Endophytic Actinomycetes as Potential Producers of Hemicellulases and Related Enzymes for Plant Biomass Degradation

Abstract Tailor made enzymatic preparation must be design to hydrolyze efficiently plant biomass, once that each plant biomass possesses a distinct cell wall composition. Most of actinomycetes used for plant cell wall degradation are focused on the cellulases and xylanases production. However, a wide range of enzymes must be produced for an efficient degradation of lignocellulose materials. During the last decade several unusual environments were studied to obtain strains that produce glycohydrolases with innovator characteristics. In this context, the present work concerned the selection of endophytic actinomycetes as producers of hemicellulases and related enzymes with different enzymatic profiles, for use in the deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass. A total of 45 Brazilian actinomycetes previously isolated from plants (endophytics) and soil were prospected for hemicellulases and β-glucosidase production. Four strains highlighted for hemicellulase production (DR61, DR63, DR69 and DR66) and were selected for cultivation under other inductors substrates (xylan and pectin). All strains belong to Streptomyces genera and have their extracts tested for degradation of several hemicellulolytic substrates. The strains presented different glicohydrolyse enzymes profiles mainly for xylans and glucans that can be used for specific formulations of enzymes applied on the biomass deconstruction, principally on sugar cane bagasse.

Carbon source pulsed feeding to attain high yield and high productivity in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production from soybean oil using Cupriavidus necator.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) biosynthesis from soybean oil by Cupriavidus necator was studied using a bench scale bioreactor. The highest cell concentration (83 g l(-1)) was achieved using soybean oil at 40 g l(-1) and a pulse of the same concentration. The PHB content was 81% (w/w), PHB productivity was 2.5 g l(-1) h(-1), and the calculated Y(p/s) value was 0.85 g g(-1). Growth limitation and the onset of PHB biosynthesis took place due to exhaustion of P, and probably also Cu, Ca, and Fe.