The exploration of the antibacterial mechanism of fe3+ against bacteria

This study demonstrated that the bacteria could adsorb Fe3+ and reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+. Iron had significant bacteriostatic effects, which were directly proportional to the iron concentration and under the influence of pH and chelator. It presumed that the inhibition of Fe3+ acts through the formation of hydroxyl free radicals.

A modified suspension test for estimating the mutagenicity of samples containing free and (or) protein-bound histidine.

The Ames test has not been very effective in estimating the mutagenicity of histidine-containing samples because external free and (or) protein-bound histidine in these samples would allow the histidine auxotrophs in such test samples to grow more compared with the negative controls that were used as the reference. This could give rise to a false positive.n this study, a modified suspension mutagenicity assay (MS assay) was developed. The tester strains were incubated in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth containing different concentrations of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) until the declining phase, and the test samples were assayed to be mutagenic or not by observing whether statistically significant differences were demonstrated in the relative reversion frequencies (RRFs) between the negative control groups and the test groups. Collectively, using LB broth as the test medium and comparing the RRFs in the declining phase made this assay less influenced by the presence of histidine in the test samples.The mutagenicity of some TCMs was measured with the MS assay. The results in MS assay were consistent with those in the mammalian bone marrow chromosomal aberration test, which indicated that the MS assay was appropriate to estimate the mutagenicity of samples containing free and (or) protein-bound histidine.

Function of the iron-binding chelator produced by Coriolus versicolor in lignin biodegradation.

An ultrafiltered low-molecular-weight preparation of chelating compounds was isolated from a wood-containing culture of the white-rot basidiomycete Coriolus versicolor. This preparation could chelate Fe3+ and reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+, demonstrating that the substance may serve as a ferric chelator, oxygen-reducing agent, and redox-cycling molecule, which would include functioning as the electron transport carrier in Fenton reaction. Lignin was treated with the iron-binding chelator and the changes in structure were investigated by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, difference spectrum caused by ionization under alkaline conditions and nitrobenzene oxidation. The results indicated that the iron-binding chelator could destroy the beta-O-4 bonds in etherified lignin units and insert phenolic hydroxyl groups. The low-molecular-weight chelator secreted by C. versicolor resulted in new phenolic substructures in the lignin polymer, making it susceptible to attack by laccase or manganese peroxidase. Thus, the synergic action of the iron-binding chelator and the lignocellulolytic enzymes made the substrate more accessible to degradation.

Wangia profunda gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel marine bacterium of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from southern Okinawa Trough deep-sea sediment.

An orange-pigmented, Gram-negative, nonmotile, strictly aerobic and oxidase- and catalase-positive bacterium (SM-A87(T)) was isolated from the deep-sea sediment of the southern Okinawa Trough area. The main fatty acids were i15 : 0, i17 : 0 3OH, i15 : 1 G, i17 : 1 omega 9c, 15 : 0, i15 : 0 3OH and summed feature 3 (comprising i-15 : 0 2OH and/or 16 : 1 omega 7c). MK-6 was the predominant respiratory quinone. DNA G+C content was 35.8 mol%. Flexirubin-type pigments were absent. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SM-A87(T) formed a distinct lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae, with <93% sequence similarity to the nearest strain of genus Salegentibacter. Moreover, strain SM-A87(T) could be distinguished from the nearest phylogenetic neighbors by a number of chemotaxonomic and phenotypic properties. On the basis of polyphasic analyses, it is proposed that strain SM-A87(T) be classified in a novel genus and a new species in the family Flavobacteriaceae, designated Wangia profunda gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is SM-A87(T) (CCTCC AB 206139(T)=DSM 18752).

