肺癌细胞中调控ezrin基因基本转录活性的顺式作用元件及转录因子的鉴定

研究发现,质膜-细胞骨架连接蛋白Ezrin在多种肿瘤细胞中异常表达,而且Ezrin的表达上调与肿瘤细胞的移动侵袭相关,但是调控ezrin基因转录的分子机制却不清楚.为了探明ezrin基因的转录调控机制,以肺癌细胞A549为材料,首先采用双荧光素酶报告基因分析系统检测ezrin基因5′侧翼嵌套缺失序列和位点突变序列的转录活性,鉴定肺癌细胞中ezrin基因的基本启动子区以及关键的顺式作用元件Sp1结合位点(-75/-69)和AP-1结合位点(-64/-58).其次,利用凝胶电泳迁移率变动分析证明,肺癌细胞核蛋白提取物能够与ezrin基因含有关键顺式作用元件的DNA序列结合,形成DNA-核蛋白复合物,而且Sp1结合位点和AP-1结合位点与重组蛋白rhSp1和rhAP-1的结合具有位点特异性.最后,利用瞬时转染实验证实,转录因子Sp1和AP-1(由c-Jun和c-Fos组成的异源二聚体)分别通过Sp1结合位点和AP-1结合位点,增强ezrin基因基本转录活性,而且,过表达转录因子Sp1、c-Jun或c-Fos上调了Ezrin蛋白表达.研究确定,肺癌细胞中调控ezrin基因基本转录活性的关键顺式作用元件是Sp1结合位点(-75/-69)和AP-1结合位点(-64/-58),与之作用的转录因子Sp1和AP-1对于ezrin基因的转录激活作用至关重要.     

老年痴呆症相关基因Nicastrin的转录调控

APP蛋白经过降解,形成老年痴呆症患者脑内老年斑的主要成分．由PS(早老素),NCT, PEN-2和APH-1 4种膜蛋白组成的γ分泌酶催化该降解过程．为了了解人类nicastrin( NCT )基因的转录调控机制,确定了其在人脑中的转录起始位点以及其编码区上游大小不等片段的转录起始活性．EMSA分析证实NCT启动子区的4个AP-1结合位点和2个NFAT结合位点能够与相应的转录因子结合,能够改变转录因子调控能力的定点突变和PDTC诱导使得NCT启动子在HeLa细胞和大鼠皮质神经元中的启动活性都有所改变．以上结果说明：AP-1和NFAT确实参与了人类NCT基因的转录调控．     

LCRG1基因启动子关键顺式调节元件的鉴定

LCRG1基因( laryngeal carcinoma related gene1,LCRG1 )是一个新的喉癌候选抑瘤基因,其转录调控机制一直未被阐明．通过限制性内切酶酶切介导对LCRG1基因 (-169～+127)区域进行剪切体分析,将LCRG1基因最小启动子定位于-169～-57．应用连接体扫描突变体分析,将关键顺式作用元件确定在-137～-122．生物信息学提示该区存在SP1、E2F1/DP1、EKLF和ZF9转录因子结合位点．利用已知反式作用因子与报告基因质粒进行共转染,提示Spl为有效的反式作用因子,且能上调LCRG1基因的表达．凝胶迁移阻滞实验确定LCRG1基因关键的顺式作用元件区域具有Spl结合位点．LCRG1基因启动子-137～-122片段在该基因表达过程中可能起重要作用,为LCRG1基因功能研究提供了新的证据．     

人及小鼠钠通道SCN3A基因的启动子及其上游调控区的分析

为了比较研究人与小鼠SCN3A基因的启动子及其上游调控区的特征,采用5′-Full RACE方法对人及小鼠SCN3A基因的转录起始点进行了准确定位,通过序列测定及对比分析证明：确定人和小鼠SCN3A基因的转录起始点均为“A”,人SCN3A基因转录起始点位于翻译起始点上游约27 kb处,而小鼠位于翻译起始点上游约31 kb处．人SCN3A基因5′非翻译区存在两个5′非翻译外显子,而小鼠只有一个5′非翻译外显子．人和小鼠SCN3A基因核心启动子区(-80 ～+70)的同源率高达96.0%,存在相同的启动子核心元件,BRE/和TATA;在-400至+200区段内预测到人存在而小鼠不存在的转录因子有PHR1、GATA-1、FOXN2、NF-1及AP-4,小鼠存在而人不存在的转录因子Sp、Sp3及GBF．人和小鼠SCN3A启动子区特征的异同将为进一步研究该基因在人和小鼠的表达调控机制提供重要线索．     

