Response of microbial communities of Lake Baikal to extreme temperatures

The survival rate, metabolic activity, and ability for growth of microbial communities of Lake Baikal have been first studied after exposure to extremely low temperatures (freeze-thawing) for different lengths of time. It has been shown that short-term freezing (1–3 days) inhibits the growth and activity of microbial communities. The quantity of microorganisms increased after 7-and 15-day freezing. In the periods of maximums, the total number of microorganisms in the test samples was twice as high as in the control. It was established that after more prolonged freezing the microorganisms required more time after thawing to adapt to new conditions. In the variants with 7-and 15-day freezing, the activities of defrosted microbial communities were three or more times higher than in the control. The survival rate and activity of Baikal microorganisms after freeze-thawing confirms the fact that the Baikal microbial communities are highly resistant to this type of stress impact.     

荧光原位杂交技术及其在环境微生物生态学中的应用研究

荧光原位杂交技术是一种能够同时对微生物进行定性、定量和研究微生物群落空间分布情况的有力工具。简要介绍了荧光原位杂交技术的方法,并对其在人为创制环境和自然环境中特征性微生物种群及群落生态学中的应用研究进行了讨论,指出了该种技术在应用中存在的问题与缺陷,最后对荧光原位杂交技术在堆肥微生物生态中的应用及与其他方法的组合应用进行了展望。     

Microbial diversity and authigenic siderite mediation in sediments surrounding the Kedr-1 mud volcano,Lake Baikal

The gas hydrate-bearing structure—mud volcano Kedr-1 (Lake Baikal, southern basin)—is located near the coal-bearing sediments of the Tankhoy formation of Oligocene–Miocene age and can be an ideal source of gas-saturated fluid. A significant amount of siderite minerals (FeCO₃) were collected from sediments at depths ranging from 0.5 to 327 cm below the lake floor (cmblf). An important feature of these carbonate minerals is the extremely strong enrichment in the heavy ¹³C isotope, reaching values of +33.3‰ VPDB. The δ¹³C of the siderite minerals, as well as their morphology and elemental composition, and the δ¹³C_DIC of the co-existing pore water, differed across layers of the core, which implies at least two generations of siderite formation. Here, we leverage mineralogical and geochemical data with 16S rRNA data from the microbial communities in sediments surrounding layers containing siderite minerals. Statistical data reveal the formation of three clusters of microbial communities based on taxonomical composition, key taxa among bacteria and archaea, and environmental parameters. Diversity and richness estimators decrease with sediment depth, with several similar prevailing clades located at the bottom of the core. Most of the taxa in the deep sediments could be associated with putative metabolisms involving organotrophic fermentation (Bathyarchaeia, Caldatribacteriota, and Chloroflexota). Various groups of methanogens (Methanoregulaceae, Methanosaetaceae, and Methanomassiliicoccales) and methanotrophic (Methanoperedenaceae) archaea are present in the sediment at variable relative abundances throughout the sampled depth. Based on the physicochemical characteristics of the sediment, carbon isotope analysis of carbonate minerals and DIC, and phylogenetic analysis of individual taxa and their metabolic potential, we present several models for subsurface siderite precipitation in Lake Baikal sediments.     

Method for measuring substrate preferences by individual members of microbial consortia proposed for bioaugmentation

In this study we used the assimilation of isotope labeled CO(2) to measure the substrate preferences by two different bioaugmentation mixtures proposed for bioremediation of diesel oil contamination. All active microorganisms assimilate CO(2) in various carboxylation processes involved in growth. The CO(2) assimilation by the two mixtures was measured upon addition of glucose, diesel oil or specific compounds present in diesel oil (naphthalene, toluene, hexadecane, and octane). It was shown that within short term incubations with diesel oil (<5 h), one bioaugmentation mixture was superior to the other regarding the assimilation of CO(2). This observation was confirmed in a labor-intensive long term microcosm study (60 days). The applied method open various possibilities for fast pre-testing of substrate-preferences by microbial-bioaugmentation mixtures without microcosm experiments, onsite tests, and complicated chemical analysis. This study also demonstrates the possibility to obtain further information on the substrate preferences at a single cell level of phylogenetically defined microbial subgroups in bioaugmentation mixtures, based on combined analyses of microautoradiography and fluorescence in situ hybridization.     

