Characterization of CenC, an enzyme from Cellulomonas fimi with both endo- and exoglucanase activities

Discovery of two bifunctional/multifunctional cellulases by functional metagenomics

Cellulases are widely used in industry, and the usage in bioconversion of biofuels makes cellulases more valuable. In this study, two tandem genes that encoded cellulases ZF994-1 and ZF994-2, respectively, were identified on a cosmid from a soil metagenomic library. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that ZF994-1 and ZF994-2 belonged to glycoside hydrolase family 12 (GH12), and GH3, respectively. Based on the substrate specificity analysis, the recombinant ZF994-1 exhibited weak endoglucanase activity, moderate β-1,3-glucanase and β-1,4-mannanase activities, and strong β-glucosidase activity, while the recombinant ZF994-2 exhibited moderate endoglucanase activity and strong β-glucosidase activity. More than 45% β-glucosidase activity of the recombinant ZF994-1 retained in the buffer containing 3 M glucose, indicating the good tolerance against glucose. The recombinant ZF994-2 showed high activity in the presence of metal ions and organic reagents, exhibiting potential industrial applications.

Four cellulose-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases from Cellulomonas species

BACKGROUND

The discovery of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) has fundamentally changed our understanding of microbial lignocellulose degradation. Cellulomonas bacteria have a rich history of study due to their ability to degrade recalcitrant cellulose, yet little is known about the predicted LPMOs that they encode from Auxiliary Activity Family 10 (AA10).

RESULTS

Here, we present the comprehensive biochemical characterization of three AA10 LPMOs from Cellulomonas flavigena (CflaLPMO10A, CflaLPMO10B, and CflaLPMO10C) and one LPMO from Cellulomonas fimi (CfiLPMO10). We demonstrate that these four enzymes oxidize insoluble cellulose with C1 regioselectivity and show a preference for substrates with high surface area. In addition, CflaLPMO10B, CflaLPMO10C, and CfiLPMO10 exhibit limited capacity to perform mixed C1/C4 regioselective oxidative cleavage. Thermostability analysis indicates that these LPMOs can refold spontaneously following denaturation dependent on the presence of copper coordination. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed substrate-specific surface and structural morphological changes following LPMO action on Avicel and phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose (PASC). Further, we demonstrate that the LPMOs encoded by Cellulomonas flavigena exhibit synergy in cellulose degradation, which is due in part to decreased autoinactivation.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, these results advance understanding of the cellulose utilization machinery of historically important Cellulomonas species beyond hydrolytic enzymes to include lytic cleavage. This work also contributes to the broader mapping of enzyme activity in Auxiliary Activity Family 10 and provides new biocatalysts for potential applications in biomass modification.

Enhancing cellulosic ethanol production through coevolution of multiple enzymatic characteristics of β-glucosidase from Penicillium oxalicum 16

In previous studies, we isolated a novel β-glucosidase from Penicillium oxalicum 16 (16BGL), which is useful for producing cellulosic ethanol. However, 16BGL has a relatively low enzyme activity and product tolerance; besides, a huge gap exists between the optimum temperature of 16BGL (70 °C) and the fermentation temperature for producing cellulosic ethanol (40 °C). Here, we present a directed evolution-based study, which combines one-round error-prone PCR with three rounds of high-throughput screening, for coevolving multiple enzymatic characteristics of 16BGL. We identified an improved variant Y-1-B1 with a triple mutant (G414S/D421V/T441S). Y-1-B1 had an optimum temperature of 50 °C, much closer to the fermentation temperature. The catalytic efficiency of Y-1-B1 for hydrolyzing pNPG was 1355 mM^-1 s^-1 at 50 °C and pH 5, significantly higher than that of 16BGL (807 mM^-1 s^-1). Y-1-B1 also achieved a slightly reduced strength of product inhibition of 1.1 at a glucose concentration of 20 mM, compared with the ratio of 1.3 for 16BGL. A maximum titer of 6.9 g/L for ethanol production was achieved in the reaction with Y-1-B1, which was 22% higher than that achieved with 16BGL. Structure modeling revealed that the mutations are distant from the active-site pocket. Therefore, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand why these mutations can improve catalytic efficiency. MD simulation revealed that the nucleophilic residue Asp261 had a much closer contact with the glucosidic center of pNPG in the simulation with Y-1-B1 than that with 16BGL, suggesting that the mutant is more favorable for catalysis. KEY POINTS: • Multiple enzymatic properties of Penicillium oxalicum 16 BGL were coevolved. • A catalytically efficient triple mutant G414S/D421V/T441S was reported. • Molecular dynamics simulation supported the enhanced catalytic activity.

Novel Insights from Comparative In Silico Analysis of Green Microalgal Cellulases

The assumption that cellulose degradation and assimilation can only be carried out by heterotrophic organisms was shattered in 2012 when it was discovered that the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Cr), can utilize cellulose for growth under CO₂-limiting conditions. Publications of genomes/transcriptomes of the colonial microalgae, Gonium pectorale (Gp) and Volvox carteri (Vc), between 2010⁻2016 prompted us to look for cellulase genes in these algae and to compare them to cellulases from bacteria, fungi, lower/higher plants, and invertebrate metazoans. Interestingly, algal catalytic domains (CDs), belonging to the family GH9, clustered separately and showed the highest (33⁻42%) and lowest (17⁻36%) sequence identity with respect to cellulases from invertebrate metazoans and bacteria, respectively, whereas the identity with cellulases from plants was only 27⁻33%. Based on comparative multiple alignments and homology models, the domain arrangement and active-site architecture of algal cellulases are described in detail. It was found that all algal cellulases are modular, consisting of putative novel cysteine-rich carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) and proline/serine-(PS) rich linkers. Two genes were found to encode a protein with a putative Ig-like domain and a cellulase with an unknown domain, respectively. A feature observed in one cellulase homolog from Gp and shared by a spinach cellulase is the existence of two CDs separated by linkers and with a C-terminal CBM. Dockerin and Fn-3-like domains, typically found in bacterial cellulases, are absent in algal enzymes. The targeted gene expression analysis shows that two Gp cellulases consisting, respectively, of a single and two CDs were upregulated upon filter paper addition to the medium.

