Comparative analysis of some models of gene regulation in mixed-substrate microbial growth

Mixed-substrate microbial growth is of fundamental interest in microbiology and bioengineering. Several mathematical models have been developed to account for the genetic regulation of such systems, especially those resulting in diauxic growth. In this work, we compare the dynamics of three such models (Narang, 1998a. The dynamical analogy between microbial growth on mixtures of substrates and population growth of competing species. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 59, 116-121; Thattai and Shraiman, 2003. Metabolic switching in the sugar phosphotransferase system of Escherichia coli. Biophys. J. 85(2), 744-754; Brandt et al., 2004. Modelling microbial adaptation to changing availability of substrates. Water Res. 38, 1004-1013). We show that these models are dynamically similar--the initial motion of the inducible enzymes in all the models is described by the Lotka-Volterra equations for competing species. In particular, the prediction of diauxic growth corresponds to "extinction" of one of the enzymes during the first few hours of growth. The dynamic similarity occurs because in all the models, the inducible enzymes possess properties characteristic of competing species: they are required for their own synthesis, and they inhibit each other. Despite this dynamic similarity, the models vary with respect to the range of dynamics captured. The Brandt et al. model always predicts the diauxic growth pattern, whereas the remaining two models exhibit both diauxic and non-diauxic growth patterns. The models also differ with respect to the mechanisms that generate the mutual inhibition between the enzymes. In the Narang model, mutual inhibition occurs because the enzymes for each substrate enhance the dilution of the enzymes for the other substrate. The Brandt et al. model superimposes upon this dilution effect an additional mechanism of mutual inhibition. In the Thattai and Shraiman model, the mutual inhibition is entirely due to competition for the phosphoryl groups. For quantitative agreement with the data, all models must be modified to account for specific mechanisms of mutual inhibition, such as inducer exclusion.     

Alcohol biosensing by polyamidoamine (PAMAM)/cysteamine/alcohol oxidase‐modified gold electrode

A highly stable and sensitive amperometric alcohol biosensor was developed by immobilizing alcohol oxidase (AOX) through Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers on a cysteamine‐modified gold electrode surface. Ethanol determination is based on the consumption of dissolved oxygen content due to the enzymatic reaction. The decrease in oxygen level was monitored at ?0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl and correlated with ethanol concentration. Optimization of variables affecting the system was performed. The optimized ethanol biosensor showed a wide linearity from 0.025 to 1.0 mM with 100 s response time and detection limit of (LOD) 0.016 mM. In the characterization studies, besides linearity some parameters such as operational and storage stability, reproducibility, repeatability, and substrate specificity were studied in detail. Stability studies showed a good preservation of the bioanalytical properties of the sensor, 67% of its initial sensitivity was kept after 1 month storage at 4°C. The analytical characteristics of the system were also evaluated for alcohol determination in flow injection analysis (FIA) mode. Finally, proposed biosensor was applied for ethanol analysis in various alcoholic beverage as well as offline monitoring of alcohol production through the yeast cultivation. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010     

Constructive Species’ Coexistence Mechanisms of Pine Oak Mixed Forest in Qinling Mountains Based on the Niche Differentiation

Based on the 15 plots of Pinus tabuliformis and Quercus aliena var. accuteserrata mixed forest in Qinling Mountains, we analyzed this community’s characteristics from the aspects of species composition, niche width and diameter class, also, we used the Canonical Correspondence Analysis to explore the effects of environment on plants’ distributions and conductive species’ morphological characteristics, the main results were as follows: (1) Fifteen plots record 139 vascular plants, belonging to 53 families 102 genera, the families which possessing higher richness were Rosaceae, Asteraceae, Liliaceae and Poaceae; (2) The niche widths of Ptabuliformis (Bi=2674) and Q var. accuteserrata (Bi=2679) were all higher than other accompanying plants, and there was little niche overlap value (< 01) between them; (3) Organic matter, total nitrogen, elevation and slope mainly effected plant’s distributions; (4) Four morphological characteristics of constructive species in CCA diagram presented a opposite distribution patterns, while elevation, slope position and available nitrogen were the main induced factors; (5) Community stability of this pine oak mixed forest was relatively higher based on Godron index, and two conductive species’ diameter class were all growing type. In conclusion, high habitat heterogeneity of terrain and soil nutrient brought niche differentiation and promoted species coexistence of pine oak mixed forest in Qinling Mountains.     

髓鞘碱性蛋白对不同头部基团的髓磷脂质单层膜影响的热力学特性

髓鞘碱性蛋白(myelin basic protein,MBP)是中枢神经系统(central nervous system,CNS)髓鞘成熟期的主要蛋白质之一.研究资料表明,MBP与变态反应性脑脊髓炎(allergic encephalomyelitis,EAE)、多发性硬化等多种神经疾病有关,是反映中枢神经系统有无...     

Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii: Mixed infection of macrophages in vitro and in vivo

Although macrophages have a microbicidal role in the immune system they themselves can be infected by pathogens. Often a simultaneous infection by more than one microbe may occur in a single cell. This is the first report of coinfection of macrophages with Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum, in vitro and in vivo. L. infantum does not cause severe disease in mice but T. gondii, RH strain, is lethal. Cell culture studies using THP-1 macrophages dually infected in vitro revealed that 4.3% harbored both parasites 24 h after infection. When mice were infected with both parasites on the same day 7.3% of the infected cells carried both parasites 7 days later. Yet, if mice were first infected with L. infantum and then with Toxoplasma (5 days post-infection) 18.7% of the macrophages hosted either parasite but concomitant infection could not be found and mice, already harboring L. infantum, survived Toxoplasma’s lethal effect.     

