NAD-linked alcohol dehydrogenase 1 regulates methylglyoxal concentration in Candida albicans

We purified a fraction that showed NAD⁺-linked methylglyoxal dehydrogenase activity, directly catalyzing methylglyoxal oxidation to pyruvate, which was significantly increased in glutathione-depleted Candida albicans. It also showed NADH-linked methylglyoxal-reducing activity. The fraction was identified as a NAD⁺-linked alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1) through mass spectrometric analyses. In ADH1-disruptants of both the wild type and glutathione-depleted cells, the intracellular methylglyoxal concentration increased significantly; defects in growth, differentiation, and virulence were observed; and G2-phase arrest was induced.     

Evaluating two process scale chromatography column header designs using CFD

Chromatography is an indispensable unit operation in the downstream processing of biomolecules. Scaling of chromatographic operations typically involves a significant increase in the column diameter. At this scale, the flow distribution within a packed bed could be severely affected by the distributor design in process scale columns. Different vendors offer process scale columns with varying design features. The effect of these design features on the flow distribution in packed beds and the resultant effect on column efficiency and cleanability needs to be properly understood in order to prevent unpleasant surprises on scale‐up. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) provides a cost‐effective means to explore the effect of various distributor designs on process scale performance. In this work, we present a CFD tool that was developed and validated against experimental dye traces and tracer injections. Subsequently, the tool was employed to compare and contrast two commercially available header designs. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:837–844, 2014     

稻田温室气体减排措施对稻米氨基酸含量的影响

为探索稻田中温室气体减排措施对稻米氨基酸含量的影响,用10个不同方法对双季稻田进行处理,并使用高效液相色谱分别测定了各处理稻田中所产稻米中的16种氨基酸的含量,其中色谱柱为Agilent Zorbax AAA分析柱,柱前衍生使用邻苯二甲醛(OPA)和9-芴甲基氯甲酸酯(FMOC-CL)为衍生试剂。结果发现:1)10个处理中的稻米16种氨基酸种类齐全,施氮肥+添加生物质炭48 t/hm2+间歇灌溉(NPK+HBC+IF)处理中所得氨基酸总量为6520.7 mg/100g,效果最佳;对照组处理(不施加氮肥+无稻草还田+间歇灌溉)所得氨基酸含量4338.0 mg/100g为最低。以对照组处理所得必需氨基酸百分含量36.8%为最高值;无稻草还田+长期淹水(NPK+CF)处理方法所得必需氨基酸百分含量33.1%为最低值。10个处理中16种氨基酸中含量较高的氨基酸均为天冬氨酸、谷氨酸和精氨酸,含量最低的均为甲硫氨酸;2)施氮肥量相同时,长期淹水与间歇灌溉相比,氨基酸总量增加185.1 mg/100g,非必需氨基酸百分含量增加3%,谷氨酸、组氨酸和丝氨酸含量明显升高,但亮氨酸含量显著降低;3)施用氮肥能提高稻米中的氨基酸含量,且随着氮肥使用量的增加,氨基酸含量也随之增加,组氨酸含量增加显著;4)供氮量相同时,添加猪粪使氨基酸总含量升高了286.0 mg/100g,此结果表明,在供氮量相同的情况下,施用猪粪更有利于稻米氨基酸含量的提高;5)灌溉模式相同时,稻草还田配施氮肥对必需氨基酸和氨基酸总量均有提高,天冬氨酸、谷氨酸和组氨酸的含量增加较多,甲硫氨酸含量略有下降;随着稻草还田量的增加,对非必需氨基酸影响较为明显;当稻草半量还田(还田量为3 t/hm2)时,稻米中氨基酸总量增加最多;稻草全量还田+长期淹水(NPK+HRS+CF)与稻草半量还田+间歇灌溉(NPK+LRS+IF)处理中的氨基酸含量基本接近,但必需氨基酸含量前者略高于后者,说明稻草还田与水肥管理对氨基酸含量影响可能存在交互作用;6)添加生物质炭配施氮肥提高了稻米必需氨基酸与非必需氨基酸含量,且随着生物质炭添加量的增加而增加;与稻草还田、添加猪粪处理相比,生物质炭的添加对氨基酸总含量提升的效果最为显著,对稻田实际生产具有指导意义且具有一定的环境效益。     

大孔树脂吸附与反相色谱纯化恩拉霉素

恩拉霉素作为多肽类抗生素,是一种新型、安全的饲料添加剂。本文建立了一条基于大孔树脂初纯和反相色谱精制的分离纯化工艺。该工艺路线首先使用AB-8大孔树脂在0.012 mol/L盐酸溶液-甲醇(50:50,V/V)缓冲液条件下洗脱实现恩拉霉素初步纯化,再使用制备型C18反相色谱柱在0.05 mol/L磷酸二氢钠-乙腈(70:30,V/V)(p H 4.5)缓冲液洗脱下实现恩拉霉素a和b的有效分离,a、b两个组分纯度分别达到98.5%和98.0%,a和b两种有效成分的总收率为29.2%。本研究为恩拉霉素a和b两种纯品的制备以及高纯度恩拉霉素产品的生产提供了参考。     

Application of an aqueous two‐phase micellar system to extract bromelain from pineapple (Ananas comosus) peel waste and analysis of bromelain stability in cosmetic formulations

