Effect of Sodium Alginate Addition on Physical Properties of Rennet Milk Gels

Effect of addition of sodium alginate (alginate) to milk on the storage modulus (G′), water holding capacity (WHC) and hardness of rennet gels was evaluated as a function of alginate (0–0.25 g/100 g) and fat (0.5–3.0 g/100 g) concentrations. There was a significant effect of alginate addition on ionic calcium in milk and whey (Ca²⁺), and particle size distribution in alginate added milk. Results showed a positive correlation of alginate with WHC; negative correlation of alginate and positive correlation of fat with G′; and negative correlation of interaction of fat and alginate with gel hardness of rennet gels. Hence, the rennet gels with lower fat content and higher added alginate tended to be softer due to the high water holding capacity of the alginate particles.     

产双功能褐藻胶裂解酶菌株的筛选与初步研究

目的：双功能褐藻胶裂解酶既能降解聚β-D-甘露糖醛酸,又能降解聚α-L-古罗糖醛酸,可以用一种酶来制备不同结构的褐藻胶寡糖。本文的目的是筛选能产生双功能褐藻胶裂解酶的菌株,对其产酶曲线和降解产物作初步研究。方法：利用唯一碳源培养基筛选产生褐藻胶裂解酶的菌株,通过16SrDNA序列比对进行菌种鉴定,通过在凝胶上检测褐藻胶裂解酶活性来判断发酵上清液中褐藻胶裂解酶的数量及分子量,利用薄层层析确定降解褐藻胶的终产物组成。结果：从褐藻上筛选到一株海洋细菌QY107,鉴定为弧菌属细菌。发酵120h时褐藻胶裂解酶产量为12．32U／mL,其发酵液上清中只含有一种褐藻胶裂解酶,分子量在28kDa左右,并且对聚β—D-甘露糖醛酸和聚α-L-古罗糖醛酸都能降解,降解褐藻胶的终产物主要为三糖。结论：本文筛选到一株弧菌QY107,其发酵液上清中只有一种双功能褐藻胶裂解酶,可用于大量制备褐藻胶三糖。推测该酶具有特殊的催化腔结构,对其结构与功能相互关系的研究可能会发现新的底物结合与催化机制。酶解制备褐藻胶寡糖因其环保高效而越来越受到人们的重视,因此该菌株能促进海洋寡糖类生物制品的开发,在医药、食品、农业、生物燃料等领域具有广阔的应用前景。     

Isolation of water-soluble alginate from brown algae

Summary Water-soluble alginate was obtained from an aqueous extract of Kjellmaniella crassifolia by precipitation with HCl, calcium acetate or 20% ethanol in the presence of 0.05 M MgCl₂ Of these precipitation procedures, MgCl₂-ethanol gave the purest alginate preparation as judged by electrophoresis. The thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography of its acid hydrolysate, and the IR spectra analysis of the whole alginate, suggested that the water-soluble alginate is similar to ordinary water-insoluble and alkali-soluble alginate such as Kelco alginate.However, the alginate obtained in the present work contained a great excess of mannuronic acid residues, giving an M:G ratio of about 13. Its molecular weight distribution was rather broad as with Kelco alginate, but the molecular weight of its major component was estimated to be 500 000 amu, whereas that Kelco alginate measured on the same column under the same condition was 1 700 000 amu. This suggests that water-soluble alginate was far smaller in average molecular size than Kelco alginate.     

海藻酸转化生物乙醇研究进展

作为第三代生物燃料,大型褐藻类生物质转化燃料乙醇的研究受到广泛的关注。但是,现有的乙醇工业菌株并不能利用褐藻中的主要成分海藻酸,这个问题是海藻生物乙醇实现工业化生产的主要技术难关。近几年随着对海藻酸裂解酶和海藻酸降解菌代谢途径的深入研究,科研人员构建了不同的海藻酸发酵菌株,为高效转化大型海藻生产生物乙醇提供了可行的技术基础。这篇文章对海藻酸资源概况和海藻酸转化生物乙醇存在的科学问题及其研究进展进行了综述。     

On the elimination of artefactual effects in assessing the structure of calcium alginate cell immobilization gels

