Simultaneous degradation of the herbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid by mixed bacterial cultures

The simultaneous degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid (mecoprop) was achieved by two mixed cultures in the absence of any additional carbon or energy substrates. Mecoprop was not completely degraded by either of the two cultures, nor did addition of 2,4-D affect the degradation of mecoprop. The cultures completely degraded 2,4-D, and the degradation was uninfluenced by the addition of mecoprop. Nearly complete dechlorination of the mixture of two herbicides was achieved by both cultures, on the basis of the total amount of the two herbicides degraded. During the course of the reaction, however, the expected values of chloride were not met. Cell growth continued after the degradation of the parent substrates ceased. Although the mecoprop degradation did not continue to completion, spectral and growth data indicated that the metabolites which had accumulated during the reaction were degraded upon further incubation.     

Studies on the growth ofThiobacillus ferrooxidans

Summary Uranyl sulphate (0.2–0.9 mM) inhibited ferrous iron oxidation by growing cultures ofThiobacillus ferrooxidans. The addition of 5–100 mM uranium to the cultures caused immediate cessation of carbon dioxide fixation, rapid loss of viability and gradual depression of ferrous iron oxidation. Virtually no uranium was found in washed cells grown in the presence of subtoxic to toxic amounts of uranyl sulphate. Uranium-poisoned organisms appeared plasmolyzed in electron micrographs. Cultures tolerant to 5 mM UO₂ ²⁺ were develoepd by successive subculturing in increased uranium concentrations. The tolerance was maintained during subculturing in uranium-free medium. Frequency of mutants resistant to 1.0 and 1.5 mM UO₂ ²⁺ was 1 per 1.3×10⁶ and 1 per 9.0×10⁸, respectively. The frequency was increased in the presence of 15–150 mM nickel, zinc and manganese. In liquid cultures, bivalent cations and EDTA alleviated the toxicity of 2 mM uranyl sulphate.     

Bacterial Oxidation of Sulfide Minerals in Column Leaching Experiments at Suboptimal Temperatures

The purpose of the work was to quantitatively characterize temperature effects on the bacterial leaching of sulfide ore material containing several sulfide minerals. The leaching was tested at eight different temperatures in the range of 4 to 37°C. The experimental technique was based on column leaching of a coarsely ground (particle diameter, 0.59 to 5 mm) ore sample. The experimental data were used for kinetic analysis of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and pyrrhotite oxidation. Chalcopyrite yielded the highest (73 kJ/mol) and pyrrhotite yielded the lowest (25 kJ/mol) activation energies. Especially with pyrrhotite, diffusion contributed to rate limitation. Arrhenius plots were also linear for the reciprocals of lag periods and for increases of redox potentials (dmV/dt). Mass balance analysis based on total S in leach residue was in agreement with the highest rate of leaching at 37 and 28°C. The presence of elemental S in leach residues was attributed to pyrrhotite oxidation.     

Microbiological degradation of the herbicide dicamba

Summary Pseudomonas paucimobilis was isolated from a consortium which was capable of degrading dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) as the sole source of carbon. The degradation of dicamba byP. paucimobilis and the consortium was examined over a range of substrate concentration, temperature, and pH. In the concentration range of 100–2000 mg dicamba L^–1 (0.5–9.0 mM), the degradation was accompanied by a stoichiometric release of 2 mol of Cl^– per mol of dicamba degraded. The cultures had an optimum pH 6.5–7.0 for dicamba degradation. Growth studies at 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C yielded activation energy values in the range of 19–36 kcal mol^–1 and an average Q₁₀ value of 4.0. Compared with the pure cultureP. paucimobilis, the consortium was more active at the lower temperature.     

