A novel approach for estimating growth phases and parameters of bacterial population in batch culture

Traditionally, microbiologists divided bacterial growth in batch cultures into lag, exponential, station-ary and death phases[1], following the Logistic equa-tion that has been applied to the growth of human populations. The growth curves can always be ch…     

Physiological foundation for the differences of long-term water use efficiency among Populus deltoides clones

With randomized complete block design, long-term water use efficiency (WUE_L), photosynthetic parameters (net photosynthetic rate Pn, transpiration rate Tr, stomatal conductance Gs, instantaneous water use efficiency WUE_i, maximum photosynthetic rate P max, light saturation pointLSP, carboxylic efficiency Ce), stomatal properties (frequency, size, superior/inferior stoma amount ratio) and root/shoot ratio of twelve Populus deltoids clones were studied under water stress in a greenhouse. Four water treatments were designed, namely, well-watered condition, slight water stress, moderate water stress, and severe water stress. Although the volumes of irrigated water for different treatments were the same, the irrigation intervals were strictly controlled. The results showed that long-term water use efficiency (WUE_L) differences among tested clones were obvious and became greater with the increase in water stress. J₂, J₆, J₇, J₈, and J₉ were excellent clones with high WUE_L. Stomatal frequency, stomatal size, Gs, Tr, Pn, and root/shoot ratio of J₂et al were moderate, whereas the superior/inferior ratio, P_max, LSP, Ce of J2et al were higher than other clones. The interrelations between WUE_L and the physiological parameters were analyzed. The results revealed that the WUE_L differences were induced by a series of physiological parameters, and clones with higher WUE_L always had strong photosynthetic capacity, higher WUE_i, and optimum root/shoot ratio.     

Immobilization of lipase from Candida rugosa on Eupergit C supports by covalent attachment

The present study compares the results of three different covalent immobilization methods employed for immobilization of lipase from Candida rugosa on Eupergit^® C supports with respect to enzyme loadings, activities and coupling yields. It seems that method yielding the highest activity retention of 43.3% is based on coupling lipase via its carbohydrate moiety previously modified by periodate oxidation. Study of thermal deactivation kinetics at three temperatures (37, 50 and 75 °C) revealed that the immobilization method also produces an appreciable stabilization of the biocatalyst, changing its thermal deactivation profile. By comparison of the t_1/2 values obtained at 75 °C, it can be concluded that the lipase immobilized via carbohydrate moiety was almost 2-fold more stable than conventionally immobilized one and 18-fold than free lipase. The immobilization procedure developed is quite simple, and easily reproduced, and provides a promising solution for application of lipase in aqueous and microaqueous reaction system.     

人工诱导南方鲇雌核发育的最适参数

用紫外线照射南方鲇(Silurus meridionalis)精子,用遗传失活的精子人工授精,采用热休克方法抑制南方鲇第二极体的排出。根据热休克起始时间、持续时间和休克温度三因子三水平设计正交试验,探索获得人工诱导南方鲇雌核发育的最理想条件。结果表明,紫外线照射精子15 min,热休克起始时间为受精后5 min,持续时间为1 min,休克温度为41℃,对人工诱导南方鲇雌核发育最有利。该实验为进一步分析人工繁殖南方鲇的雌化机制以及南方鲇性别决定的分子机制奠定了基础。     

Time-Series Evolution of Toxic Organisms and Related Environmental Factors in a Brackish Ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea

In the framework of the EU Project STRATEGY, a short-term study was carried out in the Marinello ecosystem, a small brackish area located on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily (Italy). The investigation was aimed at understanding the dynamics of phytoplankton toxic blooms in relation to other planktonic species and environmental conditions. The study started on 10 March 2003, in coincidence with the first detection of Alexandrium minutum, a dinoflagellate known as a producer of Paralyzing Shellfish Toxins (PST) and lasted until 4 June 2003, when the bloom collapsed. The specific identity of A. minutum was confirmed on field mixed samples, through the use of species-specific PCR-primers targeting the 5.8S rDNA-ITS regions. Water samples and phytoplankton net hauls were taken approximately at 10 days intervals in the Verde Pond, one of the five basins of the Marinello ecosystem, in order to evaluate the incidence of toxic and non-toxic dinoflagellate species over the whole planktonic community. The evolution of the main environmental and trophic parameters (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, POC, C/N, DIN, PO₄–P) was simultaneously investigated. Alexandrium blooms were mostly characterized by A. minutum (max. 6 × 10⁵ cells l⁻¹ on April 11) and Alexandrium tamarense as an associated species (max. 2.5 × 10⁴ cells l⁻¹ on March 25). During the bloom, dinoflagellates or small flagellates dominated over the other taxa, with a minimum incidence of diatoms. The load of dissolved inorganic nitrogen was maximum in the pre-bloom phase (29 μM on March 19), after which it decreased sharply. An oxygen supersaturation event was registered in coincidence with the A. minutum bloom. The amounts of POC ranged between 266 and 658 μg l⁻¹ showing a discontinuous temporal trend. A recent introduction of A. minutum into the Verde Pond is suggested on the basis of the absence of this species in past years.     

