Nonheterocytous cyanobacteria from Brazilian saline‐alkaline lakes

Saline‐alkaline lakes are extreme environments that limit the establishment and development of life. The Nhecolândia, a subregion of the Pantanal wetland in Brazil, is characterized by the existence of ~500 saline‐alkaline lakes, which support an underexplored and rich diversity of microorganisms. In this study, unicellular and homocytous cyanobacteria from five saline‐alkaline lakes were accessed by culture‐dependent approaches. Morphological evaluation and analyses of near complete sequences (~1400 nt) of the 16S rRNA genes were applied for phylogenetic and taxonomic placement. This polyphasic approach allowed for the determination of the taxonomic position of the isolated strains into the following genera: Cyanobacterium, Geminocystis, Phormidium, Leptolyngbya, Limnothrix, and Nodosilinea. In addition, fourteen Pseudanabaenales and Oscillatoriales representatives of putative novel taxa were found. These sequences fell into five new clades that could correspond to new generic units of the Pseudanabaenaceae and Phormidiaceae families.     

Protein kinase C enhances human sodium channel hNav1.7 resurgent currents via a serine residue in the domain III–IV linker

Resurgent sodium currents likely play a role in modulating neuronal excitability. Here we studied whether protein kinase C (PKC) activation can increase resurgent currents produced by the human sodium channel hNav1.7. We found that a PKC agonist significantly enhanced hNav1.7-mediated resurgent currents and this was prevented by PKC antagonists. The enhancing effects were replicated by two phosphorylation-mimicking mutations and were prevented by a phosphorylation-deficient mutation at a conserved PKC phosphorylation site (Serine 1479). Our results suggest that PKC can increase sodium resurgent currents through phosphorylation of a conserved Serine residue located in the domain III–IV linker of sodium channels.     

Impacts of Vegetation and Precipitation on Throughfall Heterogeneity in a Tropical Pre‐Montane Transitional Cloud Forest

Precipitation throughfall (TF) plays an important role in the water balance of tropical forests. This study used 164 gauges to quantify precipitation and TF variability in a tropical pre‐montane transitional cloud forest on the Caribbean slope of the Cordillera Tilarán, Costa Rica, to identify the ecological and meteorological drivers of this variability. Daily TF measurements were taken from 28 June to 17 July 2012 and 12 June to 16 July 2013, for a total of 39 precipitation events. The total mean TF was 87.9 percent and TF at individual gauges ranged from 22.7 percent to 245.7 percent. Leaf area index (LAI) was calculated above each gauge using hemispheric photography for a mean study‐site LAI of 7.7. There was no statistically significant relationship between LAI and TF. However, the amount of TF was positively correlated with precipitation intensity, while the variability of TF was negatively correlated with precipitation intensity. Our calculations indicate that at least 61 gauges are required to obtain mean TF estimates with less than 5 percent error. This study demonstrates that TF is highly spatially heterogeneous due to multiple compounding effects.     

内蒙古鄂尔多斯一古盐湖真菌多样性及其功能酶的初步筛选

【目的】探索内蒙古鄂尔多斯一古盐湖土壤沉积物和湖水样品中的真菌多样性,并初步筛选出产功能酶的活性菌株。【方法】采用含有2.5%、5%、10%及15%NaCl的3种分离培养基,利用稀释平板法分离可培养真菌,基于形态学和ITS序列分析对获得菌株进行系统分类学分析。利用6种筛选培养基定性检测盐湖真菌的产酶活性。【结果】共分离到2 121株真菌,共45个形态种,根据形态学研究和ITS序列的系统分类学分析将其归类为27个属,优势属为曲霉属(Aspergillus)。功能酶筛选结果表明,45个形态种中有22个形态种具有产酶活性,其中6个形态种只产蛋白酶,6个只产纤维素酶,2个只产复合酶,1个只产淀粉酶。有4个形态种可同时产3种酶,有3个可同时产2种酶。【结论】内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区盐湖中真菌多样性丰富,产酶特性良好,研究工作为耐(嗜)盐真菌资源的进一步开发和利用提供依据。     