水稻45S rDNA和5S rDNA的染色体定位研究

45SrDNA和5SrDNA是水稻中与核糖体RNA合成有关的2个功能片段,有关这2个序列在水稻染色体上的位置,不同研究者的研究结果不尽相同,在获得水稻染色体清晰制片的基础上,通过FISH确定了45SrDNA序列位于水稻的第9号和第10号染色体的短臂末端,并且第9号染色体上的拷贝数多于第10号染色体,5SrDNA序列位于第11号染色体短臂靠近着丝点处。     

一种新的六倍体细胞类型水生薏苡的细胞遗传学鉴定

通过醋酸洋红压片和荧光原位杂交技术(包括基因组原位杂交技术),确定在我国广西西南部地区广泛分布着的水生薏苡(Coix aquatica Roxb.)属于一种新的六倍体细胞类型.这种水生薏苡与已报道的几种水生薏苡细胞类型的染色体数目均不相同,它的染色体数目是2n=30,在减数分裂前期Ⅰ和中期Ⅰ的细胞中形成10个二价体和10个单价体.基因组原位杂交结果表明,这种水生薏苡的20条染色体与四倍体的薏苡(C.lacryma-jobi,2n＝20)的基因组DNA是高度同源的.45S和5S rDNA分别杂交到这种水生薏苡的两条染色体上,其中各有一条染色体与薏苡中携带45S和5S rDNA杂交信号的染色体具有相同的形状和信号的分布状态.据此推测:四倍体的薏苡可能是这种新的水生薏苡细胞类型的一个亲本,它的另一个亲本可能是八倍体的水生薏苡(C.aquatica,2n＝40),因为这种八倍体的水生薏苡在核型、植株形态及生长环境等方面与新的六倍体细胞类型的水生薏苡相似.     

Detection of Helicobacter pylori and determination of clarithromycin susceptibility using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded gastric biopsy specimens by fluorescence in situ hybridization

BACKGROUND: Clarithromycin resistance and poor compliance to therapy are often responsible for Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy failure. AIM: To evaluate fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) as a nonculture method to simultaneously detect H. pylori and to identify clarithromycin resistance. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with dyspepsia (17 male, 37 female subjects; mean age, 46.5; range, 21-78 years) were studied. Two antrum and corpus biopsies were taken from each patient. Positive rapid urease test (RUT) and histopathologic examinations defined H. pylori positivity. A total of 108 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded gastric mucosal biopsies were examined retrospectively by the FISH (seaFAST H. pylori Combi-Kit) method. RESULTS: Forty-five patients (83.3%) were H. pylori positive and 43 (95.5%) were also positive by FISH. There were two false-positive FISH results. Fourteen patients (31.1%) had clarithromycin-susceptible strains, 4 (8.9%) resistant strains, and 27 (60%) both susceptible and resistant strains. CONCLUSION: FISH results correlated well with H. pylori infection and were able to identify clarithromycin-susceptible and -resistant strains. This technique will be helpful in determining the bacterial density and the success of treatment where clarithromycin has been widely used in populations to increase the efficacy of the treatment and to clarify the treatment failure in vitro.     

Multivariate analysis of microbial communities in the River Elbe (Germany) on different phylogenetic and spatial levels of resolution

The microbial communities of three different habitat types and from two sediment depths in the River Elbe were investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization at various levels of complexity. Differences in the microbial community composition of free-flowing river water, water within the hyporheic interstitial and sediment-associated bacteria were quantitatively analyzed using domain- and group-specific oligonucleotide probes. Qualitative data on the presence/absence of specific bacterial taxa were gathered using genus- and species-specific probes. The complete data set was statistically processed by univariate statistical approaches, and two-dimensional ordinations of nonmetric multidimensional scaling. The analysis showed: (1) that the resolution of microbial community structures at microenvironments, habitats and locations can be regulated by targeted application of oligonucleotides on phylogenetic levels ranging from domains to species, and (2) that an extensive qualitative presence/absence analysis of multiparallel hybridization assays enables a fine-scale apportionment of spatial differences in microbial community structures that is robust against apparent limitations of fluorescence in situ hybridization such as false positive hybridization signals or inaccessibility of in situ oligonucleotide probes. A general model for the correlation of the phylogenetic depth of focus and the relative spatial resolution of microbial communities by fluorescence in situ hybridization is presented.     

