scholarly journals Alcohol dehydrogenases AdhE and AdhB with broad substrate ranges are important enzymes for organic acid reduction in Thermoanaerobacter sp. strain X514

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Hitschler ◽  
Laura Sofie Nissen ◽  
Michelle Kuntz ◽  
Mirko Basen

Abstract Background The industrial production of various alcohols from organic carbon compounds may be performed at high rates and with a low risk of contamination using thermophilic microorganisms as whole-cell catalysts. Thermoanaerobacter species that thrive around 50–75 °C not only perform fermentation of sugars to alcohols, but some also utilize different organic acids as electron acceptors, reducing them to their corresponding alcohols. Results We purified AdhE as the major NADH- and AdhB as the major NADPH-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from the cell extract of the organic acid-reducing Thermoanaerobacter sp. strain X514. Both enzymes were present in high amounts during growth on glucose with and without isobutyrate, had broad substrate spectra including different aldehydes, with high affinities (< 1 mM) for acetaldehyde and for NADH (AdhE) or NADPH (AdhB). Both enzymes were highly thermostable at the physiological temperature of alcohol production. In addition to AdhE and AdhB, we identified two abundant AdhA-type ADHs based on their genes, which were recombinantly produced and biochemically characterized. The other five ADHs encoded in the genome were only expressed at low levels. Conclusions According to their biochemical and kinetic properties, AdhE and AdhB are most important for ethanol formation from sugar and reduction of organic acids to alcohols, while the role of the two AdhA-type enzymes is less clear. AdhE is the only abundant aldehyde dehydrogenase for the acetyl-CoA reduction to aldehydes, however, acid reduction may also proceed directly by aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. The role of the latter in bio-alcohol formation from sugar and in organic acid reduction needs to be elucidated in future studies.

Biologia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Radhouane Chaffai ◽  
Tinni Nouhou Seybou ◽  
Brahim Marzouk ◽  
Ezzedine Ferjani

AbstractWe have studied the effect of Al on growth and morphology of maize seedlings (Zea mays L.), the changes in organic acid content as well as the role of application of exogenous citrate in enhancing the Al tolerance. Al treatment induced inhibition of root growth, causing morphological symptoms of Al toxicity. Al decreased significantly the malate content in roots compared to control plants. However, the citrate and total organic acids did not show any change, indicating that one mechanism underlying plant defense may involve the maintenance a normal levels of organic acids in roots. The succinate content increased in roots at 1000 µmol L−1 Al, while that of lactate decreased. However, 500 and 1000 µmol L−1 Al significantly increased the total organic acid in shoots, due to an increase in the succinate and malate contents. By contrast, the citrate and lactate levels decreased at 250 and 500 µmol L−1 Al. To investigate the role of citrate in enhancing the plant growth, citrate was supplied to nutrient medium containing 500 µmol L−1 Al at different Al:Citrate ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3). The addition of citrate in the nutrient solution resulted in an alleviation of Al toxicity, with the maximal effect obtained at Al:Citrate ratio of 1:2. These data provide evidence that in maize, the organic acids, mainly citrate play an important role in enabling the plant to tolerate elevated exposure to Al concentration.


HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 957-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth DeBolt ◽  
Renata Ristic ◽  
Patrick G. Iland ◽  
Christopher M. Ford

The response of grape berries at a cellular level to environmental change was explored with particular emphasis on physiological changes such as weight, sugar content, and the biosynthesis of organic acids. Three levels of light were used: highly exposed, moderately exposed, and light-excluding boxes (1% ambient with no change in temperature effect). Berry weight was significantly lower in light-excluding boxes than in exposed bunch treatments. Organic acid content and berry development were followed throughout the growing season. Light exclusion resulted in a significant reduction of both tartaric acid and oxalic acid compared with highly exposed fruit, suggesting that in this experiment, light irradiance influenced accumulation of these metabolites. In contrast, malic acid was broken down postveraison at a dramatically slower rate in light exclusion treatments. The sink properties of grape berries appear to change according to the light received by the bunch. These data imply that cluster shading significantly reduced berry size and suggest the role of organic acids as osmotica.


