Effects of iron deficiency on the growth and photosynthesis of three bloom‐forming cyanobacterial species isolated from Lake Taihu

Cyanobacterial blooms are found in many freshwater ecosystems around the world, but the effect of environmental factors on their growth and the proportion of species still require more investigation. In this study, the physiological responses of bloom‐forming cyanobacteria M icrocystis aeruginosa FACHB912, M icrocystis flos‐aquae FACHB1028 and P seudanabaena sp. FACHB1282 to iron deficiency were investigated. Their specific growth rates were found to decrease as the available iron concentration decreased. At low available iron concentrations of 1 × 10^?7 M (pFe 21.3) and 5 × 10^?8 M (pFe 21.6), M . aeruginosa had the lowest specific growth rate among three studied species. The cell sizes of M . flos‐aquae and Pseudanabaena sp. were significantly smaller under the lowest iron concentration. The chlorophyll a content of the three species decreased at the lowest iron concentration. The maximal relative electron transport rate, photosynthetic efficiency, and light‐saturation parameter of M . aeruginosa were lower than the other two cyanobacteria at pFe 21.3. Therefore, M . aeruginosa was the least able to adapt to iron deficiency. Under iron deficiency, the functional absorption cross‐section of PSII and electron transport rate on the acceptor side of PSII decreased in M . aeruginosa, while the connectivity factor between individual photosynthetic units increased in M . flos‐aquae, and the electron transport rate on the acceptor side of PSII and between PSII and PSI decreased in P seudanabaena sp. The ability to store iron was highest in M . flos‐aquae, followed by P seudanabaena sp. and M . aeruginosa. Thus, these results provide necessary information for detecting the role of iron in the succession of cyanobacterial species in Lake Taihu, the third largest freshwater lake in China, because all three species were isolated from this lake.     

基于亲和探针的药物靶点鉴定技术研究进展

药物靶点的鉴定和相关研究在药学研究领域具有重要的理论指导意义和实用价值。利用亲和探针偶联靶分子的方法是目前发现药 物靶点的主要手段之一。该方法可从分子水平发现药物的作用靶点,从而对药物的分子作用机制提供细胞水平的直接证据。从 DNA 和小 分子药物探针的构筑和应用入手,对近些年鉴定 DNA 损伤识别蛋白的研究进展进行了较为详尽的讨论,并简要介绍目前探索小分子药物 作用靶点的主流技术。作为亲和偶联鉴定药物作用靶点方法的重要组成部分,亲和探针设计的合理性关系到方法本身的可操作性以及鉴 定结果的可靠性。从多个角度对 DNA 探针和小分子药物探针的设计经验进行了较为系统的总结,例如经典的亲和纯化分离方法,以及更 为高效的光激发共价偶联技术等。这些方法和思路为探索 DNA 损伤相关蛋白质的功能以及小分子药物的细胞作用机制提供了丰富的研究 工具,有助于从分子水平理解药物的作用机制。     

Inhibitory effects of xenocoumacin 1 on the different stages of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora capsici</Emphasis> and its control effect on Phytophthora blight of pepper

Phytophthora species cause enormous economic loss every year worldwide. Xenocoumacin 1 (Xcn1), isolated from the bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophilus, is a broad-spectrum antibiotic against agricultural pathogens, especially Phytophthora. To understand the inhibitory mode of Xcn1 toward Phytophthora pathogens, we determined the inhibitory effects of Xcn1 on Phytophthora capsici both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, Xcn1 inhibited different stages in the life cycle of P. capsici, including sporangium formation, zoospore germination, and mycelial growth, with 50% effective concentration (EC₅₀) values of 0.037, 0.81, and 2.44 μg ml^?1, respectively. Xcn1 also reduced zoospore motility. In vivo, Xcn1 efficiently controlled the Phytophthora blight of pepper with a disease reduction of 99% at a concentration of 5 μg ml^?1 assessed on the third day after incubation of wound stem plants. In addition, Xcn1-treated P. capsici mycelia exhibited increased mycelial branch spacing, evident plasmolysis, and leakage of intracellular components. In conclusion, in the presence of Xcn1, several stages in the life cycle of P. capsici were inhibited, and the hyphae exhibited obvious morphological changes.     

