Coinfection of the secondary symbionts,Hamiltonella defensa and Arsenophonus sp.contribute to the performance of the major aphid pest,Aphis gossypii(Hemiptera:Aphididae)

Bacterial endosymbionts play important roles in ecological traits of aphids.In this study,we characterize the bacterial endosymbionts of A.gossypii collected in Karaj,Iran and their role in the performance of the aphid.Our results indicated that beside Buchnera aphidicola,A.gossypii,also harbors both Hamiltonella defensa and Arsenophonus sp.Quantitative PCR(qPCR)results revealed that the populations of the endosymbionts increased throughout nymphal development up to adult emergence;thereafter,populations of Buchnera and Arsenophonus were diminished while the density of H.defensa constantly increased.Buchnera reduction caused prolonged development and no progeny production.Furthermore,secondary symbiont reduction led to reduction of the total life span and intrinsic rate of natural increase as well as appearance of the deformed dead offspring in comparison with the control insects.Reduction of the secondary symbionts did not affect parasitism rate of the aphid by the parasitic wasp Aphidius matricariae.Together these findings showed that H.defensa and Arsenophonus contributed to the fitness of A.gossypii by enhancing its performance,but not through parasitoid resistance.     

The effect of thiols and the Ca2+ ionophore A23817 on growth and antibiotic production in Cephalosporium acremonium

Abstract Yeast-like blastosporic growth, lowered levels of isopenicillin N synthetase and deacetoxycephalosporin C synthetase/hydroxylase, and lowered antibiotic production were induced in Cephalosporium acremonium strain C.O. 728 by inclusion of cysteine or glutathione in the growth medium. These effects were similar to those observed under normal conditions with strain M 8650/4, which had higher levels of glutathione reductase and protein disulphide reductase than strain C.O. 728. The addition of cytochalasins A and B slightly increased yeast-like growth in C.O. 728, although levels of biosynthetic enzyme activity and antibiotic secretion were not significantly affected. The Ca²⁺ ionophore A23187 inhibited C.O. 728 growth, slowed penicillin secretion into the medium, and totally inhibited cephalosporin secretion. These results show that maintenance of Ca²⁺ levels and the absence of thiols are important for antibiotic production in Cephalosporium acremonium .     

Structure of the dnaA region of the endosymbiont, Buchnera aphidicola, of aphid Schizaphis graminum

Buchnera aphidicola is an intracellular prokaryote (endosymbiont)that lives in the body cavity of the aphid. Phylogenetic studiesindicated that it is closely related to Escherichia coli andmembers of Enterobacteria. The gene order of the region containingthe dnaA gene is well conserved in many bacteria. Seven genesof the endosymbiont of the aphid Schizaphis graminum, gyrB,dnaN, dnaA, rpmH, rnpA, yidD, and 60K, were found to be homologousin sequence and relative location to those of E. coli. We havefurther sequenced the region downstream of the 60K gene to elucidatethe boundary of the conserved region, and found that one moregene, thdF , is conserved. The comparison of gene organizationsof the dnaA region of the related bacteria supported the closephylogenetic relationship of B. aphidicola to E. coli. In addition,we have identified groES and groEL genesnext to the thdF gene.GroEL protein was reported to be expressed at an elevated levelin the endosymbionts of aphids, and is considered to play animportant role in their association with the aphid host. Comparisonof the structure of the groE operon with that of the endosymbiontof the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum revealed the conservation ofa sequence resembling the E. coli consensus heat shock promoter,and this sequence may be responsible for the high expressionof the groEL gene in aphid endosymbionts.     

