14 research outputs found
How did Saccharomyces evolve to become a good brewer?
No full textBrewing and wine production are among the oldest technologies and their products are almost indispensable in our lives. The central biological agents of beer and wine fermentation are yeasts belonging to the genus Saccharomyces, which can accumulate ethanol. Recent advances in comparative genomics and bioinformatics have made it possible to elucidate when and why yeasts produce ethanol in high concentrations, and how this remarkable trait originated and developed during their evolutionary history. Two research groups have shed light on the origin of the genes encoding alcohol dehydrogenase and the process of ethanol accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Candida albicans- a pre-whole genome duplication yeast is predominantly aerobic and a poor ethanol producer.
No full textYeast species belonging to the lineage that underwent the whole genome duplication (WGD), and including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can grow under anaerobiosis and accumulate ethanol in the presence of glucose and oxygen. The pre-WGD yeasts, which branched from the S. cerevisiae lineage just prior to the WGD event, including Kluyveromyces lactis, are more dependent on oxygen and do not accumulate large amounts of ethanol in the presence of excess oxygen. Yeasts that belong to the so-called 'lower branches' of the yeast phylogenetic tree and diverged from S. cerevisiae more than 200 million years ago, have so far not been thoroughly investigated for their physiology and carbon metabolism. We have hereby studied several isolates of Candida albicans and Debaryomyces hansenii for their dependence on oxygen. C. albicans grew very poorly at oxygen concentration below 1 p.p.m. and D. hansenii could not grow at all. In aerobic batch cultivations C. albicans exhibited a predominately aerobic metabolism, accumulating only small amounts of ethanol (0.01-0.09 g g(-1) glucose). Apparently, C. albicans and several other pre-WGD yeasts still exhibit the original traits of the yeast progenitor: poor accumulation of ethanol under aerobic conditions and strong dependence on the presence of oxygen
Parallel evolution of the make-accumulate-consume strategy in Saccharomyces and Dekkera yeasts
No full textSaccharomyces yeasts degrade sugars to two-carbon components, in particular ethanol, even in the presence of excess oxygen. This characteristic is called the Crabtree effect and is the background for the 'make-accumulate-consume' life strategy, which in natural habitats helps Saccharomyces yeasts to out-compete other microorganisms. A global promoter rewiring in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae lineage, which occurred around 100 mya, was one of the main molecular events providing the background for evolution of this strategy. Here we show that the Dekkera bruxellensis lineage, which separated from the Saccharomyces yeasts more than 200 mya, also efficiently makes, accumulates and consumes ethanol and acetic acid. Analysis of promoter sequences indicates that both lineages independently underwent a massive loss of a specific cis-regulatory element from dozens of genes associated with respiration, and we show that also in D. bruxellensis this promoter rewiring contributes to the observed Crabtree effect
Análise molecular da floculação e da formação de espuma por leveduras utilizadas na produção industrial de álcool combustível no Brasil
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia.A produção de álcool combustível no Brasil é realizada, na maioria das usinas, através do sistema de batelada alimentada onde, as células de levedura, principalmente Saccharomyces cerevisiae, são constantemente centrifugadas e reutilizadas nos vários ciclos fermentativos ao longo da safra. Por ser um ambiente com altas concentrações de açúcares, baixo pH, altas pressões osmóticas e temperaturas elevadas, linhagens de S. cerevisiae que atuam no processo de fermentação devem estar adaptadas ao estresse encontrado e apresentar características ideais para o processo industrial. Entretanto, por se tratar de um processo fermentativo não-estéril, o mesmo está sujeito a constantes contaminações por bactérias e leveduras selvagens que trazem enormes prejuízos à industria. Muitas vezes estas leveduras selvagens apresentam fenótipos como floculação, formação de espuma, pseudohifas, biofilme, e crescimento invasivo, características indesejáveis para a indústria de produção de álcool combustível. Estas propriedades apresentadas por algumas linhagens dificultam a centrifugação e reciclo das células, diminuem o volume útil das dornas, determinam menor contato entre as leveduras e mosto a ser fermentado, afetando portanto a produtividade alem de aumentarem os custos de produção. Desta forma, a pronta identificação destas características nas linhagens de leveduras utilizadas nos processos industriais faz-se necessária para minimizar as perdas de rendimento. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar fenotipicamente 17 linhagens isoladas diretamente das dornas de fermentação industrial quanto às várias propriedades descritas acima, e verificar a possível correlação entre as mesmas com a hidrofobicidade celular e polimorfismos em genes possivelmente envolvidos com estes fenômenos de superfície (genes de adesinas). Os resultados obtidos no presente trabalho revelaram significativa variabilidade entre as linhagens quanto às características fenotípicas analisadas. As melhores correlações observadas foram entre a hidrofobicidade celular, floculação (com e sem Ca2+) e formação de biofilme, sendo que este último parâmetro foi inversamente correlacionado com o crescimento invasivo no agar em 70% das linhagens analisadas. A análise por PCR das regiões variáveis das adesinas AWA1, DAN4, FLO1 e FLO11 revelou que provavelmente nenhuma das linhagens possui o gene AWA1, enquanto que o gene DAN4, presente em mais de dois terços das cepas, não apresentou grandes polimorfismos. O gene FLO1 foi detectado em um terço das linhagens analisadas, apresentando polimorfismos que foram correlacionados com a hidrofobicidade celular e floculação destas linhagens. Já no caso do gene FLO11, o polimorfismo em tamanho da região variável rica em serina e treonina desta adesina foi correlacionado com a floculação, formação de biofilme e produção de espuma de mais da metade das leveduras industriais analisadas. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a hidrofibicidade celular, que utiliza metodologia simples e rápida na sua determinação, pode ser um parâmetro interessante a ser implementado nas usinas para avaliar o potencial floculante e de produção de biofilme das linhagens presentes no processo industrial, enquanto que o polimorfismo da adesina FLO11, determinado através de PCR, pode revelar importante informação sobre o seu potencial floculante e de produção de biofilme e espuma
Análise da fermentação de glicose e xilose por leveduras Spathaspora isoladas de madeira em decomposição
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Florianópolis, 2012A crescente preocupação com o futuro esgotamento dos combustíveis fósseis tem impulsionado o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias para produção de combustíveis alternativos como o etanol. O etanol de segunda geração é dependente da fermentação dos açúcares que constituem a biomassa lignocelulósica, composta por lignina, celulose e hemicelulose. A hemicelulose é composta tanto por hexoses como por pentoses. A xilose é a pentose predominante na lignocelulose, e o segundo açúcar mais abundante na natureza. A levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae, principal microrganismo utilizado na produção de etanol de primeira geração, é incapaz de fermentar essa pentose. Por essa razão, pesquisas para identificar novas leveduras capazes de fermentar a xilose têm enorme aplicação biotecnológica. Neste trabalho foram analisadas 42 linhagens de leveduras, isoladas de madeira em decomposição na biodiversidade brasileira, como possíveis leveduras fermentadoras de xilose. Entre essas leveduras, quatro novas espécies fermentadoras de xilose foram classificadas e denominadas Spathaspora brasiliensis, Spathaspora roraimanensis, Spathaspora suhii, e Spathaspora xylofermentans. Essas diferentes leveduras Spathaspora apresentaram diferentes rendimentos na produção de etanol quando crescidas em meios contendo xilose ou glicose como fonte de carbono, quando fermentam em sistema de batelada misturas de xilose e glicose, ou hidrolisados enzimáticos de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar. Nossos resultados indicam que as espécies S. roraimanensis, S. xylofermentans e as já conhecidas S. passalidarum e S. arborariae, apresentam os melhores rendimentos na produção de etanol durante a fermentação de xilose. Finalmente, analisamos a expressão relativa de genes, presentes no genoma da levedura S. arborariae, possivelmente envolvidos na metabolização de xilose. Nossos resultados mostraram uma maior expressão relativa de 4 genes (que codificam para as enzimas xilose redutase e xilulocinase, e dois transportadores de xilose) nas células cultivadas em xilose, quando comparado com células crescidas em glicose. Estes novos genes constituem interessantes alvos para, através de engenharia genética, otimizar a produção de etanol a partir de hidrolisados da biomassa lignocelulósica.Abstract : Growing concerns with the future depletion of fossil fuels has driven the development of new technologies for the production of alternative fuels like ethanol. Second generation ethanol depends on the fermentation of sugars from lignocellulosic biomass, composed of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. Hemicellulose contains both hexoses and pentoses. Xylose is the predominant pentose in lignocellulose, and the second most abundant sugar in nature. