Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Letitia Minnaar, Riaan den Haan
Summary: This study evaluates the potential of natural and industrial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to secrete cellulases. The results show that natural isolates have better secretion capacities for cellulases under high temperature and acetic acid conditions, and exhibit tolerance to various fermentation-associated stresses. These isolates could serve as promising chassis organisms for consolidated bioprocessing bioethanol production.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Muhammad Bilal, Liyun Ji, Yirong Xu, Shuo Xu, Yuping Lin, Hafiz M. N. Iqbal, Hairong Cheng
Summary: Kluyveromyces marxianus is a food-grade yeast with beneficial traits, making it suitable for applications in food and biotechnology industries. Unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it does not undergo aerobic alcoholic fermentation, making it ideal for large-scale biosynthesis. K. marxianus can be used to produce various industrially important products such as enzymes, bioethanol, and probiotics. The use of CRISPR-Cas9 for precise genome editing in K. marxianus is also discussed.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Kavitha, T. Gajendran, K. Saranya, V. Manivasagan
Summary: Contemporary studies show that macroalgae biomass, specifically Sargassum wightii, rich in cellulose, can be a promising source for ethanol production. This investigation focuses on the optimization of cellulose extraction and medium components for Lachnoclostridium phytofermentans KSM 1203 for bioethanol production through consolidated bioprocessing. The alkali pretreatment and sodium hypochlorite treatment were found to effectively remove lignin and hemicelluloses, resulting in the optimal conditions for ethanol yield of 13.75 g/L.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Reeta Rani Singhania, Anil Kumar Patel, Anusuiya Singh, Dibyajyoti Haldar, Shveta Soam, Chiu-Wen Chen, Mei -Ling Tsai, Cheng-Di Dong
Summary: Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) is a production method that directly produces value-added compounds from biomass, reducing inputs and chemical use. However, commercialization has been limited due to low conversion efficiency. The key challenge is developing a cost-effective CBP process with bifunctional catalysts.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sarel J. M. Malherbe, Rosemary A. Cripwell, Lorenzo Favaro, Willem H. van Zyl, Marinda Viljoen-Bloom
Summary: Corn starch is the main feedstock for bioethanol production, but alternative cereals like triticale and sorghum grown on marginal farming land and used as animal feed have been evaluated due to concerns about food security. This study used a consolidated bio-processing approach to assess the potential of triticale and sorghum grains as bioethanol feedstocks and found that an amylolytic strain achieved high ethanol conversion efficiencies from both substrates. The study also showed that supplementation with specific enzymes can reduce fermentation time and different fermentation configurations may be required for each substrate.
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Selvakumar Periyasamy, J. Beula Isabel, S. Kavitha, V. Karthik, Badr A. Mohamed, Desta Getachew Gizaw, P. Sivashanmugam, Tejraj M. Aminabhavi
Summary: With the growth of the global population, it is crucial to develop long-term technological advancements in order to meet energy demands while preserving the Earth's limited resources. Using renewable energy systems offers numerous benefits, such as stabilizing energy supply and demand, ensuring food security and economic stability, and protecting the environment from pollution. Bioethanol presents a potential alternative as a renewable and long-term energy source, but reducing production costs is critical for its long-term viability and economic competitiveness against petroleum. Converting lignocellulose to bioethanol through consolidated bioprocessing could offer a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and efficient approach, but further research and optimization are still needed. This review explores biomass pretreatments, process enhancements, recombinant microbial catalysts and enzymes, and metabolic engineering in the context of consolidated bioprocessing, providing an overview to guide future research in lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dung Minh Ha-Tran, Rou-Yin Lai, Trinh Thi My Nguyen, Eugene Huang, Shou-Chen Lo, Chieh-Chen Huang
Summary: This study successfully transformed RubisCO genes from Rhodopseudomonas palustris into Kluyveromyces marxianus, and utilized Hungateiclostridium thermocellum for efficient solubilization of lignocellulosic biomass to generate fermentable sugars. The engineered K. marxianus strains showed efficient bioethanol production from Napier grass and rice straw, indicating the potential of a bacterium-yeast coculture system for ethanol production directly from biomass feedstocks.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yongli Zhang, Tao Sun, Taju Wu, Jinyang Li, Die Hu, Defei Liu, Jingen Li, Chaoguang Tian
Summary: Using a reprogrammed thermophilic cellulosic fungus, researchers have developed a fungal consolidated bioprocessing technology that can directly ferment cellulose into ethanol. The engineered strain produced high ethanol yields from cellulose and corncob without the need for added cellulase. The simplified production process and increased ethanol yield make this technology promising for sustainable carbon-neutral biomanufacturing.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
S. Kavitha, T. Gajendran, K. Saranya, P. Selvakumar, V Manivasagan, S. Jeevitha
Summary: This study investigates the use of a consortium of cellulolytic and ethanogenic bacteria for consolidated bioprocessing of bioethanol production. The pre-treatment conditions for Allium ascalonicum leaves were optimized to achieve efficient removal of hemicellulose and recovery of cellulose. By screening and optimizing the essential medium components, the bioethanol yield was maximized.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ivy E. Smuts, Nicole J. Blakeway, Shaunita H. Rose, Riaan den Haan, Marinda Viljoen-Bloom, Willem H. van Zyl
Summary: The high cost of pretreatment and enzyme cocktails currently makes the production of renewable bioethanol from cellulosic biomass economically infeasible. This study demonstrated the potential of auxiliary enzymes, LPMOs and CDHs, in enhancing cellulose hydrolysis by subcloning and expressing them in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y294 strain.
ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marco Lao, Catalino Alfafara, Rizalinda de Leon
Summary: A screened fungus, F. moniliforme BIOTECH 3170, was capable of directly producing ethanol from various carbon substrates, showing high theoretical yields for glucose, xylose, and cellobiose. Moreover, the fungus demonstrated the potential of ethanol production from cellulose, mixed sugars, and lignocellulosic materials under solid-state conditions.
Article
Microbiology
Na Wang, Zhihua Yan, Na Liu, Xiaorong Zhang, Chenggang Xu
Summary: This study compared the cellulase systems of two anaerobes and found that A. thermocellus specifically contributes to cellulose hydrolysis, while T. stercorarium contributes to hemicellulose hydrolysis. When these two systems were combined, they showed synergistic effects on cellulose and corn stover, leading to increased ethanol concentration. Additionally, co-culturing these anaerobes on a mixture of cellulose and xylan significantly improved ethanol production.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shanmugam Sivarathnakumar, Khalid A. Al-Ghanim, Marcello Nicoletti, Marimuthu Govindarajan, Baskar Gurunathan
Summary: In this study, the woody stem of Moringa oleifera was pretreated using a combination of chipping, milling, nitric acid, and autohydrolysis. The pretreated hydrolysate was then subjected to simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using Zymomonas mobilis and Kluyveromyces marxianus. By optimizing the fermentation process parameters, K. marxianus achieved the highest concentration of cellulosic ethanol after a fermentation period of 96 hours.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yilin Lyu, Pingping Wu, Jungang Zhou, Yao Yu, Hong Lu
Summary: Kluyveromyces marxianus is a promising cell factory with beneficial traits, but the lack of high-efficiency transformation methods has hindered its research and industrial applications. By establishing a protoplast transformation method, successful introduction of large DNA fragments into K. marxianus has been achieved, providing a new approach for genetic engineering.
BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Parushi Nargotra, Vishal Sharma, Surbhi Sharma, Nisha Kapoor, Bijender Kumar Bajaj
Summary: A novel consolidated bioprocess was developed for processing Parthenium hysterophorus biomass to ethanol biofuel, utilizing ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent pretreatment and in situ enzymatic saccharification and fermentation. Optimal sugar yield was achieved with choline chloride/sorbitol pretreatment, and combining ultrasound irradiation with pretreatment further enhanced sugar yield significantly. Various analysis techniques were employed to elucidate the functional mechanisms of the combinative pretreatment, aiding in the custom design of novel strategies for efficient biomass refining.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tadasu Urashima, Takane Katayama, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Kenji Fukuda, Michael Messer
Summary: This review discusses the acquisition of lactose and milk oligosaccharides during the evolution of mammals, as well as the mechanisms by which these saccharides are digested and absorbed by suckling neonates. The evolution of c-type lysozyme to alpha-lactalbumin enabled the biosynthesis of lactose and milk oligosaccharides in most eutherian mammals. In contrast, neonatal monotremes and marsupials lack intestinal lactase and may digest milk oligosaccharides through pinocytosis or endocytosis.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENERAL SUBJECTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Miriam N. Ojima, Yuya Asao, Aruto Nakajima, Toshihiko Katoh, Motomitsu Kitaoka, Aina Gotoh, Junko Hirose, Tadasu Urashima, Satoru Fukiya, Atsushi Yokota, Maher Abou Hachem, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Takane Katayama
Summary: In this study, the authors examined the HMO consumption phenotypes of two bifidobacterial species and found that the diversity of the FL transporter led to uptake specificities of fucosylated sugars ranging from simple trisaccharides to complex hexasaccharides. These findings explain the adaptation and proliferation of bifidobacteria in the competitive and HMO-rich infant gut environment.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daiki Oikawa, Satoshi Yamashita, Seiji Takahashi, Toshiyuki Waki, Koichi Kikuchi, Takaaki Abe, Takane Katayama, Toru Nakayama
