Influence of selenium on toxicity of some heavy metals in the green algaScenedesmus obliquus

The green alga Scenedesmus obliquus was incubated with heavy metals (Cd2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Ni2+) with and without selenium. S. obliquus exhibited higher rates of growth and some metabolic activities in cultures containing 0.1 mmol/L Se than those only containing the heavy metals. The positive effect of Se was found with all metals but was negligible with Mn2+.     

Petiolar felt-sheath of palm: a new biosorbent for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated water.

Biosorption of heavy metals such as Pb2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Cr3+ and Zn2+ by petiolar felt-sheath of palm (PFP) from contaminated water was examined. PFP was found to efficiently remove all the toxic metal ions with selectivity order of Pb2+ > Cd2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Ni2+ > Cr3+. The uptake was rapid, with more than 70% completed within 15 min. The bound metal ions were successfully desorbed and the PFP fibrous-biomass remained effective after several adsorption-desorption cycles.     

胁迫时间与非毒性离子对重金属抑制拟南芥种子发芽及幼苗生长的影响

测定了Hg²⁺、Cd²⁺、Cu²⁺、Pb²⁺单一重金属胁迫对拟南芥种子发芽和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明,重金属对幼苗生长的毒性大于对种子发芽的毒性,以抑制种子发芽的IC₅₀为指标,4种重金属的毒性顺序为Hg²⁺＞Cd²⁺＞Pb²⁺/Cu²⁺,以幼苗生长为指标,则毒性顺序为:Cu²⁺＞Hg²⁺＞Cd²⁺/Pb²⁺,并随着胁迫时间延长,种子萌发率下降.此外,不同重金属在不同发芽时段对种子的毒性也不尽相同,Cd²⁺的毒性在种子吸水后的0～12 h大于12～24 h,而Hg²⁺毒性在12～24 h大于0～12 h,其中,种皮对减轻重金属毒性起着十分重要的作用.通过非毒性离子(Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、K⁺、Na⁺)与重金属离子(Hg²⁺、Cd²⁺、Cu²⁺、Pb²⁺)交互作用对拟南芥种子发芽及幼苗生长效应的研究发现, mmol·L^-1的Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、K⁺、Na⁺可以增强Hg²⁺对种子发芽的毒性,但对Cd²⁺的毒性却没有影响.对于幼苗来说,Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、K⁺、Na⁺可以显著增强Hg²⁺的毒性,Ca²⁺可以缓解Cd²⁺的毒性,但却增加Cu²⁺的毒性,K⁺可以缓解Pb²⁺对幼苗的毒害作用.最后,本文对重金属的毒害机理进行了探讨.     

一株重金属高耐受菌的分离及鉴定

利用含不同浓度的重金属选择性培养基,对采集的微生物样本进行分离,并筛选出一株超高耐受重金属菌ZM-12。对ZM-12的16S rDNA高变区序列进行BLAST比较和MEGA 4.0分析,结果通过同源进化树分析表明该菌属于肠杆菌属（Enterobacter）。对该菌进行生理生化实验、最低抑菌浓度（MIC）的测定和火焰原子吸收实验,结果表明：ZM-12属于革兰氏阴性杆菌,在不同种类的重金属培养基中,其MIC值各不相同,Cu2+、Pb2+、Mn2+、Ni2+对ZM-12的MIC值分别为22.33 mmol/L、14.48 mmol/L、>200 mmol/L、58.69 mmol/L。通过火焰原子吸收的方法,测定了ZM-12对培养基中重金属的去除率,培养一定时间后,分别测定了溶液中重金属Pb2+、Mn2+、Cu2+、Ni2+的浓度,得到其最大去除率分别达到97.68%、99.93%、41.23%、99.46%。该菌株的发现及鉴定为重金属污染环境的治理提供了参考。     

