Heterologously expressed family 51 alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases from Oenococcus oeni and Lactobacillus brevis

Microbial ecology and metabolite dynamics of backslopped triticale sourdough productions and the impact of scale

Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) is a hybrid of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rye (Secale cereale L.), combining the positive attributes of both cereals. However, it has not been exploited for sourdough production yet. Further, the effect of scale on sourdough production has not been investigated systematically up to now. The aims of the present study were to assess the microbial ecology and metabolomic output of eleven spontaneously fermented, backslopped sourdough productions made with triticale flour on a scale of 100, 200, 500, and 1000 g. The acidification profile [pH and total titratable acidity (TTA)], microbial diversity (culture-dependent and culture-independent), metabolite dynamics, and appropriate correlations were determined. After ten fermentation steps, different species of Lactobacillaceae were prevalent in the mature sourdoughs, in particular Latilactobacillus curvatus, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The microbial diversity could be traced back to the grains and was also present in the milling fractions (flour, bran, and shorts). Furthermore, thanks to the use of Illumina-based high-throughput sequencing and an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) approach, the presence of undesirable bacterial groups (bacilli, clostridia, and enterobacteria) during the initial steps of the backslopping cycle was revealed, as well as a finetuned taxonomic diversity of the LAB genera involved. Small sourdough productions (100 and 200 g) selected for a lower species diversity and reached a stable consortium faster than large ones (500 and 1000 g). Although a comparable final pH of 3.6-4.0 was obtained, the TTA of small sourdoughs was lower than that of large ones. Regarding the metabolic output, the simultaneous production of mannitol and erythritol, beyond ethanol and glycerol, could be linked to sourdoughs in which Liml. fermentum was the sole LAB species present. Further, the use of the arginine deiminase pathway by P. pentosaceus and Liml. fermentum was obvious. An appropriate extraction method followed by liquid injection gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry allowed the quantification of interesting volatile organic compounds, such as ethyl lactate. These findings support the inclusion of triticale as a viable alternative to wheat or rye for the production of sourdoughs that can be integrated into bread-making production schemes.

Metagenomic and proteomic analysis of bacterial retting community and proteome profile in the degumming process of kenaf bast

BACKGROUND

Data on the microbial community and functional proteins associated with degumming in kenaf remains scant. Here, we analyzed the microbial communities associated with kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) bast fibers during retting to identify potential candidate degumming bacteria. Retting liquids were collected and analyzed at 0 days, 10 days, and 34 days and then evaluated the yield and quality of kenaf fiber at the different retting times. Besides, the microbial communities were characterized using metagenomic and proteomic analysis by LC-MS/MS technology.

RESULTS

The data showed that increase in the retting time significantly improves the softness, dispersion, and fiber whiteness of the kenaf fiber. The relative abundance of Acinetobacter increased from 2.88% at the baseline to 6.64% at the 34th retting. On the other hand, some members of Clostridium were reduced from 3% at the baseline to 2% at the 34th retting. Analysis of carbohydrate active enzymes showed constant changes in the utilization of carbohydrates. Besides, benzoquinone reductase, cellobiose dehydrogenase, glucose 1-oxidase, aryl alcohol oxidase and alcohol oxidase were the top five most abundant enzymes in the retting liquids. This present results demonstrated that the expressions of B7GYR8, Q6RYW5 and Q6FFK2 proteins were suppressed in Acinetobacter with the retting time. On the contrary, P05149 was upregulated with the retting time. In Clostridium, P37698, P52040 and P54937 proteins were upregulated with the retting time.

CONCLUSION

In addition, bacteria Acinetobacter and Clostridium might be playing important roles in the kenaf degumming process. Similarly, up-regulation of P37698, P52040 and P54937 proteins is an important manifestation and mediates important roles in the degumming process.

Hydrolysis of Arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides by α-L-Arabinofuranosidases and β-D-Xylosidase from Bifidobacterium dentium

Two α-L-arabinofuranosidases (BfdABF1 and BfdABF3) and a β-D-xylosidase (BfdXYL2) genes were cloned from Bifidobacterium dentium ATCC 27679, and functionally expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). BfdABF1 showed the highest activity in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 5.0 and 25°C. This exo-enzyme could hydrolyze p-nitrophenyl arabinofuranoside, arabino-oligosaccharides (AOS), arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS) such as 3²-α-L-arabinofuranosyl-xylobiose (A³X), and 2³-α-Larabinofuranosyl-xylotriose (A²XX), whereas hardly hydrolyzed polymeric substrates such as debranched arabinan and arabinoxylans. BfdABF1 is a typical exo-ABF with the higher specific activity on the oligomeric substrates than the polymers. It prefers to α-(1,2)-L-arabinofuranosidic linkages compared to α-(1,3)-linkages. Especially, BfdABF1 could slowly hydrolyze 2³,3³-di-α-L-arabinofuranosyl-xylotriose (A²⁺³XX). Meanwhile, BfdABF3 showed the highest activity in sodium acetate at pH 6.0 and 50°C, and it has the exclusively high activities on AXOS such as A³X and A²XX. BfdABF3 mainly catalyzes the removal of L-arabinose side chains from various AXOS. BfdXYL2 exhibited the highest activity in sodium citrate at pH 5.0 and 55°C, and it specifically hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl xylopyranoside and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS). Also, BfdXYL2 could slowly hydrolyze AOS and AXOS such as A³X. Based on the detailed hydrolytic modes of action of three exo-hydrolases (BfdABF1, BfdABF3, and BfdXYL2) from Bf. dentium, their probable roles in the hemiceulloseutilization system of Bf. dentium are proposed in the present study. These intracellular exo-hydrolases can synergistically produce L-arabinose and D-xylose from various AOS, XOS, and AXOS.

