Versatile Applications of Cyanobacteria in Biotechnology

Cyanobacteria are blue-green Gram-negative and photosynthetic bacteria which are seen as one of the most morphologically numerous groups of prokaryotes. Because of their ability to fix gaseous nitrogen and carbon dioxide to organic materials, they are known to play important roles in the universal nutrient cycle. Cyanobacteria has emerged as one of the promising resources to combat the issues of global warming, disease outbreaks, nutrition insecurity, energy crises as well as persistent daily human population increases. Cyanobacteria possess significant levels of macro and micronutrient substances which facilitate the versatile popularity to be utilized as human food and protein supplements in many countries such as Asia. Cyanobacteria has been employed as a complementary dietary constituent of feed for poultry and as vitamin and protein supplement in aquatic lives. They are effectively used to deal with numerous tasks in various fields of biotechnology, such as agricultural (including aquaculture), industrial (food and dairy products), environmental (pollution control), biofuel (bioenergy) and pharmaceutical biotechnology (such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressant, anticoagulant and antitumor); recently, the growing interest of applying them as biocatalysts has been observed as well. Cyanobacteria are known to generate a numerous variety of bioactive compounds. However, the versatile potential applications of cyanobacteria in biotechnology could be their significant growth rate and survival in severe environmental conditions due to their distinct and unique metabolic pathways as well as active defensive mechanisms. In this review, we elaborated on the versatile cyanobacteria applications in different areas of biotechnology. We also emphasized the factors that could impede the implementation to cyanobacteria applications in biotechnology and the execution of strategies to enhance their effective applications.

Phosphonates enantiomers receiving with fungal enzymatic systems

BACKGROUND

Phosphonates derivatives are in the area of interests because of their unique chemical-physical features. These compounds manifest variety of biological interactions within the sensitive living cells, including impact on particular enzymes activities. Biological "cause and effect" interactions are based upon the specific matching between the structures and/or compounds and this is usually the result of proper optical configurations of particular chiral moieties. Presented research is targeted to the phosphonates with the heteroatom incorporated in their side functionalities. Such molecules are described as possible substrates of bioconversion for the first time lately and this field is not fully explored.

RESULTS

Presented research is targeted to the synthesis of pure hetero-phosphonates enantiomers. The catalytic activity of yeasts and moulds were tested towards two substrates: the thienyl and imidazole phosphonates to resolve their racemic mixtures. Biotransformations conditions differed depending on the outcome, what included changing of following parameters: type of cultivation media, bioprocess duration (24-72 h), additional biocatalyst pre-treatment (24-48 h starvation step triggering the secondary metabolism). (S)-1-amino-1-(3-thienyl)methylphosphonate was produced with the assistance of R. mucilaginosa or A. niger (e.e. up to 98% and yield up to 100%), starting from the 3 mM of substrate racemic mixture. Bioconversion of racemic mixture of 3 mM of (1-amino-1-(4-imidazole)methylphosphonic acid) resulted in the synthesis of S-isomer (up to 95% of e.e.; 100% of yield) with assistance of R. mucilaginosa. 24 h biotransformation was conducted with biomass preincubated under 48-hour starvation conditions. Such stereoselective resolution of the racemic mixtures of substrates undergoes under kinetic control with the conversion of one from the enantiomers.

CONCLUSIONS

Composition of the culturing media and pre-incubation in conditions of nutrient deficiency were significant factors influencing the results of kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures of phosphonic substrates and influencing the economic side of the biocatalysis e.g. by determining the duration of whole biocatalytic process.

