Expression and biochemical characterization of a novel thermostable alkaline ß-1,3-1,4-glucanase (lichenase) from an alkaliphilic Bacillus lehensis G1.

New thermostable ß-1,3-1,4-glucanase (lichenase) designated as Blg29 was expressed and purified from a locally isolated alkaliphilic bacteria Bacillus lehensis G1. The genome sequence of B. lehensis predicted an open reading frame of Blg29 with a deduced of 249 amino acids and a molecular weight of 28.99 kDa. The gene encoding for Blg29 was successfully amplified via PCR and subsequently expressed as a recombinant protein using the E. coli expression system. Recombinant Blg29 was produced as a soluble form and further purified via immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC). Based on biochemical characterization, recombinant Blg29 showed optimal activity at pH9 and temperature 60 °C respectively. This enzyme was stable for more than 2 h, incubated at 50 °C, and could withstand ∼50 % of its activity at 70 °C for an hour and a half. No significant effect on Blg29 was observed when incubated with metal ions except for a small increase with ion Ca2+. Blg29 showed high substrate activity towards lichenan where Vm, Km, Kcat, and kcat/Km values were 2040.82 µmolmin‾1mg‾1, 4.69 mg/mL, and 986.39 s‾1 and 210.32 mLs‾1mg‾1 respectively. The high thermostability and activity make this enzyme useable for a broad prospect in industry applications.

Functional characterisation and product specificity of Endo-ß-1,3-glucanase from alkalophilic bacterium, Bacillus lehensis G1.

Endo-ß-1,3-glucanase from alkalophilic bacterium, Bacillus lehensis G1 (Blg32) composed of 284 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 31.6 kDa is expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Herein, Blg32 characteristics, substrates and product specificity as well as structural traits that might be involved in the production of sugar molecules are analysed. This enzyme functions optimally at the temperature of 70 °C, pH value of 8.0 with its catalytic activity strongly enhanced by Mn2+. Remarkably, the purified enzyme is highly stable in high temperature and alkaline conditions. It exhibits the highest activity on laminarin (376.73 U/mg) followed by curdlan and yeast ß-glucan. Blg32 activity increased by 62% towards soluble substrate (laminarin) compared to insoluble substrate (curdlan). Hydrolytic products of laminarin were oligosaccharides with degree of polymerisation (DP) of 1 to 5 with the main product being laminaritriose (DP3). This suggests that the active site of Blg32 could recognise up to five glucose units. High concentration of Blg32 mainly produces glucose whilst low concentration of Blg32 yields oligosaccharides with different DP (predominantly DP3). A theoretical structural model of Blg32 was constructed and structural analysis revealed that Trp156 is involved in multiple hydrophobic stacking interactions. The amino acid was predicted to participate in substrate recognition and binding. It was also exhibited that catalytic groove of Blg32 has a narrow angle, thus limiting the substrate binding reaction. All these properties and knowledge of the subsites are suggested to be related to the possible mode of action of how Blg32 produces glucooligosaccharides.