Overexpression and characterization of a novel thermostable β-agarase YM01-3, from marine bacterium Catenovulum agarivorans YM01(T)

Mar Drugs. 2014 May 12;12(5):2731-47. doi: 10.3390/md12052731.

Abstract

Genome sequencing of Catenovulum agarivorans YM01T reveals 15 open-reading frames (ORFs) encoding various agarases. In this study, extracellular proteins of YM01T were precipitated by ammonium sulfate and separated by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The results of in-gel agarase activity assay and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the protein, YM01-3, was an agarase with the most evident agarolytic activity. Agarase YM01-3, encoded by the YM01-3 gene, consisted of 420 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 46.9 kDa and contained a glycoside hydrolase family 16 β-agarase module followed by a RICIN superfamily in the C-terminal region. The YM01-3 gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant agarase, YM01-3, showed optimum activity at pH 6.0 and 60 °C and had a K(m) of 3.78 mg mL⁻¹ for agarose and a Vmax of 1.14 × 10⁴ U mg⁻¹. YM01-3 hydrolyzed the β-1,4-glycosidic linkages of agarose, yielding neoagarotetraose and neoagarohexaose as the main products. Notably, YM01-3 was stable below 50 °C and retained 13% activity after incubation at 80 °C for 1 h, characteristics much different from other agarases. The present study highlights a thermostable agarase with great potential application value in industrial production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agar / chemistry
  • Alteromonadaceae / chemistry*
  • Alteromonadaceae / genetics
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / chemistry*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Agar
  • Glycoside Hydrolases
  • agarase