Article
Polymer Science
Carolina Buruaga-Ramiro, Noelia Fernandez-Gandara, L. Veronica Cabanas-Romero, Susana V. Valenzuela, F. I. Javier Pastor, Pilar Diaz, Josefina Martinez
Summary: Enzymatic treatment was used to obtain bacterial cellulose nanocrystals, which exhibited higher thermal stability and were effective in coating pre-existing cellulosic materials to improve mechanical properties. The combination of LPMO oxidation and glycosyl hydrolase hydrolysis was key in producing nanocrystals from bacterial cellulose.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Silvia Magri, Gulsen Nazerian, Tiriana Segato, Antonielle Vieira Monclaro, Marco Zarattini, Fernando Segato, Igor Polikarpov, David Cannella
Summary: This study investigates the constraints posed by substrate ultrastructure on the activity of seven different AA9 LPMOs, revealing that substrate crystallinity and dry matter loading impact enzyme efficiency in a specific manner, with lower efficiency AA9s causing greater disruption to the crystal lattice.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wa Gao, Hefeng Zhang, Tang Li, Jiu Ju, Haichuan Zhou, Xu Zong, Heng Yin
Summary: In this article, a photoelectrochemical bioreactor was built to convert cellulose into favorable chemicals using solar energy. By integrating a silicon photocathode with an AA9 lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase-based enzymatic system, the supply of reductants and H2O2 in LPMO catalysis was regulated, resulting in efficient and stable cellulose degradation.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lei Ma, Guangqi Li, Hongming Xu, Zhiying Liu, Qun Wan, Dongyang Liu, Qirong Shen
Summary: This study identified a novel AA9 family protein cPMO2 derived from composting, which demonstrated superior binding capacity and broad substrate specificity in cellulose degradation.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alfons K. G. Felice, Christian Schuster, Alan Kadek, Frantisek Filandr, Christophe V. F. P. Laurent, Stefan Scheiblbrandner, Lorenz Schwaiger, Franziska Schachinger, Daniel Kracher, Christoph Sygmund, Petr Man, Petr Halada, Chris Oostenbrink, Roland Ludwig
Summary: This study elucidates the role of the cytochrome (CYT) domain of cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) in two electron transfer steps, revealing key factors and protein conformational changes in interdomain electron transfer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Miesho Hadush Berhe, Xiangfei Song, Lishan Yao
Summary: The protein sequence encoding for an LPMO from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BaLPMO10A) was optimized through protein engineering to enhance its catalytic efficiency. BaLPMO10A exhibited hydrolysis activity against various substrates and showed increased production when combined with commercial cellulase. Additionally, the engineered BaLPMO10A exhibited enhanced thermostability. This study provides a better tool for cellulose depolymerization.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhanfeng Wang, Shishi Feng, Carme Rovira, Binju Wang
Summary: Long-range electron transfer between cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) is mediated by the heme propionates of CDH and solvent waters. Oxygen binding to the copper center of LPMO is coupled with the long-range interprotein electron transfer, leading directly to the formation of LPMO-Cu-II-O-2(-) species. This newly uncovered electron transfer mechanism rationalizes experimental observations and may have implications for catalysis in LPMOs and other metalloenzymes with O-2- or CO-binding-enhanced long-range electron transfer processes.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hucheng Chang, Neus Gacias Amengual, Alexander Botz, Lorenz Schwaiger, Daniel Kracher, Stefan Scheiblbrandner, Florian Csarman, Roland Ludwig
Summary: This study demonstrates the activity of Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) on wood cell walls and suggests that even low levels of hydrogen peroxide can support the enzymatic degradation of wood biomass. LPMO plays a synergistic role in fungal extracellular catabolism and industrial biomass degradation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liangkun Long, Lu Sun, Dafan Ding, Kaixiang Chen, Qunying Lin, Shaojun Ding
Summary: The two genes encoding lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) CsLPMO9A and CsLPMO9B were successfully cloned and expressed in Komagataella phaffii. The two enzymes showed synergistic effects with a commercial cellulase cocktail and demonstrated promising potential in industrial bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass by increasing the release of glucose, cellobiose, and xylose from the substrate.
