PROTEIN EXPRESSION DURING HEAT STRESS IN THERMO-INTOLERANT AND THERMO-TOLERANT DIATOMS

To better understand how diatoms are capable of responding to environmental stress, protein expression during heat treatment of a thermo-intolerant ( Phaeodactylum tricornutum ) and thermo-tolerant ( Chaetoceros muelleri ) diatom (Chrysophyta) was investigated. The stress response is a universal and conserved mechanism of cell survival to unfavorable conditions. Typically, a 10 to 15° C temperature elevation above cell growth optimal causes constitutively expressed proteins to decrease and heat shock proteins (HSPs) to increase. HSPs are categorized by molecular weight among five classes with each apparently specialized for a particular function that enhances cell survival. One-dimensional SDS-PAGE of diatoms subjected to heat treatment revealed that P. tricornutum exhibited a typical stress response, but C. muelleri did not exhibit a characteristic response even at a greatly elevated temperature (50° C). This result was confirmed by total soluble protein assays. Chaetoceros muelleri may contain higher basal levels of HSPs than P. tricornutum allowing C. muelleri to better tolerate elevated temperatures. Western blot analysis using pea HSP70 (70 kDa) antisera of heat-treated P. tricornutum and C. muelleri validated the hypothesis that thermo-tolerant cells contain higher levels of constitutively expressed HSPs. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of heat-treated cells indicate that the small HSPs (17–30 kDa) played a role in the stress response similar to that found in vascular plants. Ongoing work is focused on the manipulation of the stress response through over-expression of key hsp genes.     

Density dependent expression of a diatom retrotransposon

Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that encode for their own replication. Many studies have linked their expression to stress caused by environmental factors. Genome sequencing and EST libraries of the coastal diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum indicate that this organism has an active copia-like retrotransposon (Blackbeard), which is variably expressed under different culture conditions. In this study, we induce physiologic stress in P. tricornutum and measure Blackbeard expression over time. However, we find the dominant pattern of Blackbeard expression is related to cell culture density, not short-term physiologic stress. Density dependent expression of a retrotransposon in a diatom provides significant insight into the biogeography of diatom genome mutation. We suggest the shallow coastal ocean, where diatom densities are high, may be the geographic locus for generating genomic diversity in diatom lineages.     

A Rare Phaeodactylum tricornutum Cruciform Morphotype: Culture Conditions,Transformation and Unique Fatty Acid Characteristics

A rare Phaeodactylum tricornutum cruciform morphotype was obtained and stabilized with a proportion of more than 31.3% in L1 medium and is reported for the first time. Long-term culture and observation showed that the cruciform morphotype was capable of transforming to the oval form following the degeneration of arms by two processes. After three months of culture, four morphotypes existed in a relatively stable proportion in culture for six months (10.5% for oval, 11.3% for fusiform, 37.2% for triradiate and 41.0% for cruciform). Low temperature was particularly beneficial for cruciform cell formation. As the culture temperature decreased from 25°C to 10°C, the percentage of the cruciform morphotype increased from 39.1% to 55.3% approximately. The abundant cruciform cells endowed this strain with unique fatty acid characteristics. The strain cultured at 15°C showed both maximum content of neutral lipid in a single cell and total yield. The maximum content of fatty acid methyl esters was C16:1 for Phaeodactylum tricornutum cultured at four temperatures (43.82% to 50.82%), followed by C16:0 (20.47% to 22.65%). Unique fatty acid composition endowed this strain with excellent quality for biodiesel production.     

