Physiological aggregation of maltodextrin phosphorylase from Pyrococcus furiosus and its application in a process of batch starch degradation to alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate.

Maltodextrin phosphorylase from Pyrococcus furiosus (PF1535) was fused with the cellulose-binding domain of Clostridium cellulovorans serving as an aggregation module. After molecular cloning of the corresponding gene fusion construct and controlled expression in Escherichia coli BL21, 83% of total maltodextrin phosphorylase activity (0.24 U/mg of dry cell weight) was displayed in active inclusion bodies. These active inclusion bodies were easily isolated by nonionic detergent treatment and directly used for maltodextrin conversion to alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate in a repetitive batch mode. Only 10% of enzyme activity was lost after ten conversion cycles at optimum conditions.