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Biosensors are used to detect and quantify chemicals produced in industrial microbiology with high specificity, sensitivity, and portability. Most biosensors, however, are limited by the need for transcription factors engineered to recognize specific molecules. In this study, we overcome the limitations typically associated with traditional biosensors by engineering Pseudomonas putida for whole-cell sensing of a variety of chemicals. Our approach integrates fluorescent reporters with synthetic auxotrophies within central metabolism that can be complemented by target analytes in growth-coupled setups. This platform enables the detection of a wide array of structurally diverse chemicals under various conditions, including co-cultures of producer cell factories and sensor strains. We also demonstrate the applicability of this versatile biosensor platform for monitoring complex biochemical processes, including plastic degradation by either purified hydrolytic enzymes or engineered bacteria. This microbial system provides a rapid, sensitive, and readily adaptable tool for monitoring cell factory performance and for environmental analyzes. Biosensors are powerful tools for quantification of a wide range of molecules but require extensive engineering for each analyte. Here, the authors engineered a robust environmental bacterium for sensing a diverse set of chemicals, such as lactate and PET degradation products, via growth-coupling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study employed microbial culturing to isolate four strains of bacteria with protease activity from the gut of an omnivorous insect. The four bacteria were precisely identified using whole-genome relatedness indices, based on conventional bacterial species identification methods. Furthermore, their whole-genome functional information was analyzed and compared, establishing a technical foundation for the development and utilization of protease-producing microorganisms from the insect gut. The insect gut harbors a diverse array of functional microorganisms that warrant further exploration and utilization. However, there is currently a paucity of research reports on the discovery of protease-producing microorganisms with industrial application value in the gut. Here, we employed microbial culturing to screen and identify the protease-producing microorganisms in the gut extract of Gryllotalpa orientalis. Based on morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization, 16S rRNA sequencing, as well as ANI and dDDH values of whole genome, the protease-producing strains isolated from the insect gut were identified as Priestia aryahattai DBM-1 and DX-4, P. megaterium DX-3, and Serratia surfactantfaciens DBM-5. According to whole-genome analysis, strain DBM-5, which exhibited the highest enzyme activity, possesses abundant membrane transport genes and carbohydrate metabolism enzymes. In contrast, strains DX-3 and DX-4 not only have the ability to hydrolyze proteins but also demonstrate the capability to hydrolyze plant materials. Furthermore, strains that are closely related tend to have similar metabolic product gene clusters in their genomes. The screening and identification of protease resources are essential for the subsequent development and utilization of gut functional microorganisms and genetic resources in insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extremophilic microorganisms play a key role in understanding how life on Earth originated and evolved over centuries. Their ability to thrive in harsh environments relies on a plethora of mechanisms developed to survive at extreme temperatures, pressures, salinity, and pH values. From a biotechnological point of view, thermophiles are considered a robust tool for synthetic biology as well as a reliable starting material for the development of sustainable bioprocesses. This review discusses the current progress in the biomanufacturing of high-added bioproducts from thermophilic microorganisms and their industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multieffect bioconvective heat transfer in porous media is essential for many technological applications. However, the literature governing practical applications is very scarce. The bioconvective transport of magnetohydrodynamic cross nanofluid carrying oxytactic microorganisms across a flexible cylinder with velocity slip, viscous dissipation, thermal radiation, and chemical reaction with a heat source in Darcy–Forchheimer porous medium is predicted in this piece of work. The random movement and thermophoresis processes are revealed by the Buongiorno model. Using a suitable similarity transformation and boundary layer approximation, the simplified model equations are converted into coupled highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The resulting ODEs are dealt with numerically utilizing the BVP4C and the shooting method with predetermined thermal radiation, heat source, chemical reaction, and so forth parameters. The velocity field is inversely influenced by the Forchheimer number and porosity parameter. The Sherwood number is significantly influenced by chemical reactions. For heat source parameter (S) and increasing radiation parameter (Rd), the Nusselt number increases and convection is shown for the value of Rd near about 3. Overall, this study will help researchers in science and engineering to understand the intricate and multieffective dynamic system and industrial applications like microbiology, and biodynamical systems, biological tissues, biofilms, soil, or filter media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article in the Journal of Fish Diseases examines the effects of the fungicide dimethomorph on various species of oomycetes, which are harmful to plants and animals, including humans. The study specifically focuses on three oomycete species that cause significant economic losses in agriculture and aquaculture. Through in vitro tests and scanning electron microscopy, the researchers found that dimethomorph inhibited the growth of the oomycetes and caused morphological changes in one species. The study suggests that more research is needed to fully understand these pathogens and develop effective treatments. [Extracted from the article]

