Bacillus subtilis WL-A12是一株分離自台北縣烏來鄉南勢溪的耐熱菌種，具有分解多種胞外受質的能力，本次實驗藉由16S rDNA序列分析來鑑定出與其他菌種的親緣關係。
WL-A12所擁有的葡聚糖酵素(1,3-1,4-β-glucanase, 又名地衣多糖酵素)被選殖轉入大腸桿菌DH5α中以獲得具耐熱性質的酵素，因為在1,3-1,4-β-glucanase的推廣運用上所遭遇到的問題在於該酵素是否能對於工業流程中產生的高溫具有耐受性。分析其譯讀框(open reading frame)由726個核苷酸組成，經由轉錄(transcription)以及轉譯(translation)反應後產生只具有單一功能區塊(monodomain)，分子量為27 kDa的蛋白。作為酵素分泌用的信號肽位於該酵素的N端，其長度為28個氨基酸。
1,3-1,4-β-glucanase序列和載體pET25b的His-tag區域作融合，目的是為了日後作大量表現與純化用。被修飾過的酵素在37°C環境下加入0.1 mM 的IPTG於大腸桿菌HMS174 (DE3)之中可誘導1,3-1,4-β-glucanase表現。該酵素在pH 6且 50℃的環境條件下擁有最佳的反應活性17.72 IU/mg。

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