Effects of Exocellobiohydrolase CBHA on Fermentation of Tobacco Leaves.

The quality of tobacco is directly affected by macromolecular content, fermentation is an effective method to improve biochemical properties. In this study, we utilized CBHA (cellobiohydrolase A) glycosylase, which was expressed by Pichia pastoris, as an additive for fermentation. The contents of main chemical components of tobacco leaves after fermentation were determined, and the changes of microbial community structure and abundance in tobacco leaves during fermentation were analyzed. The relationship between chemical composition and changes in microbial composition was investigated, and the function of bacteria and fungi in fermentation was predicted to identify possible metabolic pathways. After 48 h of CBHA fermentation, the contents of starch, cellulose and total nitrogen in tobacco leaf decreased by 17.60%, 28.91% and 16.05%, respectively. The microbial community structure changed significantly, with Aspergillus abundance decreasing significantly, while Filobasidum, Cladosporium, Bullera, Komagataella, etc., increased in CBHA treated group. Soluble sugar was most affected by microbial community in tobacco leaves, which was negatively correlated with starch, cellulose and total nitrogen. During the fermentation process, the relative abundance of metabolism-related functional genes increased, and the expressions of cellulase and endopeptidase also increased. The results showed that the changes of bacterial community and dominant microbial community on tobacco leaves affected the content of chemical components in tobacco leaves, and adding CBHA for fermentation had a positive effect on improving the quality of tobacco leaves.

The S-S bridge mutation between the A2 and A4 loops (T416C-I432C) of Cel7A of Aspergillus fumigatus enhances catalytic activity and thermostability.

Disulfide bonds are important for maintaining the structural conformation and stability of the protein. The introduction of the disulfide bond is a promising strategy to increase the thermostability of the protein. In this report, cysteine residues are introduced to form disulfide bonds in the Glycoside Hydrolase family GH 7 cellobiohydrolase (GH7 CBHs) or Cel7A of Aspergillus fumigatus. Disulfide by Design 2.0 (DbD2), an online tool is used for the detection of the mutation sites. Mutations are created (D276C-G279C; DSB1, D322C-G327C; DSB2, T416C-I432C; DSB3, G460C-S465C; DSB4) inside and outside of the peripheral loops but, not in the catalytic region. The introduction of cysteine in the A2 and A4 loop of DSB3 mutant showed higher thermostability (70% activity at 70°C), higher substrate affinity (Km = 0.081 mM) and higher catalytic activity (Kcat = 9.75 min-1; Kcat/Km = 120.37 mM min-1) compared to wild-type AfCel7A (50% activity at 70°C; Km = 0.128 mM; Kcat = 4.833 min-1; Kcat/Km = 37.75 mM min-1). The other three mutants with high B factor showed loss of thermostability and catalytic activity. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed that the mutation T416C-I432C makes the tunnel wider (DSB3: 13.6 Å; Wt: 5.3 Å) at the product exit site, giving flexibility in the entrance region or mobility of the substrate in the exit region. It may facilitate substrate entry into the catalytic tunnel and release the product faster than the wild type, whereas in other mutants, the tunnel is not prominent (DSB4), the exit is lost (DSB1), and the ligand binding site is absent (DSB2). This is the first report of the gain of function of both thermostability and enzyme activity of cellobiohydrolase Cel7A by disulfide bond engineering in the loop.IMPORTANCEBioethanol is one of the cleanest renewable energy and alternatives to fossil fuels. Cost efficient bioethanol production can be achieved through simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation that needs active polysaccharide degrading enzymes. Cellulase enzyme complex is a crucial enzyme for second-generation bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Cellobiohydrolase (Cel7A) is an important member of this complex. In this work, we engineered (disulfide bond engineering) the Cel7A to increase its thermostability and catalytic activity which is required for its industrial application.

Expression and characterization of the processive exo-ß-1,4-cellobiohydrolase SCO6546 from Streptomyces coelicolor A(3).

