Utilization of Hydrocarbons and Vitamin B12 Production by Bacillus badius

The accumulation of vitamin B₁₂ by Bacillus badins grown on hydrocarbon was investigated. The bacterium could assimilate n-alkanes of C₁₁–C₁₈, ethanol, fumarate, α-ketoglutarate and malate. n-Alkanes of C₁₆–C₁₈, were the best for vitamin B₁₂ production. The bacterium utilized well all of the nitrogen sources tested. Above all, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate was the best for the bacteria] growth and vitamin B₁₂ production. Addition of organic nutrients such as malt extract and meat extract, and addition of metal ions such as ferrous and cobalt promoted the growth and vitamin B₁₂ production. Interestingly, vitamin B₁₂ was produced mostly in the supernatant. The cyanoform of the corrinoid predominantly formed in the supernatant would confirm the identity with cobalamin.     

Vitamin B12 production by isopropanol-assimilating microorganisms

We isolated about 500 isopropanol(IPA)-assimilating bacteria from many soil samples, among which 23 strains produced vitamin B₁₂. Taxonomical studies of the best producer, designated strain Hi16.3, showed that it belonged to the genus Arthrobacter. Vitamin B₁₂ production by the strain was higher than that by 12 other authentic Arthrobacter spp. using glucose as a sole carbon source. In fed-batch culture, the maximum production yield with strain Hi16.3 (named A. hyalinus) was 2 mg/l in the culture broth, when 80 ml of IPA/l broth was consumed.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay of human lymphocyte kynureninase activity levels

Human lymphocyte kynureninase activity was assessed in homogenized cells by determination of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid production as a function of time after addition of the substrate, 3-hydroxykynurenine. The product, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, was determined by isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. Mean (± S.D.) lymphocyte kynureninase activity in a group (n = 12) of vitamin B₆-deficient men was 5.04 ± 0.81 pmol 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid formed per mg protein per min, which was significantly (p=0.005) lower than the 6.69 ± 1.70 pmol 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid formed per mg protein per min in men with a normal vitamin B₆ status. This indicates that lymphocyte kynureninase activity is depressed during a vitamin B₆ deficiency.     

Analysis of Bitter Orange Petitgrain Essential Oil by Combined Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Candida catenulata CBS 1904, the previous type strain of C. ravautii, was selected as the best strain for the production of threo-O_s-isocitric acid from water-insoluble carbon sources, non-carbohydrates. The addition of surfactants, lipophilic polyoxyethylene nonyl phenyl ethers, was essential for the acid production, because the cell surface of the strain was less lipophilic. «-Alkanes, ranging from C_n to C_l4, gave the acid in high yields. The acid was produced in ajar fermentor in an about 90% yield on a weight basis as to «-tetradecane supplied. The acid was easily recovered, as crystals of its monopotassium salt, from the concentrated culture broth filtrate.     

Production of Fluorescent Compounds from Guanine by Microorganisms

One species of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria was isolated from soil. This strain was named as Achromobacter petrophilum No. 4017. This bacterial species utilizes normal hydrocarbons with carbon chains of nC₁₀ to nC₁₈, but does not utilize glucose or other carbohydrates. Achromobacter petrophilum forms small amounts of green-yellow, green-blue and violet fluorescent compounds in the medium containing n-hexadecane (nC₁₆) as a carbon source. The mutant strain, No. 4510, which requires hypoxanthine and thiamine for growth, was obtained from Achromobacter petrophilum No. 4017 by ultraviolet irradiation and formed considerable amounts of green-yellow fluorescent compound by the addition of guanine to the n-hexadecane medium. This fluorescent compound was crystallized from culture broth.     

Protein-like Activator for n-Alkane Oxidation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa S7B1

During the study of the n-alkane oxidation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa S₇B₁, a nondialysable activator for n-alkane oxidation was discovered in the culture broth of the strain. The activator was purified, as judged by cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis, by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, CM-Sephadex and Sephadex G-75 columns.

The purified activator, which was positive in protein color reactions, remarkable stimulated only the oxidation of n-hexadecane, though it was not observed in case of palmitic acid or glucose oxidation.

Co-operative action between the activator and rhamnolipid, which had been isolated as a growth stimulant of P. aeruginosa S₇B₁ on n-hexadecane by the authors, was observed not only in the oxidation of n-hexadecane but also in the growth on n-hexadecane.     

