Role of Humic Substances in the (Bio)Degradation of Synthetic Polymers under Environmental Conditions.

Information on the detection of the presence and potential for degradation of synthetic polymers (SPs) under various environmental conditions is of increasing interest and concern to a wide range of specialists. At this stage, there is a need to understand the relationship between the main participants in the processes of (bio)degradation of SPs in various ecosystems (reservoirs with fresh and sea water, soils, etc.), namely the polymers themselves, the cells of microorganisms (MOs) participating in their degradation, and humic substances (HSs).

"Stop, Little Pot" as the Motto of Suppressive Management of Various Microbial Consortia.

The unresolved challenges in the development of highly efficient, stable and controlled synthetic microbial consortia, as well as the use of natural consortia, are very attractive for science and technology. However, the consortia management should be done with the knowledge of how not only to accelerate but also stop the action of such "little pots". Moreover, there are a lot of microbial consortia, the activity of which should be suppressively controlled.

Using Fungi in Artificial Microbial Consortia to Solve Bioremediation Problems.

There is currently growing interest in the creation of artificial microbial consortia, especially in the field of developing and applying various bioremediation processes. Heavy metals, dyes, synthetic polymers (microplastics), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pharmaceutical agents are among the pollutants that have been mainly targeted by bioremediation based on various consortia containing fungi (mycelial types and yeasts). Such consortia can be designed both for the treatment of soil and water.

Luminescent Bacteria as Bioindicators in Screening and Selection of Enzymes Detoxifying Various Mycotoxins.

Interest in enzymes capable of neutralizing various mycotoxins is quite high. The methods used for the screening and selection of enzymes that catalyze the detoxification of mycotoxins should be sensitive and fast. However toxic compounds can be generated under the action of such enzymes.

Artificial Humic Substances as Biomimetics of Natural Analogues: Production, Characteristics and Preferences Regarding Their Use.

Various processes designed for the humification (HF) of animal husbandry wastes, primarily bird droppings, reduce their volumes, solve environmental problems, and make it possible to obtain products with artificially formed humic substances (HSs) as analogues of natural HSs, usually extracted from fossil sources (coal and peat). This review studies the main characteristics of various biological and physicochemical methods of the HF of animal wastes (composting, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonation, acid or alkaline hydrolysis, and subcritical water extraction). A comparative analysis of the HF rates and HS yields in these processes, the characteristics of the resulting artificial HSs (humification index, polymerization index, degree of aromaticity, etc.

Metal Nanomaterials and Hydrolytic Enzyme-Based Formulations for Improved Antifungal Activity.

Active research of metal-containing compounds and enzymes as effective antifungal agents is currently being conducted due to the growing antifungal resistance problem. Metals are attracting special attention due to the wide variety of ligands that can be used for them, including chemically synthesized and naturally obtained variants as a result of the so-called "green synthesis". The main mechanism of the antifungal action of metals is the triggering of the generation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Quorum Sensing as a Trigger That Improves Characteristics of Microbial Biocatalysts.

Quorum sensing (QS) of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, microalgae) today attracts the attention of researchers mainly from the point of view of clarifying the biochemical basics of this general biological phenomenon, establishing chemical compounds that regulate it, and studying the mechanisms of its realization. Such information is primarily aimed at its use in solving environmental problems and the development of effective antimicrobial agents. This review is oriented on other aspects of the application of such knowledge; in particular, it discusses the role of QS in the elaboration of various prospective biocatalytic systems for different biotechnological processes carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions (synthesis of enzymes, polysaccharides, organic acids, etc.

Progressive Biocatalysts for the Treatment of Aqueous Systems Containing Pharmaceutical Pollutants.

The review focuses on the appearance of various pharmaceutical pollutants in various water sources, which dictates the need to use various methods for effective purification and biodegradation of the compounds. The use of various biological catalysts (enzymes and cells) is discussed as one of the progressive approaches to solving problems in this area. Antibiotics, hormones, pharmaceuticals containing halogen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antiepileptic drugs are among the substrates for the biocatalysts in water purification processes that can be carried out.

Destruction of Mycotoxins in Poultry Waste under Anaerobic Conditions within Methanogenesis Catalyzed by Artificial Microbial Consortia.

To reduce the toxicity of modern feeds polluted by mycotoxins, various sorbents are added to them when feeding animals. A part of the mycotoxins is excreted from the body of animals with these sorbents and remains in the manure. As a result, bulk animal wastes containing mixtures of mycotoxins are formed.

Advanced Situation with Recombinant Toxins: Diversity, Production and Application Purposes.

