Description of cellobiohydrolases Ce16A and Ce17A fromTrichoderma reesei using Langmuir-type models

The binding of cellobiohydrolases to cellulose is a crucial initial step in cellulose hydrolysis. In the search for a detailed understanding of the function of cellobiohydrolases, much information concerning how the enzymes and their constituent catalytic and cellulose-binding changes during hydrolysis is still needed. The adsorption of purffied two cellobiohydrolases (Ce17A and Ce16A) fromTrichoderma reesei cellulase to microcrystalline cellulose has been studied. Cellobiohydrolase II (Ce16A) does not affect the adsorption of cellobiohydrolase I (Ce17A) significantly, and there are specific binding sites for both Ce17A and Ce16A. The adsorption affinity and tightness of the cellulase binding domain (CBD) for Ce17A are larger that those of the CBD for Ce16A. The CBD for Ce17A binds more rapidly and tightly to Avicel than the CBD for Ce16A. The decrease in adsorption observed when the two cellobihydrolases are studied together would appear to be the result of competition for binding sites on the cellulose. Ce17A competes more efficiently for binding sites than Ce16A. Competition for binding sites is the dominating factor when the two enzymes are acting together, furthermore adsorption to sites specific for Ce17A and Ce16A, also contributes to the total adsorption.     

Mechanism of substrate inhibition in cellulose synergistic degradation.

A comprehensive experimental study of substrate inhibition in cellulose hydrolysis based on a well defined system is presented. The hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose by synergistically operating binary mixtures of cellobiohydrolase I from Trichoderma reesei and five different endoglucanases as well as their catalytic domains displays a characteristic substrate inhibition. This inhibition phenomenon is shown to require the two-domain structure of an intact cellobiohydrolase. The experimental data were in accordance with a mechanism where cellobiohydrolases previously bound to the cellulose by means of their cellulose binding domains are able to find chain ends by lateral diffusion. An increased substrate concentration at a fixed enzyme load will also increase the average diffusion distance/time needed for cellobiohydrolases to reach new chain ends created by endoglucanases, resulting in an apparent substrate inhibition of the synergistic action. The connection between the binding properties and the substrate inhibition is encouraging with respect to molecular engineering of the binding domain for optimal performance in biotechnological processes.     

The cellulase of Penicillium pinophilum. Synergism between enzyme components in solubilizing cellulose with special reference to the involvement of two immunologically distinct cellobiohydrolases.

Two immunologically unrelated cellobiohydrolases (I and II), isolated from the extracellular cellulase system elaborated by the fungus Penicillum pinophilum, acted in synergism to solubilize the microcrystalline cellulose Avicel; the ratio of the two enzymes for maximum rate of attack was approx. 1:1. A hypothesis to explain the phenomenon of synergism between two endwise-acting cellobiohydrolases is presented. It is suggested that the cellobiohydrolases may be two stereospecific enzymes concerned with the hydrolysis of the two different configurations of non-reducing end groups that would exist in cellulose. Only one type of cellobiohydrolase has been isolated so far from the cellulases of the fungi Fusarium solani and Trichoderma koningii. Only cellobiohydrolase II of P. pinophilum acted synergistically with the cellobiohydrolase of the fungi T. koningii or F. solani to solubilize Avicel. Cellobiohydrolase II showed no capacity for co-operating with the endo-1,4-beta-glucanase of T. koningii or F. solani to solubilize crystalline cellulose, but cellobiohydrolase I did. These results are discussed in the context of the hypothesis presented.     

