A strain of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meyerozyma guilliermondii</Emphasis> isolated from sugarcane juice is able to grow and ferment pentoses in synthetic and bagasse hydrolysate media

The search for new microbial strains that are able to withstand inhibitors released from hemicellulosic hydrolysis and are also still able to convert sugars in ethanol/xylitol is highly desirable. A yeast strain isolated from sugarcane juice and identified as Meyerozyma guilliermondii was evaluated for the ability to grow and ferment pentoses in synthetic media and in sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate. The yeast grew in xylose, arabinose and glucose at the same rate at an initial medium pH of 5.5. At pH 4.5, the yeast grew more slowly in arabinose. There was no sugar exhaustion within 60 h. At higher xylose concentrations with a higher initial cell concentration, sugar was exhausted within 96 h at pH 4.5. An increase of 350 % in biomass was obtained in detoxified hydrolysates, whereas supplementation with 3 g/L yeast extract increased biomass production by approximately 40 %. Ethanol and xylitol were produced more significantly in supplemented hydrolysates regardless of detoxification. Xylose consumption was enhanced in supplemented hydrolysates and arabinose was consumed only when xylose and glucose were no longer available. Supplementation had a greater impact on ethanol yield and productivity than detoxification; however, the product yields obtained in the present study are still much lower when compared to other yeast species in bagasse hydrolysate. By the other hand, the fermentation of both xylose and arabinose and capability of withstanding inhibitors are important characteristics of the strain assayed.     

Genetics of 51d-52a, a Region Containing Several Maternal-Effect Genes and Two Maternal-Specific Transcripts in Drosophila

Two genomic clones exhibiting a maternal-specific pattern of expression map to cytological region 52A. To elucidate the function of these clones we have undertaken a mutagenesis of the cytological region 51D-52A. This paper presents the results of this screen and the preliminary analysis of female-sterile and lethal mutations isolated. A total of twelve complementation groups have been identified, four of which are defined exclusively by female-sterile alleles. Only one visible mutation was isolated, a recessive temperature-sensitive allele of Thickened-arista (Tarts). Several of the seven lethal loci display an embryonic lethal phase. Three of the four female-sterile loci affect chorion structure with one resulting in underamplification of the chorion genes, and two (possibly three) of the four female-steriles affect nuclear division/DNA replication. Thus it appears that this is a "developmentally important" region, possibly representing a clustering of genes involved in either DNA replication or nuclear division.     

ELISA检测抗-HIV室内质控血清的制备和应用

为了提高抗-HIV的检测质量,进行室内质控以鉴别诊断试剂的质量和控制操作误差,试制了抗-HIV室内质控血清,收集抗-HIV诊断试剂盒中阳性对照血清,采用不同品牌、不同批号的诊断试剂检测后,稀释、分装成低值弱阳性,即为室内质控血清,将质控血清放不同温度下保存,考核其稳定性和精密性,并应用于两厂家各3批试剂的检测,结果试制的室内质控血清在-20℃条件下存放5个月,在4℃条件下存放29天稳定性良好,检测结果稳定,该质控血清适宜作抗-HIV检测室内质控使用。     

Effects of resuspension and eutrophication level on summer phytoplankton dynamics in two hypertrophic areas of Lake Taihu,China

The composition of summer phytoplankton communities in two highly eutrophic areas of Lake Taihu, a large, shallow water body in China (area 2,338 km²; mean depth 2.0 m), was studied in relation to selected environmental variables. Both areas have multiple uses, including drinking water supply, fisheries, and recreation. The first area, Meiliang Bay, is much closer to central lake and subjected to wind-driven sediment resuspension, while the second, at Wuli Lake, is less affected by wave action but is considered more nutrient-rich due to its proximity to human inhabitation. By comparing two lake areas, we attempt to advance the understanding and management of different regions of shallow lakes, mainly differing in resuspension levels and eutrophication levels. A comparison of these two lake areas indicated a higher standing crop of phytoplankton in Wuli Lake than in Meiliang Bay. Canonic Correspondence Analysis indicated that nutrient status and sediment resuspension were the principal factors influencing phytoplankton composition in both areas. The dominant algal group in Meiliang Bay comprised immobile R-type strategists (Reynolds in Growth and reproductive strategies of freshwater phytoplankton, 1988), including filamentous diatoms and green algae (Aulacoseira granulate and Planctonema lauterbornii), and recruitment-beneficial RS-type strategists, mainly the colonial cyanobacteria (Microcystis spp.). The community of Wuli Lake was dominated by S-strategists, principally motile flagellates (Cryptomonas spp.) and C-strategists including small nonmotile centric diatoms and chlorococcal green algae.     

