Dissemination of catabolic plasmids among desiccation-tolerant bacteria in soil microcosms

The dissemination of catabolic plasmids was compared to bioaugmentation by strain inoculation in microcosm experiments. When Rhodococcus erythropolis strain T902, bearing a plasmid with trich loroethene and isopropylbenzene degradation pathways, was used as the inoculum, no transconjugant was isolated but the strain remained in the soil. This plasmid had a narrow host range. Pseudomonas putida strain C8S3 was used as the inoculum in a second approach. It bore a broad host range conjugative plasmid harboring a natural transposon, RP4∶Tn4371, responsible for biphenyl and 4-chlorobiphenyl degradation pathways. The inoculating population slowly decreased from its original level (10⁶ colony-forming units [CFU]/g of dry soil) to approx 3×10² CFU/g of dry soil after 3 wk. Transconjugant populations degrading biphenyl appeared in constant humidity soil (up to 2×10³ CFU/g) and desiccating soil (up to 10⁴ CFU/g). The feasibility of plasmid dissemination as a bioaugmentation technique was demonstrated in desiccating soils. The ecologic significance of desiccation in bioaugmentation was demonstrated; it upset the microbial ecology and the development of transconjugants.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of amphiphiles partitioning behavior in desiccation-tolerant moss during dehydration

Desiccation tolerance is a crucial characteristic for desert moss surviving in arid regions. Desiccation procedure always induces amphiphiles transferring from the polar cytoplasm into lipid bodies. The behavior of amphiphiles transferring can contribute to the enhancement of desiccation tolerance and the reduction of plasma membrane integrity simultaneously. The effects of amphiphiles partitioning into the lipid phase during water loss has been studied for pollen and seeds using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. However, desiccation-tolerant high plants occur among mosses, several angiosperms and higher plants seeds or pollens. They have different strategies for survival in dehydration and rehydration. A desiccation-tolerant moss Tortula desertorum was used to investigate the behaviors of amphiphilic molecules during drying by spin label technology. There are small amount of amphiphilic probes partitioning into membrane during moss leaves dehydration, comparing with that in higher plants. Cytoplasm viscosity changed from 1.14 into glass state only dehydration less than 60 min. Moss leaves lost plasma membrane integrity slightly, from 0.115 to 0.237, occurred simultaneously with amphiphiles partition. The results showed the more advantages of mosses than higher plants in adapting fast dehydration. We propose that EPR spin label is feasible for studying the amphiphiles partitioning mechanisms in membrane protection and damage for desiccation-tolerant mosses.     

Screening of soil bacteria for production of biocleaner

Soil bacteria were studied for the production of biodegradable cleaning agents. Among 86 bacterial strains resistant to liquid paraffin, 58 showed hemolytic activity. These strains were cultured, and the supernatant of culture broths was evaluated for cleaning activity against a dirty porcelain tile. Potent activity was exhibited in 18 strains. The lowest value of surface tension was obtained from Bacillus sp. NKB03 suggesting the presence of a biosurfactant. Aeromonas sp. NKB26c and Bacillus cereus NKB46b exhibited enzymatic cleaning activity. A cleaning efficiency of 82% was achieved when using a mixture of supernatants from culture broths of Bacillus sp. NKB03 and Aeromonas sp. NKB26c in synthetic minimal media. The cleaning efficiency using this mixture was higher than that of sodium dodecyl sulfate. These results suggest that a mixture of supernatants from culture broths of Bacillus sp. NKB03 and Aeromonas sp. NKB26c has potential for commercial use as a biocleaner.     

