Uptake of metallic mercury and mercuric ion by human erythrocytes

Uptake of metallic mercury (Hg degrees) and mercuric ion (Hg2+) by erythrocytes was studied by incubating erythrocytes with various concentrations of radioactive metallic mercury and mercuric ion in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 6.8) or plasma at 25 degrees C for 30 min. Radioactivity taken up in the cytosol (endsome) and stroma were determined with a gamma scintillation counter. The radioactivity ratio of the mercury recovered in the cytosol fraction to metallic mercury incubated in the saline was significantly higher than the ratio of that to mercuric ion. Similar findings were observed in erythrocytes incubated with metallic mercury and mercuric ion in plasma, although the recovered radioactivity of mercury in the cytosol of erythrocytes incubated with metallic mercury or mercuric ion in plasma was less than that incubated in phosphate-buffered saline. Thus, erythrocytes incubated with metallic mercury took up a larger amount of mercury than those incubated with mercuric ion. Discussion is made on these findings.     

Xylose uptake by the ruminal bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium

Selenomonas ruminantium HD4 does not use the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system to transport xylose (S. A. Martin and J. B. Russell, J. Gen. Microbiol. 134:819-827, 1988). Xylose uptake by whole cells of S. ruminantium HD4 was inducible. Uptake was unaffected by monensin or lasalocid, while oxygen, o-phenanthroline, and HgCl2 were potent inhibitors. Menadione, antimycin A, and KCN had little effect on uptake, and acriflavine inhibited uptake by 23%. Sodium fluoride decreased xylose uptake by 10%, while N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide decreased uptake by 31%. Sodium arsenate was a strong inhibitor (83%), and these results suggest the involvement of a high-energy phosphate compound and possibly a binding protein in xylose uptake. The protonophores carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and SF6847 inhibited xylose uptake by 88, 82, and 43%, respectively. The cations Na+ and K+ did not stimulate xylose uptake. The kinetics of xylose uptake were nonlinear, and it appeared that more than one uptake mechanism may be involved or that two proteins (i.e., a binding protein and permease protein) with different affinities for xylose were present. Excess (10 mM) glucose, sucrose, or maltose decreased xylose uptake less than 40%. Uptake was unaffected at extracellular pH values between 6.0 and 8.0, while pH values of 5.0 and 4.0 decreased uptake 28 and 24%, respectively. The phenolic monomers p-coumaric acid and vanillin inhibited growth on xylose and xylose uptake more than ferulic acid did. The predominant end products resulting from the fermentation of xylose were lactate (7.5 mM), acetate (4.4 mM), and propionate (5.1 nM), and the Yxylose was 24.1 g/mol.     

一株羽毛降解菌的分离与鉴定

【目的】从土壤中分离并鉴定羽毛降解菌,测定其生长最适温度及起始pH,并观察酶活动态。【方法】采用系列稀释法和选择培养基法筛选目的菌株,基于16S rRNA基因序列及Biolog方法鉴定其分类地位,利用全自动生长曲线分析仪监测菌株的最适生长条件,并通过测定蛋白水解活性观察其酶活动态。【结果】从混合羽毛的土壤样品中筛选到一株羽毛降解菌,命名为菌株GIMN1.015,初步判定该菌株属于芽孢八叠球菌属(Sporosarcina)。最适生长pH为9.0,温度为30°C。蛋白水解活性最高值出现在培养后96 h。【结论】菌株GIMN1.015在利用羽毛角蛋白资源中具有潜在的应用价值。这是芽孢八叠球菌在羽毛降解方面的首次报道。     

一株聚氨酯降解菌的分离及其降解特性解析

利用微生物对聚氨酯 (Polyurethane,PUR) 类污染物进行生物降解是目前的研究热点之一。寻找能高效降解聚氨酯的微生物是该类研究的重要前提。文中从塑料垃圾填埋场中分离培养了1株PUR高效降解菌株P10。基于菌落形态观察和16S rDNA系统发育分析,鉴定其为短芽孢杆菌属Brevibacillus的细菌。通过PUR的模式底物水性聚氨酯 (Impranil DLN) 比浊法,确定了该菌株能在6 d内降解71.4%的Impranil DLN。此外,菌株P10能够利用商业聚氨酯海绵作为唯一碳源进行生长;通过降解条件的优化,在5% (V/V) LB作为额外碳源的辅助下实现了6 d内对50 mg PUR泡沫的降解。以上结果表明Brevibacillus sp. P10在聚氨酯废弃物的生物降解过程中具有一定的应用潜力。     

Isolation and identification of a morpholine-degrading bacterium

A gram-positive, slowly growing rod effectively utilizing morpholine as the sole source of organic carbon, nitrogen, and energy was isolated from a mixed culture in a laboratory reactor. The strain was tentatively identified as Mycobacterium aurum. Its growth characteristics at 20 degrees C and pH 6.5 were as follows: maximum specific growth rate, 0.052 h-1; half-velocity constant, 1.3 mg/liter; and yield, 0.37 g/g. The optimum temperature and pH were 31 degrees C and 6.0, respectively.     

