase of the organism was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by ion exchange column chromatography and gel filtration. The enzyme consisted of a monomeric subunit having a molecular mass of 27.1 kDa and isoelectric point of 4.7. The maximum activity was observed at pH 8.7 and 50 °C. The enzyme was sensitive to N-bromosuccinimide and acetic anhydride, indicating the presence of tryptophan and lysine residues in the catalytic domain. The enzyme was able to hydrolyze various chain-length p-nitrophenyl esters of fatty acids and polycaprolactone as well as various types of MCL-PHAs. However, lipase activity of the enzyme was not detected. The main hydrolysis product of poly(3-hydroxyheptanoate) was identified to be the dimer of 3-hydroxyheptanoate. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Characterization of an extracellular poly(3-hydroxy-5-phenylvalerate) depolymerase from Xanthomonas sp. JS02

 A bacterium, JS02, capable of degrading an aromatic medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA_MCL), poly(3-hydroxy-5-phenylvalerate) (PHPV), was isolated from wastewater-treatment sludge (Ju et al. 1998), and was identified as a Xanthomonas species. An extracellular PHPV depolymerase was purified from the concentrated culture broth of Xanthomonas sp. JS02 by using a chromatography series on Sephadex G-75, QAE-Sephadex A-50 and hydroxyapatite. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 41.7 kDa. The purified enzyme could hydrolyse PHPV and p-nitrophenyl (PNP)-esters of fatty acids, but did not hydrolyse short-chain-length PHAs, though the culture supernatant could hydrolyse them. The optimum pH range was 8.0–9.0 and the optimum temperature was 60 °C for PNP-octanoate hydrolysis. The K _m values for PNP-hexanoate and PNP-octanoate were 10.9 and 0.88 μM, respectively. Received: 3 June 1999 / Received revision: 24 August 1999 / Accepted: 24 September 1999     

An extracellular poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase from Penicillium sp. DS9713a-01

Summary Penicillium sp. DS9713a-01 was obtained by ultraviolet (u.v.) light mutagenesis from the Penicillium sp. DS9713a which can degrade poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). The enzymatic activity of DS9713a-01 was 97% higher than that of the wild-type strain. The DS9713a-01 mutant could completely degrade PHB films in 5 days; however, the wild-type strain achieved only 61% at the same time. The extracellular PHB depolymerase was purified from the culture medium containing PHB as the sole carbon source by filtration, ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on Sepharose CL-6B. The molecular weight of the PHB depolymerase was about 15.1kDa determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimum activity of the PHB depolymerase was observed at pH 8.6 and 50 °C. The enzyme was stable at temperatures below 37 °C and in the pH range from 8.0 to 9.2. The activity of PHB depolymerase could be activated or inhibited by some metal ions. The apparent K _m value was 0.164 mg ml⁻¹. Mass spectrometric analysis of the water-soluble products after enzymatic degradation revealed that the primary product was the monomer, 3-hydroxybutyric acid.     

Cloning, expression and characterization of a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase from Marinobacter sp. NK-1

A DNA fragment carrying the gene encoding poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) depolymerase was cloned from the genomic DNA of Marinobacter sp. DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the Marinobacter sp. P(3HB) depolymerase gene is composed of 1734 bp and encodes 578 amino acids with a molecular mass of 61,757 Da. A sequence homology search showed that the deduced protein contains the signal peptide, catalytic domain (CD), cadherin-type linker domain (LD), and two substrate-binding domain (SBD). The fusion proteins of glutathione S-transferase (GST) with the CD showed the hydrolytic activity for denatured P(3HB) (dP(3HB)), P(3HB) emulsion (eP(3HB)) and p-nitrophenylbutyrate. On the other hand, the fusion proteins lacking the SBD showed much lower hydrolytic activity for dP(3HB) compared to the proteins containing both CD and SBD. In addition, binding tests revealed that the SBDs are specifically bound not to eP(3HB) but dP(3HB). These suggest that the SBDs play a crucial role in the enzymatic hydrolysis of dP(3HB) that is a solid substrate.     

