Isomaltulose synthase from Klebsiella sp. strain LX3: gene cloning and characterization and engineering of thermostability

The gene (palI) encoding isomaltulose synthase (PalI) from a soil bacterial isolate, Klebsiella sp. strain LX3, was cloned and characterized. PalI converts sucrose into isomaltulose, trehalulose, and trace amounts of glucose and fructose. Sequence domain analysis showed that PalI contains an alpha-amylase domain and (beta/alpha)(8)-barrel structures, suggesting that it belongs to the alpha-amylase family. Sequence alignment indicated that the five amino acid residues of catalytic importance in alpha-amylases and glucosyltransferases (Asp(241), Glu(295), Asp(369), His(145), and His(368)) are conserved in PalI. Purified recombinant PalI displayed high catalytic efficiency, with a Km of 54.6 +/- 1.7 mM for sucrose, and maximum activity (approximately 328.0 +/- 2.5 U/mg) at pH 6.0 and 35 degrees C. PalI activity was strongly inhibited by Fe3+ and Hg2+ and was enhanced by Mn2+ and Mg2+. The half-life of PalI was 1.8 min at 50 degrees C. Replacement of selected amino acid residues by proline significantly increased the thermostability of PalI. Simultaneous replacement of Glu(498) and Arg(310) with proline resulted in an 11-fold increase in the half-life of PalI at 50 degrees C.     

Utilization of acyl-homoserine lactone quorum signals for growth by a soil pseudomonad and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are employed by several Proteobacteria as quorum-sensing signals. Past studies have established that these compounds are subject to biochemical decay and can be used as growth nutrients. Here we describe the isolation of a soil bacterium, Pseudomonas strain PAI-A, that degrades 3-oxododecanoyl-homoserine lactone (3OC12HSL) and other long-acyl, but not short-acyl, AHLs as sole energy sources for growth. The small-subunit rRNA gene from strain PAI-A was 98.4% identical to that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but the soil isolate did not produce obvious pigments or AHLs or grow under denitrifying conditions or at 42 degrees C. The quorum-sensing bacterium P. aeruginosa, which produces both 3OC12HSL and C4HSL, was examined for the ability to utilize AHLs for growth. It did so with a specificity similar to that of strain PAI-A, i.e., degrading long-acyl but not short-acyl AHLs. In contrast to the growth observed with strain PAI-A, P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 growth on AHLs commenced only after extremely long lag phases. Liquid-chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry analyses indicate that strain PAO1 degrades long-acyl AHLs via an AHL acylase and a homoserine-generating HSL lactonase. A P. aeruginosa gene, pvdQ (PA2385), has previously been identified as being a homologue of the AHL acylase described as occurring in a Ralstonia species. Escherichia coli expressing pvdQ catalyzed the rapid inactivation of long-acyl AHLs and the release of HSL. P. aeruginosa engineered to constitutively express pvdQ did not accumulate its 3OC12HSL quorum signal when grown in rich media. However, pvdQ knockout mutants of P. aeruginosa were still able to grow by utilizing 3OC12HSL. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the degradation of AHLs by pseudomonads or other gamma-Proteobacteria, of AHL acylase activity in a quorum-sensing bacterium, of HSL lactonase activity in any bacterium, and of AHL degradation with specificity only towards AHLs with long side chains.     

遗传工程微生物细胞间发生的自然遗传转化

将两株具有不同遗传标记的枯草芽孢杆菌在基本培养基中分别培养至对数生长后期后进行短时间混合静置培养 ,经选择平板筛选、DNaseI敏感性试验、质粒检测和产蛋白酶活性检测 ,发现两菌株之间可通过自然遗传转化进行染色体DNA和质粒DNA的交换。研究结果表明 ,自然遗传转化可在细胞间进行 ,这对揭示微生物群居的自然环境中可能存在的细胞间的DNA转移 ,以及正确评估遗传工程微生物(GEMs)的安全使用具有重要意义。     

果蝇细胞凋亡核心机制的基因组比较

基因组比较研究是从基因组序列推测调控网络的主要途径。细胞凋亡信号网络是调控网络的一个典型代表。ＥＧＬ１、ＣＥＤ３、ＣＥＤ４和ＣＥＤ９及其同源蛋白质的线虫和哺乳动物构成保守的凋亡核心机制。目前果蝇细胞凋亡核心机制尚不完整,还未找到ＥＧＬ１和ＣＥＤ９类似蛋白质。通过一系列基于生物信息学的基因组比较分析,在果蝇的基因组数据库中发现了两个ＢＣＬ２／ＣＥＤ９和一个ＥＧＬ１的同源蛋白质的编码基因,并重构了果蝇     

冬小麦原生质体培养的胚状体直接发生

冬小麦品种“京花一号”胚性愈伤组织在改良的N₆培养基(NBD培养基)上继代得到易碎型胚性愈伤组织,转入改良MS液体培养基(MSDL培养基)后得到胚性悬浮系,分离的原生质体在改良的MS培养基(MSDP培养基)上培养,再生细胞直接产生体细胞胚胎,并再生出完整植株。体细胞胚胎形成过程与小麦合子胚的形成过程十分相似。     

淡水红藻一新种——异孢奥杜藻

淡水红藻一新种———异孢奥杜藻谢树莲凌元洁（山西大学生命科学系太原０３０００６）ＡＮＥＷＳＰＥＣＩＥＳＯＦＦＲＥＳＨＷＡＴＥＲＲＥＤＡＬＧＡＥ———ＡＵＤＯＵＩＮＥＬＬＡＨＥＴＥＲＯＳＰＯＲＡＦＲＯＭＣＨＩＮＡＸＩＥＳｈｕＬｉａｎＬＩＮＧＹｕａｎ...     