一株产纤溶酶菌株的分离、鉴定及其酶活特征的初步研究

[目的]分离筛选并鉴定产纤溶酶的菌株.[方法]采用血粉培养基富集,琼脂糖-纤维蛋白平板筛选,从自然界中分离筛选出一株产纤溶活性物质的菌株.通过形态学特征、生理生化特征研究,并结合16S rRNA基因序列分析及分子系统发育树的构建结果,确定菌株的种类.[结果]从自然界分离筛到一株产纤溶酶的菌株EF608,经鉴定该菌株为粪肠球菌(Enterococcus faecalis). SDS-PAGE和纤维蛋白自显影表明该纤溶酶的分子量为37 kD,最适反应温度和pH分别为35℃和7.5,EDTA能完全抑制其纤溶活性,而PMSF对其活性无抑制作用.菌株EF608发酵液不仅可以直接水解纤维蛋白,而且具有体外溶栓的作用,对血红细胞没有溶解作用.[结论]筛选到一株具有纤溶活性的粪肠球菌——EF608,为获取新型纤溶酶提供了一种的新的菌源.     

Inhibition by methyl mercury chloride and mercuric chloride of the in vitro polymerization of microtubules

Mercury was tested at the same concentration but under two different forms, organic CH3HgCl and inorganic HgCl2, in order to compare its relative inhibitory effect on in vitro microtubules polymerization. Induced by GTP and glycerol 8 M, tubulin polymerization was completely inhibited by HgCl2 10(-3) M while a 75.8% inhibition was measured for CH3HgCl2 10(-3) M.     

Xylose uptake by the ruminal bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium.

Selenomonas ruminantium HD4 does not use the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system to transport xylose (S. A. Martin and J. B. Russell, J. Gen. Microbiol. 134:819-827, 1988). Xylose uptake by whole cells of S. ruminantium HD4 was inducible. Uptake was unaffected by monensin or lasalocid, while oxygen, o-phenanthroline, and HgCl2 were potent inhibitors. Menadione, antimycin A, and KCN had little effect on uptake, and acriflavine inhibited uptake by 23%. Sodium fluoride decreased xylose uptake by 10%, while N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide decreased uptake by 31%. Sodium arsenate was a strong inhibitor (83%), and these results suggest the involvement of a high-energy phosphate compound and possibly a binding protein in xylose uptake. The protonophores carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and SF6847 inhibited xylose uptake by 88, 82, and 43%, respectively. The cations Na+ and K+ did not stimulate xylose uptake. The kinetics of xylose uptake were nonlinear, and it appeared that more than one uptake mechanism may be involved or that two proteins (i.e., a binding protein and permease protein) with different affinities for xylose were present. Excess (10 mM) glucose, sucrose, or maltose decreased xylose uptake less than 40%. Uptake was unaffected at extracellular pH values between 6.0 and 8.0, while pH values of 5.0 and 4.0 decreased uptake 28 and 24%, respectively. The phenolic monomers p-coumaric acid and vanillin inhibited growth on xylose and xylose uptake more than ferulic acid did. The predominant end products resulting from the fermentation of xylose were lactate (7.5 mM), acetate (4.4 mM), and propionate (5.1 nM), and the Yxylose was 24.1 g/mol.     

Isolation and identification of a morpholine-degrading bacterium.

A gram-positive, slowly growing rod effectively utilizing morpholine as the sole source of organic carbon, nitrogen, and energy was isolated from a mixed culture in a laboratory reactor. The strain was tentatively identified as Mycobacterium aurum. Its growth characteristics at 20 degrees C and pH 6.5 were as follows: maximum specific growth rate, 0.052 h-1; half-velocity constant, 1.3 mg/liter; and yield, 0.37 g/g. The optimum temperature and pH were 31 degrees C and 6.0, respectively.     