Microbial production of 2,3-butanediol from Jerusalem artichoke tubers by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella pneumoniae</Emphasis>

2,3-Butanediol is one of the promising bulk chemicals with wide applications. Its fermentative production has attracted great interest due to the high end concentration. However, large-scale production of 2,3-butanediol requires low-cost substrate and efficient fermentation process. In the present study, 2,3-butanediol production by Klebsiella pneumoniae from Jerusalem artichoke tubers was successfully performed, and various technologies, including separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), were investigated. The concentration of target products reached 81.59 and 91.63 g/l, respectively after 40 h in batch and fed-batch SSF processes. Comparing with fed-batch SHF, the fed-batch SSF provided 30.3% higher concentration and 83.2% higher productivity of target products. The results showed that Jerusalem artichoke tuber is a favorable substrate for 2,3-butanediol production, and the application of fed-batch SSF for its conversion can result in a more cost-effective process.     

ROS-Mediated ABA Signaling

In plants, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are short-lived molecules produced through various cellular mechanisms in response to biotic and abiotic stimuli. ROS function as second messengers for hormone signaling, development, oxygen deprivation, programmed cell death, and plant–pathogen interactions. Recent research on ROS-mediated responses has produced stimulating findings such as the specific sources of ROS production, molecular elements that work in ROS-mediated signaling and homeostasis, and a ROS-regulated gene network (Neill et al., Curr Opin Plant Biol 5:388–395, 2002a; Apel and Hirt, Annu Rev Plant Biol 55:373–399, 2004; Mittler et al., Trends Plant Sci 9:490–498, 2004; Mori and Schroeder, Plant Physiol 135:702–708, 2004; Kwak et al., Plant Physiol 141:323–329, 2006; Torres et al., Plant Physiol 141:373–378, 2006; Miller et al., Physiol Plant 133:481–489, 2008). In this review, we highlight new discoveries in ROS-mediated abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. Drs. Daeshik Cho and June M. Kwak are the corresponding authors for this paper.     

Enhanced Mutant Screening in One-step PCR-based Multiple Site-directed Plasmid Mutagenesis by Introduction of Silent Restriction Sites for Structural and Functional Study of Proteins

Site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) has been widely used for studying the structure and function of proteins. A one-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based multiple site-directed plasmid mutagenesis method with extended non-overlapping sequence at the 3′ end of the primer increases the PCR amplification efficiency and the capacity of multi-site mutagenesis. Here, we introduced silent restriction sites in the primers used in this PCR-based SDM method by utilizing SDM-Assist software to generate mutants of Helicobacter pylori neutrophil-activating protein (HP-NAP), whose gene has low GC content. The HP-NAP mutants were efficiently generated by this modified mutagenesis method and quickly identified by a simple restriction digest due to the presence of the silent restriction site. This modified PCR-based SDM method with the introduction of a silent restriction site on the primer is efficient for generation and identification of mutations in the gene of interest.     

东北典型旱作农田N2O和CH4排放通量研究

应用封闭式箱法技术测定了玉米、大豆田中N₂O和CH₄全年的通量变化。指出N₂O排放有明显的季节变化和明显的日变化。大量的N₂O排放发生在作物生长季节中。在冰雪溶化期和收割作物后也有一定量的N₂O从土壤中排放。此外,实验结果也指出,玉米和大豆田作为大气CH₄源或汇的作用不明显。     

自噬相关基因LC3-I的基因表达及单克隆抗体的制备

目的：通过克隆LC3．I基因,体外原核表达LC3-I蛋白后制备抗LC3单克隆抗体,作为自噬研究中的标记分子检测自噬的发生和发展过程。方法：RT．PCR方法从RAW264．7细胞基因组中克隆LC3基因,亚克隆至pQE80L原核表达载体后转化E．cobDH5a进行诱导表达,SDS—PAGE电泳及Westemblot鉴定表达蛋白。蛋白纯化后免疫BALB／c小鼠。采用淋巴细胞杂交瘤技术,制备分泌抗LC3．I杂交瘤细胞株,体内诱生腹水制备mAb,间接ELISA法测定其效价,辛酸一硫酸铵沉淀法及亲和层析法纯化mAb。结果：成功克隆了LC3一I基因,并对其在E．coilDH5a进行诱导表达,SDS-PAGE分析表明在相对分子量Mr为20×10^3有特异条带,Westernblot验证表达产物具有一定的生物学活性。建立了3株稳定分泌特异性抗LC3-ImAb的杂交瘤细胞株,诱导产生的腹水获得的抗体效价在10^5-10^7之间,结论：在E．coli中对LC3-I进行表达,并制备特异性较强抗LC3-I蛋白的单克隆抗体。为自噬研究提供了良好的标记分子,可对自噬形成和发展进行有效的检测。