Cassava wastewater as a substrate for the simultaneous production of rhamnolipids and polyhydroxyalkanoates by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Glycerol, cassava wastewater (CW), waste cooking oil and CW with waste frying oils were evaluated as alternative low-cost carbon substrates for the production of rhamnolipids and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by various Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. The polymers and surfactants produced were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (MS) and by high-performance liquid chromatography-MS, and their composition was found to vary with the carbon source and the strain used in the fermentation. The best overall production of rhamnolipids and PHAs was obtained with CW with frying oil as the carbon source, with PHA production corresponding to 39% of the cell dry weight and rhamnolipid production being 660 mg l(-1). Under these conditions, the surface tension of the culture decreased to 30 mN m(-1), and the critical micelle concentration was 26.5 mg l(-1). It would appear that CW with frying oil has the highest potential as an alternative substrate, and its use may contribute to a reduction in the overall environmental impact generated by discarding such residues.

Thermal and mechanical shocks affecting the first flush of production of Lentinula edodes on Eucalyptus saligna logs

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do choque térmico e mecânico na produtividade de Lentinula edodes em 140 toras de Eucalyptus saligna, completamente colonizadas pelo fungo, em diferentes tempos de imersão em água e no primeiro fluxo de produção. As toras foram imersas em água resfriada (16ºC) ou à temperatura ambiente (22ºC); os períodos de imersão corresponderam a 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 e 38 horas; o choque mecânico foi acompanhado por três quedas consecutivas da tora, em posição vertical, no chão. A temperatura da água e o tempo de imersão afetaram a produção de L. edodes, resultando em aumentos significativos (2 a 4 vezes) nos tratamentos em que as toras foram submetidas à água resfriada e nos tempos de imersão mais curtos (6 e 10 horas). O choque mecânico não resultou em aumento na produção de basidiomas.

Nutrient contents and production of rocket as affected by nitrogen concentrations in the nutritive solution

O empirismo no uso das soluções nutritivas é freqüente. Muitas vezes a mesma solução nutritiva é usada para diferentes espécies baseando-se apenas em semelhanças morfológicas. No entanto esta situação pode proporcionar desequilíbrio nutricional prejudicando tanto a produção quanto a qualidade do produto face o acúmulo de nitrato. Foi conduzido um trabalho em sistema hidropônico - NFT, com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da concentração de nitrogênio na solução nutritiva na produção, nos teores de nutrientes e de nitrato em folhas de rúcula (Eruca sativa). O trabalho foi conduzido na primavera de 2003. Foram avaliadas quatro concentrações de nitrogênio na solução nutritiva (60,8; 121,6; 182,5; 243,5 mg L-1) e três cultivares de rúcula (Cultivada, Folha Larga e Selvática), sob delineamento de blocos ao acaso, fatorial 4 x 3, com quatro repetições. A cv. Cultivada apresentou maior estatura e fitomassa fresca de folhas, não diferindo da 'Folha Larga' quanto a número de folhas, teor de nitrato nas folhas e fitomassa seca e fresca da raiz. Houve incremento de NO3-, N, Ca e P e diminuição de Mg, K e S com o aumento da concentração de N na solução nutritiva. O cultivo da cv. Cultivada na concentração de 93 mg L-1 é a mais recomendada em função da maior produtividade e baixo teor de nitrato.

High-level production of functional muscle alpha-tropomyosin in Pichia pastoris

Although numerous studies have reported the production of skeletal muscle alpha -tropomyosin in E. coli, the protein needs to be modified at the amino terminus in order to be active. Without these modifications the protein does not bind to actin, does not exhibit head-to-tail polymerization, and does not inhibit the actomyosin Mg2+-ATPase in the absence of troponin. on the other hand, the protein produced in insect cells using baculovirus as an expression vector (Urbancikova, M., and Hitchcock-DeGregori, S. E., J. Biol. Chem., 269, 24310-24315, 1994) is only partially acetylated at its amino terminal and therefore is not totally functional. In an attempt to produce an unmodified functional recombinant muscle alpha -tropomyosin for structure-function correlation studies we have expressed the chicken skeletal alpha -tropomyosin cDNA in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Recombinant protein was produced at a high level (20 mg/L) and was similar to the wild type muscle protein in its ability to polymerize, to bind to actin and to regulate the actomyosin S1 Mg2+-ATPase. (C) 2001 Academic Press.

