A Cost Effective Method for Screening and Isolation of Xylan Degrading Bacteria Using Agro Waste Material

Multi-functional xylanase from Aspergillus sydowii: biosynthesis of nanoconjugates, optimization by Taguchi approach and biodeinking potential

The search for effective production of xylanase which is an important industrial enzyme led to the present study that explored xylanase production by Aspergillus sydowii SF through Taguchi optimization that incorporated nanoconjugates in submerged fermentation. Calcium and zinc oxide nanoconjugates biosynthesized by xylanase were characterized via UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The xylanase-mediated calcium oxide and zinc oxide nanoconjugates with λmax of 374 and 316 nm, respectively, and were 5.32-17.69 nm in size. Xylanase production was improved by 2.90-10.58 folds (64.24-234.15 U/mL) through Taguchi optimization cum nanoconjugates, and ANOVA showed that nanoconjugates contributed 13.62-65.97% to improved production. The xylanase had up to 88.38% deinking activity, with 49.60-84.64% removal of blue color. The remarkable xylanase production, its use to biosynthesize nanoconjugates and biodeinking potentials contribute to the development of versatile biocatalysts with applications in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and sustainable paper production. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of xylanase for biosynthesis of calcium oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles, as well as nanosupplementation to induce xylanase production, which can open new vista in bioprocess optimization.

Exploring microbial diversity in hot springs of Surajkund, India through 16S rRNA analysis and thermozyme characterization from endogenous isolates

Hot springs are a valuable source of biologically significant chemicals due to their high microbial diversity. To investigate the possibilities for industrial uses of these bacteria, researchers collected water and sediment samples from variety of hot springs. Our investigation employed both culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques, including 16S-based marker gene analysis of the microbiota from the hot springs of Surajkund, Jharkhand. In addition, we cultivated thermophilic isolates and screened for their ability to produce amylase, xylanase, and cellulase. After the optimized production of amylase the enzyme was partially purified and characterized using UPLC, DLS-ZP, and TGA. The retention time for the amylase was observed to be around 0.5 min. We confirmed the stability of the amylase at higher temperatures through observation of a steady thermo gravimetric profile at 400 °C. One of the thermophilic isolates obtained from the kund, demonstrated the potential to degrade lignocellulosic agricultural waste.

First genome-scale insights into the virulence of the snow mold causal fungus Microdochium nivale

Pink snow mold, caused by a phytopathogenic and psychrotolerant fungus, Microdochium nivale, is a severe disease of winter cereals and grasses that predominantly occurs under snow cover or shortly after its melt. Snow mold has significantly progressed during the past decade, often reaching epiphytotic levels in northern countries and resulting in dramatic yield losses. In addition, M. nivale gradually adapts to a warmer climate, spreading to less snowy territories and causing different types of plant diseases throughout the growing period. Despite its great economic importance, M. nivale is poorly investigated; its genome has not been sequenced and its crucial virulence determinants have not been identified or even predicted. In our study, we applied a hybrid assembly based on Oxford Nanopore and Illumina reads to obtain the first genome sequence of M. nivale. 11,973 genes (including 11,789 protein-encoding genes) have been revealed in the genome assembly. To better understand the genetic potential of M. nivale and to obtain a convenient reference for transcriptomic studies on this species, the identified genes were annotated and split into hierarchical three-level functional categories. A file with functionally classified M. nivale genes is presented in our study for general use. M. nivale gene products that best meet the criteria for virulence factors have been identified. The genetic potential to synthesize human-dangerous mycotoxins (fumonisin, ochratoxin B, aflatoxin, and gliotoxin) has been revealed for M. nivale. The transcriptome analysis combined with the assays for extracellular enzymatic activities (conventional virulence factors of many phytopathogens) was carried out to assess the effect of host plant (rye) metabolites on the M. nivale phenotype. In addition to disclosing plant-metabolite-upregulated M. nivale functional gene groups (including those related to host plant protein destruction and amino acid metabolism, xenobiotic detoxication (including phytoalexins benzoxazinoids), cellulose destruction (cellulose monooxygenases), iron transport, etc.), the performed analysis pointed to a crucial role of host plant lipid destruction and fungal lipid metabolism modulation in plant-M. nivale interactions.

Rye Snow Mold-Associated Microdochium nivale Strains Inhabiting a Common Area: Variability in Genetics, Morphotype, Extracellular Enzymatic Activities, and Virulence

Snow mold is a severe plant disease caused by psychrophilic or psychrotolerant fungi, of which Microdochium species are the most harmful. A clear understanding of Microdochium biology has many gaps; the pathocomplex and its dynamic are poorly characterized, virulence factors are unknown, genome sequences are not available, and the criteria of plant snow mold resistance are not elucidated. Our study aimed to identify comprehensive characteristics of a local community of snow mold-causing Microdochium species colonizing a particular crop culture. By using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique, we characterized fungal and bacterial communities of pink snow mold-affected winter rye (Secale cereale) plants within a given geographical location shortly after snowmelt. Twenty-one strains of M. nivale were isolated, classified on the basis of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region, and characterized by morphology, synthesis of extracellular enzymes, and virulence. Several types of extracellular enzymatic activities, the level of which had no correlations with the degree of virulence, were revealed for Microdochium species for the first time. Our study shows that genetically and phenotypically diverse M. nivale strains simultaneously colonize winter rye plants within a common area, and each strain is likely to utilize its own, unique strategy to cause the disease using "a personal" pattern of extracellular enzymes.

