Expression and Characterization of Windmill Palm Tree (Trachycarpus fortunei) Peroxidase by Pichia pastoris

Currently, commercial plant peroxidases are all native and are isolated from plants such as horseradish and soybean. No recombinant plant peroxidase products have been available on the commercial market. The gene encoding peroxidase was cloned from windmill palm tree leaves. The codon-optimized gene was transformed into Pichia pastoris for expression. The recombinant windmill palm tree peroxidase (rWPTP) expressed by P. pastoris showed high stability under pH 2-10 and temperatures up to 70 °C to many metallic salts and organic solvents. The substrate specificity of WPTP was determined, and among the substrates tested, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) was most suitable for WPTP. The Michaelis constants with the substrates H₂O₂ and ABTS were 4.6 × 10^-4 and 1.6 × 10^-4 M, respectively. The rWPTP expressed in P. pastoris may be a suitable enzyme for the biosynthesis of polymers because of its high stability and activity under acidic conditions.