Gamma-ray irradiation as a pretreatment for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose

Summary The susceptibility of cellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis can be significantly affected through pretreatment by means of gamma-ray radiation. Experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of this radiation on enzymatic hydrolysis and on the two major structural features of cellulose that most influence hydrolysis, namely, specific surface area and crystallinity.D. H. Beardmore is currently with Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, OK 74004, U.S.A.     

Highly inducible cell lines derived from mice genetically transmitting the Moloney murine leukemia virus genome.

Permanent, non-virus-producing cell lines have been established from a mouse embryo carrying an endogenous, genetically transmitted Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) genome. These cells carry the M-MuLV genome, as demonstrated by hybridization of cellular DNA to M-MuLV complementary DNA, but do not express it at the levels of virus production, accumulation of intracellular viral p30, or M-MuLV-specific RNA. Treatment with bromodeoxyuridine (50 microgram/ml for 24 h) resulted in induction of XC-positive NB-tropic virus, although only a small fraction of the cells released virus (less than 0.1% after 48 h). Immunofluorescent staining and flow microfluorometry indicated that a wave of p30 accumulation occurs in the induced cells, with a maximum at 24 to 48 h after the addition of bromodeoxyuridine. Furthermore, most, if not all, cells were induced to produce p30 protein. Similar kinetics were found for the accumulation of M-MuLV-specific RNA in the cytoplasm of induced cells. This rapid induction of virus expression in a majority of cells was dependent on the presence of the M-MuLV genome and probably represents primarily the expression of this endogenous virus since induction was not observed in cells similarly derived from a sibling embryo lacking the M-MuLV genome.     

Response of white adipocyte of mouse and rabbit to catecholamines and ACTH

Summary Hormone stimulated lipolysis of mouse and rabbit adipocytes as measured by both free fatty acid and glycerol release, is proportionally elevated with increase in the adipocyte cAMP level up to 1 nmole/g. The correlation coefficients are 0.94 and 0.97 for FFA/cAMP and glycerol/cAMP respectively. Increments in cAMP greater than 1 nmole/g show no correlation with increase in lipolysis. The release of lipolytic products, glycerol and free fatty acids, from white adipocytes in response to ACTH, epinephrine or morepinephrine was measured using radiochemical assays in short term incubation systems, with cAMP levels measured at the same time and from the same cell sample. Under the conditions studied, epinephrine is a more effective lipolytic hormone than ACTH in mouse adipocyte, and ACTH is more effective than epinephrine in rabbit adipocyte. The effect of catecholamines on the rabbit adipocyte is not modified by phentolamine (10 μM), but it is potentiated by 1-methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine (0.1 mM). The results suggest that cAMP mediates the action of these lipolytic hormones in white adipocytes of mouse and rabbit.     

Polyamine metabolism in McCoy cells: III. Comparative studies of the metabolic fate of exogenous putrescine in human fibroblasts and McCoy cultures

The fate of exogenously added 14C-putrescine following incubation for 24 hours with McCoy and human skin fibroblast cultures was examined. The nature of the polyamine derivatives found were quite different indicative of a difference in the cellular metabolism of polyamines. Exogenously added putrescine (PUT) was metabolized by both McCoy and human skin fibroblast cultures to form spermidine (SPD), spermine (SPM), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and some unidentified compounds. Within the experimental period of observation, human cultured fibroblasts metabolized PUT more efficiently than McCoy cells and converted more than 50% of it into SPD, SPM, GABA and unknown compounds. Monoacetyl putrescine (MAP) was formed by human skin fibroblasts. It was mainly identified in the culture medium. No MAP was detectable either intracellularly or extracellularly in McCoy cultures. The percentage of 14C-radioactivity found as PUT in the culture medium was greater in McCoy cells (86.0%) than in human fibroblasts (53.9%). The reverse was true for the percentage distribution of 14C-radioactivity as PUT inside the cells. No low Mr conjugates of SPD or SPM were found in the medium or intracellularly with either culture type. Some low Mr putrescine conjugates were found in the culture media; these were identified by the liberation of PUT upon acid hydrolysis.     

