微生物在水环境污染物降解中的应用

每年有大量来自工业、农业、养殖业和城市污水处理厂的废水被排入到水环境中,因此,地球上的水环境面临大量来自生活废水、工农业废水、非法排放的废水及其它废水的污染物质(如抗生素、杀虫剂,除草剂、烃等)的严重挑战,特别是近年来随着集约化养殖的发展,废水污染问题日益突出,并且随着分析手段的进步,能够检测到被排入水环境中的化学污染物质也越来越多,这些化学污染物对水环境中的生物产生有害影响.但是,微生物在污染控制上具有许多重要的作用.因此,本文对微生物在水环境污染物降解中的应用进行了评论.结果表明微生物主要是应用在水产养殖水中,而在其它的水体系(如河、湖、海)的应用较少.     

Effects of environmental stressors on stem cells

Environmental toxicants are ubiquitous,and many are known to cause harmful health effects.However,much of what we know or think we know concerning the targets and long-term effects of exposure to environmental stressors is sadly lacking.Toxicant exposure may have health effects that are currently mischaracterized or at least mechanistically incompletely understood.While much of the recent excitement about stem cells(SCs)focuses on their potential as therapeutic agents,they also offer a valuable resource to give us insight into the mechanisms and risks of toxicant effects.Not only as a response to the increasing ethical pressure to reduce animal testing,SC studies allow us valuable insight into the true effects of human exposure to environmental stressors under controlled conditions.We present a review of the history of publications on the effects of environmental stressors on SCs,followed by a consolidation of the literature over the past five years on a subset of key environmental stressors of importance to human health and their effects on both embryonic and tissue SCs.The review will make constructive suggestions as to areas of toxicant research where further studies are needed,as well as making indications of the potential utility for advancing knowledge and directing research on environmental toxicology.     

中国栅蛛属2新种记述(蜘蛛目:栅蛛科)

本文记了分别采自云南高黎贡山的栅蛛科栅蛛属Hahnia 2新种:垭口栅蛛,新种S.yakouensis sp.nov.和肾形栅蛛,新种S.reniformis sp.nov..垭口栅蛛后眼列前曲,交媾腔大,扁圆形,交媾孔1个,位于交媾腔下缘,交媾管粗,呈"人"字形下行分成2支再向两侧扭曲.纳精囊有一肓管斜向上伸出,鉴于上述特征而与Hahnia mridulae Tikader,1970不同.肾形栅蛛交媾孔2个,位于生殖厣腹面中央,纳精囊1对,大,肾形,插入器始于生殖球左下方,鉴于上述特征而与Hahnia xinjiangensis Wang et Liang,1989不同. Abstract： The present paper deals with two new species of the genus Hahnia collected from the Gaoligong Mountains Region of Yunnan Province, China: Hahnia yakouensis sp. nov., Hahnia reniformis sp. nov..     

注重发挥博士后科研生力军作用

中国医科大学博士后科研流动站始建1995年。目前学校设有基础医学、临床医学和生物学3个博士后科研流动站。但由于每年国家财力有限,资助名额很少,在有限条件下建立、健全博士后制度,加强对博士后人员的培养,调动博士后人员的积极性是一项重要的研究课题。     

走进内蒙

2015年8月1日,我们每一个人收拾好行囊,整装待发,在邓涛老师带领下踏上了去往内蒙古的征程,拉开了探索灰色生命之旅的序幕. 队伍由两辆车、8人组成,我们早晨7点从中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所出发,披着清晨的阳光,摆脱城市的拥挤,缓缓地“逃离”了北京城.直到抵达张北之后我们的车子才能像矫健的马儿一样驰骋在广袤的公路上,沿途没有了城市的喧闹,没有了交通的堵塞,伴随我们的只有那一眼望去蓝蓝的天空、随风摆动的小草,以及那迷人的风景,偶尔打开车窗,一股凉爽的清风扑面而来,沁人心脾.经过一路的颠簸,我们在傍晚时刻到达锡林浩特,当地文物保护站的同志为我们安顿好了一切.     

例谈2007年高考"现代生物科技专题"

通过现代生物科技专题及相关高考试题的介绍与分析,以开拓学生视野,增强科技意识,激发学生探索生命奥妙和热爱生物科学的情感,为进一步学习现代生物学奠定基础.同时,借助现代生物科技专题作试题背景,具有能力的开放性和情境的新颖性,也有利于考查和培养学生独立获取新知识、收集和处理信息的能力.所选试题涉及现代生物科技前沿的领域有:基因工程、细胞工程、蛋白质工程、癌症和克隆技术等,均体现出对现代生物技术发展的关注.     

