Preparation of a crude chitosanase from blue crab viscera as well as its application in the production of biologically active chito-oligosaccharides from shrimp shells chitosan.

In this study, a digestive chitosanase from blue crab (Portunus segnis) viscera was extracted, characterized and applied. The crude chitosanase showed optimum activity at pH 4.0 and 60 °C and retained >80% of its activity over a pH range from 3.0 to 10.0. Subsequently, the crude chitosanase was applied to produce bioactive varying molecular weight (Mw) and acetylation degree chitosan-depolymerization products (CDP) with specially sequences composition determined by MALDI-TOF MS owing to an endo-cleavage mode. This hydrolysis process allowed to the preparation, after 24 h of incubation at 40 °C, of a low Mw water soluble CDP (H 24h, <4.4 kDa) with DP up to 6 and a high Mw CDP (C 24h, 142.19 kDa). Following their physicochemical characterization, the functional properties, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of CDP were investigated. Interestingly, as compared to the native chitosan, CDP, especially low Mw derivatives (H 24h) exhibited potent antioxidant activities, while high Mw derivatives, especially C 24h, markedly inhibited the growth of all tested bacteria and fungi. These results may provide novel insights into the efficiency of chitosan depolymerisation using the Portunus segnis digestive crude chitosanase as a simple, inexpensive and easily method to produce bioactive chitosan-derivatives and that this bioactivity depends highly on their attractive characteristics.

Chitin extraction from crab shells by Bacillus bacteria. Biological activities of fermented crab supernatants.

Crab shells waste were fermented using six protease-producing Bacillus species (Bacillus subtilis A26, Bacillus mojavensis A21, Bacillus pumilus A1, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens An6, Bacillus licheniformis NH1 and Bacillus cereus BG1) for the production of chitin and fermented-crab supernatants (FCSs). In medium containing only crab shells, the highest demineralization DM was obtained with B. licheniformis NH1 (83±0.5%) and B. pumilus A1 (80±0.6%), while the highest deproteinization (DP) was achieved with A1 (94±1%) followed by NH1 (90±1.5%) strains. Cultures conducted in medium containing crab shells waste supplemented with 5% (w/v) glucose, were found to remarkably promote demineralization efficiency, and enhance slightly deproteinization rates. FTIR spectra of chitins showed the characteristics bands of α-chitin. FCSs showed varying degrees of antioxidant activities which were in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.01). In fact, FCS produced by B. amyloliquefaciens An6 exhibited the highest DPPH free radical-scavenging activity (92% at 4 mg/ml), while the lowest hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity (60% at 4 mg/ml) was obtained with B. subtilis A26 hydrolysates. However, the highest reducing power (OD700nm=2 at 0.5 mg/ml) was obtained by B.amyloliquefaciens An6 hydrolysates. These results suggest that crab hydrolysates are good sources of natural antioxidants. Further, FCSs were found to exhibit antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Use of a fractional factorial design to study the effects of experimental factors on the chitin deacetylation.

Chitosan is obtained by deacetylation of chitin. Chitosan versatility is directly related to the polymer's characteristics depending on the deacetylation process. The aim of this research was to study the parameters influencing deacetylation and to elucidate their effect on acetylation degree (DA) and molecular weight (MW). The effect on chitosan DA was investigated using a fractional factorial design 2(7-3) with seven factors and two variation levels. The tested factors were: X1=number of successive baths, X2=reaction time, X3=temperature, X4=alkali reagent, X5=sodium borohydride, X6=the atmospheric conditions and X7=alkali concentration. A mathematical model was investigated corresponding to the following relation y=7.469-1.344X1-1.094X2-3.094X3+1.906X4+0.656X5+0.906X6-1.031X7+0.469X1X2-0.781X3X4+0.906X1X3X4 with R2=0.99. This model allows fixing experimental conditions for each desired DA. To study the effect on chitosan MW, only atmospheric conditions and use of sodium borohydride as an oxygen scavenger were investigated. The use of sodium borohydride and nitrogen atmosphere was found to have a protective effect against chitosan degradation during deacetylation.

Production and biochemical characterization of a high maltotetraose (G4) producing amylase from Pseudomonas stutzeri AS22.

Amylase production and biochemical characterization of the crude enzyme preparation from Pseudomonas stutzeri AS22 were evaluated. The highest α-amylase production was achieved after 24 hours of incubation in a culture medium containing 10 g/L potato starch and 5 g/L yeast extract, with initial pH 8.0 at 30°C under continuous agitation at 200 rpm. The optimum temperature and pH for the crude α -amylase activity were 60°C and 8.0, respectively. The effect of different salts was evaluated and it was found that both α -amylase production and activity were Ca(2+)-dependent. The amylolytic preparation was found to catalyze exceptionally the formation of very high levels of maltotetraose from starch (98%, w/w) in the complete absence of glucose since the initial stages of starch hydrolysis (15 min) and hence would have a potential application in the manufacturing of maltotetraose syrups.

Composition, functional properties and in vitro antioxidant activity of protein hydrolysates prepared from sardinelle (Sardinella aurita) muscle.

Composition, functional properties and in vitro antioxidative activities of protein hydrolysates prepared from muscle of sardinelle (Sardinella aurita) were investigated. Sardinelle protein hydrolysates (SPH) were obtained by treatment with crude enzyme preparations from Bacillus pumilus A1 (SPHA1), Bacillus mojavensis A21 (SPHA21) and crude enzyme extract from sardinelle (Sardinella aurita) viscera (SPHEE). The protein hydrolysates SPHA1, SPHA21 and SPHEE contained high protein content 79.1%, 78.25% and 74.37%, respectively. The protein hydrolysates had an excellent solubility and possessed interfacial properties, which were governed by their concentrations. The antioxidant activities of protein hydrolysates at different concentrations were evaluated using various in vitro antioxidant assays, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical method, reducing power assay, chelating activity, ß-carotene bleaching and DNA nicking assay. All protein hydrolysates showed varying degrees of antioxidant activity. SPHA21 had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (89% at 6 mg/ml) and higher ability to prevent bleaching of ß-carotene than SPHA1 and SPHEE (p < 0.05). However, SPHEE exhibited the highest metal chelating activity (89% at 1 mg/ml) and the strongest protection against hydroxyl radical induced DNA breakage (p < 0.05).

Structural differences between chitin and chitosan extracted from three different marine sources.

Three marine sources of chitin from Tunisia were investigated. Structural differences between α-chitin from shrimp (Penaeus kerathurus) waste, crab (Carcinus mediterraneus) shells, and ß-chitin from cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) bones were studied by the (13)C NMR, FTIR, and XRD diffractograms. The (13)C NMR analysis showed a splitting of the C3 and C5 carbon signals for α-chitin, while that of ß-chitin was merged into a single resonance. The bands contour of deconvoluted and curve-fit FTIR spectra showed a more detailed structure of α-chitin in the region of O-H, N-H and CO stretching regions. IR and (13)C NMR were used to determine the chitin degree of acetylation (DA). XRD analysis indicated that α-chitins were more crystalline polymorph than ß-chitin. Shrimp chitin was obtained with a good yield (20% on raw material dry weight) and no residual protein and salts. Chitosans, with a DA lower than 20% and relatively low molecular masses were prepared from the wet chitins in the same experimental conditions. They were perfectly soluble in acidic medium. Nevertheless, chitin and chitosan characteristics were depending upon the chitin source.

Optimization of chitin extraction from shrimp waste with Bacillus pumilus A1 using response surface methodology.

Chitin extraction from shrimp shells by biological treatment, using the Bacilli Bacillus pumilus A1, is a non-polluting method and offers the opportunity to preserve the exceptional qualities of chitin and its derivatives. However, the major disadvantage of the fermentative way is the low efficiency of demineralization and deproteinization. The aim of this study is to improve the yield of extraction which depends on many factors, such as the medium composition and the physical parameters. In order to look for the optimal conditions, a Plackett and Burman design was carried out to screen eight factors influencing the deproteinization and demineralization efficiencies. The four most influencing variables were then examined to achieve the optimization using a central composite design. The results obtained showed that the optimal conditions were: shrimp shell concentration of 70 g/l, glucose concentration of 50 g/l, pH of 5.0 incubated with 0.225 OD of B. pumilus A1 inoculum, at 35 °C and 150 rpm for 6 days in 500 ml flask containing 100 ml of working volume. These conditions led to 88% of demineralization and 94% of deproteinization. (13)C CP/MAS NMR spectral analysis of the chitin prepared was carried out and was found to be similar to that of the commercial α-chitin.

Chitin extraction from shrimp shell waste using Bacillus bacteria.

The ability of six protease-producing Bacillus species (Bacillus pumilus A1, Bacillus mojavencis A21, Bacillus licheniformis RP1, Bacillus cereus SV1, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens An6 and Bacillus subtilis A26) to ferment media containing only shrimp shell waste, for chitin extraction, was investigated. More than 80% deproteinization was attained by all the strains tested. However, demineralization rates not exceeding 67% were registered. Cultures conducted in media containing shrimp shell waste supplemented with 5% (w/v) glucose were found to remarkably promote demineralization efficiency, without affecting deproteinization rates. The antioxidant activities of hydrolysates, at different concentrations, produced during fermentation in medium supplemented with glucose, were determined using different tests: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging method, reducing power assay and chelating activity. All hydrolysates showed varying degrees of antioxidant activity. Hydrolysate produced by B. pumilus A1 exhibited the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, with an IC(50) value of 0.3 mg/ml. Highest reducing power (DO 700 nm=1.55 at 1.5 mg/ml) and metal chelating activity (98% at 5mg/ml) were obtained with B. pumilus A1 and B. licheniformis RP1 hydrolysates, respectively.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa A2 elastase: purification, characterization and biotechnological applications.

An extracellular protease from Pseudomonas aeruginosa A2 grown in media containing shrimp shell powder as a unique source of nutriments was purified and characterized. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity from culture supernatant by ultrafiltration, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and Sepharose Mono Q anion exchange chromatography, with a 2.23-fold increase in specific activity and 64.3% recovery. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 34 kDa. Temperature and pH with highest activity were 60 °C and 8.0, respectively. The protease activity was inhibited by EDTA suggesting that the purified enzyme is a metalloprotease. The enzyme is stable in the presence of organic solvents mainly diethyl ether and DMSO. The lasB gene, encoding the A2 elastase, was isolated and its DNA sequence was determined. The A2 protease was tested for shrimp waste deproteinization in the process of chitin preparation. The percent of protein removal after 3 h hydrolysis at 40 °C with an enzyme/substrate (E/S) ratio of 5 U/mg protein was about 75%. Additionally, A2 proteolytic preparation demonstrated powerful depilating capabilities of hair removal from bovine skin. Considering its promising properties, P. aeruginosa A2 protease may be considered a potential candidate for future use in several biotechnological processes.

Shrimp waste fermentation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa A2: optimization of chitin extraction conditions through Plackett-Burman and response surface methodology approaches.

A Box-Bhenken design with four variables (shrimp shell concentration (SSC), glucose concentration, incubation time and inoculum size) and three levels was used for the determination of the deproteinization and demineralization efficiencies in fermented shrimp shells by Pseudomonas aeruginosa A2. The fermentation variables were selected in accordance with Plackett-Burman design. Maximum demineralization of 96%, with about 89% of protein removal occurs under the following conditions: SSC 50 g/l, glucose 50 g/l, 5 days and inoculum of 0.05 OD. This environment friendly method (biological treatment) can be considered as an effective pretreatment to produce a high-quality chitin.

Solvent-stable digestive alkaline proteinases from striped seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus) viscera: characteristics, application in the deproteinization of shrimp waste, and evaluation in laundry commercial detergents.

Alkaline proteases from the viscera of the striped seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus) were extracted and characterized. Interestingly, the crude enzyme was active over a wide range of pH from 6.0 to 11.0, with an optimum pH at the range of 8.0-10.0. In addition, the crude protease was stable over a broad pH range (5.0-12.0). The optimum temperature for enzyme activity was 50 °C. The crude alkaline proteases showed stability towards various surfactants and bleach agents and compatibility with some commercial detergents. It was stable towards several organic solvents and retained more than 50% of its original activity after 30 days of incubation at 30 °C in the presence of 25% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, diethyl ether, and hexane. The crude enzyme extract was also tested for shrimp waste deproteinization in the preparation of chitin. The protein removal with a ratio enzyme/substrate of 10 was about 79%.

A solvent-stable metalloprotease produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa A2 grown on shrimp shell waste and its application in chitin extraction.

A solvent-stable protease-producing bacterium was isolated and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa A2. The strain was found to produce high level of protease activity when grown in media containing only fresh shrimp waste (FSW) or shrimp waste powder (SWP), indicating that it can obtain its carbon, nitrogen, and salts requirements directly from shrimp waste. Maximum protease activities 17,000 and 12,000 U/mL were obtained with 80 g/L SWP and 135 g/L FSW, respectively. The optimum temperature and pH for protease activity were 60 °C and 8.0, respectively. The crude protease, at different enzyme/substrate (E/S) ratio, was tested for the deproteinization of shrimp waste to produce chitin. The crude enzyme of P. aeruginosa A2 was found to be effective in the deproteinization of shrimp waste. The protein removals after 3 h hydrolysis at 40 °C with an E/S ratio of 0.5 and 5 U/mg protein were about 56% and 85%, respectively. (13)C CP/MAS-NMR spectral analysis of the chitin prepared by treatment with the crude protease was carried out and was found to be similar to that of the commercial α-chitin. These results suggest that enzymatic deproteinization of shrimp waste by A2 protease could be applicable to the chitin production process.

Digestive Alkaline Proteases from Zosterisessor ophiocephalus, Raja clavata, and Scorpaena scrofa: Characteristics and Application in Chitin Extraction.

