Removal of chromium by mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum

Polysaccharides bound to bacteria or in isolated form have been shown to bind heavy metals. A limitation of this technology can be overcome by immobilization. In view of this Ocimum basilicum seeds which swell upon wetting could serve as natural immobilized source of agriculturally-based polysaccharides. The seeds consist of an inner hard core and a pectinous fibrillar outer layer. Pretreating the seeds with acid, alkali, periodate or boiling in water was found to alter the metal binding capacity. Of the various treatments given, seeds boiled in water were found to be superior in terms of mechanical stability and exhibited fairly optimal Cr(VI) uptake kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity as calculated from the Langmuir isotherm was 205 mg Cr/g dry seeds. Biosorption of Cr(VI) was found to be pH dependent with maximum uptake at pH 1.5 wherein sorption was not affected by the presence of other metal ions such as Cd(2+), Cu(2+), Ca(2+) and Na(+). Seeds were used in a packed bed reactor for the continuous removal of Cr(VI). Thus O. basilicum seeds may have application as a potential bioresource in tropical countries such as India where they are widely available.     

河南栽培罗勒和丁香罗勒的香气成分差异分析

目的:分析河南栽培罗勒(Ocimum basilicum L.)和丁香罗勒(Ocimum gratissimum L.)成龄叶香气成分的差异。方法:于2015年7月在云南师范大学呈贡校区随机采取长势健壮、无病虫害的河南栽培罗勒和丁香罗勒的成龄叶(自下而上第5、6片叶),采用气相色谱-质谱联用(GC-MS)进行检测;根据峰面积归一化法测定各个组分的相对百分含量。结果:河南栽培罗勒中检出24种香气物质,丁香罗勒中有26种。其中,1,3-二甲氧基苯、石竹烯、乙苯等是2种罗勒共有的主要香气成分。香叶醛、β-蒎烯、薄荷二烯是河南罗勒的主要特有香味成分;蒿脑、桉树脑及异龙脑是丁香罗勒的特有成分。结论:河南栽培罗勒和丁香罗勒种的叶片中香气成分的种类和含量存在明显差异。     

罗勒籽脂肪酸及其对蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酯酶1B(PTP1B)抑制作用的研究

利用索氏提取法提取罗勒籽油,向罗勒籽油加入氢氧化钾甲醇溶液后并用水浴加热,加入正已烷和蒸馏水萃取,上清液即为罗勒籽油中脂肪酸,用气相色谱质谱法(CC/MS)对脂肪酸进行鉴定.共鉴定出了4种脂肪酸,其中α-亚麻酸为62.88％、亚油酸为20.66％、棕榈酸为10.67％、硬脂酸为5.79％.对罗勒籽脂肪酸进行PTP1B的抑制作用研究,结果表明脂肪酸对PTP1B有较强的抑制作用,其IC50为11.12 μg/mL.该研究为深入研究罗勒籽的药理作用提供了科学依据.     

Inhibitory effects of essential oils from Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum on Colletotrichum musae: The causal agent of bananas anthracnose

This study aimed to investigate the fungicidal effects of essential oils (EO) from Ocimum sp. on Colletotrichum musae. The fungus was isolated from bananas that showed typical symptoms of anthracnose followed by molecular identification. Oils were obtained by hydro‐distillation, and the chemical constituents were analysed using gas chromatography. The antifungal activity of the oils was tested in vitro against mycelia growth and conidia germination. In situ tests were carried out by spraying the oil on healthy bananas followed by the inoculation with C. musae conidia and the assessment of the necrosis symptoms. The obtained results revealed that the yield of the oil extracted from Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum were 0.17% and 0.40%, respectively. Thujanol (24.38%), eugenol (23.78%) and (Z)‐ß‐ocimene (16.59%) were the main components found in O. basilicum while thymol (42.65%), trans‐sabinene hydrate (21.63%) and limonene (8.68%) were the major components found in O. gratissimum. The total reduction in the C. musae mycelial growth was observed at 800 and 275 µl/L, for the O. basilicum and O. gratissimum oils, respectively. These oils also inhibited completely the conidia germination at 400 and 185 µl/L. In situ tests showed the necrosis reduction bananas anthracnose. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the preventive and curative test after the application of O. basilicum oil was 6,000 and 4,000 µl/L, respectively, whereas for the O. gratissimum oil, the MIC was 3,000 and 1,000 µl/L, jointly. Positive correlations were identified between the oil concentration and the reduction in bananas necrosis. These results indicated that the O. gratissimum EOs might be used as a biocide for the control of bananas anthracnose disease.     

