• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 1997

This study was aimed to survey inexpensive and reliable sources of chitinase from the animal origin. The stomach and its content of the broiler, the cod, the yellowtail and ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ from snail gut showed a considerable chitinolytic activity, while those of the bas didn't have any detectable activity. These crude enzymes was found to have both endo- and exochitinase activity. The effects of pH and temperature on the enzyme activity were variable. The hydrolytic products of colloidal chitin by the enzyme preparation from the broiler and the cod were chitooligomers having the degree of polymerization between 3 and 5. Furthermore we observed the chitosanolytic activity from these enzymes. In the degradation of chitosan the chyme of the broiler had the highest activity and ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ from snail gut followed. On the basis of the fact that the by-product of the broiler was not only commercially available but also the most potent in the endochitinase activity and the lowest in the exochitinase activity, we conclude that the gizzard and its chyme are considered as the most suitable source of the industrial chitinase among animals studied in this paper.

• Journal of Chitin and Chitosan
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.228-233
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• 2018

We isolated microorganisms from soil, which is sampled at forest, Kyeonbuk, Korea, as cellulolytic microorganisms. The isolated strains were identified by analysis of 16S rRNA gene from the starins. The result, four kinds of Bacillus subtilis, one kind of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and one kind of Bacillus cereus were identified. Among these strains, Bacillus subtilis was selected due to its high cellulase activity and this strain was named as Bacillus subtilis CNS. The optimum pH and temperature of the cellulase from Bacillus subtilis CNS was pH 5.0 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. In the investigation of pH and temperature stability, the cellulase from Bacillus subtilis NSC stabled pH 4.0~6.0 range and until $40^{\circ}C$ for 30 min perfectly. In the enzyme activity for various cellulosic substrate, cellulase from Bacillus subtilis CNS showed the highest activity for CM-cellulose. And, the enzyme activities for alkali swollen cellulose, Alpha-cellulose, Sigmacell-cellulose, and Avicel were approximately 31%, 8%, 8% and 4% of activity for CM-cellulose, respectively. In the degradation of CM-cellulose, the 0.26 U/ml and 0.52 U/ml of cellulase showed 0.43 and 0.76 U/ml activity for CM-cellulose after the reaction of 120 min, respectively.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.79-82
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• 2000

We have isolated a cDNA encoding a calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) in Nicotiana tabacum, which was designated NtCDPK1. Accumulation of the NtCDPK1 mRNA was stimulated by various stimuli, including phytohormones, CaCl$_2$ wounding, fungal elicitors, chitin and methyl jasmonate. The NtCDPK1 gene encodes a functional Ser/Thr protein kinase of which phosphorylation activity is strongly induced by calcium. By analyzing expression of the NtCDPK1-GFP fusion protein and by immunoblotting with antibody which reacts with NtCDPK1, we found that NtCDPK1 is localized in membrane and nucleus in plant cells. Silencing expression of the NtCDPK1 transgene resulted in marked decrease of lateral root development in the transgenic tobacco plants. Yeast two hybrid screening using NtCDPK1 as a bait identified a tobacco homologue of proteasome regulatory subunit 21D7, designated Nt21D7. The 21D7 mRNA has been shown to be predominantly expressed in proliferating tissues in the cell cycledependent manner in carrot. The recombinant NtCDPK1 protein associated with Nt21D7 in vitro, and could phosphorylate the Nt21D7 protein in vitro in the presence of calcium, suggesting that Nt21D7 protein is a natural substrate of NtCDPK1 in tobacco. These results suggest that NtCDPK1 may regulate tell proliferation processes, such as lateral root formation, by regulating specificity and/or activity of proteasome-mediated protein degradation pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1728-1733
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• 2006

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, nonmotile, and nonspore-forming bacterial strain, designated $T5-12^T$, was isolated from compost and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomical approach. The isolate was positive for catalase and oxidase tests. It could degrade DNA, but was negative for degradation of macromolecules such as casein, collagen, starch, chitin, cellulose, and xylan. The DNA G+C content was 36.0 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major fatty acids were $iso-C_{15:0}$ (45.6%), $iso-C_{17:0}$ 3OH (17.2%), and summed feature 4 ($C_{16:0}\;{\omega}7c$ and/or $iso-C_{15:0}$ 2OH, 14.9%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain $T5-12^T$ fell within the radiation of the cluster comprising members of the genus Sphingobacterium. Strain $T5-12^T$ exhibited lower than 94% of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to the type strains of recognized Sphingobacterium species. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain $T5-12^T$ ($=KCTC\;12578^T=LMG\;23401^T=CCUG\;52467^T$) should be classified in the genus Sphingobacterium as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium composti sp. novo is proposed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2011