(S)-Thienyl and (R)-Pirydyl phosphonate Derivatives Synthesized by Stereoselective Resolution of Their Racemic Mixtures With Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (DSM 70403) - Scaling Approaches

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was successfully applied as a biocatalyst for the enantioselective resolution of the racemic mixtures of heteroatom phosphonates derivatives, resulting in receiving the following enantiomers: (S)-1-amino-1(2-thienyl)methylphosphonic acid (Product 1) and (R)-1-amino-1-(3'pirydyl) methylphosphonic acid (Product 2). Biological synthesis of both products is reported for the first time. Pure (S)-1-amino-1-(2-thienyl)methylphosphonic acid (Product 1) was isolated with a conversion degree of 50% after 24 h of biotransformation was conducted on a laboratory scale under moderate conditions (1.55 mM of substrate 1, 100 mL of distilled water, 135 rpm, 25°C; Method A). The scale was enlarged to semi-preparative one, using a simplified flow-reactor (Method C; 3.10 mM of substrate 1) and immobilized biocatalyst. The product was isolated with a conversion degree of 50% just after 4 h of biotransformation. Amino-1-(3'pirydyl)methylphosphonic acid (Substrate 2) was converted according to novel procedure, by the immobilized biocatalyst - Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. The process was carried out under moderate conditions (3.19 mM - substrate 2 solution; Method C1) with the application of a simplified flow reactor system, packed with the yeasts biomass entrapped in 4% agar-agar solution. Pure (R)-amino-1-(3'pirydyl)methylphosphonic (50% of conversion degree) was received within only 48 h.

Carbon-Phosphorus Lyase-the State of the Art

Organophosphonates are molecules that contain a very chemically stable carbon-phosphorus (C-P) bond. Microorganisms can utilize phosphonates as potential source of crucial elements for their growth, as developed several pathways to metabolize these compounds. One among these pathways is catalyzed by C-P lyase complex, which has a broad substrate specifity; therefore, it has a wide application in degradation of herbicides deposited in the environment, such as glyphosate. This multi-enzyme system accurately recognized in Escherichia coli and genetic studies have demonstrated that it is encoded by phn operon containing 14 genes (phnC-phnP). The phn operon is a member of the Pho regulon induced by phosphate starvation. Ability to degradation of phosphonates is also found in other microorganisms, especially soil and marine bacteria, that have homologous genes to those in E. coli. Despite the existence of differences in structure and composition of phn gene cluster, each of these strains contains phnGHIJKLM genes necessary in the C-P bond cleavage mechanism. The review provides a detailed description and summary of achievements on the C-P lyase enzymatic pathway over the last 50 years.

N-phosphonomethylglycine utilization by the psychrotolerant yeast Solicoccozyma terricola M 3.1.4

Solicoccozyma terricola M 3.1.4., the yeast strain isolated from soil sample from blueberry cultivation in Miedzyrzec Podlaski in Poland, is capable to split of phosphorus to nitrogen and nitrogen to carbon bonds in N-phosphonomethylglycine (PMG, glyphosate). The biodegradation process proceeds in the phosphate-independent manner. It is the first example of a psychrotolerant yeast strain able to degrade PMG via CN bond cleavage accompanied by AMPA formation and not like in most microorganisms via CP bond disruption followed by the sarcosine pathway. Glyphosate oxidoreductase (GOX) type activity was detected in cell-free extracts prepared from S. terricola M 3.1.4. pregrown on 4 mM PMG as a sole phosphorus and nitrogen source in cultivation medium.

Reductive capabilities of different cyanobacterial strains towards acetophenone as a model substrate - Prospect of applications for chiral building blocks synthesis

Bioreductive capabilities of four morphologically different strains of cyanobacteria have been assessed in this work. Arthrospira maxima, Leptolyngbya foveolarum, Nodularia sphaerocarpa and Synechococcus bigranulatus were applied as catalysts for the reduction of acetophenone to the corresponding chiral phenylethyl alcohol. The process was modified regarding substrate concentration, duration of pre-cultivation period, duration of biotransformation, light regime and glucose addition to the culture media. Obtained results clearly showed that cyanobacteria were active towards acetophenone what resulted in the substrate reduction to (S)-1-phenylethanol with high enantiomeric excess. The reaction efficiency increased with the biotransformation time, but the higher concentration of substrate limited the process yield. Also, all tested strains performed reaction with the highest efficacy under continuous light regime. The most active strains - N. sphaerocarpa and S. bigranulatus carried out the conversion of 1 mM acetophenone with high efficiency of respectively 97.6% and 96.2% after 13 days of biotransformation. A. maxima reached 45.8% of conversion after 13 days of biotransformation whereas L. foveolarum did not exceed 20%. The enantiomeric excesses were respectively 98.8%- A. maxima, 91.7%- L. foveolarum, 72.6%- S. bigranulatus and N. sphaerocarpa 16.2%.

