BackgroundIn general, biofuel production involves biomass pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification, followed by the subsequent sugar conversion to biofuel via fermentation. The crucial step in the production of biofuel from biomass is the enzymatic saccharification. Many of the commercial cellulase enzyme cocktails, such as Spezyme® CP (Genencor), Acellerase™ 1000 (Genencor), and Celluclast® 1.5L (Novozymes), are ineffectively to release free glucose from the pretreated biomass without additional β-glucosidase.ResultsIn this study, for the first time, a β-glucosidase DT-Bgl gene (1359 bp) was identified in the genome of Anoxybacillus sp. DT3-1, and cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that DT-Bgl belonged to glycosyl hydrolase (GH) family 1. The recombinant DT-Bgl was highly active on cello-oligosaccharides and p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (pNPG). The DT-Bgl was purified using an Ni–NTA column, with molecular mass of 53 kDa using an SDS-PAGE analysis. It exhibited optimum activity at 70 °C and pH 8.5, and did not require any tested co-factors for activation. The Km and Vmax values for DT-Bgl were 0.22 mM and 923.7 U/mg, respectively, with pNPG as substrate. The DT-Bgl displayed high glucose tolerance, and retained 93 % activity in the presence of 10 M glucose.ConclusionsAnoxybacillus DT-Bgl is a novel thermostable β-glucosidase with low glucose inhibition, and converts long-chain cellodextrins to cellobiose, and further hydrolyse cellobiose to glucose. Results suggest that DT-Bgl could be useful in the development of a bioprocess for the efficient saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass.
Jeotgalibacillus malaysiensis, a moderate halophilic bacterium isolated from a pelagic area, can endure higher concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) than other Jeotgalibacillus type strains. In this study, we therefore chose to sequence and assemble the entire J. malaysiensis genome. This is the first report to provide a detailed analysis of the genomic features of J. malaysiensis, and to perform genetic comparisons between this microorganism and other halophiles. J. malaysiensis encodes a native megaplasmid (pJeoMA), which is greater than 600 kilobases in size, that is absent from other sequenced species of Jeotgalibacillus. Subsequently, RNA-Seq-based transcriptome analysis was utilised to examine adaptations of J. malaysiensis to osmotic stress. Specifically, the eggNOG (evolutionary genealogy of genes: Non-supervised Orthologous Groups) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes) databases were used to elucidate the overall effects of osmotic stress on the organism. Generally, saline stress significantly affected carbohydrate, energy, and amino acid metabolism, as well as fatty acid biosynthesis. Our findings also indicate that J. malaysiensis adopted a combination of approaches, including the uptake or synthesis of osmoprotectants, for surviving salt stress. Among these, proline synthesis appeared to be the preferred method for withstanding prolonged osmotic stress in J. malaysiensis.
Large numbers of bioactive peptides with potential applications in protecting against human diseases have been
identified from plant sources. In this review, we summarized recent progress in the research of plant-derived bioactive
peptides, encompassing their production, biological effects, and mechanisms. This review focuses on antioxidant,
antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer peptides, giving special attention to evidence derived from cellular and animal
models. Studies investigating peptides with known sequences and well-characterized peptidic fractions or protein
hydrolysates will be discussed. The use of molecular docking tools to elucidate inter-molecular interactions between
bioactive peptides and target proteins is highlighted. In conclusion, the accumulating evidence from in silico, in vitro and in
vivo studies to date supports the envisioned applications of plant peptides as natural antioxidants as well as health-promoting
agents. Notwithstanding, much work is still required before the envisioned applications of plant peptides can be realized. To
this end, future researches for addressing current gaps were proposed.
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