Transglycosylation Catalyzed by Almond β-glucosidase and ClonedPichia etchellsiiβ-glucosidase II using Glycosylasparagine Mimetics as Novel Acceptors

Cloning, sequence analysis, and characterization of a novel beta-glucosidase-like activity from Pichia etchellsii

Genomic DNA fragment encoding a novel beta-glucosidase-like activity of the yeast Pichia etchellsii was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. An open-reading frame of 1515bp, termed mugA, coding for a protein of predicted molecular mass of approximately 54kDa was confirmed for this activity. The sequence of the deduced protein did not show homology with the generic beta-glucosidases but a high degree of identity was seen with several Ser-Asp (SD)-rich cell-surface-associated proteins. The secondary structure prediction program 3D-PSSM indicated the protein to be composed of largely helical and coiled structures, which was confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The encoded protein, MUGA, was purified by about 53-fold and characterized as a monomer of 52.1kDa by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF. The protein displayed high hydrolytic activity on methylumbelliferyl beta-d-glucoside but relatively very little hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl beta-d-glucoside and gentiobiose, characteristic substrates for beta-glucosidases. The binding experiments performed between P. etchellsii cells and the purified E. coli expressed MUGA indicated binding with the cell surface, which was monitored by fluorescence microscopy. In competition experiments with the SD dipeptide, less protein was shown to bind to the cell surface, in a concentration-dependent manner.

Purification and characterization of recombinant Escherichia coli-expressed Pichia etchellsii ?-glucosidase II with high hydrolytic activity on sophorose

Beta-glucosidase II (Bgl II), encoded by the betaglu2 gene of the thermo-tolerant yeast Pichia etchellsii, was purified from recombinant Escherichia coli pBG22:JM109. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 176 kDa and was a dimer with an apparent subunit mass of 83 kDa. It exhibited broad substrate specificity and hydrolyzed beta-linked gluco-disaccharides and oligosaccharides, salicin, and cyanogenic glucoside amygladin. The unusually high hydrolytic activity of 7,680 units min(-1) g(-1) protein was obtained on sophorose. Competition experiments performed using differently linked beta-disaccharides indicated these to be hydrolyzed at the same active site. Transglycosylation activity leading to the biosynthesis of several disaccharides and oligosaccharides was observed. The enzyme was placed in glycosyl hydrolase family 3, based on a statistical approach using amino acid composition data. The involvement of His as a catalytically important residue was confirmed by diethylpyrocarbonate modification. Pre-incubation of the purified enzyme with 5 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside offered 2.5-fold higher residual activity compared with unbound enzyme, indicating protection at the active site. The feasibility of this enzyme as a biocatalyst of choice for the synthesis of glyco-conjugates is discussed.