Structural and Biochemical Characterization of an Octameric Carbohydrate Acetylesterase from Sinorhizobium meliloti

Carbohydrate acetylesterases, which have a highly specific role among plant-interacting bacterial species, remove the acetyl groups from plant carbohydrates. Here, we determined the crystal structure of Est24, an octameric carbohydrate acetylesterase from Sinorhizobium meliloti, at 1.45 angstrom resolution and investigated its biochemical properties. The structure of Est24 consisted of five parallel beta strands flanked by alpha helices, which formed an octameric assembly with two distinct interfaces. The deacetylation activity of Est24 and its mutants around the substrate-binding pocket was investigated using several substrates, including glucose pentaacetate and acetyl alginate. Elucidation of the structure-function relationships of Est24 could provide valuable opportunities for biotechnological explorations.