海洋酸化生态学研究进展

工业革命以来,人类排放的大量二氧化碳引起温室效应的同时,也被海洋吸收使得全球海洋出现了严重的酸化。海洋酸化及伴随的海水碳酸盐化学体系的变化对海洋生物产生深远的影响。以海洋酸化对钙化作用和光合作用的影响为重点,总结了近年来关于海洋酸化的研究,介绍了海洋中不同生态系统对海洋酸化的响应。一方面,海水中CO23-浓度和碳酸钙饱和度的降低对海洋钙化生物造成严重损害,生活在高纬的冷水珊瑚和翼足目等文石生产者是最早的受害者;贝类和棘皮动物在钙化早期对海洋酸化尤其敏感,其幼体存活率受到海洋酸化的严重制约。另一方面,CO2浓度的增加能促进海洋植物的光合作用和生长,增加初级生产力,改变浮游植物的群落组成。此外,海洋酸化可以促进固氮和脱氮作用同时削弱硝化作用,改变溶氧浓度分布和金属的生物可利用性,从而对海洋生物产生间接影响。海洋酸化对海洋生态系统的影响机制复杂,影响程度深远。为了能准确的评估海洋酸化的生态学效应,需要更全面深入的研究。     

海洋酸化对珊瑚礁生态系统的影响研究进展

目前,大气CO2浓度的升高已导致海水pH值比工业革命前下降了约0.1,海水碳酸盐平衡体系随之变化,进而影响珊瑚礁生态系统的健康。近年来的研究表明海洋酸化导致造礁石珊瑚幼体补充和群落恢复更加困难,造礁石珊瑚和其它造礁生物(Reef-building organisms)钙化率降低甚至溶解,乃至影响珊瑚礁鱼类的生命活动。虽然海洋酸化对造礁石珊瑚光合作用的影响不显著,但珊瑚-虫黄藻共生体系会受到一定影响。建议选择典型海区进行长期系统监测,结合室内与原位模拟试验,从个体、种群、群落到系统不同层面,运用生理学和分子生物学技术,结合生态学研究手段,综合研究珊瑚的相应响应,以期深入认识海洋酸化对珊瑚礁生态系统健康(例如珊瑚白化)的影响及其效应。     

海洋酸化对蟹类影响的研究进展

人类活动排放二氧化碳引起了海水碳酸盐平衡体系变化和pH下降, 最终导致了“海洋酸化”。海洋酸化对蟹类产生了从表观到分子的多重影响。文章在总结海洋酸化对各种蟹类生长发育、生理与代谢、表型和行为等方面影响的基础上, 对其影响的机理展开了讨论, 并对控制海洋酸化及其对蟹类的影响研究提出了意见和建议。     

海洋酸化影响硅藻固碳相关基因表达的研究进展

由于人类活动导致的大气CO2浓度升高,将导致海水p H值下降,从而引起海洋酸化,改变海水碳酸盐系统,影响海洋生物的生长、发育、代谢、凋亡及钙化过程等。研究海洋酸化对藻类固碳途径(生物碳泵)的影响对了解和预测未来海洋碳泵的发展趋势具有重要意义,硅藻作为海洋初级生产力的主要生产者,研究海洋酸化影响其固碳过程的意义更大。尽管目前已对海洋酸化影响硅藻的生理生化过程有了较为深入的研究,但从基因表达水平上研究海洋酸化对硅藻固碳过程的影响还较少,本文对此领域做一概述。     

海洋碳循环研究进展

海洋碳循环是全球碳循环的重要组成部分,是影响全球变化的关键控制环节。海洋作为一个巨大的碳库,具有吸收和贮存大气CO2的能力,影响着大气CO2的收支平衡,研究碳在海洋中的转移和归宿,对于预测未来大气中CO2含量乃至全球气候变化具有重要意义。综述了海洋CO2通量,海水中碳的迁移和海洋沉积物及河口通量的研究状况,介绍了生物泵作用,碳循环模型的发展以及分析方法的最新发展等,并展望了海洋碳循环研究的未来发展趋势。     

海洋酸化对微藻关键生理过程的调控机制及环境因素的影响

人类活动排放大量的CO₂通过海气界面进入海洋,打破原有海水碳酸盐平衡进而造成海洋酸化(OA)。OA会影响海水和海洋污染物的理化性质,进而对生活在海洋表层的浮游藻类生理过程产生显著调控作用。海洋微藻作为海洋中主要的初级生产者,其生理功能与过程的正常进行对于海洋生态系统具有重要作用。本文综述了OA对海洋微藻光合固碳、钙化过程、固氮作用3个关键生理过程的调控作用和具体机制,总结了OA条件下,环境因素(如太阳辐射、温度、营养元素)对微藻生理过程和生长的影响,以及OA通过改变典型海洋污染物(如有机污染物、重金属、微塑料)的环境行为而对微藻生理过程的调控作用。最后,结合研究现状,对未来需要开展的研究方向进行展望。本文为进一步了解OA对海洋生态系统的潜在影响提供了重要信息。     