Production of polysaccharidases in different carbon sources by Leucoagaricus gongylophorus Moller (Singer), the symbiotic fungus of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens linnaeus

Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the fungus cultured by the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens, produces polysaccharidases that degrade leaf components by generating nutrients believed to be essential for ant nutrition. We evaluated pectinase, amylase, xylanase, and cellulase production by L. gongylophorus in laboratory cultures and found that polysaccharidases are produced during fungal growth on pectin, starch, cellulose, xylan, or glucose but not cellulase, whose production is inhibited during fungal growth on xylan. Pectin was the carbon source that best stimulated the production of enzymes, which showed that pectinase had the highest production activity of all of the carbon sources tested, indicating that the presence of pectin and the production of pectinase are key features for symbiotic nutrition on plant material. During growth on starch and cellulose, polysaccharidase production level was intermediate, although during growth on xylan and glucose, enzyme production was very low. We propose a possible profile of polysaccharide degradation inside the nest, where the fungus is cultured on the foliar substrate.

Effects of row spacing and intercrop on maize grain yield and forage production of palisade grass

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of soybean oil and Tween 80 on the production of botryosphaeran by Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05

The addition of soybean oil and Tween 80 was evaluated with the objective of increasing the production of botryosphaeran, an exopolysaccharide (EPS) of the (1 -> 3 ;1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucan type produced by the fungus Botowsphaeria rhodina MAMB-05. Factorial design and analysis by response surface methodology was developed to select the main factors that would affect and enhance EPS production. The optimized culture conditions were: 40g l(-1) glucose with 10ml l(-1) soybean oil, and 4.5 ml l(-1) Tween 80, during 72h cultivation at 28 degrees C (180 rpm) and initial pH 5.7. The predicted result for botryosphaeran production was 8.22 +/- 1.36 g l(-1), and compared with the experimental value of 7.74 +/- 0.13 g l(-1) . Partial characterization of the botryosphaeran produced under the optimized conditions showed one type of polysaccharide with P-glycosidic linkages containing glucose as monosaccharide. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Botryosphaeran, a new substrate for the production of beta-1,3-glucanases by Botryosphaeria rhodina and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai

Botryosphaeria rhodina and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai were grown on botryosphaeran (an exopolysaccharide (EPS) of the beta-1,3; 1,6-D-Glucan type produced by B. rhodina) as sole carbon source with the objective of producing beta-glucanases of the beta-type. Conditions for beta-1,3-glucanase production by T harzianum were examined by a statistical response surface method, and showed maximal enzyme production at 5 days growth in media containing 1.5 g/1 of EPS. Good agreement was obtained between the experimental values of beta-1, 3-glucanase activity and the corresponding values predicted by the mathernatical model. The crude beta-1,3-glucanase preparations were active towards a number of different beta-1,3-glucans and beta-glucosides. The mycelium of B. rhodina also proved to be a good substrate for beta-1,3-glucanase production by both fungal species. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of therapeutic plasma concentrations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the production of reactive oxygen species by activated rat neutrophils

The release of reactive oxygen specie (ROS) by activated neutrophil is involved in both the antimicrobial and deleterious effects in chronic inflammation. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the effect of therapeutic plasma concentrations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the production of ROS by stimulated rat neutrophils. Diclofenac (3.6 µM), indomethacin (12 µM), naproxen (160 µM), piroxicam (13 µM), and tenoxicam (30 µM) were incubated at 37ºC in PBS (10 mM), pH 7.4, for 30 min with rat neutrophils (1 x 10(6) cells/ml) stimulated by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (100 nM). The ROS production was measured by luminol and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence. Except for naproxen, NSAIDs reduced ROS production: 58 ± 2% diclofenac, 90 ± 2% indomethacin, 33 ± 3% piroxicam, and 45 ± 6% tenoxicam (N = 6). For the lucigenin assay, naproxen, piroxicam and tenoxicam were ineffective. For indomethacin the inhibition was 52 ± 5% and diclofenac showed amplification in the light emission of 181 ± 60% (N = 6). Using the myeloperoxidase (MPO)/H2O2/luminol system, the effects of NSAIDs on MPO activity were also screened. We found that NSAIDs inhibited both the peroxidation and chlorinating activity of MPO as follows: diclofenac (36 ± 10, 45 ± 3%), indomethacin (97 ± 2, 100 ± 1%), naproxen (56 ± 8, 76 ± 3%), piroxicam (77 ± 5, 99 ± 1%), and tenoxicam (90 ± 2, 100 ± 1%), respectively (N = 3). These results show that therapeutic levels of NSAIDs are able to suppress the oxygen-dependent antimicrobial or oxidative functions of neutrophils by inhibiting the generation of hypochlorous acid.

Occurrence of consonant production errors in liquid phonemes in children with operated cleft lip and palate

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of Superovulatory Protocols on In Vitro Production of Nellore (Bos indicus) Embryos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of culture conditions on the production of inulinase by Kluyveromyces marxianus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of C/N Ratio and Physicochemical Conditions on the production of Rhamnolipids by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa LBI

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Production of xylanolytic enzymes by Penicillium janczewskii

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)