Formidable females redux:male social integration into female networks and the value of dynamic multilayer networks

The development of multilayer network techniques is a boon for researchers who wish to understand how different interaction layers might influence each other,and how these in turn might influence group dynamics.Here,we investigate how integration between male and female grooming and aggression interaction networks influences male power trajectories in vervet monkeys Chlorocebus pygerythrus.Our previous analyses of this phenomenon used a monolayer approach,and our aim here is to extend these analyses using a dynamic multilayer approach.To do so,we constructed a temporal series of male and female interaction layers.We then used a multivariate multilevel autoregression model to compare cross-lagged associations between a male's centrality in the female grooming layer and changes in male Elo ratings.Our results confirmed our original findings:changes in male centrality within the female grooming network were weakly but positively tied to changes in their Elo ratings.However,the multilayer network approach offered additional insights into this social process,identifying how changes in a male's centrality cascade through the other network layers.This dynamic view indicates that the changes in Elo ratings are likely to be short-lived,but that male centrality within the female network had a much stronger impact throughout the multilayer network as a whole,especially on reducing intermale aggression(i.e.,aggression directed by males toward other males).We suggest that multilayer social network approaches can take advantage of increased amounts of social data that are more commonly collected these days,using a variety of methods.Such data are inherently multilevel and multilayered,and thus offer the ability to quantify more precisely the dynamics of animal social behaviors.     

Plant infection by two different viruses induce contrasting changes of vectors fitness and behavior

Insect-vectored plant viruses can induce changes in plant phenotypes,thus influencing plant-vector interactions in a way that may promote their dispersal according to their mode of transmission (i.e.,circulative vs.noncirculative).This indirect vector manipulation requires host-virus-vector coevolution and would thus be effective solely in very specific plant-virus-vector species associations.Some studies suggest this manipulation may depend on multiple factors relative to various intrinsic characteristics of vectors such as transmission efficiency.In anintegrative study,we tested the effects of infection of the Brassicaceae Camelina sativa with the noncirculative Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV)or the circulative Turnip yellows virus (TuYV)on the host-plant colonization of two aphid species differing in their virus transmission efficiency:the polyphagous Myzus persicae,efficient vector of both viruses,and the Brassicaceae specialist Brevicoryne brassicae,poor vector of TuYV and efficient vector of CaMV.Results confirmed the important role of virus mode of transmission as plant-mediated effects of CaMV on the two aphid species induced negative alterations of feeding behavior (i.e.,decreased phloem sap ingestion)and performance that were both conducive for virus fitness by promoting dispersion after a rapid acquisition.In addition,virus transmission efficiency may also play a role in vector manipulation by viruses as only the responses of the efficient vector to plant-mediated effects of TuYV,that is,enhanced feeding behavior and performances,were favorable to their acquisition and further dispersal.Altogether,this work demonstrated that vector transmission efficiency also has to be considered when studying the mechanisms underlying vector manipulation by viruses.Our results also re- inforce the idea that vector manipulation requires coevolution between plant,virus and vector.     

Stem cell therapy applied for digestive anastomosis: Current state and future perspectives

BACKGROUND Digestive tract resections are usually followed by an anastomosis.Anastomotic leakage,normally due to failed healing,is the most feared complication in digestive surgery because it is associated with high morbidity and mortality.Despite technical and technological advances and focused research,its rates have remained almost unchanged the last decades.In the last two decades,stem cells(SCs)have been shown to enhance healing in animal and human studies;hence,SCs have emerged since 2008 as an alternative to improve anastomoses outcomes.AIM To summarise the published knowledge of SC utilisation as a preventative tool for hollow digestive viscera anastomotic or suture leaks.METHODS PubMed,Science Direct,Scopus and Cochrane searches were performed using the key words“anastomosis”,“colorectal/colonic anastomoses”,“anastomotic leak”,“stem cells”,“progenitor cells”,“cellular therapy”and“cell therapy”in order to identify relevant articles published in English and Spanish during the years of 2000 to 2021.Studies employing SCs,performing digestive anastomoses in hollow viscera or digestive perforation sutures and monitoring healing were finally included.Reference lists from the selected articles were reviewed to identify additional pertinent articles.METHODS Given the great variability in the study designs,anastomotic models,interventions(SCs,doses and vehicles)and outcome measures,performing a reliable meta-analysis was considered impossible,so we present the studies,their results and limitations.RESULTS Eighteen preclinical studies and three review papers were identified;no clinical studies have been published and there are no registered clinical trials.Experimental studies,mainly in rat and porcine models and occasionally in very adverse conditions such as ischaemia or colitis,have been demonstrated SCs as safe and have shown some encouraging morphological,functional and even clinical results.Mesenchymal SCs are mostly employed,and delivery routes are mainly local injections and cell sheets followed by biosutures(sutures coated by SCs)or purely topical.As potential weaknesses,animal models need to be improved to make them more comparable and equivalent to clinical practice,and the SC isolation processes need to be standardised.There is notable heterogeneity in the studies,making them difficult to compare.Further investigations are needed to establish the indications,the administration system,potential adjuvants,the final efficacy and to confirm safety and exclude definitively oncological concerns.CONCLUSION The future role of SC therapy to induce healing processes in digestive anastomoses/sutures still needs to be determined and seems to be currently far from clinical use.     

