Biotechnical utilization of wood carbohydrates after steaming pretreatment

Summary Birch wood was used as raw material to study the effect of steaming pretreatment on the characteristics, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of cellulose and hemicellulose. The cellulose remained undissolved in the fibres after steaming, but the degree of polymerization decreased and the surface area increased with increasing steaming temperature. The yield in enzymatic hydrolysis with T. reesei and A. niger cellulases increased from 40 to 75% of theoretical when the pretreatment temperature was increased from 170 to 210°C at a residence time of 10 minutes. The glucose released was fermented to ethanol by yeast without interference of toxic compounds. After steaming, the hemicellulose was mainly in the form of xylo-oligomers. The average chain length decreased with increasing temperature. Only the monomeric sugars were fermented to ethanol by Fusarium oxysporum. After steaming at 210°C toxic decomposition products inhibited the fermentation completely. In aerobic conditions also the xylo-oligomers were metabolized.     

Novel Aspergillus hemicellulases enhance performance of commercial cellulases in lignocellulose hydrolysis

A novel hemicellulase-producing fungal strain was isolated from a local soil sample. The organism is identified as Aspergillus fumigatus based on ribosomal RNA analyses. The Aspergillus strain, designated as 2NB, produces both enzymes acting on xylan backbone (xylanase and β-xylosidase), and those acting on side chains (or accessory enzymes) notably α-arabinofuranosidase and acetyl-xylan esterase. The Asperigillus hemicellulases are characterized as having relatively low xylanase and β-xylosidase activities but high side chain removal activities. The activity ratio of side-chain acting enzymes to xylanase is higher than that of the Multifect enzyme, a commercial hemicellulase product. The potential of the novel hemicellulases in lignocelluloses bioprocessing was demonstrated with alkaline-pretreated switchgrass as lignocellulose substrate with hemicellulase supplemented with a ratio of xylanase activity to filter paper unit of 2:1. Supplement of Aspergillus hemicellulases to commercial cellulases significantly enhanced the hydrolysis of lignocellulose, achieving a 94% hydrolysis yield based on reducing sugar measurement, compared to 60% when no hemicellulase or 75% when Multifect enzyme was used under otherwise identical conditions. The significant improvement resulting from supplementing a hemicellulase mix with high side-chain removal activities suggests the importance of accessory hemicellulases in lignocellulose processing.     

Enzymatic production of N-acetyl- -glucosamine from chitin. Degradation study of N-acetylchitooligosaccharide and the effect of mixing of crude enzymes

N-Acetyl- -glucosamine (GlcNAc) was produced from chitin by use of crude enzyme preparations. The efficient production of GlcNAc by cellulases derived from Trichoderma viride (T) and Acremonium cellulolyticus (A) was observed by HPLC analysis compared to lipase, hemicellulase, and pectinase. β-Chitin showed higher degradability than α-chitin when using cellulase T. The optimum pH of cellulase T was 4.0 on the hydrolysis of β-chitin. The yield of GlcNAc was enhanced by mixing of cellulase T and A.     

Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation conditions for improved bioethanol production from potato peel residues

The aim of this work was the optimization of the enzyme hydrolysis of potato peel residues (PPR) for bioethanol production. The process included a pretreatment step followed by an enzyme hydrolysis using crude enzyme system composed of cellulase, amylase and hemicellulase, produced by a mixed culture of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei. Hydrothermal, alkali and acid pretreatments were considered with regards to the enhancement of enzyme hydrolysis of potato peel residues. The obtained results showed that hydrothermal pretreatment lead to a higher enzyme hydrolysis yield compared to both acid and alkali pretreatments. Enzyme hydrolysis was also optimized for parameters such as temperature, pH, substrate loading and surfactant loading using a response surface methodology. Under optimized conditions, 77 g L^?1 of reducing sugars were obtained. Yeast fermentation of the released reducing sugars led to an ethanol titer of 30 g L^?1 after supplementation of the culture medium with ammonium sulfate. Moreover, a comparative study between acid and enzyme hydrolysis of potato peel residues was investigated. Results showed that enzyme hydrolysis offers higher yield of bioethanol production than acid hydrolysis. These results highlight the potential of second generation bioethanol production from potato peel residues treated with onsite produced hydrolytic enzymes. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:397–406, 2017     

Production of xylanolytic enzymes by strains of Aspergillus

Summary Production of hemicellulolytic enzymes required in the hydrolysis of different xylans was investigated using strains of seven species of Aspergillus. Of the strains producing highest levels of xylanolytic activities, a. foetidus VTT-D-71002 was apparently non-cellulolytic and could therefore be a possible source of cellulase-free hemicellulase for applications in the pulping industry. The non-metabolizable synthetic xylobiose analogue -methyl-D-xyloside was the best xylanase inducer of the materials tested. Batches of hemicellulase produced in laboratory scale fermentations on practical media were tested in the hydrolysis of both cellulosic and hemicellulosic substrates.     

