Enantioselective reduction of aryl ketones using immobilized cells of Candida viswanathii

Enantioselective reduction of 1-acetonapthone to S(−)-1-(1-naphthyl) ethanol, a key intermediate for the synthesis of HMG Co-A reductase inhibitor, was successfully carried out using immobilized cells of a newly isolated carbonyl reductase producing yeast strain Candida viswanathii MTCC 5158. Calcium alginate (1.5%, w/v) gave the best immobilization efficiency. Among different organic solvents and ionic liquids tried as reaction media, isopropanol gave the best enantioselectivity with moderate conversion. The immobilized cells (100 mg/ml in 50 mM Tris buffer pH 9) showed best results at a substrate concentration of 0.2 mg/ml at 30 °C. After twelve cycles of reaction, no significant decrease in bioreduction efficiency of the immobilized cells was observed as compared to the free cells.     

Enhancing the biocatalytic potential of carbonyl reductase of Candida viswanathii using aqueous-organic solvent system

In the present work, the toxic effect of various solvents with different Log P values was studied on the whole cells of Candida viswanathii. Experiments showed that the lower concentrations of some solvent increased both the activity retention and enzyme activity as compared to the control while this was not the case with higher concentrations of the same solvents. The model compound taken in the present study was 1-acetophenone. The percentage conversion improved from 76 to 94%. Addition of 2-propanol increased the substrate tolerance, giving the conversion of 90% compared to 9% in control at a substrate concentration of 70 mM in 1h. The operational stability increased at higher temperatures with the addition of 2-propanol in the reaction mixture with good conversion (90%) and enantiomeric excess (>99%) at 45 degrees C and 50 degrees C. The effect was also found to be prominent in other tested substrates. In order to further stabilize the cells for long term use in higher concentration of organic solvents, the cells were further immobilized, and were found to have higher activity retention than that of free cells.     

Optimization of physicochemical parameters for the enhancement of carbonyl reductase production by Candida viswanathii

Culture conditions have been optimized for a newly isolated yeast strain Candida viswanathii PBR2 which is capable of reducing a wide variety of aryl ketones with high stereospecificity. Studies on the culture conditions and catalytic performance of this microorganism showed that the carbonyl reductase occurs constitutively in the cells and its production is enhanced by feeding with acetophenone (2 mM) during the early period of cultivation. Mannitol (1%, wv⁻¹) was found to be beneficial both for growth and enzyme production. Supplementation of the media with yeast extract (1.0%, wv⁻¹) and Ca²⁺ (4 mM) enhanced the enzyme production. The optimal temperature and pH for the growth and enzyme production were 25 °C and 9.0, respectively. Excellent conversions along with almost absolute enantioselectivity were observed when the resting cells of this yeast strain were exploited to carry out the stereoselective reduction of a number of aryl ketones.     

Response surface optimization of the critical medium components for carbonyl reductase production by Candida viswanathii MTCC 5158

Culture conditions were optimized for the growth and carbonyl reductase production by a novel yeast strain Candida viswanathii. Response surface methodology was applied for the critical medium components (initial pH, mannitol, yeast extract and calcium chloride) identified earlier by one-factor-at-a-time approach. Central composite design was used for the optimization studies. Using this methodology, the optimal values for the concentration of mannitol, initial pH, yeast extract and calcium chloride were 1.9, 7.5, 1.6 and 4, respectively. This medium was projected to produce, theoretically, growth having an optical density of 1.1 (600 nm) and an enzyme activity of 81.5 U/ml. Using this optimized medium, an experimental growth of 1.1 OD (600 nm) and enzyme activity 80.9 U/ml verified the applied methodology. This approach for medium optimization led to an enhancement of the growth and enzyme activity by 1.3 and 2.3 times higher, respectively, as compared to the unoptimized media.     

