MALDI-TOFMS analysis of intermediate oligosaccharides produced by the termite Reticulitermes santonensis and its common symbionts

Poster (2013, April 18)

Influence of lignin in Reticulitermes santonensis: symbiotic interations investigated through proteomics

in Symbiosis (2013)

The gut of lower termites is populated by numerous microbial species belonging to prokaryotes, fungi, yeasts and protists. These micro-organisms are organized in a complex symbiotic system, interacting ... [more ▼]

The gut of lower termites is populated by numerous microbial species belonging to prokaryotes, fungi, yeasts and protists. These micro-organisms are organized in a complex symbiotic system, interacting together and with the insect host. Their likely ability to degrade ligno-cellulosic compounds could lead to improvements in second generation biofuels production. Lignin elimination represents a critical point as this polymer significantly interferes with industrial process of cellulose. Although host produces its own lignin-degrading enzymes, some symbionts may participate in digestion of lignin and its degradation products in termite gut. Here, we compared gut proteomes from R. santonensis after rearing on artificial diets composed of cellulose with and without lignin. The effect of lignin in artificial diets on different parts of the digestive tract was compared through liquid chromatography associated with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) experiments. Enzymatic assays were performed to characterize activities present in R. santonensis digestive tract after feeding on artificial diets. Microscopic observations of microbial communities provided some information on population balances after feeding experiment. [less ▲]

Termites as a tool to improve lignocellulose biomass valorization : study of enzymatic complex in termites and its common symbionts by comprehensive metabolite profiling

Conference (2012, November 16)

Effects of glycerol on Pseudomonas fluorescens BTP1 freeze-dried

in International Journal of Biotechnology and Biochemistry. (2012), 8(2), 245-258

The storage stability of freeze-dried powders was studied by parameters such as loss of viability on the Plate Count Agar (PCA). Powder with glycerol (PG) contains 8.4x1010cfu/g before storage 1 ... [more ▼]

The storage stability of freeze-dried powders was studied by parameters such as loss of viability on the Plate Count Agar (PCA). Powder with glycerol (PG) contains 8.4x1010cfu/g before storage 1.1x1010cfug after 3 months at 4°C and 6.0x108cfu/g after 3 months at 20°C. The concentration of soluble proteins (mg/g) decrease during storage at 4°C from 3.77 to 0.80 after 90 days; and the ratios of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids (C18:3/C16:0 and C18:2/C16:0) decrease respectively from 0.05 to 0.04 and 0.007 to 0.004 after 3 months at 4°C. This ratio characterises the membrane fluidity. Powder without glycerol (PS) contains 1.1x1010 cfu/g before storage and 1.4 x 108 cfu/g after 3 months at 4°C and 1.4 x 107 cfu/g after 3 months at 20°C. The concentration of soluble proteins (mg/g) decrease during storage at 4°C from 4.08 to 0.42 after 90 days, the glutathione concentration decrease during storage at 4°C from 2.2 to 1.4. The beneficial effect of glycerol on fatty acid composition during freezedrying is shown and the ratios of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids (C18:2/C16:0 and C18:3/C16:0) decrease respectively from 0.019 to 0.004 and 0.054 to 0.036 after 90 days storage at 4°C. Analysis by flow cytometry was used to assess the physiological state in which cells are at the end of freeze-drying. We found 13.5% live cells, 36.1% dead cells and 50.4% cells in an intermediate state for powder with glycerol (PG) after freeze-drying. These results shows that glycerol play an important role in Pseudomonas fluorescens BTP1 desiccation during freeze-drying, by maintaining a degree of viability after freeze-drying and during storage. [less ▲]

Selection and cultivation of hydrolytic microorganisms extracted from the digestive tract of the termite Reticulitermes santonensis (3DV.1.55)

Poster (2012, June 21)

Biofuel production can be based on the use of fermentable substrates issued from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass stemming from agricultural residues and by-products. However, such substrates are ... [more ▼]

Biofuel production can be based on the use of fermentable substrates issued from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass stemming from agricultural residues and by-products. However, such substrates are not easy to degrade. Enzymes (cellulases, xylanases, etc.) can be used for this purpose and pre-treatments can increase their action by providing more available extremities. The digestive tract of the termite Reticulitermes santonensis contains various microorganisms (bacteria, molds, protists) able to degrade the wood components. These microorganisms act as consortia, leading to a better hydrolysis than in the cow rumen. Our purpose is the isolation of microorganisms from termite guts in order to evaluate their potential for hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials. This approach led us to isolate and to study a bacteria (Bacillus sp.) displaying a xylanase activity, a mold (Aspergillus sp.) displaying a cellulase activity and a chrysophyte (protist) displaying an amylase activity. [less ▲]

