Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 activated nitrogen-related bacteria and genes in thermophilic stage of compost

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 on the bacterial community and nitrogen metabolism genes in the aerobic composting of pig manure. The experimental treatments were set up as control (C), 1% Ca(H2PO4)2 + 2% MgSO4 (CaPM1), and 1.5% Ca(H2PO4)2 + 3% MgSO4 (CaPM2), which were used at the end of composting for potting trials. The results showed that Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 played an excellent role in retaining nitrogen and increasing the alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) contents of the composts. Adding Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 changed the microbial community structure of the compost. The microorganisms associated with nitrogen retention were activated. The complexity of the microbial network was enhanced. Genetic prediction analysis showed that the addition of Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 reduced the accumulation of nitroso-nitrogen and the process of denitrification. At the same time, despite the reduction of genes related to nitrogen fixation, the conversion of ammonia to nitrogenous organic compounds was promoted and the stability of nitrogen was increased. Mantel test analysis showed that Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 can affect nitrogen transformation-related bacteria and thus indirectly affect nitrogen metabolism genes by influencing the temperature, pH, and organic matter (OM) of the compost and also directly affected nitrogen metabolism genes through PO43- and Mg2+. The pot experiment showed that composting with 1.5% Ca(H2PO4)2 + 3% MgSO4 produced the compost product that improved the growth yield and nutrient content of cilantro and increased the fertility of the soil. In conclusion, Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 reduces the loss of nitrogen from compost, activates nitrogen-related bacteria and genes in the thermophilic phase of composting, and improves the fertilizer efficiency of compost products. KEY POINTS: • Ca(H2PO4)2 and MgSO4 reduced the nitrogen loss and improved the compost effect • Activated nitrogen-related bacteria and altered nitrogen metabolism genes • Improved the yield and quality of cilantro and fertility of soil.

The Effects of Salinity on the Herbivorous Crop Pest Tetranychus urticae (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae) on Soybean and Corn

Many environmental factors, including soil characteristics, are critical for plants, herbivorous arthropods, and their interactions. Despite increasing evidence that soil salinity drastically impacts plants, little is known about how salinity affects the herbivorous arthropod pests feeding on those plants. We investigated how soil salinity affects the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) feeding on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.). We performed two greenhouse studies, one focusing on the impact of salinity on individual mite fecundity over a period of 3 d and the other focusing on population growth of T. urticae over 7 d. Both experiments were performed across varying salinity levels; electrical conductivity values ranged from 0.84 to 8.07 dS m-1. We also performed the 3-d fecundity experiment in the field, across naturally varying saline conditions. Overall, the twospotted spider mite performed better as salinity increased; both fecundity and population growth tended to have a positive linear correlation with salinity. These studies suggest that salinity can be important for herbivores, just as it is for plants. Moreover, the negative effects of soil salinity on crop plants in agroecosystems may be further compounded by a greater risk of pest problems. Salinity may be another important environmental stressor that can directly influence crop production while also indirectly influencing herbivorous pests.

Medium optimization for the production of amylase by Bacillus subtilis RM16 in Shake-flask fermentation

This study was carried out in shaking incubator and covers the optimization of culture conditions of Bacillus subtilis for the maximum production of amylase. Optimal activity was found to be 350 U ml(-1) when soluble starch was used as a substrate. Parameters taken into consideration to observe their effect on the optimum production of amylase include incubation time, incubation temperature, pH, inoculum size, carbon source, nitrogen source and metallic ions. All parameters were monitored in order to obtain high level of the enzyme units in cell-free broth. The established optimized conditions for Bacillus subtiliss train RM16 were found to be: incubation time 24 hours, temperature 40°C and pH 8.0. Inoculum size was 5%, starch (1%) as a carbon source while yeast extract (1.5%) as a nitrogen source. Magnesium ions (0.1%) exerted maximum stimulating effect for the production of amylase which can be further used at large scale applications.

Effects of environmental factors on sperm motility and fertilization rate of Phascolosoma esculenta

The study investigated the effects of environmental factors (salinity, pH, ions and activation media) on sperm motility (activation rate, duration of quick movement, and lifespan) and fertilization rate of Phascolosoma esculenta. The results showed that spermatozoa in the coelom and nephridium are able to move quickly. The optimal salinity was 14.64 to 43.35 and the optimal pH was 6.46 to 9.53 for sperm activation and motility, whereas the ranges for fertilization were narrower (18.56 to 30.3 for salinity and 6.46 to 8.61 for pH). Of the ions studied, Na+ was indispensable for sperm motility and fertilization, and Ca2+ and Mg2+ were necessary for fertilization. P. esculenta sperm could not fertilize eggs and have short lifespans in 200 to 600 mmol/L NaCl and KCl solutions. Furthermore, they could not be activated or move in 200 to 600 mmol/L CaCl2, MgSO4, and sucrose solutions.

[Permeability of pannexin 1 channels to large anions]

It is widely accepted that ATP secretion in diverse cells involves pannexin 1 (Panx1) that functions as an ATP-permeable channel. We analyzed the permeability of Panx1 channels heterologically expressed in HEK-293 cells to a variety of anions, including ATP. As was demonstrated in electrophysiological experiments, relative permeabilities of studied species follow the sequence: C1- > MeSO4 > gluconate >> HEPES. This sequence suggests that ATP, which is more than twice as large as HEPES by mass, is most likely to be negligibly permeable to Panx1 channels. This inference was verified in experiments, where ATP secretion from Panx1-positive HEK-293 cells was assayed with the ATP-biosensor approach. It was shown that the heterologous expression of Panx1 in HEK-293, which normally are not ATP-secretive, did not endow transfected cells with the ability to liberate ATP in response to stimulation. Our data indicate that Panx1 alone forms anion channels with too low ATP permeability to mediate the secretory function. Nevertheless, the possibility still remains that certain ATP-permeable channels are heteromers of Panx1 and some other channel subunit(s).

Antibacterial activity of polymer coated cerium oxide nanoparticles

Cerium oxide nanoparticles have found numerous applications in the biomedical industry due to their strong antioxidant properties. In the current study, we report the influence of nine different physical and chemical parameters: pH, aeration and, concentrations of MgSO₄, CaCl₂, KCl, natural organic matter, fructose, nanoparticles and Escherichia coli, on the antibacterial activity of dextran coated cerium oxide nanoparticles. A least-squares quadratic regression model was developed to understand the collective influence of the tested parameters on the anti-bacterial activity and subsequently a computer-based, interactive visualization tool was developed. The visualization allows us to elucidate the effect of each of the parameters in combination with other parameters, on the antibacterial activity of nanoparticles. The results indicate that the toxicity of CeO₂ NPs depend on the physical and chemical environment; and in a majority of the possible combinations of the nine parameters, non-lethal to the bacteria. In fact, the cerium oxide nanoparticles can decrease the anti-bacterial activity exerted by magnesium and potassium salts.