Arabinoxylo- and Arabino-Oligosaccharides-Specific α-L-Arabinofuranosidase GH51 Isozymes from the Amylolytic Yeast Saccharomycopsis fibuligera

Two genes encoding probable α-L-arabinofuranosidase (E.C. 3.2.1.55) isozymes (ABFs) with 92.3% amino acid sequence identity, ABF51A and ABF51B, were found from chromosomes 3 and 5 of Saccharomycopsis fibuligera KJJ81, an amylolytic yeast isolated from Korean wheat-based nuruk, respectively. Each open reading frame consists of 1,551 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 517 amino acids with the molecular mass of approximately 59 kDa. These isozymes share approximately 49% amino acid sequence identity with eukaryotic ABFs from filamentous fungi. The corresponding genes were cloned, functionally expressed, and purified from Escherichia coli. SfABF51_A and SfABF51_B showed the highest activities on p-nitrophenyl arabinofuranoside at 40~45°C and pH 7.0 in sodium phosphate buffer and at 50°C and pH 6.0 in sodium acetate buffer, respectively. These exo-acting enzymes belonging to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 51 could hydrolyze arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS) and arabino-oligosaccharides (AOS) to produce only L-arabinose, whereas they could hardly degrade any polymeric substrates including arabinans and arabinoxylans. The detailed product analyses revealed that both SfABF51 isozymes can catalyze the versatile hydrolysis of α-(1,2)-and α-(1,3)-L-arabinofuranosidic linkages of AXOS, and α-(1,2)-, α-(1,3)-, and α-(1,5)-linkages of linear and branched AOS. On the contrary, they have much lower activity against the α-(1,2)-and α-(1,3)-double-substituted substrates than the single-substituted ones. These hydrolases could potentially play important roles in the degradation and utilization of hemicellulosic biomass by S. fibuligera.

Metabolic Profiling of Xylooligosaccharides by Lactobacilli

Three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, and Lactobacillus sakei isolated from meat products were tested for their ability to utilize and grow on xylooligosaccharides (XOSs). The extent of carbohydrate utilization by the studied strains was analyzed by HPLC. All three strains showed preferences for the degree of polymerization (DP). The added oligosaccharides induced the LAB to form end-products of typical mixed-acid fermentation. The utilization of XOSs by the microorganisms requires the action of three important enzymes: β-xylosidase (EC 3.2.1.37) exo-oligoxylanase (EC 3.2.1.156) and α-L-arabinofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.55). The presence of intracellular β-D-xylosidase in Lb. brevis, Lb. plantarum, and Lb. sakei suggest that XOSs might be the first imported into the cell by oligosaccharide transporters, followed by their degradation to xylose. The studies on the influence of XOS intake on the lipids of rat liver plasma membranes showed that oligosaccharides display various beneficial effects for the host organism, which are probably specific for each type of prebiotic used. The utilization of different types of oligosaccharides may help to explain the ability of Lactobacillus strains to compete with other bacteria in the ecosystem of the human gastrointestinal tract.

Thermophilic Degradation of Hemicellulose, a Critical Feedstock in the Production of Bioenergy and Other Value-Added Products

Renewable fuels have gained importance as the world moves toward diversifying its energy portfolio. A critical step in the biomass-to-bioenergy initiative is deconstruction of plant cell wall polysaccharides to their unit sugars for subsequent fermentation to fuels. To acquire carbon and energy for their metabolic processes, diverse microorganisms have evolved genes encoding enzymes that depolymerize polysaccharides to their carbon/energy-rich building blocks. The microbial enzymes mostly target the energy present in cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin, three major forms of energy storage in plants. In the effort to develop bioenergy as an alternative to fossil fuel, a common strategy is to harness microbial enzymes to hydrolyze cellulose to glucose for fermentation to fuels. However, the conversion of plant biomass to renewable fuels will require both cellulose and hemicellulose, the two largest components of the plant cell wall, as feedstock to improve economic feasibility. Here, we explore the enzymes and strategies evolved by two well-studied bacteria to depolymerize the hemicelluloses xylan/arabinoxylan and mannan. The sets of enzymes, in addition to their applications in biofuels and value-added chemical production, have utility in animal feed enzymes, a rapidly developing industry with potential to minimize adverse impacts of animal agriculture on the environment.

