Purification and Characterization of the Bacillus sp. KK-l $\beta$-Xylosidase from a Recombinant Escherichia coli

${\beta}$-Xylosidase was purified from the recombinant Escherichia coli carrying the Bacillus sp. KK-1 ${\beta}$-xylosidase gene (xylB). The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 62 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, the apparent molecular mass of the ${\beta}$-xylosidase was 140 kDa, indicating that the native ${\beta}$-xylosidase has an oligomeric structure composed of two identical subunits. The isoelectric point was determined to be pH 5.5. The enzyme was highly active on p-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-xylopyranoside but it barely hydrolyzed xylan substrates, and did not exhibit activity towards carboxymethylcellulose and p-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D- glucopyranoside. The enzyme had a pH optimum for its activity at pH 6.5 and a temperature optimum at $40^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was completely inhibited by the presence of $Hg^{++}$, and also markedly inhibited by D-xylose and D-glucose.