Effects of oligosaccharides from endophytic Fusarium oxysporum Dzf17 on activities of defense-related enzymes in Dioscorea zingiberensis suspension cell and seedling cultures

BackgroundThree oligosaccharides (EOS, WOS and SOS) were respectively prepared from the corresponding polysaccharides, namely exopolysaccharide (EPS), water-extracted mycelial polysaccharide (WPS) and sodium hydroxide-extracted mycelial polysaccharides (SPS) from the endophytic fungus Fusarium oxysporum Dzf17. In this study, the effects of EOS, WOS and SOS on the activities of the defense-related enzymes, namely phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) in its host plant Dioscorea zingiberensis cultures were investigated.ResultsFor the suspension cell cultures of D. zingiberensis, the highest PAL activity was induced by 0.5 mg/mL of WOS at 48 h after treatment, which was 4.55-fold as that of control. Both PPO and POD activities were increased to the maximum values by 0.25 mg/mL of WOS at 48 h after treatment, which were respectively 3.74 and 3.45-fold as those of control. For the seedling cultures, the highest PAL activity was elicited by 2.5 mg/mL of EOS at 48 h after treatment, which was 3.62-fold as that of control. Both PPO and POD reached their maximum values treated with 2.5 mg/mL of WOS at 48 h after treatment, which were 4.61 and 4.19-fold as those of control, separately.ConclusionsBoth EOS and WOS significantly increased the activities of PAL, PPO and POD in the suspension cell and seedling cultures of D. zingiberensis. The results suggested that the oligosaccharides from the endophytic fungus F. oxysporum Dzf17 may be related to the activation and enhancement of the defensive mechanisms of D. zingiberensis suspension cell and seedling cultures.     

Effects of fermentation conditions on valuable products of ethanolic fungus Mucor indicus

BackgroundMucor indicus is a dimorphic fungus used in the production of ethanol, oil, protein, and glucosamine. It can ferment different pentoses and hexoses; however, the yields of products highly depend on the nutrients and cultivation conditions. In this study, the effects of different morphologic forms, cultivation time and temperature, presence or absence of oxygen, carbon sources, and concentration of nitrogen source on the products of M. indicus were investigated.ResultsThe fungus with all morphologies produced high yields of ethanol, in the range of 0.32–0.43 g/g, on glucose. However, the fungus with filamentous morphology produced higher amounts of oil, protein, phosphate, and glucosamine together with ethanol, compared with other morphologies. A higher amount of oil (0.145 g/g biomass) was produced at 28°C, while the best temperature for protein and glucosamine production was 32 and 37°C, respectively. Although ethanol was produced at a higher yield (0.44 g/g) under anaerobic conditions compared with aerobic conditions (yield of 0.41 g/g), aerobic cultivation resulted in higher yields of protein (0.51 g/g biomass), glucosamine (0.16 g/g alkali insoluble material, AIM), and phosphate (0.11 g/g AIM).ConclusionsIt is not possible to have the maximum amounts of the products simultaneously. The fermentation conditions and composition of culture media determine the product yields. Carbon source type and the addition of nitrogen source are among the most influencing factors on the product yields. Moreover, all measured products were made with higher yields in cultivation on glucose, except glucosamine, which was produced with higher yields on xylose.     

Improvement of ethanol production from sweet sorghum juice under batch and fed-batch fermentations: Effects of sugar levels,nitrogen supplementation,and feeding regimes

BackgroundFermentation process development has been very important for efficient ethanol production. Improvement of ethanol production efficiency from sweet sorghum juice (SSJ) under normal gravity (NG, 160 g/L of sugar), high gravity (HG, 200 and 240 g/L of sugar) and very high gravity (VHG, 280 and 320 g/L of sugar) conditions by nutrient supplementation and alternative feeding regimes (batch and fed-batch systems) was investigated using a highly ethanol-tolerant strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae NP01.ResultsIn the batch fermentations without yeast extract, HG fermentation at 200 g/L of sugar showed the highest ethanol concentration (P_E, 90.0 g/L) and ethanol productivity (Q_E, 1.25 g/L·h). With yeast extract supplementation (9 g/L), the ethanol production efficiency increased at all sugar concentrations. The highest P_E (112.5 g/L) and Q_E (1.56 g/L·h) were observed with the VHG fermentation at 280 g/L of sugar. In the fed-batch fermentations, two feeding regimes, i.e., stepwise and continuous feedings, were studied at sugar concentrations of 280 g/L. Continuous feeding gave better results with the highest P_E and Q_E of 112.9 g/L and 2.35 g/L·h, respectively, at a feeding time of 9 h and feeding rate of 40 g sugar/h.ConclusionsIn the batch fermentation, nitrogen supplementation resulted in 4 to 32 g/L increases in ethanol production, depending on the initial sugar level in the SSJ. Under the VHG condition, with sufficient nitrogen, the fed-batch fermentation with continuous feeding resulted in a similar P_E and increased Q_P by 51% compared to those in the batch fermentation.     

Utilization of a waste glycerol fraction using and reusing immobilized Gluconobacter oxydans ATCC 621 cell extract

BackgroundDepletion of petroleum resources has enforced the search for alternative sources of renewable energy. Introduction of biofuels into the market was expected to become a solution to this disadvantageous situation. Attempts to cover fuel demand have, however, caused another severe problem—the waste glycerol generated during biodiesel production at a concentration of approximately 10% w/w. This, in turn, prompted a global search for effective methods of valorization of the waste fraction of glycerol.ResultsUtilization of the waste fraction at 48 h with an initial glycerol concentration of 30 g·L^-1 and proceeding with 62% efficiency enabled the production of 9 g·L^-1 dihydroxyacetone at 50% substrate consumption. The re-use of the immobilized biocatalyst resulted in a similar concentration of dihydroxyacetone (8.7 g·L^-1) in two-fold shorter time, with an efficiency of 85% and lower substrate consumption (35%).ConclusionsThe method proposed in this work is based on the conversion of waste glycerol to dihydroxyacetone in a reaction catalyzed by immobilized Gluconobacter oxydans cell extract with glycerol dehydrogenase activity, and it could be an effective way to convert waste glycerol into a valuable product.     

Enhancement of ethanol production efficiency in repeated-batch fermentation from sweet sorghum stem juice: Effect of initial sugar,nitrogen and aeration

BackgroundEthanol concentration (P_E), ethanol productivity (Q_P) and sugar consumption (SC) are important values in industrial ethanol production. In this study, initial sugar and nitrogen (urea) concentrations in sweet sorghum stem juice (SSJ) were optimized for high P_E (≥ 10%, v/v), Q_P, (≥ 2.5 g/L·h) and SC (≥ 90%) by Saccharomyces cerevisiae SSJKKU01. Then, repeated-batch fermentations under normal gravity (NG) and high gravity (HG) conditions were studied.ResultsThe initial sugar at 208 g/L and urea at 2.75 g/L were the optimum values to meet the criteria. At the initial yeast cell concentration of ~ 1 × 10⁸ cells/mL, the P_E, Q_P and SC were 97.06 g/L, 3.24 g/L·h and 95.43%, respectively. Repeated-batch fermentations showed that the ethanol production efficiency of eight successive cycles with and without aeration were not significantly different when the initial sugar of cycles 2 to 8 was under NG conditions (~ 140 g/L). Positive effects of aeration were observed when the initial sugar from cycle 2 was under HG conditions (180–200 g/L). The P_E and Q_P under no aeration were consecutively lower from cycle 1 to cycle 6. Additionally, aeration affected ergosterol formation in yeast cell membrane at high ethanol concentrations, whereas trehalose content under all conditions was not different.ConclusionInitial sugar, sufficient nitrogen and appropriated aeration are necessary for promoting yeast growth and ethanol fermentation. The SSJ was successfully used as an ethanol production medium for a high level of ethanol production. Aeration was not essential for repeated-batch fermentation under NG conditions, but it was beneficial under HG conditions.How to cite: Sriputorn B, Laopaiboon P, Phukoetphim N, et al. Enhancement of ethanol production efficiency in repeated-batch fermentation from sweet sorghum stem juice: Effect of initial sugar, nitrogen and aeration. Electron J Biotechnol 2020;46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2020.06.001     

Escherichia coli expressing endoglucanase gene from Thai higher termite bacteria for enzymatic and microbial hydrolysis of cellulosic materials

