Model description of bacterial 3-methylcatechol production in one- and two-phase systems

Pseudomonas putida MC2 produces 3-methylcatechol from toluene in aqueous medium. A second phase of 1-octanol may improve total product accumulation. To optimise the design of such a biphasic process, a process model was developed, both for one- and two-phase applications. The insights obtained by the model predictions showed the importance of different process parameters (like growth substrate concentration and partition coefficient) on growth of biomass, accumulation of 3-methylcatechol and processing time. For future applications, the process model can be used to ensure enough extraction capacity from aqueous to octanol phase. It is a useful tool to define the optimum process conditions, depending on the desired optimisation parameter: product concentration or processing time.     

Production of 3-nitrocatechol by oxygenase-containing bacteria: optimization of the nitrobenzene biotransformation by Nocardia S3

Twenty-one microorganisms were screened for their ability to convert nitroaromatics into 3-nitrocatechol as a result of the action of an oxygenase. Cultures containing toluene dioxygenases and phenol monooxygenases accumulated 3-nitrocatechol during incubation with nitrobenzene and nitrophenol, respectively. Nocardia S3 was selected and studied in more detail. Toluene-pregrown cultures were able to degrade nitrobenzene with a concomitant formation of 3-nitrocatechol. The rates of nitrobenzene utilization decreased throughout the biotransformation period and finally the accumulation ceased. The gradual deterioration of the biotransformation rates was not a consequence of depletion of the NADH pool, but was due to the accumulation of 3-nitrocatechol. The inhibition of nitrobenzene biotransformation by 3-nitrocatechol greatly impacts 3-nitrocatechol production processes.     

Integrated bioproduction and extraction of 3-methylcatechol

Pseudomonas putida MC2 is a solvent-tolerant strain that accumulates 3-methylcatechol. In aqueous media, 10 mM of 3-methylcatechol was produced and production was limited by 3-methylcatechol toxicity to the biocatalyst. Production levels increased by introduction of a second, organic phase that provides the substrate toluene and extracts the product from the culture medium. Octanol was shown to be an appropriate second phase with respect to tolerance of the strain for this solvent and with respect to partitioning of both substrate and product. Per unit of overall reactor volume (octanol and water), best results were obtained with 50% (v/v) of octanol: an overall 3-methylcatechol concentration of 25 mM was reached with 96% of the product present in the octanol phase. These product concentrations are much higher than in aqueous media without organic solvent, indicating that biocatalysis in an organic/aqueous two-phase system is an improved set-up for high production levels of 3-methylcatechol.     

An integrated process for the production of toxic catechols from toxic phenols based on a designer biocatalyst

We describe the biocatalytic production of 3‐phenylcatechol from 2‐phenylphenol with the whole cell biocatalyst Escherichia coli JM101 (pHBP461). The recombinant produces 2‐hydroxybiphenyl 3‐monooxygenase, an enzyme from Pseudomonas azelaica HBP1. This enzyme introduces a hydroxyl‐group at the C₃‐position of a variety of 2‐substituted phenols, such as 2‐phenylphenol. This permits the biocatalytic production of 3‐substituted catechols, which are difficult to synthesize chemically. Both 2‐phenylphenol and 3‐phenylcatechol are highly toxic to E. coli. The toxic effects of 2‐phenylphenol were minimized by feeding this substrate to the reactor at a rate slightly below the maximum biooxidation rate. As a result, the substrate concentration in the reactor remained below toxic levels during the bioconversion. The toxic product formed was removed by continuous adsorption on the solid resin Amberlite™ XAD‐4. To this end the reaction mixture, containing the biocatalyst, was pumped continuously through an external loop with a fluidized bed of the resin. This resin efficiently and quantitatively adsorbed both 3‐phenylcatechol and the remaining trace amounts of 2‐phenylphenol. Consequently, the concentrations of these compounds were kept at subtoxic levels (below 100 mg L⁻¹) and gram amounts of 3‐phenylcatechol were produced with space–time yields of up to 0.39 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹. The product was recovered from the resin by acidic methanol elution and purified by recrystallization from n‐hexane resulting in overall yields exceeding 59%. The optimized system served as a surprisingly simple and efficient integrated process, that allows the bioconversion of toxic substrates to toxic products with whole cell biocatalysts. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 62: 641–648, 1999.     

