• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.12
• /
• pp.1486-1494
• /
• 2013

A high protease-producing strain was isolated and identified from the digestive tract of octopus vulgaris by detecting a hydrolysis circle of protease and its activity. The strain was identified by morphology observation, biochemical experiments, and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The protease obtained from the strain was purified by a three-step process involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, carboxy methyl-cellulose (CM-52) cation-exchange chromatography, and DEAE-Sephadex A50 anion-exchange chromatography. The properties of protease were characterized as well. The strain Bacillus sp. QDV-3, which produced the highest activity of protease, was isolated. On the basis of the phenotypic and biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene-sequencing studies, the isolate was identified as follows: domain: Bacteria; phylum: Firmicutes; class: Bacilli; order: Bacillales; family: Bacillaceae; and genus: Bacillus. The isolate was shown to have a 99.2% similarity with Bacillus flexus. A high active protease designated as QDV-E, with a molecular weight of 61.6 kDa, was obtained. The enzyme was found to be active in the pH range of 9.0-9.5 and its optimum temperature was $40^{\circ}C$. The protease activity retained more than 96% at the temperature of $50^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibited the enzyme activity, thus confirming that this protease isolated from Bacillus sp. QDV-3 is an alkaline serine protease. Metal ions, $Mn^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$, were determined to enhance the protease activity, whereas $Ba^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Cu^{2+}$ were found to inactivate the enzyme.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.60-68
• /
• 2018

A cold-active and alkaline serine protease (Pro21717) was partially purified from the Antarctic marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas arctica PAMC 21717. On a zymogram gel containing skim milk, Pro21717 produced two distinct clear-zones of approximately 37 kDa (low intensity) and 74 kDa (high intensity). These were found to have identical N-terminal sequences, suggesting they arose from an identical precursor and that the 37 kDa protease might homodimerize to the more active 74 kDa form of the protein. Pro21717 displayed proteolytic activity at $0-40^{\circ}C$ (optimal temperature of $40^{\circ}C$) and maintained this activity at pH 5.0-10.0 (optimal pH of 9.0). Notably, relative activities of 30% and 45% were observed at $0^{\circ}C$ and $10^{\circ}C$, respectively, in comparison to the 100% activity observed at $40^{\circ}C$, and this enzyme showed a broad substrate range against synthetic peptides with a preference for proline in the cleavage reaction. Pro21717 activity was enhanced by $Cu^{2+}$ and remained stable in the presence of detergent surfactants (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate and sodium dodecyl sulfate) and other chemical components ($Na_2SO_4$ and metal ions, such as $Ba^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Fe^{2+}$, $K^+$, and $Na^{2+}$), which are often included in commercial detergent formulations. These data indicate that the psychrophilic Pro21717 has properties comparable to the well-characterized mesophilic subtilisin Carlsberg, which is commercially produced by Novozymes as the trademark Alcalase. Thus it has the potential to be used as a new additive enzyme in laundry detergents that must work well in cold tap water below $15^{\circ}C$.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.278-283
• /
• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Due to its beneficial health effects, use of buckwheat has shown a continuous increase, and concerns regarding the allergic property of buckwheat have also increased. This study was conducted for evaluation of the hydrolytic effects of seven commercial proteases on buckwheat allergens and its allergenicity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Extracted buckwheat protein was hydrolyzed by seven proteolytic enzymes at individual optimum temperature and pH for four hours. Analysis was then performed using SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, and competitive inhibition ELISA (ciELISA) with rabbit antiserum to buckwheat protein, and direct ELISA with pooled serum of 21 buckwheat-sensitive patients. RESULTS: Alkaline protease, classified as serine peptidase, was most effective in reducing allergenicity of buckwheat protein. It caused decomposition of the whole buckwheat protein, as shown on SDS-PAGE, and results of immunoblotting showed that the rabbit antiserum to buckwheat protein no longer recognized it as an antigen. Allergenicity showed a decrease of more than 50% when pooled serum of patients was used in ELISA. Two proteolytic enzymes from Aspergillus sp. could not hydrolyze buckwheat allergens effectively, and the allergenicity even appeared to increase. CONCLUSIONS: Serine-type peptidases appeared to show a relatively effective reduction of buckwheat allergenicity. However, the antigenicity measured using rabbit antiserum did not correspond to the allergenicity measured using sera from human patients. Production of less allergenic buckwheat protein may be possible using enzymatic hydrolysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.537-543
• /
• 2005