Chemical Characterization of basil (Ocimum Spp.) found in the markets and used in traditional medicine in Brazil

Ocimum species are used both in Brazilian traditional medicine against bronchitis, coughs, and sorethroat, and in foods and flavorings. The traditional uses of basil in Brazil are reviewed and fourteen accessions of basil, O. americanum (1), O. basilicum (3), O. campechianum (3), O. gratissimum (5), and O. selloi (2) were collected and brought from Brazil to the USA and grown at Purdue University. Upon flowering, the volatile oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and chemically analyzed by GC/ MS. Accessions ofO. gratissimum showed high eugenol (40-66%) and high thymol (31%), as a relative percentage of total volatile oil. Ocimum campechianum accessions showed high 1,8-cineole (62%) and ß-caryophyllene (78.7%). Accessions of O. basilicum were found to be rich in 1,8-cineole (22%), linalool (49.7%), methyl chavicol (47%) or methyl (E)-cinnamate (65.5%). An O. americanum var. americanum accession showed high methyl (E)-cinnamate (>90%). Volatile oils of O. basilicum and O. gratissimum naturalized in Brazil reflected the range of chemotypes found in their country of origin. Unusual basils from other Ocimum species were identified that can serve as genetic sources of aroma chemicals for crop improvement.     

Biosorption of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum

Mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum were used in uptake studies with cesium-137 and strontium-90. Results showed that uptake was dependent on the structural integrity of the mucilage fibrils. Water imbibed seeds showed higher adsorption of both 137Cs and 90Sr in comparison to seeds pretreated with NaOH, HCl and Na-periodate solution. The uptake was pH dependent and while some divalent metal ions had no or little detrimental effect, the alkali metal ions Li+, Na+ and K+ decreased the uptake. The maximum adsorption capacity was 160 mg cesium g(-1) and 247 mg strontium g(-1) seed dry weight.     

Production of limonoate A-ring lactone by immobilized limonin D-ring lactone hydrolase

Summary Limonin D-ring lactone hydrolase, the enzyme catalysing the reversible lactonization/hydrolysis of D-ring in limonin, has been purified from Citrus seeds and immobilized on Q-Sepharose to produce homogeneous limonoate A-ring lactone solutions. The immobilized limonin D-ring lactone hydrolase showed a good operational stability and was stable after sixty-seventy operations and storing at 4°C for six months.     

Covalent immobilization of the multienzyme enniatin synthetase

Summary The multienzyme enniatin synthetase was covalently immobilized to N-hydroxysuccinimide activated agarose. The stability of the immobilized enzyme at 25°C was enhanced compared to the soluble enzyme. Immobilization experiments also indicated that the enniatins are synthesized by a single molecule and thus do not require interactions of several enzyme molecules.     

Fungal Pathogens Associated with Banana Fruit in Sri Lanka,and their Treatment with Essential Oils

The crown rot pathogens isolated from banana samples collected from 12 localities in Sri Lanka were Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Fusarium proliferatum and Colletotrichum musae. Fungal pathogens isolated were able to cause crown rot disease alone or in combination. Disease severity was higher when combinations of virulent pathogens were used. Cymbopogon nardus and Ocimum basilicum oils displayed fungicidal activity against C. musae and F. proliferatum between 0.2-0.6% (v/v) in a Poisoned food bioassay. Slightly lower concentrations of the test oils were needed for similar activity during liquid bioassays. The combination of Cymbopogon nardus and O. basilicum oils demonstrated synergistic action during both in-vivo bioassays.     

桂产罗勒挥发油化学成分的分析

采用GC-MS法建立桂产罗勒挥发油的化学成分分析方法。采用水蒸汽蒸馏法提取罗勒挥发油,用GC-MS联用技术分离并鉴定其成分,并用面积归一化法测定成分的相对含量。共鉴定出54个化合物,占挥发油总量的90.21%。桂产罗勒挥发油的主要成分是对烯丙基茴香醚、(+)表-双环倍半水芹烯、3,7,11-三甲基-(Z,E)-1,3,6,10-十二碳四烯,与文献报道的其他产地的罗勒油的化学成分存在显著差异。     

Anthocyanins of Basil Leaves: Determination and Preparation of Dried Encapsulated Forms

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - The anthocyanin composition of five purple leaves cultivars of Ocimum basilicum L. was investigated by reversed-phase HPLC with mass-spectrometric...     

