Changes in vegetation and soil properties following 6 years of enclosure in riparian corridors

河岸带是维持生物多样性的重要生态系统之一。然而,由于过度放牧引起的植被消耗和过度开垦等人类活动的干扰,河岸带植被多样性和植被盖度受到严重的破坏,甚至威胁了河道的稳定性。围栏封育在退化草地生态系统修复中被广泛应用,但对退化河岸带植被群落和土壤性质的影响尚不明确。本研究的目的旨在明确围封的实施是否会促进河岸带植被群落的物种组成、物种丰富度和物种多样性恢复,土壤氧分如何随围封年限的增加而变化。辽河干流自2012年起被围栏封育管理,本研究在辽河干流河岸带沿岸设置了20个草本群落长期观测样地,记录了2012–2017年样地中植被高度、盖度和个体数量等参数用于物种丰富度和物种多样性的统计分析。同时,分别测定了2012年和2017年植被群落土壤氧分含量,验证了植被群落和土壤氧分对围封的反馈,研究了2012–2017年辽河干流河岸带的围栏封育对物种多样性和土壤氧分的影响。结果表明,随着围封年限的增加,辽河干流河岸带草本群落植被丰富度和多样性显著增加。物种组成方面,菊科植物的优势度显著增加,禾本科植物优势度显著下降。围封后植被群落的恢复和禁止耕作,加速了土壤中磷和钾的消耗,表现为显著降低,土壤有机质含量对围封的响应表现的相对滞后,并没有显著变化。综上所述,本研究为河岸带植被群落物种多样性、物种组成对围封的响应提供了新的见解。     

Ultrasensitive Deep-Ultraviolet Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors Using Aluminum-Graphene Metasurface: a Theoretical Insight

Plasmonics - This study investigates a versatile deep-ultraviolet (DUV) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor by integrating a few graphene layers into low-cost aluminum (Al) thin film. The...     

Knockdown of DNA‐binding protein A enhances the chemotherapy sensitivity of colorectal cancer via suppressing the Wnt/β‐catenin/Chk1 pathway

DNA‐binding protein A (dbpA) is reported to be upregulated in many cancers and associated with tumor progress. The present study aimed to investigate the role of dbpA in 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU)‐resistant and oxaliplatin (L‐OHP)‐resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. We found that 5‐FU and L‐OPH treatment promoted the expression of dbpA. Enhanced dbpA promoted the drug resistance of SW620 cells to 5‐FU and L‐OHP. DbpA knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, and cell cycle arrested in SW620/5‐FU and SW620/L‐OHP cells. Besides, dbpA short hairpin RNA (shRNA) enhanced the cytotoxicity of 5‐FU and L‐OHP to SW620/5‐FU and SW620/L‐OHP cells. Meanwhile, dbpA shRNA inhibited the activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway that induced by 5‐FU stimulation in SW620/5‐FU cells. Activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway or overexpression of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) abrogated the promoting effect of dbpA downregulation on 5‐FU sensitivity of CRC cells. Importantly, downregulation of dbpA suppressed tumor growth and promoted CRC cells sensitivity to 5‐FU in vivo. Our study indicated that the knockdown of dbpA enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5‐FU via Wnt/β‐catenin/Chk1 pathway, and DbpA may be a potential therapeutic target to sensitize drug resistance CRC to 5‐FU and L‐OHP.     

Highly efficient soluble expression and purification of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (hbFGF) by fusion with a new collagen-like protein (Scl2) in Escherichia coli

Abstract

Human basic fibroblast growth factor (hbFGF) is involved in a wide range of biological activities that affect the growth, differentiation, and migration. Due to its wound healing effects and therapy, hbFGF has the potential as therapeutic agent. Therefore, large-scale production of biologically active recombinant hbFGF with low cost is highly desirable. However, the complex structure of hbFGF hinders its high-level expression as the soluble and functional form. In the present study, an efficient, cost-effective, and scalable method for producing recombinant hbFGF was developed. The modified collagen-like protein (Scl2-M) from Streptococcus pyogenes was used as the fusion tag for producing recombinant hbFGF for the first time. After optimization, the expression level of Scl2-M-hbFGF reached approximately 0.85?g/L in the shake flask and 7.7?g/L in a high cell-density fermenter using glycerol as a carbon source. Then, the recombinant Scl2-M-hbFGF was readily purified using one-step acid precipitation and the purified Scl2-M-hbFGF was digested with enterokinase. The digested mixture was further subject to ion-exchange chromatography, and the final high-purity (96%) hbFGF product was prepared by freeze-drying. The recovery rate of the whole purification process attained 55.0%. In addition, the biological activity of recombinant hbFGF was confirmed by using L929 and BALB/c3T3 fibroblasts. Overall, this method has the potential for large scale production of recombinant hbFGF.     

ABC转运蛋白及其在合成生物学中的应用

ABC转运蛋白(ATP-binding cassette transporter,ABC transporter)作为一种超大膜转运蛋白家族,在大多数生物体中发挥着重要作用。文中从结构特征、转运机制以及生理功能等方面论述了ABC转运蛋白的研究进展,进而着重综述了近些年来ABC转运蛋白在合成生物学领域中的应用,并为今后进一步的研究提出了展望,希望为扩展其应用提供指导。     

2030年闽三角城市群土地利用变化对生态系统水源涵养服务的影响

生态系统水源涵养服务作为水资源得以持续的基础和保障,正持续遭受着人类活动的干扰和影响,土地利用变化作为主要的方式之一,对水源涵养的影响广泛而且深远。运用InVEST模型模拟了闽三角城市群2015年和2030年的水源涵养情景,发现到2030年闽三角城市群区域内水源涵养量总体会下降0.24×10⁸ m³;对比发现：土地利用变化对水源涵养的影响主要主要表现在变化面积、变化方向、作用强度以及面积补偿作用四个方面。首先面积变化方面,水源涵养量同用地类型的面积大小正相关,但二者的变化量并不正相关;其次变化方向方面,相比变化为城市生态系统和水域生态系统而言,变化为自然生态系统和农业生态系统的土地利用变化更有利于生态系统水源涵养;再次,土地利用变化对水源涵养产生作用的强度由强及弱以此为林地、其他土地、草地、农田、建设用地、水域及滩涂;最后,面积变化后的补偿作用方面,由于不同用地类型水源涵养能力和面积变化量的差异,由农田、林地、草地及其他土地面积下降导致的水源涵养量损失并不能通过建设用地、水域及滩涂用地类型面积的增加得以完全补偿。     

景感生态学在城市生态系统服务中的应用研究——以城市公园景观设计为例

城市生态系统服务和可持续发展是当前城市生态学研究的热点问题。景感生态学作为联系生态系统服务和可持续发展的桥梁,可作为研究城市生态系服务和可持续发展的一种有效途径。随着社会发展所伴随的人们经济生活的生活压力增大,城市居民的亚健康状态日益突出。城市公园作为城市生态系统的重要构成,其设计目的应考虑应对城市居民健康问题和促进人类精神文明建设方面的作用。以城市公园景观设计为例,从园路、建筑、植物、水体景观和小品等方面探讨景感生态学在城市公园景观设计中的应用价值。景感生态学作为探索城市公园景观设计的新思路,以实现生态效益和居民福祉的提升,丰富和提升城市公园的生态系统服务功能,从而有利于促进为人类当代和后代提供可持续的福祉,以期驱使人类行为和言行规律朝着对生态系统有益的方向演化,自觉维护和改善生态系统服务,从而可持续地保障城市生态系统服务。