Biochemical and genetic studies on degradation of chlorobenzoates by Pseudomonas

The chlorobenzoates constitute an important class of recalcitrant compounds polluting this biosphere. Two bacterial strains B16 (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and DT4 (Pseudomonas sp.) isolated by enrichment technique were found to utilize 2-chlorobenzoic acid (2-Cba) and 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4-Cba) respectively as sole source of carbon and energy. 2-Cba and 4-Cba were supplemented in synthetic medium at 1500 micrograms/ml and 1000 micrograms/ml (w/v) respectively. Addition of 100 micrograms/ml (w/v) yeast extract stimulated growth of cultures. Degradation studies revealed that substrates were degraded without release of chloride ion with possible accumulation of respective chlorophenols. Respiration studies revealed inducible nature of enzymes for break down of 2-Cba, 4-Cba benzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and catechol. Extraction of plasmid DNA from parent strains showed presence of plasmid of same size in both strains. Cured strains showed absence of corresponding plasmid DNA bands thus indicating plasmid-borne genes for degradation of chlorobenzoates.     

Production of volatile nitrogenous compounds from the degradation of streptomycin by Pseudomonas maltophilia

Ammonia, methylamine, and pyridine were detected in broth filtrates of a streptomycin-degrading strain of Pseudomonas maltophilia during growth on streptomycin as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. Ammonia and methylamine, quantitatively measured by conversion to chromophores with picryl sulfonic acid, were found to accumulate in broth, whereas pyridine concentration increased in the early stages of streptomycin degradation and then decreased as the degradation of the antibiotic neared completion. Exogenous pyridine was metabolized by washed-cell suspensions. Use of N-streptomycin-methyl-(14)C showed that the methylamine arose from the N-l-glucosamine-methyl moiety of streptomycin. Methylamine was an end product and was not further metabolized by cells.     

Improvements on the Prescott-Jones method for the colorimetric analysis of ureido compounds

The colorimetric assay procedure of Prescott and Jones ((1969) Anal. Biochem.32, 408–419) has been modified to make the standard curve more consistently linear. Improved results are obtained when the assay tubes are exposed to yellow light at an intensity of 45–50 fc (480–540 lx) during color development. Somewhat longer incubation times are required for color development with yellow light.     

A role for guanidino compounds in the brain

Guanidino compounds of guanidinoethanesulfonic acid, guanidinoacetic acid, guanidinosuccinic acid, N-acetylarginine, -guanidinopropionic acid, creatinine, -guanidinobutyric acid, arginine, guanidine, methylguanidine, homoarginine and -guanidinoglutaric acid are present in the mammalian brain. These guanidino compounds except for arginine and guanidine induce seizures and convulsions in rat, rabbit and cat by intracisternal injection.Hirudonine, audonine, -keto--guanidinovaleric acid, N,N-dibenzoylguanidine and phenylethylguanidine are also convulsants. Levels of creatinine, guanidinoethanesulfonic acid, creatinine, guanidinoacetic acid and methylguanidine in animal brain were changed at pre- and during convulsions induced by pentylentetrazol, amygdala kindling, iron-induced epileptogenesis and so on. These convulsions are thought to be due to depressed functions of serotonergic neurons and accumulated free radicals.Arginine is a substrate of nitric oxide production by nitric oxide synthase. -Guanidinoglutaric acid is a generator of superoxide, hydroxyl radicals and nitric oxide, and induced C6 glial cell death. On the other hand, aminoguanidine is a free radical scavenger. Energy formation by creatine metabolism may inhibit apoptosis induced by pathogenesis. Free radical generation/reaction and energy generation by guanidino compounds must be important key role in the brain.     

Comparative studies on crosslinked and uncrosslinked natural rubber biodegradation by Pseudomonas sp

A comparative study on biodegradation of di-cumyl peroxide (DCP) crosslinked and uncrosslinked natural rubber by Pseudomonas sp. was carried out. Decrease in organic carbon content along with the changes in tensile strength of the treated rubber, both DCP crosslinked and uncrosslinked natural rubber, indicated rubber hydrocarbon utilization by the Pseudomonas sp. A decrease in 60.88% MPa and 41.66% MPa was observed after five month's old treated uncrosslinked natural rubber and DCP crosslinked rubber, respectively. Biodegradation was more pronounced in natural uncrosslinked rubber, which was further confirmed by the formation of aldehydic compounds with decrease in CH2 stretching frequencies.     

