Exploration of members of Aspergillus sections Nigri, Flavi, and Terrei for feruloyl esterase production

The ability of members of Aspergillus sections Nigri, Flavi, and Terrei to produce feruloyl esterases was studied according to their substrate specificity against synthetic methyl esters of hydroxycinnamic acids. Type A feruloyl esterases (FAEA), induced during growth on cereal-derived products, show a preference for the phenolic moiety of substrates that contain methoxy substitutions, as found in methyl sinapinate, whereas type B feruloyl esterases (FAEB) show a preference for the phenolic moiety of substrates that contain hydroxyl substitutions, as occurs in methyl caffeate. All the strains of Aspergillus section Nigri (e.g., A. niger and A. foetidus) were able to produce feruloyl esterases with activity profiles similar to those reported for FAEA and FAEB of A. niger when grown on oat-spelt xylan and sugar beet pulp, respectively. The two genes encoding these proteins, faeA and faeB, were identified by Southern blot analysis. The strains of Aspergillus sections Flavi (e.g., A. flavus, A. flavo-furcatus, and A. tamarii) and Terrei (e.g., A. terreus) were able to produce type A and type B enzymes. faeA was revealed in genomic DNA of these strains, and FAEA was determined by immunodetection in cultures grown in oat-spelt xylan. In addition, type B enzymes, not related to faeB, were efficiently induced by oat-spelt xylan and exhibited very original activity profiles on sugar beet pulp. This work confirms that the members of the genus Aspergillus are good feruloyl esterase producers.     

Two glucuronoyl esterases of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phanerochaete chrysosporium</Emphasis>

The white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium produces glucuronoyl esterase, a recently discovered carbohydrate esterase, during growth on sugar beet pulp. Two putative genes encoding this enzyme, ge1 and ge2, were isolated and cloned. Heterologous expression in Aspergillus vadensis, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus and Schizophyllum commune resulted in extracellular glucuronoyl esterase activity, demonstrating that these genes encode this enzymatic function. The amino acid sequence of GE1 was used to identify homologous genes in the genomes of twenty-four fungi. Approximately half of the genomes, both from ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, contained putative orthologues, but their presence could not be assigned to any of fungal class or subclass. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of identified and putative glucuronoyl esterases to other types of carbohydrate esterases (CE) confirmed that they form a separate family of CEs. These enzymes are interesting candidates for biotechnological applications such as the separation of lignin and hemicellulose.     

Feruloyl esterases as a tool for the release of phenolic compounds from agro-industrial by-products

Agro-industrial by-products are a potential source of added-value phenolic acids with promising applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Here two purified feruloyl esterases from Aspergillus niger, FAEA and FAEB were tested for their ability to release phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid from coffee pulp, apple marc and wheat straw. Their hydrolysis activity was evaluated and compared with their action on maize bran and sugar beet pulp. The specificity of both enzymes against natural and synthetic substrates was evaluated; particular attention was paid to quinic esters and lignin monomers. The efficiency of both enzymes on model substrates was studied. We show the ability of these enzymes to hydrolyze quinic esters and ester linkages between phenolic acids and lignin monomer.     

The feruloyl esterase system of Talaromyces stipitatus: production of three discrete feruloyl esterases, including a novel enzyme, TsFaeC, with a broad substrate specificity

Several extracellular feruloyl esterases were produced by the mesophilic fungus Talaromyces stipitatus when grown on selective carbon sources in liquid media. Type-A and Type-B feruloyl esterases, as defined by their substrate specificity against methyl hydroxycinnamates, were produced during growth on wheat bran and sugar beet pulp, respectively. In addition, Tal. stipitatus produced a new type of esterase (TsFaeC) during growth on sugar beet pulp with a broader spectrum of activity (Type-C) against the (hydroxy)cinnamate esters than those previously described. All three enzymes were purified and N-terminal amino acid sequences and internal peptide sequences determined. The TsFaeC sequences were used to amplify a gene fragment from Tal. stipitatus genomic DNA. The flanking sequences were identified with the aid of RACE-RTPCR, and a full-length clone constructed. The faeC gene is present as a single copy and contains a single intron. The complete cDNA fragment contains an ORF of 1590bp, faeC, which is predicted to encode a 530 amino acid pre-protein, including a 25-residue signal peptide, and to produce a mature protein of M(R) 55 340Da. There was no evidence for a carbohydrate-binding domain in TsFaeC.     

