微囊藻毒素生物合成基因及其功能研究进展

水体富营养化加剧,导致了蓝藻水华在世界范围内频发。蓝藻产生的微囊藻毒素是最常见的一种藻毒素,对人类和动物造成了很大的危害甚至导致死亡。微囊藻毒素经非核糖体合成途径由多肽合成酶合成。对微囊藻毒素的结构与性质、微囊藻毒素合成基因的功能及其生物合成、微囊藻毒素的分子生物学检测技术进行了评述,对未来的研究方向进行了展望。     

阿氏浮丝藻mcyT基因序列多样性研究

为研究我国浮丝藻（Planktothrix Anagnostidis et Komrek）的毒素相关基因,选取分离自我国不同省份水体的13株阿氏浮丝藻,通过PCR检测其微囊藻毒素合成酶基因mcyA、mcyE及mcyT研究其毒素基因特性。PCR结果表明除mcyT之外其他引物检测均无扩增产物,说明这13株浮丝藻不具备产微囊藻毒素的能力。通过克隆测序得到mcyT序列,并进行分子系统分析,构建了关于mcyT序列的Neighbor-Joining系统树,结果表明mcyT序列可以将产毒与不产毒浮丝藻分为两大独立的分支,两个分支之间的最低序列相似度分别为98.5%和99.1%。研究结果可为后续研究我国浮丝藻的微囊藻毒素合成相关基因的多样性以及分子监测提供参考。       

生长素吲哚乙酸对铜绿微囊藻生理生化及产毒特性的影响

为了探究生长素吲哚乙酸(IAA)对产毒铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)的影响, 从生长、光合色素含量、叶绿素光诱导荧光特征、脂质氧化和微囊藻毒素合成特性等方面, 研究了IAA对M. aeruginosa CHAB6301生理生化及产毒的影响。结果表明, 在低浓度IAA(0.04和0.2 mg/L)条件下, 铜绿微囊藻生长、叶绿素含量、光合系统(PSⅡ)电子传递效率及藻毒素含量均无明显变化, 藻蓝蛋白、别藻蓝蛋白和丙二醛(MDA)含量均低于对照。高浓度IAA(1和5 mg/L)能够促进细胞生长, 提高叶绿素含量, 但是抑制藻蓝蛋白和别藻蓝蛋白含量, 降低膜脂过氧化程度和细胞内藻毒素合成。综合各指标测定结果, 低浓度IAA对M. aeruginosa CHAB6301生长和光合作用影响不明显, 而高浓度IAA可促进藻细胞生长和光合作用, 增加微囊藻水华形成几率。     

微囊藻毒素缓解过氧化氢胁迫下铜绿微囊藻损伤的初步研究

过氧化氢可抑制藻类生长, 同时会导致微囊藻毒素(Microcystins, MCs)的释放, 实验设置4个处理组探讨了外源微囊藻毒素MC-LR对H2O2胁迫下铜绿微囊藻生理生化变化的影响。结果表明: 在H2O2胁迫下, 微囊藻的生长和光合活性受到显著抑制, 藻细胞存活率降低, ROS含量明显增加, SOD活性上升。与单独H2O2胁迫相比, 加入MC-LR能增加微囊藻细胞的存活率。250 mol/L H2O2处理24h和48h后, 在培养基中加入200 ng/mL MC-LR可以缓解H2O2对铜绿微囊藻光合系统PSII活性的抑制作用。当微囊藻暴露于250 mol/L H2O2环境中时, 添加了MC-LR处理组藻细胞中的ROS含量明显减少(P0.05)。在相同浓度H2O2且加入了外源MC-LR后藻细胞SOD活性下降(P0.05)。因此, 微囊藻毒素MC-LR可缓解250 mol/L H2O2引起的氧化损伤并增强微囊藻自身的生存能力。研究结果有利于阐明H2O2胁迫影响产毒蓝藻生长代谢的途径及MCs生物学意义。       