Assessment of commercial hemicellulases for saccharification of alkaline pretreated perennial biomass

The objective of this research was to measure the effects of different cellulase and hemicellulase mixtures on fermentable sugar production from two different perennial biomasses--switchgrass and a low-impact, high-diversity prairie biomass mixture (LIHD). Each was subjected to NaOH pretreatment, followed by hydrolysis with a commercial cellulase and β-glucosidase mixture [CB] supplemented with either of two hemicellulases. For both biomasses, there was little gain in sugar yield when using CB alone beyond 20-25 mg/g TS; further gain in yield was possible only through hemicellulase supplementation. An equation that modeled CB and hemicellulase effects as occurring independently fit the data reasonably well, except at the lowest of cellulase loadings with hemicellulase, where synergistic interactions were evident. Examination of the marginal effectiveness of enzyme loadings (incremental grams sugar per incremental mg enzyme) over a broad range of loadings suggests that there is no need to customize enzymatic hydrolysis for NaOH-pretreated switchgrass and LIHD.     

Production of β-xylosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma asperellum</Emphasis> KIF125 and its application in efficient hydrolysis of pretreated rice straw with fungal cellulase

On-site cellulase and hemicellulase production is a promising way to reduce enzyme cost in the commercialization of the lignocellulose-to-ethanol process. A hemicellulase-producing fungal strain suitable for on-site enzyme production was selected from cultures prepared using wet disc-milling rice straw (WDM-RS) and identified as Trichoderma asperellum KIF125. KIF125 hemicellulase showed uniquely high abundance of β-xylosidase in the xylanolytic enzyme system compared to other fungal hemicellulase preparations. Supplementation of Talaromyces cellulolyticus cellulase with KIF125 hemicellulase was more effective than that with the hemicellulases from other fungal sources in reducing the total enzyme loading for the improvement of xylose yield in the hydrolysis of ball-milling RS, due to its high β-xylosidase dominance. β-Xylosidase in KIF125 hemicellulase was purified and classified as a glycosyl hydrolase family 3 enzyme with relatively high specificity for xylobiose. The production of KIF125 β-xylosidase in the fermentor was estimated as 118 U/g-WDM-RS (2350 U/L culture) at 48 h. These results demonstrate that KIF125 is promising as a practical hemicellulase source to combine with on-site cellulase production using T. cellulolyticus.     

Biocatalytic preparation of chiral epichlorohydrins using recombinant<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis> expressing epoxide hydrolase of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodotorula glutinis</Emphasis>

The use of enantioselective hydrolysis for preparing chiral epichlorohydrins was investigated using recombinantPichia pastoris with the enantioselective epoxide hydrolase ofRhodotorula glutinis. The rate of the recombinant epoxide hydrolase-catalyzed enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic epichlorohydrins was enhanced by the addition of 5% (v/v) Tween 20. Enantiopure (R)-epichlorohydrins with an enantiopurity of 100%ee and a yield of 26% were obtained within 5 min from 50 mM racemates.     

Xylan decomposition by Aspergillus clavatus endo-xylanase

Agricultural and forest waste products are abundant and low-cost biomass sources useful in renewable fuel energy and feedstock preparation. Hydrolysis of a major biomass component, hemicellulose, is accomplished by the action of endo-xylanases. Reaction products vary in composition and degree of polymerization as a function of both feedstock and the enzyme activities utilized, ranging from monomeric sugars to complex branched polysaccharides. The study herein describes heterologous expression in Aspergillus awamori of a ββ-(1-4) endo-xylanase isolated from the whole-genome DNA sequence of A. clavatus along with a comprehensive biochemical and functional analysis of the enzyme, including substrate preference and hydrolysis patterns. The A. clavatus xylanase promotes incomplete hydrolysis of xylan substrates resulting in xylobiose, xylotriose and xylotetraose. Incomplete degradation resulting in xylo-oligomers is appealing for functional foods as the beneficial effect of oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal micro flora includes preventing proliferation of pathogenic intestinal bacteria and facilitating digestion and absorption of nutrients.     