Summary: The study found that sesamin and related lignans derived from sesame seeds can inhibit the activity of intestinal bacteria TILs, potentially serving as a mechanism-based strategy to prevent CKD progression. These phytochemicals competitively bind to EcTIL and may bind near the active site of the enzyme.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Miriam N. Ojima, Keisuke Yoshida, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Lin Jiang, Toshitaka Odamaki, Takane Katayama
Summary: This article reviews clinical studies on proliferating human-residential Bifidobacterium strains in the gut and highlights the differences between responders and non-responders to such interventions from an ecological and genetic perspective. The criteria to better evaluate the efficacy of probiotic and prebiotic interventions and the therapeutic potential of synbiotics are discussed.
CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Shigeru Murakami, Chihiro Hirazawa, Rina Yoshikawa, Toshiki Mizutani, Takuma Ohya, Ning Ma, Takahiko Ikemori, Takashi Ito, Chiaki Matsuzaki
Summary: This study investigated the effects of the edible seaweed Campylaephora hypnaeoides on high-fat diet-induced obesity and metabolic diseases in mice. The results showed that C. hypnaeoides could alleviate obesity, hyperglycemia, hepatic steatosis, and hypercholesterolemia by improving antioxidant capacity and reducing inflammation.
NUTRITION & METABOLISM
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chiaki Matsuzaki, Tsukasa Shiraishi, Tai-Ying Chiou, Yukari Nakashima, Yasuki Higashimura, Shin-ichi Yokota, Kenji Yamamoto, Tomoya Takahashi
Summary: Components of lactic acid bacteria with immunostimulatory effects are being increasingly studied for their therapeutic and prophylactic potential as alternatives to antibiotics, cognitive enhancements, and vaccine adjuvants. This study found that lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Apilactobacillus possess significantly higher activity in inducing immunoglobulin A (IgA) compared to other species. The differences in the structure of lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) may be related to this distinction in IgA-inducing activity.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Natsuki Nakagawa, Yoshiko Hashii, Hisako Kayama, Ryu Okumura, Hiroko Nakajima, Hikaru Minagawa, Soyoko Morimoto, Fumihiro Fujiki, Jun Nakata, Toshiro Shirakawa, Takane Katayama, Kiyoshi Takeda, Akihiro Tsuboi, Keiichi Ozono
Summary: Orally administered genetically engineered Bifidobacterium longum expressing WT1 protein showed antitumor activity by inducing WT1-specific immune responses and activating dendritic cells. This oral vaccine platform could potentially be a novel approach for cancer immunotherapy.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Yuta Sugiyama, Yumiko Mori, Misaki Nara, Yusuke Kotani, Emiko Nagai, Hiroki Kawada, Mayu Kitamura, Rika Hirano, Hiromi Shimokawa, Akira Nakagawa, Hiromichi Minami, Aina Gotoh, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Noriho Iida, Takashi Koyanagi, Takane Katayama, Shigefumi Okamoto, Shin Kurihara
Summary: Gut microbiota can produce aromatic amines, which are different from dietary sources. The production of these aromatic amines is related to the activity of aadc in gut bacteria and may have an impact on diseases such as osteoporosis and irritable bowel syndrome. Human AADC inhibitors can inhibit the production of aromatic amines in gut bacteria.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Junki Miyamoto, Hidenori Shimizu, Keiko Hisa, Chiaki Matsuzaki, Shinsuke Inuki, Yuna Ando, Akari Nishida, Ayano Izumi, Mayu Yamano, Chihiro Ushiroda, Junichiro Irie, Takane Katayama, Hiroaki Ohno, Hiroshi Itoh, Kenji Yamamoto, Ikuo Kimura
Summary: Fermented foods have health benefits due to probiotic bacteria or microproducts produced by bacterial fermentation. Prebiotics associated with L. mesenteroides-produced exopolysaccharides (EPS) show significant metabolic benefits. EPS-derived gut microbial short-chain fatty acids improve glucose metabolism and energy homeostasis, and alter gut microbial composition.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hiromi Takada, Toshihiko Katoh, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Toshitaka Odamaki, Takane Katayama
