A Temperature and Salt-Tolerant <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Glutaminase from Gangotri Region of Uttarakhand Himalaya: Enzyme Purification and Characterization

Purification and characterization of halotolerant, thermostable alkaline l-glutaminase from a Bacillus sp. LKG-01 (MTCC 10401), isolated from Gangotri region of Uttarakhand Himalaya, is being reported in this paper. Enzyme has been purified 49-fold from cell-free extract with 25% recovery (specific activity 584.2 U/mg protein) by (NH₄)₂SO₄ precipitation followed by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Enzyme has a molecular weight of 66 kDa. l-Glutaminase is most active at pH 11.0 and stable in the pH range 8.0–11.0. Temperature optimum is 70 °C and is completely stable after 3 h pre-incubation at 50 °C. Enzyme reflects more enhanced activity with 1–20% (w/v) NaCl, which is further reduced to 80% when NaCl concentration was increased up to 25%. l-Glutaminase is almost active with K⁺, Zn²⁺, and Ni²⁺ ions and K _m and V _max values of 240 μM and 277.77 ± 1.1 U/mg proteins, respectively. Higher specific activity, purification fold, better halo-tolerance, and thermostability would make this enzyme more attractive for food fermentation with respect to other soil microbe derived l-glutaminase reported so far.     

Purification and Partial Characterization of an Exo-polygalacturonase from Paecilomyces variotii Liquid Cultures

An extracellular polygalacturonase (PG) produced from Paecilomyces variotii was purified to homogeneity through two chromatography steps using DEAE-Fractogel and Sephadex G-100. The molecular weight of P. variotii PG was 77,300 Da by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. PG had isoelectric point of 4.37 and optimum pH 4.0. PG was very stable from pH 3.0 to 6.0. The extent of hydrolysis of different pectins by the purified enzyme was decreased with an increase in the degree of esterification. PG had no activity toward non-pectic polysaccharides. The apparent K _m and V _max values for hydrolyzing sodium polypectate were 1.84 mg/mL and 432 μmol/min/mg, respectively. PG was found to have temperature optimum at 65 °C and was totally stable at 45 °C for 90 min. Half-life at 55 °C was 50.6 min. Almost all the examined metal cations showed partial inhibitory effects under enzymatic activity, except for Na⁺¹, K⁺¹, and Co⁺² (1 mM) and Cu⁺² (1 and 10 mM).     

Bioconversion of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-glucose into <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-glucosone by Glucose 2-oxidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coriolus versicolor</Emphasis> at Moderate Pressures

Glucose 2-oxidase (pyranose oxidase, pyranose:oxygen-2-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.3.10) from Coriolus versicolor catalyses the oxidation of d-glucose at carbon 2 in the presence of molecular O₂ producing d-glucosone (2-keto-glucose and d-arabino-2-hexosulose) and H₂O₂. It was used to convert d-glucose into d-glucosone at moderate pressures (i.e. up to 150 bar) with compressed air in a modified commercial batch reactor. Several parameters affecting biocatalysis at moderate pressures were investigated as follows: pressure, [enzyme], [glucose], pH, temperature, nature of fluid and the presence of catalase. Glucose 2-oxidase was purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography on epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B-IDA-Cu(II) column at pH 6.0. The rate of bioconversion of d-glucose increased with the pressure since an increase in the pressure with compressed air resulted in higher rates of conversion. On the other hand, the presence of catalase increased the rate of reaction which strongly suggests that H₂O₂ acted as inhibitor for this reaction. The rate of bioconversion of d-glucose by glucose 2-oxidase in the presence of either nitrogen or supercritical CO₂ at 110 bar was very low compared with the use of compressed air at the same pressure. The optimum temperature (55°C) and pH (5.0) of d-glucose bioconversion as well as kinetic parameters for this enzyme were determined under moderate pressure. The activation energy (E _a) was 32.08 kJ mol⁻¹ and kinetic parameters (V _max, K _m, K _cat and K _cat/K _m) for this bioconversion were 8.8 U mg⁻¹ protein, 2.95 mM, 30.81 s⁻¹ and 10,444.06 s⁻¹ M⁻¹, respectively. The biomass of C. versicolor as well as the cell-free extract containing glucose 2-oxidase activity were also useful for bioconversion of d-glucose at moderate pressures. The enzyme was apparently stable at moderate pressures since such pressures did not affect significantly the enzyme activity.     

