Uptake of phenylacetic acid by two strains of Penicillium chrysogenum

Uptake of phenylacetic acid, the side-chain precursor of benzylpenicillin, was studied in Penicillium chrysogenum Wisconsin 54-1255 and in a strain yielding high levels of penicillin. In penicillin fermentations with the high-yielding strain, 100% recovery of phenylacetic acid in benzylpenicillin was found, whereas in the Wisconsin strain only 17% of the supplied phenylacetic acid was incorporated into benzylpenicillin while the rest was metabolized. Accumulation of total phenylacetic acid-derived carbon in the cells was nonsaturable in both strains at high external concentrations of phenylacetic acid (250-3500 microM), and in the high-yielding strain at low phenylacetic acid concentrations (2. 8-100 microM), indicating that phenylacetic acid enters the cells by simple diffusion, as concluded earlier for P. chrysogenum by other authors. However, at low external concentrations of phenylacetic acid saturable accumulation appeared in the Wisconsin strain. HPLC-analyses of cell extracts from the Wisconsin strain showed that phenylacetic acid was metabolized immediately after entry into the cells and different [14C]-labeled metabolites were detected in the cells. Up to approximately 50% of the accumulated phenylacetic acid was metabolized during the transport-assay period, the conversion having an impact on the uptake experiments. Nevertheless, accumulation of free unchanged phenylacetic acid in the cells showed saturation kinetics, suggesting the possible involvement of a high-affinity carrier in uptake of phenylacetic acid in P. chrysogenum Wisconsin 54-1255. At high concentrations of phenylacetic acid, contribution to uptake by this carrier is minor in comparison to simple diffusion and therefore, of no importance in the industrial production of penicillin.     

The cephamycin biosynthetic genes pcbAB, encoding a large multidomain peptide synthetase, and pcbC of Nocardia lactamdurans are clustered together in an organization different from the same genes in Acremonium chrysogenum and Penicillium chrysogenum

A 34 kb fragment of the Nocardia lactamdurans DNA carrying the cluster of early cephamycin biosynthetic genes was cloned in lambda EMBL3 by hybridization with probes internal to the pcbAB and pcbC genes of Penicillium chrysogenum and Streptomyces griseus. The pcbAB and pcbC genes were found to be closely linked together in the genome of N. lactamdurans. The pcbAB gene of N. lactamdurans showed the same orientation as the pcbC gene, in contrast to the divergent expression of the genes in the pcbAB-pcbC cluster of P. chrysogenum and Acremonium chrysogenum. The pcbAB gene encodes a large (3649 amino acids) multidomain delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine synthetase with a deduced Mr of 404,134. This enzyme contains three repeated domains and a consensus thioesterase active-site sequence. The pcbC gene encodes a protein of 328 amino acids with a deduced Mr of 37,469, which is similar to other isopenicillin N synthases except that it lacks one of two cysteine residues conserved in all other isopenicillin N synthases. The different organization of the pcbAB-pcbC gene cluster in N. lactamadurans and Streptomyces clavuligerus relative to P. chrysogenum and A. chrysogenum is intriguing in relation to the hypothesis of horizontal transference of these genes from actinomycetes to filamentous fungi by a single transfer event.     

Stereumin A-E, sesquiterpenoids from the fungus Stereum sp. CCTCC AF 207024

Five cadinane sesquiterpenoids, named stereumin A (1), B (2), C (3), D (4) and E (5) were isolated from the CHCl(3) extract of the culture broth of the fungal strain CCTCC AF 207024. Based on the sequences at the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and partial 28S rDNA, this fungus was identified as a Stereum sp. The structures of the five compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic data from 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS experiments, and the structures of 1 and 2 were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compounds 1-5 showed nematicidal activities against the nematode Panagrellus redivivus at 400 mg l(-1). Among these five compounds, compounds 3 and 4 killed 84.4% and 94.9% of P. redivivus, respectively in 48 h.     

