Production of Erythritol by n-Alkane-grown Yeasts

In the course of study on citric acid fermentation by Candida zeylanoides, in which n-alkane (a mixture of C–12 to C–15) was used as the sole source of carbon, we found that a polyol-like substance was accumulated when the medium-pH fell down to below 4.0. This was isolated in crystalline forms and identified as meso-erythritol. Comparing erythritol production among fifty yeast strains, Candida zeylanoides, particularly its glycerol-requiring mutant KY 6166, was found to be an excellent producer.

Erythritol production was also observed with ethanol or acetic acid as the sole carbon source but not with glucose. An efficient condition for large production of erythritol was to keep the medium-pH at low level (2.5 to 4.0) and the concentration of NaCl or KCl at high level (1 to 3%). Under conditions established in this work, more than 55 mg/ml of erythritol was successfully produced in 120 hr incubation in 300-ml flasks, which corresponded to 55% of the alkane used.     

南方红壤区3年生茶园土壤呼吸特征

为探讨南方红壤区茶园的土壤呼吸特征,采用LI-Cor8100开路式土壤碳通量测定系统观测3年生茶园系统的土壤呼吸速率,对茶园土壤呼吸速率的季节变化和在茶行尺度上的空间异质性进行了研究。结果表明,茶园土壤呼吸速率的月动态变化呈明显的单峰曲线特征,峰值出现在8月;茶园土壤呼吸速率的月动态变化与温度呈极显著相关(P<0.01),土壤10 cm的温度能够解释茶园不同观测区域土壤呼吸速率月动态变化的67.79%~88.52%;用指数方程计算的茶园不同观测区域土壤呼吸Q10值为1.58~1.86。在茶行尺度上,茶园土壤呼吸速率存在明显的空间异质性,土壤呼吸速率通常在距离茶树基部较近的位置较高;根系生物量能够解释茶园土壤呼吸速率在茶行尺度上空间变异的82.68%。因此,根系分布的空间差异是造成茶园土壤呼吸速率空间异质性的主要原因。     

Microbial composition affects the functioning of estuarine sediments

Although microorganisms largely drive many ecosystem processes, the relationship between microbial composition and their functioning remains unclear. To tease apart the effects of composition and the environment directly, microbial composition must be manipulated and maintained, ideally in a natural ecosystem. In this study, we aimed to test whether variability in microbial composition affects functional processes in a field setting, by reciprocally transplanting riverbed sediments between low- and high-salinity locations along the Nonesuch River (Maine, USA). We placed the sediments into microbial ‘cages'' to prevent the migration of microorganisms, while allowing the sediments to experience the abiotic conditions of the surroundings. We performed two experiments, short- (1 week) and long-term (7 weeks) reciprocal transplants, after which we assayed a variety of functional processes in the cages. In both experiments, we examined the composition of bacteria generally (targeting the 16S rDNA gene) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) specifically (targeting the dsrAB gene) using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). In the short-term experiment, sediment processes (CO₂ production, CH₄ flux, nitrification and enzyme activities) depended on both the sediment''s origin (reflecting differences in microbial composition between salt and freshwater sediments) and the surrounding environment. In the long-term experiment, general bacterial composition (but not SRB composition) shifted in response to their new environment, and this composition was significantly correlated with sediment functioning. Further, sediment origin had a diminished effect, relative to the short-term experiment, on sediment processes. Overall, this study provides direct evidence that microbial composition directly affects functional processes in these sediments.     

Tolerance to multiple climate stressors: a case study of Douglas‐fir drought and cold hardiness

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The relationship between the amount of insect-repelling phenolic compounds in pennywort tea and the number of infesting cigarette beetles in the tea bag during one-year storage

Cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), is a common food-product pest widely found in homes. This paper investigated the relationship between the number of infesting cigarette beetles and the phenolic content of pennywort tea made from young and mature leaves during one-year storage. It was found that cigarette beetles started to appear in tea bags after six months of storage. More adults were found than larvae and pupae. In addition, the number of cigarette beetles infesting pennywort tea made from mature leaves was higher than when it was made from young leaves. The amount of phenolic compounds in pennywort tea was analyzed by Folin–Ciocalteau assay. The results of a regression analysis indicated that the number of adult cigarette beetles correlated negatively with the amount of phenolic compounds in pennywort tea made from young leaves – when the total phenolic content decreased, the number of infesting cigarette beetles increased (r² = 0.80). The number of larvae and pupae showed a weak negative correlation with the amount of phenolic compounds (r² = 0.40 and r² = 0.56, respectively). Similar correlations were found in pennywort tea made from mature leaves, but the number of infesting beetles was higher due to the lower phenolic content of the mature leaves.     

