Active substances against trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi and microorganisms are produced in sequence by Talaromyces flavus

The conditions for the sequential production of antibiotic activity by Talaromyces flavus were determined. The highest level of activity against Trypanosoma cruzi was obtained from the aqueous extract of the Czapeck's fermentative culture after 48 hours, with lysis of 97.58% of the trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (red blood cells remained normal). The antimicrobial activity was detected in the extracts of fermentative cultures from different media just after 144 hours of incubation. Maximum activities against Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were present in chloroform, butanolic and water extracts, in this order, when Talaromyces flavus was cultivated at pH 5.0. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of extracts of Takeuchi's cultures were determined.     

Improvement of trypanocidal metabolites production by Aspergillus fumigatus using neural networks

An optimization procedure using artificial neural networks was developed to determine the optimal combination of parameters, such as medium culture, initial pH, temperature and time of fermentation for maximal trypanocidal metabolites production by Aspergillus fumigatus. A data set of 81 experiments was carried out and an artificial neural network was trained to identify the optimal conditions for this process. Good correlation was obtained between the experimental and predicted values of lysis of the trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (r2 = 0.9990). The simulations of fermentation performance were undertaken on combinations of input variables and the highest level of activity against T. cruzi was obtained from the chloroform extract of the modified Jackson medium culture, initial pH of 6.0, incubated at 40 degrees C for 144 h. It displayed lysis of 95% of the trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi and the red blood cells remained normal.     

草菇培养物中粗三萜和黄酮含量及抗氧化抗肿瘤活性研究

采用液体摇瓶法培养草菇菌丝体,并用不同有机溶剂对培养液及菌丝体中的代谢成分分别进行分离提取,获得了不同来源的次生代谢提取物。对各提取物的成分分析表明,石油醚相、乙酸乙酯相和乙醇相提取物中均含有粗三萜和黄酮类物质,但菌丝体提取物中粗三萜和黄酮含量明显高于培养液提取物中的含量。石油醚抽提菌丝体获得的提取物中粗三萜含量最高,达17%,而乙酸乙酯抽提菌丝体获得的提取物中黄酮含量最高,达9.31%。抗氧化活性检测结果显示,石油醚相、乙酸乙酯相、乙醇相中的代谢提取物均有较高的抗氧化活性,但乙酸乙酯相提取物的抗氧化活性明显高于石油醚相提取物,具最高抗氧化活性的提取物分别来自乙酸乙酯、乙醇对菌丝体的抽提物。MTT法检测各提取物对胃癌细胞增殖的抑制作用,结果显示各组分均有较高的抗肿瘤活性,且抗肿瘤活性与提取物浓度存在明显的量效关系。     

Trypanocidal activity of Meliaceae and Rutaceae plant extracts

The in vitro trypanocidal activity of 22 extracts and 43 fractions of plants belonging to the families Meliaceae and Rutaceae was evaluated. The extracts from leaves of Conchocarphus heterophyllus and branches of Trichilia ramalhoi were the most active. The trypanocidal activity seems to be increased by fractionation of the extracts. Fractions from C. heterophyllus and Galipea carinata were the most active and a 100% lysis of the parasites was observed for five fractions. From one of them were isolated two flavonoids: flavone and 7-methoxyflavone, which showed weak trypanocidal activity. The results obtained from the extracts and fractions revealed that the order Rutales is a promising source for the search of new drugs for Chagas disease. Phytochemical studies with the other active fractions are underway in order to isolate compounds, which could be associated with observed activities.     

草菇培养物中粗三萜和黄酮含量及抗氧化抗肿瘤活性研究

采用液体摇瓶法培养草菇菌丝体,并用不同有机溶剂对培养液及菌丝体中的代谢成分分别进行分离提取,获得了不同来源的次生代谢提取物。对各提取物的成分分析表明,石油醚相、乙酸乙酯相和乙醇相提取物中均含有粗三萜和黄酮类物质,但菌丝体提取物中粗三萜和黄酮含量明显高于培养液提取物中的含量。石油醚抽提菌丝体获得的提取物中粗三萜含量最高,达17%,而乙酸乙酯抽提菌丝体获得的提取物中黄酮含量最高,达9.31%。抗氧化活性检测结果显示,石油醚相、乙酸乙酯相、乙醇相中的代谢提取物均有较高的抗氧化活性,但乙酸乙酯相提取物的抗氧化活性明显高于石油醚相提取物,具最高抗氧化活性的提取物分别来自乙酸乙酯、乙醇对菌丝体的抽提物。MTT法检测各提取物对胃癌细胞增殖的抑制作用,结果显示各组分均有较高的抗肿瘤活性,且抗肿瘤活性与提取物浓度存在明显的量效关系。     