Feathers are by-products that are generated in significant quantities by the poultry industry. Microbial bioconversion has been investigated as a promising strategy for the processing of feathers, since, along with the degradation of these keratinous materials, bioprocessing can result in value-added products. Thus, from the perspective of industrial microbiology, chicken feathers can be considered a raw material for obtaining microbial proteases. Within this context, this research investigated and characterized the production of extracellular proteases by Aspergillus sp., isolated from soil of the Amazon Rainforest. The enzymatic production was evaluated using several growth substrates (whole feathers, feather meal, human hair, casein, gelatin, peptone and chicken beaks). With highest enzyme production was obtained the feather meal (FM) and peptone. After 48 h of fermentation, FM degradation was 15.82%. The crude protease showed optimal activity at pH 5.0 and 37 °C and enzymatic activity was enhanced with the addition of 1 and 5 mM of CaCl2, MnSO4, KCl, MgSO4 and CuSO4 . The detergents Tween 20 and Triton x-100, at concentrations 0.5 and 1% (v/v), tended to stimulate activity. The presence of 0.5 and 1% (v/v) of organic solvents (methanol, acetone, butanol, acetonitrile, isopropanol and DMSO), maintained the enzymatic activity. β–mercaptoethanol stimulated proteolytic activity in the enzymatic assays. This study suggested new direction for waste management with industrial applications giving rise to green technology for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Høiby N. Louis Pasteur and the birth of microbiology in Denmark. APMIS 2022. Louis Pasteur's work initiated the birth of microbiology in Denmark. Carl Julius Salomonsen was the pioneer who inspired and taught Christian Gram, Thorvald Madsen and Bernhard Bang bacteriological techniques in his annual bacteriological course which he started in 1883 at the University of Copenhagen. These pioneers developed Danish human and veterinary microbiology and became world famous. Emil Chr. Hansen developed Danish technical/industrial microbiology in the Carlsberg Laboratory and purified yeast and designed equipment for the propagation of pure yeast which was used worldwide in beer brewing. He also became world famous. The fascinating birth and development of Danish microbiology is summarized in this article, which is dedicated to the 200th birthday of Louis Pasteur, December 27, and 100th birthday of the Danish Pasteur Society, October 25, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Biotecnología is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many bacteria have the ability to survive in challenging environments; however, they cannot all grow on standard culture media, a phenomenon known as the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. Bacteria commonly enter the VBNC state under nutrient-poor environments or under stressful conditions. This review explores the concept of the VBNC state, providing insights into the beneficial bacteria known to employ this strategy. The investigation covers different chemical and physical factors that can induce the latency state, cell features, and gene expression observed in cells in the VBNC state. The review also covers the significance and applications of beneficial bacteria, methods of evaluating bacterial viability, the ability of bacteria to persist in environments associated with higher organisms, and the factors that facilitate the return to the culturable state. Knowledge about beneficial bacteria capable of entering the VBNC state remains limited; however, beneficial bacteria in this state could face adverse environmental conditions and return to a culturable state when the conditions become suitable and continue to exert their beneficial effects. Likewise, this unique feature positions them as potential candidates for healthcare applications, such as the use of probiotic bacteria to enhance human health, applications in industrial microbiology for the production of prebiotics and functional foods, and in the beer and wine industry. Moreover, their use in formulations to increase crop yields and for bacterial bioremediation offers an alternative pathway to harness their beneficial attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites are produced by microbes in minimal quantities in the natural environment out of necessity. However, in the pharmaceutical industry, their overproduction becomes essential. To achieve higher yields, genetic modifications are employed to create strains that surpass the productivity of the initially isolated strains. While rational screening and genetic engineering have emerged as valuable practices in recent years, the cost-effective technique of mutagenesis and selection, known as “random screening,“ remains a preferred method for efficient short-term strain development. This review aims to comprehensively explore all aspects of strain improvement, focusing on why random mutagenesis continues to be widely adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites are produced by microbes in minimal quantities in the natural environment out of necessity. However, in the pharmaceutical industry, their overproduction becomes essential. To achieve higher yields, genetic modifications are employed to create strains that surpass the productivity of the initially isolated strains. While rational screening and genetic engineering have emerged as valuable practices in recent years, the cost-effective technique of mutagenesis and selection, known as "random screening," remains a preferred method for efficient short-term strain development. This review aims to comprehensively explore all aspects of strain improvement, focusing on why random mutagenesis continues to be widely adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial microbes have become the core of biological manufacturing, which utilized as the cell factory for production of plenty of chemicals, fuels and medicine. However, the challenge that the extreme stress conditions exist in production is unavoidable for cell factory. Consequently, to enhance robustness of the chassis cell lays the foundation for development of bio-manufacturing. Currently, the researches on cell tolerance covered various aspects, involving reshaping regulatory network, cell membrane modification and other stress response. In fact, the strategies employed to improve cell robustness could be summarized into two directions, irrational engineering and rational engineering. In this review, the metabolic engineering technologies on enhancement of microbe tolerance to industrial conditions are summarized. Meanwhile, the novel thoughts emerged with the development of biological instruments and synthetic biology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

