Vladimír Puchart

Production of xylanases, mannanases, and pectinases by the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus

A group of 17 strains of the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus was examined for the production of xylanases, β-mannanases, arabinanases, and pectinases. All strains were found to be xylanolytic, and several were proven to be outstanding producers of microbial xylanase on glucuronoxylan and corn cobs. The strains hyperproducing xylanase secreted low amounts of xylan-debranching enzymes and did not produce β-mannan and arabinan-degrading enzyme systems. Only the strains showing lower xylanase production exhibited a higher degree of xylan utilization and also the ability to produce a mannanolytic enzyme system. One of the mannanolytic strains was found to be capable of producing arabinan-degrading enzymes. This strain also showed the best production of pectinolytic enzymes during growth on citrus pectin or sugar beet pulp. Some of the strains have good potential for use as sources of important industrial enzymes of high thermal stability.

Structure and Activity of Two Metal Ion-dependent Acetylxylan Esterases Involved in Plant Cell Wall Degradation Reveals a Close Similarity to Peptidoglycan Deacetylases *

The enzymatic degradation of plant cell wall xylan requires the concerted action of a diverse enzymatic syndicate. Among these enzymes are xylan esterases, which hydrolyze the O-acetyl substituents, primarily at the O-2 position of the xylan backbone. All acetylxylan esterase structures described previously display a α/β hydrolase fold with a “Ser-His-Asp” catalytic triad. Here we report the structures of two distinct acetylxylan esterases, those from Streptomyces lividans and Clostridium thermocellum, in native and complex forms, with x-ray data to between 1.6 and 1.0 Å resolution. We show, using a novel linked assay system with PNP-2-O-acetylxyloside and a β-xylosidase, that the enzymes are sugar-specific and metal ion-dependent and possess a single metal center with a chemical preference for Co2+. Asp and His side chains complete the catalytic machinery. Different metal ion preferences for the two enzymes may reflect the surprising diversity with which the metal ion coordinates residues and ligands in the active center environment of the S. lividans and C. thermocellum enzymes. These “CE4” esterases involved in plant cell wall degradation are shown to be closely related to the de-N-acetylases involved in chitin and peptidoglycan degradation (Blair, D. E., Schuettelkopf, A. W., MacRae, J. I., and Aalten, D. M. (2005) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 102, 15429-15434), which form the NodB deacetylase “superfamily.”

Purification and characterization of α-galactosidase from a thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus

An extracellular alpha-galactosidase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from a locust bean gum-spent culture fluid of a mannanolytic strain of the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus. Molecular mass of the enzyme is 57 kDa. The pure enzyme which has a glycoprotein nature, afforded several forms on IEF, indicating its microheterogeneity. Isoelectric point of the major form was 5.2. Enzyme is the most active against aryl alpha-D-galactosides but efficiently hydrolyzed alpha-glycosidically linked non-reducing terminal galactopyranosyl residues occurring in natural substrates such as melibiose, raffinose, stachyose, and fragments of galactomannan. In addition, the enzyme is able to catalyze efficient degalactosylation of polymeric galactomannans leading to precipitation of the polymers. Stereochemical course of hydrolysis of two substrates, 4-nitrophenyl alpha-galactopyranoside and galactosyl(1)mannotriose, followed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, pointed out the alpha-anomer of D-galactose was the primary product of hydrolysis from which the beta-anomer was formed by mutarotation. Hence the enzyme is a retaining glycosyl hydrolase. In accord with its retaining character the enzyme catalyzed transgalactosylation from 4-nitrophenyl alpha-galactopyranoside as a glycosyl donor. Amino acid sequence alignment of N-terminal and two internal sequences suggested that the enzyme is a member of family 27 of glycosyl hydrolases.

Mode of action of glycoside hydrolase family 5 glucuronoxylan xylanohydrolase from Erwinia chrysanthemi

The mode of action of xylanase A from a phytopathogenic bacterium, Erwinia chrysanthemi, classified in glycoside hydrolase family 5, was investigated on xylooligosaccharides and polysaccharides using TLC, MALDI‐TOF MS and enzyme treatment with exoglycosidases. The hydrolytic action of xylanase A was found to be absolutely dependent on the presence of 4‐O‐methyl‐d‐glucuronosyl (MeGlcA) side residues in both oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Neutral linear β‐1,4‐xylooligosaccharides and esterified aldouronic acids were resistant towards enzymatic action. Aldouronic acids of the structure MeGlcA3Xyl3 (aldotetraouronic acid), MeGlcA3Xyl4 (aldopentaouronic acid) and MeGlcA3Xyl5 (aldohexaouronic acid) were cleaved with the enzyme to give xylose from the reducing end and products shorter by one xylopyranosyl residue: MeGlcA2Xyl2, MeGlcA2Xyl3 and MeGlcA2Xyl4. As a rule, the enzyme attacked the second glycosidic linkage following the MeGlcA branch towards the reducing end. Depending on the distribution of MeGlcA residues on the glucuronoxylan main chain, the enzyme generated series of shorter and longer aldouronic acids of backbone polymerization degree 3–14, in which the MeGlcA is linked exclusively to the second xylopyranosyl residue from the reducing end. Upon incubation with β‐xylosidase, all acidic hydrolysis products of acidic oligosaccharides and hardwood glucuronoxylans were converted to aldotriouronic acid, MeGlcA2Xyl2. In agreement with this mode of action, xylose and unsubstituted oligosaccharides were essentially absent in the hydrolysates. The E. chrysanthemi xylanase A thus appears to be an excellent biocatalyst for the production of large acidic oligosaccharides from glucuronoxylans as well as an invaluable tool for determination of the distribution of MeGlcA residues along the main chain of this major plant hemicellulose.