Saccharification of cellulose by recombinant Rhodococcus opacus PD630 strains

The noncellulolytic actinomycete Rhodococcus opacus strain PD630 is the model oleaginous prokaryote with regard to the accumulation and biosynthesis of lipids, which serve as carbon and energy storage compounds and can account for as much as 87% of the dry mass of the cell in this strain. In order to establish cellulose degradation in R. opacus PD630, we engineered strains that episomally expressed six different cellulase genes from Cellulomonas fimi ATCC 484 (cenABC, cex, cbhA) and Thermobifida fusca DSM43792 (cel6A), thereby enabling R. opacus PD630 to degrade cellulosic substrates to cellobiose. Of all the enzymes tested, five exhibited a cellulase activity toward carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and/or microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as high as 0.313 ± 0.01 U · ml(-1), but recombinant strains also hydrolyzed cotton, birch cellulose, copy paper, and wheat straw. Cocultivations of recombinant strains expressing different cellulase genes with MCC as the substrate were carried out to identify an appropriate set of cellulases for efficient hydrolysis of cellulose by R. opacus. Based on these experiments, the multicellulase gene expression plasmid pCellulose was constructed, which enabled R. opacus PD630 to hydrolyze as much as 9.3% ± 0.6% (wt/vol) of the cellulose provided. For the direct production of lipids from birch cellulose, a two-step cocultivation experiment was carried out. In the first step, 20% (wt/vol) of the substrate was hydrolyzed by recombinant strains expressing the whole set of cellulase genes. The second step was performed by a recombinant cellobiose-utilizing strain of R. opacus PD630, which accumulated 15.1% (wt/wt) fatty acids from the cellobiose formed in the first step.

Insights into exo- and endoglucanase activities of family 6 glycoside hydrolases from Podospora anserina

The ascomycete Podospora anserina is a coprophilous fungus that grows at late stages on droppings of herbivores. Its genome encodes a large diversity of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Among them, four genes encode glycoside hydrolases from family 6 (GH6), the members of which comprise putative endoglucanases and exoglucanases, some of them exerting important functions for biomass degradation in fungi. Therefore, this family was selected for functional analysis. Three of the enzymes, P. anserina Cel6A (PaCel6A), PaCel6B, and PaCel6C, were functionally expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris. All three GH6 enzymes hydrolyzed crystalline and amorphous cellulose but were inactive on hydroxyethyl cellulose, mannan, galactomannan, xyloglucan, arabinoxylan, arabinan, xylan, and pectin. PaCel6A had a catalytic efficiency on cellotetraose comparable to that of Trichoderma reesei Cel6A (TrCel6A), but PaCel6B and PaCel6C were clearly less efficient. PaCel6A was the enzyme with the highest stability at 45°C, while PaCel6C was the least stable enzyme, losing more than 50% of its activity after incubation at temperatures above 30°C for 24 h. In contrast to TrCel6A, all three studied P. anserina GH6 cellulases were stable over a wide range of pHs and conserved high activity at pH values of up to 9. Each enzyme displayed a distinct substrate and product profile, highlighting different modes of action, with PaCel6A being the enzyme most similar to TrCel6A. PaCel6B was the only enzyme with higher specific activity on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) than on Avicel and showed lower processivity than the others. Structural modeling predicts an open catalytic cleft, suggesting that PaCel6B is an endoglucanase.

The genome sequences of Cellulomonas fimi and "Cellvibrio gilvus" reveal the cellulolytic strategies of two facultative anaerobes, transfer of "Cellvibrio gilvus" to the genus Cellulomonas, and proposal of Cellulomonas gilvus sp. nov

Actinobacteria in the genus Cellulomonas are the only known and reported cellulolytic facultative anaerobes. To better understand the cellulolytic strategy employed by these bacteria, we sequenced the genome of the Cellulomonas fimi ATCC 484(T). For comparative purposes, we also sequenced the genome of the aerobic cellulolytic "Cellvibrio gilvus" ATCC 13127(T). An initial analysis of these genomes using phylogenetic and whole-genome comparison revealed that "Cellvibrio gilvus" belongs to the genus Cellulomonas. We thus propose to assign "Cellvibrio gilvus" to the genus Cellulomonas. A comparative genomics analysis between these two Cellulomonas genome sequences and the recently completed genome for Cellulomonas flavigena ATCC 482(T) showed that these cellulomonads do not encode cellulosomes but appear to degrade cellulose by secreting multi-domain glycoside hydrolases. Despite the minimal number of carbohydrate-active enzymes encoded by these genomes, as compared to other known cellulolytic organisms, these bacteria were found to be proficient at degrading and utilizing a diverse set of carbohydrates, including crystalline cellulose. Moreover, they also encode for proteins required for the fermentation of hexose and xylose sugars into products such as ethanol. Finally, we found relatively few significant differences between the predicted carbohydrate-active enzymes encoded by these Cellulomonas genomes, in contrast to previous studies reporting differences in physiological approaches for carbohydrate degradation. Our sequencing and analysis of these genomes sheds light onto the mechanism through which these facultative anaerobes degrade cellulose, suggesting that the sequenced cellulomonads use secreted, multidomain enzymes to degrade cellulose in a way that is distinct from known anaerobic cellulolytic strategies.

Proteomic and functional analysis of the cellulase system expressed by Postia placenta during brown rot of solid wood

Brown rot basidiomycetes have an important ecological role in lignocellulose recycling and are notable for their rapid degradation of wood polymers via oxidative and hydrolytic mechanisms. However, most of these fungi apparently lack processive (exo-acting) cellulases, such as cellobiohydrolases, which are generally required for efficient cellulolysis. The recent sequencing of the Postia placenta genome now permits a proteomic approach to this longstanding conundrum. We grew P. placenta on solid aspen wood, extracted proteins from the biodegrading substrate, and analyzed tryptic digests by shotgun liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Comparison of the data with the predicted P. placenta proteome revealed the presence of 34 likely glycoside hydrolases, but only four of these--two in glycoside hydrolase family 5, one in family 10, and one in family 12--have sequences that suggested possible activity on cellulose. We expressed these enzymes heterologously and determined that they all exhibited endoglucanase activity on phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose. They also slowly hydrolyzed filter paper, a more crystalline substrate, but the soluble/insoluble reducing sugar ratios they produced classify them as nonprocessive. Computer simulations indicated that these enzymes produced soluble/insoluble ratios on reduced phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose that were higher than expected for random hydrolysis, which suggests that they could possess limited exo activity, but they are at best 10-fold less processive than cellobiohydrolases. It appears likely that P. placenta employs a combination of oxidative mechanisms and endo-acting cellulases to degrade cellulose efficiently in the absence of a significant processive component.