Increased monoamine oxidase activity and imidazoline binding sites in insulin-resistant adipocytes from obese Zucker rats

BACKGROUND Despite overt insulin resistance,adipocytes of genetically obese Zucker rats accumulate the excess of calorie intake in the form of lipids.AIM To investigate whether factors can replace or reinforce insulin lipogenic action by exploring glucose uptake activation by hydrogen peroxide,since it is produced by monoamine oxidase(MAO)and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase(SSAO)in adipocytes.METHODS 3H-2-deoxyglucose uptake(2-DG)was determined in adipocytes from obese and lean rats in response to insulin or MAO and SSAO substrates such as tyramine and benzylamine.14C-tyramine oxidation and binding of imidazolinic radioligands[3H-Idazoxan,3H-(2-benzofuranyl)-2-imidazoline]were studied in adipocytes,the liver,and muscle.The influence of in vivo administration of tyramine+vanadium on glucose handling was assessed in lean and obese rats.RESULTS 2-DG uptake and lipogenesis stimulation by insulin were dampened in adipocytes from obese rats,when compared to their lean littermates.Tyramine and benzylamine activation of hexose uptake was vanadate-dependent and was also limited,while MAO was increased and SSAO decreased.These changes were adipocyte-specific and accompanied by a greater number of imidazoline I2 binding sites in the obese rat,when compared to the lean.In vitro,tyramine precluded the binding to I2 sites,while in vivo,its administration together with vanadium lowered fasting plasma levels of glucose and triacylglycerols in obese CONCLUSION The adipocytes from obese Zucker rats exhibit increased MAO activity and imidazoline binding site number.However,probably as a consequence of SSAO down-regulation,the glucose transport stimulation by tyramine is decreased as much as that of insulin in these insulin-resistant adipocytes.The adipocyte amine oxidases deserve more studies with respect to their putative contribution to the management of glucose and lipid handling.     

At least two regions of the oncoprotein Tre2 are involved in its lack of GAP activity

The product of the human Tre2 oncogene is structurally related to the Ypt/Rab GTPase-activating proteins (Ypt/Rab GAPs). Particularly, the oncoprotein shares with the yeast proteins Msb3p and Msb4p, and with the human protein RN-tre the highly conserved TBC domain, forming the catalytically active domain of Ypt/Rab GAPs. Yet, the Tre2 oncogene seems to encode a nonfunctional Rab GAP. As regions flanking the TBC domain may be crucial for catalytic activity, regions located N- and C-terminally with respect to this domain were explored. For this, chimeric proteins created by sequence exchanges between the Tre2 oncoprotein and RN-tre were tested for their ability to replace functionally the Msb3p and Msb4p proteins in double-mutant yeast cells. These complementation experiments revealed, in addition to the TBC domain, a second Tre2 region involved in the oncoprotein's lack of GAP activity: a 93-aa region flanking the TBC domain on the C-terminal side.     

Vertebrate evolution reflected in the evolution of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2

