Investigations on Hydrolytic Activities from Stachybotrys microspora and Their Use as an Alternative in Yeast DNA Extraction

Stachybotrys microspora is a filamentous fungus characterized by the secretion of multiple hydrolytic activities (cellulolytic and non-cellulolytic enzymes). The production of these biocatalysts was studied under submerged culture using glucose, cellulose, and wheat bran as carbon sources. Endoglucanases, pectinases, xylanases, β-glucanases, chitinases, and proteases were induced on cellulose-based medium and repressed on glucose in both strains with higher amounts produced by the mutant. β-glucosidases were roughly equally produced by both strains under glucose and cellulose conditions. The yield of chitinases, β-glucanases, and proteases produced by Stachybotrys strains was as much higher than the commercialized lysing enzyme called “zymolyase,” currently used in yeast DNA extraction. In this context, we showed that S. microspora hydrolases can be successfully applied in the extraction of yeast DNA.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel extracellular polysaccharide by Rhodotorula glutinis

The aim of this work was to characterize an exopolysaccharide by Rhodotorula glutinis KCTC 7989 and to investigate the effect of the culture conditions on the production of this polymer. The extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) produced from this strain was a novel acidic heteropolysaccharide composed of neutral sugars (85%) and uronic acid (15%). The neutral sugar composition was identified by gas chromatography as mannose, fucose, glucose, and galactose in a 6.7:0.2:0.1:0.1 ratio. The molecular weight of purified EPS was estimated to be 1.0−3.8×10⁵ Dalton, and the distribution of the molecular weight was very homogeneous (polydispersity index =1.32). The EPS solution showed a characteristic of pseudoplastic non-Newtonian fluid at a concentration >2.0% in distilled water. The maximum EPS production was obtained when the strain was grown on glucose (30 g/L). Ammonium sulfate was the best suitable nitrogen source for EPS production. The highest yield of EPS was obtained at a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 15. The EPS synthesis was activated at the acidic range of pH 3.0–5.0 and increased when the pH of the culture broth decreased naturally to <2.0 during the fermentation. When the yeast was grown on glucose (30 g/L) and ammonium sulfate (2 g/L) at 22°C at an initial pH of 4.0, EPS production was maximized (4.0 g/L), and the glucose-based production yield coefficient and carbon-based production yield coefficient were 0.30 g of EPS/g of glucose and 0.34 g (carbon of EPS)/g (carbon of glucose), respectively.     

Medium Initial pH and Carbon Source Stimulate Differential Alkaline Cellulase Time Course Production in Stachybotrys microspora

The production profile of cellulases of the mutant strain A19 from the filamentous fungus Stachybotrys microspora was studied in the presence of various carbon sources (glucose, lactose, cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and wheat bran) and a range of medium initial pH (5, 7, and 8). Two extracellular cellulases from the Stachybotrys strain (endoglucanases and β-glucosidases) were monitored by enzymatic assay, sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and zymogram analysis. Glucose and lactose repressed CMCase time course production while they permitted a strong β-glucosidase one. On Avicel cellulose, CMC, and wheat bran, both activities were highly produced. Wheat bran (WB) is the best carbon source with an optimum of production at days 5 and 6. The production kinetics of both activities were shown to depend on the medium initial pH, with a preference for neutral or alkaline pH in the majority of conditions. The exception concerned the β-glucosidase which was much more produced at acidic pH, on glucose and cellulose. Most interestingly, a constitutive and conditional expression of an alkaline endoglucanase was revealed on the glucose-based medium at an initial pH of 8 units. The zymogram analysis confirmed such conclusions and highlighted that carbon sources and the pH of the culture medium directed a differential induction of various endoglucanases and β-glucosidases.     

Production of Xylooligosaccharides by Immobilized His-tagged Recombinant Xylanase from Penicillium occitanis on Nickel-Chelate Eupergit C

Penicillium occitanis xylanase 2 expressed with a His-tag in Pichia pastoris, termed PoXyn2, was immobilized on nickel-chelate Eupergit C by covalent coupling reaction with a high immobilization yield up to 93.49 %. Characterization of the immobilized PoXyn2 was further evaluated. The optimum pH was not affected by immobilization, but the immobilized PoXyn2 exhibited more acidic and large optimum pH range (pH 2.0–4.0) than that of the free PoXyn2 (pH 3.0). The free PoXyn2 had an optimum temperature of 50 °C, whereas that of the immobilized enzyme was shifted to 65 °C. Immobilization increased both pH stability and thermostability when compared with the free enzyme. Time courses of the xylooligosaccharides (XOS) produced from corncob xylan indicated that the immobilized enzyme tends to use shorter xylan chains and to produce more xylobiose and xylotriose initially. At the end of 24-h reaction, XOS mixture contained a total of 21.3 and 34.2 % (w/w) of xylobiose and xylotriose with immobilized xylanase and free xylanase, respectively. The resulting XOS could be used as a special nutrient for lactic bacteria.     