2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Nikitin ◽  
Alexandra M. Freund

Abstract. Establishing new social relationships is important for mastering developmental transitions in young adulthood. In a 2-year longitudinal study with four measurement occasions (T1: n = 245, T2: n = 96, T3: n = 103, T4: n = 85), we investigated the role of social motives in college students’ mastery of the transition of moving out of the parental home, using loneliness as an indicator of poor adjustment to the transition. Students with strong social approach motivation reported stable and low levels of loneliness. In contrast, students with strong social avoidance motivation reported high levels of loneliness. However, this effect dissipated relatively quickly as most of the young adults adapted to the transition over a period of several weeks. The present study also provides evidence for an interaction between social approach and social avoidance motives: Social approach motives buffered the negative effect on social well-being of social avoidance motives. These results illustrate the importance of social approach and social avoidance motives and their interplay during developmental transitions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasida Ben-Zur

Abstract. The current study investigated the associations of psychological resources, social comparisons, and temporal comparisons with general wellbeing. The sample included 142 community participants (47.9% men; age range 23–83 years), who compared themselves with others, and with their younger selves, on eight dimensions (e.g., physical health, resilience). They also completed questionnaires assessing psychological resources of mastery and self-esteem, and three components of subjective wellbeing: life satisfaction and negative and positive affect. The main results showed that high levels of psychological resources contributed to wellbeing, with self-enhancing social and temporal comparisons moderating the effects of resources on certain wellbeing components. Specifically, under low levels of mastery or self-esteem self-enhancing social or temporal comparisons were related to either higher life satisfaction or positive affect. The results highlight the role of resources and comparisons in promoting people’s wellbeing, and suggest that self-enhancing comparisons function as cognitive coping mechanisms when psychological resources are low.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-37
Author(s):  
Andreea Gheorghe ◽  
Oana Fodor ◽  
Anișoara Pavelea

This study explores the association between task conflict and team creativity and the role of group cognitive complexity (GCC) as a potential explanatory mechanism in a sample of 159 students organized in 49 groups. Moreover, we analyzed the moderating effect of collective emotional intelligence (CEI)in the relationship between task conflict and GCC.As hypothesized, we found that task conflict has a nonlinear relationship with GCC, but contrary to our expectations, it follows a U-shaped association, not an inversed U-shape. In addition,the moderating role of CEI was significant only at low levels. Contrary to our expectation, the mediating role of GCC did not receive empirical support. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 209-210
Author(s):  
Casey L Bradley ◽  
Jon Bergstrom ◽  
Jeremiah Nemechek ◽  
J D Hahn

Abstract A subset of 720 weaned pigs (6.44 ± 0.1 kg, PIC genetics, approximately 21-d of age) were used in a 42-d trial with a 2x3 factorial design evaluating the effects of adding organic acid (OA) blends [factor 1 = no organic acid (NO), Acid Pak 1 (AP1), Acid Pak 2 (AP2)] to diets with or without higher levels of Zn or Cu [factor 2 = +/-PZC] on pig performance. Pigs were allotted 10 pigs/pen to 12 weight blocks and randomly assigned the six dietary treatments. The +PZC diets contained 3000 ppm Zn (d 0-7), 2000 ppm Zn (d 8-21), and 250 ppm Cu (d 21-42) and -PZC diets contained 95 ppm Zn and 20 ppm Cu (d 0-42). The AP1 and AP2 diets used 0.9% of 2 acid premixes (d 0-21), and 0.45% of the premixes (day 22-42). AP1 provided 0.5% benzoic acid, 0.07% sodium butyrate, and 0.025% phosphoric acid (day 0-21) and half those levels (day 22-42). AP2 included the same acids as AP1 but at half the rate and combined with 7 other organic acids and carvacrol. From d 0-21, ADG, ADFI, and G:F were improved (P&lt; 0.01) by +PZC compared to -PZC and by AP1 or AP2 compared to NO (P&lt; 0.02). Overall (d 0-42), ADG and G:F were improved (P&lt; 0.01) by +PZC compared to -PZC and by AP1 or AP2 compared to NO (P&lt; .010). Data from this trial indicate that performance was improved by the addition of both OA and PZC. However, pigs fed OA and -PZC performed similarly to those fed NO and +PZC in the post-weaning period. In summary, regardless of the acid combination, organic acid supplementation has the potential to improve growth performance in weaned pigs.


Author(s):  
Haocheng Luo ◽  
Qingqi Liu ◽  
Chengfu Yu ◽  
Yangang Nie

Parental warmth plays an important role in the development of adolescents’ physical and mental health. There are numerous empirical studies indicating a relationship between parental warmth and prosocial behavior among adolescents, although the underlying mechanisms of this association remain unclear. Adopting a longitudinal design across two time points, the present study proposes a moderated mediation model to explore the mediating role of gratitude and the moderating role of the school climate between parental warmth and prosocial behavior. The sample consisted of 943 participants (483 boys and 451 girls) who participated in the second assessment and completed questionnaires assessing gratitude, school climate, and prosocial behavior in April 2019. Their parents participated in the first assessment and completed a questionnaire pertaining to parental warmth in October 2018. After controlling for the gender and age of the adolescents, the results showed that the positive association between parental warmth and prosocial behavior is mediated by gratitude, and school climate does play a moderating role in the second half of the mediating path. Specifically, the school climate can play a protective role in adolescents with low levels of gratitude. For adolescents with less gratitude, a strong school climate can promote more prosocial behaviors and can effectively alleviate the negative prediction of low levels of gratitude. This study provides a theoretical explanation for the generation of adolescents’ prosocial behavior and provides theoretical guidance for the interventions of schools and parents.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Della-Morte ◽  
Francesca Pacifici ◽  
Camillo Ricordi ◽  
Renato Massoud ◽  
Valentina Rovella ◽  
...  

