A robust fed-batch feeding strategy independent of the carbon source for optimal polyhydroxybutyrate production

A three-stage control strategy independent of the organic substrate was developed for automated substrate feeding in a two-phase fed-batch culture of Cupriavidus necator DSM 545 for the production of the biopolymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). The optimal feeding strategy was determined using glucose as the substrate. A combined substrate feeding strategy consisting of exponential feeding and a novel method based on alkali-addition monitoring resulted in a maximal cell concentration in the biomass growth phase. In the PHB accumulation phase, a constant substrate feeding strategy based on the estimated amount of biomass produced in the first phase and a specific PHB accumulation rate was implemented to induce PHB under limiting nitrogen at different biomass concentrations. Maximal cell and PHB concentrations of 164 and 125 g/L were obtained when nitrogen feeding was stopped at 56 g/L of residual biomass; the glucose concentration was maintained within its optimal range. The developed feeding strategy was validated using waste glycerol as the sole carbon source for PHB production, and the three-stage control strategy resulted in a PHB concentration of 65.6 g/L and PHB content of 62.7% while keeping the glycerol concentration constant. It can thus be concluded that the developed feeding strategy is sensitive, robust, inexpensive, and applicable to fed-batch culture for PHB production independent of the carbon source.     

Root morphological plasticity and nutrient acquisition of perennial grass species from habitats of different nutrient availability

We studied the root foraging ability and its consequences for the nutrient acquisition of five grass species that differ in relative growth rate and that occur in habitats that differ widely in nutrient availability. Foraging responses were quantified, based on the performance of the plants in homogeneous and heterogeneous soil environments of the same overall nutrient availability. Although all species tended to produce a significantly higher root length density in a nutrient-rich patch, this response was significant only for the faster-growing species. The increased root length density resulted from small, though not significant, changes in root biomass and specific root length. The effectiveness of root proliferation was determined by quantifying the total amount of nutrients (N and P) accumulated by the plants over the course of the experiment. Plants acquired more N in a heterogeneous environment than in a homogeneous environment, although the total nutrient availability was the same. The ability to acquire nutrients (N or P) in the heterogeneous environment was not related to the ability of species to increase root length density in response to local nutrient enrichment. In contrast to other studies, our results suggest that the role of morphological plasticity of roots in acquiring patchily distributed resources is limited. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Received: 11 September 1997 / Accepted: 28 February 1998     

Leishmania amazonensis: metabolic adaptations induced by resistance to an ABC transporter blocker

We compared growth rate, cell glucose turnover and expression of ATP-binding-cassette (ABC) transporters in Leishmania amazonensis (LTB0016; LTB) versus LTB(160) selected for resistance against the ABC transporter blocker glibenclamide. Additionally, we evaluated the influence of drug-resistance on Leishmania sensitivity against 2-mercaptoacetate and 2-deoxyglucose. Our data demonstrate that (1) LTB(160) and LTB constitutively express ABC transporters for neutral substrates, (2) glibenclamide resistance induces the expression of organic anion ABC transporters, members of the drug resistance associated transporters subfamily, (3) LTB(160) parasites use less glucose as energy substrate and exhibit a slower glucose uptake than LTB cells, and (4) LTB(160) parasites are less sensitive to 2-mercaptoacetate and 2-deoxyglucose than the glibenclamide-sensitive Leishmania LTB. Together these and previous results indicate that the metabolic adaptations expressed in drug-resistant LTB(160) differ from those described for mammalian drug resistant cells and constitute general mechanisms that underlie drug resistance in Leishmania and may be helpful for identifying alternative strategies to circumvent drug resistance in leishmaniasis.     

Development of a novel tocopheryl ester for suppression of lipid accumulation without cytotoxicity by optimization of dicarboxylic ester moiety

