Whole-Cell Biocatalytic Synthesis of Cinnamyl Acetate with a Novel Esterase from the DNA Library of Acinetobacter hemolyticus

Ultrasound-assisted enzymatic synthesis of cinnamyl acetate by immobilized lipase on ordered mesoporous silicon with CFD simulation and molecular docking analysis

Flavor esters are used in food and cosmetic industries, but sustainable production remains a big challenging. This study proposed the ultrasound-assisted biosynthesis of cinnamyl acetate using self-made immobilized lipase CSL@OMS-C8, with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and molecular simulations revealing the hydrodynamic properties and lipase-catalytic mechanisms. The results demonstrate that ultrasonication-intensified enzymatic reaction facilitated 96.6 % conversion of cinnamic alcohol, due to the ultrasound-assisted catalytic efficiency of 13.7 mmol/g·min. Molecular docking analysis identifies the lowest binding energy of -3.7 kcal·mol-1 between lipase and vinyl acetate, contributing to the highest conversion rates compared to acetic acid, ethyl acetate. CFD simulation indicates that ultrasonic energy waves promote substrate diffusion and mixing with lower shear stress. The catalytic stability of CSL@OMS-C8 was confirmed by 60.1 % of relative activity after 10-time reuse. This paper theoretically and experimentally studied the ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic synthesis of cinnamyl acetate, showcasing huge potential for sustainable production of flavor esters.

The synthesis of cinnamyl acetate and deacetyl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid by a GDSL-type esterase and its substrate specificity analysis

GDSL-type esterases are promising biocatalysts for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Here, a GDSL-type esterase from Aspergillus niger CCTCC No. M2012538 (INANE1) was expressed and purified in Pichia pastoris GS115, and its catalytic performances were evaluated, including the synthesis of cinnamyl acetate and deacetyl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid (D-7-ACA). In addition, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations analyzed INANE1's substrate specificity. The substrate specificity profile indicated the recombinant esterase (rINANE1) was an acetylesterase with high specificity for p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA). The rINANE1 exhibited maximum activity at pH 8.0 and 35 °C, where Km and Vmax were calculated as 0.13±0.03 mM and 22.56 ± 0.32 μmoL/min/mg, respectively. The yield of cinnamyl acetate of about 85 % was achieved in 24 h. The conversion rate of 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) could reach 92.71 ± 1.78 % at 25 °C and 2.5 h. Moreover, the INANE1 structure model, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation demonstrated that the pocket of the catalytic triad Ser34, Asn267, and His270 could only accommodate p-NPA. INANE1 may be the first fungi esterase with cinnamyl acetate synthetic activity and 7-ACA hydrolysis activity. Therefore, INANE1 would be a promising enzyme with industrial values.

Identification, Characterization, and Computer-Aided Rational Design of a Novel Thermophilic Esterase from Geobacillus subterraneus, and Application in the Synthesis of Cinnamyl Acetate

Investigation of a novel thermophilic esterase gene from Geobacillus subterraneus DSMZ 13552 indicated a high amino acid sequence similarity of 25.9% to a reported esterase from Geobacillus sp. A strategy that integrated computer-aided rational design tools was developed to select mutation sites. Six mutants were selected from four criteria based on the simulated saturation mutation (including 19 amino acid residues) results. Of these, the mutants Q78Y and G119A were found to retain 87% and 27% activity after incubation at 70 °C for 20 min, compared with the 19% activity for the wild type. Subsequently, a double-point mutant (Q78Y/G119A) was obtained and identified with optimal temperature increase from 65 to 70 °C and a 41.51% decrease in Km. The obtained T1/2 values of 42.2 min (70 °C) and 16.9 min (75 °C) for Q78Y/G119A showed increases of 340% and 412% compared with that in the wild type. Q78Y/G119A was then employed as a biocatalyst to synthesize cinnamyl acetate, for which the conversion rate reached 99.40% with 0.3 M cinnamyl alcohol at 60 °C. The results validated the enhanced enzymatic properties of the mutant and indicated better prospects for industrial application as compared to that in the wild type. This study reported a method by which an enzyme could evolve to achieve enhanced thermostability, thereby increasing its potential for industrial applications, which could also be expanded to other esterases.