Biochemical and molecular characterization of poly(aspartic acid) hydrolase-2 from sphingomonas sp. KT-1

Poly(aspartic acid) (PAA) hydrolase-2 was purified from crude soluble cellular extracts of Sphingomonas sp. KT-1 (JCM10459) and characterized to elucidate the mechanism of alpha,beta-poly(d,l-aspartic acid) (tPAA) biodegradation. The molecular mass of PAA hydrolase-2 was 42 kDa, and the isoelectric point was 9.6. The optimum values of pH and temperature for the hydrolysis of alpha-di(l-aspartic acid) by PAA hydrolase-2 were 7.0 and 55 degrees C, respectively. The effect of inhibitors on the hydrolysis of alpha-di(l-aspartic acid) showed that the activity of PAA hydrolase-2 was significantly inhibited by EDTA. Thermally synthesized tPAA was hydrolyzed in the presence of two enzymes, PAA hydrolase-1 and PAA hydrolase-2, to generate aspartic acid. The PAA hydrolase-2 was capable of hydrolyzing alpha-poly(l-aspartic acid) of high molecular weights but had limited activity for tPAA. These results lead us to propose the following mechanism. First, PAA hydrolase-1 hydrolyzes tPAA to yield oligo(aspartic acid) via an endo-mode cleavage, and subsequently, PAA hydrolase-2 hydrolyzes the resultant oligo(aspartic acid) to yield aspartic acid. Analysis of hydrolyzed products from alpha- and beta-penta(l-aspartic acid) revealed that PAA hydrolase-2 catalyzed the exo-mode hydrolysis of alpha- and beta-penta (l-aspartic acid). The gene encoding PAA hydrolase-2 from Sphingomonas sp. KT-1 was cloned, and genetic analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of PAA hydrolase-2 is similar to a putative peptidase, which belongs to the M20/M25/M40 family of proteins, from Caulobacter crescentus CB15.     

Isolation and characterization of an extracellular thermoalkanophilic P(3HB-co-3HV) depolymerase from Streptomyces sp. IN1

Here, we report on the biodegradation of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] by a novel thermoalkanophilic extracellular esterase from the soil isolate Streptomyces sp. IN1. Preliminary screening and isolation of the bacterium was done using polyhydroxyalkanoate latex medium (PHALM). The isolate was cultured with P(3HB-co-3HV) as the only carbon source and by-products of degradation were derivatized with [N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluroacetamide] (BSTFA). These products were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as silylated hydroxybutyric acid (3HB) and hydroxyvaleric acid, suggesting extracellular depolymerase activity by the isolate. The depolymerase was isolated by (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation, dialyzed and purified using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), and confirmed using P(3HB-co-3HV) as a sole source of carbon. The molecular mass of the FPLC purified enzyme occurred between 45 and 66 kDa (SDS-PAGE), but was confirmed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to be 62 kDa. Enzyme activity was significantly inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), dithiothreitol (DTT), and Tween 80, but induced by azide (N³⁻). Sensitivity to PMSF, DTT, and Tween 80 suggests the involvement of serine as an active site amino acid with disulphide bonds contributing to the catalytic activity, as well as the presence of hydrophobic regions in the enzyme. Non-inhibition of activity by azide indicates that metal ions may not be required as cofactors for activity. This observation was further corroborated by the decrease in enzyme activity in the presence of metal ions such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺. The kinetic parameters, V_max and K_m, in the presence of p-nitrophenylbutyrate as substrate, were determined to be 5.06 × 10⁻¹ ??mol min⁻¹ and 6.73 × 10⁻¹ mM, respectively.     

