Thermal stability of beta-xylanases produced by different Thermomyces lanuginosus strains

The thermostability of beta-xylanases produced by nine thermophilic Thermomyces lanuginosus strains in a coarse corn cob medium was assessed. The xylanase produced by T. lanuginosus strain SSBP retained 100% of its activity after 6 h at temperatures up to 65 degrees C. In comparison seven ATCC strains and the DSM 5826 strain of T. lanuginosus only retained 100% xylanase activity at temperatures up to 60 degrees C. Culture filtrates of T. lanuginosus strain SSBP grown on coarse corn cobs, oatspelts xylan, birchwood xylan, wheatbran, locust beangum, and sugar cane bagasse, retained 100% xylanase activity at temperatures up to 60 degrees C. The xylanase produced on corn cobs was the most thermostable and showed an increase of approximately 6% from 70 degrees C to 80 degrees C. The T(1/2) of all strains at 70 degrees C at pH 6.5 varied greatly from 63 min for strain ATCC 28083 to 340 min for strain SSBP. The xylanase of strain SSBP was much less thermostable at pH 5.0 and pH 12.0 with T(1/2) values of 11.5 min and 15 min, respectively at 70 degrees C. At 50 degrees C, the enzyme of T. lanuginosus strain SSBP produced on coarse corn cobs was stable within the pH range of 5.5-10.0. Furthermore, the enzyme retained total activity at 60 degrees C for over 14 days and at 65 degrees C for over 48 h. The xylanase of T. lanuginosus strain SSBP possesses thermo- and pH stability properties that may be attractive to industrial application.     

Relatedness of Thermomyces lanuginosus strains producing a thermostable xylanase

Properties of an endo-beta-xylanase produced by a locally isolated Thermomyces lanuginosus strain SSBP was compared to seven other T. lanuginosus strains isolated from different geographical regions. Strain SSBP produced the highest xylanase activity of 59600 nkat ml(-1) when cultivated on corn cobs (maize) medium, whereas the seven other strains produced xylanase activities ranging from 6000 to 32000 nkat ml(-1). No cellulase activity was produced by the strains. Despite the variability in the production of xylanase, little difference in the other characteristics of the strains could be found. The optimal temperature and pH for xylanase production by the strains was either 40 or 50 degrees C and between pH 6 and 7, respectively. Optimal xylanase activity of the strains was observed at 70 degrees C and at pH 6 or 6.5. Culture supernatant analysis by SDS-PAGE and isoelectric focusing PAGE of all strains revealed the presence of a single 24.7 kDa and pI 3.9 xylanase. Phylogenetic analysis by PCR amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer of nuclear rRNA repeat units and 5.8S rDNA revealed no strain diversity. However, random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis pointed to greater diversity and with one primer (5'-GCCCGACGCG-3'), a relationship was established between xylanase levels and the RAPD pattern.     

Sorghum straw for xylanase hyper-production by Thermomyces lanuginosus (D2W3) under solid-state fermentation

This paper reports the production of very high levels of cellulase free xylanase and associated hemicellulases by an indigenous thermophilic isolate of Thermomyces lanuginosus (D(2)W(3)) using solid-state fermentation. Sorghum straw, an inexpensive and abundant source of carbon supported maximal xylanase activity (11,855 units/g dry substrate). Culturing T. lanuginosus D(2)W(3) on sorghum straw and optimizing other culture conditions (media types, particle size of carbon source, inoculum level, inoculum age and additives), yielded increased levels of xylanase (39,726 units/g dry substrate). Further optimization of enzyme production was carried out using Box-Behnken design of experiments with three independent variables (inoculum level, glycerol and ammonium sulphate concentrations) which resulted in very high levels of xylanase, 48,000+/-1774 units/g dry substrate, and 2.6+/-0.2, 13.4+/-0.56, 68+/-1.7, 1.4+/-0.08, 1.2+/-0.05 (units/g dry substrate) of beta-xylosidase, alpha-galactosidase, pectinase, beta-mannosidase and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase, respectively.     