Investigation of fulvic acid photochemistry in aqueous solutions by stationary and laser flash photolysis techniques

Photochemistry of fulvic acid (FA, Henan ChangSneng Corporation) in aqueous solutions was studied using stationary and nanosecond laser (355 nm) flash photolysis. UV-excitation leads to formation of FA triplet state which is characterized by wide unstructured absorption band with maximum at 620 nm. The yield of FA triplet state depends on pH: intermediate absorption signal is maximal at neutral pH (6–7) and decreases in basic and acidic media. Kinetics of triplet state decay does not depend on solution pH and exhibits multiexponential character with characteristic times t ₁ = 4.3 ± 2.2, t ₂ = 54 ± 28, t ₃ = 830 ± 240 μs.     

Determination of the rates of formation and hydrolysis of the Schiff bases formed by pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and copolypeptides containing l-lysine

We determined the apparent rate constants of formation (k₁) and hydrolysis (k₂) of the Schiff bases formed between pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) and l-lysine and l-alanine copolymers of different compositions, as well as those formed between PLP and l-lysine and l-glutamic acid copolymers, at various pH values, a temperature of 25 °C and an ionic strength of 0.1 M. The k₁ values obtained in neutral and acidic media were independent of the copolymer composition. The efficiency of the intramolecular acid catalysis for the formation of the Schiff bases was found to be somewhat higher than that of PLP—primary amine systems (the slope of the Brøwted plot was α=0.77). The most stable of the Schiff bases studied was that with a protonated imine nitrogen and phosphate group and a unprotonated pyridine nitrogen.     

ESR Spectra of radicals produced by reduction of pyridine and pyrazine

Radicals produced by reaction of e^?_aq with pyridine, pyrazine, and pyrazinedicarboxylic acid have been studied by electron spin resonance using the in situ radiolysis steady-state ESR technique. The radical anions initially produced have been found to undergo rapid protonation on nitrogen to form pyridinyl and pyrazinyl radicals. The NH proton of pyridinyl radical does not dissociate even at pH 13.7. The radical from pyrazine has been observed only in the doubly protonated positively charged form in acid and neutral solutions, but no spectrum was observed in alkaline media. With 2,3-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid the doubly protonated radical has been observed at pH 4–8 and the singly protonated one at pH 11–12. The pK for this dissociation is 9.2. The hyperfine constants of the pyridinyl radical are compared with those obtained from INDO molecular orbital calculations.     

Catalase-conjugated liposomes encapsulating glucose oxidase for controlled oxidation of glucose with decomposition of hydrogen peroxide produced

The catalase-conjugated liposome encapsulating glucose oxidase (CLG) was prepared for developing a novel liposomal system for glucose oxidation with controllable enzyme activities. The catalase molecules were conjugated to the surface of liposome with 100 nm in mean diameter through coupling with the membrane-incorporated 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(glutaryl) (NGPE) at its mole fraction f_G of 0.05 or 0.15. The average number of enzyme molecules per CLG with f_G of 0.15 was 8.7 for glucose oxidase and 6.5 for catalase. The CLG-catalyzed oxidation of glucose was performed at 40 °C for prolonged period up to 99 h. The CLG with f_G of 0.15 gave larger oxidation rate than that with f_G of 0.05. In the fed-batch oxidation of glucose catalyzed by the former CLG, the stable oxidation rate was observed for 75 h with negligible accumulation of H₂O₂ produced because of the durable catalytic actions of the liposomal enzymes. The oxidation rate of the CLG reaction increased to 1.1 mM-glucose/(h mM-lipid) at the acidic pH in the internal phase of liposome and the neutral pH in the external one corresponding to the optimal pH conditions for the activities of glucose oxidase and catalase, respectively. The oxidation rate catalyzed by the CLG could be controlled by adding sublytic concentrations of cholate to increase permeability of the liposome membrane to glucose. The catalase-conjugated liposomal system is potentially utilized for controlling the rate of reactions catalyzed by a variety of oxidases.     

