Acetate-mediated pH-stat fed-batch cultivation of transconjugant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter</Emphasis> sp. BL-2S over-expressing <Emphasis Type="Italic">glmS</Emphasis> gene for excretive production of microbial polyglucosamine PGB-1

A unique cationic polyglucosamine biopolymer PGB-1 comprising more than 95% D-glucosamine was excretively produced from a new bacterial strain Enterobacter sp. BL-2 under acetate-mediated culture conditions. Since the biopolymer PGB-1 could be synthesized from the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine monomer derived from the hexosamine pathway, three glmS, glmM, and glmU genes in the hexosamine pathway were cloned from Enterobacter sp. BL-2, and their molecular structures were elucidated. The cloned glmS, glmM, and glmU genes were reintroduced into the parent strain Enterobacter sp. BL-2 through a conjugative transformation for the overproduction of the biopolymer PGB-1. The biopolymer production increased 1.5-fold in the transconjugant Enterobacter sp. BL-2S over-expressing the first-step glmS gene encoding glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase. The transconjugant Enterobacter sp. BL-2S was cultivated pH-stat fed-batch widely, while intermittently feeding an acetate solution to maintain a constant pH level of 8.0 for 72 h, resulting in 1.15 g/L of the extracellular polyglucosamine biopolymer PGB-1.     

Microsatellite DNA loci from the typical halophyte <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thellungiella salsuginea</Emphasis> (Brassicaceae)

Thellungiella salsuginea (Brassiaceae) is a typical halophyte which can tolerate extreme cold, drought, and salinity. In order to understand the adaptive evolution of this species in the arid habitats, it is important to know its genetic structure. In this study, 17 polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from an enrichment genomic library of this species. We further assessed the polymorphisms of each locus in 18 individuals from nine geographically distant populations. The number of alleles per locus ranged from six to fourteen. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.17 to 0.28 and 0.32 to 0.45, respectively. These markers have been crossly checked in another congeneric species, T. halophila. These microsatellite markers will be useful for investigating population genetics and adaptive evolution of this species and morphological divergence between and it and the closely related species.     

Overproduction of an extracellular polysaccharide possessing high lipid emulsion stabilizing effects by Bacillus sp.

Bacillus sp. CP912, producing an extracellular biopolymer, was isolated from the soil. Maximum accumulation of the biopolymer was 10 g l^–1 culture broth with a yield of 88% from glucose consumed. The biopolymer was purified with several precipitation steps using ethanol and cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide. Carbohydrate analyses using various color reactions, infrared spectroscopy, and high performance liquid chromatography revealed that the biopolymer is a homopolysaccharide. The lipid emulsifying capacity of the polysaccharide was 100%, while that of xanthan gum was 94%.     

Spatio-temporal distribution patterns of the invasive macroalga Sargassum muticum within a Danish Sargassum-bed

Sargassum muticum was first observed in Scandinavia in Limfjorden (Denmark) in 1984, where it is now the most abundant and conspicuous macroalga. Despite the ecological importance of Sargassum, few studies have described seasonal patterns within Scandinavian Sargassum beds. We quantified the dynamics of macroalgae among years and seasons along a depth transect through a typical Sargassum bed in Limfjorden. The annual investigations (summer transects 1989–1999) showed a gradual increase in the dominance of Sargassum, especially at the 2–4-m depth interval. Significant seasonal dynamics in macroalgal abundance and assemblage structure were observed in this depth interval; the mean cover of Sargassum varied from ca. 5% (autumn and winter) to 25% (mid-summer). In comparison, encrusting algae had high and relatively stable covers throughout the year (ca. 20%). Other perennial macroalgae had low mean covers (<2%) characterized by a few patches of higher abundances. Except from a spring bloom, filamentous algae had low covers throughout the year. Within this relatively uniform bed, Sargassum abundance was positively related to boulders >10 cm in diameter and species richness was negatively correlated to depth and stones <10 cm in diameter, and non-correlated to other algal form-groups or grazer densities. Thus, in Limfjorden, the distribution of Sargassum is determined by large- (>6 m) and small-scale (<1 m) depth differences where low light limits Sargassum at depth, physical disturbance and sediment stress limits Sargasum in shallow waters, and the presence of stable boulder substratum facilitate Sargassum. Competition for space from other macroalgae and herbivory are probably of minor importance.     

