Interactions of earthworms with Atrazine-degrading bacteria in an agricultural soil

In the last 10 years, accelerated mineralization of Atrazine (2-chloro-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) has been evidenced in agricultural soils repeatedly treated with this herbicide. Here, we report on the interaction between earthworms, considered as soil engineers, and the Atrazine-degrading community. The impact of earthworm macrofauna on Atrazine mineralization was assessed in representative soil microsites of earthworm activities (gut contents, casts, burrow linings). Soil with or without earthworms, namely the anecic species Lumbricus terrestris and the endogenic species Aporrectodea caliginosa, was either inoculated or not inoculated with Pseudomonas sp. ADP, an Atrazine-degrading strain, and was either treated or not treated with Atrazine. The structure of the bacterial community, the Atrazine-degrading activity and the abundance of atzA, B and C sequences in soil microsites were investigated. Atrazine mineralization was found to be reduced in representative soil microsites of earthworm activities. Earthworms significantly affected the structure of soil bacterial communities. They also reduced the size of the inoculated population of Pseudomonas sp. ADP, thereby contributing to the diminution of the Atrazine-degrading genetic potential in representative soil microsites of earthworm activities. This study illustrates the regulation produced by the earthworms on functional bacterial communities involved in the fate of organic pollutants in soils.     

二十碳五烯酸的菌种选育及发酵条件

利用含亚麻子油的斜面培养基连续传代和逐渐降低培养温度,诱导筛选的方法,从大量丝状真菌中选育到一株产二十碳五烯酸（all－cis－5、8、11、14、17－eicosopnthenoicacid）较高的被孢霉菌（Motierellasp．）SM481。研究得到最适培养基及最适培养条件。在最适培养及产二十碳五烯酸条件下,细胞干重和二十碳五烯酸产量分别为28．8g／L和0.127g／L。     

Molecular cloning, expression and characterization of a chitosanase from Microbacterium sp.

A gene encoding a chitosanase (mschito) was cloned from Microbacterium sp. OU01. The ORF consists of 801 bp which encoded a polypeptide of 266 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence shows 98% identity to that of the chitosanase reported in Pseudomonas sp. A-01. In addition, the fusion protein containing MSCHITO was expressed in E. coli and purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The purified rMSCHITO protein degraded the chitosan (the degree of deacetylation of 99%) and produced a mixture of chitooligosaccharides. The MSCHITO is thus an endo-chitosanase.     

厌氧菌Sunxiuqinia sp. SH-52外切型海藻酸裂解酶的异源表达及酶学特征

【背景】目前已报道的海藻酸分解菌多数为好氧菌,未见有关厌氧菌的报道。从分离的海藻酸分解菌中表征的海藻酸裂解酶大多为内切型海藻酸裂解酶,外切型较少。【目的】研究来自厌氧海藻酸分解菌的海藻酸裂解酶基因,表征新型海藻酸裂解酶并阐明其酶学性质,为海藻酸裂解酶的多样性和微生物降解海藻酸机制提供理论依据。【方法】对来自厌氧海藻酸分解菌Sunxiuqinia sp. SH-52的海藻酸裂解酶SHA-4编码基因进行克隆,分析基因序列,构建重组质粒PGEX-4T-1-SHA-4并在大肠杆菌中实现异源表达,经纯化后对其酶学性质及降解特征进行研究。【结果】该酶在28°C、用0.1 mmol/L IPTG (异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷)条件下诱导6 h达到最大表达量,纯化后酶的比活力达到21 U/mg。酶学性质分析表明SHA-4的最适温度为37°C;最适pH为7.5;对PolyMG (杂聚古罗糖醛酸-甘露糖醛酸嵌段)具有底物偏好性;Na+对该酶的活性具有抑制作用,而金属离子Cu~(2+)具有明显促进作用,使活性提高了约168%;SHA-4催化海藻酸的Km值为2.5 mg/mL,Vmax为8.7 mg/(mL·min);SHA-4为外切型海藻酸裂解酶,降解海藻酸终产物为单糖。【结论】异源表达了来自一株厌氧海藻酸分解菌Sunxiuqiniasp.SH-52的海藻酸裂解酶SHA-4,该酶是PL6家族中第一个对PolyMG有底物偏好性的外切型海藻酸裂解酶,而且活性较高,作为工具酶有很好的应用前景,为海藻酸降解机制的探索提供了新的线索。     

SYSTEMATIC REVISION OF THE GENERA LIAGORA AND IZZIELLA (LIAGORACEAE,RHODOPHYTA) FROM TAIWAN BASED ON MOLECULAR ANALYSES AND CARPOSPOROPHYTE DEVELOPMENT,WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES1

