Purification, gene cloning and characterization of an acidic β-1,4-glucanase from Phialophora sp. G5 with potential applications in the brewing and feed industries

An extracellular β-1,4-glucanase (CelG5, ∼55.0 kDa) was isolated from the culture filtrate of Phialophora sp. G5, and its encoding gene was cloned. The deduced amino acid sequence of CelG5 was at most 73.6% and 44.0%, respectively, identical with a hypothetical protein from Sordaria macrospora and an experimentally verified GH 7 endo-β-1,4-glucanase of Neurospora tetrasperma FGSC 2508. Native CelG5 had pH and temperature optima of pH 4.5–5.0 and 55–60°C. The enzyme showed some properties superior than most fungal β-1,4-glucanases, such as high activity over a wide pH range (exhibiting >50% of the maximum activity at pH 2.0–7.0), excellent stability in extreme acidic to alkaline conditions (pH 2.0–9.0), and strong resistance against pepsin and trypsin (retaining 89% and 94% activity, respectively). Recombinant CelG5 produced in Pichia pastoris had a molecular mass and a pH optimum similar to native CelG5, but with maximal activity at 65°C. Application tests showed that native CelG5 was stable under simulated gastric conditions (retaining >70% activity), and had capacity to decrease the viscosity of barley–bean feed (8.9% by 200 U CelG5) and mash (6.1% by 50 U CelG5) and increase the filtration rate of mash (18.4% by 50 U CelG5). These properties make CelG5 a good candidate for utilization in the animal feed and brewing industries.