Effect of physico-chemical factors on anion-sensitive ATPase activity

Effects of temperature, pH and anions on the ATPase activity of submitochondrial particles of rat liver, rat heart, mouse liver, of red blood cell membranes, and of soluble enzyme of rat liver, mouse liver mitochondria were studied. The temperature relationships of membrane-bound and soluble ATPases have the breaks at 18-21 degrees C and 30-32 degrees C. These breaks were not shifted by sulfite, thiocyanate, methanol, glycerol and GTP. The pH changes from 6.0 to 8.5 produced no effect on the temperature relationships of ATPase activities but, strongly influenced the rate of ATPase reaction. The conformity between the obtained data and earlier proposed mechanism of anion control over anion-sensitive ATPase activity was discussed.     

4种理化因子对菌株XH1硝化效果的影响

【背景】基于硝化菌群的富集培养技术可高效稳定地去除养殖水体中的有害氮素,而当前在水产养殖领域有关硝化菌群定向培育及硝化功能菌株的研究较少。【目的】研究不同盐度、pH、温度、通气量条件下硝化菌群分离菌株XH1的生长及其对氨氮和亚硝氮的去除效果。【方法】设置不同梯度的盐度、pH、温度、通气量条件,通过计数菌量、测定氨氮及亚硝氮的浓度变化,比较不同条件下菌株XH1的生长及其对氨氮和亚硝氮的影响。【结果】菌株XH1可在盐度5‰-35‰、pH 6.0-9.0、温度15-45°C和通气量0.5-1 V/(V·min)的条件下生长良好,菌量最高可达2.34×109cells/mL;在盐度5‰-35‰、pH 6.0-9.0、温度15-30°C、通气量0.5 V/(V·min)的条件下,对氨氮的去除效果显著(P0.05),在第1-3天对培养液中氨氮的最高去除率可达86%-97%,但培养液中的氨氮浓度先降后升;对亚硝氮的最高去除率达68%。【结论】菌株XH1对盐度、pH、温度等主要环境因子具有良好的适应性,其对水体氨氮的去除效果良好,可作为中低盐度养殖池塘水体氨氮防控菌剂产品研发的备选菌株。     

Effects of increasing weed-beet density on sugar-beet yield and quality

Weed beets are an increasing problem in many sugar-beet crops in many countries. At present about one sugar-beet field in four in England is infested with weed-beet seed. Control in other crops can be achieved using selective herbicides but in sugar beet the weed beets, many of which are of annual habit, are not easily controlled and often compete with the crop. Experiments were done to quantify the yield loss caused by weed beet in sugar-beet crops. Transects were laid out across three fields in 1985 and 1986 and plots located thereon to include the range of weed-beet densities found in the field. Weed beet did not affect the concentration of sugar (sucrose), potassium, sodium, α amino nitrogen or invert sugar in the crop beets. Root and sugar yields were progressively reduced by increasing densities of weed beet. A rectangular hyperbola described the data slightly better than an asymptotic model. There was no indication of a threshold density of weed beet below which there was no yield loss, which averaged 11.7% for each weed beet plant/m². This corresponds to an average 0.6% sugar yield loss for each 1% of bolted weed beet in the root crop up to 100%, which is similar to the reported losses resulting from bolters in the root crop.     

Effects of physico-chemical factors on the viscosity evolution of anaerobic granular sludge

The rheological properties of anaerobic granular sludge samples from four full-scale and one lab-scale anaerobic bioreactors were characterized by determining their “limit viscosity” values. These values were deducted from the evolution of the apparent viscosity of granular sludge samples (20 mL) at steady shear rate (200 s⁻¹) recorded using rotation tests with a wings type measurement cell stirrer Anton-Parr reference: ST24-1D/2V-Q0. The limit viscosity values depended on the applied shear rate, indicating a non-Newtonian behavior of the anaerobic granular sludge types investigated. The effect of variations of physico-chemical parameters such as pH (involving surface charge change), size, surface roughness and TSS content on the evolution of the limit viscosity of an anaerobic granular sludge suspension was investigated. This showed the importance of both quantitative (number of particles in a given volume) as well as qualitative (surface charge or shape) granule-granule interactions on this rheological parameter. Moreover, the origin of the granular sludge strongly influenced the limit viscosity value according with different granules characteristics. This work confirms the ability of the rheological parameter “limit viscosity” as an overall parameter to describe the physico-chemical characteristics (TSS, granulometry, origin, and charge) of anaerobic granular sludge and showed this holds for both sieved (500 μm) and unsieved sludges.     

