scholarly journals Carrier-Free Immobilization of α-Galactosidase as Nano-Biocatalysts for Synthesizing Prebiotic α-Galacto-Oligosaccharides

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1248
Author(s):  
Yan Liu ◽  
Jingyi Yang ◽  
Ke Wang ◽  
Feiyu Duan ◽  
Lili Lu

α-Galacto-oligosaccharides (α-GOSs) have great functions as prebiotics and therapeutics. This work established the method of batch synthesis of α-GOSs by immobilized α-galactosidase for the first time, laying a foundation for industrial applications in the future. The α-galactosidase from Aspergillus niger L63 was immobilized as cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) nano-biocatalyst through enzyme precipitating and cross-linking steps without using carriers. Among the tested agents, the ammonium sulfate showed high precipitation efficacy and induced regular structures of α-galactosidase CLEAs (Aga-CLEAs) that had been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Through optimization by response surface methodology, the ammonium sulfate-induced Aga-CLEAs achieved a high activity recovery of around 90% at 0.55 U/mL of enzymes and 36.43 mM glutaraldehyde with cross-linking for 1.71 h. Aga-CLEAs showed increased thermal stability and organic solvent tolerance. The storage ability was also improved since it maintained 74.5% activity after storing at 4 °C for three months, significantly higher than that of the free enzyme (21.6%). Moreover, Aga-CLEAs exhibited excellent reusability in the α-GOSs synthesis from galactose, retaining above 66% of enzyme activity after 10 batch reactions, with product yields all above 30%.

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2758
Author(s):  
Jinyi Yang ◽  
Rui Si ◽  
Guangpei Wu ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
Ruyu Fang ◽  
...  

Nanobodies have several advantages, including great stability, sensibility, and ease of production; therefore, they have become important tools in immunoassays for chemical contaminants. In this manuscript, nanobodies for the detection of the toxin Nodularin-r (NOD-R), a secondary metabolite of cyanobacteria that could cause a safety risk for drinks and food for its strong hepatotoxicity, were for the first time selected from an immunized Bactrian camel VHH phage display library. Then, a sensitive indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) for NOD-R, based on the nanobody N56 with great thermostability and organic solvent tolerance, was established under optimized conditions. The results showed that the limit of detection for NOD-R was 0.67 µg/L, and the average spike recovery rate was between 84.0 and 118.3%. Moreover, the ic-ELISA method was validated with spiked water sample and confirmed by UPLC–MS/MS, which indicated that the ic-ELISA established in this work is a reproducible detection assay for nodularin residues in water samples.


2003 ◽  
Vol 772 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Seeger ◽  
G. de la Fuente ◽  
W.K. Maser ◽  
A.M. Benito ◽  
A. Righi ◽  
...  

AbstractCarbon nanotubes (CNT) are interesting candidates for the reinforcement in robust composites and for conducting fillers in polymers due to their fascinating electronic and mechanical properties. For the first time, we report the incorporation of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) into silica-glass surfaces by means of partial surface-melting caused by a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser. MWNTs were detected being well incorporated in the silica-surface. The composites are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman-spectroscopy. A model for the composite-formation is proposed based on heatabsorption by MWNTs and a partial melting of the silica-surface.


Author(s):  
Mamaeva S.N. ◽  
Vinokurov R.R. ◽  
Munkhalova Ya.A. ◽  
Dyakonova D.P. ◽  
Platonova V.A. ◽  
...  

Currently, due to the intensive development of high-tech science-intensive medical and research devices, more and more attention is paid to the development of diagnostics of rare and difficult to diagnose diseases. It is known that among numerous nephropathies, hematuria may be the only symptom of kidney and urinary tract diseases, which complicates their diagnosis and treatment. In order to develop new approaches for the diagnosis of nephropathies, the authors have been studying the morphology of red blood cells in the blood and urine of children and adults using a scanning electron microscope for several years. The paper presents the results of studies of children with various kidney diseases, including IgA-nephropathy, and chronic glomerulonephritis. Scanning electron microscopy was used for the first time to detect nanoparticles on the surface of red blood cells, the size of which is comparable to the size of viruses, which became the basis for one of the authors ' assumptions, namely, the possible transport of certain types of viruses by red blood cells. Thus, some kidney diseases could be considered virus-associated. This paper presents for the first time the results of determining the glomerular filtration rate of both kidneys separately in the study of separate kidney function and of the study of urine smears obtained during catheterization of the ureters in patients with hydronephrosis of one of the kidneys by scanning electron microscopy. As in previous studies, nanoparticles were found on the surface of red blood cells, which leads to the conclusion about the possible viral nature of the disease of the considered patient. In addition, smear images obtained using a microscope showed a significant difference in the elements of the right and left kidneys urine, which did not contradict the data on the study of glomerular filtration rate. According to the authors, the capabilities of the scanning electron microscope can be applied in fundamental research of kidney diseases at the cellular and molecular levels, forming new ideas about their origin, as well as on the basis of which new methods of non-invasive diagnostics can be built.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2623
Author(s):  
Monika Wójcik-Bania ◽  
Jakub Matusik

Polymer–clay mineral composites are an important class of materials with various applications in the industry. Despite interesting properties of polysiloxanes, such matrices were rarely used in combination with clay minerals. Thus, for the first time, a systematic study was designed to investigate the cross-linking efficiency of polysiloxane networks in the presence of 2 wt % of organo-montmorillonite. Montmorillonite (Mt) was intercalated with six quaternary ammonium salts of the cation structure [(CH3)2R’NR]+, where R = C12, C14, C16, and R’ = methyl or benzyl substituent. The intercalation efficiency was examined by X-ray diffraction, CHN elemental analysis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Textural studies have shown that the application of freezing in liquid nitrogen and freeze-drying after the intercalation increases the specific surface area and the total pore volume of organo-Mt. The polymer matrix was a poly(methylhydrosiloxane) cross-linked with two linear vinylsiloxanes of different siloxane chain lengths between end functional groups. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies have shown that the increase in d-spacing of organo-Mt and the benzyl substituent influence the degree of nanofillers’ exfoliation in the nanocomposites. The increase in the degree of organo-Mt exfoliation reduces the efficiency of hydrosilylation reaction monitored by FTIR. This was due to physical hindrance induced by exfoliated Mt particles.


