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Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations
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Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 17422

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stefania Costa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: fermentations; biotransformations; applied biocatalysis; near-infrared spectroscopy; energy from biomass; enzymatic reactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Federico Zappaterra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
Interests: biocatalysis; enzymatic catalysis; lipase; biotransformations

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, the rapidly growing concern for environmental sustainability leads to the optimization and upscaling of processes of biotransformation. Biotransformation can be exploited to produce high-value products, also starting from alternative sources allowing the valorization of byproducts. Microbial metabolisms can represent a highly efficient and cost-effective feasible tool. In parallel, the use of isolated and/or commercially available biocatalysts allows embracing the dictates of green chemistry, synthesizing functional molecules and value-added materials. The design of biocatalyzed processes also involves the knowledge of protein structure, enzymatic kinetics, and reactor design.

The purpose of this Special Issue on “Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations” is to collect and publish original research or review articles concerning the biotransformation process progresses.

Dr. Stefania Costa
Dr. Federico Zappaterra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biotransformation
  • biocatalysis
  • green chemistry
  • biomasses biorefinery
  • industrial enzymes

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 9813 KiB  
Article
Biocatalytic Insights for The Synthesis of New Potential Prodrugs: Design of two Ibuprofen Derivatives
by Federico Zappaterra, Francesco Presini, Valentina Venturi, Lindomar Alberto Lerin, Pier Paolo Giovannini and Stefania Costa
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9852; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179852 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1667
Abstract
Due to its effectiveness, ibuprofen is one of the most popular anti-inflammatory drugs worldwide. However, the poor water solubility of this active ingredient severely limits its spectrum of pharmaceutical formulations (and often results in severe adverse effects due to high administered doses). To [...] Read more.
Due to its effectiveness, ibuprofen is one of the most popular anti-inflammatory drugs worldwide. However, the poor water solubility of this active ingredient severely limits its spectrum of pharmaceutical formulations (and often results in severe adverse effects due to high administered doses). To overcome these limitations, in this work, we enzymatically synthesized more hydrophilic derivatives of ibuprofen through its covalent attachment to two biobased polyalcohols: erythritol and glycerol. Herein, we report the optimized reaction conditions to produce an IBU–erythritol ester (82% ± 4% of conversion) by using Candida antarctica lipase B (CalB). Furthermore, we also report the enantioselective solventless esterification of (S)-ibuprofen with glycerol (83% ± 5% of conversion), exploiting immobilized Rhizomucor miehei lipase as a biocatalyst. The full NMR characterizations of the prodrug esters were performed via 1H, 13C-NMR, DEPT, COSY, HSQC, and HMBC-NMR. The approach reported in this work can be extended to a large variety of poorly water-soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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14 pages, 2275 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Effects of Pulsed Electric Field Disintegration and Ultrasound Treatment on the Efficiency of Biogas Production from Chicken Manure
by Dawid Szwarc, Anna Nowicka and Marcin Zieliński
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8154; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148154 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1126
Abstract
This study used chicken manure classified as lignocellulosic biomass due to its high straw content. This paper compares the possibility of using pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment of lignocellulosic substrates with ultrasonic disintegration (UP) to increase methane production. As for ultrasonic treatment, the [...] Read more.
This study used chicken manure classified as lignocellulosic biomass due to its high straw content. This paper compares the possibility of using pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment of lignocellulosic substrates with ultrasonic disintegration (UP) to increase methane production. As for ultrasonic treatment, the BMP increased from 210.42 ± 7.92 mL/g VS to 250.06 ± 8.68 mL/g VS, whereas with PEF disintegration, the BMP ratio increased from 210.42 ± 7.92 mL/g VS to 248.90 ± 9.29 mL/g VS. The use of PEF and UP pretreatment increased methane production from 307.29 ± 13.65 mL/g VS to 366.99 ± 14.18 mL/g VS and from 307.29 ± 13.65 mL/g VS to 365.07 ± 11.71 mL/g VS, respectively. This study showed that both ultrasonic treatment and PEF contribute to the biochemical potential of methane (BMP) from chicken manure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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13 pages, 3642 KiB  
Article
Application of Immobilized Biocatalysts in the Biotransformation of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
by Agnieszka Nowak, Anna Dzionek, Danuta Wojcieszyńska and Urszula Guzik
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7789; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137789 - 1 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1576
Abstract
Among the micropollutants identified in the environment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) dominate more and more often. This is due to both the high consumption and low efficiency of biological wastewater treatment plants, where the initial transformation of NSAIDs most often takes place. The [...] Read more.
