ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANISM OF PHOTODYNAMIC INDUCTION OF SYNTHESIS OF A POLYPEPTIDE IN ARTHROBACTER SP.

Synthesis of a 21000-dalton polypeptide is greatly stimulated in a species of Arthrobacter by the combined influence of light, oxygen and a sensitizing dye. The dye must enter the cells for the effect to occur. The extent of photoinduction was not enhanced in the presence of D₂O nor was it significantly inhibited by 10–20 mM azide or 1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2]octane. The phenazine dye neutral red was nearly as effective as methylene blue and rose bengal in sensitizing photoinduction, although neutral red was inactive as a sensitizer of the photooxidation of histidine or methionine, singlet oxygen-mediated reactions. Thus, generation of singlet oxygen does not seem to be a necessary step in the mechanism of induction. Neutral red had low activity as a sensitizer of the oxidation of sulfite, which proceeds by a radical mechanism. Considering also the known properties of phenazine compounds, the evidence supports the involvement of radical intermediates in the mechanism of photoinduction. Furthermore, the results suggest that the dyes must interact directly with an intracellular component, possibly DNA, for induction to occur.     

SIMILARITIES IN THE INDUCTION OF SYNTHESIS OF A CELL-SURFACE POLYPEPTIDE IN Arthrobacter sp. BY NEAR-UV IRRADIATION and PHOTODYNAMIC CONDITIONS

Irradiation of aerobic suspensions of Arthrobacter sp. with near-UV light (310-400 nm) induced synthesis of a 21 000 dalton, cell-surface polypeptide. Synthesis of this polypeptide also was induced by visible light in the presence of photodynamic dyes, as shown previously (Hoober, 1978). Induction of the polypeptide in near-UV light and with visible light plus dyes was inhibited by histidine. Hemin inhibited induction in near-UV light and in visible light with methylene blue, neutral red and acrifiavin, which are cationic dyes, but failed to inhibit induction in visible light with rose bengal, an anionic dye. These results suggested that inhibition by hemin required electrostatically favored interaction between the anionic porphyrin and the sensitizer, and that the near-UV light effect was mediated by a cationic or neutral endogenous sensitizer. The similarities in the responses of the cells to near-UV irradiation and visible light plus dyes suggested that the mechanism of induction under the two conditions was the same.     

New scheme for electrochemical detection of DNA based on electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH

A new electrocatalytic scheme for the detection of DNA is described. This scheme relies on the different interactions of single- and double-stranded oligonucleotides with the organic dyes methylene blue, thionin, azure A, azure B, toluidine blue O, brilliant cresyl blue and neutral red, which in addition can act as NADH catalysts. This catalytic activity can be used for amplifying differentiation between duplex and single-stranded DNA. Pyrolytic graphite electrodes modified with adsorbed dsDNA–organic dye complexes gave higher electrocatalytic NADH oxidation currents than those measured with electrodes modified with adsorbed ssDNA–organic dye. This difference is maximum for brilliant cresyl blue. These results suggest that the proposed scheme may be useful for the detection of DNA hybridisation and damage.     

STUDIES ON THE LOCALIZATION, FUNCTION, AND FORMATION OF THE CAROTENOID PIGMENTS OF A STRAIN OF MYCOBACTBRIUM MARINUM

Abstract— Aninvestigation was made of the location, function and characteristics of production of carotenoid pigments of a strain of Mycobacterium marinum , an organism which produces its pigments only when exposed to light.
It was found that light-grown cells of this organism contain only one pigment. The intracellular location of this pigment was found to be the cell envelope. The pigment was found to be capable of protecting the cells against lethal photo-oxidations mediated by the dye, toluidine blue.
These studies also revealed that in dark-grown cells exposed to light, pigment production occurred after a short lag and then remained constant during logarithmic growth. Pigment was produced by starved cells, but to a lesser degree than son-starved cells; the addition of a carbon or nitrogen source to starved cells increased pigmentation to the level in non-starved cells. Pigmentation did not occur in the absence of oxygen. Cells exposed to light at 4°C were not pigmented immediately after exposure, but became so if incubated at 30°C. Production of pigment was found to obey the Bunsen-Roscoe reciprocity law. The determination of an action spectrum for the production of pigment indicates that maximum pigment productiion occurs in the vicinity of 410 and 439 mµ, with smaller maxima in the vicinity of 502 , 528 and 560 mµ.     

