Genetic analysis of the bchC and bchA genes of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Summary This study has identified by sequence analysis a single gene in the bchC locus of Rhodobacter sphaeroides and three genes, designated bchX, Y and Z, in the bchA locus, which was previously thought to contain only a single gene. All four genes may reside within the same operon and are transcribed in the order bchC-X-Y-Z. Complementation analysis of eight transposon insertion mutants within these genes suggests that bchX, Y and Z are essential for the reduction of 2-devinyl-2hydroxyethyl chlorophyllide a and that bchC encodes the 2-desacetyl-2-hydroxyethyl bacteriochlorophyllide a dehydrogenase. Similarity between the putative BchX protein and dinitrogenase reductase proteins suggests that BchX may also be a reductase, supplying electrons for reduction of 2-devinyl-2-hydroxyethyl chlorophyllide a.     

The phylogenetic placement of the Leucogastrales, including Mycolevis siccigleba (Cribbeaceae), in the Albatrellaceae using morphological and molecular data

The morphology of many hypogeous fungi converges on a homogeneous reduced form, suggesting that disparate lineages are subject to a uniform selection pressure. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the morphology and infer the phylogeny of the Leucogastrales with Mycolevis siccigleba using a Bayesian methodology. A comprehensive morphological assessment was used for an a priori phylogenetic inference to guide the sequencing effort. All structures except spore ornamentation pointed to the Albatrellaceae as the most likely sister taxon. Polyporoletus sublividus, a close relative of Albatrellus, produces ornamented basidiospores with a similar structure to M. siccigleba basidiospores. The ITS from 30 taxa was used for the molecular phylogenetic analysis. P. sublividus was found sister to Mycolevis. Leucophleps spinispora and L. magnata formed a group sister to the Polyporoletus/Mycolevis group, whereas Leucogaster was polyphyletic with respect to the core of the Leucogastrales and sister to A. caeruleoporus. This relationship was expected as previously undescribed chlamydospores produced by members of Albatrellus had a similar morphology to the basidiospores of L. rubescens.     

转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花对异色瓢虫生长发育及其捕食功能的影响

【目的】为探究转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花对异色瓢虫生长发育及其捕食功能的影响。【方法】以转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉与其亲本常规棉为实验材料,利用取食不同棉花品种叶片的棉铃虫饲喂异色瓢虫幼虫。【结果】与常规亲本棉相比,取食饲喂转基因棉花叶片的初孵棉铃虫幼虫的异色瓢虫幼虫从1龄发育至化蛹期时间延长0.77 d,但差异不显著;除1龄幼虫体重增加(0.0773 mg)外,其余各龄期幼虫体重均有所下降,但差异均不显著;异色瓢虫1、2、3、4龄幼虫对初孵棉铃虫捕食量均随棉铃虫密度的增加而增加,捕食功能反应均符合HollingⅡ圆盘方程。【结论】转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花对异色瓢虫生长发育无显著影响,饲喂取食转Cry1Ac/1Ab基因棉花的棉铃虫对异色瓢虫捕食功能无显著差异。     

Molecular phylogeny of the Acre clade (Crassulaceae): Dealing with the lack of definitions for Echeveria and Sedum

The phylogenetic relationships within many clades of the Crassulaceae are still uncertain, therefore in this study attention was focused on the “Acre clade”, a group comprised of approximately 526 species in eight genera that include many Asian and Mediterranean species of Sedum and the majority of the American genera (Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Lenophyllum, Pachyphytum, Villadia, and Thompsonella). Parsimony and Bayesian analyses were conducted with 133 species based on nuclear (ETS, ITS) and chloroplast DNA regions (rpS16, matK). Our analyses retrieved four major clades within the Acre clade. Two of these were in a grade and corresponded to Asian species of Sedum, the rest corresponded to a European–Macaronesian group and to an American group. The American group included all taxa that were formerly placed in the Echeverioideae and the majority of the American Sedoideae. Our analyses support the monophyly of three genera – Lenophyllum, Thompsonella, and Pachyphytum; however, the relationships among Echeveria, Sedum and the various segregates of Sedum are largely unresolved. Our analyses represents the first broad phylogenetic framework for Acre clade, but further studies are necessary on the groups poorly represented here, such as the European and Asian species of Sedum and the Central and South American species of Echeveria.     