Hydrolase treatments help unravel the function of intervessel pits in xylem hydraulics

Intervessel pits are structures that play a key role in the efficiency and safety functions of xylem hydraulics. However, little is known about the components of the pit membrane (PM) and their role in hydraulic functions, especially in resistance to cavitation. We tested the effect of commercial chemicals including a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a pectolyase, a proteinase and DTT on xylem hydraulic properties: vulnerability to cavitation (VC) and conductance. The effects were tested on branch segments from Fagus sylvatica (where the effects on pit structure were analyzed using TEM) and Populus tremula. Cellulose hydrolysis resulted in a sharp increase in VC and a significant increase in conductance, related to complete breakdown of the PM. Pectin hydrolysis also induced a sharp increase in VC but with no effect on conductance or pit structure observable by TEM. The other treatments with hemicellulase, proteinase or DTT showed no effect. This study brings evidence that cellulose and pectins are critical components underpinning VC, and that PM components may play distinct roles in the xylem hydraulic safety and efficiency.     

Synthesis of peptide nucleic acid oligomers carrying 5-methylcytosine derivatives by postsynthetic substitution

Summary The preparation of the thymine peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomer carrying a 2-nitrophenyl group in position 4 is described. This monomer is incorporated into PNA oligomers and reacted with amines to yield PNA oligomers carrying 5-methylcytosine derivatives. During the deprotection-modification step two side reactions were detected: degradation of PNA oligomer from theN-terminal residue and modification ofN ⁴-tert-butylbenzoyl cytosine residue. Protection of theN-terminal position and the use ofN ⁴-acetyl group for the protection of cytosine eliminate these side reactions.     

Screening of microbial esterases for asymmetric hydrolysis of 2-ethylhexyl butyrate

Summary A pH indicator agar plate method was used to screen for esterase activities for hydrolysis of 2-ethylhexyl butyrate. Seven hundred and fifty-seven selected microbial cultures, including 325 bacteria, and 432 yeasts and actinomycetes from the ARS Culture, Collection, were screened. Among them, 62 cultures hydrolyzed 2-ethylhexyl butyrate. Of these strains only 17 showed lipase activity on a rhodamine B lipase screen. The reaction products, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol andn-butyric acid were confirmed by gas-liquid chromatography (GC) and GC/MS analyses. The yield of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol varied depending on the strains of the microorganisms, with the highest yield at 79.1% by a strain ofPseudomonas myxogenes Product analyses with a cyclodextrin GC chiral column showed that two strains ofPseudomonas produced, greater than 80% enantiomeric excess of S(+)-2-ethyl-1-hexanol.     

Isolation and preservation of the living embryo sac ofCrinum asiaticum L. var.japonicum baker

The enzymatic maceration method was used to isolate an intact embryo sac ofCrinum asiaticum and its component cells. Best results were obtained when using enzyme solutions that contained pectinase hemicellulase, cellulase and pectolyase. Aseptic ovules were incubated in the enzyme solution for 1.5 hr at 25 C. This allowed the isolation of embryo sacs to yield up to 20% of the amount present. An isolated embryo sac usually consists of an egg cell, synergids, antipodals and a central cell. Some embryo sacs can be digested as gametophytic protoplast. The size, shape and position of the isolated embryo sac seemingly possessed similarities with those of the fixed embryo sac in the ovary. An isolated embryo sac can be in a living state when the result of the fluorochromatic reaction (FCR) and protoplasmic streaming is positive. When cultured in proper media, 68% of the isolated gametophytic protoplasts were observed to have sustained their positive FCR for more than 1 month.     

Structural studies and physiological activity of lemnan, a pectin fromLemna minor L

A pectic polysaccharide, lemnan, was isolated from freshly collected duckweedLemna minor L. Its sugar chain was shown to be mainly composed of the residues ofD-galacturonic acid (64%), galactose, arabinose, xylose, andD-apiose, a branched chain sugar. The high content ofD-apiose (25%) indicated that lemnan is an apiogalacturonan type pectin similar to zosteran, a pectic polysaccharide from a sea phanerogam of the Zosteraceae family. The results of partial acidic hydrolysis, pectinase digestion, and NMR studies of lemnan demonstrated that its macromolecule contains regions of the linear α-1,4-D-galacturonan and branched apiogalacturonan. The side chains of apiogalacturonan were found to be formed of single and 1,5-linked residues ofD-apiofuranose attached to 2- and 3-positions of theD-galacturonic acid residues of the apiogalacturonan backbone. Lemnan was shown to exhibit an immunomodulatory effect activating the system of phagocytosis.     