海洋经济微藻混合培养与单独培养下的生长比较

海洋微藻可以广泛应用在水产养殖、食品加工、医药保健、环境保护和生物制能等各种行业,具有非常好的开发利用前景.目前,如何突破海洋微藻培养过程中细胞生物量低下等瓶颈,提高微藻的细胞密度,以低成本、高效率开发利用海洋微藻资源成为了国内外学者关注的焦点.论文以三角褐指藻、亚心型扁藻和杜氏盐藻3 种典型经济海洋微藻为研究材料,在实验室条件下研究了它们两两混合培养与各自单独培养条件下的细胞生长情况,探讨海洋微藻混合培养在促进微藻整体细胞生长方面的可能性.结果显示,三角褐指藻和杜氏盐藻混合培养在生长前9 天的OD680 高于三角褐指藻或杜氏盐藻分别单独培养的OD680 ,而随着试验时间的延长,混合培养条件下的OD680 与单独培养三角褐指藻的OD680 相似;就三角褐指藻和亚心型扁藻混合培养的OD680而言,在整个生长时期均高于单独培养亚心型扁藻的OD680 ,但低于单独培养三角褐指藻的OD680 ;不同的是,杜氏盐藻和亚心型扁藻混合培养下的OD680 在生长第6 天后高于单独培养杜氏盐藻或单独培养亚心型扁藻的OD680 .研究结果表明,混合培养三角褐指藻和杜氏盐藻或混合培养杜氏盐藻和亚心型扁藻具有一定程度促进微藻细胞生长的潜力.研究结果将为经济海洋微藻的高密度培养及其高附加价值活性物质的开发利用提供一个崭新的研究方向.     

Molecular toolbox for studying diatom biology in Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Research into diatom biology has now entered the post-genomics era, following the recent completion of the Thalassiosira pseudonana and Phaeodactylum tricornutum whole genome sequences and the establishment of Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) databases. The thorough exploitation of these resources will require the development of molecular tools to analyze and modulate the function of diatom genes in vivo. Towards this objective, we report here the identification of several reference genes that can be used as internal standards for gene expression studies by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in P. tricornutum cells grown over a diel cycle. In addition, we describe a series of diatom expression vectors based on Invitrogen Gateway technology for high-throughput protein tagging and overexpression studies in P. tricornutum. We demonstrate the utility of the diatom Destination vectors for determining the subcellular localization of a protein of interest and for immunodetection. The availability of these new resources significantly enriches the molecular toolbox for P. tricornutum and provides the diatom research community with well defined high-throughput methods for the analysis of diatom genes and proteins in vivo.     

三角褐指藻甘油酯对氮胁迫的响应

【背景】三角褐指藻作为生物燃料潜在的生产者,在胁迫条件下能通过改变其甘油酯组成来适应外部环境的变化,同时伴随着生物燃料原料甘油三酯(TAG)的积累,研究三角褐指藻甘油酯对氮胁迫的响应机制有利于深入认识TAG的积累过程。【目的】通过分析三角褐指藻在正常和氮胁迫条件下各类脂质含量及其脂肪酸成分的变化,揭示氮胁迫诱导积累的TAG酰基主要来源,以及在胁迫前生成的各极性甘油酯脂肪酸的去向,从而为进一步认识三角褐指藻对氮胁迫的响应机制提供新信息。【方法】利用高效薄层色谱结合气相色谱法分析三角褐指藻在正常和氮胁迫条件下的脂肪酸及甘油酯组分的变化。【结果】三角褐指藻在氮胁迫条件下TAG含量增加至57.8 mg/g时,总甘油酯含量几乎不变,但各甘油酯含量变化差异很大,表现为各极性脂含量显著降低。在此期间,各类甘油酯脂肪酸组成含量的变化表明,三角褐指藻TAG主要积累饱和及单不饱和脂肪酸,即16:0和16:1n7,分别以从头合成及原有极性脂转化为主,极性脂的部分二十碳五烯酸(EPA)作为酰基供体也向TAG发生了转化;此外组成极性脂的多不饱和脂肪酸16:2n4、16:3n4及EPA分解导致其含量显著下降。【结论】当氮胁迫诱导的三角褐指藻TAG含量为57.8 mg/g时,积累的TAG酰基中有48%来自从头合成,52%来自极性脂转化;而氮胁迫诱导所减少的极性脂酰基中有54%转化成TAG,46%发生了分解。     

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID CONTENT OF THE THREE CELL TYPES OF PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM BOHLIN1

There is no significant difference in the DNA content of the oval, fusiform, and triradiate cell types of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, suggesting that they do not represent an alternation of haploid and diploid generations. The triradiate cells have a shorter generation time than the oval or fusiform cells.     

