Enhanced extracellular production of alpha-lactalbumin from Bacillus subtilis through signal peptide and promoter screening

Alpha-lactalbumin(α-LA)is a major whey protein found in breast milk and plays a crucial role in the growth and development of infants.In this study,Bacillus subtilis RIK1285 harboring AprE signal peptide(SP)was selected as the original strain for the production ofα-LA.It was found thatα-LA was identified in the pellet after ultrasonic disruption and centrifugation instead of in the fermentation supernatant.The original strain most likely only producedα-LA intracellular,but not extracellular.To improve the expression and secretion ofα-LA in RIK1285,a library of 173 homologous SPs from the B.subtilis 168 genome was fused with target LALBA gene in the pBE-S vector and expressed extracellularly in RIK1285.SP YjcN was determined to be the best signal peptide.Bands in supernatant were observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and purified by nickel column to calculate the highest yield signal peptide.In addition,different promoters(P_(aprE),P_(43),and P_(glv))were compared and applied.The results indicated that the strain RIK1285-pBE-P_(glv)-YjcN-LALBA had the highestα-LA yield,reaching 122.04μg/mL.This study demonstrates successful expression and secretion of humanα-LA in B.subtilis and establishes a foundation for simulating breast milk for infant formulas and developing bioengineered milk.

Molecular cloning,characterization and promoter analysis of LbgCWIN1 and its expression profiles in response to exogenous sucrose during in vitro bulblet initiation in lily

Lily(Lilium spp.) is an important ornamental flower, which is mainly propagated by bulbs. Cell wall invertases(CWINs), which catalyze the irreversibly conversion of sucrose into glucose and fructose in the extracellular space, are key enzymes participating in sucrose allocation in higher plants. Previous studies have shown that CWINs play an essential role in bulblet initiation process in bulbous crops, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, a CWIN gene of Lilium brownii var. giganteum(Lbg) was identified and amplified from genomic DNA. Quantitative RT-PCR assays revealed that the expression level of LbgCWIN1 was highly upregulated exactly when the endogenous starch degraded in non-sucrose medium during in vitro bulblet initiation in Lbg. Phylogenetic relationship, motif, and domain analysis of LbgCWIN1 protein and CWINs in other plant species showed that all sequences of these CWIN proteins were highly conserved. The promoter sequence of LbgCWIN1 possessed a number of alpha-amylase-, phytohormone-, light-and stress-responsive cis-elements. Meanwhile, β-glucuronidase(GUS) assay showed that the 459 bp upstream fragment from the translational start site displayed maximal promoter activity. These results revealed that LbgCWIN1 might function in the process of in vitro bulblet initiation and be in the response to degradation of endogenous starch.

Lineage-Specific Genome Architecture Links Enhancers and Non-coding Disease Variants to Target Gene Promoters

Long-range interactions between regulatory elements and gene promoters play key roles in transcriptional regulation.The vast majority of interactions are uncharted,constituting a major missing link in understanding genome control.Here,we use promoter capture Hi-C to identify interacting regions of 31,253 promoters in 17 human primary hematopoietic cell types.We show that promoter interactions are highly cell type specific and enriched for links between active promoters and epigenetically marked enhancers.Promoter interactomes reflect lineage relationships of the hematopoietic tree,consistent with dynamic remodeling of nuclear architecture during differentiation.Interacting regions are enriched in genetic variants linked with altered expression of genes they contact,highlighting their functional role.We exploit this rich resource to connect non-coding disease variants to putative target promoters,prioritizing thousands of disease-candidate genes and implicating disease pathways.Our results demonstrate the power of primary cell promoter interactomes to reveal insights into genomic regulatory mechanisms underlying common diseases.

