Purification and characterization of α-neoagarooligosaccharide hydrolase from Cellvibrio sp. OA-2007

α-Neoagarooligosaccharide (α-NAOS) hydrolase was purified from Cellvibrio sp. OA-2007 by using chromatographic techniques after hydroxyapatite adsorption. The molecular masses of α-NAOS hydrolase estimated using SDS-PAGE and gel filtration chromatography were 40 and 93 kDa, respectively, and the optimal temperature and pH for the enzyme activity were 32ºC and 7.0-7.2. α-NAOS hydrolase lost 43% of its original activity when incubated at 35ºC for 30 min. The enzyme hydrolyzed neoagarobiose, neoagarotetraose, and neoagarohexaose to galactose, agarotriose, and agaropentaose, respectively, and produced 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose concomitantly; however, it did not degrade agarose.