Biosynthesis of Cobalamine,Erythromycin and Chlortetracycline by Streptomyces Species

Attempts were devoted to use Streptomyces aureofaciens and Streptomyces erythreus, the antibiotics producers as sources for the biosynthesis of cobalamine. The constituents of the fermentation medium and the strain play an important role in the biosynthesis of vitamin B₁₂. The same strain produced different amounts of antibiotic and vitamin on the two different constitutive media. The increase of the phosphorus concentration in the fermentation medium—within limits—increased the vitamin B₁₂ biosynthesis. The optimal concentration of phosphorus favourable for the synthesis of cobalamine was inhibitive for the antibiotic production. The phosphorus level in the fermentation medium plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrate and consequently on the biosynthesis of antibiotics. Low concentration of 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (cobalamine precursor) in the presence of suitable phosphorus induced the microorganism to increase its biosynthetic potentiality for the vitamin B₁₂ production.     

Effect of chemical and microbial vitamin B<Subscript>12</Subscript> analogues on production of vitamin B<Subscript>12</Subscript>

Strain improvement by genetic manipulation or optimization of fermentation conditions for overproduction of vitamin B₁₂ has a drawback due to feed back inhibition. To resist the feed back inhibition by analogues of vitamin B₁₂ in Propionibacterium freudenrechii subsps. shermanii (OLP-5), we have tested with microbially separated B₁₂ analogues from three different strains. Microbial analogues were differentiated from commercially available vitamin B₁₂ by high pressure liquid chromatography and spectrophotometric method. An analogue isolated from NRRL-B-4327 was shown to increase vitamin B₁₂ concentration from 18.53 ± 0.15 to 31.67 ± 0.58 mg/l in OLP-5 strain. The presence of chemical analogue (ICH₂ Co(DH)₂ (H₂Py)₄) increased vitamin B₁₂ production from 16.13 ± 0.15 to 18.53 ± 0.15 mg/l in OLP-5. These findings revealed that addition of B₁₂ analogues in fermentation media have developed strain resistance to feed back inhibition by vitamin B₁₂.     

Production of 3‐hydroxypropionic acid from glycerol by recombinant Klebsiella pneumoniae ΔdhaTΔyqhD which can produce vitamin B12 naturally

3‐Hydroxypropionic acid (3‐HP) is an important platform chemical that can be used to synthesize a range of chemical compounds. A previous study demonstrated that recombinant Escherichia coli stains can produce 3‐HP from glycerol in the presence of vitamin B₁₂ (coenzyme B₁₂), when overexpressed with a coenzyme B₁₂‐dependent glycerol dehydratase (DhaB) and an aldehyde dehydrogenase. The present study examined the production of 3‐HP in recombinant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, which naturally synthesizes vitamin B₁₂ and does not require supplementation of the expensive vitamin. The NAD⁺‐dependent gamma‐glutamyl‐gamma‐aminobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase (PuuC) of K. pneumoniae alone or with its DhaB was overexpressed homologously, and two major oxidoreductases, DhaT and YqhD, were disrupted. Without vitamin B₁₂ addition, the recombinant K. pneumoniae ΔdhaTΔyqhD overexpressing PuuC could produce ～3.8 g/L 3‐HP in 12 h of flask culture. However, this was possible only under the appropriate aeration conditions; 1,3‐propanediol (1,3‐PDO) (instead of 3‐HP) was mainly produced when aeration was insufficient, whereas a very small amount of both 3‐HP and 1,3‐PDO were produced when aeration was too high. The production of a small amount of 3‐HP under improper aeration conditions was attributed to either slow NAD⁺ regeneration (under low aeration) or reduced vitamin B₁₂ synthesis (under high aeration). In a glycerol fed‐batch bioreactor experiment under a constant DO of 5%, the strain, K. pneumoniae ΔdhaTΔyqhD, overexpressing both PuuC and DhaB could produce >28 g/L 3‐HP in 48 h with a yield of >40% on glycerol. Only small amount of 3‐HP was produced when cultivation was carried out at a constant aeration of 1 vvm or constant 10% DO. These results show that K. pneumoniae is potentially useful for the production of 3‐HP in an economical culture medium that does not require vitamin B₁₂. The results also suggest that the aeration conditions should be optimized carefully for the efficient production of 3‐HP while using this strain. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 511–524. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Purification of 7-Keto-8-aminopelargonic Acid-7,8-Diaminopelargonic Acid Aminotransferase,an Enzym Involved in Biotin Biosynthesis,from Brevibacterium divaricatum

Vitamin B₆ is synthesized by green Cytisus scoparius callus and green Phellodendron amurense callus cultured on Linsmaier and Skoog Agar-medium with 10^?5m of ±-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 10^?6 m of 6-benzyladenine (BA). Even when thiamine and inositol were omitted from this medium, the growth and vitamin B₆ content of Cytisus scoparius callus did not change. Vitamin B₆ contents of clones of the calluses varied and were unstable during long-term subculture. Clonal selection was repeated to obtain stable strains with high vitamin B₆ content, and the vitamin B₆ content of one strain of green Cytisus scoparius callus became 4-times higher than that of the green leaves.     