Trypanosoma cruzi: activities of lapachol and alpha- and beta-lapachone derivatives against epimastigote and trypomastigote forms

Derivatives of natural quinones with biological activities, such as lapachol, alpha- and beta-lapachones, have been synthesized and their trypanocidal activity evaluated in vitro in Trypanosoma cruzi cells. All tested compounds inhibited epimastigote growth and trypomastigote viability. Several compounds showed similar or higher activity as compared with current trypanocidal drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole. The results presented here show that the anti-T. cruzi activity of the alpha-lapachone derivatives can be increased by the replacement of the benzene ring by a pyridine moiety. Free radical production and consequently oxidative stress through redox cycling or production of electrophilic metabolites are the potential biological mechanism of action for these synthetic quinones.     

NMR-based metabolomics of mammalian cell and tissue cultures

NMR spectroscopy was used to evaluate growth media and the cellular metabolome in two systems of interest to biomedical research. The first of these was a Chinese hamster ovary cell line engineered to express a recombinant protein. Here, NMR spectroscopy and a quantum mechanical total line shape analysis were utilized to quantify 30 metabolites such as amino acids, Krebs cycle intermediates, activated sugars, cofactors, and others in both media and cell extracts. The impact of bioreactor scale and addition of anti-apoptotic agents to the media on the extracellular and intracellular metabolome indicated changes in metabolic pathways of energy utilization. These results shed light into culture parameters that can be manipulated to optimize growth and protein production. Second, metabolomic analysis was performed on the superfusion media in a common model used for drug metabolism and toxicology studies, in vitro liver slices. In this study, it is demonstrated that two of the 48 standard media components, choline and histidine are depleted at a faster rate than many other nutrients. Augmenting the starting media with extra choline and histidine improves the long-term liver slice viability as measured by higher tissues levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutathione and ATP, as well as lower LDH levels in the media at time points out to 94?h after initiation of incubation. In both models, media components and cellular metabolites are measured over time and correlated with currently accepted endpoint measures.     

基于比较代谢组学的理性优化方法提高阿维菌素产量

【目的】利用比较代谢组学的分析方法,研究不同发酵培养基中阿维链霉菌的胞内代谢差异,揭示合成阿维菌素的关键代谢物和代谢途径,再通过理性优化添加主要关键代谢物,提高阿维菌素产量。【方法】对M1和M2培养基中生长的菌体进行基于GC-MS的胞内代谢组学分析,通过理性添加强化前体代谢物,确定阿维菌素高产培养基。【结果】GC-MS共检测到232种物质,能够精确匹配70种胞内代谢物,通过PCA和PLS分析,最终确定了21种已知的胞内代谢物与阿维菌素的生物合成密切相关。其中乳酸、丙酮酸、琥珀酸、苏氨酸、异亮氨酸、缬氨酸和油脂类物质对阿维菌素的产量影响较为显著。通过单独或组合优化添加这些前体,阿维菌素的产量从5.36 g/L提高到了5.92 g/L,增加了10.4%。【结论】基于比较代谢组学分析的理性优化培养基的方法可有效提高阿维菌素的产量,并为提高当下生物基产品的产量提供了新思路。     

蒜头果内生真菌次生代谢产物抑制人类致病菌活性的研究

蒜头果是我国特有的单种属稀有树种,为了进一步开发利用蒜头果树皮内生真菌的抗菌活性化合物,该研究对来自蒜头果的植物内生真菌(白黄笋顶孢霉、哈茨木霉、大棘黑团孢、枝状枝孢菌、斑污拟盘多毛孢、赭绿青霉、淡紫紫孢菌、朱黄青霉、Xenoacremonium recifei、Xylaria feejeensis)进行液体培养,10 d后回收培养液并用乙酸乙酯萃取获得初提物,采用抑菌圈法检测蒜头果内生真菌初提物抑菌活性,同时测定了最低抑菌浓度(MIC)。结果表明:白黄笋顶孢霉、大棘黑团孢、枝状枝孢菌、斑污拟盘多毛孢、赭绿青霉、淡紫紫孢菌均有抑菌活性,大棘黑团孢、斑污拟盘多毛孢、淡紫紫孢菌的初提物均对缓慢芽孢杆菌、无乳链球菌和藤黄微球菌有明显抗菌活性,最低抑菌浓度在1.562 5~6.25 mg·m L~(-1)之间。这说明蒜头果树皮内生真菌的次生代谢产物具有抗菌活性,各内生真菌次生代谢产物的抗菌效果不同。     

