Purification and characterization of nitrilase from Fusarium solani IMI196840

Nitrilase activity in Fusarium solani IMI196840 (approx. 1500 U l⁻¹ of culture broth) was induced by 2-cyanopyridine. The enzyme was purified by a factor of 20.3 at a yield of 26.9%. According to gel filtration, the holoenzyme was an approx. 550-kDa homooligomer consisting of subunits with a molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE. Mass spectrometry analysis of the tryptic fragments suggested a high similarity of this enzyme to the hypothetical CN hydrolases from Aspergillus oryzae, Gibberella zeae, Gibberella moniliformis and Nectria haematococca. Circular dichroism and fluorescence spectra indicated that secondary structure content and overall tertiary structure, respectively, were almost identical in nitrilases from F. solani IMI196840 and F. solani O1. The melting temperatures of the enzymes were 49.3 °C and 47.8 °C, respectively. The best substrates for the purified nitrilase from F. solani IMI196840 were benzonitrile and 4-cyanopyridine, which were hydrolyzed at the rates of 144 and 312 U mg⁻¹ protein, respectively, under the optimum conditions of pH 8 and 45 °C. The enzyme was highly chemoselective, producing ≤2% amides as by-products.     

Cyanide hydratase from Aspergillus niger K10: Overproduction in Escherichia coli,purification, characterization and use in continuous cyanide degradation

A cyanide hydratase from Aspergillus niger K10 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Apart from HCN, it transformed some nitriles, preferentially 2-cyanopyridine and fumaronitrile. V_max and K_m for HCN were ca. 6.8 mmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ protein and 109 mM, respectively. V_max for fumaronitrile and 2-cyanopyridine was two to three orders of magnitude lower than for HCN (ca. 18.8 and 10.3 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹, respectively) but K_m was also lower (ca. 14.7 and 3.7 mM, respectively). Both cyanide hydratase and nitrilase activities were abolished in truncated enzyme variants missing 18–34 C-terminal aa residues. The enzyme exhibited the highest activity at 45 °C and pH 8–9; it was unstable at over 35 °C and at below pH 5.5. The operational stability of the whole-cell catalyst was examined in continuous stirred membrane reactors with 70-mL working volume. The catalyst exhibited a half-life of 5.6 h at 28 °C. A reactor loaded with an excess of the catalyst was used to degrade 25 mM KCN. A conversion rate of over 80% was maintained for 3 days.     

Purification and characterization of yellow laccase from Trametes hirsuta MTCC-1171 and its application in synthesis of aromatic aldehydes

A yellow laccase from the culture filtrate of Trametes hirsuta MTCC-1171 has been purified. The purification methods involved concentration of the culture filtrate by ammonium sulphate precipitation and an anion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose. The sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave single protein band indicating that the enzyme preparation was pure. The molecular mass of the enzyme determined from SDS-PAGE analysis was 55.0 kDa. Using 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, 2,2′[azino-bis-(3-ethylbonzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt] and 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde azine as the substrates, the K_m, k_cat and k_cat/K_m values of the laccase were found to be 420 μM, 13.04 s⁻¹, 3.11 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, 225 μM, 13.03 s⁻¹, 1.3 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 100 μM, 13.04 s⁻¹, 5.8 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. The pH and temperature optima were 4.5 and 60 °C, respectively while pH and temperature stabilities were pH 4.5 and 50 °C. The activation energy for thermal denaturation of the enzyme was 18.6 kJ/mol/K. The purified laccase has yellow colour and does not show absorption band around 610 nm like blue laccases. The purified laccase transforms toluene, 3-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene, 3-chlorotoluene, 4-chlorotoluene and 3,4-dimethoxytoluene to benzaldehyde, 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, 4-nitrobenzaldehyde, 3-chlorobenzaldehyde, 4-chlorobenzaldehyde and 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde in the absence of mediator molecules in high yields.     

Treatment of dye-rich wastewater by an immobilized thermophilic cyanobacterial strain: Phormidium sp.

