Bioadsorption of cadmium ion by cell surface-engineered yeasts displaying metallothionein and hexa-His

Flow cytometry-based high-throughput screening of synthetic peptides for palladium adsorption

Conventionally, the measurement of metal ion adsorption capacity in biosorbent relies on expensive and time-consuming ICP-OES technique. Herein, a semi-quantitative method to measure Pd(II) adsorption capacity of single cells has been presented by analyzing side scatter (SSC) intensity in flow cytometry. Within the sensitive range and applicable conditions, excellent linearity correlation (R2 ranges from 0.89 to 0.96) between the amount of Pd(II) absorbed on yeast and the fold increase in SSC intensity has been observed. Using this method, six strains with high Pd adsorption capacities have sorted from a yeast library with metal-binding peptides displayed (up to 107 strains) based on SSC signal intensity. The optimal peptide (EF1) displayed on yeast and E. coli surface demonstrated Pd adsorption improvements of ∼32% and ∼200%, respectively. In summary, our study proposes an alternative high-throughput method for analyzing the Pd(II) adsorption capacity of individual yeast cells, enabling the screening of specific peptides/proteins with high Pd(II) affinity from extensive libraries.

Utilization of Macroalgae for the Production of Bioactive Compounds and Bioprocesses Using Microbial Biotechnology

To achieve sustainable development, alternative resources should replace conventional resources such as fossil fuels. In marine ecosystems, many macroalgae grow faster than terrestrial plants. Macroalgae are roughly classified as green, red, or brown algae based on their photosynthetic pigments. Brown algae are considered to be a source of physiologically active substances such as polyphenols. Furthermore, some macroalgae can capture approximately 10 times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than terrestrial plants. Therefore, they have immense potential for use in the environment. Recently, macroalgae have emerged as a biomass feedstock for bioethanol production owing to their low lignin content and applicability to biorefinery processes. Herein, we provided an overview of the bioconversion of macroalgae into bioactive substances and biofuels using microbial biotechnology, including engineered yeast designed using molecular display technology.

Widespread bacterial responses and their mechanism of bacterial metallogenic detoxification under high concentrations of heavy metals

Microbial mineralization is increasingly used in bioremediation of heavy metal pollution, but better mechanistic understanding of the processes involved and how they are regulated are required to improve the practical application of microorganisms in bioremediation. We used a combination of morphological (TEM) and analytical (XRD, XPS, FTIR) methods, together with novel proteomic analyses, to investigate the detoxification mechanisms, used by a range of bacteria, including the strains Bacillus velezensis LB002, Escherichia coli DH5α, B. subtilis 168, Pseudomonas putida KT2440, and B. licheniformis MT-1, exposed to elevated concentrations of Cd²⁺ and combinations of Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺, in the presence and absence of added CaCl₂. Common features of detoxification included biomineralization, including the production of biological vaterite, up-regulation of proteins involved in flagellar movement and chemotaxis, biofilm synthesis, transmembrane transport of small molecules and organic matter decomposition. The putative roles of differentially expressed proteins in detoxification are discussed in relation to chemical and morphological data and together provide important tools to improve screening, selection, and practical application of bacterial isolates in bioremediation of polluted environments.

Is Genetic Engineering a Route to Enhance Microalgae-Mediated Bioremediation of Heavy Metal-Containing Effluents?

Contamination of the biosphere by heavy metals has been rising, due to accelerated anthropogenic activities, and is nowadays, a matter of serious global concern. Removal of such inorganic pollutants from aquatic environments via biological processes has earned great popularity, for its cost-effectiveness and high efficiency, compared to conventional physicochemical methods. Among candidate organisms, microalgae offer several competitive advantages; phycoremediation has even been claimed as the next generation of wastewater treatment technologies. Furthermore, integration of microalgae-mediated wastewater treatment and bioenergy production adds favorably to the economic feasibility of the former process—with energy security coming along with environmental sustainability. However, poor biomass productivity under abiotic stress conditions has hindered the large-scale deployment of microalgae. Recent advances encompassing molecular tools for genome editing, together with the advent of multiomics technologies and computational approaches, have permitted the design of tailor-made microalgal cell factories, which encompass multiple beneficial traits, while circumventing those associated with the bioaccumulation of unfavorable chemicals. Previous studies unfolded several routes through which genetic engineering-mediated improvements appear feasible (encompassing sequestration/uptake capacity and specificity for heavy metals); they can be categorized as metal transportation, chelation, or biotransformation, with regulation of metal- and oxidative stress response, as well as cell surface engineering playing a crucial role therein. This review covers the state-of-the-art metal stress mitigation mechanisms prevalent in microalgae, and discusses putative and tested metabolic engineering approaches, aimed at further improvement of those biological processes. Finally, current research gaps and future prospects arising from use of transgenic microalgae for heavy metal phycoremediation are reviewed.

