A COMPARISON OF MAMMALIAN CELL SENSITIVITY TO EITHER 254 nm OR ARTIFICIAL "SOLAR" SIMULATED RADIATION

The sensitivity of six mammalian cell strains to either germicidal (254 nm) or artificial "solar" simulated radiation was tested. The solar simulator used had an output similar, in some respects, to natural sunlight. Cellular capacity for Herpes simplex virus production was used as the assay procedure. The tested cells were a strain of African green monkey kidney cells and five human skin fibroblast cell strains. The latter included a "normal" cell strain, and four photosensitive cell strains; three of which were strains of xeroderma pigmentosum cells, and one strain of Bloom's syndrome cells. When comparing the D¹⁰ values, the different cell strains varied by a factor of six in response to germicidal radiation, but only by a factor of two to artificial "solar" simulated radiation. The relative sensitivity of the cells to either type of radiation also varied from 1.7 to 10.9. Large variations in response occurred even among the xeroderma pigmentosum cell strains. These responses suggest that mammalian cell sensitivity to 254 nm radiation may not be a true indicator of a cell's responses to natural sunlight.     

Sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus strains to broadband visible light

The phototoxic effect of illumination with broadband visible light on the viability of two Staphylococcus aureus strains was examined in the present study. A difference in the light sensitivity of the two strains was found. Illumination of the tested strains with a fluence rate of 180 J cm⁻² caused a reduction of up to 99.8% in the colony count of one of the strains (the "sensitive" strain). Illumination of the other strain (the "resistant" strain) resulted in a 55.5% reduction in viability. Proliferation of both strains was observed at low fluence rates of light. The phototoxic effect was found to be dependent on oxy radical production. The light-sensitive strain produced higher amounts of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals than the "resistant" strain. Adaptation to oxidative stress was exhibited only by the "resistant" strain. The "sensitive" strain produced ten times more endogenous porphyrins and secreted almost nine times more porphyrins than the resistant strain. Furthermore, the "resistant" strain produced twice as many carotenoids that protect the strain from illumination than the "sensitive" strain. These results indicate that high intensities of visible light cause bacterial photoeradication, a reaction which may assist wound healing by killing the infecting bacteria. On the other hand, low intensities of white light were found to enhance bacterial proliferation and thus prolong wound infection.     

Potential of Mangrove-Associated Endophytic Fungi for Production of Carbohydrolases with High Saccharification Efficiency

The endophytic fungi represent a potential source of microorganisms for enzyme production. However, there have been only few studies exploiting their potential for the production of enzymes of industrial interest, such as the (hemi)cellulolytic enzymatic cocktail required in the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Here, a collection of endophytic fungi isolated from mangrove tropical forests was evaluated for the production of carbohydrolases and performance on the hydrolysis of cellulose. For that, 41 endophytic strains were initially screened using a plate assay containing crystalline cellulose as the sole carbon source and the selected strains were cultivated under solid-state fermentation for endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, and xylanase enzyme quantification. The hydrolysis of a cellulosic material with the enzymes from endophytic strains of the Aspergillus genus resulted in glucose and conversion values more than twofold higher than the reference strains (Aspergillus niger F12 and Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30). Particularly, the enzymes from strains A. niger 56 (3) and A. awamori 82 (4) showed a distinguished saccharification performance, reaching cellulose conversion values of about 35% after 24 h. Linking hydrolysis performance to the screening steps played an important role towards finding potential fungal strains for producing enzymatic cocktails with high saccharification efficiency. These results indicate the potential of mangrove-associated endophytic fungi for production of carbohydrolases with efficient performance in the hydrolysis of biomass, thus contributing to the implementation of future biorefineries.     

In Vitro Screening of Indigenous <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus</Emphasis> Isolates for Selecting Organisms with Better Health-Promoting Attributes

Lactobacilli have several attributes that provide health benefits to the host. The aim of this study was to screen indigenous lactobacilli from human gut and fermented foods for such attributes as production of β- and α-galactosidase and also their ability to reduce serum cholesterol. Lactobacilli were cultured on MRS broth and β-galactosidase activity was determined using o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) as a substrate. Three isolates Lactobacillus fermentum GPI-3 and L. fermentum GPI-6 and Lactobacillus salivarius GPI-1(S) showed better β-galactosidase activity than the standard strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014. The isolates showed variability in assimilating cholesterol during growth. Several isolates showed excellent cholesterol-lowering ability compared to standard strains LGG and L. plantarum ATCC 8014. Isolate L. rhamnosus SCB being the highest acid producer (pH 4.38) also showed the highest cholesterol reduction compared to other strains including standard strains. The ability of these isolates to produce α-galactosidase was also studied and the maximum α-galactosidase activity was found in isolate L. salivarius GPI-1(S) followed by L. fermentum FA-5 and Lactobacillus helveticus FA-7. This study therefore reports Lactobacillus isolates that have superior probiotic properties when compared to the standard strains; hence, they could be considered as potential probiotic strains, which can provide health benefits to the Indian population.     

