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Barone GD, Tagliaro I, Oliver-Simancas R, Radice M, Kalossaka LM, Mattei M, Biundo A, Pisano I, Jiménez-Quero A. Keratinous and corneous-based products towards circular bioeconomy: A research review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 22:100444. [PMID: 39183760 PMCID: PMC11342888 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Keratins and corneous proteins are key components of biomaterials used in a wide range of applications and are potential substitutes for petrochemical-based products. Horns, hooves, feathers, claws, and similar animal tissues are abundant sources of α-keratin and corneous β-proteins, which are by-products of the food industry. Their close association with the meat industry raises environmental and ethical concerns regarding their disposal. To promote an eco-friendly and circular use of these materials in novel applications, efforts have focused on recovering these residues to develop sustainable, non-animal-related, affordable, and scalable procedures. Here, we review and examine biotechnological methods for extracting and expressing α-keratins and corneous β-proteins in microorganisms. This review highlights consolidated research trends in biomaterials, medical devices, food supplements, and packaging, demonstrating the keratin industry's potential to create innovative value-added products. Additionally, it analyzes the state of the art of related intellectual property and market size to underscore the potential within a circular bioeconomic model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irene Tagliaro
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Rodrigo Oliver-Simancas
- Division of Industrial Biotechnology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 41296, Sweden
| | - Matteo Radice
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Livia M. Kalossaka
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Mattei
- Libera Università Internazionale Degli Studi Sociali “Guido Carli”, I-00198, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonino Biundo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Isabella Pisano
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70125, Bari, Italy
- CIRCC – Interuniversity Consortium Chemical Reactivity and Catalysis, Via C. Ulpiani 27, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Amparo Jiménez-Quero
- Division of Industrial Biotechnology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 41296, Sweden
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Sundaram MV, Pujol N. The Caenorhabditis elegans cuticle and precuticle: a model for studying dynamic apical extracellular matrices in vivo. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae072. [PMID: 38995735 PMCID: PMC11304992 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) coat the exposed surfaces of animal bodies to shape tissues, influence social interactions, and protect against pathogens and other environmental challenges. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, collagenous cuticle and zona pellucida protein-rich precuticle aECMs alternately coat external epithelia across the molt cycle and play many important roles in the worm's development, behavior, and physiology. Both these types of aECMs contain many matrix proteins related to those in vertebrates, as well as some that are nematode-specific. Extensive differences observed among tissues and life stages demonstrate that aECMs are a major feature of epithelial cell identity. In addition to forming discrete layers, some cuticle components assemble into complex substructures such as ridges, furrows, and nanoscale pillars. The epidermis and cuticle are mechanically linked, allowing the epidermis to sense cuticle damage and induce protective innate immune and stress responses. The C. elegans model, with its optical transparency, facilitates the study of aECM cell biology and structure/function relationships and all the myriad ways by which aECM can influence an organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meera V Sundaram
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nathalie Pujol
- Aix Marseille University, INSERM, CNRS, CIML, Turing Centre for Living Systems, 13009 Marseille, France
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Karabinos A. The long protostomic-type cytoplasmic intermediate filament (cIF) protein in Branchiostoma supports the phylogenetic transition between the protostomic- and the chordate-type cIFs. PROTOPLASMA 2023; 260:1493-1500. [PMID: 37209173 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-023-01865-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
We identified 23 and 20 cytoplasmic IF (cIF) genes in the two Branchiostoma belcheri and Branchiostoma lanceolatum cephalochordates, respectively. Combining these results with earlier data on the related Branchiostoma floridae, the following conclusions can be drawn. First, the Branchiostoma N4 protein with a long lamin-like coil 1B segment is the only protostomic-type cIF found so far in any analysed chordate or vertebrate organism. Second, Branchiostoma is the only organism known so far containing both the long protostomic- and the short chordate-prototypes of cIFs. This finding provides so far missing molecular evidence for the phylogenetic transition between the protostomic- and the chordate-type IF sequences at the base of the cephalochordates and vertebrates. Third, this finding also brings some support for another hypothesis, that the long protostomic-type cIF is subjected to evolutionary constraints in order to preclude inappropriate interactions with lamin and that the latter complexes might be prevented by a several heptad-long rod deletion, which released the selective constraints on it and promoted, at least in part, its expansion in nematodes, cephalochordates, and in vertebrates. Finally, here-presented data confirmed our previous results that cephalochordates do not have any vertebrate type III or type IV IF homolog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Karabinos
- Medirex, a.s., Kosice, Magnezitarska 2/C, 04013, Kosice, Slovakia.
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Parry DAD, Winter DJ. Keratin intermediate filament chains in the European common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) and a potential keratin filament crosslinker. J Struct Biol 2021; 213:107793. [PMID: 34481988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2021.107793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
On the basis of sequence homology with mammalian α-keratins, and on the criteria that the coiled-coil segments and central linker in the rod domain of these molecules must have conserved lengths if they are to assemble into viable intermediate filaments, a total of 28 Type I and Type II keratin intermediate filament chains (KIF) have been identified from the genome of the European common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis). Using the same criteria this number may be compared to 33 found here in the green anole lizard (Anole carolinensis) and 25 in the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). The Type I and Type II KIF genes in the wall lizard fall in clusters on chromosomes 13 and 2 respectively. Although some differences occur in the terminal domains in the KIF chains of the two lizards and tuatara, the similarities between key indicator residues - cysteine, glycine and proline - are significant. The terminal domains of the KIF chains in the wall lizard also contain sequence repeats commonly based on glycine and large apolar residues and would permit the fine tuning of physical properties when incorporated within the intermediate filaments. The H1 domain in the Type II chain is conserved across the lizards, tuatara and mammals, and has been related to its role in assembly at the 2-4 molecule level. A KIF-like chain (K80) with an extensive tail domain comprised of multiple tandem repeats has been identified as having a potential filament-crosslinking role.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A D Parry
- School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
| | - David J Winter
- School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
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