Influence of carbon and nitrogen sources on lipase production by a newly isolated Candida viswanathii strain

Microorganisms can produce lipases with different biochemical characteristics making necessary the screening of new lipase-producing strains for different industrial applications. In this study, 90 microbial strains were screened as potential lipase producers using a sensitive agar plate method with a suitable medium supplemented with Tween 20 and also a liquid culture supplemented with olive oil. The highest cell growth and lipase production for Candida viswanathii were observed in triolein and oleic acid when used as the only pure carbon source. Renewable low-cost triacylglycerols supported the best cell growth, and olive oil was found to be the best inducer for lipase production (19.50 g/L and 58.50 U). The selected conditions for enzyme production were found with yeast extract as nitrogen source and 1.5 % (w/v) olive oil (85.70 U) that resulted in a good cell growth yield (Y_X/S?=?1.234 g/g) and lipase productivity (1.204 U/h) after 72 h of shake-flask cultivation. C. viswanathii lipase presented high hydrolytic activity on esters bonds of triacylglycerols of long-chain, and this strain can be considered an important candidate for future applications in chemical industries.     

On the taxonomic position of Tomentypnum Loeske

Abstract

Evidence is presented for removing Tomentypnum from the usual position near Homalotheeium in the Brachytheciaceae and placing it near Drepanoeladus vernieosus and D. lapponieus in the Amblystegiaceae.     

On the taxonomic status and distribution of Funaria durieui

Funaria durieui, described from Algeria, is reported from the Iberian peninsula and the Canary islands. A new name, Entosthodon schimperi, is suggested.     

On the characteristics and taxonomic position of symbiotic Chlorella

Three strains of symbiotic Chlorella (NC64A, CE/76, UTEX-130) could be assigned to C. vulgaris by physiological and DNA-hybridization studies and a fourth symbiotic strain, 3N8/13-1, exhibited characteristics intermediate between C. vulgaris and C. sorokiniana. None of the strains contained detectable sporopollenin or was nutritionally fastidious but the capacity for sugar release (usually maltose) may be a characteristic of all symbiotic Chlorella.     

微孢子虫系统进化研究的变迁与展望

微孢子虫(Microsporidia)是一类专性细胞内寄生的单细胞真核生物,在科研、医疗、农业、商业等领域具有重要影响。由于其不具有某些典型的真核生物细胞结构,如线粒体、过氧化物酶体、高尔基体、鞭毛,曾将其归属于古真核生物谱系,认为其进化历程先于这些细胞器的起源,该假说也得到了一些生物化学和分子生物学研究证据的支持。然而,在最近十年里,通过更深入的研究,尤其是基于分子序列的系统进化分析,表明微孢子虫和真菌具有一定亲缘关系,并认为其结构的简约性恰好体现了微孢子虫营寄生生活的高度退化现象。目前对微孢子虫的系统进化仍存在各种不同意见,对其进化研究历史进行探讨有着重要意义。本文将按照时间顺序回顾微孢子虫进化分类研究过程中的各种研究成果,并讨论为什么微孢子虫独特的细胞和基因组特性会导致众多的学者在其进化分类问题上争执这么久。     

On the taxonomic status and denomination of the Iberian Chiffchaffs

We carried out a Principal Component Analysis on 196 Iberian and Common Chiffchaffs of both sexes (live and collection specimens), characterized by seven variables derived from wing, tarsus and bill measures. This method, complemented by colour comparison of the taxa, led us to the following conclusions. (1) Phyllopneuste brehmii , Homeyer, 1871, is a junior synonym of Sylvia collybita , Vieillot, 1817. The correct name for the Iberian Chiffchaff is Phylloscopus ibericus (Ticehurst 1937). (2) P. ibericus is itself represented by two subspecies: the southern form P. i. ibericus (Ticehurst 1937), and the northern form, for which we propose the name P. i. biscayensis ssp. nov . (3) The Common and Iberian Chiffchaffs are very distinct in the contact zone. But an overall geographical variation following Bergmann's and Allen's rules within both taxa generates an ecomorphological convergence, i.e. P. i. ibericus and the populations of P. c. collybita from northern central Europe have similar sizes. This may explain why previous authors were unable to diagnose the two taxa on morphological criteria alone.     