Immobilization and stabilization of α-galactosidase on Sepabeads EC-EA and EC-HA

α-Galactosidase from tomato has been immobilized on Sepabead EC-EA and Sepabead EC-HA, which were activated with ethylendiamino and hexamethylenediamino groups, respectively. Two strategy was used for the covalent immobilization of α-galactosidase on the aminated Sepabeads: covalent immobilization of enzyme on glutaraldehyde activated support and cross-linking of the adsorbed enzymes on to the support with glutaraldehyde. By using these two methods, all the immobilized enzymes retained very high activity and the stability of the enzyme was also improved. The obtained results showed that, the most stable immobilized α-galactosidase was obtained with the second strategy. The immobilized enzymes were characterized with respect to free counterpart. Some parameters effecting to the enzyme activity and stability were also analyzed. The optimum temperature and pH were found as 60 °C and pH 5.5 for all immobilized enzymes, respectively. All the immobilized α-galactosidases were more thermostable than the free enzyme at 50 °C. The stabilities of the Sepabead EC-EA and EC-HA adsorbed enzymes treated with glutaraldehyde compared to the stability of the free enzyme were a factor of 6 for Sepabead EC-EA and 5.3 for Sepabead EC-HA. Both the free and immobilized enzymes were very stable between pH 3.0 and 6.0 and more than 85% of the initial activities were recovered. Under the identical storage conditions the free enzyme lost its initial activity more quickly than the immobilized enzymes at the same period of time. The immobilized α-galactosidase seems to fulfill the requirements for different industrial applications.     

The effect of stratification temperatures on the level of dormancy in primary and secondary dormant seeds of two <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carex</Emphasis> species

The effect of temperature on the level of dormancy of primary and secondary dormant Carex pendula and Carex remota seeds was investigated. Primary dormant and secondary dormant seeds were stratified for 4 weeks at 5, 11, 13, and 15 °C, respectively, and tested for germination at 15/5 °C in light. To obtain secondary dormant seeds, primary dormant seeds were stratified at 5 °C and afterwards at 25 °C for 4 weeks. Germination tests were carried out in water and in 25 μmol KNO₃-solution to examine differences in sensitivity to nitrate between seeds relieved from primary and secondary dormancy. In both species, seeds with primary and with induced secondary dormancy showed no significant differences in germination. The two sedges showed significant differences in the effect of stratification temperatures between primary and secondary dormant seeds. Primary dormant seeds of C. pendula showed high germination (>80%) in nitrate-solution after stratification at all temperatures, while only temperatures of 5, 11, and 13 °C led to higher germination in nitrate-solution in secondary dormant seeds. Germination percentages of primary and of secondary dormant C. pendula seeds in water increased to a higher extent only after stratification at 5 and 11 °C; stratification of 11 °C was more effective in secondary than in primary dormant seeds. The only temperature that relieved primary dormancy in C. remota seeds was 5 °C where germination in water and nitrate-solution was >90%. Germination of secondary dormant seeds was increased by stratification at 11 °C independent of the test solution but higher germination after stratification at 13 °C occurred only in nitrate-solution. The results support the existence of physiological differences in the regulation of primary and secondary dormancy by temperature, and in the reaction of nitrate, at least in C. remota.     

Hydrolysis of lactose by β-galactosidase immobilized in polyvinylalcohol

Summary Fungal -galactosidase was immobilized in polyvinylalcohol gel formed in pores of contton material. Temperature and pH effects on the activity of free and immobilized enzymes were studied. The optimum temperatures of free and immobilized enzymes were 60° C and 55° C respectively. The pH optimum ranged from 4.5 to 5.0 for both enzymes. The thermal stability of the immobilized -galactosidase was slightly higher. The K_m values for soluble and immobilized enzymes were respectively 1.9 mM and 2.5 mM. The optimization of conditions for a highly effective hydrolysis of 4% lactose solution and reusability of the immobilized enzyme resulted in 75% hydrolysis after 5–6 h. The degree of conversion decreased to 50% after 30 repeated runs. The capacity of the immobilized enzyme to hydrolyze lactose in whey was also studied.     

Heat Shock Induced Lipid Changes and Solute Leakage in Germinating Seeds of Pigeonpea

Heat shock (HS) reduced total lipid and phospholipid contents and their synthesis in germinating seeds of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh]. Lipid peroxidation was also enhanced with increasing temperature and HS duration. HS influenced lipid metabolism to a higher extent at 45°C than at 40°C. This altered lipid metabolism and lipid peroxidation was associated with the loss of various solutes from the germinating seeds, and modification of growth and development. Pretreatment of germinating seeds at 40°C for 1 h or at 45°C for 10 min followed by incubation at 28°C for 3 h prior to 45°C for 2 h ameliorated solute leakage due to reduced lipid peroxidation and improvement in lipid content and membrane function.     

