Kraft black liquor for improving the productivity of Spirulina biomass

Summary Mass cultivation of Spirulina for commercial application suffers from poor productivity when measured against laboratory results or theoretical projections. Wider applications of algal products require that this gap be reduced. Addition of eucalyptus kraft black liquor at a maximum of 0.1% to Spirulina cultures enhanced biomass productivity by at least 40%. The factors enhancing Spirulina biomass productivity were insoluble at low pH, of low molecular mass and stable to high temperature. Single addition of kraft black liquor in outdoor continuous cultures afforded sustained enhancement in biomass productivity for at least eight weeks.     

An improved medium for in vitro grain development from detached wheat spikelets

Wheat spikelets detached from the spike at anthesis were cultured on solidified media and successfully produced mature grains. These grains resembled normal grains and contained well-developed, embryos. Lower concentrations of glutamine favored dry weight increase in developing grains. Such grains were indistinguishable from grains from greenhouse-grown plants in germination on moist blotting sheets. The technique of individual spikelet culture can be used to study physiology and development of wheat grains and kernels and to study host-pathogen interactions in wheat floret diseases such as Karnal bunt.     

Molecular interactions in the hydrogen belts of membranes. Glucose-6-phosphatase, lysophosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol

Microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase from rat liver is activated by phosphatidylcholine but inhibited by lysophosphatidylcholine. Inhibition occurs not by membrane lysis but in an intact bilayer; it is reversible; and it is overcome by addition of cholesterol but not if the cholesterol-hydroxyl group is blocked. An analog of lysophosphatidylcholine deprived of hydrogen bonding sites, 1-ether-2- deoxylysophosphatidylcholine , is a partial activator, and its effect on the enzyme in a phosphatidylcholine bilayer is not modulated by cholesterol. It appears to be one of the functions of cholesterol to buffer the lysophospholipids in membranes by complexing with them through hydrogen bonding in the hydrogen belt region. Lysophosphatidylcholine/cholesterol association is favored over phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol association.     

Analysis of the volatile essential oils of Murraya koenigii and Pandanus latifolius

Using well-established techniques, samples were obtained of the volatile essential oils of the two types of curry leaf, Murraya koenigii and Pandanus latifolius. Both contained mainly terpenes, and M. koenigii produced less than 4% of other components with eight monoterpene hydrocarbons (ca 16%) and 17 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (ca 80%) being obtained. The most important constituents of M. koenigii are β-caryophyllene, β-gurjunene, β-elemene, β-phellandrene and β-thujene. The volatile essential oil of P. latifolius also contained mainly sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (6–42%) but the only monoterpene was linalool (ca 6%). Nearly 2000 times the total quantity of aroma volatiles was produced by M. koenigii compared with P. latifolius, and this partly explains the observed stronger flavour potency of the former.     

Fluorometric assay of pyridoxal and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.

A new and very sensitive fluorometric method for the determination of pyridoxal and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate is reported. The specificity is based on the reductive amination of pyridoxal and its 5′-phosphate with methyl anthranilate and sodium cyanoborohydride at pH 4,5 to 5,0. Separation of the highly fluorescent methyl-N-pyridoxyl anthranilate was achieved by a combination of column and thin-layer chromatography on silica gel. This method has been applied to the assay of pyridoxal and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate in seruum.     

Tolerance of wheat and pea to boron in irrigation water

In a micro-plot experiment 1.5 ppm boron in the irrigation water was toxic for wheat. Its concentration in the soil solution increased to 1.53 ppm and in the plant tissue to 58 ppm. In pea plants 4 ppm B in the irrigation water was toxic with 2.00 ppm soil solution B and 213 ppm tissue B. Nitrogen in both species increased significantly and calcium decreased with the increase in B in irrigation water. The yield of wheat grain declined by 13, 20 and 32 per cent at the 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 ppm B respectively. The yield of straw and grains of pea declined by 31, 56 and 41, 56 per cent at 6.0 and 8.0 ppm B levels respectively. Thus tolerance to B in irrigation water was between 3.0 and 4.0 ppm for wheat and 4.0 and 6.0 ppm for pea.     

Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to human type III procollagen

Hybridomas which secrete monoclonal antibodies against human type III procollagen have been developed. By an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, three of the monoclonal antibodies have been determined to be against non-helical extensions of the molecules while two of the antibodies are against helical portion of the molecules which is sensitive to bacterial collagenase action. These findings have been further confirmed by carrying out immuno-reaction of the pro α-chains transferred on nitrocellulose paper from sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels. These monoclonal antibodies have been found to be suitable reagents for immunohistochemical studies as well as for immunoassays of type III procollagen and collagen.     

Methotrexate binds in a non-productive orientation to human dihydrofolate reductase in solution, based on NMR spectroscopy

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is an intracellular target enzyme for folate antagonist drugs, including methotrexate. In order to compare the binding of methotrexate to human DHFR in solution with that observed in the crystalline state, NMR spectroscopy has been used to determine the conformation of the drug bound to human DHFR in solution. In agreement with what has been observed in the crystalline state, NOE's identified protein and methotrexate protons indicate that methotrexate binds in a non-productive orientation. In contrast to what has been reported for E. coli DHFR in solution, only one bound conformation of methotrexate is observed.     

Behaviour of a ‘sticky-desynaptic’ mutant in pearl millet

In the progeny after selfing of a normally open pollinated variety (L.S. 326-3) of pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke, n=7) one plant exhibited desynapsis, chromosome stickiness and high sterility. Meiosis was normal until diplotene. Thereafter, it was characterized by dissociation of bivalents into univalents and formation of nonspecific congregations of chromosomes at diakinesis, shrinkage of cytoplasm and occurrence of unoriented sticky chromatin masses at metaphase I, relaxation of stickiness, unbalanced chromosome numbers at the poles and laggards at anaphase I, and presence of other irregularities in subsequent stages. Meiosis was completed. Male and female sterility was high. This meiotic mutant thus has multiple effects and is inherited as a monogenic recessive and designated as st.