MALDI-TOF-MS and 16S rRNA characterization of lead tolerant metallophile bacteria isolated from saffron soils of Kashmir for their sequestration potential

Toxic metal contamination in soils due industrialization is nowadays a concern to the scientists worldwide. The current study deals with the evaluation of response and tolerance by isolated metallophilic bacteria in different lead concentrations (100 ppm to 1000 ppm). By taking optical densities of the isolates, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Pb²⁺ were determined.16S rRNA and MALDI-TOF MS were used for the identification of the bacteria. Total of 37 isolates were observed, among them 04 (Staphylococcus equorum, Staphylococcus warneri, Bacillus safensis and Bacillus thuringiensis), isolated were detected having efficacy of Pb²⁺tolerance and sequestration at varying MIC. Furthermore, B. thuringiensis was observed to have highest (900 ppm) tolerance for lead and lowest (500 ppm) for Staphylococcus warneri. Moreover, the highest (65.3%) sequestration potential has been observed for B. thuringiensis and least (52.8%) for S. warneri. The tolerance and sequestration potential properties of these isolated species can be utilised to exterminate heavy metals and reduce their toxicity from the contaminated environment.     

Mass spectrometric techniques for characterisation of platinum–humic substance complexes in soil and street dust samples

Abstract

Increased platinum concentrations have been detected in environmental samples since the introduction of catalytic converters in Europe. It was previously believed that PGE are relatively inert and that the soluble fraction of automobile catalyst emitted PGE is only a few percent. However, new studies suggested that metallic Pt is oxidised in the soil and that the majority of the Pt species could be humic substance complexes.

The aim of the present paper is the characterisation of platinum-humic acid complexes in spiked soil and street dust samples. A number of different soft ionisation mass spectrometric techniques, such as ESI-Q-MS, ESI-ION TRAP-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS have been tested. The ESI mass spectra of the soil humic acids were characterised by high complexity and irreproducibility.

MALDI-TOF-MS was used for humic acid complexes characterisation in positive and negative modes. Positive ionisation was less effective and produced more simple and less informative spectra than negative ionisation. Two different MALDI matrices (CHCA, DHBA) were tested for use with humic substances. DHBA yielded better results, exhibiting superior ionisation efficiency, low spectral background and the matrix peaks were almost completely suppressed causing no interferences with identified analyte peaks. The application of MALDI-TOF-MS shows its suitability for humic substance characterisation. The comparison of the MALDI-spectra of humic acids, extracted from spiked and native soil proved that Pt undergoes transformation in the environment to humic acid complexes.     

A Growth Factor for Malo-lactic Fermentation Bacteria

A growth factor (TJF) for a malo-lactic fermentation bacterium has been isolated from tomato juice, and found to be a β-glucoside. The NMR spectra of TJF and its acetate revealed that the glucosyl residue linked to the hydroxyl group at C-2′ or C-4′ of d- or l-pantothenic acid moiety. Then, 2′-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-dl-pantothenic acid (I), 4′-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-dl-pantothenic acid (II) and 4′-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-d(R)-pantothenic acid (II-a) were synthesized, and Il-a and 4′-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-l-pantothenic acid (II-b) were obtained by the optical resolution of the acetate of II. Among the above compounds, II-a was identical with natural TJF regarding to the biological activity, NMR and ORD spectra, and thin-layer chromatography.     

Clusterin is associated with spontaneous breast cancer in TA2 mice

Two-dimensional electrophoresis and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-time of mass spectrometry were used to detect the differentially expressed proteins in serum of tientsin albinao 2 mice with spontaneous breast cancer, normal tientsin albinao 2 mice and tientsin albinao 1 mice. Only nuclear clusterin (n-CLU) was expressed in tientsin albinao 1. Immunohistochemistry and western blot validated that n-CLU was present in normal tientsin albinao 2 and tientsin albinao 1 mammary epithelium, and secretory clusterin expressed in the cytoplasm of normal tientsin albinao 2 mammary epithelium and spontaneous breast cancer. n-CLU may play an important role in tientsin albinao 2 spontaneous breast cancer initiation and development.     

