Solid-state fermentation for production of phytase by Rhizopus oligosporus

Solid-state fermentation of coconut oil cake has been carried out with Rhizopus oligosporus for the production of phytase. Phytase is used commercially in the animal feed industry to improve animal performance because there is a substantial and growing interest among swine and poultry producers in the application of phytase to improve the nutritional quality in animal feeds. Demonstrated benefits include improved feed yield ratios and reduction in the environmental costs associated with the disposal of animal wastes. We report the production of extracellular phytase by R. oligosporus under solid-state fermentation using coconut oil cake as substrate. Maximal enzyme production (14.29 U/g of dry substrate) occurred at pH 5.3, 30°C, and 54.5% moisture content after 96 h of incubation. The addition of extra nutrients to the substrate resulted in inhibition of product formation. The results indicate the scope for production of phytase using coconut oil cake as solid substrate without additional nutrients.     

Continuous production of extracellular l-glutaminase by ca-alginate-immobilized marine Beauveria bassiana BTMF S-10 in packed-bed reactor

l-Glutamine amidohydrolase (l-glutaminase, EC 3.5.1.2) is a therapeutically and industrially important enzyme. Because it is a potent antileukemic agent and a flavor-enhancing agent used in the food industry, many researchers have focused their attention on l-glutaminase. In this article, we report the continuous production of extracellular l-glutaminase by the marine fungus Beauveria bassiana BTMF S-10 in a packed-bed reactor. Parameters influencing bead production and performance under batch mode were optimized in the order-support (Na-alginate) concentration, concentration of CaCl₂ for bead preparation, curing time of beads, spore inoculum concentration, activation time, initial pH of enzyme production medium, temperature of incubation, and retention time. Parameters optimized under batch mode for l-glutaminase production were incorporated into the continuous production studies. Beads with 12×10⁸ spores/g of beads were activated in a solution of 1% glutamine in seawater for 15 h, and the activated beads were packed into a packed-bed reactor. Enzyme production medium (pH 9.0) was pumped through the bed, and the effluent was collected from the top of the column. The effect of flow rate of the medium, substrate concentration, aeration, and bed height on continuous production of l-glutaminase was studied. Production was monitored for 5 h in each case, and the volumetric productivity was calculated. Under the optimized conditions for continuous production, the reactor gave a volumetric productivity of 4.048 U/(mL·h), which indicates that continuous production of the enzyme by Ca-alginate-immobilized spores is well suited for B. bassiana and results in a higher yield of enzyme within a shorter time. The results indicate the scope of utilizing immobilized B. bassiana for continuous commercial production of l-glutaminase.     

Understanding microscopic binding of human microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 with substrates and inhibitors by molecular modeling and dynamics simulation

Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is a promising target for development of next-generation anti-inflammatory drugs. It is crucial for rational design of the next-generation anti-inflammatory drugs to know the three-dimensional (3D) structure of mPGES-1 trimer and to understand how mPGES-1 binds with substrates and inhibitors. In the current work, a 3D structural model of human mPGES-1 trimer has been developed, for the first time, by performing combined homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. The 3D structural model enables us to understand how mPGES-1 binds with its substrates/inhibitors, and the key amino acid residues for the mPGES-1 binding with ligands have been identified. The detailed 3D structures and calculated binding free energies for mPGES-1's binding with substrates and inhibitors are all consistent with available experimental data, suggesting that the 3D model of the mPGES-1 trimer and the enzyme-ligand binding modes are reasonable. The new structural insights obtained from this study should be valuable for rational design of next-generation anti-inflammatory drugs.     

An improved spectrophotometric determination of manganese(II) with 1-(2-quinolylazo)-2,4,5-trihydroxybenzene with applications to medicinal plants and chemical reagents

The effects of organic solvent, time and temperature on the colour-forming reaction are described. For nine solvents tested, the molar absorptivities were in the range 2.0×10⁴?6.7×10⁴ mol^?1 cm^?1; best sensitivity was obtained with a 1:1 water/2-propanol solution after a standing time of 35 min; temperature should be controlled to ±2°C. Beer's law was obeyed for 0–1.45 μg ml^?1 Mn(II). The improved method was applied to determinations of manganese(II) in various herbs and chemical reagents; the values found were in the range 5.4–48.4 μg g^?1 in herbs, and 0.001-0.012% (w/w) in reagents.     

Enhancement of Haloperidol Binding Affinity to Dopamine Receptor via Forming a Charge-Transfer Complex with Picric Acid and 7,7,8,8-Tetracyanoquinodimethane for Improvement of the Antipsychotic Efficacy

Haloperidol (HPL) is a typical antipsychotic drug used to treat acute psychotic conditions, delirium, and schizophrenia. Solid charge transfer (CT) products of HPL with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and picric acid (PA) have not been reported till date. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the donor–acceptor CT interactions between HPL (donor) and TCNQ and PA (π-acceptors) in liquid and solid states. The complete spectroscopic and analytical analyses deduced that the stoichiometry of these synthesized complexes was 1:1 molar ratio. Molecular docking calculations were performed for HPL as a donor and the resulting CT complexes with TCNQ and PA as acceptors with two protein receptors, serotonin and dopamine, to study the comparative interactions among them, as they are important neurotransmitters that play a large role in mental health. A molecular dynamics simulation was ran for 100 ns with the output from AutoDock Vina to refine docking results and better examine the molecular processes of receptor–ligand interactions. When compared to the reactant donor, the CT complex [(HPL)(TCNQ)] interacted with serotonin and dopamine more efficiently than HPL only. CT complex [(HPL)(TCNQ)] with dopamine (CTtD) showed the greatest binding energy value among all. Additionally, CTtD complex established more a stable interaction with dopamine than HPL–dopamine.     

Crystal structure analysis of 3,4-dimethyl-2,5-dihydrothiophen-1,1-dioxide

The geometry of 3,4-dimethyl-2,5-dihydrothiophen-1,1-dioxide was determined by X-ray diffraction: cell dimensions are reported together with bond lengths and bond angles. While bond lengths are smaller than those for the homologue 3-methyl-2,5-dihydrothiophen-1,1-dioxide, bond angles are similar. TheMe-C₃-C₄-Me torsion angle is 5.1±0.5°. These results are consistent with its relatively slow rate of decomposition.

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Kristallstrukturanalyse von 3,4-Dimethyl-2,5-dihydrothiophen-1,1-dioxid

Zusammenfassung Die Geometrie von 3,4-Dimethyl-2,5-dihydrothiophen-1,1-dioxid wurde mittels Röntgendiffraktion bestimmt. Es werden die Dimensionen der Einheitszelle zusammen mit Bindungslängen und Bindungswinkeln berichtet. Die Bindungswinkel sind sehr ähnlich denen des homologen 3-Methyl-2,5-dihydrothiophen-1,1-dioxids, die Bindungslängen sind jedoch kürzer. DerMe-C 3-C 4-Me Torsionswinkel ist 5.1±0.5°. Diese Ergebnisse sind mit der relativ langsamen Zersetzungsgeschwindigkeit im Einklang.