Evaluation and characterization of new α-L-rhamnosidase-producing yeast strains

A total of thirty yeast strains were isolated from a whey beverage and screened for α-L-rhamnosidase enzyme production. Of these, only four isolates were capable of producing the α-L-rhamnosidase enzyme by hydrolyzing naringin. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the morphology of the yeast isolate (isolate No. 84) producing the greatest enzyme, changed from oval to filamentous in the presence of naringin. On the basis of morphological and molecular characterization (ITS sequencing), these four isolates were identified as Clavispora lusitaniae-84, Clavispora lusitaniae-B82, Candida sp.-86 and Candida hyderabadensis-S82). Fermentation parameters and the biochemical characterization of the α-L-rhamnosidase-producing yeast isolates were studied based on carbon substrate utilization profiles using BIOLOG phenotype microarray plates. Intra-species genetic diversity among the isolates was evaluated by whole genome analysis with repetitive DNA sequences (ERIC, REP and BOX) based DNA fingerprinting. On the basis of these results, it was found that these isolates of yeast producing L-rhamnosidase have a great potential application for beverage quality enhancement, and can build a strong foundation of α-L-rhamnosidase-producing yeast strains in the debittering of citrus juice.

Arabinoxylan oligosaccharide hydrolysis by family 43 and 51 glycosidases from Lactobacillus brevis DSM 20054

Due to their potential prebiotic properties, arabinoxylan-derived oligosaccharides [(A)XOS] are of great interest as functional food and feed ingredients. While the (A)XOS metabolism of Bifidobacteriaceae has been extensively studied, information regarding lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is still limited in this context. The aim of the present study was to fill this important gap by characterizing candidate (A)XOS hydrolyzing glycoside hydrolases (GHs) identified in the genome of Lactobacillus brevis DSM 20054. Two putative GH family 43 xylosidases (XynB1 and XynB2) and a GH family 43 arabinofuranosidase (Abf3) were heterologously expressed and characterized. While the function of XynB1 remains unclear, XynB2 could efficiently hydrolyze xylooligosaccharides. Abf3 displayed high specific activity for arabinobiose but could not release arabinose from an (A)XOS preparation. However, two previously reported GH 51 arabinofuranosidases from Lb. brevis were able to specifically remove α-1,3-linked arabinofuranosyl residues from arabino-xylooligosaccharides (AXHm3 specificity). These results imply that Lb. brevis is at least genetically equipped with functional enzymes in order to hydrolyze the depolymerization products of (arabino)xylans and arabinans. The distribution of related genes in Lactobacillales genomes indicates that GH 43 and, especially, GH 51 glycosidase genes are rare among LAB and mainly occur in obligately heterofermentative Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp., members of the Leuconostoc/Weissella branch, and Enterococcus spp. Apart from the prebiotic viewpoint, this information also adds new perspectives on the carbohydrate (i.e., pentose-oligomer) metabolism of LAB species involved in the fermentation of hemicellulose-containing substrates.

Characterization of two distinct glycosyl hydrolase family 78 alpha-L-rhamnosidases from Pediococcus acidilactici

α-L-Rhamnosidases play an important role in the hydrolysis of glycosylated aroma compounds (especially terpenes) from wine. Although several authors have demonstrated the enological importance of fungal rhamnosidases, the information on bacterial enzymes in this context is still limited. In order to fill this important gap, two putative rhamnosidase genes (ram and ram2) from Pediococcus acidilactici DSM 20284 were heterologously expressed, and the respective gene products were characterized. In combination with a bacterial β-glucosidase, both enzymes released the monoterpenes linalool and cis-linalool oxide from a muscat wine extract under ideal conditions. Additionally, Ram could release significant amounts of geraniol and citronellol/nerol. Nevertheless, the potential enological value of these enzymes is limited by the strong negative effects of acidity and ethanol on the activities of Ram and Ram2. Therefore, a direct application in winemaking seems unlikely. Although both enzymes are members of the same glycosyl hydrolase family (GH 78), our results clearly suggest the distinct functionalities of Ram and Ram2, probably representing two subclasses within GH 78: Ram could efficiently hydrolyze only the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (V(max) = 243 U mg(-1)). In contrast, Ram2 displayed considerable specificity toward hesperidin (V(max) = 34 U mg(-1)) and, especially, rutinose (V(max) = 1,200 U mg(-1)), a disaccharide composed of glucose and rhamnose. Both enzymes were unable to hydrolyze the flavanone glycoside naringin. Interestingly, both enzymes displayed indications of positive substrate cooperativity. This study presents detailed kinetic data on two novel rhamnosidases, which could be relevant for the further study of bacterial glycosidases.