Transcriptome-wide marker gene expression analysis of stress-responsive sulfate-reducing bacteria.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are terminal members of any anaerobic food chain. For example, they critically influence the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and metals (natural environment) as well as the corrosion of civil infrastructure (built environment). The United States alone spends nearly $4 billion to address the biocorrosion challenges of SRB.

Classification of bacterial nanowire proteins using Machine Learning and Feature Engineering model.

Nanowires (NW) have been extensively studied for spp. and spp. and are mostly produced by Type IV pili or multiheme c-type cytochrome.

Molecular regulation of conditioning film formation and quorum quenching in sulfate reducing bacteria.

Sensing surface topography, an upsurge of signaling biomolecules, and upholding cellular homeostasis are the rate-limiting spatio-temporal events in microbial attachment and biofilm formation. Initially, a set of highly specialized proteins, . conditioning protein, directs the irreversible attachment of the microbes.

Electricity from methane by Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b.

Given the difficulties valorizing methane (CH) via catalytic routes, this study explores use of CH-oxidizing bacteria ("methanotrophs") for generating electricity directly from CH. A preconditioned methanotrophic biofilm on 3D nickel foam with reduced graphene oxide (rGO/Ni) was used as the anode in two-compartment microbial fuel cells (MFCs). This study demonstrates a proof of concept for turning CH into electricity by two model methanotrophs including Methylosinus trichosposium OB3b and Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath).

Valorization of methane from environmental engineering applications: A critical review.

Wastewater and waste management sectors alone account for 18% of the anthropogenic methane (CH) emissions. This study presents a critical overview of methanotrophs ("methane oxidizing microorganisms") for valorizing typically discarded CH from environmental engineering applications, focusing on wastewater treatment plants. Methanotrophs can convert CH into valuable bioproducts including chemicals, biodiesel, DC electricity, polymers, and S-layers, all under ambient conditions.

Vitamin-C-enabled reduced graphene oxide chemistry for tuning biofilm phenotypes of methylotrophs on nickel electrodes in microbial fuel cells.

This study reports the use of multi-layered reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coating on porous nickel foam (NF) electrodes for enhancing biofilm growth of Rhodobacter Sphaeroides spp fed with methanol in microbial fuel cells (CHOH-MFCs). Electrochemical methods were used to assess the methylotrophic activity on rGO/NF electrodes. The power density and current density offered by rGO/NF (1200 mW m and 680 mA m) were 220-fold and 540-fold higher compared to bare NF (5.

Characterization of a novel Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase from Malbranchea cinnamomea exhibiting dual catalytic behavior.

A novel Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase (LPMO) family AA9 (PMO9A_MALCI) protein from thermophilic fungus Malbranchea cinnamomea was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The expressed protein was purified to homogeneity using ion exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. SDS-PAGE analysis showed PMO9A_MALCI to be ~27 kDa protein.

Producing methane, methanol and electricity from organic waste of fermentation reaction using novel microbes.

Residual solid and liquid streams from the one-pot CRUDE (Conversion of Raw and Untreated Disposal into Ethanol) process were treated with two separate biochemical routes for renewable energy transformation. The solid residual stream was subjected to thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD), which produced 95 ± 7 L methane kg volatile solid with an overall energy efficiency of 12.9 ± 1.

Simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation of unprocessed food waste into ethanol using thermophilic anaerobic bacteria.

The one-pot CRUDE (Conversion of Raw and Untreated Disposal into Ethanol) process was developed for simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation of unprocessed food waste into ethanol using thermophilic (growing at 65°C) anaerobic bacteria. Unlike existing waste to energy technologies, the CRUDE process obviates the need for any pre-treatment or enzyme addition. A High-Temperature-High-Pressure (HTHP) distillation technique was also applied that facilitated efficient use of fermentation medium, inoculum recycling, and in-situ ethanol collection.

Correction: Metal accumulation by sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and the efficacy of its biomass in enzymatic saccharification.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Metal accumulation by sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and the efficacy of its biomass in enzymatic saccharification.

Accumulation of metal contaminants in soil as a result of various industrial and anthropogenic activities has reduced soil fertility significantly. Phytoextraction of metal contaminants can improve soil fertility and provide inexpensive feedstock for biorefineries. We investigated the hyperaccumulation capacity of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) biomass by cultivating these plants in various concentrations of metal contaminants.

