Fed-batch bioconversion of indene to cis-indandiol

The bioconversion of indene to cis-(1S,2R) indandiol, a key intermediate in the synthesis of Merck’s HIV protease inhibitor, CRIXIVAN™ can be achieved during the growth of a Rhodococcus strain. In a previous study, we reported on the application of multi-parameter flow cytometry for the measurement of indene toxicity to the strain, and found that concentrations up to 0.25 g/l of indene (0.037 g indene/g dry cell weight) in batch bioconversions did not influence cell physiology. Using this information, this study reports on the implementation of a single phase indene fed-batch bioconversion. Cytoplasmic membrane (membrane) integrity and membrane polarisation of a large number of cells were measured during such bioconversions using multi-parameter flow cytometry and compared to a control in order to assess any toxic effects of indene feeding. The results indicate that indene supply at a rate of 0.1 g/l/h is feasible without any deleterious effects on cell physiology. The delay in indene metabolism was significantly shorter, with lower concentrations of by-product formation, when it was added to the culture in the stationary phase than when it was added at the beginning of the exponential phase of the fermentation. cis-Indandiol production rates could be enhanced from 20 mg/l/h, in a previously reported silicone oil two-liquid phase system, up to 200 mg/l/h by a combination of suitable indene feeding rates in the stationary phase and operating with a high biomass concentration to limit the effects of toxicity. In addition, the yield of cis-indandiol on indene (g/g) was higher at 0.48 in the single phase system compared to 0.20 in the two-liquid phase system. However, the final concentration of cis-indandiol was considerably lower, possibly as a result of higher dehydrogenase activity resulting in an increased transformation of cis-indandiol to 1-keto-2-hydroxy indan. This study has demonstrated that it is feasible to feed indene directly in the stationary phase of the bioconversion using high biomass concentrations to obtain enhanced cis-indandiol formation rates as well as yields based on indene utilisation compared to a two-phase silicone oil system.     

Measurement of strain-dependent toxicity in the indene bioconversion using multiparameter flow cytometry

The bionconversion of indene to cis-(1S,2R)-indandiol, a potential key intermediate in the synthesis of Merck's HIV protease inhibitor, CRIXIVAN trade mark, can be achieved using Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas putida, and Escherichia coli strains. This study reports on the application of multiparameter flow cytometry for the measurement of cytoplasmic membrane integrity and membrane depolarization as indicators of toxic effects of the substrate, product, and by-products using each of these strains. Measurements of oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and optical density (OD) as indicators of metabolic activity and biomass growth, respectively, were also made. Measurements of the cytoplasmic membrane potential, cell viability, and respiratory activity provided a sensitive set of parameters to assess toxicity in the indene bioconversion and provided the basis for process improvements and strain selection. The toxic concentrations of the substrate, product, and by-products for each strain have been determined. The results show that it is possible to accumulate cis-(1S,2R)-indandiol and cis-1-amino-2-indanol up to 20 g/L without significant negative effects on cell physiology using any of the strains tested. The Gram-negative P. putida (421-5 and GM 730) and E. coli strains were more resistant to indene and the isolated chemicals of the biotransformation than the Gram-positive Rhodoccoccus I24 strain, possibly due to the presence of the outer membrane and efflux pump mechanisms. P. putida GM 730 and the E. coli TDO 123 strains responded similarly to toxic effects, and the E. coli TDO 123 strain was more resistant than the P. putida 421-5 strain. In addition to the recommendations for strain selection, the identified targets for bioprocess improvement include a combination of genetic as well as process engineering approaches.     

Microbial production of isoquinoline from indene

A purified microbial isolate, identified as a strain of Rhodococcus sp., metabolized indene primarily to iso quinoline and lesser amounts of indandiol and indanone. Isoquinoline production was dependent on the presence of microbial culture, indene, and ammonium ions as the source of nitrogen in the molecule. The ability to produce isoquinoline was induced by growth on benzene or naphthalene and by the presence of indene itself. The culture produced compounds tentatively identified as 3-methylisoquinoline and 3-ethylisoquinoline from 2-methylindene and from 2-ethylindene, respectively. Deuterated indene was converted to deuterated isoquinoline, deuterated indanone, and deuterated indandiol. Experiments with [15N]ammonium nitrate and ammonium [15N]nitrate confirmed ammonium as the source of nitrogen in the isoquinoline products.     