玉米T型细胞质雄性不育系与相应保持系线粒体蛋白质组中的差异蛋白

利用固相pH3—10梯度双向凝胶电泳．对玉米T型细胞质雄性不育系（T—CMS）及其相应保持系叶片（苗期、拔节期、孕穗期）,胚轴,胚根和花药（花粉母细胞减数分裂期、花粉粒小孢子单-双核期）线粒体蛋白质组中的差异蛋白进行分析。PDQuest2D图像软件分析表明,苗期和拔节期叶片约有150个蛋白质斑点,胚轴和胚根中可识别出150个线粒体蛋白质斑点,花药中约有100个斑点。利用MALDI—TOF—MS方法．运用MASCOT软件于NCBI进行数据查询．对T—CMS与相应保持系中存在的差异蛋白进行归属鉴定,在T—CMS中存在,保持系中缺失的线粒体蛋白质有：r40cl protein（胚轴中）,mature anther—specific protein,DNA—directed RNA polymerase 23kD subunit．hexokinaseⅡ和T—CMS中缺失而在保持系中存在的有：glutathione S—transferase．putative protein。其中T—CMS与相应保持系间．线粒体蛋白质组呈现出差异的组织有胚轴、胚根和小孢子单-双核期的花药。叶片的不同发育时期线粒体蛋白质组呈现明显变化．但T—CMS与保持系间没有差异。在小孢子单-双核期（花粉败育期）的花药中,T—CMS与保持系间线粒体蛋白质组出现明显差异,线粒体蛋白质组出现变异的时期与花粉败育时期相一致。     

Mapping of the Physcomitrella patens proteome

The moss Physcomitrella patens is unique among land plants due to the high rate of homologous recombination in its nuclear DNA. The feasibility of gene targeting makes Physcomitrella an unrivalled model organism in the field of plant functional genomics. To further extend the potentialities of this seed-less plant we aimed at exploring the P. patens proteome. Experimental conditions had to be adopted to meet the special requirements connected to the investigations of this moss. Here we describe the identification of 306 proteins from the protonema of Physcomitrella. Proteins were separated by two dimensional electrophoresis, excised form the gel and analysed by means of mass spectrometry. This reference map will lay the basis for further profound studies in the field of Physcomitrella proteomics.     

Synthesis of a radioactive thiol reagent, 1-S-[3H]carboxymethyl-dithiothreitol: identification of the phosphorylation sites by N-terminal peptide sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A novel radioactive thiol reagent, 1-S-[3H]carboxymethyl-dithiothreitol (DTT-S-C[3H(2)]CO(2)H, [3H]CM-DTT), was designed and synthesized at the micromole level by reaction of dithiothreitol with tritiated iodoacetic acid (I-C[3H(2)].CO(2)H). The reaction progress was followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The usefulness of the synthesized reagent was evaluated in a series of experimental approaches. (i) The synthetic phosphopeptide, NSVS(P)EEGRGDSV, was derivatized by [3H]CM-DTT separated from excess reagent by RP-HPLC. The extent of derivatization was quantitated in terms of the mol of P-Ser/mol of peptide by 3H counting, and the location of the phosphoserine was defined by the N-terminal Edman degradation sequence analysis as being the fourth amino acid residue from the N terminus. (ii) A sample of trypsin-digested alpha-casein was derivatized with [3H]CM-DTT, peptides were separated by RP-HPLC, and aliquots of each fraction were counted for 3H label within the peptide map which rapidly pinpointed the original four phosphoserine-containing peptides. This demonstrated the utility of the synthesized radioactive thiol agent in rapid purification and identification of phosphopeptides from HPLC peptide mapping of proteolytic digests of phosphoproteins. (iii) The [3H]CM-DTT was also used to determine the extent of phosphorylation of phosphoproteins both qualitatively by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography and quantitatively by 3H counting. The synthesized radioactive thiol reagent [3H]CM-DTT proved to be very efficient and sensitive and should be adaptable to a wide range of routinely utilized laboratory approaches in many fields of the biological sciences.     

2D-HPLC and MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis of barley proteins glycated during brewing

The barley proteins have been the subject of interests of many research groups dealing with barley grains, malt and beer. The proteins which remain intact after harsh malting conditions influence the quality and flavor of beer. The characteristic feature of the proteins present in malt and beer is their extensive modification with carbohydrates, mainly glucose that comes from the starch degradation during technological processes. The degree of the protein glycation has an effect on the quality of malt and beer and on the properties of the beer foam. A combination of two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) was used for the analysis of the protein extracts that were reduced, alkylated, and degraded enzymatically without prior protein separation. This so-called "shot-gun" approach enabled us to determine glycation sites in one third of the proteins identified in the study and to propose potential glycation markers for fast and efficient monitoring during malting.     

Diagnostic model of saliva peptide finger print analysis of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients using weak cation exchange magnetic beads

Saliva diagnostics utilizing nanotechnology and molecular technologies to detect oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has become an attractive field of study. However, no specific methods have been established. To refine the diagnostic power of saliva peptide fingerprints for the early detection of OSCC, we screened the expression spectrum of salivary peptides in 40 T1 stage OSCC patients (and healthy controls) using MALDI-TOF-MS combined with magnetic beads. Fifty proteins showed significantly different expression levels in the OSCC samples (P<0.05). Potential biomarkers were also predicted. The novel diagnostic proteomic model with m/z peaks of 1285.6 Da and 1432.2 Da are of certain value for early diagnosis of OSCC.