Among the micropollutants identified in the environment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) dominate more and more often. This is due to both the high consumption and low efficiency of biological wastewater treatment plants, where the initial transformation of NSAIDs most often takes place. The solution to the problem may be using preparations supporting activated sludge in sewage treatment plants in the biodegradation of NSAIDs. Therefore, the research aimed to develop a biopreparation stimulating the activated sludge of the sewage treatment plant to decompose paracetamol and selected NSAIDs. This biopreparation is based on strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia KB2, Planococcus sp. S5, Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b), and Pseudomonas moorei KB4 immobilized on a plant sponge. As a result of the tests, it was shown that the optimal species composition of the proposed preparation includes all tested strains immobilized on a carrier with a mass of 1.2 g/L. The system optimization showed that the optimal amount of strains on the carrier was 17 mg/g of the carrier, 15 mg/g of the carrier, 18 mg/g of the carrier, and 20 mg/g of the carrier for KB4, B1(2015b), KB2, and S5, respectively. The presence of phenol stimulated the degradation of the tested drugs, and this effect deepened with increasing phenol concentration. At the same time, the degradation rate of the mixture of NSAIDs in the presence of phenol did not depend on the amount of biomass. The lack of inhibition in the presence of an additional co-contaminant, i.e., phenol, indicates that the preparation constructed in this way has a chance of being used in sewage treatment plant systems, where introduced strains are exposed to various aromatic compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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19 pages, 1156 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Sequential Pretreatments to Enhance the Early-Stage Biorefinery Designs
by Jhonny Alejandro Poveda-Giraldo and Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6758; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116758 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1433
Abstract
Pretreatment technologies are proposed to break the crosslinked biomass matrix and facilitate bioconversion processes or chemical agent attacks in reaction schemes. However, most of the pretreatments are studied in single-step schemes, limiting the integral valorization of the feedstock composition. Therefore, sequential pretreatments could [...] Read more.
Pretreatment technologies are proposed to break the crosslinked biomass matrix and facilitate bioconversion processes or chemical agent attacks in reaction schemes. However, most of the pretreatments are studied in single-step schemes, limiting the integral valorization of the feedstock composition. Therefore, sequential pretreatments could maximize this valorization by isolating more biomass fractions or removing unwanted compounds. This work focuses on proposing and assessing different sequential pretreatments for the isolation of lignocellulosic fractions. After a pretreatment screening, ten technical and economic indicators were assessed through a heuristic analysis. Data from the literature were used to evaluate five operational indicators and as the specification of processing units in simulation schemes to also evaluate five techno-energetic and economic indicators. As a main result, it was concluded that the sequential pretreatments of dilute acid (DA) with wet air oxidation (WAO) could be the most optimal for cellulose isolation, steam explosion (SE) with DA for hemicellulose fractionation, and DA with kraft process for lignin solubilization. Additionally, the DA and WAO sequence may be the most efficient in biorefinery designs since it maximizes biomass fractionation, producing two hydrolyzed liquors, one rich in sugars and the other in soluble lignin, as well as a cellulose-rich solid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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12 pages, 5942 KiB  
Article
Green Production of a High-Value Branched-Chain Diester: Optimization Based on Operating Conditions and Economic and Sustainability Criteria
by Claudia Montiel, Silvia Gimeno-Martos, Salvadora Ortega-Requena, Mar Serrano-Arnaldos, Fuensanta Máximo and Josefa Bastida
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6177; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106177 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1405
Abstract
Branched-chain esters (BCEs) have found a large number of applications in cosmetics. Among them, neopentyl glycol dilaurate (NPGDL) stands out as an emollient, emulsifier, and skin-conditioning agent. This work presents the synthesis of NPGDL in a solvent-free medium using the two most common [...] Read more.
Branched-chain esters (BCEs) have found a large number of applications in cosmetics. Among them, neopentyl glycol dilaurate (NPGDL) stands out as an emollient, emulsifier, and skin-conditioning agent. This work presents the synthesis of NPGDL in a solvent-free medium using the two most common immobilized lipases: Novozym® 40086 (Rml) and Novozym® 435 (CalB). Results proved that the former biocatalyst has lower activity and certain temperature deactivation, although conversions ≥ 90% were obtained at 60 °C and 7.5% of catalyst. On the other hand, optimal reaction conditions for Novozym® 435 are 3.75% w/w of the immobilized derivative at 80 °C. Under optimal conditions, the process productivities were 0.105 and 0.169 kg NPGDL/L h, respectively. In order to select the best conditions for NPGDL production, studies on the reuse of the derivative and cost estimation have been performed. Economic study shows that biocatalytic processes can be competitive when lipases are reused for five cycles, yielding biocatalyst productivities of 56 and 122 kg NPGDL/kg biocatalyst using Novozym® 40086 and Novozym® 435, respectively. The final choice will be based on both economic and sustainability criteria. Green metric values using both biocatalysts are similar but the product obtained using Novozym® 40086 is 20% cheaper, making this alternative the best option. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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Review

