Optimization of cellulase-free xylanase production by a novel yeast strain

Summary A novel yeast strain, NCIM 3574, isolated from a decaying wood produced up to 570 IU ml^–1 of xylanolytic enzymes when grown on medium containing 4% xylan. The yeast strain also produced xylanase activity (40–50 IU ml^–1) in the presence of soluble carbon sources like xylose or arabinose. No xylanase activity was detected when the organism was grown on glucose. The crude xylanase preparation showed no activity towards cellulolytic substrates but low levels of -xylosidase (0.1 IU ml^–1) and -l-arabinofuranosidase (0.05 IU ml^–1) were detected. The temperature and pH optima for the crude xylanase preparation were 55°C and 4.5 respectively. The crude xylanase produced mainly xylose from xylan within 5 min. Prolonged hydrolysis of xylan produced xylobiose and arabinose, in addition to xylose, as the end products. The presence of arabinose as one of the end products in xylan hydrolysate could be due to the low levels of arabinofuranosidase enzyme present in the crude fermentation broth.     

Microbial production of extra-cellular phytase using polystyrene as inert solid support

Aspergillus ficuum TUB F-1165 and Rhizopus oligosporus TUB F-1166 produced extra-cellular phytase during solid-state fermentation (SSF) using polystyrene as inert support. Maximal enzyme production (10.07 U/g dry substrate (U/gds) for A. ficuum and 4.52 U/gds for R. oligosporus) was observed when SSF was carried out with substrate pH 6.0 and moisture 58.3%, incubation temperature 30 degrees C, inoculum size of 1.3 x 10(7) spores/5 g substrate, for 72 h for A. ficuum and with substrate pH 7.0 and moisture 58.3%, incubation temperature 30 degrees C, inoculum size of 1 x 10(6) spores/5 g substrate for 96 h for R. oligosporus. Results indicated scope for production of phytase using polystyrene as inert support.     

Production of lovastatin by a wild strain of Aspergillus terreus

Of 68 Aspergillus terreus, three produced lovastatin with equivalent or better yield than strain ATCC 20542 originally described for lovastatin production. Medium optimization experiments with the best isolate (TUB F-514) indicated that lactose, rapeseed meal and KNO3 were the best carbon, organic nitrogen and inorganic nitrogen sources, respectively. In shake-flasks with optimized medium containing 4 % (w/v) lactose, 400 g lovastatin/ml was produced, with a yield of 10 mg/g lactose. In solid substrate fermentation on extracted sweet sorghum pulp supplemented with cheese whey 1500 g lovastatin/g dry weight was produced with a yield of 37.5 mg/g lactose. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Cellulase secretion from a hyper-cellulolytic mutant of Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30

Two strains of Trichoderma reesei, wild type QM6a and mutant Rut-C30, were grown in meida containing an inducer, insoluble crystalline cellulose (Avicel PH101), as carbon source for 11 days. The cell growth, expressed as myceliar protein content, of Rut-C30 was 4–5 times higher than QM6a. The lack of ultrastructural disorganization, and absence of intracellular enzyme release into the growth medium, indicated that none of these two strains had undergone any significant autolysis during the entire growth phase. Cellulase activities, mainly endoglucanase, cellobiase and filter paper degrading activity (disc) were enhanced in Rut-C30 cells. A major change was observed in the endoglucanase activity which was 30 times higher in Rut-C30 than QM6a, whereas, both -glucosidase and disc activities were 3 times enhanced in Rut-C30 compared to QM6a. In addition to synthesis, cellulase secretion was also enhanced in Rut-C30. Both the organisms contained same amounts of intracellular marker enzyme activities (e.g., inosine diphosphatase, thiamine pyrophosphatase, alkaline phosphatase). Finally, the enahncement of secretory activity of Rut-C30 was correlated with the proliferation of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and increased phospholipid content. It appears that Rut-C30 is not only a hypercellulolytic but also a hypersecretor mutant.     