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Fei Li, Xuejiao Sun, Wen Yu, Chengcheng Shi, Xiaoyu Zhang, Hongbo Yu, Fuying Ma
Summary: The LPMO from Pleurotus ostreatus efficiently depolymerizes KGM to produce oligosaccharides, which, when used as a carbon source, significantly promote the growth of probiotic bacteria and the production of SCFAs, leading to improved gastrointestinal health.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
James Li, Laleh Solhi, Ethan D. Goddard-Borger, Yann Mathieu, Warren W. Wakarchuk, Stephen G. Withers, Harry Brumer
Summary: The comprehensive biochemical characterization of LPMOs from Cellulomonas bacteria reveals their unique oxidation properties on insoluble cellulose and cooperation in cellulose degradation. These findings contribute to a better understanding of microbial lignocellulose degradation and provide new biocatalysts for potential applications in biomass modification.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eirik G. Kommedal, Fredrikke Saether, Thomas Hahn, Vincent G. H. Eijsink
Summary: This study found that redox compounds naturally present in shed insect exoskeletons can harvest light energy to drive LPMO reactions and biomass conversion. The impact of light on LPMO activity depends on both light and exoskeleton dosage, and it is inhibited by a competing H2O2-consuming enzyme.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Fei Li, Ruijian Shao, Yingzheng Mao, Wen Yu, Hongbo Yu
Summary: In this study, LPMOs were found to efficiently supply H2O2 to DyPs for chitosan functionalization using GA as substrate, achieving a higher grafting ratio than reactions with exogenous H2O2. The GA-chitosan conjugates exhibited lower thermal stability and higher antioxidant activity compared to chitosan. This research provides a green and high-efficiency method for enzymatic cascade reactions in chitosan functionalization with potential applications in H2O2-dependent biocatalytic oxidation reactions.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Guru Jagadeeswaran, Lawrie Veale, Andrew J. Mort
Summary: Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are crucial enzymes mainly found in fungi, bacteria, and viruses that enable plant infection and degradation processes. Recent discoveries of additional LPMO families in fungi, oomycetes, and insects indicate their potential involvement in overcoming plant defenses. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the potential roles of different LPMO families in plant defense and their implications for developing new strategies for crop protection.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Josman Velasco, Ana Gabriela V. Sepulchro, Paula M. R. Higasi, Vanessa O. A. Pellegrini, David Cannella, Leandro Cristante de Oliveira, Igor Polikarpov, Fernando Segato
Summary: This study reports the functional characterization and structural modeling of a novel LPMO from Aspergillus fumigatus. The enzyme is capable of enhancing cellulose deconstruction through an oxidative mechanism and can be activated by light. The study also reveals a collaborative effect between a chemical reducing agent and light-induced electron transfer systems in changing the LPMO activity.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anastasia Zerva, Romanos Siaperas, George Taxeidis, Maria Kyriakidi, Stamatina Vouyiouka, Georgios I. Zervakis, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: White-rot fungus Abortiporus biennis has been studied for its lignocellulolytic potential. The strain was found to possess all necessary enzymatic activities for complete biomass degradation, with oxidative enzymes playing a prominent role. Two novel laccases, AbiLac1 and AbiLac2, were discovered and shown to have the ability to oxidize a wide range of substrates. This study highlights the biotechnological potential of unexplored enzymatic machinery in white-rot basidiomycetes, including improved lignocellulolytic cocktails and the degradation/valorization of plastic waste materials.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Brana Pantelic, Sanja Skaro Bogojevic, Dusan Milivojevic, Tatjana Ilic-Tomic, Branka Loncarevic, Vladimir Beskoski, Veselin Maslak, Maciej Guzik, Konstantinos Makryniotis, George Taxeidis, Romanos Siaperas, Evangelos Topakas, Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic
Summary: Polyurethanes (PUs) are widely used plastic polymers in various industries, but their accumulation as waste and the associated environmental impacts have raised concerns. This study synthesized and characterized synthetic compounds representing partial PU hydrolysis products to assess their toxicity and suitability for identifying biocatalysts for PU biodegradation. The compounds showed low in vitro cytotoxicity and low toxic effects on the nematode C. elegans. Two compounds exhibited moderate aquatic ecotoxicity. They were also used to study the cleaving preference of known plastic-degrading enzymes and to identify a novel PU-degrading biocatalyst, Amycolatopsis mediterranei ISP5501. This study highlights the potential of biotechnological processes for PU waste treatment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anastasia Zerva, Milad Mohammadi, Georgios Dimopoulos, Petros Taoukis, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: Alternative sweeteners, such as steviol glucosides, are popular for next-generation food design. However, the bitter aftertaste of native steviol glucosides hinders consumer acceptance. This study proposes a novel enzymatic process using beta-glucanase for the modification of stevioside, with the potential valorization of beta-glucans from fungal biomass.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alicia Paz, Anastasia Zerva, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: In this study, olive mill wastewater (OMWW) was used as a low-cost substrate to produce lipases by Bacillus aryabhattai BA03, reducing the production costs. Non-sterilized or sterilized media formulated with 25% OMWW showed double or triple the enzyme activity compared to synthetic medium, while the highest activity was observed at pH 8, 27 degrees C, and 50% OMWW under non-sterile conditions.
BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Christina Pentari, Anastasia Zerva, Maria Dimarogona, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: It has been discovered that xylanases can accommodate acetyl side-groups and release acetylated xylobiose. However, acetyl esterases show synergy with TtXyn30A, indicating that certain subsites in its active site cannot tolerate acetylated xylopyranose residues. Molecular docking analysis reveals that the acetyl group can be accommodated at the 2- or 3-OH position of the non-reducing end xylose, but only 3-OH decoration can be accommodated at the reducing-end xylose (subsite -1). These insights into the catalytic activity of TtXyn30A can contribute to a better understanding of its biological role and enable more efficient biotechnological utilization.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Eleftheria Sapountzaki, Ulrika Rova, Paul Christakopoulos, Io Antonopoulou
Summary: The urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions has driven the development of CO2 capture and utilization technologies. One application is the transformation of CO2 into storage chemicals, such as formic acid, for clean energy carriers. Conventional methods use chemical catalysts for CO2 conversion to formic acid and subsequent H2 release. However, biocatalysts offer a more specific and energy-efficient alternative. Formate dehydrogenase (FDH) catalyzes CO2 conversion to formate, which can be produced by the biocathode in bioelectrochemical systems and electrochemically regenerated. Several microorganisms possessing formate hydrogenlyase or hydrogen-dependent CO2 reductase complexes can catalyze H2 production from formate. Combining these processes enables a CO2-recycling cycle for H2 production, storage, and release with potentially lower environmental impact than conventional methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
George Taxeidis, Efstratios Nikolaivits, Romanos Siaperas, Christina Gkountela, Stamatina Vouyiouka, Brana Pantelic, Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: The uncontrollable disposal of plastic waste has raised concerns in the scientific community. In this study, various fungi were screened for their ability to degrade synthetic polymers. Three fungal strains belonging to Fusarium and Aspergillus genera were found to have promising enzymatic activities for polymer degradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christina Ferousi, Christos Kosinas, Efstratios Nikolaivits, Evangelos Topakas, Maria Dimarogona
Summary: In this study, the crystal structure of a Feruloyl esterase (FoFaeC) from Fusarium oxysporum in complex with p-coumaric acid was reported, providing the first ligand-bound structure of a tannase-like Feruloyl esterase. The data showed local conformational changes around the active site upon ligand binding, suggesting interconversion between an active and a resting state of the enzyme. A swinging tyrosine residue was found to gate the substrate binding pocket, while the lid domain of the protein exerted substrate specificity through a well-defined hydrophobic core that encased the phenyl moiety of the substrate.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Christos Kosinas, Anastasia Zerva, Evangelos Topakas, Maria Dimarogona
Summary: This study focuses on understanding the structure-function determinants of a novel laccase-like multicopper oxidase, TtLMCO1, from the thermophilic fungus Thermothelomyces thermophila. The crystal structure of TtLMCO1, determined using an AlphaFold2 model, revealed a three-domain laccase with two copper sites, lacking the C-terminal plug observed in other ascolaccases. Analysis of solvent tunnels identified crucial amino acids for proton transfer, while docking simulations provided structural evidence for the enzyme's promiscuity in oxidizing ortho-substituted phenols.
