Development of multiple glycosyl hydrolase for biomass degradation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21164
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06027 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0604:Agricultural economics and rural sociology, agricultural engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ohashi Hiroyuki 地方独立行政法人大阪産業技術研究所, 森之宮センター, 研究員 (10826184)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 酵素機能改変 / 植物細胞壁 / 多糖分解酵素 / アラビノフラノシダーゼ / バイオマス分解

Outline of Final Research Achievements

X-ray crystallographic information is the most important and powerful tool for site-specific modification of proteins. However, the X-ray crystal structure of many proteins has not been obtained yet. In recent years, protein databases have been developed and it has become possible to construct predictive structures of proteins with high accuracy. In this study, we used arabinofuranosidase from radish as a model for a structure-unknown protein and attempted to simultaneously modify its thermal stability and substrate properties. As a result, an enzyme that could hydrolyze multiple sugars with improved thermal stability was obtained. In this study, it was shown that it is possible to generate enzymes with an added function by applying molecular modeling techniques to proteins without a crystal structure.

Free Research Field

酵素工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

X線結晶構造が得られていない場合、酵素活性部位の部位特異的改変は困難な場合が多い。特に、バイオマス分解に関わる酵素は、有用な活性を持っていても熱に不安定なものが多く、産業用酵素としての利用が困難なものが多い。また、バイオマスの分解に必要だが、発見されていない酵素もある。本研究により、分子モデリング技術の利用により、結晶構造が未知なものに関しても、熱安定性の改善や新たな基質特異性を素材となる酵素に付与できることが示された。これにより、バイオマス産業用酵素の開発促進が期待される。