An improved method for the preparation of 3-ketoglycosides

Summary Improved conditions were described to increase the yield of 3-ketoglycosides, which are formed during the oxidation of several disaccharides and bionates by a strain of aerobic bacteria. These end-products were formed fastest when a heavy inoculum (10¹⁴–10¹⁵ cells/ml) of non-adapted organisms was used. The aeration rate was found to be very important. An oxygen absorption rate (O.A.R.) of 6 was currently used. In these conditions a 4% solution of lactose, lacto- and maltobionate was nearly quantitatively converted into the corresponding 3-keto-compounds. Maltose and saccharose gave a yield of 12 and 20% respectively. An analytical method to determine 3-ketoglycosides with semicarbazide was described. 3-Ketolactose has been obtained in the crystalline state. Geassocieerde Nationaal Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek.     

An improved rapid method for the preparation of D-rhamnose

A method is developed for the preparation of D-rhamnose from an O-polysaccharide (OPS) isolated by mild acid hydrolysis of Azospirillum brasilense SR75 cell mass. After the OPS hydrolysis, D-rhamnose was recovered by gel-permeation chromatography on Toyopearl TSK HW-40 and was crystallized. The sugar activity was demonstrated immunochemically. The advantages of the method are that it expedites and simplifies the extraction of D-rhamnose and increases its yield.     

An improved method for detection and quantification of chitinase activities

Chitinases are enzymes that serve critical roles in fungal growth and development, in resistance of plants to fungal pathogens, and in parasitism of insects by entomopathogenic fungi. The term "chitinase" is used for 3 enzymatic activities: N-acetylglucosaminidases, which sequentially release N-acetylglucosamine residues from the chitin polymer; chitobiosidases, which release disaccharides; and endochitinases, which cleave within the polymer and release oligosaccharides. We describe a technique where chitinases are separated on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels, activities are visualized and characterized with chitinase specific substrates, and specific activities are estimated by image analysis. This technique permits a rapid determination of all of the types of chitinases present within a sample as well as their activities.     

An improved method for the preparation of rat brain microsomes

The rat brains homogenized with different media (sucrose, ethylene glycol, dimethyl sulfoxide and urea) yielded different amounts of microsomal fractions. The dielectric constant, density and viscosity of the homogenization media did not correlate with the amount of microsomes separated by differential centrifugation. The homogenization media containing dimethyl sulfoxide were the most efficient for the isolation of rat brain microsomes. The increase in the yield was up to 4-fold when 50% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide was employed. Microsomes isolated in this manner were analogous to those obtained from isotonic sucrose solution, as was demonstrated by their chemical and enzymatic (5'-nucleotidase, adenosine deaminase, guanine deaminase, purine-nucleoside phosphorylase, lactate, malate and glutamate dehydrogenases, amine oxidase fumarate hydratase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, acetylcholinesterase, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, catalase and thiamine-diphosphatase) characterization.     

An improved medium for the detection of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus

An effective selective medium for the enumeration of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus has been developed by modification of Bothast and Fennell's Aspergillus Differential Medium. Results can be obtained with the new medium, Aspergillus flavus and parasiticus Agar (AFPA), after 42 h incubation at 30 degrees C. The medium is thus suitable for use in quality control as a guide to the presence of A. flavus and, potentially, of aflatoxins. AFPA has been extensively tested on peanuts and soils. Results were reproducible and comparable with those on standard fungal enumeration media incubated for much longer periods. A very low percentage of false positive or negatives was found.     

An improved medium for the detection of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus

An effective selective medium for the enumeration of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus has been developed by modification of Bothast and Fennell's Aspergillus Differential Medium. Results can be obtained with the new medium, Aspergillus flavus and parasiticus Agar (AFPA), after 42 h incubation at 30°C. The medium is thus suitable for use in quality control as a guide to the presence of A. flavus and, potentially, of aflatoxins. AFPA has been extensively tested on peanuts and soils. Results were reproducible and comparable with those on standard fungal enumeration media incubated for much longer periods. A very low percentage of false positives or negatives was found.     

An improved method for the preparation of 1,2-isopropylidene-SN-glycerol

A simple and fast route for the preparation of 1,2-isopropylidene-sn-glycerol from D-mannitol in 45% yield is described. The value of optical rotation, [α]_D²⁰ + 15.2°, is higher than usual indicating considerable racemization for other procedures. Since 1,2-isopropylidene-sn-glycerol serves as general intermediate for the synthesis of glycerides and of phosphoglycerides these lipids contain substantial amounts of the isomer, for instance 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine may consist of up to 15% of 2,3-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-1-phosphocholine in earlier preparations.     

An improved method for rapid preparation of oligodendrocyte-specific rabbit polyclonal antibody

Antibodies are important tools in the study of protein function and diagnostic tests. However, traditional antiserum preparation requires a time-consuming immunization protocol and subsequent purification of polyclonal antibodies. In this study, a rapid and efficient method for polyclonal antibody preparation has been developed. Juxtanodin (JN) and silent information regulator-2 (Sirt2), both of which are oligodendrocyte-specific proteins, were used for antibody preparation. The N-terminal 170 amino acids of JN (JN170) and amino acids 231–351 of Sirt2 (Sirt2-121) were expressed as GST-tagged proteins from a pET-41a(+) vector in E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) cells. The fusion proteins were purified and used to immunize rabbits following both a traditional protocol, in which antigen was presented biweekly, and a modified rapid protocol, in which the immunization on day 1 was boosted on days 5 and 28. ELISA, Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining showed that antibodies produced via the rapid protocol could recognize these two oligodendrocytespecific proteins in vitro and in the rat central nervous system (CNS), respectively, similar to those produced with the traditional protocol. Thus, our study provides a novel rapid method to prepare high specificity antibodies via a modified immunization protocol and subsequent antibody purification.     

An improved ELISA method for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium

The applicability of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of salmonellas in foodstuffs was investigated. Several factors affecting the sensitivity of the ELISA, such as the type of protein used for plate post-coating, the method of antibody labelling, and accelerators for antigen-antibody and enzyme-substrate reactions, were studied. Labelling of the antibody with horseradish peroxidase and the use of o-phenylenediamine as substrate in the detection system were demonstrated to be most suitable for the enzyme assay. Based on these findings, an improved ELISA method was developed for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium. The improved technique was able to detect as few as 5 x 10(4)-10(5) cell/ml of salmonellas, and about 24 h were required to enrich the bacteria in food samples and to perform the test. With some modifications, the ELISA assay could reach a very high level of sensitivity and provide excellent reproducibility.     

An improved ELISA method for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium

The applicability of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of salmonellas in foodstuffs was investigated. Several factors affecting the sensitivity of the ELISA, such as the type of protein used for plate post-coating, the method of antibody labelling, and accelerators for antigen-antibody and enzyme-substrate reactions, were studied. Labelling of the antibody with horseradish peroxidase and the use of o -phenylenediamine as substrate in the detection system were demonstrated to be most suitable for the enzyme assay.
Based on these findings, an improved ELISA method was developed for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium. The improved technique was able to detect as few as 5×10⁴-10⁵ cell/ml of salmonellas, and about 24 h were required to enrich the bacteria in food samples and to perform the test. With some modifications, the ELISA assay could reach a very high level of sensitivity and provide excellent repro-ducibility.