Triangle of AKT2, miRNA,and Tumorigenesis in Different Cancers

Producing biodiesel from microalgae grown in wastewater is environment-friendly and cost-effective. The present study investigated the algae found in wastewater of a local dairy farm for their potential as biodiesel feedstocks. Thirteen native algal strains were isolated. On the basis of morphology and 16S/18S rRNA gene sequences, one strain was identified to be a member of cyanobacteria, while other 12 strains belong to green algae. After screening, two Scenedesmus strains out of the 13 microalgae isolates demonstrated superiority in growth rate, lipid productivity, and sedimentation properties, and therefore were selected for further scale-up outdoor cultivation. Both Scenedesmus strains quickly adapted to the outdoor conditions, exhibiting reasonably good growth and strong anti-contamination capabilities. In flat-plate photobioreactors (PBRs), algal cells accumulated predominantly neutral lipids that accounted for over 60% of total lipids with almost 70% being triacylglycerol. In addition, Scenedesmus obliquus had a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, of which the amount of oleic acid (C18:1) was up to 27.11%. Based on these findings, the dairy farm wastewater-isolated Scenedesmus strains represent promising sources of low-cost, high-quality oil for biofuel production.     

Biosorption of 226Ra in high level natural radiation areas of Ramsar, Iran

Bacterial strains isolated from hot springs and soil of high level natural radiation areas of Ramsar, a northern coastal city of Iran, have been studied for their ²²⁶Ra sorption ability from aqueous solutions. Gamma-spectrometry showed that the uptake values of strains A-C, T-A, A-E and CH-G at a radioactivity level of 4.3±0.2 Bq·ml¹ were 202±53, 171±49, 123±11 and 53±6 Bq·g¹, respectively. Biosorption was the major mechanism involved in ²²⁶Ra uptake and was not affected by 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) or incubation at 4^°C. There was an inverse relationship between the rapid radium uptake value and biomass weight in the strains A-C and A-E. Strain A-C was identified as Citrobacter freundii and strains T-A, A-E and CH-G belonged to the genera Corynebacterium, Chromobacterium and Chryseobacterium, respectively.     

Detection of intact influenza viruses using biotinylated biantennary S-sialosides

We report the modular synthesis of robust, biotinylated biantennary sialylglycoconjugates and their ability to differentiate between two type A influenza strains. This is the first demonstration of glycoconjugate-based discriminatory capture and detection of two strains of intact influenza virus, in the presence of the innate enzymatic activity of viral neuraminidases. We also demonstrate a "carboassay" using glycoconjugates as capture and reporter elements, which therefore, does not require antibodies. The capture of intact influenza viruses is of potential benefit for clinical diagnostics.     

Catalyst-free synthesis of pyrazole-aniline linked coumarin derivatives and their antimicrobial evaluation

Catalyst-free one-pot CN and CC bond formation is described as a simple and ecofriendly method for the synthesis of pyrazole-aniline linked coumarin derivatives. Employing this protocol, a series of derivatives were synthesized in good to excellent yields and tested against different bacterial strains as well as fungal strains. Most of the compounds exhibited potential antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Among them, the compounds 4b, 4e, 4?h, 4i and 4?k exhibited promising activity on all the tested bacterial strains with values ranging between 1.9 and 7.8?µg/mL. In addition, these compounds were tested against various fungal strains and were found to exhibit potential antifungal activity. Fascinatingly, among the tested derivatives, the compounds 4e, 4?h and 4i were found to be equipotent to miconazole (positive control) against some of the tested fungal strains. Moreover, these compounds showed promising bactericidal, Candida-cidal and biofilm inhibition activities. Further, mechanistic study was carried out with the most active derivative 4i indicated that these compounds inhibit the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway.     

Cell-Free Identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. cerevisiae</Emphasis> Strains by Analysis of Supernatant Using LC-MS

Current literature shows a gap for methods which can identify yeast sub-species (strains or serovars) in samples where there are no viable cells remaining. Presented here is a technique for the analysis of yeast supernatant, including solid phase extraction, data-dependent acquisition liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and two chemometric methods to identify and classify yeast strains. Five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were successfully identified in various stages of growth. In addition, peptide/protein identification was performed, without the need for additional data acquisition.

