土壤宏基因组学技术及其应用

传统的基于培养的研究方法只能反映土壤中少数(0.1%～10 %)微生物的信息,而大部分微生物目前还不能培养,因而这部分微生物资源尚难以被有效地开发利用.宏基因组学是分子生物学技术应用于环境微生物生态学研究而形成的一个新概念,主要技术包括土壤DNA的提取、文库的构建和目标基因克隆的筛选.它可为揭示微生物生态功能及其分子基础提供更全面的遗传信息,并已在微生物新功能基因筛选、活性物质开发和微生物多样性研究等方面取得了显著成果.本文对土壤宏基因组学技术的方法和应用作了详细介绍.     

宏基因组学的研究方法进展及应用概述

宏基因组学是以某一特定环境样品中的微生物群体基因组为研究对象,通过提取DNA、构建文库、文库筛选等基本流程来研究微生物多样性、进化关系以及寻找新基因等为研究目的的新的微生物学研究方法,其总体流程包括环境样品总DNA提取、宏基因组文库构建、宏基因组文库筛选三个阶段。宏基因组学做为一个崭新的技术在微生物生态学、生物酶制剂开发以及医学等方面都取得了可喜的成绩。本文将就宏基因组学的概念、技术流程和应用三个方面作简单介绍。     

宏基因组学应用于耐盐酶类及耐盐基因研究的进展

耐盐酶在高盐浓度下仍具备催化活性和稳定性,在高盐食品和海产品加工、洗涤及其它高盐环境生物技术领域被广泛应用;耐盐基因在高盐条件下可以使微生物维持正常功能,获取并研究不同环境中的耐盐基因对揭示微生物的耐盐机制,以及实现其在高盐环境中的定向应用具有的重要意义。宏基因组学避开纯培养技术探知微生物的多样性及其功能,为我们提供了一种发现新基因、开发新的微生物活性物质和研究微生物群落结构及其功能的新技术。文中结合本课题组的研究工作,综述了利用宏基因组学获取耐盐酶类及耐盐基因的策略,同时着重介绍利用宏基因组学从海洋、土壤、胃肠道等环境中获取耐盐酶类及耐盐基因的研究。     

宏基因组与宏基因组学

宏基因组学诞生于上世纪90年代,是指不经过微生物培养阶段,采用直接提取环境中总DNA的方法,对微生物基因总和进行研究的一门新学科.宏基因组技术的出现,使得人们对占微生物总体99%以上不可培养微生物的研究成为现实,微生物基因的可探测空间显著增大.总的来说,目前宏基因组技术的应用主要分为两个方面:一方面是筛选功能基因,开发具有所需功能的蛋白;另一方面是通过对宏基因组文库进行分析,探讨在各种环境下微生物间相互作用和微生物与周围环境间相互影响的规律,以便我们能更加客观、全面地认识微生物世界.在宏基因组技术的应用范围被不断扩展的同时,围绕着宏基因组文库的构建和筛选、测序和分析等方面的研究已成为宏基因组学发展的主要推动力,宏基因组技术的进步将不断提升其应用价值.     

动物胃肠道微生物元基因组学研究进展

动物胃肠道中寄居着庞大复杂的微生物,它们对宿主营养、健康和生产有着重要的作用.随着分子生物学的发展,未培养微生物的研究越来越被重视,宏基因组学方法研究胃肠道微生物不仅能了解未培养微生物多样性,还能获得微生物的遗传、代谢和生理等方面的信息.探讨了元基因组文库的构建和分析方法,并重点介绍了元基因组学在动物胃肠道尤其是反刍动物瘤胃微生物研究中的应用.     

宏基因组学研究进展

不可培养微生物占据微生物总数的99%以上, 这己成为微生物资源开发利用的一个限制性因素。宏基因组学是通过提取某一环境中的所有微生物基因组DNA、构建基因组文库及对文库进行筛选寻找和发现新的功能基因及活性代谢产物的一种方法。它避开了微生物分离培养的过程, 极大地扩展了微生物资源的利用空间, 是现代基因工程一个新的发展方向和研究热点。本文主要对宏基因组的DNA提取方法、文库的构建、筛选策略的选择及近年来宏基因组学在各领域中的应用研究现状进行了综述。     

