Glucose isomerase (GI) catalyzes the conversion of D-glucose to D-fructose in vitro. It is one of the bulkiest commercial enzymes, essential for the mass production of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and crystalline fructose. / In this study, the effects of nitrogen sources, carbon sources, expression vectors, host strains, bacterial (Vitreoscilla) hemoglobin, selective pressure, plasmid stability and fermentation process on the GI production were investigated. The results showed that E. coli could express cloned thermostable GI at high expression level. E. coli transformed with the recombinant plasmid P-lac-GI gave the best result in term of total GI production and expression level. Corn steep liquor could be used as a cheap alternative nitrogen source for what was in LB medium. The concentration of glucose affected the expression level of GI significantly. Replacement of the ampicillin resistance gene by kanamycin resistance gene improved the plasmid stability leading to high productivity of GI in fed-batch fermentation. A suicide system could further improve the plasmid stability resulting in a high productivity of GI. A feeding strategy for fed-batch fermentation with the optimized parameters was developed to result in the production of up to 3g/L recombinant GI, which constituted 50% of the total soluble proteins. The total yield was 5-fold higher than that from flask experiments and 7-fold higher than the highest ever recorded. The expression level was also 100% higher than it was in other reports. / Liu Zhaoming. / "August 2005." / Advisers: J. Wang; W. P. Fong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: B, page: 3780. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-154). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Glucose isomerase (GI) catalyzes the isomerization of glucose to fructose and consequently is one of the bulkiest industrial enzyme for the manufacture of high fructose corn syrup and crystalline fructose. The GI is used in industry mainly in the form of immobilized enzyme. / In this work, the immobilization of GI had been studied by several methods: ion exchange adsorption, covalent binding, alginate cells entrapment and cells cross-linking. Three kinds of carrier support (ion exchange resin, epoxy resin and amino resin) have been used in the immobilization of cells-free enzyme; the whole cells immobilization of GI by cross-linking agents polyethyleneimid and glutaraldehyde were critically examined. The results show that the cells cross-linking is the best method to prepare the immobilized GI products, as it is high in specific activity and thermostability, and low the cost. The method is likely to make significant contribution to the field of immobilization, its application has expanding rapidly in many walks of the society, including environment protection, food and pharmaceutical industries. / Jin, Caike. / "August 2005." / Adviser: Jun Wang. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: B, page: 3521. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-152). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Orientador: Roberto da Silva / Banca: Hamilton Cabral / Banca: Gustavo O. Bonilla Rodriguez / Resumo: Proteases constituem uma das mais importantes enzimas industriais e uma de suas principais aplicações é na indústria láctica para produção de queijos. Devido à escassez do coalho tradicional de origem animal, proteases coagulantes microbianas estão sendo pesquisadas como substitutos. O coalho apresenta duas ações hidrolíticas sobre a caseína que caracterizam sua adequação como um bom coagulante, que são a atividade coagulante e a proteolítica. Quanto maior a razão entre coagulante / proteolítica (AC/AP), melhor o coagulante. O presente trabalho objetivou estudar a produção e caracterização da protease coagulante produzida pelo fungo termofilico Thermomucor indicae-seudaticae N31 via fermentação submersa. As condições de produção estudadas foram: natureza e concentração da fonte de carbono e da solução salina, períodos de incubação e velocidade de agitação. Após a produção foi feita a caracterização físico- química que consistiu em determinar as condições de atuações ótimas da enzima. A partir dos resultados, observou-se que a melhor composição no meio fermentativo foi: 4 % de farelo de trigo, 0,3 % de solução salina, 72 horas de incubação a 45 °C e 150 rpm de agitação. Nestas condições os valores da atividade coagulante e da razão AC/AP foram 60,5 U/mL e 510, respectivamente. A enzima coagulante apresentou as características: pH e temperatura ótimos foram 5,5 e 65 °C, respectivamente; pH e temperatura de estabilidade foram 3,5 - 5,0 (retendo cerca de 80 % da atividade depois de 24 horas à temperatura ambiente) e até 60 °C (após uma hora na ausência de substrato). O conjunto dos resultados sugere a conclusão que a protease coagulante é promissora do ponto de vista tecnológico como substituto do coalho animal, principalmente, devido à sua alta especificidade representada pelo elevado valor da razão / Abstract: Proteases are one of the most important industrial enzymes and one of its main applications is in the dairy industry for the production of cheese. Due to the scarcity of renin bovine, microbial coagulants proteases are being researched as a substitute. The rennet has two hydrolytic action on casein featuring its suitability as a good coagulant, which are the milk-clotting and proteolytic activity. The higher the ratio milk-clotting / proteolytic (MCA/PA), the better the coagulant. The present study investigated the production and characterization of coagulant protease produced by thermophilic fungus Thermomucor indicae-seudaticae N31 on submerged fermentation. The production conditions were: nature and concentration of the carbon source and saline, incubation and agitation speed. After production was performed physicochemical characterization that determined the conditions optimal of the enzyme. From the results, it was observed that the best composition of the fermentative medium was: 4 % wheat bran, 0,3 % saline, 72 hours of incubation at 45 °C and 150 rpm agitation. In these conditions the values of milk-clotting activity and the ratio MCA/PA were 60,5 U/mL and 510, respectively. The clotting enzyme had the characteristics: optimum of pH and temperature were 5,5 and 65 °C, respectively, pH and temperature of stability were 3,5 - 5,0 (retaining approximately 80 % of activity 24 hours at temperature environment) and even 60 °C (after one hour in the absence of substrate). The group of results showed that coagulant protease is promising technological point of view as a substitute for animal rennet, mainly due to their high specificity shown by the high value of the ratio / Mestre

