Systems Biology Approach to Screen
and Identify Algae-Based Alkaline
Phosphatases as Heavy Metal-Detecting
Biosensors
Dipankar Ghosh, Kalyanee Bera, Poulami Bera, Megha Bhattacharya,
Bijaya Samanta, Somashree Mondal, Mamta Das, Bishal Maity, Sanjit Das,
Surjata Haobam, Anwesa Das, and Pritha Mondal
Abstract Heavy metal has enormous toxicity on microbial metabolic pathways
and its corresponding enzymes. Indiscriminate disposal of heavy metals in nature
has a huge detrimental impact on the environment and ecosystem. Thus the
minimal concentration of heavy metals should be maintained in environment with
proper real-time monitoring. In general, ionic chromatography, mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma; polarography and usage of ion-sensitive electrodes are the most abundant approaches to detect the heavy metal contamination in
nature. However, these current approaches suffer due to lower electrode selectivity,
inaccurate response, and higher cost. Moreover, current avenues are not directly
consociated with toxicity impact of these heavy metals. In general, algal alkaline
phosphatases are a hydrolase (EC 3.1.3.1) class of enzymes, present in external
membrane of microalgal regimes. Alkaline phosphatase enzyme transforms phosphoester molecules into soluble inorganic phosphate. However, its catalytic activity has
strongly been inhibited in the presence of trace amount of heavy metals. This particular feature of algal phosphatase helps to detect these toxic heavy metals in nature
even these are present in minute quantities. Based on this current global scenario,
the current study is to focus on in silico screening and identification of algae-based
alkaline phosphatases following systems biology approaches. The present study will
help to (i) find out novel algae-based putative alkaline phosphatase protein sequences;
(ii) bioinformatics and phylogenetic studies toward in silico characterizations, and
(iii) algae-based alkaline phosphatase enzyme affinity toward diverse heavy metals
especially cadmium and mercury. Therefore, this systems biology approach will
accelerate the usage of algae-based alkaline phosphatase as a sustainable biosensor
to detect the minute level of heavy metal toxicity in nature in the near future.
Keywords Heavy metal · Metabolic pathway · Biosensor · Systems biology ·
Alkaline phosphatase
D. Ghosh (B) · K. Bera · P. Bera · M. Bhattacharya · B. Samanta · S. Mondal · M. Das ·
B. Maity · S. Das · S. Haobam · A. Das · P. Mondal
Department of Biotechnology, JIS University, Agarpara, Kolkata, West Bengal 700109, India
e-mail: d.ghosh@jisuniversity.ac.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_43
431
and Identify Algae-Based Alkaline
Phosphatases as Heavy Metal-Detecting
Biosensors
Dipankar Ghosh, Kalyanee Bera, Poulami Bera, Megha Bhattacharya,
Bijaya Samanta, Somashree Mondal, Mamta Das, Bishal Maity, Sanjit Das,
Surjata Haobam, Anwesa Das, and Pritha Mondal
Abstract Heavy metal has enormous toxicity on microbial metabolic pathways
and its corresponding enzymes. Indiscriminate disposal of heavy metals in nature
has a huge detrimental impact on the environment and ecosystem. Thus the
minimal concentration of heavy metals should be maintained in environment with
proper real-time monitoring. In general, ionic chromatography, mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma; polarography and usage of ion-sensitive electrodes are the most abundant approaches to detect the heavy metal contamination in
nature. However, these current approaches suffer due to lower electrode selectivity,
inaccurate response, and higher cost. Moreover, current avenues are not directly
consociated with toxicity impact of these heavy metals. In general, algal alkaline
phosphatases are a hydrolase (EC 3.1.3.1) class of enzymes, present in external
membrane of microalgal regimes. Alkaline phosphatase enzyme transforms phosphoester molecules into soluble inorganic phosphate. However, its catalytic activity has
strongly been inhibited in the presence of trace amount of heavy metals. This particular feature of algal phosphatase helps to detect these toxic heavy metals in nature
even these are present in minute quantities. Based on this current global scenario,
the current study is to focus on in silico screening and identification of algae-based
alkaline phosphatases following systems biology approaches. The present study will
help to (i) find out novel algae-based putative alkaline phosphatase protein sequences;
(ii) bioinformatics and phylogenetic studies toward in silico characterizations, and
(iii) algae-based alkaline phosphatase enzyme affinity toward diverse heavy metals
especially cadmium and mercury. Therefore, this systems biology approach will
accelerate the usage of algae-based alkaline phosphatase as a sustainable biosensor
to detect the minute level of heavy metal toxicity in nature in the near future.
Keywords Heavy metal · Metabolic pathway · Biosensor · Systems biology ·
Alkaline phosphatase
D. Ghosh (B) · K. Bera · P. Bera · M. Bhattacharya · B. Samanta · S. Mondal · M. Das ·
B. Maity · S. Das · S. Haobam · A. Das · P. Mondal
Department of Biotechnology, JIS University, Agarpara, Kolkata, West Bengal 700109, India
e-mail: d.ghosh@jisuniversity.ac.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
D. Ramkrishna et al. (eds.), Advances in Bioprocess Engineering and Technology,
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7409-2_43
431