A binding-site-deficient, catalytically active, core protein of endoglucanase III from the culture filtrate of Trichoderma reesei

From the culture filtrate of Trichoderma reesei we have isolated a novel endoglucanase (38 kDa) which was shown to be identical to endoglucanase III (E III, 50 kDa), but lacking the first 61 N-terminal amino acids. This core protein, designated E III core, is fully active against soluble substrates, such as carboxymethylcellulose, whereas both activity against and adsorption to microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) is markedly decreased. Sedimentation velocity experiments revealed that the intact E III enzyme has much higher asymmetry than the E III core protein, suggesting that the N-terminal region split off constitutes a protruding part of the native enzyme. These results lead to the proposal that native E III consists of two functionally separated domains: a catalytically active core and a protruding N-terminal domain which acts in the binding to insoluble cellulose. The N-terminal peptide missing in E III core corresponds to the heavily glycosylated common structural element found also in the N-terminus of cellobiohydrolase II and in the C-termini of cellobiohydrolase I and endoglucanase I. A similar bifunctional organization could thus be the rule for Trichoderma cellulases, endoglucanases as well as cellobiohydrolases.     

The mechanism of fungal cellulase action. Synergism between enzyme components of Penicillium pinophilum cellulase in solubilizing hydrogen bond-ordered cellulose.

Studies on reconstituted mixtures of extensively purified cellobiohydrolases I and II and the five major endoglucanases of the fungus Penicillium pinophilum have provided some new information on the mechanism by which crystalline cellulose in the form of the cotton fibre is rendered soluble. It was observed that there was little or no synergistic activity either between purified cellobiohydrolases I and II, or, contrary to previous findings, between the individual cellobiohydrolases and the endoglucanases. Cotton fibre was degraded to a significant degree only when three enzymes were present in the reconstituted enzyme mixture: these were cellobiohydrolases I and II and some specific endoglucanases. The optimum ratio of the cellobiohydrolases was 1:1. Only a trace of endoglucanase activity was required to make the mixture of cellobiohydrolases I and II effective. The addition of cellobiohydrolases I and II individually to endoglucanases from other cellulolytic fungi resulted in little synergistic activity; however, a mixture of endoglucanases and both cellobiohydrolases was effective. It is suggested that current concepts of the mechanism of cellulase action may be the result of incompletely resolved complexes between cellobiohydrolase and endoglucanase activities. It was found that such complexes in filtrates of P. pinophilium or Trichoderma reesei were easily resolved using affinity chromatography on a column of p-aminobenzyl-1-thio-beta-D-cellobioside.     

Production and Characteristics of Avicel-Digesting and Non-Avicel-Digesting Cellobiohydrolases from Aspergillus ficum

Two immunologically related cellobiohydrolases, cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) and cellobiohydrolase II (CBH II), were purified from Aspergillus ficum. The Avicel-adsorbable CBH I (molecular weight, 128,000) digested Avicel, cotton, and cellulose powder to cellobiose, but the Avicel-unadsorbable CBH II (molecular weight, 50,000) could not digest those substrates. Both enzymes hydrolyzed insoluble cellooligosaccharides ( 25) to cellobiose. High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of soluble cellooligosaccharide hydrolysates revealed that both enzymes split off strictly cellobiose units from the nonreducing end of the cellulose chain with an exowise mechanism. CBH I showed glucosyltransferase activity, but CBH II did not. The N-bromosuccinimideoxidized CBH I was completely inactive but retained the ability to adsorb to Avicel. This suggested that CBH I has separate sites for binding to cellulose and for catalyzing cleavage of glycosidic linkages. Cellobiohydrolases were of two types, CBH I and CBH II. The former can adsorb to and digest Avicel, while the latter can do neither.     

Ionic strength effect on adsorption of cellobiohydrolases I and II on microcrystalline cellulose

Cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) has a higher adsorption affinity (K _ad) and tightness (–H _a) for Avicel than cellobiohydrolase II (CBH II). The adsorption processes of CBH I and II were exothermic, and the degree of exothermy were larger with the increasing ionic strength. Entropy change of CBH I was larger than CBH II with increasing ionic strength. CBH I was more effective than CBH II for binding at a given ionic strength.     