棉花细菌人工染色体的荧光原位杂交(BAC-FISH)技术

细菌人工染色体荧光原位杂交(BAC-FISH)技术是植物染色体识别、物理作图等分子细胞遗传学研究的重要工具,但对于某些物种尤其是多倍体植物,由于大量重复序列的存在等问题,使得该技术应用受到很大的限制.通过选择棉花分子遗传图中高重组区的微卫星位点(simple sequence repeats,SSR)标记的策略,筛选到不含或含有少量重复序列的细菌人工染色体(BAC)克隆,同时,在通用FISH技术程序基础上,通过改进发根、变性、洗脱条件等步骤,构建出适合于棉花的BAC-FISH技术,简化了操作流程的同时,获得稳定的杂交结果及较高的检出率;并通过将一随机获得的BAC进行染色体的物理定位,进一步引入双探针、双色及重复杂交技术,显示了该技术的成熟与良好的应用前景和价值.     

人APP基因C-末端片段在PC12细胞中的稳定表达及其对细胞生长和发育的影响

APP在AD病因学中是一个重要的分子,但到目前为止尚缺乏良好的动物和细胞模型用来探讨APP在AD发病中的作用。本研究旨在建立过表达人APP基因C-末端片段的遗传工程细胞系。将人APP695cDNA 中编码C-末端105 个氨基酸的片段重组到真核表达载体pDORneo中形成重组质粒pDORneo-CT, 然后用脂质体将其转染到大鼠肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤细胞(PC12)中。用800μg/ml G418 筛选获得了在mRNA 和蛋白质水平均表达相应片段的稳定细胞系。细胞形态学观察和MTT,LDH分析表明, 该片段在细胞内的表达未能对NGF处理的PC12细胞产生明显的毒性作用。 Abstract:The major obstacles to clarify molecular mechanisms involved in amyloid metabolism of Alzheimer's disease has been the unavailability of animal and cell models for this unique human disease. The present research was aimed at establishing genetically engineering cell lines that overexpress the C-terminal fragment of human APPgene. Cloned human APPcDNA and retrovirus eukaryocytic expressing vector pDoRneo were used to prepare for the transformed PC12 Cell lines. RT-PCR and Western Blot showed that stable transfectants which express the correspoding fragment of APPgene in mRNA and protein level have been obtained. Morphological observation and MTT, LDH assay showed that no apparent toxic effects have been observed.     

一种新的六倍体细胞类型水生薏苡的细胞遗传学鉴定

通过醋酸洋红压片和荧光原位杂交技术(包括基因组原位杂交技术), 确定在我国广西西南部地区广泛分布着的水生薏苡(Coix aquatica Roxb.)属于一种新的六倍体细胞类型。这种水生薏苡与已报道的几种水生薏苡细胞类型的染色体数目均不相同,它的染色体数目是2n = 30,在减数分裂前期Ⅰ和中期Ⅰ的细胞中形成10个二价体和10个单价体。基因组原位杂交结果表明,这种水生薏苡的20条染色体与四倍体的薏苡(C. lacryma-jobi, 2n = 20)的基因组DNA是高度同源的。45S 和5S rDNA分别杂交到这种水生薏苡的两条染色体上,其中各有一条染色体与薏苡中携带45S和5S rDNA杂交信号的染色体具有相同的形状和信号的分布状态。据此推测: 四倍体的薏苡可能是这种新的水生薏苡细胞类型的一个亲本,它的另一个亲本可能是八倍体的水生薏苡(C. aquatica, 2n = 40), 因为这种八倍体的水生薏苡在核型、植株形态及生长环境等方面与新的六倍体细胞类型的水生薏苡相似。     

Wolbachia和Cardinium对皮氏叶螨生殖的影响及在寄主体内的定位

Wolbachia和Cardinium均为母系遗传的胞内共生菌, 它们能够通过诱导胞质不亲和（cytoplasmic incompatibility, CI）以调控寄主的生殖。目前, 关于Wolbachia和Cardinium共同对同一寄主进行生殖操控的机制还不清楚。本研究以皮氏叶螨Tetranychus piercei McGregor广州种群为实验材料, 通过杂交实验和荧光原位杂交的方法, 研究Wolbachia和Cardinium单感染和双感染对寄主生殖的影响。结果表明： 单感染Wolbachia诱导较弱的CI, 不亲和组合的未孵化率为17.8%±1.6%。单感染Cardinium及双感染Wolbachia和Cardinium能诱导高强度的CI, 不亲和组合的未孵化率分别为70.3%±1.3%和72.9%±1.2%。同时双感染Wolbachia和Cardinium雌螨的平均产卵量为35.2±1.2, 显著高于单感染和不感染的雌螨的产卵量。Wolbachia 和Cardinium分别诱导以及共同诱导CI的水平与精子形成过程中的感染情况有关。Wolbachia和Cardinium的垂直传播模式结果显示, 在卵的不同发育阶段, Wolbachia和Cardinium主要伴随着营养物质从滋养细胞、 中肠、 输卵管进入发育中的卵。研究结果为进一步了解 Wolbachia和Cardinium的母系遗传机制提供了重要依据。     

