Structural elements determining the transglycosylating activity of glycoside hydrolase family 57 glycogen branching enzymes.

Glycoside hydrolase family 57 glycogen branching enzymes (GH57GBE) catalyze the formation of an α-1,6 glycosidic bond between α-1,4 linked glucooliogosaccharides. As an atypical family, a limited number of GH57GBEs have been biochemically characterized so far. This study aimed at acquiring a better understanding of the GH57GBE family by a systematic sequence-based bioinformatics analysis of almost 2500 gene sequences and determining the branching activity of several native and mutant GH57GBEs. A correlation was found in a very low or even no branching activity with the absence of a flexible loop, a tyrosine at the loop tip, and two ß-strands.

Structural features underlying the selective cleavage of a novel exo-type maltose-forming amylase from Pyrococcus sp. ST04.

A novel maltose-forming α-amylase (PSMA) was recently found in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus sp. ST04. This enzyme shows <13% amino-acid sequence identity to other known α-amylases and displays a unique enzymatic property in that it hydrolyzes both α-1,4-glucosidic and α-1,6-glucosidic linkages of substrates, recognizing only maltose units, in an exo-type manner. Here, the crystal structure of PSMA at a resolution of 1.8 Šis reported, showing a tight ring-shaped tetramer with monomers composed of two domains: an N-domain (amino acids 1-341) with a typical GH57 family (ß/α)7-barrel fold and a C-domain (amino acids 342-597) composed of α-helical bundles. A small closed cavity observed in proximity to the catalytic residues Glu153 and Asp253 at the domain interface has the appropriate volume and geometry to bind a maltose unit, accounting for the selective exo-type maltose hydrolysis of the enzyme. A narrow gate at the putative subsite +1 formed by residue Phe218 and Phe452 is essential for specific cleavage of glucosidic bonds. The closed cavity at the active site is connected to a short substrate-binding channel that extends to the central hole of the tetramer, exhibiting a geometry that is significantly different from classical maltogenic amylases or ß-amylases. The structural features of this novel exo-type maltose-forming α-amylase provide a molecular basis for its unique enzymatic characteristics and for its potential use in industrial applications and protein engineering.

Improved soluble expression of the gene encoding amylolytic enzyme Amo45 by fusion with the mobile-loop-region of co-chaperonin GroES in Escherichia coli.

The gene encoding the amylolytic enzyme Amo45, originating from a metagenomic project, was retrieved by a consensus primer-based approach for glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 57 enzymes. Family 57 contains mainly uncharacterized proteins similar to archaeal thermoactive amylopullulanases. For characterization of these family members soluble, active enzymes have to be produced in sufficient amounts. Heterologous expression of amo45 in E.coli resulted in low yields of protein, most of which was found in inclusion bodies. To improve protein production and to increase the amount of soluble protein, two different modifications of the gene were applied. The first was fusion to an N-terminal His-tag sequence which increased the yield of protein, but still resulted in high amounts of inclusion bodies. Co-expression with chaperones enhanced the amount of soluble protein 4-fold. An alternative modification was the attachment of a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of the mobile-loop of the co-chaperonin GroES of E.coli. This sequence improved the soluble protein production 5-fold compared to His6-Amo45 and additional expression of chaperones was unnecessary.

Acceptor dependent catalytic properties of GH57 4-α-glucanotransferase from Pyrococcus sp. ST04.

The 4-α-glucanotransferase (4-α-GTase or amylomaltase) is an essential enzyme in maltodextrin metabolism. Generally, most bacterial 4-α-GTase is classified into glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 77. However, hyperthermophiles have unique 4-α-GTases belonging to GH family 57. These enzymes are the main amylolytic protein in hyperthermophiles, but their mode of action in maltooligosaccharide utilization is poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the catalytic properties of 4-α-GTase from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus sp. ST04 (PSGT) in the presence of maltooligosaccharides of various lengths. Unlike 4-α-GTases in GH family 77, GH family 57 PSGT produced maltotriose in the early stage of reaction and preferred maltose and maltotriose over glucose as the acceptor. The kinetic analysis showed that maltotriose had the lowest KM value, which increased amylose degradation activity by 18.3-fold. Structural models of PSGT based on molecular dynamic simulation revealed two aromatic amino acids interacting with the substrate at the +2 and +3 binding sites, and the mutational study demonstrated they play a critical role in maltotriose binding. These results clarify the mode of action in carbohydrate utilization and explain acceptor binding mechanism of GH57 family 4-α-GTases in hyperthermophilic archaea.

Identification and Biochemical Characterization of Major ß-Mannanase in Talaromyces cellulolyticus Mannanolytic System.

Talaromyces cellulolyticus is a promising fungus for providing a cellulase preparation suitable for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material, although its mannan-degrading activities are insufficient. In the present study, three core mannanolytic enzymes, including glycosyl hydrolase family 5-7 (GH5-7) ß-mannanase (Man5A), GH27 α-galactosidase, and GH2 ß-mannosidase, were purified from a culture supernatant of T. cellulolyticus grown with glucomannan, and the corresponding genes were identified based on their genomic sequences. Transcriptional analysis revealed that these genes were specifically induced by glucomannan. Two types of Man5A products, Man5A1 and Man5A2, were found as major proteins in the mannanolytic system. Man5A1 was devoid of a family 1 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM1) at the N-terminus, whereas Man5A2 was devoid of both CBM1 and Ser/Thr-rich linker region. The physicochemical and catalytic properties of both Man5A1 and Man5A2 were identical to those of recombinant Man5A (rMan5A) possessing CBM1, except for the cellulose-binding ability. Man5A CBM1 had little effect on mannan hydrolysis of pretreated Hinoki cypress. The results suggest that an improvement in Man5A CBM1 along with the augmentation of identified mannanolytic enzyme components would aid in efficient hydrolysis of softwood using T. cellulolyticus cellulase preparation.

Bioinformatic and biochemical analysis of a novel maltose-forming α-amylase of the GH57 family in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus sp. CL1.

Maltose-forming α-amylase is a glycoside hydrolase family 57 (GH57) member that is unique because it displays dual hydrolysis activity toward α-1,4- and α-1,6-glycosidic linkages and only recognizes maltose. This enzyme was previously identified only in Pyrococcus sp. ST04 (PSMA); however, we recently found two homologs subgroups in Thermococcus species. One subgroup (subgroup A) showed relatively high amino acid sequence similarity to PSMA (>71%), while the other subgroup (subgroup B) showed lower homology with PSMA (<59%). To characterize the subgroup B maltose-forming α-amylase from Thermococcus species (TCMA), we cloned the CL1_0868 gene from Thermococcus sp. CL1 and then successfully expressed the gene in Escherichia coli. Although TCMA has a different oligomeric state relative to PSMA, TCMA showed similar substrate specificity. However, TCMA was shown to hydrolyze maltooligosaccharides more easily than PSMA. Also, TCMA displayed different optimum conditions depending on the glycosidic linkage of the substrate. TCMA had the highest activity at 85°C and at pH 5.0 for α-1,4-glycosidic linkage hydrolysis whereas it showed its maximal activity to cleave α-1,6-glycosidic linkages at 98°C and pH 6.0.