Orientador: Maurício Boscolo / Coorientador: Roberto da Silva / Banca: Vanildo Del Bianchi / Banca: Milla Alves Baffi / Resumo: A aceitação de bebidas destiladas deriva principalmente de pequenas concentrações de numerosos compostos flavorizantes incluindo alcoóis superiores (óleo fúsel), ésteres, aldeídos, acetais, ácidos, cetonas, lactonas, fenóis voláteis, monoterpenos e norisoprenóides. Dentro deste contexto, para a melhora da qualidade da aguardente de cana-de-açúcar faz-se necessário pesquisas em aplicações tecnológicas e biotecnológicas que visem acentuar o sabor e o aroma, além do desenvolvimento de metodologias de analítica. Assim, neste trabalho foi analisado 21 variedades de cana-de-açúcar, sendo que na variedade SP813250 foi encontrado alta concentração do aldeído 2,6-decadienal, composto de aroma desagradável na produção de bebidas destiladas, e as variedades RB855536, RB987935 e RB975952 produziu grande diversidade e quantidade de voláteis favoráveis ao aroma de bebidas alcóolicas o que leva a inferir que estas variedades possam ser melhor indicadas para a produção de aguardente de cana e além disto, foi possível constatar que maior quantidade de voláteis foram obtidos na casca e nos nódulos da planta. Após a etapa de seleção variáveis para catálise enzimática foram indicadas pelo delineamento fatorial fracionado as seguintes condições: (i) o extrato do fungo Thermoascus aurantiacus, (ii) aplicação pós-fermentação alcoólica, (iii) Brix 16°, (iv) agitação de 200 rpm. Para a fase de otimização foram variados a concentração de extrato enzimático e tempo de aplicação assim, verificou-se aumento da concentração de terpenóides e norisoprenóides como limoneno, terpineol, isoeugenol, 4-alildimetoxibenzeno, α-ionona e linalol em função do tempo de hidrólise e da concentração de β-glicosidase. Nerolidol, 2,6,10,10-tetrametil-1-oxa-espiro-(4,5)-dec-6-eno e β-damascenona tiveram aumento... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The acceptance of liquor derives primarily numerous small concentrations of flavor compounds including higher alcohols (fuel oil), esters, aldehydes, acetals, acids, ketones, lactones, phenols volatile monoterpenes and norisoprenóides. Within this context, to improve the quality of sugar cane-sugar is necessary technological research and biotechnological applications aimed accentuate the flavor and aroma, and the development of analytical methodologies. Thus, this study was analyzed 21 varieties of cane sugar, and the variety SP813250 found high concentration of aldehyde 2,6-decadienal, unpleasant aroma compound in the production of distilled spirits, and the varieties RB855536, RB987935 and RB975952 produced great diversity and quantity of volatile friendly aroma of alcohol which leads to the inference that these varieties may be better suited for the production of sugar cane and in addition, it was found that greater amounts of volatiles were obtained from the bark and nodules of the plant. After the selection stage variables for enzymatic catalysis are indicated by fractional factorial design with the following conditions: (i) the extract of the fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus, (ii) applying post-alcoholic fermentation, (iii) 16° Brix, (iv) stirring 200 rpm. For the optimization phase were varied concentration of enzyme extract and application time thus found to increase the concentration of norisoprenóides as limonene and terpenoid, terpineol, isoeugenol, 4-alildimetoxibenzeno, α-ionone and linalool as a function of hydrolysis time and the concentration of β-glucosidase. Nerolidol, 2,6,10,10-tetramethyl-1-oxa-spiro-(4,5)-dec-6-ene and β-damascenone concentration had increased proportionately enzymatic activity leading... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Thesis (M.Tech.: Biotechnology)-Dept. of Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, 2007 vi, 92 leaves / Interest in xylanases from different microbial sources has increased markedly in the past decade, in part because of the application of these enzymes in a number of industries, the main area being the pulp and paper industry. While conventional methods will continue to be applied to enzyme production from micro-organisms, the application of recombinant DNA techniques is beginning to reveal important information on the molecular basis and this knowledge is now being applied both in the laboratory and commercially. In this study, a directed evolution strategy was used to select an enzyme variant with high thermostability. This study describes the use of error-prone PCR to modify the xylanase gene from Thermomyces lanuginosus DSM 5826, rendering it tolerant to temperatures in excess of 80°C. Mutagenesis comprised of different concentrations of nucleotides and manganese ions. The variants were generated in iterative steps and subsequent screening for the best mutant was evaluated using RBB-xylan agar plates. The optimum temperature for the activity of xylanases amongst all the enzyme variants was 72°C whilst the temperature optimum for the wild type enzyme was 70°C. Long term thermostability screening was therefore carried out at 80°C and 90°C. The screen yielded a variant which had a 38% improvement in thermostability compared to the wild type xylanase from pX3 (the unmutated gene). Successive rounds of error-prone PCR were carried out and in each round the progeny mutant displayed better thermostability than the parent. The most stable variant exhibited 71% residual activity after 90 minutes at 80˚C. Sequence analysis revealed four single amino acid residue changes that possibly enhanced their thermostabilities. This in vitro enzyme evolution technique therefore served as an effective tool in improving the thermostable property of this xylanase which is an important requirement in industry and has considerable potential for many industrial applications.

