Part:BBa_K1175005

endo-1,4-beta-xylanase xynA from Bacillus Subtilis Subtilis 168

The endo-1,4-beta-xylanase gene xynA cleaves xylan polysaccharide chains to form shorter xylan chains. This gene has been isolated from the bacterium Bacillus subtilis subtilis 168.

Usage and Biology

   Xylan is a molecule similar to cellulose, and after cellulose the most abundant biomass material on earth. It is a major structural component of plant cell walls. Furthermore, xylan crosslinks with cellulose and other cell wall components, inhibiting access of cellulases (1). Xylose is the sugar monomer of xylan as glucose is to cellulose. Xylose cannot be used in the human body as a source of energy. Endo-1,4-beta-xylanase (xynA) breaks the xylan chains into shorter chains, and may be stearically hindered by side chains (2). 

   A beta-xylanase such as Endo-1,4-beta xylanase may be used to degrade xylan to facilitate cellulase activity. Another use may be in conjunction with an exo-xylanase to efficiently break down xylan into xylose monomers (a pentose sugar).

Enzymatic Activity of Gene Product

   As stated above, the function of the gene product is xylan degredation. The enzyme's catabolic activity results from endohydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-xylosidic linkages in xylan molecules (4).

(1) http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-stories/2012/11/12/a-better-route-to-xylan/ (2) http://www.nutrex.be/sites/default/files/wysiwyg-upload/nutrase-xyla-nsp-enzyme.pdf (3) http://subtiwiki.uni-goettingen.de/wiki/index.php/XynA (4) http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P18429

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

• 10
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
• 12
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]

  Illegal NheI site found at 85
  
• 21
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]
• 23
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
• 25
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]
• 1000
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]

  Illegal BsaI.rc site found at 489
  Illegal SapI.rc site found at 543