ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY

On-site cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei RutC-30 to enhance the enzymatic saccharification of ball-milled corn stover
He Y, Zhang H, Huwati Y, Shu N, Hu W, Jia X, Ding K, Liang X, Liu L, Han L and Xiao W
Cellulases are essential for the enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulose. They play a crucial role in breaking down the structure of lignocellulose to obtain fermentable sugars. In this study, we conducted on-site cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei RutC-30 through submerged fermentation. The effects of carbon source, nitrogen source, KHPO, and mineral elements on cellulase production were evaluated using the hydrolyzed total sugar concentration of ball-milled corn stover as an indicator. The optimal fermentation medium conditions for cellulase production were determined through orthogonal experimental design analysis. Additionally, by optimizing culture conditions, including inoculation, pH, and bottling volume, we achieved a total sugar concentration of 92.25 g/L. After the optimization, the FPA, CMCA, protein, and total sugar concentration increased by 75.49 %, 18.43 %, 89.71 %, and 17.83 %, respectively. Furthermore, corn stover pretreated by different methods was applied to induce cellulase production. Ball-milled and steam-exploded corn stover was identified as suitable incubation carbon sources with total sugar concentration up to 94.31 g/L. Our work exploits the cellulase induced by lignocellulose and then applies it to lignocellulose, enabling the customization and providing a reference for the production of cellulase with corn stover as an inducer.
Changes in ficin specificity by different substrate proteins promoted by enzyme immobilization
Gonzalez-Vasquez AD, Hocine ES, Urzúa M, Rocha-Martin J and Fernandez-Lafuente R
Ficin extract has been immobilized using different supports: glyoxyl and Aspartic/1,6 hexamethylenediamine (Asp/HA) agarose beads. The latter was later submitted to glutaraldehyde modification to get covalent immobilization. The activities of these 3 kinds of biocatalysts were compared utilizing 4 different substrates, casein, hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin and benzoyl-arginine-p-nitroanilide at pH 7 and 5. Using glyoxyl-agarose, the effect of enzyme-support reaction time on the activity versus the four substrates at both pH values was studied. Reaction time has been shown to distort the enzyme due to an increase in the number of covalent support-enzyme bonds. Surprisingly, for all the substrates and conditions the prolongation of the enzyme-support reaction did not imply a decrease in enzyme activity. Using the Asp/HA supports (with different amount of HA) differences in the effect on enzyme activity versus the different substrates are much more significant, while with some substrates the immobilization produced a decrease in enzyme activity, with in other cases the activity increased. These different effects are even increased after glutaraldehyde treatment. That way, the conformational changes induced by the biocatalyst immobilization or the chemical modification fully altered the enzyme protein specificity. This may also have some implications when following enzyme inactivation.
Microbial production of adipic acid from 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid for biocatalytic upcycling of polycaprolactone
Oh YR, Jang YA and Eom GT
To valorize waste polycaprolactone (PCL), one of the most widely used biodegradable plastics, into a value-added chemical, we upcycled 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid (6-HHA), the sole monomer of PCL, into adipic acid (AA) using a microbial method. Recombinant Escherichia coli strains expressing chnD (6-HHA dehydrogenase) and chnE (6-oxohexanoic acid dehydrogenase) genes from three bacteria were constructed, and all these strains successfully produced AA from 6-HHA. Among these, the E. coli strain harboring ChnDE genes from Acinetobacter strain SE19 (E. coli [pKK-AcChn]) showed the highest AA-producing ability. To increase the AA production titer, we optimized the culture temperature of this strain in flask culture and performed fed-batch fermentation in a 5 L bioreactor. After the fed-batch fermentation, the AA production titer increased to 15.6 g/L. As 6-HHA is a monomer of PCL, our results provide the groundwork for the development of a biocatalytic upcycling method of PCL.
