Purification and Some Properties of an Endo-β-1, 6-glucanase from Neurospora crassa

Abstract

An endo-β-1, 6-glucanase (E.C. 3.2.1.75) was purified from the culture filtrate of Neurospora crassa IFO-6068 by chromatographies on CM-cellulofine, Con-A Sepharose 4B, and Sepharose CL-6B followed by preparative affinity gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 47, 000. The pH and temperature optima for the activity were 5.0 and 50°C. The enzyme acted on β-1, 6-glucan (Pustulan) and yielded a series of gentio-oligosaccharides with endotype action, and finally, glucose and gentiobiose were produced. The enzyme was also able to act on N. crassa cell wall β-glucan, and a small amount of hydrolysis fragments were liberated without apparent change of the cell wall glucan molecules.