Methyl mercury uptake by free and immobilized cyanobacterium

Methyl mercury uptake in free cells and different immobilizates of the cyanobacteriumNostoc calcicola has been examined. The general growth of the immobilized cyanobacterial cells could be negatively correlated with methyl mercury uptake. Alginate spheres proved most efficient in terms of uptake rate (0.48 nmol mg protein^–1 min^–1, 10 min) and total bioaccumulation (10.71 nmol mg protein^–1, 1 h) with a bioconcentration factor of 3.3×10³. Alginate biofilms showed a faster methyl mercury accumulation rate (0.83 nmol mg protein^–1 min^–1, 10 min) with a saturation of 10.28 nmol mg protein^–1 reached within only 30 min (bioconcentration factor, 3.1×10³). Foam preparations with a slow initial uptake approximated biofilms but were characterized by a lower bioconcentration factor (2.8×10³). Free cells, in comparison, maintained the initial slow rate of uptake (0.62 nmol mg protein^–1 min^–1, 10 min), saturating at 30 min (8.81 nmol mg protein^–1), and the resultant lowest bioconcentration factor (2.7×10³). Cell ageing (30 days) brought a drastic reduction (3-fold) in organomercury uptake by free cells while alginate spheres maintained the same potential. Foam preparations of the same age showed a significant improvement in methyl mercury uptake followed by only a marginal decline in alginate biofilms. Data are discussed in the light of the physiological efficiency and longevity of immobilized cells.     

一株表面活性剂产生菌的分离及抑菌活性

【目的】研究分离得到的表面活性剂产生菌的产表面活性剂能力、分类地位和抑菌活性。【方法】采用血平板、油平板进行表面活性剂产生菌的分离,以排油圈法进行表面活性的测定;通过生理生化特性和16S rDNA序列相似性分析对BS1菌株进行初步鉴定;利用对峙培养法和菌丝生长、孢子囊形成、孢子萌发的抑制率测定研究其抑菌活性。【结果】从石油污染土壤中分离到的BS1菌株可产生表面活性剂,在分类学地位上属于假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.)。BS1菌体、发酵上清液、挥发性物质对12种供试病原真菌均表现出一定的抑制作用。BS1菌体、发酵上清液对大豆疫霉菌(Phytophthora sojae)的抑制率最大,分别达到65.31%和95.93%。发酵上清液通过影响大豆疫霉菌菌丝生长、孢子囊形成、孢子萌发等方式抑制病原菌的正常生长,稀释20倍的发酵上清液依然具有明显的抑制作用。BS1菌株产生的挥发性物质对大豆菌核菌(Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)的抑菌效果最好,抑制率达到84.25%。【结论】BS1菌株在产生表面活性剂的同时,还具有生物防治作用潜力。     

Isolation and characterization of a Gram-positive polyphosphate-accumulating bacterium

A Gram-positive polyphosphate-accumulating bacterium was isolated from phosphate-removal activated sludge using pyruvate-supplemented agar plates. The isolate was oval or coccobacilli (0.4-0.7 x 0.5-1.0 mm) that occurred singly, in pairs or irregular clumps. Polyphosphate granules in the cells were observed by toluidine blue staining. The pure culture of the isolate rapidly took up phosphate (9.2 mg-P/g-dry weight) in the 3-h aerobic incubation without organic substrates, after anaerobic incubation with organic substrates containing casamino acids. When acetate was the sole carbon source in the anaerobic incubation, the isolate did not remove phosphate. These physiological features of the isolate were similar to those of Microlunatus phosphovorus. However, unlike M. phosphovorus the P-removal ability of the isolate was relatively low and was not accelerated by repeating the anaerobic/aerobic incubation cycles. Phylogenetic analysis and comparison of several characteristics showed that the isolate was identified as Tetrasphaera elongata which was recently proposed as a new polyphosphate-accumulating species isolated from activated sludge. As the isolate contained menaquinone (MK)-8(H(4)) as the predominant isoprenoid ubiquinone, it may be significantly responsible for phosphate removal, because MK-8(H(4)) has reportedly been found in fairly high proportions in many phosphate-removing activated sludges.     

Isolation and characterization of a pentachlorophenol-degrading bacterium.

With a new enrichment protocol, pentachlorophenol (PCP)-degrading bacteria were isolated from soil, water, and sewage. When characterized, all isolates were related and shared characteristics of the genus Arthrobacter. Growth rates for strain NC were determined for a number of substrates, including PCP and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol. Changes in PCP concentration affected growth rate and length of the lag phase but not cell yield. Increasing the pH from 6.8 to 7.8 decreased the length of the lag phase for growth on PCP. Cessation of growth, upon incremental addition of PCP, was found to be related to a decrease in pH rather than to a buildup of a toxic metabolite. Degradation of PCP by strain NC was shown to be complete.     