Identification and characterization of a new xylanase from Gram-positive bacteria isolated from termite gut (Reticulitermes santonensis))

in Protein Expression & Purification (2012), 83(2), 117-127

Biofuel by-product for poultry diets

Poster (2012, February 28)

Contribution to the study of physicochemical and functional properties of hemicelluloses and xylooligosaccharides (XOS) extracted from rapeseed meal

Poster (2012, February 08)

Rapeseed meal is one of the main industrial co-products from agriculture in Belgium, with more than 30 000 T produced each year. Beside its agricultural and energetic applications, new paths of ... [more ▼]

Rapeseed meal is one of the main industrial co-products from agriculture in Belgium, with more than 30 000 T produced each year. Beside its agricultural and energetic applications, new paths of valorization are being developed in order to add value to the rapeseed meal, usually by extraction of interesting molecules. In this thesis project, the aimed molecules are hemicelluloses, which are obtained via a global fractionation method that is being developed and optimized, constituting the first part of this project. Indeed, while rapeseed meals are globally already well exploited (mainly for their feed value), rapeseed hemicelluloses have not yet been studied for food application. Yet, hemicelluloses can be used as food additives (thickener, stabilizer, etc) mainly in bakery products. The literature being incomplete regarding the chemical structure of rapeseed hemicelluloses, one of the objectives of this project is to study their physicochemical properties, in regard with their technofunctional properties. Rapeseed hemicelluloses can also be used as raw material to produce an emergent type of prebiotic: xylooligosaccharides (XOS). These molecules can be introduced as well in the food supplement sector. Their production will be achieved by enzymatic hydrolysis, for a polymerization degree between two and five. Thus, the production and the physicochemical and technofunctional characterization of rapeseed XOS constitute the last objective of this project. This thesis is part of the SYNBIOFOR project, which aim is to create new symbiotic ingredients. [less ▲]

Impact of mixing imperfections on yeast bioreactor performances: Scale-down reactor concept and related experimental tools

in Cerevisia and Biotechnology (2012), 37

A method combining environmental data extracted from the dissolved oxygen profile of a fed-batch bioreactor and a dynamic discrete Markov chain model has been presented in order to give more insight about ... [more ▼]

A method combining environmental data extracted from the dissolved oxygen profile of a fed-batch bioreactor and a dynamic discrete Markov chain model has been presented in order to give more insight about the glucose and dissolved oxygen fluctuations experienced by the microorganisms during cultivation in heterogeneous bioreactor. The fed-batch cultivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been performed in a well-mixed and a partitioned scale-down reactor (SDR). The analysis of the environmental sequences has shown extended time lengths for the glucose availability and depletion sequences in the case of the SDR under a DO-controlled fed-batch culture. The Markov chain model developed in this work is able to capture the stochastic environmental events, i.e. in our case the environmental states experienced by the microorganisms crossing the tubular part of the SDR. The simulation results show clearly an extension of the starvation periods in the case of the culture performed in the SDR. The simulations have been performed at the single cells level allowing future improvements of our model and notably in the context of the population segregation phenomena occurring in fed-batch cultures. As a perspective, flow cytometry has been presented as a high-throughput analytical tool for the investigation of yeast physiology at the single cell level and in process-related conditions. [less ▲]

Physical and physiological impacts of different foam control strategies during a process involving hydrophobic substrate for the lipase production by Yarrowia lipolytica

in Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering (2012), 35(4), 483-492

The potentialities for the intensification of the process of lipase production by the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica on a renewable hydrophobic substrate (methyloleate) have been investigated. The key factor ... [more ▼]

The potentialities for the intensification of the process of lipase production by the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica on a renewable hydrophobic substrate (methyloleate) have been investigated. The key factor governing the lipase yield is the intensification of the oxygen transfer rate, considering the fact that Y. lipolytica is a strict aerobe. However, considering the nature of the substrate and the capacity for protein excretion and biosurfactant production of Y. lipolytica, intensification of oxygen transfer rate is accompanied by an excessive formation of foam. Two different foam control strategies have thus been implemented: a classical chemical foam control strategy (CFM) and a mechanical foam control (MFM) based on the Stirring As Foam Disruption (SAFD) principle. The second strategy allows foam control without any modifications of the physico-chemical properties of the broth. However, the MFM system design induced the formation of a persistent foam layer in the bioreactor. This phenomenon has led to the segregation of microbial cells between the foam phase and the liquid phase in the case of the bioreactors operated with MFM control, and induced a reduction at the level of the lipase yield. More interestingly, flow cytometry experiments have shown that residence time of microbial cells in the foam phase tends to induce a dimorphic transition which could potentially explain the reduction of lipase excretion. [less ▲]