Role of AIP56 disulphide bond and its reduction by cytosolic redox systems for efficient intoxication

Apoptosis‐inducing protein of 56 kDa (AIP56) is a major virulence factor of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida, a gram‐negative pathogen that infects warm water fish species worldwide and causes serious economic losses in aquacultures. AIP56 is a single‐chain AB toxin composed by two domains connected by an unstructured linker peptide flanked by two cysteine residues that form a disulphide bond. The A domain comprises a zinc‐metalloprotease moiety that cleaves the NF‐kB p65, and the B domain is involved in binding and internalisation of the toxin into susceptible cells. Previous experiments suggested that disruption of AIP56 disulphide bond partially compromised toxicity, but conclusive evidences supporting the importance of that bond in intoxication were lacking. Here, we show that although the disulphide bond of AIP56 is dispensable for receptor recognition, endocytosis, and membrane interaction, it needs to be intact for efficient translocation of the toxin into the cytosol. We also show that the host cell thioredoxin reductase‐thioredoxin system is involved in AIP56 intoxication by reducing the disulphide bond of the toxin at the cytosol. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms operating during AIP56 intoxication and reveals common features shared with other AB toxins.     

西南特有濒危植物大王杜鹃种群结构及动态特征

为了揭示高山杜鹃种群生存潜力和濒危原因,以西南特有濒危植物大王杜鹃(Rhododendron rex subsp. rex)为研究对象,通过对云南省轿子雪山和小百草岭2个大王杜鹃自然种群的野外植株胸径及数量的调查,采用空间代替时间的方法建立大王杜鹃种群的径级结构、静态生命表并绘制种群存活曲线,阐明其种群的结构特征,利用种群数量动态预测和时间序列预测来分析种群未来的发展趋势。结果表明：(1)云南轿子雪山和小百草岭两个样地大王杜鹃均表现出第Ⅰ~Ⅱ龄级个体不足的现象,尽管两个样地内大王杜鹃种群仍表现为稳定型种群,但其均对外界干扰具有很高的敏感性。(2)大王杜鹃存活曲线在云南轿子雪山和小百草岭2个样地都趋于Deevey Ⅱ型,个体平均生存能力的期望值均在幼年(Ⅰ和Ⅱ龄级)个体中最大,死亡率和消失率曲线的变化趋势基本一致。(3)时间序列预测分析表明,云南轿子雪山大王杜鹃种群在未来2、4、6年龄级后总体均呈下降趋势,种群面临衰退危险;小百草岭样地内,大王杜鹃种群总体上呈增长趋势,种群具有一定的恢复潜力。建议加强大王杜鹃自然种群生境的保护与管理从而维持其种群自然更新与发展的能力。     

耐高盐枯草芽孢杆菌XP合成球形纳米硒及其抑制草莓病原真菌生物活性

生物方法合成纳米材料具有低能耗、高安全性以及环境友好等优良特点,因而备受人们关注。利用细菌将硒酸盐或亚硒酸盐还原为单质硒,不仅可以降低硒毒性,而且还能获得价值更高的生物纳米材料。文中选用可耐受高盐环境胁迫的枯草芽孢杆菌亚种Bacillus subtilis subspecies stercoris strain XP构建生物模型,分别以LB液体培养基和亚硒酸钠为介质和底物 (电子受体),解析菌株XP合成纳米硒的基本规律。通过扫描电镜 (Scanning electron microscope,SEM) 观察、X射线能谱分析 (X-ray energy dispersive spectral analysis,EDAX)、X射线衍射 (X-ray diffraction,XRD) 分析、傅里叶红外变换光谱 (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,FTIR) 技术对合成的纳米硒进行物理化学表征分析,同时选用草莓枯萎、红叶、紫斑病病原真菌对其抗菌活性进行分析。结果表明,菌株XP介导合成的单质硒为球形纳米颗粒 (Selenium nanoparticles,SeNPs),其生成量与反应时间呈正相关 (0–48 h),且细胞形态未发生褶皱或破损等变化 (耐受力强);SeNPs为非晶态,粒径范围在135–165 nm,表面元素组成以Se为主,同时存在C、O、N、S等有机元素;颗粒表面包裹生物大分子物质,-OH、C=O、N-H、C-H等官能团与SeNPs稳定性和生物活性密切相关;高浓度纳米硒对枯萎、红叶、紫斑病病原真菌均有显著抑制活性 (P<0.05),其中对草莓红叶病与枯萎病病原真菌的抑制活性明显优于对紫斑病病原真菌的抑制活性。总而言之,菌株XP不仅耐受高盐胁迫能力强,同时还可介导合成生物SeNPs,其合成的纳米硒颗粒具有良好的稳定性和生物活性,在草莓病害防治以及绿色富硒草莓种植等领域具有潜在的应用价值。     

