A5039771085- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- Carbohydrate Chemistry and Synthesis
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Protein Hydrolysis and Bioactive Peptides
- Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Research
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Cancer Research and Treatments
- Protease and Inhibitor Mechanisms
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Advanced Cellulose Research Studies
University of Palermo
2023-2025
University of Naples Federico II
2017-2025
Federico II University Hospital
2021
National Research Council
2007-2017
Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources
2015-2017
Consorzio Roma Ricerche
2013
Institute of Protein Biochemistry
2007-2012
Noncatalytic carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) are components of glycoside hydrolases that attack generally inaccessible substrates. CBMs mediate a two- to fivefold elevation in the activity endo-acting enzymes, likely through increasing concentration appended enzymes vicinity substrate. The function exo-acting is unclear because their typical endo-binding mode would not fulfill targeting role. Here we show Bacillus subtilis β-fructosidase SacC, which specifically hydrolyses levan,...
Abstract Glycosynthases, engineered glycoside hydrolases that are able to synthesize glycans in quantitative yields without hydrolyzing them, among the most interesting tools for chemoenzymatic synthesis of carbohydrates have been made available so far. From their invention 1998, these enzymes developed enormously and demonstrated be convenient alternatives more expensive glycosyltransferase. Glycosynthases proved efficient catalysts oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoconjugates various...
Abstract Short-chain alkanes (SCA; C2-C4) emitted from geological sources contribute to photochemical pollution and ozone production in the atmosphere. Microorganisms that oxidize SCA thereby mitigate their release geothermal environments have rarely been studied. In this study, propane-oxidizing cultures could not be grown acidic samples by enrichment on propane alone, but instead required methane addition, indicating was co-oxidized methanotrophs. “Methylacidiphilum” isolates these...
GH31 glycosidases are widespread across organisms, but remarkably, less than 1% of them have been biochemically characterised to date. Among them, human lysosomal acid α-glucosidase (GAA) stands out due its link Pompe disease, a rare storage disorder caused by deficiency. This disease results in glycogen accumulation, severe cellular damage, motor impairment, and premature death. Structural functional studies GAA mutants challenging their instability lack activity, hindering expression...
The Bacillus subtilis spore has long been used as a surface display system with potential applications in variety of fields ranging from mucosal vaccine delivery, bioremediation and biocatalyst development. More recently, non-recombinant approach proposed heterologous proteins adsorbed on the surface. We well-characterized β-galactosidase thermoacidophilic bacterium Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius model to study enzyme adsorption, analyze whether how spore-adsorption affects properties...
The enzymes from hyperthermophilic microorganisms populating volcanic sites represent interesting cases of protein adaptation and biotransformations under conditions where conventional quickly denature. difficulties in cultivating extremophiles severely limit access to this class biocatalysts. To circumvent problem, we embarked on the exploration biodiversity solfatara Pisciarelli, Agnano (Naples, Italy), discover carbohydrate-active (CAZymes) characterize entire set such environment...
Carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) are a large class of enzymes, which build and breakdown the complex carbohydrates cell. On basis their amino acid sequences they classified in families clans that show conserved catalytic mechanism, structure, site residues, but may vary substrate specificity. We report here identification detailed molecular characterization novel glycoside hydrolase encoded from gene sso1353 hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. This enzyme hydrolyzes aryl...
Abstract Background The spore-forming lactic acid bacterium Bacillus coagulans MA-13 has been isolated from canned beans manufacturing and successfully employed for the sustainable production of lignocellulosic biomass. Among bacteria, B. strains are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) human consumption. Low-cost microbial industrially valuable products such various enzymes devoted to hydrolysis oligosaccharides lactose, is great importance food industry. Specifically, α- β-galactosidases...
