嗜热链球菌MGB80-7所产胞外多糖的表型结构及其抗氧化活性

【背景】胞外多糖（exopolysaccharide,EPS）是乳酸菌生长代谢过程中所产生的一种次级代谢产物,除了可以改善产品质构和品质外,其生理功能也是近年来研究人员追捧的热点。【目的】探究乳酸菌EPS的表征特性和分子结构,揭示其与EPS益生特性之间的联系。【方法】以产EPS的嗜热链球菌（Streptococcus thermophilus,S. thermophilus） MGB80-7为研究对象,利用苯酚-硫酸法测定菌株EPS产量。采用离子交换柱层析和凝胶分子筛层析对该菌株所产EPS进行分离纯化,结合凝胶色谱、红外光谱及高效液相色谱对EPS表型结构进行剖析。此外,为确定EPS表型特征对其抗氧化活性的影响,测定了EPS对超氧阴离子、羟自由基及DPPH自由基等的清除能力。【结果】S. thermophilus MGB80-7在M17培养基中EPS产量较高,为（268.25±5.36） mg/mL,分离纯化后共得到2种多糖组分,其中中性多糖（WPS-807）分子量为1.028×10⁵ Da,主要由葡萄糖、半乳糖和甘露糖组成,并含有少量的鼠李糖和阿拉伯糖,酸性多糖（...     

可代谢半乳糖嗜热链球菌的诱变选育及其在发酵乳生产中的应用

【目的】嗜热链球菌(Streptococcus thermophilus)作为酸奶、奶酪等发酵乳制品的常用发酵剂,在乳品工业中应用广泛。大多数嗜热链球菌为半乳糖阴性(Gal^-)菌株,不能代谢半乳糖而将其排出到胞外,导致发酵乳中半乳糖含量增加。因此可通过化学诱变的方法处理嗜热链球菌,使其可代谢半乳糖,开发一种低半乳糖含量的发酵乳。【方法】利用亚硝基胍(nitrosoguanidine, NTG)对嗜热链球菌IMAU80846进行诱变处理,测定野生株嗜热链球菌IMAU80846与突变株β-半乳糖苷酶(β-galactosidase,β-Gal)、半乳糖激酶(galactokinase, GalK)、丙酮酸激酶(pyruvate kinase, PK)和葡萄糖激酶(glucokinase, GK)活性,分析编码这些酶的氨基酸序列,得到一株可代谢半乳糖的嗜热链球菌IMAU80846Y,同时对突变株进行全基因组测序,并检测野生株和突变株发酵乳中乳酸、乳糖、半乳糖和葡萄糖的含量,最后将野生株和突变株分别与德氏乳杆菌保加利亚亚种IMAU20450进行复配发酵,测定两组发酵乳在发酵与贮藏期间的发酵特性,制备一款低半乳糖含量的发酵乳。【结果】突变株嗜热链球菌IMAU80846Y的β-Gal、GalK活性高于野生株,PK和GK活性低于野生株,氨基酸序列与全基因组测序结果表明突变株与糖代谢有关基因发生突变,HPLC检测结果表明突变株发酵乳中乳糖、半乳糖的含量均低于野生株,而乳酸、葡萄糖的含量高于野生株。发酵特性的分析结果表明,与野生株复配组相比,突变株复配组发酵乳具有良好的滴定酸度、活菌数、黏度以及持水力。【结论】嗜热链球菌IMAU80846经NTG诱变后,菌株代谢半乳糖的能力发生了变化,利用该突变株可生产一款低半乳糖含量的发酵乳。     

基于比较基因组学分析嗜热链球菌的遗传多样性和防御系统

【目的】嗜热链球菌(Streptococcusthermophilus)是发酵乳制品的基础发酵菌种之一,全基因组水平解析嗜热链球菌的遗传多样性和工业发酵特性对于优良发酵菌株的筛选意义重大。【方法】本研究通过比较基因组学方法对27株嗜热链球菌的遗传多样性和防御系统进行分析。【结果】全基因组分析结果显示嗜热链球菌群体内具有较高的遗传多样性;基于核心基因集构建的系统发育树划分为2个分支,其中分支2菌株缺乏完整的组氨酸合成途径,经验证,分支2菌株在缺乏组氨酸的培养基中不能正常生长。通过对嗜热链球菌不同菌株的防御系统进行分析发现,同类型的CRISPR基因座和限制修饰系统在基因组中出现的位置相对固定。CRISPR-Cas系统(P<0.05,r=0.43)和限制修饰系统(P<0.01,r=–0.59)的数量与编码转座酶基因的数量均显著相关,表明嗜热链球菌为了阻止外源DNA入侵会进化出多种防御系统来保护自身遗传完整性。此外,分支1菌株的CRISPR-Cas系统数量极显著(P<0.001)多于分支2,而限制修饰系统无显著差异,表明分支1菌株在噬菌体抗性方面可能更具优势。【结论】本研究基...     

Pullulans produced by strains of Cryphonectria parasitica—I. Production and characterisation of the exopolysaccharides

Studies published during the last four decades indicated that pullulan has mainly -(1→6) maltotriose subunits, accompanied by -(1→6) maltotetraose subunits and other anomalies in the polymer chain. The presence and the extent of these anomalies depend on the strain of Aureobasidium pullulans used for obtaining the pullulan as exocellular material, and on the culture conditions as well. Besides A. pullulan, other fungi produce this polysaccharide. In all cases, the maximum amount of -(1→6) maltotetraose subunits was believed to be 7%. This paper reports the characterization of pullulan samples, obtained by liquid cultures of a virulent strain (CP159) and two hypovirulent strains (CP263 and CP102) of Cryphonectria parasitica. It was found that in all cases pullulan was much richer in -(1→6) maltotetraose subunits than the pullulan(s) so far investigated. Chestnut blight caused by C. parasitica is a disease of worldwide importance in chestnut production. The structure of pullulan could be correlated with the pathogenesis and symptoms expressed by infected plants.     

Antioxidant acitivity in vitro and in vivo of the capsule polysaccharides from Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus

Crude capsule polysaccharides (CCP) were prepared from the culture of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus C55129 and were partially purified through an anion-exchange column chromatography to afford partially purified capsule polysaccharides (PCP). The main component of CCP and PCP was hyaluronic acid. In vitro antioxidant assay, the capsule polysaccharides showed strong inhibition of lipid peroxidation and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and moderate 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryldydrazyl radical scavenging activity. In addition, CCP exhibited much stronger reductive power than PCP. For antioxidant testing in vivo, CCP and PCP were orally administrated over a period of 15 days in a d-galactose induced aged mice model. As results, administration of capsule polysaccharides inhibited significantly the formation of malondialdehyde in mice livers and serums and raised the activities of antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant capacity in a dose-dependent manner. However, the antioxidant activity of CCP was lower than that of PCP. The results suggest that the capsule polysaccharides from Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus C55129 have direct and potent antioxidant activities.     

Optimization of medium composition for the production of exopolysaccharides from Phellinus baumii Pilát in submerged culture and the immuno-stimulating activity of exopolysaccharides

Optimization of medium composition for the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) from Phellinus baumii Pilát in submerged culture and the immuno-stimulating activity of EPS were carried out. Firstly, the medium components having significant effect on EPS production were screened out to be glucose, yeast extract and diammonium oxalate monohydrate by using a 2⁽⁷⁻³⁾ fractional factorial design. Secondly, the concentrations of the three factors were optimized using central composite design in response surface methodology. As results, a quadratic model was found to fit for EPS production, and the optimal medium composition was determined as following (g/l): 34.12 glucose, 4 peptone, 5.01 yeast extract, 0.88 diammonium oxalate monohydrate, 0.75 MgSO₄ and 1 KH₂PO₄ and 0.0075 thiamine (VB₁). A yield of 2.363 ± 0.04 g/l for EPS was observed in verification experiment. Finally, EPS from P. baumii Pilát was found to have direct immuno-stimulating activity in vitro on splenocyte proliferative response and acid phosphatase activity in peritoneal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner.     

2型猪链球菌脑膜炎小鼠模型的构建及其转录组学分析

【背景】2型猪链球菌(Streptococcus suis serotype 2, S. suis 2)可感染宿主引起严重的脑膜炎,对养猪业和人类公共卫生安全构成重大威胁。【目的】构建S. suis 2感染小鼠脑膜炎模型,并对其脑组织进行转录组学分析,为揭示S.suis2感染宿主后引起脑膜炎的分子机制和发现潜在的治疗靶点提供理论依据。【方法】采用S. suis 2感染小鼠,并对其脑组织进行病理组织学分析确认构建脑膜炎小鼠后,对其脑组织进行转录组学分析,对比S.suis2感染和未感染小鼠的差异表达基因,并对差异表达基因进行基因本体论(geneontology,GO)功能、京都基因和基因组百科全书(Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes, KEGG)通路富集和韦恩分析。【结果】脑病理组织学分析结果显示,S. suis 2感染的小鼠脑膜中有大量的炎症细胞浸润,并且血管周围出现“袖套”现象,并能从感染小鼠的组织器官中再分离出攻毒的S. suis 2菌株,结果证明构建了S. suis 2感染脑膜炎小鼠模型。转录组学分析结果表明,感染S.suis2与未感染的...     

