高效木聚糖降解酶系定制的新进展与挑战

木聚糖是植物细胞壁中含量最丰富的非纤维素多糖,大约占陆地生物质资源的20%-35%。不同物种来源的木聚糖结构因取代方式不同而具有广泛的异质性,这对生物质资源向生物燃料和其他高值产品高效转化提出了重大挑战。因此,需要开发由不同类型酶组成的最佳混合物以有效糖化木聚糖类底物。但是针对特定类型的底物设计高效降解酶系十分困难,应考虑底物的类型、底物的组成和物理性质、多糖的聚合度以及不同降解酶组分的生化性质等。本文从不同植物木聚糖的结构异质性与合成复杂性方面展示了其抗降解屏障,同时介绍了木聚糖主链降解酶系及侧链降解酶系的多样性以及协同降解作用,综述了复杂生境中微生物种群产生的混合酶系、降解菌株产生的高效酶系,以及基于特定木聚糖底物改造并定制简化高效的酶系统。随着不同种类木聚糖精细结构和木聚糖降解酶底物特异性的深入研究,针对特定底物类型进行绿色高效木聚糖酶系定制,加速木聚糖类底物的降解,从而实现木质纤维素资源的绿色高值化利用。     

海洋褐藻多糖的复杂结构、降解酶系以及生物学功能

海洋大型藻类(包括褐藻、红藻和绿藻)具有生物质资源产量高、生长过程中不占用耕地和淡水资源等优点,是未来生物炼制的优良原料。2021年,中国褐藻产量为190万吨,远高于其他经济藻类。但是与绿藻相比,褐藻所含的褐藻酸盐和红藻所含的3,6-脱水-L-半乳糖等多糖组分不容易发酵,极大地限制了其高值转化的进程。本文针对褐藻多糖的高效降解与高值转化这一研究热点,总结了褐藻的系统发育与褐藻多糖(褐藻胶、岩藻多糖以及昆布多糖)的复杂结构组成,分析了3类海洋多糖降解酶系的家族、空间结构及其特异性识别专一底物的活性架构等特征,并对褐藻多糖降解产物及其衍生寡糖的生物学功能进行了构效分析,以期揭示海洋多糖降解酶系的高效催化机制和特异性识别机理,推动褐藻的高效生物降解转化,为精准定制生物活性寡糖,构建绿色低碳工业化生产工艺提供参考。     

植物细胞壁多糖合成酶系及真菌降解酶系北大核心CSCD

秸秆类植物细胞壁多糖高效降解转化对我国农业经济的绿色可持续发展具有重要意义,然而植物细胞壁在长期进化过程中形成了复杂结构限制了工业化酶解转化的过程。一方面从植物细胞壁多糖合成酶系的多样性、细胞壁多糖成分的复杂性、超分子结构的异质性等方面综述了形成植物细胞壁抗降解屏障的原因;另一方面从真菌降解植物细胞壁酶系的多样性、不同菌株降解酶组成差异性等分析降解转化植物细胞壁时发挥的不同作用,从而为工业转化合理复配真菌降解酶系,提高秸秆生物质的利用效率提供理论支持。     

植物细胞壁多糖合成酶系及真菌降解酶系

秸秆类植物细胞壁多糖高效降解转化对我国农业经济的绿色可持续发展具有重要意义,然而植物细胞壁在长期进化过程中形成了复杂结构限制了工业化酶解转化的过程。一方面从植物细胞壁多糖合成酶系的多样性、细胞壁多糖成分的复杂性、超分子结构的异质性等方面综述了形成植物细胞壁抗降解屏障的原因;另一方面从真菌降解植物细胞壁酶系的多样性、不同菌株降解酶组成差异性等分析降解转化植物细胞壁时发挥的不同作用,从而为工业转化合理复配真菌降解酶系,提高秸秆生物质的利用效率提供理论支持。     

采用酶液活性测定法快速筛选及构建石油烃高效降解菌系

快速筛选复杂有机物降解微生物混合菌系,在污染物治理过程中具有重要的实践意义.本研究首次尝试利用MicroResp^TM技术分析微生物酶液活性的方法,快速标定高效降解菌及混合菌系的石油烃降解能力,并采用传统的摇瓶培养检测法予以验证.通过微生物胞内、胞外及混合酶液的活性分析,考察了不同酶系(胞外、胞内及混合酶液)、菌系对石油烃分子的降解情况.结果表明: 结合MicroResp^TM技术的酶液活性测定法能够快速检测石油烃代谢酶系的降解能力,其灵敏度好、通量高,与传统的菌株摇瓶培养方法的检测结果基本一致.其中,7株菌株的120种全组合菌系活性测定试验在12 h周期内1次完成.筛选周期由传统摇瓶培养所需的7 d缩短10倍以上.以酶活性测定结果为指导设计的复配菌系具有较高的降解效率,最高石油烃降解率达(56.1±1.6)%.表明本筛选方法精度高、通量高,可用于石油烃降解功能菌系的构建.     