TiO2/柚子皮生物质活性炭复合材料的制备和吸附光降解性研究

本文以自制柚子皮生物质活性炭为原料,采用凝胶-溶胶法合成TiO2/柚子皮生物质活性炭复合材料(TiO2/BAC)。对复合材料进行SEM、FTIR、XRD等表征,并研究该复合材料对中性红、亚甲基蓝染料及甲醛的吸附降解性能。结果表明,在复合材料中柚子皮生物质活性炭的添加量为7 g、预吸附时间为2 h时,对染料具有最佳的吸附降解效果,复合材料在循环使用5次后对染料的吸附降解率仍达到了80 %以上。当活性炭的添加量为6 g、复合材料的添加量为2 g时,复合材料对甲醛的吸附降解达到最大,可达61%。表明该复合材料对中性红、亚甲基蓝染料及甲醛具有良好的吸附降解效果,有望用于废水染料的去除和家居甲醛净化。     

Electrophoresis on a polyester thread coupled with an end-channel pencil electrode detector

We present the design and characterization of a low cost, thread-based electrophoretic device with integrated electrochemical detection. The device has an end-channel pencil graphite electrode placement system for performing electrochemical detection on the thread electrophoresis platform with direct sample pipetting onto the thread. We also established the use of methylene blue and neutral red as a pair of reference migration markers for separation techniques coupled with electrochemical detection, as they have different colors for visual analysis and are both electroactive. Importantly, neutral red was also found to migrate at a similar rate to the EOF, indicating that it can be used as a visual identifier of EOF. The utility of our system was demonstrated by electrophoretic separation and electrochemical detection of physiologically relevant concentrations of pyocyanin in a solution containing multiple electroactive compounds. Pyocyanin is a biomarker for the detection of pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa and has a redox potential that is similar to that of methylene blue. The system was able to effectively resolve methylene blue, neutral red, and pyocyanin in less than 7 min of electrophoretic separation. The theoretical limit of detection for pyocyanin was determined to be 559 nM. The electrophoretic mobilities of methylene blue (0.0236 ± 0.0007 mm²/V·s), neutral red (0.0149 ± 0.0007 mm²/V·s), and pyocyanin (0.0107 ± 0.0003 mm²/V·s) were also determined.     

Glycoluril‐Derived Molecular Clips are Potent and Selective Receptors for Cationic Dyes in Water

Molecular clip 1 remains monomeric in water and engages in host–guest recognition processes with suitable guests. We report the K_a values for 32 1? guest complexes measured by ¹H NMR, UV/Vis, and fluorescence titrations. The cavity of 1 is shaped by aromatic surfaces of negative electrostatic potential and therefore displays high affinity and selectivity for planar and cationic aromatic guests that distinguishes it from CB[n] receptors that prefer aliphatic over aromatic guests. Electrostatic effects play a dominant role in the recognition process whereby ion–dipole interactions may occur between ammonium ions and the C=O groups of 1 , between the SO₃^? groups of 1 and pendant cationic groups on the guest, and within the cavity of 1 by cation–π interactions. Host 1 displays a high affinity toward dicationic guests with large planar aromatic surfaces (e.g. naphthalene diimide NDI+ and perylene diimide PDI+) and cationic dyes derived from acridine (e.g. methylene blue and azure A). The critical importance of cation–π interactions was ascertained by a comparison of analogous neutral and cationic guests (e.g. methylene violet vs. methylene blue; quinoline vs. N‐methylquinolinium; acridine vs. N‐methylacridinium; neutral red vs. neutral red H⁺) the affinities of which differ by up to 380‐fold. We demonstrate that the high affinity of 1 toward methylene blue (K_a=3.92×10⁷ m ^?1; K_d=25 nm ) allows for the selective sequestration and destaining of U87 cells stained with methylene blue.     