A novel organotellurium halide with tellurium presenting mixed oxidation states: Synthesis and structural characterization

In this work we have investigated the reaction for the obtention of an uncommon complex salt of the organotellurium bromide class. The reaction was carried out without the isolation of the synthetic intermediates in one-pot procedure. The complex salt obtained presents the tellurium atoms with mixed oxidation states (Te^II and Te^IV). The cationic unit [5-Br-2-CH₃O-C₆H₃Te(ETU)]⁺ presents the Te^II atom with a “T” shape coordination geometry, and the anionic unit [4-CH₃O-C₆H₄TeBr₄]⁻ presents the Te^IV atom with an octahedral coordination geometry considering the Te···Br interaction of 3.600(6) Å from the dimeric arrangement presented in the solid state. Intermolecular (Te···Br) secondary bonds, built up the crystalline/molecular structure. Solution NMR data are presented and discussed in the light of the X-ray structure.     

Hydrothermal syntheses, crystal structures and topological analyses of four new 3D coordination polymers with mixed ligands

Four new coordination polymers, namely [Ni_1.5(L)(fum)_0.5(mal)(H₂O)]·4H₂O (1), [Zn₂(L)(male)₂]·3H₂O (2), [Ni(L)(adi)_0.5(H₂O)]·0.5(adi)·2.5H₂O (3), and [Zn₂(L)(adi)₂]·5H₂O (4) (L, tetrakis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)methane; fum, fumarate; mal, malate; male, maleate; adi, adipate) have been synthesized under hydrothermal condition and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In compound 1, the L, fum, and mal connect the Ni(II) atoms to form a three-dimensional framework. Topologically, the compound shows a trinodal (3,4)-connected (4·10²)(4²·8²·10²)(4²·8⁴) net. Interestingly, the fum and mal came from the configuration transformation and addition reaction of maleate during the synthesis, respectively. In compound 2, the L ligands link the Zn(II) centers to generate a 2D layer, which are further connected by the male ligands to furnish a 3D chrial 4-connected (3·7⁵) net. In compound 3, the adi ligands and the L ligands link the Ni(II) centers to form a 3D framework. Topologically, compound 3 displays a (4,5)-connected net with the Schläfli symbol of (4²·5²·6²)(4²·5³·6⁴·7). In compound 4, the L and adi ligands link the binuclear Zn(II) clusters to yield an intricate 3D (3,6)-connected net with the Schläfli symbol of (4·6²)(4³·6¹²). The fluorescence and thermal stability of complexes 1-4 have also been investigated.     

Syntheses and structures of four- and five-coordinate bio-related zinc complexes containing dithiolate-diamine ligands

Two new zinc complexes, namely, [{Zn(N₂H₂S₂)}₂] (3) [N₂H₂S₂²⁻ = N,N-bis(2-mercaptophenyl)ethylendiamine (2−)] and [Zn(N₂Me₂S₂)] (4) [N₂Me₂S₂²⁻ = N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-bis(2-mercaptophenyl)ethylendiamine) (2−)] have been synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray structure analyses. The structure of 3 consists of a bis(μ-thiolato) binuclear unit, in which each zinc center was found to reside in an N₂S₃ array between square-pyramidal and trigonal-bipyramidal environment. The two zinc centers are bridged by one of the two thiolates of an [N₂S₂] ligand. In the crystal packing, the neighboring binuclear units interact with each other by H-bonding interaction, which extends the binuclear unit into a 3D network. In contrast to 3 complex 4 is mononuclear, where each zinc center now was found to reside in an N₂S₂ distorted tetrahedral environment with a large S-Zn-S bite angle. The relevance of these compounds in biological systems is discussed. Unlike 3, the formation of hydrogen bridges in 4 is no longer possible and instead the molecular packing is determined by π-stacking between the phenyl rings.     

Hydrogen and Polyhydroxybutyrate Producing Abilities of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> spp. From Glucose in Two Stage System

Metabolic activities of four Bacillus strains to transform glucose into hydrogen (H₂) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in two stages were investigated in this study. Under batch culture conditions, Bacillus thuringiensis EGU45 and Bacillus cereus EGU44 evolved 1.67–1.92 mol H₂/mol glucose, respectively during the initial 3 days of incubation at 37°C. In the next 2 days, the residual glucose solutions along with B. thuringiensis EGU45 shaken at 200 rpm was found to produce PHB yield of 11.3% of dry cell mass. This is the first report among the non-photosynthetic microbes, where the Bacillus spp.—B. thuringiensis and B. cereus strains have been shown to produce H₂ and PHB in same medium under different conditions.     

Improved ethanol tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in mixed cultures with Kluyveromyces lactis on high-sugar fermentation

The influence of non-Saccharomyces yeast, Kluyveromyces lactis, on metabolite formation and the ethanol tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in mixed cultures was examined on synthetic minimal medium containing 20% glucose. In the late stage of fermentation after the complete death of K. lactis, S. cerevisiae in mixed cultures was more ethanol-tolerant than that in pure culture. The chronological life span of S. cerevisiae was shorter in pure culture than mixed cultures. The yeast cells of the late stationary phase both in pure and mixed cultures had a low buoyant density with no significant difference in the non-quiescence state between both cultures. In mixed cultures, the glycerol contents increased and the alanine contents decreased when compared with the pure culture of S. cerevisiae. The distinctive intracellular amino acid pool concerning its amino acid concentrations and its amino acid composition was observed in yeast cells with different ethanol tolerance in the death phase. Co-cultivation of K. lactis seems to prompt S. cerevisiae to be ethanol tolerant by forming opportune metabolites such as glycerol and alanine and/or changing the intracellular amino acid pool.