Characterization of an exo-β-D-glucosaminidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus

摘要

D-glucosamine is an important chemical compound in industry. Exo-β-D-glucosaminidase (EC number: 3.2.1.165) is a potential enzyme which can be used in production of D-glucosamine. In this study, an exo-β-D-glucosaminidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus was cloned and expressed in E. coli and purified to homogeneity. The therrnostable enzyme had a moleculat mass of 90 kDa and could hydrolyze chitosan or chitooligosaccharide to produce D-glucosamine. Moreover, thin layer chromatography showed that the enzyme could not act on lactose, indicating it is not a β-galactosidase. The enzymatic properties of this exo-β-D-glucosaminidase suggest its potential applications in biotechnology to produce D-glucosamine.