刺葡萄白藜芦醇合成酶基因对不同光质的响应及转录因子筛选

为探究白藜芦醇合成酶基因(RS)的表达模式和转录调控特征,该研究以刺葡萄愈伤组织为材料,采用RT PCR方法进行RS1基因克隆,分析RS1基因在8种不同光质培养条件下的表达模式,并对靶向RS1的转录因子进行预测分析和筛选验证。结果表明：(1)成功从刺葡萄中克隆获得RS1基因(GenBank登录号为OM339527);RS1基因开放阅读框为1 179 bp,由2个外显子和1个内含子组成,编码392个氨基酸,为亲水性无信号肽的细胞质定位蛋白,磷酸化修饰主要发生于苏氨酸和丝氨酸位点上,蛋白质的二级结构主要由α 螺旋、无规则卷曲和延伸链组成。(2)RS1启动子具有多个光响应和转录因子识别与结合元件,还涉及激素调控、生长发育、环境条件响应。(3)转录调控预测发现,靶向RS1的转录因子来自9个家族,共有23个成员,其中MYB和Dof基因家族具有多个成员和RS1启动子结合位点。(4)共线性分析表明,葡萄与毛果杨的共线性最高,MYB DIV和Dof5.1具有多个共线基因。(5)转录水平分析显示,长波光促进RS1的表达,在不同光质和培养阶段下MYB DIV与靶基因RS1具有相同的表达模式,而Dof5.1的表达模式与RS1呈相反趋势,表明MYB DIV和Dof5.1分别通过正负调控参与RS1的转录表达。     

AP-1在AngⅡ正反馈调节其前体基因表达中的作用

血管紧张素Ⅱ(AngⅡ)可诱导其前体基因在血管平滑肌细胞(vascularsmoothmusclecells,VSMC)中进行表达,其作用机制与促进转录激活蛋白-1(activatingprotein-1,AP-1)的基因调控区中存在的AP-1位点结合有关.为进一步明确AngⅡ调节AP-1结合活性的分子机制,用放线菌酮(cycloheximide,CHX)作为c-Jun磷酸化抑制剂,经DNA-蛋白质相互作用和蛋白质印迹实验,探讨AngⅡ对AP-1结合活性的影响并探讨其分子机制.结果表明,受AngⅡ刺激的VSMC,其核蛋白中AP-1的组成亚基之一c-Jun水平明显升高.免疫细胞化学染色显示,在被AngⅡ处理的细胞中,c-Jun主要定位于细胞核,胞浆中几乎检测不出该转录激活蛋白的存在.用丝氨酸磷酸化抗体检测证实,AngⅡ可诱导c-Jun磷酸化.电泳迁移率改变分析(electrophoreticmobilityshiftassay,EMSA)显示,c-Jun的磷酸化水平与AP-1结合血管紧张素原基因顺式元件的活性,和对该基因的转录激活作用呈正相关关系,CHX通过阻断c-Jun磷酸化抑制AngⅡ诱导的AP-1结合活性,但是不影响c-Jun的表达水平.上述结果提示,AP-1的磷酸化活化是AngⅡ正反馈调节其前体基因表达的重要机制之一,首次发现CHX是c-Jun磷酸化的抑制剂.     

依赖PrfA转录调控的单核细胞增生李斯特菌毒力基因inlC启动子结构特点的初步研究

为了研究单核细胞增生李斯特菌毒力基因启动子的结构特点与转录调控因子PrfA蛋白之间的关系,应用PCR定点突变和重组PCR技术缺失了该菌毒力基因inlC启动子上可能与PrfA蛋白结合以及诱发转录起始相关的碱基序列,构建了一系列突变启动子与lacZ报告基因融合表达质粒, 使lacZ基因的表达置于inlC突变启动子下,并分别电转化单核细胞增生李斯特菌野生株P14、PrfA蛋白高表达突变株P14a 和prfA基因等位缺失突变株A42中,检测相应的β-半乳糖苷酶活性。结果表明：位于inlC启动子转录起始点下游22bp 处的一段17bp的类似PrfA蛋白结合序列TTAACAGCGTTTGTTAA并没有增强和抑制PrfA转录调控活性的功能;甚至将其改造成“完美的” PrfA蛋白结合序列TTAACATTTGTTAA后,也不影响inlC依赖于PrfA的转录活性地表达;但是,如果缺失inlC启动子上原始的PrfA蛋白结合序列,则使inlC依赖于PrfA的转录活性完全丧失;另外,单核细胞增生李斯特菌毒力基因inlC和plcA 依赖于PrfA的转录活性的表达也与启动子上PrfA蛋白结合区(PrfA-box)距离-10区的碱基个数有关:最适为22或23bp,长于23bp或短于22bp的突变启动子的依赖PrfA的转录活性大大降低,甚至没有活性。说明除PrfA蛋白结合序列外,受PrfA调控的毒力基因启动子上还可能存在其它尚未阐明的结构和序列影响PrfA蛋白的结合以及启动转录表达。     