海洋酸化和全球变暖对贝类生理生态的影响研究进展

研究表明海洋酸化和全球变暖已严重威胁到海洋生态系统稳的定性及生物多样性。由于人类活动,大气中不断增加的CO2不仅造成全球气候异常,而且大量的CO2被海洋吸收,造成了海水中H+浓度增加,即海洋酸化(Ocean Acidification)。海洋酸化严重影响海洋生物的生存和繁衍,尤其是有壳类生物,如贝类,甲壳类,棘皮类等。主要影响方面包括生物的产卵受精,孵化,早期发育,钙化,酸碱调节,免疫功能,蛋白质合成,基因表达,摄食及能量代谢等一系列和生理相关的机能,进而对个体行为学,种群结构和海洋生态系统造成严重危害。目前,已有大量海洋酸化对海洋贝类的生理生态影响的报道,与此同时,全球变暖导致海洋温度升高伴随着海洋酸化同步发生。因此,为了更加准确地预测海洋生物应对全球气候变化的生理生态应答,越来越多的学者开始致力于研究温度和海洋酸化的复合胁迫对海洋生物交互影响作用。综述了近年来海洋酸化对贝类生理生态的影响,主要从个体早期发育、钙化、免疫、繁殖等方面做了系统的阐述,还对酸化和温度对贝类的复合环境胁迫效应也做了综合分析,以期为今后的海洋酸化研究提供基础理论。     

气候变化对海洋病毒生态特性及其生物地球化学效应的影响

摘要:病毒作为海洋中丰度最高的生命粒子,通过侵染和裂解宿主细胞影响宿主生理生态特性,改变海洋食物网的物质循环和能量流动,在海洋生物地球化学过程中扮演着重要角色。全球气候变化导致海面升温、海洋酸化、营养盐和海水盐度变化、低氧区扩大等海洋环境问题,对海洋病毒生理生态特性产生直接或间接的影响。本文从海洋病毒的生态功能和生物地球化学效应出发,概述了气候变化因子对病毒分布、丰度、生命策略以及与宿主之间相互作用等的影响,提出海洋病毒是全球气候变化研究中不可或缺的对象。     

鱼类对海洋升温与酸化的响应

自工业革命以来,空气中人为排放CO₂量增加,引起温室效应,导致地球表面温度升高和海水升温;同时,由于海-气界面气体交换,大气中CO₂部分溶解于海洋,引起海洋酸化。海洋升温加快鱼体内生化反应和代谢速率,并通过影响生长、觅食和繁殖等生命过程中能量供给,间接影响到鱼类种群分布、群落结构及生态系统的功能。而海水酸化会干扰海洋鱼类仔稚鱼的感觉和行为,增加其被捕食率,并削弱其野外生存能力,可能威胁自然种群补给量。综述了海洋升温、海洋酸化及其两者共同作用对海洋鱼类的影响,为预测鱼类响应全球海洋环境变化的响应趋势提供相关依据。     

海洋酸化条件下铜、镉对日本虎斑猛水蚤的急性毒性效应

以日本虎斑猛水蚤(Tigriopus japonicus)为试验生物,采用高纯度CO2和空气的混合气体调配试验所需酸化海水(pH值7.70、7.30、6.50),研究不同海水酸化条件下铜、镉对海洋生物的急性毒性效应。结果表明:单一CO2酸化海水对日本虎斑猛水蚤存活的影响不显著;海水酸化对铜和镉急性毒性的影响效应有差异。铜在低pH值(6.5)时对日本虎斑猛水蚤的毒性最强,96h LC50浓度为0.64 mg/L,明显低于pH值为8.0、7.7、7.3对日本虎斑猛水蚤的96h LC50浓度,其分别为1.98,1.19,1.05 mg/L,随pH值下降,96h LC50下降了近3倍。海水酸化使镉的96h LC50略呈下降趋势,但对其急性毒性影响效应并不显著;pH值为7.7和7.3时,铜的安全浓度分别为11.9、10.5μg/L,接近于中国海水二类水质标准。本研究表明随着海洋酸化的进程我国近海水域将面临铜污染加剧的威胁。     

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.