scholarly journals Characterization of the Adaptive Response to Trichloroethylene-Mediated Stresses in Ralstonia pickettii PKO1

2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 5231-5240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joonhong Park ◽  
Jerome J. Kukor ◽  
Linda M. Abriola

ABSTRACT In Ralstonia pickettii PKO1, a denitrifying toluene oxidizer that carries a toluene-3-monooxygenase (T3MO) pathway, the biodegradation of toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE) by the organism is induced by TCE at high concentrations. In this study, the effect of TCE preexposure was studied in the context of bacterial protective response to TCE-mediated toxicity in this organism. The results of TCE degradation experiments showed that cells induced by TCE at 110 mg/liter were more tolerant to TCE-mediated stress than were those induced by TCE at lower concentrations, indicating an ability of PKO1 to adapt to TCE-mediated stress. To characterize the bacterial protective response to TCE-mediated stress, the effect of TCE itself (solvent stress) was isolated from TCE degradation-dependent stress (toxic intermediate stress) in the subsequent chlorinated ethylene toxicity assays with both nondegradable tetrachloroethylene and degradable TCE. The results of the toxicity assays showed that TCE preexposure led to an increase in tolerance to TCE degradation-dependent stress rather than to solvent stress. The possibility that such tolerance was selected by TCE degradation-dependent stress during TCE preexposure was ruled out because a similar extent of tolerance was observed in cells that were induced by toluene, whose metabolism does not produce any toxic products. These findings suggest that the adaptation of TCE-induced cells to TCE degradation-dependent stress was caused by the combined effects of solvent stress response and T3MO pathway expression.

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 1757
Author(s):  
Yesica Vicente-Martínez ◽  
Manuel Caravaca ◽  
Antonio Soto-Meca ◽  
Miguel Ángel Martín-Pereira ◽  
María del Carmen García-Onsurbe

This paper presents a novel procedure for the treatment of contaminated water with high concentrations of nitrates, which are considered as one of the main causes of the eutrophication phenomena. For this purpose, magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with silver (Fe3O4@AgNPs) were synthesized and used as an adsorbent of nitrates. Experimental conditions, including the pH, adsorbent and adsorbate dose, temperature and contact time, were analyzed to obtain the highest adsorption efficiency for different concentration of nitrates in water. A maximum removal efficiency of 100% was reached for 2, 5, 10 and 50 mg/L of nitrate at pH = 5, room temperature, and 50, 100, 250 and 500 µL of Fe3O4@AgNPs, respectively. The characterization of the adsorbent, before and after adsorption, was performed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Nitrates can be desorbed, and the adsorbent can be reused using 500 µL of NaOH solution 0.01 M, remaining unchanged for the first three cycles, and exhibiting 90% adsorption efficiency after three regenerations. A deep study on equilibrium isotherms reveals a pH-dependent behavior, characterized by Langmuir and Freundlich models at pH = 5 and pH = 1, respectively. Thermodynamic studies were consistent with physicochemical adsorption for all experiments but showed a change from endothermic to exothermic behavior as the temperature increases. Interference studies of other ions commonly present in water were carried out, enabling this procedure as very selective for nitrate ions. In addition, the method was applied to real samples of seawater, showing its ability to eliminate the total nitrate content in eutrophized waters.


Author(s):  
Mario Vincenzo Russo ◽  
Ivan Notardonato ◽  
Alberto Rosada ◽  
Giuseppe Ianiri ◽  
Pasquale Avino

