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An exceptionally cold-adapted alpha-amylase from a metagenomic library of a cold and alkaline environment

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology volume 99, pages 717–727 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

A cold-active α-amylase, AmyI3C6, identified by a functional metagenomics approach was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Sequence analysis showed that the AmyI3C6 amylase was similar to α-amylases from the class Clostridia and revealed classical characteristics of cold-adapted enzymes, as did comparison of the kinetic parameters K m and k cat to a mesophilic α-amylase. AmyI3C6 was shown to be heat-labile. Temperature optimum was at 10–15 °C, and more than 70 % of the relative activity was retained at 1 °C. The pH optimum of AmyI3C6 was at pH 8–9, and the enzyme displayed activity in two commercial detergents tested, suggesting that the AmyI3C6 α-amylase may be useful as a detergent enzyme in environmentally friendly, low-temperature laundry processes.

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Acknowledgments

The Government of Greenland is thanked for the permission to sample ikaite material. Novozymes A/S, Denmark, is acknowledged for the Stainzyme® used. This work was supported by a grant to JKV from University of Copenhagen and to PS from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jan Kjølhede Vester, Mikkel Andreas Glaring & Peter Stougaard

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  1. Jan Kjølhede Vester
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  2. Mikkel Andreas Glaring
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  3. Peter Stougaard
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Correspondence to Peter Stougaard.

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Vester, J.K., Glaring, M.A. & Stougaard, P. An exceptionally cold-adapted alpha-amylase from a metagenomic library of a cold and alkaline environment. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99, 717–727 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-5931-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-5931-0

Keywords

  • α-Amylase
  • Cold-active
  • Heat-labile
  • Alkaline-active
  • Detergents
  • Clostridia