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Journal of the Royal Society, Interface Sep 2023Shared coordination geometries between metal ions within reactive minerals and enzymatic metal cofactors hints at mechanistic and possibly evolutionary homology between...
Shared coordination geometries between metal ions within reactive minerals and enzymatic metal cofactors hints at mechanistic and possibly evolutionary homology between particular abiotic chemical mineralogies and biological metabolism. The octahedral coordination of reactive Fe minerals such as green rusts, endemic to anoxic sediments and the early Earth's oceans, mirrors the di-iron reaction centre of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO), responsible for methane oxidation in methanotrophy. We show that methane oxidation occurs in tandem with the oxidation of green rust to lepidocrocite and magnetite, mimicking radical-mediated methane oxidation found in sMMO to yield not only methanol but also halogenated hydrocarbons in the presence of seawater. This naturally occurring geochemical pathway for CH oxidation elucidates a previously unidentified carbon cycling mechanism in modern and ancient environments and reveals clues into mineral-mediated reactions in the synthesis of organic compounds necessary for the emergence of life.
Topics: Methanol; Methane; Oxidation-Reduction; Basidiomycota; Biological Evolution
PubMed: 37727071
DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0386 -
STAR Protocols Dec 2023Amid a surge in waste volume, the need to achieve sustainable waste treatment has become increasingly important. Here, we present a protocol for the design and...
Amid a surge in waste volume, the need to achieve sustainable waste treatment has become increasingly important. Here, we present a protocol for the design and accelerated optimization of a waste-to-energy system using artificial intelligence tools. We describe steps for waste treatment process advancement as demonstrated by the medical waste-to-methanol conversion and implementing data-driven process optimization. We then detail procedures for streamlining tasks by establishing connectivity between systems such as Aspen Plus and MATLAB. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Shi et al. (2022) and Fang et al. (2022)..
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; Methanol
PubMed: 37905497
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102685 -
Chemistry & Biodiversity Mar 2024To study the antibacterial and phytochemical activities of bioactive elements in the leaves of Annona reticulata Linn, a historically used Bangladeshi medicinal plant.
OBJECTIVE
To study the antibacterial and phytochemical activities of bioactive elements in the leaves of Annona reticulata Linn, a historically used Bangladeshi medicinal plant.
METHODS
Shade-dried and crushed plant leaves were soaked with various solvents to obtain samples for different chemical analyses. All extracts were selected for antimicrobial, physicochemical, and Pharmacological investigations. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using disc diffusion assay, and broth microdilution methods determined potentiation of the activities of the antibiotic antibacterial activity of the plant extracts was investigated using either gram-positive or gram-negative pathogenic wild-type bacteria.
RESULTS
From the initial phytochemical and pharmacological studies, it was clear that all extracts, methanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, of the leaves of A. reticulata, were proven to process potent bioactive constituents. While differential antimicrobial properties were found to be possessed by all extracts, methanolic extract was the most potent one against all tested microorganisms. It also has potentiated the activities of antibiotics in E. coli.
CONCLUSION
Bioactive constituents in the plant extracts were shown to possess phytochemical and antimicrobial activities. More investigation is needed to segregate the chemical components responsible for the respective phytochemical and antimicrobial activities.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Annona; Bacteria; Escherichia coli; Plant Extracts; Anti-Infective Agents; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Phytochemicals; Methanol; Plant Leaves; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 38282427
DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202301495 -
Bioresource Technology Oct 2023In this paper, the plate-heat transfer type bio-methanol steam reforming reactor for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and its operation performance was studied. The structure...
In this paper, the plate-heat transfer type bio-methanol steam reforming reactor for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and its operation performance was studied. The structure of the plate-heat transfer type for bio-methanol reforming has been designed and optimized with the application parameters of hydrogen production capacity, hydrogen production rate, bio-methanol conversion rate, volume limitation. Results showed the catalyst particle size has little influence when it less than 0.85 mm; However, when the catalyst loading was 20 g and the feed rate of bio-methanol solution was 1.5 mL/min, the effect of reforming bio-methanol was the best. At this time, the specific hydrogen production was 64.062 mL/g.min, the hydrogen production rate was 21.354 mL/s, the bio-methanol conversion rate was 82.25%. This paper can provide scientific reference for further research and development of high-efficiency and low-cost bio-methanol reforming hydrogen production equipment.
Topics: Methanol; Hot Temperature; Hydrogen; Steam; Catalysis
PubMed: 37473786
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129509 -
Nature Communications Oct 2023A true circular carbon economy must upgrade waste greenhouse gases. C1-based biomanufacturing is an attractive solution, in which one carbon (C1) molecules (e.g. CO,... (Review)
Review
A true circular carbon economy must upgrade waste greenhouse gases. C1-based biomanufacturing is an attractive solution, in which one carbon (C1) molecules (e.g. CO, formate, methanol, etc.) are converted by microbial cell factories into value-added goods (i.e. food, feed, and chemicals). To render C1-based biomanufacturing cost-competitive, we must adapt microbial metabolism to perform chemical conversions at high rates and yields. To this end, the biotechnology community has undertaken two (seemingly opposing) paths: optimizing natural C1-trophic microorganisms versus engineering synthetic C1-assimilation de novo in model microorganisms. Here, we pose how these approaches can instead create synergies for strengthening the competitiveness of C1-based biomanufacturing as a whole.
