Identification of bilirubin reduction products formed by Clostridium perfringens isolated from human neonatal fecal flora

Urobilinoids belong to the heterogenous group of degradation products of bilirubin formed in the gastrointestinal tract by intestinal microflora. Among them urobilinogen and stercobilinogen with their respective oxidation products, urobilin and stercobilin, are the most important compounds. The aim of present study was to analyze the products of bacterial reduction of bilirubin in more detail. The strain of Clostridium perfringens isolated from neonatal stools, capable of reducing bilirubin, was used in the study. Bacteria were incubated under anaerobic conditions with various native as well as synthetic bile pigments, including radiolabeled unconjugated bilirubin (UCB). Their reduction products were extracted from media and separated following thin layer chromatography. Pigments isolated were analyzed by spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry and mass spectrometry. In a special set of experiments, bilirubin diglucuronide was incubated with either bacterial lysate or partially purified bilirubin reductase and beta-glucuronidase to reveal whether bilirubin glucuronides may be directly reduced onto conjugated urobilinoids. A broad substrate activity was detected in the investigated strain of C. perfringens and a series of bilirubin reduction products was identified. These products were separated in the form of their respective chromogens and further oxidized. Based on their physical-chemical properties, as well as mass spectra, end-catabolic bilirubin products were identified to belong to urobilinogen species. The reduction process, catalyzed enzymatically by the studied bacterial strain, does not proceed to stercobilinogen. Bilirubin diglucuronide is not reduced onto urobilinoid conjugates, glucuronide hydrolysis must precede double bond reduction and thus UCB is reduced much faster.     

Capillary isoelectric focusing of proteins and microorganisms in dynamically modified fused silica with UV detection

We suggest a method for the reproducible and efficient capillary isoelectric focusing of proteins and microorganisms in the pH gradient 3-10. The method involves the segmental injection of the simple ampholytes, the solution of the selected electrolytes, and the sample mixture of bioanalytes and carrier ampholytes to the fused silica capillaries dynamically modified by poly(ethylene glycol), PEG 4000, which is added to the catholyte, the anolyte and injected solutions. In order to receive the reproducible results, the capillaries were rinsed by the mixture of acetone/ethanol between analyses. For the tracing of the pH gradients the low-molecular-mass pI markers were used. The simple proteins and the mixed cultures of microorganisms, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCM 8191, Escherichia coli CCM 3954, Candida albicans CCM 8180, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae CCM 6187, Enterococcus faecalis CCM 4224, Staphylococcus epidermidis CCM 4418 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, were focused and separated by the method suggested. The minimum detectable number of microbial cells was 5x10(2) to 1x10(3) with on-column UV detection at 280 nm.     

Changes in the biological activity of agropyrene on combined application with humus substances in the cultivation ofScenedesmus obliquus (TURP.) krüger

The work is concerned with the question of the effect of humic acids on the biological action of agropyrene, the effective substance from the rootstock of Agropyron repens (L.) P. BEAUV. The test organism was the alga Scenedesmus obliquus (TURP.) KRÜGER, cultivated in mineral solution. The basic biological test was the determination of the number and size of the cells of this alga. It was found that the way in which agropyrene acts on combined application with humus acids depends on which humus fraction is used. It can display a synergic action if humic acid is used, since this substance probably facilitates the penetration of agropyrene into the cells. On the other hand, fulvic acid counteracts the activity of agropyrene and this most probably by mutual binding and blocking of active groups and links.     

Towards new sources of resistance to the currant-lettuce aphid (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Nasonovia ribisnigri</Emphasis>)

Domesticated lettuce varieties encompass much morphological variation across a range of crop type groups, with large collections of cultivars and landrace accessions maintained in genebanks. Additional variation not captured during domestication, present in ancestral wild relatives, represents a potentially rich source of alleles that can deliver to sustainable crop production. However, these large collections are difficult and costly to screen for many agronomically important traits. In this paper, we describe the generation of a diversity collection of 96 lettuce and wild species accessions that are amenable to routine phenotypic analysis and their genotypic characterization with a panel of 682 newly developed expressed sequence tag (EST)-linked KASP? single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that are anchored to the draft Lactuca sativa genome assembly. To exemplify the utility of these resources, we screened the collection for putative sources of resistance to currant-lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) and carried out association analyses to look for potential SNPs linked to resistance.     