微生物分子生态学研究方法的新进展

环境中微生物的群落结构及多样性和微生物的功能及代谢机理是微生物生态学的研究热点,长期以来,由于受到研究技术的限制,对微生物的群落结构和多样性的认识还不全面,微生物的功能及代谢机理方面了解也很少.随着高通量测序、基因芯片等新技术的不断更新,微生物分子生态学的研究方法和研究途径也在不断变化.高通量测序技术改变了微生物多样性、宏基因组学和宏转录组学的研究方法,GeoChip高密度覆盖海量已知功能的基因探针于单张芯片,能快速确定微生物和已知功能基因的存在与否.总结和比较了目前最新的研究手段,并归纳了这些方法的适用性和优缺点.     

利用元基因组学方法从瘤胃中筛选的功能酶及酶基因研究进展

瘤胃微生物群落是一个复杂、庞大的生物体系,其生物多样性极为丰富,蕴藏着巨大的基因和生态资源,是酶制剂开发的重要宝库。元基因组学方法避免了微生物培养条件的限制,通过直接对未培养微生物进行DNA提取、基因筛选与表达,从而不断扩大自然界中的基因数据库,为新型生物催化剂的开发及筛选提供了可能。对元基因组学技术及利用此技术从瘤胃中筛选的功能酶类及酶基因的研究进展进行了综述。     

宏基因组学挖掘新型生物催化剂的研究进展

微生物蕴藏着大量具有工业应用潜力的生物催化剂。然而,传统培养方法只能从环境中获得不到1%的微生物。宏基因组学是通过提取某一特定环境中的所有微生物基因组DNA、构建基因组文库并对文库进行筛选,寻找和发现新的功能基因的一种方法。它绕过了微生物分离培养过程,成为研究环境样品中不可培养微生物的有力手段。因此,从宏基因组中挖掘新型生物催化剂一直倍受生物学家的关注。以下主要对宏基因组文库的样品来源、DNA提取方法、文库的构建和筛选策略的选择这4个方面的研究状况进行了综述,列举了近年来利用宏基因组技术所获得的新型生物催化剂,并对其今后的研究方向提出了展望。     

宏基因组学:基本策略及在医学研究领域中的可能应用

宏基因组学（metagenomics）的提出是分子生物学领域的一个重要进展。在自然生境中有大量不可培养微生物的存在,无法通过培养法进行研究,而宏基因组学的策略则突破了这一束缚。宏基因组学是从生境中取得全部微生物的基因组,并进行系统研究的方法。该文介绍宏基因组学的基本情况,并着重探讨其在医学研究领域中的可能应用。     

On the origin of the Hirudinea and the demise of the Oligochaeta

The phylogenetic relationships of the Clitellata were investigated with a data set of published and new complete 18S rRNA gene sequences of 51 species representing 41 families. Sequences were aligned on the basis of a secondary structure model and analysed with maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood. In contrast to the latter method, parsimony did not recover the monophyly of Clitellata. However, a close scrutiny of the data suggested a spurious attraction between some polychaetes and clitellates. As a rule, molecular trees are closely aligned with morphology-based phylogenies. Acanthobdellida and Euhirudinea were reconciled in their traditional Hirudinea clade and were included in the Oligochaeta with the Branchiobdellida via the Lumbriculidae as a possible link between the two assemblages. While the 18S gene yielded a meaningful historical signal for determining relationships within clitellates, the exact position of Hirudinea and Branchiobdellida within oligochaetes remained unresolved. The lack of phylogenetic signal is interpreted as evidence for a rapid radiation of these taxa. The placement of Clitellata within the Polychaeta remained unresolved. The biological reality of polytomies within annelids is suggested and supports the hypothesis of an extremely ancient radiation of polychaetes and emergence of clitellates.     