This paper shows a characterization of the organic and inorganic fraction of river waters (Tiber and Marta) and ores/soil samples collected in the Northern Latium region of Italy for evaluating the anthropogenic/natural source contribution to the environmental pollution of this area. For organic compounds, organochloride volatile compounds in Tiber and Marta rivers were analyzed by two different clean-up methods (i.e., liquid–liquid extraction and static headspace) followed by gas chromatography–electron capture detector (GC-ECD) analysis. The results show very high concentrations of bromoform (up to 1.82 and 3.2 µg L−1 in Tiber and Marta rivers, respectively), due to the presence of greenhouse crops, and of chloroform and tetrachloroethene, due to the presence of handicrafts installations. For the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the inorganic fraction, it is highlighted the use of a nuclear analytical method, instrumental neutron activation analysis, which allows having more information as possible from the sample without performing any chemical-physical pretreatment. The results have evidenced high levels of mercury (mean value 88.6 µg g−1), antimony (77.7 µg g−1), strontium (12,039 µg g−1) and zinc (103 µg g−1), whereas rare earth elements show levels similar to the literature data. Particular consideration is drawn for arsenic (414 µg g−1): the levels found in this paper (ranging between 1 and 5100 µg g−1) explain the high content of such element (as arsenates) in the aquifer, a big issue in this area.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 3842
Author(s):  
Alessandro D’Alessandro ◽  
Daniele Ballestrieri ◽  
Lorenzo Strani ◽  
Marina Cocchi ◽  
Caterina Durante

Basil is a plant known worldwide for its culinary and health attributes. It counts more than a hundred and fifty species and many more chemo-types due to its easy cross-breeds. Each species and each chemo-type have a typical aroma pattern and selecting the proper one is crucial for the food industry. Twelve basil varieties have been studied over three years (2018–2020), as have four different cuts. To characterize the aroma profile, nine typical basil flavour molecules have been selected using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry coupled with an olfactometer (GC–MS/O). The concentrations of the nine selected molecules were measured by an ultra-fast CG e-nose and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to detect possible differences among the samples. The PCA results highlighted differences between harvesting years, mainly for 2018, whereas no observable clusters were found concerning varieties and cuts, probably due to the combined effects of the investigated factors. For this reason, the ANOVA Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA) methodology was applied on a balanced a posteriori designed dataset. All the considered factors and interactions were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in explaining differences between the basil aroma profiles, with more relevant effects of variety and year.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 324-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
X.T. Liew ◽  
K.C. Chan ◽  
L.B. Kong

This paper reports on the preparation and characterization of nickel ferrite (NiFe1.98O4) ceramics doped with Bi2O3 as sintering aid. Focus has been on the effects of concentration of Bi2O3 and sintering temperature on the densification, grain growth, dielectric, and magnetic properties of the NiFe1.98O4 ceramics, with an aim at developing magnetodielectric properties, with almost equal real permeability and permittivity, as well as sufficiently low magnetic and dielectric loss tangents, over 3 to 30 MHz (high frequency or HF band). X-ray diffraction results indicated that there is no obvious reaction between NiFe1.98O4 and Bi2O3, at Bi2O3 levels of up to 7 wt% and temperatures up to 1150 °C. The addition of Bi2O3 facilitated a liquid phase sintering mechanism for the densification of NiFe1.98O4 ceramics. The addition of Bi2O3 not only improved the densification but also promoted the grain growth of NiFe1.98O4 ceramics. To achieve sufficiently low dielectric loss tangent, the concentration of Bi2O3 should not be less than 5 wt%. The low dielectric loss tangents of the samples doped with high concentrations of Bi2O3 can be attributed to the full densification of the ceramics. Magnetic properties of the NiFe1.98O4 ceramics, as a function of sintering temperature and Bi2O3 concentration, can be qualitatively explained by the Globus model. Promising magnetodielectric properties have been obtained in the sample doped with 5% Bi2O3 and sintered at 1050 °C for 2 h. The sample has almost equal values of permeability and permittivity of ∼12, together with low dielectric and magnetic loss tangents, over 3 to 30 MHz. This material might be useful for the miniaturization of HF (3 to 30 MHz) antennas.


Author(s):  
E. López-Honorato ◽  
P. J. Meadows ◽  
J. Tan ◽  
Y. Xiang ◽  
P. Xiao

In this work we have deposited silicon carbide (SiC) at 1300°C with the addition of small amounts of propylene. The use of propylene and high concentrations of methyltrichlorosilane (9 vol %) allowed the deposition of superhard SiC coatings (42 GPa). The superhard SiC could result from the presence of a SiC–C solid solution, undetectable by X-ray diffraction but visible by Raman spectroscopy. Another sample obtained by the use of 50 vol % Argon, also showed the formation of SiC with good properties. The use of a flat substrate together with the particles showed the importance of carrying out the analysis on actual particles rather than in flat substrates. We show that it is possible to characterize the anisotropy of pyrolytic carbon by Raman spectroscopy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thitiwut Vongkampang ◽  
Krishnan Sreenivas ◽  
Jonathan Engvall ◽  
Carl Grey ◽  
Ed W. J. van Niel