A novel solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactor for the enhanced bioproduction of 3-methylcatechol

The bioproduction of 3-methylcatechol from toluene via Pseudomonas putida MC2 was performed in a solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactor with the intent of increasing yield and productivity over a single-phase system. The solid phase consisted of HYTREL, a thermoplastic polymer that was shown to possess superior affinity for the inhibitory 3-methylcatechol compared to other candidate polymers as well as a number of immiscible organic solvents. Operation of a solid-liquid biotransformation utilizing a 10% (w/w) solid (polymer beads) to liquid phase ratio resulted in the bioproduction of 3-methylcatechol at a rate of 350 mg/L-h, which compares favorably to the single phase productivity of 128 mg/L-h. . HYTREL polymer beads were also reconstituted into polymer sheets, which were placed around the interior circumference of the bioreactor and successfully removed 3-methylcatechol from solution resulting in a rate of 3-methylcatechol production of 343 mg/L-h. Finally, a continuous biotransformation was performed in which culture medium was circulated upwards through an external extraction column containing HYTREL beads. The design maintained sub lethal concentrations of 3-methylcatechol within the bioreactor by absorbing produced 3-methylcatechol into the polymer beads. As 3-methylcatechol concentrations in the aqueous phase approached 500 mg/L the extraction column was replaced (twice) with a fresh column and the process was continued representing a simple and effective approach for the continuous bioproduction of 3-methylcatechol. Recovery of 3-methylcatechol from HYTREL was also achieved by bead desorption into methanol.     

Protein engineering of toluene-o-xylene monooxygenase from Pseudomonas stutzeri OX1 for oxidizing nitrobenzene to 3-nitrocatechol, 4-nitrocatechol, and nitrohydroquinone

Toluene-o-xylene monooxygenase (ToMO) from Pseudomonas stutzeri OX1 was found to oxidize nitrobenzene (NB) to form m-nitrophenol (m-NP, 72%) and p-NP (28%) with an initial rate of 0.098 and 0.031 nmol/(min mg protein), respectively. It was also discovered that wild-type ToMO forms 4-nitrocatechol (4-NC) from m-NP and p-NP with an initial rate of 0.15 and 0.0082 nmol/(min mg protein), respectively, and 3-NC (12%) and nitrohydroquinone (NHQ, 88%) from o-NP with an initial rate of 0.11 and 0.8 nmol/(min mg protein), respectively. To increase the oxidation rate and alter the oxidation regiospecificity of nitro aromatics as well as to study the role of the active site residues I100, Q141, T201, and F205 of the alpha hydroxylase fragment of ToMO (TouA), DNA shuffling and saturation mutagenesis were used to generate random mutants. The mutants were initially identified by screening via a rapid agar plate assay and then were further examined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Several mutants with higher rates of activities and with different regiospecificities were identified; for example, Escherichia coli TG1 cells expressing either TouA mutant M180T/E284G or E214G/D312N/M399V produce 4-NC 4.5- and 20-fold faster than wild-type ToMO (0.037 and 0.16 nmol/min mg protein from p-NP, respectively). TouA mutant A107T/E214A had the regiospecificity of NB changed significantly from 28% to 79% p-NP. From 200 microM NB, TouA variants A101T/M114T, A110T/E392D, M180T/E284G, and E214G/D312N/M399V produce 4-NC whereas wild-type ToMO does not. From m-NP, TouA mutant I100Q produces 4-NC (37%) and NHQ (63%), whereas wild-type ToMO produces only 4-NC (100%). Variant A107T/E214A acts like a para enzyme and forms p-cresol as the major product (93%) from toluene with enhanced activity (2.3-fold), whereas wild-type ToMO forms 32%, 21%, and 47% of o-, m-, and p-cresol, respectively. Hence, the non-specific ToMO was converted into a regiospecific enzyme, which rivals toluene 4-monooxygenase of P. mendocina KR1 and toluene o-monooxygenase of Burkholderia cepacia G4 in its specificity.     