BackgroundEndoglucanase plays a major role in initiating cellulose hydrolysis. Various wild-type strains were searched to produce this enzyme, but mostly low extracellular enzyme activities were obtained. To improve extracellular enzyme production for potential industrial applications, the endoglucanase gene of Bacillus subtilis M015, isolated from Thai higher termite, was expressed in a periplasmic-leaky Escherichia coli. Then, the crude recombinant endoglucanase (EglS) along with a commercial cellulase (Cel) was used for hydrolyzing celluloses and microbial hydrolysis using whole bacterial cells.ResultsE. coli Glu5 expressing endoglucanase at high levels was successfully constructed. It produced EglS (55 kDa) with extracellular activity of 18.56 U/mg total protein at optimal hydrolytic conditions (pH 4.8 and 50°C). EglS was highly stable (over 80% activity retained) at 40–50°C after 100 h. The addition of EglS significantly improved the initial sugar production rates of Cel on the hydrolysis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), microcrystalline cellulose, and corncob about 5.2-, 1.7-, and 4.0-folds, respectively, compared to those with Cel alone. E. coli Glu5 could secrete EglS with high activity in the presence of glucose (1% w/v) and Tween 80 (5% w/v) with low glucose consumption. Microbial hydrolysis of CMC using E. coli Glu5 yielded 26 mg reducing sugar/g CMC at pH 7.0 and 37°C after 48 h.ConclusionsThe recombinant endoglucanase activity improved by 17 times compared with that of the native strain and could greatly enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis of all studied celluloses when combined with a commercial cellulase.     

1,3-Propanediol production from crude glycerol by Clostridium butyricum DSP1 in repeated batch

BackgroundThe production of biofuels from renewable energy sources is one of the most important issues in industrial biotechnology today. The process is known to generate various by-products, for example crude glycerol, which is obtained in the making of biodiesel from rapeseed oil. Crude glycerol may be utilized in many ways, including microbial conversion to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD), a raw material for the synthesis of polyesters and polyurethanes.ResultsThe paper presents results of a study on the synthesis of 1,3-propanediol from crude glycerol by a repeated batch method with the use of Clostridium butyricum DSP1. Three cycles of fermentation medium replacement were carried out. The final concentration of 1,3-PD was 62 g/L and the maximum productivity, obtained during the second cycle, reached 1.68 g/L/h. Additionally, experiments conducted in parallel to the above involved using the entire quantity of the culture broth removed from the bioreactor to inoculate successive portions of fermentation media containing crude glycerol at concentrations of 80 g/L and 100 g/L. Under those conditions, the maximum 1,3-PD concentrations were 43.2 g/L and 54.2 g/L.ConclusionsThe experiments proved that by using a portion of metabolically active biomass as inoculum for another fermentation formula it is possible to eliminate the stage of inoculum growth and thereby reduce the length of the whole operation. Additionally, that strategy avoids the phase of microbial adaptation to a different source of carbon such as crude glycerol, which is more difficult to utilize, thus improving the kinetic parameters of 1,3-PD production.     

Effect of nitrogen,carbon sources and agitation speed on acetoin production of Bacillus subtilis SF4-3

BackgroundCurrently, microbial fermentation method has become the research hotspot for acetoin production. In our previous work, an acetoin-producing strain, Bacillus subtilis SF4-3, was isolated from Japanese traditional fermented food natto. However, its conversion of glucose to acetoin was relatively low. In order to achieve a high-efficient accumulation of acetoin in B. subtilis SF4-3, main medium components and fermentation conditions were evaluated in this work.ResultsThe by-products analysis showed that there existed reversible transformation between acetoin and 2,3-butanediol that was strictly responsible for acetoin production in B. subtilis SF4-3. The carbon sources, nitrogen sources and agitation speed were determined to play crucial role in the acetoin production. The optimal media (glucose·H₂O 150 g/L, yeast extract 10 g/L, corn steep dry 5 g/L, urea 2 g/L, K₂HPO₄ 0.5 g/L, MgSO₄ 0.5 g/L) were obtained. Furthermore, the low agitation speed of 300 r/min was found to be beneficial to the reversible transformation of 2,3-butanediol for acetoin production in B. subtilis SF4-3. Eventually, 48.9 g/L of acetoin and 5.5 g/L of 2,3-butanediol were obtained in a 5-L fermenter, and the specific production of acetoin was 39.12% (g/g), which accounted for 79.90% of the theoretical conversion.ConclusionsThe results indicated acetoin production of B. subtilis SF4-3 was closely related to the medium components and dissolved oxygen concentrations. It also provided a method for acetoin production via the reversible transformation of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol.     