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the major microorganism used in the production of first generation ethanol, is unable to ferment this pentose. Therefore, studies aiming the identification of new yeasts capable of fermenting xylose have several biotechnological applications. In this work we analyzed 42 yeast strains isolated from decaying wood in the Brazilian biodiversity as possible xylose-fermenting yeasts. Among these yeasts, four new xylose fermenting species were classified and named Spathaspora brasiliensis, Spathaspora roraimanensis, Spathaspora suhii, and Spathaspora xylofermentans. These different Spathaspora yeasts presented different ethanol yields when grown in media containing glucose or xylose as carbon source, during batch fermentations with glucose and xylose mixtures, or with sugarcane bagasse enzymatic hydrolysates. Our results indicate that the species S. roraimanensis, S. xylofermentans and the already known S. passalidarum and S. arborariae, show the best yields in ethanol production during xylose fermentation. Finally, we determined the relative expression of genes, present in the genome of the yeast S. arborariae, possibly involved in the metabolism of xylose. Our results showed a higher relative expression of four genes (encoding the enzymes xylose reductase and xyluloquinase, and two xylose transporters) in cells grown on xylose, as compared to cells grown in glucose. These new genes are interesting targets for optimizing, through genetic engineering, the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates
Endophyte frequency and diversity in elms.
No full text<p>Mean values of endophyte frequency (a, c, e) and endophyte diversity (b, d, f) of leaf (a, b), bark (c, d), and xylem (e, f) tissues from different groups of elm trees: P (R) = resistant <i>U. pumila</i> clones from Puerta de Hierro Forest Breeding Centre; M (R) = resistant <i>U. minor</i> clones from Puerta de Hierro Forest Breeding Centre; M (S) = susceptible <i>U. minor</i> clones from Puerta de Hierro Forest Breeding Centre; and M (F) = <i>U. minor</i> trees from Rivas-Vaciamadrid field site. Different letters indicate differences among groups of trees (<i>P</i><0.05), and bars represent standard errors.</p
Enhanced bioethanol production by Zymomonas mobilis in response to the quorum sensing molecules AI-2
No full textThe depletion of non-renewable energy resources, the environmental concern over the burning of fossil fuels, and the recent price rises and instability in the international oil markets have all combined to stimulate interest in the use of fermentation processes for the production of alternative bio-fuels. As a fuel, ethanol is mainly of interest as a petrol additive, or substrate, because ethanol-blended fuel produces a cleaner, more complete combustion that reduces greenhouse gas and toxic emissions. As a consequence of the surge in demand for biofuels, ethanol producing microorganisms, such as the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis, are of considerable interest due to their potential for industrial-scale bioethanol production.
Although bioethanol has traditionally been produced in batch fermentation with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, there are advantages in using Z. mobilis as an alternative for bioethanol production. In comparison to yeast, Z. mobilis grows and ferments rapidly, without the requirement for the controlled supply of oxygen during fermentation, and has a significantly higher ethanol product rate and yield. Most importantly, it has a high tolerance for ethanol.
Bacteria communicate with one another using chemical signalling molecules. In general, chemical communication involves producing, releasing, detecting, and responding to small hormone-like molecules termed autoinducers (AI). This process allows bacteria to monitor the environment for other bacteria and to alter behaviour on a population-wide scale in response to changes in the number and/or species present in a community.
Currently, there are three well-defined classes of molecules that serve as the paradigms for chemical signaling in bacteria: oligopeptides, AI-1 (AHLs) and AI-2. Oligopeptide signalling is the predominant signal used by Gram-positive bacteria, and AHLs (acyl-homoserine lactones) are for species-specific communication in Gram-negative bacteria. Finally, the LuxS/AI-2 pathway is generally considered as involved in interspecies communication because the luxS gene, which is responsible for AI-2 production, is found in various bacteria.