Specific quantification of trichoderma reesei cellulases in reconstituted mixtures and its application to cellulase-cellulose binding studies

Specific quantifications of the major cellulolytic components of the Trichoderma reesei enzyme complex, i.e., endoglucanases I and III and cellobiohydrolases I and II, are described and, employing a defined mixture of these four cellulases reconstituted according to the composition of the native Trichoderma cellulase complex, used to determine the binding of each individual component onto filter paper. During substrate degradation by this enzyme mixture, the specific adsorption of each individual cellulase gradually increases and no preferential binding of one enzyme component in any particular phase of cellulose hydrolysis is found. T. reesei cellobiohydrolases I and II admixed with endoglucanases I and III represent a "full-value" cellulase system that is capable of degrading semicrystalline cellulose efficiently. In comparison with the crude Trichoderma enzyme complex, almost identical adsorption properties and similar hydrolytic efficiency are found for the reconstituted mixture. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Purification and properties of two exo-cellobiohydrolases from a cellulolytic culture of Fusarium lini

Two distinct exo-cellobiohydrolases (1,4-β-d-glucan cellobiohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.91) have been isolated from culture filtrates of Fusarium lini by repeated ammonium sulphate fractionation and isoelectric focusing. The purified enzymes were evaluated for physical properties, kinetics and the mechanism of their action. The results of this work were as follows. (1) A two-step enzyme purification procedure was developed, involving isoelectric focusing and ammonium sulphate fractionation. (2) Yields of pure cellobiohydrolases I and II were 45 and 36 mg l^?1 of culture broth, respectively. (3) Both enzymes were found to be homogeneous, as determined by ultracentrifugation, isoelectric focusing, electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels containing SDS and chromatography on Sephadex. (4) The molecular weights of the two cellobiohydrolases, as determined by gel filtration and SDS gel electrophoresis, were 50 000–57 000. (5) Both cellobiohydrolases had low viscosity-reducing and reducing sugar activity from carboxymethyl cellulose and high activity with Walseth cellulose and Avicel. (6) The enzymes produced only cellobiose as the end product from filter paper and Avicel, indicating that they are true cellobiohydrolases. (7) Cellobiohydrolase I hydrolysed d-xylan whereas cellobiohydrolase II was inactive towards d-xylan. (8) There was a striking synergism in filter paper activity when cellobiohydrolase was supplemented with endo-1,4-β-d-glucanase [cellulase, 1,4-(1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4] and β-d-glucosidase (β-d-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21).     

Adsorption and kinetic behavior of purified endoglucanases and exoglucanases from Trichoderma viride

Adsorption on crystalline cellulose of six endoglucanases (Endo I, II, III, IV, V and VI; 1, 4-beta-D-glucan glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4) and two exoglucanases (Exo II and III; 1,4-beta-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.92), purified from a commercial cellulase preparation of Trichoderma viride origin, was studied. Endo I, III, and V adsorbed strongly on Avicel cellulose, while adsorption of Endo II, IV, and VI was much lower. Also, the two exoglucanases could be divided into one enzyme (Exo III) that had a high adsorption affinity and another enzyme (Exo II) that adsorbed only moderately. Adsorption data fitted the Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm. However, adsorption was only partially reversible with respect to dilution. No relation could be found between adsorption affinity and degree of randomness in cellulose hydrolysis, measured as the diversity of released hydrolytic products. Kinetic measurements indicated that only part of the adsorbed enzyme molecules are hydrolytically active.     

Domain structure of cellobiohydrolase II as studied by small angle X-ray scattering: close resemblance to cellobiohydrolase I

