Action of acetylxylan esterase from Trichoderma reesei on acetylated methyl glycosides

Substrate specificity of purified acetylxylan esterase (AcXE) from Trichoderma reesei was investigated on partially and fully acetylated methyl glycopyranosides. Methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside was deacetylated at positions 2 and 3, yielding methyl 4-O-acetyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside in almost 90% yield. Methyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl beta-D-xylopyranoside was deacetylated at a rate similar to the fully acetylated derivative. The other two diacetates (2,4- and 3,4-), which have a free hydroxyl group at either position 3 or 2, were deacetylated one order of magnitude more rapidly. Thus the second acetyl group is rapidly released from position 3 or 2 after the first acetyl group is removed from position 2 or 3. The results strongly imply that in degradation of partially acetylated beta-1,4-linked xylans, the enzyme deacetylates monoacetylated xylopyranosyl residues more readily than di-O-acetylated residues. The T. reesei AcXE attacked acetylated methyl beta-D-glucopyranosides and beta-D-mannopyranosides in a manner similar to the xylopyranosides.