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Abstract
Constraint-based metabolic modelling (CBMM) consists in the use of computational methods and tools to perform genome-scale simulations and predict metabolic features at the whole cellular level. This approach is rapidly expanding in microbiology, as it combines reliable predictive abilities with conceptually and technically simple frameworks. Among the possible outcomes of CBMM, the capability to i) guide a focused planning of metabolic engineering experiments and ii) provide a system-level understanding of (single or community-level) microbial metabolic circuits also represent primary aims in present-day marine microbiology. In this work we briefly introduce the theoretical formulation behind CBMM and then review the most recent and effective case studies of CBMM of marine microbes and communities. Also, the emerging challenges and possibilities in the use of such methodologies in the context of marine microbiology/biotechnology are discussed. As the potential applications of CBMM have a very broad range, the topics presented in this review span over a large plethora of fields such as ecology, biotechnology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Fondi
- Dep. of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
| | - Renato Fani
- Dep. of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
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De Santi C, Altermark B, de Pascale D, Willassen NP. Bioprospecting around Arctic islands: Marine bacteria as rich source of biocatalysts. J Basic Microbiol 2015; 56:238-53. [PMID: 26662844 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201500505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
We have investigated the biotechnological potential of Arctic marine bacteria for their ability to produce a broad spectrum of cold-active enzymes. Marine bacteria exhibiting these features are of great interest for both fundamental research and industrial applications. Macrobiota, water and sediment samples have been collected during 2010 and 2011 expeditions around the Lofoten and Svalbard islands. Bacteria were isolated from this material and identified through 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for the purpose of establishing a culture collection of marine Arctic bacteria. Herein, we present the functional screening for different extracellular enzymatic activities from 100 diversely chosen microbial isolates incubated at 4 and 20 °C. The production of esterase/lipase, DNase, and protease activities were revealed in 67, 53, and 56% of the strains, respectively, while 41, 23, 9, and 7% of the strains possessed amylase, chitinase, cellulase, and xylanase activities, respectively. Our findings show that phylogenetically diverse bacteria, including many new species, could be cultured from the marine arctic environment. The Arctic polar environment is still an untapped reservoir of biodiversity for bioprospecting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta De Santi
- NorStruct, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bjørn Altermark
- NorStruct, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Nils-Peder Willassen
- NorStruct, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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Bonugli-Santos RC, dos Santos Vasconcelos MR, Passarini MRZ, Vieira GAL, Lopes VCP, Mainardi PH, dos Santos JA, de Azevedo Duarte L, Otero IVR, da Silva Yoshida AM, Feitosa VA, Pessoa A, Sette LD. Marine-derived fungi: diversity of enzymes and biotechnological applications. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:269. [PMID: 25914680 PMCID: PMC4392690 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The ocean is considered to be a great reservoir of biodiversity. Microbial communities in marine environments are ecologically relevant as intermediaries of energy, and play an important role in nutrient regeneration cycles as decomposers of dead and decaying organic matter. In this sense, marine-derived fungi can be considered as a source of enzymes of industrial and/or environmental interest. Fungal strains isolated from different substrates, such as invertebrates, decaying wood, seawater, sediments, and mangrove detritus, have been reported to be producers of hydrolytic and/or oxidative enzymes, with alginate lyase, amylase, cellulase, chitinase, glucosidase, inulinase, keratinase, ligninase, lipase, nuclease, phytase, protease, and xylanase being among the enzymes produced by fungi of marine origin. These enzymes present temperature and pH optima ranging from 35 to 70(∘)C, and 3.0 to 11.0, respectively. High-level production in bioreactors is mainly performed using submerged-state fermentation. Certain marine-derived fungal strains present enzymes with alkaline and cold-activity characteristics, and salinity is considered an important condition in screening and production processes. The adaptability of marine-derived fungi to oceanic conditions can be considered an attractive point in the field of fungal marine biotechnology. In this review, we focus on the advances in discovering enzymes from marine-derived fungi and their biotechnological relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaella C. Bonugli-Santos
- Instituto Latino Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências da Vida, Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-AmericanaParaná, Brazil
| | - Maria R. dos Santos Vasconcelos
- Divisão de Recursos Microbianos, Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas, Universidade Estadual de CampinasPaulínia, Brazil
| | - Michel R. Z. Passarini
- Divisão de Recursos Microbianos, Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas, Universidade Estadual de CampinasPaulínia, Brazil
| | - Gabriela A. L. Vieira
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Viviane C. P. Lopes
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Pedro H. Mainardi
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Juliana A. dos Santos
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Lidia de Azevedo Duarte
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Igor V. R. Otero
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Aline M. da Silva Yoshida
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
| | - Valker A. Feitosa
- Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lara D. Sette
- Divisão de Recursos Microbianos, Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas, Universidade Estadual de CampinasPaulínia, Brazil
- Laboratório de Micologia Ambiental e Industrial, Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita FilhoRio Claro, Brazil
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