Microalgal process-monitoring based on high-selectivity spectroscopy tools: status and future perspectives

Microalgae are well known for their ability to accumulate lipids intracellularly, which can be used for biofuels and mitigate CO₂ emissions. However, due to economic challenges, microalgae bioprocesses have maneuvered towards the simultaneous production of food, feed, fuel, and various high-value chemicals in a biorefinery concept. On-line and in-line monitoring of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and high-value pigments will be more critical to maintain product quality and consistency for downstream processing in a biorefinery to maintain and valorize these markets. The main contribution of this review is to present current and prospective advances of on-line and in-line process analytical technology (PAT), with high-selectivity – the capability of monitoring several analytes simultaneously – in the interest of improving product quality, productivity, and process automation of a microalgal biorefinery. The high-selectivity PAT under consideration are mid-infrared (MIR), near-infrared (NIR), and Raman vibrational spectroscopies. The current review contains a critical assessment of these technologies in the context of recent advances in software and hardware in order to move microalgae production towards process automation through multivariate process control (MVPC) and software sensors trained on “big data”. The paper will also include a comprehensive overview of off-line implementations of vibrational spectroscopy in microalgal research as it pertains to spectral interpretation and process automation to aid and motivate development.     

Physiological characterization of a microbial sensor containing the yeast Arxula adeninivorans LS3

The yeast Arxula adeninivorans LS3 is a suitable organism for use as part of a microbial sensor. In combination with an amperometric oxygen electrode the sensor offered a possibility for the physiological characterization of this yeast. About 300-400 measurements could be carried out with a single Arxula sensor. The microbial sensor was remarkably stable for over 35 days, when kept at 37 °C during the operation time and at room temperature overnight. The physiological characteristics of Arxula adeninivorans LS3 obtained with the sensor technique were identical to the data obtained with the conventional techniques. However, the sensor technique makes it additionally possible to quantify the physiological data. So the substrates ribose, citric acid, glycerol, oil and benzoate produced signals lower than 10% in comparison to the glucose signal. Fructose, xylose, sucrose, maltose, gentianose, glucosamine, glutamic acid, tryptophan, butyric acid, lauryl acid and propionic acid reached 10-70%, galactose, alanine, glycine, lysine and methionine signals were similar to the glucose signal whereas acetic acid, ethyl alcohol, capron acid, capryl acid and caproic acid reached the highest signals up to 434%.     

Chromophore: apoprotein interactions in phytochrome A*

Phytochromes are molecular light switches by virtue of their photochromic red/far-red reversibility. The His-324 residue next to the chromophore-linked Cys-323 plays a critical role in conferring photochromism to the tetrapyrrole chromophore in native phytochrome A. The chromophore appears to be enclosed between the amphiphilic α-helical chains in a hydrophobic pocket. The absorbance maxima of both the Pr and the Pfr forms of pea phytochrome A are blue-shifted by 10 and 20 nm, respectively, upon C-terminal truncation. We speculate that the quaternary structure of the phytochrome A molecule involves some interactions of the C-terminal half with the chromophore domain. The Pfr conformation of phytochrome includes an amphiphilic α-helix of the amino terminal chain, which occurs in 113 ms after picosecond photoisomerization of the Pr form. Compared to α-helical folding, unfolding of the α-helix occurs faster in about 310 μs upon phototransformation of the Pfr form of phytochrome A. The photochromic transformation of phytochrome A modulates protein kinase-catalysed phosphorylation sites in vivo and in vitro, but only a subtle local change in conformation is detectable in the phosphorylated phytochromes. This suggests that the post-translational modification serves as a surface label, rather than a transducer-activating trigger, for the recognition of a putative phytochrome receptor.     

大肠杆菌CusS的生物信息学分析及对银离子胁迫的响应

【目的】解析大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli) K-12菌株同型二聚体内膜传感器组氨酸激酶(sensor histidine kinase, CusS)蛋白在细菌应答金属银离子胁迫中的调控机制,为该菌的防治提供重要科学依据。【方法】利用ProtParam、ProtScale、Protein-Sol、TMHMM、SignalP、LocTree3、NetNGlyc-1.0、NetPhosBac-3.0、SOPMA、I-TASSERF、STRING和MEGA分别预测CusS的理化性质、亲水性、可溶性、跨膜域、信号肽、亚细胞定位、糖基化位点、磷酸化位点、二级结构、三级结构、蛋白互作的关系网络和蛋白在革兰阴性杆菌中的同源性。采用Red同源重组技术构建大肠杆菌ΔcusS,在不同培养基中连续监测ΔcusS的生长情况,观察该基因缺失后的细菌生长活性;通过最小抑菌浓度(minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC)试验评价该缺失株对金属铜、银离子和临床常见抗生素的敏感性变化;运用RT-qPCR检测cusS缺失后其下游基因cusCFBA和cusR转录水平。【结果】CusS蛋白由480个氨基酸组成,相对分子质量为53 738.05,原子总数为7 624,等电点为6.02,具有稳定性,是一种亲水性、不溶性蛋白;含有跨膜域;不存在信号肽,定位于细胞内膜中;存在2个糖基化位点、24个丝氨酸磷酸化位点、14个苏氨酸磷酸化位点和3个酪氨酸磷酸化位点;二级结构中α-螺旋占比55.42%,β-折叠占比11.67%,β-转角占比3.75%,无规则卷曲占比29.17%;cusS在埃希菌属和志贺菌属中的保守性高;菌落PCR和一代测序验证ΔcusS构建成功;连续检测生长曲线表明cusS缺失并不影响细菌的生长代谢,但CusS蛋白为大肠杆菌抵御金属银胁迫的关键基因。【结论】cusS作为一个关键基因,它的缺失并不影响大肠杆菌的生长活性,但会显著降低细菌抵御银离子胁迫的应答能力。缺失cusS将使下游基因cusCFBA和cusR的mRNA表达水平显著下降。对CusS蛋白进行生物信息学分析及表型初探,为深入了解CusS在大肠杆菌应答银离子胁迫的调控机制奠定了基础。     