Thesis (D.Tech.: Biotechnology)-Dept. of Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 209 leaves / Protein engineering technologies, such as directed evolution and DNA recombination, are often used to modify enzymes on a genetic level for the creation of useful industrial catalysts. Pre-treatment of paper pulps with xylanases have been shown to decrease the amounts of toxic chlorine dioxide used to bleach pulp. This study was undertaken to improve the thermal and alkaline stabilities of the xylanase from the fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus using ep-PCR and DNA shuffling.

Submitted in fulfillment for the requirement of a Degree of Master of Technology: Biotechnology, in the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2009. / Protein engineering has provided a key for adapting naturally-occurring enzymes for industrial processes. However, several obstacles have to be overcome after these proteins have been adapted, the main one being finding a suitable host to over-express these recombinant protein. This study investigated Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris and Escherichia coli as suitable expression hosts for a previously modified fungal xylanase, which is naturally produced by the filamentous fungus, Thermomyces lanuginosus. A xylanase variant, NC38, that was made alkaline-stable using directed evolution was cloned into four different vectors: pDLG1 with an ADH2 promoter and pJC1 with a PGK promoter for expression in S. Cerevisiae, pBGP1 with a GAP promoter for expression in P. pastoris and pET22b(+) for expression in E. Coli BL21 (DE3). S. Cerevisiae clones with the p DLG1-NC38 combination showed very low activity on the plate assay and were not used for expression in liquid media as the promoter was easily repressed by reducing sugars used during production experiments. S. cerevisiae clones carrying pJC1-NC38 were grown in media without uracil while P. Pastoris clones were grown in YPD containing the antibiotic, zeocin and E. Coli clones were grown in LB with ampicillin. The levels of xylanase expression were then compared between P. Pastoris, S. cerevisiae and E. coli. The highest recombinant xylanase expression was observed in P. Pastoris with 261.7U/ml, followed by E.coli with 47.9 U/ml and lastly S. cerevisiae with 13.2 U/ml. The localization of the enzyme was also determined. In the methylotrophic yeast, P. Pastoris, the enzyme was secreted into the culture media with little or no contamination from the host proteins, while the in other hosts, the xylanase was located intracellularly. Therefore in this study, a mutated alkaline stable xylanase was successfully expressed in P. Pastoris and was also secreted into the culture medium with little or no contamination by host proteins, which favours the application of this enzyme in the pulp and paper industry.

Submitted in complete fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Technology (Biotechnology)in the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2009. / Protein engineering has been a valuable tool in creating enzyme variants that are capable of withstanding the extreme environments of industrial processes. Xylanases are a family of hemicellulolytic enzymes that are used in the biobleaching of pulp. Using directed evolution, a thermostable and alkaline stabl xylanase variant (S340) was created from the thermophilic fungus, Thermomyces lanuginosus. However, a host that was capable of rapid growth and high-level expression of the enzyme in large amounts was required. The insert containing the xylanase gene was cloned into a series a pET vectors in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS and trimmed from 786 bp to 692 bp to remove excess fungal DNA upstream and downstream of the open reading frame (ORF). The gene was then re-inserted back into the pET vectors. Using optimized growth conditions and lactose induction, a 14.9% increase in xylanase activity from 784.3 nkat/ml to 921.8 nkat/ml was recorded in one of the clones. The increase in expression was most probably due to the removal of fungal DNA between the vector promoter and the start codon. The distribution of the xylanase in the extracellular, periplasmic and cytoplasmic fractions was 17.3%, 51.3% and 31.4%, respectively. The modified enzyme was then purified to electrophoretic homogeneity using affinity chromatography. The xylanase had optimal activity at pH 5.5 and 70°C. After 120 min at 90°C and pH 10, S340 still displayed 39% residual activity. This enzyme is therefore well suited for its application in the pulp and paper industry.

No description available.

Thesis (D.Tech.: Biotechnology)-Dept. of Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 209 leaves / Protein engineering technologies, such as directed evolution and DNA recombination, are often used to modify enzymes on a genetic level for the creation of useful industrial catalysts. Pre-treatment of paper pulps with xylanases have been shown to decrease the amounts of toxic chlorine dioxide used to bleach pulp. This study was undertaken to improve the thermal and alkaline stabilities of the xylanase from the fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus using ep-PCR and DNA shuffling.