Phylogeographic patterns in Leccinum sect. Scabra and the status of the arctic-alpine species L. rotundifoliae

We investigated inter- and intraspecific phylogenetic relationships in the ectomycorrhizal fungal genus Leccinum section Scabra. Species of this section are exclusively associated with Betula and occur throughout the Northern Hemisphere. We compared the phylogenetic relationships of arctic, alpine, boreal and temperate accessions of section Scabra based on DNA sequences of the single-copy nuclear gene Gapdh and the multiple-copy nuclear region 5.8S-ITS2. Exclusively arctic lineages were not detected in species that occur both in arctic-alpine or boreal regions, except in L. rotundifoliae that was restricted to cold climates. L. scabrum and L. holopus showed an intercontinental phylogeographic pattern, and L. variicolor showed a pattern unrelated to geographical distribution. Molecular clock estimates indicated that L. rotundifoliae is as old as other species in section Scabra. Individual gene trees suggest that interspecific hybridisation occurred several times in the evolution of section Scabra.     

Cloning of the cysB gene of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, and the identification of its product

Summary The suicide vector pJB4JI was used to generate a range of Tn5-induced mutants of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc). One mutant, HC500, was a cysteine auxotroph which had a non-pectolytic, non-cellulolytic, non-proteolytic phenotype when grown under sulphate-limitation. The cysteine lesion of HC500 was shown to be analogous to the cysB mutation of Escherichia coli. The Ecc-cysB ⁺ gene product was identified as a protein of M_r 36000.     

三孢布拉霉crgA启动子的克隆和活性分析

【背景】CrgA是三孢布拉霉(Blakesleatrispora,Bt)中调控类胡萝卜素合成的关键负调控因子,其表达水平会影响类胡萝卜素的合成。【目的】克隆三孢布拉霉crgA启动子并分析其活性,为进一步解析CrgA表达调控机制奠定基础。【方法】通过综合微生物基因组(integrated microbial genomes, IMG)数据库提供的基因组序列,克隆crgA翻译起始位点上游2 000 bp序列,分析其顺式调控元件和转录起始区域预测,通过RT-qPCR分析不同光照时间对三孢布拉霉crgA相对转录水平的影响;构建4个不同长度的crgA启动子截短序列驱动的GUS-mGFP5重组表达载体p1303-procrgAF、F1、F2和F3,利用农杆菌侵染整合到三孢布拉霉基因组中,在黑暗和光照条件下测定β-D-葡萄糖苷酸酶(β-D-glucuronidase,GUS)酶活性并观察荧光信号。【结果】crgA启动子不仅包含基础的TATA-box和CAAT-box元件,还包括多个与光响应相关的元件。观察荧光结果显示CaMV35S和构建的4个突变启动子均能在三孢布拉霉体内驱动下游基因表达,检测GUS...     

基因CfATG6和CfATG14参与调控果生刺盘孢细胞自噬和致病力

【目的】炭疽病是油茶的主要病害,由刺盘孢属的多种真菌引起,其中果生刺盘孢分布范围最广、分离率最高,是油茶炭疽病的主要致病菌。研究自噬相关蛋白CfAtg6和CfAtg14的生物学功能,为进一步揭示果生刺盘孢通过细胞自噬调控致病的分子机制,并为油茶炭疽病的防治提供理论基础。【方法】根据同源重组原理,通过聚乙二醇(polyethylene glycol, PEG)介导的方法,在果生刺盘孢中敲除基因CfATG6和CfATG14,并进一步获得回补菌株ΔCfatg6-C和ΔCfatg14-C。【结果】酵母双杂交试验结果显示,果生刺盘孢蛋白CfAtg6和CfAtg14可能存在互作关系。生物学表型测定结果表明,相较于野生型和回补菌株,突变体ΔCfatg6和ΔCfatg14均表现出营养生长速率显著减慢,附着胞形成率分别只有野生型的5%和18%;突变体ΔCfatg6和ΔCfatg14致病力均极显著减弱,造成的油茶叶片病斑面积少于野生型和回补菌株的1/3;CfATG6和CfATG14基因缺失突变体均丧失转运和降解CfAtg8蛋白的能力,并对细胞壁胁迫更敏感。突变体ΔCfatg6的分生孢子产量显著降低,仅为野生型的20%左右;氧化胁迫试验结果表明,相较于野生型和回补菌株,过氧化氢对突变体的生长抑制率升高10%左右。内质网压力胁迫试验表明,ΔCfatg14对二硫苏糖醇抑制率升高5%以上。【结论】自噬相关基因CfATG6和CfATG14参与调控了果生刺盘孢生长发育、细胞自噬和致病力。     

