Effect of Growth Temperature on Hydrolytic and Esterifying Activities from Pseudomonas fragi CRDA 037 Grown on Whey

The production of hydrolytic and esterifying activities of Pseudomonas fragi CRDA 037 grown on a whey-based medium was investigated at different temperatures over time. The optimal temperature was found to be critical and different for the production of both activities. The highest hydrolytic activity was detected with bacteria cultivated at between 24°C (149.2 U/liter) and 27°C (133.8 U/liter), while the highest production of ethyl valerate (esterifying activity) was observed by using biomass grown at 15°C (0.75 U/liter). When the fermentation temperature was increased, the incubation time necessary to reach the maximal concentration of both activities was reduced. Studies of the thermostability of both activities showed that the hydrolytic activity was more stable than the esterifying activity at 15 and 24°C. Statistical analysis allowed the determination of the equations that predicted the production of hydrolytic and esterifying activities as a function of time and growth temperature. The optimal assay temperatures for the hydrolytic and esterifying activities were 37°C and 12 to 15°C, respectively.     

Adaptation of a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase assay to microtiter plates

A kinetic assay for measuring gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activity has been adapted to microtiter plates and an automated microtiter plate reader. This method permits the simultaneous analysis of enzyme activity in a large number of samples incubated with the chromogenic GGT substrate gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide. A major advantage of this assay over previously reported methods is the substantial reduction in the time needed for measuring sample enzyme activity. In addition, reduction of the total assay volume to 0.28 ml conserves both sample and reagents. This method has been calibrated at 23 degrees C using purified GGT, and used to analyze GGT activity in human sera. The assay is sensitive over a range of 3-200 U/liter.     

Development of a real-time PCR probe for quantification of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Cryptoperidiniopsis brodyi (Dinophyceae) in environmental samples

A TaqMan format real-time PCR probe was developed against the internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal DNA region for the specific detection and quantification of Cryptoperidiniopsis brodyi in environmental samples. The assay specificity was confirmed by testing against related dinoflagellates and verified by sequencing PCR amplicons from natural water samples. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced environmental samples also showed that this assay is specific to C. brodyi. The C. brodyi-specific assay was used in conjunction with Pfiesteria piscicida- and Pfiesteria shumwayae-specific real-time PCR assays to investigate the temporal variations of C. brodyi, P. piscicida, and P. shumwayae abundance in the Derwent estuary, Tasmania. The 18-month field survey from November 2004 to April 2006 revealed that C. brodyi occurred in all seasons at very low densities, mostly below 25 cells liter(-1), with higher abundance (maximum, 112 cells liter(-1)) in April and May. P. piscicida was detected only once, in May 2005 at 60 cells liter(-1). P. shumwayae was not detected during the survey.     

Direct assay for creatine kinase by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A direct assay for creatine kinase (CK) activity was developed based on the separation and quantitation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by high-performance liquid chromatography. The total incubation time is 13 min and the elution time for ATP is 16 min. Using lyophilized CK as the sample, a sensitivity in the range of 8 U/l (units/liter) was obtained. The method presented also has clinical significance in that CK levels in serum can easily be determined with minimal sample preparation. Using serum samples from a healthy patient and a heart attack victim, activities of 26.6 U/l and 609.0 U/l, respectively, were obtained. Because of the direct measurement of ATP, this method eliminates the coupled reactions encountered in the common spectrophotometric and colorimetric methods of analysis resulting in a simpler and inexpensive assay.     

Optimal conditions for 4-hydroxybenzoyl- and 2-furoylhydrazine as reagents for the determination of carbohydrates, including ketosamines

4- Hydroxybenzoylhydrazine ( PAHBAH ) reacts with glucose in hot aqueous solution when alkali exceeds aroylhydrazine concentration. The related 2- furoylhydrazine ( FAH ) reacts at lower alkali concentrations, making this an attractive alternative carbohydrate reagent since it is (unlike PAHBAH ) freely water soluble. FAH reacts with monosaccharides more slowly than does PAHBAH , giving about half the color. Its specificity and behavior with a bismuth catalyst parallel those of PAHBAH . Solutions which contain 0.05 mol/liter PAHBAH with 1.5 mmol/liter bismuth III (as tartrate complex) and 0.5 mol/liter sodium hydroxide, or 0.01 mol/liter FAH with 1.5 mmol/liter bismuth III and 0.1 mol/liter sodium hydroxide are sensitive reagents for quantitative analysis, giving stable colors with many carbohydrates within 10 min at 75 degrees C. Ketosamines react more rapidly than glucose at lower temperatures and undergo similar reactions in less alkaline solutions. At pH less than 8, the reaction is specific for these 1- aminohexoses , and FAH can be used as a reagent for their assay.     

