GH11 xylanase from Emericella nidulans with low sensitivity to inhibition by ethanol and lignocellulose-derived phenolic compounds

An endo-β-1,4-xylanase (X22) was purified from crude extract of Emericella nidulans when cultivated on submerged fermentation using sugarcane bagasse as the carbon source. The purified protein was identified by mass spectrometry and was most active at pH and temperature intervals of 5.0–6.5 and 50–60°C, respectively. The enzyme showed half-lives of 40, 10 and 7 min at 28, 50 and 55°C, respectively, and pH 5.0. Apparent K m and V max values on soluble oat spelt xylan were 3.39 mg/mL and 230.8 IU/mg, respectively, while K cat and K cat/ K m were 84.6 s−1 and 25.0 s−1 mg−1 mL. Incubation with phenolic compounds showed that tannic acid and cinnamic acid had an inhibitory effect on X22 but no time-dependent deactivation. On the other hand, ferulic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillin and p -coumaric acid did not show any inhibitory effect on X22 activity, although they changed X22 apparent kinetic parameters. Ethanol remarkably increased enzyme thermostability and apparent V max and K cat values, even though the affinity and catalytic efficiency for xylan were lowered.