Saccharification of sunflower stalks using lignocellulases from a fungal consortium comprising Pholiota adiposa and Armillaria gemina.

Lignocellulases from Armillaria gemina and Pholiota adiposa are efficient in hydrolyzing aspen and poplar biomass, respectively. In the present study, lignocellulosic enzymes obtained from a fungal consortium comprising P. adiposa and A.

Simultaneous pretreatment and saccharification: green technology for enhanced sugar yields from biomass using a fungal consortium.

Two different biomasses were subjected to simultaneous pretreatment and saccharification (SPS) using a cocktail of hydrolytic and oxidizing enzymes. Application of a novel laccase as a detoxifying agent caused the removal of 49.8% and 32.

Reduction in acute ecotoxicity of paper mill effluent by sequential application of xylanase and laccase.

In order to reduce the ecotoxicity of paper mill, four different enzymatic pretreatment strategies were investigated in comparison to conventional chemical based processes. In strategy I, xylanase-aided pretreatment of pulp was carried out, and in strategy II, xylanase and laccase-mediator systems were used sequentially. Moreover, to compare the efficiency of Bacillus stearothermophilus xylanase and Ceriporiopsis subvermispora laccase in the reduction of ecotoxicity and pollution, parallel strategies (III and IV) were implemented using commercial enzymes.

Application of Thermostable Xylanase of Bacillus pumilus in Textile Processing.

Desizing of cotton and micropoly fabrics was done using thermostable xylanase from Bacillus pumilus ASH. Micropoly fabric showed better desizing than cotton under same conditions. Violet scale readings from the TEGEWA test after enzymatic desizing for 90 min at pH 7.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of aspen biomass into fermentable sugars by using lignocellulases from Armillaria gemina.

A white rot fungus, identified as Armillaria gemina SKU2114 on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses, was found to secrete efficient lignocellulose-degrading enzymes. The strain showed maximum endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase, and β-glucosidase activities of 146, 34, and 15 U/mL, respectively, and also secreted xylanase, laccase, mannanase, and lignin peroxidase with activities of 1270, 0.16, 57, and 0.

Enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw by removal of phenolic compounds using a novel laccase from yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

An extracellular laccase-producing yeast was isolated from soil and identified as Yarrowia lipolytica by its morphology and by comparison of its internal transcribed spacer rDNA gene sequence. Extracellular laccase (YlLac) from Y. lipolytica was purified to homogeneity by anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography.

Saccharification of poplar biomass by using lignocellulases from Pholiota adiposa.

A basidiomycetous fungus, identified as Pholiota adiposa SKU0714 on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses, was found to secrete efficient lignocellulose degrading enzymes. The strain showed maximum endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase and β-glucosidase activities of 26, 32 and 39 U/mL, respectively and also secreted xylanase, laccase, mannanase, and lignin peroxidase with activities of 1680, 0.12, 65 and 0.

Saccharification of woody biomass using glycoside hydrolases from Stereum hirsutum.

Enzymatic saccharification of woody biomasses was performed using glycoside hydrolases from Stereum hirsutum, a newly isolated fungal strain found to secrete efficient glycoside hydrolases. The strain showed the highest β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, endoglucanase, endoxylanase, laccase, and filter paper activity of 10.3, 1.

Immobilization of Pholiota adiposa xylanase onto SiO₂ nanoparticles and its application for production of xylooligosaccharides.

Enhanced yields of different lignocellulases were obtained under statistically-optimized parameters using Pholiota adiposa. The k (cat) value (4,261 s(-1)) of purified xylanase under standard assay conditions was the highest value ever reported. On covalent immobilization of the crude xylanase preparation onto functionalized silicon oxide nanoparticles, 66 % of the loaded enzyme was retained on the particle.

Cloning and characterization of a thermostable H2O-forming NADH oxidase from Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

NADH oxidase (Nox) catalyzes the conversion of NADH to NAD(+). A previously uncharacterized Nox gene (LrNox) was cloned from Lactobacillus rhamnosus and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1359 bp, capable of encoding a polypeptide of 453 amino acid residues.