Common dandelion: a review of its botanical,phytochemical and pharmacological profiles

Phytochemistry Reviews - Phytoalimurgy is a term that derives from Greek and Latin by combination of the words φυτόν, which meaning plant, and alimenta urgentia, indicating...     

Genomic analysis and lactose transporter expression in Kluyveromyces marxianus CCT 7735

Kluyveromyces marxianus CCT 7735 has been used to produce ethanol, aromatic compounds, enzymes and heterologous proteins besides assimilates lactose as carbon source. Its genome has 10.7 Mb and encodes 4787 genes distributed in 8 nuclear chromosomes and one mitochondrial. Contrary to Kluyveromyces lactis, which has a unique LAC12 gene (encodes lactose permease), K. marxianus possesses four. The presence of degenerated copies and Solo-LTRs related to retrotransposon TKM close to the LAC12 genes in K. marxianus indicates ectopic recombinations. The Lac12 permeases of K. marxianus and K. lactis are conserved, however the conservation is higher between the copy of the left side of the chromosome three and the unique copy of K. lactis, indicating that this copy is the ancestor. The expression of the four LAC12 genes occurred in aerobiosis and hypoxia. Notably, the high lactose consumption in hypoxia seems to be related to the high expression of the LAC12 genes.     

Smart process development: Application of machine-learning and integrated process modeling for inclusion body purification processes

The development of a biopharmaceutical production process usually occurs sequentially, and tedious optimization of each individual unit operation is very time-consuming. Here, the conditions established as optimal for one-step serve as input for the following step. Yet, this strategy does not consider potential interactions between a priori distant process steps and therefore cannot guarantee for optimal overall process performance. To overcome these limitations, we established a smart approach to develop and utilize integrated process models using machine learning techniques and genetic algorithms. We evaluated the application of the data-driven models to explore potential efficiency increases and compared them to a conventional development approach for one of our development products. First, we developed a data-driven integrated process model using gradient boosting machines and Gaussian processes as machine learning techniques and a genetic algorithm as recommendation engine for two downstream unit operations, namely solubilization and refolding. Through projection of the results into our large-scale facility, we predicted a twofold increase in productivity. Second, we extended the model to a three-step model by including the capture chromatography. Here, depending on the selected baseline-process chosen for comparison, we obtained between 50% and 100% increase in productivity. These data show the successful application of machine learning techniques and optimization algorithms for downstream process development. Finally, our results highlight the importance of considering integrated process models for the whole process chain, including all unit operations.     

Phylogeography of the Endangered Franciscana Dolphin: Timing and Geological Setting of the Evolution of Populations

Pontoporia blainvillei (Gervais & d’Orbigny, 1844), the franciscana dolphin, is the most endangered small cetacean in the Western South Atlantic. It is an endemic species with a coastal and estuarine distribution that has been divided into four Franciscana Management Areas (FMAs). We used the mitochondrial DNA control region to conduct a phylogeographic analysis to evaluate the population structure of the franciscana and the influence of paleoceanographic events on its biogeographic history. We found nine populations along the entire distribution (Φ_ST?=?0.41, Φ_CT?=?0.38, p?<?10^–5), with estimated migration rates resulting in less than one female per generation. Populations from FMAIII and FMAIV in the south (including the Río de La Plata Estuary) showed higher long-term migration rates and effective population sizes than northern populations. The phylogeographic analysis supports the franciscana origin in the Río de La Plata Estuary, with further dispersal south and northwards. The first lineage split happened around 2.5 Ma, with lineage radiation throughout the Pleistocene until recent fragmentation events shaped current-day populations. We suggest that Pleistocene glaciations influenced the dispersion and population structure of the franciscana. Specifically, that the shift of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence drove the dispersion northwards. Then, low sea-level periods caused either the isolation in estuarine refugia or local extinctions, followed by re-colonizations.

     

Phosphorus Recovery from Phosphate Rocks Using Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria

In this paper, we are presenting a biological process to recover phosphorus by solubilizing low-grade phosphate rocks. To this end, the efficiency of different phosphate-solubilizing microorganism (PSM) species for solubilizing P from phosphate rocks using both pure cultures and associations. Nutritional conditions, phosphate rock concentrations, and reactor designs were tested. The genus Bacillus, especially Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 14581), was found to be the most promising PSM for solubilizing P. Production of organic acids and acidic pH values were shown to be directly related to P solubilizing. However, associations between tested microorganisms did not significantly enhance process efficiency. We conclude that nutritional factors of the medium are important to solubilization, and lower phosphate rock concentrations lead to better solubilization. The Air Lift reactor was promising for B. megaterium (ATCC 14581), but adaptations are needed for further tests.     

Iron-based phosphorus chelator: Risk of iron deposition and action on bone metabolism in uremic rats

Phosphate chelators are frequently used in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). New iron-based chelators remain understudied and offer a promising therapeutic option for the control of bone and mineral disorders of chronic kidney disease (BMD-CKD). We assessed the effect of the phosphorus chelator, chitosan-iron III (CH-FeCl), compared to calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in BMD-CKD and the potential iron overload in uremic rats. Thirty-two animals were divided into four groups, namely the control, CKD, CKD/CH-FeCl, and CKD/CaCO₃ groups. CKD was induced by adding 0.75% (4 weeks) and 0.1% (3 weeks) adenine to the diet. The chelators were administered from week 3 through week 7. The renal function, BMD-CKD markers, and histomorphometry of the femur were assessed at week 7. The CKD group showed a significant increase in creatinine (83.9 ± 18.6 vs. 41.5 ± 22.1 µmol/L; P = 0.001), phosphate (3.5 ± 0.8 vs. 2.2 ± 0.2 mmol/L; P = 0.001), fractional excretion of phosphorus (FEP) (0.71 ± 0.2 vs. 0.2 ± 0.17; P = 0.0001), and FGF23 (81.36 ± 37.16 pg/mL vs. 7.42 ± 1.96; P = 0.011) compared to the control group. There was no accumulation of serum or bone iron after the use of CH-FeCl. The use of chelators reduced the FEP (control: 0.71 ± 0.20; CKD/CH-FeCl: 0.40 ± 0.16; CKD/CaCO₃ 0.34 ± 0.15; P = 0.001), without changes in the serum FGF23 and parathyroid hormone levels. Histomorphometry revealed the presence of bone disease with high remodeling in the uremic animals without changes with the use of chelators. The CH-FeCl chelator was efficient in reducing the FEP without iron accumulation, thereby paving the way for the use of this class of chelators in clinical settings in the future.     

Identification of a cDNA clone encoding DIP1-binding protein in Drosophila melanogaster

The Drosophila melanogaster L27a gene encodes a ribosomal protein which is a member of the L15 family of ribosomal proteins. D.m. L27a is closely related to the mammalian protein that has been found differentially expressed in lung cancer tissues and therefore could be involved in the control of cell proliferation such as the ribosomal protein S6. Our work elucidates the role of DIP1 which is a novel protein that we found in Drosophila. We performed a two-hybrid system assay and identified the L27a protein as an interactor of DIP1. The interaction was then validated by in vitro binding assays. DIP1, similar to other nuclear proteins in eukaryotes, is localized to the nuclear periphery and chromatin domain in all nuclei, but disappears at the metaphase. It is possible that in D.m. L27a protein, via interaction with DIP1, could be involved in protein synthesis as well as in cell cycle regulation.