On the ontogeny of the haptor and the evolution of the Monogenea

Data on the ontogeny of the posterior haptor of monogeneans were obtained from more than 150 publications and summarised. These data were plotted into diagrams showing evolutionary capacity levels based on the theory of a progressive evolution of marginal hooks, anchors and other attachment components of the posterior haptor in the Monogenea (Malmberg, 1986). 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hooks are assumed to be the most primitive monogenean haptoral condition. Thus the diagrams were founded on a 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hook evolutionary capacity level, and the evolutionary capacity levels of anchors and other haptoral attachement components were arranged according to haptoral ontogenetical sequences. In the final plotting diagram data on hosts, type of spermatozoa, oncomiracidial ciliation, sensilla pattern and protonephridial systems were also included. In this way a number of correlations were revealed. Thus, for example, the number of 5 + 5 marginal hooks correlates with the most primitive monogenean type of spermatozoon and with few sensillae, many ciliated cells and a simple protonephridial system in the oncomiracidium. On the basis of the reviewed data it is concluded that the ancient monogeneans with 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hooks were divided into two main lines, one retaining unhinged marginal hooks and the other evolving hinged marginal hooks. Both main lines have recent representatives at different marginal hook evolutionary capacity levels, i.e. monogeneans retaining a haptor with only marginal hooks. For the main line with hinged marginal hooks the name Articulon-choinea n. subclass is proposed. Members with 8 + 8 hinged marginal hooks only are here called Proanchorea n. superord. Monogeneans with unhinged marginal hooks only are here called Ananchorea n. superord. and three new families are erected for its recent members: Anonchohapteridae n. fam., Acolpentronidae n. fam. and Anacanthoridae n. fam. (with 7 + 7, 8 + 8 and 9 + 9 unhinged marginal hooks, respectively). Except for the families of Articulonchoinea (e.g. Acanthocotylidae, Gyrodactylidae, Tetraonchoididae) Bychowsky's (1957) division of the Monogenea into the Oligonchoinea and Polyonchoinea fits the proposed scheme, i.e. monogeneans with unhinged marginal hooks form one old group, the Oligonchoinea, which have 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hooks, and the other group form the Polyonchoinea, which (with the exception of the Hexabothriidae) has a greater number (7 + 7, 8 + 8 or 9 + 9) of unhinged marginal hooks. It is proposed that both these names, Oligonchoinea (sensu mihi) and Polyonchoinea (sensu mihi), will be retained on one side and Articulonchoinea placed on the other side, which reflects the early monogenean evolution. Except for the members of Ananchorea [Polyonchoinea], all members of the Oligonchoinea and Polyonchoinea have anchors, which imply that they are further evolved, i.e. have passed the 5 + 5 marginal hook evolutionary capacity level (Malmberg, 1986). There are two main types of anchors in the Monogenea: haptoral anchors, with anlages appearing in the haptor, and peduncular anchors, with anlages in the peduncle. There are two types of haptoral anchors: peripheral haptoral anchors, ontogenetically the oldest, and central haptoral anchors. Peduncular anchors, in turn, are ontogenetically younger than peripheral haptoral anchors. There may be two pairs of peduncular anchors: medial peduncular anchors, ontogentically the oldest, and lateral peduncular anchors. Only peduncular (not haptoral) anchors have anchor bars. Monogeneans with haptoral anchors are here called Mediohaptanchorea n. superord. and Laterohaptanchorea n. superord. or haptanchoreans. All oligonchoineans and the oldest polyonchoineans are haptanchoreans. Certain members of Calceostomatidae [Polyonchoinea] are the only monogeneans with both (peripheral) haptoral and peduncular anchors (one pair). These monogeneans are here called Mixanchorea n. superord. Polyonchoineans with peduncular anchors and unhinged marginal hooks are here called the Pedunculanchorea n. superord. The most primitive pedunculanchoreans have only one pair of peduncular anchors with an anchor bar, while the most advanced have both medial and lateral peduncular anchors; each pair having an anchor bar. Certain families of the Articulonchoinea, the Anchorea n. superord., also have peduncular anchors (parallel evolution): only one family, the Sundanonchidae n. fam., has both medial and lateral peduncular anchors, each anchor pair with an anchor bar. Evolutionary lines from different monogenean evolutionary capacity levels are discussed and a new system of classification for the Monogenea is proposed.In agreeing to publish this article, I recognise that its contents are controversial and contrary to generally accepted views on monogenean systematics and evolution. I have anticipated a reaction to the article by inviting senior workers in the field to comment upon it: their views will be reported in a future issue of this journal. EditorIn agreeing to publish this article, I recognise that its contents are controversial and contrary to generally accepted views on monogenean systematics and evolution. I have anticipated a reaction to the article by inviting senior workers in the field to comment upon it: their views will be reported in a future issue of this journal. Editor