The Crystal Structure of a Thermophilic Chitinase Known for Its Refolding Efficiency

Analyzing the structure of proteins from extremophiles is a promising way to study the rules governing the protein structure, because such proteins are results of structural and functional optimization under well-defined conditions. Studying the structure of chitinases addresses an interesting aspect of enzymology, because chitin, while being the world's second most abundant biopolymer, is also a recalcitrant substrate. The crystal structure of a thermostable chitinase from (Chi40) has been solved revealing a β/α-barrel (TIM-barrel) fold with an α+β insertion domain. This is the first chitinase structure of the multi-chitinase system of . The protein is also known to refold efficiently after thermal or chemical denaturation. Chi40 is structurally close to the catalytic domain of psychrophilic chitinase B from TAD20. Differences are noted in comparison to the previously examined chitinases, particularly in the substrate-binding cleft. A comparison of the thermophilic enzyme with its psychrophilic homologue revealed structural features that could be attributed to Chi40's thermal stability: compactness of the structure with trimmed surface loops and unique disulfide bridges, one of which is additionally stabilized by S-π interactions with aromatic rings. Uncharacteristically for thermophilic proteins, Chi40 has fewer salt bridges than its mesophilic and psychrophilic homologues.