A polysaccharide from Lichina pygmaea and L. confinis supports the recognition of Lichinomycetes

The lichen-forming order Lichinales, generally characterized by prototunicate asci and the development of thalli with cyanobacteria, has recently been recognized as a separate class of ascomycetes, Lichinomycetes, as a result of molecular phylogenetic studies. As alkali and water-soluble (F1SS) polysaccharides reflect phylogeny in other ascomycetes, a polysaccharide from Lichina pygmaea and L. confinis was purified and characterized to investigate whether these F1SS compounds in the Lichinomycetes were distinctive. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and chemical analyses revealed this as a galactomannan comprising a repeating unit consisting of an α-(1→6)-mannan backbone, mainly substituted by single α-galactofuranose residues at the O-2- or the O-2,4- positions linked to a small mannan core. With the exception of the trisubstituted mannopyranose residues previously described in polysaccharides from other lichens belonging to orders now placed in Lecanoromycetes, the structure of this galactomannan most closely resembles those found in several members of the Onygenales in Eurotiomycetes. Our polysaccharide data support molecular studies showing that Lichina species are remote from Lecanoromycetes as the galactofuranose residues are in the α-configuration. That the Lichinomycetes were part of an ancestral lichenized group can not be established from the present data because the extracted polysaccharide does not have the galactofuranose residue in the β configuration; however, the data does suggest that an ancestor of the Lichinomycetes contained a mannan and was part of an early radiation in the ascomycetes.     

马齿苋内生菌橘青霉和波兰青霉中抗青枯菌的活性物质

为了挖掘农作物病害生物防治新资源,以药用植物马齿苋(Portulaca oleracea)为材料,通过培养基种植法分离和纯化其根、茎、叶中的内生菌,以青枯菌(Ralstonia solanacearum)的抑菌试验评价其活性,采用菌落形态观察和ITS序列分析鉴定菌种。结果表明,从马齿苋筛选出2种具有抑制青枯菌的内生菌橘青霉(Penicillium citrinum)和波兰青霉(P. polonicum),采用液相与四极杆飞行时间串联质谱(UPLC-QTOF-MS)鉴定2种内生菌的主要活性物质为橘霉素,其对青枯菌的抑制效果比链霉素更好。因此,这为植物青枯病的生物防治提供科学依据。     

Functional interactions between the gene tetanic and the Shaker gene complex of Drosophila

Different phenotypes associated with the tetanic (tta) mutation such as appendage contraction, maternal effect and low viability and fertility are enhanced by one extra dose of the Shaker gene complex (ShC). The tta mutation is lethal with two extra doses of ShC. In addition, tta embryos have a defective nervous system. In this paper, I analyse the interaction between tta and ShC to gain insight into their relationship. Aneuploid analysis suggests that the lethality is due to an interaction of the tta mutation with the maternal effect (ME) region of this gene complex. Mutations in the ME region of ShC partially suppress this interaction. Trans-heterozygous combinations of MEI[l(1)305] and MEIII [l(1)459] mutations causes dominant lethality in a tta background. Trans-heterozygous combinations of an MEII [l(1)1359] mutation with the cited MEI and MEIII mutations are lethal in a tta background. Double mutant combinations and gene dosage experiments, suggest that tta also interacts with the viable (V) region of ShC. These specific genetic interactions indicate that tta and the ME and V regions of ShC are functionally related. These results, together with the previous electrophysiological, molecular and biochemical studies on these mutants suggest an interaction at the protein level. Thus, in the case of the V region, the tta gene product may modulate the activity of the K⁺ channels encoded in this region. Furthermore, the extreme dosage sensitivity of the interaction between tta and ShC suggests a stoichiometric requirement for the different gene products involved, which might be physically associated and form heteromultimers.     

Cloning and characterisation of the recA gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58

Summary A gene library of Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 has been constructed in the plasmid vector pACYC184. A recombinant plasmid was isolated from the library by interspecific complementation in E. coli, which contained the A. tumefaciens recA gene. Heterologous Southern blotting and DNA sequence analysis have demonstrated the existence of considerable homology between the recA genes of A. tumefaciens, E. coli and R. meliloti.Abbreviations MMS methyl methanesulfonate - UV ultraviolet light - bp base pairs - kbp kilo base pairs - dATP deoxyadenosine 5-triphosphate - dNTP deoxynucleoside triphosphate - Ap ampicillin - Cm chloramphenicol - Km kanamycin - Tet tetracycline     