海南地区与环渤海湾美人鱼发光杆菌美人鱼亚种水产动物分离株的表型与遗传特征分析

美人鱼发光杆菌美人鱼亚种（Photobacterium damselae subsp.damselae,PDD）是一种广泛分布于海洋环境内的重要病原菌,可导致多种海洋生物患病死亡,近年来在我国不同养殖区域内均有发现和报道。[目的] 通过生理代谢表型、毒力基因分布和分子遗传分析,系统比较我国海南地区和环渤海湾不同株系PDD的表型与遗传多样性特征。[方法] 使用选择性培养基测定PDD的蔗糖发酵能力、运动性、溶血性和磷脂酶活性;通过PCR检测质粒pPHDD1复制起始点基因pPHDD1 replication origin和毒力基因dly,hlyA_pl,hlyA_ch,plpV;基于toxR基因序列构建系统发育树,分析16株PDD的遗传关系。[结果] 4株PDD蔗糖发酵测试呈阳性,12株PDD蔗糖发酵测试呈阴性。不同株系PDD运动能力存在显著差异,其中环渤海湾分离株Pdd1608、Pdd2009和Pdd1704的运动能力较强。仅有环渤海湾分离株Pdd1608表现为强溶血性、强磷脂酶活性;海南地区分离株Pdd1612和Pdd0912表现为弱溶血性、无磷脂酶活性;其余菌株表现为弱溶血性、弱磷脂酶活性。菌株Pdd1608的毒力基因谱为pPHDD1 replication origin-dly-hlyA_p-hlyA_ch-plpV,其余菌株的毒力基因谱为hlyA_ch-plpV。系统发育分析揭示不同株系PDD具有高度的遗传多样性。[结论] 流行于海南地区和环渤海湾的PDD可能都由多克隆种群组成,它们具有复杂的表型特征、相似的毒力基因分布和高度的遗传多样性。     

Purification and kinetics of a protease-resistant,neutral, and thermostable phytase from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis JJBS250 ameliorating food nutrition

Abstract

A novel protease-resistant and thermostable phytase from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis JJBS250 was purified 36-fold to homogeneity with a combination of ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by Q-Sepharose and Sephadex G-50 chromatographic techniques. The estimated molecular mass of the purified phytase was 46?kDa by electrophoresis with optimal activity at pH 7.0 and 70?°C. About 19% of original activity was maintained at 80?°C for 10?min. Phytase activity was stimulated in presence of surfactants like Tween-20, Tween-80, and Triton X-100 and metal ions like Ca⁺², K⁺, and Co⁺² and it was inhibited by SDS and Mg⁺², Al⁺², and Fe⁺². Purified enzyme showed specificity to different salts of phytic acid and values of K_m and V_max were 0.293?mM and 11.49 nmoles s^?1, respectively for sodium phytate. The purified enzyme was resistant to proteases (trypsin and pepsin) that resulted in amelioration of food nutrition with simultaneous release of inorganic phosphate, reducing sugars, and soluble protein.     

