Fusarium andDidymella-neglected spores in the air

Summary This paper reports about the occurence ofFusarium- andDidymella spores in the air of Essen/FRG. During the spore season 1990, the spore concentration was measured on several days with a volumetric pollen trap by hourly analysis. The calculated amount of spores per hour is compared to the data of a pluviometer and the values of the relative humidity during the same period.The occurence of both spore types in the air and high relative humidity (>80%) are correlated in a highly significant way (P<0.001). The dispersion of spores starts when rain begins or directly after the precipitation.Didymella reaches higher concentrations thanFusarium in the air (Maximum values:Didymella 30000 spores/m³,Fusarium only 800 spores/m³). During the emission of the spores the temperature varied between 10°C und 20°C degrees. Didymella andFusarium must be an important allergenic source in the outdoor area, because of their allergen-loaded biological aerosols. The question of providing well defined extracts ofDidymella exitialis is given to the pharmaceutical industry.     

Bacterial degradation of airborne phenol in the phyllosphere

Despite the vast surface area of terrestrial plant leaves and the large microbial communities they support, little is known of the ability of leaf-associated microorganisms to access and degrade airborne pollutants. Here, we examined bacterial acquisition and degradation of phenol on leaves by an introduced phenol degrader and by natural phyllosphere communities. Whole-cell gfp-based Pseudomonas fluorescens bioreporter cells detected phenol on leaves that had previously been transiently exposed to gaseous phenol, indicating that leaves accumulated phenol; moreover, they accumulated it in sites that were accessible to epiphytic bacteria and to concentrations that were at least 10-fold higher than those in the air. After inoculated leaves were exposed to gaseous 14C-phenol, leaves harbouring the phenol-degrading Pseudomonas sp. strain CF600 released eight times more 14CO2 than did leaves harbouring a non-degrading mutant, demonstrating that CF600 actively mineralized phenol on leaves. We evaluated phenol degradation by natural microbial communities on green ash leaves that were collected from a field site rich in airborne organic pollutants. We found that significantly more phenol was mineralized by these leaves when the communities were present than by these leaves following surface sterilization. Thus, phenol-degrading organisms were present in these natural communities and were metabolically capable of phenol degradation. Collectively, these results provide the first direct evidence that bacteria on leaves can degrade an organic pollutant from the air, and indicate that bacteria on leaves could potentially contribute to the natural attenuation of organic air pollutants.     

Deposition of spores and other particles on vegetation and soil

The rate of deposition of 20–30 μm diameter particles, including spores and pollen grains, on plant and other surfaces, is determined, first, by the frequency at which particles strike the surfaces and, secondly, by the proportion retained on the surface rather than rebounding into the airstream. Spores and pollen grains tagged with a radioactive marker were used to show that the impaction efficiency on leaves and stems depends very much on whether or not the surfaces are sticky or moist. If they are, the rate of deposition may approach that predicted aerodynamically. If the plant surfaces are dry, there is saltation of some spores and the effective rate of deposition is greatly reduced.     

The use of silica gel prepared by sol-gel method and polyurethane foam as microbial carriers in the continuous degradation of phenol

A mixed microbial culture was immobilized by entrapment into silica gel (SG) and entrapment/ adsorption on polyurethane foam (PU) and ceramic foam. The phenol degradation performance of the SG biocatalyst was studied in a packed-bed reactor (PBR), packed-bed reactor with ceramic foam (PBRC) and fluidized-bed reactor (FBR). In continuous experiments the maximum degradation rate of phenol (q _s ^max) decreased in the order: PBRC (598 mg l⁻¹h⁻¹) > PBR (PU, 471 mg l⁻¹h⁻¹) > PBR (SG, 394 mg l⁻¹h⁻¹) > FBR (PU, 161 mg l⁻¹h⁻¹) > FBR (SG, 91 mg l⁻¹ h⁻¹). The long-term use of the SG biocatalyst in continuous phenol degradation resulted in the formation of a 100–200 μm thick layer with a high cell density on the surface of the gel particles. The abrasion of the surface layer in the FBR contributed to the poor degradation performance of this reactor configuration. Coating the ceramic foam with a layer of cells immobilized in colloidal SiO₂ enhanced the phenol degradation efficiency during the first 3 days of the PBRC operation, in comparison with untreated ceramic packing. Received: 2 December 1999 / Revision received: 2 February 2000 / Accepted: 4 February 2000     

