Sample records for biotransformation

  1. Somatic and gastrointestinal in vivo biotransformation rates of hydrophobic chemicals in fish.

    PubMed

    Lo, Justin C; Campbell, David A; Kennedy, Christopher J; Gobas, Frank A P C

    2015-10-01

    To improve current bioaccumulation assessment methods, a methodology is developed, applied, and investigated for measuring in vivo biotransformation rates of hydrophobic organic substances in the body (soma) and gastrointestinal tract of the fish. The method resembles the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 305 dietary bioaccumulation test but includes reference chemicals to determine both somatic and gastrointestinal biotransformation rates of test chemicals. Somatic biotransformation rate constants for the test chemicals ranged between 0 d(-1) and 0.38 (standard error [SE] 0.03)/d(-1) . Gastrointestinal biotransformation rate constants varied from 0 d(-1) to 46 (SE 7) d(-1) . Gastrointestinal biotransformation contributed more to the overall biotransformation in fish than somatic biotransformation for all test substances but 1. Results suggest that biomagnification tests can reveal the full extent of biotransformation in fish. The common presumption that the liver is the main site of biotransformation may not apply to many substances exposed through the diet. The results suggest that the application of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) for somatic biotransformation rates and hepatic in vitro models to assess the effect of biotransformation on bioaccumulation can underestimate biotransformation rates and overestimate the biomagnification potential of chemicals that are biotransformed in the gastrointestinal tract. With some modifications, the OECD 305 test can generate somatic and gastrointestinal biotransformation data to develop biotransformation QSARs and test in vitro-in vivo biotransformation extrapolation methods. © 2015 SETAC.

  2. In Vivo Biotransformation Rates of Organic Chemicals in Fish: Relationship with Bioconcentration and Biomagnification Factors.

    PubMed

    Lo, Justin C; Letinski, Daniel J; Parkerton, Thomas F; Campbell, Dave A; Gobas, Frank A P C

    2016-12-20

    In vivo dietary bioaccumulation experiments for 85 hydrophobic organic substances were conducted to derive the in vivo gastrointestinal biotransformation rates, somatic biotransformation rates, bioconcentration factors (BCF), and biomagnification factors (BMF) for improving methods for bioaccumulation assessment and to develop an in vivo biotransformation rate database for QSAR development and in vitro to in vivo biotransformation rate extrapolation. The capacity of chemicals to be biotransformed in fish was found to be highly dependent on the route of exposure. Somatic biotransformation was the dominant pathway for most chemicals absorbed via the respiratory route. Intestinal biotransformation was the dominant metabolic pathway for most chemicals absorbed via the diet. For substances not biotransformed or transformed exclusively in the body of the fish, the BCF and BMF appeared to be closely correlated. For substances subject to intestinal biotransformation, the same correlation did not apply. We conclude that intestinal biotransformation and bioavailability in water can modulate the relationship between the BCF and BMF. This study also supports a fairly simple rule of thumb that may be useful in the interpretation of dietary bioaccumulation tests; i.e., chemicals with a BMF L of <1 tend to exhibit BCFs based on either the freely dissolved (BCF WW,fd ) or the total concentration (BCF WW,t ) of the chemical in the water that is less than 5000.

  3. Enantioselective Biotransformation of Chiral Persistent Organic Pollutants.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ying; Ye, Jing; Liu, Min

    2017-01-01

    Enantiomers of chiral compounds commonly undergo enantioselective transformation in most biologically mediated processes. As chiral persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are extensively distributed in the environment, differences between enantiomers in biotransformation should be carefully considered to obtain exact enrichment and specific health risks. This review provides an overview of in vivo biotransformation of chiral POPs currently indicated in the Stockholm Convention and their chiral metabolites. Peer-reviewed journal articles focused on the research question were thoroughly searched. A set of inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed to identify relevant studies. We mainly compared the results from different animal models under controlled laboratory conditions to show the difference between enantiomers in terms of distinct transformation potential. Interactions with enzymes involved in enantioselective biotransformation, especially cytochrome P450 (CYP), were discussed. Further research areas regarding this issue were proposed. Limited evidence for a few POPs has been found in 30 studies. Enantioselective biotransformation of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), chlordane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), heptachlor, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and toxaphene, has been investigated using laboratory mammal, fish, bird, and worm models. Tissue and excreta distributions, as well as bioaccumulation and elimination kinetics after administration of racemate and pure enantiomers, have been analyzed in these studies. Changes in enantiomeric fractions have been considered as an indicator of enantioselective biotransformation of chiral POPs in most studies. Results of different laboratory animal models revealed that chiral POP biotransformation is seriously affected by chirality. Pronounced results of species-, tissue-, gender-, and individual-dependent differences are observed in in vivo biotransformation of chiral POPs. Enantioselective biotransformation of chiral POPs is dependent on enzyme amounts and activities. However, the role of cytochrome P450 in enantioselective biotransformation has not yet been confirmed. Currently available data on biotransformation of chiral POPs provide a preliminary understanding of the fate of chiral compounds in organisms. Further detailed studies of species-dependent biotransformation pathway and molecular mechanism in various animal models should be performed to comprehensively understand chiral POP biotransformation.

  4. Comparison in antioxidant and antitumor activities of pine polyphenols and its seven biotransformation extracts by fungi

    PubMed Central

    Li, Hui

    2017-01-01

    Microbial transformation can strengthen the antioxidant and antitumor activities of polyphenols. Polyphenols contents, antioxidant and antitumor activities of pine polyphenols and its biotransformation extracts by Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus candidus, Trichodermas viride, Mucor wutungkiao and Rhizopus sp were studied. Significant differences were noted in antioxidant and antitumor activities. The highest antioxidant activities in Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), DPPH radical scavenging activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power assay and antitumor activity against LoVo cells were biotransformation extract of Aspergillus carbonarius (BAC), biotransformation extract of Mucor wutungkiao (BMW), biotransformation extract of Aspergillus carbonarius (BAC), biotransformation extract of Aspergillus niger (BAN), biotransformation extract of Aspergillus oryzae (BAO) and BMW, respectively. Correlation analysis found that antioxidant and antitumor activities were associated with polyphenols contents and types of free radicals and tumors. A. carbonarius can make polyphenol oxidation, hydroxylation and methylation, and form new polyphenols. In conclusion, A. carbonarius, A. niger and M. wutungkiao are valuable microorganisms used for polyphenols biotransformation and enhance the antioxidant and antitumor activities of polyphenols. PMID:28560092

  5. Generation of Perfluoroalkyl Acids from Aerobic Biotransformation of Quaternary Ammonium Polyfluoroalkyl Surfactants.

    PubMed

    Mejia-Avendaño, Sandra; Vo Duy, Sung; Sauvé, Sébastien; Liu, Jinxia

    2016-09-20

    The aerobic biotransformation over 180 days of two cationic quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) with perfluoroalkyl chains was determined in soil microcosms, and biotransformation pathways were proposed. This is the first time that polyfluoroalkyl cationic surfactants used in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) formulations were studied for their environmental fate. The biotransformation of perfluorooctaneamido quaternary ammonium salt (PFOAAmS) was characterized by a DT50 value (time necessary to consume half of the initial mass) of 142 days and significant generation of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFOA) at a yield of 30 mol % by day 180. The biotransformation of perfluorooctane sulfonamide quaternary ammonium salt (PFOSAmS) was very slow with unobservable change of the spiked mass; yet the generation of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) at a yield of 0.3 mol % confirmed the biotransformation of PFOSAmS. Three novel biotransformation intermediates were identified for PFOAAmS and three products including perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) for PFOSAmS through high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) analysis and t-MS(2) fragmentation. The significantly slower PFOSAmS biotransformation is hypothesized to be due to its stronger sorption to soil owing to a longer perfluoroalkyl chain and a bulkier sulfonyl group, when compared to PFOAAmS. This study has demonstrated that despite overall high stability of QACs and their biocide nature, the ones with perfluoroalkyl chains can be substantially biotransformed into perfluoroalkyl acids in aerobic soil.

  6. Biotransformation at 10 C of di-n-butyl phthalate in subsurface microcosms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chauret, C.; Inniss, W.E.; Mayfield, C.I.

    1996-09-01

    Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) was found to be transformed by microorganisms under aerobic and anaerobic conditions at 10 C in microcosms simulating the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden subsurface environment. Biotransformation of DBP was observed under aerobic, nitrate-reducing, Fe(III)-reducing, and sulfate-reducing conditions. The biotransformation of DBP in the microcosms was significantly decrease3d as the redox potential was lowered, especially under sulfate-reducing conditions. However, other factors such as nutrient depletion and buildup of toxic intermediates could have affected the biotransformation rates. The highest DBP biotransformation rate (0.57 {micro}g DBP{center_dot}g sediment{sup {minus}1}{center_dot}day{sup {minus}1}) was under sulfate-reducing conditions. Biotransformation of DBP at 10 Cmore » was significantly enhanced by the addition of 10 mM NaNO{sub 3} suggesting that both the addition of nitrate and high redox conditions favor its biotransformation in subsurface environments.« less

  7. Biotransformation of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane in the benthic polychaete, Nereis succinea: quantitative estimation by analyzing the partitioning of chemicals between gut fluid and lipid.

    PubMed

    Wang, Fei; Pei, Yuan-yuan; You, Jing

    2015-02-01

    Biotransformation plays an important role in the bioaccumulation and toxicity of a chemical in biota. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) commonly co-occurs with its metabolites (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane [DDD] and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene [DDE]), in the environment; thus it is a challenge to accurately quantify the biotransformation rates of DDT and distinguish the sources of the accumulated metabolites in an organism. The present study describes a method developed to quantitatively analyze the biotransformation of p,p'-DDT in the benthic polychaete, Nereis succinea. The lugworms were exposed to sediments spiked with DDT at various concentrations for 28 d. Degradation of DDT to DDD and DDE occurred in sediments during the aging period, and approximately two-thirds of the DDT remained in the sediment. To calculate the biotransformation rates, residues of individual compounds measured in the bioaccumulation testing (after biotransformation) were compared with residues predicted by analyzing the partitioning of the parent and metabolite compounds between gut fluid and tissue lipid (before biotransformation). The results suggest that sediment ingestion rates decreased when DDT concentrations in sediment increased. Extensive biotransformation of DDT occurred in N. succinea, with 86% of DDT being metabolized to DDD and <2% being transformed to DDE. Of the DDD that accumulated in the lugworms, approximately 70% was the result of DDT biotransformation, and the remaining 30% was from direct uptake of sediment-associated DDD. In addition, the biotransformation was not dependent on bulk sediment concentrations, but rather on bioaccessible concentrations of the chemicals in sediment, which were quantified by gut fluid extraction. The newly established method improved the accuracy of prediction of the bioaccumulation and toxicity of DDTs. © 2014 SETAC.

  8. Modelling cometabolic biotransformation of organic micropollutants in nitrifying reactors.

    PubMed

    Fernandez-Fontaina, E; Carballa, M; Omil, F; Lema, J M

    2014-11-15

    Cometabolism is the ability of microorganisms to degrade non-growth substrates in the presence of primary substrates, being the main removal mechanism behind the biotransformation of organic micropollutants in wastewater treatment plants. In this paper, a cometabolic Monod-type kinetics, linking biotransformation of micropollutants with primary substrate degradation, was applied to a highly enriched nitrifying activated sludge (NAS) reactor operated under different operational conditions (hydraulic retention time (HRT) and nitrifying activity). A dynamic model of the bioreactor was built taking into account biotransformation, sorption and volatilization. The micropollutant transformation capacity (Tc), the half-saturation constant (Ksc) and the solid-liquid partitioning coefficient (Kd) of several organic micropollutants were estimated at 25 °C using an optimization algorithm to fit experimental data to the proposed model with the cometabolic Monod-type biotransformation kinetics. The cometabolic Monod-type kinetic model was validated under different HRTs (1.0-3.7 d) and nitrification rates (0.12-0.45 g N/g VSS d), describing more accurately the fate of those compounds affected by the biological activity of nitrifiers (ibuprofen, naproxen, erythromycin and roxithromycin) compared to the commonly applied pseudo-first order micropollutant biotransformation kinetics, which does not link biotransformation of micropollutants to consumption of primary substrate. Furthermore, in contrast to the pseudo-first order biotransformation constant (k(biol)), the proposed cometabolic kinetic coefficients are independent of operational conditions such as the nitrogen loading rate applied. Also, the influence of the kinetic parameters on the biotransformation efficiency of NAS reactors, defined as the relative amount of the total inlet micropollutant load being biotransformed, was assessed considering different HRTs and nitrification rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Association of Biodiversity with the Rates of Micropollutant Biotransformations among Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant Communities

    PubMed Central

    Helbling, Damian E.; Lee, Tae Kwon; Park, Joonhong; Fenner, Kathrin; Kohler, Hans-Peter E.; Ackermann, Martin

    2014-01-01

    Biodiversities can differ substantially among different wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) communities. Whether differences in biodiversity translate into differences in the provision of particular ecosystem services, however, is under active debate. Theoretical considerations predict that WWTP communities with more biodiversity are more likely to contain strains that have positive effects on the rates of particular ecosystem functions, thus resulting in positive associations between those two variables. However, if WWTP communities were sufficiently biodiverse to nearly saturate the set of possible positive effects, then positive associations would not occur between biodiversity and the rates of particular ecosystem functions. To test these expectations, we measured the taxonomic biodiversity, functional biodiversity, and rates of 10 different micropollutant biotransformations for 10 full-scale WWTP communities. We have demonstrated that biodiversity is positively associated with the rates of specific, but not all, micropollutant biotransformations. Thus, one cannot assume whether or how biodiversity will associate with the rate of any particular micropollutant biotransformation. We have further demonstrated that the strongest positive association is between biodiversity and the collective rate of multiple micropollutant biotransformations. Thus, more biodiversity is likely required to maximize the collective rates of multiple micropollutant biotransformations than is required to maximize the rate of any individual micropollutant biotransformation. We finally provide evidence that the positive associations are stronger for rare micropollutant biotransformations than for common micropollutant biotransformations. Together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that differences in biodiversity can indeed translate into differences in the provision of particular ecosystem services by full-scale WWTP communities. PMID:25398862

  10. Energy metabolism and biotransformation as endpoints to pre-screen hepatotoxicity using a liver spheroid model

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Xu Jinsheng; Purcell, Wendy M.

    2006-10-15

    The current study investigated liver spheroid culture as an in vitro model to evaluate the endpoints relevant to the status of energy metabolism and biotransformation after exposure to test toxicants. Mature rat liver spheroids were exposed to diclofenac, galactosamine, isoniazid, paracetamol, m-dinitrobenzene (m-DNB) and 3-nitroaniline (3-NA) for 24 h. Pyruvate uptake, galactose biotransformation, lactate release and glucose secretion were evaluated after exposure. The results showed that pyruvate uptake and lactate release by mature liver spheroids in culture were maintained at a relatively stable level. These endpoints, together with glucose secretion and galactose biotransformation, were related to and could reflect themore » status of energy metabolism and biotransformation in hepatocytes. After exposure, all of the test agents significantly reduced glucose secretion, which was shown to be the most sensitive endpoint of those evaluated. Diclofenac, isoniazid, paracetamol and galactosamine reduced lactate release (P < 0.01), but m-DNB increased lactate release (P < 0.01). Diclofenac, isoniazid and paracetamol also reduced pyruvate uptake (P < 0.01), while galactosamine had little discernible effect. Diclofenac, galactosamine, paracetamol and m-DNB also reduced galactose biotransformation (P < 0.01), by contrast, isoniazid did not. The metabolite of m-DNB, 3-NA, which served as a negative control, did not cause significant changes in lactate release, pyruvate uptake or galactose biotransformation. It is concluded that pyruvate uptake, galactose biotransformation, lactate release and glucose secretion can be used as endpoints for evaluating the status of energy metabolism and biotransformation after exposure to test agents using the liver spheroid model to pre-screen hepatotoxicity.« less

  11. Allometric scaling of hepatic biotransformation in rainbow trout

    EPA Science Inventory

    Biotransformation can markedly reduce the extent to which hydrophobic organic chemicals accumulate in fish. However, predicting the impacts of biotransformation on chemical accumulation is complicated by a number of factors, including the possible influence of differences in fis...

  12. Biotransformation of Two Pharmaceuticals by the Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaeon Nitrososphaera gargensis.

    PubMed

    Men, Yujie; Han, Ping; Helbling, Damian E; Jehmlich, Nico; Herbold, Craig; Gulde, Rebekka; Onnis-Hayden, Annalisa; Gu, April Z; Johnson, David R; Wagner, Michael; Fenner, Kathrin

    2016-05-03

    The biotransformation of some micropollutants has previously been observed to be positively associated with ammonia oxidation activities and the transcript abundance of the archaeal ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) in nitrifying activated sludge. Given the increasing interest in and potential importance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), we investigated the capabilities of an AOA pure culture, Nitrososphaera gargensis, to biotransform ten micropollutants belonging to three structurally similar groups (i.e., phenylureas, tertiary amides, and tertiary amines). N. gargensis was able to biotransform two of the tertiary amines, mianserin (MIA) and ranitidine (RAN), exhibiting similar compound specificity as two ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) strains that were tested for comparison. The same MIA and RAN biotransformation reactions were carried out by both the AOA and AOB strains. The major transformation product (TP) of MIA, α-oxo MIA was likely formed via a two-step oxidation reaction. The first hydroxylation step is typically catalyzed by monooxygenases. Three RAN TP candidates were identified from nontarget analysis. Their tentative structures and possible biotransformation pathways were proposed. The biotransformation of MIA and RAN only occurred when ammonia oxidation was active, suggesting cometabolic transformations. Consistently, a comparative proteomic analysis revealed no significant differential expression of any protein-encoding gene in N. gargensis grown on ammonium with MIA or RAN compared with standard cultivation on ammonium only. Taken together, this study provides first important insights regarding the roles played by AOA in micropollutant biotransformation.

  13. Biotransformation of OH-PBDEs by pig liver microsomes: Investigating kinetics, identifying metabolites, and examining the role of different CYP isoforms.

    PubMed

    Li, Jianhua; Zhang, Ya; Du, Zhongkun; Peng, Jianbiao; Mao, Liang; Gao, Shixiang

    2016-04-01

    Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) are of great concern due to their potential risk to animal and human health. The biotransformation potential of OH-PBDEs in organisms is important for the understanding of their health risk. In the present study, the biotransformation of 3'-OH-2,4-di-BDE (3'-OH-BDE-7), 4'-OH-2,2',4-tri-BDE (4'-OH-BDE-17) and 3-OH-2,2',4,4'-tetra-BDE (3-OH-BDE-47) by pig liver microsomes was studied. Compared with their precursor PBDEs, the three OH-PBDEs were more readily biotransformed by pig liver microsomes, and the biotransformation rate followed the order: 3'-OH-BDE-7 > 4'-OH-BDE-17 > 3-OH-BDE-47. These results revealed that the biotransformation rate of OH-PBDEs was decreased with an increase in the number of bromine substituents. Cleavage of the diphenyl ether bond was the dominant pathway for biotransformation of the three OH-PBDEs by pig liver microsomes, while debromination and hydroxylation were found to be of less importance. CYP3A4 was suggested to be the specific enzyme responsible for the biotransformation of OH-PBDEs via associated inhibition assay. These findings may enrich our understanding of health risk associated with OH-PBDEs in mammals and human beings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Biotransformation of tetracycline by a novel bacterial strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia DT1.

    PubMed

    Leng, Yifei; Bao, Jianguo; Chang, Gaofeng; Zheng, Han; Li, Xingxing; Du, Jiangkun; Snow, Daniel; Li, Xu

    2016-11-15

    Although several abiotic processes have been reported that can transform antibiotics, little is known about whether and how microbiological processes may degrade antibiotics in the environment. This work isolated one tetracycline degrading bacterial strain, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain DT1, and characterized the biotransformation of tetracycline by DT1 under various environmental conditions. The biotransformation rate was the highest when the initial pH was 9 and the reaction temperature was at 30°C, and can be described using the Michaelis-Menten model under different initial tetracycline concentrations. When additional substrate was present, the substrate that caused increased biomass resulted in a decreased biotransformation rate of tetracycline. According to disk diffusion tests, the biotransformation products of tetracycline had lower antibiotic potency than the parent compound. Six possible biotransformation products were identified, and a potential biotransformation pathway was proposed that included sequential removal of N-methyl, carbonyl, and amine function groups. Results from this study can lead to better estimation of the fate and transport of antibiotics in the environment and has the potential to be utilized in designing engineering processes to remove tetracycline from water and soil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Biotransformation and sorption of trace organic compounds in biological nutrient removal treatment systems.

    PubMed

    Lakshminarasimman, Narasimman; Quiñones, Oscar; Vanderford, Brett J; Campo-Moreno, Pablo; Dickenson, Eric V; McAvoy, Drew C

    2018-05-28

    This study determined biotransformation rates (k bio ) and sorption-distribution coefficients (K d ) for a select group of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) in anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic activated sludge collected from two different biological nutrient removal (BNR) treatment systems located in Nevada (NV) and Ohio (OH) in the United States (US). The NV and OH facilities operated at solids retention times (SRTs) of 8 and 23 days, respectively. Using microwave-assisted extraction, the biotransformation rates of the chosen TOrCs were measured in the total mixed liquor. Sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and atenolol biotransformed in all three redox regimes irrespective of the activated sludge source. The biotransformation of N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), triclosan, and benzotriazole was observed in aerobic activated sludge from both treatment plants; however, anoxic biotransformation of these three compounds was seen only in anoxic activated sludge from NV. Carbamazepine was recalcitrant in all three redox regimes and both sources of activated sludge. Atenolol and DEET had greater biotransformation rates in activated sludge with a higher SRT (23 days), while trimethoprim had a higher biotransformation rate in activated sludge with a lower SRT (8 days). The remaining compounds did not show any dependence on SRT. Lyophilized, heat inactivated sludge solids were used to determine the sorption-distribution coefficients. Triclosan was the most sorptive compound followed by carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, DEET, and benzotriazole. The sorption-distribution coefficients were similar across redox conditions and sludge sources. The biotransformation rates and sorption-distribution coefficients determined in this study can be used to improve fate prediction of the target TOrCs in BNR treatment systems. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. In vitro biotransformation rates in fish liver S9: effect of dosing techniques.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yung-Shan; Lee, Danny H Y; Delafoulhouze, Maximilien; Otton, S Victoria; Moore, Margo M; Kennedy, Chris J; Gobas, Frank A P C

    2014-08-01

    In vitro biotransformation assays are currently being explored to improve estimates of bioconcentration factors of potentially bioaccumulative organic chemicals in fish. The present study compares thin-film and solvent-delivery dosing techniques as well as single versus multiple chemical dosing for measuring biotransformation rates of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver S9. The findings show that biotransformation rates of very hydrophobic substances can be accurately measured in thin-film sorbent-dosing assays from concentration-time profiles in the incubation medium but not from those in the sorbent phase because of low chemical film-to-incubation-medium mass-transfer rates at the incubation temperature of 13.5 °C required for trout liver assays. Biotransformation rates determined by thin-film dosing were greater than those determined by solvent-delivery dosing for chrysene (octanol-water partition coefficient [KOW ] =10(5.60) ) and benzo[a]pyrene (KOW  =10(6.04) ), whereas there were no statistical differences in pyrene (KOW  =10(5.18) ) biotransformation rates between the 2 methods. In sorbent delivery-based assays, simultaneous multiple-chemical dosing produced biotransformation rates that were not statistically different from those measured in single-chemical dosing experiments for pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene but not for chrysene. In solvent-delivery experiments, multiple-chemical dosing produced biotransformation rates that were much smaller than those in single-chemical dosing experiments for all test chemicals. While thin-film sorbent-phase and solvent delivery-based dosing methods are both suitable methods for measuring biotransformation rates of substances of intermediate hydrophobicity, thin-film sorbent-phase dosing may be more suitable for superhydrophobic chemicals. © 2014 SETAC.

  17. BIOACCUMULATION, BIOTRANSFORMATION, AND METABOLITE FORMATION OF FIPRONIL AND CHIRAL LEGACY PESTICIDES IN RAINBOW TROUT

    EPA Science Inventory

    To assess the fate of current-use pesticides it is important to understand their bioaccumulation and biotransformation by aquatic biota. We examined the dietary accumulation and enantioselective biotransformation of the chiral current-use pesticide fipronil, along with a mixture ...

  18. Concentration dependence of biotransformation in fish liver S9: Optimizing substrate concentrations to estimate hepatic clearance for bioaccumulation assessment.

    PubMed

    Lo, Justin C; Allard, Gayatri N; Otton, S Victoria; Campbell, David A; Gobas, Frank A P C

    2015-12-01

    In vitro bioassays to estimate biotransformation rate constants of contaminants in fish are currently being investigated to improve bioaccumulation assessments of hydrophobic contaminants. The present study investigates the relationship between chemical substrate concentration and in vitro biotransformation rate of 4 environmental contaminants (9-methylanthracene, pyrene, chrysene, and benzo[a]pyrene) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver S9 fractions and methods to determine maximum first-order biotransformation rate constants. Substrate depletion experiments using a series of initial substrate concentrations showed that in vitro biotransformation rates exhibit strong concentration dependence, consistent with a Michaelis-Menten kinetic model. The results indicate that depletion rate constants measured at initial substrate concentrations of 1 μM (a current convention) could underestimate the in vitro biotransformation potential and may cause bioconcentration factors to be overestimated if in vitro biotransformation rates are used to assess bioconcentration factors in fish. Depletion rate constants measured using thin-film sorbent dosing experiments were not statistically different from the maximum depletion rate constants derived using a series of solvent delivery-based depletion experiments for 3 of the 4 test chemicals. Multiple solvent delivery-based depletion experiments at a range of initial concentrations are recommended for determining the concentration dependence of in vitro biotransformation rates in fish liver fractions, whereas a single sorbent phase dosing experiment may be able to provide reasonable approximations of maximum depletion rates of very hydrophobic substances. © 2015 SETAC.

  19. Biotransformation of Two Pharmaceuticals by the Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaeon Nitrososphaera gargensis

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    The biotransformation of some micropollutants has previously been observed to be positively associated with ammonia oxidation activities and the transcript abundance of the archaeal ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) in nitrifying activated sludge. Given the increasing interest in and potential importance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), we investigated the capabilities of an AOA pure culture, Nitrososphaera gargensis, to biotransform ten micropollutants belonging to three structurally similar groups (i.e., phenylureas, tertiary amides, and tertiary amines). N. gargensis was able to biotransform two of the tertiary amines, mianserin (MIA) and ranitidine (RAN), exhibiting similar compound specificity as two ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) strains that were tested for comparison. The same MIA and RAN biotransformation reactions were carried out by both the AOA and AOB strains. The major transformation product (TP) of MIA, α-oxo MIA was likely formed via a two-step oxidation reaction. The first hydroxylation step is typically catalyzed by monooxygenases. Three RAN TP candidates were identified from nontarget analysis. Their tentative structures and possible biotransformation pathways were proposed. The biotransformation of MIA and RAN only occurred when ammonia oxidation was active, suggesting cometabolic transformations. Consistently, a comparative proteomic analysis revealed no significant differential expression of any protein-encoding gene in N. gargensis grown on ammonium with MIA or RAN compared with standard cultivation on ammonium only. Taken together, this study provides first important insights regarding the roles played by AOA in micropollutant biotransformation. PMID:27046099

  20. Biotransformation of indole derivatives by mycelial cultures.

    PubMed

    Alarcón, Julio; Cid, Eliseo; Lillo, Luis; Céspedesa, Carlos; Aguila, Sergio; Alderete, Joel B

    2008-01-01

    Biotransformation of tryptophan to tryptamine and 3-methyl-indole by Psilocybe coprophila was performed. On the other hand, Aspergillus niger was able to transform tryptophan to 5-hydroxy-tryptophan. P. coprophila biotransformed 5-hydroxy-tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptamine. These results prove once more that fungi are good tools to establish hydroxyindole derivatives.

  1. Organochlorine compounds in Lake Superior: Chiral polychlorinated biphenyls and biotransformation in the aquatic food web

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wong, Charles S.; Mabury, Scott A.; Whittle, D. Michael; Backus, Sean M.; Teixeira, Camilla; DeVault, David S.; Bronte, Charles R.; Muir, Derek C.G.

    2004-01-01

    The enantiomeric composition of seven chiral PCB congeners was measured in the Lake Superior aquatic food web sampled in 1998, to determine the extent of enantioselective biotransformation in aquatic biota. All chiral PCB congeners studied (CBs 91, 95, 136, 149, 174, 176, and 183) biomagnified in the Lake Superior aquatic food web, based on biomagnification and food web magnification factors greater than unity. PCB atropisomers were racemic in phytoplankton and zooplankton, suggesting no biotransformation potential toward PCBs for these low trophic level organisms. However, Diporeia and mysids had significantly nonracemic residues for most chiral congeners studied. This observation suggests that these macrozooplankton can stereoselectively metabolize chiral congeners. Alternatively, macrozooplankton obtained nonracemic residues from feeding on organic-rich suspended particles and sediments, which would imply that stereoselective microbial PCB biotransformation may be occurring in Lake Superior sediments at PCB concentrations far lower than that previously associated with such activity. Widely nonracemic PCB residues in forage fish (lake herring, rainbow smelt, and slimy sculpin) and lake trout suggest a combination of both in vivo biotransformation and uptake of nonracemic residues from prey for these species. Minimum biotransformation rates, calculated from enantiomer mass balances between predators and prey, suggest metabolic half-lives on the order of 8 yr for CB 136 in lake trout and 2.6 yr for CB 95 in sculpins. This result suggests that significant biotransformation may occur for metaboliz able PCB congeners over the lifespan of these biota. This study highlights the potential of chiral analysis to study biotransformation processes in food webs.

  2. pH-dependent biotransformation of ionizable organic micropollutants in activated sludge.

    PubMed

    Gulde, Rebekka; Helbling, Damian E; Scheidegger, Andreas; Fenner, Kathrin

    2014-12-02

    Removal of micropollutants (MPs) during activated sludge treatment can mainly be attributed to biotransformation and sorption to sludge flocs, whereby the latter process is known to be of minor importance for polar organic micropollutants. In this work, we investigated the influence of pH on the biotransformation of MPs with cationic-neutral speciation in an activated sludge microbial community. We performed batch biotransformation, sorption control, and abiotic control experiments for 15 MPs with cationic-neutral speciation, one control MP with neutral-anionic speciation, and two neutral MPs at pHs 6, 7, and 8. Biotransformation rate constants corrected for sorption and abiotic processes were estimated from measured concentration time series with Bayesian inference. We found that biotransformation is pH-dependent and correlates qualitatively with the neutral fraction of the ionizable MPs. However, a simple speciation model based on the assumption that only the neutral species is efficiently taken up and biotransformed by the cells tends to overpredict the effect of speciation. Therefore, additional mechanisms such as uptake of the ionic species and other more complex attenutation mechanisms are discussed. Finally, we observed that the sorption coefficients derived from our control experiments were small and showed no notable pH-dependence. From this we conclude that pH-dependent removal of polar, ionizable organic MPs in activated sludge systems is less likely an effect of pH-dependent sorption but rather of pH-dependent biotransformation. The latter has the potential to cause marked differences in the removal of polar, ionizable MPs at different operational pHs during activated sludge treatment.

  3. Applications and Mechanisms of Ionic Liquids in Whole-Cell Biotransformation

    PubMed Central

    Fan, Lin-Lin; Li, Hong-Ji; Chen, Qi-He

    2014-01-01

    Ionic liquids (ILs), entirely composed of cations and anions, are liquid solvents at room temperature. They are interesting due to their low vapor pressure, high polarity and thermostability, and also for the possibility to fine-tune their physicochemical properties through modification of the chemical structures of their cations or anions. In recent years, ILs have been widely used in biotechnological fields involving whole-cell biotransformations of biodiesel or biomass, and organic compound synthesis with cells. Research studies in these fields have increased from the past decades and compared to the typical solvents, ILs are the most promising alternative solvents for cell biotransformations. However, there are increasing limitations and new challenges in whole-cell biotransformations with ILs. There is little understanding of the mechanisms of ILs’ interactions with cells, and much remains to be clarified. Further investigations are required to overcome the drawbacks of their applications and to broaden their application spectrum. This work mainly reviews the applications of ILs in whole-cell biotransformations, and the possible mechanisms of ILs in microbial cell biotransformation are proposed and discussed. PMID:25007820

  4. Applications and mechanisms of ionic liquids in whole-cell biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Fan, Lin-Lin; Li, Hong-Ji; Chen, Qi-He

    2014-07-09

    Ionic liquids (ILs), entirely composed of cations and anions, are liquid solvents at room temperature. They are interesting due to their low vapor pressure, high polarity and thermostability, and also for the possibility to fine-tune their physicochemical properties through modification of the chemical structures of their cations or anions. In recent years, ILs have been widely used in biotechnological fields involving whole-cell biotransformations of biodiesel or biomass, and organic compound synthesis with cells. Research studies in these fields have increased from the past decades and compared to the typical solvents, ILs are the most promising alternative solvents for cell biotransformations. However, there are increasing limitations and new challenges in whole-cell biotransformations with ILs. There is little understanding of the mechanisms of ILs' interactions with cells, and much remains to be clarified. Further investigations are required to overcome the drawbacks of their applications and to broaden their application spectrum. This work mainly reviews the applications of ILs in whole-cell biotransformations, and the possible mechanisms of ILs in microbial cell biotransformation are proposed and discussed.

  5. Biotransformation of trace organic compounds by activated sludge from a biological nutrient removal treatment system.

    PubMed

    Inyang, Mandu; Flowers, Riley; McAvoy, Drew; Dickenson, Eric

    2016-09-01

    The removal of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) and their biotransformation rates, kb (LgSS(-)(1)h(-)(1)) was investigated across different redox zones in a biological nutrient removal (BNR) system using an OECD batch test. Biodegradation kinetics of fourteen TOrCs with initial concentration of 1-36μgL(-)(1) in activated sludge were monitored over the course of 24h. Degradation kinetic behavior for the TOrCs fell into four groupings: Group 1 (atenolol) was biotransformed (0.018-0.22LgSS(-)(1)h(-)(1)) under anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic conditions. Group 2 (meprobamate and trimethoprim) biotransformed (0.01-0.21LgSS(-)(1)h(-)(1)) under anoxic and aerobic conditions, Group 3 (DEET, gemfibrozil and triclosan) only biotransformed (0.034-0.26LgSS(-)(1)h(-)(1)) under aerobic conditions, and Group 4 (carbamazepine, primidone, sucralose and TCEP) exhibited little to no biotransformation (<0.001LgSS(-)(1)h(-)(1)) under any redox conditions. BNR treatment did not provide a barrier against Group 4 compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The impact of different proportions of a treated effluent on the biotransformation of selected micro-contaminants in river water microcosms.

    PubMed

    Nödler, Karsten; Tsakiri, Maria; Licha, Tobias

    2014-10-10

    Attenuation of micro-contaminants is a very complex field in environmental science and evidence suggests that biodegradation rates of micro-contaminants in the aqueous environment depend on the water matrix. The focus of the study presented here is the systematic comparison of biotransformation rates of caffeine, carbamazepine, metoprolol, paracetamol and valsartan in river water microcosms spiked with different proportions of treated effluent (0%, 0.1%, 1%, and 10%). Biotransformation was identified as the dominating attenuation process by the evolution of biotransformation products such as atenolol acid and valsartan acid. Significantly decreasing biotransformation rates of metoprolol were observed at treated effluent proportions ≥ 0.1% whereas significantly increasing biotransformation rates of caffeine and valsartan were observed in the presence of 10% treated effluent. Potential reasons for the observations are discussed and the addition of adapted microorganisms via the treated effluent was suggested as the most probable reason. The impact of additional phosphorus on the biodegradation rates was tested and the experiments revealed that phosphorus-limitation was not responsible.

  7. Aerobic biotransformation of 3-methylindole to ring cleavage products by Cupriavidus sp. strain KK10.

    PubMed

    Fukuoka, Kimiko; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Kanaly, Robert A

    2015-09-01

    3-Methylindole, also referred to as skatole, is a pollutant of environmental concern due to its persistence, mobility and potential health impacts. Petroleum refining, intensive livestock production and application of biosolids to agricultural lands result in releases of 3-methylindole to the environment. Even so, little is known about the aerobic biodegradation of 3-methylindole and comprehensive biotransformation pathways have not been established. Using glycerol as feedstock, the soil bacterium Cupriavidus sp. strain KK10 biodegraded 100 mg/L of 3-methylindole in 24 h. Cometabolic 3-methylindole biodegradation was confirmed by the identification of biotransformation products through liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analyses. In all, 14 3-methylindole biotransformation products were identified which revealed that biotransformation occurred through different pathways that included carbocyclic aromatic ring-fission of 3-methylindole to single-ring pyrrole carboxylic acids. This work provides first comprehensive evidence for the aerobic biotransformation mechanisms of 3-methylindole by a soil bacterium and expands our understanding of the biodegradative capabilities of members of the genus Cupriavidus towards heteroaromatic pollutants.

  8. Mechanism of xanthine oxidase catalyzed biotransformation of HMX under anaerobic conditions.

    PubMed

    Bhushan, Bharat; Paquet, Louise; Halasz, Annamaria; Spain, Jim C; Hawari, Jalal

    2003-06-27

    Enzyme catalyzed biotransformation of the energetic chemical octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) is not known. The present study describes a xanthine oxidase (XO) catalyzed biotransformation of HMX to provide insight into the biodegradation pathway of this energetic chemical. The rates of biotransformation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions were 1.6+/-0.2 and 10.5+/-0.9 nmolh(-1)mgprotein(-1), respectively, indicating that anaerobic conditions favored the reaction. The biotransformation rate was about 6-fold higher using NADH as an electron-donor compared to xanthine. During the course of reaction, the products obtained were nitrite (NO(2)(-)), methylenedinitramine (MDNA), 4-nitro-2,4-diazabutanal (NDAB), formaldehyde (HCHO), nitrous oxide (N(2)O), formic acid (HCOOH), and ammonium (NH(4)(+)). The product distribution gave carbon and nitrogen mass-balances of 91% and 88%, respectively. A comparative study with native-, deflavo-, and desulfo-XO and the site-specific inhibition studies showed that HMX biotransformation occurred at the FAD-site of XO. Nitrite stoichiometry revealed that an initial single N-denitration step was sufficient for the spontaneous decomposition of HMX.

  9. A framework for establishing predictive relationships between specific bacterial 16S rRNA sequence abundances and biotransformation rates.

    PubMed

    Helbling, Damian E; Johnson, David R; Lee, Tae Kwon; Scheidegger, Andreas; Fenner, Kathrin

    2015-03-01

    The rates at which wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) microbial communities biotransform specific substrates can differ by orders of magnitude among WWTP communities. Differences in taxonomic compositions among WWTP communities may predict differences in the rates of some types of biotransformations. In this work, we present a novel framework for establishing predictive relationships between specific bacterial 16S rRNA sequence abundances and biotransformation rates. We selected ten WWTPs with substantial variation in their environmental and operational metrics and measured the in situ ammonia biotransformation rate constants in nine of them. We isolated total RNA from samples from each WWTP and analyzed 16S rRNA sequence reads. We then developed multivariate models between the measured abundances of specific bacterial 16S rRNA sequence reads and the ammonia biotransformation rate constants. We constructed model scenarios that systematically explored the effects of model regularization, model linearity and non-linearity, and aggregation of 16S rRNA sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as a function of sequence dissimilarity threshold (SDT). A large percentage (greater than 80%) of model scenarios resulted in well-performing and significant models at intermediate SDTs of 0.13-0.14 and 0.26. The 16S rRNA sequences consistently selected into the well-performing and significant models at those SDTs were classified as Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira groups. We then extend the framework by applying it to the biotransformation rate constants of ten micropollutants measured in batch reactors seeded with the ten WWTP communities. We identified phylogenetic groups that were robustly selected into all well-performing and significant models constructed with biotransformation rates of isoproturon, propachlor, ranitidine, and venlafaxine. These phylogenetic groups can be used as predictive biomarkers of WWTP microbial community activity towards these specific micropollutants. This work is an important step towards developing tools to predict biotransformation rates in WWTPs based on taxonomic composition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Regio- and stereoselectivities in plant cell biotransformation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hamada, H.

    1995-12-01

    The ability of plant cultured cells to convert foreign substrates into more useful substances is of considerable interest. Therefore I have studied biotransformation of foreign substrate by plant cell suspension cultures. In this presentation, I report regio- and stereoselectivities in biotransformation of steroids and indole alkaloids and taxol by plant (tobacco, periwinkle, moss, orchid) cell suspension cultures.

  11. ANAEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION OF 2,4-DINITROTOLUENE WITH ETHANOL AS PRIMARY SUBSTRATE: MUTUAL EFFECT OF THE SUBSTRATES ON THEIR BIOTRANSFORMATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The effect of the initial concentration of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) on its biotransformation and on the microbial utilization of ethanol was investigated. The culture used in this study was acclimated in a continuous flow laboratory fermentor with 2,4-DNT and ethanol as substrat...

  12. Biotransformation of the high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benzo[k]fluoranthene by Sphingobium sp. strain KK22 and identification of new products of non-alternant PAH biodegradation by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Maeda, Allyn H; Nishi, Shinro; Hatada, Yuji; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Kanaly, Robert A

    2014-01-01

    A pathway for the biotransformation of the environmental pollutant and high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benzo[k]fluoranthene by a soil bacterium was constructed through analyses of results from liquid chromatography negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI(–)-MS/MS). Exposure of Sphingobium sp. strain KK22 to benzo[k]fluoranthene resulted in transformation to four-, three-and two-aromatic ring products. The structurally similar four-and three-ring non-alternant PAHs fluoranthene and acenaphthylene were also biotransformed by strain KK22, and LC/ESI(–)-MS/MS analyses of these products confirmed the lower biotransformation pathway proposed for benzo[k]fluoranthene. In all, seven products from benzo[k]fluoranthene and seven products from fluoranthene were revealed and included previously unreported products from both PAHs. Benzo[k]fluoranthene biotransformation proceeded through ortho-cleavage of 8,9-dihydroxy-benzo[k]fluoranthene to 8-carboxyfluoranthenyl-9-propenic acid and 9-hydroxy-fluoranthene-8-carboxylic acid, and was followed by meta-cleavage to produce 3-(2-formylacenaphthylen-1-yl)-2-hydroxy-prop-2-enoic acid. The fluoranthene pathway converged with the benzo[k]fluoranthene pathway through detection of the three-ring product, 2-formylacenaphthylene-1-carboxylic acid. Production of key downstream metabolites, 1,8-naphthalic anhydride and 1-naphthoic acid from benzo[k]fluoranthene, fluoranthene and acenaphthylene biotransformations provided evidence for a common pathway by strain KK22 for all three PAHs through acenaphthoquinone. Quantitative analysis of benzo[k]fluoranthene biotransformation by strain KK22 confirmed biodegradation. This is the first pathway proposed for the biotransformation of benzo[k]fluoranthene by a bacterium. PMID:24325265

  13. Biotransformation potential of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA) in aerobic and anaerobic sediment.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shu; Lu, Xiaoxia; Wang, Ning; Buck, Robert C

    2016-07-01

    Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) products are used in industrial and military firefighting around the globe. These products contain fluoroalkylthioamido sulfonates, fluoroalkylthiobetaine, and other related substances as the major ingredients, which can be biotransformed in the environment to form 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA, F(CF2)6CH2CH2SO3-) as one of the major initial biotransformation products. Limited information is available on 6:2 FTSA aerobic biotransformation in activated sludge and pure microbial culture. This is the first study to report 6:2 FTSA biotransformation in aerobic and anaerobic sediment. 6:2 FTSA was rapidly biotransformed in aerobic river sediment with a half-life less than 5 d. Major stable transformation products observed after 90 d included 5:3 Acid [F(CF2)5CH2CH2COOH), 16 mol%), PFPeA [F(CF2)4COOH, 21 mol%] and PFHxA (F(CF2)5COOH, 20 mol%). 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol [6:2 FTOH, F(CF2)6CH2CH2OH] was readily biotransfomed whereas 6:2 FTSA biotransformation did not occur in anaerobic sediment over 100 d, indicating that the enzymatic desulfonation step limited 6:2 FTSA biotransformation in anaerobic sediment. These results suggest that 6:2 FTSA related products, after release to the aerobic environment, is likely to biodegrade forming 5:3 Acid, PFPeA and PFHxA. This study also indicates that 6:2 FTSA formed from its aforementioned precursors may be persistent in the anaerobic environment after their potential release. This work provides insight to understanding the fate and environmental loading of AFFF-related products and their major transformation products in the environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. A new agent developed by biotransformation of polyphyllin VII inhibits chemoresistance in breast cancer.

    PubMed

    He, Dong-Xu; Li, Guo-Hong; Gu, Xiao-Ting; Zhang, Liang; Mao, Ai-Qin; Wei, Juan; Liu, De-Quan; Shi, Gui-Yang; Ma, Xin

    2016-05-31

    Biotransformation by the endophytes of certain plants changes various compounds, and this 'green' chemistry becomes increasingly important for finding new products with pharmacological activity. In this study, polyphyllin VII (PPL7) was biotransformed by endophytes from the medicinal plant Paris polyphylla Smith, var. yunnanensis. This produced a new compound, ZH-2, with pharmacological activity in vitro and in vivo. ZH-2 was more potent than PPL7 in selectively killing more chemoresistant than chemosensitive breast cancer cells. ZH-2 also re-sensitized chemoresistant breast cancer cells, as evidenced by the improved anti-cancer activity of commonly-used chemotherapeutic agent in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical samples. This anti-chemoresistance effect of ZH-2 was associated with inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Taken together, our findings are the first one to link biotransformation with a biomedicine. The results provide insights into developing new pharmacologically-active agents via biotransformation by endophytes.

  15. Biotransformation of pharmaceuticals under nitrification, nitratation and heterotrophic conditions.

    PubMed

    Fernandez-Fontaina, E; Gomes, I B; Aga, D S; Omil, F; Lema, J M; Carballa, M

    2016-01-15

    The effect of nitrification, nitratation and heterotrophic conditions on the biotransformation of several pharmaceuticals in a highly enriched nitrifying activated sludge was evaluated in this study by selective activation of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and heterotrophic bacteria. Nitrifiers displayed a noticeable capacity to process ibuprofen due to hydroxylation by ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) to produce 2-hydroxy-ibuprofen. Naproxen was also biotransformed under nitrifying conditions. On the other hand, heterotrophic bacteria present in the nitrifying activated sludge (NAS) biotransformed sulfamethoxazole. In contrast, both nitrifying and heterotrophic activities were ineffective against diclofenac, diazepam, carbamazepine and trimethoprim. Similar biotransformation rates of erythromycin, roxithromycin and fluoxetine were observed under all conditions tested. Overall, results from this study give more evidence on the role of the different microbial communities present in activated sludge reactors on the biological removal of pharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Application of in Vitro Biotransformation Data and ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The adverse biological effects of toxic substances are dependent upon the exposure concentration and the duration of exposure. Pharmacokinetic models can quantitatively relate the external concentration of a toxicant in the environment to the internal dose of the toxicant in the target tissues of an exposed organism. The exposure concentration of a toxic substance is usually not the same as the concentration of the active form of the toxicant that reaches the target tissues following absorption, distribution, and biotransformation of the parent toxicant. Biotransformation modulates the biological activity of chemicals through bioactivation and detoxication pathways. Many toxicants require biotransformation to exert their adverse biological effects. Considerable species differences in biotransformation and other pharmacokinetic processes can make extrapolation of toxicity data from laboratory animals to humans problematic. Additionally, interindividual differences in biotransformation among human populations with diverse genetics and lifestyles can lead to considerable variability in the bioactivation of toxic chemicals. Compartmental pharmacokinetic models of animals and humans are needed to understand the quantitative relationships between chemical exposure and target tissue dose as well as animal to human differences and interindividual differences in human populations. The data-based compartmental pharmacokinetic models widely used in clinical pharmacology ha

  17. Biotransformation and adsorption of pharmaceutical and personal care products by activated sludge after correcting matrix effects.

    PubMed

    Deng, Yu; Li, Bing; Yu, Ke; Zhang, Tong

    2016-02-15

    This study reported significant suppressive matrix effects in analyses of six pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in activated sludge, sterilized activated sludge and untreated sewage by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Quantitative matrix evaluation on selected PPCPs supplemented the limited quantification data of matrix effects on mass spectrometric determination of PPCPs in complex environment samples. The observed matrix effects were chemical-specific and matrix-dependent, with the most pronounced average effect (-55%) was found on sulfadiazine in sterilized activated sludge. After correcting the matrix effects by post-spiking known amount of PPCPs, the removal mechanisms and biotransformation kinetics of selected PPCPs in activated sludge system were revealed by batch experiment. Experimental data elucidated that the removal of target PPCPs in the activated sludge process was mainly by biotransformation while contributions of adsorption, hydrolysis and volatilization could be neglected. High biotransformation efficiency (52%) was observed on diclofenac while other three compounds (sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole and roxithromycin) were partially biotransformed by ~40%. The other two compounds, trimethoprim and carbamazepine, showed recalcitrant to biotransformation of the activated sludge. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Biotransformation pathways of fluorotelomer-based polyfluoroalkyl substances: a review.

    PubMed

    Butt, Craig M; Muir, Derek C G; Mabury, Scott A

    2014-02-01

    The study reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the biotransformation of fluorotelomer-based compounds, with a focus on compounds that ultimately degrade to form perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs). Most metabolism studies have been performed with either microbial systems or rats and mice, and comparatively few studies have used fish models. Furthermore, biotransformation studies thus far have predominately used the 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH) as the substrate. However, there have been an increasing number of studies investigating 6:2 FTOH biotransformation as a result of industry's transition to shorter-chain fluorotelomer chemistry. Studies with the 8:2 FTOH metabolism universally show the formation of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and, to a smaller fraction, perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and lower-chain-length PFCAs. In general, the overall yield of PFOA is low, presumably because of the multiple branches in the biotransformation pathways, including conjugation reactions in animal systems. There have been a few studies of non-FTOH biotransformation, which include polyfluoroalkyl phosphates (PAPs), 8:2 fluorotelomer acrylate (8:2 FTAC), and fluorotelomer carboxylates (FTCAs, FTUCAs). The PAPs compounds and 8:2 FTAC were shown to be direct precursors to FTOHs and thus follow similar degradation pathways. © 2013 SETAC.

  19. Background Nutrients Affect the Biotransformation of Tetracycline by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia as Revealed by Genomics and Proteomics.

    PubMed

    Leng, Yifei; Bao, Jianguo; Song, Dandan; Li, Jing; Ye, Mao; Li, Xu

    2017-09-19

    Certain bacteria are resistant to antibiotics and can even transform antibiotics in the environment. It is unclear how the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance and biotransformation processes vary under different environmental conditions. The objective of this study is to investigate the molecular mechanisms of tetracycline resistance and biotransformation by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain DT1 under various background nutrient conditions. Strain DT1 was exposed to tetracycline for 7 days with four background nutrient conditions: no background (NB), peptone (P), peptone plus citrate (PC), and peptone plus glucose (PG). The biotransformation rate follows the order of PC > P > PG > NB ≈ 0. Genomic analysis showed that strain DT1 contained tet(X1), a gene encoding an FAD-binding monooxygenase, and eight peroxidase genes that could be relevant to tetracycline biotransformation. Quantitative proteomic analyses revealed that nodulation protein transported tetracycline outside of cells; hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase facilitated the activation of the ribosomal protection proteins to prevent the binding of tetracycline to the ribosome and superoxide dismutase and peroxiredoxin-modified tetracycline molecules. Comparing different nutrient conditions showed that the biotransformation rates of tetracycline were positively correlated with the expression levels of superoxide dismutase.

  20. Measuring in vitro biotransformation rates of super hydrophobic chemicals in rat liver s9 fractions using thin-film sorbent-phase dosing.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yung-Shan; Otton, S Victoria; Campbell, David A; Moore, Margo M; Kennedy, Chris J; Gobas, Frank A P C

    2012-01-03

    Methods for rapid and cost-effective assessment of the biotransformation potential of very hydrophobic and potentially bioaccumulative chemicals in mammals are urgently needed for the ongoing global evaluation of the environmental behavior of commercial chemicals. We developed and tested a novel solvent-free, thin-film sorbent-phase in vitro dosing system to measure the in vitro biotransformation rates of very hydrophobic chemicals in male Sprague-Dawley rat liver S9 homogenates and compared the rates to those measured by conventional solvent-delivery dosing. The thin-film sorbent-phase dosing system using ethylene vinyl acetate coated vials was developed to eliminate the incomplete dissolution of very hydrophobic substances in largely aqueous liver homogenates, to determine biotransformation rates at low substrate concentrations, to measure the unbound fraction of substrate in solution, and to simplify chemical analysis by avoiding the difficult extraction of test chemicals from complex biological matrices. Biotransformation rates using sorbent-phase dosing were 2-fold greater than those measured using solvent-delivery dosing. Unbound concentrations of very hydrophobic test chemicals were found to decline with increasing S9 and protein concentrations, causing measured biotransformation rates to be independent of S9 or protein concentrations. The results emphasize the importance of specifying both protein content and unbound substrate fraction in the measurement and reporting of in vitro biotransformation rates of very hydrophobic substances, which can be achieved in a thin-film sorbent-phase dosing system.

  1. Biotransformation of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol by Mucor racemosus and the anti-cancer activities of some products.

    PubMed

    Chen, Guangtong; Ge, Hongjuan; Song, Yan; Li, Jianlin; Zhai, Xuguang; Wu, Juanjuan; Ling, Xiang

    2015-10-01

    To produce new derivatives of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol by fungal biotransformation. Biotransformation of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (1) by Mucor racemosus AS 3.205 afforded six products. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. M. racemosus could selectively catalyze dehydrogenation at C-12 and further hydroxylation at C-7, C-11, and C-15, as well as rearrangement of double bond at C-26. Two of these new compounds exhibited potent inhibitory activity against SH-SY5Y and HepG2 cell lines. Biotransformation by M. racemosus AS 3.205 was an effective approach to produce new derivatives of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol.

  2. Earth Abides Arsenic Biotransformations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Yong-Guan; Yoshinaga, Masafumi; Zhao, Fang-Jie; Rosen, Barry P.

    2014-05-01

    Arsenic is the most prevalent environmental toxic element and causes health problems throughout the world. The toxicity, mobility, and fate of arsenic in the environment are largely determined by its speciation, and arsenic speciation changes are driven, at least to some extent, by biological processes. In this article, biotransformation of arsenic is reviewed from the perspective of the formation of Earth and the evolution of life, and the connection between arsenic geochemistry and biology is described. The article provides a comprehensive overview of molecular mechanisms of arsenic redox and methylation cycles as well as other arsenic biotransformations. It also discusses the implications of arsenic biotransformation in environmental remediation and food safety, with particular emphasis on groundwater arsenic contamination and arsenic accumulation in rice.

  3. Chemopreventive potential of the tannase-mediated biotransformation of green tea.

    PubMed

    Macedo, J A; Ferreira, L R; Camara, L E; Santos, J C; Gambero, A; Macedo, G A; Ribeiro, M L

    2012-07-15

    Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. The cancer chemopreventive qualities of green tea have been well documented. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is often described as the most potently chemopreventive green tea catechin; however, the low bioavailability of EGCG is a limiting factor for its biological effect. Thus, the aim of this work was to test the chemopreventive potential of green tea extract and EGCG after tannase-mediated hydrolysis. The results showed that the biotransformed compounds retained most of the beneficial properties of the original compounds, and some beneficial properties were improved in the biotransformed compounds. Biotransformation of EGCG decreased its toxicity without affecting its antiproliferative effects. Furthermore, human cells gene expression profiling showed that the biotransformed compounds modulated the expression of several genes related to carcinogenesis. These results demonstrate the benefits of the biotechnological modification of natural food molecules, allowing the improvement of the nutraceutical potential of a beverage as green tea. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. A new agent developed by biotransformation of polyphyllin VII inhibits chemoresistance in breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Liang; Mao, Ai-Qin; Wei, Juan; Liu, De-Quan; Shi, Gui-Yang; Ma, Xin

    2016-01-01

    Biotransformation by the endophytes of certain plants changes various compounds, and this ‘green’ chemistry becomes increasingly important for finding new products with pharmacological activity. In this study, polyphyllin VII (PPL7) was biotransformed by endophytes from the medicinal plant Paris polyphylla Smith, var. yunnanensis. This produced a new compound, ZH-2, with pharmacological activity in vitro and in vivo. ZH-2 was more potent than PPL7 in selectively killing more chemoresistant than chemosensitive breast cancer cells. ZH-2 also re-sensitized chemoresistant breast cancer cells, as evidenced by the improved anti-cancer activity of commonly-used chemotherapeutic agent in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical samples. This anti-chemoresistance effect of ZH-2 was associated with inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Taken together, our findings are the first one to link biotransformation with a biomedicine. The results provide insights into developing new pharmacologically-active agents via biotransformation by endophytes. PMID:26701723

  5. Biotransformation of ferulic acid to vanillin in the packed bed-stirred fermentors

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Lei; Chen, Peng; Zhang, Shuang; Li, Suyue; Yan, Xiaojuan; Wang, Ningbo; Liang, Ning; Li, Hongyu

    2016-01-01

    We performed the biotransformation of ferulic acid to vanillin using Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) in the stirring packed-bed reactors filled with carbon fiber textiles (CFT). Scanning electron microscope (SEM), HPLC, qRT-PCR and ATP assay indicated that vanillin biotransformation is tightly related to cell growth, cellar activity and the extent of biofilm formation. The biotransformation was affected by hydraulic retention time (HRT), temperature, initial pH, stirring speed and ferulic acid concentration, and the maximum vanillin production was obtained at 20 h, 35 °C, 9.0, 200 rpm, 1.5 g/L, respectively. Repeated batch biotransformation performed under this optimized condition showed that the maximum productivity (0.047 g/L/h) and molar yield (60.43%) achieved in immobilized cell system were 1.84 and 3.61 folds higher than those achieved in free cell system. Therefore, the stirring reactor packed with CFT carrier biofilm formed by B. subtilis represented a valid biocatalytic system for the production of vanillin. PMID:27708366

  6. Tailoring partially reduced graphene oxide as redox mediator for enhanced biotransformation of iopromide under methanogenic and sulfate-reducing conditions.

    PubMed

    Toral-Sánchez, Eduardo; Rangel-Mendez, J Rene; Ascacio Valdés, Juan A; Aguilar, Cristóbal N; Cervantes, Francisco J

    2017-01-01

    This work reports the first successful application of graphene oxide (GO) and partially reduced GO (rGO) as redox mediator (RM) to increase the biotransformation of the recalcitrant iodinated contrast medium, iopromide (IOP). Results showed that GO-based materials promoted up to 5.5 and 2.8-fold faster biotransformation of IOP by anaerobic sludge under methanogenic and sulfate-reducing conditions, respectively. Correlation between the extent of reduction of GO and its redox-mediating capacity was demonstrated, which was reflected in faster removal and greater extent of biotransformation of IOP. Further analysis indicated that the biotransformation pathway of IOP involved multiple reactions including deiodination, decarboxylation, demethylation, dehydration and N-dealkylation. GO-based materials could be strategically tailored and integrated in biological treatment systems to effectively enhance the redox conversion of recalcitrant pollutants commonly found in wastewater treatment systems and industrial effluents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Toxicokinetics of ethers used as fuel oxygenates.

    PubMed

    Dekant, W; Bernauer, U; Rosner, E; Amberg, A

    2001-10-15

    The toxicokinetics and biotransformation of methyl-tert.butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl-tert.butyl ether (ETBE) and tert.amyl-methyl ether (TAME) in rats and humans are summarized. These ethers are used as gasoline additives in large amounts, and thus, a considerable potential for human exposure exists. After inhalation exposure MTBE, ETBE and TAME are rapidly taken up by both rats and humans; after termination of exposure, clearance by exhalation and biotransformation to urinary metabolites is rapid in rats. In humans, clearance by exhalation is slower in comparison to rats. Biotransformation of MTBE and ETBE is both qualitatively and quantitatively similar in humans and rats after inhalation exposure under identical conditions. The extent of biotransformation of TAME is also quantitatively similar in rats and humans; the metabolic pathways, however, are different. The results suggest that reactive and potentially toxic metabolites are not formed during biotransformation of these ethers and that toxic effects of these compounds initiated by covalent binding to cellular macromolecules are unlikely.

  8. Comparison of biotransformation and efficacy of aminoacetonitrile anthelmintics in vitro.

    PubMed

    Stuchlíková, Lucie; Lecová, Lenka; Jirásko, Robert; Lamka, Jiří; Vokřál, Ivan; Szotáková, Barbora; Holčapek, Michal; Skálová, Lenka

    2016-02-01

    The present in vitro study was designed to test and compare anthelmintic activity, hepatotoxicity, and biotransformation of four selected aminoacetonitrile derivatives (AADs): monepantel (MOP, anthelmintic approved for the treatment), AAD-970, AAD-1154, and AAD-1336. Micro-agar larval development test, MTT test of cytotoxicity, and biotransformation study coupled with Ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) technique were used for this purpose. Larvae of two Haemonchus contortus strains (drug susceptible and multi-drug resistant) and primary cultures of rat and ovine hepatocytes served as model systems. All AADs (including MOP) exhibited significant larvicidal effect in H. contortus susceptible as well as multi-resistant strains, much higher than those of reference anthelmintics thiabendazole and flubendazole. AAD-1154 provides the best results for most tested parameters among all AADs in this study. The cytotoxicity test showed that all AADs can be considered as nontoxic for hepatocytes. In the biotransformation study, Phase I and Phase II metabolites of AADs were identified and schemes of possible metabolic pathways in ovine hepatocytes were proposed. Biotransformation of MOP was much more extensive than biotransformation of other AADs. Based on obtained results, AAD-1154 and AAD-1336 can be considered as promising candidates for further in vivo testing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Eawag-Soil in enviPath: a new resource for exploring regulatory pesticide soil biodegradation pathways and half-life data.

    PubMed

    Latino, Diogo A R S; Wicker, Jörg; Gütlein, Martin; Schmid, Emanuel; Kramer, Stefan; Fenner, Kathrin

    2017-03-22

    Developing models for the prediction of microbial biotransformation pathways and half-lives of trace organic contaminants in different environments requires as training data easily accessible and sufficiently large collections of respective biotransformation data that are annotated with metadata on study conditions. Here, we present the Eawag-Soil package, a public database that has been developed to contain all freely accessible regulatory data on pesticide degradation in laboratory soil simulation studies for pesticides registered in the EU (282 degradation pathways, 1535 reactions, 1619 compounds and 4716 biotransformation half-life values with corresponding metadata on study conditions). We provide a thorough description of this novel data resource, and discuss important features of the pesticide soil degradation data that are relevant for model development. Most notably, the variability of half-life values for individual compounds is large and only about one order of magnitude lower than the entire range of median half-life values spanned by all compounds, demonstrating the need to consider study conditions in the development of more accurate models for biotransformation prediction. We further show how the data can be used to find missing rules relevant for predicting soil biotransformation pathways. From this analysis, eight examples of reaction types were presented that should trigger the formulation of new biotransformation rules, e.g., Ar-OH methylation, or the extension of existing rules, e.g., hydroxylation in aliphatic rings. The data were also used to exemplarily explore the dependence of half-lives of different amide pesticides on chemical class and experimental parameters. This analysis highlighted the value of considering initial transformation reactions for the development of meaningful quantitative-structure biotransformation relationships (QSBR), which is a novel opportunity offered by the simultaneous encoding of transformation reactions and corresponding half-lives in Eawag-Soil. Overall, Eawag-Soil provides an unprecedentedly rich collection of manually extracted and curated biotransformation data, which should be useful in a great variety of applications.

  10. Biotransformation of the high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benzo[k]fluoranthene by Sphingobium sp. strain KK22 and identification of new products of non-alternant PAH biodegradation by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Maeda, Allyn H; Nishi, Shinro; Hatada, Yuji; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Kanaly, Robert A

    2014-03-01

    A pathway for the biotransformation of the environmental pollutant and high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benzo[k]fluoranthene by a soil bacterium was constructed through analyses of results from liquid chromatography negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI(-)-MS/MS). Exposure of Sphingobium sp. strain KK22 to benzo[k]fluoranthene resulted in transformation to four-, three- and two-aromatic ring products. The structurally similar four- and three-ring non-alternant PAHs fluoranthene and acenaphthylene were also biotransformed by strain KK22, and LC/ESI(-)-MS/MS analyses of these products confirmed the lower biotransformation pathway proposed for benzo[k]fluoranthene. In all, seven products from benzo[k]fluoranthene and seven products from fluoranthene were revealed and included previously unreported products from both PAHs. Benzo[k]fluoranthene biotransformation proceeded through ortho-cleavage of 8,9-dihydroxy-benzo[k]fluoranthene to 8-carboxyfluoranthenyl-9-propenic acid and 9-hydroxy-fluoranthene-8-carboxylic acid, and was followed by meta-cleavage to produce 3-(2-formylacenaphthylen-1-yl)-2-hydroxy-prop-2-enoic acid. The fluoranthene pathway converged with the benzo[k]fluoranthene pathway through detection of the three-ring product, 2-formylacenaphthylene-1-carboxylic acid. Production of key downstream metabolites, 1,8-naphthalic anhydride and 1-naphthoic acid from benzo[k]fluoranthene, fluoranthene and acenaphthylene biotransformations provided evidence for a common pathway by strain KK22 for all three PAHs through acenaphthoquinone. Quantitative analysis of benzo[k]fluoranthene biotransformation by strain KK22 confirmed biodegradation. This is the first pathway proposed for the biotransformation of benzo[k]fluoranthene by a bacterium. © 2013 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

  11. Bridging across OECD 308 and 309 Data in Search of a Robust Biotransformation Indicator.

    PubMed

    Honti, Mark; Hahn, Stefan; Hennecke, Dieter; Junker, Thomas; Shrestha, Prasit; Fenner, Kathrin

    2016-07-05

    The OECD guidelines 308 and 309 define simulation tests aimed at assessing biotransformation of chemicals in water-sediment systems. They should serve the estimation of persistence indicators for hazard assessment and half-lives for exposure modeling. Although dissipation half-lives of the parent compound are directly extractable from OECD 308 data, they are system-specific and mix up phase transfer with biotransformation. In contrast, aerobic biotransformation half-lives should be easier to extract from OECD 309 experiments with suspended sediments. Therefore, there is scope for OECD 309 tests with suspended sediment to serve as a proxy for degradation in the aerobic phase of the more complicated OECD 308 test, but that correspondence has remained untested so far. Our aim was to find a way to extract biotransformation rate constants that are universally valid across variants of water-sediment systems and, hence, provide a more general description of the compound's behavior in the environment. We developed a unified model that was able to simulate four experimental types (two variants of OECD 308 and two variants of OECD 309) for three compounds by using a biomass-corrected, generalized aerobic biotransformation parameter (k'bio). We used Bayesian calibration and uncertainty assessment to calibrate the models for individual experimental types separately and for combinations of experimental types. The results suggested that k'bio was a generally valid parameter for quantifying biotransformation across systems. However, its uncertainty remained significant when calibrated on individual systems alone. Using at least two different experimental types for the calibration of k'bio increased its robustness by clearly separating degradation from the phase-transfer processes taking place in the individual systems. Overall, k'bio has the potential to serve as a system-independent descriptor of aerobic biotransformation at the water-sediment interface that is equally and consistently applicable for both persistence and exposure assessment purposes.

  12. Biotransformation of pesticides in saturated-zone materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoyle, Blythe L.; Arthur, Ellen L.

    Many studies have been conducted to evaluate pesticide contamination of groundwater in the United States, but investigations of pesticide biotransformation in saturated zones are much less numerous than in surface soils. Because results of studies using soils are not directly applicable to the subsurface, the purpose of this paper is to illustrate examples of pesticide biotransformation in saturated-zone materials. Although it must be considered with caution, the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Pesticides in Ground Water Database" was used to focus the discussion on the biotransformation potential of dibromoethane (EDB), atrazine, acetanilide herbicides, and aldicarb, all of which have been detected in groundwater in the United States. Results of more than two dozen studies indicate that a biotransformation potential for these pesticides exists in saturated-zone materials, although for any given pesticide substantial differences in biotransformation occurred. These variations were due both to differences in experimental methods and to heterogeneities in the subsurface materials under investigation. However, because biotransformation mechanisms were not well investigated, it is generally not possible to extrapolate predictions of biotransformation potential beyond the specific sites investigated. These results highlight the need to better understand microbial genetic regulation of biotransformation processes so that genetic information may be effectively incorporated into future investigations of biotransformation potential in the subsurface. Résumé De nombreuses études ont été réalisées pour évaluer le degré de pollution des aquifères par les pesticides aux États-Unis, mais les recherches concernant la biotransformation des pesticides dans les eaux souterraines sont beaucoup moins nombreuses que dans les sols. Du fait que les résultats des études concernant les sols ne sont pas directement applicables au milieu souterrain, le propos de cet article est d'illustrer par des exemples la biotransformation des pesticides dans les nappes. Bien qu'il faille la considérer avec précaution, la base de données sur les pesticides dans les eaux souterraines de l'Agence américaine pour la protection de l'environnement a été utilisée pour centrer la discussion sur le potentiel de biotransformation du dibromoéthane (EDB), de l'atrazine, des désherbants acétanildés et de l'aldicarb, qui tous ont été détectés dans les nappes des États-Unis. Les résultats de plus de deux douzaines d'études indiquent qu'il existe un potentiel de biotransformation de ces pesticides dans les nappes, bien qu'entre chacun de ces pesticides il existe des différences très nettes dans la biotransformation. Ces variations sont en fait dues à la fois à des différences dans les méthodes expérimentales et dans les hétérogénéités dans les matériaux étudiés. Cependant, parce que les mécanismes de la biotransformation ne sont pas bien étudiés, il est en général impossible d'extrapoler les prédictions du potentiel de biotransformation à des sites d'étude spécifiques. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité de mieux comprendre la régulation génétique microbienne des processus de biotransformation, pour que l'information génétique puisse être efficacement prise en compte dans les futures recherches sur le potentiel de biotransformation dans le sous-sol. Resumen Se han llevado a cabo un gran número de estudios para evaluar la contaminación por pesticidas en los acuíferos de los Estados Unidos de América. Sin embargo, las investigaciones sobre biotransformación de pesticidas en la zona saturada son mucho menos numerosas que en suelos. Como los resultados obtenidos en suelos no son directamente transladables a la zona saturada, el objetivo de este artículo es mostrar ejemplos de biotransformación de pesticidas en la zona saturada. Aunque debe tomarse con cautela, la base de datos "Pesticides in Ground Water Database (Base de Datos de Pesticidas en Aguas Subterráneas)" perteneciente a la US EPA (Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los EEUU) se usó para centrar la discusión en la biotransformación potencial de diversos compuestos orgánicos detectados en diversos acuíferos de los EEUU. Los resultados de más de dos docenas de estudios indican que la biotransformación potencial de estos pesticidas en la zona saturada es posible, aunque para un pesticida dado pueden presentarse grandes diferencias, debidas tanto a diferencias en los métodos experimentales como a la heterogeneidad de los materiales. Sin embargo, no es posible en general extrapolar las predicciones de biotransformación potencial más allá de las zonas específicas estudiadas, al no haberse investigado en detalle sus mecanismos. Los resultados del estudio indican la necesidad de entender mejor la regulación genética de los procesos de biotransformación, para que la información genética pueda incorporarse de manera efectiva en las investigaciones futuras de biotransformación potencial en acuíferos.

  13. The contribution of hepatic inactivation of testosterone to the lowering of serum testosterone levels by ketoconazole.

    PubMed

    Wilson, V S; LeBlanc, G A

    2000-03-01

    Hepatic biotransformation processes can be modulated by chemical exposure and these alterations can impact the biotransformation of endogenous substrates. Furthermore, chemically mediated alterations in the biotransformation of endogenous steroid hormones have been implicated as a mechanism by which steroid hormone homeostasis can be disrupted. The fungicide ketoconazole has been shown to lower serum testosterone levels and alter both gonadal synthesis and hepatic inactivation of testosterone. The present study examined whether the effects of ketoconazole on the hepatic biotransformation of testosterone contribute to its lowering of serum testosterone levels. Results also were used to validate further the use of the androgen-regulated hepatic testosterone 6alpha/15alpha-hydroxylase ratio as an indicator of androgen status. Male CD-1 mice were fed from 0 to 160 mg/kg ketoconazole in honey. Four h after the initial treatment, serum testosterone levels, gonadal testosterone secretion, and hepatic testosterone hydroxylase activity decreased, and the hepatic testosterone 6alpha/15alpha-hydroxylase ratio increased in a dose-dependent manner. Immunoblot analysis indicated that the transient decline in hepatic biotransformation was not due to reduced P450 protein levels. Rather, hepatic testosterone biotransformation activities were found to be differentially susceptible to direct inhibition by ketoconazole. Differential inhibition was also responsible for the increase seen in the 6alpha/15alpha-hydroxylase ratio. The changes in serum testosterone levels could be explained by decreased gonadal synthesis of testosterone and were not impacted by decreased hepatic biotransformation of testosterone. These results demonstrate that changes in the hepatic hydroxylation of testosterone by ketoconazole, and perhaps other chemicals, have little or no influence serum testosterone levels.

  14. Exploring Indirect Sources of Human Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylates (PFCAs): Evaluating Uptake, Elimination, and Biotransformation of Polyfluoroalkyl Phosphate Esters (PAPs) in the Rat

    PubMed Central

    D’eon, Jessica C.; Mabury, Scott A.

    2011-01-01

    Background Perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are ubiquitous in human sera worldwide. Biotransformation of the polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) is a possible source of PFCA exposure, because PAPs are used in food-contact paper packaging and have been observed in human sera. Objectives We determined pharmacokinetic parameters for the PAP monoesters (monoPAPs) and PAP diesters (diPAPs), as well as biotransformation yields to the PFCAs, using a rat model. Methods The animals were dosed intravenously or by oral gavage with a mixture of 4:2, 6:2, 8:2, and 10:2 monoPAP or diPAP chain lengths. Concentrations of the PAPs and PFCAs, as well as metabolic intermediates and phase II metabolites, were monitored over time in blood, urine, and feces. Results The diPAPs were bioavailable, with bioavailability decreasing as the chain length increased from 4 to 10 perfluorinated carbons. The monoPAPs were not absorbed from the gut; however, we found evidence to suggest phosphate-ester cleavage within the gut contents. We observed biotransformation to the PFCAs for both monoPAP and diPAP congeners. Conclusions Using experimentally derived biotransformation yields, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) sera concentrations were predicted from the biotransformation of 8:2 diPAP at concentrations observed in human serum. Because of the long human serum half-life of PFOA, biotransformation of diPAP even with low-level exposure could over time result in significant exposure to PFOA. Although humans are exposed directly to PFCAs in food and dust, the pharmacokinetic parameters determined here suggest that PAP exposure should be considered a significant indirect source of human PFCA contamination. PMID:21059488

  15. Microbial biotransformation of bioactive and clinically useful steroids and some salient features of steroids and biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Sultana, Nighat

    2018-01-31

    Steroids are perhaps one of the most widely used group of drugs in present day. Beside the established utilization as immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, progestational, diuretic, sedative, anabolic and contraceptive agents, recent applications of steroid compounds include the treatment of some forms of cancer, osteoporosis, HIV infections and treatment of declared AIDS. Steroids isolated are often available in minute amounts. So biotransformation of natural products provides a powerful means in solving supply problems in clinical trials and marketing of the drug for obtaining natural products in bulk amounts. If the structure is complex, it is often an impossible task to isolate enough of the natural products for clinical trials. The microbial biotransformation of steroids yielded several novel metabolites, exhibiting different activities. The metabolites produced from pregnenolone acetate by Cunning hamella elegans and Rhizopus stolonifer were screened against tyrosinase and cholinesterase showed significant inhibitory activities than the parent compound. Diosgenin and its transformed sarsasapogenin were screened for their acetyl cholinesterase and butyryl cholinesterase inhibitory activities. Sarsasapogenin was screened for phytotoxicity, and was found to be more active than the parent compound. Diosgenin, prednisone and their derivatives were screened for their anti-leishmanial activity. All derivatives were found to be more active than the parent compound. The biotransformation of steroids have been reviewed to a little extent. This review focuses on the biotransformation and functions of selected steroids, the classification, advantages and agents of enzymatic biotransformation and examines the potential role of new enzymatically transformed steroids and their derivatives in the chemoprevention and treatment of other diseases. tyrosinase and cholinesterase inhibitory activities, severe asthma, rheumatic disorders, renal disorders and diseases of inflammatory bowel, skin, gastrointestinal tract. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Biotransformation and detoxification of inorganic arsenic in Bombay oyster Saccostrea cucullata.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Guo, Zhiqiang; Zhou, Yanyan; Liu, Huaxue; Zhang, Li

    2015-01-01

    Arsenic (As) exists as the toxic inorganic forms in marine water and sediment, while marine oysters usually accumulate high As contents mostly as the less toxic organic forms. It has not yet been clear that how As is biotransformed in marine oysters. This study therefore investigated the biotransformation and detoxification of two inorganic As forms (As(III) and As(V)) in Bombay oyster Saccostrea cucullata after waterborne exposures for 30 days. Seven treatments of dissolved As exposure (clean seawater, 1, 5, 20 mg/L As(III), and 1, 5, 20 mg/L As(V)) were performed. Body As concentration increased significantly after all As exposure treatments except 1mg/L As(V). Total As, As(III), and As(V) concentration were positive correlated with glutathione-S-transferases (GST) activities, suggesting GST might play an important role in the As biotransformation and detoxification process. Organic As species were predominant in control and the low As exposed oysters, whereas a large fraction of As was remained as the inorganic forms in the high As exposed oysters, suggesting As could be biotransformed efficiently in the oysters in clean or light contaminated environment. The results of As speciation demonstrated the As biotransformation in the oysters included As(V) reduction, methylation to monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and subsequent conversion to arsenobetaine (AsB). More As was distributed in the subcellular metallothionein-like proteins fraction (MTLP) functioning sequestration and detoxification in the inorganic As exposed oysters, suggesting it was also a strategy for oysters against As stress. In summary, this study elucidated that marine oysters had high ability to accumulate, biotransform, and detoxify inorganic As. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Biotransformation of BTEX under anaerobic, denitrifying conditions: Field and laboratory observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barbaro, J. R.; Barker, J. F.; Lemon, L. A.; Mayfield, C. I.

    1992-11-01

    Three natural-gradient injection experiments in the Borden aquifer (Ontario, Canada) (˜ 100-300 days in duration) and a 452-day laboratory microcosm experiment were performed to evaluate the biotransformation of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-, m-, p-xylenes) derived from gasoline under anaerobic, denitrifying conditions. Both NO 3-- amended and unamended control (i.e. no NO 3- added) experiments were performed. In the unamended control injection experiment, toluene biotransformed between 1 and 5 m from the injection well. All other aromatic compounds were recalcitrant in this field experiment and all aromatic compounds were recalcitrant in unamended control microcosms. After an acclimatization period, toluene biotransformed relatively rapidly in the presence of NO 3- in both the laboratory and field to a residual level of ˜ 100 μg L -1. In the presence of NO 3- the xylene isomers and ethylbenzene biotransformed to a lesser degree. Benzene was recalcitrant in all experiments. The acetylene blockage technique was used to demonstrate that denitrifying bacteria were active in the presence of NO 3-. In the NO 3--amended injection experiments, little BTEX mass loss occurred beyond the 1-m multilevel-piezometer fence. However, NO 3- continued to decline downgradient, suggesting that other sources of carbon were being utilized by denitrifying bacteria in preference to residual BTEX. In addition to observations on mass loss, these experiments provided evidence of inhibition of BTEX biotransformation in the presence of acetylene, and competitive utilization between toluene, ethylbenzene and the xylene isomers. Given the recalcitrance of benzene and high thresholds of the compounds that did biotransform, the addition of NO 3- as an alternate electron acceptor would not be successful in this aquifer as a remedial measure.

