Production of Eight Different Hydride Complexes and Nitrite Release from 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by Yarrowia lipolytica

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) transformation by the yeast strain Yarrowia lipolytica AN-L15 was shown to occur via two different pathways. Direct aromatic ring reduction was the predominant mechanism of TNT transformation, while nitro group reduction was observed to be a minor pathway. Although growth of Y. lipolytica AN-L15 was inhibited initially in the presence of TNT, TNT transformation was observed, indicating that the enzymes necessary for TNT reduction were present initially. Aromatic ring reduction resulted in the transient accumulation of eight different TNT-hydride complexes, which were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography, UV-visible diode array detection, and negative-mode atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). APCI-MS analysis revealed three different groups of TNT-hydride complexes with molecular ions at m/z 227, 228, and 230, which correspond to TNT-mono- and dihydride complexes and protonated dihydride isomers, respectively. One of the three protonated dihydride complex isomers detected appears to release nitrite in the presence of strain AN-L15. This release of nitrite is of particular interest since it can provide a pathway towards complete degradation and detoxification of TNT.     

Diversité de l'ADN mitochondrial et histoire du peuplement des îles San Pietro et San Antioco (Sardaigne-Italie)

La séquence de la zone hypervariable I de l'ADNmt est analysée dans deux isolats sardes: San Pietro (44 individus) et San Antioco (42 individus). Les résultats obtenus sont confrontés à ceux d'autres populations méditerranéennes. Les paramètres étudiés mettent en évidence une occupation de l'espace méditerranéen à partir de migrations du Moyen Orient. Ces phénomènes, relativement lents et complexes, auraient débuté, selon nos résultats, au paléolithique supérieur, il y a 40000 ans environ avec des différences selon les populations en fonction de leurs caractéristiques géographiques historiques et climatiques. La corrélation avec des données paléanthropologiques et historiques semble confirmer nos résultats.

     

Zur histochemischen Charakterisierung funktioneller Gruppen durch Metallkomplexe und metallorganische Verbindungen

Zusammenfassung Aus überwiegend chemischer Sicht wird versucht, die histochemische Anwendbarkeit von Metallkomplexen und metallorganischen Verbindungen aus den jeweiligen chemischen Besonderheiten herzuleiten. Die Einsatzbereiche werden charakterisiert und voneinander abgegrenzt. Besonderer Wert wird auf die Forderung gelegt, entsprechend den histochemischen Aufgabenstellungen und den Erfahrungen der präparativen Komplex- und Organometallchemie neue, speziell für die Histochemie geeignete Substanzen zu synthetisieren. Nach unserer Ansicht kommt dabei, besonders für die elektronenmikroskopische Histochemie, den Metallocenen eine besondere Bedeutung zu.

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The histochemical characterization of functional groups by metal complexes and metal organic compounds

Summary From a preponderating chemical point of view the histochemical applicability of heavy metal complexes and metal organic compounds according to their chemical properties is demonstrated. The synthesis of new complex- and metal organic substances for histochemical applications is of particular importance. In this connection are the so-called metallocenes specially for electron microscopic histochemistry very important.

     

Étude sur la végétation des hautes altitudes de l'île de la Réunion (Océan Indien)

Summary The high mountains of Reunion Island (Indian ocean) harbor an ericaceous vegetation dominated byPhilippia montana. After a brief survey of the chief ecological factors, the author describes the main plant communities. Their physiognomy, floristic structure and succession have a close relation with edaphic factors.

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Zusammenfassung Das Gipfelgebiet der beiden vulkanischen Bergst?cke der Insel Reunion (Indischer Ozean) tr?gt eine Erikazeenvegetation, in welcherPhilippia montana als vorwiegende Art erscheint. Nach einer kurzen Untersuchung der bedeutendsten ?kologischen Faktoren definiert der Autor die Pflanzengesellschaften deren Physiognomie, Blütenstruktur und Entwicklung mit den edaphischen Faktoren eng zusammenh?ngen.

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Pour le nomenclature de la plupart des espèces, voir les tableaux 3 et 4.     