Potentiometric determination of the stability constants of the fluoroborate-dye complexes used in colorimetric analysis for boron

An extensive bibliography on the determination of boron by means of tetrafluoroborate-dye complexes is given. The stability constants of the fluoroborate—dye complexes are calculated from potentiometric measurements with an Orion fluoroborate ion-selective electrode, for the following nineteen dyes: methylene blue, methylene green, new methylene blue N, thionine, toluidine blue O, malachite green, brilliant green, crystal violet, fuchsine, methyl green, methyl violet, Victoria blue B, brilliant cresyl blue, Nile blue A, rhodamine B, rhodamine 6G, pyronine Y, safranine T and Janus green B. The solubilities of these dyes have been determined by spectrophotometry.     

FIBER-OPTIC PLANT TISSUES: SPECTRAL DEPENDENCE IN DARK-GROWN AND GREEN TISSUES*

Abstract— The fiber-optic properties of etiolated plant tissues can be used to detect and characterize pigment absorption in vivo. Transmission spectra of light guided through several monocot and dicot etiolated tissues show a decreasing red/far red ratio with increasing tissue length. Absorption bands attributable both to vacuolar pigments such as anthocyanins and to chloroplast pigments lead to the conclusion that the guided light passes through both vacuole and cytoplasm. As etiolated tissue becomes green under white light treatment, the red/far red ratio also changes, the nature of the change depending upon the tissue involved. The blue/red ratio also changes both with increasing length of etiolated tissue and during the greening process, with the changes again dependent on the tissue involved. The spectral dependence of the light-guiding phenomenon in dark grown and green plants may have implications for physiological responses mediated by phytochrome.     

PHOTOSENSITIZED INACTIVATION OF E. COLI CELLS IN TOLUIDINE BLUE-LIGHT SYSTEM

E. coli cells were inactivated with visible light in the presence of toluidine blue as a photo-sensitizer. This photodynamic effect was partially protected with α-tocopherol. Not only pH but the concentration of the buffer during irradiation also affected the survival. The addition of osmotic stabilizers such as KCI, glycerol and polyethyleneglycol to the buffer increased the survival. The difference in singlet oxygen production in these reaction mixtures could not be related to these features. Furthermore, the survival was also dependent upon both irradiation temperature and cultivation temperature of the cells. These results with E. coli cells support the notion that one of the primary targets of toluidine blue sensitized photodynamic inactivation is cytoplasmic membrane, although other factors than cytoplasmic membrane also influence the survival of the cells.     

Transitory forms of carotenoids: triplet state and radical cation

Abstract— Reactions between toluidine blue (a thiazine dye) and carotenoids (β-carotene and zeaxanthine) were studied by flash photolysis, in ethanolic solutions. Two types of reactions were evidenced:

• 1 a triplet-triplet energy transfer from the triplet state of monoprotonated toluidine blue to the carotenoid whose triplet state decays rapidly (t_1/2= 5μsec).
• 2 an electron transfer from the carotenoid to the mono- and bi-protonated triplet states of toluidine blue. This produces a radical-cation of the carotenoid (Car⁺) which decays slowly (t_1/2? 200 μsec) and has a strong absorption band around 900 nm.

     

Facile synthesis of bioglass nanospheres for the adsorption of cationic and anionic dyes from aqueous solution

A novel adsorbent, bioglass nanospheres (BGN), has been prepared by a facile process. The BGN were spheres with an amorphous structure and a relatively high specific surface area, as indicated by SEM, transmission electron microscopy, BET, FTIR, and XRD. This paper was aimed at evaluating the adsorption behavior of this new material for the adsorptive removal of cationic (methylene blue, neutral red) and anionic (congo red) dyes from aqueous solution. The effects of the initial dye concentration, contact time, solution pH, and temperature were investigated. The adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption behavior followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption isotherm fit well to the Langmuir model. Thermodynamic analyses showed that the adsorption was physisorption, and it was also a spontaneous and endothermic process. The BGN exhibited a good reusability after five consecutive cycles for cationic dyes. In addition, the possible adsorption mechanism was also proposed based on the above experimental results.     