Enhanced soluble expression and characterization of human N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase IVa in Escherichia coli
Peng SL, Ding Y, Xiang MH, Chen K, Gao XD and Wang N
N-Glycosylation is one of the most important posttranslational modifications of proteins. Nearly the entire surface of cells and almost all secreted proteins in humans are modified with complex-type N-glycans, whose functions are affected by the number of N-glycan branches. N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase-IVa (GnT-IVa) is a Golgi glycosyltransferase that transfers a GlcNAc to the α-1,3 mannose arm of the biantennary N-glycan GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2 to form a β-1,4 GlcNAc branched structure. The soluble expression of mammalian glycosyltransferases in heterologous hosts is often challenging. In the present study, human GnT-IVa (HsGnT-IVa) was cloned as an N-terminal truncated form that was fused with solubility-enhancing tags or signal peptides and overexpressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Our results showed that recombinant HsGnT-IVa could be overexpressed in its highest soluble and active form when the first 87 amino acids were removed and was fused with maltose-binding protein (MBP). By optimizing the induction conditions, the expression level of the recombinant protein was increased to yield approximately 540 mg per liter of culture after affinity purification. The purified enzyme exhibited appropriate glycosyltransferase activity, and the K value of the acceptor substrate was calculated as 1.1 mM. Characterization of the enzyme revealed that it reached its maximum activity with 5 mM Mn at 37 °C in MES/NaOH (pH 7.0). In addition, the effects of key amino acids in the catalytic and lectin domains on enzyme activity were measured. This work offers an efficient approach for the large-scale production of bioactive HsGnT-IVa, which can be used for in vitro synthesis and functional studies of multiantennary complex-type N-glycans.
New insight into acid-resistant enzymes from natural mutations of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917
Xue C, Ting WW, Juo JJ and Ng IS
The probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), known for its superior acid resistance (AR), serves as a promising chassis for live therapeutics due to the effective colonization capabilities. However, the enzymatic activity regarding AR in EcN remains poorly understood. First, we investigated the AR systems of EcN by measuring cell growth under acidic stress and exploring the relationship of mutations to their corresponding enzymatic activities. As a result, the catalytic activity of inducible decarboxylases of GadB, AdiA and CadA, responsible for metabolizing glutamate, arginine, and lysine, exhibited an average 2-fold increase in EcN compared to the reference strain MG1655. Furthermore, we discovered that the glutamate-dependent AR2 system in EcN was meticulously regulated by specific regulons such as GadW. This study not only revealed the physiology of EcN under acidic conditions, but also highlighted that the mutated core enzymes in the AR system of EcN exhibit improved activities.
Selective transformation of crocin-1 to crocetin-glucosyl esters by β-glucosidase (Lf18920) from Leifsonia sp. ZF2019: Insights from molecular docking and point mutations
Wang X, Zhuhuang C, He Y, Zhang X, Wang Y, Ni Q, Zhang Y and Xu G
Crocetin di/mono-glucosyl esters (crocin-4 and crocin-5) are rarely distributed in nature, limiting their potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, a novel GH3 family β-glucosidase Lf18920 was identified from Leifsonia sp. ZF2019, which selectively hydrolyzed crocin-1 (crocetin di-gentiobiosyl ester) to crocin-5 and crocin-4, but not to its aglycone, crocetin. Under the optimal condition of 40 °C and pH 6.0 for 120 min, Lf18920 almost completely hydrolyzed crocin-1, yielding 73.50±5.66 % crocin-4 and 16.19±1.38 % crocin-5. Molecular docking and point mutation studies revealed that Lf18920 formed a narrow binding channel that facilitated crocin-1 binding. Five single amino acid variants (D50A, D53A, W274A, G420A, and Q421A) were constructed, all of which showed reduced hydrolytic activity. Mutations at D50 and D53, located distal to the active site, increased binding energy and decreased hydrolytic activity, while mutations at W274, G420, and Q421, proximal to the active site, disrupted hydrolytic function. These findings suggest that the narrow binding channel and specific enzyme-substrate interactions are crucial for Lf18920's selective hydrolytic activity. Overall, this study is the first to report a β-glucosidase capable of selectively transforming crocin-1 to crocetin di/mono-glucosyl esters, offering potential for synthesizing crocin-4 and crocin-5.