Extracellular Xylanopectinolytic Enzymes by Bacillus subtilis ADI1 from EFB's Compost

Microbial xylanase and pectinase are two extremely valuable enzymes, which have captivated much attention. This can be seen from the increased demand for these enzymes by many industrial sectors. This study investigates the isolation and screening of extracellular xylanopectinolytic enzymes-producing bacteria in a submerged fermentation (SmF). Samples are collected from the compost of empty fruit bunch (EFB) at Biocompost Pilot Plant, located at Biorefinery Plant, Universiti Putra Malaysia. From the experiment, out of 20 isolates, 11 isolates show xylanase or/and pectinase activity, and only one isolate (EFB-11) shows the concurrent activities of xylanase and pectinase. These activities are selected for enzyme production under submerged fermentation (quantitative screening). At the 72nd hour of incubation, xylanase and pectinase show the highest production, which ranges about 42.33 U/mL and 62.17 U/mL (with low amount of cellulase present), supplemented with 2% (w/v) of rice bran as carbon source at incubation temperature level, which is 30°C. Meanwhile, the pH of media is shifted to 8.42, which indicates that EFB-11 isolate is alkalotolerant bacteria and identified as Bacillus subtilis ADI1. This strain proves to have potential in agroindustrial bioconversion and has a promising ability to scale up to an industrial scale.

Screening and investigation Lactobacillius spp. to improve Secale cereale silage quality

Silage is a high-moisture-content forage that is used to feed livestock. Using silage as feed is economically feasible and suitable for cattle management. Secale cereale is considered as a high-quality forage plant. After the heading stage the biomass of S. cereale increases by up to 30%; however, lignification in the cell wall causes low fermentation efficiency and coefficient digestibility, and it may also be contaminated by mycotoxin-producing fungi and can impair the quality of the silage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to screen beneficial Lactobacillius spp. for S. cereale silage to reduce fungi contamination and to increase fibrinolytic ability in the silage. Up to 100 days fermentation period and total 180 lactic acid bacteria were isolated and only a single isolate, R4-26, showed strong acidification ability and antifungal activities against mycotoxin-producing fungus. According to quantitative RT-PCR results, the mycotoxin-producing fungal contamination was significantly reduced in the S. cereale silage containing the R4-26 isolate. In enzymatic assays, only a single isolate, R48-27 demonstrated cellulase, xylanase, chitinase and esterase activities. In conclusion, the beneficial Lactobacillius spp. strains have the ability to reduce mycotoxigenic fungi contamination and increase fibrinolytic activity to improve quality of the S. cereale silage.

A comparison of plate assay methods for detecting extracellular cellulase and xylanase activity

Identification of microorganisms for the production of carbohydrolytic enzymes is extremely important given the increased demand for these enzymes in many industries. To this end, dye-polysaccharide interactions which provide a visual indication of polymer hydrolysis (clear zones or halos) have been used for decades. For the detection of extracellular cellulase or xylanase activity many laboratories use Gram's iodine as the chromogenic dye, as it is a more rapid initial screening method compared to the use of other dyes. Here, we compared Gram's iodine and Congo red as indicators of polysaccharide hydrolysis. We attempted to detect cellulase activity using carboxymethylcellulose, and xylanase activity using birchwood xylan, in fourteen uncharacterized bacteria isolated from wood chips. Our results indicate that Gram's iodine may lead to identification of false positives in a typical screening protocol and that Congo red allows for avoidance of such pitfall. Congo red allowed detection of cellulase activity from live microbial colonies but not Gram's iodine. To confirm this, detection of enzymatic activity was also assessed using cell-free enzyme preparations. Congo red was found to be reliable in detecting cellulase activity with isolated enzymes preparations. Under the same conditions, neither of these dyes detected xylanase activity, despite independent evidence of xylanase activity for one of the preparations. We detected xylanase activity for this particular enzyme preparation using a coloured derivative of xylan (Remazol Brillant Blue R-xylan adduct) that respond to xylan hydrolysis. Our results suggest that methods that rely on interactions between a dye (Congo red or Gram's iodine) and a polymeric substrate (carboxymethylcellulose or birchwood xylan) for indirect detection of hydrolysis may require the use of relevant controls and independent confirmation of enzymatic activities.

Screening of bacterial biocontrols against sapstain fungus (Lasiodiplodia theobromae Pat.) of rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis Muell.Arg.)

Diverse bacterial biocontrol agents from various sources of aerobic composts against the sapstain fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae in rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) were isolated, screened and identified by various morphological, biochemical and molecular techniques. The inhibitory effect of seventeen bacterial isolates was examined and seven exhibited inhibition towards the sapstain fungus. Among the seven antagonists, six were conclusively identified as Bacillus subtilis and one as Paenibacillus polymyxa using 16S rRNA-encoding gene sequencing. This is the first report on the occurrence of P. polymyxa, a potent biofertilizer and antagonist in vermicompost. HiCrome Bacillus agar was identified as an effective medium for differentiation of B. subtilis from other Bacillus species. The present work demonstrates the efficacy of the antagonistic property of B. subtilis strains against rubberwood sapstain fungus. Culture-based antagonistic inhibition displayed by B. subtilis can be extended to cater to the biocontrol requirements of wood-based industries against the stain fungus. The study showed the utility of an integrated approach, employing morphological, biochemical and molecular tools for conclusive identification of several bacterial isolates present in aerobic composts from diverse sources.