Production of the Mycotoxin Fumonisin B(1) by Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici

The mycotoxin fumonisin B(1), originally described as being produced by Fusarium moniliforme, was detected in liquid cultures of Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici, a host-specific pathogen of tomato plants. The metabolite was detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Its identity was confirmed by fast atom bombardment and ion spray mass spectrometry, as well as parent-daughter tandem mass spectrometry. In three separate experiments, the concentrations found ranged between 5 and 140 ppm (mug/ml).     

Thermodynamic identification of stable folding intermediates in the B-subunit of cholera toxin

The structural stability and domain structure of the pentameric B-subunit of cholera toxin have been measured as a function of different perturbants in order to assess the magnitude of the interactions within the B-subunits. For these studies, temperature, guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl), and pH were used as perturbants, and the effects were measured by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry, isothermal reaction calorimetry, fluorescence spectroscopy, and partial protease digestion. At pH 7.5 and in the absence of any additional perturbants, the thermal unfolding of the B-subunit pentamer is characterized by a single peak in the heat capacity function centered at 77 degrees C and characterized by a delta Hcal of 328 kcal/mol of B-subunit pentamer and delta Hvh/delta Hcal of 0.3. Lowering the pH down to 4 or adding GuHCl up to 2 M results in a decrease of the calorimetric enthalpy with no significant effect on the van't Hoff enthalpy. The transition enthalpy decreases in a sigmoidal fashion with pH, with an inflection point centered at pH 5.3. Isothermal titration calorimetric studies as a function of pH also report a transition centered at pH 5.3 and characterized by an enthalpy change of 27 kcal/mol of B-subunit pentamer at 27 degrees C. Below this pH, the enthalpy change for the unfolding transition is reduced to approximately 100 kcal/mol of B-subunit pentamer. Similar behavior is obtained with GuHCl. In this case, a first transition is observed at 0.5 M GuHCl and a second one at 3 M GuHCl.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

冀北承德地区土壤生源要素生态化学计量与空间分异特征

土壤生源要素生态化学计量和空间分异特征对指导土地利用优化具有重要意义。以京津冀生态屏障区组成部分的承德市为研究区,采集1597件土壤样品,运用地统计学、全局Moran′s I指数、克里金插值和冗余分析等方法对承德全域主要土壤生源要素的空间分异特征及其影响因素进行了系统分析。结果表明,承德市表层土壤生源要素全钾(STK)、有机碳(SOC)、全氮(STN)、全磷(STP)和全硫(STS)平均含量分别为21.962 g/kg、18.826 g/kg、1.168 g/kg、0.587 g/kg和0.193 g/kg。垂向分布上STN、SOC和STS含量总体随深度增加而降低,STK和STP垂向分异受成土母质控制,高地质背景区STK和STP含量随深度增加逐渐升高。SOC和STN含量显著相关,空间耦合程度高,C:S与SOC含量显著正相关,C:N和C:S空间分布稳定,土壤生源要素的化学计量比主要受SOC含量控制。SOC空间自相关极显著,空间分异受结构性因素控制;STK空间自相关程度较高,分布稳定;STP空间自相关较显著,分布异质性较大;STS空间自相关相对最弱,受人为活动影响较明显。SOC和STN空间...     

基于水供需服务流及外溢价值核算的太湖流域横向生态补偿机制

通过生态补偿协调流域内经济发展与生态保护的关系、缓解上下游利益相关者之间的矛盾是保障流域经济社会可持续发展的关键措施,而流域生态补偿核定的关键在于两点:一是如何模拟并量化水供需服务流动的流向、流量、流速及路径以明确供需双方及其空间关系;二是如何实现栅格尺度-地理单元-行政单元的尺度推演以实现不同行政单元之间生态系统服务的盈余、占用、外溢核算。整合卫星遥感、经济社会统计、水文气象观测等多源异构数据,集成水量平衡、水供需服务流动、生态价值核算等方法,构建了基于水供需流动及其外溢价值核算的流域横向生态补偿标准核定框架,利用D8流向法解决了水供需服务流动的流向、流量、流速及路径模拟与量化,实现了"栅格尺度-地形单元-行政单元"空间尺度推演的外溢价值核算,形成了流域内横向水生态补偿资金收取与分配方案。以太湖流域为例,在全面分析水资源外溢、占用及其价值的基础上,解析了县域尺度的水供需时空关系、流动路径及属性特征,辅以水质指标进而明确界定了责任方与补偿对象,形成了补偿资金收取与分配方案。结果表明,太湖流域水供需双方界线清晰、服务流近似于自然汇流过程,供给方以流域西部、西南部、中部县域为主,特别是西部至中部的县域,应受偿资金较多,平均各县应受偿资金比例超过2%/a,应受偿资金最多的嘉善区,比例超过19.66%/a;需求方聚集于流域中部、东部,特别是黄浦江自然汇流沿岸县域,应收取补偿资金较多,平均各县应收取资金比例超过5%/a,应收取最多的浦东新区,比例超过15.48%/a;净补偿资金基本呈现西高东低的分布特征,流域的大部分城市核心区的县域净补偿资金为负值。研究的核定框架、量化核算方法、资金统筹方案可应用到其他流域的横向生态补偿机制构建,实现流域内部与流域之间生态保护和经济发展的整体协调。     