Immobilization of Naringinase in PVA–Alginate Matrix Using an Innovative Technique

A synthetic polymer, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a cheap and nontoxic synthetic polymer to organism, has been ascribed for biocatalyst immobilization. In this work PVA–alginate beads were developed with thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability to high temperatures (<80 °C). The combination of alginate and bead treatment with sodium sulfate not only prevented agglomeration but produced beads of high gel strength and conferred enzyme protection from inactivation by boric acid. Naringinase from Penicillium decumbens was immobilized in PVA (10%)–alginate beads with three different sizes (1–3 mm), at three different alginate concentrations (0.2–1.0%), and these features were investigated in terms of swelling ratio within the beads, enzyme activity, and immobilization yield during hydrolysis of naringin. The pH and temperature optimum were 4.0 and 70 °C for the PVA–alginate-immobilized naringinase. The highest naringinase activity yield in PVA (10%)–alginate (1%) beads of 2 mm was 80%, at pH 4.0 and 70 °C. The Michaelis constant (K _Mapp) and the maximum reaction velocity (V _maxapp) were evaluated for both free (K _Mapp = 0.233 mM; V _maxapp = 0.13 mM min⁻¹) and immobilized naringinase (K _Mapp = 0.349 mM; V _maxapp = 0.08 mM min⁻¹). The residual activity of the immobilized enzyme was followed in eight consecutive batch runs with a retention activity of 70%. After 6 weeks, upon storage in acetate buffer pH 4 at 4 °C, the immobilized biocatalyst retained 90% of the initial activity. These promising results are illustrative of the potential of this immobilization strategy for the system evaluated and suggest that its application may be effectively performed for the entrapment of other biocatalysts.     

Fabrication of modified TiO2 nanoparticle carbon paste electrode for simultaneous determination of dopamine, uric acid, and l-cysteine

A carbon paste electrode, modified with 2, 2′-[1,7-hepthandiylbis(nitriloethylidyne)]-bis-hydroquinone and TiO₂ nanoparticles, was used for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA), and l-cysteine. The study was carried out by using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and square wave voltammetry (SWV) techniques. Some kinetic parameters such as the electron transfer coefficient (α) and heterogeneous rate constant (k_s) were also determined for the DA oxidation. A dynamic range of 8.0–1400 μM, with the detection limit of 8.4 × 10⁻⁷ M for DA, was obtained using SWV (pH = 7.0). The prepared electrode was successfully applied for the determination of DA, UA, and l-cysteine in real samples.     

Gene Cloning,Expression, and Characterization of a Family 51 α-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Arabinofuranosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces</Emphasis> sp. S9

An α-l-arabinofuranosidase gene, abf51S9, was cloned from Streptomyces sp. S9 and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The full-length gene consisted of 1,506 bp and encoded 501 amino acids with a calculated mass of 55.2 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly homologous with the α-l-arabinofuranosidases belonging to family 51 of the glycoside hydrolases. The recombinant protein was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and subsequently characterized. The optimal pH and temperature for the recombinant enzyme were 6.0 and 60∼65 °C, respectively. The enzyme showed a broad pH range of stability, retaining over 75% of the maximum activity at pH 5.0 to 11.0. The specific activity, K _m, and V _max with p-nitrophenyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside as substrate were 60.0 U mg⁻¹, 1.45 mM, and 221 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹, respectively. Abf51S9 showed a mild but significant synergistic effect in combination with xylanase on the degradation of oat-spelt xylan and soluble wheat arabinoxylan substrates with a 1.19- and 1.21-fold increase in the amount of reducing sugar released, respectively. These favorable properties make Abf51S9 a good candidate in various industrial applications.     

