Engineering of Glarea lozoyensis for Exclusive Production of the Pneumocandin B0 Precursor of the Antifungal Drug Caspofungin Acetate

Pneumocandins produced by the fungus Glarea lozoyensis are acylated cyclic hexapeptides of the echinocandin family. Pneumocandin B₀ is the starting molecule for the first semisynthetic echinocandin antifungal drug, caspofungin acetate. In the wild-type strain, pneumocandin B₀ is a minor fermentation product, and its industrial production was achieved by a combination of extensive mutation and medium optimization. The pneumocandin biosynthetic gene cluster was previously elucidated by a whole-genome sequencing approach. Knowledge of the biosynthetic cluster suggested an alternative way to produce exclusively pneumocandin B₀. Disruption of GLOXY4, encoding a nonheme, α-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenase, confirmed its involvement in l-leucine cyclization to form 4S-methyl-l-proline. The absence of 4S-methyl-l-proline abolishes pneumocandin A₀ production, and 3S-hydroxyl-l-proline occupies the hexapeptide core''s position 6, resulting in exclusive production of pneumocandin B₀. Retrospective analysis of the GLOXY4 gene in a previously isolated pneumocandin B₀-exclusive mutant (ATCC 74030) indicated that chemical mutagenesis disrupted the GLOXY4 gene function by introducing two amino acid mutations in GLOXY4. This one-step genetic manipulation can rationally engineer a high-yield production strain.     

Metabolomics profiling reveals the mechanism of increased pneumocandin B<Subscript>0</Subscript> production by comparing mutant and parent strains

Metabolic profiling was used to discover mechanisms of increased pneumocandin B₀ production in a high-yield strain by comparing it with its parent strain. Initially, 79 intracellular metabolites were identified, and the levels of 15 metabolites involved in six pathways were found to be directly correlated with pneumocandin B₀ biosynthesis. Then by combining the analysis of key enzymes, acetyl-CoA and NADPH were identified as the main factors limiting pneumocandin B₀ biosynthesis. Other metabolites, such as pyruvate, α-ketoglutaric acid, lactate, unsaturated fatty acids and previously unreported metabolite γ-aminobutyric acid were shown to play important roles in pneumocandin B₀ biosynthesis and cell growth. Finally, the overall metabolic mechanism hypothesis was formulated and a rational feeding strategy was implemented that increased the pneumocandin B₀ yield from 1821 to 2768 mg/L. These results provide practical and theoretical guidance for strain selection, medium optimization, and genetic engineering for pneumocandin B₀ production.     

肺囊康定产生菌Glarea lozoyensis线粒体基因组序列的再分析

[目的] Glarea lozoyensis是抗真菌药物卡泊芬净的产生菌,其突变菌株ATCC 74030的线粒体基因组已被报道。我们此前的研究发现诱变剂能引起该菌某些细胞核基因的突变,但诱变剂是否也能引起线粒体DNA序列的改变并不清楚。[方法] 组装野生型菌株ATCC 20868的线粒体基因组,并与发表的突变型菌株ATCC 74030的线粒体基因组进行比较。通过PCR验证野生和突变菌株线粒体基因组间表现差异之处,并利用正确的线粒体基因组序列进行新的分析。[结果] 我们成功组装出野生型菌株ATCC 20868的线粒体基因组,通过比较其与发表的ATCC 74030的线粒体基因组序列,发现存在6处单核苷酸变异位点和2处具有长度差异的区域。然而,随后的PCR验证和序列比较并没有发现2个菌株间存在这些差异。最初观察到的碱基差异是因为发表的ATCC 74030线粒体基因组存在序列错误。有趣的是,在Glarea lozoyensis的线粒体基因组中,我们发现存在3个具有内含子的tRNA基因和1个rnpB基因。同时,该菌线粒体基因组中存在多种重复序列,在其线粒体和细胞核基因组间也存在明显的DNA片段重复事件。[结论] 诱变剂没有引起G. lozoyensis线粒体DNA的任何改变;发表的ATCC 74030的线粒体基因组存在序列错误。我们报道G. lozoyensis正确的线粒体基因组序列,并且发现该菌线粒体和细胞核基因组间频繁的基因交流。     