Optimization of a Propionibacterium acidipropionici continuous culture utilizing sucrose

To produce propionic acid and vitamin B₁₂ from sucrose, the strain Propionibacterium acidipropionici NRRL B3569 was selected by screening a number of Propionibacterium strains. The nutrient composition and the fermentation conditions for this strain were optimized in continuous culture. The investigations show that within a concentration range of 30–170 g l^–1 of sucrose in the fermentation medium, no significant substrate inhibition occurred. For the production of propionic acid and vitamin B₁₂, concentrations of 1.5 mg FeSO₄·7H₂O g^–1 dry biomass, 0.75 mg cobalt ions g^–1 dry biomass, 0.3 mg 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole g^–1 dry biomass, and 12 g yeast extract 1^–1 were necessary additions to the sources of nitrogen, phosphate, and magnesium ions. The extra addition of up to 2.8 g betaine g^–1 dry biomass significantly increases the production of vitamin B₁₂. In the optimization of the pH value, temperature, and aeration, it was established that the conditions for propionic acid production and vitamin B₁₂ production are different. Whereas the optimal production of propionic acid took place under completely anaerobic conditions with a pH value of 6.5 and a temperature of 37°C, optimal vitamin B₁₂ production required a temperature of 40°C and aerobic conditions (0.5 vvm aeration at 100 rpm) with a pH value of 6.5.     

Studies on the Biosynthesis of Vitamin B6

The production of vitamin B₆ (B₆) compounds with a cell-suspension of Achromobacter cycloclastes A.M.S. 6201 under various conditions were examined. An obvious accumulation of B₆ compounds in the incubation medium with a cell-suspension of the organism harvested at the middle to later part of exponential phase of growth was observed. γ-Aminobutyric acid or β-alanine was found to stimulate the B₆ production markedly, when they were added to the incubation mixture together with glycerol. Some discussion on the implication of these compounds as precursors of B₆ was presented.     

Studies on Production of Biotin by Microorganisms

The utilization of hydrocarbons by microorganisms was studied in many fields, but the production of biotin vitamers by hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria has never been reported.

We have screened many hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria which produce biotin vitamers in the culture broth. The effects of cultural conditions on biotin vitamers production by strain 5–2, tentatively assigned to the genus Pseudomonas, were studied.

More than 98% of biotin vitamers produced from hydrocarbons by strain 5–2 was chromatographically determined as desthiobiotin. As nitrogen source, natural nutrients were more effective than inorganic nitrogen sources. The production of biotin vitamers was increased under the condition of good aeration. Exogenous pimelic or azelaic acid enhanced biotin vitamers production by strain 5–2.

The production of biotin vitamers from n-alkanes, n-alkenes or glucose by an isolated bacterium, strain 5-2, tentatively assigned to the genus Pseudomonas, was investigated. Among these carbon sources, n-undecane was the most excellent for biotin vitamers production.

The biosynthetic pathway of biotin vitamers, especially desthiobiotin, from n-undecane was also studied. It was found by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatographical methods that pimelic and azelaic acids were the main acid components in n-undecane culture.

This result, together with previously reported enhancement of biotin vitamers production by these acids, suggests that pimelic and azelaic acids may be the intermediates of biotin vitamers biosynthesis from n-undecane.     

