鸭源鸡杆菌ompW、gtxA双基因缺失株的构建及其相关特性分析

鸭源鸡杆菌(Gallibacterium anatis,G.anatis)是家禽中常见的条件性致病菌,主要引起蛋鸡生殖道疾病,造成产蛋量下降。【目的】为探究RTX样毒素GtxA及外膜蛋白(OmpW)对鸭源鸡杆菌生物学特性和致病力的影响。【方法】本研究采用自然转化法对突变株RZ△ompW进一步缺失gtxA构建突变株RZ△ompW△gtxA,通过分析其生长特性、黏附能力、引起细胞凋亡程度及对小鼠致病性等,探究其与生物学特性及致病性可能的关系。【结果】结果显示,RZ△ompW△gtxA能稳定遗传gtxA的缺失;单双基因突变株溶血活性均消失、与RZ株相比菌落形态及生长速率并未出现显著改变;相比RZ、RZ△ompW和RZ△gtxA,双基因缺失株RZ△ompW△gtxA在不同时段对鸡原代输卵管上皮细胞的黏附能力显著降低(P0.05),诱导鸡输卵管上皮原代细胞发生凋亡的能力明显减弱,对小鼠的致病力显著降低。【结论】GtxA毒素和外膜蛋白OmpW在鸭源鸡杆菌毒力、黏附宿主细胞及诱导其细胞凋亡中起重要作用,且可能存在明显的协同关系。本研究为鸭源鸡杆菌感染机制的阐明奠定基础。     

高沥水性钝顶螺旋藻新品系的选育及超微结构与RAPD分析

[目的]选育高沥水性的螺旋藻新品系,显著降低藻粉生产中干燥的能耗。[方法]以用于工厂化培植的钝顶螺旋藻ZJU0115为出发品系,用组织匀浆-离心沉降法制得其原生质球,并先以0.6%EMS处理30 min再用2.4 kGy的~(60)Coγ射线辐照,经含0.02%黄原胶(xanthan gum)的Zarrouk's培养液筛选、藻丝单体分离培养、藻泥持水率和胞外多糖(EPS)等检测及生产培植试验。[结果]获得了一株产量、蛋白质和多糖含量与ZJU0115相当,而藻泥持水率和EPS含量分别下降5.9%和29.7%的突变体,命名为ZJU0115(HD)。超微结构与随机扩增多态性DNA标记(random amplified polymorphic DNA,RAPD)分析结果显示,与其亲本ZJU0115相比,ZJU0115(HD)藻丝表面更光滑,可能为酸性多糖的乳白状粘附物也更少;ZJU0115(HD)细胞内的多磷酸盐颗粒显著变小且呈弥散状;基因组DNA在随机引物S90的扩增产物中显示出多态性差异。[结论]ZJU0115(HD)在工厂化培植中生产性状好、高沥水性能稳定,藻泥的干燥能耗降低了近50%,它的育成与应用,有助于推进当前螺旋藻产业迈向高效、节能、绿色、环保发展的新阶段。     

南海东海岛沉积物分离细菌的鉴定及其抑菌活性

[背景] 海洋微生物在活性物质开发方面具有巨大的应用前景,而目前有关南海东海岛微生物的研究鲜少。[方法] 对从东海岛沉积物中分离纯化的海洋细菌,采用形态学观察、生理生化以及16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析方法进行鉴定;以大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）、枯草芽孢杆菌（Bacillus subtilis）和金黄色葡萄球菌（Staphylococcus aureus）作为指示菌,测定其抑菌活性;对具有抑菌活性的菌株扩增聚酮合酶（Polyketide synthase I,PKSI）基因,并与已知的PKSI氨基酸序列比对;选择具有PKSI基因的代表菌株,检测菌株及其发酵抑菌物的稳定性。[结果] 分离纯化到25株海洋细菌,分属于不动杆菌属（Acinetobacter）、交替单胞菌属（Alteromonas）、芽孢杆菌属（Bacillus）、嗜冷杆菌属（Psychrobacter）、假交替单胞菌属（Pseudo-alteromonas）、海洋单胞菌属（Oceanimonas）、葡萄球菌属（Staphylococcus）、微球菌属（Micrococcus）和海杆菌属（Marinobacter）。12株菌株通过基因筛选检测到PKSI编码基因,其中6株菌株具有抑菌活性和PKSI编码基因,并分属于芽孢杆菌属和交替单胞菌属;PKSI氨基酸序列同源性分析推测菌株DHD-15和DHD-a可能产生新的I型聚酮合酶结构。菌株DHD-15和DHD-L生长温度范围为15-40℃,可耐受10% NaCl高盐以及pH 3和pH 11的酸碱条件,但不耐高温;菌株DHD-15产生的抑菌物质可耐受100℃和pH 11的高温碱性条件,在50℃、pH 9条件下制备和室温保藏条件下抑菌活性较高,其稳定性较好。[结论] 南海东海岛沉积物筛选的细菌种具有抑菌活性,具有产聚酮类活性物质的潜力。     