Characterization of a cellobiohydrolase (MoCel6A) produced by Magnaporthe oryzae

Three GH-6 family cellobiohydrolases are expected in the genome of Magnaporthe grisea based on the complete genome sequence. Here, we demonstrate the properties, kinetics, and substrate specificities of a Magnaporthe oryzae GH-6 family cellobiohydrolase (MoCel6A). In addition, the effect of cellobiose on MoCel6A activity was also investigated. MoCel6A contiguously fused to a histidine tag was overexpressed in M. oryzae and purified by affinity chromatography. MoCel6A showed higher hydrolytic activities on phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose (PSC), β-glucan, and cellooligosaccharide derivatives than on cellulose, of which the best substrates were cellooligosaccharides. A tandemly aligned cellulose binding domain (CBD) at the N terminus caused increased activity on cellulose and PSC, whereas deletion of the CBD (catalytic domain only) showed decreased activity on cellulose. MoCel6A hydrolysis of cellooligosaccharides and sulforhodamine-conjugated cellooligosaccharides was not inhibited by exogenously adding cellobiose up to 438 mM, which, rather, enhanced activity, whereas a GH-7 family cellobiohydrolase from M. oryzae (MoCel7A) was severely inhibited by more than 29 mM cellobiose. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of cellobiose on hydrolytic activities using MoCel6A and Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase (TrCel6A), which were prepared in Aspergillus oryzae. MoCel6A showed increased hydrolysis of cellopentaose used as a substrate in the presence of 292 mM cellobiose at pH 4.5 and pH 6.0, and enhanced activity disappeared at pH 9.0. In contrast, TrCel6A exhibited slightly increased hydrolysis at pH 4.5, and hydrolysis was severely inhibited at pH 9.0. These results suggest that enhancement or inhibition of hydrolytic activities by cellobiose is dependent on the reaction mixture pH.

Production and characterization of cellobiohydrolase from a novel strain of Penicillium purpurogenum KJS506

A high cellobiohydrolase (CBH)-producing strain was isolated and identified as Penicillium purpurogenum KJS506 according to the morphology and comparison of internal transcribed spacer rDNA gene sequence. When rice straw and corn steep powder were used as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, a maximum CBH activity of 2.6 U mg-protein(-1), one of the highest among CBH-producing microorganisms, was obtained. The optimum temperature and pH for CBH production were 30 °C and 4.0, respectively. The increased production of CBH in P. purpurogenum culture at 30 °C was confirmed by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by MS/MS sequencing of the partial peptide. The internal amino acid sequences of P. purpurogenum CBH showed a significant homology with hydrolases from glycoside hydrolase family 7. The extracellular CBH was purified to homogeneity by sequential chromatography of P. purpurogenum culture supernatants on a DEAE-sepharose column, a gel filtration column, and then on a Mono Q column with fast-protein liquid chromatography. The purified CBH was a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 60 kDa and showed broad substrate specificity with maximum activity towards p-nitrophenyl β-D: -cellobiopyranoside. P. purpurogenum CBH showed t (1/2) value of 4 h at 60 °C and V (max) value of 11.9 μmol min(-1) mg-protein(-1) for p-nitrophenyl-D: -cellobiopyranoside. Although CBHs have been reported, the high specific activity distinguishes P. purpurogenum CBH.

Three microbial strategies for plant cell wall degradation

Cellulolytic bacteria and fungi have been shown to use two different approaches to degrade cellulose. Most aerobic microbes secrete sets of individual cellulases, many of which contain a carbohydrate binding molecule (CBM), which act synergistically on native cellulose. Most anaerobic microorganisms produce large multienzyme complexes called cellulosomes, which are usually attached to the outer surface of the microorganism. Most of the cellulosomal enzymes lack a CBM, but the cohesin subunit, to which they are bound, does contain a CBM. The cellulases present in each class show considerable overlap in their catalytic domains, and processive cellulases (exocellulases and processive endocellulases) are the most abundant components of both the sets of free enzymes and of the cellulosomal cellulases. Analysis of the genomic sequences of two cellulolytic bacteria, Cytophaga hutchinsonii, an aerobe, and Fibrobacter succinogenes, an anaerobe, suggest that these organisms must use a third mechanism. This is because neither of these organisms, encodes processive cellulases and most of their many endocellulase genes do not encode CBMs. Furthermore, neither organism appears to encode the dockerin and cohesin domains that are key components of cellulosomes.

Cellulases of mesophilic microorganisms: cellulosome and noncellulosome producers

The cellulolytic activity of mesophilic bacteria and fungi is described, with special emphasis on the large extracellular enzyme complex called the cellulosome. The cellulosome is composed of a scaffolding protein, which is attached to various cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes, and this complex allows the organisms to degrade plant cell walls very efficently. The enzymes include a variety of cellulases, hemicellulases, and pectinases that work synergistically to degrade complex cell-wall molecules.

Enhancing In Vitro Degradation of Alfalfa Hay and Corn Silage Using Feed Enzymes

A series of in vitro fermentation experiments was performed to assess the effects of 4 feed enzyme products (FE) that varied in enzymatic activities on the degradation of alfalfa hay and corn silage. The FE contained a range of endoglucanase, exoglucanase, xylanase, and protease activities, and a range of dose rates (DR) was used. The objective of the study was to identify effective formulations and optimum DR, and to establish if combining FE would further improve fiber degradation. For alfalfa hay, quadratic increases in gas production and degradation of dry matter (DM) and fiber were observed for all FE, with maximum responses at low to medium DR. For corn silage, none of the FE increased gas production or DM degradation, but all FE increased NDF degradation, with optimum DR in the low to medium range. The proteolytic enzyme papain improved fiber degradation of alfalfa hay and corn silage in a manner similar to that observed for polysaccharidase FE. Among the polysaccharidase FE, added activities of endoglucanase and exoglucanase were positively correlated with improvement in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability of corn silage, whereas only added endoglucanase activity tended to be correlated with improvement in NDF degradability of alfalfa hay. Combining effective polysaccharidase FE further improved fiber degradation of both forages, with greater improvements for corn silage. Combining polysaccharidase and proteolytic FE further improved NDF degradation of corn silage, but not alfalfa hay. Combination treatments generally resulted in additive effects with increases in fiber degradation equal to the sum of the improvements for the individual enzyme components. Improved fiber degradation of corn silage was associated with decreased acetate to propionate ratios. Enzyme products that improve in vitro degradation of forages may have the potential to improve lactational performance of dairy cows.