Protein engineering of an alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis (BLAP) for efficient and specific chiral resolution of the racemic ethyl tetrahydrofuroate
Yu X, Li Y, Qian Z, Wei L, Xie J, Tong M and Zhang Y
Enzymatic resolution of ethyl tetrahydrofuroate to produce (S)-2-ethyl tetrahydrofuroate and (R)-2-tetrahydrofuroic acid is a green biomanufacturing strategy. However, enzymatic activity and selectivity are still limiting factors of their industrial applications and development. In previous study, we incidentally found that a Bacillus licheniformis alkaline protease (BLAP), not a lipase, could specifically resolve ethyl tetrahydrofuroate to produce (S)-2-ethyl tetrahydrofuroate and (R)-2-tetrahydrofuroic acid. In this study, the point-saturation-mutation libraries based on the seven amino acid sites (L105, I113, P114, L115, V309, Y310, and M326) were constructed and screened using the molecular docking technology. It was found that activity of the mutant BLAP reached 182.78 U/mL with high stereoselectivity, 3.14 times higher than that of the wild-type BLAP. Further simulated mutation analysis showed that the Y310E mutation increased the distance from the substrate ligand to the binding pocket from 2.3 Å to 4.5 Å, reducing steric hindrance to the active center. Under the optimal conditions and after 3.5 h of reaction catalyzed by BLAP, 200 mM ethyl tetrahydrofuroate was converted to (S)-2-ethyl tetrahydrofuroate and (R)-2-tetrahydrofuroic acid with the ee values of 99.9 % and 68.63 %, respectively. The enantiomeric ratio of BLAP was 105.5, which was 30.23 times higher than that of BLAP. This study advances the comprehension of protease activity and selectivity mechanisms in resolving ester substances and lays a robust foundation for the industrial production of the optically pure (S)-2-ethyl tetrahydrofuroate and (R)-2-tetrahydrofuroic acid via biological enzymatic methods.
Characterization of lycopene β-cyclase from Dunaliella bardawil for enhanced β-carotene production and salt tolerance
Xie YC, Ye ZW, Dai JL, Chen HH and Jiang JG
Dunaliella can accumulate more β-carotene (10 % or even more of the dry weight of cells) than any other species. Lycopene β-cyclase (LcyB) is the key enzyme in the catalysis of lycopene to β-carotene. In the present research, we used Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) as host to construct two different types of engineering bacteria, one expressing the D. bardawil LcyB and the other expressing the orthologue Erwinia uredovora crtY. The catalytic ability of LcyB and CrtY were evaluated by comparing the β-carotene yields of the two E. coli BL21(DE3) strains, whose salt tolerance was simultaneously compared by cultivated them under different NaCl concentrations (1 %, 2 %, and 4 %). We also interfered with the LcyB gene to investigate the effect of LcyB in D. bardawil. Results displayed that the β-carotene yield of the LcyB-transformant significantly increased by about 48 % compared with the crtY-transformant. Additionally, LcyB was verified to be able to enhance the salt tolerance of E. coli BL21 (DE3). It is concluded that D. bardawil LcyB not only has better catalytic ability but also is able to confer salt tolerance to cells. Interfering D. bardawil LcyB induced the low expression of LcyB and the changes of growth and carotenoids metabolism in D. bardawil.
