Purification and Characterization of Two Endoxylanases from an Alkaliphilic Bacillus halodurans C-1

Two endoxylanases from an alkaliphilic bacterium, Bacillus halodurans C-1, were purified 3.8- and 7.9- fold with specific activities of 9.4 and 19.8U/mg protein, respectively. The molecular masses of both purified enzymes were 23 and 47 kDa, respectively, and 23 kDa xylanase I (Xyl I) exhibited an optimum pH at 7.0, whereas 47 kDa xylanase II (Xyl II) showed a broad pH range of 5.0 to 9.0. The temperature optima of both xylanases were $60^{\circ}C\;and\;70^{\circ}C$, respectively. Both were stable in the pH range of 6.0 to 9.0 and 5.0 to 10.0, respectively, and they were stable up to $60^{\circ}C\;and\;70^{\circ}C$, respectively. The $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ of Xyl I were 4.33mg/ml and $63.5{\mu}mol/min/mg$, respectively, whereas Xyl II had a $K_m$ value of 0.30 mg/ml and $V_{max}$ of $210{\mu}mol/min/mg$. Both xylanases hydrolyzed xylans from birchwood, oat spelt, and larchwood. However, they showed different modes of action; a series of xylooligosaccharides larger than xylotriose were released as the major products by Xyl I, whereas xylobiose and xylotriose were the main products by Xyl II. The maximum synergistic action of the two enzymes on hydrolysis of xylan was 2.16 with the ratio of Xyl I to Xyl II at 1:9.