Novozymes

About: Novozymes is a company organization based out in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Nucleic acid & Polynucleotide. The organization has 2506 authors who have published 2828 publications receiving 89266 citations. The organization is also known as: Novo Enzymes A/S & Novozymes A/S.

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Wheat Arabinoxylan by a Recombinant "Minimal" Enzyme Cocktail Containing beta-Xylosidase and Novel endo-1,4-beta-Xylanase and alpha-L-Arabinofuranosidase Activities

Abstract: This study describes the identification of the key enzyme activities required in a "minimal" enzyme cocktail able to catalyze hydrolysis of water-soluble and water-insoluble wheat arabinoxylan and whole vinasse, a fermentation effluent resulting from industrial ethanol manufacture from wheat. The optimal arabinose-releasing and xylan-depolymerizing enzyme activities were identified from data obtained when selected, recombinant enzymes were systematically supplemented to the different arabinoxylan substrates in mixtures; this examination revealed three novel alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase activities: (i) one GH51 enzyme from Meripilus giganteus and (ii) one GH51 enzyme from Humicola insolens, both able to catalyze arabinose release from singly substituted xylose; and (iii) one GH43 enzyme from H. insolens able to catalyze the release of arabinose from doubly substituted xylose. Treatment of water-soluble and water-insoluble wheat arabinoxylan with an enzyme cocktail containing a 20%:20%:20%:40% mixture and a 25%:25%:25%:25% mixture, respectively, of the GH43 alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase from H. insolens (Abf II), the GH51 alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase from M. giganteus (Abf III), a GH10 endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from H. insolens (Xyl III), and a GH3 beta-xylosidase from Trichoderma reesei (beta-xyl) released 322 mg of arabinose and 512 mg of xylose per gram of water-soluble wheat arabinoxylan dry matter and 150 mg of arabinose and 266 mg of xylose per gram of water-insoluble wheat arabinoxylan dry matter after 24 h at pH 5, 50 degrees C. A 10%:40%:50% mixture of Abf II, Abf III, and beta-xyl released 56 mg of arabinose and 91 mg of xylose per gram of vinasse dry matter after 24 h at pH 5, 50 degrees C. The optimal dosages of the "minimal" enzyme cocktails were determined to be 0.4, 0.3, and 0.2 g enzyme protein per kilogram of substrate dry matter for the water-soluble wheat arabinoxylan, the water-insoluble wheat arabinoxylan, and the vinasse, respectively. These enzyme protein dosage levels were approximately 14, approximately 18, and approximately 27 times lower than the dosages used previously, when the same wheat arabinoxylan substrates were hydrolyzed with a combination of Ultraflo L and Celluclast 1.5 L, two commercially available enzyme preparations produced by H. insolens and T. reesei.

Maltogenic alpha-amylase variants

Abstract: The inventors have modified the amino acid sequence of a maltogenic alpha-amylase to obtain variants with improved properties, based on the three-dimensional structure of the maltogenic alpha-amylase Novamyl. The variants have altered physicochemical properties., e.g. an altered pH optimum, improved thermostability, increased specific activity, an altered cleavage pattern or an increased ability to reduce retrogradation of starch or staling of bread.

Self-powered wireless carbohydrate/oxygen sensitive biodevice based on radio signal transmission

Abstract: Here for the first time, we detail self-contained (wireless and self-powered) biodevices with wireless signal transmission. Specifically, we demonstrate the operation of self-sustained carbohydrate and oxygen sensitive biodevices, consisting of a wireless electronic unit, radio transmitter and separate sensing bioelectrodes, supplied with electrical energy from a combined multi-enzyme fuel cell generating sufficient current at required voltage to power the electronics. A carbohydrate/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell was assembled by comparing the performance of a range of different bioelectrodes followed by selection of the most suitable, stable combination. Carbohydrates (viz. lactose for the demonstration) and oxygen were also chosen as bioanalytes, being important biomarkers, to demonstrate the operation of the self-contained biosensing device, employing enzyme-modified bioelectrodes to enable the actual sensing. A wireless electronic unit, consisting of a micropotentiostat, an energy harvesting module (voltage amplifier together with a capacitor), and a radio microchip, were designed to enable the biofuel cell to be used as a power supply for managing the sensing devices and for wireless data transmission. The electronic system used required current and voltages greater than 44 µA and 0.57 V, respectively to operate; which the biofuel cell was capable of providing, when placed in a carbohydrate and oxygen containing buffer. In addition, a USB based receiver and computer software were employed for proof-of concept tests of the developed biodevices. Operation of bench-top prototypes was demonstrated in buffers containing different concentrations of the analytes, showcasing that the variation in response of both carbohydrate and oxygen biosensors could be monitored wirelessly in real-time as analyte concentrations in buffers were changed, using only an enzymatic fuel cell as a power supply.