Microbiological analysis of the population of extremely haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria dominating in lab-scale sulfide-removing bioreactors

Thiopaq biotechnology for partial sulfide oxidation to elemental sulfur is an efficient way to remove H₂S from biogases. However, its application for high-pressure natural gas desulfurization needs upgrading. Particularly, an increase in alkalinity of the scrubbing liquid is required. Therefore, the feasibility of sulfide oxidation into elemental sulfur under oxygen limitation was tested at extremely haloalkaline conditions in lab-scale bioreactors using mix sediments from hypersaline soda lakes as inoculum. The microbiological analysis, both culture dependent and independent, of the successfully operating bioreactors revealed a domination of obligately chemolithoautotrophic and extremely haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the genus Thioalkalivibrio. Two subgroups were recognized among the isolates. The subgroup enriched from the reactors operating at pH 10 clustered with Thioalkalivibrio jannaschii–Thioalkalivibrio versutus core group of the genus Thioalkalivibrio. Another subgroup, obtained mostly with sulfide as substrate and at lower pH, belonged to the cluster of facultatively alkaliphilic Thioalkalivibrio halophilus. Overall, the results clearly indicate a large potential of the genus Thiolalkalivibrio to efficiently oxidize sulfide at extremely haloalkaline conditions, which makes it suitable for application in the natural gas desulfurization. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Nucleotide sequence accession numbers: The GenBank/EMBL accession numbers of the 16S rRNA gene sequence determined in this study are EU709849–EU709878.     

Alternative splice variants of alpha 7 beta 1 integrin selectively recognize different laminin isoforms.

The integrin alpha(7)beta(1) occurs in several cytoplasmic (alpha(7A), alpha(7B)) and extracellular splice variants (alpha(7X1), alpha(7X2)), which are differentially expressed during development of skeletal and heart muscle. The extracellular variants result from the alternative splicing of exons X1 and X2, corresponding to a segment within the putative ligand binding domain. To study the specificity and affinity of the X1/X2 variants to different laminin isoforms, soluble alpha(7)beta(1) complexes were prepared by recombinant coexpression of the extracellular domains of the alpha- and beta-subunits. The binding of these complexes to purified ligands was measured by solid phase binding assays. Surprisingly, the alternative splice variants revealed different and specific affinities to different laminin isoforms. While the alpha(7X2) variant bound much more strongly to laminin-1 than the alpha(7X1) variant, the latter showed a high affinity binding to laminins-8 and -10/11. Laminin-2, the major laminin isoform in skeletal muscle, was recognized by both variants, whereas none of the two variants were able to interact with laminin-5. A specific blocking antibody inhibited the binding of both variants to all laminins tested, indicating the involvement of common epitopes in alpha(7X1)beta(1) and alpha(7X2)beta(1). Because laminin-8 and -10/11 as well as alpha(7X1) are expressed in developing skeletal and cardiac muscle, these findings suggest that alpha(7X1)beta(1) may represent a physiological receptor with novel specificities for laminin-8 and -10.     

Morphology and Antigenic Properties of Recombinant Analogs of the Marburg Virus Nucleoprotein

The full-length gene for Marburg virus (MV) nucleoprotein (NP) was cloned in prokaryotic pQE32 under the control of the T5 promoter and in eukaryotic pTM1 under the control of the T7 RNA polymerase promoter. Recombinant NP was synthesized in Escherichia coliand in human kidney cell line 293 cotransfected with recombinant vaccinia virus vTF7-3 expressing T7 RNA polymerase. On evidence of electron microscopy with immune detection, recombinant NP formed tubules of two types in E. coliand of a single type in cell line 293. ELISA and immunoblotting with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies revealed common antigenic determinants in recombinant NP and natural MV NP.     

Adenovirus Serotype 5 Variants Defective in Early Genes: Selective Replication in p53-Deficient Human Tumor Cells

Site-directed mutagenesis was used to construct human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) variants defective in E1A or E1B. Mutant Adel3 with deletion from E1A was markedly attenuated in permissive cell cultures regardless of the p53 status, and replicated efficiently only in cells of the complementing 293 line. Mutant Adel2 with deletion from E1B55K infected the 293 line cells and p53-deficient human tumor cells (A431, SW480, HEp2) with efficiencies similar to those of Ad5, whereas its replication in normal p53-positive cells was substantially limited. Thus, Adel2 proved to be capable of selective infection and lysis of p53-deficient human tumor cells in vitro. On intratumor injection, Adel2 dramatically suppressed the growth of human epidermoid carcinoma (A431) in nude mice. Adel2 is thus a promising model for designing therapeutic agents against p53-deficient human tumors.     

Localization of laminin alpha4-chain in developing and adult human tissues.

Recent studies suggest important functions for laminin-8 (Ln-8; alpha4beta1gamma1) in vascular and blood cell biology, but its distribution in human tissues has remained elusive. We have raised a monoclonal antibody (MAb) FC10, and by enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) and Western blotting techniques we show that it recognizes the human Ln alpha4-chain. Immunoreactivity for the Ln alpha4-chain was localized in tissues of mesodermal origin, such as basement membranes (BMs) of endothelia, adipocytes, and skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle cells. In addition, the Ln alpha4-chain was found in regions of some epithelial BMs, including epidermis, salivary glands, pancreas, esophageal and gastric glands, intestinal crypts, and some renal medullary tubules. Developmental differences in the distribution of Ln alpha4-chain were detected in skeletal muscle, walls of vessels, and intestinal crypts. Ln alpha4- and Ln alpha2-chains co-localized in BMs of fetal skeletal muscle cells and in some epithelial BMs, e.g., in gastric glands and acini of pancreas. Cultured human pulmonary artery endothelial (HPAE) cells produced Ln alpha4-chain as M(r) 180,000 and 200,000 doublet and rapidly deposited it to the growth substratum. In cell-free extracellular matrices of human kidney and lung, Ln alpha4-chain was found as M(r) 180,000 protein.     

Importance of electroroentengography and fluorography in the detection of bronchiectatic disease

During mass screening of population 54 patients were detected with suspected bronchiectatic disease. Photoroentgenography and electroroentgenography were performed in all of them, in 36 of them simultaneously with subsequent bronchography. On electroroentgenograms cellular deformity in the decreased lung, the presence of cellular and linear lucidity of bronchiectasia against a background of a gas-bubble of the stomach were referred to as signs of bronchiectatic disease. Signs of inflammatory exacerbation and symptoms of lung emphysema were revealed on photoroentgenograms as an addition to electroroentgenographic findings. Combined electrophotoroentgenography with subsequent bronchographic verification of the spread of changes is recommended in suspected bronchiectatic disease.     

Effect of immunodepression on virus multiplication and interferon and antibody formation in animals]

Administration of high doses of imuran had no significant effect on the multiplication of influenza A/PR8 and Coxsackie A6 viruses. However, the serum levels of interferon and antibody were completely suppressed. Peripheral leukocytes of mice given imuran produced no interferon in vitro. These data suggest that the impairment of formation of the antiviral immunity factors resulting from the administration of high doses of immunosuppressants, such as used during the graft rejection crises, could serve as one of the main causes facilitating viral infections in the course of the transplantation therapy. The results could be of practical importance for the development of the optimal immunosuppression schedules during the organ transplantation.     

Measuring and Modeling Streamer Velocity at an Air Discharge in a Highly Inhomogeneous Electric Field

Plasma Physics Reports - The velocities of the positive and negative streamers in the air at atmospheric pressure are experimentally, theoretically, and computationally studied at the discharge of...