pgaE encodes a fourth member of the endopolygalacturonase gene family from Aspergillus niger

Pectinase hydrolysis of guava pulp: effect on the physicochemical characteristics of its juice

The objective of this research is to assess the effect of enzymatic treatment of guava puree on the physicochemical parameters of the juice. Pectinases from Aspergillus niger were applied to the puree at 43 ± 3 °C under constant stirring. Enzyme concentrations used were: 0.033 % (w/w), 0.055% (w/w), 0.078 % (w/w) and 0.1 % (w/w). For each enzyme concentration, the treatment times were varied from 3 - 90 min. Physicochemical parameters of raw puree and enzymatically treated juice were determined. These were: viscosity, pH, electric conductivity, protein and polyphenol content, galacturonic acid content, color, TSS, and antioxidant capacity. Particle distribution, homogeneity of raw puree and juice samples dried extracts were assessed using a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). A 91% viscosity decrease was recorded for each enzyme concentration after 3 min of enzyme reaction. That drecrase was accompanied by an increase in galacturonic acid content with increasing depectinization factors. Enzyme treatment of guava puree led to a decrease in pH, protein and polyphenol contents and an increase in conductivity and color. Analysis of FESEM images of guava samples bestowed a decrease in particle size, a scattering of particles in the medium, an increase in continuous phase proportion and an improvement of sample homogeneity with increasing values of processing parameters, due to the breaking-down of bigger particles and the solubilization during depectinization.

Development of an Innovative Process for High-Temperature Fruit Juice Extraction Using a Novel Thermophilic Endo-Polygalacturonase From Penicillium oxalicum

Efficient and cost-effective production of thermophilic endo-polygalacturonase is desirable for industrial fruit juice production, because its application could shorten the processing time and lower the production cost, by eliminating the separate step of pectin degradation. However, no endo-polygalacturonase that both functions well at sufficiently high temperature and can be manufactured economically, has been reported previously. In this study, the cDNA encoding a thermophilic endo-polygalacturonase from Penicillium oxalicum CZ1028, was cloned and over-expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115 and Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The recombinant proteins PoxaEnPG28B-Pp (from P. pastoris) and PoxaEnPG28B-Ec (from E. coli) were isolated and purified. PoxaEnPG28B-Pp was sufficiently thermostable for potential industrial use, but PoxaEnPG28B-Ec was not. The optimal pH and temperature of PoxaEnPG28B-Pp were pH 5.0 and 65°C, respectively. The enzyme had a low K_m of 1.82 g/L and a high V_max of 77882.2 U/mg, with polygalacturonic acid (PGA) as substrate. The performance of PoxaEnPG28B-Pp in depectinization of papaya, plantain and banana juices at 65°C for 15 min was superior to that of a reported mesophilic endo-polygalacturonase. PoxaEnPG28B-Pp is the first endo-polygalacturonase reported to show excellent performance at high temperature. An innovative process, including a step of simultaneous heat-treatment and depectinization of fruit pulps with PoxaEnPG28B-Pp, is reported for the first time.

Overexpression and Biochemical Characterization of an Endo-α-1,4-polygalacturonase from Aspergillus nidulans in Pichia pastoris

Pectinases have many applications in the industry of food, paper, and textiles, therefore finding novel polygalacturonases is required. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of AnEPG (an endo-α-1,4-polygalacturonase from Aspergillus nidulans) and other GH 28 endo-polygalacturonases suggested that AnEPG is different from others. AnEPG overexpressed in Pichia pastoris was characterized. AnEPG showed the highest activity at pH 4.0, and exhibited moderate activity over a narrow pH range (pH 2.0-5.0) and superior stability in a wide pH range (pH 2.0-12.0). It displayed the highest activity at 60 °C, and retained >42.2% of maximum activity between 20 and 80 °C. It was stable below 40 °C and lost activity very quickly above 50 °C. Its apparent kinetic parameters against PGA (polygalacturonic acid) were determined, with the K_m and k_cat values of 8.3 mg/mL and 5640 μmol/min/mg, respectively. Ba²⁺ and Ni²⁺ enhanced activity by 12.2% and 9.4%, respectively, while Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Mn²⁺ inhibited activity by 14.8%, 12.8%, and 10.2% separately. Analysis of hydrolysis products by AnEPG proved that AnEPG belongs to an endo-polygalacturonase. Modelled structure of AnEPG by I-TASSER showed structural characteristics of endo-polygalacturonases. This pectinase has great potential to be used in food industry and as feed additives.

Characterization and molecular modeling of polygalacturonase isoforms from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Earlier, low-temperature-active polygalacturonase isoforms from Saccharomyces cerevisiae PVK4 were isolated and purified. Substrate specificity of polygalacturonase isoforms indicated high affinity for pectins and very low enzyme activity towards non-pectic polysaccharides. To characterize the polygalacturonase isoforms, biochemical, spectral, and in silico approaches were used. The apparent K_m and V_max values for hydrolysis of pectin and galacturonic acid were 0.31 mg/ml and 3.15 mmol min/mg, respectively. Interestingly, the polygalacturonase isoforms were found to be more stable at optimal pH and temperature of 4.5 and 40 °C, respectively. These isoforms were reacted with different metal ions; Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ severely inhibited the enzyme activity, while Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Fe²⁺ Cu²⁺, and Ni²⁺ inhibited to a lesser extent, which clearly demonstrated that variations in enzyme activity were due to their differential binding affinity of metal ions. Furthermore, decrease in the viscosity of polygalacturonic acid and citrus pectin by these isoforms was approximately four and six times higher than the rate of release of reducing sugars. This indicates that polygalacturonase isoforms have an endo-mode of action. In addition to the above, thermostability of purified polygalacturonase isoforms was studied by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. Circular dichroism showed 18% alpha helix and 57% beta sheets at pH 5, while at pH 7, 8, and 9 there was an increase of random coil. Fluorescence studies revealed small conformational changes, which were observed at 30-50 °C, while unfolding transition region was noticed between 60 and 70 °C. The purified enzyme fractions were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. Finally, 3D model structures for isoenzymes of polygalacturonase of S. cerevisiae were generated and validated as good quality models, which are also suitable for molecular interaction studies.

