Transcriptional response of Thialkalivibrio versutus D301 to different sulfur sources and identification of the sulfur oxidation pathways.

The genus Thialkalivibrio plays an essential role in the biological desulfurization system. However, to date, the sulfur oxidation pathways of Thialkalivibrio are not clearly understood. Here, we performed transcriptomic analysis on Thialkalivibrio versutus D301 with either thiosulfate or chemical sulfur as the sulfur source to understand it. The results show that T. versutus D301 has a higher growth rate and sulfur oxidation activity when thiosulfate is utilized. The use of chemical sulfur as sulfur source leads to decreased expression of genes involved in carbon metabolism, ribosome synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation in T. versutus D301. Potentially due to the adsorption to sulfur particles, the genes related to flagellum assembly and motivation are significantly induced in T. versutus D301 in the presence of chemical sulfur. In the periplasm, both thiosulfate and polysulfide from the chemical sulfur are oxidized to sulfate via the similar truncated Sox system (SoxAXYZB). Then, part of polysulfide reached to cytoplasm through an unidentified route is oxidized to sulfite by the Dsr-like system. The sulfite in the cytoplasm is further catalyzed to sulfate by SoxB or SoeABC. Overall, the difference in the oxidation rates of D301 can be mainly attributed to the bioavailability of the two sulfur sources, not the sulfur oxidation pathways.

The Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula mKG on Allergic Asthma by Regulating Lung and Plasma Metabolic Alternations.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway and is characterized by airway remodeling, hyperresponsiveness, and shortness of breath. Modified Kushen Gancao Formula (mKG), derived from traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCM), has been demonstrated to have good therapeutic effects on experimental allergic asthma. However, its anti-asthma mechanism remains currently unknown. In the present work, metabolomics studies of biochemical changes in the lung tissue and plasma of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma mice with mKG treatment were performed using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) indicated that the metabolic perturbation induced by OVA was reduced after mKG treatment. A total of twenty-four metabolites involved in seven metabolic pathways were identified as potential biomarkers in the development of allergic asthma. Among them, myristic acid (L3 or P2), sphinganine (L6 or P4), and lysoPC(15:0) (L12 or P16) were detected both in lung tissue and plasma. Additionally, l-acetylcarnitine (L1), thromboxane B2 (L2), 10-HDoHE (L10), and 5-HETE (L11) were first reported to be potential biomarkers associated with allergic asthma. The treatment of mKG mediated all of those potential biomarkers except lysoPC(15:0) (P16). The anti-asthma mechanism of mKG can be achieved through the comprehensive regulation of multiple perturbed biomarkers and metabolic pathways.

Efficient production of succinic acid from macroalgae hydrolysate by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

In this study, microbial production of succinic acid from macroalgae (i.e., Laminaria japonica) was investigated for the first time. The engineered Escherichia coli BS002 exhibited higher molar yield of succinic acid on mannitol (1.39±0.01mol/mol) than glucose (1.01±0.05mol/mol). After pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, L. japonica hydrolysate was mainly glucose (10.31±0.32g/L) and mannitol (10.12±0.17g/L), which was used as the substrate for succinic acid fermentation with the recombinant BS002. A final 17.44±0.54g/L succinic acid was obtained from the hydrolysate after 72h dual-phase fermentation. The yield was as high as 1.24±0.08mol/mol total sugar, which reached 73% of the maximum theoretical yield. The results demonstrate that macroalgae biomass represents a novelty and economical alternative feedstock for biochemicals production.

Performance of a haloalkaliphilic bioreactor and bacterial community shifts under different COD/SO4²â» ratios and hydraulic retention times.

Sulfur dioxide from flue gas was converted into sulfate after the absorption of alkaline solutions. Haloalkaliphilic microorganisms have been used in reducing sulfate to decrease expenses and avoid sulfide inhibition. The effects of different COD/SO4(2-) ratios and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) on the sulfate removal efficiency and bacterial community were investigated in model experiments. Ethanol showed better performance as an electron donor than lactate. The optimum COD/SO4(2-) ratio and HRT were 4.0 and 18 h, respectively, with respective sulfate removal efficiency and rate of 97.8 ± 1.11% and 6.26 ± 0.0710 g/Ld. Sulfide concentrations reached 1,603 ± 3.38 mg/L. Based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of 16S rDNA, the major sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) was Desulfonatronovibrio sp., which was only detected at a COD/SO4(2-) ratio of 4.0 using ethanol as an electron donor. Different HRTs had no significant effect on the band corresponding to this species. PCR results show that methane-producing archaea (MPA) were from the acetoclastic methanogenic family Methanosarcinaceae. Quantitative real-time PCR did not demonstrate any significant competition between SRB and MPA. The findings of this study indicate that sulfate reduction, nitrate reduction, and sulfide oxidization may occur in the same bioreactor.

Performance of a haloalkaliphilic bioreactor under different NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratios.

Effects of NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratio on denitrification and sulfate removal efficiency were investigated in model experiments applying haloalkaliphilic bioreactor. The reduction of both substrates performed well at different NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratios ranging from 17.6 to l.5. The removal rates of nitrate and sulfate were 6 and 1.39kgm(-3)d(-1), respectively, at NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratio 3.0, while sulfide concentration reached up to 703gm(-3). The major sulfate-reducing and denitrifying bacteria were Desulfonatronovibrio sp. and Halomonas campisalis, respectively. Decrease in NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratio led to obvious changes in bacterial community. Although the sulfate reducers became dominant, the population of denitrifying ones also increased as it was demonstrated by analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA fragments, which suggested that SRB and DB coexisted well in bioreactor.

pH neutralization while succinic acid adsorption onto anion-exchange resins.

Succinic acid is a useful chemical and its purification from fermentation broth by ion-exchange resins has widely drawn attention. In this study, pH neutralization in the process of adsorption of succinic acid from model solutions and fermentation broth by anion-exchange resin NERCB 04 has been tested. Adsorption capacity of NERCB 04 was about 0.41 g succinic acid/g resin at concentrations of succinic acid in the range of 10-50 g/L in packed column. In the process of succinic acid removal, pH of the system could also be neutralized. The neutralizing ability of the resin as a neutralizing agent has also been studied in the model cycle system and in the real fermentation cycle process. It was found that NERCB 04 showed stable adsorption capacity and pH neutralization ability after each regeneration. A certain amount of anion-exchange resin could neutralize the low pH values (pH 2-5) and maintain the system around pH 7.0. This means the anion-exchange resins have the function of neutralizing reagent in the process of adsorbing succinic acid.