  18. Influence of auxochrome group in disperse dyes bearing azo groups as chromophore center in the biotransformation and molecular docking prediction by reductase enzyme: Implications and assessment for environmental toxicity of xenobiotics.

    PubMed

    Franco, Jefferson Honorio; da Silva, Bianca F; Dias, Elisangela Franciscon G; de Castro, Alexandre A; Ramalho, Teodorico C; Zanoni, Maria Valnice Boldrin

    2018-05-21

    Synthetic azo dyes have increasingly become a matter of great concern as a result of the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of the products derived from azo dye biotransformation. This work evaluates the manner in which reducing enzymes produced by Escherichia coli (E. coli) act on three disperse dyes bearing azo groups, namely Disperse Red 73 (DR 73), Disperse Red 78 (DR 78), and Disperse Red 167 (DR 167). UV-Vis spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD), and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were applied towards the identification of the main products. Seven days of incubation of the azo dyes with the tested enzymes yielded a completely bleached solution. 3-4-Aminophenyl-ethyl-amino-propanitrile was detected following the biotransformation of both DR 73 and DR 78. 4-Nitroaniline and 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline were detected upon the biotransformation of DR 73 and DR 78, respectively. The main products derived from the biotransformation of DR 167 were dimethyl 3,3'-3-acetamido-4-aminophenyl-azanedyl-dipropanoate and 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline. The results imply that DR 73 lost the CN - substituent during the biotransformation. Furthermore, theoretical calculations were also carried out aiming at evaluating the interaction and reactivity of these compounds with DNA. Taken together, the results indicate that DR 73, DR 78, and DR 167 pose health risks and serious threats to both human beings and the environment at large as their biotransformation produces harmful compounds such as amines, which have been widely condemned by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Optimisation of α-terpineol production by limonene biotransformation using Penicillium digitatum DSM 62840.

    PubMed

    Tai, Ya-Nan; Xu, Min; Ren, Jing-Nan; Dong, Man; Yang, Zi-Yu; Pan, Si-Yi; Fan, Gang

    2016-02-01

    In this study, (R)-(+)-limonene biotransformation using three fungal strains was compared. Penicillium digitatum DSM 62840 was distinguished for its capacity to transform limonene into α-terpineol with high regioselectivity. Growth kinetics in submerged liquid culture and the effects of growth phase and contact time on biotransformation were studied using this strain. Substrate concentration, co-solvent selection, and cultivation conditions were subsequently optimised. The maximum concentration of α-terpineol (833.93 mg L(-1)) was obtained when the pre-culture medium was in medium log-phase by adding 840 mg L(-1) substrate dissolved in ethanol and cultivation was performed at 24 °C, 150 rpm, and pH 6.0 for 12 h. Addition of small amounts of (R)-(+)-limonene (84 mg L(-1)) at the start of fungal log-phase growth yielded a 1.5-fold yield of α-terpineol, indicating that the enzyme was inducible. Among these three strains tested, P. digitatum DSM 62840 was proved to be an efficient biocatalyst to transform (R)-(+)-limonene to α-terpineol. Further studies revealed that the optimal growth phase for biotransformation was in the medium log phase of this strain. The biotransformation represented a wide tolerance of temperature; α-terpineol concentration underwent no significant change at 8-32 °C. The biotransformation could also be performed using resting cells. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  20. Formation of harmful compounds in biotransformation of lilial by microorganisms isolated from human skin.

    PubMed

    Esmaeili, Akbar; Afshari, Shima; Esmaeili, Davood

    2015-01-01

    The biotransformation of lilial results in an acid that is used in the dairy industry, in perfumery, as an intermediate in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and as a food additive for enhancing taste. This study investigates the biotransformation of lilial by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, two bacterial species isolated from human skin. Both species of Staphylococcus were isolated in samples taken from the skin of individuals living in a rural area of Iran. The pH of the culture medium was optimized, and after culturing the microorganisms, the bacteria were added to a flask containing a nutrient broth and incubated for several hours. The flasks of bacteria were combined with lilial, and various biochemical tests and diagnostics were performed, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The S. aureus produced isobutyric acid (2-methylpropanoic acid) after 72 h (71% of the total products yielded during biotransformation), whereas the S. epidermidis produced terpenoid alcoholic media after 24 h (90% of total products obtained). The results obtained indicate that biotransformation of lilial by S. aureus is more desirable than by S. epidermidis due to the highly efficient production of a single product. Bourgeonal and liliol were two toxic compounds produced during biotransformation, which indicates that the use of lilial in cosmetics can be harmful to the skin.

  1. Microbial Detoxification of Deoxynivalenol (DON), Assessed via a Lemna minor L. Bioassay, through Biotransformation to 3-epi-DON and 3-epi-DOM-1

    PubMed Central

    Vanhoutte, Ilse; De Mets, Laura; De Boevre, Marthe; Uka, Valdet; Di Mavungu, José Diana; De Saeger, Sarah; De Gelder, Leen; Audenaert, Kris

    2017-01-01

    Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungi. To mitigate mycotoxins in food or feed, biotransformation is an emerging technology in which microorganisms degrade toxins into non-toxic metabolites. To monitor deoxynivalenol (DON) biotransformation, analytical tools such as ELISA and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are typically used. However, these techniques do not give a decisive answer about the remaining toxicity of possible biotransformation products. Hence, a bioassay using Lemna minor L. was developed. A dose–response analysis revealed significant inhibition in the growth of L. minor exposed to DON concentrations of 0.25 mg/L and higher. Concentrations above 1 mg/L were lethal for the plant. This bioassay is far more sensitive than previously described systems. The bioassay was implemented to screen microbial enrichment cultures, originating from rumen fluid, soil, digestate and activated sludge, on their biotransformation and detoxification capability of DON. The enrichment cultures originating from soil and activated sludge were capable of detoxifying and degrading 5 and 50 mg/L DON. In addition, the metabolites 3-epi-DON and the epimer of de-epoxy-DON (3-epi-DOM-1) were found as biotransformation products of both consortia. Our work provides a new valuable tool to screen microbial cultures for their detoxification capacity. PMID:28208799

  2. Microbial Detoxification of Deoxynivalenol (DON), Assessed via a Lemna minor L. Bioassay, through Biotransformation to 3-epi-DON and 3-epi-DOM-1.

    PubMed

    Vanhoutte, Ilse; De Mets, Laura; De Boevre, Marthe; Uka, Valdet; Di Mavungu, José Diana; De Saeger, Sarah; De Gelder, Leen; Audenaert, Kris

    2017-02-13

    Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungi. To mitigate mycotoxins in food or feed, biotransformation is an emerging technology in which microorganisms degrade toxins into non-toxic metabolites. To monitor deoxynivalenol (DON) biotransformation, analytical tools such as ELISA and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are typically used. However, these techniques do not give a decisive answer about the remaining toxicity of possible biotransformation products. Hence, a bioassay using Lemna minor L. was developed. A dose-response analysis revealed significant inhibition in the growth of L. minor exposed to DON concentrations of 0.25 mg/L and higher. Concentrations above 1 mg/L were lethal for the plant. This bioassay is far more sensitive than previously described systems. The bioassay was implemented to screen microbial enrichment cultures, originating from rumen fluid, soil, digestate and activated sludge, on their biotransformation and detoxification capability of DON. The enrichment cultures originating from soil and activated sludge were capable of detoxifying and degrading 5 and 50 mg/L DON. In addition, the metabolites 3-epi-DON and the epimer of de-epoxy-DON (3-epi-DOM-1) were found as biotransformation products of both consortia. Our work provides a new valuable tool to screen microbial cultures for their detoxification capacity.

  3. Direct Biotransformation of Dioscin into Diosgenin in Rhizome of Dioscorea zingiberensis by Penicillium dioscin.

    PubMed

    Dong, Jingzhou; Lei, Can; Lu, Dayan; Wang, Ying

    2015-06-01

    Diosgenin is an important precursor for synthesis of more than 200 steroidal hormone medicines. Rhizome of Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright (RDZ) contained the highest content of diosgenin in Dioscorea plant species. Diosgenin is traditionally extracted by acid hydrolysis from RDZ. However, the acid hydrolysis process produces massive wastewater which caused serious environment pollution. In this study, diosgenin extraction by direct biotransformation with Penicillium dioscin was investigated. The spawn cultivation conditions were optimized as: Czapeks liquid culture medium without sugar and agar (1,000 ml) + 6.0 g dioscin/6.0 g DL, 30 °C, 36 h; solid fermentation of RDZ: mycelia/RDZ of 0.05 g/kg, 30 °C, 50 h; the yield of diosgenin was over 90 %. Spawn cultivation was crucial for the direct biotransformation. In the spawn cultivation, amount and ratio of dioscin/DL were the key factors to promote biotransformation activity of P. dioscin. This biotransformation method was environment-friendly, simple and energy saving, and might be a potential substitute for acid hydrolysis in diosgenin extraction industry.

  4. A new technique for promoting cyclic utilization of cyclodextrins in biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Shen, Yanbing; Yu, Ziqi; Yang, Xu; Wang, Fang; Luo, Jianmei; Wang, Min

    2017-01-01

    Cyclodextrins (CDs) can improve the productivity of steroid biotransformation by enhancing substrate solubility. CDs can be recycled by grafting them with appropriate carriers. Loofah fiber is an excellent grafting material for CDs, and can be applied to the biotransformation and recycling of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). In this work, a technique for recycling β-CD in cortisone acetate (CA) biotransformation by Arthrobacter simplex CPCC 140451 was studied. Loofah fiber-grafted β-CD (LF-β-CD) was prepared using epichlorohydrin, which is a cross-linking agent. The grafting yield of β-CD was 74.8 mg g -1 dried fibers. LF-β-CD could increase the solubility of CA and enhance biotransformation. The initial conversion rate of CA was 1.5-fold higher than that of the blank group. LF-β-CD was also used in biocatalytic reactions for eight cycles, and it maintained the conversion ratio of CA at approximately 90%. Given the above positive results, LF-β-CD can be utilized in biotechnological recycling applications. This method can also be applied to CD derivatives and hydrophobic compounds.

  5. A biotransformation process for the production of cucurbitacin B from its glycoside using a selected Streptomyces sp.

    PubMed

    Mei, Jianfeng; Li, Sha; Jin, Hang; Tang, Lan; Yi, Yu; Wang, Hong; Ying, Guoqing

    2016-09-01

    Cucurbitacin B (CuB) and its glycoside, cucurbitacin B 2-o-β-D-glucoside (CuBg), abundantly occur in the pedicels of Cucumis melo. Compared with CuB, CuBg is not efficiently extracted from the pedicels. Furthermore, the anticancer activity of CuBg is lower than that of the aglycone. A process for CuBg biotransformation to CuB was developed for the first time. A strain of Streptomyces species that converts CuBg into CuB was isolated from an enrichment culture of C. melo pedicels. After optimization of conditions for enzyme production and biotransformation, a maximum conversion rate of 92.6 % was obtained at a CuBg concentration of 0.25 g/L. When biotransformation was performed on C. melo pedicel extracts, the CuB concentration in the extracts increased from 1.50 to 3.27 g/L. The conversion rate was almost 100 %. The developed process may be an effective biotransformation method for industrial production CuB from C. melo pedicels for pharmaceuticals.

  6. Biotransformation and Incorporation into Proteins along a Simulated Terrestrial Food Chain

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Unrine, J.M., B.P. Jackson and W.A. Hopkins

    2007-01-01

    Selenium is an essential trace element in vertebrates, but there is a narrow concentration range between dietary requirement and toxicity threshold. Although a great deal is known about the biochemistry of Se from a nutritional perspective, considerably less attention has been focused on the specific biochemistry of Se as an environmental toxicant. Recent advances in hyphenated analytical techniques have provided the capability of quantifying specific chemical forms of Se in biological tissues as well as the distribution of Se among macromolecules. We applied liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to investigate biotransformations of selenomethionine along a simulatedmore » terrestrial food chain consisting of selenomethionine exposed crickets (Acheta domesticus) fed to western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis). Evidence was obtained for selenomethionine biotransformation as well as for sex-specific differences in the metabolism of Se compounds and their subsequent incorporation into proteins in the lizard. The results demonstrate the complexities involved in trophic transfer of Se due to the potential for extensive biotransformation and the species- and even sex-specific nature of these biotransformations.« less

  7. The potential of cloud point system as a novel two-phase partitioning system for biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhilong

    2007-05-01

    Although the extractive biotransformation in two-phase partitioning systems have been studied extensively, such as the water-organic solvent two-phase system, the aqueous two-phase system, the reverse micelle system, and the room temperature ionic liquid, etc., this has not yet resulted in a widespread industrial application. Based on the discussion of the main obstacles, an exploitation of a cloud point system, which has already been applied in a separation field known as a cloud point extraction, as a novel two-phase partitioning system for biotransformation, is reviewed by analysis of some topical examples. At the end of the review, the process control and downstream processing in the application of the novel two-phase partitioning system for biotransformation are also briefly discussed.

  8. [Mechanism study on difference of biotransformation between Mycobacterium fortuitum MF2 and MF96].

    PubMed

    Ling, Liang-Fei; Ge, Mei; Fu, Lei; Huang, Wei-Yi; Chen, Dai-Jie

    2005-08-01

    Biotransformation difference between parent strain (MF2) and mutant strain (MF96) of Mycobacterium fortuitum was observed. Biotransformation with resting cells showed that the major products of biotransformation by both parent and mutant strains are delta4-androstenedione(4AD) and testosterone(TS). Experiments with cell-free extract system showed that the proportion of 4AD/TS obtained from parent and mutant strains was almost same when enough NAD+ and NADH were supplied in this system. It was suggested that the difference of the ratio of products transformed by both strains in resting cell system may result from their different ratio of NAD+/NADH. This speculation was verified to be true by determination of the amount of NAD+ and NADH presented in both strains.

  9. Xylitol production from waste xylose mother liquor containing miscellaneous sugars and inhibitors: one-pot biotransformation by Candida tropicalis and recombinant Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hengwei; Li, Lijuan; Zhang, Lebin; An, Jin; Cheng, Hairong; Deng, Zixin

    2016-05-16

    The process of industrial xylitol production is a massive source of organic pollutants, such as waste xylose mother liquor (WXML), a viscous reddish-brown liquid. Currently, WXML is difficult to reuse due to its miscellaneous low-cost sugars, high content of inhibitors and complex composition. WXML, as an organic pollutant of hemicellulosic hydrolysates, accumulates and has become an issue of industrial concern in China. Previous studies have focused only on the catalysis of xylose in the hydrolysates into xylitol using one strain, without considering the removal of other miscellaneous sugars, thus creating an obstacle to subsequent large-scale purification. In the present study, we aimed to develop a simple one-pot biotransformation to produce high-purity xylitol from WXML to improve its economic value. In the present study, we developed a procedure to produce xylitol from WXML, which combines detoxification, biotransformation and removal of by-product sugars (purification) in one bioreactor using two complementary strains, Candida tropicalis X828 and Bacillus subtilis Bs12. At the first stage of micro-aerobic biotransformation, the yeast cells were allowed to grow and metabolized glucose and the inhibitors furfural and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), and converted xylose into xylitol. At the second stage of aerobic biotransformation, B. subtilis Bs12 was activated and depleted the by-product sugars. The one-pot process was successfully scaled up from shake flasks to 5, 150 L and 30 m(3) bioreactors. Approximately 95 g/L of pure xylitol could be obtained from the medium containing 400 g/L of WXML at a yield of 0.75 g/g xylose consumed, and the by-product sugars glucose, L-arabinose and galactose were depleted simultaneously. Our results demonstrate that the one-pot procedure is a viable option for the industrial application of WXML to produce value-added chemicals. The integration of complementary strains in the biotransformation of hemicellulosic hydrolysates is efficient under optimized conditions. Moreover, our study of one-pot biotransformation also provides useful information on the combination of biotechnological processes for the biotransformation of other compounds.

  10. Proteins differentially expressed during limonene biotransformation by Penicillium digitatum DSM 62840 were examined using iTRAQ labeling coupled with 2D-LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lu-Lu; Zhang, Yan; Ren, Jing-Nan; Liu, Yan-Long; Li, Jia-Jia; Tai, Ya-Nan; Yang, Shu-Zhen; Pan, Si-Yi; Fan, Gang

    2016-10-01

    This study focused on the differences in protein expression at various periods during limonene biotransformation by Penicillium digitatum DSM 62840. A total of 3644 protein-species were quantified by iTRAQ during limonene biotransformation (0 and 12 h). A total of 643 proteins were differentially expressed, 316 proteins were significantly up-regulated and 327 proteins were markedly down-regulated. GO, COG, and pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed proteins possessed catalytic and binding functions and were involved in a variety of cellular and metabolic process. Furthermore, the enzymes involved in limonene transformation might be related to cytochrome P-450. This study provided a powerful platform for further exploration of biotransformation, and the identified proteins provided insight into the mechanism of limonene transformation.

  11. Selection of filamentous fungi of the Beauveria genus able to metabolize quercetin like mammalian cells

    PubMed Central

    de M. B. Costa, Eula Maria; Pimenta, Fabiana Cristina; Luz, Wolf Christian; de Oliveira, Valéria

    2008-01-01

    Microbial biotransformations constitute an important alternative as models for drug metabolism study in mammalians and have been used for the industrial synthesis of chemicals with pharmaceutical purposes. Several microorganisms with unique biotransformation ability have been found by intensive screening and put in commercial applications. Ten isolates of Beauveria sp genus filamentous fungi, isolated from soil in the central Brazil, and Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159 were evaluated for their capability of quercetin biotransformation. Biotransformation processes were carried out for 24 up to 96 hours and monitored by mass spectrometry analyses of the culture broth. All strains were able to metabolize quercetin, forming mammalian metabolites. The results were different from those presented by other microorganisms previously utilized, attrackting attention because of the great diversity of reactions. Methylated, sulphated, monoglucuronidated, and glucuronidated conjugated metabolites were simultaneously detected. PMID:24031237

  12. Biotransformation of mercury in pH-stat cultures of eukaryotic freshwater algae.

    PubMed

    Kelly, David J A; Budd, Kenneth; Lefebvre, Daniel D

    2007-01-01

    Eukaryotic algae were studied to determine their ability to biotransform Hg(II) under aerated and pH controlled conditions. All algae converted Hg(II) into beta-HgS and Hg(0) to varying degrees. When Hg(II) was administered as HgCl(2) to the algae, biotransformation by species of Chlorophyceae (Selenastrum minutum and Chlorella fusca var. fusca) was initiated with beta-HgS synthesis (K (1/2) of hours) and concomitant Hg degrees evolution occurred in the first hour. Hg degrees synthesis was impeded by the formation of beta-HgS and this inhibition was released in C. fusca var. fusca when cellular thiols were oxidized by the addition of dimethylfumarate (DMF). The diatom, Navicula pelliculosa (Bacillariophyceae), converted a substantially greater proportion of the applied Hg(II) into Hg(0), whereas the thermophilic alga, Galdieria sulphuraria (Cyanidiophyceae), rapidly biotransformed as much as 90% of applied Hg(II) into beta-HgS (K (1/2) approximately 20 min). This thermophile was also able to generate Hg(0) even after all exogenously applied HgCl(2) had been biotransformed. The results suggest that beta-HgS may be the major dietary mercurial for grazers of contaminated eukaryotic algae.

  13. Uptake, biotransformation and elimination of selected pharmaceuticals in a freshwater invertebrate measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Miller, Thomas H; Bury, Nicolas R; Owen, Stewart F; Barron, Leon P

    2017-09-01

    Methods were developed to assess uptake and elimination kinetics in Gammarus pulex of nine pharmaceuticals (sulfamethazine, carbamazepine, diazepam, temazepam, trimethoprim, warfarin, metoprolol, nifedipine and propranolol) using targeted LC-MS/MS to determine bioconcentration factors (BCFs) using a 96 h toxicokinetic exposure and depuration period. The derived BCFs for these pharmaceuticals did not trigger any regulatory thresholds and ranged from 0 to 73 L kg -1 (sulfamethazine showed no bioconcentration). Metabolism of chemicals can affect accurate BCF determination through parameterisation of the kinetic models. The added selectivity of LC-MS/MS allowed us to develop confirmatory methods to monitor the biotransformation of propranolol, carbamazepine and diazepam in G. pulex. Varying concentrations of the biotransformed products; 4-hydroxypropranolol sulphate, carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide, nordiazepam, oxazepam and temazepam were measured following exposure of the precursor compounds. For diazepam, the biotransformation product nordiazepam was present at higher concentrations than the parent compound at 94 ng g -1 dw. Overall, the results indicate that pharmaceutical accumulation is low in these freshwater amphipods, which can potentially be explained by the rapid biotransformation and excretion. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Tracing the biotransformation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in common carp (Cryprinus carpio): Enantiomeric fraction and compound-specific stable carbon isotope analyses.

    PubMed

    Tang, Bin; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Zeng, Yan-Hong; Sun, Run-Xia; Chen, Hua-Shan; Li, Zong-Rui; Mai, Bi-Xian

    2016-09-01

    Metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish are difficult to detect in vivo due to the complexity of biometabolism. In the present study, atropisomeric fraction analysis of chiral PCB congeners and compound-specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) were applied to trace the biotransformation of PCBs in fish by exposure of common carp (Cryprinus carpio) to the commercial PCB mixture Aroclor 1242. Stereoselective elimination of the chiral PCB congeners 91, 95, and 136 was observed, indicating a stereoselective biotransformation process. The δ(13)C values of PCBs 5/8, 18, and 20/33 in fish were increased compared with those in the spiked food, while PCBs 47/48 and 49 showed significant heavy isotope depletion. These results suggested a significant biotransformation of the corresponding individual PCB congeners although the potential PCB metabolites, hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs) and methylsulfone PCBs (MeSO2-PCBs), were not detected in the fish tissue samples throughout this experiment. The results of the present study demonstrated that a combination of chiral analysis and CSIA is a promising new approach for investigating the biotransformation of PCBs in biota. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Silica ecosystem for synergistic biotransformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mutlu, Baris R.; Sakkos, Jonathan K.; Yeom, Sujin; Wackett, Lawrence P.; Aksan, Alptekin

    2016-06-01

    Synergistical bacterial species can perform more varied and complex transformations of chemical substances than either species alone, but this is rarely used commercially because of technical difficulties in maintaining mixed cultures. Typical problems with mixed cultures on scale are unrestrained growth of one bacterium, which leads to suboptimal population ratios, and lack of control over bacterial spatial distribution, which leads to inefficient substrate transport. To address these issues, we designed and produced a synthetic ecosystem by co-encapsulation in a silica gel matrix, which enabled precise control of the microbial populations and their microenvironment. As a case study, two greatly different microorganisms: Pseudomonas sp. NCIB 9816 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 were encapsulated. NCIB 9816 can aerobically biotransform over 100 aromatic hydrocarbons, a feat useful for synthesis of higher value commodity chemicals or environmental remediation. In our system, NCIB 9816 was used for biotransformation of naphthalene (a model substrate) into CO2 and the cyanobacterium PCC 7942 was used to provide the necessary oxygen for the biotransformation reactions via photosynthesis. A mathematical model was constructed to determine the critical cell density parameter to maximize oxygen production, and was then used to maximize the biotransformation rate of the system.

  16. Biotransformation of rutin to isoquercitrin using recombinant α-L-rhamnosidase from Bifidobacterium breve.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ru; Zhang, Bian-Ling; Xie, Tao; Li, Gu-Cai; Tuo, Yi; Xiang, Yu-Ting

    2015-06-01

    To biotransform rutin into isoquercitrin. A α-L-rhamnosidase from Bifidobacterium breve was produced by using Escherichia coli BL21 for biotransformation of rutin to isoquercitrin. The enzyme was purified by Ni(2+)-NTA chromatography to yield a soluble protein with a specific activity of 56 U protein mg(-1). The maximum enzyme activities were at pH 6.5, 55 °C, 20 mM rutin, and 1.2 U enzyme ml(-1). Under optimal conditions, the half-life of the enzyme was 96 h. The K m and V max values were 2.2 mM, 56.4 μmol mg(-1) min(-1) and 2.1 mM, 57.5 μmol mg(-1) min(-1) using pNP-Rha and rutin as substrates, respectively. The kinetic behavior indicated that the recombinant α-L-rhamnosidase has good catalytic performance for producing isoquercitrin. 20 mM rutin was biotransformed into 18.25 and 19.87 mM isoquercitrin after 60 and 240 min. The specific biotransformation of rutin to isoquercitrin using recombinant α-L-rhamnosidase from B. breve is a feasible method for use in industrial processes.

  17. Silica ecosystem for synergistic biotransformation

    PubMed Central

    Mutlu, Baris R.; Sakkos, Jonathan K.; Yeom, Sujin; Wackett, Lawrence P.; Aksan, Alptekin

    2016-01-01

    Synergistical bacterial species can perform more varied and complex transformations of chemical substances than either species alone, but this is rarely used commercially because of technical difficulties in maintaining mixed cultures. Typical problems with mixed cultures on scale are unrestrained growth of one bacterium, which leads to suboptimal population ratios, and lack of control over bacterial spatial distribution, which leads to inefficient substrate transport. To address these issues, we designed and produced a synthetic ecosystem by co-encapsulation in a silica gel matrix, which enabled precise control of the microbial populations and their microenvironment. As a case study, two greatly different microorganisms: Pseudomonas sp. NCIB 9816 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 were encapsulated. NCIB 9816 can aerobically biotransform over 100 aromatic hydrocarbons, a feat useful for synthesis of higher value commodity chemicals or environmental remediation. In our system, NCIB 9816 was used for biotransformation of naphthalene (a model substrate) into CO2 and the cyanobacterium PCC 7942 was used to provide the necessary oxygen for the biotransformation reactions via photosynthesis. A mathematical model was constructed to determine the critical cell density parameter to maximize oxygen production, and was then used to maximize the biotransformation rate of the system. PMID:27264916

  18. Congener specific biotransformation and bioaccumulation of PCDDs and PCDFs from fly ash in fish

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sijm, D.T.H.M.; Opperhuizen, A.; Wever, H.

    1993-10-01

    Biotransformation may be responsible for the lack of bioaccumulation of a number of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Goldfish (Carassius auratus) that were exposed to PCDDs and PCDFs, and piperonylbutoxide (PBO) in water bioconcentrated significantly more congeners than goldfish exposed to PCDDs and PCDFs only. Monooxygenase activity, which is responsible for the oxidation of specific PCDD and PCDF congeners in untreated fish, was inhibited by fish treated with PBO. In the PBO-treated group and in the control group, congeners with all lateral positions substituted were found. Congeners that lack chlorine substitution on one or more of the lateral positionsmore » substituted were found. Congeners that lack chlorine substitution on one or more of the lateral (2,3,7,8) positions and congeners that have all lateral positions chlorinated were found only in PBO-treated fish. Congeners that have at least one free lateral position were therefore assumed to be biotransformed. There was no relationship between the octanol/water partition coefficient and biotransformed. There was no relationship between the octanol/water partition coefficient and biotransformation of the PCDDs and PCDFs. No limitation of uptake for higher chlorinated PCDD and PCDF congeners was found.« less

  19. Enhanced biotransformation of TCE using plant terpenoids in contaminated groundwater.

    PubMed

    Brown, J R-M; Thompson, I P; Paton, G I; Singer, A C

    2009-12-01

    To examine plant terpenoids as inducers of TCE (trichloroethylene) biotransformation by an indigenous microbial community originating from a plume of TCE-contaminated groundwater. One-litre microcosms of groundwater were spiked with 100 micromol 1(-1) of TCE and amended weekly for 16 weeks with 20 microl 1(-1) of the following plant monoterpenes: linalool, pulegone, R-(+) carvone, S-(-) carvone, farnesol, cumene. Yeast extract-amended and unamended control treatments were also prepared. The addition of R-carvone and S-carvone, linalool and cumene resulted in the biotransformation of upwards of 88% of the TCE, significantly more than the unamendment control (61%). The aforementioned group of terpenes also significantly (P < 0.05) allowed more TCE to be degraded than the remaining two terpenes (farnesol and pulegone), and the yeast extract treatment which biotransformed 74-75% of the TCE. The microbial community profile was monitored by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and demonstrated much greater similarities between the microbial communities in terpene-amended treatments than in the yeast extract or unamended controls. TCE biotransformation can be significantly enhanced through the addition of selected plant terpenoids. Plant terpenoid and nutrient supplementation to groundwater might provide an environmentally benign means of enhancing the rate of in situ TCE bioremediation.

  20. Studies on the microbial biotransformation of the novel psychoactive substance methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) in wastewater by means of liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Mardal, Marie; Meyer, Markus R

    2014-09-15

    Sewage profiling as a mean to estimate consumption of drugs of abuse is gaining increasing attention. However, only scarce data are available so far on the impact of microbial biotransformation on the presence and hence detectability of drugs of abuse and their metabolites in wastewater (WW) samples. The aim of this work was therefore to study the biotransformation pathways of the novel psychoactive substance 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MPDV) in WW by incubating it, based on the OECD guideline 314 A. MDPV was incubated (100 μg/L) for 10d at 22 °C in WW from a local WW treatment plant. Furthermore, urine and feces collected from rats administered 20mg MDPV/kg BW were incubated correspondingly. Samples were worked-up either by centrifugation/filtration and solid-phase (HCX) extraction or QuEChERS. High resolution (HR) mass spectra (MS) were recorded using an Orbitrap mass spectrometer. All products were identified via their HR-MS(2) spectra and chromatographic properties. The observed biotransformations in WW were: demethylenation and subsequent O-methylation, hydroxylation at the phenyl part, hydroxylation at the pyrrolidine part with subsequent methylation or oxidation, N-demethylation, and hydroxylation at the alkyl part as well as combination of them. In total, 12 biotransformation products were identified after 10 days of incubation. Three of these biotransformation products were previously reported to be also rat and human metabolites. No additional MDPV biotransformation products could be found after incubating the rat urine and feces samples. Instead, the urinary phase II glucuronides were nearly completely cleaved after one day of WW incubation. The presented study indicates that demethylenyl-methyl MDPV, the most abundant metabolite in human urine, should be the best indicator in WW to estimate its use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Stereoselective Formation of Mono- and Di-Hydroxylated Polychlorinated Biphenyls by Rat Cytochrome P450 2B1

    PubMed Central

    Lehmler, Hans-Joachim; Wong, Charles S.

    2013-01-01

    Changes in atropisomer composition of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their mono- and di- hydroxylated metabolites (OH- and diOH-PCBs) via rat cytochrome P450 2B1 (CYP2B1) mediated biotransformation were investigated in vitro. Rat CYP2B1 could stereoselectively biotransform chiral PCBs to generate meta-OH-PCBs as the major metabolites after 60 min incubations. Non-racemic enantiomer fractions (EFs: concentration ratios of the (+)-atropisomer or the first-eluting atropisomer over the total concentrations of two atropisomers) of 5-OH-PCBs, were 0.17, 0.20, 0.85, 0.77 and 0.41 for incubations with PCBs 91, 95, 132, 136 and 149, respectively. CYP-mediated stereoselective formation of diOH-PCBs from OH-PCBs was observed for the first time. After 60 min stereoselective biotransformation, the EFs of both 4-OH-PCB 95 and 5-OH-PCB 95 changed from racemic (i.e., 0.50) to 0.62 and 0.46, respectively. These transformations generated statistically non-racemic 4,5-diOH-PCB 95, with EFs of 0.53 and 0.58 for 4-OH-PCB 95 and 5-OH-PCB 95 incubations, respectively. Biotransformation of PCBs 91 and 136 also generated 4,5-diOH-PCB 91 and 4,5-diOH-PCB 136, respectively. These in vitro results were consistent with that observed for stereoselective PCB biotransformation by rat liver microsomes and in vivo. Biotransformation interference between two atropisomers of PCB 136 was investigated for the first time in this study. The biotransformation process of (−)-PCB 136 was significantly disrupted by the presence of (+)-PCB 136, but not the other way around. Thus, stereoselective metabolism of chiral PCBs and OH-PCBs by CYPs is a major mechanism for atropisomer composition change of PCBs and their metabolites in the environment, with the degree of composition change dependent, at least in part, on stereoselective interference of atropisomers with each other at the enzyme level. PMID:24060104

  2. Biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) in isolated bovine pulmonary artery (BPA) and bovine pulmonary vein (BPV)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1986-03-01

    A proposed mechanism of GTN-induced vasodilation requires biotransformation of GTN to glyceryl dinitrate (GDN). They have previously shown that GTN is metabolized to GDN during relaxation of isolated rabbit aorta. The authors have extended this study to include BPA and BPV and to determine if their sensitivity to GTN correlates with their ability to metabolize GTN. Strips of BPA and BPV were contracted submaximally with KCl and then incubated with 0.5 ..mu..M /sup 14/C-GTN for 2 min. GTN-induced relaxation of these vessels was monitored and tissue GTN and metabolite concentrations were measured. Data are presented which support the above hypothesismore » that GTN biotransformation and relaxation occur together in vascular smooth muscle; however, there appear to be factors other than extent of GTN biotransformation that account for the difference in sensitivity to GTN of the artery and vein.« less

  3. Process for Biotransformation of Androsta-4-ene-3, 17-Dione (4-AD) to Androsta-1,4-Diene-3,17-Dione (ADD).

    PubMed

    Prakash, Surya; Bajaj, Abhay

    2017-01-01

    Androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (androstadienedione, ADD) is key intermediate for the organic synthesis of a variety of female sex hormones such as estrone, estradiol, estriol and other related derivatives. De novo synthesis of this molecule is not yet reported in any form of living system, i.e., microbial, plant, and animal. The structural complexities due to presence of several chiral carbon centers create significant hurdles in chemical synthesis of such molecules. Microbe-mediated biotransformation offer a highly reliable, cost-effective, and relatively non hazardous way for commercial manufacturing of steroidal key intermediates. Currently microbial biotransformations are extensively being exploited for large-scale production of basic intermediates such as androstenedione (AD), ADD, and several types of hydroxylated derivatives of androstane compounds. In this chapter several aspects of microbial biotransformation process of AD to ADD are discussed.

  4. In vitro to in vivo extrapolation of biotransformation rates for assessing bioaccumulation of hydrophobic organic chemicals in mammals.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yung-Shan; Lo, Justin C; Otton, S Victoria; Moore, Margo M; Kennedy, Chris J; Gobas, Frank A P C

    2017-07-01

    Incorporating biotransformation in bioaccumulation assessments of hydrophobic chemicals in both aquatic and terrestrial organisms in a simple, rapid, and cost-effective manner is urgently needed to improve bioaccumulation assessments of potentially bioaccumulative substances. One approach to estimate whole-animal biotransformation rate constants is to combine in vitro measurements of hepatic biotransformation kinetics with in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) and bioaccumulation modeling. An established IVIVE modeling approach exists for pharmaceuticals (referred to in the present study as IVIVE-Ph) and has recently been adapted for chemical bioaccumulation assessments in fish. The present study proposes and tests an alternative IVIVE-B technique to support bioaccumulation assessment of hydrophobic chemicals with a log octanol-water partition coefficient (K OW ) ≥ 4 in mammals. The IVIVE-B approach requires fewer physiological and physiochemical parameters than the IVIVE-Ph approach and does not involve interconversions between clearance and rate constants in the extrapolation. Using in vitro depletion rates, the results show that the IVIVE-B and IVIVE-Ph models yield similar estimates of rat whole-organism biotransformation rate constants for hypothetical chemicals with log K OW  ≥ 4. The IVIVE-B approach generated in vivo biotransformation rate constants and biomagnification factors (BMFs) for benzo[a]pyrene that are within the range of empirical observations. The proposed IVIVE-B technique may be a useful tool for assessing BMFs of hydrophobic organic chemicals in mammals. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1934-1946. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  5. Polymorphisms of genes involved in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’ biotransformation and atherosclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Marinković, Natalija; Pašalić, Daria; Potočki, Slavica

    2013-01-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most prevalent environmental pollutants and result from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons (coal and gasoline, fossil fuel combustion, byproducts of industrial processing, natural emission, cigarette smoking, etc.). The first phase of xenobiotic biotransformation in the PAH metabolism includes activities of cytochrome P450 from the CYP1 family and microsomal epoxide hydrolase. The products of this biotransformation are reactive oxygen species that are transformed in the second phase through the formation of conjugates with glutathione, glucuronate or sulphates. PAH exposure may lead to PAH-DNA adduct formation or induce an inflammatory atherosclerotic plaque phenotype. Several genetic polymorphisms of genes encoded for enzymes involved in PAH biotransformation have been proven to lead to the development of diseases. Enzyme CYP P450 1A1, which is encoded by the CYP1A1 gene, is vital in the monooxygenation of lipofilic substrates, while GSTM1 and GSTT1 are the most abundant isophorms that conjugate and neutralize oxygen products. Some single nucleotide polymorphisms of the CYP1A1 gene as well as the deletion polymorphisms of GSTT1 and GSTM1 may alter the final specific cellular inflammatory respond. Occupational exposure or conditions from the living environment can contribute to the production of PAH metabolites with adverse effects on human health. The aim of this study was to obtain data on biotransformation and atherosclerosis, as well as data on the gene polymorphisms involved in biotransformation, in order to better study gene expression and further elucidate the interaction between genes and the environment. PMID:24266295

  6. Improved NADPH Regeneration for Fungal Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase by Co-Expressing Bacterial Glucose Dehydrogenase in Resting-Cell Biotransformation of Recombinant Yeast.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Hyunwoo; Durairaj, Pradeepraj; Lee, Dowoo; Ahsan, Md Murshidul; Yun, Hyungdon

    2016-12-28

    Fungal cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes catalyze versatile monooxygenase reactions and play a major role in fungal adaptations owing to their essential roles in the production avoid metabolites critical for pathogenesis, detoxification of xenobiotics, and exploitation avoid substrates. Although fungal CYP-dependent biotransformation for the selective oxidation avoid organic compounds in yeast system is advantageous, it often suffers from a shortage avoid intracellular NADPH. In this study, we aimed to investigate the use of bacterial glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) for the intracellular electron regeneration of fungal CYP monooxygenase in a yeast reconstituted system. The benzoate hydroxylase FoCYP53A19 and its homologous redox partner FoCPR from Fusarium oxysporum were co-expressed with the BsGDH from Bacillus subtilis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for heterologous expression and biotransformations. We attempted to optimize several bottlenecks concerning the efficiency of fungal CYP-mediated whole-cell-biotransformation to enhance the conversion. The catalytic performance of the intracellular NADPH regeneration system facilitated the hydroxylation of benzoic acid to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with high conversion in the resting-cell reaction. The FoCYP53A19 +FoCPR+BsGDH reconstituted system produced 0.47 mM 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (94% conversion) in the resting-cell biotransformations performed in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) containing 0.5 mM benzoic acid and 0.25% glucose for 24 h at 30°C. The "coupled-enzyme" system can certainly improve the overall performance of NADPH-dependent whole-cell biotransformations in a yeast system.

  7. Incremental improvements to the trout S9 biotransformation assay

    EPA Science Inventory

    In vitro substrate depletion methods have been used in conjunction with computational models to predict biotransformation impacts on chemical accumulation by fish. There is a consistent trend, however, toward overestimation of measured chemical residues resulting from controlled...

  8. Biotransformation of trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (trans-HCFO-1233zd)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schmidt, Tobias; Bertermann, Rüdiger; Rusch, George M.

    2013-05-01

    trans-1-Chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (trans-HCFO-1233zd) is a novel foam blowing and precision cleaning agent with a very low impact for global warming and ozone depletion. trans-HCFO-1233zd also has a low potential for toxicity in rodents and is negative in genotoxicity testing. The biotransformation of trans-HCFO-1233zd and kinetics of metabolite excretion with urine were assessed in vitro and in animals after inhalation exposures. For in vitro characterization, liver microsomes from rats, rabbits and humans were incubated with trans-HCFO-1233zd. Male Sprague Dawley rats and female New Zealand White rabbits were exposed to 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 ppm for 6 h and urine was collected formore » 48 h after the end of the exposure. Study specimens were analyzed for metabolites using {sup 19}F NMR, LC-MS/MS and GC/MS. S-(3,3,3-trifluoro-trans-propenyl)-glutathione was identified as predominant metabolite of trans-HCFO-1233zd in all microsomal incubation experiments in the presence of glutathione. Products of the oxidative biotransformation of trans-HCFO-1233zd were only minor metabolites when glutathione was present. In rats, both 3,3,3-trifluorolactic acid and N-acetyl-(3,3,3-trifluoro-trans-propenyl)-L-cysteine were observed as major urinary metabolites. 3,3,3-Trifluorolactic acid was not detected in the urine of rabbits. Quantitation showed rapid excretion of both metabolites in both species (t{sub 1/2} < 6 h) and the extent of biotransformation of trans-HCFO-1233zd was determined as approximately 0.01% of received dose in rabbits and approximately 0.002% in rats. trans-HCFO-1233zd undergoes both oxidative biotransformation and glutathione conjugation at very low rates. The low extent of biotransformation and the rapid excretion of metabolites formed are consistent with the very low potential for toxicity of trans-HCFO-1233zd in mammals. - Highlights: ► No lethality and clinical signs were observed. ► Glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P-450 dependent biotransformation in vivo. ► Low biotransformation (< 0.01%) and fast metabolite excretion (t{sub 1/2} < 6 h). ► Glutathione adduct as predominant in vitro metabolite in all tested species. ► Toxic metabolites could not be detected in any great extent.« less

  9. Bio-transformation of Graphene Oxide in Lung Fluids Significantly Enhances Its Photothermal Efficacy.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yun; Qi, Yu; Yin, Chunyang; Wang, Shunhao; Zhang, Shuping; Xu, An; Chen, Wei; Liu, Sijin

    2018-01-01

    Rationale: Graphene oxide (GO) has shown great promises in biomedical applications, such as drug delivery and thermotherapeutics, owing to its extraordinary physicochemical properties. Nonetheless, current biomedical applications of GO materials are premised on the basis of predesigned functions, and little consideration has been given to the influence of bio-transformation in the physiological environment on the physicochemical properties and predesigned functionalities of these materials. Hence, it is crucial to uncover the possible influence on GO's physicochemical properties and predesigned functionalities for better applications. Methods: Bio-transformed GOs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared transmission (FT-IR) spectra. The morphologies of various GO materials were assessed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images. The photothermal (PTT) performance of different GO materials in vitro and in vivo were measured using 808 nm laser at a power density of 2 W/cm 2 . The PTT efficacy was determined using transplanted 4T1 cells-derived breast tumors in mice. Results: Bio-transformation of GO in the lung (a main target organ for GO to localize in vivo ) can induce dramatic changes to its physicochemical properties and morphology, and consequently, its performances in biomedical applications. Specifically, GO underwent significant reduction in two simulated lung fluids, Gamble's solution and artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF), as evidenced by the increase of C/O ratio (the ratio of C content to O content) relative to pristine GO. Bio-transformation also altered GO's morphology, characterized by sheet folding and wrinkle formation. Intriguingly, bio-transformation elevated the PTT performance of GO in vitro , and this elevation further facilitated PTT-based tumor-killing efficacy in tumor cells in vitro and in a mouse model with transplanted tumors. Bio-transformation also compromised the interaction between drug with GO, leading to reduced drug adsorption, as tested using doxorubicin (DOX). Conclusions: Transformation in Gamble's solution and ALF resulted in varied degrees of improved performances of GO, due to the differential effects on GO's physicochemical properties. Our findings unveiled an overlooked impact of GO bio-transformation, and unearthed a favorable trait of GO materials in thermotherapeutics and drug delivery in the lung microenvironment.

  10. Biotransformation in the zebrafish embryo -temporal gene transcription changes of cytochrome P450 enzymes and internal exposure dynamics of the AhR binding xenobiotic benz[a]anthracene.

    PubMed

    Kühnert, Agnes; Vogs, Carolina; Seiwert, Bettina; Aulhorn, Silke; Altenburger, Rolf; Hollert, Henner; Küster, Eberhard; Busch, Wibke

    2017-11-01

    Not much is known about the biotransformation capability of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. For understanding possible toxicity differences to adult fish, it might be crucial to understand the biotransformation of chemicals in zebrafish embryos i.e. as part of toxicokinetics. The biotransformation capabilities were analysed for two different stages of zebrafish embryos in conjunction with the internal concentrations of a xenobiotic. Zebrafish embryos of the late cleavage/early blastula period (2-26 hpf) and the early pharyngula period (26-50 hpf) were exposed for 24 h to the AhR binding compound benz[a]anthracene (BaA). Time dependent changes in cyp transcription (cyp1a, cyp1b1, cyp1c1 and cyp1c2) as well as concentration & time-dependent courses of BaA in the fish embryo and the exposure medium were analysed. Additionally, the CYP mediated formation of biotransformation products was investigated. We found correlations between transcriptional responses and the internal concentration for both exposure types. These correlations were depending on the start of the exposure i.e. the age of the exposed embryo. While no significant induction of the examined gene transcripts was observed in the first 12 h of exposure beginning in the blastula period a correlation was apparent when exposure started later i.e. in the pharyngula period. A significant induction of cyp1a was detected already after 1.5 h of BaA exposure. Gene transcripts for cyp1b1, cyp1c1 and cyp1c2 showed expressions distinctly different from cyp1a and were, in general, less inducible by BaA in both exposure windows. The toxicokinetic analysis showed that the biotransformation capability was fivefold higher in the older fish embryos. Biotransformation products of phase I reactions were found between 32 hpf and 50 hpf and were tentatively identified as benz[a]anthracene-phenol and benz[a]anthracene-dihydrodiol-epoxide. In conclusion, not only duration but also onset of exposure in relation to the developmental stage of zebrafish embryos is important in the analysis and interpretation of effects due to different biotransformation capabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Biotransformation model of neutral and weakly polar organic compounds in fish incorporating internal partitioning.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Dave T F; Di Toro, Dominic M

    2013-08-01

    A model for whole-body in vivo biotransformation of neutral and weakly polar organic chemicals in fish is presented. It considers internal chemical partitioning and uses Abraham solvation parameters as reactivity descriptors. It assumes that only chemicals freely dissolved in the body fluid may bind with enzymes and subsequently undergo biotransformation reactions. Consequently, the whole-body biotransformation rate of a chemical is retarded by the extent of its distribution in different biological compartments. Using a randomly generated training set (n = 64), the biotransformation model is found to be: log (HLφfish ) = 2.2 (±0.3)B - 2.1 (±0.2)V - 0.6 (±0.3) (root mean square error of prediction [RMSE] = 0.71), where HL is the whole-body biotransformation half-life in days, φfish is the freely dissolved fraction in body fluid, and B and V are the chemical's H-bond acceptance capacity and molecular volume. Abraham-type linear free energy equations were also developed for lipid-water (Klipidw ) and protein-water (Kprotw ) partition coefficients needed for the computation of φfish from independent determinations. These were found to be 1) log Klipidw  = 0.77E - 1.10S - 0.47A - 3.52B + 3.37V + 0.84 (in Lwat /kglipid ; n = 248, RMSE = 0.57) and 2) log Kprotw  = 0.74E - 0.37S - 0.13A - 1.37B + 1.06V - 0.88 (in Lwat /kgprot ; n = 69, RMSE = 0.38), where E, S, and A quantify dispersive/polarization, dipolar, and H-bond-donating interactions, respectively. The biotransformation model performs well in the validation of HL (n = 424, RMSE = 0.71). The predicted rate constants do not exceed the transport limit due to circulatory flow. Furthermore, the model adequately captures variation in biotransformation rate between chemicals with varying log octanol-water partitioning coefficient, B, and V and exhibits high degree of independence from the choice of training chemicals. The present study suggests a new framework for modeling chemical reactivity in biological systems. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

  12. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing analysis provides preliminary insights into the biotransformation mechanism of Rhodopseudomonas palustris treated with alpha-rhamnetin-3-rhamnoside.

    PubMed

    Bi, Lei; Guan, Chun-jie; Yang, Guan-e; Yang, Fei; Yan, Hong-yu; Li, Qing-shan

    2016-04-01

    The purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris has been widely applied to enhance the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine using novel biotransformation technology. However, comprehensive studies of the R. palustris biotransformation mechanism are rare. Therefore, investigation of the expression patterns of genes involved in metabolic pathways that are active during the biotransformation process is essential to elucidate this complicated mechanism. To promote further study of the biotransformation of R. palustris, we assembled all R. palustris transcripts using Trinity software and performed differential expression analysis of the resulting unigenes. A total of 9725, 7341 and 10,963 unigenes were obtained by assembling the alpha-rhamnetin-3-rhamnoside-treated R. palustris (RPB) reads, control R. palustris (RPS) reads and combined RPB&RPS reads, respectively. A total of 9971 unigenes assembled from the RPB&RPS reads were mapped to the nr, nt, Swiss-Prot, Gene Ontology (GO), Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) (E-value <0.00001) databases using BLAST software. A total of 3360 unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in RPB versus RPS were identified, among which 922 unigenes were up-regulated and 2438 were down-regulated. The unigenes were mapped to the KEGG database, resulting in the identification of 7676 pathways among all annotated unigenes and 2586 pathways among the DEGs. Some sets of functional unigenes annotated to important metabolic pathways and environmental information processing were differentially expressed between the RPS and RPB samples, including those involved in energy metabolism (18.4% of total DEGs), carbohydrate metabolism (36.0% of total DEGs), ABC transport (6.0% of total DEGs), the two-component system (8.6% of total DEGs), cell motility (4.3% of total DEGs) and the cell cycle (1.5% of total DEGs). We also identified 19 transcripts annotated as hydrolytic enzymes and other enzymes involved in ARR catabolism in R. palustris. We present the first comparative transcriptome profiles of RPB and RPS samples to facilitate elucidation of the molecular mechanism of biotransformation in R. palustris. Furthermore, we propose two putative ARR biotransformation mechanisms in R. palustris. These analytical results represent a useful genomic resource for in-depth research into the molecular basis of biotransformation and genetic modification in R. palustris. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. COMPOUND-SPECIFIC STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS TO DEMONSTRATE IN-SITU MTBE BIOTRANSFORMATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Changes in the stable isotopic composition of organic contaminants (isotopic fractionation) are a useful indicator of biotransformation, and have been reported in literature for several volatile organic compounds. The technique offers an interesting alternative to time-consuming ...

  14. Oxidation of Secondary Alcohols by Duckweed: A Biotransformation Experiment for Undergraduate Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karfarski, Pawel; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Describes an experiment designed to use the ability of duckweed to convert the secondary hydroxyl moieties into ketone groups. Discusses the preparation of plant material, materials, procedures, and results for this biotransformation experiment for undergraduate students. (CW)

  15. Biotransformation of Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine Catalyzed by a NAD(P)H: Nitrate Oxidoreductase from Aspergillus niger

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-01-01

    Biotransformation of Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine Catalyzed by a NAD(P)H: Nitrate Oxidoreductase from Aspergillus niger B H A R A T B H U...reductase from Aspergillus niger catalyzed the biotransformation of RDX most effectively at pH 7.0 and 30 °C under anaerobic conditions using NADPH as...nitroreductase. We selected a nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.2) from a fungus Aspergillus niger to transform RDX under anaerobic condi- tions because nitrate

  16. Methyl jasmonate elicits the biotransformation of geraniol stored as its glucose conjugate into methyl geranate in Achyranthes bidentata plant.

    PubMed

    Tamogami, Shigeru; Agrawal, Ganesh K; Rakwal, Randeep

    2016-12-01

    To investigate the biotransformation pathway of airborne geraniol by Achyranthes bidentata (A. bidentata), deuterium labeled geraniol was applied with or without methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and the biosynthesized metabolites were analyzed. In A. bidentata leaves, geraniol was conjugated with glucose. The conjugate was then metabolized to afford methyl geranate only under MeJA elicitation. MeJA elicits the biotransformation of geraniol into methyl geranate by inducing the conversion of the intermediate, glucose conjugate of geraniol. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Biotransformation of an uncured composite material

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Welsh, Clement J.; Glass, Michael J.; Cheslack, Brian; Pryor, Robert; Tran, Duan K.; Bowers-Irons, Gail

    1994-01-01

    The feasibility of biologically degrading prepreg wastes was studied. The work was conducted with the intention of obtaining baseline data that would facilitate the achievement of two long-range goals. These goals are: (1) the biological remediation of the hazardous components in the prepreg wastes, and (2) providing the potential for recycling the prepreg waste fibers. The experiments examined a prepreg that employs an bismaleimide resin system. Initial results demonstrated an obvious deterioration of the prepreg material when incubated with several bacterial strains. The most active cultures were identified as a mixture of 'Bacillus cereus' and 'Pseudomonas sp'. Gas chromatography analyses revealed seven primary compounds in the resin mixture. Biotransformation studies, using the complete prepreg material, demonstrated on obvious loss of all seven organic compounds. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses resulted in structure assignments for the two primary components of the resin. Both were analogs of Bisphenol A; one being bismaleimide, and the other being Bisphenol A containing a diglycidyl moiety. The 'diglycidyl analog' was purified using thin-layer chromatography and the biotransformation of this compound (at 27 ug/ml bacterial culture) was monitored. After a seven-day incubation, approximately 40% of the organic compound was biotransformed. These results demonstrate the biotransformation of the prepreg resin and indicate that biological remediation of the prepreg wastes is feasible.

  18. Removal, biotransformation and toxicity variations of climbazole by freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus.

    PubMed

    Pan, Chang-Gui; Peng, Feng-Jiao; Ying, Guang-Guo

    2018-05-11

    Climbazole (CBZ) is an antibacterial and antifungal agent widely used in personal care products. In this study, we investigated the interactions between climbazole (CBZ) and freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus (S. obliquus). Dose-effect relationships between CBZ concentrations and growth inhibitions or chlorophyll a content were observed. After 12 days of incubation, the algae density and chlorophyll a content in 2 mg/L treatment group was 56.6% and 15.8% of those in the control group, respectively. Biotransformation was the predominant way to remove CBZ in the culture solution, whereas the contribution of bioaccumulation and bioadsorption were negligible. More than 88% of CBZ was removed by S. obliquus across all treatments after 12 days of incubation, and the biotransformation of CBZ followed the first order kinetic model with half-lives of approximately 4.5 days at different treatments. CBZ-alcohol (CBZ-OH) was the only biotransformation product identified in algal solution. Moreover, the toxicity of biotransformation products was much lower than its corresponding precursor compound (CBZ). The results of this study revealed that S. obliquus might have a great impact on the environmental fates of CBZ and could be further applied to remove organic pollutants in aquatic environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Development of a multichemical food web model: application to PBDEs in Lake Ellasjoen, Bear Island, Norway.

    PubMed

    Gandhi, Nilima; Bhavsar, Satyendra P; Gewurtz, Sarah B; Diamond, Miriam L; Evenset, Anita; Christensen, Guttorm N; Gregor, Dennis

    2006-08-01

    A multichemical food web model has been developed to estimate the biomagnification of interconverting chemicals in aquatic food webs. We extended a fugacity-based food web model for single chemicals to account for reversible and irreversible biotransformation among a parent chemical and transformation products, by simultaneously solving mass balance equations of the chemicals using a matrix solution. The model can be applied to any number of chemicals and organisms or taxonomic groups in a food web. The model was illustratively applied to four PBDE congeners, BDE-47, -99, -100, and -153, in the food web of Lake Ellasjøen, Bear Island, Norway. In Ellasjøen arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), the multichemical model estimated PBDE biotransformation from higher to lower brominated congeners and improved the correspondence between estimated and measured concentrations in comparison to estimates from the single-chemical food web model. The underestimation of BDE-47, even after considering bioformation due to biotransformation of the otherthree congeners, suggests its formation from additional biotransformation pathways not considered in this application. The model estimates approximate values for congener-specific biotransformation half-lives of 5.7,0.8,1.14, and 0.45 years for BDE-47, -99, -100, and -153, respectively, in large arctic char (S. alpinus) of Lake Ellasjøen.

  20. Biotransformation of macrolide antibiotics using enriched activated sludge culture: Kinetics, transformation routes and ecotoxicological evaluation.

    PubMed

    Terzic, Senka; Udikovic-Kolic, Nikolina; Jurina, Tamara; Krizman-Matasic, Ivona; Senta, Ivan; Mihaljevic, Ivan; Loncar, Jovica; Smital, Tvrtko; Ahel, Marijan

    2018-05-05

    The biotransformation of three prominent macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin) by an activated sludge culture, which was adapted to high concentrations of azithromycin (10 mg/L) was investigated. The study included determination of removal kinetics of the parent compounds, identification of their major biotransformation products (TPs) and assessment of ecotoxicological effects of biotransformation. The chemical analyses were performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, which enabled a tentative identification of TPs formed during the experiments. The ecotoxicological evaluation included two end-points, residual antibiotic activity and toxicity to freshwater algae. The enriched activated sludge culture was capable of degrading all studied macrolide compounds with high removal efficiencies (>99%) of the parent compounds at elevated concentrations (10 mg/L). The elimination of all three macrolide antibiotics was associated with the formation of different TPs, including several novel compounds previously unreported in the literature. Some of the TPs were rather abundant and contributed significantly to the overall mass balance at the end of the biodegradation experiments. Biodegradation of all investigated macrolides was associated with a pronounced reduction of the residual antibiotic activity and algal toxicity, indicating a rather positive ecotoxicological outcome of the biotransformation processes achieved by the enriched sludge culture. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Environmental Fate of 14C Radiolabeled 2,4-Dinitroanisole in Soil Microcosms.

    PubMed

    Olivares, Christopher I; Madeira, Camila L; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Kadoya, Warren; Abrell, Leif; Chorover, Jon; Field, Jim A

    2017-11-21

    2,4-Dinitrosanisole (DNAN) is an insensitive munitions component replacing conventional explosives. While DNAN is known to biotransform in soils to aromatic amines and azo-dimers, it is seldom mineralized by indigenous soil bacteria. Incorporation of DNAN biotransformation products into soil as humus-bound material could serve as a plausible remediation strategy. The present work studied biotransformation of DNAN in soil and sludge microcosms supplemented with uniformly ring-labeled 14 C-DNAN to quantify the distribution of label in soil, aqueous, and gaseous phases. Electron donor amendments, different redox conditions (anaerobic, aerobic, sequential anaerobic-aerobic), and the extracellular oxidoreductase enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were evaluated to maximize incorporation of DNAN biotransformation products into the nonextractable soil humus fraction, humin. Irreversible humin incorporation of 14 C-DNAN occurred at higher rates in anaerobic conditions, with a moderate increase when pyruvate was added. Additionally, a single dose of HRP resulted in an instantaneous increased incorporation of 14 C-DNAN into the humin fraction. 14 C-DNAN incorporation to the humin fraction was strongly correlated (R 2 = 0.93) by the soil organic carbon (OC) amount present (either intrinsic or amended). Globally, our results suggest that DNAN biotransformation products can be irreversibly bound to humin in soils as a remediation strategy, which can be enhanced by adding soil OC.

  2. Biotransformation of catechin and extraction of active polysaccharide from green tea leaves via simultaneous treatment with tannase and pectinase.

    PubMed

    Baik, Joo Hyun; Shin, Kwang-Soon; Park, Yooheon; Yu, Kwang-Won; Suh, Hyung Joo; Choi, Hyeon-Son

    2015-08-30

    Green tea is a dietary source of bioactive compounds for human health. Enzymatic treatments induce the bioconversion of bioactive components, which can improve biological activities. In this study, we investigated the effect of simultaneous treatment with tannase and Rapidase on biotransformation of catechins and extraction of polysaccharide from green tea extract (GTE). Tannase and pectinase treatments induced the biotransformation of catechins and altered tea polysaccharide () content. The addition of GTE to the enzyme reaction resulted in a significant increase in degallated catechins, including gallic acid, a product of the tannase reaction (314.5-4076.0 µg mL(-1)) and a reduction in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Biotransformation of catechins improved the radical scavenging activity of GTE. Pectinase treatment led to change of TPS composition in GTE by hydrolyzing polysaccharides. In addition, pectinase-driven hydrolysis in polysaccharides significantly increased TPS-induced Interleukin 6 (IL-6) production in macrophages. In particular, treatment of Rapidase (TPS-Ra) led to the highest IL-6 production among TPS samples, similar to treatment of highly purified pectinase (TPS-GTE), a positive control. Simultaneous processing with tannase and Rapidase can be an efficient method for the extraction of bioactive polysaccharides and biotransformation of catechins with enhanced radical scavenging activity from green tea. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  3. (Bio)transformation of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) in Soils

    PubMed Central

    Olivares, Christopher I.; Abrell, Leif; Khatiwada, Raju; Chorover, Jon; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A.

    2015-01-01

    Recent studies have begun to assess the environmental fate and toxicity of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), an insensitive munition compound of interest to defense agencies. Aerobic and anaerobic DNAN biotransformation in soils was evaluated in this study. Under aerobic conditions, there was little evidence of transformation; most observed removal was attributed to adsorption and subsequent slow chemical reactions. Under anaerobic conditions, DNAN was reductively (bio)transformed and the rate of the transformation was positively correlated with soil organic carbon (OC) up to a threshold of 2.07% OC. H2 addition enhanced the nitroreduction rate compared to endogenous treatments lacking H2. Heat-killed treatments provided rates similar to the endogenous treatment, suggesting that abiotic factors play a role in DNAN reduction. Ten (bio)transformation products were detected by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The proposed transformation pathway involves reduction of DNAN to aromatic amines, with putative reactive nitroso-intermediates coupling with the amines to form azo dimers. Secondary reactions include N-alkyl substitution, O-demethylation (sometimes followed by dehydroxylation), and removal of an N-containing group. Globally, our results suggest that the main reaction DNAN undergoes in anaerobic soils is nitroreduction to 2-methoxy-5-nitroaniline (MENA) and 2,4-diaminoanisole (DAAN), followed by anaerobic coupling reactions yielding azo-dimers. The dimers were subsequently subject to further (bio)transformations. PMID:26551225

  4. Highly Selective Bioconversion of Ginsenoside Rb1 to Compound K by the Mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis under Optimized Conditions.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei-Nan; Yan, Bing-Xiong; Xu, Wen-Di; Qiu, Ye; Guo, Yun-Long; Qiu, Zhi-Dong

    2015-10-23

    Compound K (CK), a highly active and bioavailable derivative obtained from protopanaxadiol ginsenosides, displays a wide variety of pharmacological properties, especially antitumor activity. However, the inadequacy of natural sources limits its application in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, we firstly discovered that Cordyceps sinensis was a potent biocatalyst for the biotransformation of ginsenoside Rb1 into CK. After a series of investigations on the biotransformation parameters, an optimal composition of the biotransformation culture was found to be lactose, soybean powder and MgSO₄ without controlling the pH. Also, an optimum temperature of 30 °C for the biotransformation process was suggested in a range of 25 °C-50 °C. Then, a biotransformation pathway of Rb1→Rd→F2→CK was established using high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Our results demonstrated that the molar bioconversion rate of Rb1 to CK was more than 82% and the purity of CK produced by C. sinensis under the optimized conditions was more than 91%. In conclusion, the combination of C. sinensis and the optimized conditions is applicable for the industrial preparation of CK for medicinal purposes.

  5. Arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase and the methylation of arsenicals in the invertebrate chordate Ciona intestinalis

    EPA Science Inventory

    Biotransformation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) involves methylation catalyzed by arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (As3mt), yielding mono- , di- , and trimethylated arsenicals. To investigate the evolution of molecular mechanisms that mediate arsenic biotransformation,...

  6. COMPOUND-SPECIFIC STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS TO DEMONSTRATE IN-SITU MTBE BIOTRANSFORMATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Change of stable isotope composition of organic contaminants (isotopic fractionation) is a useful indicator of biotransformation. Most of applications to date are in the area of chlorinated solvents and recently BTEX, MTBE and TBA. Chemical reactions (biotic- and abiotic transfor...

  7. REDUCTIVE BIOTRANSFORMATION OF TETRACHLOROETHENE TO ETHENE DURING ANAEROBIC DEGRADATION OF TOLUENE: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE AND KINETICS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Reductive biotransformation of tetrachloroethene (PCE) to ethene occurred during anaerobic degradation of toluene in an enrichment culture. Ethene was detected as a dominant daughter product of PCE dechlorination with negligible accumulation of other partially chlorinated ethenes...

  8. Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Silver Nanoparticles in Marine Organisms.

    EPA Science Inventory

    The toxicity, bioaccumulation and biotransformation of citrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated silver nanoparticles (NPs) (AgNP-citrate and AgNP-PVP) in marine organisms via marine sediment exposure was investigated. Results from 7-d sediment toxicity tests indicate that Ag...

  9. Impact of microbial physiology and microbial community structure on pharmaceutical fate driven by dissolved oxygen concentration in nitrifying bioreactors.

    PubMed

    Stadler, Lauren B; Love, Nancy G

    2016-11-01

    Operation at low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (<1 mg/L) in wastewater treatment could save utilities significantly by reducing aeration energy costs. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of low DO on pharmaceutical biotransformations during treatment. DO concentration can impact pharmaceutical biotransformation rates during wastewater treatment both directly and indirectly: directly by acting as a limiting substrate that slows the activity of the microorganisms involved in biotransformation; and indirectly by shaping the microbial community and selecting for a community that performs pharmaceutical biotransformation faster (or slower). In this study, nitrifying bioreactors were operated at low (∼0.3 mg/L) and high (>4 mg/L) DO concentrations to understand how DO growth conditions impacted microbial community structure. Short-term batch experiments using the biomass from the parent reactors were performed under low and high DO conditions to understand how DO concentration impacts microbial physiology. Although the low DO parent biomass had a lower specific activity with respect to ammonia oxidation than the high DO parent reactor biomass, it had faster biotransformation rates of ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole, 17α-ethinylestradiol, acetaminophen, and atenolol in high DO batch conditions. This was likely because the low DO reactor had a 2x higher biomass concentration, was enriched for ammonia oxidizers (4x higher concentration), and harbored a more diverse microbial community (3x more unique taxa) as compared to the high DO parent reactor. Overall, the results show that there can be indirect benefits from low DO operation over high DO operation that support pharmaceutical biotransformation during wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Single step biotransformation of corn oil phytosterols to boldenone by a newly isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Eisa, Mohamed; El-Refai, Heba; Amin, Magdy

    2016-09-01

    A new potent Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate capable for biotransformation of corn oil phytosterol (PS) to 4-androstene-3, 17-dione (AD), testosterone (T) and boldenone (BOL) was identified by phenotypic analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Sequential statistical strategy was used to optimize the biotransformation process mainly concerning BOL using Factorial design and response surface methodology (RSM). The production of BOL in single step microbial biotransformation from corn oil phytosterols by P. aeruginosa was not previously reported. Results showed that the pH concentration of the medium, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and KH 2 PO 4 were the most significant factors affecting BOL production. By analyzing the statistical model of three-dimensional surface plot, BOL production increased from 36.8% to 42.4% after the first step of optimization, and the overall biotransformation increased to 51.9%. After applying the second step of the sequential statistical strategy BOL production increased to 53.6%, and the overall biotransformation increased to 91.9% using the following optimized medium composition (g/l distilled water) (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , 2; KH 2 PO 4 , 4; Na 2 HPO 4 . 1; MgSO 4 ·7H 2 O, 0.3; NaCl, 0.1; CaCl 2 ·2H 2 O, 0.1; FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O, 0.001; ammonium acetate 0.001; Tween 80, 0.05%; corn oil 0.5%; 8-hydroxyquinoline 0.016; pH 8; 200 rpm agitation speed and incubation time 36 h at 30 °C. Validation experiments proved the adequacy and accuracy of model, and the results showed the predicted value agreed well with the experimental values.

  11. Enriching the biological space of natural products and charting drug metabolites, through real time biotransformation monitoring: The NMR tube bioreactor.

    PubMed

    Chatzikonstantinou, Alexandra V; Chatziathanasiadou, Maria V; Ravera, Enrico; Fragai, Marco; Parigi, Giacomo; Gerothanassis, Ioannis P; Luchinat, Claudio; Stamatis, Haralambos; Tzakos, Andreas G

    2018-01-01

    Natural products offer a wide range of biological activities, but they are not easily integrated in the drug discovery pipeline, because of their inherent scaffold intricacy and the associated complexity in their synthetic chemistry. Enzymes may be used to perform regioselective and stereoselective incorporation of functional groups in the natural product core, avoiding harsh reaction conditions, several protection/deprotection and purification steps. Herein, we developed a three step protocol carried out inside an NMR-tube. 1st-step: STD-NMR was used to predict the: i) capacity of natural products as enzyme substrates and ii) possible regioselectivity of the biotransformations. 2nd-step: The real-time formation of multiple-biotransformation products in the NMR-tube bioreactor was monitored in-situ. 3rd-step: STD-NMR was applied in the mixture of the biotransformed products to screen ligands for protein targets. Herein, we developed a simple and time-effective process, the "NMR-tube bioreactor", that is able to: (i) predict which component of a mixture of natural products can be enzymatically transformed, (ii) monitor in situ the transformation efficacy and regioselectivity in crude extracts and multiple substrate biotransformations without fractionation and (iii) simultaneously screen for interactions of the biotransformation products with pharmaceutical protein targets. We have developed a green, time-, and cost-effective process that provide a simple route from natural products to lead compounds for drug discovery. This process can speed up the most crucial steps in the early drug discovery process, and reduce the chemical manipulations usually involved in the pipeline, improving the environmental compatibility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Sex differences in hepatic and intestinal contributions to nevirapine biotransformation in rats.

    PubMed

    Pinheiro, P F; Marinho, A T; Antunes, A M M; Marques, M M; Pereira, S A; Miranda, J P

    2015-05-25

    The understanding of the intestine contribution to drug biotransformation improved significantly in recent years. However, the sources of inter-individual variability in intestinal drug biotransformation, namely sex-differences, are still elusive. Nevirapine (NVP) is an orally taken anti-HIV drug associated with severe idiosyncratic reactions elicited by toxic metabolites, with women at increased risk. As such, NVP is a good model to assess sex-dimorphic metabolism. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative profiling of NVP biotransformation in rat intestine and liver and evaluate whether or not it is organ- and sex-dependent. Therefore, nevirapine-containing solutions were perfused through the intestine, in a specially designed chamber, or incubated with liver slices, from male and female Wistar rats. The levels of NVP and its Phase I metabolites were quantified by HPLC-UV. Liver incubation experiments yielded the metabolites 2-, 3-, 8-, and 12-OH-NVP, being 12-OH-NVP and 2-OH-NVP the major metabolites in males and females, respectively. Inter-sex differences in the metabolic profile were also detected in the intestine perfusion experiments. Herein, the metabolites 3- and 12-OH-NVP were only found in male rats, whereas 2-OH-NVP levels were higher in females, both in extraluminal (p<0.01) and intraluminal media. The metabolite 8-OH-NVP was not detected in the intraluminal media from either males or females. In this study, important inter-sex differences were detected in both organs, providing further clues to the sex-dimorphic profile of NVP toxicity. Moreover, an extra-hepatic contribution to NVP biotransformation was observed, strengthening the relevance of the intestinal contribution in the biotransformation of orally taken-drugs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Biotransformation and metabolic profile of Xian-Ling-Gu-Bao capsule, a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, with rat intestinal microflora by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

    PubMed

    Gao, Meng-Xue; Tang, Xi-Yang; Zhang, Feng-Xiang; Yao, Zhi-Hong; Yao, Xin-Sheng; Dai, Yi

    2018-04-01

    Xian-Ling-Gu-Bao capsule (XLGB), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been used for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The safety and efficacy of XLGB have been confirmed based on the principle of evidence-based medicine. XLGB is usually administered orally, after which its multiple components are brought into contact with intestinal microflora in the alimentary tract and biotransformed. However, investigations on the comprehensive metabolic profile of XLGB are absent. In this study, 12 representative compounds bearing different typical structures (including iridoid glycosides, prenylated flavonol glycosides, prenylated flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, steroidal saponins, coumarins and monoterpene phenols) were selected and then investigated for their biotransformation in rat intestinal microflora. In addition, the metabolic profile of XLGB in rat intestinal microflora was investigated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. As a result, a total of 87 biotransformation components were identified from incubated solutions of 12 representative compounds and XLGB, which underwent 16 metabolic reactions (including deglycosylation, glycosylation, dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, oxidation, epoxidation, hydroxylation, dehydration, hydration, hydrolysis, methylation, isomerization, cyclization, pyrolysis reaction, amino acid conjugation and nucleophilic addition reaction with NH 3 ). This demonstrated that the deglycosylation reaction by cleavage of the sugar moieties is the main metabolic pathway of a variety of glycosides, including prenylated flavonol glycosides, coumarin glycosides, iridoid glycosides and saponins. In addition, compared with the biotransformation of 12 representative compounds, a different biotransformed fate was observed in the XLGB incubated samples of rat intestinal microflora. It is worth noting that the amino acid conjugation was first discovered in the metabolism of prenylated flavonol glycosides in rat intestinal microflora. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Biotransformation of inorganic arsenic in a marine herbivorous fish Siganus fuscescens after dietborne exposure.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Chen, Lizhao; Zhou, Yanyan; Wu, Yun; Zhang, Li

    2016-03-01

    Arsenic (As) is well known to be biodiminished along marine food chains. The marine herbivorous fish at a lower trophic level are expected to accumulate more As. However, little is known about how marine herbivorous fish biotransform the potential high As bioaccumulation. Therefore, the present study quantified the biotransformation of two inorganic As species (As(III) and As(V)) in a marine herbivorous fish Siganus fuscescens following dietborne exposure. The fish were fed on As contaminated artificial diets at nominal concentrations of 400 and 1500 μg As(III) or As(V) g(-1) (dry weight) for 21 d and 42 d. After exposure, As concentrations in intestine, liver, and muscle tissues of rabbitfish increased significantly and were proportional to the inorganic As exposure concentrations. The present study demonstrated that both inorganic As(III) and As(V) in the dietborne phases were able to be biotransformed to the less toxic arsenobetaine (AsB) (63.3-91.3% in liver; 79.0%-95.2% in muscle). The processes of As biotransformation in rabbitfish could include oxidation of As(III) to As(V), reduction of As(V) to As(III), methylation to monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and subsequent conversion to AsB. These results also demonstrated that AsB synthesis processes were diverse facing different inorganic As species in different tissues. In summary, the present study elucidated that marine herbivorous fish had high ability to biotransform inorganic As to the organic forms (mainly AsB), resulting in high As bioaccumulation. Therefore, marine herbivorous fish could detoxify inorganic As in the natural environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants during coking wastewater treatment: Correspondence of performance to microbial community functional structure.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Dev Raj; Zhang, Yu; Gao, Yinxin; Liu, Yuan; Yang, Min

    2017-09-15

    Although coking wastewater is generally considered to contain high concentration of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants, the biotransformation processes of these compounds have not been well understood. Herein, a high throughput functional gene array (GeoChip 5.0) in combination with Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene were used to identify microbial functional traits and their role in biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds in a bench-scale aerobic coking wastewater treatment system operated for 488 days. Biotransformation of nitrogen and sulfur-containing pollutants deteriorated when pH of the bioreactor was increased to >8.0, and the microbial community functional structure was significantly associated with pH (Mantels test, P < 0.05). The release of ammonia nitrogen and sulfate was correlated with both the taxonomic and functional microbial community structure (P < 0.05). Considering the abundance and correlation with the release of ammonia nitrogen and sulfate, aromatic dioxygenases (e.g. xylXY, nagG), nitrilases (e.g. nhh, nitrilase), dibenzothiophene oxidase (DbtAc), and thiocyanate hydrolase (scnABC) were important functional genes for biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants. Functional characterization of taxa and network analysis suggested that Burkholderiales, Actinomycetales, Rhizobiales, Pseudomonadales, and Hydrogenophiliales (Thiobacillus) were key functional taxa. Variance partitioning analysis showed that pH and influent ammonia nitrogen jointly explained 25.9% and 35.5% of variation in organic pollutant degrading genes and microbial community structure, respectively. This study revealed a linkage between microbial community functional structure and the likely biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants, along with a suitable range of pH (7.0-7.5) for stability of the biological system treating coking wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Inter-laboratory comparison of xenobiotic clearance rates determined using cryopreserved trout hepatocytes for improving bioaccumulation predictions

    EPA Science Inventory

    Hepatic biotransformation is an important determinant of chemical bioaccumulation in fish. Consequently, bioaccumulation models can be improved using estimates of chemical biotransformation rates. Cryopreserved trout hepatocytes have been used to measure the clearance rates of so...

  17. EFFECTS OF ANESTHESIA (MS222) ON LIVER BIOTRANSFORMATION IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Tricaine methanesulfonate (3-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester methanesulfonate; MS222) is a widely used fish anaesthetic. While there have been several studies addressing the impact of its use on subsequently measured biotransformation rates, the measured influence on normal functio...

  18. Inter-laboratory comparison of clearance rates of xenobiotics by cryopreserved trout hepatocytes for the prediction of bioaccumulation potential

    EPA Science Inventory

    Hepatic biotransformation is an important determinant of chemical bioaccumulation in fish. Consequently, improvements to bioaccumulation models can be made using estimates of chemical biotransformation rates. Cryopreserved trout hepatocytes have previously been used to measure ...

  19. Addressing species diversity in biotransformation: variability in expressed transcripts of hepatic biotransformation enzymes among fishes

    EPA Science Inventory

    There is increasing evidence that diverse xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes exist among fishes, potentially resulting in different chemical sensitivities and accumulation, but this has never been systematically evaluated. One concern is that model test species such as rainbow trou...

  20. Physiologically based modeling of hepatic and gastrointestinal biotransformation in fish

    EPA Science Inventory

    In fish, as in mammals, the liver generally viewed as the principal site of chemical biotransformation. For waterborne exposures, such as those conducted in support of standardized BCF testing, the effects of hepatic metabolism on chemical accumulation can be simulated using rela...

  1. BIOTRANSFORMATION OF MIXTURES OF CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS BY AN ACETATE-GROWN METHANOGENIC ENRICHMENT CULTURE. (R825549C053)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Biotransformation of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons under anaerobic conditions has received considerable attention due to the prevalence of these compounds as groundwater contaminants. However, information concerning the impact of mixtures of chlorinated compounds on their...

  2. Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Silver Nanoparticles in Marine Organisms

    EPA Science Inventory

    The toxicity, bioaccumulation and biotransformation of citrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped silver nanoparticles (NPs) (AgNP-citrate and AgNP-PVP) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs in marine organisms via marine sediment exposure were investigated. Results from 7-d sedimen...

  3. A bibliometric analysis of research updates and tendencies on steroid biotransformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Zhaoyu

    2018-03-01

    Steroid biotransformation, as a powerful tool for generation of steroid active pharmaceutical ingredients and key intermediates, has received widespread attention with increasing market demand for steroid-based drugs. In our study, a bibliometric analysis of steroid biotransformation was performed to trace the research updates and tendencies from 1993 to 2016, based on the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) database. Results showed a notable growth trend in publication outputs. Although the USA was the most productive country between 1993 and 2016, developing nations, including China and India, contributed the prominent growth in recent years (2005–2016). Steroids was the leading journal in this field, and the research outputs had notably increased in the field of ‘Chemistry’, ‘Pharmacology and Pharmacy’ and ‘Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology’. Finally, research focused mainly on the efficient production of novel steroid active pharmaceutical ingredients and key intermediates through steroid biotransformation. Furthermore, cytochrome P450 involved in the side-chain oxidation of sterols has gradually become a hotspot issue in recent years.

  4. Biotransformation and bioactivation reactions of alicyclic amines in drug molecules.

    PubMed

    Bolleddula, Jayaprakasam; DeMent, Kevin; Driscoll, James P; Worboys, Philip; Brassil, Patrick J; Bourdet, David L

    2014-08-01

    Aliphatic nitrogen heterocycles such as piperazine, piperidine, pyrrolidine, morpholine, aziridine, azetidine, and azepane are well known building blocks in drug design and important core structures in approved drug therapies. These core units have been targets for metabolic attack by P450s and other drug metabolizing enzymes such as aldehyde oxidase and monoamine oxidase (MAOs). The electron rich nitrogen and/or α-carbons are often major sites of metabolism of alicyclic amines. The most common biotransformations include N-oxidation, N-conjugation, oxidative N-dealkylation, ring oxidation, and ring opening. In some instances, the metabolic pathways generate electrophilic reactive intermediates and cause bioactivation. However, potential bioactivation related adverse events can be attenuated by structural modifications. Hence it is important to understand the biotransformation pathways to design stable drug candidates that are devoid of metabolic liabilities early in the discovery stage. The current review provides a comprehensive summary of biotransformation and bioactivation pathways of aliphatic nitrogen containing heterocycles and strategies to mitigate metabolic liabilities.

