Dimitris Kekos

Direct fermentation of cellulose to ethanol by Fusarium oxysporum

Abstract The cellulase hyperproducing strain F3 of Fusarium oxysporum fermented glucose, xylose, cellobiose , and cellulose directly to ethanol. Conversion of cellulose to ethanol was markedly affected by the pH of both aerated preculture and nonaerated fermentation. Optimum values of cellulose conversion to ethanol were obtained when aerated and nonaerated processes were carried out at pH 5.5 and 6, respectively. Maximum ethanol concentrations of 9.6 and 14.5 g l −1 , corresponding to 89.2 and 53.2% of the theoretical yield, were obtained when the fungus was grown under nonaerated conditions at 34°C for 6 days in a medium containing 20 and 50 g l −1 cellulose , respectively.

Production of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes by Fusarium oxysporum grown on corn stover in solid state fermentation

Corn stover is an abundant, potential fermentation substrate. Production of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes by the mesophilic fungus Fusarium oxysporum under solid state culture (SSC) on corn ...

Studies on the solid-state production of thermostable endoxylanases from Thermoascus aurantiacus: Characterization of two isozymes

Production of xylanases by the thermophilic fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus under solid state culture (SSC) was enhanced by optimization of the type of carbon and nitrogen source, inoculum type, moisture level and particle size of the carbon source. Under these conditions, yields as high as 6193 U g−1 of carbon source were obtained. Chromogenic (fluorogenic) 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-glycosides of xylose (MUX) and xylobiose (MUX2) were used to characterize xylanase multienzyme components, after separation by isoelectric focusing. The zymogram indicated one major and two minor xylanases and one β-xylosidase. The major (xylanase I) and one of the minor (xylanase II) xylanases were separated and characterized. Both xylanases exhibited remarkable thermostability.

Purification and characterization of a feruloyl esterase from Fusarium oxysporum catalyzing esterification of phenolic acids in ternary water–organic solvent mixtures

An extracellular feruloyl esterase (FAE-II) from the culture filtrates of Fusarium oxysporum F3 was purified to homogeneity by SP-Sepharose, t-butyl-HIC and Sephacryl S-200 column chromatography. The protein corresponded to molecular mass and pI values of 27 kDa and 9.9, respectively. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 7 and 45 degrees C. The purified esterase was fully stable at pH 7.0-9.0 and temperature up to 45 degrees C after 1 h incubation. Determination of k(cat)/K(m) revealed that the enzyme hydrolysed methyl sinapinate 6, 21 and 40 times more efficiently than methyl ferulate, methyl coumarate and methyl caffeate, respectively. The enzyme was active on substrates containing ferulic acid ester linked to the C-5 but inactive to the C-2 positions of arabinofuranose such as 4-nitrophenyl 5-O-trans-feruloyl-alpha-L-arabinofuranoside and 4-nitrophenyl 2-O-trans-feruloyl-alpha-L-arabinofuranoside. In the presence of Sporotrichum thermophile xylanase, there was a significant release of ferulic acid from destarched wheat bran by FAE-II, indicating a synergistic interaction between FAE-II and S. thermophile xylanase. FAE-II by itself could release only little ferulic acid from destarched wheat bran. The potential of FAE-II for the synthesis of various phenolic acid esters was tested using as a reaction system a surfactantless microemulsion formed in ternary mixture consisting of n-hexane, 1-propanol and water.

Production of xylanases, mannanases, and pectinases by the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus

A group of 17 strains of the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus was examined for the production of xylanases, β-mannanases, arabinanases, and pectinases. All strains were found to be xylanolytic, and several were proven to be outstanding producers of microbial xylanase on glucuronoxylan and corn cobs. The strains hyperproducing xylanase secreted low amounts of xylan-debranching enzymes and did not produce β-mannan and arabinan-degrading enzyme systems. Only the strains showing lower xylanase production exhibited a higher degree of xylan utilization and also the ability to produce a mannanolytic enzyme system. One of the mannanolytic strains was found to be capable of producing arabinan-degrading enzymes. This strain also showed the best production of pectinolytic enzymes during growth on citrus pectin or sugar beet pulp. Some of the strains have good potential for use as sources of important industrial enzymes of high thermal stability.