Residual fructose and osmolality affect the levels of pneumocandins B0 and C0 produced by Glarea lozoyensis

A high total pneumocandin titer (B₀ + C₀) with a low percentage of the structural isomer pneumocandin C₀ was achieved by carrying out fermentations of Glarea lozoyensis at a high residual fructose concentration (125 g/l initial). When the fermentation was carried out at a low residual fructose concentration (40 g/l initial), pneumocandin production increased by 34%. However, a disproportionate increase in the level of pneumocandin C₀ synthesized (250% increase vs 30% increase for pneumocandin B₀) was observed. Midcycle addition of 150 mM NaCl or 116 mM Na₂SO₄ to low residual fructose fermentations returned the titer and isomer levels to those seen for the high residual fructose fermentation. The increase in pneumocandin C₀ synthesis under low residual fructose conditions appears to be linked to the increase in the synthesis of trans-4 hydroxyproline, with the synthesis of trans-3 hydroxyproline remaining unaffected. This suggests that the formation of pneumocandin C₀ is the result of a misincorporation of trans-4 hydroxyproline instead of trans-3 hydroxyproline by the pneumocandin peptide synthetase, and that the amount of trans-4 hydroxyproline formed dictates the frequency of this misincorporation. Received: 16 February 2000 / Revised: 17 May 2000 / Accepted: 8 June 2000     

Statistically optimized production and characterization of vanillin from creosol using newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella pneumoniae</Emphasis> P27

The current research study deals with the screening of a potent vanillin-producing microorganism among 96 isolated strains. Biochemical characterization and molecular identification confirmed that the isolated strain belongs to the Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria, so it was denoted as Klebsiella pneumoniae P27. The optimization of medium components for the enhanced production of vanillin was carried out using two-stage statistical experimental designs, in which the significant medium components for vanillin production were screened using a Plackett-Burman experimental design. And the optimal levels of those noteworthy factors were determined by using central composite design. The statistical optimization of medium components resulted in increases in vanillin production and vanillyl alcohol oxidase activity of 2.05-fold and 3.055-fold, respectively. The highest vanillin production (30.88 mg/L) and vanillyl alcohol oxidase activity (0.044 U/mL) was observed after 16 h of incubation in the presence of 0.26 mL/L creosol, 8.06 g/L yeast extract and 2.77 g/L NH₄NO₃ in the production medium. The optimally produced vanillin was extracted and confirmed using FTIR and LCMS spectral analysis. The results of the current study support a statistical process optimization approach as a potential technique for the enhanced production of vanillin from creosol by using newly isolated Klebsiella pneumoniae P27 bacterial strain.     

Biosynthesis mechanism,genome mining and artificial construction of echinocandin O-sulfonation

Micafungin, a semisynthetic derivative of the cyclic hexapeptide FR901379 produced by Coleophoma empetri fermentation, is the only O-sulfonated echinocandin-type antifungal drug. However, the detailed formation mechanism of O-sulfonate group, whether before or after the assembly of hexapeptide, remains elusive. Here, we confirmed that O-sulfonylation occurs after hexapeptide assembly as a kind of postmodification in the biosynthesis of FR901379. The released cyclic hexapeptide was hydroxylated by cytochrome P450 McfP and successively sulfonated by sulfotransferase McfS. And other three echinocandin sulfotransferases were identified through genome mining by using McfS as a sequence probe. Moreover, pneumocandin B₀, the precursor of caspofungin, could be O-sulfonated by heterologously introducing the McfP-McfS into the pneumocandin B_0-producing species Glarea lozoyensis. The water-solubility of sulfonated pneumocandin B₀ is 4000 times higher than that of pneumocandin B₀. The revealed O-sulfonation mechanism will provide new insights into the design and production of novel sulfonated echinocandins by metabolic engineering.     