Reaction of cyclodextrin-nicotinamide as a nadh coenzyme model

-cyclodextrin-1,4-dihydronicotinamide can reduce cytochrome c in aqueous solution, by adding redox dyes as mediators. In the reduction of cytochrome c mediated by redox dyes, the speeds of reduction differ depending on the activities of the dyes. Inhibition using cyclohexanol occured in the presence of nile blue or methylene blue, and showed competitive inhibition. In the case of using neutral red as a mediator, the reduction was accelerated by adding cyclohexanol. Reaction rate constants of this reaction were independent of the redox potential of the redox dyes.     

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIGHT QUALITY DEPENDENCE AND IRRADIANCE ADAPTATION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN Acetabularia mediterranea*

Characteristic differences in the light intensity curves of photosynthesis after growth of cells of Acetabularia mediterranea Lamour. (A. acetabulum (L.) Silva) in weak and strong white light were similar to those for red and blue light-treated cells, respectively. This indicated that responses to white light quantity and those to light quality might be causally related. Small differences in the thylakoid polypeptide composition of cells grown in high and low intensities of white light were not significant and thus did not help to clarify whether the adaptations to blue or red light, respectively, were the same. When the red to blue-light ratio was varied, keeping the total photon fluence rate constant, the photosynthetic capacity (red light saturated O₂-production) was dependent on blue light irradiance in a logarithmic fashion. The specific influence of red light was not detectable, indicating that only blue light was effective for light irradiance adaptation in Acetabularia. The situation was different, at least for a transient period, when adaptation to light irradiance was allowed to proceed from a low photosynthetic activity after preirradiation of the cells with prolonged red light. The effect of low white light irradiances was pronounced, causing a maximum increase of photosynthetic activity within 3 days. The response to blue light was enhanced as well, and a very low photon irradiance added to continuous red light caused a change of the same order as that produced by high irradiances of blue light alone. This elevated action of low intensity white and blue light is most likely due to increased metabolite supply derived from the degradation of starch enhanced by this light quality. Therefore, photosynthetic effectiveness in Acetabularia is regulated by the irradiance of blue light and by feedback via photosynthetic products.     

A New <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</Emphasis> Strain Producing Laccase. Use in Decolorization of Synthetics Dyes

Laccase activity was detected in a soil bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia AAP56 identified by biochemical and molecular methods. It was produced in cells at the stationary growth phase in Luria Bertani (LB) medium added by 0.4 mM copper sulfate. The addition of CuSO₄ in culture medium improved production of laccase activity. However, one laccase enzyme was detected by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme showed syringaldazine (K _m = 53 μM), 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (K _m = 700 μM), and pyrocatechol (K _m = 25 μM) oxidase activity and was activated by addition of 0.1% (v/v) Triton-X-100 in the reaction mixture. Moreover, the laccase activity was increased 2.6-fold by the addition of 10 mM copper sulfate; the enzyme was totally inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (5 mM), suggesting that this laccase is a metal-dependant one. Decolorization activity of some synthetic dyes (methylene blue, methyl green, toluidine blue, Congo red, methyl orange, and pink) and the industrial effluent (SITEX Black) was achieved by the bacteria S. maltophilia AAP56 in the LB growth medium under shaking conditions.     

The effects of solvation in the theoretical spectra of cationic dyes

We present a quantum-mechanical study on the solvent effects in the structure and electronic spectra of some cationic dyes: acridine orange, proflavine, safranine, neutral red, thionine and methylene blue. The geometry optimizations were carried out with the AM1 and DFT (with B3LYP functional) methods and the theoretical spectra of the dyes under study were obtained with Zindo time-dependent methods (TD–DFT and TD–HF). The solvation methodology adopted was the integral equation formulation (IEF) version of the polarizable continuum model (PCM).     

