Bacterial reduction of hexavalent molybdenum to molybdenum blue

A bacterium that was able to tolerate and reduce as high as 50 mM of sodium molybdate to molybdenum blue has been isolated from a metal recycling ground. The isolate was tentatively identified as Serratia sp. strain Dr.Y8 based on the carbon utilization profiles using Biolog GN plates and partial 16S rDNA molecular phylogeny. ANOVA analysis showed that isolate Dr.Y8 produced significantly higher (P < 0.05) amount of Mo-blue with 3, 5.1 and 11.3 times more molybdenum blue than previously isolated molybdenum reducers such as Serratia marcescens strain Dr.Y6, E. coli K12 and E. cloacae strain 48, respectively. Its molybdate reduction characteristics were studied in this work. Electron donor sources such as sucrose, mannitol, fructose, glucose and starch supported molybdate reduction. The optimum phosphate, pH and temperature that supported molybdate reduction were 5 mM, pH 6.0 and 37°C, respectively. The molybdenum blue produced from cellular reduction exhibited a unique absorption spectrum with a maximum peak at 865 nm and a shoulder at 700 nm. Metal ions such as chromium, silver, copper and mercury resulted in approximately 61, 57, 80, and 69% inhibition of the molybdenum-reducing activity at 1 mM, respectively. The reduction characteristics of strain Dr.Y8 suggest that it would be useful in future molybdenum bioremediation.     

Photosynthesis,Transpiration, and Water Use Efficiency of Vegetative and Reproductive Shoots of Grassland Species from North-Eastern China

The differences in net photosynthetic rate (P _N), transpiration rate (E), and water use efficiency (WUE) between the vegetative and reproductive shoots of three native grass species from the grassland of northeastern China [grey-green and yellow green populations of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel., Puccinellia tenuiflora (Griseb) Scrib & Merr, Puccinellia chinampoensis Ohwi] were compared. The two type shoots experienced similar habitats, but differed in leaf life-span and leaf area. The leaf P _N and WUE for the vegetative shoots were significantly higher than those for the reproductive shoots in the grasses, while their E were remarked lower in the dry season. Relative lower leaf P _N and WUE for the reproductive shoots of grassland grasses may explain the facts of lower seed production and the subordinate role of seed in the grassland renewal in north-eastern China.     

Monoclonal antibodies to alpha-chain regions of human fibrinogen that participate in polymer formation

Monoclonal antibodies have been generated against a cross-link-containing derivative of alpha polymer (alpha XLCNBr), isolated following CNBr digestion of fibrin [Sobel, J. H., Ehrlich, P. H., Birken, S., Saffran, A. J., & Canfield, R. E. (1983) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)]. One cloned cell line (F-102) was chosen for characterization based on its apparent specificity for the A alpha-chain region A alpha 518-584 (CNBr X). A second line (F-103) was selected because of its anti-A alpha 241-476 (CNBr VIII) properties. These two regions of the A alpha chain have previously been implicated as major contributors to the cross-linking process that leads to alpha-polymer formation. Radioimmunoassays have been developed, employing the immunoglobulins produced by clones F-102 and F-103. These assays have been applied, in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography purified tryptic and chymotryptic derivatives of CNBr VIII and CNBr X, to localize the respective determinants involved in antibody binding. In each case, virtually full immunoreactivity was exhibited by both the CNBr fragment and a single tryptic or chymotryptic peptide originating from it. These findings indicate that sequence-specific, rather than conformational, determinants were operative in the generation of antibodies F-102 and F-103. The epitope recognized by F-102 was localized to the region of A alpha 540-554, while the F-103 binding site resided within A alpha 259-276. When these radioimmunoassays were applied to study the relative immunoreactivity exhibited by a variety of fibrinogen derivatives, the results obtained support earlier suggestions that the COOH-terminal portion of the A alpha chain contains regions of random conformation.     

EM chromosome mapping using surface-spread polytene chromosomes

Electron micrographs as well as light micrographs of individual surface-spread polytene (SSP) chromosomes indicate more detailed banding patterns than standard squash preparations do. For EM preparations of SSP chromosomes a simple technique is described, avoiding thin-sectioning of chromosomes.     

Towards an integrated system for bio-energy: hydrogen production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> and use of palladium-coated waste cells for electricity generation in a fuel cell

Escherichia coli strains MC4100 (parent) and a mutant strain derived from this (IC007) were evaluated for their ability to produce H₂ and organic acids (OAs) via fermentation. Following growth, each strain was coated with Pd(0) via bioreduction of Pd(II). Dried, sintered Pd-biomaterials (‘Bio-Pd’) were tested as anodes in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell for their ability to generate electricity from H₂. Both strains produced hydrogen and OAs but ‘palladised’ cells of strain IC007 (Bio-Pd_IC007) produced ~threefold more power as compared to Bio-Pd_MC4100 (56 and 18 mW respectively). The power output used, for comparison, commercial Pd(0) powder and Bio-Pd made from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, was ~100 mW. The implications of these findings for an integrated energy generating process are discussed.