Lignin-based monophenolic model compounds in L-tyrosine derivative synthesis via tyrosine phenol lyase
Romakkaniemi I, Panula-Perälä J, Ahola J, Mikola M and Tanskanen J
Tyrosine phenol lyase (TPL) synthesises L-tyrosine derivatives from monophenols, pyruvate and ammonia. Production of such high-value aromatic chemicals from biomass-derived raw materials is of great interest. In this study, six monophenols (guaiacol, phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, catechol and syringol) were chosen based on the structure of lignin and were studied as substrates in the enzymatic reaction. Single monophenol reactions (SMR) and binary monophenol reactions (BMR) with guaiacol were carried out. TPL-M379V was found to be selective towards guaiacol (84.5 % conv.). The highest single activity was measured towards phenol (93.9 % conv.). However, the enzyme preferred guaiacol over phenol in the BMRs. Syringol was found to be inert in the reaction, whereas catechol had an inhibitory effect on the enzymatic reaction, in addition to causing degradation of all the substrates in the medium. Doubling the guaiacol concentration in the SMR did not significantly increase the production of 3-O-methyldopa (conv. 45.9 %). However, in the binary reaction systems the total monophenol conversions were higher with guaiacol and phenol (total 62.4 %) or o-cresol (total 57.1 %). This indicates possible substrate/product specific inhibition. The study provides new data on activity, selectivity and inhibitory effects of monophenols in the synthetic reaction catalysed by TPL-M379V, especially in mixed-substrate reactions.
Action pattern of Sulfolobus O-α-glycoligase for synthesis of highly water soluble resveratrol 3,4'-α-diglucoside
Ahn HW, Roy JK, Lee J, Lee MJ, Yoo SH and Kim YW
This study presents the enzymatic synthesis of resveratrol-3,4'-O-α-diglucoside (RDG) using a hyperactive O-α-glycoligase (MalA-D416R/Q450S) and α-glucopyranosyl fluoride as the donor substrate. The transglycosylation rate for resveratrol by MalA-D416R/Q450S was maximized in 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 9.5) containing 20 % DMSO at 45°C. Because the pK of the 4'-OH group of resveratrol is lower than that of the 3-OH group, the 4'-OH group is more nucleophilic at the alkaline pH, leading to a preference for glycosylation at the 4'-OH site rather than the 3-OH site. This preference makes resveratrol 3-O-α-glucoside (R3G) as the more efficient acceptor than resveratrol 4'-O-α-glucoside (R4'G), resulting in negligible production of resveratrol 3-O-α-glucoside (R3G) due to its complete consumption in the second transglycosylation reaction when using a 2:1 ratio of donor to acceptor substrates. From a preparative scale reaction, R4'G and RDG were isolated with yields of 41.2 % and 43.3 %, respectively. The water solubility of RDG exceeded 1.67 M, which represents more than a 9,800-fold improvement compared to resveratrol. In a hydrolysis experiment using intestinal α-glycosidase from rat, the α-glucosides of resveratrol (R4'G and RDG) were completely deglycosylated to the aglycone.
Unveiling six novel CALB-like lipases using genome-centric and patent-driven prospection
Faria PE, Nunes GS, Brêda GC, Aguieiras ECG, Mota MBS, Dobler L, Freire DMG, Almeida RV and Mesquita RD
Lipases present biotechnological applications in various industrial sectors due to their ability to perform multiple biochemical reactions. However, the high cost sometimes discourages their potential uses, besides the extensive number of patents involving them. One of the most utilized and researched lipases is Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), known for its versatility, encompassing enantioselectivity, thermostability, and a wide range of substrates. Therefore, finding new CALB-like lipases is an interesting strategy to enable the implementation of biocatalysts, especially if intellectual property analysis is included. The present study identified and produced six CALB-like enzymes without patent protection, with differences in pocket amino acids and substrate specificity. We conducted genomic searches in almost 7000 Fungal genomes, identifying over 1500 unique CALB homolog candidates. The phylogenetic and intellectual property analysis filtered those results into a few sequences without protection that were very similar to CALB. One cloned lipase had a lower hydrophobicity at the pocket entrance and preferred the C4 p-nitrophenyl ester as substrate. Another had a wider opening and more polar pocket, showing no preference. These results identified new patent-free lipases with conserved essential catalytic elements and diverse substrate specificity due to variations in the catalytic pocket. These enzymes can be the starting point for biocatalyst innovation with potential applications in diverse biotechnological areas.