Comparative enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated spruce by supernatants, whole fermentation broths and washed mycelia of Trichoderma reesei and Trichoderma atroviride

Cellulase and beta-glucosidase production on steam pretreated spruce (SPS) with Trichoderma reesei Rut C30, Trichoderma atroviride TUB F-1505 and TUB F-1663 was investigated. The enzymes were compared in term of activity, temperature optima and hydrolytic capacity. The T. atroviride cellulases proved to have lower temperature optima for filter paper activity (FPA) assay (50 degrees C) and for hydrolysis of SPS (40 degrees C) than the Rut C30 enzymes (60 degrees C for FPA and 50 degrees C for hydrolysis). Due to high levels of extracellular beta-glucosidases, the T. atroviride enzyme supernatants hydrolyzed the washed SPS to glucose more efficiently than the enzymes produced by T. reesei. On the other hand, when the whole fermentation broths were used instead of the supernatants, thus the mycelium bound enzymes were also present, the hydrolytic capacity of T. reesei Rut C30 was enhanced by approximately 200%, while an improvement of only 15% was observed in case of the T. atroviride isolates.     

The use of lignocellulosic wastes for production of cellulase by Trichoderma reesei

Summary The feasibility of cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei using inexpensive lignocellulosic material was examined. Sulfite pulp used as standard substrate yielded 3.7 IU/ml filter paper units (FPU) and 2.15 IU/ml -glucosidase. The yield was 185 FPU per gram total carbohydrate (CH) in the fermentation medium. Steam treated wheat straw (2%) gave 1.9 FPU/ml, 0.83 IU/ml -glucosidase and 151 FPU/g CH, whereas the spent fibres remaining after enzymatic hydrolysis of steamed wheat straw gave 2.4 FPU/ml, 1.55 IU/ml -glucosidase and 147 FPU/g CH. A good substrate (3%) was also the combustible fraction of municipal waste (BRAM) treated with NaOH, which gave 2.5 FPU/ml, 0.86 IU/ml -glucosidase and 130 FPU/g CH. A further increase in the final enzyme titer is obtainable by increasing the substrate concentration. In shake cultures 5% steamed wheat straw gave 3.8 FPU/ml and 1.95 IU/ml -glucosidase. Untreated wheat straw gave only low final enzyme titers and low yields of FPU/g CH. In the case of lignocellulosic substrates a constant pH-value of pH 6.0 during the fermentation gave optimal yields.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of steam-pretreated spruce using crude Trichoderma reesei and Trichoderma atroviride enzymes

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the enzymes produced by Trichoderma reesei Rut C30 and the good extracellular β-glucosidase-producing mutant Trichoderma atroviride TUB F-1663 to that of commercial preparations in the enzymatic hydrolysis and the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of steam-pretreated spruce (SPS).The concentrated TUB F-1663 enzyme was found to be the most efficient in the hydrolysis of washed SPS at 50 g/L water-insoluble solids (WIS) in terms of the glucose produced (18.5 g/L), even in comparison with commercial cellulases (14.1–16.7 g/L). The enzyme preparations were studied at low enzyme loadings (5 FPU/g WIS) in SSF to produce ethanol from SPS. The enzyme supernatant and whole fermentation broth of T. atroviride as well as the whole broth of T. reesei proved to be as efficient in SSF as the commercial cellulase mixtures (ethanol yields of 61–76% of the theoretical were achieved), while low ethanol yields (<40%) were obtained with the β-glucosidase-deficient T. reesei supernatant.Therefore, it seems, that instead of using commercial cellulases, the TUB F-1663 enzymes and the whole broth of Rut C30 may be produced on-site, using a process stream as carbon source, and employed directly in the biomass-to-bioethanol process.     