基于宏基因组研究植物乳酸菌或博落回提取物对山羊回肠微生物合成维生素B12的影响

【目的】探索研究反刍动物胃肠道微生物合成维生素B₁₂的方法,并评估植物乳酸菌或博落回提取物对断奶山羊回肠食靡微生物合成维生素B₁₂的影响。【方法】选取体重相近年龄相仿的断奶黑山羊20只,随机分为对照组(CON, n=7)、乳酸菌组(LAC, n=7)和博落回组(MAC, n=6)。CON组饲喂普通的日粮,LAC组饲喂基础日粮+10 g/d的植物乳酸菌(Lactobacillus plantarum P-8 strains, 4.0×10⁹ CFU/g),MAC组饲喂基础日粮+0.3 g/d的博落回提取物(Macleaya cordata 3.75%)。试验结束后,采集回肠中段食靡样品。利用宏基因组测序技术,比对最新功能基因数据库VB12Path和公共数据库KEGG,分析植物乳酸菌和博落回提取物对山羊回肠食靡微生物合成维生素B₁₂的影响。【结果】结果显示,比对VB12Path数据库共注释到55个与维生素B₁₂合成相关的基因。与CON组相比,LAC组和MAC组中合成维生素B₁₂基因的丰富度和均匀度降低(P<0.05）。3组间基因的β多样性也有显著的差异(P<0.05);比对KEGG数据库共注释到49个与维生素B₁₂合成相关的基因,LAC组的多样性与CON组没有差异,但MAC组的α多样性显著降低(P<0.05)。值得注意的是,比对VB12Path数据库和KEGG数据库均发现LAC组和MAC组中参与前咕啉2合成途径、参与无氧合成途径、有氧合成途径、参与重排转换途径以及腺苷钴胺素合成途径的部分基因(gltX、cbiT、cobT和btuD等)的丰度均显著地高于CON组(P<0.05)。【结论】2个数据库比对后的相似结果表明博落回提取物在对断奶山羊回肠微生物合成维生素B₁₂相关代谢上与植物乳酸菌的作用相似,均可以通过改变其多样性和提高部分关键基因的丰度,从而影响微生物合成维生素B₁₂的潜能,为后期博落回提取物和植物乳酸菌在畜牧养殖中的运用提供一定的理论支撑。此外,2个数据库比对的差异提示未来研究胃肠道微生物维生素B₁₂相关代谢时,应用多个数据库比对,能更全面精确地进行评价,为后期分析过程奠定研究基础和提供新的思路。     

Incorporation of 14C-Labelled Glycerol and γ-Aminobutyric Acid into Vitamin B6 in a Cell-suspension of Achromobacter cycloclastes

Incorporation of ¹⁴C from various ¹⁴C-labelled compounds into vitamin B₆ (abbreviate as B₆) in a cell-suspension of B₆-producing bacteria, Achromobacter cycloclastes A.M.S. 6021, was studied by using a newly designed purification procedure of the radioactive B₆. The procedure consisted of Sephadex G–25 gel filtration, Dowex 50W–X8 column chromatography, Amberlite CG–50 column adsorption, powdered cellulose partition column chromatography, crystallization and sublimatography. It was observed that the labels both from 1,3- and from 2-labelled glycerol were clearly incorporated into B₆ and the label of ¹⁴C-labelled γ-aminobutyric acid was also incorporated. The incorporation of ¹⁴C from ¹⁴C-labelled glycerol or γ-aminobutyric acid was affected by the addition of cold γ-aminobutyric acid or glycerol. The implication of these compounds as precursors of B₆ was discussed.     

Microbial transformation of hydrocarbons. II. Growth constants and cell composition of microbial cells derived from n-alkanes

Cultivation of Norcardia sp., Mycobacterium phlei, and Candida lipolytica in inorganic salt solution containing n-alkanes C₁₀–C₂₀ as solo carbon and energy source was investigated. Generation times of 0.5–7.0 hr were typical during the exponential growth phase. The final cell concentrations (dry weight) were usually 9–26 g/l with n-alkane mixtures ranging from n-decane through n-eicosane. A linear dependence was found between the production of cell mass and the consumption of n-alkanes. The rest concentration of n-alkanes in the cell mass is in all experiments smaller than 0.5% (w/w). Cell yields were Y_sub 60–142% and for Y_e 50–97% based on n-alkane utilization. In one case, with the Nocardia NBZ 23, the substrate specifity on hydrocarbons and on a n-alkane mixture C₁₀-C₂₀ was studied. The cell mass recovered from the fermentations contained 47.8–57.7% carbon, 5.6–9.95% nitrogen, 7.2–9.4% hydrogen, 35–62% crude protein, and 6–36% lipid. Cellular protein and lipid synthesized by an organism is influenced by the type of nitrogen source. The amino acid, glucosamine, muramic acid, 2,6-diaminopimelinic acid, and fatty acid distribution in organisms grown on n-alkanes compared with a corresponding fermentation on glucose as sole carbon source were also estimated.     

Utilization of Hydrocarbons by Microorganisms

The accumulation of vitamin B₂ by Pichia guilliermondii Wickerham grown on hydrocarbon was investigated. Addition of the following materials stimulated vitamin B₂ production: metal ions such as ferrous, cobalt, manganese, and calcium ions; organic nutrients such as yeast extract and casamino acid; amino acids such as proline and arginine; vitamins such as B₁, nicotinic acid, inositol, and p-aminobenzoic acid. Optimal aeration rate for vitamin B2 production was obtained in a 500-ml shaking flask containing 75 ml of the medium.     

