Gellan lyase

Gellan lyase is an enzyme that belongs to the family of lyase, specifically the "catch-all" class of carbon-oxygen lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 4,5-alpha-L-2,3-didehydro-2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-gluco-hexodialdose 4,5-lyase (3-deoxy-D-gluco-oct-2-ulopyranosonate-forming). Other names in common use include gellan depolymerase, and gellan gum lyase.

Function

Gellan lyase catalyzes the cleavage of gellan gum, a polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Sphingomonas elodea. The enzyme specifically acts on the 1,4-beta-D-glucosidic linkages in gellan gum, leading to the formation of oligosaccharides with unsaturated non-reducing ends. This enzymatic activity is crucial in the industrial processing of gellan gum, which is widely used as a gelling agent in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Structure

Like other lyases, gellan lyase is a protein that folds into a specific three-dimensional structure necessary for its function. The active site of the enzyme, where the gellan gum substrate binds, is typically formed by a cleft or crevice in the protein structure. The exact structure of gellan lyase can vary depending on the specific species of Sphingomonas from which it is derived.

Industrial Applications

Due to its ability to degrade gellan gum, gellan lyase has significant industrial applications. It is used in the production of reduced-viscosity gellan gum, which has different textural properties and can be used in different applications compared to regular gellan gum. The enzyme is also used in the production of gellan oligosaccharides, which have potential prebiotic properties.

See Also

• Lyase
• Enzyme
• Gellan gum
• Sphingomonas elodea

References

• Gellan lyase, a new member of the polysaccharide lyase family 14: preliminary X-ray analysis. Acta Crystallographica Section F Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications. 2005.
• Characterization of a novel gellan lyase from Sphingomonas sp. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2007.