Hyper production of alkali stable xylanase in lesser duration by Bacillus pumilus SV-85S using wheat bran under solid state fermentation

High level production of an extracellular cellulase-poor alkali stable xylanase has been conceded from newly isolated Bacillus pumilus SV-85S under solid state fermentation using wheat bran as a substrate. Optimization of the fermentation conditions enhanced the enzyme production to 73,000 ± 1,000 IU/g dry substrate, which was 13.8-fold higher than unoptimized conditions (5,300 IU/g). The enzyme titre was highest after 48 h of incubation at 30°C with 1:3 ratios of substrate to moistening agent using wheat bran as a carbon source. The enzyme could be produced in significant levels by using either tap water or distilled water alone as a moistening agent. An elevated production of xylanase by B. pumilus SV-85S in the presence of wheat bran, a cheap and easily available agro-residue, in shorter duration would apparently reduce the enzyme cost substantially. The enzyme was completely stable over a broad pH (5-11) range and retained 52% of its activity at a temperature of 70°C for 30 min. The desired characteristics of this enzyme together with economic production would be important for its application in paper and pulp industry.     

Sclerotia growth and carotenoid production of Penicillium sp PT95 during solid state fermentation of corn meal

Using corn meal as fermentation substrate, the effect of some factors, fermentation time and supplementation of saccharide and nitrogen sources as well as vegetable oil, on the sclerotia growth and carotenoid production of Penicillium sp PT95 during solid state fermentation were studied. When PT95 strain was grown on the amended medium by supplementing of 3g NaNO3, 10g maltose and 2.5g soybean oil per liter of salt solution to basal medium for 20 days, the dry sclerotia weight and carotenoid yield reached 9.70 g and 5260 g / 100 g of substrate, respectively. Without supplementation only 5.36g dry sclerotia and 2149g carotenoid / 100 g of substrate was attained. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

α-glucosidase from grape berries: Partial purification and characterization

-Glucosidase (-D-glucoside glucohydrolase EC 3.2.1.20) was purified approximately 30-fold from grape berries (Vitis vinifera var. Riesling). Besides maltose the enzyme preparation hydrolyzes to a lesser extent maltotriose, isomaltose, and starch. It has a pH optimum of 5.1 and a molecular weight of about 100,000. Tris, glycerol, several mono-and disaccharides were tested as inhibitors. The kinetic behavior of ribose, fructose, cellobiose, sucrose, turanose, methylglucopyranoside, Tris, and glycerol was fully investigated. The inhibition studies suggest a Ping-Pong mechanism, with the second substrate concentration being constant, that can be treated as a Uni Bi system. The purified enzyme is stable when stored frozen at-20° C. The grape-berry -glucosidase may exist as multiple forms (pI 7.2 and 8.2 respectively), and it does not require ions for its activity.This work was supported by the consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Roma, Italy     

Stereospecificγ-lactamase activity in aPseudomonas fluorescens species

Twenty five environmental isolates enriched for their ability to grow onN-acetylphenylalanine as sole carbon source were investigated for their hydrolytic action on (+)-lactam (2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-3-one). Strain CMC 3060, a mucoidal Gram-negative rod identified as a strain ofPseudomonas fluorescens, produced high levels of (+)lactamase, and was subsequently found to produce two distinct intracellular enantiomer-selective, -lactamases, one for each isomer. The (+)lactamase was produced constitutively whereas the (-lactamase was produced only in the presence of the substrate. The (+)lactamase was stable when stored as a frozen cell paste but unstable as a protein solution, losing activity during purification and storage. This enzyme was highly selective for the (+)lactam and showed no activity against a wide range of similar compounds. By use of rapid purification techniques and the inclusion of protease inhibitors and protein stabilisers, the (+)lactamase was purified to homogeneity by FPLC and found to be a monomer of molecular weight 61000 Da.     