2020 ◽  
Vol 307 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mytnik Joanna ◽  
Davies L. Kevin ◽  
Narajczyk Magdalena ◽  
Łuszczek Dorota ◽  
Kubiak Joanna ◽  
...  

AbstractPolystachya is a large, pantropical orchid genus of 200 species, most of which occur as epiphytes in sub-saharan Africa. The three-lobed labellum of most Polystachya species possesses a fleshy callus and various types of trichomes and papillae. In this paper, we present the results of micromorphological studies on the labellum of 20 species, representing eight of the 13 sections in the genus, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Our results show the scale of infrageneric diversity of trichomes and papillae relative to the sampled sections. They also demonstrate the taxonomic value of labellar micromorphology at the sectional level. The study revealed seven types of papillae and five types of trichomes (uni- and multi-cellular) in Polystachya, some of which, are described here for the first time. Clavate trichomes are the most common and are present in 60% of the species studied. Moniliform trichomes mainly occur in sect. Polystachya and are strongly characteristic of the section. Pseudopollen is formed by fragmentation of moniliform trichomes or the detachment of other trichomes as bicellular units. We provide, for the first time, evidence for the detachment of the terminal cells of capitate trichomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Saskia Rughöft ◽  
Nico Jehmlich ◽  
Tony Gutierrez ◽  
Sara Kleindienst

The application of chemical dispersants during marine oil spills can affect the community composition and activity of marine microorganisms. Several studies have indicated that certain marine hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, such as Marinobacter spp., can be inhibited by chemical dispersants, resulting in lower abundances and/or reduced biodegradation rates. However, a major knowledge gap exists regarding the mechanisms underlying these physiological effects. Here, we performed comparative proteomics of the Deepwater Horizon isolate Marinobacter sp. TT1 grown under different conditions. Strain TT1 received different carbon sources (pyruvate vs. n-hexadecane) with and without added dispersant (Corexit EC9500A). Additional treatments contained crude oil in the form of a water-accommodated fraction (WAF) or chemically-enhanced WAF (CEWAF; with Corexit). For the first time, we identified the proteins associated with alkane metabolism and alginate biosynthesis in strain TT1, report on its potential for aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation and present a protein-based proposed metabolism of Corexit components as carbon substrates. Our findings revealed that Corexit exposure affects hydrocarbon metabolism, chemotactic motility, biofilm formation, and induces solvent tolerance mechanisms, like efflux pumps, in strain TT1. This study provides novel insights into dispersant impacts on microbial hydrocarbon degraders that should be taken into consideration for future oil spill response actions.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1729
Author(s):  
Patrizio Raffa

The study of interactions between polyelectrolytes (PE) and surfactants is of great interest for both fundamental and applied research. These mixtures can represent, for example, models of self-assembly and molecular organization in biological systems, but they are also relevant in industrial applications. Amphiphilic block polyelectrolytes represent an interesting class of PE, but their interactions with surfactants have not been extensively explored so far, most studies being restricted to non-associating PE. In this work, interactions between an anionic amphiphilic triblock polyelectrolyte and different types of surfactants bearing respectively negative, positive and no charge, are investigated via surface tension and solution rheology measurements for the first time. It is evidenced that the surfactants have different effects on viscosity and surface tension, depending on their charge type. Micellization of the surfactant is affected by the presence of the polymer in all cases; shear viscosity of polymer solutions decreases in presence of the same charge or nonionic surfactants, while the opposite charge surfactant causes precipitation. This study highlights the importance of the charge type, and the role of the associating hydrophobic block in the PE structure, on the solution behavior of the mixtures. Moreover, a possible interaction model is proposed, based on the obtained data.


2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (14) ◽  
pp. 3935-3938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuki Matsui ◽  
Yoshihiro Sasaki ◽  
Takayoshi Komatsu ◽  
Masaru Mukai ◽  
Jun-ichi Kikuchi ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 679-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Gavrilović ◽  
Suzana Erić ◽  
Petar D. Marin ◽  
Núria Garcia-Jacas ◽  
Alfonso Susanna ◽  
...  

AbstractIn this work, weddellite and sylvite crystals are identified for the first time on the involucral bracts and petals of Xeranthemum annuum and Xeranthemum cylindraceum using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometric (SEM-EDS) analysis. Well-developed crystals of weddellite (CaC2O4·2H2O) occur in the form of a tetragonal bipyramid (hhl), rarely in combination of a bipyramid and tetragonal prism (h00). Indumentum of involucral bracts of X. cylindraceum consists of nonglandular and glandular trichomes. Sylvite (KCl) crystals are observed only on the petal surface of X. cylindraceum. The crystals of sylvite occur in the form of perfect cubes (hexahedrons), but some crystals are deformed, i.e., partially elongated. Taxonomic significance of investigated microcharacters as well as the use of SEM-EDS analysis in taxonomic studies of plants are discussed.


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