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Effect of nitrogenous compounds on nitrogenase gene expression in anaerobic cultures of Anabaena variabilis.

The effects of several organic and inorganic nitrogen compounds on nitrogenase mRNA and enzyme activity levels were examined in anaerobic cultures of Anabaena variabilis 29413. Even low concentrations of exogenous ammonia (20 microM) prevented nitrogenase gene expression. Nitrate, in contrast, had little effect, even at very high concentrations. Neither compound had a significant direct effect on existing enzyme activity. The amino acids glutamine and glutamate did not repress nif gene expression. Methionine sulfoximine, but not 7-azatryptophan, was shown to eliminate the repressive effect of ammonia, and this action occurred at the mRNA level. Low concentrations of carbamyl phosphate caused a rapid decrease in nitrogenase mRNA levels. These results are consistent with the ideas that nif gene regulation in Anabaena spp. occurs primarily at the mRNA level and that ammonia, and possibly also glutamine and glutamate, is not the immediate effector of regulation.

Ammonia↗

Characterization of the nitrogen compounds released during yeast autolysis in a model wine system.

The nitrogen composition of wines aged with yeast for a long period of time, as in the case of sparkling wines, depends on the composition of the base wine and on the compounds released by the yeast. In this paper, the release of the different classes of nitrogen compounds during autolysis of one of the strains of yeast used in the manufacture of sparkling wines has been studied. The yeast, Saccharomyces bayanus, was suspended in a model wine buffer, pH 3.0 and 10% ethanol, and incubated at 30 degrees C. Samples of the autolysate were taken after 4, 24, 48, 72, 168, and 360 h of autolysis. An electrophoretic and chromatographic study was conducted of the proteins, peptides with molecular weights higher and lower than 700 Da, and amino acids released during the autolysis. Using SDS-PAGE, it was observed that it was predominantly polypeptides with molecular weights lower than 10 000 that were released. Through HPLC of the fraction lower than 10 000 Da, it was observed that it is polypeptides with molecular weights of between 10 000 and 700 Da that are released first and that these later break up to give rise to peptides with molecular weights lower than 700 Da, which in turn break down into amino acids. This indicates that the nature of the nitrogen compounds present in wines aged with yeast depends on the aging time, being less polymerized as the aging time increases.

Ethanol↗

[Nitrogen compounds in the well water of Sokołów Podlaski district].

In the year 2002 the quality of well waters was monitored in the area of Sokołów Podlaski district. Water samples collected four times per year from twenty once dug and drilled wells were examined for : NO3-, NO2-, NH4+, PO4(3-), Cl-, pH, total hardness and electrolytic conductivity. These studies showed that 58% out of all the analyzed water wells did not meet the requirements of standards related to nitrogen compounds content. During the whole period of the studies only 2 wells among 21 investigated met all the required standards as far as the examined parameters. These were the drilled wells of relevant localization and well enough isolated from all the sources of pollution.

Environmental Monitoring↗

Nonlinearities in source receptor relationships for sulfur and nitrogen compounds.

The relationship between emissions and deposition of air pollutants, both spatially and in time forms an important focus for science and for policy makers. In practice, this relationship may become nonlinear if the underlying processes change with time, or in space. Nonlinearities may also appear due to errors in emission or deposition data, and careful scrutiny of both data sources and their relationship provides a means of picking up such deficiencies. Nonlinearities in source receptor relationships for sulfur and nitrogen compounds in Europe have been identified in measurement data for the UK. In the case of sulfur, the dry deposition process has been shown to be strongly influenced by ambient concentrations of NH3, leading to substantial increases in deposition rate as SO2 concentrations decline and the ratio SO2/NH3 decreases. The field evidence extends to measurements over three different surfaces in three countries across Europe. A mechanistic understanding of the cause of this nonlinearity has been provided. Apparent nonlinearities also exist in the sulfur deposition field through the influence of shipping emissions. The effect is clear at west coast locations, where during a period in which land-based sulfur emissions declined by 50%, no significant decline in concentrations of SO(2-) in precipitation were observed. The sites affected are primarily the coastal regions of southwestern UK, where shipping sources contribute a substantial fraction of the deposited sulfur, but the effect is not detectable elsewhere. Full quantification of the spatially disaggregated emission and their changes in time will eliminate this apparent nonlinearity in the source-receptor data. For oxidized nitrogen emission and deposition in the UK, there is strong evidence of nonlinearity in the source-receptor relationship. The concentrations and deposition of NO(3-) in precipitation have declined little following a reduction in emissions of 45% during the period 1987 to 2001. The data imply a significant decrease in the average transport distance for oxidized nitrogen and most probably an increase in the average oxidation rate. However, the net effect of changes in aerosol chemistry due to changes in sulfur emissions and less competition for the main oxidants as a consequence of reductions in sulfur emission have not been separated. A quantitative explanation of the cause of this nonlinearity is lacking and the effects are therefore identified as an important uncertainty for the development of further protocols to control acidification, eutrophication and photochemical oxidants in Europe.