Characterization of a beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase and a beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase/beta-glucosidase from Cellulomonas fimi

The gram-positive soil bacterium Cellulomonas fimi is shown to produce at least two intracellular beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases, a family 20 beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex20), and a novel family 3-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase/beta-glucosidase (Nag3), through screening of a genomic expression library, cloning of genes and analysis of their sequences. Nag3 exhibits broad substrate specificity for substituents at the C2 position of the glycone: kcat/Km values at 25 degrees C were 0.066 s(-1) x mM(-1) and 0.076 s(-1) x mM(-1) for 4'-nitrophenyl beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminide and 4'-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside, respectively. The first glycosidase with this broad specificity to be described, Nag3, suggests an interesting evolutionary link between beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases and beta-glucosidases of family 3. Reaction by a double-displacement mechanism was confirmed for Nag3 through the identification of a glycosyl-enzyme species trapped with the slow substrate 2',4'-dinitrophenyl 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Hex20 requires the acetamido group at C2 of the substrate, being unable to cleave beta-glucosides, since its mechanism involves an oxazolinium ion intermediate. However, it is broad in its specificity for the D-glucosyl/D-galactosyl configuration of the glycone: Km and kcat values were 53 microM and 482.3 s(-1) for 4'-nitrophenyl beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminide and 66 microM and 129.1 s(-1) for 4'-nitrophenyl beta-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminide.

Outlook for cellulase improvement: screening and selection strategies

Cellulose is the most abundant renewable natural biological resource, and the production of biobased products and bioenergy from less costly renewable lignocellulosic materials is important for the sustainable development of human beings. A reduction in cellulase production cost, an improvement in cellulase performance, and an increase in sugar yields are all vital to reduce the processing costs of biorefineries. Improvements in specific cellulase activities for non-complexed cellulase mixtures can be implemented through cellulase engineering based on rational design or directed evolution for each cellulase component enzyme, as well as on the reconstitution of cellulase components. Here, we review quantitative cellulase activity assays using soluble and insoluble substrates, and focus on their advantages and limitations. Because there are no clear relationships between cellulase activities on soluble substrates and those on insoluble substrates, soluble substrates should not be used to screen or select improved cellulases for processing relevant solid substrates, such as plant cell walls. Cellulase improvement strategies based on directed evolution using screening on soluble substrates have been only moderately successful, and have primarily targeted improvement in thermal tolerance. Heterogeneity of insoluble cellulose, unclear dynamic interactions between insoluble substrate and cellulase components, and the complex competitive and/or synergic relationship among cellulase components limit rational design and/or strategies, depending on activity screening approaches. Herein, we hypothesize that continuous culture using insoluble cellulosic substrates could be a powerful selection tool for enriching beneficial cellulase mutants from the large library displayed on the cell surface.

Processive endoglucanase active in crystalline cellulose hydrolysis by the brown rot basidiomycete Gloeophyllum trabeum

Brown rot basidiomycetes have long been thought to lack the processive cellulases that release soluble sugars from crystalline cellulose. On the other hand, these fungi remove all of the cellulose, both crystalline and amorphous, from wood when they degrade it. To resolve this discrepancy, we grew Gloeophyllum trabeum on microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) and purified the major glycosylhydrolases it produced. The most abundant extracellular enzymes in these cultures were a 42-kDa endoglucanase (Cel5A), a 39-kDa xylanase (Xyn10A), and a 28-kDa endoglucanase (Cel12A). Cel5A had significant Avicelase activity--4.5 nmol glucose equivalents released/min/mg protein. It is a processive endoglucanase, because it hydrolyzed Avicel to cellobiose as the major product while introducing only a small proportion of reducing sugars into the remaining, insoluble substrate. Therefore, since G. trabeum is already known to produce a beta-glucosidase, it is now clear that this brown rot fungus produces enzymes capable of yielding assimilable glucose from crystalline cellulose.

Structural basis for the exocellulase activity of the cellobiohydrolase CbhA from Clostridium thermocellum

Numerous bacterial and fungal organisms have evolved elaborate sets of modular glycoside hydrolases and similar enzymes aimed at the degradation of polymeric carbohydrates. Presently, on the basis of sequence similarity catalytic modules of these enzymes have been classified into 90 families. Representatives of a particular family display similar fold and catalytic mechanisms. However, within families distinctions occur with regard to enzymatic properties and type of activity against carbohydrate chains. Cellobiohydrolase CbhA from Clostridium thermocellum is a large seven-modular enzyme with a catalytic module belonging to family 9. In contrast to other representatives of that family possessing only endo- and, in few cases, endo/exo-cellulase activities, CbhA is exclusively an exocellulase. The crystal structures of the combination of the immunoglobulin-like module and the catalytic module of CbhA (Ig-GH9_CbhA) and that of an inactive mutant Ig-GH9_CbhA(E795Q) in complex with cellotetraose (CTT) are reported here. The detailed analysis of these structures reveals that, while key catalytic residues and overall fold are conserved in this enzyme and those of other family 9 glycoside hydrolases, the active site of GH9_CbhA is blocked off after the -2 subsite. This feature which is created by an extension and altered conformation of a single loop region explains the inability of the active site of CbhA to accommodate a long cellulose chain and to cut it internally. This altered loop region is responsible for the exocellulolytic activity of the enzyme.

Ruminococcus albus 8 mutants defective in cellulose degradation are deficient in two processive endocellulases, Cel48A and Cel9B, both of which possess a novel modular architecture

The cellulolytic bacterium Ruminococcus albus 8 adheres tightly to cellulose, but the molecular biology underpinning this process is not well characterized. Subtractive enrichment procedures were used to isolate mutants of R. albus 8 that are defective in adhesion to cellulose. Adhesion of the mutant strains was reduced 50% compared to that observed with the wild-type strain, and cellulose solubilization was also shown to be slower in these mutant strains, suggesting that bacterial adhesion and cellulose solubilization are inextricably linked. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that all three mutants studied were impaired in the production of two high-molecular-mass, cell-bound polypeptides when they were cultured with either cellobiose or cellulose. The identities of these proteins were determined by a combination of mass spectrometry methods and genome sequence data for R. albus 8. One of the polypeptides is a family 9 glycoside hydrolase (Cel9B), and the other is a family 48 glycoside hydrolase (Cel48A). Both Cel9B and Cel48A possess a modular architecture, Cel9B possesses features characteristic of the B(2) (or theme D) group of family 9 glycoside hydrolases, and Cel48A is structurally similar to the processive endocellulases CelF and CelS from Clostridium cellulolyticum and Clostridium thermocellum, respectively. Both Cel9B and Cel48A could be recovered by cellulose affinity procedures, but neither Cel9B nor Cel48A contains a dockerin, suggesting that these polypeptides are retained on the bacterial cell surface, and recovery by cellulose affinity procedures did not involve a clostridium-like cellulosome complex. Instead, both proteins possess a single copy of a novel X module with an unknown function at the C terminus. Such X modules are also present in several other R. albus glycoside hydrolases and are phylogentically distinct from the fibronectin III-like and X modules identified so far in other cellulolytic bacteria.

