The processive endoglucanase EngZ is active in crystalline cellulose degradation as a cellulosomal subunit of Clostridium cellulovorans

Sang Duck Jeon, Kyung Ok Yu, Seung Wook Kim, Sung Ok Han

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Clostridium cellulovorans produces an efficient enzyme complex for the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. In our previous study, we detected and identified protein spots that interacted with a fluorescently labeled cohesin biomarker via two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. One novel, putative cellulosomal protein (referred to as endoglucanase Z) contains a catalytic module from the glycosyl hydrolase family (GH9) and demonstrated higher levels of expression than other cellulosomal cellulases in Avicel-containing cultures. Purified EngZ had optimal activity at pH 7.0, 40°C, and the major hydrolysis product from the cellooligosaccharides was cellobiose. EngZ's specific activity toward crystalline cellulose (Avicel and acid-swollen cellulose) was 10-20-fold higher than other cellulosomal cellulase activities. A large percentage of the reducing ends that were produced by this enzyme from acid-swollen cellulose were released as soluble sugar. EngZ has the capability of reducing the viscosity of Avicel at an intermediate-level between exo- and endo-typing cellulases, suggesting that it is a processive endoglucanase. In conclusion, EngZ was highly expressed in cellulolytic systems and demonstrated processive endoglucanase activity, suggesting that it plays a major role in the hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose and acts as a cellulosomal enzyme in. C. cellulovorans.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)365-371
Number of pages7
JournalNew Biotechnology
Volume29
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012 Feb 15

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We are grateful to Ka Young Shin for skillful technical assistance and Dr. Hyun Wook Jung for viscometric analysis. This work was supported in part by a grant from the Technology Development Program for Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea (no. 309016-5) and the Mid-career Researcher Program via an NRF grant funded by the MEST, Republic of Korea (no. R01-2008-000-20438-0).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering
  • Molecular Biology

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