Characterization of a novel bifunctional endo-β-1,4-glucanase/mannanase from Aspergillus oryzae
Akira Watanabe, Tomohiko Matsuzawa, Seiryu Ujiie, Takahiro Shintani, Katsuya Gomi · 2026
Read Characterization of a novel bifunctional endo-β-1,4-glucanase/mannanase from Aspergillus oryzae by Akira Watanabe, Tomohiko Matsuzawa, Seiryu Ujiie, Takahiro Shintani, Katsuya Gomi (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13319174.txt.
Description
Enzymes that chew through plant fiber usually specialize: one for cellulose chains, another for mannans. Akira Watanabe and four co-authors searched the genome of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae and found a candidate that does both. Grown and purified in the lab, the protein, named EgmA, cut cellulose-like substrates briskly and also hydrolyzed two kinds of mannan, more slowly.
Its two appetites work differently: it needs chains of at least four sugar units on the cellulose side but at least five on the mannan side. The authors say it is the first such double-duty enzyme purified from the whole Aspergillus genus, and only the second of fungal origin. A single enzyme that attacks both fibers could simplify breaking down plant biomass for industry and food uses.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Akira Watanabe, Tomohiko Matsuzawa, Seiryu Ujiie, Takahiro Shintani, Katsuya Gomi |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 45 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |