Rapid degradation of ferulic acid via 4-vinylguaiacol and vanillin by a newly isolated strain of bacillus coagulans

A new strain Bacillus coagulans BK07 was isolated from decomposed wood-bark, based on its ability to grow on ferulic acid as a sole carbon source. This strain rapidly decarboxylated ferulic acid to 4-vinylguaiacol, which was immediately converted to vanillin and then oxidized to vanillic acid. Vanillic acid was further demethylated to protocatechuic acid. Above 95% substrate degradation was obtained within 7 h of growth on ferulic acid medium, which is the shortest period of time reported to date. The major degradation products, was isolated and identified by thin-layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography and ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were 4-vinylguaiacol, vanillin, vanillic acid and protocatechuic acid.     

Enhanced vanillin production from ferulic acid using adsorbent resin

High vanillin productivity was achieved in the batch biotransformation of ferulic acid by Streptomyces sp. strain V-1. Due to the toxicity of vanillin and the product inhibition, fed-batch biotransformation with high concentration of ferulic acid was unsuccessful. To solve this problem and improve the vanillin yield, a biotransformation strategy using adsorbent resin was investigated. Several macroporous adsorbent resins were chosen to adsorb vanillin in situ during the bioconversion. Resin DM11 was found to be the best, which adsorbed the most vanillin and the least ferulic acid. When 8% resin DM11 (wet w/v) was added to the biotransformation system, 45 g l⁻¹ ferulic acid could be added continually and 19.2 g l⁻¹ vanillin was obtained within 55 h, which was the highest vanillin yield by bioconversion until now. This yield was remarkable for exceeding the crystallization concentration of vanillin and therefore had far-reaching consequence in its downstream processing.     

A two-step bioconversion process for vanillin production from ferulic acid combining Aspergillus niger and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus

A two-step bioconversion process of ferulic acid to vanillin was elaborated combining two filamentous fungi, Aspergillus niger and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus. In the first step, A. niger transformed ferulic acid to vanillic acid and in the second step vanillic acid was reduced to vanillin by P. cinnabarinus. Ferulic acid metabolism by A. niger occurred essentially via the propenoic chain degradation to lead to vanillic acid, which was subsequently decarboxylated to methoxyhydroquinone. In 3-day-old cultures of P. cinnabarinus supplied with vanillic-acid-enriched culture medium from A. niger as precursor source, vanillin was successfully produced. In order to improve the yields of the process, sequential additions of precursors were performed. Vanillic acid production by A. niger from ferulic acid reached 920 mg l⁻¹ with a molar yield of 88% and vanillin production by P. cinnabarinus from vanillic acid attained 237 mg l ⁻¹ with a molar yield of 22%. However, the vanillic acid oxidative system producing methoxyhydroquinone was predominant in P. cinnabarinus cultures, which explained the relatively low level in vanillin.     

Metabolism of isoeugenol via isoeugenol-diol by a newly isolated strain of Bacillus subtilis HS8

A bacterium designated as HS8 was newly isolated from soil based on its ability to degrade isoeugenol. The strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis according to its 16S rDNA sequence analysis and biochemical characteristics. The metabolic pathway for the degradation of isoeugenol was examined. Isoeugenol-diol, for the first time, was detected as an intermediate from isoeugenol to vanillin by a bacterial strain. Isoeugenol was converted to vanillin via isoeugenol-diol, and vanillin was then metabolized via vanillic acid to guaiacol by strain HS8. These metabolites, vanillin, vanillic acid, and guaiacol, are all valuable aromatic compounds in flavor production. At the same time, the bipolymerization of isoeugenol was observed, which produced dehydrodiisoeugenol and decreased the vanillin yield. High level of vanillic acid decarboxylase activity was detected in cell-free extract. These findings provided a detailed profile of isoeugenol metabolism by a B. subtilis strain for the first time, which would improve the production of valuable aromatic compounds by biotechnology.     

罗非鱼源无乳链球菌肠道拮抗芽孢杆菌的筛选及其生物学特性

【目的】从健康尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)肠道中筛选一株对罗非鱼源无乳链球菌等病原菌具有拮抗功能的益生菌。【方法】取健康尼罗罗非鱼肠道,匀浆后进行10倍系列梯度稀释,然后涂布BHI平板,培养1–2d,挑取单克隆菌落。采用点种法初步筛选对罗非鱼源无乳链球菌有拮抗作用的菌株,选取其中一株拮抗效果较好的菌株LF01,通过形态学、生理生化特征以及分子生物学分析,对LF01菌株进行鉴定。然后对LF01菌株的生长特性、水解淀粉和酪蛋白能力、药物敏感特性、抗菌谱和生物安全性进行测定和分析。【结果】根据菌落形态和生长时间的差异,从健康尼罗罗非鱼肠道中筛选出64株细菌,通过拮抗试验筛选出6株具有明显拮抗效果的菌株,其中LF01菌株的拮抗效果最好。根据LF01的形态、生理生化特征和gyr A基因的进化分析,确定该菌株为贝莱斯芽孢杆菌(Bacillus velezensis)。LF01菌株的最适生长温度为30°C,最适p H值为7,最适盐度为5‰,而且该菌株具有水解淀粉和酪蛋白的功能。药敏试验结果显示,LF01菌株对多数抗生素敏感,仅对杆菌肽耐药。拮抗试验结果显示LF01株对无乳链球菌、海豚链球菌、迟缓爱德华氏菌、鮰爱德华氏菌、嗜水气单胞菌、舒氏气单胞菌、维氏气单胞菌、简氏气单胞菌、鰤鱼诺卡氏菌等病原菌均具有拮抗作用,其中对鰤鱼诺卡氏菌的拮抗作用最强,平均抑菌圈直径达28.3 mm。生物安全试验表明,LF01菌株对尼罗罗非鱼、斑马鱼(Danio rerio)和乌鳢(Channa argus)等3种鱼均无致病性,具有良好的安全性。【结论】本研究筛选了一株贝莱斯芽孢杆菌LF01株,该菌的生物安全性良好,而且可拮抗常见的水产病原菌,具有防控多种水产经济动物疾病的潜力,应用前景十分广阔。     

Biotransformation of isoeugenol to vanillin by a newly isolated Bacillus pumilus strain: identification of major metabolites

A bacterial strain S-1 capable of transforming isoeugenol to vanillin was isolated. The strain was identified as Bacillus pumilus based on biochemical tests, cellular fatty acid composition, riboprint pattern and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses. In the biotransformation of isoeugenol, vanillin was the main product. With the growing culture of B. pumilus S-1, 10 g l⁻¹ isoeugenol was converted to 3.75 g l⁻¹ vanillin in 150 h, with a molar yield of 40.5% that is the highest up to now. Dehydrodiisoeugenol, a dimer of isoeugenol, was separated by preparative thin layer chromatography and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Based on the accurate masses obtained from gas chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry, two key intermediates, isoeugenol-epoxide (IE) and isoeugenol-diol (ID), were identified by mass spectra interpretations. The biotransformation with resting cells showed that vanillin was oxidized to vanillic acid and then to protocatechuic acid before the aromatic ring was broken. These findings suggest that isoeugenol is degraded through an epoxide-diol pathway.     

Degradation of 4-nitroaniline by Stenotrophomonas strain HPC 135

A bacterial strain HPC 135 capable of growing on 4-nitroaniline (NA) as a source of carbon and energy was isolated from contaminated site after enrichment. Experiments revealed that the strain HPC 135 utilized 4NA as analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The presence of acetate as co-substrate did not affect the utilization of 4-nitroaniline by the isolate but cell growth was increased. Oxygen consumption studies demonstrated that strain HPC 135 could utilize various substrates such as 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol, 4-chlorobenzonitrile, 4-nitrophenol as well as 4NA. On partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis, strain HPC 135 showed highest homology with Stenotrophomonas strain based on FASTA program.     