Multicomponent dye detection with californium-252 particle-desorption mass spectrometry

Particle-desorption mass spectrometry (PDMS) by using ²⁵²Cf was applied to multicomponent dye samples. A mixture of cesium iodide with three cationic dyes (rhodamine B, methyl violet and methylene blue), and a crude carotenoid sample extracted from a carrot were examined. In the positive-ion detection mode, the individual components of the dye mixture were identified by the detection of intactly desorbed preformed cations. In the carotenoid extract, two neutral components, carotene and lutein (xanthophyll), provided adduct ions, (M+H)⁺ In both examples, further fragmentation occurred, providing peaks useful for structural interpretation. These examples illustrate the ability of PDMS to acquire qualitative information from mixtures without a prior separation step.     

Photodynamic properties of toluidine blue characterized by fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy

Red light photolysis studies of the production of singlet oxygen by toluidine blue dye photosensitization were measured by the photo-oxidation rate of tryptophan. Absorption spectra of toluidine blue together with each of the four synthetic nucleosides of DNA have been obtained. After irradiation, only deoxyguanosine showed any noticeable reaction at neutral pH.Abreviations (see Fig. 1): TB, toluidine blue; ¹O₂, singlet oxygen; TRP, tryptophan; dA, 2′-deoxyadenosine; dC, 2′-deoxycytidine; dT, 2′-deoxythymidine; dG, 2′-deoxyguanosine; NaN₃, sodium azide.     

STUDIES ON THE RED AND BLUE FORMS OF THE PIGMENT OF BLEPHARISMA*

Abstract— –The intracellular pigment of the ciliate protozoan Blepharisma in the presence of oxygen sensitizes the cells to bright visible light (2700 foot candles (fc)). Illumination of the cells with dim visible light (200 fc) changes the color of the pigment to blue-gray; such cells are no longer sensitive to bright visible light. The pigment which exists in granules can be extruded by cold treatment and is slowly regenerated. The suspension of red cells, the extruded pigment from them and an ethanol extract of the pigment all have very similar absorption spectra. Illumination of the red pigment in ethanol converts it to the blue form of the pigment but only if oxygen is present, indicating a photooxidation. The pigment can be oxidized in darkness to the blue form by ozonation. A suspension of blue cells, the extruded pigment from them and an ethanol extract from them, all have similar absorption spectra. The pigments in red and blue form are very similar spectrophotometrically and in solubility in three species of Blepharisma studies: B. americanum, B. intermedium and B. japonicum. The purified pigment has strong absorption in the far (200–300 nm) ultraviolet (u.v.) and may serve as a screen against damaging U.V. radiation, especially as Blepharisma shows poor photoreactivation.     

Effects of Light‐emitting Diode Radiations on Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells In Vitro

Human visual system is exposed to high levels of natural and artificial lights of different spectra and intensities along lifetime. Light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) are the basic lighting components in screens of PCs, phones and TV sets; hence it is so important to know the implications of LED radiations on the human visual system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of LEDs radiations on human retinal pigment epithelial cells (HRPEpiC). They were exposed to three light–darkness (12 h/12 h) cycles, using blue‐468 nm, green‐525 nm, red‐616 nm and white light. Cellular viability of HRPEpiC was evaluated by labeling all nuclei with DAPI; Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by H2DCFDA staining; mitochondrial membrane potential was quantified by TMRM staining; DNA damage was determined by H2AX histone activation, and apoptosis was evaluated by caspases‐3,‐7 activation. It is shown that LED radiations decrease 75–99% cellular viability, and increase 66–89% cellular apoptosis. They also increase ROS production and DNA damage. Fluorescence intensity of apoptosis was 3.7% in nonirradiated cells and 88.8%, 86.1%, 83.9% and 65.5% in cells exposed to white, blue, green or red light, respectively. This study indicates three light–darkness (12 h/12 h) cycles of exposure to LED lighting affect in vitro HRPEpiC.