Identifying functional species pool of planktonic protozoa for discriminating water quality status in marine ecosystems

It is cost-effective protocol to identify a functional species pool for marine bioassessment by removing redundant species from a raw dataset. The feasibility of functional species pool for discriminating water quality status was studied based on a dataset of 120 samples of ciliated protozoa. From the full 60-species dataset of the whole ciliate communities, a 35-species subset was identified as a functional species pool, the species number, abundance and biodiversity indices of which were significantly correlated with those of the full species dataset. The spatial pattern of the subset was significantly related to the changes in nutrients soluble reactive phosphates (SRP), nitrate/nitrite nitrogen (NO₃-N/NO₂-N) and ammonium nitrogen (NH₄-N). Four indices of the taxonomic diversity (Δ), taxonomic distinctness (Δ*), average in taxonomic distinctness (Δ⁺) and the variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ⁺) based on this small species pool were significantly correlated with the changes of nutrients NO₃-N and/or (NH₄-N). The paired indices Δ⁺ and Λ⁺ showed a clear decreasing trend of departure from the expected taxonomic pattern. These findings suggest that the 35-species functional species subset may be used as a feasible functional surrogate of ciliated protozoan assemblages for community-based bioassessment in marine ecosystems.     

Predicting reef fish connectivity from biogeographic patterns and larval dispersal modelling to inform the development of marine reserve networks

Developing networks of no-take marine reserves is often hindered by uncertainty in the extent to which local marine populations are connected to one another through larval dispersal and recruitment (connectivity). While patterns of connectivity can be predicted by larval dispersal models and validated by empirical methods, biogeographic approaches have rarely been used to investigate connectivity at spatial scales relevant to reserve networks (10's–100's of km). Here, species assemblage patterns in coral reef fish were used together with an individual-based model of dispersal of reef fish larvae to infer patterns of connectivity in a ∼300 km wide region in the Philippines that included the Bohol Sea and adjacent bodies of water. A dominant current flows through the study region, which may facilitate connectivity among >100 no-take reserves. Connectivity was first investigated by analysing data on the presence/absence of 216 species of reef fish and habitat variables across 61 sites. Hierarchical clustering of sites reflecting species assemblage patterns distinguished a major group of sites in the Bohol Sea (Bray–Curtis similarity >70%) from sites situated in adjacent bodies of water (bays, channels between islands and a local sea). The grouping of sites could be partly explained by a combination of degree of embayment, % cover of sand and % cover of rubble (Spearman rank correlation, ρ_w = 0.42). The individual-based model simulated dispersal of reef fish larvae monthly for three consecutive years in the region. The results of simulations, using a range of pelagic larval durations (15–45 days), were consistent with the species assemblage patterns. Sites in the model that showed strongest potential connectivity corresponded to the majority of sites that comprised the Bohol Sea group suggested by hierarchical clustering. Most sites in the model that exhibited weak connectivity were groups of sites which had fish assemblages that were least similar to those in the Bohol Sea group. Concurrent findings from the two approaches suggest a strong influence of local oceanography and geography on broad spatial patterns of connectivity. The predictions can be used as an initial basis to organise existing reserves to form ecologically meaningful networks. This study showed that species assemblage patterns could be a viable supplementary indicator of connectivity if used together with predictions from a larval dispersal model and if the potential effect of habitat on the structuring of species assemblages is taken into consideration.     

Monitoring population‐level responses of marine mammals to human activities

We provide guidance for monitoring whether human activities affect the physiology or behavior of marine mammals and, if so, whether those effects may lead to changes in survival and reproduction at the population level. We suggest that four elements be included in designing and implementing such a monitoring program. The first is development of a theory of change: a set of mechanistic hypotheses that outline why a given activity might be expected to have one or more measurable effects on individuals and populations, and ideally the magnitude, timing, and duration of the effects. The second element, definition of biologically meaningful effect sizes, ultimately facilitates the development of a monitoring program that can detect those magnitudes of effect with the desired levels of precision. The third element, selection of response variables for monitoring, allows inference to whether observed changes in the status of individuals or populations are attributable to a given activity. Visual observations, passive acoustic and tagging instruments, and direct physical measurements all can provide data that facilitate quantitative hypothesis testing. The fourth element is specification of the temporal sequence of monitoring. These elements also can be used to inform monitoring of the responses of other taxonomic groups to human activities.     

