A microplate spectrofluorometric assay for bacterial biofilms.

A spectrofluorometric assay was developed for quantification of bacterial biofilms grown on a microtiter plate. The method involved staining biofilms formed by gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria with wheat germ agglutinin-Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate, which selectively binds to N-acetylglucosamine residues in biofilms. The fluorescence of stained biofilms was measured with a fluorescent plate reader.

Distribution and occurrence of diatom community along three estuaries of Dakshina Kannada, west coast of India.

The present paper deals with the collection and identification of Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) of three estuaries at Dakshina Kannada district, (Karnataka). The studies were carried out for a period of one year extending between November 1994 to December 1995. A total of 33 taxa belonging to 24 genera were recorded from three different estuaries.

Effect of pH on domoic acid toxicity in mice.

Domoic acid is a shellfish toxin which produces gastrointestinal distress, followed by neurological symptoms such as headache, confusion, disorientation and severe deficits in short-term memory. Domoic acid is an amino acid which contains three carboxylic groups, and one imino group, and its solubility, rate of absorption, and elimination would vary depending on the protonation of these groups at different pH's. We propose that domoic acid toxicity varies with pH of administered domoic acid solution.

Structure-activity relationships and interactions among trichothecene mycotoxins as assessed by yeast bioassay.

A yeast (Kluyveromyces marxianus) bioassay was used to establish the relative toxicity of 16 trichothecenes and some of their interactions. Removal of an isovaleryl group, one or two acetyl groups, or two acetyl plus an isovaleryl groups from T-2 toxin (T2) to form diacetoxyscirpenol, HT-2 toxin (HT2), T2-triol and T-2 tetraol (T2-4ol) decreased toxicity 7, 36, 276 and 558-fold, respectively. A combination of T2 and HT2, T2 and T2-4ol, deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV), or DON and T2 exhibited synergistic (T2 and HT2 or DON and NIV) or antagonistic (DON and T2) responses.

Optimization of Yeast Bioassay for Trichothecene Mycotoxins.

An improved disc diffusion type bioassay was developed for T-2 toxin (T-2), HT-2 toxin (HT-2), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), neosolaniol (NSL), fusarenon-X (FUS-X), trichothecin (TIN), roridin A (RDA) and verrucarin A (VCA) using the yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus . Factors such as type of medium, agar volume per plate, preincubation time and temperature, incubation temperature, inoculum size and pH had variable, and in some cases a dramatic effect on the sensitivity of the assay. The effect of pH of the assay medium was particularly pronounced.