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.     

Evaluation of alkali and thermotolerant lipase from an indigenous isolated Bacillus strain for detergent formulation

BackgroundLipases are used in detergent industries to minimise the use of phosphate-based chemicals in detergent formulations. The use of lipase in household laundry reduces environmental pollution and enhances the ability of detergent to remove tough oil or grease stains.ResultsA lipase-producing indigenous Bacillus subtilis strain [accession no. KT985358] was isolated from the foothills of Trikuta mountain in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The lipase (BSK-L) produced by this strain expressed alkali and thermotolerance. Lipase has an optimal activity at pH 8.0 and temperature 37°C, whereas it is stable at pH 6.0–9.0 and showed active lipolytic activity at temperatures 30 to 60°C. Furthermore, lipase activity was found to be stimulated in the presence of the metal ions Mn^2 +, K⁺, Zn^2 +, Fe^2 + and Ca^2 +. This lipase was resistant to surfactants, oxidising agents and commercial detergents, suggesting it as a potential candidate for detergent formulation. BSK-L displayed noticeable capability to remove oil stains when used in different washing solutions containing buffer, lipase and commercial detergent. The maximum olive oil removal percentage obtained was 68% when the optimum detergent concentration (Fena) was 0.3%. The oil removal percentage from olive oil-soiled cotton fabric increased with 40 U/mL of lipase.ConclusionsThis BSK-L enzyme has the potential for removing oil stains by developing a pre-soaked solution for detergent formulation and was compatible with surfactants, oxidising agents and commercial detergents.     

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.     

Characterization of a hyperthermophilic sulphur-oxidizing biofilm produced by archaea isolated from a hot spring

BackgroundSulphur-oxidizing microorganisms are widely used in the biofiltration of total reduced sulphur compounds (odorous and neurotoxic) produced by industries such as the cellulose and petrochemical industries, which include high-temperature process steps. Some hyperthermophilic microorganisms have the capability to oxidize these compounds at high temperatures (> 60°C), and archaea of this group, for example, Sulfolobus metallicus, are commonly used in biofiltration technology.ResultsIn this study, a hyperthermophilic sulphur-oxidizing strain of archaea was isolated from a hot spring (Chillán, Chile) and designated as M1. It was identified as archaea of the genus Sulfolobus (99% homology with S. solfataricus 16S rDNA). Biofilms of this culture grown on polyethylene rings showed an elemental sulphur oxidation rate of 95.15 ± 15.39 mg S l^-1 d^-1, higher than the rate exhibited by the biofilm of the sulphur-oxidizing archaea S. metallicus (56.8 ± 10.91 mg l^-1 d^-1).ConclusionsThe results suggest that the culture M1 is useful for the biofiltration of total reduced sulphur gases at high temperatures and for other biotechnological applications.     

1-Deoxynojirimycin from Bacillus subtilis improves antioxidant and antibacterial activities of juvenile Yoshitomi tilapia

BackgroundJuvenile Yoshitomi tilapia is often infected by pathogens and results in low-level survival rate. Bacillus subtilis, as a probiotic, may have beneficial effects on Y. tilapia with compound 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), which has antibacterial activities. The effects of dietary probiotic supplementation on Y. tilapias were evaluated.ResultsJuvenile Y. tilapia was fed with B. subtilis for 56 d. Y. tilapia was infected by Aeromonas hydrophila and survival rate was compared. Dietary B. subtilis increased weight gain rate, specific growth, food conversion ratios and food intake rate of Y. tilapia. The diet improved the cumulative survival rate (CSR) of juvenile Y. tilapia when the concentration of B. subtilis was more than 2.05 × 10¹⁰ cfu/kg and CSR reached a maximum rate when the concentration of bacillus was 4.23 × 10¹⁰ (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, B. subtilis improved total antioxidant capacity (TAC), spleen index, the activities of serum lysozyme, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) (P < 0.05). In contrast, B. subtilis reduced serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and C3 complement (P < 0.05). DNJ was isolated from secondary metabolisms and proved to increase the levels of SOD, CAT and reduce the levels of AST, ALT and MDA at cell levels. After A. hydrophila infection, DNJ prevented the reduction in survival rate of Y. tilapia (P < 0.05).Conclusions1-Deoxynojirimycin from Bacillus subtilis can be used to improve the growth performance of juvenile Y. tilapia by affecting its antioxidant and antibacterial activities.     

