Simulation of sequential batch reactor (SBR) operation for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus

Modeling of the operation of sequential batch reactor (SBR) was performed to find out optimum design parameters for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in a small-scale wastewater treatment plant. The models were set up with material balances on SBR operation and Monod kinetics. The model parameters were obtained to best fit the experimental results in a small scale SBR. The models were useful in optimizing hydraulic retention time (HRT) and successfully simulated operations of SBR in a larger scale. Especially the model predicted well the reactions occurring in the filling period as well as the effect of dilution, and evaluated the performance of SBR process under diverse operating conditions.     

Expression of a bifunctional fusion of the Escherichia coli genes for trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase in transgenic rice plants increases trehalose accumulation and abiotic stress tolerance without stunting growth

Trehalose plays an important role in stress tolerance in plants. Trehalose-producing, transgenic rice (Oryza sativa) plants were generated by the introduction of a gene encoding a bifunctional fusion (TPSP) of the trehalose-6-phosphate (T-6-P) synthase (TPS) and T-6-P phosphatase (TPP) of Escherichia coli, under the control of the maize (Zea mays) ubiquitin promoter (Ubi1). The high catalytic efficiency (Seo et al., 2000) of the fusion enzyme and the single-gene engineering strategy make this an attractive candidate for high-level production of trehalose; it has the added advantage of reducing the accumulation of potentially deleterious T-6-P. The trehalose levels in leaf and seed extracts from Ubi1::TPSP plants were increased up to 1.076 mg g fresh weight(-1). This level was 200-fold higher than that of transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants transformed independently with either TPS or TPP expression cassettes. The carbohydrate profiles were significantly altered in the seeds, but not in the leaves, of Ubi1::TPSP plants. It has been reported that transgenic plants with E. coli TPS and/or TPP were severely stunted and root morphology was altered. Interestingly, our Ubi1::TPSP plants showed no growth inhibition or visible phenotypic alterations despite the high-level production of trehalose. Moreover, trehalose accumulation in Ubi1::TPSP plants resulted in increased tolerance to drought, salt, and cold, as shown by chlorophyll fluorescence and growth inhibition analyses. Thus, our results suggest that trehalose acts as a global protectant against abiotic stress, and that rice is more tolerant to trehalose synthesis than dicots.     

Molecular characterization of avian-like H1N1 swine influenza a viruses isolated in Eastern China, 2011

Currently, three predominant subtypes of influenza virus are prevalent in pig populations worldwide: H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2. European avian-like H1N1 viruses, which were initially detected in European pig populations in 1979, have been circulating in pigs in eastern China since 2007. In this study, six influenza A viruses were isolated from 60 swine lung samples collected from January to April 2011 in eastern China. Based on whole genome sequencing, molecular characteristics of two isolates were determined. Phylogenetic analysis showed the eight genes of the two isolates were closely related to those of the avian-like H1N1 viruses circulating in pig populations, especially similar to those found in China. Four potential glycosylation sites were observed at positions 13, 26, 198, 277 in the HA1 proteins of the two isolates. Due to the presence of a stop codon at codon 12, the isolates contained truncated PB1-F2 proteins. In this study, the isolates contained 591Q, 627E and 701N in the polymerase subunit PB2, which had been shown to be determinants of virulence and host adaptation. The isolates also had a D rather than E at position 92 of the NS1, a marker of mammalian adaptation. Both isolates contained the GPKV motif at the PDZ ligand domain of the 3′ end of the NS1, a characteristic marker of the European avian-like swine viruses since about 1999, which is distinct from those of avian, human and classical swine viruses. The M2 proteins of the isolates have the mutation (S31N), a characteristic marker of the European avian-like swine viruses since about 1987, which may confer resistance to amantadine and rimantadine antivirals. Our findings further emphasize the importance of surveillance on the genetic diversity of influenza A viruses in pigs, and raise more concerns about the occurrence of cross-species transmission events.     

TaqMan-MGB探针检测文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种实时荧光定量PCR方法的建立及应用

【目的】应用TaqMan-MGB探针技术,建立具有种水平特异性、高敏感性的荧光定量PCR方法,用于快速检测文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种。【方法】在序列特异性扩增区标记(Sequence characterized amplifiedregion,SCAR)技术基础上,依据文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种一段特有的基因序列设计探针和引物,分别优化扩增反应的退火温度、探针和引物的反应浓度;分析此方法的特异性、敏感性及重复性;绘制标准曲线,评估PCR反应的扩增效率和稳定性。【结果】本研究设计的TaqMan-MGB探针具有种水平特异性;最低检出限为每个PCR反应11个拷贝;组内和组间的变异系数CV值分别为0.12%-0.70%和0.14%-0.55%,在允许范围内;标准曲线线性关系良好(R2=1),扩增效率高(E=104.7%)。【结论】本研究建立的基于TaqMan-MGB探针技术的荧光定量PCR方法能够在种水平特异性、高灵敏度检出文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种,为这种巴尔通体所引起的一系列疾病的早期快速诊断、监测和流行病学调查等研究提供有效手段。     