Air Movements↗

Utilization of nitrogenous compounds by oral bacteria.

In terms of the crucial acid-base balance in dental plaque, the bacterial catabolism of nitrogenous compounds, such as peptides and amino acids, is of importance because the end-products can raise plaque pH. Of particular significance is the fermentation of arginine by bacteria such as Streptococcus sanguis, a numerically important plaque organism. Aspects of the uptake of this amino acid were studied and it was also shown the organism can obtain arginine from small peptides, since it possesses cell-associated exo-peptidases. Furthermore, it could grow in media containing whole protein (casein), or one of its fractions, as the sole source of organic nitrogen. The studies thus showed that S. sanguis is well equipped, in terms of endo- and exo-peptidase activities, to obtain the metabolically important arginine from whole protein. It is suggested that knowledge of this type should lead to a better understanding of overall plaque metabolism--of relevance to both cariogenic and periodontopathic plaques.

Arginine↗

Contamination potential of nitrogen compounds in the heterogeneous aquifers of the Choushui River alluvial fan, Taiwan.

This study aimed to analyze the contamination potential associated with the reactive transport of nitrate-N and ammonium-N in the Choushui River alluvial fan, Taiwan and to evaluate a risk region in developing a groundwater protection policy in 2021. In this area, an aquifer redox sequence provided a good understanding of the spatial distributions of nitrate-N and ammonium-N and of aerobic and anaerobic environments. Equiprobable hydraulic conductivity (K) fields reproduced by geostatistical methods characterized the spatial uncertainty of contaminant transport in the heterogeneous aquifer. Nitrogen contamination potential fronts for high and low threshold concentrations based on a 95% risk probability were used to assess different levels of risk. The simulated result reveals that the spatial uncertainty of highly heterogeneous K fields governs the contamination potential assessment of the nitrogen compounds along the regional flow directions. The contamination potential of nitrate-N is more uncertain than that for ammonium-N. The high nitrate-N concentrations (> or =3 mg/L) are prevalent in the aerobic environment. The low concentration nitrate-N plumes (0.5-3 mg/L) gradually migrate to the mid-fan area and to a maximum distance of 15 km from the aerobic region. The nitrate-N plumes pose a potential human health risk in the aerobic and anaerobic environments. The ammonium-N plumes remain stably confined to the distal-fan and partial mid-fan areas.

Environmental Monitoring↗

Effect of smoke, charred wood, and nitrogenous compounds on seed germination of ten species from woodland in central-western Spain.

The effect of smoke, charred wood, and nitrogenous compounds on germination was tested on 10 species of the Cistaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae, from fire-prone, shrubby woodlands in central-western Spain. Dry seeds were exposed to smoke, by watering with distilled water-charred wood suspensions, or NaNO2, KNO3, NH4Cl, and NH4NO3. Smoke enhanced germination in 9 of 10 of the species. In species of Poaceae, germination was stimulated by 20 min of smoke exposure. In Asteraceae and Fabaceae species, 10 min of smoke exposure was the most effective treatment for enhancing germination. Three species--Cistus ladanifer, Cistus crispus, and Cistus monspeliensis--had a positive response to 20 min of smoke exposure; germination of Cistus salviifolius L. was also enhanced after 10 min. The effect of charred wood was variable, with no consistent germination pattern within the families. Trifolium angustifolium and Retama sphaerocarpa showed no stimulation of germination under most of the charred wood concentrations. Similarly, germination of Senecio jacobea under the charred wood treatment did not surpass that of the control. NaNO2 promoted seed germination in Dactylis glomerata (10 mM), Cistus ladanifer (1, 10, and 25 mM), and Cistus crispus (1 and 10 mM). KNO3 enhanced germination in Dactylis glomerata (1 and 25 mM), Dittrichia viscosa (10 and 25 mM), C. ladanifer (1, 10, and 25 mM), Cistus crispus (1 and 25 mM), and C. salviifolius aud C. monspeliensis (25 mM). NH4Cl induced germination of Dactylis glomerata and Dittrichia viscosa (1 mM), and Cistus species germinated best in 25 mM of this salt. NH4NO3 induced germination only in Cistus species. Holcus lanatus had the highest level of germination regardless of treatment.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

High rate of uptake of organic nitrogen compounds by Prochlorococcus cyanobacteria as a key to their dominance in oligotrophic oceanic waters.