裂解多糖单加氧酶高效催化的研究进展

裂解多糖单加氧酶(lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases,LPMOs)是一类新发现的铜离子依赖性的氧化酶,常具有多种模块化组合,能够高效氧化降解生物质多糖.LPMOs的催化结构域为β三明治结构,活性中心含有一个铜离子.该酶的催化反应过程相对于糖苷水解酶类更加复杂,LPMOs结合底物后,首先要接受电子供体提供的电子,通过电子传递链传递给活性中心的Cu[Ⅱ],将其还原为Cu[Ⅰ],Cu[Ⅰ]结合并活化分子氧后,再氧化降解多糖链的糖苷键,生成氧化产物和非氧化产物.近年来的研究表明,在木质纤维素降解酶系中加入LPMOs能显著提高其对结晶纤维素的转化效率,因此LPMOs相关研究的深入开展可以拓展人们对其高效降解机制的认识,从而为高效降解酶系的复配以降低工业规模的生产成本等提供理论指导.本文综述了该领域相关研究的最新进展,分析了LPMOs潜在的研究方向与工业化应用的前景.     

热纤梭菌高效降解木质纤维素过程的组学研究进展

热纤梭菌(Clostridium thermocellum)是高效降解木质纤维素的重要微生物,因其能分泌纤维小体这一超分子酶系复合物而备受关注。它分泌的酶系组分多样,胞外酶组分的表达、分泌及其在纤维小体支架蛋白上的组装是一受到胞外碳源等因素显著影响的动态过程。热纤梭菌究竟如何感知纤维素等不溶性底物的存在并动态调控相应酶组分的分泌,完成具有高效降解能力的超分子酶系复合物的组装成为近几年来相关研究的热点。本文主要从基因组学、转录组学、蛋白质组学及菌体对胞外碳源的感应机制等方面来综述相关研究进展,并对热纤梭菌降解天然复杂生物质的动态过程及其相应机制进行了剖析,并展望其应用前景。     

热纤梭菌高效降解木质纤维素过程的组学研究进展

摘要:热纤梭菌(Clostridium thermocellum)是高效降解木质纤维素的重要微生物,因其能分泌纤维小体这一超分子酶系复合物而备受关注。它分泌的酶系组分多样,胞外酶组分的表达、分泌及其在纤维小体支架蛋白上的组装是一受到胞外碳源等因素显著影响的动态过程。热纤梭菌究竟如何感知纤维素等不溶性底物的存在并动态调控相应酶组分的分泌,完成具有高效降解能力的超分子酶系复合物的组装成为近几年来相关研究的热点。本文主要从基因组学、转录组学、蛋白质组学及菌体对胞外碳源的感应机制等方面来综述相关研究进展,并对热纤梭菌降解天然复杂生物质的动态过程及其相应机制进行了剖析,并展望其应用前景。     

细菌几丁质酶结构、功能及分子设计的研究进展

几丁质是仅次于纤维素的第二大天然多糖，由N-乙酰-D-氨基葡萄糖聚合而成，具有重要的应用价值。自然界中几丁质可被细菌高效降解。细菌可分泌多种几丁质降解酶类，主要分布在GH18家族和GH19家族中。细菌中几丁质降解酶基因存在明显的基因扩增及多结构域组合现象，不同家族、不同作用模式的几丁质酶系协同作用打破复杂的抗降解屏障，完成结晶几丁质的高效降解。因此，深入分析细菌几丁质酶结构与功能，对几丁质高效降解与高值转化应用具有重要意义。本文介绍了细菌几丁质酶的分类、结构特点与催化作用机制；总结了不同细菌胞外几丁质降解酶系的协同降解模式；针对几丁质酶家族分子改造的研究进展，展望了以结构生物信息学及大数据深度学习为基础的蛋白质工程设计策略在今后改造中的作用，为几丁质酶的设计与理性改造提供新的视角与思路。     

阿魏酸酯酶基因克隆表达调控及其应用进展

阿魏酸酯酶作为微生物降解植物多糖的酶系的一部分,其从细胞壁中降解多糖获得芳香酸和单多糖的能力越来越受到重视.主要介绍了阿魏酸酯酶研究进展,包括阿魏酸酯酶的研究现状,酶-底物分子对接模型、阿魏酸酯酶基因克隆表达、重组与调控以及应用.     

