Structural characteristics of extra-membrane domains and guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation of photosystem 2 core antenna complexes CP43 and CP47

The structural characteristics of the extra-membrane domains and guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation of photosystem 2 (PS2) core antenna complexes CP43 and CP47 were investigated using fluorescence emission and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The extra-membrane domains of CP43 and CP47 possessed a certain degree of secondary and tertiary structure and not a complete random coil conformation. The tertiary structure and the chlorophyll (Chl) a microenvironment of CP47 were more sensitive to guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) than that of CP43. Changes in energy transfer from β-carotene to Chl a corresponded well to changes in the tertiary structure while their correlation with changes in the secondary structure was rather poor. Unlike most of water-soluble proteins, both CP43 and CP47 are partly resistant to denaturation induced by guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl); the denaturation of CP43 or CP47 is not a two-state process. Those features most probably reflect their character as intrinsic membrane proteins.     

New Atropisomeric Amino Alcohol Ligands for Enantioselective Addition of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes

Efficient synthesis of several new atropisomeric amino alcohols having 1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrrole skeleton are reported. Steric arrangements of the products were confirmed by a single‐crystal X‐ray measurement. The consequences of the size of the N‐substituents on enantioinduction were examined by employing the enantioselective catalytic addition of diethylzinc to a series of substituted benzaldehydes (yields 91–97%, up to 85% enantiomeric excess). The special effect of the ortho methoxy group of the substrate on the enantioinduction is also interpreted. Chirality 27:216–222, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Evaluation of Sediment Toxicity in Kaohsiung Harbor,Taiwan

The contamination and toxicity levels of sediments in Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan, were evaluated using different sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). Twenty dredged sediment samples were collected from various locations in the harbor. Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, nutrients, and total organic carbons in the sediment samples were investigated. Results from the sediment analyses show that the sediments contained significant amounts of organics, nutrients, metals, and PAHs. Based on the analyses using the SQGs, sediments dredged from Kaohsiung Harbor were moderately contaminated and most samples have a low and medium-low probability of toxicity pollution. Results show that industrial activities and urban sewage effluents are the major sources of contamination in the harbor sediments.     

Why acetylcholinesterase reactivators do not work in butyrylcholinesterase

The pyridinium oxime therapy for treatment of organophosphate poisoning is a well established, but not sufficient method. Recent trends also focus on prophylaxis as a way of preventing even the entrance of organophosphates into the nervous system. One of the possible prophylactic methods is increasing the concentration of butyrylcholinesterase in the blood with the simultaneous administration of butyrylcholinesterase reactivators, when the enzyme is continuously reactivated by oxime. This article summarizes and sets forth the structural differences between butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase, essential for the future design of butyrylcholinesterase reactivators. Butyrylcholinesterase lacks the reactivator aromatic binding pocket found in acetylcholinesterase, which is itself a part of the acetylcholinesterase peripheral anionic site. This difference finally renders the current acetylcholinesterase reactivators, when used in butyrylcholinesterase, non-functional.     

多环芳烃污染生物修复研究进展

多环芳烃(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon,PAHs)是一类对环境有严重危害的持久性有机污染物。具有高生物富集性、致癌性、致毒性和难降解性,修复治理PAHs污染环境备受国内外政府及学者的关注。目前主要采用物理、化学以及生物方法对多环芳烃污染的土壤和水体进行修复。其中生物修复是一种高效、经济和生态可承受的环保技术,具有成本低、无二次污染等优点。本文从植物修复、微生物修复以及植物-微生物联合修复方面,阐述了国内外生物修复PAHs污染的最新研究进展。指出了生物修复PAHs污染环境需要进一步解决的问题,并对未来发展趋势进行了展望。     

一株耐低温石油烃降解菌的分离鉴定及其降解特性

目的:从污染环境中分离耐低温石油降解菌,并对其降解特性进行研究。方法:采用摇瓶富集培养和平板划线分离的方法,得到一株能以原油为碳源、能源生长的细菌菌株,采用分子生物学方法对该降解菌进行初步鉴定。结果:从天津大港油田污染土壤和水体中分离到一株耐低温石油降解菌DSY171,该菌株能够在10℃条件下,以石油为惟一碳源生长。经过对其形态特征、生理生化及16S rDNA序列分析,初步鉴定该菌株归属红球菌属。菌株DSY171在低温条件下(10～15℃)12 d的石油降解率显著优于常温条件(20～30℃),原油降解率为60%左右;菌株DSY171的pH适应范围较广,初始pH值为6～9时均能代谢生长,但在偏碱性环境下(pH7～9)的代谢生长好于偏酸性环境(pH6～7)。除了降解石油外,菌株DSY171对柴油、食用油等不同碳源也均能够降解代谢,具有一定的碳源利用广谱性。结论:耐低温石油降解菌DSY171的分离及其降解特性的研究,为生物学方法解决低温环境石油污染问题提供了高效菌种,在环境微生物学理论研究和实践应用中具有一定的意义和价值。     

Sex-specific genotype-by-environment interactions for cuticular hydrocarbon expression in decorated crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus: implications for the evolution of signal reliability

