Characterization of transgenic Trifolium subterraneum L. which expresses phyA and releases extracellular phytase: growth and P nutrition in laboratory media and soil

Transgenic Trifolium subterraneum expressing a phytase gene (phyA) from Aspergillus niger were generated. Five independently transformed lines showed an average 77‐fold increase in exuded phytase activity in comparison with null segregant and wild‐type controls. Unlike other phosphatases, exuded phytase activity was unaffected by P supply, verifying the constitutive expression of phyA. Transgenic T. subterraneum grown in agar with P supplied as phytate, took up 1.3‐ to 3.6‐fold more P than controls and had equivalent P uptake to plants supplied with orthophosphate. This unique phenotype was compromised when the plants were grown in soil. None of the five lines showed increased shoot biomass or total P uptake in an unfertilized, low‐P soil taken from under permanent pasture. With addition of P, one of the five transgenic lines had consistently greater P nutrition compared with control plants. Despite variable growth and P nutrition responses, P uptake per root length was on average greater for transgenic lines. Exudation of phytase by transgenic T. subterraneum allowed utilization of P from phytate in non‐sorbing, sterile laboratory media, but was less effective when plants were grown in soil. Release of extracellular phytase is therefore not the only requirement for the acquisition of P from endogenous soil phytate by plants.     

黑曲霉SL2-111复合酶固体发酵工艺研究

以酸性蛋白酶酶活为响应值,采用单因素搜索和正交试验对黑曲霉（Aspergillus niger）SL2－111固体发酵工艺进行优化,结果表明最适培养基的组成为：新鲜麸皮8．25g,米糠4．5g、豆饼粉1．5g、（NH4)2SO40.3g、K2HPO40．66g、CaCl20.075g、水8．6mL,pH5．5,变温培养,前30h28℃、后30h为23℃,培养时间为60h。采用最适培养基和优化工艺,在250mL三角瓶中进行验证实验,酸性蛋白酶酶活可达12586U/g,果胶酶和纤维素酶分别为16490U/g、9822U／g。     

快原子轰击质谱技术结合酶学方法鉴定黑曲霉1,6—缩水—β—D—吡喃葡萄糖激酶的诱导合成

1,6－缩水－β－D－吡喃葡萄糖是纤维素类物质热解的主要产物,黑曲霉突变株CBX－209能较好地利用该糖作为唯一的碳源和能源生长并产生有用的代谢产物柠檬酸,其效率与利用葡萄糖大致相当。利用葡萄糖氧化酶和竦根过氧化物酶复合系统测定证明该菌株不存在1,6－缩水－β－D－吡喃葡萄糖水解酶,采用快原子轰击质谱技术结合6－磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶系统进行测定,结果表明经（NH4）2SO4沉淀或阴离子交换层析析处理后的无细胞提取液在加入ATP和Mg^2 条件下能直接催化1,6－缩水－β－D－吡喃葡萄糖合成6－磷酸葡萄糖,证明黑曲霉突变株中存在一个新酶,即1,6－缩水－β－D－吡喃葡萄糖激酶。该酶为诱导酶。     

黑曲霉FS25产β—葡萄糖酶发酵特性的研究

黑曲霉(Aspergillusniger)FS25产β-葡聚糖酶最适碳源为大麦粉,氮源为玉米浆;最佳摇瓶发酵配方为大麦粉6g,玉米浆2g,(NH4)2SO40.4g,FeSO4@7H2O0.01g,Na2HPO4@3H2O0.1g,CaCO30.5g,MgSO4@7H2O0.03g,麦麸0.8g,发酵初始pH为5.0,定容100mL.发酵温度为32℃,250mL三角瓶发酵液的装量为50mL,接种量为1.5mL孢子悬液(1.5×107个/mL);发酵周期为30h,酶活达到80.1u/mL,比初始的产酶水平提高了84.1%.     

茄科马尿泡和天仙子的花器官发生

利用扫描电镜研究了茄科(Solanaceae)天仙子族(Hyoscyameae)中国特有属马尿泡属( Przewalskia Maxim.)马尿泡( Przewalskia tangutica Maxim.)和天仙子属( Hyoscyamus L.)天仙子( Hyoscyamus niger L.)的花器官发生和发育,研究结果表明:马尿泡和天仙子花器官的发生和发育具有以下3个共同特征:1)符合Hofmeister规律, 即新器官的发生首先出现在花顶已经存在的器官之间;2)花冠的发育模式符合茄科植物所具有的"后合瓣"("late sympetaly")现象,即花瓣单独发生但后来又通过它们基部分生组织的融合而连合起来;3)花被五基数且花器官原基发生顺序为向心发育.但是它们的花萼原基具有不同的发生方式.天仙子花萼裂片原基的发生方式为环状发生;马尿泡花萼裂片原基的发生方式为螺旋状发生,但5个花萼裂片原基在都出现后就连成了一个环.马尿泡是介于天仙子属和山莨菪属之间的类群,它比天仙子属原始但较山莨菪属进化.     