Production, purification and biochemical characterization of an exo-polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger MTCC 478 suitable for clarification of orange juice

Polygalacturonases (PG) represent an important member of pectinases group of enzymes with immense industrial applications. A fungal strain Aspergillus niger MTCC478 was used for the production of polygalacturonase both under submerged and solid-state fermentation condition. Further its production was optimized under solid-state fermentation condition with media comprising of wheat bran and tea extract. Purification of an exo-PG was achieved by acetone precipitation (60-90%) and CM-cellulose column chromatography revealing 15.28-fold purification with a specific activity of 33.47 U/mg protein and 1.2% yield. A relative molecular mass of purified PG was approximately 124.0 kDa. The pH and temperature optimum was found to be 4 and 50 °C, respectively. The k cat and K m value for degradation of PGA by the purified enzyme was found to be 194 s-1 and 2.3 mg/mL, respectively. Cu2+ was found to enhance the PG activity while Ag+ completely inhibited the enzyme activity. The application of the purified PG in orange juice clarification was elucidated.

Polygalacturonase gene pgxB in Aspergillus niger is a virulence factor in apple fruit

Aspergillus niger, a saprophytic fungus, is widely distributed in soil, air and cereals, and can cause postharvest diseases in fruit. Polygalacturonase (PG) is one of the main enzymes in fungal pathogens to degrade plant cell wall. To evaluate whether the deletion of an exo-polygalacturonase gene pgxB would influence fungal pathogenicity to fruit, pgxB gene was deleted in Aspergillus niger MA 70.15 (wild type) via homologous recombination. The ΔpgxB mutant showed similar growth behavior compared with the wild type. Pectin medium induced significant higher expression of all pectinase genes in both wild type and ΔpgxB in comparison to potato dextrose agar medium. However, the ΔpgxB mutant was less virulent on apple fruits as the necrosis diameter caused by ΔpgxB mutant was significantly smaller than that of wild type. Results of quantitive-PCR showed that, in the process of infection in apple fruit, gene expressions of polygalacturonase genes pgaI, pgaII, pgaA, pgaC, pgaD and pgaE were enhanced in ΔpgxB mutant in comparison to wild type. These results prove that, despite the increased gene expression of other polygalacturonase genes in ΔpgxB mutant, the lack of pgxB gene significantly reduced the virulence of A. niger on apple fruit, suggesting that pgxB plays an important role in the infection process on the apple fruit.

Purification and characterization of polygalacturonase from Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC 2584 and elucidating its application in retting of Crotalaria juncea fiber

Polygalacturonases represents an important member of pectinases group of enzymes with diverse industrial applications and is widely distributed among fungi, bacteria, yeasts, plants and some plant parasitic nematodes. An endo-polygalacturonase from a new fungal source Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC 2584 was produced under solid-state fermentation conditions and was purified simply by acetone precipitation and gel-filtration chromatography technique. The approximate molecular weight of the purified PG was found to be 43.0 kDa as revealed by SDS-PAGE. The pH optimum of the purified enzyme was found to be 10.0 and was stable in the pH range of 7-10. The optimum temperature of purified PG was found to be 30 °C. The Km and Kcat of the purified enzyme were 2.4 mg/ml and 44 s-1, respectively, and the metal ions Cu2+ and K+ were found to enhance the enzyme activity while Ag+, Ca2+ and Hg2+ were inhibitory in nature. Based on its alkaline nature, the potential of purified PG in retting of natural fiber Crotalaria juncea was elucidated in the absence of EDTA. This is probably the first report of alkaline PG from Aspergillus fumigatus.

Pectins, Endopolygalacturonases, and Bioenergy

The precise disassembly of the extracellular matrix of some plant species used as feedstocks for bioenergy production continues to be a major barrier to reach reasonable cost effective bioethanol production. One solution has been the use of pretreatments, which can be effective, but increase even more the cost of processing and also lead to loss of cell wall materials that could otherwise be used in industry. Although pectins are known to account for a relatively low proportion of walls of grasses, their role in recalcitrance to hydrolysis has been shown to be important. In this mini-review, we examine the importance of pectins for cell wall hydrolysis highlighting the work associated with bioenergy. Here we focus on the importance of endopolygalacturonases (EPGs) discovered to date. The EPGs cataloged by CAZy were screened, revealing that most sequences, as well as the scarce structural work performed with EPGs, are from fungi (mostly Aspergillus niger). The comparisons among the EPG from different microorganisms, suggests that EPGs from bacteria and grasses display higher similarity than each of them with fungi. This compilation strongly suggests that structural and functional studies of EPGs, mainly from plants and bacteria, should be a priority of research regarding the use of pectinases for bioenergy production purposes.