Development and optimization of an adenovirus production process

Adenoviral vectors have a number of advantages such as their ability to infect post-mitotic tissues. They are produced at high titers and are currently used in 28% of clinical protocols targeting mainly cancer diseases through different strategies. The major disadvantages of the first generation of recombinant adenoviruses are addressed by developing new recombinant adenovirus vectors with improved capacity and safety and reduced inflammatory response. To meet increasing needs of adenovirus vectors for gene therapy programs, parallel development of efficient, scalable and reproducible production processes is required. HEK-293 complementing cell line physiology, metabolism and viral infection kinetics were studied at small scale to identify optimal culture conditions. Batch, fed-batch and perfusion culture modes were evaluated. Development of new monitoring tools (in situ GFP probe) and quantification techniques (HPLC determination of total viral particles) contributed to acceleration of process development. On-line monitoring of physiological parameters such as respiration and biovolume of the culture allowed real-time supervision and control of critical phases of the process. Use of column chromatographic steps instead of CsCl gradient purification greatly eased process scale-up. The implementation of the findings at large scale led to the development of an optimized and robust integrated process for adenovirus production using HEK-293 cells cultured in suspension and serum-free medium. The two-step column-chromatography purification was optimized targeting compliance with clinical material specifications. The complete process is routinely operated at a 20-L scale and has been scaled-up to 100 L. Scale-up of adenoviral vector production in suspension and serum-free medium, and purification according to regulatory requirements, are achievable. To overcome metabolic limitations at high cell densities, use of perfusion mode with low-shear cell retention devices is now a common trend in adenovirus manufacturing. Further process improvements will rely on better understanding of the mechanisms of virus replication and maturation in complementing host cells.     

High-rate 3-methylcatechol production in Pseudomonas putida strains by means of a novel expression system

The bioconversion of toluene into 3-methylcatechol was studied as a model system for the production of valuable 3-substituted catechols in general. For this purpose, an improved microbial system for the production of 3-methylcatechol was obtained. Pseudomonas putida strains containing the todC1C2BAD genes involved in the conversion of toluene into 3-methylcatechol were used as hosts for introducing extra copies of these genes by means of a novel integrative expression system. A construct was made containing an expression cassette with the todC1C2BAD genes cloned under the control of the inducible regulatory control region for naphthalene and phenanthrene degradation, nagR. Introducing this construct into wild-type P. putida F1, which degrades toluene via 3-methylcatechol, or into mutant P. putida F107, which accumulates 3-methylcatechol, yielded biocatalysts carrying multiple copies of the expression cassette. As a result, up to 14 mM (1.74 g l(-1)) of 3-methylcatechol was accumulated and the specific production rate reached a level of 105 micromol min(-1) g(-1) cell dry weight, which is four times higher than other catechol production systems. It was shown that these properties were kept stable in the biocatalysts without the need for antibiotics in the production process. This is an important step for obtaining designer biocatalysts.     

A two-step enzymatic resolution process for large-scale production of (S)- and (R)-ethyl-3-hydroxybutyrate

An efficient two-step enzymatic process for production of (R)- and (S)-ethyl-3-hydroxybutyrate (HEB), two important chiral intermediates for the pharmaceutical market, was developed and scaled-up to a multikilogram scale. Both enantiomers were obtained at 99% chemical purity and over 96% enantiomeric excess, with a total process yield of 73%. The first reaction involved a solvent-free acetylation of racemic HEB with vinylacetate for the production of (S)-HEB. In the second reaction, (R)-enriched ethyl-3-acetoxybutyrate (AEB) was subjected to alcoholysis with ethanol to derive optically pure (R)-HEB. Immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was employed in both stages, with high productivity and selectivity. The type of butyric acid ester influenced the enantioselectivity of the enzyme. Thus, extending the ester alkyl chain from ethyl to octyl resulted in a decrease in enantiomeric excess, whereas using bulky groups such as benzyl or t-butyl, improved the enantioselectivity of the enzyme. A stirred reactor was found unsuitable for large-scale production due to attrition of the enzyme particles and, therefore, a batchwise loop reactor system was used for bench-scale production. The immobilized enzyme was confined to a column and the reactants were circulated through the enzyme bed until the targeted conversion was reached. The desired products were separated from the reaction mixture in each of the two stages by fractional distillation. The main features of the process are the exclusion of solvent (thus ensuring high process throughput), and the use of the same enzyme for both the acetylation and the alcoholysis steps. Kilogram quantities of (S)-HEB and (R)-HEB were effectively prepared using this unit, which can be easily scaled-up to produce industrial quantities.     

