title: Biochemical characterization of cloned Aspergillus fumigatus phytase (phyA).
abstract: The gene for Aspergillus fumigatus phytase (phyA) was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The enzyme expressed was purified to near homogeneity using sequential ion-exchange chromatography and was characterized biochemically. Although A. fumigatus phytase shows 66.2% sequence homology with A. ficuum phytase, the most widely studied enzyme, the cloned phytase showed identical molecular weight and temperature optima profile to the benchmark phytase. The pH profile of activity and kinetic parameters, however, differed from A. ficuum phytase. The cloned enzyme contains the septapeptide RHGARYP motif, which is also identical to the active site motif of A. ficuum phytase. Chemical probing of the active site Arg residues using both cyclohexanedione and phenylglyoxal resulted in the inactivation of phytase. The cloned A. fumigatus phytase, however, was more resistant to phenylglyoxal-induced inactivation. Both cloned A. fumigatus and A. ficuum phytases were identically affected by cyclohexanedione. Both the thermal characterization data and kinetic parameters of cloned and expressed A. fumigatus phytase indicate that this biocatalyst is not superior to the benchmark enzyme. The sequence difference between A. fumigatus and A. ficuum phytase may explain why the former enzyme catalyzes poorly compared to the benchmark enzyme. In addition, differential sensitivity toward the Arg modifier, phenylglyoxal, indicates a different chemical environment at the active site for each of the phytases.
authors.affiliation: Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124, USA. aullah@nola.srrc.usda.gov
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sethumadhavan
authors.forename: X G
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mullaney
mesh_terms: D010832:6-Phytase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000201:enzymology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007294:Inositol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C013063:inositol hexasulfate; D007294:Inositol; D010832:6-Phytase