Summary: Intestinal mucous layers play a crucial role in mediating the symbiotic and dysbiotic interactions between hosts and microbes. This study focuses on the mucin O-glycan degrading ability of gut microbes, specifically Bifidobacterium bifidum, and reveals the important roles of two 11-N-acetylglucosaminidases belonging to the GH20 and GH84 families in mucin O-glycan degradation. Substrate specificity analysis and O-glycomic analysis demonstrate the specific functions of BbhI and BbhIV in breaking down different types of mucin core structures. Additionally, the study uncovers the interdependence of BbhI and BbhIV in efficient hydrolysis of mucin core structures.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Toshihiko Katoh, Chihaya Yamada, Michael D. Wallace, Ayako Yoshida, Aina Gotoh, Moe Arai, Takako Maeshibu, Toma Kashima, Arno Hagenbeek, Miriam N. Ojima, Hiromi Takada, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Hidenori Shimizu, Keita Nishiyama, Hisashi Ashida, Junko Hirose, Maria Suarez-Diez, Makoto Nishiyama, Ikuo Kimura, Keith A. Stubbs, Shinya Fushinobu, Takane Katayama
Summary: The BbhII enzyme from Bifidobacterium bifidum is involved in the breakdown of mucin O-glycans, modulating host-microbiota symbiosis and dysbiosis.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hidehiko Kumagai, Takane Katayama, Takashi Koyanagi, Hideyuki Suzuki
Summary: This article discusses a simple enzymatic synthesis method using bacterial L-tyrosine phenol-lyase (Tpl) for the production of L-DOPA, a treatment for Parkinson's disease. The research covers screening of bacterial strains, culture conditions, properties and reaction mechanism of the enzyme, as well as the reaction conditions for L-DOPA production. Additionally, the article explores molecular breeding of Tpl-over-producing strains through mutations in the DNA binding protein TyrR.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY SERIES B-PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Akira Sen, Tatsuki Nishimura, Shin Yoshimoto, Keisuke Yoshida, Aina Gotoh, Toshihiko Katoh, Yasuko Yoneda, Toyoyuki Hashimoto, Jin-Zhong Xiao, Takane Katayama, Toshitaka Odamaki
Summary: Examining the influence of host cells on the metabolism of probiotics is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of probiotics in vivo. However, there is limited research on the interaction between probiotics and host cells, such as intestinal epithelial cells. In this study, a comprehensive metabolome analysis was conducted on a co-culture of Bifidobacterium breve MCC1274 and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS)-derived small intestinal-like cells, revealing increased levels of amino acid metabolites and gene expression related to ILA synthesis in B. breve MCC1274 cells. The presence of purines produced by intestinal epithelial cells enhanced ILA production, suggesting a synergistic interaction between probiotics and IECs as the molecular basis of host-probiotic interaction in vivo.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Shinsuke Inuki, Hitomi Tabuchi, Chiaki Matsuzaki, Yasunori Yonejima, Keiko Hisa, Ikuo Kimura, Kenji Yamamoto, Hiroaki Ohno
Summary: Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are widely present in natural products made by bacteria, fungi, and algae, and some of them have interesting biological properties such as anticancer and immunomodulatory activities. Our recent study found that EPSs derived from Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides strain NTM048 enhanced the production of mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) in mice. In this study, we described the synthesis and evaluation of tetrasaccharide fragments of NTM048 EPS to gain insights into the molecular mechanism responsible for the induction of IgA.
CHEMICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chihaya Yamada, Takane Katayama, Shinya Fushinobu
Summary: Glycoside hydrolase family 136 (GH136) was established based on the discovery and structural analysis of lacto-N-biosidase (LNBase) from Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum JCM1217 (BlLnbX). Homologous genes of BlLnbX are widely found in human gut bacteria and monkey Bifidobacterium spp. Other bacterial strains like Bifidobacterium saguini, Tyzzerella nexilis, and Ruminococcus lactaris also exhibit LNBase activity. Crystal structures of LNBases from B. saguini and T. nexilis were determined in complex with lacto-N-biose I, showing a conserved fold and catalytic residues.
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
