The present study was conducted to investigate the capability of Haloarcula marismortui to synthesize esterases and lipases, and the effect of physicochemical conditions on the growth and the production of esterases and lipases. Finally, the effect of NaCl concentration and temperature on esterase and lipase activities was studied using intracellular crude extracts. In order to confirm the genomic prediction about the esterase and lipase synthesis, H. marismortui was cultured on a rich medium and the crude extracts (intra- or extracellular) obtained were assayed for both activities using p-nitrophenyl esters and triacylglycerides as substrates. Studies on the kinetics of growth and production of esterase and lipase of H. marismortui were performed, reaching a maximum growth rate of 0.053 h(-1) and maximal productions of intracellular esterase and lipase of 2.094 and 0.722 U l(-1) using p-nitrophenyl valerate and p-nitrophenyl laurate, respectively. Both enzymes were produced as growth-associated metabolites. The effects of temperature, pH, and NaCl concentration on the growth rate and production of enzymes were studied by using a Box-Behnken response surface design. The three response variables were significantly influenced by the physicochemical factors and an interaction effect between temperature and NaCl concentration was also evidenced. The surface response method estimated the following maximal values for growth rate and productions of esterase and lipase: 0.086 h(-1) (at 42.5 degrees C, pH 7.4, and 3.6 mol l(-1) NaCl), 2.3 U l(-1) (at 50 degrees C, pH 7.5, and 4.3 mol l(-1) NaCl), and 0.58 U l(-1) (at 50 degrees C, pH 7.6, and 4.5 mol l(-1) NaCl), respectively. Esterases were active at different salt concentrations, showing two optimal activities (at 0.5 and 5 mol l(-1) NaCl), which suggested the presence of two different esterases. Interestingly, in the absence of salt, esterase retained 50% residual activity. Esterases and lipase activities were maximal at 45 degrees C and inactive at 75 degrees C. This study represents the first report evidencing the synthesis of esterase and lipase by H. marismortui.

Hydrogels are materials specially suited for encapsulation of biological elements. Their large water content provides an environment compatible with most biological molecules. Their crosslinked nature also provides an ideal material for the protection of encapsulated biological elements against degradation and/or immune recognition. This makes them attractive not only for controlled drug delivery of proteins, but they can also be used to encapsulate cells that can have therapeutic applications. Thus, hydrogels can be used to create systems that will deliver required therapies in a controlled manner by either encapsulation of proteins or even cells that produce molecules that will be released from these systems. Here, an overview of hydrogel encapsulation strategies of biological elements ranging from molecules to cells is discussed, with special emphasis on therapeutic applications.

The marine bacterium Saccharophagus degradans was investigated for the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), using glucose as the sole source of carbon in a two-step batch culture. In the first step the microorganism grew under nutrient balanced conditions; in the second step the cells were cultivated under limitation of nitrogen source. The biopolymer accumulated in S. degradans cells was detected by Nile red staining and FT-IR analysis. From GC-MS analysis, it was found that this strain produced a homopolymer of 3-hydroxybutyric acid. The cellular polymer concentration, its molecular mass, glass transition temperature, melting point and heat of fusion were 17.2+/-2.7% of dry cell weight, 54.2+/-0.6 kDa, 37.4+/-6.0 degrees C, 165.6+/-5.5 degrees C and 59.6+/-2.2 J g(-1), respectively. This work is the first report determining the capacity of S. degradans to synthesize PHAs.

Modelado de la biodegradación en biorreactores de lodos de hidrocarburos totales del petróleo intemperizados en suelos y sedimentos (Biodegradation modeling of sludge bioreactors of total petroleum hydrocarbons weathering in soil and sediments)

Biosynthesis of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) from raw starch as the carbon source by the polysaccharide‐digesting bacteria Saccharophagus degradans was investigated in a fed‐batch culture. The production and properties of the PHB synthesized from starch were compared to those obtained using glucose as carbon source. In fed‐batch cultures, S. degradans accumulated 21.35 and 17.46% of PHB, using glucose or starch as carbon source, respectively. The physical properties of the biopolymer produced from each carbon source were similar between them. Molecular mass, melting temperature and heat of fusion were 54.23 kDa, 165.61°C and 59.59 J/g, respectively, using glucose; and 57.07 kDa, 174.31°C and 67.66 J/g, respectively, using starch. This is the first work describing the capability of S. degradans to utilize raw starch as the sole carbon source for the production of PHB.