Carbohydrate Uptake and Utilization byClostridium beijerinckiiNCIMB 8052

The clostridia are a diverse group of obligately anaerobic bacteria with potential for the fermentative production of fuels, solvents and other chemicals. Several species exhibit a broad substrate range, but there have been few studies of the mechanisms involved in regulation of uptake and metabolism of fermentable carbohydrates.Clostridium beijerinckii(formerlyClostridium acetobutylicum) NCIMB 8052 exhibited transport activity for hexoses and hexitols. Glucose-grown cells transported glucose and fructose, but not galactose, glucitol (sorbitol) or mannitol, transport of which was induced by growth on the respective substrates. Phosphorylation of glucose, fructose, glucitol and mannitol by cell extracts was supported by phosphoenolpyruvate, indicating the involvement of a phosphotransferase system in uptake of these substrates. Fructose phosphorylation was also demonstrated by isolated membranes in the presence of fructose 1-phosphate, thus identifying this derivative as the product of the fructose phosphotransferase system. The presence of phosphotransferase activities in extracts prepared from cells grown on different carbon sources correlated with transport activities in whole cells, and the pattern of transport activities reflected the substrate preference of cells growing in the presence of glucose and another carbon source. Thus, glucose and fructose were co-metabolised, while utilization of glucitol was prevented by glucose, even in cells which were previously induced for glucitol metabolism. Of the substrates examined, only galactose appeared to be transported by a non-phosphotransferase mechanism, since a significant rate of phosphorylation of this sugar was supported by ATP rather than phosphoenolpyruvate.     

Paecilomide,a new acetylcholinesterase inhibitor from Paecilomyces lilacinus

Fungi are some of the most important organisms in the production of bioactive secondary metabolites. This success is related to the advances in biotechnology and also to the possibility of working with techniques such as the “OSMAC” (one strain-many compounds) to achieve different fungal secondary metabolites profiles upon modifying the culturing conditions. Using this approach, the fungal species Paecilomyces lilacinus was cultivated in potato dextrose broth under 14 different fermentative conditions by adding the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium to the growing medium in order to provide biotic stress. S. typhimurium was added alive or after inactivation by autoclave or microwave irradiation in different stages of fungal growth. Extracts were prepared by liquid–liquid extraction using ethyl acetate, a medium polarity solvent in order to avoid extracting culturing media components. Production of fatty acids of relevance for the pharmaceutical and food industries was enhanced by the modified fermentative conditions and they were identified and quantified. The extracts were evaluated for acetylcholinesterase inhibition and the more active extract (91 ± 2.91% inhibition) was prepared in large scale. From this active P. lilacinus extract, a novel pyridone alkaloid, named Paecilomide, was isolated and its structure was elucidated by modern nuclear magnetic resonance techniques and mass spectrometric analyses. Paecilomide (1) was also evaluated for acetylcholinesterase inhibition, presenting 57.5 ± 5.50% of acetylcholinesterase inhibition.     

Growth promotion ofTaxus brevifolia cell suspension culture using conditioned medium

The growth promotion of aTaxus brevifolia cell suspension culture was investigated using conditioning factors. The conditioning factors produced and secreted from cultured cells usually stimulate cell division and the production of secondary metabolites. Therefore, the effective incubation time for the optimal secretion of conditioning factors was firstly determined for the promotion of cell growth. Conditioned media obtained by cultivating for 2 and 5 days showed the promotion of initial cell growth during the early cell growth period. However, the positive effect of the conditioning factors on the initial cell growth did not continue because of the depletion of the medium nutrients. Accordingly, the addition of a carbon source to the conditioned medium prolonged the positive effect on the cell growth. The addition of sucrose to the conditioned medium resulted in the maximum cell density being reached 4 days earlier compared to the control group and an increased substrate yield.     

