Article
Agricultural Engineering
Kuan Qi, Chao Chen, Fei Yan, Yingang Feng, Edward A. Bayer, Akihiko Kosugi, Qiu Cui, Ya-Jun Liu
Summary: This study obtained new CBS biocatalysts by transforming BGL-expressing plasmids into Clostridium thermocellum, which effectively hydrolyzed cellulose. The optimal ratio of extracellular BGL-to-cellulosome activity was determined, and both excessive BGL expression and its assembly on the cellulosome via interaction led to reduced cellulosomal activity.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chao Chen, Kuan Qi, Fang Chi, Xiaojin Song, Yingang Feng, Qiu Cui, Ya-Jun Liu
Summary: This study investigates the inhibitory effects of different non-cellulose components of lignocellulose on the saccharification process mediated by cellulosome. It reveals that lignin and arabinoxylan have inhibitory effects, while xylan and xylooligosaccharides have minimal effects. The timely removal of dissolved xylan is found to be crucial for efficient saccharification.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Qizhen Yang, Wei Tang, Lei Li, Menghan Huang, Cuiluan Ma, Yu-Cai He
Summary: Hydrothermal pretreatment is an effective method to improve the saccharification of lignocellulose. In this study, an efficient hydrothermal pretreatment of sunflower straw was conducted, resulting in the removal of 58.8% xylan and 33.5% lignin at a treatment temperature of 180 degrees C for 120 min and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:15. Various characterizations confirmed that hydrothermal pretreatment altered the surface structure and increased the accessibility to cellulase. The enzymatic saccharification of the treated sunflower straw achieved a high yield of reducing sugar and glucose and also produced xylo-oligosaccharide in the filtrate.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Custan G. Fernandes, Sneha C. Sawant, Tejal A. Mule, Vishwanath S. Khadye, Arvind M. Lali, Annamma A. Odaneth
Summary: This study investigated the influence of beta-glucosidases (BGs) on cellulose hydrolysis, with results showing that commercial cellulase preparations are low in BG and yield below 60% in 12 hours, but synergistic effects were observed when blended with BGs, leading to improved hydrolysis efficiency.
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sreyneang Nhim, Rattiya Waeonukul, Ayaka Uke, Sirilak Baramee, Khanok Ratanakhanokchai, Chakrit Tachaapaikoon, Patthra Pason, Ya-Jun Liu, Akihiko Kosugi
Summary: This research has identified a bacterial strain, A9, that secretes beta-glucosidase and can effectively degrade cellulose in combination with Clostridium thermocellum. The beta-glucosidase enzyme, rTcBG1, shows high thermostability and glucose tolerance, indicating its potential use in a new biological cellulose saccharification process that does not require supplementation with beta-glucosidases.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lu Mou, Runze Pan, Yansong Liu, Wankui Jiang, Wenming Zhang, Yujia Jiang, Fengxue Xin, Min Jiang
Summary: This study successfully isolated a fungus with efficient lignocellulose degradation capability, named T. asperellum LYS1, and found that it showed remarkable performance in degrading biomass rich in hemicellulose.
ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiming Yang, Shulin Wang, Fudong Bai, Xingmei Lu, Wei He, Zheng Fang, Ning Zhu, Kai Guo
Summary: Pretreatment of lignocellulose with a binary system consisting of 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazole chloride (BMIMCl) and arginine (Arg) at temperatures higher than the glass transition temperature of lignin (Tg-lignin) can effectively reduce cellulose crystallinity and lignin content, improving enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency and reducing enzyme dosage.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Anica Dadwal, Shilpa Sharma, Tulasi Satyanarayana
Summary: The GH3 beta-glucosidase gene of Myceliophthora thermophila has been successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant enzyme rMtBgl3c shows promising characteristics for industrial applications, with a high production yield of 28,000 U L-1 and a thermostable nature. It exhibits optimal activity at pH 5.0 and 55 degrees C, and has a low K-m value indicating high substrate affinity. Additionally, rMtBgl3c demonstrates synergistic effects in saccharification and has potential applications in various industries.
PREPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Carlos Martin, Pooja Dixit, Forough Momayez, Leif J. Joensson
Summary: Biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to advanced biofuels and other bio-based commodities typically includes hydrothermal pretreatment, which improves the efficiency of enzymatic saccharification. This review focuses on the reaction conditions, chemistry, and effects of hydrothermal pretreatment on subsequent processes.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Myounghoon Moon, Joon-Pyo Lee, Gwon Woo Park, Jin-Suk Lee, Hyun June Park, Kyoungseon Min
Summary: Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) as oxidative enzymes play a crucial role in cleaving polysaccharides and boosting GH performance, profoundly changing the understanding of enzyme-based saccharification. This review introduces the classification, structural information, and catalytic mechanism of LPMOs, as well as discusses their synergistic effects with GH and challenges and perspectives for large-scale saccharification.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qian An, Huan-Na Lin, Yu-Tao Wang, Mao-Cheng Deng, Ming-Jun Zhu
Summary: Saccharification of lignocellulose is essential for biorefinery, and Clostridium thermocellum combined with surfactant and cellulase addition shows promising results in increasing reducing sugars content. The addition of different surfactants affects the glucose content of the saccharification process, while the substrate, particularly the lignin content, plays a crucial role in the saccharification performance. Fed batch hydrolysis of rice straw with the addition of IAPE resulted in high glucose and xylose yields with C. thermocellum DSM 1313.
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Wei He, Dong Yang, Wei Tang, Cuiluan Ma, Yu-Cai He
Summary: The addition of metal chlorides in the pretreatment of lignocellulose was studied to improve the saccharification efficiency of bulrush. It was found that the AlCl3/ChCl:Gly pretreatment effectively removed lignin and hemicellulose, resulting in a higher enzymatic saccharification yield. The reduction in lignin surface area due to the pretreatment was observed, and the Azure B dye adsorption data showed correlations with delignification and glucose yield.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Qizhen Yang, Wei Tang, Cuiluan Ma, Yu-Cai He
Summary: This study successfully achieved the efficient co-production of xylooligosaccharides, furfural, and reducing sugars from yellow bamboo using a novel solid acid catalyst, and the good performance of the catalyst was confirmed through stability experiments.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bing-Hui Chen, Zi-Qi Wang, Zi-Chu Jin, Ze-Chang Gou, Shan-Shan Tang, Xiao-Xiao Yu, Huan Chen, Guang Chen, Ying-Jie Su
Summary: Corn stover was pretreated with phosphotungstic acid to enhance enzymatic saccharification, resulting in the highest cellulose conversion rate at 70.61%. Phosphotungstic acid degraded hemicellulose and lignin, yielding xylose and increasing cellulase adsorption capacity. The combination of phosphotungstic acid and cellulase provided an efficient approach for increasing cellulose saccharification.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Maria E. Eugenio, Gabriela Dominguez, Jose M. Molina-Guijarro, Manuel Hernandez, Maria E. Arias, David Ibarra
Summary: This study evaluates the potential of laccase and mannanase enzymes from Streptomyces ipomoeae for improving the conventional hydrolysis of steam-pretreated softwood. It was found that laccase treatment and mannanase supplementation can significantly increase glucose and xylose production while reducing lignin content.
WOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Zhexuan Liu, Guang Yu, Qiu Cui, Chao Liu, Pedram Fatehi, Bin Li
Summary: Recently, a novel, low-cost, and stable pulp foam evaporator has been developed for solar-driven seawater desalination. This evaporator, made of carbonized pulp-natural rubber foam, exhibits high evaporation rate and efficiency due to its unique porous structure and light absorption ability. Furthermore, it shows high cost-effectiveness and potential applications in various water treatment processes.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jie Chen, Sheng Dong, Wenhan Fang, Yiping Jiang, Zhifeng Chen, Xiangquan Qin, Cong Wang, Haifeng Zhou, Longyi Jin, Yingang Feng, Binju Wang, Zhiqi Cong
Summary: We report the selective hydroxylation of alkylbenzenes using an engineered P450 peroxygenase driven by a dual-functional small molecule (DFSM). By combining different P450BM3 variants with DFSMs, more than half of all possible hydroxylated products were obtained from each substrate with high regioselectivity (>99%), enantioselectivity (>99% ee), and high total turnover numbers (up to 80963). Synergistic effects between exogenous DFSMs and the protein environment controlled the regio- and enantioselectivity, as revealed by crystal structure analysis, molecular dynamic simulations, and theoretical calculations. This work has implications for exogenous-molecule-modulated enzymatic regiodivergent and enantioselective hydroxylation with potential applications in synthetic chemistry.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiling Wang, Xiaodan Lin, Yiping Jiang, Xiangquan Qin, Nana Ma, Fuquan Yao, Sheng Dong, Chuanfei Liu, Yingang Feng, Longyi Jin, Mo Xian, Zhiqi Cong
