One of two tandem Arabidopsis genes homologous to monosaccharide transporters is senescence-associated

A gene designated SFP1, which is similar to major facilitator superfamily monosaccharide transporters, is induced during leaf senescence. Genomic sequence analysis identified a second highly similar and closely linked gene, SFP2, suggesting that SFP1 and SFP2 may have arisen through a recent duplication event. However, RNA gel-blot analyses and histochemical localization of a reporter gene activity in transgenic plants show that SFP1 and SFP2 are differentially regulated and that only SFP1 is induced during leaf senescence. The increase in SFP1 gene expression during leaf senescence is paralleled by an accumulation of monosaccharides. Possible roles for SFP1 in sugar transport during leaf senescence are discussed.     

Variation in ITGB3 has sex-specific associations with plasma lipoprotein(a) and whole blood serotonin levels in a population-based sample

A recent genome-scan identified the Leu33Pro polymorphism in the 3 integrin (ITGB3) gene as a quantitative trait locus for whole blood serotonin level in a large Hutterite pedigree. Because both the Leu33Pro polymorphism and the serotonin system have been implicated in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and treatment response, we studied additional variation in ITGB3 and its relationship to intermediate phenotypes associated with CVD in the same population. We examined associations between 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across ITGB3 and five CVD-related traits in the Hutterites: plasma levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and blood pressure or hypertension. Seven of these SNPs in ITGB3 were associated with whole blood serotonin. Among the intermediate CVD-related phenotypes, only Lp(a) was associated with multiple ITGB3 SNPs, five of which were also associated with serotonin. A sex-stratified analysis revealed that the association between ITGB3 and Lp(a) is present only in females, whereas the association between ITGB3 and serotonin is concentrated in males. Our results suggest that variation in ITGB3 in addition to Leu33Pro could contribute to susceptibility to CVD and serotonin in a sex-specific manner.     

Identification and characterization of quantitative trait loci for grain yield and its components under different nitrogen fertilization levels in rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.)

A set of rice (Oryza sativa L.) recombinant inbred lines from a cross between Zhenshan 97 (indica) and HR5 (indica) was planted for four different growing seasons in two locations at three nitrogen (N) fertilization levels (N300, 300 kg urea/ha; N150, 150 kg urea/ha; and N0, 0 kg urea/ha). Grain yield and its components were evaluated, including grain yield per plant (GYPP), panicle number per plant (PNPP), grain number per panicle (GNPP), filled grains per panicle (FGPP), spikelet fertility percentage (SFP) and 100-grain weight (HGW). Correlation and path analysis indicated that SFP had the greatest contribution to GYPP at the N300 and N150 levels, but FGPP contributed the most to GYPP at the N0 level. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped based on a mixed linear model; genetic components (main effects, epistatic effects and QTL-by-environment interactions) were estimated separately. Six to 15 QTL with main effects were detected for each trait except SFP. Clusters of main-effect QTL associated with PNPP, GNPP, SFP and HGW were observed in regions on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10. The main-effect QTL (qGYPP-4b and qGNPP-12) were only detected at the N0 level and explained 10.9 and 10.2% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. A total of 33 digenic interactions among grain yield and its components were also identified. The identification of genomic regions associated with yield and its components at different nitrogen levels will be useful in marker-assisted selection for improving the nitrogen use efficiency of rice.     

Isolation and Characterization of Antitumor Lipopolysaccharide from Proteus mirabilis

Systematic isolation of the cell constituents of Proteus mirabilis RMS–203 was performed to find out localization of antitumor principle only in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer of the cell wall fraction.

LPS with strong antitumor activity was extracted from P. mirabilis RMS–203 by phenol-water method followed by purification on DEAE-Sephadex A–50 column chromatography.

The main components of purified LPS were galactose, hexosamine, 2-keto-deoxy-octonic acid (KDO), myristic acid, β-hydroxymyristic acid and α,ε-diaminopimelic acid.

The minimal effective dose of LPS against Ehrlich solid carcinoma in mice was 0.1~1.0 μg/mouse. LD₅₀ in mice and pyrogenicity in rabbits were 28 mg/kg and 10^?3–10^?5 μg/rabbit, respectively.     

Isolation of the Teichoic Acid of Bacillus Subtilis 168 by Affinity Chromatography

A column of insoluble concanavalin A was prepared by coupling the protein to cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose. When autolysates of Bacillus subtilis 168 cell walls were passed over the column, the alpha glucosylated teichoic acid component of the cell wall was retained. The teichoic acid could be eluted with dilute alpha-methylglucopyranose. The teichoic acid prepared by affinity chromatography from cell wall autolysates had a higher sedimentation rate than teichoic acids obtained by conventional methods.

Several authors have shown that concanavalin A (con A) forms complexes with alpha-glucosylated teichoic acids^1–3. Doyle and Birdsell¹ found that the teichoic acid of Bacillus subtilis 168 (trp C2) would precipitate with con A at neutral pH in dilute buffer. The formation of a precipitate was inhibited by sugars which bind to the active site of con A. This observation suggested that it should be possible to purify the teichoic acid by affinity chromatography using insoluble con A as the affinity probe. Lloyd⁴ and Donnelly and Goldstein⁵ have successfully employed insoluble con A to purify polysaccharides and glycoproteins. In this communication, we describe conditions for the rapid purification of the alpha-glucosylated teichoic acid of B. subtilis 168. The teichoic acid prepared by this procedure appears to be less degraded than teichoic acids obtained by conventional methods.     

Brain mitochondria from rats treated with sulforaphane are resistant to redox-regulated permeability transition

Oxidative stress promotes Ca²⁺-dependent opening of the mitochondrial inner membrane permeability transition pore (PTP), causing bioenergetic failure and subsequent cell death in many paradigms, including those related to acute brain injury. One approach to pre-conditioning against oxidative stress is pharmacologic activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway of antioxidant gene expression by agents such as sulforaphane (SFP). This study tested the hypothesis that administration of SFP to normal rats increases resistance of isolated brain mitochondria to redox-sensitive PTP opening. SFP or DMSO vehicle was administered intraperitoneally to adult male rats at 10 mg/kg 40 h prior to isolation of non-synaptic brain mitochondria. Mitochondria were suspended in medium containing a respiratory substrate and were exposed to an addition of Ca²⁺ below the threshold for PTP opening. Subsequent addition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH) resulted in a cyclosporin A-inhibitable release of accumulated Ca²⁺ into the medium, as monitored by an increase in fluorescence of Calcium Green 5N within the medium, and was preceded by a decrease in the autofluorescence of mitochondrial NAD(P)H. SFP treatment significantly reduced the rate of tBOOH-induced Ca²⁺ release but did not affect NAD(P)H oxidation or inhibit PTP opening induced by the addition of phenylarsine oxide, a direct sulfhydryl oxidizing agent. SFP treatment had no effect on respiration by brain mitochondria and had no effect on PTP opening or respiration when added directly to isolated mitochondria. We conclude that SFP confers resistance of brain mitochondria to redox-regulated PTP opening, which could contribute to neuroprotection observed with SFP.     

Studies on the Dissociation of the Soluble Ovomucin by Sonication

The soluble ovomucin obtained from the liquid part of thick white by gel filtration on a Sepharose 4B was an aggregated and polymerized molecule (intrinsic viscosity was 365 ml/g and molecular weight was 8.3 × 10⁶) and it was unable to dissociate the soluble ovomucin into two components without modifications.

Molecular weight and reduced viscosity of the soluble ovomucin decreased markedly with time of sonication. By the sonication for 10 min, it was successful to fractionate it into carbohydrate rich and poor component by density gradient electrophoresis, cellulose acetate electrophoresis and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography.

Concerning carbohydrate and amino acid compositions of two components obtained from the sonicated soluble ovomucin, it was found that the carbohydrate poor component corresponded to the reduced S-component or the reduced α-ovomucin, and the carbohydrate rich component to the reduced F-component or the reduced β-ovomucin.

