Quantitative correlation between production rate of melanoma inhibitory activity and aggrecan gene expression level during differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells to chondrocytes and redifferentiation of chondrocytes

The cell-specific production rate of melanoma inhibitory activity was quantitatively proportional to the aggrecan gene expression level in the early and middle phase during not only the redifferentiation culture of human cartilage chondrocytes but also the differentiation culture of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to chondrocytes.     

Effect of oxidized and reduced forms of Escherichia coli DsbC on protein refolding

DsbC, which catalyzes disulfide isomerization, was overproduced in the periplasm of Escherichia coli and purified from the periplasmic fraction by osmotic shock and anion-exchange chromatography. The active site of the purified DsbC was found to be an oxidized form (ox-DsbC) which could be converted to the reduced form (red-DsbC) by the addition of dithiothreitol. The effect of ox- and red-DsbC on the refolding of chemically denatured and reduced proteins with different numbers of disulfide bonds and free cysteine-thiol groups was investigated. Ox-DsbC facilitated the refolding of proteins with multiple disulfide bonds in both oxidative and reductive environments, while red-DsbC facilitated refolding only in the former. On the other hand, only red-DsbC facilitated the refolding of proteins with multiple free cysteine-thiol groups but either form of DsbC did not facilitate the refolding of proteins with only one cysteine-thiol group. It is therefore important to choose the form which suits the properties of the protein. Holo-chaperonin from Thermus thermophilus and DsbC demonstrated a synergistic effect on protein refolding.     

Grundiagen und Grenzgebiete der Lebensmittelwissenschaft

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Microwave frequency effect in the formation of Au nanocolloids in polar and non-polar solvents

Given earlier observations that microwave frequencies can have a substantial effect on the photoactivity of a well-known photocatalyst (TiO(2)), in the synthesis of 3,6-diphenyl-4-n-butylpyridazine through a Diels-Alder process, and in the one-pot solvent-free synthesis of a room-temperature ionic liquid, we proceeded to examine the frequency effects of the 5.8 and 2.45 GHz microwave (MW) radiation in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles in non-polar media, such as oleylamine, which have a low dielectric constant (ε'), and we further examine differences in shape and size under otherwise identical temperature conditions when the synthesis of the gold nanoparticles was carried out in an ethylene glycol polar medium in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Whereas a change in microwave frequency from 2.45 to 5.8 GHz at equal microwave power levels led to the synthesis of gold nanoparticles in the non-polar media, a change in the microwave frequency had no effect on the size and shape of the gold nanoparticles synthesized in polar media for identical microwave power levels.     

Identification of genes whose expressions are enhanced or reduced in baker's yeast during fed-batch culture process using molasses medium by DNA microarray analysis

Genes whose expression levels are enhanced or reduced during the cultivation process that uses cane molasses in baker's yeast production were identified in this study. The results showed that baker's yeast grown in molasses medium had higher fermentation ability and stress tolerance compared with baker's yeast grown in synthetic medium. Molasses apparently provided not only sugar as a carbon source but also provided functional components that enhanced or reduced expression of genes involved in fermentation ability and stress tolerance. To identify the genes whose expression is enhanced or reduced during cultivation in molasses medium, DNA microarray analysis was then used to compare the gene expression profile of cells grown in molasses with that of cells grown in synthetic medium. To simulate the commercial baker's yeast production process, cells were cultivated using a fed-batch culture system. In molasses medium, genes involved in the synthesis or uptake of vitamins (e.g., biotin, pyridoxine and thiamine) showed enhanced expression, suggesting that vitamin concentrations in molasses medium were lower than those in synthetic medium. Genes involved in formate dehydrogenase and maltose assimilation showed enhanced expression in molasses medium. In contrast, genes involved in iron utilization (e.g., siderophore, iron transporter and ferroxidase) showed enhanced expression in synthetic medium, suggesting that iron starvation occurred. The genes involved in the metabolism of amino acids also showed enhanced expression in synthetic medium. This identification of genes provides information that will help improve the baker's yeast production process.     

Impact of virus aggregation on inactivation by peracetic acid and implications for other disinfectants

Viruses in wastewater and natural environments are often present as aggregates. The disinfectant dose required for their inactivation, however, is typically determined with dispersed viruses. This study investigates how aggregation affects virus inactivation by chemical disinfectants. Bacteriophage MS2 was aggregated by lowering the solution pH, and aggregates were inactivated by peracetic acid (PAA). Aggregates were redispersed before enumeration to obtain the residual number of individual infectious viruses. In contrast to enumerating whole aggregates, this approach allowed an assessment of disinfection efficiency which remains applicable even if the aggregates disperse in post-treatment environments. Inactivation kinetics were determined as a function of aggregate size (dispersed, 0.55 and 0.90 μm radius) and PAA concentration (5-103 mg/L). Aggregation reduced the apparent inactivation rate constants 2-6 fold. The larger the aggregate and the higher the PAA concentration, the more pronounced the inhibitory effect of aggregation on disinfection. A reaction-diffusion based model was developed to interpret the experimental results, and to predict inactivation rates for additional aggregate sizes and disinfectants. The model showed that the inhibitory effect of aggregation arises from consumption of the disinfectant within the aggregate, but that diffusion of the disinfectant into the aggregates is not a rate-limiting factor. Aggregation therefore has a large inhibitory effect if highly reactive disinfectants are used, whereas inactivation by mild disinfectants is less affected. Our results suggest that mild disinfectants should be used for the treatment of water containing viral aggregates.     

Comparative study on molecular characteristics of acid soluble collagens from skin and swim bladder of seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Acid soluble collagens (ASCs) from skin and swim bladder of seabass (Lates calcarifer) were isolated and comparatively characterised. Higher yield (28.5%) was obtained for ASC from swim bladder, compared with that from skin (15.8%). ASCs from both skin and swim bladder had the similar protein patterns and were identified to be type I. Both α- and β-chains constituted as major components. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra revealed that both ASCs were triple helix in structure. ASC from both sources contained glycine as the major amino acid with imino acids (proline and hydroxyproline) of 194–195 residues/1000 residues). Peptide maps of both ASCs digested by chymotrypsin and trypsin showed slight differences, suggesting some differences in their primary structure. The thermal transition temperature of swim bladder ASC (35.02 °C) was slightly higher than its skin counterpart (33.33 °C). Based on zeta potential analysis, ASCs from skin and swim bladder had a net charge of zero at pH 6.46 and 6.64, respectively. Therefore, both the skin and swim bladder of seabass could be used potentially for collagen extraction.     

Finite-dimensional control of linear parabolic systems with unbounded output operators

In this paper, we studyH control of linear parabolic systems with unbounded output operators. Our aim is to construct a finite-dimensional stabilizing controller for the linear parabolic system that makes the H norm of the closed-loop transfer function less than a given positive number delta. To this end, we first derive a finite-dimensional reduced-order system for the linear parabolic system. Then, for the reduced-order model, we construct a stabilizing controller that makes theH norm of the closed-loop transfer function less than another positive number. It is proved that the finitedimensional controller together with a residual mode filter plays a role of a finite-dimensional stabilizing controller that makes theH norm of the closed-loop transfer function less than delta for the original linear parabolic system, if the order of residual mode filter is chosen sufficiently large.