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Ectoine-mediated protection of enzyme from the effect of pH and temperature stress: a study using Bacillus halodurans xylanase as a model

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Abstract

Compatible solutes are small, soluble organic compounds that have the ability to stabilise proteins against various stress conditions. In this study, the protective effect of ectoines against pH stress is examined using a recombinant xylanase from Bacillus halodurans as a model. Ectoines improved the enzyme stability at low (4.5 and 5.0) and high pH (11 and 12); stabilisation effect of hydroxyectoine was superior to that of ectoine and trehalose. In the presence of hydroxyectoine, residual activity (after 10 h heating at 50 °C) increased from about 45 to 86 % at pH 5 and from 33 to 89 % at pH 12. When the xylanase was incubated at 65 °C for 5 h with 50 mM hydroxyectoine at pH 10, about 40 % of the original activity was retained while no residual activity was detected in the absence of additives or in the presence of ectoine or trehalose. The xylanase activity was slightly stimulated in the presence of 25 mM ectoines and then gradually decreased with increase in ectoines concentration. The thermal unfolding of the enzyme in the presence of the compatible solutes showed a modest increase in denaturation temperature but a larger increase in calorimetric enthalpy.

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Acknowledgement

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida-SAREC) is acknowledged for funding this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00, Lund, Sweden

    Doan Van-Thuoc, Suhaila O. Hashim, Rajni Hatti-Kaul & Gashaw Mamo

  2. Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Doan Van-Thuoc

  3. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Pwani University College, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya

    Suhaila O. Hashim

Authors
  1. Doan Van-Thuoc
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  2. Suhaila O. Hashim
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  3. Rajni Hatti-Kaul
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  4. Gashaw Mamo
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Correspondence to Gashaw Mamo.

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Van-Thuoc, D., Hashim, S.O., Hatti-Kaul, R. et al. Ectoine-mediated protection of enzyme from the effect of pH and temperature stress: a study using Bacillus halodurans xylanase as a model. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 6271–6278 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4528-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4528-8

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