De novo organogenesis and plant regeneration in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pongamia pinnata</Emphasis>, oil producing tree legume

Role of Thidiazuron (TDZ) in inducing adventitious organogenesis in Pongamia was studied. TDZ at different concentrations (0, 0.45, 2.27, 4.54, 6.71, 9.08, 11.35, 13.12 and 22.71 μM) were used for induction of caulogenic bud formation in deembryonated cotyledon explants. Each cotyledon was cut into three segments and identified as proximal, middle and distal. Duration of TDZ exposure, influence of the segment and orientation of the explant were studied. TDZ at 11.35 μM concentration was optimum for the induction of shoots and rapid elongation. Shoots induced at higher concentration elongated after several passages in growth regulator free medium, thereby extending the period of differentiation. Exposure of the explant for 20 days yielded more number of buds than 10 days. Proximal segment of the cotyledon was more responsive. Contact of abaxial surface in the medium was more effective and generated more buds than the adaxial side. Buds differentiated and elongated on transfer to MS basal medium for 8–12 passages of 15 days each. Rooting and elongation of shoots was achieved in charcoal supplemented half-strength MS medium. Rooted plantlets survived on transfer to sand soil mixture. The plants were hardened and transferred to green house. This is the first report on in vitro regeneration of Pongamia pinnata via adventitious organogenesis using TDZ. This protocol may find application in studies in genetic transformation, isolation of somaclonal variants and in induction of mutants. It also provides a system to study the inhibitory role of TDZ on shoot differentiation.     

不同氮源及CO_2浓度下湖泊微拟球藻的生长及产油特性分析

<正>工业生产排放的各种废气与污水污染人类赖以生存的环境。化石燃料燃烧除排放出大量CO2外,还释放出含有粉尘、SO[x和NOx等直接危害人类健康的有毒成分1]。其中NO]x与水结合后最终会转化成硝酸盐或亚硝酸盐等[2,导致污水中的含氮化合物氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮、硝酸盐氮和有机氮的含量通常偏高。如何有效去除污水中的氮是防治水体污染最关键的步骤之一,而利用微藻培养去除水体中的氮源是目前研究的热点。尽管生物燃料生产的成本远     

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil: 2. Economic assessment and sensitivity analysis

The economic feasibilities of four continuous processes to produce biodiesel, including both alkali- and acid-catalyzed processes, using waste cooking oil and the ‘standard’ process using virgin vegetable oil as the raw material, were assessed. Although the alkali-catalyzed process using virgin vegetable oil had the lowest fixed capital cost, the acid-catalyzed process using waste cooking oil was more economically feasible overall, providing a lower total manufacturing cost, a more attractive after-tax rate of return and a lower biodiesel break-even price. On the basis of these economic calculations, sensitivity analyses for these processes were carried out. Plant capacity and prices of feedstock oils and biodiesel were found to be the most significant factors affecting the economic viability of biodiesel manufacture.     

Microalgal lipids biochemistry and biotechnological perspectives

In the last few years, there has been an intense interest in using microalgal lipids in food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries and cosmetology, while a noteworthy research has been performed focusing on all aspects of microalgal lipid production. This includes basic research on the pathways of solar energy conversion and on lipid biosynthesis and catabolism, and applied research dealing with the various biological and technical bottlenecks of the lipid production process. In here, we review the current knowledge in microalgal lipids with respect to their metabolism and various biotechnological applications, and we discuss potential future perspectives.     

Application of silica aerogel encapsulated lipases in the synthesis of biodiesel by transesterification reactions

Two types of commercial lipases preparations, one from Burkholderia cepacia, the other one from Candida antartica, were encapsulated in silica aerogels reinforced with silica quartz fibre felt and dried by the CO₂ supercritical technique. These immobilized biocatalysts were applied in biodiesel synthesis by transesterification of sunflower seed oil with methyl acetate. They were found to be efficient even with mixtures of both substrates without any solvent addition. The aerogel encapsulation technique made it possible to maintain the enzymes in a dispersion state similar to the dispersion prevailing in an aqueous solution, even for further use in organic hydrophobic media. In transesterification in excess iso-octane, the two lipases encapsulated in aerogels made from 40% MTMS, were found to have activities relatively close to each other and comparable with commercial Novozyme 435. On the other in transesterification with mixture of oil and methyl acetate without any solvent, the kinetics were severely limited by substrate diffusion inside the aerogels. This was particularly true with the C. antartica, so that the corresponding aerogel encapsulated enzyme was much less active than commercial Novozyme 435, although it improved after a few tests.     

小桐子EST-SSR分子标记的开发与种质遗传多样性分析

小桐子（Jatrophacurcm）适应性强,不择土壤,种子油脂性能适宜生物柴油的生产,是重要的生物柴油植物。基于小桐子种子发育过程中的EST序列,采用生物信息学方法,从4640个EST非冗余序列上鉴别了1009个SSR位点并分析其分布特征;开发了11对多态的EST—SSR分子标记,并利用这些分子标记调查了24个不同地理种源的遗传多样性,从每个位点的等位基因数目（2—3,平均为2．45）、期望杂合度（He为0．0887—0．5128,平均是0．2736）、多态信息含量（PIC为0．0847～0．4031,平均是0．2313）等方面反映了小桐子种质的遗传多样性低。进一步分析显示不同地理种源的遗传关系缺乏明显的地理结构。作者开发的EST—SSR分子标记不仅有助于小桐子种质的遗传多样性研究,也有助于小桐子种质间的遗传关系鉴别。     