Microbial transformation of ferulic acid to vanillic acid by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces sannanensis</Emphasis> MTCC 6637

Streptomyces sannanensis MTCC 6637 was examined for its potentiality to transform ferulic acid into its corresponding hydroxybenzoate-derivatives. Cultures of S. sannanensis when grown on minimal medium containing ferulic acid as sole carbon source, vanillic acid accumulation was observed in the medium as the major biotransformed product along with transient formation of vanillin. A maximum amount of 400 mg/l vanillic acid accumulation was observed, when cultures were grown on 5 mM ferulic acid at 28°C. This accumulation of vanillic acid was found to be stable in the culture media for a long period of time, thus facilitating its recovery. Purification of vanillic acid was achieved by gel filtration chromatography using Sephadex™ LH-20 matrix. Catabolic route of ferulic acid biotransformation by S. sannanensis has also been demonstrated. The metabolic inhibitor experiment [by supplementation of 3,4 methylenedioxy-cinnamic acid (MDCA), a metabolic inhibitor of phenylpropanoid enzyme 4-hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA ligase (4-CL) along with ferulic acid] suggested that biotransformation of ferulic acid into vanillic acid mainly proceeds via CoA-dependent route. In vitro conversions of ferulic acid to vanillin, vanillic acid and vanillin to vanillic acid were also demonstrated with cell extract of S. sannanensis. Further degradation of vanillic acid to other intermediates such as, protocatechuic acid and guaiacol was not observed, which was also confirmed in vitro with cell extract.     

Quantitative isotopic C nuclear magnetic resonance at natural abundance to probe enzyme reaction mechanisms via site-specific isotope fractionation: The case of the chain-shortening reaction for the bioconversion of ferulic acid to vanillin

Isotope fractionation is a powerful technique by which to probe the reaction mechanism of enzymes. The effect of a heavy isotope on the reaction energetics can be used to predict transition state architecture and reaction mechanism. In order to examine simultaneously the isotope fractionation in ¹³C at multiple sites within the substrate and product molecules without any need for site-selective isotope enrichment, a technique exploiting quantitative isotopic nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry at natural abundance (NAQ–NMR) has been developed. Here we report the first application of this technique to the study of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, the bioconversion of ferulic acid to vanillin in cultures of Streptomyces setonii. We were able to show that the NAQ–NMR methodology is sufficiently precise and robust to measure the isotope shifts in the ¹³C/¹²C ratios in both substrate and product of this biotransformation, thereby permitting meaningful data to be obtained even at carbon positions that take part only indirectly in the reaction and show only secondary isotope fractionation. The results obtained provide direct evidence in support of the current hypothesis for the reaction mechanism of the enzyme hydroxycinnamoyl–CoA hydratase/lyase, notably the proposed involvement of the quinone methide enolate of feruloyl–CoA as intermediate in the catalytic pathway.     

Biodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene by a newly isolated Rhodococcus erythropolis strain

A new dibenzothiophene (DBT) desulfurizing bacterium was isolated from oil-contaminated soils in Iran. HPLC analysis and PCR-based detection of the presence of the DBT desulfurization genes (dszA, dszB and dszC) indicate that this strain converts DBT to 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP) via the 4S pathway. The strain, identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis SHT87, can utilize DBT, dibenzothiophene sulfone, thiophene, 2-methylthiophene and dimethylsulfoxide as a sole sulfur source for growth at 30 °C.The maximum specific desulfurization activity of strain SHT87 resting cells in aqueous and biphasic organic–aqueous systems at 30 °C was determined to be 0.36 and 0.47 μmol 2-HBP min⁻¹ (g dry cell)⁻¹, respectively. Three mM DBT was completely metabolized by SHT87 resting cells in the aqueous and biphasic systems within 10 h. The rate and the extent of the desulfurization reaction by strain SHT87 suggest that this strain can be used for the biodesulfurization of diesel oils.     