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20 pages, 1840 KiB  
Review
Extraction of Novel Bioactive Peptides from Fish Protein Hydrolysates by Enzymatic Reactions
by Rhessa Grace Guanga Ortizo, Vishal Sharma, Mei-Ling Tsai, Jia-Xiang Wang, Pei-Pei Sun, Parushi Nargotra, Chia-Hung Kuo, Chiu-Wen Chen and Cheng-Di Dong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5768; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095768 - 7 May 2023
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5917
Abstract
Bioactive peptides derived from fish the byproduct protein hydrolysate have wide potential as functional food ingredients. The preparation of bioactive peptides is commonly achieved via enzymatic hydrolysis; this is the most preferred method because it has high specificity, fewer residual organic solvents in [...] Read more.
Bioactive peptides derived from fish the byproduct protein hydrolysate have wide potential as functional food ingredients. The preparation of bioactive peptides is commonly achieved via enzymatic hydrolysis; this is the most preferred method because it has high specificity, fewer residual organic solvents in the product, and it is usually carried out in mild conditions. The use of various enzymes such as proteases is widely practiced in the industry, yet there are various limitations as it is of high cost and there is a limited availability of food-grade enzymes in the market. Moreover, high-throughput purification and the identification analysis of these peptides are currently being studied to further understand the functionality and characterization of the bioactive peptides. This review mainly focuses on the novel bioactive peptides derived from fish protein hydrolysates from various fish wastes and byproducts. The hydrolysis conditions, source of hydrolysate, and amino acid sequence of these novel peptides are presented, along with their corresponding methods of analysis in purification and identification. The use of various enzymes yields novel peptides with potent bioactivities, such as antiproliferative, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antiglycemic, antitumor, and antioxidative biological functions. The increasing interest in proteomics in marine and aquatic waste utilization continues due to these products’ bioactivity and sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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17 pages, 1384 KiB  
Review
Laccase in Biorefinery of Lignocellulosic Biomass
by Ashutosh Tiwari, Chiu-Wen Chen, Dibyajyoti Haldar, Anil Kumar Patel, Cheng-Di Dong and Reeta Rani Singhania
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4673; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084673 - 7 Apr 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3380
Abstract
Biorefinery has emerged in recent years as an alternative to petrorefinery, as biofuels have all the potential to replace fossil fuels for the sustainable development of human society. From this aspect, lignocellulosic biomasses are the most important, since these are the most abundant [...] Read more.
Biorefinery has emerged in recent years as an alternative to petrorefinery, as biofuels have all the potential to replace fossil fuels for the sustainable development of human society. From this aspect, lignocellulosic biomasses are the most important, since these are the most abundant ubiquitous most raw material on earth, which can be converted into biofuels such as bioethanol, biobutanol, biohydrogen, biogas, etc. There are several strategies for conversion, such as biochemical, thermochemical, and microbial conversions of biomasses to biofuels; however, each of the strategies has its own consequences. Enzymatic conversion of biomasses into sugars, and thereby into bioethanol, is considered as the most sustainable way. However, biomass recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis is the biggest challenge, as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are intricately attached to each other making their separation a tedious task. Pretreatment is necessary to partially remove or change the form of lignin to make cellulose and hemicellulose accessible to enzymes. Most of the pretreatment methods are designed to target lignin, as it is the major component responsible for recalcitrance nature of biomasses. Laccase is a versatile lignin-degrading or lignin-modifying enzyme which is secreted by filamentous fungi and bacteria, and is reported for the biological pretreatment of biomasses, which is the most sustainable way of pretreatment. However, the rate of the reaction is extremely slow making it less attractive. This article will give an insight into the biorefinery of biomasses, with the special significance to laccase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Applications in Biocatalytic Transformations)
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