Characterization of a new cutinase from Thermobifida alba regarding PET-surface hydrolysis

Doris Ribitsch, Enrique Herrero Acero*, Katrin Julia Greimel, Inge Eiteljörg, Eva Trotscha, Giuliano Freddi, Helmut Schwab, Georg Gübitz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A new cutinase from Thermobifida alba (Tha_Cut1) was cloned and characterized for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrolysis. Tha_Cut1 showed a high degree of identity to a T. cellulolysitica cutinase with only four amino acid differences outside the active site area, according to modeling data. Yet, Tha_Cut1 was more active in terms of PET surface hydrolysis leading to considerable improvement in hydrophilicity quantified based on a decrease of the water contact angle from 87.7° to 45.0°. The introduction of new carboxyl groups was confirmed and measured after esterification with the fluorescent reagent alkyl bromide, 2-(bromomethyl) naphthalene (BrNP), resulting in a fluorescence emission intensity increase from 980 to 1420 a.u. On the soluble model substrates p-nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA) and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (PNPB), the cutinase showed Km values of 213 and 1933 μM and kcat values of 2.72 and 6.03 s−1 respectively. The substrate specificity was investigated with bis(benzoyloxyethyl)terephthalate (3PET) and Tha_Cut1 was shown to release primarily 2-hydroxyethyl benzoate. This contrasts with the well-studied Humicula insolens cutinase which preferentially liberates terminal benzoic acid from 3PET.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2-9
JournalBiocatalysis and Biotransformation
Volume30
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Fields of Expertise

  • Human- & Biotechnology

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