Production, purification and characterization of an exo-polygalacturonase from Penicillium janthinellum sw09

ABSTRACT A soil isolate, Penicillium janthinellum sw09 has been found to produce significant amounts of an extracellular pectinase subsequently characterized as exo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG). By optimizing growth conditions, P. janthinellum sw09 produced high amount of exo-PG (16.54 units/mL). The crude enzyme was purified by gel filtration chromatography and two exo-PG activity peaks (designated as PGI and PGII) were revealed. On SDS-PAGE analysis, purified PGII using DEAE-Sepharose FF column, was found to be a single band with a molecular mass of 66.2 kDa. The purified PGII exhibited maximal activity at the temperature of 45 oC and pH 5.0. The stability profiles show that PGII is more stable in the pH range of 4.0-8.0 and below 60 oC. The Km and Vmax for the enzyme was 1.74 mg/mL and 18.08 μmol/ (mL•min), respectively. Due to this enzymatic characterization, this pectinase is an attractive candidate for applications in degradation of pectin.

Horizontal gene transfer and functional diversification of plant cell wall degrading polygalacturonases: Key events in the evolution of herbivory in beetles

Plant cell walls are the largest reservoir of organic carbon on earth. To breach and utilize this carbohydrate-rich protective barrier, microbes secrete plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) targeting pectin, cellulose and hemicelluloses. There is a growing body of evidence that genomes of some herbivorous insects also encode PCWDEs, raising questions about their evolutionary origins and functions. Among herbivorous beetles, pectin-degrading polygalacturonases (PGs) are found in the diverse superfamilies Chrysomeloidea (leaf beetles, long-horn beetles) and Curculionoidea (weevils). Here our aim was to test whether these arose from a common ancestor of beetles or via horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and whether PGs kept their ancestral function in degrading pectin or evolved novel functions. Transcriptome data derived from 10 beetle species were screened for PG-encoding sequences and used for phylogenetic comparisons with their bacterial, fungal and plant counterparts. These analyses revealed a large family of PG-encoding genes of Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea sharing a common ancestor, most similar to PG genes of ascomycete fungi. In addition, 50 PGs from beetle digestive systems were heterologously expressed and functionally characterized, showing a set of lineage-specific consecutively pectin-degrading enzymes, as well as conserved but enzymatically inactive PG proteins. The evidence indicates that a PG gene was horizontally transferred ∼200 million years ago from an ascomycete fungus to a common ancestor of Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea. This has been followed by independent duplications in these two lineages, as well as independent replacement in two sublineages of Chrysomeloidea by two other subsequent HGTs. This origin, leading to subsequent functional diversification of the PG gene family within its new hosts, was a key event promoting the evolution of herbivory in these beetles.

Analysis of a polygalacturonase gene of Ustilago maydis and characterization of the encoded enzyme

Ustilago maydis is a pathogenic fungus that produces the corn smut. It is a biotrophic parasite that depends on living plant tissues for its proliferation and development. Polygalacturonases are secreted by pathogens to solubilize the plant cell-wall and are required for pathogen virulence. In this paper, we report the isolation of a U. maydis polygalacturonase gene (Pgu1) and the functional and structural characterization of the encoded enzyme. The U. maydis Pgu1 gene is expressed when the fungus is grown in liquid culture media containing different carbon sources. In plant tissue, the expression increased as a function of incubation time. Pgu1 gene expression was detected during plant infection around 10 days post-infection with U. maydis FB-D12 strain in combination with teliospore formation. Synthesis and secretion of active recombinant PGU1 were achieved using Pichia pastoris, the purified enzyme had a optimum temperature of 34 °C, optimum pH of 4.5, a Km of 57.84 g/L for polygalacturonic acid, and a Vmax of 28.9 µg/min mg. Structural models of PGU1 based on homologous enzymes yielded a typical right-handed β-helix fold of pectinolytic enzymes classified in the glycosyl hydrolases family 28, and the U. maydis PGU1 is related with endo rather than exo polygalacturonases.

Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

Background

The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation.

Results

Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list of 188 genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes from Aspergillus niger, thus forming an analysis framework, which can be queried. Combination of this information network with gene expression analysis on mono- and polysaccharide substrates has allowed elucidation of concerted gene expression from this organism. One such example is the identification of a full set of extracellular polysaccharide-acting genes for the degradation of oat spelt xylan.

Conclusions

The mapping of plant polysaccharide structures along with the corresponding enzymatic activities is a powerful framework for expression analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Applying this network-based approach, we provide the first genome-scale characterization of all genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes identified in A. niger.