n-Caproic acid (CA) is gaining increased attention due to its high value as a chemical feedstock. Ruminococcaceae bacterium strain CPB6 is an anaerobic mesophilic bacterium that is highly prolific in its ability to perform chain elongation of lactate to CA. However, little is known about the genome-wide transcriptional analysis of strain CPB6 for CA production triggered by the supplementation of exogenous lactate. In this study, cultivation of strain CPB6 was carried out in the absence and presence of lactate. Transcriptional profiles were analyzed using RNA-seq, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the lactate-supplemented cells and control cells without lactate were analyzed. The results showed that lactate supplementation led to earlier CA p,roduction, and higher final CA titer and productivity. 295 genes were substrate and/or growth dependent, and these genes cover crucial functional categories. Specifically, 5 genes responsible for the reverse β-oxidation pathway, 11 genes encoding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, 6 genes encoding substrate-binding protein (SBP), and 4 genes encoding phosphotransferase system (PTS) transporters were strikingly upregulated in response to the addition of lactate. These genes would be candidates for future studies aiming at understanding the regulatory mechanism of lactate conversion into CA, as well as for the improvement of CA production in strain CPB6. The findings presented herein reveal unique insights into the biomolecular effect of lactate on CA production at the transcriptional level.

The increasing demand for water, food and energy poses challenges for the world´s sustainability. Tropical palm oil is currently the major source of vegetable oil worldwide with a production that exceeds 55 million tons per year, while generating over 200 million tons of palm oil mill effluent (POME). It could potentially be used as a substrate for production of microalgal biomass though. In this study, the microalgal strain Chlamydomonas biconvexa Embrapa|LBA40, originally isolated from a sugarcane vinasse stabilization pond, was selected among 17 strains tested for growth in POME retrieved from anaerobic ponds of a palm oil industrial plant located within the Amazon rainforest region. During cultivation in POME, C. biconvexa Embrapa|LBA40 biomass productivity reached 190.60 mgDW • L-1 • d-1 using 15L airlift flat plate photobioreactors. Carbohydrates comprised the major fraction of algal biomass (31.96%), while the lipidic fraction reached up to 11.3% of dry mass. Reductions of 99% in ammonium and nitrite, as well as 98% reduction in phosphate present in POME were detected after 5 days of algal cultivation. This suggests that the aerobic pond stage, usually used in palm oil industrial plants to reduce POME inorganic load, could be substituted by high rate photobioreactors, significantly reducing the time and area requirements for wastewater treatment. In addition, the complete mitochondrial genome of C. biconvexa Embrapa|LBA40 strain was sequenced, revealing a compact mitogenome, with 15.98 kb in size, a total of 14 genes, of which 9 are protein coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the strain taxonomic status within the Chlamydomonas genus, opening up opportunities for future genetic modification and molecular breeding programs in these species.

