Acetoin is a valuable by-product of glucose metabolism with wide applications in the chemical, food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. This study investigated acetoin production using both wild-type and mutant strains of Bacillus paralicheniformis MT039446.1. Production was optimized by varying incubation time to determine conditions that maximized yield. UV-visible spectroscopic analysis showed distinct absororption peaks at 350 nm for the wild strain and 450 nm for the resistant mutant strain. Functional group characterization was further validated using Fourier transform infrared analysis confirmed the presence of carbonyl compounds. Structural and morphological changes in the solid substrate (press mud) during fermentation were examined through scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques, indicating substrate modification during microbial activity. Kinetic analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in the mutant strain (NA-cys3), with volumetric productivity (Qp) reaching 0.33 g/L·h compared to 0.16 g/L·h in the wild strain. This enhancement reflects improved efficiency of the acetoin biosynthetic pathway following mutagenesis. Overall, the study highlights an environmentally sustainable and economically viable approach for acetoin production using agro-industrial waste. This strategy supports the development of circular bio-economy models and offers potential for scalable bio-manufacturing applications.
Sikander Ali, M. Ahmad, Maryam Naz et al.· BioResources· 0 citations
Kutta is an indigenous sheep breed found in the mountainous region of Swat, Pakistan. In this study we evaluated the performance of Kutta sheep within their natural habitat and identified genomic regions associated with environmental adaptability using whole genome sequencing. Flocks are mostly managed under a transhumant production system with year-round breeding. Kutta sheep demonstrated higher lambing efficiency under the available resources. Although the body size of rams and ewes was comparable, significant variation was observed among different age groups. Whole genome sequencing identified 15.46 million variants relative to Oar_v1.0 reference genome assembly. Exonic variants accounted for 2.3% of all protein coding gene variants and affected 6347 genes. These genes were primarily enriched in pathways related to G protein-coupled receptor signaling (700 genes) and olfactory transduction (500 genes). Selective sweep analysis detected 1930 genes within the regions of high homozygosity across the genome. Based on homozygosity patterns, biological relevance, and colocalization with known QTLs, 11 candidate genes were identified as putative selective signature. Five of these genes (OR4C6L, OR1086L, OR5AK2L, QR5T2L, OR9Q2) belonged to the olfactory receptor family. These olfactory receptor genes may contribute to high-altitude adaptation in Kutta sheep by enhancing their ability to locate food resources, recognize mates, and detect predators in challenging mountainous environments. Further screening of the OR4C6L sequence across 12 indigenous sheep breeds revealed marked differences between highland and lowland populations. Collectively, these findings provide comprehensive genomic insights into high-altitude adaptation of sheep and highlight the potential role of olfactory perception in survival and environmental fitness.
A. Ahmad, M. Ibrahim, Muhammad Yaqoob et al.· Zeitschrift für Induktive Ab...· 0 citations
