Characterization of a Recombinant Thermostable Xylanase from Hot Spring Thermophilic Geobacillus sp. TC-W7

A xylanase-producing thermophilic strain, Geobacillus sp. TC-W7, was isolated from a hot spring in Yongtai (Fuzhou, China). Subsequently, the xylanase gene that encoded 407 amino acids was cloned and expressed. The recombinant xylanase was purified by GST affinity chromatography and exhibited maximum activity at $75^{\circ}C$ and a pH of 8.2. The enzyme was active up to $95^{\circ}C$ and showed activity over a wide pH range of 5.2 to 10.2. Additionally, the recombinant xylanase showed high thermostability and pH stability. More than 85% of the enzyme's activity was retained after incubation at $70^{\circ}C$ for 90 min at a pH of 8.2. The activity of the recombinant xylanase was enhanced by treatment with 10 mM enzyme inhibitors (DDT, Tween-20, 2-Me, or TritonX-100) and was inhibited by EDTA or PMSF. Its functionality was stable in the presence of $Li^+$, $Na^+$, and $K^+$, but inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Fe^{3+}$, and $Al^{3+}$. The functionality of the crude xylanase had similar properties to the recombinant xylanase except for when it was treated with $Al^{2+}$ or $Fe^{2+}$. The enzyme might be a promising candidate for various industrial applications such as the biofuel, food, and paper and pulp industries.