Structural Insights into the Substrate Recognition and Catalytic Mechanism of a GH16 βκ-Carrageenase from Wenyingzhuangia fucanilytica

Understanding the substrate specificity of carrageenases has long been of interest in biotechnology applications. So far, the structural basis of the βκ-carrageenase that hydrolyzes furcellaran, a major hybrid carrageenan, remains unclear. Here, the crystal structure of Cgbk16A_Wf, as a representative of the βκ-carrageenase from GH16_13, was determined, and the structural characteristics of this subfamily were elucidated for the first time. The substrate binding mode was clarified through a structure analysis of the hexasaccharide-bound complex and molecular docking. The binding pocket involves a conserved catalytic motif and several specific residues associated with substrate recognition. Functions of residues R88, E290, and E184 were validated through site-directed mutagenesis. Comparing βκ-carrageenase with κ-carrageenase, we proposed that their different substrate specificities are partly due to the distinct conformations of subsite −1. This research offers a comprehensive understanding of the recognition mechanism of carrageenases and provides valuable theoretical support for enzyme modification and carrageenan oligosaccharide preparation.