Effects of amino acid and trace element supplementation on pneumocandin production by Glarea lozoyensis: impact on titer, analogue levels, and the identification of new analogues of pneumocandin B0

Addition of the amino acids threonine, serine, proline, and arginine to fermentations of the fungus Glarea lozoyensis influenced both the pneumocandin titer and the spectrum of analogues produced. Addition of threonine or serine altered the levels of the “serine analogues” of pneumocandins B₀ and B₅ and allowed for their isolation and identification. Proline supplementation resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the levels of pneumocandins B₀ and E₀, whereas pneumocandins C₀ and D₀ decreased as a function of proline level. Moreover, proline supplementation resulted in an overall increase in the synthesis of both trans-3- and trans-4-hydroxyproline while maintaining a low trans-4-hydroxyproline to trans-3-hydroxyproline ratio compared to the unsupplemented culture. Pneumocandin production and the synthesis of hydroxyprolines was also affected by addition of the proline-related amino acid arginine but not by the addition of glutamine or ornithine. Zinc, cobalt, copper, and nickel, trace elements that are known to inhibit α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases, affected the pneumocandin B₀ titer and altered the levels of pneumocandins B₁, B₂, B₅, B₆, and E₀, analogues that possess altered proline, ornithine, and tyrosine hydroxylation patterns. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 26, 216–221. Received 05 November 2000/ Accepted in revised form 27 January 2001     

Improvement in the titer of echinocandin-type antibiotics: A magnesium-limited medium supporting the biphasic production of pneumocandins A0 and B0

Summary We have developed a liquid fermentation medium for the submerged culture of the fungus,Zalerion arboricola, which supports the rapid production of an echinocandin-type antibiotic, pneumocandin A₀ (formerly L-671, 329), in yields increased at least 4-fold over those reported previously. The improvements were achieved through medium simplification, substitution of high levels of mannitol for glycerol as the major source of carbon, and restriction of available magnesium. Antibiotic formation in batch cultures with this mannitol-based medium is not confined to the idiophase; rather production appears to be biphasic, with synthesis beginning during growth (i.e., at day 3) and increasing in rate at day 11, well after rapid growth has ended. Accumulation of antibiotic continues beyond 14 days, and by 21 days titers greater than 500 g/ml are attained. For the synthesis of a related compound, pneumocandin B₀, by a mutant strain ofZ. arboricola, the medium gives similar production kinetics and a titer of 800 g/ml. Although supplementation of the medium with magnesium ions stimulates growth, it decreases titer by preferentially affecting the second phase of antibiotic synthesis. This decline in synthesis in the magnesium-supplemented medium is explained by the depletion of mannitol before the second phase of synthesis can begin. In contrast, mannitol in the magnesium-limited medium is used more slowly with approximately half still available at day 11 to support continued antibiotic formation.     

Improvement of pristinamycin production by genome shuffling and medium optimization for Streptomyces pristinaespiralis

To isolate an improved pristinamycin producing strain of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis, the technique of Genome shuffling was used which resulted in a high-yield recombinant G 3-56 strain. Strain G 3-56 yielded 322 ± 17 mg/L of pristinamycin which was 11.4-fold higher than that of the initial strain and 3.7-fold higher than strain UN-78 which previously had the highest yield of pristinamycin. The genetic characteristics of the recombinant G 3-56 strain was stable as revealed by our subculture experiments. The optimal production medium was determined using the orthogonal matrix method. Under the optimal medium conditions, the maximum yield of pristinamycin was 412 mg/L with about 1.24-fold higher than the original medium.     