Effects of Through-Bond and Through-Space Conjugations on the Photoluminescence of Small Aromatic and Aliphatic Aldimines

Through-bond conjugation (TBC) and/or through-space conjugation (TSC) determine the photophysical properties of organic luminescent compounds. No systematic studies have been carried out to understand the transition from aromatic TBC to non-aromatic TSC on the photoluminescence of organic luminescent compounds. In this work, a series of small aromatic and aliphatic aldimines were synthesized. For the aromatic imines, surprisingly, N,1-diphenylmethanimine with the highest TBC is non-emissive, while N-benzyl-1-phenylmethanimine and N-cyclohexyl-1-phenylmethanimine emit bright fluorescence in aggregate states. The aliphatic imines are all emissive, and their maximum emission wavelength decreases while the quantum yield increases with a decrease in steric hindrance. The imines show concentration-dependent and excitation-dependent emissions. Theoretical calculations show that the TBC extents in the aromatic imines are not strong enough to induce photoluminescence in a single molecule state, while the intermolecular TSC becomes dominant for the fluorescence emissions of both aromatic and aliphatic imines in aggregate states, and the configurations and spatial conformations of the molecules in aggregate states play a key role in the formation of effective TSC. This study provides an understanding of how chemical and spatial structures affect the formation of TBC and TSC and their functions on the photoluminescence of organic luminescent materials.     

三种植物对铀耐性及土壤中铀吸收积累差异的研究

采用溶液培养结合土壤培养的方法,研究了小白菜、冬苋菜和菠菜对铀的耐性及土壤中铀吸收积累的差异.结果表明:水培条件下(U 50mg/L),与小白菜和冬苋菜相比,菠菜对铀具有较强的耐性;在100mg/kg 土U的条件下,菠菜表现出比小白菜和冬苋菜更高吸收和积累铀的能力,其地上部分铀含量为232mg/kg DW(Dry Weight 干重),而根部铀含量达433mh/kg DW(Dry Weight 干重).菠菜可能对铀污染土壤的植物修复具有潜在的应用价值.     

Improving the energies of approximate wave functions using the concepts of density functional theory

A simple method, derived from DFT, for improving the energy of a trial density is modified for the case of atoms. It is assumed that errors in the interelectronic repulsion are the only significant ones. The errors in the energies of single‐ζ Slater orbitals for the atoms from He to Ne are reduced an average factor of 21. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

Carotene-forming activity of certain halophilic bacteria from Barsakelmes saline soil

Strains of halophilic bacteria from samples of Barsakelmes saline soil were screened for ability to synthesize carotinoid pigments. An active strain that accumulated β-carotene as the main pigment was selected. The β-carotene was shown to be identical to the standard pigment. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 243–244, May–June, 2008.     

Improving the efficiency in the detection of gamma activities in environmental soil samples: influence of the granulometry and soil density

Ti(OH)₄ and TiCl₄ modified bentonite (Ti–Na-bent) were applied in the removal of Th(IV) from aqueous solution. Effect of different factors such as pH, contact time, temperature, initial concentration of Th(IV) and efficiency of them for thorium adsorption are investigated. Ti–Na-bent showed high adsorption capacity (q_m?=?231.37 mg/g) and quick adsorption kinetics at lower pH. The adsorption mechanisms involved are: (1) Th⁴⁺, [Th(OH)_4?n]ⁿ⁺ complexed on the outer-sphere of Na-bent and Ti–Na-bent. (2) Ion exchange between Th⁴⁺, [Th(OH)_4?n]ⁿ⁺ and exchangeable cations of Na-bent and the H on the hydroxyl group of Ti(OH)₄. Ti–Na-bent manifested high adsorption capacity for Th(IV), good acid resistance and long-term adsorption stability.

     

Effect of drying on bioremediation bacteria properties

Bioremediation bacteria with drought-resistance characteristics were selected and compared to a collection of 10 strains selected only for their bioremediation properties. Twenty-six strains were selected from dried diesel-polluted soil, and they exhibit a better level of survival during drying, compared to collection bioremediation strains (two orders of magnitude difference). The lyophilization process does not affect the strains’ ability to grow on xenobiotic compound when measured immediately after drying. However, collection bioremediation strains selected only for their bioremediation properties lose up to 80% of their properties when stored at 25°C for 15 d, but the strains selected for their drought resistance lose their properties to a lesser extent during the same period. The maximal growth rate and the rate of xenobiotic degradation of the still-active cells are not affected by the drying process.     