Tocopheryl succinate (Tsuc) is a succinic acid ester of the well-known antioxidant α-tocopherol (T). Tsuc exhibits various biological activities, including tumor growth suppression via activation of cell signaling and prevention of lipid accumulation in mouse adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells. The latter findings suggest that Tsuc may be a drug candidate for the treatment of obesity. However, Tsuc was found to induce apoptosis of normal cells (in addition to cancer cells), demonstrating the need to reduce the cytotoxicity of Tsuc without losing the suppression effect on lipid accumulation. Based on our previous findings, we focused on the ester structure of Tsuc for controlling cytotoxicity. Herein, we examined the cytotoxicity and lipid accumulation suppression effect of various T ester derivatives. We found that the terminal carboxylic group is necessary for suppression of lipid accumulation. We synthesized tocopheryl glutarate (Tglu) and tocopheryl adipate (Tadi) by elongation of carbon atoms 1 and 2 of the dicarboxylic moiety, respectively. Tglu and Tadi did not show any cytotoxicity, and both esters suppressed lipid accumulation, although their suppression activities were weaker than that of Tsuc. Tadi showed a more potent lipid accumulation inhibitory effect than Tglu. Although Tadi inhibited lipogenesis and promoted lipolysis, lipolysis was induced at lower concentrations than inhibition of lipogenesis, suggesting that Tadi mainly affects lipolysis. Taken together, we succeeded in the reduction of cytotoxicity, without loss of the suppression effect on lipid accumulation, by elongation of the dicarboxylic moiety of Tsuc. Tadi may be a promising candidate as an anti-obesity drug.     

人工红树林湿地系统净化污水研究进展

咸淡水交接处这种特殊的生境造就了红树植物“抗污”和“降污”的功能,但能否将自然红树林湿地作为污水处理场所目前仍有争议。按照构建的人工红树林湿地的类型,分为三大类：模拟潮汐湿地系统、人工红树林污水处理系统以及红树林种植-养殖生态耦合系统。第一类系统模拟了自然海滩上的潮涨潮落的情形,第二类系统与一般人工湿地相类似,而第三类系统是指在养殖塘种植红树植物以去除有机物和营养盐。不同的类型反映了该领域研究工作的不断深入,展现了红树林湿地净化污水从理论探索向实际应用不断靠近的过程。应用人工红树林湿地净化污水具有较大的可行性,前景可观。     

麻竹山地笋用林凋落物发生、分解及养分归还动态

对福建省漳洲市南靖国有林场山地麻竹笋用林凋落物的养分动态进行了研究.结果表明,凋落物的发生、养分浓度及养分归还量具有明显的季节性,且都呈双峰型;分解失重呈现出先快后慢的规律,分解剩余率与分解时间呈明显的负指数相关;凋落物分解剩余物N和P浓度呈升-降-升的变化规律,K则在前期流失强烈,中期平缓,后期略有回升.     

水稻物质生产与氮、磷、钾、硅素积累特点及其相互关系

大田条件下研究了30个水稻基因型的干物质与N、P、K、Si积累特性及其相互关系.结果表明,水稻干物质积累总量随N、P、K和Si积累总量的增加呈直线增加,其相关系数早季和晚季均达极显著水平.同时,N、P、K、Si积累的平衡有利于干物质积累,干物质积累量随NBI(养分平衡指数)直线增加,随NDI(养分偏离指数)直线下降.30个水稻品种平均N、P、K、Si积累总量比值早季为3.76:1:4.55:7.10,晚季为2.88:1:4.54:8.09.干物质积累能力以中期最强,前期最弱,而N积累能力却以前期最强,后期最弱.水稻抽穗前积累的干物质主要分配在茎鞘中,当抽穗期茎鞘比率达到最大时,茎鞘重约为叶片重的2倍,而抽穗前积累的N主要分配在叶片中,叶片中N的分配比率全生育期均比干物质分配比率高.成熟期积累的干物质、N和P主要分配在穗部,早、晚季稻的平均分配比率分别为58.01%、66.42%和70.06%,而K主要分配在茎鞘中,早、晚季稻的平均分配比率为62.08%.早季Si在茎中的分配比率(43.11%)最大,而晚季却以穗中的分配比率(46.99%)最大.     

基于冠层反射光谱的棉花干物质积累量估测

通过分析不同施氮水平下棉花地上部干物质积累量与冠层光谱反射率及其衍生的比值植被指数(RVI)、归一化植被指数(NDVI)及差值植被指数(DVI)之间的关系,确立了棉花地上部干物质积累量的敏感波段及预测模型.结果表明:两个可见光波段(560和710 nm)和5个近红外波段(810、870、950、1 100和1 220 nm)组成的植被指数与棉花地上部干物质积累量的相关性较好,其中RVI(1 100, 560)的相关性最好.通过逐步回归分析确立的棉花地上部干物质积累量的预测模型为:地上部干物质积累量(g·m-2)=66.274×RVI(1 100, 560)-148.84.说明通过遥感手段估测棉花地上部干物质积累量是可行的.