Transformation of struvite from wastewater to a hydrogen fuel storage compound ammonia borane

Ammonia borane (NH3BH3) is a carrier of hydrogen gas that is known as a carbon-free renewable energy source. A high hydrogen content of ammonia borane and its stability in air at ambient temperatures make it a valuable molecule for its potential use as a hydrogen storage compound. In this study, we investigate a new approach for synthesizing ammonia borane using wastewater-derived ammonia source. Wastewater recycling has always been a global interest towards sustainability. In addition to reclaiming the water, recycling nutrients in wastewater is a topic of interest. Nutrients such as nitrogen, magnesium, and phosphorous are readily recovered from wastewater as struvite (NH4MgPO4·6H2O). This new process involves converting urine into struvite, and then reacting struvite with alkali borohydrides to produce a high-purity ammonia borane. The use of mild reaction conditions without extensive purification process, together with high purity ammonia borane product make this process a desirable course of action for recycling the nitrogen waste. In the course of moving towards a sustainable environment, the energy and wastewater industries will benefit from this combined process of nitrogen removal from wastewater to generate a renewable carbon-free energy molecule.

Examples of potato epidermis endophytes and rhizosphere microbes that may be human pathogens contributing to potato peel colic

Potato tubers defend themselves against herbivores with endogenous secondary compounds such as solanine and scopolamine. They also recruit endophytes and members of the tuberosphere to repel herbivores. Many of these endophyte defence features are overcome by cooking, with some notable exceptions that have been identified by rDNA analysis of potato peel samples and may account for some previously unrecognised features of potato peel colic. This is relevant regarding the rather modern way of cooking, where the potato peel is left intact in food and consumed.

Case Study of Small Molecules As Antimalarials: 2-Amino-1-phenylethanol (APE) Derivatives

Antiparasitic oral drugs have been associated to lipophilic molecules due to their intrinsic permeability. However, these kind of molecules are associated to numerous adverse effects, which have been extensively studied. Within the Tres Cantos Antimalarial Set (TCAMS) we have identified two small, soluble and simple hits that even presenting antiplasmodial activities in the range of 0.4-0.5 μM are able to show in vivo activity.

A Divergent SAR Study Allows Optimization of a Potent 5-HT2c Inhibitor to a Promising Antimalarial Scaffold

From the 13 533 chemical structures published by GlaxoSmithKline in 2010, we identified 47 quality starting points for lead optimization. One of the most promising hits was the TCMDC-139046, a molecule presenting an indoline core, which is well-known for its anxiolytic properties by interacting with serotonin antagonist receptors 5-HT2. The inhibition of this target will complicate the clinical development of these compounds as antimalarials. Herein, we present the antimalarial profile of this series and our efforts to avoid interaction with this receptor, while maintaining a good antiparasitic potency. By using a double-divergent structure-activity relationship analysis, we have obtained a novel lead compound harboring an indoline core.

Structural constraints on protein self-processing in L-aspartate-alpha-decarboxylase

Aspartate decarboxylase, which is translated as a pro-protein, undergoes intramolecular self-cleavage at Gly24-Ser25. We have determined the crystal structures of an unprocessed native precursor, in addition to Ala24 insertion, Ala26 insertion and Gly24-->Ser, His11-->Ala, Ser25-->Ala, Ser25-->Cys and Ser25-->Thr mutants. Comparative analyses of the cleavage site reveal specific conformational constraints that govern self-processing and demonstrate that considerable rearrangement must occur. We suggest that Thr57 Ogamma and a water molecule form an 'oxyanion hole' that likely stabilizes the proposed oxyoxazolidine intermediate. Thr57 and this water molecule are probable catalytic residues able to support acid-base catalysis. The conformational freedom in the loop preceding the cleavage site appears to play a determining role in the reaction. The molecular mechanism of self-processing, presented here, emphasizes the importance of stabilization of the oxyoxazolidine intermediate. Comparison of the structural features shows significant similarity to those in other self-processing systems, and suggests that models of the cleavage site of such enzymes based on Ser-->Ala or Ser-->Thr mutants alone may lead to erroneous interpretations of the mechanism.