Metabolic engineering of the borneol and camphor degradation pathways in Pseudomonas to produce optically pure bicyclic monoterpenes
Hong YA, Khine AA, Lin YW, Lee PY, Hong WX, Hu A, Shih TL and Chen HP
Borneol, a medicinally important bicyclic monoterpene, facilitates drug transport across mucous membranes and the blood-brain barrier. Derivatives of borneol and camphor also have numerous biomedical applications. Borneol is currently industrially synthesized via the conversion of turpentine and α-pinene. However, the major product is racemic isoborneol rather than racemic borneol. Both borneol and isoborneol are degraded by the soil bacterium Pseudomonas via a well-established degradation pathway. Two indigenous Pseudomonas strains were used to convert racemic isoborneol to other optically pure bicyclic monoterpenes here. Our results showed that deletion of the camE gene alone from the strain TCU-HL1 genome led to the complete loss of borneol and camphor degradation ability. Knockout of both camE and bdh1 (TCU-HL1Δbdh1ΔcamE) restored the degradation capability as the role of Bdh1 was replaced by that of Bdh2. This mutant converted racemic isoborneol into an optically pure bicyclic monoterpene, 2,5-diketocamphane, with a 45 % recovery yield. RT-qPCR results suggested that camE expression plays a pivotal role in regulating the borneol/camphor degradation cluster. While (+)-borneol, (-)-borneol and (+)-camphor can be obtained from plants for mass production purposes, (-)-camphor cannot be obtained in the same manner. P. monteilii TCU-CK1 converted racemic isoborneol into (-)-camphor and 3,6-diketocamphane, with 15 % and 10 % recovery yields, respectively. In conclusion, we report the role of camE in regulating the borneol/camphor degradation operon and biotransformation methods to produce several optically pure bicyclic monoterpenes.
Enhanced lipid accumulation in microalgae Scenedesmus sp. under nitrogen limitation
Abrha GT, Makaranga A and Jutur PP
Microalgae-based biofuel production is cost-effective only in a biorefinery, where valuable co-products offset high costs. Fatty acids produced by photosynthetic microalgae can serve as raw materials for bioenergy and pharmaceuticals. This study aims to understand the metabolic imprints of Scenedesmus sp. CABeR52, to decipher the physiological mechanisms behind lipid accumulation under nitrogen deprivation. Metabolomics profiles were generated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of Scenedesmus sp. CABeR52 subjected to nutrient deprivation. Our initial data sets indicate that deprived cells have an increased accumulation of lipids (278.31 mg.g dcw), 2.0 times higher than the control. The metabolomic profiling unveils a metabolic reprogramming, highlighting the upregulation of key metabolites involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, such as citric acid, succinic acid, and 2-ketoglutaric acid. The accumulation of trehalose, a stress-responsive metabolite, further underscores the microalga's adaptability. Interestingly, we found that a new fatty acid, nervonic acid, was identified in the complex, which has a significant role in brain development. These findings provide valuable insights into the metabolic pathways governing lipid accumulation in Scenedesmus sp., paving the way for its exploitation as a sustainable biofuel feedstock.
