Evidence of biotic resistance to exotic plant invasion in degraded Bornean forests

Intact tropical forests are generally considered to be resistant to invasions by exotic species, although the shrub Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae) is highly invasive in tropical forests outside its native range. Release from natural enemies (e.g., herbivores and pathogens) contributes to C. hirta invasion success where native melastomes are absent, and here we examine the role of enemies when C. hirta co-occurs with native Melastomataceae species and associated herbivores and pathogens. We study 21 forest sites within agricultural landscapes in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, recording herbivory rates in C. hirta and related native Melastoma spp. plants along two 100-m transects per site that varied in canopy cover. Overall, we found evidence of enemy release; C. hirta had significantly lower herbivory (median occurrence of herbivory per plant = 79% of leaves per plant; median intensity of herbivory per leaf = 6% of leaf area) than native melastomes (93% and 20%, respectively). Herbivory on C. hirta increased when closer to native Melastoma plants with high herbivory damage, and in more shaded locations, and was associated with fewer reproductive organs on C. hirta. This suggests host-sharing by specialist Melastomataceae herbivores is occurring and may explain why invasion success of C. hirta is lower on Borneo than at locations without related native species present. Thus, natural enemy populations may provide a “biological control service” to suppress invasions of exotic species (i.e., biotic resistance). However, lower herbivory pressures in more open canopy locations may make highly degraded forests within these landscapes more susceptible to invasion.     

Identifying Mozambique's most critical areas for plant conservation: An evaluation of protected areas and Important Plant Areas

Successful protected area networks must represent biodiversity across taxonomic groups. However, too often plant species are overlooked in conservation planning, and the resulting protected areas may, as a result, fail to encompass the most important sites for plant diversity. The Mozambique Tropical Important Plant Areas project sought to promote the conservation of Mozambique's flora through the identification of Important Plant Areas (IPAs). Here, we use the Weighted Endemism including Global Endangerment (WEGE) index to identify the richest areas for rare and endemic plants in Mozambique and subsequently evaluate how well represented these hotspots are within the current protected area and IPA networks. We also examine the congruence between IPA and protected areas to identify opportunities for strengthening the conservation of plants in Mozambique. We found that high WEGE scores, representing areas rich in endemic/near-endemic and threatened species, predict the presence of IPAs in Mozambique, but do not predict the presence of protected areas. We also find that there is limited overlap between IPAs and protected areas in Mozambique. We demonstrate how IPAs could be an important tool for ensuring priority sites for plant diversity are included within protected area network expansions, particularly following the adoption of the “30 by 30” target agreed within the post-2020 Convention on Biological Diversity framework, with great potential for this method to be replicated elsewhere in the global tropics.     

Investigation of <i>GhFAT</i> Genes Related to Seed Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition in <i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.

Fatty Acyl-ACP thioesterase (FAT) is a key enzyme controlling oil biosynthesis in plant seeds. FATs can be divided into two subfamilies, FATA and FATB according to their amino acid sequences and substrate specificity. The Upland cotton genome contains 20 GhFAT genes, amongst which 6 genes were of the GhFATA subfamily and 14 of the GhFATB subfamily. The 20 GhFAT genes are unevenly distributed on 14 chromosomes. The GhFATA genes have 5 or 7 exons and the GhFATB genes have 6 or 7 exons. All GhFAT proteins have the conserved Acyl-ACP_TE domain and PLN02370 super family, the typical characteristics of plant thioesterases. Analyses of the expression level of GhFATs and the compositions of fatty acid in 5–60 days-post-anthesis seeds showed that the ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fatty acids was consistent with the expression profile of GhFATB12, GhFATB3, and GhFATB10; the ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid to polyunsaturated fatty acids was consistent with the expression profile of GhFATA3. The oil contents of mature cottonseeds were positively correlated with the contents of palmitic acid and linolenic acid as well as seed vigor. These results provide essential information for further exploring the role(s) of the specific GhFATs in determining oil biosynthesis and cottonseed compositions.     