Phenotypic traits that convey information about individual identity or quality are important in animal social interactions, and the degree to which such traits are influenced by environmental variation can have profound effects on the reliability of these cues. Using inbred genetic lines of the decorated cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus, we manipulated diet quality to test how the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of males and females respond across two different nutritional rearing environments. There were significant differences between lines in the CHC profiles of females, but the effect of diet was not quite statistically significant. There was no significant genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI), suggesting that environmental effects on phenotypic variation in female CHCs are independent of genotype. There was, however, a significant effect of GEI for males, with changes in both signal quantity and content, suggesting that environmental effects on phenotypic expression of male CHCs are dependent on genotype. The differential response of male and female CHC expression to variation in the nutritional environment suggests that these chemical cues may be under sex-specific selection for signal reliability. Female CHCs show the characteristics of reliable cues of identity: high genetic variability, low condition dependence and a high degree of genetic determination. This supports earlier work showing that female CHCs are used in self-recognition to identify previous mates and facilitate polyandry. In contrast, male CHCs show the characteristics of reliable cues of quality: condition dependence and a relatively higher degree of environmental determination. This suggests that male CHCs are likely to function as cues of underlying quality during mate choice and/or male dominance interactions.     

Crystal structure of the reaction complex of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase from Thermotoga maritima refines the catalytic mechanism and indicates a new mechanism of allosteric regulation

3-Deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) catalyzes the first reaction of the aromatic biosynthetic pathway in bacteria, fungi, and plants, the condensation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and d-erythrose-4-phosphate (E4P) with the formation of DAHP. Crystals of DAHPS from Thermotoga maritima (DAHPS(Tm)) were grown in the presence of PEP and metal cofactor, Cd(2+), and then soaked with E4P at 4 degrees C where the catalytic activity of the enzyme is negligible. The crystal structure of the "frozen" reaction complex was determined at 2.2A resolution. The subunit of the DAHPS(Tm) homotetramer consists of an N-terminal ferredoxin-like (FL) domain and a (beta/alpha)(8)-barrel domain. The active site located at the C-end of the barrel contains Cd(2+), PEP, and E4P, the latter bound in a non-productive conformation. The productive conformation of E4P is suggested and a catalytic mechanism of DAHPS is proposed. The active site of DAHPS(Tm) is nearly identical to the active sites of the other two known DAHPS structures from Escherichia coli (DAHPS(Ec)) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (DAHPS(Sc)). However, the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of DAHPS(Tm) are more similar to the functionally related enzyme, 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonate-8-phosphate synthase (KDOPS) from E.coli and Aquiflex aeolicus, than to DAHPS(Ec) and DAHPS(Sc). Although DAHPS(Tm) is feedback-regulated by tyrosine and phenylalanine, it lacks the extra barrel segments that are required for feedback inhibition in DAHPS(Ec) and DAHPS(Sc). A sequence similarity search revealed that DAHPSs of phylogenetic family Ibeta possess a FL domain like DAHPS(Tm) while those of family Ialpha have extra barrel segments similar to those of DAHPS(Ec) and DAHPS(Sc). This indicates that the mechanism of feedback regulation in DAHPS(Tm) and other family Ibeta enzymes is different from that of family Ialpha enzymes, most likely being mediated by the FL domain.     

芳香类天然产物的合成生物学研究进展

植物芳香类天然产物具有重要的药用价值,可制成具有抗菌、抗炎、镇痛、抗氧化、杀虫驱虫、祛痰止咳、安神镇静和抗肿瘤等药效的医药保健用品.然而,由于植物中芳香类天然产物含量较低并且难以提取和纯化,严重限制了其工业化生产及应用.合成生物学和代谢工程技术的发展为天然产物的生产提供了新的思路,可以利用人工微生物细胞工厂来实现多种芳...     

睾丸酮丛毛单胞菌对羊草根际土壤PAHs降解及细菌群落结构的影响

探究睾丸酮丛毛单胞菌(Comamonas testosteroni,C.t)联合羊草修复多环芳烃(Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs)污染土壤过程中,羊草根际土PAHs降解及根际微生物的变化。用气相色谱-质谱法(GC-MS)检测C.t联合羊草时根际PAHs的降解,通过高通量测序技术测定羊草根际土壤细菌群落及多样性,采用冗余分析及网络分析评价PAHs降解与细菌群落组分之间的相关性,用PICRUSt软件预测PAHs降解潜力。结果表明,C.t的接入在修复后期(60–120d)促进PAHs降解,使羊草根际细菌丰富度、多样性以及细菌与PAHs的相关性发生改变,并且提高了羊草根际PAHs的降解潜力。C.t主要通过影响变形菌门属水平中鞘氨醇单胞菌(Sphingomonas)、MND1和Nordella,放线菌门属水平上红色杆菌(Rubrobacter)和Gaiella,酸杆菌门属水平中RB41以及拟杆菌门中黄杆菌(Flavobacterium),从而加快羊草根际土中萘(Nap)、菲(Phe)、苯并芘(BaP)3种PAHs的降解。研究以期为C.t联合植物降解土壤...