Rhodotorula lamellibrachii sp. nov., a new yeast species from a tubeworm collected at the deep-sea floor in Sagami Bay and its phylogenetic analysis

A new species of the genus Rhodotorula was isolated from a tubeworm (Lamellibrachia sp.) collected at a depth of 1156 m in Sagami Bay, Japan. Strain SY-89 had physiological properties quite similar to R. aurantiaca. Two phylogenetic trees, one based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and 5.8S rDNA sequences and the other based on the D1/D2 region of the large subunit (26S) rDNA sequences, united strain SY-89 to the type strain of Sakaguchia dacryoides through a considerable evolutionary distance. Strain SY-89 was differentiated from S. dacryoides by the G+C content of the nuclear DNA and differences in the ability to utilize specific carbon and nitrogen compounds. The low complementarity of strain SY-89 DNA to that of the type strain of S. dacryoides confirmed that this strain was genetically unrelated to previously known species. The tubeworm isolates are described as R. lamellibrachii sp. nov. The type strain of R. lamellibrachii is strain SY-89 (= JCM 10907). R. lamellibrachii formed a cluster with Erythrobasidium hasegawianum, R. lactosa, S. dacryoides and Sporobolomyces elongatus on the ITS and 5.8S rDNA phylogenetic tree. These five species shared a signature sequence in 26S rDNA, although this relationship was not supported by phylogeny based on the D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA.     

The unprocessed preprotein form IATC103S of the isopenicillin N acyltransferase is transported inside peroxisomes and regulates its self-processing

Previous studies in Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus nidulans suggested that self-processing of the isopenicillin N acyltransferase (IAT) is an important differential factor in these fungi. Expression of a mutant penDE(C103S) gene in P. chrysogenum gave rise to an unprocessed inactive variant of IAT (IAT(C103S)) located inside peroxisomes, which indicates that transport of the proIAT inside these organelles is not dependent on the processing state of the protein. Co-expression of the penDE(C103S) and wild-type penDE genes in P. chrysogenum (Wis54-DE(C103S) strain) led to a decrease in benzylpenicillin levels. Changes in the wild-type IAT processing profile (beta subunit formation) were observed in the Wis54-DE(C103S) strain, suggesting a regulatory role of the unprocessed IAT(C103S) in the processing of the wild-type IAT. This was confirmed in Escherichia coli, where a delay in the processing of IAT in presence of the unprocessable IAT(C103S) was observed. Our results indicate that IAT is post-translationally regulated by its preprotein, which interferes with the self-processing.     

Trichosporon mycotoxinivorans sp. nov., a new yeast species useful in biological detoxification of various mycotoxins

A yeast strain isolated from the hindgut of the lower termite Mastotermes darwiniensis (Mastotermitidae) was found to represent a new member of the genus Trichosporon. Trichosporon mycotoxinivorans is closely related to T. loubieri on the basis of the phylogenetic trees based on the D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA, an approx. 600 bp fragment of the 18S rDNA and both ITS regions. However, the two species differ at nine positions in the D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA. The IGS1 region of T. mycotoxinivorans is 401 bp long. T. mycotoxinivorans is distinguished from T. loubieri by its ability to assimilate inulin and galactitol, and its inability to grow at 40 °C. The name of this newly isolated strain refers to an important characteristics of T. mycotoxinivorans to detoxify mycotoxins such as ochratoxin A and zearalenone. Therefore this strain can be used for the deactivation of the respective mycotoxins in animal feeds.     

一株分离于酸性矿坑水的异养菌的特性与分子鉴定

采用平板划线分离法,从江西某铜矿酸性矿坑水中分离出一株极端嗜酸、又能耐受中度碱性条件的异养微生物,命名为HJM菌株。该菌株能在pH1.5~10.0的范围内生长。形态学以及18SrDNA和26S rDNAD1/D2区序列分析表明,HJM菌株属于P.guilliermondii这个种。金属抗性试验表明,该菌株对重金属铜离子的抗性可高达45mmol/L,因此,它的分离为研究极端环境中微生物的抗铜机制提供了材料。     

Inactivation of the lys7 gene, encoding saccharopine reductase in Penicillium chrysogenum, leads to accumulation of the secondary metabolite precursors piperideine-6-carboxylic acid and pipecolic acid from alpha-aminoadipic acid

