Expression of novel β-glucanase Cel12A from Stachybotrys atra in bacterial and fungal hosts

β-glucanase Cel12A from Stachybotrys atra has been cloned and expressed in Aspergillus niger. The purified enzyme showed high activity of β-1,3-1,4-mixed glucans, was also active on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), while it did not hydrolyze crystalline cellulose or β-1,3 glucans as laminarin. Cel12A showed a marked substrate preference for β-1,3-1,4 glucans, showing maximum activity on barley β-glucans (27.69 U mg−1) while the activity on CMC was much lower (0.51 U mg−1). Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), isoelectric focussing (IEF), and zymography showed the recombinant enzyme has apparent molecular weight of 24 kDa and a pI of 8.2. Optimal temperature and pH for enzyme activity were 50 °C and pH 6.5. Thin layer chromatography analysis showed that major hydrolysis products from barley β-glucan and lichean were 3-O-β-cellotriosyl-d-glucose and 3-O-β-cellobiosyl-d-glucose, while glucose and cellobiose were released in smaller amounts. The amino acid sequence deduced from cel12A revealed that it is a single domain enzyme belonging to the GH12 family, a family that contains several endoglucanases with substrate preference for β-1,3-1,4 glucans. We believe that S. atra Cel12A should be considered as a lichenase-like or nontypical endoglucanase.

► Cel12A was expressed in Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger as a recombinant protein.
► Cel12A belongs to family 12 glycosyl hydrolase and could be considered as a lichenase.
► Cel12A promotes the hydrolysis of β-1,3-1,4 glucans.