Ecological aspects of water quality regulation in England and Wales

The paper describes the regulatory functions of a new body set up in England and Wales for the management of water pollution, the National Rivers Authority. It outlines proposals for a new water quality classification scheme incorporating biological monitoring as an integral part, and describes other areas of pollution control where biology could be used with advantage. The derivation of statutory water quality objectives as a new concept in the management of natural waters is described, together with an indication of some of the legal mechanisms available to the NRA to ensure that the objectives are met.     

利用酵母菌生产有机酸的研究进展

有机酸是含有一种或多种低分子量酸性基团(如羧基、磺酸基)的可生物合成的有机化合物,广泛应用于食品、农业、医药、生物基材料工业等领域。酵母菌具有生物安全、抗逆性强、底物谱广泛、方便遗传改造,以及大规模培养技术成熟等独特优点,因此利用酵母菌生产有机酸的研究日益受到国内外学者的关注。目前利用酵母生产有机酸还存在浓度低、副产物多,以及发酵效率低等缺陷。随着酵母菌代谢工程和合成生物学技术的发展,利用酵母菌生产有机酸取得了快速进展。本文总结了利用酵母合成11种有机酸的研究,包括内源和异源合成的大宗羧酸和高价值有机酸,并对该领域的未来研究方向进行了展望。     

The kinetics and regulation of M-xylose transport in Candida utilis

Low-affinity (K _m=67.6±3.2 mM) and high-affinity (K _m=1.9±1.2 mM) D-xylose transport occur in Candida utilis grown, respectively, on D-glucose or D-xylose. Starvation of glucose-grown cells decreases the K _m value (10.5±2.6 mm). The high-affinity system appearing during starvation required protein synthesis and it was inactivated when cells were exposed to glucose, by a process independent of protein synthesis. High-affinity transport was accompanied by transient alkalinization of yeast suspensions, indicating that it is a proton symport, whereas low-affinity transport was not. Both systems, however, were inhibited by metabolic inhibitors and by replacing H₂O in the transport assay with D₂O, indicating that both may be proton symports. Glucose and acetic acid also inhibited both high-and low-affinity xylose transport.S.G. Kilian, B.A. Prior and J.C. du Preez are with the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Orange Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, Republic of South Africa     

Empirical testing of cryoconite granulation: Role of cyanobacteria in the formation of key biogenic structure darkening glaciers in polar regions

Cryoconite, the dark sediment on the surface of glaciers, often aggregates into oval or irregular granules serving as biogeochemical factories. They reduce a glacier's albedo, act as biodiversity hotspots by supporting aerobic and anaerobic microbial communities, constitute one of the organic matter (OM) sources on glaciers, and are a feeder for micrometazoans. Although cryoconite granules have multiple roles on glaciers, their formation is poorly understood. Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous and abundant engineers of cryoconite hole ecosystems. This study tested whether cyanobacteria may be responsible for cryoconite granulation as a sole biotic element. Incubation of Greenlandic, Svalbard, and Scandinavian cyanobacteria in different nutrient availabilities and substrata for growth (distilled water alone and water with quartz powder, furnaced cryoconite without OM, or powdered rocks from glacial catchment) revealed that cyanobacteria bind mineral particles into granules. The structures formed in the experiment resembled those commonly observed in natural cryoconite holes: they contained numerous cyanobacterial filaments protruding from aggregated mineral particles. Moreover, all examined strains were confirmed to produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which suggests that cryoconite granulation is most likely due to EPS secretion by gliding cyanobacteria. In the presence of water as the only substrate for growth, cyanobacteria formed mostly carpet-like mats. Our data empirically prove that EPS-producing oscillatorialean cyanobacteria isolated from the diverse community of cryoconite microorganisms can form granules from mineral substrate and that the presence of the mineral substrate increases the probability of the formation of these important and complex biogeochemical microstructures on glaciers.     

Seasonal changes in photosynthetic capacity of leaves of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) vines

A simplified procedure for the assay and purification of an enzyme which activates a galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.96) involved in volume regulation of the unicellular alga Poterioochromonas malhamensis (Peterfi) is described. The enzyme was extracted with water from membranes, followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, phenyl-Sepharose and fetuin-agarose. Its proteinase activity was demonstrated by cleavage of oxidized insulin A- and B-Chains. The predominant cleavage site of the oxidized A-chain is the peptide bond between ¹³Leu and ¹⁴Tyr whereas ¹⁶Leu-¹⁷Glu is also hydrolyzed with minor activity. Besides this chymotrypsin-like endopeptidase activity some carboxypeptidase activity was also observed.     

VASOMOTOR RESPONSES OF ISOLATED PERIPHERAL BLOOD VESSELS FROM BOWHEAD WHALES: THERMOREGULATORY IMPLICATIONS

Temperature regulation in bowhead whales, Balaena mysticetus , is supported by the characteristic cetacean peripheral circulation, especially notable in the tail flukes. Blood vessels serving this function consist of countercurrent heat exchangers (network of veins surrounding a central artery) favoring heat conservation and an alternate routing via arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) providing for heat dissipation. We tested the vasomotor responses of isolated segments of countercurrent arteries and AVAs from the bowhead tail flukes to norepinephrine (NOR), the sympathetic adrenergic neurotransmitter. Isometric tension developed during exposure to a micromolar concentration of NOR was consistently higher in AVAs than in arteries. Accordingly, the AVAs are subject to sympathetic vasoconstriction, and this activation directs blood flow to countercurrent heat exchangers and results in heat conservation. In contrast, AVA relaxation by reduced sympathetic activation favors increased blood flow through AVAs and consequent peripheral heat loss.     

Physiology of lipase formation inPenicillium candidum

Penicillium candidum grew and produced lipase in a culture medium supplemented with 0.2% olive oil. Significant enzyme production required the presence of olive, oil and was prevented by cycloheximide. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of filtrates from olive oil fermentations gave a single band of lipase activity (MW 80 KDa). Among the olive oil components only oleate allowed significant lipase production. Other carboxylic and saturated fatty acids containing similar or lower numbers of carbon atoms, did not cause derepression of lipase formation.