Selectivity Studies of the Benzene cis -Dihydrodiol Dehydrogenase Enzyme from Pseudomonas putida ML2 with Vicinal Diol Substrates

The enantiopure (1 S, 2 S )- cis -dihydrodiol metabolites 2B - 5B have been obtained in low yield from the corresponding monosubstituted halobenzene substrates 2A - 5A, using a wild-type strain of Pseudomonas putida (ML2) containing benzene dioxygenase (BDO). Benzene cis -dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (BCD) from P. putida ML2 and naphthalene cis -dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (NCD) from P. putida 8859 were purified and used in a comparative study of the stereoselective biotransformation of cis -dihydrodiol enantiomers 2B - 5B. The BCD and NCD enzymes were found to accept cis -dihydrodiol enantiomers of monosubstituted benzene cis -dihydrodiol substrates 2B - 5B of opposite absolute configuration. The acyclic alkene 1,2-diols 10 - 17 were also found to be acceptable substrates for BCD.     

AQUEOUS TWO-PHASE EXTRACTION FOR THE PURIFICATION OF ALKALINE AGARASES FROM CULTURE EXTRACTS OF Pseudomonas aeruginosa AG LSL-11

The agarases were purified for the first time an using aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) consisting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and phosphate salt. The three extracellular, alkaline agarases produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa AG LSL-11 were efficiently extracted into the top PEG-rich layer. The influencing factors on the partition of agarases—molecular weight of the PEG, system pH, system temperature, and NaCl concentration—were investigated. All the factors were found to have a significant effect on the partition of agarases except NaCl. The optimal ATPS parameters for the partitioning and purification of agarases were found to be 12% PEG 600 and 11.9% (w/w) phosphate salt at pH 8.0 and 4°C. All three agarases were concentrated in the top PEG phase with 6.19-fold purity and 71.21% recovery. The ATPS was found to be more convenient and economical than the conventional ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) method for extraction of three agarases and could be significantly employed for the purification of agarases from fermentation broth.     

Background levels of hydrogen cyanide in human breath measured by infrared cavity ring down spectroscopy

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in breath has been suggested as a diagnostic tool for cyanide poisoning and for cyanide-producing bacterial infections. To distinguish elevated levels of breath HCN, baseline data are needed. Background levels of HCN were measured in mixed exhaled air from 40 healthy subjects (26 men, 14 women, age 21–61 years; detection limit: 1.5?ppb; median: 4.4?ppb; range <1.5–14?ppb) by near-infrared cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS). No correlation was observed with smoking habits, recent meals or age. However, female subjects had slightly higher breath levels of HCN than male subjects. CRDS has not previously been used for this purpose.     

Flavodoxin overexpression confers tolerance to oxidative stress in beneficial soil bacteria and improves survival in the presence of the herbicides paraquat and atrazine

Aim

To determine whether expression of a cyanobacterial flavodoxin in soil bacteria of agronomic interest confers protection against the widely used herbicides paraquat and atrazine.

Methods and Results

The model bacterium Escherichia coli, the symbiotic nitrogen‐fixing bacterium Ensifer meliloti and the plant growth‐promoting rhizobacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Aur6 were transformed with expression vectors containing the flavodoxin gene of Anabaena variabilis. Expression of the cyanobacterial protein was confirmed by Western blot. Bacterial tolerance to oxidative stress was tested in solid medium supplemented with hydrogen peroxide, paraquat or atrazine. In all three bacterial strains, flavodoxin expression enhanced tolerance to the oxidative stress provoked by hydrogen peroxide and by the reactive oxygen species‐inducing herbicides, witnessed by the enhanced survival of the transformed bacteria in the presence of these oxidizing agents.

Conclusions

Flavodoxin overexpression in beneficial soil bacteria confers tolerance to oxidative stress and improves their survival in the presence of the herbicides paraquat and atrazine. Flavodoxin could be considered as a general antioxidant resource to face oxidative challenges in different micro‐organisms.

Significance and Impact of the study

The use of plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria or nitrogen‐fixing bacteria with enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress in contaminated soils is of significant agronomic interest. The enhanced tolerance of flavodoxin‐expressing bacteria to atrazine and paraquat points to potential applications in herbicide‐treated soils.     

麦芽四糖淀粉酶基因优化表达及酶学性质分析

麦芽四糖淀粉酶是一种新型外切淀粉酶,从淀粉的非还原末端特异地顺序切割第4个α-1,4糖苷键,产物为麦芽四糖,广泛应用于食品、医疗保健等领域.对来自嗜糖假单胞菌(Pseudomonas saccharophila)的麦芽四糖淀粉酶基因序列进行优化,优化前后基因序列同源性达75％.将优化合成的成熟肽基因克隆至原核表达载体pET32a(+)上,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导,重组蛋白主要以包涵体形式存在.包涵体经变性、复性、多步纯化,获得有活性的麦芽四糖淀粉酶.将麦芽四糖淀粉酶与不同来源的淀粉水解反应,结果表明,该酶能与7种不同来源的淀粉反应产生单一的麦芽四糖.经SDS-PAGE电泳,DNS法和硅胶板薄层色谱分析法(TLC)进行酶学性质分析,结果表明麦芽四糖淀粉酶的分子量约为57kDa,纯化后的酶液最适反应温度为45℃,最适反应pH为8.0.研究结果为麦芽四糖淀粉酶的研究和开发提供依据和参考.     

