Effect of roasting on ochratoxin A level in green coffee beans inoculated with Aspergillus ochraceus

The heat stability of ochratoxin A in green coffee beans inoculated with Aspergillus ochraceus was studied. Heat treatment (roasting) at 200 °C for 10 or 20 min reduced the levels of ochratoxin A by only 0–12% in the dried whole beans. Almost all of the ochratoxin A was infused into the coffee decoction when the roasted samples were ground and extracted with boiling water. Therefore, the reduction of ochratoxin A concentration of contaminated coffee beans by roasting under these conditions is ineffective.     

Immunohistochemical evidence of progestin target cells in the pituitary gland of ovariectomized rat

Progestin (P) target cells were identified in the pituitary gland of gonadectomized female rats which had been primed with estrogen (E). P staining was localized using the immunohistochemical avidin-biotin-peroxidase (ABP) complex method. Dark brown precipitates were primarily found over the cytoplasm of cells in the pars distalis, but not in the pars intermedia nor in the pars nervosa. The majority of P-sensitive cells in the pars distalis were identical with luteotrophs, a few being lactotrophs. These observations suggest a role of P in the regulation of production and secretion of gonadotrophins in the pituitary glands of female rats.     

X-ray diffraction photographs of chicken gizzard G-actin.DNase I complex crystals taken with synchrotron radiation

X-ray diffraction photographs of a chicken gizzard G-actin.DNase I complex crystal have been recorded using the synchrotron radiation beam emitted by the Synchrotron Radiation Source at Daresbury and the Photon Factory at Tsukuba. The resolution limit was extended to 2.4 A and the exposure time was reduced approximately by a factor of 10, when data recorded at the Photon Factory, were compared with those recorded with a conventional rotating-anode source. Using a newly designed Weissenberg camera equipped with a multi-layer line screen, the diffraction data in a 36 degrees oscillation range were recorded on a single film up to 3.5 A resolution.     

Crystallographic studies of the chicken gizzard G-actin X DNase I complex at 5A resolution

The structure of the chicken gizzard G-actin X DNase I complex has been determined at 5 A resolution by an X-ray diffraction method. Protein phases were computed by the multiple isomorphous replacement method using four heavy atom derivatives. The mean figure of merit was 0.65. Dimensions of the three molecular species, the complex, G-actin and DNase I, were determined based on the "cypress wood" models derived from the electron density map. The natures of the heavy atom binding sites are discussed in relation to the distinction between the two component molecules. The pattern of successive contacts between actin molecules observed in the present crystal seems unrelated to that found in F-actin.     

根霉超氧化物歧化酶同工酶类型的鉴别

利用ＫＣＮ、Ｈ_２Ｏ２和ＳＤＳ的选择性反应引起的ＳＯＤ同工酶谱带变化即可鉴别粗抽提液中的ＳＯＤ同工酶类型;用这种方法对五株不同种根霉的鉴别实验表明,它们均不同程度地含有Ｃｕ,Ｚｎ型和Ｍｎ型两种ＳＯＤ,前者约占８０％左右,后者只占２０％左右。用邻苯三酚自氧化法对样品中ＳＯＤ活性测定结果与在同工酶谱上的鉴别结果基本一致。     

Microbial nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation across permafrost region

The status of plant and microbial nutrient limitation have profound impacts on ecosystem carbon cycle in permafrost areas, which store large amounts of carbon and experience pronounced climatic warming. Despite the long-term standing paradigm assumes that cold ecosystems primarily have nitrogen deficiency, large-scale empirical tests of microbial nutrient limitation are lacking. Here we assessed the potential microbial nutrient limitation across the Tibetan alpine permafrost region, using the combination of enzymatic and elemental stoichiometry, genes abundance and fertilization method. In contrast with the traditional view, the four independent approaches congruently detected widespread microbial nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation in both the surface soil and deep permafrost deposits, with stronger limitation in the topsoil. Further analysis revealed that soil resources stoichiometry and microbial community composition were the two best predictors of the magnitude of microbial nutrient limitation. High ratio of available soil carbon to nutrient and low fungal/bacterial ratio corresponded to strong microbial nutrient limitation. These findings suggest that warming-induced enhancement in soil nutrient availability could stimulate microbial activity, and probably amplify soil carbon losses from permafrost areas.     

