营养胁迫下球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel)的生长行为及溶血活性

近年来,我国广东沿海连续出现大面积球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosaScherffel)赤潮,产生溶血毒素等有害物质,给当地的海洋养殖业造成重大的经济损失。研究不同的生长时期及半连续培养时不同营养盐胁迫下,球形棕囊藻溶血毒素的产生行为。结果显示,批量培养的球形棕囊藻处于生长平稳期末时,溶血活性最大((21±1)units/L);半连续培养时,营养盐限制对球形棕囊藻的生长有明显的抑制作用,其中Fe3 及N盐限制影响最为明显。同时,营养盐限制也可促进棕囊藻溶血毒素的合成,其中Fe3 和-Mn2 的限制性时球形棕囊藻溶血活性显著增强。这些结果表明,球形棕囊藻溶血毒素的产生与藻细胞的生长可能受不同机制的调节,溶血毒素的合成可能是环境胁迫下棕囊藻维持生存的一种策略。     

有害赤潮生物球形棕囊藻对卤虫的毒性研究

利用1997年10月和1998年6月分别在广东汕头饶平海域和香港海域分离到的球形棕囊藻,即球形棕囊藻香港株(Phaeocystis globosastrain HK)和球形棕囊藻汕头株(Phaeocystis globosastrain ST),在实验室条件下研究其对四日龄卤虫(Artemia sinica)的急性毒性。结果表明,对数生长期的HK株藻液24h对卤虫LC₅₀约为2.9×10⁵cell·mL^-1。对数期的ST株对卤虫的毒性难以达到半致死浓度,衰亡期的ST株24h对卤虫LC₅₀约为9.89×10⁶cell·mL^-1。在上述浓度下两者半致死时间分别为20.91h和26.62h,而对数生长期的HK株和衰亡期的ST株的培养物过滤液24h对卤虫LC₅₀则分别为7.1×10⁵cell·mL^-1和1.457×10⁷cell·mL^-1,且在该浓度下的半致死时间分别为26.56h和28.02h。实验表明,HK株藻液和滤液的毒性均大于ST株,且藻液的毒性均大于滤液。     

球形棕囊藻对五种水生动物的急性毒性作用

利用室内半静水法研究球形棕囊藻培养液、藻细胞悬浮液、去藻细胞滤液、藻细胞内容物、藻细胞碎片以及溶血毒素粗提物对卤虫(Artemia sinica)、褶皱臂尾轮虫(Brachionus plicatilis)、蒙古裸腹潘(Moina mongolia)、赤点石斑鱼幼鱼(Epinephelus akaara)和南美白对虾(Penaeus vannamei)5种水生动物的影响,并对其致毒途径进行分析.结果表明,与对照相比,培养液、藻细胞悬浮液处理卤虫,其运动速度下降,培养液、藻细胞悬浮液与毒素粗提物处理轮虫72 h,存活率显著降低(P＜0.05),卤虫、轮虫消化道中充满藻细胞,提示摄食球形棕囊藻可能是引起卤虫、轮虫中毒的主要途径.培养液、滤液和藻细胞内容物对赤点石斑鱼幼鱼均有显著的致死作用,而藻细胞碎片和溶血毒素粗提物对幼鱼的存活无明显影响,表明球形棕囊藻细胞表面并不存在毒性物质,球形棕囊藻可能会分泌有毒物质进入水体,进而影响鱼类的生长.培养液、藻细胞悬浮液、去藻细胞滤液、毒素粗提物处理蒙古裸腹溞72 h虽有死亡,但存活率与对照无显著差异;南美白对虾的情况与蒙古裸腹溞类似,表明球形棕囊藻及相关组分对蒙古裸腹溞和对虾的影响较小.这些结果表明,球形棕囊藻对不同生物的毒害作用不同;摄食和分泌有毒、有害物是球形棕囊藻引致生物中毒的主要途径;除了溶血毒素以外,球形棕囊藻还可能产生其他鱼毒性物质.     

球形棕囊藻的生长、囊体形态以及囊体细胞的分布

球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosa)是中国近海海区常见有害藻华原因种, 其异型生活史中包含单细胞和球形囊体两种形态。游离单细胞直径一般为几微米, 囊体最大直径可达3 cm, 巨大的体积可能导致囊体具有特殊的结构和细胞分布。以球形棕囊藻汕头株为研究对象, 测定了囊体直径、囊体细胞丰度和游离单细胞丰度, 并探讨球形棕囊藻囊体形态与细胞分布的关系。研究结果表明, 囊体形态在其异型生活史中占优势, 囊体对生物量的贡献介于38%–95%之间, 在对数生长期的后期和稳定期, 囊体细胞与单细胞相比占绝对优势。囊体细胞数量与囊体直径的对数呈线性相关, 回归线斜率为1.34, 该值显著低于世界海区其它球形棕囊藻株系的研究结果, 表明汕头株单位囊体表面上分布的细胞数更少。中国海区的球形棕囊藻囊体结构和细胞分布与其它株系不同, 在爆发球形棕囊藻的海区, 巨大的囊体能够有效地抵御摄食, 可能对区域海洋食物链结构和功能有重要影响。     

Vc二步发酵中Na^＋,Ca^＋＋及pH对巨大芽孢杆菌生长作用的影响

200mmol/LNa＋可导致对数生长期末期巨大芽孢杆菌的自溶,而这种自溶作用能被Ca＋＋抑制;在对数生长期后期,200mmol/LNa＋＋可使菌体提前到达稳定期;在衰亡期,200mmol/LNa＋能抑制菌体的衰亡。pH6.0可导致对数生长期末期菌体的自溶,pH6.0或pH6.4能明显的抑制衰亡期菌体的衰亡。     

