Electron acceptors for anaerobic oxidation of methane drive microbial community structure and diversity in mud volcanoes

Mud volcanoes (MVs) emit globally significant quantities of methane into the atmosphere, however, methane cycling in such environments is not yet fully understood, as the roles of microbes and their associated biogeochemical processes have been largely overlooked. Here, we used data from high‐throughput sequencing of microbial 16S rRNA gene amplicons from six MVs in the Junggar Basin in northwest China to quantify patterns of diversity and characterize the community structure of archaea and bacteria. We found anaerobic methanotrophs and diverse sulfate‐ and iron‐reducing microbes in all of the samples, and the diversity of both archaeal and bacterial communities was strongly linked to the concentrations of sulfate, iron and nitrate, which could act as electron acceptors in anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). The impacts of sulfate/iron/nitrate on AOM in the MVs were verified by microcosm experiments. Further, two representative MVs were selected to explore the microbial interactions based on phylogenetic molecular ecological networks. The sites showed distinct network structures, key species and microbial interactions, with more complex and numerous linkages between methane‐cycling microbes and their partners being observed in the iron/sulfate‐rich MV. These findings suggest that electron acceptors are important factors driving the structure of microbial communities in these methane‐rich environments.     

MyD88-independent activation of a novel actin-Cdc42/Rac pathway is required for Toll-like receptor-stimulated phagocytosis

Phagocytosis and subsequent degradation of pathogens by macrophages play a pivotal role in host innate immune responses to microbial infection. Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptors （TLRs） play an important role in promoting the clearance of bacteria by up-regulating the phagocytic activity of macrophages. However, information regarding the signaling mechanism of TLR-mediated phagocytosis is still limited. Here, we provide evidence that the stimulation of TLR4 with LPS leads to activation of multiple signaling pathways including MAP kinases, phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）, and small GTPases in the murine macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7. Specific inhibition of Cdc42/Rac or p38 MAP kinase, but not PI3K, reduced TLR4-induced phagocytosis of bacteria. Moreover, we have found that either inhibition of actin polymerization by cytochalasin D or the knockdown of actin by RNAi markedly reduced the activation of Cdc42 and Rac by LPS. TLR4-induced activation of Cdc42 and Rac appears to be independent of MyD88. Taken together, our results described a novel actin-Cdc42/Rac pathway through which TLRs can specifically provoke phagocytosis.     

杭州石荠苧生态学特性研究

 杭州石荠苧(Mosla hangchowensis)的种子完全靠风传播,但由于种子大,传播距离不远;种子在冬季休眠,春天(2月末3月初)萌发,种子萌发率很低,尤其是水选上层种子,主要原因是质量差。杭州石荠苧的营养期从3月初到8月上旬,株高在8月中旬以前基本为匀速增加,早期生长极为缓慢。形态和生殖力的环境可塑性极强,自然生长的植株冠幅变动在4～5616cm2之间。杭州石荠苧在自然生境中有时形成单优群落,通常与其它植物伴生。由于早期生长慢,限制了其在群落中的竞争能力,在土壤条件好的地方绝大部分被排挤掉,只是由于其极强的耐旱能力才在高温、干旱、土少的生境中得以存活。 将同属不濒危的华荠苧与之比较,其种子小于杭州石荠苧,但萌发率却高于杭州石荠苧。华荠苧的植株较矮,花色不如杭州石荠苧鲜艳,同在路边生长,不像杭州石荠苧那样容易被人采摘;华荠苧的根较杭州石荠苧的根深,抗雨水冲刷能力较强。华荠苧在自然生境中植株投入生殖的比例大于杭州石荠苧。     

广西雅长自然保护区兰科植物多样性研究

对广西雅长兰科植物自然保护区的兰科植物多样性进行调查研究。该保护区兰科植物多样性具有如下特点:(1)物种多样性丰富,居群数量大,共有兰科植物44属113种(含5变种);(2)分布广泛,生境复杂多样;(3)地理成分兼备热带和亚热带性质,生活类型齐全;(4)垂直分布格局呈现一定规律性。文章最后提出了该保护区兰科植物多样性保护及利用的初步建议。     

Effects of size,neighbors, and site condition on tree growth in a subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad‐leaved mixed forest,China