The large-scale production of oligosaccharides is a daunting task, hampering the study role glycans in vivo and testing efficacy novel glycan-based drugs. Glycosynthases, mutated glycosidases that synthesize high yields, are becoming important chemo-enzymatic tools for oligosaccharides. However, while β-glycosynthase can be produced with rather well-established technology, examples α-glycosynthases thus far limited only to enzymes from glycoside hydrolase 29 (GH29), GH31 GH95 families....
Geothermally heated regions of Earth, such as terrestrial volcanic areas (fumaroles, hot springs, and geysers) deep-sea hydrothermal vents, represent a variety different environments populated by extremophilic archaeal bacterial microorganisms. Since most these microbes thriving in harsh biotopes, they are often recalcitrant to cultivation; therefore, ecological, physiological phylogenetic studies microbial populations have been hampered for long time. More recently, culture-independent...
Glycans containing α-L-fucose participate in diverse interactions between cells and extracellular matrix. High glycan expression on cell surface is often associated with neoplastic progression. The lysosomal exoenzyme, α-L-fucosidase-1 (FUCA-1) removes fucose residues from glycans. FUCA-1 gene down-regulated highly aggressive metastatic human tumors. However, the role of tumor progression remains unclear. It speculated that its inactivation perturbs glycosylation proteins involved adhesion...
Terrestrial hot springs are of great interest to the general public and scientists alike due their unique extreme conditions. These have been sought out by geochemists, astrobiologists, microbiologists around globe who interested in chemical properties, which provide a strong selective pressure on local microorganisms. Drivers microbial community composition these include temperature, pH, in-situ chemistry, biogeography. Microbes communities evolved strategies thrive conditions converting...
In the field of biocatalysis and development a bio-based economy, hemicellulases have attracted great interest for various applications in industrial processes. However, study catalytic activity lignocellulose-degrading enzymes needs to be improved achieve efficient hydrolysis plant biomasses. this framework, from hyperthermophilic archaea show interesting features as biocatalysts provide many advantages thanks their stability harsh conditions encountered during pretreatment process. are...
The increasing interest for environmentally friendly technologies is driving the transition from fossil-based economy to bioeconomy. A key enabler circular bioeconomy valorize renewable biomasses as feedstock extract high value-added chemicals. Within this discovery and use of robust biocatalysts replace toxic chemical catalysts play a significant role technology drivers. To meet both demands, we performed microbial enrichments on two energy crops, used low-cost feed extremophilic consortia....
Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of oligosaccharides exploits the diversity glycosidases and their ability to promote transglycosylation reactions in parallel with hydrolysis. Methods increase transglycosylation/hydrolysis ratio include site-directed mutagenesis medium modification. The former approach was successful several cases has provided best synthetic yields glycosynthases—mutants at catalytic nucleophile position that high efficiency, but do not hydrolyze oligosaccharide products. Several...
Strain IT6T, a thermoacidophilic and facultative methane-oxidizing bacterium, was isolated from mud-water mixture collected Pisciarelli hot spring in Pozzuoli, Italy. The novel strain is white when grown liquid or solid media forms Gram-negative rod-shaped, non-flagellated, non-motile cells. It conserves energy by aerobically oxidizing methane hydrogen while deriving carbon dioxide fixation. IT6T had three complete pmoCAB operons encoding particulate monooxygenase genes group 1d 3b [NiFe]...
We report here on the preparation of a novel α-thioglycoligase that can be used for fast and efficient synthesis α-N-acetylglucosamine-based glycosides. Using α-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase from Clostridium perfringens family GH89 (according to Carbohydrate Active Enzymes classification) as starting point, we prepared mutants in acid/base residue glutamic acid 483 were found have different synthetic efficiencies (maximal yields >80% after 24 h) presence an activated donor suitable acceptors. The...
Bacillus coagulans MA-13 is an efficient lactic acid producer which withstands high concentrations of the growth inhibitors formed during pretreatment lignocellulosic feedstock. This draft genome sequence expected to pave way toward understanding mechanisms responsible for robustness simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.