title: Characterization of glycosyl hydrolase family 3 beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases from Thermotoga maritima and Thermotoga neapolitana.
abstract: The genes encoding beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (nagA and cbsA) from Thermotoga maritima and Thermotoga neapolitana were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli in order to investigate whether Thermotoga sp. is capable of utilizing chitin as a carbon source. NagA and CbsA were purified to homogeneity by HiTrap Q HP and Sephacryl S-200 HR column chromatography. Both enzymes were homodimers containing a family 3 glycoside hydrolase (GH3) catalytic domain, with a monomer molecular mass of 54 kDa. The optimal temperatures and pHs for the activities of the beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases were found to be 65-75 degrees C and 7.0-8.0, respectively. Both enzymes hydrolyzed chitooligomers such as di-N-acetylchitobiose and tri-N-acetylchitotriose, and synthetic substrates such as p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucose (pNPGlc), p-nitrophenyl N-acetyl beta-D-glucosamine (pNPGlcNAc), p-nitrophenyl di-N-acetyl beta-D-chitobiose (pNPGlcNAc(2)) and p-nitrophenyl tri-N-acetyl beta-D-chitotriose (pNPGlcNAc(3)). However, the enzymes had no activity against p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactose (pNPGal) and p-nitrophenyl N-acetyl beta-D-galactosamine (pNPGalNAc) or highly polymerized chitin. The k(cat) and K(m) values were determined for pNPGlcNAc, pNPGlcNAc(2) and pNPGlcNAc(3). The k(cat)/K(m) value for pNPGlcNAc was the highest among three synthetic substrates. NagA and CbsA initially hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl substrates to give GlcNAc, suggesting that the enzymes have exo-activity with chitin oligosaccharides from the non-reducing ends, like other beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases. However, NagA and CbsA can be distinguished from other GH3-type beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases in that they are highly active against di-N-acetylchitobiose. Thus, the present results suggest that the physiological role of both enzymes is to degrade the chitooligosaccharides transported through membrane following hydrolysis of chitin into beta-N-acetylglucosamine to be further metabolized in Thermotoga sp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ja Yeong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Kyung-Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Cheon-Seok
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jaeho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cha
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D020124:Thermotoga maritima / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D046949:Thermotoga neapolitana / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004187:Disaccharides; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D014312:Trisaccharides; D002686:Chitin; C010913:N,N-diacetylchitobiose; C014124:4-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-2-deoxyglucopyranoside; C019117:N,N',N''-triacetylchitotriose; C032438:chitobiose; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase; D000117:Acetylglucosamine