Publications

• The structural basis for catalysis and specificity of the Pseudomonas cellulosa alpha-glucuronidase, GlcA67A.

  Nurizzo D., Nagy T., Gilbert H.J., Davies G.J.

  Alpha-glucuronidases, components of an ensemble of enzymes central to the recycling of photosynthetic biomass, remove the alpha-1,2 linked 4-O-methyl glucuronic acid from xylans. The structure of the alpha-glucuronidase, GlcA67A, from Pseudomonas cellulosa reveals three domains, the central of whi ... >> More

  Alpha-glucuronidases, components of an ensemble of enzymes central to the recycling of photosynthetic biomass, remove the alpha-1,2 linked 4-O-methyl glucuronic acid from xylans. The structure of the alpha-glucuronidase, GlcA67A, from Pseudomonas cellulosa reveals three domains, the central of which is a (beta/alpha)(8) barrel housing the catalytic apparatus. Complexes of the enzyme with the individual reaction products, either xylobiose or glucuronic acid, and the ternary complex of both glucuronic acid and xylotriose reveal a "blind" pocket which selects for short decorated xylooligosaccharides substituted with the uronic acid at their nonreducing end, consistent with kinetic data. The catalytic center reveals a constellation of carboxylates; Glu292 is poised to provide protonic assistance to leaving group departure with Glu393 and Asp365 both appropriately positioned to provide base-catalyzed assistance for inverting nucleophilic attack by water. << Less

  Structure 10:547-556(2002) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.

• Isolation and analysis of a gene encoding alpha-glucuronidase, an enzyme with a novel primary structure involved in the breakdown of xylan.

  Ruile P., Winterhalter C., Liebl W.

  This is the first report describing the analysis of a gene encoding an alpha-glucuronidase, an enzyme essential for the complete breakdown of substituted xylans. A DNA fragment that carries the gene for alpha-glucuronidase was isolated from chromosomal DNA of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermo ... >> More

  This is the first report describing the analysis of a gene encoding an alpha-glucuronidase, an enzyme essential for the complete breakdown of substituted xylans. A DNA fragment that carries the gene for alpha-glucuronidase was isolated from chromosomal DNA of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima MSB8. The alpha-glucuronidase gene (aguA) was identified and characterized with the aid of nucleotide sequence analysis, deletion experiments and expression studies in Escherichia coli, and the start of the coding region was defined by amino-terminal sequencing of the purified recombinant enzyme. The aguA gene encodes a 674-amino-acid, largely hydrophilic polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 78593 Da. The alpha-glucuronidase of T. maritima has a novel primary structure with no significant similarity to any other known amino acid sequence. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity as judged by SDS-PAGE. Gel filtration analysis at low salt concentrations revealed a high apparent molecular mass (> 630 kDa) for the recombinant enzyme, but the oligomeric structure changed upon variation of the ionic strength or the pH, yielding hexameric and/or dimeric forms which were also enzymatically active. The enzyme hydrolysed 2-O-(4-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid)-D-xylobiose (MeGlcAX2) to xylobiose and 4-O-methylglucuronic acid. The K(m) for MeGlcAX2 was 0.95 mM. The pH optimum was 6.3. Maximum activity was measured at 85 degrees C, about 25 degrees C or more above the values reported for all other alpha-glucuronidases known to date. When incubated at 55-75 degrees C, the enzyme suffered partial inactivation, but thereafter the residual activity remained nearly constant for several days. << Less

  Mol. Microbiol. 23:267-279(1997) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]