Summary: The peroxidase activity of cytochrome P450BM3 was increased through protein engineering by introducing site-directed mutations of key active-site residues. This allowed for efficient regulation of substrate access, leading to a decrease in monooxygenation activity and an increase in peroxidase activity. The P450 peroxidase system was successfully applied for the direct nitration of aromatic compounds and terminal aryl-substituted olefins.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Meiyan Wu, Yinuo Liu, Chao Liu, Qiu Cui, Xin Zheng, Pedram Fatehi, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a non-toxic filament with a core-shell structure was prepared using anionic cellulose nanofibrils and cationic guar gum. The filament exhibited good mechanical properties and biocompatibility, and promoted cell growth. It showed better healing properties and reduced inflammation compared to silk and PGLA sutures.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuying Zhang, Sheng Dong, Guangning Chen, Siqi Cao, Jingjing Shen, Xuanwei Mei, Qiu Cui, Yingang Feng, Yaoguang Chang, Yanchao Wang, Changhu Xue
Summary: In this study, the structure of GH86 beta-agarase Aga86A_Wa was determined and its methyl-galactose tolerance was investigated. It was found that an accommodation pocket at subsite -1 contributed to the tolerance of methyl-galactose. Similar pockets were also found in two other GH86 enzymes, BuGH86 and BpGH86A, confirming their function in methyl-galactose accommodation. These findings provide insights into the function and mechanism of GH86 agaran degrading enzymes and have implications for the precise preparation of agaran oligosaccharides.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Xinyue Zhang, Jie Li, Chao Chen, Ya-Jun Liu, Qiu Cui, Wei Hong, Zhenghong Chen, Yingang Feng, Guzhen Cui
Summary: This study constructed a heterologous system in Bacillus subtilis to investigate the molecular basis of TcdR-dependent promoter activity. The promoters of the two major enterotoxins showed strong TcdR-dependent activity, while the two putative TcdR-dependent promoters in the upstream region of the tcdR gene did not show detectable activity. Mutation analysis revealed that the divergent -10 region is the key determinant for different activities of the TcdR-dependent promoters. The results provide insights into the TcdR-dependent promoter recognition for toxin production and suggest the potential use of heterologous systems in analyzing s factor functions and drug development.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Chao Liu, Fei Yan, Meiyan Wu, Qiu Cui, Stefan Willfoer, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: A sustainable and cost-effective method for the preparation of dialdehyde nanocellulose (DANC) was developed through LiBr·3H2O (LBTH) non-dissolving pretreatment, which shortened the oxidation time and reduced the oxidant consumption. LBTH transformed the cellulose Iβ structure into an amorphous structure, reducing crystallinity and increasing aldehyde group content of DANC. The fabricated DANC exhibited strong antibacterial activity. LBTH could be recovered and reused, maintaining its effectiveness. This study provides a sustainable and clean approach for the preparation of DANC and promotes the application of cellulose nanomaterials.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chen Jiang, Meiyan Wu, Fang Zhang, Chao Liu, Mingliang Sun, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a tunicate cellulose film with tunable haze levels was prepared by mixing tunicate microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and tunicate cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). The film was used to modify the substrate of organic solar cells (OSC) to improve its light utilization efficiency. The dosage of MFC was found to be an important factor in adjusting the haze and light transmittance of the cellulose film. The optimized film showed excellent mechanical properties, high thermal stability, and when applied as an additional layer to the OSC substrate, resulted in a notable improvement of power conversion efficiency.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Mehdi Rahmaninia, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: Nanocellulose (NC), including cellulose nanofibril (CNF) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), has gained attention for its unique physical and chemical properties. This review summarizes various chemical modifications, such as silanization, esterification, oxidation, and grafting, applied to NC in order to introduce new functionalities. The incorporation of NC in functional materials and the challenges in the preparation process are also discussed. Overall, NC is considered a promising green nanomaterial for large-scale applications in the future.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cai You, Ya-Jun Liu, Qiu Cui, Yingang Feng
Summary: GH48 cellulases are widely distributed in cellulolytic microorganisms, especially in the highly efficient cellulose-degrading ruminal system. They hydrolyze cellulose using an inverting mechanism in a processive mode. In addition, GH48 cellulases greatly synergize with endoglucanases to improve cellulose hydrolysis efficiency.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Meiyan Wu, Pai Zhang, Mei Li, Rui Xu, Xin Zheng, Qiu Cui, Ruitao Cha, Bin Li
Summary: Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and chitosan (CS) have shown potential as biomedicine materials, but a robust and absorbable cellulose-based surgical thread has not been explored. This study successfully prepared a bioinspired CNF/CS composite thread with excellent mechanical properties and low swelling ratio. The thread exhibited better in vitro cytocompatibility and lower inflammatory response compared to commercial silk and Vicryl surgical threads. It has the potential to be a promising absorbable suture for medical applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Weixian Wang, Yang Xu, Baoping Zhu, Hanwen Ge, Shenglin Wang, Bin Li, Huanfei Xu