A NEWLY ANTI-Streptococcus suis BACTERIOCIN PRODUCING STRAIN FROM UNWEANED PIGLETS FECAL MATTER: ISOLATION,PRELIMINARY IDENTIFICATION,AND OPTIMIZATION OF MEDIUM COMPOSITION FOR ENHANCED BACTERIOCIN PRODUCTION

A newly isolated anti-Streptococcus suis bacteriocin-producing strain LPL1-5 was obtained from healthy unweaned piglets' fecal matter, and was designated as Lactobacillus pentosus LPL1-5 based on morphology, biochemical properties, and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. The medium composition for enhanced bacteriocin production by L. pentosus LPL1-5 was optimized by statistical methodology. Yeast extract, K₂HPO₄ · 3H₂O, and MnSO₄ · H₂O were identified as significant components influencing pentocin LPL1-5 production using the Plackett–Burman method. Response surface methodology was applied for further optimization. The concentrations of medium components for enhanced pentocin LPL1-5 production were as follows (g/L): lactose 20.00, tryptone 10.00, beef extract 10.00, yeast extract 14.00, MnSO₄ · H₂O 0.84, K₂HPO₄ · 3H₂O 4.92, triammonium citrate 2.00, Na-acetate 5.00, MgSO₄ · 7H₂O 0.58, Tween 80 1.00. Under the optimized condition, a value of 3154.65 ± 27.93 IU/mL bacteriocin activity was achieved, which was 4.2-fold that of the original medium.     

IMPROVEMENT OF MICROBIAL STRAIN AND FERMENTATION PROCESS OF RAPAMYCIN BIOSYNTHESIS

The purpose of this investigation is to enhance the production of the immunosuppressant drug rapamycin by subjecting the strain CBS 773.23 to ultraviolet (UV) and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitroso guanidine (NTG) mutations. Among all the mutants tested, MTCC 5681 (NRC-CM03/SH) obtained by NTG mutagenesis of strain CBS 773.72 showed the highest activity, 210 mg/L. The effect of different factors including medium composition, pH, temperature, and intensity of mixing on rapamycin production was studied. Based on the study, the optimal concentrations of soluble starch and dry yeast granules were found to be 50 g/L and 1.5 g/L, respectively. Furthermore, optimal values for pH, temperature, and shaking speed were found to be 6.0, 28°C, and 220 rpm, respectively. The production of rapamycin increased 1.6-fold, to 360 mg/L, in shake-flask culture using the optimal combination of factors observed compared with basal cultivation medium using MTCC 5681 mutant strain.     

Hairy root induction and plant regeneration of medicinal plant Dracocephalum kotschyi

An efficient hairy root induction system for an important endangered medicinal plant, Dracocephalum kotschyi, was developed through Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation by modifying the co-cultivation medium using five bacterial strains, A4, ATCC15834, LBA9402, MSU440, and A13 (MAFF-02-10266). A drastic increase in transformation frequency was observed when a Murashige and Skoog medium lacking NH₄NO₃ KH₂PO_4, KNO₃ and CaCl₂ was used, resulting in hairy root induction frequencies of 52.3 %, 69.6 %, 48.6 %, 89.0 %, and 80.0 % by A4, A13, LBA9402, MSU440, and ATCC15834 strains, respectively. For shoot induction, hairy roots and unorganized tumors induced by strain ATCC15834 were placed on an MS media supplemented with 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/l BA plus 0.1 mg/l NAA. The high frequency of shoot regeneration and number of shoot were obtained in the medium containing 0.25 mg/l BA and 0.1 mg/l NAA. Root induction occurred from the base of regenerated shoots on the MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IBA after 10 days.     

Combinatorial approach of statistical optimization and mutagenesis for improved production of acidic phytase by Aspergillus niger NCIM 563 under submerged fermentation condition

Combination of statistical optimization and mutagenesis to isolate hypersecretory strains is studied to maximize phytase production from Aspergillus niger NCIM 563 under submerged fermentation. The overall results obtained show a remarkable 5.98-fold improvement in phytase production rates when compared to that using basal medium. Optimization of culture conditions from parent strain is studied first by the Plackett–Burman technique to evaluate the effects of 11 variables for phytase production. The results showed that glucose, MgSO₄, KCl, incubation period, and MnSO₄ are the most significant variables affecting enzyme production. Further optimization in these variables, using a central composite design technique, resulted in 3.74-fold increase in the yield of phytase production to 254,500 U/l when compared with the activity observed with basal media (68,000 U/l) in shake flask. Our experiments show that the phytase from A. niger NCIM 563 exhibits desirable activity in simulated gastric fluid conditions with low pH and also improved thermostability when compared to commercial phytase. The improved yield demonstrates the potential applicability of phytase enzyme as a source of phytase supplement for phosphorus nutrition and environmental protection in animal feed industry. Physical and chemical mutagenesis experiments were carried out in parallel to isolate hypersecretory mutants that could possibly further enhance the enzyme production. Using optimized media conditions of the parent strain, our results show that mutant strain A. niger NCIM 1359 increased the phytase activity by another 1.6-fold to 407,200 U/l.     