黄毛草莓FnMYB24转录因子基因和启动子的克隆及表达分析

该研究以黄毛草莓(Fragaria nilgerrensis Schltdl.)为材料,采用RT PCR技术克隆了黄毛草莓FnMYB24基因的cDNA和启动子序列。生物信息学分析表明,FnMYB24的cDNA序列长为1 033 bp(GenBank登录号为MN879283),其开放阅读框(ORF)长为609 bp,编码202个氨基酸,含有1个保守的MYB_DNA binding结构域。同源分析结果显示,黄毛草莓FnMYB24基因编码的氨基酸序列与森林草莓(Fragaria vesca)编码的氨基酸相似性较高;同时进一步克隆了该基因编码起始位点上游长度为718 bp启动子序列(GenBank登录号为MN879285),预测该序列包含激素响应元件、光调控元件等多个顺式作用元件。通过构建pFnMYB24∷GUS表达载体进行烟草瞬时转化,发现pFnMYB24启动子具有转录活性且能够驱动FnMYB24基因表达。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示：抗病品种黄毛草莓和易感病栽培品种‘妙香3号’的叶片接种胶孢炭疽菌(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)后MYB24基因表达量均有上调,但‘妙香3号’的MYB24表达量始终低于黄毛草莓的表达量;SA处理后2个草莓品种的MYB24表达量均高于对照组,表明MYB24基因受水杨酸(SA)的诱导表达。研究表明,草莓MYB24基因可能参与调控抗炭疽病,为进一步研究MYB24基因在草莓抗炭疽病中的功能奠定了基础。     

人A4GNT基因5'调控区的结构和功能分析

为探索人α1,4-N-乙酰葡糖胺转移酶(α1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase,A4GNT)基因表达的调控机制,应用5'cDNA末端快速扩增法和引物延伸法确定了A4GNT基因的转录起始位点.在生物信息学分析的基础上,构建了系列5'缺失荧光素酶报告基因载体和定点突变载体.瞬时转染胃癌细胞MKN45和AGS.荧光素酶活性分析表明,A4GNT基因转录的核心启动子在-141bp～+116bp区域,该区域缺乏典型的TATA盒,但含有CCAAT盒、Sp1和ETS-1等转录因子潜在结合位点.突变分析显示,-136bp～-131bp的Sp1结合位点及-93bp～-89bp正向CCAAT序列对A4GNT启动子转录激活至关重要.电泳迁移率变动分析表明,这两个顺式作用元件能够与转录因子Sp1和NF-Y结合.另外,在-1464bp～-771bp区域可能含有与基因的特异性表达相关的调控元件.     

垫状卷柏SpLEA1基因克隆及干旱胁迫下的表达分析

晚期胚胎发育丰富蛋白(late embryogenesis abundant,LEA),广泛存在于生物体内,与植物抗逆性密切相关,可在干旱胁迫下保护植物细胞,减少植物损伤。垫状卷柏(Selaginella pulvinata)是一种在干旱胁迫下生存能力极强的蕨类植物,具有很强的恢复能力。为探究垫状卷柏SpLEA1基因在耐旱植物中的分子机制与表达特征,该研究以高耐旱性植物垫状卷柏为实验材料,基于转录组测序结果,采用RT-PCR技术获得SpLEA1基因cDNA序列,采用HiTail-PCR技术获得启动子序列,利用生物信息学对序列进行了分析,并采用qRT-PCR技术分析了SpLEA1基因在干旱胁迫下的表达模式。结果表明:(1)垫状卷柏SpLEA1全长为476 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)为279 bp,共编码92个氨基酸,通过在线工具预测到蛋白分子量为9 491.46 Da, 等电点为5.45,蛋白结构预测分析表明该蛋白为亲水性蛋白,含有10个磷酸化位点,二级结构以α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为主。(2)预测到SpLEA1蛋白的保守结构域为Lea-5,来源于LEA1家族。基于系统发生树和遗传距离矩阵,发现垫状卷柏SpLEA1与来自鹰嘴豆(Cicer arietinum )和红车轴草(Trifolium pratense)的Lea-5蛋白同源性较高。(3)对启动子序列进行顺式作用元件的预测分析发现SpLEA1基因启动子含有5类激素响应元件和与干旱胁迫响应有关的功能元件。(4)在自然干旱处理下SpLEA1基因表达上调,并在12 h时达到峰值,在24 h干旱后进行复水处理,表达量显著下调。综上所述,SpLEA1基因在垫状卷柏中很可能参与了干旱胁迫响应机制的相关调控。该结果为进一步研究垫状卷柏SpLEA1基因在干旱胁迫下的功能及其表达调控机制提供了参考。     

