Butanol production from wheat straw hydrolysate using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium beijerinckii</Emphasis>

In these studies, butanol (acetone butanol ethanol or ABE) was produced from wheat straw hydrolysate (WSH) in batch cultures using Clostridium beijerinckii P260. In control fermentation 48.9 g L⁻¹ glucose (initial sugar 62.0 g L⁻¹) was used to produce 20.1 g L⁻¹ ABE with a productivity and yield of 0.28 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ and 0.41, respectively. In a similar experiment where WSH (60.2 g L⁻¹ total sugars obtained from hydrolysis of 86 g L⁻¹ wheat straw) was used, the culture produced 25.0 g L⁻¹ ABE with a productivity and yield of 0.60 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ and 0.42, respectively. These results are superior to the control experiment and productivity was improved by 214%. When WSH was supplemented with 35 g L⁻¹ glucose, a reactor productivity was improved to 0.63 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ with a yield of 0.42. In this case, ABE concentration in the broth was 28.2 g L⁻¹. When WSH was supplemented with 60 g L⁻¹ glucose, the resultant medium containing 128.3 g L⁻¹ sugars was successfully fermented (due to product removal) to produce 47.6 g L⁻¹ ABE, and the culture utilized all the sugars (glucose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, and mannose). These results demonstrate that C. beijerinckii P260 has excellent capacity to convert biomass derived sugars to solvents and can produce over 28 g L⁻¹ (in one case 41.7 g L⁻¹ from glucose) ABE from WSH. Medium containing 250 g L⁻¹ glucose resulted in no growth and no ABE production. Mixtures containing WSH + 140 g L⁻¹ glucose (total sugar approximately 200 g L⁻¹) showed poor growth and poor ABE production. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing scientific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the United States Department of Agriculture.     

白腐菌及黑曲霉所产的纤维素复合酶对稻草秸秆的生物降解

研究了白腐菌及纤维素复合酶对稻草秸秆的协同生物降解。结果表明,利用黄孢原毛平革菌固态发酵稻草秸秆的过程中,LiP和MnP的最大活力可以达到28.3U/g和12.6U/g,同时,秸秆中的木质素能被有效降解,但纤维素、半纤维素降解率较低。添加黑曲霉所产的纤维素复合酶能有效地促进秸秆腐熟程度。在接入白腐菌培养10天后,每克稻草添加3 IU纤维素酶液并酶解48h可以使稻草秸秆中纤维素降解53.8%,半纤维素降解57.8%,木质素降解44.5%,干物质损失46.3%。此时细胞壁出现大范围破损,整个组织变得松散,秸秆完全腐熟。     

玉米秸秆还田对黑土微生物群落功能多样性的影响

为了解玉米秸秆还田对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响,采用ECO-Biolog微平板法,分析了以无玉米秸秆还田为对照(CK),6000 kg·hm^-2(S1)、9000 kg·hm^-2(S2)、12000 kg·hm^-2(S3)和15000 kg·hm^-2(S4)四个秸秆还田量的土壤微生物碳源代谢特征。结果表明:随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加,土壤微生物平均颜色变化率(AWCD)也随之增加,24~96 h的AWCD值变化迅速,96 h后进入平稳期,S4处理AWCD值始终大于其他处理;秸秆还田对Shannon指数与Simpson指数没有显著影响(P>0.05),但与CK相比,S4处理McIntosh指数显著增加了57.5%(P<0.05);主成分分析结果显示,秸秆还田影响着土壤微生物群落碳代谢能力,S1、CK、S2和S3处理在PC1和PC2上出现显著的分异,糖类、多聚物类、羧酸类碳源是研究区域内土壤微生物利用的主要碳源。因此,在东北黑土区增加玉米秸秆还田量能够提高土壤微生物对碳源的利用能力,提升黑土肥力。     

Production of fuels and chemicals from renewable resources using engineered Escherichia coli