Établissement d'une nouvelle lignée cellulaire (IAFEs-1) a partir d'ovarioles d'Euxoa scandens [Lep.: Noctuidae]

Résumé Une nouvelle lignée cellulaire stable (IAFEs-1) des ovarioles de chrysalides du lepidoptèreEuxoa scandens Riley a été obtenue. La forme prédominante des cellules est sphérique et le doublement de la population cellulaire s'effectue en 18 et 24 h en utilisant respectivement 20 et 10% de sérum de veau foetal. Cette lignée est sensible à divers virus des polyédroses nucléaires et cytoplasmiques.

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Summary A new continuous cell line designated IAFEs-1 was obtained from ovaries ofEuxoa scandens Riley in order to study the replication and the productionin vitro of viruses infecting this cutworm. Predominant cell morphology is spherical and cell population doubling time is 18 and 24 h using respectively 20 and 10% fetal calf serum. Susceptiblity of the cell line to several nuclear and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses is demonstrated.

     

Existence d''une phéromone sexuelle chezCaryedon serratus: Attractivité des femelles et réactivité des males

Résumé Les femelles deCaryedon serratus (Ol.) produisent, pendant la scotophase, une phéromone sexuelle volatile qui déclenche chez les males une chémoanémotaxie positive. Les effets de l'age sur l'attractivité des femelles et sur la réactivité des males ont été étudiés. Plus de soixante-dix pour cent des males commencent à réagir à la phéromone sexuelle dès les premières 24 heures qui suivent leur émergence. Une seule femelle sur 31 a été attractive à cet age. A 48 heures, le pourcentage des femelles attractives est de 38,7%. Il existe une variabilité inter et intra femelles dans la production de phéromone sexuelle (début, régularité). L'existence des récepteurs antennaires à la phéromone sexuelle chez le male est montrée par des études électrophysiologiques (EAG). La variabilité de la production de phéromone sexuelle est discutée.

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Summary The female ofCaryedon serratus release, from the beginning of scotophase, a sex pheromone witch triggers a positive chemoanemotaxy in males. The effects of age on female attractiveness and on male reactivity are studied. About 70.37% of males begin to react to the sex pheromone within the first 24 h after emergence. At this age, only one female out of 31 is attractive. At 48 h, the percentage of attractive females is 38.7%. There is inter and intra-female variation in sex pheromone production (beginning, regularity). The existence of receptors on male antennae for this pheromone is shown by electrophysiology (EAG). The variability in sex pheromone production is discussed.

     

Stoffwechselprodukte von Mikroorganismen

Zusammenfassung Der Streptomycet Tü 901, Streptomyces tendae, bildet ein antifungisch wirkendes Nukleosid-Antibioticum, Nikkomycin. Als Angriffsort kommt die Chitinsynthese in Frage.Mit Hilfe der Massenspektrometrie und des chemischen Abbaus konnten Uracil, eine Aminohexuronsäure und eine neue, einen Pyridinring enthaltende Aminosäure nachgewiesen werden.

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Metabolic products of microorganisms154. Nikkomycin, a new inhibitor of fungal chitin synthesis

From the fermentation broth of Streptomyces tendae Tü 901 a substance was isolated, which inhibits the growth of several fungi. The new antibiotic affects the chitchin biosynthesis. Its structure was identified by mass spectrometry of the products obtained after chemical degradation. Nikkomycin is a nucleoside-peptide antibiotic consisting of uracil, an amino hexuronic acid and a new amino acid containing a pyridin ring.

153. Mitteilung: G. Wolf, J. Wörth, H. Achenbach: Untersuchungen der Pigmente aus Streptomyces michiganesis. Arch. Microbiol. 106, 245–249 (1975)     

Substrate-dependent degradation patterns in the decay of wheat straw and beech wood by ligninolytic fungi

Summary The ability of 45 fungal strains to degrade wheat straw and beech wood was studied. Degradation patterns were defined in terms of chemical evolution of substrates and changes in lignin and polysaccharides. Trametes versicolor produced an important degradation of lignin and increased substrate digestibility, but it caused high weight losses and gave rise to similar decay patterns on both substrates. A preferential degradation of lignin was produced during straw transformation by Pleurotus eryngii. The increase of soluble lignin and decreases of lignin content and H/C ratio defined the degradation tendency after principal component analysis. The cation exchange capacity and water and alkali solubility presented the highest loading factors for the characterization of fungal transformation of beech wood. Offprint requests to: A. T. Martínez     

Action de pesticides chez des insectes en fonction de leur etat physiologique: Etude de 2 insecticides et d'un melange d'herbicides chez les larves aquatiques de cloeon. (Ephemeropteres).

