Significance of the inactivation of transport in thermal death of Escherichia coli.

Cells of Escherichia coli ML308-225, harvested from the exponential phase, were heated in 50 mM potassium phosphate, and the loss in viability and inability to transport lactose, proline, and alpha-methylglucoside was compared. After cells were heated at 48 degrees C for 15 min, there was a 16% loss in viability and a similarly small reduction in the steady-state accumulation of lactose at 25 degrees C. The initial rates of lactose and proline transport were severely inhibited by heating at either 48 or 50 degrees C, but substantial recovery occurred within 5 to 7 min at 25 degrees C. Heating at 50 degrees C for 15 min caused an 86% loss in viability, but only a 53% decrease in the steady-state accumulation of lactose and only a 24% reduction in the initial rate of alpha-methylglucoside uptake. Twice as much alpha-methylglucoside was accumulated at 50 degrees C as at 25 degrees C. Although alpha-methylglucoside phosphate leaked from the cells at 50 degrees C, the concentration retained within the cells was about 500 times that externally, when only about 14% of the cells were viable. Overall, these results indicate that cells made nonviable by heating at 50 degrees C still have significant membrane integrity.     

Kin recognition in white-footed deermice (Peromyscus leucopus)

The degree of relatedness between individuals can influence subsequent social behaviour. Peromyscus leucopus populations may consist, in part, of related individuals. Kin recognition could benefit individuals in establishing sub-populations and inbreeding avoidance. White-footed deermice were tested in pairs according to one of the following categories: littermate sibling, cagemate (1s-c), littermate sibling, non-cagemate (1s-nc), non-littermate sibling, non-cagemate (nls-nc), non-sibling, cagemate (ns-c), and non-sibling, non-cagemate (ns-nc). Differences between n1s-nc and ns-nc encounters indicate kin recognition that cannot be due to prior contact. Both sexes Investigated related strangers (nls-nc) of the opposite sex more than unrelated strangers (ns-nc). Males Avoided related stranger males and Chased unrelated stranger males. Females Warded unrelated strangers longest. This is the first study to demonstrate kin recognition that is not based on prior contact in a small rodent.     

淀粉酶链霉菌BAC基因组文库的构建及鉴定

提取淀粉酶链霉菌SM33基因组DNA,用Hind III部分酶解后回收40 kb～60 kb大小的高分子量DNA,与质粒载体pIndigoBAC536连接,电击转化EPI300感受态细胞,经蓝白斑筛选共挑取了5 184个白色克隆.从文库中随机挑选10个克隆,酶切检测平均插入片段约为50 kb,覆盖了32.4倍基因组.并且插入片段均具有9～15个Not I酶切位点,符合链霉菌基因组特征.通过对BAC文库的筛选,获得苹果酸脱氢酶基因(mdh)的保守序列,与已知的链霉菌mdh具有很高的相似性.淀粉酶链霉菌BAC基因组文库的建立,对基因克隆、基因组物理图谱、次级代谢途径、新抗生素的发现以及工业用酶的应用等研究均有重要意义.     

铁蛋白介导的地衣多糖酶胞内自发聚集及其高效制备

酶分离纯化、固定化及催化性能提升一直是生物催化领域的研究热点和前沿,也是众多研究者致力解决的难点.研究和开发新型的纯化、固定化及提升催化性能的方法,降低纯化及储存等设备的要求及生产成本,对酶大规模应用具有重要意义.文中将铁蛋白(ferritin)与目标酶(地衣多糖酶)基因融合,经高效表达后,在细胞内 自发形成无载体固定...     

Phylogenetic relationships of three porcine mycoplasmas, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma flocculare, and Mycoplasma hyorhinis, and complete 16S rRNA sequence of M. flocculare.

The nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of Mycoplasma flocculare was determined and was compared with the sequence of a related porcine mycoplasma, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. While the overall level of DNA-DNA homology was approximately 11%, sequence alignment of the two 16S rRNA genes yielded a homology value of more than 95%, emphasizing the highly conserved nature of the 16S rRNA gene. Multiple sequence alignments with other mollicutes indicated that M. flocculare, M. hyopneumoniae, and Mycoplasma hyorhinis form a subcluster within the fermentans phylogroup, and this subcluster is distinct from the Mycoplasma pneumoniae phylogroup. Thus, the three mycoplasmas isolated from porcine respiratory systems exhibit phylogenetic similarities.     