Improvement of cellulase activity in Trichoderma reesei by heterologous expression of a beta-glucosidase gene from Penicillium decumbens

Trichoderma reesei is a well-known cellulase producer and widely applied in enzyme industry. To increase its ability to efficiently decompose cellulose, the beta-glucosidase activity of its enzyme cocktail needs to be enhanced. In this study, a beta-glucosidase I coding sequence from Penicillium decumbens was ligated with the cellobiohydrolase I (cbh1) promoter of T. reesei and introduced into the genome of T. reesei strain Rut-C30 by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. In comparison to that from the parent strain, the beta-glucosidase activity of the enzyme complexes from two selected transformants increased 6- to 8-fold and their filter paper activity (FPAs) was enhanced by 30% on average. The transformant's saccharifying ability towards pretreated cornstalk was also significantly enhanced. To further confirm the effect of heterologous beta-glucosidase on the cellulase activity of T. reesei, the heterologously expressed pBGL1 was purified and added to the enzyme complex produced by T. reesei Rut-C30. Supplementation of the Rut-C30 enzyme complex with pBGL1 brought about 80% increase of glucose yield during the saccharification of pretreated cornstalk. Our results indicated that the heterologous expression of a beta-glucosidase gene in T. reesei might produce balanced cellulase preparation.     

Purification and characterization of GDP L -Fuc: N-acetyl β D -glucosaminide α1→6fucosyltransferase from human blood platelets

-6 L -Fucosyltransferase (1,6FucT; EC 2.4.1.68) from human platelets, the enzyme that is released into serum during coagulation of blood, was purified 100,000-fold. The purification required three sequential chromatographic steps: chromatofocusing, affinity column chromatography on GnGn-Gp(asialo-aglacto-transferrin glycopeptide)-CH-Sepharose, and gel filtration of Sephadex G-200. The final preparation contained a protein that migrated as a single discrete band Mr of 58,000 in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under non-reducing conditions, and as a single enzymatically active peak Mr of 58,000 in gel filtration. Although the purified enzyme utilized the biantennary GnGn-Gp as substrate, it was twice as active with the triantennary oligosaccharide when the Man 1,3 antenna was substituted with GlcNac1,4. On the other hand the tetraantennary oligosaccharide was not a preferred substrate. The Km values for the substrate asialo-agalactotransferrin-glycopeptide, and GDP L -fucose were 29 and 28 M, respectively. The optimum pH of the enzyme was 6.0. The activity of 1,6FucT was abolished in the presence of -mercaptoethanol. Divalent cations such as Mg2+ and Ca2+ activated, but Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ strongly inhibited the activity.     

α-Isopropylmalate synthase from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16

-Isopropylmalate (IPM) synthase, the first enzyme in the biosynthesis of l-leucine, was purified to a specific activity of 12 mole/min x mg protein from the valine-isoleucine double auxotrophic mutant A-81 of the hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16. The activity in crude extracts of derepressed cells was 0.106 moles of isopropylmalate formed per min and per mg protein. Gel electrophoresis and regel electrophoresis of the isolated main band resulted in several distinct bands, which were not altered by the additions of substrate -ketoisovalerate, feedback inhibitor leucine or other effectors.The isoelectric points of the enzyme protein was between 3.9 and 4.0. The molecular weight was 114500 daltons and 100000 respectively in the absence and presence of the feedback inhibitor leucine. The enzyme activity depended strongly on the pH, the optimum is at pH 8.2. The enzyme was could labile and exhibits temperature anomalies.Abbreviations Used CoA Coenzyme A - Tris Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane hydrochloride - DTNB 5,5-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) - IPM -Isopropylmalate - KIV -Ketoisovalerate Prepared from doctoral thesis of the University of Göttingen 1973     

Optimized production of L-β-hydroxybutyric acid by a mutant of Yarrowia lipolytica

A mutant strain of Yarrowia lipolytica was developed which produced 8.0 g l--hydroxybutyric acid l^–1 from butyric acid in a batch culture. The optimum culture conditions in the fermenter for maintenance of a high cell activity, determined by chemostat analyses, were a specific growth rate of 0.06 h^–1, a glucose concentration of 2.0 g l^–1, and a butyric acid concentration of 8.1 g l^–1. A fed-batch fermentation was performed under these conditions resulting in an l--hydroxybutyric acid yield of 31 g l^–1.     