牛支原体LRR5蛋白原核表达及其在牛支原体入侵宿主细胞过程中的作用分析

致病性支原体具有入侵宿主细胞的能力,这是其发挥致病作用的关键。介导支原体入侵宿主细胞的自身功能蛋白可能是一种潜在的药物或疫苗靶标。【目的】克隆表达牛支原体(Mycoplasmabovis) MBOVPG45_0564基因编码蛋白(命名为LRR5蛋白),并探究其在M. bovis入侵宿主细胞过程中的作用。【方法】利用NCBI数据库对MBOVPG45_0564基因进行同源性分析,用Discovery Studio Client系统对LRR5蛋白进行蛋白结构预测;原核表达LRR5蛋白并制备其小鼠多克隆抗体,利用免疫电镜对LRR5蛋白进行亚细胞定位;通过平板计数、激光共聚焦显微镜观察LRR5抗体封闭后M. bovis对胎牛肺(embryonic bovine lung, EBL)细胞入侵率的变化;将LRR5蛋白偶联至荧光微球表面后,以激光共聚焦显微镜及高内涵活细胞成像系统观察微球进入EBL细胞情况。【结果】MBOVPG45_0564基因在牛支原体属中为保守基因,其编码蛋白LRR5为膜相关蛋白,空间构象呈典型的月牙状,多个重复的亮氨酸基序以超螺旋方式组装并形成螺线管蛋白质结构单元。LRR5抗体封闭后,M. bovis对EBL细胞的入侵率显著降低(P<0.05),荧光微球偶联LRR5蛋白后,荧光微球可成功进入EBL细胞。【结论】MBOVPG45_0564基因编码的LRR5蛋白定位在M. bovis膜上,在M. bovis入侵宿主细胞过程中发挥着重要作用。     

Correlated Flexible Molecular Coding and Molecular Evolvability

Evolvability of biopolymers is based on molecular coding. The molecular coding is represented by biopolymer function vs monomeric sequence relationship, that is, a proper fitness landscape on the sequence space. On the other hand, molecular coding is mostly realized by monomeric sequence vs biopolymer structure relationship. We suggest the evolution of evolvability based on flexible or multiplex coding originating from flexible or polymorphic conformation of evolving biopolymers. We report a finding supporting that the amino acid landscape of the standard genetic code for an amino acid property which is more important to the protein function gives higher value of an evolvability measure. We developed a promising molecular construct which realized genotype-phenotype linking in order to study the in vitroprotein evolution to clarify above mentioned protein evolvability.     

Genetic variation of Carthamus tinctorius L. and related species revealed by SRAP analysis

Genetic diversity of 23 populations of Carthamus tinctorius L. and two populations of Carthamus lanatus L. in China was investigated using Sequence-related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP). All populations could be uniquely distinguished by 30 primer combinations with 483 bands and 274 polymorphic bands which generated 57% of polymorphic ratio. Unweighed pair-group method of with arithmetical averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis enabled construction of a dendrogram for estimating genetic distances among different populations. The extreme variation was observed when No. 4 cultivated and No. 13 wild population of C. lanatus were grouped at GS = 0.58, and separated from 23 populations of C. tinctorius at GS = 0.10. The result suggested that the cultivated and wild populations of C. lanatus had close relationship with each other and far relationship with C. tinctorius. Dendrogram also revealed a large genetic variation in 23 C. tinctorius populations; different primer combinations allowed them distinctly distinguished one from others with relatively low genetic similarity. Furthermore, five typical representative fragments in C. lanatus were obtained by four most informative primer combinations, which provided a possibility to distinguish C. lanatus from the C. tinctorius evidently.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> transposons of the urochordata <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ciona intestinalis</Emphasis>

P transposons belong to the eukaryotic DNA transposons, which are transposed by a cut and paste mechanism using a P-element-coded transposase. They have been detected in Drosophila, and reside as single copies and stable homologous sequences in many vertebrate species. We present the P elements Pcin1, Pcin2 and Pcin3 from Ciona intestinalis, a species of the most primitive chordates, and compare them with those from Ciona savignyi. They showed typical DNA transposon structures, namely terminal inverted repeats and target site duplications. The coding region of Pcin1 consisted of 13 small exons that could be translated into a P-transposon-homologous protein. C. intestinalis and C. savignyi displayed nearly the same phenotype. However, their P elements were highly divergent and the assumed P transposase from C. intestinalis was more closely related to the transposase from Drosophila melanogaster than to the transposase of C. savignyi. The present study showed that P elements with typical features of transposable DNA elements may be found already at the base of the chordate lineage. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Anamylopsoraceae — a new family of lichenized ascomycetes with stipitate apothecia (Lecanorales: Agyriineae)

