Nucleotide sequence of the Clostridium stercorarium xynA gene encoding xylanase A: identification of catalytic and cellulose binding domains

Xylanase B from Neocallimastix patriciarum contains a non-catalytic 455-residue linker sequence comprised of 57 repeats of an octapeptide

A Neocallimastix patriciarum cDNA library was screened for xylanase-expressing clones, which were distinct from the previously characterized N. patriciarum xynA cDNA encoding xylanase A. A single cDNA, designated xynB, which did not exhibit homology with xynA, was isolated. Northern-blot analysis of mRNA from Avicel-grown N. patriciarum showed that xynB hybridized to a 3.4 kb mRNA species. The nucleotide sequence of xynB revealed a single open reading frame of 2580 bp coding for a protein designated xylanase B (XYLB), of M(r) 88,066. The primary structure of XYLB was comprised of a 21-residue N-terminal signal peptide, followed by a 304-amino acid sequence that exhibited substantial homology with the catalytic domains of family F xylanases. The N-terminal domain was linked to a C-terminal 70-residue sequence by a putative linker region, comprising 12 tandem repeats of a sequence containing TLPG as the core sequence, followed by an octapeptide XSKTLPGG where X can be S, K or N, which was repeated in tandem 45 times. Truncated derivatives of xynB encoding the N-terminal 338 residues directed the synthesis of a functional xylanase, confirming that the region of XYLB, which exhibited homology with family F xylanases, constitutes the catalytic domain. To investigate the catalytic properties of XYLB, the catalytic domain was fused to the Escherichia coli maltose-binding protein, and the fusion protein purified by amylose affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme hydrolysed oat, rye and wheat arabinoxylan releasing primarily xylobiose, xylotriose and some xylose. The XYLB fusion did not cleave any cellulosic substrates. The data presented in this report suggest that the multiple xylanases of N. patriciarum arose, not through the duplication of a single gene, but by the transfer of distinct xylanase-encoding DNA sequences into the anaerobic fungus. The possible origin of the xynB gene is discussed.

Evidence for a general role for high-affinity non-catalytic cellulose binding domains in microbial plant cell wall hydrolases

Cellulases expressed by Cellulomonas fimi consist of a catalytic domain and a discrete non-catalytic cellulose-binding domain (CBD). To establish whether CBDs are common features of plant cell-wall hydrolases from C. fimi, the molecular architecture of xylanase D (XYLD) from this bacterium was investigated. The gene encoding XYLD, designated xynD, consisted of an open reading frame of 1936 bp encoding a protein of M(r) 68,000. The deduced primary sequence of XYLD was confirmed by the size (64 kDa) and N-terminal sequence of the purified recombinant xylanase. Biochemical analysis of the purified enzyme revealed that XYLD is an endoacting xylanase which displays no detectable activity against polysaccharides other than xylan. The predicted primary structure of XYLD comprised an N-terminal signal peptide followed by a 190-residue domain that exhibited significant homology to Family-G xylanases. Truncated derivatives of xynD, encoding the N-terminal 193 amino acids of mature XYLD directed the synthesis of a functional xylanase, confirming that the 190-residue N-terminal sequence constitutes the catalytic domain. The remainder of the enzyme consisted of two approximately 90-residue domains, which exhibited extensive homology with each other, and limited sequence identity with CBDs from other polysaccharide hydrolases. Between the two putative CBDs is a 197-amino-acid sequence that exhibits substantial homology with Rhizobium NodB proteins. The four discrete domains in XYLD were separated by either threonine/proline-or novel glycine-rich linker regions. Although full-length XYLD adsorbed to cellulose, truncated derivatives of the enzyme lacking the C-terminal CBD hydrolysed xylan but did not bind to cellulose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)