The removal of Remazol Blue and Reactive Black B by the immobilized thermophilic cyanobacterial strain Phormidium sp. was investigated under thermophilic conditions in a batch system, in order to determine the optimal conditions required for the highest dye removal. In the experiments, performed at pH 8.5, with different initial dye concentrations between 9.1 mg l⁻¹ and 82.1 mg l⁻¹ and at 45 °C, calcium alginate immobilized Phormidium sp. showed high dye decolorization, with maximum uptake yields ranging from 50% to 88% at all dye concentrations tested. When the effects of high dye concentrations on dye removal were investigated, the highest uptake yield in the beads was 50.3% for 82.1 mg l⁻¹ Remazol Blue and 60.0% for 79.5 mg l⁻¹ Reactive Black B. The highest color removal was detected at 45 °C and 50 °C incubation temperatures for all dye concentrations. As the temperature decreased, the removal yield of immobilized Phormidium sp. also decreased. At about 75 mg l⁻¹ initial dye concentrations, the highest specific dye uptake measured was 41.29–41.17 mg g⁻¹ for Remazol Blue and 47.69–43.82 mg g⁻¹ for Reactive Black B at 45 °C and 50 °C incubation temperatures, respectively, after 8 days incubation.     

A novel fibrinolytic protease from Streptomyces sp. CS684

A fibrinolytic protease (FP84) was purified from Streptomyces sp. CS684, with the aim of isolating economically viable enzyme from a microbial source. SDS-PAGE and fibrin zymography of the purified enzyme showed a single protein band of approximately 35 kDa. Maximal activity was at 45 °C and pH 7–8, and the enzyme was stable between pH 6 and 9 and below 40 °C. It exhibited fibrinolytic activity, which is stronger than that of plasmin. FP84 hydrolyzed Bβ-chains of fibrinogen, but did not cleave Aα- and γ-chains. K_m, V_max and K_cat values for azocasein were 4.2 mg ml⁻¹, 305.8 μg min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ and 188.7 s⁻¹, respectively. The activity was suppressed by Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Fe²⁺, but slightly enhanced by Ca²⁺ and Mg⁺². Additionally, the activity was slightly inhibited by aprotinin and PMSF, but significantly inhibited by pefabloc, EDTA and EGTA. The first 15 amino acids of N-terminal sequence were GTQENPPSSGLDDID. They are highly similar to those of serine proteases from various Streptomyces strains, but different with known fibrinolytic enzymes. These results suggest that FP84 is a novel serine metalloprotease with potential application in thrombolytic therapy.     

Purification of a laccase from fungus combs in the nest of Odontotermes formosanus

A new enzyme was isolated from the fungus combs in the nest of Odontotermes formosanus and identified as a laccase. The single laccase was purified with a purification factor of 16.83 by ammonium sulphate precipitation and anion exchange chromatography, to a specific activity of 211.11 U mg⁻¹. Its molecular mass was 65 kDa. The optimum pH value and temperature were 4.0 °C and 10 °C with ABTS as the substrate, respectively. The enzyme activity stabilized at temperatures between 10 °C and 30 °C and decreased rapidly when the temperature was above 30 °C. The V_max and K_m values were 3.62 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ and 119.52 μM, respectively. Ethanol concentration affected laccase activity, inhibiting 60% of enzyme activity at a concentration of 70%. Metal ions of Mg²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Fe²⁺ showed inhibition on enzyme activity of 17.2%, 5.3% and 9.4%, respectively, with the increase of metal ions concentration from 1 mM to 5 mM. Especially Fe²⁺ strongly inhibited enzyme activity up to 89% inhibition at a concentration of 1 mM.     

