glycine-NaOH Buffer Research Articles

Sequential Separation of Lysozyme and Ovalbumin from Chicken Egg White

Lysozyme was trapped from 2× diluted egg white using Amberlite FPC 3500 ion exchange resin (1 g/10mL of egg white). The lysozyme bound to the resin was recovered using 0.1 N glycine-NaOH buffers, pH 9.0, containing 0.5 M NaCl. After separating lysozyme, the pH of the egg white solution was adjusted to 4.75 and centrifuged to remove interfering proteins. The supernatant was collected, added with 2.5% citric acid and 5.0% ammonium sulfate combination to precipitate egg white proteins, except for ovalbumin. After centrifugation, both supernatant (S1) and precipitant were collected. The precipitant was dissolved with 4 volumes of distilled water, and then 2.0% ammonium sulfate and 1.5% citric acid combinations added, stirred overnight in a cold room, and centrifuged. The resulting supernatant (S2) was pooled with the first supernatant (S1), desalted using an ultrafiltration unit, heat-treated at 70 o C for 15 min, and then centrifuged. The supernatant was collected as an ovalbumin fraction and lyophilized. The separated proteins were confirmed using Western blotting. The yield of lysozyme and ovalbumin was > 88.9% and > 97.7%, respectively, and the purity of lysozyme and ovalbumin was > 97% and 87%, respectively. The results indicated that the protocol was simple, and separated lysozyme and ovalbumin effectively.

Recombinant Expression and Characterization of an Organic-Solvent-Tolerant α-Amylase from Exiguobacterium sp. DAU5

The enzyme from halophilic microorganisms often has unique properties such as organic-solvent-tolerance. In this study, a novel organic-solvent-tolerant α-amylase gene was cloned from the mild halophile Exiguobacterium sp. DAU5. The open reading frame (ORF) of the enzyme consisted of 1,545bp and encoded 514 amino acids, the primary sequence revealed that it belongs to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 13. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed an AmyH monomer of 57kDa. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 40°C in pH 8.5 glycine-NaOH buffer, and the activity was strongly inhibited by Zn(2+), Cu(2+), and Fe(2+). The α-amylase AmyH exhibited high hydrolysis activity toward soluble starch, and the major hydrolysis products were maltose, maltotriose, and maltopentaose; the AmyH could not efficiently hydrolyze oligosaccharides smaller than maltoheptaose, nor could it act on the β-1,4 or α-1,6 glucosidic bonds in xylan or pullulan, respectively. In addition, the α-amylase exhibited better tolerance to organic solvents, as it was stable in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), methanol, ethanol, and acetone. Base on all of these results, the enzyme could be useful for practical application in the bakery industry and in biotechnological processes that occur in the presence of organic solvents.

Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of thePseudoalteromonas tetraodonisAlkaline κ-Carrageenase

An alkaline κ-carrageenase, Cgk-K142, was found in the culture broth of a deep-sea bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis JAM-K142. A gene for the enzyme was cloned and expressed. Purified recombinant Cgk-K142 (rCgk-K142) showed an optimal pH of about 8.8 in glycine-NaOH buffer at 30 °C and of about 8.0 in MOPS buffer at 50 °C. The optimal temperature for the enzyme was 55 °C at pH 8.0. rCgk-K142 was unstable, but λ- and ι-carrageenans, non-degradative substrate homologs, extensively enhanced its stability. The nucleotide sequence of the gene for Cgk-K142 comprised 1,194 bp, and the deduced amino acid sequence (397 amino acids) showed a high level of similarity to the κ-carrageenase of P. carrageenovora, with 94% identity. Another gene for a κ-carrageenase-like protein was found downstream of the gene for Cgk-K142. The nucleotide sequence of that gene consisted of 966 bp (321 amino acids), and it showed the highest similarity, at 64% identity, to protein CgkB of P. carrageenovora, which has been reported as an incomplete 57-amino acid sequence.