Cd~(2+)和Ni~(2+)对亚洲玉米螟求偶行为的影响

【目的】探索农田重金属Cd~(2+)和Ni~(2+)污染对植食性昆虫求偶行为潜在的影响。【方法】在人工饲料中添加不同类型的重金属,设置成Cd~(2+)、Ni~(2+)、Cd~(2+)-Ni~(2+)和空白对照(CK)4个处理,重金属浓度均为5 mg/kg。实验室条件下饲养亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis(Guenée)初孵幼虫,系统观察其各代存活雌蛾求偶行为。【结果】重金属Cd~(2+)和Ni~(2+)对亚洲玉米螟3代存活雌蛾求偶百分率、求偶高峰期出现的时间及求偶持续时间都产生了影响。其中第2代求偶百分率与对照组差距最大,第3代受到的影响最小,甚至表现出促进作用;各重金属处理的求偶高峰期出现的时间仅在第2代与对照组保持一致外,第1代、第3代均发生改变;存活雌蛾求偶平均持续时间随着重金属饲养亚洲玉米螟代数的增加而逐代减少。与对照组各代各暗期最长求偶持续时间为4.89 h相比,重金属处理的雌蛾平均求偶持续时间最大值出现在Ni~(2+)处理第1代的第3个暗期,值为5.56 h;最小值为Cd~(2+)处理的第2代的第2、第3个暗期,值均为3.08 h。【结论】重金属Cd~(2+)和Ni~(2+)对亚洲玉米螟存活雌蛾的求偶行为产生了影响。     

Removal of heavy metals using a brewer's yeast strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: the flocculation as a separation process

In this work, a brewer's yeast strain was used to remove heavy metals from a synthetic effluent. The solid-liquid separation process was carried out using the flocculation ability of the strain. The yeast strain was able to sediment in the presence of Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ and Cr3+, which evidences that the flocculation can be used as a cheap and natural separation process for an enlarged range of industrial effluents. For a biomass concentration higher than 0.5 g/l, more than 95% of the cells were settled after 5 min; this fact shows that the auto-aggregation of yeast biomass is a rapid and efficient separation process. Cells inactivated at 45 degrees C maintain the sedimentation characteristics, while cells inactivated at 80 degrees C lose partially (40%) the flocculation. The passage of metal-loaded effluent through a series of sequential batches allowed, after the second batch, the reduction of the Ni2+ concentration in solution for values below the legal limit of discharge of wastewater in natural waters (2mg/l); this procedure corresponds to a removal of 91%. A subsequent batch had a marginal effect on Ni2+ removal (96%). Together, the results obtained suggest that the use of brewing flocculent biomass looks a promising alternative in the bioremediation of metal-loaded industrial effluents since the removal of the heavy metals and cell separation are simultaneously achieved.     

Effect of heavy metal cations on the activity of membrane Na+, K+ -ATPase in embryos of loach (Misgurnus fossilis L.)

The activity of membrane Na+, K+ -ATPase of embryos of loach (Misgurnus fossilis L.) at early stages of development in the normal conditions and under the influence of heavy metal cations has been investigated. It was established, that the influence of such heavy metal cations as Ni2+, Co2+, Sn2+, Zn2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+ in concentrations 10(-6) - 10(-4) M results in reduction of activity of membrane Na+, K+ -ATPase of loach embryos. It was shown, that the inhibition effect is more expressed with the increase of concentrations of heavy metal cations in the incubation medium. The definition of inhibition constants Io.5 has allowed to analyze the sensitivity of Na+, K+ -ATPase to influence of various cations of heavy metals at different stages of blastomer division. Possible mechanisms of influence of heavy metal cations on the activity of membrane Na+, K+ -ATPase of loach embryos have been considered.     

Heavy metal tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants over-expressing cysteine synthase

Cysteine synthase [O-acetyl-L-serine(thiol)lyase] catalyzes the final step for L-cysteine biosynthesis in plants. The tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants over-expressing cysteine synthase cDNA in cytosol (3F), chloroplasts (4F) and in both organelles (F1) was investigated towards heavy metals such as Cd, Se, Ni, Pb and Cu. The transgenic plants were significantly more tolerant than wild-type plants in agar medium containing Cd, Se and Ni. The F1 transgenic plants had a higher resistance than other transgenic lines towards these metals and could enhance accumulation of Cd in shoot. These results suggest that the transgenic plants over-expressing cysteine synthase both in cytosol and chloroplasts can be applicable to phyto-remediation of Cd from contaminated soils.     