Some Liagora and Izziella distributed in Taiwan display a wide range of morphological variation and can be difficult to distinguish. To clarify species concepts, we applied DNA sequence analyses and examined carposporophyte development in detail. These studies revealed two new species, which are described herein as Izziella hommersandii sp. nov. and Izziella kuroshioensis sp. nov. I. kuroshioensis superficially resembles Izziella formosana and Izziella orientalis in that its involucral filaments subtend rather than surround the lower portion of the gonimoblast mass (= Izziella type) and a fusion cell is formed from cells of the carpogonial branch, but it can be separated by differences in the cell numbers and branching pattern of the involucral filaments, as well as thallus morphology. In contrast to other species that also bear short lateral branchlets, I. hommersandii is unique in possessing a mixture of short and long involucral filaments, a phenomenon not reported before. The length of the involucral filaments is species specific among species of Izziella and contrasts to the behavior of the involucral filaments after fertilization in species such as “Liagora”setchellii [= Titanophycus setchellii comb. nov.], in which the filaments completely envelop the gonimoblast. In addition, the cells of the carpogonial branch in Titanophycus do not fuse after fertilization to form a fusion cell. Thus, a combination of characters with respect to the behavior of the carpogonial branch and the involucral filaments after fertilization is very useful for delineating species boundaries in Izziella and for separating Titanophycus from Izziella and Liagora.     

假单胞菌M18中藤黄绿菌素合成限速酶基因的鉴定及表达优化

【目的】假单胞菌株M18中负责抗真菌剂藤黄绿菌素(Plt)合成的结构基因包括pltLABCDEFG、pltM。为了鉴定Plt合成限速酶的基因,分别将9个结构基因过表达。【方法】以M18菌株染色体DNA为模板,PCR扩增这9个Plt合成基因的编码区,分别克隆到穿梭载体pME6032的tac启动子下游,构建9个结构基因的过表达载体,并转入假单胞菌株M18中。在KMB培养基中进行Plt发酵分析。【结果】分别携带pltC、pltD、pltF过表达载体的菌株与携带空质粒的菌株相比,Plt产量分别提高了96%、78%、75%。对重组菌株进行IPTG诱导浓度和诱导时间的优化,确定IPTG最佳诱导浓度为1.0 mmol/L,最佳诱导时间为培养6 h。【结论】pltC、pltD、pltF分别编码的Ⅰ型聚酮合成酶、卤化酶、乙酰CoA合成酶可能为Plt生物合成的限速酶。按照优化条件发酵,携带pltD、pltF过表达质粒的菌株产量分别上升77.5%、159.1%。     

Coccidian Parasites (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of Nerodia spp. (Serpentes: Colubridae), with a Description of a New Species of Eimeria

Eimeria conanli n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is described from intestinal contents and feces of Nerodia erythrogaster transversa and N harteri harteri from northcentral Texas. Oocysts of the new species are ellipsoid in shape. 17.9 × 13.0(15–21 × 12–15) μm, with a smooth, thin, single-layered wall; shape index 1.4 (1.2–1.5). One to several (usually 2) polar granule(s) and an oocyst residuum are present, but a micropyie is absent. Sporocysts are elongate, 12.9 × 5.2 (13–15 × 5–6) -m, apparently without a true Stieda body structure. Each sporoeyst contains an ellipsoid residuum, 3.9 × 3.2 (3–6 × 2–4) μm, and elongate sporozoites, 11.4 × 2.5 (10–14 × 2–3) μm in situ, each with a spherical or subspherical anterior refractile body and spherical to ellipsoid posterior refractile body. In addition to the new species, oocysts of 4 previously described eimerians from colubrid snakes were found in these hosts.     

Isolation of a highly copper-tolerant yeast, Cryptococcus sp., from the Japan Trench and the induction of superoxide dismutase activity by Cu2+

Thirteen yeast strains were isolated from deep-sea sediment samples collected at a depth of 4500 m to 6500 m in the Japan Trench. Amongst them, strain N6 possessed high tolerance against Cu²⁺ and could grow on yeast extract/peptone/dextrose/agar containing 50 mM CuSO₄. Analysis of the 18S rDNA sequence indicates strain N6 belongs to the genus Cryptococcus. In contrast, the type strain of C. albidus, a typical marine yeast Rhodotorula ingeniosa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae did not grow at high concentrations of CuSO₄. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyzes the scavenging of superoxide radicals. The activity of SOD in cell extract of strain N6 was very weak (<1 mU g^–1 total protein) when the strain was grown in the absence of CuSO₄. However, the activity was stimulated (25.8 mU g^–1 total protein) when cells were grown with 1 mM CuSO₄ and further enhanced to 110 mU g^–1 total protein with 10 mM CuSO₄. Catalase activity was increased only 1.4 or 1.1-fold with 1 mM or 10 mM CuSO₄ in the growth medium, respectively. These results suggest that SOD may have a role in the defensive mechanisms against high concentrations of CuSO₄ in strain N6.