Characterization of a lactate oxidase from a strain of gram negative bacterium from soil

A lactate oxidase was purified about 36-fold from a newly screened strain KY6 of gram negative bacterium from soil to yield a homogeneous protein. The native enzyme had a molecular mass of 204 kDa measured by Sephadex G-200 and that of subunit on the SDS-PAGE was found to be 45 kDa. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 7.7 and showed stability at pH range of 5.7 to 9.5 for 24 h at 4?C. The optimum temperature was 70?C and the enzyme activity was stable for 10 min up to 45?C. The half-life of the enzyme activity was about 10 min at 55?C. The best substrate of the enzyme was D-lactate and Km value for D-lactate was 0.14 mM. The Km value for DL-lactate was 0.20 mM. Substrate inhibition of the enzyme was observed at higher concentrations than 20 mM of DL-lactate and 10 mM of D-lactate.     

Radiation from metastable highly-charged ions extracted from a gas target

Few-electron ions of argon have been produced by heavy ion impact in a gas target. The recoil ions have been extracted into a region with high vacuum, and the K radiation of long-lived states has been observed by means of a position sensitive proportional counter oriented along the flight path of the ions. Fast ion beams are frequently used to determine the lifetimes τ of excited levels by time-of-flight techniques [1]. Typical ion velocities are v=1 cm/ns (beam energy 0.5 MeV/amu) or higher. The usual length l of experimental chambers rarely exceeds l=1 m. This decay path corresponds to roughly 100ns, and very few experiments on fast ion beams have been done on longer-lived states. Notable examples are the Berkeley measurements on the Ar¹⁶⁺ 1s2s³S₁ lifetime (calculated around τ=210 ns [2, 3], decay path ～8m) which resulted in a lower lifetime result (172±30ns) than expected and which were later shown to suffer from various systematic errors, the most important being the lack of spectral resolution of radiation from the helium-like or from core-excited lithiumlike ions. An alternative approach, a coincidence measurements of x-rays and projectile ions to associate the detected quanta with ions of a given charge state is difficult for high energy and high current ion beams.     

The uncertainty of a result from a linear calibration

The standard error of a result obtained from a straight line calibration is given by a well known ISO-endorsed expression. Its derivation and use are explained and the approach is extended for any function that is linear in the coefficients, with an example of a weighted quadratic calibration in ICPAES. When calculating the standard error of an estimate, if QC data is available it is recommended to use the repeatability of the instrumental response, rather than the standard error of the regression, in the equation.     

Quasistatic detachment of a sphere from a liquid interface

In this paper the problem of removing a spherical particle initially attached to a liquid-gas interface is analytically treated. In particular, the Derjaguin equation for small radii is used to derive a closed-form approximate expression for the work of detachment of the sphere from the interface. Expressions corresponding to the prescribed displacement condition and the applied force condition, which seems to be the relevant condition for the flotation separation process, are presented. A special effort has been made to closely compare analytical results with data obtained through the exact numerical treatment of the detachment process. Results show that proposed expressions are sufficiently accurate to calculate the energy required to detach the sphere from the interface as soon as the sphere radius is small compared to the capillary length. Validity limits are specified.     

Harnessing a ratiometric fluorescence output from a sensor array

Ratiometric fluorescence-based sensors are widely sought after because they can effectively convert even relatively small changes in optical output into a strong and easy-to-read signal. However, ratiometric sensor molecules are usually difficult to make. We present a proof-of-principle experiment that shows that efficient ratiometric sensing may be achieved by an array of two chromophores, one providing an on-to-off response and the second yielding an off-to-on response in a complementary fashion. In the case that both chromophores emit light of different color, the result is a switching of colors that may be utilized in the same way as from a true ratiometric probe. The chromophore array comprises two sensor elements: i) a polyurethane membrane with embedded N-anthracen-9-yl-methyl-N-7-nitrobenzoxa-[1,2,5]diazo-4-yl-N',N'-dimethylethylenediamine hydrochloride and ii) a membrane with N,N-dimethyl-N'-(9-methylanthracenyl)ethylenediamine. A combination of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) allows for green-to-blue emission switching in the presence of Zn(II) ions. The sensing experiments carried out with different Zn(II) salts at controlled pH revealed that the degree of color switching in the individual sensor elements depends on both the presence of Zn(II) ions and the counter anion. These results suggest that sensing of both cations and anions may perhaps be extended to different cation-anion pairs.     

Controlled release from a nanocarrier entrapped within a microcarrier

This study illustrates the entrapment of the dye molecule fluorescein sodium salt (FSS) by hydrogel nanoparticles, which are in turn confined inside a water-in-oil-in-water double-emulsion globule, and its subsequent release by the action of the competing agent hydrochloric acid (HCl). Thus, a "double carrier" concept is being introduced in which a nanoscale delivery vehicle is being transported by a microscale delivery vehicle in order to simultaneously take advantage of both systems. This may facilitate storage and handling while protecting the active substance and improving its action upon application.     

Shear-driven release of a bud from a multicomponent vesicle

The authors study the response of a multicomponent budded vesicle to an imposed shear flow using dissipative particle dynamics. Under certain circumstances, phase separation in the vesicle membrane leads to the formation of a minority domain which deforms into a nearly spherical bud in order to reduce its interfacial energy. The authors show that an imposed shear force has a varying effect on the vesicle, tending either to separate the bud from the vesicle or to stretch the bud open, depending on the vesicle orientation. The authors examine the interplay of membrane bending rigidity, line tension, and shear in determining the behavior of the vesicle. With the appropriate design, vesicles can be made to release buds in a controlled manner in response to shear. The authors outline a regime in which bud release is favorable.     