First biological conversion of chiral heterophosphonate derivative - Scaling and paths of conversion discussion

Presented work describes the first approach for the biocatalytic resolution of racemic mixtures of heterophosphonate derivative. Penicillium funiculosum and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa were successfully applied for the biological conversion of racemic mixture of 1-amino-1-(3'-pyridyl)methylphosphonic acid 3. Both microorganisms carried out the kinetically driven process leading to conversion of one from the substrate enantiomers, leaving the second one unreacted. Application of R. mucilaginosa allowed obtaining pure enantiomer of the substrate (yield 100%, e.e 100% - unreacted isomer) after 24 h of biotransformation of 3 in the laboratory scale process (Method E), applying biocatalyst pre-treatment step - 24 h of starvation. In case of other biocatalyst, application of whole cells of P. funiculosum in laboratory scale process, also resulted in conversion of the racemic mixture of substrate 3via oxidative deamination into ketone derivative, which was then bioreduced (second step of the process) into 1-hydroxy-1-(3'-pyridyl)methylphosphonic acid 4. This time two products were isolated: unreacted substrate and hydroxy compound 4. Conversion degree ranged from 30% (standard procedure, method A) to even 70% (with extra addition of sodium pyruvate - method B2). However, in this case, bioconversion was not enantioselective - products: amino- and hydroxyderivative were obtained as racemic mixtures. Both biocatalysts were also tested towards the scaling so other biocatalytic procedures were introduced - with immobilized fungal mycelium. In case of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa this approach failed (data not shown) but Penicillium funiculosum turned out to be active and also selective. Thus, application of this biocatalyst in the half-preparative scale, continuous-flow bioprocess (Method C2) resulted in the obtaining of pure S-3 (100% e.e.) isomer with the 100% of conversion degree, without any side products. Recorded NMR spectra allowed confirming the reaction progress and its selectivity and also postulating possible mechanism of conversion.

Nanosilica synthesis mediated by Aspergillus parasiticus strain

Rice husks (RHs) are plant waste materials abundant in phytoliths silica bodies. These were used as starting material for fungal-mediated biotransformation leading to the synthesis of a high-value added product. A strain of Aspergillus parasiticus was capable of transforming the amorphous silica conglomerates into structured nanoparticles (NPs) in the process of RHs biotransformation. Silica NPs were produced extracellularly and their size ranged from 3 to 400 nm depending on the biotransformation conditions and the post-biotransformation supernatant processing. To characterize the NP's structure and dimension, SEM, STEM, EDX and FTIR technics were applied. These demonstrated and confirmed that pyramid (400 nm), cubical (85 nm) and spherical (3 nm and 24 ± 8 nm) forms of silica NPs were obtained.

Fungal synthesis of chiral phosphonic synthetic platform - Scope and limitations of the method

Chiral hydroxyphosphonates due to their wide range of biological properties are industrially important chemicals. Chemical synthesis of their optical isomers is expensive, time consuming and not friendly to the environment, so biotransformations are under consideration. Among others, these compounds act as enzymes inhibitors. This makes the bioconversions of phosphonates, especially scaling experiments, hard to perform. Biocatalysis is one of the methods that can be applied in synthesis of optically pure compounds. To increase the efficiency of the process with whole cell biocatalysts, it is essential to ensure optimal reaction conditions that minimize cellular stress and can enhance the metabolic activity of cells. The present investigation focuses on the scaling up of the kinetic resolution of racemic mixture of 2-butyryloxy-2-(ethoxy-P-phenylphosphinyl)acetic acid, applying free and immobilized form of the fungal biocatalysts and two operation systems: shake flask and recirculated fixed-bed batch reactor. Protocols of effective mycelium immobilization on polyurethane foams were set for T. purpurogenus IAFB 2512, F. oxysporum, P. commune. The best results of biotransformation were obtained with the immobilized P. commune in the column recirculated fixed-bed batch reactor. The conversion reaches 56% (maximal for the kinetic process) and the enantiomeric enrichment of the isomers mixture ranges between 82 and 93% (93% for ester of R_P,R conformation). All biocatalysts exhibit S_P-preference toward tested compound, what is essential because of importance of the phosphorus atom chirality for its biological activity.

