Biomarkers as tools to assess the chronic toxicity of ammonia in the juvenile Mugil cephalus

With juvenile fish as the subject, the effects of low concentration ammonia on antioxidant system were studied using Mugil cephalus. Samples of gill and liver tissue were obtained from 0.35, 0.70, 1.5 and 3?mg/L ammonia groups at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days of exposure, at which times the biomarkers were measured. Results showed that gill malondialdehyde (MDA) content exhibited an initial significant increase (p?≤?0.05) at unionised ammonia concentrations of 0.70, 1.5 and 3.0?mg/L on day 5, followed by subsequent declines, while liver MDA levels exhibited significant increases (p?≤?0.05) at unionised ammonia concentrations of 1.5?mg/L starting on day 10 and at 3.0?mg/L starting on day 5. With exposure to ammonia at different concentrations, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity in liver and gill decreased over time. The Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity was negatively related to ammonia concentration from 0.70 to 3.0?mg/L. Overall, our results show that MDA and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase, evaluated here as potential biomarkers of ammonia exposure, exhibited responses to sublethal concentrations of ammonia that were concentration dependent.     

Acrylamide and its metabolite glycidamide can affect antioxidant defenses and steroidogenesis in Leydig and Sertoli cells

Acrylamide, which is commonly used in various industries, may also form in food products cooked in high temperatures. Glycidamide, the ultimate genotoxic metabolite of acrylamide, is generated within cells through CYP4502E1-mediated epoxidation. Recent studies have shown that acrylamide and/or glycidamide may cause infertility by disrupting spermatogenesis, decreasing germ cell production and sperm fertilization ability due to their toxic effects on the male reproductive system. This study aimed to determine some direct effects of acrylamide and glycidamide on antioxidant defenses and on steroidogenic enzymes of Leydig and Sertoli cells. For this purpose, mouse Leydig and Sertoli cells were exposed to acrylamide (0.01 or 1?mmol/L) or to glycidamide (0.001 or 0.5?mmol/L) for 24?h. Following the exposure, antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase), cellular antioxidant levels (glutathione) and steroidogenic enzyme activities (3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) were calculated. It was shown that acrylamide and glycidamide may cause inhibition of antioxidant and steroidogenic enzymes in Leydig and Sertoli cells. In conclusion, acrylamide and glycidamide may alter testicular function, thereby disrupting male reproduction.     

干旱胁迫对文心兰抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质含量的影响

以切花文心兰＂黄金2号＂（Oncidium Gower Ramsey‘Gold 2’）幼苗及成熟苗为材料,用盆栽控制浇水模拟干旱的方法,对不同程度干旱胁迫下其叶片抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质含量的变化进行研究。结果表明,文心兰＂黄金2号＂具有一定的耐旱性。随着干旱胁迫程度的加深,文心兰幼苗及成熟苗的相对含水量和相对电导率变化慢、幅度小,超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性能保持一定水平,渗透调节物质可溶性糖和脯氨酸含量持续上升,表明文心兰＂黄金2号＂对干旱胁迫具有较强的适应能力。     

铝胁迫下不同耐铝小麦品种活性氧代谢差异及与小麦耐铝性的关系

逆境条件下植物体内产生并累积活性氧从而破坏植物组织结构与功能,同时植物也可以通过改变活性氧代谢相关酶活性清除活性氧而减轻活性氧伤害以适应环境胁迫。为研究铝胁迫下不同耐铝小麦品种（TriticumaestivumL．）在活性氧代谢上的差异及与小麦耐铝性的关系,本试验选用小麦品种ET8（耐铝型）、ES8（铝敏感型）为试验材料研究了不同耐铝小麦品种活性氧代谢变化上的差异。结果表明,50μmol·L-1铝处理24h,ET8和ES8活性氧含量显著升高,O2产生速率增幅分别为10．5％和20．4％,H202含量增幅分别为3．3％和7．6％。ET8和ES8超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性增幅分别为11．9％和41．6％,过氧化物酶（POD）活性增幅为51．8％和77．8％,抗坏血酸过氧化物酶（APX）活性增幅为54．4％和29．1％,过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性增幅为32．9％和38．4％,谷胱甘肽还原酶（GR）活性增幅为83．1％和85．5％。虽然抗氧化酶活性增加后会清除一部分活性氧,但活性氧的累积仍然造成了膜脂的过氧化,ET8和ES8丙二醛（MDA）含量分别增加18．2％和50．0％,质膜透性也随着MDA含量的升高而增加,增幅分别为1．25倍和1．36倍。综上所述,不同耐铝品种间活性氧代谢的差异是小麦品种耐铝性差异显著的原因之一。     

