A red pigment produced by aerobic sporeforming bacteria

Summary The production of an extracellular, water-insoluble, red pigment by strains of Bacillus cereus, B. circulans, B. licheniformis, B. macerans, and B. subtilis was found to be dependent on the presence of iron in the medium. B. cereus (strain TS) produced approximately 13 mg of pigment per gram of cells (dry weight), the pigment being formed during growth and not accumulating when growth ceased. Pigment-less mutants were usually present in pigmented cultures, their frequency increasing as the cultures aged. The absorption spectra (UV and visible regions) of pigments from representatives of the above-mentioned species were identical, with a maximum at approximately 385 and one at 490 m. These spectra were remarkably similar to that of pulcherrimin, a red, iron-containing pigment produced by the yeast Candida pulcherrima.The pigment from B. cereus TS was purified by treatment with alkaline methanol, followed by precipitation with acid in the presence of excess FeCl₃. Chemical analysis of the purified pigment indicated that it consisted of a ferric complex of substituted pyrazine rings with isobutyl groups bound to positions 2 and 5. The structure of the bacterial pigment was found to be essentially identical with that of pulcherrimin, the degree of chelation in the former being less extensive than in the latter. The name pulcherrimin a is proposed for the pigment produced by B. cereus TS.     

Production and properties of inulinase from Penicillium sp. NFCC 2768 grown on inulin-rich vegetal infusions

Inulinase production by Penicillium sp. NFCC 2768 isolated from the rhizosphere soil of dahlia was studied on media containing inulin-rich plant extracts. The maximum inulinase activity (64.54 nkat/ml) was observed with the tuber extract of dahlia (Dahlia pinnata). The fungus produced substantial inulinase activity on asparagus root powder (45.23 nkat/ml) and garlic extracts (41.32 nkat/ml). The apparent molecular weight of the purified inulinase was 68 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 5.0 and 50°C, respectively. Mn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ were found to enhance the inulinase activity, while Hg²⁺ was found to be a strong inhibitor. Inulinase liberated fructose, glucose, sucrose, kestose (GF₂), nystose (GF₃), and inulooligosaccharides (IOS). This study suggested the use of dahlia tuber extract and asparagus root powder as suitable substrates for inulinase production by the newly isolated Penicillium sp. NFCC 2768, and its application in the generation of fructose and IOS.     

Production,purification and characterization of pectinase from a Bacillus sp. DT7

A soil isolate, Bacillus sp. DT7 has been found to produce significant amounts of an extracellular pectinase subsequently characterized as pectin lyase (EC 4.2.2.10). By optimizing growth conditions, Bacillus sp. DT7 produced higher amount of pectin lyase (53 units/ml) than that has been reported in the literature. Using gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography, this enzyme was purified and found to have a molecular mass of 106 kDa. The purified enzyme exhibited maximal activity at a temperature of 60 C and pH 8.0. The presence of 100 mM concentrations of CaCl₂ and mercaptoethanol significantly enhanced pectinase activity of the purified enzyme. This pectinase has tremendous applications in textile industry, plant tissue maceration and fruit juice wastewater treatments.     

Purification and characterization of an endoxylanase from the culture broth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus cereus</Emphasis> BSA1

An extracellular xylanase from the fermented broth of Bacillus cereus BSA1 was purified and characterized. The enzyme was purified to 3.43 fold through ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE cellulose chromatography and followed by gel filtration through Sephadex-G-100 column. The molecular mass of the purified xylanse was about 33 kDa. The enzyme was an endoxylanase as it initially degraded xylan to xylooligomers. The purified enzyme showed optimum activity at 55°C and at pH 7.0 and remained reasonably stable in a wide range of pH (5.0–8.0) and temperature (40–65°C). The K _m and V _max values were found to be 8.2 mg/ml and 181.8 μmol/(min mg), respectively. The enzyme had no apparent requirement of cofactors, and its activity was strongly inhibited by Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺. It was also a salt tolerant enzyme and stable upto 2.5 M of NaCl and retained its 85% activity at 3.0 M. For stability and substrate binding, the enzyme needed hydrophobic interaction that revealed when most surfactants inhibited xylanase activity. Since the enzyme was active over wide range of pH, temperature and remained active in higher salt concentration, it could find potential uses in biobleaching process in paper industries.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> Protein Cry6B (BGSC ID 4D8) is Toxic to Larvae of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypera postica</Emphasis>