8种阔叶树种叶片气体交换特征和叶绿素荧光特性比较

在自然条件下,测定了8种阔叶树种叶片的气体交换参数和叶绿素荧光参数并对其进行比较.结果表明,8种阔叶树种紫玉兰、广玉兰、玉兰、美人梅、铁杆梅、腊梅、红碧桃和紫薇的叶片净光合速率（Pn）、蒸腾速率（Tr）、气孔导度（gs）、瞬时水分利用效率（WUE）和潜在水分利用效率（WUEi）的种间差异达极显著水平（p〈0.01）,指示了不同树种间的光合能力及水分利用能力差别较大.8种阔叶树种叶片的初始荧光（Fo）、可变荧光（Fv）、最大荧光（Fm）和PSⅡ电子传递量子效率（ФPSⅡ）的种间差异极为显著（p〈0.01）,PSⅡ最大光能转换效率（Fv/Fm）、可变荧光与初始荧光之比（Fv/Fo）和非光化学猝灭系数（NPQ）的种间差异也达显著水平（p〈0.05）,说明各树种叶片的PSⅡ原初光能转换效率和潜在活性、PSⅡ电子传递量子效率以及PSⅡ的潜在热耗散能力差别较大,而实际光下最大荧光（F′m）和PSⅡ光能捕获效率（F′v/F′m）的种间差异不显著.3种木兰科植物的Pn、Tr、WUE和WUEi平均值均高于3种蔷薇科植物,说明木兰科植物的光合能力较强,对吸收的光能和水分的利用较高.蔷薇科植物的Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo、ФPSⅡ、F′v/F′m和光化学猝灭系数（qp）平均值均高于木兰科植物,而木兰科植物NPQ较高,表明其PSⅡ的潜在热耗散能力较强,可有效地避免过剩光能对光合机构的损伤.研究还表明3种木兰科植物和3种蔷薇科植物之间的叶绿素荧光参数差异不大,说明同一科属植物叶片的光合能力较为相近.相关分析表明,8种阔叶树种叶片的Pn与Tr、Tr与gs、Fv/Fm与Fv/Fo、ФPSⅡ与F′v/F′m、qp与NPQ均呈极显著正相关（p〈0.01）,Pn与gs呈显著正相关（p〈0.05）,而Tr、gs与WUE、WUEi,Pn与ФPSⅡ,ФPSⅡ与NPQ,F′v/F′m 与 qp、NPQ均呈极显著负相关（p〈0.01）.     

海藻酸钠明胶协同固定化的研究

目的:研究不同因素对固定化微胶囊的影响以及不同物质向微胶囊扩散的规律。方法:采用海藻酸钠与明胶协同固定化制备微胶囊,考察了海藻酸钠、明胶浓度等因子对微胶囊直径与机械强度的影响,以及牛血清蛋白与葡萄糖向微胶囊扩散的状况,并利用非稳态传递模型计算了这两种物质在微胶囊中的有效扩散系数。结果:随着海藻酸钠质量浓度的升高,微胶囊的直径与机械强度逐渐增大。制备的最优条件是CaCl2浓度为10%,滴定速度为180滴/min,最优浸泡时间为30min。在此条件下,葡萄糖与牛血清蛋白的有效扩散系数分别为4.63×10-5cm2/min、1.01×10-7cm2/min。结论:海藻酸钠明胶协同固定化制备的微胶囊作为一种生物载体,非常适合细胞或酶的固定化。     

