Endoglucanase C (CenC), a beta1,4 glucanase from the soil bacterium Cellulomonas fimi, binds to amorphous cellulose via two homologous cellulose binding domains, termed CBD(N1) and CBD(N2). In this work, the contributions of 10 amino acids within the binding cleft of CBD(N1) were evaluated by single site-directed mutations to alanine residues. Each isolated domain containing a single mutation w...

The distribution of chitinolytic enzymes in eight organs of the golden cuttlefish Sepia esculenta was determined. Chitinase activity (activity of endo-type chitinolytic enzyme) was measured using pNP-(GlcNAc)n (n = 2, 3) as substrates, with high activity detected in the liver, posterior salivary gland, and stomach. β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (Hex) activity (activity of exo-type chitinolytic enzym...

BACKGROUND To repair fractures with large bone defects or gaps, demineralized allogenic bone matrix (DBM) is often applied to the fracture site. However, studies have shown that the use of DBM alone has limited efficacy for repairing fractures. In the present study, we developed an allogenic demineralized bone powder (DBP) with basic fibroblast-derived growth factor containing a polycystic kidn...

OBJECTIVE Insulin and contraction increase skeletal muscle glucose uptake through distinct and additive mechanisms. However, recent reports have demonstrated that both signals converge on the Akt substrate of 160 kDa (AS160), a protein that regulates GLUT4 translocation. Although AS160 phosphorylation is believed to be the primary factor affecting its activity, AS160 also possesses a calmodulin...

Escherichia coli-derived glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of glutamic acid to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), was fused to the cellulose-binding domain (CBD) and a linker of Trichoderma harzianum endoglucanase II. To prevent proteolysis of the fusion protein, the native linker was replaced with a S(3)N(10) peptide known to be completely resistant to E. coli...

By a limited proteolysis with thermolysin, rye seed chitinase-a (RSC-a) was separated into a N-terminal c}'steine-rich chitin-binding (CB-) domain (48 residues) and a cata])'tic (Cat-) domain (254 residues). The h)'drolytic activity of the isolated Cat-domain toward sotuble glycolchitin, was similar to that of RSC-a, but that toward insolub]e cot]oidal chitin was 28'M, of that of RSC-a. Five di...

Brassica juncea BjCHI1 is a plant chitinase with two chitin-binding domains. Its expression, induced in response to wounding, methyl jasmonate treatment, Aspergillus niger infection, and caterpillar Pieris rapae feeding, suggests that it plays a role in defence. In this study, to investigate the potential of using BjCHI1 in agriculture, Pichia-expressed BjCHI1 and its deletion derivatives that ...

The enzymatic subunits of the cellulosome of Clostridium thermocellum are integrated into the complex by a major non-catalytic polypeptide, called scaffoldin. Its numerous functional domains include a single cellulose-binding domain (CBD) and nine subunit-binding domains, or cohesin domains. Two of the cohesin domains, together with the adjacent CBD, have been cloned and expressed in Escherichi...

Among the various human growth factors, epidermal growth factor (hEGF, consisting of 53 amino acids) has various effects on cell regeneration, stimulation of proliferation, migration of keratinocytes, formation of granulation tissues, and stimulation of fibroblast motility, which are important for wound healing. Owing to their multiple activities, EGFs are used as pharmaceutical and cosmetic ag...