mapZ基因缺失对变异链球菌生长分裂及氯己定作用下生物膜形成能力的影响

探究变异链球菌（Streptococcus mutans）分裂调控基因mapZ缺失对变异链球菌生长分裂、氯己定（Chlorhexidine, CHX）作用下生物膜形成能力的影响。针对前期课题组成功构建的变异链球菌的mapZ基因缺失突变株（ΔsmmapZ）,通过扫描电镜（SEM）观察细菌细胞生长形态及分裂隔膜的位置变化;通过实时定量PCR技术检测mapZ基因缺失对分裂基因ftsZ相对表达含量的影响;通过检测氯己定最小抑菌浓度（MIC）并在不同药物浓度下培养生物膜来探究mapZ基因缺失对变异链球菌生物膜形成能力的影响。结果表明：与野生株相比,ΔsmmapZ突变株形态发生改变（变为短圆球状）,分裂隔膜位置错乱;ΔsmmapZ突变株分裂基因ftsZ相对表达含量较UA159下降四分之一,具有统计学差异;ΔsmmapZ突变株MIC值为0.125 00 μg/mL,UA159野生株MIC值为0.250 00 μg/mL,且在药物浓度为0.125 00 μg/mL的氯已定作用下,野生株可以形成生物膜,而ΔsmmapZ则无生物膜形成。变异链球菌缺失mapZ基因影响细菌细胞的胞质分裂,降低分裂基因ftsZ的表达和氯己定下变异链球菌生物膜的形成能力。mapZ可作为潜在的抗菌药物研发靶点。     

A mutation that blocks exopolysaccharide synthesis prevents nodulation of peas by Rhizobium leguminosarum but not of beans by R. phaseoli and is corrected by cloned DNA from Rhizobium or the phytopathogen Xanthomonas

Summary A Tn5-induced mutant strain of R. phaseoli which failed to synthesize exopolysaccharide (EPS) was isolated and was shown to induce normal nitrogen-fixing nodules on Phaseolus beans, the host of this Rhizobium species. The corresponding wild-type Rhizobium DNA was cloned in a wide host-range vector and by isolating Tn5 insertions in this cloned DNA, mutations in a gene termed pss (polysaccharide synthesis) were isolated. These were introduced by marker exchange into near-isogenic strains of R. leguminosarum and R. phaseoli which differed only in the identity of their symbiotic plasmids. Whereas the EPS-deficient mutant strain of R. phaseoli induced normal nitrogen-fixing nodules on Phaseolus beans, the same mutation prevented nodulation of peas by a strain of R. leguminosarum which normally nodulates this host. Further, it was found that DNA cloned from the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pathover campestris could correct the defect in EPS synthesis in R. leguminosarum and R. phaseoli and also restored the ability to nodulate peas to the pss::Tn5 mutant strain of R. leguminosarum.     

Study of the effects of temperature and pH on lactic acid production from fresh cassava roots in tofu liquid waste by Streptococcus bovis

We report a study of the effects of temperature and pH on the kinetics of lactic acid production from fresh cassava roots (FCR) by Streptococcus bovis in new media: tofu liquid waste (TLW); TLW with 2 wt% concentrated maguro waste (TLW + CMW2); and in a standard trypto-soya broth (TSB) compared with a standard medium (glucose in TSB). The results showed that 39 °C and pH 5.5 were optimal for fermentation properties (lactic acid concentration, productivity and specific growth rate) in all media, including the standard. The energy of activation (E_a) and the energy of deactivation (E_d) of lactic acid fermentation in all media were calculated using the Arrhenius relation. The E_a and E_d values increased in the order FCR in TLW < FCR in TLW + CMW2 < glucose in TSB < FCR in TSB, while values of productivity and specific growth rate decreased in the same order. The effects of pH on productivity and specific growth rate were evaluated by Michaelis–Menten and Monod-type equations. For pH, the inhibition is competitive for both productivity and specific growth rate. By controlling the pH at 5.80, the inhibition for both productivity and specific growth rate were minimized in all media.     