Body-size spectra of biofilm-dwelling protozoa and their seasonal shift in coastal ecosystems

Community-based assessment of protozoa is usually performed at a taxon-dependent resolution. As an inherent ‘taxon-free’ trait, however, body-size spectrum has proved to be a highly informative indicator to summarize the functional structure of a community in both community research and monitoring programs in aquatic ecosystems. To demonstrate the relationships between the taxon-free resolution of protozoan communities and water conditions, the body-size spectra of biofilm-dwelling protozoa and their seasonal shift and environmental drivers were explored based on an annual dataset collected monthly from coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China. Body sizes were calculated in equivalent spherical diameter (ESD). Among a total of 8 body-size ranks, S2 (19–27 μm), S3 (28–36 μm), S4 (37–50 μm) and S5 (53–71 μm) were the top four levels in frequency of occurrence, while rank S1 (13–17 μm), S2 and S4 were the dominant levels in abundance. These dominants showed a clear seasonal succession: S2/S4 (spring) → S2/S4 (summer) → S4 (autumn) → S2 (winter) in frequency of occurrence; S1 (spring) → S4 (summer) → S2 (autumn) → S1 (winter) in abundance. Bootstrapped average analysis showed a clear seasonal shift in body-size spectra of the protozoa during a 1-year cycle, and the best-matching analysis demonstrated that the temporal variations in frequency of occurrence and abundance were significantly correlated with water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), alone or in combination with chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nutrients. Thus, the body-size spectra of biofilm-dwelling protozoa were seasonally shaped and might be used as a time and cost efficient bioindicator of water quality in marine ecosystems.     

添加剂对大孔吸附树脂固定化脂肪酶的影响

利用大孔吸附树脂DA-201为载体对海洋脂肪酶固定化,并探寻添加剂对固定化过程的影响。分别以NH_4Cl、甘露糖和甘氨酸为添加剂,采用单因素和正交实验相结合的方法优化条件。结果显示,以NH_4Cl为添加剂的最优条件:柠檬酸-柠檬酸钠缓冲液pH 6. 0,固定化温度30℃,载体投放量0. 5g,NH_4Cl浓度25mmol/L,固定化时间3. 0h,酶活力达到115. 27U/g;比不含有添加剂的固定化酶固定化效率提高47. 42%。以甘露糖为添加剂最优条件:磷酸二氢钾-氢氧化钠缓冲液pH7. 0,固定化温度35℃,载体投放量0. 5g,甘露糖浓度10mmol/L,固定化时间4. 5h;酶活力达到122. 75U/g,比不含有添加剂的固定化酶固定化效率提高6. 50%。以甘氨酸为添加剂的最优条件:磷酸二氢钾-氢氧化钠缓冲液pH7. 0,固定化温度20℃,载体投放量0. 5g,甘氨酸浓度为25mmol/L,固定化时间7. 5h;酶活力达到141. 69U/g,比不含有添加剂的固定化酶固定化效率提高26. 12%。采用不同添加剂对大孔吸附树脂DA-201的吸附固定化过程有较大影响,可以极大地提高吸附效率;同时发现缓冲液类型、pH、温度、添加剂浓度和固定化时间等对DA-201树脂吸附脂肪酶有很大影响,对后续吸附固定化工业酶研究有较好的参考价值。     

Structure-activity relationships study of neolamellarin A and its analogues as hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) inhibitors

The novel marine pyrrole alkaloid neolamellarin A derived from sponge has been shown to inhibit hypoxia-induced HIF-1 activity. In this work, we designed and synthesized neolamellarin A and its series of derivatives by a convergent synthetic strategy. The HIF-1 inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity of these compounds were evaluated in Hela cells by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and MTT assay, respectively. The results showed that neolamellarin A 1 (IC₅₀ = 10.8 ± 1.0 μM) and derivative 2b (IC₅₀ = 11.9 ± 3.6 μM) had the best HIF-1 inhibitory activity and low cytotoxicity. Our SAR research focused on the effects of key regions aliphatic carbon chain length, aromatic ring substituents and C-7 substituent on biological activity, providing a basis for the subsequent research on the development of novel pyrrole alkaloids as HIF-1 inhibitors and design of small molecule probes for target protein identification.     