Genome-based identification of a carbohydrate binding module in Streptococcus pneumoniae hyaluronate lyase

Hyaluronate lyase enzymes degrade hyaluronan, the main polysaccharide component of the connective tissues of higher animals, thereby destroying the normal connective tissue structure and exposing the host tissue cells to various endo- and exogenous factors, including bacterial toxins. The 3D crystal structures of functionally active but truncated Streptococcus pneumoniae and S. agalactiae hyaluronate lyases, along with their substrate and product complexes, have been determined. The enzymes are multidomain proteins with helical barrel-like catalytic domains and two types of beta-sheet domains. Here, through genome-based bioinformatics studies we identify an additional beta-sheet domain present in the most N-terminal part of streptococcal hyaluronate lyases. Fold recognition and modeling studies show that the domain is structurally similar to carbohydrate binding modules and is therefore likely to be directly involved in hyaluronan binding. Likely carbohydrate binding residues were identified and electrostatic complementarity of the hyaluronate lyase domain with hyaluronan demonstrated. The newly identified presumed hyaluronan binding domain likely improves catalytic efficiency by colocalizing the enzyme and its substrate. Other possible functions are discussed. Two contacting aromatic residues are conserved in the hydrophobic core of the hyaluronate lyase domain and in many, perhaps all, families in the superfamily in which they may be placed. This observation may help the identification and classification of other carbohydrate binding modules.

Characterization of a cellulase containing a family 30 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) derived from Clostridium thermocellum CelJ: importance of the CBM to cellulose hydrolysis

Clostridium thermocellum CelJ is a modular enzyme containing a family 30 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) and a family 9 catalytic module at its N-terminal moiety. To investigate the functions of the CBM and the catalytic module, truncated derivatives of CelJ were constructed and characterized. Isothermal titration calorimetric studies showed that the association constants (K(a)) of the CBM polypeptide (CBM30) for the binding of cellopentaose and cellohexaose were 1.2 x 10(4) and 6.4 x 10(4) M(-1), respectively, and that the binding of CBM30 to these ligands is enthalpically driven. Qualitative analyses showed that CBM30 had strong affinity for cellulose and beta-1,3-1,4-mixed glucan such as barley beta-glucan and lichenan. Analyses of the hydrolytic action of the enzyme comprising the CBM and the catalytic module showed that the enzyme is a processive endoglucanse with strong activity towards carboxymethylcellulose, barley beta-glucan and lichenan. By contrast, the catalytic module polypeptide devoid of the CBM showed negligible activity toward these substrates. These observations suggest that the CBM is extremely important not only because it mediates the binding of the enzyme to the substrates but also because it participates in the catalytic function of the enzyme or contributes to maintaining the correct tertiary structure of the family 9 catalytic module for expressing enzyme activity.

Carbohydrate-binding modules recognize fine substructures of cellulose

Competition isotherms are used to identify the set of cellulose substructures to which cellulose binding modules (CBMs) from families 2a, 3, 4, 9, and 17 bind. The experiments are based on coupling a unique fluorescent tag to each CBM in a manner that does not alter the natural binding properties of the CBM and therefore allows the surface and solution concentrations of each CBM to be monitored as a function of time and composition. Adsorption and surface exchange of like or competing CBMs are monitored using a range of cellulose preparations varying in both crystallinity and provenance. CBMs from families 2a, 3, 4, 9, and 17 are shown to recognize different physical forms of prepared cellulose. The demonstration of the very fine binding specificity of cellulose-specific CBMs implies that the polysaccharide targets of CBMs extend down to the resolution of cellulose microstructures.

Mapping of genes encoding glycoside hydrolases on the chromosome of Cellulomonas fimi

Cellulomonas fimi genomic DNA was digested with HpaI, MunI, HindIII, and NsiI, producing fragments ranging in size from 20 to 1400 kbp that were resolved by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Genetic and physical linkages were determined by Southern blotting and were used to construct a genome map. Cellulomonas fimi has a single circular chromosome of approx. 4000 kbp. Except for two closely linked genes, cbh6A and cel5A, the genes known to encode glycoside hydrolases are scattered widely on the chromosome.Key words: Cellulomonas fimi, genome map, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, glycoside hydrolases.

A novel chitinase having a unique mode of action from Aspergillus fumigatus YJ-407

Chitinases are produced throughout the growth process of fungi and are thought to play important roles in morphogenesis. Aspergillus fumigatus, is an important pathogen of immunocompromised individuals in which it causes pneumonia and invasive disseminated disease with high mortality; it is also known to produce chitinase. We have induced an exceptionally stable extracellular chitinase in A. fumigatus YJ-407, which could be isolated readily in a homogeneous form by using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and preparative PAGE. The molecular mass of this chitinase was estimated to be 46 000 by SDS/PAGE, and its isoelectric point was pH 5.6. The enzyme was most active at pH 5.0 and 60 degrees C, and was inhibited strongly by Hg2+, Pb2+, Ag+, Fe2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+. The enzyme was stable over a broad pH range 4-8 and below 45 degrees C. Tryptophan and carboxyl groups were found to be essential for the enzyme activity. The Michaelis constants for swollen chitin and chitosan were 1.12 mg.mL-1 and 1.84 mg.mL-1, respectively. The enzyme showed maximum activity towards glycol chitin and partially deacetylated chitosan, and lower activity towards colloidal chitin. Analysis of the hydrolysis product showed that the enzyme has both endo- and exo-hydrolytic activities. In addition, a transglycosyl activity was also observed.