Hypoglycemic effects of exopolysaccharides produced by mycelial cultures of two different mushrooms Tremella fuciformis and Phellinus baumii in ob/ob mice

The anti-diabetic activities of the exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by submerged mycelial culture of two different mushrooms, Tremella fuciformis and Phellinus baumii, in ob/ob mice were investigated. All the animals were randomly divided into three groups with seven animals in each group: The control group received 0.9% NaCl solution; the diabetic groups were treated with EPS from T. fuciformis (Tf EPS) and P. baumii (Pb EPS) at the level of 200 mg/kg body weight using an oral zoned daily for 52 days. The plasma glucose levels in the EPS-fed mice were substantially reduced by about 52% (Tf EPS) and 32% (Pb EPS), respectively, as compared to control mice. The results of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) revealed that both EPS-fed groups significantly increased the glucose disposal after 52 days of EPS treatments. Furthermore, higher food efficiency ratios and reduced blood triglyceride levels were observed in the EPS-treated groups. Because peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is indeed a key regulator of insulin action, we investigated the expression pattern of adipose tissue PPAR-γ messenger RNA (mRNA) and plasma levels of PPAR-γ. It was revealed that PPAR-γ was significantly activated in response to EPS treatments. The results suggested that both EPS exhibited considerable hypoglycemic effect and improved insulin sensitivity possibly through regulating PPAR-γ-mediated lipid metabolism. Our results indicated that two mushroom-derived EPS might be developed as potential oral hypoglycemic agents or functional foods for the management of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.     

Isolation and characterisation of the biological repeating unit of cepacian, the exopolysaccharide produced by bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex

The repeating unit of cepacian, the exopolysaccharide produced by the majority of the microorganisms belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex, was isolated from inner bacterial membranes and investigated by mass spectrometry, with and without prior derivatisation. Interpretation of the mass spectra led to the determination of the biological repeating unit primary structure, thus disclosing the nature of the oligosaccharide produced in vivo. Moreover, mass spectra recorded on the native sample revealed that acetyl substitution was very variable, producing a mixture of repeating units containing zero to four acyl groups. At the same time, finding acetylated oligosaccharides showed that binding of these substituents occurred in the cellular periplasmic space, before the polymerisation process took place. In the chromatographic peak containing the repeating unit, oligosaccharides shorter than the repeating unit co-eluted. Mass spectrometric analysis showed that they were biosynthetic intermediates of the repeating unit and further investigation revealed the biosynthetic sequence of cepacian building block.     

同期生长在种源地与异地同质园刨花楠叶性状分析

为辨别环境变化与遗传因素对植物叶片主要功能性状的影响,以同期生长在4种源地母树林下及异地同质园的1.5年生刨花楠苗木为研究对象,对其叶片表型及养分性状进行对比分析。结果显示：(1)刨花楠叶面积、叶厚、叶干物质含量等叶片表型性状受遗传与环境因素共同影响;叶片碳(C)含量受遗传因素调控,环境对其影响较小;叶片氮、磷(N、P)含量主要受环境因素影响;(2)不同种源刨花楠比叶面积、叶厚、叶干物质含量、叶形指数等性状变异系数较大(8.85%—37.03%),其中江西遂川种源变异系数相对较大,而湖南茶陵种源则相对较小,各种源都倾向于通过调节比叶面积、叶厚、叶片氮磷含量等性状以适应生境变化;(3)种源地与同质园刨花楠的比叶面积虽均与叶厚呈显著负相关,但同质园刨花楠比叶面积与叶形指数呈显著正相关,与叶片氮含量无明显相关,而种源地刨花楠比叶面积则与叶形指数无明显相关,与叶片氮含量则呈显著负相关;(4)不同种源苗木叶性状指标在种源地与同质园间存在不同的协调与权衡,体现了植物在不同生境下的适应策略。其中湖南茶陵种源在两种生境下都具有更保守的资源获取策略,而江西安福种源对环境变化则更为敏感,资源获取策略更为灵...     

The sibling species Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans differ in the expression profile of glutathione S-transferases

Two major forms of glutathione S-transferase are known in Drosophila melanogaster: GST D and GST 2. In the present paper we report the existence of a third major form of glutathione S-transferase in Drosophila simulans. Induction with phenobarbital revealed a different regulation of GST between these species. Despite the fact that these two species are closely related, there was a difference in the expression profile of the enzyme implicated in the detoxification system, suggesting variations in capacity to suit their environment.     

