Synthesis of new 7-aminosterol squalamine analogues with high antimicrobial activities through a stereoselective titanium reductive amination reaction

A series of 7-amino- and polyaminosterol analogues of squalamine and trodusquemine were synthesized involving a new stereoselective titanium reductive amination reaction in high chemical yields of up to 95% in numerous cases. These derivatives were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial properties against human pathogens. All the compounds present excellent activities against Gram-positive bacteria exhibiting similar results against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) varying from 2.5 to 10 μg/mL. Numerous derivatives possess also MICs against Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria (MICs varying from 2.5 to 10 μg/mL) suggesting that nature of the amino group attached to the sterol moiety plays an important role on the activities of such products.     

Bio-regeneration of p-complexation desulfurization adsorbents

More and more stringent regulations of gasoline and diesel oil were proposed with the awareness of environmental protection. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is a conventional method to remove sulfur compounds for industrial purpose. The main drawbacks of this …     

Measurement of attachment force of microbial cells

A parallel-plate flow chamber consisting of two transparent electro-conductive glass plates was constructed. The two glass plates were set parallel to each other and connected to a potentiostat apparatus to regulate the strength of the electric field between the plates. A microbial cell suspension was flowed through the chamber. This system enabled the application of an electrostatic force to suspend charged particles, e.g. microbial cells, existing between the two plates. The time course of the cell attachment of Pseudomonas syringae pv. atropurpurea NIAES 1309 suspended in 10 mM phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) to the glass plate was investigated at various electric field strengths ranging from −4.2 to +4.1 V cm⁻¹. The attachment rate and the maximum number of attached cells increased linearly with the increase in the strength of the positive electric field. In contrast, the rate and the number of cells decreased linearly with the decrease in the strength of the negative electric field. These linear relations gave a specific value for the strength of the electric field (−5.9 ± 0.7 V cm⁻¹) where the electrostatic repulsion and the microbial attachment force were thought to be equal, resulting in no cell attachment. From this value, the electrostatic repulsion, i.e. the microbial attachment force, was calculated to be 5.0 × 10⁻¹¹ N cell⁻¹ for cells of average size.     

Polysaccharide differences between planktonic and biofilm-associated EPS from Pseudomonas fluorescens B52

The polysaccharides associated with free (planktonic) and surface-attached (biofilm) cells from cultures of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain B52 were compared. Variations in the attached matrix due to surface material (glass or stainless steel) were also analyzed. Two digestion methods were used to optimize the recoveries of sugars, uronic acids and acidic substituents. The yield of analyzable material after digestion reached 90% for the material associated to the biofilms, though only 20–30% for that bound to planktonic cells. The polysaccharide(s) in the biofilm had glucuronic and guluronic acids as main components, besides rhamnose, glucose and glucosamine. The proportion of glucuronic to guluronic acid was higher in the polysaccharide(s) found in biofilms formed on stainless steel than in those on glass.     

Synthesis of new thiazole analogues of pyochelin, a siderophore of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. A new conversion of thiazolines into thiazoles

Three pyochelin analogues and their methyl esters all containing a thiazole ring have been synthesised from the same Weinreb amide key intermediate. One of these analogues called HPTT-COOH, a molecule released in the course of pyochelin and yersiniabactin biosynthesis, was efficiently synthesised using a new base induced conversion of the key compound 2′-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2′-thiazoline-4′-(N-methoxy,N-methyl) carboxamide into 2′-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2′-thiazole-4′-(N-methoxy,N-methyl) carboxamide.     

First synthesis of an α-d-Fucp3NAc containing oligosaccharide: a study on d-Fucp3NAc glycosylation

3-Acetamido-3,6-dideoxy-d-galactopyranose (d-Fucp3NAc) is an aminosugar almost exclusively found in phytopathogenic O-antigens. The glycosylation reaction involving d-Fucp3NAc donors was studied with several rhamnosyl acceptors, revealing that the best yields and highest α-stereoselectivity were obtainable by coupling a N-phenyl trifluoroacetimidate glycosyl donor in a ternary mixture (dioxane/DME/toluene 4:1:1) as solvent. For the first time a synthetic access to α-d-Fucp3NAc containing oligorhamnans, that are interesting molecules for studying the effects of O-antigen model oligosaccharides on the modulation of plant response to bacteria, was reported. An example is the pentasaccharide repeating unit of the major O-antigen component from Pseudomonas syringae pv. holci IMV 8300, which was synthesized as its methyl glycoside.     