The Composition of Metals Bound to Class III Metallothionein (Phytochelatin and Its Desglycyl Peptide) Induced by Various Metals in Root Cultures of Rubia tinctorum

The induction of phytochelatins (PCs) and their desglycyl peptides (both are referred to as class III metallothionein [CIIIMT]) by exposure to various metals (Ag+, As3+, As5+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Ga3+, Hg2+, In3+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Pd2+, Se4+, and Zn2+) and the metal composition in the CIIIMTs were investigated in root cultures of Rubia tinctorum L. All of these metal species induced PCs to various degrees when analyzed by the postcolumn derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography method. The desglycyl peptides of PCs often were also present. However, only Ag, Cd, and Cu were bound to the CIIIMTs that they induced when analyzed by the high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry method. Cu was also bound to the CIIIMTs induced by Ag+, As3+, and Cd2+. After Ag+ exposure, an Fe peak that may be of Fe-CIIIMT was also observed. However, most of the metal species studied were not bound to the CIIIMTs that they induced.     

酵母菌对重金属离子吸附的研究

以６属３３株酵母菌的活菌或死菌对重金属离子Ｃｕ２＋、Ｃｄ２＋和Ｎｉ２＋进行了吸附能力的初步研究。结果显示∶吸附时间、吸附温度、溶液的ｐＨ、共存离子和菌体的生理状态对吸附作用都有明显的影响。在优化组合后发现一株假丝酵母菌对三种重金属离子的吸附比为Ｃｄ２＋＞Ｃｕ２＋＞Ｎｉ２＋,每克活菌体吸附量分别为１７．２３ｍｇ＞１０．５７ｍｇ＞３．２ｍｇ。干菌体对三种重金属的吸附量较明显的低于活菌体的吸附量。     

Analysis of the metal requirement of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli.

The three isozymes of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli were overproduced, purified, and characterized with respect to their requirement for metal cofactor. The isolated isozymes contained 0.2-0.3 mol of iron/mol of enzyme monomer, variable amounts of zinc, and traces of copper. Enzymatic activity of the native enzymes was stimulated 3-4-fold by the addition of Fe2+ ions to the reaction mixture and was eliminated by treatment of the enzymes with EDTA. The chelated enzymes were reactivated by a variety of divalent metal ions, including Ca2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. The specific activities of the reactivated enzymes varied widely with the different metals as follows: Mn2+ greater than Cd2+, Fe2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ much greater than Ca2+. Steady state kinetic analysis of the Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, and Zn2+ forms of the phenylalanine-sensitive isozyme (DAHPS(Phe)) revealed that metal variation significantly affected the apparent affinity for the substrate, erythrose 4-phosphate, but not for the second substrate, phosphoenolpyruvate, or for the feedback inhibitor, L-phenylalanine. The tetrameric DAHPS(Phe) exhibited positive homotropic cooperativity with respect to erythrose 4-phosphate, phophoenolpyruvate, and phenylalanine in the presence of all metals tested.     

芦竹对不同重金属耐性的研究

研究芦竹(Arundo donax)在不同重金属污染湿地中的耐毒性能,测定了不同生长时段芦竹的生物性状和叶绿素含量,以及土壤中重金属含量的变化.结果表明,芦竹分别在浓度为100 mg·kg^-1左右的CuCu²⁺、Pb²⁺、Cd²⁺、Zn²⁺、Ni²⁺、Hg²⁺和50 mg·kg^-1以下的Cr⁶⁺污染环境中能正常成活,在40 d的生长期内,植物体内叶绿素有不同程度降低,下降比率在20%～56%,植物出现叶片软化,叶尖枯黄等症状,但植株仍呈现增长趋势.与对照植物相比较,在重金属胁迫下,植株细长,茎、叶呈黄绿色,除Cr⁶⁺、Hg²⁺外,植物高度基本不受重金属胁迫的影响.芦竹在高浓度(100mg·kg^-1)Cr⁶⁺污染环境中耐性较弱,表现出生长缓慢,部分地下茎腐烂,叶片短时间内出现枯萎等症状.结果还表明,土壤中重金属浓度随植物生长期增长而降低,除被植物吸收,植物挥发外,还存在着重金属向根际圈环境迁移的趋势,根周边湿土中重金属含量,明显高于试验缸外围湿土中重金属含量.可以认为,芦竹具有生物量大,根系发达,适应性强等特点,对修复湿地重金属污染蕴藏着巨大潜力,研究芦竹在植物修复技术中的应用,具有一定的现实意义.     