Uterine and lung uteroglobins in the rabbit: Two similar proteins with differential hormonal regulation

Previous studies have shown that several rabbit tissues contain proteins which cross-react in the radioimmunoassay for uteroglobin, a progestin-regulated protein in rabbit uterus (Torkkeli et al. (1977) Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 9, 101–118). In the present study, a uteroglobin-like protein was purified to an apparent homogeneity from an extra-uterine tissue, rabbit lung, by successive chromatographies on hydroxyapatite, Sephadex G-75, SP-Sephadex, DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose. The final preparation behaved homogeneously in various polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic systems and in isoelectric focusing. The uteroglobin-like protein isolated from the lung had very similar physico-chemical and immunological properties to those of uteroglobin present in the rabbit uterine fluid. The two proteins had: (i) the same molecular weight, of approx. 13 000, with a two subunit structure (each approx. M_r 7000); (ii) identical behavior in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-denaturing and denaturing conditions; (iii) the same isoelectric point at pH 5.4; (iv) absence of carbohydrate in the molecule; (v) very similar amino acid compositions; (vi) lack of tryptophan among the amino acids; (vii) the same N-terminal amino acid (glycine), and (viii) indistinguishable immunological characteristics. Collectively, these data strongly suggest that uterine and lung uteroglobins are identical proteins.In contrast to the induction of the uterine uteroglobin by steroids with progestational activity, the synthesis of extra-uterine uteroglobins was not affected by these steroid hormones to any major extent. In keeping with the concept that lung is a target tissue for glucocorticoid action, cortisol and dexamethasone were capable of increasing the concentration of lung uteroglobin 3-fold (from 3 to 9 μg/mg soluble protein). These compounds did not, however, alter the secretion of the uterine protein. Administration of high doses of testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone elevated significantly the content of both uterine and lung uteroglobin. Only approx. one-fifth of the adult pulmonary uteroglobin levels were present in lungs of newborn rabbits indicating that developmental changes occur in the lung uteroglobin content.     

Nitrogen Requirement of Iron-Oxidizing Thiobacilli for Acidic Ferric Sulfate Regeneration

Ammonium was shown to be a limiting nutrient for iron oxidation in cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. In addition, one strain was also able to assimilate nitrate, but not nitrite, for growth and coupled iron oxidation. Some amino acids (0.5 mM) were tested as a source of nitrogen; none clearly stimulated bacterial activity and inhibition was commonly encountered. Complex nitrogenous compounds were inhibitory at high concentrations (0.1 to 0.5%, wt/vol) and, at low concentrations, some clearly stimulated the bacterial iron oxidation in ammonium-limited cultures. Enhancement of iron oxidation by these compounds was also observed in ammonium-unlimited cultures, suggesting their possible role in providing trace nutrients and possibly carbon for the bacteria.     

Transition of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans KG-4 from heterotrophic growth on glucose to autotrophic growth on ferrous-iron

The reputedly obligately organotrophic Thiobacillus ferrooxidans KG-4 cultured on glucose contained a small proportion of cells which grew autotrophically on ferrous-iron.     

Uranous ion oxidation and carbon dioxide fixation byThiobacillus ferrooxidans

The stoichiometric oxidation of uranous-to uranyl-uranium byThiobacllus ferrooxidans is demonstrated. Fixation of¹⁴CO₂ and the effect of inhibitors demonstrate that energy is conserved during the oxidation and used for energy-dependent reverse electron flow and carbon dioxide fixation.Abbreviations HOQNO 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide - 8-HQ 8-hydroxyquinoline - TTFA thenoyltrifluoroacetone     

Evidence for the occurrence of two forms of β-lipotropin in rat pituitary

A peptide isolated from porcine gut according to its glucagon-like activity in liver (bioactive enteroglucagon) has been characterized immunologically, biologically and chemically: its potency relative to pancreatic glucagon in interacting with an antiglucagon antibody, hepatic glucagon-binding sites and hepatic adenylate cyclase was ～100%, 20% and 10%, respectively. In contrast, it is ～20-times more potent than glucagon in oxyntic glands, justifying the term ‘oxyntomodulin’. Chemically, it consists in the 29 amino acid-peptide glucagon elongated at its C-terminal end by the octapeptide Lys—Arg—Asn—Lys—Asn—Asn—Ile &;—Ala; accordingly, it is called ‘glucagon-37’