Generation of Arming Yeasts with Active Proteins and Peptides via Cell Surface Display System: Cell Surface Engineering, Bio-Arming Technology

The cell surface display system in yeast enables the innovative strategy for improving cellular functions in a wide range of applications such as biofuel production, bioremediation, synthesis of valuable chemicals, recovery of rare metal ions, development of biosensors, and high-throughput screening of protein/peptide library. Display of enzymes for polysaccharide degradation enables the construction of metabolically engineered whole-cell biocatalyst owing to the accessibility of the displayed enzymes to high-molecular-weight polysaccharides. In addition, along with fluorescence-based activity evaluation, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and yeast cell chip, the cell surface display system is an effective molecular tool for high-throughput screening of mutated protein/peptide library. In this article, we describe the methods for cell surface display of proteins/peptides of interest on yeast, evaluation of display efficiency, and harvesting of the displayed proteins/peptides from cell surface.

Cell Surface Display of MerR on Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Biosorption of Mercury

The metalloregulatory protein MerR which plays important roles in mer operon system exhibits high affinity and selectivity toward mercury (II) (Hg²⁺). In order to improve the adsorption ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Hg²⁺, MerR was displayed on the surface of S. cerevisiae for the first time with an α-agglutinin-based display system in this study. The merR gene was synthesized after being optimized and added restriction endonuclease sites EcoR I and Mlu I. The display of MerR was indirectly confirmed by the enhanced adsorption ability of S. cerevisiae for Hg²⁺ and colony PCR. The hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry was applied to measure the Hg²⁺ content in water. The engineered yeast strain not only showed higher tolerance to Hg, but also their adsorption ability was much higher than that of origin and control strains. The engineered yeast could adsorb Hg²⁺ under a wide range of pH levels, and it could also adsorb Hg²⁺ effectively with Cd²⁺ and Cu²⁺ coexistence. Furthermore, the engineered yeast strain could adsorb ultra-trace Hg²⁺ effectively. The results above showed that the surface-engineered yeast strain could adsorb Hg²⁺ under complex environmental conditions and could be used for the biosorption and bioremediation of environmental Hg contaminants.

The use of bacterial bioremediation of metals in aquatic environments in the twenty-first century: a systematic review

Metal pollution is a current environmental issue as a consequence of unregulated anthropic activiy. A wide range of bioremediation strategies have been successfully implemented to recover contaminated areas. Among them, bacterial bioremediation stands out as a promising tool to confront these types of concerns. This study aimed to compare and discuss worldwide scientific evolution of bacterial potential for metal bioremediation in aquatic ecosystems. The study consisted of a systematic review, elaborated through a conceptual hypothesis model, during the period from 2000 to 2016, using PubMed, MEDLINE, and SciELO databases as data resources. The countries with the largest number of reports included in this work were India and the USA. Industrial wastewater discharge was the main subject associated to metal contamination/pollution and where bacterial bioremediations have mostly been applied. Biosorption is the main bioremediation mechanism described. Bacterial adaptation to metal presence was discussed in all the selected studies, and chromium was the most researched bioremedied substrate. Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosas and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis bacteria were microorganisms with the greatest applicability for metal bioremediation. Most reports involved the study of genes and/or proteins related to metal metabolism and/or resistence, and Chromobacterium violaceum was the most studied. The present work shows the relevance of metal bacterial bioremediation through the high number of studies aimed at understanding the microbiological mechanisms involved. Moreover, the developed processes applied in removal and/or reducing the resulting environmental metal contaminant/pollutant load have become a current and increasingly biotechnological issue for recovering impacted areas.

