Purification and Molecular Cloning of Xylanases from the Wood-Feeding Termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki

DOI Web Site Web Site 6 Citations 41 References
  • ARAKAWA Gaku
    Center of Molecular Biosciences (COMB), University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus
  • WATANABE Hirofumi
    National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
  • YAMASAKI Hideo
    Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus
  • MAEKAWA Hideaki
    Center of Molecular Biosciences (COMB), University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus
  • TOKUDA Gaku
    Center of Molecular Biosciences (COMB), University of the Ryukyus

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • Purification and Molecular Cloning of Xylanases from the Wood-Feeding Termite,<i>Coptotermes formosanus</i>Shiraki
  • Purification and molecular cloning of xylanases from the wood-feeding termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki

Search this article

Abstract

Coptotermes formosanus is one of the most destructive termites in the southern part of Japan as well as in the United States. Hemicellulose is a noncellulosic polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, and xylan is the major constituent of hemicellulose. Since hemicellulose prevents access of cellulolytic enzymes to cellulose, enzymatic hydrolysis of hemicellulose is beneficial for cellulose digestion. We purified three functional xylanases to homogeneity from C. formosanus for the first time. Elution profiles from the whole termite extract suggest that these three xylanases play major roles in xylan digestion in the gut of the termites. The corresponding cDNAs were successfully cloned based on the N-terminal amino acid sequences, encoding GHF11 xylanases. Reverse transcription-PCR using manipulated protozoan cells in the hindgut revealed that the corresponding genes were expressed in the symbiotic flagellate Holomastigotoides mirabile. These results suggest that the GHF11 xylanases that are produced by the symbiotic flagellates play a primary role in xylan degradation in C. formosanus.

Journal

Citations (6)*help

See more

References(41)*help

See more

Related Projects

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top