Insecticidal proteins produced by strains of Bacillus thuringenesis are specific toward target pests. One of the Bt proteins, Cry 1Ac has been used successfully for controlling crop predation by polyphagous pests Helicoverpa armigera. Structurally, Bt proteins consist of three domains; domain I and III are fairly homologous in various Bt proteins while domain II is hypervariable. The hypervariable domain II is believed to be responsible for specificity toward target pest. Successful deployment of Bt proteins requires knowledge of its specificity toward the insect. Various Bt proteins have been characterized for activity against coleopteran pests. Some Bt proteins of class Cry6 have been found to be active against potato weevil. We have evaluated the activity of Cry6B protein (BGSC-4D8) against lucerne weevil, Hypera postica, which is a major pest of forage crop Medicago sativa. Results revealed that the purified Cry6B protein is significantly active against the coleopteran pest with LC₅₀ value 280 ng/μl. The leaves coated with the purified Cry6 toxin were three times less damaged as compared with the negative control.     

NTBC Treatment of the Pyomelanogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolate PA1111 Inhibits Pigment Production and Increases Sensitivity to Oxidative Stress

Pyomelanin is a brown/black extracellular pigment with antioxidant and iron acquisition properties that is produced by a number of different bacteria. Production of pyomelanin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to increased resistance to oxidative stress and persistence in chronic infections. We demonstrate that pyomelanin production can be inhibited by 2-[2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzoyl]-1,3-cyclohexanedione (NTBC). This treatment increases sensitivity of pyomelanogenic P. aeruginosa strains to oxidative stress, without altering the growth rate or resistance to aminoglycosides. As such, NTBC has potential to function as an anti-virulence factor in treating pyomelanogenic bacterial infections.     

Carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium requires Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and calcineurin

Background  

Inside bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) retinal pigment epithelial cells, pigment granules move in response to extracellular signals. During the process of aggregation, pigment motility is directed toward the cell nucleus; in dispersion, pigment is directed away from the nucleus and into long apical processes. A number of different chemicals have been found to initiate dispersion, and carbachol (an acetylcholine analog) is one example. Previous research indicates that the carbachol-receptor interaction activates a G_q-mediated pathway which is commonly linked to Ca²⁺ mobilization. The purpose of the present study was to test for involvement of calcium and to probe calcium-dependent mediators to reveal their role in carbachol-mediated dispersion.     

Production of Indole Acetic Acid in Culture by a Rhizobium Species from the Root Nodules of a Monocotyledonous Tree,Roystonea regia

The study of the rhizobial root nodules of the monocotyledonous tree Roystonea regia revealed that the Rhizobium sp. isolated from the root nodules produced high amounts (45.6 μg/ml) of indole acetic acid (IAA) from L‐tryptophan supplemented basal medium. The IAA production reached its optimum using 3 mg/ml of L‐tryptophan. The preferred carbon and nitrogen sources were glucose and KNO₃ and the optimum concentrations 1% and 0.02%, respectively. FeSO₄ × 7 H₂O was found to be the only metal ion that increased IAA production. An optimum IAA production was also achieved when the basal medium was supplemented with glucose (1%), FeSO₄ × 7 H₂O (10 μg/ml), KNO₃ (0.02%) as well as EDTA (5 μg/ml) and L‐tryptophan (3 mg/ml). The possible role of IAA production in the monocotyledonous tree‐Rhizobium symbiosis is discussed. Hormone production is shown to be the beneficial aspect of this symbiosis as shown earlier in dicotyledonous plants.     