Directed evolution of new glycosynthases from Agrobacterium β-glucosidase: a general screen to detect enzymes for oligosaccharide synthesis

BACKGROUND

Oligosaccharide synthesis is becoming increasingly important to industry as diverse therapeutic roles for these molecules are discovered. The chemical synthesis of oligosaccharides on an industrial scale is often prohibitively complex and costly. An alternative, that of enzymatic synthesis, is limited by the difficulty of obtaining an appropriate enzyme. A general screen for enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of the glycosidic bond would enable the identification and engineering of new or improved enzymes.

RESULTS

Glycosynthases are nucleophile mutants of retaining glycosidases that efficiently catalyze the synthesis of the glycosidic linkage by condensing an activated glycosyl fluoride donor with a suitable acceptor sugar. A novel agar plate-based coupled-enzyme screen was developed (using a two-plasmid system) and used to select an improved glycosynthase from a library of mutants.

CONCLUSIONS

Plate-based coupled-enzyme screens of this type are extremely valuable for identification of functional synthetic enzymes and can be applied to the evolution of a range of glycosyl transferases.

Optimized mixtures of recombinant Humicola insolens cellulases for the biodegradation of crystalline cellulose

The digestion of bacterial cellulose ribbons by ternary mixtures of enzymes consisting of recombinant cellulases (two cellobiohydrolases, Cel6A and Cel7A, and the endoglucanase Cel45A) from Humicola insolens was investigated over a wide range of mixture composition. The extent of digestion was followed by soluble sugar release (saccharification) analysis together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. It was found that the addition of minute quantities of Cel45A induced a spectacular increase in saccharification of the substrate with either Cel7A or the mixture of Cel6A and Cel7A. Conversely, only a moderate saccharification resulted from the mixing of Cel45A and Cel6A. This difference is believed to originate from (1) the occasional endo character of Cel6A and (2) the competition of Cel6A and Cel45A for the substrate sites that are sensitive to endo activity. Interestingly, the mixture of enzymes giving rise to the highest saccharification rate did not always correspond to mixtures of enzymes generating the highest synergy. TEM images revealed that the bacterial cellulose ribbons became at the same time cut and narrowed down under the action of an optimized mixture of the three enzymes.

Imaging the enzymatic digestion of bacterial cellulose ribbons reveals the endo character of the cellobiohydrolase Cel6A from Humicola insolens and its mode of synergy with cellobiohydrolase Cel7A

Dispersed cellulose ribbons from bacterial cellulose were subjected to digestion with cloned Cel7A (cellobiohydrolase [CBH] I) and Cel6A (CBH II) from Humicola insolens either alone or in a mixture and in the presence of an excess of beta-glucosidase. Both Cel7A and Cel6A were effective in partially converting the ribbons into soluble sugars, Cel7A being more active than Cel6A. In combination, these enzymes showed substantial synergy culminating with a molar ratio of approximately two-thirds Cel6A and one-third Cel7A. Ultrastructural transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicated that Cel7A induced a thinning of the cellulose ribbons, whereas Cel6A cut the ribbons into shorter elements, indicating an endo type of action. These observations, together with the examination of the digestion kinetics, indicate that Cel6A can be classified as an endo-processive enzyme, whereas Cel7A is essentially a processive enzyme. Thus, the synergy resulting from the mixing of Cel6A and Cel7A can be explained by the partial endo character of Cel6A. A preparation of bacterial cellulose ribbons appears to be an appropriate substrate, superior to Valonia or bacterial cellulose microcrystals, to visualize directly by TEM the endo-processivity of an enzyme such as Cel6A.

CelE, a multidomain cellulase from Clostridium cellulolyticum: a key enzyme in the cellulosome?

CelE, one of the three major proteins of the cellulosome of Clostridium cellulolyticum, was characterized. The amino acid sequence of the protein deduced from celE DNA sequence led us to the supposition that CelE is a three-domain protein. Recombinant CelE and a truncated form deleted of the putative cellulose binding domain (CBD) were obtained. Deletion of the CBD induces a total loss of activity. Exhibiting rather low levels of activity on soluble, amorphous, and crystalline celluloses, CelE is more active on p-nitrophenyl-cellobiose than the other cellulases from this organism characterized to date. The main product of its action on Avicel is cellobiose (more than 90% of the soluble sugars released), and its attack on carboxymethyl cellulose is accompanied by a relatively small decrease in viscosity. All of these features suggest that CelE is a cellobiohydrolase which has retained a certain capacity for random attack mode. We measured saccharification of Avicel and bacterial microcrystalline cellulose by associations of CelE with four other cellulases from C. cellulolyticum and found that CelE acts synergistically with all tested enzymes. The positive influence of CelE activity on the activities of other cellulosomal enzymes may explain its relative abundance in the cellulosome.

Imaging the enzymatic digestion of bacterial cellulose ribbons reveals the endo character of the cellobiohydrolase Cel6A from Humicola insolens and its mode of synergy with cellobiohydrolase Cel7A

Dispersed cellulose ribbons from bacterial cellulose were subjected to digestion with cloned Cel7A (cellobiohydrolase [CBH] I) and Cel6A (CBH II) from Humicola insolens either alone or in a mixture and in the presence of an excess of beta-glucosidase. Both Cel7A and Cel6A were effective in partially converting the ribbons into soluble sugars, Cel7A being more active than Cel6A. In combination, these enzymes showed substantial synergy culminating with a molar ratio of approximately two-thirds Cel6A and one-third Cel7A. Ultrastructural transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicated that Cel7A induced a thinning of the cellulose ribbons, whereas Cel6A cut the ribbons into shorter elements, indicating an endo type of action. These observations, together with the examination of the digestion kinetics, indicate that Cel6A can be classified as an endo-processive enzyme, whereas Cel7A is essentially a processive enzyme. Thus, the synergy resulting from the mixing of Cel6A and Cel7A can be explained by the partial endo character of Cel6A. A preparation of bacterial cellulose ribbons appears to be an appropriate substrate, superior to Valonia or bacterial cellulose microcrystals, to visualize directly by TEM the endo-processivity of an enzyme such as Cel6A.