Promoter and coding sequence diversity of CsCCD1 may contribute to the differential accumulation of floralβ-ionone in fresh tea leaves

The carotenoid-derived volatileβ-ionone makes an important contribution to tea fragrance.Here,we qualitatively and quantitatively analysed 15 carotenoids in tea leaves of 13 cultivars by UHPLC-APCI-MS/MS.The 13 cultivars were divided into two groups by PCA(Principal Component Analysis)clustering analysis of their carotenoid content,and OPLS-DA(Orthogonal projections to latent structures)indicated that the levels ofβ-carotene(VIP=2.89)and lutein(VIP=2.30)were responsible for much of the variation between the two groups.Interestingly,theβ-carotene toβ-ionone conversion rates in Group 1 were higher than in Group 2,while theβ-carotene content was significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2.Theβ-ionone content was significantly higher in Group 1.Pearson Correlation Coefficient calculation between the transcription level of candidate genes(CsCCD1 and CsCCD4)and the accumulation ofβ-ionone indicated that CsCCD1 may involve in the formation ofβ-ionone in 13 cultivars.Prokaryotic expression and in vitro enzyme activity assays showed that‘Chuanhuang 1’had an amino acid mutation in carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases 1(CsCCD1)compared with‘Shuchazao’,resulting in a significantly higherβ-ionone content in‘Chuanhuang 1’.Sequence analysis showed that‘Chuanhuang 1’and‘Huangdan’had different CsCCD1 promoter sequences,leading to significantly higher CsCCD1 expression andβ-ionone accumulation in‘Chuanhuang 1’.These results indicated that the promoter and coding sequence diversity of CsCCD1 might contribute to the differential accumulation ofβ-ionone in different tea cultivars.

OsAMT1.1 Expression by Nitrate-Inducible Promoter of OsNAR2.1 Increases Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Rice Yield

Nitrate(NO_(3)^(-))and ammonium(NH_(4)^(+))are two main inorganic nitrogen(N)sources during crop growth.Here,we enhanced the expression of OsAMT1.1,which encodes a NH_(4)^(+)transporter,using the NO_(3)^(-)-inducible promoter of OsNAR2.1 and an ubiquitin promoter in transgenic rice plants.Under field condition of 120 kg/hm2 N,agronomic N use efficiency,N recovery efficiency and N transport efficiency,and grain yield of the pOsNAR2.1:OsAMT1.1 transgenic lines were increased compared with those of the wild type(WT)and the pUbi:OsAMT1.1 transgenic plants.Under 2.0 mmol/L NO_(3)^(-)+0.5 mmol/L NH_(4)^(+)and 0.5 mmol/L NO_(3)^(-)+2.0 mmol/L NH_(4)^(+)conditions of hydroponic culture,compared with the WT,both biomass and total N content were increased in the pOsNAR2.1:OsAMT1.1 transgenic lines.However,biomass was significantly reduced in pUbi:OsAMT1.1 transgenic plants under 0.5 mmol/L NO_(3)^(-)+2.0 mmol/L NH_(4)^(+)condition.The lines expressing pOsNAR2.1:OsAMT1.1 exhibited increased OsAMT1.1 expression and 15NH_(4)^(+)influx in roots under both 2.0 mmol/L NO_(3)^(-)+0.5 mmol/L NH_(4)^(+)and 0.5 mmol/L NO_(3)^(-)+2.0 mmol/L NH_(4)^(+)conditions.Our study showed that expression of OsAMT1.1 can be promoted when driven by the OsNAR2.1 promoter,especially under high-level nitrate condition,leading to enhancement of NH_(4)^(+)uptake,N use efficiency and grain yield.