铁对藻类生长及藻毒素合成影响研究进展

铁作为藻类生长发育所必需的矿质营养元素之一,在藻类光合作用、呼吸作用、固氮作用、蛋白质与核酸合成等生理代谢过程中发挥着极为重要的作用.鉴于水体中不同形态铁可被藻类吸收利用,本文综述了铁在水体中的存在形态和循环途径、藻类吸收铁的机理、铁对藻类生长及藻毒素合成的影响,总结了有关微囊藻毒素合成基因及其在铁限制条件下的表达,并对今后铁蛋白基因调控藻类富营养化的研究方向进行了展望,以期为水体富营养化修复技术提供参考.     

在不同营养条件下铜绿微囊藻对模拟微重力胁迫的响应

通过测定在不同重力水平和营养条件下培养的铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)的各项生理生化指标,研究了培养基的营养物质浓度对微囊藻细胞响应模拟微重力胁迫的影响。结果表明,在正常浓度的BG-11(富营养)和营养盐浓度减为1/10的BG-11(贫营养)培养基中培养的微囊藻对模拟微重力胁迫都很敏感,培养2d后多项生理生化指标显著改变;但是在富营养和贫营养条件下,模拟微重力的作用效果是截然不同的。对培养在BG-11中的微囊藻细胞来说,模拟微重力抑制其生长和光合活性,导致细胞内色素(叶绿素a和类胡萝卜素)、蛋白(藻蓝蛋白和可溶性蛋白)和毒素含量显著升高,向外分泌的毒素含量降低;而对培养在1/10BG-11中的藻细胞来说,模拟微重力促进其生长和光合活性,导致细胞内色素、蛋白和毒素含量降低,并使得毒素分泌增强。模拟微重力或营养限制单独作用所造成的影响相似,且后者的作用效果强于前者。当二者同时存在时,模拟微重力可以部分抵消营养限制对微囊藻生长和代谢的影响,这可能是由于模拟微重力下藻细胞的生长受到抑制而导致营养需求降低,也可能是由于模拟微重力提高了藻细胞利用营养物质的效率。总之,微囊藻对模拟微重力胁迫的响应与培养基的营养条件有关。     

微囊藻毒素去毒酶转基因模型的构建

根据已克隆的鲢鱼(Hypophthalmichthysmolitrix)微囊藻毒素去毒酶cDNA全序列设计特异引物,利用PCR方法获得鲢鱼微囊藻毒素去毒酶基因编码区,将该编码区与绿色荧光蛋白连接,分别构建融合表达载体pEGFP-N1-sGST和双顺反子表达载体pIRES2-EGFP-sGST。利用脂质体转染法将融合表达载体pEGFP-N1-sGST转染Hela细胞,60h后检测到绿色荧光基因表达;通过显微注射,将双顺反子表达载体pIRES2-EGFP-sGST注入斑马鱼(Daniorerio)受精卵,获得了转鲢鱼微囊藻毒素去毒酶基因斑马鱼,从而构建了微囊藻毒素去毒酶转基因模型。上述2种转基因模型的成功构建为进一步研究鲢鱼、鳙鱼(Aristichthysnobilis)、罗非鱼(Oreochromisnilotica)等淡水鱼类微囊藻毒素去毒酶基因调控元件、去毒分子机理及研发转基因鲢鱼、鳙鱼、罗非鱼等微囊藻毒素高效生物去毒器奠定了基础。     

从种群竞争的角度初步研究微囊藻的产毒机理

采用将微囊藻和栅藻混合培养的方法,从种群竞争的角度初步探讨了微囊藻毒素的产毒机理,结果显示：当起始接种浓度相同时,混合培养组比纯微囊藻培养组产生更多的毒素,由于其它培养条件完全一致,所以推论是由于栅藻的存在,增加了微囊藻的生存压力。当起始接种浓度微囊藻：栅藻为10：1时,此混合培养组比纯微囊藻产生的毒素少,并且毒素降解也更快,推论原因是微囊藻在种群数量上远远超过栅藻,竞争压力较小,同时由于栅藻的存在,增加了培养液中色素的含量,加快了光降解的速度。     