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     

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.     

Molecular cloning,expression, and immobilization of glutamate decarboxylase from Lactobacillus fermentum YS2

BackgroundGABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is a four-carbon nonprotein amino acid that has hypotensive, diuretic, and tranquilizing properties. Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) is the key enzyme to generate GABA. A simple and economical method of preparing and immobilizing GAD would be helpful for GABA production. In this study, the GAD from Lactobacillus fermentum YS2 was expressed under the control of a stress-inducible promoter and was purified and immobilized in a fusion form, and its reusability was investigated.ResultsThe fusion protein CBM-GAD was expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α carrying pCROCB-gadB, which contained promoter P_rpoS, cbm3 (family 3 carbohydrate-binding module from Clostridium thermocellum) coding sequence, the gadB gene from L. fermentum YS2 coding for GAD, and the T7 terminator. After a one-step purification of CBM-GAD using regenerated amorphous cellulose (RAC) as an adsorbent, SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a clear band of 71 kDa; the specific activity of the purified fusion protein CBM-GAD reached 83.6 ± 0.7 U·mg^-1. After adsorption onto RAC, the immobilized GAD with CBM3 tag was repeatedly used for GABA synthesis. The protein-binding capacity of RAC was 174 ± 8 mg·g^-1. The immobilized CBM-GAD could repeatedly catalyze GABA synthesis, and 8% of the initial activities was retained after 10 uses. We tested the conversion of monosodium glutamate to GABA by the immobilized enzyme; the yield reached 5.15 g/L and the productivity reached 3.09 g/L·h.ConclusionsRAC could be used as an adsorbent in one-step purification and immobilization of CBM-GAD, and the immobilized enzyme could be repeatedly used to catalyze the conversion of glutamate to GABA.     

Kernel size and weight affected by three plant bioregulators applied at bloom to Non Pareil and Carmel almond cultivars

BackgroundThe yield of almonds [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] could be low due to climatic problems and any factor improving kernel size and weight, such as the use of plant bioregulators (PBRs), should be beneficial.ResultsThree plant bioregulators: 24-epibrassinolide (BL), gibberellic acid (GA₃) and kinetin (KN) were applied at three spray concentrations to Non Pareil and Carmel cultivars, at two phenological stages during bloom, in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The results showed significant differences (P < 0.0001). For total dry weight of Non Pareil, the best treatment was BL (30 mg·L^-1), with an average of 1.45 g, while the control was 1.30 g, at pink button during 2015. For Carmel, the best dry weight was 1.23 g, achieved with BL (30 mg·L^-1) at fallen petals in both seasons. The average dry weight of the controls varied between 1.13 and 1.18 g. The greatest almond lengths and widths in Non Pareil were 24.98 mm and 15.05 mm, achieved with BL (30 mg·L^-1) and KN (50 μL·L^-1) treatments, respectively, applied at pink button in 2015. In Carmel, the greatest length and width were 24.38 and 13.44 mm, obtained with BL (30 mg·L^-1) applied at the stages of pink button and fallen petals, respectively, in 2015. The control reached lengths between 22.33 and 23.38 mm, and widths between 11.99 and 12.93 mm.ConclusionsThe use of the bioregulators showed significant favorable effects on dry weight, length and width of kernels at harvest, in both cultivars.     

Strategy of oxygen transfer coefficient control on the l-erythrulose fermentation by newly isolated Gluconobacter kondonii

BackgroundThe effect of diverse oxygen transfer coefficient on the l-erythrulose production from meso-erythritol by a newly isolated strain, Gluconobacter kondonii CGMCC8391 was investigated. In order to elucidate the effects of volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) on the fermentations, baffled and unbaffled flask cultures, and fed-batch cultures were developed in present work.ResultsWith the increase of the k_La value in the fed-batch culture, l-erythrulose concentration, productivity and yield were significantly improved, while cell growth was not the best in the high k_La. Thus, a two-stage oxygen supply control strategy was proposed, aimed at achieving high concentration and high productivity of l-erythrulose. During the first 12 h, k_La was controlled at 40.28 h^-1 to obtain high value for cell growth, subsequently k_La was controlled at 86.31 h^-1 to allow for high l-erythrulose accumulation.ConclusionsUnder optimal conditions, the l-erythrulose concentration, productivity, yield and DCW reached 207.9 ± 7.78 g/L, 6.50 g/L/h, 0.94 g/g, 2.68 ± 0.17 g/L, respectively. At the end of fermentation, the l-erythrulose concentration and productivity were higher than those in the previous similar reports.     