Novel Family of Carbohydrate Esterases, Based on Identification of the Hypocrea jecorina Acetyl Esterase Gene

ABSTRACT Plant cell walls have been shown to contain acetyl groups in hemicelluloses and pectin. The gene aes1, encoding the acetyl esterase (Aes1) of Hypocrea jecorina, was identified by amino-terminal sequencing, peptide mass spectrometry, and genomic sequence analyses. The coded polypeptide had 348 amino acid residues with the first 19 serving as a secretion signal peptide. The calculated molecular mass and isoelectric point of the secreted enzyme were 37,088 Da and pH 5.89, respectively. No significant homology was found between the predicated Aes1 and carbohydrate esterases of known families, but putative aes1 orthologs were found in genomes of many fungi and bacteria that produce cell wall-degrading enzymes. The aes1 transcript levels were high when the fungal cells were induced with sophorose, cellulose, oat spelt xylan, lactose, and arabinose. The recombinant Aes1 produced by H. jecorina transformed with aes1 under the cellobiohydrolase I promoter displayed properties similar to those reported for the native enzyme. The enzyme hydrolyzed acetate ester bond specifically. Using 4-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate, the activity of the recombinant enzyme was enhanced by d-xylose, d-glucose, cellobiose, d-galactose, and xylooligosaccharides but not by arabinose, mannose, or lactose. With the use of 4-nitrophenyl-β-d-xylopyranoside monoacetate as substrate in a β-xylosidase-coupled assay, Aes1 hydrolyzed positions 3 and 4 with the same efficiency while the H. jecorina acetylxylan esterase 1 exclusively deacetylated the position 2 acetyl group. Aes1 was capable of transacetylating methylxyloside in aqueous solution. The data presented demonstrate that Aes1 and other homologous microbial proteins may represent a new family of esterases for lignocellulose biodegradation.

Towards enzymatic breakdown of complex plant xylan structures: State of the art

Significant progress over the past few years has been achieved in the enzymology of microbial degradation and saccharification of plant xylan, after cellulose being the most abundant natural renewable polysaccharide. Several new types of xylan depolymerizing and debranching enzymes have been described in microorganisms. Despite the increasing variety of known glycoside hydrolases and carbohydrate esterases, some xylan structures still appear quite recalcitrant. This review focuses on the mode of action of different types of depolymerizing endoxylanases and their cooperation with β-xylosidase and accessory enzymes in breakdown of complex highly branched xylan structures. Emphasis is placed on the enzymatic hydrolysis of alkali-extracted deesterified polysaccharide as well as acetylated xylan isolated from plant cell walls under non-alkaline conditions. It is also shown how the combination of selected endoxylanases and debranching enzymes can determine the nature of prebiotic xylooligosaccharides or lead to complete hydrolysis of the polysaccharide. The article also highlights the possibility for discovery of novel xylanolytic enzymes, construction of multifunctional chimeric enzymes and xylanosomes in parallel with increasing knowledge on the fine structure of the polysaccharide.

Xylanase XYN IV from Trichoderma reesei showing exo‐ and endo‐xylanase activity

A minor xylanase, named XYN IV, was purified from the cellulolytic system of the fungus Trichoderma reesei Rut C30. The enzyme was discovered on the basis of its ability to attack aldotetraohexenuronic acid (HexA‐2Xyl‐4Xyl‐4Xyl, HexA3Xyl3), releasing the reducing‐end xylose residue. XYN IV exhibited catalytic properties incompatible with previously described endo‐β‐1,4‐xylanases of this fungus, XYN I, XYN II and XYN III, and the xylan‐hydrolyzing endo‐β‐1,4‐glucanase EG I. XYN IV was able to degrade several different β‐1,4‐xylans, but was inactive on β‐1,4‐mannans and β‐1,4‐glucans. It showed both exo‐and endo‐xylanase activity. Rhodymenan, a linear soluble β‐1,3‐β‐1,4‐xylan, was as the best substrate. Linear xylooligosaccharides were attacked exclusively at the first glycosidic linkage from the reducing end. The gene xyn4, encoding XYN IV, was also isolated. It showed clear homology with xylanases classified in glycoside hydrolase family 30, which also includes glucanases and mannanases. The xyn4 gene was expressed slightly when grown on xylose and xylitol, clearly on arabinose, arabitol, sophorose, xylobiose, xylan and cellulose, but not on glucose or sorbitol, resembling induction of other xylanolytic enzymes from T. reesei. A recombinant enzyme prepared in a Pichia pastoris expression system exhibited identical catalytic properties to the enzyme isolated from the T. reesei culture medium. The physiological role of this unique enzyme remains unknown, but it may involve liberation of xylose from the reducing end of branched oligosaccharides that are resistant toward β‐xylosidase and other types of endoxylanases. In terms of its catalytic properties, XYN IV differs from bacterial GH family 30 glucuronoxylanases that recognize 4‐O‐methyl‐d‐glucuronic acid (MeGlcA) substituents as substrate specificity determinants.

