Cytochemical changes in the developmental process of Nostoc sphaeroides (cyanobacterium)

There are several apparent developmental stages in the life cycle of Nostoc sphaeroides Kutzing, an edible cyanobacterium found mainly in paddy fields in central China. The cytochemical changes in developmental stages such as hormogonia, aseriate stage, filamentous stage and colony in N. sphaeroides were examined using fluorescent staining and colorimetric methods. The staining of acidic and sulfated polysaccharides increased with development when hormogonia were used as the starting point. Acidic polysaccharides (AP) were most abundant at the aseriate stage and then decreased, while the sulfated polysaccharides (SP) were highest at the colony stage. Quantitatively, along the developmental process from hormogonia to colony, total carbohydrates first increased, then became stable, and then reached their highest level at the colony stage, while reducing sugars were highest at the hormogonia stage and then decreased sharply once development began. SP were not detectable in the hot water soluble polysaccharides (HWSP), and hormogonia had the lowest content of AP, while old colonies had the highest. The AP content of the aseriate stage, filamentous stage and young colony stage were very similar. The evolutionary relationships reflected in the developmental stages of N. sphaeroides are discussed.

UV-B-induced Oxidative Damage and Protective Role of Exopolysaccharides in Desert Cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatus

UV-B-induced oxidative damage and the protective effect of exopolysaccharides (EPS) in Microcoleus vaginatus, a cyanobacterium isolated from desert crust, were investigated. After being irradiated with UV-B radiation, photosynthetic activity (Fv/Fm), cellular total carbohydrates, EPS and sucrose production of irradiated cells decreased, while reducing sugars, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, malondialdehyde (MDA) production and DNA strand breaks increased significantly. However, when pretreated with 100 mg/L exogenous EPS, EPS production in the culture medium of UV-B stressed cells decreased significantly; Fv/Fm, cellular total carbohydrates, reducing sugars and sucrose synthase (SS) activity of irradiated cells increased significantly, while ROS generation, MDA production and DNA strand breaks of irradiated cells decreased significantly. The results suggested that EPS exhibited a significant protective effect on DNA strand breaks and lipid peroxidation by effectively eliminating ROS induced by UV-B radiation in M. vaginatus.

Effects of salt stress on carbohydrate metabolism in desert soil alga Microcoleus vaginatus Gom.

The effects of salt stress on carbohydrate metabolism in Microcoleus vaginatus Gom., a cyanobacterium isolated from desert algal crusts, were investigated in the present study. Extracellular total carbohydrates and exopolysaccharides (EPS) in the culture medium produced by M. vaginatus increased significantly during the growth phase and reached a maximum during the stationary phase. The production of extracellular carbohydrates also significantly increased under higher salt concentrations, which was attributed to an increase in low molecular weight carbohydrates. In the presence of NaCl, the production of cellular total carbohydrates decreased and photosynthetic activity was impaired, whereas cellular reducing sugars, water-soluble sugars and sucrose content and sucrose phosphate synthase activity increased, reaching a maximum in the presence of 200 mmol/L NaCl. These parameters were restored to original levels when the algae were transferred to a non-saline medium. Sodium and K+ concentrations of stressed cells decreased significantly and H+-ATPase activity increased after the addition of exogenous sucrose or EPS. The results suggest that EPS and sucrose are synthesized to maintain the cellular osmotic equilibrium between the intra- and extracellular environment, thus protecting algal cells from osmotic damage, which was attributed to the selective exclusion of cellular Na+ and K+ by H+-ATPase.

