Metabolic Labeling and Imaging of N‐Linked Glycans in Arabidopsis Thaliana

Molecular imaging of glycans has been actively pursued in animal systems for the past decades. However, visualization of plant glycans remains underdeveloped, despite that glycosylation is essential for the life cycle of plants. Metabolic glycan labeling in Arabidopsis thaliana by using N‐azidoacetylglucosamine (GlcNAz) as the chemical reporter is reported. GlcNAz is metabolized through the salvage pathway of N‐acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and incorporated into N‐linked glycans, and possibly intracellular O‐GlcNAc. Click‐labeling with fluorescent probes enables visualization of newly synthesized N‐linked glycans. N‐glycosylation in the root tissue was discovered to possess distinct distribution patterns in different developmental zones, suggesting that N‐glycosylation is regulated in a developmental stage‐dependent manner. This work shows the utility of metabolic glycan labeling in elucidating the function of N‐linked glycosylation in plants.     

Steroids contents in waters of wastewater purification plants: determination with partial-filling micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography and UV detection

Partial-filling micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (PF-MEKC) with UV detection was applied for determination of human-based steroids in water samples of Finnish wastewater treatment plants. The samples were purified with solid-phase extraction (SPE) on octadecyl substituted polymer sorbents obtaining analyte enrichment of 20,000-fold. The steroids studied were androgens, estrogens, and progesterone. Three of the steroids could be quantified with the PF-MEKC method. The detection and quantification limits were 0.05–1.06 μg/mL and 0.15–3.2 μg/mL, meaning in the SPE concentrates as 2.5–53 pg/L and 7.5–160 pg/L, respectively. In the influent waters, the total amount of testosterone glucuronide, androstenedione, and progesterone was up to 350 ng/L. In effluent water samples the total steroid quantity was maximum at 320 ng/L. Remarkably high quantity of androstenedione was quantified in both influent and effluent water samples. The cleanest effluent waters were produced in Western Finland. Correspondingly, the highest quantities were located near the largest lake and river areas in South-Eastern Finland. The concentration variation in effluent waters was explained with differences in the purification materials and processes at the plants and with steroid adsorption on soil and organic material suspended into water.     

固相萃取/超高效液相色谱-串联质谱测定水果中5种植物生长调节剂残留量

建立了固相萃取/超高效液相色谱-串联质谱(UPLC-MS/MS)同时测定水果中6-苄基腺嘌呤(6-BA)、噻苯隆、氯吡脲、多效唑和烯效唑5种植物生长调节剂残留量的分析方法。水果样品经乙腈提取,NH2固相萃取小柱进行富集、净化,以二氯甲烷-甲醇(92∶8)为洗脱溶液,浓缩定容后,用Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18(50 mm×2.1 mm,1.7μm)色谱柱分离,流速0.3 m L/min,以水-甲醇为流动相梯度洗脱,于UPLC-MS/MS仪多反应监测(MRM)模式测定,基质匹配标准溶液外标法定量。结果表明,5种植物生长调节剂在5~500 ng/m L浓度范围内呈良好的线性关系,相关系数(r2)为0.996 1~0.999 6。在0.004,0.02,0.1 mg/kg加标水平下,方法的回收率为75.6%~110.5%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为1.2%~12.8%,方法检出限(LOD,S/N≥3)为0.001~0.002 mg/kg,定量下限(LOQ,S/N≥10)为0.003~0.006 mg/kg。该方法操作简便、灵敏度高、准确可靠,适用于水果中5种植物生长调节剂残留量的同时测定。     

UPLC–MS–MS同时测定人参中4种植物生长调节剂残留量

建立超高效液相色谱–串联质谱法测定人参中4种植物生长调节剂残留的方法。样品以50%乙腈溶液室温振荡提取30 min,并采用分散固相萃取(DSPE)法净化,其中每毫升提取液加入50 mg C_(18)吸附剂,在优化后的仪器条件下进行测定。2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸、矮壮素、赤霉素、乙烯利分别在10~500,0.5~250,5~500,200~5 000μg/L范围内线性良好,相关系数r~20.99,检出限分别为7.5,0.4,4.0,150.0μg/kg,测定结果的相对标准偏差为3.05%~14.77%(n=6),加标回收率为69.6%~97.4%。该方法样品处理简单快速,检出限低,准确度和精密度高,适合于人参中2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸、矮壮素、赤霉素和乙烯利4种植物生长调节剂残留量的测定。     

Biosynthesis and biodegradability of copolythioesters from 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid and plant oils by Cupriviadus necator

To prepare sulfur-containing natural polymers effectively, several plant oils and 3,3'-thiodipropionic acid (TDP) have been used as carbon sources for the biosynthesis of copolymer poly[(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-(3-mercaptopropionate)] [poly(3HB-co-3MP)] by a wild-type bacterium Cupriviadus necator H16. By using the plant oils, copolymer accumulation and incorporation of 3MP units are greater than those of cases using sugars. The 3MP fraction is controllable over a range of 1-39 mol-% by adjusting the cultivation conditions. Microbial degradability of the copolymers has been examined in an activated sludge supernatant. The biodegradation proceeded by two mechanisms: surface erosion and auto-catalytic hydrolysis, depending on the 3MP unit fraction, and show preferential degradation of 3HB unit sequences.     