The exposure of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) to tumour promoting compounds produced by the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula and their potential role in the aetiology of fibropapillomatosis

Lyngbya majuscula, a benthic filamentous cyanobacterium found throughout tropical and subtropical oceans, has been shown to contain the tumour promoting compounds lyngbyatoxin A (LA) and debromoaplysiatoxin (DAT). It grows epiphytically on seagrass and macroalgae, which also form the basis of the diet of the herbivorous green turtle (Chelonia mydas). This toxic cyanobacterium has been observed growing in regions where turtles suffer from fibropapillomatosis (FP), a potentially fatal neoplastic disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether green turtles consume L. majuscula in Queensland, Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, USA, resulting in potential exposure to tumour promoting compounds produced by this cyanobacterium. L. majuscula was present, though not in bloom, at nine sites examined and LA and DAT were detected in variable concentrations both within and between sites. Although common in green turtle diets, L. majuscula was found to contribute less than 2% of total dietary intake, indicating that turtles may be exposed to low concentrations of tumour promoting compounds during non-bloom conditions. Tissue collected from dead green turtles in Moreton Bay tested positive for LA. An estimated dose, based on dietary intake and average toxin concentration at each site, showed a positive correlation for LA with the proportion of the population observed with external FP lesions. No such relationship was observed for DAT. This does not necessarily demonstrate a cause and effect relationship, but does suggest that naturally produced compounds should be considered in the aetiology of marine turtle FP.     

The spectra of base substitutions induced by the impCAB, mucAB and umuDC error-prone DNA repair operons differ following exposure to methyl methanesulfonate

We have used the lacZ reversion assay to study the mutation spectra induced by the Escherichia coli chromosomal umuDC operon and of its two plasmid-borne analogues impCAB and mucAB following exposure of cells to UV light and methyl methane-sulfonate (MMS). We have shown that the impCAB, mucAB and umuDC operons all produce a similar response to UV light which results almost exclusively in AT GC transitions. However, we found that the three operons produced different responses to alkylating agents. We found that with MMS the chromosomal umuDC operon produced almost exclusively AT GC transitions, whilst both mucAB and impCAB produced predominantly transversions. In the case of the impCAB operon the mutation spectrum contained more AT TA than GC TA transversions; this balance was reversed with mucAB. The effect of the copy number of the error-prone DNA repair operons upon the mutagenic spectra was also studied. The results obtained suggest that the copy number of the imp operon does not greatly affect the specificity of base substitutions observed. However, an increase in the copy number of the umuDC operon greatly affected the specificity of base substitution, such that virtually no transitions were produced and the spectrum was dominated by GC/AT TA transversions. It appears that the three error-prone DNA repair operons impCAB, mucAB and umuDC, despite showing strong structural and functional homologies, can display major differences in the spectrum of base changes induced during mutagenesis. We propose that the type of misincorporation/chain extension which DNA polymerase III is allowed to synthesize on a damaged DNA template is extremely sensitive to both the amount and type of error-prone repair proteins present. The modulation of these events by the different proteins can result in widely different mutagenic changes in the repaired DNA.     

The cytoplasmic male-sterile type and normal type mitochondrial genomes of sugar beet share the same complement of genes of known function but differ in the content of expressed ORFs

The complete nucleotide sequence (501,020 bp) of the mitochondrial genome from cytoplasmic male-sterile (CMS) sugar beet was determined. This enabled us to compare the sequence with that previously published for the mitochondrial genome of normal, male-fertile sugar beet. The comparison revealed that the two genomes have the same complement of genes of known function. The rRNA and tRNA genes encoded in the CMS mitochondrial genome share 100% sequence identity with their respective counterparts in the normal genome. We found a total of 24 single nucleotide substitutions in 11 protein genes encoded by the CMS mitochondrial genome. However, none of these seems to be responsible for male sterility. In addition, several other ORFs were found to be actively transcribed in sugar beet mitochondria. Among these, Norf246 was observed to be present in the normal mitochondrial genome but absent from the CMS genome. However, it seems unlikely that the loss of Norf246 is causally related to the expression of CMS, because previous studies on mitochondrial translation products failed to detect the product of this ORF. Conversely, the CMS genome contains four transcribed ORFs (Satp6presequence, Scox2-2 , Sorf324 and Sorf119) which are missing from the normal genome. These ORFs, which are potential candidates for CMS genes, were shown to be generated by mitochondrial genome rearrangements.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at Communicated by R. Hagemann