Purification and characterization of an extracellular chitosanase produced by Amycolatopsis sp. CsO-2

Extracellular chitosanase produced by Amycolatopsis sp. CsO-2 was purified to homogeneity by precipitation with ammonium sulfate followed by cation exchange chromatography. The molecular weight of the chitosanase was estimated to be about 27,000 using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. The maximum velocity of chitosan degradation by the enzyme was attained at 55°C when the pH was maintained at 5.3. The enzyme was stable over a temperature range of 0–50°C and a pH range of 4.5–6.0. About 50% of the initial activity remained after heating at 100°C for 10 min, indicating a thermostable nature of the enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was about 8.8. The enzyme degraded chitosan with a range of deacetylation degree from 70% to 100%, but not chitin or CM-cellulose. The most susceptible substrate was 100% deacetylated chitosan. The enzyme degraded glucosamine tetramer to dimer, and pentamer to dimer and trimer, but did not hydrolyze glucosamine dimer and trimer.     

Molecular characterization of extracellular medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) depolymerase genes from Pseudomonas alcaligenes strains

A bacterial strain M4-7 capable of degrading various polyesters, such as poly(epsilon-caprolactone), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate), and poly(3-hydroxy-5-phenylvalerate), was isolated from a marine environment and identified as Pseudomonas alcaligenes. The relative molecular mass of a purified extracellular medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) (MCL-PHA) depolymerase (PhaZ(PalM4-7)) from P. alcaligenes M4-7 was 28.0 kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE. The PhaZ(PalM4-7) was most active in 50 mM glycine-NaOH buffer (pH 9.0) at 35 degrees C. It was insensitive to dithiothreitol, sodium azide, and iodoacetamide, but susceptible to p-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid, N-bromosuccinimide, acetic anhydride, EDTA, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, Tween 80, and Triton X-100. In this study, the genes encoding MCL-PHA depolymerase were cloned, sequenced, and characterized from a soil bacterium, P. alcaligenes LB19 (Kim et al., 2002, Biomacromolecules 3, 291-296) as well as P. alcaligenes M4-7. The structural gene (phaZ(PalLB19)) of MCL-PHA depolymerase of P. alcaligenes LB19 consisted of an 837 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 278 amino acids with a deduced M((r)) of 30,188 Da. However, the MCL-PHA depolymerase gene (phaZ(PalM4-7)) of P. alcaligenes M4-7 was composed of an 834 bp ORF encoding a protein of 277 amino acids with a deduced Mr of 30,323 Da. Amino acid sequence analyses showed that, in the two different polypeptides, a substrate-binding domain and a catalytic domain are located in the N-terminus and in the C-terminus, respectively. The PhaZ(PalLB19) and the PhaZ(PalM4-7) commonly share the lipase box, GISSG, in their catalytic domains, and utilize 111Asn and 110Ser residues, respectively, as oxyanions that play an important role in transition-state stabilization of hydrolytic reactions.     

Genetic analysis and characterization of poly(aspartic acid) hydrolase-1 from Sphingomonas sp. KT-1

Sphingomonas sp. KT-1 hydrolyzes poly(aspartic acid) (PAA) containing alpha- and beta-amide units and has at least two different types of PAA hydrolases. The PAA hydrolase-1 hydrolyzes selectively beta-beta amide units in PAA. Molecular cloning of PAA hydrolase-1 from Sphingomonas sp. KT-1 has been carried out to characterize its gene products. Genetic analysis shows that the deduced amino acid sequence of PAA hydrolase-1 has a similarity with those of the catalytic domain of poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) depolymerases from Alcaligenes faecalis AE122 and Pseudomonas lemoignei. Site-specific mutation analysis indicates that (176)Ser is a part of a strictly conserved pentapeptide sequence (Gly-Xaa-Ser-Xaa-Gly), which is the lipase box, and plays as an active residue.     