The sco6546 gene of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was annotated as a putative glycosyl hydrolase belonging to family 48. It is predicted to encode a 973-amino acid polypeptide (103.4 kDa) with a 39-amino acid secretion signal. Here, the SCO6546 protein was overexpressed in Streptomyces lividans TK24, and the purified protein showed the expected molecular weight of the mature secreted form (934 aa, 99.4 kDa) on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. SCO6546 showed high activity toward Avicel and carboxymethyl cellulose, but low activity toward filter paper and ß-glucan. SCO6546 showed maximum cellulase activity toward Avicel at pH 5.0 and 50 °C, which is similar to the conditions for maximum activity toward cellotetraose and cellopentaose substrates. The kinetic parameters kcat and KM , for cellotetraose at pH 5.0 and 50 °C were 13.3 s-1 and 2.7 mM, respectively. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) of the Avicel hydrolyzed products generated by SCO6546 showed cellobiose only, which was confirmed by mass spectral analysis. TLC analysis of the cello-oligosaccharide and chromogenic substrate hydrolysates generated by SCO6546 revealed that it can hydrolyze cellodextrins mainly from the non-reducing end into cellobiose. These data clearly demonstrated that SCO6546 is an exo-ß-1,4-cellobiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.91), acting on nonreducing end of cellulose.

Saccharification of Lignocelluloses by Carbohydrate Active Enzymes of the White Rot Fungus Dichomitus squalens.

White rot fungus Dichomitus squalens is an efficient lignocellulose degrading basidiomycete and a promising source for new plant cell wall polysaccharides depolymerizing enzymes. In this work, we focused on cellobiohydrolases (CBHs) of D. squalens. The native CBHI fraction of the fungus, consisting three isoenzymes, was purified and it maintained the activity for 60 min at 50°C, and was stable in acidic pH. Due to the lack of enzyme activity assay for detecting only CBHII activity, CBHII of D. squalens was produced recombinantly in an industrially important ascomycete host, Trichoderma reesei. CBH enzymes of D. squalens showed potential in hydrolysis of complex lignocellulose substrates sugar beet pulp and wheat bran, and microcrystalline cellulose, Avicel. Recombinant CBHII (rCel6A) of D. squalens hydrolysed all the studied plant biomasses. Compared to individual activities, synergistic effect between rCel6A and native CBHI fraction of D. squalens was significant in the hydrolysis of Avicel. Furthermore, the addition of laccase to the mixture of CBHI fraction and rCel6A significantly enhanced the amount of released reducing sugars from sugar beet pulp. Especially, synergy between individual enzymes is a crucial factor in the tailor-made enzyme mixtures needed for hydrolysis of different plant biomass feedstocks. Our data supports the importance of oxidoreductases in improved enzyme cocktails for lignocellulose saccharification.

Proximity effect among cellulose-degrading enzymes displayed on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell surface.

Proximity effect is a form of synergistic effect exhibited when cellulases work within a short distance from each other, and this effect can be a key factor in enhancing saccharification efficiency. In this study, we evaluated the proximity effect between 3 cellulose-degrading enzymes displayed on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell surface, that is, endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase, and ß-glucosidase. We constructed 2 kinds of arming yeasts through genome integration: ALL-yeast, which simultaneously displayed the 3 cellulases (thus, the different cellulases were near each other), and MIX-yeast, a mixture of 3 kinds of single-cellulase-displaying yeasts (the cellulases were far apart). The cellulases were tagged with a fluorescence protein or polypeptide to visualize and quantify their display. To evaluate the proximity effect, we compared the activities of ALL-yeast and MIX-yeast with respect to degrading phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose after adjusting for the cellulase amounts. ALL-yeast exhibited 1.25-fold or 2.22-fold higher activity than MIX-yeast did at a yeast concentration equal to the yeast cell number in 1 ml of yeast suspension with an optical density (OD) at 600 nm of 10 (OD10) or OD0.1. At OD0.1, the distance between the 3 cellulases was greater than that at OD10 in MIX-yeast, but the distance remained the same in ALL-yeast; thus, the difference between the cellulose-degrading activities of ALL-yeast and MIX-yeast increased (to 2.22-fold) at OD0.1, which strongly supports the proximity effect between the displayed cellulases. A proximity effect was also observed for crystalline cellulose (Avicel). We expect the proximity effect to further increase when enzyme display efficiency is enhanced, which would further increase cellulose-degrading activity. This arming yeast technology can also be applied to examine proximity effects in other diverse fields.