Production,partial characterization and use of fungal cellulase-free xylanases in pulp bleaching

Seven fungal strains were screened for their ability to produce cellulase-free xylanases that could be used in pretreatment of sulphite pulp prior to bleaching. The potential xylanase producers were subjected to shake flask fermentations using four different carbon sources: wheat bran, corn cobs, oat spelts xylan and bleach plant effluent. When grown on corn cobs, Aspergillus foetidus (ATCC 14916) produced significant levels of xylanase (547.4 U/ml), accompanied however by 6.6 U/ml of cellulase activity. Two other strains, Aspergillus oryzae (NRRL 1808) and Gliocladium viride (CBS 658.70), produced high yields of cellulase-free xylanase on oat spelts xylan. The crude enzymes of these two isolates were characterized with respect to pH and temperature optima and stability in order to standardize the optimum conditions for their use on pulp. Although the two xylanases differed in their abilities to remove reducing sugars from pulp, their biobleaching abilities, when assessed in hydrogen peroxide delignification of pulp, were very similar: both of them increased brightness by 1.4 points and removed 7% of hemicellulose from pulp.     

Thermomyces lanuginosus: properties of strains and their hemicellulases

The non-cellulolytic Thermomyces lanuginosus is a widespread and frequently isolated thermophilic fungus. Several strains of this fungus have been reported to produce high levels of cellulase-free beta-xylanase both in shake-flask and bioreactor cultivations but intraspecies variability in terms of beta-xylanase production is apparent. Furthermore all strains produce low extracellular levels of other hemicellulases involved in hemicellulose hydrolysis. Crude and purified hemicellulases from this fungus are stable at high temperatures in the range of 50-80 degrees C and over a broad pH range (3-12). Various strains are reported to produce a single xylanase with molecular masses varying between 23 and 29 kDa and pI values between 3.7 and 4.1. The gene encoding the T. lanuginosus xylanase has been cloned and sequenced and is shown to be a member of family 11 glycosyl hydrolases. The crystal structure of the xylanase indicates that the enzyme consists of two beta-sheets and one alpha-helix and forms a rigid complex with the three central sugars of xyloheptaose whereas the peripheral sugars might assume different configurations thereby allowing branched xylan chains to be accepted. The presence of an extra disulfide bridge between the beta-strand and the alpha-helix, as well as to an increase in the density of charged residues throughout the xylanase might contribute to the thermostability. The ability of T. lanuginosus to produce high levels of cellulase-free thermostable xylanase has made the fungus an attractive source of thermostable xylanase with potential as a bleach-boosting agent in the pulp and paper industry and as an additive in the baking industry.     

Cellulase-free xylanase by thermophilic fungi: a comparison of xylanase production by two Thermomyces lanuginosus strains

Thermomyces lanuginosus strains RT9 and MH4 were studied to find favourable cultivation conditions and to compare their abilities to produce xylanolytic enzymes in three media on different substrates at 50° C or 55° C under shake-culture conditions. Both organisms produced xylanases free of cellulase at widely different levels in all cultivation conditions employed. Wheat bran, corn cobs and xylan induced xylanases in increasing order of producing with both cultures. T. lanuginosus RT9 demonstrated the highest xylanase production in all cultivation conditions but with lower soluble protein, reducing sugar, -xylosidase and debranching enzymes levels (arabinosidase, acetylxylanesterase, mannanase) when compared to T. lanuginosus MH4. The study reveals that xylanase production was highly influenced by nitrogen sources and their concentrations and by the initial pH in the cultures. The two strains may therefore be unique, when technical application is considered in terms of the quantity and quality of the xylanolytic enzymes produced.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces lividans</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brevibacterium lactofermentum</Emphasis> as heterologous hosts for the production of X<Subscript>22</Subscript> xylanase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus nidulans</Emphasis>

The Aspergillus nidulans gene xlnA coding for the fungal xylanase X₂₂ has been cloned and expressed in two heterologous bacterial hosts: Streptomyces lividans and Brevibacterium lactofermentum. Streptomyces strains yielded 10 units/ml of xylanase when the protein was produced with its own signal peptide, and 19 units/ml when its signal peptide was replaced by the one for xylanase Xys1 from Streptomyces halstedii. B. lactofermentum was also able to produce xylanase X₂₂, affording 6 units/ml upon using either the Aspergillus xlnA signal peptide or Streptomyces xysA. These production values are higher than those previously reported for the heterologous expression of the A. nidulans xlnA gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1 unit/ml). Moreover, the X₂₂ enzyme produced by Streptomyces lividans showed oenological properties, indicating that this Streptomyces recombinant strain is a good candidate for the production of this enzyme at the industrial scale.     

Characterization and biobleaching effect of hemicellulases produced by thermophilic fungi

The culture supernatant of Thermomyces lanuginosus strains MED 2D and MED 4B1 had high activities of xylanase with low inducible activities of -xylosidase. The crude xylanase was optimally active at 70 °C and at pH 6.0 to 6.5. Subsequently Eucalyptus kraft pulp was treated with MED 2D supernatant at 10 IU per gram pulp resulting in a 10.5% reduction in Kappa number. XECEDED-Refined bleached pulp resulted in handsheets with increased brightness compared to the control (X = xylanase treatment; E = alkaline extraction; C = Cl2 treatment; D = ClO2 treatment).     