Stigmariopsis, Stigmaria asiatica, and the survival of the Sigillaria brardii-ichthyolepis group in the tropics of the late Pennsylvanian and Early Permian

Stigmaria asiatica Jongmans et Gothan was discovered in situ in a volcanic tuff layer between two coal seams in the lowermost Permian rocks of the Wuda coal district in Inner Mongolia, China. The species is characterized by its consistently small axial width of 20–30 mm and the combination of vertical and horizontal orientation of each axis. It is interpreted as being attached below the stigmarian axes of trees of the Sigillaria brardii-ichthyolepis group forming a deeper reaching “stigmariopsid” system. Such a unique two-tier rooting system gave this group advantages over other arboreous (tree-sized) lycopsids of the late Palaeozoic. Trees of the S. brardii-ichthyolepis group could reach deeper water resources and thus survive in wetlands that experienced dry seasons with a lowered water table. This complex underground rooting system appears to be one factor that enabled this group to survive the regional extirpation of arboreous lycopsids at the Moscovian–Kasimovian boundary in Euramerica and at the same time be a major peat-forming plant in Cathaysia.     

水稻条斑病细菌hrp基因诱导表达系统的建立

水稻条斑病细菌(Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzicola,Xooc)决定在非寄主植物上激发过敏反应(hypersensitive response)和在寄主水稻上具致病性(pathogenicity)的hrp基因簇是诱导表达的。为研究hrp基因的功能,利用hpa1和hrpX基因的启动子与gfp基因进行融合,构建了hrp基因诱导表达系统。绿色荧光蛋白表达揭示,Xooc的hrp基因在营养丰富的NB培养基上不能有效表达,在hrp诱导培养基XOM3上可有效表达。以hrpX和hrpG突变体为参照,RT-PCR研究结果提示,Xooc野生型菌株hpa1基因在NB上不能有效表达,在XOM3培养基上可有效表达。相应地,hrpX突变体中hpa1基因不能被诱导表达,而在hrpG突变体中hpa1基因转录表达水平低于野生菌。研究结果还证实,水稻悬浮细胞能高效诱导Xooc的hrp基因表达。Xooc hrp基因诱导表达系统的建立为研究hrp基因功能、发掘T3SS效应分子以及开展Xooc致病性研究奠定了基础。     

海假交替单胞菌fliC-02330基因缺失影响生物被膜形成及厚壳贻贝幼虫附着变态

【背景】假交替单胞菌属是一种广泛分布于海洋环境的革兰氏阴性细菌,存在于海底沉积物中,能分泌大量的胞外产物形成海洋微生物被膜,从而诱导海洋无脊椎动物的附着。【目的】探究海假交替单胞菌鞭毛蛋白fliC基因对生物被膜形成及厚壳贻贝诱导活性的影响。【方法】通过基因敲除构建海假交替单胞菌fliC-02330基因缺失突变菌,研究突变菌和野生菌菌落形态、生物被膜形成能力、胞外物质以及对厚壳贻贝幼虫附着变态的诱导能力等的差异性。【结果】与野生菌相比,突变菌菌落表型出现褶皱,运动能力下降,形成被膜膜厚增加,以及对幼虫附着变态诱导活性下降。共聚焦扫描发现,fliC-02330基因缺失突变菌胞外多糖含量下降,而蛋白含量上升。【结论】海假交替单胞菌鞭毛蛋白fliC-02330基因缺失促进生物被膜形成,但抑制厚壳贻贝幼虫附着变态。本研究为探究细菌鞭毛蛋白基因与厚壳贻贝幼虫的作用机制,以及后续进一步探索微生物参与海洋无脊椎动物附着变态提供一定的理论依据。     

Cloning and characterisation of the cytochrome c gene of Aspergillus nidulans

The cytochrome c gene (cycA) of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has been isolated and sequenced. The gene is present in a single copy per haploid genome and encodes a polypeptide of 112 amino acid residues. The nucleotide sequence of the A. nidulans cycA gene shows 87% identity to the DNA sequence of the Neurospora crassa cytochrome c gene, and approximately 72% identity to the sequence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae iso-1-cytochrome c gene (CYC1). The S. cerevisiae CYC1 gene was used as a heterologous probe to isolate the homologous gene in A. nidulans. The A. nidulans cytochrome c sequence contains two small introns. One of these is highly conserved in terms of position, but the other has not been reported in any of the cytochrome c genes so far sequenced. Expression of the cycA gene is not affected by glucose repression, but has been shown to be induced approximatly tenfold in the presence of oxygen and three- to fourfold under heatshock conditions.     

链球菌-韦荣菌共生对系统性疾病的诊断价值研究

口腔是人体生理功能的窗口,也是种类和数量繁多的微生物库.口腔微生态变化能够反映宿主与环境因素的相互作用,进而影响机体健康和疾病的进展.其中,链球菌属(Streptococcus)和韦荣菌属(Veillonella)是口腔最早的定殖菌和典型共生菌,共同参与口腔早期生物膜形成.大量研究显示,链球菌和韦荣菌共生失调不仅与龋病...     

美洲黑杨凋落叶分解初期对小白菜生长的影响

采用盆栽试验,研究了美洲黑杨(Populus deltoides)凋落叶分解初期对受体植物小白菜(Brassica chinensis)生长和生理的影响。试验设置0、30、60和90 g/盆4个凋落叶施用水平(分别记作CK、L30、L60和L90)。同时,为检验凋落叶施入是否对土壤通气透水性产生明显影响进而影响受体植物的生长,用蒸煮后的凋落叶设置平行空白试验,即30、60、90 g/盆3个蒸著后的凋落叶处理(分别记作Z30、Z60和Z90)。将各处理的凋落叶分别与7 kg土壤混合,播种小白菜。在播种后50、80 d测定小白菜株高和生理指标。结果表明:1)高量(L90)凋落叶下小白菜的高生长和鲜重于50 d时被显著抑制,80 d时长势恢复正常;2)80 d时各处理净光合速率(Pn)与CK水平相当,色素含量略低于CK;3)50、80 d时,低(L30)、中(L60)量处理的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性无明显变化,高量处理下SOD活性升高;4)各处理丙二醛(MDA)含量在50、80 d时与CK均无显著差异。总的来看,杨树各凋落叶量处理对小白菜的影响表现为:低、中量促进,高量抑制,而经蒸煮后的凋落叶处理间差异不显著。表明,低、中量杨树凋落叶在土壤中分解对小白菜生长及生理代谢的影响主要表现为促进作用,而施入高量凋落叶的初期,化感抑制作用明显。     

一株东方醋酸杆菌分离与其促进果蝇生长发育

【目的】分离与鉴定黑腹果蝇体内醋酸杆菌,并研究其对宿主生长发育的促进作用。【方法】利用醋酸杆菌选择性培养基分离果蝇肠道醋酸杆菌;通过革兰氏染色和16S rRNA基因比对鉴定菌种;肠道定植实验验证共生关系;发育历期和生长速率实验检测其促进果蝇生长作用;免疫荧光染色技术检测肠道细胞增殖;RT-PCR法检测促生长的分子标志物和相关的信号通路。【结果】菌株为东方醋酸杆菌(Acetobacter orientalis),可以持续地定植在果蝇肠道及其培养基中,并且明显促进果蝇的生长。东方醋酸杆菌通过胰岛素信号通路增加肠分裂细胞的数量和促进蜕皮激素的分泌。【结论】东方醋酸杆菌是果蝇的一种共生菌,对果蝇肠道结构和机体发育具有重要的作用。     

Dichelobacter nodosus, Fusobacterium necrophorum and the epidemiology of footrot

Footrot is a debilitating disease of sheep resulting in lameness, production losses and suffering. To study the basic bacteriology of the disease, a survey was initiated across commercial farms and non-commercial research flocks to compare the bacteriology of symptomatic footrot infected sheep with healthy asymptomatic sheep. Of the 80 farmers initially contacted, 14 collected hoof swabs and returned the swabs by post. Following DNA extraction, species-specific PCR was used to identify if Dichelobacter nodosus (D. nodosus) or Fusobacterium necrophorum (F. necrophorum) species were present on each swab. Of the 42 swabs taken from symptomatic footrot infected sheep, 17 were positive for both F. necrophorum and D. nodosus, two were positive for F. necrophorum only, two for D. nodosus only and 23 swabs were negative for both F. necrophorum and D. nod osus. Of the 50 swabs received from healthy asymptomatic sheep, one was positive for F. necrophorum only and 49 were negative for both D. nodosus and F. necrophorum. This suggests that both F. necrophorum and D. nodosus are linked to footrot in the field in a pastoral farming system. If these bacteria are linked together and collectively cause footrot, this may need to be considered when managing a footrot outbreak, or maintaining a quarantine.