Characterization of Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-742CB dextransucrase expressed in Escherichia coli

Recombinant E. coli DH5 alpha harboring a dextransucrase gene (dsrB742) produced an extracellular dextransucrase in a 2% sucrose medium. The enzyme was purified by DEAE-Sepharose and Phenyl-Sepharose column chromatographies upto a 142.97-fold purification with a 11.11% recovery to near homogeneity. The enzyme had a calculated molecular mass of 168.6kDa, which was in good agreement with the activity band of 170kDa on a nondenaturing SDS-PAGE. An expression plasmid was constructed by inserting the dsrB742 into a pRSET expression vector. The activity after expression in E. coli BL21(DE3)pLysS increased about 6.7-fold compared to the extracellular dextransucrase from L. mesenteroides B-742CB. The expressed and purified enzyme from the clone showed similar biochemical properties (acceptor reaction, size of active dextransucrase, optimum pH, and temperature) to B-742CB dextransucrase, however, the ability to synthesize alpha-(1 -->3) branching decreased in comparison to that of L. mesenteroides B-742CB dextransucrase.