Conversion of Soybean Oil to Biodiesel Fuel Using Lipozyme TL IM in a Solvent-free Medium

The conversion of soybean oil to biodiesel fuel was investigated in the presence of a lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (commercially called Lipozyme TL IM) in a solvent-free medium. The lipase was inactivated when more than 1.5 molar equivalent of methanol was added to the oil mixture. To fully convert the oil to its corresponding methyl esters, the reaction was performed successfully by a three-step addition of 1 molar equivalent of methanol and under the optimized conditions (40°C, 150 rpm, 10% enzyme quantity based on oil weight), the maximum methyl ester (ME) yield was 98% after 12 h reaction. By-product glycerol had a negative effect on enzymatic activity and iso-propanol was found to be effective for glycerol removal, in the presence of which lipase expressed relatively high activity and more than 94% of the ME yield was maintained after being used repeatedly for 15 batches.     

Use of biodiesel‐derived crude glycerol for vancomycin production by Amycolatopsis orientalis XMU‐VS01

Crude glycerol is a primary by‐product in the biodiesel industry. Microbial fermentation on crude glycerol for producing value‐added products provides opportunities to utilize a large quantity of this by‐product. This study investigates the potential of using the crude glycerol to produce vancomycin (glycopeptide antibiotics) through fermentation of Amycolatopsis orientalis XMU‐VS01. The results show that crude glycerol was the most effective carbon source for mycelium growth and vancomycin production, with 40–60 g/L glycerol concentration as optimal range. Among other culture medium components, potato protein (nitrogen source) and the phosphate concentration had significant effects (p<0.05) for vancomycin production. A Box‐Behnken design and response surface methodology were employed to formulate the optimal medium. Their optimal values were determined as 52.73 g/L of glycerol, 17.36 g/L of potato protein, and 0.1 g/L of dipotassium phosphate. A highest vancomycin yield of 7.61 g/L with biomass concentration of 15.8 g/L was obtained after 120 h flask fermentation. The yield of vancomycin was 3.5 times higher than with basic medium. The results suggest that biodiesel‐derived crude glycerol is a promising feedstock for production of vancomycin from A. orientalis culture.     

小球藻细胞壁缺陷型突变体的筛选及转化系统的建立

由于高效、稳定遗传转化系统的缺乏,小球藻遗传改良以及油脂代谢机理的研究等工作难以进行。研究旨在通过筛选获得小球藻Chlorella vulgaris细胞壁缺陷型突变体,在此基础上建立其转化系统。首先通过紫外诱变获得小球藻Chlorella vulgaris的突变体库,基于细胞壁缺陷型突变体在1% Triton X-100处理后叶绿素会释放到上清中的原理,利用酶标仪高通量地从约4000个突变体中筛选获得10株细胞壁缺陷的小球藻。同时以小球藻内源性-tubulin的启动子和终止子作为启动子和终止子,以AphⅧ (Aminoglycoside 3'-Phosphotransferase type Ⅷ)作为报告基因构建了转化载体pHK203。通过优化电转缓冲液组分和电击参数,确定了细胞壁缺陷型突变体CWD-3的最佳转化条件,即2 g pHK203,ddH2O作为电转缓冲液,1500 V,525 ,50 F的电击条件下,转化效率可达到40个转化子/g DNA。研究为小球藻Chlorella vulgaris的油脂代谢通路和遗传改良提供了技术基础,同时由于可降低破壁成本,筛选获得的细胞壁缺陷型突变体适于工业化生产小球藻藻粉。     

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria enhanced growth,oil yield,antioxidant properties and biodiesel quality of Kasumbha

Biodiesel is considered as a potential alternative energy source, but problem exists with the quantity and quality of feedstock used for it. To improve the feedstock quality of biodiesel, a field experiment was conducted under natural conditions. Cultivar Thori of kasumbha was used in the experiment. Commercialized biofertilizers were applied at the rate of 20 kg per acre and chemical fertilizer (diammonium phosphate) was applied as half dose (15 kg/ha). Results indicated that number of leaf plant⁻¹, leaf area, number of seeds capitulum⁻¹ was significantly increased by biofertilizer treatment alone (BF) and combine treatment of biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer (BFCF). Agronomic traits such as plant height, no. of branches of a plant, no. of capitulum/plant was improved significantly by BF treatment over the control. Maximum 1000 seed weight (41%) and seed yield (23%) were recorded in half dose of chemical fertilizers treatment (CFH). Seed oil content and seed phenolics were significantly improved by BF and CF treatments while maximum biodiesel yield was recorded by BF treatment. Maximum oleic acid was recorded by BF treatment while other fatty acids being maximum in control except linoleic acid in BFCF treatment. Results for specific gravity were non-significant while acid value and free fatty acid contents were substantially reduced by BF treatment as compared to other treatments. Maximum value of iodine number was recorded in BFCF treatment while tocopherol contents were improved by BF treatment. It is inferred that biofertilizer treatment alone perform better as compared to other treatments and 50% chemical fertilizer can be replaced using biofertilizer which is a good approach for sustainable environmental-friendly agriculture.Keyword: Green energy, Biofuel, Biodiesel, Kasumbha, Biofertilizers, Fatty acid, NMR