SPR and differential proteolysis/MS provide further insight into the interaction between PGIP2 and EPGs

By using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology, the kinetics of the interaction of various fungal endopolygalacturonases (EPGs) (13 EPGs) with Phaseolus vulgaris (bean) PGIP2 was carried out to determine whether or not there is any interaction between polygalacturonases-inhibiting protein (PGIP) and EPG. The effect of polygalacturonic acid (PGA) on these interactions was also evaluated. The results show that all EPGs evaluated bind to PGIP2, except for AnPGb and the strength of the interaction depends on the EPG/PGIP2 pairing. Further, the presence of PGA has a moderate to strong effect on the EPG/PGIP2 interaction and the strength of the effect is dependent on the exact EPG/PGIP2 pairing. The differences in affinity in the absence and presence of PGA, suggest a certain level of cooperativity. These results indicate a three-component complex similar to that observed for the heparin-ATIII-thrombin, the FGF-FGFR-heparin, or the hedgehog-interference hedgehog-heparan complexes. This data points to an architecture in which the inhibitor binds at a location distant from the substrate binding site. Furthermore, we applied differential proteolysis mass spectrometry (DPMS) to study the location of the binding site between EPG and PGIP2. DPMS studies indicate that PGIP2 does not bind AnPGII, AnPGa, and AnPGc directly over the active site but instead binds on the face opposite to the active site, creating an allosteric interaction.

Fungal enzyme sets for plant polysaccharide degradation

Enzymatic degradation of plant polysaccharides has many industrial applications, such as within the paper, food, and feed industry and for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. Cellulose, hemicelluloses, and pectins are the main components of plant cell wall polysaccharides. These polysaccharides are often tightly packed, contain many different sugar residues, and are branched with a diversity of structures. To enable efficient degradation of these polysaccharides, fungi produce an extensive set of carbohydrate-active enzymes. The variety of the enzyme set differs between fungi and often corresponds to the requirements of its habitat. Carbohydrate-active enzymes can be organized in different families based on the amino acid sequence of the structurally related catalytic modules. Fungal enzymes involved in plant polysaccharide degradation are assigned to at least 35 glycoside hydrolase families, three carbohydrate esterase families and six polysaccharide lyase families. This mini-review will discuss the enzymes needed for complete degradation of plant polysaccharides and will give an overview of the latest developments concerning fungal carbohydrate-active enzymes and their corresponding families.

Gel mobility shift scanning of pectin-inducible promoter from Penicillium griseoroseum reveals the involvement of a CCAAT element in the expression of a polygalacturonase gene

Previous reports have described pgg2, a polygalacturonase-encoding gene of Penicillium griseoroseum, as an attractive model for transcriptional regulation studies, due to its high expression throughout several in vitro growth conditions, even in the presence of non-inducing sugars such as sucrose. A search for regulatory motifs in the 5' upstream regulatory sequence of pgg2 identified a putative CCAAT box that could justify this expression profile. This element, located 270 bp upstream of the translational start codon, was tested as binding target for regulatory proteins. Analysis of a 170 bp promoter fragment by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) with nuclear extracts prepared from mycelia grown in pectin-containing culture medium revealed a high mobility complex that was subsequently confirmed by analyzing it with a double-stranded oligonucleotide spanning the CCAAT motif. A substitution in the core sequence for GTAGG partially abolished the formation of specific complexes, showing the involvement of the CCAAT box in the regulation of the polygalacturonase gene studied.

Study of the mode of action of a polygalacturonase from the phytopathogen Burkholderia cepacia

We have recently isolated and heterologously expressed BcPeh28A, an endopolygalacturonase from the phytopathogenic Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia cepacia. Endopolygalacturonases belong to glycoside hydrolase family 28 and are responsible for the hydrolysis of the non-esterified regions of pectins. The mode of action of BcPeh28A on different substrates has been investigated and its enzymatic mechanism elucidated. The hydrolysis of polygalacturonate indicates that BcPeh28A is a non-processive enzyme that releases oligomers with chain lengths ranging from two to eight. By inspection of product progression curves, a kinetic model has been generated and extensively tested. It has been used to derive the kinetic parameters that describe the time course of the formation of six predominant products. Moreover, an investigation of the enzymatic activity on shorter substrates that differ in their overall length and methylation patterns sheds light on the architecture of the BcPeh28A active site. Specifically the tolerance of individual sites towards methylated saccharide units was rationalized on the basis of the hydrolysis of hexagalacturonides with different methylation patterns.

Two novel, putatively cell wall-associated and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored alpha-glucanotransferase enzymes of Aspergillus niger

In the genome sequence of Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88, three genes were identified with high similarity to fungal alpha-amylases. The protein sequences derived from these genes were different in two ways from all described fungal alpha-amylases: they were predicted to be glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored, and some highly conserved amino acids of enzymes in the alpha-amylase family were absent. We expressed two of these enzymes in a suitable A. niger strain and characterized the purified proteins. Both enzymes showed transglycosylation activity on donor substrates with alpha-(1,4)-glycosidic bonds and at least five anhydroglucose units. The enzymes, designated AgtA and AgtB, produced new alpha-(1,4)-glycosidic bonds and therefore belong to the group of the 4-alpha-glucanotransferases (EC 2.4.1.25). Their reaction products reached a degree of polymerization of at least 30. Maltose and larger maltooligosaccharides were the most efficient acceptor substrates, although AgtA also used small nigerooligosaccharides containing alpha-(1,3)-glycosidic bonds as acceptor substrate. An agtA knockout of A. niger showed an increased susceptibility towards the cell wall-disrupting compound calcofluor white, indicating a cell wall integrity defect in this strain. Homologues of AgtA and AgtB are present in other fungal species with alpha-glucans in their cell walls, but not in yeast species lacking cell wall alpha-glucan. Possible roles for these enzymes in the synthesis and/or maintenance of the fungal cell wall are discussed.

