Purification and characterization of cholesterol oxidase from Pseudomonas sp. and taxonomic study of the strain

Summary A cholesterol-oxidase-producing microorganism, strain COX629, isolated from soil was identified as Pseudomonas sp. The cholesterol oxidase produced by Pseudomonas sp. strain COX629 was purified 2400-fold to homogeneity in an overall yield of 60% from culture broth. The enzyme was a monomer with a molecular weight of 56 000, as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Sephadex G-150 gel column chromatography. The enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 7.0 and was stable over a rather wide pH range of 4.0 to 11.0. The enzyme showed a high substrate specificity for 3-hydroxysteroids and the K _m value for the oxidation of cholesterol by this enzyme was about 0.2 mM. A characteristic of the enzyme is marked stability at high temperature.     

Purification and Properties of Arginase from Soybean, Glycine max, Axes

Arginase (EC 3.5.3.1) was purified to homogeneity from cytosol of soybean, Glycine max, axes by chromatographic separations on Sephadex G-200, DEAE-sephacel, hydroxyapatite, and arginine-affinity columns. The molecular weight of the enzyme estimated by pore gradient gel electrophoresis was 240,000, while sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave a single band at the molecular weight of 60,000. The optimal pH for activity was 9.5 and the K_m value was 83 millimolar. The enzyme was stimulated by polyamines such as putrescine.     

Electrophoretic Studies of Alkaline Proteinases from Strains of Aspergillus flavus Group

Entevobacter sp. G-1 which produces chitinolytic and chitosanolytic enzymes, was previously isolated in our laboratory. One major chitinase, designated ChiA, was purified 42.9-fold from a culture filtrate of Entevobacter sp. G-L To purify the chitinase, ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 column chromatography were used. The ChiA protein had a molecular weight of 60,000 estimated by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and an isoelectric point of 6.6. The optimal pH and optimal temperature of ChiA against colloidal chitin were pH 7.0, and 40°C, respectively. The purified ChiA degraded colloidal chitin mainly to GlcNAc₂ with a small amount of GlcNAc₃ and GlcNAc₄. ChiA hydrolyzed flaked chitin, colloidal chitin, and ethylenglycol chitin, but did not hydrolyze carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), nor >90% deacetylated flaked chitosan. The chitinase activity was 42% inhibited by 10mm EDTA, but was not inhibited by Ca²⁺ (<50 mm) or NaCl (<400 mm). The purified ChiA hydrolyzed colloidal chitin and chitin-related compounds in an endo splitting manner.     

Purification and properties of Acinetobacter sp. endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase acting on complex oligosaccharides of glycoproteins

A novel endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase capable of acting on complex type sugar chains of glycoproteins was found in the culture broth of a bacterium which was isolated from soil and identified as Acinetobacter sp. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by successive purification procedures involving ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite and Sephadex G-150. Its molecular weight was about 35,000 on gel filtration. The optimum pH was 3.0–3.5, and the enzyme was stable in the pH range from 6–8. The enzyme had high activity on dansyl ovalbumin glycopeptide, and also could hydrolyze dansyl asialotransferrin glycopeptide and dansyl transferrin glycopeptide containing complex type sugar chains. The K_m value for dansyl asialotransferrin glycopeptide as the substrate of enzyme assay was 0.68 mM. The enzyme could release complex type sugar chains from intact asialotransferrin without the addition of any detergent.     

Purification and some properties of endopolygalacturonase from Rhizopus sp. LKN

An endopolygalacturonase of Rhizopus sp. strain LKN, one of several isolates from tempe starter (ragi), was purified 235-fold by CM-Sephadex C-50, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion exchange chromatographies and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. The purified enzyme was homogeneous by SDS-PAGE with a M _r of 38.5 kDa. Its K _m value for pectic acid was 2 mg/ml. It was stable at pH 4.5 to 11 and up to 50°C, with optimum activity at pH 4.5 to 4.75 and 55 to 60°C. Some ionic compounds enhanced the enzyme activity, whereas tannic acid at 0.5 mm caused about 90% inhibition.The authors are with the Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Hakozaki, Fukuoka 812, Japan.     

Isolation and Purification of Ascorbate Oxidase from Acremonium sp. HI-25

A screening test was undertaken to isolate microorganisms that produced ascorbate oxidase. The enzyme activity was found in a culture filtrate of a fungal strain (HI-25), newly isolated from a soil sample. Based on the morphological characteristics, this isolate was identified as Acremonium sp. From the examinations of cultural conditions, optimum conditions for enzyme production were found; strain HI-25 was aerobically cultured by a jar fermenter at 25°C in a medium containing 5% glycerol, 2% defatted soybeans, 0.1% monosodium L-glutamate, 0.1% KH₂PO₄, 0.02% MgSO₄ ·7H₂O, and 0.01% KCl, pH 6.0. After cultivation, an ascorbate oxidase was purified from the culture filtrate by an ammonium sulfate fractionation, column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose and Butyl-Toyopearl, and gel filtration twice on Sephadex G-100. The purification was 850-fold with an activity yield of 8.8%. The purified enzyme gave a single band on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and had a molecular weight of 80,000 by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 76,000 by native gel filtration. This enzyme was most active at pH 4.0, 45°C, and was most stable between pH 6.0–10.0 and at temperatures below 60°C.     