DFT studies of the phenol adsorption on boron nitride sheets

We perform first principles total energy calculations to investigate the atomic structures of the adsorption of phenol (C₆H₅OH) on hexagonal boron nitride (BN) sheets. Calculations are done within the density functional theory as implemented in the DMOL code. Electron-ion interactions are modeled according to the local-spin-density-approximation (LSDA) method with the Perdew-Wang parametrization. Our studies take into account the hexagonal h-BN sheets and the modified by defects d-BN sheets. The d-BN sheets are composed of one hexagon, three pentagons and three heptagons. Five different atomic structures are investigated: parallel to the sheet, perpendicular to the sheet at the B site, perpendicular to the sheet at the N site, perpendicular to the central hexagon and perpendicular to the B-N bond (bridge site). To determine the structural stability we apply the criteria of minimum energy and vibration frequency. After the structural relaxation phenol molecules adsorb on both h-BN and d-BN sheets. Results of the binding energies indicate that phenol is chemisorbed. The polarity of the system increases as a consequence of the defects presence which induces transformation from an ionic to covalent bonding. The elastic properties on the BN structure present similar behavior to those reported in the literature for graphene.     

Anaerobic degradation of phenol in sewage sludge

Summary Anaerobic phenol degrading consortia were selected in sewage sludge and culture conditions were improved to allow maximum degradation rates of 0.9 g/l·d. Phenol had to be added in two portions of 0.45 g/l at intervals of 12 h to keep the fermentation at stable conditions. From U-¹⁴C-phenol little benzoate and acetate were formed as intermediates under a N₂:CO₂ gas phase. Final products were methane and CO₂. When methanogenesis was inhibited by BESA, less labeled methane and CO₂ were formed and labeled acetate remained undegraded. Turnover rates of phenol were significantly reduced in the presence of a H₂:CO₂ gas atmosphere and benzoate was formed from phenol and CO₂. Acetate did not accumulate remarkably. After the H₂:CO₂ was converted to methane or was exchanged by N₂:CO₂ the accumulated benzoate was further degraded to methane and CO₂. Elevated pools of acetate in sewage sludge led also to a reduction of the phenol degradation rates and presumably to an increased concentration of benzoate. In fresh sewage sludge benzoate degradation proceeds immediately, while the degradation of phenol starts only after a lag-phase of 3–10 days.     

Thermostabilities of plant phenol oxidase and peroxidase determining the technology of their use in the food industry

Stabilities of phenol oxidase and peroxidase from tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) clone Kolkhida leaves, apple (Mallus domestica L.) cultivar Kekhura fruits, walnut (Juglans regia L.) green pericarp, and horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia Gilib) roots were studied using different storage temperature modes and storage duration. It was demonstrated that both enzymes retained residual activities (10%) upon 20-min incubation at 8°C. Phenol oxidases from tea, walnut, and especially apple, as well as tea peroxidase, were stable during storage. A technology for the treatment of plant oxidases was proposed, based on the use of a natural inhibitor of phenol oxidase and peroxidase, isolated from tea leaves, which solves the problem of residual activities of these enzymes that arises during pasteurization and storage of beverages and juices. It was demonstrated that browning of apple juice during pasteurization and beer turbidity during storage could be efficiently prevented using the natural inhibitor of these enzymes.Translated from Prikladnaya Biokhimiya i Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 41, No. 2, 2005, pp. 165–170.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Mchedlishvili, Omiadze, Gulua, Sadunishvili, Zamtaradze, Abutidze, Bendeliani, Kvesitadze.     

Microbial degradation of phenol and phenolic derivatives

Phenol and its derivatives are one of the largest groups of environmental pollutants due to their presence in many industrial effluents and broad application as antibacterial and antifungal agents. A number of microbial species possess enzyme systems that are applicable for the decomposition of various aliphatic and aromatic toxic compounds. Intensive efforts to screen species with high‐degradation activity are needed to study their capabilities of degrading phenol and phenolic derivatives. Most of the current research has been directed at the isolation and study of microbial species of potential ecological significance. In this review, some of the best achievements in degrading phenolic compounds by bacteria and yeasts are presented, which draws attention to the high efficiency of strains of Pseudomonas, Candida tropicalis, Trichosporon cutaneum, etc. The unique ability of fungi to maintain their degradation potential under conditions unfavorable for other microorganisms is outstanding. Mathematical models of the microbial biodegradation dynamics of single and mixed aromatic compounds, which direct to the benefit of the processes studied in optimization of modern environmental biotechnology are also presented.     