内生真菌Alternaria sp. GHX-P17代谢产物防治广藿香青枯病及保护酶的变化

广藿香是著名药材,青枯病是威胁广藿香生产和质量的主要病害。针对从广藿香茎叶中分离出的1株有抑菌活性的内生真菌Alternaria sp. GHX-P17,研究其代谢产物对广藿香青枯病的防治作用及耐病机制。在室内通过人工接种Alternaria sp. GHX-P17菌株与喷施粗提物稀释液2种方式,于不同时间调查广藿香青枯病的发病率和严重度,并计算其病情指数(disease index,DI)。同时,对处理后不同时间的广藿香苯丙氨酸解氨酶(phenylalanine ammonia lyase,PAL)、过氧化物酶(peroxidase,POD)和超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)3种保护酶活性进行测定。结果表明:(1)Alternaria sp. GHX-P17处理后青枯病DI显著降低,与对照比较,204 h后DI降低为27.16%,方差分析呈显著性差异(P<0.05)。(2)随着处理时间延长,青枯病严重度升高缓慢,严重度等级降低,到204 h时,处理组的严重度明显低于对照,防治效果达到74.65%。(3)处理后的广藿香3种保护酶PAL、POD和SOD活性增强,但3种酶活性高峰出现时间不同。PAL随时间逐渐升高; POD先升高后降低,然后又升高,出现2个峰值; SOD快速升高后逐渐降低。这表明内生真菌菌株Alternaria sp. GHX-P17可以提高广藿香3种保护酶活性,延缓了青枯菌的侵染过程,降低了青枯病的发病程度。该研究结果为植物内生真菌次级代谢产物活性成分研究及生物农药开发提供了参考。     

Toxinogenèse in vitro d'Aspergillus du groupe fumigatus. Production de fumitoxines

A new class of mycotoxins has been characterized from a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus: the fumitoxins A, B, C and D. The in vitro production of these metabolites is studied. Fumitoxins are common in cultures extracts of most strains of A. fumigatus. They are not detected from A. fischeri. Variations of the levels of these products during the incubation of cultures, and also by using different media, are noted. At all events, the toxicity of crude extracts of the mould, for the chick embryo, is equal to the one of the fumitoxins.

     

Hydrogen as an energy source for the human pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bilophila wadsworthia</Emphasis>

The gram-negative anaerobic gut bacterium Bilophila wadsworthia is the third most common isolate in perforated and gangrenous appendicitis, being also found in a variety of other infections. This organism performs a unique kind of anaerobic respiration in which taurine, a major organic solute in mammals, is used as a source of sulphite that serves as terminal acceptor for the electron transport chain. We show here that molecular hydrogen, one of the major products of fermentative bacteria in the colon, is an excellent growth substrate for B. wadsworthia. We have quantified the enzymatic activities associated with the oxidation of H₂, formate and pyruvate for cells obtained in different growth conditions. The cell extracts present high levels of hydrogenase activity, and up to five different hydrogenases can be expressed by this organism. One of the hydrogenases appears to be constitutive, whereas the others show differential expression in different growth conditions. Two of the hydrogenases are soluble and are recognised by antibodies against a [FeFe] hydrogenase of a sulphate reducing bacterium. One of these hydrogenases is specifically induced during fermentative growth on pyruvate. Another two hydrogenases are membrane-bound and show increased expression in cells grown with hydrogen. Further work should be carried out to reveal whether oxidation of hydrogen contributes to the virulence of B. wadsworthia.     

Host-derived media used as a predictor for low abundant, in planta metabolite production from necrotrophic fungi

AIMS: Penicillium ser. Corymbifera strains were assayed on a variety of media and from infected Allium cepa tissues to evaluate the stimulation and in planta prediction of low abundance metabolites. METHODS AND RESULTS: Stimulated production of corymbiferones and the corymbiferan lactones were observed for Penicillium albocoremium, Penicillium allii, Penicillium hirsutum, Penicillium hordei and Penicillium venetum strains cultured on tissue media. Target metabolites were sporadically detected from strains cultured on common laboratory media (CYA, MEA and YES). Up to a 376 times increase in corymbiferone and corymbiferan lactone production was observed when culture extracts from CYA and A. cepa agar were compared by high pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and mass spectrometry (LC-UV-MS). The novel metabolite corymbiferone B was purified and structure elucidated from a P. allii/A. cepa tissue medium extract. In planta expression of low abundance, target metabolites were confirmed from infected A. cepa tissue extracts by LC-UV-MS. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary metabolite production was directly dependent and influenced by media conditions, resulting in the stimulated production of low abundance metabolites on host-derived media. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The use of macerated host tissue media can be applied in vitro to predict in planta expression of low abundance metabolites and aid in metabolite origin annotation during in planta metabolomic investigations at the host/pathogen interface.     

