Structure and expression of the Chlorobium vibrioforme hemA gene

The green sulfur bacterium, Chlorobium vibrioforme, synthesizes the tetrapyrrole precursor, -aminolevulinic acid (ALA), from glutamate via the RNA-dependent five-carbon pathway. A 1.9-kb clone of genomic DNA from C. vibrioforme that is capable of transforming a glutamyl-tRNA reductase-deficient, ALA-dependent, hemA mutant of Escherichia coli to prototrophy was sequenced. The transforming C. vibrioforme DNA has significant sequence similarity to the E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Bacillus subtilis hemA genes and contains a 1245 base open reading frame that encodes a 415 amino acid polypeptide with a calculated molecular weight of 46174. This polypeptide has over 28% amino acid identity with the polypeptides deduced from the nucleic acid sequences of the E. coli, S. typhimurium, and B. subtilis hemA genes. No sequence similarity was detected, at either the nucleic acid or the peptide level, with the Rhodobacter capsulatus or Bradyrhizobium japonicum hemA genes, which encode ALA synthase, or with the S. typhimurium hemL gene, which encodes glutamate-1-semialdehyde aminotransferase. These results establish that hemA encodes glutamyl-tRNA reductase in species that use the five-carbon ALA biosynthetic pathway. A second region of the cloned DNA, located downstream from the hemA gene, has significant sequence similarity to the E. coli and B. subtilis hemC genes. This region contains a potential open reading frame that encodes a polypeptide that has high sequence identity to the deduced E. coli and B. subtilis HemC peptides. hemC encodes the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic enzyme, porphobilinogen deaminase, in these species. Preliminary evidence was obtained for the existence of a 3.0-kb polycistronic meassge that includes the hemA sequence, in exponentially growing C. vibrioforme cells. Results of condon usage analysis for the C. vibrioforme hemA gene indicate that green sulfur bacteria are more closely related to purple nonsulfur bacteria than to enteric bacteria. Sequences corresponding to a polyadenylation signal and a poly(A) attachment site were found immediately downstream from the 3 end of the hemA open reading frame.     

Volatile flavour components of mango fruit

An essence of fresh Venezuelan mango fruit obtained by well-established procedures possessed the characteristic aroma of the fruit. It was analysed by GC/MS using both EI and Cl. The fruit produced a relatively small quantity of aroma volatiles (ca 60 μg/kg fresh fruit), less than that obtained from many similar tropical fruits. Terpene hydrocarbons comprised ca 68% of the sample, eight monoterpenes contributing ca 54% and four sesquiterpenes contributing ca 14%. Important constituents included α-pinene, car-3-ene, limonene, γ-terpinene, α-humulene, β-selinene, acetophenone, benzaldehyde and a dimethylstyrene. Car-3-ene (26%) was the major constituent, and on odour evaluation of separated components at an odour port during GC, the peak due to this compound was described as having an aroma of mango leaves. This compound has not previously been detected among mango volatiles. The only other component providing mango aroma was a dimethylstyrene, and this too is a new mango volatile.     

An in vitro morphological study of the mouse visceral yolk sac and possible yolk sac immunocyte precursors

Summary Mouse visceral yolk sac has been organ cultured from 9 days of gestation, a time prior to the thymus being lymphoid, until 12 days of gestation, a time after which the thymus is lymphoid. During the culture period the endodermal epithelial cells survived well, erythropoiesis diminished, endothelial-lined cavities formed in the mesodermal mass, and cells developed which have been classified as large, medium and small immunocyte precursors. The cytoplasm of the immunocyte precursors contains polysomes, spherical mitochondria, a few profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum, occasional granules and a large Golgi complex. This study offers morphological support for the yolk sac origin of immunocyte precursors in the mouse which may seed the thymus and liver.Supported by NIH Grant AI 13486-01     

In vitro testing and the carcinogenic potential of several nitrosated indole compounds

4-chloro-methoxyindole is a naturally occurring compound in Vicia faba which can easily react with nitrite to form a N-nitroso compound. In this in vitro study, the potential genotoxic effects of nitrosated 4-chloro-6-methoxyindole and its structural analogue 4-chloroindole were evaluated for the first time by using both Salmonella and Chinese hamster V79 cells. Additionally, the inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication in V79 cells by these compounds was determined; this is a validated parameter for tumor-promoting activity. Most assays were also performed with nitrosated indole-3-acetonitrile, a naturally occurring compound in brassicas. Both nitrosated chloroindoles were highly mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA100 without the need of exogenous metabolic activation and were potent inducers of Sister Chromatid Exchanges. Nitrosated indole-3-acetonitrile generated the same effects, although at much higher concentrations. Equivocal results were obtained for the nitrosated chloroindoles in a forward mutation assay using the hypoxanthine guaninephosphoribosyltransferase locus. All nitrosated indole compounds significantly inhibited gap junctional intercellular communication. These results indicate that nitrosated chloroindoles and nitrosated indole-3-acetonitrile should be considered as mutagens and agents with potential tumor-promoting capacity.Abbreviations BrdU 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine - 4Cl 4-chloroindole - 4C6MI 4-chloro-6-methoxy-indole - DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide - EBSS Earle's balanced salt solution - EMS ethyl methanesulfonate - GJIC gap junctional intercellular communication - HBSS Hanks balanced salt solution - HGPRT hypoxanthine guaninephosphoribosyl transferase - I₃A indole-3-acetonitrile - MNNG 1-methyl-1-nitroso-3-nitroguanidine - NOC N-nitroso compounds - NQO 4-nitroquinolone-N-oxide - SCE sister chromatid exchange - 6TG 6-thioguanine - TPA 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate     

The derivation and use of biosynthetic incorporation and dilution values

Mathematical expressions governing incorporation and dilution values in a simple, three component biosynthetic system are established and used to track the influence of pathway structure and sampling time on the numerical value of these parameters. A more productive manner of using the incorporation concept is suggested.     

