Alpha-terpineol promotes triterpenoid production of Antrodia cinnamomea in submerged culture.

Antrodia cinnamomea is a medicinal mushroom producing potent bioactive triterpenoids. However, triterpenoids of A. cinnamomea in submerged culture are much less than those in fruiting bodies.

Efficient whole-cell biocatalyst for acetoin production with NAD+ regeneration system through homologous co-expression of 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase and NADH oxidase in engineered Bacillus subtilis.

Acetoin (3-hydroxy-2-butanone), an extensively-used food spice and bio-based platform chemical, is usually produced by chemical synthesis methods. With increasingly requirement of food security and environmental protection, bio-fermentation of acetoin by microorganisms has a great promising market. However, through metabolic engineering strategies, the mixed acid-butanediol fermentation metabolizes a certain portion of substrate to the by-products of organic acids such as lactic acid and acetic acid, which causes energy cost and increases the difficulty of product purification in downstream processes.

Improving the catalytic potential and substrate tolerance of Gibberella intermedia nitrilase by whole-cell immobilization.

Comparative studies of immobilized and free cells of Gibberella intermedia CA3-1 in bioconversion of 3-cyanopyridine to nicotinic acid were performed. Entrapping method was chosen based on the advantages in enzymatic activity recovery, mechanical strength and preparation procedure. Four entrapment matrices were investigated and sodium alginate was screened to be the most suitable material.

Screening, identification and culture optimization of a newly isolated aromatic nitrilase-producing bacterium--Pseudomonas putida CGMCC3830.

Microbial nitrilases have attracted increasing attention in nitrile hydrolysis for carboxylic acid production in recent years. A bacterium with nitrilase activity was isolated and identified as Pseudomonas putida CGMCC3830 based on its morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as 16S rRNA gene sequence. The nitrilase production was optimized by varying culture conditions using the one-factor-at-a-time method and response surface methodology.

Turning a water and oil insoluble cisplatin derivative into a nanoparticle formulation for cancer therapy.

The formulation of water insoluble organic compounds into nanoparticles has become a widely established method for enhancing the delivery and efficacy of cancer therapeutics. Therefore, a comparable approach when applied to water insoluble inorganic compounds should also promote similar advantages. Herein, we have successfully formulated insoluble iodinated cisplatin (CDDP-I) into an LPI NPs (lipid-coated iodinated CDDP nanoparticles).

Effect of cofactor folate on the growth of Corynebacterium glutamicum SYPS-062 and L-serine accumulation.

The direct fermentative production of L-serine from sugar has attracted increasing attention. Corynebacterium glutamicum SYPS-062 can directly convert sugar to L-serine. In this study, the effects of exogenous and endogenous regulation of cofactor folate on C.

[Optimization of hydroxylating DHEA to 7alpha,15alpha-diOH-DHEA by compound mutation and fermentation optimization].

Combined with method of ketoconazole resistance screening, a 7alpha,15alpha-diOH-DHEA high-producing mutant Colletotrichum lini ST-1 was obtained by compound mutation of NTG and low energy N+ ion beam implantation. With the substrate concentration of 10 g/L DHEA, the molar yield of 7alpha,15alpha-diOH-DHEA reached 34.2%, increased by 46.

Co-delivery of cisplatin and rapamycin for enhanced anticancer therapy through synergistic effects and microenvironment modulation.

The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in the tumor's progression and metastasis. Therefore, successful alteration of this delicate setting against the tumor's favor can open a window for therapeutic efficacy. We have developed a modality to bring about treatment-induced alterations in the tumor microenvironment by employing the synergistic effects between two drugs.

[Breeding of high 3beta,7alpha,15alpha-trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one transforming strains and their conversion process optimization].

In order to improve transformation efficiency of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) into 3beta,7alpha,15alpha-trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one (7alpha,15alpha-diOH-DHEA) by Gibberella intermedia CA3-1, we investigated the strains breeding and their conversion process optimization. G. intermedia CA3-1 strains were treated with 0.

Enhancement of steroid hydroxylation yield from dehydroepiandrosterone by cyclodextrin complexation technique.

The cyclodextrins (CDs) complexation technique was performed for the enhancement of hydroxylation yield from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by Colletotrichum lini ST-1. Using DHEA/methyl-β-cyclodextrin (M-β-CD) or DHEA/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) inclusion complexes as substrate (10g/L), the hydroxylation yields were increased by 14.98% and 20.

[Effects of pH and oxygen supply on production of 2,3-butanediol from biodiesel-derived glycerol by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens].

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10-127 was used to produce 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) from residual glycerol obtained from biodiesel synthesis. Important variables for 2,3-BD fermentation, pH and dissolved oxygen, were studied. When pH was maintained constant, the yield of 2,3-BD was inhibited.

Lipid-calcium phosphate nanoparticles for delivery to the lymphatic system and SPECT/CT imaging of lymph node metastases.

