Nitrate assimilation in Candida nitratophila and other yeasts

Nitrate assimilation has been studied in four species of yeasts; Candida nitratophila, Candida utilis, Hansenula anomala and Rhodotorula glutinis. Ammonium-grown cultures of these organisms did not assimilate nitrate but acquired the capacity to do so after a 3 h period of nitrogenstarvation. Ammonium inhibited nitrate assimilation completely in nitrate-grown cultures of R. glutinis. With Candida spp. ammonium and nitrate were assimilated simultaneously but each was assimilated at a lower rate than when either was supplied alone. Nitrogen-starved cultures of C. nitratophila contained enough nitrate reductase activity to sustain high rates of nitrate assimilation. Results indicate that the high levels of nitrate reductase in nitrate-grown cultures of C. nitratophila do not limit nitrate assimilation. Nitrate assimilation appears to be limited by nitrate uptake and/or the supply of reducing equivalents for nitrate reduction in these cultures.     

Dynamic variations of microbial community structure in Myriophyllum aquaticum constructed wetlands in response to different NH4+-N concentrations

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have received increasing attentions for their N removal performances, especially regarding NH₄⁺-N. Different influent NH₄⁺-N concentration may influence N removal efficiency in practice, while the effects of different NH₄⁺-N concentrations on microorganisms removing N in CWs are poorly understood. In this study, surface flow CWs planted with Myriophyllum (M). aquaticum were established to investigate the influences of different NH₄⁺-N concentrations on the composition, structure, and interactions of microbial community. Our findings suggested 105 mg/L NH₄⁺-N CWs achieved highest N removal rate, removing 89.30 % NH₄⁺-N and 92.34 % TN from the influent. The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) indicated abundances of nitrifying genes (nxrA) and denitrifying genes (narG, nirS, nirK, and nosZ) were increased by increasing NH₄⁺-N concentrations, and the strongest effects were observed in narG (8-fold) and nosZ genes (11-fold). Different NH₄⁺-N concentrations was proved to alter composition and structure of microbial communities via high-throughput sequencing, e.g. denitrifiers including Brevendomonas.sp, Dokdonella.sp and Rhodococcus.sp were enriched obviously with increasing NH₄⁺-N concentrations. In addition, network showed interactions among microbial populations and positive interactions were dramatically shifted and enhanced by increasing NH₄⁺-N concentrations.     

Nitrogen budgets in flooded soils used for rice production

Summary The flooded soil-rice plant ecosystem is extremely complex and final N budgets are the products of many N transformations modified by physical, chemical and biological agents, to a large extent controlled by O₂ fluxes, but interacting with each other over time. Topics reviewed include mineralization-immobilization, nitrification-denitrification, NH ₄ ⁺ fixation, NH₃ volatilization, leaching and run-off lossess. Nitrogen budgets constructed for water sown rice using temperate climate data clearly show that the major mechanisms by which fertilizer N is removed is crop absorption, nitrification-dentrification and NH₃ volatilization. Proper fertilizer management can reduce losses and desirably increase fertilizer use efficiency. Nitrogen budgets have proven useful in describing gains and losses from the various N transformation processes, all of which are environment and management dependent.     

ATP-dependent uptake of nitrate in Nostoc muscorum and inhibition by ammonium ions

A high rate of nitrate uptake was observed in Nostoc muscorum when cells were grown on elemental nitrogen as compared to that when they were grown on nitrate or ammonium. The uptake of nitrate was light dependent. However, supplementation with ATP (50 μM) stimulated nitrate uptake both in light and darkness. ADP, under similar conditions had no effect. 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline, (HOQNO) and KCN inhibitied nitrate uptake in light which could be partially reversed by adition of ATP. Inhibitiion by carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP), an uncoupler of photophosphorylation, was complete and could not be restored by the addition of ATP. N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), a specific inhibitor of ATPase, blocked nitrate uptake in the presence or absence of externally added ATP. Although no nitrate uptake was observed under anaerobic conditions in dark, addition of ATP resulted in uptake of nitrate, which was similar in magnitude to that observed under aerobic condition in the light, and was inhibited by DCCD. Ammonium ions inhibited the uptake of nitrate in the absence of ATP but in its presence there was simultaneous uptake of nitrate and ammonium ions. However, uptake of ammonium ions alone was not affected by presence or absence of ATP in the external medium. It was concluded that nitrate ion uptake was energy dependent and may be linked with a proton gradient which can be formed either by photophosphorylation or ATP hydrolysis.     