BackgroundDespite the latest advancements in metabolic engineering for genome editing and characterization of host performance, the successful development of robust cell factories used for industrial bioprocesses and accurate prediction of the behavior of microbial systems, especially when shifting from laboratory-scale to industrial conditions, remains challenging. To increase the probability of success of a scale-up process, data obtained from thoroughly performed studies mirroring cellular responses to typical large-scale stimuli may be used to derive crucial information to better understand potential implications of large-scale cultivation on strain performance. This study assesses the feasibility to employ a barcoded yeast deletion library to assess genome-wide strain fitness across a simulated industrial fermentation regime and aims to understand the genetic basis of changes in strain physiology during industrial fermentation, and the corresponding roles these genes play in strain performance.ResultsWe find that mutant population diversity is maintained through multiple seed trains, enabling large scale fermentation selective pressures to act upon the community. We identify specific deletion mutants that were enriched in all processes tested in this study, independent of the cultivation conditions, which include MCK1, RIM11, MRK1, and YGK3 that all encode homologues of mammalian glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). Ecological analysis of beta diversity between all samples revealed significant population divergence over time and showed feed specific consequences of population structure. Further, we show that significant changes in the population diversity during fed-batch cultivations reflect the presence of significant stresses. Our observations indicate that, for this yeast deletion collection, the selection of the feeding scheme which affects the accumulation of the fermentative by-product ethanol impacts the diversity of the mutant pool to a higher degree as compared to the pH of the culture broth. The mutants that were lost during the time of most extreme population selection suggest that specific biological processes may be required to cope with these specific stresses.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the feasibility of Bar-seq to assess fermentation associated stresses in yeast populations under industrial conditions and to understand critical stages of a scale-up process where variability emerges, and selection pressure gets imposed. Overall our work highlights a promising avenue to identify genetic loci and biological stress responses required for fitness under industrial conditions.

BackgroundNoncanonical redox cofactors are emerging as important tools in cell-free biosynthesis to increase the economic viability, to enable exquisite control, and to expand the range of chemistries accessible. However, these noncanonical redox cofactors need to be biologically synthesized to achieve full integration with renewable biomanufacturing processes.ResultsIn this work, we engineered Escherichia coli cells to biosynthesize the noncanonical cofactor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN+), which has been efficiently used in cell-free biosynthesis. First, we developed a growth-based screening platform to identify effective NMN+ biosynthetic pathways in E. coli. Second, we explored various pathway combinations and host gene disruption to achieve an intracellular level of ~ 1.5 mM NMN+, a 130-fold increase over the cell's basal level, in the best strain, which features a previously uncharacterized nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NadV) from Ralstonia solanacearum. Last, we revealed mechanisms through which NMN+ accumulation impacts E. coli cell fitness, which sheds light on future work aiming to improve the production of this noncanonical redox cofactor.ConclusionThese results further the understanding of effective production and integration of NMN+ into E. coli. This may enable the implementation of NMN+-directed biocatalysis without the need for exogenous cofactor supply.

BackgroundIn an effort to ensure future energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create domestic jobs, the US has invested in technologies to develop sustainable biofuels and bioproducts from renewable carbon sources such as lignocellulosic biomass. Bio-derived jet fuel is of particular interest as aviation is less amenable to electrification compared to other modes of transportation and synthetic biology provides the ability to tailor fuel properties to enhance performance. Specific energy and energy density are important properties in determining the attractiveness of potential bio-derived jet fuels. For example, increased energy content can give the industry options such as longer range, higher load or reduced takeoff weight. Energy-dense sesquiterpenes have been identified as potential next-generation jet fuels that can be renewably produced from lignocellulosic biomass.ResultsWe developed a biomass deconstruction and conversion process that enabled the production of two tricyclic sesquiterpenes, epi-isozizaene and prespatane, from the woody biomass poplar using the versatile basidiomycete Rhodosporidium toruloides. We demonstrated terpene production at both bench and bioreactor scales, with prespatane titers reaching 1173.6 mg/L when grown in poplar hydrolysate in a 2 L bioreactor. Additionally, we examined the theoretical fuel properties of prespatane and epi-isozizaene in their hydrogenated states as blending options for jet fuel, and compared them to aviation fuel, Jet A.ConclusionOur findings indicate that prespatane and epi-isozizaene in their hydrogenated states would be attractive blending options in Jet A or other lower density renewable jet fuels as they would improve viscosity and increase their energy density. Saturated epi-isozizaene and saturated prespatane have energy densities that are 16.6 and 18.8% higher than Jet A, respectively. These results highlight the potential of R. toruloides as a production host for the sustainable and scalable production of bio-derived jet fuel blends, and this is the first report of prespatane as an alternative jet fuel.

