Research Note Stability of feed enzymes in physiological conditions assayed by in vitro methods Johan Inborr and Anne Grönlund Inborr, J. & Grönlund, A. 1993. Stability of feed enzymes in physiological condi- tions assayed by in vitro methods. Agric. Sci. Finl. 2: 125-132. (Finnfeeds Interna- tional Ltd., Market House, High Street, Marlborough, Wiltshire SNB IAA, United Kingdom and Cultor Ltd., Technology Centre, FIN-02640 Kantvik, Finland.) A series of in vitro incubations were carried out to investigate the stability of two enzyme preparations in conditions similar to those in the upper gastrointestinal tract of monogastric animals. The two enzyme products, one crude xylanase from Trichoderma longibrachiatum (Multifekt K) and the other a specifically manufactured feed enzyme (Avizyme SX®), were subjected to incubations at low and neutral pH with and without proteolytic enzymes (pepsin and pancreatin). Wheat gluten was employed together with the crude xylanase to investigate its potential as a stabilising agent. Due to the buffering effect of Avizyme SX®, incubations were carried out with (pH 2.5) and without (pH 3.2) addition of either citric orhydrochloric acid. Incubation of the crude xylanase at low pH followed by incubation at neutral pH resulted in negligible loss of xylanase activity whereas (Lxylosidase recovery fell to57 per cent of the initial value (P<0.05). Addition of wheat gluten resulted in full recovery of (3-xylosidase. The recoveries of both (3-glucanase and xylanase were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the initial values after incubation of Avizyme SX® in pH 2.5. However, with no pH adjustment (pH 3.2) the recoveries were significantly higher (P<0.05 for (3-glucanase and P3, absorbance was measured at 400 nm. One P-xylosidase unit is the amount of enzyme that liberates one pmol of p-ni- trophenol in one minute under the conditions de- scribed. Each enzyme activity measurement was carried out in duplicates or triplicates unless otherwise stated. Values are expressed as means with standard deviations of each sample. Means were separated where appropriate by paired t-test. Enzyme activity analysis P-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.6; endo-p-(l,3)(l,4)-gluca- nase) activity was determined spectrophotometri- cally using 1.0% barley P-glucan (Biocon Bio- chemicalsLtd., Ireland) in Mcllvaine’sbuffer at pH 5.0 as substrate. 0.2 ml of suitable enzyme dilution in deionized water was incubated with 2.0 ml of substrate solution at40°C for 30 minutes. Reducing sugars were assayed by addition of 3.0 ml 3,5-dini- trosalisylic acid (DNS) reagent (Sumner and Somers 1949), boiling for 5 minutes, cooling and measuring absorbance at 540 nm. One P-glucanase unit is the amount of enzyme that liberates 1 pmol Results and discussion pH stability Incubation in pH 2.5 did not reduce the xylanase activity of Multifect K, whereas the P-xylosidase activity was reduced to 57% (P<0.05) of the initial value (Table 1). Subsequent incubation at pH 7 only marginally reduced xylanase activity and had no effect on P-xylosidase. Addition ofwheat gluten markedly increased the recovery of P-xylosidase after incubation in pH 2.5 (P<0.05) and pH 7 (P<0.10), resulting in full recovery of this activity. Maintaining pH at 2.5 by addition of citric acid 128 Agric. Sd. Fint. 2(1993) Research Note Table I . Initial and residual xylanaseand (i-xylosidasc activities of Multifect K, measured at pH 5, after incubation at acidic and neutral pH with and without pepsin and pancreatin, and with (+ ) and without (-) gluten (means ± sd). Xylanase p-xylosidase Gluten - + - + U/g % U/g % U/g % U/g % Initial pH 5 4510 ±BO 100 4970 + 27 100 44 ± 3 100 30 ± 2 100 Residual pH 2.5 4440* 98 4780* 96 25» ±1 57 30» ± 1 100 pH 7 4070 ± 235 90 4720* 95 25» ±1 57 30" ± 2 100 Pepsin pH 2.5 4270* 95 4520* 91 30> ± 2 68 18» ±0 60 Pancreatin pH 7 2590» ±4 57 3400* 68 25 + 5 57 29 + 2 97 ' result of one measurement x differ from initial value (P<0.05) v differ from initial value (P <0.10) » differ from corresponding control ( + ) (P<0.05) b differ from corresponding control ( +) (P<0.10) Table 2. Initial and residual P-glucanase and xylanase activities of Avizyme SX, measured at pH 5, after incubation at acidic and neutral pH with and without pepsin and pancreatin, and with (+) and without (-) pH adjustment (means ± sd). 3-glucanase Xylanase pH adjustment l + + U/g % U/g % U/g % U/g % Initial pH 5 870 ± 5 100 850 + 15 100 460 ± 16 100 467 + 38 100 Residual pH 2.5/3.2 370» ± 6 43 830* ±2B 96 340» ± 6 75 510b ±2o 109 pH 7 390" ±8 45 790» ± 28 92 260" ±2 57 422" ±6 90 Pepsin pH 2.5/3.2 370» + 17 42 850» + 13 100 360» ± 3 78 510" ±lB 110 Pancreatin pH 7 310» + 9 36 760» ±3O 89 260»'± 12 56 470" ±2l 100 1 ( + ) means pH kept constant at 2.5 by addition of either 2 M citric acid (pH stability) or 6 N HCI (pepsin stability), (-) means no acid addition during the incubation with pH rising to 3.2. < differ from initial value (P<0.05) v differ from initial value (P<0.10) » differ from pH 2.5 (P<0.05) “ differ from corresponding control ( + ) (P<0.05) b differ from corresponding control (+ ) (P<0.10) resulted in 43% (P<0.05) recovery of (3-glucanase and 75% recovery of xylanase (P<0.10) in Avizyme SX (Table 2). Subsequent incubation at pH 7 had no effect on the (3-glucanase activity, whereas xylanase was reduced to 57% (P<0.05) of the initial activity. When pH was not adjusted, lead- ing to a 0.7 unit increase in pH, (3-glucanase recov- ery after the first incubation (pepsin in pH 3.2) was 96% (P>0.05) and after the second incubation (pan- creatin in pH 7) 92%.The corresponding recoveries for xylanase were 109 and 90%. This difference was not significant (P>0.10). From these results it appears that low pH per se did not cause any dramatic reductions in enzyme activity and that addition of wheat gluten may re- duce the degree of inactivation of more sensitive enzymes i.e. in this case (3-xylosidase. Whether this effect is due to an increased dry matter content of 129 Agric. Sei. Finl. 2 (1993) Research Note the system or e.g. binding between the gluten and the enzyme is not known. Interestingly, with wheat being the carrier material of Avizyme SX thus providing the system with gluten, xylanaserecover- ies were lower with and higher without pH adjust- ment than when gluten was added to Multifect K. Pepsin and pancreatin stability Xylanase and p-xylosidase recoveries after incuba- tion of Multifect K with pepsin was 95 and 689?) without and 91 and 60% withadded gluten, respect - ively (Table 1). These effects were not significant (P>0.10), with the exception being p-xylosidasc when incubated at pH 2.5 with added gluten (P<0.10). After the subsequent incubation in pan - creatin the corresponding recoveries were 57 and 57% and 68 and 97%, respectively (P>0.10). Thus P-xylosidase seemed to be more sensitive to pepsin than xylanase. Incubation with pancreatin tended to further reduce enzyme activity, except the activity of P-xylosidase when gluten was added. p-glucanase activity of Avizyme SX® decreased to 42% (P<0.05) of the initial valueafter incubation in