Release of ferulic acid from agroindustrial by-products by the cell wall-degrading enzymes produced by Aspergillus niger I-1472

Aspergillus niger I-1472 was grown on sugar beet pulp to produce cell wall polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, including feruloyl esterases. Compared to enzymatic activities measured in commercially available mixtures previously used for the release of ferulic acid, the A. niger enzymes were more various. These enzymes were tested to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp, maize bran, or autoclaved maize bran. They were as efficient as the commercial mixture to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp. On the other hand, they were much more efficient to release ferulic acid from maize bran after autoclaving pretreatment, as 95% of ferulic acid ester were solubilized. Thus, A. niger enzymes exhibited a high interest in the release of ferulic acid from various agro-industrial by-products.     

Biotransformation of glucose to gluconic acid by Aspergillus niger—study of mass transfer in an airlift bioreactor

A glucose–gluconic acid biotransformation system was suggested for the experimental study of oxygen transfer in bioreactors. This biosystem was used for the investigation of the effect of the flow rate and biomass concentration on the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient k_La in a 10 dm³ internal-loop airlift bioreactor. For this purpose, the fermentation broth of the mycelial strain Aspergillus niger was employed, representing a three-phase system, where bubbles come into contact with dense rigid pellets. The results showed that the presented biotransformation system can be successfully utilised for the determination of the oxygen transfer rate in airlift bioreactors. The experiments showed a strong positive influence of the air flow rate on the rate (r_Glu), specific rate of gluconic acid production (k_Glu/X) as well as on the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (k_La). This confirmed an expected limitation of production rate by the oxygen transport from the gas to the liquid phase in the whole range of air flow rates applied. Moreover, consistent curves of the production rate r_Glu and k_La values vs. biomass concentration c_X (amount of enzymes) were observed. These exhibited a local maximum for c_X equal to 6.68 g dm⁻³. On the other hand, the specific production rate monotonously decreased with increasing biomass concentration. A decline of k_La values at higher c_X values was attributed to a bubble coalescence promoting effect of mycelial pellets.     

Predicting vegetative inoculum performance to maximize phytase production in solid-state fermentation using response surface methodology

Microbial phytase is used to reduce the environmental loading of phosphorus from animal production facilities. The limiting factors in the use of this enzyme in animal feeds can be overcome by solid-state fermentation (SSF), which is a promising technology for commercial enzyme production with lower production costs. Inoculum quality and the influence of inoculum quality on phytase production are important factors which need in-depth investigation before scaling-up of high-yielding fermentation process. A full factorial experimental design for 240 h with sampling at every 24 h was used to determine the effects of the treatments, inoculum age (plate and liquid culture), media composition and the duration of SSF on the production of fungal biomass and phytase in SSF systems using Aspergillus niger. The optimal treatment combination for maximal phytase production was determined by statistically comparing all treatments at each sampling time. Both 7- and 14-day plate cultures and M1+ medium composition with 72-h-old liquid inoculum treatments resulted in optimal phytase production at 144 h of SSF, which was the shortest duration observed for maximal phytase production. This resulted in maximal phytase production with a mean of 884±121 U/g substrate, while the maximal phytase production observed at 216 h of SSF (mean phytase activity of 1008±121 U/g substrate), with the same treatment combinations, was not statistically significant from that at 144 h of SSF. Phytase production was strongly growth-associated with younger inocula. The significant treatment variables, age of liquid inoculum and the duration of SSF, were used to predict the system response for phytase production using response surface methodology. From the response surface model, the optimal response of the experiment was predicted and the reliability of the prediction was checked with the verification experiment. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 26, 161–170. Received 06 June 2000/ Accepted in revised form 14 October 2000     

Mitochondrial location of pyruvate carboxylase in Aspergillus niger

Pyruvate carboxylase has been found in the mitochondrial fraction of two strains of Aspergillus niger along with the marker enzymes of citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase. The location of pyruvate carboxylase in A. nidulans was, however, confirmed to be in the cytosolic fraction. The enzyme from the former sources was dependent upon the presence of acetyl-CoA for full activity; the enzyme from A. nidulans was unaffected by the presence or absence of acetyl-CoA.