Article
Chemistry, Applied
Dongdong Yuan, Guohui Bai, Yuhan Liu, Le Jing, Chengtao Wang, Guorong Liu
Summary: The fundamental properties and formation mechanism of CaCO3-MPs lakes were investigated. The results showed that CaCO3 had a high affinity for MPs and could form colorant lakes. The adsorption of MPs by CaCO3 followed the Freundlich isothermal model, indicating physical adsorption. UV/Vis spectroscopy confirmed the complex formation between Ca2+ and MPs via physical bonding.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Hye Ree Yoon, Suk Han, Seung Chul Shin, Su Cheong Yeom, Hyo Jin Kim
Summary: CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to increase pigment production in Monascus by introducing mutations in negative regulator genes. The resulting mutant strain showed significantly higher expression of color pigments compared to the wild-type strain. This study provides valuable information for metabolic engineering for natural colorant production.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ruoyu Shi, Qiaoqiao Luo, Yutong Liu, Wei Chen, Chengtao Wang
Summary: This study investigated the effect of gamma-heptalactone on secondary metabolites and mycelial growth during Monascus purpureus M1 fermentation. The addition of gamma-heptalactone resulted in increased yields of Monascus pigments (MPs) and monacolin K (MK), as well as upregulated expression of biosynthesis genes. Moreover, gamma-heptalactone treatment caused morphological changes in the mycelium of Monascus purpureus.
Article
Microbiology
Rahul Chandra Mishra, Rishu Kalra, Rahul Dilawari, Sunil Kumar Deshmukh, Colin J. Barrow, Mayurika Goel
Summary: The utilization of ascomycete fungi as a prolific pigment producer provides a novel way to obtain natural colorants, attracting attention for various applications. Investigating the red pigment produced by endophytic fungi led to the discovery of Talaromyces assiutensis, which showed antibacterial and anticancer properties, as well as antioxidant potential. The research aimed to standardize the upscaling of the pigment molecule and optimize culturing conditions for maximum pigment production.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ruoyu Shi, Qiaoqiao Luo, Yutong Liu, Guannan Meng, Wei Chen, Chengtao Wang
Summary: It has been found that gamma-butyrolactone functions as a quorum sensing molecule in Monascus, significantly affecting the growth, morphology, and secondary metabolism of Monascus.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jay E. Howard, Maria B. Villamil, Chance W. Riggins
Summary: Growing consumer demands for healthier foods have driven the trend in the food industry to replace synthetic colorants with natural alternatives. Amaranth betalains have advantages over anthocyanins as natural colorants. This study investigated the diversity of betalain concentrations among 48 amaranth accessions grown as leafy vegetables, following the methodology based on the U.S. FDA guidelines. The findings will guide future research on determining the economic viability and suitability of amaranths for the natural colorant market.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jing Huang, Hong-Wei Guan, Yue-Ying Huang, Ke-Sheng Lai, Hui-Ying Chen, Han Xue, Bo-Bo Zhang
Summary: Research on the use of microparticle-enhanced cultivation to control fungal morphology and enhance yellow pigment production. Experimental results showed that sharp-edged microparticles had better stimulatory effects on both morphology and yield of Monascus purpureus compared to smooth, round-shaped microparticles.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yaxu Wang, Fanyu Ye, Bo Zhou, Ying Liang, Qinlu Lin, Dong Lu, Xiang Zhou, Jun Liu
Summary: In this study, a citrinin-free Monascus puprureus strain with high MP production was generated using dual mutagenesis. Indica rice was found to be the optimal fermentation substrate for solid-state fermentation, resulting in the highest MP value. RT-qPCR results showed that MP synthesis-related genes were upregulated in the mutant strain, while citrinin synthesis-related genes were downregulated. This study provides important insights into the fermentation characteristics and gene expression in Monascus puprureus during solid-state fermentation.