Extractive fermentation for enhanced production of alkaline phosphatase from Bacillus licheniformis MTCC 1483 using aqueous two-phase systems

A study was made to find out maximum partitioning of Bacillus licheniformis alkaline phosphatase in different ATPSs composed of different molecular weight of PEG X (X=2000, 4000, 6000) with salts (magnesium sulphate, sodium sulphate, sodium citrate) and polymers (dextran 40, dextran T500). Physicochemical factors such as effect of system pH, system temperature and production media were evaluated for partitioning of alkaline phosphatase. PEG 4000 [9.0% (w/v)] and dextran T500 [9.6% (w/v)] were selected as most suitable system components for alkaline phosphatase production by B. licheniformis based on greater partition coefficient (k=5.23). The two-phase system produced fewer enzymes than the homogeneous fermentation (control) in early stage of fermentation, but after 72 h the enzyme produced in the control system was less than that in the ATPS. Total alkaline phosphatase yield in ATPS fermentation was 3907.01 U/ml and in homogeneous fermentation 2856.50 U/ml.

The effect of magnesium sulfate on bleeding time and nitric oxide production in preeclamsia

Preeclampsia is a disease regarding with altered vascular reactivity leading to hypertension of the mother and metabolic alterations in the fetus. This study aimed to assess nitric oxide and bleeding time following administration of magnesium sulfate to preeclamtic patients compared to normotensive pregnant women. A total of 112 subjects (56 preeclamtic patients and 56 normotensive pregnant controls) were enrolled in this case-control study. Cases and controls were matched for age, BMI, gestational age, parity and gravidity. Total concentration of nitrite and nitrate (NOx) was measured before and during magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) treatment using a modified Griess-based method.

RESULTS

Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased during MgSO4 treatment in preeclamtic patients (p < 0.0001). NOx levels were significantly increased in preeclamtic women after MgSO4 administration (33.7 +/- 18.5 vs. 50.2 +/- 21.6, p < 0.0001) but it was not seen in normotensive parturients (52.4 +/- 28.9 vs. 57.3 +/- 21.7, p = 0.362). The bleeding time was scarcely increased following magnesium sulfate treatment in preeclamptic patients compared to normotensive pregnant women but it was not significant (p = 0.18). In addition, there was only a significantly reverse correlation between NOx levels and systolic or diastolic blood pressure in preeclamtic parturients after MgSO4 treatment (r = -0384; p = 0.003 and r = -0.29; p = 0.03, respectively). This study demonstrates that administrating MgSO4 to preeclamtic patients induced significant changes in NOx production which had a major role in modulating vasculature changes in preeclamsia.

Artificial neural network modeling and genetic algorithm based medium optimization for the improved production of marine biosurfactant

A nonlinear model describing the relationship between the biosurfactant concentration as a process output and the critical medium components as the independent variables was developed by artificial neural network modeling. The model was optimized for the maximum biosurfactant production by using genetic algorithm. Based on a single-factor-at-a-time optimization strategy, the critical medium components were found to be glucose, urea, SrCl(2) and MgSO(4). The experimental results obtained from a statistical experimental design were used for the modeling and optimization by linking an artificial neural network (ANN) model with genetic algorithm (GA) in MATLAB. Using the optimized concentration of critical elements, the biosurfactant yield showed close agreement with the model prediction. An enhancement in biosurfactant production by approximately 70% was achieved by this optimization procedure.

Aglomerular kidney function when challenged with exogenous MgSO4 loading or environmental MgSO4 depletion

The goal of this study was to investigate the role of MgSO4 in aglomerular kidney function, independent of changes in NaCl. The renal handling of MgSO4 was manipulated by intravenous infusion of an isoosmotic solution containing 80 mmol/L MgSO4 or through exposure to an environment that was reduced in MgSO4 concentration by 90%. Intravenous infusion resulted in a transient increase in circulating Mg2+ and SO4 (2-) levels; however, the concentration of both divalent ions in the urine remained elevated throughout the entire infusion period. Infusion also resulted in a transient increase in urine flow rate and apparent glomerular filtration rate, measured using the glomerular filtration rate marker, [3H] PEG 4000. Exposure to MgSO4-depleted conditions resulted in a significant decrease in plasma and urine concentrations of Mg2+ and in the urine concentrations of SO4 (2-); correspondingly, urine flow rate was significantly depressed. The urinary excretion of both Mg2+ and SO4 (2-) demonstrated nonlinear saturation kinetics. The urinary excretion of Mg2+ was significantly correlated with plasma Mg2+ concentration (r=0.75, P=0.04) and yielded a Michealis constant (Km) of 1.67+/-1.43 mmol/L; P=0.26 and a maximal velocity (Vmax) of 117.4+/-47.0 micromol/kg/hr; P=0.046. The urinary excretion of SO4 (2-) was significantly correlated with plasma SO4 (2-) concentration (r=0.94, P<0.02) with a Km of 0.76+/-0.54; P=0.26 and a Vmax of 59.3+/-13.1; P=0.02.

Influence of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and pH on copper toxicity to barley (Hordeum vulgare)

The extent to which Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), K(+) ions and pH independently influence copper toxicity to barley (Hordeum vulgare) was assessed by measuring root growth in nutrient solutions. Increased Ca(2+) activity resulted in a sixfold decrease in [EC50(cu2+)] values, while a positive relationship between the cation activity and the EC50 was expected. Increased Mg(2+) activity resulted in a twofold increase in [EC50(cu2+)] values. Na(+), K(+) and H(+) activities did not significantly affect Cu(2+) toxicity. The obtained results indicated that competition for binding sites between Cu(2+) and cations such as Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), K(+) and H(+) is not an important factor in determining Cu(2+) toxicity to H. vulgare. However, the EC50s could, with one exception, be predicted within a factor three based on the free Cu(2+) activity, indicating that the free Cu(2+) activity cannot only be used to predict metal toxicity to aquatic, but also to terrestrial organisms.

Application of Plackett–Burman experimental design and Doehlert design to evaluate nutritional requirements for xylanase production by Alternaria mali ND-16

The objective of this study was to use statistically based experimental designs for the optimization of xylanase production from Alternaria mali ND-16. Ten components in the medium were screened for nutritional requirements. Three nutritional components, including NH(4)Cl, urea, and MgSO(4), were identified to significantly affect the xylanase production by using the Plackett-Burman experimental design. These three major components were subsequently optimized using the Doehlert experimental design. By using response surface methodology and canonical analysis, the optimal concentrations for xylanase production were: NH(4)Cl 11.34 g L(-1), urea 1.26 g L(-1), and MgSO(4) 0.98 g L(-1). Under these optimal conditions, the xylanase activity from A. mali ND-16 reached 30.35 U mL(-1). Verification of the optimization showed that xylanase production of 31.26 U mL(-1) was achieved.

Enhancement of acid amylase production by an isolated Aspergillus awamori

AIMS

Evaluation of the influence of fermentation components on extracellular acid amylase production by an isolated fungal strain Aspergillus awamori.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Eight fungal metabolic influential factors, viz. soluble starch, corn steep liquor (CSL), casein, potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH(2)PO(4)) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO(4) x 7H(2)O), pH, temperature and inoculum level were selected to optimize amylase production by A. awamori using fractional factorial design of Taguchi methodology. Significant improvement in acid amylase enzyme production (48%) was achieved. The optimized medium composition consisted of soluble starch--3%; CSL--0.5%; KH(2)PO(4)--0.125%; MgSO(4) x 7H(2)O--0.125%; casein--1.5% at pH 4.0 and temperature at 31 degrees C.

