Effects of post-breeding moult and energetic condition on timing of songbird migration into the tropics

Each autumn billions of songbirds migrate between the temperate zone and tropics, but little is known about how events on the breeding grounds affect migration to the tropics. Here, we use light level geolocators to track the autumn migration of wood thrushes Hylocichla mustelina and test for the first time if late moult and poor physiological condition prior to migration delays arrival on the winter territory. Late nesting thrushes postponed feather moult, and birds with less advanced moult in August were significantly farther north on 10 October while en route to the tropics. Individuals in relatively poor energetic condition in August (high β-Hydroxybutyrate, low triglyceride, narrow feather growth bars) passed into the tropics significantly later in October. However, late moult and poor pre-migratory condition did not result in late arrival on the winter territory because stopover duration was highly variable late in migration. Although carry-over effects from the winter territory to spring migration may be strong in migratory songbirds, our study suggests that high reproductive effort late in the season does not impose time constraints that delay winter territory acquisition.     

Evaluation of quenching methods for metabolite recovery in photoautotrophic Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

The first step of many metabolomics studies is quenching, a technique vital for rapidly halting metabolism and ensuring that the metabolite profile remains unchanging during sample processing. The most widely used approach is to plunge the sample into prechilled cold methanol; however, this led to significant metabolite loss in Synecheococcus sp. PCC 7002. Here we describe our analysis of the impacts of cold methanol quenching on the model marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, as well as our brief investigation of alternative quenching methods. We tested several methods including cold methanol, cold saline, and two filtration approaches. Targeted central metabolites were extracted and metabolomic profiles were generated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results indicate that cold methanol quenching induces dramatic metabolite leakage in Synechococcus, resulting in a majority of central metabolites being lost prior to extraction. Alternatively, usage of a chilled saline quenching solution mitigates metabolite leakage and improves sample recovery without sacrificing rapid quenching of cellular metabolism. Finally, we illustrate that metabolite leakage can be assessed, and subsequently accounted for, in order to determine absolute metabolite pool sizes; however, our results show that metabolite leakage is inconsistent across various metabolite pools and therefore must be determined for each individually measured metabolite.     

Mechanosensitive channels of Corynebacterium glutamicum functioning as exporters of l-glutamate and other valuable metabolites

In the industrial l-glutamate production established on the use of Corynebacterium glutamicum, l-glutamate synthesized intracellularly is exported through mechanosensitive transmembrane channel proteins (MscCG and MscCG2) activated by the force-from-lipids. The involvement of MscCG2 in l-glutamate export by C. glutamicum was demonstrated in 2018; however, MscCG was previously found to be the major exporter of l-glutamate. Recent advances in research methods, such as development of the microbial patch clamp, revealed unique characteristics of MscCG, including its conductance, opening and closing thresholds, and gating hysteresis, as well as the significant effect of membrane lipids on the channel properties. In addition, the cryoelectron microscopic structure of Escherichia coli MscS, the canonical representative of the mechanosensitive channel family to which MscCG and MscCG2 belong, revealed its new membrane-interacting region, new position within the lipid bilayer, and hook lipids in a newly defined cavity between subunits. In this short review, the applications of bacterial mechanosensitive channels in the development of effective microbial cell factories, which will contribute to sustainable development, are discussed.     

Bioassay guided fractionation of bioactive metabolite from Corynascus verrucosus inhabiting Croton bonplandianus Baill

Mycoendophytes have been a promising source of bioactive metabolites for new developments in pharmaceuticals and industrial relevance. During the screening of mycoendophytes diversity from C. bonplandianus, bioactive C. verrucosus CBF 22 was isolated from the leaf. The bioactive isolate was subjected to fermentation and the ethyl acetate fraction was evaluated for antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion and microbroth dilution methods, followed by cytotoxicity using MTT assay. The results revealed significant activity against Gram negative bacteria, Gram positive bacteria, and human pathogenic dermatophytic fungi, C. albicans. The TLC Bioautography-Guided approach employed for the detection of antimicrobial metabolite from bioactive fraction was depicted by a zone of inhibition. Antimicrobial screening of mycoendophytes C. bonplandianus could envision a unique potential niche for bioactive compounds of pharmaceutical importance. These findings suggest C. verrucosus as a potent candidate for producing natural bioactives, to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens. This work is the first report on the incidence of C. verrucosus as mycoendophyte and its bioactive potential of inhabiting C. bonplandianus Baill.     

