Abstract:Lactic acid has a wide range of uses in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industry. With rapid development of poly (lactic acid) industry, the demand for polymer-grade L-lactic acid is continuously increasing. Developing low-cost, non-food-biomass-lactic-acid fermentation process and the fermentation-separation coupled technology are trends to reduce polymer-grade L-lactic acid production cost. This review summarized the most recent advances in low-cost L-lactic acid fermentation based on the use of non-food biomass, followed by addressing the key issue that might be strategically important for future development of polymer-grade L-lactic acid production in industry.

Abstract:Molecular engineering of cellulases can improve enzymatic activity and efficiency. Recently, the Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes Database (CAZy), including glycoside hydrolase (GH) families, has been established with the development of Omics and structural measurement technologies. Molecular engineering based on GH families can obviously decrease the probing space of target sequences and structures, and increase the odds of experimental success. Besides, the study of cellulase active-site architecture paves the way toward the explanation of catalytic mechanism. This review focuses on the main GH families and the latest progresses in molecular engineering of catalytic domain. Based on the combination of analysis of a large amount of data in the same GH family and their conservative active-site architecture information, rational design will be an important direction for molecular engineering and promote the rapid development of the conversion of biomass.

Abstract:Metabonomics involves the unbiased quantitative and qualitative analysis of the complete set of metabolites present in cells, body fluids and tissues (the metabolome) based on modern analytic technique with high throughput, high sensitivity, and high resolution. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used to gain qualitative results of detected metabolites for biological samples as it provides superior distinguishability, detection sensitivity and integrated standard mass spectrometry library. In this article, the historic developments of GC-MS and its application in metabonomics in the past several years were reviewed. Firstly, the classification and the derivative methods of GC-MS were introduced. Subsequently, sample pretreatment process, qualitative and quantitative analysis and data analysis during detecting metabolites by GC-MS were introduced, then its application in microorganism, plant and disease diagnosis was systematically summarized. Finally, the problems in metabonomics study based on GC-MS and the research prospect in the future were discussed.

Abstract:Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is adipocyte-derived secreted adipokines and elevated RBP4 expression level was closely related to insulin resistance and type II diabetes mellitus. However, the exact mechanisms are unknown. To clarify the mechanism, RBP4 lentivirus particles were packaged to infect porcine preadipocytes. Then procine preadipocytes were activated by insulin or induced model of insulin resistance. RBP4 interference efficiency and the gene expression of each treatment groups in PI3K/Akt pathways were examined by QRT-PCR and Western blotting. The result shows that RBP4 mRNA and protein expressions were suppressed more than 60% (P<0.01). Furthermore, no matter under insulin stimulation or insulin resistance, RBP4 knockdown significantly increased the mRNA expressions of AKT2, PI3K, GLUT4 and IRS1 compared with the control. The protein phosphorylate levels of AKT2, PI3K, IRS1 arised, meanwhile enhanced the AKT2, PI3K, GLUT4 total protein expressions. Collectively, knockdown of RBP4 increased the insulin sensitivity through upregulated PI3K/Akt pathways related factors’ expression and phosphorylation in porcine adipocytes. This research will provide a new idea to treat insulin resistance related diseases.

Abstract:Fibronectin-binding protein (FnBPA) is a protein that expresses on cell surface of Staphylococcus aureus during early stage of infection. FnBPA was capable of promoting Staphylococcus aureus to invade cells and was viewed as a potential immune target. Based on the FnBPA-A gene two recombinant expression vectors with or without Kozak sequence were constructed. After identified and confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing they were used to immunize C57BL/6 mice. Then induced antibody titer, T lymphocyte proliferative response and experiment mice challenge test were measured. Our result indicates that humoral immune responses and challenge experiment induced by recombinant DNA with Kozak sequence were better than those without Kozak sequence (P<0.05). For T lymphocyte proliferative response the induced effect of recombinant DNA with Kozak sequence was higher than that without Kozak sequence, but there was no significant difference (P>0.05). We conclude that Kozak sequence could play an important role in immune response induced by FnBPA-A recombinant DNA.

