No abstract

Rhamnogalacturonan lyase (PcRGL4A) was purified from the culture supernatant of Penicillium chrysogenum 31B. PcRGL4A optimal activity occurred between pH 7-8 and at 40°C. Conserved Domain Search analysis identified PcRGL4A as a member of Polysaccharide Lyase family 4. PcRGL4A contains two conserved catalytic and four conserved substrate-binding residues as determined by X-ray crystallography of the Aspergillus aculeatus RG lyase. Recombinant PcRGL4A (rPcRGL4A) expressed in Escherichia coli demonstrated specific activity against rhamnogalacturonan (RG) but not homogalacturonan. Analysis of the RG reaction products by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography revealed that rPcRGL4A cleaved the substrate in an endo-manner and that the major final product was an RG tetrasaccharide with 4-deoxy-4,5-unsaturated galacturonic acid at the nonreducing end. Based on these results, PcRGL4A was classified as an endo-acting RG lyase (EC 4.2.2.23). Divalent cations were not essential for the enzymatic activity of rPcRGL4A, but addition of calcium ions to the reaction mixture increased enzymatic activity. rPcRGL4A demonstrated a preference for RG lacking galactose decoration.

Xylans are major hemicellulose components of plant cell wall which can be hydrolyzed by xylanolytic enzymes. Three forms of endo-β-1,4-xylanases (XynSW1, XynSW2A, and XynSW2B) produced by thermotolerant Streptomyces sp. SWU10 have been reported. In the present study, we described the expression and characterization of the fourth xylanase enzyme from this bacteria, termed XynSW3. The gene containing 726 bp was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme (rXynSW3) was purified from cell-free extract to homogeneity using Ni-affinity column chromatography. The apparent molecular mass of rXynSW3 was 48 kDa. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that it belonged to a xylanase of glycoside hydrolase family 11. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 5.5-6.5 and 50 °C, respectively. The enzyme was stable up to 40 °C and in wide pH ranges (pH 0.6-10.3). Xylan without arabinosyl side chain is the most preferable substrate for the enzyme. By using birch wood xylan as substrate, rXynSW3 produced several oligosaccharides in the initial stage of hydrolysis, and their levels increased with time, demonstrating that the enzyme is an endo-acting enzyme. The major products were xylobiose, triose, and tetraose. The rXynSW3 can be applied in several industries such as food, textile, and biofuel industries, and waste treatment.

Peroxiredoxin (PRDX), a newly discovered antioxidant enzyme, has an important role in hydrogen peroxide reduction. Among six PRDX genes (PRDX1–6) in mammals, PRDX4 gene is alternatively spliced to produce the somatic cell form (PRDX4) and the testis specific form (PRDX4t). In our previous study, PRDX4 knockout mice displayed testicular atrophy with an increase in cell death due to oxidative stress. However, the antioxidant function of PRDX4t is unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that PRDX4t plays a protective role against oxidative stress in the mammalian cell line HEK293T. The PRDX4t-EGFP plasmid was transferred into HEK293T cells; protein expression was confirmed in the cytoplasm. To determine the protective role of PRDX4t in cells, we performed image-based analysis of PRDX4t-EGFP expressed cells exposed to UV irradiation and hydrogen peroxide using fluorescent probe CellROX. Our results suggested that PRDX4t-EGFP expressed cells had reduced levels of oxidative stress compared with cells that express only EGFP. This study highlights that PRDX4t plays an important role in cellular antioxidant defense.