Termites play an important role in the degradation of dead plant materials and have acquired endogenous and symbiotic cellulose digestion capabilities. The feruloyl esterase enzyme (FAE) gene amplified from the metagenomic DNA of Coptotermes formosanus gut was cloned in the TA cloning vector and subcloned into a pET32a expression vector. The Ft3-7 gene has 84% sequence identity with Clostridium saccharolyticum and shows amino acid sequence identity with predicted xylanase/chitin deacetylase and endo-1,4-beta-xylanase. The sequence analysis reveals that probably Ft3-7 could be a new gene and that its molecular mass was 18.5 kDa. The activity of the recombinant enzyme (Ft3-7) produced in Escherichia coli (E.coli) was 21.4 U with substrate ethyl ferulate and its specific activity was 24.6 U/mg protein. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 7.0 and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively. The substrate utilization preferences and sequence similarity of the Ft3-7 place it in the type-D sub-class of FAE.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.351-353
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• 2017

Chryseobacterium sp. strain T16E-39, isolated from roots of a tomato plant, promotes plant growth and suppresses phytophthora blight and bacterial wilt diseases. The complete genome of strain T16E-39 consists of a circular chromosome with 4,872,888 base pairs with a G + C content of 35.22%. The genome includes 4,289 coding sequences, 15 rRNAs, and 71 tRNAs. We detected genes involved in phosphate solubilization, phytohormone regulation, antioxidant activity, chitin degradation, and the type IX secretion system (T9SS) that may be related to growth promotion and disease suppression in plants.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.345-352
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• 2022

Chitinase AO-801 is a hydrolase secreted by Arthrobotrys oligospora during nematode feeding, while its role remained elusive. This study analyzed the molecular characteristics of recombinant chitinase of Arthrobotrys oligospora (reAO-801). AO-801 belongs to the typical glycoside hydrolase 18 family with conserved chitinase sequence and tertiary structure of (α/β)₈ triose-phosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel. The molecular weight of reAO-801 was 42 kDa. reAO-801 effectively degraded colloidal and powdered chitin, egg lysate, and stage I larval lysate of Caenorhabditis elegans. The activity of reAO-801 reached its peak at 40℃ and pH values between 4-7. Enzyme activity was inhibited by Zn2⁺, Ca2⁺, and Fe3⁺, whereas Mg2⁺ and K⁺ potentiated its activity. In addition, urea, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and 2-mercaptoethanol significantly inhibited enzyme activity. reAO-801 showed complete nematicidal activity against C. elegans stage I larvae. reAO-801 broke down the C. elegans egg shells, causing them to die or die prematurely by hatching the eggs. It also invoked degradation of Haemonchus contortus eggs, resulting in apparent changes in the morphological structure. This study demonstrated the cytotoxic effect of reAO-801, which laid the foundation for further dissecting the mechanism of nematode infestation by A. oligospora.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.482-493
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• 2005

