A gene (bgl) encoding a β-glucosidase in thermophilic actinomycete Thermobifida fusca NTU 22 was cloned into a Yarrowia lipolytica expression system. Heterologous expression resulted in extracellular β-glucosidase production with activity as high as 630 U/mL in a Hinton flask culture filtrate. This recombinant β-glucosidase was purified 9.2-fold from crude culture filtrate by DEAE-Sepharose FF ...

Glycoside hydrolase family 13 contains exo-glucosidases specific for α-(1→4)- and α-(1→6)-linkages including α-glucosidase, oligo-1,6-glucosidase, and dextran glucosidase. The α-(1→6)-linkage selectivity of Streptococcus mutans dextran glucosidase was altered to α-(1→4)-linkage selectivity through site-directed mutations at Val195, Lys275, and Glu371. V195A showed 1300-fold higher kcat/Km for m...

Effects of corn fiber residue (5 g/day for 10 days) on fecal weight, moisture, pH, fecal flora, ammonia content, and on the activities of beta-glucuronidase and beta-glucosidase were investigated in six healthy subjects. Corn fiber residue was remnant of hemicellulose extraction from corn fiber by calcium hydroxide. Fecal weight showed a tendency to increase, and fecal pH did not change during ...

BACKGROUND Trichoderma reesei is a widely used model cellulolytic fungus, supplying a highly effective cellulase production system. Recently, the biofuel industry discovered filamentous fungi from the Penicillium genus as a promising alternative to T. reesei. RESULTS In our study, we present a systematic over-expression analysis of nine β-glucosidase encoding genes in the wild-type strain 114...

We investigated possible anti-diabetic effect of ferrocene-based acyl ureas: 4-ferrocenyl aniline (PFA), 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl) urea (DPC1), 1-(3-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl) urea (DMC1), 1-(2-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl) urea (DOC1) and homoleptic cadmium carboxylates: bis (diphenylacetato) cadmium (II) (DPAA), bis (4-chlorophenylacetato) cadmium (II) (CPA...

The alpha- and beta-glucosidase activity in natural samples can be readily measured during short incubation times (20 min) by using the artificial substrates 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-d-glucoside and 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-d-glucoside. The apparent K(m) of both alpha- and beta-glucosidase for these respective substrates is 0.01 muM. The homologous disaccharides maltose and cellobiose compet...

Recently, we reported a novel congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG-IIb) caused by severe deficiency of the glucosidase I. The enzyme cleaves the alpha1,2-glucose residue from the asparagine-linked Glc(3)-Man(9)-GlcNAc(2) precursor, which is crucial for oligosaccharide maturation. The patient suffering from this disease was compound-heterozygous for two mutations in the glucosidase I gene, ...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are a major public-health concern. New antiviral drugs are needed urgently to complement and improve the efficacy of current chemotherapies. The morphogenesis of HCV represents an interesting, and still unexploited, novel molecular target. alpha-Glucosidase inhibitors derived from the glucose analogue deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) inhibit viral morphogenesis in cellu...

Glucosylceramide ,-glucosidase is a membrane-bound lysosomal hydrolase that is activated by acidic lipids, the most effective of which is phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), and an activator protein, saposin C. This report documents effects of Ca2+ ions on PtdSerand saposin C-enhanced ,-glucosidase activity. Ca2+ either increased or decreased enzyme activity, depending on (1) the concentration of phos...