A lipid/calcium/phosphate (LCP) nanoparticle (NP) formulation (particle diameter ∼25 nm) with superior siRNA delivery efficiency was developed and reported previously. Here, we describe the successful formulation of (111)In into LCP for SPECT/CT imaging. Imaging and biodistribution studies showed that, polyethylene glycol grafted (111)In-LCP preferentially accumulated in the lymph nodes at ∼70% ID/g in both C57BL/6 and nude mice when the improved surface coating method was used.

Two-stage pH control strategy based on the pH preference of acetoin reductase regulates acetoin and 2,3-butanediol distribution in Bacillus subtilis.

Acetoin reductase/2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (AR/BDH), which catalyzes the interconversion between acetoin and 2,3-butanediol, plays an important role in distribution of the products pools. This work characterized the Bacillus subtilis AR/BDH for the first time. The enzyme showed very different pH preferences of pH 6.

Nanoparticle-delivered transforming growth factor-β siRNA enhances vaccination against advanced melanoma by modifying tumor microenvironment.

Achievement of potent immunoresponses against self/tumor antigens and effective therapeutic outcome against advanced tumors remain major challenges in cancer immunotherapy. The specificity and efficiency of two nanoparticle-based delivery systems, lipid-calcium-phosphate (LCP) nanoparticle (NP) and liposome-protamine-hyaluronic acid (LPH) NP, provide us an opportunity to address both challenges. A mannose-modified LCP NP delivered both tumor antigen (Trp 2 peptide) and adjuvant (CpG oligonucleotide) to the dendritic cells and elicited a potent, systemic immune response regardless of the existence or the stage of tumors in the host.

Effect of PEG-mediated pore forming on Ca-alginate immobilization of nitrilase-producing bacteria Pseudomonas putida XY4.

Effect of PEG-mediated pore forming on Ca-alginate immobilization of nitrilase-producing bacteria Pseudomonas putida XY4 was studied. Through using PEG as porogen, the environmental tolerance as well as the biocatalytic reaction efficiency of immobilized cells was greatly improved, i.e.

The rebalanced pathway significantly enhances acetoin production by disruption of acetoin reductase gene and moderate-expression of a new water-forming NADH oxidase in Bacillus subtilis.

Bacillus subtilis produces acetoin as a major extracellular product. However, the by-products of 2,3-butanediol, lactic acid and ethanol were accompanied in the NADH-dependent pathways. In this work, metabolic engineering strategies were proposed to redistribute the carbon flux to acetoin by manipulation the NADH levels.

[Screening of dissolved oxygen induced promoters in Corynebacterium crenatum and functional verification].

Objective: Purpose of this work was to screen promoters which were induced by dissolved oxygen in Corynebacterium crenatum SYPA5-5.

Methods: Based on the genomic information of Corynebacterium, we identified target proteins which were the highest expression level of one copy of 27 known proteins from our earlier study. Based on the upstream sequence of the coding gene sequences, we amplified two promoters, named P-tkt and P-fum.

[One-step fermentation converting glucose in gamma-aminobutyric acid by a recombinant Corynebacterium crenatum].

Objective: We constructed an integrative recombinant Corynebacterium crenatum that could directly convert glucose in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Methods: Using overlap PCR, we obtained delta argB fragment that lacked 491 bp of N-acetylglutamate kinase (NAGK) gene. The glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) gene attached tac promoter was amplified and inserted into delta argB fragment.

Improved production of 2,3-butanediol in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by over-expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase.

Background: Previously, a safe strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10-127 was identified as an excellent candidate for industrial-scale microbial fermentation of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD). However, B. amyloliquefaciens fermentation yields large quantities of acetoin, lactate and succinate as by-products, and the 2,3-BD yield remains prohibitively low for commercial production.

Lipid-coated Cisplatin nanoparticles induce neighboring effect and exhibit enhanced anticancer efficacy.

Encapsulation of cisplatin (CDDP) into nanoparticles (NPs) with high drug loading and encapsulation efficiency has been difficult due to the poor solubility of CDDP. However, this barrier has been overcome with a reverse microemulsion method appropriating CDDP's poor solubility to our advantage promoting the synthesis of a pure cisplatin nanoparticle with a high drug loading capacity (approximately 80.8 wt %).

[Screening and condition optimization of a strain for efficiently biotransformation of saponins in Dioscorea zingiberensis into diosgenin].

Diosgenin is an important raw material in steroid hormone and widely used in pharmaceutical industry. The traditional method for diosgenin production is acidolysis, which causes serious pollution. In order to obtain a cleaner and more efficient approach of diosgenin production, a strain of Gibberella intermedia WX12 (the sexual stage of Fusarium proliferatum) was screened from the strains deposited in our laboratory.

Purification and characterisation of a bifunctional alginate lyase from novel Isoptericola halotolerans CGMCC 5336.

A novel halophilic alginate-degrading microorganism was isolated from rotten seaweed and identified as Isoptericola halotolerans CGMCC5336. The lyase from the strain was purified to homogeneity by combining of ammonium sulfate fractionation and anion-exchange chromatography with a specific activity of 8409.19 U/ml and a recovery of 25.