Predictive functional profiling using marker gene sequences and community diversity analyses of microbes in full-scale anaerobic sludge digesters

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely used in treating the sewage sludge, as it can reduce the amount of sludge, eliminate pathogens and produce biofuel. To enhance the operational performance and stability of anaerobic bioreactors, operational and conventional chemical data from full-scale sludge anaerobic digesters were collected over a 2-year period and summarized, and the microbial community diversity of the sludge sample was investigated at various stages of the AD process. For the purpose of distinguishing between the functional and community diversity of the microbes, Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) software was used to impute the prevalence of 16S rDNA marker gene sequences in the difference in various sludge samples. Meanwhile, a taxa analysis was also carried out to investigate the different sludge samples. The microbial community diversity analysis of one AD sludge sample showed that the most dominant bacterial genera were Saccharicrinis, Syntrophus, Anaerotruncus and Thermanaerothrix. Among archaea, acetoclastic Methanosaeta represented 56.0 %, and hydrogenotrophic Methanospirillum, Methanoculleus, Methanothermus and Methanolinea accounted for 41.3 % of all methanogens. The taxa, genetic and functional prediction analyses of the feedstock and AD sludge samples suggested great community diversity differences between them. The taxa of bacteria in two AD sludge samples were considerably different, but the abundances of the functional KEGG pathways took on similar levels. The numbers of identified pathogens were significantly lower in the digested sludge than in the feedstock, but the PICRUSt results showed the difference in “human diseases” abundances in the level-1 pathway between the two sludge samples was small.     

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Patterns in Chinese Cherry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus pseudocerasus</Emphasis> Lindl) Landraces

Chinese cherry (Prunus pseudocerasus Lindl.) is an ancient fruit crop with highly economic and ornamental values. It originated in China and the cultivation history can be traced back to 3,000 - 4,000 years ago. Over such a long-term domestication process, a large number of genetic variations have been accumulated in different landraces. However, their utilization for cultivar improvement is limited by the scarcity of information involving genetic diversity and population structure. Here, 17 populations comprised of 140 individuals were collected from four geographic areas: Sichuan Basin (SC), Qinglin Mountain (QL), Yungui Plateau (YG) and North of China (NC), and analyzed using a set of 20 microsatellite markers. In total, 126 polymorphic loci were generated, with 6.3 loci per primer. The global expected heterozygosity (He = 0.63) and Shannon information index (I = 1.23) implied a moderately high level of genetic variation. Two major clusters (cluster 1 and cluster 2) were demonstrated based on population structure analysis, which implied the presence of two potential domestication sites of Chinese cherry landraces. Individuals from SC were assigned to cluster 1 and those from QL, YG and NC were grouped into cluster 2. Samples from QL region contained the most plentiful admixture genetic components, implied the possibility of being one transition region of genetic variation. Moreover, botanical characteristics, such as long lifespan, inbreeding preference as well as vegetative propagation, might lead to a relatively low level but significant genetic divergence among populations. Finally, conservation strategies were proposed to protect these valuable natural germplasm based on these results.     

Tongxinluo Protects against Hypertensive Kidney Injury in Spontaneously-Hypertensive Rats by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Activating Forkhead Box O1 Signaling

Hypertension is an independent risk factor for the progression of chronic renal failure, and oxidative stress plays a critical role in hypertensive renal damage. Forkbox O1(FoxO1) signaling protects cells against oxidative stress and may be a useful target for treating oxidative stress-induced hypertension. Tongxinluo is a traditional Chinese medicine with cardioprotective and renoprotective functions. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of Tongxinluo in hypertensive renal damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs)and elucidate the possible involvement of oxidative stress and FoxO1 signaling in its molecular mechanisms. SHRs treated with Tongxinluo for 12 weeks showed a reduction in systolic blood pressure. In addition to increasing creatinine clearance, Tongxinluo decreased urinary albumin excretion, oxidative stress injury markers including malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls, and expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunits and its activity in SHR kidneys. While decreasing phosphorylation of FoxO1, Tongxinluo also inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 and p38 and enhanced manganese superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in SHR kidneys. Furthermore, histology revealed attenuation of glomerulosclerosis and renal podocyte injury, while Tongxinluo decreased the expression of α-smooth muscle actin, extracellular matrixprotein, transforming growth factor β1 and small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3,and improved tubulointerstitial fibrosis in SHR kidneys. Finally, Tongxinluo inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration as well as expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. In conclusion, Tongxinluo protected SHRs against hypertension-induced renal injury by exerting antioxidant, antifibrotic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of these effects may involve inhibition of oxidative stress and functional activation of FoxO1 signaling.     

葛根素对糖尿病心肌细胞的保护及其机制研究

观察葛根素（Puerarin）对链脲佐菌素（streptozotocin,STZ）诱导的糖尿病大鼠心肌细胞的保护作用,并探讨血小板反应素1（Thrombospondin-1,TSP-1）的表达改变及其作用。雄性SD大鼠45只随机分为三组（n=15）：糖尿病组和葛根素治疗组采用一次腹腔注射链脲佐菌素（STZ）65mg／kg制备糖尿病模型,其中葛根素治疗组于造模后葛根素腹腔注射4周（100mg/kg/day）,正常对照组仅腹腔注射等量生理盐水（6ml／kg）,同样喂养4周。四周后各组大鼠处死。H—E染色及透射电子显微镜观察三组大鼠心肌细胞纤维显微结构和超微结构的病理改变．免疫组化和实时荧光定量PCR法观察大鼠心肌细胞中TSP-1蛋白和mRNA表达的变化．同时利用Langendorff离体心脏灌流法测定各组大鼠心室肌细胞功能。结果发现葛根素治疗组较糖尿病组大鼠的体重增加明显,同时血糖下降,有显著性差异（P〈0．01）。H—E染色显示糖尿病大鼠多处心肌肌丝紊乱伴少量炎症细胞浸润,电镜下发现有线粒体嵴消失溶解,肌丝排列紊乱等病理改变,而葛根素治疗组大鼠偶见上述病理变化。免疫组化显示葛根素治疗组心肌内TSP-1阳性细胞密度小于糖尿病大鼠,TSP-1 mRNA表达也比糖尿病大鼠要低。此外葛根素治疗组大鼠的左室收缩末压（LVSEP）、左心室舒张末期压（LVEDP）等心功能指标均明显低于正常组（P〈0．01）,但较糖尿病组有显著改善（P〈0．01）。上述结果显示葛根素能保护糖尿病大鼠心肌细胞的高糖损伤和维持心室肌细胞的功能,而该机制可能与抑制心肌细胞TSP-1表达的水平有关。     

