MOLECULAR DIVERSITY OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES BASED ON KEY FUNCTIONAL GENES1

The phylogeny and diversity of two key functional genes were investigated as the basis for improved understanding of the community structure of natural phytoplankton assemblages in marine environments. New partial NR (encoding eukaryotic assimilatory nitrate reductase) and rbcL (encoding LSU of RUBISCO) sequences from 10 cultured phytoplankton strains are reported. Phytoplankton community composition from Monterey Bay (MB), a coastal upwelling site on the California coast, and the Western English Channel (EC), a North Atlantic spring bloom environment, was elucidated based on NR and rbcL sequences. Diatoms were by far the most frequently detected group in both environments, consistent with their importance as a major bloom‐forming group. Both NR and rbcL libraries contained sequences representing cosmopolitan types such as Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) W. W. Hay et H. P. Mohler, Phaeocystis, and Pseudo‐nitzschia. The NR and rbcL libraries also contained sequences from other chromophytic algal groups and the Dinophyceae (alveolates). Sequences showing identity with key bloom‐forming organisms including E. huxleyi, Phaeocystis pouchetii (Har.) Lagerh., Pseudo‐nitzschia sp., and Thalassiosira sp. in the rbcL libraries confirm previous studies from these environments based on traditional approaches. Diversity/pattern analyses detected significant compositional differences among the libraries, which were consistent with patterns identified by phylogenetic analysis, but these patterns were not strongly correlated with obvious environmental variables such as temperature and nitrate concentration. Many new and divergent NR and rbcL sequences are reported, but the extent to which they represent unknown types cannot be determined until greater effort is made to sequence the existing culture collections.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF DIATOM (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) NITRATE REDUCTASE GENES AND THEIR DETECTION IN MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES1

The complete assimilatory nitrate reductase (NR) gene from the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum triconutum Bohlin was sequenced from cDNA and compared with NR sequences from fungi, green algae, vascular plants, and the recently sequenced genome of the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle and Heimdal CCMP1335. In all the major eukaryotic nitrate reductase (Euk‐NR) functional domains, diatom NR gene sequences are generally 50%–60% identical to plant and alga sequences at the amino acid level. In the less conserved N‐terminal, hinge 1, and hinge 2 regions, homology to other NR sequences is weak, generally<30%. Two PCR primer sets capable of amplifying Euk‐NR from plants, algae, and diatoms were designed. One primer set was used to amplify a 750‐base pair (bp) NR fragment from the cDNA of five additional diatom strains. The PCR amplicon spans part of the well‐conserved dimer interface region, the more variable hinge 1 region, and part of the conserved cytochrome b heme binding region. The second primer set, targeted to the dimer region, was used to amplify an approximately 400‐bp fragment of the NR gene from DNA samples collected in Monterey Bay, California and in central New Jersey inner continental shelf (LEO‐15 site) waters. Only diatom‐like NR sequences were recovered from Monterey Bay samples, whereas LEO‐15 samples yielded NR sequences from a range of photosynthetic eukaryotes. The prospect of using DNA‐ and RNA‐based methods to target the NR genes of diatoms specifically is a promising approach for future physiological and ecological experiments.     

EMILIANIA HUXLEYI (PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE): NITROGEN‐METABOLISM GENES AND THEIR EXPRESSION IN RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL NITROGEN SOURCES1

The availability and composition of dissolved nitrogen in ocean waters are factors that influence species composition in natural phytoplankton communities. The same factors affect the ratio of organic to inorganic carbon incorporation in calcifying species, such as the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (Lohman) W. W. Hay et H. Mohler. E. huxleyi has been shown to thrive on various nitrogen sources, including dissolved organic nitrogen. Nevertheless, assimilation of dissolved nitrogen under nitrogen‐replete and ‐limited conditions is not well understood in this ecologically important species. In this study, the complete amino acid sequences for three functional genes involved in nitrogen metabolism in E. huxleyi were identified: a putative formamidase, a glutamine synthetase (GSII family), and assimilatory nitrate reductase. Expression patterns of the three enzymes in cells grown on inorganic as well as organic nitrogen sources indicated reduced expression levels of nitrate reductase when cells were grown on NH₄⁺ and a reduced expression level of the putative formamidase when growth was on NO₃^?. The data reported here suggest the presence of a nitrogen preference hierarchy in E. huxleyi. In addition, the gene encoding for a phosphate repressible phosphate permease was more highly expressed in cells growing on formamide than in cells growing on inorganic nitrogen sources. This finding suggests a coupling between phosphate and nitrogen metabolism, which might give this species a competitive advantage in nutrient‐depleted environments. The potential of using expression of genes investigated here as indicators of specific nitrogen‐metabolism strategies of E. huxleyi in natural populations of phytoplankton is discussed.     

