Characterization of a β-glucanase produced by Rhizopus microsporus var. microsporus, and its potential for application in the brewing industry

Background  

In the barley malting process, partial hydrolysis of β-glucans begins with seed germination. However, the endogenous 1,3-1,4-β-glucanases are heat inactivated, and the remaining high molecular weight β-glucans may cause severe problems such as increased brewer mash viscosity and turbidity. Increased viscosity impairs pumping and filtration, resulting in lower efficiency, reduced yields of extracts, and lower filtration rates, as well as the appearance of gelatinous precipitates in the finished beer. Therefore, the use of exogenous β-glucanases to reduce the β-glucans already present in the malt barley is highly desirable.     

Production and application of amylases of Rhizopus oryzae and Rhizopus microsporus var. oligosporus from industrial waste in acquisition of glucose

Amylases from Rhizopus oryzae and Rhizopus microsporus var. oligosporus were obtained using agro-industrial wastes as substrates in submerged batch cultures. The enzymatic complex was partially characterised for use in the production of glucose syrup. Type II wheat flour proved better than cassava bagasse as sole carbon source for amylase production. The optimum fermentation condition for both microorganisms was 96 hours at 30°C and the amylase thus produced was used for starch hydrolysis. The product of the enzymatic hydrolysis indicated that the enzyme obtained was glucoamylase, only glucose as final product was attained for both microorganisms. R. oligosporus was of greater interest than R. oryzae for amylase production, taking into account enzyme activity, cultivation time, thermal stability and pH range. Glucose syrup was produced using concentrated enzyme and 100 g L^?1 starch in a 4 hours reaction at 50°C. The bioprocess studied can contribute to fungus glucoamylase production and application.     

Antimitotic rhizoxin derivatives from a cultured bacterial endosymbiont of the rice pathogenic fungus Rhizopus microsporus

The potent antimitotic polyketide macrolide rhizoxin, the causal agent of rice seedling blight, is not produced by the fungus Rhizopus microsporus, as has been believed for over two decades, but by endosymbiotic bacteria that reside within the fungal mycelium. Here we report the successful isolation and large-scale fermentation of the bacterial endosymbiont ("Burkholderia rhizoxina") in pure culture, which resulted in a significantly elevated (10x higher) production of antimitotics. In addition to several known rhizoxin derivatives, numerous novel natural and semisynthetic variants were isolated, and their structures were fully elucidated. Cell-based assays as well as tubulin binding experiments revealed that methylated seco-rhizoxin derivatives are 1000-10000 times more active than rhizoxin and thus rank among the most potent antiproliferative agents known to date. Furthermore, more stable didesepoxy rhizoxin analogues were obtained by efficiently inhibiting a putative P-450 monooxygenase involved in macrolide tailoring.     

The lipase of the fungus Rhizopus microsporus,UZLT-1

1. An active lipase enzyme has been isolated from the culture liquid of the fungusRhizopus microsporus, UZLT-1, by precipitation with isopropanol, gel filtration on Sephadexes G-75 and G-150, and chromatography on CM-cellulose. Some properties of the purified enzyme (optimum pH, heat stability, influence of various ions) have been studied.     

The lipase of the fungus Rhizopus microsporus, UZLT-1

Summary 1. An active lipase enzyme has been isolated from the culture liquid of the fungusRhizopus microsporus, UZLT-1, by precipitation with isopropanol, gel filtration on Sephadexes G-75 and G-150, and chromatography on CM-cellulose. Some properties of the purified enzyme (optimum pH, heat stability, influence of various ions) have been studied.Department of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 636–639, September–October, 1976.     

Isolation of an intracellular lipase from the heat-tolerant fungus Rhizopus microsporus UzLT-1 and its properties

Summary 1. A method of isolating and purifying an intracellular lipase of the fungusRhizopus microsporus, UzLT-1, has been described.2. Some properties of the purified enzyme have been studied and it has been shown that the intracellular lipase differs from the extracellular lipase in its pH optimum and electrophoretic mobility.3. The presence of sodium chloride (0.06 M) in the reaction mixture raises the heat stability of the purified lipase.Division of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 566–570, July–August, 1977.     

