Partial purirification and characterization of xylanase produced by Penicillium expansum

O Penicillium expansum é um fungo filamentoso produtor de xilanase extracelular. Uma xilanase extracelular foi encontrada como a principal proteína na cultura filtrada de P. expansum quando cultivado em farelo de trigo 0,3 %. Em contraste com outros microrganismos, não foi encontrada multiplicidade de xilanase de P. expansum sob as condições usadas. Como estratégia de purificação parcial da enzima, foram realizados fracionamento com sulfato de amônia, cromatografia de exclusão molecular, ultrafiltração e cromatografia de troca iônica. O perfil de eluição das proteínas mostrou uma única forma de xilanase, sendo esta parcialmente caracterizada. O pH ótimo e a temperatura ótima foram 5,5 e 40 0C, respectivamente. A enzima se manteve estável quando pré-incubada por 1 h em pH entre 5,5 e 6,5. Também manteve a estabilidade quando pré-incubada por 1 h em temperatura entre 20-40 0C. A enzima apresentou Km de 3,03 mg mL-1 e Vmax de 0,027 mmol min-1 μg-1 de proteína. A atividade enzimática foi aumentada 34 % por Mg3(PO4)2 (1 mM); 31 % por MgSO4 (1 mM) e 28 % por Al2(SO4)3 (1 mM).Penicillium expansum is a filamentous fungus that produces extracelular xylanase. An extracellular xylanase was found to be the major protein in the filtrated culture of P. expansum when grown on 0,3 % wheat bran. In contrast to other microorganism no xilanase multiplicity was found in P. expansum under the conditions used. The used partial purification estrategy was ammonium sulfate fractioning, molecular exclusion cromatography, ultrafiltration and anion exchange chromatography. The proteins eluation profile showed only one form of xylanase that was partially characterized. The optimum pH and temperature were 5,5 and 40 0C, respectively. The enzyme kept stable when preincubed for 1 h under pH between 5.5 and 6.5. It also kept stable when preincubed for 1h under temperature between 20-40 0C. The enzime showed km of 3,03 mg mL-1 and Vmax of 0,027 mmol min-1 μg –1 of protein. The enzymatic activity was increased by 34 % by Mg3(PO4)2 (1 mM); 31 % by MgSO4 (1 mM).and 28 % by Al2(SO4)3 (1 mM).Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superio

What is the Destiny of Patents of Brazilian Universities?

The power of patent is expressed when the innovative product or process goes to market, and the exclusive right that patent ensures generates the market power, and the holder possibility to obtain competitive advantage over competitors. Thus, it becomes compelling the discussions on the universities need for transformation of patent applications efforts into granted patents, which could be negotiated with a higher degree of juridical certainty and, consequently, higher value added. To establish an Index of Patents Granting, and understand the importance of Technological Innovation Nuclei for the increase of this index, it was developed a survey on the number of patents granted to Brazilian universities and evaluated the structure of Technological Innovation Nuclei of these universities. From the survey on the granting cases, it was verified that the universities presenting, among other characteristics, better structured Technological Innovation Nuclei stood out

Partial purification and characterization of xylanase produced by Penicillium expansum

An extracellular xylanase was found to be the major protein in the filtrate culture of Penicillium expansum when grown on 0.3 % wheat bran, which showed no xylanase multiplicity. The enzime was partial purified by.ammonium sulfate fractioning, molecular exclusion chromatography, ultrafiltration and anion exchange chromatography. The protein eluation profile showed only one form of xylanase that was partially characterized. The activity of purified xylanase was optimal at pH 5.5 and 40 ºC. The enzyme was stable at pH between 5.5 and 6.5 and temperatures between 20-40 ºC. The enzyme showed a Km of 3.03 mM and Vmax of 0.027 mumol min-1 mug -1 of protein. The enzymatic activity was increased 31 % by Mg2+ and 28 % by Al3+

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved