Identification of the cellulose-binding domain of Fibrobacter succinogenes endoglucanase F

The cellulose-binding domain (CBD) of Fibrobacter succinogenes endoglucanase F (EGF) has been determined. The gene encoding EGF (celF) and its derivatives were expressed in Escherichia coli. We were able to obtain eight recombinant proteins and examine their cellulose-binding ability and endoglucanase activity. Because four recombinant proteins, which contain the first N-terminal reiterated region of EGF, bound to cellulose, the region has been identified as the CBD. Although the CBD did not show significant sequence similarity with any other CBDs, it did show significant similarity with a part of endoglucanase J (CelJ) of Clostridium thermocellum F1. Moreover, a large part of the C-terminal catalytic region of EGF showed sequence similarity with alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases of glycosyl hydrolase family 51.