Biodiversity in targeted metabolomics analysis of filamentous fungal pathogens by 1H NMR-based studies

The taxonomical classification among fungi kingdom in the last decades was evolved. In this work the targeted metabolomics study based on 1H NMR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics tools was reported to be useful for differentiation of three model of fungal strains, which represent various genus of Ascomycota (Aspergillus pallidofulvus, Fusarium oxysporum, Geotrichum candidum) were selected in order to perform metabolomics studies. Each tested species, revealed specific metabolic profile of primary endo-metabolites. The species of A. pallidofulvus is represented by the highest concentration of glycerol, glucitol and Unk5. While, F. oxysporum species is characterised by increased level of propylene glycol, ethanol, 4-aminobutyrate, succinate, xylose, Unk1 and Unk4. In G. candidum, 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate, glutamate, pyruvate, glutamine and citrate were elevated. Additionally, a detailed analysis of metabolic changes among A. pallidofulvus, F. oxysporum and G. candidum showed that A. pallidofulvus seems to be the most pathogenic fungi. The obtained results demonstrated that targeted metabolomics analysis could be utilized in the future as a supporting taxonomical tool for currently methods.

Fungal platform for direct chiral phosphonic building blocks production. Closer look on conversion pathway

The application of Rhodospirillum toruloides strain allowed resolving the chemically synthesized racemic mixtures of following chiral aminophosphonic acids: 1-aminoethylphosphonic acid (1), 1-amino-1-iso-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (2), 1-amino-1-phenylmethylphosphonic acid (4) and 1-amino-2-phenylethylphosphonic acid (3). The applied protocols resulted in obtaining pure (R)-1-aminoethylphosphonic acid (100 % of e.e.) and enantiomerically enriched mixtures of other phosphonates (73 % e.e. of (S)-1-amino-1-phenylmethylphosphonic acid, 51 % e.e. of (R)-1-amino-2-phenylethylphosphonic acid and 40 % e.e. of (S)-1-amino-2-methylpropylphosphonic acid). Products are valuable chiral building blocks and serve as aminophosphonic acids platform for further applications. Performed experiments allowed to define the path of xenobiotics bioconversion.

Phosphate-independent utilization of phosphonoacetic acid as sole phosphorus source by a psychrophilic strain of Geomyces pannorum P15

A psychrophilic fungal strain of Geomyces pannorum P15 was screened for its ability to utilize a range of synthetic and natural organophosphonate compounds as the sole source of phosphorus, nitrogen, or carbon. Only phosphonoacetic acid served as a phosphorus source for microbial growth in phosphate-independent manner. Substrate metabolism did not lead to extracellular release of inorganic phosphate. No phosphonate metabolizing enzyme activity was detectable in cell-free extracts prepared from Geomyces biomass pregrown on 2 mmol/L phosphonoacetic acid.

2-Aminoethylphosphonate utilization by the cold-adapted Geomyces pannorum P11 strain

Cold-adapted strain of Geomyces pannorum P11 was found to mineralize of phosphorus–carbon bond-containing compound—2-aminoethylphosphonic acid (2-AEP, ciliatine). The biodegradation process proceeded in the phosphate-independent manner. Ciliatine-metabolizing enzymes' activity was detectable in cell-free extracts prepared from psychrophilic G. pannorum pregrown on 4 mM 2-AEP. Phosphonoacetaldehyde hydrolase (phosphonatase) activity in a partially purified extract was demonstrated at 10 °C.

Biocatalytic resolution of enantiomeric mixtures of 1-aminoethanephosphonic acid

Several fungal strains, namely Bauveria bassiana, Cuninghamella echinulata, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium crustosum and Cladosporium herbarum, were used as biocatalysts to resolve racemic mixtures of 1-aminoethanephosphonic acid using L/D amino acid oxidase activity. The course of reaction was analyzed by 31P-NMR in the presence of cyclodextrin used as chiral discriminating agent. The best result (42% e.e of R-isomer) was obtained with a strain of Cuninghamella echinulata.