  5. Biotransformation of pharmaceuticals by ammonia oxidizing bacteria in wastewater treatment processes.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yifeng; Yuan, Zhiguo; Ni, Bing-Jie

    2016-10-01

    Pharmaceutical residues could potentially pose detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health, with wastewater treatment being one of the major pathways for pharmaceuticals to enter into the environment. Enhanced removal of pharmaceuticals by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) has been widely observed in wastewater treatment processes. This article reviews the current knowledge on the biotransformation of pharmaceuticals by AOB. The relationship between the pharmaceuticals removal and nitrification process was revealed. The important role of AOB-induced cometabolism on the biotransformation of pharmaceuticals as well as their transformation products and pathways was elucidated. Kinetics and mathematical models describing the biotransformation of pharmaceuticals by AOB were also reviewed. The results highlighted the high degradation capabilities of AOB toward some refractory pharmaceuticals, with their degradations being clearly related to the nitrification rate and their transformation products being identified, which may exhibit similar or higher ecotoxicological impacts compared to the parent compound. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Expression levels of chaperones influence biotransformation activity of recombinant Escherichia coli expressing Micrococcus luteus alcohol dehydrogenase and Pseudomonas putida Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase.

    PubMed

    Baek, A-Hyong; Jeon, Eun-Yeong; Lee, Sun-Mee; Park, Jin-Byung

    2015-05-01

    We demonstrated for the first time that the archaeal chaperones (i.e., γ-prefoldin and thermosome) can stabilize enzyme activity in vivo. Ricinoleic acid biotransformation activity of recombinant Escherichia coli expressing Micrococcus luteus alcohol dehydrogenase and the Pseudomonas putida KT2440 Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase improved significantly with co-expression of γ-prefoldin or recombinant themosome originating from the deep-sea hyperthermophile archaea Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. Furthermore, the degree of enhanced activity was dependent on the expression levels of the chaperones. For example, whole-cell biotransformation activity was highest at 12 µmol/g dry cells/min when γ-prefoldin expression level was approximately 46% of the theoretical maximum. This value was approximately two-fold greater than that in E. coli, where the γ-prefoldin expression level was zero or set to the theoretical maximum. Therefore, it was assumed that the expression levels of chaperones must be optimized to achieve maximum biotransformation activity in whole-cell biocatalysts. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Relative contribution of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and other members of nitrifying activated sludge communities to micropollutant biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Men, Yujie; Achermann, Stefan; Helbling, Damian E; Johnson, David R; Fenner, Kathrin

    2017-02-01

    Improved micropollutant (MP) biotransformation during biological wastewater treatment has been associated with high ammonia oxidation activities, suggesting co-metabolic biotransformation by ammonia oxidizing bacteria as an underlying mechanism. The goal of this study was to clarify the contribution of ammonia oxidizing bacteria to increased MP degradation in nitrifying activated sludge (NAS) communities using a series of inhibition experiments. To this end, we treated a NAS community with two different ammonia oxidation inhibitors, namely octyne (OCT), a mechanistic inhibitor that covalently binds to ammonia monooxygenases, and allylthiourea (ATU), a copper chelator that depletes copper ions from the active center of ammonia monooxygenases. We investigated the biotransformation of 79 structurally different MPs by the inhibitor-treated and untreated sludge communities. Fifty-five compounds exhibited over 20% removal in the untreated control after a 46 h-incubation. Of these, 31 compounds were significantly inhibited by either ATU and/or OCT. For 17 of the 31 MPs, the inhibition by ATU at 46 h was substantially higher than by OCT despite the full inhibition of ammonia oxidation by both inhibitors. This was particularly the case for almost all thioether and phenylurea compounds tested, suggesting that in nitrifying activated sludge communities, ATU does not exclusively act as an inhibitor of bacterial ammonia oxidation. Rather, ATU also inhibited enzymes contributing to MP biotransformation but not to bulk ammonia oxidation. Thus, inhibition studies with ATU tend to overestimate the contribution of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria to MP biotransformation in nitrifying activated sludge communities. Biolog tests revealed only minor effects of ATU on the heterotrophic respiration of common organic substrates by the sludge community, suggesting that ATU did not affect enzymes that were essential in energy conservation and central metabolism of heterotrophs. By comparing ATU- and OCT-treated samples, as well as before and after ammonia oxidation was recovered in OCT-treated samples, we were able to demonstrate that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were highly involved in the biotransformation of four compounds: asulam, clomazone, monuron and trimethoprim. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Biotransformation of tissue-specific hormone tibolone with fungal culture Trichothecium roseum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shah, Syed Adnan Ali; Sultan, Sadia; Zaimi bin Mohd Noor, M.

    2013-06-01

    Whole cells based biotransformation is an important tool for bioconversion of steroids. It can be used to synthesize biologically potent compounds with diverse structures. Biotransformation of tissue-specific hormone tibolone (1) with Trichothecium roseum (ATCC 13411) has being carried out for the first time. Two new and three known metabolites 2-6 were isolated from fermentation of tibolone (1) with Trichothecium roseum and their structures were characterized by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The relative stereochemistry of new metabolites 5 and 6 was deduced by 2D NOESY experiments. The effect of cultures on tibolone structural modifications and time-course studies has also been conducted.

  9. Critical Evaluation of a Human In Vitro Biotransformation Rate Database

    EPA Science Inventory

    Chemical biotransformation is critical information in the understanding of how a chemical may elicit health effects in humans or in the environment. Despite the fundamental value of these data, very relatively few measured in vivo data are available for humans compared to the tho...

  10. Engineering Issue Paper: Biotransformation Pathways of Dimethylarsinic (Cacodylic) Acid in the Environment

    EPA Science Inventory

    This EIP summarizes the state of the science regarding the biotransformation of DMA(V) and was developed from peer-reviewed literature, scientific documents, EPA reports, internet sources, input from experts in the field, and other pertinent sources. This EIP includes a review o...

  11. ALTERATIONS IN SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC BIOTRANSFORMATION OF TESTOSTERONE IN JUVENILE AMERICAN ALLIGATORS (ALLIGATOR MISSISSIPPIENSIS) FROM CONTAMINATED LAKES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The goal of this study was to determine whether hepatic biotransformation of testosterone is normally sexually dimorphic in juvenile alligators and whether living in a contaminated environment affects hepatic dimorphism. Lake Woodruff served as our reference site. Moonshine Bay, ...

  12. ANAEROBIC DDT BIOTRANSFORMATION: ENHANCEMENT BY APPLICATION OF SURFACTANTS AND LOW OXIDATION REDUCTION POTENTIAL

    EPA Science Inventory

    Enhancement of anaerobic DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane) biotransformation by mixed cultures was studied with application of surfactants and oxidation reduction potential reducing agents. Without amendments, DDT transformation resulted mainly in the pr...

  13. In vitro to in vivo extrapolation of hepatic metabolism in fish: An inter-laboratory comparison of in vitro methods - presentation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Chemical biotransformation represents the largest source of uncertainty in chemical bioaccumulation assessments. Model-based estimates of chemical bioconcentration in fish may be greatly improved by including biotransformation rates, as measured in vitro. Substrate depletion assa...

  14. BIOACCUMULATION AND BIOTRANSFORMATION OF CHIRAL TRIAZOLE FUNGICIDES IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    There are very little data on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of current-use pesticides (CUPs) despite the fact that such data are critical in assessing their fate and potential toxic effects in aquatic organisms. To help address this issue, juvenile rainbow trout (Onco...

  15. Mitochondrial biotransformation of ω-(phenoxy)alkanoic acids, 3-(phenoxy)acrylic acids, and ω-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylthio)alkanoic acids: A prodrug strategy for targeting cytoprotective antioxidants to mitochondria

    PubMed Central

    Roser, Kurt S.; Brookes, Paul S.; Wojtovich, Andrew P.; Olson, Leif P.; Shojaie, Jalil; Parton, Richard L.; Anders, M. W.

    2010-01-01

    Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the attendant mitochondrial dysfunction are implicated in a range of disease states. The objective of the present studies was to test the hypothesis that the mitochondrial β-oxidation pathway could be exploited to deliver and biotransform the prodrugs ω-(phenoxy)alkanoic acids, 3-(phenoxy)acrylic acids, and ω-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylthio)alkanoic acids to the corresponding phenolic antioxidants or methimazole. 3 -and 5-(Phenoxy)alkanoic acids and methyl-substituted analogs were biotransformed to phenols; rates of biotransformation decreased markedly with methyl-group substitution on the phenoxy moiety. 2,6-Dimethylphenol formation from the analogs 3-([2,6-dimethylphenoxy]methylthio)propanoic acid and 3-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)acrylic acid was greater than that observed with ω-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)alkanoic acids. 3- and 5-(1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylthio)alkanoic acids were rapidly biotransformed to the antioxidant methimazole and conferred significant cytoprotection against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in isolated cardiomyocytes. Both 3-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)propanoic acid and 3-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)acrylic acid also afforded cytoprotection against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in isolated cardiomyocytes. These results demonstrate that mitochondrial β-oxidation is a potentially useful delivery system for targeting antioxidants to mitochondria. PMID:20129794

  16. Comparative contribution of trophic transfer and biotransformation on arsenobetaine bioaccumulation in two marine fish.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Guo, Zhiqiang; Zhou, Yanyan; Chen, Lizhao; Zhang, Li

    2016-10-01

    Marine fish can accumulate high arsenic (As) concentrations, with arsenobetaine (AsB) as the major species in the body. However, whether the high AsB accumulation in fish occurs mainly through trophic transfer from diet or biotransformation in the fish body remains unclear. This study investigated the trophic transfer and biotransformation of As in two marine fish (seabream Acanthopagrus schlegeli and grunt Terapon jarbua) fed artificial and clam diets for 28 d. The different diets contained different proportions of inorganic [As(III) and As(V)] and organic [methylarsenate (MMA), dimethylarsenate (DMA), and AsB] As compounds. Positive correlations were observed between the accumulated As concentrations and AsB concentrations in both fish, suggesting that AsB contributed to the accumulation of total As in marine fish. Based on the calculated total input of AsB and detected AsB concentrations in the muscle of the seabream and grunt, the ingested amounts of AsB accounted for 0.1-0.3%, 8.1-14.4% of detected AsB concentrations, respectively, in the muscle of seabream and grunt fish species, suggesting that AsB was mainly biotransformed versus trophically transferred in these marine fish. In summary, this study demonstrates that marine fish prefer to biotransform inorganic As forms into AsB, resulting in high bioaccumulation of total As. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Understanding the fate of organic micropollutants in sand and granular activated carbon biofiltration systems.

    PubMed

    Paredes, L; Fernandez-Fontaina, E; Lema, J M; Omil, F; Carballa, M

    2016-05-01

    In this study, sand and granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilters were comparatively assessed as post-treatment technologies of secondary effluents, including the fate of 18 organic micropollutants (OMPs). To determine the contribution of adsorption and biotransformation in OMP removal, four reactors were operated (two biofilters (with biological activity) and two filters (without biological activity)). In addition, the influence of empty bed contact time (EBCT), ranging from 0.012 to 3.2d, and type of secondary effluent (anaerobic and aerobic) were evaluated. Organic matter, ammonium and nitrate were removed in both biofilters, being their adsorption higher on GAC than on sand. According to the behaviour exhibited, OMPs were classified in three different categories: I) biotransformation and high adsorption on GAC and sand (galaxolide, tonalide, celestolide and triclosan), II) biotransformation, high adsorption on GAC but low or null adsorption on sand (ibuprofen, naproxen, fluoxetine, erythromycin, roxythromycim, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol), and, III) only adsorption on GAC (carbamazepine, diazepam and diclofenac). No influence of EBCT (in the range tested) and type of secondary effluent was observed in GAC reactors, whereas saturation and kinetic limitation of biotransformation were observed in sand reactors. Taking into account that most of the organic micropollutants studied (around 60%) fell into category II, biotransformation is crucial for the elimination of OMPs in sand biofilters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Involvement of Tetrahymena pyriformis and selected fungi in the elimination of anthracene, and toxicity assessment of the biotransformation products.

    PubMed

    Guiraud, P; Bonnet, J L; Boumendjel, A; Kadri-Dakir, M; Dusser, M; Bohatier, J; Steiman, R

    2008-02-01

    Anthracene (AC) is a non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic, low-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon present in the environment. Its toxicity can be dramatically increased after solar-light exposure. Biotransformation capacities of AC by Tetrahymena pyriformis and a selection of eight micromycetes were studied, and the ability of these microorganisms to detoxify the polluted ecosystems was assessed. We showed that T. pyriformis was able to accumulate high amounts of AC without any transformation. In contrast, the fungi Cunninghamella elegans, Absidia fusca, Absidia cylindrospora, Rhodotorula glutinis, and Aspergillus terreus were able to transform AC with a high efficiency. Cytotoxicity assays conducted on HeLa cells and T. pyriformis showed that crude extract from A. fusca culture medium obtained after AC biotransformation was not toxic. For A. fusca and A. cylindrospora, 1-4 dihydroxyanthraquinone was shown to be the major product during the biotransformation process. This compound seemed to be a dead-end metabolite at least for the Absidia strains. The cytotoxicity of 1-4 dihydroxyanthraquinone was higher than that of AC to T. pyriformis but lower to HeLa cells. On the whole our results showed that the microorganisms studied were all able to decontaminate an AC-polluted ecosystem, either by accumulating or transforming the compound. A possible detoxification process resulting from AC biotransformation can be considered only using the human cell model.

  19. EFFECT OF BTEX AND ETHANOL ON ANAEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION OF MTBE

    EPA Science Inventory

    We have recently demonstrated that natural anaerobic biotransformation of MTBE to TBA can account for the natural attenuation of MTBE in a plume from a gasoline spill at Parsippany, New Jersey. It is well established in the literature that the presence of the BTEX compounds natu...

  20. High‐resolution mass spectrometry of skin mucus for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fathead minnows exposed to wastewater effluent

    EPA Science Inventory

    High‐resolution mass spectrometry is advantageous for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fish exposed to complex wastewater effluent. We evaluated this technique using skin mucus from male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales pr...

  1. IN VITRO CYTOTOXICITY OF AROMATIC AEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION PRODUCTS IN BLUEGILL SUNFISH BF-2 CELLS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Toluene (methylbenzene) is a common environmental pollutant that is found in many hazardous waste sites and it is an aquifer contaminant. A concern is the potential risk to human and ecosystem health due to exposure to toluene and its major biotransformation products. The cytotox...

  2. Biotransformation of tryptophan by liquid medium culture of Psilocybe coprophila (Basidiomycetes).

    PubMed

    Alarcón, Julio; Foncea, Leyla; Aguila, Sergio; Alderete, Joel B

    2006-01-01

    Chemical reactions performed by fungi have been used as a modern tool in chemistry. In this work, we show the tryptophan biotransformation with Psilocybe coprophila on liquid culture medium. The results prove once more the versatility of fungi in performing a wide range of industrially attractive chemical reactions.

  3. AN IN VIVO MICRODIALYSIS METHOD FOR THE QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF HEPATIC PHASE I METABOLITES OF PHENOL IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Development of reliable and accurate methodologies for determination of xenobiotic hepatic biotransformation rate and capacity parameters is important to the derivation of precise physiologically-based toxicokinetic (PB-TK) models. Biotransformation data incorporated into PB-TK m...

  4. Perspective on Biotransformation and De Novo Biosynthesis of Licorice Constituents.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yujia; Lv, Bo; Feng, Xudong; Li, Chun

    2017-12-27

    Licorice, an important herbal medicine, is derived from the dried roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza genus plants. It has been widely used in food, pharmaceutical, tobacco, and cosmetics industries with high economic value. However, overexploitation of licorice resources has severely destroyed the local ecology. Therefore, producing bioactive compounds of licorice through the biotransformation and bioengineering methods is a hot spot in recent years. In this perspective, we comprehensively summarize the biotransformation of licorice constituents into high-value-added derivatives by biocatalysts. Furthermore, successful cases and the strategies for de novo biosynthesizing compounds of licorice in microbes have been summarized. This paper will provide new insights for the further research of licorice.

  5. Critical Evaluation of a Human In Vitro Biotransformation Rate Database: Case Study of Seven Chemicals (SETAC Europe - 2018)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The utility of in vitro data as part of integrated chemical assessment strategies (e.g. REACH) in the determination of bioaccumulation (B) is recognized [1]. Human in vitro biotransformation rate data are available [2]; however, there is a high degree of variability in assay meth...

  6. Microbial transformation of citral by Penicillium sp..

    PubMed

    Esmaeili, Akbar; Tavassoli, Afsaneh

    2010-01-01

    Thymol is present in the essential oils from herbs and spices, such as thyme. It is produced by these plant species as a chemical defense against phytopathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, this compound has attracted great attention in food industry, i.e., it has been used as a natural preservative in foods such as cheese to prevent fungal growth. Previous studies concerning the biotransformation of nerol by Penicillium sp. and microbial transformation of citral by sporulated surface cultures method (SSCM) of Penicillium digitatum have been reported. The objective of this research was to study the pathway involved during biotransformation of citral by Penicillium sp. using two methods. The culture preparation was done using different microbial methods and incubation periods to obtain Penicillium for citral biotransformation. The biotransformation products were identified by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). A comparison of the two methods showed that SSCM was more effective, its major products were thymol (21.5 %), geranial (18.6 %) and nerol (13.7 %). LM produced only one compound — thymol — with a low efficiency.

  7. Performance of a biomass adapted to oncological ward wastewater vs. biomass from municipal WWTP on the removal of pharmaceutical molecules.

    PubMed

    Hamon, P; Moulin, P; Ercolei, L; Marrot, B

    2018-01-01

    The performance of a biomass adapted to Oncological Ward Wastewater (OWW) in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) was compared with that of a municipal WWTP, on the removal of pharmaceutical molecules and more specifically on their overall resistance and purifying ability in the presence of pharmaceutical cocktails. Sorption and biotransformation mechanisms on two antineoplastics, one antibiotic and a painkiller were evaluated. Sludge acclimated to OWW allowed for a 34% increase in the removal rate and in the minimum inhibition concentration. The percentage of the amounts of specific pharmaceutical compounds removed by biotransformation or by sorption were measured. These results are positive, as they show that the observed removal of pharmaceutical molecules by biomass acclimated to OWW can mostly be attributed to developed biotransformation, unlike the biomass from the municipal WWTP for which sorption is sometimes the only removal mechanism. The biotransformation kinetic and the solid-water distribution coefficients in this study show good agreement with literature data, even for much higher pharmaceutical concentrations in OWW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Use of cyclodextrins in biotransformation reactions with cell cultures of Morus nigra: biosynthesis of prenylated chalcone isocordoin.

    PubMed

    Bolasco, Adriana; Fioravanti, Rossella; Rossi, Francesca; Rossi, Paola; Vitali, Alberto

    2010-06-16

    In vivo biotransformation experiments were performed by using a cell suspension culture of Morus nigra expressing a high PT (prenyltransferase) activity, fed with the target substrate 2',4'-dihydroxychalcone. In order to improve the reaction yields by enhancing the chalcone solubility, three different cyclodextrins have been used to host the substrate. The respective complexes have been studied by means of both spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques (Fourier-transform infrared, 1H-NMR and differential scanning calorimetry) and the solution behaviours have been characterized by solubility phase studies. The hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin complex was found to be the most suitable for biotransformation, and the reaction of prenylation resulted in a 6-fold higher yield of the final product when compared with the use of the free substrate. The reaction provided as the sole product the 3'-dimethylallyl derivative isocordoin, a biologically active plant compound. The results obtained allow the development of systems based on the use of biofermentors or the use of immobilized cells in order to enhance the biotransformation yields.

  9. Tannase-mediated biotransformation assisted separation and purification of theaflavin and epigallocatechin by high speed counter current chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography: A comparative study.

    PubMed

    Xia, Guobin; Lin, Chunfang; Liu, Songbai

    2016-09-01

    A large scale isolation and purification of theaflavin (TF) and epigallocatechin (EGC) has been successfully developed by tannase-mediated biotransformation combining high-speed countercurrent chromatography. After tannase hydrolysis of a commercially available theaflavins extract (TE), the content of TF and EGC in tannase-mediated biotransformation product (TBP) achieved approximately 3 times enrichment. SEM studies revealed smooth tannase biotransformation and the possibility of recovery of the tannase. A single 1.5 hours' HSCCC separation for TF and EGC employing a two-phase solvent system could simultaneously produce 180.8 mg of 97.3% purity TF and 87.5 mg of 97.3% purity EGC. However, a preparative HPLC separation of maximum injection volume containing 120 mg TBP prepared 11.2 mg TF of 94.9% purity and 7.7 mg EGC of 89.9% purity. HSCCC separation demonstrated significant advantages over Prep HPLC in terms of sample loading size, separation time, environmental friendly solvent systems, and the production. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. In vitro mutagenic, antimutagenic, and antioxidant activities evaluation and biotransformation of some bioactive 4-substituted 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine derivatives.

    PubMed

    Słoczyńska, Karolina; Pańczyk, Katarzyna; Waszkielewicz, Anna M; Marona, Henryk; Pękala, Elżbieta

    2016-12-01

    In vitro mutagenic, antimutagenic, and antioxidant potency evaluation and biotransformation of six novel 4-substituted 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine derivatives demonstrating antidepressant-like activity were investigated. Mutagenic and antimutagenic properties were assessed using the Ames test; free radical scavenging activity was evaluated with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay and biotransformation was performed with liver microsomes. It was found that all tested compounds are not mutagenic in bacterial strains TA100 and TA1535 and exhibit antimutagenic effects in the Ames test. Noteworthy, compounds possessing propyl linker between phenoxyl and N-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine displayed more pronounced antimutagenic properties than derivatives with ethoxyethyl linker. Additionally, compounds 2 and 6 in vitro biotransformation showed that primarily their hydroxylated or O-dealkylated metabolites are formed. Some of the compounds exhibited intrinsic clearance values lower than those reported previously for antidepressant imipramine. To sum up, the results of the present study might represent a valuable step in designing and planning future studies with piperazine derivatives. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. In vitro and in vivo biotransformation of WMS-1410, a potent GluN2B selective NMDA receptor antagonist.

    PubMed

    Falck, Evamaria; Begrow, Frank; Verspohl, Eugen J; Wünsch, Bernhard

    2014-06-01

    Structural modification of the GluN2B selective NMDA receptor antagonist ifenprodil led to the 3-benzazepine WMS-1410 with similar GluN2B affinity but higher receptor selectivity. Herein the in vitro and in vivo biotransformation of WMS-1410 is reported. Incubation of WMS-1410 with rat liver microsomes and different cofactors resulted in four hydroxylated phase I metabolites, two phase II metabolites and five combined phase I/II metabolites. With exception of catechol 4, these metabolites were also identified in the urine of a rat treated with WMS-1410. However the metabolites 7, 8 and 12 clearly show that the catechol metabolite 4 was also formed in vivo. As shown for ifenprodil the phenol of WMS-1410 represents the metabolically most reactive structural element. The biotransformation of WMS-1410 is considerably slower than the biotransformation of ifenprodil indicating a higher metabolic stability. From the viewpoint of metabolic stability the bioisosteric replacement of the phenol of WMS-1410 by a metabolically more stable moiety should be favourable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Effective biotransformation and detoxification of anthraquinone dye reactive blue 4 by using aerobic bacterial granules.

    PubMed

    Chaudhari, Ashvini U; Paul, Dhiraj; Dhotre, Dhiraj; Kodam, Kisan M

    2017-10-01

    Treatment of textile wastewater containing anthraquinone dye is quite a huge challenge due to its complex aromatic structure and toxicity. Present study deals with the degradation and detoxification of anthraquinone dye reactive blue 4 using aerobic bacterial granules. Bacterial granules effectively decolorized reactive blue 4 at wide range of pH (4.0-11.0) and temperature (20-55 °C) as well as decolorized and tolerated high concentration of reactive blue 4 dye upto 1000 mg l -1 with V max 6.16 ± 0.82 mg l -1 h -1 and K m 227 ± 41 mg l -1 . Metagenomics study evaluates important role of Clostridia, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacterial members in biotransformation and tolerance of high concentrations of reactive blue 4 dye. Up-regulation of xenobiotic degradation and environmental information processing pathways during dye exposure signifies their noteworthy role in dye degradation. Biotransformation of dye was confirmed by significant decrease in the values of total suspended solids, biological and chemical oxygen demand. The metabolites formed after biotransformation was characterized by FT-IR and GC-MS analysis. The reactive blue 4 dye was found to be phytotoxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic whereas its biotransformed product were non-toxic. This study comprehensively illustrates that, bacterial aerobic granules can be used for eco-friendly remediation and detoxification of wastewater containing high organic load of anthraquinone dye. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. [Simultaneous analysis of trehalose, glucose and maltose in biotransformation samples by high performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed ampere detection].

    PubMed

    Xu, Ying; Zang, Ying; Jiang, Ting; Zheng, Zhaojuan; Quyang, Jia

    2014-12-01

    An analytical method for the determination of trehalose, maltose, and glucose in biotransformation samples was developed by using high performance anion exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed ampere detection (HPAEC-PAD). The analysis was performed on a CarboPac™ 10 column (250 mm x 2 mm) with the gradient elution of NaOH-NaAc as the mobile phase. The column temperature was set at 30 °C, the flow rate was 0. 30 mL/min. The results showed that trehalose, maltose, and glucose in biotransformation system were completely separated and determined in 15 min. The linear ranges and the working curves were determined by using standard samples. The correlation coefficients of three kinds of carbohydrates were over 0. 9998 . The detection limits (LODs) were 0. 010 - 0. 100 mg/L. Under the optimized separation conditions, the recoveries of saccharides in the transformation system at three different spiked levels ranged from 89. 4% to 103. 2%. In biotransformation system, 50 IU trehalose synthase were added into 200 g/L maltose for reaction of 8 h at 37 °C, pH 8. 0. Under the above conditions, the concentration of trehalose in biotransformation sample was 101. 084 g/L, and the conversion rate of trehalose reached 50. 5%. The method can be applied to determine the composition in the transformation system with the advantages of simplicity and convenience.

  14. Engineering of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase-based Escherichia coli biocatalyst for large scale biotransformation of ricinoleic acid into (Z)-11-(heptanoyloxy)undec-9-enoic acid

    PubMed Central

    Seo, Joo-Hyun; Kim, Hwan-Hee; Jeon, Eun-Yeong; Song, Young-Ha; Shin, Chul-Soo; Park, Jin-Byung

    2016-01-01

    Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) are able to catalyze regiospecific Baeyer-Villiger oxygenation of a variety of cyclic and linear ketones to generate the corresponding lactones and esters, respectively. However, the enzymes are usually difficult to express in a functional form in microbial cells and are rather unstable under process conditions hindering their large-scale applications. Thereby, we investigated engineering of the BVMO from Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and the gene expression system to improve its activity and stability for large-scale biotransformation of ricinoleic acid (1) into the ester (i.e., (Z)-11-(heptanoyloxy)undec-9-enoic acid) (3), which can be hydrolyzed into 11-hydroxyundec-9-enoic acid (5) (i.e., a precursor of polyamide-11) and n-heptanoic acid (4). The polyionic tag-based fusion engineering of the BVMO and the use of a synthetic promoter for constitutive enzyme expression allowed the recombinant Escherichia coli expressing the BVMO and the secondary alcohol dehydrogenase of Micrococcus luteus to produce the ester (3) to 85 mM (26.6 g/L) within 5 h. The 5 L scale biotransformation process was then successfully scaled up to a 70 L bioreactor; 3 was produced to over 70 mM (21.9 g/L) in the culture medium 6 h after biotransformation. This study demonstrated that the BVMO-based whole-cell reactions can be applied for large-scale biotransformations. PMID:27311560

  15. Significance of Xenobiotic Metabolism for Bioaccumulation Kinetics of Organic Chemicals in Gammarus pulex

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Bioaccumulation and biotransformation are key toxicokinetic processes that modify toxicity of chemicals and sensitivity of organisms. Bioaccumulation kinetics vary greatly among organisms and chemicals; thus, we investigated the influence of biotransformation kinetics on bioaccumulation in a model aquatic invertebrate using fifteen 14C-labeled organic xenobiotics from diverse chemical classes and physicochemical properties (1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, imidacloprid, 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol, ethylacrylate, malathion, chlorpyrifos, aldicarb, carbofuran, carbaryl, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, 4-nitrobenzyl-chloride, 2,4-dichloroaniline, and sea-nine (4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-3-isothiazolone)). We detected and identified metabolites using HPLC with UV and radio-detection as well as high resolution mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap). Kinetics of uptake, biotransformation, and elimination of parent compounds and metabolites were modeled with a first-order one-compartment model. Bioaccumulation factors were calculated for parent compounds and metabolite enrichment factors for metabolites. Out of 19 detected metabolites, we identified seven by standards or accurate mass measurements and two via pathway analysis and analogies to other compounds. 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, imidacloprid, and 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol were not biotransformed. Dietary uptake contributed little to overall uptake. Differentiation between parent and metabolites increased accuracy of bioaccumulation parameters compared to total 14C measurements. Biotransformation dominated toxicokinetics and strongly affected internal concentrations of parent compounds and metabolites. Many metabolites reached higher internal concentrations than their parents, characterized by large metabolite enrichment factors. PMID:22321051

  16. Biotransformation of limonene by an endophytic fungus using synthetic and orange residue-based media.

    PubMed

    Bier, Mário Cesar Jucoski; Medeiros, Adriane Bianchi Pedroni; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

    2017-02-01

    Aroma and fragrances have high commercial value for use in food, cosmetics and perfumes. The biotransformation of terpenes by microorganisms represents an attractive alternative method for production of flavourings. Endophytic fungi offer a great potential for the production of several groups of compounds; however, few studies have evaluated the biotransformation of limonene. Following preliminary studies on the biotransformation of limonene, submerged fermentation was carried out using an endophytic fungus isolated from Pinus taeda and identified as Phomopsis sp. The presence of several biotransformation products was detected and identified by mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The studied strain showed a divergent metabolic behaviour, as compounds of interest such as α-terpineol, carvone, and limoneno-1,2-diol were produced under different conditions. In addition to the minor metabolites terpinen-4-ol, menthol and carveol, this strain also produced major metabolites, including 0.536 g L -1 carvone and 2.08 g L -1 limonene-1,2-diol in synthetic medium and 2.10 g L -1 limonene-1,2-diol in a natural orange extract medium with single fed-batch, while the cyclic fed-batch resulted in concentrations less than 1 g L -1 . Therefore, our study produced a wide variety of limonene derivatives at a high concentration using a natural medium and a newly isolated endophytic fungal strain. Copyright © 2016 British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Understanding the sorption and biotransformation of organic micropollutants in innovative biological wastewater treatment technologies.

    PubMed

    Alvarino, T; Suarez, S; Lema, J; Omil, F

    2018-02-15

    New technologies for wastewater treatment have been developed in the last years based on the combination of biological reactors operating under different redox conditions. Their efficiency in the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) has not been clearly assessed yet. This review paper is focussed on understanding the sorption and biotransformation of a selected group of 17 OMPs, including pharmaceuticals, hormones and personal care products, during biological wastewater treatment processes. Apart from considering the role of "classical" operational parameters, new factors such as biomass conformation and particle size, upward velocity applied or the addition of adsorbents have been considered. It has been found that the OMP removal by sorption not only depends on their physico-chemical characteristics and other parameters, such as the biomass conformation and particle size, or some operational conditions also relevant. Membrane biological reactors (MBR), have shown to enhance sorption and biotransformation of some OMPs. The same applies to technologies bases on direct addition of activated carbon in bioreactors. The OMP biotransformation degree and pathway is mainly driven by the redox potential and the primary substrate activity. The combination of different redox potentials in hybrid reactor systems can significantly enhance the overall OMP removal efficiency. Sorption and biotransformation can be synergistically promoted in biological reactors by the addition of activated carbon. The deeper knowledge of the main parameters influencing OMP removal provided by this review will allow optimizing the biological processes in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Zebrafish embryo toxicity of anaerobic biotransformation products from the insensitive munitions compound 2,4-dinitroanisole.

    PubMed

    Olivares, Christopher I; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Abrell, Leif; Chorover, Jon; Simonich, Michael; Tanguay, Robert L; Field, Jim A

    2016-11-01

    2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN) is an emerging insensitive munitions compound that readily undergoes anaerobic nitro-group reduction to 2-methoxy-5-nitroaniline (MENA) and 2,4-diaminoanisole (DAAN), followed by formation of unique azo dimers. Currently there is little knowledge on the ecotoxicity of DNAN (bio)transformation products. In the present study, mortality, development, and behavioral effects of DNAN (bio)transformation products were assessed using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. The authors tested individual products, MENA and DAAN, as well as dimer and trimer surrogates. As pure compounds, 3-nitro-4-methoxyaniline and 2,2'-dimethoxy-4,4'-azodianiline caused statistically significant effects, with lowest-observable-adverse effect levels (LOAEL) at 6.4 μM on 1 or 2 developmental endpoints, respectively. The latter had 6 additional statistically significant developmental endpoints with LOAELs of 64 μM. Based on light-to-dark swimming behavioral tests, DAAN (640 μM) caused reduction in swimming, suggestive of neurotoxicity. No statistically significant mortality occurred (≤64 μM) for any of the individual compounds. However, metabolite mixtures formed during different stages of MENA (bio)transformation in soil were characterized using high-resolution mass spectrometry in parallel with zebrafish embryo toxicity assays, which demonstrated statistically significant mortality during the onset of azo-dimer formation. Overall the results indicate that several DNAN (bio)transformation products cause different types of toxicity to zebrafish embryos. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2774-2781. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  19. In vitro degradation of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) by cytosolic enzymes of Japanese quail and the rabbit.

    PubMed

    Bardai, Ghalib K; Halasz, Annamaria; Sunahara, Geoffrey I; Dodard, Sabine; Spear, Philip A; Grosse, Stephan; Hoang, Johnston; Hawari, Jalal

    2006-12-01

    Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) is a polycyclic nitramine explosive and propellant, currently being considered as a potential replacement for existing cyclic nitramine explosives. Earlier studies have provided evidence suggestive of adverse liver effects in adult Coturnix spp. exposed to CL-20, yet analysis of tissue samples (plasma, liver, brain, heart, or spleen) indicated that CL-20 was not detectable in these treated animals. The present study was conducted to identify and purify the enzymes capable of CL-20 biotransformation. Results indicate that the hepatic biotransformation of CL-20 in vitro was inhibited by ethacrynic acid (93%) and by the glutathione (GSH) analogue S-octylglutathione (80%), suggesting the involvement of glutathione-S-transferase (GST). Partially purified cytosolic alpha- and mu-type GST (requiring presence of GSH as a cofactor) from quail and rabbit liver was capable of CL-20 biotransformation. The degradation of CL-20 (0.30 +/- 0.05 and 0.40 +/- 0.02 nmol/min/mg protein for quail and rabbit, respectively) was accompanied with the formation of nitrite and consumption of GSH. Using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, we detected two intermediates, that is, open-ring, monodenitrated GSH-conjugated CL-20 biotransformation product with the same deprotonated molecular mass ion at 699 Da, suggesting isomeric forms of the intermediate metabolites. Identity of the conjugated metabolites was confirmed by using ring-labeled [15N]CL-20 and the nitro group-labeled [15NO2]CL-20. These data suggest that the in vitro biotransformation of CL-20 by GST under the conditions tested may be a key initial step in the in vivo degradation of CL-20 in the quail and resulted in the formation of more biologically reactive intermediates than the parent compound. These data will aid in our understanding of the biotransformation processes of CL-20 in vivo.

  20. Evidence for functional convergence in genes upregulated by herbivores ingesting plant secondary compounds

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Nearly 40 years ago, Freeland and Janzen predicted that liver biotransformation enzymes dictated diet selection by herbivores. Despite decades of research on model species and humans, little is known about the biotransformation mechanisms used by mammalian herbivores to metabolize plant secondary compounds (PSCs). We investigated the independent evolution of PSC biotransformation mechanisms by capitalizing on a dramatic diet change event—the dietary inclusion of creosote bush (Larrea tridentata)—that occurred in the recent evolutionary history of two species of woodrats (Neotoma lepida and N. bryanti). Results By comparing gene expression profiles of two populations of woodrats with evolutionary experience to creosote and one population naïve to creosote, we identified genes either induced by a diet containing creosote PSCs or constitutively higher in populations with evolutionary experience of creosote. Although only one detoxification gene (an aldo-keto reductase) was induced by both experienced populations, these populations converged upon functionally equivalent strategies to biotransform the PSCs of creosote bush by constitutively expressing aldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases, Cytochromes P450s, methyltransferases, glutathione S-transferases and sulfotransferases. The response of the naïve woodrat population to creosote bush was indicative of extreme physiological stress. Conclusions The hepatic detoxification system of mammals is notoriously complex, with hundreds of known biotransformation enzymes. The comparison herein of woodrat taxa that differ in evolutionary and ecological experience with toxins in creosote bush reveals convergence in the overall strategies used by independent species after a historical shift in diet. In addition, remarkably few genes seemed to be important in this dietary shift. The research lays the requisite groundwork for future studies of specific biotransformation pathways used by woodrats to metabolize the toxins in creosote and the evolution of diet switching in woodrats. On a larger level, this work advances our understanding of the mechanisms used by mammalian herbivores to process toxic diets and illustrates the importance of the selective relationship of PSCs in shaping herbivore diversity. PMID:25123454

  1. Novel Tandem Biotransformation Process for the Biosynthesis of a Novel Compound, 4-(2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine-1)-4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin▿

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Ya-Jie; Zhao, Wei; Li, Hong-Mei

    2011-01-01

    According to the structure of podophyllotoxin and its structure-function relationship, a novel tandem biotransformation process was developed for the directional modification of the podophyllotoxin structure to directionally synthesize a novel compound, 4-(2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine-1)-4′-demethylepipodophyllotoxin (4-TMP-DMEP). In this novel tandem biotransformation process, the starting substrate of podophyllotoxin was biotransformed into 4′-demethylepipodophyllotoxin (product 1) with the demethylation of the methoxyl group at the 4′ position by Gibberella fujikuroi SH-f13, which was screened out from Shennongjia prime forest humus soil (Hubei, China). 4′-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin (product 1) was then biotransformed into 4′-demethylpodophyllotoxone (product 2) with the oxidation of the hydroxyl group at the 4 position by Alternaria alternata S-f6, which was screened out from the gathered Dysosma versipellis plants in the Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Finally, 4′-demethylpodophyllotoxone (product 2) and ligustrazine were linked with a transamination reaction to synthesize the target product 4-TMP-DMEP (product 3) by Alternaria alternata S-f6. Compared with podophyllotoxin (i.e., a 50% effective concentration [EC50] of 529 μM), the EC50 of 4-TMP-DMEP against the tumor cell line BGC-823 (i.e., 0.11 μM) was significantly reduced by 5,199 times. Simultaneously, the EC50 of 4-TMP-DMEP against the normal human proximal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 (i.e., 0.40 μM) was 66 times higher than that of podophyllotoxin (i.e., 0.006 μM). Furthermore, compared with podophyllotoxin (i.e., log P = 0.34), the water solubility of 4-TMP-DMEP (i.e., log P = 0.66) was significantly enhanced by 94%. For the first time, the novel compound 4-TMP-DMEP with superior antitumor activity was directionally synthesized from podophyllotoxin by the novel tandem biotransformation process developed in this work. PMID:21398491

  2. Impact of external carbon dose on the removal of micropollutants using methanol and ethanol in post-denitrifying Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors.

    PubMed

    Torresi, Elena; Escolà Casas, Mònica; Polesel, Fabio; Plósz, Benedek G; Christensson, Magnus; Bester, Kai

    2017-01-01

    Addition of external carbon sources to post-denitrification systems is frequently used in wastewater treatment plants to enhance nitrate removal. However, little is known about the fate of micropollutants in post-denitrification systems and the influence of external carbon dosing on their removal. In this study, we assessed the effects of two different types and availability of commonly used carbon sources -methanol and ethanol- on the removal of micropollutants in biofilm systems. Two laboratory-scale moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), containing AnoxKaldnes K1 carriers with acclimated biofilm from full-scale systems, were operated in continuous-flow using wastewater dosed with methanol and ethanol, respectively. Batch experiments with 22 spiked pharmaceuticals were performed to assess removal kinetics. Acetyl-sulfadiazine, atenolol, citalopram, propranolol and trimethoprim were easily biotransformed in both MBBRs (biotransformations rate constants k bio between 1.2 and 12.9 L g biomass -1  d -1 ), 13 compounds were moderately biotransformed (rate constants between 0.2 and 2 L g biomass -1  d -1 ) and 4 compounds were recalcitrant. The methanol-dosed MBBR showed higher k bio (e.g., 1.5-2.5-fold) than in the ethanol-dosed MBBR for 9 out of the 22 studied compounds, equal k bio for 10 compounds, while 3 compounds (i.e., targeted sulfonamides) were biotransformed faster in the ethanol-dosed MBBR. While biotransformation of most of the targeted compounds followed first-order kinetics, removal of venlafaxine, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole and sulfamethizole could be described with a cometabolic model. Analyses of the microbial composition in the biofilms using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed that the methanol-dosed MBBR contained higher microbial richness than the one dosed with ethanol, suggesting that improved biotransformation of targeted compounds could be associated with higher microbial richness. During continuous-flow operation, at conditions representative of full-scale denitrification systems (hydraulic residence time = 2 h), the removal efficiencies of micropollutants were below 35% in both MBBRs, with the exception of atenolol and trimethoprim (>80%). Overall, this study demonstrated that MBBRs used for post-denitrification could be optimized to enhance the biotransformation of a number of micropollutants by accounting for optimal carbon sources and extended residence time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The potential of indigenous Paenibacillus ehimensis BS1 for recovering heavy crude oil by biotransformation to light fractions

    PubMed Central

    Shibulal, Biji; Al-Bahry, Saif N.; Al-Wahaibi, Yahya M.; Elshafie, Abdulkadir E.; Al-Bemani, Ali S.; Joshi, Sanket J.

    2017-01-01

    Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) is a potential technology for residual heavy oil recovery. Many heavy oil fields in Oman and elsewhere have difficulty in crude oil recovery because it is expensive due to its high viscosity. Indigenous microbes are capable of improving the fluidity of heavy oil, by changing its high viscosity and producing lighter oil fractions. Many spore-forming bacteria were isolated from soil samples collected from oil fields in Oman. Among the isolates, an autochthonous spore-forming bacterium was found to enhance heavy oil recovery, which was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Paenibacillus ehimensis BS1. The isolate showed maximum growth at high heavy oil concentrations within four days of incubation. Biotransformation of heavy crude oil to light aliphatic and aromatic compounds and its potential in EOR was analyzed under aerobic and anaerobic reservoir conditions. The isolates were grown aerobically in Bushnell-Haas medium with 1% (w/v) heavy crude oil. The crude oil analyzed by GC-MS showed a significant biotransformation from the ninth day of incubation under aerobic conditions. The total biotransformation of heavy crude oil was 67.1% with 45.9% in aliphatic and 85.3% in aromatic fractions. Core flooding experiments were carried out by injecting the isolates in brine supplemented with Bushnell-Haas medium into Berea sandstone cores and were incubated for twelve days under oil reservoir conditions (50°C). The extra recovered oil was analyzed by GC-MS. The residual oil recovered from core flood experiments ranged between 10–13% compared to the control experiment. The GC-MS analyses of the extra recovered oil showed 38.99% biotransformation of heavy to light oil. The results also indicated the presence of 22.9% extra aliphatic compounds in the residual crude oil recovered compared to that of a control. The most abundant compound in the extra recovered crude oil was identified as 1-bromoeicosane. The investigations showed the potential of P. ehimensis BS1 in MEOR technology by the biotransformation of heavy to lighter crude oil under aerobic and reservoir conditions. Heavy oil recovery and biotransformation to lighter components are of great economic value and a few studies have been done. PMID:28196087

  4. A Compilation of In Vitro Rate and Affinity Values for Xenobiotic Biotransformation in Fish, Measured Under Physiological Conditions

    EPA Science Inventory

    This manuscript presents a summary of in vitro rate and affinity data for xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes in fish...One potential use of this data summary is to support in vitro to in vivo metabolism extrapolations which can be used as inputs to chemical kinetic models for f...

  5. Metabolic biotransformation half-lives in fish: QSAR modeling and consensus analysis.

    PubMed

    Papa, Ester; van der Wal, Leon; Arnot, Jon A; Gramatica, Paola

    2014-02-01

    Bioaccumulation in fish is a function of competing rates of chemical uptake and elimination. For hydrophobic organic chemicals bioconcentration, bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential are high and the biotransformation rate constant is a key parameter. Few measured biotransformation rate constant data are available compared to the number of chemicals that are being evaluated for bioaccumulation hazard and for exposure and risk assessment. Three new Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSARs) for predicting whole body biotransformation half-lives (HLN) in fish were developed and validated using theoretical molecular descriptors that seek to capture structural characteristics of the whole molecule and three data set splitting schemes. The new QSARs were developed using a minimal number of theoretical descriptors (n=9) and compared to existing QSARs developed using fragment contribution methods that include up to 59 descriptors. The predictive statistics of the models are similar thus further corroborating the predictive performance of the different QSARs; Q(2)ext ranges from 0.75 to 0.77, CCCext ranges from 0.86 to 0.87, RMSE in prediction ranges from 0.56 to 0.58. The new QSARs provide additional mechanistic insights into the biotransformation capacity of organic chemicals in fish by including whole molecule descriptors and they also include information on the domain of applicability for the chemical of interest. Advantages of consensus modeling for improving overall prediction and minimizing false negative errors in chemical screening assessments, for identifying potential sources of residual error in the empirical HLN database, and for identifying structural features that are not well represented in the HLN dataset to prioritize future testing needs are illustrated. © 2013.

  6. Biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments.

    PubMed

    McAvoy, Drew C; Pittinger, Charles A; Willis, Alison M

    2016-09-01

    The biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) was evaluated in anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments. In anaerobic digester sludge, TBBPA biotransformed rapidly with a 50% disappearance time (DT50) of 19 days, though little mineralization (1.1%) was observed. In aerobic soils, mineralization of TBBPA ranged from 17.5% to 21.6% with 55.3-83.6% of the TBBPA incorporated into the soils as a non-extractable bound residue. The DT50 for TBBPA in aerobic soils ranged from 5.3 to 7.7 days. In anaerobic soils, 48.3-100% of the TBBPA was incorporated into the soils as non-extractable bound residue with <4% mineralized. The soil fate studies demonstrated extensive incorporation of TBBPA into the solid matrix and this association was related to the amount of organic carbon in the soils (i.e., greater association of TBBPA with soil at higher organic carbon content). In anaerobic sediments the DT50 for TBBPA ranged from 28 to 42 days, whereas in aerobic sediments the DT50 for TBBPA ranged from 48 to 84 days and depended on the initial dose concentration. Most of the TBBPA in the sediment studies was incorporated as a non-extractable bound residue with little mineralization observed. Sediment extracts revealed three unknown biotransformation products and bisphenol A (BPA). These results were consistent with previously published studies where TBBPA biotransformed in anaerobic environments (digester sludge and sediments) by debromination and slowly mineralized in the test environments (anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments). Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. SEASONAL INFLUENCES ON PCB RETENTION AND BIOTRANSFORMATION IN FISH

    PubMed Central

    James, Margaret O.; Kleinow, Kevin M.

    2013-01-01

    There is extensive evidence that fish from waters with PCB-contaminated sediments accumulate PCBs and related chemicals, and that people who eat fish from contaminated waters have higher body burdens of PCBs and PCB metabolites than those who do not. PCBs and their metabolites are potentially toxic, thus it is important to human health to understand the uptake, biotransformation and elimination of PCBs in fish, since these processes determine the extent of accumulation. The intestinal uptake of PCBs present in the diet of fish into fish tissues is a process that is influenced by the lipid composition of the diet. Biotransformation of PCBs in fish, as in mammals, facilitates elimination, although many PCB congeners are recalcitrant to biotransformation in fish and mammals. Sequential biotransformation of PCBs by cytochrome P450 and conjugation pathways is even less efficient in fish than in mammalian species, thus contributing to the retention of PCBs in fish tissues. A very important factor influencing overall PCB disposition in fish is water temperature. Seasonal changes in water temperature produce adaptive physiological and biochemical changes in fish. While uptake of PCBs from the diet is similar in fish acclimated to winter or summer temperatures, there is evidence that elimination of PCBs occurs much more slowly when the fish is acclimated at low temperatures than at warmer temperatures. Research to date suggests that the processes of elimination of PCBs are modulated by several factors in fish including seasonal changes in water temperature. Thus, the body burden of PCBs in fish from a contaminated location is likely to vary with season. PMID:23494683

  8. Fluorotelomer ethoxylates: sources of highly fluorinated environmental contaminants part I: biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Frömel, Tobias; Knepper, Thomas P

    2010-09-01

    Polyethoxylated 2-perfluoroalkylethanols ('fluorotelomer ethoxylates', F-(CF(2)-CF(2)-)(x)-(CH(2)-CH(2)-O)(y)-H, FTEO) are an important class of non-ionic fluorinated surfactants, which have been disregarded as potential source of per- and polyfluorinated organic pollutants despite their high production and application amounts. A commercial mixture of FTEO with a perfluoroalkyl chain length between 6 and 10 carbon atoms and an ethoxymer distribution between 0 and 13 was subjected to a biodegradation test. Monitoring of the aerobic biotransformation process by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS showed that FTEO are rapidly transformed with a half-life of approximately 1d. Structural elucidation of the biotransformation products with the help of hybrid quadrupole--linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry revealed oxidation to the respective carboxylic acid followed by sequential shortening of ethoxylate units which led to FTEO carboxylates (FTEOC). The conversion rate of FTEOC was found to diminish with decreasing number of ethoxylate units and virtually ceased for compounds with seven intact ethoxy units. These short-chain FTEOC were not further degraded within 48d. Nonetheless, perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected, whose formation is ascribed to degradation of residual fluorotelomer alcohols present in the commercial product. This article represents the first of two parts of a series concerning FTEO. Whilst this part is clearly focused on results of a biodegradation study of FTEO, part two will pinpoint analytical aspects, synthesis of biotransformation products and first evidence of environmental presence of the biotransformation products. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. ESTIMATING CHLOROFORM BIOTRANSFORMATION IN F-344 RAT LIVER USING IN VITRO TECHNIQUES AND PHARMACOKINETIC MODELING

    EPA Science Inventory

    ESTIMATING CHLOROFORM BIOTRANSFORMATION IN F-344 RAT LIVER USING IN VITRO TECHNIQUES AND PHARMACOKINETIC MODELING

    Linskey, C.F.1, Harrison, R.A.2., Zhao, G.3., Barton, H.A., Lipscomb, J.C4., and Evans, M.V2., 1UNC, ESE, Chapel Hill, NC ; 2USEPA, ORD, NHEERL, RTP, NC; 3 UN...

  10. In vitro antimalarial studies of novel artemisinin biotransformed products and its derivatives.

    PubMed

    Gaur, Rashmi; Darokar, Mahendra P; Ajayakumar, P V; Shukla, Ram Sajiwan; Bhakuni, Rajendra Singh

    2014-11-01

    Biotransformation of antimalarial drug artemisinin by fungi Rhizopus stolonifer afforded three sesquiterpenoid derivatives. The transformed products were 1α-hydroxyartemisinin (3), 3.0%, a new compound, 10β-hydroxyartemisinin, 54.5% (4) and deoxyartemisinin (2) in 9% yield. The fungus expressed high-metabolism activity (66.5%). The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated by 1D, 2D NMR spectrometry and mass spectral data. The major compound 10β-hydroxyartemisinin (4) was chemically converted to five new derivatives 5-9. All the compounds 3-9 were subjected for in vitro anti-malarial activity. 10β-Hydroxy-12β-arteether (8), IC50 at 18.29nM was found to be 10 times better active than its precursor 4 (184.56nM) and equipotent antimalarial with natural drug artemisinin whereas the α-derivative 9 is 3 times better than 4 under in vitro conditions. Therefore, the major biotransformation product 4 can be exploited for further modification into new clinically potent molecules. The results show the versatility of microbial-catalyzed biotransformations leading to the introduction of a hydroxyl group at tertiary position in artemisinin in derivative (3). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Biotransformations of terpenes by fungi from Amazonian citrus plants.

    PubMed

    Moreno Rueda, Maria Gabriela; Guerrini, Alessandra; Giovannini, Pier Paolo; Medici, Alessandro; Grandini, Alessandro; Sacchetti, Gianni; Pedrini, Paola

    2013-10-01

    The biotransformations of (RS)-linalool (1), (S)-citronellal (2), and sabinene (3) with fungi isolated from the epicarp of fruits of Citrus genus of the Amazonian forest (i.e., C. limon, C. aurantifolia, C. aurantium, and C. paradisiaca) are reported. The more active strains have been characterized, and they belong to the genus Penicillium and Fusarium. Different biotransformation products have been obtained depending on fungi and substrates. (RS)-Linalool (1) afforded the (E)- and (Z)-furanlinalool oxides (7 and 8, resp.; 39 and 37% yield, resp.) with Fusarium sp. (1D2), 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (4; 49%) with F. fujikuroi, and 1-methyl-1-(4-methypentyl)oxiranemethanol (6; 42%) with F. concentricum. (S)-Citronellal (2) gave (S)-citronellol (12; 36-76%) and (S)-citronellic acid (11; 5-43%) with Fusarium species, while diastereoisomeric p-menthane-3,8-diols 13 and 14 (20 and 50% yield, resp.) were obtained as main products with Penicillium paxilli. Finally, both Fusarium species and P. paxilli biotransformed sabinene (3) to give mainly 4-terpineol (19; 23-56%), and (Z)- and (E)-sabinene hydrates (17 (3-21%) and 18 (11-17%), resp.). Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  12. Biotransformation of perfumery terpenoids, (−)-ambrox® by a fungal culture Macrophomina phaseolina and a plant cell suspension culture of Peganum harmala

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Biotransformation offers chemo enzymatic system to modify the compounds into their novel analogues which are difficult to synthesize by chemical methods. This paper describes the biotransformational studies of ambrox, one of the most important components of natural Ambergris (wale sperm) with fungal and plant cell culture. Results Biotransformation of (−)-ambrox (1) with a fungal cell culture of Macrophomina phaseolina and a plant cell suspension cultures of Peganum harmala yielded oxygenated products, 3β-hydroxyambrox (2), 6β-hydroxyambrox (3), 1α-hydroxy-3oxoambrox (4), 1α,3β-dihydroxyambrox (5), 13,14,15,16-tetranorlabdane-3-oxo-8,12-diol (6), 3-oxoambrox (7), 2α-hydroxyambrox (8), 3β-hydroxysclareolide (9), and 2α,3β-dihydroxyambrox (10). Metabolite 4 was found to be new compound. These metabolites were structurally characterized on the basis of spectroscopic studies. Conclusion Nine oxygenated metabolites of (−)-ambrox (1) were obtained from Macrophomina phaseolina and Peganum harmala. Enzymatic system of screened organisms introduced hydroxyl and keto functionalities at various positions of compound 1 in a stereo- and regio-controlled manner. PMID:22863186

  13. Two-Step Production of Phenylpyruvic Acid from L-Phenylalanine by Growing and Resting Cells of Engineered Escherichia coli: Process Optimization and Kinetics Modeling.

    PubMed

    Hou, Ying; Hossain, Gazi Sakir; Li, Jianghua; Shin, Hyun-Dong; Liu, Long; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

    2016-01-01

    Phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) is widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries. Here, a two-step bioconversion process, involving growing and resting cells, was established to produce PPA from l-phenylalanine using the engineered Escherichia coli constructed previously. First, the biotransformation conditions for growing cells were optimized (l-phenylalanine concentration 20.0 g·L-1, temperature 35°C) and a two-stage temperature control strategy (keep 20°C for 12 h and increase the temperature to 35°C until the end of biotransformation) was performed. The biotransformation conditions for resting cells were then optimized in 3-L bioreactor and the optimized conditions were as follows: agitation speed 500 rpm, aeration rate 1.5 vvm, and l-phenylalanine concentration 30 g·L-1. The total maximal production (mass conversion rate) reached 29.8 ± 2.1 g·L-1 (99.3%) and 75.1 ± 2.5 g·L-1 (93.9%) in the flask and 3-L bioreactor, respectively. Finally, a kinetic model was established, and it was revealed that the substrate and product inhibition were the main limiting factors for resting cell biotransformation.

  14. Biotransformation effect of Bombyx Mori L. may play an important role in treating diabetic nephropathy.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lei; Zhang, La; Li, Yin; Guo, Xin-Feng; Liu, Xu-Sheng

    2016-11-01

    Compared with herbal drugs, medicine processed from animals (animal medicine) was thought to have more bioactive substances and higher activities. Biotransformation effect often plays an important role in their effect. However, researches about effect of animal medicine on diabetic nephropathy and applying animal medicine as natural bio-transformer were seldom reported. The purpose of this paper was to reveal the use of Bombyx Mori L. on diabetic nephropathy from ancient to modern times. The classical literature indicated that Saosi Decoction (), which contains Bombyx Mori L. or silkworm cocoon, was applied to treat disorders congruent with modern disease diabetic nephropathy from the Ming to Qing Dynasty in ancient China. Modern studies showed that Bombyx Mori L. contains four main active constituents. Among these, 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and quercetin showed promising potential to be new agents in diabetic nephropathy treatment. The concentrations of 1-DNJ and the activities of quercetin in Bombyx Mori L. are higher than in mulberry leaves, because of the biotransformation in the Bombyx Mori L. body. However, these specifific components need further human and mechanistic studies to determine their therapeutic potential for this challenging condition.

  15. Method for predicting enzyme-catalyzed reactions

    DOEpatents

    Hlavacek, William S.; Unkefer, Clifford J.; Mu, Fangping; Unkefer, Pat J.

    2013-03-19

    The reactivity of given metabolites is assessed using selected empirical atomic properties in the potential reaction center. Metabolic reactions are represented as biotransformation rules. These rules are generalized from the patterns in reactions. These patterns are not unique to reactants but are widely distributed among metabolites. Using a metabolite database, potential substructures are identified in the metabolites for a given biotransformation. These substructures are divided into reactants or non-reactants, depending on whether they participate in the biotransformation or not. Each potential substructure is then modeled using descriptors of the topological and electronic properties of atoms in the potential reaction center; molecular properties can also be used. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) or classifier is trained to classify a potential reactant as a true or false reactant using these properties.

  16. Biotransformation of tryptamine derivatives in mycelial cultures of Psilocybe.

    PubMed

    Gartz, J

    1989-01-01

    Mycelial cultures of Psilocybe cubensis capable of forming psilocybin and psilocin de novo display a high capacity for hydroxylation of tryptamine derivatives at the 4-position. A specific biotransformation of added synthetic N,N-diethyl-tryptamine was found. Thus high amounts of 4-hydroxy-N,N-diethyltryptamine (up to 3.3%) and a minor quantity of 4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-diethyltryptamine (0.01-0.8%) were isolated from fruiting bodies of Psilocybe cubensis in corresponding experiments. This is the first example of a directed biosynthesis of tryptamine substances by fungi. An effective biotransformation of N-methyltryptamine was also demonstrated with surface cultures of Psilocybe semilanceata. Baeocystin, a possible natural precursor of psilocybin, was detected and quantified in the biomasses. No alkaloids could be found in the culture medium.

  17. Biotransformation of 2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) by Denitrifying Pseudomonas sp. Strain FA1

    PubMed Central

    Bhushan, Bharat; Paquet, Louise; Spain, Jim C.; Hawari, Jalal

    2003-01-01

    The microbial and enzymatic degradation of a new energetic compound, 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20), is not well understood. Fundamental knowledge about the mechanism of microbial degradation of CL-20 is essential to allow the prediction of its fate in the environment. In the present study, a CL-20-degrading denitrifying strain capable of utilizing CL-20 as the sole nitrogen source, Pseudomonas sp. strain FA1, was isolated from a garden soil. Studies with intact cells showed that aerobic conditions were required for bacterial growth and that anaerobic conditions enhanced CL-20 biotransformation. An enzyme(s) involved in the initial biotransformation of CL-20 was shown to be membrane associated and NADH dependent, and its expression was up-regulated about 2.2-fold in CL-20-induced cells. The rates of CL-20 biotransformation by the resting cells and the membrane-enzyme preparation were 3.2 ± 0.1 nmol h−1 mg of cell biomass−1 and 11.5 ± 0.4 nmol h−1 mg of protein−1, respectively, under anaerobic conditions. In the membrane-enzyme-catalyzed reactions, 2.3 nitrite ions (NO2−), 1.5 molecules of nitrous oxide (N2O), and 1.7 molecules of formic acid (HCOOH) were produced per reacted CL-20 molecule. The membrane-enzyme preparation reduced nitrite to nitrous oxide under anaerobic conditions. A comparative study of native enzymes, deflavoenzymes, and a reconstituted enzyme(s) and their subsequent inhibition by diphenyliodonium revealed that biotransformation of CL-20 is catalyzed by a membrane-associated flavoenzyme. The latter catalyzed an oxygen-sensitive one-electron transfer reaction that caused initial N denitration of CL-20. PMID:12957905

  18. 4-Hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal metabolism differs in Apc(+/+) cells and in Apc(Min/+) cells: it may explain colon cancer promotion by heme iron.

    PubMed

    Baradat, Maryse; Jouanin, Isabelle; Dalleau, Sabine; Taché, Sylviane; Gieules, Mathilde; Debrauwer, Laurent; Canlet, Cécile; Huc, Laurence; Dupuy, Jacques; Pierre, Fabrice H F; Guéraud, Françoise

    2011-11-21

    Animal and epidemiological studies suggest that dietary heme iron would promote colorectal cancer. Oxidative properties of heme could lead to the formation of cytotoxic and genotoxic secondary lipid oxidation products, such as 4-hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal (HNE). This compound is more cytotoxic to mouse wild-type colon cells than to isogenic cells with a mutation on the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. The latter thus have a selective advantage, possibly leading to cancer promotion. This mutation is an early and frequent event in human colorectal cancer. To explain this difference, the HNE biotransformation capacities of the two cell types have been studied using radiolabeled and stable isotope-labeled HNE. Apc-mutated cells showed better biotransformation capacities than nonmutated cells did. Thiol compound conjugation capacities were higher for mutated cells, with an important advantage for the extracellular conjugation to cysteine. Both cells types were able to reduce HNE to 4-hydroxynonanal, a biotransformation pathway that has not been reported for other intestinal cells. Mutated cells showed higher capacities to oxidize 4-hydroxynonanal into 4-hydroxynonanoic acid. The mRNA expression of different enzymes involved in HNE metabolism such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1, 2 and 3A1, glutathione transferase A4-4, or cystine transporter xCT was upregulated in mutated cells compared with wild-type cells. In conclusion, this study suggests that Apc-mutated cells are more efficient than wild-type cells in metabolizing HNE into thiol conjugates and 4-hydroxynonanoic acid due to the higher expression of key biotransformation enzymes. These differential biotransformation capacities would explain the differences of susceptibility between normal and Apc-mutated cells regarding secondary lipid oxidation products.

  19. Biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate occurs concurrently with relaxation of rabbit aorta

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brien, J.F.; McLaughlin, B.E.; Breedon, T.H.

    1986-05-01

    This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is involved in GTN-induced relaxation of vascular smooth muscle. Isolated rabbit aortic strips (RAS) were contracted submaximally with phenylephrine (PE) and then were incubated with 0.5 microM (/sup 14/C)GTN in a time course study. GTN-induced relaxation (inhibition of PE-induced tone) of RAS was monitored and tissue GTN and glyceryl-1,2- and 1,3-dinitrate (GDN) concentrations were measured by thin-layer chromatography and liquid scintillation spectrometry at 0.5, 1, 2 and 20 min after incubation. Biotransformation of GTN to GDN occurred during GTN-induced relaxation of RAS. The tissue GDN concentrationmore » was dependent on the time duration of incubation with GTN and was related to the magnitude of GTN-induced tissue relaxation. At the 20-min interval, the GDN concentration in the incubation medium indicated appreciable efflux of GDN metabolites from the RAS. In the biotransformation of GTN by RAS, there was about 4-fold preferential formation of 1,2-GDN compared with 1,3-GDN. RAS were made tolerant to GTN in vitro by incubation with 500 microM GTN for 1 hr. After washing, GTN-tolerant and nontolerant (incubation with vehicle for 1 hr) RAS were contracted submaximally with PE, and then were incubated with 0.5 microM (/sup 14/C)GTN for 2 min. GTN-induced relaxation of RAS and tissue GDN concentration were significantly less for GTN-tolerant tissue compared with nontolerant tissue. Tissue GTN concentration was similar for both GTN-tolerant and nontolerant RAS, which indicated that the tissue uptake of GTN was similar and that GTN biotransformation was diminished in tolerant tissue.(ABST« less

  20. Sources and Fate of Chiral Organochlorine Pesticides in Western U.S. National Park Ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Genualdi, Susan A.; Hageman, Kimberly J.; Ackerman, Luke K.; Usenko, Sascha; Simonich, Staci L. Massey

    2011-01-01

    The enantiomer fractions (EFs) of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), cis-, trans-, and oxychlordane, and heptachlor epoxide were measured in 73 snow, fish, and sediment samples collected from remote lake catchments, over a wide range of latitudes, in seven western U.S. National Parks/Preserves in order to investigate their sources, fate, accumulation and biotransformation in these ecosystems. The present study is novel because these lakes had no inflow or outflow and the measurement of chiral organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) EFs in snowpack from these lake catchments provided a better understanding of the OCP sources in the Western U.S., while their measurement in fish and sediment provided a better understanding of their biotic transformations within the lake catchments. Non-racemic α-HCH was measured in seasonal snowpack collected from continental U.S. National Parks, while racemic α-HCH was measured in seasonal snowpack collected from the Alaskan parks, suggesting the influence of regional sources to the continental U.S. parks and long-range sources to the Alaskan parks. The α-HCH EFs measured in trout collected from the lake catchments were similar to the α-HCH EFs measured in seasonal snowpack collected from the same lake catchments, suggesting that these fish did not biotransform α-HCH enantioselectively. Racemic cis-chlordane was measured in seasonal snowpack and sediment collected from Sequoia, indicating that it had not undergone significant enantioselective biotransformation in urban soils since its use as a termiticide in the surrounding urban areas. However, non-racemic cis-chlordane was measured in seasonal snowpack and sediments from Rocky Mountain, suggesting cis-chlordane does undergo enantioselective biotransformation in agricultural soils. The trout from these lakes showed preferential biotransformation of the (+)-enantiomer of cis-chlordane and the (−)-enantiomer of trans-chlordane. PMID:21462235

  1. Application of the relative activity factor approach in scaling from heterologously expressed cytochromes p450 to human liver microsomes: studies on amitriptyline as a model substrate.

    PubMed

    Venkatakrishnan, K; von Moltke, L L; Greenblatt, D J

    2001-04-01

    The relative activity factor (RAF) approach is being increasingly used in the quantitative phenotyping of multienzyme drug biotransformations. Using lymphoblast-expressed cytochromes P450 (CYPs) and the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline as a model substrate, we have tested the hypothesis that the human liver microsomal rates of a biotransformation mediated by multiple CYP isoforms can be mathematically reconstructed from the rates of the biotransformation catalyzed by individual recombinant CYPs using the RAF approach, and that the RAF approach can be used for the in vitro-in vivo scaling of pharmacokinetic clearance from in vitro intrinsic clearance measurements in heterologous expression systems. In addition, we have compared the results of two widely used methods of quantitative reaction phenotyping, namely, chemical inhibition studies and the prediction of relative contributions of individual CYP isoforms using the RAF approach. For the pathways of N-demethylation (mediated by CYPs 1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4) and E-10 hydroxylation (mediated by CYPs 2B6, 2D6, and 3A4), the model-predicted biotransformation rates in microsomes from a panel of 12 human livers determined from enzyme kinetic parameters of the recombinant CYPs were similar to, and correlated with the observed rates. The model-predicted clearance via N-demethylation was 53% lower than the previously reported in vivo pharmacokinetic estimates. Model-predicted relative contributions of individual CYP isoforms to the net biotransformation rate were similar to, and correlated with the fractional decrement in human liver microsomal reaction rates by chemical inhibitors of the respective CYPs, provided the chemical inhibitors used were specific to their target CYP isoforms.

  2. Risk element immobilization/stabilization potential of fungal-transformed dry olive residue and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi application in contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    García-Sánchez, Mercedes; Stejskalová, Tereza; García-Romera, Inmaculada; Száková, Jiřina; Tlustoš, Pavel

    2017-10-01

    The use of biotransformed dry olive residue (DOR) as organic soil amendment has recently been proposed due to its high contents of stabilized organic matter and nutrients. The potential of biotransformed DOR to immobilize risk elements in contaminated soils might qualify DOR as a potential risk element stabilization agent for in situ soil reclamation practices. In this experiment, the mobility of risk elements in response to Penicillium chrysogenum-10-transformed DOR, Funalia floccosa-transformed DOR, Bjerkandera adusta-transformed DOR, and Chondrostereum purpureum-transformed DOR as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Funneliformis mosseae, inoculation was investigated. We evaluated the effect of these treatments on risk element uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants in a pot experiment with Cd, Pb, and Zn contaminated soil. The results showed a significant impact of the combined treatment (biotransformed DOR and AMF inoculation) on wheat plant growth and element mobility. The mobile proportions of elements in the treated soils were related to soil pH; with increasing pH levels, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, P, Pb, and Zn mobility decreased significantly (r values between -0.36 and -0.46), while Ca and Mg mobility increased (r = 0.63, and r = 0.51, respectively). The application of biotransformed DOR decreased risk element levels (Cd, Zn), and nutrient concentrations (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn) in the aboveground biomass, where the elements were retained in the roots. Thus, biotransformed DOR in combination with AMF resulted in a higher capacity of wheat plants to grow under detrimental conditions, being able to accumulate high amounts of risk elements in the roots. However, risk element reduction was insufficient for safe crop production in the extremely contaminated soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Impacts of environmental factors on arsenate biotransformation and release in Microcystis aeruginosa using the Taguchi experimental design approach.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhenhong; Luo, Zhuanxi; Yan, Changzhou; Xing, Baoshan

    2017-07-01

    Very limited information is available on how and to what extent environmental factors influence arsenic (As) biotransformation and release in freshwater algae. These factors include concentrations of arsenate (As(V)), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), and ambient pH. This study conducted a series of experiments using Taguchi methods to determine optimum conditions for As biotransformation. We assessed principal effective factors of As(V), N, P, and pH and determined that As biotransformation and release actuate at 10.0 μM As(V) in dead alga cells, the As efflux ratio and organic As efflux content actuate at 1.0 mg/L P, algal growth and intracellular arsenite (As(III)) content actuate at 10.0 mg/L N, and the total sum of As(III) efflux from dead alga cells actuates at a pH level of 10. Moreover, N is the critical component for As(V) biotransformation in M. aeruginosa, specifically for As(III) transformation, because N can accelerate algal growth, subsequently improving As(III) accumulation and its efflux, which results in an As(V) to As(III) reduction. Furthermore, low P concentrations in combination with high N concentrations promote As accumulation. Following As(V), P was the primary impacting factor for As accumulation. In addition, small amounts of As accumulation under low concentrations of As and high P were securely stored in living algal cells and were easily released after cell death. Results from this study will help to assess practical applications and the overall control of key environmental factors, particularly those associated with algal bioremediation in As polluted water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Microbial enhanced heavy crude oil recovery through biodegradation using bacterial isolates from an Omani oil field.

    PubMed

    Al-Sayegh, Abdullah; Al-Wahaibi, Yahya; Al-Bahry, Saif; Elshafie, Abdulkadir; Al-Bemani, Ali; Joshi, Sanket

    2015-09-16

    Biodegradation is a cheap and environmentally friendly process that could breakdown and utilizes heavy crude oil (HCO) resources. Numerous bacteria are able to grow using hydrocarbons as a carbon source; however, bacteria that are able to grow using HCO hydrocarbons are limited. In this study, HCO degrading bacteria were isolated from an Omani heavy crude oil field. They were then identified and assessed for their biodegradation and biotransformation abilities under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Bacteria were grown in five different minimum salts media. The isolates were identified by MALDI biotyper and 16S rRNA sequencing. The nucleotide sequences were submitted to GenBank (NCBI) database. The bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis. To assess microbial growth and biodegradation of HCO by well-assay on agar plates, samples were collected at different intervals. The HCO biodegradation and biotransformation were determined using GC-FID, which showed direct correlation of microbial growth with an increased biotransformation of light hydrocarbons (C12 and C14). Among the isolates, B. licheniformis AS5 was the most efficient isolate in biodegradation and biotransformation of the HCO. Therefore, isolate AS5 was used for heavy crude oil recovery experiments, in core flooding experiments using Berea core plugs, where an additional 16 % of oil initially in place was recovered. This is the first report from Oman for bacteria isolated from an oil field that were able to degrade and transform HCO to lighter components, illustrating the potential use in HCO recovery. The data suggested that biodegradation and biotransformation processes may lead to additional oil recovery from heavy oil fields, if bacteria are grown in suitable medium under optimum growth conditions.

  5. Enhanced Biotransformation of Fluoranthene by Intertidally Derived Cunninghamella elegans under Biofilm-Based and Niche-Mimicking Conditions

    PubMed Central

    Mitra, Sayani; Pramanik, Arnab; Banerjee, Srijoni; Haldar, Saubhik; Gachhui, Ratan

    2013-01-01

    The aims of the investigation were to ascertain if surface attachment of Cunninghamella elegans and niche intertidal conditions provided in a bioreactor influenced biotransformation of fluoranthene by C. elegans. A newly designed polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) conico-cylindrical flask (CCF) holding eight equidistantly spaced rectangular strips mounted radially on a circular disc allowed comparison of fluoranthene biotransformation between CCFs with a hydrophobic surface (PMMA-CCF) and a hydrophilic glass surface (GS-CCF) and a 500-ml Erlenmeyer flask (EF). Fluoranthene biotransformation was higher by 22-fold, biofilm growth was higher by 3-fold, and cytochrome P450 gene expression was higher by 2.1-fold when C. elegans was cultivated with 2% inoculum as biofilm culture in PMMA-CCF compared to planktonic culture in EF. Biotransformation was enhanced by 7-fold with 10% inoculum. The temporal pattern of biofilm progression based on three-channel fluorescence detection by confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated well-developed, stable biofilm with greater colocalization of fluoranthene within extracellular polymeric substances and filaments of the biofilm grown on PMMA in contrast to a glass surface. A bioreactor with discs rotating at 2 revolutions per day affording 6-hourly emersion and immersion mimicked the niche intertidal habitat of C. elegans and supported biofilm formation and transformation of fluoranthene. The amount of transformed metabolite was 3.5-fold, biofilm growth was 3-fold, and cytochrome P450 gene expression was 1.9-fold higher in the process mimicking the intertidal conditions than in a submerged process without disc rotation. In the CCF and reactor, where biofilm formation was comparatively greater, higher concentration of exopolysaccharides allowed increased mobilization of fluoranthene within the biofilm with consequential higher gene expression leading to enhanced volumetric productivity. PMID:24038685

  6. Identification of the major human hepatic and placental enzymes responsible for the biotransformation of glyburide

    PubMed Central

    Zharikova, Olga L.; Fokina, Valentina M.; Nanovskaya, Tatiana N.; Hill, Ronald A.; Mattison, Donald R.; Hankins, Gary D.V.; Ahmed, Mahmoud S.

    2014-01-01

    One of the factors affecting the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a drug during pregnancy is the activity of hepatic and placental metabolizing enzymes. Recently, we reported on the biotransformation of glyburide by human hepatic and placental microsomes to six metabolites that are structurally identical between the two tissues. Two of the metabolites, 4-trans- (M1) and 3-cis-hydroxycyclohexyl glyburide (M2b), were previously identified in plasma and urine of patients treated with glyburide and are pharmacologically active. The aim of this investigation was to identify the major human hepatic and placental CYP450 isozymes responsible for the formation of each metabolite of glyburide. This was achieved by the use of chemical inhibitors selective for individual CYP isozymes and antibodies raised against them. The identification was confirmed by the kinetic constants for the biotransformation of glyburide by cDNA-expressed enzymes. The data revealed that the major hepatic isozymes responsible for the formation of each metabolite are as follows: CYP3A4 (ethylene-hydroxylated glyburide (M5), 3-trans-(M3) and 2-trans-(M4) cyclohexyl glyburide); CYP2C9 (M1, M2a( 4-cis-) and M2b); CYP2C8 (M1 and M2b); and CYP2C19 (M2a). Human placental microsomal CYP19/aromatase was the major isozyme responsible for the biotransformation of glyburide to predominantly M5. The formation of significant amounts of M5 by CYP19 in the placenta could render this metabolite more accessible to the fetal circulation. The multiplicity of enzymes biotransforming glyburide and the metabolites formed underscores the potential for its drug interactions in vivo. PMID:19679108

  7. Identification of the major human hepatic and placental enzymes responsible for the biotransformation of glyburide.

    PubMed

    Zharikova, Olga L; Fokina, Valentina M; Nanovskaya, Tatiana N; Hill, Ronald A; Mattison, Donald R; Hankins, Gary D V; Ahmed, Mahmoud S

    2009-12-15

    One of the factors affecting the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a drug during pregnancy is the activity of hepatic and placental metabolizing enzymes. Recently, we reported on the biotransformation of glyburide by human hepatic and placental microsomes to six metabolites that are structurally identical between the two tissues. Two of the metabolites, 4-trans-(M1) and 3-cis-hydroxycyclohexyl glyburide (M2b), were previously identified in plasma and urine of patients treated with glyburide and are pharmacologically active. The aim of this investigation was to identify the major human hepatic and placental CYP450 isozymes responsible for the formation of each metabolite of glyburide. This was achieved by the use of chemical inhibitors selective for individual CYP isozymes and antibodies raised against them. The identification was confirmed by the kinetic constants for the biotransformation of glyburide by cDNA-expressed enzymes. The data revealed that the major hepatic isozymes responsible for the formation of each metabolite are as follows: CYP3A4 (ethylene-hydroxylated glyburide (M5), 3-trans-(M3) and 2-trans-(M4) cyclohexyl glyburide); CYP2C9 (M1, M2a (4-cis-) and M2b); CYP2C8 (M1 and M2b); and CYP2C19 (M2a). Human placental microsomal CYP19/aromatase was the major isozyme responsible for the biotransformation of glyburide to predominantly M5. The formation of significant amounts of M5 by CYP19 in the placenta could render this metabolite more accessible to the fetal circulation. The multiplicity of enzymes biotransforming glyburide and the metabolites formed underscores the potential for its drug interactions in vivo.

  8. Biodegradation in seawater of PAH and alkylphenols from produced water of a North Sea platform.

    PubMed

    Lofthus, Synnøve; Almås, Inger K; Evans, Peter; Pelz, Oliver; Brakstad, Odd Gunnar

    2018-09-01

    Operational planned discharges of produced water (PW) to the marine environment from offshore oil production installations, contain low concentrations of dispersed oil compounds, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated phenols (APs). Biotransformation in natural seawater (SW) of naphthalenes/PAHs and phenol/APs in field-collected PW from a North Sea platform was investigated in this biodegradation study. The PW was diluted in SW from a Norwegian fjord, and the biodegradation study was performed in slowly rotating carousels at 13 °C over a period of 62 days. Naphthalenes/PAHs and phenol/APs biotransformation was determined by first-order rate kinetics, after normalization against the recalcitrant biomarker 17α(H),21β(H)-Hopane. The results from this study showed total biotransformation half-lives ranging from 10 to 19 days for groups of naphthalenes and PAHs, while half-lives for APs (C0- to C9-alkylated) were 10-14 days. Biotransformation half-lives of single compounds ranged from 8 to >100 days for naphthalenes and PAHs (median 16 days), and from 5 to 70 days (median 15 days) for phenols and APs. Four of the tested PAHs (chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(e)pyrene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene) and one AP (4-tert-butylphenol) showed biotransformation half-lives >50 days. This is one of a few studies that has investigated the potential for biodegradation of PW in natural SW. Methods and data from this study may be used as a part of Risk Based Approaches (RBA) for assessments of environmental fate of PW released to the marine environment and as part of the persistence related to risk. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Incorporation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) transforming bacteria into explosive formulations.