This document is an editorial titled "Symbiotic interactions of algae and microorganisms: physiology and industrial applications." It discusses the diverse applications of algae and the importance of their interactions with microorganisms in both natural ecosystems and industrial settings. The editorial highlights the potential for algae-based technologies in waste water remediation, biofuels, and bioproducts, and emphasizes the role of symbiotic relationships in enhancing biomass productivity and quality. Several research articles are mentioned that provide insights into the complex interplay between algae and microorganisms, including the characterization of microbial communities associated with seaweeds and the seasonal diversity of microbial communities in economically important seaweeds. The editorial concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding algal-microbiome interactions for ecosystem restoration and the development of sustainable bioproducts. [Extracted from the article]

High titer, rate, yield (TRY), and scalability are challenging metrics to achieve due to trade-offs between carbon use for growth and production. To achieve these metrics, we take the minimal cut set (MCS) approach that predicts metabolic reactions for elimination to couple metabolite production strongly with growth. We compute MCS solution-sets for a non-native product indigoidine, a sustainable pigment, in Pseudomonas putida KT2440, an emerging industrial microbe. From the 63 solution-sets, our omics guided process identifies one experimentally feasible solution requiring 14 simultaneous reaction interventions. We implement a total of 14 genes knockdowns using multiplex-CRISPRi. MCS-based solution shifts production from stationary to exponential phase. We achieve 25.6 g/L, 0.22 g/l/h, and ~50% maximum theoretical yield (0.33 g indigoidine/g glucose). These phenotypes are maintained from batch to fed-batch mode, and across scales (100-ml shake flasks, 250-ml ambr®, and 2-L bioreactors).

Many biotechnology applications tend to be for low production volumes and relatively high-value products such as insulin and vaccines. More difficult to perfect at scale are bioprocesses for high-volume products with lower value, especially if the target product is a reduced chemical such as a solvent or a plastic. Historically, industrial microbiology succeeded under special circumstances when fossil feedstocks were either unavailable or expensive. Inevitably, as these circumstances relaxed, bioprocesses struggled to compete with petrochemistry. Why try to compete? Fossil resources will be phased out in the coming decades in the struggle with climate change. To reach net-zero carbon by 2050 will require all sectors to transition, not only energy and transportation. This may herald a new opportunity for industrial bioprocesses with much better tools. Some of the issues around biotechnology in the first issue of Trends in Biotechnology remain issues today despite huge advances in technology. The Weizmann process and single-cell protein thrived, died, but may be on their way back. The bioeconomy envisages the gradual replacement of oil and gas, but the price of oil is very often a determining factor in the success of any competing technology. Net-zero carbon aspirations should be a huge opportunity for biotechnologies. The automation possible in the biofoundry allied to automated chemical synthesis seems to hold the key. Many of the hardest-to-abate industrial sectors cannot be decarbonized, but they might be 'defossilized'. Governments need to invest in bio-based manufacturing to bring them more quickly to the marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are an attractive sourceof renewable carbon for conversion to biofuels and bio-based chemicals. Conversion strategies often use a fraction of the biomass, focusing on sugars from cellulose and hemicellulose. Strategies that use plant components, such as aromatics and amino acids, may improve the efficiency of biomass conversion. Pseudomonas putida is a promising host for its ability to metabolize a wide variety of organic compounds. P. putida was engineered to produce methyl ketones, which are promising diesel blendstocks and potential platform chemicals, from glucose and lignin-related aromatics. Unexpectedly, P. putida methyl ketone production using Arabidopsis thaliana hydrolysates was enhanced 2-5-fold compared with sugar controls derived from engineered plants that overproduce lignin-related aromatics. This enhancement was more pronounced (~seven-fold increase) with hydrolysates from nonengineered switchgrass. Proteomic analysis of the methyl ketone-producing P. putida suggested that plant-derived amino acids may be the source of this enhancement. Mass spectrometry-based measurements of plant-derived amino acids demonstrated a high correlation between methyl ketone production and amino acid concentration in plant hydrolysates. Amendment of glucose-containing minimal media with a defined mixture of amino acids similar to those found in the hydrolysates studied led to a nine-fold increase in methyl ketone titer (1.1 g/L).