A new subspecies of Pedicularis zeylanica (Scrophulariaceae) from the Western Ghats of south India

Pedicularis zeylanica subsp. anamallyensis T. Husain & A. Garg, a new subspecies of Nilgiri lousewort from the Western Ghats of south India, is described and illustrated.     

Characterization of bacteriocin bificin C6165: a novel bacteriocin

Aims

To purify and primarily characterize an anti‐Alicyclobacillus bacteriocin produced by Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animalis CICC 6165, suggested to be named bificin C6165.

Methods and Results

During purification of the bificin C6165, optimal recovery was achieved with ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by two chromatographic steps. Mass spectrometry analyses revealed a distinctive peak corresponding to a molecular mass of 3395·1 Da. This bacteriocin was heat stable, effective after refrigerated storage and freeze–thaw cycles. The primary mode of action of bificin C6165 is most probably due to pore formation, as indicated by the efflux of K⁺ from metabolically active cells of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris. In the presence of 10 mmol l^?1 gadolinium, bificin C6165 did not affect cells of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris. This suggests that the mode of action of bificin C6165 relies on a net negatively charged cell surface.

Conclusions

Bificin C6165 is indeed a novel bacteriocin and it exhibited remarkable potency for Alicyclobacillus control.

Significance and Impact of the Study

Application of bacteriocins in preservation of fruit juices has seldom been studied. Bificin C6165 may be an alternative method to control juice spoilage by this Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris and meet increasing consumer demand for nature and artificial chemical additive‐free food products.     

Monitoring resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis in the field by performing bioassays with each Cry toxin separately

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) is increasingly used worldwide for mosquito control and is the only larvicide used in the French Rhône-Alpes region since decades. The artificial selection of mosquitoes with field-persistent Bti collected in breeding sites from this region led to a moderate level of resistance to Bti, but to relatively high levels of resistance to individual Bti Cry toxins. Based on this observation, we developed a bioassay procedure using each Bti Cry toxin separately to detect cryptic Bti-resistance evolving in field mosquito populations. Although no resistance to Bti was detected in none of the three mosquito species tested (Aedes rusticus, Aedes sticticus and Aedes vexans), an increased tolerance to Cry4Aa (3.5-fold) and Cry11Aa toxins (8-fold) was found in one Ae. sticticus population compared to other populations of the same species, suggesting that resistance to Bti may be arising in this population. This study confirms previous works showing a lack of Bti resistance in field mosquito populations treated for decades with this bioinsecticide. It also provides a first panorama of their susceptibility status to individual Bti Cry toxins. In combination with bioassays with Bti, bioassays with separate Cry toxins allow a more sensitive monitoring of Bti-resistance in the field.     

High‐density molecular characterization and association mapping in Ethiopian durum wheat landraces reveals high diversity and potential for wheat breeding

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) is a key crop worldwide, and yet, its improvement and adaptation to emerging environmental threats is made difficult by the limited amount of allelic variation included in its elite pool. New allelic diversity may provide novel loci to international crop breeding through quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in unexplored material. Here, we report the extensive molecular and phenotypic characterization of hundreds of Ethiopian durum wheat landraces and several Ethiopian improved lines. We test 81 587 markers scoring 30 155 single nucleotide polymorphisms and use them to survey the diversity, structure, and genome‐specific variation in the panel. We show the uniqueness of Ethiopian germplasm using a siding collection of Mediterranean durum wheat accessions. We phenotype the Ethiopian panel for ten agronomic traits in two highly diversified Ethiopian environments for two consecutive years and use this information to conduct a genome‐wide association study. We identify several loci underpinning agronomic traits of interest, both confirming loci already reported and describing new promising genomic regions. These loci may be efficiently targeted with molecular markers already available to conduct marker‐assisted selection in Ethiopian and international wheat. We show that Ethiopian durum wheat represents an important and mostly unexplored source of durum wheat diversity. The panel analysed in this study allows the accumulation of QTL mapping experiments, providing the initial step for a quantitative, methodical exploitation of untapped diversity in producing a better wheat.