亚气生球状绿藻一新种——重庆单星藻

单星藻隶属于绿藻纲环藻目栅藻科, 多为单细胞或聚合群体, 属内已知种类多发现于气生、亚气生生境, 在天然抗氧化剂和食品色素生产等领域具有广阔应用前景。但目前关于该类群的基础分类学研究相对薄弱, 阻碍了这些优质藻种资源的进一步开发利用。本研究从重庆市及周口市采集到2株单星藻, 经形态学及18S rDNA、ITS和tufA三个分子标记鉴定为单星藻属一新种, 命名为重庆单星藻Coelastrella chongqingensis sp. nov.。重庆单星藻显著的形态特征是细胞壁近似光滑或仅具细微皱纹, 不具有典型单星藻类群纵向分布的肋纹, 幼期细胞多呈椭球形或卵形, 末端钝圆, 细胞大小约(6—9) μm×(5—7) μm。成熟细胞多呈圆球形或椭球形, 直径约8—14—(18) μm。系统发育分析结果显示重庆单星藻与另外2种细胞壁近似光滑的藻株液泡单星藻Coelastrella vacuolata和薄壁单星藻Coelastrella tenuitheca具有最近的亲缘关系, 三者在基于tufA序列的系统发育分析中形成独立单系分支, 代表单星藻属第三种形态型, 即细胞壁近似光滑或仅具细微网纹, 无单星藻属典型的纵向肋纹。新种的发现扩充了单星藻属第三种形态型的物种组成, 为该属进一步的分类学修订打下基础。     

Molecular identification of an uncultured bacterium ("morphotype R") in meromictic Lake Cadagno, Switzerland

Comparative sequence analysis of almost complete 16S rRNA genes of members of the Desulfobacteriaceae retrieved from two gene clone libraries of uncultured bacteria of the chemocline of Lake Cadagno, Switzerland, resulted in the molecular identification of nine sequences, with a tight cluster of five sequences that represented at least three different populations of bacteria with homology values of 95% and 93% to their closest cultured relatives Desulfomonile tiedjei and Desulfomonile limimaris, respectively. In situ hybridization with probes DsmA455 targeting two subpopulations and DsmB455 targeting one subpopulation, detected bacteria with a peculiar morphology previously described as "morphotype R". The individual probes detected about the same number of cells in all samples and together added up to represent all cells of "morphotype R" suggesting that the basic ecophysiological requirements of the subpopulations might be similar. In the monimolimnion, "morphotype R" cells accounted for up to 29% of all Bacteria and entirely represented the Desulfobacteriaceae, the most prominent sulfate-reducing bacteria. In the sediment, "morphotype R" was similarly prominent in the upper cm only where it represented all Desulfobacteriaceae and up to 50% of all Bacteria. Numbers and importance within the Desulfobacteriaceae and Bacteria declined significantly with depth in sediments suggesting potential effects of changing environmental conditions on the fate of "morphotype R".     

Effects of growth phase,diel cycle and macronutrient stress on the quantification of Heterosigma akashiwo using qPCR and SHA

The development of molecular probe technologies over the last several decades has enabled more rapid and specific identification and enumeration of phytoplankton species compared to traditional technologies, such as light microscopy. Direct comparisons of these methods with respect to physiological status, however, are sparse. Here we directly compare quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and sandwich hybridization assay (SHA) for enumerating the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo at several points during its growth phase, over a diel cycle and with macronutrient stress in laboratory cultures. To ensure consistency between comparisons, a single cellular homogenate was generated from each culture and split for analysis by qPCR and SHA. Since the homogenate was generated from the same number of cells during each experiment, results reflect changes in nucleic acid content (rRNA and DNA) at each time point or in response to environmental conditions relative to a reference sample. Results show a greater level of precision in SHA results which contributed to significant (2–3 fold) differences in rRNA content per cell in several of these analyses. There was significantly greater rRNA content during lag and exponential phases compared to stationary phase cultures, and a significant decrease in rRNA content during the light cycle compared to cells harvested in the dark. In contrast, there were no significant differences in DNA content per cell as determined by qPCR over a diel cycle or during different growth phases. There was also no decrease in either rRNA or DNA content for cultures under low P conditions compared to nutrient replete conditions. However, both rRNA and DNA content were significantly lower under N stress when compared to nutrient replete conditions. Results of this study suggest that growth stage, nutrient stress and cell cycle may impact molecular analyses, and that physiological status should be taken into account when using these methods for HAB monitoring.     