盐胁迫对杨树幼苗叶片光合色素及气体交换特征的影响

以‘小胡24杨’和‘吴屯杨’为材料,研究了盐胁迫对杨树幼苗叶片光合色素及气体交换参数的影响。结果表明:短期盐处理下,2个杨树品种幼苗叶片的Chla、Chlb和Car含量都有所升高,其中,在pH值较低的盐处理下叶片光合色素的增加不明显,而pH值较高的盐处理下叶片Chla、Chlb显著增加,但pH值过高使叶片光合色素有下降趋势;气体交换参数Pn、Tr、Gs随着盐溶液pH值的升高而逐渐降低,Ls先升高后降低,Ci先降低后升高,即低pH值的盐处理下,杨树幼苗叶片光合下降的主要原因是气孔因素,而高pH值的盐处理下,叶片光合下降的主要原因是非气孔因素;相对于‘吴屯杨’,‘小胡24杨’对盐处理溶液的pH值更为敏感。     

Osteochondrosis in pigs diagnosed with computed tomography: heritabilities and genetic correlations to weight gain in specific age intervals

The aim of this study was to develop a method for scoring osteochondrosis (OC) by using information from computed tomography (CT), as well as to estimate the heritability for OC scored by means of CT (OCwCT) of the medial and lateral condyles at the distal end of the humerus or the femur of the right and left leg and the sum of these scores (OCT). In addition, we were aiming at revealing the genetic relationship between OCwCT traits and growth in different periods (days from birth to 30 kg (D30), days from 30 to 50 kg (D30_50), days from 50 to 70 kg (D50_70), days from 70 to 90 kg (D70_90), days from 90 to 100 kg (D90_100) and days from birth to 100 kg (D100)). The OCwCT was assessed for 1449 boars, and growth data were collected for these 1449 boars and additional 3779 boars tested in the same time period. All boars were tested as part of the Norsvin Landrace boar test and in the same test station. Heritabilities for OCwCT on anatomical locations varied from 0.21 (s.e. = 0.08) on the medial condyle of the right humerus to 0.06 (s.e. = 0.06) on the lateral condyle of the left femur, whereas OCT exhibited the highest heritability (h² = 0.31, s.e. = 0.09). Genetic correlations between OCT and OCwCT for the anatomical locations ranged from 0.94 (s.e. = 0.07) for OCT and OCwCT score for the medial condyle of the humerus right side to 0.26 (s.e. = 0.39) for OCT and the lateral condyle of the femur left side. Genetic correlations between D30 and OCT were medium high and unfavourable (r_g = −0.74). As the boar gain weight, the relationship between growth rate – expressed as number of days spent growing from one interval to the next – and OCT decreased to 0.12 (s.e. = 0.19, i.e. not significantly different from zero) for the trait D90_100 kg. These changes of genetic correlation coefficients coincide with the maturing of the joint cartilage and skeletal structures. In this study, we demonstrate that CT could be used for selection against OC in breeding programmes in pigs and that the genetic correlations between growth periods and OC are decreasing over time.     

Unusual Protonated Structure in the Homopurine · Homopyrimidine Tract of Supercoiled and Linearized Plasmids Recognized by Chemical Probes

Abstract

Plasmid pEJ4, which is a derivative of pUC19 containing an insert with 60-bp-long · homopurine homopyrimidine tract from sea urchin P. miliaris histone gene spacer, was studied by chemical probes of the DNA structure osmium tetroxide and glyoxal. The former probe reacts with pyrimidine bases, while the latter forms a stable product only with guanine residues. These probes can thus be applied as specific probes for the homopyrimidine and homopurine strands, respectively.

At pH 6.0 the site-specific modification of the homopurine · homopyrimidine tract by both probes was observed at native superhelical density of the plasmid. In the linear plasmid under the same conditions this modification was absent; it appeared, however, at more acid pH values. In supercoiled DNA the hypersensitivity of the homopurine homopyrimidine tract to osmium tetroxide did not substantially change when pH was decreased from 6.0 to 4.0. Changes in NaCl concentration at pH 4.5 did not influence the hypersensitivity to osmium tetroxide; at pH 6.0 this hypersensitivity decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. These results thus show that the chemical probes recognize an unusual protonated structure containing unpaired bases or non-Watson-Crick base pairs. At pH 5.6 the site-specific modification occurred at or near to the middle of the homopurine · homopyrimidine tract, suggesting that a hairpin may be involved in the unusual structure under the given conditions. From the models suggested so far for the unusual structure of homopurine · homopyrimidine tracts our results fit best the protonated triplex H form suggest by V.I. Lyamichev, S.M. Mirkin and M.D. Frank-Kamenetskii, J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn. 3, 667 (1986).