靛蓝生物合成酶的研究进展

靛蓝色素是人类所知最古老的色素之一,广泛用于食品、医药和印染工业。靛蓝最初由植物中提取获得,作为一种色泽艳丽、无毒无害、能够生物降解的环保型染料,深受青睐。生物合成靛蓝因其绿色、高效、节约土地、安全稳定等优点,作为取代目前植物提取及化学合成的主流途径,受到广泛关注。在过去的几十年中,许多天然酶和工程酶已筛选用于合成靛蓝。本文概述了能够催化靛蓝生物合成的酶及相关应用,并探讨了当前存在的问题和未来研究方向,为推进基于生物合成的靛蓝工业化生产奠定基础。     

生长素合成途径的研究进展

生长素是一类含有一个不饱和芳香族环和一个乙酸侧链的内源激素, 参与植物生长发育的许多过程。植物和一些侵染植物的病原微生物都可以通过改变生长素的合成来调节植株的生长。吲哚-3-乙酸(IAA)是天然植物生长素的主要活性成分。近年来, 随着IAA生物合成过程中一些关键调控基因的克隆和功能分析, 人们对IAA的生物合成途径有了更加深入的认识。IAA的生物合成有依赖色氨酸和非依赖色氨酸两条途径。依据IAA合成的中间产物不同, 依赖色氨酸的生物合成过程通常又划分成4条支路: 吲哚乙醛肟途径、吲哚丙酮酸途径、色胺途径和吲哚乙酰胺途径。该文综述了近几年在IAA生物合成方面取得的新进展。     

盾叶薯蓣悬浮培养细胞生长及薯蓣皂苷元合成

研究了盾叶薯蓣细胞悬浮培养过程中细胞生长、薯蓣皂苷元合成、蔗糖和磷酸盐的吸收利用以及酸性磷酸酶活性与薯蓣皂苷元合成的关系。结果表明,对数生长期细胞最大比生长速率μm为0.19 d-1;倍增时间为3.68 d;薯蓣皂苷元的形成与细胞的生长相关,培养6 d时薯蓣皂苷元质量分数和产量分别为0.20%和25.93 mg/L;蔗糖利用率达到95.65%,磷酸盐吸收率达到最大,为90.36%。盾叶薯蓣细胞悬浮培养过程中酸性磷酸酶活性动态变化规律与薯蓣皂苷元的动态合成规律基本一致。此外,研究还发现在相同供磷水平下,酸性磷酸酶活性高低与薯蓣皂苷元合成能力呈正相关;而在不同供磷水平下,酸性磷酸酶活性高低与薯蓣皂苷元合成能力没有相关性。     

转录因子调控植物萜类化合物生物合成研究进展

萜类化合物是植物次生代谢物中结构和数量最多的一类化合物, 它们在植物体内以及植物与环境和其它生命体的相互作用中发挥重要作用。转录因子通过调控代谢通路中基因的转录起始来调节次生代谢物质的产量。目前, 研究发现参与萜类合成的转录因子家族主要有6个, 包括AP2/ERF、bHLH、MYB、NAC、WRKY和bZIP。该文主要对其家族的结构特点、调控模式以及研究进展进行综述, 以期进一步丰富萜烯合成的网络调控, 为植物萜类相关的分子育种、优质栽培和病虫害生物防治等提供新的思路与方法。     

Evidence for O-acetylserine in Nicotiana tabacum

O-Acetylserine, a precursor of cysteine in plants, was isolated from cells of Nicotiana tabacum cultured in liquid medium.     

Rudimentary locus of Drosophila melanogaster: Partial purification of a carbamylphosphate synthase-aspartate transcarbamylase-dihydroorotase complex

Glutamine-dependent CPSase, ATCase, and DHOase from Drosophila, the first three enzymes in pyrimidine biosynthesis, show coordinate variation in activity throughout development. The three activities were highest in first instar larvae and decreased as development proceeded. The three activities cosediment in sucrose gradients as a single peak with a relative sedimentation coefficient of approximately 30S. CPSase, ATCase, and DHOase copurify during (NH₄) ₂SO₄ fractionation and during DEAE-cellulose and hydroxylapatite chromatography.This work was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (No. PCM75-22802). In addition, Stuart I. Tsubota was a NIH Predoctoral Trainee (No. 5T32-GM07 127) and Susan E. Germeraad was a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow.     

Biosynthesis of diterpenes in Beyeria leschenaultii

Beyerene and beyeren-19-ol have been incorporated into the diterpenoids of Beyeria leschenaultii. Both serve as precursors of beyerol, 17,19-dihydroxybeyer-15-en-3-one and the 3,4-secobeyerene acid (I) but only beyerene is incorporated into 6β,17-dihydroxybeyer-15-en-3-one, the major component. The significance of beyerene and beyeren-19-ol as precursors of (I) is discussed with reference to possible mechanisms for its formation.     

Formation,d'inositol par les chloroplastes isolés de pois

It was possible to synthesize d-inositol-1-phosphate from glucose-6-phosphate with extracts of chloroplasts isolated from pea-leaves. (U-¹⁴C)Inositol produced by alkaline phosphatase hydrolysis was studied under various conditions. The enzyme d-glucose-6-phosphate cyclase was isolated from the chloroplast preparation. The results showed the role of chloroplasts in the synthesis of their endogenous inositol.     

Metallic nanoparticles: microbial synthesis and unique properties for biotechnological applications,bioavailability and biotransformation

The impact of nanotechnology in all areas of science and technology is evident. The expanding availability of a variety of nanostructures with properties in the nanometer size range has sparked widespread interest in their use in biotechnological systems, including the field of environmental remediation. Nanomaterials can be used as catalysts, adsorbents, membranes, water disinfectants and additives to increase catalytic activity and capability due to their high specific surface areas and nanosize effects. Thus, nanomaterials appear promising for new effective environmental technologies. Definitely, nanotechnology applications for site remediation and wastewater treatment are currently in research and development stages, and new innovations are underway. The synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has been intensively developed not only due to its fundamental scientific interest but also for many technological applications. The use of microorganisms in the synthesis of nanoparticles is a relatively new eco-friendly and promising area of research with considerable potential for expansion. On the other hand, chemical synthesis occurs generally under extreme conditions (e.g. pH, temperature) and also chemicals used may have associated environmental and human health impacts. This review is an overview of current research worldwide on the use of microorganisms during the biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles and their unique properties that make them good candidates for many applications, including in biotechnology.