Cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) is an extracellular enzyme which catalyzes the formation of cyclodextrin from starch. The production of CGTase using lactic acid bacterium is an attractive alternative and safer strategy to produce CGTase. In this study, we report the construction of genetically modified Lactococcus lactis strains harboring plasmids that secrete the Bacillus sp. G1 beta-CGTase, with the aid of the signal peptides (SPs) SPK1, USP45 and native SP (NSP). Three constructed vectors, pNZ:NSP:CGT, pNZ:USP:CGT and pNZ:SPK1:CGT, were developed in this study. Each vector harbored a different SP fused to the CGTase. The formation of halo zones on starch plates indicated the production and secretion of beta-CGTase by the recombinants. The expression of this enzyme is shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and zymogram analysis. A band size of similar to 75 kDa corresponding to beta-CGTase is identified in the intracellular and the extracellular environments of the host after medium modification. The replacement of glucose by starch in the medium was shown to induce beta-CGTase production in L. lactis. Although beta-CGTase production is comparatively low in NZ:SPK1:CGT, the SP SPK1 was shown to have higher secretion efficiency compared to the other SPs used in this study. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel
