来自西双版纳3种有毒植物的免培养与纯培养放线菌多样性及生物活性

【背景】由于土壤放线菌中获得新化合物日益困难,抗生素滥用使致病菌耐药性不断增加,人们转向研究植物内生放线菌以期发现新化合物。【目的】探究西双版纳热带雨林有毒植物内生放线菌的多样性,为开发新药提供具有潜在生物活性的菌株。【方法】通过Illumina Hi Seq高通量测序和纯培养方法分析箭毒木、八角枫、马缨丹3种有毒植物的内生放线菌群落结构组成,利用纸片扩散法筛选抑菌活性,通过PCR扩增检测7类化合物合成基因。【结果】高通量测序的多样性分析和群落结构分析得出:3种有毒植物在门分类水平检测出古菌域的2个门、细菌域的18个门和暂定的Rsa HF231、WD272门;在属分类水平检测出30个属的放线菌,八角枫和马缨丹的微生物群落结构比箭毒木更丰富。纯培养分离获得11个属34株菌,分离自箭毒木的菌株比八角枫和马缨丹的菌株更多,而且大多数高通量检测出的菌种不能通过纯培养获得。抑菌活性检测结果显示:抗菌活性作用明显的菌株以链霉菌属为主。链霉菌属的NRPS和PKS基因的检出率明显高于其他化合物合成基因。【结论】有毒植物内生放线菌多样性非常丰富。有毒植物内生放线菌具有合成次生代谢产物的潜力,可以为生物农药及抗生素开发提供丰富的菌种资源。     

石灰性土壤上植物根际中Fe,Mn的形态分布及其与植物吸收的关系

研究了石灰性土壤上５种作物品种根际微生态环境中Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ的形态分布．结果表明,交换态Ｆｅ（ＥＸ－Ｆｅ）、碳酸盐结合态Ｆｅ（ＣＡＲＢ－Ｆｅ）、无定形氧化铁（ＡＯ－Ｆｅ）和交换态Ｍｎ（Ｅ－Ｍｎ）、碳酸盐结合态Ｍｎ（ＣＡＲＢ－Ｍｎ）在根际土壤中都呈现明显的累积．各品种根际中的累积量有较大差异．相关分析表明,黄潮土上植株含Ｆｅ量、吸Ｆｅ量与根际土壤ＡＯ－Ｆｅ含量呈显著正相关．根际有效态Ｆｅ累积不仅是根际ｐＨ作用的结果,与根系分泌物对难溶性Ｆｅ活化有关．根际有效态Ｍｎ累积则受到根际土壤Ｅｈ的影响．     

Removal of both Ycf48 and Psb27 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 disrupts Photosystem II assembly and alters QA oxidation in the mature complex

The Photosystem II (PS II) assembly factors Psb27 and Ycf48 are transiently associated with PS II during its biogenesis and repair pathways. We investigated the function of these proteins by constructing knockout mutants in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. In ΔYcf48 cells, PS II electron transfer and stable oxygen evolution were perturbed. Additionally, Psb27 was required for photoautotrophic growth of cells lacking Ycf48 and assembly beyond the RC47 assembly complex in ΔYcf48:ΔPsb27 cells was impeded. Our results suggest the RC47 complex formed in ΔYcf48 cells is defective and that this deficiency is exacerbated if CP43 binds in the absence of Psb27.     

Thermodynamics of Loop Formation in the Denatured State of Rhodopseudomonas palustris Cytochrome c′: Scaling Exponents and the Reconciliation Problem

The observation that denatured proteins yield scaling exponents, ν, consistent with random-coil behavior and yet can also have pockets of residual or nonrandom structure has been termed the “reconciliation problem”. To provide greater insight into the denatured state of a foldable sequence, we have measured histidine-heme loop formation equilibria in the denatured state of a class II c-type cytochrome, cytochrome c′ from Rhodopseudomonas palustris. We have prepared a series of variants that provide His-heme loop stabilities, pK_loop(His), for loop sizes ranging from 10 to 111 residues at intervals of 7 to 11 residues along the sequence of the protein. We observe a scaling exponent for loop formation, ν₃, of 2.5 ± 0.3. Theoretical values for ν₃ range from 1.8 to 2.4; thus, the observed ν₃ is consistent with random-coil behavior. However, in contrast to data for loop formation as a function of loop size obtained with peptides of homogeneous sequence, we observe considerable scatter about the linear dependence of loop stability on loop size. Thus, foldable sequences behave very differently from homogeneous peptide sequences. The observed scatter suggests that there is considerable variation in the conformational properties along the backbone of a foldable sequence, consistent with alternating compact and extended regions. With regard to the reconciliation problem, it is evident that a scaling exponent consistent with a random coil is necessary but not sufficient to demonstrate random-coil behavior.     

Effects of precipitation on photosynthesis and water potential in Andropogon gerardii and Schizachyrium scoparium in a southern mixed grass prairie

In grassland ecosystems, spatial and temporal variability in precipitation is a key driver of species distributions and population dynamics. We experimentally manipulated precipitation to understand the physiological basis for differences in responses of species to water availability in a southern mixed grass prairie. We focused on the performance of two dominant C₄ grasses, Andropogon gerardii Vitman and Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, in treatments that received ambient rainfall, half of ambient rainfall (“drought” treatment), or approximately double ambient rainfall (“irrigated” treatment). Water potentials of S. scoparium were lower than A. gerardii, suggesting superior ability to adjust to water deficit in S. scoparium. Additionally, drought reduced photosynthesis to a greater extent in A. gerardii compared to S. scoparium. Leaf-level photosynthesis rates were similar in ambient and irrigated treatments, but were significantly lower in the drought treatment. Although stomatal conductance was reduced by drought, this was not limiting for photosynthesis. Leaf δ¹³C values were decreased by drought, caused by an increase in C_i/C_a. Chlorophyll fluorescence measures indicated light-harvesting rates were highest in irrigated treatments, and were lower in ambient and drought treatments. Moreover, drought resulted in a greater proportion of absorbed photon energy being lost via thermal pathways. Reductions in photosynthesis came as a result of non-stomatal limitations in the C₄ cycle. Our results provide mechanistic support for the hypothesis that S. scoparium is more drought tolerant than A. gerardii.     

Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase 2 (GFPT2) Is Upregulated in Breast Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Responds to Oxidative Stress

Breast cancer cells that have undergone partial epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) are believed to be more invasive than cells that have completed EMT. To study metabolic reprogramming in different mesenchymal states, we analyzed protein expression following EMT in the breast epithelial cell model D492 with single-shot LFQ supported by a SILAC proteomics approach. The D492 EMT cell model contains three cell lines: the epithelial D492 cells, the mesenchymal D492M cells, and a partial mesenchymal, tumorigenic variant of D492 that overexpresses the oncogene HER2. The analysis classified the D492 and D492M cells as basal-like and D492HER2 as claudin-low. Comparative analysis of D492 and D492M to tumorigenic D492HER2 differentiated metabolic markers of migration from those of invasion. Glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 2 (GFPT2) was one of the top dysregulated enzymes in D492HER2. Gene expression analysis of the cancer genome atlas showed that GFPT2 expression was a characteristic of claudin-low breast cancer. siRNA-mediated knockdown of GFPT2 influenced the EMT marker vimentin and both cell growth and invasion in vitro and was accompanied by lowered metabolic flux through the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP). Knockdown of GFPT2 decreased cystathionine and sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQOR) in the transsulfuration pathway that regulates H₂S production and mitochondrial homeostasis. Moreover, GFPT2 was within the regulation network of insulin and EGF, and its expression was regulated by reduced glutathione (GSH) and suppressed by the oxidative stress regulator GSK3-β. Our results demonstrate that GFPT2 controls growth and invasion in the D492 EMT model, is a marker for oxidative stress, and associated with poor prognosis in claudin-low breast cancer.