A Library of Aspergillus niger Chassis Strains for Morphology Engineering Connects Strain Fitness and Filamentous Growth With Submerged Macromorphology

Submerged fermentation using filamentous fungal cell factories is used to produce a diverse portfolio of useful molecules, including food, medicines, enzymes, and platform chemicals. Depending on strain background and abiotic culture conditions, different macromorphologies are formed during fermentation, ranging from dispersed hyphal fragments to approximately spherical pellets several millimetres in diameter. These macromorphologies are known to have a critical impact on product titres and rheological performance of the bioreactor. Pilot productivity screens in different macromorphological contexts is technically challenging, time consuming, and thus a significant limitation to achieving maximum product titres. To address this bottleneck, we developed a library of conditional expression mutants in the organic, protein, and secondary metabolite cell factory Aspergillus niger. Thirteen morphology-associated genes transcribed during fermentation were placed via CRISPR-Cas9 under control of a synthetic Tet-on gene switch. Quantitative analysis of submerged growth reveals that these strains have distinct and titratable macromorphologies for use as chassis during strain engineering programs. We also used this library as a tool to quantify how pellet formation is connected with strain fitness and filamentous growth. Using multiple linear regression modelling, we predict that pellet formation is dependent largely on strain fitness, whereas pellet Euclidian parameters depend on fitness and hyphal branching. Finally, we have shown that conditional expression of the putative kinase encoding gene pkh2 can decouple fitness, dry weight, pellet macromorphology, and culture heterogeneity. We hypothesize that further analysis of this gene product and the cell wall integrity pathway in which it is embedded will enable more precise engineering of A. niger macromorphology in future.

Banana pell pellets for animal feed

The objective was to determine the exact moisture percentage for the formation of pellets from the banana peel, residues of banana candies, and the bromatological analysis of the final product. For the of the peel of banana, 10 different dehydration times were performed: zero; two; four; six; eight; ten; twelve; fourteen; sixteen and eighteen hours of dehydration, with four replicates each treatment. The exact moisture percentage for pellet formation was 18.84% moisture. The final product presented in its bromatological composition 81,16% of DM, 8,59% of CP, 26,8% of TND , 71,48% of NDF, 54,64% ADF, 0,8% of EE, 13,43% MM, 86,54% of OM, 0,22% of P e 0,068% of K. Evaluations in animal models should be performed in place of corn to determine the replacement levels in the diets and the performance of the animals.

Banana pell pellets for animal feed

The objective was to determine the exact moisture percentage for the formation of pellets from the banana peel, residues of banana candies, and the bromatological analysis of the final product. For the of the peel of banana, 10 different dehydration times were performed: zero; two; four; six; eight; ten; twelve; fourteen; sixteen and eighteen hours of dehydration, with four replicates each treatment. The exact moisture percentage for pellet formation was 18.84% moisture. The final product presented in its bromatological composition 81,16% of DM, 8,59% of CP, 26,8% of TND , 71,48% of NDF, 54,64% ADF, 0,8% of EE, 13,43% MM, 86,54% of OM, 0,22% of P e 0,068% of K. Evaluations in animal models should be performed in place of corn to determine the replacement levels in the diets and the performance of the animals.

Transcriptome analysis of Rhizopus oryzae seed pellet formation using triethanolamine

Rhizopus oryzae (R. oryzae) can effectively produce organic acids, and its pellet formation in seed cultures has been shown to significantly enhance subsequent fermentation processes. Despite advances in strain development, simple and effective methods for inducing pellet morphology and a basic understanding of the mechanisms controlling this process could facilitate substantial increases in efficiency and product output. Here, we report that 1.5% triethanolamine (TEOA) in seed culture medium can activate the growth of R. oryzae spores in compact and uniform pellets which is optimal for fermentation conditions. Analysis of fermentation kinetics showed that the production of fumaric and L-malic acid increases 293% and 177%, respectively. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that exposure of R. oryzae to 1.5% TEOA during the seed culture activated the phosphatidylinositol and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Theses pathways subsequently stimulated the downstream carbohydrate-active synthases and hydrolases that required for cell wall component synthesis and reconstruction. Our results thus provide insight into the regulatory pathways controlling pellet morphology germane to the viability of seed cultures, and provide valuable reference data for subsequent optimization of organic acid fermentation by R. oryzae.

Physical-physiological quality and early performance of sorghum plants under different boron doses via seed

Boron (B) deficiency is commonly found in tropical crops, among which sorghum stands out for its limited yield under B shortage. However, as a micronutrient, the range between its adequate and toxic levels is narrow, thus fertilization should be cautiously applied. Our goal was to evaluate the physiological and physical quality, as well as early performance, of grain sorghum seedlings under different B doses applied via seeds. Treatments consisted of six doses of boric acid (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 g Kg-1 seeds) plus a control (uncoated seeds). Boron doses were applied to seeds by coating, in which dolomitic limestone and glue were used for pellet formation. Coated seeds were assessed for physical, physiological, and nutritional characteristics in the laboratory, and early seedling performance was evaluated in a greenhouse. Seed tests were carried out in a fully randomized design, while seedling evaluations were carried out in a randomized block design. Boron application to seeds had no significant effect on seed physical characteristics, despite increases in coated seed sizes. Boron doses had a negative effect on the length and dry mass accumulation of both plant shoot and root. Seed-applied B accumulated mainly in roots and significantly interfered with Ca and Mg accumulations in sorghum seeds, shoots, and roots.

A Comprehensive Review on Pellets as a Dosage Form in Pharmaceuticals

Oral route of administration is widely accepted and desired because of its versatility, convenience, and most importantly patient compliance. Multiparticulate systems like granules and pellets are more advantageous when compared to single-unit dosage forms, as they are capable to distribute the drug more evenly in the gastrointestinal tract. The current paper focuses on pellets, the merits and demerits associated, various pelletization techniques, and its characterization. It also focuses on how pellets can be employed for drug delivery in controlled and sustained release formulations. It gives a com-plete emphasis on the drug and excipients that can be used in pellet formation, the marketed formulations, and the research pertaining to pellets.

Microphysical Insights into Ice Pellet Formation Revealed by Fully Polarimetric Ka-Band Doppler Radar

Fully polarimetric scanning and vertically pointing Doppler spectral data from the state-of-the-art Stony Brook University Ka-band Scanning Polarimetric Radar (KASPR) are analyzed for a long-duration case of ice pellets over central Long Island in New York from 12 February 2019. Throughout the period of ice pellets, a classic refreezing signature was present, consisting of a secondary enhancement of differential reflectivity ZDR beneath the melting layer within a region of decreasing reflectivity factor at horizontal polarization ZH and reduced copolar correlation coefficient ρhv. The KASPR radar data allow for evaluation of previously proposed hypotheses to explain the refreezing signature. It is found that, upon entering a layer of locally generated columnar ice crystals and undergoing contact nucleation, smaller raindrops preferentially refreeze into ice pellets prior to the complete freezing of larger drops. Refreezing particles exhibit deformations in shape during freezing, leading to reduced ρhv, reduced co-to-cross-polar correlation coefficient ρxh, and enhanced linear depolarization ratio, but these shape changes do not explain the ZDR signature. The presence of columnar ice crystals, though apparently crucial for instigating the refreezing process, does not contribute enough backscattered power to affect the ZDR signature, either.