Structure of E. coli ketopantoate hydroxymethyl transferase complexed with ketopantoate and Mg2+, solved by locating 160 selenomethionine sites

We report the crystal structure of E. coli ketopantoate hydroxymethyltransferase (KPHMT) at 1.9 A resolution, in complex with its product, ketopantoate. KPHMT catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of pantothenate (vitamin B(5)), the precursor of coenzyme A and the acyl carrier protein cofactor. The structure of the decameric enzyme was solved by multiwavelength anomalous dispersion to locate 160 selenomethionine sites and phase 560 kDa of protein, making it the largest structure solved by this approach. KPHMT adopts the (betaalpha)(8) barrel fold and is a member of the phosphoenolpyruvate/pyruvate superfamily. The active site contains a ketopantoate bidentately coordinated to Mg(2+). Similar binding is likely for the substrate, alpha-ketoisovalerate, orienting the C3 for deprotonation.

Plant-based heterologous expression of Mal d 2, a thaumatin-like protein and allergen of apple (Malus domestica), and its characterization as an antifungal protein

Mal d 2 is a thaumatin-like protein and important allergen of apple fruits that is associated with IgE-mediated symptoms in apple allergic individuals. We obtained a full-length cDNA clone of Mal d 2 from RNA isolated from ripe apple (Malus domestica cv. Golden Delicious). The cDNA's open reading frame encodes a protein of 246 amino acid residues including a signal peptide of 24 residues and two putative glycosylation sites. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature Mal d 2 protein results in a predicted molecular mass of 23,210.9Da and a calculated pI of 4.55. Sequence comparisons and molecular modeling place Mal d 2 among those pathogenesis-related thaumatin-like proteins that contain a conserved acidic cleft. In order to ensure the correct formation of the protein's eight conserved disulfide bridges we expressed Mal d 2 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants by the use of a tobacco mosaic viral vector. Transfected N.benthamiana plants accumulated Mal d 2 to levels of at least 2% of total soluble protein. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analyses of the recombinant Mal d 2 and its proteolytic fragments showed that the apple-specific leader peptide was correctly cleaved off by the host plant and that the mature recombinant protein was intact and not glycosylated. Purified recombinant Mal d 2 displayed the ability to bind IgE from apple-allergic individuals equivalent to natural Mal d 2. In addition, the recombinant thaumatin-like Mal d 2 exhibited antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Penicillium expansum, implying a function in plant defense against fungal pathogens.

Structure of the periplasmic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TolA: evidence for an evolutionary relationship with the TonB transporter protein

The crystal structure of the C-terminal domain III of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TolA has been determined at 1.9 A resolution. The fold is similar to that of the corresponding domain of Escherichia coli TolA, despite the limited amino acid sequence identity of the two proteins (20%). A pattern was discerned that conserves the fold of domain III within the wider TolA family and, moreover, reveals a relationship between TolA domain III and the C-terminal domain of the TonB transporter proteins. We propose that the TolA and TonB C-terminal domains have a common evolutionary origin and are related by means of domain swapping, with interesting mechanistic implications. We have also determined the overall shape of the didomain, domains II + III, of P.aeruginosa TolA by solution X-ray scattering. The molecule is monomeric-its elongated, stalk shape can accommodate the crystal structure of domain III at one end, and an elongated helical bundle within the portion corresponding to domain II. Based on these data, a model for the periplasmic domains of P.aeruginosa TolA is presented that may explain the inferred allosteric properties of members of the TolA family. The mechanisms of TolA-mediated entry of bateriophages in P.aeruginosa and E.coli are likely to be similar.

Crystal structure of aspartate decarboxylase at 2.2 A resolution provides evidence for an ester in protein self-processing

The structure of L-aspartate-alpha-decarboxylase from E. coli has been determined at 2.2 A resolution. The enzyme is a tetramer with pseudofour-fold rotational symmetry. The subunits are six-stranded beta-barrels capped by small alpha-helices at each end. The active sites are located between adjacent subunits. The electron density provides evidence for catalytic pyruvoyl groups at three active sites and an ester at the fourth. The ester is an intermediate in the autocatalytic self-processing leading to formation of the pyruvoyl group. This unprecedented structure provides novel insights into the general phenomenon of protein processing.