Biochemical characterization of an extracellular polygalacturonase from Trichoderma harzianum

An extracellular polygalacturonase (PGII) from Trichoderma harzianum was purified to homogeneity by two chromatography steps using DEAE-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-200. The molecular weight of T. harzianum PGII was 31,000 Da by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. PGII had isoelectric point of 4.5 and optimum pH of 5.0. PGII was very stable at the pH 5.0. The extent of hydrolysis of different pectins by enzyme was decreased with increasing of degree of esterification (DE). PGII had very low activity toward non-pectic polysaccharides. The apparent K(m) value and K(cat) value for hydrolyzing polygalacturonic acid (PGA) were 3.4 mg/ml and 592 s(-1), respectively. PGII was found to have temperature optimum at 40 degrees C and was approximately stable up to 30 degrees C for 60 min of incubation. All the examined metal cations showed inhibitory effects on the enzyme activity. A 1,10-phenanthroline, Tween 20, Tween 80, Triton X-100 and SDS had no effect on the enzyme activity. The rate of enzyme catalyzed reduction of viscosity of solutions of PGA or pectin was higher three times than the rate of release of reducing sugars indicating that the enzyme had an endo-action. The storage stability of the enzyme in liquid and powder forms was studied, where the activity of the powder form was stable up to 1 year. These properties of T. harzianum PGII with appreciable activity would be potentially novel source of enzyme for food processing.

The grapevine polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (VvPGIP1) reduces Botrytis cinerea susceptibility in transgenic tobacco and differentially inhibits fungal polygalacturonases

Polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) selectively inhibit polygalacturonases (PGs) secreted by invading plant pathogenic fungi. PGIPs display differential inhibition towards PGs from different fungi, also towards different isoforms of PGs originating from a specific pathogen. Recently, a PGIP-encoding gene from Vitis vinifera (Vvpgip1) was isolated and characterised. PGIP purified from grapevine was shown to inhibit crude polygalacturonase extracts from Botrytis cinerea, but this inhibitory activity has not yet been linked conclusively to the activity of the Vvpgip1 gene product. Here we use a transgenic over-expression approach to show that the PGIP encoded by the Vvpgip1 gene is active against PGs of B. cinerea and that over-expression of this gene in transgenic tobacco confers a reduced susceptibility to infection by this pathogen. A calculated reduction in disease susceptibility of 47-69% was observed for a homogeneous group of transgenic lines that was statistically clearly separated from untransformed control plants following infection with Botrytis over a 15-day-period. VvPGIP1 was subsequently purified from transgenic tobacco and used to study the specific inhibition profile of individual PGs from Botrytis and Aspergillus. The heterologously expressed and purified VvPGIP1 selectively inhibited PGs from both A. niger and B. cinerea, including BcPG1, a PG from B. cinerea that has previously been shown to be essential for virulence and symptom development. Altogether our data confirm the antifungal nature of the VvPGIP1, and the in vitro inhibition data suggest at least in part, that the VvPGIP1 contributed to the observed reduction in disease symptoms by inhibiting the macerating action of certain Botrytis PGs in planta. The ability to correlate inhibition profiles to individual PGs provides a more comprehensive analysis of PGIPs as antifungal genes with biotechnological potential, and adds to our understanding of the importance of PGIP:PG interactions during disease and symptom development in plants.

A new group of exo-acting family 28 glycoside hydrolases of Aspergillus niger that are involved in pectin degradation

The fungus Aspergillus niger is an industrial producer of pectin-degrading enzymes. The recent solving of the genomic sequence of A. niger allowed an inventory of the entire genome of the fungus for potential carbohydrate-degrading enzymes. By applying bioinformatics tools, 12 new genes, putatively encoding family 28 glycoside hydrolases, were identified. Seven of the newly discovered genes form a new gene group, which we show to encode exoacting pectinolytic glycoside hydrolases. This group includes four exo-polygalacturonan hydrolases (PGAX, PGXA, PGXB and PGXC) and three putative exo-rhamnogalacturonan hydrolases (RGXA, RGXB and RGXC). Biochemical identification using polygalacturonic acid and xylogalacturonan as substrates demonstrated that indeed PGXB and PGXC act as exo-polygalacturonases, whereas PGXA acts as an exo-xylogalacturonan hydrolase. The expression levels of all 21 genes were assessed by microarray analysis. The results from the present study demonstrate that exo-acting glycoside hydrolases play a prominent role in pectin degradation.

Comprehensive glycan analysis of recombinant Aspergillus niger endo-polygalacturonase C

The enzyme PGC is produced by the fungus Aspergillus niger during invasion of plant cell walls. The enzyme has been homologously overexpressed to provide sufficient quantities of purified enzyme for biological studies. We have characterized this enzyme in terms of its posttranslational modifications (PTMs) and found it to be both N- and O-glycosylated. The glycosyl moieties have also been characterized. This has involved a combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), liquid chromatography (LC)-ion trap, and LC-electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometries in conjunction with trypsin degradation and beta-elimination, followed by Michael addition with dithiothreitol (BEMAD). This is the first demonstration of the ability of BEMAD to map glycosylation sites other than O-GlcNAc sites. The complete characterization of all PTMs on PGC allows us to model them on the peptide backbone, revealing potential roles played by the glycans in modulating the interaction of the enzyme with other macromolecules.

