RESUMEN
Two chromophoric congeners derived from indenoquinoxaline and oxadiazole are designed, synthesized and characterized for their multi-photon properties in the femtosecond time domain. These two model structures are experimentally found to exhibit strong and widely distributed two- and three-photon activities within the spectral range of 680-1500 nm and the larger congener manifests maximum two- and three-photon absorption cross-section values of 2120 GM (at 750 nm) and â¼85 × 10-80 cm6 s2 (at 1280 nm), respectively. Both two- and three-photon absorption-based optical power-limiting performance of a representative model compound are also evaluated and demonstrated.
RESUMEN
This study explored the influence of various culture conditions on the biomass, lipid content, production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and fatty acid composition of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei strain BL10. The variables examined in this study include the species and concentration of salt, the concentrations of the two substrates glucose and yeast extract, the level of dissolved oxygen, the cerulenin treatment, and the stages of BL10 growth. Our results demonstrate that BL10 culture produces maximum biomass when salinity levels are between 0.2 and 3.0%. Decreasing salinity to 0.1% resulted in a considerable decrease in the biomass, lipid content, DHA production, and DHA to palmitic acid (PA) (DHA/PA) ratio, signifying deterioration in the quality of the oil produced. The addition of 0.9% sodium sulfate to replenish salinity from 0.1% to 1.0% successfully recovered biomass, lipid content and DHA production levels; however, this also led to a decrease in DHA/PA ratio. An increase in oxygen and cerulenin levels resulted in a concomitant decrease in the DHA to docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) (DHA/DPA) ratio in BL10 oil. Furthermore, the DHA/DPA and DHA/PA ratios varied considerably before and after the termination of cell division, which occurred around the 24 hour mark. These results could serve as a foundation for elucidating the biochemistry underlying the accumulation of lipids, and a definition of the extrinsic (environmental or nutritional) and intrinsic (cell growth stage) factors that influence lipid quality and the production of DHA by BL10.
RESUMEN
We previously identified a strong haemagglutination activity in the freshwater unicellular green alga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Here, we sought to purify and characterize the haemagglutinin associated with this activity. Ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration on sephacryl S-200 and DEAE-Sepharose ion-exchange chromatography were used to purify the haemagglutinin, which was designated CPH (Chlorella pyrenoidosa haemagglutinin). The molecular weight of CPH was estimated as 58 kDa by SDS-PAGE and 60 kDa by gel filtration of the native protein, indicating that this haemagglutinin exists as a monomer. The haemagglutinin activity of CPH was inhibited by glycoproteins, especially yeast mannan, but not by monosaccharides or disaccharides, indicating that CPH is carbohydrate-specific. In addition to the composition of CPH shown to be rich in glycine and acidic amino acids, heamagglutinating activity of CPH was insensitive to variations in pH or the presence of divalent cations, and atomic force microscopy revealed that the protein is rod-shaped. These results indicate that the characteristics of CPH are consistent with its identification as a haemagglutinin, and suggest that CPH may be a viable candidate for applications in a variety of biomedical fields.