Fungi possess extraordinary strength in attachment to biotic and abiotic surfaces. This review focuses on adhesion mechanisms of yeast and filamentous fungi and the proposed combination of the adhesive forces of both organisms in an immobilization system called yeast biocapsules, whereby Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells are attached to the hyphae of Penicillium chrysogenum. The natural adherent properties of each organism, one multicellular and another unicellular, allow yeast to be fixated securely on the filamentous fungi and complete alcoholic fermentation. Following alcoholic fermentation, the hyphae become an inert support for yeast cells while maintaining shape and integrity. Biocapsules have been used successfully in both wine and bioethanol production. Investigation of the potential genes involved in fungal-yeast fusion suggests that natural hydrophobic interactions of both organisms play a major role. Analysis of the possible mechanisms involved in fungus and yeast adhesion, future perspectives on improving yeast immobilization, and proposed applications of the biocapsules are explored.

Xylitol is a five-carbon polyol of economic interest that can be produced by microbial xylose reduction from renewable resources. The current study sought to investigate the potential of two yeast strains, isolated from Brazilian Cerrado biome, in the production of xylitol as well as the genomic characteristics that may impact this process. Xylose conversion capacity by the new isolates Spathaspora sp. JA1 and Meyerozyma caribbica JA9 was evaluated and compared with control strains on xylose and sugarcane biomass hydrolysate. Among the evaluated strains, Spathaspora sp. JA1 was the strongest xylitol producer, reaching product yield and productivity as high as 0.74 g/g and 0.20 g/(L.h) on xylose, and 0.58 g/g and 0.44 g/(L.h) on non-detoxified hydrolysate. Genome sequences of Spathaspora sp. JA1 and M. caribbica JA9 were obtained and annotated. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the predicted xylose metabolic pathway is conserved among the xylitol-producing yeasts Spathaspora sp. JA1, M. caribbica JA9 and Meyerozyma guilliermondii, but not in Spathaspora passalidarum, an efficient ethanol-producing yeast. Xylitol-producing yeasts showed strictly NADPH-dependent xylose reductase and NAD+-dependent xylitol-dehydrogenase activities. This imbalance of cofactors favors the high xylitol yield shown by Spathaspora sp. JA1, which is similar to the most efficient xylitol producers described so far.

Direct biocatalytic conversion of CO2 to formic acid is an attractive means of reversibly storing energy in chemical bonds. Formate dehydrogenases (FDHs) are a heterogeneous group of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of formic acid to carbon dioxide, generating two protons and two electrons. Several FDHs have recently been reported to catalyze the reverse reaction, i.e., the reduction of carbon dioxide to formic acid, under appropriate conditions. The main challenges with these enzymes are relatively low rates of CO2 reduction and high oxygen sensitivity. Our earlier studies (Yu et al. (2017) J. Biol. Chem. 292, 16872-16879) have shown that the FdsABG formate dehydrogenase from Cupriavidus necator is able to effectively catalyze the reduction of CO2, using NADH as a source of reducing equivalents, with a good oxygen tolerance. On the basis of this result, we have developed a highly thermodynamically efficient and cost-effective biocatalytic process for the transformation of CO2 to formic acid using FdsABG. We have  cloned the full-length soluble formate dehydrogenase (FdsABG) from C. necator and expressed it in Escherichia coli with a His-tag fused to the N terminus of the FdsG subunit; this overexpression system has greatly simplified the FdsABG purification process. Importantly, we have also combined this recombinant C. necator FdsABG with another enzyme, glucose dehydrogenase, for continuous regeneration of NADH for CO2 reduction and demonstrated that the combined system is highly effective in reducing CO2 to formate. The results indicate that this system shows significant promise for the future development of an enzyme-based system for the industrial reduction of CO2.

Viral contamination in biopharmaceutical manufacturing can lead to shortages in the supply of critical therapeutics. To facilitate the protection of bioprocesses, we explored the basis for the susceptibility of CHO cells to RNA virus infection. Upon infection with certain ssRNA and dsRNA viruses, CHO cells fail to generate a significant interferon (IFN) response. Nonetheless, the downstream machinery for generating IFN responses and its antiviral activity is intact in these cells: treatment of cells with exogenously-added type I IFN or poly I:C prior to infection limited the cytopathic effect from Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), and Reovirus-3 virus (Reo-3) in a STAT1-dependent manner. To harness the intrinsic antiviral mechanism, we used RNA-Seq to identify two upstream repressors of STAT1: Gfi1 and Trim24. By knocking out these genes, the engineered CHO cells exhibited activation of cellular immune responses and increased resistance to the RNA viruses tested. Thus, omics-guided engineering of mammalian cell culture can be deployed to increase safety in biotherapeutic protein production among many other biomedical applications.

