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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

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Published on: November 7, 2012
Characterization of cold-active pectate lyases from psychrophilic Mrakia frigida
R Margesin1, V Fauster, P-A Fonteyne
1Institute of Microbiology, Leopold Franzens University, Innsbruck, Austria. rosa.margesin@uibk.ac.at
Aims:
This study was conducted to determine optimal conditions for pectate lyase (PL) production by two psychrophilic yeast strains and to compare the properties of the cold-active enzymes using mesophilic PL as reference enzyme.
Methods And Results:
Two psychrophilic yeasts isolated from remote geographical locations (European Alps, north Siberia) produced extracellular cold-active PL. Both strains were identified as Mrakia frigida by analysis of ITS and large subunit (LSU) rRNA sequences. Maximum enzyme production occurred at a cultivation temperature of 1 or 5 degrees C. The apparent optimum for enzyme activity was observed at 30 degrees C and pH 8.5-9. The enzymes were thermolabile, but were resistant to repeated freezing and thawing.
Conclusion:
We describe for the first time alkaline PL-producing representatives of the yeast species M. frigida. The two strains produce cold-active PL with similar properties, but have a different enzyme production pattern.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
The enzymes described in this study could be useful for a wide range of applications, such as low-temperature pretreatment of wastewater containing pectic substances.
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