内生真菌和内生细菌接种对雷公藤生长和次生代谢产物积累的影响

为探究内生真菌与内生细菌对雷公藤(Tripterygium wilfordii)的生长和次生代谢产物积累的相互作用,用内生真菌NS33、NS6和内生细菌LG3、LY1单独或跨界联合接种雷公藤,对雷公藤的生长和雷公藤甲素、雷公藤红素合成进行了研究。结果表明,单独或混合培养的菌株具有分泌铁载体、吲哚乙酸(IAA)和溶磷能力,对种子萌发、芽伸长和根系活力有显著促进作用。接种菌株NS33、NS6、NS6-LG3和NS6-LY1均显著促进了雷公藤组培苗的生长。单独或联合接种菌株均能显著提高雷公藤组培苗雷公藤甲素和雷公藤红素的积累,其中NS33-LG3和LG3的作用最显著。菌株NS33与LG3能够协同促进IAA的分泌、小麦幼苗根系活力和雷公藤红素的积累;菌株NS6与LY1协同提高了雷公藤组培苗的高度、质量和雷公藤红素的积累。因此,内生真菌与内生细菌联合接种对雷公藤生长和次生代谢产物积累具有一定的协同效应,显示出实际应用潜力。     

双乙酸钠对小鼠肠道菌群结构和功能的影响

肠道菌群在功能和代谢方面的研究日益成熟,但针对食品添加剂双乙酸钠对人体肠道菌群作用的研究目前仍鲜少有报道。为了探究其对肠道菌群及人体健康的潜在益处及危害,以小鼠为模型,以双乙酸钠为干预物质,干预剂量为0.3 g/(kg·d),干预1周后,收集实验小鼠和空白对照组小鼠的粪便并用菌群16S rDNA高通量测序进行肠道菌群的物种鉴定和丰度检测。对所得数据进行分析,得到小鼠肠道菌群的多样性与丰度比例等指标。结果显示,实验剂量下的双乙酸钠干预后,小鼠的肠道菌群无论是菌群种类还是丰度都有了显著改变,属水平新增447种,减少142种。根据丰度比例变化最显著的9种菌,如拟杆菌属(Bacteroides)、AKK(Akkermansia)等,并结合菌群代谢功能预测,脂肪酸合成显著上调,碳水化合物代谢、氨基酸代谢、脂代谢等明显下调,推测摄入高剂量的双乙酸钠可能有增加肥胖、过敏、慢性炎症和肠胃炎的风险。     

益生菌与宿主疾病关系的研究进展

人类肠道中含有的多种微生物,称为肠道菌群,它们对宿主的健康起着至关重要的作用。肠道菌群的组成包括细菌、病毒和真核生物,已经被证明与宿主健康有密切的联系,尤其是其中的益生菌。益生菌通过多种途径发挥作用,包括与宿主微生物的相互作用、抵御病原菌的定殖、改善肠道屏障功能、调节免疫功能、产生相关代谢产物,在宿主的代谢、免疫和神经系统中发挥有益作用。综述益生菌的作用机制,讨论了近年来益生菌应用临床研究实例以更好地理解其对疾病风险和健康可持续性的贡献,将为新的治疗干预和疾病预防策略提供参考。     

A highly sensitive molecular structural probe applied to in situ biosensing of metabolites using PEDOT:PSS

A large amount of research within organic biosensors is dominated by organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) that use conducting polymers such as poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Despite the recent advances in OECT-based biosensors, the sensing is solely reliant on the amperometric detection of the bioanalytes. This is typically accompanied by large undesirable parasitic electrical signals from the electroactive components in the electrolyte. Herein, we present the use of in situ resonance Raman spectroscopy to probe subtle molecular structural changes of PEDOT:PSS associated with its doping level. We demonstrate how such doping level changes of PEDOT:PSS can be used, for the first time, on operational OECTs for sensitive and selective metabolite sensing while simultaneously performing amperometric detection of the analyte. We test the sensitivity by molecularly sensing a lowest glucose concentration of 0.02 mM in phosphate-buffered saline solution. By changing the electrolyte to cell culture media, the selectivity of in situ resonance Raman spectroscopy is emphasized as it remains unaffected by other electroactive components in the electrolyte. The application of this molecular structural probe highlights the importance of developing biosensing probes that benefit from high sensitivity of the material's structural and electrical properties while being complimentary with the electronic methods of detection.