Cloning and characterization of a thermostable and pH-stable cellobiohydrolase from Neocallimastix patriciarum J11.

An 1888-bp cDNA designated celA, isolated from a cDNA library of Neocallimastix patriciarum J11 was cloned. The celA had an open reading frame of 1530 bp encoding J11 CelA of 510 amino acids. The primary structure analysis of J11 CelA revealed a complete cellulose-binding domain at the N-terminal, followed by an Asn, Ala, Gly, Gln and Pro-rich linker and ending with a C-terminal glycosyl hydrolase family 6 catalytic domain. The mature J11 CelA was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. This enzyme had high specific activities towards barley ß-glucan and lichenan, low toward carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), Avicel, and H3PO4-swollen Avicel (PSA). The product of Avicel hydrolysis was cellobiose indicating that J11 CelA is a typical cellobiohydrolase. The recombinant J11 CelA had an optimal pH of 6.0 and was stable over a wide range of pH (5.2-11.3). The enzyme showed an optimal temperature of 50°C and was still maintained approximately 50% of the maximum activity in response to the treatment at 70°C for 1h. Cobalt and Fe(3+) at 1 mM greatly activated the enzyme activity. As a thermostable and pH stable enzyme with crystalline cellulose-degrading activity, J11 CelA is a potential candidate for the bioethanol industry.

Hypocrea jecorina cellobiohydrolase I stabilizing mutations identified using noncontiguous recombination.

Noncontiguous recombination (NCR) is a method to identify pieces of structure that can be swapped among homologous proteins to create new, chimeric proteins. These "blocks" are encoded by elements of sequence that are not necessarily contiguous along the polypeptide chain. We used NCR to design a library in which blocks of structure from Hypocrea jecorina cellobiohydrolase I (Cel7A) and its two thermostable homologues from Talaromyces emersonii and Chaetomium thermophilum are shuffled to create 531,438 possible chimeric enzymes. We constructed a maximally informative subset of 35 chimeras to analyze this library and found that the blocks contribute additively to the stability of a chimera. Within two highly stabilizing blocks, we uncovered six single amino acid substitutions that each improve the stability of H. jecorina cellobiohydrolase I by 1-3 °C. The small number of measurements required to find these mutations demonstrates that noncontiguous recombination is an efficient strategy for identifying stabilizing mutations.

Overexpression of bacterial ethylene-forming enzyme gene in Trichoderma reesei enhanced the production of ethylene.

In order to efficiently utilize natural cellulose materials to produce ethylene, three expression vectors containing the ethylene-forming enzyme (efe) gene from Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea were constructed. The target gene was respectively controlled by different promoters: cbh I promoter from Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases I gene, gpd promoter from Aspergillus nidulans glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene and pgk I promoter from T. reesei 3-phosphoglycerate kinase I gene. After transforming into T. reesei QM9414, 43 stable transformants were obtained by PCR amplification and ethylene determination. Southern blot analysis of 14 transformants demonstrated that the efe gene was integrated into chromosomal DNA with copy numbers from 1 to 4. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of 6 transformants showed that the heterologous gene was transcribed. By using wheat straw as a carbon source, the ethylene production rates of aforementioned 14 transformants were measured. Transformant C30-3 with pgk I promoter had the highest ethylene production (4,012 nl h(-1) l(-1)). This indicates that agricultural wastes could be used to produce ethylene in recombinant filamentous fungus T. reesei.

Arabidopsis endo-1,4-beta-glucanases are involved in the formation of root syncytia induced by Heterodera schachtii.