Cloning and expression of a Melanocarpus albomyces steryl esterase gene in Pichia pastoris and Trichoderma reesei

The ste1 gene encoding a steryl esterase was isolated from the thermophilic fungus Melanocarpus albomyces. The gene has one intron, and it encodes a protein consisting of 576 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the steryl esterase was shown to be related to lipases and other esterases such as carboxylesterases. Formation of mature protein requires post-translational removal of a putative 18-amino-acid signal sequence and a 13-residue propeptide at the N-terminus. The intronless version of the Melanocarpus albomyces ste1 gene was expressed in Pichia pastoris under the inducible AOX1 promoter. The production level was low, and a large proportion of the total activity yield was found to be present intracellularly. However, the fact that steryl esterase activity was produced by P. pastoris cells carrying the expression cassette confirmed that the correct gene had been cloned. The ste1 gene was subsequently expressed in T. reesei under the inducible cbh1 promoter, and a clearly higher production level was obtained. About 60% of the total activity was bound to the fungal mycelium or to solid components of the culture medium, or existed as aggregates. Triton X-100 was successfully used to recover this activity. The heterologous production system in T. reesei provides a means of producing M. albomyces steryl esterase STE1 reliably in large scale for future studies.     

The ferulic acid esterases of Chrysosporium lucknowense C1: purification, characterization and their potential application in biorefinery

Three ferulic acid esterases from the filamentous fungus Chrysosporium lucknowense C1 were purified and characterized. The enzymes were most active at neutral pH and temperatures up to 45 °C. All enzymes released ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid from a soluble corn fibre fraction. Ferulic acid esterases FaeA1 and FaeA2 could also release complex dehydrodiferulic acids and dehydrotriferulic acids from corn fibre oligomers, but released only 20% of all ferulic acid present in sugar beet pectin oligomers. Ferulic acid esterase FaeB2 released almost no complex ferulic acid oligomers from corn fibre oligomers, but 60% of all ferulic acid from sugar beet pectin oligomers. The ferulic acid esterases were classified based on both, sequence similarity and their activities toward synthetic substrates. The type A ferulic acid esterases FaeA1 and FaeA2 are the first members of the phylogenetic subfamily 5 to be biochemically characterized. Type B ferulic acid esterase FaeB2 is a member of subfamily 6.     

Aspergillus niger I-1472 and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus MUCL39533, selected for the biotransformation of ferulic acid to vanillin, are also able to produce cell wall polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and feruloyl esterases

The filamentous fungal strains Aspergillus niger I-1472 and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus MUCL39533, previously selected for the bioconversion of ferulic acid to vanillic acid and vanillin respectively, were grown on sugar beet pulp. A large spectrum of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes was produced by A. niger and very few levels of feruloyl esterases were found. In contrast, P. cinnabarinus culture filtrate contained low amount of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and no feruloyl esterases. In order to enhance feruloyl esterases in A. niger cultures, feruloylated oligosaccharide-rich fractions were prepared from sugar beet pulp or cereal bran and used as carbon sources. Number of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes were induced. Feruloyl esterases were much higher in maize bran-based medium than in sugar beet pulp-based medium, demonstrating the ability of carbon sources originating from maize to induce the synthesis of feruloyl esterases. Thus, A. niger I-1472 could be interesting to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp or maize bran.     

Production of feruloyl/ρ-coumaroyl esterase activity by Penicillium expansum, Penicillium brevicompactum and Aspergillus niger

Extracellular esterase production by Penicillium expansum, Penicillium brevicompactum and Aspergillus niger was determined in both liquid and solid-state culture. Methyl ferulate was used as the main carbon source in liquid culture whereas wheat bran and sugar beet pulp were used in solid-state culture. Extracted enzyme for each fungus showed activity in the presence of ONP butyrate, methyl ferulate, methyl coumarate and two 'natural'feruloylated carbohydrate esters. Higher enzyme recoveries were obtained using wheat bran in solid-state culture. Higher levels of feruloyl esterase activity were recovered from P. expansum on all feruloylated substrates than from P. brevicompactum or A. niger. Using ONP butyrate as substrate the pH and temperature optima for the esterases of both Penicillium spp. were 6.0 and 25–30°C. Aspergillus niger esterase activity showed a broader temperature range with an optimum at 40°C.     