Pipecolic acid serves as a precursor of the biosynthesis of the alkaloids slaframine and swainsonine (an antitumor agent) in some fungi. It is not known whether other fungi are able to synthesize pipecolic acid. Penicillium chrysogenum has a very active alpha-aminoadipic acid pathway that is used for the synthesis of this precursor of penicillin. The lys7 gene, encoding saccharopine reductase in P. chrysogenum, was target inactivated by the double-recombination method. Analysis of a disrupted strain (named P. chrysogenum SR1-) showed the presence of a mutant lys7 gene lacking about 1,000 bp in the 3'-end region. P. chrysogenum SR1- lacked saccharopine reductase activity, which was recovered after transformation of this mutant with the intact lys7 gene in an autonomously replicating plasmid. P. chrysogenum SR1- was a lysine auxotroph and accumulated piperideine-6-carboxylic acid. When mutant P. chrysogenum SR1- was grown with L-lysine as the sole nitrogen source and supplemented with DL-alpha-aminoadipic acid, a high level of pipecolic acid accumulated intracellularly. A comparison of strain SR1- with a lys2-defective mutant provided evidence showing that P. chrysogenum synthesizes pipecolic acid from alpha-aminoadipic acid and not from L-lysine catabolism.     

Behaviour of tritium-labelled isopenicillin N and 6-aminopenicillanic acid as potential penicillin precursors in an extract of Penicillum chrysogenum.

1. 3H was incorporated into solvent-soluble penicillin from isopenicillin N and 6-aminopenicillanic acid 3H-labelled in the 2beta-methyl group when the labelled compounds were incubated with a crude extract of Penicillum chrysogenum. 2. With a soluble protein fraction of the extract incorporation from isopenicillin N occurred on addition of phenyl-acetyl-CoA. 3. Labelled benzylpenicillin was isolated after incubation of the crude extract with phenylacetyl-CoA and isopenicillin and the addition of unlabelled benzylpenicillin as a carrier. 4. No incorporation of 3H into solvent-soluble penicillin was detected on incubation of these extracts with penicillin N.     

Characterization of four olive-mill-wastewater indigenous bacterial strains capable of aerobically degrading hydroxylated and methoxylated monocyclic aromatic compounds

Seven aerobic bacterial strains capable of degrading several of the monocyclic aromatic compounds occurring in the phenolic fraction of olive-mill wastewaters (OMWs) were isolated from an Italian OMW. The results of the 16S rDNA restriction analysis evidenced that these strains are distributed among four different groups. One strain of each group was taxonomically characterized by sequencing the amplified 16S rDNA, and the four strains were assigned to the genera Comamonas (strain AV1A), Ralstonia (strain AV5BG), Pseudomonas (strain AV2A) and Sphingomonas (strain AV6C). The four strains, when checked for the ability to degrade nine monocyclic aromatic compounds abundant in OMWs, were found to significantly metabolize five to eight of them, both as resting cells and growing cells. Specific enzyme analyses of the same selected strains showed: (1) the occurrence of O-demethylating activities towards four methoxylated mono-aromatic acids in three of the four studied strains (strains AV1A, AV5BG and AV6C), (2) ring-cleavage activity towards protocatechuic acid in all of the strains, and (3) a ring-cleavage activity towards catechol in strain AV6C. The isolates described here exhibit a biodegradation potential towards monocyclic aromatic compounds of OMWs that is markedly broader and higher than that displayed by other aerobic bacteria described previously. These features make them excellent candidates for removing the low-molecular-weight phenolic compounds persisting in the effluent following anaerobic digestion of OMWs.     

Pichia koratensis sp. nov., a new ascomycetous yeast related to Pichia acaciae isolated from insect frass in Thailand

Two yeast strains (ST-235 and ST-237) isolated from insect frass collected in northeastern Thailand, were identified as Pichia acaciae and a hitherto undescribed species based on the sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA, ITS regions, and DNA-DNA reassociation experiments. The latter strain, ST-237 (=BCC 11769=NBRC 103638=JCM 12576), was described as Pichia koratensis sp. nov. Pichia koratensis is closely related to Pichia acaciae in the D1/D2 domain sequence of 26S rDNA and phenotypical characteristics but differs by 5 nucleotides (0.9%) from the type strain of P. acaciae and is clearly distinguished by the assimilation and fermentation of sucrose.     

