A simplified and miniaturized glucometer-based assay for the detection of ß-glucosidase activity.

ß-Glucosidase activity assays constitute an important indicator for the early diagnosis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and qualitative changes in medicinal plants. The drawbacks of the existing methods are high consumption of both time and reagents, complexity in operation, and requirement of expensive instruments and highly trained personnel. The present study provides a simplified, highly selective, and miniaturized glucometer-based strategy for the detection of ß-glucosidase activity. Single-factor experiments showed that optimum ß-glucosidase activity was exhibited at 50 °C and pH 5.0 in a citric acid-sodium citrate buffer when reacting with 0.03 g/mL salicin for 30 min. The procedure for detection was simplified without the need of a chromogenic reaction. Validation of the analytical method demonstrated that the accuracy, precision, repeatability, stability, and durability were good. The linear ranges of ß-glucosidase in a buffer solution and rat serum were 0.0873-1.5498 U/mL and 0.4076-2.9019 U/mL, respectively. The proposed method was free from interference from ß-dextranase, snailase, ß-galactosidase, hemicellulase, and glucuronic acid released by baicalin. This demonstrated that the proposed assay had a higher selectivity than the conventional dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) assay because of the specificity for salicin and unique recognition of glucose by a personal glucose meter. Miniaturization of the method resulted in a microassay for ß-glucosidase activity. The easy-to-operate method was successfully used to detect a series of ß-glucosidases extracted from bitter almonds and cultured by Aspergillus niger. In addition, the simplified and miniaturized glucometer-based assay has potential application in the point-of-care testing of ß-glucosidase in many fields, including medical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring.

Influences of starch and sucrose on Streptococcus mutans biofilms.

INTRODUCTION: The combination of starch and sucrose has been shown to be potentially more cariogenic than either alone. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of starch and sucrose, alone or in combinations, on formation, polysaccharide composition, gene expression, and acidogenicity of Streptococcus mutans biofilms. METHODS: S. mutans UA159 biofilms were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (sHA) discs in batch culture for 5 days in the presence of 1% (weight/volume) starch, 1% sucrose, 1% starch plus 1% sucrose, 1% starch plus 0.5% fructose plus 0.5% glucose, or 1% sucrose plus 1% glucose. RESULTS: Amylase activity from sHA disks was detected up to 48 h, thereby increasing the availability of reducing sugars and acidogenicity in the early stages of biofilm development. S. mutans grown in the presence of sucrose alone or in combinations formed well-defined and tightly adherent biofilms comprised of mostly water-insoluble polysaccharides (INS); in contrast, the presence of starch or starch + glucose + fructose resulted in little biofilm formation with minimal amounts of INS. However, the combination of starch + sucrose produced biofilms with more biomass and acidogenicity, and a higher content of INS than those grown in sucrose or sucrose + glucose (P < 0.05). The INS extracted from biofilms formed in the presence of starch + sucrose displayed a higher percentage of 3-linked branching (3,4-, 3,6-, and 3,4,6-linked glucose) compared to those from biofilms grown in sucrose or sucrose + glucose. Furthermore, biofilms grown in starch + sucrose expressed significantly higher levels of gtfB messenger RNA than sucrose-grown or sucrose + glucose-grown biofilms (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination of starch and sucrose has profound effects not only on the composition and structure of the polysaccharide matrix but also on gene expression of S. mutans within biofilms, which may enhance the cariogenic potential of dental biofilms.

Enzymic, spectroscopic and calorimetric studies of a recombinant dextranase expressed in Pichia pastoris.

