Production of Hydrophobins from fungi

Hydrophobins (HPs) are industrially important surface active, amphipathic proteins produced by fungi. There are many applications reported for HPs in the literature notably as, agents for enhancing bioavailability of water insoluble drugs, food stabilizers, antifouling agents for biomedical devices like catheters, fusion partner for recombinant proteins for purification, low friction coatings on biomaterials, immobilizing enzymes in biosensors, etc. However, there are limitations for industrial scale production of HPs. Various methods have been reported for their production e.g. use of wild fungi from natural hydrophobic environments, use of modified bioreactors for submerged and solid state fermentation and recombinant homologous as well as heterologous microbes. Knowing the industrial importance of HPs many reviews have been published focusing on technical and medical applications of these proteins; however there is no comprehensive overview of HP production in the literature. This review summarizes the efforts made to improve yields of HPs by various bioprocesses and also highlights the strategies designed to overcome problems of low yield of HPs.     

Rhodobacteraceae on the marine brown alga Fucus spiralis are abundant and show physiological adaptation to an epiphytic lifestyle

Macroalgae harbour specific microbial communities on their surface that have functions related to host health and defence. In this study, the bacterial biofilm of the marine brown alga Fucus spiralis was investigated using 16S rRNA gene amplicon-based analysis and isolation of bacteria. Rhodobacteraceae (Alphaproteobacteria) were the predominant family constituting 23% of the epibacterial community. At the genus level, Sulfitobacter, Loktanella, Octadecabacter and a previously undescribed cluster were most abundant, and together they comprised 89% of the Rhodobacteraceae. Supported by a specific PCR approach, 23 different Rhodobacteraceae-affiliated strains were isolated from the surface of F. spiralis, which belonged to 12 established and three new genera. For seven strains, closely related sequences were detected in the 16S rRNA gene dataset. Growth experiments with substrates known to be produced by Fucus spp. showed that all of them were consumed by at least three strains, and vitamin B₁₂ was produced by 70% of the isolates. Since growth of F. spiralis depends on B₁₂ supplementation, bacteria may provide the alga with this vitamin. Most strains produced siderophores, which can enhance algal growth under iron-deficient conditions. Inhibiting properties against other bacteria were only observed when F. spiralis material was present in the medium. Thus, the physiological properties of the isolates indicated adaption to an epiphytic lifestyle.     

长白山针阔混交林不同演替阶段群落系统发育和功能性状结构

群落构建一直是生态学研究的热点,基于系统发育和功能性状量化生境过滤、竞争排斥以及随机过程在群落构建中的作用,能够深入理解群落构建机制。本研究以长白山针阔混交林不同演替阶段的3个5.2 hm~2样地(次生杨桦林、次生针阔混交林、原始椴树红松林)为平台,基于被子植物分类系统Ⅲ(Angiosperm Classification System,APGⅢ)构建的系统发育树和7个关键功能性状(叶面积、比叶面积、叶片厚度、叶片氮含量、叶片磷含量、氮磷比、最大树高),结合环境数据,分析不同演替阶段群落系统发育和功能性状结构。研究表明:(1)各演替阶段7个植物功能性状都表现出显著的系统发育信号,表明植物功能性状受系统发育历史影响;(2)系统发育和功能性状结构在不同演替阶段和不同径级均为非随机状态。随着演替的推进群落系统发育和功能性状结构由聚集走向发散;随着径级的增加,系统发育和功能性状结构的聚集程度减小,表明随着演替阶段的进行和径级增大,竞争性排斥的作用逐渐明显;(3)各演替阶段系统发育和功能性状的周转都为非随机且不同因子对两者的解释力度存在差异。演替早期空间距离的解释力度小于环境距离,说明生境过滤在群落构建中的重要性,而在演替后期空间距离的解释力度大于环境距离,验证了扩散限制在群落构建中的重要性。     

Isolation,Culture and Long-Term Maintenance of Primary Mesencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons From Embryonic Rodent Brains

Degeneration of mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s diseae. Study of the biological processes involved in physiological functions and vulnerability and death of these neurons is imparative to understanding the underlying causes and unraveling the cure for this common neurodegenerative disorder. Primary cultures of mesDA neurons provide a tool for investigation of the molecular, biochemical and electrophysiological properties, in order to understand the development, long-term survival and degeneration of these neurons during the course of disease. Here we present a detailed method for the isolation, culturing and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic neurons from E12.5 mouse (or E14.5 rat) embryos. Optimized cell culture conditions in this protocol result in presence of axonal and dendritic projections, synaptic connections and other neuronal morphological properties, which make the cultures suitable for study of the physiological, cell biological and molecular characteristics of this neuronal population.     

Malaria-induced reduction of fecundity during the first gonotrophic cycle of Anopheles Stephensi mosquitoes

Abstract. Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes which had fed upon mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis malaria parasites produced significantly fewer eggs than mosquitoes fed on an uninfected mouse. Fecundity reduction was more pronounced when the bloodmeal contained malaria gametocytes and the mosquitoes developed oocysts. Egg production and haematin excretion were correlated for uninfected bloodfed mosquitoes; the presence of P.y. nigeriensis in the blood affected this relationship. Reduced fecundity was associated with a significant reduction of bloodmeal size (measured by haematin excretion) in mosquitoes which ingested gametocytaemic blood. The bloodmeal size in mosquitoes fed on parasitaemic blood without gametocytes was not significantly reduced. The use of haematin assays for determination of bloodmeal size in mosquitoes is discussed.     

Reproductive characteristics that favor invasiveness in Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br.

Reproductive systems are life attributes important in defining the demography and genetic constitution of invasive alien species populations. We describe the phenology, floral behavior and floral visitors in Mexican populations of Leonotis nepetifolia considered invasive in America, Asia and Oceania. The mating system was determined through pollination experiments and, with a morphological analysis of flowers (outcrossing index, OCI) and pollen/ovule ratio, the breeding system was evaluated. Germination of 1 and 2-year-old seeds was tested to assess the potential characteristics of germination. Leonotis nepetifolia was reproductive for 7 months (June to December) and tended towards a specific season during autumn. Anthesis lasted 36 hr with protogyny and no hercogamy, with floral visitors of Apodiformes, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Thysanoptera. Pollination experiments indicated a mixed mating system, whereas the OCI and the pollen/ovule ratio pointed towards a facultative xenogamous breeding system. Seed production was high (1,445 ± 132 seeds/plant); the seeds had potential longevity and were neutral photoblastic. One-year-old seeds germinated slightly later ( = 2.6 ± 0.11 days) than 2-year-old seeds ( = 1.9 ± 0.02 days), both synchronously (IS_1yr = 0.88 ± 0.03 and IS_2yr = 0.82 ± 0.02). Germination percentage for 1-year-old seeds was lower (55.33 ± 4.40%) than that of 2-year-old seeds (94.18 ± 0.59%), suggesting a potential longevity of the seeds in an optimal environment. Reproductive characteristics, such as wide reproductive period, mixed breeding system, copious seed production, seeds with potential longevity, and quick and synchronic germination in different light conditions, favor the invasive capacity of Leonotis nepetifolia.