Simultaneous production of endo-β-1,4-xylanase and branched xylooligosaccharides by Thermomyces lanuginosus

When grown on beech-wood glucuronoxylan, two strains of the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosius, IMI 84400 and IMI 96213, secreted endo-beta-1,4-xylanase of glycoside hydrolase family 11 and simultaneously accumulated an acidic pentasaccharide in the medium. The aldopentaouronic acid was purified and its structure was established by a combination of NMR spectroscopy and enzyme digestion with glycosidases as MeGlcA(3)Xyl(4). Both strains showed limited growth on wheat arabinoxylan as a carbon source. An essential part of the polysaccharide was not utilized, and it was converted to a series of arabinoxylooligosaccharides differing in the degree of polymerization. The structure of the shorter arabinoxylooligosaccharides remaining in the wheat arabinoxylan-spent medium was established using mass spectrometry and digestion with glycosidases. Xylose and linear beta-1,4-xylooligosaccharides generated extracellularly during growth on either hardwood or cereal xylan were efficiently taken up by the cells and metabolized intracellularly. The data suggest that due to a lack of extracellular beta-xylosidase, alpha-glucuronidase, and alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase, the widely used T. lanuginosus strains might become efficient producers of branched xylooligosaccharides from both types of xylans.

Enzymic α-galactosylation of a cyclic glucotetrasaccharide derived from alternan

Abstract Alternanase catalyzes the hydrolysis of alternan, an α-(1→3)-α-(1→6)- d -glucan produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides, resulting in the formation of a cyclic tetramer cyclo{→3)-α- d -Glcp-(1→6)-α- d -Glcp-(1→}2 (cGlc4). Two α-galactosidases, one from coffee bean and the other produced by a fungus, currently described as Thermomyces lanuginosus, were found to catalyze an efficient 6-O-α- d -galactopyranosylation of cGlc4. The attachment of a nonreducing α- d -galactopyranosyl residue to the cGlc4 molecule opens new possibilities for future applications of the cyclic tetramer, since the d -galactopyranosyl residue can be easily modified by d -galactose oxidase to introduce a reactive aldehyde group. The results also extend our knowledge about the synthetic potential of T. lanuginosus α-galactosidase.

Trichoderma reesei CE16 acetyl esterase and its role in enzymatic degradation of acetylated hemicellulose.

BACKGROUND Trichoderma reesei CE16 acetyl esterase (AcE) is a component of the plant cell wall degrading system of the fungus. The enzyme behaves as an exo-acting deacetylase removing acetyl groups from non-reducing end sugar residues. METHODS In this work we demonstrate this exo-deacetylating activity on natural acetylated xylooligosaccharides using MALDI ToF MS. RESULTS The combined action of GH10 xylanase and acetylxylan esterases (AcXEs) leads to formation of neutral and acidic xylooligosaccharides with a few resistant acetyl groups mainly at their non-reducing ends. We show here that these acetyl groups serve as targets for TrCE16 AcE. The most prominent target is the 3-O-acetyl group at the non-reducing terminal Xylp residues of linear neutral xylooligosaccharides or on aldouronic acids carrying MeGlcA at the non-reducing terminus. Deacetylation of the non-reducing end sugar may involve migration of acetyl groups to position 4, which also serves as substrate of the TrCE16 esterase. CONCLUSION Concerted action of CtGH10 xylanase, an AcXE and TrCE16 AcE resulted in close to complete deacetylation of neutral xylooligosaccharides, whereas substitution with MeGlcA prevents removal of acetyl groups from only a small fraction of the aldouronic acids. Experiments with diacetyl derivatives of methyl β-d-xylopyranoside confirmed that the best substrate of TrCE16 AcE is 3-O-acetylated Xylp residue followed by 4-O-acetylated Xylp residue with a free vicinal hydroxyl group. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This study shows that CE16 acetyl esterases are crucial enzymes to achieve complete deacetylation and, consequently, complete the saccharification of acetylated xylans by xylanases, which is an important task of current biotechnology.