Combined effects of oxygen and temperature on nitrogen removal in a nitrate-rich ex-paddy wetland.

Temperature is generally considered to be the primary factor controlling the nitrogen removal rate (NR) in nitrate (NO3-)-rich submerged sediments. Temperature stimulates both sediment oxygen (O2) respiration, to create anaerobic conditions, and microbial photosynthetic activity, to provide the organic carbon required for denitrification and expand the uppermost aerobic layer, i.e., the O2 penetration depth (OPD). The OPD serves as a diffusion barrier for NO3- to the underlying anaerobic layer for denitrification. The complex effects of O2 and temperature on the NR are unclear under field conditions with a wide range of temperatures and O2 suppliers. This study aimed to determine the combined effects of O2 and temperature on the NR in an NO3--rich, riparian ex-paddy wetland ("yatsu" environment) under long-term bare soil conditions. We used three years of field monitoring with occasional O2 microprofile measurements from undisturbed submerged soil cores. We observed vertical supersaturated O2 concentration plateaus up to 4.2 mm depth, which confirmed the presence of underground O2 producers, i.e., photosynthetic microorganisms forming habitat in the soil, and very large OPDs of up to 42.9 mm. A multiple regression analysis showed that temperature and dissolved O2 concentration in the flooded water were the key positive and negative influences, respectively, on the NR (332 kg N ha-1 year-1 on average), in association with the total N input. Microbial photosynthesis appeared to remain active regardless of the season, providing O2 to increase OPD and partly suppress the NR; however, photosynthesis has increased the soil C content and appears to have positively contributed to a sustained NR during the 20 years of bare soil conditions. Our results suggest that temporal no vegetation-shade (bare soil) conditions with periodic weed cutting is recommended to effectively remove N from the watershed, while maintaining high temperatures and soil organic C in yatsu environments.

Detection of anammox activity and 16S rRNA genes in ravine paddy field soil.

An anammox assay involving a ¹5N tracer and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that the potential anammox activity accounted for 1 to 5% of total N2 production in a ravine paddy field, Japan. Among four 4-cm-deep layers, the top layer showed the highest activity. Clone libraries showed that the DNA in the top layer contained sequences related to those of Candidatus 'Brocadia fulgida', Ca. 'B. anammoxidans', and Ca. 'Kuenenia stuttgartiensis'. These results suggest that a specific population of anammox bacteria was present in paddy soils, although a small part of dinitrogen gas was emitted from the soil via anammox.

Oral administration of a hop water extract ameliorates the development of dermatitis induced by the periodical topical application of a mite antigen in atopic dermatitis model NC/Nga mice.

We investigated the inhibitory effect of an oral administration of a hop water extract (HWE) on the development of dermatitis by using NC/Nga atopic dermatitis model mice. The induction of allergic dermatitis was conducted by tape-stripping and topical application of a mite antigen (Dermatophagoides farinae) on to the ear once a week for 10 weeks. HWE was orally administered at a dose of 100 or 500 mg/kg. The total immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration in serum and the ear thickness were periodically examined. Finally, the antigen-specific IgE level in the serum and the production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-gamma from splenocytes and cervical lymph node cells were measured. The oral administration of HWE significantly inhibited the increase of total IgE production and ear swelling throughout the experimental period. The production of IL-12 was significantly lower in the HWE administered group than in the control group. The results suggest that the intake of HWE may be effective in preventing and alleviating the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin disease.

Thiosulfate oxidation by a moderately thermophilic hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium, Hydrogenophilus thermoluteolus.

The moderately thermophilic Betaproteobacterium, Hydrogenophilus thermoluteolus, not only oxidizes hydrogen, the principal electron donor for growth, but also sulfur compounds including thiosulfate, a process enabled by sox genes. A periplasmic extract of H. thermoluteolus showed significant thiosulfate oxidation activity. Ten genes apparently involved in thiosulfate oxidation (soxEFCDYZAXBH) were found on a 9.7-kb DNA fragment of the H. thermoluteolus chromosome. The proteins SoxAX, which represent c-type cytochromes, were co-purified from the cells of H. thermoluteolus; they enhanced the thiosulfate oxidation activity of the periplasmic extract when added to the latter.

