Laccases are multicopper oxidases (MCOs) with a broad application spectrum, particularly in second-generation ethanol biotechnology and the bioremediation of xenobiotics and other highly recalcitrant ...compounds. Synthetic pesticides are xenobiotics with long environmental persistence, and the search for their effective bioremediation has mobilized the scientific community. Antibiotics, in turn, can pose severe risks for the emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, as their frequent use for medical and veterinary purposes can generate constant selective pressure on the microbiota of urban and agricultural effluents. In the search for more efficient industrial processes, some bacterial laccases stand out for their tolerance to extreme physicochemical conditions and their fast generation cycles. Accordingly, to expand the range of effective approaches for the bioremediation of environmentally important compounds, the prospection of bacterial laccases was carried out from a custom genomic database. The best hit found in the genome of
sp. CB10, a Bacteroidetes isolate obtained from a biomass-degrading bacterial consortium, was subjected to in silico prediction, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation analyses. The putative laccase CB10_180.4889 (Lac_CB10), composed of 728 amino acids, with theoretical molecular mass values of approximately 84 kDa and a pI of 6.51, was predicted to be a new CopA with three cupredoxin domains and four conserved motifs linking MCOs to copper sites that assist in catalytic reactions. Molecular docking studies revealed that Lac_CB10 had a high affinity for the molecules evaluated, and the affinity profiles with multiple catalytic pockets predicted the following order of decreasing thermodynamically favorable values: tetracycline (-8 kcal/mol) > ABTS (-6.9 kcal/mol) > sulfisoxazole (-6.7 kcal/mol) > benzidine (-6.4 kcal/mol) > trimethoprim (-6.1 kcal/mol) > 2,4-dichlorophenol (-5.9 kcal/mol) mol. Finally, the molecular dynamics analysis suggests that Lac_CB10 is more likely to be effective against sulfisoxazole-like compounds, as the sulfisoxazole-Lac_CB10 complex exhibited RMSD values lower than 0.2 nm, and sulfisoxazole remained bound to the binding site for the entire 100 ns evaluation period. These findings corroborate that LacCB10 has a high potential for the bioremediation of this molecule.
Floating natives (Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes) and emergent exotic invasives (Hedychium coronarium and Urochloa arrecta) macrophytes grow as aquatic weeds in both natural and ...artificial floodplain areas in Brazil, where the chemical control should be researched. The herbicides glyphosate and saflufenacil, alone or mixed, were tested for weed control under simulated floodplain condition in mesocosms. Glyphosate (1,440 g ha
−1
), saflufenacil (120 g ha
−1
), or glyphosate (1,440 g ha
−1
) + saflufenacil (42, 84, and 168 g ha
−1
) were applied firstly; and 75 days after treatment (DAT), glyphosate (1,680 g ha
−1
) was applied as a follow-up treatment to control plant regrowth. An herbicide-free check was also used. Echhinornia crassipes was the species most susceptible to the different herbicides. Saflufenacil alone presented the lowest control on the macrophytes (≤45%) from 7 to 75 DAT, and in most cases they presented high regrowth rates, i.e., this herbicide was the least effective treatment in reducing the dry mass production of the macrophyte community. Glyphosate alone presented low efficacy to control H. coronarium (30-65%), but for the other macrophytes, it presented control peaks ≥90%, maintaining control levels ≥50% until 75 DAT. Glyphosate + saflufenacil, regardless rate of saflufenacil, caused similar damage to glyphosate in E. crassipes and P. stratiotes; however, in U. arrecta it caused 20-30% less injury. In contrast, these treatments provided the best control of H. coronarium. The complementary application of glyphosate was essential to improve the level of control of the first application, after plant regrowth.
In two experiments, a language decision task, and a multiple-choice English-Portuguese translation task, we examined the effect of interlingual homographs and word frequency on lexical access of ...Brazilian-Portuguese - English bilinguals. Language choice, accuracy, and response times were registered by the PsyToolkit software, and linear mixed-effects models were used in the analysis of the data. The results of this study align with the non-selective lexical access hypothesis. Bilinguals had facilitated access, particularly for words in the L2. There was also an interference effect of word frequency observed in both the El and L2 for interlingual homographs.
Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) are oxidoreductases that belong to the multicopper oxidase subfamily and are classified as yellow/white or blue according to their absorption spectrum. Yellow laccases are more ...useful for industrial processes since they oxidize nonphenolic compounds in the absence of a redox mediator and stand out for being more stable and functional under extreme conditions. This study aimed to characterize a new laccase that was predicted to be present in the genome of
sp. CB10 - Lac_CB10. Lac_CB10, with a molecular mass of 100.06 kDa, was purified and characterized via biochemical assays using guaiacol as a substrate. The enzyme demonstrated extremophilic characteristics, exhibiting relative activity under alkaline conditions (CAPS buffer pH 10.5) and thermophilic conditions (80-90°C), as well as maintaining its activity above 50% for 5 h at 80°C and 90°C. Furthermore, Lac_CB10 presented a spectral profile typical of yellow laccases, exhibiting only one absorbance peak at 300 nm (at the T2/T3 site) and no peak at 600 nm (at the T1 site). When lignin was degraded using copper as an inducer, 52.27% of the material was degraded within 32 h. These results highlight the potential of this enzyme, which is a novel yellow laccase with thermophilic and alkaline activity and the ability to act on lignin. This enzyme could be a valuable addition to the biorefinery process. In addition, this approach has high potential for industrial application and in the bioremediation of contaminated environments since these processes often occur at extreme temperatures and pH values.
The characterization of the novel yellow laccase, Lac_CB10, derived from
sp. CB10, represents a significant advancement with broad implications. This enzyme displays exceptional stability and functionality under extreme conditions, operating effectively under both alkaline (pH 10.5) and thermophilic (80-90°C) environments. Its capability to maintain considerable activity over extended periods, even at high temperatures, showcases its potential for various industrial applications. Moreover, its distinctive ability to efficiently degrade lignin-demonstrated by a significant 52.27% degradation within 32 h-signifies a promising avenue for biorefinery processes. This newfound laccase's characteristics position it as a crucial asset in the realm of bioremediation, particularly in scenarios involving contamination at extreme pH and temperature levels. The study's findings highlight the enzyme's capacity to address challenges in industrial processes and environmental cleanup, signifying its vital role in advancing biotechnological solutions.
Enzyme-mediated esterification reactions can be a promising alternative to produce esters of commercial interest, replacing conventional chemical processes. The aim of this work was to verify the ...potential of an esterase for ester synthesis. For that, recombinant lipolytic enzyme EST5 was purified and presented higher activity at pH 7.5, 45 °C, with a Tm of 47 °C. Also, the enzyme remained at least 50% active at low temperatures and exhibited broad substrate specificity toward p-nitrophenol esters with highest activity for p-nitrophenyl valerate with a Kcat/Km of 1533 s−1 mM−1. This esterase exerted great properties that make it useful for industrial applications, since EST5 remained stable in the presence of up to 10% methanol and 20% dimethyl sulfoxide. Also, preliminary studies in esterification reactions for the synthesis of methyl butyrate led to a specific activity of 127.04 U·mg−1. The enzyme showed higher esterification activity compared to other literature results, including commercial enzymes such as LIP4 and CL of Candida rugosa assayed with butyric acid and propanol which showed esterification activity of 86.5 and 15.83 U·mg−1, respectively. In conclusion, EST5 has potential for synthesis of flavor esters, providing a concept for its application in biotechnological processes.
The increasingly urban nature of the population has led many people to choose independent pets, such as cats. This situation has also made it possible for these animals to be abandoned, thus ...increasing the numbers of cats on the streets and in shelters. These animals can act as a source of infection for other hosts. Between 2014 and 2015, the frequency of gastrointestinal parasites in captive and stray cats in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro was analyzed. Ninety-one fecal samples were collected from captive cats and 172 from stray cats. Centrifugal sedimentation and flotation techniques were used. The frequency of parasites among the stray cats was 77.3%, and this was significantly higher than the frequency observed in captive cats (49.5%). Helminths were detected more frequently, and hookworms were the parasites most detected. Toxocara cati, Cystoisospora sp. and Dipylidium caninum were also detected. No statistical difference in the frequency of parasites was observed between the sexes among the captive cats. However, among the stray cats, males (85.5%) presented higher positivity than females (71.8%). The high frequency of hookworms, which are the agent for "cutaneous larva migrans" in humans, shows the need to control parasitic infections among the cats studied.