Heavy metal accumulation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells armed with metal binding hexapeptides targeted to the inner face of the plasma membrane

Accumulation of heavy metals without developing toxicity symptoms is a phenotype restricted to a small group of plants called hyperaccumulators, whose metal-related characteristics suggested the high potential in biotechnologies such as bioremediation and bioextraction. In an attempt to extrapolate the heavy metal hyperaccumulating phenotype to yeast, we obtained Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells armed with non-natural metal-binding hexapeptides targeted to the inner face of the plasma membrane, expected to sequester the metal ions once they penetrated the cell. We describe the construction of S. cerevisiae strains overexpressing metal-binding hexapeptides (MeBHxP) fused to the carboxy-terminus of a myristoylated green fluorescent protein (myrGFP). Three non-toxic myrGFP-MeBHxP (myrGFP-H6, myrGFP-C6, and myrGFP-(DE)3) were investigated against an array of heavy metals in terms of their effect on S. cerevisiae growth, heavy metal (hyper) accumulation, and capacity to remove heavy metal from contaminated environments.

Anchoring plant metallothioneins to the inner face of the plasma membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells leads to heavy metal accumulation

In this study we engineered yeast cells armed for heavy metal accumulation by targeting plant metallothioneins to the inner face of the yeast plasma membrane. Metallothioneins (MTs) are cysteine-rich proteins involved in the buffering of excess metal ions, especially Cu(I), Zn(II) or Cd(II). The cDNAs of seven Arabidopsis thaliana MTs (AtMT1a, AtMT1c, AtMT2a, AtMT2b, AtMT3, AtMT4a and AtMT4b) and four Noccaea caerulescens MTs (NcMT1, NcMT2a, NcMT2b and NcMT3) were each translationally fused to the C-terminus of a myristoylation green fluorescent protein variant (myrGFP) and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The myrGFP cassette introduced a yeast myristoylation sequence which allowed directional targeting to the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane along with direct monitoring of the intracellular localization of the recombinant protein by fluorescence microscopy. The yeast strains expressing plant MTs were investigated against an array of heavy metals in order to identify strains which exhibit the (hyper)accumulation phenotype without developing toxicity symptoms. Among the transgenic strains which could accumulate Cu(II), Zn(II) or Cd(II), but also non-canonical metal ions, such as Co(II), Mn(II) or Ni(II), myrGFP-NcMT3 qualified as the best candidate for bioremediation applications, thanks to the robust growth accompanied by significant accumulative capacity.

Increased copper bioremediation ability of new transgenic and adapted Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

Environmental pollution with heavy metals is a very serious ecological problem, which can be solved by bioremediation of metal ions by microorganisms. Yeast cells, especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are known to exhibit a good natural ability to remove heavy metal ions from an aqueous phase. In the present work, an attempt was made to increase the copper-binding properties of S. cerevisiae. For this purpose, new strains of S. cerevisiae were produced by construction and integration of recombinant human MT2 and GFP-hMT2 genes into yeast cells. The ySA4001 strain expressed GFP-hMT2p under the constitutive pADH1 promoter and the ySA4002 and ySA4003 strains expressed hMT2 and GFP-hMT2 under the inducible pCUP1 promoter. An additional yMNWTA01 strain was obtained by adaptation of the BY4743 wild type S. cerevisiae strain to high copper concentrations. The yMNWTA01, ySA4002, and ySA4003 strains exhibited an enhanced ability for copper ion bioremediation.

Resistance and uptake of cadmium by yeast, Pichia hampshirensis 4Aer, isolated from industrial effluent and its potential use in decontamination of wastewater

Pichia hampshirensis 4Aer is first ever used yeast for the bioremediation of environmental cadmium (Cd(+2)) which could maximally remove 22 mM/g and 28 mM/g Cd(+2) from aqueous medium at lab and large scales, respectively. The biosorption was found to be the function of temperature, pH of solution, initial Cd(+2) concentration and biomass dosage. Competitive biosorption was investigated in binary and multi-metal system which indicated the decrease in Cd(+2) biosorption with increasing the competitive metal ions attributed to their higher electronegativity and larger radius. FTIR analysis revealed the active participation of amide and carbonyl moieties in Cd(+2) adsorption confirmed by EDX analysis. Electron micrographs summoned further surface adsorption and increased cell size due to intracellular Cd(+2) accumulation. Cd(+2) was the causative agent of some metal binding proteins as well as prodigious increase in glutathione and other non-protein thiols levels which is the crucial for the yeast to thrive oxidative stress generated by Cd(+2). Our experimental data were consistent with Langmuir as well as Freundlich isotherm models. The yeast obeyed pseudo second order kinetic model which makes it an effective biosorbent for Cd(+2). High bioremediation potential and spontaneity and feasibility of the process make P. hampshirensis 4Aer an impending foundation for green chemistry to exterminate environmental Cd(+2).