Permeabilization and lysis induced by bacteriocins and its effect on aldehyde formation by Lactococcus lactis

Permeabilization induced by lacticin 3147, lactococcins A, B and M, enterocin AS-48 and nisin, bacteriocins described as cell membrane-pore forming and lytic agents, enhanced in all cases aldehyde formation by Lactococcus lactis IFPL730. Nevertheless, the conversion of isoleucine into 2-methylbutyraldehyde depended not only on the degree of permeabilization but also on the bacteriocin that caused the cell membrane damage. The highest values of 2-methylbutyraldehyde corresponded to cell suspensions containing lacticin 3147 and lactococcins, treatments that provoked further lysis in addition to induced permeabilization.     

神湾菠萝夏季果与秋季果香气成分差异性分析

以'神湾'菠萝夏季果和秋季果为材料,采用顶空固相微萃取法(HS-SPME),提取果实中的香气成分,并经气相色谱/质谱(GC-MS)联机分析.结果表明,夏季果中检测出5类共21种香气成分,分别为酯类、烯类、酸类、醇类和酮类,其中酯类11种,相对含量为92.03%,含量最高的为己酸甲酯(44.91%);烯类6种,相对含量为3.99%;酸类、醇类和酮类分别检测出2种、1种和1种,其相对含量分别为0.72%、0.37%和0.22%.在秋季果中仅检测出2类共8种香气成分,其中酯类7种,总相对含量为92.11%,含量最高的为己酸甲酯(68.36%);烯类物质1种,相对含量为7.89%.     

不同结香方法对土沉香木质部芳香物质形成的影响*

探究不同结香方法对土沉香木质部芳香物质形成的影响,为创新和优化土沉香结香技术提供理论参考。设置钻孔、火烧孔和黄绿墨耳菌溶液3个结香处理,12个月后取样检测各处理的土沉香木质部组织变色范围、淀粉和可溶性糖含量,并用95%乙醇(色谱纯)提取个处理土沉香样品的醇溶提取物,测定沉香四醇和主要芳香物质成分。结果表明：(1) 黄绿墨耳菌溶液处理的土沉香木质部组织变色范围最大,纵向变色距离最长达120cm,横向变色距离最宽达3.84cm;钻孔和火烧孔处理,纵向变色距离均超过120cm,但横向变色距离最宽仅为0.58cm和1.06cm。(2) 3种结香处理的土沉香木质部组织淀粉含量均显著低于CK (P＜0.05),降幅范围在24.82~55.25%;黄绿墨耳菌溶液和火烧孔处理的土沉香木质部组织可溶性糖含量均显著高于CK (P＜0.05),钻孔与CK差异不显著((P＞0.05)。(3)钻孔、火烧孔和菌液处理沉香醇溶性提取物含量达到11.84%、13.26%和21.08%,显著高于CK (P＜0.05);沉香四醇含量达到0.18%、0.26%和0.42%,对照处理未检测出沉香四醇。(4) 钻孔、火烧孔和黄绿墨耳菌溶液处理的土沉香芳香物质中分别鉴定出29种、33种和36种,主要成分包括色酮及其衍生物、沉香螺醇、愈创木醇、香树烯、苄基丙酮、二氢卡拉酮、枯苏醇、α-檀香醇和壬醛。说明黄绿墨耳菌溶液诱导土沉香木质部组织变色范围最大,淀粉含量消耗和可溶性糖增幅最大,醇溶提取物、沉香四醇含量及其芳香物质积累的效果最优。     

Evaluation of mono or mixed cultures of lactic acid bacteria in type II sourdough system

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of mono and mixed lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cultures to determine suitable LAB combinations for a type II sourdough system. In this context, previously isolated sourdough LAB strains with antimicrobial activity, which included Lactobacillus plantarum PFC22, Lactobacillus brevis PFC31, Pediococcus acidilactici PFC38, and Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis PFC80, were used as mono or mixed culture combinations in a fermentation system to produce type II sourdough, and subsequently in bread dough production. Compared to the monoculture fermentation of dough, the use of mixed cultures shortened the adaptation period by half. In addition, the use of mixed cultures ensured higher microbial viability, and enhanced the fruity flavor during bread dough production. It was determined that the combination of L. plantarum PFC22 + P. acidilactici PFC38 + L. sanfranciscensis PFC80 is a promising culture mixture that can be used in the production of type II sourdough systems, and that may also contribute to an increase in metabolic activity during bread production process.