Enzymatic synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides in an organic-aqueous biphasic system by a novel ß-galactosidase from a metagenomic library.

Prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) were effectively synthesized from lactose in organic-aqueous biphasic media by a novel metagenome-derived ß-galactosidase BgaP412. A maximum GOS yield of 46.6% (w/w) was achieved with 75.4% lactose conversion rate in the cyclohexane/buffer system [95:5 (v/v) cyclohexane/buffer] under the optimum reaction conditions (initial lactose concentration = 30% (w/v), T = 50 °C, pH 7.0, and t = 8 h). The corresponding productivity of GOS was approximately 17.5 g L(-1) h(-1). The GOS mixture consisted of tri-, tetra-, and pentasaccharides. Trisaccharides were the chief component of reaction products. These experimental results showed that a low water content, a high initial lactose concentration, and an elevated reaction temperature could significantly promote the transgalactosylation activity of ß-galactosidase BgaP412; at the same time, the enhanced GOS yield in an organic-aqueous biphasic system is because of the fact that thermodynamic equilibrium can be shifted to the synthetic direction by reversing the normal hydrolysis.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel metagenome-derived multicopper oxidase with alkaline laccase activity and highly soluble expression.

Lac591, a gene encoding a novel multicopper oxidase with laccase activity, was identified through activity-based functional screening of a metagenomic library from mangrove soil. Sequence analysis revealed that lac591 encodes a protein of 500 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 57.4 kDa. Lac591 was overexpressed heterologously as soluble active enzyme in Escherichia coli and purified, giving rise to 380 mg of purified enzyme from 1 l induced culture, which is the highest expression report for bacterial laccase genes so far. Furthermore, the recombinant enzyme demonstrated activity toward classical laccase substrates syringaldazine (SGZ), guaiacol, and 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol (2, 6-DMP). The purified Lac591 exhibited maximal activity at 55 degrees C and pH 7.5 with guaiacol as substrate and was found to be stable in the pH range of 7.0-10.0. The substrate specificity on different substrates was studied with the purified enzyme, and the optimal substrates were in the order of 2, 6-DMP > catechol > alpha-naphthol > guaiacol > SGZ > 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). The alkaline activity and highly soluble expression of Lac591 make it a good candidate of laccases in industrial applications for which classical laccases are unsuitable, such as biobleaching of paper pulp and dyestuffs processing.