无蹼壁虎精子头部形成的研究

本文用透射电镜观察了无蹼壁虎精子头形成的过程。早期精细胞具有显著的高尔基复合体、线粒体集合及细胞质桥、接着高尔基体成熟面分泌出前顶体囊泡,并逐渐向核移动。以后精子形成可分四个时间：时间Ⅰ,当前顶体囊泡移至核膜时,核膜凹陷形成封闭的顶体囊泡,囊泡底部靠近核膜有一电子致密的顶体颗粒;时间Ⅱ,细胞核延长,顶体囊泡变扁平;时期Ⅲ,细胞核进一步延长,核内染色质纤维变粗并沿核纵轴方向排列有序;时间Ⅳ,精子发育     

光质和光周期对山白兰苗木生长、生理的影响

为筛选出山白兰(Michelia baillonii)苗木培育过程中适宜的光环境，该研究以一年生山白兰幼苗为试验材料，设置12、16 h·d^-1两个光周期，配合使用红蓝复合光(8R1B、6R1B)、红蓝紫绿复合光(8R1B1P1G、6R1B1P1G)4种光质和白光(W)对照，采用双因素随机区组试验设计和隶属函数法，探讨了山白兰苗木生长、光合色素、内源激素含量对不同光质和光周期处理的响应规律。结果表明：(1)光质、光周期及其交互作用对山白兰苗高增长量、叶面积、叶绿素a、玉米素(ZR)、脱落酸(ABA)的含量、内源激素比值[IAA/ABA、(IAA+GA₃+ZR)/ABA]等均有显著影响(P<0.05)。(2)16 h·d^-1光周期有利于苗高增长量、叶面积、苗木质量指数、生物量、叶绿素a、生长素(IAA)、ZR的含量、内源激素比值的提高。(3)当光周期为16 h·d^-1时，8R1B处理下的苗高增长量、叶面积和苗木质量指数均最大，分别为21.84 cm、158.39 cm²和2...     

罗布麻和大麻状罗布麻UV-B光受体UVR8基因的鉴定及表达分析

在植物响应紫外线B(ultraviolet-B,UV-B)的过程中,UV-B光受体UVR8(UV Resistance Locus 8)对植物的光形态建成和生长代谢等过程具有重要调控作用。为探究罗布麻属植物UV-B光受体信息,该研究通过罗布麻(Apocynum venetum)和大麻状罗布麻(A. cannabinum)全基因组数据进行UV-B光受体UVR8的筛选与生物信息学分析,同时利用转录组数据分析UV-B胁迫处理下的UVR8基因表达模式。结果表明:(1)罗布麻有6个UVR8基因,大麻状罗布麻有5个UVR8基因,前者分布在1、7、9和11号染色体上,后者分布在1、8和9号染色体上。(2)UVR8蛋白为亲水性稳定蛋白,定位在细胞核,不存在跨膜结构和信号肽,二级结构主要由延伸链、无规则卷曲、α-螺旋和β-转角构成。AvUVR8b和AcUVR8a蛋白三级结构与拟南芥UVR8(AtUVR8)最为类似,并且与小粒咖啡(CaUVR8)和伊德斯种咖啡(CeUVR8)的亲缘关系最近。同时发现罗布麻AvUVR8b和大麻状罗布麻AcUVR8a基因和蛋白结构与AtUVR8基因及蛋白高度相似。(3)当以一定剂量UV-B(17.52 kJ·m^-2·d^-1)处理两种罗布麻植株时,AvUVR8b和AcUVR8a的表达量上调。据此推测在响应UV-B时,AvUVR8b基因在罗布麻中起主要作用,AcUVR8a基因在大麻状罗布麻中起主要作用。(4)顺式作用元件分析结果表明,UVR8的表达受光照、温度、水分、氧气和激素等因素的调控。该研究将为进一步研究罗布麻属UVR8的基因功能奠定基础,同时为解析罗布麻属植物适应UV-B的分子机制提供线索。     

丛枝菌根真菌和根瘤菌对白三叶氮同化的影响

为揭示丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)和根瘤菌在白三叶氮(N)同化中的作用,该研究对白三叶进行单一或联合接种隐类球囊霉(Paraglomus occultum)和三叶草根瘤菌(Rhizobium trifolii),分析其对白三叶的生长、光合作用、叶片N和氨基酸含量以及N同化相关酶活性的影响。结果表明:(1)单一接种AMF或根瘤菌以及联合接种AMF和根瘤菌均显著增加了白三叶的株高、匍匐茎长度、叶片数、地上部生物量、总生物量、叶绿素b和总叶绿素含量、稳态光量子效率和叶片N含量,这种增强效应是联合接种>单一AMF>单一根瘤菌>未接种处理。(2)联合接种AMF和根瘤菌显著增加了白三叶叶片中丙氨酸、精氨酸、天冬酰胺、天冬氨酸、谷氨酰胺、谷氨酸和组氨酸的含量,显著提升了叶片N同化相关酶如硝酸还原酶、亚硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶、谷氨酸合成酶、谷氨酸脱氢酶、天冬酰胺合成酶和天冬氨酸转氨酶的活性,显著促进AMF对白三叶根系的侵染。综上认为,联合接种AMF和根瘤菌通过激活N同化相关酶活性有效促进N同化,产生更多氨基酸,进一步促进白三叶植株生长; 联合接种AMF和根瘤菌具有协同作用,有效促进了白三叶的N同化。