Isolation and characterization of β-glucosidases from Aspergillus nidulans mutant USDB 1183

Two extracellular -glucosidases (cellobiase, EC 3.2.1.21), I and II, from Aspergillus nidulans USDB 1183 were purified to homogeneity with molecular weights of 240,000 and 78,000, respectively. Both hydrolysed laminaribiose, -gentiobiose, cellobiose, p-nitrophenyl--L-glucoside, phenyl--L-glucoside, o-nitrophenyl--L-glucoside, salicin and methyl--L-glucoside but not -linked disaccharides. Both were competitively inhibited by glucose and non-competitively (mixed) inhibited by glucono-1,5-lactone. -Glucosidase I was more susceptible to inhibition by Ag⁺ and less inhibited by Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ than -glucosidase II.     

The enzymatic activity from the sediment of the Gilau dam reservoir - Cluj county

The enzymological studies on the sediment of the accumulation lake that has the main purpose of supplying drinking water to the city of Cluj-Napoca and the nearby villages, were aimed at the comprehensive understanding of the complex processes that happen in these habitats of special significance. In the sediment samples the following enzymatic activities have been quantitatively determined: phosphatase, actual and potential dehydrogenase, catalase, urease and protease. Non-enzymatic catalytic activity was also measured. Based on the relative values for the enzymatic activities, the enzymatic indicator of the sediment quality (EISQ) was calculated (ranging from 0.1 to 0.7). The enzymatic activities have been qualitatively determined for maltase, saccharase, lactase, cellobiase, amylase, dextranase, levanase, cellulase and inulinase. The correlation between the enzymatic and bacteriologic potential was statistically calculated.     

Different mutation profiles associated to P53 accumulation in colorectal cancer

The tumor suppressor TP53 gene is one of the most frequently mutated in different types of human cancer. Particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC), it is believed that TP53 mutations play a role in the adenoma–carcinoma transition of tumors during pathological process. In order to analyze TP53 expressed alleles in CRC, we examined TP53 mRNA in tumor samples from 101 patients with sporadic CRC. Samples were divided in two groups defined according to whether they exhibit positive or negative P53 protein expression as detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The presence of TP53 mutation was a common event in tumors with an overall frequency of 54.5%. By direct sequencing, we report 42 different TP53 sequence changes in 55 CRC patients, being two of them validated polymorphisms. TP53 mutations were more frequent in positive than in negative P53 detection group (p < 0.0001), being the precise figures 79.6% and 30.8%, respectively. In addition, the mutation profiles were also different between the two groups of samples; while most of the mutations detected in P53 positive group were missense (38 out of 39), changes in P53 negative detection group include 7 insertions/deletions, 6 missense, 2 nonsense and 1 silent mutation. As previously observed, most mutations were concentrated in regions encoding P53 DNA binding domain (DBD). Codons 175, 248 and 273 together account for 36.7% of point mutations, in agreement with previous observations provided that these codons are considered mutation hotspots. Interestingly, we detected two new deletions and two new insertions. In addition, in three samples we detected two deletions and one insertion that could be explained as putative splicing variants or splicing errors.     

Cloning and characterization of a novel cellobiase gene, cba3, encoding the first known β-glucosidase of glycoside hydrolase family 1 of Cellulomonas biazotea

A novel cellobiase gene, designated cba3, was cloned from Cellulomonas biazotea. Although cellobiase genes of C. biazotea were previously cloned, published and/or patented, they encoded β-glucosidases all belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 3 (GH3); the new Cba3 cellobiase was identified to be a glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1) member, which represents the first discovered GH1 β-glucosidase of C. biazotea. Escherichia coli transformants expressing recombinant Cba3 were shown to grow readily in minimal media using cellobiose as the sole carbon source, supporting the conclusion that Cba3 is a genuine cellobiase. The full-length cba3 gene was revealed by sequencing to be 1344 bp long. Cba3 deletants lacking either the N-terminal 10 amino acids or the C-terminal 10 residues were found to be biologically inactive, supporting the importance of both ends in catalysis. Like other GH1 β-glucosidases, Cba3 was shown to contain the highly conserved NEP and ENG motifs, which are crucial for enzymatic activity. Despite lacking a classical N-terminal signal peptide, Cba3 was demonstrated to be a secretory protein. The findings that Cba3 is a cellobiase, and that it was expressed well as an extracellular protein in E. coli, support the potential of Cba3 for use with other cellulases in the hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass.     