Identification of an Arylphorin-type Storage Protein in the Sweet Potato Hornworm, Agrius convolvuli

A major hemolymph protein (M_r 480,000) in the larvae of the sweet potato hornworm, Agrius convolvuli, was purified and characterized. This protein was isolated with a high yield from the hemolymph of day 3 fifth final instar larvae by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Phenyl-Sepharose and Q-Sepharose column chromatographies. The protein has two subunits, an M_r 84,000 subunit (α) and an M_r 80,000 subunit (β), and the native protein was composed of a heterohexamer (α₃β₃). The two subunits have similar amino acid compositions, with high contents of aromatic amino acids (about 15% phenylalanine plus tyrosine) and low levels of methionine. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of both subunits showed high homologies with insect arylphorin-type storage proteins. The protein concentration in the hemolymph increased steeply from day 3 final instar larva and reached a maximum level of 42 mg/ml in females and 41 mg/ml in males among wandering larvae. The concentration in the hemolymph declined once during the larval–pupal transformation but remained high during the early–mid pupal period and almost disappeared after adult emergence. These quantitative changes were the same for males and females. Based on these characteristics, we identified the hemolymph protein as an arylphorin-type storage protein.     

l-Serine production by a methylotroph and its related enzymes

The production process of l-serine from methanol and glycine has been developed using a methylotroph with the serine pathway. Consecutive reactions of two enzymes, methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) and serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) are involved in the production. We screened a high producer, Hyphomicrobium methylovorum, which is an obligate methylotroph. With resting cells of the bacterium, 24 mg/ml of l-serine was produced from 100 mg/ml of glycine and 48 mg/ml of methanol in 3 days under optimal conditions. Next, a glycine-resistant mutant GM2 showed improved serine production (32–34 mg/ml). The mutant GM2 was found to have elevated activities of MDH and SHMT. Since there has so far been little report on the systematic characterization of enzymes of the serine pathway in methylotrophs, not only the above two enzymes but also the other three enzymes in H. methylovorum were purified and characterized: MDH, SHMT and hydroxypyruvate reductase (HPR) were crystallized; serine-glyoxylate aminotransferase (SGAT) and glycerate kinase (GK) were purified to homogeneity. As a result, all these enzymes were found to be stable against preservation and to exist abundantly in the bacterium. The gene of SHMT was cloned and its deduced amino acid sequence had homology to those of Escherichia coli (55%) and rabbit liver (44%), whereas the enzyme of the bacterium was immunochemically distinguishable from those of microorganisms other than Hyphomicrobium strains and mammalian livers. Correspondence to: Y. Izumi     

Characterization and antifungal activity of the yellow pigment produced by a Bacillus sp. DBS4 isolated from the lichen Dirinaria agealita

This study emphasis the production of yellow pigment from endolichenic Bacillus sp. isolated from the lichen Dirinaria aegialita (Afzel. ex Ach.) B.J. Moore. Yellow pigment-producing twenty different strains were investigated. The hyperactive pigment-producing bacterial strain was identified as Bacillus gibsonii based on 99 % sequence similarity. Maximum bacterial pigment production appeared in Luria Bertani medium. Methanol extraction of the pigment and its partial purification using TLC was carried out. Furthermore, isolated pigments were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and GC-MS results related to the possibility of the carotenoid occurrence. The pigment also exhibited efficient antifungal activity against selected fungal pathogens of economic importance. Likewise, the pigment extract evaluated for the total antioxidant potential using Phosphomolybdenum and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay and the results represented in Ascorbic Acid Equivalent (AAE)- 21.45 ± 1.212 mg/mL. The SC₅₀ of the pigment extract found to be 75.125 ± 0.18 µg/ml determined by the ABTS assay.     

Rapid label-free detection of E. coli using a novel SPR biosensor containing a fragment of tail protein from phage lambda

Abstract

In efforts to speed up the assessment of microorganisms, researchers have sought to use bacteriophages as a biosensing tool, due to their host-specificity, wide abundance, and safety. However, the lytic cycle of the phage has limited its efficacy as a biosensor. Here, we cloned a fragment of tail protein J from phage lambda and characterized its binding with the host, E. coli K-12, and other microorganism. The N-terminus of J was fused with a His-tag (6HN-J), overexpressed, purified, and characterized using anti-His monoclonal antibodies. The purified protein demonstrated a size of ～38?kDa upon SDS-PAGE and bound with the anti-His monoclonal antibodies. ELISA, dot blot, and TEM data revealed that it specifically bound to E. coli K-12, but not to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The observed protein binding occurred over a concentration range of 0.01–5?μg/ml and was found to inhibit the in vivo adsorption of phage to host cells. This specific binding was exploited by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to generate a novel 6HN-J-functionalized SPR biosensor. This biosensor showed rapid label-free detection of E. coli K-12 in the range of 2?×?10⁴ ?2?×?10⁹ CFU/ml, and exhibited a lower detection limit of 2?×?10⁴ CFU/ml.     

An extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate depolymerase in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermus thermophilus</Emphasis> HB8

The thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB8 has been characterized as a polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-degrading microorganism since it grows efficiently and forms clear zones on agar plates containing PHB as sole carbon source. T. thermophilus extracellular PHB depolymerase was purified to homogeneity using an affinity chromatography protocol. The purified enzyme was estimated to have an apparent molecular mass of 42 kDa. The extracellular PHB depolymerase gene was identified as the TTHA0199 gene product of T. thermophilus HB8. The amino acid sequence of the TTHA0199 gene product shared significant homologies to other carboxylesterases. A catalytic triad was identified consisting of S₁₈₃, E₃₁₀, and H₄₀₅. A pentapeptide sequence (GX₁SX₂G) exists within the molecule, characteristic for PHB depolymerases (lipase box) and for other serine hydrolases. Purified extracellular PHB depolymerase was stable at high temperatures with an optimum activity at pH 8.0. The apparent Km value of the purified enzyme for PHB was 53 μg/ml. As the main product of the enzymic hydrolysis of PHB, the monomer 3-hydroxybutyrate was identified, suggesting that the enzyme acts principally as an exo-type hydrolase.     

Purification,Characterization and Gene Analysis of N-Acetylglucosaminidase from Enterobacter sp. G-1

Enterobacter sp. G-1 is a bacterium isolated previously as a chitinase-producing bacterium. We found this bacterium also produced N-acetylglucosaminidase and characterized that in this study. Extracellular N-acetylglucosaminidase of 92.0 kDa was purified near homogeneity by 8.57-fold from Enterobacter sp. G-1. The optimum temperature and the optimum pH of the purified N-acetylglucosaminidase was 45°C and 6.0, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of 23 residues of N-acetylglucosaminidase was identified. Based on the N-terminal sequence, we amplified pieces of the DNA fragments by PCR. Using these PCR products as probes, we screened the genomic library and successfully isolated the entire N-acetyl-glucosaminidase gene (designated nag1) from Enterobacter sp. G-1. The nucleotide sequence of the nag1 gene was found to consist of 2,655 bp encoding a protein of 885 amino acid residues. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence from the nag1 gene found 97.3% identity with chitobiase from Serratia marcescens, 54.4% identity with N,N′-diacetylchitobiase from Vibrio harveyi, and 42.7% identity with N-acetylglucosaminidase (ExoI) from Vibrio furnissii. Enzymatic activity assay of N-acetylglucosaminidase indicated stronger activity toward PNP-GlcNAc than PNP-(GlcNAc)₂ or PNP-(GlcNAc)₃.     

OCCURRENCE OF PHYIWATED CHLOROPHYLL c IN ISOCHRYSIS GALBANA AND ISOCHRYSIS SP. (CLONE T-ISO) (PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE)1

The pigment composition of two clones of Isochrysis galbana Parke (CCMP 1323 and CCAP 927/1), and Isochrysis sp. (clone T-ISO) was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography using a polymeric octadecylsilica column. Fluorescent peaks with retention times higher than chlorophyll a were detected for all three clones. The corresponding pigments were isolated and characterized in terms of their visible absorbance and fluorescence spectra. The pigments were similar to phytol-substituted chlorophyll c, previously isolated from Emiliania huxleyi (Lohm.) Hay and Mohler and other species containing chlmophyll c₃. The presence of phytol-substituted chlorophyll c in I. galbana which lacked chlorophyll c₃, increases the diversity of chlorophyll patterns for the Haptophyta, which can be grouped, at present, into six different pigment types. This is the jrst observation of a haptophyte containing the apolar phytylated chlorophyll c-like pigment but lacking chlorophyll c₃.     