CONCLUSION

Optimization of the components of the fermentation medium was carried out using fractional factorial design of Taguchi's L-18 orthogonal array. Based on the influence of interaction components of fermentation, these could be classified as the least significant and the most significant at individual and interaction levels. Least significant factors of individual level have higher interaction severity index and vice versa at enzyme production in this fungal strain. The pH of the medium and substrate (soluble starch) showed maximum production impact (60%) at optimized environment. Temperature and CSL were the least influential factors for acid amylase production.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Acid amylase production by isolated A. awamori is influenced by the interaction of fermentation factors with fungal metabolism at individual and interaction levels. The pH of the fermentation medium and substrate concentration regulates maximum enzyme production process in this fungal strain.

Exopolysaccharide production and mycelial growth in an air-lift bioreactor using Fomitopsis pinicola

For effective exopolysaccharide production and mycelial growth by a liquid culture of Fomitopsis pinicola in an air-lift bioreactor, the culture temperature, pH, carbon source, nitrogen source, and mineral source were initially investigated in a flask. The optimal temperature and pH for mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production were 25degrees C and 6.0, respectively. Among the various carbon sources tested, glucose was found to be the most suitable carbon source. In particular, the maximum mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production were achieved in 4% glucose. The best nitrogen sources were yeast extract and malt extract. The optimal concentrations of yeast extract and malt extract were 0.5 and 0.1%, respectively. K2HPO4 and MgSO4 x 7H2O were found to be the best mineral sources for mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production. In order to investigate the effect of aeration on mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production in an air-lift bioreactor, various aerations were tested for 8 days. The maximum mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production were 7.9 g/l and 2.6 g/l, respectively, at 1.5 vvm of aeration. In addition, a batch culture in an air-lift bioreactor was carried out for 11 days under the optimal conditions. The maximum mycelial growth was 10.4 g/l, which was approximately 1.7-fold higher than that of basal medium. The exopolysaccharide production was increased with increased culture time. The maximum concentration of exopolysaccharide was 4.4 g/l, which was about 3.3-fold higher than that of basal medium. These results indicate that exopolysaccharide production increased in parallel with the growth of mycelium, and also show that product formation is associated with mycelial growth. The developed model in an air-lift bioreactor showed good agreement with experimental data and simulated results on mycelial growth and exopolysaccharide production in the culture of F pinicola.

Mixture design as a first step for optimization of fermentation medium for cutinase production from Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

Cutinase enzymes from fungi have found diverse applications in industry. However, most of the available literature on cutinase production is related to the cultivation of genetically engineered bacteria or yeast cells. In the present study, we use mixture design experiments to evaluate the influence of six nutrient elements on production of cutinase from the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. The nutritional elements were starch, glucose, ammonium sulfate, yeast extract, magnesium sulfate, and potassium phosphate. In the experimental design, we imposed the constraints that exactly one factor must be omitted in each set of experiments and no factor can account for more than one third of the mixture. Thirty different sets of experiments were designed. Results obtained showed that while starch is found to have negative influence on the production of the enzyme, yeast extract and potassium phosphate have a strong positive influence. Magnesium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, and glucose have low positive influence on the enzyme production. Contour plots have also been created to obtain information concerning the interaction effects of the media components on enzyme production.

Protein expression analysis of Halobacillus dabanensis D-8T subjected to salt shock

To investigate the mechanism of salt tolerance of gram-positive moderately halophilic bacteria, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) was employed to achieve high resolution maps of proteins of Halobacillus dabanensis D-8T. Approximately 700 spots of proteins were identified from these 2-D PAGE maps. The majority of these proteins had molecular weights between 17.5 and 66 kDa, and most of them were distributed between the isoelectric points (pI) 4.0 and 5.9. Some protein spots were distributed in the more acidic region of the 2-D gel (pI <4.0). This pattern indicated that a number of proteins in the strain D-8T are acidic. To understand the adaptation mechanisms of moderately halophilic bacteria in response to sudden environmental changes, differential protein profiles of this strain were investigated by 2-D PAGE and Imagemaster 2D Platinum software after the cells were subjected to salt shock of 1 to 25% salinity for 5 and 50 min. Analysis showed 59 proteins with an altered level of expression as the result of the exposure to salt shock. Eighteen proteins had increased expression, 8 proteins were induced, and the expression of 33 proteins was down-regulated. Eight of the up-regulated proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF/MS and MASCOT, and were similar to proteins involved in signal transduction, proteins participating in energy metabolism pathways and proteins involved in stress.

Effects of magnesium sulfate administration during hypoxia on Ca(2+) influx and IP(3) receptor modification in cerebral cortical neuronal nuclei of newborn piglets

Magnesium is a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor. Hypoxic insults to the brain are associated with a significant increase in the intranuclear Ca(2+) due to altered nuclear membrane Ca(2+) influx mechanisms including hypoxia-induced modifications of nuclear membrane IP(3) receptors. In this study we have examined the effects of magnesium sulfate administration to newborn piglets subjected to normoxia and severe hypoxia. The animals were randomly divided into normoxic (n=4), hypoxic (n=4) and magnesium sulfate treated hypoxic (n=4) groups. Hypoxia was confirmed biochemically by measuring ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr) levels in the brain tissue. Intranuclear Ca(2+) influx was assessed by measuring (45)Ca(2+) uptake. Results show a significant (P<0.05) decrease in ATP and PCr levels in hypoxic group in comparison with normoxia. On the other hand magnesium-treated hypoxic group showed a significantly (P<0.05) higher ATP and PCr in comparison with the hypoxic group. Intranuclear Ca(2+) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the hypoxic group in comparison with both normoxic and magnesium-treated hypoxic groups. In addition results show that magnesium prevented hypoxia-induced modification of the IP(3) receptor. Magnesium treatment significantly reduced the hypoxia-induced increase in the number of receptors (reduced B(max) --P<0.05-treated hypoxia vs. hypoxia and normoxia), and reversed the receptor affinity (reduced dissociation coefficient-K(d)--P<0.05-treated hypoxia vs. normoxia). The results demonstrate that the administration of magnesium sulfate prior to hypoxia prevents the hypoxia-induced increase in intranuclear Ca(2+) and IP(3) receptor modifications. We conclude that Mg(2+ )administration prevents hypoxia-induced modification of neuronal nuclear membrane function that leads to intranuclear Ca(2+)-dependent transcription of apoptotic proteins leading to hypoxic neuronal programmed cell death.

