Microbial Beta Glucanases

This book offers an overview of the current knowledge on beta glucanase enzymes derived from actinobacterial source, their structure, functions and industrial applications. It summarizes the exploitation of actinomycetes, assay methods for beta glucanase screening, structural characterisation, genetic engineering, protein engineering, strategies for purification, characterisation and finally how to synthesize a hybrid enzyme of beta glucanases.Enzyme beta glucanases have considerable interest in industrial biotechnology owing to its distinct effect on the hydrolysis of insoluble beta glucan molecules and applications in particular industrial sectors such as food, feed and beverages industries. The beta glucanases are characterized extensively in microorganisms viz. bacteria, fungi and also in plants. A wide varieties of actinobacterial β- glucanases have exclusively active on β-glucan substrates and cleave the mixed linkage β-glucan chains at different points. This is significant for picking precise substrates for the assay of each type of enzymes within this enzyme groups. The well recognized specificity and mechanism of action within the enormous substrates allow to understand that most of them are varied from cellulases, excluding β-1,4-glucanases. The progress in genetic and protein engineering in actinobacterial beta glucanases improves the stability, activity and thermodynamic properties in relation with industrial relevance. This book will be useful for researchers and students engaged in industrial biotechnology, enzyme production, molecular biology, protein engineering and many more.

This manual details the techniques involved in the study of plant microbe interactions (PMI). Covering a wide range of basic and advanced techniques associated with research on biological nitrogen fixation, microbe-mediated plant nutrient use efficiency, the biological control of plant diseases and pests such as nematodes, it will appeal to postgraduate students, research scholars and postdoctoral fellows, as well as teachers from various fields, including pathology, entomology and agronomy. It consists of five broad sections featuring different units. Information panels at the beginning of each unit present essential knowledge as well as advances in a particular topic. The manual can also serve as a textbook for undergraduate courses like Techniques for Plant-Microbe Interactions; Biological Control of Plant Diseases; and Nutrient Use Efficiency. Providing basic insights and working protocols from all related disciplines, this unique laboratory manual is a valuable resource for researchers interested in investigating PMI.

Over the last few decades, the rapid and vast development of advanced microbial bioresources and metagenomics techniques has completely transformed the field of microbial biotechnology. Our understanding of microbial diversity, evolutionary biology, and microbial interaction with their animal and plant hosts at molecular level has been revolutionized with an abundance of new research. This new volume, Advances in Microbial Biotechnology: Current Trends and Future Prospect, focuses on the application of microorganisms for several purposes: for plant protection and improvement, for environmental remediation purposes, and for the improvement of human health. Various applications of microorganisms are covered broadly and have been appropriately reflected in depth in different chapters. The book is divided into four major sections: applied microbiology in agriculture microbes in the environment microbes in human health microbes in nanotechnology The book provides insight into the diverse microorganisms that have been explored and exploited in the development of various applications for agricultural improvements. The book also looks at the application of microbes for the removal of pollutants and the recovery of metals and oils. Also discussed is the detection and exploitation of microorganisms in the diagnosis of human diseases, providing possible holistic approaches to health. This new volume will provide a wealth of information on new research on the application of microbial biotechnology today.

β-glucans, are consisting of linear β-D-glucosyl residues linked through β-1,3 and/or β-1,4 glycosidic bonds. The degradation of β-glucans in nature is catalyzed by β-glucanases. These enzymes constitute an important biotechnological aid in reducing the amount of chlorine required for bleaching in pulp and paper industry, the bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials into fermentative products, the improvement of digestibility of animal feedstock and the clarification of juices. β-1,4-Xylans are consisting of a homopolymeric backbone of β-1,4-linked D-xylopyranose units and short side chains. β-1,4-Xylanases are the key enzymes that hydrolyze the backbone structure of β-1,4-xylans to initiate degradation of the complex polysaccharides by microorganisms.These enzymes have attached considerable research interest due to their worldwide commercial applications (textile, paper and pulp, foodstuff, animal feed, pharmaceutical and biofuel production), both alone and in combination with other enzymes. Due to their limited properties, the currently marketed commercial enzymes may not be ideally suitable for industrial applications. Accordingly, there are continuing efforts to search for new sources for the production of enzymes with interesting properties that can be produced in high yields. In recent years, heterologous expression is becoming one of the main tools for the production of industrial enzymes. In this work, microbial glucanases and xylanases were purified, characterized and overexpressed in heterologous systems. The 3D models of some enzymes were generated and discussed. These enzymes have been also tested for their effectiveness in various industrial applications.

