Creative Enzymes offers reliable activity measurement for β-agarase. Having tested activities of variety enzymes in the past several years, Creative Enzymes has accumulated extensive research experiences. We constantly implement improvement and optimizations to our in-house test methods, which deliver the enzyme activity results of utmost quality and reproducibility.

Agar is the major polysaccharide in the cell wall components of marine red algae. Agar contains D-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose as monomeric units, which are linked by alternative α-1,3- or β-1,4-glycosidic bonds. In the agarolytic system, enzymes acting on agar are classified into two distinct types, α-agarase (EC 3.2.1.58) and β-agarase (EC 3.2.1.81; agarose 4-glycanohydrolase), depending on which glycosidic bond is cleaved by these agarases during depolymerization. α-Agarases cleave α-1,3-linkage of agarose to produce agarooligosaccharides. Specifically, β-agarases hydrolyzed β-1,4-glycosidic bonds producing neoagarooligsaccharides that have various degrees of polymerization (DP). The major products of β-agarases are neoagarohexaose (DP6) and neoagarotetraose (DP4), which are further cleaved to α-neoagarobiose (DP2). The α-neoagarobiose is then split into monomeric sugars by α-neoagarobiose hydrolase, which is subsequently metabolized in the cell.

Figure 1: A scheme of agar digestion by β-agarase.
Reference: Temuujin U, Chi W J, Lee S Y, et al. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 2011, 92(4): 749-759.

Agarase activities have been found in many bacteria including Microbulbifier, Pseudoalteromonas, Vibrio, and Zobellia. The activities of agarases from these types of bacteria are mainly related with saprophytic or phytopathogenic activity. As the hydrolysis products of agar are proven to have multiple medical or pharmaceutical effects such as prebiotic, antioxidative, antitumor, or skin-moisturizing and whitening effects, agarases have received significant attentions in the biotechnology industry. Recently, marine algae have been demonstrated to be a potential renewable biomass for bioenergy production and hence microbial agarase activities have shed light on the enzymatic saccharification of agar biomass.

Creative Enzymes is proud to offer the most reliable enzymatic activity assay for β-agarase. The activity of β-agarase is assayed by using the dinitrosalicyclic acid (DNS) method to measure the increase in the concentration of reducing sugar. Optical density is read at 520 nm. The assay results are assured of high reliability by our state-of-the-art technology, a superb expert team, and the most advanced instrument. Our passion for pursuing the best services and customer satisfaction in class has made us the most preferred vendor in the global market.

Figure 2: The crystal structure of β-agarase from Zobellia galactanivorans.
PDB: 1O4Y