铜绿微囊藻的分子研究进展

中国淡水湖泊、水库众多,富营养化问题严重。铜绿微囊藻是中国湖泊、水库及其他水域生态系统发生、形成富营养化危害的主要藻类。目前对铜绿微囊藻的研究主要集中在水华成因、生长的特点、作用机理等,对其生命活动相关的分子机制研究不多。该文主要从生物节律、毒素合成、藻胆蛋白合成及其调控机制和ATP合成酶等四个方面综述了铜绿微囊藻的分子研究进展,为今后进一步研究铜绿微囊藻的分子作用机理及其防治具有重要意义。     

样品制备过程对测定水中溶解态微囊藻毒素的影响简

系统比较了5种不同材质滤膜对于制备溶解态微囊藻毒素的影响,发现了影响藻毒素测定样品前处理的关键操作步骤。结果表明,醋酸纤维滤膜(CA filter)最多可吸附样品中79%的藻毒素,导致测得的MCs浓度严重偏低。玻璃纤维(GF/C)滤膜和聚醚砜(PES)材质滤器对制备溶解态微囊藻毒素过程影响很小。另外,发现离心法无法完全去除野外水华样品中藻细胞,反而可能导致藻细胞破裂,释放藻毒素,影响水中溶解态微囊藻毒素的测定。研究结果将对发展水体中溶解态藻毒素测定标准方法提供依据。     

Characterization of the 2-hydroxy-acid dehydrogenase McyI, encoded within the microcystin biosynthesis gene cluster of Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806

The cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa is widely known for its production of the potent hepatotoxin microcystin. This cyclic heptapeptide is synthesized non-ribosomally by the thio-template function of a large modular enzyme complex encoded within the 55-kb microcystin synthetase gene (mcy) cluster. The mcy gene cluster also encodes several stand-alone enzymes, putatively involved in the tailoring and export of microcystin. This study describes the characterization of the 2-hydroxy-acid dehydrogenase McyI, putatively involved in the production of d-methyl aspartate at position 3 within the microcystin cyclic structure. A combination of bioinformatics, molecular, and biochemical techniques was used to elucidate the structure, function, regulation, and evolution of this unique enzyme. The recombinant McyI enzyme was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and enzymatically characterized. The hypothesized native activity of McyI, the interconversion of 3-methyl malate to 3-methyl oxalacetate, was demonstrated using an in vitro spectrophotometric assay. The enzyme was also able to reduce alpha-ketoglutarate to 2-hydroxyglutarate and to catalyze the interconversion of malate and oxalacetate. Although NADP(H) was the preferred cofactor of the McyI-catalyzed reactions, NAD(H) could also be utilized, although rates of catalysis were significantly lower. The combined results of this study suggest that hepatotoxic cyanobacteria such as M. aeruginosa PCC7806 are capable of producing methyl aspartate via a novel glutamate mutase-independent pathway, in which McyI plays a pivotal role.     

Fur from Microcystis aeruginosa binds in vitro promoter regions of the microcystin biosynthesis gene cluster

Promoter regions of the mcy operon from Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806, which is responsible for microcystin synthesis in this organism, exhibit sequences that are similar to the sequences recognized by Fur (ferric uptake regulator). This DNA-binding protein is a sensor of iron availability and oxidative stress. In the presence of Fe(2+), a dimer of Fur binds the iron-boxes in their target genes, repressing their expression. When iron is absent the expression of those gene products is allowed. Here, we show that Fur from M. aeruginosa binds in vitro promoter regions of several mcy genes, which suggests that Fur might regulate, among other factors, microcystin synthesis. The binding affinity is increased by the presence of metal and DTT, suggesting a response to iron availability and redox status of the cell.     

