How various factors influence the CO2/O2 specificity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Temperature, activating metal ions, and amino-acid substitutions are known to influence the CO₂/O₂ specificity of the chloroplast enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. However, an understanding of the physical basis for enzyme specificity has been elusive. We have shown that the temperature dependence of CO₂/O₂ specificity can be attributed to a difference between the free energies of activation for the carboxylation and oxygenation partial reactions. The reaction between the 2,3-enediolate of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate and O₂ has a higher free energy of activation than the corresponding reaction of this substrate with CO₂. Thus, oxygenation is more responsive to temperature than carboxylation. We have proposed possible transition-state structures for the carboxylation and oxygenation partial reactions based upon the chemical natures of these two reactions within the active site. Electrostatic forces that stabilize the transition state of the carboxylation reaction will also inevitably stabilize the transition state of the oxygenation reaction, indicating that oxygenase activity may be unavoidable. Furthermore, the reduction in CO₂/O₂ specificity that is observed when activator Mg²⁺ is replaced by Mn²⁺ may be due to Mg²⁺ being more effective in neutralizing the negative charge of the carboxylation transition state, whereas Mn²⁺ is a transition-metal ion that can overcome the triplet character of O₂ to promote the oxygenation reaction.Abbreviations CABP 2-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate - enol-RuBP 2,3-enediolate of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate - K_c K_mfor CO₂ - K_o K_mfor O₂ - Rubisco ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase - RuBP ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate - V_c V _max for carboxylation - V_o V _max for oxygenation     

Catechol-based inhibitors of bacterial urease

Targeted covalent inhibitors of urease were developed on the basis of the catechol structure. Forty amide and ester derivatives of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and gallic acid were obtained and screened against Sporosarcinia pasteurii urease. The most active compound, namely propargyl ester of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid exhibited IC₅₀?=?518?nM and$k_{\mathit{inact}}/K_i$?=?1379?M^?1?s^?1. Inhibitory activity of this compound was better and toxicity lower than those obtained for the starting compound – catechol. The molecular modelling studies revealed a mode of binding consistent with structure-activity relationships.     

Isolation and characterisation of transposon-induced mutants of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica exhibiting reduced virulence

Summary The blackleg pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica (Eca) causes an economically important disease of potatoes. We selected a genetically amenable Eca strain for the genetic analysis of virulence. Tn5 mutagenesis was used to generate nine mutants which exhibited reduced virulence (Rvi^-) of strain SCRI1043. Following physiological characterisation, mutants were divided into three classes: (1) auxotrophs; (2) extracellular enzyme mutants; and (3) a growth rate mutant. The isolation of these Rvi^- mutants has allowed us to consider some factors that affect Eca virulence.     

硝普纳处理对白刺愈伤组织膜脂过氧化及抗氧化酶活性的影响

以唐古特白刺（Nitraria tangutorum Bobr.）愈伤组织为材料,研究一氧化氮(NO)供体硝普钠（SNP）处理对其膜脂过氧化及抗氧化酶活性的影响。激光共聚焦扫描显微镜技术检测结果显示,白刺愈伤组织在SNP处理下细胞中NO含量显著增加,而N-硝基-L-精氨酸（L-NNA）处理使细胞中NO水平降低。低浓度SNP（10和25 μmol·L^-1）处理后,白刺愈伤组织中丙二醛（MDA）含量显著减少,而高浓度SNP（100 μmol·L^-1）和L-NNA(0.5 mmol·L^-1)处理后MDA含量明显高于对照。与对照比,SNP处理诱导白刺愈伤组织可溶性蛋白含量升高,却使脯氨酸含量减少。白刺愈伤组织在不同浓度SNP处理下过氧化氢酶（CAT）和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶（APX）活性呈增加的变化趋势,低浓度SNP处理使过氧化物酶（POD）活性减弱,而50 μmol·L^-1 SNP处理后POD活性约增加为对照的119%。结果提示,外源NO可促进白刺愈伤组织可溶性蛋白的合成,诱导抗氧化酶活性升高,增强了白刺愈伤组织的抗氧化能力,从而表现出对细胞的保护作用。     