Theoretical study on the morphology of cobalt nanoparticles modulated by alkali metal promoters

Cobalt nanoparticles(NPs)catalysts are extensively used in heterogeneous catalytic reactions,and the addition of alkali metal promoters is a common method to modulate the catalytic performance because the catalyst's surface structures and morphologies are sensitive to the addition of promoters.However,the underlying modulation trend remains unclear.Herein,the adsorption of alkali metal promoters(Na and K)on the surfaces of face-centered-cubic(FCC)and hexagonal-closest packed(HCP)polymorphous cobalt was systematically investigated using density functional theory.Furthermore,the effect of alkali promoters on surface energies and nanoparticle morphologies was revealed on the basis of Wulff theory.For FCC-Co,the exposed area of the(111)facet in the nanoparticle increases with the adsorption coverage of alkali metal oxide.Meanwhile,the(311),(110),and(100)facets would disappear under the higher adsorption coverage of alkali metals.For HCPCo,the Wulff morphology is dominated by the(0001)and(1011)facets and is independent of the alkali metal adsorption coverage.This work provides insights into morphology modulation by alkali metal promoters for the rational design and synthesis of cobalt-based nanomaterials with desired facets and morphologies.

Methyltransferase 3A-mediated promoter methylation represses retinoic acid receptor responder 3 expression in basal-like breast cancer

Retinoic acid receptor responder 3(RARRES3)has been characterized as a tumor suppressor in multiple types of cancer.This study aimed to examine the expression profile of RARRES3 across the PAM50 subtypes of breast cancer.The DNA methylation status of RARRES3 was checked in the basal-like subtype,and the underlying mechanisms of its dysregulation were explored.RNA-sequencing(seq)and methylation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas were used for in-silico analysis.Basal-like representative SUM149 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines were used for in vitro and in vivo studies.Compared to tumor-adjacent normal tissues,only the basal-like tumor tissues had significantly downregulated RARRES3 expression.The methylation level of four CpG sites in the promoter region showed a strong negative correlation with RARRES3 expression.The gene coding for DNA methyltransferase 3A(DNMT3A)had consistent positive correlations with the methylation of the CpG sites.Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain-reaction and bisulfite sequencing PCR showed that DNMT3A could bind to the promoter region of RARRES3 and promote methylation of the CpG sites within the region.DNMT3A knockdown significantly restored RARRES3 expression at the mRNA and protein level in the two cell lines.CCK-8,colony formation,and flow cytometric analysis showed that RARRES3 overexpression attenuated the growth-promoting effects of DNMT3A overexpression and also weakened the DNMT3A overexpression-induced activation of ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT signaling.In summary,this study revealed that DNMT3A enhances promoter methylation of the RARRES3 gene and suppresses its transcription in basal-like breast cancer.The DNMT3A-RARRES3 signaling pathway might be a potential target for the treatment of this tumor subtype.

Promoter effect on the CO_2-H_2O formation during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on iron-based catalysts

The effects of Mg,La and Ca promoters on primary and secondary CO2 and H2O formation pathways during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on precipitated Fe/Cu/SiO2 catalysts are investigated.The chemisorbed oxygen atoms in the primary pathway formed in the CO dissociation steps reacted with co-adsorbed hydrogen or carbon monoxide to produce H2O and CO2,respectively.The secondary pathway was the water-gas shift reaction.The results indicated that the CO2 production led to an increase in both primary and secondary pathways,and H2O production decreased when surface basicity of the catalyst increased in the order Ca 〉 Mg 〉 La.

牙鲆GHR基因Promoter区微卫星序列多态性与生长性状关系的初步研究

采用牙鲆GHR基因5’端Promoter区的1个微卫星标记,对胶南和日照2个牙鲆养殖群体进行了群体遗传多样性的研究,并探索该基因多态性位点与牙鲆生长性状之间的相关性。结果表明,2个群体在该座位的等位基因数为12和9个,有效等位基因数为6.26和5.04个,多态信息含量为0.84和0.80。2个群体该座位的Hardy-Weinberg遗传偏离指数均为正值,并没有显示出杂合子缺失,但各基因型分布频率都在一定程度上偏离Hardy-Weinberg平衡(P<0.01)。连锁分析中发现,在胶南群体中,IM基因型对应的个体在全重、全长、体长、头长、体高和眼径形态学数据中均是最大的;在日照群体中,BC基因型对应的个体在全重、全长、体高、尾柄高、尾柄长和眼径数据中均是最大的;而CJ基因型对应的个体在体长和头长这两组数据中是最大的。该结果为研究GHR基因的变异对鱼类生长发育的影响及探索将该基因作为生长遗传标记的可行性奠定了实验基础。