Daily consumption of tea catechins improves aerobic capacity in healthy male adults: a randomized double-blind,placebo-controlled,crossover trial

Our previous studies demonstrated that dietary supplementation with tea catechins combined with exercise improved endurance capacity in mice. This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of daily tea catechin consumption on aerobic capacity in humans. Sixteen Japanese non-athlete male subjects (aged 25–47 years) took 500 mL of a test beverage with or without tea catechins (570 mg) daily for 8 weeks and attended a training program twice a week. Aerobic capacity was evaluated by indirect calorimetry and near-infrared spectroscopy during graded cycle exercise. Catechin beverage consumption was associated with a significantly higher ventilation threshold during exercise and a higher recovery rate of oxygenated hemoglobin and myoglobin levels after graded cycle exercise when compared to subjects receiving the placebo beverage. These results indicate that daily consumption of tea catechins increases aerobic capacity when combined with semiweekly light exercise, which may be due to increased skeletal muscle aerobic capacity.     

漳江口红树林沉积物真菌多样性分析及抗茶叶致病真菌生物活性筛选

以福建漳江口红树林国家级自然保护区红树林沉积物分离的真菌为对象,研究红树林沉积物真菌的多样性和筛选抗茶叶病原真菌活性的菌株。将分离纯化的135株真菌通过形态学和Ribosomal DNA-Internal Transcribed Spacer(rDNAITS)序列测定进行鉴定及多样性分析,归为40个种类型,分别属于17个属,其中青霉属(25%)为优势菌,木霉属(15%)、曲霉属(10%)和镰刀属(10%)次之,表明红树林沉积物真菌具有丰富的多样性;利用平板对峙法对真菌的发酵粗提物抗茶叶病原真菌生物活性研究,结果发现,共有17株(占42.5%)真菌具有抗茶叶病原真菌活性,其中15株能够抑制茶叶轮斑病(Pestalotiopsis theae)LH13,12株能够抑制茶叶炭疽病(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)LH30,8株能够抑制茶叶溃疡病(Neofusicoccumsp.)LH107,有两株对这三种茶叶致病菌均有较强活性。这些活性菌株分布在6个属中,分别是青霉属(7株)、木霉属(3株)、镰孢属(2株)、枝孢属(2株)、白地霉属(2株)和球腔菌属(1株)。由此可见,红树林沉积物真菌抗菌活性菌株的种属分布具有多样性。     

西雅图社区花园的用地获取、功能分区和元素组成

社区花园在欧美具有悠久历史,在健康城市建设和促进社区发展方面的功效已经得到证实。目前,已针对社区花园的功能、类型、经营和科普等开展研究,但对土地获取和设计相关的研究较少。西雅图的社区花园历史悠久,并获得政府支持,是美国发展社区花园的城市典范。通过对西雅图23个典型案例进行调研,对用地获取方式、功能类型、分区和元素组成进行分类总结,为设计建造具有中国特色的社区花园提供启示。     

Different carbonic supplements induced changes of microflora in two types of compost teas and biocontrol efficiency against Pythium aphanidermatum

ABSTRACT

Considering the different carbonic source utilisation abilities of microbial species, we used six carbonic supplements to acclimate the microorganisms in two types of compost teas (named CT1 and CT2). The effects of the different carbonic supplements on the physicochemical and biological parameters of the acclimated microbial broth were investigated. The influence of these supplements on the biocontrol effect of the broth against cucumber damping off caused by Pythium aphanidermatum was also assessed. Results showed that treatment with glucose, sucrose, or starch reduced the pH and weakened the biocontrol effect of the acclimated microbial broth. The glucose treatment increased the population size of fungi and yeast. The chitin, cellulose, and wheat straw treatments significantly elevated the pH and electrical conductivity (P?<?0.05), increased the bacterial population size, and positively affected the biocontrol effect of the acclimated microbial broth. The glucose treatment had higher (75.3% and 79.4% for the CT1 and CT2, respectively) whereas the wheat straw treatment had lower (34.6% and 25.6% for the CT1 and CT2, respectively) disease incidence relative to the blank control (85.6%), bacterial population size (r?=?0.64 and 0.69) and number of colony types (r?=?0.82 and 0.76) highly correlated with the biocontrol effect of CT1 and CT2 while the reducing sugar content negatively correlated with the biocontrol effect (r?=??0.57 and ?0.86).