Characterization of an extracellular medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) depolymerase from Pseudomonas alcaligenes LB19

An extracellular medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) (MCL-PHA) depolymerase from an isolate, Pseudomonas alcaligenes LB19, was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by hydrophobic interaction chromatography using Octyl-Sepharose CL-4B and gel permeation chromatography using Sephadex G-150. The molecular mass of the enzyme, which consisted of a single polypeptide chain, was approximately 27.6 kDa. The pI value of the enzyme was estimated to be 5.7, and its maximum activity was observed at pH 9.0 and 45 degreesC. The enzyme was significantly inactivated by EDTA and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) but insensitive to dithiothreitol. It was also markedly inhibited by 0.1% Tween 80 and 0.05% Triton X-100. The purified enzyme could hydrolyze various types of bacterial aliphatic and aromatic MCL-PHAs but not poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), polycaprolactone, and poly(L-lactide). Biodegradation rates of the aromatic MCL-PHAs were significantly lower than those of the aliphatic MCL-PHAs, regardless of the compositions and types of aromatic substituents. It was able to hydrolyze medium-chain-length p-nitrophenylalkanoates more efficiently than the shorter-chain forms. The main hydrolysis products of poly(3-hydroxynonanoate) were identified as monomer units. The results demonstrated in this study suggest that the MCL-PHA depolymerase from P. alcaligenes LB19 is a distinct enzyme, which are different from those of other MCL-PHA degrading bacteria in its quaternary structure, pI value, sensitivity to EDTA and PMSF, and hydrolysis products of MCL-PHA.     

Thermotolerant poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-degrading bacteria from hot compost and characterization of the PHB depolymerase of Schlegelella sp. KB1a

Eighteen gram-negative thermotolerant poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-degrading bacterial isolates (T _max60°C) were obtained from compost. Isolates produced clearing zones on opaque PHB agar, indicating the presence of extracellular PHB depolymerases. Comparison of physiological characteristics and determination of 16S rRNA gene sequences of four selected isolates revealed a close relatedness of three isolates (SA8, SA1, and KA1) to each other and to Schlegelella thermodepolymerans and Caenibacterium thermophilum. The fourth strain, isolate KB1a, showed reduced similarities to the above-mentioned isolates and species and might represent a new species of Schlegelella. Evidence is provided that S. thermodepolymerans and C. thermophilum are only one species. The PHB depolymerase gene, phaZ, of isolate KB1a was cloned and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. Purified PHB depolymerase was most active around pH 10 and 76°C. The DNA-deduced amino acid sequence of the mature protein (49.4 kDa) shared significant homologies to other extracellular PHB depolymerases with a domain substructure: catalytic domain type 2—linker domain fibronectin type 3—substrate-binding domain type 1. A catalytic triad consisting of S₂₀, D₁₀₄, and H₁₃₈ and a pentapeptide sequence (GLS₂₀AG) characteristic for PHB depolymerases (PHB depolymerase box, GLSXG) and for other serine hydrolases (lipase box, GXSXG) were identified.This contribution is dedicated to Hans G. Schlegel in honor of his 80th birthday.Fabian Romen and Simone Reinhardt share first authorship.     

Purification and properties of thermostable N-acylamino acid racemase from Amycolatopsis sp. TS-1-60

Thermostable N-acylamino acid recemase from Amycolatopsis sp. TS-1-60, a rare actinomycete strain selected for its ability to grow on agar plates incubated at 40° C, was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The relative molecular mass (M _r) of the native enzyme and the subunit was estimated to be 300 000 and 40 000 on gel filtration chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis respectively. The isoelectric point (pI) of the enzyme was 4.2. The optimum temperature and pH were 50° C and 7.5 respectively. The enzyme was stable at 55° C for 30 min. The enzyme catalyzed the racemization of optically active N-acylamino acids such as N-acetyl-l-or d-methionine, N-acetyl-l-valine, N-acetyl-l-tyrosine and N-chloroacetyl-l-valine. In addition, the enzyme also catalyzed the recemization of the dipeptide l-alanyl-l-methionine. By contrast, the optically active amino acids, N-alkyl-amino acids and methyl and athyl ester derivatives of N-acetyl-d- and l-methionine were not racemized. The apparent K _m values for N-acetyl-l-methionine and N-acetyl-d-methionine were calculated to be 18.5 mM and 11.3 mM respectively. The enzyme activity was markedly enhanced by the addition of divalent metal ions such as Co²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ and was inhibited by addition of EDTA and P-chloromercuribenzoic acid. The similarity between the NH₂-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme and that of Streptomyces atratus Y-53 [Tokuyama et al. (1994) Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 40:835–840] was above 80%.     

