Characterization and Pilot-Scale Application of the ZMS-2 Serine Protease with Novel Properties for the Eco-friendly Leather Processing

Microbial alkaline proteases are dominating the global enzyme market with a share of over 65% due to their multifarious catalytic potentials. Hence, production of proteases with novel properties of commercial significance is highly desirable to meet the global enzyme demand. Here, we report the purification, characterization, and pilot-scale application of a serine protease from the desert soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis ZMS-2 with novel properties as dehairing agent in leather processing. The enzyme was purified 16.5-fold with a specific activity of 1543.5 U mg-1 and recovery percentage of 33.6% using ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange, and gel filtration chromatography. The purified enzyme was characterized as a metal ion-, surfactant-, and denaturant-compatible alkaline serine protease having a molecular weight of 36.1 kDa with an optimum activity at pH 8.5 and 60 °C. The catalytic activity of the enzyme was enhanced by Zn+2 (204%), Ag+ (110%), H2O2 (123%), Triton X-100 (110%), iso-octane (109%), chloroform (110%), ethanol (105%), ethyl acetate (110%), and acetonitrile (128%). During pilot-scale applications, the optimum condition was found to be a combination of enzyme (1.5%, 460 U mL-1), sodium sulfide (2%), and calcium hydroxide (lime) (3%). Under this condition, the time required for complete dehairing was 90 min. Chemoenzymatically processed skins exhibited better physical properties than chemically processed skin, including tensile strength (16.35 ± 6.68 N/mm), ball burst (452.88 ± 6.06 N/mm), percent elongation (38.85 ± 1.06 N), tear strength (50.16 ± 4.42 N/mm), and softness (6.5 mm). Electron microscopy analysis of the treated skin showed complete removal of hairs with roots, confirming the keratin specificity of the enzyme. Moreover, the enzyme-assisted dehairing process reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total suspended solids (TSS) by 68, 77, 34, and 39%, respectively. Thus, the alkaline serine protease from B. subtilis ZMS-2 is a potential dehairing agent for the eco-friendly processing of animal skins on industrial scales.

Luffa cylindrica Immobilized with Aspergillus terreus QMS-1: an Efficient and Cost-Effective Strategy for the Removal of Congo Red using Stirred Tank Reactor

Microbial populations within the rhizosphere have been considered as prosperous repositories with respect to bioremediation aptitude. Among various environmental contaminants, effluent from textile industries holds a huge amount of noxious colored materials having high chemical oxygen demand concentrations causing ecological disturbances. The study was aimed to explore the promising mycobiome of rhizospheric soil for the degradation of azo dyes to develop an efficient system for the exclusion of toxic recalcitrants. An effluent sample from the textile industry and soil samples from the rhizospheric region of Musa acuminata and Azadirachta indica were screened for indigenous fungi to decolorize Congo red, a carcinogenic diazo dye, particularly known for its health hazards to the community. To develop a bio-treatment process, Aspergillus terreus QMS-1 was immobilized on pieces of Luffa cylindrica and exploited in stirred tank bioreactor under aerobic and optimized environment. Quantitative estimation of Congo red decolorization was carried out using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The effects of fungal immobilization and biosorption on the native structure of Luffa cylindrica were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope. A. terreus QMS-1 can remove (92%) of the dye at 100 ppm within 24 h in the presence of 1% glucose and 1% ammonium sulphate at pH 5.0. The operation of the bioreactor in a continuous flow for 12 h with 100 ppm of Congo red dye in simulated textile effluent resulted in 97% decolorization. The stirred tank bioreactor was found to be a dynamic, well maintained, no sludge producing approach for the treatment of textile effluents by A. terreus QMS-1 of the significant potential for decolorization of Congo red.

