Bacillus stearothermophilus No.236 xylB 유전자가 삽입된 재조합 플라스미드 pKMG12를 가지고 있는 E. coli HB101 균주를 이용하여 B. stearothermophilus $eta$-xylosidase B을 생산, 정제하고 효소의 일반특성을 조사하였다. Ammonuim sulfate 분획, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B 이온 교환 크로마토그래피, Sephacryl S-200 및 Superdex 200HR 젤 크로마토그래피의 과정을 거쳐 정제하였으며 정제된 효소는 SDS-PAGE 및 zymogram 실험을 통해 $eta$-xylosidase B의 단백질임을 확인하였다. 정제 $eta$-xylosidase B는 반응액의 수소이온 농도와 온도에 매우 민감하며 최적 활성 pH 및 온도는 각각 pH 6.5와 $50^{circ}C$로 결정되었다. $eta$-Xylosidase 활성은 1 mM $Mn^{2+}$ 첨가에 의해 약 35% 활성화됨을 보였으나 $Ag^{+}$, $Cu^{2+}$ 및 $Hg^{2+}$ 등의 중금속이온의 존재하에서는 거의 완전한 저해를 나타내었다. 또한 본 효소는 비록 높지는 않으나 $alpha$-arabinofuranosidase 활성도 가지고 있어 B. stearothermophilus No 236의 $eta$-xylosidase A 효소 보다 최소한 arabinoxylan의 분해에 있어서 더 우수한 효소로 판단되며 o-nitrophenyl-$eta$-D-xylopyranoside 기질에 대한 $K_{m}$ 값과 $V_{max}$ 값은 각각 6.43 mM과 $1.45mu$mole/min 로 계산되었다. 한편, $eta$-xylosidase B 분자량은 gel 여과법으로는 약 160 kDa, 그리고 SDS-PAGE에 의해서는 약 54 kDa로 측정되어 본 효소는 trimer의 구조를 가지고 있음을 알 수 있었다.
$eta$-Xylosidase B was produced by Escherichia coli HB101/pKMG12 carrying the xylB gene of Bacillus stearothermophilus No.236 on its recombinant plasmid. The $eta$-xylosidase B produced was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, Sephacryl S-200 and Superdex 200 HR gel filtration. The purified enzyme showed the highest activity at pH 6.5 and 5$0^{circ}C$. But, the enzyme was observed to be very sensitive to the pH and temperature of the reaction mixture. The enzyme was activated about 35% of its original activity in the presence of 1 mM of $Mn^{2+}$ but it was completely inhibited by $Ag^{+}$, $Cu^{2+}$and $Hg^{2+}$ions. In contrast with the $eta$-xylosidase A, the B enzyme was found to have $alpha$-arabinofuranosidase activity though the activity was fairly low compared with the $alpha$-arabinofuranosidase produced from the arfI gene of the same Bacillus stearothermophilus. Therefore, $eta$-xylosidase B is considered to be more suitable than $eta$-xylosidase A at least for the biodegradation of arabinoxylan. The $K_{m}$ and V$_{max}$ values of the $eta$-xylosidase B for o-nitrophenyl-$alpha$-D-xylopyranoside were 6.43 mM and 1.45 $mu$mole/min, respectively. Molecular mass of the enzyme was determind to be about 54 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 160 kDa by Superdex 200HR gel filtration, indicating that the functional $eta$-xylosidase B was composed of three identical subunits.s.