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Anthi Karnaouri, Konstantinos G. Kalogiannis, Savvas Staikos, Stamatia Karakoulia, Angelos A. Lappas, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: In this study, a novel OxiOrganosolv pretreatment was developed for the fractionation of beechwood, using a combination of water, organic solvents, polyoxometalate complexes (POMs) as catalysts, and O2 as an oxidative agent. POMs demonstrated high efficiency in simultaneously hydrolyzing hemicellulose and oxidizing lignin ether bonds, leading to depolymerization and removal of lignin. The use of commercially available HPMo and in-house produced Fe- and Cu-exchanged salts as catalysts significantly improved delignification and hemicellulose removal compared to the absence of catalyst. Enzymatic digestibility evaluation showed that HPMo was the most favorable catalyst for increased saccharification yields and production of sugar-rich hydrolysates, which were used as carbon sources for the production of w-3 PUFAs from Crypthecodinium cohnii. The study demonstrates the potential of POMs as catalysts for efficient biomass delignification to obtain sugar-rich streams for nutraceutical production.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Konstantinos Makryniotis, Efstratios Nikolaivits, Christina Gkountela, Stamatina Vouyiouka, Evangelos Topakas
Summary: Plastic pollution is a significant environmental challenge and traditional waste management strategies are inadequate for addressing this problem. Enzymatic degradation, particularly using LCCICCG, has shown promise in breaking down PET, the most commonly produced and discarded polyester. However, more efficient PET-hydrolases are needed for larger scale biorefineries.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhipeng Wu, Petter Paulsen Thoresen, Leonidas Matsakas, Ulrika Rova, Paul Christakopoulos, Yijun Shi
Summary: A novel, eco-friendly lignin-castor oil oleogel with superior lubricating and antioxidant properties was synthesized in this study. The oleogels exhibited remarkable performance in terms of oxidation resistance and lubricating properties compared to pure castor oil. The oleogel with 20wt % lignin had the lowest wear, which was approximately 64% lower than that of pure castor oil. With over 80% biomass content, these oleogels can serve as green lubricating greases for industrial applications. Overall, this study contributes valuable insights into the development of high-performance, eco-friendly lubricants.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Marijana Ponjavic, Vuk Filipovic, Evangelos Topakas, Anthi Karnaouri, Jelena Zivkovic, Nemanja Krgovic, Jelena Mudric, Katarina Savikin, Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic
Summary: This research demonstrates the upcycling process of lignocellulose into enriched bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) functionalized with black raspberry extract (BR). The BNC-BR material showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, highlighting its potential as a sustainable food industry material.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Katerina Hruzova, Krzysztof Kolman, Leonidas Matsakas, Henrik Nordberg, Paul Christakopoulos, Ulrika Rova
Summary: "This study characterized organosolv lignin nanoparticles and examined their morphology and stability. The results showed that the particles had good stability in alkali solution and electrostatic repulsion was the main stabilization mechanism. The study also provided insights into the interaction between lignin particles and mineral surfaces, which could be important for understanding the flotation process."
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