Conformational stability and structural characterization of an rDex (recombinant dextranase) expressed in Pichia pastoris were studied by enzymic assays, fluorescence, CD and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry). We also identified two disulphide bridges (Cys9-Cys14, Cys484-Cys488) and two free Cys residues (Cys336, Cys415) that are not conserved between bacterial and fungal dextranases of GH-49 (glycoside hydrolase family 49) by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time-of-flight) MS. Enzymic and fluorescence studies revealed that rDex is biological and conformationally stable at acidic pH, with maximum activity at pH 4.5-5.0, while CD spectra indicated a secondary structure basically composed of beta-sheets. rDex loses biological activity at neutral pH without total disruption of its conformation. In addition, rDex preserves its conformation close to 60 degrees C, but it is thermally denatured with appreciable aggregation at temperatures above 75 degrees C. DSC studies always displayed irreversible transitions and a strong dependence on the scan rate. Our combined analysis suggested that the denaturation process of rDex is under kinetic control, which is described reasonably well by the two-state kinetic scheme.

[An insoluble colored substrate for dextranase assay]. / Nerastvorimyi okrashennyi substrat dlia izmereniia dekstranaznoi aktivnosti.

An assay of dextranase (EC 3.2.1.11) was developed by using Sephadex G-200 coupled with Remazol Brilliant Blue (RBB) as an insoluble substrate. The assay procedure included incubation of suspension of the colored substrate in buffer containing enzyme under study, removal of residual insoluble substrate, and measurement of the absorbance of supernatant fluid containing colored soluble hydrolysis products at 595 nm. The procedure was examined in the screening of dextranase-forming bacilli from the microbial collection of the Institute of Biology, Ufa Research Center, RAS.

Rapid identification of mutans streptococcal species.

Mutans streptococci are considered the predominant pathogens in dental caries. Three methods, i.e. dot blot hybridization analysis, PCR analysis and SDS-blue dextran-PAGE, were examined for identifying mutans streptococcal species. In dot blot hybridization, DNA probe derived from the dextranse gene (dexA) of Streptococcus mutans hybridized with different intensities under the condition of low stringency against each species of mutans streptococci although the dexA probe was specific for S. mutans under the condition of high stringency. Oligonucleotide primers for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were designed on the basis of the dexA DNA sequence. The primers amplified species-specific PCR products in the reference species (15 strains of 5 species) of mutants streptococci. An electrophoretic profile of dextranases from the mutans streptococci on SDS-blue dextran-PAGE also showed species-specific behavior. These results suggest that the three identification methods examined here are useful for distinguishing the species of mutans streptococci and also indicate that PCR analysis is suitable for simple, rapid and reliable identification of mutans streptococcal species.

Degradative enzymes of oral streptococci.

Members of the Streptococcus sanguis group (SSG) and Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) were screened for their ability to produce glycosidase, arylamidase (peptidase), protease, dextranase and glycosyltransferase activities. Species within each group produced unique patterns of activity. The most commonly produced glycosidases were beta-D-glucosidase, beta-D-galactosidase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminidase and the least commonly produced glycosidase activity was beta-fucosidase with Streptococcus intermedius (SMG) being the only species capable of producing the activity. For arylamidase activity, the most commonly produced type was lysine-arylamidase. Glycosidase and arylamidase activities were localized to particular sub-cellular fractions. alpha-galactosidase was found only in culture supernatant fluids whereas N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was found in all fractions; the culture supernatant, cell wall, cell membrane and cytoplasm. No arylamidase activity was seen in culture supernatants. Phe-arg-arylamidase was found only in cytoplasmic fractions whereas val-pro-argarylamidase was found in cell walls, cell membranes and cytoplasmic fraction. Protease activity was measured as the degradation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and casein. Casein was degraded by a number of strains whereas no species/strains were able to degrade BSA. Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus constellatus (SMG), Streptococcus mitior and Streptococcus defectivus (SSG) were the only species that produced hyaluronidase and no species produced chondroitin sulphatase. The groups were also examined for their abilities to produce glycosyltransferase and dextranase. Strep. sanguis, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis produced glucosyltransferase and, with the exception of the latter species, fructosyltransferase. No species within the SMG was capable of producing either glycosyltransferase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of growth rate on the relative activities of free and bound dextranase and dextranase inhibitor in continuous cultures of Streptococcus sobrinus.