Towards new enzymes for biofuels: lessons from chitinase research

Enzymatic conversion of structural polysaccharides in plant biomass is a key issue in the development of second generation ('lignocellulosic') bioethanol. The efficiency of this process depends in part on the ability of enzymes to disrupt crystalline polysaccharides, thus gaining access to single polymer chains. Recently, new insights into how enzymes accomplish this have been obtained from studies on enzymatic conversion of chitin. First, chitinolytic microorganisms were shown to produce non-hydrolytic accessory proteins that increase enzyme efficiency. Second, it was shown that a processive mechanism, which is generally considered favorable because it improves substrate accessibility, might in fact slow down enzymes. These findings suggest new focal points for the development of enzyme technology for depolymerizing recalcitrant polysaccharide biomass. Improving substrate accessibility should be a key issue because this might reduce the need for using processive enzymes, which are intrinsically slow and abundantly present in current commercial enzyme preparations for biomass conversion. Furthermore, carefully selected substrate-disrupting accessory proteins or domains might provide novel tools to improve substrate accessibility and thus contribute to more efficient enzymatic processes.     

Interspecific evolutionary relationships of alpha-glucuronidase in the genus Aspergillus

The increased availability and production of lignocellulosic agroindustrial wastes has originated proposals for their use as raw material to obtain biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) or derived products. However, for biomass generated from lignocellulosic residues to be successfully degraded, in most cases it requires a physical (thermal), chemical, or enzymatic pretreatment before the application of microbial or enzymatic fermentation technologies (biocatalysis). In the context of enzymatic technologies, fungi have demonstrated to produce enzymes capable of degrading polysaccharides like cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin. Because of this ability for degrading lignocellulosic material, researchers are making efforts to isolate and identify fungal enzymes that could have a better activity for the degradation of plant cell walls and agroindustrial biomass. We performed an in silico analysis of alpha-glucoronidase in 82 accessions of the genus Aspergillus. The constructed dendrograms of amino acid sequences defined the formation of 6 groups (I, II, III, IV, V, and VI), which demonstrates the high diversity of the enzyme. Despite this ample divergence between enzyme groups, our 3D structure modeling showed both conservation and differences in amino acid residues participating in enzyme–substrate binding, which indicates the possibility that some enzymes are functionally specialized for the specific degradation of a substrate depending on the genetics of each species in the genus and the condition of the habitat where they evolved. The identification of alpha-glucuronidase isoenzymes would allow future use of genetic engineering and biocatalysis technologies aimed at specific production of the enzyme for its use in biotransformation.     

Cooperation of Aspergillus nidulans enzymes increases plant polysaccharide saccharification

Efficient polysaccharide degradation depends on interaction between enzymes acting on the main chain and the side chains. Previous studies demonstrated cooperation between several enzymes, but not all enzyme combinations have been explored. A better understanding of enzyme cooperation would enable the design of better enzyme mixtures, optimally profiting from synergistic effects. In this study, we analyzed the cooperation of several enzymes involved in the degradation of xylan, glucan, xyloglucan and crude plant biomass from Aspergillus nidulans by single and combined incubations with their polymeric substrate. Positive effects were observed between most enzymes, although not always to the same extent. Moreover, the tailor made cocktails formulated in this study resulted in efficient release of glucose from plant biomass. This study also serves as an example for the complex cooperation that occurs between enzymes in plant biomass saccharification and how expression in easily‐accessible hosts, such as Pichia pastoris, can help in revealing these effects.     

Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation. RESULTS: Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list of 188 genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes from Aspergillus niger, thus forming an analysis framework, which can be queried. Combination of this information network with gene expression analysis on mono- and polysaccharide substrates has allowed elucidation of concerted gene expression from this organism. One such example is the identification of a full set of extracellular polysaccharide-acting genes for the degradation of oat spelt xylan. CONCLUSIONS: The mapping of plant polysaccharide structures along with the corresponding enzymatic activities is a powerful framework for expression analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Applying this network-based approach, we provide the first genome-scale characterization of all genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes identified in A. niger.     