藏中矿区重金属污染土壤的微生物活性变化

微生物几乎参与土壤中的一切生物及生物化学反应,土壤微生物活性可较敏感地反映土壤中生化反应的方向和强度,是探讨重金属污染生态效应的有效途径之一。通过野外调查与采样和室内分析,研究了藏中矿区重金属污染对土壤酶活性、基础呼吸、代谢商(qCO2)和可矿化N的影响。结果表明,矿区土壤受重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd不同程度污染,使得土壤酶活性、可矿化N受到抑制,基础呼吸和qCO2则受到刺激。逐步多元回归分析表明,在Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd复合污染条件下,矿区土壤重金属复合污染对土壤微生物活性的影响是复杂的;主成分分析表明,土壤总体微生物活性指标能较好地反映拉屋矿区土壤重金属复合污染状况,可作为藏中矿区土壤环境质量评价及量化分类的有效指标。     

New development for combined bioscouring and bleaching of cotton-based fabrics

A thorough investigation into conditions appropriate for effecting combined eco-friendly bioscouring and/or bleaching of cotton-based fabrics was undertaken. Fabrics used include cotton, grey mercerized cotton, cotton/polyester blend 50/50 and cotton/polyester blend 35/65. The four cotton-based fabric were subjected to bioscouring by single use of alkaline pectinase enzymes or by using binary mixtures of alkaline pectinase and cellulase enzymes under a variety of conditions. Results of bioscouring show that, the bioscoured substrates exhibit fabrics performances which are comparable with these of the conventional alkali scouring. It has been also found that, incorporation of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in the bioscouring with mixture from alkaline pectinase and cellulase improves the performance of the bioscoured fabrics. Addition of β-cyclodextrin to the bioscouring solution using alkaline pectinase in admixtures with cellulase acts in favor of technical properties and performance of the bioscoured fabrics. Concurrent bioscouring and bleaching by in situ formed peracetic acid using tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) and H₂O₂ was also investigated. The results reveal unequivocally that the environmentally sound technology brought about by current development is by far the best. The new development involves a single-stage process for full purification/preparation of cotton textiles. The new development at its optimal comprises treatment of the fabric with an aqueous formulation consisting of alkaline pectinase enzyme (2 g/L), TAED (15 g/L), H₂O₂ (5 g/L), nonionic wetting agent (0.5 g/L) and sodium silicate (2 g/L). The treatment is carried out at 60 °C for 60 min. Beside the advantages of the new development with respect to major technical fabric properties, it is eco-friendly and reproducible. This advocates the new development for mill trials.     

Effect of applied and internal hormones on vitrification and apical necrosis of different plants cultured in vitro

Development of vitrification and apical necrosis was followed in Camellia sinensis, Gerbera jamesonii, Malus domestica and hybrid Populus tremula x P. alba shoots cultured in vitro on Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of growth regulators. High humidity in the culture vessels and excess of BA in the medium were found to be the major factors influencing vitrification. Lack of exogenous cytokinin in the medium during successive subcultures induced apical necrosis in poor-rooting species (Malus domestica, Camellia sinensis). The level of internal phytohormones (ABA, IAA, IPA, 2iP, Z, ZR) was determined in the apple shoots by means of ELISA. The content of internal cytokinins in the vitrified apple shoots was several times greater than in normal ones, which supports the hypothesis that excess of cytokinins, inducing rapid divisions of cells in meristems in the atmosphere with high humidity, is responsible for vitrification. Apical necrosis of the plantlets that appeared after cultivation on cytokinin-free medium is the result of deficiency in endogenous hormones in apple shoots and this being confirmed by analysis of endogenous hormones in apple shoots.Abbreviations BA benzyladenine - BHT butylated hydroxy-toluene - ABA abscisic acid - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - IPA isopentenyladenosine - 2iP isopentenyladenine - NAA naphthyl-3-acetic acid - TBS trishydroxymethylaminomethane buffered saline - TLC thin layer chromatography - Z zeatin - ZR zeatin riboside