亚致死剂量铜对蚯蚓P450酶和抗氧化酶活性的长期影响

以赤子爱胜蚓(Eiseniafetida)为供试生物,通过人工污染草甸棕壤的方法,研究了暴露于含有亚致死剂量Cu(100、200、300、400mg·kg-1)的土壤中8周时间内蚯蚓体内细胞色素P450含量、谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性的变化.结果显示,各指标在暴露1周时均无显著变化,但在第8周时各指标均受到显著抑制.P450含量在100mg·kg-1剂量水平下暴露2周时表现出显著的诱导效应;GST、SOD和CAT活性则均在第3周开始表现出显著的诱导效应,且SOD和CAT在100mg·kg-1剂量下即出现诱导现象,而GST则在200mg·kg-1剂量下显现诱导现象.暴露时间大于4周时,P450含量及GST活性开始表现出抑制效应,SOD及CAT活性则在暴露大于6周后显现抑制效应.以上指标对污染物的响应模式为:无显著变化→诱导→抑制.铜是蚯蚓生长的必需元素,蚯蚓自身对Cu的适应机制,以及对铜的长期摄取能危害蚯蚓正常代谢可解释上述响应模式产生的原因.但各指标在对毒性的响应敏感性上存在差异,其中,P450响应最为敏感,而SOD、CAT最不敏感.因此,在生态毒性诊断时,应选择不同指标作为一套指标体系相互补充,以增强污染诊断的灵敏性及长期诊断性.     

Interactive e ect of dissolved organic matter and phenanthrene on soil enzymatic activities

The investigation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on urease, catalase and polyphenol oxidase activity in a phenanthrene (Phe)- contaminated soil was conducted under laboratory incubation conditions. Values of soil enzymatic activity depended mainly on incubation time. In the initial 16 days, urease activity increased, and was followed by a decrease. In the initial 8 days, catalase activity decreased and then increased. Variation of polyphenol oxidase activity was just the reverse of catalase activity. After 30 days of incubation, no pronounced di erence among treatments with Phe, Phe and DOM, and control were detected in urease, catalase and polyphenol oxidase activity. Phe might inhibit urease and catalase, and stimulate polyphenol oxidase. DOM could improve inhibition of Phe in soil urease and catalase activity during the initial period of applying DOM. Nevertheless, DOM had no significant e ect on polyphenol oxidase activity in the Phe contaminated soil. There was a negative correlation between catalase and polyphenol oxidase (r = –0.761***), and catalase and urease (r = –0.554**). Additionally, a positive correlation between polyphenol oxidase and urease was also detected (r = 0.701***). It is implied that the formed DOM after application of organic wastes into soils may counteract the inhibition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil enzyme activities.     

Cobalt and manganese stress in the microalga Pavlova viridis （Prymnesiophyceae）： Effects on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes

Pollution of marine environment has become an issue of major concern in recent years.Serious environmental pollution by heavy metals results from their increasing utilization in industrial processes and because most heavy metals are transported into the marine environment and accumulated without decomposition.The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects on growth,pigments, lipid peroxidation,and some antioxidant enzyme activities of marine microalga Pavlova viridis,in response to elevated concentrations of cobalt(Co)and manganese(Mn),especially with regard to the involvement of antioxidative defences against heavy metal-induced oxidative stress.In response to Co~(2 ),lipid peroxidation was enhanced compared to the control,as an indication of the oxidative damage caused by metal concentration assayed in the microalgal cells but not Mn~(2 ).Exposure of Pavlova viridis to the two metals caused changes in enzyme activities in a different manner,depending on the metal assayed:after Co~(2 )treatments,total superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity was irregular,although it was not significantly affected by Mn~(2 )exposure.Co~(2 )and Mn~(2 )stimulated the activities of catalase(CAT)and glutathione(GSH),whereas,ghitathione peroxidase(GPX)showed a remarkable increase in activity in response to Co~(2 )treatments and decreased gradually with Mn~(2 )concentration,up to 50μmol/L,and then rose very rapidly,reaching to about 38.98% at 200μmol/L Mn~(2 ).These results suggest that an activation of some antioxidant enzymes was enhanced,to counteract the oxidative stress induced by the two metals at higher concentration.     

