Accelerated organic matter decomposition in thermokarst lakes upon carbon and phosphorus inputs

Mineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in thermokarst lakes plays a non-negligible role in the permafrost carbon (C) cycle, but remains poorly understood due to its complex interactions with external C and nutrient inputs (i.e., aquatic priming and nutrient effects). Based on large-scale lake sampling and laboratory incubations, in combination with ¹³C-stable-isotope labeling, optical spectroscopy, and high-throughput sequencing, we examined large-scale patterns and dominant drivers of priming and nutrient effects of DOM biodegradation across 30 thermokarst lakes along a 1100-km transect on the Tibetan Plateau. We observed that labile C and phosphorus (P) rather than nitrogen (N) inputs stimulated DOM biodegradation, with the priming and P effects being 172% and 451% over unamended control, respectively. We also detected significant interactive effects of labile C and nutrient supply on DOM biodegradation, with the combined labile C and nutrient additions inducing stronger microbial mineralization than C or nutrient treatment alone, illustrating that microbial activity in alpine thermokarst lakes is co-limited by both C and nutrients. We further found that the aquatic priming was mainly driven by DOM quality, with the priming intensity increasing with DOM recalcitrance, reflecting the limitation of external C as energy sources for microbial activity. Greater priming intensity was also associated with higher community-level ribosomal RNA gene operon (rrn) copy number and bacterial diversity as well as increased background soluble reactive P concentration. In contrast, the P effect decreased with DOM recalcitrance as well as with background soluble reactive P and ammonium concentrations, revealing the declining importance of P availability in mediating DOM biodegradation with enhanced C limitation but reduced nutrient limitation. Overall, the stimulation of external C and P inputs on DOM biodegradation in thermokarst lakes would amplify C-climate feedback in this alpine permafrost region.     

Hectogram-scale synthesis of [Aib8, Arg34]-GLP-1 (7–37) by liquid-phase fragment condensation

Based on small-scale synthesis (0.3 g), a 100-g scale-up synthesis of crude [Aib⁸, Arg³⁴]-glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (7–37) was completed. The crude [Aib⁸, Arg³⁴]-GLP-1 (7–37) was purified using a dynamic axial compression column 200 (DAC-200). Approximately 61 g of [Aib⁸, Arg³⁴]-GLP-1 (7–37) with a purity of >99% was obtained through one-step reverse-phase chromatography. The purification yield was approximately 92%. The yield from the total reaction was approximately 60%. In summary, we developed an economical and environmentally friendly route to the synthesis and purification of crude [Aib⁸, Arg³⁴]-GLP-1 (7–37), laying a foundation for subsequent industrial production.     

鼎湖山自然林豆科固氮植物资源的调查研究

本文在调查鼎湖山自然林木本豆科植物结瘤固氮的基础上,参阅了国内外有关豆科植物结瘤固氮的主要文献,研究了鼎湖山自然林木本豆科植物的固氮资源。结果得出鼎湖山自然林中常见的木本豆科植物共有41种,其中乔木15种,灌木6种,木质藤本20种;有结瘤固氮特性的26种,其中乔木11种,灌木5种,木质藤本10种;经初步调查未见根瘤的6种,其中乔木2种,灌木1种,木质藤本3种;未调查的9种,其中乔木2种,木质藤本7种。本研究结果为鼎湖山木本豆科固氮植物资源的保护、管理和开发利用提供了科学论据,在理论和应用方面均有重要意义。     