Effect of initial pH of medium with potato wastewater and glycerol on protein,lipid and carotenoid biosynthesis by Rhodotorula glutinis

BackgroundRhodotorula glutinis is capable of synthesizing numerous valuable metabolites with extensive potential industrial usage. This paper reports the effect of initial culture medium pH on growth and protein, lipid, and carotenoid biosynthesis by R. glutinis.ResultsThe highest biomass yield was obtained in media with pH 4.0–7.0, and the value after 72 h was 17.2–19.4 g_d.w./L. An initial pH of the medium in the range of 4.0–7.0 has no significant effect on the protein (38.5–41.3 g/100 g_d.w.), lipid (10.2–12.7 g/100 g_d.w.), or carotenoid (191.7–202.9 μg/g_d.w.) content in the biomass or on the profile of synthesized fatty acids and carotenoids. The whole pool of fatty acids was dominated by oleic (48.1–53.4%), linoleic (21.4–25.1%), and palmitic acids (13.0–15.8%). In these conditions, the yeast mainly synthesized torulene (43.5–47.7%) and β-carotene (34.7–38.6%), whereas the contribution of torularhodin was only 12.1–16.8%. Cultivation in medium with initial pH 3.0 resulted in a reduction in growth (13.0 g_d.w./L) and total carotenoid (115.8 μg/g_d.w.), linoleic acid (11.5%), and torularhodin (4.5%) biosynthesis.ConclusionThe different values of initial pH of the culture medium with glycerol and deproteinized potato wastewater had a significant effect on the growth and protein, lipid, and carotenoid biosynthesis by R. glutinis.     

Physicochemical and nutritional alterations induced by two-spotted spider mite infestation on strawberry plants

BackgroundStrawberry is a pseudofruit mainly cultivated in temperate climate regions. Considering its high levels of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, the consumption of strawberry fruit can be beneficial to health. The Brazilian strawberry production revolves around 3000 tons per year, significantly influencing the food market and generating income to farmers. However, this production can be partially impaired by two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) Tetranychus urticae Koch infestations, due to decreases in the quality and quantity of fruit. Since there are no data in the literature about alterations caused by TSSM infestation in strawberry plants, our work aimed towards evaluating nutritional and physicochemical parameters of TSSM-infested strawberry plants, along with the related chemical treatment (CT) (acaricide) or biological treatment (predatory mite Phytoseiulus macropilis Banks).ResultsStrawberry fruit from TSSM-infested plants present the highest levels of acidity and exhibit low levels of anthocyanin and phenolic compounds, while fruit from TSSM-infested plants + biological control using predatory mite shows high levels of soluble solids, phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid, along with a high soluble solid content/titratable (SSC/TA) acidity ratio, which indicates high quality fruit.ConclusionsOur results suggest that TSSM infestation decreases fruit quality and that the biological control of TSSM using a predatory mite is a suitable alternative to organic production, since the presence of predatory mite does not affect fruit quality and development.     

Panus tigrinus as a potential biomass source for Reactive Blue decolorization: Isotherm and kinetic study

BackgroundTextile and dye industries pose a serious threat to the environment. Conventional methods used for dye treatment are generally not always effective and environmentally friendly. This drove attention of scores of researchers to investigate alternative methods for the biodegradation of dyes using fungal strains. In this work, white-rot fungus (Panus tigrinus) was used as a biosorbent for the decolorization of Reactive Blue 19. The process parameters that were varied were initial concentration (50–150 mg/L), contact time (30–90 min), and pH (2–6). In addition, to gain important data for the evaluation of a sorption process, the equilibrium and kinetics of the process were determined.ResultsWhite-rot fungus showed great potential in decolorizing Azo dyes. The strain showed the maximum decolorization of 83.18% at pH 2, a contact time of 90 min, and an initial concentration of 50 mg/L. The Langmuir isotherm described the uptake of the Reactive Blue 19 dye better than the Freundlich isotherm. Analysis of the kinetic data showed that the dye uptake process followed the pseudo second-order rate expression.ConclusionThe biosorption process provided vital information on the process parameters required to obtain the optimum level of dye removal. The isotherm study indicated the homogeneous distribution of active sites on the biomass surface, and the kinetic study suggested that chemisorption is the rate-limiting step that controlled the biosorption process. According to the obtained results, P. tigrinus biomass can be used effectively to decolorize textile dyes and tackle the pollution problems in the environment.     