Cyst nematodes induce root syncytia with specific features such as hypertrophy, increased metabolic activity and fusion with adjacent cells. Cell walls of the syncytia undergo massive changes such as thickening, local dissolution and formation of ingrowths. Cell wall degrading and modifying proteins are apparently involved in syncytium formation but detailed knowledge of this is still limited. Therefore, we studied the regulation and function of the entire Arabidopsis endo-1,4-beta-glucanase gene family in syncytia induced by Heterodera schachtii. Endo-1,4-beta-glucanases hydrolyze the 1,4-beta-glucosidic linkages between glucose residues. Using semi-quantitative and quantitative approaches we identified seven genes that are upregulated in syncytia. Two of these genes, coding for secreted AtCel2 and membrane-bound KOR3, are shoot-specific but show high expression in syncytia at different developmental stages. In silico analysis of the promoter regions of both genes compared with other genes with modified regulation in nematode feeding sites did not reveal specific cis-acting elements that could be related to specific transcription in syncytia. However, motifs responsive to sugar and different plant hormones were identified. Accordingly, treatments with sucrose, gibberellic acid and NAA induced upregulation of AtCel2, whereas ABA triggered downregulation of both AtCel2 and KOR3 in roots. As AtCel2 is related to degradation of the cell wall matrix, we analysed the hemicellulose content in syncytia. The measured values resembled the expression pattern of AtCel2. A distinctly reduced number of females developed in cel2 and kor3 T-DNA mutants, and we therefore conclude that endo-1,4-beta-glucanases play an important role in the formation and function of syncytia.

Transcriptional regulation of two cellobiohydrolase encoding genes (cel1 and cel2) from the wood-degrading basidiomycete Polyporus arcularius.

In the current studies, we sequenced and characterized the genomic and complementary deoxyribonucleic acid clones encoding the cellobiohydrolase encoding genes cel1 and cel2 of Polyporus arcularius. The predicted amino acid sequences of Cel1 and Cel2 are similar to glycosyl hydrolase family 7 and 6 proteins, respectively. The expression of cel1 and cel2 was induced by microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) and cellopentaose but repressed by glucose, cellobiose, cellotriose, and cellotetraose. There was a very low level of cel1 and cel2 transcription regardless of the carbon source. These results suggest that P. arcularius cells constitutively express a very low level of cellulase that can degrade insoluble crystalline cellulose and that the transcription of cel1 and cel2 in the cells is induced by products produced by these endoglucanases such as cellooligosaccharides.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of a cellobiohydrolase from Trametes versicolor.

A cellobiohydrolase-encoding cDNA, Tvcel7a, from Trametes versicolor has been cloned and expressed in Aspergillus niger. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that Tvcel7a encodes a 456-amino acid polypeptide belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 7. TvCel7a possesses a 19-amino acid secretion signal but does not possess a linker region nor a carbohydrate-binding domain. Two peaks of activity were obtained after TvCel7a was purified to apparent homogeneity by gel-filtration followed by anion-exchange chromatography. Mass spectrometry performed on the purified proteins confirmed that both peaks corresponded to the predicted sequence of the T. versicolor cellulase. The biochemical properties of the purified TvCel7a obtained from both peaks were studied in detail. The pH and temperature optima were 5.0 and 40 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was stable over a pH range extending from pH 3.0 to 9.0 and at temperatures lower than 50 degrees C. The kinetic parameters with the substrate p-nitrophenyl beta-D: -cellobioside (pNPC) were 0.58 mM and 1.0 micromol/min/mg protein for the purified TvCel7a found in both peaks 1 and 2. TvCel7a catalyzes the hydrolysis of pNPC, filter paper, beta-glucan, and avicel to varying extents, but no detectable hydrolysis was observed when using the substrates carboxymethylcellulose, laminarin and pNPG.

Ectopic expression of a constitutively active Cdc42 small GTPase alters the morphology of haploid and dikaryotic hyphae in the filamentous homobasidiomycete Schizophyllum commune.

Cloning of the Cdc42 gene from Schizophyllum commune enabled investigation of the role of ScCdc42 in the regulation of vegetative growth and sexual reproduction in this fungus, which has a well-characterized hyphal cell structure, cytoskeleton, and mating system. Ectopic expression of the constitutively active Sccdc42(G12V) or Sccdc42(Q61L) alleles from native or inducible ScCel1 promoters in haploid hyphae had dramatic effects on hyphal morphology, cytoskeletal structure, and Cdc42 localization. For transformants with constitutively active Sccdc42, polar tip growth of apical cells in the leading hyphae was normal but polar tip growth in side branches was altered, implying different regulation of polarity establishment in the two groups of apical cells. Branch emergence at exceptional sites and isotropic growth of cells near the septum indicated that ScCdc42 regulates branch site selection and subsequent hyphal development. Poor dikaryotization along with irregular clamp connections in mates expressing Sccdc42(G12V) or Sccdc42(Q61L) suggested that Cdc42 also contributes to efficient mating in S. commune.