Cloning and Overexpression of the Xylitol Dehydrogenase Gene from Bacillus pallidus and Its Application to L-Xylulose Production

The xylitol dehydrogenase gene (xdh) of Bacillus pallidus was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli using pQE60 vector, for the first time. The open reading frame of 759 bp encoded a 253 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 27,333 Da. The recombinant xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) was purified to homogeneity by three-step column chromatography, producing a single SDS-PAGE band of 28 kDa apparent molecular mass. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 55 °C in glycine-NaOH buffer pH 11.0, with 66% of initial enzyme activity retained after incubation at 40 °C for 1 h. In further application of the recombinant bacterium to L-xylulose production from xylitol (initial concentration 5%) using a resting cell reaction, 35% L-xylulose was produced within 24 h. This result indicates that this recombinant XDH is applicable in the large-scale production of L-xylulose.

Boron stabilizes peroxide mediated changes in the structure of heme proteins

Boron is reported in this study to stabilize the structure of heme proteins exposed to peroxides. The oxidized heme protein (15 μM) was treated with H 2O 2 (10 mM) in 1 M glycine–NaOH buffer (pH 9.2) at 25 °C in absence/presence of boron, and characterized by visible absorption spectroscopy, gel exclusion chromatography, native PAGE, HPLC and DLS. Spectral analysis of exposed heme proteins revealed a decrease in absorbance in the Soret region, which was stabilized by boron. The native PAGE analysis of exposed heme proteins showed high molecular weight products; the band intensity was lesser in presence of boron. Further, elution profile of the exposed heme proteins on Sephadex G-200 column and HPLC revealed more than one peak (aggregate formation) when compared to the respective untreated proteins. DLS, which measures the hydrodynamic radius ( R H), was used to ascertain whether the peaks correspond to monomer, dimer or aggregate forms. The R H of boron pretreated heme proteins was close to R H of the respective heme protein. Non-heme protein RNase did not show any change when exposed to peroxide. Taken together, results conclude that boron stabilizes the structure of heme proteins, which might be due to specific sites on heme proteins that can bind to borate ions.

Novel milk-based oral formulations: Proof of concept

The aim of this study is to develop milk-based formulations for ionized and unionized lipophilic drugs. Solubility studies of the following non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): mefenamic acid, tolfenamic acid, ketoprofen, meloxicam, tenoxicam and nimesulide in phosphate– and glycine–NaOH buffers at nominal pH 8–12, were performed. The solubilities of cyclosporine and danazol in water–ethanol solutions were studied. NSAIDs–, cyclosporine–, danazol–, aspirin–milk oral liquid formulations were prepared by adding the appropriate volume of (i) NSAIDs–alkaline buffer solutions, (ii) water–ethanol solutions of cyclosporine and danazol and (iii) aspirin aqueous solution to 150–200 ml of milk. All the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exhibited increased solubility in the alkaline buffers. The actual pH values (range 6.7–7.7) of the final NSAIDs–milk formulations were very close to milk pH. The higher ethanol content in ethanol–water mixtures increased the solubility of danazol and cyclosporine. A 15 mg meloxicam–, a 100 mg cyclosporine– and a 500 mg aspirin–milk formulation was administered orally to healthy volunteers. All these formulations showed a satisfactory in vivo performance. The strong buffering capacity of milk that was observed and the high solubility of unionized drugs in ethanol allow the preparation of drug–milk formulations with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties.

Gum Arabic coated magnetic nanoparticles with affinity ligands specific for antibodies

A novel magnetic support based on gum Arabic (GA) coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) has been endowed with affinity properties towards immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules. The success of the in situ triazine ligand synthesis was confirmed by fluorescence assays. Two synthetic ligands previously developed for binding to IgG, named as ligand 22/8 (artificial Protein A) and ligand 8/7 (artificial Protein L) were immobilized on to MNPs coated with GA (MNP_GA). The dimension of the particles core was not affected by the surface functionalization with GA and triazine ligands. The hydrodynamic diameters of the magnetic supports indicate that the coupling of GA leads to the formation of larger agglomerates of particles with about 1 microm, but the introduction of the triazine ligands leads to a decrease on MNPs size. The non-functionalized MNP_GA bound 28 mg IgG/g, two times less than bare MNP (60 mg IgG/g). MNP_GA modified with ligand 22/8 bound 133 mg IgG/g support, twice higher than the value obtained for ligand 8/7 magnetic adsorbents (65 mg/g). Supports modified with ligand 22/8 were selected to study the adsorption and the elution of IgG. The adsorption of human IgG on this support followed a Langmuir behavior with a Q(máx) of 344 mg IgG/g support and K(a) of 1.5 x 10(5) M. The studies on different elution conditions indicated that although the 0.05 M citrate buffer (pH 3) presented good recovery yields (elution 64% of bound protein), there was occurrence of iron leaching at this acidic pH. Therefore, a potential alternative would be to elute bound protein with a 0.05 M glycine-NaOH (pH 11) buffer.