l-Asparaginase II of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The activity profile of the periplasmic asparaginase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was determined during cell growth in an ure2 mutant; in an ure2 transformed with a plasmid containing the gene URE2 and, for comparison, in the strain D273-10B. Cells were cultivated in media presenting variable quantitative and qualitative nitrogen availability and the enzyme activity was evaluated in fresh and in nitrogen-starved cells. Nitrogen affected the asparaginase II level in fresh and starved cells of all strains. In the best condition, enzyme was produced by the wild-type cells at the late log-phase in the glucose/ammonium medium with a carbon to nitrogen ratio 4.3:1. Upon starvation, the activity doubled. The overall profile of the transformed strain was similar to that of the wild-type strain. In the ure2 mutant, highenzyme levels were observed during growth, as expected. However the activity level, upon starvation, in proline grown cells, increased sixfold, suggesting that in addition to the Ure2p-Gln3p system, another system regulates asparaginase II biosynthesis.     

Electrooxidation Mechanism of Methanol at Pt-Ru Catalyst Modified GC Electrode in Electrolytes with Different pH Using Electrochemical and SERS Techniques

The electrochemical and in-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） techniques were used to investigate the electrooxidation behavior of methanol in acidic, neutral and alkaline media at a Pt-Ru nanoparticle modified glassy carbon （Pt-Ru/GC） electrode. The results showed that methanol could be dissociated spontaneously at the Pt-Ru/GC electrode to produce a strongly adsorbed intermediate, CO. It was found that CO could be oxidized more easily in the alkaline medium than in the acidic and neutral media. The peak potential of methanol oxidation was shifted from 0.663 and 0.708 V in the acidic and neutral media to -0.030 V in the alkaline medium, which is due to that the adsorption strength of CO on the Pt surface in the alkaline medium is weaker than that in the acidic and neutral media. The final product of the methanol oxidation is CO2. However, in the alkaline medium, CO2 produced would form CO3^2- and HCO3^- resulting in the decrease in the alkaline concentration and then in the decrease in the performance of DMFC. Therefore, the performance of the alkaline DMFC is not Stable.     

Influence of pH on the Molecular Weight of Poly-3-hydroxybutyric Acid (P3HB) Produced by Recombinant Escherichia coli

The production of ultrahigh molecular weight poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid (P3HB) from carbohydrates by recombinant Escherichia coli harboring genes from Ralstonia eutropha was evaluated. In shaken-flask experiments, E. coli XL1 Blue harboring plasmid pSK::phaCAB produced P3HB corresponding to 40 and 27 % of cell dry weight from glucose and xylose, respectively. Cultures in bioreactor using glucose as the sole carbon source at variable pH values (6.0, 6.5, or 7.0) allowed the production of P3HB with molecular weight varying between 2.0 and 2.5 MDa. These figures are significantly higher than the values often obtained by natural bacterial strains (0.5–1.0 MDa). Contrary to reports of other authors, no influence of pH was observed on the molecular weight of the polymer produced. Using xylose, P3HB with high molecular weight was also produced, indicating the possibility to produce these polymers from lignocellulosic materials.     

Simulation of pH-Dependent Conformational Transitions in Membrane Proteins: The CLC-ec1 Cl−/H+ Antiporter

Intracellular transport of chloride by members of the CLC transporter family involves a coupled exchange between a Cl⁻ anion and a proton (H⁺), which makes the transport function dependent on ambient pH. Transport activity peaks at pH 4.5 and stalls at neutral pH. However, a structure of the WT protein at acidic pH is not available, making it difficult to assess the global conformational rearrangements that support a pH-dependent gating mechanism. To enable modeling of the CLC-ec1 dimer at acidic pH, we have applied molecular dynamics simulations (MD) featuring a new force field modification scheme—termed an Equilibrium constant pH approach (ECpH). The ECpH method utilizes linear interpolation between the force field parameters of protonated and deprotonated states of titratable residues to achieve a representation of pH-dependence in a narrow range of physiological pH values. Simulations of the CLC-ec1 dimer at neutral and acidic pH comparing ECpH-MD to canonical MD, in which the pH-dependent protonation is represented by a binary scheme, substantiates the better agreement of the conformational changes and the final model with experimental data from NMR, cross-link and AFM studies, and reveals structural elements that support the gate-opening at pH 4.5, including the key glutamates Glu_in and Glu_ex.     

