During alcoholic fermentation Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolizes L-arginine to ornithine and urea. S. cerevisiae can metabolize urea through the action of urea amidolyase, encoded by the DUR1,2 gene; however, DUR1,2 is subject to nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) in the presence of high quality nitrogen sources during fermentation. Being cytotoxic at high concentrations, urea is exported into wine where it spontaneously reacts with ethanol, and forms the carcinogen ethyl carbamate (EC). Urea degrading yeast strains were created by integrating a linear cassette containing the DUR1,2 gene under the control of the S. cerevisiae PGK1 promoter and terminator signals into the URA3 locus of the Sake yeast strains K7 and K9. The ‘self-cloned’ strains K7EC- and K9EC- produced Sake wine with 68% less EC. The Sake strains K7EC- and K9EC- did not efficiently reduce EC in Chardonnay wine due to the evolutionary adaptation of said strains to the unique nutrients of rice mash; therefore, the functionality of engineered yeasts must be tested in their niche environments as to correctly characterize new strains. S. cerevisiae possesses an NCR controlled high affinity urea permease (DUR3). Urea importing yeast strains were created by integrating a linear cassette containing the DUR3 gene under the control of the PGK1 promoter and terminator signals into the TRP1 locus of the yeast strains K7 (Sake) and 522 (wine). In Chardonnay wine, the urea importing strains K7D3 and 522D3 reduced EC by 7% and 81%, respectively; reduction by these strains was equal to reduction by the urea degrading strains K7EC- and 522EC-. In Sake wine, the urea degrading strains K7EC- and 522EC- reduced EC by 87% and 84% respectively, while the urea importing strains K7D3 and 522D3 were significantly less capable of reducing EC (15% and 12% respectively). In Chardonnay and Sake wine, engineered strains that constitutively co-expressed DUR1,2 and DUR3 did not reduce EC more effectively than strains in which either gene was expressed solely. Uptake of 14C-urea under non-inducing conditions was enhanced in urea importing strains; parental strains failed to incorporate any 14C-urea thus confirming the functionality of the urea permease derived from the integrated DUR3 cassette.

During alcoholic fermentation Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolizes L-arginine to ornithine and urea. S. cerevisiae can metabolize urea through the action of urea amidolyase, encoded by the DUR1,2 gene; however, DUR1,2 is subject to nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) in the presence of high quality nitrogen sources during fermentation. Being cytotoxic at high concentrations, urea is exported into wine where it spontaneously reacts with ethanol, and forms the carcinogen ethyl carbamate (EC). Urea degrading yeast strains were created by integrating a linear cassette containing the DUR1,2 gene under the control of the S. cerevisiae PGK1 promoter and terminator signals into the URA3 locus of the Sake yeast strains K7 and K9. The ‘self-cloned’ strains K7EC- and K9EC- produced Sake wine with 68% less EC. The Sake strains K7EC- and K9EC- did not efficiently reduce EC in Chardonnay wine due to the evolutionary adaptation of said strains to the unique nutrients of rice mash; therefore, the functionality of engineered yeasts must be tested in their niche environments as to correctly characterize new strains. S. cerevisiae possesses an NCR controlled high affinity urea permease (DUR3). Urea importing yeast strains were created by integrating a linear cassette containing the DUR3 gene under the control of the PGK1 promoter and terminator signals into the TRP1 locus of the yeast strains K7 (Sake) and 522 (wine). In Chardonnay wine, the urea importing strains K7D3 and 522D3 reduced EC by 7% and 81%, respectively; reduction by these strains was equal to reduction by the urea degrading strains K7EC- and 522EC-. In Sake wine, the urea degrading strains K7EC- and 522EC- reduced EC by 87% and 84% respectively, while the urea importing strains K7D3 and 522D3 were significantly less capable of reducing EC (15% and 12% respectively). In Chardonnay and Sake wine, engineered strains that constitutively co-expressed DUR1,2 and DUR3 did not reduce EC more effectively than strains in which either gene was expressed solely. Uptake of 14C-urea under non-inducing conditions was enhanced in urea importing strains; parental strains failed to incorporate any 14C-urea thus confirming the functionality of the urea permease derived from the integrated DUR3 cassette.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Münster (Westfalen).

Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Münster (Westfalen).

Aspergillus flavusis a filamentous fungusthat causes an ear and kernel rot in maize (Zea mays L.). It produces a toxic secondary metabolite, aflatoxin, on the colonized maize kernels. Aflatoxin is a carcinogen to humans and animals. The toxin is also an immunosuppressant and causes aspergillosis in immune compromised individuals. Therefore, the presence of aflatoxin in food is strictly regulated by governmental agencies. Contaminated food leads to severe loss in profit and in marketable yield. There has been extensive research to investigate resistance of maize toA. flavus. Certain lines of maize exhibit increased resistance to A. flavus and aflatoxin accumulation compared to others and correlated with that are proteins and metabolites that differ in abundance in those lines. Among them are members of the cupin superfamily of proteins and products of special nitrogen metabolism (derived from glutamate). The goal here was to identify networks underlying disease resistance indifferent maize genotypes through the identification of protein-protein interactions and the analysis of transcript abundance profiles realting to cupins and glutamate. The outcome will be an understanding of host resistance to A. flavussufficient to develop methods to prevent pre-harvest contamination by aflatoxin. A protein abundant in resistant maize was identified as a cupin and named ZmCUP1. The cDNA isolation, expression in E. coliand characterization of the protein encoded by the mRNA, Zmcup1, lead to the discovery that the ZmCUP1 protein had anti fungal properties and oxalate decarboxylase activity (EC 4.1.1.2). Another part of the project aimed at understanding the involvement of a transgene that encoded bacterial NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase (GDHA; EC 4.2.3.1) that reduced aflatoxin accumulation by half. A maize partial predicted protein to protein interactome was built and used to identify potential interactions between proteins expressed differentially in lines of maize resistant to A. flavus. These interactions were characterized in-silico and one specific interaction, between Zmcup1 and a maize zinc finger protein was characterized in vitro.

During alcoholic fermentation Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolizes L-arginine to ornithine and urea. S. cerevisiae can metabolize urea through the action of urea amidolyase, encoded by the DUR1,2 gene; however, DUR1,2 is subject to nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) in the presence of high quality nitrogen sources during fermentation. Being cytotoxic at high concentrations, urea is exported into wine where it spontaneously reacts with ethanol, and forms the carcinogen ethyl carbamate (EC). Urea degrading yeast strains were created by integrating a linear cassette containing the DUR1,2 gene under the control of the S. cerevisiae PGK1 promoter and terminator signals into the URA3 locus of the Sake yeast strains K7 and K9. The ‘self-cloned’ strains K7EC- and K9EC- produced Sake wine with 68% less EC. The Sake strains K7EC- and K9EC- did not efficiently reduce EC in Chardonnay wine due to the evolutionary adaptation of said strains to the unique nutrients of rice mash; therefore, the functionality of engineered yeasts must be tested in their niche environments as to correctly characterize new strains. S. cerevisiae possesses an NCR controlled high affinity urea permease (DUR3). Urea importing yeast strains were created by integrating a linear cassette containing the DUR3 gene under the control of the PGK1 promoter and terminator signals into the TRP1 locus of the yeast strains K7 (Sake) and 522 (wine). In Chardonnay wine, the urea importing strains K7D3 and 522D3 reduced EC by 7% and 81%, respectively; reduction by these strains was equal to reduction by the urea degrading strains K7EC- and 522EC-. In Sake wine, the urea degrading strains K7EC- and 522EC- reduced EC by 87% and 84% respectively, while the urea importing strains K7D3 and 522D3 were significantly less capable of reducing EC (15% and 12% respectively). In Chardonnay and Sake wine, engineered strains that constitutively co-expressed DUR1,2 and DUR3 did not reduce EC more effectively than strains in which either gene was expressed solely. Uptake of 14C-urea under non-inducing conditions was enhanced in urea importing strains; parental strains failed to incorporate any 14C-urea thus confirming the functionality of the urea permease derived from the integrated DUR3 cassette. / Medicine, Faculty of / Medical Genetics, Department of / Graduate