Purification and characterization of lignin peroxidases from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium decumbens</Emphasis> P6

Summary Peroxidases are essential enzymes in biodegradation of lignin and lignite which have been investigated intensively in the white-rot fungi. This is the first report of purification and characterization of lignin peroxidase from Penicillium sp. P6 as lignite degradation fungus. The results indicated that the lignin peroxidase of Penicillium decumbens P6 had physical and chemical properties and a N-terminal amino acid sequence different from the lignin peroxidases of white-rot fungi. The lignin peroxidase was isolated from a liquid culture of P. decumbens P6. This enzyme had a molecular weight of 46.3 KDa in SDS-PAGE and exhibited greater activity, temperature stability and wider pH range than those previously reported. The isolation procedure involved (NH₄)₂SO₄ precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and non-denaturing, discontinuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The K _m and V _max values of this enzyme using veratryl alcohol as substrate were 0.565 mmol L ⁻¹ and 0.088 mmol (mg protein) ⁻¹ min ⁻¹ respectively. The optimum pH of P6 lignin peroxidase was 4.0, and 70.6 of the relative activity was remained at pH 9.0. The optimum temperature of the enzyme was 45 °C.     

Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from α-naphthol degrading thermophilic Geobacillus sp. strain: purification and properties

The purpose of this study was purification and characterization of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Geobacillus sp. G27 strain, which degrades α-naphthol by the β-ketoadipate pathway. The catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C1,2O) was purified using four steps of ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-celullose, Sephadex G-150 and hydroxylapatite chromatographies. The enzyme was purified about 18-fold with a specific activity of 7.42 U mg of protein⁻¹. The relative molecular mass of the native enzyme estimated on gel chromatography of Sephadex G-150 was 96 kDa. The pH and temperature optima for enzyme activity were 7 and 60°C, respectively. A half-life of the catechol 1,2-dioxygenase at the optimum temperature was 40 min. The kinetic parameters of the Geobacillus sp. G27 strain catechol 1,2-dioxygenase were determined. The enzyme had apparent K_m of 29 μM for catechol and the cleavage activities for methylcatechols were much less than for catechol and no activity with gentisate or protocatechuate was detected.     

Assimilation of Ammonia by Gluconobacter suboxydans through Glutamine Synthetase/Glutamate Synthase Pathway

A gram negative bacterium isolated from soil was found to produce an endo-α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase in culture. The microorganism was identified as Alcaligenes sp. from various bacteriological characteristics. The enzyme was purified from the culture fluid by fractionation with ammonium sulfate, and column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and hydroxylapatite. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 160,000 by gel filtration and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimum pH was found to be 4.5 and the stable pH range was 4.5 ~ 6.5. The Km values were 3.7 mm and 3.2 mm with asialofetuin and asialo κ-casein glycopeptide as substrates, respectively. The enzyme released the disaccharide, Galβ1→3GalNAc, from glycoproteins possessing serine or threonine O-glycosidic linkages. The enzyme production was highly induced by porcine gastric mucin added to the medium.     

Production and characterization of keratinase from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paracoccus</Emphasis> sp. WJ-98

A bacterial strain WJ-98 found to produce active extracellular keratinase was isolated from the soil of a poultry factory. It was identified asParacoccus sp. based on its 16S rRNA sequence analysis, morphological and physiological characteristics. The optimal culture conditions for the production of keratinase byParacoccus sp. WJ-98 were investigated. The optimal medium composition for keratinase production was determined to be 1.0% keratin, 0.05% urea and NaCl, 0.03% K₂HPO₄, 0.04% KH₂PO₄, and 0.01% MgCl₂·6H₂O. Optimal initial pH and temperature for the production of keratinase were 7.5 and 37°C, respectively. The maximum keratinase production of 90 U/mL was reached after 84 h of cultivation under the optimal culturing conditions. The keratinase fromParacoccus sp. WJ-98 was partially purified from a culture broth by using ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, followed by gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-75. Optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme reaction were pH 6.8 and 50°C, respectively and the enzymes were stable in the pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 and below 50°C. The enzyme activity was significantly inhibited by EDTA, Zn²⁺ and Hg²⁺. Inquiry into the characteristics of keratinase production from these bacteria may yield useful agricultural feed processing applications.     

