Improvement of the alkali stability of Penicillium cyclopium lipase by error-prone PCR

BACKGROUND: Lipases are extensively exploited in lots of industrial fields; cold-adapted lipases with alkali-resistance are especially desired in detergent industry. Penicillium cyclopium lipase I (PCL) might be suitable for applications of detergent industry due to its high catalytic efficiency at low temperature and relatively good alkali stability. In this study, to better meet the requirements, the alkali stability of PCL was further improved via directed evolution with error-prone PCR. RESULTS: The mutant PCL (N157F) with an improved alkali stability was selected based on a high-throughput activity assay. After incubating at pH 11.0 for 120 min, N157F retained 70% of its initial activity, which was 23% higher than that of wild type PCL. Combined with the three-dimensional structure analysis, N157F exhibited an improved alkali stability under the high pH condition due to the interactions of hydrophilicity and ß-strand propensity. Conclusions: This work provided the theoretical foundation and preliminary data for improving alkali stability of PCL to meet the industrial requirements, which is also beneficial to improving alkali-tolerance ability of other industrial enzymes via molecular modification.

Structure-function relationships of industrial enzymes / 生物工程学报

Industrial enzymes are the "chip" of modern bio-industries, supporting tens- and hundreds-fold of downstream industries development. Elucidating the relationships between enzyme structures and functions is fundamental for industrial applications. Recently, with the advanced developments of protein crystallization and computational simulation technologies, the structure-function relationships have been extensively studied, making the rational design and de novo design become possible. This paper reviews the progress of structure-function relationships of industrial enzymes and applications, and address future developments.

Production of beta-glucosidase on solid-state fermentation by Lichtheimia ramosa in agroindustrial residues: characterization and catalytic properties of the enzymatic extract

Background β-Glucosidases catalyze the hydrolysis of cellobiose and cellodextrins, releasing glucose as the main product. This enzyme is used in the food, pharmaceutical, and biofuel industries. The aim of this work is to improve the β-glucosidase production by the fungus Lichtheimia ramosa by solid-state fermentation (SSF) using various agroindustrial residues and to evaluate the catalytic properties of this enzyme. Results A high production of β-glucosidase, about 274 U/g of dry substrate (or 27.4 U/mL), was obtained by cultivating the fungus on wheat bran with 65% of initial substrate moisture, at 96 h of incubation at 35°C. The enzymatic extract also exhibited carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase), xylanase, and β-xylosidase activities. The optimal activity of β-glucosidase was observed at pH 5.5 and 65°C and was stable over a pH range of 3.5-10.5. The enzyme maintained its activity (about 98% residual activity) after 1 h at 55°C. The enzyme was subject to reversible competitive inhibition with glucose and showed high catalytic activity in solutions containing up to 10% of ethanol. Conclusions β-Glucosidase characteristics associated with its ability to hydrolyze cellobiose, underscore the utility of this enzyme in diverse industrial processes.

Exploration of Actinobacteria from Mangrove Ecosystems of Nizampatnam and Coringa for Antimicrobial Compounds and Industrial Enzymes.

Aim: A study was made to examine the kinship between the seasonal distribution of actinobacteria and the physico-chemical properties of the mangrove sediments of Nizampatnam and Coringa located along the South East coast of Andhra Pradesh, India. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Botany and Microbiology, between April 2010 to February 2011. Methodology: Seasonal enumeration of actinobacteria from two different stations 1 (Nizampatnam) and 2 (Coringa) accorded by four different pre-treatments of soil sediments followed by plating onto three different media showed high incidence of actinobacteria in the month of February and least in December. Pretreatment with calcium carbonate and plating on starch casein agar yielded maximum number of actinobacteria. The strains were identified based on the morphological characteristics such as aerial mycelium, substrate mycelium, diffusible pigments and micro morphological features. Results: The present investigation revealed that majority of the mangrove actinobacteria 69%) belongs to Streptomyces spp. Among the 55 isolates screened for antimicrobial compounds, 28 were found to be potential producers. The isolates could also produce commercially important enzymes such as L-asparaginase, cellulase and amylase. In addition the statistical study also revealed that positive correlation between the distribution of the actinomycetes and influence of physico-chemical parameters and the organic matter of the soil. Conclusion: Our study revealed that the unexplored regions like Nizampatnam and Coringa mangrove ecosystems are proved as potential sites for antimicrobial and industrial enzyme producing actinobacteria.