Review
Food Science & Technology
JinTao He, MingXi Jia, Wen Li, Jing Deng, JiaLi Ren, FeiJun Luo, Jie Bai, Jun Liu
Summary: Monascus pigments are high-quality natural edible pigments fermented by Monascus filamentous fungi, with various biological functions such as antibacterial, antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, regulating cholesterol, and anti-cancer. However, their production and color value are limited, requiring continuous optimization of fermentation conditions and the use of new technologies to increase yield.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Mengfei Long, Yongchao Cai, Nan Zheng, Zhi Lu, Wentao Cao, Yaxian Li, Xiaomei Pei, Osire Tolbert, Xiaole Xia
Summary: This study explored the potential of Monascus pigments (MPs) production using a mixture of Chinese rice wine lees, soaked rice wastewater, and broken rice. The optimal conditions for MPs production were found to be a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10 and the addition of 20 g/L broken rice in shake flask experiments, with a production yield of 120.1 U/mL. Further experiments in a 7.5 L agitated bioreactor showed that the stirring speed had a significant impact on cell morphology and resulted in a maximum MPs concentration of 128.4 U/mL and a yield of 8174 U/g at 400 rpm. The use of Chinese rice wine wastes in a 50 L pilot scale fermentation process resulted in a MPs production of 158.9 U/mL, demonstrating the potential for economic and environmentally friendly utilization.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Fatemeh Abdollahi, Mahshid Jahadi, Mehrdad Ghavami
Summary: This study evaluated the thermal stability of red pigments produced by Monascus purpureus under different temperature, salt, and pH values. The results indicated that pH, temperature, and salt content could affect the stability of the pigments.
FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Raquel Carmona, Ma Carmen Murillo, Tomas Lafarga, Ruperto Bermejo
Summary: This study aimed to extract and characterize a phycoerythrin-rich extract from a microalga and evaluate its potential as a pink colorant in beverages. The extract contained high levels of phycoerythrin, had sufficient purity for food applications, and showed good stability and coloring effects in different beverages.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Chuantao Zeng, Yumiko Yoshizaki, Xuan Yin, Zitai Wang, Kayu Okutsu, Taiki Futagami, Hisanori Tamaki, Kazunori Takamine
Summary: This study investigated the effect of additional moisture on red koji preparation, showing that while extra moisture did not promote the growth of M. purpureus, it significantly increased pigment production. However, excessive moisture content may repress enzyme production, while around 50% moisture content promoted enzyme production. The study also highlighted the upregulation of pigment biosynthetic genes and glycohydrolase genes in red koji after the addition of moisture, demonstrating a clear relationship between additional moisture and gene expression during red koji preparation.
JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tao Li, Wenqian Zhao, Chengtao Wang, Kan Shi, Gong Chen
Summary: This paper reviews and summarizes the regulation of Monascus pigments metabolism under extreme conditions, such as osmotic pressure, high sugar stress, light, extreme temperature, high-water content, low-frequency magnetic field and ultrasonics. The relationship between mycelial morphology, gene expression, and pigments production is discussed, and the regulatory mechanism of Monascus pigments under unique conditions is proposed based on changes in metabolic pathways and composition characteristics. The fermentation strategy and application prospects of Monascus pigments in unique environments are also discussed. This work provides a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the optimized production of Monascus pigments.
WORLD JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Lili Feng, Limin Ren, Yan Zhao, Chunmin Dong, Hongjie Zhang
Summary: In this study, wool yarn was dyed with natural Monascus pigments in a D5 medium to minimize water consumption and effluent generation. The results showed that dyeing wool yarn in D5 medium resulted in higher color strength and antibacterial properties, while having no significant effect on the crystal properties and surface morphology of the wool.
JOURNAL OF THE TEXTILE INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefan Jarl Christensen, Michael Schmidt Madsen, Signe Schram Zinck, Christinne Hedberg, Ole Bandsholm Sorensen, Birte Svensson, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: 4-alpha-glucanotransferase mediated glucan transfer allows for the production of clean label starch ingredients with unique gelling properties. Researchers have studied six different GH77 members and found that four of them exhibit starch modifying activity, leading to a decrease in amylose content, elongation of amylopectin chains, and the formation of firm starch gels. The enzyme Tt4 alpha GT from Thermus thermophilus showed the highest temperature optimum (73 degrees C) and the best potato starch modifying efficacy compared to the other enzymes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
I Oliveira, A. Meyer, S. Afonso, B. Goncalves
Summary: This study aimed to compare leaf traits of Portuguese traditional almond cultivars and foreign cultivars under different weather conditions. The results showed the complex behavior of almond trees under drought conditions and highlighted the potential drought resistance in Portuguese cultivars.
