Processing of crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) for the preparation of carotenoproteins and chitin.

Crawfish carotenoproteins and chitin are obtained by a combined process based on flotation-sedimentation and in situ lactic acid production. The carotenoprotein PF(1) obtained has a high content in essential amino acids, w-3-fatty acids, and carotene (mainly astaxanthin) and constitutes an excellent nutritional source for patients with malnutrition. The carotenoprotein PF(2) has a lower nutritional quality but with a substantial carotene content can be used as a feed for animals where coloration is required, such as salmon and trout bred under aquaculture. Chemical and spectrometric (FTIR and (13)C NMR) characterization shows the obtained chitin to be of high quality, similar to that available commercially, for medical and nutritional uses.

Further thermal characterization of an aspartate aminotransferase from a halophilic organism.

Aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT, EC 2.6.1.1) from the halophilic archaebacterium Haloferax mediterranei was purified [Muriana, Alvarez-Ossorio and Relimpio (1991) Biochem. J. 278, 149-154] and further characterization of the effects of temperature on the activity and stability of the halophilic AspAT were carried out. The halophilic transaminase is most active at 65 degrees C and stable at high temperatures, under physiological or nearly physiological conditions (3.5 M KCl, pH 7.8). Thermal inactivation (60-85 degrees C) of the halophilic AspAT followed first-order kinetics, 2-oxoglutarate causing a shift of the thermal inactivation curves to higher temperatures. The salt concentration affected the thermal stability of the halophilic transaminase at 60 degrees C, suggesting that disruption of hydrophobic interactions may play an important role in the decreased thermal stability of the enzyme.

Purification and characterization of aspartate aminotransferase from the halophile archaebacterium Haloferax mediterranei.

Aspartate aminotransferase from the archaebacterium Haloferax mediterranei was purified and found to be homogeneous. An average Mr of 66,000 was estimated. The native halophilic transaminase exhibited no maximum absorption at 410 nm, which indicates that the apo form is obtained by our purification procedure, and the molar absorption coefficient at 275 nm in 3.5 M-KCl (pH 7.8) was found to be 78.34 mM-1.cm-1. Plots of titration data show that 1 mol of halophilic aspartate aminotransferase binds 2 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The halophilic transaminase behaved as a dimer with two similar subunits and had a maximum activity in the pH range 7.6-7.9 and at 65 degrees C in 3.5 M-KCl. By differential scanning calorimetry, the denaturation temperature of the halophilic holo- and apo-transaminase was determined to be 78.5 and 68.0 degrees C respectively at 3.3 M-KCl (pH 7.8). At low salt concentration the halophilic transaminase was inactivated, following first-order kinetics. The Km values for 2-oxoglutarate and L-aspartate, in 3 M-KCl (pH 7.8), were 0.75 mM and 12.6 mM respectively.

Optimization of the cell envelope disruption of extremely halophilic bacteria.

This paper describes an examination of the cell envelope stability opposite to disruption by chemical and physical methods of extremely halophilic bacteria. The following methods of cell treatment were studied: solvent and chelating agents; pressure shearing at several pressures; ultrasonic disintegration for various times; ballistic disintegration; grinding with cold alumina; lysozyme digestion; osmotic shock; and freezing and thawing. The procedure is based on the determination of three cytoplasmic enzymes released by the cell treatment. Menadione reductase was also used as convenient marker enzyme for damage to the permeability barrier. Of all the methods, only pressure shearing and ultrasonic disintegration yielded a crude extract with high halophilic enzyme activities. These procedures are suitable in designing a cell fractionation scheme for halophilic enzyme purifications.