古菌ESCRT系统研究进展

内体分拣转运复合体（ESCRT,endosomal sorting complex required for transport）曾被认为是真核生物特有的系统,涉及膜重塑、泛素化蛋白质分拣等重要细胞生命过程。近年的研究显示,TACK（包括Thaumarchaeota、Aigarchaeota、Crenarchaeota和Korarchaeota门）古菌超门中存在着一类与分泌膜囊泡、古菌病毒出胞以及细胞分裂过程等膜重塑过程相关的细胞分裂（Cdv,cell division）系统,该系统中的CdvB和CdvC是真核生物ESCRT-III和Vps4的同源蛋白,提示真核生物ESCRT系统可能起源自古菌。然而,由于TACK古菌中缺少真核生物ESCRT系统的其他关键成分,这一假设仍有争议。最近发现的阿斯加德（Asgard）古菌是一类被认为与真核生物最近缘的古菌,其基因组具有较完整的ESCRT相关蛋白的编码基因,提示真核生物的ESCRT很可能起源于阿斯加德古菌。本文首先简要介绍真核生物ESCRT系统的组成及生物学功能,然后分别总结TACK古菌的Cdv系统和阿斯加德古菌的ESCRT系统的研究进展,重点讨论它们的组成及生物学功能,为进一步了解古菌ESCRT系统与真核生物起源的关系提供参考。     

DFT investigation on the decarboxylation mechanism of <Emphasis Type="Italic">ortho</Emphasis> hydroxy benzoic acids with acid catalysis

A density functional theory (DFT) study was performed to explore the mechanisms of the acid-catalyzed decarboxylation reaction of salicylic acids using the B3LYP method with 6-31++G(d,p) basis set in both gas phase and aqueous environment. The α-protonated cation of carboxylate acid was formed during the decarboxylation process in acidic conditions, and the presence of hydrogen ions promotes decarboxylation greatly by significantly decreasing the overall reaction energy barriers to 20.98 kcal mol^?1 in gas phase and 20.93 kcal mol^?1 in water, respectively. The hydrogen in the α-carbon came directly from the acid rather than from the carboxyl group in neutral state. Compared with the reaction in gas phase, water in aqueous state causes the reaction to occur more easily. Substituents of methyl group, chlorine and fluorine at the ortho-position to the carboxyl of salicylic acid could further lower the decarboxylation energy barriers and facilitate the reaction.     

Microbial response to simulated global change is phylogenetically conserved and linked with functional potential

The high diversity of microbial communities hampers predictions about their responses to global change. Here we investigate the potential for using a phylogenetic, trait-based framework to capture the response of bacteria and fungi to global change manipulations. Replicated grassland plots were subjected to 3+ years of drought and nitrogen fertilization. The responses of leaf litter bacteria and fungi to these simulated changes were significantly phylogenetically conserved. Proportional changes in abundance were highly correlated among related organisms, such that relatives with approximately 5% ribosomal DNA genetic distance showed similar responses to the treatments. A microbe''s change in relative abundance was significantly correlated between the treatments, suggesting a compromise between numerical abundance in undisturbed environments and resistance to change in general, independent of disturbance type. Lineages in which at least 90% of the microbes shared the same response were circumscribed at a modest phylogenetic depth (τ_D 0.014–0.021), but significantly larger than randomized simulations predict. In several clades, phylogenetic depth of trait consensus was higher. Fungal response to drought was more conserved than was response to nitrogen fertilization, whereas bacteria responded equally to both treatments. Finally, we show that a bacterium''s response to the manipulations is correlated with its potential functional traits (measured here as the number of glycoside hydrolase genes encoding the capacity to degrade different types of carbohydrates). Together, these results suggest that a phylogenetic, trait-based framework may be useful for predicting shifts in microbial composition and functioning in the face of global change.     

Untangling taxonomy: a DNA barcode reference library for Canadian spiders

Approximately 1460 species of spiders have been reported from Canada, 3% of the global fauna. This study provides a DNA barcode reference library for 1018 of these species based upon the analysis of more than 30 000 specimens. The sequence results show a clear barcode gap in most cases with a mean intraspecific divergence of 0.78% vs. a minimum nearest‐neighbour (NN) distance averaging 7.85%. The sequences were assigned to 1359 Barcode index numbers (BINs) with 1344 of these BINs composed of specimens belonging to a single currently recognized species. There was a perfect correspondence between BIN membership and a known species in 795 cases, while another 197 species were assigned to two or more BINs (556 in total). A few other species (26) were involved in BIN merges or in a combination of merges and splits. There was only a weak relationship between the number of specimens analysed for a species and its BIN count. However, three species were clear outliers with their specimens being placed in 11–22 BINs. Although all BIN splits need further study to clarify the taxonomic status of the entities involved, DNA barcodes discriminated 98% of the 1018 species. The present survey conservatively revealed 16 species new to science, 52 species new to Canada and major range extensions for 426 species. However, if most BIN splits detected in this study reflect cryptic taxa, the true species count for Canadian spiders could be 30–50% higher than currently recognized.     