鲜甘薯快速乙醇发酵条件的初步研究

本文对不同菌种（酵母菌和运动发酵单胞菌）快速生产燃料乙醇的条件进行了研究，实现了鲜甘薯快速转化为燃料乙醇。全文分为两部分： 第一部分：酵母菌快速生产燃料乙醇的条件研究。通过单因素试验，酵母菌快速生产燃料乙醇的条件为：发酵方式采用边糖化边发酵（SSF），蒸煮温度为85 ℃，料水比2:1（初始糖浓度 210 g/kg），糖化酶用量0.75 AGU/g 鲜甘薯，接种量10%（v/w）。在最优条件下，经过24 h发酵，乙醇浓度可达97.44 g/kg, 发酵效率为92%，发酵强度为4.06 g/kg/h。由于采用了低温蒸煮和SSF，可以大大节约能耗，从而降低乙醇生产的成本。同时，利用摇瓶优化的条件，进行了10 L，100 L，500 L发酵罐的放大试验，由于发酵罐初期可以人为通氧，使菌体能迅速积累，发酵时间缩短2 h，发酵效率在90%以上。 第二部分：运动发酵单胞菌快速生产燃料乙醇条件研究。通过单因素试验和正交试验获得了发酵的最佳参数：初始pH值6.0-7.0，硫酸铵5.0 g/kg，糖化酶量1.6 AUG/kg淀粉，初始糖浓度200 g/kg，接种量12.5%（v/w）。经过21 h发酵，乙醇浓度为95.15 g/kg，发酵效率可达94%。同时对不灭菌发酵也进行了研究，发酵效率可达92%。为鲜甘薯运动发酵单胞菌燃料乙醇的工业化生产打下基础。 对发酵结束后的残糖进行了研究。通过薄层层析和葡萄氧化酶测定证明：无论是酵母菌还是运动发酵单胞菌发酵结束后的发酵液中都不含葡萄糖。经过HPLC进一步分析残糖说明：发酵液中已没有葡萄糖成分；经糖化酶水解后仍没有葡萄糖出现；但经酸水解后又出现了葡萄糖，说明结束后的残糖是一些低聚糖结构。有关残糖的结构需要进一步研究。可以通过开发高效的低聚糖水解酶来降低发酵液的残糖，提高原料的利用率。 A new technology for rapid production fuel ethanol from fresh sweet potato by different microorganisms (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis) was gained in this research. The paper involved two parts: Part 1: The study on fuel ethanol rapid production from fresh sweet potato by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The following parameters of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated by a series of experiments: fermentation models, cooking temperature, initial sugar concentration and glucoamylase dosage. The results showed that SSF (simultaneous saccharification and fermentation) not only reduced the fermentation time (from 30 to 24h) but also enhanced the ethanol concentration (from 73.56 to 95.96 g/kg). With low-temperature-cooking (85 ℃) using SSF, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae was able to produce ethanol 97.44 g/kg which the fermentation yield could reach to 92% and ethanol productivity 4.06 g/kg/h from sweet potato enzymatic hydrolysis. Furthermore, the savings in energy by carrying out the cooking (85 ℃) and saccharification (30 ℃) step at low temperature had been realized. The results were also verified in 10 L, 100 L and 500 L fermentor. The fermentation yield was no less than 90%. The fermentation time of fermenter was shorter than Erlenmeyer flask. This may be that the aeration in the early fermentation period is available, which lead to the rapidly commutations of biomass. Part 2: The technology of ethanol rapid production with simultaneous saccharification and fermentation ( SSF ) by Zymomonas mobilis，using fresh sweet potato as raw material was studied. The effects of various factors on the yield of ethanol were investigated by the single factor and the orthogonal experiments. As a result, the optimal technical conditions were obtained from those experiments：initial pH value 6.0-7.0, nitride 5.0 g/kg，(NH4)2SO4, glucoamylase 1.6 AUG/kg starch, inoculums concentration 12.5% (v/w). The Zymomonas mobilis was able to produce ethanol 95.15 g/kg, with 94% of the theoretical yield, from fresh sweet potato after 24 h fermentation. The fermentation efficiency of non-sterilized was also reach to 92%. We also analyzed the final fermentation residual sugars of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis. When the residual sugars were analyzed by thin-layer chromatogram and glucose oxidase, there was no glucose. The analysis of reducing sugars by HPLC showed that there was no glucose existed in the fermentation liquor. However, the glucose appeared after being hydrolyzed by acid. It is indicated that the residual sugars in the final fermentation liquor were the configuration of oligosaccharide, which was linked by the special glycosidic bonds. It was feasible for reducing residual sugars to develope the enzyme that can degradation the oligosaccharide.

