Ester production in E. coli and C. acetobutylicum

Genetic engineering has improved the product yield of a variety of compounds by overexpressing, inactivating, or introducing new genes in microbial systems. The production of flavor-enhancing ester compounds is an emerging area of heterologous gene expression for desired product yield in Escherichia coli. Isoamyl acetate, butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and butyl butyrate are reported here to be produced by expressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes ATF1 or ATF2 and the strawberry gene SAAT in E. coli when the appropriate substrates are provided. Increasing the concentration of alcohol added to the reaction generally resulted in increased ester production. ATF1 expression was found to produce more isoamyl acetate and butyl acetate than ATF2 expression or SAAT expression in the strains and culture conditions examined. Additionally, SAAT expression resulted in greater isoamyl acetate and butyl acetate production than ATF2 expression. Butyl butyrate is produced by cell-free extracts of E. coli harboring SAAT but not ATF1 or ATF2.     

The role of the genesnrf EFG andccmFH in cytochromec biosynthesis inEscherichia coli

It has been suggested that two groups ofEscherichia coli genes, theccm genes located in the 47-min region and thenrfEFG genes in the 92-min region of the chromosome, are involved in cytochromec biosynthesis during anaerobic growth. The involvement of the products of these genes in cytochromec synthesis, assembly and secretion has now been investigated. Despite their similarity to other bacterial cytochromec assembly proteins, NrfE, F and G were found not to be required for the biosynthesis of any of thec-type cytochromes inE. coli. Furthermore, these proteins were not required for the secretion of the periplasmic cytochromes, cytochromec ₅₅₀ and cytochromec ₅₅₂, or for the correct targeting of the NapC and NrfB cytochromes to the cytoplasmic membrane. NrfE and NrfG are required for formate-dependent nitrite reduction (the Nrf pathway), which involves at least twoc-type cytochromes, cytochromec ₅₅₂ and NrfB, but NrfF is not essential for this pathway. Genes similar tonrfE, nrfF andnrfG are present in theE. coli nap-ccm locus at minute 47. CcmF is similar to NrfE, the N-terminal region of CcmH is similar to NrfF and the C-terminal portion of CcmH is similar to NrfG. In contrast to NrfF, the N-terminal, NrfF-like portion of CcmH is essential for the synthesis of allc-type cytochromes. Conversely, the NrfG-like C-terminal region of CcmH is not essential for cytochromec biosynthesis. The data are consistent with proposals from this and other laboratories that CcmF and CcmH form part of a haem lyase complex required to attach haemc to C-X-X-C-H haem-binding domains. In contrast, NrfE and NrfG are proposed to fulfill a more specialised role in the assembly of the formate-dependent nitrite reductase.     

Detection of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma DNA in Ixodes (Exopalpiger) trianguliceps Bir. ticks in Tyumen Province

This paper presents data of study (PCR with fluorescent hybridization probes) of Ixodes (Exopalpiger) trianguliceps Bir. collected from small mammals in the southern taiga forests of Tyumen Province. DNA of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma was detected in ticks of this species for the first time. Cases of mixed infection were also observed.     

Effects of MULTIFOLIATE-PINNA, AFILA, TENDRIL-LESS and UNIFOLIATA genes on leafblade architecture in Pisum sativum

In order to dissect the genetic regulation of leafblade morphogenesis, 16 genotypes of pea, constructed by combining the wild-type and mutant alleles of MFP, AF, TL and UNI genes, were quantitatively phenotyped. The morphological features of the three domains of leafblades of four genotypes, unknown earlier, were described. All the genotypes were found to differ in leafblade morphology. It was evident that MFP and TL functions acted as repressor of pinna ramification, in the distal domain. These functions, with and without interaction with UNI, also repressed the ramification of proximal pinnae in the absence of AF function. The expression of MFP and TL required UNI function. AF function was found to control leafblade architecture multifariously. The earlier identified role of AF as a repressor of UNI in the proximal domain was confirmed. Negative control of AF on the UNI-dependent pinna ramification in the distal domain was revealed. It was found that AF establishes a boundary between proximal and distal domains and activates formation of leaflet pinnae in the proximal domain.     

