Characterization of an extracellular biofunctional alginate lyase from marine Microbulbifer sp. ALW1 and antioxidant activity of enzymatic hydrolysates

A novel alginate-degrading marine bacterium Microbulbifer sp. ALW1 was isolated from rotten brown alga. An extracellular alginate lyase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity and had a molecular mass of about 26.0 kDa determined by SDS-PAGE and size exclusion chromatography. This enzyme showed activities towards both polyguluronate and polymannuronate indicating its bifunctionality while with preference for the former substrate. Using sodium alginate as a substrate, strain ALW1 alginate lyase was optimally active at 45 °C and pH 7.0. It was stable at 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C and 40 °C, but not stable at 50 °C. This alginate lyase showed good stability over a broad pH range (5.0–9.0). The enzyme activity was increased to 5.1 times by adding NaCl to a final concentration of 0.5 M. Strain ALW1 alginate lyase produced disaccharide (majority) and trisaccharide from alginate indicating that this enzyme could be a good tool for preparation of alginate oligosaccharides with low degree of polymerization (DP). The alginate oligosaccharides displayed the scavenging abilities towards radicals (DPPH, ABTS+ and hydroxyl) and the reducing power. Therefore, the hydrolysates exhibited the antioxidant activity and had potential as a natural antioxidant.