Phosphate solubilization potential and stress tolerance of Eupenicillium parvum from tea soil

Eupenicillium parvum was recorded for first time during isolation of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms from the tea rhizosphere. The fungus developed a phosphate solubilization zone on modified Pikovskaya agar, supplemented with tricalcium phosphate. Quantitative estimation of phosphate solubilization in Pikovskaya broth showed high solubilization of tricalcium phosphate and aluminium phosphate. The fungus also solubilized North Carolina rock phosphate and Mussoorie rock phosphate, and exhibited high levels of tolerance against desiccation, acidity, salinity, aluminium, and iron. Solubilization of inorganic phosphates by the fungus was also observed under high stress levels of aluminium, iron, and desiccation, though the significant decline in phosphate solubilization was marked in the presence of aluminium than iron. The fungal isolate showed 100 % identity with E. parvum strain NRRL 2095 ITS 1, 5.8S rRNA gene and ITS 2, complete sequence; and 28S rRNA gene, partial sequence.     

Nitrite-mediated renal vasodilatation is increased during ischemic conditions via cGMP-independent signaling

The kidney is vulnerable to hypoxia, and substantial efforts have been made to ameliorate renal ischemic injury secondary to pathological conditions. Stimulation of the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway is associated with renal and cardiovascular protection in disease models, but less is known about the vascular effects during renal ischemia. This study was aimed at investigating the vascular effects of nitrite in the kidney during normoxic and ischemic conditions. Using a multiwire myograph system, we assessed nitrite-mediated relaxation (10⁻⁹–10⁻⁴ mol/L) in isolated and preconstricted renal interlobar arteries from C57BL/6 mice under normal conditions (pO₂ 13 kPa; pH 7.4) and with low oxygen tension and low pH to mimic ischemia (pO₂ 3 kPa; pH 6.6). Xanthine oxidoreductase expression was analyzed by quantitative PCR, and production of reactive nitrogen species was measured by DAF-FM DA fluorescence. During normoxia significant vasodilatation (15±3%) was observed only at the highest concentration of nitrite, which was dependent on NO–sGC–cGMP signaling. The vasodilatory responses to nitrite were greatly sensitized and enhanced during hypoxia with low pH, demonstrating significant dilatation (11±1%) already in the physiological range (10⁻⁸ mol/L), with a maximum response of 27±2% at 10⁻⁴ mol/L. In contrast to normoxia, and to that observed with a classical NO donor (DEA NONOate), this sensitization was independent of sGC–cGMP signaling. Moreover, inhibition of various enzymatic systems reported to reduce nitrite in other vascular beds, i.e., aldehyde oxidase (raloxifene), aldehyde dehydrogenase (cyanamide), and NO synthase (L-NAME), had no effect on the nitrite response. However, inhibition of xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR; febuxostat or allopurinol) abolished the sensitized response to nitrite during hypoxia and acidosis. In conclusion, in contrast to normoxia, nitrite exerted potent vasorelaxation during ischemic conditions already at physiological concentrations. This effect was dependent on functional XOR but independent of classical downstream signaling by sGC–cGMP.     

Characteristics of PAHs adsorption on inorganic particles and activated sludge in domestic wastewater treatment

The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a domestic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was investigated in a 1 year period. In order to understand how PAHs were removed at different stages of the treatment process, adsorption experiments were conducted using quartz sand, kaolinite, and natural clay as inorganic adsorbents and activated sludge as organic adsorbent for adsorbing naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. As a result, the adsorption of PAHs by the inorganic adsorbents well followed the Langmuir isotherm while that by the activated sludge well followed the Freundlich isotherm. By bridging equilibrium partitioning coefficient with the parameters of adsorption isotherm, a set of mathematical models were developed. Under an assumption that in the primary settler PAHs removal was by adsorption onto inorganic particles and in the biological treatment unit it was by adsorption onto activated sludge, the model calculation results fairly reflected the practical condition in the WWTP.     

Kinetic modelling of steam gasification of various woody biomass chars: influence of inorganic elements

A study was performed on the influence of wood variability on char steam gasification kinetics. Isothermal experiments were carried out in a thermobalance in chemical regime on various wood chars produced under the same conditions. The samples exhibited large differences of average reaction rate. These differences were linked neither with the biomass species nor age and may be related to the biomass inorganic elements. A modelling approach was developed to give a quantitative insight to these observations. The grain model was used on one biomass of reference for temperatures between 750 and 900 °C and steam partial pressures between 0 and 0.27 bar. The model was applied to the other samples through the addition of an integral parameter specific to each sample. A satisfactory correlation was found between this parameter and the ratio potassium/silicium. This result highlighted the catalytic effect of potassium and inhibitor effect of silicium on the reaction.     