For the larvae of the ephemeron Cloeon, our studies of acute toxicity show that the degradation products of fenthion are more toxic than the insecticide itself.Doses of fenthion and lindane, responsible of a hight mortality, lead to a decrease in the moulting frequency of these larvae. A mixture of herbicides and degradation products of fenthion gave different results.

     

Sativanine-C: A cyclopeptide alkaloid from the bark of Zizyphus sativa

From the bark of Zizyphus sativa a previously undescribed 13 membered cyclopeptide alkaloid, sativanine-C has been isolated. The structure of this new compound was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, its transformation product and by chemical degradation.     

Synthesis and structural studies of gallium(III) and indium(III) complexes of 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazones

Four 2-acetylpyridine ⁴N-alkyl thiosemicarbazones, and their Ga(III) and In(III) complexes have been prepared and characterised by fluorescence, UV-Vis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Comparison of the crystal structures gave an insight into the nature of the complexes formed, demonstrating a preference for [ML₂]⁺ type complexes with gallium and [MLX₃] species with indium. Stability studies on two candidates indicated that complex [InL³Cl₂MeOH] was stable to chemical degradation for prolonged periods in human serum, giving this complex potential for further biological evaluation.     

Étude de la consommation alimentaire d'Exochomus flaviventris (Col.: Coccinellidae) prédateur de la cochenille du maniocPhenacoccus manihoti (Hom.: Pseudococcidae)

Résumé Les besoins alimentaires de chaque stade de développement larvaire et des jeunes femelles d'E. flaviventris Mader ont été définis par rapport à deux cochenilles associées au manioc;:Planococcus citri Risso (proie locale) etPhenacoccus manihoti Mat.-Ferrero (proie exotique) dans les conditions de laboratoire (T=25°C±1°C; H.R.=80–90%; photopériode=L/D: 12/12). Ces deux proies constituent des ?nourritures essentielles? pourE. flaviventris qui les consomme en plus grande quantité par rapport aux autres coccinelles qui se nourrissent aux dépens, de la cochenille du manioc. Il faut en moyenne 71,8 mg de matière fra?che deP. manihoti (œufs+jeunes femelles) ou 86,9 mg deP. citri (œufs+jeunes femelles) àE. flaviventris pour atteindre le stade adulte. Dans chaque cas, les larves du prédateur de quatrième stade se montrent plus voraces avec plus de 70% de la consommation totale. Les jeunes, femelles consomment moins que les larves du dernier stade principalement quand il s'agit de la proie exotique. P. manihoti semble avoir été rapidement adoptée parE. flaviventris après son introduction accidentelle en Afrique. Sans être d'une valueur alimentaire exceptionnelle, elle est mieux exploitée que la cochenille indigène et procure un poids moyen de 10,9 mg aux adultes du prédateur à leur émergence.

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Summary Food requirements of each larval stage and of young females ofExochomus flaviventris have been defined regarding the two coccids associated to cassava:Phenacoccus citri (indigenous prey) andPhenacoccus manihoti (exotic prey) under laboratory conditions (25±1°C, 80–90% RH and L/D: 12/12). These 2 preys constitute the main food forE. flaviventris as this ladybird feeds on it much more than all the other coccinellids preying also on the cassava mealybug.E. flaviventris needs an average of 71.8 mg of freshP. manihoti (eggs and young, females) or 86.9 mg ofP. citri (eggs and young voracious with 70% of the total consumption. Young females feed less than the last instar larvae, especially when the exotic prey is involved. P. manihoti seems to have been rapidly choosen byE. flaviventris after its accidental introduction into Africa. Even if it is not an excellent prey from the food angle, it is better exploited thant the indigenous mealybug and adults of an average weight of 10.9 mg are obtained after emergence.