Programme of senescence in petals and carpels of Pisum sativum L. flowers and its control by ethylene

The role of ethylene in the control of senescence of both petals and unpollinated carpels of pea was investigated. An increase in ethylene production accompanied senescence, and the inhibitors of ethylene action were effective in delaying senescence symptoms in different flower verticils. Pollination did not seem to trigger the senescence syndrome in the corolla as deduced from the observation that petals from pollinated and unpollinated flowers and from flowers whose carpels had been removed senesced at the same time. A cDNA clone encoding a putative ethylene-response sensor (psERS) was isolated from pea flowers, and the pattern of expression of its mRNA was studied during development and senescence of different flower tissues. The levels of psERS mRNA paralleled ethylene production (and also levels of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) mRNA) in both petals and styles. Silver thiosulfate treatments were efficient at preventing ACO and psERS mRNA induction in petals. However, the same inhibitor showed no ability to modify expression patterns in pea carpels around the anthesis stage, suggesting different controls for ethylene synthesis and sensitivity in different flower organs. Received: 18 June 1998 / Accepted: 22 December 1998     

Improvements in single-use bioreactor film material composition leads to robust and reliable Chinese hamster ovary cell performance

Single-use technologies, in particular disposable bioreactor bags, have become integral within the biopharmaceutical community. However, safety concerns arose upon the identification of toxic leachable compounds derived from the plastic materials. Although the leachable bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)-phosphate (bDtBPP) has been previously shown to inhibit CHO cell growth, it is critical to determine if other compounds like this are still present in subsequent generations of films for industrial application. This study compares the performance of CHO cells, CHO-K1, and CHO-DP12, cultured in media conditioned in an older single-use bioreactor (SUB) film (F-1) and a newer generation film (F-2) from the same vendor. CHO cells cultured in media conditioned for 7 days in the F-1 film demonstrated significantly reduced growth and antibody productivity profiles when compared to controls and media conditioned for the same time period in the newer F-2 film. Proteomic profiling of CHO cells cultured in the F-1 conditioned media identified differentially expressed proteins involved in oxidative stress response as well as compromised ATP synthesis. These potentially metabolically compromised cells exhibited reduced oxidative phosphorylation activity as well as lower glycolytic metabolism, characteristic of slower growing cells. Nonvolatile and metal leachables analysis of film extracts by LC–MS revealed a reduction in the abundance of the analyzed leachates from F-2 films when compared to F-1 films including bDtBPP, potentially explaining improved CHO cell growth in F-2 conditioned media. Furthermore, in vitro endocrine disruptor testing of the known leachable revealed this molecule to possess the potential to act as an androgen antagonist. This study demonstrates an improvement in the materials composition used in modern generations of SUBs for safe application in the bioprocess.     

MITA/STING: A central and multifaceted mediator in innate immune response

The recognition of nucleic acids is a general strategy used by the host to detect invading pathogens. Many studies have established that MITA/STING is a central component in the innate immune response to cytosolic DNA and RNA derived from pathogens. MITA can act both as a direct sensor of cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and as an adaptor for the recruitment of downstream signaling components. In both roles, MITA is part of signaling cascades that orchestrate innate immune defenses against various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and parasites. Here, we highlight recent studies that have uncovered the molecular mechanisms of MITA-mediated signal transduction and regulation, and discuss some notable issues that remain elusive.     

A novel fluorescent sensor based on electrosynthesized benzene sulfonic acid‐doped polypyrrole for determination of Pb(II) and Cu(II)

To develop conducting organic polymers (COPs) as luminescent sensors for determination of toxic heavy metals, a new benzene sulfonic acid‐doped polypyrrole (PPy‐BSA) thin film was electrochemically prepared by cyclic voltammetry (CV) on flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode in aqueous solution. PPy‐BSA film was characterized by FTIR spectrometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optical properties of PPy‐BSA were investigated by ultraviolet (UV)‐visible absorption and fluorescence spectrometry in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) diluted solutions. PPy‐BSA fluorescence spectra were strongly quenched upon increasing copper(II) ion (Cu²⁺) and lead(II) ion (Pb²⁺) concentrations in aqueous medium, and linear Stern–Volmer relationships were obtained, which indicated the existence of a main dynamic fluorescence quenching mechanism. BSA‐PPy sensor showed a high sensitivity for detection of both metallic ions, Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺, with very low limit of detection values of 3.1 and 18.0 nM, respectively. The proposed quenching‐fluorimetric sensor might be applied to the determination of traces of toxic heavy metallic ions in water samples.     

亲和素-生物素间接偶联的压电DNA传感器研究

采用3 3′-二巯基硫代丙酸的金电极自组装技术,用乙基3-（3-二甲氨基）碳二亚胺盐酸盐（EDC）和N-羟基磺基琥珀酰亚胺（NHS）偶联剂将亲和素固定于金电极上,联于生物素标记的探针,制备成压电DNA传感器的检测电极,和杂交液中的待检葡萄球菌肠毒素B的ssDNA进行杂交,通过频率信号检测DNA杂交的量,达到检测的目的.采用不同长度的基因片段进行了研究,制作的传感器一致性、特异性都较好;杂交后的电极,电极再生后,传感器可以重复使用.