一株油藏嗜热厌氧杆菌的分离鉴定和代谢特征的分析

摘要：【目的】从高温油藏中发掘新的微生物种质资源。【方法】采用 Hungate 厌氧操作技术从大港油田采出水中分离到一株厌氧杆菌 HL-3。通过生理生化特征比较和16S rRNA序列比对,确定HL-3的分类地位。【结果】菌株HL-3为严格厌氧的革兰氏阴性杆菌。生长温度范围 40℃－75℃（最适温度 60℃）;pH 范围 5.0－8.0（最适 pH 6.5）;NaCl 浓度范围 0%－3.2%（最适NaCl浓度0.25%）。能够利用葡萄糖、核糖、甘露糖、木糖、纤维二糖等多种碳水化合物,发酵葡萄糖的产物是乙醇、乙酸、CO2及少量丙酸和丁醇。菌株HL-3的（G+C）mol%含量为 33.9%,与Thermoanaerobacter（嗜热厌氧杆菌属）中模式菌株T.uzonensis DSM18761T (EF530067)的16SrRNA 序列相似性为98.8%,与T.sulfurigignens DSM17917T (AF234164)的相似度次之为98.1％。菌株能够耐受浓度较高的亚硫酸根（0.1 mol/L）离子和浓度极高的硫代硫酸根（0.8 mol/L）。当硫代硫酸根浓度高于0.075 mol/L时,菌体内产生硫单质颗粒;同时,在培养血清瓶顶空中检测到硫化氢气体。菌株 HL-3与T.uzonensis DSM18761T对硫代硫酸根和亚硫酸根的耐受程度有很大不同。菌株HL-3对硫代硫酸根和亚硫酸根耐受程度及对硫代硫酸根的代谢机制与T.sulfurigignens DSM17917T(AF234164)极为相似,但二者代谢葡萄糖的产物却极不相同。【结论】所以菌株HL-3可能是Thermoanaerobacter属中的一个新种,其确切分类地位还有待用DNA分子杂交[1]的技术手段做进一步的鉴定。     

Isolation and characterization of a phorate degrading bacterium

Aims:  To study the degradation of phorate by a bacterium isolated from phorate-contaminated sites.
Methods and Results:  Ralstonia eutropha strain AAJ1 isolated from soil was found to degrade phorate (supplied as sole carbon source) upto 85% in 10 days in liquid medium. Half-life ( t _½) of phorate in the liquid medium in control (uninoculated) and in experimental (inoculated with R. eutropha , strain AAJ1) samples was recorded as 36·49 and 6·29 days, respectively. Kinetics revealed that phorate degradation depends on time and the reaction follows the first order kinetics. Diethyl dithiophosphate was one of the degradation products, which is markedly less toxic than the parent compound; other degradation products included phorate sulfoxide and phorate sulfone. Release of inorganic phosphates and sulfates indicated the potential of the isolate to further degrade the above-mentioned metabolites to simpler forms. The strain was also found to posses phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase enzymatic activity, which are involved in biodegradation of organophosphorus compounds.
Conclusions:  Ralstonia eutropha AAJ1 could degrade and detoxify phorate upto 85% in 10 days in laboratory conditions.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The isolate has the potential to be utilized for remediation of phorate-contaminated water and soil.     

Isolation and characterization of a mo -reducing bacterium

A Mo -reducing bacterium (strain 48), which grew on medium supplemented with 200 mM Mo, was isolated from stream water obtained from Chengkau, Malaysia. The chemical properties of strain 48 conform to the characteristics of Enterobacter cloacae. Under anaerobic conditions in the glucose-yeast extract medium containing phosphate ion (2.9 mM) and Mo (10 mM), the bacterium reduced Mo to form molybdenum blue. Approximately 27% of Mo added to the medium was reduced after 28 h of cultivation. The reduction of Mo with glucose as an electron donor was strongly inhibited by iodoacetic acid, sodium fluoride, and sodium cyanide, suggesting an involvement of the glycolytic pathway and electron transport in Mo reduction. NADH and N,N,N',N' -tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine served as electron donors for Mo reduction. When NADH was used as an electron donor, at first cytochrome b in the cell extract was reduced, and then molybdenum blue was formed. Sodium cyanide strongly inhibited Mo reduction by NADH (5 mM) but not the reduction of cytochrome b in the cell extract, suggesting that the reduced component of the electron transport system after cytochrome b serves as an electron donor for Mo reduction. Both ferric and stannous ions strongly enhanced the activity of Mo reduction by NADH.     

一株产生物表面活性剂低温细菌的筛选与鉴定

采用血平板培养基及蓝色凝胶平板培养基初筛、排油圈法复筛,从低温环境下自然腐烂秸秆中分离筛选到4株产生物表面活性剂的低温细菌.其中菌株B-17发酵液排油圈达到最大,在5d内可使发酵液的表面张力由75.47 mN· m-1降至37.49 mN·m-1.通过形态特征、生理生化试验及16S rDNA序列分析,初步鉴定该菌为理研菌属(Petrimonas sp.).红外光谱分析表明,菌株B-17在代谢过程中能产生糖脂类表面活性物质.该菌发酵液的乳化能力在5d内仍能保持在75％,具有很好的增溶效果.研究表明,初始pH 7、盐浓度0.4％、温度20℃时,对菌株B-17生长和产生物表面活性剂最有利.本研究为低温环境下产生物表面活性剂细菌的开发奠定了基础.