Desulfurization of dibenzothiophene to 2-hydroxybiphenyl by some newly isolated bacterial strains

Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, non-acid-fast, rod-shaped aerobic bacteria with the ability to desulfurize dibenzothiophene (DBT) or dibenzosulfone (DBTO₂) were isolated from soil samples contaminated with fossil fuels. Using a bioavailability method, cells with the desired DbtS⁺ phenotype were enriched. Modified fluorescence and colorimetric assays were used for the initial detection of 2-hydroxybiphenyl (OH-BP) in microtiter plates; subsequently, isolates were grown in wells of microtiter plates and screened for the production of desulfurization product. Fluorescence under UV light and the production of colored product in the phenol assay were used as presumptive indications of production of OH-BP. Confirmation of the presence of OH-BP was achieved with HPLC, UV-absorbance, and mass spectrometry. Nutrient utilization and fatty acid composition (as discerned with Biolog plates and gas chromatography, respectively) were used to identify presumptively the strains as Rhodococcus erythropolis; colony and cell morphology may not be consistent with the identification achieved by nutrient utilization and fatty acid composition. The desulfurization end product, OH-BP, can not be used as carbon source by the tested strain, N1-36.     

Extractive fermentation of lactic acid by immobilizedLactobacillus casei using ion—exchange resin

Summary A novel method of lactic acid fermentation byLactobacillus casei immobilized in Ca—alginate gels is described, in which an ion—exchange resin packed column is attached to a fermentor for separation of lactic acid from fermentative broth. The technique successfully alleviated the restriction imposed by lactic acid on bacterial growth and product formation. As compared to the conventional batch fermentation, the new fermentation technique enhanced the lactic acid productivity and sugar conversion rate from 0.328g/L·h and 88. 2% to 0.482g/L·h and 98.6%, respectively.     

Differential adenoassociated virus vector-driven expression of a neuropeptide Y gene in primary rat brain astroglial cultures after transfection with sendai virosomes versus LipofectinTM

The ability of Sendai virosomes or Lipofectin^TM to introduce an AAV vector into primary rat brain astroglial cultures was characterized. The pJDT95npy vector was constructed by inserting rat NPY cDNA downstream from the indigenous AAV p5, p19 and p40 promoters in pJDT95. Lipofectin^TM-mediated transfection with pJDT95npy (10 g) resulted in pronounced expression of several NPY mRNA species: p5-driven (3.3 kb), p19-driven (2.7 kb) and p40-driven (0.6, 0.8, 1.1, and 1.8 kb). Exposure to virosomally encapsulated pJDT95npy (50 or 100 ng) resulted in transient expression of some p40-driven mRNA species (0.8 and 1.8 kb). Neither method produced astroglia cells which synthesized mature NPY immunoreactivity. This demonstrates that an AAV-derived vector can drive gene expression in astroglia, that Sendai virosomes can infuse vectors into astroglia, but that the amount of DNA infused in this manner may limit long term expression.     

Homology models of two isozymes of manganese peroxidase: Prediction of a Mn(II) binding site

The three-dimensional structures of two isozymes of manganese peroxidase (MnP) have been predicted from homology modeling using lignin peroxidase as a template. Although highly homologous, MnP differs from LiP by the requirement of Mn(II) as an intermediate in its oxidation of substrates. The Mn(II) site is absent in LiP and unique to the MnP family of peroxidases. The model structures were used to identify the unique Mn(II) binding sites, to determine to what extent they were conserved in the two isozymes, and to provide insight into why this site is absent in LiP. For each isozyme of MnP, three candidate Mn(II) binding sites were identified. Energy optimizations of the three possible Mn(II) enzyme complexes allowed the selection of the most favorable Mn(II) binding site as one with the most anionic oxygen moieties best configured to act as ligands for the Mn(II). At the preferred site, the Mn(II) is coordinated to the carboxyl oxygens of Glu-35, Glu-39, and Asp-179, and a propionate group of the heme. The predicted Mn(II) binding site is conserved in both isozymes. Comparison between the residues at this site in MnP and the corresponding residues in LiP shows that two of the three anionic residues in MnP are replaced by neutral residues in LiP, explaining why LiP does not bind Mn(II). © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A surface mutant (G82R) of a human α-glutathione S-transferase shows decreased thermal stability and a new mode of molecular association in the crystal

A chimeric enzyme (GST121) of the human α-glutathione S-transferases GST1-1 and GST2-2, which has improved catalytic efficiency and thermostability from its wild-type parent proteins, has been crystallized in a space group that is isomorphous with that reported for crystals of GST1-1. However, a single-site (G82R) mutant of GST121, which exhibits a significant reduction both in vitro and in vivo in protein thermostability, forms crystals that are not isomorphous with GST1-1. The mutant protein crystallizes in space group P2₁2₁2₁, with cell dimensions a = 49.5, b = 92.9, c = 115.9 Å, and one dimer per asymmetric unit. Preliminary crystallographic results show that a mutation of the surface residue Gly 82 from a neutral to a charged residue causes new salt bridges to be formed among the GST dimers, suggesting that the G82R mutant might aggregate more readily than does GST121 in solution resulting in a change of its solution properties. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

血管活性肠多肽结合核苷酸性质的研究

采用光亲和技术检测了血管活性肠多肽(VIP)与核苷酸之间的相互作用,发现VIP可以特异性结合同位素标记的GTP,还发现未标记的GTP以及其它三磷酸核苷抑制这种结合,这意味着VIP与上述三磷酸核苷之间的结合是一种典型的可逆性的结合反应.发现低浓度的GDP,GMP不但不抑制VIP与同位素标记GTP的结合反应,反而增强这种结合.联系到其它研究者关于GTP影响VIP与其受体结合反应的结果,可认为VIP能可逆性地连接一种三磷酸核苷,这种连接受反应系统中不同核苷酸比例影响,通过这种连接来调节VIP与其受体之间的反应.     

沈阳西部污灌水中有机污染物的分析

沈阳西部污灌水中有机污染物的分析刘海玲,张丽珊,姚家彪,于殿臣,朱岩,可夫,姜萍（中国科学院沈阳应用生态研究所,１１００１５）ＡｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｆＯｒｇａｎｉｃＰｏｌｌｕｔａｎｔｓｉｎＩｒｒｉｇａｔｅｄｓｅｗａｇｅＩｎＷｅｓｔｅｒｎＳｈｅｎｙａｎｇ．...     

The persistence of Golgi complexes during cell division in an insect epidermis

The Golgi complexes of animal cells are said to become vesicular during cell division in order to allow the equal partitioning of organelles between daughter cells (Warren, 1985). However, in the epidermis of fifth stage larval Calpodes ethlius (Lepidoptera, Hesperi idae), cutical deposition is concurrent with cell division in preparation for pupation. We therefore looked at the Golgi complexes of these epidermal cells to see if they maintained their interphase form to allow them to continue to function during cell division. Dividing cells were recognized by changes in the nucleus and nuclear envelope, the form of the cell cortex and cell surface, and by the disposition of microtubules. Epidermal Golgi complexes consist of 3-5 cisternae capped by endoplasmic reticulum with transfer vesicles and rings of GC beads next to the cis face, and secretory vesicles on the trans face. Golgi complexes of dividing cells are structurally indistinguishable from those in interphase, their beads are in the rings characteristic of active GCs, and cuticle continues in uninterrupted lamellae above the apical microvilli. The observations suggest that Golgi complexes in dividing insect cells differ from those of most vertebrates by remaining functional through mitosis.     

黄麻栽培种圆果种×长果种的种间杂交研究

１９８９—１９９１年对黄麻栽培种圆果种（Ｃｏｒｃｈｏｒｕｓｃａｐｓｕｌａｒｉｓ）和长果种（Ｃ．ｏｌｉｔ－ｏｒｉｕｓ）选用了具有不同茎色和腋芽性状的材料做了６个组合,获得１３４株杂种Ｆ＿１苗。但苗株发根不良,在移栽后两周陆续死亡,最后幸存ＲＲ－５×（ＢＬ×７７－１９）Ｆ＿１组合中两株植株并开花、结果。Ｆ＿１均有腋芽,表现为父本的性状;花果形状偏向母本;茎色红同双亲。这两株的Ｆ＿２,茎色和腋芽性状分离成４种表现型：红茎或青茎有腋芽及红茎或青茎无腋芽。其中红茎有腋芽的生长较快。对种间杂交技术、亲本间的花粉与柱头亲和性、杂交花的胚珠受精情况及染色体构型等方面也作了观察、研究。