Today, the production and use of various samples of recombinant protein/polypeptide toxins is known and is actively developing. This review presents state-of-the-art in research and development of such toxins and their mechanisms of action and useful properties that have allowed them to be implemented into practice to treat various medical conditions (including oncology and chronic inflammation applications) and diseases, as well as to identify novel compounds and to detoxify them by diverse approaches (including enzyme antidotes). Special attention is given to the problems and possibilities of the toxicity control of the obtained recombinant proteins.

Combination of Enzymes with Materials to Give Them Antimicrobial Features: Modern Trends and Perspectives.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria form serious problems in many areas, including medicine and the food industry. At the same time, great interest is shown in the transfer or enhancement of antimicrobial properties to various materials by modifying them with enzymes. The use of enzymes in biomaterials with antimicrobial properties is important because enzymes can be used as the main active components providing antimicrobial properties of functionalized composite biomaterials, or can serve as enhancers of the antimicrobial action of certain substances (antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, metal nanoparticles, etc.

Carrier Variety Used in Immobilization of His-OPH Extends Its Application Areas.

Organophosphorus hydrolase, containing a genetically introduced hexahistidine sequence (His-OPH), attracts the attention of researchers by its promiscuous activity in hydrolytic reactions with various substrates, such as organophosphorus pesticides and chemical warfare agents, mycotoxins, and -acyl homoserine lactones. The application of various carrier materials (metal-organic frameworks, polypeptides, bacterial cellulose, polyhydroxybutyrate, succinylated gelatin, etc.) for the immobilization and stabilization of His-OPH by various methods, enables creation of biocatalysts with various properties and potential uses, in particular, as antidotes, recognition elements of biosensors, in fibers with chemical and biological protection, dressings with antimicrobial properties, highly porous sorbents for the degradation of toxicants, including in flow systems, etc.

Self-Assembling Enzymatic Nanocomplexes with Polypeptides and Low-Weight Organic Compounds: Preparation, Characterization, and Application of New Antibacterials.

The self-assembling of nanosized materials is a promising field for research and development. Multiple approaches are applied to obtain inorganic, organic and composite nanomaterials with different functionality. In the present work, self-assembling nanocomplexes (NCs) were prepared on the basis of enzymes and polypeptides followed by the investigation of the influence of low-molecular weight biologically active compounds on the properties of the NCs.

Degradation of mycotoxins in mixtures by combined proteinous nanobiocatalysts: In silico, in vitro and in vivo.

New combined proteinous (enzymatic) nanobiocatalysts capable of destructing mycotoxins in mixtures were developed and investigated in vitro and in vivo. Candidate enzymes for such combined biocatalysts were computationally screened using molecular docking of mycotoxins to the proteins. Catalytic characteristics of the 7 selected enzymes were estimated in the potential reactions with various mycotoxins (aflatoxin B, citrinin, deoxynivalenol, ergotamine, fumonisin B, gliotoxin, ochratoxin A, patulin, sterigmatocystin, T-2 toxin, zearalenone) at different pH values.

"Unity and Struggle of Opposites" as a Basis for the Functioning of Synthetic Bacterial Immobilized Consortium That Continuously Degrades Organophosphorus Pesticides.

This work was aimed at the development of an immobilized artificial consortium (IMAC) based on microorganisms belonging to the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cells capable of jointly carrying out the rapid and effective degradation of different organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs): paraoxon, parathion, methyl parathion, diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, dimethoate, and demeton-S-methyl. A cryogel of poly(vinyl alcohol) was applied as a carrier for the IMAC. After a selection was made between several candidates of the genera and , the required combination of two cultures ( and ) was found.

Combined Modification of Fiber Materials by Enzymes and Metal Nanoparticles for Chemical and Biological Protection.

To obtain fiber materials with pronounced chemical-biological protection, metal (Zn or Ta) nanoparticles were jointly applied with polyelectrolyte complexes of enzymes and polypeptides being their stabilizers. Computer modeling revealed the preferences between certain polyelectrolyte partners for -acyl-homoserine lactone acylase and hexahistidine-tagged organophosphorus hydrolase (His-OPH) possessing the quorum quenching (QQ) behavior with bacterial cells. The combinations of metal nanoparticles and enzymes appeared to function better as compared to the combinations of the same QQ-enzymes with antibiotics (polymyxins), making it possible to decrease the applied quantities by orders of magnitude while giving the same effect.

Decarboxylases as hypothetical targets for actions of organophosphates: Molecular modeling for prediction of hidden and unexpected health threats.