[Cloning and expressing of cellulase gene (cbh2) from thermophilic fungi Chaetomium thermophilum CT2].

Chaetomium thermophilum CT2 can produce extracellular cellulase with industrial value. We designed two degenerate primers to amplify catalytic domain sequence of cellobiohydrolase II ( CBH II). Full length of cDNA was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends technologies. DNA sequencing revealed that cbh2 has an open reading frame of 1428bp, which encodes a putative polypeptide of 476 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that the predicted molecular mass is 53 kD and the cbh2 consists of a fungal-type carbohydrate binding domain (CBD) separated from a catalytic domain by a linker region rich in proline/serine/threonine. PCR product consisting of the entire CBH II coding region without its signal sequences was cloned into the yeast secretive plasmid pPIC9K, which was then transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115. Highly efficient production of the cellobiohydrolase II was achieved in P. pastoris under the control of the AOX1 promoter, and the expressing level was 1.2 mg/mL by small-scale culturing. The recombinant cellobiohydrolase II was purified by using ammonium sulfate fraction, DEAE-Sepharose Fast flow chromatography. A molecular mass of the purified enzyme is 67 kD determined by SDS-PAGE and this is similar to the native cellobiohydrolase II purified from C. thermophilum CT2. The recombinant enzyme exhibited optimum catalytic activity at pH 4.0 and 50 degrees C respectively. It was thermostable at 50 degrees C and retained 50% of its original activity after 30 min at 70 d degrees C . The high level of fully active recombinant cellobiohydrolase II got from P. pastoris makes this expression system attractive for fermentor and industrial applications.

Interactions between immunoglobulin-like and catalytic modules in Clostridium thermocellum cellulosomal cellobiohydrolase CbhA.

Cellobiohydrolase CbhA from Clostridium thermocellum cellulosome is a multi-modular protein composed starting from the N-terminus of a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) of family 4, an immunoglobulin(Ig)-like module, a catalytic module of family 9 glycoside hydrolases (GH9), X1(1) and X1(2) modules, a CBM of family 3 and a dockerin module. Deletion of the Ig-like module from the Ig-GH9 construct results in complete inactivation of the GH9 module. The crystal structure of the Ig-GH9 module pair reveals the existence of an extensive module interface composed of over 40 amino acid residues of both modules and maintained through a large number of hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. To investigate the importance of these interactions between the two modules, we compared the secondary and tertiary structures and thermostabilities of the individual Ig-like and GH9 modules and the Ig-GH9 module pair using both circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thr230, Asp262 and Asp264 of the Ig-like module are located in the module interface of the Ig-GH9 module pair and are suggested to be important in 'communication' between the modules. These residues were mutated to alanyl residues. The structure, stability and catalytic properties of the native Ig-GH9 and its D264A and T230A/D262A mutants were compared. The results indicate that despite being able to fold relatively independently, the Ig-like and GH9 modules interact and these interactions affect the final fold and stability of each module. Mutations of one or two amino acid residues lead to destabilization and change of the mechanism of thermal unfolding of the polypeptides. The enzymatic properties of native Ig-GH9, D264A and T230A/D262A mutants are similar. The results indicate that inactivation of the GH9 module occurs as a result of multiple structural disturbances finally affecting the topology of the catalytic center.

Characterization of tomato endo-beta-1,4-glucanase Cel1 protein in fruit during ripening and after fungal infection.