Diversity and distribution of hidden cultivable fungi associated with marine animals of Antarctica

In the present study, we surveyed the distribution and diversity of fungal assemblages associated with 10 species of marine animals from Antarctica. The collections yielded 83 taxa from 27 distinct genera, which were identified using molecular biology methods. The most abundant taxa were Cladosporium sp. 1, Debaryomyces hansenii, Glaciozyma martinii, Metschnikowia australis, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, Thelebolus cf. globosus, Pseudogymnoascus pannorum, Tolypocladium tundrense, Metschnikowia australis, and different Penicillium species. The diversity, richness, and dominance of fungal assemblages ranged among the host; however, in general, the fungal community, which was composed of endemic and cold-adapted cosmopolitan taxa distributed across the different sites of Antarctic Peninsula, displayed high diversity, richness, and dominance indices. Our results contribute to knowledge about fungal diversity in the marine environment across the Antarctic Peninsula and their phylogenetic relationships with species that occur in other cold, temperate, and tropical regions of the World. Additionally, despite their extreme habitats, marine Antarctic animals shelter cryptic and complex fungal assemblages represented by endemic and cosmopolitan cold-adapted taxa, which may represent interesting models to study different symbiotic associations between fungi and their animal hosts in the extreme conditions of Antarctica.     

Exploring the taxonomic and functional diversity of marine benthic micro-Eukaryotes along the Red Sea coast of Jeddah city

BackgroundsDiverse marine habitats along Jeddah's Red Sea coast support rich biodiversity. Few studies have been done on its diverse communities, especially its microbial counterparts. Metagenomic analysis of marine benthic micro-eukaryotic communities was performed for the first time on the Red Sea coast of Jeddah. This research looks into their community structure and metabolic potential.MethodsNext-generation sequencing was used to examine the micro-eukaryotic communities of seven sedimentary soil samples from four Jeddah coast locations. After isolating DNA from seven benthic sedimentary soil samples, the 18S rDNA V4 regions were amplified and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq. It was also verified using an Agilent Technologies 2100 Bioanalyzer with a DNA 1000 chip (Agilent Technologies, Fisher Scientific). A standard curve of fluorescence readings generated by qPCR quantification using the Illumina library was achieved using the GS FLX library. Metagenomic data analysis was used to evaluate the microbial communities' biochemical and enzymatic allocations in studied samples.ResultsBlast analysis showed that the top ten phyla were Annelida, Eukaryota, Diatomea, Porifera, Phragmoplastophyta, Arthropoda, Dinoflagellata, Xenacoelomorpha Nematoda, and uncultured. Annelida was also found in the highest percentage (93%), in the sample M followed by Porifera (64%), the most abundant in the control sample then Eukaryotes (61%), Phragmatoplastophyta (55%), Arthropoda, and Diatomea (the least common) (32%). community diversity analysis: using Shannon and inverse Simpson indices showed sediment composition to be effective. Also, PICRUST2 indicated that the most abundant pathways were pyruvate fermentation to isobutanol, pyrimidine deoxyribonucleotide phosphorylation, adenosine ribonucleotide de novo biosynthesis, guanosine ribonucleotide de novo biosynthesis, NAD salvage pathway I, the super pathway of glyoxylate bypass and aerobic respiration I (cytochrome c).ConclusionResults showed that high throughput metagenomics could reveal species diversity and estimate gene profiles. Environmental factors appear to be more important than geographic variation in determining the structure of these microbial communities. This study provides the first report of marine benthic micro-eukaryotic communities found on the Red Sea coast of Jeddah and will serve as a good platform for future research.     

Evaluation of halophilic microalgae isolated from Rabigh Red Sea coastal area for biodiesel production: Screening and biochemical studies

In the present study, different water samples from Red Sea coastal area at Rabigh city, Saudi Arabia were studied for their dominant algal species. Microalgal isolation was carried out based on dilution method and morphologically examined using F/2 as a growth medium. Dry weight and main biochemical composition (protein, carbohydrates, lipids) of all species were performed at the end of the growth, and biodiesel characteristics were estimated. Nannochloropsis sp., Dunaliella sp., Tetraselmis sp., Prorocentrum sp., Chlorella sp., Nitzschia sp., Coscinodiscus sp., and Navicula sp. were the most dominant species in the collected water samples and were used for further evaluation. Nannochloropsis sp. surpassed all other isolates in concern of biomass production with the maximum recorded dry weight of 0.89 g L^?1, followed by Dunaliella sp. (0.69 g L^?1). The highest crude protein content was observed in Nitzschia sp. (38.21%) and Dunaliella sp. (18.01%), while Nannochloropsis sp. showed 13.38%, with the lowest recorded lipid content in Coscinodiscus sp. (10.09%). Based on the growth, lipid content, and biodiesel characteristics, the present study suggested Dunaliella sp. and Nitzschia sp. as promising candidates for further large-scale biodiesel production.