Bromelain is a set of proteolytic enzymes found in pineapple (Ananas comosus) tissues such as stem, fruit and leaves. Because of its proteolytic activity, bromelain has potential applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. The present study focused on the recovery of bromelain from pineapple peel by liquid–liquid extraction in aqueous two‐phase micellar systems (ATPMS), using Triton X‐114 (TX‐114) and McIlvaine buffer, in the absence and presence of electrolytes CaCl₂ and KI; the cloud points of the generated extraction systems were studied by plotting binodal curves. Based on the cloud points, three temperatures were selected for extraction: 30, 33, and 36°C for systems in the absence of salts; 40, 43, and 46°C in the presence of KI; 24, 27, and 30°C in the presence of CaCl₂. Total protein and enzymatic activities were analyzed to monitor bromelain. Employing the ATPMS chosen for extraction (0.5 M KI with 3% TX‐114, at pH 6.0, at 40°C), the bromelain extract stability was assessed after incorporation into three cosmetic bases: an anhydrous gel, a cream, and a cream‐gel formulation. The cream‐gel formulation presented as the most appropriate base to convey bromelain, and its optimal storage conditions were found to be 4.0 ± 0.5°C. The selected ATPMS enabled the extraction of a biomolecule with high added value from waste lined‐up in a cosmetic formulation, allowing for exploration of further cosmetic potential. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:937–945, 2015     

Maternal effects and maternal selection arising from variation in allocation of free amino acid to eggs

Maternal provisioning can have profound effects on offspring phenotypes, or maternal effects, especially early in life. One ubiquitous form of provisioning is in the makeup of egg. However, only a few studies examine the role of specific egg constituents in maternal effects, especially as they relate to maternal selection (a standardized selection gradient reflecting the covariance between maternal traits and offspring fitness). Here, we report on the evolutionary consequences of differences in maternal acquisition and allocation of amino acids to eggs. We manipulated acquisition by varying maternal diet (milkweed or sunflower) in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus. Variation in allocation was detected by examining two source populations with different evolutionary histories and life‐history response to sunflower as food. We measured amino acids composition in eggs in this 2 × 2 design and found significant effects of source population and maternal diet on egg and nymph mass and of source population, maternal diet, and their interaction on amino acid composition of eggs. We measured significant linear and quadratic maternal selection on offspring mass associated with variation in amino acid allocation. Visualizing the performance surface along the major axes of nonlinear selection and plotting the mean amino acid profile of eggs from each treatment onto the surface revealed a saddle‐shaped fitness surface. While maternal selection appears to have influenced how females allocate amino acids, this maternal effect did not evolve equally in the two populations. Furthermore, none of the population means coincided with peak performance. Thus, we found that the composition of free amino acids in eggs was due to variation in both acquisition and allocation, which had significant fitness effects and created selection. However, although there can be an evolutionary response to novel food resources, females may be constrained from reaching phenotypic optima with regard to allocation of free amino acids.     

Human cognitive performance in a 3 mT power-line frequency magnetic field

Extremely low frequency (ELF, <300 Hz) magnetic fields (MF) have been reported to modulate cognitive performance in humans. However, little research exists with MF exposures comparable to the highest levels experienced in occupations like power line workers and industrial welders. This research aims to evaluate the impact of a 60 Hz, 3 mT MF on human cognitive performance. Ninety‐nine participants completed the double‐blind protocol, performing a selection of psychometric tests under two consecutive MF exposure conditions dictated by assignment to one of three groups (sham/sham, MF exposure/sham, or sham/MF exposure). Data were analyzed using a 3 × 2 mixed model analysis of variance. Performance between repetitions improved in 11 of 15 psychometric parameters (practice effect). A significant interaction effect on the digit span forward test (F = 5.21, P < 0.05) revealed an absence of practice effects for both exposure groups but not the control group. This memory test indicates MF‐induced abolition of the improvement associated with practice. Overall, this study does not establish any clear MF effect on human cognition. It is speculated that an ELF MF may interfere with the neuropsychological processes responsible for this short‐term learning effect supported by brain synaptic plasticity. Bioelectromagnetics. Bioelectromagnetics 32:620–633, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Human keratinocytes in culture exhibit no response when exposed to short duration, low amplitude, high frequency (900 MHz) electromagnetic fields in a reverberation chamber

We exposed normal human epidermal keratinocytes to short duration, high frequency, and low amplitude electromagnetic fields, similar to that used by mobile phone technologies. We paid particular attention to the control of the characteristics of the electromagnetic environment generated within a mode stirred reverberation chamber (statistical homogeneity and isotropy of the field and SAR distribution). Two non‐thermal exposure conditions were tested on the epidermal cells: 10‐min exposure with a field amplitude of 8 V/m, and 30 min with 41 V/m. Corresponding specific absorption rates ranged from 2.6 to 73 mW/kg (continuous wave, 900 MHz carrier frequency). We collected RNA from cells subjected to these conditions and used it for a large‐scale microarray screening of over 47000 human genes. Under these conditions, exposure of keratinocytes to the electromagnetic field had little effect; only 20 genes displayed significant modulation. The expression ratios were very small (close to 1.5‐fold change), and none of them were shared by the two tested conditions. Furthermore, those assayed using polymerase chain reaction did not display significant expression modulation (overall mean of the exposed samples: 1.20 ± 0.18). In conclusion, the data presented here show that cultured keratinocytes are not significantly affected by EMF exposure. Bioelectromagnetics 32:302–311, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.