基因芯片与植物基因差异表达分析

基因芯片为研究植物不同个体或物种之间以及同一个体在不同生长发育阶段、正常和疾病状态下基因表达的差异、某一性状多基因的协同作用,寻找和定位新的目的基因等方面带来了革命性的变革。与传统研究基因差异表达的方法相比,它具有微型化、用材少、快速、准确、灵敏度能高基、在因同等一研究方面已取得了显著的成绩,如拟南芥、酵母、水稻等。     

澳门湿地浮游植物群落特征

2007年7月、10月和2008年1月, 对澳门的湿地——筷子基湾、白鹭林、莲花大桥滩涂和南湾湖的浮游植物群落特征进行了调查。3次采样共检测到76种(属), 其中, 蓝藻门藻类13种(属), 绿藻门30种(属), 硅藻门25种(属), 甲藻门2种, 裸藻门4种, 金藻门和隐藻门各1种(属)。浮游植物丰度的最高值出现在莲花大桥, 为3 922.33×10⁴ cells·L^-1; 最小值出现在南湾湖, 为1.58×10⁴ cells·L^-1。浮游植物主要是由蓝藻、绿藻、裸藻和硅藻组成。2008年1月硅藻的含量最高, 而2007年7月蓝藻的含量最高。浮游植物多样性指数和均匀度指数值均指示出: 筷子基湾2008年1月、莲花大桥2007年7月和10月污染最严重, 其他属于中度污染或无污染。透明度对澳门湿地浮游植物的影响较大, 与绿藻(r=0.683, p<0.05)、甲藻(r=0.715, p<0.05)、金藻(r=0.707, p<0.05)和隐藻(r=0.701, p<0.05)都存在较高的正相关关系。硅藻与pH值存在较强的负相关关系(r=–0.674, p<0.05), 与总氮(r=0.895, p<0.05)、总磷(r=0.920, p<0.05)和正磷酸(r=0.668, p<0.05)存在较强的正相关关系。     

STUDIES OF CARBON AND NITROGEN METABOLISM BY THREE MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON SPECIES IN NITRATE-LIMITED CONTINUOUS CULTURE1,2

Characteristics of carbon production, excretion and dark respiration, and nitrate uptake kinetics were studied using continuous culture techniques for Thalassiosira allenii Takano, Monorhrysis lutheri Droop and Dunaliella tertiolccta Butcher. Fur T. allenii. the ratio of dark C loss to daytime net C production varied between 0.1 and 0.2 over a growth rate range from ca. 0.005 to 0.06 h^-1. For M. lutheri and D. tertiolecta. this same ratio varied belween 0.2 and 0.3 between growth rates of ca. 0.005 and 0.025 h^-1, but declined at higher growth rates when the dark nitrate uptake capacity of the cells was exceeded by the pumping rate. Carbon excretion rates averaged less than 1.5% of daytime net C production rates. Productivity indices showed little correlation with growth rate, due to the significant poisitive correlation between chl a:C ratios and growth rate. Chlorophyll a:C ratios for T. allenii were less than 0.01 al growth rates less than 0.03 h^-1, and appoached zero at zero growth rate. Dark nitrate maximum uptake rates for M. lutheri, D. tertiolecta and T. allenii averaged 23, 64 and 120%, respectively, of light nitrate maximum uptake rates. Excretion of nitrite was observed during most nitrate uptake experiments. This excretion reduced net uptake of nitrate spikes in the dark for M. lutheri and D. tertiolecta by 79 and 23%, respectively.     

人胰岛素原基因在酵母中的分泌表达

 我们研究了外源基因——合成的人胰岛素原基因在酵母α因子系统中的表达和分泌。用表达载体YTI-15转化酵母63号株可得到每升约2毫克的人胰岛素原分泌产物。     

解毒酶基因的克隆及其在大肠杆菌和蓝藻中的表达(英文)

近几年来 ,在明确了杀虫药剂抗性机理的基础上 ,从杀虫药剂抗性的昆虫中分离出高抗性基因 (即解毒酶基因 ) ,将该基因克隆到表达载体 pRL 4 39上 ,得到表达载体 pRL B1,将其转化大肠杆菌HB10 1,获得了可以表达解毒酶基因的转基因工程菌株。同时构建了穿梭表达载体 pDC B1,并转化大肠杆菌HB10 1后 ,在抗生素氨卞霉素 (30 μg/mL)和卡那霉素 (30 μg/mL)平板上挑选阳性克隆 ,将阳性克隆的细胞、蓝藻和结合质粒以三亲结合转移的方式转入蓝藻。斑点杂交、Southern分析结果表明已经获得了Synechococcussp .PCC 794 2转基因工程藻。     