Probiotic and functional characterization of newly isolated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains from human breast milk and proliferative inhibition potential of metabolites
Alan Y, Keskin AO and Sönmez M
Four Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains newly isolated and identified from human breast milk in Türkiye, have probiotic, functional and proliferative inhibition potential of metabolites against colon cancer cell lines were evaluated. In simulated gastric and intestinal media, all strains exhibited strong probiotic character by showing resistance, although decreasing with time and concentration. The strains were sensitive to penicillin G, rifampin and chloramphenicol and showed antibacterial effect on all pathogenic bacteria. Citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, pyruvic acid and fumaric acid were not detected in the strains, while the highest amount of acetic acid was detected. The quantitative-qualitative analysis and structural characterization of exopolysaccharide (EPS) was confirmed and it was determined that the strains synthesized similar amounts. Compared to standard antioxidants, the strains showed less DPPH activity and similar ABTS activity. High amounts of metabolites of the strains showed good antiproliferative effect on Caco-2, while lower amounts showed good antiproliferative effect on the HT-29 cell line. When all the data were considered, it was determined that the strains were close to each other, but the YAAS 23 strain showed slightly better properties. In conclusion, breast milk is a unique environment harboring beneficial bacteria such as L. plantarum for human health.
Biochemical characterization and structure prediction of the Cerrado soil CRB2(1) metagenomic dioxygenase
de Castro Lins P, Hamann PRV, Lima JCB, Gonçalves Barbosa JAR, da Silva Correia JL, de Andrade IA, Knupp Dos Santos DF, Quirino BF and Krüger RH
Dioxygenases are enzymes involved in the conversion of polyconic aromatic hydroxycarbons (PAHs), attracting significant biotechnological interest for the conversion of recalcitrant organic compounds. Furthermore, few studies show that dioxygenases can take on the function of resistance genes in clones. This enzymatic versatility opens up new opportunities for elucidating the mechanisms of microbial resistance, as well as its biotechnological application. In this work, a Cerrado soil dioxygenase named CRB2(1) was biochemically characterized. The enzyme was shown to have optimal activity at pH 7; a temperature of 30 °C; and using iron ions as a cofactor for substrate cleavage. The kinetic catalytic parameters of CRB2(1) were V = 0.02281 µM/min and K = 97.6. Its predicted three-dimensional structure obtained using the Modeller software v9.22 based on the crystal structure of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase from Silicibacter pomeroyi (GDOsp) (PDB ID 3BU7, resolution 2.80 Å, residues 17-374) revealed substrate binding to the cupin domain, where the active site is located. The analyzed substrates interact directly with the iron ion, coordinated by three histidine residues. Changing the iron ion charge modifies the binding between the active site and the substrates. Currently, there is a demand for enzymes that have biotechnological activities of interest. Metagenomics allows analyzing the biotechnological potential of several organisms at the same time, based on sequence and functional activity analyses.
Targeted metagenomics - Enrichment for enzymes active on sulfated polysaccharides from seaweeds
Adalsteinsson BT, Guðmundsson H, Jasilionis A, Schiøtt M, Mikkelsen MD, Guðmundsdóttir EE, Sivakumar P, Malmgren A, Kaushik T, Apelqvist E, Vangsgaard S, Leblay R, Friðjónsson Ó, Meyer AS, Karlsson EN and Hreggviðsson GÓ
Seaweeds (macroalgae) are an attractive resource for diverse microbial- and enzymatic production processes. They are abundant, underutilized, cheap, and rich in carbohydrates, and therefore have the potential to be used as a source of mono- or oligosaccharides, and as substrates for industrial fermentation processes. Many seaweed polysaccharides, including the sulfated polysaccharides ulvan and fucoidan, are however complex and heterogenous in structure, and there are currently few enzymes available to modify them, and understanding of their enzymatic depolymerization remains limited. The present study aimed to identify and characterize robust fucoidanases and ulvan lyases. Metagenomes were obtained from microbial enrichments from an intertidal hot-spring, genes identified that expressed putative fucoidanases and ulvan lyases, and following gene cloning and expression, the respective enzymes were screened for enzymatic activity. Consistent with their origin, the identified protein sequences were considerably divergent from previously characterized enzymes, with a 44 % average maximal sequence identity. In total, the study resulted in the characterization of 10 new fucoidanases (GH107 and GH168 families) and 8 new ulvan lyases (PL24, PL25 and PL40 families). Notably, the new fucoidanases appeared to have functional specificity towards fucoidan containing α-1,3 linked L-fucosyl and several functioned at high temperature. The study contributes a metagenomics-based approach to identify new seaweed polysaccharide degrading enzymes and an increased understanding of the diversity of such enzymes, which may have implications for the realization of biotechnology based valorization of seaweed biomass.