Review on hepatitis B virus precore/core promoter mutations and their correlation with genotypes and liver disease severity

Of 350 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus(HBV)and are at risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)later in life.HBV is the most diverse DNA virus,and its genome is composed of four open reading frames:Presurface antigen/surface antigen gene(preS/S),precore/core gene(preC/C),polymerase gene(P),and theχgene(χ).HBV produces quasispecies naturally or in response to antiviral agents because of the absence of proofreading activity amid reverse transcription and a high replication rate.The virus has 10 genotypes(A to J)with different geographical distributions.There are various HBV mutations in the HBV genome,including preC/C mutations,preS/S mutations,P gene mutations,andχgene mutations.The core promoter region plays a vital part in the replication,morphogenesis and pathogenesis of the virus.The precore region also plays a crucial role in viral replication.Both core promoter and precore mutations rescue the virus from host immune surveillance and result in the formation of mutated strains that may have altered pathogenicity.preC/C mutations are associated with liver disease progression.Precore mutations stop hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)production and basal core promoter mutations downregulate HBeAg production.Mutations in the basal core promoter are also associated with increased HBV replication and an increased incidence of advanced liver diseases such as cirrhosis and HCC.The emergence of antiviral-resistant mutations is the main reason for treatment failure.This review focuses mainly on preC/C promoter mutations and their correlation with genotypes and liver disease severity.Thorough perception and knowledge of HBV genetic variety and mutants could be vital to discover techniques for the prognosis and control of HBV infection.

Effects of K and Mn promoters over Fe2O3 on Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Structural and compositional design of core-shell structure is an effective strategy towards enhanced catalysis.Herein,amorphous MnO2 nanosheets and K+-intercalated layered MnO2 nanosheets are controllably assembled over Fe2O3 spindles,in which the MnO2 nanosheets are perpendicularly anchored to the surface of Fe2O3.Such a core shell structure contributes to a high specific surface area and abundant pore channels on the surface of catalysts.In addition,the existence of K+provides large numbers of basic sites and restrains the formation of unpleasant(Fe1-xMnx)3O4.Benefiting from the merits in structure and composition,CO adsorption is enhanced and remaining time of intermediates is prolonged on the surfaces of catalysts during the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis(FTS),facilitating to the formation of active iron carbides and C–C coupling reactions.Resultantly,the Fe2O3@K+-Mn O2 shows both a high CO conversion of 82.3%and a high C5+ selectivity of 73.1%.The present study provides structural and compositional rationales on design high-performance catalysts towards FTS.

Constructing and Analyzing Fusion Promoter of Partial Sericin 1 and Bombyx A3 Cytoplasmic Actin

Previous report showed that the 209 bp DNA sequence upstream of the sericin 1 transcriptional start site （-586 to -378 bp） is involved in promoting transcription and responsible for the tissue specificity of sericin 1 promoter in silkworm Bombyx mori. In the present study, this 209 bp sequence exhibited enhancive effect by assembling in two different locations of ubiquitous Bombyx A3 cytoplasmic actin promoter. Sf-9 cells were transfected with recombinant plasmids using Cellfectin reagent. Firefly luciferase gene located downstream of fusion promoter was considered as a reporter, whereas the activity of the co-transfected Renilla luciferase gene （pGL2-SV40） provides an internal control. This 209 bp region up-regulates the strength of A3 promoter significantly （P〈0.01） when it enters into A3 promoter with respect to the position in sericin 1 gene promoter. This 209-bp fragment was almost functionless when being located upstream of A3 promoter.