Summary: The interactions between three deep eutectic solvents (DES) and cellulose-hemicellulose and cellulose-lignin hybrid systems were studied using a simulated computational approach. DES pretreatment can disrupt the original hydrogen bonding network structure among the lignocellulosic components and reconstruct the new DES-lignocellulosic hydrogen bonding network structure. ChCl-U exhibited the strongest effect on the hybrid systems, removing 78.3% of the hydrogen bonds between cellulose-4-O-methyl Gluconic acid xylan (cellulose-Gxyl) and 68.4% of the hydrogen bonds between cellulose-Veratrylglycerol-b-guaiacyl ether (cellulose-VG), respectively. The addition of appropriate water (DES:H2O = 1:5) and DES formed a new DES-water hydrogen bonding network structure that facilitated the interaction with lignocellulose.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Hanwen Ge, Yaoze Liu, Baoping Zhu, Yang Xu, Rui Zhou, Huanfei Xu, Bin Li
Summary: This study predicts the pretreatment efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass using ternary deep eutectic solvents (DES) containing Lewis acids through machine learning. Different statistical methods were used to analyze the correlation between 77 variables and the mechanism of lignin depolymerization. The results show that temperature, polarity related parameters of HBD, and acidity of Lewis acids significantly contribute to the degree of lignin depolymerization. The XGBoost model performs the best among all the machine learning models.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ya-Jun Liu, Yuedong Zhang, Fang Chi, Chaoyang Chen, Weijian Wan, Yingang Feng, Xiaojin Song, Qiu Cui
Summary: In this study, a thermophilic strain Geobacillus stearothermophilus 2H-3 was successfully used for the production of L-(+) lactic acid (LA) from various agricultural wastes through a consolidated bio-saccharification (CBS) process. The one-pot successive fermentation process achieved high optical purity (99.5%), titer (51.36 g/L), and yield (0.74 g/gbiomass) of LA. This study provides a promising strategy for LA production from lignocellulose through CBS and 2H-3 fermentation integration.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meiyan Wu, Yidong Zhang, Xiaoyan Feng, Fei Yan, Qian Li, Qiu Cui, Bin Li
Summary: Cationic cellulose nanofibrils (CCNF)/sodium alginate (SA) beads with porous internal structure were prepared and used to adsorb Congo red. The maximum adsorption capacity reached 518.4 mg/g, which was superior to most cellulose-based adsorption materials. Physical adsorption, dominated by hydrogen bond and electrostatic adsorption, was proposed as the main adsorption mechanism. The beads showed high Congo red removal efficiency even after multiple cycles.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhi-Min Zhao, Zhi-Hua Liu, Tongtong Zhang, Rongqian Meng, Zhiqun Gong, Yibing Li, Jing Hu, Arthur J. Ragauskas, Bing-Zhi Li, Ying-Jin Yuan
Summary: Bioconversion of bioresources/wastes using Rhodococcus is a promising approach for producing lipid-derived bioproducts. However, bioconversion involves living cells and is a complex system that requires further understanding. This review highlights the potential of Rhodococcus for producing lipids from various wastes and presents genetic modifications using emerging tools for promoting bioconversion. Additionally, strategies for enhancing the bioaccessibility of lignin and its derived aromatics and synthesizing biodiesel and aviation fuels from lignin and lipids are discussed. The synergistic modification of microbial strains, substrates, and fermentation processes is proposed for sustainable biological lignin valorization.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2024)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Maddy L. Newby, Joel D. Allen, Max Crispin
Summary: A key aspect of successful viral vaccine design is the elicitation of neutralizing antibodies targeting viral attachment and fusion glycoproteins. Glycosylation can influence the antigenicity and immunogenicity of vaccines, with native-like glycosylation potentially enhancing immunogenicity. Understanding viral glycosylation can guide the development of future vaccines in various enveloped viruses.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2024)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Uganeeswary Suparmaniam, Man Kee Lam, Jun Wei Lim, Inn Shi Tan, Bridgid Lai Fui Chin, Siew Hoong Shuit, Steven Lim, Yean Ling Pang, Peck Loo Kiew
Summary: Microalgae have the ability to synthesize high-value phytochemicals, and subjecting them to abiotic stress can enhance the accumulation of valuable metabolites within their cells. This study explores the effects of manipulating abiotic stress on microalgae yields and discusses approaches to increase HVPCs production using abiotic stress.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2024)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pei Zhou, Cong Gao, Wei Song, Wanqing Wei, Jing Wu, Liming Liu, Xiulai Chen
Summary: The engineering status of protein is crucial for the efficient bioproduction in microbial cell factories. Strategies such as protein engineering, protein modification, and protein assembly can effectively modify the protein status and enhance production efficiency.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2024)