Advances in enzyme biocatalysis for the preparation of functional lipids

Functional lipids, mainly ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) such as eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (DHA; 22:6n-3), are known to have a variety of health benefits. Lipases and phospholipases are widely used to prepare different forms of structured lipids, since biocatalytic methods can be carried out under mild conditions, preserving the quality of the products. On the other hand, many processes still are conducted at high temperatures and with organic solvents, which are conditions unfavorable for the production of nutritional products. This article gives an updated overview of enzyme biocatalysis methods for the preparation of different derivatives containing n-3 PUFAs, including specific reactions, enzyme immobilization research for high-efficiency catalysis, and enzyme engineering technologies (higher selectivity, stability, and activity). Furthermore, advanced control strategies of biocatalytic processes and reactors are presented. The future prospect and opportunities for marine functional lipids are also discussed. Therefore, the obtainment of enzymes endowed with superior properties and the development of optimized processes, still have to be pursued to achieve greener bio-catalyzed processes.

Sustainable Biosynthesis of Esterase Enzymes of Desired Characteristics of Catalysis for Pharmaceutical and Food Industry Employing Specific Strains of Microorganisms

Reactions catalysed by sustainably produced enzymes can contribute to the bioeconomy supporting several industries. Low-value compounds can be transformed into added-value products or high-resolution chemicals could be prepared in reactions catalysed by biocatalyst esterase enzymes. These enzymes can be synthesised by purposely isolated or genetically modified strains of microorganisms. Enzymes belonging to the hydrolase family catalyse the formation and hydrolysis of ester bonds to produce the desired esterified molecule. The synthesis of homo-chiral compounds can be accomplished either by chemical or biocatalytic processes, the latter being preferred with the use of microbial esterases. For varied applications, esterases with high stability and retained activity at lower and higher temperatures have been produced with strains isolated from extreme environments. For sustainable production of enzymes, higher productivity has been achieved by employing fast-growing Escherichia coli after incorporating plasmids of required characteristics from specific isolates. This is a review of the isolated and engineered strains used in the biosynthesis of esterase of the desired property, with the objective of a sustainable supply of enzymes, to produce products of industrial importance contributing to the economy.

Expression and characterization of a novel lipase from Bacillus licheniformis NCU CS-5 for application in enhancing fatty acids flavor release for low-fat cheeses

A novel lipase from Bacillus licheniformis NCU CS-5 was expressed in different Escherichia coli cells. The recombinant enzyme achieved a high activity (161.74 U/mL) with protein concentration of 0.27 mg/mL under optimal conditions at the large-scale expression of 12 h. The recombinant lipase showed optimal activity at 40 ℃ and pH 10.0, and maintained more than 80% relative activity after 96 h of incubation at pH 9.0-10.0. This typical alkaline lipase was activated under medium temperature conditions (30 and 45 ℃ for 96 h). The lipase exhibited a degree of adaptability in various organic solvents and metal ions, and showed high specificity towards triglycerides with short and medium chain fatty acids. Among different substrates, the lipase showed the strongest binding affinity towards pNPP (Km = 0.674 mM, Vmax = 950.196 μM/min). In the experiments of its application in enhancing fatty acids flavor release for low-fat cheeses, the lipase was found to hydrolyze cheeses and mainly increase the contents of butyric acid, hexanoic acid, caprylic acid and decanoic acid. The results from NMR and GC provided the possibility of enhancing fatty acids flavor released from low-fat cheeses by the lipolysis method.