Subtilisin (EC 3.4.21.14) is the major extracellular alkaline serine protease of Bacillus species. Previously, we found that subtilisins did not migrate in the electrophoretic field in the Laemmili buffer system due to their high pI values (over 8.8); however, it formed a 'binding mode' at the top of the separating gel [5]. Utilizing this characteristic, four subtilisins from Bacillus sp. strains (e.g., B. subtilis 168, B. subtilis KCTC 1021, B. amyloliquefaciens KCTC 3002, and Bacillus sp. DJ-1 and DJ-4) were easily and quickly identified by an over-running electrophoretic technique with a miniscale culture supernatant (less than 20 ml) without any column chromatographic steps. Two subtilisins (DJ-l and a recombinant version) from Bacillus sp. DJ-l were characterized, and the enzymatic properties were determined by SDS-fibrin zymography and densitometric analysis. Based on this observation, the recombinant pro-subtilisin DJ-l showed the same 'binding mode,' similar to native subtilisin DJ-l. On the other hand, mature subtilisin DJ -1 without pro-peptide showed no enzymatic activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.257-262
• /
• 1992

Virginiae butanolide (VB) is an autoregulator which triggers virginiamycin production in Strefltomyces virginiae. VB-C binding protein activity was investigated under various additives. The VB-C binding protein was almost fully observed in sotubte fraction (>90%) and the binding activity was optimum at pH 7.0. The VB-C binding activity was increased about 15% in 0.5 M KCI, whereas decreased about 60% in 20 mM $Mo^{6+}$. Chelating reagents (ethylenediarnine tetraacetic acid, ethyleneglycol bis(2-aminoethylether) tetraacetic acid, 8-hydroxyquinoline) and SH protecting reagents (rnercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, thioglycerol) inhibited the VB-C binding activity about 30~55% and 3~20%, respectively. Serine protease inhibitor (phenyl methane sulfonyl fluoride), nucleotides (guanosine 5'-monophosphate, adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate), and phosphatases (alkaline, acid phosphatase) increased the VB-C binding activity about 17%, 6~20%, and 4- 13%, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.14-20
• /
• 1999

Two extracellular proteases, EP I and EP II, from cells of Oligotropha carboxydovorans (formerly Pseudomonas carboxydovorans) DSM 1227 grown in nutrient broth were purified to greater than 95% homogeneity in five steps using azocasein as a substrate. The final specific activities of EPs I and II were 214.9 and 667.4 units per mg of protein. The molecular weights of native EPs I and II were determined to be 23,000. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis revealed the two enzymes to be monomers. The enzymes were found to be serine-type proteases. The activity of EP I was stimulated by Ca2+, Mg2+, and Ba2+, but that of EP II was not. The enzymes were completely inhibited by Fe2+, Hg2+, Co2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+. EDTA and EGTA exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on EP I. The optimal pH for the two enzymes was pH 9.0. The optimal temperatures for EP I and II were 60 and 50$^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzymes were stable under alkaline conditions. The thermal stability of EP I was higher than that of EP II. Cell-free extracts did not inhibit the purified enzymes. The enzymes were active on casein, azocasein, azocoll, and carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, but weakly active with bovine serum albumin.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.349-354
• /
• 2000

Abstract A facultative alkalophilic gram-negative Vibrio metschnikovii strain RH530, isolated from the wastewater, produced several alkaline proteases (VAP) including six alkaline serine proteases and a metalloprotease. From this strain, high yielding YAP mutants were isolated by NTG treatment. The isolated mutant KS1 showed nine times more activity than the wild-type after optimization of the culture media. The production was regulated by catabolite repression when glucose was added to the medium. The effects of several organic nitrogen sources on the production of the YAP were investigated to avoid catabolite repression. The combination of 4% wheat gluten meal (WGM), 1.5% cotton seed flour (eSF), and 5% soybean meal (SBM) resulted in the best production when supplemented with 1% NaCl. The YAP showed a resistance to surfactants such as $sodium-{\alpha}-olefin$ sulfonate (AOS), polyoxy ethylene oxide (POE), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), yet not to linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). However, the activity of the YAP was restored completely when incubated with LAS in the presence of POE or $Na_2SO_4$. The YAP was stable in a liquid laundry detergent containing 6.6% SLES (sodium lauryl ether sulfate), 6.6% LAS, 19.8% POE, and stabilizing agents for more than two weeks at $40^{\circ}C$, but the stability was sharply decreased even after 1 day when incubated at $60^{\circ}C$. A washing performance test with the YAP exhibited it to be a good washing power by showing 51 % and 60% activity at $25^{\circ}C{\;}and{\;}40^{\circ}C$, respectively, thereby indicating that the YAP also has a good detergency at a low temperature. All the results suggest that the YAP produced from the mutant strain KSI has suitable properties for use in laundry detergents.rgents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.9
• /
• pp.1482-1492
• /
• 2018