The anatomy, chemistry and developmental morphology ofAnamylopsora pulcherrima is investigated. Some characters, including the ascus structure, suggest a close affinity with theAgyriaceae. However, the chemistry and the pycnidial structure differ as well as the ascoma ontogeny.Anamylopsora has a gymnocarpous ascoma development and the ascogonia are produced in stipes.Trapelia coarctata, as a typical member of theAgyriaceae, shows a hemiangiocarpous ascoma ontogeny. The anatomical, chemical and ontogenetical characters of several families are compared withAnamylopsora and it is shown that the genus is best placed in a monotypic familyAnamylopsoraceae Lumbsch & Lunke, fam. nova, which is placed in theAgyriineae (Lecanorales).This paper is dedicated to Prof. DrAino Henssen (Marburg) on the occasion of the 70th birthday.     

Dyeing and antimicrobial characteristics of chitosan treated wool fabrics with henna dye

Chitosan, a naturally available biopolymer which is now increasingly being used as a functional finish on textile substrates to impart antimicrobial characteristics and increase dye uptake of fabrics was applied on wool fabrics. Henna a natural dye with proven bactericidal properties was applied on wool fabrics along with chitosan to impart antimicrobial characteristics. The effect of chitosan application on the dyeing properties of wool fabrics was studied by measuring the K/S values of the treated substrates at various concentrations of chitosan and the dye. The antimicrobial properties of chitosan and natural dyes both when applied independently and collectively on fabrics were assessed. The results proved that the chitosan treated wool fabrics showed increase dye uptake of fabrics. The treated fabrics were found to be antimicrobial and the chitosan treatment enhances the antimicrobial characteristics of the dyes. Fastness properties of the applied finish to washing, rubbing and perspiration have also been discussed.     

Buzz-pollination in three nectariferousBoraginaceae and possible evolution of buzz-pollinated flowers

Buzz-pollination was observed in three nectariferousBoraginaceae spp.:Onosma gigantea Lam.,Trichodesma africana (L.)R. Br. andT. boissieri Post. An evolutionary pathway from usual nectariferous flowers to typical buzz-pollinated flowers is suggested.     

Development of a transplantation technique of Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta and Cystoseira compressa

On the North-Western Mediterranean coastline, the genus Cystoseira (Fucales) has a key role on upper infralittoral community structure. Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta and C. compressa are the most common superficial Cystoseira species. In this area, the coastline is subjected to a strong anthropogenic pressure which has caused severe Cystoseira population decreases. The present study consists in the development of a cheap and easy to use transplantation technique of C. amentacea var. stricta and C. compressa in order to either restore former natural populations or help their settlement on artificial substrates. The thalli were fixed with epoxy glue in holes made by a drill. The success of the technique was assessed by counting the number of remaining transplanted thalli after 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Results were found encouraging with 75% of survival for both species after 6 months. Moreover fertile fronds were observed on the transplanted thalli showing the harmlessness of the technique.     

The chloroplast genome from a lycophyte (microphyllophyte), <Emphasis Type="Italic">Selaginella uncinata</Emphasis>, has a unique inversion,transpositions and many gene losses

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the chloroplast genome of Selaginella uncinata, a lycophyte belonging to the basal lineage of the vascular plants. The circular double-stranded DNA is 144,170 bp, with an inverted repeat of 25,578 bp separated by a large single copy region (LSC) of 77,706 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 40,886 bp. We assigned 81 protein-coding genes including four pseudogenes, four rRNA genes and only 12 tRNA genes. Four genes, rps15, rps16, rpl32 and ycf10, found in most chloroplast genomes in land plants were not present in S. uncinata. While gene order and arrangement of the chloroplast genome of another lycophyte, Hupertzia lucidula, are almost the same as those of bryophytes, those of S. uncinata differ considerably from the typical structure of bryophytes with respect to the presence of a unique 20 kb inversion within the LSC, transposition of two segments from the LSC to the SSC and many gene losses. Thus, the organization of the S. uncinata chloroplast genome provides a new insight into the evolution of lycophytes, which were separated from euphyllophytes approximately 400 million years ago. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Site-specific mutadenesis in Enterobacter agglomerans: construction of nifB mutants and analysis of the gene's structure and function

A novel technique was developed which may be generally well suited to the site-specific construction of mutations in Enterobacter agglomerans. The method is based on the observation that E. agglomerans can be cured of a plasmid of the incompatibility group IncQ by cultivation on citrate-containing medium. To test the applicability of this technique, we inserted a kanamycin cassette into the cloned nifB gene, transferred it into E. agglomerans, and selected for recombinants in which the wild-type nifB was replaced by the mutated gene by growing transformants on citrate medium with kanamycin. The nifB ^– mutants with the kanamycin cassette inserted in either orientation showed sequence of nifb. A typical ⁵⁴-dependent promoter and a consensus NifA binding site were found upstream of nifB. Activation of this promoter by both heterologous and homologous NifA proteins was observed in vivo. The predicted amino acid sequence of the NifB protein showed strong similarity to the NifB sequences of other diazotrophic bacteria. The typical clustering of cysteine residues at the N-terminal end indicates its involvement in Fe-Mo cofactor biosynthesis.     