在无溶剂系统中固定化脂肪酶合成聚乙二醇400月桂酸酯

在无溶荆反应系统中,研究了固定化假丝酵母(Candida sp)-1619脂肪酶催化合成聚乙二醇400(PEG400)月桂酸酯的酯化条件。在反应过程中不断脱水和使月桂酸的量高于化学计量值的方法,使酯化率明显提高。分批补加PEG₄₀₀使产量进一步增加。在5．0mmol月桂酸．2．5mmolPEG400,20mg同定化脂肪酶(200u),O．2ml水组成的反应体系中,40℃,锥形瓶敞口振荡反应48h。醑化率达91％;在负压条件下反应．酯化率达98．9％;反应体系中月桂酸的董增加到6．0mmol时,PEG₄₀₀完全被酯化。用己烷提取产物的收率为95％．通过薄层色谱鉴定酯化产物为双酯。     

高必需氨基酸转基因马铃薯的研究

８０年代以来,马铃薯遗传转化系统日趋成熟,转基因工程植株已被广泛应用于基础科学研究［１］。作为食物蛋白和能量主要来源的马铃薯,提高其蛋白质含量及质量的遗传工程研究正受到人们的普遍关注［２］。Ｙａｎｇ等［２］将旨在改善氨基酸平衡的ＣＡＴ－ＨＥＡＡＥ（氯酶素乙酰转移酶－高含量人体必需氨基酸）融合基因导入马铃薯,获得了Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ、Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ、Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ的证据,但尚缺少氨基酸分析的资料。玉米醇溶蛋白（ｚｅｉｎ）［３］是一个富含甲硫氨酸的贮存蛋白,它和人工合成的ＨＥ…     

Generation of formic acid and ethanolamine from serine in biosynthesis of linear gramicidin by a cell-free preparation of Bacillusbrevis (ATCC 8185)

A growing organism that produces antibiotic peptide was incubated with L-(U-¹⁴C)serine for labeling linear gramicidin. Linear gramicidin was isolated by a simple chromatographic method from tyrothricin (mixture of linear gramicidin and tyrocidine) applied to a column of basic aluminum oxide. The hydrolysate of labeled linear gramicidin on thin layer chromatography showed that L-(U-¹⁴C)serine was one of a precursor of ethanolamine moiety by autoradiography. L-(3-¹⁴C)serine generated formic acid in the presence of tetrahydrofolic acid by an enzyme fraction prepared with ammonium sulfate, and further formed ethanolamine binding to the protein. Formylvaline was biosynthesized by it with tetrahydrofolic acid and ATP, and subsequently released from the protein.     

β-structure from the microfibillar proteins of Merino wool

The β-structure of S-caboxymethyl derivatives of microfibrillar proteins isolated from Merino wool was investigated by X-ray diffraction for comparison with the structur of β-keratin. The S-carboxymethylated microfibrillar proteins(SCMKA) w well-oriented β-films of SCMKA weer obtained by stretching the SCMKA cast films in steam up to about 300% extesnsion. It was found that the reflections in β-pattern of SCMKA may be indexed on a pseudo-orthorhombic unit cell with a =0.94 nm, b = 0.66 nm and c = nm, where the ab, and c axes are in the direction of the interchain hydrogen bonding, the main chain(fibre axis) and the side chain, respectively. The unit cell dimesnions evaluated for SCMKA were almost the same as those for β-keratin, suggeting that few peptide sequences containing S-carboxymethyl cystine may be involved in the formation of β-structure from SCMKA.