Necrotizing activity of five Botrytis cinerea endopolygalacturonases produced in Pichia pastoris

Five Botrytis cinerea endopolygalacturonase enzymes (BcPGs) were individually expressed in Pichia pastoris, purified to homogeneity and biochemically characterized. While the pH optima of the five enzymes were similar (approximately pH 4.5) the maximum activity of individual enzymes differed significantly. For hydrolysis of polygalacturonic acid (PGA), the V(max,app) ranged from 10 to 900 U mg(-1), while the K(m,app) ranged from 0.16 to 0.6 mg ml(-1). Although all BcPGs are true endopolygalacturonases, they apparently have different modes of action. PGA hydrolysis by BcPG1, BcPG2 and BcPG4 leads to the transient accumulation of oligomers with DP < 7, whereas PGA hydrolysis by BcPG3 and BcPG6 leads to the immediate accumulation of monomers and dimers. The necrotizing activity (NA) of all BcPGs was tested separately in tomato, broad bean and Arabidopsis thaliana. They showed different NAs on these plants. BcPG1 and BcPG2 possessed the strongest NA as tissue collapse was observed within 10 min after infiltration of broad bean leaves. The amino acid (aa) D192A substitution in the active site of BcPG2 not only abolished enzyme activity but also the NA, indicating that the NA is dependent on enzyme activity. Furthermore, deletion of the Bcpg2 gene in B. cinerea resulted in a strong reduction in virulence on tomato and broad bean. Primary lesion formation was delayed by approximately 24 h and the lesion expansion rate was reduced by 50-85%. These data indicate that BcPG2 is an important virulence factor for B. cinerea.

Polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins can function as activators of polygalacturonase

The interaction between fungal endopolygalacturonases (EPGs) and polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) found in plant cell walls has been well established. The typical EPG/PGIP interaction is characterized by high affinity, reversibility, and a 1:1 stoichiometry that results in lowering the catalytic rate of a particular endopolygalacturonase by up to 99.7%. Various EPG and PGIP isoforms and glycoforms have been isolated and characterized, and combinations of EPGs and PGIPs demonstrate a range of enzyme inhibition. EPG/PGIP interactions have prompted many researchers to suspect the involvement of these proteins in the production of specific signals (oligosaccharins) during plant pathogenesis. We have recently reported on initial studies in our laboratory indicating that, for certain EPG/PGIP combinations, the specific activity of EPG is increased beyond that characteristic of the enzyme alone. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the product of the interaction of native Phaseolus vulgaris PGIP-2 with five EPGs from Aspergillus niger, namely PGI, PGII, PGA, PGB, and PGC in the presence of homogalacturonan. We demonstrate that for PGA and PGC, the interaction with PGIP-2 may result in either inhibition or activation in a manner that is pH dependent. This data suggests the need for a reevaluation of the conventional description applied to PGIPs; suggestions include polygalacturonase-binding protein and polygalacturonase-modulating protein.

The Microbiology of Cocoa Fermentation and its Role in Chocolate Quality

The first stage of chocolate production consists of a natural, seven-day microbial fermentation of the pectinaceous pulp surrounding beans of the tree Theobroma cacao. There is a microbial succession of a wide range of yeasts, lactic-acid, and acetic-acid bacteria during which high temperatures of up to 50 degrees C and microbial products, such as ethanol, lactic acid, and acetic acid, kill the beans and cause production of flavor precursors. Over-fermentation leads to a rise in bacilli and filamentous fungi that can cause off-flavors. The physiological roles of the predominant micro-organisms are now reasonably well understood and the crucial importance of a well-ordered microbial succession in cocoa aroma has been established. It has been possible to use a synthetic microbial cocktail inoculum of just 5 species, including members of the 3 principal groups, to mimic the natural fermentation process and yield good quality chocolate. Reduction of the amount of pectin by physical or mechanical means can also lead to an improved fermentation in reduced time and the juice can be used as a high-value byproduct. To improve the quality of the processed beans, more research is needed on pectinase production by yeasts, better depulping, fermenter design, and the use of starter cultures.

Structural insights into the processivity of endopolygalacturonase I fromAspergillus niger

Endopolygalacturonase I is a processive enzyme, while the 60% sequence identical endopolygalacturonase II is not. The 1.70 A resolution crystal structure of endopolygalacturonase I reveals a narrowed substrate binding cleft. In addition, Arg96, a residue in this cleft previously shown to be critical for processivity, interacts with the substrate mimics glycerol and sulfate in several well-defined conformations in the six molecules in the asymmetric unit. From this we conclude that both Arg96 and the narrowed substrate binding cleft contribute to retaining the substrate while it moves through the active site after a cleavage event has occurred.