The rate of growth of Streptococcus sobrinus was a major factor governing the activity of free dextranase and free dextranase inhibitor in continuous culture filtrates. Depending on the growth conditions, a variable proportion of dextranase and dextranase inhibitor was combined in a tightly bound enzyme-inhibitor (EI) complex. Dissociation of the EI complexes revealed that the total productivity (free + bound) of both the enzyme and the inhibitor increased with growth rate, and that the activities of the enzyme and inhibitor released from the EI complex greatly exceeded their free activities, when the dilution rate (D) was high (D, 0.45 h-1). At low growth rate (D, 0.05 h-1), all the enzyme was bound to the inhibitor, and no free dextranase could be determined in culture filtrates; by contrast, at high growth rate (D, 0.45 h-1), all the inhibitor was bound to dextranase in the active EI complex, leaving active dextranase but no free inhibitor.

Rapid detection of dextranases in liquid samples.

A rapid procedure for detecting dextranases in fractions after liquid chromatography and other liquid samples has been developed. The detection is based on the hydrolysis of a very thin layer of cross-linked dextran (Sephadex). Dextranase positive and negative fractions can be distinguished within a short time.

Polysaccharide degrading enzymes of a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus clavatus from Nigerian poultry feeds.

The factors responsible for the production and activities of polysaccharide degrading enzymes of a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus clavatus (ASC - IB 202) on an oat meal chaff (OMC) medium were studied. The enzymes assayed for were amylases, CM-cellulases, filter paper (FP)-cellulases, xylanases and dextranases. Amylase production by A. clavatus (ASC - IB 202) reached a peak within 48 h of incubation at 30 degrees C while optimal production of CM-cellulases occurred on day 6. The FP-cellulase and xylanase production did not reach a peak within the 10 day incubation period. Determination of dextranase activity showed optimal production and activity between days 6 and 8. When grown on varying sources of carbon at 30 degrees C, CM-cellulase production was only recorded on cellobiose, CM-cellulose and on the OMC medium. FP-cellulase production occurred on the microcrystalline cellulose and on the OMC medium. The other enzymes were produced to various extents on the carbon sources used. The best mycelial growth was recorded at 30 degrees C and pH 6.0. So also were the peak production of CM-cellulases and FP-cellulases. The xylanase and dextranase activity of the culture filtrate were optimally produced at 30 degrees C and pH 5.4. The potential health hazards which the presence of this toxigenic strain of Aspergillus clavatus on poultry feeds poses to farm animals including man are discussed.

Renaturation of dextranase activity from culture supernatant fluids of Streptococcus sobrinus after sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

A rapid and reproducible method for the assay of individual fractions of the multicomponent dextranase activity of Streptococcus sobrinus after reduction/denaturation and electrophoresis in acrylamide gels is described. Multiple forms of dextranase, possible virulence factors in the formation of dental caries by oral Streptococci (S. mutans, S. sobrinus, S. sanguis, S. cricetus, and S. rattus), have been separated in sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gels into which an indicator substrate, blue dextran, has been incorporated, and identified after renaturation to remove the reducing/denaturing agents of the Laemmli buffer system.

Subcellular localization of D-glucanases in Bacteroides oralis Ig4a.

Three D-glucan-hydrolysing enzymes from Bacteroides oralis Ig4a have been isolated. Two of them are dextranases which hydrolyse (1----6) but not (1----3) linked alpha-D-glucans; one (EC 3.2.1.11, 1,6-alpha-D-glucan 6-glucanohydrolase) is localized in the periplasm, and the other, which is an exo-enzyme (EC 3.2.1.70, 1,6-alpha-D-glucan glucohydrolase), in the cytoplasm. The third is a mutanase (EC 3.2.1.59, 1,3-(1,3;1,4)-alpha-D-glucan 3-glucanohydrolase) that hydrolyses (1----3) but not (1----6) linked alpha-D-glucans, and is present only in the cytoplasm.

[Carbohydrate component of Penicillium funiculosum dextranase]. / Uglevodnyi komponent dekstranazy Penicillium funiculosum.