Abstract:Trypsin as an important serine protease has been widely used in food, pharmaceutical and tanning industries. In this study, we successfully expressed trypsin (cloning from Streptomyces griseus ATCC10137) in Streptomyces lividans TK24 and comparatively investigated its enzymatic properties. Specifically, applying S. griseus ATCC 10137 genome as template, we obtained the sprT gene and sub-cloned it into the expression plasmid pIJ86, generating the recombinant strain S. lividans TK24/pIJ86-sprT. When cultivated in R2YE and SELF, the activity of rSGT reached 9.21 U/mL and 8.61 U/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, the results of the enzymatic analysis showed that rSGT exhibited a higher acid tolerance and a higher specificity to hydrolyze amide bonds compared with bovine trypsin (BT). In addition, Zn2+ and organic solvents up-regulated esterase and amidase of rSGT. Taken together, the results obtained herein provide meaningful information for further modification of rSGT and its industrial application.

Abstract:A N-acetylneuraminate lyase gene (shnal) from Staphylococcus hominis was cloned into pET-28a and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) host cells. The recombinant enzyme was purified and characterized. It is a homotetrameric enzyme with the optimum pH at 8.0 for the cleavage direction and the optimum pH and temperature were 7.5 and 45 °C for the synthetic direction. The activity of ShNAL is stable when incubated at 45 °C for 2 h but decreased rapidly over 50 °C. ShNAL showed high stability in a wide range pH from 5.0 to 10.0 with the residual activity being >70% when the enzyme was incubated in different buffers at 4 °C for 24 h. Its Km towards N-acetylneuraminic acid, pyruvate and ManNAc were (4.0±0.2) mmol/L, (35.1±3.2) mmol/L and (131.7±12.1) mmol/L, respectively. The kcat/Km value of Neu5Ac, ManNAc, and Pyr for ShNAL were 1.9 L/(mmol·s), 0.08 L/(mmol·s) and 0.08 L/(mmol·s), respectively.

Abstract:In the study, we used oil palm residues (empty fruit bunch, EFB) as raw material to produce cellulosic ethanol by pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Firstly, the pretreatment of EFB with alkali, alkali/hydrogen peroxide and the effects on the components and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose were studied. The results show that dilute alkali was the suitable pretreatment method and the conditions were first to soak the substrate with 1% sodium hydroxide with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10 at 40 °C for 24 h, and then subjected to 121 °C for 30 min. Under the conditions, EFB solid recovery was 74.09%, and glucan, xylan and lignin content were 44.08%, 25.74% and 13.89%, respectively. After separated with alkali solution, the pretreated EFB was washed and hydrolyzed for 72 h with 5% substrate concentration and 30 FPU/g dry mass (DM) enzyme loading, and the conversion of glucan and xylan reached 84.44% and 89.28%, respectively. We further investigated the effects of substrate concentration and enzyme loading on enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). The results show that when enzyme loading was 30 FPU/g DM and substrate concentration was increased from 5% to 25%, ethanol concentration were 9.76 g/L and 35.25 g/L after 72 h fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (inoculum size 5%, V/V), which was 79.09% and 56.96% of ethanol theory yield.

Abstract:To explore the enzymatic route of cefatrizine synthesis, a-amino acid ester hydrolase (AEH) gene was cloned from the whole genome of Xanthomonas rubrillineans, and expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The effects of temperature, pH and substrates’ molar ratio upon the transformation yield of cefatrizine by purified recombinant AEH were investigated. The monomer of AEH was determined as 70 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optimal pH and temperature reaction were (6.0±0.1) and 36 °C for cefatrizine synthesis. The transformation yield was 64.3% under 36 °C, pH (6.0±0.1), when the concentrations of two substrates were about 30 mmol/L (7-ATTC) and 120 mmol/L (HPGM×HCl), respectively, and the enzyme consumption was 22 U/mL. The results pave the way for optimization of the industrial enzymatic synthesis of cefatrizine.