    PubMed

    Nyanhongo, G S; Aichernig, N; Ortner, M; Steiner, Walter; Guebitz, G M

    2009-06-15

    Pseudomonas putida GG04 and Bacillus SF have been successfully incorporated into an explosive formulation to enhance biotransformation of TNT residues and/or explosives which fail to detonate due to technical faults. The incorporation of the microorganisms into the explosive did not affect the quality of the explosive (5 years storage) in terms of detonation velocity while complete biotransformation of TNT moieties upon transfer in liquid media was observed after 5 days. The incorporated microorganisms reduced TNT sequentially leading to the formation of hydroxylaminodinitrotoluenes (HADNT), 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluenes; 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluenes, different azoxy compounds; 2,6-diaminonitrotoluenes (2,4-DAMNT) and 2,4-diaminonitrotoluenes (2,6-DAMNT). However, the accumulation of AMDNT and DAMNT (major dead-end metabolites) was effectively prevented by incorporating guaiacol and catechol during the biotransformation process.

  10. Synthesis of a new allelopathic agent from the biotransformation of ent-15α-hydroxy-16-kauren-19-oic acid with Fusarium proliferatum.

    PubMed

    Rocha, A D; Vieira, H da S; Takahashi, J A; Boaventura, M A D

    2017-11-01

    The use of kaurane diterpenes as substrates in fungal biotransformation to achieve bioactive compounds has been widely reported. In this work, the natural product kaurenoic acid, a diterpene widely distributed in the plant Kingdom, was chemically converted into ent-15α-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (1). Substrate 1 was subjected to biotransformation by the fungus Fusarium proliferatum, furnishing a new derivative, ent-2α,15α-dihydroxy-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (2). The structure of metabolite 2 was deduced on the basis of spectroscopy and MS data. Derivative 2 showed allelopathic activity on germination and growth of root and stem of lettuce (Lactuca sativa), inhibiting 100% of germination and growth of roots and stem, at higher concentration assayed (10 -4  mol/L).

  11. Free Radical Mechanisms of Xenobiotic Mammalian Cytotoxicities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-06-30

    injury process was mediated through biotransformation of the halocarbons to a free radical intermediate, similar to what happens in the liver . However...peroxidation) of antioxidant agents - is not limited to the liver , but also occurs in vascular cells as well. Unlike the liver , where most of the injury is...frequent mechanism of xenobiotic liver toxicity is biotransformation by cytochrome P,5o-enzymes to toxic free radical intermediates. The primary objective

  12. Tissue Distribution, Excretion, and Hepatic Biotransformation of Microcystin-LR in Mice

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-07-09

    TO 900709 43 16. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION 17. COSATI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) FIELD...GROUP SUB-GROUP Imicrocystin-LR, pharmacokinetics, biotransformation, protein binding 19, ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block...the column measured with blue dextrin . Fig. 6. Econo-Pac 1ODG desalting column profile of hepatic- cytosolic radiolabel under denaturing conditions

  13. Bioactive metabolites from biotransformation of paeonol by the white-rot basidiomycete Coriolus versicolor.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiao-Jun; Shi, Xin-Wei; Shuai, Qi; Gao, Jin-Ming; Zhang, An-Ling

    2011-08-01

    Biotransformation of paeonol (1) with the white-rot basidiomycete Coriolus versicolor afforded two metabolites, 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone (2) and 2,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone (3), which were identified by spectroscopic methods. Compound 3 showed higher antioxidative, antibacterial, antifungal activities than 1 or 2. The results demonstrate for the first time that C. versicolor has the capacities to catalyze hydroxylation and demethylation reactions on the aromatic compound.

  14. Influence of Aroclor 1242 concentration on polychlorinated biphenyl biotransformations in Hudson River test tube microcosms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fish, K.M.

    1996-08-01

    PCBs are a family of compounds sold with various levels of chlorination and under different trade names. They have accumulated in soils, sediments, and biota, raising concerns about possible health risks. The upper Hudson River was contaminated with Aroclor 1242. This study examines the influence of Aroclor concentration on PCB biotransformations in the upper Hudson River sediment. 6 refs., 3 figs.

  15. Effect of pine bark on the biotransformation of trinitrotoluene and on the bacterial community structure in a batch experiment.

    PubMed

    Chusova, Olga; Nolvak, Hiie; Nehrenheim, Emma; Truu, Jaak; Odlare, Monica; Oopkaup, Kristjan; Truu, Marika

    2014-01-01

    Pine bark, a low-cost industrial residue, has been suggested as a promising substitute for granular activated carbon in the on-site treatment of water contaminated with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). However, the complex organic structure and indigenous microbial community of pine bark have thus far not been thoroughly described in the context of TNT-contaminated water treatment. This two-week batch study examined the removal efficiency ofTNT from water by (1) adsorption on pine bark and (2) simultaneous adsorption on pine bark and biotransformation by specialized TNT-biotransforming microbial inocula. The bacterial community composition of experimental batches, inocula and pine bark, was profiled by Illumina sequencing of the V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The results revealed that the inocula and experimental batches were dominated by phylotypes belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family and that the tested inocula had good potential for TNT biotransformation. The type of applied inocula had the most profound effect on the TNT-transforming bacterial community structure in the experimental batches. The indigenous microbial community of pine bark harboured phylotypes that also have a potential to degrade TNT. Altogether, the combination of a specialized inoculum and pine bark proved to be the most efficient treatment option for TNT-contaminated water.

  16. Accumulation, biotransformation, histopathology and paralysis in the Pacific calico scallop Argopecten ventricosus by the paralyzing toxins of the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum.

    PubMed

    Escobedo-Lozano, Amada Y; Estrada, Norma; Ascencio, Felipe; Contreras, Gerardo; Alonso-Rodriguez, Rosalba

    2012-05-01

    The dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum produces paralyzing shellfish poisons that are consumed and accumulated by bivalves. We performed short-term feeding experiments to examine ingestion, accumulation, biotransformation, histopathology, and paralysis in the juvenile Pacific calico scallop Argopecten ventricosus that consume this dinoflagellate. Depletion of algal cells was measured in closed systems. Histopathological preparations were microscopically analyzed. Paralysis was observed and the time of recovery recorded. Accumulation and possible biotransformation of toxins were measured by HPLC analysis. Feeding activity in treated scallops showed that scallops produced pseudofeces, ingestion rates decreased at 8 h; approximately 60% of the scallops were paralyzed and melanin production and hemocyte aggregation were observed in several tissues at 15 h. HPLC analysis showed that the only toxins present in the dinoflagellates and scallops were the N-sulfo-carbamoyl toxins (C1, C2); after hydrolysis, the carbamate toxins (epimers GTX2/3) were present. C1 and C2 toxins were most common in the mantle, followed by the digestive gland and stomach-complex, adductor muscle, kidney and rectum group, and finally, gills. Toxin profiles in scallop tissue were similar to the dinoflagellate; biotransformations were not present in the scallops in this short-term feeding experiment.

  17. Accumulation, Biotransformation, Histopathology and Paralysis in the Pacific Calico Scallop Argopecten ventricosus by the Paralyzing Toxins of the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum

    PubMed Central

    Escobedo-Lozano, Amada Y.; Estrada, Norma; Ascencio, Felipe; Contreras, Gerardo; Alonso-Rodriguez, Rosalba

    2012-01-01

    The dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum produces paralyzing shellfish poisons that are consumed and accumulated by bivalves. We performed short-term feeding experiments to examine ingestion, accumulation, biotransformation, histopathology, and paralysis in the juvenile Pacific calico scallop Argopecten ventricosus that consume this dinoflagellate. Depletion of algal cells was measured in closed systems. Histopathological preparations were microscopically analyzed. Paralysis was observed and the time of recovery recorded. Accumulation and possible biotransformation of toxins were measured by HPLC analysis. Feeding activity in treated scallops showed that scallops produced pseudofeces, ingestion rates decreased at 8 h; approximately 60% of the scallops were paralyzed and melanin production and hemocyte aggregation were observed in several tissues at 15 h. HPLC analysis showed that the only toxins present in the dinoflagellates and scallops were the N-sulfo-carbamoyl toxins (C1, C2); after hydrolysis, the carbamate toxins (epimers GTX2/3) were present. C1 and C2 toxins were most common in the mantle, followed by the digestive gland and stomach-complex, adductor muscle, kidney and rectum group, and finally, gills. Toxin profiles in scallop tissue were similar to the dinoflagellate; biotransformations were not present in the scallops in this short-term feeding experiment. PMID:22822356

  18. Biotransformation of benzo[a]pyrene by the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis M2-7.

    PubMed

    Guevara-Luna, Joseph; Alvarez-Fitz, Patricia; Ríos-Leal, Elvira; Acevedo-Quiroz, Macdiel; Encarnación-Guevara, Sergio; Moreno-Godinez, Ma Elena; Castellanos-Escamilla, Mildred; Toribio-Jiménez, Jeiry; Romero-Ramírez, Yanet

    2018-06-09

    Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is recognized as a potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic hydrocarbon, and thus, its removal from the environment is a priority. The use of thermophilic bacteria capable of biodegrading or biotransforming this compound to less toxic forms has been explored in recent decades, since it provides advantages compared to mesophilic organisms. This study assessed the biotransformation of BaP by the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis M2-7. Our analysis of the biotransformation process mediated by strain M2-7 on BaP shows that it begins during the first 3 h of culture. The gas chromatogram of the compound produced shows a peak with a retention time of 17.38 min, and the mass spectra shows an approximate molecular ion of m/z 167, which coincides with the molecular weight of the chemical formula C 6 H 4 (COOH) 2 , confirming a chemical structure corresponding to phthalic acid. Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) enzyme activity was detected in minimal saline medium supplemented with BaP (0.33 U mg -1 of protein). This finding suggests that B. licheniformis M2-7 uses the meta pathway for biodegrading BaP using the enzyme C23O, thereby generating phthalic acid as an intermediate.

  19. Biotransformation of acyclovir by an enriched nitrifying culture.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yifeng; Yuan, Zhiguo; Ni, Bing-Jie

    2017-03-01

    This work evaluates the biodegradation of the antiviral drug acyclovir by an enriched nitrifying culture during ammonia oxidation and without the addition of ammonium. The study on kinetics was accompanied with the structural elucidation of biotransformation products through batch biodegradation experiments at two different initial levels of acyclovir (15 mg L -1 and 15 μg L -1 ). The pseudo first order kinetic studies of acyclovir in the presence of ammonium indicated the higher degradation rates under higher ammonia oxidation rates than those constant degradation rates in the absence of ammonium. The positive correlation was found between acyclovir degradation rate and ammonia oxidation rate, confirming the cometabolism of acyclovir by the enriched nitrifying culture in the presence of ammonium. Formation of the product carboxy-acyclovir (P239) indicated the main biotransformation pathway was aerobic oxidation of the terminal hydroxyl group, which was independent on the metabolic type (i.e. cometabolism or metabolism). This enzyme-linked reaction might be catalyzed by monooxygenase from ammonia oxidizing bacteria or heterotrophs. The formation of carboxy-acyclovir was demonstrated to be irrelevant to the acyclovir concentrations applied, indicating the revealed biotransformation pathway might be the dominant removal pathway of acyclovir in wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Unveiling the biotransformation mechanism of indole in a Cupriavidus sp. strain.

    PubMed

    Qu, Yuanyuan; Ma, Qiao; Liu, Ziyan; Wang, Weiwei; Tang, Hongzhi; Zhou, Jiti; Xu, Ping

    2017-12-01

    Indole, an important signaling molecule as well as a typical N-heterocyclic aromatic pollutant, is widespread in nature. However, the biotransformation mechanisms of indole are still poorly studied. Here, we sought to unlock the genetic determinants of indole biotransformation in strain Cupriavidus sp. SHE based on genomics, proteomics and functional studies. A total of 177 proteins were notably altered (118 up- and 59 downregulated) in cells grown in indole mineral salt medium when compared with that in sodium citrate medium. RT-qPCR and gene knockout assays demonstrated that an indole oxygenase gene cluster was responsible for the indole upstream metabolism. A functional indole oxygenase, termed IndA, was identified in the cluster, and its catalytic efficiency was higher than those of previously reported indole oxidation enzymes. Furthermore, the indole downstream metabolism was found to proceed via the atypical CoA-thioester pathway rather than conventional gentisate and salicylate pathways. This unusual pathway was catalyzed by a conserved 2-aminobenzoyl-CoA gene cluster, among which the 2-aminobenzoyl-CoA ligase initiated anthranilate transformation. This study unveils the genetic determinants of indole biotransformation and will provide new insights into our understanding of indole biodegradation in natural environments and its functional studies. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Deriving in vivo biotransformation rate constants and metabolite parent concentration factor/stable metabolite factor from bioaccumulation and bioconcentration experiments: An illustration with worm accumulation data.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Dave Ta Fu; Chen, Ciara Chun

    2016-12-01

    Growing concern for the biological fate of organic contaminants and their metabolites and the urge to connect in vitro and in vivo toxicokinetics have prompted researchers to characterize the biotransformation behavior of organic contaminants in biota. The whole body biotransformation rate constant (k M ) is currently determined by the difference approach, which has significant methodological limitations. A new approach for determining k M from the kinetic observations of the parent contaminant and its intermediate metabolites is proposed. In this method, k M can be determined by fitting kinetic data of the parent contaminant and the metabolites to analytical equations that depict the bioaccumulation kinetics. The application of the proposed method is illustrated using worm bioaccumulation-biotransformation data collected from the literature. Furthermore, a metabolite parent concentration factor (MPCF) is also proposed to characterize the persistence of the metabolite in biota. Because both the proposed k M method and MPCF build on the existing theoretical framework for bioaccumulation, they can be readily incorporated into standard experimental bioaccumulation protocols or risk assessment procedures or frameworks. Possible limitations, implications, and future directions are elaborated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2903-2909. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  2. Biotransformation Strategy To Reduce Allergens in Propolis

    PubMed Central

    Gardana, Claudio; Barbieri, Andrea; Simonetti, Paolo

    2012-01-01

    Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous, sticky, dark-colored material produced by honeybees. Propolis today, due to its medicinal properties, is increasingly popular and is extensively used in food, beverages, and cosmetic products. Besides its numerous positive properties, propolis may also have adverse effects, such as, principally, allergic eczematous contact dermatitis in apiarists and in consumers with an allergic predisposition. In this study, we found appropriate conditions for removing caffeate esters, which are the main allergenic components, from raw propolis. The proposed method consists of the resuspension of propolis in a food grade solvent, followed by a biotransformation based on the cinnamoyl esterase activity of Lactobacillus helveticus. We showed that the reduction of caffeate esters by L. helveticus did not affect the content of flavonoids, which are the main bioactive molecules of propolis. Furthermore, we verified that the biotransformation of propolis did not cause a loss of antimicrobial activity. Finally, we demonstrated that the ability of L. helveticus to hydrolyze caffeate esters in propolis is strain specific. In conclusion, the proposed strategy is simple, employs food grade materials, and is effective in selectively removing allergenic molecules without affecting the bioactive fraction of propolis. This is the first study demonstrating that the allergenic caffeate esters of propolis can be eliminated by means of a bacterial biotransformation procedure. PMID:22522681

  3. Optimization of biotransformation from phytosterol to androstenedione by a mutant Mycobacterium neoaurum ZJUVN-08.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiao-yan; Peng, Yong; Su, Zhong-rui; Chen, Qi-he; Ruan, Hui; He, Guo-qing

    2013-02-01

    Biotransformation of phytosterol (PS) by a newly isolated mutant Mycobacterium neoaurum ZJUVN-08 to produce androstenedione has been investigated in this paper. The parameters of the biotransformation process were optimized using fractional factorial design and response surface methodology. Androstenedione was the sole product in the fermentation broth catalyzed by the mutant M. neoaurum ZJUVN-08 strain. Results showed that molar ratio of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) to PS and substrate concentrations were the two most significant factors affecting androstenedione production. By analyzing the statistical model of three-dimensional surface plot, the optimal process conditions were observed at 0.1 g/L inducer, pH 7.0, molar ratio of HP-β-CD to PS 1.92:1, 8.98 g/L PS, and at 120 h of incubation time. Under these conditions, the maximum androstenedione yield was 5.96 g/L and nearly the same with the non-optimized (5.99 g/L), while the maximum PS conversion rate was 94.69% which increased by 10.66% compared with the non-optimized (84.03%). The predicted optimum conditions from the mathematical model were in agreement with the verification experimental results. It is considered that response surface methodology was a powerful and efficient method to optimize the parameters of PS biotransformation process.

  4. Optimization of biotransformation from phytosterol to androstenedione by a mutant Mycobacterium neoaurum ZJUVN-08*

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Xiao-yan; Peng, Yong; Su, Zhong-rui; Chen, Qi-he; Ruan, Hui; He, Guo-qing

    2013-01-01

    Biotransformation of phytosterol (PS) by a newly isolated mutant Mycobacterium neoaurum ZJUVN-08 to produce androstenedione has been investigated in this paper. The parameters of the biotransformation process were optimized using fractional factorial design and response surface methodology. Androstenedione was the sole product in the fermentation broth catalyzed by the mutant M. neoaurum ZJUVN-08 strain. Results showed that molar ratio of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) to PS and substrate concentrations were the two most significant factors affecting androstenedione production. By analyzing the statistical model of three-dimensional surface plot, the optimal process conditions were observed at 0.1 g/L inducer, pH 7.0, molar ratio of HP-β-CD to PS 1.92:1, 8.98 g/L PS, and at 120 h of incubation time. Under these conditions, the maximum androstenedione yield was 5.96 g/L and nearly the same with the non-optimized (5.99 g/L), while the maximum PS conversion rate was 94.69% which increased by 10.66% compared with the non-optimized (84.03%). The predicted optimum conditions from the mathematical model were in agreement with the verification experimental results. It is considered that response surface methodology was a powerful and efficient method to optimize the parameters of PS biotransformation process. PMID:23365012

  5. Two-Step Production of Phenylpyruvic Acid from L-Phenylalanine by Growing and Resting Cells of Engineered Escherichia coli: Process Optimization and Kinetics Modeling

    PubMed Central

    Hou, Ying; Hossain, Gazi Sakir; Li, Jianghua; Shin, Hyun-dong; Liu, Long; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

    2016-01-01

    Phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) is widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries. Here, a two-step bioconversion process, involving growing and resting cells, was established to produce PPA from l-phenylalanine using the engineered Escherichia coli constructed previously. First, the biotransformation conditions for growing cells were optimized (l-phenylalanine concentration 20.0 g·L−1, temperature 35°C) and a two-stage temperature control strategy (keep 20°C for 12 h and increase the temperature to 35°C until the end of biotransformation) was performed. The biotransformation conditions for resting cells were then optimized in 3-L bioreactor and the optimized conditions were as follows: agitation speed 500 rpm, aeration rate 1.5 vvm, and l-phenylalanine concentration 30 g·L−1. The total maximal production (mass conversion rate) reached 29.8 ± 2.1 g·L−1 (99.3%) and 75.1 ± 2.5 g·L−1 (93.9%) in the flask and 3-L bioreactor, respectively. Finally, a kinetic model was established, and it was revealed that the substrate and product inhibition were the main limiting factors for resting cell biotransformation. PMID:27851793

  6. Evaluation of the stereoselective biotransformation of permethrin in human liver microsomes: contributions of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases to the formation of estrogenic metabolites.

    PubMed

    Lavado, Ramon; Li, Jiwen; Rimoldi, John M; Schlenk, Daniel

    2014-04-21

    Permethrin (PM) is a pyrethroid insecticide that exists as 4 enantiomers. Biotransformation of PM to estrogen receptor agonists (3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol (PBOH) and 3-(4'-hydroxyphenoxy)-benzyl alcohol (3,4 PBOH)) has been shown to be stereoselective in other vertebrate species. This study evaluated the biotransformation of PM enantiomers in human liver microsomes and with recombinant CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. PBOH and 3,4 PBOH were the only metabolites detected from in vitro incubations including each of the 4 enantiomers of PM with 1R-trans PM having the most efficient NADPH-catalyzed biotransformation to both metabolites. Coincubation with the CYP inhibitor ketoconazole and time course experiments with liver microsomes and recombinant CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 indicated CYP-catalyzed stereoselective cleavage of the ester followed by 4-hydoxylation to 3,4' PBOH. These data indicate potential dispositional differences may occur with PM enantiomers and a shift in putative molecular targets. While cleavage of pyrethroid esters lead to detoxification of the acute neurological effects, formation of the benzyl alcohol and hydroxylated metabolite may lead to estrogenic responses, since each of these metabolites are estrogen receptor ligands. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Dechlorination of PCBs in the rhizosphere of Switchgrass and Poplar

    PubMed Central

    Meggo, Richard E.; Schnoor, Jerald L.; Hu, Dingfei

    2014-01-01

    Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (PCB 52, 77, and 153) singly and in mixture were spiked and aged in soil microcosms and subsequently planted with switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) or poplar (Populus deltoids x nigra DN34). The planted reactors showed significantly greater reductions in PCB parent compounds when compared to unplanted systems after 32 weeks. There was evidence of reductive dechlorination in both planted and unplanted systems, but the planted microcosms with fully developed roots and rhizospheres showed greater biotransformation than the unplanted reactors. These dechlorination products accounted for approximately all of the molar mass of parent compound lost. Based on the transformation products, reductive dechlorination pathways are proposed for rhizospheric biotransformation of PCB 52, 77, and 153. This is the first report of rhizosphere biotransformation pathways for reductive dechlorination in marginally aerobic, intermittently flooded soil as evidenced by a mass balance on transformation products. PMID:23603468

  8. Anaerobic biotransformation of organoarsenical pesticides monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sierra-Alvarez, R.; Yenal, U.; Feld, J.A.; Kopplin, M.; Gandolfi, A.J.; Garbarino, J.R.

    2006-01-01

    Monomethylarsonic acid (MMAV) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAV) are extensively utilized as pesticides, introducing large quantities of arsenic into the environment. Once released into the environment, these organoarsenicals are subject to microbial reactions. Aerobic biodegradation of MMAV and DMAV has been evaluated, but little is known about their fate in anaerobic environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biotransformation of MMAV and DMAV in anaerobic sludge. Biologically mediated conversion occurred under methanogenic or sulfate-reducing conditions but not in the presence of nitrate. Monomethylarsonous acid (MMAIII) was consistently observed as an important metabolite of MMAV degradation, and it was recovered in molar yields ranging from 5 to 47%. The main biotransformation product identified from DMAV metabolism was MMAV, which was recovered in molar yields ranging from 8 to 65%. The metabolites indicate that reduction and demethylation are important steps in the anaerobic bioconversion of MMAV and DMAV, respectively. ?? 2006 American Chemical Society.

  9. Biotransformation of ginsenoside Rd in the ginseng extraction residue by fermentation with lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum).

    PubMed

    Hsu, Bo Yang; Lu, Ting Jang; Chen, Chia Hui; Wang, Shing Jung; Hwang, Lucy Sun

    2013-12-15

    Ginseng and lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) both are valuable traditional Chinese medicines and have been extensively utilised in functional foods and traditional medicines in many Asian countries. However, massive quantity of ginseng residue is produced after extraction of ginseng which still contains a lot of bioactive compounds such as ginsenosides. The goal of this study was to reuse the American ginseng extraction residue as the fermentation medium of G. lucidum to produce bioactive ginsenoside enriched biotransformation products. The changes of ginsenosides in the fermentation products were analysed during fermentation. Our results showed that after 30 days of fermentation, ginsenoside Rg1, Rd, and compound K (CK) significantly increased, especially Rd, while other ginsenosides (Re, Rb1 and Rc) decreased during fermentation. Ginsenoside Rd is the major ginsenoside in the final fermentation product. Furthermore, the biotransformation of ginsenosides was the major reaction in this fermentation process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Management of extravasation of oxaliplatin by mimicking its biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Bahadori, F; Demiray, M

    2018-04-27

    Although oxaliplatin (Oxali) plays a key role in the treatment of many types of cancer and has been reported to be an irritant, there is no specific and effective method for its extravasation and failure in Oxali extravasation management results in the need for plastic surgery. In the body, Oxali bio-transforms upon dilution in chloride-containing buffer salts to its di-chloro derivative and loses an oxalate molecule. Consequently, the chloride ions exchange with water molecules in the intracellular environment to produce the di-aqua derivative, which is the most active biotransformation product of Oxali in terms of forming the DNA adducts. Thus, inhibiting transformation of di-chloro to di-aqua derivatives by accumulating chloride ions at the site of extravasation and saturating the Oxali molecule with these ions is a strategy that could help manage extravasation. Injecting normal saline at this site is a simple yet effective way to achieve this goal.

  11. Evaluation of Diuron Tolerance and Biotransformation by Fungi from a Sugar Cane Plantation Sandy-Loam Soil.

    PubMed

    Perissini-Lopes, Bruna; Egea, Tássia Chiachio; Monteiro, Diego Alves; Vici, Ana Cláudia; Da Silva, Danilo Grünig Humberto; Lisboa, Daniela Correa de Oliveira; de Almeida, Eduardo Alves; Parsons, John Robert; Da Silva, Roberto; Gomes, Eleni

    2016-12-14

    Microorganisms capable of degrading herbicides are essential to minimize the amount of chemical compounds that may leach into other environments. This work aimed to study the potential of sandy-loam soil fungi to tolerate the herbicide Herburon (50% diuron) and to degrade the active ingredient diuron. Verticillium sp. F04, Trichoderma virens F28, and Cunninghamella elegans B06 showed the highest growth in the presence of the herbicide. The evaluation of biotransformation showed that Aspergillus brasiliensis G08, Aspergillus sp. G25, and Cunninghamella elegans B06 had the greatest potential to degrade diuron. Statistical analysis demonstrated that glucose positively influences the potential of the microorganism to degrade diuron, indicating a cometabolic process. Due to metabolites founded by diuron biotransformation, it is indicated that the fungi are relevant in reducing the herbicide concentration in runoff, minimizing the environmental impact on surrounding ecosystems.

  12. Role of laccase from Coriolus versicolor MTCC-138 in selective oxidation of aromatic methyl group.

    PubMed

    Chaurasia, Pankaj Kumar; Singh, Sunil Kumar; Bharati, Shashi Lata

    2014-01-01

    Now a day, laccases are the most promising enzymes in the area of biotechnology and synthesis. One of the best applications of laccases is the selective oxidation of aromatic methyl group to aldehyde group. Such transformations are valuable because it is difficult to stop the reaction at aldehyde stage. Chemical methods used for such biotransformations areexpensive and give poor yields. But, the laccase-catalyzed biotransformations of such type are non-expensive and yield is excellent. Authors have used crude laccase obtained from the liquid culture growth medium of fungal strain Coriolus versicolor MTCC-138 for the biotransformations of toluene, 3-nitrotoluene, and 4-chlorotoluene to benzaldehyde, 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, and 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, respectively, instead of purified laccase because purification process requires much time and cost. This communication reports that crude laccase can also be used in the place of purified laccase as effective biocatalyst.

  13. Biotransformation of (-)-(1R,4S)-Menthone and (+)-(1S,4R)-Menthone by the Common Cutworm Spodoptera litura Larvae.

    PubMed

    Marumoto, Shinsuke; Okuno, Yoshiharu; Hagiwara, Yuki; Miyazawa, Mitsuo

    2017-08-01

    Using biotransformation as a biocatalytic process has the advantage of being able to proceed under mild conditions and with high regio- and enantioselectivity. This study investigated the biotransformation of (-)-(1R,4S)-menthone (1) and (+)-(1S,4R)-menthone (2) by Spodoptera litura larvae. Compound 1 was converted to (-)-(1R,4S)-7-hydroxymenthone (1-1), (+)-(1R,3S,4S)-7-hydroxyneomenthol (1-2) and (-)-(1R,4S,8R)-p-menth-3-one-9-oic acid (1-3). The metabolism of substrate 2 generated three enantiomers of the above metabolites, designated as 2-1 to 2-3, respectively. The C-9 position of (-)-menthone and (+)-menthone was oxidized to carboxylic acid by S. litura, which is a metabolic pathway not observed in any other example of biocatalysis.

  14. Biotransformation of RDX and HMX by Anaerobic Granular Sludge with Enriched Sulfate and Nitrate.

    PubMed

    An, Chunjiang; Shi, Yarong; He, Yanling; Huang, Guohe; Liu, Yonghong; Yang, Shucheng

    2017-05-01

      RDX and HMX are widely used energetic materials and they are recognized as environmental contaminants at numerous locations. The present study investigated the biotransformation of RDX and HMX by anaerobic granular sludge under sulfate- and nitrate-enriched conditions. The results showed that RDX and HMX could be transformed by anaerobic granular sludge when nitrate was present. However, the biotransformation of RDX and HMX was negatively influenced, especially with high nitrate concentrations. Sulfate-enriched conditions were more favorable for the removal of ammunition compounds by anaerobic granular sludge than nitrate-enriched conditions. The removal of RDX and HMX under both nitrate- and sulfate-enriched conditions was facilitated by the use of glucose as additional substrate. This knowledge may help identify factors required for rapid removal of RDX and HMX in high-rate bioreactors. These results can also be applied to devise an appropriate and practical biological treatment strategy for explosive contaminated wastewater.

  15. Microbial biotransformation of bioactive flavonoids.

    PubMed

    Cao, Hui; Chen, Xiaoqing; Jassbi, Amir Reza; Xiao, Jianbo

    2015-01-01

    The bioactive flavonoids are considered as the most important phytochemicals in food, which exert a wide range of biological benefits for human being. Microbial biotransformation strategies for production of flavonoids have attracted considerable interest because they allow yielding novel flavonoids, which do not exist in nature. In this review, we summarize the existing knowledge on the production and biotransformation of flavonoids by various microbes. The main reactions during microbial biotransformation are hydroxylation, dehydroxylation, O-methylation, O-demethylation, glycosylation, deglycosylation, dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, C ring cleavage of the benzo-γ-pyrone system, cyclization, and carbonyl reduction. Cunninghamella, Penicillium, and Aspergillus strains are very popular to biotransform flavonoids and they can perform almost all the reactions with excellent yields. Aspergillus niger is one of the most applied microorganisms in the flavonoids' biotransformation; for example, A. niger can transfer flavanone to flavan-4-ol, 2'-hydroxydihydrochalcone, flavone, 3-hydroxyflavone, 6-hydroxyflavanone, and 4'-hydroxyflavanone. The hydroxylation of flavones by microbes usually happens on the ortho position of hydroxyl group on the A ring and C-4' position of the B ring and microbes commonly hydroxylate flavonols at the C-8 position. The microorganisms tend to hydroxylate flavanones at the C-5, 6, and 4' positions; however, for prenylated flavanones, dihydroxylation often takes place on the C4α=C5α double bond on the prenyl group (the side chain of A ring). Isoflavones are usually hydroxylated at the C-3' position of the B ring by microorganisms. The microbes convert flavonoids to their 7-O-glycosides and 3-O-glycosides (when flavonoids have a hydroxyl moiety at the C-3 position). The demethylation of multimethoxyl flavonoids by microbes tends to happen at the C-3' and C-4' positions of the B ring. Multimethoxyl flavanones and isoflavone are demethylated at the C-7 and C-4' positions. The O-methylation of flavonols happens at the C-3' and C-4' and microorganisms O-methylate flavones at the C-6 position and the O-methylation of flavanones, usually took place on the hydroxyl groups of the A ring. The prenyl flavanones were cyclized at the prenyl side chain to form a new five-member ring attached to the A ring. Chalcones were regioselectively cyclized to flavanones. Hydrogenation of flavonoids was only reported on transformation of chalcones to dihydrochalcones. The dehydrogenation of flavanoids to flavonoids was not comprehensively studied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Engineering and improvement of the efficiency of a chimeric [P450cam-RhFRed reductase domain] enzyme.

    PubMed

    Robin, Aélig; Roberts, Gareth A; Kisch, Johannes; Sabbadin, Federico; Grogan, Gideon; Bruce, Neil; Turner, Nicholas J; Flitsch, Sabine L

    2009-05-14

    A chimeric oxygenase, in which the P450cam domain was fused to the reductase host domains of a P450RhF from Rhodococcus sp. strain NCIMB 9784 was optimised to allow for a biotransformation at 30 mM substrate in 80% overall yield, with the linker region between P450 and FMN domain proving to be important for the effective biotransformation of (+)-camphor to 5-exo-hydroxycamphor.

  17. Screening of intact yeasts and cell extracts to reduce Scrapie prions during biotransformation of food waste.

    PubMed

    Huyben, David; Boqvist, Sofia; Passoth, Volkmar; Renström, Lena; Allard Bengtsson, Ulrika; Andréoletti, Olivier; Kiessling, Anders; Lundh, Torbjörn; Vågsholm, Ivar

    2018-02-08

    Yeasts can be used to convert organic food wastes to protein-rich animal feed in order to recapture nutrients. However, the reuse of animal-derived waste poses a risk for the transmission of infectious prions that can cause neurodegeneration and fatality in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of yeasts to reduce prion activity during the biotransformation of waste substrates-thereby becoming a biosafety hurdle in such a circular food system. During pre-screening, 30 yeast isolates were spiked with Classical Scrapie prions and incubated for 72 h in casein substrate, as a waste substitute. Based on reduced Scrapie seeding activity, waste biotransformation and protease activities, intact cells and cell extracts of 10 yeasts were further tested. Prion analysis showed that five yeast species reduced Scrapie seeding activity by approximately 1 log10 or 90%. Cryptococcus laurentii showed the most potential to reduce prion activity since both intact and extracted cells reduced Scrapie by 1 log10 and achieved the highest protease activity. These results show that select forms of yeast can act as a prion hurdle during the biotransformation of waste. However, the limited ability of yeasts to reduce prion activity warrants caution as a sole barrier to transmission as higher log reductions are needed before using waste-cultured yeast in circular food systems.

  18. Role of biotransformation, sorption and mineralization of (14)C-labelled sulfamethoxazole under different redox conditions.

    PubMed

    Alvarino, T; Nastold, P; Suarez, S; Omil, F; Corvini, P F X; Bouju, H

    2016-01-15

    (14)C-sulfamethoxazole biotransformation, sorption and mineralization was studied with heterotrophic and autotrophic biomass under aerobic and anoxic conditions, as well as with anaerobic biomass. The (14)C-radiolabelled residues distribution in the solid, liquid and gas phases was closely monitored along a total incubation time of 190 h. Biotransformation was the main removal mechanism, mineralization and sorption remaining below 5% in all the cases, although the presence of a carbon source exerted a positive effect on the mineralization rate by the aerobic heterotrophic bacteria. In fact, an influence of the type of primary substrate and the redox potential was observed in all cases on the biotransformation and mineralization rates, since an enhancement of the removal rate was observed when an external carbon source was used as a primary substrate under aerobic conditions, while a negligible effect was observed under nitrifying conditions. In the liquid phases collected from all assays, up to three additional peaks corresponding to (14)C-radiolabelled residues were detected. The highest concentration was observed under anaerobic conditions, where two radioactive metabolites were detected representing each around 15% of the total applied radioactivity after 180 h incubation. One of the metabolites detected under anoxic and anaerobic conditions, is probably resulting from ring cleavage of the isoxazole ring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Biotransformation and recovery of the isoflavones genistein and daidzein from industrial antibiotic fermentations

    PubMed Central

    Weber, J. Mark; Reeves, Andrew R.; Seshadri, Ramya; Cernota, William H.; Gonzalez, Melissa C.; Gray, Danielle L.; Wesley, Roy K.

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to follow the metabolic fate of isoflavone glucosides from the soybean meal in a model industrial fermentation to determine if commercially useful isoflavones could be harvested as coproducts from the spent broth at the end of the fermentation. The isoflavone aglycones, genistein and daidzein, together make up 0.1 - 0.2% of the soybean meal by weight but serve no known function in the manufacturing process. After feeding genistein to washed cells of the erythromycin-producing organism, Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the first biotransformation product (Gbp1) was determined by x-ray crystallography to be genistein-7-O-α-rhamnoside (rhamnosylgenistein). Subsequent feeding of rhamnosylgenistein to growing cells of S. erythraea led to the production of a second biotransformation product, Gbp2. Chromatographic evidence suggested that Gbp2 accumulated in the spent broth of the erythromycin fermentation. When the spent broth was hydrolyzed with acid or industrial enzyme preparations the isoflavone biotransformation products were returned back to their parental forms, genistein and daidzein, which were then recovered as coproducts. Desirable features of this method are that it does not require modification of the erythromycin manufacturing process or genetic engineering of the producing organism to be put into practice. A preliminary investigation of five additional antibiotic fermentations of industrial importance were also found to have isoflavone coproduct potential. PMID:23604533

  20. In Vitro Biotransformation of Two Human CYP3A Probe Substrates and Their Inhibition during Early Zebrafish Development.

    PubMed

    Verbueken, Evy; Alsop, Derek; Saad, Moayad A; Pype, Casper; Van Peer, Els M; Casteleyn, Christophe R; Van Ginneken, Chris J; Wilson, Joanna; Van Cruchten, Steven J

    2017-01-22

    At present, the zebrafish embryo is increasingly used as an alternative animal model to screen for developmental toxicity after exposure to xenobiotics. Since zebrafish embryos depend on their own drug-metabolizing capacity, knowledge of their intrinsic biotransformation is pivotal in order to correctly interpret the outcome of teratogenicity assays. Therefore, the aim of this in vitro study was to assess the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-a group of drug-metabolizing enzymes-in microsomes from whole zebrafish embryos (ZEM) of 5, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h post-fertilization (hpf) by means of a mammalian CYP substrate, i.e., benzyloxy-methyl-resorufin (BOMR). The same CYP activity assays were performed in adult zebrafish liver microsomes (ZLM) to serve as a reference for the embryos. In addition, activity assays with the human CYP3A4-specific Luciferin isopropyl acetal (Luciferin-IPA) as well as inhibition studies with ketoconazole and CYP3cide were carried out to identify CYP activity in ZLM. In the present study, biotransformation of BOMR was detected at 72 and 96 hpf; however, metabolite formation was low compared with ZLM. Furthermore, Luciferin-IPA was not metabolized by the zebrafish. In conclusion, the capacity of intrinsic biotransformation in zebrafish embryos appears to be lacking during a major part of organogenesis.

  1. Aphids transform and detoxify the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol via a type II biotransformation mechanism yet unknown in animals.

    PubMed

    De Zutter, N; Audenaert, K; Arroyo-Manzanares, N; De Boevre, M; Van Poucke, C; De Saeger, S; Haesaert, G; Smagghe, G

    2016-12-08

    Biotransformation of mycotoxins in animals comprises phase I and phase II metabolisation reactions. For the trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), several phase II biotransformation reactions have been described resulting in DON-glutathiones, DON-glucuronides and DON-sulfates made by glutathione-S-transferases, uridine-diphosphoglucuronyl transferases and sulfotransferases, respectively. These metabolites can be easily excreted and are less toxic than their free compounds. Here, we demonstrate for the first time in the animal kingdom the conversion of DON to DON-3-glucoside (DON-3G) via a model system with plant pathogenic aphids. This phase II biotransformation mechanism has only been reported in plants. As the DON-3G metabolite was less toxic for aphids than DON, this conversion is considered a detoxification reaction. Remarkably, English grain aphids (Sitobion avenae) which co-occur with the DON producer Fusarium graminearum on wheat during the development of fusarium symptoms, tolerate DON much better and convert DON to DON-3G more efficiently than pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum), the latter being known to feed on legumes which are no host for F. graminearum. Using a non-targeted high resolution mass spectrometric approach, we detected DON-diglucosides in aphids probably as a result of sequential glucosylation reactions. Data are discussed in the light of an eventual co-evolutionary adaptation of S. avenae to DON.

  2. Biotransformation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) by a prospective consortium and its most effective isolate Serratia marcescens

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Young, D.M.; Ogden, K.L.; Unkefer, P.J.

    1997-03-05

    The biotransformation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5 triazine (RDX) has been observed in liquid culture by a consortium of bacteria found in horse manure. Five types of bacteria were found to predominate in the consortium and were isolated. The most effective of these isolates at transforming RDX was Serratia marcescens. The biotransformation of RDX by all of these bacteria was found to occur only in the anoxic stationary phase. The process of bacterial growth and RDX biotransformation was quantified for the purpose of developing a predictive type model. Cell growth was assumed to follow Monod kinetics. All of the aerobic and anoxid growthmore » parameters were determined: {mu}{sub max}, K{sub s}, and Y{sub x/s}. RDX was found to competitively inhibit cell growth in both atmospheres. Degradation of RDX by Serratia marcescens was found to proceed through the stepwise reduction of the three nitro groups to nitroso groups. Each of these reductions was found to be first order in both component and cell concentrations. The degradation rate constant for the first step in this reduction process by the consortium was 0.022 L/g cells {center_dot} h compared to 0.033 L/g cells {center_dot} h for the most efficient isolate.« less

  3. Aphids transform and detoxify the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol via a type II biotransformation mechanism yet unknown in animals

    PubMed Central

    De Zutter, N.; Audenaert, K.; Arroyo-Manzanares, N.; De Boevre, M.; Van Poucke, C.; De Saeger, S.; Haesaert, G.; Smagghe, G.

    2016-01-01

    Biotransformation of mycotoxins in animals comprises phase I and phase II metabolisation reactions. For the trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), several phase II biotransformation reactions have been described resulting in DON-glutathiones, DON-glucuronides and DON-sulfates made by glutathione-S-transferases, uridine-diphosphoglucuronyl transferases and sulfotransferases, respectively. These metabolites can be easily excreted and are less toxic than their free compounds. Here, we demonstrate for the first time in the animal kingdom the conversion of DON to DON-3-glucoside (DON-3G) via a model system with plant pathogenic aphids. This phase II biotransformation mechanism has only been reported in plants. As the DON-3G metabolite was less toxic for aphids than DON, this conversion is considered a detoxification reaction. Remarkably, English grain aphids (Sitobion avenae) which co-occur with the DON producer Fusarium graminearum on wheat during the development of fusarium symptoms, tolerate DON much better and convert DON to DON-3G more efficiently than pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum), the latter being known to feed on legumes which are no host for F. graminearum. Using a non-targeted high resolution mass spectrometric approach, we detected DON-diglucosides in aphids probably as a result of sequential glucosylation reactions. Data are discussed in the light of an eventual co-evolutionary adaptation of S. avenae to DON. PMID:27929076

  4. Enhancing rock phosphate integration rate for fast bio-transformation of cow-dung waste-paper mixtures to organic fertilizer.

    PubMed

    Unuofin, F O; Siswana, M; Cishe, E N

    2016-01-01

    Rock phosphate (RP) addition in cow-dung waste-paper mixtures at rates above 2% P has been reported to increase the rate of bio-transformation and humification of organic waste mixtures during vermicomposting to produce organic fertilizer for organic farming. However, the optimization of RP for vermicomposting was not established. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal amount of RP integration rates for effective bio-transformation of cow-dung waste-paper mixtures. Arrays of RP integration degrees (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 4% P as RP) were thoroughly mixed with cow- dung waste-paper mixtures to achieve an optimized C:N ratio of 30 and allowed to vermidegrade following the introduction of earthworms at a stocking mass of 12.5 g-worms kg -1 . The bio-transformation of the waste mixtures was examined by measuring C:N ratios and humification index (HI) and per cent ash and volatile solids. Application of 1% P as RP resulted in fast bio-transformation and maturation of cow-dung waste-paper mixtures. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the morphological properties of the different vermicomposts affected by rates of RP showing the degree of degradation of initial compacted aggregates of cellulose and protein fibres in the mixtures at maturity. A germination test was used to further determine phytotoxicity of the final composts and microbial biomass assessment. The final vermicompost (organic fertilizer) had a C:N ratio of 7, MBC of 900 mg kg -1 and HI of 27.1%. The RP incorporation rate of 1% P of RP investigated is therefore, recommended for efficient vermidegradation and humification of cow-dung waste-paper mixtures. However, higher rates of RP incorporation should be considered where greater P enrichment of the final vermicompost (organic fertilizer) is desired.

  5. Pollutant Dehalogenation Capability May Depend on the Trophic Evolutionary History of the Organism: PBDEs in Freshwater Food Webs

    PubMed Central

    Bartrons, Mireia; Grimalt, Joan O.; de Mendoza, Guillermo; Catalan, Jordi

    2012-01-01

    Organohalogen compounds are some of the most notorious persistent pollutants disturbing the Earth biosphere. Although human-made, these chemicals are not completely alien to living systems. A large number of natural organohalogens, part of the secondary metabolism, are involved in chemical trophic interactions. Surprisingly, the relationship between organisms’ trophic position and synthetic organohalogen biotransformation capability has not been investigated. We studied the case for polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDE), a group of flame-retardants of widespread use in the recent years, in aquatic food webs from remote mountain lakes. These relatively simple ecosystems only receive pollution by atmospheric transport. A large predominance of the PBDE congener currently in use in Europe, BDE-209, largely dominated the PBDE composition of the basal resources of the food web. In contrast, primary consumers (herbivores and detritivores) showed a low proportion of BDE-209, and dominance of several less brominated congeners (e.g. BDE-100, BDE47). Secondary consumers (predators) showed large biomagnification of BDE-209 compare to other congeners. Finally, top predator fish characterized by low total PBDE concentrations. Examination of the bromine stable isotopic composition indicates that primary consumers showed higher PBDE biotransformation capability than secondary consumers. We suggest that the evolutionary response of primary consumers to feeding deterrents would have pre-adapted them for PBDE biotransformation. The observed few exceptions, some insect taxa, can be interpreted in the light of the trophic history of the evolutionary lineage of the organisms. Bromine isotopic composition in fish indicates that low PBDE values are due to not only biotransformation but also to some other process likely related to transport. Our finding illustrates that organohalogen compounds may strongly disturb ecosystems even at low concentrations, since the species lacking or having scarce biotransformation capability may be selectively more exposed to these halogenated hydrophobic semi-volatile organic pollutants due to their high bioaccumulation potential. PMID:22848624

  6. Cytotoxic, Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Perillyl Alcohol and Its Biotransformation Metabolite on A549 and HepG2 Cancer Cell Lines.

    PubMed

    Oturanel, Ceren E; Kıran, İsmail; Özşen, Özge; Çiftçi, Gülşen A; Atlı, Özlem

    2017-01-01

    A monoterpene, perillyl alcohol, has attracted attention in medicinal chemistry since it exhibited chemo-preventive and therapeutic properties against a variety of cancers. In the present work, it was aimed to obtain derivatives of perillyl alcohol through microbial biotransformation and investigate their anticancer activities against A549 and HepG2 cancer cell lines. Biotransformation studies were carried out in a α-medium for 7 days at 25oC. XTT assay was performed to investigate the anticancer activities of perillyl alcohol and its biotransformation metabolite, dehydroperillic acid, against A549 and HepG2 cell lines and their selectivity using healthy cell line, NIH/3T3. Cell proliferation ELISA, BRDU (colorimetric) assay was used for measurement of proliferation in replicative cells in which DNA synthesis occurs. Flow cytometric analyses were also carried out for measuring apoptotic cell percentages, caspase 3 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential. Biotransformation of perillyl alcohol with Fusarium culmorum yielded dehydroperillic acid in a yield of 20.4 %. In in vitro anticancer studies, perillyl alcohol was found to exert cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell line with an IC50 value of 409.2 μg/mL. However, this effect was not found to be selective because of its higher IC50 (250 μg/mL) value against NIH/3T3 cell line. On the other hand, dehydroperillic acid was found to be effective and also selective against A549 cell line with an IC50 value of 125 μg/mL and a selectivity index (SI) value of 400. Apoptosis inducing effects of dehydroperillic acid was better in A549 cell line. Dehydroperillic acid may be a good candidate for therapy of lung adenocarcinoma and may show this anticancer activity by inducing apoptosis. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  7. Biotransformation of Furanic and Phenolic Compounds with Hydrogen Gas Production in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Xiaofei; Borole, Abhijeet P; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

    2015-11-17

    Furanic and phenolic compounds are problematic byproducts resulting from the breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass during biofuel production. The capacity of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to produce hydrogen gas (H2) using a mixture of two furanic (furfural, FF; 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, HMF) and three phenolic (syringic acid, SA; vanillic acid, VA; and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, HBA) compounds as the substrate in the bioanode was assessed. The rate and extent of biotransformation of the five compounds and efficiency of H2 production, as well as the structure of the anode microbial community, were investigated. The five compounds were completely transformed within 7-day batch runs and their biotransformation rate increased with increasing initial concentration. At an initial concentration of 1200 mg/L (8.7 mM) of the mixture of the five compounds, their biotransformation rate ranged from 0.85 to 2.34 mM/d. The anode Coulombic efficiency was 44-69%, which is comparable to that of wastewater-fed MECs. The H2 yield varied from 0.26 to 0.42 g H2-COD/g COD removed in the anode, and the bioanode volume-normalized H2 production rate was 0.07-0.1 L/L-d. The biotransformation of the five compounds took place via fermentation followed by exoelectrogenesis. The major identified fermentation products that did not transform further were catechol and phenol. Acetate was the direct substrate for exoelectrogenesis. Current and H2 production were inhibited at an initial substrate concentration of 1200 mg/L, resulting in acetate accumulation at a much higher level than that measured in other batch runs conducted with a lower initial concentration of the five compounds. The anode microbial community consisted of exoelectrogens, putative degraders of the five compounds, and syntrophic partners of exoelectrogens. The MEC H2 production demonstrated in this study is an alternative to the currently used process of reforming natural gas to supply H2 needed to upgrade bio-oils to stable hydrocarbon fuels.

  8. Production of phenylpyruvic acid from L-phenylalanine using an L-amino acid deaminase from Proteus mirabilis: comparison of enzymatic and whole-cell biotransformation approaches.

    PubMed

    Hou, Ying; Hossain, Gazi Sakir; Li, Jianghua; Shin, Hyun-Dong; Liu, Long; Du, Guocheng

    2015-10-01

    Phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) is an important organic acid that has a wide range of applications. In this study, the membrane-bound L-amino acid deaminase (L-AAD) gene from Proteus mirabilis KCTC 2566 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and then the L-AAD was purified. After that, we used the purified enzyme and the recombinant E. coli whole-cell biocatalyst to produce PPA via a one-step biotransformation from L-phenylalanine. L-AAD was solubilized from the membrane and purified 52-fold with an overall yield of 13 %, which corresponded to a specific activity of 0.94 ± 0.01 μmol PPA min(-1)·mg(-1). Then, the biotransformation conditions for the pure enzyme and the whole-cell biocatalyst were optimized. The maximal production was 2.6 ± 0.1 g·L(-1) (specific activity of 1.02 ± 0.02 μmol PPA min(-1)·mg(-1) protein, 86.7 ± 5 % mass conversion rate, and 1.04 g·L(-1)·h(-1) productivity) and 3.3 ± 0.2 g L(-1) (specific activity of 0.013 ± 0.003 μmol PPA min(-1)·mg(-1) protein, 82.5 ± 4 % mass conversion rate, and 0.55 g·L(-1)·h(-1) productivity) for the pure enzyme and whole-cell biocatalyst, respectively. Comparative studies of the enzymatic and whole-cell biotransformation were performed in terms of specific activity, production, conversion, productivity, stability, need of external cofactors, and recycling. We have developed two eco-friendly and efficient approaches for PPA production. The strategy described herein may aid the biotransformational synthesis of other α-keto acids from their corresponding amino acids.

  9. Biodegradation of Chlorofluorocarbons in a Groundwater Plume using Compound Specific Carbon Isotope Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phillips, E.; Manna, J.; Horst, A.; Gilevska, T.; Sherwood Lollar, B.; Mack, E. E.; Seger, E.; Lutz, E. J.; Norcoss, S.; Morgan, S. E.; West, K. A.; Dworatzek, S.; Webb, J.

    2017-12-01

    Compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) measures isotope ratios of organic hydrocarbons to monitor intrinsic bioremediation processes that can transform contaminants in field settings. The fraction of original contaminant remaining can be determined using the measured isotope ratio of the contaminant by an experimentally determined fractionation factor. In this study, two separate biotransformation experiments were performed in the Stable Isotope Laboratory at the University of Toronto using CSIA. In these two experiments, a mixed culture derived from a contaminated site was amended with trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113), or trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), respectively. The concentrations and carbon isotope ratios of CFC-113, or CFC-11 were analyzed to calculate the fractionation factor for the transformation of each compound. Subsequently, groundwater samples from 9 wells at a historically contaminated site were collected and analyzed. The experimentally determined fractionation factors were then used to evaluate the extent of transformation that had occurred at the field site. In the laboratory studies, significant carbon isotope fractionation was observed for both CFC-113 and CFC-11 as biotransformation proceeded. This significant fractionation is beneficial when evaluating biotransformation at field sites as it can be clearly differentiated from the effects of other physical processes such as transport, or volatilization. Although there was significant variation in the carbon isotope values of CFC-113 between different well locations at the field site, these variations may be due to differences in source carbon isotope signatures. For CFC-11, much more significant isotopic variation was observed within the same well and between wells, showing trends consistent with in situ biotransformation. Results from this study demonstrate that CSIA can be successfully applied to evaluate the extent of transformation of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at contaminated field sites, which has not been shown previously. This study also demonstrates that biotransformation may play a more significant role in the natural attenuation of CFCs than has previously been recognized.

  10. Novel Crystalline SiO2 Nanoparticles via Annelids Bioprocessing of Agro-Industrial Wastes

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    The synthesis of nanoparticles silica oxide from rice husk, sugar cane bagasse and coffee husk, by employing vermicompost with annelids (Eisenia foetida) is reported. The product (humus) is calcinated and extracted to recover the crystalline nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) show that the biotransformation allows creating specific crystalline phases, since equivalent particles synthesized without biotransformation are bigger and with different crystalline structure. PMID:20802789

  11. Stereoselective oxidation of racemic 1-arylethanols by basil cultured cells of Ocimum basilicum cv. Purpurascens.

    PubMed

    Itoh, Ken-ichi; Nakamura, Kaoru; Utsukihara, Takamitsu; Sakamaki, Hiroshi; Horiuchi, C Akira

    2008-05-01

    The biotransformation of racemic 1-phenylethanol (30 mg) with plant cultured cells of basil (Ocimum basilicum cv. Purpurascens, 5 g wet wt) by shaking 120 rpm at 25 degrees C for 7 days in the dark gave (R)-(+)-1-phenylethanol and acetophenone in 34 and 24% yields, respectively. The biotransformation can be applied to other 1-arylethanols and basil cells oxidized the (S)-alcohols to the corresponding ketones remaining the (R)-alcohols in excellent ee.

  12. Biotransformation of trinitrotoluene (TNT) by Streptomyces species

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Funk, S.B.; Pasti-Grigsby, M.B.; Felicione, E.C.

    1995-12-31

    Composting has been proposed as one process for use in the bioremediation of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene (TNT)-contaminated soils. However, the biotransformations of TNT that occur during composting, and the specific compost microorganisms involved in TNT metabolism, are not well understood. Both mesophilic and thermophilic actinomycetes are important participants in the biodegradation of organic matter, and possibly TNT, in composts. Here the authors report on the biotransformation of TNT by Streptomyces species growing aerobically in a liquid medium supplemented with 10 to 100 mg/L of TNT. Streptomyces spp. are able to completely remove TNT from the culture medium within 24 hours. Asmore » has been observed with other bacteria, these streptomycetes transform TNT first by reducing the 4-nitro and 2-nitro groups to the corresponding amino group; reducing TNT first to 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene and then 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene. These intermediates are transitory and are themselves removed from the medium within 7 days.« less

  13. Characterization of newly isolated Lactobacillus delbrueckii-like strain MF-07 isolated from chicken and its role in isoflavone biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Iqbal, Muhammad Farooq; Zhu, Wei-Yun

    2009-02-01

    Cecal microbiota of chicken was screened for bacteria involved in the biotransformation of isoflavones. A new facultative anaerobic bacterium, capable of deglycosylation of the isoflavone genistin, was isolated and identified as a Lactobacillus delbrueckii-like strain. The isolate MF-07 was Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, catalase negative, non-spore-forming, nonmotile and a straight rod. The polyphasic taxonomic data, along with 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison, demonstrated that the isolate MF-07 was most closely related to L. delbrueckii group of the Lactobacillus genus. Considerable amounts of genistein were accumulated with genistin as a substrate within the first 12 h of fermentation. Formononetin and daidzein were not metabolized. The influence of several carbon sources on the growth of the isolate MF-07 and biotransformation of genistin was also investigated. This is the first study in which an anaerobic Lactobacillus bacterium from the chicken intestinal tract that metabolizes genistin to produce its bioactive metabolite was identified and characterized.

  14. Biotransformation of petroleum asphaltenes and high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Neosartorya fischeri.

    PubMed

    Hernández-López, E Lorena; Perezgasga, Lucia; Huerta-Saquero, Alejandro; Mouriño-Pérez, Rosa; Vazquez-Duhalt, Rafael

    2016-06-01

    Neosartorya fischeri, an Aspergillaceae fungus, was evaluated in its capacity to transform high molecular weight polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbons (HMW-PAHs) and the recalcitrant fraction of petroleum, the asphaltenes. N. fischeri was able to grow in these compounds as sole carbon source. Coronene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene, and indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene, together with the asphaltenes, were assayed for fungal biotransformation. The transformation of the asphaltenes and HMW-PAHs was confirmed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nano-LC mass spectrometry, and IR spectrometry. The formation of hydroxy and ketones groups on the PAH molecules suggest a biotransformation mediated by monooxygenases such as cytochrome P450 system (CYP). A comparative microarray with the complete genome from N. fischeri showed three CYP monooxygenases and one flavin monooxygenase genes upregulated. These findings, together with the internalization of aromatic substrates into fungal cells and the microsomal transformation of HMW-PAHs, strongly support the role of CYPs in the oxidation of these recalcitrant compounds.

  15. Influence of Fermentation with Different Lactic Acid Bacteria and in Vitro Digestion on the Biotransformation of Phenolic Compounds in Fermented Pomegranate Juices.

    PubMed

    Valero-Cases, Estefanía; Nuncio-Jáuregui, Nallely; Frutos, María José

    2017-08-09

    This study describes the effect of fermentation and the impact of simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGD) of four fermented pomegranate juices with different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the biotransformation of phenolic compounds. The changes of the antioxidant capacity (AOC) and of LAB growth and survival in different fermented juices were also studied. Two new phenolic derivatives (catechin and α-punicalagin) were identified only in fermented juices. During SGD, the AOC increased together with the phenolic derivatives concentration mainly in the juices fermented with Lactobacillus. These derivatives were formed due to the LAB metabolism of the ellagitannins, epicatechin, and catechin after fermentation and during SGD. The FRAP assay performance might be associated with the degradation and biotransformation of catechin. The fermented pomegranate juices with these LAB increased the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds, ensuring the survival of LAB after SGD, suggesting a possible prebiotic effect of phenolic compounds on LAB.

  16. Influence of phosphate on toxicity and bioaccumulation of arsenic in a soil isolate of microalga Chlorella sp.

    PubMed

    Bahar, Md Mezbaul; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

    2016-02-01

    In this study, the toxicity, biotransformation and bioaccumulation of arsenite and arsenate in a soil microalga, Chlorella sp., were investigated using different phosphate levels. The results indicated that arsenate was highly toxic than arsenite to the alga, and the phosphate limitation in growth media greatly enhanced arsenate toxicity. The uptake of arsenate in algal cells was more than that of arsenite, and the predominant species in the growth media was arsenate after 8 days of exposure to arsenite or arsenate, indicating arsenite oxidation by this microalga. Arsenate reduction was also observed when the alga was incubated in a phosphate-limiting growth medium. Similar to the process of biotransformation, the alga accumulated more arsenic when it was exposed to arsenate and preferably more in a phosphate-limiting condition. Although phosphate significantly influences the biotransformation and bioaccumulation of arsenic, the oxidizing ability and higher accumulation capacity of this alga have great potential for its application in arsenic bioremediation.

  17. Complementation of biotransformations with chemical C-H oxidation: copper-catalyzed oxidation of tertiary amines in complex pharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Genovino, Julien; Lütz, Stephan; Sames, Dalibor; Touré, B Barry

    2013-08-21

    The isolation, quantitation, and characterization of drug metabolites in biological fluids remain challenging. Rapid access to oxidized drugs could facilitate metabolite identification and enable early pharmacology and toxicity studies. Herein, we compared biotransformations to classical and new chemical C-H oxidation methods using oxcarbazepine, naproxen, and an early compound hit (phthalazine 1). These studies illustrated the low preparative efficacy of biotransformations and the inability of chemical methods to oxidize complex pharmaceuticals. We also disclose an aerobic catalytic protocole (CuI/air) to oxidize tertiary amines and benzylic CH's in drugs. The reaction tolerates a broad range of functionalities and displays a high level of chemoselectivity, which is not generally explained by the strength of the C-H bonds but by the individual structural chemotype. This study represents a first step toward establishing a chemical toolkit (chemotransformations) that can selectively oxidize C-H bonds in complex pharmaceuticals and rapidly deliver drug metabolites.

  18. Microbial transformation of pharmaceuticals naproxen, bisoprolol, and diclofenac in aerobic and anaerobic environments.

    PubMed

    Lahti, Marja; Oikari, Aimo

    2011-08-01

    Although biotransformation is generally considered to be the main process by which to remove pharmaceuticals, both in sewage treatment plants and in aquatic environments, quantitative information on specific compounds is scarce. In this study, the transformations of diclofenac (DCF), naproxen (NPX), and bisoprolol (BSP) were studied under aerobic and anaerobic conditions using inocula taken from activated and digested sludge processes, respectively. Whereas concentration decays were monitored by LC-tandem mass spectrometry, oxygen consumption and methane production were used for the evaluation of the performance of overall conditions. DCF was recalcitrant against both aerobic and anaerobic biotransformation. More than one third of the BSP disappeared under aerobic conditions, whereas only 14% was anaerobically biotransformed in 161 days. Under aerobic conditions, complete removal of NPX was evident within 14 days, but anaerobic transformation was also efficient. Formation of 6-O-desmethylnaproxen, a previously reported aerobic metabolite, was also detected under anaerobic conditions and persisted for 161 days.

  19. Degradation of roxarsone in a silt loam soil and its toxicity assessment.

    PubMed

    Liang, Tengfang; Ke, Zhengchen; Chen, Qing; Liu, Li; Chen, Guowei

    2014-10-01

    The land application of poultry or swine litter, containing large amounts of roxarsone, causes serious arsenic pollution in soil. Understanding biotransformation process of roxarsone and its potential risks favors proper disposal of roxarsone-contaminated animal litter, yet remains not achieved. We report an experimental study of biotransformation process of roxarsone in a silt loam soil under various soil moisture and temperature conditions, and the toxicity of roxarsone and its products from degradation. Results showed that soil moisture and higher temperature promoted roxarsone degradation, associating with emergent pentavalent arsenic. Analysis of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis activity revealed that roxarsone does not exert acute toxic on soil microbes. With the release of inorganic arsenic, FDA hydrolysis activity was inhibited gradually, as evidenced by ecotoxicological assessment using Photobacterium leiognathi. The results shade new lights on the dynamic roxarsone biotransformation processes in soil, which is important for guiding appropriate disposal of poultry or swine litter in the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Modulation of porcine biotransformation enzymes by anthelmintic therapy with fenbendazole and flubendazole.

    PubMed

    Savlík, M; Fimanová, K; Szotáková, B; Lamka, J; Skálová, L

    2006-06-01

    Fenbendazole (FEN) and flubendazole (FLU) are benzimidazole anthelmintics often used in pig management for the control of nematodoses. The in vivo study presented here was designed to test the influence of FLU and FEN on cytochrome P4501A and other cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms, UDP-glucuronosyl transferase and several carbonyl reducing enzymes. The results indicated that FEN (in a single therapeutic dose as well as in repeated therapeutic doses) caused significant induction of pig CYP1A, while FLU did not show an inductive effect towards this isoform. Some of the other hepatic and intestinal biotransformation enzymes that were assayed were moderately influenced by FEN or FLU. Strong CYP1A induction following FEN therapy in pigs may negatively affect the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of FEN itself or other simultaneously or consecutively administered drugs. From the perspective of biotransformation enzyme modulation, FLU would appear to be a more convenient anthelmintic therapy of pigs than FEN.

  1. Biotransformation of fluorophenyl pyridine carboxylic acids by the model fungus Cunninghamella elegans.

    PubMed

    Palmer-Brown, William; Dunne, Brian; Ortin, Yannick; Fox, Mark A; Sandford, Graham; Murphy, Cormac D

    2017-09-01

    1. Fluorine plays a key role in the design of new drugs and recent FDA approvals included two fluorinated drugs, tedizolid phosphate and vorapaxar, both of which contain the fluorophenyl pyridyl moiety. 2. To investigate the likely phase-I (oxidative) metabolic fate of this group, various fluorinated phenyl pyridine carboxylic acids were incubated with the fungus Cunninghamella elegans, which is an established model of mammalian drug metabolism. 3.  19 F NMR spectroscopy established the degree of biotransformation, which varied depending on the position of fluorine substitution, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified alcohols and hydroxylated carboxylic acids as metabolites. The hydroxylated metabolites were further structurally characterised by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), which demonstrated that hydroxylation occurred on the 4' position; fluorine in that position blocked the hydroxylation. 4. The fluorophenyl pyridine carboxylic acids were not biotransformed by rat liver microsomes and this was a consequence of inhibitory action, and thus, the fungal model was crucial in obtaining metabolites to establish the mechanism of catabolism.

  2. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Linn.) and Lavandula officinalis (L.) cell suspension cultures-based biotransformation of β-artemether.

    PubMed

    Patel, Suman; Gaur, Rashmi; Upadhyaya, Mohita; Mathur, Archana; Mathur, Ajay K; Bhakuni, Rajendra S

    2011-07-01

    The biotransformation of β-artemether (1) by cell suspension cultures of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Lavandula officinalis is reported here for the first time. The major biotransformed product appeared as a grayish-blue color spot on thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with transparent crystal-like texture. Based on its infrared (IR) and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, the product was characterized as a tetrahydrofuran (THF)-acetate derivative (2). The highest conversion efficiencies of 57 and 60% were obtained when 8-9-day-old cell suspensions of G. glabra and L. officinalis were respectively fed with 4-7 mg of compound 1 in 40 ml of medium per culture and the cells were harvested after 2-5 days of incubation. The addition of compound 1 at the beginning of the culture cycle caused severe growth depression in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in poor bioconversion efficiency of ~25% at 2-5 mg/culture dose only.

  3. Responses of the antioxidative and biotransformation enzymes in the aquatic fungus Mucor hiemalis exposed to cyanotoxins.

    PubMed

    Balsano, Evelyn; Esterhuizen-Londt, Maranda; Hoque, Enamul; Lima, Stephan Pflugmacher

    2017-08-01

    To investigate antioxidative and biotransformation enzyme responses in Mucor hiemalis towards cyanotoxins considering its use in mycoremediation applications. Catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in M. hiemalis maintained their activities at all tested microcystin-LR (MC-LR) exposure concentrations. Cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity decreased with exposure to 100 µg MC-LR l -1 while microsomal GST remained constant. Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) at 100 µg l -1 led to an increase in CAT activity and inhibition of GR, as well as to a concentration-dependent GPx inhibition. Microsomal GST was inhibited at all concentrations tested. β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) inhibited GR activity in a concentration-dependent manner, however, CAT, GPx, and GST remained unaffected. M. hiemalis showed enhanced oxidative stress tolerance and intact biotransformation enzyme activity towards MC-LR and BMAA in comparison to CYN, confirming its applicability in bioreactor technology in terms of viability and survival in their presence.

  4. Arylamine N-acetyltransferase activity in bronchial epithelial cells and its inhibition by cellular oxidants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dairou, Julien; Petit, Emile; Ragunathan, Nilusha

    2009-05-01

    Bronchial epithelial cells express xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes (XMEs) that are involved in the biotransformation of inhaled toxic compounds. The activities of these XMEs in the lung may modulate respiratory toxicity and have been linked to several diseases of the airways. Arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NAT) are conjugating XMEs that play a key role in the biotransformation of aromatic amine pollutants such as the tobacco-smoke carcinogens 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) and {beta}-naphthylamine ({beta}-NA). We show here that functional human NAT1 or its murine counterpart Nat2 are present in different lung epithelial cells i.e. Clara cells, type II alveolar cells and bronchial epithelial cells, thus indicating thatmore » inhaled aromatic amines may undergo NAT-dependent biotransformation in lung epithelium. Exposure of these cells to pathophysiologically relevant amounts of oxidants known to contribute to lung dysfunction, such as H{sub 2}O{sub 2} or peroxynitrite, was found to impair the NAT1/Nat2-dependent cellular biotransformation of aromatic amines. Genetic and non genetic impairment of intracellular NAT enzyme activities has been suggested to compromise the important detoxification pathway of aromatic amine N-acetylation and subsequently to contribute to an exacerbation of untoward effects of these pollutants on health. Our study suggests that oxidative/nitroxidative stress in lung epithelial cells, due to air pollution and/or inflammation, could contribute to local and/or systemic dysfunctions through the alteration of the functions of pulmonary NAT enzymes.« less

  5. Menthol and geraniol biotransformation and glycosylation capacity of Levisticum officinale hairy roots.

    PubMed

    Nunes, Inês S; Faria, Jorge M S; Figueiredo, A Cristina; Pedro, Luis G; Trindade, Helena; Barroso, José G

    2009-03-01

    The biotransformation capacity of Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch hairy root cultures was studied by evaluating the effect of the addition of 25 mg/L menthol or geraniol on morphology, growth, and volatiles production. L. officinale hairy root cultures were maintained for 7 weeks in SH medium, in darkness at 24 degrees C and 80 r.p.m., and the substrates were added 15 days after inoculation. Growth was evaluated by measuring fresh and dry weight and by using the dissimilation method. Volatiles composition was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Hairy roots morphology and growth were not influenced by substrate addition. No new volatiles were detected after menthol addition and, as was also the case with the control cultures, volatiles of these hairy roots were dominated by (Z)-falcarinol (1-45%), N-octanal (3-8%), palmitic acid (3-10%), and (Z)-ligustilide (2-9%). The addition of geraniol induced the production of six new volatiles: nerol/citronellol/neral (traces-15%), alpha-terpineol (0.2-3%), linalool (0.1-1.2%), and geranyl acetate (traces-2%). The relative amounts of the substrates and some of their biotransformation products decreased during the course of the experiment. Following the addition of beta-glycosidase to the remaining distillation water, analysis of the extracted volatiles showed that lovage hairy roots were able to convert both substrates and their biotransformation products into glycosidic forms. GC:gas chromatography GC-MS:gas chromatography-mass spectrometry SH:Schenk and Hildebrandt (1972) culture medium.

  6. Identification of axillary Staphylococcus sp. involved in the production of the malodorous thioalcohol 3-methyl-3-sufanylhexan-1-ol.

    PubMed

    Bawdon, Daniel; Cox, Diana S; Ashford, David; James, A Gordon; Thomas, Gavin H

    2015-08-01

    The production of malodour by humans is mediated by bacterial transformation of naturally secreted, non-odorous molecules. Specifically in the underarm (axilla), malodour arises due to biotransformation by the microbiota of dipeptide-conjugated thioalcohols, particularly S-[1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-methylbutyl]-(L)-cysteinylglycine (Cys-Gly-3M3SH). This molecule, secreted by the axilla, has a well-established role in malodour when metabolized to free thioalcohol by bacteria. We present Cys-Gly-3M3SH biotransformation data from a library of skin-isolated corynebacteria and staphylococci and report a significant variation in thioalcohol generation across individual bacterial species. Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus lugdunensis were particularly efficient Cys-Gly-3M3SH transformers. In contrast, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum, both highly prevalent axillary commensals, are low producers of 3M3SH. We also identify significant differences between the ability of several isolates to biotransform Cys-Gly-3M3SH compared to S-benzyl-L-Cys-Gly, a dipeptide-linked version of a commonly used malodour precursor substrate. Finally, using traditional biochemical assays we subsequently establish that Cys-Gly-3M3SH is actively transported into S. hominis, rather than passively diffusing across the membrane. This work significantly enhances our knowledge of Cys-Gly-3M3SH biotransformation by physiologically important bacteria in the axillary microbiota. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Seasonal variations in fate and removal of trace organic chemical contaminants while operating a full-scale membrane bioreactor.

    PubMed

    Trinh, Trang; van den Akker, Ben; Coleman, Heather M; Stuetz, Richard M; Drewes, Jörg E; Le-Clech, Pierre; Khan, Stuart J

    2016-04-15

    Trace organic chemical (TrOC) contaminants are of concern for finished water from water recycling schemes because of their potential adverse environmental and public health effects. Understanding the impacts of seasonal variations on fate and removal of TrOCs is important for proper operation, risk assessment and management of treatment systems for water recycling such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Accordingly, this study investigated the fate and removal of a wide range of TrOCs through a full-scale MBR plant during summer and winter seasons. TrOCs included 12 steroidal hormones, 3 xeno-estrogens, 2 pesticides and 23 pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Seasonal differences in the mechanisms responsible for removing some of the TrOCs were evident. In particular the contribution of biotransformation and biomass adsorption to the overall removal of estrone, bisphenol A, 17β-estradiol and triclosan were consistently different between the two seasons. Substantially higher percentage removal via biotransformation was observed during the summer sampling period, which compensated for a reduction in removal attributed to biomass adsorption. The opposite was observed during winter, where the contribution of biotransformation to the overall removal of these TrOCs had decreased, which was offset by an improvement in biomass adsorption. The exact mechanisms responsible for this shift are unknown, however are likely to be temperature related as warmer temperatures can lower sorption efficiency, yet enhance biotransformation of these TrOCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Transcriptional and catalytic responses of antioxidant and biotransformation pathways in mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, exposed to chemical mixtures.

    PubMed

    Giuliani, Maria Elisa; Benedetti, Maura; Arukwe, Augustine; Regoli, Francesco

    2013-06-15

    Antioxidant and biotransformation pathways are widely studied in marine organisms exposed to environmental stressors. However, mechanisms of responses and links between different intracellular levels are not always easy to elucidate and conflicting results are frequently observed between molecular and enzymatic data. In this study, transcriptional and catalytic responses of antioxidant and biotransformation parameters were analyzed after a 4-week exposure of a marine invertebrate, Mytilus galloprovincialis, to chemical mixtures from low polluted and highly polluted sediments. A significant, dose-dependent bioaccumulation was observed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, especially low molecular weight compounds. Among antioxidant defences, catalase and glutathione peroxidases did not exhibit variations in enzymatic activity, while the corresponding gene transcriptions were up- and down-regulated, respectively; unchanged mRNA levels of superoxide dismutase confirmed the non-synchronous pathways of variations for such antioxidants. Biotransformation responses also revealed inconsistent trends between transcriptional and catalytic variations of glutathione S-transferases, and a significant increase in mRNA levels for cytochrome P450 3A1. The overall results indicated that transcriptional responses might be sensitive but do not necessarily correspond to functional changes, being more useful as "exposure" rather than "effect" biomarkers. Data on gene transcription and catalytic activities should be carefully interpreted when assessing the impact of chemical pollutants and additional studies are needed on modulation of post-transcriptional mechanisms by environmental stressors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Cunninghamella Biotransformation--Similarities to Human Drug Metabolism and Its Relevance for the Drug Discovery Process.

    PubMed

    Piska, Kamil; Żelaszczyk, Dorota; Jamrozik, Marek; Kubowicz-Kwaśny, Paulina; Pękala, Elżbieta

    2016-01-01

    Studies of drug metabolism are one of the most significant issues in the process of drug development, its introduction to the market and also in treatment. Even the most promising molecule may show undesirable metabolic properties that would disqualify it as a potential drug. Therefore, such studies are conducted in the early phases of drug discovery and development process. Cunninghamella is a filamentous fungus known for its catalytic properties, which mimics mammalian drug metabolism. It has been proven that C. elegans carries at least one gene coding for a CYP enzyme closely related to the CYP51 family. The transformation profile of xenobiotics in Cunninghamella spp. spans a number of reactions catalyzed by different mammalian CYP isoforms. This paper presents detailed data on similar biotransformation drug products in humans and Cunninghamella spp. and covers the most important aspects of preparative biosynthesis of metabolites, since this model allows to obtain metabolites in sufficient quantities to conduct the further detailed investigations, as quantification, structure analysis and pharmacological activity and toxicity testing. The metabolic activity of three mostly used Cunninghamella species in obtaining hydroxylated, dealkylated and oxidated metabolites of different drugs confirmed its convergence with human biotransformation. Though it cannot replace the standard methods, it can provide support in the field of biotransformation and identifying metabolic soft spots of new chemicals and in predicting possible metabolic pathways. Another aspect is the biosynthesis of metabolites. In this respect, techniques using Cunninghamella spp. seem to be competitive to the chemical methods currently used.

  10. Role of Free Radicals and Biotransformation in Trichloronitrobenzene-Induced Nephrotoxicity In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Rankin, Gary O.; Tyree, Connor; Pope, Deborah; Tate, Jordan; Racine, Christopher; Anestis, Dianne K.; Brown, Kathleen C.; Dial, Mason; Valentovic, Monica A.

    2017-01-01

    This study determined the comparative nephrotoxic potential of four trichloronitrobenzenes (TCNBs) (2,3,4-; 2,4,5-; 2,4,6-; and 3,4,5-TCNB) and explored the effects of antioxidants and biotransformation inhibitors on TCNB-induced cytotoxicity in isolated renal cortical cells (IRCC) from male Fischer 344 rats. IRCC were incubated with a TCNB up to 1.0 mM for 15–120 min. Pretreatment with an antioxidant or cytochrome P450 (CYP), flavin monooxygenase (FMO), or peroxidase inhibitor was used in some experiments. Among the four TCNBs, the order of decreasing nephrotoxic potential was approximately 3,4,5- > 2,4,6- > 2,3,4- > 2,4,5-TCNB. The four TCNBs exhibited a similar profile of attenuation of cytotoxicity in response to antioxidant pretreatments. 2,3,4- and 3,4,5-TCNB cytotoxicity was attenuated by most of the biotransformation inhibitors tested, 2,4,5-TCNB cytotoxicity was only inhibited by isoniazid (CYP 2E1 inhibitor), and 2,4,6-TCNB-induced cytotoxicity was inhibited by one CYP inhibitor, one FMO inhibitor, and one peroxidase inhibitor. All of the CYP specific inhibitors tested offered some attenuation of 3,4,5-TCNB cytotoxicity. These results indicate that 3,4,5-TCNB is the most potent nephrotoxicant, free radicals play a role in the TCNB cytotoxicity, and the role of biotransformation in TCNB nephrotoxicity in vitro is variable and dependent on the position of the chloro groups. PMID:28561793

  11. Role of Free Radicals and Biotransformation in Trichloronitrobenzene-Induced Nephrotoxicity In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Rankin, Gary O; Tyree, Connor; Pope, Deborah; Tate, Jordan; Racine, Christopher; Anestis, Dianne K; Brown, Kathleen C; Dial, Mason; Valentovic, Monica A

    2017-05-31

    This study determined the comparative nephrotoxic potential of four trichloronitrobenzenes (TCNBs) (2,3,4-; 2,4,5-; 2,4,6-; and 3,4,5-TCNB) and explored the effects of antioxidants and biotransformation inhibitors on TCNB-induced cytotoxicity in isolated renal cortical cells (IRCC) from male Fischer 344 rats. IRCC were incubated with a TCNB up to 1.0 mM for 15-120 min. Pretreatment with an antioxidant or cytochrome P450 (CYP), flavin monooxygenase (FMO), or peroxidase inhibitor was used in some experiments. Among the four TCNBs, the order of decreasing nephrotoxic potential was approximately 3,4,5- > 2,4,6- > 2,3,4- > 2,4,5-TCNB. The four TCNBs exhibited a similar profile of attenuation of cytotoxicity in response to antioxidant pretreatments. 2,3,4- and 3,4,5-TCNB cytotoxicity was attenuated by most of the biotransformation inhibitors tested, 2,4,5-TCNB cytotoxicity was only inhibited by isoniazid (CYP 2E1 inhibitor), and 2,4,6-TCNB-induced cytotoxicity was inhibited by one CYP inhibitor, one FMO inhibitor, and one peroxidase inhibitor. All of the CYP specific inhibitors tested offered some attenuation of 3,4,5-TCNB cytotoxicity. These results indicate that 3,4,5-TCNB is the most potent nephrotoxicant, free radicals play a role in the TCNB cytotoxicity, and the role of biotransformation in TCNB nephrotoxicity in vitro is variable and dependent on the position of the chloro groups.