碳源影响水稻根际假单胞菌PA1201藤黄绿菌素的生物合成

【背景】假单胞菌PA1201是一株水稻根际促生菌,其产生的次生代谢物藤黄绿菌素(pyoluteorin,Plt)能够有效抑制多种植物病原真菌和细菌的生长,但在常规培养条件下Plt产量极低。【目的】研究碳源对Plt生物合成的影响,为提高Plt的产量以及应用提供理论基础。【方法】将基本培养基(minimal medium,MM)中甘露醇替换为不同的碳源及碳源组合作为PA1201的培养基,生长过程中不同时间点取样提取Plt,利用高效液相色谱(HPLC)法分析Plt的产量变化。【结果】建立了基于HPLC定性和定量检测Plt的方法;比较了PA1201菌株在不同培养基中菌株生长和Plt的产量,发现果糖和甘露醇促进Plt生物合成;果糖和甘露醇对Plt生物合成没有增效作用;在含有甘露醇或果糖作为唯一碳源的培养基中,添加葡萄糖或琥珀酸抑制Plt生物合成。【结论】果糖和甘露醇促进水稻根际假单胞菌PA1201合成藤黄绿菌素,这为提高藤黄绿菌素的生物合成效率和促进藤黄绿菌素的应用奠定了基础。     

铜绿假单胞菌PAO1 ku基因缺失菌株的构建及其对生物被膜耐药性的影响

【背景】铜绿假单胞菌是常见的条件致病菌,易形成生物被膜,具有基因突变率高、耐药性强的特点。非同源末端连接是DNA双链断裂的主要修复途径之一,修复过程会导致DNA突变产生。【目的】研究非同源末端连接对生物被膜中的铜绿假单胞菌基因突变率和耐药性的影响。【方法】通过基因无痕敲除的方法构建PAO1菌株的ku基因缺失突变株Δku并构建其回补株。对比研究突变株和野生菌株生物被膜形成能力、生物被膜状态下各菌的基因突变率以及对抗生素的耐受性。通过荧光定量PCR检测生物被膜中PAO1菌株ku基因的表达水平。【结果】各突变株生物被膜形成能力无显著差异;与野生菌株相比,突变株Δku在生物被膜中的基因突变率以及对环丙沙星和庆大霉素的最低抑菌浓度(minimum inhibitory concentration,MIC)下降。荧光定量PCR结果表明,ku基因在生物被膜形成早期转录水平有明显上调。【结论】非同源末端连接修复途径对生物被膜中的铜绿假单胞菌基因突变率以及耐药性的提高有一定的作用。本研究将为后续进一步阐释铜绿假单胞菌耐药产生机制提供一定的理论依据。     

c-di-GMP的磷酸二酯酶PA4781在抗菌肽Merecidin抑制铜绿假单胞菌生物被膜中的作用

【背景】抗菌肽Merecidin可抑制临床菌株铜绿假单胞菌PA03生物被膜。PA4781基因是课题组通过生物信息学分析筛选出的差异表达基因,PA4781作为细菌第二信使分子环二鸟苷酸(cyclic diguanylate,c-di-GMP)的磷酸二酯酶具有降解c-di-GMP的作用,其在抗菌肽Merecidin抑制生物被膜中的作用机制尚不清楚。【目的】研究细菌第二信使分子c-di-GMP的磷酸二酯酶PA4781基因在抗菌肽Merecidin抑制铜绿假单胞菌生物被膜中的作用。【方法】利用单碱基突变技术敲除PA4781基因,Sanger测序方法检测敲除的正确性。采用结晶紫染色法观察PA03菌株、PA4781过表达菌株、PA4781敲除菌株24 h生物被膜生长情况,以及在抗菌肽Merecidin 24、48、72μmol/L作用下各菌株生物被膜的生长情况。采用对羟基联苯溶液显色法检测在抗菌肽Merecidin 48、72μmol/L作用下,PA03菌株、PA4781过表达菌株、PA4781敲除菌株生物被膜藻酸盐的变化情况。【结果】Sanger测序结果显示,用pnCasPABEC系统成功实现了靶点位置的单碱基突变,提前终止了PA4781的转录;结晶紫染色结果显示,培养24h时,在24μmol/L抗菌肽Merecidin作用下PA03菌株、PA4781过表达菌株、PA4781敲除菌株生物被膜形成情况无显著性差异(P0.05),在抗菌肽Merecidin 48、72μmol/L处理下,过表达株与正常株和敲除株有显著性差异(P0.05),生物被膜明显减少,敲除株生物被膜厚度高于PA03组(P0.05)。随着抗菌肽Merecidin浓度升高各组藻酸盐含量下降,其中过表达菌株在抗菌肽Merecidin作用下藻酸盐生成量抑制率最高,可达65%。【结论】抗菌肽Merecidin能够促进细菌第二信使分子磷酸二酯酶PA4781的表达,为抗菌肽Merecidin抑制铜绿假单胞菌生物被膜的作用机制可能通过细菌第二信使分子这一信号途径提供新的研究思路。