Effects of physico-chemical factors influencing tyramine production by Carnobacterium divergens

Tyramine production by a strain of Carnobacterium divergens was tested in relation to different conditions of pH, temperature, glucose, oxygen availability, potassium nitrate and sodium chloride content, using a combination of a Doehlert and Plackett-Burman experimental design. A second degree polynomial model was chosen to describe tyramine production which was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. Maximal tyramine production occurred during the stationary phase in acidic conditions obtained by low initial pH (<5) or addition of glucose (0·6%) to the medium. Production was slower at 5°C than at 23°C and 10% sodium chloride inhibited this production. However, the formation of tyramine was not affected by the presence of potassium nitrate or oxygen availability.     

Effects of physico-chemical treatments on hemagglutination activity of Anopheles gambiae haemolymph and midgut extract

Abstract. Anopheles gambiae midgut extracts and haemolymph possessed agglutinins, titre 1:16 to 1:256, against human red blood cells (RBCs). Subjection of both tissues to protein precipitation reagents, organic chemical and selected protease, neuraminidase and other glycosidic hydrolase treatments revealed the haemagglutinins to be protein, most likely glycoprotein, in nature - not lipoprotein, lipid, glycolipid or nucleic acid. An.gambiae agglutinins were thermo-labile >40^oC, affected by freezing and thawing treatments, and contained disulphide and hydrogen bonds on the basis of sensitivity following exposure to dithio-threitol and urea respectively. Optimum haemagglutination depended generally on slightly acid to neutral pH conditions and agglutinin activity was Ca²⁺ ion, albeit to a lesser extent Mg²⁺ ion, dependent. The midgut extract agglutinin subunit molecule had a relative molecular weight (M_r) of 65kDa whilst that of haemolymph was 40kDa.
This study presents the first report on selected physico-chemical properties, the glycoproteinaceous nature and tentative subunit M_r of mosquito midgut extract and haemolymph anti-RBC agglutinin(s).     

Enzymic and chemical degradation and the fine structure of pectins from sugar-beet pulp

Pectins sequentially extracted from sugar-beet pulp with water (WSP), oxalate (OXP), hot acid (HP), and cold alkali (OHP) have been degraded variously by base-catalysed β-elimination, de-esterification, endopectin lyase, pectin methyl esterase, endopolygalacturonase, and endopectate lyase. The products were studied mainly by chromatography on Sephadex G-100. The pectins contain various amounts of degradation-resistant (hairy) fragments in which the molar ratios of neutral sugar residues to galacturonic acid residues were 4.8, 4.6, 3.8, and 3.7 for WSP, OXP, HP, and OHP, respectively. The molar ratios of rhamnose residues to galacturonic acid residues in these fragments were 0.15, 0.20, 0.38 and 0.35, respectively. The pectins also contained sequences of galacturonic acid residues with relatively little neutral sugar residues attached (smooth fragments). Methyl ester and acetyl groups were distributed fairly regularly along the smooth fragments. Evidence is presented for an association of oligogalacturonic acids with the hairy fragments under the conditions of gel chromatography. Feruloyl groups are located in the hairy fragments. Other phenolic compounds, associated with the purified pectins, appear not to be covalently linked.     

Effects of gibberellic acid on patterns of carbohydrate distribution and acid invertase activity in Phaseolus vulgaris

The application of gibberellic acid (GA₃,10 μ M ) as a root drench to 16-day-old plants of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Masterpiece stimulated growth of the stem internodes and reduced root growth. GA₃ treatment did not affect the export of ¹⁴C from a primary leaf to which [¹⁴C]-sucrose was applied, but greatly increased upward translocation to the elongation region of the stem at the expense of transport to the hypocotyl and root system. The observed changes in the patterns of growth and [¹⁴C]-labelled assimilate distribution were correlated with an increase in the specific activity of acid invertase in the elongating stem internodes and a decrease in invertase activity in the hypocotyl and root. Sucrose concentration in the elongating internodes fell substantially after treatment with GA₃ while the concentration of hexose sugars increased. We suggest that by stimulating acid invertase synthesis in the elongating internodes, GA₃ acts to establish a more favourable sucrose gradient between these sinks and source leaves. Under source-limiting conditions this, in turn, will lead to a reduced rate of assimilate translocation to competing sinks in the root system.     

盐度、碱度对浮游生物和水化因子的影响

于 1998年 7～ 8月间在山东省高青县赵店乡大芦湖养殖场选取一口盐碱池塘的池水为实验用水 ,用粗盐和碳酸氢钠调节盐度和碱度 ,以研究盐碱池塘在盐度和碱度升高的情况下其化学、生物因子的变化趋势 .结果表明 ,盐碱池塘中重碳酸盐碱度的升高会在短时间内降低水体 pH值、钙离子浓度和COD ;但碱度为 6.64± 0 .40mmol·L-1～ 13 .47± 0 .3 1mmol·L-1对浮游生物不会产生显著的不良影响 .盐度为 2 .10± 0 .2 2 g·L-1～11.2 9± 0 .99g·L-1会引起浮游生物生物量的降低 ,并减少浮游生物的种类 ,降低其多样性指数 ,影响浮游生物群落结构组成     

