A gene encoding a novel β-D-galactosidase from the psychrotolerant Antarctic bacterium Arthrobacter sp. 32cB was isolated, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The active form of recombinant β-D-galactosidase consists of two subunits with a combined molecular weight of approximately 257 kDa. The enzyme's maximum activity towards o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside was determined as occurring at 28 °C and pH 8.0. However, it...

An estS9 gene, encoding an esterase of the psychrotolerant bacterium Pseudomonas sp. S9 was cloned and sequenced. The deduced sequence revealed a protein of 636 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 69 kDa.Further amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the EstS9 enzyme contained a G-D-S-L motif centered at a catalytic serine, an N-terminal catalytic domain and a C-terminal autotransporter domain. Two recombinant E. coli...

beta-D-Galactosidases have been studied extensively in terms of their application to a variety of industrial technologies. To date, considerable research efforts have been devoted to characterization of new cold-active beta-D-galactosidases which were isolated directly from selected species of bacteria and yeasts, as well as with the use of metagenomic approaches. This chapter will provide a review of current research towards cold-active...