This volume summarizes our current knowledge on different biomass-converting enzymes and their potential use in converting biomass into simple sugar to generate bioenergy and other value added co-/by products. It consists of 13 chapters and is divided into three parts: cellulases; hemicellulases; and lignocellulose oxidoreductases. Written by international experts, the contributions offer clear and concise descriptions of both standard and new technologies. It is an invaluable reference resource for undergraduates, post-graduates, researchers and practitioners in the field of microbial enzymes for biofuel and biorefinery applications.

“Microbial Enzymes: Roles and applications in industry” offers an essential update on the field of microbial biotechnology, and presents the latest information on a range of microbial enzymes such as fructosyltransferase, laccases, amylases, lipase, and cholesterol oxidase, as well as their potential applications in various industries. Production and optimisation technologies for several industrially relevant microbial enzymes are also addressed. In recent years, genetic engineering has opened up new possibilities for redesigning microbial enzymes that are useful in multiple industries, an aspect that the book explores. In addition, it demonstrates how some of the emerging issues in the fields of agriculture, environment and human health can be resolved with the aid of green technologies based on microbial enzymes. The topics covered here will not only provide a better understanding of the commercial applications of microbial enzymes, but also outline futuristic approaches to use microbial enzymes as driver of industrial sustainability. Lastly, the book is intended to provide readers with an overview of recent applications of microbial enzymes in various industrial sectors, and to pique researchers’ interest in the development of novel microbial enzyme technologies to meet the changing needs of industry.

This book covers the fundamentals of protein inactivation during bioseparation and the effect on protein processing. Bioseparation of Proteins is unique because it provides a background of the bioseparation processes, and it is the first book available to emphasize the influence of the different bioseparation processes on protein inactivation. Bioseparation of Proteins covers the extent, mechanisms of, and control of protein inactivation during these processes along with the subsequent and essential validation of these processes. The book focuses on the avoidance of protein (biologicalproduct) inactivation at each step in a bioprocess. It compares protein inactivation exhibited during the different bioseparation processes by different workers and provides a valuable framework for workers in different areas interested in bioseparations. Topics include separation and detection methods; estimates of protein inactivation and an analysis of this problem for different separation processes; strategies for avoiding inactivation; the molecular basis of surface activity and protein adsorption,process monitoring, and product validation techniques; and the economics of various bioseparation processes and quality control procedures. Key Features * Protein inactivation and other aspects of biological stability are critical to an effective bioseparation process; This book is a detailed and critical review of the available literature in an area that is essential to the effectiveness, validation, and economics of bioseparation processes for drugs and other biological products; Conveniently assembled under one cover, the survey of the literature and resulting perspective will greatly assist engineers and chemists in designingand improving their own processes; Key features of the text include: * detailed data on biological stability under various bioseparation conditions * extensive case studies from the literature on separation processes, validation, and economics * simplified analysis of protein refolding and inactivation mechanisms * consideration of adsorption theories and the effect of heterogeneity * coverage of both classical and novel bioseparation techniques, including chromatographic procedures

This book illustrates, that the fungal cell wall is critical for the biology and ecology of all fungi and especially for human fungal pathogens. Readers will learn, that the composition of the fungal cell wall is a unique structure, which cannot be found in the human host. Consequently, the chapters outline, how the immune systems of both animals and humans have evolved to recognize conserved and unique elements of the fungal cell wall. As an application example, the authors also show, that the three-dimensional structures of the cell wall are excellent targets for the development of antifungal agents and chemotherapeutic strategies. With the combination of biological findings and medical outlooks, this volume is a fascinating read for scientists, clinicians and biomedical students.