Redox behavior of juglone in buffered aq.: Ethanol media

The present work reports the redox mechanism of 5-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione (HND), commonly known as juglone, in buffered aqueous media having 50% of ethanol. HND followed different mechanistic routes depending upon the pH of the media and more than one pK_a were evaluated from the changes in the slope of the E_p vs. pH plot. The change of pH from acidic to neutral conditions was found to switch the mechanism from CEC to EE mechanism. Pulse techniques were utilized to determine the number of electrons involved in the oxidation and/or the reduction step and to ensure the nature of the redox process. Based upon the obtained results, an electrode reaction mechanism was proposed. Computational studies of HND supported the experimental results. UV-Visible spectroscopy was also employed for the detailed characterization of the compound in a wide range of pH and for the determination of its pK_a.     

Multiresidue Analysis of Pesticides in Water from Rice Cultures by On-line Solid Phase Extraction Followed by LC-DAD

Abstract

An automated on-line solid phase extraction procedure followed by liquid chromatography with diode array detection was investigated for the determination of different classes of pesticides in water samples containing varied amount of humic substances. The different pesticides used were: carbendazin, carbofuran, atrazine, diuron, propanil, molinate, alachlor, parathion-ethyl, diazinon, trifluralin and the degradation products deisopropylatrazine and deethylatrazine. Humic substances extracted from a Brazilian sediment were used from 5 to 80 mg/l and their influence on recoveries was evaluated in neutral and acidic media. Recoveries higher than 70% were obtained for all the pesticides, from the preconcentration of 75 ml of aqueous sample fortified at 2 ng/ml using precolumns packed with PLRP-S. Good recoveries were obtained at neutral pH for most of the analytes up to 40 mg/l of humic acid. Only at 80 mg/l the recoveries were significantly affected, both at acidic and neutral pH. The method was applied to the determination of pesticides in river water spiked at 0.1 to 1 ng/ml. Detection limits obtained for water containing 10 mg/l of humic acid were between 0.05 and 0.3 ng/ml.     

A UV-B resistant polyacylated anthocyanin, HBA, from blue petals of morning glory

Prevention of E,Z-isomerization of caffeoyl residues of a tri-(E)-caffeoyl anthocyanin, heavenly blue anthocyanin (HBA), and its stability under UV-B irradiation conditions were studied. We isolated four photoproducts from irradiated HBA and their structures were determined to be mono- or di-Z-caffeoyl isomers of HBA and mono-deglucosylated HBA. Under such conditions one caffeoyl residue, the innermost one, never isomerized to the Z-form, suggesting that intramolecular stacking must prevent photoisomerization. In general, anthocyanins are considered to be more stable in strong acidic than neutral aqueous media. However, with UV-B irradiation HBA was most stable in aqueous solution at pH 7.5 and most unstable in acidic methanol solutions. It was found to emit strong fluorescence on excitation with UV-B, possibly resulting from intramolecular association of caffeoyl moieties with the anthocyanidin nucleus. The finding that pigment in petals is more tolerant of UV-irradiation may be rational in the context of the necessity to resist strong solar radiation.     

Neutral Lipid Content and Biomass Production in Skeletonema marinoi (Bacillariophyceae) Culture in Response to Nitrate Limitation

Microalgae are one of the most promising biodiesel feedstocks due to their efficiency in CO₂ fixation and high neutral lipid productivity. Nutrient–stress conditions, including nitrogen starvation, enhance neutral lipid content, but at the same time lead to a reduction of biomass. To maximize lipid production in the diatom Skeletonema marinoi, we investigated two different nitrogen starvation approaches. In the first experimental approach, inocula were effectuated in modified f/2 media with decreasing nitrogen concentration, while in the second experiment, nitrate concentration was gradually reduced through a collection/resuspension system in which the culture was periodically collected and resuspended in culture medium with a lower nitrate concentration. In the first approach, the neutral lipid accumulation was accompanied by a strong biomass reduction, as was expected, whereas the second experiment generated cultures with significantly higher neutral lipid content without affecting biomass production. The total proteins and total carbohydrates, which were also quantified in both experiments, suggest that in S. marinoi, neutral lipid accumulation during nutrient starvation did not derive from a new carbon partition of accumulated carbohydrates.     

