The effects of Moringa peregrina seed meal, autoclaving, and/or exogenous enzyme cocktail on performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood lipids of broilers

The effects of Moringa peregrina seed meal (MPSM), autoclaving, and/or enzyme cocktail addition on performance, profitability, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood lipids of broilers between 1 and 35 d of age were investigated. Seven experimental diets were employed: the control 0% MPSM, 10% raw MPSM, 10% autoclaved MPSM (at a temperature of 120°C and 1 kg/cm² pressure for 30 min), 10% raw MPSM supplemented with enzymes at 0.1 or 0.2 g/kg feed, and 10% autoclaved MPSM supplemented with the same previous enzymes and doses. Each diet was fed to 8 replicates with 5 broilers in each. At the end of the experiment, 3 broilers from each replicate were randomLy chosen to determine carcass traits, meat quality, and blood lipids. Findings at 35 d of age indicated that all 10% raw MPSM treatments with or without enzymes addition impaired growth, feed conversion (FCR), and profitability (p < 0.05), but increased feed intake (p < 0.05) and did not affect mortality when compared with the control group. The 10% autoclaved MPSM treatments with or without enzymes addition increased feed intake (p < 0.05) when compared with the control group, inducing growth equal to the control group (p > 0.05), and improving FCR and profitability. Enzymes addition to raw MPSM did not produce positive effects (p < 0.05), and no additive effect was observed when autoclaving and enzymes addition were combined (p > 0.05) as compared to the autoclaving group. Carcass traits, meat quality, and blood lipids were not significantly affected by MPSM, autoclaving, and enzymes addition. However, intestine, cecum, and gizzard percentages increased (p < 0.05) with all 10% raw MPSM treatments, while all 10% autoclaved MPSM treatments could return these values (p > 0.05) to the control group, except with gizzard, which exhibited less improvement. Additionally, all autoclaved groups had lower meat pH measured 24 h postmortem (p <0.05) compared to the control group. In conclusion, autoclaved MPSM can be included in broilers' diets at a 10% level without negative effects on performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood lipids. This indicates that autoclaving alone is adequate.

Improvement of the Nutraceutical Profile of Brewer's Spent Grain after Treatment with Trametes versicolor

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) is an important secondary raw material that provides a readily available natural source of nutraceuticals. It finds its largest application as animal feed and part of the human diet, while the future perspective predicts an application in the production of value-added products. In order to investigate a sustainable BSG treatment method, two BSG samples (BSG1 and BSG2) were evaluated as substrates for the production of hydrolytic (xylanase, β-glucosidase and cellulase) and lignolytic enzymes (laccase, manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase) by solid-state fermentation (SSF) with Trametes versicolor while improving BSG nutritional value. The biological treatment was successful for the production of all hydrolytic enzymes and laccase and manganese peroxidase, while it was unsuccessful for the production of lignin peroxidase. Because the two BSGs were chemically different, the Trametes versicolor enzymes were synthesized at different fermentation times and had different activities. Consequently, the chemical composition of the two BSG samples at the end of fermentation was also different. The biological treatment had a positive effect on the increase in protein content, ash content, polyphenolic compounds, and sugars in BSG1. In BSG2, there was a decrease in the content of reducing sugars. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were degraded in BSG1, whereas only cellulose was degraded in BSG2, and the content of hemicellulose and lignin increased. The fat content decreased in both samples. The safety-related correctness analysis showed that the biologically treated sample did not contain any harmful components and was therefore safe for use in nutritionally enriched animal feed.

Effect of Exogenous Enzymes Cocktail on Performance, Carcass Traits, Biochemical Metabolites, Intestinal Morphology, and Nutrient Digestibility of Broilers Fed Normal and Low-Energy Corn-Soybean Diets

Ross 308 broilers in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement (four treatments with 12 replications of six chicks each) were fed corn and SBMbased diets with two concentrations of metabolizable energy (ME) (normal (positive control, PC) and low (negative control, NC)) and two amounts of enzyme cocktail (EC) (0% and 0.005%) for 35 days. Performance, carcass traits, serum metabolites, ileal histology, and apparent nutrient digestibility were evaluated. Compared with the non-supplemented diet, the use of EC improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) over 26−35 and 0−35 days (p < 0.01), European performance efficiency factor (EPEF) over 26−35 days (p < 0.05), dressing yield (p < 0.01), villus height (p < 0.05), nitrogen-corrected apparent ME (AMEn) (p < 0.01), and serum glucose (p < 0.05). Compared with the NC diet, feeding the PC diet improved FCR over all experimental periods (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, and p < 0.01, respectively), EPEF over 0−10 days (p < 0.05), and AMEn retention (p < 0.01). To conclude, the AMEn of broilers fed corn and SBM diets could be improved by adequately adjusting dietary ME and using a cocktail of non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, improving commercial benefits to producers.

Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Materials with the Contribution of a Multifunctional GH78 Glycoside Hydrolase from Xylaria polymorpha to Release Aromatic Fragments and Carbohydrates

A bifunctional glycoside hydrolase GH78 from the ascomycete Xylaria polymorpha (XpoGH78) possesses catalytic versatility towards both glycosides and esters, which may be advantageous for the efficient degradation of the plant cell-wall complex that contains both diverse sugar residues and esterified structures. The contribution of XpoGH78 to the conversion of lignocellulosic materials without any chemical pretreatment to release the water-soluble aromatic fragments, carbohydrates, and methanol was studied. The disintegrating effect of enzymatic lignocellulose treatment can be significantly improved by using different kinds of hydrolases and phenoloxidases. The considerable changes in low (3 kDa), medium (30 kDa), and high (> 200 kDa) aromatic fragments were observed after the treatment with XpoGH78 alone or with this potent cocktail. Synergistic conversion of rape straw also resulted in a release of 17.3 mg of total carbohydrates (e.g., arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose) per gram of substrate after incubating for 72 h. Moreover, the treatment of rape straw with XpoGH78 led to a marginal methanol release of approximately 17 μg/g and improved to 270 μg/g by cooperation with the above accessory enzymes. In the case of beech wood conversion, the combined catalysis by XpoGH78 and laccase caused an effect comparable with that of fungal strain X. polymorpha in woody cultures concerning the liberation of aromatic lignocellulose fragments.

Wild Halophytic Phragmites karka Biomass Saccharification by Bacterial Enzyme Cocktail

Biofuel derived from halophytic biomass is getting attention owing to the concerns of energy versus food crisis. The disadvantages associated with edible bioenergy resources necessitate the need to explore new feedstocks for sustainable biofuel production. In this study, biomass from locally available abundant halophytes (Panicum antidotale, Phragmites karka, Halopyrum mucronatum, and Desmostachya bipinnata) was screened for saccharification by an enzyme cocktail composed of cellulase, xylanase, and pectinase from Brevibacillus borstelensis UE10 and UE27, Bacillus aestuarii UE25, Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus UE1, and Bacillus vallismortis MH 1. Two types of pretreatment, i.e., with dilute acid and freeze-thaw, were independently applied to the halophytic biomass. Saccharification of acid-pretreated P. karka biomass yielded maximum reducing sugars (9 mg g^-1) as compared to other plants. Thus, the factors (temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and enzyme units) affecting its saccharification were optimized using central composite design. This statistical model predicted 49.8 mg g^-1 of reducing sugars that was comparable to the experimental value (40 mg g^-1). Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed significant structural changes after pretreatment and saccharification. Therefore, halophytes growing in saline, arid, and semi-arid regions can be promising alternative sources for bioenergy production.

A mixture of three engineered phosphotriesterases enables rapid detoxification of the entire spectrum of known threat nerve agents

Nerve agents are organophosphates (OPs) that potently inhibit acetylcholinesterase, and their enzymatic detoxification has been a long-standing goal. Nerve agents vary widely in size, charge, hydrophobicity and the cleavable ester bond. A single enzyme is therefore unlikely to efficiently hydrolyze all agents. Here, we describe a mixture of three previously developed variants of the bacterial phosphotriesterase (Bd-PTE) that are highly stable and nearly sequence identical. This mixture enables effective detoxification of a broad spectrum of known threat agents-GA (tabun), GB (sarin), GD (soman), GF (cyclosarin), VX and Russian-VX. The potential for dimer dissociation and exchange that could inactivate Bd-PTE has minimal impact, and the three enzyme variants are as active in a mixture as they are individually. To our knowledge, this engineered enzyme 'cocktail' comprises the first solution for enzymatic detoxification of the entire range of threat nerve agents.

Production and characterization of β-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger fermentation: Application for organic fraction of municipal solid waste hydrolysis and methane enhancement

The anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is currently an attractive treatment process with energy production in the form of biogas. Hydrolysis is the rate-limiting step for the anaerobic digestion of solid wastes. Thus, in the present study fungal enzymatic pretreatment of OFMSW was applied to enhance biogas production. Two enzyme cocktails rich on β-glucosidase were produced from submerged fermentation of Aspergillus niger on basal medium using OFMSW as carbon source and urea (Urea cocktail) and Ulva rigida as nitrogen source (Ulva cocktail). Ulva cocktail displayed an important effect on OFMSW solubilization. Therefore, an increase of reducing sugar concentration about 60% was obtained which was in correlation with chemical oxygen demand (COD) increase. The performance of enzymatic pretreatment on anaerobic digestion of OFMSW was studied by conducting biochemical methane potential tests. Results showed that the enzymatic pretreatment improved methane yield of OFMSW even at high solid concentration. High methane yield about 500 ml/g total volatile solid was obtained, which corresponds up to 68% enhancement over the control.

