Structural and functional insights of a cold-adaptive β-glucosidase with very high glucose tolerance from...

A gene glu1 (WP_243232135.1) coding for β-glucosidase from the genome of Microbacterium sp. CIAB417 was characterized for its cold adaptive nature and tolerance to high levels of glucose and ethanol. The phylogenetic analysis suggested the close association of glu1 with a similar gene from a mesophilic bacterium Microbacterium indicum. The purified recombinant GLU1 displayed its optimal activity and stability at pH 5 and temperature 30ᴼC. Additionally, the presence of L3 loop in GLU1 suggested its cold adaptive nature. The glucose tolerant Gate keeper residues (Leu 174 & Trp 169) with a distance of ∼ 6.953 Å between them was also predicted in GLU1. The GLU1 enzyme showed ≥ 95% and ≥ 40% relative activity in the presence of 5 M glucose and 20% ethanol. The V_max, Km, and K_cat values of GLU1 for cellobiose substrate were observed to be 45.22 U/mg, 3.5 mM, and 41.0157 s^-1, respectively. The GLU1 was found to be highly efficient in hydrolysis of celloologosaccharides (C2-C5), lactose and safranal picrocrocin into glucose. Hence, cold adaptive GLU1 with very high glucose and ethanol tolerance could be very useful in bio-refinery, dairy, and flavor industries.