It was considered that the sonicated soluble ovomucin was an intermediate of the aggregated, polymerized ovomucin (the soluble ovomucin) and the monomeric ovomucin (the sonicated and reduced soluble ovomucin).     

n-Terminal Amino Acid Sequences of Neutral Proteases from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtilis: Identification of a Neutral Protease Gene Cloned in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis 1A20 transformed with a hybrid plasmid, pNP150, to which a DNA fragment from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens F was attached, produced a large amount of a neutral protease. To identify the origin of the gene specifying this neutral protease, neutral proteases from B. amyloliquefaciens F, B. subtilis NP58 (a derivative of Marburg 6160), and B. subtilis 1A20 transformed with pNP150 were purified. We investigated their immunological properties and primary structures.

The proteases from these two species were indistinguishable by chromatography, but they were distinguishable from each other by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and double immunodiffusion. Amino acid sequencing of these two proteases by Edman degradation showed that there were four substitutions in the 20-residue amino acid sequence from the N-termini.

Neutral protease from the transformant had the same immunological characteristics and N-terminal amino acid sequence as that from B. amyloliquefaciens. These results meant that the gene in question was derived from a gene specifying the neutral protease in this bacterium.     

Volatile Flavor of Black Tea

The volatile components extracted from fresh tea leaf, fermented leaf and black tea were analysed by gas chromatography.

Quantitative difference in the composition of essential oils was observed between fresh leaf and manufactured black tea; the former was rich in alcohols, whereas the latter in aldehydes and acids.

During fermentation process the following components mainly brought about changes: n-capronaldehyde (4.1 times after fermentation for 3hrs.), trans-2-hexen-l-al (13.2 times) and cis-3-hexenoic acid (1.2 times) increased, but n-hexylalcohol (0.7 time), cis-3-hexen-l-ol (0.7 time) and methylsalicylate (0.8 time) decreased.

These changes during fermentation were scarcely carried out in nitrogen atmosphere.     

Effect of iridoid glucoside on plasma lipid profile, tissue fatty acid changes, inflammatory cytokines, and GLUT4 expression in skeletal muscle of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The present study was designed to examine the antihyperlipidaemic potential of iridoid glucoside isolated from Vitex negundo leaves in STZ-induced diabetic rats. The levels of cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, lipoproteins, free fatty acids, phospholipids, fatty acid composition, proinflammatory cytokines, muscle glycogen content, and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression were estimated in control and diabetic rats. Oral administration of iridoid glucoside at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight per day to STZ-induced diabetic rats for a period of 30 days resulted in a significant reduction in plasma and tissue (liver and kidney) cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids. In addition, the decreased plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and increased plasma levels of low density lipoprotein- and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol in diabetic rats were restored to near normal levels following treatment with iridoid glucoside. The fatty acid composition of the liver and kidney was analyzed by gas chromatography. The altered fatty acid composition in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats was also restored upon treatment with iridoid glucoside. Moreover, the elevated plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines and decreased levels of muscle glycogen and GLUT4 expression in the skeletal muscle of diabetic rats were reinstated to their normal levels via enhanced secretion of insulin from the remnant β cells of pancreas by the administration of iridoid glucoside. The effect produced by iridoid glucoside on various parameters was comparable with that of glibenclamide, a well-known antihyperglycemic drug.     

ε-N-Acetylation in the Production of Recombinant Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Mutein

Abstract

During large scale preparation of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor(hbFGF) mutein CS23(CS23) produced in Escherichia coli (E. Coli), three species, named Mf-1, Mf-2 and Mf-3 in the order of their elution, were isolated from the early fraction of Sulfated Cellulofine chromatography by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on heparin-5pw. Structural analysis through HPLC peptide mapping, mass spectrometry, sequencing and amino acid composition revealed that ε-N-acetylation occurred at positions Lys135, Lys26 and Lys119 of CS23. Together with this observation, the results on large scale preparation of CS23 were also presented.     

Desilicification from the High Silica Containing Kraft Black Liquor by the Improved Carbon Dioxide Method

Addition of NADH to crude but not to pure branched-chain α-keto acid decarboxylase decreased the CO₂ production from α-keto-β-methylvalerate (KMV) suggesting the presence of an NADH dependent inhibitor in the crude enzyme from Bacillus subtilis. This NADH-dependent decarboxylase inhibitor was purified to homogeneity by a fast protein liquid chromatography system.