Solid state electrochemical of the erbium hexacyanoferrate-modified carbon ceramic electrode and its electrocatalytic oxidation of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-cysteine

A kind of erbium hexacyanoferrate (ErHCF)-modified carbon ceramic electrodes (CCEs) fabricated by mechanically attaching ErHCF samples to the surface of CCEs derived from sol–gel technique was proposed. The resulting modified electrodes exhibit well-defined redox responses with the formal potential of +0.215 V [vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE)] at a scan rate of 20 mV s⁻¹ in 0.5 M KCl (pH 7) solution. The voltammetric characteristics of the ErHCF-modified CCEs were investigated by voltammetry. Attractively, the ErHCF-modified CCEs presented good electrocatalytic activity with a marked decrease in the overvoltage about 400 mV for l-cysteine oxidation. The calibration plot for l-cysteine determination was linear at 5.0 × 10⁻⁶–1.3 × 10⁻⁴ M with a linear regression equation of I(A) = 0.558 + 0.148c (μM) (R ² = 0.9989, n = 20), and the detection limit was 2 × 10⁻⁶ M (S/N = 3). At last, the ErHCF-modified CCEs were used for amperometric detection of l-cysteine in real samples.     

Characterization of a Thermostable Family 1 Glycosyl Hydrolase Enzyme from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Putranjiva roxburghii</Emphasis> Seeds

A 66-kDa thermostable family 1 Glycosyl Hydrolase (GH1) enzyme with β-glucosidase and β-galactosidase activities was purified to homogeneity from the seeds of Putranjiva roxburghii belonging to Euphorbiaceae family. N-terminal and partial internal amino acid sequences showed significant resemblance to plant GH1 enzymes. Kinetic studies showed that enzyme hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside (pNP-Glc) with higher efficiency (K _cat/K _m = 2.27 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) as compared to p-nitrophenyl β-d-galactopyranoside (pNP-Gal; K _cat/K _m = 1.15 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹). The optimum pH for β-galactosidase activity was 4.8 and 4.4 in citrate phosphate and acetate buffers respectively, while for β-glucosidase it was 4.6 in both buffers. The activation energy was found to be 10.6 kcal/mol in the temperature range 30–65 °C. The enzyme showed maximum activity at 65 °C with half life of ~40 min and first-order rate constant of 0.0172 min⁻¹. Far-UV CD spectra of enzyme exhibited α, β pattern at room temperature at pH 8.0. This thermostable enzyme with dual specificity and higher catalytic efficiency can be utilized for different commercial applications.     

Kinetics and mechanism of interaction of hexaaquachromium(III) with <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Dopa in aqueous medium: comparative antiparkinsonian studies

The kinetics and mechanism of the substitution reaction between [Cr(H₂O)₆]³⁺ and l-Dopa in aqueous medium has been studied over the range 1.8 ≤ pH ≤ 2.6, 1.68 × 10⁻² mol dm⁻³ ≤ [Dopa] ≤ 5.04 × 10⁻² mol dm⁻³, I = 0.1 mol dm⁻³ (KNO₃) at 50 °C. The reaction takes place via an outer sphere association between Cr³⁺ and l-Dopa followed by chelation. The product was characterized by physicochemical and infrared spectroscopic methods. The antiparkinsonian activity of the product was found to be higher than that of l-Dopa.     

Cloning,Expression, and Characterization of a Wide-pH-Range Stable Phosphite Dehydrogenase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas</Emphasis> sp. K in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

A phosphite dehydrogenase gene (ptdhK) consisting of 1,011-bp nucleotides which encoding a peptide of 336 amino acid residues was cloned from Pseudomonas sp. K. gene ptdhK was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and the corresponding recombinant enzyme was purified by metal affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein is a homodimer with a monomeric molecular mass of 37.2 kDa. The specific activity of PTDH-K was 3.49 U mg⁻¹ at 25 °C. The recombinant PTDH-K exhibited maximum activity at pH 3.0 and at 40 °C and displayed high stability within a wide range of pHs (5.0 to 10.5). PTDH-K had a high affinity to its natural substrates, with K _m values for sodium phosphite and NAD of 0.475 ± 0.073 and 0.022 ± 0.007 mM, respectively. The activity of PTDH-K was enhanced by Na⁺, NH₄⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, and EDTA, and PTDH-K exhibited different tolerance to various organic solvents.     

