Molecular assessment on impact of uranium ore contamination in soil bacterial diversity

Impact of uranium (U) ore and soluble uranium (at pH 4.0) contamination on agricultural soil bacterial diversity was assessed by using laboratory microcosms for one year. Diversity and abundance of metabolically active bacterial populations in periodically collected microcosm’s samples were analyzed by extracting total RNA and preparation of cDNA followed by analysis of 16S rRNA gene by DGGE and real time PCR. DGGE analysis revealed prominent shift of soil bacterial population due to uranium ore contamination within 12 months while uranium ore along with soluble U completely destroyed the soil bacterial diversity within first six months. Real time PCR based analysis indicated 100–200 folds increase in 16S rRNA gene copies of total as well as individual bacterial taxa in both U ore amended and unamended soils in first six months while increase in incubation period upto 12 months showed reduction of the same only in U ore amended soil. Antagonistic effect of U ore contamination on soil bacterial diversity indicated the severe impact of U mining likely to have on nearby ecosystems. Role of U at acidic pH in destroying the diversity completely is noteworthy as it corroborated the disastrous consequence of acid mine drainage generated from U mine sites.     

Relationships between biological soil crusts,bacterial diversity and abundance,and ecosystem functioning: Insights from a semi‐arid Mediterranean environment

Questions: To what degree do biological soil crusts (BSCs), which are regulators of the soil surface boundary, influence associated microbial communities? Are these associations important to ecosystem functioning in a Mediterranean semi‐arid environment? Location: Gypsum outcrops near Belmonte del Tajo, Central Spain. Methods: We sampled a total of 45 (50 cm × 50 cm) plots, where we estimated the cover of every lichen and BSC‐forming lichen species. We also collected soil samples to estimate bacterial species richness and abundance, and to assess different surrogates of ecosystem functioning. We used path analysis to evaluate the relationships between the richness/abundance of above‐ and below‐ground species and ecosystem functioning. Results: We found that the greatest direct effect upon the ecosystem function matrix was that of the biological soil crust (BSC) richness matrix. A few bacterial species were sensitive to the lichen community, with a disproportionate effect of Collema crispum and Toninia sedifolia compared to their low abundance and frequency. The lichens Fulgensia subbracteata and Toninia spp. also had negative effects on bacteria, while Diploschistes diacapsis consistently affected sensitive bacteria, sometimes positively. Despite these results, very few of the BSC effects on ecosystem function could be ascribed to changes within the bacterial community. Conclusion: Our results suggest the primary importance of the richness of BSC‐forming lichens as drivers of small‐scale changes in ecosystem functioning. This study provides valuable insights on semi‐arid ecosystems where plant cover is spatially discontinuous and ecosystem function in plant interspaces is regulated largely by BSCs.     

北京城区公园的植物种类构成及空间结构

对植物种类构成及空间结构的研究,可为公园植物多样性保护及公园的科学管理提供重要依据.采用分层随机抽样调查法,调查了北京市五环以内的53处公园,共记录维管束植物96科283属492种.基于研究区乔、灌、草共21个调查项目的大量数据及相关统计分析,对北京城区公园绿地各层植物的常见结构型式进行了阐述.结果表明：北京城区公园植物中,本地种占5386%,植物属的区系地理分布很广泛,优势植物的优势性明显;研究区大部分公园的草本植物种类较为丰富、盖度较高,而灌木盖度偏低、树冠下的灌木也偏少,乔灌植物种类丰富度和密度不高,乔木冠幅、胸径、灌幅及乔灌高度基本在2级水平,但乔木冠层结构比较丰满、受光良好、生长状况良好,灌木叶层缺失不明显.通过相关分析和北京市园林绿化史调研结果推测,北京城区公园植物种类构成及其空间结构主要受园林设计、植物引种、种植管理的影响.     

Comparison of Metagenomic DNA Extraction Methods for Soil Sediments of High Elevation Puga Hot Spring in Ladakh,India to Explore Bacterial Diversity

Extraction of good-quality metagenomic DNA from extreme environments is quite challenging, particularly from high elevation hot spring sediments. Low microbial load, high humic acid content and other contaminants complicate the process of extraction of metagenomic DNA from hot spring sediments. In the present study, efficacy of five manual DNA extraction protocols with modifications has been evaluated for metagenomic DNA extraction from boron–sulfur rich high elevation Puga hot spring sediments. Best suited protocol was identified based on the cell lysis efficiency, DNA yield, humic acid content, PCR reproducibility and representation of bacterial diversity. Quantity as well as quality of crude metagenomic DNA differed remarkably between various protocols used and were not pure enough to give PCR amplification using 16S rRNA bacterial and archaeal primers. Crude metagenomic DNA extracted using five different DNA extraction protocols was purified using spin column based purification method. Even after purification, only three protocols C, D and E yielded metagenomic DNA that could be amplified using both archaeal and bacterial primers. To evaluate the degree of microbial diversity represented by protocols C, D and E, phylogenetic genes amplified were subjected to amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis (DGGE) analysis. ARDRA banding pattern of amplicons generated for all the three extraction protocols, i.e., C, D and E were found to be similar. DGGE of protocol E derived amplicons resulted in the similar number of dominant bands but a greater number of non-dominant bands, i.e., the highest microbial diversity in comparison to protocols C and D, respectively. In the present study, protocol E developed from Yeates et al. protocol has been found to be best in terms of DNA yield, DNA purity and bacterial diversity depiction associated with boron–sulfur rich sediment of high elevation hot springs.     