The relative lengths of individual telomeres are defined in the zygote and strictly maintained during life

Previous studies have indicated that average telomere length is partly inherited ( Slagboom et al., 1994 ; Rufer et al., 1999 ) and that there is an inherited telomere pattern in each cell ( Graakjaer et al., 2003 ); ( Londoño‐Vallejo et al., 2001 ). In this study, we quantify the importance of the initially inherited telomere lengths within cells, in relation to other factors that influence telomere length during life. We have estimated the inheritance by measuring telomere length in monozygotic (MZ) twins using Q‐FISH with a telomere specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA)‐probe. Homologous chromosomes were identified using subtelomeric polymorphic markers. We found that identical homologous telomeres from two aged MZ twins show significantly less differences in relative telomere length than when comparing the two homologues within one individual. This result means that towards the end of life, individual telomeres retain the characteristic relative length they had at the outset of life and that any length alteration during the lifespan impacts equally on genetically identical homologues. As the result applies across independent individuals, we conclude that, at least in lymphocytes, epigenetic/environmental effects on relative telomere length are relatively minor during life.     

玉米mir1基因在玉米和薏苡中的比较物理定位

玉米基因mir1编码一种抗秋季黏虫的半胱氨酸蛋白酶。利用RFLP作图mir1基因被定位在玉米第 6号染色体短臂上 ,但它在第 6号染色体短臂上的物理位置还不知道。实验以mir1和 4 5SrDNA为探针 ,通过双色荧光原位杂交技术确定了mir1基因在玉米细胞分裂中期和粗线期第 6号染色体上的物理位置。Southern杂交结果表明 ,在薏苡基因组中存在mir1基因的同源序列 ,进一步利用荧光原位杂交的方法确定mir1基因的同源序列定位于薏苡第 7号染色体长臂的近末端 ,其信号与着丝粒的百分距离为 73 33± 0 15。     

Quantitative assessment of toxic and nontoxic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis</Emphasis> colonies in natural environments using fluorescence <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> hybridization and flow cytometry

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms constitute a threat to human safety because Microcystis sp. releases microcystins during growth, and particularly during cell death. Therefore, analysis of toxic and nontoxic Microcystis in natural communities is required in order to assess and predict bloom dynamics and toxin production by these organisms. In this study, an analysis combining fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with flow cytometry (FCM) was used to discriminate between toxic and nontoxic Microcystis and also to quantify the percentage of toxic Microcystis present in blooms. The results demonstrate that the combination of FISH and flow cytometry is a useful approach for studying the ecology of Microcystis toxin production and for providing an early warning for toxic Microcystis blooms.     

Chromosomal localization and molecular marker development of the lipopolysaccharide and beta-1,3-glucan binding protein gene in the Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri (Jones et Preston) (Pectinoida, Pectinidae)

Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri (Jones et Preston) is an economically important species in China. Understanding its immune system would be of great help in controlling diseases. In the present study, an important immunity-related gene, the Lipopolysaccharide and Beta-1,3-glucan Binding Protein (LGBP) gene, was located on C. farreri chromosomes by mapping several lgbp-containing BAC clones through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Through the localization of various BAC clones, it was shown that only one locus of this gene existed in the genome of C. farreri, and that this was located on the long arm of a pair of homologous chromosomes. Molecular markers, consisting of eight single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers and one insertion-deletion (indel), were developed from the LGBP gene. Indel marker testing in an F1 family revealed slightly distorted segregation (p = 0.0472). These markers can be used to map the LGBP gene to the linkage map and assign the linkage group to the corresponding chromosome. Segregation distortion of the indel marker indicated genes with deleterious alleles might exist in the surrounding region of the LGBP gene.     

