Syntrophus aciditrophicus uses the same enzymes in a reversible manner to degrade and synthesize aromatic and alicyclic acids

Syntrophy is essential for the efficient conversion of organic carbon to methane in natural and constructed environments, but little is known about the enzymes involved in syntrophic carbon and electron flow. Syntrophus aciditrophicus strain SB syntrophically degrades benzoate and cyclohexane-1-carboxylate and catalyses the novel synthesis of benzoate and cyclohexane-1-carboxylate from crotonate. We used proteomic, biochemical and metabolomic approaches to determine what enzymes are used for fatty, aromatic and alicyclic acid degradation versus for benzoate and cyclohexane-1-carboxylate synthesis. Enzymes involved in the metabolism of cyclohex-1,5-diene carboxyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA were in high abundance in S. aciditrophicus cells grown in pure culture on crotonate and in coculture with Methanospirillum hungatei on crotonate, benzoate or cyclohexane-1-carboxylate. Incorporation of ¹³C-atoms from 1-[¹³C]-acetate into crotonate, benzoate and cyclohexane-1-carboxylate during growth on these different substrates showed that the pathways are reversible. A protein conduit for syntrophic reverse electron transfer from acyl-CoA intermediates to formate was detected. Ligases and membrane-bound pyrophosphatases make pyrophosphate needed for the synthesis of ATP by an acetyl-CoA synthetase. Syntrophus aciditrophicus, thus, uses a core set of enzymes that operates close to thermodynamic equilibrium to conserve energy in a novel and highly efficient manner.     

TLR9 limits enteric antimicrobial responses and promotes microbiota‐based colonisation resistance during Citrobacter rodentium infection

Mammalian cells express an array of toll‐like receptors to detect and respond to microbial pathogens, including enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EPEC and EHEC). These clinically important attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens infect the apical surface of intestinal epithelial cells, causing inflammation as well as severe diarrheal disease. Because EPEC and EHEC are human‐specific, the related murine pathogen Citrobacter rodentium has been widely used to define how hosts defend against A/E pathogens. This study explored the role of TLR9, a receptor that recognises unmethylated CpG dinucleotides present in bacterial DNA, in promoting host defence against C. rodentium. Infected Tlr9^?/? mice suffered exaggerated intestinal damage and carried significantly higher (10–100 fold) pathogen burdens in their intestinal tissues as compared with wild type (WT) mice. C. rodentium infection also induced increased antimicrobial responses, as well as hyperactivation of NF‐κB signalling in the intestines of Tlr9^?/? mice. These changes were associated with accelerated depletion of the intestinal microbiota in Tlr9^?/? mice as compared with WT mice. Notably, antibiotic‐based depletion of the gut microbiota in WT mice prior to infection increased their susceptibility to the levels seen in Tlr9^?/? mice. Our results therefore indicate that TLR9 signalling suppresses intestinal antimicrobial responses, thereby promoting microbiota‐mediated colonisation resistance against C. rodentium infection.     

Evaluation of the feasibility and preference of Nox-A1 type 2 ambulatory device for unattended home sleep test: a randomized crossover study

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - There is an increasing need for portable sleep monitoring in clinical practice, but there is no comparative study that used the same device for home and in-laboratory...     

细叶远志皂苷在Aβ23-35诱导SH-SY5Y 细胞氧化损伤中的作用及机制研究

为研究细叶远志皂苷(tenuifolin,TEN)在Aβ25-35诱导SH-SY5Y细胞氧化损伤中的作用,并探讨其作用机制。建立Aβ25-35诱导的细胞损伤模型,细叶远志皂苷以及自噬抑制剂3-MA进行干预,显微镜观察细胞形态变化,试剂盒检测细胞氧化应激水平,RT-qPCR和Westernblot检测细叶远志皂苷以及自噬抑制剂干预前后Beclin-1、LC3、mTOR、AMPK和ULK1mRNA及蛋白水平变化。结果发现,TEN改善Aβ25-35诱导的SH-SY5Y细胞形态损伤和细胞活力下降;降低ROS和MDA浓度,并提高SOD、GSH-Px及过氧化氢酶的活性;增加AMPK和ULK1的表达,减少mTOR的表达及增加Beclin-1和LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ的表达水平。而加入3-MA会拮抗TEN的作用。总之,TEN可能通过调控AMPK/mTOR/ULK1通路,增加Beclin-1及LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ蛋白水平激活自噬,进而改善Aβ25-35诱导的细胞形态损伤和细胞活力下降,提高细胞抗氧化应激能力,发挥神经保护作用。     

沙地樟子松带状混交林土壤碳氮磷化学计量特征

探究不同沙地樟子松混交林土壤碳氮磷化学计量变化规律,为其混交经营提供科学依据.以沙地樟子松纯林为对照,在沙地樟子松×榆树及沙地樟子松×怀槐带状混交林中,沿沙地樟子松和伴生树种两个方向在距离混交中心0、1、2、3和4 m处的不同土层采集土样,分析土壤有机C、全N、全P、速效N、速效P含量及其计量比的特征.结果表明: 沙地樟子松混交林土壤有机C、全N和速效N含量高于纯林, 沙地樟子松与榆树混交主要增加了深层土壤有机C和全N含量,以及C/N和C/P, 沙地樟子松与怀槐混交提高了土壤N含量, 降低了P含量.随着远离混交林中心,沙地樟子松×榆树混交林中沙地樟子松林带的土壤C/N先升高后降低,全P和速效P含量下降,N/P增加;榆树林带土壤C/N下降,速效P含量先升高后降低.沙地樟子松×怀槐混交林土壤全N含量在沙地樟子松林带先降低后升高,在怀槐林带先升高后降低.沙地樟子松混交林提高了土壤C、N储量,沙地樟子松应与榆树行间混交,与怀槐间隔2行混交.     