Challenges and opportunities in the development of metal-based anticancer theranostic agents

Around 10 million fatalities were recorded worldwide in 2020 due to cancer and statistical projections estimate the number to increase by 60% in 2040. With such a substantial rise in the global cancer burden, the disease will continue to impose a huge socio-economic burden on society. Currently, the most widely used clinical treatment modality is cytotoxic chemotherapy using platinum drugs which is used to treat variety of cancers. Despite its clinical success, critical challenges like resistance, off-target side effects and cancer variability often reduce its overall therapeutic efficiency. These challenges require faster diagnosis, simultaneous therapy and a more personalized approach toward cancer management. To this end, small-molecule ‘theranostic’ agents have presented a viable solution combining diagnosis and therapy into a single platform. In this review, we present a summary of recent efforts in the design and optimization of metal-based small-molecule ‘theranostic’ anticancer agents. Importantly, we highlight the advantages of a theranostic candidate over the purely therapeutic or diagnostic agent in terms of evaluation of its biological properties.     

Phosphate transport in mitochondria: Past accomplishments,present problems,and future challenges

The requirement of inorganic phosphate (P_i) for oxidative phosphorylation in eukaryotic cells is fulfilled through specific P_i transport systems. The mitochondrial proton/phosphate symporter (P_ic) is a membrane-embedded protein which translocates P_i from the cytosol into the mitochondrial matrix. P_ic is responsible for the very rapid transport of most of the P_i used in ATP synthesis. During the past five years there have been advances on several fronts. Genomic and cDNA clones for yeast, bovine, rat, and human P_ic have been isolated and sequenced. Functional expression of yeast P_ic in yeast strains deficient in P_i transport and expression inEscherichia coli of a chimera protein involving P_ic and ATP synthase subunit have been accomplished. P_ic, in contrast to other members of the family of transporters involved in energy metabolism, was demonstrated to have a presequence, which optimizes the import of the precursor protein into mitochondria. Six transmembrane segments appear to be a structural feature shared between P_ic and other mitochondrial anion carriers, and recent-site directed mutagenesis studies implicate structure-functional relationships to bacteriorhodopsin. These recent advances on P_ic will be assessed in light of a more global interpretation of transport mechanism across the inner mitochondrial membrane.     

落叶松根际土壤磷的有效性研究

野外用剥落法采集落叶松(Larixgmelini)根际土与非根际土,分析P浓度的变化,结果表明,落叶松根际土与非根际土全P浓度无明显差异,但根际土有效P却明显高于非根际土.12年生时根际土有效P增加12.6%,40年生时增加23.4%,表明落叶松根际对土壤中的P具有活化作用.落叶松根际土无机P各组分与非根际土亦有差异,表现出根际土OP低于非根际土,AlP、FeP、CaP和NH4ClP则高于非根际土的趋势.落叶松根际土的pH低于非根际土,但落叶松根际并未发生明显酸化.落叶松根际有效P与pH变化相关不显著.     

Metal-free PP<Subscript>i</Subscript> activates hydrolysis of MgPP<Subscript>i</Subscript> by an <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> inorganic pyrophosphatase

Soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase from Escherichia coli (E-PPase) is a hexamer forming under acidic conditions the active trimers. We have earlier found that the hydrolysis of a substrate (MgPP(i)) by the trimers as well as a mutant E-PPase Asp26Ala did not obey the Michaelis-Menten equation. To explain this fact, a model has been proposed implying the existence of, aside from an active site, an effector site that can bind PP(i) and thus accelerate MgPP(i) hydrolysis. In this paper, we demonstrate that the noncompetitive activation of MgPP(i) hydrolysis by metal-free PP(i) can also explain kinetic features of hexameric forms of both the native enzyme and the specially obtained mutant E-PPase with a substituted residue Glu145 in a flexible loop 144-149. Aside from PP(i), its non-hydrolyzable analog methylene diphosphonate can also occupy the effector site resulting in the acceleration of the substrate hydrolysis. Our finding that two moles of [32P]PP(i) can bind with each enzyme subunit is direct evidence for the existence of the effector site in the native E-PPase.     

Inhibition of Family II Pyrophosphatases by Analogs of Pyrophosphate and Phosphate

Imidodiphosphate (the pyrophosphate analog containing a nitrogen atom in the bridge position instead of oxygen) is a potent inhibitor of family II pyrophosphatases from Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus gordonii (inhibition constant Ki approximately 10 microM), which is slowly hydrolyzed by these enzymes with a catalytic constant of approximately 1 min(-1). Diphosphonates with different substituents at the bridge carbon atom are much less effective (Ki = 1-6 mM). The value of Ki for sulfate (a phosphate analog) is only 12 mM. The inhibitory effect of the pyrophosphate analogs exhibits only a weak dependence on the nature of the metal ion (Mn, Mg, or Co) bound in the active site.     

Bismuth citrate in the quantification of inorganic phosphate and its utility in the determination of membrane-bound phosphatases

This paper describes a rapid and sensitive method to determine inorganic phosphate, even in the presence of labile organic phosphate compounds and large quantities of proteins. The method eliminates the use of sodium arsenite, a highly toxic compound, substituting bismuth citrate for it to stabilize the phosphomolybdic acid complex formed during the interaction of inorganic phosphate and molybdate reduced by ascorbic acid. This method has also been adapted to microplates and has been used to determine the activities of Na/K ATPase and alkaline phosphatase of intestinal basolateral and luminal plasma membranes.