  12. Biotransformation of isofraxetin-6-O-β-d-glucopyranoside by Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels callus.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Di; Zhang, Yuhua; Jiang, Zhe; Hou, Yue; Jiao, Kun; Yan, Chunyan; Li, Ning

    2017-01-15

    Isofraxetin-6-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, identified from traditional medicinal herbal Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge, has been demonstrated to be a natural neuroinflammatory inhibitor. In order to obtain more derivatives with potential anti-neuroinflammatory effects, biotransformation was carried out. According to the characteristics of coumarin skeleton, suspension cultures of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels callus (A. sinensis callus) were employed because of the presence of diverse phenylpropanoids biosynthetic enzymes. As a result, 15 products were yielded from the suspension cultures, including a new coumarin: 8'-dehydroxymethyl cleomiscosin A (1), together with 14 known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Furthermore, the biotransformed pathways were discussed. Among them, compound 13 was transformed from isofraxetin-6-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, while compounds 1-6, 10-12, 14-15 were derived from the culture medium stimulated by the substrate. The biotransformation processes include hydroxylation, oxidation and esterification. Furthermore, their inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated nitric oxide (NO) production were evaluated in BV2 microglial cells. It is worth noting that, 1, 1'-methanediylbis(4-methoxybenzene) (3), obtucarbamates A (5), 2-nonyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide (10) and 1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde (11) exhibited significant inhibitory effect against neuroinflammation with IC 50 values at 1.22, 10.57, 1.02 and 0.76μM respectively, much stronger than that of the positive control minocycline (IC 50 35.82μM). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Uptake and biotransformation of 2,2‧,4,4‧-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) in four marine microalgae species

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Po, Beverly H. K.; Ho, Ka-Lok; Lam, Michael H. W.; Giesy, John P.; Chiu, Jill M. Y.

    2017-03-01

    Hydroxylated- and methoxylated- polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs) are more toxic than PBDEs and occur widely in the marine environment, and yet their origins remain controversial. In this study, four species of microalgae (Isochrysis galbana, Prorocentrum minimum, Skeletonema grethae and Thalassiosira pseudonana) were exposed to BDE-47, which is synthetic and is the predominant congener of PBDEs in the environment. By chemical analysis after incubation of 2 to 6 days, the efficiency of uptake of BDE-47 and, more importantly, the potential of undergoing biotransformation to form OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs by the microalgae were investigated. Growth rates of these axenic microalgae were not affected upon exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (0.2-20 μg BDE-47 L-1), and accumulation ranged from 0.772 ± 0.092 μg BDE-47 g-1 lipid to 215 ± 54 μg BDE-47 g-1 lipid within 2 days. Debromination of BDE-47 and formation of BDE-28 occurred in all microalgae species (0.01 to 0.87%), but biotransformation to OH-PBDEs was only found in I. galbana upon exposure to extremely high concentration. The results of this study showed that biotransformation of microalgae species is unlikely an explanation for the OH-PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs found in the marine environment.

  14. Production of PFOS from aerobic soil biotransformation of two perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide derivatives.

    PubMed

    Mejia Avendaño, Sandra; Liu, Jinxia

    2015-01-01

    The continuous production and use in certain parts of the world of perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide derivatives that can degrade to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) has called for better understanding of the environmental fate of these PFOS precursors. Aerobic soil biotransformation of N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (EtFOSA, also known as Sulfluramid) was quantitatively investigated in semi-closed soil microcosms over 182 d for the first time. The apparent soil half-life of EtFOSA was 13.9±2.1 d and the yield to PFOS by the end of incubation was 4.0 mol%. A positive identification of a previously suspected degradation product, EtFOSA alcohol, provided strong evidence to determine degradation pathways. The lower mass balance in sterile soil than live soil suggested likely strong irreversible sorption of EtFOSA to the test soil. The aerobic soil biotransformation of a technical grade N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanol (EtFOSE) was semi-quantitatively examined, and the degradation pathways largely followed those in activated sludge and marine sediments. Aside from PFOS, major degradation products included N-Ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (EtFOSAA), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetic acid (FOSAA). This study confirms that aerobic soil biotransformation of EtFOSE and EtFOSA contributes significantly to the PFOS observed in soil environment, as well as to several highly persistent sulfonamide derivatives frequently detected in biosolid-amended soils and landfill leachates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Method for redesign of microbial production systems

    DOEpatents

    Maranas, Costas D.; Burgard, Anthony P.; Pharkya, Priti

    2010-11-02

    A computer-assisted method for identifying functionalities to add to an organism-specific metabolic network to enable a desired biotransformation in a host includes accessing reactions from a universal database to provide stoichiometric balance, identifying at least one stoichiometrically balanced pathway at least partially based on the reactions and a substrate to minimize a number of non-native functionalities in the production host, and incorporating the at least one stoichiometrically balanced pathway into the host to provide the desired biotransformation. A representation of the metabolic network as modified can be stored.

  16. Method for redesign of microbial production systems

    DOEpatents

    Maranas, Costas D [State College, PA; Burgard, Anthony P [San Diego, CA; Pharkya, Priti [San Diego, CA

    2012-01-31

    A computer-assisted method for identifying functionalities to add to an organism-specific metabolic network to enable a desired biotransformation in a host includes accessing reactions from a universal database to provide stoichiometric balance, identifying at least one stoichiometrically balanced pathway at least partially based on the reactions and a substrate to minimize a number of non-native functionalities in the production host, and incorporating the at least one stoichiometrically balanced pathway into the host to provide the desired biotransformation. A representation of the metabolic network as modified can be stored.

  17. A new and fast DLLME-CE method for the enantioselective analysis of zopiclone and its active metabolite after fungal biotransformation.

    PubMed

    de Albuquerque, Nayara Cristina Perez; de Gaitani, Cristiane Masetto; de Oliveira, Anderson Rodrigo Moraes

    2015-05-10

    Zopiclone (ZO) is a chiral drug that undergoes extensive metabolism to N-desmethylzopiclone (N-Des-ZO) and zopiclone-N-oxide (N-Ox-ZO). Pharmacological studies have shown (S)-N-Des-ZO metabolite presents anxiolytic activity and a patent for this metabolite was requested for anxiety treatment and related disorders. In this context, biotransformation employing fungi may be a promising strategy to obtain N-Des-ZO. To perform the biotransformation study in this work, an enantioselective method based on capillary electrophoresis (CE) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) was developed. CE analyses were carried out in sodium phosphate buffer (pH 2.5; 50mmolL(-1)) containing 0.5% (w/v) carboxymethyl-β-CD, at a constant voltage of +25kV. DLLME was conducted using 2mL of liquid culture medium pH 9.5. Chloroform (100μL) and methanol (300μL) were employed as extraction and disperser solvent, respectively. After CE and DLLME optimization, the analytical method was fully validated. The method was linear over a concentration range of 90-6000ngmL(-1) for each ZO enantiomer (r>0.999) and 50-1000ngmL(-1) for each N-Des-ZO enantiomer (r>0.998). Absolute recovery of 51 and 82% was achieved for N-Des-ZO and ZO, respectively. The accuracy and precision results agreed with the EMA (European Medicines Agency) guideline, and so did the stability study. Application of the developed method in a biotransformation study was conducted in order to investigate the ability of fungi, belonging to the genus Cunninghamella, in metabolizing ZO chiral drug. Fungi Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 10028B and Cunninghamella echinulata var elegans ATCC 8688A demonstrated to be able to enantioselectively biotransform ZO to its active metabolite, N-Des-ZO. Therefore, the proposed goals of this work, i.e. a fast DLLME-CE method and an outstanding strategy to obtain N-Des-ZO, were successfully attained. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Effects of tributyltin (TBT) on in vitro hormonal and biotransformation responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

    PubMed

    Mortensen, Anne S; Arukwe, Augustine

    2009-01-01

    The mechanisms by which the biocide tributyltin (TBT) and its metabolites affect the hormonal and xenobiotic biotransformation pathways in aquatic species are not well understood. In this study hepatocytes isolated from salmon were used to evaluate the mechanistical effects of TBT on fish hormonal and xenobiotic biotransformation pathways. Cells were exposed to 0.01, 0.1, 1, or 5 microM TBT and samples were collected at 0, 12, 24, or 48 h following exposure. Gene expression patterns were evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and cytochrome P-450 (CYP)-mediated enzyme activities were evaluated by ethoxyresorufin, benzyloxyresorufin, and pentoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD, BROD, and PROD, respectively) activity assays. Generally, exposure of hepatocytes to 1 microM (at 48 h) and 5 microM TBT (at 12, 24, and 48 h) consistently produced reductions in all mRNA species investigated. TBT produced significant decreases of vitellogen (Vtg) expression at 48 h and modified the expression patterns of estrogen receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta) and androgen receptor-beta (ARbeta) that were dependent on time and TBT concentration. In the xenobiotic biotransformation pathway, TBT produced differential expression patterns that were dependent on exposure time and concentration for all salmonid AhR2 isoforms (AhR2alpha, AhR2beta, AhR2delta, and AhR2gamma). For CYP1A1, CYP3A, AhRR, and Arnt mRNA, TBT produced exposure- and time-specific modulations. Catalytic CYP activities showed that BROD activity increased in an apparent concentration-specific manner in cells exposed to TBT for 12 h. Interestingly, EROD activity showed a TBT concentration-dependent increase at 24 h and PROD at 12 and 48 h of exposure. In general our data show that TBT differentially modulated hormonal and biotransformation responses in the salmon in vitro system. The apparent and consistent decrease of the studied responses with time in 1 and 5 microM exposed hepatocytes suggest a possible transcription inhibitory effect of TBT.

  19. Influence of dietary fat type on benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] biotransformation in a B(a)P-induced mouse model of colon cancer

    PubMed Central

    Diggs, Deacqunita L.; Myers, Jeremy N.; Banks, Leah D.; Niaz, Mohammad S.; Hood, Darryl B.; Roberts, L. Jackson; Ramesh, Aramandla

    2013-01-01

    In the US alone, around 60,000 lives/year are lost due to colon cancer. Diet and environment have been implicated in the development of sporadic colon tumors. The objective of this study was to determine how dietary fat potentiates the development of colon tumors through altered B(a)P biotransformation, using the Adenomatous polyposis coli with Multiple intestinal neoplasia mouse model. Benzo(a)pyrene was administered to mice through tricaprylin, and unsaturated (USF; peanut oil) and saturated (SF; coconut oil) fats at doses of 50 and 100 μg/kg via oral gavage over a 60-day period. Blood, colon, and liver were collected at the end of exposure period. The expression of B(a)P biotransformation enzymes [cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1, CYP1B1 and glutathione-S-transferase] in liver and colon were assayed at the level of protein, mRNA and activities. Plasma and tissue samples were analyzed by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography for B(a)P metabolites. Additionally, DNA isolated from colon and liver tissues was analyzed for B(a)P-induced DNA adducts by the 32P-postlabeling method using a thin-layer chromatography system. Benzo(a)pyrene exposure through dietary fat altered its metabolic fate in a dose-dependent manner, with 100 μg/kg dose group registering an elevated expression of B(a)P biotransformation enzymes, and greater concentration of B(a)P metabolites, compared to the 50 μg/kg dose group (P<.05). This effect was more pronounced for SF group compared to USF group (P<.05). These findings establish that SF causes sustained induction of B(a)P biotransformation enzymes and extensive metabolism of this toxicant. As a consequence, B(a)P metabolites were generated to a greater extent in colon and liver, whose concentrations also registered a dose-dependent increase. These metabolites were found to bind with DNA and form B(a)P-DNA adducts, which may have contributed to colon tumors in a subchronic exposure regimen. PMID:24231098

  20. Glutathione-S-transferase-omega [MMA(V) reductase] knockout mice: Enzyme and arsenic species concentrations in tissues after arsenate administration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chowdhury, Uttam K.; Zakharyan, Robert A.; Hernandez, Alba

    Inorganic arsenic is a human carcinogen to which millions of people are exposed via their naturally contaminated drinking water. Its molecular mechanisms of carcinogenicity have remained an enigma, perhaps because arsenate is biochemically transformed to at least five other arsenic-containing metabolites. In the biotransformation of inorganic arsenic, GSTO1 catalyzes the reduction of arsenate, MMA(V), and DMA(V) to the more toxic + 3 arsenic species. MMA(V) reductase and human (hGSTO1-1) are identical proteins. The hypothesis that GST-Omega knockout mice biotransformed inorganic arsenic differently than wild-type mice has been tested. The livers of male knockout (KO) mice, in which 222 bp ofmore » Exon 3 of the GSTO1 gene were eliminated, were analyzed by PCR for mRNA. The level of transcripts of the GSTO1 gene in KO mice was 3.3-fold less than in DBA/1lacJ wild-type (WT) mice. The GSTO2 transcripts were about two-fold less in the KO mouse. When KO and WT mice were injected intramuscularly with Na arsenate (4.16 mg As/kg body weight); tissues removed at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after arsenate injection; and the arsenic species measured by HPLC-ICP-MS, the results indicated that the highest concentration of the recently discovered and very toxic MMA(III), a key biotransformant, was in the kidneys of both KO and WT mice. The highest concentration of DMA(III) was in the urinary bladder tissue for both the KO and WT mice. The MMA(V) reducing activity of the liver cytosol of KO mice was only 20% of that found in wild-type mice. There appears to be another enzyme(s) other than GST-O able to reduce arsenic(V) species but to a lesser extent. This and other studies suggest that each step of the biotransformation of inorganic arsenic has an alternative enzyme to biotransform the arsenic substrate.« less

  1. Mercury Analysis of Acid- and Alkaline-Reduced Biological Samples: Identification of meta-Cinnabar as the Major Biotransformed Compound in Algae†

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, David; Budd, Kenneth; Lefebvre, Daniel D.

    2006-01-01

    The biotransformation of HgII in pH-controlled and aerated algal cultures was investigated. Previous researchers have observed losses in Hg detection in vitro with the addition of cysteine under acid reduction conditions in the presence of SnCl2. They proposed that this was the effect of Hg-thiol complexing. The present study found that cysteine-Hg, protein and nonprotein thiol chelates, and nucleoside chelates of Hg were all fully detectable under acid reduction conditions without previous digestion. Furthermore, organic (R-Hg) mercury compounds could not be detected under either the acid or alkaline reduction conditions, and only β-HgS was detected under alkaline and not under acid SnCl2 reduction conditions. The blue-green alga Limnothrix planctonica biotransformed the bulk of HgII applied as HgCl2 into a form with the analytical properties of β-HgS. Similar results were obtained for the eukaryotic alga Selenastrum minutum. No evidence for the synthesis of organomercurials such as CH3Hg+ was obtained from analysis of either airstream or biomass samples under the aerobic conditions of the study. An analytical procedure that involved both acid and alkaline reduction was developed. It provides the first selective method for the determination of β-HgS in biological samples. Under aerobic conditions, HgII is biotransformed mainly into β-HgS (meta-cinnabar), and this occurs in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae. This has important implications with respect to identification of mercury species and cycling in aquatic habitats. PMID:16391065

  2. Mercury analysis of acid- and alkaline-reduced biological samples: identification of meta-cinnabar as the major biotransformed compound in algae.

    PubMed

    Kelly, David; Budd, Kenneth; Lefebvre, Daniel D

    2006-01-01

    The biotransformation of Hg(II) in pH-controlled and aerated algal cultures was investigated. Previous researchers have observed losses in Hg detection in vitro with the addition of cysteine under acid reduction conditions in the presence of SnCl2. They proposed that this was the effect of Hg-thiol complexing. The present study found that cysteine-Hg, protein and nonprotein thiol chelates, and nucleoside chelates of Hg were all fully detectable under acid reduction conditions without previous digestion. Furthermore, organic (R-Hg) mercury compounds could not be detected under either the acid or alkaline reduction conditions, and only beta-HgS was detected under alkaline and not under acid SnCl2 reduction conditions. The blue-green alga Limnothrix planctonica biotransformed the bulk of Hg(II) applied as HgCl2 into a form with the analytical properties of beta-HgS. Similar results were obtained for the eukaryotic alga Selenastrum minutum. No evidence for the synthesis of organomercurials such as CH3Hg+ was obtained from analysis of either airstream or biomass samples under the aerobic conditions of the study. An analytical procedure that involved both acid and alkaline reduction was developed. It provides the first selective method for the determination of beta-HgS in biological samples. Under aerobic conditions, Hg(II) is biotransformed mainly into beta-HgS (meta-cinnabar), and this occurs in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae. This has important implications with respect to identification of mercury species and cycling in aquatic habitats.

  3. Biotransformation of β-hexachlorocyclohexane by the saprotrophic soil fungus Penicillium griseofulvum.

    PubMed

    Ceci, Andrea; Pierro, Lucia; Riccardi, Carmela; Pinzari, Flavia; Maggi, Oriana; Persiani, Anna Maria; Gadd, Geoffrey Michael; Petrangeli Papini, Marco

    2015-10-01

    β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) of global concern with potentially toxic effects on humans and ecosystems. Fungal tolerance and biotransformation of toxic substances hold considerable promise in environmental remediation technologies as many fungi can tolerate extreme environmental conditions and possess efficient extracellular degradative enzymes with relatively non-specific activities. In this research, we have investigated the potential of a saprotrophic soil fungus, Penicillium griseofulvum Dierckx, isolated from soils with high concentrations of isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane, to biotransform β-HCH, the most recalcitrant isomer to microbial activity. The growth kinetics of the fungus were characterized after growth in stirred liquid Czapek-Dox medium. It was found that P. griseofulvum was able to grow in the presence of 1 mg L(-1) β-HCH and in stressful nutritional conditions at different concentrations of sucrose in the medium (0 and 5 g L(-1)). The effects of β-HCH and the toluene, used as a solvent for β-HCH addition, on P. griseofulvum were investigated by means of a Phenotype MicroArray™ technique, which suggested the activation of certain metabolic pathways as a response to oxidative stress due to the presence of the xenobiotics. Gas chromatographic analysis of β-HCH concentration confirmed biodegradation of the isomer with a minimum value of β-HCH residual concentration of 18.6%. The formation of benzoic acid derivatives as dead-end products of β-HCH biotransformation was observed and this could arise from a possible biodegradation pathway for β-HCH with important connections to fungal secondary metabolism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Enhancing productivity for cascade biotransformation of styrene to (S)-vicinal diol with biphasic system in hollow fiber membrane bioreactor.

    PubMed

    Gao, Pengfei; Wu, Shuke; Praveen, Prashant; Loh, Kai-Chee; Li, Zhi

    2017-03-01

    Biotransformation is a green and useful tool for sustainable and selective chemical synthesis. However, it often suffers from the toxicity and inhibition from organic substrates or products. Here, we established a hollow fiber membrane bioreactor (HFMB)-based aqueous/organic biphasic system, for the first time, to enhance the productivity of a cascade biotransformation with strong substrate toxicity and inhibition. The enantioselective trans-dihydroxylation of styrene to (S)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, catalyzed by Escherichia coli (SSP1) coexpressing styrene monooxygenase and an epoxide hydrolase, was performed in HFMB with organic solvent in the shell side and aqueous cell suspension in the lumen side. Various organic solvents were investigated, and n-hexadecane was found as the best for the HFMB-based biphasic system. Comparing to other reported biphasic systems assisted by HFMB, our system not only shield much of the substrate toxicity but also deflate the product recovery burden in downstream processing as the majority of styrene stayed in organic phase while the diol product mostly remained in the aqueous phase. The established HFMB-based biphasic system enhanced the production titer to 143 mM, being 16-fold higher than the aqueous system and 1.6-fold higher than the traditional dispersive partitioning biphase system. Furthermore, the combination of biphasic system with HFMB prevents the foaming and emulsification, thus reducing the burden in downstream purification. HFMB-based biphasic system could serve as a suitable platform for enhancing the productivity of single-step or cascade biotransformation with toxic substrates to produce useful and valuable chemicals.

  5. Pharmacokinetics, Biotransformation, and Excretion of [14C]Etelcalcetide (AMG 416) Following a Single Microtracer Intravenous Dose in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease on Hemodialysis.

    PubMed

    Subramanian, Raju; Zhu, Xiaochun; Hock, M Benjamin; Sloey, Bethlyn J; Wu, Benjamin; Wilson, Sarah F; Egbuna, Ogo; Slatter, J Greg; Xiao, Jim; Skiles, Gary L

    2017-02-01

    Etelcalcetide (AMG 416) is a novel synthetic peptide calcium-sensing receptor activator in clinical development as an intravenous calcimimetic for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis. Etelcalcetide is composed of seven D-aminoacids with an L-cysteine linked to a D-cysteine by a disulfide bond. A single intravenous dose of [ 14 C]etelcalcetide (10 mg; 26.3 kBq; 710 nCi) was administered to patients with CKD on hemodialysis to elucidate the pharmacokinetics, biotransformation, and excretion of etelcalcetide in this setting. Blood, dialysate, urine, and feces were collected to characterize the pharmacokinetics, biotransformation product profiles, mass balance, and formation of anti-etelcalcetide antibodies. Accelerator mass spectrometry was necessary to measure the microtracer quantities of C-14 excreted in the large volumes of dialysate and other biomatrices. An estimated 67 % of the [ 14 C]etelcalcetide dose was recovered in dialysate, urine, and feces 176 days after dose administration. Etelcalcetide was primarily cleared by hemodialysis, with approximately 60 % of the administered dose eliminated in dialysate. Minor excretion was observed in urine and feces. Biotransformation resulted from disulfide exchange with endogenous thiols, and preserved the etelcalcetide D-amino acid backbone. Drug-related radioactivity circulated primarily as serum albumin peptide conjugate (SAPC). Following removal of plasma etelcalcetide by hemodialysis, re-equilibration occurred between SAPC and L-cysteine present in blood to partially restore the etelcalcetide plasma concentrations between dialysis sessions. No unanticipated safety signals or anti-etelcalcetide or anti-SAPC antibodies were detected.

  6. Benz[a]anthracene Biotransformation and Production of Ring Fission Products by Sphingobium sp. Strain KK22

    PubMed Central

    Kunihiro, Marie; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Nogi, Yuichi; Hamamura, Natsuko

    2013-01-01

    A soil bacterium, designated strain KK22, was isolated from a phenanthrene enrichment culture of a bacterial consortium that grew on diesel fuel, and it was found to biotransform the persistent environmental pollutant and high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benz[a]anthracene. Nearly complete sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of strain KK22 and phylogenetic analysis revealed that this organism is a new member of the genus Sphingobium. An 8-day time course study that consisted of whole-culture extractions followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses with fluorescence detection showed that 80 to 90% biodegradation of 2.5 mg liter−1 benz[a]anthracene had occurred. Biodegradation assays where benz[a]anthracene was supplied in crystalline form (100 mg liter−1) confirmed biodegradation and showed that strain KK22 cells precultured on glucose were equally capable of benz[a]anthracene biotransformation when precultured on glucose plus phenanthrene. Analyses of organic extracts from benz[a]anthracene biodegradation by liquid chromatography negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry [LC/ESI(−)-MS/MS] revealed 10 products, including two o-hydroxypolyaromatic acids and two hydroxy-naphthoic acids. 1-Hydroxy-2- and 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acids were unambiguously identified, and this indicated that oxidation of the benz[a]anthracene molecule occurred via both the linear kata and angular kata ends of the molecule. Other two- and single-aromatic-ring metabolites were also documented, including 3-(2-carboxyvinyl)naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid and salicylic acid, and the proposed pathways for benz[a]anthracene biotransformation by a bacterium were extended. PMID:23686261

  7. Dispersibility and biotransformation of oils with different properties in seawater.

    PubMed

    Brakstad, Odd G; Farooq, Umer; Ribicic, Deni; Netzer, Roman

    2018-01-01

    Dispersants are used to remove oils slicks from sea surfaces and to generate small oil-droplet dispersions, which may result in enhanced biodegradation of the oil. In this study, dispersibility and biodegradation of chemically dispersed oils with different physical-chemical properties (paraffinic, naphthenic and asphaltenic oils) were compared in natural temperate SW at 13 °C. All selected oils were chemically dispersible when well-known commercial dispersants were used. However, interfacial tension (IFT) studies of the dispersed oils showed different IFT properties of the oils at 13 °C, and also different leaching of the dispersants from oil droplet surfaces. Biodegradation studies of the chemically dispersed oils were performed in a carousel system, with initial median droplet sizes <30 μm and oil concentrations of 2.5-2.8 mg/L. During biodegradation, oil droplet concentrations were rapidly reduced, in association with the emergence of macroscopic 'flocs'. Biotransformation results showed that half-lives of semivolatile total extractable organic carbon (TEOC), single target 2- to 4-ring PAH, and 22 oil compound groups used as input data in the oil spill contingency model OSCAR, did not differ significantly between the oils (P > 0.05), while n-alkanes half-lives differed significantly (P < 0.05). Biotransformation was associated with rapid microbial growth in all oil dispersions, in association with n-alkane and PAH biotransformation. These results have implications for the predictions of biodegradation of oil slicks treated with dispersants in temperate SW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Anaerobic biotransformation of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers by Dehalococcoides species and an enrichment culture.

    PubMed

    Bashir, Safdar; Kuntze, Kevin; Vogt, Carsten; Nijenhuis, Ivonne

    2018-06-18

    The biotransformation of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCH) by two Dehalococcoides mccartyi strains (195 and BTF08) and an enrichment culture was investigated and compared to conversion by the obligate anaerobic strain Clostridium pasteurianum strain DSMZ 525. The D. mccartyi strains preferentially transformed γ-HCH over α-HCH and δ-HCH isomers while β-HCH biotransformation was not significant. In case of the enrichment culture, γ-HCH was preferentially transformed over the δ-HCH, β-HCH and α-HCH isomers. Major observed metabolites in both cases were tetrachlorocyclohexene and as end products monochlorobenzene (MCB) and benzene. Dechlorination of the γ-HCH isomer was linked to an increase in cell numbers for strain 195. γ-HCH transformation was linked to considerable carbon stable isotope fractionation with the enrichment factor ε c  = - 5.5 ± 0.8‰ for D. mccartyi strain 195, ε c  = - 3.1 ± 0.4‰ for the enrichment culture and ε c  = - 4.1 ± 0.6‰ for co-metabolic transformation by C. pasteurianum.

  9. Formation of complex natural flavours by biotransformation of apple pomace with basidiomycetes.

    PubMed

    Bosse, Andrea K; Fraatz, Marco A; Zorn, Holger

    2013-12-01

    Altogether 30 different basidiomycetes were grown submerged in liquid culture media using seven different by-products of the food industry as the only carbon source. Seven fungus/substrate combinations revealed interesting flavour profiles. Culture supernatants of Tyromyces chioneus grown on apple pomace were extracted, and the aroma compounds were analysed by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). Potent odorants were identified by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), calculation of the odour activity values (OAV), and proven by confection of an aroma model. 3-Phenylpropanal, 3-phenyl-1-propanol, and benzyl alcohol were identified as potent aroma biotransformation products. Headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) experiments showed that 3-phenylpropanal, 3-phenyl-1-propanol, benzyl alcohol, methyl 3-phenylpropionate, methyl 2-phenylacetate, cinnamaldehyde and methyl cinnamate were produced during the cultivation period of eight days. By means of labelling experiments, (E)-cinnamic acid was identified as the precursor of 3-phenylpropanal and 3-phenyl-1-propanol. Basidiomycetes were able to biotransform food by-products to pleasant complex flavour mixtures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. In vitro metabolism study of Strychnos alkaloids using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with hybrid ion trap/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Tian, Ji-Xin; Peng, Can; Xu, Lei; Tian, Yuan; Zhang, Zun-Jian

    2013-06-01

    In this report, the in vitro metabolism of Strychnos alkaloids was investigated using liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry for the first time. Strychnine and brucine were selected as model compounds to determine the universal biotransformations of the Strychnos alkaloids in rat liver microsomes. The incubation mixtures were separated by a bidentate-C18 column, and then analyzed by on-line ion trap/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. With the assistance of mass defect filtering technique, full-scan accurate mass datasets were processed for the discovery of the related metabolites. The structural elucidations of these metabolites were achieved by comparing the changes in accurate molecular masses, calculating chemical component using Formula Predictor software and defining sites of biotransformation based upon accurate MS(n) spectral information. As a result, 31 metabolites were identified, of which 26 metabolites were reported for the first time. These biotransformations included hydroxylation, N-oxidation, epoxidation, methylation, dehydrogenation, de-methoxylation, O-demethylation, as well as hydrolysis reactions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Biotransformation and induction: implications for toxicity, bioaccumulation and monitoring of environmental xenobiotics in fish.

    PubMed Central

    Kleinow, K M; Melancon, M J; Lech, J J

    1987-01-01

    Biotransformation of xenobiotics in fish occurs by many of the same reactions as in mammals. These reactions have been shown to affect the bioaccumulation, persistence, residue dynamics, and toxicity of select chemicals in fish. P-450-dependent monooxygenase activity of fish can be induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, but phenobarbital-type agents induce poorly, if at all. Fish monooxygenase activity exhibits ideal temperature compensation and sex-related variation. Induction of monooxygenase activity by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can result in qualitative as well as quantitative changes in the metabolic profile of a chemical. Induction can also alter toxicity. In addition, multiple P-450 isozymes have been described for several fish species. The biotransformation products of certain chemicals have been related to specific P-450 isozymes, and the formation of these products can be influenced by induction. Exposure of fish to low levels of certain environmental contaminants has resulted in induction of specific monooxygenase activities and monitoring of such activities has been suggested as a means of identifying areas of pollutant exposure in the wild. PMID:3297653

  12. Glucosylation and Other Biotransformations of T-2 Toxin by Yeasts of the Trichomonascus Clade

    PubMed Central

    Price, Neil P. J.; Kurtzman, Cletus P.

    2012-01-01

    Trichothecenes are sesquiterpenoid toxins produced by Fusarium species. Since these mycotoxins are very stable, there is interest in microbial transformations that can remove toxins from contaminated grain or cereal products. Twenty-three yeast species assigned to the Trichomonascus clade (Saccharomycotina, Ascomycota), including four Trichomonascus species and 19 anamorphic species presently classified in Blastobotrys, were tested for their ability to convert the trichothecene T-2 toxin to less-toxic products. These species gave three types of biotransformations: acetylation to 3-acetyl T-2 toxin, glycosylation to T-2 toxin 3-glucoside, and removal of the isovaleryl group to form neosolaniol. Some species gave more than one type of biotransformation. Three Blastobotrys species converted T-2 toxin into T-2 toxin 3-glucoside, a compound that has been identified as a masked mycotoxin in Fusarium-infected grain. This is the first report of a microbial whole-cell method for producing trichothecene glycosides, and the potential large-scale availability of T-2 toxin 3-glucoside will facilitate toxicity testing and development of methods for detection of this compound in agricultural and other products. PMID:23042183

  13. Biotransformation of hexavalent chromium into extracellular chromium(III) oxide nanoparticles using Schwanniomyces occidentalis.

    PubMed

    Mohite, Pallavi T; Kumar, Ameeta Ravi; Zinjarde, Smita S

    2016-03-01

    To demonstrate biotransformation of toxic Cr(VI) ions into Cr2O3 nanoparticles by the yeast Schwanniomyces occidentalis. Reaction mixtures containing S. occidentalis NCIM 3459 and Cr(VI) ions that were initially yellow turned green after 48 h incubation. The coloration was due to the synthesis of chromium (III) oxide nanoparticles (Cr2O3NPs). UV-Visible spectra of the reaction mixtures showed peaks at 445 and 600 nm indicating (4)A2g → (4)T1g and (4)A2g → (4)T2g transitions in Cr2O3, respectively. FTIR profiles suggested the involvement of carboxyl and amide groups in nanoparticle synthesis and stabilization. The Cr2O3NPs ranged between 10 and 60 nm. Their crystalline nature was evident from the selective area electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction patterns. Energy dispersive spectra confirmed the chemical composition of the nanoparticles. These biogenic nanoparticles could find applications in different fields. S. occidentalis mediated biotransformation of toxic Cr(VI) ions into crystalline extracellular Cr2O3NPs under benign conditions.

  14. Advances in the biotechnological glycosylation of valuable flavonoids.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Jianbo; Muzashvili, Tamar S; Georgiev, Milen I

    2014-11-01

    The natural flavonoids, especially their glycosides, are the most abundant polyphenols in foods and have diverse bioactivities. The biotransformation of flavonoid aglycones into their glycosides is vital in flavonoid biosynthesis. The main biological strategies that have been used to achieve flavonoid glycosylation in the laboratory involve metabolic pathway engineering and microbial biotransformation. In this review, we summarize the existing knowledge on the production and biotransformation of flavonoid glycosides using biotechnology, as well as the impact of glycosylation on flavonoid bioactivity. Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases play key roles in decorating flavonoids with sugars. Modern metabolic engineering and proteomic tools have been used in an integrated fashion to generate numerous structurally diverse flavonoid glycosides. In vitro, enzymatic glycosylation tends to preferentially generate flavonoid 3- and 7-O-glucosides; microorganisms typically convert flavonoids into their 7-O-glycosides and will produce 3-O-glycosides if supplied with flavonoid substrates having a hydroxyl group at the C-3 position. In general, O-glycosylation reduces flavonoid bioactivity. However, C-glycosylation can enhance some of the benefits of flavonoids on human health, including their antioxidant and anti-diabetic potential. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Aerobic biotransformation of N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrodimethylamine in methane and benzene amended soil columns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weidhaas, Jennifer; Dupont, R. Ryan

    2013-07-01

    Aerobic biotransformation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), an emerging contaminant of concern, and its structural analog N-nitrodimethylamine (DMN), was evaluated in benzene and methane amended groundwater passed through laboratory scale soil columns. Competitive inhibition models were used to model the kinetics for NDMA and DMN cometabolism accounting for the concurrent degradation of the growth and cometabolic substrates. Transformation capacities for NDMA and DMN with benzene (13 and 23 μg (mg cells)- 1) and methane (0.14 and 8.4 μg (mg cells)- 1) grown cultures, respectively are comparable to those presented in the literature, as were first order endogenous decay rates estimated to be 2.1 × 10- 2 ± 1.7 × 10- 3 d- 1 and 6.5 × 10- 1 ± 7.1 × 10- 1 d- 1 for the methane and benzene amended cultures, respectively. These studies highlight possible attenuation mechanisms and rates for NDMA and DMN biotransformation in aerobic aquifers undergoing active remediation, natural attenuation or managed aquifer recharge with treated wastewater (i.e., reclaimed water).

  16. Microbial Biotransformation to Obtain New Antifungals

    PubMed Central

    Bianchini, Luiz F.; Arruda, Maria F. C.; Vieira, Sergio R.; Campelo, Patrícia M. S.; Grégio, Ana M. T.; Rosa, Edvaldo A. R.

    2015-01-01

    Antifungal drugs belong to few chemical groups and such low diversity limits the therapeutic choices. The urgent need of innovative options has pushed researchers to search new bioactive molecules. Literature regarding the last 15 years reveals that different research groups have used different approaches to achieve such goal. However, the discovery of molecules with different mechanisms of action still demands considerable time and efforts. This review was conceived to present how Pharmaceutical Biotechnology might contribute to the discovery of molecules with antifungal properties by microbial biotransformation procedures. Authors present some aspects of (1) microbial biotransformation of herbal medicines and food; (2) possibility of major and minor molecular amendments in existing molecules by biocatalysis; (3) methodological improvements in processes involving whole cells and immobilized enzymes; (4) potential of endophytic fungi to produce antimicrobials by bioconversions; and (5) in silico research driving to the improvement of molecules. All these issues belong to a new conception of transformation procedures, so-called “green chemistry,” which aims the highest possible efficiency with reduced production of waste and the smallest environmental impact. PMID:26733974

  17. Aspergillus niger-mediated biotransformation of methenolone enanthate, and immunomodulatory activity of its transformed products.

    PubMed

    Hussain, Zahid; Dastagir, Nida; Hussain, Shabbir; Jabeen, Almas; Zafar, Salman; Malik, Rizwana; Bano, Saira; Wajid, Abdul; Choudhary, M Iqbal

    2016-08-01

    Two fungal cultures Aspergillus niger and Cunninghamella blakesleeana were used for the biotransformation of methenolone enanthate (1). Biotransformation with A. niger led to the synthesis of three new (2-4), and three known (5-7) metabolites, while fermentation with C. blakesleeana yielded metabolite 6. Substrate 1 and the resulting metabolites were evaluated for their immunomodulatory activities. Substrate 1 was found to be inactive, while metabolites 2 and 3 showed a potent inhibition of ROS generation by whole blood (IC50=8.60 and 7.05μg/mL), as well as from isolated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) (IC50=14.0 and 4.70μg/mL), respectively. Moreover, compound 3 (34.21%) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α, whereas 2 (88.63%) showed a potent inhibition of TNF-α produced by the THP-1 cells. These activities indicated immunomodulatory potential of compounds 2 and 3. All products were found to be non-toxic to 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Arsenic in the human food chain, biotransformation and toxicology--Review focusing on seafood arsenic.

    PubMed

    Molin, Marianne; Ulven, Stine Marie; Meltzer, Helle Margrete; Alexander, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Fish and seafood are main contributors of arsenic (As) in the diet. The dominating arsenical is the organoarsenical arsenobetaine (AB), found particularly in finfish. Algae, blue mussels and other filter feeders contain less AB, but more arsenosugars and relatively more inorganic arsenic (iAs), whereas fatty fish contain more arsenolipids. Other compounds present in smaller amounts in seafood include trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO), trimethylarsoniopropionate (TMAP), dimethylarsenate (DMA), methylarsenate (MA) and sulfur-containing arsenicals. The toxic and carcinogenic arsenical iAs is biotransformed in humans and excreted in urine as the carcinogens dimethylarsinate (DMA) and methylarsonate (MA), producing reactive intermediates in the process. Less is known about the biotransformation of organoarsenicals, but new insight indicates that bioconversion of arsenosugars and arsenolipids in seafood results in urinary excretion of DMA, possibly also producing reactive trivalent arsenic intermediates. Recent findings also indicate that the pre-systematic metabolism by colon microbiota play an important role for human metabolism of arsenicals. Processing of seafood may also result in transformation of arsenicals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Impact of inoculum sources on biotransformation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sunah; Rossmassler, Karen; Broeckling, Corey D; Galloway, Sarah; Prenni, Jessica; De Long, Susan K

    2017-11-15

    Limited knowledge of optimal microbial community composition for PPCP biotreatment, and of the microbial phylotypes that drive biotransformation within mixed microbial communities, has hindered the rational design and operation of effective and reliable biological PPCP treatment technologies. Herein, bacterial community composition was investigated as an isolated variable within batch biofilm reactors via comparison of PPCP removals for three distinct inocula. Inocula pre-acclimated to model PPCPs were derived from activated sludge (AS), ditch sediment historically-impacted by wastewater treatment plant effluent (Sd), and material from laboratory-scale soil aquifer treatment (SAT) columns. PPCP removals were found to be substantially higher for AS- and Sd-derived inocula compared to the SAT-derived inocula despite comparable biomass. Removal patterns differed among the 6 model compounds examined (diclofenac, 5-fluorouracil, gabapentin, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, and triclosan) indicating differences in biotransformation mechanisms. Sphingomonas, Beijerinckia, Methylophilus, and unknown Cytophagaceae were linked with successful PPCP biodegradation via next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes over time. Results indicate the criticality of applying engineering approaches to control bacterial community compositions in biotreatment systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Biotransformation of potentially persistent alkylphenols in natural seawater.

    PubMed

    Lofthus, Synnøve; Almås, Inger K; Evans, Peter; Pelz, Oliver; Brakstad, Odd Gunnar

    2016-08-01

    Produced water (PW) discharged to the marine environment may contain both natural substances and industrial chemicals that are potentially persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic (PBT). Identification of substances as PBT is dependent upon accurate assessment of biodegradation rates, but these measurements can be impeded where substances exhibit inherently low solubility in water. Examples of substances of this kind include some alkylated phenols (APs). Biotransformation of three APs, suspected to be PBT compounds in PW, was investigated by adopting a new methodology in which they were immobilized to hydrophobic adsorbents submerged in natural seawater. These compounds were not ready biodegradable by conventional screening biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) methods at high concentrations (2 mg/L). However, potential biodegradability for two of the three APs were demonstrated by the immobilization method at low concentrations (appr. 100 μg/L), with biotransformation half-lives <50 days. Thus, standard screening tests should be supplemented by biodegradation methods suited for testing of poorly soluble substances before the persistence of potential PBT substances are defined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Fate and effects of picric acid and 2,6-DNT in marine environments: toxicity of degradation products.

    PubMed

    Nipper, Marion; Carr, R Scott; Biedenbach, James M; Hooten, Russell L; Miller, Karen

    2005-11-01

    The toxicity of transformation products of 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) were assessed in spiked sandy and fine-grained marine sediments and in seawater. Toxicity of pore water from sediments spiked with 2,6-DNT decreased for the macro-alga, Ulva fasciata, zoospores as biotransformation proceeded, but increased for the copepod, Schizopera knabeni, nauplii. The primary biotransformation product of 2,6-DNT, 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene, was also more toxic than the parent compound to copepod nauplii, but not to alga zoospores, in spiked seawater tests. Two biotransformation products of picric acid, picramic acid and 2,4-DNP, were more toxic than their parent compound. Porewater toxicity from picric acid-spiked sediments decreased significantly at the end of six-months incubation. Fine-grained sediment spiked with either ordnance compound had lower toxicity than its sandy counterpart after six months, suggesting faster microbial transformation in the former and production of less toxic products. Photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT in seawater resulted in a reduction in toxicity.

  2. Controlled field study on the use of nitrate and oxygen for bioremediation of a gasoline source zone

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barbaro, J.R.; Barker, J.F.

    2000-01-01

    Controlled releases of unleaded gasoline were utilized to evaluate the biotransformation of the soluble aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers, trimethylbenzene isomers, and naphthalene) within a source zone using nitrate and oxygen as electron acceptors. Experiments were conducted within two 2 m ?? 2 m ?? 3.5 m deep sheet-piling cells. In each treatment cell, a gasoline-contaminated zone was created below the water table. Groundwater amended with electron acceptors was then flushed continuously through the cells for 174 day. Electron-acceptor utilization and hydrocarbon-metabolite formation were noted in both cells, indicating that some microbial activity had been induced in response to flushing. Relative to the cell residence time, nitrate utilization was slow and aromatic-hydrocarbon mass losses in response to microaerophilic dissolved oxygen addition were not obvious under these in situ conditions. There was relatively little biotransformation of the aromatic hydrocarbons over the 2-m flow path monitored in this experiment. A large denitrifying population capable of aromatic hydrocarbon biotransformation failed to develop within the gasoline source zone over a 14-mo period of nitrate exposure.

  3. Study on human intestinal bacterium Blautia sp. AUH-JLD56 for the conversion of arctigenin to (-)-3'-desmethylarctigenin.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ming-Yue; Li, Meng; Wang, Xiu-Ling; Liu, Peng; Hao, Qing-Hong; Yu, Xiu-Mei

    2013-12-11

    Arctium lappa L. (A. lappa) is a popularly used vegetable as well as herbal medicine. Human intestinal microflora was reported to convert arctiin, the lignan compound with highest content in the dried fruits of Arctium lappa, to a series of metabolites. However, the specific bacterium responsible for the formation of 3'-desmethylarctigenin (3'-DMAG), the most predominant metabolite of arctiin by rat or human intestinal microflora, has not been isolated yet. In the present study, we isolated one single bacterium, which we named Blautia sp. AUH-JLD56, capable of solely biotransforming arctiin or arctigenin to (-)-3'-DMAG. The structure of the metabolite 3'-DMAG was elucidated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The biotransforming kinetics and maximum biotransforming capacity of strain AUH-JLD56 was investigated. In addition, the metabolite 3'-DMAG showed significantly higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity than that of the substrate arctigenin at the concentrations tested.

  4. [Interaction of opioid analgesics at the level of biotransformation].

    PubMed

    Petri, H; Grandt, D

    2016-12-01

    Opioids are an important component of the drug treatment of patients with acute and chronic pain. They differ in effectiveness, side effect profile and the risk of interactions. In this article the pharmacokinetic mechanisms of drug-drug interactions at the level of biotransformation are described and the clinical consequences which can arise are discussed. The relation of the active components to the two isoenzymes CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 is of major importance for assessing the potential drug-drug interactions of opioid analgesics at the level of the cytochrome P450 enzyme.

  5. Complex Biotransformations Catalyzed by Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Enzymes*

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Qi; Liu, Wen

    2011-01-01

    The radical S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) superfamily currently comprises thousands of proteins that participate in numerous biochemical processes across all kingdoms of life. These proteins share a common mechanism to generate a powerful 5′-deoxyadenosyl radical, which initiates a highly diverse array of biotransformations. Recent studies are beginning to reveal the role of radical AdoMet proteins in the catalysis of highly complex and chemically unusual transformations, e.g. the ThiC-catalyzed complex rearrangement reaction. The unique features and intriguing chemistries of these proteins thus demonstrate the remarkable versatility and sophistication of radical enzymology. PMID:21771780

  6. "Nonsolvent" applications of ionic liquids in biotransformations and organocatalysis.

    PubMed

    Domínguez de María, Pablo

    2008-01-01

    The application of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as (co)solvents and/or reagents is well documented. However, RTILS also have "nonsolvent" applications in biotransformations and organocatalysis. Examples are the anchoring of substrates to RTILs; ionic-liquid-coated enzymes (ILCE) and enzyme-IL colyophilization; the construction of biocatalytic ternary reaction systems; the combination of enzymes, RTILs, membranes, and (bio)electrochemistry; and ionic-liquid-supported organocatalysts. These strategies provide more robust, more efficient, and more enantioselective bio- and organocatalysts with many practical applications. As shown herein, RTILs offer a wide range of promising alternatives to conventional chemistry.

  7. Discovery of tanshinone derivatives with anti-MRSA activity via targeted bio-transformation.

    PubMed

    He, Wenni; Liu, Miaomiao; Huang, Pei; Abdel-Mageed, Wael M; Han, Jianying; Watrous, Jeramie D; Nguyen, Don D; Wang, Wenzhao; Song, Fuhang; Dai, Huanqin; Zhang, Jingyu; Quinn, Ronald J; Grkovi, Tanja; Luo, Houwei; Zhang, Lixin; Liu, Xueting

    2016-09-01

    Two potent anti-MRSA tanshinone glycosides ( 1 and 2 ) were discovered by targeted microbial biotransformation, along with rapid identification via MS/MS networking. Serial reactions including dehydrogenation, demethylations, reduction, glycosylation and methylation have been observed after incubation of tanshinone IIA and fungus Mucor rouxianus AS 3.3447. In addition, tanshinosides B ( 2 ) showed potent activities against serial clinical isolates of oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 0.78 μg/mL. This is the first study that shows a significant increase in the level and activities of tanshinone glycosides relative to the substrate tanshinone IIA.

  8. Biotransformation of aesculin by human gut bacteria and identification of its metabolites in rat urine.

    PubMed

    Ding, Wei-Jun; Deng, Yun; Feng, Hao; Liu, Wei-Wei; Hu, Rong; Li, Xiang; Gu, Zhe-Ming; Dong, Xiao-Ping

    2009-03-28

    To observe the biotransformation process of a Chinese compound, aesculin, by human gut bacteria, and to identify its metabolites in rat urine. Representative human gut bacteria were collected from 20 healthy volunteers, and then utilized in vitro to biotransform aesculin under anaerobic conditions. At 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h post-incubation, 10 mL of culture medium was collected. Metabolites of aesculin were extracted 3 x from rat urine with methanol and analyzed by HPLC. For in vivo metabolite analysis, aesculetin (100 mg/kg) was administered to rats via stomach gavage, rat urine was collected from 6 to 48 h post-administration, and metabolite analysis was performed by LC/ESI-MS and MS/MS in the positive and negative modes. Human gut bacteria could completely convert aesculin into aesculetin in vitro. The biotransformation process occurred from 8 to 24 h post-incubation, with its highest activity was seen from 8 to 12 h. The in vitro process was much slower than the in vivo process. In contrast to the in vitro model, six aesculetin metabolites were identified in rat urine, including 6-hydroxy-7-gluco-coumarin (M1), 6-hydroxy-7-sulf-coumarin (M2), 6, 7-di-gluco-coumarin (M3), 6-glc-7-gluco-coumarin (M4), 6-O-methyl-7-gluco-coumarin (M5) and 6-O-methyl-7-sulf-coumarin (M6). Of which, M2 and M6 were novel metabolites. Aesculin can be transferred into aesculetin by human gut bacteria and is further modified by the host in vivo. The diverse metabolites of aesculin may explain its pleiotropic pharmaceutical effects.

  9. The participation of human hepatic P450 isoforms, flavin-containing monooxygenases and aldehyde oxidase in the biotransformation of the insecticide fenthion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Leoni, Claudia; Buratti, Franca M.; Testai, Emanuela

    Although fenthion (FEN) is widely used as a broad spectrum insecticide on various crops in many countries, very scant data are available on its biotransformation in humans. In this study the in vitro human hepatic FEN biotransformation was characterized, identifying the relative contributions of cytochrome P450 (CYPs) and/or flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMOs) by using single c-DNA expressed human enzymes, human liver microsomes and cytosol and CYP/FMO-specific inhibitors. Two major metabolites, FEN-sulfoxide and FEN-oxon (FOX), are formed by some CYPs although at very different levels, depending on the relative CYP hepatic content. Formation of further oxidation products and the reduction of FEN-sulfoxidemore » back to FEN by the cytosolic aldehyde oxidase enzyme were ruled out. Comparing intrinsic clearance values, FOX formation seemed to be favored and at low FEN concentrations CYP2B6 and 1A2 are mainly involved in its formation. At higher levels, a more widespread CYP involvement was evident, as in the case of FEN-sulfoxide, although a higher efficiency of CYP2C family was suggested. Hepatic FMOs were able to catalyze only sulfoxide formation, but at low FEN concentrations hepatic FEN sulfoxidation is predominantly P450-driven. Indeed, the contribution of the hepatic isoforms FMO{sub 3} and FMO{sub 5} was generally negligible, although at high FEN concentrations FMO's showed activities comparable to the active CYPs, accounting for up to 30% of total sulfoxidation. Recombinant FMO{sub 1} showed the highest efficiency with respect to CYPs and the other FMOs, but it is not expressed in the adult human liver. This suggests that FMO{sub 1}-catalysed sulfoxidation may represent the major extra-hepatic pathway of FEN biotransformation.« less

  10. Biotransformation and Oxidative Stress Responses in Captive Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) Exposed to Organic Contaminants from the Natural Environment in South Africa

    PubMed Central

    Arukwe, Augustine; Røsbak, Randi; Adeogun, Aina O.; Langberg, Håkon A.; Venter, Annette; Myburgh, Jan; Botha, Christo; Benedetti, Maura; Regoli, Francesco

    2015-01-01

    In the present study, the biotransformation and oxidative stress responses in relation to chemical burden in the liver of male and female Nile crocodiles—Crocodylus niloticus—from a commercial crocodile farm passively exposed to various anthropogenic aquatic pollutants was investigated. In general, the data showed that male crocodiles consistently produced higher biotransformation and oxidative stress responses compared to females. Relationships between these responses and concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also observed. Specifically, the catalytic assays for EROD and BROD (not PROD and MROD) showed sex-differences between male and female crocodiles and paralleled immunochemically determined CYP1A and CYP3A protein levels; the relatively similar levels of PAHs in both sexes suggest an estrogen-mediated reduction of this pathway in females. The antioxidant system exhibited higher levels in male crocodiles with slight or significant higher values for catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidases-H2O2 (GPx-H2O2), glutathione peroxidases-Cu (GPx-Cu), total antioxidant capacity towards peroxyl radicals (TOSC-ROO) and hydroxyl radicals (TOSC-HO), total glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). On the other hand, the activities of acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) and glutathione S-transferases (GST) were significantly higher in females. Principal component analysis (PCA) produced significant groupings that revealed correlative relationships (both positive and negative) between biotransformation/oxidative stress variables and liver PAHs and aliphatic hydrocarbon burden. The overall results suggest that these captive pre-slaughter crocodiles exhibited adverse exposure responses to anthropogenic aquatic contaminants with potentially relevant effects on key cellular pathways, and these responses may be established as relevant species biomarkers of exposure and effects in this endangered species. PMID:26086370

  11. Investigation of biotransformation, sorption, and desorption of multiple chemical contaminants in pilot-scale drinking water biofilters.

    PubMed

    Greenstein, Katherine E; Lew, Julia; Dickenson, Eric R V; Wert, Eric C

    2018-06-01

    The evolving demands of drinking water treatment necessitate processes capable of removing a diverse suite of contaminants. Biofiltration can employ biotransformation and sorption to remove various classes of chemicals from water. Here, pilot-scale virgin anthracite-sand and previously used biological activated carbon (BAC)-sand dual media filters were operated for ∼250 days to assess removals of 0.4 mg/L ammonia as nitrogen, 50-140 μg/L manganese, and ∼100 ng/L each of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) spiked into pre-ozonated Colorado River water. Anthracite achieved complete nitrification within 200 days and started removing ibuprofen at 85 days. Limited manganese (10%) removal occurred. In contrast, BAC completely nitrified ammonia within 113 days, removed all manganese at 43 days, and exhibited steady state removal of most TOrCs by 140 days. However, during the first 140 days, removal of caffeine, DEET, gemfibrozil, naproxen, and trimethoprim decreased, suggesting a shift from sorption to biotransformation. Acetaminophen and sulfamethoxazole were removed at consistent levels, with complete removal of acetaminophen achieved throughout the study; ibuprofen removal increased with time. When subjected to elevated (1 μg/L) concentrations of TOrCs, BAC removed larger masses of chemicals; with a subsequent decrease and ultimate cease in the TOrCs spike, caffeine, DEET, gemfibrozil, and trimethoprim notably desorbed. By the end of operation, anthracite and BAC exhibited equivalent quantities of biomass measured as adenosine triphosphate, but BAC harbored greater microbial diversity (examined with 16S rRNA sequencing). Improved insight was gained regarding concurrent biotransformation, sorption, and desorption of multiple organic and inorganic contaminants in pilot-scale drinking water biofilters. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of the beta-blocker propranolol in multigenerational exposure to Daphnia magna.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Tae-Yong; Kim, Tae-Hun; Kim, Sang Don

    2016-09-01

    Multigenerational bioaccumulation and biotransformation activity and short-term kinetics (e.g., uptake and depuration) of propranolol in Daphnia magna were investigated at environmental concentration. The body burden and the major metabolite, desisopropyl propranolol (DIP), of propranolol were quantified using LC-MS/MS at the end of each generation after exposure for 11 generations. The accumulation of propranolol in D. magna at an environmental concentration of 0.2 μg/L was not much different between the parent (F0) and the eleventh filial (F10) generation. However, at 28 μg/L, its accumulation was 1.6 times higher-up to 18.9 μg/g-in the F10 generation relative to the F0. In contrast to propranolol, DIP intensity gradually increased from F0 to F10 at 0.2 μg/L, reflecting an increase in detoxification load and biotransformation performance; no increasing trend was observed at 28 μg/L. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) showed higher values with a lower concentration and longer period of exposure. The average values of the BAF for 21 days of long-term exposure in successive 11 generations were 440.4 ± 119.7 and 1026.5 ± 208.6 L/kg for 28 μg/L and 0.2 μg/L, respectively. These are comparable to the BAF of 192 for the short-term 72-h exposure at 28 μg/L in the parent generation. It is also recommended that future studies for pharmaceutical ingredients be conducted on drug-drug interaction and structural characteristics on the prediction of biotransformation activity and bioaccumulation rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Biotransformation of Bisphenol AF to Its Major Glucuronide Metabolite Reduces Estrogenic Activity

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Jie; Zhang, Jing; Feng, Yixing; Shao, Bing

    2013-01-01

    Bisphenol AF (BPAF), an endocrine disrupting chemical, can induce estrogenic activity through binding to estrogen receptor (ER). However, the metabolism of BPAF in vivo and the estrogenic activity of its metabolites remain unknown. In the present study, we identified four metabolites including BPAF diglucuronide, BPAF glucuronide (BPAF-G), BPAF glucuronide dehydrated and BPAF sulfate in the urine of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. BPAF-G was further characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). After treatment with a single dose of BPAF, BPAF was metabolized rapidly to BPAF-G, as detected in the plasma of SD rats. Biotransformation of BPAF to BPAF-G was confirmed with human liver microsomes (HLM), and Vmax of glucuronidation for HLM was 11.6 nmol/min/mg. We also found that BPAF glucuronidation could be mediated through several human recombinant UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) including UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, UGT2B4, UGT2B7, UGT2B15 and UGT2B17, among which UGT2B7 showed the highest efficiency of glucuronidation. To explain the biological function of BPAF biotransformation, the estrogenic activities of BPAF and BPAF-G were evaluated in ER-positive breast cancer T47D and MCF7 cells. BPAF significantly stimulates ER-regulated gene expression and cell proliferation at the dose of 100 nM and 1 μM in breast cancer cells. However, BPAF-G did not show any induction of estrogenic activity at the same dosages, implying that formation of BPAF-G is a potential host defense mechanism against BPAF. Based on our study, biotransformation of BPAF to BPAF-G can eliminate BPAF-induced estrogenic activity, which is therefore considered as reducing the potential threat to human beings. PMID:24349450

  14. Enantiomeric composition of chiral polychlorinated biphenyl atropisomers in aquatic bed sediment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wong, C.S.; Garrison, A.W.; Foreman, W.T.

    2001-01-01

    Enantiomeric ratios (ERs) for eight polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) atropisomers were measured in aquatic sediment from selected sites throughout the United States by using chiral gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Nonracemic ERs for PCBs 91, 95, 132, 136, 149, 174, and 176 were found in sediment cores from Lake Hartwell, SC, which confirmed previous inconclusive reports of reductive dechlorination of PCBs at these sites on the basis of achiral measurements. Nonracemic ERs for many of the atropisomers were also found in bed-sediment samples from the Hudson and Housatonic Rivers, thus indicating that some of the PCB biotransformation processes identified at these sites are enantioselective. Patterns in ERs among congeners were consistent with known reductive dechlorination patterns at both river sediment basins. The enantioselectivity of PCB 91 is reversed between the Hudson and Housatonic River sites, which implies that the two sites have different PCB biotransformation processes with different enantiomer preferences.Enantiomeric ratios (ERs) for eight polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) atropisomers were measured in aquatic sediment from selected sites throughout the United States by using chiral gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Nonracemic ERs for PCBs 91, 95, 132, 136, 149, 174, and 176 were found in sediment cores from Lake Hartwell, SC, which confirmed previous inconclusive reports of reductive dechlorination of PCBs at these sites on the basis of achiral measurements. Nonracemic ERs for many of the atropisomers were also found in bed-sediment samples from the Hudson and Housatonic Rivers, thus indicating that some of the PCB biotransformation processes identified at these sites are enantioselective. Patterns in ERs among congeners were consistent with known reductive dechlorination patterns at both river sediment basins. The enantioselectivity of PCB 91 is reversed between the Hudson and Housatonic River sites, which implies that the two sites have different PCB biotransformation processes with different enantiomer preferences.

  15. The fate of chlorinated aliphatics in anaerobic treatment under transient loading

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chiu, Y.C.

    1993-01-01

    A CSTR with dispersed-growth anaerobic bacteria that simultaneously remove COD and chlorinated aliphatics was used. Seven chlorinated aliphatics (methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene) were biotransformed into lower-chlorinated compounds by anaerobic treatment, utilizing propionic acid (HPr) or acetic acid (HAc). The microorganisms supplied with HAc grew and were sustained at higher BSS concentrations (4,500 to 11,000 mg/L) than those with HPr (2,000 to 5,000 mg/L). The anaerobic treatment process has a considerable potential for acclimation to and biotransformation of toxic chlorinated aliphatics. For providing a safe operation range, the maximum loading rates of the chlorinated aliphaticsmore » are defined as the observed daily injection of those compounds which resulted in 50% activity of the biomass. Based on the reactor volume, the maximum chlorinated compound loading rates to the microorganisms metabolizing HPr were from 0.4 to 90 mg/L-day, while the rates ranged from 0.6 to 190 mg/L-day for the microorganisms metabolizing HAc. When based on biomass, the maximum loading rates of the microorganisms metabolizing HPr were from 0.2 to 26 mg/g cell-day, while rates for the microorganisms metabolizing HAc ranged from 0.1 to 19 mg/g cell-day. Anaerobic microorganisms have higher resistance to chlorinated aliphatic alkenes than alkanes, and can biotransform about 0.04 to 68 pound chlorinated aliphatics while simultaneously metabolizing 1,000 pounds COD. Therefore, within the safe operation range, the anaerobic process can stabilize organic pollution at a high rate while still biotransforming chlorinated aliphatics.« less

  16. Quantification of the Influence of Extracellular Laccase and Intracellular Reactions on the Isomer-Specific Biotransformation of the Xenoestrogen Technical Nonylphenol by the Aquatic Hyphomycete Clavariopsis aquatica▿

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Claudia; Corvini, Philippe F. X.; Vinken, Ralph; Junghanns, Charles; Krauss, Gudrun; Schlosser, Dietmar

    2009-01-01

    The aquatic hyphomycete Clavariopsis aquatica was used to quantify the effects of extracellular laccase and intracellular reactions on the isomer-specific biotransformation of technical nonylphenol (t-NP). In laccase-producing cultures, maximal removal rates of t-NP and the isomer 4-(1-ethyl-1,4-dimethylpentyl)phenol (NP112) were about 1.6- and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, than in laccase-lacking cultures. The selective suppression of either laccase or intracellular reactions resulted in essentially comparable maximal removal rates for both compounds. Evidence for an unspecific oxidation of t-NP isomers was consistently obtained from laccase-expressing fungal cultures when intracellular biotransformation was suppressed and from reaction mixtures containing isolated laccase. This observation contrasts with the selective degradation of t-NP isomers by bacteria and should prevent the enrichment of highly estrogenic isomers in remaining t-NP. In contrast with laccase reactions, intracellular fungal biotransformation caused a significant shift in the isomeric composition of remaining t-NP. As a result, certain t-NP constituents related to more estrogenic isomers were less efficiently degraded than others. In contrast to bacterial degradation via ipso-hydroxylation, the substitution pattern of the quaternary α-carbon of t-NP isomers does not seem to be very important for intracellular transformation in C. aquatica. As-yet-unknown intracellular enzymes are obviously induced by nonylphenols. Mass spectral data of the metabolites resulting from the intracellular oxidation of t-NP, NP112, and 4-(1-ethyl-1,3-dimethylpentyl)phenol indicate nonyl chain hydroxylation, further oxidation into keto or aldehyde compounds, and the subsequent formation of carboxylic acid derivatives. Further metabolites suggest nonyl chain desaturation and methylation of carboxylic acids. The phenolic moieties of the nonylphenols remained unchanged. PMID:19429559

  17. A stepwise approach for the reproducible optimization of PAMO expression in Escherichia coli for whole-cell biocatalysis

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) represent a group of enzymes of considerable biotechnological relevance as illustrated by their growing use as biocatalyst in a variety of synthetic applications. However, due to their increased use the reproducible expression of BVMOs and other biotechnologically relevant enzymes has become a pressing matter while knowledge about the factors governing their reproducible expression is scattered. Results Here, we have used phenylacetone monooxygenase (PAMO) from Thermobifida fusca, a prototype Type I BVMO, as a model enzyme to develop a stepwise strategy to optimize the biotransformation performance of recombinant E. coli expressing PAMO in 96-well microtiter plates in a reproducible fashion. Using this system, the best expression conditions of PAMO were investigated first, including different host strains, temperature as well as time and induction period for PAMO expression. This optimized system was used next to improve biotransformation conditions, the PAMO-catalyzed conversion of phenylacetone, by evaluating the best electron donor, substrate concentration, and the temperature and length of biotransformation. Combining all optimized parameters resulted in a more than four-fold enhancement of the biocatalytic performance and, importantly, this was highly reproducible as indicated by the relative standard deviation of 1% for non-washed cells and 3% for washed cells. Furthermore, the optimized procedure was successfully adapted for activity-based mutant screening. Conclusions Our optimized procedure, which provides a comprehensive overview of the key factors influencing the reproducible expression and performance of a biocatalyst, is expected to form a rational basis for the optimization of miniaturized biotransformations and for the design of novel activity-based screening procedures suitable for BVMOs and other NAD(P)H-dependent enzymes as well. PMID:22720747

  18. Tissue-specific bioconcentration and biotransformation of cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos in a native fish (Jenynsia multidentata) exposed to these insecticides singly and in mixtures.

    PubMed

    Bonansea, Rocío Inés; Marino, Damián J G; Bertrand, Lidwina; Wunderlin, Daniel A; Amé, María Valeria

    2017-07-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accumulation of cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos when the fish Jenynsia multidentata was exposed to these pesticides singly and in technical and commercial mixtures. Adult female fish were exposed over 96 h to 0.04 μg/L of cypermethrin; 0.4 μg/L of chlorpyrifos; 0.04 μg/L of cypermethrin + 0.4 μg/L of chlorpyrifos in a technical mixture; and 0.04 μg/L of cypermethrin + 0.4 μg/L of chlorpyrifos in a mixture of commercial products. Fish exposed to cypermethrin accumulated this compound only in muscle, probably because of the low biotransformation capacity of this organ and the induction of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) expression in the liver. The accumulation of chlorpyrifos occurred in fish exposed to the insecticide (intestine > liver > gills) even when these fish had higher gluthatione-S-transferase (GST) activity in gills and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in the liver, compared with the control. Fish exposed to the technical mixture showed cypermethrin accumulation (liver > intestine > gills) with higher levels than those measured in fish after only cypermethrin exposure. Higher expression levels of CYP1A1 in the liver were also observed compared with the Control. Fish exposed to the commercial mixture accumulated both insecticides (cypermethrin: intestine > gills and chlorpyrifos: liver > intestine > gills > muscle). In the organs where accumulation occurred, biotransformation enzymes were inhibited. Consequently, the commercial formulation exposure provoked the highest accumulation of cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos in J. multidentata, possibly associated with the biotransformation system inhibition. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1764-1774. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  19. Microbial transformation of hederagenin by Cunninghamella echinulate, Mucor subtilissimus, and Pseudomonas oleovorans.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhen; Lu, Yan-Hua; Feng, Xu; Zou, Ying-Xin; Diao, Zhuo; Chu, Zhi-Yong

    2017-07-01

    The pentacyclic triterpenoid hederagenin (1) was subjected to biotransformation by Cunninghamella echinulate CGMCC 3.2000, Mucor subtilissimus CGMCC 3.2454 and Pseudomonas oleovorans CGMCC 1.1641. Three metabolites were obtained. On the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectral analyses, their structures were characterized as 3β, 23-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2), 3β, 15α, 23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (3), 1β, 3β, 23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (4), and metabolite (3) was a new compound. This was the first report on the biotransformation of hederagenin.

  20. Isolation and biotransformation of goniothalamin in the production of goniothalamin analogue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azizan, Izzatul Hidayah; Khalid, Rozida Mohd; Din, Laily; Latip, Jalifah

    2016-11-01

    Goniothalamin is a pharmacologically active styrylpyrone compound extracted from Goniothalamus species. It was found to be selectively preventing proliferation of several cancer cell lines without being cytotoxic towards normal cells. Further research on this compound and its derivatives revealed that some of the derivatives also possess anti proliferative activity. The purpose of this study is to synthesise goniothalamin derivatives via biotransformation of goniothalamin using an enzyme assay. Goniothalamin which was isolated from Goniothalamus andersonii, was allowed to react with dienelactone hydrolase for 30 minutes. The enzyme reaction's product was extracted and analysed using LC-MS. Based on the pseudomelecular ion, one goniothalamin analogue with dihydro functionality was obtained.

  1. Microbial-Catalyzed Biotransformation of Multifunctional Triterpenoids Derived from Phytonutrients

    PubMed Central

    Shah, Syed Adnan Ali; Tan, Huey Ling; Sultan, Sadia; Mohd Faridz, Muhammad Afifi Bin; Mohd Shah, Mohamad Azlan Bin; Nurfazilah, Sharifah; Hussain, Munawar

    2014-01-01

    Microbial-catalyzed biotransformations have considerable potential for the generation of an enormous variety of structurally diversified organic compounds, especially natural products with complex structures like triterpenoids. They offer efficient and economical ways to produce semi-synthetic analogues and novel lead molecules. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi could catalyze chemo-, regio- and stereospecific hydroxylations of diverse triterpenoid substrates that are extremely difficult to produce by chemical routes. During recent years, considerable research has been performed on the microbial transformation of bioactive triterpenoids, in order to obtain biologically active molecules with diverse structures features. This article reviews the microbial modifications of tetranortriterpenoids, tetracyclic triterpenoids and pentacyclic triterpenoids. PMID:25003642

  2. Biotransformation of (-)-α-pinene and geraniol to α-terpineol and p-menthane-3,8-diol by the white rot fungus, Polyporus brumalis.

    PubMed

    Lee, Su-Yeon; Kim, Seon-Hong; Hong, Chang-Young; Park, Se-Yeong; Choi, In-Gyu

    2015-07-01

    In this study, the monoterpenes, α-pinene and geraniol, were biotransformed to synthesize monoterpene alcohol compounds. Polyporus brumalis which is classified as a white rot fungus was used as a biocatalyst. Consequently α-terpineol was synthesized from α-pinene by P. brumalis mycelium, after three days. Moreover, another substrate, the acyclic monoterpenoids geraniol was transformed into the cyclic compound, p-menthane-3, 8-diol (PMD). The main metabolites, i.e., α-terpineol and PMD, are known to be bioactive monoterpene alcohol compounds. This study highlights the potential of fungal biocatalysts for monoterpene transformation.

  3. Evidence of the differential biotransformation and genotoxicity of ZnO and CeO2 nanoparticles on soybean (Glycine max) plants.

    PubMed

    López-Moreno, Martha L; de la Rosa, Guadalupe; Hernández-Viezcas, José A; Castillo-Michel, Hiram; Botez, Cristian E; Peralta-Videa, José R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

    2010-10-01

    Concern and interest related to the effects of nanomaterials on living organisms are growing in both the scientific and public communities. Reports have described the toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) on micro- and macro-organisms, including some plant species. Nevertheless, to the authors' knowledge there are no reports on the biotransformation of NPs by edible terrestrial plants. Here, shown for the first time, is evidence pertaining to the biotransformation of ZnO and CeO(2) NPs in plant seedlings. Although the NPs did not affect soybean germination, they produced a differential effect on plant growth and element uptake. By using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy we obtained clear evidence of the presence of CeO(2) NPs in roots, whereas ZnO NPs were not present. Random amplified polymorphic DNA assay was applied to detect DNA damage and mutations caused by NPs. Results obtained from the exposure of soybean plants to CeO(2) NPs show the appearance of four new bands at 2000 mg L(-1) and three new bands at 4000 mg L(-1) treatment. In this study we demonstrated genotoxic effects from the exposure of soybean plants to CeO(2) NPs.

  4. Biotransformation of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan by bacteria and fungi.

    PubMed

    Supreeth, M; Raju, N S

    2017-08-01

    Large quantities of pesticides are applied on crops to protect them from pests in modern agricultural practices around the globe. The two insecticides, chlorpyrifos, belonging to the organophosphorous group and endosulfan, belonging to the organochlorine group, are vastly used insecticides on agricultural crops in the last three decades. Hence, both these insecticides are ubiquitous in the environment. Once applied, these two insecticides undergo transformation in the environment either biologically or non-biologically. Microbial degradation has been considered a safe and cost-effective method for removing contaminants from the environment. Both the insecticides have been subjected to biodegradation studies using various bacteria and fungi by the researchers. Here, in this review, we report on biotransformed products formed during the course of biodegradation of these two insecticides and also discuss about the aftereffects of their transformed metabolites. This is important, because the primary biotransformed metabolites 3,5,6, trichloro-2-pyridinol of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan sulfate of endosulfan are toxic as their parent compounds and are noxious to variety of organisms. In conclusion, it is recommended to obtain microbial cultures capable of mineralizing pesticides completely without formation of any such toxic by-product before adopting bioremediation or bioaugmentation technology.

  5. Biotransformation of copper oxide nanoparticles by the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea.

    PubMed

    Kovačec, Eva; Regvar, Marjana; van Elteren, Johannes Teun; Arčon, Iztok; Papp, Tamás; Makovec, Darko; Vogel-Mikuš, Katarina

    2017-08-01

    Two plant pathogenic fungi, Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata, isolated from crop plants, were exposed to Cu in ionic (Cu 2+ ), microparticulate (MP, CuO) or nanoparticulate (NP, Cu or CuO) form, in solid and liquid culturing media in order to test fungal response and toxic effects of the mentioned compounds for the potential use as fungicides. B. cinerea has shown pronounced growth and lower levels of lipid peroxidation compared to A. alternata. Its higher resistance/tolerance is attributed mainly to biotransformation of CuO and Cu NPs and CuO MPs into a blue compound at the fungal/culturing media interface, recognized by Cu K-edge EXAFS analysis as Cu-oxalate complex. The pronounced activity of catechol-type siderophores and organic acid secretion in B. cinerea induce leaching and mobilization of Cu ions from the particles and their further complexation with extracellularly secreted oxalic acid. The ability of pathogenic fungus to biotransform CuO MPs and NPs hampers their use as fungicides. However the results show that B. cinerea has a potential to be used in degradation of Cu(O) nanoparticles in environment, copper extraction and purification techniques. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Borden, R.C.; Bedient, P.B.

    A three well injection-production test was performed at the United Creosoting Company (UCC) site in Conroe, Texas, to estimate the effective in situ retardation factors for adsorption and to evaluate the significance of biotransformation in limiting the transport of polycyclic aromatics present in the shallow aquifer. The field test was also used as a model to determine if this type of testing would be feasible at other hazardous waste sites. During the test, chloride, a non-reactive tracer and two organic compounds, naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene (pDCB), were injected into a center well for 24 hours followed by clean ground water formore » six days. Ground water was continuously produced from two adjoining wells and monitored to observe the breakthrough of these compounds. Data from the test were analyzed by comparing the statistical moments of the chloride and organics distributions. Retardation factors for naphthalene and pDCB were estimated to be 0.03 and 0.97 by comparison of the statistical moments. A significant loss of naphthalene and pDCB was also observed during the three well test, apparently due to biotransformation. These results suggest that biotransformation is the major process limiting the transport of naphthalene and similar compounds at the UCC site.« less

  7. Improvement of AD Biosynthesis Response to Enhanced Oxygen Transfer by Oxygen Vectors in Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11979.

    PubMed

    Su, Liqiu; Shen, Yanbing; Gao, Tian; Luo, Jianmei; Wang, Min

    2017-08-01

    In steroid biotransformation, soybean oil can improve the productivity of steroids by increasing substrate solubility and strengthen the cell membrane permeability. However, little is known of its role as oxygen carrier and its mechanism of promoting the steroid biotransformation. In this work, soybean oil used as oxygen vector for the enhancement of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) production by Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11979 (MNR) was investigated. Upon the addition of 16% (v/v) soybean oil, the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (K L a) value increased by 44%, and the peak molar yield of AD (55.76%) was achieved. Analysis of intracellular cofactor levels showed high NAD + , ATP level, and a low NADH/NAD + ratio. Meanwhile, the two key enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, namely, isocitrate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, were upregulated after incubation with soybean oil. These enhancements induced by the increasing of oxygen supply showed positive effects on phytosterol (PS) bioconversion. Results could contribute to the understanding of effects of soybean oil as oxygen vector on steroid biotransformation and provided a convenient method for enhancing the efficiency of aerobic steroid biocatalysis.

  8. Transformation of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a stream food web

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dang, V.D.; Walters, D.M.; Lee, C.M.

    2010-01-01

    The enantiomeric composition of chiral PCB congeners was determined in Twelvemile Creek (Clemson, SC) to examine potential mechanisms of biotransformation in a stream food web. We measured enantiomeric fractions (EFs) of six PCB atropisomers (PCBs 84, 91, 95, 136, 149, and 174) in surface sediment, fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM), periphyton, Asian clam, mayflies, yellowfin shiner, and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) using gas chromatography (GC-ECD). Nonracemic EFs of PCBs 91, 95, 136, and 149 were measured in almost all samples. Enantiomeric compositions of PCBs 84 and 174 were infrequently detected with racemic EFs measured in samples except for a nonracemic EF of PCB 84 in clams. Nonracemic EFs of PCBs 91, 136, and 149 in SPMDs may be due to desorption of nonracemic residues from FBOM. EFs for some atropisomers were significantly different among FBOM, CPOM, and periphyton, suggesting that their microbial communities have different biotransformation processes. Nonracemic EFs in clams and fish suggest both in vivo biotransformation and uptake of nonracemic residues from their food sources. Longitudinal variability in EFs was generally low among congeners observed in matrices. ?? 2010 American Chemical Society.

  9. Biotransformation of 5-hydroxy-methylfurfural into 2,5-furan-dicarboxylic acid by bacterial isolate using thermal acid algal hydrolysate.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chu-Fang; Huang, Ci-Ruei

    2016-08-01

    Thermal acid hydrolysis is often used to deal with lignocellulosic biomasses, but 5-hydroxy-methylfurfural (5-HMF) formed during hydrolysis deeply influences downstream fermentation. 2,5-Furan-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which is in the list of future important biomass platform molecules can be obtained using 5-HMF biotransformation. Based on the connection between 5-HMF removal in acid hydrolysate and FDCA production, the optimum thermal acid hydrolysis condition for macroalgae Chaetomorpha linum was established. Potential microbes capable of transforming 5-HMF into FDCA were isolated and characterized under various parameters and inoculated into algal hydrolysate to perform 5-HMF biotransformation. The optimum hydrolysis condition was to apply 0.5M HCl to treat 3% algal biomass under 121°C for 15min. Isolated Burkholderia cepacia H-2 could transform 2000mg/L 5-HMF at the initial pH of 7 at 28°C and 1276mg/L FDCA was received. Strain B. cepacia H-2 was suitable for treating the algal hydrolysate without dilution, receiving 989.5mg/L FDCA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A Macrosphelide as the Unexpected Product of a Pleurotus ostreatus Strain-Mediated Biotransformation of Halolactones Containing the gem-Dimethylcyclohexane Ring. Part 1.

    PubMed

    Wińska, Katarzyna; Mączka, Wanda; Grabarczyk, Małgorzata; Sugimoto, Kenji; Matsuya, Yuji; Szumny, Antoni; Anioł, Mirosław

    2016-06-30

    The aim of the study was to obtain new compounds during biotransformation of two halocompounds, the δ-bromo and δ-iodo-γ-bicyclolactones 1 and 2. Unexpectedly Pleurotus ostreatus produced together with the hydroxylactone, 2-hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane-8-one (3), its own metabolite (3S,9S,15S)-(6E,12E)-3,9,15-trimethyl-4,10,16-trioxacyclohexa-deca-6,12-diene-1,5,8,11,14-pentaone (4). The method presented here, in which this macrosphelide 4 was obtained by biotransformation, has not been previously described in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this compound has been prepared only by chemical synthesis to date. This is the first report on the possibility of the biosynthesis of this compound by the Pleurotus ostreatus strain. The conditions and factors, like temperature, salts, organic solvents, affecting the production of this macrosphelide by Pleurotus ostreatus strain were examined. The highest yield of macroshphelide production was noticed for halolactones, as well with iodide, bromide, iron and copper (2+) ions as inductors.