DFT Investigation on the Trans-cis Photoisomerization of Pentamethine Cyanine Dye Model Molecule

The trans-cis photoisomerization of pentamethine cyanine dye (Cy5) has been theoretically investigated by the analysis on an analogical molecule model. All possible isomers have been searched by rotating the different bridge C-C bonds of the model. The relative stability of the isomers for the ground and first excited states as well as the corresponding excitation mechanism has been envisaged by DFT and time-dependent DFT method. The results show different conjugation degree of the isomers resulting in different absorption energy upon the different C-C bridge bond rotation. From the analyses of electronic density distribution of the frontier orbitals, it is predicted that there is charge transfer besides the π-π* excitation for the cyanine dye model, which makes the mechanism and photo-properties different form those of other conjugated molecules.     

Controlling the Emergence and Shift Direction of Mechanochromic Luminescence Color of a Pyridine‐Terminated Compound

In this study, mechanochromic luminescence was induced in a complex of mechano‐inactive compounds. Dye/acid complexes containing the same π‐conjugated backbones were prepared. While the luminophore showed blue and red shifts in photoluminescence spectra when combined with different acids by grinding, it exhibited slight mechanoresponsiveness itself. Also, compounds with similar molecular backbones to the dye/acid complex were synthesized to clarify the color change mechanism. The compounds showed both blue and red shifts in photoluminescence and diffuse reflectance spectra upon grinding, indicating that mechanochromic luminescence in the hydrogen‐bonded complex is like its monomeric analogue and that aggregation structure plays an important role in mechanoresponsive behavior rather than the π‐conjugated structure. It was shown that a color change can be mechanically induced by imitating the solid‐state aggregation structure of other mechanoresponsive compounds without synthetic modification.     

Ring Size Determines the Conformation,Global Aromaticity and Photophysical Properties of Macrocyclic Oligofurans

In π-conjugated macrocycles, there is a trade-off between the global and local expression of effects such as aromaticity, with the outcome of the trade-off determined by the geometry and aromaticity of the constituent units. Compared with other aromatic rings, the aromatic character of furan is relatively small, and therefore global effects in macrocyclic furans are expected to be more pronounced. Following our introduction of macrocyclic oligofuran, we present the first synthesis of a series of π-conjugated bifuran macrocycles of various ring sizes, from trimer to hexamer, and characterize them using both computational and experimental methods. The properties of macrocyclic oligofurans change considerably with size: The smaller trimer is rigid, weakly emissive and planar as revealed by its single crystal structure, and displays global antiaromaticity. In contrast, the larger pentamer and hexamer are flexible, emissive, have non-planar structures, and exhibit local aromaticity. The results are supported by NICS and ACID calculations that indicate the global antiaromaticity of planar furan macrocycles, and by transient absorption measurements showing sharp absorption band for the trimer and only the internal conversion decay pathway.     

Violations of the Hückel (4n + 2) Rule

In polycyclic conjugated hydrocarbons the Hückel (4n + 2)-rule may be violated, so that certain (4n + 2)-membcred rings cause thermodynamic destabilization. The structural conditions for the occurrence of such an effect are analyze d. Eight examples (of which seven are new) of non-b enzenoid hydrocarbons are put forward, in which the Hückel rule is disobeyed.     

Tuning the Electronic Properties of Acetylenic Fluorenes by Phosphaalkene Incorporation

Versatile synthetic protocols for 2,7‐ and 3,6‐diacetylenic fluorene‐9‐ylidene phosphanes (F9Ps) were developed. Protodesilylation of trimethylsilyl‐protected acetylenic F9Ps affords terminal acetylenes that can be employed in Sonogashira and Glaser‐type C?C coupling reactions to give thienyl‐decorated and butadiyne‐bridged fluorene‐9‐ylidene phosphanes, respectively. As evidenced by UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry and corroborated by ab initio calculations, the presence of the P center in the F9Ps induces a significantly reduced HOMO–LUMO splitting that originates from stabilization of the LUMO levels. Variation of the acetylene substitution pattern is an additional tool to influence the optical and electronic properties. Whereas 3,6‐disubstituted F9Ps have strong absorptions around 400 nm, mainly due to π–π* transitions, 2,7‐diacetylenic F9Ps exhibit longest‐wavelength absorptions that have significant charge‐transfer character with an onset around 520 nm.     