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Graphical Abstract ?

     

Production of ethanol from waste paper using immobilized yeasts

This work is aimed at a selection of yeast strains suitable for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of waste paper. The waste paper, as a lignocellulosic material, represents an unconventional source for the production of ethanol which is a promising alternative fuel. The yeast strains Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia kudriavzevii produced the highest amounts of ethanol at 30 °C and were also resistant at 40 °C during the first 92 h of fermentation. These two strains were immobilized by entrapment into poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel lens-shaped particles LentiKats^®. The immobilized S. cerevisiae was a better ethanol producer and retained higher metabolic activity in repeated batch fermentations than P. kudriavzevii. The immobilized S. cerevisiae was also suitable for a long-term storage, with 23% decrease in the ethanol production ability after 1-year storage of yeast cells.     

Candida "psilosis"--electromigration techniques and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for phenotypical discrimination

Biofilm-positive strains of Candida parapsilosis are the second most common yeasts responsible for bloodstream infections. This pathogen is difficult to identify by standard methods from other phenotypically indistinguishable species, biofilm-negative Candida orthopsilosis and biofilm-positive Candida metapsilosis. From a medical point of view, important information is especially whether the strains form biofilm. The biofilm formation enables yeast to colonize artificial surfaces thereby protecting the yeast cell against antifungal agents. The commonly used genotypic methods including different modifications of the polymerase chain reaction have some disadvantages. Therefore, a rapid and reliable method able to identify phenotypically indistinguishable C. "psilosis" species is still of great interest. In this study, the four well-established analytical techniques: gel isoelectric focusing, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, were applied in order to discriminate C. "psilosis" species. The ability of these techniques to differentiate between biofilm-positive and biofilm-negative strains was further investigated. Our results have revealed that the proposed methods, especially matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of intact yeast cells, can be used as the efficient tools for discrimination and identification of the phenotypically indistinguishable microorganisms.     

Microbial screening in hydroxylation of l-proline

Microbial screening of 250 wild type strains resulted in identification of five strains with the activity of prolyl hydroxylase. All five strains hydroxylated regioselectively and enantioselectively l-proline into 4(R)-trans-hydroxy-l-proline 1. The best conversions were obtained with a wild type of Aeromonas caviae. 3-Hydroxylase activity was not detected.     

Solvent-free microwave assisted synthesis of morpholine–piperidine–pyrrolidine annulated quinoline-naphthyl based chalcones and their antimicrobial activity

A new series of 2-morpholine–piperidine–pyrrolidine substituted quinoline based chalcones have been synthesized by conventional and microwave irradiation methods. All synthesized compounds were characterised by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The products were evaluated in vitro for antibacterial activity against two bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli) and antifungal activity against two fungal strains (Aspergillus flavus, Candida metapsilosis). 2-Piperidine substituted quinoline chalcones demonstrated high antimicrobial activity.     

Screening of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Isochrysis</Emphasis> Strains and Utilization of a Two-Stage Outdoor Cultivation Strategy for Algal Biomass and Lipid Production

Isochrysis is a genus of marine algae without cell wall and capable of accumulating lipids. In this study, the lipid production potential of Isochrysis was assessed by comparing 15 Isochrysis strains with respect to their growth rate, lipid production, and fatty acid profiles. Three best strains were selected (lipid productivity, 103.0~121.7 mg L^?1 day^?1) and their lipid-producing capacities were further examined under different controlled parameters, e.g., growth phase, medium nutrient, and light intensity in laboratory cultures. Furthermore, the three Isochrysis strains were monitored in outdoor panel photobioreactors with various initial cell densities and optical paths, and the strain CS177 demonstrated the superior potential for outdoor cultivation. A two-stage semi-continuous strategy for CS177 was subsequently developed, where high productivities of biomass (1.1 g L^?1 day^?1) and lipid (0.35 g L^?1 day^?1) were achieved. This is a comprehensive study to evaluate the lipid-producing capability of Isochrysis strains under both indoor and outdoor conditions. Results of the present work lay a solid foundation for the physiological and biochemical responses of Isochrysis to various conditions, shedding light on the future utilization of this cell wall-lacking marine alga for biofuel production.     

