一株氯霉素降解细菌的分离鉴定与代谢特性研究

微生物是介导环境中氯霉素降解转化的主要驱动者,但高效降解矿化菌株资源匮乏,氧化反应介导的代谢途径不清。为研究微生物介导下氯霉素的环境归趋过程,为氯霉素污染环境强化修复提供菌株资源,文中以受氯霉素污染的活性污泥为接种源,首先富集获得一个由红球菌Rhodococcus主导 (相对丰度>70%) 的氯霉素高效降解菌群,并从中分离获得一株能够高效降解氯霉素的菌株CAP-2,通过16S rRNA基因分析鉴定为红球菌Rhodococcus sp.。菌株CAP-2能在不同营养条件下高效降解氯霉素。基于菌株CAP-2对检测到的代谢产物对硝基苯甲酸和已报道的代谢产物对硝基苯甲醛和原儿茶酸的生物转化特征,提出其降解途径是由氯霉素侧链氧化断裂生成对硝基苯甲醛,进一步氧化为对硝基苯甲酸的新型氧化降解途径。该菌株对于氯霉素分解代谢的分子机制研究以及受氯霉素污染环境的原位生物修复应用具有巨大潜力。     

一株油脂降解菌的筛选鉴定及降解效果分析

为了筛选分离得到一株具有油脂降解能力的菌株,同时探究菌株的特性和降解能力。以屠宰场污染土作为菌源,通过梯度驯化法最终筛选分离得到能够将橄榄油作为单一碳源生长的降解菌。随后通过形态特征观察、Biolog生理生化测试以及16S rRNA基因序列比对分析鉴定,实验菌株为革兰氏阴性菌,属于无色杆菌属（Achromobacter sp.）,在构建的系统发育树上与Achromobacter pulmonis聚为一支。综合运用紫外分光光度法和高效液相色谱法检测,测得实验菌株培养4~5 d时对橄榄油的降解率可以达到90%,同时测得菌株降解油脂的最适pH和最适温度分别为7.5和35 ℃,该菌株在盐浓度低于40 g·L-1环境中降解率较高。此外实验结果表明,实验菌株对各类型油脂均具有较高的降解效率,具有广泛的应用前景。     

Hydroxylation of Phenol to Hydroquinone Catalyzed by A Human Myeloperoxidase-Superoxide Complex: Possible Implications In Benzene-Induced Myelotoxicity

Benzene, a known human rnyelotoxin and leukemogen is metabolized by liver cytochrome P-450 mono-oxygenase to phenol. Further hydroxylation of phenol by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase results in the formation of mainly hydroquinone, which accumulates in the bone marrow. Bone marrow contains high levels of myeloperoxidase. Here we report that phenol hydroxylation to hydroquinone is also catalyzed by human myeloperoxidase in the presence of a superoxide anion radical generating system, hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase. No hydroquinone formation was detected in the absence of myeloperoxidase. At low concentrations superoxide disniutase stimulated, but at high concentrations inhibited, the conversion of phenol to hydroquinone. The inhibitory effect at high superoxide dismutase concentrations indicates that the active hydroxylating species of myeloperoxidase is not derived from its interaction with hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, catalase a hydrogen peroxide scavenger, was found to have no significant effect on hydroxylation of phenol to hydroquinone, supporting the lack of hydrogen peroxide involvement. Mannitol (a hydroxyl radical scavenger) was found to have no inhibitory effect, but histidine (a singlet oxygen scavenger) inhibited hydroquinone formation. Based on these results we postulate that a myeloperoxidase-superoxide complex spontaneously rearranges to generate singlet oxygen and that this singlet oxygen is responsible for phenol hydroxylation to hydroquinone. These results also suggest that myeloperoxidase dependent hydroquinone formation could play a role in the production and accumulation of hydroquinone in bone marrow, the target organ of benzene-induced myelotoxicity.     

Bioremoval of Cyanide and Phenol from Industrial Wastewater: An Update

In nature, phenols and cyanides are produced by certain microbes and plants. Phenols are antioxidants found in almost all plants, and cyanides are important components of lima beans, almonds, and cassava. Their presence in small amounts may not upset the environment, but their large-scale production, wide applicability, and unrestricted release by the industries makes them widespread and important pollutants. Phenols and cyanides can be recovered/removed from wastewater streams using various physicochemical techniques practiced commercially. Lack of complete mineralization, cost-effectiveness, and release of secondary by-products are amongst a few of the major considerations that limit the installation of such processes. Biological removal of such pollutants from industrial waste has gained momentum in recent years, as they promise to surpass the major drawbacks laid by the physicochemical methods and can be practically carried out in all conditions. Presence of either cyanide or phenol is highly dangerous, and in the presence of both, the effect is compounded. The present review illustrates the various industries involved in the release of phenols, cyanides, or both; it summarizes the available technologies for their treatment and emphasizes recent advances and advantages of biological abatement of these pollutants.     