Nickel is a widely used metal in industrial and commercial applications, being both workable and highly resistant to corrosion. Certain nickel compounds are known human carcinogens, but not all nickel compounds are equally hazardous. A robust method of assessing the carcinogenic potential of various nickel compounds is needed in order to determine safe occupational exposure levels. This work attempts to develop an in vitro mammalian cell culture method for assessing the carcinogenic and toxic potential of nickel compounds by metabolic and cell cycle analysis. Two cell lines, C3H/10T1/2 and MRC-5, were used. Measurements of extracellular metabolites by enzymatic methods and HPLC were combined with cell counts and cell cycle and apoptosis analysis by flow cytometry. This work shows that nickel sulphate can elicit a metabolic response similar to that of organic carcinogens, though the underlying mechanisms are likely different. / Vale Canada Limited, NSERC

Doctor of Philosophy / Food Science Institute -- Animal Science & Industry / J. Scott Smith / Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are produced in meats cooked at high temperature, which are potent mutagens and a risk factor for human cancers. Occurrence of HCAs in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products and cooked meat products based on prevalence of various cooking methods that are preferred among U.S. meat consumers were investigated. The primary HCAs detected in samples were PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine), MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline), and DiMeIQx (2-amino-3,4,8-trimethyl-imidazo [4,5-f]quinoxaline). RTE meat products were ranked in the following order of increasing total HCA content: pepperoni (0.05 ng/g) < hot dogs and deli meat products (0.5 ng/g) < fully cooked bacon (1.1 ng/) < rotisserie chicken meat (1.9 ng/g) < rotisserie chicken skin (16.3 ng/g). In cooked meat products, high levels of total HCAs were found in fried pork (13.91 ng/g), fried fish (14.91 ng/g), and fried bacon (17.91 ng/g). Inhibition of HCAs by rosemary extracts, which were extracted with different solvents, were evaluated in cooked beef patties. Five rosemary extracts were 100W (100% water), 10E (10% ethanol), 20E (20% ethanol), 30E (30% ethanol), and 40E (40% ethanol). Rosemary extract 20E containing a mixture of rosmarinic acid (27.3 mg/g), carnosol (72.9 mg/g), and carnosic acid (4.2 mg/g) showed the greatest inhibition of MeIQx (up to 91.7%) and PhIP (up to 85.3%). The effect of enhancement and marination on HCA formation in meat products was investigated. The addition of salt and phosphate greatly improved the water-holding capacity and decreased HCA formation (up to 58%) in enhanced fresh meat products. An greater reduction of HCAs (up to 79%) was found in marinated fresh meat; the enhancement solution for this meat contained ingredients that exhibited good antioxidant properties.

Clinical research is needed to understand how cigarette toxicant yield affects smoker toxicant exposure. While there is much clinical research on yield and exposure in developed countries, there is little in developing countries. Forty smokers completed one, 4-hour session to compare yield and exposure of different cigarettes. Participants smoked three cigarettes under controlled topography conditions: one U.S. 111 flavor, one U.S. ultra light, and one Syrian cigarette, with 90 minutes between cigarettes. Sessions differed by Syrian brand; 21 participants smoked Alhamraa while 19 smoked A1 Sham cigarettes. Blood nicotine and breath CO samples were obtained, HR was monitored and subjective withdrawal and cigarette effect questions were asked. Results suggest that Syrian Alhamraa and U.S. full flavor were similar in exposure while Syrian A1 Sham and U.S. ultra light were similar. Though U.S. full flavor and ultra light cigarettes differed in toxicant yield and exposure, subjective ratings of withdrawal were similar.

