Expression, purification, and characterization of a novel acid phosphatase that displays protein tyrosine phosphatases activity from Metarhizium anisopliae strain CQMa102.

The protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) plays an important role in insect immune system. Our group has purified a type of acid phosphatase that could specifically dephosphorylate trans-Golgi p230 in vitro. In order to study this phosphatase further, we have identified and cloned the phosphatase gene from a locust specific Metarhizium anisopliae Strain CQMa102. The CQMa102 phosphatase was expressed in Pichia pastoris to verify its protease activity. The molecular weight (M) and the isoelectric point (pI) of the phosphatase were about 85 kDa and 6.15, respectively. Substrate specificity evaluation showed that the purified enzyme exhibited high activity on O-phospho-L-tyrosine. At its optimal pH of 6.5 and optimum temperature of 70 °C, the protein showed the highest activity respectively. It can be activated by Ca, Mg, Mn, Ba, Co and phosphate analogs, but inhibited by Zn, Cu, fluoride, dithiothreitol, β-mercaptoethanol and N-ethylmaleimide.