Effects of magnesium sulfate administration during hypoxia on CaM kinase IV and protein tyrosine kinase activities in the cerebral cortex of newborn piglets

The present study tested the hypothesis that magnesium sulfate administration prior to hypoxia prevents hypoxia-induced increase in Ca(2+)/Calmodulin-dependent-kinase (CaM Kinase) IV and Protein Tyrosine Kinase (PTK ) activities. Animals were randomly divided into normoxic (Nx), hypoxic (Hx) and magnesium-pretreated hypoxic (Mg(2+)-Hx) groups. Cerebral hypoxia was confirmed biochemically by measuring ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr) levels. CaM Kinase IV and PTK activities were determined in Nx, Hx and Mg(2+)-Hx newborn piglets. There was a significant difference between CaM kinase IV activity (pmoles/mg protein/min) in Nx (270 +/- 49), Mg(2+)-Hx (317 +/- 82) and Hx (574 +/- 41, P < 0.05 vs. Nx and Mg(2+)-Hx) groups. Similarly, there was a significant difference between Protein Tyrosine Kinase activity (pmoles/mg protein/h) in normoxic (378 +/- 68), Mg(2+)-Hx (455 +/- 67) and Hx (922 +/- 66, P < 0.05 vs. Nx and Mg(2+)-Hx ) groups. We conclude that magnesium sulfate administration prior to hypoxia prevents hypoxia-induced increase in CaM Kinase IV and Protein Tyrosine Kinase activities. We propose that by blocking the NMDA receptor ion-channel mediated Ca(2+)-flux, magnesium sulfate administration inhibits the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent activation of CaMKIV and prevents the generation of nitric oxide free radicals and the subsequent increase in PTK activity. As a result, phosphorylation of CREB and Bcl-2 family of proteins is prevented leading to prevention of programmed cell death.

A method for filling in the cohesive ends of double-stranded DNA using Pfu DNA polymerase

The present paper reports a highly efficient method of making blunt ends from cohesive ends of double-stranded DNA. Klenow fragment and Pfu DNA polymerases were used to fill in the cohesive ends. Since the transformation efficiency can directly reflect the filling-in efficiency, similar ligation and transformation conditions were used, and the filling-in efficiency was compared with the corresponding transformation efficiency. The results indicate that the filling-in efficiency of Pfu DNA polymerase was 1.96 times that of Klenow fragment and its efficiency was markedly higher than that of Klenow fragment (P<0.01). The optimization experiments on reaction conditions indicate, when the pH is 8.5 and the temperature is 74 degrees C, that the filling-in efficiency was highest upon using a buffer containing 3 mM MgSO4 and 300 microM dNTP.

Production of Levansucrase from Bacillus subtilis NRC 33a and Enzymic Synthesis of Levan and Fructo-Oligosaccharides

Bacillus subtilis NRC 33a was able to produce both inducible and constitutive extracellular levansucrase, respectively, using sucrose and glucose as carbon source. The optimal production of the levansucrase was at 30 degrees C. The effect of different nitrogen sources showed that baker's yeast with 2% concentration gave the highest levansucrase activity. Addition of 0.15 g/L MgSO(4) was the most favorable for levansucrase production. The enzymic synthesis of levan was studied using 60% acetone fraction. The results indicated that high enzyme concentrations produced increasing amounts of levan, and hence conversion of fructose to levan reached 84% using 1,000 microg/ml enzyme protein. Sucrose concentration was the most effective factor controlling the molecular weight of the synthesized levan. The conversion of fructose to levan was maximal at 30 degrees C. The time of reaction clearly affected the conversion of fructose to levan, which reached its maximum productivity at 18 hours (92%). Identification of levan indicated that fructose was the building unit of levan.

Increasing amniotic fluid magnesium concentrations with stable maternal serum levels: a prospective clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of prolonged maternal intravenous MgSO4 administration on amniotic fluid and serum concentrations of magnesium over time in preterm labor patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients at 24-34 weeks of singleton gestation who presented with contractions (> 8 in 60 minutes) underwent amniocentesis to rule out intrauterine infection after signing an informed consent form. Some of these women who were clinically judged to have preterm labor received intravenous MgSO4: a 4-g loading dose followed by a 2 g/h maintenance dose. For technical reasons some patients had amniocentesis performed before initiation of MgSO4 (controls), while others had the procedure during tocolytic therapy (study subjects). Duration of treatment until amniocentesis was recorded, and blood samples were drawn at the time of amniocentesis. Maternal serum and amniotic fluid magnesium levels were measured using a colorimetric end point method. Data were evaluated using the Student t test and linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Mean magnesium levels in maternal serum rose from 1.74 +/- 0.2 mg/dL in controls to 4.01 +/- 0.4 mg/dL in the study group. Mean magnesium levels in Mean magnesium levels in amniotic fluid were 1.41 +/- 0.18 mg/dL in the controls versus 2.28 +/- 0.53 mg/dL in the treatment group. Duration of MgSO4 treatment ranged from 3 to 22 hours. Amniotic fluid magnesium concentrations increased significantly during therapy (correlation coefficient = 0.89; p < 0.001), while maternal serum levels remained stable over time (correlation coefficient between maternal serum levels and time = -0.39; p=0.34).

CONCLUSION

Although maternal serum magnesium levels remained stable with intravenous MgSO4 therapy, concentrations continued to rise in amniotic fluid over time. However, amniotic fluid magnesium levels never exceeded maternal serum concentrations during the study period.

Effects of magnesium sulfate on spinal cord tissue lactate and malondialdehyde levels after spinal cord trauma

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, the effects of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) on tissue lactate and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels after spinal cord trauma (SCT) in rabbits were studied.

SUBJECTS

Thirty New Zeland rabbits. Interventions. The rabbits were divided equally into three groups: group I was the sham- operated group, group II suffered from SCT but received no treatment, group III was given a dose of 100 mg/kg of magnesium sulfate intravenously at 5th minute after SCT. MEASUREMENTS. The lactate and MDA levels were measured in contused spinal cord tissue at 60 minutes after SCT. There was a significant increase of lactate and MDA levels in group II (p < 0.05) when compared with groups I and III, and a significant increase in the level of MDA in group III compared with group I, and also a significant decrease compared with group II, which was the trauma group without treatment (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study showed that magnesium sulfate can attenuate the increase of tissue MDA and supply a normalization of lactate levels following SCT which may be related to the neuroprotective effects of (MgSO4).

Extracellular calcium and magnesium, but not iron, are needed for optimal growth of Blastomyces dermatitidis yeast form cells in vitro

In the present study, we demonstrate that the yeast form of Blastomyces dermatitidis can proliferate for short periods of time in the absence of ferric iron but not in the absence of calcium or magnesium. The results of this study shed light on the resistance of B. dermatitidis to chelating agents, such as deferoxamine, and may explain how B. dermatitidis resists the iron-binding activity of serum transferrin.