Dr. Calvin (Herb) Ward, a pioneer in the fields of environmental chemistry, engineering, and wastewater science, passed away at the age of 90 on December 28, 2023. He was one of the original founders of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and served as the editor-in-chief of the society's journal, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, for 30 years. Dr. Ward had an extraordinary academic career at Rice University, where he founded the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering and played a pivotal role in establishing several academic programs in environmental science and engineering. He received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to the field and authored over 200 publications. Dr. Ward's legacy will continue to guide the field of environmental science and engineering for years to come. [Extracted from the article]

Yarrowia lipolytica possesses natural and engineered traits that make it a good host for the industrial bioproduction of chemicals, fuels, foods, and pharmaceuticals. In recent years, academic and industrial researchers have assessed its potential, developed synthetic biology techniques, improved its features, scaled its processes, and identified its limitations. Both publications and patents related to Y. lipolytica have shown a drastic increase during the past decade. Here, we discuss the characteristics of this yeast that make it suitable for industry and the remaining challenges for its wider use at large scale. We present evidence herein that shows the importance and potential of Y. lipolytica in bioproduction such that it may soon be one of the preferred choices of industry. Selection of the most appropriate microorganism is one of the key aspects for the industrial success of microbial bioprocesses. Yarrowia lipolytica has gained interest as a chassis strain in academia and industry because of its capacity to make products at high yields, use a broad range of substrates, and be genetically amenable. Y. lipolytica has many features that are desired at an industrial scale, such as safety, robustness, efficient and stable genetic modifications, capacity to use a variety of substrates, and ability to grow at very high cell density. To further improve the industrial use of Y. lipolytica , some characteristics must be improved through metabolic engineering, such as the high oxygen requirement, byproduct formation, and excessive foam synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fields of microbial ecology and environmental microbiology are producing loads of data, mainly nucleic acid sequence data due to the extensive use of amplicon sequencing and metagenomics, and an increasing use of transcriptomics. In another study, geographic and meteorological data as well plant-traits, land-use type and microbial community data were used in a ML-based prediction of grassland degradation, which is a multi-factorial phenomenon not easily captured by a few variables (Yan et al., [30]). Artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning (ML) and to some extent also deep learning (DL) methods are promising for dealing with big data in microbial ecology and environmental microbiology (Ghannam & Techtmann, [11]; McElhinney et al., [20]). There are several advantages to using ML methods in microbiome studies, for example, they can deal with non-linear relationships, make better use of the full depth of high-dimensional data, and can be used to build predictive models based on environmental and community data. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Educación y Humanismo is the property of Universidad Simon Bolivar and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Economically feasible bioethanol process from lignocellulose requires efficient fermentation by yeast of all sugars present in the hydrolysate. However, when exposed to lignocellulosic hydrolysate, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is challenged with a variety of inhibitors that reduce yeast viability, growth, and fermentation rate, and in addition damage cellular structures. In order to evaluate the capability of S. cerevisiae to adapt and respond to lignocellulosic hydrolysates, the physiological effect of cultivating yeast in the spruce hydrolysate was comprehensively studied by assessment of yeast performance in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), measurement of furaldehyde reduction activity, assessment of conversion of phenolic compounds and genome-wide transcription analysis. The yeast cultivated in spruce hydrolysate developed a rapid adaptive response to lignocellulosic hydrolysate, which significantly improved its fermentation performance in subsequent SSF experiments. The adaptation was shown to involve the induction of NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductases and conversion of phenolic compounds during the fed-batch cultivation. These properties were correlated to the expression of several genes encoding oxidoreductases, notably AAD4, ADH6, OYE2/3, and YML131w. The other most significant transcriptional changes involved genes involved in transport mechanisms, such as YHK8, FLR1, or ATR1. A large set of genes were found to be associated with transcription factors (TFs) involved in stress response (Msn2p, Msn4p, Yap1p) but also cell growth and division (Gcr4p, Ste12p, Sok2p), and these TFs were most likely controlling the response at the post-transcriptional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a list of upcoming events and courses offered by the AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers). The events include conferences, meetings, and workshops on various topics related to chemical engineering, such as bioengineering, process safety, and sustainability science. The courses cover a range of subjects, including time management, project management, and chemical engineering for non-chemical engineers. The document also mentions webinars on topics like networking and reducing emissions and energy costs. [Extracted from the article]