瑞氏木霉木糖代谢关键酶基因在不同碳源条件下的表达

用20种不同的碳源(包括单一碳源和混合碳源)分别培养瑞氏木霉(Trichoderma reesei)QM9414。通过一系列Northern杂交分析检测瑞氏木霉木糖还原酶(XR),木糖醇脱氢酶(XDH)以及转醛醇酶(TAL)mRNA的表达情况。实验结果证实,槐糖和木二糖是xr和xdh表达的强诱导物,阿拉伯糖和乳糖也有较强的诱导作用。葡萄糖在培养基中的存在阻遏该二基因的表达。当葡萄糖耗尽以后,培养基中不存在任何诱导物的情况下,xr和xdh以一定的基础水平进行转录。相比较,tal基因在每种碳源上都是强表达。     

EFFECTS OF CADMIUM TOXICITY ON GROWTH AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON

Some classes of marine phytoplankton are believed to be more tolerant of high concentrations of trace metals than others, but the results of experimental tests of this hypothesis are ambiguous. Eleven species of phytoplankton representing five classes were grown in Aquil medium containing Cd concentrations between 10⁻⁸ and 10⁻⁵ M ([Cd²⁺]= 10^−9.85 to 10^−6.84 M), and growth rates and intracellular concentrations of Cd, C, N, and S were measured. The mean Cd²⁺ concentration (pCd⁵⁰) that reduced the growth rate of each species to 50% of its maximum varied by 2.5 orders of magnitude, from 10^−6.23 for Emiliania huxleyi to 10^−8.79 for Synechococcus sp. Taxonomic trends in Cd resistance were not apparent in these data. Cadmium quotas (mol Cd·L⁻¹ cell volume) were lowest in species of Bacillariophyceae (ANOVA, P < 0.001), suggesting that they might regulate Cd transport differently than other taxa. Cellular S:C molar ratios increased in four of seven phytoplankton grown at high pCd (7.37–6.84) compared to low Cd ion concentrations (no added Cd), a result of increases in S·L⁻¹ cell volume. Nitrogen:carbon molar ratios were also higher in Cd-exposed phytoplankton, as changes in N and S were highly correlated ( r = 0.98, P < 0.0001). In two species that were examined, S:C ratios increased as a linear function of increasing Cd concentration. The results demonstrate large variability in Cd resistance among phytoplankton that is primarily a function of interspecific differences in Cd detoxification.     

COMBINING NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR DETERMINATION OF PHYTOPLANKTON COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO 1

In situ analysis of phytoplankton community structure was determined at five stations along the Texas Gulf coast using two instruments, the Fluoroprobe and FlowCAM. Results were compared with traditional methods to determine community structure (pigment analysis and microscopy). Diatoms and small nanoplankton (most likely haptophytes) dominated the phytoplankton community at all stations. Estimated chl concentrations for diatoms+dinoflagellates obtained via the Fluoroprobe were not significantly different for three of the five stations sampled when compared with HPLC‐chemical taxonomy analysis, whereas the concentrations of green algal and cryptophyte chl were overestimated. The FlowCAM estimates of overall nanoplankton and microplankton cell abundance were not significantly different when compared with epifluorescence microscopy, and recorded images of phytoplankton cells provided a representative population of the phytoplankton community at each station. The Fluoroprobe and FlowCAM, when used in tandem, are potentially capable of determining the general characteristics of phytoplankton community structure in situ and could be an important addition to biological observing systems in the coastal ocean.     

PHYSIOLOGICAL ACCLIMATION OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON TO DIFFERENT NITROGEN SOURCES1

We examined the energetic dependency of the biochemical and physiological responses of Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle and Heimdal. Chaetoceros gracilis Schütt, Dunaliella tertiolecta Butcher, and Gymnodinium sanguineum Hirasaka to NH₄⁺, NO₃^?, and urea by growing them at subsaturating and saturating photon flux (PF). At subsaturating PF, when energy was limiting, NO₃^? and NH₄⁺ grown cells had similar growth rates and C and X quotas. Therefore, NO₃^? grown cells used up to 48% more energy than NH₄⁺ grown cells to assimilate carbon and nitrogen. Based on our measurements of pigments, chlorophyll-a-specific in vivo absorption cross-section, and fluorescence-chlorophyll a^?1, we suggest that NO₃^?, grown cells do not compensate for the greater energy requirements of NO₃^? reduction by trapping more light energy. At saturating PF, when energy is not limiting, the utilization of NO₃^?, compared to NH₄⁺ resulted in lower growth rates and N quotas in Thalassiosira pseudonana and lower N quotas in Chaetoceros gracilis, suggesting enzymatic rather than energetic limitations to growth. The utilization of urea compared to Nh₄⁺ resulted in lower growth rates in Chaetoceros gracilis and Gymnodinium sanguineum (saturating PF) and in lower N quotas in all species tested at both subsaturating and saturating PF. The high C:N ratios observed in all urea-grown species suggest that nitrogen assimilation may be limited by urea uptake or deamination and that symptoms of N limitation in microalgae may be induced by the nature of the N source in addition to the N supply rate. Our results provide new eridence that the maximum growth rates of microalgae may be limited by enzymatic processes associated with the assimilation of NO₃^?, or urea.     