A glycerol-inducible thermostable lipase fromBacillussp.: medium optimization by a Plackett–Burman design and by response surface methodology

The production of a neutral lipase from a Bacillus sp. was improved tremendously (193-fold) following media optimization involving both the "one-at-a-time" and the statistical designing approaches. The present lipase was poorly induced by oils, instead its production was induced in the presence of sugars and sugar alcohols, mainly galactose, lactose, glycerol, and mannitol. A high inoculum density of 15% v/v (A550= 0.8) led to maximum lipase production. Interestingly, the enzyme induction was growth independent, a property very different from most of the lipases investigated to date. The optimal composition of the growth medium to achieve maximum lipase production was determined to be as follows: NH4Cl, 35 g·L–1; glycerol, 10 mL·L–1; K2HPO4, 3 g·L–1; KH2PO4, 1 g·L–1; MgSO4·7H2O, 0.1 g·L–1; glucose, 2 g·L–1; MgCl2, 0.6 mmol·L–1, with 15% inoculum density and an incubation period of 24 h. About 62 U·mL–1of enzyme production was achieved in the optimized medium.Key words: lipase, glycerol inducible, statistical designing.

PCR performance of the highly thermostable proof-reading B-type DNA polymerase from Pyrococcus abyssi

DNA polymerase from the archaeon Pyrococcus abyssi strain Orsay was expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant DNA polymerase (Pab) was purified to homogeneity by heat treatment followed by 5 steps of chromatography and characterized for PCR applications. Buffer optimization experiments indicated that Pab PCR performance and fidelity parameters were highest in the presence of 20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 9.0, 1.5 mM MgSO4, 25 mM KCl, 10 mM (NH4)2SO4 and 40 microM of each dNTP. Under these conditions, the error rate was 0.66.10(-6) mutations/nucleotide/duplication. Pab DNA polymerase, having a half life of 5 h at 100 degrees C, was demonstrated to be highly thermostable in PCR conditions compared to commercial Taq and Pfu DNA polymerases. These characteristics enable Pab to be one of the most efficient thermostable DNA polymerases described, exhibiting very high accuracy compared to other available commercial DNA polymerases and robust thermostable activity. This new DNA polymerase is currently on the market under the name Isis DNA Polymerase (Qbiogene Molecular Biology).

Sustained hydrogen photoproduction by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Effects of culture parameters

The green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, is capable of sustained H(2) photoproduction when grown under sulfur-deprived conditions. This phenomenon is a result of the partial deactivation of photosynthetic O(2)-evolution activity in response to sulfur deprivation. At these reduced rates of water-oxidation, oxidative respiration under continuous illumination can establish an anaerobic environment in the culture. After 10-15 hours of anaerobiosis, sulfur-deprived algal cells induce a reversible hydrogenase and start to evolve H(2) gas in the light. Using a computer-monitored photobioreactor system, we investigated the behavior of sulfur-deprived algae and found that: (1) the cultures transition through five consecutive phases: an aerobic phase, an O(2)-consumption phase, an anaerobic phase, a H(2)-production phase and a termination phase; (2) synchronization of cell division during pre-growth with 14:10 h light:dark cycles leads to earlier establishment of anaerobiosis in the cultures and to earlier onset of the H(2)-production phase; (3) re-addition of small quantities of sulfate (12.5-50 microM MgSO(4), final concentration) to either synchronized or unsynchronized cell suspensions results in an initial increase in culture density, a higher initial specific rate of H(2) production, an increase in the length of the H(2)-production phase, and an increase in the total amount of H(2) produced; and (4) increases in the culture optical density in the presence of 50 microM sulfate result in a decrease in the initial specific rates of H(2) production and in an earlier start of the H(2)-production phase with unsynchronized cells. We suggest that the effects of sulfur re-addition on H(2) production, up to an optimal concentration, are due to an increase in the residual water-oxidation activity of the algal cells. We also demonstrate that, in principle, cells synchronized by growth under light:dark cycles can be used in an outdoor H(2)-production system without loss of efficiency compared to cultures that up until now have been pre-grown under continuous light conditions.

Usefulness of magnesium sulfate in stabilizing cardiac repolarization in heart failure secondary to ischemic cardiomyopathy

Experimental heart failure is associated with cardiac magnesium loss, causing increased beat-to-beat variability in the action potential. Unstable repolarization contributes to sudden death, but no therapy has been shown to reduce repolarization variability safely. We sought to test whether a prolonged infusion of magnesium sulfate (MgSO(4); 40 mmol/24 hours) would normalize QT interval variability in patients with compensated heart failure. Fifteen patients (New York Heart Association class II to III; mean age 63 years) were enrolled in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Surface electrocardiograms were recorded and digitized at entry and at 48 and 168 hours (drug washout). Repolarization stability was assessed using an automated method measuring each QT interval in a 5-minute epoch. The QT variability index was derived as the ratio of normalized QT-to-normalized heart rate variability. Seven of 15 patients received MgSO(4). Mean heart rate and QT did not change in either group. The QT variability index was stable in the placebo group (-0.69 +/- 0.15 at entry, -0.71 +/- 0.22 at 48 hours, -0.70 +/- 0.18 at 168 hours), but decreased significantly in the treated group at 48 hours (-0.95 +/- 0.19 to -1.36 +/- 0.13, p <0.05 repeated-measures analysis of variance), returning to baseline at 168 hours (-0.84 +/- 0.18). Regression analyses showed that administration of MgSO(4) resulted in a stronger correlation between the QT and RR interval (p <0.01). Thus, MgSO(4) stabilizes cardiac repolarization in patients with compensated heart failure due to ischemic heart disease. Magnesium therapy may be useful in altering the proarrhythmic substrate in heart failure.

Protective mechanisms of Mg-gluconate against oxidative endothelial cytotoxicity

The potential anti-radical properties and cytoprotective effects of Mg-gluconate were studied. When microsomal membranes were peroxidized by a *O2- driven, Fe-catalyzed oxy-radical system (R* = dihydroxyfumarate + Fe2+), Mg-gluconate inhibited lipid peroxidation (TBARS formation) in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 being 2.3 mM. For the entire range of .25-2 mM, MgSO4 or MgCl2 were < or = 20% effective compared to Mg-gluconate. When cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells were incubated with the R* for 50 min. at 37 degrees C, 56% loss of total glutathione occurred. Pre-treatment (10 min.) of the cells with 0.25-4 mM Mg-gluconate before R* exposure significantly (p<0.05) prevented the GSH loss to varying degrees; the EC50 was 1.1 mM. In separate experiments, with 30 min. of free radical incubation of endothelial monolayers (approximately 65% confluent), cell survival/proliferation determined by the tetrazolium salt MTT assay, decreased to 38% of control at 24 hrs; Mg-gluconate concentration-dependently attenuated the lost cell survival with EC50 of approximately 1.3 mM. For comparison, the effects provided by MgSO4 or MgCl2 were significantly lower and were < or = 1/3 as potent as that produced by Mg-gluconate. In a Fenton-reaction system consisting of Fe(II)+ H2O2, Mg-gluconate but not other Mg-salts, significantly inhibited the formation of OH radicals as determined by the ESR DMPO-OH signal intensity. Mg-gluconate also dose-dependently inhibited the 'Fe-catalyzed' deoxyribose degradation suggesting that Mg-gluconate could displace Fe from 'catalytic sites' of oxidative damage. These data suggest that Mg-gluconate may serve as a more advantageous Mg-salt for clinical use due to its additional anti-radical and cytoprotective activities.