Evidence for a domain structure of cellobiohydrolase II (CBH II, 58 kDa) from Trichoderma reesei (Teeri et al., 1987; Tomme et al., 1988) is corroborated by results from SAXS experiments. They indicate a 'tadpole' structure for the intact CBH II in solution (Dmax = 21.5 +/- 0.5 nm; Rg = 5.4 +/- 0.1 nm) and a more isotropic, ellipsoid shape for the core protein (Dmax = 6.0 +/- 0.3 nm; Rg = 2.1 +/- 0.1 nm). The latter was obtained by partial proteolysis with papain which cleaves the native CBH II to give two fragments (Tomme et al., 1988): the core (45 kDa) with the active (hydrolytic) domain and a smaller fragment (11 kDa) coinciding with the tail part of the model and containing the binding domain for unsoluble cellulose. This peptide fragment is conserved in most cellulolytic enzymes from Trichoderma reesei (Teeri et al., 1987). It contains a conserved region (block A) and glycosylated parts (blocks B and B' duplicated and located N-terminally in CBH II). In spite of different domain arrangements in CBH I (blocks B-A at C-terminals) SAXS measurements (Abuja et al., 1988) indicate similar tertiary structures for both cellobiohydrolases although discrete differences in the tail parts exist.     

Adsorption of Trichoderma reesei CBH I and EG II and their catalytic domains on steam pretreated softwood and isolated lignin

The presence of lignin has shown to play an important role in the enzymatic degradation of softwood. The adsorption of enzymes, and their constituent functional domains on the lignocellulosic material is of key importance to fundamental knowledge of enzymatic hydrolysis. In this study, we compared the adsorption of two purified cellulases from Trichoderma reesei, CBH I (Cel7A) and EG II (Cel5A) and their catalytic domains on steam pretreated softwood (SPS) and lignin using tritium labeled enzymes. Both CBH I and its catalytic domain exhibited a higher affinity to SPS than EG II or its catalytic domain. Removal of cellulose binding domain decreased markedly the binding efficiency. Significant amounts of CBH I and EG II also bound to isolated lignin. Surprisingly, the catalytic domains of the two enzymes of T. reesei differed essentially in the adsorption to isolated lignin. The catalytic domain of EG II was able to adsorb to alkaline isolated lignin with a high affinity, whereas the catalytic domain of CBH I did not adsorb to any of the lignins tested. The results indicate that the cellulose binding domain has a significant role in the unspecific binding of cellulases to lignin.     

Improvement of cellulose-degrading ability of a yeast strain displaying Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II by recombination of cellulose-binding domains

To improve the cellulolytic activity of a yeast strain displaying endoglucanase II (EGII) from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei QM9414, the genes encoding the cellulose-binding domain (CBD) of EGII, cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI) and cellobiohydrolase II (CBHII) from T. reesei QM9414, were fused with the catalytic domain of EGII and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Display of each of the recombinant EGIIs was confirmed using immunofluorescence microscopy. In the case of EGII-displaying yeast strains in which the CBD of EGII was replaced with the CBD of CBHI or CBHII, the binding affinity to Avicel and hydrolytic activity toward phosphoric acid swollen Avicel were similar to that of a yeast strain displaying wild-type EGII. On the other hand, the three yeast strains displaying EGII with two or three tandemly aligned CBDs showed binding affinity and hydrolytic activity higher than that of the yeast strain displaying wild-type EGII. This result indicates that the hydrolytic activity of yeast strains displaying recombinant EGII increases with increased binding ability to cellulose.     

Characterization of a Neocallimastix patriciarum cellulase cDNA (celA) homologous to Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase II.

The nucleotide sequence of a cellulase cDNA (celA) from the rumen fungus Neocallimastix patriciarum and the primary structure of the protein which it encodes were characterized. The celA cDNA was 1.95 kb long and had an open reading frame of 1,284 bp, which encoded a polypeptide having 428 amino acid residues. A sequence alignment showed that cellulase A (CELA) exhibited substantial homology with family B cellulases (family 6 glycosyl hydrolases), particularly cellobiohydrolase II from the aerobic fungus Trichoderma reesei. In contrast to previously characterized N. patriciarum glycosyl hydrolases, CELA did not exhibit homology with any other rumen microbial cellulases described previously. Primary structure and function studies in which deletion analysis and a sequence comparison with other well-characterized cellulases were used revealed that CELA consisted of a cellulose-binding domain at the N terminus and a catalytic domain at the C terminus. These two domains were separated by an extremely Asn-rich linker. Deletion of the cellulose-binding domain resulted in a marked decrease in the cellulose-binding ability and activity toward crystalline cellulose. When CELA was expressed in Escherichia coli, it was located predominantly in the periplasmic space, indicating that the signal sequence of CELA was functional in E.coli. Enzymatic studies showed that CELA had an optimal pH of 5.0 and an optimal temperature of 40 degrees C. The specific activity of immunoaffinity-purified CELA against Avicel was 9.7 U/mg of protein, and CELA appeared to be a relatively active cellobiohydrolase compared with the specific activities reported for other cellobiohydrolases, such as T. reesei cellobiohydrolases I and II.     

