Abstract
Five extracellular endo-xylanases were recognized in the culture broth of shochu koji mold (Aspergillus kawachii, IFO 4308), and three major xylanases (Xy1A, Xy1B, and Xy1C) were purified and characterized. The molecular masses of Xy1A, Xy1B, and Xy1C were 35, 000, 26, 000, and 29, 000, and isoelectric points were pH 6.7, 4.4, and 3.5, respectively. Amino acid compositions and other properties were studied and these three xylanases were found to be greatly different in their properties. These three xylanases, Xy1A, Xy1B, and Xy1C, were stable between pH 3-10, 3-10, and 1-9 and the optimum pHs were 5.5, 4.5, and 2.0, respectively. Consequently, these xylanases were acid stable xylanases, especially Xy1C was an acidophilic xylanase (acid xylanase). These xylanases produced various xylooligosaccharides including xylose from xylan and the main product was xylobiose in all xylanases. The production of acid xylanase (Xy1C) was enhanced with a low initial pH of the medium.