Purification and characteristics of a low-molecular-weight peptide possessing oxidative capacity for phenol from Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

A new low-molecular-weight peptide with phenol oxidase activity, named Pc factor, was isolated and purified from liquid culture of a white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Its molecular weight was about 600 Da estimated by gel-filtration. Three amino acids Glu, Gly and Val were detected in hydrolysate. Absorption peaks corresponding to amino acids and peptide were observed by UV and IR spectra analysis. And the signal of Ca of amino acid was also detected by 13C-NMR method. Pc factor had high thermostability and remained active in weakly alkalescent pH range. It could chelate Fe3+ and reduce it to Fe2+, but no hydroxyl radical HO* could be detected during the reaction process. It could oxidize phenolic lignin-model compounds such as 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP), 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzathiazoline-6-sulfinic acid) (ABTS) and syringaldazine in the absence of Mn2+ and H2O2. These characteristics differed greatly from those of manganese peroxidases. The oxidative catalysis of Pc factor can be enhanced by certain metal ions such as Cu2+ and Mn2+ etc., and O2 molecule was necessary for this reaction. In summary, Pc factor may function as an electron carrier in this novel oxidation-reduction system.

Morphologies and phylogenetic classification of cellulolytic myxobacteria.

The evolutionary distances of the 16S rDNA sequences in cellulolytic myxobacteria are less than 3%, which units all the strains into a single genus, Sorangium. The size of myxospores and the shape of sporangioles, rather than fruiting body colors or swarm morphologies are consistent with the changes of the 16S rDNA sequences. It is suggested that there are at least two species in the genus Sorangium: one includes strains with small myxospores and spherical sporangioles, and the color of the fruiting bodies is normally orange or brown, though sometimes yellow or black. The second species has large myxospores, polyhedral sporangioles with many inter-cystic substrates, and normally deep brown to black color.

Function of a low molecular weight peptide from Trichoderma pseudokoningii S38 during cellulose biodegradation.

The biochemical mechanism for cellulose decomposition by a low molecular weight peptide, named short fiber generating factor (SFGF), derived from the culture supernatant of a cellulolytic fungus Trichoderma pseudokoningii S-38, was determined. Sufficient information obtained by biochemical and biophysical studies and combined with observation with a scanning electron microscope provided further evidence for the earlier studies that the SFGF had a high capacity for chelating and reducing ferric ions, and could produce free radical by reduction of Fe(3+) to Fe(2+) in the presence of oxygen molecule. These studies suggested that the effect of SFGF on cellulose is directly related to an oxidative reaction and is different from the hydrolysis of cellulose by cellulases. The alcoholic hydroxyl groups in cellulose can be oxidized by SFGF, which leads to destruction of the hydrogen bond network in cellulose and cleavage of glycosidic linkages. Both effects led to the de-polymerization of cellulose and the formation of short fibers, and increase of reducing groups in residual cellulose, then the cellulose substrates became more susceptible for hydrolysis by cellulases.

A peptide-mediated and hydroxyl radical HO*-involved oxidative degradation of cellulose by brown-rot fungi.

A special low-molecular-weight peptide named Gt factor, was isolated and purified from the extracellular culture of brown-rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum via gel filtration chromatography and HPLC. It has been shown to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed Gt factor was able to drive H2O2 generation via a superoxide anion O2*- intermediate and mediate the formation of hydroxyl radical HO* in the presence of O2. All the results indicated that Gt factor could oxidize the cellulose, disrupt the inter- and intrahydrogen bonds in cellulose chains by a HO*-involved mechanism. This resulted in depolymerization of the cellulose, which made it accessible for further enzymatic hydrolysis.

[A possible role of a low-molecular-weight peptide from Gloeophyllum trabeum in cellulose degradation].

A low-molecular-weight peptide(named Gt factor) was first isolated and purified from the extracellular culture of a brown-rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum. It could produce hydroxyl radical HO. in presence of O2 and Fe3+, might destroy hydrogen bonds of cellulose by HO.-involved oxidative mechanism, which was quite different from hydrolysis mechanism of cellulase in filamentous fungi. Gt factor might attack crystalline region of cellulose, bring about more reducing ends and non-reducing ends exposed, thus making cellulose accessible to further degradation.