Um realistische Risikoabschätzungen von karzinogenen und genotoxischen Expositionen besser bewerten zu können, bedarf es Untersuchungen von Kombinationen welche sich von der Einzellstoffbetrachtung loslöst. Die Zielsetzung der vorliegenden Arbeit bestand darin, herauszufinden, ob die Gentoxizität einer Kombination in ihrer Stärke vom erwarteten Effekt der normalen Additivität abweicht, wenn die Kurven der Dosis – Wirkungsbeziehung der Einzelkomponenten nicht lineare Verläufe zeigen. Dabei muss zwischen Dosisaddition und Wirkaddition der Kombinationen unterschieden werden, das heißt ob die Einzelkomponenten einen untereinander ähnlichen oder unabhängigen Wirkmechanismus verfolgen. Für nicht lineare Dosis – Wirkungsbeziehungen differieren also die Kurvenverläufe zwischen Dosisaddition und Wirkaddition und bilden einen möglichen Bereich der Additivität zwischen ihnen (auch: „Hülle der Additivität“). Nur Reaktionen welche außerhalb dieses Bereiches ablaufen, dürfen als synergistische oder antagonistische Effekte bezeichnet werden. Diese Überlegungen wurden überprüft mit der Analysierung von Mikrokernen, induziert in L5178Y Maus – Lymphom – Zellen durch die methylierenden Substanzen Methylmethansulfonat (MMS) und Methyl-Nitroso-Urea (MNU), sowie dem Topoisomerase II Inhibitor Genistein (GEN). Alle drei Chemikalien erzeugen reproduzierbare sublineare Dosis – Wirkungsbeziehungen. Für die Analyse der Kombinationseffekte wurden diese Substanzen in drei binären Mixturen miteinander gemischt. Für MMS + MNU war der Effekt vereinbar mit Dosisaddition und lag signifikant höher als der vorkalkulierte Effekt der Netto – Wirkung. Für MMS + GEN lag der gemessene Effekt über der Wirkaddition, jedoch unter der Dosisaddition. Für MNU + GEN lag der gemessene Effekt unterhalb der Wirkaddition und deutete damit auf einen echten Antagonismus hin. In Unkenntnis des sublinearen Dosis – Wirkungsverhaltens der Einzelsubstanzen wäre ein synergistischer Effekt von MMS mit beiden Substanzen MNU und GEN fälschlicherweise vorausgesagt worden. Der beobachtete Unterschied zwischen MMS und MNU und deren jeweiligen Kombination mit GEN wäre mit einer stark vereinfachten Interpretation der DNA - Methylierung nicht vorausgesagt worden. Ursachen könnten eine doch zu unterschiedliche Form der DNA – Methylierung und / oder epigentische Faktoren sein. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass Kenntnisse der Nichtlinearität von Dosis – Wirkungskurven der einzelnen Substanzen ausschlaggebend für die Analyse von Synergismus oder Antagonismus in deren Kombinationen ist. Weiterhin ist ein Vorwissen über tiefere mechanistische Vorgänge hilfreich für eine Vorhersage von ähnlichen oder unabhängigen Wirkprozessen. / Distinction between dose addition and response addition for the analysis of the toxicity of mixtures may allow differentiation of the components regarding similar versus independent mode of action. For nonlinear dose responses for the components, curves of dose addition and response addition differ and embrace an "envelope of additivity." Synergistic or antagonistic interaction may then be postulated only if the mixture effect is outside this surface. This situation was analyzed for the induction of micronuclei in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells by the two methylating agents methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and the topoisomerase-II inhibitor genistein (GEN). All three chemicals reproducibly generated sublinear (upward convex) dose-response relationships. For the analysis of mixture effects, these genotoxic agents were investigated in the three binary combinations. Statistical testing for dose addition along parallel exponential dose responses was performed by linear regression with interaction based on the logarithm of the number of cells that contain micronuclei. For MMS+MNU, the mixture effect was compatible with dose addition (i.e., significantly larger than calculated for the addition of net responses). For MMS+GEN, the measured effect was larger than for response addition but smaller than for dose addition. For MNU+GEN, the measured effect was below response addition, indicative of true antagonism. In the absence of knowledge on the sublinear dose-response relationships for the individual components, a synergistic effect of MMS on both MNU and GEN would have been postulated erroneously. The observed difference between MMS and MNU when combined with GEN would not have been predicted on the basis of a simplistic interpretation of DNA methylation as the mode of action and may be due to differences in the profile of DNA methylations and/or epigenetic effects. We conclude that knowledge of nonlinearities of the dose-response curves of individual components of a mixture can be crucial to analyze for synergism or antagonism and that an in-depth mechanistic knowledge is useful for a prediction of similarity or independence of action.