High level expression of a recombinant xylanase by Pichia pastoris NC38 in a 5 L fermenter and its efficiency in biobleaching of bagasse pulp

A genetically modified XynA gene from Thermomyces lanuginosus was expressed in Pichia pastoris under the control of GAP promoter. P. pastoris expressed greater levels of xylanase (160 IU ml(-1)) on BMGY medium without zeocin after 56 h. The xylanase production by recombinant P. pastoris was scaled up in a 5L fermenter containing 1% glycerol and the highest xylanase production of 139 IU ml(-1) was observed after 72 h. Further studies carried out in fermenter under controlled pH (5.5) yielded a maximum xylanase production of 177 IU ml(-1) after 72 h. The biobleaching efficacy of crude xylanase was also evaluated on bagasse pulp and a brightness of 47.4% was observed with 50 IU of crude xylanase used per gram of pulp, which was 2.1 points higher in brightness than the untreated samples. Reducing sugars (24.8 mg g(-1)) and UV absorbing lignin-derived compounds values were considerably higher with xylanase treated samples.     

Hydrolysis of Nothogenia erinacea xylan by xylanases from families 10 and 11

The structures of several enzymatic hydrolysis products of Nothogenia erinacea seaweed xylan, a linear homopolymer with mixed beta-(1-->3)/beta-(1-->4) linkages, were analysed by physicochemical and biochemical techniques. With the glycoside hydrolase family 10 beta-(1-->4)-xylanase from Cryptococcus adeliae, hydrolysis proceeds to a final mixture of products containing a mixed linkage-type triose as a major compound, whereas with the family 11 xylanase from Thermomyces lanuginosus this is a mixed linkage tetraose. The Cryptococcus xylanase is shown to be capable of also catalysing the hydrolysis of beta-(1-->3) linkages, that is this of a mixed type tetraose intermediary formed, in accordance with the broader substrate specificity of family 10 enzymes. From a partial degradation experiment with the T. lanuginosus xylanase, a series of higher mixed oligosaccharides were isolated and identified. The observed oligosaccharide intermediates and splicing pattern indicate an irregular beta-(1-->3)/beta-(1-->4) linkage distribution within the linear d-xylose polymer. Similar results were obtained with rhodymenan, the seaweed xylan from Palmares palmata.     

Production and biochemical characterization of a novel cellulase-poor alkali-thermo-tolerant xylanase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coprinellus disseminatus</Emphasis> SW-1 NTCC 1165

Fungi producing xylanases are plentiful but alkali-thermo-tolerant fungi producing cellulase-poor xylanase are rare. Out of 12 fungal strains isolated from various sources, Coprinellus disseminatus SW-1 NTCC 1165 yielded the highest xylanase activity (362.1 IU/ml) with minimal cellulase contamination (0.64 IU/ml). The solid state fermentation was more effective yielding 88.59% higher xylanase activity than that of submerged fermentation. An incubation period of 7 days at 37°C and pH 6.4 accelerated the xylanase production up to the maximum level. Among various inexpensive agro-residues used as carbon source, wheat bran induced the maximum xylanase titres (469.45 IU/ml) while soya bean meal was the best nitrogen source (478.5 IU/ml). A solid substrate to moisture content ratio of 1:3 was suitable for xylanase production while xylanase titre was repressed with the addition of glucose and lactose. The xylanase and laccase activities under optimized conditions were 499.60 and 25.5 IU/ml, respectively along with negligible cellulase contamination (0.86 IU/ml). Biochemical characterization revealed that optimal xylanase activity was observed at pH 6.4 and temperature 55°C and xylanase is active up to pH 9 (40.33 IU/ml) and temperature 85°C (48.81 IU/ml). SDS–PAGE and zymogram analysis indicated that molecular weight of alkali-thermo-tolerant xylanase produced by C. disseminatus SW-1 NTCC 1165 was 43 kDa.     