信号分子在生物脱氮中的作用及检测方法

生物脱氮是由微生物主导的地球氮循环中的重要环节之一,主要包括硝化、反硝化和厌氧氨氧化(anaerobic ammonium oxidation,anammox)等过程。在微生物联合作用下,污水中的有机氮及氨氮经一系列作用转化为氮气,这种经济高效、环境友好的处理工艺在世界范围内得到广泛应用。群体感应(quorum sensing,QS)以信号分子为媒介通过改变菌群密度和周围环境变化来调节微生物的各种行为。大量的研究已证实调控QS信号分子在生物脱氮中具有应用潜力。本文介绍了各种信号分子类型,从基因组学、实际应用等方面综述了各类信号分子以及检测方法,同时针对酰基高丝氨酸内酯(acyl homoserine lactones,AHLs)类信号分子在生物脱氮中的作用进行详细介绍。然而不足之处在于信号分子研究只是停留在实验室阶段,仅仅研究了单一信号分子对生物脱氮的影响。未来可将信号分子应用于实际污水,研究多种信号分子共同作用以及多种微生物之间的QS现象。     

大球盖菇的生物学基础、活性成分及其应用

大球盖菇是联合国粮农组织向发展中国家推荐栽培的食用菌之一,对农作物秸秆及林木枝条、落叶等有较强的降解能力。通过人工种植可培养营养丰富、美味可口的大球盖菇子实体产品,其菌渣还能够改善土壤环境,在生态农林产业及循环经济等方面具有重要作用。本文从大球盖菇的生物学基础、子实体营养、生物活性成分及其在农林生态和环境修复应用等角度进行综述,为大球盖菇的进一步开发利用及其相关产业发展提供参考。     

灵芝液态发酵胞内外多糖结构特征及其活性研究进展

灵芝是一味传统的中药材,具有很高的药用价值,多糖是其主要的活性成分之一,可从其子实体、孢子粉、发酵菌丝体和胞外液中获得。近年来,从灵芝菌丝体和胞外液中发现的多糖越来越得到研究者们的关注。本文从发酵培养基成分及发酵条件对灵芝胞内外多糖的影响、灵芝胞内外多糖的结构、灵芝胞内外多糖生物活性3个方面进行综述,为发酵来源灵芝多糖的开发利用提供科学理论依据。     

新疆阿克苏地区一株羊源沙门菌及其小菌落变异株的生物学特性

【背景】小菌落变异株(smallcolonyvariant,SCV)是一种具有独特的表型及致病特征且生长缓慢的细菌亚群,而国内鲜有关于食源性沙门菌SCV的研究报道。【目的】为食源性沙门菌的防治及动物性食品安全提供实验数据。【方法】使用氨基糖苷类抗生素对羊源胆汁中分离的沙门菌进行实验室诱导得到SCV,然后分别对野生株和诱导株的菌落形态、生长、生化特性、营养缺陷型检测、运动性、耐药性检测及耐药基因、毒力基因、生物被膜形成能力进行比较和分析。【结果】经卡那霉素诱导获得一株血红素依赖型沙门菌SCV,与野生株相比,诱导株生长缓慢,低于野生株84%,不利用柠檬酸盐,溶血能力增强40%,对磺胺类和氨基糖苷类药物的耐受性增强,生物被膜形成能力减弱45%,运动能力减弱78%。【结论】沙门菌SCV的生长和生理生化特性与野生株相比有显著差异,使得沙门菌SCV的分离鉴定尤为困难;并且SCV的致病性与耐药性等方面的变化可能给沙门菌病的防治带来更大挑战,其机制还有待深入研究。     

