Highly efficient production of a Thermomyces lanuginosus IOC-4145 ␤-1,4-xylanase was achieved in Pichia pastoris under the control of the AOX1 promoter. P. pastoris colonies expressing recombinant xylanase were selected by enzymatic activity plate assay, and their ability to secrete high levels of the enzyme was evaluated in small-scale cultures. Furthermore, an optimization of enzyme production was carried out with a 2 3 factorial design. The influence of initial cell density, methanol, and yeast nitrogen base concentration was evaluated, and initial cell density was found to be the most important parameter. A time course profile of recombinant xylanase production in 1-liter flasks with the optimized conditions was performed and 148 mg of xylanase per liter was achieved. Native and recombinant xylanases were purified by gel filtration and characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry and physicochemical behavior. Three recombinant protein species of 21.9, 22.1, and 22.3 kDa were detected in the mass spectrum due to variability in the amino terminus. The optimum temperature, thermostability, and circular dichroic spectra of the recombinant and native xylanases were identical. For both enzymes, the optimum temperature was 75°C, and they retained 60% of their original activity after 80 min at 70°C or 40 min at 80°C. The high level of fully active recombinant xylanase obtained in P. pastoris makes this expression system attractive for fermentor growth and industrial applications.

The production of cellulase-free endoxylanase by the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus was investigated in semisolid fermentation and liquid fermentation. Different process variables were investigated in semisolid fermentation, employing corncob as the carbon source. The best results were with the following conditions: grain size = 4.5 mm, solid:liquid ratio = 1:2, and inoculum size = 20% (v/v). Corncob, xylan, and xylose were the best inducers for endoxylanase production. Additionally, organic nitrogen sources were necessary for the production of high endoxylanase activities. The crude enzyme had optimum activity at pH 6.0 and 75 degrees C, displaying a high thermostability. The apparent Km and Vmax were 1.77 mg of xylan/mL and 21.5 U/mg of protein, respectively.

Thermophilic and hyperthermophilic microorganisms are found as normal inhabitants of continental and submarine volcanic areas, geothermally heated sea-sediments and hydrothermal vents and thus are considered extremophiles. Several present or potential applications of extremophilic enzymes are reviewed, especially polymer-hydrolysing enzymes, such as amylolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes. The purpose of this review is to present the range of morphological and metabolic features among those microorganisms growing from 70 o C to 100°C and to indicate potential opportunities for useful applications derived from these features.

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In recent years, xylanases have expanded their use in many processing industries, such as pulp and paper, food and textile. Thermomyces lanuginosus IOC-4145 was able to produce a very high level of cellulase-free xylanase in shaken cultures using corncob as substrate (500 U/mL). An optimization of the medium composition in submerged fermentation was carried out aiming at a low cost medium composition for enzyme production. Statistical experiment design was employed for this purpose, pointing out corncob as the most important parameter, which affects enzyme production. Additionally, the influence of several chemicals on xylanase activity was investigated in the crude extract. A slight stimulation of the enzyme (5-15%) was achieved with NaCl and urea, both at 3 and 5 mM of concentration. On the other hand, dithiothreitol and β-mercaptoethanol at a molarity of 5mM have caused a strong stimulation of the enzyme (40-53%). The crude xylanase displayed appreciable thermostability, retaining almost 50% of activity during 24 hours of incubation at 50ºC; about 50% of activity was present at 60ºC even after 4 hours of incubation. The enzyme also exhibited good storage stability at-20ºC without any stabilizing agent.