Fiber entrapment of naringinase from Penicillium sp. and application to fruit juice debittering

Naringinase from Penicillium sp. was immobilized on cellulose triacetate by the fiber entrapment method. Although the optimum pH (3.7) and optimum temperature (55°C) of the fiber-entrapped enzyme were similar to those of the native form, the immobilized enzyme had better heat stability. Kinetic studies showed that the immobilized enzyme had higher K_m values than its native form. When this immobilized naringinase was successively used in a column reactor for the hydrolysis of ρ-nitrophenyl-α-l-rhamnoside or naringin in a simulated fruit juice system or grapefruit juice, the enzyme column could be operated with satisfactory stability. In addition, when the natural grapefruit juice was recycled through the column reactor, no column blocking or filtering action of the catalyst bed was observed.     

绿罗勒、莴苣罗勒和大叶罗勒的精油成分分析

该研究采用固相微萃取法(SPEM)和气相色谱-质谱联用技术(GC-MS),分析绿罗勒、莴苣罗勒和大叶罗勒精油的化学成分。结果表明:从绿罗勒(Ocimum basilicum‘Green’)中鉴定出40种化学成分;从莴苣罗勒(O.basilicum‘Lettuce’)中鉴定出26个化学成分;从大叶罗勒(O.basilicum var.majus)中鉴定出36个化学成分。绿罗勒、莴苣罗勒和大叶罗勒精油中共有的香味物质为芳樟醇、[1S-(1à,4à,7à)]-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-八氢-1,4-二甲基-7-(1-甲基乙烯基)-甘菊环烃]和榄香烯。从绿罗勒、莴苣罗勒和大叶罗勒精油检测到的主要成分中发现,绿罗勒和大叶罗勒同为芳樟醇,化学型同为芳樟醇型;莴苣罗勒为桉树脑,化学型为桉树脑型。此外,还对绿罗勒、莴苣罗勒和大叶罗勒精油化学型的差异进行了分析,对罗勒精油的应用前景进行了展望。     

Invertase in Immobilized Cells of Eschscholtzia Californica

Cell suspension culture of Eschscholtzia californica Cham. were permeabilized by Tween 20 or 80, and immobilized by glutaraldehyde. The highest invertase activity was at pH 4.5 and temperature 50 °C. The hydrolysis of the substrate was linear for 5 h reaching 60 % conversion. The cells had high invertase activity and a good stability, and in long-term storage they showed convenient physico-mechanical properties.     

Immobilization of rat erythrocytes for aflatoxicol production

Summary A modified procedure for preparing alginate gel was developed and used to entrap rat erythrocytes. The immobilized erythrocytes showed high enzyme activity for the reduction of aflatoxin B₁ to aflatoxicol. The production of aflatoxicol from aflatoxin B₁ by immobilized erythrocytes was studied for over 3 weeks and the half-life of such a preparation was shown to be about 10 days. The immobilized erythrocytes can be repeatedly used at 37° C for the batch-wise mode of aflatoxicol production without substantial loss of enzyme activity. Haemolysis of immobilized erythrocytes was not observed upon prolonged storage at 4° C. As compared with free erythrocytes, the immobilized erythrocytes were more temperature resistant at 40° C incubation.Part of this work was presented on ROC-Japan Seminar on Applied Microbiology and Enzymology held in Taipei, Republic of China, on March 8, 1984     

Polyelectrolyte complex formation mediated immobilization of chitosan-invertase neoglycoconjugate on pectin-coated chitin

Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase, chemically modified with chitosan, was immobilized on pectin-coated chitin support via polyelectrolyte complex formation. The yield of immobilized enzyme protein was determined as 85% and the immobilized biocatalyst retained 97% of the initial chitosan-invertase activity. The optimum temperature for invertase was increased by 10 °C and its thermostability was enhanced by about 10 °C after immobilization. The immobilized enzyme was stable against incubation in high ionic strength solutions and was 4-fold more resistant to thermal treatment at 65 °C than the native counterpart. The biocatalyst prepared retained 96 and 95% of the original catalytic activity after ten cycles of reuse and 74 h of continuous operational regime in a packed bed reactor, respectively.