Enzymatic and molecular characterization of an acidic and thermostable chitinase 1 from Streptomyces thermodiastaticus HF 3-3

Chitinase 1 (Chi1) is an acidic and thermostable hydrolytic enzyme capable of the breakdown of chitin, a resilient biopolymer that is the primary building block of fungi cell walls and marine exoskeletons. In this study, Chi1 was purified from the bacterium Streptomyces thermodiastaticus HF 3-3, and its properties were carefully characterized. The molecular mass of Chi1 was estimated to be approximately 46 kDa and, through sequencing, its N-terminal amino acid sequence was identified as ADSGKVKL. Although the optimal operating temperature and pH for Chi1 were determined to be 65°C and pH 5.5, respectively, the purified enzyme was stable over wide pH (1.5-9) and temperature ranges. Moreover, Chi1 retained 87% of its activity in the presence of 15% NaCl. While Chi1 activity was inhibited by Ag⁺ and Mn²⁺, other chemicals tested had no significant effect on its enzymatic activity. The K_m and V_max values of Chi1 for the substrate colloidal chitin were 1.23 ± 0.7 mg/mL and 6.33 ± 1.0 U/mg, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography analysis of the enzymatic reaction end products mainly detected diacetylchitobiose. We also cloned the Chi1 gene and purified the recombinant protein; the properties of the recombinant enzyme were nearly identical to those of the native enzyme. Therefore, Chi1 purified from S. thermodiastaticus HF 3-3 is unique, as it is highly stable under broad range of pH values, temperatures, and chemical exposures. Combined, these properties make this enzyme attractive for use in the industrial bioconversion of chitin.

Endoglycosidases for the Synthesis of Polysaccharides and Glycoconjugates

Recent advances in glycobiology have implicated essential roles of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates in many important biological recognition processes, including intracellular signaling, cell adhesion, cell differentiation, cancer progression, host-pathogen interactions, and immune responses. A detailed understanding of the biological functions, as well as the development of carbohydrate-based therapeutics, often requires structurally well-defined oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates, which are usually difficult to isolate in pure form from natural sources. To meet with this urgent need, chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis has become increasingly important as the major means to provide homogeneous compounds for functional glycocomics studies and for drug/vaccine development. Chemoenzymatic synthesis, an approach that combines chemical synthesis and enzymatic manipulations, is often the method of choice for constructing complex oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates that are otherwise difficult to achieve by purely chemical synthesis. Among these, endoglycosidases, a class of glycosidases that hydrolyze internal glycosidic bonds in glycoconjugates and polysaccharides, are emerging as a very attractive class of enzymes for synthetic purposes, due to their transglycosylation activity and their capability of transferring oligosaccharide units en bloc in a single step, in contrast to the limitation of monosaccharide transfers by common glycosyltransferases. In this chapter, we provide an overview on the application of endoglycosidases for the synthesis of complex carbohydrates, including oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, proteoglycans, and other biologically relevant polysaccharides. The scope, limitation, and future directions of endoglycosidase-catalyzed synthesis are discussed.

Enzymes as Green Catalysts for Precision Macromolecular Synthesis

The present article comprehensively reviews the macromolecular synthesis using enzymes as catalysts. Among the six main classes of enzymes, the three classes, oxidoreductases, transferases, and hydrolases, have been employed as catalysts for the in vitro macromolecular synthesis and modification reactions. Appropriate design of reaction including monomer and enzyme catalyst produces macromolecules with precisely controlled structure, similarly as in vivo enzymatic reactions. The reaction controls the product structure with respect to substrate selectivity, chemo-selectivity, regio-selectivity, stereoselectivity, and choro-selectivity. Oxidoreductases catalyze various oxidation polymerizations of aromatic compounds as well as vinyl polymerizations. Transferases are effective catalysts for producing polysaccharide having a variety of structure and polyesters. Hydrolases catalyzing the bond-cleaving of macromolecules in vivo, catalyze the reverse reaction for bond forming in vitro to give various polysaccharides and functionalized polyesters. The enzymatic polymerizations allowed the first in vitro synthesis of natural polysaccharides having complicated structures like cellulose, amylose, xylan, chitin, hyaluronan, and chondroitin. These polymerizations are "green" with several respects; nontoxicity of enzyme, high catalyst efficiency, selective reactions under mild conditions using green solvents and renewable starting materials, and producing minimal byproducts. Thus, the enzymatic polymerization is desirable for the environment and contributes to "green polymer chemistry" for maintaining sustainable society.

Bioproduction of chitooligosaccharides: present and perspectives

Chitin and chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) have been traditionally obtained by chemical digestion with strong acids. In light of the difficulties associated with these traditional production processes, environmentally compatible and reproducible production alternatives are desirable. Unlike chemical digestion, biodegradation of chitin and chitosan by enzymes or microorganisms does not require the use of toxic chemicals or excessive amounts of wastewater. Enzyme preparations with chitinase, chitosanase, and lysozymeare primarily used to hydrolyze chitin and chitosan. Commercial preparations of cellulase, protease, lipase, and pepsin provide another opportunity for oligosaccharide production. In addition to their hydrolytic activities, the transglycosylation activity of chitinolytic enzymes might be exploited for the synthesis of desired chitin oligomers and their derivatives. Chitin deacetylase is also potentially useful for the preparation of oligosaccharides. Recently, direct production of oligosaccharides from chitin and crab shells by a combination of mechanochemical grinding and enzymatic hydrolysis has been reported. Together with these, other emerging technologies such as direct degradation of chitin from crustacean shells and microbial cell walls, enzymatic synthesis of COS from small building blocks, and protein engineering technology for chitin-related enzymes have been discussed as the most significant challenge for industrial application.

Bioproduction of chitooligosaccharides: present and perspectives

Chitin and chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) have been traditionally obtained by chemical digestion with strong acids. In light of the difficulties associated with these traditional production processes, environmentally compatible and reproducible production alternatives are desirable. Unlike chemical digestion, biodegradation of chitin and chitosan by enzymes or microorganisms does not require the use of toxic chemicals or excessive amounts of wastewater. Enzyme preparations with chitinase, chitosanase, and lysozymeare primarily used to hydrolyze chitin and chitosan. Commercial preparations of cellulase, protease, lipase, and pepsin provide another opportunity for oligosaccharide production. In addition to their hydrolytic activities, the transglycosylation activity of chitinolytic enzymes might be exploited for the synthesis of desired chitin oligomers and their derivatives. Chitin deacetylase is also potentially useful for the preparation of oligosaccharides. Recently, direct production of oligosaccharides from chitin and crab shells by a combination of mechanochemical grinding and enzymatic hydrolysis has been reported. Together with these, other emerging technologies such as direct degradation of chitin from crustacean shells and microbial cell walls, enzymatic synthesis of COS from small building blocks, and protein engineering technology for chitin-related enzymes have been discussed as the most significant challenge for industrial application.