Abstract Background Caldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis has gained interest for its ability to grow on various lignocellulosic biomass. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth profiles of C. kronotskyensis in the presence of mixtures of glucose–xylose. Recently, we characterized a diauxic-like pattern for C. saccharolyticus on lignocellulosic sugar mixtures. In this study, we aimed to investigate further whether C. kronotskyensis has adapted to uptake glucose in the disaccharide form (cellobiose) rather than the monosaccharide (glucose). Results Interestingly, growth of C. kronotskyensis on glucose and xylose mixtures did not display diauxic-like growth patterns. Closer investigation revealed that, in contrast to C. saccharolyticus, C. kronotskyensis does not possess a second uptake system for glucose. Both C. saccharolyticus and C. kronotskyensis share the characteristics of preferring xylose over glucose. Growth on xylose was twice as fast (μmax = 0.57 h−1) as on glucose (μmax = 0.28 h−1). A study of the sugar uptake was made with different glucose–xylose ratios to find a kinetic relationship between the two sugars for transport into the cell. High concentrations of glucose inhibited xylose uptake and vice versa. The inhibition constants were estimated to be KI,glu = 0.01 cmol L−1 and KI,xyl = 0.001 cmol L−1, hence glucose uptake was more severely inhibited by xylose uptake. Bioinformatics analysis could not exclude that C. kronotskyensis possesses more than one transporter for glucose. As a next step it was investigated whether glucose uptake by C. kronotskyensis improved in the form of cellobiose. Indeed, cellobiose is taken up faster than glucose; nevertheless, the growth rate on each sugar remained similar. Conclusions C. kronotskyensis possesses a xylose transporter that might take up glucose at an inferior rate even in the absence of xylose. Alternatively, glucose can be taken up in the form of cellobiose, but growth performance is still inferior to growth on xylose. Therefore, we propose that the catabolism of C. kronotskyensis has adapted more strongly to pentose rather than hexose, thereby having obtained a specific survival edge in thermophilic lignocellulosic degradation communities.


1976 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.R. Cook ◽  
I.A. Brazell ◽  
E. Jost

Structures resembling nuclei but depleted of protein may be released by gently lysing cells in solutions containing non-ionic detergents and high concentrations of salt. These nucleoids sediment in gradients containing intercalating agents in a manner characteristic of DNA that is intact, supercoiled and circular. The concentration of salt present during isolation of human nucleoids affects their protein content. When made in I-95 M NaCl they lack histones and most of the proteins characteristic of chromatin; in 1-0 M NaCl they contain variable amounts of histones. The effects of various treatments on nucleoid integrity were investigated.


2009 ◽  
Vol 192 (3) ◽  
pp. 834-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl M. Vahling ◽  
Yongping Duan ◽  
Hong Lin

ABSTRACT ATP/ADP translocases transport ATP across a lipid bilayer, which is normally impermeable to this molecule due to its size and charge. These transport proteins appear to be unique to mitochondria, plant plastids, and obligate intracellular bacteria. All bacterial ATP/ADP translocases characterized thus far have been found in endosymbionts of protozoa or pathogens of higher-order animals, including humans. A putative ATP/ADP translocase was uncovered during the genomic sequencing of the intracellular plant pathogen “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus,” the causal agent of citrus huanglongbing. Bioinformatic analysis of the protein revealed 12 transmembrane helices and predicted an isoelectric point of 9.4, both of which are characteristic of this family of proteins. The “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus” gene (nttA) encoding the translocase was subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli and shown to enable E. coli to import ATP directly into the cell. Competition assays with the heterologous E. coli system demonstrated that the translocase was highly specific for ATP and ADP but that other nucleotides, if present in high concentrations, could also be taken up and/or block the ability of the translocase to import ATP. In addition, a protein homologous to NttA was identified in “Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum,” the bacterium associated with potato zebra chip disease. This is the first reported characterization of an ATP translocase from “Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus,” indicating that some intracellular bacteria of plants also have the potential to import ATP directly from their environment.


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