Characterization and directed evolution of BliGO,a novel glycine oxidase from Bacillus licheniformis

Glycine oxidase (GO) has great potential for use in biosensors, industrial catalysis and agricultural biotechnology. In this study, a novel GO (BliGO) from a marine bacteria Bacillus licheniformis was cloned and characterized. BliGO showed 62% similarity to the well-studied GO from Bacillus subtilis. The optimal activity of BliGO was observed at pH 8.5 and 40 °C. Interestingly, BliGO retained 60% of the maximum activity at 0 °C, suggesting it is a cold-adapted enzyme. The kinetic parameters on glyphosate (K_m, k_cat and k_cat/K_m) of BliGO were 11.22 mM, 0.08 s⁻¹, and 0.01 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. To improve the catalytic activity to glyphosate, the BliGO was engineered by directed evolution. With error-prone PCR and two rounds of DNA shuffling, the most evolved mutant SCF-4 was obtained from 45,000 colonies, which showed 7.1- and 8-fold increase of affinity (1.58 mM) and catalytic efficiency (0.08 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹) to glyphosate, respectively. In contrast, its activity to glycine (the natural substrate of GO) decreased by 113-fold. Structure modeling and site-directed mutation study indicated that Ser51 in SCF-4 involved in the binding of enzyme with glyphosate and played a crucial role in the improvement of catalytic efficiency.     

Improved high thermal stability of pullulanase from a newly isolated thermophilic Bacillus sp. AN-7

A thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain AN-7, isolated from a soil in India, produced an extracellular pullulanase upon growth on starch–peptone medium. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The optimum temperature and pH for activity was 90 °C and 6.0. With half-life time longer than one day at 80 °C the enzyme proves to be thermostable in the pH range 4.5–7.0. The pullulanase from Bacillus strain lost activity rapidly when incubated at temperature higher than 105 °C or at pH lower than 4.5. Pullulanase was completely inhibited by the Hg²⁺ ions. Ca²⁺, dithiothreitol, and Mn²⁺ stimulated the pullulanase activity. Kinetic experiments at 80 °C and pH 6.0 gave V_max and K_m values of 154 U mg⁻¹ and 1.3 mg ml⁻¹. The products of pullulan were maltotriose and maltose. This proved that the purified pullulanase (pullulan-6-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.41) from Bacillus sp. AN-7 is classified under pullulanase type I. To our knowledge, this Bacillus pullulanase is the most highly thermostable type I pullulanase known to date.     

Repeatability of a running heat tolerance test

At present there is no standardised heat tolerance test (HTT) procedure adopting a running mode of exercise. Current HTTs may misdiagnose a runner's susceptibility to a hyperthermic state due to differences in exercise intensity. The current study aimed to establish the repeatability of a practical running test to evaluate individual's ability to tolerate exercise heat stress. Sixteen (8M, 8F) participants performed the running HTT (RHTT) (30 min, 9 km h⁻¹, 2% elevation) on two separate occasions in a hot environment (40 °C and 40% relative humidity). There were no differences in peak rectal temperature (RHTT1: 38.82±0.47 °C, RHTT2: 38.86±0.49 °C, Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.93, typical error of measure (TEM)=0.13 °C), peak skin temperature (RHTT1: 38.12±0.45, RHTT2: 38.11±0.45 °C, ICC=0.79, TEM=0.30 °C), peak heart rate (RHTT1: 182±15 beats min⁻¹, RHTT2: 183±15 beats min⁻¹, ICC=0.99, TEM=2 beats min⁻¹), nor sweat rate (1721±675 g h⁻¹, 1716±745 g h⁻¹, ICC=0.95, TEM=162 g h⁻¹) between RHTT1 and RHTT2 (p>0.05). Results demonstrate good agreement, strong correlations and small differences between repeated trials, and the TEM values suggest low within-participant variability. The RHTT was effective in differentiating between individuals physiological responses; supporting a heat tolerance continuum. The findings suggest the RHTT is a repeatable measure of physiological strain in the heat and may be used to assess the effectiveness of acute and chronic heat alleviating procedures.     

