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This works analyzes the aggregation phenomena occurring in a ternary mixture formed by two solvent mutually immiscible, water and eugenol, and a third solvent that can act as co-solvent with both, thus fulfilling the requirements for the appearance of the “pre-Ouzo” effect. The combination of visual observation of the samples and GC–MS allows us to draw a ternary phase diagram for the system. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) has provided information on the bulk aggregation occurring in the system, and also has given good insights in the destabilization of the pseudo-one phase region. The DLS measurements performed in different paths of the phase diagram have allowed us to establish a critical composition for destabilization of the one phase region, having equal content of the components. Stable microemulsions can be used for solubilization of a model insecticide, opening a new route for the fabrication of biosustainable formulations for insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The active site of the recombinant Talaromyces stipitatus type-C feruloyl esterase (TsFaeC) was probed using a series of C1–C4 alkyl ferulates and methyl esters of phenylalkanoic and cinnamic acids. The enzyme was active on 23 of the 34 substrates tested. Lengthening or shortening the aliphatic side chain while maintaining the same aromatic substitutions completely abolished the enzyme activity. Maintaining the phenylpropenoate structure but altering the substitutions of the aromatic ring demonstrated the importance of hydroxyl groups on meta and/or para position of the benzoic ring. The highest catalytic efficiency of TsFaeC for methyl cinnamates was shown on methyl 3,4-dihydroxy cinnamate and on its hydro form (3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl-propionate). Maintaining the ferulate structure but altering the esterified alkyl group, the comparison of k cat and k cat/K m values showed that the enzyme hydrolysed faster and more efficiently than ethyl ferulate. Alkyl ferulates were applied also for substrate selectivity mapping of feruloyl esterase to catalyze feruloyl group transfer to l-arabinose, using as a reaction system a ternary water–organic mixture consisting of n-hexane, t-butanol and water. The reaction parameters affecting the feruloylation rate and the conversion of the enzymatic synthesis, such as the composition of the reaction media, temperature, substrate and enzyme concentration have been investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A feruloyl esterase (StFaeC) produced by Sporotrichum thermophile was purified to homogeneity. The native StFaeC was homodimer with a subunit of M r 23,000 and pI 3.1. The enzyme activity was optimal at pH 6.0 and 55°C. The esterase displayed remarkable stability at pH 10.0 and retained 50% of its activity after 133 and 55min at 55 and 60°C, respectively. Determination of k cat/K m revealed that the enzyme had a broad spectrum of activity against the (hydroxyl) cinnamate esters indicating a type C feruloyl esterase. The enzyme was active on substrates containing ferulic acid ester linked to the C-5 and C-2 linkages of arabinofuranose and hydrolysed 4-nitrophenyl-5-O-trans-feruloyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside three times more efficiently than 4-nitrophenyl-2-O-trans-feruloyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside. Ferulic acid was efficiently released from wheat bran when the esterase was incubated together with xylanase from S. thermophile (a maximum of 41% total ferulic acid released after 1h incubation). StFaeC by itself could release FA but at a level almost 10-fold lower than that obtained in the presence of xylanase. The potential of StFaeC for the synthesis of various phenolic acid esters was examined using as a reaction system a ternary water–organic mixture consisting of n-hexane, 1-butanol and water. Also StFaeC catalyzed the transfer of the feruloyl group to l-arabinose in a similar system using t-butanol, with about a 40% conversion of l-arabinose to feruloylated derivative was achieved. This work is the first example of enzymatic feruloylation of a carbohydrate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An extracellular feruloyl esterase (FoFAE-I) from the culture filtrates of Fusarium oxysporum F3 was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction and gel filtration chromatographies. The protein corresponded to molecular mass and pI values of 31 kDa and 9.5, respectively. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 7.0 and 55 °C. The purified esterase was fully stable at pH 7.0–9.0 and temperature up to 30 °C. Determination of kcat/Km revealed that the enzyme hydrolysed methyl p-coumarate (MpCA) 4.5, 9, and 239 times more efficiently than methyl caffeate (MCA), methyl ferulate (MFA) and methyl sinapinate (MSA), respectively. The enzyme was active on substrates containing ferulic acid ester linked to the C-5 and C-2 linkages of arabinofuranose but showed preference for the ester at position 2. 4-Nitrophenyl-2-O-trans-feruloyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside (NPh-5-Fe-Araf) was hydrolysed 100 times more efficiently than 4-nitrophenyl-5-O-trans-feruloyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside (NPh-2-Fe-Araf). Ferulic acid (FA) was efficiently released from destarched wheat bran (DSWB) when the esterase was incubated together with xylanase from Sporotrichum thermophile (a maximum of 92% total ferulic acid released after 4 h incubation). FoFAE-I by itself could release FA but at a level almost five-fold lower than that obtained in the presence of xylanase. The potential of FAE-I for the synthesis of various phenolic acid esters was tested using as a reaction system a surfactantless microemulsions formed in ternary mixture consisting of n-hexane, 1-butanol and water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]