Novel substrate specificity of a thermostable β-glucosidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus pacificus P-4

Based on the genomic analysis of Thermococcus pacificus P-4, we identified a putative GH1 ${\beta}$-glucosidase-encoding gene (Tpa-glu). The gene revealed a 1,464 bp encoding 487 amino acid residues, and the deduced amino acid residues exhibited 77% identity with Pyrococcus furiosus ${\beta}$-glucosidase (accession no. NP_577802). The gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli system. The recombinant protein was purified by metal affinity chromatography and characterized. Tpa-Glu showed optimum activity at pH 7.5 and $75^{\circ}C$, and thermostability with a half life of 6 h at $90^{\circ}C$. Tpa-Glu exhibited hydrolyzing activity against various pNP-glycopyranosides, with kcat/Km values in the order of pNP-${\beta}$-glucopyranoside, pNP-${\beta}$-galactopyranoside, pNP-${\beta}$-mannopyranoside, and pNP-${\beta}$-xylopyranoside. In addition, the enzyme exhibited exo-hydrolyzing activity toward ${\beta}$-1,3-linked polysaccharide (laminarin) and ${\beta}$-1,3- and ${\beta}$-1,4-linked oligosaccharides. This is the first description of an enzyme from hyperthermophilic archaea that displays exo-hydrolyzing activity toward ${\beta}$-1,3-linked polysaccharides and could be applied in combination with ${\beta}$-1,3-endoglucanase for saccharification of laminarin.

초고온 고세균 Thermococcus pacificus P-4로부터 내열성 β-glucosidase의 새로운 기질 특이성

Thermococcus pacificus P-4의 유전체 서열 분석을 통하여 예측되는 GH1 ${\beta}$-glucosidase를 암호화하는 유전자를 동정하였다. 그 유전자는 487 아미노산들을 암호화하는 1,464 bp 나타내었으며, 그 아미노산 서열은 Pyrococcus furiosus ${\beta}$-glucosidase와 77% 상동성을 나타내었다. 그 유전자는 Escherichia coli 시스템 내에서 복제 및 발현하였다. 재조합 된 단백질은 금속 친화크로마토그래피를 통하여 정제하고 특성을 분석하였다. 정제된 단백질(Tpa-Glu)은 pH 7.5와 $75^{\circ}C$에서 최적활성을 나타내었으며, 열안정성은 $90^{\circ}C$에서 약 6시간의 반감기를 보였다. Tpa-Glu는 pNP-${\beta}$-glucopyranoside, pNP-${\beta}$-galactopyranoside, pNP-${\beta}$-mannopyranoside, 그리고 pNP-${\beta}$-xylopyranoside 순으로 우수한 $k_{cat}/K_m$ 값을 나타내었다. 또한, Tpa-Glu는 ${\beta}$-1,3-linked polysaccharide (laminarin) 그리고 ${\beta}$-1,3-와 ${\beta}$-1,4-linked oligosaccharides에 대하여 exo-hydrolyzing 활성을 보였다. 본 연구는 초고온 고세균으로터 ${\beta}$-glucosidase가 exohydrolyzing 활성을 처음 확인한 것으로 이 효소는 laminarin의 당화공정에 ${\beta}$-1,3-endoglucanase와 함께 적용할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.