Salt effect on the pH profile and kinetic parameters of microbial phytases

Performance of Seven Commercial Phytases in an in Vitro Simulation of Poultry Digestive Tract

The aim of this study was to compare the biochemical properties of seven commercially available phytase products as well as their catalytic performance in an in vitro simulation of the digestive tract of poultry. Their enzymatic properties relevant with respect to phytate dephosphorylation in the digestive tract of birds were determined under identical assay conditions. All phytase products included in the study showed an acid pH optimum of activity and were capable of releasing the organically bound phosphate from phytate during the in vitro simulation. However, their overall biochemical properties and relative catalytic performances were remarkably different. The in vitro degradation system was considered as a simple and useful tool to evaluate the suitability of a phytase to be used as a feed supplement. Although relevant factors such as dietary P levels, intestinal phytase, and P absorption are not implemented in the system, this approach might help to reduce the number of feeding trials necessary in the search for a better suited phytase for animal feeding application.

An integrated approach to the degradation of phytates in the corn wet milling process

An integrated process was developed to hydrolyze the phytates in light steep water (LSW) and to simultaneously isolate inorganic phosphate (Pi) and myo-inositol products. The proposed integrated process will be helpful in resolving the environmental and nutritional concerns in the use of corn gluten feed (CGF) in the animal diets. This process comprised of partial and total hydrolysis of LSW and intermediate anion exchange separation technique. The phytates in LSW were initially degraded to negatively charged myo-inositol phosphates (InsP(2)-InsP(5)). The optimized experimental parameters for the partial hydrolysis of LSW were determined to be 2 h hydrolysis with 1FTU Aspergillus niger/g substrate at 35 degrees C. The negatively charged species of the partially hydrolyzed substrate were separated on a strong base anion exchange resin. The negatively charged species, retained by the resin, were eluded with 1M NaCl solution and were subjected to complete hydrolysis with the Escherichia coli, A. niger derived phytases and their respective combinations. The maximum amount of myo-inositol released from the anion exchange column was 3.73+/-0.03 mg/NaCl elution which was detected after 48 h reactions catalyzed by 100 FTU E. coli, 150 FTU E. coli, and 150 FTU the combination of A. niger and E. coli. The time course of Pi released showed a similar trend to that of myo-inositol and the released Pi reached a maximum amount of 3.30+/-0.05 mg/g NaCl elution after 48 h incubation at the enzyme loadings for which the maximum concentration of myo-inositol were reached.

A simple and fast kinetic assay for phytases using phytic acid-protein complex as substrate

Phytase (EC 3.1.3.-) hydrolyzes phytate (IP(6)) present in cereals and grains to release inorganic phosphate (P(i)), thereby making it bioavailable. The most commonly used method to assay phytase, developed nearly a century ago, measures the P(i) liberated from IP(6). This traditional endpoint assay is time-consuming and well known for its cumbersomeness in addition to requiring extra caution for handling the toxic regents used. This article reports a simple, fast, and nontoxic kinetic method adaptable for high throughput for assaying phytase using IP(6)-lysozyme as a substrate. The assay is based on the principle that IP(6) forms stable turbid complexes with positively charged lysozyme in a wide pH range, and hydrolysis of the IP(6) in the complex is accompanied by a decrease in turbidity monitored at 600 nm. The turbidity decrease correlates well to the released P(i) from IP(6). This kinetic method was found to be useful in assaying histidine acid phytases, including 3- and 6-phytases, a class representing all commercial phytases, and alkaline β-propeller phytase from Bacillus sp. The influences of temperature, pH, phosphate, and other salts on the kinetic assay were examined. All salts, including NaCl, CaCl(2), and phosphate, showed a concentration-dependent interference.

Impact of assay conditions on activity estimate and kinetics comparison of Aspergillus niger PhyA and Escherichia coli AppA2 phytases

Aspergillus niger PhyA and Escherichia coli AppA2 are increasingly used in animal feed for phosphorus nutrition and environmental protection. The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of assay conditions on activity estimates of these two phytases and to compare their biochemical characteristics at a pH similar to the stomach environment. The activities of the unpurified AppA2 were more variable than those of PhyA with three commonly used phytase activity assays. The variations associated with AppA2 were accounted for by buffer, pH, and the inclusion of Triton X-100 and BSA by approximately one-third each. At the commonly observed stomach pH of 3.5, the purified AppA2 had a lower affinity to phytate (a higher K(m)), but greater V(max), k(cat), and k(cat)/K(m) than those of PhyA. In summary, differences between AppA2 and PhyA in responses to activity assay conditions and in inherent kinetic properties should be considered in interpreting their feeding efficacy.

Unfolding and refolding of Aspergillus niger PhyB phytase: role of disulfide bridges

The role of disulfide bridges in the folding of Aspergillus niger phytase pH 2.5-optimum (PhyB) was investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS). Guanidinium chloride (GuCl) at 1.0 M unfolded phytase; however, its removal by dialysis refolded the protein. The thiol reagent tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) reduces the refolding activity by 68%. The hydrodynamic radius (R(H)) of PhyB phytase decreased from 5.5 to 4.14 nm when the protein was subjected to 1.0 M GuCl concentration. The active homodimer, 183 kDa, was reduced to a 92 kDa monomer. The DLS data taken together with activity measurements could indicate whether refolding took place or not in PhyB phytase. The correlation between molecular mass and the state of unfolding and refolding is a very strong one in fungal phytase belonging to histidine acid phosphatase (HAP). Unlike PhyA phytase, for which sodium chloride treatment boosted the activity at 0.5 M salt concentration, PhyB phytase activity was severely inhibited under identical condition. Thus, PhyA and PhyB phytases are structurally very different, and their chemical environment in the active site and substrate-binding domain may be different to elicit such an opposite reaction to monovalent cations.