Dual-factor Synergistically Activated ESIPT-based Probe: Differential Fluorescence Signals to Simultaneously Detect α-Naphthyl Acetate and Acid α-Naphthyl Acetate Esterase

α-Naphthyl acetate esterase (α-NAE) and acid α-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE), a class of special esterases, are important for lymphocyte typing and immunocompetence-monitoring. As such, the simultaneous detection of α-NAE and ANAE has become a target to effectively improve the accuracy in lymphocyte typing. Therefore, we developed a dual-factor synergistically activated ESIPT-based probe (HBT-NA) to detect α-NAE and ANAE sensitively, rapidly, and simultaneously in a differential manner. HBT-NA exhibits differential fluorescence signal outputs toward small changes of α-NAE and ANAE activities. HBT-NA displays a weak fluorescence signal at 392 nm over a pH range from 6.0 to 7.4. However, when it interacts with α-NAE (0-25 U) at pH = 7.4, the fluorescence intensity at 392 nm enhanced linearly within 60 s (F_392 nm/F0_392 nm = 0.042 C_α-NAE + 1.1, R² = 0.99). Furthermore, HBT-NA emits ratiometric fluorescence signals (F_505 nm/F_392 nm) for ANAE (0-25 U) at pH = 6.0 within 2.0 min, exhibiting a good linear relationship (F_505 nm/F_392 nm = 0.83C_ANAE - 1.75, R² = 0.99). The differential fluorescence signals can be used to simultaneously detect the activities of α-NAE and ANAE in solutions and complex living organisms. More importantly, based on the differential fluorescence signals toward α-NAE and ANAE, T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes could be successfully typed and differentiated among nontyped lymphocytes, facilitating the real-time evaluation of their immune functions using flow cytometry. Hence, HBT-NA could be used for the ultrasensitive detection of the enzyme activities of α-NAE and ANAE, the real-time precise typing of lymphocytes, and the monitoring of immunocompetence.

Together Is Better: The Rumen Microbial Community as Biological Toolbox for Degradation of Synthetic Polyesters

Identfication of plastics degradation and microbial community analysis of Rumen.

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Highly efficient whole-cell biosynthesis and cytotoxicity of esculin esters

Esculin is a polyphenol with multiple bioactivities and poor lipophilicity. Therefore, a whole-cell catalytic strategy for esculin acylation was developed to improve its lipophilicity. A total of 12 strains were tested, among which Pseudomonas stutzeri exhibited the highest catalytic activity and mono-acylated regioselectivity. The conversion reached the highest level of 92.7 % at 24 h under the optimal conditions, when vinyl acetate was used as an acyl donor. The catalytic ability of P. stutzeri remained above 60 % after three cycles. Subsequently, five esculin esters with different lengths of fatty chains were synthesized and structurally identified. Of them, esculin-6'-O-octanoate, esculin-6'-O-laurate, and esculin-6'-O-myristate exhibited cytotoxicity on LO2 cells by inducing apoptosis and necrosis. The cytotoxicity of these three esters may attribute to their membrane-disrupting properties. This study provides a novel whole-cell biocatalytic strategy for the acylation of esculin and insight for application of esculin esters as a food additive or drug.

Marine Bacterial Esterases: Emerging Biocatalysts for Industrial Applications

The marine ecosystem has been known to be a significant source of novel enzymes. Esterase enzymes (EC 3.1.1.1) represent a diverse group of hydrolases that catalyze the cleavage and formation of ester bonds. Although esterases are widely distributed among marine organisms, only microbial esterases are of paramount industrial importance. This article discusses the importance of marine microbial esterases, their biochemical and kinetic properties, and their stability under extreme conditions. Since culture-dependent techniques provide limited insights into microbial diversity of the marine ecosystem, therefore, genomics and metagenomics approaches have widely been adopted in search of novel esterases. Additionally, the article also explains industrial applications of marine bacterial esterases particularly for the synthesis of optically pure substances, the preparation of enantiomerically pure drugs, the degradation of human-made plastics and organophosphorus compounds, degradation of the lipophilic components of the ink, and production of short-chain flavor esters.