Methionine,folic acid and vitamin B12 in growing-finishing pigs: Impact on growth performance and meat quality

Growth performance, metabolic variables, and meat quality were measured in 78 growing-finishing pigs using supplements of 0 (C), or 0.2% of DL-methionine (M), and three combinations of folic acid [mg/kg] and cyanocobalamin [μg/kg], respectively 0 and 0 (V0), 10 and 25 (V1), and 10 and 150 (V2) in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Feed conversion was lower (p = 0.05) in M than in C pigs during the growing period (0–4 weeks). Both V1 and V2 treatments increased plasma vitamin B₁₂ (p < 0.01) and decreased plasma homocysteine (p < 0.01). Plasma 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolates were the lowest, highest and intermediate in V0, V1 and V2 pigs (p < 0.04), respectively. In V2 meat, folates were 32% higher, vitamin B₁₂, 55% higher and homocysteine, 28% lower than in V0 (p < 0.01). Oxidative stability of the fresh meat was similar among treatments during a storage period of 42 days. Therefore, methionine supplements improved growth performance during the growing period. Vitamin supplements interacted with the methionine cycle pathway, increased vitamin content of pork meat but did not improve oxidative stability of the fresh meat during storage.     

Cometabolic Degradation of Trichloroethylene by Single- and Two-Phase Systems

The cometabolic degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) by Pseudomonas putida F1 (strain ATCC 700007) at different concentrations was studied in single- and two-phase systems using 2-undecanone as the second organic phase. Toluene vapors were used as the primary growth substrate for Pseudomonas putida F1. The effects of the biomass concentration and the phase ratio on the biodegradation process were investigated. The best biomass concentration and the most suitable phase ratio were found to be 0.462 and 0.025 g/L (v_org/v_aq), respectively. In the single-phase system, 36.5 mg/L TCE was degraded completely in 15 hours and only 78% of 55 mg/L TCE was degraded in 27 hours, while in the two-phase system 55 mg/L TCE was degraded completely in 14 hours. The use of the two-phase system not only decreased the biodegradation time of TCE but also prevented the inhibition effect of high concentrations of TCE on the microbial biomass.     

He-Ne laser irradiation of folate-producing Candida utilis and optimization of culture conditions under submerged fermentation

In an attempt to obtain a microbial strain with higher yield of folate for industrial applications, we mutated the wild strain Candida utilis Y1.0 using a novel mutagenic process, i.e., irradiation by a helium–neon (He-Ne) laser with an output power of 20 mW and an exposure time of 20 min. The yield of folate in the mutated cells reached 1,102 ng/mL, which was 20.4-fold that of the wild strain. The mutant strain Y3.636 was relatively stable in terms of folate production through eight successive transfers of cultures and batch fermentation in a 3.7-L stirred-tank fermenter. Optimization further increased the yield of the mutant by 110 %, i.e., to 2,314?±?13 ng/mL. The optimal culture conditions for folate production were: cultivation in fermentation culture medium composed of 62.5 g/L glucose, 15 g/L corn liquor, 3 g/L (NH₄)₂SO₄, 3 g/L MgSO₄, and 1 g/L glutamic acid; inoculum size of 9 %; incubation at 28 °C and 196 rpm for 36 h. A time-course study of cell growth and folate production by mutant strain Y3.636 strongly suggested that folate production in C. utilis is growth-associated.     

