title: Identification of three distinct Clostridium thermocellum xylanase genes by molecular cloning.
abstract: Three genes coding for xylanase synthesis in Clostridium thermocellum were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Genomic DNA from Clostridium thermocellum was digested to completion with HindIII, BamHI, and SalI. The fragments were ligated into the corresponding sites of pUC19 and transformed into Escherichia coli. Two of the genes encoded for xylanases which depolymerized xylans but were unable to extensively convert these substrates to reducing sugar. The third gene encoded for an enzyme that extensively hydrolyzed xylan. The insert containing the latter gene was subjected to extensive mapping and was found to encode for a xylanase with a molecular weight of approximately 25,000. The protein product of the cloned gene was obtained in a relatively pure form by heat treatment, ion exchange and gel permeation steps. The enzyme was quite stable to high temperatures with a half-life of 24 h at 70 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bilous
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Narang
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003013:Clostridium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D043325:Xylan Endo-1,3-beta-Xylosidase
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D043325:Xylan Endo-1,3-beta-Xylosidase