Comparative studies on lignin and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation by basidiomycetes fungi

A total of 130 wild basidiomycetes fungi were collected and identified. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation by the potential Phellinus sp., Polyporus sulphureus (in liquid state fermentation (LSF), solid state fermentation (SSF), in soil) and lignin biodegradation were compared with those of a bacterial isolate and their corresponding cocultures. The PAHs degradation was higher in LSF and the efficiency of the organisms declined in SSF and in soil treatment. Phellinus sp. showed better degradation in SSF and in soil. Bacillus pumilus showed higher degradation in LSF. B. pumilus was seen to have lower lignin degradation than the fungal cultures and the cocultures could not enhance the degradation. Phellinus sp. which had higher PAHs and lignin degradation showed higher biosurfactant production than other organism. Manganese peroxidase (MnP) was the predominant enzyme in Phellinus sp. while lignin peroxidase (Lip) was predominant in P. sulphureus.     

Comparative studies on the metabolism of aniline and chloroanilines by Pseudomonas multivorans strain An 1

Summary Pseudomonas multivorans strain An 1 used aniline but not chloroanilines as the sole source of carbon and energy for growth. The aniline-adapted cells, however, were able to oxygenate chloroanilines. Relative oxygenation rates for aniline, 2-chloroaniline, 3-chloroaniline, 4-chloroaniline, and 3,4-dichloroaniline were 100, 46, 66, 20, and 3%, respectively.The first intermediates in the metabolism of chloroanilines were chlorocatechols. 3-Chlorocatechol accumulated during growth of the organism in the presence of 2-chloroaniline, whereas 4-chlorocatechol was an intermediate metabolite of 3-chloroaniline and 4-chloroaniline.Chloroanilines were able to induce synthesis of the aniline oxygenating enzyme system of Pseudomonas multivorans strain An 1. In continuous culture experiments, induction of this enzyme system appeared to depend on cell density, concentration, toxicity, and pK-values of aniline or chloroanilines.Studies with ¹⁴C-labelled 3-chloroaniline and 4-chloroaniline showed that the turnover of chloroanilines did not cease with the formation of chlorocatechols, because radioactivity was detected in the CO₂ released and in bacterial cell components. The results suggest that the turnover of chloroanilines is due to metabolism rather than to cometabolism.     

Plasmid determined degradation of sulfo-aromatic compounds by Pseudomonas sp. BS1304]

Utilized sulfo-aromatic compounds of Pseudomonas sp. BS1304 were isolated. It was shown that the first step of conversion is desulfonation with following meta-cleavage of the substituted aromatic ring. At least two steps are controlled by the plasmid pBS1004 (120 kb), belonging to the IncP-9 incompatibility group. The degradative plasmid marked by Tn5-lac may be mobilized to P. putida, P. aeruginosa, P. mendocina, where a degradative phenotype is expressed.     

Pentachlorophenol degradation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Five Pseudomonas species were tested for ability to degrade pentachlorophenol (PCP). Pseudomonas aeruginosa completely degraded PCP up to 800 mg/l in 6 days with glucose as co-substrate. With 1000 mg PCP/l, 53% was degraded. NH₄ ⁺ salts were better at enhancing degradation than organic nitrogen sources and shake-cultures promoted PCP degradation compared with surface cultures. Degradation was maximal at pH 7.6 to 8.0 and at 30 to 37°C. Only PCP induced enzymes that degraded PCP and chloramphenicol inhibited this process. The PCP was degraded to CO₂, with release of Cl^-.The authors are with the Bacteriology Laboratory, Central Leather Research Institute, Madras-600 020, India.     

Effect of ammonium acetate-induced hyperammonemia on metabolism of guanidino compounds.