Short Communication: Effect of agitation rate on the growth and production of xylanase free of cellulase by Thermomyces lanuginosus MH4 in bioreactor

Cellulase-free xylanase production by T. lanuginosus MH4 was investigated in a 3-litre stirred tank bioreactor under different agitation rates and an aeration rate of 1v/v/m. The cultivation time in the bioreactor was reduced significantly over that in shake culture conditions. A xylanase productivity of 0.1 mkat1–1h–1 was achieved on xylan in the bioreactor. This was nearly double to that obtained in shake culture. The agitation rates influenced both growth and enzyme secretion in the bioreactor. The highest level of biomass concentration and activities of both xylanase and -xylosidase were obtained at 150 revmin–1     

Production, purification and characterization of thermostable phytase from thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus TL-7

Ten different strains of Thermomyces lanuginosus, isolated from composting soils were found to produce phytase when grown on PSM medium. The wild type strain CM was found to produce maximum amount ofphytase (4.33 units/g DW substrate). Culturing T. lanuginosus strain CM on medium containing wheat bran and optimizing other culture conditions (carbon source, media type, nitrogen source, level of nitrogen, temperature, pH, inoculum age, inoculum level and moisture), increased the phytase yield to 13.26 units/g substrate. This culture was further subjected to UV mutagenesis for developing phytase hyperproducing mutants. The mutant (TL-7) showed 2.29-fold increase in phytase activity as compared to the parental strain. Employing Box-Behnken factor factorial design of response surface methodology resulted in optimized phytase production (32.19 units/g of substrate) by mutant TL-7. A simple two-step purification (40.75-folds) ofphytase from mutant TL-7 was achieved by anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The purified phytase (approximately 54 kDa) was characterized to be optimally active at pH 5.0 and temperature 70 degrees C, though the enzyme showed approximately 70% activity over a wide pH and temperature range (2.0-10.0 and 30-90 degrees C, respectively). The phytase showed broad substrate specificity with activity against sodium phytate, ADP and riboflavin phosphate. The phytase from T. lanuginosus was thermoacidstable as it showed up to 70% residual activity after exposure to 70 degrees C at pH 3.0 for 120 min. The enzyme showed Km 4.55 microM and Vmax 0.833 microM/min/mg against sodium phytate as substrate.     

Isolation of new anaerobic,thermophilic and cellulolytic bacteria-JT strains and their cellulase production

Six microbial strains (JT) of endospore-forming, anaerobic, thermophilic and cellulolytic bacteria were isolated from camel feces, compost, soil and hot spring water in Japan. These strains are gram negative and classified as the genus Clostridium. Strains JT3-1, JT3-2 and JT3-3 can digest starch. All of the strains produce a high activity of extracellular cellulases in cellobiose and cellulose media.Strain JT1 produced 1.36 units/ml of CMCase (endo-β-1,4-d-glucanase, EC 3.2.1.4), 66.2 units/ml of β-glucosidase (ED 3.2.1.21) and 39.9 units/ml of β-xylosidase (EC 3.2.1.37) in 1% cellobiose medium. Strain JT3-3 produced 1.87 units/ml of CMCase, 166.3 units/ml of β-glucosidase and 23.6 units/ml of β-xylosidase in 1% cellulose medium.     

Heterologous expression of lactose- and galactose-utilizing pathways from lactic acid bacteria in Corynebacterium glutamicum for production of lysine in whey

The genetic determinants for lactose utilization from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC 11842 and galactose utilization from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG 1363 were heterologously expressed in the lysine-overproducing strain Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21253. The C. glutamicum strains expressing the lactose permease and beta-galactosidase genes of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus exhibited beta-galactosidase activity in excess of 1000 Miller units/ml of cells and were able to grow in medium in which lactose was the sole carbon source. Similarly, C. glutamicum strains containing the lactococcal aldose-1-epimerase, galactokinase, UDP-glucose-1-P-uridylyltransferase, and UDP-galactose-4-epimerase genes in association with the lactose permease and beta-galactosidase genes exhibited beta-galactosidase levels in excess of 730 Miller units/ml of cells and were able to grow in medium in which galactose was the sole carbon source. When grown in whey-based medium, the engineered C. glutamicum strain produced lysine at concentrations of up to 2 mg/ml, which represented a 10-fold increase over the results obtained with the lactose- and galactose-negative control, C. glutamicum 21253. Despite their increased catabolic flexibility, however, the modified corynebacteria exhibited slower growth rates and plasmid instability.     

Screening of some wild fungal isolates for cellulolytic activities

Six wild fungal strains, Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum, Gliocladium virens, Aspergillus terreus, A. niger and Tiarosporella phaseolina , isolated from decomposed jute stacks and diseased jute stem, were tested for their cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic activities and compared with T. reesei MCG 77. Filter paper cellulase production by all these wild strains were lower than those produced by T. reesei while some strains ( T. viride, T. harzianum and G. virens ) possessed carboxymethyl cellulase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and β-xylosidase activities comparable to T. reesei. A. terreus and A. niger produced 3·2 and 1·2 times respectively, greater β-glucosidase activity compared to T. reesei when grown on microcrystalline cellulose.     

