Diversity and characterization of sulfate-reducing bacteria in groundwater at a uranium mill tailings site.

Microbially mediated reduction and immobilization of U(VI) to U(IV) plays a role in both natural attenuation and accelerated bioremediation of uranium-contaminated sites. To realize bioremediation potential and accurately predict natural attenuation, it is important to first understand the microbial diversity of such sites. In this paper, the distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in contaminated groundwater associated with a uranium mill tailings disposal site at Shiprock, N.Mex., was investigated. Two culture-independent analyses were employed: sequencing of clone libraries of PCR-amplified dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DSR) gene fragments and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarker analysis. A remarkable diversity among the DSR sequences was revealed, including sequences from delta-Proteobacteria, gram-positive organisms, and the Nitrospira division. PLFA analysis detected at least 52 different mid-chain-branched saturate PLFA and included a high proportion of 10me16:0. Desulfotomaculum and Desulfotomaculum-like sequences were the most dominant DSR genes detected. Those belonging to SRB within delta-Proteobacteria were mainly recovered from low-uranium (< or =302 ppb) samples. One Desulfotomaculum-like sequence cluster overwhelmingly dominated high-U (>1,500 ppb) sites. Logistic regression showed a significant influence of uranium concentration over the dominance of this cluster of sequences (P = 0.0001). This strong association indicates that Desulfotomaculum has remarkable tolerance and adaptation to high levels of uranium and suggests the organism's possible involvement in natural attenuation of uranium. The in situ activity level of Desulfotomaculum in uranium-contaminated environments and its comparison to the activities of other SRB and other functional groups should be an important area for future research.     

In vitro neuroprotection against glutamate-induced toxicity by pGlu-Glu-Pro-NH2 (EEP)

EEP is a tripeptide structurally similar to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and, like TRH, it is found in the mammalian brain. TRH has been found to increase in brain regions after seizures and to be neuroprotective. EEP has also been shown to increase in brain regions following seizure activity. We therefore sought to determine whether the similarities between these two peptides might be extended to include neuroprotection. Both TRH and EEP were found to be neuroprotective in vitro against an excitotoxic insult. Interestingly, the two tripeptides appeared to have different mechanisms of action. Even though EEP was as much as four times more neuroprotective than TRH, its ability to reduce glutamate-stimulated increases in intraneuronal Ca²⁺ was about half that of TRH.     

Molecular evidence suggesting the persistence of residual SARS‐CoV‐2 and immune responses in the placentas of pregnant patients recovered from COVID‐19

ObjectivesRecent studies have shown the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in the tissues of clinically recovered patients and persistent immune symptoms in discharged patients for up to several months. Pregnant patients were shown to be a high‐risk group for COVID‐19. Based on these findings, we assessed SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid and protein retention in the placentas of pregnant women who had fully recovered from COVID‐19 and cytokine fluctuations in maternal and foetal tissues.Materials and MethodsRemnant SARS‐CoV‐2 in the term placenta was detected using nucleic acid amplification and immunohistochemical staining of the SARS‐CoV‐2 protein. The infiltration of CD14+ macrophages into the placental villi was detected by immunostaining. The cytokines in the placenta, maternal plasma, neonatal umbilical cord, cord blood and amniotic fluid specimens at delivery were profiled using the Luminex assay.ResultsResidual SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid and protein were detected in the term placentas of recovered pregnant women. The infiltration of CD14+ macrophages into the placental villi of the recovered pregnant women was higher than that in the controls. Furthermore, the cytokine levels in the placenta, maternal plasma, neonatal umbilical cord, cord blood and amniotic fluid specimens fluctuated significantly.ConclusionsOur study showed that SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid (in one patient) and protein (in five patients) were present in the placentas of clinically recovered pregnant patients for more than 3 months after diagnosis. The immune responses induced by the virus may lead to prolonged and persistent symptoms in the maternal plasma, placenta, umbilical cord, cord blood and amniotic fluid.     

延伸因子-1α-A和β-肌动蛋白启动子在青鳉转基因胚胎中的表达（简报）

转基因技术是二十世纪八十年代初发展起来的一项生物领域高新技术。近年来,外源基因经显微注射导入哺乳类、两栖类、昆虫类以及鱼类的受精卵或胚胎,从而使人们对在整个动物的系统发育期间外源基因表达的研究更加深入。与哺乳类、两栖类以及昆虫类相比,鱼作为在脊椎动物进化的低级阶段,更适合在受精卵或胚胎期的显微操作。转基因鱼模型的研究为鱼类基因工程育种奠定了理论基础,基因导入方法的成熟、胚胎干细胞技术的发展以及基因组学理论的应用则为鱼类基因工程育种提供     