Isolation and characterization of indene bioconversion genes from Rhodococcus strain I24

Rhodococcus strain I24 is able to convert indene into indandiol via the actions of at least two dioxygenase systems and a putative monooxygenase system. We have identified a cosmid clone from I24 genomic DNA that is able to confer the ability to convert indene to indandiol upon Rhodococcus erythropolis SQ1, a strain that normally can not convert or metabolize indene. HPLC analysis reveals that the transformed SQ1 strain produces cis-(1R,2S)-indandiol, suggesting that the cosmid clone encodes a naphthalene-type dioxygenase. DNA sequence analysis of a portion of this clone confirmed the presence of genes for the dioxygenase as well as genes encoding a dehydrogenase and putative aldolase. These genes will be useful for manipulating indene bioconversion in Rhodococcus strain I24. Received: 8 December 1998 / Received revision: 26 January 1999 / Accepted: 5 February 1999     

低密度和条件培养对红豆杉细胞生长的影响

红豆杉种胚来源的细胞,在改良Ｂ５液体培养基中继代培养的临界接种密度为鲜重４０ｇ／Ｌ．低密度培养下,１０－１６ｄ的条件培养液（ＣＭ）与新鲜培养液按５７：４３的比例混合时,能显著缩短细胞生长的延迟期,提高生长率,１００Ｌ生物反应器中,按４５．５％体积分数添加条件培养液,在鲜重２７ｇ／Ｌ低接种密度下培养５周,生物量增长９倍,达干重１４．３ｇ／Ｌ．对内源植物激素、精胺、维生素和氨基酸等的比较分析表明,吲哚     

条件培养液对红豆杉细胞Paclitaxel生产的促进作用

在两步法红豆杉（Taxus chinensis)细胞悬浮培养体系的生产阶段,加入从生长阶段悬浮培养物中制得的条件培养液（conditioned Medium,CM)既能促进细胞的生长,又能提高紫杉醇（paclitaxel)的产率,解决了生产培养时,细胞生长受抑制的问题,特别是,取自生长12天的细胞悬浮培养物的CM按体积分数为25％添加到新鲜生产培养基中时,可使细胞紫杉醇最高产量达28．5mg/L,细胞干重达32．3g/L,分别是对照的2．4倍和2．2倍,对CM中的蔗糖,果糖,NO3－和PO4－3等的含量的进行了分析。     

Engineering an indene bioconversion process for the production of cis-aminoindanol: a model system for the production of chiral synthons

Cis-aminoindanol, a key chiral precursor to the HIV protease inhibitor CRIXIVAN, can be derived from indene oxidation products of (2R) stereochemistry. A number of different microorganisms, notably strains of the genera Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus, have been isolated that catalyze the oxygenation of indene to indandiol with greater stereospecificity than is achievable through traditional chemical synthesis. The yield and ultimate optical purity of indandiol produced in such biocatalytic processes is influenced by the intrinsic stereospecificity of the oxygenase(s), enantioselective dehydrogenation, and the loss of substrate to alternate, undesirable metabolites. Metabolic engineering of any indene bioconversion system for the commercial-scale production of cis-aminoindanol must account for these influences, as well as pathway fluxes and enzyme regulation, to optimize the formation of oxygenated precursors with useful stereochemistry. As such, the process by which bacterial systems carry out the bioconversion of indene to indandiol serves as a model for biological production of industrially relevant chiral synthons. Electronic Publication     

Influence of hyperbaric oxygen tension on growth parameters of Candida tropicalis and Rhodococcus erythropolis

Summary Oxygen-limited growth was avoided by means of oxygen-enriched aeration in aerobic fermentation processes. Studies were carried out with Candida tropicalis (Cast.) Berkhout and Rhodococcus erythropolis (DSM 43215). The effect of hyperbaric dissolved oxygen tension on growth parameters was examined by varying the dissolved oxygen concentration and the carbon source (glucose, ethanol, and n-alkanes). Up to an oxygen concentration of 40 mg/l in the culture suspension no impairment of the economic coefficients and no promotion of cell lysis was found. It was observed that raised oxygen concentrations in the aeration gas led to enhanced specific growth rates. At cell concentrations above 20 g/l dry weight an uncoupling of carbon source dissimilation and biomass production was observed even at non-limiting oxygen concentrations.     

