Nutritional requirements of a strain of bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki and use of gruel hydrolysate for the formulation of a new medium for δ-endotoxin production

Nutritional requirements of a strain ofBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) subsp.kurstaki were elucidated for δ-endotoxin production. The effect of some principal nutrients was deeply investigated, showing several nutritional and metabolite limitations in Bt growth and δ-endotoxin synthesis. This led us to formulate a new medium based on the hydrolysate of gruel, a cheap and abundant byproduct of semolina factories, supporting growth and δ-endotoxin synthesis. After hydrolysis of gruel by α-amylase, followed by proteolysis using alcalase, the resultant soluble material substituted glucose very well for Bt δ-endotoxin production. Indeed, 15 g/L total sugars coming from that hydrolysate, supplemented by 5.4 g/L ammonium sulfate as nitrogen source and either 5 g/L yeast extract or 3 g/L peptone from casein or 3 g/L casaminoacids or 0.25 g/L cysteine or aspartic acid, were the principal components of this new medium in which almost 1 g/L of δ-endotoxin in 4.5 g/L total dry biomass was produced.     

Synthesis and thermal stability of silicon-containing esters of phosphorus acids

A number of trialkylsilylmethyl diphenyl phosphates MeRR′SiCH₂OP(O)(OPh)₂ (1a-e: R=Et (a), Pr (b), CF₃CH₂CH₂ (c, e), Me₃SiCH₂ (d); R′=Me (a-d), Et (e)) were synthesized and their thermal rearrangement, of the 1,2-shift type, was studied. The rearrangement consists of the migration of an alkyl group from Si atom to the methylene carbon atom and gives the corresponding silyl esters. The rate of the rearrangement was found to increase in the order1d<1b<1a<1 (R=R′=Me)<1c corresponding to the enhancement of the total inductive effect (−I) of the substituents at the Si atom. The relative migration ability of the substituents at the Si atom, determined by GC/MS analysis of the disiloxane fraction resulting from hydrolysis of pyrolyzed phosphates1a-e, increases in the order R=Pr<Et<CF₃CH₂CH₂<Me≪Me₃SiCH₂, which differs substantially from the order in which the rate of the rearrangement of phosphates1a-d changes. The electronegativity of the migrating group affects noticeably the relative ability to migrate. For Part 4, see Ref. 1. Deceased. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1767–1772, September, 1998.     

A novel heterocyclization of 1-acetylenyl-9,10-anthraquinones

I-Acetylenyl-9,10-anthraquinones react with an excess of NH₂NH₂ at 80–115°C to give a mixture of substituted 7H-dibenzo[de,h]quinolin-7-ones and anthra[9,1-cd]-1,2-diazepin-8-ones. The latter compounds undergo reductive contraction of the sevenmembered ring to give the corresponding 7H-dibenzo[de,h]quinolin-7-ones. Bulky substituents in position 2 of the initial acetylenylanthraquinones prevent the formation of the sevenmembered heterocycle. A scheme of the cyclocondensation was proposed. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2027–2030, October, 1998.     

The influence of detergentless microemulsion on the kinetics of hydrolysis of di(p-nitrophenyl) methylphosphonate catalyzed by amines

The influence of the detergentless water/oil microemulsion formed in then-hexane-water-2-propanol system on the kinetics of the hydrolysis of di(p-nitrophenyl) methylphosphonate under the conditions of general base catalysis by primary, secondary, and tertiary aliphatic amines was investigate. The leveling of the catalytic rate constants and basicities of the amines was found for this reaction in a microemulsion. The catalytic rate constants for the amines containing hydrophilic groups increase in microemulsions as compared to those in an aqueous medium, while the catalytic constants for the amines containing hydrophobic groups decrease. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1339–1342, July, 1998.     