3种胡枝子抗氧化酶和渗透调节物质对干旱和增强UV-B辐射的动态响应

为探究干旱和增强UV-B辐射对3种胡枝子(美丽胡枝子、二色胡枝子、牛枝子)抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质的影响,采用盆栽试验,研究了正常生长(CK)、干旱胁迫(D)、增强UV-B辐射(UV-B)及二者复合胁迫(D+UV-B)下各植物叶片中抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质的动态响应.结果表明:3种处理下各植物叶片中SOD活性较对照值均呈先下降后上升趋势,且与单因子处理相比,牛枝子和二色胡枝子在复合胁迫下其SOD活性更高;增强UV-B辐射和复合处理下POD活性随胁迫时间总体呈先上升后下降趋势;CAT活性在干旱和复合胁迫下高于对照值,而在增强UV-B辐射下较对照值有所下降.3种植物叶片渗透调节物质含量(可溶性蛋白、可溶性糖、游离脯氨酸)在各处理中较对照值均有所增加,并呈先上升后下降趋势,但种间差异显著.3种处理均导致各植物叶片内MDA含量不同程度的升高,升高幅度的大小依次为牛枝子＞美丽胡枝子＞二色胡枝子.通过隶属函数法综合评价得出,复合处理下二色胡枝子和美丽胡枝子具有较强的抗氧化能力,牛枝子抗氧化能力较弱.综上,与干旱胁迫和增强UV-B辐射相比,复合胁迫对植物的伤害程度更小,说明干旱与增强UV-B辐射可以相互缓减彼此对植物的伤害,且美丽胡枝子和二色胡枝子在抵抗干旱胁迫和增强UV-B辐射方面具有一定优势.     

Potential of plant polyphenol oxidases in the decolorization and removal of textile and non-textile dyes

In this study an effort has been made to use plant polyphenol oxidases; potato （Solanum tuberosum） and brinjal （Solanum melongena）, for the treatment of various important dyes used in textile and other industries. The ammonium sulphate fractionated enzyme preparations were used to treat a number of dyes under various experimental conditions. Majority of the treated dyes were maximally decolorized at pH 3.0. Some of the dyes were quickly decolorized whereas others were marginally decolorized. The initial first hour was sufficient for the maximum decolorization of dyes. The rate of decolorization was quite slow on long treatment of dyes. Enhancement in the dye decolorization was noticed on increasing the concentration of enzymes. The complex mixtures of dyes were treated with both preparations of polyphenol oxidases in the buffers of varying pH values. Potato polyphenol oxidase was significantly more effective in decolorizing the dyes to higher extent as compared to the enzyme obtained from brinjal polyphenol oxidase. Decolorization of dyes and their mixtures, followed by the formation of an insoluble precipitate, which could be easily removed simply by centrifugation.     

动胶菌HP3及其胞外酶降解溴胺酸产物的分析

动胶菌HP3分泌的胞外酶为组成酶，它能使溴胺酸脱色，其催化溴胺酸脱色的最佳作用温度为30℃，pH7．0－7．2，该酶在4℃下放置时，添生可保持24h。该酶使溴胺酸开环脱色的同时，有等摩尔量的邻苯二甲酸生成，它不能降解邻苯二甲酸，动胶菌HP3降解溴胺酸的终产物为2－氨基－3－羟基－5－溴苯磺酸钠和2，3－二羟基－5－溴苯磺酸钠。