Comparison of a fungal (family I) and bacterial (family II) cellulose-binding domain.

A family II cellulose-binding domain (CBD) of an exoglucanase/xylanase (Cex) from the bacterium Cellulomonas fimi was replaced with the family I CBD of cellobiohydrolase I (CbhI) from the fungus Trichoderma reesei. Expression of the hybrid gene in Escherichia coli yielded up to 50 mg of the hybrid protein, CexCBDCbhI, per liter of culture supernatant. The hybrid was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography on cellulose. The relative association constants (Kr) for the binding of Cex, CexCBDCbhI, the catalytic domain of Cex (p33), and CbhI to bacterial microcrystalline cellulose (BMCC) were 14.9, 7.8, 0.8, and 10.6 liters g-1, respectively. Cex and CexCBDCbhI had similar substrate specificities and similar activities on crystalline and amorphous cellulose. Both released predominantly cellobiose and cellotriose from amorphous cellulose. CexCBDCbhI was two to three times less active than Cex on BMCC, but significantly more active than Cex on soluble cellulose and on xylan. Unlike Cex, the hybrid protein neither bound to alpha-chitin nor released small particles from dewaxed cotton fibers.     

Dynamic Interaction of Trichoderma reesei Cellobiohydrolases Cel6A and Cel7A and Cellulose at Equilibrium and during Hydrolysis

The binding of cellobiohydrolases to cellulose is a crucial initial step in cellulose hydrolysis. In the search for a detailed understanding of the function of cellobiohydrolases, much information concerning how the enzymes and their constituent catalytic and cellulose-binding domains interact with cellulose and with each other and how binding changes during hydrolysis is still needed. In this study we used tritium labeling by reductive methylation to monitor binding of the two Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases, Cel6A and Cel7A (formerly CBHII and CBHI), and their catalytic domains. Measuring hydrolysis by high-performance liquid chromatography and measuring binding by scintillation counting allowed us to correlate activity and binding as a function of the extent of degradation. These experiments showed that the density of bound protein increased with both Cel6A and Cel7A as hydrolysis proceeded, in such a way that the adsorption points moved off the initial binding isotherms. We also compared the affinities of the cellulose-binding domains and the catalytic domains to the affinities of the intact proteins and found that in each case the affinity of the enzyme was determined by the linkage between the catalytic and cellulose-binding domains. Desorption of Cel6A by dilution of the sample showed hysteresis (60 to 70% reversible); in contrast, desorption of Cel7A did not show hysteresis and was more than 90% reversible. These findings showed that the two enzymes differ with respect to the reversibility of binding.     

Fusion of cellulose binding domain from Trichoderma reesei CBHI to Cryptococcus sp. S-2 cellulase enhances its binding affinity and its cellulolytic activity to insoluble cellulosic substrates

