The nature and mode of action of the cellulolytic component C1 of Trichoderma koningii on native cellulose

Regulation of β-1, 4-Glucosidase Expression by Candida wickerhamii

Candida wickerhamii NRRL Y-2563 expressed β-glucosidase activity (3 to 8 U/ml) constitutively when grown aerobically in complex medium containing either glycerol, succinate, xylose, galactose, or cellobiose as the carbon source. The addition of a high concentration of glucose (>75 g/liter) repressed β-glucosidase expression (<0.3 U/ml); however, this yeast did produce β-glucosidase when the initial glucose concentration was ≤50 g/liter. When grown aerobically in medium containing glucose plus the above-listed carbon sources, diauxic utilization of the carbon source was observed and the expression of β-glucosidase was glucose repressed. Surprisingly, glucose repression did not occur when the cells were grown anaerobically. When grown anaerobically in medium containing 100 g of glucose per liter, C. wickerhamii produced 6 to 9 U of enzyme per ml and did not demonstrate diauxic utilization of glucose-cellobiose mixtures. To our knowledge, this is the first report of apparent derepression of a glucose-repressed enzyme by anaerobiosis.

The role of carboxyl groups in the function of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase from Schizophyllum commune

The endo-beta-1,4-glucanase from Schizophyllum commune was purified to homogeneity by a modified procedure that employed concanavalin A-Sepharose. The catalytic site of the enzyme has previously been proposed to consist of Glu-33 and Asp-50 that act in a manner analogous to lysozyme [Yaguchi, M., Roy, C., Rollin, C.F., Paice, M.G. & Jurasek, L. (1983) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 116, 408-411]. The role of carboxyl groups in the mechanism of action was delineated through kinetic and chemical modification studies. The rate of endoglucanase-catalysed hydrolysis of CM-cellulose was determined viscometrically at 30 degrees C, 0.06 M ionic strength and pH 2.5-9.0. The pH profile for maximum velocity gave the kinetic apparent pK values 3.8 and 6.6 and for initial velocity the pK values 3.7 and 6.1. Treatment of the endoglucanase with diethylpyrocarbonate resulted in the modification of all the four histidyl residues present in the enzyme with the retention of 95% of the original enzymatic activity. A water-soluble carbodiimide completely inactivated the cellulase and kinetic analysis indicated that at least one molecule of carbodiimide binds to the enzyme for inactivation. The pH dependence of the inactivation is consistent with the modification of carboxyl groups. The binding of an inhibitor, cellobiose, prior to carbodiimide modification protected the enzyme from rapid inactivation. Titration of the enzyme with dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) indicated the absence of free thiol groups. Reaction of the endoglucanase with tetranitromethane resulted in the modification of six of the fourteen tyrosyl residues of the enzyme with approximately 35% diminution in activity.

A cellulase assay coupled to cellobiose dehydrogenase

An assay for cellulase activity based on the oxidation of cellobiose, formed during the cellulase reaction, with ferricyanide and a cellobiose dehydrogenase derived from the cellulolytic fungus Sporotrichum (Chrysosporium) thermophile is presented. Due to the restricted specificity of this enzyme for cellobiose and cellodextrins, glucose, which may be formed by the action of some cellulolytic components or by beta-glucosidase, does not contribute to the result. The negative interference of beta-glucosidase may be eliminated by glucono-delta-lactone inhibition. The assay, which is not influenced by cellobiose back-inhibition of the cellulase reaction, like the usual cellulase tests based on the increase in reducing power, is basically unspecific with respect to endo- or exo-acting enzymes giving rise to a total cellulase activity. With the use of an amorphous cellulose substrate (reprecipitated cellulose after dissolving in concentrated phosphoric acid), unpredictable effects due to cooperativity between endo- and exo-enzyme components were eliminated. An analytical procedure giving a linear response between activity and enzyme concentration and between activity and time of incubation has been worked out.

Purification of the major endoglucanase from Aspergillus fumigatus Fresenius

Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius), IMI 246651, A.T.C.C. 46324, produces two beta-glucosidase enzymes, cotton-solubilizing activity, xylanase and endoglucanase enzymes which can be separated by gel-filtration chromatography. The major endoglucanase does not bind to concanavalin A-Sepharose and does not stain with periodic acid/Schiff reagent. It is homogeneous on polyacrylamide isoelectric focusing (pI = 7.1) and has a mol.wt. of 12500 by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The endoglucanase produces glucose and a mixture of oligosaccharides from cellulose; the purified enzyme has a small dextranase activity. It is stable at 50 degrees C and pH 6.

Cellulase enzyme from Aspergillus niger

Cellulase enzyme was produced by a selected strain of Aspergillus niger isolated from deteriorated wood and grown on different carbon sources. Filter paper gave the highest yield, followed by carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Cellobiose as well as glucose gave a low yield, while the yield from lactose was negligible. The concentration of filter paper cellulose that induced the maximum yield of the enzyme was 1%. Both soluble cellulose (CMC) and cotton cellulose treated with phosphoric acid (swollen) were easily hydrolyzed by cellulase; an increase in cellulase concentration lead to more hydrolysis of CMC and gave linearity in the reaction velocity. At certain concentrations of the enzyme, increase in CMC concentration, (up to 1%) resulted in more reducing sugar. Beyond this point no more hydrolysis occur.