Abstract:Traditional T vector cloning method requires onerous procedures for identifying recombinant, and directional cloning was impossible. In order to overcome these problems, we have devised a directional T vector pETG based on pET-23a(+). For gene cloning, 7 bp partial LacO sequence was introduced into DNA fragment to reconstitute a full length LacO with Bfu I digested T vector. After transformation, blue colonies were selected on LB plate supplemented with X-gal. Restriction enzyme digestion and PCR identification showed that all blue colonies contained the directionally inserted recombinants and the recombinant efficiency was nearly 100%. We have successfully cloned 103 genes from human liver cDNA; in the study complicated procedures for screening of recombinant were not required. Eight pETG clones were picked for protein expression, and all the clones successfully produced corresponding proteins. We demonstrated that the directional T vector was successfully constructed, and it was very suitable for gene cloning and expression.

Abstract:In this study, we expressed and purified supercharged green fluorescent protein (+36GFP) that we used to study its combination with nucleic acid and its cell transduction efficiency as carrier of DNA. We transformed pET+36GFP-HA2 plasmid into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), then expressed and purified the target protein. We used the protein to transduce a variety of mammalian cell lines including B16 cells, 293 cells, A549 cells and HepG2 cells at specified protein concentrations. Transduction efficiency of the protein was analyzed by flow cytometry. Under laser scanning confocal microscope, we observed visually transduction efficiency of +36GFP protein (100 nmol/L) to A549 cells. We incubated +36GFP with plasmid DNA and analyzed their binding ability with gel mobility shift assay. Then we transduced cells with the mixture of plasmid DNA/+36GFP protein at various ratio and detected the expression of reporter gene by using laser scanning confocal microscope and flow cytometry. The experimental results demonstrate that +36GFP had high transduction efficiency, and as the concentration increased, the efficiency improved in a dose-dependent manner. Gel mobility shift assay indicates that +36GFP could bind to plasmid DNA, blocking the migration of DNA in the gel in a concentration-dependent manner. After the plasmid wrapped by +36GFP penetrated into cells, the cells could express target protein efficiently, proving that +36GFP had the ability to carry nucleic acids into cells. Sucussful expression and purification of +36GFP protein confirms its high efficiency of cell transduction and its ability as carrier to deliver exogenous nucleic acids into cells.

Abstract:Cell-free protein expression system is a new method to express target protein in vitro and has been widely applied to the study of protein structure, protein function and other related fields. Preparation of cell extract is one of the key factors that affect the efficiency of the cell-free system. To improve the efficiency and economical feasibility of cell-free protein synthesis, we discussed the parameters during the preparation of the cell extract. These parameters include centrifugation speed, pre-incubation, and dialysis. We used the green fluorescent protein as the reporter protein, and obtained a simple procedure for the preparation of Escherichia coli cell extract. A simple centrifugation step (12 000×g, 10 min) followed by a brief incubation was sufficient for the preparation of an active cell extract to support protein expression with higher productivity (209 μg/mL). Compared to the traditional E. coli S30 procedure, the processing time was reduced by 62%, and the productivity was increased by 2.6 times. The new procedure will make the advantage of cell-free technology more obvious, and promote its wider application.

Abstract:In the present study, we developed a two-liquid phase fermentation system by adding 1% n-dodecane as oxygen-vector to enhance the microbial lipids productivity of Trichosporon fermentans using cassava starch hydrolysate. Results suggest that the oxygen-vector could alleviate the oxygen shortage in flask fermentation. The cell mass and lipids concentration were 101.2 g/L and 50.28 respectively in 2 L fermenter with the presence of 1% n-dodecane. Additionally, gas chromatography analysis also reveals that the microbial lipids produced by T. fermentans contained a higher percentage of saturated fatty acid in the oxygen-vector case.