The xylanase system of Coniophora cerebella

Localisation and characterisation of incipient brown-rot decay within spruce wood cell walls using FT-IR imaging microscopy

Spruce wood that had been degraded by brown-rot fungi (Gloeophyllum trabeum or Poria placenta) exhibiting mass losses up to 16% was investigated by transmission Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging microscopy. Here the first work on the application of FT-IR imaging microscopy and multivariate image analysis of fungal degraded wood is presented and the first report on the spatial distribution of polysaccharide degradation during incipient brown-rot of wood. Brown-rot starts to become significant in the outer cell wall regions (middle lamellae, primary cell walls, and the outer layer of the secondary cell wall S1). This pattern was detected even in a sample with non-detectable mass loss. Most significant during incipient decay was the cleavage of glycosidic bonds, i.e. depolymerisation of wood polysaccharides and the degradation of pectic substances. Accordingly, intramolecular hydrogen bonding within cellulose was reduced, while the presence of phenolic groups increased.

Microorganisms and enzymes involved in the degradation of plant fiber cell walls

One of natures most important biological processes is the degradation of lignocellulosic materials to carbon dioxide, water and humic substances. This implies possibilities to use biotechnology in the pulp and paper industry and consequently, the use of microorganisms and their enzymes to replace or supplement chemical methods is gaining interest. This chapter describes the structure of wood and the main wood components, cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignins. The enzyme and enzyme mechanisms used by fungi and bacteria to modify and degrade these components are described in detail. Techniques for how to assay for these enzyme activities are also described. The possibilities for biotechnology in the pulp and paper industry and other fiber utilizing industries based on these enzymes are discussed.

On the specificity and mode of action of a xylanase from Trametes hirsuta (Wulf.) Pilát

The mode of action of the extracellular endo-(1 leads to 4)-beta-D-xylanase produced by Trametes hirsuta on a (4-0-methyl-D-glucurono)-D-xylan and a modified, essentially neutral D-xylan from white willow (Salix alba L.) has been studied. Xylotetraose and xylohexaose, together with aldotetraouronic and aldohexaouronic acids, were the main products. The acidic oligosaccharides had a 4-O-methyl-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid group attached to the non-reducing D-xylosyl end-group. The action pattern of the xylanase corresponds to that of a typical endo-enzyme that acts more readily in the middle of chain, and the specific region of its action appears to involve five D-xylosyl residues. The products of the enzymic treatment of the D-xylan have revealed a regular distribution of the 4-O-methyl-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid groups attached to the D-xylan backbone.

Some properties of an endo-1,4-beta-D-xylanase from the ligniperdous fungus Trametes hirsuta

Some properties of purified endo-1,4-beta-D-xylanase (1,4-beta-D-xylan xylanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.8) from the ligniperdous fungus Trametes hirsuta were investigated. The enzyme was stable between pH 4.0 and 8.0 were optimum activity at pH 5.0--5.5. The temperature optimum was 50 degrees C and the enzyme was stable for up to 30 min at 45 degrees C; however, it was denatured at higher temperatures. The Km for 4-O-methylglucurono-D-xylan was 6.36.10(-3) equivalents of D-xylose per litre, the activation energy was 28 kJ mol-1. The molecular weight determined by means of gel chromatography was 22000--24000. The enzyme was activated by Ca2+ and inhibited by Ag+ and Hg2+. On the basis of the effect of 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide. N-bromosuccinimide and N-acetylimidazole it may be assumed that trytophan and possibly tyrosine residues influence the enzyme catalysis.

Purification of xylanase from the wood-rotting fungus Trametes hirsuta

Xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) was purified from a crude extracellular enzyme of the wood-rotting fungus Trametes hirsuta by a four-step procedure involving precipitation with ammonium sulphate, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-10, column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and preparative electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. The isolated enzyme, electrophoretically homogeneous, was separated from beta-xylo-sylosidase and other hydrolytic enzymes studied. The analysis of the degradation products of water-soluble (4-0-methylglucurono)-D-xylan from willow by the purified xylanase showed it to be endoxylanase (beta-1,4-xylan xylanohydrolase).

Studies on xylanase from Basidiomycetes. Selection of strains for the production of xylanase

Formation of extracellular xylanase was studied in 10 strains of wood-destroying fungi belonging to Basidiomycetes during their submerged cultivation with willow sawdust. The highest enzyme activity was found in the fungus Trametes hirsuta (Wulf.) Pilát. The effect of sources of carbon and nitrogen, cultivation time and initial pH of the cultivation solution on the formation of xylanase by the fungus Trametes hirsuta was investigated. The highest production of the enzyme was reached during cultivation in the presence of willow sawdust, asparagine and at the initial pH of 5.0. The presence of xylanase, cellulase, mannanase and amylase as well as of beta-xylosidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-mannosidase and beta-galactosidase was demonstrated in the enzyme preparation obtained after a 10-day submerged cultivation of Trametes hirsuta under optimal conditions.

Purification, properties, and mode of action of hemicellulase I produced by Ceratocystis paradoxa

A culture isolate (CP2) of the fungal plant pathogen Ceratocystis paradoxa produces at least five extra-cellular hemicellulases when grown on a medium containing a commercial hemicellulose as inducer. One of the five enzymes, hemicellulase I (HC-I), was purified by ammonium sulphate preceipitation, ion-exchange chromatography (DEAE-Sephadex and then Cellex-CM), and iso-electric focusing at pH 3-10 and 8-10. HC-I behaves as a single protein on a electrophoresis at pH 6.0 and 8.4. The enzyme degrades hemicellulose B (an arabino-4-O-methylglucurono-xylan) and arabinoxylanto arabinose, xylose, xylobiose (Xyl2; beta-D-Xylp-(1 leads to 4)-D-Xyl), and a mixture of arabinose-xylose and xylose oligosaccharides (AraXyln and Xyln, where n=3, 4, or 5). The enzyme is deduced to be an endo-enzyme. Xylotetraose (Xyl4) was the lowest homologue of the xylose oligosaccharides attacked, yielding xylobiose and xylotriose (Xyl3) only. A mechanism is postulated for this reaction. AraXyl5 were slowly hydrolysed to arabinose and the respective xylose saccharide (Xyl2-Xyl5), and thence to Xyl2 and Xyl3. Hydrolysis of the arabinofuranosyl linkage probably does not occur at the same active site as for the xylose oligosaccharides. Hemicellulose B fractions from different sources appeared to be degraded by HC-I. The enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 5.5 and 40 degrees, and Km was 4.24 mg of hemicellulose/ml.