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Thore Bach Thomsen, Sune W. Schubert, Cameron J. Hunt, Peter Westh, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: Enzymatic degradation of PET has shown promise as an ecofriendly approach to biodegrading plastic waste. This study presents a novel UV absorbance assay for continuous detection of soluble hydrolysis products released during PET degradation. The assay allows for fast exploration and robust kinetic characterization of PET degrading enzymes.
ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Lichuang Cao, Cameron J. Hunt, Shang Lin, Anne S. Meyer, Qian Li, Rene Lametsch
Summary: Gamma-Glu-Val-Gly (gamma-EVG) is a potent kokumi peptide that can be synthesized from bovine milk (BoGGT) through the transpeptidase reaction catalyzed by gamma-glutamyl transferase. The molecular mechanism between BoGGT and L-glutamine was explored by generating gamma-glutamyl peptides under various reaction conditions. The suitable conditions for gamma-EVG production using BoGGT were determined, and it was discovered that NaCl could inhibit the transpeptidase activity by disrupting hydrogen bonds between BoGGT and L-glutamine.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Silvia Afonso, Ivo Oliveira, Carlos Ribeiro, Alice Vilela, Anne S. Meyer, Berta Goncalves
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the postharvest effect of plant-based edible coatings on sweet cherries. Results showed that coatings made from extracts of mint, savory and thyme could reduce weight and firmness losses of sweet cherries, and delay their ripening process. These coatings improved the antioxidant activity of sweet cherries without negative effects on their content of bioactive compounds and sensory profile. Therefore, these coatings could be a safe, natural, effective, beneficial and innovative approach to preserve sweet cherry quality in postharvest storage.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jane Wittrup Agger, Michael Schmidt Madsen, Line Korte Martinsen, Pedro Alves Martins, Kristian Barrett, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: This review summarizes the latest research on glucuronoyl esterases (GEs), with a focus on fungal variants. The study reveals that fungal enzymes largely fall into one major branch, with only a minor subset of bacterial enzymes in the same branch. Additionally, some fungal proteins carry a CBM1 binding domain. Molecular docking experiments suggest that there are no direct interactions between the enzyme and lignin polymer, and an elongated carbon chain between the ester linkage and the first phenyl of lignin is preferred. The next step for these enzymes is to explore their application in utilizing lignocellulose as a renewable resource.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Thore B. Thomsen, Sune Schubert, Cameron J. Hunt, Kim Borch, Kenneth Jensen, Jesper Brask, Peter Westh, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: The response of PET-hydrolases to increased substrate crystallinity (X-C) of PET leads to a decrease in reaction rate, but this effect varies for different enzymes. This study examines the influence of X-C on product release rate for six thermostable PET-hydrolases. The results show that the duration of the lag phase before product formation increases with X-C. PHL7 enzyme is efficient on amorphous PET but sensitive to increased X-C, while LCCICCG, LCC, and DuraPETase enzymes tolerate higher X-C and have activity on PET with X-C of 24.4%.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Caio de Oliveira Gorgulho Silva, Marlene Vuillemin, Mirjam A. A. Kabel, Willem J. H. van Berkel, Anne S. S. Meyer, Jane W. W. Agger
Summary: Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) catalyze the conversion of monophenols to diphenols, which act as reducing agents for lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs). The role of the catalytic products of the PPO MtPPO7 in priming and fueling the activity of the LPMO NcAA9C is investigated. It is found that the catalytic products of MtPPO7 provide the initial electron for the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I), but cannot provide sufficient reducing power for continuous fueling of the LPMO activity. This priming reaction occurs with low amounts of MtPPO7 products and does not generate significant levels of H2O2 to fuel the LPMO peroxygenase activity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lichuang Cao, Cameron J. J. Hunt, Anne S. S. Meyer, Rene Lametsch