喀斯特11种典型生态恢复树种凋落叶分解及其对土壤碳排放的激发效应

旨在探究喀斯特地区退化生态系统植被恢复树种凋落叶分解过程及其对土壤碳排放的激发效应,为选择合适的树种进行植被恢复提供数据支持。以中国林科院热带林业实验中心大青山石山树木园11种适应性强、耐干旱贫瘠的优良石山树种为研究对象,利用¹³C自然丰度法区分凋落叶和土壤来源CO₂并量化土壤激发效应,比较不同生态恢复树种凋落叶分解及其激发效应的差异,探讨凋落物分解及其激发效应与凋落物性状之间的关联。结果表明:(1)11个生态恢复树种凋落叶在碳相关化学性质(水溶性碳、半纤维素和单宁含量等)、养分含量(磷和镁含量等)及化学计量特征(碳磷比和氮磷比)等方面均表现出较高程度变异。(2)不同生态恢复树种凋落叶分解及其诱导的土壤激发效应具有极显著差异(P<0.001);在整个培养实验期间,11个生态恢复树种凋落叶平均分解了35.3%,其中海南椴分解最快,达到50%,而青冈栎分解最慢,仅分解16.5%。(3)总体上看,凋落叶处理的土壤呼吸速率(5.1 mg C kg^-1 土壤 d^-1)是对照土壤呼吸速率(2.3 mg C kg^-1土壤d^-1)的2.2倍,凋落叶添加显著促进土壤有机碳分解,平均达到37.6%;其中海南椴、割舌树和任豆凋落叶输入则抑制土壤有机碳分解(抑制程度分别为-13.2%、-6.9%和-22.5%),产生负激发效应。(4)凋落叶分解与非结构性碳(r=0.63,P=0.04)和水溶性碳(r=0.91,P<0.001)呈显著正相关,与叶干物质含量(r=0.64,P=0.03)、纤维素(r=0.62,P=0.04)和锰含量(r=-0.63,P=0.04)呈显著负相关。多元回归分析结果表明,水溶性碳、钾和钙含量相结合可以解释生态恢复树种凋落叶分解变异的98%;然而,凋落叶性状与土壤激发效应强度之间并没有显著相关性。从土壤养分归还角度考虑,喀斯特退化生态系统恢复树种可以选择光皮梾木、海南椴、顶果木和降香黄檀等凋落叶分解较快的树种,以促进土壤养分循环和植被恢复;另一方面,从土壤碳固持角度来看,海南椴、任豆和割舌树等凋落叶输入会抑制土壤有机碳分解,从而有利于提高退化生态系统土壤碳封存能力。     

城市建成区自生草本植物群落的物种多样性与功能多样性——以深圳市为例

城市自生草本植物的物种多样性和功能多样性直接影响城市生态系统的功能和稳定性,但目前相关研究依然很缺乏。以深圳市为例,基于建成区600个1hm²样地的现场调查数据,分析自生草本植物的群落结构、物种多样性、群落功能特征及功能多样性。结果显示:①调查共记录自生草本植物61科178属273种,其中多年生草本占54.6%,乡土植物占65.6%。②占明显优势的功能特征有中小型叶(91.85%)、草质叶(42.59%)、纸质叶(32.96%)、叶片无毛或近无毛(56.67%)、中等密度绒毛(40.37%)、叶面较粗糙(52.59%)、花期4-6个月(50.78%)、果期4-6个月(49.22%)、干果(86.03%)。③群落类型间功能丰富度FDp、功能离散度Rao二次熵差异极显著(P ＜ 0.01)、功能均匀度FEve差异显著(P ＜ 0.05)。④公园绿地的物种多样性指数明显高于其他三类绿地;不同绿地类型间的功能丰富度和功能离散度在滞尘、降噪、降温增湿及生物多样性保护方面都有极显著差异(P ＜ 0.01),功能均匀度只在滞尘及生物多样性保护方面差异极显著(P ＜ 0.01)。⑤各功能多样性指数均与Margalef指数、Simpson指数及Shannon-Wiener指数呈极显著正相关关系(P ＜ 0.01)。研究结论和方法为维护城市生态系统稳定性、建设生态宜居城市、促进城市可持续发展提供理论依据。     

Long noncoding RNA lncMREF promotes myogenic differentiation and muscle regeneration by interacting with the Smarca5/p300 complex

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the spatial and temporal regulation of muscle development and regeneration. Nevertheless, the determination of their biological functions and mechanisms underlying muscle regeneration remains challenging. Here, we identified a lncRNA named lncMREF (lncRNA muscle regeneration enhancement factor) as a conserved positive regulator of muscle regeneration among mice, pigs and humans. Functional studies demonstrated that lncMREF, which is mainly expressed in differentiated muscle satellite cells, promotes myogenic differentiation and muscle regeneration. Mechanistically, lncMREF interacts with Smarca5 to promote chromatin accessibility when muscle satellite cells are activated and start to differentiate, thereby facilitating genomic binding of p300/CBP/H3K27ac to upregulate the expression of myogenic regulators, such as MyoD and cell differentiation. Our results unravel a novel temporal-specific epigenetic regulation during muscle regeneration and reveal that lncMREF/Smarca5-mediated epigenetic programming is responsible for muscle cell differentiation, which provides new insights into the regulatory mechanism of muscle regeneration.