Enhanced algal growth rate in a Taylor vortex reactor

The rate of production of algal biomass in optically dense photobioreactors depends crucially on the temporal light exposure of microorganisms, which in turn is determined by fluid flow patterns and the quantity and spatial distribution of photosynthetically active radiation. In this report it is demonstrated that highly organized and robust toroidal flow structures known as Taylor vortices cause significant increases in the rate of biomass production, efficiency of light utilization, and CO₂ uptake, and these effects become more pronounced at higher Reynolds numbers. In light of these findings and previously reported experiments using Taylor vortex flow to culture algae, it is argued that the flashing light effect, rather than mass transport effects, is responsible for the observed increases in the rate of photosynthesis. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 2140–2149. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Identification of d-Erythro-Dihydroneopterin Triphosphate as a Product of Guanosine Triphosphate Cyclohydrolase from Serratia indica

Guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.16) was previously shown to exist in two forms (GTP cyclohydrolase D-I and D-II) in Serratia indica IFO 3759, and they were homogeneously isolated. The present study deals with the characterization of their reaction products. A fluorescent product formed from guanosine triphosphate by GTP cyclohydrolase D-II was identified as 7,8-dihydroneopterin triphosphate by its absorption spectra, phosphate analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the dephosphorylated trimethylsilyl derivative. After oxidation and dephosphorylation, the d-erythro configuration of the side chain was made clear by the elution profile on ECTEOLA-cellulose chromatography, Rf values on thin-layer chromatography and by biological activity to Crithidia fasciculata ATCC 12857. The fluorescent products from GTP cyclohydrolase D-I and D-II were indistinguishable.     

Hybridisation in Jacobaea – characterisation of hybrids between Jacobaea aquatica and J. vulgaris in Austria

Background: Hybridisation in Senecio/Jacobaea is frequent and of significance in speciation and evolution. Moreover, these genera are model systems for studying the evolution of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Hybrids between Jacobaea aquatica and J. vulgaris have been reported from north-western Europe.

Aims: Our aim was to determine whether hybrids between Jacobaea aquatica and J. vulgaris also occurred in Austria, and if these hybrids could be responsible for the presumed increase of J. aquatica-like plants in this part of Europe. Furthermore, we tested if such hybrids showed an altered PA spectrum compared with parental species.

Methods: We used amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) to analyse genetic diversity and structure, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify PAs.

Results: We were able to identify genetically one hybrid population adjacent to a large J. aquatica population. The AFLP phenotypes of hybrids demonstrated a closer relationship to J. aquatica, suggesting frequent backcrossing. All hybrid individuals contained the same set of PAs as the parental species, but in differing amounts, plus four additional PAs, one of which may be novel.

Conclusions: Although hybridisation in Jacobaea is common, we were able to confirm only one hybrid population in Austria. Therefore, it seems unlikely that hybridisation plays a role in the presumed increase of J. aquatica in this area.     

Investigation and modeling of the effects of light spectrum and incident angle on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris in photobioreactors

An in‐depth investigation of how various illumination conditions influence microalgal growth in photobioreactors (PBR) has been presented. Effects of both the light emission spectrum (white and red) and the light incident angle (0° and 60°) on the PBR surface were investigated. The experiments were conducted in two fully controlled lab‐scale PBRs, a torus PBR and a thin flat‐panel PBR for high cell density culture. The results obtained in the torus PBR were used to build the kinetic growth model of Chlorella vulgaris taken as a model species. The PBR model was then applied to the thin flat‐panel PBR, which was run with various illumination conditions. Its detailed representation of local rate of photon absorption under various conditions (spectral calculation of light attenuation, incident angle influence) enabled the model to take into account all the tested conditions with no further adjustment. This allowed a detailed investigation of the coupling between radiation field and photosynthetic growth. Effects of all the radiation conditions together with pigment acclimation, which was found to be relevant, were investigated in depth. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:247–261, 2016     

Chlorella vulgaris as a lipid source: Cultivation on air and seawater‐simulating medium in a helicoidal photobioreactor

The freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris was cultured batchwise on the seawater‐simulating Schlösser medium either in a 1.1‐L‐working volume helicoidal photobioreactor (HeP) or Erlenmeyer flask (EF) as control and continuously supplying air as CO₂ source. In these systems, maximum biomass concentration reached 1.65 ± 0.17 g L^?1 and 1.25 ± 0.06 g L^?1, and maximum cell productivity 197.6 ± 20.4 mg L^?1 day^?1 and 160.8 ± 12.2 mg L^?1 day^?1, respectively. Compared to the Bold's Basal medium, commonly employed to cultivate this microorganism on a bench‐scale, the Schlösser medium ensured significant increases in all the growth parameters, namely maximum cell concentration (268% in EF and 126% in HeP), maximum biomass productivity (554% in EF and 72% in HeP), average specific growth rate (67% in EF and 42% in HeP), and maximum specific growth rate (233% in EF and 22% in HeP). The lipid fraction of biomass collected at the end of runs was analyzed in terms of both lipid content and fatty acid profile. It was found that the seawater‐simulating medium, despite of a 56–63% reduction of the overall biomass lipid content compared to the Bold's Basal one, led in HeP to significant increases in both the glycerides‐to‐total lipid ratio and polyunsaturated fatty acid content compared to the other conditions taken as an average. These results as a whole suggest that the HeP configuration could be a successful alternative to the present means to cultivate C. vulgaris as a lipid source. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:279–284, 2016     