Metabolism of ferulic acid by a Penicillium sp.

Ferulic acid was metabolised by a Penicillium sp. (probably P. rubrum) by a novel route involving a preliminary demethylation to caffeic acid, followed by side-chain shortening to yield protocatechuic acid which was subsequently broken down via the ortho-fission pathway.Abbreviations used BAW = n-butanol, acetic acid, water [BAW]-(454:10:22) - BzAc = benzene, acetic acid, water [BzAc](125:72:3) - BzDA = benzene, dioxane, acetic acid [BzDA](90:25:4)     

Domoic acid production by Pseudo-nitzschia australis and Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha isolated from North Chile

The morphology and toxicity of the four ubiquitous species belonging to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia found in mixed blooms of phytoplankton from northern Chilean waters were studied. The phytoplankton samples and cultures obtained were identified by scanning electron microscopy, revealing the presence of Pseudo-nitzschia australis, P. calliantha, P. pseudodelicatissima and P. subfraudulenta. This is the first report of P. calliantha in northern Chile. Toxin analyses using the LC–MS method confirmed the presence of domoic acid in P. australis and P. calliantha. Domoic acid was not detected in cultures of P. subfraudulenta. This study therefore confirms P. australis and P. calliantha as an unequivocal source of domoic acid in Chilean waters. P. australis is probably the most important producer of amnesic shellfish toxin in view of its domoic acid content. However, more research is needed to evaluate the potential for toxin production in P. pseudodelicatissima.     

Microbial production of 4-vinylguaiacol from ferulic acid by Bacillus cereus SAS-3006

Abstract

Ferulic acid is an abundant cinnamic acid derivative found in the plant kingdom. It is a commercially available substrate utilized to produce flavor compounds such as 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG), vanillin, and vanillic acid. The isolate Bacillus cereus SAS-3006 was screened and selected based on its ability to produce 4-VG upon ferulic acid biotransformation. It was identified based on morphological and physiochemical characteristics and its 16S ribosomal DNA sequence (GenBank accession number: KF699134). A maximum amount (79.4 mg/L) of 4-VG accumulation was observed on the 5th day of incubation when the culture was grown on 2.5 mM ferulic acid as sole carbon source. Further conversion of 4-VG to other intermediates such as vanillin, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, acetovanillone, and vanillyl alcohol was not observed. In-vitro conversion of ferulic acid to 4-VG was also studied with cell extracts of B. cereus SAS-3006. The present study provides the first evidence for production of 4-VG as the sole product using B. cereus SAS-3006.     

Esterification of ferulic acid with polyols using a ferulic acid esterase from Aspergillus niger

Commercially available enzyme preparations were screened for enzymes that have a high ability to catalyze direct ester-synthesis of ferulic acid with glycerol. Only a preparation, Pectinase PL “Amano” produced by Aspergillus niger, feruloylated glycerol under the experimental conditions. The enzyme responsible for the esterification was purified and characterized. This enzyme, called FAE-PL, was found to be quite similar to an A. niger ferulic acid esterase (FAE-III) in terms of molecular mass, pH and temperature optima, substrate specificity on synthetic substrates, and the N-terminal amino acid sequence. FAE-PL highly catalyzed direct esterification of ferulic acid and sinapinic acid with glycerol. FAE-PL could feruloylate monomeric sugars including arabinose, fructose, galactose, glucose, and xylose. We determined the suitable conditions for direct esterification of ferulic acid with glycerol to be as follows: 1% ferulic acid in the presence of 85% glycerol and 5% dimethyl sulfoxide at pH 4.0 and 50 °C. Under these conditions, 81% of ferulic acid could be converted to 1-glyceryl ferulate, which was identified by ¹H-NMR. The ability of 1-glyceryl ferulate to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals was higher than that of the anti-oxidant butyl hydroxytoluene.     