Copper,zinc superoxide dismutase of Curcuma aromatica is a kinetically stable protein

This study details on cloning and characterization of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (Ca–Cu,Zn SOD) from a medicinally important plant species Curcuma aromatica. Ca–Cu,Zn SOD was 692 bp with an open reading frame of 459 bp. Expression of the gene in Escherichia coli cells followed by purification yielded the enzyme with K_m of 0.047 ± 0.008 μM and V_max of 1250 ± 24 units/mg of protein. The enzyme functioned (i) across a temperature range of −10 to +80 °C with temperature optima at 20 °C; and (ii) at pH range of 6–9 with optimum activity at pH 7.8. Ca–Cu,Zn SOD retained 50% of the maximum activity after autoclaving, and was stable at a wide storage pH ranging from 3 to 10. The enzyme tolerated varying concentrations of denaturating agent, reductants, inhibitors, trypsin, was fairly resistant to inactivation at 80 °C for 180 min (k_d, 6.54 ± 0.17 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹; t_1/2, 106.07 ± 2.68 min), and had midpoint of thermal transition (T_m) of 70.45 °C. The results suggested Ca–Cu,Zn SOD to be a kinetically stable protein that could be used for various industrial applications.     

Extracellular expression of a thermostable phytase (phyA) in Kluyveromyces lactis

Functional expression of a thermostable phytase from A. niger was achieved in Kluyveromyces lactis GG799 cells. Effective secretion of recombinant enzyme (198 U ml⁻¹) in the fermentation broth at 72 h incubation at 22 °C was obtained. Purified enzyme showed a specific activity of 72 U mg⁻¹) and was detected on SDS-PAGE as a heavily glycosylated protein with a molecular weight of ≥140 kDa. Optimum temperature of the enzyme was at 55 °C and it showed a characteristic bi-hump pH profile with two pH optima (at pH 2.5 and 5.5). Enzyme showed considerable pepsin resistance with 60% activity retention after incubation with pepsin at the ratio of 1:1000. Enzyme was thermostable retaining 69 and 37% activity at 90 and 100 °C for 10 min respectively and remained active at these temperatures till 1 h. Deglycosylation studies demonstrated negligible effect of N-linked glycans on thermal properties. Multiple sequence alignment data revealed a conserved Asn at position 345 of this phytase which might contribute to its thermal properties. This thermostable phytase coupled with its noticeable protease resistance could be a better alternative to current commercial phytases.     

Production of isomaltulose using Erwinia sp. D12 cells: Culture medium optimization and cell immobilization in alginate

Isomaltulose is a structural isomer of sucrose commercially used in food industries. Glucosyltransferase produced by Erwinia sp. D12 catalyses an intramolecular transglucosylation of sucrose giving isomaltulose. An experimental Design and Response Surface Methodology were applied for the optimization of the nutrient concentration in the culture medium for enzyme production in shaken flasks at 200 rpm and 30 °C. A higher production of glucosyltransferase (7.47 Uml⁻¹) was observed in the culture medium containing sugar cane molasses (160 gl⁻¹), bacteriological peptone (20 gl⁻¹) and yeast extract Prodex Lac SD^® (15 gl⁻¹) after 8 h, at 30 °C. The highest production of glucosyltransferase in the 6.6-l bioreactor (14.6 Uml⁻¹) was obtained in the optimized culture medium after 10 h at 26 °C. When Erwinia sp. D12 cells were immobilized in sodium alginate, it was verified that sodium alginate solution A could be substituted by a cheaper one, sodium alginate solution B. Using a 40% cell suspension and 2% sodium alginate solution B for cell immobilization in a packed-bed reactor, 64.1% conversion of sucrose to isomaltulose was obtained. The packed-bed reactor with immobilized cells plus glutaraldehyde and polyethylenimine solutions remained in a pseudo-steady-state for 180 h.     