Performance of an internal-loop airlift bioreactor for treatment of hexane-contaminated air

Hexane is a toxic volatile organic compound that is quite abundant in gas emissions from chemical industries and printing press and painting centers, and it is necessary to treat these airstreams before they discharge into the atmosphere. This article presents a treatment for hexane-contaminated air in steady-state conditions using an internal-loop airlift bioreactor inoculated with a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. Bioprocesses were conducted at 20-mL/min, a load of 1.26 g/m³ of C₆H₁₄, and a temperature of 28°C. The results of hexane removal efficiencies were presented as a function of the inoculum size (approx 0.07 and 0.2 g/L) and cell reuse. Bioprocess monitoring comprises quantification of the biomass, the surface tension of the medium, and the hexane concentration in the fermentation medium as well as in the inlet and outlet airstreams. The steady-state results suggest that the variation in inoculum size from 0.07 to 0.2 g/L promotes hexane abatement from the influent from 65 to 85%, respectively. Total hydrocarbon removal from the waste gas was achieved during experiments conducted using reused cells at an initial microbial concentration of 0.2 g/L.     

Kinetic and stability characterization ofChromobacterium viscosum lipase and its comparison withPseudomonas glumae lipase

A kinetic study ofChromobacterium viscosum lipase was undertaken, and compared withPseudomonas glumae lipase. Optimum operation conditions were pH 9.0 and 50°C for both enzymes. A substrate specificity study was also developed. Both enzymes showed higher activity on triglycerides with a long chain of fatty acid; the specific activity was always higher for C.viscosum lipase. Stability of both enzymes in aqueous medium at 60°C and pH 9.0 was evaluated. C.viscosum lipase was three times more stable than P.glumae lipase, with at _1/2 value of 0.75 h. In addition, the activity of C.viscosum lipase with substrate concentration was studied with a triolein emulsion. A dependence of the intrinsic characteristics of the emulsion was observed. Therefore, stability ofC. viscosum lipase B with reaction products was assayed in a micellar system. Acid products reduced the specific activity of the enzyme. Glycerol and high buffer concentration were stabilizers of enzyme deactivation. Finally, substrate specificity ofC. viscosum lipase B in a micellar system was developed with tributyrin, tricaprylin, and triolein. Only tributyrin showed an apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetic with V_max ^app = 958 U/mg and K_ma ^app = 75.5 mM. Tricaprylin and triolein showed diffusion limitations at low substrate concentration and substrate inhibition at high substrate concentration. Diffusion parameters were calculated for both these substrates. Mass transfer coefficients (k₁) were 0.314 Å/min and 1.53 Å/min for tricaprylin and triolein, respectively. Effectiveness factors (η) were 0.536 and 0.768 for tricaprylin and triolein, respectively.     

Effect of environmental factors and carbohydrate on gellan gum production

Submerged culture fermentation studies were carried out in batch mode for optimizing the environmental parameters and carbon source requirement by Pseudomonas elodea for the production of gellan gum. The maximum production of gellan gum was obtained with 16-h-old culture and 8% inoculum at 30°C and pH 7.0 after 52 h of incubation (6.0 g/L). Of the various carbon sources tested, 2% sucrose, glucose, and soluble starch yielded considerably high amounts of gellan. Studies on the concentration of various carbohydrates on gellan gum production indicated that the optimum concentration of glucose and starch was 3%, whereas for sucrose it was 4%. The addition of glucose in the medium above 3% had a detrimental effect on gellan yield. The investigation of intermediate two-step addition of glucose under identical conditions of fermentation showed an enhanced production of gellan (8.12 g/L) as compared with the control (6.0 g/L). To optimize the recovery of gellan from fermented broth, different solvents were tested for precipitation of gellan gum. Among the various solvents tested, tetrahydrofuran gave better recovery of gellan (82%) as compared with the conventional solvent isopropanol (49%).     

假单胞菌对A3钢在枝孢霉菌溶液中腐蚀行为的影响

采用动电位扫描法、电化学交流阻抗法和表面分析方法研究了假单胞菌的加入对A3钢在枝孢霉菌溶液中腐蚀行为的影响. 结果表明, 假单胞菌的存在影响了A3钢在枝孢霉菌体系中阳极的反应过程, 假单胞菌与枝孢霉菌混合体系(简称假-枝混合菌体系)中A3钢的自腐蚀电流小于枝孢霉菌单种菌体系, A3钢的腐蚀速率减小；随着浸泡时间的延长, 从第7天开始, A3钢电极在假-枝混合菌体系中的阻抗值较之同样浸泡天数的枝孢霉菌单种菌体系的阻抗值大, 假单胞菌的存在抑制了枝孢霉菌对A3钢的腐蚀. SEM结果表明, A3钢在枝孢霉菌和假-枝混合菌体系中均发生了点蚀,枝孢霉菌单菌体系中A3 钢的点蚀坑大而深, 假-枝混合菌体系中的点蚀坑与枝孢霉菌体系相比小而浅.