Cryptococcus sp. S-2 carboxymethyl cellulase (CSCMCase) is active in the acidic pH and lacks a binding domain. The absence of the binding domain makes the enzyme inefficient against insoluble cellulosic substrates. To enhance its binding affinity and its cellulolytic activity to insoluble cellulosic substrates, cellulose binding domain (CBD) of cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI) from Trichoderma reesei belonging to carbohydrate binding module (CBM) family 1 was fused at the C-terminus of CSCMCase. The constructed fusion enzymes (CSCMCase-CBD and CSCMCase-2CBD) were expressed in a newly recombinant expression system of Cryptococcus sp. S-2, purified to homogeneity, and then subject to detailed characterization. The recombinant fusion enzymes displayed optimal pH similar to those of the native enzyme. Compared with rCSCMCase, the recombinant fusion enzymes had acquired an increased binding affinity to insoluble cellulose and the cellulolytic activity toward insoluble cellulosic substrates (SIGMACELL^® and Avicel) was higher than that of native enzyme, confirming the presence of CBDs improve the binding and the cellulolytic activity of CSCMCase on insoluble substrates. This attribute should make CSCMCase an attractive applicant for various application.     

Mechanism of cellobiose inhibition in cellulose hydrolysis by cellobiohydrolase

An experimental study of cellobiose inhibition in cellulose hydrolysis by synergism of cellobiohydrolyse I and endoglucanase I is presented. Cellobiose is the structural unit of cellulose molecules and also the main product in enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. It has been identified that cellobiose can strongly inhibit hydrolysis reaction of cellulase, whereas it has no effect on the adsorption of cellulase on cellulose surface. The experimental data of FT-IR spectra, fluorescence spectrum and circular dichroism suggested that cellobiose can be combined with tryptophan residue located near the active site of cellobiohydrolase and then form steric hindrance, which prevents cellulose molecule chains from diffusing into active site of cellulase. In addition, the molecular conformation of cellobiohydrolase changes after cellobiose binding, which also causes most of the non-productive adsorption. Under these conditions, microfibrils cannot be separated from cellulose chains, thus further hydrolysis of cellulose can hardly proceed.     

Mechanism of cellobiose inhibition in cellulose hydrolysis by cellobiohydrolase

An experimental study of cellobiose inhibition in cellulose hydrolysis by synergism of cellobiohydrolyse I and endoglucanase I is presented. Cellobiose is the structural unit of cellulose molecules and also the main product in enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. It has been identified that cellobiose can strongly inhibit hydrolysis reaction of cellulase, whereas it has no effect on the adsorption of cellulase on cellulose surface. The experimental data of FT-IR spectra, fluorescence spectrum and circular dichroism suggested that cellobiose can be combined with trypto-phan residue located near the active site of cellobiohydrolase and then form steric hindrance, which prevents cellulose molecule chains from diffusing into active site of cellulase. In addition, the molecular conformation of cellobiohydrolase changes after cellobiose binding, which also causes most of the non-productive adsorption. Under these conditions, microfibrils cannot be separated from cellulose chains, thus further hydrolysis of cell     

Dynamic interaction of Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases Cel6A and Cel7A and cellulose at equilibrium and during hydrolysis

The binding of cellobiohydrolases to cellulose is a crucial initial step in cellulose hydrolysis. In the search for a detailed understanding of the function of cellobiohydrolases, much information concerning how the enzymes and their constituent catalytic and cellulose-binding domains interact with cellulose and with each other and how binding changes during hydrolysis is still needed. In this study we used tritium labeling by reductive methylation to monitor binding of the two Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases, Cel6A and Cel7A (formerly CBHII and CBHI), and their catalytic domains. Measuring hydrolysis by high-performance liquid chromatography and measuring binding by scintillation counting allowed us to correlate activity and binding as a function of the extent of degradation. These experiments showed that the density of bound protein increased with both Cel6A and Cel7A as hydrolysis proceeded, in such a way that the adsorption points moved off the initial binding isotherms. We also compared the affinities of the cellulose-binding domains and the catalytic domains to the affinities of the intact proteins and found that in each case the affinity of the enzyme was determined by the linkage between the catalytic and cellulose-binding domains. Desorption of Cel6A by dilution of the sample showed hysteresis (60 to 70% reversible); in contrast, desorption of Cel7A did not show hysteresis and was more than 90% reversible. These findings showed that the two enzymes differ with respect to the reversibility of binding.