Direct evidence that marine cyanobacteria take up organic nitrogen compounds in situ at high rates is reported. About 33% of the total bacterioplankton turnover of amino acids, determined with a representative [(35)S]methionine precursor and flow sorting, can be assigned to Prochlorococcus spp. and 3% can be assigned to Synechococcus spp. in the oligotrophic and mesotrophic parts of the Arabian Sea, respectively. This finding may provide a mechanism for Prochlorococcus' competitive dominance over both strictly autotrophic algae and other bacteria in oligotrophic regions sustained by nutrient remineralization via a microbial loop.

Amino Acids↗

[Activity of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes and content of carbohydrate and nitrogen compounds in muscles of young cattle depending on breed and sex].

The activity of glycolysis and glyconeogenesis enzymes, content of carbohydrate and nitrogen compounds were studied in muscles of 15-month cattle of different sex of the black-piebald breed and its crosses with bulls of two meat breeds Hereford and Limousine. In the muscles of bulls the activity of phosphoglucomutase, phosphohexoisomerase, aldolase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase is considerably higher (except of the activity of phosphoglucomutase and phosphohexoisomerase in the muscles of pure-bred black-piebald animals for which difference is not statistically reliable) and the content of glycogen, glucose, fructose, lactic acid, free and phosphorylated pentoses of nonadenylic compounds is essentially lower than in the muscle tissue of heifers of analogous breed groups. A higher activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes (especially aldolase and fructose-1,6-diphosphate) and a higher content of total pentoses, the adenylic system pentoses, ATP phosphorus in the muscles of the cross Limousine and Hereford bulls and Limousine heifers as compared to the pure-bred black-piebald animals of the corresponding sex coincide with a greater increase in the muscular tissue and more intensive synthesis of proteins in it. A considerably lower level of glycogen, glucose, fructose and a relatively high activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes in the muscles of cross young cattle show that disintegration of these carbohydrates is in excess of their synthesis, that is due to an increase in the energy demand connected with a more intensive synthesis of proteins in the muscular tissue. Therefore, in the authors opinion the performed kill of the cross Limousine and Hereford bulls as well as Limousine heifers, is somewhat untimely and unreasonable. At the same time the activity of all the studied enzymes in the muscles of the cross Hereford heifers, vice versa, is considerably lower as compared to the black-piebald heifers and coincides with a low gain in live weight and muscular tissue, a more rapid accumulation of glycogen and lipids and a more delayed--of proteins in the muscular tissue, that evidences for their early maturity. Therefore the further raising of the cross Hereford heifers in the farm for obtaining meat is economically less profitable. The data obtained give grounds to recommend determination of the activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes, especially of aldolase and fructose-1,6-diphosphate, as a test for checking the muscular tissue growth and for prognosing the meat productivity in the growing pure-bred and cross young cattle of different sex.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Chemotaxis toward Nitrogenous Compounds by Swimming Strains of Marine Synechococcus spp.

Many of the open-ocean isolates of the marine unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus spp. are capable of swimming motility, whereas coastal isolates are nonmotile. Surprisingly, the motile strains do not display phototactic or photophobic responses to light, but they do demonstrate positive chemoresponses to several nitrogenous compounds. The chemotactic responses of Synechococcus strain WH8113 were investigated using blind-well chemotaxis chambers fitted with 3.0-mum-pore-size Nuclepore filters. One well of each chamber contained cells suspended in aged Sargasso Sea water, and the other well contained the potential chemoattractant in seawater. The number of cells that crossed the filter into the attractant-seawater mixture was measured by direct cell counts and compared with values obtained in chambers lacking gradients. Twenty-two compounds were tested, including sugars, amino acids, and simple nitrogenous substrates, at concentrations ranging from 10 to 10 M. Strain WH8113 responded positively only to ammonia, nitrate, beta-alanine, glycine, and urea. Typically, there was a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in cell concentrations above control levels in chambers containing these compounds, which is comparable to results from similar experiments using enteric and photoheterotrophic bacteria. However, the threshold levels of 10 to 10 M found for Synechococcus spp. chemoresponses were lower by several orders of magnitude than those reported for other bacteria and fell within a range that could be ecologically significant in the oligotrophic oceans. The presence of chemotaxis in motile Synechococcus spp. supports the notion that regions of nutrient enrichment, such as the proposed microzones and patches, may play an important role in picoplankton nutrient dynamics.

Journal Article↗

Equilibrium between basic nitrogen compounds in lupin seeds with differentiated alkaloid content.