  11. Biotransformation of 17α-methyltestosterone in sediment under different electron acceptor conditions.

    PubMed

    Homklin, Supreeda; Ong, Say Kee; Limpiyakorn, Tawan

    2011-03-01

    17α-Methyltestosterone (MT), an anabolic androgenic steroid, is used widely in inducing an all male population in aquaculture farming of fish, such as Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Current understanding of the occurrence and fate of MT in the sediments and the surrounding areas of the aquaculture ponds are very limited. Bioassay tests showed that MT was biotransformed under aerobic and sulfate-reducing conditions with a half-life of 3.8d and 5.3d, respectively, with complete disappearance of androgenic activity. However, under methanogenic condition, MT was found to biotransform but the androgenic activity continued to persist even after 45 d of incubation. In contrast, MT was found to transform slowly under iron(III)-reducing condition and was hardly transformed under nitrate-reducing condition. A possible reason for the lack of transformation of MT under nitrate-reducing condition is the presence of the methyl group at the C-17 position. The results of this study suggest that MT and its degradation products with androgenic activity may potentially accumulate in the sediments of fish farming ponds under iron(III)-reducing, nitrate-reducing and methanogenic conditions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Production of human milk oligosaccharides by enzymatic and whole-cell microbial biotransformations.

    PubMed

    Sprenger, Georg A; Baumgärtner, Florian; Albermann, Christoph

    2017-09-20

    Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are almost unique constituents of breast milk and are not found in appreciable amounts in cow milk. Due to several positive aspects of HMO for the development, health, and wellbeing of infants, production of HMO would be desirable. As a result, scientists from different disciplines have developed methods for the preparation of single HMO compounds. Here, we review approaches to HMO preparation by (chemo-)enzymatic syntheses or by whole-cell biotransformation with recombinant bacterial cells. With lactose as acceptor (in vitro or in vivo), fucosyltransferases can be used for the production of 2'-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose, or more complex fucosylated core structures. Sialylated HMO can be produced by sialyltransferases and trans-sialidases. Core structures as lacto-N-tetraose can be obtained by glycosyltransferases from chemical donor compounds or by multi-enzyme cascades; recent publications also show production of lacto-N-tetraose by recombinant Escherichia coli bacteria and approaches to obtain fucosylated core structures. In view of an industrial production of HMOs, the whole cell biotransformation is at this stage the most promising option to provide human milk oligosaccharides as food additive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of the inorganic selenium biotransformation in selenium-enriched yogurt by HPLC-ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Alzate, Adriana; Cañas, Benito; Pérez-Munguía, Sandra; Hernández-Mendoza, Hector; Pérez-Conde, Concepción; Gutiérrez, Ana Maria; Cámara, Carmen

    2007-11-28

    Selenium is an essential element in the human diet. Interestingly, there has been an increased consumption of dietary supplements containing this element in the form of either inorganic or organic compounds. The effect of using selenium as a dietary supplement in yogurt has been evaluated. For this purpose, different concentrations of inorganic Se (ranging from 0.2 to 5000 microg g(-1)) have been added to milk before the fermentation process. Biotransformation of inorganic Se into organic species has been carefully evaluated by ion-exchange, reversed-phase, or size-exclusion chromatography, coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Yogurt fermentation in the presence of up to 2 microg g(-1) of Se(IV) produces a complete incorporation of this element into proteins as has been demonstrated applying a dialysis procedure. Analysis by SEC-ICP-MS showed that most of them have a molecular mass in the range of 30-70 kDa. Species determination after enzymatic hydrolysis has allowed the identification of Se-cystine using two different chromatographic systems. The biotransformation process that takes place during yogurt fermentation is very attractive because yogurt can act as a source of selenium supplementation.

  14. Biotransformation and Degradation of the Insensitive Munitions Compound, 3-Nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one, by Soil Bacterial Communities.

    PubMed

    Krzmarzick, Mark J; Khatiwada, Raju; Olivares, Christopher I; Abrell, Leif; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Chorover, Jon; Field, James A

    2015-05-05

    Insensitive munitions (IM) are a new class of explosives that are increasingly being adopted by the military. The ability of soil microbial communities to degrade IMs is relatively unknown. In this study, microbial communities from a wide range of soils were tested in microcosms for their ability to degrade the IM, 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO). All seven soil inocula tested were able to readily reduce NTO to 3-amino-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (ATO) via 3-hydroxyamino-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (HTO), under anaerobic conditions with H2 as an electron donor. Numerous other electron donors were shown to be suitable for NTO-reducing bacteria. The addition of a small amount of yeast extract (10 mg/L) was critical to diminish lag times and increased the biotransformation rate of NTO in nearly all cases indicating yeast extract provided important nutrients for NTO-reducing bacteria. The main biotransformation product, ATO, was degradable only in aerobic conditions, as evidenced by a rise in the inorganic nitrogen species nitrite and nitrate, indicative of nitrogen-mineralization. NTO was nonbiodegradable in aerobic microcosms with all soil inocula.

  15. Prediction of reacting atoms for the major biotransformation reactions of organic xenobiotics.

    PubMed

    Rudik, Anastasia V; Dmitriev, Alexander V; Lagunin, Alexey A; Filimonov, Dmitry A; Poroikov, Vladimir V

    2016-01-01

    The knowledge of drug metabolite structures is essential at the early stage of drug discovery to understand the potential liabilities and risks connected with biotransformation. The determination of the site of a molecule at which a particular metabolic reaction occurs could be used as a starting point for metabolite identification. The prediction of the site of metabolism does not always correspond to the particular atom that is modified by the enzyme but rather is often associated with a group of atoms. To overcome this problem, we propose to operate with the term "reacting atom", corresponding to a single atom in the substrate that is modified during the biotransformation reaction. The prediction of the reacting atom(s) in a molecule for the major classes of biotransformation reactions is necessary to generate drug metabolites. Substrates of the major human cytochromes P450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases from the Biovia Metabolite database were divided into nine groups according to their reaction classes, which are aliphatic and aromatic hydroxylation, N- and O-glucuronidation, N-, S- and C-oxidation, and N- and O-dealkylation. Each training set consists of positive and negative examples of structures with one labelled atom. In the positive examples, the labelled atom is the reacting atom of a particular reaction that changed adjacency. Negative examples represent non-reacting atoms of a particular reaction. We used Labelled Multilevel Neighbourhoods of Atoms descriptors for the designation of reacting atoms. A Bayesian-like algorithm was applied to estimate the structure-activity relationships. The average invariant accuracy of prediction obtained in leave-one-out and 20-fold cross-validation procedures for five human isoforms of cytochrome P450 and all isoforms of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase varies from 0.86 to 0.99 (0.96 on average). We report that reacting atoms may be predicted with reasonable accuracy for the major classes of metabolic reactions-aliphatic and aromatic hydroxylation, N- and O-glucuronidation, N-, S- and C-oxidation, and N- and O-dealkylation. The proposed method is implemented as a freely available web service at http://www.way2drug.com/RA and may be used for the prediction of the most probable biotransformation reaction(s) and the appropriate reacting atoms in drug-like compounds.Graphical abstract.

  16. 7alpha- and 12alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus lwoffii: a new integrated chemo-enzymatic route to ursodeoxycholic acid.

    PubMed

    Giovannini, Pier Paolo; Grandini, Alessandro; Perrone, Daniela; Pedrini, Paola; Fantin, Giancarlo; Fogagnolo, Marco

    2008-12-22

    We report the very efficient biotransformation of cholic acid to 7-keto- and 7,12-diketocholic acids with Acinetobacter calcoaceticus lwoffii. The enzymes responsible of the biotransformation (i.e. 7alpha- and 12alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases) are partially purified and employed in a new chemo-enzymatic synthesis of ursodeoxycholic acid starting from cholic acid. The first step is the 12alpha-HSDH-mediated total oxidation of sodium cholate followed by the Wolf-Kishner reduction of the carbonyl group to chenodeoxycholic acid. This acid is then quantitatively oxidized with 7alpha-HSDH to 7-ketochenodeoxycholic acid, that was chemically reduced to ursodeoxycholic acid (70% overall yield).

  17. Olea europaea L. leaf extract and derivatives: antioxidant properties.

    PubMed

    Briante, Raffaella; Patumi, Maurizio; Terenziani, Stefano; Bismuto, Ettore; Febbraio, Ferdinando; Nucci, Roberto

    2002-08-14

    This paper reports a very simple and fast method to collect eluates with high amounts of hydroxytyrosol, biotransforming Olea europaea L. leaf extract by a thermophilic beta-glycosidase immobilized on chitosan. Some phenolic compounds in the leaf tissue and in the eluates obtained by biotransformation are identified. To propose the eluates as natural substances from a vegetal source, their antioxidant properties have been compared with those of the leaf extract from which they are originated. The eluates possess a higher concentration of simple phenols, characterized by a stronger antioxidant capacity, than those available in extra virgin olive oils and in many tablets of olive leaf extracts, commercially found as dietetic products and food integrators.

  18. Biotransformation of caffeine, cotinine, and nicotine in stream sediments: Implications for use as wastewater indicators

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bradley, P.M.; Barber, L.B.; Kolpin, D.W.; McMahon, P.B.; Chapelle, F.H.

    2007-01-01

    Microbially catalyzed cleavage of the imadazole ring of caffeine was observed in stream sediments collected upstream and downstream of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in three geographically separate stream systems. Microbial demethylation of the N-methyl component of cotinine and its metabolic precursor, nicotine, also was observed in these sediments. These findings indicate that stream sediment microorganisms are able to substantially alter the chemical structure and thus the analytical signatures of these candidate waste indicator compounds. The potential for in situ biotransformation must be considered if these compounds are employed as markers to identify the sources and track the fate of wastewater compounds in surface-water systems.

  19. [Determination of glycyrrhizinic acid in biotransformation system by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography].

    PubMed

    Li, Hui; Lu, Dingqiang; Liu, Weimin

    2004-05-01

    A method for determining glycyrrhizinic acid in the biotransformation system by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was developed. The HPLC conditions were as follows: Hypersil C18 column (4.6 mm i.d. x 250 mm, 5 microm) with a mixture of methanol-water-acetic acid (70:30:1, v/v) as the mobile phase; flow rate at 1.0 mL/min; and UV detection at 254 nm. The linear range of glycyrrhizinic acid was 0.2-20 microg. The recoveries were 98%-103% with relative standard deviations between 0.16% and 1.58% (n = 3). The method is simple, rapid and accurate for determining glycyrrhizinic acid.

  20. [Synthesis, biotransformation and pharmacodynamics of a new theophylline derivative].

    PubMed

    Oelschläger, H; Harsche, C; Engel, J

    1991-09-01

    7-[(RS)2-((S)-1-Methyl-2-phenyl-ethylamino)propyl]-theophylline (3) was not described until now. This fenetylline analogue is available by reaction of 7 with an excess of 2 at 150 degrees C. If 2 reacts with 4, an E2-elimination overwhelms SN-nucleophilic displacement yielding compound 5. In vivo studies with male White-Wistar rats, comparing biotransformation of 3 and 1, demonstrate, that the amount of 2 is decreased from 4.7% of (RS)-2 to 1%, probably due to steric hindrance of the attacking monooxygenases by the methyl group at C-11 of 3. Pharmacodynamic studies of 3, tested with mice, gave similar results to those obtained with 1.

  1. A theoretical investigation on bio-transformation of third generation anti-cancer drug Heptaplatin and its interaction with DNA purine bases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reddy B., Venkata P.; Mukherjee, Subhajit; Mitra, Ishani; Moi, Sankar Ch.

    2017-12-01

    Heptaplatin is an approved platinum based cytostatic drug for the treatment of gastric cancers. The hydrolytic bio-transformation of Heptaplatin and the platination processes of guanine (G) and adenine (A) with resulting mono and di-aquated species of Heptaplatin have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) combined with the conductor like dielectric continuum model (CPCM) approach, to spotlight the drug activation energy profiles and their binding mechanisms. The stationary points on the potential energy surfaces were fully optimized and characterized. The mono-functional binding of Heptaplatin, guanine as target over adenine due to electronic factors and more favorable hydrogen-bonds pattern.

  2. Identification of new metabolic pathways in the enantioselective fungicide tebuconazole biodegradation by Bacillus sp. 3B6.

    PubMed

    Youness, Mohamed; Sancelme, Martine; Combourieu, Bruno; Besse-Hoggan, Pascale

    2018-06-05

    The use of triazole fungicides in various fields ranging from agriculture to therapy, can cause long-term undesirable effects on different organisms from various environmental compartments and lead to resistance phenomena (even in humans) due to their extensive use and persistence. Their occurrence in various water bodies has increased and tebuconazole, in particular, is often detected, sometimes in high concentration. Only a few bacterial and fungal strains have been isolated and found to biotransform this fungicide, described as not easily biodegradable. Nevertheless, the knowledge of efficient degrading-strains and metabolites potentially formed could improve bioremediation process and global overview of risk assessment. Therefore, a broad screening of microorganisms, isolated from various environmental compartments or from commercially-available strain collections, allowed us to find six bacterial strains able to biotransform tebuconazole. The most efficient one was studied further: this environmental strain Bacillus sp. 3B6 biotransforms the fungicide enantioselectively (ee = 18%) into two hydroxylated metabolites, one of them being transformed in its turn to alkene by a biotic dehydration reaction. This original enantioselective pathway shows that racemic pesticides should be treated by the environmental risk assessment authorities as a mixture of two compounds because persistence, biodegradation, bioaccumulation and toxicity often show chiral dependence. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Fungi from industrial tannins: potential application in biotransformation and bioremediation of tannery wastewaters.

    PubMed

    Prigione, Valeria; Trocini, Bruno; Spina, Federica; Poli, Anna; Romanisio, Davide; Giovando, Samuele; Varese, Giovanna Cristina

    2018-05-01

    Tannins are a complex family of polyphenolic compounds, widely distributed in the plant kingdom where they act as growth inhibitors towards many microorganisms including bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. Tannins are one of the major components of tannery wastewaters and may cause serious environmental pollution. In the present study, four different tannins (the hydrolysable chestnut ellagitannin and tara gallotannin and the condensed quebracho and wattle tannins) were characterized from a mycological point of view with the aim of selecting fungal strains capable of growing in the presence of high tannin concentration and thus potentially useful in industrial biotransformations of these compounds or in the bioremediation of tannery wastewaters. A total of 125 isolates of filamentous fungi belonging to 10 species and four genera (Aspergillus, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, and Talaromyces) were isolated from the tannin industrial preparations. Miniaturized biotransformation tests were set up with 10 fungal strains and the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis pointed out a strong activity of all the tested fungi on both chestnut and tara tannins. Two strains (Aspergillus tubingensis MUT 990 and Paecilomyces variotii MUT 1125), tested against a real tannery wastewater, were particularly efficient in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and tannin removal (> 60%), with a detoxification above 74%. These results indicate that these fungi are potentially exploitable in the treatment of tannery wastewaters.

  4. Microbial Biotransformation of a Polyphenol-Rich Potato Extract Affects Antioxidant Capacity in a Simulated Gastrointestinal Model

    PubMed Central

    Khairallah, Joelle; Sadeghi Ekbatan, Shima; Sabally, Kebba; Iskandar, Michèle M.; Hussain, Raza; Sleno, Lekha; Rodes, Laetitia; Prakash, Satya

    2018-01-01

    A multistage human gastrointestinal model was used to digest a polyphenol-rich potato extract containing chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and rutin as the primary polyphenols, to assess for their microbial biotransformation and to measure changes in antioxidant capacity in up to 24 h of digestion. The biotransformation of polyphenols was assessed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Antioxidant capacity was measured by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Among the colonic reactors, parent (poly)phenols were detected in the ascending (AC), but not the transverse (TC) or descending (DC) colons. The most abundant microbial phenolic metabolites in all colonic reactors included derivatives of propionic acid, acetic acid, and benzoic acid. As compared to the baseline, an earlier increase in antioxidant capacity (T = 8 h) was seen in the stomach and small intestine vessels as compared to the AC (T = 16 h) and TC and DC (T = 24 h). The increase in antioxidant capacity observed in the DC and TC can be linked to the accumulation of microbial smaller-molecular-weight phenolic catabolites, as the parent polyphenolics had completely degraded in those vessels. The colonic microbial digestion of potato-based polyphenols could lead to improved colonic health, as this generates phenolic metabolites with significant antioxidant potential. PMID:29558385

  5. Arsenate biotransformation by Microcystis aeruginosa under different nitrogen and phosphorus levels.

    PubMed

    Che, Feifei; Du, Miaomiao; Yan, Changzhou

    2018-04-01

    The arsenate (As(V)) biotransformation by Microcystis aeruginosa in a medium with different concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) has been studied under laboratory conditions. When 15μg/L As(V) was added, N and P in the medium showed effective regulation on arsenic (As) metabolism in M. aeruginosa, resulting in significant differences in the algal growth among different N and P treatments. Under 0.2mg/L P treatment, increases in N concentration (4-20mg/L) significantly stimulated the cell growth and therefore indirectly enhanced the production of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), the main As metabolite, accounting for 71%-79% of the total As in the medium. Meanwhile, 10-20mg/L N treatments accelerated the ability of As metabolization by M. aeruginosa, leading to higher contents of DMA per cell. However, As(V) uptake by M. aeruginosa was significantly impeded by 0.5-1.0mg/L P treatment, resulting in smaller rates of As transformation in M. aeruginosa as well as lower contents of As metabolites in the medium. Our data demonstrated that As(V) transformation by M. aeruginosa was significantly accelerated by increasing N levels, while it was inhibited by increasing P levels. Overall, both P and N play key roles in As(V) biotransformation processes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Efficient Biotransformation of Astragaloside IV to Cycloastragenol by Bacillus sp. LG-502.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liming; Chen, Yan

    2017-12-01

    Cycloastragenol (CA), an exclusive telomerase activator, was derived from the Astragali Radix which is widely distributed in Turkey. Until now, there is no report to produce CA with effective and environment-friendly methods. Biotransformation is considered to be a promising technology. Thus, the present study was aimed to establish a biotransformation technology that could efficiently produce CA. In this paper, a microorganism, LG-502, was used to successfully transform astragaloside IV (ASI) to CA by analysis of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA indicated that this strain belongs to Bacillus sp. Three metabolites were separated during the fermentation and characterized to be cyclogaleginoside B, CA, and 20R, 24S-epoxy-6α, 16β, 25-trihydroxy-9, 19-cycloartan-3-one based on NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses. The conversion rate of ASI and yield rate of CA were achieved as high as 89 and 84%, respectively, under optimized conditions. Enzymatic analysis showed that the glycosidases were mainly located inside the bacterial body, and the activities of glucosidases were much higher than the xylosidases under the experimental conditions. This study provides a feasible, effective, and eco-friendly way to prepare CA from ASI, which might greatly contribute to the applications of ASI.

  7. Biotransformation and tissue distribution of protopine and allocryptopine and effects of Plume Poppy Total Alkaloid on liver drug-metabolizing enzymes.

    PubMed

    Huang, Ya-Jun; Cheng, Pi; Zhang, Zhuo-Yi; Tian, Shi-Jie; Sun, Zhi-Liang; Zeng, Jian-Guo; Liu, Zhao-Ying

    2018-01-11

    In this study, the biotransformation in the plasma, urine and feces of rats following oral administration of protopine (PRO) and allocryptopine (ALL)were explored using HPLC-QqTOF MS. An HPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of tissues was developed and applied to the tissue distribution study in rats following intragastric administration of Plume Poppy Total Alkaloid for 3 weeks. A total of ten PRO metabolites and ten ALL metabolites were characterized in rats in vivo. Among these metabolites, six PRO metabolites and five ALL metabolites were reported for the first time. The predicated metabolic pathways including ring cleavage, demethylation following ring cleavage, and glucuronidation were proposed. The low-concentration residue of PRO and ALL in various tissues was detected at 24 h and 48 h after dosing, which indicated that both compounds could be widely distributed in tissues and exist as low levels of residue. The activities of erythromycin N-demethylase, aminopyrine N-demethylase and NAD (P)H quinone oxidoreductase in female rats can be induced post-dose, but these activities were inhibited in male rats. The proposed biotransformation and residues of PRO and ALL and their effects on enzymes may provide a basis for clarifying the metabolism and interpreting pharmacokinetics.

  8. Chiral Polychlorinated Biphenyl Transport, Metabolism and Distribution - A Review

    PubMed Central

    Lehmler, Hans-Joachim; Harrad, Stuart J.; Hühnerfuss, Heinrich; Kania-Korwel, Izabela; Lee, Cindy M.; Lu, Zhe; Wong, Charles S.

    2009-01-01

    Chirality can be exploited to gain insight into enantioselective fate processes that may otherwise remain undetected because only biological, but not physical and chemical transport and transformation processes in an achiral environment will change enantiomer compositions. This review provides an in-depth overview of the application of chirality to the study of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), an important group of legacy pollutants. Like other chiral compounds, individual PCB enantiomers may interact enantioselectively (or enantiospecifically) with chiral macromolecules, such as cytochrome P-450 enzymes or ryanodine receptors, leading to differences in their toxicological effects and the enantioselective formation of chiral biotransformation products. Species and congener-specific enantiomer enrichment has been demonstrated in environmental compartments, wildlife and mammals, including humans, typically due to a complex combination of biotransformation processes and uptake via the diet by passive diffusion. Changes in the enantiomer composition of chiral PCBs in the environment have been used to understand complex aerobic and anaerobic microbial transformation pathways, to delineate and quantify PCB sources and transport in the environment, to gain insight into the biotransformation of PCBs in aquatic food webs, and to investigate the enantioselective disposition of PCBs and their methylsulfonyl PCBs metabolites in rodents. Overall, changes in chiral signatures are powerful, but currently underutilized tools for studies of environmental and biological processes of PCBs. PMID:20384371

  9. Metamorphosis increases biotransformation of polychlorinated biphenyls: a comparative study of polychlorinated biphenyl metabolism in green frogs (Rana clamitans) and leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) at various life stages.

    PubMed

    Leney, Jocelyn L; Drouillard, Ken G; Haffner, G Douglas

    2006-11-01

    Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) elimination rates were used to determine whether green frogs (Rana clamitans) and leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) at three life stages (tadpole, metamorph, and adult) were capable of metabolic biotransformation of PCBs. Polychlorinated biphenyls were grouped according to their structural properties to determine whether congeners with specific structures were eliminated more rapidly than others, which would suggest the occurrence of metabolic biotransformation. For both species and at all life stages studied, PCBs with adjacent unsubstituted meta-para sites (group-2 PCBs) were eliminated significantly faster than PCBs with adjacent unsubstituted ortho-meta sites (group-3 PCBs). Because these groups of PCBs span similar hydrophobicity ranges, it was concluded that green and leopard frogs can selectively metabolize group-2 PCBs. Metabolic activity was more pronounced in the metamorph stage than in any other life stage. In green frog metamorphs, the average elimination rate of the group-2 PCBs was 4.9-fold greater than that of the group-3 PCBs. By contrast, in green frog tadpoles, group-2 PCBs were eliminated 1.9-fold faster than group-3 PCBs, and in green frog adults, group-2 PCBs were eliminated 1.5-fold faster than group-3 PDBs.

  10. Hepatic expression patterns of aryl hydrocarbon receptor, pregnane X receptor, two cytochrome P450s and five phase II metabolism genes responsive to 17alpha-methyltestosterone in rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus.

    PubMed

    Gao, Jiancao; Liu, Shaozhen; Zhang, Yingying; Yuan, Cong; Yang, Yanping; Wang, Zaizhao

    2014-05-01

    17Alpha-methyltestosterone (MT), a synthetic androgen, is widely used in aquaculture. Aquatic organisms can receive continuous exposure to residual MT throughout their lives. Aiming to evaluate the effects of MT on genes involved in biotransformation pathway, meanwhile attempting to unravel the MT metabolic pathway at the transcriptional level in fish, here we isolated the cDNAs of previously unreported AHR2, Sult1 st1, Ugt2a1 and Ugt2b6 in rare minnow, and predominantly investigated the hepatic transcriptional patterns of AHR2, PXR and five biotransformation genes after MT exposure in both genders adult rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus. The present findings suggest that AHR2 and PXR should play important roles in regulating biotransformation enzymes related to MT catabolism, moreover, CYP1A, CYP3A, SULT1 ST4, SULT1 ST6 and UGT2A1 may play certain roles in catabolism of MT in adult G. rarus. Additionally, UGT2A1 may make greater contribution than SULT1 ST4 and SULT1 ST6 in MT catabolism in males. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Uptake, Translocation, and Biotransformation of Organophosphorus Esters in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

    PubMed

    Wan, Weining; Huang, Honglin; Lv, Jitao; Han, Ruixia; Zhang, Shuzhen

    2017-12-05

    The uptake, translocation and biotransformation of organophosphate esters (OPEs) by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were investigated by a hydroponic experiment. The results demonstrated that OPEs with higher hydrophobicity were more easily taken up by roots, and OPEs with lower hydrophobicity were more liable to be translocated acropetally. A total of 43 metabolites including dealkylated, oxidatively dechlorinated, hydroxylated, methoxylated, and glutathione-, and glucuronide- conjugated products were detected derived from eight OPEs, with diesters formed by direct dealkylation from the parent triesters as the major products, followed with hydroxylated triesters. Molecular interactions of OPEs with plant biomacromolecules were further characterized by homology modeling combined with molecular docking. OPEs with higher hydrophobicity were more liable to bind with TaLTP1.1, the most important wheat nonspecific lipid transfer protein, consistent with the experimental observation that OPEs with higher hydrophobicity were more easily taken up by wheat roots. Characterization of molecular interactions between OPEs and wheat enzymes suggested that OPEs were selectively bound to TaGST4-4 and CYP71C6v1 with different binding affinities, which determined their abilities to be metabolized and form metabolite products in wheat. This study provides both experimental and theoretical evidence for the uptake, accumulation and biotransformation of OPEs in plants.

  12. Extractive biotransformation for production of metabolites of poorly soluble compounds: synthesis of 32-hydroxy-rifalazil.

    PubMed

    Mozhaev, Vadim V; Mozhaeva, Lyudmila V; Michels, Peter C; Khmelnitsky, Yuri L

    2008-10-01

    A novel reaction system was developed for the production of metabolites of poorly water-soluble parent compounds using mammalian liver microsomes. The system includes the selection and use of an appropriate hydrophobic polymeric resin as a reservoir for the hydrophobic parent compounds and its metabolites. The utility of the extractive biotransformation approach was shown for the production of a low-yielding, synthetically challenging 32-hydroxylated metabolite of the antibiotic rifalazil using mouse liver microsomes. To address the low solubility and reactivity of rifalazil in the predominantly aqueous microsomal catalytic system, a variety of strategies were tested for the enhanced delivery of hydrophobic substrates, including the addition of mild detergents, polyvinylpyrrolidone, glycerol, bovine serum albumin, and hydrophobic polymeric resins. The latter strategy was identified as the most suitable for the production of 32-hydroxy-rifalazil, resulting in up to 13-fold enhancement of the volumetric productivity compared with the standard aqueous system operating at the solubility limit of rifalazil. The production process was optimized for a wide range of reaction parameters; the most important for improving volumetric productivity included the type and amount of the polymeric resin, cofactor recycling system, concentrations of the biocatalyst and rifalazil, reaction temperature, and agitation rate. The optimized extractive biotransformation system was used to synthesize 32-hydroxy-rifalazil on a multimilligram scale.

  13. Removal of pharmaceuticals in pre-denitrifying MBBR - Influence of organic substrate availability in single- and three-stage configurations.

    PubMed

    Polesel, Fabio; Torresi, Elena; Loreggian, Luca; Casas, Mònica Escolà; Christensson, Magnus; Bester, Kai; Plósz, Benedek Gy

    2017-10-15

    Due to the limited efficiency of conventional biological treatment, innovative solutions are being explored to improve the removal of trace organic chemicals in wastewater. Controlling biomass exposure to growth substrate represents an appealing option for process optimization, as substrate availability likely impacts microbial activity, hence organic trace chemical removal. This study investigated the elimination of pharmaceuticals in pre-denitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), where biofilm exposure to different organic substrate loading and composition was controlled by reactor staging. A three-stage MBBR and a single-stage reference MBBR (with the same operating volume and filling ratio) were operated under continuous-flow conditions (18 months). Two sets of batch experiments (day 100 and 471) were performed to quantify and compare pharmaceutical removal and denitrification kinetics in the different MBBRs. Experimental results revealed the possible influence of retransformation (e.g., from conjugated metabolites) and enantioselectivity on the removal of selected pharmaceuticals. In the second set of experiments, specific trends in denitrification and biotransformation kinetics were observed, with highest and lowest rates/rate constants in the first (S1) and the last (S3) staged sub-reactors, respectively. These observations were confirmed by removal efficiency data obtained during continuous-flow operation, with limited removal (<10%) of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals and highest removal in S1 within the three-stage MBBR. Notably, biotransformation rate constants obtained for non-recalcitrant pharmaceuticals correlated with mean specific denitrification rates, maximum specific growth rates and observed growth yield values. Overall, these findings suggest that: (i) the long-term exposure to tiered substrate accessibility in the three-stage configuration shaped the denitrification and biotransformation capacity of biofilms, with significant reduction under substrate limitation; (ii) biotransformation of pharmaceuticals may have occurred as a result of cometabolism by heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Molecular modeling and simulation studies of recombinant laccase from Yersinia enterocolitica suggests significant role in the biotransformation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Singh, Deepti; Rawat, Surender; Waseem, Mohd

    The YacK gene from Yersinia enterocolitica strain 7, cloned in pET28a vector and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), showed laccase activity when oxidized with 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and guaiacol. The recombinant laccase protein was purified and characterized biochemically with a molecular mass of ≈58 KDa on SDS-PAGE and showed positive zymogram with ABTS. The protein was highly robust with optimum pH 9.0 and stable at 70 °C upto 12 h with residual activity of 70%. Kinetic constants, K{sub m} values, for ABTS and guaiacol were 675 μM and 2070 μM, respectively, with corresponding Vmax values of 0.125 μmol/ml/min and 6500 μmol/ml/min. It also possess antioxidative propertymore » against BSA and Cu{sup 2+}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} model system. Constant pH MD simulation studies at different protonation states of the system showed ABTS to be most stable at acidic pH, whereas, diclofenac at neutral pH. Interestingly, aspirin drifted out of the binding pocket at acidic and neutral pH, but showed stable binding at alkaline pH. The biotransformation of diclofenac and aspirin by laccase also corroborated the in silico results. This is the first report on biotransformation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) using recombinant laccase from gut bacteria, supported by in silico simulation studies. - Highlights: • Laccase from Yersinia enterocolitica strain 7 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). • Recombinant laccase was found to be thermostable and alkali tolerant. • The in silico and experimental studied proves the biotransformation of NSAIDs. • Laccase binds to ligands differentially under different protonation state. • Laccase also possesses free radical scavenging property.« less

  15. Two compartment model of diazepam biotransformation in an organotypical culture of primary human hepatocytes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Acikgoez, Ali; Department of Surgery, Universitaet Leipzig, Liebig Str. 20, D-04103 Leipzig; Karim, Najibulla

    2009-01-15

    Drug biotransformation is one of the most important parameters of preclinical screening tests for the registration of new drug candidates. Conventional existing tests rely on nonhuman models which deliver an incomplete metabolic profile of drugs due to the lack of proper CYP450 expression as seen in human liver in vivo. In order to overcome this limitation, we used an organotypical model of human primary hepatocytes for the biotransformation of the drug diazepam with special reference to metabolites in both the cell matrix phase and supernatant and its interaction of three inducers (phenobarbital, dexamethasone, aroclor 1254) in different time responses (1,more » 2, 4, 8, 24 h). Phenobarbital showed the strongest inducing effect in generating desmethyldiazepam and induced up to a 150 fold increase in oxazepam-content which correlates with the increased availability of the precursor metabolites (temazepam and desmethyldiazepam). Aroclor 1254 and dexamethasone had the strongest inducing effect on temazepam and the second strongest on oxazepam. The strong and overlapping inductive role of phenobarbital strengthens the participation of CYP2B6 and CYP3A in diazepam N-demethylation and CYP3A in temazepam formation. Aroclor 1254 preferentially generated temazepam due to the interaction with CYP3A and potentially CYP2C19. In parallel we represented these data in the form of a mathematical model with two compartments explaining the dynamics of diazepam metabolism with the effect of these other inducers in human primary hepatocytes. The model consists of ten differential equations, with one for each concentration c{sub i,j} (i = diazepam, temazepam, desmethyldiazepam, oxazepam, other metabolites) and one for each compartment (j = cell matrix phase, supernatant), respectively. The parameters p{sub k} (k = 1, 2, 3, 4, 13) are rate constants describing the biotransformation of diazepam and its metabolites and the other parameters (k = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15) explain the concentration changes in the two compartments.« less

  16. Characterization of the biotransformation pathways of clomiphene, tamoxifen and toremifene as assessed by LC-MS/(MS) following in vitro and excretion studies.

    PubMed

    Mazzarino, Monica; Biava, Mariangela; de la Torre, Xavier; Fiacco, Ilaria; Botrè, Francesco

    2013-06-01

    The use of selective oestrogen receptor modulators has been prohibited since 2005 by the World Anti-Doping Agency regulations. As they are extensively cleared by hepatic and intestinal metabolism via oxidative and conjugating enzymes, a complete investigation of their biotransformation pathways and kinetics of excretion is essential for the anti-doping laboratories to select the right marker(s) of misuse. This work was designed to characterize the chemical reactions and the metabolizing enzymes involved in the metabolic routes of clomiphene, tamoxifen and toremifene. To determine the biotransformation pathways of the substrates under investigation, urine samples were collected from six subjects (three females and three males) after oral administration of 50 mg of clomiphene citrate or 40 mg of tamoxifen or 60 mg of toremifene, whereas the metabolizing enzymes were characterized in vitro, using expressed cytochrome P450s and uridine diphosphoglucuronosyltransferases. The separation, identification and determination of the compounds formed in the in vivo and in vitro experiments were carried out by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry techniques using different acquisition modes. Clomiphene, tamoxifen and toremifene were biotransformed to 22, 23 and 18 metabolites respectively, these phase I reactions being catalyzed mainly by CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 isoforms and, to a lesser degree, by CYP3A5, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 isoforms. The phase I metabolic reactions include hydroxylation in different positions, N-oxidation, dehalogenation, carboxylation, hydrogenation, methoxylation, N-dealkylation and combinations of them. In turn, most of the phase I metabolites underwent conjugation reaction to form the corresponding glucuro-conjugated mainly by UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A4, UGT2B7, UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 isoenzymes.

  17. Aerobic biotransformation of polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) in soil.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chen; Liu, Jinxia

    2016-05-01

    Microbial transformation of polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) into perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) has recently been confirmed to occur in activated sludge and soil. However, there lacks quantitative information about the half-lives of the PAPs and their significance as the precursors to PFCAs. In the present study, the biotransformation of 6:2 and 8:2 diPAP in aerobic soil was investigated in semi-dynamics reactors using improved sample preparation methods. To develop an efficient extraction method for PAPs, six different extraction solvents were compared, and the phenomenon of solvent-enhanced hydrolysis was investigated. It was found that adding acetic acid could enhance the recoveries of the diPAPs and inhibit undesirable hydrolysis during solvent extraction of soil. However 6:2 and 8:2 monoPAPs, which are the first breakdown products from diPAPs, were found to be unstable in the six solvents tested and quickly hydrolyzed to form fluorotelomer alcohols. Therefore reliable measurement of the monoPAPs from a live soil was not achievable. The apparent DT50 values of 6:2 diPAP and 8:2 diPAP biotransformation were estimated to be 12 and > 1000 days, respectively, using a double first-order in parallel model. At the end of incubation of day 112, the major degradation products of 6:2 diPAP were 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (5:3 acid, 9.3% by mole), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA, 6.4%) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA, 6.0%). The primary product of 8:2 diPAP was perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, 2.1%). The approximately linear relationship between the half-lives of eleven polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs, including 6:2 and 8:2 diPAPs) that biotransform in aerobic soils and their molecular weights suggested that the molecular weight is a good indicator of the general stability of low-molecular-weight PFAS-based compounds in aerobic soils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Estimation of biotransformation and sorption of emerging organic compounds (EOCs) during artificial recharge through a reactive barrier.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valhondo, C.; Martinez-Landa, L.; Carrera, J.; Hidalgo, J. J.; Ayora, C.

    2016-12-01

    The reuse of lesser quality water such as effluents from wastewater treatment plants or effluent-receiving water bodies has been promoted due to the water shortages affecting many regions of the world. Artificial recharge through infiltration basins is known to improve several water quality parameters including the attenuation of emerging organic compounds (EOCs). Many of these contaminants exhibit redox dependent biotransformation because the redox state is one of the factors controlling microbial community development. Together with biotransformation, sorption also affects the behavior of EOCs in their passage through the soil. We studied EOCs attenuation in an infiltration system is located in Sant Vicenç dells Horts on the Llobregat delta (Barcelona, Spain), where the local water agency has an artificial recharge pilot project . The Llobregat river water used for the artificial recharge is affected by treatment plant effluents which contain EOCs. A reactive barrier consisting of vegetable compost, clay, and iron oxide was installed in the bottom of the infiltration basin to enhance biotransformation and sorption of EOCs. The barrier releases dissolved organic carbon, which favors the development of a broad range of redox environments, and supplies neutral, cationic, and anionic surfaces to favor sorption of different types of contaminants. Results were excellent, but quantitative evaluation of the EOCs attenuation requires knowledge of the residence time distribution of infiltrated water. A tracer test was performed by adding tracers to the infiltration water and interpreting the breakthrough curves at diverse monitoring points with a 2D multilayer numerical model. The calibrated model quantify degradation, as a first order law, and sorption through a linear distribution coefficient for ten selected EOCs. Results indicate higher degradation rates and sorption coefficients in the reactive barrier than in the rest of the aquifer for nine and eight of the ten studied EOCs, respectively, which demonstrates the efficiency of the reactive barrier to enhance the removal of EOCs.

  19. Biotransformation of furanic and phenolic compounds with hydrogen gas production in a microbial electrolysis cell

    DOE PAGES

    Zeng, Xiaofei; Borole, Abhijeet P.; Pavlostathis, Spyros G.

    2015-10-27

    In this study, furanic and phenolic compounds are problematic byproducts resulting from the decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass during biofuel production. This study assessed the capacity of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to produce hydrogen gas (H 2) using a mixture of two furanic (furfural, FF; 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, HMF) and three phenolic (syringic acid, SA; vanillic acid, VA; and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, HBA) compounds as the sole carbon and energy source in the bioanode. The rate and extent of biotransformation of the five compounds, efficiency of H 2 production, as well as the anode microbial community structure were investigated. The five compoundsmore » were completely transformed within 7-day batch runs and their biotransformation rate increased with increasing initial concentration. At an initial concentration of 1,200 mg/L (8.7 mM) of the mixture of the five compounds, their biotransformation rate ranged from 0.85 to 2.34 mM/d. The anode coulombic efficiency was 44-69%, which is comparable to wastewater-fed MECs. The H 2 yield varied from 0.26 to 0.42 g H 2-COD/g COD removed in the anode, and the bioanode volume-normalized H 2 production rate was 0.07-0.1 L/L-d. The major identified fermentation products that did not transform further were catechol and phenol. Acetate was the direct substrate for exoelectrogenesis. Current and H 2 production were inhibited at an initial substrate concentration of 1,200 mg/L, resulting in acetate accumulation at a much higher level than that measured in other batch runs conducted with a lower initial concentration of the five compounds. The anode microbial community consisted of exoelectrogens, putative degraders of the five compounds, and syntrophic partners of exoelectrogens. The H 2 production route demonstrated in this study has proven to be an alternative to the currently used process of reforming natural gas to supply H 2 needed to upgrade bio-oils to stable hydrocarbon fuels.« less

  20. Isolated and mixed effects of diuron and its metabolites on biotransformation enzymes and oxidative stress response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

    PubMed

    Felício, Andréia Arantes; Freitas, Juliane Silberschmidt; Scarin, Jéssica Bolpeti; de Souza Ondei, Luciana; Teresa, Fabrício Barreto; Schlenk, Daniel; de Almeida, Eduardo Alves

    2018-03-01

    Diuron is one of the most used herbicide in the world, and its field application has been particularly increased in Brazil due to the expansion of sugarcane crops. Diuron has often been detected in freshwater ecosystems and it can be biodegraded into three main metabolites in the environment, the 3,4-dichloroaniline (DCA), 3,4-dichlorophenylurea (DCPU) and 3,4-dichlorophenyl-N-methylurea (DCPMU). Negative effects under aquatic biota are still not well established for diuron, especially when considering its presence in mixture with its different metabolites. In this study, we evaluated the effects of diuron alone or in combination with its metabolites, DCPMU, DCPU and 3,4-DCA on biochemical stress responses and biotransformation activity of the fish Oreochromis niloticus. Results showed that diuron and its metabolites caused significant but dispersed alterations in oxidative stress markers and biotransformation enzymes, except for ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, that presented a dose-dependent increase after exposure to either diuron or its metabolites. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significant lower in gills after exposure to diuron metabolites, but not diuron. Diuron, DCPMU and DCA also decreased the multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) activity. Lipid peroxidation levels were increased in gill after exposure to all compounds, indicating that the original compound and diuron metabolites can induce oxidative stress in fish. The integration of all biochemical responses by the Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) model indicated that all compounds caused significant alterations in O. niloticus, but DCPMU caused the higher alterations in both liver and gill. Our findings imply that diuron and its metabolites may impair the physiological response related to biotransformation and antioxidant activity in fish at field concentrations. Such alterations could interfere with the ability of aquatic animals to adapt to environments contaminated by agriculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Environmentally relevant organophosphate triesters in herring gulls: In vitro biotransformation and kinetics and diester metabolite formation using a hepatic microsomal assay.

    PubMed

    Greaves, Alana K; Su, Guanyong; Letcher, Robert J

    2016-10-01

    The in vitro biotransformation and kinetics of six organophosphate triester (OPE) flame retardants were investigated in herring gulls (Larus argentatus) from the Great Lakes using a hepatic microsomal metabolism assay. Administration of each individual OPE (tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP)) to the in vitro assay (concentration range 0.01 to 10μM) resulted in rapid depletion with the exception of TEP. Following the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics model, a preliminary 2-minute incubation period was used to estimate the Vmax (±SE) values (i.e., the maximal rate of reaction for a saturated enzyme system), which ranged from 5.0±0.4 (TPHP) to 29±18pmol/min/mg protein (TBOEP), as well as the KM (±SE) values (i.e., the OPE concentration corresponding to one half of the Vmax), which ranged from 9.8±1 (TPHP) to 189±135nM (TBOEP). Biotransformation assays over a 100-minute incubation period revealed that TNBP was metabolized most rapidly (with a depletion rate of 73±4pmol/min/mg protein), followed by TBOEP (53±8pmol/min/mg), TCIPP (27±1pmol/min/mg), TPHP (22±2pmol/min/mg) and TDCIPP (8±1pmol/min/mg). In vitro biotransformation of OP triesters was clearly structure-dependent where non-halogenated alkyl OP triesters were metabolized more rapidly than halogenated alkyl triesters. Halogenated OP triesters were transformed to their respective diesters more efficiently relative to non-halogenated OP triesters. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate OP triester metabolism and OP diester formation in an avian or wildlife model system, which is important to understand the fate and biological activity of OPEs in an exposed organism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Extent of cutaneous metabolism during percutaneous absorption of xenobiotics.

    PubMed

    Bronaugh, R L; Stewart, R F; Storm, J E

    1989-07-01

    In vitro percutaneous absorption studies generally do not determine whether biotransformation occurs during passage of a substance through the skin. Since it has recently been demonstrated that several chemicals are metabolized during skin permeation, we investigated the metabolism of five additional compounds (14C-labeled) after application to fuzzy rat skin: caffeine, p,p'-DDT, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), salicylic acid, and acetyl ethyl tetramethyltetralin (AETT). The viability of skin was maintained with a tissue culture medium. Radioactivity of each substrate and any metabolites in skin and receptor fluid was measured so that the absorption and metabolism of water-insoluble compounds would be accurately determined. Percutaneous absorption ranged from a low of 13% of the applied dose for BHT to a high of 49% for DDT. BHT was metabolized in skin to 4-hydroxy-BHT and an unknown metabolite. Of the absorbed radioisotope, 6.6% was isolated in biotransformed products found mainly in the receptor fluid. AETT was also metabolized during absorption, with 1.9% of the absorbed radioisotope found in two unknown peaks. Caffeine, DDT, and salicylic acid were not metabolized during skin permeation. Skin and liver microsomal metabolism was measured for all compounds except DDT. Metabolism in skin was observed only for the compounds also biotransformed in the diffusion cell; BHT and AETT were metabolized at 113 and 2.5 pmol/min/mg protein, respectively. In this study, as in others, skin metabolism was substantially less than the corresponding metabolism in liver. Therefore, a low rate of liver metabolism such as that found for caffeine, salicylic acid, and DDT might often be predictive of the absence of measurable metabolism during skin permeation. It seems likely that for many compounds, the biotransformations in skin will be small in terms of the percentage of absorbed material that is metabolized. Nevertheless, with potent compounds, even small quantities of a metabolite can be important and for pharmacokinetic studies, viability of skin must be maintained.

  3. Mass Spectrometry Based Identification of Geometric Isomers during Metabolic Stability Study of a New Cytotoxic Sulfonamide Derivatives Supported by Quantitative Structure-Retention Relationships

    PubMed Central

    Belka, Mariusz; Hewelt-Belka, Weronika; Sławiński, Jarosław; Bączek, Tomasz

    2014-01-01

    A set of 15 new sulphonamide derivatives, presenting antitumor activity have been subjected to a metabolic stability study. The results showed that besides products of biotransformation, some additional peaks occurred in chromatograms. Tandem mass spectrometry revealed the same mass and fragmentation pathway, suggesting that geometric isomerization occurred. Thus, to support this hypothesis, quantitative structure-retention relationships were applied. Human liver microsomes were used as an in vitro model of metabolism. The biotransformation reactions were tracked by liquid chromatography assay and additionally, fragmentation mass spectra were recorded. In silico molecular modeling at a semi-empirical level was conducted as a starting point for molecular descriptor calculations. A quantitative structure-retention relationship model was built applying multiple linear regression based on selected three-dimensional descriptors. The studied compounds revealed high metabolic stability, with a tendency to form hydroxylated biotransformation products. However, significant chemical instability in conditions simulating human body fluids was noticed. According to literature and MS data geometrical isomerization was suggested. The developed in sillico model was able to describe the relationship between the geometry of isomer pairs and their chromatographic retention properties, thus it supported the hypothesis that the observed pairs of peaks are most likely geometric isomers. However, extensive structural investigations are needed to fully identify isomers’ geometry. An effort to describe MS fragmentation pathways of novel chemical structures is often not enough to propose structures of potent metabolites and products of other chemical reactions that can be observed in compound solutions at early drug discovery studies. The results indicate that the relatively non-expensive and not time- and labor-consuming in sillico approach could be a good supportive tool assisting the identification of cis-trans isomers based on retention data. This methodology can be helpful during the structural identification of biotransformation and degradation products of new chemical entities - potential new drugs. PMID:24893169

  4. Biotransformation in Double-Phase Systems: Physiological Responses of Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E to a Double Phase Made of Aliphatic Alcohols and Biosynthesis of Substituted Catechols

    PubMed Central

    Rojas, Antonia; Duque, Estrella; Schmid, Andreas; Hurtado, Ana; Ramos, Juan-Luis; Segura, Ana

    2004-01-01

    Pseudomonas putida strain DOT-T1E is highly tolerant to organic solvents, with a logPow (the logarithm of the partition coefficient of a solvent in a two-phase water-octanol system of ≥2.5. Solvent tolerant microorganisms can be exploited to develop double-phase (organic solvent and water) biotransformation systems in which toxic substrates or products are kept in the organic phase. We tested P. putida DOT-T1E tolerance to different aliphatic alcohols with a logPow value between 2 and 4, such as decanol, nonanol, and octanol, which are potentially useful in biotransformations in double-phase systems in which compounds with a logPow around 1.5 are produced. P. putida DOT-T1E responds to aliphatic alcohols as the second phase through cis-to-trans isomerization of unsaturated cis fatty acids and through efflux of these aliphatic alcohols via a series of pumps that also extrude aromatic hydrocarbons. These defense mechanisms allow P. putida DOT-T1E to survive well in the presence of high concentrations of the aliphatic alcohols, and growth with nonanol or decanol occurred at a high rate, whereas in the presence of an octanol double-phase growth was compromised. Our results support that the logPow of aliphatic alcohols correlates with their toxic effects, as octanol (logPow = 2.9) has more negative effects in P. putida cells than 1-nonanol (logPow = 3.4) or 1-decanol (logPow = 4). A P. putida DOT-T1E derivative bearing plasmid pWW0-xylE::Km transforms m-xylene (logPow = 3.2) into 3-methylcatechol (logPow = 1.8). The amount of 3-methylcatechol produced in an aliphatic alcohol/water bioreactor was 10- to 20-fold higher than in an aqueous medium, demonstrating the usefulness of double-phase systems for this particular biotransformation. PMID:15184168

  5. Role of L-alanine for redox self-sufficient amination of alcohols.

    PubMed

    Klatte, Stephanie; Wendisch, Volker F

    2015-01-23

    In white biotechnology biocatalysis represents a key technology for chemical functionalization of non-natural compounds. The plasmid-born overproduction of an alcohol dehydrogenase, an L-alanine-dependent transaminase and an alanine dehydrogenase allows for redox self-sufficient amination of alcohols in whole cell biotransformation. Here, conditions to optimize the whole cell biocatalyst presented in (Bioorg Med Chem 22:5578-5585, 2014), and the role of L-alanine for efficient amine functionalization of 1,10-decanediol to 1,10-diaminodecane were analyzed. The enzymes of the cascade for amine functionalization of alcohols were characterized in vitro to find optimal conditions for an efficient process. Transaminase from Chromobacterium violaceum, TaCv, showed three-fold higher catalytic efficiency than transaminase from Vibrio fluvialis, TaVf, and improved production at 37°C. At 42°C, TaCv was more active, which matched thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase and alanine dehydrogenase and improved the 1,10-diaminodecane production rate four-fold. To study the role of L-alanine in the whole cell biotransformation, the L-alanine concentration was varied and 1,10.diaminodecane formation tested with constant 10 mM 1,10- decanediol and 100 mM NH4Cl. Only 5.6% diamine product were observed without added L-alanine. L-alanine concentrations equimolar to that of the alcohol enabled for 94% product formation but higher L-alanine concentrations allowed for 100% product formation. L-alanine was consumed by the E. coli biocatalyst, presumably due to pyruvate catabolism since up to 16 mM acetate accumulated. Biotransformation employing E. coli strain YYC202/pTrc99a-ald-adh-ta Cv, which is unable to catabolize pyruvate, resulted in conversion with a selectivity of 42 mol-%. Biotransformation with E. coli strains only lacking pyruvate oxidase PoxB showed similar reduced amination of 1,10-decanediol indicating that oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetate by PoxB is primarily responsible for pyruvate catabolism during redox self-sufficient amination of alcohols using this whole cell biocatalyst. The replacement of the transaminase TaVf by TaCv, which showed higher activity at 42°C, in the artificial operon ald-adh-ta improved amination of alcohols in whole cell biotransformation. The addition of L-alanine, which was consumed by E. coli via pyruvate catabolism, was required for 100% product formation possibly by providing maintenance energy. Metabolic engineering revealed that pyruvate catabolism occurred primarily via oxidative decarboxylation to acetate by PoxB under the chosen biotranformation conditions.

  6. Specific carotenoid pigments in the diet and a bit of oxidative stress in the recipe for producing red carotenoid-based signals

    PubMed Central

    García-de Blas, Esther; Mateo, Rafael

    2016-01-01

    Colorful ornaments have been the focus of sexual selection studies since the work of Darwin. Yellow to red coloration is often produced by carotenoid pigments. Different hypotheses have been formulated to explain the evolution of these traits as signals of individual quality. Many of these hypotheses involve the existence of a signal production cost. The carotenoids necessary for signaling can only be obtained from food. In this line, carotenoid-based signals could reveal an individual’s capacity to find sufficient dietary pigments. However, the ingested carotenoids are often yellow and became transformed by the organism to produce pigments of more intense color (red ketocarotenoids). Biotransformation should involve oxidation reactions, although the exact mechanism is poorly known. We tested the hypothesis that carotenoid biotransformation could be costly because a certain level of oxidative stress is required to correctly perform the conversion. The carotenoid-based signals could thus reveal the efficiency of the owner in successfully managing this challenge. In a bird with ketocarotenoid-based ornaments (the red-legged partridge; Alectoris rufa), the availability of different carotenoids in the diet (i.e. astaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein) and oxidative stress were manipulated. The carotenoid composition was analyzed and quantified in the ornaments, blood, liver and fat. A number of oxidative stress biomarkers were also measured in the same tissues. First, we found that color and pigment levels in the ornaments depended on food levels of those carotenoids used as substrates in biotransformation. Second, we found that birds exposed to mild levels of a free radical generator (diquat) developed redder bills and deposited higher amounts of ketocarotenoids (astaxanthin) in ornaments. Moreover, the same diquat-exposed birds also showed a weaker resistance to hemolysis when their erythrocytes were exposed to free radicals, with females also enduring higher oxidative damage in plasma lipids. Thus, higher color production would be linked to higher oxidative stress, supporting the biotransformation hypothesis. The recent discovery of an avian oxygenase enzyme involved in converting yellow to red carotenoids may support our results. Nonetheless, the effect could also depend on the abundance of specific substrate carotenoids in the diet. Birds fed with proportionally higher levels of zeaxanthin showed the reddest ornaments with the highest astaxanthin concentrations. Moreover, these birds tended to show the strongest diquat-mediated effect. Therefore, in the evolution of carotenoid-based sexual signals, a biotransformation cost derived from maintaining a well-adjusted redox machinery could coexist with a cost linked to carotenoid acquisition and allocation (i.e. a resource allocation trade-off). PMID:27635308

  7. Biotransformation of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol into 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole by a marine Bacillus sp. strain MW-1.

    PubMed

    Arora, Pankaj Kumar; Jain, Rakesh Kumar

    2012-04-01

    Decolourization, detoxification and biotransformation of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol (4C2NP) by Bacillus sp. strain MW-1 were studied. This strain decolorized 4C2NP only in the presence of an additional carbon source. On the basis of thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), 4-chloro-2-aminophenol, 4-chloro-2-acetaminophenol and 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole were identified as metabolites. Resting cells depleted 4C2NP with stoichiometric formation of 5-chloro-2-methyl benzoxazole. This is the first report of the formation of 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole from 4C2NP by any bacterial strain.

  8. The Reciprocal Interactions between Polyphenols and Gut Microbiota and Effects on Bioaccessibility

    PubMed Central

    Ozdal, Tugba; Sela, David A.; Xiao, Jianbo; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Chen, Fang; Capanoglu, Esra

    2016-01-01

    As of late, polyphenols have increasingly interested the scientific community due to their proposed health benefits. Much of this attention has focused on their bioavailability. Polyphenol–gut microbiota interactions should be considered to understand their biological functions. The dichotomy between the biotransformation of polyphenols into their metabolites by gut microbiota and the modulation of gut microbiota composition by polyphenols contributes to positive health outcomes. Although there are many studies on the in vivo bioavailability of polyphenols, the mutual relationship between polyphenols and gut microbiota is not fully understood. This review focuses on the biotransformation of polyphenols by gut microbiota, modulation of gut microbiota by polyphenols, and the effects of these two-way mutual interactions on polyphenol bioavailability, and ultimately, human health. PMID:26861391

  9. Mulberry anthocyanin biotransformation by intestinal probiotics.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Jing-Rong; Liu, Xue-Ming; Chen, Zhi-Yi; Zhang, You-Sheng; Zhang, Ye-Hui

    2016-12-15

    This study was designed to evaluate mulberry anthocyanins bioconversion traits for intestinal probiotics. Five intestinal beneficial bacteria were incubated with mulberry anthocyanins under anaerobic conditions at 37°C, and bacterial β-glucosidase activity and anthocyanin level were determined. Results demonstrated that all strains could convert mulberry anthocyanins to some extent. With high β-glucosidase production capacity, Streptococcus thermophiles GIM 1.321 and Lactobacillus plantarum GIM 1.35 degraded mulberry anthocyanins by 46.17% and 43.62%, respectively. Mulberry anthocyanins were mainly biotransformed to chlorogenic acid, crypto-chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid during the anaerobic process. Non-enzymatic deglycosylation of anthocyanins also occurred and approximately 19.42% of the anthocyanins were degraded within 48h by this method. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Enantioselective oxidation of racemic lactic acid to D-lactic acid and pyruvic acid by Pseudomonas stutzeri SDM.

    PubMed

    Gao, Chao; Qiu, Jianhua; Li, Jingchen; Ma, Cuiqing; Tang, Hongzhi; Xu, Ping

    2009-03-01

    D-lactic acid and pyruvic acid are two important building block intermediates. Production of D-lactic acid and pyruvic acid from racemic lactic acid by biotransformation is economically interesting. Biocatalyst prepared from 9 g dry cell wt l(-1) of Pseudomonas stutzeri SDM could catalyze 45.00 g l(-1)DL-lactic acid into 25.23 g l(-1)D-lactic acid and 19.70 g l(-1) pyruvic acid in 10h. Using a simple ion exchange process, D-lactic acid and pyruvic acid were effectively separated from the biotransformation system. Co-production of d-lactic acid and pyruvic acid by enantioselective oxidation of racemic lactic acid is technically feasible.

  11. Interaction of nanoparticles with edible plants and their possible implications in the food chain

    PubMed Central

    Rico, Cyren M.; Majumdar, Sanghamitra; Duarte-Gardea, Maria; Peralta-Videa, Jose R.; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L.

    2011-01-01

    The uptake, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and risks of nanomaterials (NMs) for the food crops are still not well understood. Very few NMs and plant species have been studied, mainly at the very early growth stages of the plants. Most of the studies, except one with multiwalled carbon nanotubes performed on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and another with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on ryegrass, reported the effect of NMs on seed germination or 15 day old seedlings. Very few references describe the biotransformation of NMs in food crops and the possible transmission of the NMs to the next generation of plants exposed to NMs is unknown. The possible biomagnification of NPs in the food chain is also unknown. PMID:21405020

  12. Effect of alkyl side chain location and cyclicity on the aerobic biotransformation of naphthenic acids.

    PubMed

    Misiti, Teresa M; Tezel, Ulas; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

    2014-07-15

    Aerobic biodegradation of naphthenic acids is of importance to the oil industry for the long-term management and environmental impact of process water and wastewater. The effect of structure, particularly the location of the alkyl side chain as well as cyclicity, on the aerobic biotransformation of 10 model naphthenic acids (NAs) was investigated. Using an aerobic, mixed culture, enriched with a commercial NA mixture (NA sodium salt; TCI Chemicals), batch biotransformation assays were conducted with individual model NAs, including eight 8-carbon isomers. It was shown that NAs with a quaternary carbon at the α- or β-position or a tertiary carbon at the β- and/or β'-position are recalcitrant or have limited biodegradability. In addition, branched NAs exhibited lag periods and lower degradation rates than nonbranched or simple cyclic NAs. Two NA isomers used in a closed bottle, aerobic biodegradation assay were mineralized, while 21 and 35% of the parent compound carbon was incorporated into the biomass. The NA biodegradation probability estimated by two widely used models (BIOWIN 2 and 6) and a recently developed model (OCHEM) was compared to the biodegradability of the 10 model NAs tested in this study as well as other related NAs. The biodegradation probability estimated by the OCHEM model agreed best with the experimental data and was best correlated with the measured NA biodegradation rate.

  13. Nitroaryl-1,4-dihydropyridines as antioxidants against rat liver microsomes oxidation induced by iron/ascorbate, nitrofurantoin and naphthalene.

    PubMed

    Letelier, María Eugenia; Entrala, Paz; López-Alarcón, Camilo; González-Lira, Víctor; Molina-Berríos, Alfredo; Cortés-Troncoso, Juan; Jara-Sandoval, José; Santander, Paola; Núñez-Vergara, Luis

    2007-12-01

    1,4-Dihydropyridines (DHPs) used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, are calcium channel antagonists and also antioxidant agents. These drugs are metabolized through cytochrome P(450) oxidative system, majority localized in the hepatic endoplasmic reticulum. Several lipophilic drugs generate oxidative stress to be metabolized by this cellular system. Thus, DHP antioxidant properties may prevent the oxidative stress associated with hepatic biotransformation of drugs. In this work, we tested the antioxidant capacity of several synthetic nitro-phenyl-DHPs. These compounds (I-IV) inhibited the microsomal lipid peroxidation, UDPGT oxidative activation and microsomal thiols oxidation; all phenomena induced by Fe(3+)/ascorbate, a generator system of oxygen free radicals. As the same manner, these compounds inhibited the oxygen consumption induced by Cu(2+)/ascorbate in the absence of microsomes. Furthermore, compound III (2,6-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridin-3,5-ethyl-dicarboxylate) and compound V (N-ethyl-2,6-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridin-3,5-methyl-dicarboxylate) inhibited the microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by Nitrofurantoin and naphthalene in the presence of NADPH. Oxidative stress induced on endoplasmic reticulum may alter the biotransformation of drugs, so, modifying their plasmatic concentrations and therapeutic effects. When drugs which are activated by biotransformation are administered together with antioxidant drugs, such as DHPs, oxidative stress induced in situ may be prevented.

  14. Biotransformation of prednisone and dexamethasone by cytochrome P450 based systems - Identification of new potential drug candidates.

    PubMed

    Putkaradze, Natalia; Kiss, Flora Marta; Schmitz, Daniela; Zapp, Josef; Hutter, Michael C; Bernhardt, Rita

    2017-01-20

    Prednisone and dexamethasone are synthetic glucocorticoids widely used as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs. Since their hydroxylated derivatives could serve as novel potential drug candidates, our aim was to investigate their biotransformation by the steroid hydroxylase CYP106A2 from Bacillus megaterium ATCC13368. In vitro we were able to demonstrate highly selective 15β-hydroxylation of the steroids with a reconstituted CYP106A2 system. The reactions were thoroughly characterized, determining the kinetic parameters and the equilibrium dissociation constant. The observed lower conversion rate in the case of dexamethasone hydroxylation was clarified by quantum chemical calculations, which suggest a rearrangement of the intermediately formed radical species. To identify the obtained conversion products with NMR, CYP106A2-based Bacillus megaterium whole-cell systems were applied resulting in an altered product pattern for prednisone, yet no significant change for dexamethasone conversion compared to in vitro. Even the MS941 control strain performed a highly selective biotransformation of prednisone producing the known metabolite 20β-dihydrocortisone. The identified novel prednisone derivatives 15β, 17, 20β, 21-tetrahydroxy-preg-4-en-3,11-dione and 15β, 17, 20β, 21-tetrahydroxy-preg-1,4-dien-3,11-dione as well as the 15β-hydroxylated variants of both drugs are promising candidates for drug-design and development approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Biochemical Mechanisms and Microorganisms Involved in Anaerobic Testosterone Metabolism in Estuarine Sediments

    PubMed Central

    Shih, Chao-Jen; Chen, Yi-Lung; Wang, Chia-Hsiang; Wei, Sean T.-S.; Lin, I-Ting; Ismail, Wael A.; Chiang, Yin-Ru

    2017-01-01

    Current knowledge on the biochemical mechanisms underlying microbial steroid metabolism in anaerobic ecosystems is extremely limited. Sulfate, nitrate, and iron [Fe (III)] are common electron acceptors for anaerobes in estuarine sediments. Here, we investigated anaerobic testosterone metabolism in anaerobic sediments collected from the estuary of Tamsui River, Taiwan. The anaerobic sediment samples were spiked with testosterone (1 mM) and individual electron acceptors (10 mM), including nitrate, Fe3+, and sulfate. The analysis of androgen metabolites indicated that testosterone biodegradation under denitrifying conditions proceeds through the 2,3-seco pathway, whereas testosterone biodegradation under iron-reducing conditions may proceed through an unidentified alternative pathway. Metagenomic analysis and PCR-based functional assays suggested that Thauera spp. were the major testosterone degraders in estuarine sediment samples incubated with testosterone and nitrate. Thauera sp. strain GDN1, a testosterone-degrading betaproteobacterium, was isolated from the denitrifying sediment sample. This strain tolerates a broad range of salinity (0–30 ppt). Although testosterone biodegradation did not occur under sulfate-reducing conditions, we observed the anaerobic biotransformation of testosterone to estrogens in some testosterone-spiked sediment samples. This is unprecedented since biotransformation of androgens to estrogens is known to occur only under oxic conditions. Our metagenomic analysis suggested that Clostridium spp. might play a role in this anaerobic biotransformation. These results expand our understanding of microbial metabolism of steroids under strictly anoxic conditions. PMID:28848528

  16. White rot fungi and advanced combined biotechnology with nanomaterials: promising tools for endocrine-disrupting compounds biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Huang, Danlian; Guo, Xueying; Peng, Zhiwei; Zeng, Guangming; Xu, Piao; Gong, Xiaomin; Deng, Rui; Xue, Wenjing; Wang, Rongzhong; Yi, Huan; Liu, Caihong

    2018-08-01

    Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) can interfere with endocrine systems and bio-accumulate through the food chain and even decrease biodiversity in contaminated areas. This review discusses a critical overview of recent research progress in the biotransformation of EDCs (including polychlorinated biphenyl and nonylphenol, and suspected EDCs such as heavy metals and sulfonamide antibiotics) by white rot fungi (WRF) based on techniques with an emphasis on summarizing and analyzing fungal molecular, metabolic and genetic mechanisms. Not only intracellular metabolism which seems to perform essential roles in the ability of WRF to transform EDCs, but also advanced applications are deeply discussed. This review mainly reveals the removal pathway of heavy metal and antibiotic pollutants because the single pollution almost did not exist in a real environment while the combined pollution has become more serious and close to people's life. The trends in WRF technology and its related advanced applications which use the combined technology, including biocatalysis of WRF and adsorption of nanomaterials, to degrade EDCs have also been introduced. Furthermore, challenges and future research needs EDCs biotransformation by WRF are also discussed. This research, referring to metabolic mechanisms and the combined technology of WRF with nanomaterials, undoubtedly contributes to the applications of biotechnology. This review will be of great benefit to an understanding of the trends in biotechnology for the removal of EDCs.

  17. Analyses of the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of the products formed after the biotransformation of the azo dye Disperse Red 1.

    PubMed

    Chequer, Farah Maria Drumond; Lizier, Thiago Mescoloto; de Felício, Rafael; Zanoni, Maria Valnice Boldrin; Debonsi, Hosana Maria; Lopes, Norberto Peporine; Marcos, Ricard; de Oliveira, Danielle Palma

    2011-12-01

    Azo dyes constitute the largest class of synthetic dyes. Following oral exposure, these dyes can be reduced to aromatic amines by the intestinal microflora or liver enzymes. This work identified the products formed after oxidation and reduction of the dye Disperse Red 1, simulating hepatic biotransformation and evaluated the mutagenic potential of the resultant solution. Controlled potential electrolysis was carried out on dye solution using a Potentiostat/Galvanostat. HPLC-DAD and GC/MS were used to determine the products generated after the oxidation/reduction process. The Salmonella/microsome assay with the strains TA98 and YG1041 without S9, and the mouse lymphoma assay (MLA) using the thymidine kinase (Tk) gene, were used to evaluate the mutagenicity of the products formed. Sulfate 2-[(4-aminophenyl)ethylamino]-ethanol monohydrate, nitrobenzene, 4-nitro-benzamine and 2-(ethylphenylamino)-ethanol were detected. This dye has already being assigned as mutagenic in different cell system. In addition, after the oxidation/reduction process the dye still had mutagenic activity for the Salmonella/microsome assay. Nevertheless, both the original dye Disperse Red 1 and its treated solutions showed negative results in the MLA. The present results suggest that the ingestion of water and food contaminated with this dye may represent human and environmental health problem, due to the generation of harmful compounds after biotransformation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Biodegradation of roxarsone by a bacterial community of underground water and its toxic impact.

    PubMed

    Mafla, S; Moraga, R; León, C G; Guzmán-Fierro, V G; Yañez, J; Smith, C T; Mondaca, M A; Campos, V L

    2015-08-01

    Roxarsone is included in chicken food as anticoccidial and mainly excreted unchanged in faeces. Microorganisms biotransform roxarsone into toxic compounds that leach and contaminate underground waters used for human consumption. This study evaluated roxarsone biotransformation by underground water microorganisms and the toxicity of the resulting compounds. Underground water from an agricultural field was used to prepare microcosms, containing 0.05 mM roxarsone, and cultured under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Bacterial communities of microcosms were characterized by PCR-DGGE. Roxarsone degradation was measured by HPLC/HG/AAS. Toxicity was evaluated using HUVEC cells and the Toxi-ChromoTest kit. Roxarsone degradation analysis, after 15 days, showed that microcosms of underground water with nutrients degraded 90 and 83.3% of roxarsone under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively. Microcosms without nutrients degraded 50 and 33.1% under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively. Microcosms including nutrients showed more roxarsone conversion into toxic inorganic arsenic species. DGGE analyses showed the presence of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes and Spirochaetes. Toxicity assays showed that roxarsone biotransformation by underground water microorganisms in all microcosms generated degradation products toxic for eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Furthermore, toxicity increased when roxarsone leached though a soil column and was further transformed by the bacterial community present in underground water. Therefore, using underground water from areas where roxarsone containing manure is used as fertilizer might be a health risk.

  19. Biotechnological Production of Dimethoxyflavonoids Using a Fusion Flavonoid O-Methyltransferase Possessing Both 3'- and 7-O-Methyltransferase Activities.

    PubMed

    Lee, Danbi; Park, Hye Lin; Lee, Sang-Won; Bhoo, Seong Hee; Cho, Man-Ho

    2017-05-26

    Although they are less abundant in nature, methoxyflavonoids have distinct physicochemical and pharmacological properties compared to common nonmethylated flavonoids. Thus, enzymatic conversion and biotransformation using genetically engineered microorganisms of flavonoids have been attempted for the efficient production of methoxyflavonoids. Because of their regiospecificity, more than two flavonoid O-methyltransferases (FOMTs) and enzyme reactions are required to biosynthesize di(or poly)-methoxyflavonoids. For the one-step biotechnological production of bioactive di-O-methylflavonoids, we generated a multifunctional FOMT fusing a 3'-OMT (SlOMT3) and a 7-OMT (OsNOMT). The SlOMT3/OsNOMT fusion enzyme possessed both 3'- and 7-OMT activities to diverse flavonoid substrates, which were comparable to those of individual SlOMT3 and OsNOMT. The SlOMT3/OsNOMT enzyme also showed 3'- and 7-OMT activity for 7- or 3'-O-methylflavonoids, respectively, suggesting that the fusion enzyme can sequentially methylate flavonoids into di-O-methylflavonoids. The biotransformation of the flavonoids quercetin, luteolin, eriodictyol, and taxifolin using SlOMT3/OsNOMT-transformed Escherichia coli generated corresponding di-O-methylflavonoids, rhamnazin, velutin, 3',7-di-O-methyleriodictyol, and 3',7-di-O-methyltaxifolin, respectively. These results indicate that dimethoxyflavonoids may be efficiently produced from nonmethylated flavonoid precursors through a one-step biotransformation using the engineered E. coli harboring the SlOMT3/OsNOMT fusion gene.

  20. Land scale biogeography of arsenic biotransformation genes in estuarine wetland.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Si-Yu; Su, Jian-Qiang; Sun, Guo-Xin; Yang, Yunfeng; Zhao, Yi; Ding, Junjun; Chen, Yong-Shan; Shen, Yu; Zhu, Guibing; Rensing, Christopher; Zhu, Yong-Guan

    2017-06-01

    As an analogue of phosphorus, arsenic (As) has a biogeochemical cycle coupled closely with other key elements on the Earth, such as iron, sulfate and phosphate. It has been documented that microbial genes associated with As biotransformation are widely present in As-rich environments. Nonetheless, their presence in natural environment with low As levels remains unclear. To address this issue, we investigated the abundance levels and diversities of aioA, arrA, arsC and arsM genes in estuarine sediments at low As levels across Southeastern China to uncover biogeographic patterns at a large spatial scale. Unexpectedly, genes involved in As biotransformation were characterized by high abundance and diversity. The functional microbial communities showed a significant decrease in similarity along the geographic distance, with higher turnover rates than taxonomic microbial communities based on the similarities of 16S rRNA genes. Further investigation with niche-based models showed that deterministic processes played primary roles in shaping both functional and taxonomic microbial communities. Temperature, pH, total nitrogen concentration, carbon/nitrogen ratio and ferric iron concentration rather than As content in these sediments were significantly linked to functional microbial communities, while sediment temperature and pH were linked to taxonomic microbial communities. We proposed several possible mechanisms to explain these results. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Impact of sediment particle size on biotransformation of 17β-estradiol and 17β-trenbolone.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yun; Sangster, Jodi L; Gauza, Lukasz; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon L

    2016-12-01

    Soil/sediment particle size has been reported to influence the sorption and bioavailability of steroid hormones in the environment. However, the impact of particle size on biotransformation has not been well elucidated. The present study investigated the dissipation of 17β-estradiol and 17β-trenbolone and the formation and degradation of the subsequent transformation products in different size fractions of a sandy and a silt loam sediment. The results showed that the decay of 17β-estradiol and 17β-trenbolone associated with fine particles followed a biphasic pattern with more rapid decay in the initial phase followed by a second phase with slower decay of the residues compared to their decay rates in the sand fraction. Estrone and trendione were detected as a primary biotransformation product for 17β-estradiol and 17β-trenbolone, respectively. The parent-to-product conversion ratios and the degradation rates of estrone and trendione varied among different size fractions, but no consistent correlation was observed between decay rates and sediment particle size. Estrone and trendione decayed in the whole sediments at rates not statistically different from those associated with the fine fractions. These results indicate that fine particles may play an important role in influencing the persistence of and the potential risk posed by steroid hormones in the aquatic systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Soil biotransformation of thiodiglycol, the hydrolysis product of mustard gas: understanding the factors governing remediation of mustard gas contaminated soil.

    PubMed

    Li, Hong; Muir, Robert; McFarlane, Neil R; Soilleux, Richard J; Yu, Xiaohong; Thompson, Ian P; Jackman, Simon A

    2013-02-01

    Thiodiglycol (TDG) is both the precursor for chemical synthesis of mustard gas and the product of mustard gas hydrolysis. TDG can also react with intermediates of mustard gas degradation to form more toxic and/or persistent aggregates, or reverse the pathway of mustard gas degradation. The persistence of TDG have been observed in soils and in the groundwater at sites contaminated by mustard gas 60 years ago. The biotransformation of TDG has been demonstrated in three soils not previously exposed to the chemical. TDG biotransformation occurred via the oxidative pathway with an optimum rate at pH 8.25. In contrast with bacteria isolated from historically contaminated soil, which could degrade TDG individually, a consortium of three bacterial strains isolated from the soil never contaminated by mustard gas was able to grow on TDG in minimal medium and in hydrolysate derived from an historical mustard gas bomb. Exposure to TDG had little impacts on the soil microbial physiology or on community structure. Therefore, the persistency of TDG in soils historically contaminated by mustard gas might be attributed to the toxicity of mustard gas to microorganisms and the impact to soil chemistry during the hydrolysis. TDG biodegradation may form part of a remediation strategy for mustard gas contaminated sites, and may be enhanced by pH adjustment and aeration.

  3. Fungal endophytes of Vanilla planifolia across Réunion Island: isolation, distribution and biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Khoyratty, Shahnoo; Dupont, Joëlle; Lacoste, Sandrine; Palama, Tony Lionel; Choi, Young Hae; Kim, Hye Kyong; Payet, Bertrand; Grisoni, Michel; Fouillaud, Mireille; Verpoorte, Robert; Kodja, Hippolyte

    2015-06-14

    The objective of the work was to characterize fungal endophytes from aerial parts of Vanilla planifolia. Also, to establish their biotransformation abilities of flavor-related metabolites. This was done in order to find a potential role of endophytes on vanilla flavors. Twenty three MOTUs were obtained, representing 6 fungal classes. Fungi from green pods were cultured on mature green pod based media for 30 days followed by (1)H NMR and HPLC-DAD analysis. All fungi from pods consumed metabolized vanilla flavor phenolics. Though Fusarium proliferatum was recovered more often (37.6% of the isolates), it is Pestalotiopsis microspora (3.0%) that increased the absolute amounts (quantified by (1)H NMR in μmol/g DW green pods) of vanillin (37.0 × 10(-3)), vanillyl alcohol (100.0 × 10(-3)), vanillic acid (9.2 × 10(-3)) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (87.9 × 10(-3)) by significant amounts. All plants studied contained endophytic fungi and the isolation of the endophytes was conducted from plant organs at nine sites in Réunion Island including under shade house and undergrowth conditions. Endophytic variation occured between cultivation practices and the type of organ. Given the physical proximity of fungi inside pods, endophytic biotransformation may contribute to the complexity of vanilla flavors.

  4. The polymorphism rs2480258 within CYP2E1 is associated with different rates of acrylamide metabolism in vivo in humans.

    PubMed

    Pellè, Lucia; Carlsson, Henrik; Cipollini, Monica; Bonotti, Alessandra; Foddis, Rudy; Cristaudo, Alfonso; Romei, Cristina; Elisei, Rossella; Gemignani, Federica; Törnqvist, Margareta; Landi, Stefano

    2018-05-10

    In a recent study, we demonstrated that the variant allele of rs2480258 within intron VIII of CYP2E1 is associated with reduced levels of mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity. CYP2E1 is the most important enzyme in the metabolism of acrylamide (AA) by operating its oxidation into glycidamide (GA). AA occurs in food, is neurotoxic and classified as a probable human carcinogen. The goal of the present study was to further assess the role of rs2480258 by measuring the rate of AA > GA biotransformation in vivo. In blood samples from a cohort of 120 volunteers, the internal doses of AA and GA were assessed by AA and GA adducts to hemoglobin (Hb) measured by mass spectrometry. The rate of biotransformation was assessed by calculating the GA-Hb/AA-Hb ratio. To maximize the statistical power, 60 TT was compared to 60 CC-homozygotes and the results showed that TT homozygotes had a statistically significant reduced rate of biotransformation. Present results reinforced the notion that T-allele of rs2480258 is a marker of low functional activity of CYP2E1. Moreover, we studied the role of polymorphisms (SNPs) within glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) enzymes and epoxide hydrolase (EPHX), verifying previous findings that SNPs within GSTs and EPHX influence the metabolism rate.

  5. Evaluation of drug uptake and deactivation in plant: Fate of albendazole in ribwort plantain (Plantago laceolata) cells and regenerants.

    PubMed

    Stuchlíková Raisová, Lucie; Podlipná, Radka; Szotáková, Barbora; Syslová, Eliška; Skálová, Lenka

    2017-07-01

    Albendazole (ABZ) is a benzimidazole anthelmintic widely used especially in veterinary medicine. Along with other drugs, anthelmintics have become one of a new class of micro-pollutants that disturb the environment but the information about their fate in plants remains limited. The present study was designed to test the uptake and biotransformation of ABZ in the ribwort plantain (Plantago lancelota), a common meadow plant, which can come into contact with this anthelmintic through the excrements of treated animals in pastures. Two model systems were used and compared: cell suspensions and whole plant regenerants. In addition, time-dependent changes in occurrence of ABZ and its metabolites in roots, basal parts of the leaves and tops of the leaves were followed up. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high mass accuracy tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) led to the identification of 18 metabolites of ABZ formed in the ribwort. In both model systems, the same types of ABZ biotransformation reactions were found, but the spectrum and abundance of the ABZ metabolites detected in cell suspensions and regenerants differed significantly. Cell suspensions seem to be suitable only for qualitative estimations of drug biotransformation reactions while regenerants were shown to represent an adequate model for the qualitative as well as quantitative evaluation of drug uptake and metabolism in plants. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Feline hepatic biotransformation of diazepam: Differences between cats and dogs.