Fusarium oxysporum trypsin (FOT) is a fungal serine protease similar to mammal trypsin. The FOT could be successfully expressed in Pichiapastoris by engineering the natural propeptide APQEIPN. In this study, we constructed two recombinant enzymes with engineered amino acid sequences added to the N-terminus of FOT and expressed in P. pastoris. The N-terminal residues had various effects on the structural and functional properties of trypsin. The FOT, and the recombinants TE (with peptide YVEF) and TS (with peptide YV) displayed the same optimum temperature ($40^{\circ}C$) and pH (8.0). However, the combinants TE and TS showed significantly increased thermal stability at $40^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$. Moreover, the combinants TE and TS also showed enhanced tolerance of alkaline pH conditions. Compared with those of wild-type FOT, the intramolecular hydrogen bonds and the cation ${\pi}$-interactions of the recombinants TE and TS were significantly increased. The recombinants TE and TS also had significantly increased catalytic efficiencies (referring to the specificity constant, $k_{cat}/K_m$), 1.75-fold and 1.23-fold than wild-type FOT. In silico modeling analysis uncovered that the introduction of the peptides YVEF and YV resulted in shorter distances between the substrate binding pocket (D174, G198, and G208) and catalytic triad (His42, Asp102, and Ser180), which would improve the electron transfer rate and catalytic efficiency. In addition, N-terminal residues modification described here may be a useful approach for improving the catalytic efficiencies and characteristics of other target enzymes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.9
• /
• pp.1469-1476
• /
• 2007

Jeot-gal is a traditional Korean fermented seafood and has long been used for seasoning. We isolated 188 strains from shrimp, anchovy, and yellow corvina Jeot-gal, and screened sixteen strains that showed strong fibrinolytic activities on a fibrin plate. Among those strains, the strain that had the largest halo zone was chosen and identified as Bacillus licheniformis by using 16S rDNA sequencing and an API CHB kit. The fibrinolytic activity of Bacillus licheniformis was characterized and designated as bpKJ-31. The active component of bpKJ-31 was identified as a 37 kDa protein, designated bacillopeptidase F, by internal peptide mapping and N-terminal sequencing. The optimum activity of bpKJ-31 was shown at pH 9 and $40^{\circ}C$, with a chromogenic substrate for plasmin. It had high degrading activity for the $B{\beta}$-chain and $A{\alpha}$-chain of fibrin(ogen), and also acted on thrombin, but not skim milk and casein. The amidolytic activity of bpKJ-31 was inhibited by 1 mM phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, but 1 mM EDTA did not affect the enzyme activity, indicating that bpKJ-31 is an alkaline serine protease, like a plasmin. The bpKJ-31 showed approximately 14.3% higher fibrinolytic activity than the plasmin. These features of bpKJ-31 make it attractive as a health-promoting biomaterial.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.259-266
• /
• 2002

The egg shell membrane degrading isolated from soil was identified as Bacillus licheniformis by 16S rDNA identification method. A keratinase was isolated from the Baciilu licheniformis culture. DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange and Sephadex C-75 gel chromatograhies were used to purify the enzyme. The specific activity was increased 17.3-fold by the purification procedures. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis and Sephadex G-75 chromatography indicated that the purified keratinase was monomeric and had a molecular weight of 65 kDa. The enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 9.0, and was stable above pH 9.0. The optimum temperature was 50$\^{C}$ and the enzyme was stable in the temperature ranges from 20$\^{C}$ to 50t. By the addition of 1 mM and 10 mM FeSO4, the activities of the enzyme were increased to 111$\pm$4.6% and 133$\pm$3.79%, respectively. The keratinase was an alkaline serine pretense because it was inhibited only by phenylmethylsulfonylfluorice (PMSF).