Identification of amino acid residues critical for catalysis and stability in Aspergillus niger family 1 pectin lyase A

Site-directed-mutagenesis studies were performed on family 1 pectin lyase A (PL1A) from Aspergillus niger to gain insight into the reaction mechanism for the pectin lyase-catalysed beta-elimination cleavage of methylesterified polygalacturonic acid and to stabilize the enzyme at slightly basic pH. On the basis of the three-dimensional structures of PL1A [Mayans, Scott, Connerton, Gravesen, Benen, Visser, Pickersgill and Jenkins (1997) Structure 5, 677-689] and the modelled enzyme-substrate complex of PL1B [Herron, Benen, Scavetta, Visser and Jurnak (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97, 8762-8769], Asp154, Arg176, Arg236 and Lys239 were mutagenized. Substituting Arg236 with alanine or lysine rendered the enzyme completely inactive, and mutagenesis of Arg176 and Lys239 severely affected catalysis. The Asp154-->Arg and Asp154-->Glu mutant enzymes were only moderately impaired in respect of catalysis. The results strongly indicate that Arg236, which is sandwiched between Arg176 and Lys239, would initiate the reaction upon enzyme-substrate interaction, through the abstraction of the proton at C5 of the galacturonopyranose ring. The positively charged residues Arg176 and Lys239 are responsible for lowering the p K a of Arg236. Arg176 and Lys239 are maintained in a charged state by interacting with Asp154 or bulk solvent respectively. The deprotonation of the Asp186-Asp221 pair was proposed to be responsible for a pH-driven conformational change of PL1A [Mayans, Scott, Connerton, Gravesen, Benen, Visser, Pickersgill and Jenkins (1997) Structure 5, 677-689]. Substitution of Asp186 and Asp221 by Asn186 and Asn221 was expected to stabilize the enzyme. However, the Asp186-->Asn/Asp221-->Asn enzyme appeared less stable than the wild-type enzyme, even at pH 6.0, as evidenced by fluorescence studies. This demonstrates that the pH-dependent conformational change is not driven by deprotonation of the Asp186-Asp221 pair.

Expression profiling of pectinolytic genes from Aspergillus niger

The expression of 26 pectinolytic genes from Aspergillus niger was studied in a wild type strain and a CreA derepressed strain, under 16 different growth conditions, to obtain an expression profile for each gene. These expression profiles were then submitted to cluster analysis to identify subsets of genes with similar expression profiles. With the exception of the feruloyl esterase encoding genes, all genes were expressed in the presence of D-galacturonic acid, polygalacturonate, and/or sugar beet pectin. Despite this general observation five distinct groups of genes were identified. The major group consisted of 12 genes of which the corresponding enzymes act on the pectin backbone and for which the expression, in general, is higher after 8 and 24 h of incubation, than after 2 or 4 h. Two other groups of genes encoding pectin main chain acting enzymes were detected. Two additional groups contained genes encoding L-arabinose and D-galactose releasing enzymes, and ferulic acid releasing enzymes, respectively. The genes encoding beta-galactosidase and the L-arabinose releasing enzymes were not only expressed in the presence of D-galacturonic acid, but also in the presence of L-arabinose, suggesting that they are under the control of two regulatory systems. Similarly, the rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase encoding gene was not only expressed in the presence of D-galacturonic acid, polygalacturonate and sugar beet pectin, but also in the presence of L-rhamnose. The data presented provides indications for a general pectinolytic regulatory system responding to D-galacturonic acid or a metabolite derived from it. In addition, subsets of pectinolytic genes are expressed in response to the presence of L-arabinose, L-rhamnose or ferulic acid.

Characterization and evolutionary analysis of a large polygalacturonase gene family in the oomycete plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi

Polygalacturonases (PGs) are secreted by fungal pathogens during saprophytic and parasitic growth, and their degradation of pectin in the plant cell wall is believed to play a major role in tissue invasion and maceration. In this study, PG activity was demonstrated in culture filtrates of the oomycete plant pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi. A P. cinnamomi pg gene fragment amplified using degenerate primers based on conserved regions in fungal and plant PGs was used to isolate 17 complete P. cinnamomi pg genes and pseudogenes from a genomic library and partial sequence for another two genes. Gel blotting of genomic DNA indicated that there may be even more pg genes in the P. cinnamomi genome. P. cinnamomi pg gene sequences were expressed in PG-deficient yeast and found to confer PG activity, thereby confirming their functional identity. The predicted mature P. cinnamomi PGs fall into subgroups that exhibit large differences in the extent of N-glycosylation, isoelectric points, and N- and C-terminal structure. Evidence for birth-and-death and reticulate evolution in the P. cinnamomi pg gene family was obtained, and some codons for surface exposed residues in the P. cinnamomi PGs were shown to have been subject to diversifying selection. Contrary to accepted phylogenies for other proteins, phylogenetic analysis of the P. cinnamomi PGs revealed a closer relationship with PGs from true fungi than with those from plants.

Endopolygalacturonase is encoded by a multigene family in the basidiomycete Chondrostereum purpureum

The basidiomycete Chondrostereum purpureum produces several plant cell wall-degrading enzymes, including endopolygalacturonase (endoPG). Degenerate oligonucleotide primers were designed according to conserved regions of endoPG genes from various fungi, plants, and bacteria and used to amplify members of this gene family from C. purpureum. Four different amplification products showed significant similarity to known endoPGs and were used as hybridization probes to screen a library of genomic DNA sequences and to retrieve five full-length endoPG genes (epgA, epgB1, epgB2, epgC, and epgD). The identities between the deduced polypeptides for epgA, epgB1, epgC, and epgD ranged from 61.8 to 80.0%, while the deduced polypeptides for epgB1 and epgB2 shared 97.1% identity. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the duplication of existing endoPG genes occurred after the divergence of the ascomycetes and basidiomycetes. C. purpureum is the first basidiomycete fungus for which the endoPG gene family has been described.