Presenilin-1/Presenilin-2双基因敲除小鼠脑中单胺类神经递质变化的研究

条件性presenilins双基因敲除小鼠(dKO小鼠)表现出类似阿尔茨海默症(AD)的大部分神经退行性病症,如Tau 蛋白磷酸化、神经元凋亡、皮层萎缩以及认知能力受损等．为探讨presenilins功能缺失、神经退行性症状与单胺类递质变化的相关性,利用毛细管电泳法检测6、9和12月龄dKO小鼠皮层、海马及其他前脑部位中各单胺类神经递质的含量．结果显示,与对照组相比,dKO小鼠皮层中单胺类神经递质在6月龄时显著降低,而随着年龄的增长,神经退行性病变加剧,递质浓度也均明显上升,在海马区,dKO小鼠单胺类递质则呈上升趋势,但仅6月龄时5-羟色胺和肾上腺素及12月龄时各递质的上升有统计学意义,前脑其他部位5-羟色胺和多巴胺递质在6、9月龄时与对照组相近,在12月龄时则显著降低,而去甲肾上腺素和肾上腺素在6月和12月龄时均呈降低趋势,且均有统计学差异(6月龄肾上腺素除外)．实验表明,单胺类神经递质在presenilins双基因敲除的小鼠前脑各区域中的水平均发生了随龄化的变化,且在前脑皮层、海马与前脑其他区域的变化趋势各有不同,而单胺类递质的变化是presenilins双基因敲除导致的直接结果还是间接结果,单胺类递质在AD样神经退性行病变中的作用如何,还有待于进一步的研究．     

肺炎克雷伯菌荚膜糖蛋白ELISA检测方法的研究

以肺炎克雷伯菌荚膜糖蛋白为免疫原,获得了兔抗肺炎克雷伯菌荚膜糖蛋白抗血清,通过硫酸铵分级沉淀与吸附法相结合的方法对抗血清进行纯化,并在此基础上建立了肺炎克雷伯菌荚膜糖蛋白间接ELISA检测方法.该检测方法的检测灵敏度为0.031 mg/L,线性检测范围为2.5～30.0 mg/L,批内误差为1.04％～3.22％,批间误差为2.61％～8.35％.     

人表皮生长因子受体在大肠杆菌菌膜上功能性表达

为将人表皮生长因子(EGF)受体膜外第Ⅲ功能区(hEGF-RⅢ)表达于大肠杆菌菌膜上,重组构建了EGF-RⅢ表达载体,并转化获得大肠杆菌表达株.放射性受体分析发现¹²⁵I-EGF可与表达菌特异性结合,其特异性结合量随反应的时间和温度而变化,Scatchard分析显示表达菌表达单一亲和性受体,其解离常数为3.0×10^-11 mol/L,每个细菌约有738个结合位点.免疫电镜显示EGF-RⅢ多分布于细菌菌膜上.     

The comparative genotoxicological study of new local anesthetics, 3-(2-alkoxyphenylcarbamoyloxy) quinuclidium chlorides, onSalmonella typhimurium, Saccharromyces cerevisiae, Vicia faba, Hordeum vulgare andDrosophila melanogaster