Zinc Resistance Mechanisms of P1B-type ATPases in Sinorhizobium meliloti CCNWSX0020

The Sinorhizobium meliloti (S. meliloti) strain CCNWSX0020 displayed tolerance to high levels exposures of multiple metals and growth promotion of legume plants grown in metal-contaminated soil. However, the mechanism of metal-resistant strain remains unknown. We used five P_1B-ATPases deletions by designating as ∆copA1b, ∆fixI1, ∆copA3, ∆zntA and ∆nia, respectively to investigate the role of P_1B-ATPases in heavy metal resistance of S. meliloti. The ∆copA1b and ∆zntA mutants were sensitive to zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in different degree, whereas the other mutants had no significant influence on the metal resistance. Moreover, the expression of zntA was induced by Zn, Cd and Pb whereas copA1b was induced by copper (Cu) and silver (Ag). This two deletions could led to the increased intracellular concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd, but not of Cu. Complementation of ∆copA1b and ∆zntA mutants showed a restoration of tolerance to Zn, Cd and Pb to a certain extent. Taken together, the results suggest an important role of copA1b and zntA in Zn homeostasis and Cd and Pb detoxification in S. meliloti CCNWSX0020.

Establishment of cell surface engineering and its development

Cell surface display of proteins/peptides has been established based on mechanisms of localizing proteins to the cell surface. In contrast to conventional intracellular and extracellular (secretion) expression systems, this method, generally called an arming technology, is particularly effective when using yeasts as a host, because the control of protein folding that is often required for the preparation of proteins can be natural. This technology can be employed for basic and applied research purposes. In this review, I describe various strategies for the construction of engineered yeasts and provide an outline of the diverse applications of this technology to industrial processes such as the production of biofuels and chemicals, as well as bioremediation and health-related processes. Furthermore, this technology is suitable for novel protein engineering and directed evolution through high-throughput screening, because proteins/peptides displayed on the cell surface can be directly analyzed using intact cells without concentration and purification. Functional proteins/peptides with improved or novel functions can be created using this beneficial, powerful, and promising technique.

Mitigating health risks associated with alcoholic beverages through metabolic engineering

Epidemiological studies have established a positive relationship between the occurrence of cancer and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Metabolic engineering of brewing yeast to reduce potential carcinogenic compounds in alcoholic beverage is technically feasible as well as economically promising. This review presents the mechanisms of formation of potentially carcinogenic components in alcoholic beverages, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, ethyl carbamate, acrylamide, and heavy metals, and introduces effective genetic perturbations to minimize the concentrations of these harmful components. As precise and effective genome editing tools for polyploid yeast are now available, we envision that yeast metabolic engineering might open up new research directions for improving brewing yeast in order to ensure product safety as well as to increase overall quality of alcoholic beverages.

Applications of Yeast Surface Display for Protein Engineering

The method of displaying recombinant proteins on the surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae via genetic fusion to an abundant cell wall protein, a technology known as yeast surface display, or simply, yeast display, has become a valuable protein engineering tool for a broad spectrum of biotechnology and biomedical applications. This review focuses on the use of yeast display for engineering protein affinity, stability, and enzymatic activity. Strategies and examples for each protein engineering goal are discussed. Additional applications of yeast display are also briefly presented, including protein epitope mapping, identification of protein-protein interactions, and uses of displayed proteins in industry and medicine.

Bioaccumulation characterization of cadmium by growing Bacillus cereus RC-1 and its mechanism

In an effort to explore the protective mechanism of growing Bacillus cereus RC-1 against the toxicity of different Cd(II) concentrations, bacterial growth, cadmium consumption, surface interactions and intra- and extra-cellular Cd(II) contents were examined. Cellular morphology and growth were evidently affected by the initial metal concentrations above 20 mg L(-1), according to the analysis of SEM, AFM, TEM and UV spectrophotometer. Surface complexation and electrostatic attraction played an important role in the different Cd(II) concentrations, as determined by the FTIR and Zeta potential analysis. Intracellular accumulation was the predominant mechanism in culture with lower metal concentrations (below 20 mg L(-1)), but was overshadowed by extracellular adsorption at higher concentrations. This suggested that the growing cells might employ one dominant mechanism at lower concentrations and then shift to another at higher concentrations. These results suggest options could be exploited for bioremediation of aqueous solution in which the Cd(II) concentration is less than 20 mg L(-1).