High-Activity Barley \bold\ralpha-Amylase by Directed Evolution

Barley -amylase isozyme 2 was cloned into and constitutively secreted by Saccharomyces cervisiae. The gene coding for the wild-type enzyme was subjected to directed evolution. Libraries of mutants were screened by halo formation on starch agar plates, followed by high-throughput liquid assay using dye-labeled starch as the substrate. The concentration of recombinant enzyme in the culture supernatant was determined by immunodetection, and used for the calculation of specific activity. After three rounds of directed evolution, one mutant (Mu322) showed 1000 times the total activity and 20 times the specific activity of the wild-type enzyme produced by the same yeast expression system. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of this mutant with the wild type revealed five substitutions: Q44H, R303K and F325Y in domain A, and T94A and R128Q in domain B. Two of these mutations, Q44H and R303K, result in amino acids highly conserved in cereal -amylases. R303K and F325Y are located in the raw starch-binding fragment of the enzyme molecule.     

Hydrolysis of raffinose and stachyose in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flour,using α-galactosidase fromAspergillus niger

Filamentous fungi, isolated from the enriched surface of garden soil, were screened for -galactosidase production after growing on wheat-bran/carbohydrate substrate. One isolate,Aspergillus niger, had the highest enzyme activity (5.1×10^–2 units/mg protein) at pH 5.0 and 50°C. Treatment of cowpea flour with the crude enzyme reduced the raffinose and stachyose content by 95% and 82% respectively. This technique could therefore be useful in controlling the flatulence activity of cowpeas.     

Production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate by thermophilic cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. MA19, under phosphate-limited conditions

Synechococcus sp. MA19, grown autotrophically under phosphate-limited conditions at 50 °C, produced poly--hydroxybutyrate (PHB) when intracellular phosphate content was 0.043–0.076mmol per g of cellular components. In the culture for 260h using Ca₃(PO₄)₂ as a phosphate source, strain MA19 accumulated PHB at 55% (w/w) of the dry cells and the amount of PHB produced was 2.4gl^–1 which was almost twice that without Ca₃(PO₄)₂ addition.     

Properties of α-galactosidase II2 from Vicia faba seeds

-Galactosidase II² (MW 43 390) from resting Vicia faba L. seeds had been shown to possess d-glucose/d-mannose-specific lectin activity. Inhibition studies with monosaccharides and an examination of the effects of heat and pH on the catalytic and lectin activities of the enzyme indicate that the enzyme substrate and the lectin haptens bind at different sites on the protein. d-Mannosebinding has been investigated by equilibrium dialysis and spectrophotometrically. Both methods yield K_a values of approx. 3·10³ M^-1 for the interaction and there would appear to be two mannosebinding sites per molecule of enzyme protein. The lectin properties of V. faba -galactosidase II² have been discussed in relation to both V. faba lectin (favin) and other legume -galactosidases.Abbreviations con A concanavalin A - CM-cellulose carboxymethyl cellulose - MW molecular weight - PNPG p-nitrophenyl -d-galactoside - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - PAGE polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis     

Successive cultivation of Fusarium oxysporum on rice chaff for economic production of fibrinolytic enzyme

Production of fibrinolytic enzyme by successive solid state cultivation of Fusarium oxysporum on rice chaff (RC) was studied. From recycling 20?g dry RC six times by pure batch culture, an overall of 23200IU fibrinolytic enzyme was obtained. A total of 27400IU was obtained when the same amount of RC was used for six cycles with repeated batch fermentation employing immobilized whole cells, which also resulted in 30%?(w/w) loss by weight of the substrate, while only 8%?(w/w) of RC was degraded in the initial pure batch fermentation.