防治平贝母菌核病的木霉菌筛选及室内防效

【背景】由病原菌Sclerotium denigrans侵染引起的平贝母菌核病是其主要的鳞茎病害之一,给平贝母种植产业带来了巨大的损失。【目的】筛选出对平贝母菌核病具有拮抗效果的木霉菌株。【方法】以平贝母菌核病作为靶标菌,采用平板对峙试验、平板对扣法、圆盘滤膜法与发酵液抑菌试验筛选对平贝母菌核病具有拮抗效果的木霉菌株。采用顶空固相微萃取的方法检测拮抗效果较好的木霉菌挥发性成分;二硝基水杨酸(dinitrosalicylic acid, DNS)比色法测定木霉菌的β-1,3葡聚糖酶的活性;室内防效试验验证其对平贝母菌核病的防治效果。【结果】平板对峙试验发现木霉菌F1、F2和D6对平贝母菌核病菌的生长具有较强的抑制作用,其抑菌率分别为91.06%、87.00%和86.12%;平板对扣法发现木霉菌E17和A26对菌核病菌的抑制效果最为明显,抑菌率分别为74.96%和75.86%;圆盘滤膜法发现菌核病菌在F2、C6、D3、F4、A26、B30、D4和D6的琼脂培养基上均不生长,抑菌率达100%;发酵液抑菌试验表明木霉菌D3抑制效果最强,可完全抑制菌核病菌的生长,抑菌率为100%;对A26、D4、E8、E17和D3这5株木霉进行GC/MS挥发性产物分析,在E17发现了具有抗真菌活性的6-戊基-2H-吡喃-2-酮等活性物质;DNS比色法发现β-1,3葡聚糖酶活性最高的木霉菌为F1;室内防效试验测定发现D3能明显抑制平贝母鳞茎菌核病的病变,对平贝母菌核病具有潜在的生防活性。【结论】木霉菌D3在防治平贝母菌核病中是极具开发价值的菌种。     

芽孢杆菌FJAT-55034的鉴定、生长特性及对梨轮纹病菌的抑菌活性

【背景】由葡萄座腔菌(Botryosphaeria dothidea)引起的梨轮纹病是梨栽培生产中的主要病害之一,造成巨大的经济损失。【目的】对梨轮纹病菌具有较高拮抗活性的菌株FJAT-55034进行鉴定、生长特性及抑菌活性评价,为梨轮纹病的生物防治提供菌种资源。【方法】采用形态学观察、生理生化测定和16S rRNA基因序列分析进行拮抗菌株FJAT-55034的鉴定;通过生长曲线、培养温度和pH测定,研究该菌株的生长特性。采用抑菌圈法测定该菌株的抑菌谱;采用共培养、显微镜观察和果实回接,测定菌株FJAT-55034对梨轮纹病菌生长的抑制作用。【结果】拮抗菌株FJAT-55034鉴定为贝莱斯芽孢杆菌(Bacillusvelezensis)。该菌株在20-50℃(最适温度30℃)和pH 5.0-9.0 (最适pH值7.0)均能够生长,NaCl添加量为0-5%时,该菌株均能够较好地生长。菌株FJAT-55034对6种果树不同病原真菌均具有不同程度的抑制作用,抑菌圈直径范围为19.8-29.1 mm;与梨轮纹病菌共培养后,菌株FJAT-55034对菌丝生长的抑制率为77.2%。菌株FJAT-5...     

光驱动二氧化碳转化系统的构建、优化与应用

利用光能驱动二氧化碳(carbon dioxide, CO₂)还原生产化学品对于缓解环境压力、解决能源危机具有重要意义。光捕获、光电转化和CO₂固定等作为影响光合作用效率的关键因素,同时也制约着CO₂的资源化利用效率。为了解决上述问题,本文从生物化学与代谢工程相结合的角度,系统总结了光驱动杂合系统的构建、优化与应用,并从酶杂合系统、生物杂合系统以及杂合系统应用3个方面分析了光驱动CO₂还原合成化学品的最新研究进展。在酶杂合系统方面,采用的策略主要有提升酶催化活性、增强酶稳定性等;在生物杂合系统方面,采用的方法主要包括增强生物捕光能力、优化还原力供应以及改善能量再生等;在杂合系统应用方面,主要阐述了光驱动CO₂还原生产一碳含能化合物、生物燃料以及生物食品等。最后,从纳米材料(包括有机材料和无机材料)和生物催化剂(包括酶和微生物)两个方面,展望了人工光合系统的进一步发展方向。