Biosorbents for recovery of precious metals

Biosorption is a promising technology not only for the removal of heavy metals and dyes but also for the recovery of precious metals (PMs) from solution phases. The biosorptive recovery of PMs from waste solutions and secondary resources is recently getting paid attractive attention because their price is increasing or fluctuating, their available deposit is limited and maldistributed, and high-tech industries need more consumption of PMs. The biosorbents for recovery of PMs require specifications which differ from those for the treatment of wastewaters containing heavy metals and dyes. In this review, the previous works on biosorbents and biosorption for recovery of PMs were summarized. Especially, we discuss and suggest the required specifications of biosorbents for recovery of PMs and strategies to give the required properties to the biosorbents. We believe this review will provide useful information to scientists and engineers and hope to give insights into this research frontier.

Generation of arming yeasts with active proteins and peptides via cell surface display system: cell surface engineering, bio-arming technology

The cell surface display system in yeast enables the innovative strategy for improving cellular functions in a wide range of applications such as biofuel production, bioremediation, synthesis of valuable chemicals, recovery of rare metal ions, development of biosensors, and high-throughput screening of proteins/peptides library. Display of enzymes for polysaccharide degradation enables the construction of metabolically engineered whole-cell biocatalyst owing to the accessibility of the displayed enzymes to high-molecular-weight polysaccharides. In addition, along with fluorescence-based activity evaluation, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and yeast cell chip, the cell surface display system is an effective molecular tool for high-throughput screening of mutated proteins/peptides library. In this article, we describe the methods for cell surface display of proteins/peptides of interest on yeast, evaluation of display efficiency, and harvesting of the displayed proteins/peptides from cell surface.

Arming Technology in Yeast-Novel Strategy for Whole-cell Biocatalyst and Protein Engineering

Cell surface display of proteins/peptides, in contrast to the conventional intracellular expression, has many attractive features. This arming technology is especially effective when yeasts are used as a host, because eukaryotic modifications that are often required for functional use can be added to the surface-displayed proteins/peptides. A part of various cell wall or plasma membrane proteins can be genetically fused to the proteins/peptides of interest to be displayed. This technology, leading to the generation of so-called "arming technology", can be employed for basic and applied research purposes. In this article, we describe various strategies for the construction of arming yeasts, and outline the diverse applications of this technology to industrial processes such as biofuel and chemical productions, pollutant removal, and health-related processes, including oral vaccines. In addition, arming technology is suitable for protein engineering and directed evolution through high-throughput screening that is made possible by the feature that proteins/peptides displayed on cell surface can be directly analyzed using intact cells without concentration and purification. Actually, novel proteins/peptides with improved or developed functions have been created, and development of diagnostic/therapeutic antibodies are likely to benefit from this powerful approach.

Bioremediation of industrial effluents containing heavy metals using brewing cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a green technology: a review

The release of heavy metals into the environment, mainly as a consequence of anthropogenic activities, constitutes a worldwide environmental pollution problem. Unlike organic pollutants, heavy metals are not degraded and remain indefinitely in the ecosystem, which poses a different kind of challenge for remediation. It seems that the "best treatment technologies" available may not be completely effective for metal removal or can be expensive; therefore, new methodologies have been proposed for the detoxification of metal-bearing wastewaters. The present work reviews and discusses the advantages of using brewing yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the detoxification of effluents containing heavy metals. The current knowledge of the mechanisms of metal removal by yeast biomass is presented. The use of live or dead biomass and the influence of biomass inactivation on the metal accumulation characteristics are outlined. The role of chemical speciation for predicting and optimising the efficiency of metal removal is highlighted. The problem of biomass separation, after treatment of the effluents, and the use of flocculent characteristics, as an alternative process of cell-liquid separation, are also discussed. The use of yeast cells in the treatment of real effluents to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied studies is presented and updated. The convenient management of the contaminated biomass and the advantages of the selective recovery of heavy metals in the development of a closed cycle without residues (green technology) are critically reviewed.