Purification and Partial Characterization of Lignin Peroxidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acinetobacter calcoaceticus</Emphasis> NCIM 2890 and Its Application in Decolorization of Textile Dyes

Lignin peroxidase was purified (72-fold) from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIM 2890. The purified lignin peroxidase (55–65 kDa) showed dimeric nature. The maximum enzyme activity was observed at pH 1.0, between a broad temperature range of 50 and 70°C, at H₂O₂ concentration (40 mM) and the substrate concentration (n-propanol, 100 mM). Purified lignin peroxidase was able to oxidize a variety of substrates including Mn²⁺, tryptophan, mimosine, l-Dopa, hydroquinone, xylidine, n-propanol, veratryl alcohol, and ten textile dyes of various groups indicating as a versatile peroxidase. Most of the dyes decolorized up to 90%. Tryptophan stabilizes the lignin peroxidase activity during decolorization of dyes.     

Purification and Characterization of a Novel Collagenase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus pumilus</Emphasis> Col-J

The collagenase, produced extracellular by Bacillus pumilus Col-J, was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by two gel filtrations, involving Sephadex G-100 column and Sepharose Fast Flow column. Purified collagenase has a 31.53-fold increase in specific activity of 87.33 U/mg and 7.00% recovery. The collagenase has a relative molecular weight of 58.64 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimal temperature for the enzyme reaction was 45 °C. More than 50% of the original activity still remained after 5 min of incubation at 70 °C or 10 min at 60 °C. The maximal enzyme activity of collagenase was obtained at pH 7.5, and it was stable over a pH range of 6.5–8.0. The collagenase activity was strongly inhibited by Mn²⁺, Pb²⁺, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid, and β-mercaptoethanol. However, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ greatly increased its activity. The collagenase from B. pumilus Col-J showed highly specific activity towards the native collagen from calf skin. The K _m and V _max of the enzyme for collagen were 0.79 mg/mL and 129.5 U, respectively.     

Fluorescent sensing layer for the determination of<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps"> L</Emphasis>-malic acid in wine

An enzymatic method for determining L-malic acid in wine based on an L-malate sensing layer with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), L-malate dehydrogenase (L-MDH) and diaphorase (DI), immobilized by sol-gel technology, was constructed and evaluated. The sol-gel glass was prepared with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), water and HCl. L-MDH catalyzes the reaction between L-malate and NAD⁺, producing NADH, whose fluorescence (λ _exc = 340 nm, λ _em = 430 nm) could be directly related to the amount of L-malate. NADH is converted to NAD⁺ by applying hexacyanoferrate(III) as oxidant in the presence of DI. Some parameters affecting sol-gel encapsulation and the pH of the enzymatic reaction were studied. The sensing layer has a dynamic range of 0.1–1.0 g/L of L-malate and a long-term storage stability of 25 days. It exhibits acceptable reproducibility [s _r(%)≈10] and allows six regenerations. The content of L-malic acid was determined for different types of wine, and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) was used as a bleaching agent with red wine. The results obtained for the wine samples using the sensing layer are comparable to those obtained from a reference method based on UV-vis molecular absorption spectrometry, if the matrix effect is corrected for.     

Novel Activity of UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase for Free Monosaccharide and Activity Improvement by Active Site-Saturation Mutagenesis

Uridine diphosphogalactose-4-epimerase (UDP-galactose-4-epimerase, GalE, EC 5.1.3.2) mediates the 4-epimerization of nucleic acid-activated galactose into UDP-glucose. To date, no enzyme is known to mediate 4-epimerization of free monosaccharide substrates. To determine the potential activity of GalE for free monosaccharide, Escherichia coli GalE was expressed and purified using Ni-affinity chromatography, and its ability to mediate 4-epimerization of a variety of free keto- and aldohexoses was assessed. Purified GalE was found to possess 4-epimerization activity for free galactose, glucose, fructose, tagatose, psicose, and sorbose at 0.47, 0.31, 2.82, 9.67, 15.44, and 2.08 nmol/mg protein per minute, respectively. No 4-epimerization activity was found for allose, gulose, altrose, idose, mannose, and talose. The kinetic parameters of 4-epimerization reactions were K _m = 26.4 mM and k _cat = 0.0155 min⁻¹ for d-galactose and K _m = 237 mM and k _cat = 0.327 min⁻¹ for d-tagatose. The 4-epimerization of tagatose, a reaction of commercial interest, was enhanced twofold (19.79 nmol/mg protein per minute) when asparagine was exchanged with serine at position 179. The novel activity of GalE for free monosaccharide may be beneficial for the production of rare sugars using cheap natural resources. Potential strategies for developing enhanced GalE with increased 4-epimerization activity are discussed in the context of the above findings and an analysis of a 3D structural model.     