Detecting TSH-receptor antibodies with the recombinant TBII assay: technical and clinical evaluation.

We evaluated the technical robustness of the new commercial TBII assay using human recombinant TSH-R, and describe its use for the clinician in the routine laboratory. The human recombinant TSH-R assay (DYNOtest TRAK human) was compared to a conventional TBII assay (TSH-REZAK). Specificity was adjusted at 99.1% for both assays by ROC plot analysis including 113 healthy individuals. Sensitivity in 115 patients with active Graves' Disease (GD) was 98.2% for the DYNOtest TRAK human compared to 68.4% for the TSH-REZAK (p<0.0001). Comparison of the ROC-calculated cut off confirmed the recommended cut-off for the DYNOtest TRAK human, since 11% inhibition of tracer equals 1 IU/L, which is recommended as the grey zone. At the recommended cut-off (2 IU/L, 22% inhibition), the sensitivity is still 93.9% with 100% specificity. The ROC plot-derived cut-off of the TSH-REZAK (4.4%, 2 to 10 U/L) is below the grey zone of 10-15 U/L. At the recommended cut off of 15 U/L, the sensitivity is 43.0% with a specificity of 100%. Both assays showed a good correlation (r = 0.82, p < 0.0001); however, assay comparison revealed a constant bias in favour of the DYNOtest TRAK human. Applying the ROC plot-derived cut-off of 11 % inhibition (1 IU/L) for the DYNOtest TRAK human, we found 15 of 50 patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) and 6 of 23 patients with goitre (all < 1.5 IU/L). These patients would have been missed using the recommended 2 IU/L. The difference in sensitivity between the DYNOtest TRAK human and the TSH-REZAK was highly significant in the GD group, but not in other groups, indicating that the DYNOtest TRAK human has a higher sensitivity for GD without compromising specificity. In summary, the proposed high sensitivity of the new TBII assay using human recombinant TSH-R could be confirmed with the commercial product. This method offers a clear advantage over conventional TBII assays to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of GD. The recommended cut-off is very stringent, and until we have more information on the clinical relevance of low-level TBII between 1 and 1.5 IU/L, those patients should be monitored for the development of autoimmune thyroid disease.     

Chloramphenicol inhibition of denitrifying enzyme activity in two agricultural soils.

Chloramphenicol, at concentrations greater than 0.1 g/liter (0.3 mM), inhibited the denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) of slurries of humisol and sandy loam soils by disrupting the activity of existing nitrate reductase enzymes. When the concentration of chloramphenicol was increased from 0.1 to 2.0 g/liter (6.0 mM), the rate of nitrite production from nitrate decreased by 25 to 46%. The rate of NO production from nitrate decreased by 20 to 39%, and the rate of N(2)O production from nitrate, in the presence of acetylene (DEA), decreased by 21 to 61%. The predicted values of DEA at 0 g of chloramphenicol/liter computed from linear regressions of DEA versus chloramphenicol concentration were 18 to 43% lower than DEA measurements made in the absence of chloramphenicol and within a few per cent of DEA rates measured in the presence of 0.1 g of chloramphenicol/liter. We conclude that DEA assays should be carried out with a single (0.1-g/liter) chloramphenicol concentration. Chloramphenicol at concentrations greater than 0.1 g/liter inhibits the activity of existing denitrifying enzymes and should not be used in DEA assays.     

Solute effects on Lagenidium giganteum: zoospore motility and bioassay reproducibility

The zoospores of Lagenidium giganteum rapidly lose motility when dispersed in deionized water. Several organic solutes were tested for the ability to prolong zoospore activity. Peptone at 0.2 and 0.05 g/liter was more effective than methionine and glucose, individually or in combination. The use of 0.2 g/liter of peptone as a medium for bioassays of L. giganteum against 3-day-old Aedes aegypti reduced the mean LD₅₀ to 12.9 zoospores/ml as compared to 133 with field water and 124 with deionized water. The use of peptone also dramatically improved the reproducibility of the assays and the goodness of fit of the resultant probit regression lines. The mean χ² values were 7.4 for 0.2 g/liter of peptone, 26.8 for field water, and 47.8 for deionized water. It is suggested that the erratic results obtained from use of deionized water are due to variation in the osmotic stress to which the zoospores were exposed, depending on the amount of debris that is introduced into the assays along with the mosquito larvae.     