Successful growth of a tree is the result of combined effects of biotic and abiotic factors. It is important to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect changes in forest structure and dynamics under environmental fluctuations. In this study, we explored the effects of initial size [diameter at breast height (DBH)], neighborhood competition, and site condition on tree growth, based on a 3‐year monitoring of tree growth rate in a permanent plot (120 × 80 m) of montane Fagus engleriana–Cyclobalanopsis multiervis mixed forest on Mt. Shennongjia, China. We measured DBH increments every 6 months from October 2011 to October 2014 by field‐made dendrometers and calculated the mean annual growth rate over the 3 years for each individual tree. We also measured and calculated twelve soil properties and five topographic variables for 384 grids of 5 × 5 m. We defined two distance‐dependent neighborhood competition indices with and without considerations of phylogenetic relatedness between trees and tested for significant differences in growth rates among functional groups. On average, trees in this mixed montane forest grew 0.07 cm year^?1 in DBH. Deciduous, canopy, and early‐successional species grew faster than evergreen, small‐statured, and late‐successional species, respectively. Growth rates increased with initial DBH, but were not significantly related to neighborhood competition and site condition for overall trees. Phylogenetic relatedness between trees did not influence the neighborhood competition. Different factors were found to influence tree growth rates of different functional groups: Initial DBH was the dominant factor for all tree groups; neighborhood competition within 5 m radius decreased growth rates of evergreen trees; and site condition tended to be more related to growth rates of fast‐growing trees (deciduous, canopy, pioneer, and early‐successional species) than the slow‐growing trees (evergreen, understory, and late‐successional species).     

Quorum Sensing System Used as a Tool in Metabolic Engineering

Quorum sensing (QS) is a ubiquitous cell–cell communication mechanism in microbes that coordinates population‐level cell behaviors, such as biofilm production, virulence, swarming motility, and bacterial persistence. Efforts to engineer QS systems to take part in metabolic network regulation represent a promising strategy for synthetic biology and pathway engineering. Recently, design, construction, and implementation of QS circuits for programmed control of bacterial phenotypes and metabolic pathways have gained much attention, but have not been reviewed recently. In this article, the architectural organizations and genetic contributions of the naturally occurring QS components to understand the mechanisms are summarized. Then, the most recent progress in application of QS toolkits to develop synthetic networks for novel cell behaviors creation and metabolic pathway engineering is highlighted. The current challenges in large‐scale application of these QS circuits in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering fields are discussed and future perspectives for further engineering efforts are provided.     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒的成熟和释放

试验中用电镜观察了牛病毒性腹泻病毒ＯｒｅｇｏｎＣ２４Ｖ株在感染新生牛睾丸细胞中的形态发生。成熟的病毒颗粒是直径约为５０ｎｍ的球形颗粒,内含直径约为３０ｎｍ的核心。病毒在宿主细胞的胞质内复制,通过糙面内质网膜出芽成熟。病毒可以通过外排或在细胞死亡后含有病毒颗粒的空泡崩溃而释放到胞外。     

自絮凝酵母高浓度重复批次乙醇发酵

利用发酵性能优良的自絮凝酵母Saccharomyces cerevisiaeflo,研究开发了重复批次高浓度乙醇发酵系统,以节省下游加工过程的能耗。在终点乙醇浓度达到120g/L左右的条件下,发酵系统的乙醇生产强度达到8.2g/(L·h)。然而实验中发现,随着发酵批次的增多,自絮凝酵母沉降性能逐渐下降,从发酵液中沉降分离所需时间相应延长,导致发酵液中高浓度乙醇对酵母的毒害作用加剧,影响其发酵活性和发酵系统运行的稳定性,发酵装置运行11个批次后无法继续运行。实验结果表明,絮凝能力下降导致的酵母絮凝颗粒尺度减小是其沉降性能下降的主要原因。进一步研究发现,酵母的絮凝能力通过再培养可以恢复。在此基础上对发酵系统操作进行改进,每批发酵结束后可控采出一定比例菌体,调节系统的酵母细胞密度和乙醇生产强度以刺激酵母增殖,保持其絮凝能力。在达到相同发酵终点乙醇浓度条件下,虽然发酵系统的乙醇生产强度降低到4.0g/(L·h),但运行10d后絮凝颗粒酵母尺度趋于稳定,继续运行14d,未发现絮凝颗粒酵母尺度继续下降的现象,系统可以稳定运行。     

反义RNA介导的大肠杆菌非必需基因rpsF的基因沉默

【目的】探讨反义RNA技术介导的大肠杆菌非必需基因rpsF基因沉默导致菌体生长受抑制的原因。【方法】将rpsF基因5'端41-230 bp的片段反向插入带有末端配对结构的反义表达载体pHN678,获得重组质粒,导入大肠杆菌宿主获得反义RNA菌株Escherichia.coli/pHNF,并用诱导剂IPTG诱导反义RNA表达,通过与对照菌E.coli/pHN678的液体生长状态差异判断菌体生长表型;采用Real time RT-PCR方法跟踪分析转录水平。【结果】构建了针对rpsF的反义RNA菌株,且其生长受抑制程度与IPTG浓度呈正相关。IPTG浓度为100μmol/L时,菌体生长未受抑制,但靶基因rpsF的mRNA量降低了36%,而rpsR是位于同一操纵子下游的必需基因,其转录水平却未受影响;IPTG浓度为200μmol/L时,菌体生长明显受抑制,经分析发现rpsR转录水平降低了12%。【结论】反义RNA菌株E.coli/pHNF生长受抑制的原因是由于此反义RNA引起了同一操纵子下另一必需基因rpsR的转录水平降低。