Biomineralization of a calcifying ureolytic bacterium Microbacterium sp. GM-1

BackgroundBiomineralization is a significant process performed by living organisms in which minerals are produced through the hardening of biological tissues. Herein, we focus on calcium carbonate precipitation, as part of biomineralization, to be used in applications for environmental protection, material technology, and other fields. A strain GM-1, Microbacterium sp. GM-1, isolated from active sludge, was investigated for its ability to produce urease and induce calcium carbonate precipitation in a metabolic process.ResultsIt was discovered that Microbacterium sp. GM-1 resisted high concentrations of urea up to 60 g/L. In order to optimize the calcification process of Microbacterium sp. GM-1, the concentrations of Ni^2 + and urea, pH value, and culture time were analyzed through orthogonal tests. The favored calcite precipitation culture conditions were as follows: the concentration of Ni^2 + and urea were 50 μM and 60 g/L, respectively, pH of 10, and culture time of 96 h. Using X-ray diffraction analysis, the calcium carbonate polymorphs produced by Microbacterium sp. GM-1 were proven to be mainly calcite.ConclusionsThe results of this research provide evidence that Microbacterium sp. GM-1 can biologically induce calcification and suggest that strain GM-1 may play a potential role in the synthesis of new biominerals and in bioremediation or biorecovery.     

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.     

Enhanced alkaline catalase production by Serratia marcescens FZSF01: Enzyme purification,characterization, and recombinant expression

BackgroundCatalase (CAT) is an important enzyme that degrades H₂O₂ into H₂O and O₂. To obtain an efficient catalase, in this study, a new strain of high catalase-producing Serratia marcescens, named FZSF01, was screened and its catalase was purified and characterized.ResultsAfter optimization of fermentation conditions, the yield of catalase produced by this strain was as high as 51,468 U/ml. This catalase was further purified using two steps: DEAE-fast flow and Sephedex-G150. The purified catalase showed a specific activity of 197,575 U/mg with a molecular mass of 58 kDa. This catalase exhibited high activity at 20–70°C and pH 5.0–11.0. Km of the catalase was approximately 68 mM, and Vmax was 1886.8 mol/min mg. This catalase was further identified by LC–MS/MS, and the encoding gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) with a production of 17,267 ± 2037 U/ml.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, these results represent one of the highest fermentation levels reported among current catalase-producing strains. This FZSF01 catalase may be suitable for several industrial applications that comprise exposure to alkaline conditions and under a wide range of temperatures.     

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.     

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.     

Xylitol production and furfural consumption by a wild type Geotrichum sp.

BackgroundXylitol is a five carbons polyol with promising medical applications. It can be obtained from chemical d-xylose reduction or by microbial fermentation of Sugarcane Bagasse Hemicellulosic Hydrolysate. For this last process, some microbial inhibitors, as furfural, constitute severe bottleneck. In this case, the use of strains able to produce xylitol simultaneously to furfural neutralization is an interesting alternative. A wild-type strain of Geotrichum sp. was detected with this ability, and its performance in xylitol production and furfural consumption was evaluated. Furthermore, were analyzed its degradation products.ResultsGeotrichum sp. produced xylitol from d-xylose fermentation with a yield of 0.44 g·g^-1. Furfural was fully consumed in fermentation assay and when provided in the medium until concentration of 6 g·L^-1. The furfural degradation product is not an identified molecule, presenting a molecular weight of 161 g·mol^-1, an uncommon feature for the microbial metabolism of this product.ConclusionThis strain presents most remarkable potential in performing furfural consumption simultaneous to xylitol production. Subsequent efforts must be employed to establish bioprocess to simultaneous detoxification and xylitol production by Geotrichum sp.     