Molecular design of the microbial cell surface toward the recovery of metal ions

The genetic engineering of microorganisms to adsorb metal ions is an attractive method to facilitate the environmental cleanup of metal pollution and to enrich the recovery of metal ions such as rare metal ions. For the recovery of metal ions by microorganisms, cell surface design is an effective strategy for the molecular breeding of bioadsorbents as an alternative to intracellular accumulation. The cell surface display of known metal-binding proteins/peptides and the molecular design of novel metal-binding proteins/peptides have been performed using a cell surface engineering approach. The adsorption of specific metal ions is the important challenge for the practical recovery of metal ions. In this paper, we discuss the recent progress in surface-engineered bioadsorbents for the recovery of metal ions.

Engineering of microorganisms towards recovery of rare metal ions

The bioadsorption of metal ions using microorganisms is an attractive technology for the recovery of rare metal ions as well as removal of toxic heavy metal ions from aqueous solution. In initial attempts, microorganisms with the ability to accumulate metal ions were isolated from nature and intracellular accumulation was enhanced by the overproduction of metal-binding proteins in the cytoplasm. As an alternative, the cell surface design of microorganisms by cell surface engineering is an emerging strategy for bioadsorption and recovery of metal ions. Cell surface engineering was firstly applied to the construction of a bioadsorbent to adsorb heavy metal ions for bioremediation. Cell surface adsorption of metal ions is rapid and reversible. Therefore, adsorbed metal ions can be easily recovered without cell breakage, and the bioadsorbent can be reused or regenerated. These advantages are suitable for the recovery of rare metal ions. Actually, the cell surface display of a molybdate-binding protein on yeast led to the enhanced adsorption of molybdate, one of the rare metal ions. An additional advantage is that the cell surface display system allows high-throughput screening of protein/peptide libraries owing to the direct evaluation of the displayed protein/peptide without purification and concentration. Therefore, the creation of novel metal-binding protein/peptide and engineering of microorganisms towards the recovery of rare metal ions could be simultaneously achieved.

Cell surface engineering of yeast for applications in white biotechnology

Cell surface engineering is a promising strategy for the molecular breeding of whole-cell biocatalysts. By using this strategy, yeasts can be constructed by the cell surface display of functional proteins; these yeasts are referred to as arming yeasts. Because reactions using arming yeasts as whole-cell biocatalysts occur on the cell surface, materials that cannot enter the cell can be used as reaction substrates. Numerous arming yeasts have therefore been constructed for a wide range of uses such as biofuel production, synthesis of valuable chemicals, adsorption or degradation of environmental pollutants, recovery of rare metal ions, and biosensors. Here, we review the science of yeast cell surface modification as well as current applications and future opportunities.

Surface display of metal fixation motifs of bacterial P1-type ATPases specifically promotes biosorption of Pb(2+) by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Biosorption of metal ions may take place by different passive metal-sequestering processes such as ion exchange, complexation, physical entrapment, and inorganic microprecipitation or by a combination of these. To improve the biosorption capacity of the potential yeast biosorbent, short metal-binding NP peptides (harboring the CXXEE metal fixation motif of the bacterial Pb(2+)-transporting P1-type ATPases) were efficiently displayed and covalently anchored to the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These were fusions to the carboxyl-terminal part of the sexual adhesion glycoprotein alpha-agglutinin (AGalpha1Cp). Compared to yeast cells displaying the anchoring domain only, those having a surface display of NP peptides multiplied their Pb(2+) biosorption capacity from solutions containing a 75 to 300 microM concentration of the metal ion up to 5-fold. The S-type Pb(2+) biosorption isotherms, plus the presence of electron-dense deposits (with an average size of 80 by 240 nm, observed by transmission electron microscopy) strongly suggested that the improved biosorption potential of NP-displaying cells is due to the onset of microprecipitation of Pb species on the modified cell wall. The power of an improved capacity for Pb biosorption was also retained by the isolated cell walls containing NP peptides. Their Pb(2+) biosorption property was insensitive to the presence of a 3-fold molar excess of either Cd(2+) or Zn(2+). These results suggest that the biosorption mechanism can be specifically upgraded with microprecipitation by the engineering of the biosorbent with an eligible metal-binding peptide.