Separation and Structural Characterization of a Novel Exopolysaccharide from Rhizopus nigricans

The present study aims to analyze the structural characterization and antioxidant activity of a novel exopolysaccharide from Rhizopus nigricans (EPS2-1). For this purpose, EPS2-1 was purified through DEAE-52, Sephadex G-100, and Sephadex G-75 chromatography. The structural characterization of EPS2-1 was analyzed using high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), methylation analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM). The results revealed that EPS2-1 is composed of mannose (Man), galactose (Gal), glucose (Glc), arabinose (Ara), and Fucose (Fuc), and possesses a molecular weight of 32.803 kDa. The backbone of EPS2-1 comprised →2)-α-D-Manp-(1→ and →3)-β-D-Galp-(1→, linked with the O-6 position of (→2,6)-α-D-Manp-(1→) of the main chain is branch α-D-Manp-(1→6)-α-D-Manp-(1→, linked with the O-6 positions of (→3)-β-D-Galp-(1→) of the main chain are branches →4)-β-D-Glcp-(1→ and →3)-β-D-Galp-(1→, respectively. Finally, we demonstrated that EPS2-1 also shows free radical scavenging activity and iron ion reducing ability. At the same time, EPS2-1 could inhibit the proliferation of MFC cells and increase the cell viability of RAW264.7 cells. Our results suggested that EPS2-1 is a novel polysaccharide, and EPS2-1 has antioxidant activity. In addition, EPS2-1 may possess potential immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. This study promoted the application of EPS2-1 as the functional ingredients in the pharmaceutical and food industries.     

A lipase of the fungus Rhizopus microsporus,UzLT-1 — A glycoprotein

Summary The molecule of the lipase of the fungusRhizopus microsporus UzLT-1 consists of protein and nonprotein moieties. The nonprotein moiety is formed by carbohydrates.The carbohydrate moiety is readily separated from the protein moiety, which suggested a noncovalent bond of the sugars with the protein fraction.Department of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 265–267, March–April, 1977.     

Purification and Characterization of a Urethanase from Penicillium variabile

Urethanase produced by Penicillium variabile was purified through ultrasonication, concentration by polyethylene glycol 20,000, and Superdex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of urethanase was determined to be around 96 kDa by gel filtration. The purified enzyme showed a single band in SDS-PAGE with the molecular weight of ~13.7 kDa, which suggests that the enzyme has a multimeric structure composed of the same subunits. Peptide map fingerprinting analysis was then carried out by MALDI/TOF-TOF MS. Within the known sequences in NCBI, glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase get high score as compared with urethanase. Sequence analysis informs that N-terminal sequence of urethanase is GTNTADNDAA. The Minchaelis constant (K _m) and maximum reaction rate (V _m) of urethanase are 27.2 mmol/L and 156.25 μmol/L min, respectively.     

Separation and Purification of Two Saponins from Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis by a Macroporous Resin

An effective method for separating and purifying critical saponins (polyphyllin II and polyphyllin VII) from a Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis extract was developed in this study which was environmentally friendly and economical. Static adsorption kinetics, thermodynamics, and the dynamic adsorption-desorption of macroporous resins were investigated, and then the conditions of purification and separation were optimized by fitting with an adsorption thermodynamics equation and a kinetic equation. Effective NKA-9 resin from seven macroporous resins was screened out to separate and purify the two saponins. The static adsorption and dynamic adsorption were chemical and physical adsorption dual-processes on the NKA-9 resin. Under the optimum parameters, the contents of polyphyllin II and polyphyllin VII in the product were 17.3-fold and 28.6-fold those in plant extracts, respectively. The total yields of the two saponins were 93.16%. This research thus provides a theoretical foundation for the large-scale industrial production of the natural drugs polyphyllin II and polyphyllin VII.     