Application of the Beauveria bassiana strain for the enantioselective oxidation of the diethyl 1-hydroxy-1-phenylmethanephosphonate

Biotransformation of diethyl 1-hydroxy-1-phenylmethanephosphonate using fungi Beauveria bassiana allowed resolving the racemic mixture of the substrate and due to the biocatalyst and reaction conditions modifications, leading to desired optical isomer.

Phosphonoacetic acid utilization by fungal isolates: occurrence and properties of a phosphonoacetate hydrolase in some penicillia

Among a collection of 18 fungal strains representing eight genera, only two strains (Penicillium oxalicum and P. minioluteum) were capable of growth on phosphonoacetic acid as sole phosphorous source. Enrichment liquid cultures in minimal medium with the compound as the only P-source selected four isolates, that were also identified as Penicillium spp. Phosphonoacetate metabolism did not lead to extracellular release of inorganic phosphate. In all cases phosphonoacetate hydrolase activity was detected in partially purified extracts, and a protein of the expected molecular mass reacted with polyclonal antibodies raised against the enzyme from P. oxalicum. There was no relation between phosphonoacetate hydrolase specific activity and growth rate or yield. Phosphonoacetic acid was the inducer of the hydrolase, independently of the concurrent availability of inorganic phosphate. Notwithstanding this, the utilization of the phosphonate was significantly inhibited in the presence of phosphate, suggesting an interference of the latter with phosphonoacetic acid uptake.

Isolation and Characterization of two New Microbial Strains Capable of Degradation of the Naturally Occurring Organophosphonate––Ciliatine

Air-born mixed fungal and bacterial culture capable of complete degradation of ciliatine was isolated. The utilization of the natural organophosphonate proceeded in the phosphate independent manner. Enzymatic activity involved in ciliatine degradation studied in the fungal cell-free extract proved to be distinct from bacterial pathway described before.

A Simple and Green Procedure for the Microbial Effective Synthesis of 1-phenylethyl Alcohol in Both Enantiomeric Forms

Both R- and S-phenylethyl alcohol of high enantiomeric purity (98%) and with a satisfactory yield (40-80%) were obtained by bioreduction of acetophenone, catalyzed by whole cells of baker's yeast.

Phosphonoacetate hydrolase from Penicillium oxalicum: Purification and properties, phosphate starvation-independent expression, and partial sequencing

The enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of phosphonoacetic acid, a non-biogenic C-P compound, was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from a wild-type strain of Penicillium oxalicum. A 50-fold enrichment was obtained by a combination of anion exchange, hydrophobic interaction and MonoQ-fast protein liquid chromatography, with a yield of one-third of the initial activity. A characterization of the protein showed both similarities and differences with respect to the well-characterized bacterial counterpart. The fungal phosphonoacetate hydrolase is a 43-kDa monomeric protein showing low affinity toward its substrate and high sensitivity to even mildly acidic pH values. Enzyme activity neither required nor was stimulated by the presence of divalent cations. Polyclonal antibodies were raised in mouse against the purified protein, allowing the study of enzyme induction as a function of the phosphate status of the cell. Peptide mass mapping led to the determination of about 20% of the primary structure. Despite the biochemical differences, amino acid alignment showed a high degree of similarity of the fungal hydrolase with the few sequences available to date for the bacterial enzyme. The possible physiological role of a phosphonoacetate hydrolase is discussed.

A metal-independent hydrolase from a Penicillium oxalicum strain able to use phosphonoacetic acid as the only phosphorus source

A Penicillium oxalicum strain was capable of the phosphate-sensitive utilization of phosphonoacetic acid as the sole source of phosphorus. A carbon-to-phosphorus bond-cleavage enzyme yielding acetic acid and inorganic phosphate was detected and characterized in extracts from cells grown on this phosphonate. Contrary to bacterial phosphonoacetate hydrolases, the fungal enzyme neither required nor was stimulated by divalent cations.