微嗜酸寡养单胞菌中磷酸吡哆胺氧化酶基因pnpox生物学功能研究北大核心

【目的】研究微嗜酸寡养单胞菌(Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila)CW117中磷酸吡哆胺氧化酶基因pnpox(phosphopyridoxamine oxidase,pnpox)在维生素B6(VB6)合成中的贡献及对黄曲霉毒素B1(aflatoxin B1,AFB1)的降解活性。【方法】采用基因插入突变方式,对菌株CW117中磷酸吡哆胺氧化酶基因pnpox进行突变,得到突变菌株。通过高效液相色谱法(high performance liquid chromatography,HPLC)检测突变株对AFB1的降解活性,以及突变株中吡哆醇和吡哆醛的合成情况,确定基因pnpox在寡养单胞菌体内VB6合成中的贡献和黄曲霉毒素降解代谢作用。【结果】成功构建了磷酸吡哆胺氧化酶基因突变子pnpox::pK19mobΩ2HMB,突变子吡哆醛的合成量较野生型菌株显著减少,吡哆醇合成量与野生型菌株无显著性差异;同时,突变子与野生型株CW117对AFB1的降解活性未发现显著性差异。【结论】菌株CW117中磷酸吡哆胺氧化酶在吡哆醛合成的过程中起着重要作用,该基因突变会导致VB6的严重缺乏,影响寡养单胞菌正常生长,但该基因对CW117降解黄曲霉毒素无显著性贡献。     

Coccystes undoxylophus

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Presence of Rhizobium Etli bv . Phaseoli and Rhizobium Gallicum bv . Gallicum in Egyptian Soils

Seven bean rhizobial strains EBRI 2, 3, 21, 24, 26, 27 and 29 identified as Rhizobium etli, and EBRI 32 identified as Rhizobium gallicum, isolated from Egyptian soils and which nodulated Phaseolus vulgaris efficiently, were subjected to hybridization with a nifH probe in order to estimate the copy number of this gene. Seven strains (EBRI 2, 3, 21, 24, 26, 27 and 29) which were only able to nodulate Phaseolus vulgaris, contained three copies of the nifH gene, consistent with their identification as Rhizobium etli bv. phaseoli. Only one strain (EBRI 32) which nodulated both Phaseolus vulgaris and Leucaena leucocephala, had one copy of nifH gene. This confirmed the classification of this strain as Rhizobium gallicum bv. gallicum.     

Multiple invasions of Gypsy and Micropia retroelements in genus Zaprionus and melanogaster subgroup of the genus Drosophila

Background  

The Zaprionus genus shares evolutionary features with the melanogaster subgroup, such as space and time of origin. Although little information about the transposable element content in the Zaprionus genus had been accumulated, some of their elements appear to be more closely related with those of the melanogaster subgroup, indicating that these two groups of species were involved in horizontal transfer events during their evolution. Among these elements, the Gypsy and the Micropia retroelements were chosen for screening in seven species of the two Zaprionus subgenera, Anaprionus and Zaprionus.     

Transposable element Ds at the shrunken locus in Zea mays

Summary Maize DNAs isolated from wild type and from mutants caused by the insertion of transposable genetic element Ds at the gene encoding endosperm sucrose synthase (Sh) are compared in Southern blotting experiments by hybridization to Sh-cDNA cloned in pBR322. Differences observed between the DNAs of the wild type and the mutants indicate the presence of additional DNA at the Sh locus and/or DNA alterations that have occurred subsequent to the insertion of Ds. A double mutant exhibiting the recessive phenotype of both sh and the closely linked gene bz lacks DNA hybridizing to the probe and may be a deletion.     

百合LbCAT和LbGPX基因的克隆与表达分析

以切花百合(Lilium brownii var. viridulum)‘卡瓦纳’cDNA为模板,克隆了过氧化氢酶(LbCAT)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(LbGPX)基因。序列分析表明,这2个基因分别包含1 479 bp和519 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码492个和172个氨基酸。进化分析结果表明,LbCAT蛋白与岷江百合CAT蛋白的氨基酸序列相似性最高(99.19%),且亲缘关系最近;LbGPX蛋白与油棕GPX蛋白的氨基酸序列相似性最高(78.61%),亲缘关系最近。qRT PCR结果显示,LbCAT和LbGPX在百合根、鳞茎、叶和花中都有表达。LbCAT在叶中表达量最高,LbGPX在花中表达量最高。这2个基因在百合花蕾的生长发育过程中均有表达,且表达量逐渐增加;在PEG处理后2个基因的转录水平升高,但独角金内酯(SLs)处理却显著降低了这2个基因的转录水平;该结果为百合抗逆性机理研究以及抗逆育种奠定了基础。     