Core promoter: A critical region where the hepatitis B virus makes decisions

The core promoter(CP)of the viral genome plays an important role for hepatitis B virus(HBV)replication as it directs initiation of transcription for the synthesis of both the precore and pregenomic(pg)RNAs.The CP consists of the upper regulatory region and the basal core promoter(BCP).The CP overlaps with the 3’-end of the X open reading frames and the 5’-end of the precore region,and contains cis-acting elements that can independently direct transcription of the precore mRNA and pgRNA.Its transcription regulation is under strict control of viral and cellular factors.Even though this regulatory region exhibits high sequence conservation,when variations appear,they may contribute to the persistence of HBV within the host,leading to chronic infection and cirrhosis,and eventually,hepatocellular carcinoma.Among CP sequence variations,those occurring at BCP may dysregulate viral gene expression with emphasis in the hepatitis B e antigen,and contribute to disease progression.In this review these molecular aspects and pathologic topics of core promoter are deeply evaluated.

Mutations in pre-core and basic core promoter regions of hepatitis B virus in chronic hepatitis B patients

AIM: To investigate the frequency of mutations in precore(pre-C) and basic core promoter(BCP) regions of hepatitis B virus(HBV) from Shanxi Province, and the association between mutations and disease related indexes.METHODS: One hundred chronic hepatitis B patients treated at Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included in this study. PCRreverse dot blot hybridization and mismatch amplification mutation assay(MAMA)-PCR were used to detect the mutations in the HBV pre-C and BCP regions. HBV DNA content and liver function were compared between patients with mutant HBV pre-C and BCP loci and those with wild-type loci. The consistency between PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and MAMA-PCR for detecting mutations in the HBV pre-C and BCP regions was assessed.RESULTS: Of the 100 serum samples detected, 9.38% had single mutations in the pre-C region, 29.17% had single mutations in the BCP region, 41.67% had mutations in both BCP and pre-C regions, and 19.79% had wild-type loci. The rates of BCP and pre-C mutations were 65.7% and 34.3%, respectively, in hepatitis B e antigen(HBe Ag) positive patients, and 84.6% and 96.2%, respectively, in HBe Ag negative patients. The rate of pre-C mutations was significantly higher in HBe Ag negative patients than in HBe Ag positive patients(χ~2 = 26.62, P = 0.00), but there was no significant difference in the distribution of mutations in the BCP region between HBeAg positive and negative patients(χ~2 = 2.43, P = 0.12). The presence of mutations in the pre-C(Wilcoxon W = 1802.5, P = 0.00) and BCP regions(Wilcoxon W = 2906.5, P = 0.00) was more common in patients with low HBV DNA content. Both AST and GGT were significantly higher in patients with mutant pre-C and BCP loci than in those with wild-type loci(P < 0.05). PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and MAMA-PCR for detection of mutations in the BCP and pre-C regions had good consistency, and the Kappa values obtained were 0.91 and 0.58, respectively.CONCLUSION: HBe Ag negative patients tend to have HBV pre-C mutations. However, these mutations do not cause increased DNA copies, but associate with damage of liver function.

Cloning and expression analysis of the FvNCED3 gene and its promoter from ash(Fraxinus velutina)