AbstractThe pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and especially of its complications is still not fully understood. In fact, a very high number of patients with COVID-19 die because of thromboembolic causes. A role of plasminogen, as precursor of fibrinolysis, has been hypothesized. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between plasminogen levels and COVID-19-related outcomes in a population of 55 infected Caucasian patients (mean age: 69.8 ± 14.3, 41.8% female). Low levels of plasminogen were significantly associated with inflammatory markers (CRP, PCT, and IL-6), markers of coagulation (D-dimer, INR, and APTT), and markers of organ dysfunctions (high fasting blood glucose and decrease in the glomerular filtration rate). A multidimensional analysis model, including the correlation of the expression of coagulation with inflammatory parameters, indicated that plasminogen tended to cluster together with IL-6, hence suggesting a common pathway of activation during disease’s complication. Moreover, low levels of plasminogen strongly correlated with mortality in COVID-19 patients even after multiple adjustments for presence of confounding. These data suggest that plasminogen may play a pivotal role in controlling the complex mechanisms beyond the COVID-19 complications, and may be useful both as biomarker for prognosis and for therapeutic target against this extremely aggressive infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7360
Author(s):  
Angie De La Cruz ◽  
Aubrey Hargrave ◽  
Sri Magadi ◽  
Justin A. Courson ◽  
Paul T. Landry ◽  
...  

Platelet extravasation during inflammation is under-appreciated. In wild-type (WT) mice, a central corneal epithelial abrasion initiates neutrophil (PMN) and platelet extravasation from peripheral limbal venules. The same injury in mice expressing low levels of the β2-integrin, CD18 (CD18hypo mice) shows reduced platelet extravasation with PMN extravasation apparently unaffected. To better define the role of CD18 on platelet extravasation, we focused on two relevant cell types expressing CD18: PMNs and mast cells. Following corneal abrasion in WT mice, we observed not only extravasated PMNs and platelets but also extravasated erythrocytes (RBCs). Ultrastructural observations of engorged limbal venules showed platelets and RBCs passing through endothelial pores. In contrast, injured CD18hypo mice showed significantly less venule engorgement and markedly reduced platelet and RBC extravasation; mast cell degranulation was also reduced compared to WT mice. Corneal abrasion in mast cell-deficient (KitW-sh/W-sh) mice showed less venule engorgement, delayed PMN extravasation, reduced platelet and RBC extravasation and delayed wound healing compared to WT mice. Finally, antibody-induced depletion of circulating PMNs prior to corneal abrasion reduced mast cell degranulation, venule engorgement, and extravasation of PMNs, platelets, and RBCs. In summary, in the injured cornea, platelet and RBC extravasation depends on CD18, PMNs, and mast cell degranulation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Canny ◽  
ME Mccully

Three methods of sampling xylem sap of maize roots were compared: sap bleeding from the stem cut just above the ground; sap bleeding from the cut tops of roots still undisturbed in the ground; and sap aspirated from excavated roots under reduced pressure. The bleeding saps were often unobtainable. When their composition was measured with time from cutting, the concentrations of the major solutes approximately doubled in 2 h. Aspirated sap was chosen as the most reliable sample of root xylem contents. Solute concentrations of the saps showed great variability between individual roots for all solutes, but on average the concentrations found (in �mol g-1 sap) were: total amino acids, 1.8; nitrate, 1.8; sugars (mainly sucrose), 5.4; total organic acids, 18.3. Individual amino acids also varied greatly between roots. Glutamine, aspartic acid and serine were generally most abundant. The principal organic acid found was malic, approximately 8 �mol g-1. From these analyses the ratios of carbon in the fractions (sugars : amino acids : organic acids) = (44 : 6 : 50). 14Carbon pulse fed to a leaf appeared in the root sap within 30 min, rose to a peak at 4-6 h, and declined slowly over a week. During all this time the neutral, cation and anion fractions were sensibly constant in the proportions 86 : 10 : 4. The 14C therefore did not move towards the equilibrium of 12C-compounds in the sap. It is argued that the results do not support a hypothesis of formation of amino carbon from recent assimilate and reduced nitrate in the roots and an export of this to the shoot in the transpiration stream.


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