里氏木霉纤维二糖酶bglII基因的cDNA克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达*

将里氏木霉总RNA反转录得到cDNA第一链,并以之为模板进行 RT-PCR合成约1.4kb的纤维二糖酶基因cDNA,将所得的cDNA经测序后克隆到温度敏感型表达载体pJW2中,经PCR和双酶切鉴定筛出阳性重组子,温度诱导后,经酶活测定,bgl II基因在大肠杆菌中得到了表达,酶活为0.75IU/mL。     

Some kinetic properties of the β-d-glucosidase (cellobiase) in a commercial cellulase product from Penicillium funiculosum and its relevance in the hydrolysis of cellulose

Some kinetic parameters of the β-d-glucosidase (cellobiase, β-d-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21) component of Sturge Enzymes CP cellulase [see 1,4-(1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4] from Penicillium funiculosum have been determined. The Michaelis constants (K_m) for 4-nitrophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside (4NPG) and cellobiose are 0.4 and 2.1 mM, respectively, at pH 4.0 and 50°C. d-Glucose is shown to be a competitive inhibitor with inhibitor constants (K_i) of 1.7 mM when 4NPG is the substrate and 1 mM when cellobiose is the substrate. Cellobiose, at high concentrations, exhibits a substrate inhibition effect on the enzyme. d-Glucono-1,5-lactone is shown to be a potent inhibitor (K_i = 8 μM; 4NPG as substrate) while d-fructose exhibits little inhibition. Cellulose hydrolysis progress curves using Avicel or Solka Floc as substrates and a range of commercial cellulase preparations show that CP cellulase gives the best performance, which can be attributed to the activity of the β-d-glucosidase in this preparation in maintaining the cellobiose at low concentrations during cellulose hydrolysis.     

Extracellular enzyme production during anamorphic growth in the edible mushroom,Pleurotus sajor-caju

Cultivation of mushrooms on lignocellulosic wastes represents a cost-effective organic recycling process. Pleurotus sajor-caju grown on cotton-waste produced relatively low levels of three components of the cellulase complex namely cellobiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.91), CMCase (EC 3.2.1.4) and -glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) with specific activity values of 10.0, 71.4 and 21.6U (mg protein)–1 respectively after 15days. Higher specific activity was registered in alkali-treated cotton with 15.6, 83.4 and 56.1U (mg protein)–1 respectively after 20days. Lower levels were noted on rubber-tree sawdust substrate with specific activity values of 0.28, 0.62 and 0.75U (mg protein)–1 for the respective enzymes after 28–35days growth. The maximum production of xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) of 0.63U (mg protein)–1 occurred after 20days while a relatively higher level of the phenoloxidase enzyme, laccase (EC 1.14.18.1) of 27.4U (mg protein)–1 (maximum) was found after 35days. Laccase, the activity of which is associated with morphogenesis, increased with mycelial growth, peaked at maximum growth and thereafter decreased rapidly. This could prove important commercially in timing the end of spawn-run in preparation for initiation of fruiting.     

Units and passages: A view for evolutionary biology and ecology

Many authors, including paleobiologists, cladists and so on, adopt a nested hierarchical viewpoint to examine the relationships among different levels of biological organization. Furthermore, species are often considered to be unique entities in functioning evolutionary processes and one of the individuals forming a nested hierarchy.I have attempted to show that such a hierarchical view is inadequate in evolutionary biology. We should define units depending on what we are trying to explain. Units that play an important role in evolution and ecology do not necessarily form a nested hierarchy. Also the relationships among genealogies at different levels are not simply nested. I have attempted to distinguish the different characteristics of passages when they are used for different purposes of explanation. In my analysis, species and monophyletic taxa cannot be uniquely defined as single units that function in ecological and evolutionary processes.The view discussed in this paper may provide a more general basis for testing competing theories in evolution, and provide new insights for future empirical studies.     

大剂量~(60)Co照射后残余造血干细胞增殖与分化性能的研究

本文报道了F_1小鼠经~(60)Co γ射线一次整体照射8.5 Gy后不同时间,骨髓CFU_s、GM-CFU_c、BMC、脾脏T淋巴细胞转化功能和外周血象的动态变化,以及对BFU-E、CFU-E进行了抽样检测。结果表明,照射后各项指标均呈指数级锐减,但下降幅度依各自不同的辐射敏感性而异。恢复的先后顺序是:BMC数和外周血象经过1个月即达正常;GM-CFU_c和CFU_s于2—4个月后逐渐恢复原来的数量;淋转功能直至3个月末仍为对照值的55%。应用Ara-C自杀率测出照射后CFU_s的增殖率持续高于正常,3个月末才回复常态。针对临界全致死剂量γ射线照射对小鼠造血细胞动力变化过程的观察,以及对残余造血干细胞增殖与多向分化能力的影响进行了分析和讨论,以期全面地揭示造血功能辐射损伤的基本规律。