Immobilized lipase from potential lipolytic microbes for catalyzing biodiesel production using palm oil as feedstock

Biodiesel has been regarded as a biodegradable and non-polluting fuel. Enzymatic transesterification reaction for manufacturing biodiesel from vegetable oils with alcohol is an attractive approach. However, the cost of enzyme remains a barrier for its industrial implementation. The aim of this research was the screening of lipase-producing microorganisms and the studies of potential lipase-mediated biodiesel production using palm oil as substrate. A total of 360 strains of bacteria, yeasts and fungi were isolated and screened from the samples of oil-contaminated soil and waste water. Among all the screened microbes, the potential lipolytic bacterium,  Staphylococcus warneri, unicellular yeast, Candida rugosa and filamentous fungus, Fusarium solani were selected because of their high specific  activities. The lipase-producing conditions were subsequently optimized by using palm oil as an inducer and lipase activities were compared for both hydrolytic and synthetic catalysis. C. rugosa lipase, which exhibited the highest potential for catalyzing the biodiesel production, was further  purified and immobilized on various hydrophobic supports. The catalysis of transesterification between methanol and palm oil by the C. rugosa immobilized lipases revealed that immobilized lipase from C. rugosa on Sepabeads EC-OD was the most promising for further development as a biocatalyst for the application of enzyme-catalyzed biodiesel synthesis.Key words: Screening, lipases, immobilization, biodiesel

Segregating YKU80 and TLC1 Alleles Underlying Natural Variation in Telomere Properties in Wild Yeast

In yeast, as in humans, telomere length varies among individuals and is controlled by multiple loci. In a quest to define the extent of variation in telomere length, we screened 112 wild-type Saccharomyces sensu stricto isolates. We found extensive telomere length variation in S. paradoxus isolates. This phenotype correlated with their geographic origin: European strains were observed to have extremely short telomeres (<150 bp), whereas American isolates had telomeres approximately three times as long (>400 bp). Insertions of a URA3 gene near telomeres allowed accurate analysis of individual telomere lengths and telomere position effect (TPE). Crossing the American and European strains resulted in F1 spores with a continuum of telomere lengths consistent with what would be predicted if many quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were involved in length maintenance. Variation in TPE is similarly quantitative but only weakly correlated with telomere length. Genotyping F1 segregants indicated several QTLs associated with telomere length and silencing variation. These QTLs include likely candidate genes but also map to regions where there are no known genes involved in telomeric properties. We detected transgressive segregation for both phenotypes. We validated by reciprocal hemizygosity that YKU80 and TLC1 are telomere-length QTLs in the two S. paradoxus subpopulations. Furthermore, we propose that sequence divergence within the Ku heterodimer generates negative epistasis within one of the allelic combinations (American-YKU70 and European-YKU80) resulting in very short telomeres

A free weekly iron-folic acid supplementation and regular deworming program is associated with improved hemoglobin and iron status indicators in Vietnamese women

Background Anemia due to iron deficiency is recognized as one of the major nutritional deficiencies in women and children in developing countries. Daily iron supplementation for pregnant women is recommended in many countries although there are few reports of these programs working efficiently or effectively. Weekly iron-folic acid supplementation (WIFS) and regular deworming treatment is recommended for non-pregnant women living in areas with high rates of anemia. Following a baseline survey to assess the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and soil transmitted helminth infections, we implemented a program to make WIFS and regular deworming treatment freely and universally available for all women of reproductive age in two districts of a province in northern Vietnam over a 12 month period. The impact of the program at the population level was assessed in terms of: i) change in mean hemoglobin and iron status indicators, and ii) change in the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and hookworm infections. Method Distribution of WIFS and deworming were integrated with routine health services and made available to 52,000 women. Demographic data and blood and stool samples were collected in baseline, and three and 12-month post-implementation surveys using a population-based, stratified multi-stage cluster sampling design. Results The mean Hb increased by 9.6 g/L (95% CI, 5.7, 13.5, p < 0.001) during the study period. Anemia (Hb<120 g/L) was present in 131/349 (37.5%, 95% CI 31.3, 44.8) subjects at baseline, and in 70/363 (19.3%, 95% CI 14.0, 24.6) after twelve months. Iron deficiency reduced from 75/329 (22.8%, 95% CI 16.9, 28.6) to 33/353 (9.3%, 95% CI 5.7, 13.0) by the 12-mnth survey, and hookworm infection from 279/366 (76.2%,, 95% CI 68.6, 83.8) to 66/287 (23.0%, 95% CI 17.5, 28.5) over the same period. Conclusion A free, universal WIFS program with regular deworming was associated with reduced prevalence and severity of anemia, iron deficiency and h

The disulphide bridges of a mouse immunoglobulin G1 protein

[(35)S]Cystine-labelled immunoglobulin MOPC21 (IgG1) was prepared from myeloma cells in tissue culture. Carrier myeloma protein was added and the protein was digested with pepsin. The digest was fractionated on Sephadex G-50 into two fractions, further digested with trypsin and again fractionated on Sephadex. Disulphide-bridge peptides were purified by electrophoresis and chromatography and identified by radioautography. A peptide of 96 residues was isolated, which contains both the heavy–light interchain disulphide bridge and all the inter-heavy-chain disulphide bridges. Other peptides were isolated, accounting for all the intrachain disulphide bridges (which could be placed by homology with proteins of other species), except for the variable section of the light chain. Sequences describing this missing disulphide bridge were obtained from totally reduced and alkylated light chains. Peptides related to the interchain disulphide-bridge peptide were isolated from partially reduced and alkylated myeloma protein and from totally reduced heavy chain. The interchain disulphide-bridge peptide was placed at the C-terminal position of the F(ab′)(2) fragment, prepared by digestion of the protein with pepsin at pH4.0. Sequences from the heavy-chain intrachain disulphide bridges of MOPC 21 immunoglobulin are compared with homologous sequences from mouse myeloma proteins of other subclasses and proteins of other species