Microglia Activated with the Toll-Like Receptor 9 Ligand CpG Attenuate Oligomeric Amyloid β Neurotoxicity in in Vitro and in Vivo Models of Alzheimer’s Disease

Soluble oligomeric amyloid beta (oAbeta) 1-42 causes synaptic dysfunction and neuronal injury in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although accumulation of microglia around senile plaques is a hallmark of AD pathology, the role of microglia in oAbeta1-42 neurotoxicity is not fully understood. Here, we showed that oAbeta but not fibrillar Abeta was neurotoxic, and microglia activated with unmethylated DNA CpG motif (CpG), a ligand for Toll-like receptor 9, attenuated oAbeta1-42 neurotoxicity in primary neuron-microglia co-cultures. CpG enhanced microglial clearance of oAbeta1-42 and induced higher levels of the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 in microglia without producing neurotoxic molecules such as nitric oxide and glutamate. Among subclasses of CpGs, class B and class C activated microglia to promote neuroprotection. Moreover, intracerebroventricular administration of CpG ameliorated both the cognitive impairments induced by oAbeta1-42 and the impairment of associative learning in Tg2576 mouse model of AD. We propose that CpG may be an effective therapeutic strategy for limiting oAbeta1-42 neurotoxicity in AD.

A novel low-temperature resistant alkaline lipase from a soda lake fungus strain Fusarium solani N4-2 for detergent formulation

The effects of temperature, pH, and various components in a detergent on the activity and stability of a lipase produced by a soda lake fungus strain Fusarium solani N4-2 were studied in a preliminary evaluation for use in detergent formulation. The molecular mass of the lipase was 31.6 kDa by SDS-PAGE after purification using acetone fractionation and Q-sepharose ion exchange technique. In aqueous solutions, the lipase showed maximal activity at pH 9.0 in a glycine–NaOH buffer at 30 °C. At 0 °C and 10 °C, 52.3% and 82.6% of its maximum activities were detained, respectively. Among the metal ions tested, additions of Cu 2+, Ca 2+, Mg 2+, Al 3+ and Mn 2+ ions were found to enhance the enzyme activity while Zn 2+, Ba 2+ and Hg 2+ ions showed inhibitory effects. Compared with the commercial lipase Lipolase ®, the enzyme showed better stability towards selected surfactants, commercial detergents, oxidizing agents and proteases. The remarkable resistance capability of the lipase makes it a potential additive for better detergent formulation.

Aliphatic Aldehyde Reductase Activity Related to the Formation of Volatile Alcohols in Vietnamese Coriander Leaves

Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata Lour.) belongs to a group known as cilantro mimics with the 'cilantro' flavor, in which C10 and C12 aldehydes and alcohols have been found as the potent odor compounds. Their composition isolated by different extraction methods varied. The enzyme activity was assayed, and the reductase acting on some aliphatic aldehydes with NADH/NADPH as a coenzyme was found in a crude enzymatic system of fresh leaves. The maximum activity was observed at pH 8.0 in Na-phosphate and at pH 8.5 to 9.0 in a glycine-NaOH buffer, using heptanal as a substrate. The activated reductase that caused the alcohol generation to increase after a time was inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. Our results, which are the first to be reported on Vietnamese coriander leaves, reveal the presence of aliphatic aldehyde dehydrogenase, which is responsible for acid formation, and elucidate the strong activity of the aliphatic aldehyde reductase.

A new high-alkaline alginate lyase from a deep-sea bacterium Agarivorans sp.

