Altered drug metabolism in parasitic diseases

While the immune system represents the main line of host defence against parasite infections, mixed function oxidase (MFO) systems (Box 1) offer the main line of defence against drugs and other biologically active substances. But, as this review shows, many parasites can exert a profound effect on the host MFO system by altering the microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes and electron transport carriers such as cytochrome P-450. This can markedly affect the host's ability to metabolize biologically active compounds, often with adverse physiological, pharmacological and toxicological consequences. In mammals, drug metabolism occurs predominantly in the liver, and to a lesser extent in the spleen, lungs, kidneys, intestine and cerebral tissues. Thus those parasites that occupy sites in these tissues - such as amoebae, Fasciola, schistosomes and malaria - tend to be those with greatest effects on the host's ability to metabolize drugs. The effects can modify the host response to substances unrelated to the infection, and to drugs which may be administered under a chemotherapeutic regime.     

Environmental parameters influencing phenolics production by batch cultures of Nicotiana tabacum

The influence of temperature, illumination, hormonal levels (2,4-D and kinetin), carbon to nitrogen ratios, antibiotics, and precursor feeding on phenolics production by Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) was studied. This plant cell system was chosen as a model system to learn more about secondary product formation in plant cell tissue cultures. This is the first study to manipulate all of these environmental parameters with a single plant cell system. The most striking results were with 2,4-D manipulation. The removal of 2,4-D resulted in significant phenolics production during the stationary phase, while normal levels strongly suppressed phenolics production during the stationary phase. The addition of phenylalanine stimulated phenolics production per gram of cells but strongly inhibited growth.     

Multistage continuous culture to examine secondary metabolite formation in plant cells: Phenolics from Nicotiana tabacum

The feasibility of operating a multistage continuous culture of plant cells was demonstrated for Nicotiana tabacum. Cells in the second stage of a two-stage chemostat were morphologically distinct from cells in the first stage or cells in a single-stage unit with a holding time equal to the combined holding times in the two-stage system. Cells in the second stage produced much higher levels of phenolics per unit weight of cells than cells in either the first-stage or single-stage unit. The steady-state was reproduced. When a glucose side stream was fed to the second stage, an increase in apparent cell division was observed with a simultaneous decrease in phenolics productivity. When the toxic precursor phenylalanine was pulsed into the reactor, the quantity of biomass decreased temporarily while phenolic productivity increased. These experiments demonstrate that multistage continuous culture may be useful in increasing secondary metabolite formation in cells and in exploring mechanisms controlling secondary metabolite formation.     

Subunits of flagellar accessory tubules

Many sperm flagella contain a central pair of singlet tubules surrounded by nine doublet tubules. Insect sperm flagella, however, usually contain in addition to the typical 9+2 arrangement of tubules, an additional row of nine singlet tubules which are called accessory tubules. Each of these accessory tubules in the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) contains a single central prototubule surrounded by an array of 15 or 16 peripheral prototubules. The number of prototubules in the accessory tubules of Leptinotarsa decemlineata was determined with an electron microscope and image details were reinforced by the rotation techniques of Markham.     

Immobilization of Candida cylindracea lipase on colloidal liquid aphrons (CLAs) and development of a continuous CLA-membrane reactor

A novel technique is described for the immobilization of Candida cylindracea lipase in the soapy-shell of colloidal liquid aphrons (CLAs). CLAs consist of a micron-sized solvent droplet surrounded by a thin, aqueous, soapy-film and are stabilized by a mixture of nonionic and ionic surfactants. Retention of lipase within the CLAs is primarily determined by electrostatic interactions between the surface charges on the protein and those of the anionic surfactant used (SDS) because leakage of the lipase from dispersed CLAs was reduced at low continuous phase pH (相似文献   

硅藻土在青霉素G酰化酶提纯中的应用

国产硅藻土经氢氧化铵处理后可用于从发酰液中直接取青霉素Ｇ酰化酶,平均吸附量为９０Ｕ／ｇ。吸附的酶可用２２％硫酸铵－０．３ｍｏｌ／ＬＰＢＳ（ｐＨ８．０）溶液洗脱。平均比１８Ｕ／１８Ｕｍｇ蛋白（ＮＩＰＡＢ法）。硅藻土可反复使用。苯乙酰胺－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ树脂可对酶作进一步的纯化。