Purification and characterization of a new carbonyl reductase from Leifsonia xyli HS0904 involved in stereoselective reduction of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) acetophenone

Leifsonia xyli HS0904 can stereoselectively catalyze the bioreduction of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl) acetophenone (BTAP) to its corresponding alcohol, which is a valuable chiral intermediate in the pharmaceuticals. In this study, a new carbonyl reductase derived from L. xyli HS0904 was purified and its biochemical properties were determined in detail. The carbonyl reductase was purified by 530-fold with a specific activity of 13.2 U mg⁻¹ and found to be a homodimer with a molecular mass of 49 kDa, in which the subunit molecular-weight was about 24 kDa. The purified enzyme exhibited a maximum enzyme activity at 34 °C and pH 7.2, and retained over 90% of its initial activity at 4 °C and pH 7.0 for 24 h. The addition of various additives, such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, l-cysteine, l-glutathione, urea, PEG 1000 and PEG 4000, could enhance the enzyme activity. The maximal reaction rate (V_max) and apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K_m) of the purified carbonyl reductase for BTAP and NADH were confirmed as 33.9 U mg⁻¹, 0.383 mM and 69.9 U mg⁻¹, 0.412 mM, respectively. Furthermore, this enzyme was found to have a broad spectrum of substrate specificity and can asymmetrically catalyze the reduction of a variety of ketones and keto esters.     

Purification and characterization of cyanogenic β-glucosidase from wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.)

β-Glucosidase catalyzes the sequential breakdown of cyanogenic glycosides in cyanogenic plants. The β-glucosidase from Prunus armeniaca L. was purified to 8-fold, and 20% yield was obtained, with a specific activity of 281 U/mg protein. The enzyme showed maximum activity in 0.15 M sodium citrate buffer, pH 6, at 35 °C with p-nitrophenylglucopyranoside as substrate. The β-glucosidase from wild apricot was used successfully for the saccharification of cellobiose into D-glucose. This enzyme has a V_max of 131.6 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ protein, K_m of 0.158 mM, K_cat of 144.8 s⁻¹, K_cat/K_m of 917.4 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, and K_m/V_max of 0.0012 mM min mg μmole⁻¹, using cellobiose as substrate. The half-life, deactivation rate coefficient, and activation energy of this β-glucosidase were 12.76 h, 1.509 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹, and 37.55 kJ/mol, respectively. These results showed that P. armeniaca is a potential source of β-glucosidase, with high affinity and catalytic capability for the saccharification of cellulosic material.     

Purification and characterization of an extracellular cholesterol oxidase from a Bordetella species

A soil-isolated bacterium (strain B4) was identified as a species of Bordetella and deposited with the China General Microbiological Culture Collection (code, CGMCC 2229). The bacterium grew in a mineral medium, on cholesterol as a sole source of carbon and energy. Only one metabolite of cholesterol was accumulated in detectable amounts during the strain growth. It was identified as 4-cholesten-3-one. Cholesterol oxidase (COD) (EC 1.1.3.6), which catalyzes cholesterol into this metabolite, was evidenced from the strain. The conditions of the bacterium growth were optimized for extracellular enzyme production, which then reached around 1700 UL⁻¹ within 24 h culturing. The enzyme was purified from the spent medium of the strain to homogeneity on SDS-PAGE, and characterized. Its molecular mass, as estimated by this technique, was 55 kDa. COD showed an optimum activity at pH 7.0. It was completely stable at pH 5.0 and 4 °C for 48 h, and retained 80% at least of its initial activity at pH 4.0 or at a pH of 6.0–10.0. The optimum temperature for its reaction was 37 °C. The thermal stability of COD was appreciable, as 90% or 80% of its initial activity was recovered after 1 h or 2 h incubation at 50 °C. Ag⁺ or Hg⁺ at 1 mM, was inhibitor of COD activity, while Cu²⁺, at the same concentration, was activator. The COD K_m, determined at 37 °C and pH 7.0, was 0.556 mM. The enzyme was stable at pH 7.0 and 37 °C during 24 h mechanical shaking in the presence of 33% (v/v) of either of the solvents, dimethylsulfoxide, ethyl acetate, butanol, chloroform, benzene, xylene or cyclohexane.     

