title: Characterization of an archaeal cyclodextrin glucanotransferase with a novel C-terminal domain.
abstract: A gene encoding a cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) from Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 (CGT(Tk)) was identified and characterized. The gene (cgt(Tk)) encoded a protein of 713 amino acid residues harboring the four conserved regions found in all members of the alpha-amylase family. However, the C-terminal domain corresponding to domain E of previously known CGTases displayed a completely distinct primary structure. In order to elucidate the catalytic function of the gene product, the recombinant enzyme was purified by anion-exchange chromatography, and its enzymatic properties were investigated. The enzyme displayed significant starch-degrading activity (750 U/mg of protein) with an optimal temperature and pH of 80 degrees C and 5.5 to 6.0, respectively. The presence of Ca(2+) enhanced the enzyme activity and elevated the optimum temperature to 85 to 90 degrees C. With the addition of Ca(2+), the enzyme showed extreme thermostability, with almost no loss of enzymatic activity after 80 min at 85 degrees C, and a half-life of 20 min at 100 degrees C. CGT(Tk) could hydrolyze soluble starch and glycogen but failed to hydrolyze pullulan. Most importantly, although CGT(Tk) harbored a unique C-terminal domain, we found that the protein also exhibited significant CGTase activity, with beta-cyclodextrin as the main product. In order to identify the involvement, if any, of the C-terminal region in the CGTase activity, we analyzed a truncated protein (CGT(Tk)DeltaC) with 23 C-terminal amino acid residues deleted. CGT(Tk)DeltaC displayed similar properties in terms of starch-binding activity, substrate specificity, and thermostability, but unexpectedly showed higher starch-degrading activity than the parental CGT(Tk). In contrast, the cyclization activity of CGT(Tk)DeltaC was abolished. The results indicate that the presence of the structurally novel C-terminal domain is essential for CGT(Tk) to properly catalyze the cyclization reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Naeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornista
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ezaki
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Haruyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atomi
authors.forename: Tadayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imanaka
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003505:Cyclodextrins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D019712:Thermococcus / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D003505:Cyclodextrins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C019963:cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase; D002118:Calcium