microbiology, Vol 143, 245-252, Copyright © 1997 by Society for General Microbiology

ARTICLES

The phytase subfamily of histidine acid phosphatases: isolation of genes for two novel phytases from the fungi Aspergillus terreus and Myceliophthora thermophila

DB Mitchell, K Vogel, BJ Weimann, L Pasamontes and AP van Loon
Biotechnology Section, Vitamins and Fine Chemicals Division, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland.

Phytases catalyse the hydrolysis of phytate (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate) to myo-inositol and inorganic phosphate. In this study genes encoding novel phytases from two different filamentous fungi, Aspergillus terreus strain 9A-1 and Myceliophthora thermophila were isolated. The encoded PhyA phytase proteins show 60% (A. terreus) and 48% (M. thermophila) identity, respectively, to the PhyA of Aspergillus niger and have 21-29% identity compared to other histidine acid phosphatases. All three PhyA proteins, in contrast to the A. niger pH 2.5-optimum acid phosphatase, prefer phytic acid as substrate and show enzyme activity at a broad range of acidic pH values. Based on their enzyme characteristics and protein sequence homology, the phytases form a novel subclass of the histidine acid phosphatase family.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Tomschy, R. Brugger, M. Lehmann, A. Svendsen, K. Vogel, D. Kostrewa, S. F. Lassen, D. Burger, A. Kronenberger, A. P. G. M. van Loon, et al. Engineering of Phytase for Improved Activity at Low pH Appl. Envir. Microbiol., April 1, 2002; 68(4): 1907 - 1913. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. F. Lassen, J. Breinholt, P. R. Ostergaard, R. Brugger, A. Bischoff, M. Wyss, and C. C. Fuglsang Expression, Gene Cloning, and Characterization of Five Novel Phytases from Four Basidiomycete Fungi: Peniophora lycii, Agrocybe pediades, a Ceriporia sp., and Trametes pubescens Appl. Envir. Microbiol., October 1, 2001; 67(10): 4701 - 4707. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. E. Hegeman and E. A. Grabau A Novel Phytase with Sequence Similarity to Purple Acid Phosphatases Is Expressed in Cotyledons of Germinating Soybean Seedlings Plant Physiology, August 1, 2001; 126(4): 1598 - 1608. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. S. Moura, J. F. Martin, A. Martin, and P. Liras Substrate analysis and molecular cloning of the extracellular alkaline phosphatase of Streptomyces griseus Microbiology, June 1, 2001; 147(6): 1525 - 1533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T M O'Connor, J F Bourke, M Jones, and N Brennan Report of occupational asthma due to phytase and {beta}-glucanase Occup. Environ. Med., June 1, 2001; 58(6): 417 - 419. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. T. Saleh and J. T. Belisle Secretion of an Acid Phosphatase (SapM) by Mycobacterium tuberculosis That Is Similar to Eukaryotic Acid Phosphatases J. Bacteriol., December 1, 2000; 182(23): 6850 - 6853. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Lehmann, D. Kostrewa, M. Wyss, R. Brugger, A. D'Arcy, L. Pasamontes, and A. P.G.M. van Loon From DNA sequence to improved functionality: using protein sequence comparisons to rapidly design a thermostable consensus phytase Protein Eng. Des. Sel., January 1, 2000; 13(1): 49 - 57. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Nagashima, T. Tange, and H. Anazawa Dephosphorylation of Phytate by Using the Aspergillus niger Phytase with a High Affinity for Phytate Appl. Envir. Microbiol., October 1, 1999; 65(10): 4682 - 4684. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Wyss, L. Pasamontes, A. Friedlein, R. Rémy, M. Tessier, A. Kronenberger, A. Middendorf, M. Lehmann, L. Schnoebelen, U. Röthlisberger, et al. Biophysical Characterization of Fungal Phytases (myo-Inositol Hexakisphosphate Phosphohydrolases): Molecular Size, Glycosylation Pattern, and Engineering of Proteolytic Resistance Appl. Envir. Microbiol., February 1, 1999; 65(2): 359 - 366. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Wyss, L. Pasamontes, R. Rémy, J. Kohler, E. Kusznir, M. Gadient, F. Müller, and A. P. G. M. van Loon Comparison of the Thermostability Properties of Three Acid Phosphatases from Molds: Aspergillus fumigatus Phytase, A. niger Phytase, and A. niger pH 2.5 Acid Phosphatase Appl. Envir. Microbiol., November 1, 1998; 64(11): 4446 - 4451. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. Kerovuo, M. Lauraeus, P. Nurminen, N. Kalkkinen, and J. Apajalahti Isolation, Characterization, Molecular Gene Cloning, and Sequencing of a Novel Phytase from Bacillus subtilis Appl. Envir. Microbiol., June 1, 1998; 64(6): 2079 - 2085. [Abstract] [Full Text]