     

Biodegradation of insensitive munition formulations IMX101 and IMX104 in surface soils

The biodegradation potential of insensitive munition melt cast formulations IMX101 and IMX104 was investigated in two unamended training range soils under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Changes in community profiles in soil microcosms were monitored via high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing over the course of the experiments to infer key microbial phylotypes that may be linked to IMX degradation. Complete anaerobic biotransformation occurred for IMX101 and IMX104 constituents 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) and 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one during the 30-day incubation period with Camp Shelby (CS) soil. By comparison, soil from Umatilla chemical depot demonstrated incomplete DNAN degradation with reduced transformation rates for both IMX101 and IMX104. Aerobic soil microcosms for both soils demonstrated reduced transformation rates compared to anaerobic degradation for all IMX constituents with DNAN the most susceptible to biotransformation by CS soil. Overall, IMX constituents hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine and 1-nitroguanidine did not undergo significant transformation. In CS soil, organisms that have been associated with explosives degradation, namely members of the Burkholderiaceae, Bacillaceae, and Paenibacillaceae phylotypes increased significantly in anaerobic treatments whereas Sphingomonadaceae increased significantly in aerobic treatments. Collectively, these data may be used to populate fate and transport models to provide more accurate estimates for assessing environmental costs associated with release of IMX101 and IMX104.     

Activité,in vivo, d''inhibiteurs de la biosynthèse de l''ecdysone chezLocusta migratoria

Summary Among about 50 compounds synthesized to inhibit enzymes involved in the biosynthesis pathway of ecdysone we selected seven molecules which showed a strong effect on ecdysone production byLocusta migratoria prothoracic glands incubatedin vitro. These molecules mostly possess a specific activity on ecdysone biosynthesis which is irreversible. The compounds were administered in one or several injections of aqueous or oily solutions at different times in the course of the two last larval instars. Three inhibitors led in a 10% ratio to a prolongation (sometimes more than 3 times the standard length) of the instar, pointing out a decrease in the ecdysone biosynthesis. Two other inhibitors induced some morphogenetic modifications in the adults, as size reduction or wing alterations, and metamorphosis difficulties. Thein vivo low activity compared with the strong onein vitro could be due to difficulties for the compounds to reach the prothoracic glands without degradation. The variation of inhibitory activity which appearsin vivo between the seven compounds studied is not linked either with the chemical structures of the molecules (which are very near one another) or with theirin vitro activity.

     

Études sur la composition chimique des parois d'une levure candida après croissance sur n paraffine

Résumé La composition chimique des parois d'une levure Candida cultivée sur substrat n paraffine a été examinée. Par rapport à celles de levure du même genre, les parois de cette souche renferment moins d'oses neutres mais davantage de protéines et glucosamine. Une partie importante de cette hexosamine entre dans la constitution de la chitine qui représente 22% de la paroi.Le traitement par l'éthylène diamine permet de séparer trois fractions A, B et C dont les structures apparaissent plus complexes que celles obtenues à partir des parois de levures Saccharomyces et autres Candida.La composition chimique originale de ces parois et les complexes glycoprotéiques particuliers obtenus après différents traitements de la paroi peuvent constituer un caractère d'identification de cette souche.

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Summary The cell wall chemical structure of a Candida yeast strain cultivated on a paraffin substrate has been investigated. By comparison with other yeasts of the same generus, the cell walls of this strain contain less neutral sugar but more proteins and glucosamine. An important part of this aminosugar constitutes chitine which represents 22% of the cell wall.By ethylene diamine treatment three fractions A, B, C are obtained whose structure seems more complex than those obtained from Saccharomyces and other Candida cell walls.The original chemical composition of these cell walls and the particular glycoprotein complexes obtained after different treatments of the cell walls may be used as an identification character of this strain.

     

Glutamatdehydrogenase im photosynthetischen Bakterium Rhodospirillum rubrum

Zusammenfassung Glutamatdehydrogenase wurde aus Rhodospirillum rubrum durch Fällung mit Ammoniumsulfat und Chromatographie an DEAE-Cellulose 35 fach angereichert. Das Enzym ist spezifisch auf NAD als Wasserstoffdonator/acceptor und -Ketoglutarat bzw. Glutamat. Hg-Ionen blockieren die Reaktion in beiden Richtungen; Nitrit- und Nitrationen hemmen in höheren Konzentrationen. Die Abbaurate wird durch die Anwesenheit von ATP verringert. Die Stickstoffquelle des Nährmediums wirkt sich nur wenig auf die Ausbildung des Enzyms in den Zellen aus, dagegen wird durch Produkthemmung im natürlichen Milieu bei Wachstum auf Malat und NH₄ ⁺ der Glutamatabbau praktisch unterdrückt.