A macrocyclic reporter ligand for Mg2+: analytical implications for clinical magnesium determinations

A new approach is presented for measuring Mg in plasma using the macrocyclic reporter ligand, NOTMP (1, 4, 7-triazacyclononane- 1, 4, 7-tris (methylene methylphosphinate)) and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). By virtue of its intermediate binding constant for Mg (Kd = 0.35 mM), measurements of Mg using NOTMP allows one to discriminate between Mg bound to the high and low affinity ligands present in plasma, when combined with more conventional measurements of Mg. We used this approach in conjunction with measurements of total Mg using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and ionized Mg using an ion selective electrode (ISE) to characterize the distribution of Mg in the plasma of 16 normal adults. The percentage of Mg distributed among high and low affinity ligands and in an ionized fraction was 31, 14 and 55 per cent respectively. Similar measurements on plasma following equilibrium dialysis suggest that the high and low affinity ligands in plasma correspond to high and low molecular weight compounds, respectively. Measurement of Mg by NOTMP, AAS and ISE were not affected by the storage of blood samples for up to 48 h at 4 degrees C. The addition of MgSO4 to plasma and its subsequent analysis by these three methods suggests that the added Mg is primarily distributed among the high affinity ligands (mostly likely proteins) and ionized fractions. The approach presented here may offer novel insights into assessing the distribution of Mg in clinical samples.

Effect of magnesium sulphate on adriamycin-induced clastogenic and biochemical changes in Swiss albino mice

Magnesium sulphate (magnesium), an essential anti-oxidant macromineral, was evaluated for its effects on the clastogenic and biochemical changes induced by Adriamycin (ADM) in Swiss albino mice. Male mice were treated orally with different doses (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight/day) of magnesium sulphate for 7 days. Some of these mice were injected intraperitoneally with ADM (8 mg/kg body weight). Multiple sampling (12, 24 and 48 h) were carried out after the last treatment in different experiments. The animals were sacrificed under ether anaesthesia. The concentrations of magnesium were determined in plasma and liver tissue. Femoral marrow cells were collected and screened for the frequency of micronuclei and the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes to normochromatic erythrocytes. Furthermore the proteins, nucleic acids, malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-protein sulphydryl (NPSH) levels were estimated in hepatic cells. The magnesium sulphate treatment did not affect the magnesium concentrations in plasma and liver tissue. The treatment also failed to cause any significant clastogenic, cytotoxic and biochemical changes. Pretreatment with magnesium sulphate showed no alterations in plasma and hepatic tissue levels of magnesium. Nevertheless the pretreatment was found to inhibit the ADM-induced micronuclei without any alteration in its therapeutic efficacy. The proteins, DNA, RNA and MDA levels in the hepatic cells of these animals were increased and the NPSH concentrations were reduced. The anticlastogenic nature of magnesium sulphate appears to be related to its pretreatment which might have averted the free-radical-mediated pathogenesis induced by ADM.

On the iron requirement of lactobacilli grown in chemically defined medium

The iron requirement of four strains of lactobacilli (L. acidophilus, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, L. plantarum, and L. pentosus) was studied in a synthetic medium under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Effects of iron salt and iron-chelated compounds were tested on bacterial growth in manganese-free or -supplemented media. No significant growth stimulation was observed in any condition. These results support the absolute manganese requirement for optimum growth of lactobacilli and the needless incorporation of iron in growth media.

Effect of parenteral magnesium sulfate administration on excitatory amino acid receptors in the rat brain

The literature regarding magnesium sulfate central nervous system inhibitory effect will be reviewed. We suggest that its mechanism of action be through the excitatory amino acid receptors. We have demonstrated that magnesium sulfate enters the cerebrospinal fluid and brain after systemic administration. The significant rise in brain magnesium concentration is associated with an elevation of the seizure threshold and a marked resistance of the animal to electrically as well as NMDA stimulated hippocampal seizures. Using autoradiography we have studied the effect of magnesium sulfate on the NMDA receptor-channel complex, as well as on the AMPA and Kainate receptors. The results provide further information on the mechanism by which magnesium' central anticonvulsant activity is mediated in the rat model.

Kinetics of swelling-breakdown of a W/O/W multiple emulsion: possible mechanisms for the lipophilic surfactant effect

The properties and behavior of a W/O/W multiple emulsion formulation were analyzed during a swelling-breakdown process. Various experimental analyses, such as granulometry, rheology and conductimetry were performed, as well as a micropipette aspiration method. The predominant role of the lipophilic surfactant during the swelling phase confirmed. Two different mechanism can be proposed. Both imply the migration of the lipophilic surfactant from one interface to another and probably take place successively. The lipophilic surfactant could diffuse from the first to the second interface, thus rigidifying the membrane, or from the oily phase to the first interface, resulting in delayed coalescence of the aqueous droplets during swelling.

Biological implications of magnesium salts at the molecular level

The interaction of Mg2+ cations in biological systems is studied by using nucleic acid bases as the biological system. Magnesium salts, such as, MgCl2 6H2O, MgSO4. 7H2O and Mg(ClO4). XH2O have been employed in order to compare their complexation with cytosine and 1-methyl cytosine crystallize in water solutions. The reaction of the above magnesium salts with the two bases has been followed by attempting to crystallization the complexes formed at constant temperature and variable times of crystallization. The water solutions with the above reagents have also been followed by Fourier Transform infrared.

Biological effects of inhaled magnesium sulphate whiskers in rats

Male Wistar rats were exposed to two types of magnesium sulphate whiskers by inhalation for six hours a day, five days a week, for four weeks (sub-chronic study), or for one year (chronic study) to clarify the biological effects of the whiskers. There were few whiskers detected in the rat lungs even at one day after the exposure, suggesting that they are dissolved and eliminated rapidly from the lungs. To measure the clearance rate of the whiskers from the lungs, an intratracheal instillation was performed in golden hamsters. The half life of the whiskers in the lung was determined as 17.6 minutes by temporally measuring the magnesium concentration up to 80 minutes after the instillation. A histopathological examination indicated a frequent occurrence of adenoma and carcinoma in the year after chronic exposure, but it was not significantly different between exposed and control rats.

Improvement of culture conditions for L-proline production by a recombinant strain of Serratia marcescens

Serratia marcescens SP511 was previously reported to be an L-proline-producing strain that harbors a recombinant plasmid carrying the mutant type of the proline operon. This strain produced 65 g/L of L-proline in a medium containing 22% sucrose and urea after 5 d of incubation under the conventional culture conditions. We searched for more suitable culture conditions for more abundant L-proline production by SP511. To improve the supply of a nitrogen source to cells, ammonium was used instead of urea and fed to a culture under control of the pH of the medium. The concentrations of MgSO4 and K2HPO4 were increased, and in addition, sucrose was continuously added to the culture at a final concentration of 32%. Under these conditions, the cell amount was increased twofold over that under the previous conditions and L-proline production reached a maximum of more than 100 g/L after 4 d of incubation.