应用荧光原位杂交技术检测康柏西普基因在CHO细胞染色体上的整合状态

CHO细胞是常用的哺乳动物表达工程细胞。外源基因整合至CHO细胞染色体后,在大规模蛋白质生产过程中,由于相关压力撤除,外源基因存在丢失的可能,因此有必要对其整合稳定性进行检测。康柏西普(conbercept)是一个能够特异性结合VEGF-A的各种异构体、VEGF-B以及PlGF,从而发挥抗血管生成活性的融合蛋白。康柏西普目前已在美国进入Ⅲ期临床试验。本文运用荧光原位杂交对康柏西普基因在CHO细胞的整合状态进行了检测,发现经过4和19次传代后,康柏西普基因依然能稳定整合在基因组上,并且呈现出3个特点：(1)分布在一条染色体上,而不是多条染色体上;(2)分布在较长的染色体上;(3)在同一染色体上有较多拷贝数。同时,荧光定量PCR结果证明基因拷贝数无明显改变,ELISA检测证明蛋白表达水平亦无明显改变。上述实验证明在经过19次传代以后,康柏西普基因仍然稳定整合在基因组中,并可活跃表达,为康柏西普大规模生产及产品质控提供了有力依据。     

The impact of pH control on the volumetric productivity of mixed culture PHA production from fermented molasses

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production via mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) can potentially decrease process operational costs as compared to conventional pure culture techniques. However, the volumetric productivity of PHA by MMCs must be augmented to increase its cost competitiveness. For this purpose, a three‐stage bioreactor system was operated in this study, with (i) anaerobic fermentation of molasses, (ii) culture selection, and (iii) PHA accumulation and harvesting stages. In stage 2, bioreactor operation with pH control at 8 led to twice the biomass concentration (up to 8 g VSS L^?1, where VSS is the volatile suspended solids) as compared to operation without pH control (maximum pH 9). No loss in the specific PHA storage efficiency was observed (PHA content up to 57.5% and PHA storage rate up to 0.27 Cmol PHA Cmol X^?1 h^?1, where X is the active biomass), thereby resulting in twice the volumetric PHA production rate. The limited biomass growth at the higher pH level was not due to nutrient limitation, but likely to a shift in the microbial community. It is hypothesized that the increased enrichment of Azoarcus at pH 8 led to higher PHA productivity. pH control in the culture selection stage can lead to enhanced PHA production from MMCs, improving the viability of the process.     

Physical Mapping of Human 7q and 14q Subtelomeric DNA Sequences in the Great Apes

Phylogenetic divergence of the members of the Pongidae familyhas been based on genetic evidence. The terminal repeat array(T₂AG₃) has lately been considered as an additional basis toanalyze genomes of highly related species. The recent isolationof subtelomeric DNA probes specific for human (HSA) chromosomes7q and 14q has prompted us to cross-hybridize them to the chromosomesof the chimpanzee (PTR), gorilla (GGO) and orangutan (PPY) tosearch for its equivalent locations in the great ape species.Both probes hybridized to the equivalent telomeric sites ofthe long (q) arms of all three great ape species. Hybridizationsignals to the 7q subtelomeric DNA sequence probe were observedat the telomeres of HSA 7q, PTR 6q, GGO 6q and PPY 10q, whilehybridization signals to the 14q subtelomeric DNA sequence probewere observed at the telomeres of HSA 14q, PTR 15q, GGO 18qand PPY 15q. No hybridization signals to the chromosome 7-specificalpha satellite DNA probe on the centromeric regions of theape chromosomes were observed. Our observations demonstratesequence homology of the subtelomeric repeat families D7S427and D14S308 in the ape chromosomes. An analogous number of subtelomericrepeat units exists in these chromosomes and has been preservedthrough the course of differentiation of the hominoid species.Our investigation also suggests a difference in the number ofalpha satellite DNA repeat units in the equivalent ape chromosomes,possibly derived from interchromosomal transfers and subsequentamplification of ancestral alpha satellite sequences.     

Variations of 18S rDNA Loci Among Six Populations of Paeonia obovata Maxim. （Paeoniaceae） Revealed by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization

The localization of 18S ribosomal RNA genes （rDNA） by fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） had been performed for some species of Paeonla. However, the pattern of 18S rDNA loci among populations Is Indistinct. In the present study, we localized 18S rDNA loci on meiotic or mitotic chromosomes of six populations of Paeonla obovata Maxim. （Paeonlaceae）. Different numbers of rDNA loci were found with different diploid （2n=10） populations, namely eight （Lushl and Mt. JIuhua populations）, 10 （Mt. Talbal population）, and seven （Mt. Guandl population）, whereas tetraplold （2n=20） populations were all found with 16 loci. Aii rDNA loci were mapped near teiomeres of mitotic chromosomes and there was no chromosome with two loci. The present results show that molecular cytological polymorphlsm exists among P. obovata diploid populations, Indicating that structural variations occurred frequently during the evolutionary history of this species, accompanied with differentiation among populations.