Bacillus tequilensis ZMS-2: A novel source of alkaline protease with antimicrobial, anti-coagulant, fibrinolytic and dehairing potentials

Emerging resistance to existing antimicrobial agents is one of the growing concerns and a serious problem for public health globally. Currently available antimicrobial agents are potent and effective but surfacing resistance to these drugs has not been ruled out so far. Therefore, it is utmost important to explore new bioactive compounds from natural sources to meet future needs. The present study was designed to produce, optimize, characterize and evaluate antimicrobial, fibrinolytic and anti-coagulant potential of a new alkaline protease. Proteolytic strain from desert soils of Tharparkar, Pakistan was subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing and identified as Bacillus tequilensis ZMS-2(Genbank Accession No. MK101013). During submerged fermentation at 37ºC, maximum enzyme production (454 U/ml) was observed with 24h old inoculum. The best incubation time was 72h (544 U/ml), optimum inoculum size and pH was 10% at pH 8 with 494 and 506 U/ml, respectively. The best carbon source was starch (571 U/ml), while ideal substrate was wheat bran (536 U/ml). Optimal temperature and pH for proteolytic activity was 60ºC (420 U/ml) and 8 (332 U/ml). Alkaline protease showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (27mm), Bacillus licheniformis (20mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17mm) and Escherichia coli (15mm). The strain B. tequilensis ZMS-2 also exhibited anticoagulant, fibrinolytic and dehairing potential suggesting application of its protease in various industries.

Chemical Constituents of Ajuga parviflora

Two new antifungal withanolides, (1) and (2) have been isolated from the defatted methanolic extract of Ajuga parviflora. Their structures were established as 3β,17β,20-trihydroxy-1-oxo-(20R, 22R)-witha-5,14,24-trienolide (1), 28-hydroxy-14,20-epoxy-1-oxo-(22R)-witha-2,5,24-trienolide (2) on the basis of spectroscopic data including two dimensional NMR tech­niques. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids senecionine (3) and integerrimine (4) are also reported for the first time from A. parviflora

Dihydroquinol And Quinol Derivatives From Ajuga Parviflora

Dihydroquinol derivative 1, quinol glucopyranoside 2 and quinol derivative 3 have been isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of Ajuga parviflora and their structures have been elucidated through spectroscopic studies as methyl 2-[2,2-dimethyl-6-oxo-7-dihydro-1,3- benzodioxol-3(6H)-yl]aceate (1), 2-hydroxy-4β-methyl-4a-(β-D-glucopyranoside)-2,5-cyclohexadien- 1-one (2) and (4-oxo-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-yl)acetic acid (3). The known quinol 4 has also been isolated for the first time from this species

Lipoxygenase inhibitory constituents from Periploca aphylla

Bisflavan-3-ols 1 and 2 and norterpenoid 3 have been isolated from the methanolic extract of the whole plant of Periploca aphylla. Their structures have been assigned on the basis of spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR techniques. In addition, o-phthalic acid bis(2-ethylnonyl) ester (4), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone (5), and (+)-lyoniresinol (6) have been reported for the first time from this species. Compounds 1-3 displayed evident inhibitory potential against the enzyme lipoxygenase in a concentration-dependent fashion with IC(50) values 19.7, 13.5, and 150.1 microM, respectively.

Trianthenol: an antifungal tetraterpenoid from Trianthema portulacastrum (Aizoaceae)

An antifungal tetraterpenoid named trianthenol 1 has been isolated from the chloroform extract of Trianthema portulacastrum. Its structure was established as 15-hydroxymethyl-2,6,10,18,22,26,30-heptamethyl-14-methylene- 17-hentriacontene on the basis of spectroscopic data including high resolution mass and two-dimensional NMR techniques. A benzaldehyde derivative 2, a pentacyclic triterpenoid 3 and benzoic acid derivatives 4-5 are also reported for the first time from Trianthema portulacastrum.

A novel beta-glucuronidase inhibiting triterpenoid from Paeonia emodi

A novel beta-glucuronidase inhibiting triterpene (1) has been isolated from the chloroform fraction of Paeonia emodi beta-glucuronidase inhibit established ase chloroform fraction of Pa 11,beta,5alpha,23,24-pentahydroxy-30-norolean-12,20(29)-d ien-28-oic acid on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including high resolution mass spectroscopy, one and two-dimensional NMR techniques. Oleanolic acid, betulinic acid, ethyl gallate, methyl grevillate and 1,5-dihydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone are also reported for the first time from Paeonia emodi.

Withanolides from ajuga parviflora

Two new withanolides named ajugin A [14alpha,20, 28-trihydroxy-1-oxo-(20R,22R)-witha-3,5,24-trienolide] (1) and ajugin B [14alpha,20,27-trihydroxy-1-oxo-(20R,22R)-witha-5, 24-dienolide] (2) were isolated from the whole plant of Ajuga parviflora, and their structures were deduced by NMR and MS analyses.