Characterization of 9-fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase-like activity in germinating barley seeds that transforms 9(S)-hydroperoxy-10(E),12(Z)-octadecadienoic acid into 2(E)-nonenal.

Previously, we reported that 2(E)-nonenal, having a low flavor threshold (0.1 ppb) and known as the major contributor to a cardboard flavor (stale flavor) in stored beer, is produced by lipoxygenase-1 and a newly found factor named 9-fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase-like (9-HPL-like) activity in malt. To assess the involvement of 9-HPL-like activity in beer staling, we compared the values of the wort nonenal potential, an index for predicting the staleness of beer, with the lipoxygenase and 9-HPL-like activity of 20 commercial malts. There was a significant correlation between the malt 9-HPL-like activity and the values of wort nonenal potential (r=0.53, P<0.05), while the correlation between malt lipoxygenase activity and the wort nonenal potential was statistically insignificant. Analysis of the partially purified 9-HPL-like activity from embryos of germinating barley seeds indicated that 9-HPL-like activity consisted of fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase and 3Z:2E isomerase.

Identification and functional analyses of two cDNAs that encode fatty acid 9-/13-hydroperoxide lyase (CYP74C) in rice.

Fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), a member of cytochrome P450 (CYP74), produces aldehydes and oxo-acids involved in plant defensive reactions. In monocots, HPL that cleaves 13-hydroperoxides of fatty acids has been reported, but HPL that cleaves 9-hydroperoxides is still unknown. To find this type of HPL, in silico screening of candidate cDNA clones and subsequent functional analyses of recombinant proteins were performed. We found that AK105964 and AK107161 (Genbank accession numbers), cDNAs previously annotated as allene oxide synthase (AOS) in rice, are distinctively grouped from AOS and 13-HPL. Recombinant proteins of these cDNAs produced in Escherichia. coli cleaved both 9- and 13-hydroperoxide of linoleic and linolenic into aldehydes, while having only a trace level of AOS activity and no divinyl ether synthase activity. Hence we designated AK105964 and AK107161 OsHPL1 and OsHPL2 respectively. They are the first CYP74C family cDNAs to be found in monocots.

Characterization of factors involved in the production of 2(E)-nonenal during mashing.

To characterize the factors involved in the production of volatile aldehydes during mashing, a model mashing experiment was done. After we inactivated the endogenous lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in the mash by mashing at 70 degrees C for 30 min, further incubation with recombinant barley LOX-1 stimulated the accumulation of 2(E)-nonenal; however, this effect was significantly reduced by boiling the mash sample. The result suggests that both LOX-1 and a heat-stable enzymatic factor are involved in the production of 2(E)-nonenal during mashing. Malt contained fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase-like activity (HPL-like activity) that transformed 9-hydroperoxy-10(E), 12(Z)-octadecadienoic and 13-hydroperoxy-9(Z), 11(E)-octadecadienoic acid into 2(E)-nonenal and hexanal, respectively. Proteinase K sensitivity tests showed that they are distinct factors. 9-HPL-like activity survived through the mashing at 70 degrees C for 30 min but was inactivated by boiling, suggesting it will be the heat-stable enzymatic factor found in the model mashing experiment.

Characterization of factors that transform linoleic acid into di- and trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids in mash.

The qualities of beer are deteriorated by the presence of either di- or trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids, which reduce the beer 'head' and produce an astringent flavor. In this study we found that native extracts of malt mash transformed linoleic acid into di- and trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids, but this transforming activity and lipoxygenase activity were inactivated by heating the mash at 70 degrees C for 30 min. Recombinant barley lipoxygenase 1 was not able to transform linoleic acid into di- and trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids. The transforming activity of mash extract heated at 70 degrees C for 30 min could be restored by the addition of recombinant barley lipoxygenase 1; in contrast, the activity of boiled mash extract was not substantially restored by the recombinant enzyme. These results indicate that di- and trihydroxyoctadecenoic acids are generated from linoleic acid by both lipoxygenase and a heat-stable enzymatic factor present in the mash.