Separation and Purification of Sesquiterpene Lactones from a Plant,Carpesium Triste var. Manshuricum KITAMURA

Carpesium triste var. manshuricum K. is a plant which is rarely distributed in Korea, and it has long been used as traditional medicinal herb for its antipyretic, analgesic, vermifugic, insectifuge,pain-relief,and antiinflammatory properties. Several sesquiterpene lactones were isolated from the genus Carpesium.     

Purification and Characterization of a Proteolytic Enzyme from Fig Latex

Ficin is an important component of plants in Ficus family such as fig latex. It is of special significance in medicine and industry because it exhibits activity throughout a wide range of temperature and pH values. In this work, we purified a component of ficin from the latex homogeneity of Shandong fig trees, and the properties of the purified ficin were studied. The current findings revealed that heavy metal ions were able to inhibit ficin, while DTT, L-cysteine, and β-ME were found to promote ficin activity. It was also observed that the half life of ficin at 65 °C was longer than 1 h and the Michaelis constant（Km） for casein hydrolyzation was determined to be 1.56 mg/mL. Our study shows that this purified ficin is a cysteine protease.     

Isolation and Characterization of Anti-Inflammatory Chromones from Imperata cylindrica var. major

Chemistry of Natural Compounds - One new chromone, 5-hydroxy-8-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone (1), along with 13 known ones (2–14) were obtained and identified from a 70%...     

Purification and Characterization of Novel Halo-Acid-Alkali-Thermo-stable Xylanase from Gracilibacillus sp. TSCPVG

An aerobic xylanolytic moderately halophilic and alkali-tolerant bacterium, Gracilibacillus sp. TSCPVG, produces multiple xylanases of unusual halo-acid-alkali-thermo-stable nature. The purification of a major xylanase from TSCPVG culture supernatant was achieved by hydrophobic and gel permeation chromatographic methods followed by electroelution from preparatory PAGE. The molecular mass of the purified xylanase was 42 kDa, as analyzed by SDS-PAGE, with a pI value of 6.1. It exhibited maximal activity in 3.5 % NaCl and retained over 75 % of its activity across the broad salinity range of 0–30 % NaCl, indicating a high halo-tolerance. It showed maximal activity at pH 7.5 and had retained 63 % of its activity at pH 5.0 and 73 % at pH 10.5, signifying the tolerance to broad acid to alkaline conditions. With birchwood xylan as a substrate, K _m and specific activity values were 21 mg/ml and 1,667 U/mg, respectively. It is an endoxylanase that degrades xylan to xylose and xylobiose and had no activity on p-nitrophenyl-β-d-xylopyranoside, p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside, p-nitrophenyl acetate, carboxymethylcellulose, and filter paper. Since it showed remarkable stability over different salinities, broad pH, and temperature ranges, it is promising for application in many industries.     

Purification and Characterization of the Enzyme Cholesterol Oxidase from a New Isolate of Streptomyces sp.

An extracellular cholesterol oxidase (cho) enzyme was isolated from the Streptomyces parvus, a new source and purified 18-fold by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Specific activity of the purified enzyme was found to be 20 U/mg with a 55 kDa molecular mass. The enzyme was stable at pH 7.2 and 50 °C. The enzyme activity was inhibited in the presence of Pb(2+), Ag(2+), Hg(2+), and Zn(2+) and enhanced in the presence of Mn(2+). The enzyme activity was inhibited by the thiol-reducing reagents (DTT, β-mercaptoethanol), suggesting that disulfide linkage is essential for the enzyme activity. The enzyme activity was found to be maximum in the presence of Triton X-100 and X-114 detergents whereas sodium dodecyl sulfate fully inactivated the enzyme. The enzyme showed moderate stability towards all organic solvents except acetone, benzene, chloroform and the activity increased in the presence of isopropanol and ethanol. The K(m) value for the oxidation of cholesterol by this enzyme was 0.02 mM.