The 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase(NCED)gene is rate-limiting in abscisic acid(ABA) biosynthesis.In this study, an NCED gene, designated FvNCED3(KY008746), was cloned from velvet ash(Fraxinus velutina Torr.) with a RACE method. The full length c DNA of FvNCED3 encodes a 573-amino acid polypeptide.Sequencing analysis showed that the FvNCED3 protein was highly homologous to other NCED proteins. The expression patterns of FvNCED3 in different ash organs were analyzed by real-time PCR which revealed that FvNCED3 expression levels were highest in leaves and lowest in roots. The gene expression patterns of FvNCED3 under abiotic stress indicated that its expression increased under drought, salt and ABA stress and decreased due to high and low temperatures. There were no obvious changes under ultraviolet light. The 1094-bp upstream sequence 5' flank regulation region of the FvNCED3 gene was also cloned from ash using the Genome Walking method. To assess the activity of the FvNCED3 promoter, a p FvNCED3 p::GUS plant expression vector was constructed for tobacco transformation. GUS expression of the FvNCED3 GUS enzyme activity was detected in almost all transgenic tobacco tissues, especially in the young leaves,stigma, anther, ovule and ovary. After treating the transgenic tobacco with NaCl and placing it under drought stress, GUS staining of tobacco leaves increased compared with that under normal growth conditions. This result indicates that gene expression driven by the FvNCED3 promoter can be induced by salt and drought stress.

Underexpression of LATS1 TSG in colorectal cancer is associated with promoter hypermethylation

AIM:To investigate large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1 ) expression, promoter hypermethylation, and microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer (CRC).METHODS:RNA was isolated from tumor tissue of 142 CRC patients and 40 colon mucosal biopsies of healthy controls. After reverse transcription, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed, and LATS1 expression was normalized to expression of the ACTB and RPL32 housekeeping genes. To analyze hypermethylation, genomic DNA was isolated from 44 tumor CRC biopsies, and methylation-specific PCR was performed. Microsatellite instability (MSI) status was checked with PCR using BAT26, BAT25, and BAT40 markers in the genomic DNA of 84 CRC patients, followed by denaturing gel electrophoresis. RESULTS:Decreased LATS1 expression was found in 127/142 (89.4%) CRC cases with the average ratio of the LATS1 level 10.33 ± 32.64 in CRC patients vs 32.85 ± 33.56 in healthy controls. The lowest expression was found in Dukes' B stage tumors and G1 (welldifferentiated) cells. Hypermethylation of the LATS1 promoter was present in 25/44 (57%) CRC cases analyzed. LATS1 promoter hypermethylation was strongly associated with decreased gene expression; methylated cases showed 162× lower expression of LATS1 than unmethylated cases. Although high-grade MSI (mutation in all three markers) was found in 14/84 (17%) cases and low-grade MSI (mutation in 1-2 markers) was found in 30/84 (36%) cases, we found no association with LATS1 expression. CONCLUSION:Decreased expression of LATS1 in CRC was associated with promoter hypermethylation, but not MSI status. Such reduced expression may promote progression of CRC.

Promoter methylation status of hMLH1,MGMT,and CDKN2A/p16 in colorectal adenomas

AIM:To investigate aberrant DNA methylation of CpG islands and subsequent low-or high-level DNA microsatellite instability(MSI)which is assumed to drive colon carcinogenesis. METHODS:DNA of healthy individuals,adenoma(tu-bular or villous/tubulovillous)patients,and colorectal carcinoma patients who underwent colonoscopy was used for assessing the prevalence of aberrant DNA methylation of human DNA mismatch repair gene mutator L homologue 1(hMLH1),Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A(CDKN2A/p16),and O-6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase(MGMT),as well as their rela- tion to MSI. RESULTS:The frequency of promoter methylation for each locus increased in the sequence healthy tissue/adenoma/carcinoma.MGMT showed the highest frequency in each group.MGMT and CDKN2A/p16 presented a statistically significant increase in promoter methylation between the less and more tumorigenic forms of colorectal adenomas(tubular vs tubullovillous and villous adenomas).All patients with tubulovillous/villous adenomas,as well as all colorectal cancer patients,showed promoter methylation in at least one of the examined loci.These findings suggest a potentially crucial role for methylation in the polyp/adenoma to cancer progres- sion in colorectal carcinogenesis.MSI and methylation seem to be interdependent,as simultaneous hMLH1, CDKN2A/p16,and MGMT promoter methylation was present in 8/9 colorectal cancer patients showing the MSI phenotype. CONCLUSION:Methylation analysis of hMLH1,CD- KN2A/p16,and MGMT revealed specific methylation profiles for tubular adenomas,tubulovillous/villous adenomas,and colorectal cancers,supporting the use of these alterations in assessment of colorectal tumorigenesis.