Purification and some properties of β-mannanase from Bacillus sp.

-Mannanase produced by Bacillus sp. W-2, isolated from decayed commercial konjak cake, was purified from the culture supernatant by (NH₄)₂ SO₄ precipitation, adsorption to konjak gel, and column chromatography with DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-100 and Sephacryl S-200. Its molecular size was estimated by SDS-PAGE as 40 kDa, and by gel filtration as 36 kDa. The enzyme was most active at pH 7 and 70°C and was stable for at least 1 h between pH 5 and 10 and below 60°C. Its activity was completely inhibited by Hg²⁺. The enzyme hydrolysed galactomannan better than glucomannan and mainly produced mannose and mannobiose.The authors are with the Department of Bioproductive Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University. Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321, Japan     

A Highly N-Glycosylated Chitin Deacetylase Derived from a Novel Strain of Mortierella sp. DY-52

Chitin deacetylase (CDA), the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetamido groups of GlcNAc in chitin, was purified from culture filtrate of the fungus Mortierella sp. DY-52 and characterized. The extracellular enzyme is likely to be a highly N-glycosylated protein with a pI of 4.2–4.8. Its apparent molecular weight was determined to be about 52 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) and 67 kDa by size-exclusion chromatography. The enzyme had an optimum pH of 6.0 and an optimum temperature of 60 °C. Enzyme activity was slightly inhibited by 1–10 mM Co²⁺ and strongly inhibited by 10 mM Cu²⁺. It required at least two GlcNAc residues for catalysis. When (GlcNAc)₆ was used as substrate, K _m and V _max were determined to be 1.1 mM and 54.6 μmol min^?1 respectively.     

Serratia Protease

A strain of Serratia, isolated from an intestinal canal of a silkworm, produced a large quantity of protease. The enzyme was extracellular and was named Serratiopeptidase, tentatively. Protease production of this strain was over 3 times as much as that of Serratia marcescens which was known as a protease-producing organism. The highly purified enzyme was prepared from the culture supernatant through ammonium sulfate precipitation, acetone fractionation, DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75.

The purified enzyme moved homogeneously with a sedimentation constant, s_20,w of 3.8 S in ultracentrifugation and the molecular weight was determined to be 6.0 × 10₄ by the Archibald method. Determination of the ultraviolet absorption spectrum indicated the E^1%_{280 mμ,1 cm} was 13.0. Neither carbohydrate nor sulfur-containing amino acid was detected in the purified enzyme preparation. The enzyme showed maximal activity at pH 9.0 and at 40°C, and was stable under lower temperatures over the pH range from 5 to 10, whereas it was unstable at 37°C in alkaline conditions. The enzyme was completely inactivated by heating at 55°C for 15 min.     

Purification and Some Properties of Adenosine (Phosphate) Deaminase from the Liver of the Squid Todarodes pacificus

An enzyme that catalyzed the deamination of adenosine 3′-phenylphosphonate was purified from squid liver to homogeneity as judged by SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 60,000 by SDS-PAGE and 140,000 by Sephadex G-150 gel filtration. The enzyme deaminated adenosine, 2′-deoxyadenosine, 3′-AMP, and 2′,3′-cyclic AMP, but not adenine, 5′-AMP, 3′,5′-cyclic AMP, ADP, or ATP. The apparent K_m and V_max at pH 4.0 for these substrates were comparable (0.11-0.34mM and 179-295 μmol min^?1 mg^?1, respectively). The enzyme had maximum activity at pH 3.5-4.0 for adenosine 3′-phenylphosphonate, at pH 5.5 for adenosine and 2′-deoxyadenosine, and at pH 4.0 for 2′,3′-cyclic AMP and 3′-AMP when the compounds were at concentration of 0.1 mM. The K_m at 4.0 and 5.5 for each substrate varied, but the Vmax were invariant. These results indicated that the squid enzyme was a novel adenosine (phosphate) deaminase with a unique substrate specificity.     

Partial purification and characterization of glycylprolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase in porcine pancreas

This study reports the presence of glycylprolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase in porcine pancreas, and its partial purification and some properties. Crude enzyme preparation was obtained by extraction from acetone-dried powder of the pancreas at pH 7.6. For solubilization of enzyme, freezing and thawing were carried out. Crude enzyme extract was fractionated with ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 column and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Partially purified enzyme showed 2897-folds purification. The enzyme activity on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed good agreement with a main protein band stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. Molecular weight of this enzyme from the pancreas was estimated to be 300 000 by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300 column. Optimum pH was between 8.5 and 9.0, and K_m value for glycylproline-p-nitroanilide tosilate was 0.33 mM. This enzyme from the pancreas was a serine enzyme and was relatively stable to heat at 60°C for 10 min.     