Morphology and phylogeny of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botryosphaeria dothidea</Emphasis> causing fruit rot of olives

The taxonomic position of the causal agent of fruit rot of olives was determined from fresh collections of the fungus from central Greece. In culture it formed two types of conidia, namely fusiform, hyaline, aseptate conidia typical of the genus Fusicoccum, and dark-walled, ovoid, ellipsoid or fusiform, 1–2 septate conidia that are not typically observed in Fusicoccum. A phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and EF1- sequences placed the fungus within the same clade as Fusicoccum aesculi, which is the anamorph of Botryosphaeria dothidea, and the type of the genus Fusicoccum.     

Preliminary characterization of wine lactobacilli able to degrade arginine

Lactobacillus strains able to degrade arginine were isolated and characterized from a typical red wine. All the strains were gram-positive, catalase-negative and produced both D- and L-lactate from glucose. Strains L2, L3, L4, and L6 were able to produce CO₂ from glucose; however, production of CO₂ from glucose was not observed in strains L1 and L5, suggesting that they belong to the homofermentative wine lactic acid bacteria (LAB) group. All of the lactobacilli were tested for their ability to ferment 49 carbohydrates. The sugar fermentation profile of strain L1 was unique, suggesting that this strain belonged to Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, a non-typical wine LAB. Furthermore, a preliminary typing was performed by using a random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis (RAPD-PCR analysis).     

An attachment tip and pili-like structures in insect- and plant-pathogenic spiroplasmas of the class Mollicutes

Ultrastructural studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), negative-staining transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thin-sectioning TEM on four species of Spiroplasma, in vitro and/or in vivo, indicated that their helices commonly possess one tapered end (tip structure) and one blunt or round end. These tip structures appeared morphologically different from the rest of the helix, exhibiting an electron-dense conical or rod-shaped core. In thin sections of the midgut of the leafhopper Dalbulus elimatus, the tip structures of Spiroplasma kunkelii in the midgut lumen were mostly aligned between microvilli, perpendicular to the apical plasma membrane of epithelial cells. These tip structures appeared frequently attached or closely apposed to the plasma membrane, in which cup-shaped invaginations close to the tips were observed. Pleomorphic forms of spiroplasma, enclosed in membranous vesicles, were found in the cytoplasm of the midgut epithelial cells. These findings suggest that the tip structure may be involved in the orientation and attachment of spiroplasma helices in relation to their host cells, and thus may be functionally comparable to the attachment organelle of mycoplasmas. Additionally, pili-like structures were observed by negative-staining TEM on the surface of Spiroplasma melliferum, and in thin sections of S. kunkelii infecting the leafhopper vector Dalbulus gelbus. Abbreviations CSS Corn stunt spiroplasma - SEM Scanning electron microscopy - TBS Tris-buffered saline - TEM Transmission electron microscopy     

Galactosyl residue in exopolysaccharide from Rhizobium meliloti JJ-1 exposed to manganese is furanoid

Exopolysaccharide (EPS) elaborated by Rhizobium meliloti JJ-1 in a manganese supplemented medium was isolated. Periodate oxidation, reduction with sodium borohydride, followed by hydrolysis and subsequent capillary gas liquid chromatography of the derived alditol acetates revealed that D-galactose in this complex biopolymer is in furanoid form. This observation was further confirmed by ¹³carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR).     

Microbiological evaluation of pequi (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Caryocar brasiliense</Emphasis> Camb.) preserves made from a typical Brazilian fruit

The microbiological quality of preserves made from the pulp of the pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.), a typical Brazilian fruit, was assessed. The total aerobic mesophilic and the yeast and mould counts in the samples suggest inadequate hygienic conditions during the processing of the product. Low levels of contamination by coliform bacteria and enterobacteria were observed; however, the presence of injured cells of these microorganisms was demonstrated. The presence of Staphylococcus aureus and sulfite-reducing clostridia was not shown. Salmonella spp. was found in 33% of the samples analysed, indicating that the product can represent a public health risk.