title: Utilization of ganglioside-degrading Paenibacillus sp. strain TS12 for production of glucosylceramide.
abstract: Gangliosides, sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids, are membrane constituents of vertebrates and are known to have important roles in cellular differentiation, adhesion, and recognition. We report here the isolation of a bacterium capable of degrading gangliotetraose-series gangliosides and a new method for the production of glucosylceramide with this bacterium. GM1a ganglioside was found to be sequentially degraded by Paenibacillus sp. strain TS12, which was isolated from soil, as follows: GM1a --> asialo GM1 --> asialo GM2 --> lactosylceramide --> glucosylceramide. TS12 was found to produce a series of ganglioside-degrading enzymes, such as sialidases, beta-galactosidases, and beta-hexosaminidases. TS12 also produced beta-glucosidases, but glucosylceramide was somewhat resistant to the bacterial enzyme under the conditions used. Taking advantage of the specificity, we developed a new method for the production of glucosylceramide using TS12 as a biocatalyst. The method involves the conversion of crude bovine brain gangliosides to glucosylceramide by coculture with TS12 and purification of the product by chromatography with Wakogel C-300 HG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumida
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sueyoshi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D005963:Glucosylceramides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D005963:Glucosylceramides; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases