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Many radionuclides were scattered by the explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. We examined whether lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can sorb cesium ions (Cs+) and strontium ions (Sr2+) for radioprotection. Many strains showed biosorption to Cs+ and Sr2+ using an in vitro mass-screening although each strain showed different sorption. We selected MYU 111, MYU 758, and MYU 759 strains that showed especially high biosorption to Cs+ and/or Sr2+. MYU 111 was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, and MYU 758 and 759 were Pediococcus pentosaceus. The selected strains tended to show higher biosorption when using the buffer method compared to the culture method. Further, they showed high biosorption at a low concentration of 1 ppb Cs+ and Sr2+ (max 28.8% and 97.7% sorption, respectively). This is the first study where lactic acid bacteria are shown to have biosorption of Cs+ and Sr2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetaminophen (APAP) and p-aminophenol (p-AP) are the analogous simple phenolic compounds that undergo sulfate conjugation (sulfation) by cytosolic sulfotransferases. Sulfation is generally thought to lead to the inactivation and disposal of endogenous as well as xenobiotic compounds. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative effects of O-sulfated form of APAP and p-AP, i.e., APAPS and p-APS, in comparison with their unsulfated counterparts. Using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay, the antioxidant capacity of APAPS was shown to be approximately 126-times lower than that of APAP. In contrast, p-APS displayed comparable activity as unsulfated p-AP. Similar trends concerning the suppressive effects of these chemicals on cellular O2- radical generation were found using an activated granulocytic neutrophil cell model. Collectively, these results indicated that, depending on the presence of an additional "active site", sulfation may not always decrease the antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small RNAs (sRNA) are non-cording RNAs composed of 50∼400 nt responsible for coordinating the adaption of Escherichia coli and other bacteria to changing environmental conditions, including pH and temperature. However, the role of sRNAs in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has not yet been clarified. In this study, we used the Lactobacillus casei-Pediococcus group to evaluate the function of sRNAs in LAB, using RNA sequencing in the exponential growth phase and stationary phase to map and analyze sRNA fragments, which were categorized as Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus paracasei. We evaluated the role of sRNAs in nutrient synthesis for cell growth in exponential growth phase and in protein and biofilm biosynthesis for cell body durability. During exponential growth, the sRNA fragments were found to be involved in the stress response in Pediococcus pentosaceus and in environmental adaption in Lactobacillus paracasei. The results suggest that the function of sRNA can be characterized from sRNA fragments using RNA sequencing during the exponential growth and stationary phases in Lactobacillus casei-Pediococcus group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoxyl, a derivative of indole originating from tryptophan, may undergo phase-II sulfate- conjugation pathway, thereby forming indoxyl sulfate (IS) in vivo. We previously reported that IS, a well-known uremic toxin, can increase the intracellular oxidation level and decrease the phagocytic activity in a differentiated HL-60 human macrophage cell model. Using the same cell model, the current study aimed to investigate whether indole and indoxyl (the metabolic precursors of indoxyl and IS, respectively) may cause macrophage immune dysfunction. Results obtained indicated that intracellular oxidation level and cytotoxicity markedly increased upon treatment with indole and indoxyl, in comparison with IS. Incubation of the cells with indole and indoxyl also resulted in attenuated phagocytic activity. Human serum albumin (HSA)-binding assay confirmed that tryptophan and IS, but not indole and indoxyl, could selectively bind to the site II in HSA. Collectively, the results indicated that indole and indoxyl may strongly down-regulate the phagocytic immune function of macrophages, whereas IS, formed upon sulfate conjugation of indoxyl, may exhibit enhanced HSA-binding capability, thereby reducing the adverse effects of indoxyl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacteriophytochrome Agp1 was reconstituted with a locked 5Zs-biliverdin in which the C4 C5 and C5–C6 bonds of the methine bridge between rings A and B are fixed in the Z and syn configuration/conformation, respectively. In Agp1-5Zs the photoconversion proceeds via the Lumi-R intermediate to Meta-RA, but the following millisecond-transition to Meta-RC is blocked. Consistently, no transient proton release was detected. The photoconversion of Agp1-5Zs is apparently arrested in a Meta-RA-like intermediate, since the subsequent syn to anti rotation around the C5–C6 bond is prevented by the lock. The Meta-RA-like photoproduct was characterized by its distinctive CD spectrum suggesting a reorientation of ring D. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]