Protein-enrichment of wheat bran using Aspergillus terreus

Wheat bran was fermented by Aspergillus terreus to increase the protein content for use as animal feed. Maximum protein content (55%) and conversion efficiency (59%) were achieved at the late growth phase (8 day-old cultures), when each flask containing 100 ml medium was inoculated with 4% (v/v) spore suspension (3.6 x 10(5) spore/ml) and shaken at 250 rpm. The best fermentation medium contained (g/l): wheat bran, 10; urea, 1.4; MgSO4.7H2O, 0.3; KH2PO4, 1.0; KC1, 0.1 and was adjusted to pH 4.0. Under optimal growth condition, 4 fold increase in protein content was obtained compared to the protein content of the wheat bran.

Interaction of metals in nickel-sensitive patients

Nickel (Ni) dermatitis is thought to involve the formation of complexes between Ni ions and suitable proteins. 4 groups of 30 subjects who gave positive patch test responses to NiSO4 2.9% aq. were each retested to 1 of 4 different solutions containing equimolar (0.1 M) amounts of NiSO4 plus MgSO4, NiSO4 plus CuSO4, NiSO4 plus ZnSO4, and NiSO4 plus Li2SO4, respectively. The results, evaluated at 2 days by visual scoring only, demonstrated that the 4 metals exerted a different influence on the nickel reactions, perhaps interfering with one or more factors affecting the formation of Ni+ + complexes.

Nutrient effects on growth and the production of 5-hydroxy-4-oxonorvaline by Streptomyces akiyoshiensis

5-Hydroxy-4-oxonorvaline (HON) was produced optimally by Streptomyces akiyoshiensis in media containing starch and casein supplemented with high concentrations of phosphate and magnesium sulfate; cultures grown at initial pH values between 6.3 and 6.6 yielded HON titres of 13-14 mM. Physiological analysis of HON production provided evidence that the excess inorganic constituents in this medium played an important role in optimizing production. In simple defined media buffered at pH 5.5-6.0 and inoculated with either a spore suspension or washed vegetative mycelium, formation of HON was less than one-third the amount produced in the starch-casein-salts medium. Production was markedly affected by the carbon and nitrogen sources used; media containing starch and potassium nitrate or aspartate supported the highest yields of HON. In starch-nitrate media, production was suppressed by excess nitrogen source, and the HON titre decreased 3-fold as the phosphate content was increased from 0.5 to 5 mM; growth was not appreciably altered. The results suggest that the high level of HON production in the complex starch-casein-salts medium is associated with sequestration of metabolic ammonium and reduced availability of phosphate through formation of the poorly soluble magnesium ammonium phosphate.

Insulin-like growth factor I accelerates proliferation and differentiation of cartilage progenitor cells in cultures of neonatal mandibular condyles

The present study examined the effect of exogenous IGF-I on growth and development of neonatal cartilage of the mandible condyle. Condylar cartilage was cultured as organ culture. The explants were cultured on top of collagen sponges in medium containing 2% fetal calf serum and were treated with IGF-I at doses ranging from 3.25 to 26 nmol/l for up to six days. IGF-I was found to increase significantly the uptake of [3H]-thymidine and [35S]-sulfate in a dose-related manner. The enhanced cellular proliferation, along with the increased synthesis of proteoglycans, resulted in a substantially larger mass of tissue in the organ culture system. The nature of the IGF-I stimulative effect was further studied through the use of a tissue culture system whereby a separated chondroprogenitor zone is cultured under conditions which favor its development at first into cartilage and then into bone. Using this culture system, we could show that IGF-I induces merely the de novo chondrogenesis process. This was reflected in the appearance of relatively large amounts of cartilage specific antigens such as type II collagen, cartilage proteoglycans, chondrocalcin and 100 KDa protein. Yet, no bone specific antigens were significantly increased, as is the case with GH effects. These results indicate that IGF-I is a strong chondrogenetic agent. But, unlike growth hormone, it does not seem to stimulate bone formation.

Regulation of nisin biosynthesis by continuous cultures and by resting cells of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis

Nisin production by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis has been investigated using lactose as carbon source. Whether or not continuous cultures were lactose-limited, maximum nisin titre was observed at an intermediate mu value with a sharp peak of activity between 0.2 and 0.3/h. The maximum specific growth rate obtained in the medium used was 0.6/h and the maximum titre of nisin at mu = 0.25/h (160 AU/ml) was about nine-fold higher as compared with activity obtained at a dilution rate of 0.05/h or 0.4/h. With a constant dilution rate of 0.25/h and varying initial lactose concentrations from 3 to 40 g/l, there is an increase in nisin biosynthesis with increasing lactose concentration correlated with higher rates of sugar consumption. A Ymax value of 0.2 g bacterial dry weight and a maintenance coefficient of 124 mg lactose/g bacterial dry weight/h were determined. Lactose consumption increased from 1 to 3.28 g of lactose/g (dry wt) of cell mass/h and the nisin titre from 12.5 to 164.2 AU/ml. At higher values, nisin production declined. This implies that biosynthesis of nisin is regulated by a system of repression and derepression. Addition of lanthionine and beta-methyllanthionine precursors to the medium decreased the nisin titre when either threonine, threonine-cysteine, or cysteine-serine-threonine was added at the optimal dilution rate of 0.25/h; however, simultaneous addition of serine and cysteine elicited a slight increase in nisin activity. Studies with resting cells confirm that the biosynthesis of nisin is tightly regulated, since the production rate can be 5.6-fold higher than in cells grown in continuous culture. In addition, cell-adhered nisin appears to play a role in the production of the enzyme: low levels of cell-adhered nisin elicited high production rates, whereas high levels were not associated with nisin biosynthesis. In addition to pH, magnesium sulphate and lactose concentrations, nitrogen sources were also able to interfere in cell-adherence nisin.

Constitutive sensory transduction mutations in the Bordetella pertussis bvgS gene

The products of the bvgAS locus coordinately regulate expression of the Bordetella pertussis virulence regulon in response to environmental signals. Transcription of bvgAS-activated genes is nearly eliminated by several modulating conditions, including the presence of sulfate anion or nicotinic acid and growth at low temperature. We have isolated spontaneous mutations that result in the constitutive synthesis of multiple bvg-regulated loci. Several of these mutations have been analyzed and were found to result from single-nucleotide substitutions within bvgS, in a region encoding a 161-amino-acid segment which links the transmembrane sequence with cytoplasmic domains that appear to be involved in signaling events. The effect of signal transduction mutations in Escherichia coli was determined by measuring the expression of an fhaB-lacZYA transcriptional fusion, and that in B. pertussis was determined by measuring expression of both fhaB-cat and ptxA3201-cat fusions. The constitutive mutations have little effect on fhaB-cat or fhaB-lacZYA expression in the absence of modulating signals but result in a nearly complete insensitivity to MgSO4, nicotinic acid, or growth at low temperature. Furthermore, insertion and deletion mutations in bvgS sequences encoding the periplasmic domain eliminate activity of the wild-type product, whereas constitutive mutants remain active. In B. pertussis cultures grown in Stainer-Scholte broth, expression of ptxA3201-cat differed from that of fhaB-cat in several respects. In combination with a wild-type bvgS allele, ptxA3201-cat expression required the addition of heptakis-(2,6-O-dimethyl)-beta-cyclodextrin, and this requirement was eliminated by the presence of the constitutive mutations.