The carbohydrate composition of dextranase from Penicillium funiculosum 15, as well as the composition of products of dextran deep hydrolysis by the enzyme were studied. The products are normally used to stabilize the enzyme during its purification. Using the methods available, it was possible to identify only part of strongly bound (adsorbed) carbohydrates. It was found that dextranase from Pen. funiculosum 15 contained two types of carbohydrates strongly bound with protein: adsorbed and covalently bound carbohydrates. A procedure allowing a complete separation of adsorbed carbohydrates was developed. The procedure is based on the use of stabilizing additives of readily separable carbohydrates. The enzyme, which is shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of Na-dodecyl sulfate and beta-mercaptoethanol to be homogeneous, consists of 313 amino acid residues, 3 glucosamine residues and residues of mannose, galactose and fucose in the ratio 6:2:1.

Isolation and properties of dextranases from Bacteroides oralis Ig4a.

Extracellular dextranases were extracted from a dextran-degrading microorganism, Bacteroides oralis Ig4a, which had been isolated from human dental plaque, and purified. Crude enzyme preparations obtained from a broth culture supernatant by salting out with ammonium sulfate were subjected to column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and subsequent Bio-Gel p-100, followed by isoelectric focusing. Two kinds of enzyme preparations, Enzymes I and II, with the ability to degrade soluble dextran were obtained. The optimal pHs of Enzymes I and II were 5.5 and 6.8, and the isoelectric points were pH 4.5 and 6.5, respectively. The molecular weights of Enzymes I and II were estimated by SDS-PAGE to be 44,000 and 52,000. Both enzymes were inhibited by Pb2+ and Fe3+, but not by Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, or Fe2+. Neither the presence of EDTA nor iodoacetamide had any appreciable effect on the enzyme activity. The enzyme activity was independent of any of these metal ions. Enzyme I liberated glucose, isomaltose, maltotriose and higher oligosaccharides from dextran. In contrast, Enzyme II liberated only glucose from dextran and was assumed to be an exoglycosidase. Neither of the enzymes degraded modified insoluble glucan, which is a partially oxidized mutan of S. mutans containing predominantly alpha-(1,3) linkages.

Measurement and synthesis of insoluble and soluble dextran by Streptococcus mutans.

Total and insoluble dextransucrase activities of 10 strains of oral streptococci were measured by a modified filter disk assay. Strains that were nonadherent to hard surfaces had only low levels of insoluble dextransucrase activity. A physical rather than metabolic mechanism is suggested to explain the decreased insoluble and increased soluble activities observed when dextran T-10 is added to the media.

Agarderivatives for chromatography, electrophoresis and gel-bound enzymes. IV. Benzylated dibromopropanol cross-linked sepharose as an amphophilic gel for hydrophobic salting-out chromatography of enzymes with special emphasis on denaturing risks.

The preparation of benzylated covalently cross-linked Sepharose 2B is described. Such gel was analyzed for its degree of substitution, and gels with three different degrees of substitution were used in chromatographic experiments with dextranase, alpha-amylase, lactate dehydrogenase, alpha-chymotrypsin and trypsin. Yields and chromatographic patterns for different eluting systems were determined. It was found that gradients combining an increase in ethylene glycol concentration with a decrease in salt concentration gave better results than did pure salt gradients. No denaturation was observed for dextranase or alpha-amylase, but the other enzymes tested were partly denatured. The most severe denaturation was observed for lactate dehydrogenase desorbed from the highest substituted gels, although the enzyme was highly active in the adsorbed state. The results and the use of amphophilic gels are discussed.

[Formation of dextranases by mycelial fungi and actinomycetes]. / Obrazovanie dekstranaz mitselial'nymi gribami i aktinomitsetami

The dextranase activity of cultures of mycelial fungi of different genera and actinomycetes from the Chromogenes species of the Actinomyces genus was studied. About one third of the mycelial fungi and 8% of actinomycetes showed dextranase activity. The resulting extracellular dextranases demonstrated on endotypic pattern of action on the substrate. Actinomycete dextranases were several times more active than fungal dextranases and exhibited a significant activity in the neutral and weakly alkaline medium. Highly productive strains that are promising as dextranase producers were isolated.