Effects of volatile fatty acids in biohydrogen effluent on biohythane production from palm oil mill effluent under thermophilic condition

BackgroundBiohydrogen effluent contains a high concentration of volatile fatty acid (VFA) mainly as butyric, acetic, lactic and propionic acids. The presence of various VFAs (mixture VFAs) and their cooperative effects on two-stage biohythane production need to be further studied. The effect of VFA concentrations in biohydrogen effluent of palm oil mill effluent (POME) on methane yield in methane stage of biohythane production was investigated.ResultsThe methane yield obtained in low VFA loading (0.9 and 1.8 g/L) was 15–20% times greater than that of high VFA loading (3.6 and 4.7 g/L). Butyric acid at high concentrations (8 g/L) has the individual significantly negative effect the methane production process (P < 0.05). Lactic, acetic and butyric acid mixed with propionic acid at a concentration higher than 0.5 g/L has an interaction significantly negative effect on the methanogenesis process (P < 0.05). Inhibition condition had a negative effect on both bacteria and archaea with inhibited on Geobacillus sp., Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, Methanoculleus thermophilus and Methanothermobacter delfuvii resulting in low methane yield.ConclusionPreventing the high concentration of butyric acid, and propionic acid in the hydrogenic effluent could enhance methane production in two-stage anaerobic digestion for biohythane production.     

Poly(dl-lactide)-degrading enzyme production by immobilized Actinomadura keratinilytica strain T16-1 in a 5-L fermenter under various fermentation processes

BackgroundPoly(dl-lactic acid), or PDLLA, is a biodegradable polymer that can be hydrolyzed by various types of enzymes. The protease produced by Actinomadura keratinilytica strain T16-1 was previously reported to have PDLLA depolymerase activity. However, few studies have reported on PDLLA-degrading enzyme production by bacteria. Therefore, the aims of this study were to determine a suitable immobilization material for PDLLA-degrading enzyme production and optimize PDLLA-degrading enzyme production by using immobilized A. keratinilytica strain T16-1 under various fermentation process conditions in a stirrer fermenter.ResultsAmong the tested immobilization materials, a scrub pad was the best immobilizer, giving an enzyme activity of 30.03 U/mL in a shake-flask scale. The maximum enzyme activity was obtained at aeration 0.25 vvm, agitation 170 rpm, 45°C, and 48 h of cultivation time. Under these conditions, a PDLLA-degrading enzyme production of 766.33 U/mL with 15.97 U/mL·h productivity was observed using batch fermentation in a 5-L stirrer fermenter. Increased enzyme activity and productivity were observed in repeated-batch (942.67 U/mL and 19.64 U/mL·h) and continuous fermentation (796.43 U/mL and 16.58 U/mL·h) at a dilution rate of 0.013/h. Scaled-up production of the enzyme in a 10-L stirrer bioreactor using the optimized conditions showed a maximum enzyme activity of 578.67 U/mL and a productivity of 12.06 U/mL·h.ConclusionsThis research successfully scaled-up the enzyme production to 5 and 10 L in a stirrer fermenter and is helpful for many applications of poly(lactic acid).     

Bioconversion of mixed free fatty acids to poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates by Pseudomonas putida BET001 and modeling of its fermentation in shake flasks

BackgroundThe paper reports on the utilization of palm kernel oil (PKO) as a low cost renewable substrate for medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA) production by Pseudomonas putida BET001. Investigation on the effects of selected key variables on growth, mixed free fatty acids consumption and mcl-PHA production by the bacterial culture in the shaken flask system were carried out along with its kinetic modeling.ResultsThe biomass production, fatty acids consumption and mcl-PHA production were found favorable when the strain was cultured in mineral medium at pH 6–7, 28°C, aeration surface-to-volume ratio of 0.4 × 10⁶ m^- 1, 250 rpm agitation rate for 48 h. Mcl-PHA production by this strain showed mixed growth and non-growth associated components as described by Luedeking–Piret kinetic model.ConclusionThe findings of this study provided add to the literature on key variables in for achieving good microbial growth and mcl-PHA production in shake flasks culture. In addition, suitable kinetic model to describe cultivation in this system was also presented.     

