Ligninolytic properties of different white-rot fungi

Summary Seven white-rot fungi were examined for the production of ligninase, manganese peroxidase and laccase. All these enzymes were found inTrametes gibbosa andTrametes hirsuta. Only manganese peroxidase and laccase were produced byPycnoporus cinnabarinus,Coriolopsis polyzona,Stereum hirsutum,Dichomitus squalens andGanoderma valesiacum. All fungi decolorized Poly B-411 and Indulin AT plates with low-N medium. The differences in enzyme pattern indicate that different species of fungi may employ different modes of lignin metabolism.     

Supplement of nutrients for effective cultivation of hepatitis B surface antigen-producing recombinant yeast

Summary In the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-producing recombinant yeast culture medium, the supply of Bacto-yeast nitrogen base without amino acids was found to be inadequate due to the lack of the several kinds of vitamins and trace elements. When the culture medium for this recombinant yeast was supplemented with sufficient vitamins and trace elements, its growth, HBsAg production and the stability of plasmid were improved.     

Three new species of Bychowskyella Achmerow, 1952 (Monogenea) from Peninsular Malaysia

Three new and one previously described species of Bychowskyella Achmerow, 1952 were collected from the gills of four species of freshwater catfish in Peninsular Malaysia. They are Bychowskyella teysmanni n. sp. from Clarias teysmanni (Bleeker, 1857) (Clariidae), Bychowskyella sisoris n. sp. from Glyptothorax major (Boulenger, 1894) (Sisoridae), Bychowskyella baueri n. sp. from Silurichthys hasselti (Bleeker, 1858) (Siluridae), and Bychowskyella tchangi Gussev, 1976 from Clarias macrocephalus Gunther, 1864 (Clariidae). B. teysmanni n. sp. differs from B. tchangi in having two pairs of large marginal hooks. B. sisoris n. sp. is unique in possessing two onchia, while B. baueri n. sp. differs from previously described Bychowskyella species in the structure of the dorsal onchium. C. macrocephalus is a new host record for B. tchangi in Peninsular Malaysia.     

Patterns of actin filaments during cell shaping in developing mesophyll of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Young leaves of wheat exhibit a smooth developmental gradient with meristematic cells at the base and highly differentiated cells at the tip. During differentiation, mesophyll cells attain a lobed outline resembling tube-shaped balloons with almost regularly spaced isthmi. Microfilament patterns in developing wheat mesophyll cells were investigated using fluorescent-labeled phalloidin. Various patterns were found, including delicate arrays of transversely oriented microfilaments in the cortex of the cytoplasm. A close correlation between changes in the patterns of cortical microfilaments, microtubules, cell wall microfibrils, and cell shape was observed. The fine arrays of transversely oriented microfilaments coaligned with bands of microtubules occurring during cell elongation. These bands were found beneath sites of intense wall deposition. It has recently been proposed that the resulting hoops of wall reinforcement prevent cell expansion in the corresponding regions and thus give rise to the peculiar cell shape. When cell expansion ceased, and the typical lobed cell shape was attained, a dense network of microfilaments was retained in the cytoplasm, which was in contrast to what has been described for the microtubular arrays.     

Purification and properties of intracellular fructosyl transferase fromAureobasidium pullulans

Intracellular frustosyl transferase was purified fromAureobasidium pullulans C-23 by ethanol fractionation, CM-Sephadex chromatography and preparative disc gel electrophoresis. It was shown to be homogeneous on disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, with a molecular size of 190kDa. The pI value of the enzyme was about 3.7. The enzyme has aK _m value of 0.43 mM for sucrose and was optimally active at pH 5.0 and 60°C. The enzyme was stable from pH 2.5 to 12. It was almost completely inhibited by 5mM Hg²⁺ but was not significantly affected by other cations. The transferase was inactivated by treatment with the tryptophan-specific reagentN-bromosuccinimide and the tyrosine-specific reagent, I₂, suggesting that tryptophan and tyrosine residues are probably located at or near the active site of the enzyme.     

Audit of compliance with antenatal protocols.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the implementation of action protocols dictated by antenatal risk factors noted at the initial (booking) antenatal visit. DESIGN--Retrospective study of 2000 women delivered between 1 March 1990 and 29 March 1991. SETTING--Maternity department of a district general hospital supporting a multiethnic population in inner London. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Comparison of clinical actions performed against those dictated by the department''s protocols. Analysis according to clinical importance, gestation at booking, maternal age, parity, birth order, ethnic origin, and certainty of gestational age. RESULTS--Interobserver agreement between the two auditors was good (kappa statistic for risk factors detected, 0.78; for actions generated, 0.80). Of the 15,658 actions dictated by department protocols, 3673 (23.5%) were actually performed by the clinicians. The 63 combinations of risk factors and actions believed by consultants to be of particular clinical importance had an action rate of 28.3% compared with 18.6% for those considered less important (p < 0.001). Mothers who first visited the hospital antenatal clinic at or before 24 weeks'' gestation had 25.2% of relevant protocols fulfilled (p < 0.001). Compliance was significantly improved in women aged 36 or over (32.4%), black women (24.9%), and cases of uncertain gestation (24.5%). Parity and birth order were not associated with an altered action rate. Ethnic origin deemed as "other" (than white, black, Asian, or oriental) or "unknown" was associated with poor compliance (19.3%). CONCLUSIONS--Compliance to a set of agreed protocols was poor even though a computer system was available and a protocol manual had been distributed. Protocols were more likely to be implemented in women who booked early and in some groups of women deemed at high risk including older mothers, black women, and those denoted as having uncertain gestational age.     

