Natural lignin modulators improve bagasse saccharification of sugarcane and energy cane in field trials

The burgeoning cellulosic ethanol industry necessitates advancements in enzymatic saccharification, effective pretreatments for lignin removal, and the cultivation of crops more amenable to saccharification. Studies have demonstrated that natural inhibitors of lignin biosynthesis can enhance the saccharification of lignocellulose, even in tissues generated several months post-treatment. In this study, we applied daidzin (a competitive inhibitor of coniferaldehyde dehydrogenase), piperonylic acid (a quasi-irreversible inhibitor of cinnamate 4-hydroxylase), and methylenedioxy cinnamic acid (a competitive inhibitor of 4-coenzyme A ligase) to 60-day-old crops of two conventional Brazilian sugarcane cultivars and two energy cane clones, bred specifically for enhanced biomass production. The resultant biomasses were evaluated for lignin content and enzymatic saccharification efficiency without additional lignin-removal pretreatments. The treatments amplified the production of fermentable sugars in both the sugarcane cultivars and energy cane clones. The most successful results softened the most recalcitrant lignocellulose to the level of the least recalcitrant of the biomasses tested. Interestingly, the softest material became even more susceptible to saccharification.     

Susceptibility of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch, and rainbow trout of. my kiss) to strains of Vibrio anguillarum and their exotoxins

The susceptibility of turbot, coho salmon, and rainbow trout to strains of Vibrio anguillarum of serotypes 01 and 02 and their extracellular products (ECP) was investigated in order to clarify the role of exotoxins in the mechanism of virulence of both serotypes. All V. anguillarum isolates were virulent for trout, salmon, and turbot. Despite the origin of the strains tested, rainbow trout was the most susceptible fish species to experimentally induced vibriosis. Coho salmon and turbot did not differ significantly in their susceptibility to V. anguillarum live cells. In contrast, the ECP from Vibrio strains of serotypes 01 and 02 exhibited similar lethal dose for turbot, salmon, and trout (ranging from 4.52 to 7.32 μg protein/g fish). Therefore, differences in susceptibility to vibriosis are not completely due to a differential sensitivity of fish to the extracellular products of Vibrio strains. The ECP from 7 of 10 V. anguillarum strains possessed vascular permeability factors, and all the extracts displayed proteolytic, hemolytic and cytotoxic activities. All the biological activities of ECP were lost after heat treatment at 80° C/10 min.     

Restriction enzyme digestion chromosome banding in Crassostrea and Ostrea species: comparative karyological analysis within Ostreidae.

Reliable banding techniques are a major necessity for genetic research in oysters. In this study, we carried out the cytogenetic characterization of four oyster species (family Ostreidae) using restriction endonuclease treatments. Chromosomes were treated with three different restriction enzymes, stained with Giemsa, and examined for banding patterns. The following species were studied: Crassostrea gigas (2n = 20; total number of bands with ApaI, 74; HaeIII, 61; PstI, 76), Crassostrea angulata (2n = 20; ApaI, 62; HaeIII, 61; PstI, 55) (subfamily Crassostreinae), Ostrea edulis (2n = 20; ApaI, 82; HaeIII, 59; PstI, 66), and Ostrea conchaphila (2n = 20; ApaI, 68; HaeIII, 62; PstI, 69) (subfamily Ostreinae). Treatment of samples with ApaI, HaeIII, and PstI produced specific banding patterns, which demonstrates the potential of these enzymes for chromosome banding in oysters. This is of special interest, since it has been recently shown in mammalian chromosomes that restriction enzyme banding is compatible with fluorescence in situ hybridization. This study therefore provides a fundamental step in genome mapping of oysters, since chromosome banding with restriction enzymes facilitates physical gene mapping in these important aquaculture species. The analysis of the banded karyotypes revealed a greater similarity within the genera of Crassostrea and Ostrea than between them.     

Protein stabilization by compatible solutes. Effect of diglycerol phosphate on the dynamics of Desulfovibrio gigas rubredoxin studied by NMR.

Heteronuclear NMR relaxation measurements and hydrogen exchange data have been used to characterize protein dynamics in the presence or absence of stabilizing solutes from hyperthermophiles. Rubredoxin from Desulfovibrio gigas was selected as a model protein and the effect of diglycerol phosphate on its dynamic behaviour was studied. The presence of 100 mM diglycerol phosphate induces a fourfold increase in the half-life for thermal denaturation of D. gigas rubredoxin. A model-free analysis of the protein backbone relaxation parameters shows an average increase of generalized order parameters of 0.015 reflecting a small overall reduction in mobility of fast-scale motions. Hydrogen exchange data acquired over a temperature span of 20 degrees C yielded thermodynamic parameters for the structural opening reactions that allow for the exchange. This shows that the closed form of the protein is stabilized by an additional 1.6 kJ x mol(-1) in the presence of the solute. The results seem to indicate that the stabilizing effect is due mainly to a reduction in mobility of the slower, larger-scale motions within the protein structure with an associated increase in the enthalpy of interactions.     