The purified inhibitor was identical with leucine dehydrogenase as to N-terminal amino acid squence (35 residues) and molecular weight, and catalyzed the oxidative deamination of three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), valine, leucine, and isoleucine. The decarboxylase inhibitor was therefore identified as leucine dehydrogenase. A decreased substrate availability caused by leucine dehydrogenase thus reasonably accounted for the NADH dependent inhibition of the decarboxylation. In turn, the observation that leucine dehydrogenase competes with the decarboxylase for branched-chain α-keto acid (BCKA) suggested an involvement of this enzyme in the branched chain fatty acid (BCFA) biosynthesis. This view was supported by the observation that addition of NAD to crude fatty acid synthetase increased the incorporation of isoleucine into BCFAs. Pyridoxal-5′-phosphate and α-ketoglutarate, cofactors for BCAA transaminase, modulated BCFA biosynthesis from isoleucine in vitro, suggesting also the involvement of transaminase reaction in BCFA biosynthesis.     

A metabolic study to decipher amino acid catabolism-directed biofuel synthesis in Acetoanaerobium sticklandii DSM 519

Acetoanaerobium sticklandii DSM 519 is a hyper-ammonia-producing anaerobe. It has the ability to produce organic solvents and acids from protein catabolism through Stickland reactions and specialized pathways. Nevertheless, its protein catabolism-directed biofuel production has not yet been understood. The present study aimed to decipher such growth-associated metabolic potential of this organism at different growth phases using metabolic profiling. A seed culture of this organism was grown separately in metabolic assay media supplemented with gelatin and or a mixture of amino acids. The extracellular metabolites produced by this organism were qualitatively analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry platform. The residual amino acids after protein degradation and amino acids assimilation were identified and quantitatively measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Organic solvents and acids produced by this organism were detected and the quantity of them determined with HPLC. Metabolic profiling data confirmed the presence of amino acid catabolic products including tyramine, cadaverine, methylamine, and putrescine in fermented broth. It also found products including short-chain fatty acids and organic solvents of the Stickland reactions. It reported that amino acids were more appropriate for its growth yield compared to gelatin. Results of quantitative analysis of amino acids indicated that many amino acids either from gelatin or amino acid mixture were catabolised at a log-growth phase. Glycine and proline were poorly consumed in all growth phases. This study revealed that apart from Stickland reactions, a specialized system was established in A. sticklandii for protein catabolism-directed biofuel production. Acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE), acetic acid, and butyric acid were the most important biofuel components produced by this organism. The production of these components was achieved much more on gelatin than amino acids. Thus, A. sticklandii is suggested herein as a potential organism to produce butyric acid along with ABE from protein-based wastes (gelatin) in bio-energy sectors.

     

Structural Analysis of the Extracellular Polysaccharide Produced by Sphaerotilus natans

An extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) was recovered and purified from the culture fluid of a sheathed bacterium, Sphaerotilus natans. Glucose, rhamnose, and aldobiouronic acid were detected in the acid hydrolysate of EPS by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The aldobiouronic acid was found to be composed of glucuronic acid and rhamnose by TLC and gas-liquid chromatography analyses of the corresponding neutral disaccharide. The structure of EPS was identified by methylation linkage analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance. Additionally, partial acid hydrolysates of EPS were prepared and put through fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry to determine the sugar sequence of EPS. The resulting data showed that EPS produced by S. natans is a new gellan-like polysaccharide constructed from a tetrasaccharide repeating unit, as shown below.

→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→2)-β-D-GlcAp-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap- (1→3)-β-L-Rhap-(1→     

Isolation and Identification of the Characteristic Sweet-aroma Compounds in Refinery Final Molasses

The characteristic sweet-aroma components in refinery final molasses were isolated by using a combination of sensory evaluation, column chromatography and gas chromatography, and were identified by infrared spectrometry, mass spectrometry and color reactions. Identified were ethyl n-hexanoate, ethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, n-butyl benzoate, isopropyl benzoate, l(+)-pantolactone, benzoic acid, o-toluic acid, m-toluic acid, β-phenylpropionic acid, succinic anhydride, maltol, isomaltol, and 2-methyl-5-hydroxy-6-ethyl-γ-pyrone.