In eukaryotes, mature rRNA sequences are produced from single large (45S) precursor (pre-rRNA) as the result of successive removal of spacers through a series of rapid and intricate actions of endo- and exonucleases. The excision of internal transcribed spacer (ITS2), a eukaryotic-specific insertion, remains the most elusive processing step. ITS2 is the element mandatory for all eukaryotic pre-rRNAs that contain at least three processing cleavage sites for precise 5.8S and 28S formation. Conserved core sequences (cis-elements) binding to trans-factors provide for precise rRNA processing, whereas rapidly diverging regions between the core sequences preserve internal complementarity, which guarantees the spatial integrity of ITS2. Characteristic differences in the formation of such insertions during evolution should reflect the relationships between taxa. The phylogeny of the reptiles and the relationships between taxa proposed by scientists are controversial. To delineate the structural and functional features preserved among reptilian ITS2s, we cloned and sequenced 58 ITS2s belonging to four reptile orders: Squamata, Crocodilians, Aves, and Testudines. We studied the subsequent alignment and folding of variable regions. The sizes and packing of the loop–stems between conserved consensus segments in reptiles vary considerably between taxa. Our phylogenetic trees constructed on the basis of the reptile ITS2s primary structural alignments revealed a split between Iguania clade and all other taxa. True lizards (suborder Scleroglossa) and snakes (suborder Serpentes) show sister relationships, as well as the two other reptilian orders, Crocodilia + Aves and Testudines. In summary, our phylogenetic trees exhibit a mix of specific features deduced or, to the contrary, rejected earlier by other authors.     

Cdx2 initiates histodifferentiation of the midgut endoderm

Null mutation or haploinsufficiency of Cdx2 results in the development of heterotopic lesions with a gastric phenotype in the midgut endoderm. Conversely transgenic expression of Cdx2 in the stomach causes the endoderm to differentiate into intestinal-type mucosa. We demonstrate that the mesoderm adjacent to intestinal heterotopic areas expresses stomach specific Barx1 while the surrounding mesoderm is Barx1 negative. We conclude that the initiation of gut histodifferentiation lies in the endodermal expression of Cdx2 and that endodermal/mesodermal cross-talk involving Barx1 with appropriate feedback loops results in the development of the postnatal gut phenotype.     

The asymmetric trimeric architecture of [2Fe-2S] IscU: implications for its scaffolding during iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis

IscU is a key component of the ISC machinery and is involved in the biogenesis of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins. IscU serves as a scaffold for assembly of a nascent Fe-S cluster prior to its delivery to an apo protein. Here, we report the first crystal structure of IscU with a bound [2Fe-2S] cluster from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus, determined at a resolution of 2.3 Å, using multiwavelength anomalous diffraction of the cluster. The holo IscU formed a novel asymmetric trimer that harbored only one [2Fe-2S] cluster. One iron atom of the cluster was coordinated by the S^γ atom of Cys36 and the N^ε atom of His106, and the other was coordinated by the S^γ atoms of Cys63 and Cys107 on the surface of just one of the protomers. However, the cluster was buried inside the trimer between the neighboring protomers. The three protomers were conformationally distinct from one another and associated around a noncrystallographic pseudo-3-fold axis. The three flexible loop regions carrying the ligand-binding residues (Cys36, Cys63, His106 and Cys107) and the N-terminal α1 helices were positioned at the interfaces and underwent substantial conformational rearrangement, which stabilized the association of the asymmetric trimer. This unique trimeric A. aeolicus holo-IscU architecture was clearly distinct from other known monomeric apo-IscU/SufU structures, indicating that asymmetric trimer organization, as well as its association/dissociation, would be involved in the scaffolding function of IscU.     

Genomic imprinting of IGF2, p57(KIP2) and PEG1/MEST in a marsupial, the tammar wallaby

Genomic imprinting is widespread amongst mammals, but has not yet been found in birds. To gain a broader understanding of the origin and significance of imprinting, we have characterized three genes, from three separate imprinted clusters in eutherian mammals in the developing fetus and placenta of an Australian marsupial, the tammar wallaby Macropus eugenii. Imprinted gene orthologues of human and mouse p57(KIP2), IGF2 and PEG1/MEST genes were isolated. p57(KIP2) did not show stable monoallelic expression suggesting that it is not imprinted in marsupials. In contrast, there was paternal-specific expression of IGF2 in almost all tissues, but the biased paternal expression of IGF2 in the fetal head and placenta, demonstrates the occurrence of tissue-specific imprinting, as occurs in mice and humans. There was also paternal-biased expression of PEG1/MESTalpha. The differentially methylated region (DMR) of the human and mouse PEG1/MEST promoter is absent in the wallaby. These data confirm the existence of common imprinted regions in eutherians and marsupials during development, but suggest that the regulatory mechanisms that control imprinted gene expression differ between these two groups of mammals.     