Bisphenol S induces oxidative stress-mediated impairment of testosterone synthesis by inhibiting the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Bisphenol S (BPS) is an environmental endocrine disruptor widely used in industrial production. BPS induces oxidative stress and exhibits male reproductive toxicity in mice, but the mechanisms by which BPS impairs steroid hormone synthesis are not fully understood. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/HO-1 signaling is a key pathway in improving cellular antioxidant defense capacities. Therefore, this study explored the effects of exposure to BPS on testosterone synthesis in adult male mice and its mechanisms with regard to the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were orally exposed to BPS (2, 20, and 200 mg/kg BW) with sesame oil as a vehicle (0.1 ml/10 g BW) per day for 28 consecutive days. The results showed that compared with the control group, serum testosterone levels were substantially reduced in the 20 and 200 mg/kg BPS treatment groups, and testicular testosterone levels were reduced in all BPS treatment groups. These changes were accompanied by a prominent decrease in the expression levels of testosterone synthesis-related enzymes (STAR, CYP11A1, CYP17A1, HSD3B1, and HSD17B3) in the mouse testis. In addition, BPS induced oxidative stress in the testis by upregulating the messenger RNA and protein levels of Keap1 and downregulating the levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and downstream antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD1, and Gpx4). In summary, our results indicate that exposure of adult male mice to BPS can inhibit Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and antioxidant enzyme activity, which induces oxidative stress and thereby may impair testosterone synthesis in testicular tissues, leading to reproductive damage.     

Dominant role of local dipoles in stabilizing uncompensated charges on a sulfate sequestered in a periplasmic active transport protein.

Electrostatic interactions are among the key factors determining the structure and function of proteins. Here we report experimental results that illuminate the functional importance of local dipoles to these interactions. The refined 1.7-A X-ray structure of the liganded form of the sulfate-binding protein, a primary sulfate active transport receptor of Salmonella typhimurium, shows that the sulfate dianion is completely buried and bound by hydrogen bonds (mostly main-chain peptide NH groups) and van der Waals forces. The sulfate is also closely linked, via one of these peptide units, to a His residue. It is also adjacent to the N-termini of three alpha-helices, of which the two shortest have their C-termini "capped" by Arg residues. Site-directed mutagenesis of the recombinant Escherichia coli sulfate receptor had no effect on sulfate-binding activity when an Asn residue was substituted for the positively charged His and the two Arg (changed singly and together) residues. These results, combined with other observations, further solidify the idea that stabilization of uncompensated charges in a protein is a highly localized process that involves a collection of local dipoles, including those of peptide units confined to the first turns of helices. The contribution of helix macrodipoles appears insignificant.     

Terpenoids and Their Possible Role in Defense Against a Fungal Pathogen Alternaria tenuissima in Chrysanthemum morifolium Cultivars

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Terpenoids are a class of structurally diverse natural products involved in various plant biological processes. Their primary function is believed to provide...     

湖北、河南、安徽三省大别山区地理新分布植物

湖北、河南、安徽三省大别山区地理新分布植物何家庆（安徽大学生物系合肥２３００３９）关键词大别山区,种子植物,地理新分布ＴＨＥＮＥＷＧＥＯＧＲＡＰＨＩＣＡＬＤＩＳＴＲＩＢＵＴＩＯＮＯＦＳＰＥＲＭＡＴＯＰＨＹＴＥＩＮＤＡＢＩＥＳＨＡＮＴＨＥＲＥＧＩＯＮＳ...     

Pollen fertility restoration by nuclear gene Fr in CMS common bean: an Fr linkage map and the mode of Fr action

The Fr gene in common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., is a unique gene for the study of plant nuclear-mitochondrial interactions because it appears to directly influence plant mitochondrial genome structure, resulting in the restoration of pollen fertility in cytoplasmic male sterile plants. This gene action is distinct from other pollen fertility restoration systems characterized to date. As a first step towards the map-based cloning of this unusual nuclear gene, we identified RAPD markers linked to Fr using bulked segregant analysis of near-isogenic lines. Using DNA gel blot hybridization, we localized the identified RAPD markers to a linkage group on the common bean RFLP map and constructed a linkage map of the Fr region using both RAPD markers and RFLP markers. Analysis of the mode of Fr action with the aid of identified Fr-linked DNA markers indicated that Fr functions in a semidominant fashion, showing dosage effect in controlling the dynamics of a heteroplasmic mitochondrial population. We also present our observations on the developmental distinctions, crucial in the accurate mapping of the Fr gene, between spontaneous cytoplasmic reversion and Fr-driven fertility restoration, two phenomena that are phenotypically indistinguishable.