Normal parathyroid hormone responses to hypocalcemia during cardiopulmonary bypass

To determine whether the calcium-magnesium-parathyroid hormone-calcitriol (vitamin D) axis responds appropriately to the hypocalcemia that routinely follows initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), we measured blood ionized calcium (CaI), total calcium (CaT), total magnesium (MgT), ultrafilterable magnesium (MgI), total protein, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcitriol concentrations at eight defined time points in 28 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. With the onset of CPB, CaI decreased from 1.14 +/- 0.02 to 0.91 +/- 0.03 mM, P less than 0.05) (n = 17), and then gradually returned to a normal value by the time of separation from CPB (0.98 +/- 0.01 mM). CaT, MgI, MgT, and total protein concentrations declined significantly upon initiation of CPB and remained depressed thereafter. PTH initially decreased upon initiation of CPB (from 50 +/- 8 to 24 +/- 9 pg/ml, n = 9, P less than 0.05), remained inappropriately decreased during the early phases of CPB, and then gradually increased to maximal concentrations in response to hypocalcemia (103 +/- 15 pg/ml) before emergence. Calcitriol concentrations (n = 8) were unchanged during surgery. Based on these initial results, which suggested an association between hypomagnesemia and the slow PTH response to hypocalcemia, measurements were repeated in 10 additional patients, to whom magnesium (Mg) (1 g MgSO4 in two separate intravenous doses) was administered. Mg administration neither altered the PTH response to ionized hypocalcemia nor hastened the return of CaI to normal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ammonium effects on streptonigrin biosynthesis byStreptomyces flocculus

A defined medium containing glucose and ammonium as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources was developed to support growth and streptonigrin production. In this defined medium, increased initial levels of ammonium resulted in increased growth suggesting that nitrogen is the growth limiting nutrient. In some cases, increased initial ammonium levels resulted in decreased specific streptonigrin productivity, suggesting that nitrogen regulatory mechanisms may adversely affect streptonigrin biosynthesis. This suggestion that nitrogen regulation adversely affects antibiotic biosynthesis is further supported by results from two studies in which the ammonium supply to the cells was controlled. In the first study, streptonigrin productivity and final titer were enhanced by the addition of an ammonium trapping agent. In the second experiment, when ammonium chloride was fed slowly throughout the course of cultivation, the production phase was lengthened and the maximum antibiotic concentration was enhanced compared to the batch controls containing either the same initial or the same total ammonium chloride levels. Although our results indicate streptonigrin production may be subject to nitrogen regulatory mechanisms, the effect of nitrogen on streptonigrin production cannot be strictly correlated to the extracellular ammonium concentration. In fact, we observed that when ammonium was depleted from the medium, streptonigrin production ceased.

Expression of the major gas vesicle protein gene in the halophilic archaebacterium Haloferax mediterranei is modulated by salt

In the moderately to extremely halophilic archaebacterium Haloferax mediterranei gas vacuoles are not observed before the stationary phase of growth, and only when the cells are grown in media containing more than 17% total salt. Under the electron microscope, isolated gas vesicles appear as cylindrical structures with conical ends that reach a maximal length of 1.5 microns; this morphology is different from the spindle-shaped gas vesicles found in the Halobacterium halobium wild type which expresses the plasmid-borne p-vac gene, but resembles that of gas vesicles isolated from H. halobium strains expressing the chromosomal c-vac gene. Both the p-vac and the c-vac genes encode very similar structural proteins accounting for the major part of the "membrane" of the respective gas vesicles. The homologous mc-vac gene was isolated from Hf. mediterranei using the p-vac gene as probe. The mc-vac coding region indicates numerous nucleotide differences compared to the p-vac anc c-vac genes; the encoded protein is, however, almost identical to the c-vac gene product. The start point of the 310 nucleotide mc-vac transcript determined by primer extension analysis and S1 mapping was located 20 bp upstream of the ATG start codon, which is at the same relative position as found for the other two vac mRNAs. During the growth cycle, mc-vac mRNA was detectable in Hf. mediterranei cells grown in 15% as well as 25% total salt, with a maximal level in the early stationary phase of growth. The relative abundance of mc-vac mRNA in cells grown at 25% salt was sevenfold higher than in cells grown in 15% total salt.

Extreme hypermagnesemia caused by an overdose of magnesium-containing cathartics

We describe a patient who survived a peak serum magnesium level of 9.5 mmol/L (23.0 mg/dL) after an oral cathartic overdose. The patient presented in coma but regained full consciousness over the next six hours with supportive therapy. His serum magnesium had returned to near-normal levels by the following morning at the time of his hospital discharge. This case represents an unprecedented extent of ingestion-related hypermagnesemia in a surviving patient, given that serum levels of more than 8 mmol/L are frequently associated with death from cardiac arrest.

The effect of oxytocin infusion on the pharmacokinetics of intramuscular magnesium sulfate therapy

The effect of oxytocin infusion on the pharmacokinetics of standard intramuscular magnesium sulfate therapy was determined in 18 women with preeclampsia; the results were compared with those in seven women with preeclampsia who did not receive oxytocin. Oxytocin had no significant effects on the maternal serum magnesium and calcium ion concentrations, nor did oxytocin appear to affect the magnesium or calcium concentrations in fetal umbilical cord blood. Urinary excretion of magnesium rose 21-fold and calcium excretion rose threefold in patients receiving intramuscular magnesium sulfate in both the oxytocin and the nonoxytocin groups. Sixty-five percent of the administered magnesium was excreted during the treatment period, again with no significant differences between the oxytocin and the nonoxytocin groups. These results indicate that oxytocin does not affect the pharmacokinetics of intramuscular magnesium sulfate and no dosage adjustment of magnesium sulfate is required when oxytocin is used to induce or augment labor or when it is given during the postpartum period.

Secretory NaCl and volume flow in renal tubules

This review attempts to give a retrospective survey of the available evidence concerning the secretion of NaCl and fluid in renal tubules of the vertebrate kidney. In the absence of glomerular filtration, epithelial secretory mechanisms, which to this date have not been elucidated, are responsible for the renal excretion of NaCl and water in aglomerular fish. However, proximal tubules isolated from glomerular fish kidneys of the flounder, killifish, and the shark also have the capacity to secrete NaCl and fluid. In shark proximal tubules, fluid secretion appears to be driven via secondary active transport of Cl. In another marine vertebrate, the sea snake, secretion of Na (presumably NaCl) and fluid is observed in freshwater-adapted and water-loaded animals. Proximal tubules of mammals can be made to secrete NaCl in vitro together with secretion of aryl acids. An epithelial cell line derived from dog kidney exhibits secondary active secretion of Cl when stimulated with catecholamines. Tubular secretion of NaCl and fluid may serve a variety of renal functions, all of which are considered here. The occurrence of NaCl and fluid secretion in glomerular proximal tubules of teleosts, elasmobranchs, and reptiles and in mammalian renal tissue cultures suggests that the genetic potential for NaCl secretion is present in every vertebrate kidney.