Burkholderia sp. NCIMB 10467菌株中原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶基因的分子克隆和生化特性研究（英文稿）

NCIMB 10467是一株木质素降解菌, 根据其16S rDNA序列将其重新分类为Burkholderia菌属。研究显示, 在NCIMB 10467菌株中, 不同的底物可以诱导该菌株对于原儿茶酸的多种代谢形式。根据克隆到的一段原儿茶酸邻位开环酶, 即原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶(P34D; EC 1.13.11.3) a-亚基的保守序列, 通过染色体步移的方法, 得到一段9505 bp的DNA片段。序列分析显示, 在这段9.5 kb的DNA片段中, 两个可能的开放阅读框pcaG 和 pcaH分别编码P34D的a-亚基和b-亚基。将pcaGH克隆并在大肠杆菌中进行表达后, 可以检测到P34D的活性。而pcaH在NCIMB 10467菌株中的敲除则使该菌完全丧失了代谢原儿茶酸的能力。由此证实, 克隆到的pcaGH基因确实编码原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶, 并且对于NCIMB 10467菌株对原儿茶酸的代谢是必需的。     

Burkholderia sp. NCIMB 10467菌株中原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶基因的分子克隆和生化特性研究

NCIMB 10467是一株木质素降解菌, 根据其16S rDNA序列将其重新分类为Burkholderia菌属。研究显示, 在NCIMB 10467菌株中, 不同的底物可以诱导该菌株对于原儿茶酸的多种代谢形式。根据克隆到的一段原儿茶酸邻位开环酶, 即原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶(P34D; EC 1.13.11.3) a-亚基的保守序列, 通过染色体步移的方法, 得到一段9505 bp的DNA片段。序列分析显示, 在这段9.5 kb的DNA片段中, 两个可能的开放阅读框pcaG 和 pcaH分别编码P34D的a-亚基和b-亚基。将pcaGH克隆并在大肠杆菌中进行表达后, 可以检测到P34D的活性。而pcaH在NCIMB 10467菌株中的敲除则使该菌完全丧失了代谢原儿茶酸的能力。由此证实, 克隆到的pcaGH基因确实编码原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶, 并且对于NCIMB 10467菌株对原儿茶酸的代谢是必需的。     

Burkholderia sp.NCIMB 10467菌株中原儿茶酸3, 4-双加氧酶基因的分子克隆和生化特性研究

NCIMB 10467是一株木质素降解菌,根据其16S rDNA序列将其重新分类为Burkholderia菌属.研究显示,在NCIMB 10467菌株中,不同的底物可以诱导该菌株对于原儿茶酸的多种代谢形式.根据克隆到的一段原儿茶酸邻位开环酶,即原儿茶酸3,4-双加氧酶(P34D;EC 1.13.11.3)α-亚基的保守序列,通过染色体步移的方法,得到一段9505bp的DNA片段.序列分析显示,在这段9.5 kb的DNA片段中,两个可能的开放阅读框pcaG和pcaH分别编码P34D的α-亚基和β-亚基.将pcaGH克隆并在大肠杆菌中进行表达后,可以检测到P34D的活性.而pcaH在NCIMB 10467菌株中的敲除则使该菌完全丧失了代谢原儿茶酸的能力.由此证实,克隆到的pcaGH基因确实编码原儿茶酸3,4-双加氧酶,并且对于NCIMB 10467菌株对原儿茶酸的代谢是必需的.     

Resorcinol degradation by a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium chrysogenum</Emphasis> strain under osmotic stress: mono and binary substrate matrices with phenol

A phenol-degrading Penicillium chrysogenum strain previously isolated from a salt mine was able to grow at 1,000 mg l⁻¹ of resorcinol on solid medium. The aerobic degradation of resorcinol by P. chrysogenum CLONA2 was studied in batch cultures in minimal mineral medium with 58.5 g l⁻¹ of sodium chloride using resorcinol as the sole carbon source. The fungal strain showed the ability to degrade up to 250 mg l⁻¹ of resorcinol. Resorcinol and phenol efficiency degradation by P. chrysogenum CLONA2 was compared. This strain removes phenol faster than resorcinol. When phenol and resorcinol were in binary substrate matrices, phenol enhanced resorcinol degradation, and organic load decreased with respect to the mono substrate matrices. The acute toxicity of phenol and resorcinol, individually and in combination, to Artemia franciscana larvae has been verified before and after the bioremediation process with P. chrysogenum CLONA2. The remediation process was effective in mono and binary substrate systems.