Root exudates and their ecological consequences in forest ecosystems: Problems and perspective北大核心CSCD

Researches on rhizosphere ecological processes and the underlying mechanisms have become one of the most active and sensitive hotspots in soil science. Root exudates have specialized roles in mediating the nutrient cycling and signal transduction within root-soil-microbe interactions. They are the key driving factors in regulating the functions of rhizosphere micro-ecosystem, and serve as a major premise for the concept and ecological processes in rhizosphere. However, due to the instinctive advantages of crops, such as short life cycles and convenient operation, most previous studies on root exudation mainly focused on agricultural ecosystems and were primarily targeted at providing practical guidelines. In contrast, there have been relatively few investigations on root exudates of trees, which highly limited the comprehensive knowledge of the potential mechanisms of root exudates in mediating soil biogeochemical processes in forest ecosystems. Hence, in this review, based on the main findings in our previous studies and the emerging frontiers in rhizosphere ecology, we specifically reviewed the ecological consequences and key remaining challenges in researches on root exudation in forests. Finally, we identify several topics and research outlooks for guiding future work to facilitate studies on root exudation and its ecological consequences in forest ecosystems. © Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology     

微生物对水环境污染物的趋化性研究进展

随着人类活动的干扰以及社会工业化进程的加剧,水环境污染现象日益严峻。微生物是水环境污染治理和修复的主要驱动者。越来越多的研究发现,水环境中污染物的去除速率与微生物的趋化功能密切相关。综述了近几年有关微生物对水环境中无机盐、溶解性有机物和重金属等的趋化特性研究进展,讨论并展望了基于趋化功能微生物精准调控的水环境污染强化治理技术的应用前景及主要问题。     

亚精胺和丛枝菌根真菌对黄瓜生长的影响

以黄瓜品种‘津春2号’为材料,在育苗基质中添加亚精胺(Spd)和丛枝菌根真菌(AMF),研究外源Spd和AMF对黄瓜幼苗生长、光合作用、果实产量和品质以及根际微生物和酶活性的影响.结果表明:育苗基质中同时添加Spd和AMF,可促进黄瓜幼苗生长,提高根系活力和果实产量,改善品质,并促进养分吸收;Spd和AMF提高黄瓜幼苗净光合速率、实际光化学效率、表观量子效率、羧化效率和光呼吸速率,增加基质中细菌和放线菌数量,而降低真菌数量,并提高蔗糖酶、中性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶和脲酶的活性.说明育苗基质中同时添加Spd和AMF,可提高黄瓜植株光能利用效率,促使黄瓜幼苗根际微生物区系从低肥力的"真菌型"向高肥力的"细菌型"转化,加速有机磷和有机态氮的分解与转化,为黄瓜生长发育提供比较充足的N、P等养分,从而促进黄瓜植株生长,提高产量并改善品质.Spd可提高AMF侵染率,两者对黄瓜幼苗生长具有明显的叠加效应,说明在接种AMF的基质中添加Spd,是一种可增强AMF侵染率的有效方法.     

Application of the MALDI Biotyper to clinical microbiology: progress and potential

Introduction: The introduction of the MALDI Biotyper in laboratories substantially changed microbiology practice, this has been called a revolution. The system accelerated diagnostic while costs were reduced and accuracy was increased. In just a few years MALDI-TOF MS became the first-line identification tool for microorganisms. Ten years after its introduction, more than 2000 MALDI Biotyper systems are installed in laboratories which are performing routine diagnostic, and the number is still increasing.

Areas covered: This article summarises changes in clinical microbiology introduced by the MALDI Biotyper and its effects, as it has been published in peer reviewed articles found in PubMed. Further, the potential of novel developments to increase the value of the system is described.

Expert commentary: The MALDI Biotyper has significantly improved clinical microbiology in the area of microorganism identification. Now new developments and applications, e.g. for typing and resistance testing, might further increase its value in clinical microbiology. The systems might get the central diagnostic analyser which is getting integrated into the widely automated microbiology laboratories of the future.     

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) power performance improvement through enhanced microbial electrogenicity

Within the past 5?years, tremendous advances have been made to maximize the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for both “clean” bioenergy production and bioremediation. Most research efforts have focused on parameters including (i) optimizing reactor configuration, (ii) electrode construction, (iii) addition of redox-active, electron donating mediators, (iv) biofilm acclimation and feed nutrient adjustment, as well as (v) other parameters that contribute to enhanced MFC performance. To date, tremendous advances have been made, but further improvements are needed for MFCs to be economically practical. In this review, the diversity of electrogenic microorganisms and microbial community changes in mixed cultures are discussed. More importantly, different approaches including chemical/genetic modifications and gene regulation of exoelectrogens, synthetic biology approaches and bacterial community cooperation are reviewed. Advances in recent years in metagenomics and microbiomes have allowed researchers to improve bacterial electrogenicity of robust biofilms in MFCs using novel, unconventional approaches. Taken together, this review provides some important and timely information to researchers who are examining additional means to enhance power production of MFCs.     

肠道中多不饱和脂肪酸及其衍生物研究进展

肠道菌群是人体微生态学的重要组成部分,也是最大、最复杂的微生态系统,在宿主的营养吸收、肠道与免疫系统发育等重要生理过程中发挥作用,与人类健康和疾病密切相关。这些共生微生物排除肠道病原体的功能主要依赖于其产生的生物活性物质,如多不饱和脂肪酸等。同时这些脂肪酸在肠道微生物的作用下能够进一步转化为具有特殊结构和功能的多不饱和脂肪酸衍生物。这些多不饱和脂肪酸衍生物对维持健康稳定的肠道菌群至关重要。此外,多不饱和脂肪酸在宿主防御和免疫中发挥了多重关键作用,包括抗癌、抗炎、抗氧化活性,以及降低肠道致病菌的竞争能力等。主要对肠道中多不饱和脂肪酸的来源及其重要的生理功能,以及肠道微生物对多不饱和脂肪酸的转化衍生机制进行了综述,并提出肠道微生物是特殊多不饱和脂肪酸及衍生物生产菌株潜在的种子及基因库,以扩展功能油脂生产菌株的来源。     

A Model for Sheath Formation Coupled to Motility in Leptothrix ochracea

Optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM) of naturally occurring Leptothrix ochracea was used to study the fine structure of sheaths and cells. Morphology of young sheaths suggests the scaffold chains have strong self-adhesion. Evidence from unencapsulated cells indicates fresh scaffold production through cell walls. Simple diffusion arguments are used to explain the morphology of the sheath structure. We propose a novel cell motility model based on previously published video data, our AFM images of naked cells, and simple flow calculations. The model indicates that motility results from differential shear forces resulting from extrusion of sheath material that passively pushes a filament of connected cells forward as the surrounding sheath material hardens behind the cell train.