Summary: Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations were used to explore the substrate preferences and catalytic mechanisms of bovine ?-glutamyltransferase (BoGGT) for L-glutamine and L-?-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide (?-GpNA) as donors, as well as the acceptor abilities for valine-glycine (Val-Gly), L-methionine, and L-leucine. The study identified crucial residues responsible for the interactions between BoGGT and donors, as well as the intermediate and acceptors, providing new insights into the substrate selectivity and catalytic mechanism of BoGGT.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kristian Barrett, Cameron J. Hunt, Lene Lange, Igor Grigoriev, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: Carbohydrate-processing enzymes, CAZymes, are classified into families based on sequence and three-dimensional fold. The peptide-based clustering method CUPP provides further delineation of these enzymes by defining small protein groups with shared sequence motifs. The updated CUPP-webserver includes all published fungal and algal genomes from the Joint Genome Institute, allowing users to browse for specific predicted functions or protein families.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Karolina Bachosz, Jakub Zdarta, Muhammad Bilal, Anne S. Meyer, Teofil Jesionowski
Summary: Enzymatic processes are becoming increasingly important, and the role of enzymatic cofactors is crucial for efficient biocatalytic activities. Therefore, the development of cofactor regeneration systems is essential. This review summarizes current knowledge on enzymatic regeneration methods and highlights potential directions for further development.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Thore Bach Thomsen, Tobias S. Radmer, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: Plastic pollution, particularly from PET, is a significant environmental challenge. This study investigates the enzyme kinetics of PET degradation and finds that the degree of crystallinity (X-C) has a substantial impact on the enzymatic reaction rate. The mobile amorphous fraction (X-MAF) is a better descriptor for the rate of enzymatic degradation. The longer lag phase observed with increased X-C is proposed to be due to increased substrate entanglement density and unproductive enzyme binding to the crystalline regions of PET.
ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Maria Dalgaard Mikkelsen, Vy Ha Nguyen Tran, Sebastian Meier, Thuan Thi Nguyen, Jesper Holck, Hang Thi Thuy Cao, Tran Thi Thanh Van, Pham Duc Thinh, Anne S. Meyer, Jens Preben Morth
Summary: This study presents the structural characterization and activity of a novel endo-alpha(1,4)-fucoidanase, Mef1, from the marine bacterium Muricauda eckloniae. Mef1 specifically catalyzes the cleavage of alpha(1,4)-linkages between fucose residues in fucoidan from Fucus evanescens. The crystal structure of Mef1 reveals a single-domain organization with an extended, positively charged groove as the active site.
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Bartlomiej M. Kolaczkowski, Olga V. Moroz, Elena Blagova, Gideon J. Davies, Marie Sofie Moller, Anne S. Meyer, Peter Westh, Kenneth Jensen, Keith S. Wilson, Kristian B. R. M. Krogh
Summary: Many eukaryotic proteins are N-glycosylated with high-mannose N-glycans and alpha-1,6-mannan backbones. GH92 alpha-mannosidases release mannose residues from these N-glycans, allowing alpha-endomannanases to degrade the alpha-mannan backbone. The structure and function of a multidomain GH92 alpha-mannosidase CBM have not been characterized. This study provides insights into the structure and function of a full-length five-domain GH92 alpha-mannosidase from Neobacillus novalis, demonstrating the importance of CBMs for the overall structural integrity of the enzyme.
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Valentina N. Perna, Kristian Barrett, Anne S. Meyer, Birgitte Zeuner
Summary: Glycoside hydrolase family 29 (GH29) consists of enzymes called alpha-L-fucosidases, which catalyze the release of fucose from fucosylated glycans. These enzymes have important roles in biology. GH29 alpha-L-fucosidases can be divided into two subfamilies, GH29A and GH29B, based on their substrate specificities. However, the sequence traits that determine their substrate specificity and transglycosylation ability are not well understood.