Bioprobe electrode for phenol

A clark oxygen electrode is coated with a thin layer of cell paste of induced trichosporon cutaneum. This bioprode enables one to perform rapid, quantitative determination of phenol in the 0–15 mg/liter range. The assay uses only 2–5 ml and is complete 15 sec after adding the sample. The bioprobe is stable for at least five days at room temperature. It lasts at least 100 assays. Induced yeast cells come from shake cultures or agar plates. They can be freeze-stored for several weeks before mounting on the electrode. A method of estimating corrections for other exidizable substances is exemplified. The bioprobe can be used to measure phenol in water, fermentation broth, and municipal sewage.     

Chloramphenicol Inhibition of Denitrifying Enzyme Activity in Two Agricultural Soils

Chloramphenicol, at concentrations greater than 0.1 g/liter (0.3 mM), inhibited the denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) of slurries of humisol and sandy loam soils by disrupting the activity of existing nitrate reductase enzymes. When the concentration of chloramphenicol was increased from 0.1 to 2.0 g/liter (6.0 mM), the rate of nitrite production from nitrate decreased by 25 to 46%. The rate of NO production from nitrate decreased by 20 to 39%, and the rate of N₂O production from nitrate, in the presence of acetylene (DEA), decreased by 21 to 61%. The predicted values of DEA at 0 g of chloramphenicol/liter computed from linear regressions of DEA versus chloramphenicol concentration were 18 to 43% lower than DEA measurements made in the absence of chloramphenicol and within a few per cent of DEA rates measured in the presence of 0.1 g of chloramphenicol/liter. We conclude that DEA assays should be carried out with a single (0.1-g/liter) chloramphenicol concentration. Chloramphenicol at concentrations greater than 0.1 g/liter inhibits the activity of existing denitrifying enzymes and should not be used in DEA assays.     

Oxytocin analogs with substitutions in postions 3 and 4.

Synthesis and biological properties are reported for some analogs of oxytocin with replacements of the isoleucine residue in position 3, i.e., (3-proline)oxytocin and(3-D-alanine)oxytocin, and the glutamine residue in position 4, i.e., (4-D-alanine)-oxytocin and (4-D-leucin)oxytocin. (3-Proline)oxytocin exhibited smaller than0.02 U/MG oxytocic activity, 0.005 plus or minus smaller than 0.001 U/mg rat pressor activity and 0.003 plus or minus 0.0001 U/mg antidiuretic activity. (3-D-Alanine)oxytocin had no agonistic activity in the bioassays tested except for the rat antidiuretic assay (smaller than 0.0005 U/mg). The 4-D-alanine analog showed 0.05 plus or minus 0.003 U/mg oxytocic activity, 0.07 plus or minus 0.01 U/mg avian vasodepressor activity, and smaller than 0.001 U/mg rat antidiuretic activity. (4-D-Leucine)oxytocin possessed 0.001 plus or minus U/mg rat pressor activity, and showed slight inhibitory properties in the oxytocic and avian vasodepressor assays, inhibiting the oxytocin response in the latter assay by about 60% at a girnibe-to-analog ratio of 1:5000. The activity profiles of the analogs are compared to that of oxytocin and are discussed on the basis of the proposed solution conformation of oxytocin.     

Development of a sensitive and selective assay for the determination of procarboxypeptidase U (thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor) in plasma

To date, several assays for procarboxypeptidase U (proCPU) determination exist, all having their own inherent disadvantages and advantages. A drawback of activity-based assays is the interference of the constitutively active carboxypeptidase N (CPN) in plasma. Recent screening of Bz-Xaa-Arg peptides with modified aromatic amino acids at the P1 position revealed a selective CPU substrate, N-benzoyl-ortho-cyano-phenylalanyl-arginine (Bz-o-cyano-Phe-Arg), which will allow straightforward determination of proCPU in plasma. Our assay shows an excellent linearity in the concentration range of 20-2600 U/L, with within- and between-run precision values of 2.7% and 4.6%, respectively. A good correlation with our high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-assisted proCPU activity assay using hippuryl-l-arginine (HipArg) as substrate was found. Besides the major improvement regarding the selectivity, the assay is much easier to perform and far less time-consuming compared with the proCPU activity assay using HipArg as substrate.     

Development of reproducible assays for polygalacturonase and pectinase

Polygalacturonase and pectinase activities reported in the literature were measured by several different procedures. These procedures do not give comparable results, partly owing to the complexity of the substrates involved. This work was aimed at developing consistent and efficient assays for polygalacturonase and pectinase activities, using polygalacturonic acid and citrus pectin, respectively, as the substrate. Different enzyme mixtures produced by Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei with different inducing carbon sources were used for the method development. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the incubation time, substrate concentration, and enzyme dilution. Accordingly, for both assays the recommended (optimal) hydrolysis time is 30 min and substrate concentration is 5 g/L. For polygalacturonase, the sample should be adjusted to have 0.3–0.8 U/mL polygalacturonase activity, because in this range the assay outcomes were consistent (independent of dilution factors). Such a range did not exist for the pectinase assay. The recommended procedure is to assay the sample at multiple (at least 2) dilution factors and determine, by linear interpolation, the dilution factor that would release reducing sugar equivalent to 0.4 g/L d-galacturonic acid, and then calculate the activity of the sample accordingly (dilution factor × 0.687 U/mL). Validation experiments showed consistent results using these assays. Effects of substrate preparation methods were also examined.     