Integration of multiple repeats of geminiviral DNA into the nuclear genome of tobacco during evolution

Integration of viral DNA into the host nuclear genome, although not unusual in bacterial and animal systems, has surprisingly not been reported for plants. We have discovered geminvirus-related DNA (GRD) sequences, in the form of distinct sets of multiple direct repeats comprising three related repeat classes, situated in a unique locus in the Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) nuclear genome. The organization of these sequences is similar or identical in eight different tobacco cultivars we have examined. DNA sequence analysis reveals that each repeat has sequences most resembling those of the New World geminiviral DNA replication origin plus the adjacent AL1 gene, encoding the viral replication protein. We believe these GRD sequences originated quite recently in Nicotiana evolution through integration of geminiviral DNA by some combination of the processes of illegitimate recombination, amplification, deletions, and rearrangements. These events must have occurred in plant tissue that was subsequently able to contribute to meristematic tissue yielding gametes. GRD may have been retained in tobacco by selection or by random fixation in a small evolving population. Although we cannot detect transcription of these sequences, this does not exclude the possibility that they may originally have been expressed.

Subcellular location of the tetrapyrrole synthesis enzyme porphobilinogen deaminase in higher plants: an immunological investigation

A recombinant plasmid, pArab8, harbouring the cDNA encoding the mature form of the tetrapyrrole synthesis enzyme porphobilinogen deaminase (EC 4.3.1.8; also known as hydroxymethylbilane synthase) from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. has been constructed, and used to transform Escherichia coli. The porphobilinogen deaminase protein from Arabidopsis was overexpressed in this strain, and purified to homogeneity (3000-fold) with a yield of 20%. Antibodies were raised against the purified plant enzyme, and used in Western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation of enzyme activity and immuno-gold electron microscopy. The results indicate that the enzyme is confined to plastids in both leaves and roots. The implications of this finding for plant tetrapyrrole synthesis are discussed.

Porphobilinogen deaminase is encoded by a single gene in Arabidopsis thaliana and is targeted to the chloroplasts

Porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG deaminase) is an early enzyme of the pathway for chlorophyll and heme synthesis. Using degenerate oligonucleotide primers, based on amino acid sequence data for purified PBG deaminase from pea, a fragment was amplified from Arabidopsis genomic DNA by PCR, and then used to isolate both a cDNA and a genomic clone for PBG deaminase from Arabidopsis. The cDNA, shown to be full-length by primer extension, encodes a precursor protein of 382 residues, which can be imported into isolated chloroplasts and processed to the mature size. The genomic clone encodes an identical sequence to the cDNA, except for the presence of four introns within the coding region of the mature protein, and 1.7 kb of upstream sequence. There is no obvious TATA box within 50 bp of the transcription start. Southern blot analysis suggests that PBG deaminase is encoded by a single gene in the Arabidopsis genome, and RNase protection experiments demonstrated that this gene is expressed in both leaves and roots. These results support the conclusion that there is only one form of PBG deaminase in all plant cells, which is located in the plastid.

Structure and expression of chloroplast-localized porphobilinogen deaminase from pea (Pisum sativum L.) isolated by redundant polymerase chain reaction

Porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase catalyzes the polymerization of four PBG monopyrrole units into the linear tetrapyrrole hydroxymethylbilane necessary for the formation of chlorophyll and heme in plant cells. Degenerate oligonucleotide primers were designed based on amino acid sequence data (generated by mass spectrometry) for purified PBG deaminase from pea (Pisum sativum L.) chloroplasts. These primers were used in TaqI polymerase-catalyzed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification to produce partial cDNA and nuclear genomic fragments encoding the enzyme. Subsequently, a 1.6-kb cDNA was isolated by screening a cDNA library constructed in lambda gt11 from leaf poly(A)+ RNA with the PCR products. The cDNA encodes an approximately 40-kD polypeptide containing a 46-amino acid NH2-terminal transit peptide and a mature protein of 323 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature pea enzyme is similar to PBG deaminases from other species and contains the conserved arginine and cysteine residues previously implicated in catalysis. Northern blot analysis indicates that the pea gene encoding PBG deaminase is expressed to varying levels in chlorophyll-containing tissues and is subject to light induction.

Thaumatin II: a simple marker gene for use in plants

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