Potential gentoxitity of five new local anesthetics, derivatives of phenylcarbamic acid differing in the length of the alkyl chain of the alkoxy substituent, was studied on five test systems. There was a direct relationship with increased toxic effect in bacteria and yeast as a function of the elongation of the alkyl chain of the alkoxy substituents of the phenylcarbamic acid esters. On the other hand, no structure-toxicity relationship was found after application of 3-(2-alkoxyphenylcarbamoyloxy)-quinuclidium chlorides on plants andDrosophila. All anesthetics were nonmutagenic toSalmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100, and TA102 in the absence and in the presence of S9 mix. Pentyloxy and heptyloxy derivatives increased rates of genetic changes inSaccharomyces cerevisiae, mainly revertants at the isoleucine locus. Pentyloxy and hexyloxy derivatives increased the frequency of chromosome aberrations inVicia faba root-tip meristems. No chlorophyll mutations were detected after treatment ofHordeum vulgare with pentyloxy, hexyloxy and heptyloxy derivatives. No sex-linked recessive lethals were scored inDrosphila melanogaster males. The rates of aneuploids induced in their germ cells were significantly increased after treatment with butoxy and octyloxy derivatives. However, the local toxic and genotoxic effects of test anesthetics on the microorganisms of the anesthetized tissues may be of some importance. In particular, the genotoxic effect exhibited in fungi by the heptyloxy derivative, a potent local anesthetic, was remarkable.     

调节猪TNF-α表达的miRNAs鉴定

肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)是脂肪细胞的分泌产物之一,在脂肪中行使着复杂的调节功能,为了研究猪脂肪组织中TNF-α的表达受到哪些miRNA的调控,从猪脂肪组织基因组中获得猪TNF-α3'端非翻译区(UTR)序列,与荧光素酶质粒PGL3-control连接构建猪TNF-α的萤光素酶表达质粒PGL3-TNF-α3'UTR。生物信息学预测miR-19a,miR-124,miR-130a,miR-301,miR-506等miRNAs均靶向猪TNF-α,将这些miRNA分别与PGL3-TNF-α3'UTR质粒共转到细胞中,以乱序序列作为阴性对照(NC),检测miRNA对质粒荧光素酶活性的作用。结果发现miR-19a,miR-124和miR-130a均能够显著抑制萤光素酶的活性(P0.01),为了验证这3个miRNA是否通过各自种子序列起调控作用,突变了PGL3-TNF-α3'UTR中这3个miRNA种子序列的结合位点,结果发现miRNAs对突变质粒中的荧光素酶均无明显抑制作用(P0.05)。结果证明,miR-19a,miR-124和miR-130a与猪TNF-α均有直接的靶向关系并通过各自种子序列抑制TNF-α的表达。     

Improved measurement of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene-induced abasic sites by the aldehyde-reactive probe assay

Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) induces abundant amounts of depurinating adducts that spontaneously dissociate to form abasic sites in DNA. However, several previous studies that used the aldehyde-reactive probe (ARP) assay, could not verify abasic site formation by DB[a,l]P. Therefore, we examined whether a modification of the ARP assay would allow greater quantification of abasic sites. A previous study indicated that the abasic site quantification is improved by letting ARP trap the nascent abasic sites in cells, before extracting DNA for the assay. To test whether the addition of ARP to the DB[a,l]P–DNA adduct-forming reaction would improve abasic site quantification, we treated calf thymus DNA (0.625 mg/mL) with DB[a,l]P (80 μM) and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rat liver microsomes with or without ARP (3 mM). The inclusion of ARP in the adduct-forming reaction resulted in significantly greater detection of abasic sites (62 lesions/10⁶ bp versus 3.7 lesions/10⁶ bp). DB[a,l]P also induces DNA strand breaks. The strand breaks may occur at abasic sites and by other mechanisms, such as oxidative damage. ARP/O-methoxyamine-abasic site conjugates are refractory to strand breakage, however, ARP or O-methoxyamine (3–10 mM) could only partially protect DB[a,l]P-induced DNA degradation, presumably by protecting the abasic sites, but not the other strand breaks. These results suggest that if DNA strand breakages occur at the abasic sites or at bases flanking them, and the fragments are lost during DNA extraction, abasic site estimation could be compromised. To obtain an independent line of evidence for abasic site formation in DB[a,l]P-treated cells, mouse Mβ16 fibroblasts were treated with DB[a,l]P and O-methoxyamine. O-Methoxyamine is known to potentiate cytotoxicity of abasic site-inducing chemicals by forming abasic site conjugates, which partially inhibits their repair. O-Methoxyamine was found to increase DB[a,l]P cytotoxicity in these cells, supporting the idea that DB[a,l]P formed abasic sites. In summary, the inclusion of ARP in the DB[a,l]P–DNA adduct-forming reaction traps and protects the nascent abasic sites, allowing an improved quantification of abasic sites.     