Tryptophanless recombinant horseradish peroxidase: stability and catalytic properties.

The tryptophanless mutant of horseradish peroxidase, W117F, has been constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. The mutation affects enzyme folding and stability. The optimum composition of the refolding medium requires the presence of ammonium sulfate. The yield of mutant is ca. 8000 U per liter of the optimized refolding medium with the specific activity of 1100-1500 U/mg (compared to 25, 000 U per liter and 2000 U/mg for the recombinant wild-type enzyme). The mutant is more stable in acid media, in the reaction course and toward irradiation. The effect of hydrogen peroxide pretreatment on radiation-induced inactivation of the wild-type and mutant enzyme indirectly indicates participation of Trp-117 in electron transfer pathways through the enzyme molecule. This is in agreement with the steady-state kinetic data interpreted in terms of Trp-117 participation in electron transfer within the Michaelis complex.     

A column chromatographic method for determination of plasma and erythrocyte levels of inosine and hypoxanthine

A column chromatographic separation of inosine and hypoxanthine in plasma and erythrocytic samples after deproteination by ultrafiltration, adsorption of the compounds onto charcoal, elution in pyridine/ethanol solution, and filtration by celite gel is described. Sephadex G-10 was used to separate the compounds with small but different molecular weights. Inosine and hypoxanthine values were determined by enzymatic spectrophotometric assay. In arterial, coronary venous, and erythrocyte samples the mean ± SD values for inosine were calculated as 1365 ± 560 nmol/liter of plasma, 915 ± 310 nmol/liter of plasma, and 8925 ± 6720 nmol/liter of blood, respectively. The corresponding values for hypoxanthine were 2525 ± 1950 nmol/liter, 1835 ± 1315 nmol/liter, and 11090 ± 7600 nmol/liter, respectively.     

Heparinase production by Flavobacterium heparinum.

Heparinase production by Flavobacterium heparinum in complex protein digest medium, with heparin employed as the inducer, has been studied and improved. The maximum productivity of heparinase has been increased 156-fold over that achieved by previously published methods to 375 U/liter per h in the complex medium. Rapid deactivation of heparinase activity, both specific and total, was observed at the onset of the stationary phase. Nutritional studies on growth and heparinase production showed an obligate requirement for L-histidine and no vitamin requirement. L-Methionine partially relieved the L-histidine requirement. A defined medium containing glucose, ammonium sulfate, basal salts, L-methionine, and L-histidine was developed for growth and heparinase production. The growth rate in this medium was 0.21 h-1, which is 40%, higher than that in complex medium. The maximum volumetric productivity of heparinase in the defined medium was increased to 1,475 U/liter per h, providing a 640-fold increase over that achieved by previously published methods. No rapid deactivation was observed. An examination of alternate inducers for heparinase showed that heparin degradation products, hyaluronic acid, heparin monosulfate, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and maltose, induce heparinase in complex medium. An Azure A assay was modified and fully developed to measure the heparin concentration during fermentation and the heparinase specific activity of crude extracts of F. heparinum obtained from sonication, thus negating the need for further purification to measure activity."     

Development of real-time PCR for the differential detection and quantification of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum

Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum are recently recognized species of the genus Ureaplasma. In humans, Ureaplasma spp. can be found on mucosal surfaces, primarily in the respiratory and urogenital tracts. They have been implicated in various human diseases such as nongonococcal urethritis, intrauterine infections in association with adverse pregnancy outcome and fetal morbidity, and pneumonitis in immunocompromised hosts. We have developed two quantitative real-time PCR assays to differentially detect U. parvum and U. urealyticum. Based upon the sequence information of the urease gene (ureB), we designed two TaqMan primer and probe combinations specific for U. parvum and U. urealyticum, respectively. The assays did not react with nucleic acid preparations from 16 bacterial species commonly encountered in relevant clinical specimens, including seven urease-producing species. Each assay had a detection limit of approximately five copies per reaction of the respective gene target. The results suggest that these assays are both sensitive and specific for U. parvum and U. urealyticum. Further investigation of both assays using clinical specimens is appropriate.