Preliminary characterization of a novel β-agarase from Thalassospira profundimonas

Cheng Zeng; Longtao Zhang; Song Miao; Yi Zhang; Shaoxiao Zeng; Baodong Zheng

doi:10.1186/s40064-016-2748-6

Preliminary characterization of a novel β-agarase from Thalassospira profundimonas

Springerplus. 2016 Jul 15;5(1):1086. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-2748-6. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Cheng Zeng¹, Longtao Zhang², Song Miao³, Yi Zhang¹, Shaoxiao Zeng¹, Baodong Zheng¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian People's Republic of China.
² College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian People's Republic of China ; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork Ireland.
³ Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork Ireland.

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to characterize the agarase from a newly isolated agarolytic bacterium Thalassospira profundimaris fst-13007.

Results: Agarase-fst was purified to homogeneity which apparent molecular weight was 66.2 kDa. Its activity was optimal at 45 °C and pH 8 and was stable at pH 5-9 or 30-50 °C. Agarase-fst required Mn(2+) for agarase activity and inhibition by Cu(2+), Fe(3+) and EDTA. Tests of hydrolysis pattern and substrate specificity, TLC analysis and mass spectrometry of the hydrolysis products revealed that it is an endo-type β-agarase hydrolyzing agarose into neoagarobiose, neoagarotetraose and neoagarohexaose. Results of MALDI-TOF-TOF/MS indicate that it lack of homology to previously identified proteins and present conserved domain of β-agarase.

Conclusion: Agarase-fst from T. profundimaris fst-13007 was confirmed to be a novel endo-type β-agarase.

Keywords: Agarase; Characterization; Purification; Thalassospira profundimaris.