Trace Metal Mixture Toxicity in Aquatic Organism Reviewed from a Biotoxicity Perspective

Biotoxicity of individual metals is well investigated but that of metal mixture, an environmental reality, in the developing metal mixture, is relatively obscure. Experimental evidences had shown that this mixture could give rise to combined effects that were different from the effect of metals one by one. This review provides an overview of recent research on metal mixture toxicity and the methods employed to predict their toxic combined effects. The two established reference models, the concentration-addition model and the independent-addition model, were used for evaluating the combined effect from the biological activities of the metal mixtures. While the reference models had provided reasonable tools for analyzing the combined effects, the actual predictions for binary metal mixtures showed often somewhat less than additive combined effects compared to what has been observed. As the metal bioavailability is oriented by several environmental factors as well as the toxicodynamics of metals is highly compound-specific, the non-interactive combined effects may be confused with different processes of the interactions. Thus, for improving the predictability of combined effects in metal mixture toxicity, numerous qualitative and quantitative analysis are required for the processes governing the toxicokinetics and dynamics of metals in aquatic organisms.     

High-density genetic map construction and identification of a locus controlling weeping trait in an ornamental woody plant (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc)

High-density genetic map is a valuable tool for fine mapping locus controlling a specific trait especially for perennial woody plants. In this study, we firstly constructed a high-density genetic map of mei (Prunus mume) using SLAF markers, developed by specific locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). The linkage map contains 8,007 markers, with a mean marker distance of 0.195 cM, making it the densest genetic map for the genus Prunus. Though weeping trees are used worldwide as landscape plants, little is known about weeping controlling gene(s) (Pl). To test the utility of the high-density genetic map, we did fine-scale mapping of this important ornamental trait. In total, three statistic methods were performed progressively based on the result of inheritance analysis. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis initially revealed that a locus on linkage group 7 was strongly responsible for weeping trait. Mutmap-like strategy and extreme linkage analysis were then applied to fine map this locus within 1.14 cM. Bioinformatics analysis of the locus identified some candidate genes. The successful localization of weeping trait strongly indicates that the high-density map constructed using SLAF markers is a worthy reference for mapping important traits for woody plants.     

Snapping magnetosome chains by asymmetric cell division in magnetotactic bacteria

The mechanism by which prokaryotic cells organize and segregate their intracellular organelles during cell division has recently been the subject of substantial interest. Unlike other microorganisms, magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) form internal magnets (known as magnetosome chain) for magnetic orientation, and thus face an additional challenge of dividing and equipartitioning this magnetic receptor to their daughter cells. Although MTB have been investigated more than four decades, it is only recently that the basic mechanism of how MTB divide and segregate their magnetic organelles has been addressed. In this issue of Molecular Microbiology, the cell cycle of the model magnetotactic bacterium, Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense is characterized by Katzmann and co-workers. The authors have found that M. gryphiswaldense undergoes an asymmetric cell division along two planes. A novel wedge-like type of cellular constriction is observed before separation of daughter cells and magnetosome chains, which is assumed to help cell cope with the magnetic force within the magnetosome chain. The data shows that the magnetosome chain becomes actively recruited to the cellular division site, in agreement with the previous suggestions described by Staniland et al. (2010), and the actin-like protein MamK is likely involved in this fast polar-to-midcell translocalization. With the use of cryo-electron tomography, an arc-shaped Z ring is observed near the division site, which is assumed to trigger the asymmetric septation of cell and magnetosome chain.     

Gene detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in production strain of staphylococcin injection and superantigenic activity of rSEK and rSEQ

In China, staphylococcin injection has been commonly used in the combined treatment of cancer to enhance the systemic immune response and reduce the toxicities associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It is claimed that the main active component in the injection is staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2). To determine whether other serological types of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) could also be present in the injection products, in this study, the distribution of se genes (from sea to see, from seg to seu) in the one and only production strain of Staphylococcus aureus from one manufacturing company was analyzed by PCR method. In addition, sek and seq genes were cloned from the strain and the corresponding recombinant proteins, rSEK and rSEQ, were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography. The superantigenic properties of the two recombinant proteins were then measured by MTT method. The PCR results showed that seven se genes are harbored by the production strain. However, sec2 gene was not detected. The results of MTT assay showed that rSEK and rSEQ could elicit strong stimulatory effects on proliferation and cytotoxicity of murine splenocytes in vitro. Overall, the results in this study indicated that one or a plurality of the seven SEs may be present in the related products, and that the two recombinant SEs are promising candidates as immunomodulatory agents for cancer therapy.     

Simultaneous detection of dual proteins using quantum dots coated silica nanoparticles as labels

Simultaneous detection of multianalytes associated with a particular cancer is beneficial for disease diagnosis. Here, a facile immunosensing strategy was designed to allow simultaneous electrochemical detection of dual proteins, in a single run. CdSe and PbS water-soluble quantum dots (QDs) were prepared and coated on monodisperse silica nanoparticles as labels for proteins detection. Rabbit immunoglobulin G antigen (IgG) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were chosen as model proteins for analysis. After a typical sandwich immunoassay, CdSe and PbS QDs labels were introduced onto the Au substrates' surface, which were then dissolved and could be simultaneously monitored by square-wave-voltammetric (SWV) stripping measurements. Under selected conditions, IgG and CEA could be assayed in the ranges of 0.05-40 ng mL(-1) and 0.05-25 ng mL(-1), respectively. The proposed method possessed high sensitivity, good precision, and satisfactory reproducibility and regeneration.     

Mix and match: heterodimers and opioid tolerance

The mechanism by which multiple brain structures interact to support working memory is not yet fully understood. In this issue of Neuron, Fujisawa and Buzsáki report that coordinated oscillatory activities between the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and ventral tegmental area (VTA) may be a key neural correlate of working memory.     

The effect of feed salinity on the biofouling dynamics of seawater desalination

A persistent cell labeling dye and a novel microbial counting method were used to explore the effects of salinity on a microbial population in a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination system, and these clearly distinguished microbial cell multiplication from cell adherence. The results indicated that microbial multiplication is more active at the front of a seawater RO pressure vessel, while adhesion dominates the back of the vessel. A severe reduction in RO permeate flux and total dissolved solid (TDS) rejection were detected at low salinity, attributed to marked cell multiplication and release of extracellular polymeric substances, whilst a relatively stable flux was observed at medium and high salinity. The results from PCR-DGGE revealed the variation in microbial species distribution on the membrane with salinity. The results imply the critical role of membrane modification in biofouling mitigation in the desalination process.