Thermus thermophilus as source of thermozymes for biotechnological applications: homologous expression and biochemical characterization of an alpha-galactosidase
Journal article, 2017

Background: The genus Thermus, which has been considered for a long time as a fruitful source of biotechnological relevant enzymes, has emerged more recently as suitable host to overproduce thermozymes. Among these, alpha-galactosidases are widely used in several industrial bioprocesses that require high working temperatures and for which thermostable variants offer considerable advantages over their thermolabile counterparts. Results: Thermus thermophilus HB27 strain was used for the homologous expression of the TTP0072 gene encoding for an a-galactosidase (TtGalA). Interestingly, a soluble and active histidine-tagged enzyme was produced in larger amounts (5 mg/L) in this thermophilic host than in Escherichia coli (0.5 mg/L). The purified recombinant enzyme showed an optimal activity at 90 degrees C and retained more than 40% of activity over a broad range of pH (from 5 to 8). Conclusions: TtGalA is among the most thermoactive and thermostable a-galactosidases discovered so far, thus pointing to T. thermophilus as cell factory for the recombinant production of biocatalysts active at temperature values over 90 degrees C.

Themostability

Thermozymes

α-Galactosidase

Thermus thermophilus

Recombinant expression

Author

Martina Aulitto

University of Naples Federico II

Salvatore Fusco

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology

Gabriella Fiorentino

University of Naples Federico II

Danila Limauro

University of Naples Federico II

Emilia Pedone

University of Naples Federico II

Simonetta Bartolucci

University of Naples Federico II

Patrizia Contursi

University of Naples Federico II

Microbial Cell Factories

14752859 (eISSN)

Vol. 16 1 28

Subject Categories

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Microbiology

DOI

10.1186/s12934-017-0638-4

PubMed

28193276

More information

Latest update

4/11/2018