Identification, heterologous expression and biochemical characterization of a novel cellulase-free xylanase B from the thermophilic bacterium Cohnella sp.A01

Abstract

A novel xylanase gene of 870bp was isolated and cloned from the thermophilic bacteria Cohnella sp.A01 that encodes an enzyme comprising 290 amino acid residues and belonging to the GH10 family of xylanases. The enzyme was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli BL21, then purified using one-step chromatography. The recombinant XynB-A01 not only exhibited significant thermostability but also showed to be stable in a broad range of pH (3.0–10.0), the presence of some detergents, and organic solvents. Although XynB-A01 demonstrated significant activity toward both beechwood and oat spelt xylans, it showed a stronger affinity and higher activity toward the former. HPLC analysis of beechwood xylan hydrolysis revealed that xylotetraose, xylobiose, and xylose are the major hydrolysis products. The investigation of XynB-A01 in pulp biobleaching showed effectiveness in the release of reducing sugars and chromophores. Simple purification, stability over a broad range of pH and temperature, cellulase-free character, and the capacity to produce xylooligosaccharides are some of the advantages of the xylanase of Cohnella sp.A01, suggesting that it may be a promising candidate for biobleaching of paper pulps, producing xylooligosaccharides, and applying in other industries.