Microalgae-mediated brewery wastewater treatment: effect of dilution rate on nutrient removal rates,biomass biochemical composition,and cell physiology

Microalgae have been used to remove nitrogen, phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from brewery wastewater (BWW). The microalga Scenedesmus obliquus was grown on BWW, using bubble column photobioreactors that operated under batch and continuous regimes. For the first time, the cell physiological status cell membrane integrity and enzymatic activity was monitored during the microalgae based BWW treatment, using flow cytometry. All the cultivations batch and continuous displayed a proportion of cells with intact membrane >?87%, although the continuous cultivations displayed a lower proportion of cells with enzymatic activity (20–40%) than the batch cultivations (97%). The dilution rate of 0.26 day^?1 was the most favorable condition, since the microalgae cultivation attained the maximum biomass productivity (0.2 g ash-free dry weight day^?1) and the total nitrogen and COD removal rates were the highest (97 and 74%, respectively), while the phosphorous removal rate was the third (23%).     

法夫酵母PLX-All发酵纤维素酶水解物合成虾青素*

法夫酵母（Phaffia rhodozyma)PLX-All菌株能够发酵纤维素酶水解物进行虾青素的生物合成。纤维素的酶解物主要为纤维二糖和葡萄糖,在另外添加适量其它营养物后可被法夫酵母发酵用于生长及合成虾青素。摇瓶试验结果表明,培养108h,法夫酵母的生物量可达2.3g／L,虾青素的产率达913.4g／g干细胞,虾青素体积产率为2.1mg／L。在2L罐的发酵试验中,法夫酵母的生物量可达3.23g／L（第96h）,虾青素的产率达581.4g／g干细胞,虾青素体积产率达1.88mg／L。     

法夫酵母PLX-All发酵纤维素酶水解物合成虾青素

法夫酵母（Phaffia rhodozyma)PLX-All菌株能够发酵纤维素酶水解物进行虾青素的生物合成。纤维素的酶解物主要为纤维二糖和葡萄糖,在另外添加适量其它营养物后可被法夫酵母发酵用于生长及合成虾青素。摇瓶试验结果表明,培养108h,法夫酵母的生物量可达2.3g／L,虾青素的产率达913.4g／g干细胞,虾青素体积产率为2.1mg／L。在2L罐的发酵试验中,法夫酵母的生物量可达3.23g／L（第96h）,虾青素的产率达581.4g／g干细胞,虾青素体积产率达1.88mg／L。     

Removal of lead from solution using non-living residual brewery yeast

A number of preparations of residual non-living brewery yeast were examined for their ability to remove lead from solution. Those preparations included washed and un-washed intact yeast and washed and un-washed homogenates of the yeast cells. Using biosorption isotherm analysis it was found that the washed and un-washed preparations of intact, non-living yeast exhibited maximum biosorption capacities for lead of 127 and 99?mg/g dry weight biomass, respectively. The washed and un-washed cell homogenates exhibited maximum biosorption capacities of 38 and 139?mg lead/g dry weight biomass, respectively. Since it had previously been shown that these preparations of biomass were capable of removing uranium from solution by combined biosorption and precipitation processes, it was decided to examine removal of lead from solution using a form of equilibrium dialysis in which the biomass was retained within a semi-permeable membrane during contact reactions. The results suggest that precipitation plays an important role during removal of lead from solution, and this is partially due to membrane-permeable substances released from the biomass into the membrane-excluded solution. The results demonstrate that removal of lead from solution by some of the yeast preparations used in this study involves combined biosorption and precipitation.     

Production of carotenoids and lipids by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodococcus opacus</Emphasis> PD630 in batch and fed-batch culture

Production of carotenoids by Rhodococcus opacus PD630 is reported. A modified mineral salt medium formulated with glycerol as an inexpensive carbon source was used for the fermentation. Ammonium acetate was the nitrogen source. A dry cell mass concentration of nearly 5.4 g/L could be produced in shake flasks with a carotenoid concentration of 0.54 mg/L. In batch culture in a 5 L bioreactor, without pH control, the maximum dry biomass concentration was ~30 % lower than in shake flasks and the carotenoids concentration was 0.09 mg/L. Both the biomass concentration and the carotenoids concentration could be raised using a fed-batch operation with a feed mixture of ammonium acetate and acetic acid. With this strategy, the final biomass concentration was 8.2 g/L and the carotenoids concentration was 0.20 mg/L in a 10-day fermentation. A control of pH proved to be unnecessary for maximizing the production of carotenoids in this fermentation.     