The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) endo-beta-1,4-glucanase (EGase) Cel1 protein was characterized in fruit using specific antibodies. Two polypeptides ranging between 51 and 52 kDa were detected in the pericarp, and polypeptides ranging between 49 and 51 kDa were detected in locules. The polypeptides recognized by Cel1 antiserum in fruit are within the size range predicted for Cel1 protein and could be derived from heterogeneous glycosylation. Cel1 protein accumulation was examined throughout fruit ripening. Cel1 protein appears in the pericarp at the stage in which many ripening-related changes start, and remains present throughout fruit ripening. In locules, Cel1 protein is already present at the onset of fruit ripening and remains constant during fruit ripening. This pattern of expression supports a possible role for this EGase in the softening of pericarp tissue and in the liquefaction of locules that takes place during ripening. The accumulation of Cel1 protein was also analyzed after fungal infection. Cel1 protein and mRNA levels are down-regulated in pericarp after Botrytis cinerea infection but are not affected in locular tissue. The same behavior was observed when fruits were infected with Penicillium expansum, another fungal pathogen. Cel1 protein and mRNA levels do not respond to wounding. These results support the idea that the tomato Cel1 EGase responds to pathogen infection and supports a relationship between EGases, plant defense responses and fruit ripening.

Site-specific and reversible anchoring of active proteins onto cellulose using a cellulosome-like complex.

Protein engineering strategies facilitating controlled and spontaneous assembly of macromolecular complexes are of great interest for the design of artificial multi-enzyme systems of pre-defined composition. Here we have combined affinity proteins from different sources to achieve specific and reversible anchoring of affinity domain-tagged reporter proteins to a cellulose-anchored fusion protein. The design principle mimics the architecture of macromolecular cellulosome complexes produced by some cellulolytic microbes. A fusion protein between a cellulose-binding module (CBM1Cel6A) of the Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase Cel6A and a five-domain staphylococcal protein A (SPA) was constructed to serve as platform for docking of easily detectable reporter proteins onto cellulose surfaces. In turn, the reporter proteins were produced as fusions to two copies of a SPA-binding affinity protein (an affibody denoted Z(SPA-1)), selected from a phage display library constructed by combinatorial protein engineering. In a series of experiments, involving repeated washing and low pH elution, affinity-tagged Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) and Fusarium solani pisi lipase cutinase reporter proteins were both found to be specifically directed from solution to the same region of a cellulose filter paper where SPA-CBM1Cel6A fusion protein had been previously applied. This showed that the SPA-CBM1Cel6A fusion protein had been stably anchored to the cellulose surface without loss of binding capacity and that the interaction between SPA and the Z(SPA-1) affibody domains was selective. The generality of this biospecificity-driven system for assembly applications is discussed.

High-yield production of a bacterial xylanase in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei requires a carrier polypeptide with an intact domain structure.

A bacterial xylanase gene, Nonomuraea flexuosa xyn11A, was expressed in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei from the strong cellobiohydrolase 1 promoter as fusions to a variety of carrier polypeptides. By using single-copy isogenic transformants, it was shown that production of this xylanase was clearly increased (up to 820 mg/liter) when it was produced as a fusion protein with a carrier polypeptide having an intact domain structure compared to the production (150 to 300 mg/liter) of fusions to the signal sequence alone or to carriers having incomplete domain structures. The carriers tested were the T. reesei mannanase I (Man5A, or MANI) core-hinge and a fragment thereof and the cellulose binding domain of T. reesei cellobiohydrolase II (Cel6A, or CBHII) with and without the hinge region(s) and a fragment thereof. The flexible hinge region was shown to have a positive effect on both the production of Xyn11A and the efficiency of cleavage of the fusion polypeptide. The recombinant Xyn11A produced had properties similar to those of the native xylanase. It constituted 6 to 10% of the total proteins secreted by the transformants. About three times more of the Man5A core-hinge carrier polypeptide than of the recombinant Xyn11A was observed. Even in the best Xyn11A producers, the levels of the fusion mRNAs were only approximately 10% of the level of cel7A (cbh1) mRNA in the untransformed host strain.

Cloning, sequencing, and heterologous expression of a cellobiohydrolase cDNA from the basidiomycete Corticium rolfsii.

From a Corticium rolfsii cDNA library, a clone homologous to other fungal cellobiohydrolase (CBH1) genes was isolated using the polymerase chain reaction. In the nucleotide sequence, one 1.6 kb long open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 530 amino acid residues was detected which showed 64% identity with CBH1 of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. With expression of the 1.8 kb cDNA using the Aspergillus oryzae expression system, we detected microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) hydrolyzing activity in the culture supernatant. The secreted protein, accompanied by the activity, was 89 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.