Genetic analysis of the peptide synthetase genes for a cyclic heptapeptide microcystin in Microcystis spp.

Peptide-synthetase-encoding DNA fragments were isolated by a PCR-based approach from the chromosome of Microcystis aeruginosa K-139, which produces cyclic heptapeptides, 7-desmethylmicrocystin-LR and 3,7-didesmethylmicrocystin-LR. Three open reading frames (mcyA, mcyB, mcyC) encoding microcystin synthetases were identified in the gene cluster. Sequence analysis indicated that McyA (315 kDa) consists of two modules with an N-methylation domain attached to the first and an epimerization domain attached to the second; McyB (242 kDa) has two modules, and McyC (147 kDa) contains one module with a putative C-terminal thioesterase domain. Conserved amino acid sequence motifs for ATP binding, ATP hydrolysis, adenylate formation, and 4'-phosphopantetheine attachment were identified by sequence comparison with authentic peptide synthetase. Insertion mutations in mcyA, generated by homologous recombination, abolished the production of both microcystins in M. aeruginosa K-139. Primer extension analysis demonstrated light-dependent mcy expression. Southern hybridization and partial DNA sequencing analyses of six microcystin-producing and two non-producing Microcystis strains suggested that the microcystin-producing strains contain the mcy gene and the non-producing strains can be divided into two groups, those possessing no mcy genes and those with mcy genes.     

Abundance of active and inactive microcystin genotypes in populations of the toxic cyanobacterium Planktothrix spp

To investigate the abundance of active and inactive microcystin genotypes in populations of the filamentous cyanobacterium Planktothrix spp., individual filaments were grown as clonal strains in the laboratory and analysed for microcystin synthetase (mcy) genes and microcystin. Twenty-three green-pigmented strains of P. agardhii originating mostly from shallow water bodies fell into two groups, those possessing mcyA and those lacking mcyA. In contrast, all of the 49 strains that were assigned to the red-pigmented P. rubescens contained mcyA. One strain of P. agardhii and eight strains of P. rubescens contained the total microcystin synthetase gene cluster but were found inactive in microcystin synthesis. To investigate the natural abundance of inactive mcy genotypes in P. rubescens individual filaments sampled from Lake Irrsee and Lake Mondsee (Austria) were analysed directly for the presence of mcyA and microcystin by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. All filaments assigned to P. rubescens contained mcyA. The proportion of inactive microcystin genotypes in populations with a low (Irrsee) or high density (Mondsee) of P. rubescens was 5% and 21%, each. The results of this study demonstrate that P. rubescens typically contain mcy genes whereas P. agardhii have a patchy distribution of mcy genes. In both species microcystin producers co-occur with non-microcystin producers due to the absence/inactivation of mcy genes.     

Detection of potential microcystin-producing cyanobacteria in Brazilian reservoirs with a mcyB molecular marker

One of the most serious problems related to water eutrophication is the occurrence of increasingly frequent blooms of toxic cyanobacteria in freshwater ecosystems. Microcystin (MCYST) molecular markers may be used for the detection of toxic cyanobacteria, both cultivated strains and environmental samples, independently of their taxonomic category and production of the toxin at the moment of analysis. Sixty Microcystis spp. strains from 15 water reservoirs of south, southeastern and northeastern Brazil were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with oligonucleotide primers for mcyB gene of the operon that encodes a microcystin synthetase. It was found out that the presence of a unique amplified product of approximately 780 bp in 18 strains, indicated the presence of the microcystin-producing genotype. There was correspondence between the presence of the mcyB gene and microcystin determined by ELISA. Eight reservoirs contained toxic strains, two of these reservoirs being used mainly for public water supply. The coexistence of a mixture of toxic and non-toxic genotypes in populations of several reservoirs was found. Thus, it is evident that Microcystis populations present in blooms compose a mosaic, with genetically different individuals within the same population, each one, possibly, with its own tolerance to environmental factors and with distinct toxicity potential.