Synthesis of protoporphyrin IX induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid in yeast cells in the presence of 2,2;-dipyridyl

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a precursor of porphyrin synthesis, increased the production of various porphyrin compounds in Candida guilliermondii cells. Metalloporphyrins and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) were predominantly accumulated, respectively, at ALA concentrations of 0.2-0.4 mM and at those higher than 1.5 mM. 2,2;-Dipyridyl which complexed with bivalent metals significantly increased the content of endogenous PPIX even at ALA concentrations lower than 0.5 mM. Under these conditions, the yeast sensitivity to photodynamic effect of visible light (400-600 nm) dramatically increased due to photosensitization by endogenous PPIX.     

Biochemical Decomposition of the Herbicide N-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-2-Methylpentanamide and Related Compounds

Organisms capable of decomposing N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-methylpentanamide (Karsil) were isolated, identified, and tested for their ability to hydrolyze this herbicide. Primary products of Karsil decomposition by cells and cell-free extracts of a Penicillium sp. were identified as 2-methyl-valeric acid and 3,4-dichloroaniline. The Karsil acylamidase (EC 3.5.1.a aryl acylamine amidohydrolase) was an induced enzyme. It was partially purified and tested for its ability to hydrolyze 25 related compounds. Some relations between the structures of these compounds and their susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis were discerned.     

Utilization of erythrosine B in spectrofluorimetric quenching analysis of amlodipine and perindopril in pharmaceutical and biological matrices

A spectrofluorimetric approach that is sensitive, simple, validated, and cost-effective has been proposed for the estimation of amlodipine (AML) and perindopril (PER) in their bulk powders, pharmaceutical formulations, and spiked human plasma. The recommended approach utilized the quantitative quenching effect of the two cited drugs on the fluorescence intensity of erythrosine B, as a result of complex binary reactions among each drug with erythrosine B at pH 3.5 (Teorell and Stenhagen buffer). The quenching of erythrosine B fluorescence was recorded at 554 nm after excitation at 527 nm. The calibration curve was detected in the range 0.25–3.0 μg ml⁻¹, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9996 for AML, and 0.1–1.5 μg ml⁻¹, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9996 for PER. The established spectrofluorimetric approach was validated for the estimation of the cited drugs with high sensitivity regarding International Council on Harmonization guidelines. Therefore, the established approach could be utilized for quality control of the cited drugs in their pharmaceutical formulations.     

The influence of zinc,copper, iron and manganese on the mycological production of citric acid in surface cultures

Summary When analytical reagent grade chemicals were used in the preparation of the fermentation medium for citric acid production, enrichment with zinc was found to be essential for establishing, good acid production addition of manganese on the other hand, was found to be inhibitory. Slight inhibition or no effect was obtained on addition of copper and iron respectively.A Greeting to the 70th Birthday of Prof. Dr. A. Rippel-Baldes.