黑脊倒刺Ba生精细胞拟染色体的形成过程

用电子显微镜观察了黑脊倒刺Ba生精细胞中拟染色体的形成过程。拟染色体在初级精原细胞中形成。在初级精原细胞的细胞核中,拟染色体前体物质先附着于核膜内侧,该处核膜崩溃。并在拟染色体前体物质的内侧,新核膜形成。新核膜将拟染色体前体物质分隔出细胞核之外。新核膜呈凹陷状。拟染色体前体物质集中于该凹陷中,并聚集成拟染色体。新核膜上有较大的空隙。核内还有少量拟染色体前体物质通过该空隙进入核表面的凹陷中,并结合到拟染色体上。黑脊倒刺Ba生精细胞拟染色 体的形成方式与通常认为的核内物质通过核孔排出核外的方式不同,似可表明核内物质向外运输存在着另一种机制。拟染色体形成后不久就与线粒体结合,并离开核凹。在以后的发育过程中,拟染色体又与线粒体分离。     

溴氨酸降解菌株的分离和特性

从化工厂污泥中中分离到4个对蒽醌染料中间体溴氨酸有显降解和脱色作用的菌株。经鉴定,4株菌均为假单胞菌属（Pseudomonas sp.）。脱色效果最好的N1菌株能以溴酸为唯一碳源生长,其脱色效果受温度和pH影响较大,最佳生长条件是30℃,pH7.2。     

家蚕质多角体病毒片段IV的全序列测定

在随机引物建库的基础上,通过交叉设计引物及加单链DNA接头,应用RT-PCR技术克隆的家蚕质多角体病毒dsRNA片段Ⅳ的全长cDNA,并测定了它的全序列。该片段长3,262bp,含有一个完整的开放讯码框,编码一个长1,058氨基酸的成熟多肽。序列分析表明,该片段与日本BmCPV片段Ⅳ的核苷酸序列同源性为89％,氨基酸序列同源性为95％。     

高压蒸汽灭菌器中温度与压力的关系*

应用Clausius-Clapeyron方程、波义耳定律和道尔顿分压定律,分析高压蒸汽灭菌器中混合气体温度和压力的关系。以献数据建立了灭菌器中残留不同量空气时的Antoine方程,导出以压力表读数计算温度的方法。对灭菌时排放空气的必要性给予理论解释。     

低氧提高肿瘤细胞反义VEGF165基因表达

为了探讨反义VEGF1 65基因对食管癌的抑制作用 ,并初步探讨利用肿瘤低氧微环境改善基因治疗的效果 ,采用PCR技术和DNA重组技术构建了含低氧反应元件的真核表达载体 ,并用此载体构建了含荧光素酶报告基因和反义VEGF1 65基因的重组载体。用脂质体将重组载体导入食管癌细胞 ,体外用化学发光光度计测定低氧对报告基因表达的调节和ELISA法间接测定低氧对反义VEGF基因表达的调节作用。体内利用裸鼠皮下移植实验研究低氧对反义VEGF1 65基因抑瘤作用的影响。体外实验表明 ,用带低氧反应元件的重组真核表达载体转染食管癌细胞 ,在低氧培养下可以使报告基因的表达提高 3 780 % ,并可以显著提高反义VEGF1 65基因的表达 ,体内用带低氧反应元件的载体将反义VEGF1 65基因导入食管癌细胞中 ,其抑瘤效果显著优于不含该元件的载体 ,抑瘤率分别为 71 .7%和 5 6 .1 %。反义VEGF1 65基因能显著抑制食管癌的生长 ;利用肿瘤低氧可以实现治疗基因的自主调节 ,改善基因治疗的效果     

最大信息熵原理与群体遗传平衡

建立了用最大信息熵原理推导群体遗传平衡定律的统一数学模型,并给出了模型的统一解,此解正是Hardy-Weinberg定律所给出的平衡群体的基因型频率,说明当群体信息熵达到最大时,群体基因型频率不再变化,即达到“平衡”。这证明了最大熵分布就是Hardy-Weinberg平衡分布。Hardy-Weinberg平衡定律与最大信息熵原理的内在一致性说明,杂交和随机交配是一个不可逆过程,使群体基因型信息熵增大,无序性增,是选择和近亲交配使群体的信息熵降低,有序性增加,育种过程实际就是调节群体信息熵的过程。过程信息熵的含义是表示一个概率分布的不确定性,最大熵原理意味着在一定的约束条件,选择具有最大不确定性的分布,从而其分布是最为随机的。最大熵原理在信息,工程,天文,地理,图像处理,模式识别等自然科学和社会科学领域都有广泛的成功应用,本文从群体遗传学角度证明了这一原理具有普遍适用性。熵是描述系统状态的函数,而最大熵原理则表明了系统发展变化的趋势,系统的最终状态必然是熵增加至最大值的状态,对于任何系统都是如此。因此,群体遗传系统的平衡定律可以统一用最大熵原理进行判定和描述;任意群体的基因型信息熵在随机交配世代传递时有不断增加的趋势;在一定约束条件下基因型信息熵达到最大值时,就称之为达到遗传平衡。本文将信息论原理应用于群体遗传学研究,揭示了基因信息熵的生物学意义,并表明可以用信息学和控制论的原理和方法来研究群体遗传学问题。