scholarly journals Proteins from extremophiles as stable tools for advanced biotechnological applications of high social interest

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (13) ◽  
pp. 183-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcella de Champdoré ◽  
Maria Staiano ◽  
Mosè Rossi ◽  
Sabato D'Auria
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Extreme Values ◽  
Social Interest ◽  
Industrial Processes ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Biotechnological Applications ◽  
New Class ◽  
Adverse Environmental Conditions ◽  
Micro Organisms

Extremophiles are micro-organisms adapted to survive in ecological niches defined as ‘extreme’ for humans and characterized by the presence of adverse environmental conditions, such as high or low temperatures, extreme values of pH, high salt concentrations or high pressure. Biomolecules isolated from extremophiles possess extraordinary properties and, in particular, proteins isolated from extremophiles represent unique biomolecules that function under severe conditions, comparable to those prevailing in various industrial processes. In this article, we will review some examples of recent applications of thermophilic proteins for the development of a new class of fluorescence non-consuming substrate biosensors for monitoring the levels of two analytes of high social interest, such as glucose and sodium.

STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS OF HUMAN INTESTINAL MICROBIOME IN DIFFERENT CLIMATIC AND ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF ST. PETERSBURG

2020 ◽  
pp. 31-36
Author(s):  
Bugero N.V. ◽  
Ilyina N.A. ◽  
Aleksandrova S.M.
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Intestinal Microbiome ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Horizontal Structure ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Symbiotic Relationships ◽  
Structure And Dynamics ◽  
Quantitative Changes ◽  
Micro Organisms

In order to understand the structure and dynamics of symbiotic relationships of human intestinal biotope micro-organisms, taxonomic constancy indices, the degree of contagion of the biocenosis under study and floristic significance were investigated, which made it possible to detect qualitative and quantitative changes in the microecology of the biotope being studied in persons living in different ecologically heterogeneous territories of Saint Petersburg. The contagiosity index estimated the distribution of species in space. Persons living in the ecologically disadvantaged Kirov district of the city have been found to show a reliable increase in this indicator for the obligate microflora: bifido and lacto bacteria, intestinal columns and bacteroids, compared to the resort district, which is considered a relatively favourable area for residence. On the contrary, there has been a reliable decrease in this indicator in the group of opportunistic micro-organisms (fungi of the genus Candida, staphylococcus, clostridium, etc.), resulting in the liberation of ecological niches successfully occupied by transient flora. This ratio reveals an imbalance of participation in the horizontal structure of the intestine ecosystem of the main symbiotes and representatives of the transient flora. To analyse the structure of symbiotic relationships, the constancy indices that form the microflora of the individuals of the groups studied were investigated. The analysis of the data obtained suggested that the dominant species in both groups were optional-anaerobic bifido and lactobacteria and oblique-anaerobic bacteroids. It should be noted, however, that in the residents of the dysfunctional Kirovsky district, against the background of the reduced constancy of the normal flora, opportunistic micro-organisms have entered. The floral significance index was also declining in the obligate flora of this group and increased for opportunistic species. Thus, the study of the environmental characteristics of the intestinal biotope using different ecological parameters for persons living in different technogenic load regions of St. Petersburg has shown that in the Kirov district with an unfavourable environmental situation there are compensated qualitative and quantitative changes in the intestinal microbiocenosis, resulting in a change in the hierarchy in the overall structure of micro-organisms.

Sulphur at High Pressure and Low Temperatures

1991 ◽  
pp. 143-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Eckert ◽  
H. J. Jodl ◽  
H. O. Albert ◽  
P. Foggi
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Low Temperatures

scholarly journals Exploring the hydrolytic potential of cultured halophilic bacteria isolated from the Atacama Desert

2019 ◽  
Vol 366 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Ruginescu ◽  
Cristina Purcărea ◽  
Cristina Dorador ◽  
Paris Lavin ◽  
Roxana Cojoc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Halophilic Bacteria ◽  
Agar Plate ◽  
Atacama Desert ◽  
Industrial Processes ◽  
Biotechnological Applications ◽  
Bacterial Isolates ◽  
Salt Tolerant ◽  
Essential Step ◽  
Extremophilic Microorganisms ◽  
Biological Sources

ABSTRACT Considering that most industrial processes are carried out under harsh physicochemical conditions, which would inactivate enzymes from commonly isolated mesophilic organisms, current studies are geared toward the identification of extremophilic microorganisms producing enzymes resistant to extreme salt concentrations, temperature and pH. Among the extremophiles, halophilic microorganisms are an important source of salt-tolerant enzymes that can be used in varying biotechnological applications. In this context, the aim of the present work was to isolate and identify halophiles producing hydrolases from the Atacama Desert, one of the harshest environments on Earth. Isolates were recovered from halite samples and screened for the presence of seven different hydrolase activities (amylase, caseinase, gelatinase, lipase, pectinase, cellulase and inulinase) using agar plate-based assays. From a total of 23 halophilic bacterial isolates, most showed lipolytic (19 strains) and pectinolytic (11 strains) activities. The molecular identification of eight selected isolates showed a strong similarity to members of the Halomonas and Idiomarina genera. Therefore, the present study represents a preliminary, but essential, step to identify novel biological sources of extremozymes in an environment once thought to be devoid of life.

scholarly journals Small but Smart: On the Diverse Role of Small Proteins in the Regulation of Cyanobacterial Metabolism

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 322
Author(s):  
Fabian Brandenburg ◽  
Stephan Klähn
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Industrial Processes ◽  
Biotechnological Applications ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
The Past ◽  
Metabolic Fluxes ◽  
Reactor Technology ◽  
Small Proteins

Over the past few decades, bioengineered cyanobacteria have become a major focus of research for the production of energy carriers and high value chemical compounds. Besides improvements in cultivation routines and reactor technology, the integral understanding of the regulation of metabolic fluxes is the key to designing production strains that are able to compete with established industrial processes. In cyanobacteria, many enzymes and metabolic pathways are regulated differently compared to other bacteria. For instance, while glutamine synthetase in proteobacteria is mainly regulated by covalent enzyme modifications, the same enzyme in cyanobacteria is controlled by the interaction with unique small proteins. Other prominent examples, such as the small protein CP12 which controls the Calvin–Benson cycle, indicate that the regulation of enzymes and/or pathways via the attachment of small proteins might be a widespread mechanism in cyanobacteria. Accordingly, this review highlights the diverse role of small proteins in the control of cyanobacterial metabolism, focusing on well-studied examples as well as those most recently described. Moreover, it will discuss their potential to implement metabolic engineering strategies in order to make cyanobacteria more definable for biotechnological applications.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of action of ionic liquids on living cells: the state of the art

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1187-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallavi Kumari ◽  
Visakh V.S. Pillai ◽  
Antonio Benedetto
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Liquids ◽  
Cell Membrane ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
The State ◽  
New Class ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
Enzyme Functions

Abstract Ionic liquids (ILs) are a relatively new class of organic electrolytes composed of an organic cation and either an organic or inorganic anion, whose melting temperature falls around room-temperature. In the last 20 years, the toxicity of ILs towards cells and micro-organisms has been heavily investigated with the main aim to assess the risks associated with their potential use in (industrial) applications, and to develop strategies to design greener ILs. Toxicity, however, is synonym with affinity, and this has stimulated, in turn, a series of biophysical and chemical-physical investigations as well as few biochemical studies focused on the mechanisms of action (MoAs) of ILs, key step in the development of applications in bio-nanomedicine and bio-nanotechnology. This review has the intent to present an overview of the state of the art of the MoAs of ILs, which have been the focus of a limited number of studies but still sufficient enough to provide a first glimpse on the subject. The overall picture that emerges is quite intriguing and shows that ILs interact with cells in a variety of different mechanisms, including alteration of lipid distribution and cell membrane viscoelasticity, disruption of cell and nuclear membranes, mitochondrial permeabilization and dysfunction, generation of reactive oxygen species, chloroplast damage (in plants), alteration of transmembrane and cytoplasmatic proteins/enzyme functions, alteration of signaling pathways, and DNA fragmentation. Together with our earlier review work on the biophysics and chemical-physics of IL-cell membrane interactions (Biophys. Rev. 9:309, 2017), we hope that the present review, focused instead on the biochemical aspects, will stimulate a series of new investigations and discoveries in the still new and interdisciplinary field of “ILs, biomolecules, and cells.”

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document