Advances and prospects for lactic acid production from lignocellulose
Wu R, Yang J, Jiang Y and Xin F
Lactic acid is a versatile building block that can be produced via microbial fermentation. Owing to the high optical purity, approximately 90 % of lactic acid is produced by microbes. Recently, the biosynthesis of lactic acid from lignocellulose has concerned much attentions. However, the cost-effective process faces several obstacles because of the complex structure of lignocellulose. This review will comprehensively summarize the state-of-the-art lactic acid production from lignocellulose, including the commonly used lactate-producing microorganisms, the co-utilization of glucose and xylose for the lactic acid production, as well as the lactic acid production from lignocellulose hydrolysate. Furthermore, the strategies regarding the lignocellulosic lactic acid production via consolidated bioprocessing will be also discussed, which can greatly reduce the complexity of the fermentation process.
Spectrophotometric assay for the screening of selective enzymes towards DHA and EPA ethyl esters hydrolysis
Guerrero-Elias HY, Camacho-Ruiz MA, Espinosa-Salgado R, Mateos-Díaz JC, Camacho-Ruiz RM, Asaff-Torres A and Rodríguez JA
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), hold notable significance due to their pharmaceutical relevance. Obtaining PUFAs from diverse sources like vegetables, fish oils, and algae poses challenges due to the mixed fatty acid (FA) composition. Therefore, focusing on particular FAs necessitates purification and resolution processes. To address this, we propose a continuous assay for screening lipases selective for ethyl EPA (E-EPA) or ethyl DHA (E-DHA). Utilizing microplate spectrophotometry, the method enables quantification of liberated fatty acids from ethyl esters (E-EPA or E-DHA). This involves assessing enzyme selectivity by measuring the release of FAs through p-nitrophenolate protonation, either separately for each substrate or in competition with a reference substrate, resorufin acetate. Ten lipases underwent screening, revealing Burkholderia cepacia lipase's (BCL) preference for ethyl DHA hydrolysis (E-EPA/E-DHA = 0.82 ± 0.07 and the lipase selectivity ratio (S) for E-EPA/E-DHA = 0.13 ± 0.04) and Candida antarctica lipase B's (CALB) high specific activity towards both E-EPA and E-DHA (531.14 ± 37.76 and 281.79 ± 2.79 U/mg, respectively) and E-EPA preference (E-EPA/E-DHA = 1.86 ± 0.15 and S E-EPA/E-DHA = 2.59±0.15). Candida rugosa recombinant isoform 4 (rCRLip4) and commercial Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) exhibited significant preference for E-EPA hydrolysis (E-EPA/E-DHA = 2.18 ±0.51 and 2.26 ±0.36, respectively; and S E-EPA/E-DHA = 7.59 ± 1.59 and 7.88 ± 2.13, respectively). Docking analyses of rCRLip4, BCL, and CALB demonstrated no statistically significant differences in activation energies or distances to the catalytic serine; however, they agreed with the experimental results. These findings suggest potential mutagenesis or directed evolution strategies for CALB to enhance E-EPA selectivity, with rCRLip4 emerging as a promising candidate for further investigation. This assay offers a valuable tool for identifying lipases with desired substrate selectivity, with broad implications for pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.