Biodegradation of Phenol Using Immobilized Nocardia hydrocarbonoxydans in a Pulsed Plate Bioreactor: Effect of Packed Stages,Cell Carrier Loading,and Cell Acclimatization on Startup and Steady-State Behavior

The effect of the number of stages and cell carrier loading on the steady-state and startup performance of a continuous pulsed plate bioreactor with glass beads as the cell carrier material for biodegradation of phenol in wastewater using immobilized Nocardia hydrocarbonoxydans has been studied. It was found that the performance of the pulsed plate bioreactor during startup and at steady state can be improved by an increase in cell carrier loading, number of stages, total plate stack height, and with a decrease in plate spacing. The startup time for the continuous bioreactor can be decreased by increasing the number of preacclimatization steps for the cells. The attainment of steady effluent phenol concentration can be considered as an indication of steady state of the continuous bioreactor, as when phenol concentration attained a steady value, biofilm thickness, and the attached biomass dry weight also attained a constant value.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: in vitro inhibition of α isoforms (hCA I,hCA II,bCA III,hCA IV) by flavonoids

A series of flavonoids, such as quercetin, catechin, apigenin, luteolin, morin, were investigated for their inhibitory effects against the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA). The compounds were tested against four α-CA isozymes purified from human and bovine (hCA I, hCA II, bCA III, hCA IV) tissues. The four isozymes showed quite diverse inhibition profiles with these compounds. The flavonoids inhibited hCA I with K_I-s in the range of 2.2–12.8 μM, hCA II with K_I-s in the range of 0.74–6.2 μM, bCA III with K_I-s in the range of 2.2–21.3 μM, and hCA IV with inhibition constants in the range of 4.4–15.7, with an esterase assay using 4-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate. Some simple phenols/sulfonamides were also investigated as standard inhibitors. The flavonoids incorporate phenol moieties which inhibit these CAs through a diverse, not yet determined inhibition mechanism, compared to classic inhibitors such as the sulfonamide/sulfamate ones.     

Large enhancement of oscillating chemiluminescence with [Ru(bpy)3]2+‐catalyzed Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction in the presence of tri‐n‐propylamine

Oscillating chemiluminescence enhanced by the addition of tri‐n‐propylamine (TPrA) to the typical Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction system catalyzed by ruthenium(II)tris(2.2'‐bipyridine)(Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) was investigated using a luminometry method. The [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺/TPrA system was first used as the catalyst for a BZ oscillator in a closed system, which exhibited a shorter induction period, higher amplitude and much more stable chemiluminescence (CL) oscillation. The effects of various concentrations of TPrA, oxygen and nitrogen flow rate on the oscillating behavior of this system were examined. In addition, the CL intensity of the [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺/TPrA–BZ system was found to be inhibited by phenol, thus providing a way for use of the BZ system in the determination of phenolic compounds. Moreover, the possible mechanism of the oscillating CL reaction catalyzed by [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺/TPrA and the inhibition effects of oxygen and phenol on this oscillating CL system were considered. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil Microbial Community Response to Nitrobenzene Exposure for a Spartina Wetland

To explore the response of the soil microbial community to nitrobenzene (NB) exposure in a Spartina marsh, a short-term (45 d) mesocosm study was conducted at three NB concentrations of (10, 50, and 100) mg kg^?1. Dry soil, sterile and unsterile controls were also compared. The ability of the microbes to biodegrade NB was studied in an effort to predict the outcome of NB in the mesocosm. The results indicated that a microbial community is capable of doing so. Microbial enumeration and enzyme assays showed that the fluctuations in microbial communities and polyphenol oxidase activities are related to the initial NB concentration. Moreover, cluster analyses through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed very similar patterns (95.5%) throughout the 45 d term, indicating that the microbial community regenerates when NB is exhausted. Although volatilization and photolysis were the major processes responsible for the reduction in NB in contaminated mesocosms and the microbial community regenerated at the end of incubation, the data indicate potential ecological risks in outfall areas even if the discharged wastewater complies with the national wastewater discharge standards.     

Metabolism of Atrazine in Liquid Cultures and Soil Microcosms by Nocardioides Strains Isolated from a Contaminated Nigerian Agricultural Soil

Atrazine-degrading microorganisms designated EAA-3 and EAA-4, belonging to the genus Nocardioides, were obtained from an agricultural soil in Nigeria. The degradation kinetics of the two strains revealed total disappearance of 25 mg l^?1 of atrazine in less than 72 h of incubation at the rate of 0.42 mg l^?1 h^?1 and 0.35 mg l^?1 h^?1, respectively. Screening for atrazine catabolic genes in these organisms revealed the presence of trzN, atzB, and atzC. Other genes, specifically atzA, atzD, and trzD, were not detected. Potential intermediates of atrazine catabolic route such as hydroxyatrazine, desethylatrazine, and desisopropylatrazine were utilized as sources of carbon and energy, while desisopropyl desethyl-2-hydroxyatrazine and desisopropyl-2-hydroxyatrazine were attacked but in the presence of glucose. A soil microcosm study showed that degradation was faster in microcosms contaminated with 13 mg of atrazine per g^?1 of soil compared with 480 mg g^?1 of soil. In the former, degradation was 10% higher in the inoculated soil than the non-inoculated control (natural attenuation) over the 28-day study period. Corresponding value obtained for the latter was nearly 70% higher. This study has demonstrated that the bacterial strains isolated enhanced atrazine degradation and the catabolic activities of these strains were not affected with increasing soil atrazine concentration.