The aroma of the mixture of these compounds and vanillin and vanillic acid was similar to that of refinery molasses by sensory evaluation. The results indicate that these compounds are important in producing of sweet molasses aroma.     

Studies on Biosynthesis on Biotin by Microorganisms

The accumulation of biotin-vitamers in the culture media of a large number of microorganisms (about 700 strains) was studied. The contents of the biotin-vitamers were quantitatively determined by microbiological assays with Lactobacillus arabinosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

It was found that large amounts of biotin-vitamers were accumulated by various microorganisms such as Streptomyces, molds and bacteria, and that the yield of biotin-vitamers was enhanced by the addition of pimelic acid or azelaic acid to the media. It was also found that the main portion of the vitamers accumulated by many microorganisms did not support the growth of Lactobacillus arabinosus, while it did support that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The small amounts of true biotin were observed in the culture media of various Streptomyces and molds, but hardly in the culture media of bacteria.

The identification of biotin-vitamers accumulated by various microorganisms is described, and the distribution of the vitamers in microorganisms is also described.

The results presented in this paper show that the main component of the vitamers accumulated by many microorganisms is identified as desthiobiotin by anion exchange column chromatography, paper chromatography and chemical analysis. Small amounts of fraction B (unidentified vitamers) and Fraction D (biotin) were also detected in the culture media of various molds and Streptomyces. However, these fractions were not observed in the culture media of any bacteria tested.

It was also found that large amounts of an unknown biotin-vitamer was accumulated by various bacteria. The vitamer was avidin-uncombinable, and, from the paper electrophoretic studies, it was assumed that the vitamer might be an analogue of pelargonic acid.     

Staphylococcal Enterotoxins B and C

Abstract

The staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are a subgroup of related protein exotoxins in the pyrogenic toxin (PT) family produced by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes (1). Like other members of the PT family, the SEs are superantigens and elaborate a set of biological activities linked to their ability to stimulate cells of the immune system (2). These activities contribute to their ability to induce toxic shock syndrome, immunosuppression, and probably other diseases (3). However, as is evident from the fact that they are designated as enterotoxins, the SEs are distinguishable from other members of the PT family by their ability to induce gastroenteritis when ingested. Hence, they are the causative agents in staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP), a very common form of food-associated gastroenteritis in the United States and worldwide (4).     

Optimization of Gibberellic Acid Production in Endophytic Bacillus cereus Using Response Surface Methodology and Its Use as Plant Growth Regulator in Chickpea

Gibberellic acid (GAs), a vital phytohormone, is necessary to increase seed germination as well as plant’s health and growth. Likewise, a number of plant growth-promoting bacteria produce identical secondary metabolites which serve as plant growth stimulants. The current study focuses to investigate optimization of multiple variables for the maximum GAs production by bacterial isolates via Response surface methodology (RSM) with the help of Box–Behnken design (BBD) and its effects on seed germination and growth promotion of Cicer arietinum (Chickpea). Initially, bacterial isolates were screened on the basis of quantitative production of gibberellic acid without amendment of any precursor. Later, bacterial isolate, MEN8, was selected for peak production of gibberellic acid via BBD and a total of 50 sets of trials were finalized. RSM analysis signified maximum GAs production by the isolate up to 109.25 μg/ml on 5th day of incubation at 35 °C on pH 7.0 by consuming 3 g/l fructose and 1.0 g/l ammonium chloride. The extracted gibberellic acid was purified by using Thin-layer chromatography, elucidated on R_f value 0.72 with gray-colored spot which was further confirmed by High-performance liquid chromatography technique, at 2.68 retention time (R_t). The MEN8 isolate was molecularly identified up to species level as Bacillus cereus by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogeny. As a final point, in vitro analysis confirmed that B. cereus MEN8 was a significant isolate for increasing seed germination parameters such as germination energy (GE-27%), capacity (GC-32%), index (GI-42%), percentage (GP-55%), vigor index (VI-89%), and vegetative growth parameters including root/shoot length and fresh/dry weight. Plant growth-promoting nature of B. cereus MEN8 creates a future avenue to be utilized as ‘phytohormone-producing bioinoculant’ for sustainable agriculture at commercial implications.