The structure of calcium alginate cell immobilization gels has been examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The presence of an alginate coating around the extrude alginate fibres reduced the loss of cells from the immobilized state provided that strict nutrient controls were observed. The constraining alginate coating may be retained for > 500 h under normal operational conditions. The alginate structure within the extruded fibres (4% w/v alginate, 10% w/v Saccharomyces cerevisiae) remained unchanged during the course of a 500 h continuous ethanol fermentation and revealed a pore size within the alginate matrix, usually less than 90 nm. Inappropriate electron microscopy preparation prior to examination may erroneously indicately the alginate matrix to be a macroporous structure. To reduce artefactual effects the alginate structure should only be revealed prior to critical point drying and not at an earlier stage in the preparation for electron microscopy.     

Role of alginate lyase in cell detachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The exopolysaccharide alginate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was shown to be important in determining the degree of cell detachment from an agar surface. Nonmucoid strain 8822 gave rise to 50-fold more sloughed cells than mucoid strains 8821 and 8830. Alginate anchors the bacteria to the agar surface, thereby influencing the extent of detachment. The role of the P. aeruginosa alginate lyase in the process of cell sloughing was investigated. Increased expression of the alginate lyase in mucoid strain 8830 led to alginate degradation and increased cell detachment. Similar effects were seen both when the alginate lyase was induced at the initial stage of cell inoculation and when it was induced at a later stage of growth. It appears that high-molecular-weight alginate polymers are required to efficiently retain the bacteria within the growth film. When expressed from a regulated promoter, the alginate lyase can induce enhanced sloughing of cells because of degradation of the alginate. This suggests a possible role for the lyase in the development of bacterial growth films.     

Molecular identification of oligoalginate lyase of Sphingomonas sp. strain A1 as one of the enzymes required for complete depolymerization of alginate

A bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, can incorporate alginate into cells through a novel ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter system specific to the macromolecule. The transported alginate is depolymerized to di- and trisaccharides by three kinds of cytoplasmic alginate lyases (A1-I [66 kDa], A1-II [25 kDa], and A1-III [40 kDa]) generated from a single precursor through posttranslational autoprocessing. The resultant alginate oligosaccharides were degraded to monosaccharides by cytoplasmic oligoalginate lyase. The enzyme and its gene were isolated from the bacterial cells grown in the presence of alginate. The purified enzyme was a monomer with a molecular mass of 85 kDa and cleaved glycosidic bonds not only in oligosaccharides produced from alginate by alginate lyases but also in polysaccharides (alginate, polymannuronate, and polyguluronate) most efficiently at pH 8.0 and 37 degrees C. The reaction catalyzed by the oligoalginate lyase was exolytic and thought to play an important role in the complete depolymerization of alginate in Sphingomonas sp. strain A1. The gene for this novel enzyme consisted of an open reading frame of 2,286 bp encoding a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 86,543 and was located downstream of the genes coding for the precursor of alginate lyases (aly) and the ABC transporter (algS, algM1, and algM2). This result indicates that the genes for proteins required for the transport and complete depolymerization of alginate are assembled to form a cluster.     

The Surface Display of the Alginate Lyase on the Cells of Yarrowia lipolytica for Hydrolysis of Alginate

The alginate lyase structural gene (AlyVI gene) was amplified from plasmid pET24-ALYVI carrying the alginate lyase gene from the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. QY101 which is a pathogen of Laminaria sp. When the gene was cloned into the multiple cloning site of the surface display vector pINA1317-YlCWP110 and expressed in cells of Yarrowia lipolytica, the cells displaying the alginate lyase could form clear zone on the plate containing sodium alginate, indicating that they had high alginate lyase activity. The cells displaying alginate lyase can be used to hydrolyze poly-β-d-mannuronate (M) and poly-α-l-guluronate (G) and sodium alginate to produce different lengths of oligosaccharides (more than pentasaccharides). This is the first report that the yeast cells displaying alginate lyase were used to produce different lengths of oligosaccharides from alginate.     

