Proteolysin, a Novel Highly Thermostable and Cosolvent-Compatible Protease from the Thermophilic Bacterium Coprothermobacter proteolyticus

摘要

Through genome mining, we identified a gene encoding a putative serine protease of the thermitase subgroup of subtilases (EC 3.4.21.66) in the thermophilic bacterium Coprothermobacter proteolyticus . The gene was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli , and the enzyme, which we called proteolysin, was purified to near homogeneity from crude cell lysate by a single heat treatment step. Proteolysin has a broad pH tolerance and is active at temperatures of up to 80°C. In addition, the enzyme shows good activity and stability in the presence of organic solvents, detergents, and dithiothreitol, and it remains active in 6 M guanidinium hydrochloride. Based on its stability and activity profile, proteolysin can be an excellent candidate for applications where resistance to harsh process conditions is required.