Novel enzymes for the degradation of cellulose

ABSTRACT: The bulk terrestrial biomass resource in a future bio-economy will be lignocellulosic biomass, which is recalcitrant and challenging to process. Enzymatic conversion of polysaccharides in the lignocellulosic biomass will be a key technology in future biorefineries and this technology is currently the subject of intensive research. We describe recent developments in enzyme technology for conversion of cellulose, the most abundant, homogeneous and recalcitrant polysaccharide in lignocellulosic biomass. In particular, we focus on a recently discovered new type of enzymes currently classified as CBM33 and GH61 that catalyze oxidative cleavage of polysaccharides. These enzymes promote the efficiency of classical hydrolytic enzymes (cellulases) by acting on the surfaces of the insoluble substrate, where they introduce chain breaks in the polysaccharide chains, without the need of first "extracting" these chains from their crystalline matrix.     

Arsenal of plant cell wall degrading enzymes reflects host preference among plant pathogenic fungi

Background  

The discovery and development of novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes is a key step towards more efficient depolymerization of polysaccharides to fermentable sugars for the production of liquid transportation biofuels and other bioproducts. The industrial fungus Trichoderma reesei is known to be highly cellulolytic and is a major industrial microbial source for commercial cellulases, xylanases and other cell wall degrading enzymes. However, enzyme-prospecting research continues to identify opportunities to enhance the activity of T. reesei enzyme preparations by supplementing with enzymatic diversity from other microbes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the enzymatic potential of a broad range of plant pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi for their ability to degrade plant biomass and isolated polysaccharides.     

Microbial and Carbohydrate Active Enzyme profile of buffalo rumen metagenome and their alteration in response to variation in the diet

Rumen microbiome represents rich source of enzymes degrading complex plant polysaccharides. We describe here analysis of Carbohydrate Active Enzymes (CAZymes) from 3.5 gigabase sequences of metagenomic data from rumen samples of Mehsani buffaloes fed on different proportions of green or dry roughages to concentrate ration. A total of 2597 contigs encoding putative CAZymes were identified by CAZyme Analysis Toolkit (CAT). The phylogenetic analysis of these contigs by MG-RAST revealed predominance of Bacteroidetes, followed by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria phyla. Moreover, a higher abundance of oligosaccharide degrading and debranching enzymes in buffalo rumen metagenome and that of cellulases and hemicellulases in termite hindgut was observed when we compared glycoside hydrolase (GH) profile of buffalo rumen metagenome with cow rumen, termite hindgut and chicken caecum metagenome. Further, comparison of microbial profile of green or dry roughage fed animals showed significantly higher abundance (p-value < 0.05) of various polysaccharide degrading bacterial genera like Fibrobacter, Prevotella, Bacteroides, Clostridium and Ruminococcus in green roughage fed animals. In addition, we found a significantly higher abundance (p-value < 0.05) of enzymes associated with pectin digestion such as pectin lyase (PL) 1, PL10 and GH28 in green roughage fed animals. Our study outlines CAZyme profile of buffalo rumen metagenome and provides a scope to study the role of abundant enzyme families (oligosaccharide degrading and debranching enzymes) in digestion of coarse feed.     

Characterization of cellulolytic enzyme system of Schizophyllum commune mutant and evaluation of its efficiency on biomass hydrolysis

Schizophyllum commune is a basidiomycete equipped with an efficient cellulolytic enzyme system capable of growth on decaying woods. In this study, production of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes from S. commune mutant G-135 (SC-Cel) on various cellulosic substrates was examined. The highest cellulase activities including CMCase, FPase, and β-glucosidase were obtained on Avicel-PH101 while a wider range of enzymes attacking non-cellulosic polysaccharides and lignin were found when grown on alkaline-pretreated biomass. Proteomic analysis of SC-Cel also revealed a complex enzyme system comprising seven glycosyl hydrolase families with an accessory carbohydrate esterase, polysaccharide lyase, and auxiliary redox enzymes. SC-Cel obtained on Avicel-PH101 effectively hydrolyzed all agricultural residues with the maximum glucan conversion of 98.0% using corn cobs with an enzyme dosage of 5 FPU/g-biomass. The work showed potential of SC-Cel on hydrolysis of various herbaceous biomass with enhanced efficiency by addition external β-xylosidase.