Bench scale conversion of 3-cyanopyidine to nicotinamide using resting cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodococcus rhodochrous</Emphasis> PA-34

The nitrile hydratase (NHase, EC 3.5.5.1) activity of Rhodococcus rhodochrous PA-34 was explored for the conversion of 3-cyanopyridine to nicotinamide. The NHase activity (∼18 U/mg dry cell weight, dcw) was observed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 8.0 containing 1M 3-cyanopyridine as substrate, and 0.75 mg of resting cells (dry cell weight) per ml reaction mixture at 40°C. However, 25°C was more suitable for prolonged batch reaction at high substrate (3-cyanopyridine) concentration. In a batch reaction (1 liter), 7M 3-cyanopyridine (729 g) was completely converted to nicotinamide (855 g) in 12h at 25°C using 9.0 g resting cells (dry cell weight) of R. rhodochrous PA-34.     

3-氰基吡啶水合酶产生菌的筛选及其酶形成条件

应用富集培养和梯度底物浓度定向筛选技术,从长期被腈化物污染的土壤中筛选到一株产 3-氰基吡啶水合酶(3-cyanopyridine hydratase)活性较高的马红球菌(Rhodococcus e-qui)SHB-121.研究了该菌3-氰基吡啶水合酶的最适形成条件.在最适条件下,酶的比活力达5.3u/mg干细胞,比在初筛条件下的酶活力提高95倍,而在其细胞内共存的尼克酰胺(烟酰胺)水解酶活力很低.     

Enhanced biotransformations and product recovery in a membrane bioreactor through application of a direct electric current

The simultaneous enhancement of biotransformation coupled to product recovery, purification and concentration is presented. The nitrilase of Rhodococcus rhodochrous LL100-21 catalyses the single-step hydrolytic biotransformation of benzonitrile to benzoic acid and ammonia. When a direct electric current is applied across a bioreactor containing the bacterium and benzonitrile, the charged product (benzoic acid) can be removed in situ across an anion exchange membrane and recovered in a separate compartment. Over the course of a 24-hour biotransformation, benzonitrile was converted to benzoic acid which was completely removed from the bioreactor chamber and concentrated 3-fold in a separate chamber. The rate of production of benzoic acid increased by 42% when the current was applied (0.044 mmol/min/g dry cell weight in the presence of current as compared to 0.03 mmol/min/g dry cell weight in its absence). The enhanced reaction rate was achieved irrespective of product separation and therefore appears to be a direct effect upon the bacterial cells. This process has potential for enhanced productivity from biotransformations through a simultaneous increase in metabolic activity and in situ product recovery.     

Flow Cytometry Pulse Width Data Enables Rapid and Sensitive Estimation of Biomass Dry Weight in the Microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris

Dry weight biomass is an important parameter in algaculture. Direct measurement requires weighing milligram quantities of dried biomass, which is problematic for small volume systems containing few cells, such as laboratory studies and high throughput assays in microwell plates. In these cases indirect methods must be used, inducing measurement artefacts which vary in severity with the cell type and conditions employed. Here, we utilise flow cytometry pulse width data for the estimation of cell density and biomass, using Chlorella vulgaris and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as model algae and compare it to optical density methods. Measurement of cell concentration by flow cytometry was shown to be more sensitive than optical density at 750 nm (OD₇₅₀) for monitoring culture growth. However, neither cell concentration nor optical density correlates well to biomass when growth conditions vary. Compared to the growth of C. vulgaris in TAP (tris-acetate-phosphate) medium, cells grown in TAP + glucose displayed a slowed cell division rate and a 2-fold increased dry biomass accumulation compared to growth without glucose. This was accompanied by increased cellular volume. Laser scattering characteristics during flow cytometry were used to estimate cell diameters and it was shown that an empirical but nonlinear relationship could be shown between flow cytometric pulse width and dry weight biomass per cell. This relationship could be linearised by the use of hypertonic conditions (1 M NaCl) to dehydrate the cells, as shown by density gradient centrifugation. Flow cytometry for biomass estimation is easy to perform, sensitive and offers more comprehensive information than optical density measurements. In addition, periodic flow cytometry measurements can be used to calibrate OD₇₅₀ measurements for both convenience and accuracy. This approach is particularly useful for small samples and where cellular characteristics, especially cell size, are expected to vary during growth.     