Supplementation of watermelon peels as an enhancer of lipase and esterase production by Yarrowia lipolytica in solid-state fermentation and their potential use as biocatalysts in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) depolymerization reactions

Abstract

Yarrowia lipolytica is a yeast that presents high biotechnological potential due to its ability to produce many metabolites, among them lipases and esterases, which are important industrial biocatalysts. Since Brazil is an agroindustrial country, it generates an enormous diversity of residues or byproducts that can be used as a platform for biomolecules production. This work aims to evaluate lipase and esterase production by Y. lipolytica via solid-state fermentation using soybean bran and soybean bran supplemented with watermelon peels in different contents, and subsequent use of the enzyme extracts for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) hydrolysis. Supplementation of watermelon peels in the lowest content led to an improvement of lipase activity in almost 31%, reaching 75.22?U g^?1. Esterase productivity was 1.5-fold higher when 20?wt% of watermelon peels were added to the media culture. Timecourse evaluation of enzymes production showed a maximum lipase activity in 14?h and similar esterase activity in 14 and 20?h of fermentation. Proteases production were also intensified in supplemented samples. Enzymes produced with 5?wt% watermelon peels supplementation led to higher terephthalic acid concentration (up to 42.02?µmol L^?1) during PET depolymerization. Results suggest a great potential of enzyme production in low cost fermentative media to act as biocatalysts in PET hydrolysis reactions.     

有机酸胁迫下厌氧污泥产氢效果

乙酸、丙酸、乳酸及丁酸是厌氧发酵产氢过程中4种主要的液相末端发酵产物,其积累对产氢过程有一定的抑制作用。实验利用多种有机酸胁迫提高污泥的酸耐受能力,并以污泥中脱氢酶活性为生化指标,对不同浓度酸胁迫下厌氧污泥活性变化进行了研究。通过对胁迫后污泥产氢量及末端产物进行对比。结果表明,酸胁迫后污泥产氢量有一定增加,其中乙酸和丁酸胁迫效果最好,较对照组提高了近一倍;末端产物分析研究表明,不同的有机酸胁迫后,其产量在发酵过程中都有一定的增加,而乙酸含量在酸胁迫后都有不同程度的提高。     

不同诱导培养基对糙皮侧耳液体发酵产漆酶活性的影响

利用1株糙皮侧耳Pleurotus ostreatus栽培菌株为材料,研究添加碱性木质素或者配合简单碳源或氮源后对其液体发酵产漆酶活性的影响。结果表明,不同诱导培养基对糙皮侧耳漆酶活性具有极显著的影响（P<0.001）,而且不同诱导培养基对糙皮侧耳菌丝生物量也产生了极显著的影响（P<0.001）。此外,只利用碱性木质素或者是再添加碳源葡萄糖均有利于糙皮侧耳产漆酶,既包括产漆酶酶活性的提升,同时也包括产漆酶时间的提前,但只利用碱性木质素诱导不利于菌丝生物量的积累;而富含简单碳/氮源的诱导培养基,无论是否含碱性木质素,均有利于菌丝生物量的积累,其中,富含简单碳/氮源的培养基中再添加碱性木质素后的菌丝生物量和漆酶活性均高于不添加碱性木质素时的菌丝生物量和漆酶活性。相比而言,含碱性木质素的培养基中测得的漆酶活性大部分时间下都要高于不含木质素的简单碳/氮源培养基,含碱性木质素的培养基对糙皮侧耳菌株产漆酶的诱导作用更强。     

Biodegradation of Dibenzo-p-dioxin, Dibenzofuran, and Chlorodibenzo-p-dioxins by Pseudomonas veronii PH-03

The dioxin-degrading strain Pseudomonas veronii PH-03 was isolated from contaminated soil by selective enrichment techniques. Strain PH-03 grew on dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran as a sole carbon source. Further, 1-chlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 2-chlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and other dioxin metabolites, salicylic acid, and catechol were also metabolized well. Resting cells of strain PH-03 transformed dibenzo-p-dioxin, dibenzofuran, 2,2',3-trihydroxybiphenyl, and some chlorodioxins to their corresponding metabolic intermediates such as catechol, salicylic acid, 2-hydroxy-(2-hydroxyphenoxy)-6-oxo-2,4-hexadienoic acid, and chlorocatechols. The formation of these metabolites was confirmed by comparison of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data with those of authentic compounds. Although we did observe the production of 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol (3,4,5,6-TECC) from 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,3,4-TCDD) with resting cell suspensions of PH-03, growth of strain PH-03 in the presence of 1,2,3,4-TCDD was poor. This result suggests that strain PH-03 is unable to utilize 3,4,5,6-TECC, even at very low concentration (0.01 mM) due to its toxicity. In cell-free extracts of DF-grown cells, 2,2',3-trihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase, 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenyl-2,4-hexadienoic acid hydrolase, and catechol-2,3-dioxygense activities were detected. Moreover, the activities of meta-pyrocatechase and 2,2',3-trihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase from the crude cell-free extracts were inhibited by 3-chlorocatechol. However, no inhibition was observed in intact cells when 3-chlorocatechol was formed as intermediate.