Cd2+对三角褐指藻生长及尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶基因表达调控的影响

为了探究Cd2+对三角褐指藻(Phaeodactylum tricornutum)生长及尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶(UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase,UGPase)基因表达调控的影响,研究以不同浓度Cd2+处理三角褐指藻,测定其生长、叶绿素荧光参数、UGP基因转录水平、UGPase活性和金藻昆...     

THE POLYMORPHIC DIATOM PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM: ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ITS MORPHOTYPES1,2

The ultrastructure of the oval, fusiform and triradiate morphotypes of Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin is described. The organization and structure of the cytoplasmic organelles is similar in all three morphotypes, except that the vacuoles occupy the extra volume created by the arms of the fusiform and triradiate cells. The frustule in fusiform and triradiate cells is organic; in the oval type it may be organic or one of the valves may have a silica frustule surrounded by an organic wall. In all cells, the organic cell wall has up to 10 silica bands (13 nm wide) embedded in its surface in the girdle region, lacks girdle bands, and has an outer corrugated cell wall layer, except in the girdle region. Cell division, organic wall formation and silica deposition are described in detail. Four types of oval cells are also described. The relation to other diatoms is discussed.     

Mixotrophic productivity of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum cultured with soluble fractions of rye,wheat and potato

The marine microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum was cultured semi-continuously with the soluble fractions of wheat, rye and boiled potato flours. Fifteen percent of the culture volume was renewed every 3 d. The cell productivities were 0.9×109 cells/l/d, 1.1×109 cells/l/d and 2.6×109 cells/l/d for wheat, rye and potato respectively. The productivity of the autotrophic control was 1.0×109 cell/l/d. When a soluble fraction of raw potato was added, the productivity was enhanced to 4.1×109 cells/l/d, 2.4 times higher than the autotrophic culture. The high productivity of P. tricornutum with the soluble fractions of Solanum tuberosum suggests its usefulness as a source of nutrients for the production of microalgal biomass.     

三角褐指藻基因枪转化体系的建立

三角褐指藻具有较高的脂肪酸含量,是一种很有潜力的生物柴油生产原料。此外,它是多不饱和脂肪酸尤其是二十碳五烯酸（EPA）重要的来源。合适转化体系的缺乏限制了通过基因工程手段对其进行改造。首次采用基因枪方法成功地将外源基因转入三角褐指藻,转化细胞经染色后呈现蓝色,表明外源报告基因β-糖苷酸酶( GUS ) 基因得到了成功的表达。同时还进行了转化参数等因素对转化效率影响的分析,优化了转化条件。结果显示最佳的转化条件为: 每60 μg钨粉包被1 μg质粒DNA,样品室真空度为27英寸汞柱,可裂膜为1500psi,受体与阻挡网距离6 cm。此外,转化载体采用了三角褐指藻内源基因fcp的启动子,实现了外源基因在细胞内的表达。通过5种基因工程中常用抗生素对三角褐指藻生长抑制的研究发现,三角褐指藻对卡那霉素、氨苄青霉素、链霉素和新霉素不敏感,500 mg/L 的卡那霉素、氨苄青霉素和新霉素,以及1000 mg/L 链霉素仍不能抑制其生长;三角褐指藻对氯霉素非常敏感,130 mg/L的氯霉素可以完全抑制其生长,其半抑制浓度为60 mg/L。这为基因工程手段改造三角褐指藻脂肪酸代谢相关途径奠定了基础。     

Changes in the photosynthetic apparatus of diatoms in response to low and high light intensities