福建省主要入侵植物空间分异及其影响因素

在实地调查数据的基础上,本研究结合GIS空间分析技术和地理探测器模型,分析福建省入侵植物空间分布情况,以及地理与社会环境因子及其交互作用对入侵植物分布的影响.结果表明:福建省共记录入侵植物82种,其中,优势科为菊科,小蓬草、藿香蓟和空心莲子草出现频次最高.沿海区域的入侵植物物种数量多于内陆区域,福州和厦门为福建省外来入侵植物的两大热点地区.入侵植物在不同海拔均有分布,但入侵植物的种类随着海拔的升高总体呈下降趋势.地理探测器分析显示,自然环境因子中降水和社会经济因子中路网密度、人口密度是入侵植物空间分布的主要影响因子.各因子的空间交互作用会正向影响入侵植物的空间分布,这反映出入侵植物空间分布影响要素的复杂性.综上,将地理探测器应用到入侵植物研究领域是可行的,筛选出的环境指示因子可用于监测福建省入侵植物的适生区,从而为采取有效的防控措施提供科学依据.     

景观生态学在风景园林领域应用的研究进展

作为我国风景园林学科的三大基础理论之一,景观生态学是风景园林师从经验规划/设计转向循证规划/设计的利器.本文根据国内外已有研究,挖掘景观生态学在风景园林领域的应用优势与必要性;基于文献分析法,从规划设计研究主体、科学基础以及景观性能与人类福祉三方面总结景观生态学在风景园林领域的研究热点与进展,并提出面向规划设计实践需求的景观生态学应用研究优先议题,包括服务多学科与多部门的景观内涵与分类体系研究、面向管理决策的景观性能评估与参数量化研究、应对人居环境与规划设计不确定性的景观格局-生态过程研究,以及提升人类福祉的景观格局-过程-服务耦合研究.开展景观生态学与风景园林领域的交叉融合研究,有利于深化并推动景观生态学综合研究成果向应用实践的转化,对于构建风景园林领域实践性科学研究体系具有重要参考价值.     

RORα高表达对二烯丙基二硫抑制人胃癌细胞增殖与迁移侵袭的影响

目的观察高表达RORα对二烯丙基二硫(DADS)抑制人胃癌MGC803细胞增殖、迁移与侵袭的影响。方法集落形成实验与流式细胞术检测细胞增殖与细胞周期;细胞划痕和Transwell实验分别检测细胞迁移与侵袭。RT-PCR与Western blot分别检测RORα、MMP-9和TIMP3 mRNA与蛋白表达水平。结果RT-PCR与Western blot检测显示,RORα高表达与DADS处理较对照组与空载体组RORαmRNA与蛋白表达明显上调,DADS+RORα高表达组上调更为显著(P<0.05)。与对照组和空载体组比较,RORα高表达与DADS处理组MMP-9表达下调,TIMP3表达上调,DADS+RORα高表达组改变最为显著。集落形成实验显示,RORα高表达与DADS处理组较对照组与空载体组的集落形成率明显降低。流式细胞术显示,与对照组和空载体组比较,RORα高表达与DADS处理组G2/M期细胞比率明显升高。细胞划痕和Transwell实验显示,RORα高表达与DADS处理组细胞迁移与侵袭能力明显降低。结论RORα高表达可通过上调TIMP3与下调MMP-9促进DADS阻滞MGC803细胞G2/M期和抑制增殖与迁移侵袭。     

基于系统发育的黄土高原地区木本植物多样性及特有性格局

黄土高原地区植被类型多样, 森林、草原和荒漠在此交汇并逐渐过渡。由于水热条件限制和人类活动加剧, 该地区生态环境脆弱, 生物多样性保护面临的形势日益严峻, 因此获取该区域物种多样性的空间分布格局并阐明其影响因素成为该地区生物多样性保护的首要任务。本研究首先结合标本采集记录与环境因子, 利用物种分布模型获取了293种木本植物的潜在分布区, 分析了物种丰富度和物种加权特有性的空间格局。其次, 引入系统发育信息, 分析系统发育多样性和系统发育特有性的空间格局, 并进一步利用环境因子对上述格局分别进行解释。最后, 对黄土高原地区的特有中心性质和显著性进行分析。结果表明, 生物多样性热点地区均出现在黄土高原南部水热条件较好的地区, 即秦岭和中条山一带。本区域的生物多样性空间格局由年平均降水量和最冷月最低温主导, 符合植物区系交汇带的特点。特有中心集中在南部地区和青海省, 由南向北分别是古特有中心和混合特有中心, 不存在单独的新特有中心。黄土高原地区木本植物起源较为古老, 生物多样性格局的形成以来源于热带或亚热带的物种扩散为主, 物种的分化不占主导地位。上述结果表明了将植物的进化历史纳入生物多样性保护的重要性。