Sortase A介导的(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ寡聚体高效立体选择性转化(S)-苯基乙二醇

【目的】以金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)的sortase A为"分子订书机",用于(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ分子之间的连接,获得催化功能与稳定性增强的氧化还原酶寡聚体,高效催化2-羟基苯乙酮,合成(S)-苯基乙二醇。【方法】从S.aureus基因组中克隆sortase A基因,在大肠杆菌中表达,通过镍柱和凝胶层析纯化重组酶,获得纯酶sortase A。通过基因工程手段在(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ的C末端添加GGGGSLPETGG序列,蛋白纯化获得(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ-GGGGSLPETGG,摸索了sortase A催化(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ-GGGGSLPETGG的分子连接,形成(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ寡聚体的最佳条件,并研究了寡聚体酶学性质及生物转化(S)-苯基乙二醇的效率。【结果】(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ寡聚体比酶活力为38.5 U/mg,比原始型(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ提高了6倍,最适反应温度为50°C,最适pH为6.0,在50°C放置1 h后酶活仍旧保持90%以上;蛋白质变性实验结果显示,(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ寡聚体的变性温度为60.1°C,比原始酶提高了10°C;生物转化结果显示(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ寡聚体在3 h内完全转化5 g/L 2-羟基苯乙酮,产生光学纯度为100%的(S)-苯基乙二醇,相比于重组大肠杆菌(S)-羰基还原酶Ⅱ全细胞催化时间缩短了16倍。【结论】本研究首次将sortase A应用于氧化还原酶的分子连接,显著提高了酶的催化效率和热稳定性,表明sortase在手性催化中有很大的潜在应用价值。     

A functional nanocarrier that copenetrates extracellular matrix and multiple layers of tumor cells for sequential and deep tumor autophagy inhibitor and chemotherapeutic delivery

To further enhance the intensity of deep tumor drug delivery and integrate a combined therapy, we herein report on a core-shell nanocarrier that could simultaneously overcome the double barriers of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and multiple layers of tumor cells (MLTC). A pH-triggered reversible swelling-shrinking core and an MMP2 (matrix metallopeptidase 2) degradable shell were developed to encapsulate chemotherapeutics and macroautophagy/autophagy inhibitors, respectively. MMP2 degraded the shell, which was followed by the autophagy inhibitors' release. The exposed core could diffuse along the pore within the ECM to deliver chemotherapeutics into deep tumors, and it was able to swell in lysosomes and shrink back in the cytoplasm or ECM. The swelling of the core resulted in the rapid release of chemotherapeutics to kill autophagy-inhibited cells. After leaving the dead cells, the shrinking core could act on neighboring cells that were closer to the center of the tumor. The core thus could also cross MLTC layer by layer to deliver chemotherapeutics into the deep tumor.     

Erosion reduces soil microbial diversity,network complexity and multifunctionality

While soil erosion drives land degradation, the impact of erosion on soil microbial communities and multiple soil functions remains unclear. This hinders our ability to assess the true impact of erosion on soil ecosystem services and our ability to restore eroded environments. Here we examined the effect of erosion on microbial communities at two sites with contrasting soil texture and climates. Eroded plots had lower microbial network complexity, fewer microbial taxa, and fewer associations among microbial taxa, relative to non-eroded plots. Soil erosion also shifted microbial community composition, with decreased relative abundances of dominant phyla such as Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Gemmatimonadetes. In contrast, erosion led to an increase in the relative abundances of some bacterial families involved in N cycling, such as Acetobacteraceae and Beijerinckiaceae. Changes in microbiota characteristics were strongly related with erosion-induced changes in soil multifunctionality. Together, these results demonstrate that soil erosion has a significant negative impact on soil microbial diversity and functionality.Subject terms: Soil microbiology, Microbial ecology     

Insight for Immunotherapy of HCMV Infection

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a ubiquitous in humans, has a high prevalence rate. Young people are susceptible to HCMV infection in developing countries, while older individuals are more susceptible in developed countries. Most patients have no obvious symptoms from the primary infection. Studies have indicated that the virus has gradually adapted to the host immune system. Therefore, the control of HCMV infection requires strong immune modulation. With the recent advances in immunotherapy, its application to HCMV infections is receiving increasing attention. Here, we discuss the immune response to HCMV infection, the immune escape mechanism, and the different roles that HCMV plays in various types of immunotherapy, including vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, checkpoint blockade therapy, and targeted antibodies.