Some properties of alginate gels derived from algal sodium alginate

Alginic acid in soluble sodium alginate turns to insoluble gel after contact with divalent metal ions, such as calcium ions. The sodium alginate character has an effect on the alginate gel properties. In order to prepare a suitable calcium alginate gel for use in seawater, the effects of sodium alginate viscosity and M/G ratio (the ratio of D-mannuronate to L-guluronate) on the gel strength were investigated. The wet tensile strengths of gel fibers derived from high viscosity sodium alginate were higher than those from low viscosity sodium alginate. The tensile strength increased with diminishing sodium alginate M/G ratio. Among the gel fibers tested, the gel fiber obtained from a sodium alginate I-5G (1% aqueous solution viscosity = 520 mPa·s, M/G ratio = 0.6) had the highest wet tensile strength. After 13 days treatment in seawater, the wet tensile strength of the gel fiber retained 36% of the original untreated gel strength. For sodium alginates with similar viscosities, the seawater tolerance of low M/G ratio alginate was greater than that of the high M/G ratio one. This study enables us to determine a suitable calcium alginate gel for use in seawater.     

In situ gelling of alginate/pluronic solutions for ophthalmic delivery of pilocarpine

We prepared a series of alginate and Pluronic-based solutions as the in situ gelling vehicles for ophthalmic delivery of pilocarpine. The rheological properties, in vitro release as well as in vivo pharmacological response of polymer solutions, including alginate, Pluronic solution, and alginate/Pluronic solution, were evaluated. The optimum concentration of alginate solution for the in situ gel-forming delivery systems was 2% (w/w) and that for Pluronic solution was 14% (w/w). The mixture of 0.1% alginate and 14% Pluronic solutions showed a significant increase in gel strength in the physiological condition; this gel mixture was also found to be free flowing at pH 4.0 and 25 degrees C. Both in vitro release and in vivo pharmacological studies indicated that the alginate/Pluronic solution retained pilocarpine better than the alginate or Pluronic solutions alone. The results demonstrated that the alginate/Pluronic mixture can be used as an in situ gelling vehicle to increase ocular bioavailability.     

Effects of sterilization treatments on some properties of alginate solutions and gels.

Aqueous sodium alginate solutions were subjected to various heat sterilization treatments. Sodium alginate powder was also treated by both gamma-irradiation and ethylene oxide sterilization. The effects of these treatments on the viscosities of sodium alginate solutions and both the diameter and strength of the beads formed in 0.1 M CaCl2 solutions were determined quantitatively. The viscosity of sodium alginate solutions and the gel strength of the calcium alginate beads decreased with increasing sterilization temperature while the bead diameters were found to increase. All these effects can be attributable to a reduction in the degree of polymerization of the alginate molecules as a result of the heat treatments. Ethylene oxide and gamma-irradiation treatments caused similar effects. Standard conditions for sterilization are necessary for comparative studies with alginate beads.     

Characterization of alginate lyase activity on liquid, gelled, and complexed states of alginate

A study of alginate lyase was carried out to determine if this enzyme could be used to remove alginate present in the core of alginate/poly-L-lysine (AG/PLL) microcapsules in order to maximize cell growth and colonization. A complete kinetic study was undertaken, which indicated an optimal activity of the enzyme at pH 7-8, 50 degrees C, in the presence of Ca2+. The buffer, not the ionic strength, influenced the alginate degradation rate. Alginate lyase was also shown to be active on gelled forms of alginate, as well as on the AG/PLL complex constituting the membrane of microcapsules. Batch cultures of CHO cells in the presence of alginate showed a decrease of the growth rate by a factor of 2, although the main metabolic flux rates were not modified. The addition of alginate lyase to cell culture medium increased the doubling time 5-7-fold and decreased the protein production rate, although cell viability was not affected. The addition of enzyme to medium containing alginate did not improve growth conditions. This suggests that alginate lyase is probably not suitable for hydrolysis of microcapsules in the presence of cells, in order to achieve high cell density and high productivity. However, the high activity may be useful for releasing cells from alginate beads or AG/PLL microcapsules.     

Characterization of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa alginate lyase gene (algL): cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli.

Mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce a viscous exopolysaccharide called alginate and also express alginate lyase activity which can degrade this polymer. By transposon mutagenesis and gene replacement techniques, the algL gene encoding a P. aeruginosa alginate lyase enzyme was found to reside between algG and algA within the alginate biosynthetic gene cluster at 35 min on the P. aeruginosa chromosome. DNA sequencing data for algL predicted a protein product of ca. 41 kDa, including a 27-amino-acid signal sequence, which would be consistent with its possible localization in the periplasmic space. Expression of the algL gene in Escherichia coli cells resulted in the expression of alginate lyase activity and the appearance of a new protein of ca. 39 kDa detected on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. In mucoid P. aeruginosa strains, expression of algL was regulated by AlgB, which also controls expression of other genes within the alginate gene cluster. Since alginate lyase activity is associated with the ability to produce and secrete alginate polymers, alginate lyase may play a role in alginate production.     

Low-temperature electron microscopy for the study of polysaccharide ultrastructures in hydrogels. II. Effect of temperature on the structure of Ca2+-alginate beads

Calcium alginate beads were thermally treated at temperatures ranging from 25 degrees C to 130 degrees C for periods of up to 30 minutes. Important modifications to the structure of the alginate beads were shown to be a function of the temperature and period of incubation at each temperature. Modifications to the alginate beads included reduction in size, mechanical resistance, and molecular weight cut-off with increasing temperature and incubation period. Thus, heating 700 microm calcium alginate beads for 20 min at 130 degrees C resulted in a 23% reduction in diameter, 70% increase in mechanical resistance, and 67% reduction in molecular weight cut-off.Incubation of calcium alginate beads containing 2 x 10(6) kDa blue dextran for 20 min at 130 degrees C resulted in no detectable loss of either dye or alginate. This indicates the shrinkage of the beads was due to re-arrangement of the alginate chains within the beads, coupled with loss of water. This hypothesis was verified by direct visual observation of calcium alginate beads before and after thermal treatment using cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). Unlike other microscopy methods cryo-SEM offers the advantage of extremely rapid freezing which preserves the original structure of the alginate network. As a result cryo-SEM is a powerful tool for studies of hydrogel and capsule structure and formation.Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the water entrapped in 2% alginate beads was present in a single state, irrespective of the thermal treatment. This result is attributed to the low alginate concentration used to form the beads.     

Molecular cloning, purification, and characterization of a novel polyMG-specific alginate lyase responsible for alginate MG block degradation in Stenotrophomas maltophilia KJ-2

A gene for a polyMG-specific alginate lyase possessing a novel structure was identified and cloned from Stenotrophomas maltophilia KJ-2 by using PCR with homologous nucleotide sequences-based primers. The recombinant alginate lyase consisting of 475 amino acids was purified on Ni-Sepharose column and exhibited the highest activity at pH 8 and 40?°C. Interestingly, the recombinant alginate lyase was expected to have a similar catalytic active site of chondroitin B lyase but did not show chondroitin lyase activity. In the test of substrate specificity, the recombinant alginate lyase preferentially degraded the glycosidic bond of polyMG-block than polyM-block and polyG-block. The chemical structures of the degraded alginate oligosaccharides were elucidated to have mannuronate (M) at the reducing end on the basis of NMR analysis, supporting that KJ-2 polyMG-specific alginate lyase preferably degraded the glycosidic bond in M-G linkage than that in G-M linkage. The KJ-2 polyMG-specific alginate lyase can be used in combination with other alginate lyases for a synergistic saccharification of alginate.     