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Glutamate dehydrogenase from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum

Summary Glutamate dehydrogenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum was purified 35 fold by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The enzyme is specific for NAD as hydrogen donor/acceptor and -ketoglutarate and glutamate for the synthesis, respectively the degradation of the amino acid. Hg²⁺ ions completely inhibit both synthesis and degradation; a weaker inhibition can be shown by addition of various inorganic nitrogen compounds. The rate of the glutamate degradation is reduced by ATP. The nitrogen source of the culture medium is without effect on the formation of the glutamate dehydrogenase, however, under growth conditions in a malate-NH₄ ⁺-solution the glutamate degradation is almost completely suppressed by product inhibition.

     

Nitrifying bacteria on the asbestos-cement roofs of stable buildings

The disintegrated asbestos-cement roofs of agricultural buildings were subjected to chemical and microbiological analyses, supplemented simulating the degradation effects of single environment factors in a conditioning chamber, type Brabender KS 500/90 (FRG). The results have given evidence that nitrifying bacteria are a dominant factor in the degradation of asbestos-cement. Metabolic processes of these bacteria cause the chemical corrosion of the roofing material which results in asbestos-cement being attacked by nitrous and nitric acids or by ammonia salts of these acids. Water vapour which evaporates from a stable building penetrates the roof insulating layer and condenses on the lower face of the corrugated asbestos-cement slabs, washing soluble CaNO₂ and CaNO₃ out of the roofing material. The result is an increased porosity and reduced strength of the asbestos-cement. Water vapour which infiltrates into capillaries and pores of the weakened roofing generates pressures that destroy the roof during the transformation of water vapour into ice.     

Copper(II) Complexes Derived from Schiff Bases Containing 4-Methylbenzylamine as a Core Unit: Cytotoxicity,pBR322-DNA Studies,Biological Assays,and Quantum Chemical Parameters

Bivalent copper complexes, [Cu(SB¹)₂] 1 (SB¹=(2-(4-methylbenzylimino)methyl)-5-methylphenol, [Cu(SB²)₂] 2 (SB²=(2-(4-methylbenzylimino)methyl)-4-bromolphenol), and [Cu(SB³)₂] 3 (SB³=(2-(4-methylbenzylimino)methyl)-4,6-dibromophenol) were synthesized using the Schiff bases prepared from 4-methylbenzylamine (p-tolylmethanamine). These were characterized using a variety of spectro-analytical methods. For all copper complexes, a square planar geometry was determined through spectral analyses. Utilizing molecular orbital energies, the stability of the copper complexes was calculated from quantum chemical characteristics. The kinetic and thermal degradation parameters were calculated from the thermograms. Studies on DNA binding interactions, such as UV absorption and emission, have shown that the manner of DNA binding is intercalative, and the binding constant (K_b) order is 3 > 2 > 1 . Under oxidative and photolytic techniques, the copper complexes outperform the parent Schiff bases in their ability to cleave double-stranded pBR322 DNA. When tested for cytotoxicity on the KB3 and MCF7 cell lines, complexes displayed greater activity than their parent ligands. Studies on the complexes′ in-vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activity showed that they are significantly more powerful than the parent ligands.     

Involvement of Microbial Alkyl Hydroxybenzenes in the Regulation of Autolytic Degradation of Yeast Cells

A comparative study was performed of the processes of autolytic degradation of the cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe under conditions simulating the phase of cell death in microbial cultures: (1) during autolysis induced by oleic acid, which is the chemical analogue of factors d₂ (autolysis autoinducer), (2) under the effect of extracellular microbial proteinases (enzymatic lysis), and (3) under the concomitant effect of the enzymes of the endogenous autolytic complex and exogenous proteinases (heterolysis). Regulatory mechanisms controlling the rate and profundity of autolysis were elucidated, relying on the stabilization of hydrolytic enzymes and enhancement of their activity in their complexes with a chemical analogue of microbial autoregulatory factors d₁, which belong to alkylhydroxybenzenes and fulfill functions of chemical chaperones. The changes in the activity of proteinases and enzymes of the autolytic complex were shown to be dependent on the concentration of the analogue at the moment of complex formation.