and their accessory role in synergism with crude xylanase and commercial cellulase in enzyme cocktail mediated saccharification of agrowaste biomass

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties of the crude pectinase activity from three Bacillus isolates of ruminant dung origin and study their synergism with crude xylanases from the same Bacillus spp. and a commercial cellulase to evaluate their accessory role in improved biomass saccharification.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Pectinolytic crude culture filtrate obtained from three ruminant dung isolates, Bacillus safensis M35, Bacillus altitudinis R31 and Bacillus altitudinis J208, on crude pectin containing medium possessed polygalacturonate hydrolase, pectate lyase and pectin lyase activities. Studies regarding their stability under various temperature and pH conditions revealed their mild acidic to alkaline and mesophilic nature with enzyme activity falling within the pH range 6·0-9·0 and temperature range 30-60°C. The pectinase activity was categorized as endolytic as it brought about ~50% reduction in relative viscosity of pectic polymer within initial 10 min of incubation. Synergism of pectinase activity with crude xylanase activities and/or commercial cellulase was clearly demonstrated as ~1·6 to ~1·9-fold increase in agrowaste biomass saccharification was obtained confirming the role of pectinases as accessory enzymes.

CONCLUSION

Synergism of the broad-spectrum endopectinase activity obtained from three Bacillus isolates with accessory crude xylanases from the same isolates and commercial cellulase enhanced the agrowaste saccharification and confirmed the accessory role of crude pectinase as they formed an efficient enzyme cocktail functioning in a contributive manner for improvement of agrowaste biomass saccharification.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Mesophilic crude endopectinases obtained from Bacillus spp. isolated from ruminant dung possessed activity in broad pH and temperature ranges as well as broad substrate specificity. Moreover, their synergism with crude xylanase and Primfast^® 200 cellulase demonstrated the potential to form efficient enzyme cocktail for application in plant biomass saccharification process.

One-Pot Biosynthesis of High-Concentration α-Glucose 1-Phosphate from Starch by Sequential Addition of Three Hyperthermophilic Enzymes

α-Glucose 1-phosphate (G1P) is synthesized from 5% (w/v) corn starch and 1 M phosphate mediated by α-glucan phosphorylase (αGP) from the thermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima at pH 7.2 and 70 °C. To increase G1P yield from corn starch containing branched amylopectin, a hyper-thermostable isoamylase from Sulfolobus tokodaii was added for simultaneous starch gelatinization and starch-debranching hydrolysis at 85 °C and pH 5.5 before αGP use. The pretreatment of isoamylase increased G1P titer from 120 mM to 170 mM. To increase maltose and maltotriose utilization, the third thermostable enzyme, 4-glucanotransferase (4GT) from Thermococcus litoralis, was added during the late stage of G1P biotransformation, further increasing G1P titer to 200 mM. This titer is the highest G1P level obtained on starch or its derived products (maltodextrin and soluble starch). This study suggests that in vitro multienzyme biotransformation has an advantage of great engineering flexibility in terms of space and time compared with microbial fermentation.

Synergistic function of four novel thermostable glycoside hydrolases from a long-term enriched thermophilic methanogenic digester

In biofuel production from lignocellulose, low thermostability and product inhibition strongly restrict the enzyme activities and production process. Application of multiple thermostable glycoside hydrolases, forming an enzyme "cocktail", can result in a synergistic action and therefore improve production efficiency and reduce operational costs. Therefore, increasing enzyme thermostabilities and compatibility are important for the biofuel industry. In this study, we reported the screening, cloning and biochemical characterization of four novel thermostable lignocellulose hydrolases from a metagenomic library of a long-term dry thermophilic methanogenic digester community, which were highly compatible with optimal conditions and specific activities. The optimal temperatures of the four enzymes, β-xylosidase, xylanase, β-glucosidase, and cellulase ranged from 60 to 75°C, and over 80% residual activities were observed after 2 h incubation at 50°C. Mixtures of these hydrolases retained high residual synergistic activities after incubation with cellulose, xylan, and steam-exploded corncob at 50°C for 72 h. In addition, about 55% dry weight of steam-exploded corncob was hydrolyzed to glucose and xylose by the synergistic action of the four enzymes at 50°C for 48 h. This work suggested that since different enzymes from a same ecosystem could be more compatible, screening enzymes from a long-term enriching community could be a favorable strategy.