Purification and Properties of Mycodextranase from Streptomyces sp. J-13-3

An enzyme hydrolyzing nigeran (alternating α-l,3-and α-l,4-linked glucan) was purified from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces sp. J-13-3, which lysed the cell wall of Aspergillus niger, by precipitation with ammonium sulfate and column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, CM-Sephadex C-50, chromatofocusing, and Sephadex G-I00. The final preparation was homogenous in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The molecular weight of the enzyme was 68,000 by SDS–PAGE and gel filtration. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme activity were 6.0 and 50°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 and up to 50°C. The enzyme activity was inhibited significantly by Hg⁺, Hg²⁺, and p-chloromercuribenzoic acid. The K_m (mg/ml) for nigeran was 3.33. The enzyme specifically hydrolyzed nigeran into nigerose and nigeran tetrasaccharide by an endo-type of action, indicating it to be a mycodextranase (EC 3.2.1.61) that splits only the α-l,4-glucosidic linkages in nigeran.     

Isolation and Characterization of Thiamin Pyrophosphotransferase from Glycine max Seedlings

Thiamin:ATP pyrophosphotransferase (EC2.7.6.2) activity from soybean (Merr.) seedlings grown for 48 hours was determined by measuring the rate of [2-¹⁴C]thiamin incorporation into thiamin pyrophosphate. With partially purified (11-fold) enzyme, optimal activity occurred between pH 7.1 and 7.3, depending on the buffer system that was used. Assays were routinely conducted at a final pH of 8.1 in order to minimize interference from competing reactions. Enzyme activity required the presence of a divalent cation, and a number of nucleoside triphosphates proved to be active as pyrophosphate donors. Apparent K_m values of 18.3 millimolar and 4.64 micromolar were obtained for Mg·ATP and thiamin, respectively. Among the compounds tested, pyrithiamin and thiamin pyrophosphate were most effective in inhibiting thiamin pyrophosphotransferase activity. Based on Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, soybean thiamin pyrophosphotransferase has a molecular weight of 49,000.     

Purification and characterization of fibrinolytic alkaline protease from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> sp. BLB

Fusarium sp. BLB, which produces a strongly fibrinolytic enzyme, was isolated from plant leaf (Hibiscus). Fibrinolytic alkaline protease was purified from a culture filtrate of Fusarium sp. BLB by precipitation with (NH₄)₂SO₄ and column chromatography with CM-Toyopearl 650M and Superdex 75. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The molecular weight was 27,000 by SDS-PAGE. Maximum activity of protease was observed at pH 9.5 and 50°C. Purified protease was active between pH 2.5 and 11.5 and was found to be stable up to 50°C. The enzyme derived from Fusarium sp. BLB is useful for thrombolytic therapy because this enzyme showed pH resistance. The activity was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme showed a similarity to those of proteases from Fusarium sp., Streptomyces griseus, Bos taurus bovine, Katsuwo pelamis digestive tract, and Lumbricus rubellus.     

Purification and Characterization of Amidase which Participates in Nitrile Degradation

Amidase was purified from the cell-free extract of acetonitrile-grown Arthrobacter sp. J-1 by a procedure involving protamine sulfate precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite and Sephadex G-200. The overall purification was 47-fold. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by ultracentrifugal analysis and disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be about 300,000 and 320,000 by disc gel electrophoresis and gel filtration, respectively. The enzyme was possibly composed of eight identical subunits of a molecular weight of 39,000. The isoelectric point was 3.8. The enzyme catalyzed the stoichiometric hydrolysis of acetamide to form acetic acid and ammonia. The enzyme was active toward acetamide, acrylamide and propionamide and the Km values were 0.97, 23.3 and 8.05 mm, respectively. The enzyme showed acyltransferase activity.     

Partial Hydrolysis of a Synthetic Heptapeptide Related to Gramicidin S

Galactomyces reessii L, isolated as a protopectin-solubilizing enzyme-producing strain, produced protopectin-solubilizing enzyme in the culture filtrate. The enzyme was purified by repeated CM-Sephadex C-50 column chromatography, and isolated as a crystalline form with a yield of 16% of the initial activity. The enzyme was a glycoprotein containing about 2.6% carbohydrate (as pentose). Its isoelectric point was around pH 8.4, and the sedimentation coefficient (s_20,w) was determined to be 3.83 S. The molecular weight was determined to be 30,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 and 29,300 by ultracentrifugal analysis. The enzyme catalyzed the release of highly polymerized pectin from various protopectins. The enzyme also catalyzed the depolymerization of pectic acid or galacturonic acid oligomers, and was confirmed to be an endo- polygalacturonase.