The proteins encoded in the yicI and yihQ gene of Escherichia coli have similarities in the amino acid sequences to glycoside hydrolase family 31 enzymes, but they have not been detected as the active enzymes. The functions of the two proteins have been first clarified in this study. Recombinant YicI and YihQ produced in E. coli were purified and characterized. YicI has the activity of alpha-xylosidase. YicI existing as a hexamer shows optimal pH at 7.0 and is stable in the pH range of 4.7-10.1 with incubation for 24h at 4 degrees C and also is stable up to 47 degrees C with incubation for 15 min. The enzyme shows higher activity against alpha-xylosyl fluoride, isoprimeverose (6-O-alpha-xylopyranosyl-glucopyranose), and alpha-xyloside in xyloglucan oligosaccharides. The alpha-xylosidase catalyzes the transfer of alpha-xylosyl residue from alpha-xyloside to xylose, glucose, mannose, fructose, maltose, isomaltose, nigerose, kojibiose, sucrose, and trehalose. YihQ exhibits the hydrolysis activity against alpha-glucosyl fluoride, and so is an alpha-glucosidase, although the natural substrates, such as alpha-glucobioses, are scarcely hydrolyzed. alpha-Glucosidase has been found for the first time in E. coli.