Leading individual features of antioxidant systematically classified by the ORAC assay and its single electron transfer and hydrogen atom transfer reactivities; analyzing ALS therapeutic drug Edaravone

Many natural compounds mop up radicals and limit radical reactions and may prove useful in reducing or preventing oxidative stress-related diseases in vivo. Several assays have been developed to measure antioxidant or anti-radical activity. Here, we measured the anti-radical activities of representative antioxidants using different assays. The oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assay has two mechanistic stages. We classified antioxidant behavior using two characteristic values thought to be related to the two stages - peroxyl radical formation time (lag time) and fluorescein annihilation rate (k _obs) - by applying Voronoi polyhedral division. We focused on four class-representative antioxidants, Trolox ®, vitamin C, l-cysteine, and 2,6-di‑tert‑butyl‑p-cresol, and compared their characteristic activities with those of edaravone. Our analysis indicates that edaravone is in the same group as cysteine and may function via a similar mechanism. Our results suggest that analyzing lag time and k _obs is a useful method to characterize antioxidants.

Identification of an alkaline lipase capable of better enrichment of EPA than DHA due to fatty acids selectivity and regioselectivity

The whole genome of Streptomyces violascens (=ATCC 27968) was sequenced and the cloning and expression of OUC-Lipase 6 were conducted in Bacillus subtilis WB800. The recombinant enzyme belongs to the lipolytic enzymes family V. OUC-Lipase 6 showed optimal activity at 30 °C and pH 9.0, and retained 90.2% of its activity in an alkaline buffer (pH 8.0, 30 °C and 96 h). OUC-Lipase 6 showed good stability under medium temperature conditions (residual activity of 68.8%, pH 8.0, 45 °C and 96 h). OUC-Lipase 6 could selectively hydrolyze fatty acids on the glyceride backbone, thus improving the contents of DHA and EPA in codfish oil. OUC-Lipase 6 also showed regioselectivity, resulting in a better enrichment efficiency for EPA than DHA. After hydrolyzing for 36 h via OUC-Lipase 6, the contents of EPA and DHA were improved to 3.24-fold and 1.98-fold, respectively.

Biofilm Polysaccharide Display Platform: A Natural, Renewable, and Biocompatible Material for Improved Lipase Performance

Most of the microorganisms can form biofilms, which makes biofilms an abundant bioresource to be exploited. Due to the limitations of the application of current immobilization methods for biofilms, we developed an immobilization method called the biofilm polysaccharide display (BPD) strategy while maintaining the native biofilm structure and catalytic microenvironment of Clostridium acetobutylicum B3. Lipase Lip181 showed significant improvements in stability after chemical immobilization. For example, immobilized Lip181 retained 74.23% of its original activity after incubation for 14 days, while free Lip181 was totally deactivated. In addition, immobilized Lip181 maintained high residual activity (pH 5.0-11.0), which showed improved resistance to pH changes. Notably, this method did not decrease but slightly increased the relative activity of Lip181 from 6.39 to 6.78 U/mg. Immobilized Lip181 was used to prepare cinnamyl acetate, and it showed a maximum yield of 85.09%. Overall, this biofilm immobilization method may promote the development of biocatalytic and biofilm materials.

Biochemical characterization of a novel azoreductase from Streptomyces sp.: Application in eco-friendly decolorization of azo dye wastewater

Azo dyes are the most widely applied chemical dyes that have also raised great concerns for environmental contamination and human health issues. There has been a growing interest in discovering bioremediation methods to degrade azo dyes for environmental and economic purposes. Azoreductases are key enzymes evolved in nature capable of degrading azo dyes. The current work reports the identification, expression, and properties of a novel azoreductase (AzoRed2) from Streptomyces sp. S27 which shows an excellent stability against pH change and organic solvents. To overcome the requirements of coenzyme while degrading azo dyes, we introduced a coenzyme regeneration enzyme, Bacillus subtilis glucose 1-dehydrogenase (BsGDH), to construct a recycling system in living cells. The whole-cell biocatalyst containing AzoRed2 and BsGDH was used to degrade a representative azo dye methyl red. The degradation rate of methyl red was up to 99% in 120 min with high substrate concentration (250 μM) and no external coenzyme added. The degradation rate was still 98% in the third batch trial. To sum up, a novel azoreductase with good properties was found, which was applied to construct whole-cell biocatalyst. Both the enzymes and whole-cell biocatalysts are good candidates for the industrial wastewater treatment and environmental restoration.

