High-level expression of active human cystatin C in Escherichia coli

Expression of the human cysteine proteinase inhibitor, cystatin C (CysC) in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli was studied using a cDNA fragment encoding the cysteine proteinase inhibitor controlled by the phage λ pImage /cI857 system. The yield of CysC was low, probably due to proteolytic degradation. By fusing the cysC cDNA to a DNA fragment encoding the signal peptide of the E. coli outer membrane protein A, it was possible to produce a substantial amount of CysC in the periplasm. The processing of the signal peptide was shown to be quantitative and to result in CysC with the correct N-terminal amino acid. Yields higher than 1000 μg CysC/ml can be obtained by initiating the product formation at a moderate temperature (40 °C) late in an optimized fermentation process. A method that gives selective extraction of the periplasmic proteins and at the same time stabilizes CysC has been used

An enzyme with rhamnogalacturonase activity

An enzyme exhibiting rhamnogalacturonase activity, which enzyme: a) is encoded by the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 or a sequence homologous thereto encoding a polypeptide with RGase activity, b) has the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 2 or an analogue thereof, c) is reactive with an antibody raised against the enzyme encoded by the DNA sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1, d) has a pH optimum above pH 5, and/or e) has a relative activity of at least 30% at a pH in the range of 5.5-6.5. The enzyme may be used for reducing the viscosity of a plant cell wall material and for extracting high molecular weight molecules from a plant cell wall material.<br/