Integrated biological–chemical approach for the isolation and selection of polyaromatic mutagens in surface waters

Many environmental mutagens, including polyaromatic compounds are present in surface waters, often in complex mixtures and at low concentrations. The present study provides and applies a novel, integrated approach to isolate polyaromatic mutagens in river water using a sample from the River Elbe. The sample was taken downstream of industrial discharges using blue rayon (BR) as a passive sampler that selectively adsorbs polyaromatic compounds and was subjected to effect-directed fractionation in order to characterise the compounds causing the detected effect(s). The procedure relies on three complementary fractionation steps, the Ames fluctuation assay with strains TA98, YG1024 and YG1041 with and without S9 activation and analytical screening. Several mutagenic fractions were isolated by combining mutagenicity testing with fractionation. The enhanced mutagenicity in the nitroreductase and/or O-acetyltransferase overexpressing strains YG1024 and YG1041 strains suggested amino- and/or nitro-compounds causing mutagenicity in several fractions. Analytical screening of mutagenic fractions with LC-HRMS/MS provided a list of molecular formulas typically containing one to ten nitrogen and at least two oxygen atoms supporting the presence of amino and nitro-compounds in the mutagenic fractions.

Determination of microcystins in natural blooms and cyanobacterial strain cultures by matrix solid-phase dispersion and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was developed for determining three microcystins (MCs) in natural water blooms and cyanobacteria strain cultures. The procedure involves sample homogenization with C₁₈, washed with dichloromethane to eliminate interfering compounds, and elution with acidic methanol. Results were compared to those achieved by using an organic solvent standard method. Mean recoveries of MCs with MSPD were 85–92% with intra-day relative standard deviation (RSDs) of 9–19%, whereas organic solvent extraction resulted in recovery rates of 92–105% with intra-day RSDs ranging from 8 to 18%. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were 1 g g^–1 dry weight for the MCs either by MSPD or organic solvent extraction. The two analytical methods tested were specific and sensitive to the extraction of MCs and were applied to the detection of MCs in water blooms and culture strains. The concentration of MCs varied from 7 to 3,330 g g^–1 of lyophilized cells with MC-LR always showing the highest concentration. MCs levels were higher in culture strains than in water blooms, except for MC-LR, whose concentration in blooms was slightly superior to that determined in culture strains.     

Oxygen transfer rate and pH as major operating parameters of citric acid production from glycerol by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> W29 and CBS 2073

The amount of citric acid (CA) produced by Yarrowia lipolytica is dependent on the yeast strain and growth conditions such as pH, oxygen availability and medium composition. In this work, an experimental design based on the Taguchi method was applied to evaluate the effect of parameters: pH, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio in the medium, oxygen mass transfer rate (OTR) and salts concentration, on the CA production by two Y. lipolytica strains, W29 (ATCC 20460) and CBS 2073. OTR and pH showed higher influence on the CA production for both strains. The increase of OTR from air to the culture medium led to a two- and three-fold improvement of the CA production by Y. lipolytica CBS 2073 and W29, respectively. Besides the individual effects of the parameters, a significant influence of the interaction between these parameters was observed, mainly between OTR and salts. Different values of the parameters were found at the optimum conditions for each strain, but the theoretically predicted and experimentally obtained citric acid concentrations (c_CA) were approximately 10 g L^?1 for both strains. The optimal conditions were also validated employing crude glycerol from biodiesel industry as a substrate, and similar behavior of the strains was observed.     

Studies on some enzymes of alginic acid biosynthesis in mucoid and nonmucoidAzotobacter chroococcum strains

Measurements of enzymes involved in alginate biosynthesis were straightforward in mucoid (alginate-positive)Azotobacter chroococcum ATCC 4412 crude extracts. At the stationary growth phase, where the production of the exopolysaccharide was greatest, the enzymes phosphomannose isomerase and GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase increased markedly, whereas phosphomannomutase and GDP-mannose dehydrogenase kept the high activity levels measured in the acceleration growth phase. In nonmucoid (alginatenegative)A. chroococcum andA. vinelandii strains, the activities of phosphomannose isomerase and GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase were rather low or, in some cases, undetectables. Except inA. chroococcum MCD1, which exhibited a low activity, phosphomanomutase was high in the nonmucoidAzotobacter strains, and GDP-mannose dehydrogenase reached a significant activity level in two out of four nonmucoid strains tested. The results suggest that derepression of phophomannose isomerase and GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase is asine qua non condition for alginate formation byA. chroococcum.     

Alkyl glycosides as potential anti-<Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis> growth agents

Candida infections are becoming increasingly prevalent and many clinical isolates are resistant to common azole derivatives treatment. Accordingly, the capacity of a series of 19 alkyl glycosides, mainly mannosides and glucosides but also a cellobioside with aglycone chain-length from C-6 to C-20, to inhibit the growth of laboratory and clinically isolated strains of Candida albicans, was investigated. The study showed that only glycosides with the C-10 and C-12 aglycones were effective growth inhibitors of both types of Candida, strains, whose metabolic activity was also significantly reduced as revealed by an XTT assay.