Immobilization of a Novel ESTBAS Esterase from Bacillus altitudinis onto an Epoxy Resin: Characterization and Regioselective Synthesis of Chloramphenicol Palmitate

Novel gene estBAS from Bacillus altitudinis, encoding a 216-amino acid esterase (EstBAS) with a signal peptide (SP), was expressed in Escherichia coli. EstBASΔSP showed the highest activity toward p-nitrophenyl hexanoate at 50 °C and pH 8.0 and had a half-life (T1/2) of 6 h at 50 °C. EstBASΔSP was immobilized onto a novel epoxy resin (Lx-105s) with a high loading of 96 mg/g. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed that EstBASΔSP was successfully immobilized onto Lx-105s. In addition, immobilization improved its enzymatic performance by widening the tolerable ranges of pH and temperature. The optimum temperature of immobilized EstBASΔSP (Lx-EstBASΔSP) was higher, 60 °C, and overall thermostability improved. T1/2 of Lx-EstBASΔSP and free EstBASΔSP at 60 °C was 105 and 28 min, respectively. Lx-EstBASΔSP was used as a biocatalyst to synthesize chloramphenicol palmitate by regioselective modification at the primary hydroxyl group. Conversion efficiency reached 94.7% at 0.15 M substrate concentration after 24 h. Lx-EstBASΔSP was stable and could be reused for seven cycles, after which it retained over 80% of the original activity.

Enzymatic characterization of a thermostable phosphatase from Thermomicrobium roseum and its application for biosynthesis of fructose from maltodextrin

Phosphatases, which catalyze the dephosphorylation of compounds containing phosphate groups, are important members of the haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-like superfamily. Herein, a thermostable phosphatase encoded by an open reading frame of Trd_1070 from Thermomicrobium roseum was enzymologically characterized. This phosphatase showed promiscuous activity against more than ten sugar phosphates, with high specific activity toward ribose 5-phosphate, followed by ribulose 5-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate. The half-life of Trd_1070 at 70 °C and pH 7.0 was about 14.2 h. Given that the catalytic efficiency of Trd_1070 on fructose 6-phosphate was 49-fold higher than that on glucose 6-phosphate, an in vitro synthetic biosystem containing alpha-glucan phosphorylase, phosphoglucomutase, phosphoglucose isomerase, and Trd_1070 was constructed for the production of fructose from maltodextrin by whole-cell catalysis, resulting in 21.6 g/L fructose with a ratio of fructose to glucose of approximately 2:1 from 50 g/L maltodextrin. This in vitro biosystem provides an alternative method to produce fructose with higher fructose content compared with the traditional production method using glucose isomerization. Further discovery and enzymologic characterization of phosphatases may promote further production of alternative monosaccharides through in vitro synthetic biosystems.

Microbial production of cyanophycin: From enzymes to biopolymers

Cyanophycin is an attractive biopolymer with chemical and material properties that are suitable for industrial applications in the fields of food, medicine, cosmetics, nutrition, and agriculture. For efficient production of cyanophycin, considerable efforts have been exerted to characterize cyanophycin synthetases (CphAs) and optimize fermentations and downstream processes. In this paper, we review the characteristics of diverse CphAs from cyanobacteria and non-cyanobacteria. Furthermore, strategies for cyanophycin production in microbial strains, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, Ralstonia eutropha, Rhizopus oryzae, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, heterologously expressing different cphA genes are reviewed. Additionally, chemical and material properties of cyanophycin and its derivatives produced through biological or chemical modifications are reviewed in the context of their industrial applications. Finally, future perspectives on microbial production of cyanophycin are provided to improve its cost-effectiveness.

Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a Novel Thermostable and Alkaline-stable Esterase from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia OUC_Est10 Catalytically Active in Organic Solvents

A thermostable and alkaline-stable novel esterase (Est7) was identified through the whole genome sequencing of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia OUC_Est10. The open reading frame of this gene encoded 617 amino acid residues. After heterologous expression in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), the purified Est7 was separated as a single protein and presented a molecular mass of 70.6 kDa. Multiple sequence alignment indicated that Est7 had a typical catalytic triad (Ser-Asp-His) and the conserved sequence (GDSL) typical of the family II lipid hydrolase proteins. Est7 showed good stability in alkaline buffers, especially in Tris-HCl buffer at pH 9.0 (residual activity 93.8% after 96 h at 4 °C) and in the medium temperature conditions (residual activity 70.2% after 96 h at 45 °C and pH 8.0). The enzyme also retained higher stability toward several hydrophilic and hydrophobic organic solvents (e.g., after incubation in 100% acetonitrile or in n-hexane the enzyme retained about 97% and 84% of the activity in the absence of organic solvent, respectively). Furthermore, Est7 could catalyze the transesterification reaction of vinylacetate with 2-phenylethanol and cis-3-hexen-1-ol to their corresponding acetate esters in petroleum ether or tert-butyl methyl ether. These results indicate Est7 as a promising biocatalyst for applications of Est7 in non-aqueous media.

Whole-Cell Catalytic Synthesis of Puerarin Monoesters and Analysis of Their Antioxidant Activities

Puerarin, an important isoflavonoid from the edible root of Pueraria lobata, shows multiple bioactivities but suffers from low bioavailability. In this study, a new whole-cell catalytic method for acylation modification of puerarin was developed. Among the 12 strains tested, Aspergillus oryzae showed the highest catalytic activity and selectively catalyzed acylation of puerarin at the 6″-hydroxyl group. The organic solvents used significantly influenced the catalytic efficiency of the cells. In the green solvent 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, the reaction showed high substrate conversion (92.5%) and regioselectivity (95.8%), with results similar to those with tetrahydrofuran (94.2% and 98.5%, respectively) under optimal conditions. The monoester products showed higher liposolubility in comparison to puerarin, and those with C3-C8 fatty acid chain lengths showed evidently improved antioxidant activity toward erythrocyte hemolysis. Considering the operational stability of the cells and efficiency of the scaled-up reactions, this method is efficient and cost effective, with promising applications in the health food industry.

Identification of a Novel Esterase from Marine Environmental Genomic DNA Libraries and Its Application in Production of Free All- trans-Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a pigment with various functions. Free astaxanthin is obtained mainly through saponification methods, which could result in many byproducts. Enzymatic methods using lipases have been used in a few cases, while there are no reports on the use of esterases for the production of free astaxanthin. Herein we present the screening and identification of a novel esterase (Est3-14) from a marine mud metagenomic library. Est3-14 is pH-sensitive and keeps good stability in alkaline buffers (residual activity 94%, pH 8.0, 4 °C, and 36 h). Meanwhile, Est3-14 keeps a good stability in the medium temperature condition (residual activity 56.7%, pH 8.0, 40 °C, and 84 h). Est3-14 displayed high hydrolysis activity to prepare free all- trans-astaxanthin in biphasic systems. Furthermore, under optimal conditions (0.5 mL ethanol, 6 mL 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, 0.5% (w/v) H. pluvialis oil, 40 °C), the hydrolytic conversion ratio was 99.3% after 36 h.

Whole-cell biocatalysts by design

Whole-cell biocatalysts provide unique advantages and have been widely used for the efficient biosynthesis of value-added fine and bulk chemicals, as well as pharmaceutically active ingredients. What is more, advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, together with the rapid development of molecular genetic tools, have brought about a renaissance of whole-cell biocatalysis. These rapid advancements mean that whole-cell biocatalysts can increasingly be rationally designed. Genes of heterologous enzymes or synthetic pathways are increasingly being introduced into microbial hosts, and depending on the complexity of the synthetic pathway or the target products, they can enable the production of value-added chemicals from cheap feedstock. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology efforts aimed at optimizing the existing microbial cell factories concentrate on improving heterologous pathway flux, precursor supply, and cofactor balance, as well as other aspects of cellular metabolism, to enhance the efficiency of biocatalysts. In the present review, we take a critical look at recent developments in whole-cell biocatalysis, with an emphasis on strategies applied to designing and optimizing the organisms that are increasingly modified for efficient production of chemicals.