The rise of various neurodegenerative disorders are somewhat correlating with the worldwide application of multiple anthropogenic toxicants. Though different possible targets were revealed to date, for example, for organophosphorus compounds (OPs), plenty of questions remain. Several decarboxylases (aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, AADC; histidine decarboxylase, HDC; glutamate decarboxylase, GAD) catalyze the biosynthesis of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators and contain pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) as a cofactor.

Enzymes, Reacting with Organophosphorus Compounds as Detoxifiers: Diversity and Functions.

Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) are able to interact with various biological targets in living organisms, including enzymes. The binding of OPCs to enzymes does not always lead to negative consequences for the body itself, since there are a lot of natural biocatalysts that can catalyze the chemical transformations of the OPCs via hydrolysis or oxidation/reduction and thereby provide their detoxification. Some of these enzymes, their structural differences and identity, mechanisms, and specificity of catalytic action are discussed in this work, including results of computational modeling.

Bacterial Cellulose Containing Combinations of Antimicrobial Peptides with Various QQ Enzymes as a Prototype of an "Enhanced Antibacterial" Dressing: In Silico and In Vitro Data.

To improve the action of already in use antibiotics or new antimicrobial agents against different bacteria, the development of effective combinations of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with enzymes that can quench the quorum (QQ) sensing of bacterial cells was undertaken. Enzymes hydrolyzing -acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) and peptides that are signal molecules of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial cells, respectively, were estimated as "partners" for antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides in newly designed antimicrobial-enzymatic combinations. The molecular docking of six antimicrobial agents to the surface of 10 different QQ enzyme molecules was simulated in silico.

Metal Nanoparticles for Improving Bactericide Functionality of Usual Fibers.

A wide variety of microbiological hazards stimulates a constant development of new protective materials against them. For that, the application of some nanomaterials seems to be very promising. Modification of usual fibers with different metal nanoparticles was successfully illustrated in the work.

Enzymatically Functionalized Composite Materials Based on Nanocellulose and Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Cryogel and Possessing Antimicrobial Activity.

In the present work, innovative composite biomaterials possessing bactericidal properties and based on the hexahistidine-tagged organophosphorus hydrolase (His-OPH) entrapped in the poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel (PVA-CG)/bacterial cellulose (BC) were developed. His-OPH possesses lactonase activity, with a number of N-acyl homoserine lactones being the inducers of Gram-negative bacterial resistance. The enzyme can also be combined with various antimicrobial agents (antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides) to improve the efficiency of their action.

Charges' interaction in polyelectrolyte (nano)complexing of His-OPH with peptides: Unpredictable results due to imperfect or useless concept?

Quorum Quenching (QQ) enzymes can be used to prevent bacterial antibiotic resistance by degradation of Quorum Sensing (QS) signaling molecules, for example N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). This paper is aimed at the in silico investigation of the possible combinations of hexahistidine-tagged organophosphorus hydrolase (His-OPH) with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to improve the enzyme activity and, promisingly, stability. This shall help creating a nanosized QQ preparation capable to hydrolyze different AHLs and possessing an antimicrobial activity.

Enzymes for Detoxification of Various Mycotoxins: Origins and Mechanisms of Catalytic Action.

Mycotoxins are highly dangerous natural compounds produced by various fungi. Enzymatic transformation seems to be the most promising method for detoxification of mycotoxins. This review summarizes current information on enzymes of different classes to convert various mycotoxins.

Novel approach to quorum quenching: rational design of antibacterials in combination with hexahistidine-tagged organophosphorus hydrolase.

N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) are quorum sensing (QS) signal molecules used by most Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. In this article the lactonase activity of the preparations based on hexahistidine-tagged organophosphorus hydrolase (His6-OPH) towards AHLs was studied. Initially, three of the most interesting β-lactam antibiotics were selected from seven that were trialed during molecular docking to His6-OPH.

Complex effect of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid on various aspects of ethanol and fumaric acid production by immobilized cells within SSF.

The pretreatment of softwood and hardwood samples (spruce and hornbeam wood) with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) was undertaken for further simultaneous enzymatic saccharification of renewable non-food lignocellulosic biomass and microbial fermentation of obtained sugars to ethanol and fumaric acid. A multienzyme cocktail based on cellulases and yeast or fungus cells producing ethanol and fumaric acid were the main objects of [Bmim]Cl influence studies. A complex effect of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment with [Bmim]Cl on various aspects of the process (both action of cellulases and microbial conversion of hydrolysates to target products) was revealed.