Purification and Characterization of Quercitrin-Hydrolyzing ${\alpha}$-L-Rhamnosidase from Fusobacterium K-60, a Human Intestinal Bacterium

An ${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosidase (EC 3.2.1.40.), which transforms quercitrin to quercetin, was purified from Fusobacterium K-60, a human intestinal anaerobic bacterium. The specific activity of the purified ${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosidase was 2.89 mol/min/mg protein. ${\alpha}$-L-Rhamnosidase, whose molecular size was 170 kDa by gel filtration, was composed of four subunits ($M_r$ 41,000 Da) with pI and optimal pH values of 5.2 and 5.5-7.0, respectively. The apparent $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values for p-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranoside and quercitrin were determined to be 0.057 mM and 3.4 mol/min/mg, and 0.077 mM and 5.0 mol/min/mg, respectively. This enzyme was strongly inhibited by $Cu^{2+},\;Mn^{2+}$, L-rhamnose, and p-chlormercuriphenylsulfonic acid. These findings suggest that the biochemical properties and substrate specificity of the purified enzyme are different from those of the previously purified ${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosidase. This is the first reported purification of quercitrin-hydrolyzing ${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosidase from intestinal bacteria.