Effects of some chemical factors on flagellation and swarming ofVibrio alginolyticus

Vibrio alginolyticus strains recently isolated from Dutch coastal seawater changed flagellar organization when cultivated in the presence of certain chemical agents. On agar media with more than 4.0% (w/v) NaCl the number of lateral flagella per cell decreased with increasing salt concentration. Both on agar media and in broth cultures with 6.0–9.0% (w/v) NaCl, cells with polar tufts of 2–4 sheathed or unsheathed flagella were frequently found. Cells grown on agar media with 7.3–9.8% (w/v) Na₂SO₄ had drastically reduced numbers of lateral flagella, but lacked polar tufts. EDTA suppressed growth, but did not affect flagellar arrangement. In the presence of 0.1–0.3% boric acid or 0.05–0.1% aluminium hydroxide, cells in liquid media tended to produce lateral, in addition to the polar flagella normally observed in broth cultures. Of a number of surface-active agents tested, Tween 80 and Na-taurocholate, even in high concentrations, did not affect flagellation. Bile salts (0.1%) and Na-deoxycholate (0.05%) strongly reduced the number of both polar and lateral flagella. In agar cultures, Na-lauryl sulphate (0.01–0.1%) inhibited the formation of lateral, but increased the incidence of polar flagella. Teepol (0.05–0.2%) had a similar effect and also it had a deteriorating effect on the sheaths of the polar flagella. Concomitant with the reduction in the number of lateral flagella, induced by these agents, swarming on agar media was inhibited.     

Method of measuring invertase activity in soils

Summary Invertase (-D-fructofuranoside fructohydrolase, EC [Enzyme Commission] 3.2.1.26) is the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose and yields glucose and fructose. The activity of this enzyme was monitored by systematically developing a sensitive and rapid method to detect reducing sugars with the precision of 1.4 to 6.1% C.V. The method involves the colorimetric determination of reducing sugars which react with 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid when soil is incubated with buffered sucrose solution and toluene at 37°C for 24 h. The detection limit for the method described is 100 g of reducing sugar per ml of soil extract. The color intensity remained constant up to 24 h. Comparative studies showed that the method described was in good agreement to other invertase assay procedures reported in the literature.Studies on the stability and distribution of invertase in soils by using the method described showed that air-drying of field-moist soil samples resulted in decreased activity ranging from 15.3 to 23.7% (avg.=19.8%). Statistical analyses indicated that invertase activity was significantly correlated with total N (r=0.78^***) and organic C (r=0.70^***) in the topsoil of 19 diverse samples. There was no significant correlation between invertase activity and soil pH, cation exchange capacity, percentage of clay and percentage of sand. The activity of this enzyme was concentrated in surface soils and decreased with profile depth. Regression analyses showed that invertase activity was significantly correlated with organic carbon content of three soil profiles examined.     

Effects of yeast invertase on ethanol production in molasses

Ethanol fermentation by an alcohol yeast, YOY655, was slower in molasses than in a nutrition rich medium with the same sugar content. Osmolality was much higher in the molasses, and the slower fermentation in the molasses was ascribed to depressed fermentation under the high osmotic pressure. Yeast invertase was an important factor in regulation the osmolality and the fermentation rate in the molasses.     

理化因子对龙血树柴胡种子萌发的影响

本研究以龙血树柴胡（Bupleurum dracaenoides Huan C.Wang,Z.R.He&H.Sun）的种子为材料,采用不同温度、不同浓度赤霉素、不同化学试剂以及紫外线照射和微波辐射等方式处理后,统计其发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数和发芽时间等指标。结果表明：龙血树柴胡种子萌发最适温度为20℃;100 mg/L的GA₃、0.5％的KMnO₄和3％的H₂O₂处理均能促进其种子萌发,但不能使种子萌发和出苗时间提前;25 s微波辐射处理可大幅提高种子发芽率;紫外线照射处理种子0.5 h,萌发效果最佳,但随照射时间的延长对种子萌发则有不同程度的抑制。     

Effect of selected environmental and physico-chemical factors on bacterial cytoplasmic membranes

Membranes lipids are one of the most adaptable molecules in response to perturbations. Even subtle changes of the composition of acyl chains or head groups can alter the packing arrangements of lipids within the bilayer. This changes the balance between bilayer and nonbilayer lipids, serving to affect bilayer stability and fluidity, as well as altering lipid-protein interactions. External factors can also change membrane fluidity and lipid composition; including temperature, chemicals, ions, pressure, nutrients and the growth phase of the microbial culture. Various biophysical techniques have been used to monitor fluidity changes within the bacterial membrane. In this review, bacterial cytoplasmic membrane changes and related functional effects will be examined as well as the use of fluorescence polarization methods and examples of data obtained from research with bacteria.