Surface carbohydrate analysis and bioethanol production of sugarcane bagasse pretreated with the white rot fungus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and microwave hydrothermolysis

Effects of pretreatments with a white rot fungus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, and microwave hydrothermolysis of bagasse on enzymatic saccharification and fermentation were evaluated. The best sugar yield, 44.9 g per 100 g of bagasse was obtained by fungal treatments followed by microwave hydrothermolysis at 180 °C for 20 min. Fluorescent-labeled carbohydrate-binding modules which recognize crystalline cellulose (CjCBM3-GFP), non-crystalline cellulose (CjCBM28-GFP) and xylan (CtCBM22-GFP) were applied to characterize the exposed polysaccharides. The microwave pretreatments with and without the fungal cultivation resulted in similar levels of cellulose exposure, but the combined treatment caused more defibration and thinning of the plant tissues. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of the pulp fractions obtained by microwave hydrothermolysis with and without fungal treatment, gave ethanol yields of 35.8% and 27.0%, respectively, based on the holocellulose content in the pulp. These results suggest that C. subvermispora pretreatment could be beneficial part of the process to produce ethanol from bagasse.     

Penicillium brasilianum as an enzyme factory; the essential role of feruloyl esterases for the hydrolysis of the plant cell wall

The production of arabinoxylan-degrading enzymes by the fungus Penicillium brasilianum, grown on different carbon and nitrogen sources as well as different environmental conditions was investigated. Highest feruloyl esterase (225 mU/ml) and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase (211 mU/ml) activities were obtained when P. brasilianum was grown on sugar beet pulp, whereas maximum xylanase (17 U/ml) activity was found during growth on oat spelt xylan. Yeast extract was the preferable nitrogen source for the production of all the three enzymes. Further optimization of the production of the crude enzyme mixture was examined by experimental design using a D-optimal quadratic model. Investigation of the microbial regulation of enzyme production showed that the presence of free ferulic acid further stimulated the production and pointing to that the fungal regulatory mechanism involved a coordinated production and secretion of feruloyl esterase, xylanase and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase. Since agroindustrial by-products are a potential source of phenolic acids, crude enzyme mixtures of P. brasilianum were tested for their hydrolysis abilities against eight complex or model substrates. While total release of phenolic acids and pentoses was not observed, the synergistic enhancement of hydrolysis in the presence of feruloyl esterase was clearly demonstrated.     

Penicillium purpurogenum produces a family 1 acetyl xylan esterase containing a carbohydrate-binding module: characterization of the protein and its gene

At least three acetyl xylan esterases (AXE I, II and III) are secreted by Penicillium purpurogenum. This publication describes more detailed work on AXE I and its gene. AXE I binds cellulose but not xylan; it is glycosylated and inactivated by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, showing that it is a serine esterase. The axe1 gene presents an open reading frame of 1278 bp, including two introns of 68 and 61 bp; it codes for a signal peptide of 31 residues and a mature protein of 351 amino acids (molecular weight 36,693). AXE I has a modular structure: a catalytic module at the amino terminus belonging to family 1 of the carbohydrate esterases, a linker rich in serines and threonines, and a family 1 carboxy terminal carbohydrate binding module (CBM). The CBM is similar to that of AXE from Trichoderma reesei, (with a family 5 catalytic module) indicating that the genes for catalytic modules and CBMs have evolved separately, and that they have been linked by gene fusion. The promoter sequence of axe1 contains several putative sequences for binding of gene expression regulators also found in other family 1 esterase gene promoters. It is proposed that AXE I and II act in succession in xylan degradation; first, xylan is attacked by AXE I and other xylanases possessing CBMs (which facilitate binding to lignocellulose), followed by other enzymes acting mainly on soluble substrates.     