Heavy metals resistant plasmid-mediated utilization of solar by Pseudomonas aeruginosa AA301

Solar-degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, were isolated from Egyptian soil by Mineral Salt Medium (MSM) supplemented with Solar (motor fuel) from different oil-contaminated sites in Sohag province. The strain AA301 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed appreciable growth in MSM medium containing high concentrations of Solar ranging from 0.5 to 3% (v/v), with optimum concentration at 1.5%. Solar was used as a sole carbon source and a source of energy by the bacterium. The ability to degrade Solar was found to be associated with a single 60-kb plasmid designated pSOL15. The plasmid-cured variant, which was obtained by culturing in LB broth with kanamycin, lost the plasmid indicative the ability to degrade Solar must depend on this plasmid. The wild type isolate, Pseudomonas aeruginosa AA301 and transformant strain, have maximum growth (OD600 = approximately 2) on Solar, however the plasmid-cured variant did not have any significant growth on Solar. Moreover, resistance to a wide range of heavy metals such as Mn2+, Hg2+, Mg2+, Cd2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+ was also 60-kb plasmid-mediated. Therefore, the strain AA301 could be good candidate for remediation of some heavy metals and oil hydrocarbons in heavily polluted sites.     

A sensitive transgenic plant system to detect toxic inorganic compounds in the environment

We describe a transgenic plant-based assay to study the genetic effects of heavy metals. Arabidopsis thaliana plants carrying a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) marker gene either with a point mutation or as a recombination substrate were used to analyze the frequency of somatic point mutations and homologous recombination in whole plants. Transgenic test plants sown on media contaminated by the salts of the heavy metals Cd2+, Pb2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and As2O3 exhibited a pronounced uptake-dependent increase in the frequencies of both somatic intrachromosomal recombination and point mutation. The test was applied to monitor the genotoxicity of soils sampled in sites contaminated with several heavy metals. Our results indicate that this is a highly sensitive system for monitoring metal contamination in soils and water.     

Sensitivity of the hog slater Asellus aquaticus to the toxic effects of heavy metals during different periods of ontogenesis, during different seasons and at different temperatures

A study was made of acute toxic effects of Cd+, Cu+, Al+, Pb+, Ni+, Mn+ and Zn+ ions on embryos, juveniles, and adults of Asellus aquaticus L. at 19 and 29 degrees C, when examined in different seasons of the same year. The highest sensitivity to heavy metals was displayed by embryos. The metal sensitivity commonly decreases with age, however, during hormonal rearrangements associated with reproduction this was seen to increase again. For all age groups the heavy metal toxicity increases with increased temperature rises. The importance of a more strict control of water quality in the system of lakes and rivers is suggested, especially in spring and summer time when the mass reproduction of hydrobionts occurs.     

Thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus thermophilus B35: influence of divalent metal ions on the interaction with deoxynucleoside triphosphates

The interaction of DNA polymerase from Thermus thermophilus B35 (Tte-pol) with deoxynucleoside triphosphates in the presence of different divalent metal ions has been studied. DNA synthesis and competitive inhibition of the polymerase reaction by non-complementary dNTPs are described with corresponding kinetic schemes. The co-factor properties of some metals (Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+) were investigated, and their activating concentration ranges were determined. It was found that kcat values are significantly decreased and Km values slowly decrease when Mn2+ displaces Mg2+. The value of Kd for DNA template-primer is Me2+-independent, whereas Kd values for non-complementary dNTPs decrease in the presence of Mn2+. Tte-pol processivity but not DNA synthesis efficiency is Me2+-type independent.     