A high-alkaline, salt-activated alginate lyase is produced by Agarivorans sp. JAM-A1m from a deep-sea sediment off Cape Nomamisaki on Kyushu Island, Japan. Purified to homogeneity, as judged by SDS-PAGE, the enzyme (A1m) had a molecular mass of approximately 31 kDa. The optimal pH was around 10 in glycine-NaOH buffer, and the activity was increased to 1.8 times by adding 0.2 M NaCl. However, when the optimal pH in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl was shifted to pH 9.0, the activity was more than 10 times compared with that at pH 9 in the absence of NaCl. A1m showed the optimal temperature at around 30 degrees C and was stable to incubation between pH 6 and 9. The enzyme degraded favorably mannuronate-guluronate and guluronate-rich fragments in alginate. Shotgun cloning and sequencing of the gene for A1m revealed a 930-bp open reading frame, which encoded a mature enzyme of 289 amino acids (32,295 Da) belonging to polysaccharide lyase family 7. The deduced amino acid sequence showed the highest similarity to that of a Klebsiella enzyme, with only 54% identity.

A general E-E/C mechanism for the counter-peak in luminol electrochemiluminescence

The curves of ECL intensity ( I ECL) versus potential ( E) ( I ECL– E curves) were obtained when the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of luminol was induced by cyclic voltammetry (CV). In the I ECL– E curves, if there was an ECL peak during initial scan, a corresponding ECL peak called as a counter-peak was usually observed around the similar potential during the reversal scan. In the present work, a couple of strong and well-resolved ECL peaks were found in a model luminol solution consisted of 0.1 mol/L glycine–NaOH buffer system at pH 11.0 and 0.1 mol/L NaNO 3 at a gold electrode. The effects of various factors on this couple of ECL peaks, including electrolyte, buffer solution, electrode material, pH, N 2/O 2/air atmosphere, scan rate, and electrochemical technique, were studied. On this basis, a continuous electron transfer coupled with a competitive chemical reaction (E-E/C) mechanism involved in an accumulation and consumption model has been proposed for the formation of the ECL counter-peak. Electrochemical digital simulation method was used to simulate the formation of the ECL counter-peak according to the proposed E-E/C mechanism. The results also supported the mechanism. Subsequently, it was further validated that ECL peak width, reversal potential and coexisted electroactive species were three important factors affecting the emergence and intensity of the ECL counter-peak. The proposed E-E/C mechanism is considered to be the general explanation of usual counter-peak phenomenon in the luminol ECL under CV conditions since the mechanism is involved in most pathways of the luminol ECL.

Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of a subtilisin-like serine protease from a deep-sea bacterium, Alkalimonas collagenimarina AC40T

The acpI gene encoding an alkaline protease (AcpI) from a deep-sea bacterium, Alkalimonas collagenimarina AC40(T), was shotgun-cloned and sequenced. It had a 1,617-bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 538 amino acids. Based on analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence, AcpI is a subtilisin-like serine protease belonging to subtilase family A. It consists of a prepropeptide, a catalytic domain, and a prepeptidase C-terminal domain like other serine proteases from the genera Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Alteromonas, and Xanthomonas. Heterologous expression of the acpI gene in Escherichia coli cells yielded a 28-kDa recombinant AcpI (rAcpI), suggesting that both the prepropeptide and prepeptidase C-terminal domains were cleaved off to give the mature form. Analysis of N-terminal and C-terminal amino acid sequences of purified rAcpI showed that the mature enzyme would be composed of 273 amino acids. The optimal pH and temperature for the caseinolytic activity of the purified rAcpI were 9.0-9.5 and 45 degrees C in 100 mM glycine-NaOH buffer. Calcium ions slightly enhanced the enzyme activity and stability. The enzyme favorably hydrolyzed gelatin, collagen, and casein. AcpI from A. collagenimarina AC40(T) was also purified from culture broth, and its molecular mass was around 28 kDa, indicating that the cleavage manner of the enzyme is similar to that in E. coli cells.