    PubMed

    van Beusekom, Cyrina D; van den Heuvel, Jeroen J M W; Koenderink, Jan B; Russel, Frans G M; Schrickx, Johannes A

    2015-12-01

    In contrast to humans and dogs, diazepam has been reported to induce severe hepatic side effects in cats, particularly after repeated dosing. With the aim to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this apparent sensitivity of cats to drug-induced liver injury, in a series of in vitro experiments, the feline-specific biotransformation of diazepam was studied with liver microsomes obtained from cats and dogs and the possible inhibition of the bile salt export pump (Bsep) was measured in isolated membrane vesicles overexpressing feline and canine Bsep. In line with previous in vivo studies, the phase I metabolites nordiazepam, temazepam and oxazepam were measurable in microsomal incubations, although enzyme velocity of demethylases and hydroxylases differed significantly between cats and dogs. In cats, the main metabolite was temazepam, which also could be glucuronidated. In contrast to dogs, no other glucuronidated metabolites could be observed. In addition, in the membrane vesicles an inhibition of the transport of the Bsep substrate taurocholic acid could be observed in the presence of diazepam and its metabolites. It was concluded that both mechanisms, the slow biotransformation of diazepam as well the inhibition of the bile acid efflux that results in an accumulation of bile acids in the hepatocytes, seem to contribute to the liver injury observed in cats following repetitive treatment with diazepam. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Chemotaxis-mediated biodegradation of cyclic nitramine explosives RDX, HMX, and CL-20 by Clostridium sp. EDB2.

    PubMed

    Bhushan, Bharat; Halasz, Annamaria; Thiboutot, Sonia; Ampleman, Guy; Hawari, Jalal

    2004-04-09

    Cyclic nitramine explosives, RDX, HMX, and CL-20 are hydrophobic pollutants with very little aqueous solubility. In sediment and soil environments, they are often attached to solid surfaces and/or trapped in pores and distribute heterogeneously in aqueous environments. For efficient bioremediation of these explosives, the microorganism(s) must access them by chemotaxis ability. In the present study, we isolated an obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium sp. strain EDB2 from a marine sediment. Strain EDB2, motile with numerous peritrichous flagella, demonstrated chemotactic response towards RDX, HMX, CL-20, and NO(2)(-). The three explosives were biotransformed by strain EDB2 via N-denitration with concomitant release of NO(2)(-). Biotransformation rates of RDX, HMX, and CL-20 by the resting cells of strain EDB2 were 1.8+/-0.2, 1.1+/-0.1, and 2.6+/-0.2nmol h(-1)mgwet biomass(-1) (mean+/-SD; n=3), respectively. We found that commonly seen RDX metabolites such as TNX, methylenedinitramine, and 4-nitro-2,4-diazabutanal neither produced NO(2)(-) during reaction with strain EDB2 nor they elicited chemotaxis response in strain EDB2. The above data suggested that NO(2)(-) released from explosives during their biotransformation might have elicited chemotaxis response in the bacterium. Biodegradation and chemotactic ability of strain EDB2 renders it useful in accelerating the bioremediation of explosives under in situ conditions.

  8. Biotransformation of ginsenosides F4 and Rg6 in zebrafish.

    PubMed

    Shen, Wen-Wen; Zhang, Hai-Xia; Qiu, Shou-Bei; Wei, Ying-Jie; Zhu, Fen-Xia; Wang, Jing; Wang, Dan-Dan; Jia, Xiao-Bin; Tang, Dao-Quan; Chen, Bin

    2017-03-28

    Ginsenosides F 4 and Rg 6 (GF 4 and GRg 6 ), two main active components of steamed notoginseng or red ginseng, are dehydrated disaccharide saponins. In this work, biotransformation of ginsenosides F 4 and Rg 6 in zebrafish was investigated by qualitatively identifying their metabolites and then proposing their possible metabolic pathways. The prediction of possible metabolism of ginsenosides F 4 and Rg 6 using zebrafish model which can effectively simulate existing mammals model was early and quickly performed. Metabolites of ginsenosides F 4 and Rg 6 after exposing to zebrafish for 24 h were identified by Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography/Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. A total of 8 and 6 metabolites of ginsenosides F 4 and Rg 6 were identified in zebrafish, respectively. Of these, 7 and 5, including M1, M3-M5, M7-M9 and N1 (N5), N2, N4 (N9), N7-N8 were reported for the first time as far as we know. The mechanisms of their biotransformation involved were further deduced to be desugarization, glucuronidation, sulfation, dehydroxylation, loss of C-17 and/or C-23 residue pathways. It was concluded that loss of rhamnose at position C-6 and glucuronidation at position C-3 in zebrafish were considered as the main physiologic and metabolic processes of ginsenosides F 4 and ginsenosides Rg 6 , respectively.

  9. Variation of drug kinetics in pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Pavek, Petr; Ceckova, Martina; Staud, Frantisek

    2009-06-01

    Significant changes in the physiological and biotransformation processes that govern pharmacokinetics occur during pregnancy. Consequently, the disposition of many medications is altered in gestation and the efficacy and toxicity of drugs used by pregnant women can be difficult to predict or can lead to serious side effects. Gastrointestinal absorption and bioavailability of drugs vary due to changes in gastric secretion and small intestine motility. Various pregnancy-related hemodynamic changes such as an increase in cardiac output, blood volume, the volume of distribution (Vd), renal perfusion and glomerular filtration may affect drug disposition and elimination, and can cause increase or decrease in the terminal elimination half-life of drugs. Changes in maternal drug biotransformation activity also contribute to alterations in pharmacokinetics of drugs taken in pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women may require different dosing regimens or their adjustment than both men and non-pregnant women. In addition, the prenatal pharmacotherapy is unique due to the presence of feto-placental unit. Considerations regarding transplacental pharmacokinetics and safety for the developing fetus are thus essential aspects of medication in pregnancy. The aim of this review is to summarize major physiological and biotransformation changes associated with pregnancy that affect pharmacokinetics in pregnant women. In addition, we point out the most important examples of altered kinetics of drugs administered in pregnancy with mechanistic explanation of the phenomena based on maternal adaptation in pregnancy.

  10. [Interspecies differences of noopept pharmacokinetics].

    PubMed

    Boĭko, S S; Korotkov, S A; Zherdev, V P; Gudasheva, T A; Ostrovskaia, R U; Voronina, T A

    2004-01-01

    Significant interspecific differences in the pharmacokinetics of noopept are manifested by a decrease in the drug elimination rate on the passage from rats to rabbits and humans. Very intensive metabolism of noopept was observed upon intravenous administration in rats. In these animals, presystemic elimination mechanisms lead to the formation of a specific metabolite representing a product of drug biotransformation hydroxylated at the phenyl ring. In rabbits, unchanged noopept circulates in the blood for a longer time upon both intravenous and peroral introduction, biotransformation proceeds at a much slower rate, and no metabolites analogous to that found in rats are detected. The noopept pharmacokinetics in humans differs from that in animals by still slower elimination and considerable individual variability. No drug metabolites are found in the human blood plasma, probably because of a relatively small dose and low concentration.

  11. Mycotoxin Biotransformation by Native and Commercial Enzymes: Present and Future Perspectives.

    PubMed

    Loi, Martina; Fanelli, Francesca; Liuzzi, Vania C; Logrieco, Antonio F; Mulè, Giuseppina

    2017-03-24

    Worldwide mycotoxins contamination has a significant impact on animal and human health, and leads to economic losses accounted for billions of dollars annually. Since the application of pre- and post- harvest strategies, including chemical or physical removal, are not sufficiently effective, biological transformation is considered the most promising yet challenging approach to reduce mycotoxins accumulation. Although several microorganisms were reported to degrade mycotoxins, only a few enzymes have been identified, purified and characterized for this activity. This review focuses on the biotransformation of mycotoxins performed with purified enzymes isolated from bacteria, fungi and plants, whose activity was validated in in vitro and in vivo assays, including patented ones and commercial preparations. Furthermore, we will present some applications for detoxifying enzymes in food, feed, biogas and biofuel industries, describing their limitation and potentialities.

  12. Biotransformation of the citrus flavone tangeretin in rats. Identification of metabolites with intact flavane nucleus.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, S E; Breinholt, V; Cornett, C; Dragsted, L O

    2000-09-01

    The present study was carried out in order to investigate the in vivo biotransformation and excretion of the flavone, tangeretin, found in citrus fruits, by analysing urine and faeces samples from rats after repeated administration of 100 mg/kg body weight/day tangeretin. The formed metabolites were separated and identified by HPLC and the structures elucidated by LC/MS and 1H NMR. Ten new, major metabolites with intact flavonoid structure were identified. The metabolites identified were either demethylated or hydroxylated derivatives of the parent compound and metabolic changes were found primarily to occur in the 4' position of the B-ring. The total urinary excretion of tangeretin metabolites with intact flavan nucleus was about 11% of the administered daily dose.

  13. Direct observation of redox reactions in Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 by Confocal microscopic studies.

    PubMed

    Venkataraman, Sowmyalakshmi; Narayan, Shoba; Chadha, Anju

    2016-10-14

    Confocal microscopic studies with the resting cells of yeast, Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330, a reportedly versatile biocatalyst for redox enzyme mediated preparation of optically pure secondary alcohols in high optical purities [enantiomeric excess (ee) up to >99%] and yields, revealed that the yeast cells had large vacuoles under the experimental conditions studied where the redox reaction takes place. A novel fluorescence method was developed using 1-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)ethanol to track the site of biotransformation within the cells. This alcohol, itself non-fluorescent, gets oxidized to produce a fluorescent ketone, 1-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone. Kinetic studies showed that the reaction occurs spontaneously and the products get released out of the cells in less time [5 mins]. The biotransformation was validated using HPLC.

  14. Cadmium effects on oxidative metabolism in a marine seagrass: Posidonia oceanica

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hamoutene, D.; Romeo, M.; Gnassia, M.

    1996-02-01

    Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass in contact with sediment, is an interesting organism for environmental biomonitoring. In fact, up to now, scientists have studied some pollutant effects on growth rate leaf length, or productivity of this species. In recent years, the topic of metabolism of xenobiotics in plants has arisen. Many of the environmental chemicals are biotransformed by plants in a manner similar to those in mammalian systems. Studies of the influence of pollutants on biotransformation enzymes in posidonia oceanica are of great interest in pollution monitoring programs especially in the Mediterranean sea. In a previous study, we characterized some enzymaticmore » systems involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics in Posidonia oceanica. This study was designed to determine the effects of cadmium on certain biochemical functions in this species.« less

  15. Simultaneous preparation of naturally abundant and rare catechins by tannase-mediated biotransformation combining high speed counter current chromatography.

    PubMed

    Xia, Guobin; Hong, Shan; Liu, Songbai

    2014-05-15

    Simultaneous preparation of naturally rare catechins, EGC and EC, has been realized by tannase-mediated biotransformation combining high speed counter current chromatography. In addition, simultaneous preparation of the four catechins, EGCG, ECG, EGC, and EC in green tea extract has also been achieved by HSCCC under the normal phase and the reversed phase modes. The identity of the catechins was determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS and quantification of the catechins was performed by HPLC-DAD. In a typical HSCCC separation, 27.2 mg 98.8% EGCG, 14.1 mg 94.7% EGC, and 9.3 mg 97.5% EC were obtained. This new method is efficient, time-saving and valuable for biological studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Cell foundry with high product specificity and catalytic activity for 21-deoxycortisol biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Shuting; Wang, Ying; Yao, Mingdong; Liu, Hong; Zhou, Xiao; Xiao, Wenhai; Yuan, Yingjin

    2017-06-13

    21-deoxycortisol (21-DF) is the key intermediate to manufacture pharmaceutical glucocorticoids. Recently, a Japan patent has realized 21-DF production via biotransformation of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) by purified steroid 11β-hydroxylase CYP11B1. Due to the less costs on enzyme isolation, purification and stabilization as well as cofactors supply, whole-cell should be preferentially employed as the biocatalyst over purified enzymes. No reports as so far have demonstrated a whole-cell system to produce 21-DF. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a whole-cell biocatalyst to achieve 21-DF transformation with high catalytic activity and product specificity. In this study, Escherichia coli MG1655(DE3), which exhibited the highest substrate transportation rate among other tested chassises, was employed as the host cell to construct our biocatalyst by co-expressing heterologous CYP11B1 together with bovine adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase. Through screening CYP11B1s (with mutagenesis at N-terminus) from nine sources, Homo sapiens CYP11B1 mutant (G25R/G46R/L52 M) achieved the highest 21-DF transformation rate at 10.6 mg/L/h. Furthermore, an optimal substrate concentration of 2.4 g/L and a corresponding transformation rate of 16.2 mg/L/h were obtained by screening substrate concentrations. To be noted, based on structural analysis of the enzyme-substrate complex, two types of site-directed mutations were designed to adjust the relative position between the catalytic active site heme and the substrate. Accordingly, 1.96-fold enhancement on 21-DF transformation rate (to 47.9 mg/L/h) and 2.78-fold improvement on product/by-product ratio (from 0.36 to 1.36) were achieved by the combined mutagenesis of F381A/L382S/I488L. Eventually, after 38-h biotransformation in shake-flask, the production of 21-DF reached to 1.42 g/L with a yield of 52.7%, which is the highest 21-DF production as known. Heterologous CYP11B1 was manipulated to construct E. coli biocatalyst converting 17-OHP to 21-DF. Through the strategies in terms of (1) screening enzymes (with N-terminal mutagenesis) sources, (2) optimizing substrate concentration, and most importantly (3) rational design novel mutants aided by structural analysis, the 21-DF transformation rate was stepwise improved by 19.5-fold along with 4.67-fold increase on the product/byproduct ratio. Eventually, the highest 21-DF reported production was achieved in shake-flask after 38-h biotransformation. This study highlighted above described methods to obtain a high efficient and specific biocatalyst for the desired biotransformation.

  17. NAFTA Guidance Document for Conducting Terrestrial Field Dissipation Studies

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Harmonized guidance for TFD studies that demonstrate transformation, transport and fate of pesticides under representative actual use conditions. Field studies substantiate physicochemical, mobility and biotransformation data from laboratory studies.

  18. Degradation of picric acid and 2,6-DNT in marine sediments and waters: The role of microbial activity and ultra-violet exposure

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nipper, Marion; Qian, Yaorong; Carr, R. Scott; Miller, Karen

    2004-01-01

    Bio- and photo-transformation of two munitions and explosives of concern, 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) were assessed in spiked marine sediments and water. A sandy and a fine-grained sediment, with 0.25% and 1.1% total organic carbon, respectively, were used for biotransformation assessments at 10 and 20 °C. Sterilized sediments were used as controls for biotic vs. abiotic transformation. Transformation products were analyzed by HPLC, GC/MS and LC/MS. Biotransformation in sediments started soon after the initial contact of the chemicals with the sediments and proceeded for several months, with rates in the following sequence: fine-grain at 20 °C > fine-grain at 10 °C > sand at 20 °C > sand at 10 °C. The biotransformation paths seemed to be similar for all conditions. The major biotransformation product of 2,6-DNT was 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene (2-A-6-NT). 2-Nitrotoluene (2-NT) and other minor components, including N,N-dimethyl-3-nitroaniline, benzene nitrile, methylamino-2-nitrosophenol and diaminophenol, were also identified. After more prolonged incubation these chemicals were replaced by high molecular weight polymers. Several breakdown products of picric acid were identified by GC/MS, including 2,4-dinitrophenol, amino dinitrophenols, 3,4-diamino phenol, amino nitrophenol and nitro diaminophenol. Photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT and picric acid in seawater was assessed under simulated solar radiation (SSR). No significant photolysis of picric acid in seawater was observed for up to 47 days, but photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT began soon after the initial exposure to SSR, with 89% being photo-transformed in 24 h and none remaining after 72 h. High molecular weight chemicals were generated, with mass spectra ranging from molecular weight 200–500 compared to 182 for DNT, and the color of the stock solution changed from clear to orange. Complexity of the mass spectra and mass differences among fragments suggest that multiple polymers were produced and were co-eluting during the LC/MS analyses.

  19. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schmidt, Tobias; Bertermann, Rüdiger; Rusch, George M.

    2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf) is a novel refrigerant intended for use in mobile air conditioning. It showed a low potential for toxicity in rodents studies with most NOAELs well above 10,000 ppm in guideline compliant toxicity studies. However, a developmental toxicity study in rabbits showed mortality at exposure levels of 5,500 ppm and above. No lethality was observed at exposure levels of 2,500 and 4,000 ppm. Nevertheless, increased subacute inflammatory heart lesions were observed in rabbits at all exposure levels. Since the lethality in pregnant animals may be due to altered biotransformation of HFO-1234yf and to evaluate the potential risk to pregnantmore » women facing a car crash, this study compared the acute toxicity and biotransformation of HFO-1234yf in male, female and pregnant female rabbits. Animals were exposed to 50,000 ppm and 100,000 ppm for 1 h. For metabolite identification by {sup 19}F NMR and LC/MS-MS, urine was collected for 48 h after inhalation exposure. In all samples, the predominant metabolites were S-(3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxypropanyl)-mercaptolactic acid and N-acetyl-S-(3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxypropanyl)-L-cysteine. Since no major differences in urinary metabolite pattern were observed between the groups, only N-acetyl-S-(3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxypropanyl)-L-cysteine excretion was quantified. No significant differences in recovery between non-pregnant (43.10 ± 22.35 μmol) and pregnant female (50.47 ± 19.72 μmol) rabbits were observed, male rabbits exposed to 100,000 ppm for one hour excreted 86.40 ± 38.87 μmol. Lethality and clinical signs of toxicity were not observed in any group. The results suggest that the lethality of HFO-1234yf in pregnant rabbits unlikely is due to changes in biotransformation patterns or capacity in pregnant rabbits. -- Highlights: ► No lethality and clinical signs were observed. ► No differences in metabolic pattern between pregnant and non-pregnant rabbits. ► Rapid and similar metabolite excretion in all groups. ► Very low amount of biotransformation in all groups (< 0.1%).« less

  20. Transformation of diclofenac in hybrid biofilm-activated sludge processes.

    PubMed

    Jewell, Kevin S; Falås, Per; Wick, Arne; Joss, Adriano; Ternes, Thomas A

    2016-11-15

    The biotransformation of diclofenac during wastewater treatment was investigated. Attached growth biomass from a carrier-filled compartment of a hybrid-MBBR at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland was used to test the biotransformation. Laboratory-scale incubation experiments were performed with diclofenac and carriers and high-resolution LC-QTof-MS was implemented to monitor the biotransformation. Up to 20 diclofenac transformation products (TPs) were detected. Tentative structures were proposed for 16 of the TPs after characterization by MS 2 fragmentation and/or inferring the structure from the transformation pathway and the molecular formula given by the high resolution ionic mass. The remaining four TPs were unambiguously identified via analytical reference standards. The postulated reactions forming the TPs were: hydroxylation, decarboxylation, oxidation, amide formation, ring-opening and reductive dechlorination. Incubation experiments of individual TPs, those which were available as reference standards, provided a deeper look into the transformation pathways. It was found that the transformation consists of four main pathways but no pathway accounted for a clear majority of the transformation. A 10-day monitoring campaign of the full-scale plant confirmed an 88% removal of diclofenac (from approximately 1.6 μg/L in WWTP influent) and the formation of TPs as found in the laboratory was observed. One of the TPs, N-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-2-indolinone detected at concentrations of around 0.25 μg/L in WWTP effluent, accounting for 16% of the influent diclofenac concentration. The biotransformation of carriers was compared to a second WWTP not utilising carriers. It was found that in contact with activated sludge, similar hydroxylation and decarboxylation reactions occurred but at much slower rates, whereas some reactions, e.g. reductive dechlorination, were not detected at all. Finally, incubation experiments were performed with attached growth biomass from a third WWTP with a similar process configuration to Bad Ragaz WWTP. A similarly effective removal of diclofenac was found with a similar presence of TPs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  1. Antioxidative response of the three macrophytes Ceratophyllum demersum, Egeria densa, and Hydrilla verticillata to a time dependent exposure of cell-free crude extracts containing three microcystins from cyanobacterial blooms of Lake Amatitlán, Guatemala.

    PubMed

    Romero-Oliva, Claudia Suseth; Contardo-Jara, Valeska; Pflugmacher, Stephan

    2015-06-01

    Microcystins (MCs) produced by cyanobacteria in natural environments are a potential risk to the integrity of ecosystems. In this study, the effects of cyanobacterial cell-free crude extracts from a Microcystis aeruginosa bloom containing three MC-congeners MC-LR, -RR, and -YR at environmental relevant concentrations of 49.3±2.9, 49.8±5.9, and 6.9±3.8μg/L, respectively, were evaluated on Ceratophyllum demersum (L.), Egeria densa (Planch.), and Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.). Effects on photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophyll (chl), chl a, chl b, and carotenoids), enzymatic defense led by catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione reductase (GR), and biotransformation enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST) were measured after 1, 4, and 8h and after 1, 3, 7, and 14 days of exposure. Results show that in all exposed macrophytes, photosynthetic pigments were negatively affected. While chl a and total chl decreased with increasing exposure time, a parallel increase in chl b was observed after 8h. Concomitant increase of ∼5, 16, and 34% of antioxidant carotenoid concentration in exposed C. demersum, E. densa, and H. verticillata, respectively, was also displayed. Enzymatic antioxidant defense systems in all exposed macrophytes were initiated within the first hour of exposure. In exposed E. densa, highest values of CAT and GR activities were observed after 4 and 8h, respectively, while in exposed H. verticillata highest value of POD activity was observed after 8h. An early induction with a significant increase of biotransformation enzyme GST was observed in E. densa after 4h and in C. demersum and H. verticillata after 8h. These results are the first to show rapid induction of stress and further possible MC biotransformation (based on the activation of GST enzymatic activity included in MC metabolization during the biotransformation mechanism) in macrophytes exposed to crude extract containing a mixture of MCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Characterization of new recombinant 3-ketosteroid-Δ1-dehydrogenases for the biotransformation of steroids.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaojun; Feng, Jinhui; Zhang, Dalong; Wu, Qiaqing; Zhu, Dunming; Ma, Yanhe

    2017-08-01

    3-Ketosteroid-Δ 1 -dehydrogenases (KstDs [EC 1.3.99.4]) catalyze the Δ 1 -dehydrogenation of steroids and are a class of important enzymes for steroid biotransformations. In this study, we cloned 12 putative KstD-encoding (kstd) genes from both fungal and Gram-positive microorganisms and attempted to overproduce the recombinant proteins in E. coli BL21(DE3). Five successful recombinant enzymes catalyzed the Δ 1 -desaturation of a variety of steroidal compounds such as 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD), 9α-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (9-OH-AD), hydrocortisone, cortisone, and cortexolone. However, the substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency of the enzymes differ depending on their sources. The purified KstD from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc 2 155 (MsKstD1) displayed high catalytic efficiency toward hydrocortisone, progesterone, and 9-OH-AD, where it had the highest affinity (K m 36.9 ± 4.6 μM) toward 9-OH-AD. On the other hand, the KstD from Rhodococcus erythropolis WY 1406 (ReKstD) exhibited high catalytic efficiency toward androst-4,9(11)-diene-3,17-dione (Diene), 21-acetoxy-pregna-4,9(11),16-triene-3,20-dione (Triene), and cortexolone, where in all three cases the K m values (12.3 to 17.8 μM) were 2.5-4-fold lower than that toward hydrocortisone (46.3 μM). For both enzymes, AD was a good substrate although ReKstD had a 3-fold higher affinity than MsKstD1. Reaction conditions were optimized for the biotransformation of AD or hydrocortisone in terms of pH, temperature, and effects of hydrogen peroxide, solvent, and electron acceptor. For the biotransformation of hydrocortisone with 20 g/L wet resting E. coli cells harboring MsKstD1 enzyme, the yield of prednisolone was about 90% within 3 h at the substrate concentration of 6 g/L, demonstrating the application potential of the newly cloned KstDs.

  3. Degradation of picric acid and 2,6-DNT in marine sediments and waters: the role of microbial activity and ultra-violet exposure.

    PubMed

    Nipper, Marion; Qian, Yaorong; Carr, R Scott; Miller, Karen

    2004-08-01

    Bio- and photo-transformation of two munitions and explosives of concern, 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT) and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) were assessed in spiked marine sediments and water. A sandy and a fine-grained sediment, with 0.25% and 1.1% total organic carbon, respectively, were used for biotransformation assessments at 10 and 20 degrees C. Sterilized sediments were used as controls for biotic vs. abiotic transformation. Transformation products were analyzed by HPLC, GC/MS and LC/MS. Biotransformation in sediments started soon after the initial contact of the chemicals with the sediments and proceeded for several months, with rates in the following sequence: fine-grain at 20 degrees C > fine-grain at 10 degrees C > sand at 20 degrees C > sand at 10 degrees C. The biotransformation paths seemed to be similar for all conditions. The major biotransformation product of 2,6-DNT was 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene (2-A-6-NT). 2-Nitrotoluene (2-NT) and other minor components, including N,N-dimethyl-3-nitroaniline, benzene nitrile, methylamino-2-nitrosophenol and diaminophenol, were also identified. After more prolonged incubation these chemicals were replaced by high molecular weight polymers. Several breakdown products of picric acid were identified by GC/MS, including 2,4-dinitrophenol, amino dinitrophenols, 3,4-diamino phenol, amino nitrophenol and nitro diaminophenol. Photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT and picric acid in seawater was assessed under simulated solar radiation (SSR). No significant photolysis of picric acid in seawater was observed for up to 47 days, but photo-transformation of 2,6-DNT began soon after the initial exposure to SSR, with 89% being photo-transformed in 24 h and none remaining after 72 h. High molecular weight chemicals were generated, with mass spectra ranging from molecular weight 200-500 compared to 182 for DNT, and the color of the stock solution changed from clear to orange. Complexity of the mass spectra and mass differences among fragments suggest that multiple polymers were produced and were co-eluting during the LC/MS analyses.

  4. Dehalogenation Activity of Selected Fungi Toward δ-Iodo-γ-Lactone Derived from trans,trans-Farnesol.

    PubMed

    Gliszczyńska, Anna; Gładkowski, Witold; Świtalska, Marta; Wietrzyk, Joanna; Szumny, Antoni; Gębarowska, Elżbieta; Wawrzeńczyk, Czesław

    2016-04-01

    Time-course of biotransformation of racemic trans-4-((E)-4',8'-dimethylnona-3',7'-dien-1-yl)-5-iodomethyl-4-methyldihydrofuran-2-one (1) in fungal and yeast cultures was investigated. In these conditions, the substrate 1 was enantioselectively dehalogenated yielding 4-((E)-4',8'-dimethylnona-3',7'-dien-1-yl)-4-methyl-5-methylenedihydrofuran-2-one (2) and its structure was established based on the spectroscopic data. The most effective biocatalyst used was Didymosphaeria igniaria, which catalyzed the process with highest rate and enantioselectivity (ee of product = 76%). The antiproliferative activity of δ-iodo-γ-lactone 1, product of its biotransformation 2, and starting substrate (farnesol) were evaluated toward two cancer cell lines: A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia). © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  5. Biotransformation of plant secondary metabolite decursin by Mycobacterium sp. PYR1001.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ki-Yeon; Lee, Sanghyun; Cha, Chang-Jun

    2010-03-10

    Decursin and its structural isomer decursinol angelate are major secondary metabolites in the root of Angelica gigas Nakai which possess several chemotherapeutic properties. We isolated bacteria capable of transforming decursin and determined metabolites and biotransformation kinetics. Decursinol angelate was not metabolized to any significant extent. Resting cells of Mycobacterium sp. PYR1001 were able to transform decursin. After 24 h incubation, 5 mM of decursin was completely transformed to a metabolite, the structure of which was determined by NMR and mass spectral analyses to be decursinol. This conversion was shown to be catalyzed by an esterase activity, and the activity was found to be specific for decursin. These results suggest that strain PYR1001 can be successfully used to transform decursin for the production of decursinol, a compound known to have cancer chemopreventive activity.

  6. Mycotoxin Biotransformation by Native and Commercial Enzymes: Present and Future Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Loi, Martina; Fanelli, Francesca; Liuzzi, Vania C.; Logrieco, Antonio F.; Mulè, Giuseppina

    2017-01-01

    Worldwide mycotoxins contamination has a significant impact on animal and human health, and leads to economic losses accounted for billions of dollars annually. Since the application of pre- and post- harvest strategies, including chemical or physical removal, are not sufficiently effective, biological transformation is considered the most promising yet challenging approach to reduce mycotoxins accumulation. Although several microorganisms were reported to degrade mycotoxins, only a few enzymes have been identified, purified and characterized for this activity. This review focuses on the biotransformation of mycotoxins performed with purified enzymes isolated from bacteria, fungi and plants, whose activity was validated in in vitro and in vivo assays, including patented ones and commercial preparations. Furthermore, we will present some applications for detoxifying enzymes in food, feed, biogas and biofuel industries, describing their limitation and potentialities. PMID:28338601

  7. Biotransformation of Hg(II) by cyanobacteria.

    PubMed

    Lefebvre, Daniel D; Kelly, David; Budd, Kenneth

    2007-01-01

    The biotransformation of Hg(II) by cyanobacteria was investigated under aerobic and pH-controlled culture conditions. Mercury was supplied as HgCl(2) in amounts emulating those found under heavily impacted environmental conditions where bioremediation would be appropriate. The analytical procedures used to measure mercury within the culture solution, including that in the cyanobacterial cells, used reduction under both acid and alkaline conditions in the presence of SnCl(2). Acid reduction detected free Hg(II) ions and its complexes, whereas alkaline reduction revealed that meta-cinnabar (beta-HgS) constituted the major biotransformed and cellularly associated mercury pool. This was true for all investigated species of cyanobacteria: Limnothrix planctonica (Lemm.), Synechococcus leopoldiensis (Racib.) Komarek, and Phormidium limnetica (Lemm.). From the outset of mercury exposure, there was rapid synthesis of beta-HgS and Hg(0); however, the production rate for the latter decreased quickly. Inhibitory studies using dimethylfumarate and iodoacetamide to modify intra- and extracellular thiols, respectively, revealed that the former thiol pool was required for the conversion of Hg(II) into beta-HgS. In addition, increasing the temperature enhanced the amount of beta-HgS produced, with a concomitant decrease in Hg(0) volatilization. These findings suggest that in the environment, cyanobacteria at the air-water interface could act to convert substantial amounts of Hg(II) into beta-HgS. Furthermore, the efficiency of conversion into beta-HgS by cyanobacteria may lead to the development of applications in the bioremediation of mercury.

  8. Investigating the fate of iodinated X-ray contrast media iohexol and diatrizoate during microbial degradation in an MBBR system treating urban wastewater.

    PubMed

    Hapeshi, E; Lambrianides, A; Koutsoftas, P; Kastanos, E; Michael, C; Fatta-Kassinos, D

    2013-06-01

    The capability of a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) to remove the iodinated contrast media (ICM) iohexol (IOX) and diatrizoate (DTZ) from municipal wastewater was studied. A selected number of clones of microorganisms present in the biofilm were identified. Biotransformation products were tentatively identified and the toxicity of the treated effluent was assessed. Microbial samples were DNA-sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis in order to confirm the identity of the microorganisms present and determine the microbial diversity. The analysis demonstrated that the wastewater was populated by a bacterial consortium related to different members of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Nitrisporae. The optimum removal values of the ICM achieved were 79 % for IOX and 73 % for DTZ, whereas 13 biotransformation products for IOX and 14 for DTZ were identified. Their determination was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The toxicity of the treated effluent tested to Daphnia magna showed no statistical difference compared to that without the addition of the two ICM. The MBBR was proven to be a technology able to remove a significant percentage of the two ICM from urban wastewater without the formation of toxic biodegradation products. A large number of biotransformation products was found to be formed. Even though the amount of clones sequenced in this study does not reveal the entire bacterial diversity present, it provides an indication of the predominating phylotypes inhabiting the study site.

  9. Biotransformation of Daclatasvir In Vitro and in Nonclinical Species: Formation of the Main Metabolite by Pyrrolidine δ-Oxidation and Rearrangement.

    PubMed

    Li, Wenying; Zhao, Weiping; Liu, Xiaohong; Huang, Xiaohua; Lopez, Omar D; Leet, John E; Fancher, R Marcus; Nguyen, Van; Goodrich, Jason; Easter, John; Hong, Yang; Caceres-Cortes, Janet; Chang, Shu Y; Ma, Li; Belema, Makonen; Hamann, Lawrence G; Gao, Min; Zhu, Mingshe; Shu, Yue-Zhong; Humphreys, W Griffith; Johnson, Benjamin M

    2016-06-01

    Daclatasvir is a first-in-class, potent, and selective inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 5A replication complex. In support of nonclinical studies during discovery and exploratory development, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance were used in connection with synthetic and radiosynthetic approaches to investigate the biotransformation of daclatasvir in vitro and in cynomolgus monkeys, dogs, mice, and rats. The results of these studies indicated that disposition of daclatasvir was accomplished mainly by the release of unchanged daclatasvir into bile and feces and, secondarily, by oxidative metabolism. Cytochrome P450s were the main enzymes involved in the metabolism of daclatasvir. Oxidative pathways included δ-oxidation of the pyrrolidine moiety, resulting in ring opening to an aminoaldehyde intermediate followed by an intramolecular reaction between the aldehyde and the proximal imidazole nitrogen atom. Despite robust formation of the resulting metabolite in multiple systems, rates of covalent binding to protein associated with metabolism of daclatasvir were modest (55.2-67.8 pmol/mg/h) in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form)-supplemented liver microsomes (human, monkey, rat), suggesting that intramolecular rearrangement was favored over intermolecular binding in the formation of this metabolite. This biotransformation profile supported the continued development of daclatasvir, which is now marketed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  10. Comparative hepatic microsomal biotransformation of selected PBDEs, including decabromodiphenyl ether, and decabromodiphenyl ethane flame retardants in Arctic marine-feeding mammals.

    PubMed

    McKinney, Melissa A; Dietz, Rune; Sonne, Christian; De Guise, Sylvain; Skirnisson, Karl; Karlsson, Karl; Steingrímsson, Egill; Letcher, Robert J

    2011-07-01

    The present study assessed and compared the oxidative and reductive biotransformation of brominated flame retardants, including established polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and emerging decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) using an in vitro system based on liver microsomes from various arctic marine-feeding mammals: polar bear (Ursus maritimus), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), and ringed seal (Pusa hispida), and in laboratory rat as a mammalian model species. Greater depletion of fully brominated BDE209 (14-25% of 30 pmol) and DBDPE (44-74% of 90 pmol) occurred in individuals from all species relative to depletion of lower brominated PBDEs (BDEs 99, 100, and 154; 0-3% of 30 pmol). No evidence of simply debrominated metabolites was observed. Investigation of phenolic metabolites in rat and polar bear revealed formation of two phenolic, likely multiply debrominated, DBDPE metabolites in polar bear and one phenolic BDE154 metabolite in polar bear and rat microsomes. For BDE209 and DBDPE, observed metabolite concentrations were low to nondetectable, despite substantial parent depletion. These findings suggested possible underestimation of the ecosystem burden of total-BDE209, as well as its transformation products, and a need for research to identify and characterize the persistence and toxicity of major BDE209 metabolites. Similar cause for concern may exist regarding DBDPE, given similarities of physicochemical and environmental behavior to BDE209, current evidence of biotransformation, and increasing use of DBDPE as a replacement for BDE209. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

  11. Introducing the concept of biocatalysis in the classroom: The conversion of cholesterol to provitamin D3.

    PubMed

    De Luca, Belén M; Nudel, Clara B; Gonzalez, Rodrigo H; Nusblat, Alejandro D

    2017-03-04

    Biocatalysis is a fundamental concept in biotechnology. The topic integrates knowledge of several disciplines; therefore, it was included in the course "design and optimization of biological systems" which is offered in the biochemistry curricula. We selected the ciliate tetrahymena as an example of a eukaryotic system with potential for the biotransformation of sterol metabolites of industrial interest; in particular, we focused on the conversion of cholesterol to provitamin D 3. The students work with wild type and recombinant strains and learn how sterol pathways could be modified to obtain diverse sterol moieties. During the course the students identify and measure the concentration of sterols. They also search for related genes by bioinformatic analysis. Additionally, the students compare biotransformation rates, growing the ciliate in plate and in a bioreactor. Finally, they use fluorescence microscopy to localize an enzyme involved in biotransformation. The last day each team makes an oral presentation, explaining the results obtained and responds to a series of key questions posed by the teachers, which determine the final mark. In our experience, this course enables undergraduate students to become acquainted with the principles of biocatalysis as well as with standard and modern techniques, through a simple and robust laboratory exercise, using a biological system for the conversion of valuable pharmaceutical moieties. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(2):105-114, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  12. Persistent or not persistent? Polychlorinated biphenyls are readily depurated by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis).

    PubMed

    Christensen, Jennie R; Letcher, Robert J; Ross, Peter S

    2009-10-01

    Major pharmacokinetic processes influencing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) accumulation in mammals include uptake, biotransformation, respiration, and excretion. We characterized some of the factors underlying PCB accumulation/loss by evaluating PCB concentrations and patterns in pre- and posthibernation grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and their prey. The PCB congeners with vicinal meta- and para-chlorine unsubstituted hydrogen positions consistently showed loss both before and during hibernation, supporting the idea of a dominant role for biotransformation. Retention of all other studied congeners relative to that of PCB 194 varied widely (from <1 to 100%) and was highly correlated with log octanol-water partition coefficient (p < 0.0001). A lack of loss for most of these other congeners during hibernation supports the notion that excretion (e.g., fecal or urinary) or lack of uptake during the feeding season underlies their lack of accumulation, because hibernating bears do not eat or excrete. We estimate that grizzly bears retain less than 10% of total PCBs taken up from their diet. Our results suggest that for grizzly bears, depuration of PCBs via biotransformation is important (explaining approximately 40% of loss), but that nonbiotransformation processes, such as excretion, may be more important (explaining approximately 60% of loss). These findings, together with the approximately 91% loss of the persistent PCB 153 congener relative to PCB 194 in grizzly bears, raise important questions about how one defines persistence of PCBs in wildlife and may have bearing on the interpretation of food-web biomagnification studies.

  13. Genetic variation in biotransformation enzymes, air pollution exposures, and risk of spina bifida.

    PubMed

    Padula, Amy M; Yang, Wei; Schultz, Kathleen; Lurmann, Fred; Hammond, S Katharine; Shaw, Gary M

    2018-05-01

    Spina bifida is a birth defect characterized by incomplete closure of the embryonic neural tube. Genetic factors as well as environmental factors have been observed to influence risks for spina bifida. Few studies have investigated possible gene-environment interactions that could contribute to spina bifida risk. The aim of this study is to examine the interaction between gene variants in biotransformation enzyme pathways and ambient air pollution exposures and risk of spina bifida. We evaluated the role of air pollution exposure during pregnancy and gene variants of biotransformation enzymes from bloodspots and buccal cells in a California population-based case-control (86 cases of spina bifida and 208 non-malformed controls) study. We considered race/ethnicity and folic acid vitamin use as potential effect modifiers and adjusted for those factors and smoking. We observed gene-environment interactions between each of the five pollutants and several gene variants: NO (ABCC2), NO 2 (ABCC2, SLC01B1), PM 10 (ABCC2, CYP1A1, CYP2B6, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, NAT2, SLC01B1, SLC01B3), PM 2.5 (CYP1A1 and CYP1A2). These analyses show positive interactions between air pollution exposure during early pregnancy and gene variants associated with metabolizing enzymes. These exploratory results suggest that some individuals based on their genetic background may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of pollution. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Integrated process design for biocatalytic synthesis by a Leloir Glycosyltransferase: UDP-glucose production with sucrose synthase.

    PubMed

    Schmölzer, Katharina; Lemmerer, Martin; Gutmann, Alexander; Nidetzky, Bernd

    2017-04-01

    Nucleotide sugar-dependent ("Leloir") glycosyltransferases (GTs), represent a new paradigm for the application of biocatalytic glycosylations to the production of fine chemicals. However, it remains to be shown that GT processes meet the high efficiency targets of industrial biotransformations. We demonstrate in this study of uridine-5'-diphosphate glucose (UDP-glc) production by sucrose synthase (from Acidithiobacillus caldus) that a holistic process design, involving coordinated development of biocatalyst production, biotransformation, and downstream processing (DSP) was vital for target achievement at ∼100 g scale synthesis. Constitutive expression in Escherichia coli shifted the recombinant protein production mainly to the stationary phase and enhanced the specific enzyme activity to a level (∼480 U/g cell dry weight ) suitable for whole-cell biotransformation. The UDP-glc production had excellent performance metrics of ∼100 g product /L, 86% yield (based on UDP), and a total turnover number of 103 g UDP-glc /g cell dry weight at a space-time yield of 10 g/L/h. Using efficient chromatography-free DSP, the UDP-glc was isolated in a single batch with ≥90% purity and in 73% isolated yield. Overall, the process would allow production of ∼0.7 kg of isolated product/L E. coli bioreactor culture, thus demonstrating how integrated process design promotes the practical use of a GT conversion. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 924-928. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Immobilized tannase treatment alters polyphenolic composition in teas and their potential anti-obesity and hypoglycemic activities in vitro.

    PubMed

    Roberto, Bruna Sampaio; Macedo, Gabriela Alves; Macedo, Juliana Alves; Martins, Isabela Mateus; Nakajima, Vânia Mayumi; Allwood, J William; Stewart, Derek; McDougall, Gordon J

    2016-09-14

    The aim of this work was to assess the effect of immobilized-tannase treatment on black, green, white and mate tea components and on their bioactivities relevant to obesity. Tannase treatment caused predictable changes in polyphenol composition with substantial reduction in galloylated catechins in green, white and black tea. Mate tea, which is rich in chlorogenic acids, was much less affected by tannase treatment although some degradation of caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives was noted. The original tea samples were effective in inhibiting digestive enzymes in vitro. They inhibited amylase activity, some with IC50 values ∼70 μg mL(-1), but were much less effective against α-glucosidase. They also inhibited lipase activity in vitro and caused dose-dependent reductions in lipid accumulation in cultured adipocytes. The bio-transformed tea samples generally matched the effectiveness of the original samples but in some cases they were markedly improved. In particular, tannase treatment reduced the IC50 value for amylase inhibition for green tea and white tea by 15- and 6-fold respectively. In addition, the bio-transformed samples were more effective than the original samples in preventing lipid accumulation in adipocytes. These in vitro studies indicate that bio-transformed tea polyphenols could assist in the management of obesity through improvement in energy uptake and lipid metabolism and also indicate that biotechnological modification of natural food molecules can improve the benefits of a common beverage such as tea.

  16. Rapid identification of herbal compounds derived metabolites using zebrafish larvae as the biotransformation system.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chen; Yin, Ying-Hao; Wei, Ying-Jie; Shi, Zi-Qi; Liu, Jian-Qun; Liu, Li-Fang; Xin, Gui-Zhong

    2017-09-15

    Metabolites derived from herbal compounds are becoming promising sources for discovering new drugs. However, the rapid identification of metabolites from biological matrixes is limited by massive endogenous interference and low abundance of metabolites. Thus, by using zebrafish larvae as the biotransformation system, we herein proposed and validated an integrated strategy for rapid identification of metabolites derived from herbal compounds. Two pivotal steps involved in this strategy are to differentiate metabolites from herbal compounds and match metabolites with their parent compounds. The differentiation step was achieved by cross orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis. Automatic matching analysis was performed on R Project based on a self-developed program, of which the number of matched ionic clusters and its corresponding percentage between metabolite and parent compound were taken into account to assess their similarity. Using this strategy, 46 metabolites screened from incubation water samples of zebrafish treated with total Epimedium flavonoids (EFs) could be matched with their corresponding parent compounds, 37 of them were identified and validated by the known metabolic pathways and fragmentation patterns. Finally, 75% of the identified EFs metabolites were successfully detected in urine samples of rats treated with EFs. These experimental results indicate that the proposed strategy using zebrafish larvae as the biotransformation system will facilitate the rapid identification of metabolites derived from herbal compounds, which shows promising perspectives in providing additional resources for pharmaceutical developments from natural products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Biotransformation of the Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol in Fusarium Resistant and Susceptible Near Isogenic Wheat Lines

    PubMed Central

    Kluger, Bernhard; Bueschl, Christoph; Lemmens, Marc; Michlmayr, Herbert; Malachova, Alexandra; Koutnik, Andrea; Maloku, Imer; Berthiller, Franz; Adam, Gerhard; Krska, Rudolf; Schuhmacher, Rainer

    2015-01-01

    In this study, a total of nine different biotransformation products of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) formed in wheat during detoxification of the toxin are characterized by liquid chromatography—high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The detected metabolites suggest that DON is conjugated to endogenous metabolites via two major metabolism routes, namely 1) glucosylation (DON-3-glucoside, DON-di-hexoside, 15-acetyl-DON-3-glucoside, DON-malonylglucoside) and 2) glutathione conjugation (DON-S-glutathione, “DON-2H”-S-glutathione, DON-S-cysteinyl-glycine and DON-S-cysteine). Furthermore, conjugation of DON to a putative sugar alcohol (hexitol) was found. A molar mass balance for the cultivar ‘Remus’ treated with 1 mg DON revealed that under the test conditions approximately 15% of the added DON were transformed into DON-3-glucoside and another 19% were transformed to the remaining eight biotransformation products or irreversibly bound to the plant matrix. Additionally, metabolite abundance was monitored as a function of time for each DON derivative and was established for six DON treated wheat lines (1 mg/ear) differing in resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) Fhb1 and/or Qfhs.ifa-5A. All cultivars carrying QTL Fhb1 showed similar metabolism kinetics: Formation of DON-Glc was faster, while DON-GSH production was less efficient compared to cultivars which lacked the resistance QTL Fhb1. Moreover, all wheat lines harboring Fhb1 showed significantly elevated D3G/DON abundance ratios. PMID:25775425

  18. Biological transformations of 1,2-dichloroethane in subsurface soils and groundwater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klečka, G. M.; Carpenter, C. L.; Gonsior, S. J.

    1998-10-01

    The ability of naturally occurring microorganisms to biodegrade 1,2-dichloroethane was examined in soil/water microcosms prepared using aquifer material obtained from manufacturing sites in Louisiana and Texas with known histories of exposure to the compound, as well as in aquifer samples taken from a site in Oklahoma with no known history of 1,2-dichloroethane contamination. Biotransformation of 1,2-dichloroethane was noted under methanogenic or sulfate reducing conditions in all samples. Under anaerobic conditions, 1,2-dichloroethane was transformed to ethylene in a single step via reductive dihaloelimination. No other metabolites were detected in the reaction mixtures. Microbial adaptation appeared to be required for biotransformation of 1,2-dichloroethane. Lag periods ranging from 7 to 8 weeks preceded degradation in microcosms prepared with aquifer material from the Texas and Oklahoma sites. In contrast, no lag period was evident prior to biotransformation in microcosms prepared from the Louisiana manufacturing site, which is consistent with field evidence for natural biological attenuation in situ based on analysis of the groundwater chemistry. Aerobic biodegradation of 1,2-dichloroethane to carbon dioxide was also observed after 13 weeks in aquifer material from the Louisiana site, but was not evident in samples from the Texas or Oklahoma sites following 18 weeks of incubation. The ability of naturally occurring microorganisms to degrade 1,2-dichloroethane has bearing on assessments of the fate and lifetime of the compound in the environment, as well as having potential application in the remediation of contaminated groundwater.

  19. Metabolic Profile of Skimmianine in Rats Determined by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Huang, Aihua; Xu, Hui; Zhan, Ruoting; Chen, Weiwen; Liu, Jiawei; Chi, Yuguang; Chen, Daidi; Ji, Xiaoyu; Luo, Chaoquan

    2017-03-23

    Skimmianine is a furoquinoline alkaloid present mainly in the Rutaceae family. It has been reported to have analgesic, antispastic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and other pharmacologic activities. Despite its critical pharmacological function, its metabolite profiling is still unclear. In this study, the in vivo metabolite profiling of skimmianine in rats was investigated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS). The metabolites were predicted using MetabolitePilot TM software. These predicted metabolites were further analyzed by MS² spectra, and compared with the detailed fragmentation pathway of the skimmianine standard and literature data. A total of 16 metabolites were identified for the first time in rat plasma, urine, and feces samples after oral administration of skimmianine. Skimmianine underwent extensive Phase I and Phase II metabolism in rats. The Phase I biotransformations of skimmianine consist of epoxidation of olefin on its furan ring (M1) followed by the hydrolysis of the epoxide ring (M4), hydroxylation (M2, M3), O -demethylation (M5-M7), didemethylation (M14-M16). The Phase II biotransformations include glucuronide conjugation (M8-M10) and sulfate conjugation (M11-M13). The epoxidation of 2,3-olefinic bond followed by the hydrolysis of the epoxide ring and O -demethylation were the major metabolic pathways of skimmianine. The results provide key information for understanding the biotransformation processes of skimmianine and the related furoquinoline alkaloids.

  20. Production of L-carnitine by secondary metabolism of bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Bernal, Vicente; Sevilla, Ángel; Cánovas, Manuel; Iborra, José L

    2007-01-01

    The increasing commercial demand for L-carnitine has led to a multiplication of efforts to improve its production with bacteria. The use of different cell environments, such as growing, resting, permeabilized, dried, osmotically stressed, freely suspended and immobilized cells, to maintain enzymes sufficiently active for L-carnitine production is discussed in the text. The different cell states of enterobacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Proteus sp., which can be used to produce L-carnitine from crotonobetaine or D-carnitine as substrate, are analyzed. Moreover, the combined application of both bioprocess and metabolic engineering has allowed a deeper understanding of the main factors controlling the production process, such as energy depletion and the alteration of the acetyl-CoA/CoA ratio which are coupled to the end of the biotransformation. Furthermore, the profiles of key central metabolic activities such as the TCA cycle, the glyoxylate shunt and the acetate metabolism are seen to be closely interrelated and affect the biotransformation efficiency. Although genetically modified strains have been obtained, new strain improvement strategies are still needed, especially in Escherichia coli as a model organism for molecular biology studies. This review aims to summarize and update the state of the art in L-carnitine production using E. coli and Proteus sp, emphasizing the importance of proper reactor design and operation strategies, together with metabolic engineering aspects and the need for feed-back between wet and in silico work to optimize this biotransformation. PMID:17910757

  1. Zolpidem metabolism in vitro: responsible cytochromes, chemical inhibitors, and in vivo correlations.

    PubMed

    Von Moltke, L L; Greenblatt, D J; Granda, B W; Duan, S X; Grassi, J M; Venkatakrishnan, K; Harmatz, J S; Shader, R I

    1999-07-01

    To determine the human cytochromes mediating biotransformation of the imidazopyridine hypnotic, zolpidem, and the clinical correlates of the findings. Kinetic properties of zolpidem biotransformation to its three hydroxylated metabolites were studied in vitro using human liver microsomes and heterologously expressed individual human cytochromes. The metabolic product termed M-3 accounted for more than 80% of net intrinsic clearance by liver microsomes in vitro. Microsomes containing human cytochromes CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3 A4 expressed by cDNA-transfected human lymphoblastoid cells mediated zolpidem metabolism in vitro. The kinetic profile for zolpidem metabolite formation by each individual cytochrome was combined with estimated relative abundances based on immunological quantification, yielding projected contributions to net intrinsic clearance of: 61% for 3 A4, 22% for 2C9, 14% for 1A2, and less than 3% for 2D6 and 2C19. These values were consistent with inhibitory effects of ketoconazole and sulfaphenazole on zolpidem biotransformation by liver microsomes. Ketoconazole had a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) of 0.61 microm vs formation of the M-3 metabolite of zolpidem in vitro; in a clinical study, ketoconazole coadministration reduced zolpidem oral clearance by approximately 40%, somewhat less than anticipated based on the IC50 value and total plasma ketoconazole levels, but much more than predicted based on unbound plasma ketoconazole levels. The incomplete dependence of zolpidem clearance on CYP3A activity has clinical implications for susceptibility to metabolic inhibition.

  2. Steroid toxicity and detoxification in ascomycetous fungi.

    PubMed

    Cvelbar, Damjana; Zist, Vanja; Kobal, Katja; Zigon, Dušan; Zakelj-Mavrič, Marija

    2013-02-25

    In the last couple of decades fungal infections have become a significant clinical problem. A major interest into fungal steroid action has been provoked since research has proven that steroid hormones are toxic to fungi and affect the host/fungus relationship. Steroid hormones were found to differ in their antifungal activity in ascomycetous fungi Hortaea werneckii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus oryzae. Dehydroepiandrosterone was shown to be the strongest inhibitor of growth in all three varieties of fungi followed by androstenedione and testosterone. For their protection, fungi use several mechanisms to lower the toxic effects of steroids. The efficiency of biotransformation in detoxification depended on the microorganism and steroid substrate used. Biotransformation was a relatively slow process as it also depended on the growth phase of the fungus. In addition to biotransformation, steroid extrusion out of the cells contributed to the lowering of the active intracellular steroid concentration. Plasma membrane Pdr5 transporter was found to be the most effective, followed by Snq2 transporter and vacuolar transporters Ybt1 and Ycf1. Proteins Aus1 and Dan1 were not found to be involved in steroid import. The research of possible targets of steroid hormone action in fungi suggests that steroid hormones inhibit ergosterol biosynthesis in S. cerevisiae and H. werneckii. Results of this inhibition caused changes in the sterol content of the cellular membrane. The presence of steroid hormones most probably causes the degradation of the Tat2 permease and impairment of tryptophan import. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Polychlorinated biphenyls and biotransformation enzymes in three species of sea turtles from the Baja California peninsula of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Richardson, K L; Lopez Castro, M; Gardner, S C; Schlenk, D

    2010-01-01

    Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as well as the expression patterns of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were measured in livers of loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), and olive ridley (Lepidocheyls olivacea) sea turtles from the Baja California peninsula of Mexico. The mean concentrations of total PCBs were 18.1, 10.5, and 15.2 ng/g wet weight (ww) respectively for the three species and PCB 153 was the dominant congener in all samples. Total PCB concentrations were dominated by penta- and hexa-chlorinated biphenyls. The mean estimated TEQs were 42.8, 22.9, and 10.4 pg/g (ww) for loggerhead, green, and olive ridley, respectively, and more than 70% was accounted for by non-ortho PCBs. Western blots revealed the presence of hepatic microsomal proteins that cross-reacted with anti-CYP2K1 and anti-CYP3A27 antibodies but not with anti-CYP1A antibody. There were no significant differences in GST activities between species. Grouping congeners based on structure-activity relationships for CYP isoenzymes suggested limited activity of CYP1A contribution to PCB biotransformation in sea turtles. These results suggest potential accumulation of PCBs that are CYP1A substrates and provide evidence for biotransformation capacity, which differs from known animal models, highlighting the need for further studies in reptiles, particularly those threatened with extinction.

  4. ANAEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION OF CONTAMINANTS IN THE SUBSURFACE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Anaerobic conditions predominate in contaminated aquifers and are not uncommon in noncontaminated areas. Comparatively little is known about degradative processes and nutrient cycling under anaerobic conditions. However, it is apparent these processes are fundamentally differen...

  5. Scaling Factor Variability and Toxicokinetic Outcomes in Children

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract title: Scaling Factor Variability and Toxicokinetic Outcomes in ChildrenBackgroundBiotransformation rates (Vmax) extrapolated from in vitro data are used increasingly in human physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. PBPK models are widely used in human hea...

  6. IMPORTANCE OF ENZYMATIC BIOTRANSFORMATION IN IMMUNOTOXICOLOGY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Many immunotoxic compounds, such as benzene and other organic solvents, pesticides, mycotoxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can alter immune function only after undergoing enzyme-mediated reactions within various tissues. In the review that follows, the role of enzymatic...

  7. Assessing the accuracy of software predictions of mammalian and microbial metabolites

    EPA Science Inventory

    New chemical development and hazard assessments benefit from accurate predictions of mammalian and microbial metabolites. Fourteen biotransformation libraries encoded in eight software packages that predict metabolite structures were assessed for their sensitivity (proportion of ...

  8. Biotransformation of corn phytochemicals by Fusarium verticillioides

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phytochemicals, microbial metabolites, and agrochemicals can individually or collectively impact the diversity and frequency of fungal species occurring in agricultural field environments. Resistance to such chemicals by plant pathogenic fungi is common and potentially devastating to crop quality, ...

  9. The fate of estrogenic hormones in an engineered treatment wetland with dense macrophytes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gray, J.L.; Sedlak, D.L.

    2005-01-01

    Recently, the estrogenic hormones 17??-estradiol (E2) and 17??-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) have been detected in municipal wastewater effluent and surface waters at concentrations sufficient to cause feminization of male fish. To evaluate the fate of steroid hormones in an engineered treatment wetland, lithium chloride, E2, and EE 2 were added to a treatment wetland test cell. Comparison of hormone and tracer data indicated that 36% of the E2 and 41% of the EE 2 were removed during the cell's 84-h hydraulic retention time (HRT). The observed attenuation was most likely the result of sorption to hydrophobic surfaces in the wetland coupled with biotransformation. Sorption was indicated by the retardation of the hormones relative to the conservative tracer. Biotransformation was indicated by elevated concentrations of the E2 metabolite, estrone. It may be possible to improve the removal efficiency by increasing the HRT or the density of plant materials.

  10. Behavior of metalaxyl and its pure R-enantiomer in sunflower plants (Helianthus annus).

    PubMed

    Zadra, C; Marucchini, C; Zazzerini, A

    2002-09-11

    A possible stereospecific and/or stereoselective mechanism of biodegradation for metalaxyl and metalaxyl-M was studied to elucidate their behavior in sunflower plants and to compare their biodegradation. Greenhouse experiments were carried out to confirm the same efficacy of the two fungicides against infections by Plasmopara helianthi in sunflower plants. The two fungicides appear to have the same behavior regarding both the protection against plant infections and the mode of translocation and the rate and pathway of biotransformation, but we have evidence that this biotransformation process is enantioselective. Furthermore, we propose procedures for a chromatographic separation of enantiomers and acid metabolites of the fungicides and for the determination of the R:S ratio by HPLC chiral analyses. This study emphasizes the importance of examining the fate of both stereoisomers of a chiral agrochemical in an environmental system for the correct use of enantiomerically pure agrochemical compounds.

  11. Aerobic activated sludge transformation of vincristine and identification of the transformation products.

    PubMed

    Kosjek, Tina; Negreira, Noelia; Heath, Ester; López de Alda, Miren; Barceló, Damià

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to identify (bio)transformation products of vincristine, a plant alkaloid chemotherapy drug. A batch biotransformation experiment was set-up using activated sludge at two concentration levels with and without the addition of a carbon source. Sample analysis was performed on an ultra-high performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a high-resolution hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometer. To identify molecular ions of vincristine transformation products and to propose molecular and chemical structures, we performed data-dependent acquisition experiments combining full-scan mass spectrometry data with product ion spectra. In addition, the use of non-commercial detection and prediction algorithms such as MZmine 2 and EAWAG-BBD Pathway Prediction System, was proven to be proficient for screening for transformation products in complex wastewater matrix total ion chromatograms. In this study eleven vincristine transformation products were detected, nine of which were tentatively identified. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Biotransformation of natural gas and oil compounds associated with marine oil discharges.

    PubMed

    Brakstad, Odd Gunnar; Almås, Inger K; Krause, Daniel Franklin

    2017-09-01

    Field data from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) suggested that oxidation of gas compounds stimulated biodegradation of oil compounds in the deep sea plume. We performed experiments with local seawater from a Norwegian fjord to examine if the presence of dissolved gas compounds (methane, ethane and propane) affected biodegradation of volatile oil compounds, and if oil compounds likewise affected gas compound oxidation. The results from the experiment showed comparable oil compound biotransformation rates in seawater at 5 °C between seawater with and without soluble gases. Gas oxidation was not affected by the presence of volatile oil compounds. Contrary to DWH deep sea plume data, propane oxidation was not faster than methane oxidation. These data may reflect variations between biodegradation of oil and gas in seawater environments with different history of oil and gas exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Consequences of bile salt biotransformations by intestinal bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Ridlon, Jason M.; Harris, Spencer C.; Bhowmik, Shiva; Kang, Dae-Joong; Hylemon, Phillip B.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Emerging evidence strongly suggest that the human “microbiome” plays an important role in both health and disease. Bile acids function both as detergents molecules promoting nutrient absorption in the intestines and as hormones regulating nutrient metabolism. Bile acids regulate metabolism via activation of specific nuclear receptors (NR) and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The circulating bile acid pool composition consists of primary bile acids produced from cholesterol in the liver, and secondary bile acids formed by specific gut bacteria. The various biotransformation of bile acids carried out by gut bacteria appear to regulate the structure of the gut microbiome and host physiology. Increased levels of secondary bile acids are associated with specific diseases of the GI system. Elucidating methods to control the gut microbiome and bile acid pool composition in humans may lead to a reduction in some of the major diseases of the liver, gall bladder and colon. PMID:26939849

  14. Animal models of toxicology testing: the role of pigs.

    PubMed

    Helke, Kristi L; Swindle, Marvin Michael

    2013-02-01

    In regulatory toxicological testing, both a rodent and non-rodent species are required. Historically, dogs and non-human primates (NHP) have been the species of choice of the non-rodent portion of testing. The pig is an appropriate option for these tests based on metabolic pathways utilized in xenobiotic biotransformation. This review focuses on the Phase I and Phase II biotransformation pathways in humans and pigs and highlights the similarities and differences of these models. This is a growing field and references are sparse. Numerous breeds of pigs are discussed along with specific breed differences in these enzymes that are known. While much available data are presented, it is grossly incomplete and sometimes contradictory based on methods used. There is no ideal species to use in toxicology. The use of dogs and NHP in xenobiotic testing continues to be the norm. Pigs present a viable and perhaps more reliable model of non-rodent testing.

  15. Halothane hepatotoxicity and the reduced derivative, 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane.

    PubMed Central

    Brown, B R; Sipes, I G; Baker, R K

    1977-01-01

    Halothane (1,1,1-trifluoro-2-bromo-2-chloroethane) is a safe, clinically useful inhalation anesthetic. Rare, unpredictable cases of liver necrosis have been reported following its use. Although the mechanism of this reaction in man is unknown the most plausible is biotransformation to reactive intermediates compounds. The oxidative metabolism of halothane appears to be benign. There is early evidence that reductive (nonoxygen dependent) may be harmful. Since the bromine atom of halothane appears to possess weak bond energy, the reduced, debrominated derivative of halothane, 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane, was synthesized and tested for hepatotoxicity in the rat. The derivative is unstable and thus was prepared anaerobically and trapped in propylene glycol solvent. Injection of small amounts of this compound into the portal vein of rats produces extensive liver necrosis. It is postulated that biotransformation of halothane via a reductive pathway could produce this reactive intermediate metabolite. Images FIGURE 1. PMID:612444

  16. Exploring the microbial biodegradation and biotransformation gene pool.

    PubMed

    Galvão, Teca Calcagno; Mohn, William W; de Lorenzo, Víctor

    2005-10-01

    Similar to the New World explorers of the 16th and 17th century, microbiologists today find themselves at the edge of unknown territory. It is estimated that only 0.1-1% of microorganisms can be cultivated using current techniques; the vastness of microbial lifestyles remains to be explored. Because the microbial metagenome is the largest reservoir of genes that determine enzymatic reactions, new techniques are being developed to identify the genes that underlie many valuable chemical biotransformations carried out by microbes, particularly in pathways for biodegradation of recalcitrant and xenobiotic molecules. Our knowledge of catabolic routes built on research during the past 40 years is a solid basis from which to venture on to the little-explored pathways that might exist in nature. However, it is clear that the vastness of information to be obtained requires astute experimental strategies for finding novel reactions.

  17. Efficient Reduction of Antibacterial Activity and Cytotoxicity of Fluoroquinolones by Fungal-Mediated N-Oxidation.

    PubMed

    Rusch, Marina; Spielmeyer, Astrid; Meißner, Jessica; Kietzmann, Manfred; Zorn, Holger; Hamscher, Gerd

    2017-04-19

    Extensive usage of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in livestock results in their occurrence in manure and subsequently in the environment. Fluoroquinolone residues may promote bacterial resistance and are toxic to plants and aquatic organisms. Moreover, fluoroquinolones may enter the food chain through plant uptake, if manure is applied as fertilizer. Thus, the presence of fluoroquinolones in the environment may pose a threat to human and ecological health. In this study, the biotransformation of enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, and difloxacin by the fungus X. longipes (Xylaria) was investigated. The main metabolites were unequivocally identified as the respective N-oxides by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Fungal-mediated N-oxidation of fluoroquinolones led to a 77-90% reduction of the initial antibacterial activity. In contrast to their respective parent compounds, N-oxides showed low cytotoxic potential and had a reduced impact on cell proliferation. Thus, biotransformation by X. longipes may represent an effective method for inactivating fluoroquinolones.

  18. Biotransformation of Tributyltin chloride by Pseudomonas stutzeri strain DN2

    PubMed Central

    Khanolkar, Dnyanada S.; Naik, Milind Mohan; Dubey, Santosh Kumar

    2014-01-01

    A bacterial isolate capable of utilizing tributyltin chloride (TBTCl) as sole carbon source was isolated from estuarine sediments of west coast of India and identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri based on biochemical tests and Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. This isolate was designated as strain DN2. Although this bacterial isolate could resist up to 3 mM TBTCl level, it showed maximum growth at 2 mM TBTCl in mineral salt medium (MSM). Pseudomonas stutzeri DN2 exposed to 2 mM TBTCl revealed significant alteration in cell morphology as elongation and shrinkage in cell size along with roughness of cell surface. FTIR and NMR analysis of TBTCl degradation product extracted using chloroform and purified using column chromatography clearly revealed biotransformation of TBTCl into Dibutyltin dichloride (DBTCl2) through debutylation process. Therefore, Pseudomonas stutzeri strain DN2 may be used as a potential bacterial strain for bioremediation of TBTCl contaminated aquatic environmental sites. PMID:25763027

  19. In vitro human digestion test to monitor the dissolution of silver nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bove, P.; Malvindi, M. A.; Sabella, S.

    2017-06-01

    Nanotechnology is a scientific revolution that the food industry has experienced over the last years. Widely employed as food additives and/or food contact materials in consumer products, silver nanoparticles are an example of this innovation. However, their increasing use makes also likely the human ingestion, thus requiring a proper risk analysis. In this framework, a comprehensive characterization of biotransformation of silver nanoparticles in biological fluids is fundamental for the regulatory needs. Herein, we aimed at studying the dissolution behaviour of silver nanoparticles using an in vitro test, which simulates the human oral ingestion of NPs during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The nanoparticle suspensions were characterized in the different digestion phases using several techniques to follow the changes of key physical properties (e.g., size, surface charge and plasmon peak) and to quantify the biotransformed products arisen by the process, as for example free silver ions.

  20. Roles of uptake, biotransformation, and target site sensitivity in determining the differential toxicity of chlorpyrifos to second to fourth instar Chironomous riparius (Meigen)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Buchwalter, D.B.; Sandahl, J.F.; Jenkins, J.J.; Curtis, L.R.

    2004-01-01

    Early life stages of aquatic organisms tend to be more sensitive to various chemical contaminants than later life stages. This research attempted to identify the key biological factors that determined sensitivity differences among life stages of the aquatic insect Chironomous riparius. Specifically, second to fourth instar larvae were exposed in vivo to both low and high waterborne concentrations of chlorpyrifos to examine differences in accumulation rates, chlorpyrifos biotransformation, and overall sensitivity among instars. In vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assays were performed with chlorpyrifos and the metabolite, chlorpyrifos-oxon, to investigate potential target site sensitivity differences among instars. Earlier instars accumulated chlorpyrifos more rapidly than later instars. There were no major differences among instars in the biotransformation rates of chlorpyrifos to the more polar metabolites, chlorpyrifos-oxon, and chlorpyridinol (TCP). Homogenate AChE activities from second to fourth instar larvae were refractory to chlorpyrifos, even at high concentrations. In contrast, homogenate AChE activities were responsive in a dose-dependent manner to chlorpyrifos-oxon. In general, it appeared that chlorpyrifos sensitivity differences among second to fourth instar C. riparius were largely determined by differences in uptake rates. In terms of AChE depression, fourth instar homogenates were more sensitive to chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-oxon than earlier instars. However, basal AChE activity in fourth instar larvae was significantly higher than basal AChE activity in second to third instar larvae, which could potentially offset the apparent increased sensitivity to the oxon. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Production of malodorous steroids from androsta-5,16-dienes and androsta-4,16-dienes by Corynebacteria and other human axillary bacteria.

    PubMed

    Decréau, Richard A; Marson, Charles M; Smith, Kelvin E; Behan, John M

    2003-12-01

    The biotransformations of a number of steroids, chiefly 5,6,16,17-tetradehydro-androstanes, are reported. The strains investigated were Corynebacteria sp. G38, G40, G41, B, Brevis sp. CW5 and Micrococcus sp. M-DH2. Corynebacterium sp. G41 proved remarkably efficient in effecting oxidative isomerisation of 5-ene-3-sterols into the corresponding 4-en-3-ones. The main biochemical reactions involved were oxidation at C-3; no reduction processes were observed. Conversions of 3beta-sterols into the C-3 oxo-steroids were high, but were correspondingly low for the 3alpha-sterol epimers. Androsta-4,16-dien-3-one and 5beta-androsta-16-en-3-one are crucial to the formation of malodour. The rate of formation of these compounds was measured over 72 h incubation periods using three substrates: androsta-5,16-dien-3beta-ol, androsta-4,16-dien-3beta-ol and androsta-5,16-dien-3-one. Induction studies of the transformation of the androsta-5,16-dien-3beta-ol into the very odorous compound androsta-4,16-dien-3-one showed that cells incubated with a mixture of antibiotics displayed the same extent of biotransformation as normal cells if the concentration of antibiotic was low (1, 3, 5 and 7 microg/ml), although at concentrations higher than 10 microg/ml, biotransformation yields were reduced. Pre-incubation with a 3beta-fluoro-steroid inhibited the formation of the odorous androsta-4,16-dien-3-one.

  2. Contrasting effects of a nonionic surfactant on the biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to cis-dihydrodiols by soil bacteria

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allen, C.C.R.; Boyd, D.R.; Hempenstall, F.

    The biotransformation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene and phenanthrene was investigated by using two dioxygenase-expressing bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. strain 9816/11 and Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B8/36, under conditions which facilitate mass-transfer limited substrate oxidation. Both of these strains are mutants that accumulate cis-dihydrodiol metabolites under the reaction conditions used. The effects of the nonpolar solvent 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HMN) and the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 on the rate of accumulation of these metabolites were determined. HMN increased the rate of accumulation of metabolites for both microorganisms, with both substrates. The enhancement effect was most noticeable with phenanthrene, which has a lower aqueousmore » solubility than naphthalene. Triton X-100 increased the rate of oxidation of the PAHs with strain 9816/11 with the effect being most noticeable when phenanthrene was used as a substrate. However, the surfactant inhibited the biotransformation of both naphthalene and phenanthrene with strain B8/36 under the same conditions. The observation that a nonionic surfactant could have such contrasting effects on PAH oxidation by different bacteria, which are known to be important for the degradation of these compounds in the environment, may explain why previous research on the application of the surfactants to PAH bioremediation has yielded inconclusive results. The surfactant inhibited growth of the wild-type strain S. yanoikuyae B1 on aromatic compounds but did not inhibit B8/36 dioxygenase enzyme activity in vitro.« less

  3. Fungal Bioweathering of Mimetite and a General Geomycological Model for Lead Apatite Mineral Biotransformations

    PubMed Central

    Ceci, Andrea; Kierans, Martin; Hillier, Stephen; Persiani, Anna Maria

    2015-01-01

    Fungi play important roles in biogeochemical processes such as organic matter decomposition, bioweathering of minerals and rocks, and metal transformations and therefore influence elemental cycles for essential and potentially toxic elements, e.g., P, S, Pb, and As. Arsenic is a potentially toxic metalloid for most organisms and naturally occurs in trace quantities in soil, rocks, water, air, and living organisms. Among more than 300 arsenic minerals occurring in nature, mimetite [Pb5(AsO4)3Cl] is the most stable lead arsenate and holds considerable promise in metal stabilization for in situ and ex situ sequestration and remediation through precipitation, as do other insoluble lead apatites, such as pyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl] and vanadinite [Pb5(VO4)3Cl]. Despite the insolubility of mimetite, the organic acid-producing soil fungus Aspergillus niger was able to solubilize mimetite with simultaneous precipitation of lead oxalate as a new mycogenic biomineral. Since fungal biotransformation of both pyromorphite and vanadinite has been previously documented, a new biogeochemical model for the biogenic transformation of lead apatites (mimetite, pyromorphite, and vanadinite) by fungi is hypothesized in this study by application of geochemical modeling together with experimental data. The models closely agreed with experimental data and provided accurate simulation of As and Pb complexation and biomineral formation dependent on, e.g., pH, cation-anion composition, and concentration. A general pattern for fungal biotransformation of lead apatite minerals is proposed, proving new understanding of ecological implications of the biogeochemical cycling of component elements as well as industrial applications in metal stabilization, bioremediation, and biorecovery. PMID:25979898

  4. Anesthetic biotransformation and renal function in obese patients during and after methoxyflurane or halothane anesthesia.

    PubMed

    Young, S R; Stoelting, R K; Peterson, C; Madura, J A

    1975-04-01

    Anesthetic biotransformation and renal function were studied in obese adult patients (148 plus or minus 8 kg; mean plus or minus SE) anesthetized for three hours with 60 per cent nitrous oxide plus either methoxyflurane or halothane for elective jejunoileal small-bowel-bypass operations. There was no evidence of persistent renal dysfunction in any patient postoperatively, but serum osmolality was elevated 72 hours after methoxyflurane anesthesia. Urine concentrating ability was not determined. Peak serum ionic fluoride concentration was 55.8 plus or minus 5.8 muM/1 two hours after discontinuation of methoxyflurane. Urinary ionic fluoride and oxalate excretions increased postoperatively. Compared with previously reported data from nonobese patients, serum ionic fluoride concentrations in obese patients increased more rapidly during methoxyflurane anesthesia and peaked higher and sooner after discontinuation of methoxyflurane. The peak serum ionic fluoride concentration was 10.4 plus or minus 1.5 muM/1 at the conclusion of halothane anesthesia, significantly more than the corresponding value in nonobese patients. Intraoperative liver biopsies from 23 of 27 patients showed moderate to severe fatty metamorphosis. Fatty liver infiltration may have increased hepatic anesthetic uptake and exposed more methoxyflurane or halothane to hepatic microsomal enzymes. The more rapid elevation and higher peak levels of serum ionic fluoride following methoxyflurane, and to a lesser extent following halothane, may reflect increased anesthetic biotransformation in obese compared with nonobese patients. To avoid excessive serum ionic fluoride elevations the authors recommended limiting low-dose methoxyflurane anesthesia delivered to obese patients with potential fatty liver infiltration to no more than three hours.

  5. Biotransformation of cholesterol and 16,17-alpha epoxypregnenolone by novel Cladosporium sp. strain IS547.

    PubMed

    Pang, Cuiping; Cao, Yuting; Zhu, Xiangdong

    2017-01-01

    Nowadays, there are a few steroid drugs or intermediates that have been obtained via the transformation of microorganisms, and many strains of transformed steroids have not been found yet. Therefore, it is very significant to screen for the strains that have the abilities to transform steroids to produce valuable products. This study has focused on the screen and identification of strains, the structural identification of converted products, and the optimization of transformation conditions, as well as the establishment of transformation systems. A soil microbiota was screened for strain involved in the biotransformation of steroids. A new isolate IS547 is capable of converting a variety of steroids (such as cholesterol, ergosterol, hydrocortisone, progesterone, pregnenolone, and 16,17-alpha-epoxypregnenolone). Based on the 18S rDNA gene sequence comparison, the isolate IS547 has been demonstrated to be very closely related to Cladosporium sp. genus. Present paper is the first report regarding the microbial transformation by Cladosporium sp. to produce active intermediates, which include 7-hydroxy cholesterol, 20-droxyl-16α,17α-epoxypregna-4-dien-3-one, 7-ketocholesterol, and 7-droxyl-16α,17α-epoxypregna-4-dien-3,20-dione. Under the optimum conditions, the yields of product 3 and product 4 were 20.58 and 17.42%, respectively, higher than that prior to the optimization. The transformation rate increased significantly under the optimum fermentation conditions. This study describes an efficient, rapid, and inexpensive biotransformation system for the production of active pharmaceutical intermediates. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Biotransformation of nitroso aromatic compounds and 2-oxo acids to N-hydroxy-N-arylacylamides by thiamine-dependent enzymes in rat liver.

    PubMed

    Yoshioka, T; Uematsu, T

    1998-07-01

    The formation of N-hydroxy-N-arylacylamides from nitroso aromatic compounds and 2-oxo acids was investigated using rat liver subcellular fractions. Activities were found in both mitochondria and cytosol, except for activities for phenylpyruvate and glyoxylate; the former did not produce N-hydroxy-N-phenylphenylacetamide and the latter nonenzymatically produced N-hydroxy-N-phenylformamide with nitrosobenzene (NOB). The cytosolic activity of N-hydroxy-N-phenylglycolamide formation was indicated to be due to transketolase, which utilized hydroxypyruvate as a glycolic aldehyde donor to NOB. With mitochondria, 2-oxo acids (including hydroxypyruvate) served as substrates for the biotransformation of NOB to the corresponding N-hydroxy-N-phenylacylamides. The substrate preference was 2-oxobutyrate > pyruvate > 2-oxoisovalerate > 2-oxoisocaproate > 2-oxovalerate > 2-oxo-3-methylvalerate, judging from Vmax/half-saturating concentration for mitochondria values. The half-saturating concentrations for NOB were nearly constant. The mitochondrial activity was due to pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex (BCDHC). By using partially purified BCDHC, pyruvate and 2-oxobutyrate were found to be common substrates for both of the enzymes, and 2-oxoisovalerate was shown to be the most effective substrate for BCDHC. Analysis by the Taft equation indicated that the polar effects, rather than the steric effects, of the alkyl groups of 2-oxo acids are important for BCDHC-catalyzed formation of N-hydroxy-N-phenylacylamides. A positive Hammett constant obtained for the formation of N-hydroxy-N-arylisobutyramides indicates that an electron-withdrawing substituent makes the nitroso compounds susceptible to BCDHC-catalyzed biotransformation.