Detection of two Zn-finger proteins ofXenopus laevis,TFIIIA, and p43, by probing western blots of ovary cytosol with65Zn2+,63Ni2+, or109Cd2+

Two Zn-finger proteins, TFIIIA (a constituent of 7S RNP particles) and p43 (a constituent of 42S RNP particles), were detected in ovary extracts of juvenile Xenopus laevis females by in vitro binding of radiolabeled divalent metals. Proteins fractionated by SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) were transferred by Western blotting onto nitrocellulose membranes, probed with 65Zn2+, 63Ni2+, or 109Cd2+, and visualized by autoradiography. Detection limits for TFIIIA were approx 0.07 micrograms/well by 109Cd(2+)-probing, 0.13 micrograms/well by 65Zn(2+)-probing, and 0.26 mu/well by 63Ni(2+)-probing. Protein p43 was more clearly visualized by probing with 63Ni2+ than with 65Zn2+ or 109Cd2+. After purified TFIIIA was cleaved with cyanogen bromide, 65Zn2+, 109Cd2+, and 63Ni2+ distinctly labeled the 22 kDa middle fragment; 65Zn2+ and 109Cd2+ also labeled the 11 kDa N-terminal fragment, but did not label the 13 kDa C-terminal fragment. These results are consistent with the notion that the radioligands were bound to finger-loop domains of TFIIIA, which occur in the middle and N-terminal fragments. Based on the abilities of nonradioactive metal ions to compete with 65Zn2+ for binding to TFIIIA on Western blots, the relative affinities of the metals for TFIIIA were ranked as follows: Zn2+ = Cu2+ greater than or equal to Hg2+ greater than Cd2+ greater than Co2+ greater than or equal to Ni2+. Even at a 1000-fold molar excess, Mn2+ did not compete with 65Zn2+ for binding to TFIIIA. Probing Western blots with the radiolabeled metal ions greatly facilitates the detection, isolation, and quantitation of TFIIIA and p43.     

Differential effects of monovalent, divalent and trivalent metal ions on rat brain hexokinase

The effects of monovalent (Li+, Cs+) divalent (Cu2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+) and trivalent (Cr3+, Fe3+, Al3+) metals ions on hexokinase activity in rat brain cytosol were compared at 500 microM. The rank order of their potency as inhibitors of brain hexokinase was: Cr3+ (IC50 = 1.3 microM) greater than Hg2+ = Al3+ greater than Cu2+ greater than Pb2+ (IC50 = 80 microM) greater than Fe3+ (IC50 = 250 microM) greater than Cd2+ (IC50 = 540 microM) greater than Zn2+ (IC50 = 560 microM). However, at 500 microM Co2+ slightly stimulated brain hexokinase whereas the other metal ions were without effect. That inhibition of brain glucose metabolism may be an important mechanism in the neurotoxicity of metals is suggested.     

Reversible effect of calcium-binding protein regucalcin on the Ca2+-induced inhibition of deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphatase activity in rat liver cytosol

The effect of regucalcin, a calcium-binding protein isolated from rat liver cytosol, on deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphatase (dUTPase) in the cytosol of rat liver was investigated. Addition of Ca²⁺ up to 5.0 μM to the enzyme reaction mixture caused a significant decrease of dUTPase activity, while Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Al³⁺, Mn²⁺ and Ni²⁺ (10 μM) did not have an appreciable effect. The Ca²⁺-induced decrease of dUTPase activity was reversed by the presence of regucalcin; the effect was complete at 1.0 μM of the protein. Regucalcin had no effect on the basal activity of the enzyme. Meanwhile, the reversible effect of regucalcin on the Ca²⁺ (10 μM)-induced decrease of dUTPase activity was not altered by the coexistence of Cd²⁺ or Zn²⁺ (10 μM). The present data suggest that liver cytosolic dUTPase is uniquely regulated by Ca²⁺ of various metals, and that the Ca²⁺ effect is reversed by regucalcin.