mel基因在酿酒酵母菌中的克隆和表达*

构建了含mel基因的重组质粒pAJM,并转化到酿酒酵母菌中,获得了在平板上产生黑色表型的转化重组子,为酵母菌的遗传操作提供了一种新的选择标记。由于mel基因经酪氨酸产生的黑色素无毒、无害,安全稳定,无需另外加显色化合物或使用特殊的仪器设备,直接在平板上观察结果。因此,是一种便捷、价廉、无污染的新型报告基因。此外,实验中还发现含mel基因的酵母菌生长迅速,这不仅作为报告基因更能显示其优势,而且也为进一步研究其在酵母菌中的功能提出了新的内容。     

VARIABILITY IN RATIOS OF PHYTOPLANKTON CARBON AND RNA TO ATP AND CHLOROPHYLL A IN BATCH AND CONTINUOUS CULTURES1,2

The feasibility of estimating phytoplankton carbon and RNA concentrations from measurements of ATP and chlorophyll a (chl a) concentrations was studied using chemostat populations of the marine diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) Fryxell & Hasle (= T. fluviatilis Hustedt). C:ATP and RNA:ATP ratios were studied for six additional marine species in batch culture representing five classes of phytoplankton. Statistical analyses revealed that both the growth rate and the factor limiting growth (NO₃^-, NH₄⁺, PO₄^3- or light) could alter C:ATP, RNA: ATP, C:chl a and RNA:chl a ratios by amounts which were large compared to measurement error. An analysis of variance of the batch culture results indicated that both species and the source of inorganic nitrogen (NO₃^-, or NH₄⁺) had a significant effect on C:ATP and RNA:ATP ratios. Light had less of an influence on C:ATP and RNA:ATP ratios than on C:chl a and RNA:chl a ratios, and for this reason we feel that phytoplankton C and RNA concentrations can be estimated with greater reliability from ATP than from chl a measurements. The range of C:ATP and RNA:ATP values found for T. weissflogii under a variety of growth conditions was similar to that for the six additional species grown in batch culture, suggesting that this range of values is indicative of the extremes likely to occur in living cells. Our results and additional data in the literature indicate that phytoplankton C and RNA concentrations can be estimated to within a factor of two by multiplying ATP concentrations by 311 and 35, respectively, in N limited systems, and by 341 and 36, respectively in PO₄^3- limited systems.     

ISOLATION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NITRATE ASSIMILATION MUTANTS OF DUNALIELLA TERTIOLECTA (CHLOROPHYCEAE)1

Fifteen nitrate assimilation-deficient mutants of the euryhaline green alga, Dunaliella tertiolecta Butcher were selected by their chlorate resistance. Ten mutants, unable to grow on NO₃^? but able to grow on NO₂^?, had no detectable nitrate reductase activity. Five mutants, unable to grow on either NO₃^? or NO₂^?, had depressed levels of both nitrate and nitrite reductase. A method for assaying methyl viologen-nitrate reductase in the presence of nitrite reductase is described.     

ARTIFICIAL SYNTHESIS OF SWINE HEPCIDIN GENE AND EXPRESSION IN Pichia pastoris

In order to express swine hepcidin gene in Pichia pastoris, a DNA fragment coding hepcidin gene was synthesized with adaptation to yeast codon usage of highly expressed genes. A Kex2 signal cleavage site was fused in the 5′ end of the DNA fragment for getting a peptide with the same N-end as native hepcidin. The 96-bp DNA fragment was ligated into the expression plasmid of pGAPZaA to construct pGAPZaA-hepcidin vector, which was transferred into P. pastoris (X33) to express hepcidin gene for extracellular secretion of protein at 86 µg/mL. A band of 2.76 kD molecular mass was detected by Tricine sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis. Through antibacterial assay, the expressed hepcidin displayed obvious antibacterial activity. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 5.38 and 2.69 µg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis prolification inhibitions, respectively.