Structure and properties of aCephalosporium acremonium α-galactosidase

The amino acid and sugar composition of the enzyme protein, the effect of urea, sodium dodecyl sulphate and Concanavalin A on the purified -galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22) from the moldCephalosporium acremonium has been studied. The results obtained by gas liquid chromatography indicated the presence ofN-acetylglucosamine, mannose, galactose andN-acetylneuramic acid in the molar proportions 27311. The presence of two types of Asn-linked oligosaccharide structures in the enzyme molecule is assumed. The -galactosidase liberates (1–3), (1–4) and (1–6)-linkedd-galactose units from various synthetic and natural substrates which have been tested. The effects of pH, substrate concentration and temperature on the catalytic activity of the enzyme are described. The purified -galactosidase also exhibited a lectin activity with an affinity towards glucose, and to some extent mannose.Abbreviations p-NPG p-nitrophenyl--d-galactopyranoside - 4-MUG 4-methylumbelliferyl--d-galactopyranoside - HU hemagglutinin unit - PBS phosphate buffered saline - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - ConA Concanavalin A - WGA wheat germ agglutinin - LCA Lens culinaris agglutinin - PHA phytohemagglutinin fromPhaseolus vulgaris     

Formation of resting body byCephalosporium roseo-griseum Saksena inside the conidiophore ofAspergillus flavus Link. Ex Fries during mycoparasitism

Summary Mycoparasitic behaviour ofCephalosporium roseo-griseum Saksena withAspergillus flavus Link. ex Fries was studiedin vitro. Frequent coiling of hyphae ofC. roseo-griseum around the conidiophores ofA. flavus, penetration of hyphae ofC. roseo-griseum inside those ofA. flavus, and formation of resting bodies byC. roseo-griseum in the conidiophores ofA. flavus were observed.     

培养条件对头孢霉脂肪酸链长和ω-3脱饱和的影响*

为了获得高产量的长链ω-3多不饱和脂肪酸,用十八碳脂肪酸和十六碳脂肪酸的比值考察碳链延长,用α-亚麻酸和亚油酸的比值考察ω-3脱饱和;探讨了八种因子对脂肪酸链长和ω-3脱饱和的影响。有利于碳链延长的条件为：麦芽糖10g/L、(NH4)2SO4 3g/L、起始pH为4.0、500mL三角瓶装50mL培养基、接种20%（V/V）、20℃培养6d。有利于ω-3脂肪酸生成的条件为：蔗糖30g/L、NH4Cl 3g/L、培养基起始pH为4.0、500mL三角瓶装50mL培养基、接种20%（V/V）、10℃培养10d。     

顶头孢霉pcbAB-pcbC双向启动子区域的克隆与应用

用PCR方法从丝状真菌顶头孢霉中克隆出全长 1 3kb的pcbAB_pcbC双向启动子DNA片段 ,通过转化子对博莱霉素的抗性证明了该启动子在顶头孢霉中的双向启动功能。另外 ,利用所克隆的pcbAB_pcbC双向启动子构建了一个用于顶头孢霉转化的质粒pYG13,并成功地将该质粒转化入顶头孢霉。pYG13含有博莱霉素抗性基因和透明颤菌血红蛋白基因 (vgb) ,Southern杂交和CO结合实验分析显示vgb整合到顶头孢霉的基因组DNA中并表达了有活性的透明颤菌血红蛋白。     

山苍子叶内生真菌的纯化与鉴定

本研究选用PDA培养基,通过组织块分离法从山苍子叶中分离得到两株内生真菌。对照真菌鉴定手册,根据菌株和菌丝体形态学特征,并给合ITS区段的碱基序列分析,鉴定两株内生分别属于顶孢霉属和芒果球座菌属。     

培养条件对头孢霉菌丝体脂肪酸组分的影响

研究了头孢霉(Cephalosporium sp.)菌丝体最大生产力和多不饱和脂肪酸形成积累的条件。菌丝体最适培养条件为：麦芽糖60g/L\,KNO33g/L、起始pH为60、500mL三角瓶装100mL培养基、接种25%、25℃培养10d则菌丝体达到最大干重。多不饱和脂肪酸形成积累的最适条件为：葡萄糖10～20g/L、(NH4)2SO4或NH4Cl 3g/L、培养基起始pH为40、500mL三角瓶装100mL培养基、接种10%～20%、10℃下照光培养。〖JP2〗因此,在整个生产流程中可采用不同条件分段掌握的技术原则。同时提出在多不饱和脂肪酸的形成和积累途径中油酸(18∶1)向亚油酸(18∶2)的转化是关键,为进一步探索最适培养条件和关键酶的调节提供依据。