Antifungal Activity and Cytotoxicity of Zinc, Calcium, or Copper Alginate Fibers

The antifungal properties and cytotoxicity of alginate fibers were investigated to widen their application in tissue engineering. Calcium, zinc, and copper alginate fibers were separately prepared by replacing Na(+) with Ca(2+), Zn(2+), or Cu(2+). The antifungal properties of the three alginate fibers were studied after coming into contact with Candida albicans. Then, the fungal inhibitory rates were measured using the plate-count method following shake-flask test. Moreover, an inhibition-zone test and observation by scanning electron microscopy were carried out. The inhibitory rate of the calcium, copper, and zinc alginate fibers were, respectively, 49.1, 68.6, and 92.2 %. The results from inhibition-zone test and shake-flask test show that zinc alginate fibers have the most significant antifungal action and that copper alginate fibers have obvious inhibitory action, but the calcium alginate fibers have weak inhibitory effects. The scanning electron micrographs similarly illustrate that the fungal surfaces show most scraggly after the interaction between C. albicans and zinc alginate fibers. Moreover, the relative growth rates of zinc or calcium alginate fibers in human embryonic kidney cells and human fibroblast cells were more than 100 %. No significant results were obtained (P>0.05). The calcium alginate fibers in human fibroblast cells were not much different from the negative control group (P>0.05). However, zinc alginate fibers had a significant change (P<0.05). Therefore, the excellent antifungal property of zinc alginate fibers demonstrates potential application in skin tissue engineering comparing with calcium or copper alginate fibers.     

Enzymatic degradation of alginate by marine fungi

A total of 72 pre-selected strains of 19 species of marine fungi were tested for their ability to decompose sodium alginate, calcium alginate or freshly prepared calcium alginate gel. Active alginate decomposition was evident in 18 strains (25% of total tested). These belong to only three different species: Asteromyces cruciatus, Corollospora intermedia, and Dendryphiella salina. In broth culture, decomposition of sodium alginate by the two deuteromycetes was followed by gravimetric, electrometric, viscometric, photometric and chromatographic methods in order to characterize the alginase enzyme system and its degradation products. The alginase enzyme complex consisted of at least two different enzyme components: the already known alginate lyase (eliminase) and a new endo-alginate hydrolase. In summary, a model is presented on the alginase-mediated structural and molecular decomposition of sodium alginate by marine fungi.     

Granulation of subtilisin by internal gelation of alginate microspheres for application in detergent formulation

Subtilisin was encapsulated within impact-resistant alginate granules produced by emulsification, internal gelation, and acetone extractive drying. The mechanical and controlled release properties of the granules were modified by adding to the alginate varying levels of formulation excipients, including titanium dioxide, polyvinyl alcohol, microcrystalline cellulose, starch and sucrose. Optimum protease activity and mass yields of 83 and 88%, respectively (mg active subtilisin/g granules), occurred for granules formulated with 3% alginate, 10% starch, 10% titanium dioxide, and 3% subtilisin. Mass losses occurred primarily during the gelation step. Maximum encapsulation efficiency is achieved by using higher molecular weight alginate, increasing the alginate concentration, and carefully controlling process temperature and pH. The strongest granules were obtained at the higher concentrations of medium-G or high-G alginate, while fastest granule dissolution was achieved when a lower concentration of alginate was used in combination with polyvinyl alcohol or microcrystalline cellulose as dispersants. Mechanical properties of alginate granules were found to be unaffected by the different cations employed in matrix gel formation.     

Inter-Grade and Inter-Batch Variability of Sodium Alginate Used in Alginate-Based Matrix Tablets

The purpose of this study is to characterize the inter-grade and inter-batch variability of sodium alginate used in the formulation of matrix tablets. Four different grades and three batches of one grade of sodium alginate were used to prepare matrix tablets. Swelling, erosion, and drug release tests of sodium alginate matrix tablets were conducted in a USP dissolution apparatus. Substantial differences in swelling and erosion behavior of sodium alginate matrix tablets were evident among different viscosity grades. Even different batches of the same grade exhibit substantial differences in the swelling and erosion behavior of their matrix tablets. The erosion behavior of sodium alginate matrix tablets can be partly explained by their rheological properties (both apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity) in solution. Sodium alginate with higher apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity in solution show slower erosion rate and higher swelling rate. Compacts prepared from grades or batches with higher viscosity and higher viscoelasticity show slower drug release. For grades or batches with similar apparent viscosities, apparent viscosities of sodium alginate solution at low concentration alone are not sufficient to predict the functionality of sodium alginate in matrix tablets. Viscoelastic properties of sodium alginate solutions at one high concentration corresponding to the polymer gel state, may be suitable indicia of the extended release behavior of sodium alginate matrix tablets.