Active-site mutations which change the substrate specificity of the Clostridium stercorarium cellulase CelZ implications for synergism

CelZ from the cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium stercorarium has been described as a 'monomeric' cellulase able to effect both the endoglucanolytic hydrolysis of internal glycosidic linkages and the exoglucanolytic degradation from the chain ends in a processive mode of action. The putative catalytic residues of this family 9 cellulase, Asp84 and Glu447 located within the N-terminal domain of the modular protein, were replaced by site-directed mutagenesis. A minimized CelZ derivative (CelZC') comprising the catalytic domain and the adjacent cellulose-binding domain (CBD) family IIIc domain C' was used as target for mutagenesis. Six mutant enzymes and the unmodified CelZC' protein were purified to homogeneity and compared with respect to thermoactivity, substrate specificity, product profile and synergism. CD studies revealed that no major changes to the overall structure of the proteins had occurred. Replacement of either one or both catalytic residues completely eliminated the ability of CelZ to attack insoluble Avicel preparations indicative of the exo-activity, whereas the endo-activity measured via hydrolysis of CM-cellulose was retained upon substitution of the catalytic base Asp84. Thus, endo-active CelZ mutants defective in the exo-activity were available for co-operativity studies with the C. stercorarium exoglucanase CelY. Synergism was found to be dependent on the endo-activity of CelZ. Mutants Asp84Gly and Asp84Glu were able to enhance the degradation of crystalline cellulose significantly, although no products could be released from this substrate by individual action of the mutants.

The cellulose-binding domains from Cellulomonas fimi beta-1, 4-glucanase CenC bind nitroxide spin-labeled cellooligosaccharides in multiple orientations

The N-terminal cellulose-binding domains CBDN1 and CBDN2 from Cellulomonas fimi cellulase CenC each adopt a jelly-roll beta-sandwich structure with a cleft into which amorphous cellulose and soluble cellooligosaccharides bind. To determine the orientation of the sugar chain within these binding clefts, the association of TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-4-yl) spin-labeled derivatives of cellotriose and cellotetraose with isolated CBDN1 and CBDN2 was studied using heteronuclear 1H-15N NMR spectroscopy. Quantitative binding measurements indicate that the TEMPO moiety does not significantly perturb the affinity of the cellooligo-saccharide derivatives for the CBDs. The paramagnetic enhancements of the amide 1HN longitudinal (DeltaR1) and transverse (DeltaR2) relaxation rates were measured by comparing the effects of TEMPO-cellotetraose in its nitroxide (oxidized) and hydroxylamine (reduced) forms on the two CBDs. The bound spin-label affects most significantly the relaxation rates of amides located at both ends of the sugar-binding cleft of each CBD. Similar results are observed with TEMPO-cellotriose bound to CBDN1. This demonstrates that the TEMPO-labeled cellooligosaccharides, and by inference strands of amorphous cellulose, can associate with CBDN1 and CBDN2 in either orientation across their beta-sheet binding clefts. The ratio of the association constants for binding in each of these two orientations is estimated to be within a factor of five to tenfold. This finding is consistent with the approximate symmetry of the hydrogen-bonding groups on both the cellooligosaccharides and the residues forming the binding clefts of the CenC CBDs.

Purification, characterization, and molecular analysis of thermostable cellulases CelA and CelB from Thermotoga neapolitana

Two thermostable endocellulases, CelA and CelB, were purified from Thermotoga neapolitana. CelA (molecular mass, 29 kDa; pI 4.6) is optimally active at pH 6.0 at 95 degreesC, while CelB (molecular mass, 30 kDa; pI 4.1) has a broader optimal pH range (pH 6.0 to 6.6) at 106 degreesC. Both enzymes are characterized by a high level of activity (high Vmax value and low apparent Km value) with carboxymethyl cellulose; the specific activities of CelA and CelB are 1,219 and 1,536 U/mg, respectively. With p-nitrophenyl cellobioside the Vmax values of CelA and CelB are 69.2 and 18.4 U/mg, respectively, while the Km values are 0.97 and 0.3 mM, respectively. The major end products of cellulose hydrolysis, glucose and cellobiose, competitively inhibit CelA, and CelB. The Ki values for CelA are 0.44 M for glucose and 2.5 mM for cellobiose; the Ki values for CelB are 0.2 M for glucose and 1.16 mM for cellobiose. CelB preferentially cleaves larger cellooligomers, producing cellobiose as the end product; it also exhibits significant transglycosylation activity. This enzyme is highly thermostable and has half-lives of 130 min at 106 degreesC and 26 min at 110 degreesC. A single clone encoding the celA and celB genes was identified by screening a T. neapolitana genomic library in Escherichia coli. The celA gene encodes a 257-amino-acid protein, while celB encodes a 274-amino-acid protein. Both proteins belong to family 12 of the glycosyl hydrolases, and the two proteins are 60% similar to each other. Northern blots of T. neapolitana mRNA revealed that celA and celB are monocistronic messages, and both genes are inducible by cellobiose and are repressed by glucose.

Analysis of molecular size distributions of cellulose molecules during hydrolysis of cellulose by recombinant Cellulomonas fimi beta-1,4-glucanases

Four beta-1,4-glucanases (cellulases) of the cellulolytic bacterium Cellulomonas fimi were purified from Escherichia coli cells transformed with recombinant plasmids. Previous analyses using soluble substrates had suggested that CenA and CenC were endoglucanases while CbhA and CbhB resembled the exo-acting cellobiohydrolases produced by cellulolytic fungi. Analysis of molecular size distributions during cellulose hydrolysis by the individual enzymes confirmed these preliminary findings and provided further evidence that endoglucanase CenC has a more processive hydrolytic activity than CenA. The significant differences between the size distributions obtained during hydrolysis of bacterial microcrystalline cellulose and acid-swollen cellulose can be explained in terms of the accessibility of beta-1,4-glucan chains to enzyme attack. Endoglucanases and cellobiohydrolases were much more easily distinguished when the acid-swollen substrate was used.

CelG from Clostridium cellulolyticum: a multidomain endoglucanase acting efficiently on crystalline cellulose

The gene coding for CelG, a family 9 cellulase from Clostridium cellulolyticum, was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Four different forms of the protein were genetically engineered, purified, and studied: CelGL (the entire form of CelG), CelGcat1 (the catalytic domain of CelG alone), CelGcat2 (CelGcat1 plus 91 amino acids at the beginning of the cellulose binding domain [CBD]), and GST-CBD(CelG) (the CBD of CelG fused to glutathione S-transferase). The biochemical properties of CelG were compared with those of CelA, an endoglucanase from C. cellulolyticum which was previously studied. CelG, like CelA, was found to have an endo cutting mode of activity on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) but exhibited greater activity on crystalline substrates (bacterial microcrystalline cellulose and Avicel) than CelA. As observed with CelA, the presence of the nonhydrolytic miniscaffolding protein (miniCipC1) enhanced the activity of CelG on phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC), but to a lesser extent. The absence of the CBD led to the complete inactivation of the enzyme. The abilities of CelG and GST-CBD(CelG) to bind various substrates were also studied. Although the entire enzyme is able to bind to crystalline cellulose at a limited number of sites, the chimeric protein GST-CBD(CelG) does not bind to either of the tested substrates (Avicel and PASC). The lack of independence between the two domains and the weak binding to cellulose suggest that this CBD-like domain may play a special role and be either directly or indirectly involved in the catalytic reaction.