Assessing the Role of the Active-site Cysteine Ligand in the Superoxide Reductase from Desulfoarculus baarsii

Superoxide reductase is a novel class of non-heme iron proteins that catalyzes the one-electron reduction of O(2)(.) to H(2)O(2), providing an antioxidant defense in some bacteria. Its active site consists of an unusual non-heme Fe(2+) center in a [His(4) Cys(1)] square pyramidal pentacoordination. In this class of enzyme, the cysteine axial ligand has been hypothesized to be an essential feature in the reactivity of the enzyme. Previous Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies on the enzyme from Desulfoarculus baarsii revealed that a protonated carboxylate group, proposed to be the side chain of Glu(114), is in interaction with the cysteine ligand. In this work, using pulse radiolysis, Fourier transform infrared, and resonance Raman spectroscopies, we have investigated to what extent the presence of this Glu(114) carboxylic lateral chain affects the strength of the S-Fe bond and the reaction of the iron active site with superoxide. The E114A mutant shows significantly modified pulse radiolysis kinetics for the protonation process of the first reaction intermediate. Resonance Raman spectroscopy demonstrates that the E114A mutation results in both a strengthening of the S-Fe bond and an increase in the extent of freeze-trapping of a Fe-peroxo species after treatment with H(2)O(2) by a specific strengthening of the Fe-O bond. A fine tuning of the strength of the S-Fe bond by the presence of Glu(114) appears to be an essential factor for both the strength of the Fe-O bond and the pK(a) value of the Fe(3+)-peroxo intermediate species to form the reaction product H(2)O(2).

Experimental design to optimization of beta cyclodextrin production from ungelatinized sago starch

The aim of this study is to produce beta cyclodextrin (β-CD) from ungelatinized, but annealed (65 °C) sago starch using cyclodextrin glucosyltransferase (CGTase). The optimization processes were conducted at three stages using Response Surface Methodology. Preliminary data have shown that the three (3) highest points for each of the studied parameters were pH, concentration of sago starch and enzyme, and also agitation. In the second stage, two level full factorial design (2n FFD) was applied to determine the significant parameters affecting the production of β-cyclodextrin. Statistical analyses showed that pH, enzyme and sago starch concentration were the significant parameters. The final stage of optimization involved the use of Central Composite Design to determine and predict the optimum yield of β-cyclodextrin. The optimum condition for production cyclodextrin was at pH 8.62 (Glycine–NaOH buffer 0.05 M), 0.65% v/v sago starch and 15% w/v enzyme concentration, where 8.43 g β-cyclodextrin/L was produced after 4 h of reaction.

Production of l-xylulose from xylitol by a newly isolated strain of Bacillus pallidus Y25 and characterization of its relevant enzyme xylitol dehydrogenase

A novel facultative thermophilic bacterium capable of producing rare ketoses from polyols was isolated from soil and identified as Bacillus pallidus Y25. We have employed this isolated strain for the production of l-xylulose, a rare ketopentose, from xylitol by a resting cell reaction at 50 °C. After optimization of culture conditions and reaction states, l-xylulose was produced at up to 85% yield when 2% xylitol was utilized. The key enzyme responsible for the interconversion of xylitol and l-xylulose was purified to homogeneity and identified as NAD-dependent xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH-Y25), with a molecular mass of 28 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. XDH-Y25 is most active in glycine–NaOH buffer (pH 10) at 40 °C and its substrate specificity is restricted to d-threitol, xylitol and d-iditol. This suggested that the enzyme is specific for polyols that have a hydroxyl group at the C-2 and C-3 positions in the l- and d-sides, respectively, in the Fischer projection. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of XDH-Y25 revealed low homology to any known dehydrogenases. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the characterization of xylitol dehydrogenase from a Bacillus species.

Salt-activated endoglucanase of a strain of alkaliphilic Bacillus agaradhaerens

An endoglucanase was purified to homogeneity from an alkaline culture broth of a strain isolated from seawater and identified here as Bacillus agaradhaerens JAM-KU023. The molecular mass was around 38-kDa and the N-terminal 19 amino acids of the purified enzyme exhibited 100% sequence identity to Cel5A of B. agaradhaerens DSM8721(T). The enzyme activity increased around 4-fold by the addition of 0.2-2.0 M NaCl in 0.1 M glycine-NaOH buffer (pH 9.0). KCl, Na2SO4, NaBr, NaNO3, CH3COONa, LiCl, NH4NO3, and NH4Cl also activated the enzyme up to 2- to 4-fold. The optimal pH and temperature values were pH 7-9.4 and 60 degrees C with 0.2 M NaCl, but pH 6.5-7 and 50 degrees C without NaCl; enzyme activity increased approximately 6-fold at 60 degrees C with 0.2 M NaCl compared to that at 50 degrees C without NaCl in 0.1 M glycine-NaOH buffer (pH 9.0). The thermostability and pH stability of the enzyme were not affected by NaCl. The enzyme was very stable to several chemical compounds, surfactants and metal ions (except for Fe2+ and Hg2+ ions), regardless whether NaCl was present or not.

