Dextran is an α-(1→6)-glucan that is synthesized by some lactic acid bacteria, and branched dextran with α-(1→2)-, α-(1→3)-, and α-(1→4)-linkages are often produced. Although many dextranases are known to act on the α-(1→6)-linkage of dextran, few studies have functionally analyzed the proteins involved in degrading branched dextran. The mechanism by which bacteria utilize branched dextran is unknown. Earlier, we identified dextranase (FjDex31A) and kojibiose hydrolase (FjGH65A) in the dextran utilization locus (FjDexUL) of a soil Bacteroidota Flavobacterium johnsoniae and hypothesized that FjDexUL is involved in the degradation of α-(1→2)-branched dextran. In this study, we demonstrate that FjDexUL proteins recognize and degrade α-(1→2)- and α-(1→3)-branched dextrans produced by Leuconostoc citreum S-32 (S-32 α-glucan). The FjDexUL genes were significantly upregulated when S-32 α-glucan was the carbon source compared with α-glucooligosaccharides and α-glucans, such as linear dextran and branched α-glucan from L. citreum S-64. FjDexUL glycoside hydrolases synergistically degraded S-32 α-glucan. The crystal structure of FjGH66 shows that some sugar-binding subsites can accommodate α-(1→2)- and α-(1→3)-branches. The structure of FjGH65A in complex with isomaltose supports that FjGH65A acts on α-(1→2)-glucosyl isomaltooligosaccharides. Furthermore, two cell surface sugar-binding proteins (FjDusD and FjDusE) were characterized, and FjDusD showed an affinity for isomaltooligosaccharides and FjDusE for dextran, including linear and branched dextrans. Collectively, FjDexUL proteins are suggested to be involved in the degradation of α-(1→2)- and α-(1→3)-branched dextrans. Our results will be helpful in understanding the bacterial nutrient requirements and symbiotic relationships between bacteria at the molecular level.
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dextran α-1,2-debranching enzyme (DDE) releases glucose with hydrolyzing α-(1→2)-glucosidic linkages in α-glucans, which are made up of dextran with α-(1→2)-branches and are generated by Leuconostoc bacteria. DDE was isolated from Microbacterium dextranolyticum (formerly known as Flavobacterium sp. M-73) 40 years ago, although the amino acid sequence of the enzyme has not been determined. Herein, we found a gene for this enzyme based on the partial amino acid sequences from native DDE and characterized the recombinant enzyme. DDE had a signal peptide, a glycoside hydrolase family 65 domain, a carbohydrate-binding module family 35 domain, a domain (D-domain) similar to the C-terminal domain of Arthrobacter globiformis glucodextranase, and a transmembrane region at the C-terminus. Recombinant DDE released glucose from α-(1→2)-branched α-glucans produced by Leuconostoc citreum strains B-1299, S-32, and S-64 and showed weak hydrolytic activity with kojibiose and kojitriose. No activity was detected for commercial dextran and Leuconostoc citreum B-1355 α-glucan, which do not contain α-(1→2)-linkages. The removal of the D-domain decreased the affinity for α-(1→2)-branched α-glucans but not for kojioligosaccharides, suggesting that D-domain plays a role in α-glucan binding. Genes for putative dextranases, oligo-1,6-glucosidase, sugar-binding protein, and permease were present in the vicinity of the DDE gene, and as a result these gene products may be necessary for the use of α-(1→2)-branched glucans. Our findings shed new light on how actinobacteria utilize polysaccharides produced by lactic acid bacteria.
2023 by The Japanese Society of Applied Glycoscience.