微生物降解塑料的研究进展

聚羟基脂肪酸酯(PHAs)是许多原核微生物在不平衡生长条件下合成的细胞内能量和碳源储藏性物质,作为完全可生物降解的热塑性聚酯而倍受关注。它除了具有与化学合成高分子相似的性质外,还具有比重大、光学活性好、透氧性低、抗紫外线辐射、生物可降解性、生物组织相溶性、压电性和抗凝血性等特点,因而在电子、光学、农业、生物医学、食品包装等领域具有广阔的应用前景。本文主要综述了近几年来国内外对PHAs微生物合成的研究进展,同时对PHAs的应用前景进行了展望。     

In situ studies of microbial inactivation during high pressure processing

High pressure processing (HPP) has been shown to reduce microbial concentration in foods. The mechanisms of microbial inactivation by HPP have been associated with damage to cell membranes. The real-time response of bacteria to HPP was measured to elucidate the mechanisms of inactivation, which can aid in designing more effective processes. Different pressure cycling conditions were used to expose Enterobacter aerogenes cells to HPP. Propidium iodide (PI) was used as a probe, which fluoresces after penetrating cells with damaged membranes and binding with nucleic acids. A HPP vessel with sapphire windows was used for measuring fluorescence in situ. Membrane damage was detected during pressurization and hold time, but not during depressurization. The drop in fluorescence was larger than expected after pressure cycles at higher pressure and longer times. This indicated possible reversible disassociation of ribosomes resulting in additional binding of PI to exposed RNA under pressure and its release after depressurization.     

RNA interference silencing the transcriptional message

We developed the microbial immobilization particle with curdlan and activated carbon, which has great adsorption capacity. The characteristics of porosity and mechanical strength of these supporting particles are dependent on manufacturing method. The supporting particle showed the best performance when the ratio of curdlan and activated carbon was 30 to 6 g/L. Brumauer-Emmett-Teller (specific surface area) and swelling capacity of the carrier were 52.63 m²/g and 17 (w/w), respectively. The immobilization characteristics of iron-oxidizing bacteria on supporting particles were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The concentration of micro-organism on the surface of supporting particle was increased with reaction time. As the number of iron oxidation batch cycles increased, the iron oxidation rate increased.     

SiO2 Xerogel: A Suitable Inert Support for Microbial Growth

A silica xerogel was prepared at pH 2 by the hydrolysis-condensation reactions of the sol-gel method. Silica xerogel was used as a support for the growth of two filamentous fungi: Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium A594. In both cases, an apparent abundant mycelia growth (5.5 mg biomass/g dry xerogel and 4.7 mg biomass/g dry xerogel respectively) was observed. A phase of rapid consumption of glucose which lasted until 96 h of culture with sugar consumption rate of 0.075 mg sugar/g support h and 0.042 mg sugar/g support h respectively, was also observed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a superficial colonisation of both strains even in the occasional imperfections and crevices of the xerogel. This novel application of sol-gel metallic oxide systems suggests the potential use of an inert and versatile support which could be valuable, for example for solid state fermentation fundamental studies.     

阳极改性对微生物燃料电池处理秸秆水解物性能影响

以玉米秸秆稀酸水解液为阳极底物,用污水处理厂活性污泥为产电微生物菌源构建双室微生物燃料电池(MFC),采用三种不同方法改性阳极碳毡,并对其MFC产电性能进行研究。结果表明,以未改性碳毡(CC)、HNO_3酸解CC(HNO_3/CC)、壳聚糖改性CC(chitosan/CC)、PDADMAC/α-Fe_2O_3层层自组装改性碳毡(PDADMAC/α-Fe_2O_3/CC)的MFC的最大产电量分别为248、315、452和522 mV,最大功率密度分别为54.6、92.7、203.8和248.1 mW/m~2,COD的去除率分别为82.21%、81.46%、82.53%和86.44%。循环伏安曲线显示,PDADMAC/α-Fe_2O_3层层自组装改性的阳极碳毡具有较高的氧化还原电位。电化学阻抗谱图表明,PDADMAC/α-Fe_2O_3层层自组装改性碳毡的极化内阻最小,为7Ω。几种改性材料为阳极的MFC性能依次为PDADMAC/α-Fe_2O_3/CC壳聚糖/CCHNO_3/CC空白CC。     

Amperometric l-glutamate biosensor based on bacterial cell-surface displayed glutamate dehydrogenase

