Biotechnological Coproduction of Compatible Solutes and Polyhydroxyalkanoates using the Genus Halomonas

An increased usage of poly‐β‐hydroxyalkanoates (PHA), for instance as bulk biodegradable and biocompatible plastics, will require a cheaper production and downstream processing. If the synthesis of this intracellular biopolyester could be combined with the production of another valuable intracellular product, the economic balance of the process could be improved. It was found that the moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata simultaneously synthesizes PHA and a protector molecule, called ectoine. Whereas the synthesis of PHA is a response to the shortage of nutrients, the production of ectoine counteracts osmotic imbalances. This behavior is in so far surprising as the conditions of a bi‐factorial stress initiate the fast simultaneous synthesis of ectoine and PHA. In the presence of 100 g/L NaCl, Halomonas elongata accumulated up to 50 % w/w PHA and up to 14 % ectoine within 2–3 days under so far non‐optimized conditions. Furthermore, it was found that other Halomonas species (e.g. Halomonas halodenitrificans and own isolates of Halomonas halodeneurihalina and Halomonas salina) were able to produce both ectoine and PHA.     

Conserved oviposition preferences in alpine leaf beetle populations despite host shifts and isolation

Abstract.  1. Choosing the plant on which to lay their eggs is the last act of care that most female herbivorous insects bestow upon their offspring. These decisions play a pivotal role in insect–plant interactions, placing host preference under strong selection and contributing to the diversity of phytophagous insects as one of the first traits to adapt to new hosts.
2. This study presents a test of whether extreme isolation and exposure to different host plants can produce intra-specific divergence in oviposition preference in alpine insects. Geographic variation should impose selection to fine-tune host plant ranking and specificity to the plants normally encountered, to avoid wasting time during the very limited reproductive season experienced at high altitudes.
3. Beetles from five populations of Oreina elongata differing in host availability were offered three natural hosts: Cirsium spinosissimum , Adenostyles alliariae , and Adenostyles glabra . A novel application of a continuation ratio model (logistic regression) was made to sequential no-choice experiments, combined with quasi-likelihood analysis of multiple-choice experiments.
4. The results show little geographic variation in host plant choice: all populations strongly preferred Cirsium in multiple-choice trials, and in no-choice experiments laid around 47% of their remaining eggs during each stage, almost regardless of the host present.
5. Enemy-free space seems to explain the preference for Cirsium , but isolation and exposure to different plants has clearly not caused local adaptation in host plant ranking or specificity. Reasons for this conservatism despite divergence in other characteristics are discussed.     

Taxonomic notes on three species of Herposiphonia (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) found in Japan

Three species of the red algal genus Herposiphonia (Ceramiales, Rhodomelaceae) found in Japan are described, and taxonomic features of the genus are discussed. Herposiphonia crassa Hollenberg is reported from Japan for the first time and is characterized by thick axes (200–350 µm in diameter) and determinate branches (100–200 µm in diameter), relatively short determinate laterals (400–1200 µm in length) with a large number of periaxial cells (15–19 per segment) and three (occasionally two or four) vigorously developed (1.8–2.5 mm in length by 50–75 µm in diameter basally) trichoblasts on each determinate lateral. Herposiphonia elongata Masuda et Kogame is also reported from Japan for the first time and is characterized by the conspicuous thickening growth of cystocarp‐bearing branches and spermatangial branches with an elongated sterile tip. Some newly found features of Herposiphonia fissidentoides (Holmes) Okamura are presented: the rhizoid production from the central portion of parental periaxial cells in addition to the distal end, virtual absence of vegetative trichoblasts, production of procarpial trichoblasts and spermatangial branches on fertile determinate branches on short indeterminate laterals, cystocarps sometimes with a short spur, and extremely large tetrasporangia.     

Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from Different Parts of Litsea cubeba

The composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of different parts of Litsea cubeba, including roots, stems, leaves, alabastra (flower buds), flowers, and fruits, were investigated by GC (RI) and GC/MS. The antimicrobial activity of the oils was assessed with disc diffusion and microbroth dilution assays. The results showed large variations in the composition among the different oils. The major components in the oils from roots and fruits, from stems, leaves, and alabastra, and from flowers were citral B (neral), β‐phellandrene, and β‐terpinene, respectively. The inhibition zone (DD) and MIC values for the bacterial strains tested, which were all sensitive to the essential oil of L. cubeba, were in the range of 10.1–35.0 mm and 100–1000 μg/ml, respectively. Hence, the oils of the various parts showed moderate activity against the tested bacteria. This investigation showed that the antibacterial activity of L. cubeba was attributed to the essential oils, thus they can be a potential medicinal resource.     

利用中国春-山羊草2C二体附加系与中国春-偃麦草5E二体附加系杂交诱发染色体易位和缺失

通过对中国春－长穗偃麦草（E.elongata 2n=14EE)二体附加系与中国春－柱穗山羊草（Ae.cylindrica 2n=28CCDD)2C二体附加系（杀配子染色体）杂交F1减数分裂的观察,看到F1单价体数超过理论数值,后期出现大量的染色体段片,认为这种异常现象与杀配子染色体的作用有关。对76株中国春－长穗偃麦草5E二体附加系与中国春－柱穗山羊草2C二体附加系杂交、回交一代进行染色体C－分带鉴定,初步认定株系21－5－14、21－5－37、21－5－67、21－5－71为中国春染色体与偃麦草5E染色体易位。经染色体组原位杂交（GISH）进一步确定21－5－14为T5ES.4AS易位系,21－5－37为T5E.2BS易位系,21－5－67为T5E.3AS易位系,21－5－71为T5ES.5BS易位系。易位频率为5.3%。株系21－5－27、21－5－18、21－5－18、21－5－72、21－5－4、21－5－71经染色体C－分带鉴定,分别为6B、4B、5B、4A、4B、2A缺失系。杀配子染色体引起缺失频率为6.5%。证明利用杀配子染色体诱导染色体易位和缺失的频率较高。杀配子染色体引起中国春B组染色体畸变大于A、D组,与Endo观察结果相似。     

福建山鸡椒自然资源与生态群落特征

精油植物山鸡椒是我国重要外销精油资源植物.通过查阅文献资料和实地考察,调查表明:精油植物山鸡椒在福建可分布于(1)地带可从中亚热带至南亚热带北缘;(2)从250～1 900m不同海拔高度的山地和丘陵:(3)常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林、暖性针叶林、山地矮曲林和次生林:(4)红壤、砖红壤化红壤、黄壤、紫色土以及山地草甸土等不同的自然生态环境.具有耐贫瘠、抗逆性强、生长迅速、易管理、结实早、含油量高等生物学特性,具有重要的经济价值和生态效益.结合福建的立地条件,提出通过对自然次生林的择伐更新或人工育苗种植培育经济林来开发利用山鸡椒自然资源方法和措施.     

Plastid genome evolution of a monophyletic group in the subtribe Lauriineae (Laureae,Lauraceae)

Litsea, a non-monophyletic group of the tribe Laureae (Lauraceae), plays important roles in the tropical and subtropical forests of Asia, Australia, Central and North America, and the islands of the Pacific. However, intergeneric relationships between Litsea and Laurus, Lindera, Parasassafras and Sinosassafras of the tribe Laureae remain unresolved. In this study, we present phylogenetic analyses of seven newly sequenced Litsea plastomes, together with 47 Laureae plastomes obtained from public databases, representing six genera of the Laureae. Our results highlight two highly supported monophyletic groups of Litsea taxa. One is composed of 16 Litsea taxa and two Lindera taxa. The 18 plastomes of these taxa were further compared for their gene structure, codon usage, contraction and expansion of inverted repeats, sequence repeats, divergence hotspots, and gene evolution. The complete plastome size of newly sequenced taxa varied between 152,377 bp (Litsea auriculata) and 154,117 bp (Litsea pierrei). Seven of the 16 Litsea plastomes have a pair of insertions in the IRa (trnL-trnH) and IRb (ycf2) regions. The 18 plastomes of Litsea and Lindera taxa exhibit similar gene features, codon usage, oligonucleotide repeats, and inverted repeat dynamics. The codons with the highest frequency among these taxa favored A/T endings and each of these plastomes had nine divergence hotspots, which are located in the same regions. We also identified six protein coding genes (accD, ndhJ, rbcL, rpoC2, ycf1 and ycf2) under positive selection in Litsea; these genes may play important roles in adaptation of Litsea species to various environments.     

