Chromium distribution in subcellular components between fresh and starved subsurface bacterial consortium

Summary The distribution of chromium in subcellular components was examined with a fresh and starved denitrifying consortium by performing Cr⁺⁶ equilibration and cell fractionation tests. The cell wall fraction of 50 day starved cells adsorbed approximately 100% more chromium than did the cell wall fraction in fresh cells. The soluble fraction of 50 day old cells showed less affinity for chromium than fresh cells.     

华东地区黑果蝇自然群体同工酶遗传多态的研究

我们用标准垂直板聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和水平板琼脂糖凝胶电泳技术检测了黑果蝇(D.virilis)在合肥、芜湖、九江、南昌、福州、泉州和常州7个自然群体中Est-α、Est-β、Amy、Acph和α-Gpdh 5个座位的遗传变异,发现Est-α、Est-β和Amy 3个座位是高度多态的,Acph、α-Gpdh两个座位则是单态的。根据这5个座位等位基因的频率,我们计算了群体间的遗传距离。综合何朝珍报道的宁波、杭州、南京和洪泽4个群体的结果和我们的结果,我们作出系统树并发现泉州、福州两群体和其他群体在基因频率的分布和遗传距离方面有显著差异;分析显示这种差异与群体间地理隔离有关。     

Interaction of mutagenic spermidine-nitrous acid reaction products with uvr- and recA-dependent repair systems in Salmonella.

It has been observed previously that the mutagenic action of nitrous acid may be potentiated by polyamines. We examined the cellular response of two deoxyribonucleic acid repair systems to treatment with spermidine-nitrite reaction products. uvrB- deficient mutants of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 showed enhanced lethal and mutagenic response to the reaction products. Lethal activity was further enhanced in a uvrB recA double mutant, whereas mutagenic activity was not detectable. Dependence of mutagenesis on the recA gene implicates the action of an error-prone repair system in the fixation of a premutagenic lesion as a mutation. From consideration of the substrate characteristics of the two repair systems studied, it is suggested that the deoxyribonucleic acid lesion formed by the reaction products of spermidine and nitrite is an intrastrand cross-link.     

The effect of Bordetella pertussis on the antibody response in mice to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide.

The effect of an i.p. injection of Bordetella pertussis on the primary humoral immune response in mice to the thymus-independent antigen SIII has been studied. Suppression of the antibody response occurred when pertussis cells were injected at the same time as an optimal immunizing dose of SIII. In contrast, the antibody response to high doses of SIII was enhanced by B. pertussis. When SIII alone was injected, only 19S antibody was detected. However, when B. pertussis was administered with either optimal or high doses of SIII, 7S as well as 19S antibody against SIII was produced.     

The structural dynamics of full-length divisome transmembrane proteins FtsQ,FtsB, and FtsL in FtsQBL complex formation

FtsQBL is a transmembrane protein complex in the divisome of Escherichia coli that plays a critical role in regulating cell division. Although extensive efforts have been made to investigate the interactions between the three involved proteins, FtsQ, FtsB, and FtsL, the detailed interaction mechanism is still poorly understood. In this study, we used hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry to investigate these full-length proteins and their complexes. We also dissected the structural dynamic changes and the related binding interfaces within the complexes. Our data revealed that FtsB and FtsL interact at both the periplasmic and transmembrane regions to form a stable complex. Furthermore, the periplasmic region of FtsB underwent significant conformational changes. With the help of computational modeling, our results suggest that FtsBL complexation may bring the respective constriction control domains (CCDs) in close proximity. We show that when FtsBL adopts a coiled-coil structure, the CCDs are fixed at a vertical position relative to the membrane surface; thus, this conformational change may be essential for FtsBL’s interaction with other divisome proteins. In the FtsQBL complex, intriguingly, we show only FtsB interacts with FtsQ at its C-terminal region, which stiffens a large area of the β-domain of FtsQ. Consistent with this, we found the connection between the α- and β-domains in FtsQ is also strengthened in the complex. Overall, the present study provides important experimental evidence detailing the local interactions between the full-length FtsB, FtsL, and FtsQ protein, as well as valuable insights into the roles of FtsQBL complexation in regulating divisome activity.     

环境中生物膜的菌群结构与污染物降解特性

生物膜是细菌最常见的生长方式。结构有序、功能分化的生物膜群落为内部细菌提供在不利环境中生存的庇护,其环境功效也日益受到关注。本文综述了多种环境中微生物与不同材料表面相互作用、进而发展为生物膜的机制;介绍了环境工程领域中生物膜的先锋菌种和菌群结构动态变化;介绍了生物膜在污染环境中的抗逆与降解特性。     

The novel peptide NbPPI1 identified from Nicotiana benthamiana triggers immune responses and enhances resistance against Phytophthora pathogens

In plants, recognition of small secreted peptides, such as damage/danger‐associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), regulates diverse processes, including stress and immune responses. Here, we identified an SGPS (Ser‐Gly‐Pro‐Ser) motif‐containing peptide, Nicotiana tabacum NtPROPPI, and its two homologs in Nicotiana benthamiana, NbPROPPI1 and NbPROPPI2. Phytophthora parasitica infection and salicylic acid (SA) treatment induced NbPROPPI1/2 expression. Moreover, SignalP predicted that the 89‐amino acid NtPROPPI includes a 24‐amino acid N‐terminal signal peptide and NbPROPPI1/2‐GFP fusion proteins were mainly localized to the periplasm. Transient expression of NbPROPPI1/2 inhibited P. parasitica colonization, and NbPROPPI1/2 knockdown rendered plants more susceptible to P. parasitica. An eight‐amino‐acid segment in the NbPROPPI1 C‐terminus was essential for its immune function and a synthetic 20‐residue peptide, NbPPI1, derived from the C‐terminus of NbPROPPI1 provoked significant immune responses in N. benthamiana. These responses led to enhanced accumulation of reactive oxygen species, activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases, and up‐regulation of the defense genes Flg22‐induced receptor‐like kinase (FRK) and WRKY DNA‐binding protein 33 (WRKY33). The NbPPI1‐induced defense responses require Brassinosteroid insensitive 1‐associated receptor kinase 1 (BAK1). These results suggest that NbPPI1 functions as a DAMP in N. benthamiana; this novel DAMP provides a potentially useful target for improving plant resistance to Pytophthora pathogens.     

生物多样性与生态系统多功能性的关系研究进展

生物多样性与生态系统功能关系是生态学研究的热点之一,以往研究多关注生物多样性与单一生态系统功能之间的关系,然而生态系统能够同时提供多种功能和服务即生态系统多功能性(ecosystem multifunctionality, EMF),仅考虑单一生态系统功能会低估生物多样性的重要性。近年来,EMF研究的重要性受到更多重视,生物多样性与生态系统多功能性(biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality, BEMF)关系成为生态学研究新的热点。梳理近15年的研究发现,不同维度、不同尺度的单一或多营养级生物多样性均会对EMF产生显著的影响,并且在全球变化的背景下,自然干扰与人为干扰均会影响生物多样性与生态系统多功能性从而改变BEMF关系,EMF测度方法的差异也可能导致BEMF关系的不一致。生物多样性维度(尺度)选择的局限、不同EMF测度方法的认知差异、BEMF时空数据库的缺乏以及BEMF关系研究方法的单一等问题阻碍了BEMF关系的深入探究。未来研究应对现有测度方法进行深入比较并发展通用的新方法,深入探究多维度、多尺度生物多样性对EMF影响的综合作用。此...