High Level Expression of an Acid-Stable Phytase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrobacter freundii</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis>

To obtain a high level expression of phytase with favorable characteristics, a codon-optimized phytase gene from Citrobacter freundii was synthesized and transferred into Pichia pastoris. Small-scale expression experiments and activity assays were used to screen positive colonies. After purified by Ni²⁺–NTA agarose affinity column, the characterizations of the recombinant phytase were determined. The recombinant phytase (r-phyC) had two distinct pH optima at 2.5 and 4.5 and an optimal temperature at 50 °C. It retained more than 80% activity after being incubated under various buffer (pH 1.5–8.0) at 37 °C for 1 h. The specific activity, Km, and Vmax values of r-phyC for sodium phytate were 2,072 ± 18 U mg⁻¹, 0.52 ± 0.04 mM, and 2,380 ± 84 U mg⁻¹ min⁻¹, respectively. The enzyme activity was significantly improved by 1 mM of K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. These characteristics contribute to its potential application in feed industry.     

Amperometric enzyme electrode for glucose determination based on poly(pyrrole-2-aminobenzoic acid)

Polymerization of pyrrole and 2-aminobenzoic acid has been investigated, and a functionalized stable film of poly(pyrrole-2-aminobenzoic acid) (PP2ABA) has been obtained electrochemically onto platinum electrode. Different cyclic voltammetric behavior is obtained for polypyrrole and PP2ABA during electrosynthesis. Fourier-transformed infrared spectrometry and surface-enhanced Raman spectrometry measurements on the two films have confirmed the presence of carboxylate group in the films. The enzyme, glucose oxidase, was covalently immobilized on a conducting PP2ABA film, and amperometric response was measured as a function of concentration of glucose at a potential of 0.7 V vs Ag/AgCl in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 6.2. The effect of polymeric film thickness, pH, and possible interferents were investigated. The linear range of the calibration curve is from 3 to 40 mM with a sensitivity of 0.058 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² and a limit of detection of 0.5 mM. The apperent Mishaelis–Menten constant K _M is calculated to be 1 × 10⁻² mM, and the response time is 5 s.     

A new amperometric H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> biosensor based on nanocomposite films of chitosan–MWNTs,hemoglobin, and silver nanoparticles

A new H₂O₂ biosensor was fabricated on the basis of nanocomposite films of hemoglobin (Hb), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)–chitosan (Chit) dispersed solution immobilized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The immobilized Hb displayed a pair of well-defined and reversible redox peaks with a formal potential (E ^θ′) of −22.5 mV in 0.1 M pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution. The apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants (k _s) in the Chit–MWNTs film was evaluated as 2.58 s⁻¹ according to Laviron’s equation. The surface concentration (Γ*) of the electroactive Hb in the Chit–MWNTs film was estimated to be (2.48 ± 0.25) × 10⁻⁹ mol cm⁻². Meanwhile, the Chit–MWNTs/Hb/AgNPs/GCE demonstrated excellently electrocatalytical ability to H₂O₂. Its apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K _M^app) for H₂O₂ was 0.0032 mM, showing a good affinity. Under optimal conditions, the biosensors could be used for the determination of H₂O₂ ranging from 6.25 × 10⁻⁶ to 9.30 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 3.47 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the biosensor possessed rapid response to H₂O₂ and good stability, selectivity, and reproducibility.     