Dry mass of Fusarium roseum spores before and after germination

The total dry mass of Fusarium roseum spores and contained lipid bodies were determined before and after spores germinated using quantitative interference microscopy. The mean for spore dry mass before germination was about 57 pg. Lipid bodies accounted for about 61% of that. Areas of lipid bodies in spores before and after germination were about 23 % but the contents of the lipid bodies accounted for only 10% of the spore dry mass after germination. The total dry mass of the spore and germ tube(s) greatly exceeded that of the spore before germination. We infer that nutrients for germ tube growth are derived from within the germinating spore and from the medium which must contain nutrients leached from non-germinating spores.     

The degradation mechanism of phenol induced by ozone in wastes system

A distinct understanding for the degradation mechanism of phenol induced by ozone is very essential because the ozonation process, one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), is attractive and popular in wastewater treatment. In the present work, the detailed reactions of ozone and phenol are investigated employing the density functional theory B3LYP method with the 6-311++G (d, p) basis set. The profiles of the potential energy surface are constructed and the possible reaction pathways are indicated. These detailed calculation results suggest two degradation reaction mechanisms. One is phenolic H atom abstraction mechanism, and the other is cyclo-addition and ring-opening mechanism. Considering the effect of solvent water, the calculated energy barriers and reaction enthalpies for the reaction of O3 and phenol in water phase are both lower than those in gas phase, though the degradation mechanisms are not changed. This reveals that these degradation reactions are more favorable in the water solvent. The main reaction products are C(6)H(5)OO· radical, a crucial precursor for forming PCDD/Fs and one ring-opening product, which are in good agreement with the experimental observations.     

The synthesis of sub-micron magnetic particles and their use for preparative purification of proteins

A novel one-step protocol for the preparation of sub-micron magnetic particles as small as 30 nm in diameter has been developed. The surface of the particles was functionalized with carboxyl groups ( approximately 1 COOH per 15A2) to facilitate the attachment of affinity ligands. The high surface area of the resulting beads, combined with the high density of functional groups on the surface, makes them ideally suited for the preparative purification of proteins as was demonstrated by the efficient isolation of trypsin (36 mg per gram of particles) from pancreatic extract.     

The use of clostridial spores for cancer treatment

Hypoxic/necrotic regions, absent in normal tissues, can be exploited to target tumours in cancer therapy using nonpathogenic strains of the bacterial genus Clostridium. Following administration of Clostridium spores to tumour-bearing organisms, these spores can only germinate within the hypoxic/necrotic regions of solid tumours, proving their exquisite selectivity. Low oxygen tension is a common feature of solid tumours, which may arise from the unique physiological environment, generated to a large extent by the abnormal tumour vasculature, and provides as such a niche for anaerobic bacteria. Some clostridia tested clearly showed innate oncolytic activity, but they could not completely eradicate the tumour. Recombinant clostridia producing prodrug-converting enzymes or cytokines resulted in the production of such proteins solely within the tumour, and where applicable, could convert the prodrug in a toxic compound. Moreover, in some cases, tumour eradication or tumour control could be observed. This review brings an overview of the relative successes and failures of the Clostridium-directed tumour therapy with both wild-type strains and strains producing proteins useful in antitumour therapy.     

Thermostabilities of plant phenol oxidase and peroxidase, determining the technology of their use in food industry

Stabilities of phenol oxidase and peroxidase from tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) clone Kolkhida leaves, apple (Malus domestica L.) cultivar Kekhura fruits, walnut (Juglans regia L.) green pericarp, and horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia Gilib) roots were studied using different storage temperature modes and storage duration. It was demonstrated that both enzymes retained residual activities (approximately 10%) upon 20-min incubation at 80 degrees C. Phenol oxidases from tea, walnut, and, especially, apple, as well as tea peroxidase were stable during storage. A technology for treatment of plant oxidases was proposed, based on the use of a natural inhibitor phenol oxidase and peroxidase, isolated from tea leaves, which solving the problem of residual activities of these enzymes, arising during pasteurization and storage of beverages and juices. It was demonstrated that browning of apple juice during pasteurization and beer turbidity during storage could be efficiently prevented using the natural inhibitor of these enzymes.