Molecular cloning, and characterization of a modular acetyl xylan esterase from the edible straw mushroom Volvariella volvacea

A new Volvariella volvacea gene encoding an acetyl xylan esterase (designated as Vvaxe1) was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The cDNA contained an ORF of 1047 bp encoding 349 amino acids with a calculated mass of 39 990 Da. VvAXE1 is a modular enzyme consisting of an N-terminal signal peptide, a catalytic domain, and a cellulose-binding domain. The amino acid sequence of the enzyme exhibited a high degree of similarity to cinnamoyl esterase B from Penicillium funiculosum, and acetyl xylan esterases from Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium purpurogenum, and Aspergillus ficuum. Recombinant acetyl xylan esterase released acetate from several acetylated substrates including beta-d-xylose tetraacetate and acetylated xylan. No activity was detectable on p-nitrophenyl acetate. Enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl acetate was maximal at pH 8.0 and 60 degrees C, and reciprocal plots revealed an apparent K(m) value of 307.7 microM and a V(max) value of 24 733 IU micromol(-1) protein. ReAXE1 also exhibited a capacity to bind to Avicel and H(3)PO(4) acid-swollen cellulose.     

Ferulic acid: an antioxidant found naturally in plant cell walls and feruloyl esterases involved in its release and their applications

Ferulic acid is the most abundant hydroxycinnamic acid in the plant world and maize bran with 3.1% (w/w) ferulic acid is one of the most promising sources of this antioxidant. The dehydrodimers of ferulic acid are important structural components in the plant cell wall and serve to enhance its rigidity and strength. Feruloyl esterases are a subclass of the carboxylic acid esterases that hydrolyze the ester bond between hydroxycinnamic acids and sugars present in plant cell walls and they have been isolated from a wide range of microorganisms, when grown on complex substrates such as cereal brans, sugar beet pulp, pectin and xylan. These enzymes perform a function similar to alkali in the deesterification of plant cell wall and differ in their specificities towards the methyl esters of cinnamic acids and ferulolylated oligosaccharides. They act synergistically with xylanases and pectinases and facilitate the access of hydrolases to the backbone of cell wall polymers. The applications of ferulic acid and feruloyl esterase enzymes are many and varied. Ferulic acid obtained from agricultural byproducts is a potential precursor for the production of natural vanillin, due to the lower production cost.     

Functional Analysis of the Carbohydrate-Binding Module of an Esterase from Neisseria sicca SB Involved in the Degradation of Cellulose Acetate

An esterase gene from Neisseria sicca SB encoding CaeA, which catalyzes the deacetylation of cellulose acetate, was cloned. CaeA contained a putative catalytic domain of carbohydrate esterase family 1 and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) family 2. We constructed two derivatives, with and without the CBM of CaeA. Binding assay indicated that the CBM of CaeA had an affinity for cellulose.     

Release of ferulic acid from agroindustrial by-products by the cell wall-degrading enzymes produced by Aspergillus niger I-1472

Aspergillus niger I-1472 was grown on sugar beet pulp to produce cell wall polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, including feruloyl esterases. Compared to enzymatic activities measured in commercially available mixtures previously used for the release of ferulic acid, the A. niger enzymes were more various. These enzymes were tested to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp, maize bran, or autoclaved maize bran. They were as efficient as the commercial mixture to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp. On the other hand, they were much more efficient to release ferulic acid from maize bran after autoclaving pretreatment, as 95% of ferulic acid ester were solubilized. Thus, A. niger enzymes exhibited a high interest in the release of ferulic acid from various agro-industrial by-products.     

The feruloyl esterase gene family of Fusarium graminearum is differentially regulated by aromatic compounds and hosts