Noggin1 and Follistatin-like2 function redundantly to Chordin to antagonize BMP activity

In Xenopus, the dorso-ventral (D/V) axis is thought to be specified by the bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmp) activity arising through interaction with antagonists such as Noggin, Chordin and Follistatin. We report here, through inactivation of noggin1 (nog1) that this gene is not essential by itself to establish the D/V patterning. However, at blastula stage, inactivation of nog1 strongly amplifies chordin (chd) phenotype, revealing redundant functions of these two genes on D/V axis formation. Substantial dorsal tissues remaining in the double nog1-chd morphant suggested that other anti-Bmp factors may pattern the D/V axis. We isolated two potential candidates, the follistatin-like (fstl) genes. We found that fstl2 is an early gastrula expressed gene. Its inactivation, similar to nog1, strongly enhances the chd phenotype. Moreover, the penetrance of the ventralization phenotype is much higher when we inactivated simultaneously chd, nog1 and fstl2. Altogether, our data reveal that, while Chordin is the main player of the D/V axis, sufficient to maintain proper activity of Bmp gradient, the structures remaining in the chd mutant (namely dorsal and dorso-lateral territories, in both mesodermal and ectodermal layers) result from the anti-Bmp activity carried by Nog1 and Fstl2 at blastula and gastrula stages.     

Retinoic acid signaling in perioptic mesenchyme represses Wnt signaling via induction of Pitx2 and Dkk2

Morphogenesis during eye development requires retinoic acid (RA) receptors plus RA-synthesizing enzymes, and loss of RA signaling leads to ocular disorders associated with loss of Pitx2 expression in perioptic mesenchyme. Several Wnt signaling components are expressed in ocular tissues during eye development including Dkk2, encoding an inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which was previously shown to be induced by Pitx2 in the perioptic mesenchyme. Here, we investigated potential cross-talk between RA and Wnt signaling during ocular development. Genetic studies using Raldh1/Raldh3 double null mice deficient for ocular RA synthesis demonstrated that Pitx2 and Dkk2 were both down-regulated in perioptic mesenchyme. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and gel mobility shift studies demonstrated the existence of a DR5 RA response element upstream of Pitx2 that binds all three RA receptors in embryonic eye. Axin2, an endogenous readout of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, was up-regulated in cornea and perioptic mesenchyme of RA deficient embryos. Also, expression of Wnt5a was expanded in perioptic mesenchyme of RA deficient eyes. Our findings demonstrate excessive activation of Wnt signaling in the perioptic mesenchyme of RA deficient mice which may be responsible for abnormal development leading to defective optic cup, cornea, and eyelid morphogenesis.     

SNS: Adhesive properties, localization requirements and ectodomain dependence in S2 cells and embryonic myoblasts

The body wall muscles in the Drosophila larva arise from interactions between Duf/Kirre and Irregular chiasm C-roughest (IrreC-rst)-expressing founder myoblasts and sticks-and-stones (SNS)-expressing fusion competent myoblasts in the embryo. Herein, we demonstrate that SNS mediates heterotypic adhesion of S2 cells with Duf/Kirre and IrreC-rst-expressing S2 cells, and colocalizes with these proteins at points of cell contact. These properties are independent of their transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains, and are observed quite readily with GPI-anchored forms of the ectodomains. Heterotypic interactions between Duf/Kirre and SNS-expressing S2 cells occur more rapidly and to a greater extent than homotypic interactions with other Duf/Kirre-expressing cells. In addition, Duf/Kirre and SNS are present in an immunoprecipitable complex from S2 cells. In the embryo, Duf/Kirre and SNS are present at points of contact between founder and fusion competent cells. Moreover, SNS clustering on the cell surface is dependent on Duf/Kirre and/or IrreC-rst. Finally, although the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of SNS are expendable for interactions in culture, they are essential for fusion of embryonic myoblasts.     

Sid2p, a spindle pole body kinase that regulates the onset of cytokinesis.

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe divides by medial fission through the use of an actomyosin contractile ring. Precisely at the end of anaphase, the ring begins to constrict and the septum forms. Proper coordination of cell division with mitosis is crucial to ensure proper segregation of chromosomes to daughter cells. The Sid2p kinase is one of several proteins that function as part of a novel signaling pathway required for initiation of medial ring constriction and septation. Here, we show that Sid2p is a component of the spindle pole body at all stages of the cell cycle and localizes transiently to the cell division site during medial ring constriction and septation. A medial ring and an intact microtubule cytoskeleton are required for the localization of Sid2p to the division site. We have established an in vitro assay for measuring Sid2p kinase activity, and found that Sid2p kinase activity peaks during medial ring constriction and septation. Both Sid2p localization to the division site and activity depend on the function of all of the other septation initiation genes: cdc7, cdc11, cdc14, sid1, spg1, and sid4. Thus, Sid2p, a component of the spindle pole body, by virtue of its transient localization to the division site, appears to determine the timing of ring constriction and septum delivery in response to activating signals from other Sid gene products.