Modeling and multi-criteria optimization of an industrial process for continuous lactic acid production

The key feature of this paper is the optimization of an industrial process for continuous production of lactic acid. For this, a two-stage fermentor process integrated with cell recycling has been mathematically modeled and optimized for overall productivity, conversion, and yield simultaneously. Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was applied to solve the constrained multi-objective optimization problem as it is capable of finding multiple Pareto-optimal solutions in a single run, thereby avoiding the need to use a single-objective optimization several times. Compared with traditional methods, NSGA-II could find most of the solutions in the true Pareto-front and its simulation is also very direct and convenient. The effects of operating variables on the optimal solutions are discussed in detail. It was observed that we can make higher profit with an acceptable compromise in a two-stage system with greater efficiency.     

A novel tool for medium optimization and characterization in the early stages of a metabolite production process

A new parameter could be introduced to facilitate the optimization of media used for cultivation of stock cultures on agar slants. This parameter reduces the amount of data generated in optimization experiments to one single value (hs-value) for each medium composition. The hs-value (high and stable product formation) allows an assessment of any medium formulation with regard to reproducibility and product formation, demonstrated for the production process of the antibiotic gallidermin by Staphylococcus gallinarum TÜ 3928. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Oxidation of the substituted catechols dihydroxyphenylalanine methyl ester and trihydroxyphenylalanine by lactoperoxidase and its compounds

The reactions of native lactoperoxidase and its compound II with two substituted catechols have been investigated by ESR spin stabilization and spin trapping and by rapid scan and conventional spectrophotometric techniques. The catechols are Dopa methyl ester (dihydroxyphenylalanine methyl ester) and 6-hydroxy-Dopa (trihydroxyphenylalanine). o-Semiquinone radicals are formed in the anaerobic reaction of Dopa methyl ester with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by native lactoperoxidase. The comparable anaerobic reaction of 6-hydroxy-Dopa appears to produce hydroxyl radicals in an unusual reaction. Compound II is reduced back to native lactoperoxidase by both catechols. The reaction between Dopa methyl ester and compound II undergoes an oscillation. The results on the overall lactoperoxidase cycle indicate two successive one-electron reductions of the peroxidase intermediates back to the native enzyme. The resulting free radical formation of o- and p-semiquinones and subsequent formation of stable quinones and Dopachromes is dependent upon the stereochemical arrangement of the catechol hydroxyl groups.     

Methods and strategies available for the process control and optimization of monoclonal antibody production

The objective of this paper is to explore the range of methods and strategies available for the process control and optimization of monoclonal antibody production by hybridoma cell culture. Emphasis will be placed on the choice of the level of complexity incorporated into the process control and optimisation procedure. It will be shown that the behaviour of hybridomas in culture is influenced by sophisticated cellular metabolic activities and various interactive environmental factors and that the understanding and modelling of the way hybridomas grow in the bioreactor should enable optimisation of bioreactor operating conditions to achieve maximum monoclonal antibody formation. However, due to the lack of on-line instrumentation of important biological variables and the incomplete knowledge of hybridoma cultivation process, there exist many limitations and challenges to the advent of applications of process control and optimisation in this field. To solve the problem, introduction of industrially practical biological measurements and development of new control concepts are inevitable. At the end of this paper, we shall discuss possible schemes for the control of the physsiological state of cells in order that balanced cell growth and maximum monoclonal antibody synthesis may be achieved.     

Some studies on optimization of extraction process for protease production in SSF

A locally isolated filamentous fungus belonging to the group phycomycetes namely Rhizopus oryzae was identified to secrete alkaline protease. The production of this enzyme through solid state fermentation process has been attempted. From fermented biomass extraction of the enzyme was found to depend on the different parameters like nature of solvent, time of soaking, temperature etc. While optimizing the extraction process, it was found that 10% ethanol with 3% glycerol was the best solvent for protease extraction, when the soaking time was 2 hours and temperature 30v°C. It was further observed that double wash of fermented biomass yielded almost total enzyme in the leachate.     

A gene cluster involved in degradation of substituted salicylates via ortho cleavage in Pseudomonas sp. strain MT1 encodes enzymes specifically adapted for transformation of 4-methylcatechol and 3-methylmuconate