A taxonomic study of KoreanSmilacina

Several taxonomic problems of KoreanSmilacina were examined by statistical methods, based on morphological data. Consequently,S. davurica described in Korean flora differs greatly from originalS. davurica, and closely related toS. bicolor morphologically. Therefore, the present authors treated this new taxon as a variety ofS. bicolor, S. bicolor var.flavovirens N. S. Lee et J. Y. Kim var. nov (“Yondusomdae” in Korean). The distribution in South Korea ofS. bicolor var.bicolor is known as only Mt. Chiri, but this species is collected in Mt. Dukyou, also. The bounds of morphological variations ofS. japonica var.japonica, the short plant size and no hairs on the stem, were revealed. The morphological characteristics ofS. japonica var.japonica andS. japonica var.mandshurica is obscure to distinguish. According to the present study,S. japonica var.mandshurica differs fromS. japonica var.japonica in plant size, size of adaxial leaf epidermal cell, ratio of style/ovary length and shape of stigma. The unrecorded taxon in Korean flora,S. robusta, was given a new Korean name as “Kunsomdae.” AlthoughS. japonica var.mandshurica is the variety ofS. japonica var.japonica, it is more closely related toS. robusta than toS. japonica var.japonica.     

A taxonomic and ecological study of candidosis

A total of 450 yeast isolates were obtained from up to 34 sites on 59 human subjects. The yeasts were characterized using morphological features and assimilation tests. Ten species were identified but, of these,Candida albicans andCandida parapsilosis were the most common and accounted for 84% of the isolates. An examination of the biotypes of the various species indicated a much greater diversity in the yeast microflora than that detected by species identifications alone. Fifty-five biotypes were differentiated and it is suggested that these could be regarded as distinct taxonomic or ecological entities.     

On the compatibility of binary qualitative taxonomic characters

In this note we prove that an entire collection of binary qualitative taxonomic characters is compatible if each character in the collection is compatible with every other character. An apparently more general definition of compatibility is presented and shown to be equivalent to the old one.     

Karyological and taxonomic studies of Dugesia japonica Ichikawa et Kawakatsu in the Far East

A review of previous studies on the taxonomy, karyology and chorology of a polymorphic species Dugesia japonica from the Far East is presented. Two subspecies are now known: D. j. japonica (n = 8, 2x = 16, 3x = 24) and D. j. ryukyuensis (n = 7, 2x = 14, 3x = 21). An attempt has also been made to determine the definition of the B-chromosome as LB and SB and the variation of the karyotypes of both subspecies is described. Every known karyotype of D. japonica is classified into six groups (see Table 2). D. japonica from many localities has a diploid karyotype (2x), a triploid karyotype (3x) and an orthoploidic mixoploid karyotype of 2x & 3x. The origin and the karyological significance of these karyotypes are discussed.     

On the temporal inconsistencies of Linnean taxonomic ranks

The inconsistency problem in systematics refers in part to the fact that disparate taxa of identical Linnean rank are not necessarily similar or even readily comparable in any other specifiable biological feature. This shortcoming led to a ‘temporal banding’ proposal in which extant clades associated with particular taxonomic ranks would be standardized according to a universal metric: the absolute time of evolutionary origin. However, one underexplored possibility is that same‐level taxa in disparate organismal groups already might be similar (fortuitously so) in evolutionary age. In the present study, we explicitly address this possibility by reviewing published molecular inferences about the known or suspected origination dates of taxonomic genera, families, and orders in diverse organismal groups. Our findings empirically confirm that currently recognized taxa are far from temporally standardized, thereby adding support for the contention that this kind of taxonomic inconsistency should ultimately be rectified in our biological classifications. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 707–714.