Xylanase and β-xylosidase from Penicillium janczewskii: Purification,characterization and hydrolysis of substrates

BackgroundXylanases and β-d-xylosidases are the most important enzymes responsible for the degradation of xylan, the second main constituent of plant cell walls.ResultsIn this study, the main extracellular xylanase (XYL I) and β-xylosidase (BXYL I) from the fungus Penicillium janczewskii were purified, characterized and applied for the hydrolysis of different substrates. Their molecular weights under denaturing and non-denaturing conditions were, respectively, 30.4 and 23.6 kDa for XYL I, and 100 and 200 kDa for BXYL I, indicating that the latter is homodimeric. XYL I is highly glycosylated (78%) with optimal activity in pH 6.0 at 65°C, while BXYL I presented lower sugar content (10.5%) and optimal activity in pH 5.0 at 75°C. The half-lives of XYL I at 55, 60 and 65°C were 125, 16 and 6 min, respectively. At 60°C, BXYL I retained almost 100% of the activity after 6 h. NH₄⁺, Na⁺, DTT and β-mercaptoethanol stimulated XYL I, while activation of BXYL I was not observed. Interestingly, XYL I was only partially inhibited by Hg^2 +, while BXYL I was completely inhibited. Xylobiose, xylotriose and larger xylooligosaccharides were the main products from xylan hydrolysis by XYL I. BXYL I hydrolyzed xylobiose and larger xylooligosaccharides with no activity against xylans.ConclusionThe enzymes act synergistically in the degradation of xylans, and present industrial characteristics especially in relation to optimal activity at high temperatures, prolonged stability of BXYL I at 60°C, and stability of XYL I in wide pH range.     

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.     

One-pot synthesis of graphene–chitosan nanocomposite modified carbon paste electrode for selective determination of dopamine

BackgroundA simple, rapid, low-cost and environmentally friendly method was developed to determine dopamine (DA) in the presence of ascorbic (AA) and uric acid (UA) based on a novel technique to prepare a graphene–chitosan (GR–CS) nanocomposite and modify it on the surface of carbon paste electrode (CPE). For our design, CS acts as a media to disperse and stabilize GR, and then GR plays a key role to selective and sensitive determination of DA.ResultsUnder physiological conditions, the linear range for dopamine was determined from 1 × 10^- 4 to 2 × 10^- 7 mol/L with a good correlation coefficient of 0.9961 in the presence of 1000-fold interference of AA and UA. The detection limit was estimated to be 9.82 × 10^- 8 mol/L (S/N = 3). In order to study the stability and reproducibility, GR/CS/CPE underwent successive measurements in 10 times and then tested once a d for 30 d. The result exhibited 98.25% and 91.62% activities compared with the original peak current after 10-time measurements and 30-d storage.ConclusionThe GR/CS/CPE has wide linear concentration range, low detection limit, and good reproducibility and stability, which suggests that our investigations provide a promising alternative for clinic DA determination.     

In vitro propagation of Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Monastrell’

BackgroundA protocol for the micropropagation of the grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivar ‘Monastrell’ was developed. Initial plant material was obtained from the sanitary selection of grapevine plants performed by real-time RT-PCR to confirm the absence of Grapevine fanleaf virus, Arabis mosaic virus, Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3, and Grapevine fleck virus.ResultsThe effects of the salt composition (comparing Lloyd and McCown woody plant medium and Murashige and Skoog medium 1/2 macronutrients) and the growth regulator benzylaminopurine (BAP), at 0 and 8.9 μM, on plant propagation were evaluated using nodes as explants. The most efficient procedure consisted of bud induction in the medium with Lloyd and McCown woody plant salts and 8.9 μM BAP for 30 d along with elongation in cytokinin-free medium for 60 d, which gave 22 nodes/explant (174 plants/initial plant). A second cycle of propagation in a medium without BAP for another 60 d could give approximately 10,000 nodes, which can be obtained after an additional 2 months of culture. All plants acclimatized after the second cycle of multiplication were successfully transferred to soil.ConclusionWe developed an optimal protocol for V. vinifera cv. ‘Monastrell’ micropropagation, the first described for this cultivar.