On the road to improve the bioremediation and electricity-harvesting skills of Geobacter sulfurreducens: functional and structural characterization of multihaem cytochromes

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 1295-1301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonor Morgado ◽  
Ana P. Fernandes ◽  
Joana M. Dantas ◽  
Marta A. Silva ◽  
Carlos A. Salgueiro
Keyword(s):  
Electron Transfer ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Geobacter Sulfurreducens ◽  
Extracellular Electron Transfer ◽  
The Road ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Haem Proteins

Extracellular electron transfer is one of the physiological hallmarks of Geobacter sulfurreducens, allowing these bacteria to reduce toxic and/or radioactive metals and grow on electrode surfaces. Aiming to functionally optimize the respiratory electron-transfer chains, such properties can be explored through genetically engineered strains. Geobacter species comprise a large number of different multihaem c-type cytochromes involved in the extracellular electron-transfer pathways. The functional characterization of multihaem proteins is particularly complex because of the coexistence of several microstates in solution, connecting the fully reduced and oxidized states. NMR spectroscopy has been used to monitor the stepwise oxidation of each individual haem and thus to obtain information on each microstate. For the structural study of these proteins, a cost-effective isotopic labelling of the protein polypeptide chains was combined with the comparative analysis of 1H-13C HSQC (heteronuclear single-quantum correlation) NMR spectra obtained for labelled and unlabelled samples. These new methodological approaches allowed us to study G. sulfurreducens haem proteins functionally and structurally, revealing functional mechanisms and key residues involved in their electron-transfer capabilities. Such advances can now be applied to the design of engineered haem proteins to improve the bioremediation and electricity-harvesting skills of G. sulfurreducens.

Geobacter sulfurreducens adapts to low electrode potential for extracellular electron transfer

2016 ◽  
Vol 191 ◽  
pp. 743-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luo Peng ◽  
Xiao-Ting Zhang ◽  
Jie Yin ◽  
Shuo-Yuan Xu ◽  
Yong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Transfer ◽  
Electrode Potential ◽  
Geobacter Sulfurreducens ◽  
Extracellular Electron Transfer

Strategies for Promoting the Use of Concrete Pavements in Tanzania: Technical and Institutional Considerations

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62
Author(s):  
D.A. Mfinanga ◽  
H. Bwire
Keyword(s):  
Road Construction ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Concrete Pavements ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
The Road ◽  
Competing Demands ◽  
Resource Requirements ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Economic Developments

High-type roads in Tanzania have been predominantly of asphaltic concrete construction. This ever enlarging and ageing asphaltic road network represents increasing resource requirements on the road agency in the form of maintenance. Limited resources coupled with the ever sky-rocketing costs of petroleum products and the competing demands of social economic developments, presupposes the need to look for alternative road construction technology that is more cost-effective and resource optimising. Experience gained from developed and some developing countries where concrete pavements have been widely used suggests the potential of this type of pavement in many developingcountries. This paper discusses the technical aspects of design and construction- and maintenance-related aspects of concrete pavements. The discussion extends further to highlight issues pertaining to the performance of concrete pavements and strategies for promoting the use of concrete pavements in Tanzania. Conclusions and recommendationsare made with suggestions on how to start implementing the proposed strategies.

scholarly journals Nine Recommendations for the Safety on Road both of the People and the Traffic Police

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (01) ◽  
pp. 79-85
Author(s):  
Madhur Dev Bhattarai
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Road Accident ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Occupational Hazards ◽  
Traffic Police ◽  
The Road ◽  
The People ◽  
On The Road ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Injured Patients

Safety of people and traffic police on road and the provision of prompt and appropriate treatment of injured persons in road accident are urgent concerns. The nine recommendations accordingly made are 1) Considering anyone who informs about or brings to the hospitals the accident victims as innocent until proved otherwise, 2) Annual payment by all vehicle owners (as per the cost of vehicles) to generate treatment fund for any road accident injured patients in the free general (not paying or private or extended health service) outdoor or emergency clinics or ward of the public hospitals irrespective of anyone’ fault in the accident (insurance or other agencies may be assigned to handle the amount deposited and reimbursement of the payments to the hospitals), 3) Implementation of helmet wearing by motorcycle riders and pillion riders in motorcycles, 4) Stricter fine for hazardous traffic offenses, 5) Drivers of the larger vehicles should not automatically be held responsible for any accidents involving other smaller vehicles (to prevent smaller vehicles and motorcycles to drive recklessly), 6) Drivers should not be just held responsible to bear health expenses of injured patients (which is much more than the compensation required in the event of death of injured persons); this is to encourage drivers to take injured persons immediately to hospitals and prevent inclination to allow their deaths indirectly or directly; the drivers should be proportionately fined or punished as per the traffic regulations if they are found to be negligent, 7) Safe and visible platform for the traffic police to stay on the road, 8) Provision of cost-effective respirators for traffic police and traffic supervisors, and 9) Compensation for occupational hazards to the traffic police and field traffic supervisors by distributing to them adequate proportion (e.g. one-third to one-half) of the fund collected by stricter fine paid for the hazardous traffic offences. Provision of various allowances, including for hazards, and benefits is a common practice in the country. Compensation for the occupational hazards of the traffic police provides incentives to and motivates them to remain vigilant about hazardous traffic offenses day and night everywhere and, thus, is essential for the safety of the people.   

Rapid and Scalable Production of Functional Anti-Coronavirus Monoclonal Antibody CR3022 in Plants

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaewta Rattanapisit ◽  
Balamurugan Shanmugaraj ◽  
Suwimon Manopwisedjaroen ◽  
Priyo Budi Purwono ◽  
Konlavat Siriwattananon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Technology Platforms ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Significant Public Health

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is responsible for an ongoing global outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and represents a significant public health threat. The rapid spread of COVID-19 necessitates the development of cost-effective technology platforms for the production of diagnostic reagents/biopharmaceuticals for COVID-19. We explored the possibility of producing an anti-SARS-CoV monoclonal antibody (mAb) CR3022 and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 in Nicotiana benthamiana. Both RBD and the mAb were transiently expressed with the expression of 8μg/g and 130μg/g leaf fresh weight respectively. The plant-purified mAb binds to SARS-CoV-2, but fails to neutralize it in vitro. This is the first report showing the functional characterization of an anti- SARS-CoV mAb CR3022 in plants. Overall these findings showed that plants are a promising platform to produce anti-SARS-CoV mAb to use as a research reagent or a biotherapeutic in a cost-effective manner, which is especially important to developing economies during epidemics.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document