Ethanol production from sulphuric acid wood hydrolysate ofPinus radiata using free and immobilized cells ofPichia stipitis

Summary Ethanol was produced by a strain ofPichia stipitis adapted to an inhibitory acid wood hydrolysate ofPinus radiata. The best ethanol productivity for batch cultures was 0.21 g/l h at 0.7% ethanol. Varying culture conditions increased ethanol concentration to 0.76%, however the productivity decreased to 0.18 g/l h. A decrease in ethanol concentration in the culture fluid was noted late in the batch which suggested ethanol catabolism. Values of kinetic parameters (K _m,K _s, _max, andV _max) were evaluated for this system. The use of calcium alginate immobilized cells in a continuous-flow stirred tank reactor lead to enhanced fermentative performance, namely a maximum productivity of 0.27 g/l h and 1.13% ethanol yield. The immobilized cells in continuous flow reactors represent an attractive option for fermenting sugars released by sulphuric acid hydrolysis ofP. radiata wood.     

Preparative dephosphorylation of calcium salts of 2′(3″)-mononucleotides with extracellular phosphatase fromSpicaria violacea

The properties of the phosphatase present in the culture liquid ofSpicaria violacea were investigated. Based on these results, a method for preparative dephosphorylation of calcium salts of 2′(3′)-mononucleotides was proposed. A 96–98% yield was achieved at a substrate concentration of 100 mg/ml. Mild quantitative hydrolysis of RNA to nucleosides can be performed by RNA digestion to mononucleotides with Ca²⁺ followed by the proposed dephosphorylation procedure.     

Some effects of herbicide-selection onAlopecurus myosuroïdes Huds

Summary Four-year selection ofAlopecurus myosuroïdes by simazine has led to an increase of yield potential and root proportion, but has no effect on root cation-exchange capacity. Correlation between C.E.C. and yield potential is discussed. It is suggested that these characteristics provide selected plants with a better competitive ability; this competitive ability, however, may be considered as a side effect of certain herbicide selective effects.     

Characterization of Xylan Utilization and Discovery of a New Endoxylanase in Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum through Targeted Gene Deletions

The economical production of fuels and commodity chemicals from lignocellulose requires the utilization of both the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions. Xylanase enzymes allow greater utilization of hemicellulose while also increasing cellulose hydrolysis. Recent metabolic engineering efforts have resulted in a strain of Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum that can convert C₅ and C₆ sugars, as well as insoluble xylan, into ethanol at high yield. To better understand the process of xylan solubilization in this organism, a series of targeted deletions were constructed in the homoethanologenic T. saccharolyticum strain M0355 to characterize xylan hydrolysis and xylose utilization in this organism. While the deletion of β-xylosidase xylD slowed the growth of T. saccharolyticum on birchwood xylan and led to an accumulation of short-chain xylo-oligomers, no other single deletion, including the deletion of the previously characterized endoxylanase XynA, had a phenotype distinct from that of the wild type. This result indicates a multiplicity of xylanase enzymes which facilitate xylan degradation in T. saccharolyticum. Growth on xylan was prevented only when a previously uncharacterized endoxylanase encoded by xynC was also deleted in conjunction with xynA. Sequence analysis of xynC indicates that this enzyme, a low-molecular-weight endoxylanase with homology to glycoside hydrolase family 11 enzymes, is secreted yet untethered to the cell wall. Together, these observations expand our understanding of the enzymatic basis of xylan hydrolysis by T. saccharolyticum.     

Yields of yeast growth on starch

Summary A survey was made of 81 starch-assimilating yeasts, representing 59 species and varieties, with respect to their capacity for the direct conversion of starch into SCP. The extent of starch conversion by the native amylases of the strains during exponential growth, expressed as yield on starch (final amount of dry biomass formed per unit mass of starch originally supplied), varied over a wide range (0.043–0.590) The highest yields were obtained with strains ofLipomyces starkeyi andL. kononenkoae which converted on the average respectively 84% and nearly 100% of the starch supplied. The rate of starch hydrolysis byL. kononenkoae did not limit its specific rate of growth and SCP production.     

The hydrolysis of new lipid-like substrates and trilaurin in monolayers catalyzed with the lipase fromPseudomonas fluorescens

A simple method for determining the enzymic hydrolysis parameters of lipid-like substrates and trilaurin assembled in monolayers at the water-air interface was suggested. At a surface pressure of 10 mN/m, the initial rates of lipolysis were found to be proportional to the decrease in area of the substrate monolayer caused by the enzymic hydrolysis in a single-compartment Langmuir balance. The kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of trilaurin and three 1,3-dilaurylpseudoglycerides acetylated in position 2 with an amino acid (phenylalanine, leucine, or valine) catalyzed with lipase fromPseudomonas fluorescens were determined. Unlike models of enzymic hydrolysis that neglect the thickness of the substrate monolayer, our method allows the determination of kinetic parameters in standard dimensions. The values ofk _cat for the synthetic pseudoglycerides were found to be significantly higher than that for trilaurin, while the values ofK _m(app) were close. This may be due to the presence of positively charged primary amino groups in the molecules of pseudoglycerides.