Effect of pH on the reactivity of dipeptides and α-amino acids in the N-acylation

The reaction kinetics of Gly, L-??-Ala, Gly-Gly, L-??-Ala-L-??-Ala and ??-Ala-??-Ala with picryl benzoate in water (40 wt %)-2-propanol was investigated. At pH = 4?C8 the rate constants of N-acylation of the anionic form of dipeptides are less than those of the corresponding amino acid anions, in agreement with their basicity, whereas the relative effective rate constants of reactions depend on pH: in acidic, neutral and slightly alkaline media the k _ef values are higher for the dipeptides, and in a strongly alkaline medium, for the amino acids. These differences are due to the changes in the concentrations of reactive forms of amino acids and dipeptides in the system at varying the medium pH.     

N-Tris[(2-aminoethyl)-2-(diphenylphosphoryl) acetamide)] — novel CMPO tripodand: synthesis,extraction studies and luminescent properties of lanthanide complexes

A ligand system containing three carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) moieties attached to a tripodal platform with a central nitrogen atom has been synthesized for metal complexation and extraction from neutral and nitric acid solutions. Liquid-liquid extractions performed for Ln(III), both from neutral and acidic media, show excellent extraction properties which exceeded those for the known mono- and di-CMPO derivatives as well as the related tripodands. A considerable enhancement of the D_Ln values was observed in the presence of IL ([bmim][Tf₂N]) in the organic phase towards lanthanide ions from 3M HNO₃ solutions. The protonation of the central amine nitrogen atom of the ligand 1 in the acidic media provides also the effective extraction of the perrhenate anionic complexes. The europium complexes formed by mono- and tris-CMPO ligands in the solid state, as well as Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes generated in solutions, possess intensive luminescence at 300K     

Utilization of Makgeolli Sludge Filtrate (MSF) as Low-Cost Substrate for Bacterial Cellulose Production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus

Search for efficient low-cost substrate/additives are gaining significant impetus in bacterial cellulose (BC) production. Makgeolli sludge (a traditional Korean wine distillery waste) is enriched with organic acid, alcohol, and sugar. Using makgeolli sludge filtrate (MSF) and Hestrin–Schramm (HS) medium (g/l of distilled water: glucose, 10.0; peptone, 5.0; yeast extract, 5.0; disodium phosphate, 2.7; citric acid, 1.15; pH 5.0), two different media—namely the modified HS media (ingredients of HS media except glucose dissolved in MSF) and mixed modified HS media (equal volume mixture of original and modified HS media)—were formulated. BC production with Gluconacetobacter xylinus was studied using the two above referred medium. Keeping HS medium as reference, effect of initial pH, glucose, ethanol, and organic acid concentration on BC production was also studied. It suggests that increasing initial glucose (up to 25 g/l) though improves BC production but results in poor BC yield above 15 g/l of glucose. However, addition of alcohol (up to 1%v/v) or citric acid (up to 20 mM) escalate productivity up to four and two times, respectively. In both modified HS media and mixed modified HS medium, BC production was four to five times higher than that of original HS medium. Even MSF alone surpassed HS medium in BC production. Scanning electron microscopy showed that BC microfibrils from MSF based media were several micrometers long and about 25–60 nm widths. X-ray diffraction patterns suggested the produced BC were of cellulose I polymorph.     

The behavior of polyaniline-coated PVC membrane based on 7,16-didecyl-1,4,10,13-tetraoxa-7,16-diazacyclooctadecane for ph measurements in highly acidic media

Polyaniline (PANI) chemically coated on polyvinylchloride (PVC) membrane based on a neutral carrier 7,16-didecyl-1,4,10,13-tetraoxa-7,16-diazacyclooctadecane (Kryptofix 22 DD) as the active component has been developed for determination of pH values ranging from pH 0.1–1. Effect of experimental parameters such as membrane composition, nature and amount of plasticizer, lipophilic additives and thickness of PANI film on the potential response of the pH electrode was investigated. The electrode has an apparent Nernstian response slope of 54.5 ± 0.4 mV/pH (at 20°C). The equilibrium water content of the electrode was determined in pure water and NaCl solution (I = 0.1 mol/kg). The electrode had low electric resistance, good potential stability and reproducibility (±1.5 mV, n = 10). It had a rapid potential response to changes of pH (15 s). The excellent performance in terms of linearity, stability and fast response makes this device suitable for pH measurements in highly acidic media.