The results of studies on the content of the nitrogen basic compounds, viz. quinolizidine alkaloids, biogenic polyamines and basic amino acids in lupin seeds are presented. The investigations concerned three lupin species (Lupinus angustifolius L., Lupinus albus L. and Lupinus luteus L.) and 10 bitter and sweet cultivated varieties. Content of quinolizidine alkaloids in L. angustifolus ranged from 11.4 to 19.6 microg mg(-1) dw (bitter cultivars), from 0.18 to 0.47 microg mg(-1) dw (sweet), in L. albus from 0.58 microg mg(-1) dw (sweet) to 29.6 microg mg(-1) dw (bitter) and in L. luteus from 0.59 (sweet) to 14.7 microg mg(-1) dw (bitter). Total biogenic polyamine content ranged in L. angustifolius from 2,773.9 to 3,180.2 pmol mg(-1) dw (bitter) and from 315.0 to 599.0 pmol mg(-1) dw (sweet), in L. albus from 432.6 pmol mg(-1) dw (sweet) to 1,832.0 pmol mg(-1) dw (bitter) and in L. luteus from 506.9 pmol mg(-1) dw (sweet) to 2,091.8 pmol mg(-1) dw (bitter). Total basic amino acids varied in L. angustifolus from 1,034.3 to 1,704.6 pmol mg(-1) dw (bitter) and from 1,761.9 to 2,101.9 pmol mg(-1) dw (sweet), in L. albus from 696.9 pmol mg(-1) dw (bitter) to 1,269.2 pmol mg(-1) dw (sweet) and in L. luteus from 927.6 pmol mg(-1) dw (bitter) to 1,598.3 pmol mg(-1) dw (sweet). We found a close dependence between alkaloid content and level of biogenic polyamines and basic amino acids in all three lupin species tested. All bitter lupin seeds also contain high level of biogenic polyamines but a low content of basic amino acids. The reverse relationship in sweet lupin seeds was found. The findings demonstrate that lupin nitrogen basic compounds are in steady equilibrium and that change of content in one compound leads to corresponding change in the content of another.

Alkaloids↗

Prevention and control of losses of gaseous nitrogen compounds in livestock operations: a review.

Nitrogen (N) losses from livestock houses and manure storage facilities contribute greatly to the total loss of N from livestock farms. Volatilisation of ammonia (NH3) is the major process responsible for the loss of N in husbandry systems with slurry (where average dry matter content varies between 3 and 13%). Concerning this volatilisation of NH3, the process parameters of pH and air temperature are crucial. During a period of approximately 10 years, systematic measurements of NH3 losses originating from a large variety of different livestock houses were made. One of the problems with NH3 emissions is the large variation in the measured data due to the season, the production of the animals, the manure treatment, type of livestock house, and the manure storage. Generally speaking, prevention and control of NH3 emission can be done by control of N content in the manure, moisture content, pH, and temperature. In houses for growing pigs, a combination of simple housing measures can be taken to greatly reduce NH3 emissions. In houses for laying hens, the control of the manure drying process determines the emission of NH3. Monteny has built an NH3 production model with separate modules for the emission of the manure storage under the dairy house and the floor in the house. Manure spreading is also a major source of NH3 emission and is dependent on slurry composition, environmental conditions, and farm management. The effects of these factors have been employed in a model. Losses via NO, N2O, and N2 are important in husbandry systems with solid manure and straw. The number of experimental data is, however, very limited. As N2O is an intermediate product of complex biochemical processes of nitrification and denitrification, optimal conditions are the key issues in N2O reduction strategies. We may expect that in the near future the emission of greenhouse gases will get the same attention from policy makers as NH3. Sustainable livestock production has to combine low emissions of gaseous N compounds with acceptable odour emissions, low emissions of greenhouse gases, and acceptable standards of animal welfare. For the entrepreneur, the strategy must be built on the regulations, the special conditions of his farm, and what is reasonably achievable.

Animal Husbandry↗

Reversal by prostaglandin E2 infusion of the effects of indomethacin on the excretion of nitrogenous compounds in the rat.

Rats were treated with Indomethacin (Indo; 2 mg/kg/d) with or without concomitant infusion of prostaglandin (PG)E2 (100 micrograms/d) to investigate the effects of inhibition of PG synthesis and PG replacement on the urinary excretion of total nitrogenous compounds, urea and creatinine and on the plasma concentration of urea and creatinine. The results indicated: (1) Indo significantly reduced the urine excretion of nitrogen, urea and creatinine within 48 hours of drug administration. (2) This effect was reversible on stopping the drug. (3) PGE2 infusion completely reversed the effect on urine creatinine and partly reversed the effects on urinary nitrogen and urea excretion. (4) Plasma urea concentrations were reduced by Indo and remained low during PGE2 infusion whereas plasma creatinine progressively increased during the study. The results support the hypotheses: (1) that Indo reduces the renal excretion of end products of nitrogen metabolism by inhibition of endogenous PG production and (2) that production of urea and therefore protein and amino acid metabolism is altered by Indo treatment in addition to its renal action.

Animals↗