黄蜂胃部表皮黄色颗粒的微观形态与发育(英文)

东方大黄蜂（胡蜂）Vespa orientalis（膜翅目Vespinae属）的胃部表皮黄色颗粒位于黄色条纹区域。从黄色颗粒产生至在这一区域扩散,这个过程就是胃部黄颜色形成的过程。用几种电子显微镜研究了黄色颗粒的微观形态和发育过程。结果显示黄色颗粒由20—25 µm厚的一层组成,包括总表皮在内厚度约为40—45 µm。从上面看,在上述的区域能看到许多直径大约为0.5 µm周边光感受器细胞(PPC)。在每个黄色颗粒,能观察到一个肌样包膜,它位于一个由9根原纤维组装而成的圆圈内部。黄色颗粒成熟的过程包含通过导管的渗透增加初生黄色粒子数量,这些初生粒子又发育或增生成次生粒子,次生粒子逐渐布满整个区域。在这些黄色粒子层内可产生类似于肝的功能活动。     

The Interplay Between NSAIDs and Candida albicans on the Gastrointestinal Tract of Guinea Pigs

Recent studies suggest that Candida albicans colonization is associated with several gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders and is also responsible for the delay in ulcer healing. No data are reported about the effects of C. albicans on the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced necroinflammatory lesions. On the other hand, beneficial effects of NSAIDs regarding the colonization potential with C. albicans have been reported. Our aim was to investigate whether the association between NSAIDs and C. albicans could potentially induce necroinflammatory lesions in the guinea pigs gastric and enteral mucosa. Three interventional groups of 11 guinea pigs each were investigated after 5 days of receiving indomethacin, C. albicans or the association of both. C. albicans and necroinflammatory lesions were graded based on histological examinations. Statistical analysis used Mann–Whitney nonparametric test. NSAIDs did not significantly decrease C. albicans colonization grades on gastrointestinal mucosa. Administration of indomethacin subsequent to C. albicans determined significantly more severe necroinflammatory lesions compared to group that only received C. albicans. The association of NSAIDs and C. albicans did not cause significantly more severe degenerative or inflammatory lesions compared to the administration of only NSAIDs in this experimental model. Associations between NSAIDs and C. albicans caused significantly more severe necroinflammatory injuries than the lesions produced by C. albicans, without enhancing the mucosal injury or inflammation caused by NSAIDs.     

Antifungal activity of biflavones from Taxus baccata and Ginkgo biloba

Bilobetin and 4'-O-methylamentoflavone were isolated and identified in the needles of Taxus baccata, for the first time in this species. The antifungal activity of biflavones from T. baccata and Ginkgo biloba, namely amentoflavone, 7-O-methylamentoflavone, bilobetin, ginkgetin, sciadopitysin and 2,3-dihydrosciadopitysin towards the fungi Alternaria alternata, Fusarium culmorum, Cladosporium oxysporum was determined employing computer-aided image analysis couplet to a microscope. Bilobetin exhibited a significant antifungal activity with values of ED50 14, 11 and 17 microM respectively. This compound completely inhibited the growth of germinating tubes of Cladosporium oxysporum and Fusarium culmorum at a concentration 100 microM. Activity of ginkgetin and 7-O-methylamentoflavone towards Alternaria alternata was stronger than that of bilobetin. Moreover, slight structural changes in the cell wall of Alternaria alternata exposed to ginkgetin at concentration of 200 microM were observed.     

Subcellular organization of Streptomyces aureofaciens and overproduction of chlortetracycline

Biosynthesis of chlortetracycline is localized differently under low- and high-production conditions (standard low-production strain and its high-production variant). The experimental evidence was based on the assay of anhydrotetracycline oxygenase in subcellular fractions, ultracytochemical localization and electron-probe X-ray microanalysis of the product in the mycelium. Overproduction of chlortetracycline is closely associated with compartmentation of biosynthetic enzymes and with an efficient export of the antibiotic out of the cell.