Performance of an intermittent agitation rotating drum type bioreactor for solid-state fermentation of wheat straw

A laboratory bioreactor, designed for solid-state fermentation of thermophilic microorganisms, was operated for production of cellulases and hemicellulases by the thermophilic fungus Thermoascus aurantiacus. The suitability of the apparatus for the effective control of important operating variables affecting growth of microbes in solid-state cultivation was determined. Application of the optimum conditions found for the moisture content of the medium, growth temperature and airflow rate produced enzyme yields of 1709 U endoglucanase, 4 U cellobiohydrolase, 79 U beta-glucosidase, 5.5 U FPA, 4490 U xylanase and 45 U beta-xylosidase per g of dry wheat straw. The correlation between microorganism growth and production of enzymes was efficiently described by the Le Duy kinetic model.

Purification and characterization of two low molecular mass alkaline xylanases from Fusarium oxysporum F3

Two low molecular mass endo-1,4-beta-D-xylanases from Fusarium oxysporum were purified to homogeneity by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. They exhibit molecular masses of 20.8 (xylanase I) and 23.5 (xylanase II) kDa, and isoelectric points of 9.5 and 8.45-8.70, respectively. Both xylanases display remarkable pH (9.0) stability. At 40 to 55 degrees C xylanase II is more thermostable than xylanase I but less active on xylan. In contrast to xylanase I, xylanase II is able to hydrolyze 1-O-4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-xylopyranoside (muxg). Neither of these enzymes hydrolyze xylotriose. They bind on crystalline cellulose but not on insoluble xylan. Analysis of reaction mixtures by high pressure liquid chromatography revealed that both enzymes cleave preferentially the internal glycosidic bonds of xylopentaose and oat spelts xylan. Thus the purified enzymes appeared to be true endo-beta-1,4-xylanases. The amino terminal sequences of xylanases I and II show to homology. Xylanase I shows high similarity with alkaline low molecular mass xylanases of family G/11.

An alternative approach to the bioconversion of sweet sorghum carbohydrates to ethanol

The ethanol fermentation of juice and press cake, resulting from the squeezing of sweet sorghum stalks at high pressure, was investigated. The juice was fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and yielded 4.8 g ethanol per 100 g of fresh stalks. The press cake was fermented directly to ethanol by a mixed culture of Fusarium oxysporum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and yielded 5.1 g ethanol per 100 g of fresh stalks. An overall ethanol concentration and yield of 5.6% (w/v) and 9.9 g of ethanol per 100 g of fresh stalks respectively was obtained. Based on soluble carbohydrates, the ethanol yield from press cake was doubled while the overall theoretical yield was enhanced by 20.7% due to the bioconversion of a significant portion of cell wall polysaccharides to ethanol. The process was found promising for further investigation.

Optimizing production of extracellular lipase from Rhodotorula glutinis

Production of extracellular lipase byRhodotorula glutinis was substantially enhanced when the type and concentration of carbon and nitrogen source, the initial pH of culture medium and the growth temperature were consecutively optimized. Lipase activity as high as 30.4 U/ml of culture medium was obtained at optimum conditions, comparing favourably with most of the activities reported for other lipase hyperproducing microorganisms. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 7.5 and 35°C and had, at optimum pH, half-lives of 45 and 11.8 min at 45 and 55°C respectively. The high activity and kinetic characteristics of the enzyme make this process worthy of further investigation.

Antimicrobial activity of acidic xylo-oligosaccharides produced by family 10 and 11 endoxylanases

Acidic oligosaccharides were obtained from birchwood xylan by treatment with a Thermoascus aurantiacus family 10 and a Sporotrichum thermophile family 11 endoxylanases. The main difference between the products liberated by xylanases of family 10 and 11 concerned the length of the products containing 4-O-methyl-D-glucuronic acid. The xylanase from T. aurantiacus liberate from glucuronoxylan an aldotetrauronic acid as the shortest acidic fragment in contrast with the enzyme from S. thermophile, which liberated an aldopentauronic acid. Acidic xylooligosaccharides were separated from the hydrolysate by anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and the primary structure was determined by 13C NMR spectroscopy. The acidic xylo-oligosaccharides were tested against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative aerobically grown bacteria, as well as against Helicobacter pylori. Aldopentauronic acid was proved more active against the Gram-positive bacteria and against H. pylori.