拟南芥抵抗丁香假单胞杆菌过程中AZI1基因功能研究

AZI1属于脂转移蛋白家族,它在拟南芥抵抗病原菌侵染过程中可能起着传递信号物质的作用。该实验以过表达和T-DNA插入突变体及野生型拟南芥植株为材料,通过RNA印迹、蛋白质免疫印迹和原位免疫组织化学方法,研究了拟南芥壬二酸诱导基因AZI1对丁香假单胞杆菌的抗性功能。结果表明:(1)AZI1基因可以被丁香假单胞杆菌、H2O2和乙烯利诱导,它可能参与水杨酸和乙烯介导的抗菌途径。(2)蛋白质免疫印迹实验结果显示,丁香假单胞杆菌侵染叶片的叶柄渗出液中存在AZI1蛋白及其同源物EARLI1,并能够与其他蛋白质形成复合体,说明AZI1有可能通过维管组织移动到个体的其他部位,与信号分子的转移有关。(3)AZI1及其同源物EARLI1主要在花序茎的木质化部位表达,过表达AZI1基因能够促进木质素的合成,提高拟南芥对丁香假单胞杆菌的抗性。     

Doc and copia instability in an isogenic Drosophila melanogaster stock

A high degree of heterogeneity and an overall increase in number of insertion sites of the mobile elements Doc and copia were revealed in one substock of an isogenic Drosophila melanogaster stock, while in two other substocks the distribution of copia sites was highly homogenous, but that of Doc sites was again heterogenous. We therefore concluded that copia was unstable in one of the substocks and Doc was unstable in all. Doc instability presumably arose earlier than copia instability. Doc and copia transpositions were directly observed in experiments with one substock. An abundance of copia insertions was revealed in the X chromosome where insertions with deleterious effects are exposed to selection in hemizygous condition. The locations of many other mobile elements (mdg1, mdg2, mdg3, mdg4, 297, B104, H.M.S. Beagle, I, P, BS, FB) were found to be conserved in each substock and did not differ between them, indicating that these mobile elements were stable. This homogeneity is a strong argument against any possibility of inadvertent contamination.     

Negative chemotaxis in Dictyostelium and Polysphondylium

A method has been described to measure negative chemotaxis in the cellular slime molds directly and to purify the repellents. Conclusive evidence is given that negative chemotaxis exists in the cellular slime molds and that it occurs generally in Dictyostelium and Polysphondylium. Amoebae respond shortly after their exposure to repellents, which are secreted by vegetative and not by preaggregative cells. The amoebae are sensitive to repellents in both development stages and contain enzyme(s) to inactivate them. Cross reactions of different species indicate that there is more than one repellent, although it cannot be excluded that the variability in response depends on the balancing effect of attractants and repellents.     

UeberAnthus richardi undAnthus striolatus in China

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Aquila pennata undminuta

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UeberAquila pennata undminuta

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Interspecies recA protein substitution in Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis

Summary With the help of recombinant plasmids carrying the recA gene of Escherichia coli or of Proteus mirabilis the ability of the recA gene products to substitute functionally for each other was studied. The recA protein of each can function in recombination, repair, induction of mutations and prophages and in regulation of its own synthesis within the foreign host nearly equally well as in the natural host. It is, therefore, suggested that recA-dependent processes act similarly in E. coli and P. mirabilis.     

百合黄烷酮3-羟化酶基因LhSorF3H的克隆与表达

为了探究百合花色的调控机制,以东方百合品种‘索邦’(Sorbonne)的花蕾为试验材料,根据前期转录组测序结果,成功克隆出黄烷酮3-羟化酶(flavanone 3-hydroxylase,F3H)基因的编码序列和基因组序列,其中,编码序列全长1 110bp,可编码369个氨基酸;基因组序列全长1 438bp,包含3个外显子和2个内含子,命名该基因为LhSorF3 H(GenBank登录号为MF614135)。生物信息学分析结果显示,黄烷酮3-羟化酶在进化上具有较高的保守性。LhSorF3 H编码的蛋白与郁金香(Tulipafosteriana)最为相似。半定量RT-PCR结果显示,LhSorF3H在花被、柱头以及花柱中表达明显,在花丝、子房、嫩茎、茎生根及上部叶片中表达较弱,而在花药和中下部叶片中基本不表达。LhSorF3 H在不同发育阶段的花被片中均有表达(S2和S6阶段除外);黑暗处理使LhSorF3 H表达降低,黑暗处理2h的LhSorF3 H表达量降到最低,之后表达量开始上升;转入光照条件后,LhSorF3H的表达水平持续增加。研究表明,LhSorF3 H基因对昼夜节律和光照具有双重响应的特性。