Studies on the glycosylation of wild-type and mutant forms of Aspergillus niger pectin methylesterase

Pectin methylesterase (PME) is one of a number of enzymes released by the fungus Aspergillus niger that are involved in the degradation of specific plant cell-wall structures. PME is a glycoprotein with three potential sites for N-linked glycosylation. The glycosylation may affect the hydrolytic activity or the substrate specificity of PME. In this work, we investigate first the structures and the attachment sites of the glycans present on recombinant wild-type PME. Further, a series of PME mutants was created in which the three potential N-linked glycosylation sites were eliminated in all possible combinations. The glycosylation of the mutants and their activities were then studied. Mass spectrometric techniques tailored for carbohydrate analysis were applied to both characterize the glycan structures and to determine the specific sites of attachment. High mannose structures with variable numbers of mannose were found on the wild-type, as well as the mutant forms. Studies using the mutants suggest that glycosylation does not strongly influence the activity. Whether it may affect the substrate specify of the enzyme is unknown, and that aspect will be explored in future work.

Aspergillus enzymes involved in degradation of plant cell wall polysaccharides

Degradation of plant cell wall polysaccharides is of major importance in the food and feed, beverage, textile, and paper and pulp industries, as well as in several other industrial production processes. Enzymatic degradation of these polymers has received attention for many years and is becoming a more and more attractive alternative to chemical and mechanical processes. Over the past 15 years, much progress has been made in elucidating the structural characteristics of these polysaccharides and in characterizing the enzymes involved in their degradation and the genes of biotechnologically relevant microorganisms encoding these enzymes. The members of the fungal genus Aspergillus are commonly used for the production of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. This genus produces a wide spectrum of cell wall-degrading enzymes, allowing not only complete degradation of the polysaccharides but also tailored modifications by using specific enzymes purified from these fungi. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the cell wall polysaccharide-degrading enzymes from aspergilli and the genes by which they are encoded.

Changing a single amino acid residue switches processive and non-processive behavior of Aspergillus niger endopolygalacturonase I and II

Processivity, also known as multiple attack on a single chain, is a feature commonly encountered only in enzymes in which the substrate binds in a tunnel. However, of the seven Aspergillus niger endopolygalacturonases, which have an open substrate binding cleft, four enzymes show processive behavior, whereas the other endopolygalacturonases are randomly acting enzymes. In a previous study (Benen, J.A.E., Kester, H.C.M., and Visser, J. (1999) Eur. J. Biochem. 259, 577-585) we proposed that the high affinity for the substrate of subsite -5 of processive endopolygalacturonase I constitutes the origin of the multiple attack behavior. Based on primary sequence alignments of A. niger endopolygalacturonases and three-dimensional structure analysis of endopolygalacturonase II, an arginine residue was identified in the processive enzymes at a position commensurate with subsite -5, whereas a serine residue was present at this position in the non-processive enzymes. In endopolygalacturonase I mutation R95S was introduced, and in endopolygalacturonase II mutation S91R was introduced. Product progression analysis on polymer substrate and bond cleavage frequency studies using oligogalacturonides of defined chain length for the mutant enzymes revealed that processive/non-processive behavior is indeed interchangeable by one single amino acid substitution at subsite -5, Arg-->Ser or Ser-->Arg.

Botrytis cinerea endopolygalacturonase genes are differentially expressed in various plant tissues

Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of blight, rot, and gray mold on many plant species, secretes various endopolygalacturonases during all stages of infection. The expression pattern of the encoding genes (Bcpg 1-6) was studied on four hosts: tomato, broad bean, apple, and courgette (also known as zucchini). All gene family members are differentially expressed, depending on the stage of infection and the host. Bcpg1 is expressed in all tissues tested although differences in transcript levels occur. Bcpg2 expression is detected early in the infection of three of four plant tissues tested. Bcpg3 and Bcpg5 are expressed in apple fruit tissue, although probably as a result of different regulatory mechanisms. The expression patterns of Bcpg4 and 6 are in agreement with their inducibility by monogalacturonic acid. The pattern of Bcpg gene expression indicates that B. cinerea is equipped with a flexible enzymatic pectate degradation machinery. The studies pinpoint new targets for gene disruption studies.

Characterization of Aspergillus niger pectate lyase A

The Aspergillus niger plyA gene encoding pectate lyase A (EC 4.2.99. 3) was cloned from a chromosomal lambda(EMBL4) library using the Aspergillus nidulans pectate lyase encoding gene [Dean, R. A., and Timberlake, W. E. (1989) Plant Cell 1, 275-284] as a probe. The plyA gene was overexpressed using a promoter fusion with the A. niger pyruvate kinase promoter. Purification of the recombinant pectate lyase A resulted in the identification of two enzyme forms of which one appeared to be N-glycosylated and the other appeared to be free of N-glycosylation. The two enzyme forms showed identical specific activities. The N-glycosylation free pectate lyase A was further characterized with respect to product formation on polygalacturonic acid (alpha-1,4 linked D-galacturonic acid) and mode of action on oligogalacturonides of degree of polymerization 2-8. The bond cleavage frequencies for tetra-, penta-, and hexagalacturonides were studied as a function of [CaCl(2)]. The bond cleavage frequencies changed in a [CaCl(2)]-dependent way for penta- and hexagalacturonide. Kinetic studies using tetra- and hexagalacturonide revealed a strong sigmoidal [CaCl(2)]-dependent relation. The role of Ca(2+) ions in substrate binding is discussed.