Topics: Carbon; Metabolic Engineering; Methanol; Biotechnology
PubMed: 37865689
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42166-w -
Current Microbiology Dec 2023Filamentous cyanobacteria are a promising source of biologically active secondary metabolites with antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer properties....
Filamentous cyanobacteria are a promising source of biologically active secondary metabolites with antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer properties. Previously, cyanobacteria isolated from fresh and marine water were studied extensively, but those isolated from brackish water were less investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the antimicrobial activities as well as the potential antioxidant capacity of two cyanobacterial strains (Oscillatoria proteus and Oscillatoria sancta) obtained from Chilika Lake. The pigment and antioxidant was assayed using a spectrophotometer; antimicrobial activity was studied by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC); and the presence of phytoconstituents was detected using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The solvents used for extraction were methanol, acetone and benzene. The experimental data indicates that the total phenolic and flavonoid content was highest in O. sancta (58.26 ± 0.72 µg/g, 38.45 ± 0.79 µg/g, respectively). Similarly, the methanol extract of O. sancta presented the maximum antioxidant potential in both DPPH (83.18 ± 0.57%) and ABTS (68.42 ± 1.40%) radicals. Besides, more reducing power was also recorded in methanol extract of O. sancta as compared to O. proteus. Further, higher enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase and catalase) was observed in O. sancta. The antimicrobial potential against bacterial and fungal pathogens demonstrated better activity in O. sancta. In GC-MS analysis seven major chemical classes have been detected. Differential results was found in the two species of Oscillatoria; however, both have potential antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The findings have pharmaceutical and nutraceutical importance.
Topics: Oscillatoria; Methanol; Antioxidants; Lakes; Plant Extracts; Anti-Infective Agents; Cyanobacteria
PubMed: 38133818
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03563-y -
Analytical Methods : Advancing Methods... Jun 2024Methanol is a toxic alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages as a natural byproduct of fermentation or added intentionally to counterfeits to increase profit. To ensure...
Methanol is a toxic alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages as a natural byproduct of fermentation or added intentionally to counterfeits to increase profit. To ensure consumer safety, many countries and the EU have established strict legislation limits for methanol content. Methanol concentration is mostly detected by laboratory instrumentation since mobile devices for routine on-site testing of beverages in distilleries, at border stations or even at home are not available. Here, we validated a handheld methanol detector for beverage analysis in an ISO 5725 interlaboratory trial: a total of 119 measurements were performed by 17 independent participants (distilleries, universities, authorities, and competence centers) from six countries on samples with relevant methanol concentrations (0.1, 1.5 vol%). The detector was based on a microporous separation filter and a nanostructured gas sensor allowing on-site measurement of methanol down to 0.01 vol% (in the liquid) within only 2 min by laymen. The detector showed excellent repeatability (<5.4%), reproducibility (<9.5%) and small bias (<0.012 vol%). Additional measurements on various methanol-spiked alcoholic beverages (whisky, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, port, sherry, liqueur) indicated that the detector is not interfered by environmental temperature and spirit composition, featuring excellent linearity ( > 0.99) down to methanol concentrations of 0.01 vol%. This device has been recently commercialized (Alivion Spark M-20) with comparable accuracy to the gold-standard gas chromatography and can be readily applied for final product inspection, intake control of raw materials or to identify toxic counterfeit products.
Topics: Methanol; Alcoholic Beverages; Reproducibility of Results; Food Analysis; Laboratories
PubMed: 38847307
DOI: 10.1039/d4ay00919c -
Analytical Methods : Advancing Methods... Aug 2023One of the most serious problems in waste biodegradation and biofuel production is the lack of adequate systems for monitoring reaction media. It has been demonstrated...
One of the most serious problems in waste biodegradation and biofuel production is the lack of adequate systems for monitoring reaction media. It has been demonstrated that the bacteriorhodopsin of is capable of generating photoelectric signals that can be modulated as a function of a chemical environment containing ethanol, methanol, propanol or butanol. The chemical modification of retinal (proton substitution with a fluorine atom at the 10, 12, or 14 position) and genetic modification of protein (aspartic acid 96 substituted with asparagine) may enhance the responses of bacteriorhodopsin systems. The responses of single elements to alcohols form characteristic response patterns. These patterns constitute the basis for the construction of the biosensor, a bacteriorhodopsin multisensor system equipped with artificial neural network methodology for monitoring these alcohols under extreme environmental conditions such as high or low pH and high temperature. It is, to the author's knowledge, the first time that the application of a constructed biosensor for monitoring thermophilic (55 °C) production of ethanol during paper and pulp wastewater degradation and thermophilic (55 °C) methanol digestion in methanol-rich wastewater from pulp and paper factories has been presented.