A new bioprocess for the production of prebiotic lactosucrose by an immobilized β-galactosidase

A new bioprocess for the synthesis of lactosucrose was studied using a covalently immobilized β-galactosidase on macrospheres of chitosan. The effects of temperature and pH on the production of lactosucrose and other oligosaccharides were evaluated. At 30 °C and pH 7.0, the maximum concentration of lactosucrose reached to 79 g L⁻¹. The change of the reaction conditions allowed to modify the qualitative profile of the final products without quantitative change in the total of oligosaccharides produced. At pH 7 and 30 °C, products profile was 79 g L⁻¹ of lactosucrose, 37 g L⁻¹ of galactooligosaccharides and 250 g L⁻¹ of total oligosaccharides, while at pH 5 and 64 °C the concentrations for the same compounds were 40, 62 and 250 g L⁻¹, respectively. The immobilization increased the thermal stability up to 260-fold. Using 300 g L⁻¹ of sucrose and 300 g L⁻¹ of lactose, and 8.5 mg of chitosan mL⁻¹, 30 cycles of reuse were performed and the biocatalyst kept the maximal lactosucrose synthesis. These results fulfill some important aspects for the enzyme immobilization and oligosaccharides synthesis: the simplicity of the protocols, the high operational stability of the enzyme and the possibility of driving the final products.     

Kinetic model for growth of Phaeodactylum tricornutum in intensive culture photobioreactor

A kinetic model has been developed to estimate the specific growth rate of Phaeodactylum tricornutum in batch cultures. The cultures were carried out in a laboratory scale photobioreactor. Some factors like pH, temperature and irradiance were studied. In the first case, an optimum pH of 7.8 and a specific growth rate of 0.064 h⁻¹ were achieved for certain nitrate conditions and illumination. The temperature influence has been modelled by a modified Sinclair model. The optimum temperature was achieved at 20.4 °C in aerated cultures and at 22.3 °C in non-aerated cultures. Better adaptation to low temperatures than high ones has been obtained. The experiments carried out with different irradiances drive to a simple Monod's equation for the irradiance influence on growth, with semi-saturation irradiance of 10.2 μEinstein⁻² s⁻¹ in aerated cultures and of 6.8 μEinstein m⁻² s⁻¹ in non-aerated cultures.     

Growth of eight Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae) species: Effects of temperature,salinity and irradiance

Little is known about how the growth of individual Gambierdiscus species responds to environmental factors. This study examined the effects of temperature (15–34 °C), salinity (15–41) and irradiance (2–664 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹) on growth of Gambierdiscus: G. australes, G. belizeanus, G. caribaeus, G. carolinianus, G. carpenteri, G. pacificus and G. ruetzleri and one putative new species, Gambierdiscus ribotype 2. Depending on species, temperatures where maximum growth occurred varied between 26.5 and 31.1 °C. The upper and lower thermal limits for all species were between 31–34 °C and 15–21 °C, respectively. The shapes of the temperature vs. growth curves indicated that even small differences of 1–2 °C notably affected growth potentials. Salinities where maximum growth occurred varied between 24.7 and 35, while the lowest salinities supporting growth ranged from <14 to 20.9. These data indicated that Gambierdiscus species are more tolerant of lower salinities than is generally appreciated. Growth of all species began to decline markedly as salinities exceed 35.1–39.4. The highest salinity tested in this study (41), however, was lethal to only one species, Gambierdiscus ribotype 2. The combined salinity data indicated that differences in salinity regimes may affect relative species abundances and distributions, particularly when salinities are <20 and >35. All eight Gambierdiscus species were adapted to relatively low light conditions, exhibiting growth maxima at 50–230 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ and requiring only 6–17 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ to maintain growth. These low light requirements indicate that Gambierdiscus growth can occur up to 150 m depth in tropical waters, with optimal light regimes often extending to 75 m. The combined temperature, salinity and light requirements of Gambierdiscus can be used to define latitudinal ranges and species-specific habitats, as well as to inform predictive models.     