Biotechnological production of fuels and chemicals from renewable resources is an appealing way to move from the current petroleum-based economy to a biomass-based green economy. Recently, the feedstocks that can be used for bioconversion or fermentation have been expanded to plant biomass, microbial biomass, and industrial waste. Several microbes have been engineered to produce chemicals from renewable resources, among which Escherichia coli is one of the best studied. Much effort has been made to engineer E. coli to produce fuels and chemicals from different renewable resources. In this paper, we focused on E. coli and systematically reviewed a range of fuels and chemicals that can be produced from renewable resources by engineered E. coli. Moreover, we proposed how can we further improve the efficiency for utilizing renewable resources by engineered E. coli, and how can we engineer E. coli for utilizing alternative renewable feedstocks. e.g. C1 gases and methanol. This review will help the readers better understand the current progress in this field and provide insights for further metabolic engineering efforts in E. coli.     

Optimization of extracellular endoxylanase, endoglucanase and peroxidase production by Streptomyces sp. F2621 isolated in Turkey

AIMS: To determine the effect of environmental conditions on the production of extracellular lignocellulose-degrading enzymes by Streptomyces sp. F2621 and to assess the potential use of these enzymes in the hydrolysis of lignocellulose material. METHODS AND RESULTS: The production of extracellular lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, endoxylanase, endoglucanase and peroxidase during the growth of Streptomyces sp. F2621 in basal salts-yeast extract medium containing different carbon sources and the effect of a number of environmental parameters (e.g. carbon sources and concentrations, pH and temperature) were investigated. The highest endoxylanase (22.41 U ml(-1)) and peroxidase (0.58 U ml(-1)) activities were obtained after 2-4 days of incubation at 30 degrees C in a basal salts medium containing 0.4% (w/v) oat spelt xylan and 0.6% (w/v) yeast extract, corresponding to C : N ratio of 6 : 1. Cell-free extracellular enzyme preparations from the strain were capable of releasing both sugar and aromatic compounds during incubation with eucalyptus paper pulp, straw and xylan. Overall, 9.3% hydrolysis of xylan occurred after 24-h incubation. However the rates of hydrolysis of paper pulp and straw were approximately twofold less than xylan hydrolysis, although the total percentage hydrolysis of available substrate (24.5% and 16.3%, respectively) was greater than xylan hydrolysis. CONCLUSIONS: The high levels of enzyme production achieved under batch cultivation conditions, coupled with no significant production of endoglucanase during the growth phase of organism and the release of both sugar and aromatic compounds from paper pulp and straw signify the suitability for these enzymes for industrial applications such as pulp and paper production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results highlight the environmental conditions for the production of extracellular lignocellulose-degrading enzymes by Streptomyces sp. F2621 and suggest the use of streptomycetes and/or their enzymes in industrial processes.     

Process optimization for the production of sugar for the bioethanol industry from Tapioca,a non-conventional source of starch

A commercial preparation of -amylase, Biotempase, obtained from Biocon India Pvt. Ltd., and crude glucoamylase produced from Aspergillus sp. NA21 were used to hydrolyse tapioca powder, a non-conventional starchy substrate. Among various concentrations of starch (15–35%, dry weight/volume) tried for maximum liquefaction; slurry made with 25% substrate concentration proved optimal. An economical process of liquefaction was carried out using steam under pressure (0.2–0.3 bar, 104–105 °C) to liquefy a 25% slurry in just 45 min, contrary to a slower process carried out at 95 °C in a water bath. For liquefaction of starch a pH of 5.0 proved to be optimum. The dose of Biotempase as prescribed by the supplier could be reduced by 33% achieving the same degree of liquefaction, by addition of CaCl₂ to the starch slurry at the concentration of 120 mg/l. The conditions for the saccharification of liquefied starch were optimized to be 60 °C and pH 5.0, producing 90% saccharification in 24 h. Supplementation of divalent ions Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ in the process of saccharification showed no effect. Finally glucose was found to be the main hydrolysis product in the saccharification of tapioca starch.     