Effects of BmCPV Infection on Silkworm Bombyx mori Intestinal Bacteria

The gut microbiota has a crucial role in the growth, development and environmental adaptation in the host insect. The objective of our work was to investigate the microbiota of the healthy silkworm Bombyx mori gut and changes after the infection of B. mori cypovirus (BmCPV). Intestinal contents of the infected and healthy larvae of B. mori of fifth instar were collected at 24, 72 and 144 h post infection with BmCPV. The gut bacteria were analyzed by pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. 147(135) and 113(103) genera were found in the gut content of the healthy control female (male) larvae and BmCPV-infected female (male) larvae, respectively. In general, the microbial communities in the gut content of healthy larvae were dominated by Enterococcus, Delftia, Pelomonas, Ralstonia and Staphylococcus, however the abundance change of each genus was depended on the developmental stage and gender. Microbial diversity reached minimum at 144 h of fifth instar larvae. The abundance of Enterococcus in the females was substantially lower and the abundance of Delftia, Aurantimonas and Staphylococcus was substantially higher compared to the males. Bacterial diversity in the intestinal contents decreased after post infection with BmCPV, whereas the abundance of both Enterococcus and Staphylococcus which belongs to Gram-positive were increased. Therefore, our findings suggested that observed changes in relative abundance was related to the immune response of silkworm to BmCPV infection. Relevance analysis of plenty of the predominant genera showed the abundance of the Enterococcus genus was in negative correlation with the abundance of the most predominant genera. These results provided insight into the relationship between the gut microbiota and development of the BmCPV-infected silkworm.     

The Role of Physical Activity in Harm Reduction among Betel Quid Chewers from a Prospective Cohort of 419,378 Individuals

ObjectiveTo assess the benefits of regular exercise in reducing harms associated with betel quid (BQ) chewing.MethodsThe study cohort, 419,378 individuals, participated in a medical screening program between 1994 and 2008, with 38,324 male and 1,495 female chewers, who consumed 5–15 quids of BQ a day. Physical activity of each individual, based on “MET-hour/week”, was classified as “inactive” or “active”, where activity started from a daily 15 minutes/day or more of brisk walking (≥3.75 MET-hour/week). Hazard ratios for mortality and remaining years in life expectancy were calculated.ResultsNearly one fifth (18.7%) of men, but only 0.7% of women were chewers. Chewers had a 10-fold increase in oral cancer risk; and a 2-3-fold increase in mortality from lung, esophagus and liver cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, with doubling of all-cause mortality. More than half of chewers were physically inactive (59%). Physical activity was beneficial for chewers, with a reduction of all-cause mortality by 19%. Inactive chewers had their lifespan shortened by 6.3 years, compared to non-chewers, but being active, chewers improved their health by gaining 2.5 years. The improvement, however, fell short of offsetting the harms from chewing.ConclusionsChewers had serious health consequences, but being physically active, chewers could mitigate some of these adverse effects, and extend life expectancy by 2.5 years and reduce mortality by one fifth. Encouraging exercise, in addition to quitting chewing, remains the best advice for 1.5 million chewers in Taiwan.     

Jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase regulates development and herbivory‐induced defense response in rice

Jasmonic acid(JA) and related metabolites play a key role in plant defense and growth. JA carboxyl methyltransferase(JMT) may be involved in plant defense and development by methylating JA to methyl jasmonate(Me JA) and thus influencing the concentrations of JA and related metabolites. However, no JMT gene has been well characterized in monocotyledon defense and development at the molecular level. After we cloned a rice JMT gene,Os JMT1, whose encoding protein was localized in the cytosol, we found that the recombinant Os JMT1 protein catalyzed JA to Me JA. Os JMT1 is up-regulated in response to infestation with the brown planthopper(BPH; Nilaparvata lugens). Plants in which Os JMT1 had been overexpressed(oeJMT plants) showed reduced height and yield. These oe-JMT plants also exhibited increased Me JA levels but reduced levels of herbivore-induced JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine(JAIle). The oe-JMT plants were more attractive to BPH female adults but showed increased resistance to BPH nymphs,probably owing to the different responses of BPH female adults and nymphs to the changes in levels of H_2O_2 and Me JA in oe-JMT plants. These results indicate that Os JMT1,by altering levels of JA and related metabolites, plays a role in regulating plant development and herbivore-induced defense responses in rice.