Structural and sequence-based classification of glycoside hydrolases

The diversity of oligo- and polysaccharides provides an abundance of biological roles for these carbohydrates. The enzymes hydrolysing these compounds, the glycoside hydrolases, therefore mediate a wealth of biological functions. Glycoside hydrolases fall into a number of sequence-based families. The recent analysis of these families, coupled with the burgeoning number of 3D structures, provides a detailed insight into the structure, function and catalytic mechanism of these enzymes.

Structure of the endoglucanase I from Fusarium oxysporum: native, cellobiose, and 3,4-epoxybutyl beta-D-cellobioside-inhibited forms, at 2.3 A resolution

The mechanisms involved in the enzymatic degradation of cellulose are of great ecological and commercial importance. The breakdown of cellulose by fungal species is performed by a consortium of free enzymes, known as cellobiohydrolases and endoglucanases, which are found in many of the 57 glycosyl hydrolase families. The structure of the endoglucanase I (EG I), found in glycosyl hydrolase family 7, from the thermophilic fungus Fusarium oxysporum has been solved at 2.3 A resolution. In addition to the native enzyme, structures have also been determined with both the affinity label, 3,4-epoxybutyl beta-D-cellobioside, and the reaction product cellobiose. The affinity label is covalently bound, as expected, to the catalytic nucleophile, Glu197, with clear evidence for binding of both the R and S stereoisomers. Cellobiose is found bound to the -2 and -1 subsites of the enzyme. In marked contrast to the structure of EG I with a nonhydrolyzable thiosaccharide analog, which spanned the -2, -1, and +1 subsites and which had a skew-boat conformation for the -1 subsite sugar [Sulzenbacher, G., et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 15280-15287], the cellobiose complex shows no pyranoside ring distortion in the -1 subsite, implying that strain is induced primarily by the additional +1 subsite interactions and that the product is found, as expected, in its unstrained conformation.

Arabinanase A from Pseudomonas fluorescens subsp. cellulosa exhibits both an endo- and an exo- mode of action

Pseudomonas fluorescens subsp. cellulosa expressed arabinanase activity when grown on media supplemented with arabinan or arabinose. Arabinanase activity was not induced by the inclusion of other plant structural polysaccharides, and was repressed by the addition of glucose. The majority of the Pseudomonas arabinanase activity was extracellular. Screening of a genomic library of P. fluorescens subsp. cellulosa DNA constructed in Lambda ZAPII, for recombinants that hydrolysed Red-dyed arabinan, identified five arabinan-degrading plaques. Each of the phage contained the same Pseudomonas arabinanase gene, designated arbA, which was present as a single copy in the Pseudomonas genome. The nucleotide sequence of arbA revealed an open reading frame of 1041 bp encoding a protein, designated arabinanase A (ArbA), of Mr 39438. The N-terminal sequence of ArbA exhibited features typical of a prokaryotic signal peptide. Analysis of the primary structure of ArbA indicated that, unlike most Pseudomonas plant cell wall hydrolases, it did not contain linker sequences or have a modular structure, but consisted of a single catalytic domain. Sequence comparison between the Pseudomonas arabinanase and proteins in the SWISS-PROT database showed that ArbA exhibits greatest sequence identity with arabinanase A from Aspergillus niger, placing the enzyme in glycosyl hydrolase Family 43. The significance of the differing substrate specificities of enzymes in Family 43 is discussed. ArbA purifed from a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli had an Mr of 34000 and an N-terminal sequence identical to residues 32-51 of the deduced sequence of ArbA, and hydrolysed linear arabinan, carboxymethylarabinan and arabino-oligosaccharides. The enzyme displayed no activity against other plant structural polysaccharides, including branched sugar beet arabinan. ArbA produced almost exclusively arabinotriose from linear arabinan and appeared to hydrolyse arabino-oligosaccharides by successively releasing arabinotriose. ArbA and the Aspergillus arabinanase mediated a decrease in the viscosity of linear arabinan that was associated with a significant release of reducing sugar. We propose that ArbA is an arabinanase that exhibits both an endo- and an exo- mode of action.

Interaction of polysaccharides with the N-terminal cellulose-binding domain of Cellulomonas fimi CenC. 1. Binding specificity and calorimetric analysis

The carbohydrate-binding specificity of the N-terminal cellulose-binding domain (CBDN1) from Cellulomonas fimi beta-1,4-glucanase C (CenC) was investigated using affinity electrophoresis, binding assays and microcalorimetry in parallel with NMR and difference ultraviolet absorbance spectroscopy [Johnson, P.E., Tomme, P., Joshi, M.D., & McIntosh, I., P. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 13895-13906]. Binding of CBDN1 on insoluble cellulose is distinctly different from other cellulose-binding domains. CBDN1 binds amorphous cellulose (phosphoric acid-swollen) with high affinity (Kr = 5.1 L g-1), binds Avicel weakly and does not bind highly crystalline bacterial or tunicin cellulose. Moreover, CBDN1 binds soluble cellooligosaccharides and beta-1,4-linked oligomers of glucose such as hydroxyethycellulose, soluble beta-1,3-1,4-glucans from barley and oat, but has no affinity for alpha-1,4-, beta-1,3-, or beta-1,6-polymers of glucose. This is the first report of a cellulose-binding domain with strong and specific affinity for soluble glycans. The thermodynamics for binding of CBDN1 to oligosaccharides, soluble glycans, and phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose were investigated by titration microcalorimetry. At least four beta-1,4-linked glucopyranosides are required to detect binding. For larger glucans, with five or more glucopyranoside units, the binding constants and standard free energy changes are virtually independent of the glucan chain length, indicating that cellopentaose completely fills the binding site. Binding is moderately strong with binding constants ranging from 3,200 +/- 500 M-1 for cellotetraose, to 25,000 +/- 3,000 M-1 for the larger sugars. The reactions are controlled by favorable standard free enthalpy changes which are compensated in a linear fashion by a significant decrease in entropy. A predominance of polar interactions such as hydrogen bonding together with van der Waals interactions provide the major driving forces for the binding event.