Treatment of thin stillage by Aspergillus oryzae and its effect on alcoholic fermentation in syrup liquid

The microbial degradation of thin stillage for environment-friendly treatment has been studied extensively in recent years, and useful compounds in the treated-thin stillage are expected to be utilized in the subsequent fermentation. In this study, an Aspergillus oryzae H18, suitable for growing in thin stillage, was isolated from soil and served to degrade the organic matter in thin stillage, with the increase in pH (from 3·75 to 4·8) and decrease in chemical oxygen demand (COD, 81·3% removal rate). The effect of thin stillage as backset water after degradation of the strain H18 on alcohol production in syrup liquid was investigated. Compared with zero addition of thin stillage, the alcohol yield in mixed syrup liquid increased by 8·6% when the concentration of treated-thin stillage was 20%. After the addition of nutrients at proper concentration (0·5% urea, 1% molasses, 0·25% NaCl, 0·2% NaH₂PO₄, 0·3% MgSO₄ and 0·25% CaCl₂) in thin stillage, the alcohol yield in yeast fermentation was increased by 32·7% when mixed syrup liquid (with 40% thin stillage treated by H18) was employed, in comparison to control group without thin stillage addition. Meanwhile, the fermentation time was shortened, and alcohol production rate was enhanced.     

庐山日本柳杉林下穿透雨时空分布特征

林冠是降水到达地面前的第一个作用层,其对降水的再分配作用,导致穿透雨的数量和空间分布具有很大的变异性,这既阻碍了对其的精确评估,也常常被认为是水文模型中蒸发量化的不确定来源之一。在庐山自然保护区日本柳杉(Cryptomeria japonica)人工林内设置了面积30 m×30 m的样地,机械布置了37个截面面积为314.15 cm2穿透雨收集器,于2017年生长季(4—9月)共监测21次降雨事件下穿透雨量。分析林冠下穿透雨率及其时空分布特征和影响因素。日本柳杉林下穿透雨率变化范围为2%—222%,平均穿透雨率为80%,穿透雨率随着林外次降雨量的增加而逐渐增大,降雨量达到28 mm时穿透雨率趋于最大值,之后变化规律复杂未见稳定,二者之间最优拟合关系为二次多项式;与叶面积指数呈显著负相关,叶面积指数小于4.5时对穿透雨率的影响显著。不同叶面积指数下,穿透雨率达到最大时的林外降雨量不同。穿透雨率的空间变异系数的变化范围为15%—114%,随林外降雨量的增加而减小,并在林外次降雨量大于20 mm以后,逐渐趋于稳定,二者之间以对数函数关系式拟合。观测点位的时间变异系数随着叶面积指数的增加而增大。叶面积指数小于5,降雨量小于20 mm时,降雨量是影响穿透雨空间变异性的关键因素。     

血液中氧化三甲胺与相关疾病及检测方法

随着代谢组学技术的不断发展及科学研究的不断深入,生物标志物用于预判或诊断机体疾病的价值被更多的科学家所重视。最近几年,大量文献报道了氧化三甲胺与机体疾病之间的相关性。本文通过对近几年血氧化三甲胺与各种疾病之间的关系研究进展及测量方法(如液质联用法、酶联免疫法、磁共振法等)的系统综述,以期为今后的研究提供便捷的参考途径。     

Structural basis for specific binding of human MPP8 chromodomain to histone H3 methylated at lysine 9

Background

M-phase phosphoprotein 8 (MPP8) was initially identified to be a component of the RanBPM-containing large protein complex, and has recently been shown to bind to methylated H3K9 both in vivo and in vitro. MPP8 binding to methylated H3K9 is suggested to recruit the H3K9 methyltransferases GLP and ESET, and DNA methyltransferase 3A to the promoter of the E-cadherin gene, mediating the E-cadherin gene silencing and promote tumor cell motility and invasion. MPP8 contains a chromodomain in its N-terminus, which is used to bind the methylated H3K9.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here, we reported the crystal structures of human MPP8 chromodomain alone and in complex with the trimethylated histone H3K9 peptide (residue 1–15). The complex structure unveils that the human MPP8 chromodomain binds methylated H3K9 through a conserved recognition mechanism, which was also observed in Drosophila HP1, a chromodomain containing protein that binds to methylated H3K9 as well. The structure also reveals that the human MPP8 chromodomain forms homodimer, which is mediated via an unexpected domain swapping interaction through two β strands from the two protomer subunits.

Conclusions/Significance

Our findings reveal the molecular mechanism of selective binding of human MPP8 chromodomain to methylated histone H3K9. The observation of human MPP8 chromodomain in both solution and crystal lattice may provide clues to study MPP8-mediated gene regulation furthermore.     

Ribosome biogenesis gene DEF/UTP25 is essential for liver homeostasis and regeneration

Hepatocytes are responsible for diverse metabolic activities in a liver. Proper ribosome biogenesis is essential to sustain the function of hepatocytes. There are approximately 200 factors involved in ribosome biogenesis; however, few studies have focused on the role of these factors in maintaining liver homeostasis. The digestive organ expansion factor (def) gene encodes a nucleolar protein Def that participates in ribosome biogenesis. In addition, Def forms a complex with cysteine protease Calpain3 (Capn3) and recruits Capn3 to the nucleolus to cleave protein targets. However, the function of Def has not been characterized in the mammalian digestive organs. In this report, we show that conditional knockout of the mouse def gene in hepatocytes causes cell morphology abnormality and constant infiltration of inflammatory cells in the liver. As age increases, the def conditional knockout liver displays multiple tissue damage foci and biliary hyperplasia. Moreover, partial hepatectomy leads to sudden acute death to the def conditional knockout mice and this phenotype is rescued by intragastric injection of the anti-inflammation drug dexamethasone one day before hepatectomy. Our results demonstrate that Def is essential for maintaining the liver homeostasis and liver regeneration capacity in mammals.