Improvement of hydrogen yield of ethanol-producing Escherichia coli recombinants in acidic conditions

BackgroundAn effective single culture with high glycerol consumption and hydrogen and ethanol coproduction yield is still in demand. A locally isolated glycerol-consuming Escherichia coli SS1 was found to produce lower hydrogen levels under optimized ethanol production conditions. Molecular approach was proposed to improve the hydrogen yield of E. coli SS1 while maintaining the ethanol yield, particularly in acidic conditions. Therefore, the effect of an additional copy of the native hydrogenase gene hycE and recombinant clostridial hydrogenase gene hydA on hydrogen production by E. coli SS1 at low pH was investigated.ResultsRecombinant E. coli with an additional copy of hycE or clostridial hydA was used for fermentation using 10 g/L (108.7 mmol/L) of glycerol with an initial pH of 5.8. The recombinant E. coli with hycE and recombinant E. coli with hydA showed 41% and 20% higher hydrogen yield than wild-type SS1 (0.46 ± 0.01 mol/mol glycerol), respectively. The ethanol yield of recombinant E. coli with hycE (0.50 ± 0.02 mol/mol glycerol) was approximately 30% lower than that of wild-type SS1, whereas the ethanol yield of recombinant E. coli with hydA (0.68 ± 0.09 mol/mol glycerol) was comparable to that of wild-type SS1.ConclusionsInsertion of either hycE or hydA can improve the hydrogen yield with an initial pH of 5.8. The recombinant E. coli with hydA could retain ethanol yield despite high hydrogen production, suggesting that clostridial hydA has an advantage over the hycE gene in hydrogen and ethanol coproduction under acidic conditions. This study could serve as a useful guidance for the future development of an effective strain coproducing hydrogen and ethanol.     

Co-production of ethanol and biodiesel from sweet sorghum juice in two consecutive fermentation steps

BackgroundSugars from sweet sorghum stalks can be used to produce ethanol and also to grow oleaginous yeasts. Instead of two separate processes, in this paper we propose a different route producing ethanol and microbial oil in two consecutive fermentation steps.ResultsThree yeasts were compared in the first ethanol producing step. In the second step four different oleaginous yeasts were tested. Sweet sorghum juice was first clarified and concentrated. High gravity ethanol fermentation was carried out with concentrated juice with 23.7 g/100 mL of total sugars and without added nutrients. Total sugars were 2.5 times more than the original clarified juice. One yeast gave the best overall response over the two other tested; relative high ethanol productivity, 1.44 g ethanol/L·h⁻¹, and 90% of sugar consumption. Aeration by flask agitation produced superior results than static flasks for all yeasts. Microbial oil production was done employing the residual liquid left after ethanol separation. The pooled residual liquid from the ethanol distillation contained 7.08 g/mL of total carbohydrates, rich in reducing sugars. Trichosporon oleaginosus and Lipomyces starkeyi produced higher dry biomass, total sugar consumption and oil productivity than the other two oleaginous yeasts tested; with values around 25 g/L, 80%, and 0.55 g oil/L·h⁻¹ respectively. However, the biomass oil content in all yeasts was relatively low in the range of 14 to 16%.ConclusionThe two step process is viable and could be considered an integral part of a consolidated biorefinery from sweet sorghum.How to cite: Rolz C, de León R, Mendizábal de Montenegro AL. Co-production of ethanol and biodiesel from sweet sorghum juice in two consecutive fermentation steps. Electron J Biotechnol 2019;41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2019.05.002.     

On the fermentative behavior of auxotrophic strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

BackgroundThe selection of new yeast strains could lead to improvements in bioethanol production. Here, we have studied the fermentative capacity of different auxotrophic mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which are routinely used as hosts for the production of heterologous proteins. It has recently been found that these strains exhibit physiological alterations and peculiar sensitivities with respect to the parental prototrophic strains from which they derive. In this work the performance of auxotrophic S. cerevisiae CEN.PK strains was compared to the corresponding prototrophic strain, to S. cerevisiae T5bV, a strain isolated from grape must and to another auxotrophic strain, S. cerevisiae BY4741.ResultsThe results indicate that the fermentative capacity of strains grown in 2% glucose was similar in all the strains tested. However, in 15% initial glucose, the auxotrophic strains exhibited a more than doubled ethanol yield on biomass (10 g g^- 1_dw) compared to the prototrophic strains (less than 5 g g^- 1_dw). Other tests have also evidenced that in medium depletion conditions, ethanol production continues after growth arrest.ConclusionsThe results highlight the capacity of auxotrophic yeast strains to produce ethanol per mass unit, in a higher amount with respect to the prototrophic ones. This leads to potential applications for auxotrophic strains of S. cerevisiae in the production of ethanol in both homogeneous and heterogeneous phases (immobilized systems). The higher ethanol yield on biomass would be advantageous in immobilized cell systems, as a reduced yeast biomass could greatly reduce the mass transfer limitations through the immobilization matrix.     