Desulfurization of 2,4,6,8-tetraethyl dibenzothiophene by recombinant Mycobacterium sp. strain MR65

Recombinant Mycobacterium sp. strain MR65 harboring dszABCD genes was used to desulfurize alkyl dibenzothiophenes (C_x-DBTs) in n-hexadecane. The specific desulfurization activity for 2,4,6,8-tetraethyl DBT (C₈-DBT) by DszC enzyme was about twice that for 4,6-dipropyl DBT (C₆-DBT). However, the degradation rate of 2,4,6,8-tetraethyl DBT in n-hexadecane by resting cells of strain MR65 was only about 40% of that of 4,6-dipropyl DBT. These results indicated that the desulfurization ability for Cx-DBTs by resting cells depends on carbon number substituted at positions 4 and 6 and that the rate-limiting step in the desulfurization reaction of highly alkylated C_x-DBTs is the transfer process from the oil phase into the cell.     

Effects of vitamin B6 supplementation in rats during lactation on vitamin B6 concentration and transaminase activities in the offspring

The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of a varying maternal vitamin B₆ supplementation during lactation period on vitamin B₆ levels in blood, liver and total body, and on the activity of two transaminase enzymes in the offspring. Therefore, eighty female Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed a semi‐synthetic diet (0.2 mg vitamin B₆ per kg) which was supplemented during gravidity with 5 mg vitamin B₆ per kg diet. During the following lactation period the rats were assigned to one of 10 vitamin B₆ treatment groups (supplementation of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 36, 360, 3600 mg vitamin B₆ per kg diet). At day 14 of lactation the pubs of all dams were decapitated and blood, liver, and carcass were used for analysis of vitamin B₆ concentration, activities of two transaminases, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in plasma, erythrocytes, and liver, and of haematological parameters.

While the liver and total body wet weights as well as the haematological parameters (red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, middle corpuscular cell volume, middle corpuscular haemoglobin, middle corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) did not differ within the experimental groups, the present data clearly show that in blood, liver and total body of the offspring exists a slight dose‐response relationship between the maternal dietary vitamin B₆ supplementation and the vitamin B₆ concentration. Concerning the activities of the transaminases a dietary supplementation above 3mg vitamin B₆ per kg diet had no influence on the AST and ALT activities in offspring plasma. In the erythrocytes no statistical significant influence of the vitamin B₆ supplementation during lactation on the activities of AST and ALT was found. The activities of ALT and AST in liver were not consistently altered by the vitamin B₆ supplementation of the dams during lactation. In conclusion these results indicate that a minimal maternal dietary vitamin B₆ supply of 3.1 mg per kg diet is necessary with regard to health and development of their offspring. But not all of the analysed parameters as the liver and total body weights, the activities of AST and ALT in the erythrocytes, and the haematological parameters were influenced by a deficient maternal dietary vitamin B₆ supply.     

Enhancement of vitamin B6 levels in rice expressing Arabidopsis vitamin B6 biosynthesis de novo genes

Vitamin B₆ (pyridoxine) is vital for key metabolic reactions and reported to have antioxidant properties in planta. Therefore, enhancement of vitamin B₆ content has been hypothesized to be a route to improve resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Most of the current studies on vitamin B₆ in plants are on eudicot species, with monocots remaining largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated vitamin B₆ biosynthesis in rice, with a view to examining the feasibility and impact of enhancing vitamin B₆ levels. Constitutive expression in rice of two Arabidopsis thaliana genes from the vitamin B₆ biosynthesis de novo pathway, AtPDX1.1 and AtPDX2, resulted in a considerable increase in vitamin B₆ in leaves (up to 28.3‐fold) and roots (up to 12‐fold), with minimal impact on general growth. Rice lines accumulating high levels of vitamin B₆ did not display enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress (salt) or biotic stress (resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae infection). While a significant increase in vitamin B₆ content could also be achieved in rice seeds (up to 3.1‐fold), the increase was largely due to its accumulation in seed coat and embryo tissues, with little enhancement observed in the endosperm. However, seed yield was affected in some vitamin B₆‐enhanced lines. Notably, expression of the transgenes did not affect the expression of the endogenous rice PDX genes. Intriguingly, despite transgene expression in leaves and seeds, the corresponding proteins were only detectable in leaves and could not be observed in seeds, possibly pointing to a mode of regulation in this organ.