Bioinformatic characterization of the extracellular lipases from Kluyveromyces marxianus

Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes that break the ester bonds of triglycerides, generating free fatty acids and glycerol. Extracellular lipase activity has been reported for the nonconventional yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus, grown in olive oil as a substrate, and the presence of at least eight putative lipases has been detected in its genome. However, to date, there is no experimental evidence on the physiological role of the putative lipases nor their structural and catalytic properties. In this study, a bioinformatic analysis of the genes of the putative lipases from K. marxianus L-2029 was performed, particularly identifying and characterizing the extracellular expected enzymes, due to their biotechnological relevance. The amino acid sequence of 10 putative lipases, obtained by in silico translation, ranged between 389 and 773 amino acids. Two of the analysed putative proteins showed a signal peptide, 25 and 33 amino acids long for KmYJR107Wp and KmLIP3p, and a molecular weight of 44.53 and 58.23 kDa, respectively. The amino acid alignment of KmLIP3p and KmYJR107Wp with the crystallized lipases from a patatin and the YlLip2 lipase from Yarrowia lipolytica, respectively, revealed the presence of the hydrolase characteristic motifs. From the 3D models of putative extracellular K. marxianus L-2029 lipases, the conserved pentapeptide of each was determined, being GTSMG for KmLIP3p and GHSLG for KmYJR107Wp; besides, the genes of these two enzymes (LIP3 and YJR107W) are apparently regulated by oleate response elements. The phylogenetic analysis of all K. marxianus lipases revealed evolutionary affinities with lipases from abH15.03, abH23.01, and abH23.02 families.     

Intersecting Xenobiology and Neometabolism To Bring Novel Chemistries to Life

The diversity of life relies on a handful of chemical elements (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus) as part of essential building blocks; some other atoms are needed to a lesser extent, but most of the remaining elements are excluded from biology. This circumstance limits the scope of biochemical reactions in extant metabolism – yet it offers a phenomenal playground for synthetic biology. Xenobiology aims to bring novel bricks to life that could be exploited for (xeno)metabolite synthesis. In particular, the assembly of novel pathways engineered to handle nonbiological elements (neometabolism) will broaden chemical space beyond the reach of natural evolution. In this review, xeno-elements that could be blended into nature's biosynthetic portfolio are discussed together with their physicochemical properties and tools and strategies to incorporate them into biochemistry. We argue that current bioproduction methods can be revolutionized by bridging xenobiology and neometabolism for the synthesis of new-to-nature molecules, such as organohalides.     

Coexistence of three ferroelectric phases and enhanced piezoelectric properties in BaTiO3–CaHfO3 lead-free ceramics

Perovskite ferroelectrics possess the fascinating piezoelectric properties near a morphotropic phase boundary, attributing to a low energy barrier that the results in structural instability and easy polarization rotation. In this work, a new lead-free system of (1-x)BaTiO₃-xCaHfO₃ was designed, and characterized by a coexistence of ferroelectric rhombohedral-orthorhombic-tetragonal (R-O-T) phases. With the increase amount of CaHfO₃ (x), a stable coexistence region of three ferroelectric phases (R-O-T) exists at 0.06 ≤ x ≤ 0.08. Both large piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃～400 pC/N), inverse piezoelectric coefficient (d₃₃^*～547 pm/V) and planar electromechanical coupling factor (k_p～58.2%) can be achieved for the composition with x = 0.08 near the coexistence of three ferroelectric phases. Our results show that the materials with the composition located at a region where the three ferroelectric R-O-T phases coexist would have the lowest energy barrier and thus greatly promote the polarization rotation, resulting in a strong piezoelectric response.     

基于进化算法的常减压装置模拟

提出了基于优选优生进化算法（Select—best and prepotency evolution algorithm，SPEA）的常减压装置模拟方法。以各塔的温度分布为目标，基于生产过程和分析数据，采用SPEA确定各塔板Murphree效率，从而精确描述各塔板平衡偏离程度。在实际应用中，获得具有良好精度的常减压装置模型。系统分析了SPEA算法的关键参数——优选领域大小与计算复杂性及寻优性能之间的关系，结果显示其取值为群体规模的10％最为合适。     

H型丝光沸石催化剂催化甲苯与叔丁醇的烷基化反应

针对合成对叔丁基甲苯传统工艺中存在的缺点,采用环境友好、可重复利用的H型丝光沸石催化剂(以下简称催化剂)进行了甲苯与叔丁醇的烷基化反应,并用X射线衍射和氨程序升温脱附等方法对不同焙烧温度下得到的催化剂的物相结构和酸性质进行了表征,研究了各种反应条件对催化剂的催化性能的影响。实验结果发现,在适宜的操作条件下,即催化剂的焙烧温度823K、反应温度180℃、反应时间3h、初始压力1.0MPa、原料与催化剂的质量比为8、叔丁醇与甲苯的摩尔比为4、溶剂环己烷与甲苯的摩尔比为5时,甲苯转化率达42.73%,叔丁基甲苯的选择性为96.30%,对叔丁基甲苯的选择性为80.37%。     

微机械热对流倾角仪温度补偿技术研究

介绍了微机械热对流倾角仪的工作原理和结构设计,利用有限元分析软件,计算了在不同倾斜状态下二维密闭腔中点热源引起的对流场和温度场,提出了环境温度对热对流倾角仪影响的模型。根据仿真结果,在电路中增加了加热丝恒定温度控制电路,建立了基于软件的环境温度补偿算法,实现了对温度影响的补偿。经测试,环境温度从-40℃变化到60℃时,倾角仪0°输入的温度稳定性为0.07°,10°输入的温度稳定性为0.02°。     

基于USB总线的虚拟频谱分析仪设计

文章详细介绍了基于USB总线的虚拟频谱分析仪的设计过程。该仪器使用嵌入式混合处理器MC56F8323来实现动态信号的实时采集、频谱分析和数字滤波等功能。处理结果由USB2．0接口芯片CY7C68013上传至PC机．以完成数据显示、存储、绘制图形等功能。其中，CY7C68013工作于Slave FIFO模式，以实现与MC56F8323间的数据传输。该系统可同时对两路动态信号进行实时谱分析，每路采样频率高选500kHz。     

Dealumination–aging pattern of REUSY zeolites contained in fluid cracking catalysts

The evolution of the properties of a REUSY zeolite contained in a fluid cracking catalyst was investigated under laboratory steam deactivation procedures and in age fractions of the corresponding equilibrium catalyst (Ecat). The aging pattern, defined by the evolution of the zeolite surface area (ZSA) related to the decrease of the unit cell size (UCS), was similar between lab-steamed zeolites and Ecat fractions. A sharp drop in ZSA occurred at ca. 2.430 nm UCS. A study done by FT-IR spectroscopy suggested that zeolite dealumination initially took place more extensively on the sodalite cages and double six-member rings (D6R) of the structure and that the final collapse of the zeolite framework occurred through destruction of the 12-member rings (12M). This can be explained by a crystal fracture and break down process and disassembling of the sodalite cages in the faujasite structure. NH₃ microcalorimetry showed that strong acid sites in faujasites are destroyed by steam aging, but this effect does not lead to a reduction in the cracking activity of the Ecat form. The microactivity test (MAT) showed that the specific activity declined sharply at 2.430 nm UCS. Differences in product selectivity were related to the extent of damage of the zeolite, extra-framework alumina and mesoporosity. While further aging canceled the effect attributed to extra-framework alumina differences attributed to mesoporosity increased.