Enzymatic synthesis of formic acid from H2 and CO2 and production of hydrogen from formic acid

Whole cells of Alcaligenes eutrophus (as well as isolated P. oxalaticus formate dehydrogenase and A. eutrophus hydrogenase coupled via NAD(+) or methyl viologen) have been shown to produce H(2) from formic acid. Immobilization of the cells in kappacarrageenan gel greatly enhances their stability at room temperature. The rate of hydrogen production catalyzed by immobilized A. eutrophus has been studied as a function of the concentrations of the cells and formate and also pH. An inhibition by high concentrations of formate has been found. Immobilized cells were also capable of synthesizingformate from H(2) and bicarbonate. Yields of formate up to 30% have been obtained. The catalytic efficiency of immobilized A. eutrophus cells was compared with that of palladium adsorbed on activated carbon.     

Gelatinization with formic acid.

1. A study has been made of the gelatins obtained by treating a number of fresh and fossil collagens with dilute formic acid. 2. Compositions of their peptides separated by filtration through polyacrylamide gels has been established. 3. Solubilization results in the freeing of much aspartic acid and less glycine, the amounts being determined for the collagens investigated.     

甲酸生物利用的研究进展

利用微生物细胞工厂实现高效的原料利用和目标物质合成是合成生物学的重要研究方向之一。传统工业微生物主要以糖基类原料作为发酵底物,而发掘更为廉价的碳资源并实现其高效利用,值得探究。甲酸是重要的有机一碳资源,亦是基本有机化工原料之一,广泛应用于农药、皮革、染料、医药和橡胶等工业。近年来受产业需求波动的影响,甲酸生产面临产能过剩的困境,亟待发展新的转化路径来拓展和延伸相关产业链,而生物路线是重要方向之一。然而,天然的甲酸利用微生物普遍存在生长缓慢、甲酸代谢效率低以及分子工具匮乏造成遗传改造困难等问题,亟待改造和优化;而人工构建甲酸利用微生物的研究尚处于起始阶段,存在极大的发展空间,值得关注。文中对近年来甲酸生物利用的研究进展进行了梳理和总结,并对今后的研究重点和方向提出建议。     

Uracil in formic acid hydrolysates of deoxyribonucleic acid

1. When DNA is hydrolysed with formic acid for 30min. at 175 degrees and the hydrolysate is chromatographed on paper with propan-2-ol-2n-hydrochloric acid, in addition to expected ultraviolet-absorbing spots corresponding to guanine, adenine, cytosine and thymine, an ultraviolet-absorbing region with R(F) similar to that of uracil can be detected. Uracil was separated from this region and identified by its spectra in acid and alkali, and by its R(F) in several solvent systems. 2. Cytosine, deoxyribocytidine and deoxyribocytidylic acid similarly treated with formic acid all yielded uracil, as did a mixture of deoxyribonucleotides. 3. Approx. 4% of deoxyribonucleotide cytosine was converted into uracil by the formic acid treatment.     

A specific microbial sensor for formic acid

Summary A microbial sensor consisting of immobilized Clostridium butyricum, two gas permeable Teflon membranes and fuel cell type electrode was suitable for the determination of formic acid. When the sensor was inserted into the sample solution containing formic acid, the current increases to a steady state with a response time of 20 min. The relationship between the steady state current and the formic acid concentration is linear up to 1 000 mg l^–1. The currents are reproducible with an average relative error of 5%. Selectivity of the sensor is satisfactory. Results obtained with this sensor and by gas chromatography were in good agreement (regression coefficient; 0.98) when the cultivation medium of Aeromonas formicans was employed. Immobilized Clostridium butyricum is stable for more than 20 days.     

Oxidation of methanol,formaldehyde and formic acid by methanol-utilizing yeast

Methanol-utilizing yeast,Candida boidini 11 Bh, characterized by high tolerance to methanol during growth, displays even higher tolerance when the oxidation rate by intact cells is tested. Low respiration activity is found even at 22% v/v of methanol. The half-saturation constant was 17–18mM. The half-saturation constants for the two oxidation intermediates, formaldehyde and formic acid were 3.6–4.0 and 30–33mM, respectively. When applied together with standard concentration of methanol, very low concentrations of both intermediates stimulated the oxidation rate. These results are discussed in connection with the relationship between growth and oxidation, the tolerance to high concentrations of inhibitory products and the mechanism of inhibition.