The aim of this work was to study some biochemical characteristics of crude alkaline protease extracts from the viscera of goby (Zosterisessor ophiocephalus), thornback ray (Raja clavata), and scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa), and to investigate their applications in the deproteinization of shrimp wastes. At least four caseinolytic proteases bands were observed in zymogram of each enzyme preparation. The optimum pH for enzymatic extracts activities of Z. ophiocephalus, R. clavata, and S. scrofa were 8.0-9.0, 8.0, and 10.0, respectively. Interestingly, all the enzyme preparations were highly stable over a wide range of pH from 6.0 to 11.0. The optimum temperatures for enzyme activity were 50°C for Z. ophiocephalus and R. clavata and 55°C for S. scrofa crude alkaline proteases. Proteolytic enzymes showed high stability towards non-ionic surfactants (5% Tween 20, Tween 80, and Triton X-100). In addition, crude proteases of S. scrofa, R. clavata, and Z. ophiocephalus were found to be highly stable towards oxidizing agents, retaining 100%, 70%, and 66%, respectively, of their initial activity after incubation for 1 h in the presence of 1% sodium perborate. They were, however, highly affected by the anionic surfactant SDS. The crude alkaline proteases were tested for the deproteinization of shrimp waste in the preparation of chitin. All proteases were found to be effective in the deproteinization of shrimp waste. The protein removals after 3 h of hydrolysis at 45°C with an enzyme/substrate ratio (E/S) of 10 were about 76%, 76%, and 80%, for Z. ophiocephalus, R. clavata, and S. scrofa crude proteases, respectively. These results suggest that enzymatic deproteinization of shrimp wastes by fish endogenous alkaline proteases could be applicable to the chitin production process.

Extraction and characterization of chitin, chitosan, and protein hydrolysates prepared from shrimp waste by treatment with crude protease from Bacillus cereus SV1.

Chitin is a polysaccharide found in abundance in the shell of crustaceans. In this study, the protease from Bacillus cereus SV1 was applied for chitin extraction from shrimp waste material of Metapenaeus monoceros. A high level of deproteinization 88.8% +/- 0.4 was recorded with an E/S ratio of 20. The demineralization was completely achieved within 6 h at room temperature in HCl 1.25 M, and the residual content of calcium in chitin was below 0.01%. (13)C CP/MAS-NMR spectral analysis of chitin prepared by the enzymatic deproteinization of shrimp wastes was found to be similar to that obtained by alkaline treatment and to the commercial alpha-chitin. The degree of N-acetylation, calculated from the spectrum, was 89.5%. Chitin obtained by treatment with crude protease from B. cereus was converted to chitosan by N-deacetylation, and the antibacterial activity of chitosan solution against different bacteria was investigated. Results showed that chitosan solution at 50 mg/mL markedly inhibited the growth of most Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria tested. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of the protein hydrolysates obtained during enzymatic isolation of chitin was evaluated using various in vitro assays. All the samples exerted remarkable antioxidant activities. These results suggest that enzymatic deproteinization of the shrimp shell wastes, using B. cereus SV1 protease, could be applicable to the chitin production process.

An oxidant- and solvent-stable protease produced by Bacillus cereus SV1: application in the deproteinization of shrimp wastes and as a laundry detergent additive.

The current increase in amount of shrimp wastes produced by the shrimp industry has led to the need in finding new methods for shrimp wastes disposal. In this study, an extracellular organic solvent- and oxidant-stable metalloprotease was produced by Bacillus cereus SV1. Maximum protease activity (5,900 U/mL) was obtained when the strain was grown in medium containing 40 g/L shrimp wastes powder as a sole carbon source. The optimum pH, optimum temperature, pH stability, and thermal stability of the crude enzyme preparation were pH 8.0, 60 degrees C, pH 6-9.5, and <55 degrees C, respectively. The crude protease was extremely stable toward several organic solvents. No loss of activity was observed even after 60 days of incubation at 30 degrees C in the presence of 50% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide and ethyl ether; the enzyme retained more than 70% of its original activity in the presence of ethanol and N,N-dimethylformamide. The protease showed high stability toward anionic (SDS) and non-ionic (Tween 80, Tween 20, and Triton X-100) surfactants. Interestingly, the activity of the enzyme was significantly enhanced by oxidizing agents. In addition, the enzyme showed excellent compatibility with some commercial liquid detergents. The protease of B. cereus SV1, produced under the optimal culture conditions, was tested for shrimp waste deproteinization in the preparation of chitin. The protein removal with a ratio E/S of 20 was about 88%. The novelties of the SV1 protease include its high stability to organic solvents and surfactants. These unique properties make it an ideal choice for application in detergent formulations and enzymatic peptide synthesis. In addition, the enzyme may find potential applications in the deproteinization of shrimp wastes to produce chitin.