A novel cellulase activity enhancing protein from bacillus subtilis, a functional homolog of a plant expansin

Binding characteristics of a bacterial expansin (BsEXLX1) for various types of pretreated lignocellulose

BsEXLX1 from Bacillus subtilis is the first discovered bacterial expansin as a structural homolog of a plant expansin, and it exhibited synergism with cellulase on the cellulose hydrolysis in a previous study. In this study, binding characteristics of BsEXLX1 were investigated using pretreated and untreated Miscanthus x giganteus in comparison with those of CtCBD3, a cellulose-binding domain from Clostridium thermocellum. The amounts of BsEXLX1 bound to cellulose-rich substrates were significantly lower than those of CtCBD3. However, the amounts of BsEXLX1 bound to lignin-rich substrates were much higher than those of CtCBD3. A binding competition assay between BsEXLX1 and CtCBD3 revealed that binding of BsEXLX1 to alkali lignin was not affected by the presence of CtCBD3. This preferential binding of BsEXLX1 to lignin could be related to root colonization in plants by bacteria, and the bacterial expansin could be used as a lignin blocker in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose.

An expansin-like protein from Hahella chejuensis binds cellulose and enhances cellulase activity

Molecular function of the expansin superfamily has been highlighted for cellulosic biomass conversion. In this report, we identified a new bacterial expansin subfamily by analysis of related bacterial sequences and biochemically examined a member of this new subfamily from Hahella chejuensis (HcEXLX2). Among the various complex polysaccharides tested, HcEXLX2 bound most efficiently to cellulose. The relative binding constant (K( r )) against Avicel was 2.1 L g(-1) at pH 6.0 and 4 degrees C. HcEXLX2 enhanced the activity of cellulase, producing about 4.6 times more hydrolysis product after a 36 h reaction relative to when only cellulase was used. The extension strength test on filter paper indicated that HcEXLX2 has a texture loosening effect on filter paper, which was 53% of that observed for 8 M urea treatment. These activities, compared with a cellulose binding domain from Clostridium thermocellum, implied that the synergistic effect of HcEXLX2 comes from not only binding to cellulose but also disrupting the hydrogen bonds in cellulose. Based on these results, we suggest that the new bacterial expansin subfamily functions by binding to cell wall polysaccharides and increasing the accessibility of cell wall degrading enzymes.