Cellulophaga algicola DSM 14237, isolated from the Eastern Antarctic coastal zone, was found to be able to hydrolyze several types of polysaccharide materials. In this study, a predicted beta-agarase (CaAga1) from C. algicola was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant CaAga1 showed specific activities of 29.39, 20.20, 14.12, and 8.99 U/mg toward agarose, pure agar, and crude agars from Gracilaria lemaneiformis and Porphyra haitanensis, respectively. CaAga1 exhibited an optimal temperature and pH of 40 (o)C and 7, respectively. CaAga1 was stable over a wide pH ra...