A novel cold-adapted phospholipase A(1) from Serratia sp. xjF1: Gene cloning, expression and characterization

The gene encoding a cold-adapted phospholipase A(1) (PLA(1)) from a psychrotrophic, glacier soil bacterium Serratia sp. xjF1 was cloned by two-step PCR (general PCR and TAIL-PCR). The full-length fragment comprised two open reading frames plA and plS. The gene product of plA encoding 320 amino acids with a molecular weight of 33.8kDa was identified as a phospholipase A(1). Its amino acid sequence exhibited the highest homology to PLA(1) of Serratia marcescens (71%). plS encoded a protein of 251 amino acids, which showed no enzymatic activity. The result of plA expression in Escherichia coli indicated that plS might improve the efficient expression of PLA(1) in E. coli. Furthermore, PLA(1) was functionally expressed in Pichia pastoris, yielding 41.8U/mL in a 3.7L fermentor. The purified recombinant phospholipase A(1) (rPLA(1)) had features typical of cold-adapted enzymes with a temperature optimum of 35°C and a maximum activity of 70% at 10°C. The rate of catalysis was optimal at pH 9.0 and the enzyme could be slightly activated by Ca(2+). This is the first report on gene isolation and expression of cold-adapted PLA(1).     

Structure and enzymatic degradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer single crystals with an extracellular PHB depolymerase from Alcaligenes faecalis T1.

Lamellar single crystals of four random copolymers of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate with different hydroxyalkanoates: poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-8 mol%-3-hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB-co-8%-3HV)), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-10 mol%-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-10%-4HB)), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-8 mol%-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (P(3HB-co-8%-3HH)) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-10 mol%-6-hydroxyhexanoate) (P(3HB-co-10%-6HH)), were grown from dilute solutions of chloroform and ethanol. All single crystals have lath-shaped morphology and the second monomer units seem to be excluded from the P(3HB) crystal, on the basis of the electron diffraction diagrams. The enzymatic degradation of P(3HB-co-8%-3HH) and P(3HB-co-10%-6HH) single crystals was investigated with an extracellular PHB depolymerase from Alcaligenes faecalis T1. Adsorption of an extracellular PHB depolymerase, examined using an immuno-gold labelling technique, demonstrated a homogeneous distribution of enzyme molecules with a low concentration on the crystal surfaces. Enzymatic degradation of single crystals progressed from the edges and ends of crystals to yield narrow cracks along their long axes and the small crystal fragments. Lamellar thicknesses of single crystals and molecular weights of copolymer chains remained unchanged during the enzymatic hydrolysis. The above results support the hypothesis that the hydrophobic adsorption of the enzyme contributes to increase the mobility of molecular chains of single crystals and generate the disordered chain-packing regions. The active-site of PHB depolymerase takes place preferentially at the disordered chain-packing regions of crystal edges and ends with endo-exo enzymatic hydrolysis behaviour, termed processive degradation.     

Production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) depolymerase from Aspergillus sp. NA-25

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) degrading thermophilic fungus was isolated from soil sample collected from waste disposal site, Islamabad, Pakistan. It was able to grow efficiently on a medium containing PHBV as a sole source of carbon and has been identified as Aspergillus sp. NA-25 by 18S rRNA. Using 9% of inoculum maximum production of PHBV depolymerase was observed at 45°C, pH 7.0 in the presence of 0.2% lactose as an additional carbon source. PHBV depolymerase was purified by precipitation with 80% ammonium sulfate and gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-75. The four enzyme forms obtained after gel filtration were analyzed on SDS-PAGE and their molecular weights (36, 68, 72 and 90 kDa) were determined. They were characterized on the basis of effect of different temperatures, pH, metal ions and different reagents on the PHBV activity and stability. It is obvious that the fungal strain Aspergillus sp. NA-25 is capable of degrading PHBV with the help of different types of depolymerases.