Compatible Solutes in the Thermophilic Bacteria Rhodothermus marinus and "Thermus thermophilus"

(sup13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and (sup1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to identify and quantify the organic solutes of several strains of halophilic or halotolerant thermophilic bacteria. Two strains of Rhodothermus marinus and four strains of "Thermus thermophilus" grown in complex medium containing NaCl were examined. 2-O-Mannosylglycerate was a major compatible solute in all strains: the Thermus strains accumulated the (beta)-anomer only, whereas both anomers were found in R. marinus. 2-O-(beta)-mannosylglycerate and 2-O-(alpha)-mannosylglycerate were the major compatible solutes in R. marinus. The former was the predominant solute in cells grown in 2.0 and 4.0% NaCl-containing medium, while the latter was the predominant compatible solute at higher salinities. Glutamate, trehalose, and glucose were also present as minor components. The intracellular K(sup+) concentration, as determined by (sup39)K nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in R. marinus increased with salinity and was sufficient to balance the negative charges of the mannosylglycerate. In addition to 2-O-(beta)-mannosylglycerate, trehalose was a major compatible solute of "T. thermophilus." 2-O-(beta)-Mannosylglycerate was the main solute in medium containing 1.0 or 2.0% NaCl, while trehalose predominated in cells grown in medium supplemented with 3.0 or 4.0% NaCl. Glycine betaine, in lower concentrations, was also detected in two "T. thermophilus" strains. This is the first report of mannosylglycerate as a compatible solute in bacteria.     

Variations in endogenous polyamine content of maize calli obtained from zygotic and androgenetic embryos

A comparative study of polyamine (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) levels was conducted with maize calli originating from a) immature embryos and b) pollen embryos capable of plant regeneration. The differences observed in the studied parameters of the two kinds of calluses are related to their cellular origin and to their regeneration capacity. Moreover, only the calluses proceeding from immature embryos differentiated into preembryogenic structures, which eventually developed into plants. Although total polyamine levels in pollenderived calluses were significantly higher than those from immature embryos, spermidine and spermine were the predominant polyamines in both culture types. Furthermore, polyamine fractions of these calluses also showed differences. All these phenomena may be related with the differences observed in the callus embryogenic response. These findings may be useful in understanding the implication of polyaminesin embryogenetic processes.Abbreviations IEC immature-embryo calluses - PAs polyamines - PEC pollen-embryo calluses - PH insoluble conjugated PA fraction - Put putrescine - S free PA fraction - SH soluble conjugated PA fraction - Spd spermidine - Spm spermine 2,4d-2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid     

Further insights on chromosomal pairing of autopolyploids: a triploid and tetraploids of rye

Chromosomal pairing of one triploid and three tetraploid plants of rye, Secale cereale, was analyzed by electron microscopy in surface-spread prophase I nuclei and compared with light microscopic observations of metaphase I cells. Prophase I is characterized by: (i) the weak alignment showed by the three or four unsynapsed or partially homologous synapsed axes; (ii) the low number ber of pairing partner switches (PPSs) displayed by both trivalents and quadrivalents; and (iii) the existence of complex multivalents in which up to 13 chromosomes in the triploid and 22 chromosomes in the tetraploids were involved. However, only few heterologous chromosomal associations were maintained at metaphase I. The results obtained are discussed under the assumptions of the random end pairing model with some modifications.     

Modulation of cisPlatin cytotoxicity by interleukin-1α and resident tumor macrophages

The modulation of cisPlatin cytotoxicity by interleukin-1 (IL-1α) was studied in cultures of SCC-7 tumor cells with and without tumor macrophages to examine potential mechanisms for the synergistic antitumor activity of cisPlatin and IL-1α in SCC-7 solid tumors. Neither IL-1α nor tumor macrophages affected the survival of clonogenic tumor cells and IL-1α had no direct effect on tumor cell growthin vitro. Macrophages had no direct effect on cisPlatin sensitivity (IC₉₀=6.0 μM), but, the addition of IL-1α (500–2000U/ml) to co-cultures of cisPlatin pretreated tumor cells and resident tumor macrophages increased cell killing (IC₉₀=3.1 μM). Similar responses were seen in primary cultures treated with cisPlatin before IL-1α. The modulation of cisPlatin cytotoxicity by IL-1α exhibited a biphasic dose response that paralleled the IL-1α dose dependent release of H₂O₂by resident tumor macrophages. Further, IL-1α modification of cisPlatin cytotoxicity was prompt and inhibited by catalase. CisPlatin and exogenous H₂O₂ (50 μM) produced more than additive SCC-7 clonogenic cell kill and hydroxyl radicals played an important role in the response. Interleukin-1 modulation of cisPlatin cytotoxicity was schedule dependent. IL-1α treatment for 24 hrs, before cisPlatin, produced drug resistance (IC₉₀=11.1 μM). Our study shows that IL-1α can stimulate tumor macrophages to release pro-oxidants that modify cellular chemosensitivity in a schedule and dose dependent fashion. Our findings may also provide a mechanistic explanation for the synergistic antitumor activity of cisPlatin and IL-1αin vivo.