A new family of antimicrobial peptides from skin secretions of Rana pleuraden

While conducting experiments to investigate antimicrobial peptides of amphibians living in the Yunnan-Guizhou region of southwest China, a new family of antimicrobial peptides was identified from skin secretions of the Yunnan frog, Rana pleuraden. Members of the new peptide family named pleurain-As are composed of 26 amino acids with a unique N-terminal sequence (SIIT) and a disulfide-bridged heptapeptide sequence (CRLYNTC). By BLAST search, pleurain-As had no significant similarity to any known peptides. Native and synthetic peptides showed antimicrobial activities against tested microorganisms including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Twenty different cDNAs encoding pleurain-As were cloned from the skin cDNA library of R. pleuraden. The precursors of pleurain-As are composed of 69 amino acid residues including predicted signal peptides, acidic propieces, and cationic mature antimicrobial peptides. The preproregion of pleurain-A precursor comprises a hydrophobic signal peptide of 22 residues followed by an 18 residue acidic propiece which terminates by a typical prohormone processing signal Lys-Arg. The preproregions of precursors are very similar to other amphibian antimicrobial peptide precursors but the mature pleurain-As are different from other antimicrobial peptide families. The remarkable similarity of preproregions of precursors that give rise to very different antimicrobial peptides in distantly related frog species suggests that the corresponding genes form a multigene family originating from a common ancestor. Furthermore, pleurain-As could exert antimicrobial capability against Helicobacter pylori. This is the first report of naturally occurring peptides with anti-H. pylori activity from Rana amphibians.     

Cloning and identification of the promoter of the tobacco Sar8.2b gene,a gene involved in systemic acquired resistance

Expression of the Sar8.2 gene family is induced by salicylic acid (SA) in tobacco during induction of systemic acquired resistance. Expression of Sar8.2b, one member of this 12-member family, was detected as early as 12 h after treatment with SA and was maximal 36 h after SA treatment. In NahG transgenic tobacco plants, benzothiadiazole and dichloroisonicotinic acid induced expression of Sar8.2b but SA did not, suggesting that expression of the Sar8.2b gene is SA-dependent. Several putative cis-acting elements were found in the Sar8.2b gene promoter region, including an as-1 element and GT-1 and Dof binding sequences. We constructed a series of progressive deletion mutations in the Sar8.2b promoter region linked to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) coding region and analyzed GUS activities by stable expression in transformants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Deletions between −728 and −927 bp or between −351 and −197 bp of the promoter region resulted in a significant reduction in GUS activity induced by SA treatment as shown in stable transformants of A. thaliana. The −197 bp fragment of the promoter region was found to confer a relatively low level of GUS activity induced by SA treatment in stable expression of transformants in A. thaliana. The results suggest that 927 bp of the Sar8.2b gene promoter confers full promoter activity and that cis-acting elements required for high-level SA-inducible expression of the Sar8.2b gene may exist within the regions −728 to −927 bp and −197 to −351 bp.     

In vitro selected peptides bind with thymidylate synthase mRNA and inhibit its translation

Thymidylate synthase (TS), an essential enzyme for catalyzing the biosynthesis of thymidylate, is a critical therapeutic target in cancer therapy. Recent studies have shown that TS functions as an RNA-binding protein by interacting with two different sequences on its own mRNA, thus, repressing translational efficiency. In this study, peptides binding TS RNA with high affinity were isolated using mRNA display from a large peptide library (＞1013 different sequences). The randomized library was subjected up to twelve rounds of in vitro selection and amplification. Comparing the amino acid composition of the selected peptides (12th round, R12) with those from the initial random library (round zero, R0), the basic and aromatic residues in the selected peptides were enriched significantly, suggesting that these peptide regions might be important in the peptide-TS mRNA interaction. Categorizing the amino acids at each random position based on their physicochemical properties and comparing the distributions with those of the initial random pool, an obvious basic charge characteristic was found at positions 1, 12, 17 and 18, suggesting that basic side chains participate in RNA binding. Secondary structure prediction showed that the selected peptides of R12 pool represented a helical propensity compared with R0 pool, and the regions were rich in basic residues. The electrophoretic gel mobility shift and in vitro translation assays showed that the peptides selected using mRNA display could bind TS RNA specifically and inhibit the translation of TS mRNA. Our results suggested that the identified peptides could be used as new TS inhibitors and developed to a novel class of anticancer agents.