Guanidino compounds are synthesized from arginine in various tissues such as liver, kidney, brain, and skeletal muscle. Guanidino compounds such as arginine and creatine play an important role in nitrogen metabolism, whereas other guanidino compounds such as guanidinosuccinic acid and alpha-N-acetylarginine are known toxins. In order to understand the changes in the metabolism of guanidino compounds during ammonia toxicity, we investigated the effect of hyperammonemia induced by an ammonium acetate injection on the levels of guanidino compounds in plasma, liver, kidney, and brain of rats. Control animals were injected with an equal volume of saline. Blood and tissues were removed 1 h following ammonium acetate or saline injection and guanidino compounds were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma and kidney levels of guanidinosuccinic acid were significantly elevated in rats challenged with ammonium acetate. Brain alpha-N-acetylarginine levels were also significantly higher in rats injected with ammonium acetate as compared to those in controls. Our results suggest that guanidinosuccinic acid and alpha-N-acetylarginine may play an important role in hyperammonemia.     

Biochemistry and neurotoxicology of guanidino compounds. History and recent advances

Guanidino compounds are known to have important biological roles, such as the participation of arginine in ureagenesis, and of creatine in muscular contraction. On the other hand, the high toxicity of guanidino compounds, such as methylguanidine and guanidine, has been under study for quite a long time in the biochemical as well as clinical fields. In this review, the author summarizes the experimental results of neurophysiological and neurochemical studies on guanidino compound-induced seizures, conducted by his colleagues since 1966, and introduces several topics arising from their recent investigations on guanidino compounds and seizure mechanism, i.e., (1) alpha-guanidino-glutaric acid in the cobalt epileptic focus and its convulsive activity; (2) guanidino-ethanesulfonic acid and epilepsy; (3) delta-guanidinovaleric acid, and endogenous and specific GABA receptor antagonist; and (4) guanidino compounds as radical generators.     

三种白腐菌及其组合菌种木质素降解酶比较研究

朱红栓菌Trametes cinnabarina、糙皮侧耳Pleurotus ostreatus、黄孢原毛平革菌Phanerochaete chrysosporium是产生木质素降解酶能力强的菌株。对三种白腐菌及其组合菌种产生木质素降解酶能力和行为进行了比较分析和研究。结果表明,最佳培养方式为液体振荡培养;最佳培养基为酵母膏液体培养基。在产漆酶(laccases,lacs)方面,Pleurotus ostreatus和Phanerochaete chrysosporium的组合菌种的酶活最强,在第6天出现峰值,酶活达到450U/L;在产锰过氧化物酶(manganese peroxidases,mnps)方面,Trametes cinnabarina和Pleurotus ostreatus的组合菌种的酶活最强,在第10天出现峰值,酶活达到1050U/L;在产木质素过氧化物酶(lignin peroxidases,lips)方面,Trametes cinnabarina和Phanerochaete chrysosporium的组合菌种的酶活最强,在第8天出现产酶峰值,酶活达到2990U/L。筛选结果表明,组合菌种比单菌种产生的三种主要木质素降解酶的活性强,这为白腐菌高效产酶提供了一条新的途径,并为白腐菌研究领域的后续工作奠定基础。     

Plasma guanidino compounds are altered by oral creatine supplementation in healthy humans.

Although creatine is one of the most widely used nutritional supplements for athletes as well as for patients with neuromuscular disorders, the effects of oral creatine supplementation on endogenous creatine synthesis in humans remains largely unexplored. The aim of the present study was to investigate the metabolic consequences of a frequently used, long-term creatine ingestion protocol on the circulating creatine synthesis precursor molecules, guanidinoacetate and arginine, and their related guanidino compounds. For this purpose, 16 healthy young volunteers were randomly divided to ingest in a double-blind fashion either creatine monohydrate or placebo (maltodextrine) at a dosage of 20 g/day for the first week (loading phase) and 5 g/day for 19 subsequent wk (maintenance phase). Fasting plasma samples were taken at baseline and at 1, 10, and 20 wk of supplementation, and guanidino compounds were determined. Plasma guanidinoacetate levels were reduced by 50% after creatine loading and remained approximately 30% reduced throughout the maintenance phase. Several circulating guanidino compound levels were significantly altered after creatine loading but not during the maintenance phase: homoarginine (+35%), alpha-keto-delta-guanidinovaleric acid (+45%), and argininic acid (+75%) were increased, whereas guanidinosuccinate was reduced (-25%). The decrease in circulating guanidinoacetate levels suggests that exogenous supply of creatine chronically inhibits endogenous synthesis at the transamidinase step in humans, supporting earlier animal studies showing a powerful repressive effect of creatine on l-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase. Furthermore, these data suggest that this leads to enhanced utilization of arginine as a substrate for secondary pathways.