Pertussis toxin blocks melatonin-induced pigment aggregation inXenopus dermal melanophores

Summary The molecular mechanism of action for the pineal hormone melatonin was explored by testing melatonin interaction with the components of the hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase complex in aXenopus dermal melanophore bioassay. Forskolin was employed to stimulate melanosome dispersion. The ability of melatonin to reverse forskolin-stimulated pigment dispersion was assessed, as was the effect of pertussis toxin on the ability of melatonin to aggregate dispersed pigment.Forskolin elicited dispersal of melanosomes in a dose dependent manner (EC₅₀=12 nM) in meninges from stage 52–56 tadpoles ofXenopus laevis. Maximal pigment dispersion was obtained with 100 nM forskolin. Melatonin reversed this effect of forskolin (EC₅₀=1.5 nM), causing pigment aggregation. Pertussis toxin blocked the melatonin-induced aggregation (EC₅₀=358 ng/ml).Prior treatment of the melanophore containing meningeal explants with pertussis toxin results in blockade of melatonin induced pigment aggregation. A 41 kDa pertussis toxin substrate is found in explant homogenates treated with³²P-NAD and pertussis toxin. The availability of this substrate is reduced by prior treatment of intact explants with pertussis toxin and depletion of melatonin responsiveness corresponds to depletion of the 41 kDa substrate. Together, these data suggest that melatonin action upon amphibian dermal melanosomes is mediated by a system requiring a protein similar to the regulatory protein Ni used by mammalian cells to mediate the action of hormones which inhibit adenylate cyclase through a cell surface receptor.Abbreviations MI melanophore index - MSH melanocyte stimulating hormone - FCS fetal calf serum     

Development and validation of a sensitive method for the determination of ganciclovir in human plasma samples by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid, sensitive, specific liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of therapeutic levels of ganciclovir in human plasma. Plasma (1 ml) and acyclovir (I.S.) were treated with 50% trichloroacetic acid. The supernatant was neutralized with 2 M NaOH and purified with chloroform. The aqueous phase (80 μl) was analyzed by a 3-μm Hypersil ODS C₁₈ column with 0.04 M triethylamine–0.1 M sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate as the mobile phase (1 ml/min) and ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. Calibration was linear from 50 to 10 000 ng/ml. Intra- and inter-day C.V. did no exceed 6.65%. The detection limit was about 10 ng/ml.     

Hyperactivation and thermostabilization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phanerochaete chrysosporium</Emphasis> lignin peroxidase by immobilization in xerogels

This is a continuation of our previous paper on production of lignin peroxidase (LiP) by Phanerochaete chrysosporium in solid substrate fermentation (SSF) medium of corncobs. The enzyme was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and ion-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography. Maximum yield of LiP was 13.7 U/gds (units per gram dry substrate) after 5 days of SSF with 70% moisture and 20% (v/w) inoculum. The approximate molecular mass of purified LiP, estimated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was 38 kDa. The pH and temperature optima for the LiP were 4 and 40°C, respectively. Immobilization of LiP in hydrophobic xerogels caused hyperactivation of LiP and enhanced its thermostability properties. The K _M and V _max values for immobilized LiP were 10.56 mg/ml and 16.67 μmol/min (120.49 U/mg of protein) as compared to 13 mg/ml and 11.76 μmol/min (85 U/mg of protein), respectively, for free LiP using veratryl alcohol as substrate.     

Purification and characterization of bacterial aryl alcohol oxidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphingobacterium</Emphasis> sp. ATM and its uses in textile dye decolorization

Aryl alcohol oxidase (AAO) produced by dye decolorizing bacteria Sphingobacterium sp. ATM, was purified 22.63 fold to a specific activity of 21.75 μmol/min/mg protein using anion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified AAO was found to be 71 kDa using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and confirmed by zymography of AAO using L-dopa. The enzyme showed substrate specificity towards veratryl alcohol, followed by n-propanol. The optimum pH and temperature of purified AAO were found to be 3.0 and 40°C, respectively. The K _m and V _max of AAO was 1.1615 mM and 3.13 mM/min when veratryl alcohol was used as substrate. Sodium azide showed maximum inhibition while ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA), L-cysteine and dithiothreitol showed slight inhibition. Metal ions also showed slight inhibition. HPLC analysis confirmed the degradation of Direct Red 5B. The metabolite obtained after decolorization of Direct Red 5B was characterized as 3 diazenyl 7 [-(phenyl carbonyl) amino] naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid using GC-MS analysis.