Carob pod: A new substrate for citric acid production by Aspergillus niger

The production of citric acid from carob pod extract byA. niger in surface fermentation was investigated. A maximum citric acid concentration (85.5 g/L), citric acid productivity (4.07 g/L/d), specific citric acid production rate (0.18 g/g/d), and specific sugar uptake rate (0.358 g/g/d) was achieved at an initial sugar concentration of 200 g/L, pH of 6.5, and a temperature of 30°C. Other kinetic parameters, namely, citric acid yield, biomass yield, specific biomass production rate, and fermentation efficiency were maximum at pH 6.5, temperature 30°C, and initial sugar concentration 100 g/L. The external addition of methanol into the carob pod extract at a concentration up to 4% (v/v) improved the production of citric acid.     

Fluorocarbon polymerizable surfactants: viscometric behavior, micellar polymerization and interactions with associating polymers

 The micellar aggregation of two fluorocarbon surfactants bearing a polymerizable acrylamido group and differing only in the degree of amido substitution (CONH or CONC₂H₅) has been investigated by viscometry. The two surfactants exhibit distinct solution properties with a micellar growth occurring at a much lower concentration for the N-monosubstituted sample which shows in addition a shear thickening and rheopectic behavior. The ability of the latter surfactant to form hydrogen bonding is responsible for this difference in behavior. Micellar copolymerization of acrylamide with these surfactants or with a hydrocarbon analogue gives copolymers with a polysoap-like behavior. The copolymers in aqueous solution show a pronounced intramolecular hydrophobic aggregation expressed by relatively low-viscosity values when compared with those of other hydrophobically modified water-soluble polymers reported in the literature. Surfactant–polymer mixed systems do not show a strong incompatibility between fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon moieties. Received: 24 March 1998 Accepted: 30 June 1998     

Different Views on the Stability of Protein Conformations and Hydrophobic Effects

Apparently contradictory statements about the thermodynamics of aqueous protein solutions and of hydrophobic effect are quoted and discussed. Some credibility is found in the divergent points of view and it is pointed out that they focus attention on different aspects of the complicated conditions in aqueous solutions, some of which are more important than others for the stability of protein conformations.The importance of characteristics of solvent water is emphasized, in particular (1) the strong mutual cohesion of water molecules, and (2) structural changes of water induced by (nonpolar) solute molecules. It is stressed that consideration of only one of these effects and an inexpedient choice of standard states are origins of confusion in the literature about aqueous systems. A simple approach to hydrophobic effects considering both of the above mentioned effects, is proposed.     

Practical capillary gas chromatography—a systematic approach

Capillary gc is now rapidly expanding. Naturally, initiation is most often attempted on the basis of the experience acquired with packed columns. However, such an extrapolation is successful only if a number of essential peculiarities of capillary gc are considered. Based on practical examples this paper discusses six essential details: 1) design and maintenance of the gas flow paths, 2) the greatly increased importance of sampling technique, which should not be confined just to stream splitting, 3) the problems in quantitative analysis arising from small sample size, 4) specific sources of trouble related to small amounts of liquid phase, 5) specific arguments for the choice of the carrier gas, clearly pointing to hydrogen as the ideal carrier and, 6) the different way to approach column production. Figures for all selected examples are given.     

Optimum gas chromatographic conditions in wall-coated capillary columns. Extended and simplified forms of the Golay-equation

Band broadening in capillary columns is satisfactorily described by the Golay-equation extended to situations of appreciable pressure drop by Giddings. In practice, however, several simplifications are often made. The effect of these simplifications on the calculated values of the minimum plate height and optimum carrier gas velocity are treated systematically.     

Advances in two-dimensional GC with glass capillary columns

A versatile two-dimensional gas chromatograph is described, consisting of 2 separate ovens, one intermediate trap, an auxiliary inlet, and the necessary hardware to effect off-line switching according to the principle of Deans. The unit has been designed for use with high resolution glass capillary columns. The performance of individual instrumental components was critically evaluated. Results showed that low dead volume glass to metal connections were required in the manifold and detector lines to minimize extra-column effects. The mass of the intermediate trap must be low to allow rapid heating. Operational parameters are discussed and examples of some applications are shown.