Statistical optimization of thermo-alkali stable xylanase production from Bacillus tequilensis strain ARMATI

BackgroundXylanase from bacteria finds use in prebleaching process and bioconversion of lignocelluloses into feedstocks. The xylanolytic enzyme brings about the hydrolysis of complex biomolecules into simple monomer units. This study aims to optimize the cellulase-free xylanase production and cell biomass of Bacillus tequilensis strain ARMATI using response surface methodology (RSM).ResultsStatistical screening of medium constituents and the physical factors affecting xylanase and biomass yield of the isolate were optimized by RSM using central composite design at N = 30, namely 30 experimental runs with 4 independent variables. The central composite design showed 3.7 fold and 1.5 fold increased xylanase production and biomass yield of the isolate respectively compared to ‘one factor at a time approach’, in the presence of the basal medium containing birchwood xylan (1.5% w/v) and yeast extract (1% w/v), incubated at 40°C for 24 h. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed high coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.9978 and 0.9906 for the respective responses at significant level (p < 0.05). The crude xylanase obtained from the isolate showed stability at high temperature (60°C) and alkaline condition (pH 9) up to 4 h of incubation.ConclusionsThe cellulase-free xylanase showed an alkali-tolerant and thermo-stable property with potentially applicable nature at industrial scale. This statistical approach established a major contribution in enzyme production from the isolate by optimizing independent factors and represents a first reference on the enhanced production of thermo-alkali stable cellulase-free xylanase from B. tequilensis.     

Indole acetic acid and ACC deaminase from endophytic bacteria improves the growth of Solanum lycopersicum

BackgroundEndophytic bacteria are ubiquitous in all plant species contributing in host plant's nutrient uptake and helping the host to improve its growth. Moringa peregrina which is a medicinal plant, growing in arid region of Arabia, was assessed for the presence of endophytic bacterial strains.ResultsPCR amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA of bacterial endophytes revealed the 5 endophytic bacteria, in which 2 strains were from Sphingomonas sp.; 2 strains from Bacillus sp. and 1 from Methylobacterium genus. Among the endophytic bacterial strains, a strain of Bacillus subtilis LK14 has shown significant prospects in phosphate solubilization (clearing zone of 56.71 mm after 5 d), ACC deaminase (448.3 ± 2.91 nM α-ketobutyrate mg^- 1 h^- 1) and acid phosphatase activity (8.4 ± 1.2 nM mg^- 1 min^- 1). The endophytic bacteria were also assessed for their potential to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Among isolated strains, the initial spectrophotometry analysis showed significantly higher IAA production by Bacillus subtilis LK14. The diurnal production of IAA was quantified using multiple reactions monitoring method in UPLC/MS–MS. The analysis showed that LK14 produced the highest (8.7 μM) IAA on 14th d of growth. Looking at LK14 potentials, it was applied to Solanum lycopersicum, where it significantly increased the shoot and root biomass and chlorophyll (a and b) contents as compared to control plants.ConclusionThe study concludes that using endophytic bacterial strains can be bio-prospective for plant growth promotion, which might be an ideal strategy for improving growth of crops in marginal lands.     

Optimization of Bacillus subtilis cell growth effecting jiean-peptide production in fed batch fermentation using central composite design

BackgroundOptimization of nutrient feeding was developed to improve the growth of Bacillus subtilis in fed batch fermentation to increase the production of jiean-peptide (JAA). A central composite design (CCD) was used to obtain a model describing the relationship between glucose, total nitrogen, and the maximum cell dry weight in the culture broth with fed batch fermentation in a 5 L fermentor.ResultsThe results were analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM), and the optimized values of glucose and total nitrogen concentration were 30.70 g/L and 1.68 g/L in the culture, respectively. The highest cell dry weight was improved to 77.50 g/L in fed batch fermentation, which is 280% higher than the batch fermentation concentration (20.37 g/L). This led to a 44% increase of JAA production in fed batch fermentation as compared to the production of batch fermentation.ConclusionThe results of this work improve the present production of JAA and may be adopted for other objective products' production.