Biomass is originally photosynthesized from inorgainic compounds such as $CO_2$, minerals, water and solar energy. Recent studies have shown that anaerobic bacteria have the ability to convert recalcitrant biomass such as cellullosic or chitinoic materials to useful compounds. The biomass containing agricultural waste, unutilized wood and other garbage is expected to utilize as feed, food and fuel by microbial degradation and other metabolic functions. In this study we isolated several anaerobic, cellulolytic and chitinolytic bacteria from rumen fluid, compost and soil to study their related enzymes and genes. The anaerobic and cellulolytic bacteria, Clostridium thermocellum, Clostridium stercorarium, and Clostridium josui, were isolated from compost and the chitinolytic Clostridium paraputrificum from beach soil and Ruminococcus albus was isolated from cow rumen. After isolation, novel cellulase and xylanase genes from these anaerobes were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The properties of the cloned enzymes showed that some of them were the components of the enzyme (cellulase) complex, i.e., cellulosome, which is known to form complexes by binding cohesin domains on the cellulase integrating protein (Cip: or core protein) and dockerin domains on the enzymes. Several dockerin and cohesin polypeptides were independently produced by E. coli and their binding properties were specified with BIAcore by measuring surface plasmon resonance. Three pairs of cohesin-dockerin with differing binding specificities were selected. Two of their genes encoding their respective cohesin polypeptides were combined to one gene and expressed in E. coli as a chimeric core protein, on which two dockerin-dehydrogenase chimeras, the dockerin-formaldehyde dehydrogenase and the dockerin-NADH dehydrogenase are planning to bind for catalyzing $CO_2$ reduction to formic acid by feeding NADH. This reaction may represent a novel strategy for the reduction of the green house gases. Enzymes from the anaerobes were also expressed in tobacco and rice plants. The activity of a xylanase from C. stercorarium was detected in leaves, stems, and rice grain under the control of CaMV35S promoter. The digestibility of transgenic rice leaves in goat rumen was slightly accelerated. C. paraputrificum was found to solubilize shrimp shells and chitin to generate hydrogen gas. Hydrogen productivity (1.7 mol $H_2/mol$ glucos) of the organism was improved up to 1.8 times by additional expression of the own hydrogenase gene in C. paraputrficum using a modified vector of Clostridiu, perfringens. The hydrygen producing microflora from soil, garbage and dried pelletted garbage, known as refuse derived fuel(RDF), were also found to be effective in converting biomass waste to hydrogen gas.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.466-471
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• 1996

The survey on the chitinolytic activity of some plants was performed for the purpose of obtaining some reliable and inexpensive sources of chitinase. Rice, soybean for sprouting, kiwi fruit, almond and crude papain were investigated. Rice bran, seed coat of the soybean and the pericarp of kiwi fruit showed a considerable activity, while the bean after the removal of the seed coat, the mixture of rice integument and endosperm, polished rice, and defatted soybean powder didn't have any detectable activity. These crude enzymes have shown to contain both endo- and exochitinase activity. The effects of pH and temperature on the enzyme activity were variable. Furthermore we have observed the chitosanolytic activity from these enzyme Preparations. The rice bran had the highest activity in the enzymatic degradation of chitosan, and seed coat of soybean and the pericarp of kiwi fruit followed. On the basis of the fact that crude papain was not only commercially available but also the most potent in the endochitinase activity and the lowest in the exochitinase activity, we could conclude that crude papain was considered as the most suitable source of the chitinase among plants studied in this paper. In addition, rice bran was worth further investigation from the point of utilizing agricultural by-product.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1554-1560
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• 2006

A Gram-positive, aerobic or facultative anaerobic, non motile, endospore-forming bacterial strain, designated Gsoil $114^T$, was isolated from a soil sample of a ginseng field in Pocheon Province (South Korea), and was characterized taxonomically by using a polyphasic approach. It grew well on nutrient agar medium and utilized a limited number of organic substrates as sole carbon sources, including D-xylose and some other carbohydrates, but did not utilize L-amino acids and organic acids. The isolate was positive for oxidase test but negative for catalase, and negative for degradation of macromolecules such as starch, cellulose, xylan, casein, chitin, and DNA. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 41.8 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major fatty acids were $anteiso-C_{15:0}$ (32.1%), $iso-C_{15:0}$ (30.5%), and $anteiso-C_{17:0}$ (30.2%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain Gsoil $114^T$ fell within the radiation of the cluster comprising Bacillus species and joined Bacillus shackletonii LMG $18435^T$ with a bootstrap value of 95%. The highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities were found with Bacillus shackletonii LMG $18435^T$ (97.6%), Bacillus acidicola DSM $14745^T$ (96.9%), Bacillus sporothermodurans DSM $10599^T$ (96.5%), and Bacillus oleronius DSM $9356^T$ (96.5%). The phylogenetic distance from any other validly described species within the genus Bacillus was less than 96%. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed that the DNA-similarities between strain Gsoil $114^T$ and closest phylogenetic neighbors were less than 39%. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain Gsoil $114^T$ (=KCTC $13944^T$=DSMZ $18134^T$) was classified in the genus Bacillus as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Bacillus ginsengihumi sp. nov. is proposed.