Expression of feruloyl esterase A from Aspergillus terreus and its application in biomass degradation.

Feruloyl esterases (FAEs) are key enzymes involved in the complete biodegradation of lignocelluloses, which could hydrolyze the ester bonds between hemicellulose and lignin. The coding sequence of a feruloyl esterase A ( At FaeA) was cloned from Aspergillus terreus and the recombinant At FaeA was constitutively expressed in Pichia pastoris . The SDS–PAGE analysis of purified At FaeA showed two protein bands owing to the different extent of glycosylation, and the recombinant At FaeA had an optimum temperature of 50 °C and an optimum pH of 5.0. The substrate utilization and primary sequence identity of At FaeA demonstrated that it is a type-A feruloyl esterase. The hydrolysis of corn stalk and corncob by xylanase from Aspergillus niger could be significantly improved in concert with recombinant Af FaeA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]