Seasonal variations in photosynthetic irradiance response curves of macrophytes from a Mediterranean coastal lagoon

The main photosynthesis and respiration parameters (dark respiration rate, light saturated production rate, saturation irradiance, photosynthetic efficiency) were measured on a total of 23 macrophytes of the Thau lagoon (2 Phanerogams, 5 Chlorophyceae, 10 Rhodophyceae and 6 Phaeophyceae). Those measurements were performed in vitro under controlled conditions, close to the natural ones, and at several seasons. Concomitantly, measurements of pigment concentrations, carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen contents in tissues were performed. Seasonal intra-specific variability of photosynthetic parameters was found very high, enlightening an important acclimatation capacity. The highest photosynthetic capacities were found for Chlorophyceae (e.g. Monostroma obscurum thalli at 17 °C, 982 μmol O₂ g⁻¹ dw h⁻¹ and 9.1 μmol O₂ g⁻¹ dw h⁻¹/μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹, respectively for light saturated net production rate and photosynthetic efficiency) and Phanerogams (e.g. Nanozostera noltii leaves at 25 °C, 583 μmol O₂ g⁻¹ dw h⁻¹ and 2.6 μmol O₂ g⁻¹ dw h⁻¹/μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ respectively for light saturated net production rate and photosynthetic efficiency). As expected, species with a high surface/volume ratio were found to be more productive than coarsely branched thalli and thick blades shaped species. Contrary to R_d (ranging 6.7–794 μmol O₂ g⁻¹ dw h⁻¹, respectively for Rytiphlaea tinctoria at 7 °C and for Dasya sessilis at 25 °C) for which a positive relationship with water temperature was found whatever the species studied, the evolution of P/I curves with temperature exhibited different responses amongst the species. The results allowed to show summer nitrogen limitation for some species (Gracilaria bursa-pastoris and Ulva spp.) and to propose temperature preferences based on the photosynthetic parameters for some others (N. noltii, Zostera marina, Chaetomorpha linum).     

Growth and domoic acid content of Pseudo-nitzschia australis isolated from northwestern Baja California,Mexico, cultured under batch conditions at different temperatures and two Si:NO3 ratios

Domoic acid (DA) poisoning in the southern part of the California Current System has been associated typically with blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia australis. The environmental variables that promote growth and DA production in the Mexican part of this system have not been identified. The present study investigated the effect of temperature and two nutrient ratios on the growth characteristics and DA content of two (BTS-1, BTS-2) P. australis strains isolated from the Pacific coast of northern Baja California peninsula, México. Of the different temperatures assayed (10, 12, 14, 15, 18 and 20 °C), the maximum cell abundance was detected at 12 °C for BTS-2 and 14 °C for BTS-1. The highest maximum specific growth rate (1.69 day⁻¹) was measured at 15 °C for BTS-2. With the exception of cells maintained at 15 °C, growth characteristics were similar in P. australis cultured in a high Si:NO₃ (2.5) or low Si:NO₃ (0.5) ratio at each temperature. Dissolved (dDA) and cellular (cDA) DA content measured at the stationary phase of growth was similar in cells cultivated at the different temperatures. No difference in cDA (between 0.11 and 1.87 pg DA cell⁻¹) was observed in cells cultivated at the two nutrient ratios. To evaluate if P. australis accumulates DA (cDA + dDA) at different stages of the culture and not only during the stationary phase of growth, the BTS-1 strain was cultivated at 14 °C and the content of this toxin was measured during culture development. The cultures were maintained at high (HL; 200 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹) and low light (LL; 30 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹) and in the two nutrient ratios to evaluate the effect of these variables on DA content. The photosynthetic performance and pigment concentration were measured as indicators of the physiological condition of the cells. cDA was detected in all culture conditions and during the different stages of growth. The highest DA content was measured during the lag phase of growth and it was present mainly in the medium (dDA = 70.83 pg DA cell⁻¹). Cells cultivated at HL produced more DA than LL cultured cells. P. australis cultured in HL presented lower photosynthetic rates than LL cells and had similar concentrations of photoprotective pigments and the highest maximum photosynthetic rates were detected during the lag phase of growth in all culture conditions. The results demonstrate that P. australis from northern Baja California peninsula presents a narrow temperature range for optimal growth under batch culture conditions. P. australis produce DA at different stages of growth, and DA content was related to the light intensity at which the cells were cultivated.