| 摘要 |
An enzyme, having phenolic acid esterase activity (preferably ferulic acid activity and/or coumaric acid esterase activity), which may be isolated from Piromyces spp. (preferably P.equi), is characterised by a pH optimum of greater than 6.5 and a temperature optimum greater than 45 degrees C. (as measured in a citric acid/disodium hydrogen orthophosphate buffer comprising 33 micromoles of FAXX (O-{5-O-[(E)-feruloyl]- alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl}-(1-3)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-4)-D-xylopyranose) as the substrate). DNA sequences encoding the enzyme, which may inserted into a vector and expressed in a transformed cell, are disclosed. The enzyme may in the form of a preparation having at least one further polysaccharide modifying and/or degrading enzyme, preferably a glycosyl hydrolase (especially xylanase, arabinase, alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase, endoglucanase, alpha-D-glucuronidase, pectinase, acetyl esterase, mannanase and acetyl xylan esterase). Such preparations may further comprise amylase, protease, alpha-galactosidase, phytase and/or lipase. The enzyme or enzyme preparation may be used in the preparation or release of phenolic acids from substrates comprising phenolic acid moieties, in the production of foodstuffs (including animal feed), in paper production, in the bioconversion of plant material or lignocellulose waste to sugars, and in the improvement of the digestibility of crop plants for livestock. |