Analysis of the methylation pattern of six gene promoters in sperm of men with abnormal protamination

It has recently been shown that alteration of the methylation pattern of imprinted genes is associated with different types of male infertility. The objective of our study was to investigate the methylation pattern of selected gene promoters in sperm of patients with abnormal protamine replacement. The promoters of OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, HOXC11, miR-17and CREMwere analyzed using bisulfite sequencing and the percentage of DNA methylation was compared between patients with an abnormal protamine l/protamine 2 （P1/ P2） ratio and normozoospermic controls. No significant quantitative differences were found between groups of patients with either an abnormally high or low P1/P2 ratio compared to normal controls. However, two individual samples from infertile subjects （2/20, 10%） showed an altered methylation pattern for the CREMgene promoter that was not found in control samples. These two samples had a significantly higher （P〈0.05） promoter methylation （5.58 and 4.23%, respectively） compared to the control group （0.46%）. In conclusion, in our pilot study, extreme methylations defects were not seen broadly in severely infertile men. However, two patients exhibited altered methylation of the CREMgene, which may be either causative or a result of abnormal protmaine replacement.

Study of Manganese Promoter on a Precipitated Iron-Based Catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

The effects of Manganese （Mn） incorporation on a precipitated iron-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis （FTS） catalyst were investigated using N2 physical adsorption, air differential thermal analysis （DTA）, H2 temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）, and Mǒssbauer spectroscopy. The FTS performances of the catalysts were tested in a slurry phase reactor. The characterization results indicated that Mn increased the surface area of the catalyst, and improved the dispersion of （α-Fe2O3 and reduced its crystallite size as a result of the high dispersion effect of Mn and the Fe-Mn interaction. The Fe-Mn interaction also suppressed the reduction of （α-Fe2O3 to Fe3O4, stabilized the FeO phase, and （or） decreased the carburization degree of the catalysts in the H2 and syngas reduction processes. In addition, incorporated Mn decreased the initial catalyst activity, but improved the catalyst stability because Mn restrained the reoxidation of iron carbides to Fe3O4, and improved further carburization of the catalysts. Manganese suppressed the formation of CH4 and increased the selectivity to light olefins （C2-4^=）, but it had little effect on the selectivities to heavy （C5＋） hydrocarbons. All these results indicated that the strong Fe-Mn interaction suppressed the chemisorptive effect of the Mn as an electronic promoter, to some extent, in the precipitated iron-manganese catalyst system.

Flux enhancement during ultrafiltration of produced water using turbulence promoter

Concentration polarization and membrane fouling remain one of the major hurdles for the implementation of ultrafiltration of produced water. Although many applications for ultrafiltration were already suggested, only few were implemented on an industrial scale. Among those techniques, turbulence promoter can be more simple and effective in overcoming membrane fouling and enhancing membrane flux. As for the result that turbulence promoter increase fluid velocity, wall shear rates and produce secondary flows or instabilities, the influence of turbulence promoter was investigated on permeate flux during produced water ultrafiltration and the potential application of this arrangement for an industrial development. Experimental investigations were performed on 100 KDa molecular weight cut-off PVDF single-channel tubular membrane module using four kinds of turbulence promoters. It is observed that the significant flux enhancement in the range of 83%--164% was achieved while the hydraulic dissipated power per unit volume of permeate decreased from 31%--42%, which indicated that the using of turbulence promoter is more efficient than operation without the turbulence promoter. The effects of transmembrane pressure and cross-flow velocity with and without turbulence promoter were studied as well. Among the four kinds of turbulence promoters, winding inserts with 20.0 mm pitch and 1.0 mm wire diameter showed better performances than the others did.