Microbial Cell Liquid pH Adjustment for Enzyme Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for killing microorganisms while maintaining enzymatic activity in microbial cell liquids are inefficient, as they either reduce enzymatic activity or require genetically modified organisms and chemicals, limiting their use and storage stability.
Innovation Solution
Adjusting the pH of microbial cell liquids with enzymatic activity before heating treatment, or adding carbohydrates to maintain enzyme titer during heating, allowing for effective killing of microorganisms while preserving enzymatic activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heating treatment is applied to kill microorganisms, then the microorganism is killed, but the enzymatic activity is significantly decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the pH of the microbial cell liquid to a specific range (pH 3.0-4.0) before applying the heating treatment. This preliminary pH adjustment creates favorable conditions that protect the enzyme from thermal inactivation during the subsequent heating process, allowing the microorganism to be killed while maintaining enzymatic activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the pH parameter of the microbial cell liquid before heating. By changing the pH to an acidic range (pH 3.0-4.0), the enzyme structure is stabilized against thermal denaturation. This parameter modification enables the heating treatment to effectively kill microorganisms without significantly reducing enzymatic activity.
2Reliability
If chemical treatment with alcohol is applied to kill microorganism while maintaining enzymatic activity, then the microorganism is killed and enzymatic activity is maintained, but the use after killing is limited due to genetic modification requirements and chemical residue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical treatment method (using alcohol) with a physical treatment method (heating at controlled temperature after pH adjustment). This substitution eliminates the need for chemical additives and genetic modification, allowing the treated microbial cell liquid to be easily stored and used in various applications without chemical residue or strain limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple, easily removable pH adjustment step (using common acids or bases) as a temporary measure that does not leave harmful residues. The pH adjustment is a transient condition applied only during the treatment process, after which the natural pH of the microbial cell liquid is restored, enabling flexible downstream applications without chemical contamination.
3Reliability
If heating treatment is applied to kill microorganism, then the microorganism is killed, but the storage stability of the liquid is affected due to enzyme inactivation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the pH to pH 3.0-4.0 before heating treatment. This preliminary pH adjustment stabilizes the enzyme structure against thermal inactivation, ensuring that the enzyme titer is maintained after the microorganism is killed. This enables long-term storage stability while preserving enzymatic activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs beforehand cushioning by creating an acidic environment (pH 3.0-4.0) before heating that acts as a protective buffer for the enzyme. This acidic condition cushions the enzyme against the harmful effects of heat, preventing denaturation and maintaining enzyme titer during and after the heating treatment, thereby ensuring storage stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method ensures the microbial cell liquid can be easily stored and used, with improved thermal stability and wider temperature applicability, maintaining enzyme titer and stability during storage and use.
Implementation Method 1
performing a heating treatment of the liquid
Implementation Method 2
adjusting the pH of a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity, and then performing a heating treatment of the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a technique for enabling a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity to be easily stored and used. The technique is a method for killing a microorganism while maintaining the enzyme titer of a microbial cell liquid, characterized by including adjusting the pH of a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity, and then performing a heating treatment of the liquid, and also the technique is a method for killing a microorganism while maintaining the enzyme titer of a microbial cell liquid, characterized by including adding a carbohydrate to a liquid of microbial cells having an enzymatic activity, and then performing a heating treatment of the liquid.