球形棕囊藻赤潮消亡过程环境因子变化及其消亡原因

针对2014年2月北部湾近岸海域的2次球形棕囊藻赤潮,分析了球形棕囊藻赤潮消亡过程的环境变化,探讨了球形棕囊藻赤潮消亡的原因。结果表明:棕囊藻赤潮发生期各站点球形棕囊藻的胶质囊泡密度为200~3000个·m-3,细胞密度为1.8×107~1.5×108cells·L-1,而赤潮消亡期各站点球形棕囊藻的胶质囊泡密度为1~200个·m-3,细胞密度为1.0×106~8.3×107cells·L-1,监测期间胶质囊泡和细胞密度呈下降趋势,赤潮逐步消亡;赤潮消亡时主要环境因子变化特征显著,水温、p H值、DO及COD含量呈下降趋势,活性磷酸盐及部分站点无机氮浓度较低,氮磷比呈上升趋势;温度降低、盐度升高和磷酸盐的限制影响球形棕囊藻的生长繁殖,很可能是直接导致球形棕囊藻赤潮消亡的主要原因。本研究为今后球形棕囊藻赤潮的预警和治理提供重要依据。     

小定鞭藻毒素的分离与鉴定

从大量死鱼的鱼池中收集分离出小定鞭藻Ｐｒｙｍｎｅｓｉｕｍｐｏｒｖｕｍ的毒株,并在实验室成功地进行了单种培养,当温度２３℃,光照６００－８００ｌｘ盐度约１２—１６‰左右时,该藻在海水及人工海水培养基中均生长良好,在对数生长末期到平衡期溶血毒素活性最高。从藻细胞及浓缩的培养液中提取出二种毒素：溶血毒素（Ｈａｅｍｏｌｙｔｉｃｔｏｘｉｎｓ）和鱼毒素（Ｉｃｈｔｈｙｏｔｏｘｉｎｓ）。用新鲜牛血球测定了溶血毒素活性;用孔雀鱼测定了鱼毒素活性。用部分纯化的溶血毒素经元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振及ＦＡＢ质谱测定,结果显示该藻溶血毒素可能是一个糖脂。     

球形棕囊藻囊体形成中光照、营养盐和共存硅藻的影响

在不同光照和营养盐结构条件下半连续培养球形棕囊藻和3种硅藻,研究光照、营养盐限制和硅藻竞争对球形棕囊藻囊体形成的影响。结果表明:高光照显著促进了藻类的生长,球形棕囊藻在低光环境下几乎不形成囊体。球形棕囊藻和3种硅藻对光限制和P限制更加敏感,而在N限制环境中均具有相对较高的生物量。粒径较小的球形棕囊藻游离单细胞和中肋骨条藻在营养盐和光限制条件下比粒径较大的细胞具有更强的竞争能力。硝酸盐是球形棕囊藻囊体形成的营养基础,但是营养盐结构并未改变棕囊藻囊体形态。具有两种生活史状态有利于球形棕囊藻度过资源限制的环境,从而有利于球形棕囊藻在硅藻藻华之后再次形成藻华。     

球形棕囊藻的生长特性及生活史研究

对球形棕囊藻不同的藻株(香港株HK和汕头株ST)在实验室条件下分别进行了形态学,生活史及生长曲线的研究,结果表明:球形棕囊藻具有一个复杂的异型生活史,具有两种不同的生活形态:群体和游离的单细胞,香港株和汕头株二者单细胞呈球形或近球形,直径大多为3-9μm;群体呈中空的球形囊泡,细胞包埋在胶质囊中较均匀分布,但二者群体大小有较大差异。当培养达到一定阶段,群体衰亡破裂释放大量单细胞。批次培养中球形棕囊藻的生长周期约为20-30d,香港株最适生长温度接近25℃,最大比生长率为038;汕头株的最适生长温度接近30℃,最大比生长率为042,这说明温度是重要的生长限制因子之一。       

链状亚历山大藻赤潮衰亡的生理调控

研究了链状亚历山大藻在对数生长期、衰亡期、高氮、低氮条件下,藻细胞中可溶性蛋白含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)、过氧化氢(H2O2)和还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量、光合速率和呼吸速率、DNA降解、端粒酶活性的变化。结果表明:在衰亡期、高氮、低氮条件下链状亚历山大藻细胞中可溶性蛋白、GSH含量、光合速率和呼吸速率下降;SOD活性(低氮条件除外)、H2O2、MDA含量上升;端粒酶活性和DNA Ladder随着藻细胞生长而变化,并在衰亡时期,出现了明显的DNALadder。研究结果显示链状亚历山大藻衰亡过程的反应表现为:蛋白质合成受阻或降解,产生大量氧化中间产物(MDA,H2O2等),抗氧化系统被激活,GSH等非酶抗氧化物质被大量消耗,SOD等酶抗氧化物被激活;另外表现为光合速率和呼吸速率下降;同时活性氧自由基(Reactive Oxygen Species,ROS)的积累诱发了细胞凋亡,核酸内切酶被激活,选择性降解染色质DNA。推测低氮、高氮条件均可以加快藻细胞的衰亡的生理过程,链状亚历山大藻的赤潮衰亡是一种有序的死亡过程。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.