pepsin with pH kept at 2.5 by addition of hydro- chloric acid and was further reduced to 36% after incubation in pancreatin (Table 2). With no pH adjustment, the P-glucanase recoveries after pepsin treatment was 100% and after incubation with pan- creatin 89% (P>0.10). These recoveries were sig- nificantly higher than when pH was kept at 2.5 (P<0.05). Xylanase recoveries after pepsin and pancreatin incubations withpH adjustment were 78 and 56% of the initial activity (PcO.10), respect- ively. Without pH adjustment xylanase was fully recovered. These recoveries were significantly higher than with pH adjustment (P<0.10). Addition of wheat gluten to the enzyme/substrate systems tended to increase the final enzyme recov- eries but this effect was not observed at pH 2.5, except for p-xylosidase after incubation at pH 2.5 without pepsin. De Cordt et al. (1992) found that both polyols and carbohydrates increased the tem- perature stability of bacterial a-amylase. The mechanisms involved were not specifically eluci- dated but "preferential protein hydration", changes in the chemical potential of the proteins, changes in the solvent dielectric constant, changes in the water activity of the solvent system, degree of water or- ganisation were suggested. It is possible that wheat gluten used in this present experiment exerted one of these effects leading to increased pH and prote- olytic stability. Interestingly, the buffering capacity of the feed enzyme product, probably due to the cereal carrier material, had a clear stabilising effect on the enzyme activities measured. Feed arriving in the stomach of pigs exert similar pH buffering ef- fects (Kidder and Manners 1978) and it can therefore be assumed that the feed acts as a potent stabilizer in the animal. Results from a number of experiments with pigs and poultry would suggest that sufficientactivity of supplementary enzymes survive the potential haz- ards of the GI-tract to improve animal performance (Chesson 1987,Dierick 1990). Enzyme recovery measurements in different segments of the GI-tract would be needed to exactly establish the rate and extent of feed enzyme inactivation in vivo. Acknowledgements. The authors want to thank Ms Päivi Rantalaiho and Mrs Jaana Oksanen at the Cultor Ltd. Tech- nology Centre for technical assistance during these investi- gations. This work was funded by Finnfeeds International Ltd., Marlborough, Wiltshire, U.K. References Chesson, A. 1987. Supplementary enzymes to improve the utilisation of pig and poultry diets. In: Haresign W. & Cole D.J.A. (eds.). Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition 1987, Butterworths, London, p. 71-89. Dierick, N.A. 1990. Biotechnology aids to improve feed and feed digestion: enzymes and fermentation. Arch. Anim. Nutr. Berlin 39: 241-261. De Cordt, S., Saravia, J., Hendrickx, M., Maesmans, G. & Tobback, P. 1992. Changing the thermostability ofBacil- lus licheniformis a-amylase. Proc. Int. Symp. on ’Stabil- ity and stabilisation of enzymes’. Maastricht, The Neth- erlands. Poster. 130 Agric. Sd. Finl. 2 (1993) Research Note Deleyn, F., Claeyssens M., van Beeumen, J. & De Bruyne, C.K. 1978. Purification and properties of (1-xylosidase from Penicillium wortmanni. Can. J. Biochem. 56:4350. Godfrey, T. & Reichelt, J. 1983. Industrial enzymology. 582 p. Stockton Press, New York, NY. Kidder, D.E. & Manners, M.J. 1978. Digestion in the pig. 204 p. Scientechnica, Bristol, U.K. Pace, C.N. 1990. Measuring and increasing protein stability. Tibtech 8: 93-98. Poutanen, K., Puls, J. & Linko, M. 1986. The hydrolysis of steamed birchwood hemicellulose by enzymes produced by Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus awamori. Appi. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 28: 419-424. Simons, G. & Georgatsos, J.G. 1990. Immobilisation of barley (i-glucosidase on solid supports - yields and prop- erties. Appi. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 33: 51-53. St. Clair, N.L, & Navia, M.A. 1992. Crosslinked enzyme crystals as robust biocatalysts. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 114: 7314-7316. Sumner, J.B. & Somers, G.F. 1949. Dinitrosalicylic acid for glucose. In: Laboratory experiments in biological chem- istry, 2nd ed., Academic Press, New York. p. 3839. Manuscript received February 1993 Johan Inborr Finnfeeds International Ltd, Market House, High Street Marlborough, Wiltshire SNB IAA United Kingdom Present address: Finnsugar Gmbh Raboisen 58 D-20095 Hamburg 1,Germany Anne Grönlund Cultor Ltd.,Technology Centre FIN-02640 Kantvik, Finland 131 Agric. Sei. Finl. 2 (1993) Research Note SELOSTUS Rehuentsyymien stabiilisuus fysiologisissa olosuhteissa in vitro -menetelmin mitattuna JohanInborr jaAnne Grönlund Finnfeeds International Ltd. jaCultor Ltd. Kahden entsyymipreparaatin, Trichoderrm longibrachiatu- min tuottaman ksylanaasin (Multifekt K) jarehuentsyymi- tuotteen(Avizyme SX®), stabiilisuutta tutkittiin in vitro -me- netelmin sellaisissa olosuhteissa, jotka vallitsevat yksimahais- ten ruoansulatuskanavan yläosissa. Ksylanaasipreparaatista tarkasteltiin ksylanaasi- ja P-ksylosidaasiaktiivisuuksien-, sekä Avizyme SX®:stä P-glukanaasi- ja ksylanaasiaktiivi- suuksien stabiilisuutta. Aluksi tutkittiin entsyymiaktiivisuuk- sien stabiilisuutta eri pH:ssa (2,5 ja 7) ja sen jälkeen pepsiinin ja pankreatiinin vaikutusta entsyymiaktiivisuuksiin. Tutki- muksessa selvitettiin myös vehnägluteenin entsyymiaktiivi- suuksia stabiloivaa vaikutusta. Inkubointi pH 2,s:ssä ja sen jälkeen pH 7:ssä ei vaikuttanut merkitsevästi Multifekt K:n ksylanaasiaktiivisuuteen. Sen si- jaan P-ksylosidaasiaktiivisuus aleni 57 %:iin alkutasosta (P<0.05) ilman vehnägluteenilisäystä. Vehnägluteenilisäyk- sellä P-ksylosidaasiaktiivisuus pysyi alkutasolla. Avizyme SX*:n P-glukanaasi- jaksylanaasiaktiivisuus aleni merkitse- västi kun sitruunahappoa lisättiin inkuboinneissa. Ilman hap- polisäystä enstyymiaktiivsuudet pysyivät aikatasoilla. Inkubointi pepsiinillä ja pankreatiinilla alensi merkitsevästi (P<0.05) Multifekt K:n ksylanaasiaktiivisuutta. P-ksylosi- daasi aleni 68 %:iin pepsiini-inkuboinnin jälkeen (P<0.10) ja 57 %:iin pankreatiini-inkuboinnin jälkeen (P>0.10). Pepsii- niinkuboinnissa vehnägluteenilisäys ei parantanut stabiili- suutta, mutta pankreatiini-inkuboinnissa vehnägluteenin lisä- ys nosti P-ksylosidaasiaktiivisuuden 97 %;iin alkutasosta. Avizyme SX®:n pepsiini- japankreatiini-inkuboinnit ja hap- polisäys alensivat merkitsevästi (P<0.05) P-glukanaasi- ja ksylanaasiaktiivisuutta. Ilman happolisäystä aktiivisuudet py- syivat alkuperäisillä tasoilla. Tulokset osoittavat, että entsyymien osittainen inaktivoitu- minen voi tapahtua matalassa pH:ssa ja proteolyyttisissä olo- suhteissa. Avizyme SX®:llä ja vehnägluteenilisäyksellä saatu- jen tulosten perusteella on kuitenkin odotettavaa, että rehun mahalaukun sisältöä puskuroiva vaikutus suojaa rehuun lisät- tyjä entsyymejä inaktivoitumiselta suhteellisen tehokkaasti. Rehuun lisättyjen entsyymien todellisen inaktivoitumisasteen määrittämiseksi joudutaan kuitenkin suorittamaan vastaavat mittaukset kohde-eläimiä käyttämällä. 132 Agric. Sei. Fint. 2 (1993)