Topics: Methanol; Butanols; Ethanol; Bacteriorhodopsins; 1-Propanol; Wastewater; 1-Butanol
PubMed: 37493089
DOI: 10.1039/d3ay00586k -
Bioorganic Chemistry Dec 2023Bioactive phenolic compounds are commonly found in medications, with examples including apomorphine, estrone, thymol, estradiol, propofol, o-phenylphenol, l-Dopa,...
Bioactive phenolic compounds are commonly found in medications, with examples including apomorphine, estrone, thymol, estradiol, propofol, o-phenylphenol, l-Dopa, doxorubicin, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabidiol (CBD). This study is the first to explore the creation and assessment of metal and ammonium phenolate salts using CBD as an example. CBD is used in medicine to treat anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and inflammation, but its bioavailability is limited due to poor water solubility. In this study exploit a synthetic route to convert CBD into anionic CBD-salts to enhance water solubility. Various CBD-salts with metal and ammonium counterions such as lithium (Li+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), choline hydroxide ([(CH)NCHCHOH]), and tetrabutylammonium ([N(CH)]) have been synthesized and characterized. These salts are obtained in high yields, ranging from 74 % to 88 %, through a straightforward dehydration reaction between CBD and alkali metal hydroxides (LiOH, NaOH, KOH) or ammonium hydroxides (choline hydroxide, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide). These reactions are conducted in either ethanol, methanol, or a methanol:water mixture, maintaining a 1:1 molar ratio between the reactants. Comprehensive characterization using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and elemental (CHN) analysis confirms the formation of CBD-salts, as evidenced by the absence of aromatic hydroxyl resonances or stretching frequencies. The molecular formulas of CBD salts were determined based on CHN analysis, and CBD quantification from acid regeneration experiments. Characterization data confirms that each CBD phenolate in a specific CBD salt was electrostatically stabilized by one of the either alkali metal or ammonium ion. The CBD-salts are highly susceptible to acidic conditions, readily reverting back to the original CBD. The percentage and purity of CBD in the CBD-metal/ammonium salts have been studied using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Solubility studies indicate that the conversion of CBD into CBD salts significantly enhances its solubility in water, ranging from 110 to 1606 folds greater than pure CBD. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic evaluation of oral administration of CBD-salts compared to CBD were determined in rats.
Topics: Rats; Animals; Cannabidiol; Salts; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Methanol; Metals, Alkali; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Sodium; Phenols; Ammonium Compounds; Choline; Hydroxides; Water
PubMed: 37857065
DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106914 -
Microbial Cell Factories Jan 2024The genus Eubacterium is quite diverse and includes several acetogenic strains capable of fermenting C1-substrates into valuable products. Especially, Eubacterium...
BACKGROUND
The genus Eubacterium is quite diverse and includes several acetogenic strains capable of fermenting C1-substrates into valuable products. Especially, Eubacterium limosum and closely related strains attract attention not only for their capability to ferment C1 gases and liquids, but also due to their ability to produce butyrate. Apart from its well-elucidated metabolism, E. limosum is also genetically accessible, which makes it an interesting candidate to be an industrial biocatalyst.
RESULTS
In this study, we examined genomic, phylogenetic, and physiologic features of E. limosum and the closest related species E. callanderi as well as E. maltosivorans. We sequenced the genomes of the six Eubacterium strains 'FD' (DSM 3662), 'Marburg' (DSM 3468), '2A' (DSM 2593), '11A' (DSM 2594), 'G14' (DSM 107592), and '32' (DSM 20517) and subsequently compared these with previously available genomes of the E. limosum type strain (DSM 20543) as well as the strains 'B2', 'KIST612', 'YI' (DSM 105863), and 'SA11'. This comparison revealed a close relationship between all eleven Eubacterium strains, forming three distinct clades: E. limosum, E. callanderi, and E. maltosivorans. Moreover, we identified the gene clusters responsible for methanol utilization as well as genes mediating chain elongation in all analyzed strains. Subsequent growth experiments revealed that strains of all three clades can convert methanol and produce acetate, butyrate, and hexanoate via reverse β-oxidation. Additionally, we used a harmonized electroporation protocol and successfully transformed eight of these Eubacterium strains to enable recombinant plasmid-based expression of the gene encoding the fluorescence-activating and absorption shifting tag (FAST). Engineered Eubacterium strains were verified regarding their FAST-mediated fluorescence at a single-cell level using a flow cytometry approach. Eventually, strains 'FD' (DSM 3662), '2A' (DSM 2593), '11A' (DSM 2594), and '32' (DSM 20517) were genetically engineered for the first time.
CONCLUSION
Strains of E. limosum, E. callanderi, and E. maltosivorans are outstanding candidates as biocatalysts for anaerobic C1-substrate conversion into valuable biocommodities. A large variety of strains is genetically accessible using a harmonized electroporation protocol, and FAST can serve as a reliable fluorescent reporter protein to characterize genetically engineered cells. In total eleven strains have been assigned to distinct clades, providing a clear and updated classification. Thus, the description of respective Eubacterium species has been emended, improved, aligned, and is requested to be implemented in respective databases.
Topics: Eubacterium; Metabolic Engineering; Methanol; Phylogeny; Butyrates
PubMed: 38233843
DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02301-8