Kinetics for glutamine-synthetase inhibition by phosphinothricin and measurement of other enzyme activities in situ in isolated asparagus cells using a freeze-thaw technique

Kinetics for the inhibition of glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) in situ by the herbicidal glutamate analogue, phosphinothricin, have been generated, and produce an inhibitor dissociation constant (K_i) of 6.5 M. This has been achieved through the development of a rapid technique for the isolation of mesophyll cells from the cladophylls of young asparagus (Asparagus sprengeri) plants to provide starting material for the direct measurement of enzyme activities in situ. A modification of the technique developed by Rhodes and Stewart (Planta 118, 133–144 (1974) for the direct determination of enzyme activities in higher-plant tissues has been applied to these asparagus cells. Treatment of the cells by a single freezing in liquid nitrogen for a very short period (10 s), followed by thawing, alters the permeability of cell and organelle membranes allowing enzymes to become accessible to many small molecules, and yet remain concentrated and active within the cell. The activities of enzymes known to be located specifically in the organelles as well as the cytoplasm can be measured in asparagus cells treated in this way. Comparisons have been made between the activity and inhibition of glutamine synthetase in situ, and the enzyme isolated and partially purified from asparagus cells by fast protein liquid chromatography. Similarities in K_m and K_i values obtained between these two emphasize the efficacy of the freeze-thaw technique. There is only a single glutamine-synthetase isoenzyme in asparagus mesophyll cells, which copurifies with the one normally associated with the chloroplast (GS2).Abbreviation FPLC fast protein liquid chromatography     

Detection of two Prorocentrum species using sandwich hybridization integrated with nuclease protection assay

A novel assay method using nuclease protection assay integrated with sandwich hybridization (NPA-SH) for qualitative and quantitative detection of microalgae has been developed. Two species-specific nuclease-protection-assay (NPA) probes targeted 28S ribosomal RNA of Prorocentrum minimum and Prorocentrum micans, respectively, were designed in this study. The assay consists of S1 nuclease protection, sandwich hybridization and signal detection. The specificity of the probes was verified with cultured algae in the laboratory and field sample from Jiaozhou Bay, and the quantity by NPA-SH analysis showed good agreement with that of cell-counting with a light microscope. The optical absorbance of probe binding on the target showed good linear fit with cell amount. A standard curve for P. minimum was established to correlate the optical absorbance to cell density on a basis in the linear range between 15 and 475 cells ml⁻¹ seawater, and the equation deducted was ‘y = 0.0053 × x + 0.0658’ (R² = 0.992, n = 4). The assay was sensitive to detect 15 cells ml⁻¹ seawater. And for P. micans, with linear range between 0.6 and 20 cells ml⁻¹ seawater, the equation deducted was ‘y = 0.1174 × x + 0.1106’ (R² = 0.996, n = 4); the assay was sensitive to detect less than 1 cell ml⁻¹ seawater. The inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) were 12.4 and 10.9%, respectively. The good specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of the NPA-SH implied that this new technique could be extremely useful for qualitative and quantitative assay of P. minimum and P. micans at low abundance.     

A nonchromatographic assay for sorbitol in chemically complex growth media containing sorbose

Summary Microbiologists who lack gas-chromatographic equipment cannot easily study the microbial conversion of sorbitol to sorbose, because there is no other proven method for quantitatively measuring sorbitol in complex growth media. The purpose of this study was to determine if the polyol assay suggested by Mäkinen in 1980 could be used to measure sorbitol depletion in chemically complex bacteriological-culture media containing sorbose. After we pretreated the culture medium to remove interfering phosphate complexes and slightly modified Mäkinen's assay, we were able to detect 0.1 mg/ml differences in sorbitol concentrations that varied between 0.9 and 1.5 mg of sorbitol/ml. The presence of sorbose in the complex medium did not affect the assay. Growing cultures ofGluconobacter oxydans were used to test this assay, because these bacteria reportedly oxidize sorbitol to sorbose and quantitatively release the sorbose into the growth medium. When samples of the culture medium removed during growth were centrifuged to remove cells and precipitated to remove interfering substances then tested with the mofidied Mäkinen assay, these cultures showed a sorbitol depletion rate of 4.9 (±0.1) mg/ml h^–1. The Fehling's assay on the same cultures showed a sorbose accumulation rate of 5.12 (±0.01) mg/ml h^–1. We concluded that the modified Mäkinen phosphate-interference assay can be satisfactorily used to quantitatively screen cultures for their ability to oxidize sorbitol.