Saccharification of Complex Cellulosic Substrates by the Cellulase System from Clostridium thermocellum

True cellulase activity has been demonstrated in cell-free preparations from the thermophilic anaerobe Clostridium thermocellum . Such activity depends upon the presence of Ca 2+ and a thiol-reducing agent of which dithiothreitol is the most promising. Under these conditions, native (cotton) and derived forms of cellulose (Avicel and filter paper) were all extensively solubilized at rates comparable with cellulase from Trichoderma reesei . Maximum activity of the Clostridium cellulase was displayed at 70°C and at pH 5.7 and 6.1 on Avicel and carboxymethylcellulose, respectively. In the absence of substrate at temperatures up to 70°C, carboxymethylcellulase was much more unstable than the Avicel-hydrolyzing activity.

The action on cellulose and its derivatives of a purified 1,4-beta-glucanase from Trichoderma koningii

The specific properties have been examined of the 1,4-beta-glucanase component of Trichoderma koningii that participates in an early and effective stage of random breakdown of native cellulose to short fibres. The enzyme was purified and freed from associated components of the cellulase complex (particularly beta-glucosidase) that interfere with, and complicate interpretation of, the action of such enzymes. Purification increased the specific activity 25-fold over culture filtrates; the enzyme hydrolysed CM-cellulose faster than the purified beta-glucosidase from the same organism hydrolysed any of its substrates (cellobiose or cellodextrins). The specificity of the glucanase was directed towards soluble derivatives of cellulose, CM-cellulose and cellodextrins, and not to insoluble cellulose or alpha-linked polymers. The approximate Km was 2.5 mg of CM-cellulose . ml-1 at 37 degrees C at the optimum pH, 5.5, where enzymic activity was maximal with 6--7 mg of CM-cellulose . ml-1 and inhibited by higher concentrations. The temperature optimum was 60 degrees C. The glucanase attacked larger cellodextrins (cellohexaose to cellotetraose, in that order) much more readily than smaller dextrins (cellobiose and cellotriose) and released a mixture of products, glucose up to cellopentaose, which was quantitatively determined after chromatography on charcoal. Similar examination of hydrolysates of the reduced cellodextrins showed clearly the high specificity of the enzyme for the central bond of its natural substrates (the cellodextrins), whatever their chain length, and indicated the nature of the enzyme as an endoglucanase. Outer bonds shared a weaker, but similar, susceptibility to enzymic cleavage. Transferase activity was absent and no larger dextrins than the initial substrate were formed.

The isolation, purification and properties of the cellobiohydrolase component of Penicillium funiculosum cellulase

1. A cellobiohydrolase component was isolated from a Penicillium funiculosum cellulase preparation by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, and purified by isoelectric focusing. 2. Purified in this way, the enzyme was homogeneous as judged by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gels and isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels. 3. Acting in isolation, the enzyme had little hydrolytic activity to highly ordered celluloses such as cotton fibre, but, when recombined in the original proportions with the other components [endo-(1 leads to 4)-beta-D-glucanase and beta-D-glucosidase] of the complex, 98% of the original activity was recovered. 4. Synergistic effects were also observed when the enzyme was acting in concert with endo-(1 leads to 4)-beta-D-glucanase from other fungal sources. 5. Less-well-ordered celluloses, such as that swollen in H3PO4, were extensively hydrolysed, the principal product being cellobiose. 6. Attack on carboxymethyl-cellulose (CM-cellulose), which is the substrate normally used to assay for endo-(1 leads to 4)-beta-D-glucanase activity, was minimal. 7. The enzyme was associated with 9% of neutral sugar, 88% of which was mannose. It was isoelectric at pH 4.36 (4 degrees C) and had a mol.wt. of 46 300 (determined by gel chromatography on a calibrated column of Ultrogel). 8. The enzyme was specific for the beta-(1 leads to 4)-linkage.

High Cellobiase and Xylanase Production by Sclerotium rolfsii UV-8 Mutant in Submerged Culture

Sclerotium rolfsii UV-8 mutant secretes high levels of cellobiase and xylanase in addition to having high cellulase production. The apparent K m and V max of cellobiase (grown in NM-2 + 2% corn steep liquor medium) with cellobiose as a substrate were 5.6 mM and 22.2 μmol of glucose liberated per min per ml of culture filtrate, respectively. The addition of 2% corn steep liquor to NM-2 medium increased endo-β-glucanase, cellobiase, and xylanase yields by approximately 1.5-fold.

Association of beta-glucosidase with intact cells of Thermoactinomyces

The location of the B-glucosidase activity in a whole culture broth of the thermophilic organism Thermoactinomyces has been studied. Little beta-glucosidase activity was found in the culture filtrate, while the culture solids contained the major part of the activity of the whole culture broth. The activity does not appear to be adsorbed to the culture solids; rather there is evidence that it is an intracellular soluble enzyme(s). The pH and temperature optima for a crude beta-glucosidase preparation were determined to be pH 6.5 and 50--55 degrees C. Enzyme activity studies indicate that the same enzyme(s) accounts for the beta-glucosidase and the cellobiase activities. The validity of using the filter paper activity of culture filtrates from Thermoactinomyces to predict the total saccharification of cellulosic materials to glucose is discussed.