Cell growth and enzyme synthesis of a mutant of Arthrobacter sp. (DSM 3747) used for the production of L-amino acids from D,L-5-monosubstituted hydantoins.

A microorganism with the ability to form L-tryptophan from D,L-5-(3-indolyl-methyl)hydantoin (D,L-5-IMH) was isolated and identified as Arthrobacter sp. (DSM 3747). After isolation of a mutant with high tryptophan production activity but low tryptophan degradation, cultural conditions were optimized to achieve high amounts of biomass with good specific activities concerning the enzymatic hydantoin-cleaving reactions. The ability of the microorganism to perform these bioconversions was found to be inducible by D,L-5-IMH as well as to be dependent on the presence of Mn2+. The highest specific D,L-5-IMH-cleaving activity of the cells was observed in the exponential phase of growth. The addition of yeast extract to the mineral salts medium was found to be essential for obtaining biomass concentrations of about 25 g l-1 cell dry mass by bioreactor cultivations. In order to obtain a constantly high growth rate, feeding of the C-source was pO2-controlled. The inducer D,L-5-IMH had to be continuously fed to prevent a decline of the L-tryptophan-forming enzyme activities, because it was subjected to degradation with the enzymes induced and higher concentrations of D,L-5-IMH aggravated the growth significantly. The synthesis of the enzymes was also inducible, when inducer and Mn2+ were not added until the late growth phase. Using this process, the consumption of D,L-5-IMH was reduced remarkably. So, under these conditions biomass concentrations of 25 g l-1 cell dry weight with a specific enzymatic activity of 0.20 mmol g-1 h-1 (tryptophan per dry mass per time) could be obtained within 13 h. Using 1 g l-1 of the chemically modified inducer D,L-5-(3-indolylmethyl)-3-N-methylhydantoin, which was not degradable by the microorganisms, a biomass concentration of 28 g l-1 cell dry weight with a specific activity of 0.34 mmol g-1 h-1 (tryptophan per dry mass per time) could be obtained within 28 h.     

Oxygen-limited continuous culture and respiratory energy conservation in Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli B was cultured continuously in succinate-minimal medium under conditions of oxygen limitation in the phauxostat. With decreasing oxygenation and consequent decreasing growth rates, the complement of terminal cytochrome oxidases changed as follows: high growth rates, cytochrome o; intermediate growth rates, cytochromes o and d; lowest growth rates, cytochromes o, d, and a1. Respiratory kinetics exhibited by nongrowing cell suspensions obtained from continuous cultures indicated that terminal oxidase activity was exhibited by cytochrome o (Km for O2 = 0.2 micron; Vmax = 1.1 to 1.5 mumol of O2 per nmol of cytochrome o per min) and cytochrome d (Km for O2 = 0.024 micron; Vmax = 0.7 mumol of O2 per nmol of cytochrome d per min). During oxygen-limited growth, the molar growth yield referred to respiration, and corrected for maintenance respiration [Yo(max)], was 12.6 g (dry weight) per g-atom of oxygen, not significantly different from the succinate-limited value of 12.0 g (dry weight) per g-atom of oxygen. The rate of maintenance respiration of the oxygen-limited culture was only 3.4 mg-atoms of O per g (dry weight) per h, some threefold less than that of the succinate-limited culture. Respiration-driven proton extrusion did not vary with the growth rate or with the complement of terminal oxidases (H+/O = 3.7; standard deviation, 0.07). We conclude that the content of terminal oxidases is without effect on the efficiency of respiratory energy conservation.     

南方红豆杉细胞悬浮培养条件优化研究

针对红豆杉细胞生长相对缓慢和培养褐化问题,本文通过正交实验和均匀实验方法并采用人工神经网络技术对南方红豆杉细胞悬浮培养条件进行优化,使细胞的生长速率和比生长速率有较大提高,并考察了细胞活性随时间的动态变化.