Kinetic studies of enzymatic hydrolysis of insoluble cellulose: analysis of the initial rates

A study was conducted on the kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis of pure insoluble cellulose using unpurified culture filtrate Trichoderma reesei, with the emphasis on the initial reaction period. The initial hydrolysis rate and extent of enzyme (soluble protein)adsorption, either apparent or initial, were evaluated under various experimental conditions. It has been found that the various mass-transfer steps do not control the overall hydrolysis rate and that the hydrolysis rate is mainly controlled by the surface reaction step promoted by the adsorbed enzyme. It has also been found that the initial hydrolysis rate strongly depends on the initial extent of soluble protein adsorption and the effectiveness of the adsorbed soluble protein to promote the hydrolysis. The initial extent of soluble protein adsorption, in turn, is related to the initial cellulose concentration, enzyme concentration, and specific surface area of cellulose, whereas the effectiveness of the initially adsorbed soluble protein to promote the derived to interrelate these parameters without resorting to the Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The present result appear to imply that the role of enzyme-substrate complex formation should not be ignored in deriving a mechanistic kinetic model for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.     

龙牙百合3个地方品种的形态特征及核型分析

采用经典测量和染色体常规压片法,对龙牙百合（Lilium brownii var.viridulum Baker）3个地方品种的形态特征及核型进行研究。植株形态分析结果显示：‘江西’龙牙的株高、开花口径、种球重量和周长、中外层鳞片重量和长度以及鳞片扦插产生小鳞茎数等指标均显著大于‘大叶’龙牙和‘平头’龙牙;‘大叶’龙牙的叶片最长,均值为14.54 cm。花粉、叶表皮气孔及鳞片淀粉粒的微形态特征分析结果显示：‘江西’龙牙的花粉粒径最大,均值达111.76 μm;‘平头’龙牙的叶表皮气孔最长,气孔密度也最大（约47.6个/mm²）;‘大叶’龙牙的淀粉粒径最大,均值为47.61 μm;‘江西’龙牙的淀粉粒大小分布更集中,差异性小。染色体核型分析结果显示：龙牙百合3个品种的染色体数目均为2n=2x=24,为二倍体,其中‘江西’龙牙核型公式为2n=2x=24=2m（2SAT）+6sm（2SAT）+12st（4SAT）+4t;‘平头’龙牙核型公式为2n=2x=24=4m+8sm+10st（4SAT）+2t;‘大叶’龙牙核型公式为2n=2x=24=2m（2SAT）+6sm+14st（4SAT）+2t,三者核型均为3B型。     

碳量子点对模式植物拟南芥的生物效应研究

以模式植物拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana（L.）Heynh）为材料,从生理及分子层面研究碳量子点（Carbon quantum dots,CQDs）对拟南芥生物效应的影响。结果显示,CQDs能被拟南芥根部吸收并连续运输到叶片,对种子萌发率无明显影响,但能显著促进幼苗主根伸长和株重的增加。幼苗叶片叶绿体中色素含量随CQDs浓度的升高而显著降低。脯氨酸与丙二醛含量随CQDs浓度的升高呈先上升后下降趋势。超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性随CQDs浓度的升高呈先上升后下降趋势,在抗氧化酶系统中起主导作用;叶片内源过氧化氢（H₂O₂）的积累随CQDs浓度的升高而升高,具有显著的浓度依赖效应。与其他纳米材料处理不一样的是,硫同化及胁迫相关基因在CQDs处理后表达量下调,这可能与CQDs粒子本身的特性有关。     

沿海岛屿与内陆藓类植物遗传多样性和分化的比较研究——以真藓(Bryum argenteum Hedw.)为例

基于11个内陆居群和32个岛屿居群的252份标本,采用ISSR分子标记技术对真藓（Bryum argenteum Hedw.）的遗传多样性进行了研究。结果显示：岛屿与内陆居群间的遗传多样性差异显著,岛屿居群间的分化程度（G_st=0.453）大于内陆居群（G_st=0.387）,岛屿居群的遗传分化与地理来源间存在极显著相关性（r=0.478,n=175,P<0.001）。地理隔离效应是导致岛屿居群间遗传分化的重要因素。岛内居群间的遗传分化水平较低,仅有29.4%~29.7%的遗传多样性存在于居群间。聚类分析表明,43个居群可划分为10大类群,真藓遗传关系受地理因素和生境异质性的影响,水域隔离影响了真藓繁殖体在岛屿间的传播。     

红细胞生成刺激素(EPO)的纯化

 本文用中空纤维柱超滤浓缩尿,再经离子交换层析、聚焦层析、凝胶过滤和制备型聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(PAGE)-层析等四步从15L再生障碍性贫血患者尿中获得约2mg EPO制品。比活性达10 300U/mg蛋白。该制品在分析型PAGE中呈一条区带。