  7. Zolpidem metabolism in vitro: responsible cytochromes, chemical inhibitors, and in vivo correlations

    PubMed Central

    von Moltke, Lisa L; Greenblatt, David J; Granda, Brian W; Duan, Su Xiang; Grassi, Jeffrey M; Venkatakrishnan, Karthik; Harmatz, Jerold S; Shader, Richard I

    1999-01-01

    Aims To determine the human cytochromes mediating biotransformation of the imidazopyridine hypnotic, zolpidem, and the clinical correlates of the findings. Methods Kinetic properties of zolpidem biotransformation to its three hydroxylated metabolites were studied in vitro using human liver microsomes and heterologously expressed individual human cytochromes. Results The metabolic product termed M-3 accounted for more than 80% of net intrinsic clearance by liver microsomes in vitro. Microsomes containing human cytochromes CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3 A4 expressed by cDNA-transfected human lymphoblastoid cells mediated zolpidem metabolism in vitro. The kinetic profile for zolpidem metabolite formation by each individual cytochrome was combined with estimated relative abundances based on immunological quantification, yielding projected contributions to net intrinsic clearance of: 61% for 3 A4, 22% for 2C9, 14% for 1A2, and less than 3% for 2D6 and 2C19. These values were consistent with inhibitory effects of ketoconazole and sulfaphenazole on zolpidem biotransformation by liver microsomes. Ketoconazole had a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.61 μm vs formation of the M-3 metabolite of zolpidem in vitro; in a clinical study, ketoconazole coadministration reduced zolpidem oral clearance by ≈40%, somewhat less than anticipated based on the IC50 value and total plasma ketoconazole levels, but much more than predicted based on unbound plasma ketoconazole levels. Conclusions The incomplete dependence of zolpidem clearance on CYP3A activity has clinical implications for susceptibility to metabolic inhibition. PMID:10383565

  8. A comparison of octanol-water partitioning between organic chemicals and their metabolites in mammals.

    PubMed

    Pirovano, Alessandra; Borile, Nicolò; Jan Hendriks, A

    2012-08-01

    Bioaccumulation models take various elimination and uptake processes into account, estimating rates from chemical lipophilicity, expressed as the octanol-water partition ratio (K(ow)). Here, we focussed on metabolism, which transforms parent compounds into usually more polar metabolites, thus enhancing elimination. The aim of this study was to quantify the change in lipophilicity of relevant organic pollutants undergoing various biotransformation reactions in mammals. We considered oxidation reactions catalyzed by three enzyme groups: cytochrome P450 (CYP), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Estimated logK(ow) values of a selected dataset of parent compounds were compared with the logK(ow) of their first metabolites. The logK(ow) decreased by a factor that varies between 0 and -2, depending on the metabolic pathway. For reactions mediated by CYP, the decrease in K(ow) was one order of magnitude for hydroxylated and epoxidated compounds and two orders of magnitude for dihydroxylated and sulphoxidated xenobiotics. On the other hand, no significant change in lipophilicity was observed for compounds N-hydroxylated by CYP and for alcohols and aldehydes metabolized by ADH and ALDH. These trends could be anticipated by the calculus method of logK(ow). Yet, they were validated using experimental logK(ow) values, when available. These relationships estimate the extent to which the elimination of pollutants is increased by biotransformation. Thus, the quantification of the K(ow) reduction can be considered as a first necessary step in an alternative approach to anticipate biotransformation rates, which are hard to estimate with existing methods. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Biotransformation of aflatoxin B1 and its conjugated metabolites by rat gastrointestinal microfloras.

    PubMed Central

    Wei, C; Macy, J M; Hsieh, D P

    1981-01-01

    Rat cecal microflora from high- and low-fiber-fed animals hydrolyzed aflatoxin conjugates to metabolites indistinguishable from aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin P1, but aflatoxicol was not a transformation product. PMID:6263185

  10. Metabolism of diazinon in rainbow trout liver slices

    EPA Science Inventory

    Understanding biotransformation pathways in aquatic species is an integral part of ecological risk assessment with respect to the potential bioactivation of chemicals to more toxic metabolites. The long-range goal is to gain sufficient understanding of fish metabolic transformati...

  11. Frontiers of chemical bioaccumulation modeling with fish

    EPA Science Inventory

    Predictive models for chemical accumulation in fish have been provided by numerous authors. Historically, these models were developed to describe the accumulation of neutral hydrophobic compounds which undergo little or no biotransformation. In such cases, accumulation can be p...

  12. Microbial biotransformation of gentiopicroside by the endophytic fungus Penicillium crustosum 2T01Y01.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Wen-Liang; Li, Wan-Kui; Han, Han; Tao, Yan-Yan; Yang, Li; Wang, Zheng-Tao; Chen, Kai-Xian

    2014-01-01

    Endophytic fungi are symbiotic with plants and possess multienzyme systems showing promising metabolite potency with region selectivity and stereoselectivity. The aim of this study was to use these special microorganisms as an in vitro model to mimic the potential mammalian metabolites of a natural iridoid gentiopicroside (GPS, compound 1). The fungi isolated from a medicinal plant, Dendrobium candidum Wall. ex Lindl., were screened for their biotransformation abilities with GPS as the substrate, and one strain with high converting potency was identified as Penicillium crustosum 2T01Y01 on the basis of the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal DNA region. Upon the optimized incubation of P. crustosum 2T01Y01 with the substrate, seven deglycosylated metabolites were detected by ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS). Preparative-scale biotransformation with whole cells of the endophytic fungus resulted in the production of five metabolites, including three novel ones, 5α-(hydroxymethyl)-6β-methyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1(8H)-one (compound 2), (Z)-4-(1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-yl)-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one (compound 3), and (E)-4-(1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-yl)-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one (compound 4), along with two known ones, 5α-(hydroxymethyl)-6β-methyl-1H,3H-5,6-dihydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1(3H)-one (compound 5) and 5α-(hydroxymethyl)-6α-methyl-5,6-dihydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1(3H)-one (compound 6), aided by nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectral analyses. The other two metabolites were tentatively identified by online UPLC/Q-TOF MS as 5-hydroxymethyl-5,6-dihydroisochromen-1-one (compound 7) and 5-hydroxymethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydroisochromen-1-one (compound 8), and compound 8 is a new metabolite. To test the metabolic mechanism, the β-glucosidase activity of the fungus P. crustosum 2T01Y01 was assayed with ρ-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside as a probe substrate, and the pathway of GPS biotransformation by strain 2T01Y01 is proposed. In addition, the hepatoprotective activities of GPS and metabolite compounds 2, 5, and 6 against human hepatocyte line HL-7702 injury induced by hydrogen peroxide were evaluated.

  13. Microbial Biotransformation of Gentiopicroside by the Endophytic Fungus Penicillium crustosum 2T01Y01

    PubMed Central

    Zeng, Wen-Liang; Li, Wan-Kui; Han, Han; Tao, Yan-Yan; Yang, Li; Chen, Kai-Xian

    2014-01-01

    Endophytic fungi are symbiotic with plants and possess multienzyme systems showing promising metabolite potency with region selectivity and stereoselectivity. The aim of this study was to use these special microorganisms as an in vitro model to mimic the potential mammalian metabolites of a natural iridoid gentiopicroside (GPS, compound 1). The fungi isolated from a medicinal plant, Dendrobium candidum Wall. ex Lindl., were screened for their biotransformation abilities with GPS as the substrate, and one strain with high converting potency was identified as Penicillium crustosum 2T01Y01 on the basis of the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal DNA region. Upon the optimized incubation of P. crustosum 2T01Y01 with the substrate, seven deglycosylated metabolites were detected by ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS). Preparative-scale biotransformation with whole cells of the endophytic fungus resulted in the production of five metabolites, including three novel ones, 5α-(hydroxymethyl)-6β-methyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1(8H)-one (compound 2), (Z)-4-(1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-yl)-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one (compound 3), and (E)-4-(1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-yl)-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one (compound 4), along with two known ones, 5α-(hydroxymethyl)-6β-methyl-1H,3H-5,6-dihydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1(3H)-one (compound 5) and 5α-(hydroxymethyl)-6α-methyl-5,6-dihydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-1(3H)-one (compound 6), aided by nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectral analyses. The other two metabolites were tentatively identified by online UPLC/Q-TOF MS as 5-hydroxymethyl-5,6-dihydroisochromen-1-one (compound 7) and 5-hydroxymethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydroisochromen-1-one (compound 8), and compound 8 is a new metabolite. To test the metabolic mechanism, the β-glucosidase activity of the fungus P. crustosum 2T01Y01 was assayed with ρ-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside as a probe substrate, and the pathway of GPS biotransformation by strain 2T01Y01 is proposed. In addition, the hepatoprotective activities of GPS and metabolite compounds 2, 5, and 6 against human hepatocyte line HL-7702 injury induced by hydrogen peroxide were evaluated. PMID:24141132

  14. Cofactor engineering to regulate NAD+/NADH ratio with its application to phytosterols biotransformation.

    PubMed

    Su, Liqiu; Shen, Yanbing; Zhang, Wenkai; Gao, Tian; Shang, Zhihua; Wang, Min

    2017-10-30

    Cofactor engineering is involved in the modification of enzymes related to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides (NADH and NAD + ) metabolism, which results in a significantly altered spectrum of metabolic products. Cofactor engineering plays an important role in metabolic engineering but is rarely reported in the sterols biotransformation process owing to its use of multi-catabolic enzymes, which promote multiple consecutive reactions. Androst-4-ene-3, 17-dione (AD) and androst-1, 4-diene-3, 17-dione (ADD) are important steroid medicine intermediates that are obtained via the nucleus oxidation and the side chain degradation of phytosterols by Mycobacterium. Given that the biotransformation from phytosterols to AD (D) is supposed to be a NAD + -dependent process, this work utilized cofactor engineering in Mycobacterium neoaurum and investigated the effect on cofactor and phytosterols metabolism. Through the addition of the coenzyme precursor of nicotinic acid in the phytosterols fermentation system, the intracellular NAD + /NADH ratio and the AD (D) production of M. neoaurum TCCC 11978 (MNR M3) were higher than in the control. Moreover, the NADH: flavin oxidoreductase was identified and was supposed to exert a positive effect on cofactor regulation and phytosterols metabolism pathways via comparative proteomic profiling of MNR cultured with and without phytosterols. In addition, the NADH: flavin oxidoreductase and a water-forming NADH oxidase from Lactobacillus brevis, were successfully overexpressed and heterologously expressed in MNR M3 to improve the intracellular ratio of NAD + /NADH. After 96 h of cultivation, the expression of these two enzymes in MNR M3 resulted in the decrease in intracellular NADH level (by 51 and 67%, respectively) and the increase in NAD + /NADH ratio (by 113 and 192%, respectively). Phytosterols bioconversion revealed that the conversion ratio of engineered stains was ultimately improved by 58 and 147%, respectively. The highest AD (D) conversion ratio by MNR M3N2 was 94% in the conversion system with soybean oil as reaction media to promote the solubility of phytosterols. The ratio of NAD + /NADH is an important factor for the transformation of phytosterols. Expression of NADH: flavin oxidoreductase and water-forming NADH oxidase in MNR improved AD (D) production. Besides the manipulation of key enzyme activities, which included in phytosterols degradation pathways, maintenance the balance of redox also played an important role in promoting steroid biotransformation. The recombinant MNR strain may be useful in industrial production.

  15. Modulation of xenobiotic biotransformation system and hormonal responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) after exposure to tributyltin (TBT).

    PubMed

    Mortensen, Anne Skjetne; Arukwe, Augustine

    2007-04-01

    Multiple biological effects of tributyltin (TBT) on juvenile salmon have been investigated. Fish were exposed for 7 days to waterborne TBT at nominal concentrations of 50 and 250 microg/L dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Hepatic samples were analyzed for gene expression patterns in the hormonal and xenobiotic biotransformation pathways using validated real-time PCR method. Immunochemical and several cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated enzyme activity (ethoxyresorufin: EROD, benzyloxyresorufin: BROD, methoxyresorufin: MROD and pentoxyresorufin: PROD) assays were analyzed. Our data show that TBT produced concentration-specific decrease of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha), vitellogenin (Vtg), zona radiata protein (Zr-protein) and increase of estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) and androgen receptor-beta (ARbeta) in the hormonal pathway. In the xenobiotic biotransformation pathway, TBT produced apparent increase and decrease at respective low and high concentration, on aryl hydrocarbon receptor-alpha (AhRalpha), AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and AhR repressor (AhRR) mRNA. The expression of CYP1A1 and GST showed a TBT concentration-dependent decrease. The AhRbeta, CYP3A and uridine diphosphoglucuronosyl transferase (UGT) mRNA expressions were significantly induced after exposure to TBT. Immunochemical analysis of CYP3A and CYP1A1 protein levels confirmed the TBT effects observed at the transcriptional levels. The effect of TBT on the biotransformation enzyme gene expressions partially co-related but did not directly parallel enzyme activity levels for EROD, BROD, MROD and PROD. In general, these findings confirm previous reports on the endocrine effects of TBT, in addition to effects on hepatic CYP1A isoenzyme at the transcriptional level that transcends to protein and enzymatic levels. The induced expression patterns of CYP3A and UGT mRNA after TBT exposure, suggest the involvement of CYP3A and UGT in TBT metabolism in fish. The effect of TBT on CYP3A is proposed to represent another hormonal effect of TBT not previously reported in any fish or lower vertebrate. The proposed androgenic effect is supported by the observation that TBT also induced ARbeta mRNA expression in a concentration-specific manner. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has simultaneously studied multiple responses after exposure to TBT in fish.

  16. [THE SYSTEM OF XENOBIOTICS BIOTRANSFORMATION OF HELMINTHS. RESEMBLANCE AND DIFFERENSES FROM SIMILAR HOST SYSTEMS (REWEW)].

    PubMed

    Smirnov, L P; Borvinskaya, E V; Suhovskaya, I V

    2016-01-01

    The three phases system xenobiotic biotransformation in cells as prokaryotes as eukaryotes was formed during the process of evolution. Clear and managed function of all three links of this system guarantee the survival of living organisms at alteration of chemical component of environment. Oxidation, reduction or hydrolysis of xenobiotics realize in phase I by insertion or opening reactive and hydrophilic groups in structure of drug molecule. In phase II xenobiotics or their metabolites from phase I conjugate with endogenic compounds, main of there are glutathione, glucuronic acid, amino acids and sulphates. Active transport of substrata, metabolites and conjugates through cell lipid membranes special transport proteins carry out (phase III). The system of xenobiotics biotransformation of helminths has essential differences from the same of vertebrate hosts. In particular, parasites do not reveal the activity of prime oxidases of phase I, such as CYP or FMO, in spite of the genes of these enzymes in DNA. As this phenomenon displays mainly in adult helminths, living in guts of vertebrates, then the hypothesis was formulated that this effect is related with adaptation to conditions of strong deficiency of oxygen, arise in a process of evolution (Kotze et al., 2006). Literature data testify the existence in helminths of unique forms of enzymes of phase II, the investigation of which present doubtless interest in relation with possible role in adaptation to parasitic mode of life. Notwithstanding that many of helminths GST in greater or lesser degree similar with enzymes of M, P, S and О classes of other organisms, nevertheless they have essential structural differences as compared with enzymes of hosts that makes perspective the search of specific anthelminthics vaccines. Transport of xenobiotics is now considered phase III of biotransformation. It was shown that proteins of this phase (ATP binding cassette transporters (ABC ) of parasites) play a key role in efflux of lipophilic xenobiotics, hydrophilic metabolites and conjugates and take part in forming of anthelminthics resistance. Some of these transporters, such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp), are important for drug resistance of helminths. In particular, a correlation between the level of expression of Pgp and resistance of S. mansoni and F. hepatica to widely used anthelminthics as praziquantel and triclabendazol exist.

  17. IN-SITU AQUIFER RESTORATION OF CHLORINATED ALIPHATICS BY METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA

    EPA Science Inventory

    This project evaluated the potential of enhanced in-situ biotransformation of chlorinated aliphatic solvents by a bacterial community grown on methane under aerobic conditions. The target chlorinated compounds were trichloroethene (TCE), cis-and trans-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE), an...

  18. A Liver-centric Multiscale Modeling Framework for Xenobiotics

    EPA Science Inventory

    We describe a multi-scale framework for modeling acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity. Acetaminophen is a widely used analgesic. Overdose of acetaminophen can result in liver injury via its biotransformation into toxic product, which further induce massive necrosis. Our study foc...

  19. Project Summary. IN-SITU AQUIFER RESTORATION OF CHLORINATED ALIPHATICS BY METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA

    EPA Science Inventory

    This project evaluated the potential of an innovative approach to aquifer restoration: enhanced in-situ biotransformation of chlorinated aliphatic solvents by a bacterial community grown on methane under aerobic conditions. The target chlorinated compounds were trichloroethene (...

  20. Host-associated microbiota modifies the toxicokinetics of environmental chemicals

    EPA Science Inventory

    Host-associated microbiota are known to biotransform drugs and some environmental chemicals like arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, the metabolic capacity of microbiota treated with anti-microbial agents has not been assessed. Here, we exposed zebrafish with a...

  1. Biotransformation of geosmin by terpene-degrading bacteria.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Two terpene-degrading bacteria that are able to transform geosmin have been identified. Pseudomonas sp. SBR3-tpnb, isolated on -terpinene, converts geosmin to several products; the major products are keto-geosmins. This geosmin transformation ability is inducible by -terpinene. Rhodococcus wratisl...

  2. ENANTIOSELECTIVE MICROBIAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE PHENYLPYRAZOLE INSECTICIDE FIPRONIL IN ANOXIC SEDIMENTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Fipronil, a chiral insecticide, was biotransformed initially to fipronil sulfide in anoxic sediment slurries following a short lag period. Sediment slurries characterized as either sulfidogenic or methanogenic transformed fipronil with half-lives of approximately 35 and 40 days, ...

  3. BIOTRANSFORMATION OF GASOLINE-CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER UNDER MIXED ELECTRON-ACCEPTOR CONDITIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This project represents a cooperative effort between the University of Waterloo and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report summarizes research conducted using both laboratory batch microcosms and field-scale sheet-piling cells to evaluate whether bioremediation of...

  4. ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASES EXPRESSION DURING POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT: LIVER VS. LUNG

    EPA Science Inventory

    Aldehydes are highly reactive molecules present in the environment, and can be produced during biotransformation of xenobiotics. Although the lung can be a major target for aldehyde toxicity, development of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs), which detoxify aldehydes, in lung has be...

  5. CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 are the principal enzymes involved in the human in vitro biotransformation of the insulin secretagogue repaglinide

    PubMed Central

    Bidstrup, Tanja Busk; Bjørnsdottir, Inga; Sidelmann, Ulla Grove; Thomsen, Mikael Søndergård; Hansen, Kristian Tage

    2003-01-01

    Aims To identify the principal human cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme(s) responsible for the human in vitro biotransformation of repaglinide. Previous experiments have identified CYP3A4 as being mainly responsible for the in vitro metabolism of repaglinide, but the results of clinical investigations have suggested that more than one enzyme may be involved in repaglinide biotransformation. Methods [14C]-Repaglinide was incubated with recombinant CYP and with human liver microsomes (HLM) from individual donors in the presence of inhibitory antibodies specific for individual CYP enzymes. Metabolites, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with on-line radiochemical detection, were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS) and LC-MS coupled on-line to a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (LC-MS-NMR). Results CYP3A4 and CYP2C8 were found to be responsible for the conversion of repaglinide into its two primary metabolites, M4 (resulting from hydroxylation on the piperidine ring system) and M1 (an aromatic amine). Specific inhibitory monoclonal antibodies against CYP3A4 and CYP2C8 significantly inhibited (> 71%) formation of M4 and M1 in HLM. In a panel of HLM from 12 individual donors formation of M4 and M1 varied from approximately 160–880 pmol min−1 mg−1 protein and from 100–1110 pmol min−1 mg−1 protein, respectively. The major metabolite generated by CYP2C8 was found to be M4. The rate of formation of this metabolite in HLM correlated significantly with paclitaxel 6α-hydroxylation (rs = 0.80; P = 0.0029). Two other minor metabolites were also detected. One of them was M1 and the other was repaglinide hydroxylated on the isopropyl moiety (M0-OH). The rate of formation of M4 in CYP2C8 Supersomes™ was 2.5 pmol min−1 pmol−1 CYP enzyme and only about 0.1 pmol min−1 pmol−1 CYP enzyme in CYP3A4 Supersomes™. The major metabolite generated by CYP3A4 was M1. The rate of formation of this metabolite in HLM correlated significantly with testosterone 6β-hydroxylation (rs = 0.90; P = 0.0002). Three other metabolites were identified, namely, M0-OH, M2 (a dicarboxylic acid formed by oxidative opening of the piperidine ring) and M5. The rate of M1 formation in CYP3A4 Supersomes™ was 1.6 pmol min−1 pmol−1 CYP enzyme but in CYP2C8 Super-somes™ it was only approximately 0.4 pmol min−1 pmol−1 CYP enzyme. Conclusions The results confirm an important role for both CYP3A4 and CYP2C8 in the human in vitro biotransformation of repaglinide. This dual CYP biotransformation may have consequences for the clinical pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions involving repaglinide if one CYP pathway has sufficient capacity to compensate if the other is inhibited. PMID:12919179

  6. Incorporating Human Interindividual Biotransformation Variance in Health Risk Assessment

    EPA Science Inventory

    The protection of sensitive individuals within a population dictates that measures other than central tendencies be employed to estimate risk. The refinement of human health risk assessments for chemicals metabolized by the liver to reflect data on human variability can be accom...

  7. 40 CFR 795.225 - Dermal pharmacokinetics of DGBE and DGBA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... this section because they will facilitate the work and improve the reliability of quantitative... for this purpose. (ii) Biotransformation after dermal dosing. Appropriate qualitative and quantitative... tabular form. (2) Evaluation of results. All observed results, quantitative or incidental, shall be...

  8. TOXICITY OF CHLOROFORM BIOTRANSFORMATION TO METHANOGENIC BACTERIA. (R825549C053)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

  9. Enantioselective Toxicity and Biotransformation of Fipronil in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Fipronil is a relatively new chiral phenylpyrazole insecticide used to control both agricultural and household invertebrate pests. Fipronil is applied as a racemate, or equal mixture, of its two enantiomers. As regulations on older pesticides increase, production and applicatio...

  10. Environmental Fate Studies on Certain Munition Wastewater Constituents - Laboratory Studies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-01

    Biosorption . . ................ 63 6. SedimentSrpi ............. ....... 65 a. Screening Isotherm . . ............. 65 b. Rates of Sotption and Desorption...Biotransformation .. .. .... ...... ..... 92 a. Screening Test .. .. ..... ........ 92 b. Discussion. .. .. ........ ..... 96 5. Biosorption ...Metabolites . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. 110 Z C ~Discussion . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .* 1.10 4. Biosorption . . . . . . . . . **. 114 S . Sedimenit sorptioti

  11. TOXICITY OF AROMATIC AEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION PRODUCTS OF TOLUENE TO HELA CELLS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Petroleum contamination of groundwater is widely recognized as a serious environmental problem. Toluene (methylbenzene) occurs naturally in crude oil and is commonly found as a contaminant in the subsurface as a result of waste disposal and storage activities. Biological transf...

  12. A fungal metallo-beta-lactamase necessary for biotransformation of maize phytoprotectant compounds

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Xenobiotic compounds such as phytochemicals, microbial metabolites, and agrochemicals can impact the diversity and frequency of fungal species occurring in agricultural environments. Resistance to xenobiotics may allow plant pathogenic fungi to dominate the overall fungal community, with potential ...

  13. Microbial transformation of 8:2 fluorotelomer acrylate and methacrylate in aerobic soils.

    PubMed

    Royer, Laurel A; Lee, Linda S; Russell, Mark H; Nies, Loring F; Turco, Ronald F

    2015-06-01

    Biotransformation of fluorotelomer (FT) compounds, such as 8:2 FT alcohol (FTOH) is now recognized to be a source of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as well as other perfluoroalkyl acids. In this study, microbially mediated hydrolysis of FT industrial intermediates 8:2 FT acrylate (8:2 FTAC) and 8:2 FT methacrylate (8:2 FTMAC) was evaluated in aerobic soils for up to 105d. At designated times, triplicate microcosms were sacrificed by sampling the headspace for volatile FTOHs followed by sequential extraction of soil for the parent monomers as well as transient and terminal degradation products. Both FTAC and FTMAC were hydrolyzed at the ester linkage as evidenced by 8:2 FTOH production. 8:2 FTAC and FTMAC degraded rapidly with half-lives ⩽5d and 15d, respectively. Maximum 8:2 FTOH levels were 6-13mol% within 3-6d. Consistent with the known biotransformation pathway of 8:2 FTOH, FT carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids were subsequently generated including up to 10.3mol% of PFOA (105d). A total mass balance (parent plus metabolites) of 50-75mol% was observed on the last sampling day. 7:2 sFTOH, a direct precursor to PFOA, unexpectedly increased throughout the incubation period. The likely, but unconfirmed, concomitant production of acrylic acids was proposed as altering expected degradation patterns. Biotransformation of 8:2 FTAC, 8:2 FTMAC, and previously reported 8:2 FT-stearate for the same soils revealed the effect of the non-fluorinated terminus group linked to the FT chain on the electronic differences that affect microbially-mediated ester cleavage rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Fungal Bioweathering of Mimetite and a General Geomycological Model for Lead Apatite Mineral Biotransformations.

    PubMed

    Ceci, Andrea; Kierans, Martin; Hillier, Stephen; Persiani, Anna Maria; Gadd, Geoffrey Michael

    2015-08-01

    Fungi play important roles in biogeochemical processes such as organic matter decomposition, bioweathering of minerals and rocks, and metal transformations and therefore influence elemental cycles for essential and potentially toxic elements, e.g., P, S, Pb, and As. Arsenic is a potentially toxic metalloid for most organisms and naturally occurs in trace quantities in soil, rocks, water, air, and living organisms. Among more than 300 arsenic minerals occurring in nature, mimetite [Pb5(AsO4)3Cl] is the most stable lead arsenate and holds considerable promise in metal stabilization for in situ and ex situ sequestration and remediation through precipitation, as do other insoluble lead apatites, such as pyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl] and vanadinite [Pb5(VO4)3Cl]. Despite the insolubility of mimetite, the organic acid-producing soil fungus Aspergillus niger was able to solubilize mimetite with simultaneous precipitation of lead oxalate as a new mycogenic biomineral. Since fungal biotransformation of both pyromorphite and vanadinite has been previously documented, a new biogeochemical model for the biogenic transformation of lead apatites (mimetite, pyromorphite, and vanadinite) by fungi is hypothesized in this study by application of geochemical modeling together with experimental data. The models closely agreed with experimental data and provided accurate simulation of As and Pb complexation and biomineral formation dependent on, e.g., pH, cation-anion composition, and concentration. A general pattern for fungal biotransformation of lead apatite minerals is proposed, proving new understanding of ecological implications of the biogeochemical cycling of component elements as well as industrial applications in metal stabilization, bioremediation, and biorecovery. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  15. Sulfotransferase-catalyzed biotransformation of liguzinediol and comparison of its metabolism in different species using UFLC-QTOF-MS.

    PubMed

    Shen, Fei; Wen, Hong-Mei; Shan, Chen-Xiao; Kang, An; Dong, Bang; Chai, Chuan; Zhang, Ji-Yun; Zhang, Qi; Li, Wei

    2018-07-01

    Liguzinediol (2,5-dihydroxymethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine, LZDO) is a potential agent for the low-risk treatment of heart failure. 2-N-acetylcysteine-LZDO (2-NAC-LZDO) and 2-cysteine-LZDO (2-Cys-LZDO) are major LZDO metabolites found in the pharmacokinetic studies of rats and beagle dogs. To elucidate the biotransformation pathway and related enzymes, an incubation system with 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) as a cofactor and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as a trapping agent was established using liver cytosol. An ultra-flow liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTOF-MS) method was used to identify the major metabolites. 2-NAC-LZDO could be detected among four species (humans, monkeys, dogs, and rats) and is the dominant metabolite in human liver cytosol (HLC). The sulfotransferase (SULT) inhibitors 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol (DCNP) and quercetin at a concentration of 1 μM, suppressed 2-NAC-LZDO formation in HLC by 87 and 46%, respectively. This result suggested that sulfotransferase was involved in 2-NAC-LZDO formation. The metabolism of LZDO in different species indicated that SULT activity in dogs, rats, and monkeys was higher than that in humans. Further SULT phenotyping revealed that SULT1A1 is the predominant enzyme involved in the sulfation of LZDO. The underlying mechanism for the biotransformation of LZDO was demonstrated. The potential pathway is via the sulfation of LZDO to form sulfate, and the spontaneous cleavage of the sulfate group to generate highly reactive electrophilic cations, which can bind to NAC to form the major metabolites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The Toluene o-Xylene Monooxygenase Enzymatic Activity for the Biosynthesis of Aromatic Antioxidants

    PubMed Central

    Pizzo, Elio; Notomista, Eugenio; Pezzella, Alessandro; Di Cristo, Carlo; De Lise, Federica; Di Donato, Alberto; Izzo, Viviana

    2015-01-01

    Monocyclic phenols and catechols are important antioxidant compounds for the food and pharmaceutic industries; their production through biotransformation of low-added value starting compounds is of major biotechnological interest. The toluene o-xylene monooxygenase (ToMO) from Pseudomonas sp. OX1 is a bacterial multicomponent monooxygenase (BMM) that is able to hydroxylate a wide array of aromatic compounds and has already proven to be a versatile biochemical tool to produce mono- and dihydroxylated derivatives of aromatic compounds. The molecular determinants of its regioselectivity and substrate specificity have been thoroughly investigated, and a computational strategy has been developed which allows designing mutants able to hydroxylate non-natural substrates of this enzyme to obtain high-added value compounds of commercial interest. In this work, we have investigated the use of recombinant ToMO, expressed in cells of Escherichia coli strain JM109, for the biotransformation of non-natural substrates of this enzyme such as 2-phenoxyethanol, phthalan and 2-indanol to produce six hydroxylated derivatives. The hydroxylated products obtained were identified, isolated and their antioxidant potential was assessed both in vitro, using the DPPH assay, and on the rat cardiomyoblast cell line H9c2. Incubation of H9c2 cells with the hydroxylated compounds obtained from ToMO-catalyzed biotransformation induced a differential protective effect towards a mild oxidative stress induced by the presence of sodium arsenite. The results obtained confirm once again the versatility of the ToMO system for oxyfunctionalization reactions of biotechnological importance. Moreover, the hydroxylated derivatives obtained possess an interesting antioxidant potential that encourages the use of the enzyme for further functionalization reactions and their possible use as scaffolds to design novel bioactive molecules. PMID:25915063

  17. Comparison of the In Vivo Biotransformation of Two Emerging Estrogenic Contaminants, BP2 and BPS, in Zebrafish Embryos and Adults

    PubMed Central

    Le Fol, Vincent; Brion, François; Hillenweck, Anne; Perdu, Elisabeth; Bruel, Sandrine; Aït-Aïssa, Selim; Cravedi, Jean-Pierre; Zalko, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    Zebrafish embryo assays are increasingly used in the toxicological assessment of endocrine disruptors. Among other advantages, these models are 3R-compliant and are fit for screening purposes. Biotransformation processes are well-recognized as a critical factor influencing toxic response, but major gaps of knowledge exist regarding the characterization of functional metabolic capacities expressed in zebrafish. Comparative metabolic studies between embryos and adults are even scarcer. Using 3H-labeled chemicals, we examined the fate of two estrogenic emerging contaminants, benzophenone-2 (BP2) and bisphenol S (BPS), in 4-day embryos and adult zebrafish. BPS and BP2 were exclusively metabolized through phase II pathways, with no major qualitative difference between larvae and adults except the occurrence of a BP2-di-glucuronide in adults. Quantitatively, the biotransformation of both molecules was more extensive in adults. For BPS, glucuronidation was the predominant pathway in adults and larvae. For BP2, glucuronidation was the major pathway in larvae, but sulfation predominated in adults, with ca. 40% conversion of parent BP2 and an extensive release of several conjugates into water. Further larvae/adults quantitative differences were demonstrated for both molecules, with higher residue concentrations measured in larvae. The study contributes novel data regarding the metabolism of BPS and BP2 in a fish model and shows that phase II conjugation pathways are already functional in 4-dpf-old zebrafish. Comparative analysis of BP2 and BPS metabolic profiles in zebrafish larvae and adults further supports the use of zebrafish embryo as a relevant model in which toxicity and estrogenic activity can be assessed, while taking into account the absorption and fate of tested substances. PMID:28346357

  18. Comparison of the In Vivo Biotransformation of Two Emerging Estrogenic Contaminants, BP2 and BPS, in Zebrafish Embryos and Adults.

    PubMed

    Le Fol, Vincent; Brion, François; Hillenweck, Anne; Perdu, Elisabeth; Bruel, Sandrine; Aït-Aïssa, Selim; Cravedi, Jean-Pierre; Zalko, Daniel

    2017-03-25

    Zebrafish embryo assays are increasingly used in the toxicological assessment of endocrine disruptors. Among other advantages, these models are 3R-compliant and are fit for screening purposes. Biotransformation processes are well-recognized as a critical factor influencing toxic response, but major gaps of knowledge exist regarding the characterization of functional metabolic capacities expressed in zebrafish. Comparative metabolic studies between embryos and adults are even scarcer. Using ³H-labeled chemicals, we examined the fate of two estrogenic emerging contaminants, benzophenone-2 (BP2) and bisphenol S (BPS), in 4-day embryos and adult zebrafish. BPS and BP2 were exclusively metabolized through phase II pathways, with no major qualitative difference between larvae and adults except the occurrence of a BP2-di-glucuronide in adults. Quantitatively, the biotransformation of both molecules was more extensive in adults. For BPS, glucuronidation was the predominant pathway in adults and larvae. For BP2, glucuronidation was the major pathway in larvae, but sulfation predominated in adults, with ca. 40% conversion of parent BP2 and an extensive release of several conjugates into water. Further larvae/adults quantitative differences were demonstrated for both molecules, with higher residue concentrations measured in larvae. The study contributes novel data regarding the metabolism of BPS and BP2 in a fish model and shows that phase II conjugation pathways are already functional in 4-dpf-old zebrafish. Comparative analysis of BP2 and BPS metabolic profiles in zebrafish larvae and adults further supports the use of zebrafish embryo as a relevant model in which toxicity and estrogenic activity can be assessed, while taking into account the absorption and fate of tested substances.

  19. Bioavailability and biotransformation of the mutagenic component of particulate emissions present in motor exhaust samples.

    PubMed Central

    Vostal, J J

    1983-01-01

    The pharmacokinetic concepts of bioavailability and biotransformation are introduced into the assessment of public health risk from experimental data concerning the emissions of potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic substances from motor vehicles. The inappropriateness of an automatic application in the risk assessment process of analytical or experimental results, obtained with extracts and procedures incompatible with the biological environment, is illustrated on the discrepancy between short-term laboratory tests predictions that wider use of diesel engines on our roads will increase the risk of respiratory cancer and the widely negative epidemiological evidence. Mutagenic activity of diesel particulates was minimal or negative when tested in extracts obtained with biological fluids, was substantially dependent on the presence of nitroreductase in the microbial tester strain, and disappeared completely 48 hr after the diesel particles had been phagocytized by alveolar macrophages. Similarly, long-term animal inhalation exposures to high concentrations of diesel particles did not induce the activity of hydrocarbon metabolizing enzymes or specific adverse immune response unless organic solvent extracts of diesel particles were administered intratracheally or parenterally in doses that highly exceed the predicted levels of public exposure even by the year 2000. Furthermore, the suspected cancer producing effects of inhaled diesel particles have thus far not been verified by experimental animal models or available long-term epidemiological observations. It is concluded that unless the biological accessibility of the active component on the pollutant as well as its biotransformation and clearance by natural defense mechanisms are considered, lung cancer risk assessment based solely on laboratory microbial tests will remain an arbitrary and unrealistic process and will not provide meaningful information on the potential health hazard of a pollutant. PMID:6186478

  20. Room-temperature ionic liquids as replacements for organic solvents in multiphase bioprocess operations.

    PubMed

    Cull, S G; Holbrey, J D; Vargas-Mora, V; Seddon, K R; Lye, G J

    2000-07-20

    Organic solvents are widely used in a range of multiphase bioprocess operations including the liquid-liquid extraction of antibiotics and two-phase biotransformation reactions. There are, however, considerable problems associated with the safe handling of these solvents which relate to their toxic and flammable nature. In this work we have shown for the first time that room-temperature ionic liquids, such as 1-butyl-3-methylimi- dazolium hexafluorophosphate, [bmim][PF(6)], can be successfully used in place of conventional solvents for the liquid-liquid extraction of erythromycin-A and for the Rhodococcus R312 catalyzed biotransformation of 1, 3-dicyanobenzene (1,3-DCB) in a liquid-liquid, two-phase system. Extraction of erythromycin with either butyl acetate or [bmim][PF(6)] showed that values of the equilibrium partition coefficient, K, up to 20-25 could be obtained for both extractants. The variation of K with the extraction pH was also similar in the pH range 5-9 though differed significantly at higher pH values. Biotransformation of 1,3-DCB in both water-toluene and water-[bmim][PF(6)] systems showed similar profiles for the conversion of 1,3-DCB initially to 3-cyanobenzamide and then 3-cyanobenzoic acid. The initial rate of 3-cyanobenzamide production in the water-[bmim][PF(6)] system was somewhat lower, however, due to the reduced rate of 1,3-DCB mass transfer from the more viscous [bmim] [PF(6)] phase. It was also shown that the specific activity of the biocatalyst in the water-[bmim] [PF(6)] system was almost an order of magnitude greater than in the water-toluene system which suggests that the rate of 3-cyanobenzamide production was limited by substrate mass transfer rather than the activity of the biocatalyst. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  1. Isolation and identification of the native population bacteria for bioremediation of high levels of arsenic from water resources.

    PubMed

    Jebelli, Mohammad Ahmadi; Maleki, Afshin; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Kalantar, Enayatollah; Gharibi, Fardin; Darvish, Neda; Tashayoe, Hamidreza

    2018-04-15

    Health of millions of people is threatened by the risk of drinking arsenic-contaminated water worldwide. Arsenic naturally conflicts with the concept of life, but recent studies showed that some microorganisms use toxic minerals as the source of energy. Hence, the researchers should consider the development of cost-effective and highly productive procedures to remove arsenic. The current study was conducted on a native bacterial population of Seyed-Jalaleddin Spring Kurdistan, Iran. Accordingly, the arsenic amount in water samples was measured >500 μg/L by the two field and in vitro methods. Water samples were transferred to laboratory and cultured on chemically defined medium (CDM) with arsenic salts. A total of 14 native arsenic-resistant bacterial strains were isolated and after providing pure culture and performing biochemical tests, the isolates were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 16s rRNA genomic sequencing. The potential of bacterial strains for the biotransformation of arsenic was assessed by the qualitative assessment of AgNO 3 method and efficiency of arsenic speciation was determined for the first time by silver diethyldithiocarbamate (SDDC) method with an error of less than 5%. Among the isolated strains, only strain As-11 and strain As-12 showed arsenic transformation characteristics and were registered in NCBI database by the access numbers KY119262 and KY119261, respectively. Results of the current study indicated that strain As-11 had the potential of biotransformation of As(V) to As(III) and vice versa with the efficiency of 78% and 48%, respectively. On the other hand, strain As-12 had the potential for biotransformation of As(V) to As(III) and vice versa with the efficiency of 28% and 45%, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Arsenic methylation by an arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase from Spirulina platensis.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yuqing; Xue, Ximei; Yan, Yu; Zhu, Yongguan; Yang, Guidi; Ye, Jun

    2016-11-01

    Arsenic-contaminated water is a serious hazard for human health. Plankton plays a critical role in the fate and toxicity of arsenic in water by accumulation and biotransformation. Spirulina platensis (S. platensis), a typical plankton, is often used as a supplement or feed for pharmacy and aquiculture, and may introduce arsenic into the food chain, resulting in a risk to human health. However, there are few studies about how S. platensis biotransforms arsenic. In this study, we investigated arsenic biotransformation by S. platensis. When exposed to arsenite (As(III)), S. platensis accumulated arsenic up to 4.1mg/kg dry weight. After exposure to As(III), arsenate (As(V)) was the predominant species making up 64% to 86% of the total arsenic. Monomethylarsenate (MMA(V)) and dimethylarsenate (DMA(V)) were also detected. An arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase from S. platensis (SpArsM) was identified and characterized. SpArsM showed low identity with other reported ArsM enzymes. The Escherichia coli AW3110 bearing SparsM gene resulted in As(III) methylation and conferring resistance to As(III). The in vitro assay showed that SpArsM exhibited As(III) methylation activity. DMA(V) and a small amount of MMA(V) were detected in the reaction system within 0.5hr. A truncated SpArsM derivative lacking the last 34 residues still had the ability to methylate As(III). The three single mutants of SpArsM (C59S, C186S, and C238S) abolished the capability of As(III) methylation, suggesting the three cysteine residues are involved in catalysis. We propose that SpArsM is responsible for As methylation and detoxification of As(III) and may contribute to As biogeochemistry. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Biotransformation and Rearrangement of Laromustine.

    PubMed

    Nassar, Alaa-Eldin F; Wisnewski, Adam V; King, Ivan

    2016-08-01

    This review highlights the recent research into the biotransformations and rearrangement of the sulfonylhydrazine-alkylating agent laromustine. Incubation of [(14)C]laromustine with rat, dog, monkey, and human liver microsomes produced eight radioactive components (C-1 to C-8). There was little difference in the metabolite profile among the species examined, partly because NADPH was not required for the formation of most components, which instead involved decomposition and/or hydrolysis. The exception was C-7, a hydroxylated metabolite, largely formed by CYP2B6 and CYP3A4/5. Liquid chromatography-multistage mass spectrometry (LC-MS(n)) studies determined that collision-induced dissociation, and not biotransformation or enzyme catalysis, produced the unique mass spectral rearrangement. Accurate mass measurements performed with a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FTICR-MS) significantly aided determination of the elemental compositions of the fragments and in the case of laromustine revealed the possibility of rearrangement. Further, collision-induced dissociation produced the loss of nitrogen (N2) and methylsulfonyl and methyl isocyanate moieties. The rearrangement, metabolite/decomposition products, and conjugation reactions were analyzed utilizing hydrogen-deuterium exchange, exact mass, (13)C-labeled laromustine, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and LC-MS(n) experiments to assist with the assignments of these fragments and possible mechanistic rearrangement. Such techniques produced valuable insights into these functions: 1) Cytochrome P450 is involved in C-7 formation but plays little or no role in the conversion of [(14)C]laromustine to C-1 through C-6 and C-8; 2) the relative abundance of individual degradation/metabolite products was not species-dependent; and 3) laromustine produces several reactive intermediates that may produce the toxicities seen in the clinical trials. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  4. The Role of Aldehyde Oxidase and Xanthine Oxidase in the Biotransformation of a Novel Negative Allosteric Modulator of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 5

    PubMed Central

    Morrison, Ryan D.; Blobaum, Anna L.; Byers, Frank W.; Santomango, Tammy S.; Bridges, Thomas M.; Stec, Donald; Brewer, Katrina A.; Sanchez-Ponce, Raymundo; Corlew, Melany M.; Rush, Roger; Felts, Andrew S.; Manka, Jason; Bates, Brittney S.; Venable, Daryl F.; Rodriguez, Alice L.; Jones, Carrie K.; Niswender, Colleen M.; Conn, P. Jeffrey; Lindsley, Craig W.; Emmitte, Kyle A.

    2012-01-01

    Negative allosteric modulation (NAM) of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) represents a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of childhood developmental disorders, such as fragile X syndrome and autism. VU0409106 emerged as a lead compound within a biaryl ether series, displaying potent and selective inhibition of mGlu5. Despite its high clearance and short half-life, VU0409106 demonstrated efficacy in rodent models of anxiety after extravascular administration. However, lack of a consistent correlation in rat between in vitro hepatic clearance and in vivo plasma clearance for the biaryl ether series prompted an investigation into the biotransformation of VU0409106 using hepatic subcellular fractions. An in vitro appraisal in rat, monkey, and human liver S9 fractions indicated that the principal pathway was NADPH-independent oxidation to metabolite M1 (+16 Da). Both raloxifene (aldehyde oxidase inhibitor) and allopurinol (xanthine oxidase inhibitor) attenuated the formation of M1, thus implicating the contribution of both molybdenum hydroxylases in the biotransformation of VU0409106. The use of 18O-labeled water in the S9 experiments confirmed the hydroxylase mechanism proposed, because 18O was incorporated into M1 (+18 Da) as well as in a secondary metabolite (M2; +36 Da), the formation of which was exclusively xanthine oxidase-mediated. This unusual dual and sequential hydroxylase metabolism was confirmed in liver S9 and hepatocytes of multiple species and correlated with in vivo data because M1 and M2 were the principal metabolites detected in rats administered VU0409106. An in vitro-in vivo correlation of predicted hepatic and plasma clearance was subsequently established for VU0409106 in rats and nonhuman primates. PMID:22711749

  5. Pharmacokinetics of intravenous pan-class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor [14C]copanlisib (BAY 80-6946) in a mass balance study in healthy male volunteers.

    PubMed

    Gerisch, Michael; Schwarz, Thomas; Lang, Dieter; Rohde, Gabriele; Reif, Stefanie; Genvresse, Isabelle; Reschke, Susanne; van der Mey, Dorina; Granvil, Camille

    2017-09-01

    To determine the pharmacokinetics of radiolabeled copanlisib (BAY 80-6946) in healthy male volunteers and to investigate the disposition and biotransformation of copanlisib. A single dose of 12 mg copanlisib containing 2.76 MBq [ 14 C]copanlisib was administered as a 1-h intravenous infusion to 6 volunteers with subsequent sampling up to 34 days. Blood, plasma, urine and feces were collected to monitor total radioactivity, parent compound and metabolites. Copanlisib treatment was well tolerated. Copanlisib was rapidly distributed throughout the body with a volume distribution of 1870 L and an elimination half-life of 52.1-h (range 40.4-67.5-h). Copanlisib was the predominant component in human plasma (84% of total radioactivity AUC) and the morpholinone metabolite M1 was the only circulating metabolite (about 5%). Excretion of drug-derived radioactivity based on all 6 subjects was 86% of the dose within a collection interval of 20-34 days with 64% excreted into feces as major route of elimination and 22% into urine. Unchanged copanlisib was the main component excreted into urine (15% of dose) and feces (30% of dose). Excreted metabolites (41% of dose) of copanlisib resulted from oxidative biotransformation. Copanlisib was eliminated predominantly in the feces compared to urine as well as by hepatic biotransformation, suggesting that the clearance of copanlisib would more likely be affected by hepatic impairment than by renal dysfunction. The dual mode of elimination via unchanged excretion of copanlisib and oxidative metabolism decreases the risk of clinically relevant PK-related drug-drug interactions.

  6. Pretreatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics alters the pharmacokinetics of major constituents of Shaoyao-Gancao decoction in rats after oral administration.

    PubMed

    Liu, Meng; Yuan, Jie; Hu, Wen-Juan; Ke, Chang-Qiang; Zhang, Yi-Fan; Ye, Yang; Zhong, Da-Fang; Zhao, Guang-Rong; Yao, Sheng; Liu, Jia

    2018-05-17

    The influence of broad-spectrum antibiotics on the pharmacokinetics and biotransformation of major constituents of Shaoyao-Gancao decoction (SGD) in rats was investigated. The pharmacokinetic behaviors of paeoniflorin (PF), albiflorin (AF), liquiritin (LT), isoliquiritin (ILT), liquiritin apioside (LA), isoliquiritin apioside (ILA), and glycyrrhizic acid (GL), seven major constituents of SGD, as well as glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), a major metabolite of GL, were analyzed. A 1-week pretreatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics (ampicillin, metronidazole, neomycin, 1 g L -1 ; and vancomycin, 0.5 g L -1 ) via drinking water reduced plasma exposure of the major constituents. The AUC 0-24 h of PF and LT was significantly decreased by 28.7% and 33.8% (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005), respectively. Although the differences were not statistically significant, the AUC 0-24 h of AF, ILT, LA, ILA, and GL was decreased by 31.4%, 50.9%, 16.9%, 44.1%, and 37.0%, respectively, compared with the control group. In addition, the plasma GA exposure in the antibiotic-pretreated group was significantly lower (P < 0.005) than the control group. The in vitro stability of the major constituents of SGD in the rat intestinal contents with or without broad-spectrum antibiotics was also investigated. The major constituents were comparatively stable in the rat duodenum contents, and the biotransformation of GL mainly occurred in the rat colon contents. In summary, broad-spectrum antibiotics suppressed the absorption of the major constituents of SGD and significantly inhibited the biotransformation of GL to GA by suppressing the colon microbiota. The results indicated a potential clinical drug-drug interaction (DDI) when SGD was administered with broad-spectrum antibiotics.

  7. Molecular characterization of microbial population dynamics during sildenafil citrate degradation.

    PubMed

    De Felice, Bruna; Argenziano, Carolina; Guida, Marco; Trifuoggi, Marco; Russo, Francesca; Condorelli, Valerio; Inglese, Mafalda

    2009-02-01

    Little is known about pharmaceutical and personal care products pollutants (PPCPs), but there is a growing interest in how they might impact the environment and microbial communities. The widespread use of Viagra (sildenafil citrate) has attracted great attention because of the high usage rate, the unpredictable disposal and the unknown potential effects on wildlife and the environment. Until now information regarding the impact of Viagra on microbial community in water environment has not been reported. In this research, for the first time, the genetic profile of the microbial community, developing in a Viagra polluted water environment, was evaluated by means of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, for bacteria and fungi, respectively, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and separated using the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) technique. The DGGE results revealed a complex microbial community structure with most of the population persisting throughout the experimental period. DNA sequences from bands observed in the different denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles exhibited the highest degree of identity to uncultured bacteria and fungi found previously mainly in polluted environmental and treating bioreactors. Biotransformation ability of sildenafil citrate by the microbial pool was studied and the capability of these microorganisms to detoxify a polluted water ecosystem was assessed. The bacterial and fungal population was able to degrade sildenafil citrate entirely. Additionally, assays conducted on Daphnia magna, algal growth inhibition assay and cell viability determination on HepG2 human cells showed that biotransformation products obtained from the bacterial growth was not toxic. The higher removal efficiency for sildenafil citrate and the lack of toxicity by the biotransformation products obtained showed that the microbial community identified here represented a composite population that might have biotechnological relevance to retrieve sildenafil citrate contaminated sites.

  8. Biotransformation of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin G1 in peanut meal by anaerobic solid fermentation of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yujie; Kong, Qing; Chi, Chen; Shan, Shihua; Guan, Bin

    2015-10-15

    The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of anaerobic solid fermentation of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus to biotransform aflatoxins in peanut meal. The pH of the peanut meal was adjusted above 10, and then heated for 10 min at 100 °C, 115 °C and 121 °C. The S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus were precultured together in MRS broth for 48 h at 37 °C. The heated peanut meal was mixed with precultured MRS broth containing 7.0×10(8) CFU/mL of S. thermophilus and 3.0×10(3) CFU/mL of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus with the ratio of 1 to 1 (weight to volume) and incubated in anaerobic jars at 37 °C for 3 days. The aflatoxin content in the peanut meal samples was determined by HPLC. The results showed that the peanut meal contained mainly aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) (10.5±0.64 μg/kg) and aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) (18.7±0.55 μg/kg). When heat treatment was combined with anaerobic solid fermentation, the biotransformation rate of aflatoxins in peanut meal could attain 100%. The cytotoxicity of fermented peanut meal to L929 mouse connective tissue fibroblast cells was determined by MTT assay and no significant toxicity was observed in the fermented peanut meal. Furthermore, heat treatment and anaerobic solid fermentation did not change the amino acid concentrations and profile in peanut meal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Inhibitory effects of dynorphin 3-14 on the lipopolysaccharide-induced toll-like receptor 4 signalling pathway.

    PubMed

    Rahiman, Siti Sarah Fazalul; Morgan, Michael; Gray, Paul; Shaw, Paul Nicholas; Cabot, Peter John

    2017-04-01

    Dynorphin 1-17 (DYN 1-17) is biotransformed rapidly to a range of fragments in rodent inflamed tissue with dynorphin 3-14 (DYN 3-14) being the most stable and prevalent. DYN 1-17 has been shown previously to be involved in the regulation of inflammatory response following tissue injury, in which the biotransformation fragments of DYN 1-17 may possess similar features. This study investigated the effects of DYN 3-14 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor-kappaB/p65 (NF-κB/p65) nuclear translocation and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in differentiated THP-1 cells. Treatment with DYN 3-14 (10nM) resulted in 35% inhibition of the LPS-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB/p65. Furthermore, DYN 3-14 modulated both IL-1β and TNF-α release; inhibiting IL-1β and paradoxically augmenting TNF-α release in a concentration-independent manner. A number of opioids have been implicated in the modulation of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), highlighting the complexity of their immunomodulatory effects. To determine whether DYN 3-14 modulates TLR4, HEK-Blue™ - hTLR4 cells were stimulated with LPS in the presence of DYN 3-14. DYN 3-14 (10μM) inhibited TLR4 activation in a concentration-dependent fashion by suppressing the LPS signals around 300-fold lower than LPS-RS, a potent TLR4 antagonist. These findings indicate that DYN 3-14 is a potential TLR4 antagonist that alters cellular signaling in response to LPS and cytokine release, implicating a role for biotransformed endogenous opioid peptides in immunomodulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. High-resolution mass spectrometry of skin mucus for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fathead minnows exposed to wastewater effluent.

    PubMed

    Mosley, Jonathan D; Ekman, Drew R; Cavallin, Jenna E; Villeneuve, Daniel L; Ankley, Gerald T; Collette, Timothy W

    2018-03-01

    High-resolution mass spectrometry is advantageous for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fish exposed to complex wastewater effluent. We evaluated this technique using skin mucus from male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to control water or treated wastewater effluent at 5, 20, and 100% levels for 21 d, using an on-site, flow-through system providing real-time exposure. Both sex-specific and non-sex-specific responses were observed in the mucus metabolome, the latter suggesting the induction of general compensatory pathways for xenobiotic exposures. Altogether, 85 statistically significant treatment-dependent metabolite changes were observed out of the 310 total endogenous metabolites that were detected (156 of the 310 were annotated). Partial least squares-regression models revealed strong covariances between the mucus metabolomes and up-regulated hepatic messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) transcripts reported previously for these same fish. These regression models suggest that mucus metabolomic changes reflected, in part, processes by which the fish biotransformed xenobiotics in the effluent. In keeping with this observation, we detected a phase II transformation product of bisphenol A in the skin mucus of male fish. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the utility of mucus as a minimally invasive matrix for simultaneously assessing exposures and effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:788-796. Published 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

  11. Removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products during water recycling: microbial community structure and effects of substrate concentration.

    PubMed

    Onesios-Barry, Kathryn M; Berry, David; Proescher, Jody B; Sivakumar, I K Ashok; Bouwer, Edward J

    2014-04-01

    Many pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been shown to be biotransformed in water treatment systems. However, little research exists on the effect of initial PPCP concentration on PPCP biotransformation or on the microbial communities treating impacted water. In this study, biological PPCP removal at various concentrations was assessed using laboratory columns inoculated with wastewater treatment plant effluent. Pyrosequencing was used to examine microbial communities in the columns and in soil from a soil aquifer treatment (SAT; a method of water treatment prior to reuse) site. Laboratory columns were supplied with different concentrations (0.25, 10, 100, or 1,000 μg liter(-1)) of each of 15 PPCPs. Five PPCPs (4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol [biosol], p-chloro-m-xylenol, gemfibrozil, ketoprofen, and phenytoin) were not removed at any tested concentrations. Two PPCPs (naproxen and triclosan) exhibited removals independent of PPCP concentration. PPCP removal efficiencies were dependent on initial concentrations for biphenylol, p-chloro-m-cresol, chlorophene, diclofenac, 5-fluorouracil, ibuprofen, and valproic acid, showing that PPCP concentration can affect biotransformation. Biofilms from sand samples collected from the 0.25- and 10-μg liter(-1) PPCP columns were pyrosequenced along with SAT soil samples collected on three consecutive days of a wetting and drying cycle to enable comparison of these two communities exposed to PPCPs. SAT communities were similar to column communities in taxonomy and phylotype composition, and both were found to contain close relatives of known PPCP degraders. The efficiency of biological removal of PPCPs was found to be dependent on the concentration at which the contamination occurs for some, but not all, PPCPs.

  12. Potential role of oxidative exoenzymes of the extremophilic fungus Pestalotiopsis palmarum BM-04 in biotransformation of extra-heavy crude oil

    PubMed Central

    Naranjo-Briceño, Leopoldo; Pernía, Beatriz; Guerra, Mayamaru; Demey, Jhonny R; De Sisto, Ángela; Inojosa, Ysvic; González, Meralys; Fusella, Emidio; Freites, Miguel; Yegres, Francisco

    2013-01-01

    Large amount of drilling waste associated with the expansion of the Orinoco Oil Belt (OOB), the biggest proven reserve of extra-heavy crude oil (EHCO) worldwide, is usually impregnated with EHCO and highly salinized water-based drilling fluids. Oxidative exoenzymes (OE) of the lignin-degrading enzyme system (LDS) of fungi catalyse the oxidation of a wide range of toxic pollutants. However, very little evidences on fungal degradation or biotransformation of EHCO have been reported, which contain high amounts of asphaltenes and its biodegradation rate is very limited. The aims of this work were to study the ability of Pestalotiopsis palmarum BM-04 to synthesize OE, its potential to biotransform EHCO and to survive in extreme environmental conditions. Enzymatic studies of the LDS showed the ability of this fungus to overproduce high amounts of laccase (LACp) in presence of wheat bran or lignin peroxidase (LIPp) with EHCO as sole carbon and energy source (1300 U mgP−1 in both cases). FT-IR spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) analysis showed the enzymatic oxidation of carbon and sulfur atoms in both maltenes and asphaltenes fractions of biotreated EHCO catalysed by cell-free laccase-enriched OE using wheat bran as inducer. UV-visible spectrophotometry analysis revealed the oxidation of the petroporphyrins in the asphaltenes fraction of biotreated EHCO. Tolerance assays showed the ability of this fungus to grow up to 50 000 p.p.m. of EHCO and 2000 mM of NaCl. These results suggest that P. palmarum BM-04 is a hopeful alternative to be used in remediation processes in extreme environmental conditions of salinity and EHCO contamination, such as the drilling waste from the OOB. PMID:23815379

  13. Mathematical relationships between metrics of chemical bioaccumulation in fish.

    PubMed

    Mackay, Don; Arnot, Jon A; Gobas, Frank A P C; Powell, David E

    2013-07-01

    Five widely used metrics of bioaccumulation in fish are defined and discussed, namely the octanol-water partition coefficient (KOW ), bioconcentration factor (BCF), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), biomagnification factor (BMF), and trophic magnification factor (TMF). Algebraic relationships between these metrics are developed and discussed using conventional expressions for chemical uptake from water and food and first-order losses by respiration, egestion, biotransformation, and growth dilution. Two BCFs may be defined, namely as an equilibrium partition coefficient KFW or as a nonequilibrium BCFK in which egestion losses are included. Bioaccumulation factors are shown to be the product of the BCFK and a novel equilibrium multiplier M containing 2 ratios, namely, the diet-to-water concentration ratio and the ratio of uptake rate constants for respiration and dietary uptake. Biomagnification factors are shown to be proportional to the lipid-normalized ratio of the predator/prey values of BCFK and the ratio of the equilibrium multipliers. Relationships with TMFs are also discussed. The effects of chemical hydrophobicity, biotransformation, and growth are evaluated by applying the relationships to a range of illustrative chemicals of varying KOW in a linear 4-trophic-level food web with typical values for uptake and loss rate constants. The roles of respiratory and dietary intakes are demonstrated, and even slow rates of biotransformation and growth can significantly affect bioaccumulation. The BCFK s and the values of M can be regarded as the fundamental determinants of bioaccumulation and biomagnification in aquatic food webs. Analyzing data from food webs can be enhanced by plotting logarithmic lipid-normalized concentrations or fugacities as a linear function of trophic level to deduce TMFs. Implications for determining bioaccumulation by laboratory tests for regulatory purposes are discussed. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

  14. Bio-transformation of selenium in Se-enriched bacterial strains of Lactobacillus casei.

    PubMed

    Kurek, Eliza; Ruszczyńska, Anna; Wojciechowski, Marcin; Łuciuk, Anna; Michalska-Kacymirow, Magdalena; Motyl, Ilona; Bulska, Ewa

    Selenium is an element of very great importance for the proper functioning of the human body, mainly due to its antioxidant properties. Selenium exhibits a preventive effect in the case of cardiovascular disease, the immune system, male infertility and inhibits the toxic action of other agents. Selenium is important for Hashimoto's disease. Intake of selenium in the diet slows the aging process. The biological and toxicological effects of selenium strongly depend on its chemical form. Some organisms for example: plant, yeast, are capable of metabolizing low bioavailable selenium compounds (inorganic selenium) into its high bioavailable forms (organic selenium). The aim of this study was to investigate the bio-transformation of selenium by Lactobacillus bacteria towards the characterisation of selenium metabolites. The speciation of selenium was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detector. The extraction of selenium species from lyophilized bacteria was executed with water, the mixture of lipase and protease, as well as lisozyme and sodium dodecyl sulphate. All investigated bacteria strains cultivated in the presence of Na2SeO3 effectively uptake selenium. Surprisingly, none of the applied extraction media exhibited a strong power to release the majority of the uptaken selenium compounds. Thus a maximum of 10% of the selenium was extracted from bacteria exposed to the enzymes. However, it was found that Lactobacillus bacteria are able to metabolize inorganic ions of selenium (IV) into Se-methionine, Se-methyloselenocysteine and other unidentified forms. The study confirmed the ability of probiotic bacteria to biotransform inorganic selenium into its organic derivatives. Therefore, Se-enriched bacteria can be considered as an addition to the functional food. selenium speciation, extraction procedure, Lactobacillus casei bacteria, Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), HPLC ICP-MS, functional food.

  15. Monitoring biodegradation of ethene and bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes at a contaminated site using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mundle, S.O.C.; Johnson, T.; Lacrampe-Couloume, G.; Perez-De-Mora, A.; Duhamel, M.; Edwards, E.A.; McMaster, M.L.; Cox, E.; Revesz, K.; Lollar, B. Sherwood

    2012-01-01

    Chlorinated ethenes are commonly found in contaminated groundwater. Remediation strategies focus on transformation processes that will ultimately lead to nontoxic products. A major concern with these strategies is the possibility of incomplete dechlorination and accumulation of toxic daughter products (cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE), vinyl chloride (VC)). Ethene mass balance can be used as a direct indicator to assess the effectiveness of dechlorination. However, the microbial processes that affect ethene are not well characterized and poor mass balance may reflect biotransformation of ethene rather than incomplete dechlorination. Microbial degradation of ethene is commonly observed in aerobic systems but fewer cases have been reported in anaerobic systems. Limited information is available on the isotope enrichment factors associated with these processes. Using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) we determined the enrichment factors associated with microbial degradation of ethene in anaerobic microcosms (ε = −6.7‰ ± 0.4‰, and −4.0‰ ± 0.8‰) from cultures collected from the Twin Lakes wetland area at the Savannah River site in Georgia (United States), and in aerobic microcosms (ε = −3.0‰ ± 0.3‰) from Mycobacterium sp. strain JS60. Under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, CSIA can be used to determine whether biotransformation of ethene is occurring in addition to biodegradation of the chlorinated ethenes. Using δ13C values determined for ethene and for chlorinated ethenes at a contaminated field site undergoing bioremediation, this study demonstrates how CSIA of ethene can be used to reduce uncertainty and risk at a site by distinguishing between actual mass balance deficits during reductive dechlorination and apparent lack of mass balance that is related to biotransformation of ethene.

  16. Monitoring biodegradation of ethene and bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes at a contaminated site using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA).

    PubMed

    Mundle, Scott O C; Johnson, Tiffany; Lacrampe-Couloume, Georges; Pérez-de-Mora, Alfredo; Duhamel, Melanie; Edwards, Elizabeth A; McMaster, Michaye L; Cox, Evan; Révész, Kinga; Sherwood Lollar, Barbara

    2012-02-07

    Chlorinated ethenes are commonly found in contaminated groundwater. Remediation strategies focus on transformation processes that will ultimately lead to nontoxic products. A major concern with these strategies is the possibility of incomplete dechlorination and accumulation of toxic daughter products (cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE), vinyl chloride (VC)). Ethene mass balance can be used as a direct indicator to assess the effectiveness of dechlorination. However, the microbial processes that affect ethene are not well characterized and poor mass balance may reflect biotransformation of ethene rather than incomplete dechlorination. Microbial degradation of ethene is commonly observed in aerobic systems but fewer cases have been reported in anaerobic systems. Limited information is available on the isotope enrichment factors associated with these processes. Using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) we determined the enrichment factors associated with microbial degradation of ethene in anaerobic microcosms (ε = -6.7‰ ± 0.4‰, and -4.0‰ ± 0.8‰) from cultures collected from the Twin Lakes wetland area at the Savannah River site in Georgia (United States), and in aerobic microcosms (ε = -3.0‰ ± 0.3‰) from Mycobacterium sp. strain JS60. Under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, CSIA can be used to determine whether biotransformation of ethene is occurring in addition to biodegradation of the chlorinated ethenes. Using δ(13)C values determined for ethene and for chlorinated ethenes at a contaminated field site undergoing bioremediation, this study demonstrates how CSIA of ethene can be used to reduce uncertainty and risk at a site by distinguishing between actual mass balance deficits during reductive dechlorination and apparent lack of mass balance that is related to biotransformation of ethene.

  17. Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products during Water Recycling: Microbial Community Structure and Effects of Substrate Concentration

    PubMed Central

    Onesios-Barry, Kathryn M.; Berry, David; Proescher, Jody B.; Sivakumar, I. K. Ashok

    2014-01-01

    Many pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been shown to be biotransformed in water treatment systems. However, little research exists on the effect of initial PPCP concentration on PPCP biotransformation or on the microbial communities treating impacted water. In this study, biological PPCP removal at various concentrations was assessed using laboratory columns inoculated with wastewater treatment plant effluent. Pyrosequencing was used to examine microbial communities in the columns and in soil from a soil aquifer treatment (SAT; a method of water treatment prior to reuse) site. Laboratory columns were supplied with different concentrations (0.25, 10, 100, or 1,000 μg liter−1) of each of 15 PPCPs. Five PPCPs (4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol [biosol], p-chloro-m-xylenol, gemfibrozil, ketoprofen, and phenytoin) were not removed at any tested concentrations. Two PPCPs (naproxen and triclosan) exhibited removals independent of PPCP concentration. PPCP removal efficiencies were dependent on initial concentrations for biphenylol, p-chloro-m-cresol, chlorophene, diclofenac, 5-fluorouracil, ibuprofen, and valproic acid, showing that PPCP concentration can affect biotransformation. Biofilms from sand samples collected from the 0.25- and 10-μg liter−1 PPCP columns were pyrosequenced along with SAT soil samples collected on three consecutive days of a wetting and drying cycle to enable comparison of these two communities exposed to PPCPs. SAT communities were similar to column communities in taxonomy and phylotype composition, and both were found to contain close relatives of known PPCP degraders. The efficiency of biological removal of PPCPs was found to be dependent on the concentration at which the contamination occurs for some, but not all, PPCPs. PMID:24509919

  18. Kinetics during the redox biotransformation of pollutants mediated by immobilized and soluble humic acids.

    PubMed

    Cervantes, Francisco J; Martínez, Claudia M; Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Márquez, Arturo; Arriaga, Sonia

    2013-03-01

    The aim of this study was to elucidate the kinetic constraints during the redox biotransformation of the azo dye, Reactive Red 2 (RR2), and carbon tetrachloride (CT) mediated by soluble humic acids (HAs) and immobilized humic acids (HAi), as well as by the quinoid model compounds, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) and 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate (NQS). The microbial reduction of both HAs and HAi by anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) was the rate-limiting step during decolorization of RR2 since the reduction of RR2 by reduced HAi proceeded at more than three orders of magnitute faster than the electron-transferring rate observed during the microbial reduction of HAi by AGS. Similarly, the reduction of RR2 by reduced AQDS proceeded 1.6- and 1.9-fold faster than the microbial reduction of AQDS by AGS when this redox mediator (RM) was supplied in soluble and immobilized form, respectively. In contrast, the reduction of NQS by AGS occurred 1.6- and 19.2-fold faster than the chemical reduction of RR2 by reduced NQS when this RM was supplied in soluble and immobilized form, respectively. The microbial reduction of HAs and HAi by a humus-reducing consortium proceeded 1,400- and 790-fold faster than the transfer of electrons from reduced HAs and HAi, respectively, to achieve the reductive dechlorination of CT to chloroform. Overall, the present study provides elucidation on the rate-limiting steps involved in the redox biotransformation of priority pollutants mediated by both HAs and HAi and offers technical suggestions to overcome the kinetic restrictions identified in the redox reactions evaluated.

  19. Arbutin production via biotransformation of hydroquinone in in vitro cultures of Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott.

    PubMed

    Kwiecień, Inga; Szopa, Agnieszka; Madej, Kornelia; Ekiert, Halina

    2013-01-01

    Arbutin (hydroquinone β-D-glucoside) is a compound of plant origin possessing valuable therapeutic (urinary tract disinfection) and cosmetic (skin whitening) properties, which can be obtained from in vitro cultures of plants belonging to different taxa via biotransformation of exogenously supplemented hydroquinone. Agitating cultures of Aronia melanocarpa were maintained on the Murashige and Skoog medium containing growth regulators: the cytokinin - BAP (6-benzylaminopurine), 2 mg/l and the auxin NAA (α-naphthaleneacetic acid), 2 mg/l. The biomass was cultured for 2 weeks and then hydroquinone was supplemented at the following doses: 96, 144, 192, 288 and 384 mg/l either undivided or divided into two or three portions added at 24-hour intervals. The content of the reaction product - arbutin, was determined using an HPLC method in methanolic extracts from biomass and lyophilized medium samples collected 24 hours after the addition of the last precursor dose. The total amounts of arbutin were very diverse, from 2.71 to 8.27 g/100g d.w. The production of arbutin rose with increasing hydroquinone concentration. The maximum content of the product was observed after hydroquinone addition at 384 mg/l divided into two portions. Biotransformation efficiency also varied widely, ranging from 37.04% do 73.80%. The identity of the product - arbutin, after its isolation and purification was confirmed by spectral analysis ((1)H-NMR spectrum). The maximum amount of arbutin obtained was higher than that required by the latest 9(th) Edition of the Polish Pharmacopoeia and by the newest 8th Edithion of European Pharmacopoeia for Uvae ursi folium (7.0 g/100g d.w.), and is interesting from practical point of view.

  20. Comparative study on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic by some northeastern Atlantic and northwestern Mediterranean sponges.

    PubMed

    Orani, Anna Maria; Barats, Aurélie; Zitte, Wendy; Morrow, Christine; Thomas, Olivier P

    2018-06-01

    The bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic (As) were studied in six representative marine sponges from the French Mediterranean and Irish Atlantic coasts. Methodologies were carefully optimized in one of the species on Haliclona fulva sponges for two critical steps: the sample mineralization for total As analysis by ICP-MS and the extraction of As species for HPLC-ICP-MS analysis. During the optimization, extractions performed with 0.6 mol L -1 H 3 PO 4 were shown to be the most efficient. Extraction recovery of 81% was obtained which represents the best results obtained until now in sponge samples. Total As analyses and As speciation were performed on certified reference materials and allow confirming the measurement quality both during the sample preparation and analysis. Additionally, this study represents an environmental survey demonstrating a high variability of total As concentrations among the different species, probably related to different physiological or microbial features. As speciation results showed the predominance of arsenobetaine (AsB) regardless of the sponge species, as well as the occurrence of low amounts of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), arsenate (As(+V)), and unknown As species in some samples. The process responsible for As transformation in sponges is most likely related to sponges metabolism itself or the action of symbiont organisms. AsB is supposed to be implied in the protection against osmolytic stress. This study demonstrates the ability of sponges to accumulate and bio-transform As, proving that sponges are relevant bio-monitors for As contamination in the marine environment, and potential tools in environmental bio-remediation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Optimizing the use of rainbow trout hepatocytes for bioaccumulation assessments with fish

    EPA Science Inventory

    Measured rates of biotransformation by cryopreserved trout hepatocytes can be extrapolated to the whole animal as a means of predicting metabolism impacts on chemical bioaccumulation. Future use of these methods within a regulatory context requires, however, that they be standar...

  2. Biotransformations of 2-methylisoborneol by camphor-degrading bacteria.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Many camphor-degrading bacteria that are able to transform 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) have been identified. Three strains representative of these, have been examined in detail. Rhodococcus ruber T1 metabolizes camphor through 6-hydroxycamphor, but converts MIB to 2,3-dihydroxy-2-methylbornane. Pseu...

  3. Biotransformation and ToxCast™

    EPA Science Inventory

    A major focus in toxicology research is the development of in vitro methods to predict in vivo chemical toxicity. Within the EPA ToxCast program, a broad range of in vitro biochemical and cellular assays have been deployed to profile the biological activity of 320 ToxCast Phase I...

  4. EFFECTS OF ANESTHESIA (TRICAINE METHANESULFONATE, MS-222) BIOTRANSFORMATION IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Tricaine methanesulfonate (3-aminobenzoic acid eithyl ester methanesulfonate, tricaine, MS-222, Finquel), an anesthetic for fish, has been used extensively in aquatic toxicology to allow surgical procedures for in vivo studies and to permit in vitro preparations of isolated perfu...

  5. PHENOBARBITAL AFFECTS THYROID HISTOLOGY AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE AFRICAN CLAWED FROG XENOPUS LAEVIS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The abstract highlights our recent study to explore endocrine disrupting effects of phenobarbital in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. In mammals, this chemical is known to induce the biotransforming enzyme UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT) resulting in increased thyroid...

  6. CONTROLLED FIELD STUDY ON THE USE OF NITRATE AND OXYGEN FOR BIOREMEDIATION OF A GASOLINE SOURCE ZONE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Controlled releases of unleaded gasoline were used to evaluate the biotransformation of the soluble aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers, trimethylbenzene isomers, and naphthalene) within a source zone using nitrate and oxygen as electron accepto...

  7. BIOTRANSFORMATION AND DISPOSITION OF TESTOSTERONE IN THE EASTERN MUD SNAIL ILYANASSA OBSOLETA. (R826129)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

  8. QSAR ANALYSIS OF SORPTION-CORRECTED RATE CONSTANTS FOR REDUCTIVE BIOTRANSFORMATION OF HALOGENATED AROMATICS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The inherent coupling among geochemical and microbial reactions may have significant effects on the environmental fate of a containinant. For example, sorption processes may decrease the concentration of an organic compound in solution, thereby reducing the biodegradation rate of...

  9. MODEL -- BIOPLUME III VERSION 1.0 - SEPTEMBER 1997 (SUBSURFACE PROTECTION AND REMEDIATION DIVISION, NRMRL)

    EPA Science Inventory

    BIOPLUME III is a 2D, finite difference model for simulating the natural attenuation of organic contaminants in groundwater due to the processes of advection, dispersion, sorption, and biodegradation. Biotransformation processes are potentially important in the restoration of aq...

  10. Application of in Vitro Biotransformation Data and Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Risk Assessment

    EPA Science Inventory

    The adverse biological effects of toxic substances are dependent upon the exposure concentration and the duration of exposure. Pharmacokinetic models can quantitatively relate the external concentration of a toxicant in the environment to the internal dose of the toxicant in the ...

  11. Differential effects of exposure to bisphenol analogues and estradiol on zebrafish host-associated microbiota and behavior

    EPA Science Inventory

    Host-associated microbiota can biotransform xenobiotics, mediate health effects of chemical exposure, and play important roles in early development. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread environmental chemical that has been associated with adverse endocrine and neurodevelopmental eff...

  12. Differential effects of exposure to bisphenol analogues and estradiol on zebrafish host-associated microbiota and neurobehavior

    EPA Science Inventory

    Host-associated microbiota can biotransform xenobiotics, mediate health effects of chemical exposure, and play important roles in early development. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread environmental chemical that has been associated with adverse endocrine and neurodevelopmental eff...

  13. THE ROLE OF FLAVONOIDS IN MODULATION OF THE METABOLISM OF ARSENIC

    EPA Science Inventory

    The biotransformation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in humans produces trivalent and pentavalent methylated species. The pattern and extent of iAs conversion is critical for the overall toxicity and adverse health effects associated with arsenic exposure. Our previous work showed a ...

  14. SORPTION OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE ONTO A ZEOLITE, ACCOMPANIED BY METHANOTROPHIC BIOTRANSFORMATION. (R825689C041)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

  15. Arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase and the methylation of arsenicals in the invertebrate chordate Ciona intestinalis

    EPA Science Inventory

    The biotransformation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) involves methylation by an arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT), yielding methyl arsenic (MA), dimethyl arsenic (DMA), and trimethylarsenic (TMA). To identify molecular mechanisms that coordinate arsenic biotra...

  16. Anaerobic Biodegradation of Soybean Biodiesel and Diesel Blends under Methanogenic Conditions

    EPA Science Inventory

    Biotransformation of soybean biodiesel and the inhibitory effect of petrodiesel were studied under methanogenic conditions. Biodiesel removal efficiency of more than 95% was achieved in a chemostat with influent biodiesel concentrations up to 2.45 g/L. The kinetics of anaerobic...

  17. DEVELOPMENTAL EXPRESSION OF ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE IN RAT: A COMPARISON OF LIVER AND LUNG DEVELOPMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    Metabolism is one of the major determinants for age-related susceptibility changes to chemicals. Aldehydes are highly reactive molecules present in the environment and can be produced during biotransformation of xenobiotics. Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH) are important in aldehyd...

  18. The accumulation, transformation, and effects of quinestrol in duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza L.).

    PubMed

    Geng, Qianqian; Li, Tian; Li, Pingliang; Wang, Xin; Chu, Weijing; Ma, Yanan; Ma, Hui; Ni, Hanwen

    2018-09-01

    Potential risk of endocrine disrupting compounds on non-target organisms has received extensive attentions in recent years. The present work aimed to investigate the behavior and effect of a synthetic steroid estrogen quinestrol in duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza L. Experimental results showed that quinestrol could be uptaken, accumulated, and biotransformed into 17 α-ethynylestradiol in S. polyrhiza L. The accumulation of quinestrol had a positive relation to the exposure concentration. The bioaccumulation rate was higher when the duckweed was exposed to quinestrol solutions at low concentrations than at high concentration. While the transformation of quinestrol showed no concentration-dependent manner. Quinestrol reduced the biomass and pigment content and increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and malondialdehyde contents in the duckweed. The results demonstrated that quinestrol could be accumulated and biotransformed in aquatic plant S. polyrhiza L. This work would provide supplemental data on the behavior of this steroid estrogen compound in aquatic system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Three sesquiterpene compounds biosynthesised from artemisinic acid using suspension-cultured cells of Averrhoa carambola (Oxalidaceae).

    PubMed

    Yang, Li; Zhu, Jianhua; Song, Liyan; Shi, Xiaojian; Li, Xingyi; Yu, Rongmin

    2012-01-01

    A new sesquiterpene glycoside, artemisinic acid 3-β-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3, 31.24%) and other two biotransformation products, 3-β-hydroxyartemisinic acid (2, 36.69%) and 3-β-hydroxyartemisinic acid β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (4, 7.03%), were biosynthesised after artemisinic acid (1) was administered to the cultured cells of Averrhoa carambola. The three biotransformation products were obtained for the first time by using the suspension-cultured cells of A. carambola as a new biocatalyst system, and their structures were identified on the basis of the physico-chemical properties, NMR and mass spectral analyses. The results indicate that the cultured cells of A. carambola have the abilities to hydroxylate and glycosylate sesquiterpene compounds in a regio- and stereoselective manner. Furthermore, the anti-tumour activity of compounds 3 and 4 was evaluated against K562 and HeLa cell lines. Compound 4 showed strong activity against HeLa cell line, with the IC₅₀ value of 0.56 µmol mL⁻¹.

  20. Recombinant Cyanobacteria for the Asymmetric Reduction of C=C Bonds Fueled by the Biocatalytic Oxidation of Water.

    PubMed

    Köninger, Katharina; Gómez Baraibar, Álvaro; Mügge, Carolin; Paul, Caroline E; Hollmann, Frank; Nowaczyk, Marc M; Kourist, Robert

    2016-04-25

    A recombinant enoate reductase was expressed in cyanobacteria and used for the light-catalyzed, enantioselective reduction of C=C bonds. The coupling of oxidoreductases to natural photosynthesis allows asymmetric syntheses fueled by the oxidation of water. Bypassing the addition of sacrificial cosubstrates as electron donors significantly improves the atom efficiency and avoids the formation of undesired side products. Crucial factors for product formation are the availability of NADPH and the amount of active enzyme in the cells. The efficiency of the reaction is comparable to typical whole-cell biotransformations in E. coli. Under optimized conditions, a solution of 100 mg prochiral 2-methylmaleimide was reduced to optically pure 2-methylsuccinimide (99 % ee, 80 % yield of isolated product). High product yields and excellent optical purities demonstrate the synthetic usefulness of light-catalyzed whole-cell biotransformations using recombinant cyanobacteria. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

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