Characterization of a xylanase from the newly isolated thermophilic Thermomyces lanuginosus CAU44 and its application in bread making

AIMS: A xylanase from the newly isolated thermophilic fungus, Thermomyces lanuginosus CAU44, was characterized and evaluated for its suitability in bread making. METHODS AND RESULTS: Xylanase was purified 3.5-fold to homogeneity with a recovery yield of 32.8%. It appeared as a single protein band on SDS-PAGE gel with a molecular mass of c. 25.6 kDa. The purified xylanase had an optimum pH of 6.2, and it was stable over pH 5.6-10.3. The optimal temperature of xylanase was 75 degrees C and it was stable up to 65 degrees C at pH 6.2. Study was further carried out to investigate the effect of the purified xylanase on the properties of wheat bread and its staling during storage. CONCLUSIONS: The purified xylanase from T. lanuginosus CAU44 was stable up to 65 degrees C and had a broad pH range. The presence of thermostable xylanase during bread making led to an improvement of the specific bread volume and better crumb texture. Besides, addition of xylanase provided an anti-staling effect. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The xylanase from the newly isolated Thermomyces lanuginosus CAU44 shows great promise as a processing aid in the bread-making industry.     

Comparative study on application of T.lanuginosus SSBP xylanase and commercial xylanase on biobleaching of non wood pulps

Biobleaching of three non wood kraft pulps (bagasse, rice straw and wheat straw) by Thermomyces lanuginosus SSBP xylanase and commercial xylanase (cartazyme sandoz), was studied in order to investigate their potential and effect on their various properties (reduction sugars, chlorine dioxide, kappa number, brightness and chromophores). In generally, xylanases released chromophores and reducing sugars and decreased kappa number of pulps. These samples gained over six brightness points over controls. Biobleaching of rice straw pulp with xylanase cartazyme (Sandoz) produced chlorine dioxide savings of up to 25% or 3.5-4 kg chlorine dioxide/ton pulp.     

Amylase hyper-producing haploid recombinant strains of Thermomyces lanuginosus obtained by intraspecific protoplast fusion

Amylase hyper-producing, catabolite-repression-resistant, recombinant strains were produced by intraspecific protoplast fusion of thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus strains, using well-characterized, morphological, and 2-deoxy-D-glucose resistant markers. The fusant heterokaryons exhibited enhanced amylase activities as compared to the amylase hyper-producing parental strain (T2). Diploids derived from heterokaryons segregated to stable haploid recombinant strains. In the haploid strain (Tlh 4q), approximately 5-fold higher specific activities of alpha-amylase and glucoamylase in the culture filtrate were observed as compared to the wild-type strain (W0).     

Xylanolytic Activity of Clostridium acetobutylicum

Of 20 strains of Clostridium spp. screened, 17 hydrolyzed larch wood xylan. Two strains of Clostridium acetobutylicum, NRRL B527 and ATCC 824, hydrolyzed xylan but failed to grow on solid media with larch xylan as the sole carbon source; however, strain ATCC 824 was subsequently found to grow on xylan under specified conditions in a chemostat. These two strains possessed cellulolytic activity and were therefore selected for further studies. In cellobiose-limited continuous cultures, strain NRRL B527 produced maximum xylanase activity at pH 5.2. Strain ATCC 824 produced higher xylanase, xylopyranosidase, and arabinofuranosidase activities in chemostat culture with xylose than with any other soluble carbon source as the limiting nutrient. The activities of these enzymes were markedly reduced when the cells were grown in the presence of excess glucose. The xylanase showed maximum activity at pH 5.8 to 6.0 and 65°C. The enzyme was stable on the alkaline side of pH 5.2 but was unstable below this pH value. The extracellular xylanolytic activity from strain ATCC 824 hydrolyzed 12% of the larch wood xylan during a 24-h incubation period, yielding xylose, xylobiose, and xylotriose as the major hydrolysis products. Strain ATCC 824, after being induced to grow in batch culture in xylan medium supplemented with a low concentration of xylose, failed to grow reproducibly in unsupplemented xylan medium. A mutant obtained by mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate was able to grow reproducibly in batch culture on xylan. Both the parent strain and the mutant were able to grow with xylan as the sole source of carbohydrate in continuous culture with the pH maintained at either 5.2 or 6.0. Under these conditions, the cells utilized approximately 50% of the xylan.