Synthesis of an oxyamino-containing phenanthroline derivative for the efficient preparation of phenanthroline oligonucleotide oxime conjugates

A phenanthroline derivative bearing an oxyamino linker was efficiently prepared from commercial 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline. The subsequent reaction with an oligonucleotide containing an aldehyde either at the 5′ end or the 3′ end afforded, in good yield, the phenanthroline-oligonucleotide conjugates through oxime bond formation.     

Exploiting Metallophilicity for the Assembly of Inorganic Nanocrystals and Conjugated Organic Molecules

The accurate engineering of interfaces between inorganic nanocrystals and semiconducting organic molecules is currently viewed as key for further developments in critical fields such as photovoltaics and photocatalysis. In this work, a new and unconventional source of interface interaction based on metal–metal bonds is presented. With this aim, an Au^I organometallic gelator was exploited for the formation of hydrogel‐like nanocomposites containing inorganic nanoparticles and conjugated organic molecules. Noteworthy, the establishment of metallophilic interactions at the interface between the two moieties greatly enhances interparticle coupling in the composites. Thus, we believe that this new hybrid system might represent a promising alternative in several fields, such as in the fabrication of improved light‐harvesting devices.     

Effect of aniline formaldehyde resin on the conjugation length and structure of doped polyaniline: Spectral studies

A DBSA (n‐dodecylbenzene sulfate)‐complexed aniline formaldehyde [AF(DBSA)_1.0] was successfully synthesized with excess aniline (compared with formaldehyde) in the presence of n‐dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (HDBSA), which was complexed with aniline monomer before polymerization. The resin was carefully characterized with ¹H and ¹³C NMR, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, and Fourier transform infrared and was demonstrated to be a polymer in which anilines were all complexed with HDBSA and became anilinium salts. A drastic decrease of the maximum absorption wavelength (ultraviolet–visible spectra) of DBSA‐doped polyaniline [PANI(DBSA)_0.5] was found when AF(DBSA)_1.0 was mixed, and this resulted from the reduced conjugation length. A similar effect on PANI(DBSA)_0.5 was found when free HDBSAs were mixed with PANI(DBSA)_0.5. Visual inspection with an optical microscope revealed that PANI(DBSA)_0.5/AF(DBSA)_1.0 gave uniform morphologies in various compositions, showing possible miscibility for this system. X‐ray diffraction patterns of PANI(DBSA)_0.5/AF(DBSA)_1.0 showed that the layered structure of PANI(DBSA)_0.5 was still present but became shorter in the polyblend because of the presence of AF(DBSA)_1.0. Solid‐state ¹³C NMR spectra revealed that the reduced conjugation length was derived from the interaction of alkyl groups between HDBSA, complexed DBSA, and dopant DBSAs. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3116–3125, 2005     

LDS751激发态电荷转移和光致异构化的量子化学研究

利用密度泛函方法对激光染料分子LDS751的电子结构和激发态性质进行了一系列的量子化学计算, 在理论上对其激发态下可能的构型变化和动力学过程进行了预测. 从计算结果得出LDS751分子可能存在两个分别通过C—C桥键和端基C—N键旋转而实现的影响其光谱性质的光致异构化通道. 利用分子内官能团在激发过程中的电荷布居变化定量地分析了分子内电荷转移过程. 所得结论可以预测不同时间尺度下的光谱特征谱线和解释相关的光谱实验.     

An Anion‐Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Designed for the Selective and Sensitive Detection of Silver(I)

A novel conjugated polyelectrolyte P1, having a meta‐substituted monopyridyl in the backbone, is designed and synthesized for Ag⁺ detection in aqueous solution. As a chemosensor, P1 shows high sensitivity, low detection limit, and excellent selectivity for Ag⁺ over other metal ions. The sensing mechanism is based on the specific interaction between Ag⁺ and the pyridyl group of P1. The aggregated state of the polymer in water can amplify its quenching efficiency.