Search

The current study aimed to achieve the enhanced phytase production from Aspergillus niger NT7 using the statistical method in solid-state fermentation to diminish their cost significantly for commercial purposes. The six different variables — the substrate's amount, temperature, incubation time, pH, the concentration of mannitol, and ammonium sulfate — identified as critical parameters from the one variable at a time (OVAT) approach, were further modeled and optimized in solid-state fermentation using response surface methodology (RSM). Increased phytase production (521 ± 28.16 Ugds−1) by RSM was attained with 5-g wheat bran supplemented with 2% mannitol, 0.5% ammonium sulfate, and pH 4.3 at 35 °C after five days of fermentation. The phytase production was enhanced by 6.8- and 2.5-fold after statistical optimization compared to unoptimized culture conditions and OVAT methodology, respectively. Further, dephytinization of maize bran using crude phytase preparation resulted in ameliorated nutritional status with the release of phosphorous, reducing sugars, proteins, and minerals (Mn, Fe, Mg, Zn, and Ca). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the nutritional enhancement of maize bran and the analysis of released minerals by ICP-MS using crude enzyme preparation. The current study successfully demonstrates the potential application of A. niger NT7 phytase for mitigating the antinutrient nature of phytate molecules in feed supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The application of phytases helps in releasing bound phosphorus and other nutrients in cattle feed eventually reducing the need for supplementations. However, high production cost owing to the unavailability of cheaper sources of phytases has limited their usage in developing countries. Herein, firstly isolation, identification of a phytase from fungal isolate, Aspergillus niger NT7 was carried out followed by optimizing of all production parameters, through solid-state fermentation (SSF). Secondly, crude phytase was characterized and potential applicability of crude phytase was evaluated for dephytinization of wheat bran. Results: The highest phytase production (208.30 ± 0.22 U/gds) was achieved using wheat bran as cheap agro-industrial substrate for SSF. The various physiological parameters were optimized including inoculum age and level (3-day old inoculum and 15 × 107 spores/ml), temperature (35 °C), a moistening agent (distilled water), medium pH (5), and supplementation of various biochemicals like sugar (Mannitol), nitrogen (ammonium sulphate) and detergent (Tween 80). Process optimization through one variable at a time (OVAT) approach increased the difference in productivity to more than 200%. The crude phytase of A. niger NT7 was thermostable, with optimal activity at 60 °C and also displayed optimal activity over a broad range of acidic pH. Further, enhancement in phytase activity was found specifically in the presence of Ca2+, Zn2+, and Co2+ ions, while other metal ions including Fe2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Mg2+and Cu2+ inhibited its activity. Finally, the phytase showed efficient and sustained release of inorganic phosphate, proteins, and reducing sugars (> 60 h) from livestock feed. Conclusion: Overall, our report highlights the production of an efficient and thermotolerant phytase with potential as a low-cost animal feed supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratinous waste is the bulk by-product of various livestock industries. Slow natural degradation of keratin and less efficient chemical hydrolysis imposes challenge for the search of alternative recycling methods. Keratin degrading microbes hydrolyse keratin to soluble peptides and amino acids. Bacillus aerius NSMk2 showed great potential for hydrolysis of chicken feather waste. Bacillus aerius NSMk2 cells grown in phosphate buffer supplemented with chicken feathers showed high disulfide reductase activity and release of sulfhydryl groups. The release of proteins and amino acids were statistically optimized at varied pH (4.0–11.0), temperature (30.0–45.0 °C) and agitation (100–250 rpm), and maximum release was recorded at pH 7.5, temperature 37 °C and shaking (175 rpm). FTIR and SEM showed sulfitolysis and extensive keratinolysis of feathers resulting in complete hydrolysis of white chicken feathers after 84 h. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry confirmed the release of low molecular weight peptides in the range of 399 to 3289.4 m/z. The present study demonstrates management of otherwise hard-to-degrade keratinous waste and simultaneous nutritional enhancement of waste chicken feathers to value-added hydrolysate that can be used in livestock feed formulations or biofertilizer in agro-industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactoferricin (Lfcin), a multifunction short peptide with a length of 25 residues, is derived from the whey protein lactoferrin by acidic pepsin hydrolysis. It has potent nutritional enhancement, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, antiparasitic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This review describes the research advantages of the above biological functions, with attention to the molecular design and modification of Lfcin. In this examination of design and modification studies, research on the identification of Lfcin active derivatives and crucial amino acid residues is also reviewed. Many strategies for Lfcin optimization have been studied in recent decades, but we mainly introduce chemical modification, cyclization, chimera and polymerization of this peptide. Modifications such as incorporation of D-amino acids, acetylation and/or amidation could effectively improve the activity and stability of these compounds. Due to their wide array of bio-functions and applications, Lfcins have great potential to be developed as biological agents with multiple functions involved with nutritional enhancement, as well as disease preventive and therapeutic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous crops have been bred or engineered to increase carotenoid levels in an effort to develop novel strategies that address vitamin A deficiency in the developing world. The pioneering work in rice (not covered in this review) has been followed up in many additional crops, some of which are staples like rice whereas others are luxury products whose impact on food security is likely to be marginal. This review surveys the progress that has been made in carotenoid breeding and metabolic engineering, focusing on β-carotene enhancement in crops other than rice. We ask if these efforts have the potential to address vitamin A deficiency in developing countries by comparing bioavailable pro-vitamin A levels in wild type and enhanced crops to determine whether nutritional requirements can be met without the consumption of unrealistic amounts of food. The potential impact of carotenoid enhancement should therefore be judged against benchmarks that include the importance of particular crops in terms of global food security, the amount of bioavailable β-carotene, and the amount of food that must be consumed to achieve the reference daily intake of vitamin A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some phytophagous insects have been known to inoculate certain fungi on plant substrates. In many cases of such insect-fungi relationships it has been considered that fungi contribute to insects by decomposing lignin or polysaccharides, and that the insects feed on the decomposition products or fungi themselves. Females of the leaf-rolling weevil in the genus Euops (Attelabidae) store spores of symbiotic fungi in the mycangia and inoculate them on leaf rolls. To determine the effect of mycangial fungi on larval nutrition in E. lespedezae, the nutritional value was compared between leaves with and without mycangial fungi. Two Penicillium species were isolated from the mycangia. These mycangial fungi showed little effect on the decomposition of lignin and polysaccharides, and showed little effect on enhancement of soluble sugars within leaves. Thus, the mutualism between Euops and its mycangial fungi contrasts with the mainly nutritional mutualisms between wood-infesting insects (termites, bark/ambrosia beetles, and wood wasps) and lignin/polysaccharide-decomposing fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]