A novel l-glutamate biosensor was fabricated using bacteria surface-displayed glutamate dehydrogenase (Gldh-bacteria). Here the cofactor NADP⁺-specific dependent Gldh was expressed on the surface of Escherichia coli using N-terminal region of ice nucleation protein (INP) as the anchoring motif. The cell fractionation assay and SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that the majority of INP-Gldh fusion proteins were located on the surface of cells. The biosensor was fabricated by successively casting polyethyleneimine (PEI)-dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), Gldh-bacteria and Nafion onto the glassy carbon electrode (Nafion/Gldh-bacteria/PEI-MWNTs/GCE). The MWNTs could not only significantly lower the oxidation overpotential towards NAPDH, which was the product of NADP⁺ involving in the oxidation of glutamate by Gldh, but also enhanced the current response. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the current–time curve of the Nafion/Gldh-bacteria/PEI-MWNTs/GCE was performed at +0.52 V (vs. SCE) by amperometry varying glutamate concentration. The current response was linear with glutamate concentration in two ranges (10 μM–1 mM and 2–10 mM). The low limit of detection was estimated to be 2 μM glutamate (S/N = 3). Moreover, the proposed biosensor is stable, specific, reproducible and simple, which can be applied to real samples detection.     

Development of an Osmium Redox Polymer Mediated Bioanode and Examination of its Performance in Gluconobacter oxydans Based Microbial Fuel Cell

Gluconobacter oxydans (G. oxydans ) cells together with an osmium redox polymer (ORP) [Osmium (2,2’‐bipyridine)2(poly‐vinylimidazole)10Cl]Cl were combined with a glassy carbon paste electrode (GCPE) to form a bioanode for a microbial fuel cell (MFC) based on G. oxydans . Although there are G.oxydans / ORP combined bioanode in the literature, as far as it is known, this system is the first one where G.oxydans /ORP bioanode is combined with a cathode and a MFC is formed. After the optimization of experimental parameters, analytical characteristics of ORP/G. oxydans /GCPE bioanode were investigated. ORP/G. oxydans /GCPE showed two linear ranges for ethanol substrate as 1.0–30 mM (R²=0.902) and 30–500 mM (R²=0.997) and analytical range as 1.0–1000 mM. Limit of detection (3.0 s/m) and limit of quantification (10 s/m) values were calculated as 1.29 mM and 4.30 mM respectively where the RSD value was 1.16 % for n=5. Combining the developed bioanode in the presence of 5.0 mM K₃Fe(CN)₆ mediator with a Pt wire cathode a double compartment MFC was obtained via a salt bridge. G. oxydans /GCPE bioanode based MFC had maximum power density of 0.133 μW cm⁻² (at 33.5 mV), maximum current density as 8.73 μA cm⁻² and OCP value of 156 mV. On the other hand, ORP/G. oxydans /GCPE based MFC showed maximum power density as 0.26 μW cm⁻² (at 46.8 mV), maximum current density as 15.079 μA cm^‐2 and OCP value of 176 mV.     

Lactic acid bacteria in dairy food: Surface characterization and interactions with food matrix components

This review gives an overview of the importance of interactions occurring in dairy matrices between Lactic Acid Bacteria and milk components. Dairy products are important sources of biological active compounds of particular relevance to human health. These compounds include immunoglobulins, whey proteins and peptides, polar lipids, and lactic acid bacteria including probiotics. A better understanding of interactions between bioactive components and their delivery matrix may successfully improve their transport to their target site of action. Pioneering research on probiotic lactic acid bacteria has mainly focused on their host effects. However, very little is known about their interaction with dairy ingredients. Such knowledge could contribute to designing new and more efficient dairy food, and to better understand relationships between milk constituents. The purpose of this review is first to provide an overview of the current knowledge about the biomolecules produced on bacterial surface and the composition of the dairy matter. In order to understand how bacteria interact with dairy molecules, adhesion mechanisms are subsequently reviewed with a special focus on the environmental conditions affecting bacterial adhesion. Methods dedicated to investigate the bacterial surface and to decipher interactions between bacteria and abiotic dairy components are also detailed. Finally, relevant industrial implications of these interactions are presented and discussed.     

Production of insoluble exopolysaccharide of Agrobacterium sp. (ATCC 31749 and IFO 13140)

Agrobacterium isolated from soil samples produced two extracellular polysaccharides: succinoglycan, an acidic soluble polymer, and curdlan gum, a neutral, insoluble polymer. Maize glucose, cassava glucose, and maize maltose were used in fermentation medium to produce insoluble polysaccharide. Two Agrobacterium sp. strains which were used (ATCC 31749 and IFO 13140) in the production of insoluble exopolysaccharide presented equal or superior yields compared to the literature. The strain ATCC 31749 yielded better production when using maize maltose, whose yield was 85%, whereas strain IFO 13140 produced more when fed maize glucose, producing a yield of 50% (on reducing sugars).