Retaining and recovering enzyme activity during degradation of TCE by methanotrophs

To determine if compounds added during trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation could reduce the loss of enzyme activity or increase enzyme recovery, different compounds serving as energy and carbon sources, pH buffers, or free radical scavengers were tested. Formate and formic acid (reducing power and a carbon source), as well as ascorbic acid and citric acid (free radical scavengers) were added during TCE degradation at a concentration of 2 mM. A saturated solution of calcium carbonate was also tested to address pH concerns. In the presence of formate and methane, only calcium carbonate and formic acid had a beneficial effect on enzyme recovery. The calcium carbonate and formic acid both reduced the loss of enzyme activity and resulted in the highest levels of enzyme activity after recovery.     

Time-resolved fluorescence analysis of the mobile flavin cofactor in p -hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase

Conformational heterogeneity of the FAD cofactor in p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PHBH) was investigated with time-resolved polarized flavin fluorescence. For binary enzyme/substrate (analogue) complexes of wild-type PHBH and Tyr222 mutants, crystallographic studies have revealed two distinct flavin conformations; the ‘in’ conformation with the isoalloxazine ring located in the active site, and the ‘out’ conformation with the isoalloxazine ring disposed towards the protein surface. Fluorescence-lifetime analysis of these complexes revealed similar lifetime distributions for the ‘in’ and ‘out’ conformations. The reason for this is twofold. First, the active site of PHBH contains various potential fluorescence-quenching sites close to the flavin. Fluorescence analysis of uncomplexed PHBH Y222V and Y222A showed that Tyr222 is responsible for picosecond fluorescence quenching free enzyme. In addition, other potential quenching sites, including a tryptophan and two tyrosines involved in substrate binding, are located nearby. Since the shortest distance between these quenching sites and the isoalloxazine ring differs only little on average, these aromatic residues are likely to contribute to fluorescence quenching. Second, the effect of flavin conformation on the fluorescence lifetime distribution is blurred by binding of the aromatic substrates: saturation with aromatic substrates induces highly efficient fluorescence quenching. The flavin conformation is therefore only reflected in the small relative contributions of the longer lifetimes.     

In Situ Correlations Between Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) and Pah Metabolizing System Activities in Mussels and Fish in the Mediterranean Sea: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Biochemical indices based on enzymatic activities have been determined in fish and mussels sampled in various different coastal locations in the Mediterranean Sea. Preliminary results show a good agreement between biochemical measurements in marine organisms and chemical analyses of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in sediments. The results obtained suggest the use of biochemical indices for application in chemical contaminant biomonitoring.     

Development and evaluation of microfluidic device for the determination of organophosphorus pesticide incorporating monolith based immobilized AChE with spectrophotometric detection

A spectrophotometric microfluidic bioreactor system is described for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides. The glass chip was designed and fabricated for in situ monolithic preparation and subsequently acetlycholineserase (AChE) immobilization via a covalent bonding method. The porous polymer monolith was prepared using glycidyl methacrylate, ethylenedimethacrylate and 2,2-dimethoxy-1,2-diphenylethan-1-one in binary porogenic solvents of cyclohexanol and dodecanol. The epoxide groups of monolith were reacted with ethylenediamine and gluteraldehyde to allow immobilization of the enzyme using their amine groups. Organophosphorus pesticides can be determined by measuring their inhibition effect on the enzyme AChE using Ellman's reaction. A linear relationship between the absorbance and percentage inhibitions was obtained over the concentration range of 0.25 to 2.50?mg?L^?1 paraoxon with a correlation coefficient (r ²) of 0.9974. The limit of detection (LOD) defined as 10% inhibition (I ₁₀) was 0.17?mg?L^?1 for paraoxon. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of 1.0?mg?L^?1 paraoxon was 3.73% (n?=?5). The proposed µFI system incorporates efficient enzyme immobilization and reduces reagent consumption and waste production and could thus be considered to be more environmentally friendly.     

On The Fluorometric Method for the Measurement of β-Cyanoalanine Synthase Activity

Abstract

A modification of a fluorescence assay method for β-cyanoalanine synthase has been described which involves the direct coupling of the product of cyanide and cysteine to resazurin, to produce the fluorescent resosurfin, The fluorescence produced was found to be directly proportional to the rate of the reaction.     

A Self-Assembled Cage with Endohedral Acid Groups both Catalyzes Substitution Reactions and Controls Their Molecularity

A self-assembled Fe₄L₆ cage complex internally decorated with acid functions is capable of accelerating the thioetherification of activated alcohols, ethers and amines by up to 1000-fold. No product inhibition is seen, and effective supramolecular catalysis can occur with as little as 5 % cage. The substrates are bound in the host with up to micromolar affinities, whereas the products show binding that is an order of magnitude weaker. Most importantly, the cage host alters the molecularity of the reaction: whereas the reaction catalyzed by simple acids is a unimolecular, S_N1-type substitution process, the rate of the host-mediated process is dependent on the concentration of nucleophile. The molecularity of the cage-catalyzed reaction is substrate-dependent, and can be up to bimolecular. In addition, the catalysis can be prevented by a large excess of nucleophile, where substrate inhibition dominates, and the use of tritylated anilines as substrates causes a negative feedback loop, whereby the liberated product destroys the catalyst and stops the reaction.