Abstract

The secondary structure of xylanase II from Trichoderma reesei is lost in an apparent irreversible cooperative process as temperature is increased with a midpoint transition of 58.8 ± 0.1°C. The shift of the spectral centre of mass above 50°C is also apparently cooperative with midpoint transition of 56.3 ± 0.2°C, but the existence of two isofluorescent points in the fluorescence emission spectra suggests a non-two-state process. Further corroboration comes from differential scanning calorimetry experiments. At protein concentrations ≤0.56 mg·mL−1 the calorimetric transition is reversible and the data were fitted to a non-two-state model and deconvoluted into six transitions, whereas at concentrations greater than 0.56 mg·mL−1 the calorimetric transition is irreversible with an exothermic contribution to the thermogram. The apparent T m increased linearly with the scan rate according to first order inactivation kinetics. The effect of additives on the calorimetric transition of xylanase is dependent on their nature. The addition of sorbitol transforms reversible transitions into irreversible transitions while stabilizing the protein as the apparent T m increases linearly with sorbitol concentration. d-Glucono-1,5-lactone, a noncompetitive inhibitor in xylanase kinetics, and soluble xylan change irreversible processes into reversible processes at high protein concentration.

Highlights

  • Xylan is the most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose [1]

  • Among the strategies followed to increase the thermal stability of the enzyme, a favourite has been the introduction of disulfide bond by means of site-directed mutagenesis [6, 7] as well as the introduction of arginines [8]

  • Shuffling between a mesophilic and a thermophilic homologue has been assayed in order to increase the thermal stability of mesophilic enzyme without cost to its activity [12]

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Summary

Introduction

Xylan is the most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose [1]. The filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei (anamorph of Hypocrea jecorina) produces xylanolytic enzymes to hydrolyze xylan. As several industrial processes employ high temperatures and many xylanases are obtained from mesophilic microorganisms, the improvement of xylanases thermostability is a challenge nowadays. As the fungus growing on straw produces hemicellulases, we have purified xylanase II and studied its stability to chemical denaturants, trifluoroethanol, and pH changes in order to characterize the intermediate states in the unfolding process [27]. Further information on the effect of temperature on xylanase II alone or in the presence of ligands (soluble xylan and d-glucono1,5-lactone, GL) and stabilizers (sorbitol) was gained through DSC. The thermal denaturation of xylanase II was reversible or irreversible depending on protein concentration and the presence of additives changed reversible into irreversible transitions (sorbitol), whereas ligands (GL and soluble xylan) change irreversible to reversible ones

Materials and Methods
Results and Discussion
Sorbitol
60 Scan 2
Conclusions
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