Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a beta-agarase gene, agaD, from a marine bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain PO-303

The beta-agarase-d gene (agaD) from a marine bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain PO-303, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene consists of 1,362 bp and encodes a protein of 453 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 50,824. The full length of agarase-d consists of a signal peptide, a glycoside hydrolase family 16 catalytic module (CM), and a carbohydrate binding module (CBM). The full length of agarase-d without the signal peptide (rAgaDDeltafull), the catalytic module (rAgaDCM), or the CBM (rAgaDCBM) was expressed in E. coli as recombinant proteins. rAgaDCM exhibited higher enzyme activity (63.6 units/mg) than rAgaDDeltafull (1.20 units/mg) against agarose. rAgaDCM hydrolyzed agar and porphyran to several oligosaccharides and acted on neoagarohexaose to produce neoagarotetraose and neoagarobiose, but did not act on neoagarotetraose. rAgaDCBM bound to agarose.