Predictive Value of Calcium Test for Preoperative Diagnosis of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma in Patients With Moderately Elevated Basal Calcitonin

ObjectiveMedullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) can be very aggressive, and early diagnosis is based on routine measurement of serum calcitonin (CT) and RET genetic testing for hereditary forms. Basal serum CT (bCT) concentrations are useful in the early detection of MTC, although it is still unclear whether they can also be used for the differential diagnosis between MTC and C-cell hyperplasia (CCH). Since false-positive results can be obtained with the basal measurement of CT, a provocative test to evaluate stimulated CT (sCT) is often needed. The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of a calcium gluconate test for CT in distinguishing MTC from CCH, a precancerous condition in hereditary forms of MTCs but with unclear significance in sporadic MTCs.MethodsA total of 74 patients underwent the calcium loading test before thyroidectomy, and bCT and sCT levels were compared with histologic results by receiver operating characteristic plot analyses.ResultsA peak CT level of 388.4 pg/mL after stimulation with calcium gluconate was able to significantly distinguish patients with MTC from those with CCH and those without C-cell pathology, with 81.8% sensitivity and 36.5% specificity. A bCT level of 16.1 pg/mL was able to distinguish between these 2 groups of patients with a sensitivity of 90%.ConclusionHigh-dose calcium test is an effective procedure that can be applied for differential diagnosis of MTC and CCH. Reference ranges for calcium sCT levels and CT thresholds in different groups of patients have been identified.     

Availability and utilization of fertilizer nitrogen by rice under alternate flooding

Summary A greenhouse pot experiment with three N sources—¹⁵N-depleted ammonium sulfate, urea and sulfur-coated urea (SCU), three N levels—0, 50 and 200 ppm, and three irrigation treatments was conducted with rice in an Alamo clay soil. The irrigation treatments consisted of continuous flooding, alternating flooded-saturated and alternating flooded-drained conditions. The kinetics of NH ₄ ⁺ and NH ₄ ⁺ +NO ₃ ⁻ (available N) in soil was investigated under rice culture. Alternating flooded-drained conditions maintained a significantly lower level of available N in the soil than the other irrigation treatments. Among the N sources evaluated, urea and A/S had similar effects but SCU maintained significantly lower levels of available N in the soil during the growth of rice. Appreciable quantities of NO ₃ ⁻ accumulated during the draining periods of alternating flooded-drained treatments were apparently lost from the soil system upon reflooding.     

Nitrogen fertilization affects interactions between the components of an insect–fungus–plant tripartite system

1. The chrysomelid beetle, Gastrophysa viridula and the rust fungus, Uromyces rumicis both occur on leaves of Rumex obtusifolius growing in a wide range of soil nutrient conditions. We investigated the effect of fertilizing plants with eight nitrate and four ammonium concentrations on the components of this tripartite interaction in a controlled environment.
2. Leaf weight, area and total plant weight increased as both nitrate and ammonium concentrations increased up to 15mmol l^–1. Between 15 and 50mmol l^–1 added nitrate, leaf and total plant weight decreased. Total plant weight was unaffected by increasing ammonium fertilization from 15 to 25mmol l^–1.
3. The density and percentage of U. rumicis pustules sporulating 8 days after infection decreased with increasing nitrate but were unaffected by increasing the concentration of ammonium fertilization.
4. Leaf area consumed and number of eggs laid by G. viridula decreased as the concentration of nitrate fertilization increased. Increasing the concentration of ammonium decreased leaf area eaten.
5. First instar mortality of G. viridula was increased and gregariousness and adult fecundity was decreased additively by the combination of U. rumicis infection and decreasing the nitrate concentration fed to plants from 10 to 1mmol l^–1.     

Is nitrate reduced to ammonium in waterlogged acid sulfate soil?

Summary A study of transformations of added nitrate nitrogen in an acid sulfate soil under waterlogged conditions indicated that chemical reduction of NO₃–N to NH₄–N is effected by high concentrations of ferrous iron, released in the soil following flooding and reduction of ferric to ferrous iron.