南宁地区唐氏综合征患者的细胞遗传学研究

为了探讨中国南宁地区唐氏综合征患者染色体核型分布及其特点, 对广西壮族自治区妇幼保健院1994年以来的500例疑似唐氏综合征(Down syndrome, DS)患者进行外周血染色体核型分析, 130例确诊为DS患者。其中, 单纯型21-三体为86.15%(112/130); 易位型为8.46%(11/130); 嵌合型为5.39%(7/130)。在单纯型21-三体中性别比为女∶男=1∶1.8; 93.08% 的唐氏综合征患儿由年轻母亲(<35岁)所生, 另有6.92% 由高龄产妇所生。结果表明, 南宁地区86% 以上唐氏综合征患者的染色体核型是单纯型21-三体, 男性唐氏综合征患儿明显高于女性患儿。     

水稻苗期吸收积累硅素的品种差异研究

为探讨水稻品种间苗期对硅素吸收积累的差异,筛选高效吸收积累硅素的材料,2002、2003年利用28个常规水稻品种,采用水培试验方法,研究了在较低硅素浓度条件下不同水稻品种间茎蘖数、根系和地上部的干物质重量、硅素含量和吸硅量的差异.结果表明,水稻品种间对硅素的吸收积累存在显著或极显著差异.初步确定TN1、白香粳、早大穗、IR36和特青为硅素高效吸收积累品种,Lemont、中平选、一目惚、武运粳7号和卷叶粳为硅素低效吸收积累品种.     

猪链球菌2型唾液酸合成酶neu B基因敲除突变株的构建及其生物学特性

利用同源重组基因敲除方法构建猪链球菌2型强毒株05ZYH33唾液酸合成酶neuB基因敲除突变株。PCR和Southern杂交结果均显示neuB基因在1株转化重组体中完全被壮观霉素抗性基因替代, 表明neuB基因敲除突变体构建成功。生物学特性鉴定显示, 突变体与强毒株在菌落形态、溶血活性以及染色特性方面均无明显差异; 电镜检查发现突变体表面结构组分与强毒株有显著差异, 荚膜明显变薄, 质地更加紧密; 小鼠致病性试验结果显示, 突变体毒力显著减弱。研究结果提示菌体荚膜中的唾液酸对于猪链球菌2型侵袭和致病具有重要作用。     

随机限食和重喂食小鼠能量收支和生长发育的可塑性

为阐明能量收支和生长发育的可塑性对动物适应食物资源变化的作用和意义,将断乳后的雄性KM小鼠40只随机限食4周,再重喂食4周。采用封闭式流体压力呼吸计测定基础代谢率(BMR)。限食使摄食量显著增加,BMR和活动行为降低,胴体和生殖腺重量显著降低。重喂食后上述指标均恢复到对照组水平,表现出显著的可塑性变化。结果表明,KM小鼠能通过摄食量、BMR、活动行为和身体组成的可塑性调节以适应难以预测的食物资源变化。     

鲢鱼骨骼肌肌球蛋白重链基因的cDNA克隆与表达

肌球蛋白分子含有2个约200kD的重链亚基和4个约20kD的轻链亚基,重链亚基由球状的头部(S1)和α-双螺旋的杆部(Rod)组成1。在鱼类肌肉蛋白质的组成中,肌球蛋白约占肌原纤维蛋白的50%以上,并且其基因在生物进化过程中的变异性很大,以致肌原纤维蛋白性质的变化主要是由肌球蛋白的变化引起的2。       

基于CSSL的水稻抽穗期QTL定位及遗传分析

抽穗期是水稻(Oryza sativa)品种的重要农艺性状之一, 适宜的抽穗期是获得理想产量的前提。鉴定和定位水稻抽穗期基因/QTL, 分析其遗传效应对改良水稻抽穗期至关重要。以籼稻品种9311(Oryza sativa ssp. indica ‘Yangdao 6’)为受体,粳稻品种日本晴(Oryza sativa ssp. japonica ‘Nipponbare’)为供体构建的94个染色体片段置换系群体为材料, 以P≤0.01为阈值, 对置换片段上的抽穗期QTL进行了鉴定。采用代换作图法共定位了4个控制水稻抽穗期的QTL, 分别位于第3、第4、第5和第8染色体; QTL的加性效应值变化范围为–6.4 – –2.7, 加性效应百分率变化范围为–6.4%– –2.7%; qHD-3和qHD-8加性效应值较大, 表现主效基因特征。为了进一步定位qHD-3和qHD-8, 在目标区域加密16对SSR引物, qHD-3和qHD-8分别被界定在第3染色体RM3166–RM16206之间及第8染色体RM4085-RM8271之间, 其遗传距离分别为13.9 cM和6.4 cM。研究结果为利用分子标记辅助选择改良水稻抽穗期奠定了基础。