Alcyonolide,a novel diterpenoid from a soft coral

A novel diterpenoid acetate named alcyonolide has been isolated from an Okinawan soft coral of the genus $\text{Alcyonium}$ and the absolute stereostructure $\text{1}$ has been assigned on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.     

First genetic analysis of Cryptosporidium from humans from Tasmania,and identification of a new genotype from a traveller to Bali

Little is known about the molecular composition of Cryptosporidium species from humans living in the insular state of Tasmania, Australia. In the present study, we genetically characterized 82 samples of Cryptosporidium from humans following conventional coproscopic testing in a routine, diagnostic laboratory. Using a PCR‐coupled single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique, targeting portions of the small subunit rRNA (SSU), and 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) loci, we identified two species of Cryptosporidium, including C. hominis (subgenotypes IbA10G2, IdA16, IeA12G3T3, and IfA19G1) and C. parvum (IIaA16G1R1 and IIaA18G3), and a new operational taxonomic unit (OTU) that genetically closely resembled C. wrairi. This OTU was further characterized using markers in the actin, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP), and 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) genes. This study provides the first characterization of species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium from Tasmania, and presents clear genetic evidence, using five independent genetic loci, for a new genotype or species of Cryptosporidium in a Tasmanian person with a recent history of travelling to Bali, Indonesia. It would be interesting to undertake detailed molecular‐based studies of Cryptosporidium in Indonesia and neighbouring countries, in conjunction with morphological and experimental investigations of new genotypes.     

The field far from a charge and a dipole

We consider the field far from charged and dipolar impurities in a fluid of polarizable non-polar atoms. Comparison with a recent computer simulation shows that classical continuum ideas are adequate for a charge, but not for a non-polarizable dipole; we present a very simple theory which agrees well with the simulation in that case. No simulation exists for a polarizable dipole, which we also discuss.     

Ircinianin,a Novel Sesterterpene from a Marine Sponge

Ircinianin ( 2 ), a new furano-sesterterpenetertronic acid, has been isolated from a marine sponge of the genus Ircinia. Structure 2 has been established by X-ray diffraction methods.     

Metal fragment exchange from a molybdaborane to a tungstaborane

Reaction of the molybdaborane arachno-2-[Mo(η-C₅H₅)(η⁵:η¹-C₅H₄)B₄H₇] (I) with the electron-rich molecule [W(PMe₃)₃H₆] at 60 °C for 12 h in toluene gives the novel tungstaborane nido-2-W(PMe₃)₃H₂B₄H₇[Mo(η-C₅H₅)(η⁵:η¹-C₅H₄)H₂] (II) in 60% yield. The reaction is almost quantitative when followed by NMR. This is a rare example of metal fragment exchange within a metallaborane cage. The molybdenum atom is retained in the molecule via a σ-bond between the substituted cyclopentadienyl ring and a basal boron atom in the metallaborane cluster.     

Finding a New Crystalline Sponge from a Crystallographic Database

Empirical searching conditions were adopted to identify suitable candidates from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) for crystalline sponge hosts for X‐ray crystallographic analysis of incoming guest compounds. After optimization of the solvent and soaking conditions, one of the candidates was used as a crystalline sponge for the structure determination of an aromatic guest.     

Extractive separation of a lanthanum tracer from preparations on a calcium carrier obtained from steel samples

The separation of lanthanum from calcium and a number of radioisotopes of other elements by extraction with alkylphosphoric acids and tri-n-butylphosphate has been studied. A quantitative method has been developed for the separation of a lanthanum tracer from neutron-irradiated preparations on a calcium carrier, obtained from the steel-making process. This method improves the detectability of¹⁴⁰La (from 5·10⁻⁷ to 10⁻¹⁰ g of La) by γ-ray spectrometry with a scintillation counter, and enables semiquantitative determination of lanthanum with a liquid GM tube, the error involved being about 100% for La contents >10⁻⁸ g, and about 30% for La contents >10⁻⁷ g.     

Complex II from a structural perspective

The super-macromolecular complex, succinate:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR, Complex II, succinate dehydrogenase) couples the oxidation of succinate in the matrix / cytoplasm to the reduction of quinone in the membrane. This function directly connects the Krebs cycle and the aerobic respiratory chain. Until the recent first report of the structure of SQR from Escherichia coli (E. coli) the structure-function relationships in SQR have been inferred from the structures of the homologous QFR, which catalyses the same reaction in the opposite direction. The structure of SQR from E. coli, analogous to the mitochondrial respiratory Complex II, has provided new insight into SQR's molecular design and mechanism, revealing the electron transport pathway through the enzyme. Comparison of the structures of SQR, QFR and other related flavoproteins shows how common amino acid residues at the interface of two domains facilitate the inter-conversion of succinate and fumarate. Additionally, the structure has provided a possible explanation as to why certain organisms utilise both SQR and QFR despite the fact that both can catalyse the inter-conversion of succinate and fumarate, in vitro and in vivo. Here we review how this structure has advanced our knowledge of this important enzyme and compare the structural information to other members of the Complex II superfamily and related flavoproteins.     

Cephalimysin A, a potent cytotoxic metabolite from an Aspergillus species separated from a marine fish

Cephalimysin A (1) was isolated from a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus originally separated from the marine fish Mugil cephalus, and its absolute stereostructure was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses using 1D and 2D NMR techniques and some chemical transformations including the modified Mosher’s method. This compound exhibited significant cytotoxicity against cultured P388 cells and HL-60 cells.