Endo-β-Glucanase from Acetobacter xylinum: Purification and Characterization

A cellulose-producing acetic acid bacterium, Acetobacter xylinum KU-1, abundantly produces an extracellular endo-β-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4) in the culture broth. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by DEAE- and CM- Toyopearl 650M ion-exchange chromatography, Butyl-Toyopearl 650M hydrophobic chromatography, and Toyopearl HW-50 gel filtration. The purified enzyme showed the maximum activity at pH 5 and 50°C: it was stable up to 50°C at pH 5, activated by Co2+, and competitively inhibited by Hg2+; the apparent Ki was 7 μM. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be about 39,000 by sodium dodesyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and about 41,000 by Toyopearl HW-50 gel filtration; the enzyme is monomeric. The enzyme hydrolyzed carboxymethylcellulose with an apparent Km of 30 mg/ml and Vmax of 1.2 μM/min. It hydrolyzed cellohexaose to cellobiose, cellotriose and cellotetraose, and also cellopentaose to cellobiose and cellotriose, but did not act on cellobiose, cellotriose, or cellotetraose.