Feruloyl esterases can liberate ferulic acid (FA) from plant cell wall polymers. They are expressed by plant pathogenic fungi and could play a role in pathogenicity, although this question has not been addressed yet. The fungus Fusarium graminearum is the principal causal agent of fusarium head blight (FHB) and gibberella ear rot (GER), major diseases of wheat, barley, and maize in all temperate regions of the world. The F. graminearum genome contains seven genes with strong homology to feruloyl esterase (FAE) sequences. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these included three type B, three type C, and one type D FAE genes. Expression profiling of the seven FAE genes showed complex regulation patterns unique to each gene. In F. graminearum-infected plant tissues, the FAE genes exhibited host-specific gene expression. On wheat, FAEB1 and FAED1 were strongly expressed while FAEB2, FAEB3, and FAEC1 were expressed at more modest levels. On maize, only FAEB3, FAEC1, and FAED1 were expressed and at low levels. When growing F. graminearum in liquid culture, only FAEB1 and FAEC1 were expressed. Both genes were induced by a small group of related aromatic compounds including FA, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid. FAEB1 was induced by xylose, while repressed by glucose and galactose. FAEC1 was constitutively expressed at low levels in the presence of those sugars. Expression of the other five FAE genes was not detected in the culture conditions used. To determine if FAE genes were important for pathogenicity of F. graminearum, mutant strains inactivated for faeB1?, faeD1? or both genes were constructed and tested on wheat plants. No statistically significant change in pathogenicity and no compensatory expression of the other FAE genes were observed in the fae gene mutants. Our results show that FAEB1 and FAED1 are not required for pathogenicity of F. graminearum on wheat.     

Ferulic Acid: An Antioxidant Found Naturally in Plant Cell Walls and Feruloyl Esterases Involved in its Release and Their Applications

ABSTRACT

Ferulic acid is the most abundant hydroxycinnamic acid in the plant world and maize bran with 3.1% (w/w) ferulic acid is one of the most promising sources of this antioxidant. The dehydrodimers of ferulic acid are important structural components in the plant cell wall and serve to enhance its rigidity and strength. Feruloyl esterases are a subclass of the carboxylic acid esterases that hydrolyze the ester bond between hydroxycinnamic acids and sugars present in plant cell walls and they have been isolated from a wide range of microorganisms, when grown on complex substrates such as cereal brans, sugar beet pulp, pectin and xylan. These enzymes perform a function similar to alkali in the deesterification of plant cell wall and differ in their specificities towards the methyl esters of cinnamic acids and ferulolylated oligosaccharides. They act synergistically with xylanases and pectinases and facilitate the access of hydrolases to the backbone of cell wall polymers. The applications of ferulic acid and feruloyl esterase enzymes are many and varied. Ferulic acid obtained from agricultural byproducts is a potential precursor for the production of natural vanillin, due to the lower production cost.     

An esterase from the basidiomycete Pleurotus sapidus hydrolyzes feruloylated saccharides

Investigating the secretion of esterases by the basidiomycetous fungus Pleurotus sapidus in a Tween 80-rich nutrient medium, an enzyme was discovered that hydrolyzed the ester bond of feruloylated saccharides. The enzyme was purified by ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed a monomeric protein of about 55 kDa. The complete coding sequence with an open reading frame of 1,665 bp encoded a protein (Est1) consisting of 554 amino acids. The enzyme showed no significant homology to any published feruloyl esterase sequences, but possessed putative conserved domains of the lipase/esterase superfamily. Substrate specificity studies classified the new enzyme as type-A feruloyl esterase, hydrolyzing methyl ferulate, methyl sinapate, and methyl p-coumarate but no methyl caffeate. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 6 and a temperature optimum at 50 °C. Ferulic acid was efficiently released from ferulated saccharides, and the feruloyl esterase exhibited moderate stability in biphasic systems (50 % toluene or tert-butylmethyl ether).     

Influenza C virus esterase: analysis of catalytic site, inhibition, and possible function.

The active site serine of the acetylesterase of influenza C virus was localized to amino acid 71 of the hemagglutinin-esterase protein by affinity labeling with 3H-labeled diisopropylfluorophosphate. This serine and the adjacent amino acids (Phe-Gly-Asp-Ser) are part of a consensus sequence motif found in serine hydrolases. Since comparative analysis failed to reveal esterase sequence similarities with other serine hydrolases, we suggest that this viral enzyme is a serine hydrolase constituting a new family of serine esterases. Furthermore, we found that the influenza C virus esterase was inhibited by isocoumarin derivatives, with 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin being the most potent inhibitor. Addition of this compound prevented elution of influenza C virus from erythrocytes and inhibited virus infectivity, possibly through inhibition of virus entry into cells.