Carbonisation of oil palm trunks at moderate temperatures

Thousands of tonnes of dry oil palm trunks will be produced annually in Malaysia after about 1990. A project was initiated to study the feasibility of converting palm trunks into charcoal. Carbonisation was done at terminal temperatures of 400–550°C with holding times of 1–3 h and at two heating rates. From laboratory-scale pyrolysis studies, it was found that holding time does not affect the quantity and quality of the charcoal produced, while heating rate has a minor influence. However, as terminal temperature increases, both yield and volatile content decrease while the fixed carbon content increases. The calorific value and ash contents are independent of the parameters studied and their respective values are 4032 kcal/kg and 37.2%. Since the calorific value is low and the ash content high, it is concluded that oil palm trunks are not suitable for the production of charcoal fuel.     

Lymphocyte activation and serine-esterase induction following recombinant interleukin-2 infusion for lymphomas and acute leukaemias

Summary C57BL mice inoculated with radiation leukemia virus (RadLV) develop preleukemic cells long before the onset of leukemia. These cells are potentially immunogenic but fail to elicit an immune response in the host because of the appearance of virus-specific suppressor T cells. We have studied the effect of polysaccharide K (PSK) on the generation of RadLV-specific cell-mediated immune responses in vitro. Long-term exposure to PSK in culture potentiated the ability of immunized T cells to respond to a RadLV-induced lymphoma. It also abrogated the suppressive activity of suppressor T cells and simultaneously boosted the ability of reactive T cells to respond. The dual immunostimulating activity of PSK resulted in the generation of T cytotoxic lymphocytes that could lyse lymphoma cells in vitro. The results suggest that PSK could be used as a prophylactic immune response modifier in preleukemia.     

Synthesis of novel immunologically active tripalmitoyl-S-glycerylcysteinyl lipopeptides as useful intermediates for immunogen preparations

The synthesis and characterization of lipopeptides consisting of the lipoamino acid N-palmitoyl-S-[2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)-(2RS)-propyl]-[R]-cysteine (Pam3Cys-OH) and different peptide segments and/or spacer molecules is described. Pam3Cys-peptides, which are derived from the immunologically active N-terminus of bacterial lipoprotein, were obtained either by solution or solid phase peptide synthesis. In particular, the amphiphilic and water-soluble lipohexapeptides Pam3Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 and Pam3Cys-Ser-(Glu)4 proved to be potent macrophage and B-cell activators and non-toxic, non-pyrogenic immune adjuvants in combination with or covalently linked to antigens and haptens.     

Reaction of pyruvate kinase with the new nucleotide affinity labels 8-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-diphosphate and 5'-triphosphate

Two new reactive nucleotides have been synthesized and characterized: 8-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-diphosphate and 5'-triphosphate (8-BDB-TADP and 8-BDB-TATP). ADP or ATP was converted to 8-thio-ADP (-ATP) via 8-bromo-ADP (-ATP), followed by condensation with 1,4-dibromobutanedione. Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase is inactivated by both reagents in a biphasic manner with an initial rapid loss of 75% activity, followed by a slow total inactivation. The initial fast reaction with both compounds exhibits nonlinear dependence on reagent concentration, indicating formation of a reversible enzyme-reagent complex prior to covalent attachment. The presence of the gamma-phosphoryl group improves the performance of the affinity label: KI values for the fast phase are similar (about 100 microM), whereas kmax for 8-BDB-TATP is about three times greater than that of 8-BDB-TADP (0.286 min-1 vs 0.0835 min-1). After an 80-min incubation with 175 microM of either reagent, about 2 mol/mol of subunit is incorporated with 76% inactivation caused by 8-BDB-TADP and 97% inactivation by 8-BDB-TATP. Loss of activity is prevented by substrates, with the best protection afforded by a combination of ATP, Mn2+, K+, and phosphoenolpyruvate. Reaction of pyruvate kinase with either compound in the presence of protecting ligands leads to incorporation of about 1 mol of reagent/mol of subunit with only about 15% loss of activity. These results suggest that 8-BDB-TADP and 8-BDB-TATP react with two groups on the enzyme, one of which is at or near the active site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)