Production and partial purification by PEG/citrate ATPS of a β-galactosidase from the new promising isolate Cladosporium tenuissimum URM 7803

Abstract

β-Galactosidase production, partial purification and characterization by a new fungal were investigated. Partial purification was performed by aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) using polyethylene glycol (PEG) molar mass, PEG concentration, citrate concentration and pH as the independent variables. Purification factor (PF), partition coefficient (K) and yield (Y) were the responses. After identification by rDNA sequencing and classification as Cladosporium tenuissimum URM 7803, this isolate achieved a maximum cell concentration and β-galactosidase activity of 0.48 g/L and 462.1 U/mL, respectively. β-Galactosidase partitioned preferentially for bottom salt-rich phase likely due to hydrophobicity and volume exclusion effect caused in the top phase by the high PEG concentration and molar mass. The highest value of PF (12.94) was obtained using 24% (w/w) PEG 8000 g/mol and 15% (w/w) citrate, while that of Y (79.76%) using 20% (w/w) PEG 400 g/mol and 25% (w/w) citrate, both at pH 6. The enzyme exhibited optimum temperature in crude and ATPS extracts in the ranges 35–50 °C and 40–55 °C, respectively, and optimum pH in the range 3.0–4.5, with a fall of enzyme activity under alkaline conditions. Some metal ions and detergents inhibited, while others stimulated enzyme activity. Finally, C. tenuissimum URM 7803 β-galactosidase showed a profile suitable for prebiotics production.

Keywords:

• β-Galactosidase
• fungi
• phylogenesis
• production
• aqueous two-phase system

Disclosure statement

The authors are aware of the ethical responsibilities, and the manuscript has no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-Process n.: 407814/2013-2), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES-Process n.: 88887.163442/2018-00) and Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE-Process n.: BFP-0163-5.01/18).