Many physiological functions in bacteria such as toxin, virulence factor and bacteriocin production, biofilm formation, bioluminescence, type III secretion, have been shown to be under the control of AI-2 quorum sensing. In Z. mobilis, in vitro synthesized and in vivo produced AI-2 treatment enhanced ethanol production by this bacterium up to a maximum of 50% in comparison with untreated control cells. This appears attributable to the overproduction of the glycolytic enzymes, enolase and pyruvate carboxylase, which are only rarely found in bacteria and the key enzymes for ethanol production.
From the perspective of interspecies communication, enhanced ethanol production in Z. mobilis, under the control of the AI-2 signalling molecules, could represent a good example of a bacterium that does not produce AI-2, but responds to it.
Another interesting finding is that two extracellular proteins from Z. mobilis, ZMO0994 and ZMO0134 which were originally induced by AI-2, were secreted when they were cloned, transformed and expressed in E. coli strain BL21 DE3; since it is generally accepted that nonpathogenic strains of E. coli, particularly derivatives of K12, do not secrete proteins under routine growth conditions. Presumably, these proteins possess signal sequences for secretion that could be used to provide a strategy for their use as carriers of recombinant proteins produced in E. coli K12. The merit of this system is that there would be few contaminant cytoplasmic proteins, and could possibly solve problems in protein purification, such as protease activity, protein misfolding and inclusion body formation.
Finally, the discovery that the metabolic pathway leading to ethanol production is regulated by AI-2 is of considerable biotechnological importance because it will provide a basis for further engineering of strains for more efficient ethanol production. Indeed, engineering Z. mobilis by introducing the genes that encode Pfs and LuxS to produce AI-2, would be a means to stimulate increased ethanol production
Drosophila deoxyribonucleoside kinase mutants with enhanced ability to phosphorylate purine analogs
No full textTransduced deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNK) can be used to kill recipient cells in combination with nucleoside prodrugs. The Drosophila melanogaster multisubstrate dNK (Dm-dNK) displays a superior turnover rate and has a great plasticity regarding its substrates. We used directed evolution to create Dm-dNK mutants with increased specificity for several nucleoside analogs (NAs) used as anticancer or antiviral drugs. Four mutants were characterized for the ability to sensitize Escherichia coli toward analogs and for their substrate specificity and kinetic parameters. The mutants had a reduced ability to phosphorylate pyrimidines, while the ability to phosphorylate purine analogs was relatively similar to the wild-type enzyme. We selected two mutants, for expression in the osteosarcoma 143B, the glioblastoma U-87M-G and the breast cancer MCF7 cell lines. The sensitivities of the transduced cell lines in the presence of the NAs fludarabine (F-AraA), cladribine (CdA), vidarabine and cytarabine were compared to the parental cell lines. The sensitivity of 143B cells was increased by 470-fold in the presence of CdA and of U-87M-G cells by 435fold in the presence of F-AraA. We also show that a choice of the selection and screening system plays a crucial role when optimizing suicide genes by directed evolution
Plant thymidine kinase 1: a novel efficient suicide gene for malignant glioma therapy
No full textThe prognosis for malignant gliomas remains poor, and new treatments are urgently needed. Targeted suicide gene therapy exploits the enzymatic conversion of a prodrug, such as a nucleoside analog, into a cytotoxic compound. Although this therapeutic strategy has been considered a promising regimen for central nervous system (CNS) tumors, several obstacles have been encountered such as inefficient gene transfer to the tumor cells, limited prodrug penetration into the CNS, and inefficient enzymatic activity of the suicide gene. We report here the cloning and successful application of a novel thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) from the tomato plant, with favorable characteristics in vitro and in vivo. This enzyme (toTK1) is highly specific for the nucleoside analog prodrug zidovudine (azidothymidine, AZT), which is known to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. An important feature of toTK1 is that it efficiently phosphorylates its substrate AZT not only to AZT monophosphate, but also to AZT diphosphate, with excellent kinetics. The efficiency of the toTK1/AZT system was confirmed when toTK1-transduced human glioblastoma (GBM) cells displayed a 500-fold increased sensitivity to AZT compared with wild-type cells. In addition, when neural progenitor cells were used as delivery vectors for toTK1 in intracranial GBM xenografts in nude rats, substantial attenuation of tumor growth was achieved in animals exposed to AZT, and survival of the animals was significantly improved compared with controls. The novel toTK1/AZT suicide gene therapy system in combination with stem cell mediated gene delivery promises new treatment of malignant gliomas