Effects of Polyols, Saccharides, and Glycoproteins on Thermoprecipitation of Phenylboronate-Containing Copolymers

The copolymer of 3-(acrylamido)phenylboronic acid and N-isopropylacrylamide (82:18, Mn = 47000 g/mol) was prepared by free radical polymerization. The copolymer showed typical thermoprecipitation behavior in aqueous solutions; its phase transition temperature (TP) was 26.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C in 0.1 M glycine-NaOH buffer containing 0.1 M NaCl, pH 9.2. Due to specific complex formation of the pendant boronates with sugars, TP was strongly affected by the type of sugar and its concentration at pH 9.2. Fructose, lactulose, and glucose caused the largest increase in TP (up to 4 degrees C) at 0.56 mM concentration, attributed to the high binding affinity of the sugars to borate and phenylboronate. Among the sugars typical of nonreducing ends of oligosaccharides, N-acetylneuraminic acid had the strongest effect on TP (ca. 2 degrees C at 0.56 mM concentration and pH 9.2), while the effects of other sugars are well expressed at the higher concentrations (16 and 80 mM) and decreased in the order xylose approximately galactose >or= N-acetyllactosamine >or= mannose approximately fucose >> N-acetylglucosamine. The effect exerted on the phase transition by glycoproteins was the strongest with mucin from porcine stomach and decreased in the series mucin > horseradish peroxidase > human gamma-globulin at pH 9.2. As a first approximation, the weight percentage and/or the number of oligosaccharides in glycoproteins determined the character of their interaction with the pendant phenylboronates and, therefore, the effect on the copolymer phase transition.

Excess Peroxisomes Are Degraded by Autophagic Machinery in Mammals

Peroxisomes are degraded by autophagic machinery termed "pexophagy" in yeast; however, whether this is essential for peroxisome degradation in mammals remains unknown. Here we have shown that Atg7, an essential gene for autophagy, plays a pivotal role in the degradation of excess peroxisomes in mammals. Following induction of peroxisomes by a 2-week treatment with phthalate esters in control and Atg7-deficient livers, peroxisomal degradation was monitored within 1 week after discontinuation of phthalate esters. Although most of the excess peroxisomes in the control liver were selectively degraded within 1 week, this rapid removal was exclusively impaired in the mutant liver. Furthermore, morphological analysis revealed that surplus peroxisomes, but not mutant hepatocytes, were surrounded by autophagosomes in the control. Our results indicated that the autophagic machinery is essential for the selective clearance of excess peroxisomes in mammals. This is the first direct evidence for the contribution of autophagic machinery in peroxisomal degradation in mammals.

α-Glucosidase from a strain of deep-sea Geobacillus: a potential enzyme for the biosynthesis of complex carbohydrates

An alpha-glucosidase from Geobacillus sp. strain HTA-462, one of the deepest sea bacteria isolated from the sediment of the Mariana Trench, was purified to homogeneity and estimated to be a 65-kDa protein by SDS-PAGE. At low ion strength, the enzyme exists in the homodimeric form (130 kDa). It is a thermo- and alkaline-stable enzyme with a half-life of 13.4 h and a maximum hydrolytic activity at 60 degrees C and pH 9.0 in 15 mM glycine-NaOH buffer. The enzyme exclusively hydrolyzed alpha-1,4-glycosidic linkages of oligosaccharides in an exo-type manner. The enzyme had an overwhelming transglycosylation activity and glycosylated various non-sugar molecules when maltose was used as a sugar donor. It converted maltose to isomaltose. The gene encoding the enzyme was cloned and sequenced. The recombinant enzyme could be extracellularly overproduced by Bacillus subtilis harboring its gene and preserved the primary properties of the native enzyme. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments showed that Asp98 is essential for the enzyme activity in addition to Asp199, Asp326, and Glu256.