Degradation of ferulic acid by a white rot fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schizophyllum commune</Emphasis>

Summary A ubiquitous white rot fungus Schizophyllum commune was used for the first time to study the degradation of ferulic acid. Vanillic acid was observed as one of the major products of ferulic acid catabolism, with vanillin formed as an intermediate. Almost 99.9% ferulic acid with a initial concentration of 5 mM was consumed by this fungus after 16 days of incubation at 37 °C.     

多糖类益生元的筛选及凝结芽孢杆菌体外发酵特性北大核心

【目的】探究9种多糖对凝结芽孢杆菌(Bacillus coagulans)的增殖、产酶特性的影响。【方法】将凝结芽孢杆菌分别添加至菊粉多糖(inulin polysaccharide)、刺五加多糖(Eleutherococcus senticosus polysaccharide)、壳寡糖(chitosan oligosaccharide)、防风多糖(Saposhnikovia divaricata polysaccharide)、低聚木糖(xylo-oligosaccharide)、黄芪多糖(Astragalus polysaccharide)、甘露糖(D-mannose)、白术多糖(Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide)和玉屏风多糖(Yu Ping Feng polysaccharide)为唯一碳源的培养基中,通过菌株生长、酶活性及其体外厌氧发酵等作为指标,筛选出最优益生元。【结果】凝结芽孢杆菌能很好地利用防风多糖、黄芪多糖、白术多糖和玉屏风多糖;添加量为4%的防风多糖和白术多糖,pH差值差异最大,蛋白酶活性差异显著(P<0.05)。体外发酵乳酸活性和总蛋白酶活性均提高,4%白术多糖的乳酸和总蛋白酶活性差异显著(P<0.05);肠道内容物发酵液16S rRNA基因高通量测序结果表明,与对照组比较,添加黄芪多糖、防风多糖、甘露糖3种益生元发酵凝结芽孢杆菌显著降低了气单胞菌(Aeromonas)、α-变形菌(α-Proteobacteria)、链球菌(Streptococcus)、志贺氏杆菌属(Shigella)等致病菌的相对丰度,提高了乳杆菌(Lactobacillus)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、乳酸乳球菌(Lactococcus lactis)、产酸杆菌(Acidobacteria)的相对丰度。【结论】凝结芽孢杆菌发酵4%白术多糖具有较好的产酶性能与益生特性,二者协同发酵添加至饲料中具有较好的发展潜力。     

重水对萎缩芽孢杆菌芽孢萌发的影响

本研究快报报道了重水对细菌芽孢的萌发及其可培养性的抑制作用. 在常温条件下,用L-丙氨酸触发细菌芽孢的萌发,并用Tb-DPA荧光法、相差显微镜观测法和光密度测定法监测萌发过程,用最终萌发水平、萌发半期、萌发速度3个参数来表征萌发过程. 除此之外,我们还用菌落形成单位的个数来评估萌发后芽孢的可培养性. 结果表明,重水对整个萌发过程有抑制作用,同时降低了萌发后芽孢的可培养性,但对最终萌发水平无影响. 我们推测这是因为重水增强了一些芽孢特异性信号蛋白的稳定性.     

凝结芽孢杆菌-乳果糖合生元对DSS诱导的溃疡性结肠炎小鼠肠道健康的影响

[目的]旨在探究凝结芽孢杆菌-乳果糖合生元对葡聚糖硫酸钠(dextran sodium sulfate,DSS)诱导的溃疡性结肠炎小鼠临床体征、肠道形态和肠道菌群结构的影响.[方法]选取24只初始体重为(22.96±1.87)g的7周龄雄性C57/BL6小鼠,随机分为4组,每组6只,即CON组、DSS组(连续5 d饮用...