Characterization of an extracellular dextranase from Fusarium moniliforme

An extracellular dextranase (EC 3.2.1.11) was purified approximately 75-fold from cell-free culture filtrates of Fusarium moniliforme. The purified dextranase was of the endo type, and isomaltose was identified as the primary end product of dextran hydrolysis. The molecular weight of the dextranase was determined to be 39,000 by gel permeation chromatography. The enzyme was most active at pH 5.5, and the temperature optimum was near 55 C. Activity was not inhibited by either ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or iodoacetate. The Km for dextran with an average molecular weight of 10,000 was estimated to be 1.1 X 10(-4) M. The electrophoretic mobility of the dextranase was distinctly different from that of a Penicillium-derived commercial dextranase. The F. moniliforme dextranase was also found to differ from the commercial preparation by its greater relative activity against glucans isolated from Streptococcus mutans.