Midgut bacterial communities in the giant Asian honeybee (Apis dorsata) across 4 developmental stages: A comparative study

Bacterial communities are known to play important roles during the developmental stages of insects, but current knowledge of bacteria associated with the midgut of Apis dorsata, the giant Asian honeybee, is limited. Using polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis (PCR‐DGGE) and 16S rRNA sequencing, the aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of bacterial community structure across four A. dorsata life stages in different geographical locations. The results reveal that bacterial diversity increased as the bee progressed through larval stage to newly emerged worker and old worker. However, in the pupal stage, no bands identified as bacteria could be observed. Overall, 2 bacterial phyla (Proteobacteria and Firmicutes) and 4 classes (Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacilli) were identified, but the frequency varied among the different stages and locations. The classes of Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli dominated among larval, newly emerged worker and old worker developmental stages.     

应用磷脂脂肪酸和聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳分析技术研究湿地植物根际微生物群落多样性

以天津大学校内两个相邻的小型湖泊(青年湖和爱晚湖)为研究区域, 通过采样分析, 利用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)和聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳(PCR-DGGE)分析技术, 研究了湿地植物种类(芦苇(Phragmites australis)和东方香蒲(Typha orientalis))和生长方式(单生和混生)对根际微生物生物量和群落结构的影响。PLFA分析结果表明, 植物根际微生物生物量大于非根际(爱晚湖芦苇除外); 植物种间的差异较大, 东方香蒲根际沉积物中微生物生物量大于芦苇根际; 种内根际微生物受植物的生长状况影响较大, 采样期间两个湖泊中东方香蒲的生长状况(株高)相似, 根际微生物生物量相差不大, 而爱晚湖芦苇由于与东方香蒲共生, 受到东方香蒲的抑制, 使得根际微生物生物量明显低于单独生长的芦苇; 革兰氏阳性细菌数量小于革兰氏阴性细菌的数量, 且根际的革兰氏阳性细菌与革兰氏阴性细菌的比值小于非根际。沉积物中的细菌群落结构主要与植物种类有关, 同一种植物的根际细菌群落结构差异较小(这些根际细菌聚为一类); 不同植物的根际细菌群落结构差异较大。     

PCR-DGGE指纹图谱技术分析2型糖尿病模型小鼠胃微生物菌群结构

糖尿病患者多出现胃肠道功能紊乱,如急性胃炎、胃溃疡,以及胃动力低下,胃排空延迟、胃内细菌过度滋长等,进一步导致肠道疾病。研究糖尿病胃内容物菌群结构变化对研究糖尿病发病机理及并发症治疗具有重要意义。该项研究采用变性梯度凝胶电泳技术,对10只2型糖尿病模型小鼠及10只正常对照小鼠进行胃内容物和粘膜样本菌群结构研究。结果表明,实验组小鼠与对照组小鼠胃内容物和粘膜菌群条带数、多样性指数、丰富度指数、均匀度指数与优势度指数均无显著差异,且相似度系数差异不明显。而特异条带测序结果显示正常小鼠胃内含乳杆菌,实验组小鼠胃内乳杆菌含量很低甚至检测不到。提示胃内乳杆菌与2型糖尿病密切相关。     

捕捞对北部湾海洋生态系统的影响

利用Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) 5.1软件构建了北部湾海洋生态系统1959—1960年的Ecosim模型,包含渔业、海洋哺乳动物、海鸟、中上层鱼类、底层鱼类、底栖无脊椎动物等20个功能组,通过与1997—1999年调查数据对比,分析了捕捞活动对北部湾生态系统的结构和功能的影响.结果表明：近40年来在捕捞强度不断增加的压力下,生态系统的结构和功能发生显著变化,长寿命、高营养级的肉食性鱼类生物量下降明显,系统以短寿命、小型鱼类和无脊椎动物占优势.1999年的大中型鱼类的生物量仅为1960年的6%,而小型鱼类和无脊椎动物则明显上升,尤其是头足类生物量上升了2.7倍,渔获物的营养级则从1960年的3.2降低到1999年的298,体现了“捕捞降低海洋食物网”的特点,目前的开发模式是不可持续的.利用20世纪90年代数据预测了降低捕捞压力后生态系统的变化.本研究证实了可以使用Ecosim模型预测捕捞压力对生态系统的影响.     

一种简单有效且适于土壤微生物多样性分析的DNA提取方法

参照Zhou[11]的方法进行了改进,获得了一种简单、有效的DNA提取方法.此方法操作简单、从大量样品改为小量样品的提取,利用高浓度的PEG沉淀,不作回收纯化,所提DNA片段较大,在23 kb以上,每克土的DNA提取量从3.74～15.28 μg,OD260/OD230比值在0.89～1.21范围内,用真菌和细菌核糖体特异性引物进行PCR扩增,均获得较好的结果,DGGE图谱显示丰富性较高,可用于细菌多样性和真菌多样性的分析.此方法能够从4种不同性质土壤中提取出DNA,但提取盐渍土壤和碱性土壤的效果更好一些,为土壤微生物群落结构的多样性分析奠定良好的基础.