The synthesis of cinnamyl acetate and deacetyl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid by a GDSL-type esterase and its substrate specificity analysis
Xing S, Xie W, Hu G, Luo C, Zhu H, He L, Li C, Wang X and Zeng X
GDSL-type esterases are promising biocatalysts for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Here, a GDSL-type esterase from Aspergillus niger CCTCC No. M2012538 (INANE1) was expressed and purified in Pichia pastoris GS115, and its catalytic performances were evaluated, including the synthesis of cinnamyl acetate and deacetyl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid (D-7-ACA). In addition, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations analyzed INANE1's substrate specificity. The substrate specificity profile indicated the recombinant esterase (rINANE1) was an acetylesterase with high specificity for p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA). The rINANE1 exhibited maximum activity at pH 8.0 and 35 °C, where K and V were calculated as 0.13±0.03 mM and 22.56 ± 0.32 μmoL/min/mg, respectively. The yield of cinnamyl acetate of about 85 % was achieved in 24 h. The conversion rate of 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) could reach 92.71 ± 1.78 % at 25 °C and 2.5 h. Moreover, the INANE1 structure model, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation demonstrated that the pocket of the catalytic triad Ser34, Asn267, and His270 could only accommodate p-NPA. INANE1 may be the first fungi esterase with cinnamyl acetate synthetic activity and 7-ACA hydrolysis activity. Therefore, INANE1 would be a promising enzyme with industrial values.
Production of bio-indigo from engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 harboring tryptophanase and flavin-containing monooxygenase
Kim HJ, Kim S, Lee Y, Shin Y, Choi S, Oh J, Jeong J, Park H, Ahn J, Joo JC, Choi KY, Bhatia SK and Yang YH
Indigo is a unique blue dye that has been used in the textile industry for centuries and is currently mass-produced commercially through chemical synthesis. However, the use of toxic substrates and reducing agents for chemical synthesis is associated with environmental concerns, necessitating the development of eco-friendly alternatives based on microbial production. In this study, a robust industrial strategy for indigo production was developed using Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as the host strain, which is characterized by its excellent ability to degrade aromatic compounds and high resistance to environmental stress. By introducing the genes tryptophanase (tnaA) and Flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO), a P. putida HI201 strain was constructed to produce indigo from tryptophan. To enhance the indigo yield, culture conditions, including medium composition, temperature, tryptophan concentration, and shaking speed, were optimized. Under optimal conditions such as TB medium, 15 mM tryptophan, 30°C, 200 rpm, P. putida HI201 biosynthesized 1.31 g/L indigo from tryptophan in a fed-batch fermentation system. The introduction of tnaA and FMO genes also enabled the production of indigo in various P. putida species, and the indigo-producing strain had a blue color, which served as a visual indicator. This study presents a strategy for using P. putida as a host for robust and sustainable microbial production of indigo, highlighting the strain's applicability and efficiency in environment friendly dye synthesis.
Poly-γ-glutamic production by solid-state fermentation of Bacillus natto in ammonia nitrogen movement and soil water retention processes
Wang X, Gao J, Wu J, Li X, Li J, Li H and Wang S
A high polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) producing strain of Bacillus natto UV-40-50 was screened by ultraviolet mutagenesis treatment and identified as still belonging to the Bacillus specie. The optimal fermentation medium composition for solid state fermentation (SSF) of B. natto strain UV-40-50 strain was determined by one-way analysis of variance, under which the yield of γ-PGA was 55.19 g/kg, and the presence and molecular weight of γ-PGA in the γ-PGA-purified samples were determined by a series of characterizations. The purification ability of the unseparated solid fermentation product (SFP) on ammonia nitrogen and nitrite in the water column, as well as its effect on soil water retention, germination rate and seedling length of lettuce and cabbage were further investigated. The results showed that the addition of 1 g/m3 SFP could effectively remove more than 60 % of ammonia nitrogen and more than 40 % of nitrite in the water body; the addition of 0.01 % SFP could increase the water retention capacity of cabbage soil by 2.13 times, and increase the water retention capacity of lettuce soil by 12 %; at the same time, the SFP could also significantly increase the germination rate and seedling length of both cabbage and lettuce.