Reducing organic substances from anaerobic decomposition of hydrophytes

Oxidation-reduction properties of surface sediments are tightly associated with the geochemistry of substances, and reducing organic substances (ROS) from hydrophytes residues may play an important role in these processes. In this study, composition, dynamics, and properties of ROS from anaerobic decomposition of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, Potamogenton crispus Linn, Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara, Lemna trisulca Linn and Microcystis flos-aquae (Wittr) Kirch were investigated using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The type of hydrophytes determined both the reducibility and composition of ROS. At the peak time of ROS production, the anaerobic decomposition of M. flos-aquae produced 6 types of ROS, among which 3 belonged to strongly reducing organic substance (SROS), whereas there were only 3-4 types of ROS from the other hydrophytes, 2 of them exhibiting strong reducibility. The order of potential of hydrophytes to produce ROS was estimated to be: M. flos-aquae > E. crassipes > L. trisulca > P. crispus approximate to V. natans, based on the summation of SROS and weakly reducing organic substances (WROS). The dynamic pattern of SROS production was greatly different from WROS. The total SROS appeared periodic fluctuation with reducibility gradually weakening with incubation time, whereas the total WROS increased with incubation time. Reducibility of ROS from hydrophytes was readily affected by acid, base and ligands, suggesting that their properties were related to these aspects. In addition to the reducibility, we believe that more attention should be paid to the other behaviors of ROS in surface sediments.

Evaluation of 28 marine algae from the Qingdao coast for antioxidative capacity and determination of antioxidant efficiency and total phenolic content of fractions and subfractions derived from Symphyocladia latiuscula (Rhodomelaceae)

The extracts obtained from 28 species of marine algae were evaluated for their antioxidant activity (AA) versus the positive controls butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), gallic acid (GA), and ascorbic acid (AscA). Most of the tested samples displayed antioxidant activity to various degrees. Among them, the extract of Symphyocladia latiuscula exhibited the strongest AA, which was comparable to BHT, GA, and AscA in radical scavenging activity, as shown in the DPPH (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl) assay, and higher than those of the positive controls in beta-carotene-linoleate assay system. In addition, the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction isolated from the crude extract of S. latiuscula exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in both assay systems. This fraction was further fractionated into seven subfractions (F1-F7) by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC). F1 and F4 were found to be the most effective subfractions in scavenging DPPH radical assay and in the beta-carotene-linoleate assay, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) and reducing power (RP) for all of the extracts, fractions, and subfractions (F1-F7) were also determined. The TPC of the 28 extracts ranged from 0.10 to 8.00 gallic acid equivalents (mg/g seaweed dry weight) while the RP ranged from 0.07 to 11.60 ascorbic acid equivalents (mg center dot g(-1) seaweed dry weight). Highly positive relationships between AA and TPC as well as between AA and RP were found for the extracts and fractions, while for the subfractions F1-F7 only weak or no such relations were found. The results obtained from this study indicate that further analysis is needed of those marine algal species that contain the most antioxidant activity in order to identify the active principles.

Biosensor with Total Internal reflection Imaging Ellipsometry

In order to monitor multiple protein reaction processes simultaneously, a biosensor based on imaging ellipsometry operated in the total internal reflection mode is proposed. It could be realised as an automatic analysis for protein interaction processes with real-time label-free method. Its principle and methodology as well as a demonstration for its applications are presented.

Revelation of a Functional Dependence of the Sum of Two Uniaxial Strengths/Hardness on Elastic Work/Total Work of Indentation

Dimensional and finite element analyses were used to analyze the relationship between the mechanical properties and instrumented indentation response of materials. Results revealed the existence of a functional dependence of (engineering yield strength sigma(E,y) + engineering tensile strength sigma(E,b))/Oliver & Pharr hardness on the ratio of reversible elastic work to total work obtained from an indentation test. The relationship links up the Oliver & Pharr hardness with the material strengths, although the Oliver & Pharr hardness may deviate from the true hardness when sinking in or piling up occurs. The functional relationship can further be used to estimate the SUM sigma(E,y) + sigma(E,b) according to the data of an instrumented indentation test. The sigma(E,y) + sigma(E,b) value better reflects the strength of a material compared to the hardness value alone. The method was shown to be effective when applied to aluminum alloys. The relationship can further be used to estimate the fatigue limits, which are usually obtained from macroscopic fatigue tests in different modes.