Removal of pharmaceutical residues in a pilot wastewater treatment plant

Concern is growing over the contamination of the environment with pharmaceutical residues, among which non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most abundant groups. Their widespread appearance in the aquatic environment is because of their high consumption and their incomplete removal during wastewater treatment. Because effective operation of wastewater-treatment plants is important for minimising the release of xenobiotic compounds, for example pharmaceutical products, into the aquatic environment, our study focuses on removal of commonly used NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, diclofenac) and clofibric acid in a specially designed small-scale pilot wastewater treatment plant (PWWTP). This study shows that, except for diclofenac, steady-rate removal of NSAIDs over a two-year monitoring period has been achieved. Elimination of the compounds in the PWWTP was ≥87% for ibuprofen, naproxen and ketoprofen but only 49–59% for diclofenac. We also studied clofibric acid. Results after one month of operation revealed 30% elimination with no sign of adaptation by the biomass. Also described are degradation products of diclofenac, which we were able to identify because of the similarity of their mass spectra with those in the NIST library and by comparing the retention times of different compounds. Although the structures of these compounds were confirmed with a high probability (99%), we still need to compare the fragmentation of authentic compounds with degradation products formed under our experimental conditions. Degradation products of ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, and clofibric acid were found but these must be identified by use of high-resolution mass spectrometry and analysis of authentic compounds.     

Catechins: Therapeutic Perspectives in COVID-19-Associated Acute Kidney Injury

Data obtained from several intensive care units around the world have provided substantial evidence of the strong association between impairment of the renal function and in-hospital deaths of critically ill COVID-19 patients, especially those with comorbidities and requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common renal disorder of various etiologies characterized by a sudden and sustained decrease of renal function. Studies have shown that 5–46% of COVID-19 patients develop AKI during hospital stay, and the mortality of those patients may reach up to 100% depending on various factors, such as organ failures and RRT requirement. Catechins are natural products that have multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-coronavirus and reno-protective activities against kidney injury induced by nephrotoxic agents, obstructive nephropathies and AKI accompanying metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the anti-SARS-CoV-2 and reno-protective effects of catechins from a mechanistic perspective. We believe that catechins may serve as promising therapeutics in COVID-19-associated AKI due to their well-recognized anti-SARS-CoV-2, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that mediate their reno-protective activities.     

关于群落的相似系数

本文讨论了植物生态学中由Jaccard(1912)和Sφrensen(1948)等人相继提出的关于群落的相似系数之间的关系,并分析了它们的合理性,例如,我们指出,由Motyka定义的系数和Renkonen(1938)的生态位的相似系数是一致的,而Spatz(1970)根据Motyka的原理推导的相似系数是不合理的。最后,我们指出,作者和杨义群(1982)提出的关于生态位的相似系数同样可以用来度量植物群落的相似性,这是一种很恰当的度量。     

Psychrotolerant Mesorhizobium sp. Isolated from Temperate and Cold Desert Regions Solubilizes Potassium and Produces Multiple Plant Growth Promoting Metabolites

Soil potassium (K) supplement depends intensively on the application of chemical fertilizers, which have substantial harmful environmental effects. However, some bacteria can act as inoculants by converting unavailable and insoluble K forms into plant-accessible forms. Such bacteria are an eco-friendly approach for enhancing plant K absorption and consequently reducing utilization of chemical fertilization. Therefore, the present research was undertaken to isolate, screen, and characterize the K solubilizing bacteria (KSB) from the rhizosphere soils of northern India. Overall, 110 strains were isolated, but only 13 isolates showed significant K solubilizing ability by forming a halo zone on solid media. They were further screened for K solubilizing activity at 0 °C, 1 °C, 3 °C, 5 °C, 7 °C, 15 °C, and 20 °C for 5, 10, and 20 days. All the bacterial isolates showed mineral K solubilization activity at these different temperatures. However, the content of K solubilization increased with the upsurge in temperature and period of incubation. The isolate KSB (Grz) showed the highest K solubilization index of 462.28% after 48 h of incubation at 20 °C. The maximum of 23.38 µg K/mL broth was solubilized by the isolate KSB (Grz) at 20 °C after 20 days of incubation. Based on morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterization (through the 16S rDNA approach), the isolate KSB (Grz) was identified as Mesorhizobium sp. The majority of the strains produced HCN and ammonia. The maximum indole acetic acid (IAA) (31.54 µM/mL) and cellulase (390 µM/mL) were produced by the isolate KSB (Grz). In contrast, the highest protease (525.12 µM/mL) and chitinase (5.20 µM/mL) activities were shown by standard strain Bacillus mucilaginosus and KSB (Gmr) isolate, respectively.