The centric diatom Cyclotella cryptica and two strains of the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum were grown under low and high light intensities (300 lux and 3,000 lux) over 4-6 weeks. Growth was monitored by repetitive cell count. The culture media were replaced weekly to avoid morphological and biochemical alterations caused by nutrient depletion. The ultrastructure of the cells was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Alterations in the light-harvesting antenna systems were investigated by Western immunoblotting. Both diatoms reduced the plastid area, i.e. decreased the amount of thylakoid lamellae, under high light intensity. The thylakoids still ran in groups of three with parallel orientation within the chloroplasts. The girdle band lamellae were not affected. The amounts of storage compounds and vacuoles increased. SDS-PAGE of total cell protein followed by Western immunoblotting with antisera directed against subunits of the light-harvesting antenna systems of C. cryptica (cc-antiserum) and the cryptophyte Cryptomonas maculata (cmac-antiserum) revealed that both diatoms reduced the amount of antenna polypeptides under increased light intensity. The cc-antiserum immunodecorated two bands with relative molecular masses (Mr) of 18,000 and 22,000 in C. cryptica. Both decreased under high light conditions to 67.2 +/- 6.1%. Five to seven bands in the Mr range of 14,000-27,000 were recognized in P. tricornutum. They decreased to 83 +/- 5.3%. Furthermore, the immunolabeling pattern for both strains differed under the two light regimes. The cmac-antiserum immunodecorated two polypeptides with Mr of 24,000 and 23,000 in C. cryptica, while both strains of P. tricornutum had five polypeptides in the Mr range of 14,000-24,000 that showed some differences in staining intensities between the two strains and in response to the light intensity applied.     

Isolation, culture and immortalisation of hepatic oval cells from adult mice fed a choline-deficient, ethionine-supplemented diet

Oval cells have great potential for use in cell therapy to treat liver disease, however this cannot be achieved until the factors which govern their proliferation and differentiation are better understood. We describe a method to establish primary cultures of murine oval cells, and the derivation of two novel lines from these. Primary cultures from the livers of wildtype or TAT-GRE lacZ transgenic mice subjected to a choline-deficient, ethionine-supplemented diet comprised up to 80% oval cells at day 7 based on A6 or CK19 staining. Cell lines were clonally derived, which underwent spontaneous immortalisation following prolonged maintenance in culture. Immunostaining and RT-PCR demonstrated they express hepatocytic and biliary markers and they were therefore termed “bipotential murine oval liver” (BMOL) cells. Under proliferating culture conditions, BMOL or BMOL-TAT cells abundantly expressed oval cell and biliary markers, whereas mature hepatocytic markers were upregulated when the growth conditions were changed to facilitate differentiation. Hepatic differentiation of BMOL-TAT cells could be traced by measuring the expression of their lacZ transgene, which is driven by a promoter element from tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT), a marker of adult hepatocytes. Interestingly, haematopoietic markers were upregulated in superconfluent cultures, indicating a possible multipotentiality. None of the cell lines grew in semi-solid agar, nor did they form tumours in nude mice, suggesting they are non-tumourigenic.

These novel murine oval cell lines, together with a reliable method for isolation and culture of primary oval cells, will provide a useful tool for investigating the contribution of oval cells to liver regeneration.     

昼夜温差对三角褐指藻和赤潮异弯藻生长和叶绿素荧光特性的影响

为研究昼夜温差对三角褐指藻和赤潮异弯藻生长的影响,研究设置3个温度水平[培养温度为22℃、18℃和22—18℃(光-暗周期),分别记为22℃处理组、18℃处理组和22—18℃处理组]对2种藻进行分批和半连续培养.结果表明:(1)在3个温度处理下,分批培养时,和18℃相比,22—18℃降低了三角褐指藻在平台期的细胞密度,...     

Inhibition of HDM2 and activation of p53 by ribosomal protein L23

The importance of coordinating cell growth with proliferation has been recognized for a long time. The molecular basis of this relationship, however, is poorly understood. Here we show that the ribosomal protein L23 interacts with HDM2. The interaction involves the central acidic domain of HDM2 and an N-terminal domain of L23. L23 and L11, another HDM2-interacting ribosomal protein, can simultaneously yet distinctly interact with HDM2 together to form a ternary complex. We show that, when overexpressed, L23 inhibits HDM2-induced p53 polyubiquitination and degradation and causes a p53-dependent cell cycle arrest. On the other hand, knocking down L23 causes nucleolar stress and triggers translocation of B23 from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm, leading to stabilization and activation of p53. Our data suggest that cells may maintain a steady-state level of L23 during normal growth; alternating the levels of L23 in response to changing growth conditions could impinge on the HDM2-p53 pathway by interrupting the integrity of the nucleolus.