毛豹皮樟叶水提物的活性成分及其清除亚硝酸钠和阻断亚硝胺合成的作用

亚硝酸盐在食材、食品加工和食品储存过程中普遍存在,它是亚硝基化合物合成的前体物质,在一定条件下亚硝酸盐极易转化为亚硝胺,二者均可致癌[1-2],因此,清除亚硝酸盐和阻断亚硝胺合成对于预防和控制癌症的发生具有重要意义。关于清除亚硝酸盐和阻断亚硝胺合成的研究已有较多报道,一些植物含有的天然活性成分,如植物中所含的多酚和黄酮类物质等,具有抗氧化、抗菌、清除亚硝酸盐和阻断亚硝胺合成的作用。顶羽菊也Acroptilon repens ( Linn.) DC.页[3]、黄花菜(Hemerocallis citrina Baroni)[4]和簕菜也Acanthopanax trifoliatus ( Linn.) Merr.页[5]等提取物具有清除亚硝酸盐和阻断亚硝胺合成的作用;黄俊生[6]从南姜也Alpinia galanga ( Linn.) Willd.页表皮中提取的色素也具有较强的清除亚硝酸钠和阻断亚硝胺合成活性。     

EFFECTS OF NITRATE AVAILABILITY AND IRRADIANCE ON INTERNAL NITROGEN CONSTITUENTS IN CORALLINA ELONGATA (RHODOPHYTA)1

Short-term (5-h) phycobiliprotein photoacclimation was a NO₃^?, dependent process in the red alga Corallina elongata Ellis et Soland. At low irradianre levels, phycobiliprotein synthesis (both r-phycocyacin and r-phycocyanin) took place when N supply was sufficient but was restricted by N limitation. Exposure to saturating irradiance resulted in pigment degradation under N limitation; however, under N-sufficient conditions a partial r-phycoerythrin synthesis was observed, despite the repressing role of high photon flux densities on phycobiliprotein synthesis. Soluble protein was less affected than phycobiliprotein by N limitation at low photon flux densities indicating that N limitation stimulates the flow of internal N metabolites toward the synthesis of nonpigmented proteins rather than pigmented proteins. The addition of protein synthesis inhibitors revealed that new phycobiliprotein synthesis occurs in response to sufficient N conditions. When protein synthesis was blocked in the chloroplast and cytoplasm simultaneously (addition of chloramphemcol and cycloheximide), both pigmented and nonpigmented protein synthesis was inhibited. Howeever, when protein systhesis was blocked in the chloroplast, only phycobiliprotein synthesis was clearly inhibited, whereas nonpigmented protein was less affected, indicating that phycobiliprotein is the main fraction of protein synthesized in the chloroplast at low photon flux densities when external N is available. This inhibition of phycobiliprotein synthesis was consistent with a maximal increase in metabolites of protein synthesis (internal NH₄⁺ and amino acids). Our results suggest that phycobiliproteins may be an important N reservoir to meet internal N demands during N limitations in C. elongata. Moreover, r-phycoerythrin, synthesized even at saturating irradiance levels, and the major constituent of the phycobiliprotein pigments, may be more sensitive to changes in N supply than r-phycocyanin. The influence of limited irradiance levels on N assimilation and the effects of repressing protein synthesis on internal N accumulation are also discussed.