Scale up and Application of Biosurfactant from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> in Enhanced Oil Recovery

There is a lack of fundamental knowledge about the scale up of biosurfactant production. In order to develop suitable technology of commercialization, carrying out tests in shake flasks and bioreactors was essential. A reactor with integrated foam collector was designed for biosurfactant production using Bacillus subtilis isolated from agricultural soil. The yield of biosurfactant on biomass (Y _p/x), biosurfactant on sucrose (Y _p/s), and the volumetric production rate (Y) for shake flask were obtained about 0.45 g g⁻¹, 0.18 g g⁻¹, and 0.03 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The best condition for bioreactor was 300 rpm and 1.5 vvm, giving Y _x/s, Y _p/x, Y _p/s, and Y of 0.42 g g⁻¹, 0.595 g g⁻¹, 0.25 g g⁻¹, and 0.057 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The biosurfactant maximum production, 2.5 g l⁻¹, was reached in 44 h of growth, which was 28% better than the shake flask. The obtained volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (K _L a) values at optimum conditions in the shake flask and the bioreactor were found to be around 0.01 and 0.0117 s⁻¹, respectively. Comparison of K _L a values at optimum conditions shows that biosurfactant production scaling up from shake flask to bioreactor can be done with K _L a as scale up criterion very accurately. Nearly 8% of original oil in place was recovered using this biosurfactant after water flooding in the sand pack.     

Significantly Improved Expression and Biochemical Properties of Recombinant Serratia marcescens Lipase as Robust Biocatalyst for Kinetic Resolution of Chiral Ester

A lipase gene from Serratia marcescens ECU1010 was cloned into expression vector pET28a, sequenced, and overexpressed as an N terminus His-tag fusion protein in Escherichia coli. Through the optimization of culture conditions in shake flask, the lipase activity was improved up to 1.09 × 10⁵ U/l, which is a great improvement compared to our previous reports. It was purified to homogeneity by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography with an overall yield of 59.4% and a purification factor of 2.4-fold. This recombinant lipase displayed excellent stability below 30 °C and within the pH range of 5.0−6.8, giving temperature and pH optima at 40 °C and pH 9.0, respectively. The lipase activity was found to increase in the presence of metal ions such as Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, and some nonionic surfactants such as PEG series. In addition, among p-nitrophenyl esters of fatty acids with varied chain length, the recombinant lipase showed the maximum activity on p-nitrophenyl laurate (C₁₂). Using racemic trans-3-(4′-methoxy-phenyl)-glycidyl methyl ester [(±)-MPGM] as substrate, which is a key chiral synthon for production of diltiazem, a 50% conversion yield was achieved after 4 h in toluene–water (100 mM KPB phosphate buffer, pH 7.5) biphasic system (5:5 ml) at 30 °C under shaking condition (160 rpm), affording (−)-MPGM in nearly 100% ee. The K _m and V _max values of the lipase for (±)-MPGM were 222 mM and 1.24 mmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹, respectively. The above-mentioned features make the highly enantioselective lipase from Serratia marcescens ECU1010 a robust biocatalyst for practical use in large-scale production of diltiazem intermediate.     

Production of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-tagatose,a Functional Sweetener,Utilizing Alginate Immobilized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus fermentum</Emphasis> CGMCC2921 Cells

d-tagatose is a ketohexose that can be used as a novel functional sweetener in foods, beverages, and dietary supplements. This study was aimed at developing a high-yielding d-tagatose production process using alginate immobilized Lactobacillus fermentum CGMCC2921 cells. For the isomerization from d-galactose into d-tagatose, the immobilized cells showed optimum temperature and pH at 65 °C and 6.5, respectively. The alginate beads exhibited a good stability after glutaraldehyde treatment and retained 90% of the enzyme activity after eight cycles (192 h at 65 °C) of batch conversion. The addition of borate with a molar ratio of 1.0 to d-galactose led to a significant enhancement in the d-tagatose yield. Using commercial β-galactosidase and immobilized L. fermentum cells, d-tagatose was successfully obtained from lactose after a two-step biotransformation. The relatively high conversion rate and productivity from d-galactose to d-tagatose of 60% and 11.1 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹ were achieved in a packed-bed bioreactor. Moreover, lactobacilli have been approved as generally recognized as safe organisms, which makes this L. fermentum strain an attracting substitute for recombinant Escherichia coli cells among d-tagatose production progresses.