Supplementations of ornithine and KNO3 enhanced bacitracin production by Bacillus licheniformis LC-11

During the fermentative process of Bacillus licheniformis LC-11, the dissolved oxygen (DO) and ornithine (Orn) content in the medium fell to zero, indicating that they were the potential limiting factors for cell growth and/or bacitracin biosynthesis. In addition, given that the nitrate-reducing system existing in B. licheniformis could favor cell anaerobiosis, the impacts of KNO₃ and Orn supplementations were therefore evaluated for improving bacitracin production in both a shaking flask and a 10-L fermentor. Orn supplementation (0.04 g/L) at 16 h or KNO₃ addition (0.5 g/L) in the production medium enhanced bacitracin production by 5.8 and 3.7 %, respectively. The combined effects of KNO₃ and Orn supplementations were then conducted via a two-level central composite design, resulting in a predicted maximum bacitracin yield of 821.81 U/mL if KNO₃ and Orn were supplemented at 514.39 mg/L and 45.35 mg/L, respectively. This predicated yield was then verified experimentally in a 10-L fermentor, achieving a 10.8 % increased bacitracin production (825 U/mL) over that of the control.     

Co-fermentation of carbon sources by Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 29007 to enhance the production of bioethanol

We investigated the enhancement of bioethanol production in Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 29007 by co-fermentation of carbon sources such as glycerol, glucose, galactose, sucrose, fructose, xylose, starch, mannitol and citric acid. Biofuel production increases with increasing growth rate of microorganisms; that is why we investigated the optimal growth rate of E. aerogenes ATCC 29007, using mixtures of different carbon sources with glycerol. E. aerogenes ATCC 29007 was incubated in media containing each carbon source and glycerol; growth rate and bioethanol production improved in all cases compared to those in medium containing glycerol alone. The growth rate and bioethanol production were highest with mannitol. Fermentation was carried out at 37 °C for 18 h, pH 7, using 50 mL defined production medium in 100 mL serum bottles at 200 rpm. Bioethanol production under optimized conditions in medium containing 16 g/L mannitol and 20 g/L glycerol increased sixfold (32.10 g/L) than that containing glycerol alone (5.23 g/L) as the carbon source in anaerobic conditions. Similarly, bioethanol production using free cells in continuous co-fermentation also improved (27.28 g/L) when 90.37 % of 16 g/L mannitol and 67.15 % of 20 g/L glycerol were used. Although naturally existing or engineered microorganisms can ferment mixed sugars sequentially, the preferential utilization of glucose to non-glucose sugars often results in lower overall yield and productivity of ethanol. Here, we present new findings in E. aerogenes ATCC 29007 that can be used to improve bioethanol production by simultaneous co-fermentation of glycerol and mannitol.     

Phenazine-1-carboxylic acid production in a chromosomally non-scar triple-deleted mutant Pseudomonas aeruginosa using statistical experimental designs to optimize yield

We constructed a non-scar triple-deleted mutant Pseudomonas aeruginosa to improve phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) yield and then optimized the culture conditions for PCA production. Using a non-scar deletion strategy, the 5′-untranslated region of the phz1 gene cluster and two genes, phzM and phzS, were knocked out of the P. aeruginosa strain M18 genome. The potential ability for high-yield PCA production in this triple-deleted mutant M18MSU1 was successfully realized by using statistical experimental designs. A 2^5–1 fractional factorial design was used to show that the three culture components of soybean meal, corn steep liquor and ethanol had the most significant effect on PCA production. Using a central composite design, the concentration of the three components was optimized. The maximum PCA production was predicted to be 4,725.1 mg/L. With the optimal medium containing soybean meal 74.25 g/L, corn steep liquor 13.01 g/L and ethanol 21.84 ml/L, a PCA production of 4,771.2 mg/L was obtained in the validation experiments, which was nearly twofold of that before optimization and tenfold of that in the wild-type strain. This non-scar triple-deleted mutant M18MSU1 may be a suitable strain for industrial production of this biologically synthesized fungicide due to its high PCA production, presumed safety, thermal adaptability and cost-effectiveness.