Pseudomonas sp. strain MT1 has recently been reported to degrade 4- and 5-chlorosalicylate by a pathway assumed to consist of a patchwork of reactions comprising enzymes of the 3-oxoadipate pathway. Genes encoding the initial steps in the degradation of salicylate and substituted derivatives were now localized and sequenced. One of the gene clusters characterized (sal) showed a novel gene arrangement, with salA, encoding a salicylate 1-hydroxylase, being clustered with salCD genes, encoding muconate cycloisomerase and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, respectively, and was expressed during growth on salicylate and chlorosalicylate. A second gene cluster (cat), exhibiting the typical catRBCA arrangement of genes of the catechol branch of the 3-oxoadipate pathway in Pseudomonas strains, was expressed during growth on salicylate. Despite their high sequence similarities with isoenzymes encoded by the cat gene cluster, the catechol 1,2-dioxygenase and muconate cycloisomerase encoded by the sal cluster showed unusual kinetic properties. Enzymes were adapted for turnover of 4-chlorocatechol and 3-chloromuconate; however, 4-methylcatechol and 3-methylmuconate were identified as the preferred substrates. Investigation of the substrate spectrum identified 4- and 5-methylsalicylate as growth substrates, which were effectively converted by enzymes of the sal cluster into 4-methylmuconolactone, followed by isomerization to 3-methylmuconolactone. The function of the sal gene cluster is therefore to channel both chlorosubstituted and methylsubstituted salicylates into a catechol ortho cleavage pathway, followed by dismantling of the formed substituted muconolactones through specific pathways.     

Statistical screening and optimization of process variables for xylanase production utilizing alkali-pretreated rice husk

With the objective of the production of xylanase, local raw material (rice husk) and the indigenous isolate, Aspergillus niger ITCC 7678, were studied. Optimization of the cultivation system for enhancing xylanase production was studied via submerged fermentation. Statistical procedures were employed to study the effect of process variables, such as alkali-pretreated rice husk (as carbon source), NaNO₃ (as nitrogen source), KH₂PO₄, KCl, Tween 80 (as surfactant), MgSO₄, FeSO₄·7H₂O, pH, particle size, agitation, and temperature, on xylanase production by A. niger. The effect and significance of the variables was studied using Plackett–Burman (PBD) and central composite statistical design (CCD). It was found that alkali pretreated rice husk (weight/volume), pH, temperature, and NaNO₃ significantly influence xylanase production. So, these four factors were further optimized by CCD, and it was found that maximum xylanase activity of 10.9 IU/ml was observed at (6.5 % w/v) rice husk, pH (5.5), temperature (32.5 °C), and NaNO₃ (0.35 % w/v) concentration. Under optimum conditions, xylanase production was also studied at the bioreactor level and showed 12.8 % enhanced xylanase activity.     

A quantitative analysis of microalgal lipids for optimization of biodiesel and omega‐3 production

The lipid characteristics of microalgae are known to differ between species and change with growth conditions. This work provides a methodology for lipid characterization that enables selection of the optimal strain, cultivation conditions, and processing pathway for commercial biodiesel production from microalgae. Two different microalgal species, Nannochloropsis sp. and Chlorella sp., were cultivated under both nitrogen replete and nitrogen depleted conditions. Lipids were extracted and fractionated into three major classes and quantified gravimetrically. The fatty acid profile of each fraction was analyzed using GC–MS. The resulting quantitative lipid data for each of the cultures is discussed in the context of biodiesel and omega‐3 production. This approach illustrates how the growth conditions greatly affect the distribution of fatty acid present in the major lipid classes and therefore the suitability of the lipid extracts for biodiesel and other secondary products. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 2096–2104. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Solvent selection for enhanced bioproduction of 3-methylcatechol in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

The biotransformation of toluene to 3-methycatechol (3MC) via Pseudomonas putida MC2 was used as a model system for the development of a biphasic process offering enhanced overall volumetric productivity. Three factors were investigated for the identification of an appropriate organic solvent and they included solvent toxicity, bioavailability of the solvent as well as solvent affinity for 3MC. The critical log P (log P(crit)) of the biocatalyst was found to be 3.1 and log P values were used to predict a solvent's toxicity. The presence of various functional groups of candidate solvents were used to predict the absorption of 3MC and it was found that solvents possessing polarity showed an affinity towards 3MC. Bis (2-ethylhexyl) sebecate was selected for use in the biphasic system as it fulfilled all selection criteria. A two-phase biotransformation with BES and a 50% phase volume ratio, achieved an overall volumetric productivity of 440 mg 3MC/L-h, which was an improvement by a factor of approximately 4 over previously operated systems. Additional work focused on reducing the toluene feed in order to minimize possible toxicity and decrease loss of substrate (toluene), a result of volatilization. Toluene losses were reduced by a factor of 4, compared to previously operated systems, without suffering an appreciable loss in overall volumetric productivity.