The use of animal-origin residues as a nutrient source without prior and proper investigations on their positive and negative impacts can affect the quality of agricultural soils and the environment ...into which they are inserted. In this sense, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of swine wastewater and mineral fertilization application on soil, soybean crop, and leachate characteristics. The experiment was developed in drainage lysimeters under field conditions. The following doses of swine wastewater were applied: 0, 100, 200, and 300 m3 ha−1, both with and without mineral fertilization. Swine wastewater application contributed to increasing soil nutrients; however, a special attention should be paid to Cu+ and Zn+ accumulation, which may interfere with soil quality in the long-term. In addition, Na+, K+, and N can be leached into groundwater and cause impacts on water quality. Wastewater supplied soybean crop requirements with some nutrients such as K+ and Zn2+, without the need for an additional mineral supplementation. Thus, once the above conditions are monitored, swine wastewater can be applied to soil.
The simple methods for Freshness assessment have been gained attention in the last years, mainly in case of highly perishable food products as those delivered by the meat sector. Furthermore, the ...growing demand for fresh and safe food makes the development of reliable, low-cost and time-saving methods for freshness investigation an important need. In this context, gas sensors represent a valuable tool to food freshness and quality monitoring, avoiding the supply and consumption of rotten meat products, which may be associated with foodborne diseases.
The present work gives an overview of the existing gas sensors applied to meat quality monitoring, with emphasis on a particular class of gas sensors, the electrical gas sensors. This type of sensors has been shown to have a promissory interface with wireless technologies, such as the existing NFC (near field communication) and RFID (radio frequency identification) sensor tags, which may lead to meat quality and safety assurance at consumers’ level.
The presented literature studies demonstrated that the electrical properties of different materials have been exploited for the development of gas sensors. The implementation of electrical gas sensors interfaced with wireless is a promising technology in the near future because of the possibility of a rapid and accessible meat quality monitoring.
•Recent gas sensors applications and prospects for meat quality are reviewed.•Gas sensors for meat monitoring were summarized based on the transduction principle.•Electrical gas sensor (EGS) versatility in meat quality and freshness assessment.•EGS combined with wireless technologies has great potential for meat monitoring.
Wetting agents facilitate the composites handling, acting as a lubricant and decreasing their stickness to spatula. The effects of these materials on the properties of composites are not completely ...clear. This study aimed to evaluate Gloss, Color, Roughness and Microhardness of a composite (Filtek Z250 XT, 3M Oral Care) covered by a wetting agent (Modeling Resin, Bisco), submitted to brushing and staining cycles with red wine.
Cylinder-shaped samples (8 mm ø x 2 mm height) were divided into 4 groups, according to application of wetting agent and brushing cycles (n = 20). The composite was placed in the orifice of a polytetrafluoroethylene mold, received wetting agent coverage, and was light-cured. Gloss, Color, Roughness and Microhardness were evaluated in two times: after samples confection and after brushing + staining cycles. Data were submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (ΔL, Δa, Δb and ΔE) and two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferronis's test (gloss, roughness and microhardness).
In general, the composite showed higher gloss values when added by the wetting agent. No statistical differences were observed regarding colors' groups. Roughness increased after brushing cycles, regardless of wetting agent application. The only group which presented decreased Microhardness after cycles was the group without wetting agent, only submitted to staining with red wine.
The application of wetting agent on the composite did not interfere negatively with its properties of Gloss, Color, Roughness and Microhardness.
Resin composite, wetting agent, surface properties, gloss, color, esthetic dentistry.
The recent emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led society to live with a serious public health problem. In this sense, repositioning of antiretrovirals has ...captured the attention of the scientific community. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is an antiretroviral compound that is used to treat acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and hepatitis B. In this short report, we present a scale-up investigation of TDF by in situ infrared spectroscopy monitoring and a forced degradation study to describe a new degradation product. Finally, we have evaluated TDF in vitro for SARS-CoV-2 for the first time foreseeing the using of this medicine in pre-clinical and clinical investigations for the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) treatment.
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