细胞质膜在罗非鱼和叉尾斗鱼低温驯化过程中的功能

研究通过一系列科学的指标,比如死亡温度、累计温度处理时间和存活率曲线,检测并比较了吉富罗非鱼和叉尾斗鱼的低温耐受能力,然后系统地检测了在两种鱼中,低温对一系列与细胞膜相关的生理指标的影响,包括细胞膜流动性、内吞作用和膜蛋白Na+, K+ -ATPase的活性。实验结果显示叉尾斗鱼比吉富罗非鱼有着明显优良的耐寒力。两种鱼内与细胞膜相关的生理指标都对温度敏感,但是具体的敏感程度却在耐寒种(叉尾斗鱼)和不耐寒种(吉富罗非鱼)之间存在显著差异。在具体每个物种内部,与细胞膜相关的一系列生理功能对温度的敏感程度是一致的。所有这些种间差异性和种内一致性都使得细胞膜流动性在物种耐寒过程中的重要性凸显出来。结果揭示细胞质膜,尤其是质膜流动性可能在这两种鱼对低温适应过程中扮演重要的角色。       

13C脉冲标记法：不同生育期水稻光合碳在植物-土壤系统中的分配

定量生育期内植物光合碳在植物组织-土壤的分配规律,对于理解全球碳循环有着重要意义。采用~(13)C-CO_2脉冲标记结合室内培养,通过元素分析仪-稳定同位素联用(Flash HT-IRMS)分析植物各部分及土壤δ~(13)C值,比较了不同生育期下水稻光合碳在不同组织间的分配规律,并量化了水稻光合碳向土壤碳库的转移。结果表明:(1)水稻地上部和根系干物质量随水稻生育期的增加而呈现递增趋势,不同的生育期表现为:分蘖期拔节期抽穗期扬花期成熟期。而整个生育期的根冠比为0.2—0.4,分蘖期的根冠比最高,随着水稻生育期的增加而递减,到抽穗期以后根冠比稳定在0.2左右。(2)脉冲标记6h后,水稻地上部和地下部(根系)的δ~(13)C值在-25.52‰—-28.33‰,不同器官的δ~(13)C值存在明显分馏效应,且趋势基本一致,即茎杆(籽粒)叶片(根系);这种由于水稻生育期特性导致的各器官碳同位素分馏的现象,可用于指示不同生育期下水稻光合碳的分配和去向。(3)不同生育期~(13)C-光合碳在植物-土壤系统的分配规律不同,生长前期光合碳向根系及土壤中分配的比例高,具有较强的碳汇能力,而随生育期光合碳在根系及土壤中的分配比例呈下降趋势,但积累量不断增加。(4)不同生育期~(13)C光合碳在水稻-土壤系统中的分配比例差异明显。水稻分蘖期有近30%光合碳用于根系建成并部分通过根系分泌物进入土壤有机碳库(10%),而到成熟期则向籽粒中分配较多,而且光合碳在土壤中的分配比例也随生育期呈下降趋势。研究结果对稻田土壤有机碳循环过程和调控机制的揭示具有重要的理论意义。     

双歧杆菌粘附对肠上皮癌细胞酶的影响

目的 研究双歧杆菌粘附对肠道细胞生理功能和能理代谢的影响。方法 以婴儿型双直菌ＤＮＭ９２２７菌株粘附大肠癌ＣＣＬ－１８７细胞为实验模型。结果 婴儿以歧杆菌ＤＭ９２２７菌株在适宜的条件下与培养的大肠癌ＣＣＬ－１８７细胞共同培养１ｈ后,ＣＣＬ０１８６细胞的碱性磷酸酶以及琥珀脱氢酶的以反应均有所增强。结论 双歧杆菌对被粘附的大肠癌细胞的生理功能和能量代谢具有正向影响。