Progetto comune di ricerca

Isolamento e caratterizzazione di pectinasi da microrganismi estremofili per potenziali applicazioni biotecnologiche

Responsabili di progetto
Annarita Poli, Margarita Kambourova
Accordo
BULGARIA - BAS - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bando
CNR/BAS triennio 2019-2021 2019-2021
Dipartimento
Scienze chimiche e tecnologie dei materiali
Area tematica
Scienze chimiche e tecnologie dei materiali
Stato del progetto
Nuovo

Proposta di ricerca

Pectin is a family of acidic complex heteropolysaccharides and is one of the major components of the plant cell wall and middle lamella. Pectinolytic enzymes play an important role in the fruit juice, paper, and textile industries, as well as for the extraction of oils. Many mesophilic microorganisms produce enzymes that degrade fruit cell wall and still commercially available enzymes come from selected Aspergillus strains. As pectin is a polysaccharide, it is soluble at high temperature, its degradation in paper industry is performed at higher pH and in textile industry at high salinity. It is well known that enzymes from extremophiles have certain advantages over traditional enzymes like higher stability to temperature, salinity, organic solvents, chemical denaturants that suggest larger area of biotechnological processes, easier purification and correspondingly lower industrial costs. Despite of the fact that pectin degrading enzymes have been isolated from several thermophilic microorganisms such enzymes have not been isolated from several phylogenetic groups, especially anaerobic ones that could suggest novel enzymes with improved properties. Information for pectin degrading enzymes from halophilic and alkaliphilic microorganisms is very limited.
The scientists from IMicB, BAS, have studied different groups of extremophiles, like thermophilic and halophilic bacteria and their ability to synthesize enzymes and polysaccharides. Some of the described enzymes are among the first described extremophilic enzymes. The Scientists from the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, CNR, Italy are experts in modern chemical methods for characterization of biomolecules. Scarce information on the diversity and biosynthetic potential of pectin degrading enzymes from extremophilic bacteria and the lack of such research in Bulgaria determined the main objective of the current proposal: Isolation from extremophilic bacteria and characterization of novel pectin degrading enzymes with improved properties and stability at extreme conditions which will suggest satisfaction of specific industrial demands.
Cooperation between scientific teams from both countries started about ten years ago. They have participated in performance of common proposals: 1. National Fund for Scientific Research, Bulgaria (Grant No B02/26-2014-2018); 2. National Fund for Scientific Research, Bulgaria (Grant DTK 02/46-2009-2013); 3. Bilateral Project BAS/CNR Joint Projects (2016-2018); 4. Bilateral Project BAS/CNR 132.01 (2007-2009). The results obtained were published in seven common papers in International journals with ISI Impact factors and have high citation rating. Both teams have participated in the common EC proposals last of which was the COST Action Proposal OC-2018-1-22881 submitted in April 2018.

Obiettivi della ricerca

The scientific expertise of both research groups in characterization of extremophilic enzymes suggests a successful isolation of extremophilic bacterium producing novel pectin degrading enzyme that could improve novel area for application or the existing processes. Such a project will contribute further the fruitful cooperation between two teams.
The main objectivies:
-Isolation of extremophilic producers of pectin degrading enzymes.
-Biochemical characterization of the enzyme properties (temperature optimum, thermostability, pH optimum and stability, stability to organic solvents and salts).
- Developing an effective enzyme purification scheme including various methods.
-Developing of a laboratory technology for effective pectin degradation in a bioreactor.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 29/03/2024