Production Of Transglutaminase Research Articles

Optimization of microbial transglutaminase production using experimental designs

In prokaryotes, transglutaminase (TGase) has been found only in actinomycetes from the genus Streptoverticillium. The role of this TGase, as well as the mechanism regulating the enzyme expression, are still unknown. In order to improve TGase production by Streptoverticillium cinnamoneum CBS 683.68 and simultaneously elucidate the relationship between growth and TGase activity, we decided to study these two responses using different designs of statistical analysis. Among the five factors tested, casein, glycerol, peptones, yeast extract and oligoelements, only oligoelements were found to have no effect either on growth or on TGase production in a complete factorial design. The two factors casein and glycerol were found to have a highly significant effect on both dry weights and TGase activity in a Box-Behnken design used to improve the model. Finally, the TGase activity was increased three times to reach 0.331±0.038 U/ml with optimum concentrations of casein (38.4 g/l) and glycerol (31.2 g/l) calculated with the help of a composite design. In the course of these experiments, the two responses varied in the same way, demonstrating that growth and TGase production were tightly correlated under the conditions described. However, TGase was produced during the stationary phase of growth in optimized medium, indicating that the enzyme production could be induced.

High-level expression of the chemically synthesized gene for microbial transglutaminase from Streptoverticillium in Escherichia coli.

We developed a novel approach for the high-level production of a microbial transglutaminase (TGase) from Streptoverticillium in E. coli. The direct expression of the TGase gene in E. coli cells did not cause overproduction, probably due to the harmful influence of TGase activity, which introduces covalent crosslinks between proteins. Therefore, we fused the chemically synthesized TGase gene coding for the entire 331 amino acid residues at the amino terminus to a bacteriophage T7 gene 10 leader peptide (260 amino acids) using an inducible expression vector. The TGase gene was expressed as inclusion bodies in the E. coli cytoplasm. Restoring 15 amino acid residues upstream of the amino terminus of the mature TGase by a two-step deletion of the fusion sequence facilitated solubilization and subsequent proteolytic cleavage, thus releasing mature TGase. Although the mature form had less TGase activity than native TGase, because of the poor refolding rate, these results suggest that this system is suitable for the efficient production of TGase.

Medium design based on stoichiometric analysis of microbial transglutaminase production byStreptoverticillium mobaraense

A stoichiometric model was developed for the application of medium design in microbial transglutaminase production by Streptoverticillium mobaraense. The model avoids dealing with all the metabolic reactions involved by simply lumping them into a single reaction. With the help of measurement results, an analysis of the nutrients' roles, and biochemical knowledge of the microorganism, all stoichiometric coefficients in the model were calculated. These coefficients were used for medium design. With this designed medium, microbial transglutaminase activity was increased fourfold, compared to that in the basal medium.

Medium design based on stoichiometric analysis of microbial transglutaminase production by Streptoverticillium mobaraense

A stoichiometric model was developed for the application of medium design in microbial transglutaminase production by Streptoverticillium mobaraense. The model avoids dealing with all the metabolic reactions involved by simply lumping them into a single reaction. With the help of measurement results, an analysis of the nutrients' roles, and biochemical knowledge of the microorganism, all stoichiometric coefficients in the model were calculated. These coefficients were used for medium design. With this designed medium, microbial transglutaminase activity was increased fourfold, compared to that in the basal medium. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Microbial transglutaminase—a review of its production and application in food processing

Transglutaminase (EC 2.3.2.13) catalyses an acyl-transfer reaction in which the γ-carboxamide groups of peptide-bound glutaminyl residues are the acyl donors. The enzyme catalyses in vitro cross-linking in whey proteins, soya proteins, wheat proteins, beef myosin, casein and crude actomysin refined from mechanically deboned poultry meat. In recent years, on the basis of the enzyme's reaction to gelatinize various food proteins through the formation of cross-links, this enzyme has been used in attempts to improve the functional properties of foods. Up to now, commercial transglutaminase has been merely obtained from animal tissues. The complicated separation and purification procedure results in an extremely high price for the enzyme, which hampers a wide application in food processing. Recently studies on the production of transglutaminase by microorganisms have been started. The enzyme obtained from microbial fermentation has been applied in the treatment of food of different origins. Food treated with microbial transglutaminase appeared to have an improved flavour, appearance and texture. In addition, this enzyme can increase shelf-life and reduce allergenicity of certain foods. This paper gives an overview of the development of microbial transglutaminase production, including fermentation and down-stream processing, as well as examples of how to use this valuable enzyme in processing foods of meat, fish and plant origin.