Empirical evaluation of cellulase on enzymatic hydrolysis of waste office paper

Enzymatic hydrolysis of waste office paper was evaluated using three commercial cellulases, Acremonium cellulase, Meicelase, and Cellulosin T2. Varying the enzyme loading from 1 to 10% (w/w) conversion of waste office paper to reducing sugar was investigated. The conversion increased with the increase in the enzyme loading: in the case of enzyme loading of 10% (w/w), Acremonium cellulase yielded 79% conversion of waste office paper, which was 17% higher compared to Meicelase, 13% higher than that of Cellulosin T2. Empirical model for the conversion (%) of waste office paper to reducing sugar (x) was derived from experimental results as follow,x=kE ^m t ^(aE+b) wherek, m, a, and d denote empirical constants.E indicates initial enzyme concentration.     

Xylitol production from high xylose concentration: evaluation of the fermentation in bioreactor under different stirring rates

AIMS: To investigate the production of xylitol by the yeast Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037, in a bioreactor, from rice straw hemicellulosic hydrolysate with a high xylose concentration. METHODS AND RESULTS: Batch fermentation was carried out with rice straw hemicellulosic hydrolysate containing about 85 g xylose l(-1), in a stirred-tank bioreactor at 30 degrees C, under aeration of 1.3 vvm (volume of air per volume of medium per min) and different stirring rates (200, 300 and 500 rev min(-1)). The bioconversion of xylose into xylitol by the yeast depended on the stirring rate, the maximum xylitol yield (YP/S = 0.84 g g(-1)) being achieved at 300 rev min-1, with no need to pretreat the hydrolysate for purification. CONCLUSIONS: To determine the most adequate oxygen transfer rate is fundamental to improving the xylose-to-xylitol bioconversion by C. guilliermondii. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: For the microbial production of xylitol to be economically viable, the initial concentration of xylose in the lignocellulosic hydrolysate should be as high as possible, as with high substrate concentrations it is possible to increase the final product concentration. Nevertheless, there are few reports on the use of high xylose concentrations. Considering a process in bioreactor, from rice straw hemicellulosic hydrolysate, this is an innovator work.     

NAGase activity in airborne biomass dust and relationship between NAGase concentrations and fungal spores

Inhalation of airborne fungal spores or fungalenzymes may cause adverse pulmonary healtheffects. The enzyme NAGase(N-acetyl--D-glucosaminidase) is achitinase presumed to be secreted by all fungi. In this study, NAGase activities andconcentrations of fungi are estimated inairborne biomass dust to acquire knowledgeabout the level of NAGase activity and therelationship between NAGase activity andconcentrations of airborne fungal spores.NAGase was sampled on both teflon andpolycarbonate filters, and polycarbonatefilters proved to be better for extraction ofNAGase than teflon filters. NAGase was foundin airborne dust at a biofuel plant and in dustgenerated from biomass. At a biofuel plant, themedian level of exposure to NAGase was 21 pmols^–1 m^–3. Significant correlationswere found between NAGase activities, totalnumber of fungal spores and CFU of fungi, withthe highest degree of correlation being betweenthe total number of fungal spores and theNAGase activity (r = 0.802, n = 76). Furthermore,when dust was stored for different periods, theculturability of fungal spores was stronglyreduced and the NAGase activity was not or onlyslightly reduced after up to 40 days ofstorage. Accordingly, NAGase activity may beused as a rapid method to get an estimate ofthe exposure level to airborne fungal spores.Whether pure NAGase or the NAGaseconcentrations observed here cause any healtheffects is not known, although it has beenshown that other fungal enzymes can causerespiratory disorders and a chitinase isdescribed as an allergen.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizopus arrhizus</Emphasis> – a producer for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of starch waste materials to l(+)-lactic acid

Rhizopus arrhizus, strain DAR 36017, produced L(+)-lactic acid in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process using starch waste effluents. Lactic acid at 19.5-44.3 g l(-1) with a yield of 0.85-0.96 g g(-1) was produced in 40 h using 20-60 g starch l(-1). Supplementation of nitrogen source may be unnecessary if potato or corn starch waste effluent was used as a production medium.