牛蛙致病变形菌的鉴定及其敏感药物筛选

【目的】分离鉴定引起牛蛙(Rana catesbeiana)皮肤溃疡病症的致病菌,筛选抗菌药物。【方法】采用无菌解剖组织划线分离法分离致病菌,通过人工感染试验、菌体和菌落形态观察、API20E系统鉴定、16S r RNA基因序列分析,确定分离菌的致病性及分类地位,并对该菌进行药物敏感性试验。【结果】从患病濒死牛蛙体内分离细菌NWG20141026,通过形态特征观察、生理生化试验、API 20E系统鉴定和16S r RNA基因序列相似性分析,认为NWG20141026菌株为普通变形菌(Proteus vulgaris)。人工感染试验显示,NWG20141026菌株不仅可以通过皮肤伤口感染引起蛙体表溃疡溃烂病症,也可通过消化道感染引起蛙肠炎病。药敏实验结果表明,氟苯尼考、四环素、多西环素、萘啶酸、磺胺异噁唑、恩诺沙星、红霉素等7种药物对普通变形菌具有较好的抑杀菌作用。【结论】引起牛蛙(R.catesbeiana)皮肤溃疡病症的致病菌NWG20141026为普通变形菌(P.vulgaris),所患疾病命名为牛蛙变形菌病。普通变形菌对健康牛蛙具有较强致病性,氟苯尼考、四环素、多西环素、萘啶酸、磺胺异噁唑等5种药可作为防治牛蛙变形菌病的候选药物。     

小球藻细胞壁缺陷型突变体的筛选及转化系统的建立

由于高效、稳定遗传转化系统的缺乏,小球藻遗传改良以及油脂代谢机理的研究等工作难以进行。研究旨在通过筛选获得小球藻Chlorella vulgaris细胞壁缺陷型突变体,在此基础上建立其转化系统。首先通过紫外诱变获得小球藻Chlorella vulgaris的突变体库,基于细胞壁缺陷型突变体在1% Triton X-100处理后叶绿素会释放到上清中的原理,利用酶标仪高通量地从约4000个突变体中筛选获得10株细胞壁缺陷的小球藻。同时以小球藻内源性-tubulin的启动子和终止子作为启动子和终止子,以AphⅧ (Aminoglycoside 3'-Phosphotransferase type Ⅷ)作为报告基因构建了转化载体pHK203。通过优化电转缓冲液组分和电击参数,确定了细胞壁缺陷型突变体CWD-3的最佳转化条件,即2 g pHK203,ddH2O作为电转缓冲液,1500 V,525 ,50 F的电击条件下,转化效率可达到40个转化子/g DNA。研究为小球藻Chlorella vulgaris的油脂代谢通路和遗传改良提供了技术基础,同时由于可降低破壁成本,筛选获得的细胞壁缺陷型突变体适于工业化生产小球藻藻粉。     

Caryophyllene Sesquiterpenes from Pulicaria vulgaris Gaertn.: Isolation,Structure Determination,Bioactivity and Structure−Activity Relationship

A new caryophyllene, named pulicaryenne A ( 1 ), along with four other known caryophyllene derivatives ( 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 ) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of aerial parts of Pulicaria vulgaris Gaertn . (Asteraceae). All compounds were isolated for the first time from this species. Compound 2 was identified as a new epimer of a known caryophyllene derivative isolated previously from P. dysenterica. Their structures were established by spectroscopic means including NMR analysis (1D‐ and 2D‐NMR) and ESI‐TOF‐MS. All compounds were evaluated for their anticholinesterase, antityrosinase and cytotoxic activities against two human cell lines (A549 and HeLa). Results showed that compound 5 exhibited the highest cytotoxic effect against A549 and anticholinesterase activity with IC₅₀ values of 8.50±0.75 and 6.45±0.09 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, compound 5 showed also an interesting antityrosinase activity with percent inhibition value of 79.0±2.5 % at 50 μg/mL. The bioactivity and drug likeness scores of the isolated compounds 1–5 were calculated using Molinspiration software and discussed. These results may suggest that the five caryophyllene derivatives endowed with good biological properties, which could be used as bioactive alternatives in pharmaceutical preparations.