Biosorbents for heavy metals removal and their future

A vast array of biological materials, especially bacteria, algae, yeasts and fungi have received increasing attention for heavy metal removal and recovery due to their good performance, low cost and large available quantities. The biosorbent, unlike mono functional ion exchange resins, contains variety of functional sites including carboxyl, imidazole, sulphydryl, amino, phosphate, sulfate, thioether, phenol, carbonyl, amide and hydroxyl moieties. Biosorbents are cheaper, more effective alternatives for the removal of metallic elements, especially heavy metals from aqueous solution. In this paper, based on the literatures and our research results, the biosorbents widely used for heavy metal removal were reviewed, mainly focusing on their cellular structure, biosorption performance, their pretreatment, modification, regeneration/reuse, modeling of biosorption (isotherm and kinetic models), the development of novel biosorbents, their evaluation, potential application and future. The pretreatment and modification of biosorbents aiming to improve their sorption capacity was introduced and evaluated. Molecular biotechnology is a potent tool to elucidate the mechanisms at molecular level, and to construct engineered organisms with higher biosorption capacity and selectivity for the objective metal ions. The potential application of biosorption and biosorbents was discussed. Although the biosorption application is facing the great challenge, there are two trends for the development of the biosorption process for metal removal. One trend is to use hybrid technology for pollutants removal, especially using living cells. Another trend is to develop the commercial biosorbents using immobilization technology, and to improve the biosorption process including regeneration/reuse, making the biosorbents just like a kind of ion exchange resin, as well as to exploit the market with great endeavor.

Substrate specificity of rat brain neurolysin disclosed by molecular display system and putative substrates in rat tissues

To search for the substrates, other than neurotensin, of rat brain neurolysin, a novel method of determining peptidase activity was developed using a yeast molecular display system. This is a useful and convenient method of handling homogenously pure proteins to evaluate the properties of neurolysin. The neurolysin gene was ligated to the C-terminal half of the alpha-agglutinin gene with a FLAG tag sequence and a yeast cell-surface molecular displaying plasmid was constructed. Display of neurolysin with correct folding and appropriate activity was verified by immunofluorescence staining and activity measurement of a bradykinin-related peptide. The cleavage sites of peptides were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The results showed the amino acid preferences of hydrophobic, aromatic, and basic residues, which were the same as those of soluble neurolysin. Moreover, this method clearly showed the presence of two recognition motifs in neurolysin. By using these motifs, novel substrate candidates of neurolysin in rat tissues were screened, and several bioactive peptides that regulate feeding were found. We also discussed the ubiquitous distribution of neurolysin in rat tissues and the functions of substrate candidate peptides.

Selection of novel nickel-binding peptides from flagella displayed secondary peptide library

Nickel (Ni) performs its biological or toxic functions in nickel-protein coordination form. Novel Ni-binding peptides were isolated from a random dodecapeptide library displayed on the flagella of Escherichia coli against immobilized ions. On the basis of isolated sequences rich in histidine residues, two secondary libraries were constructed respectively. By consequent selection, more Ni-chelating peptides were identified and the consensus motif RHXHR (where X was always H) was deduced. The result suggested that not only histidine, but also arginine, play an important role in Ni-binding. Furthermore, two selected clones (1035 and 2022) were chosen for further identification. They exhibited similar relative binding affinity, which was about nine times that of the original library derived clones and statistically much more significant than the positive control with polyhistidine insert. Free nickel ions could almost completely inhibit the binding of the clones 1035 and 2022 to immobilized nickel, implicating that the peptides were able to chelate nickel ions. These studies reveal that bacterial surface displayed peptide libraries may have promising future potential for the development of metal bioadsorbents. Furthermore, novel Ni-binding peptides may provide lead molecules for Ni-chelation and applications thereof.

Effective display of metallothionein tandem repeats on the bioadsorption of cadmium ion

To increase the level of adsorption of heavy metal ions in surface-engineered yeasts, a yeast metallothionein (YMT) was tandemly fused and displayed by means of an alpha-agglutinin-based display system. The display of the YMT and its tandem repeats was examined by immunofluorescent labeling. The adsorption and recovery of Cd(2+) on the cell surface was increasingly enhanced with increasing number of tandem repeats. All Cd(2+)-binding sites in the YMT tandem repeats were suggested to be completely occupied. To investigate the relationship between cell-surface adsorption and protection against heavy metal ion toxicity, the tolerance of these surface-engineered yeasts to Cd(2+) was examined by growing in Cd(2+)-containing liquid medium. The rate of growth was found to be dependent on the number of displayed tandem repeats of YMT. These results suggest that the characteristics of surface-engineered yeasts as a bioadsorbent were dependent on the ability of the displayed proteins to bind metal ions, and the adsorption of heavy metal ions on the cell surface plays a major role in the ability of the cells to resist the toxic effects of metal ions.