球形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌(Lysinibacillus sphaericus)和嗜冷芽孢八叠球菌(Sporosarcina psychrophila)介导形成白云石晶体

【目的】白云石(Dolomite)是一种含有钙镁的碳酸盐矿物[CaMg(CO3)2],广泛存在于陆地和海洋等环境并常与油气埋藏共存。尽管白云石(或岩)的发现已经有三百多年的历史,但是对白云石的成因仍然没有定论,地质学上称之为"白云石之谜"。20世纪90年代Vasconcelos C.提出了"微生物白云石模型",为白云石成因的研究带来了新的思路。但是这一模型并不完善,白云石的形成与所介导的微生物生理状态以及环境参数之间的关系不明确。另外,所有报道的实验都是在地表压强条件下进行,无法表征自然界中白云石所处的高压环境。本研究中引入压力这一环境参数,结合菌株本身生理特性参数,综合考察多重因子对微生物介导形成白云岩的影响。【方法】利用球形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌(Lysinibacillus sphaericus)和嗜冷芽孢八叠球菌(Sporosarcina psychrophila)两株具有尿素水解活性的细菌作为生物材料,在不同的温度(15°C和30°C)压强(常压和20 MPa)氧气浓度(常压好氧条件和常压微氧条件)不同的尿素水解活性下进行生物矿化实验。通过SEM(扫描电子显微镜)和EDS(X射线能谱分析)相结合的方法观察沉淀物形貌和矿物成分构成。通过XRD(X射线衍射分析)定性测定碳酸盐矿物沉淀物的种类。【结果】球形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌和嗜冷芽孢八叠球菌在实验中所设计的所有矿化条件下都能够介导形成碳酸盐矿物沉淀。XRD和SEM检测均证实球形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌在30°C的20 MPa微氧条件下能够介导形成不规则菱面型和椭球型白云石。高压条件更有助于白云石的形成。除了白云石晶体,实验中还观察到有其他矿物(如方解石,碳氢镁石,钙镁碳酸石等)。【结论】实验证实球形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌和嗜冷芽孢八叠球菌具有矿化能力,特别是球形赖氨酸芽孢杆菌具有介导形成白云石的能力。微生物介导形成的碳酸盐矿物组分受到微生物的代谢活性以及温度、压力等生物矿化实验条件控制。这一研究结果帮助完善"微生物白云石模型",为解释白云石的深部成因提供数据支持。     

Calcium carbonate precipitation by heterotrophic bacteria isolated from biofilms formed on deteriorated ignimbrite stones: influence of calcium on EPS production and biofilm formation by these isolates

Heterotrophic CaCO₃-precipitating bacteria were isolated from biofilms on deteriorated ignimbrites, siliceous acidic rocks, from Morelia Cathedral (Mexico) and identified as Enterobacter cancerogenus (22e), Bacillus sp. (32a) and Bacillus subtilis (52g). In solid medium, 22e and 32a precipitated calcite and vaterite while 52g produced calcite. Urease activity was detected in these isolates and CaCO₃ precipitation increased in the presence of urea in the liquid medium. In the presence of calcium, EPS production decreased in 22e and 32a and increased in 52g. Under laboratory conditions, ignimbrite colonization by these isolates only occurred in the presence of calcium and no CaCO₃ was precipitated. Calcium may therefore be important for biofilm formation on stones. The importance of the type of stone, here a siliceous stone, on biological colonization is emphasized. This calcium effect has not been reported on calcareous materials. The importance of the effect of calcium on EPS production and biofilm formation is discussed in relation to other applications of CaCO₃ precipitation by bacteria.     

Pelagic sea snakes dehydrate at sea

Secondarily marine vertebrates are thought to live independently of fresh water. Here, we demonstrate a paradigm shift for the widely distributed pelagic sea snake, Hydrophis (Pelamis) platurus, which dehydrates at sea and spends a significant part of its life in a dehydrated state corresponding to seasonal drought. Snakes that are captured following prolonged periods without rainfall have lower body water content, lower body condition and increased tendencies to drink fresh water than do snakes that are captured following seasonal periods of high rainfall. These animals do not drink seawater and must rehydrate by drinking from a freshwater lens that forms on the ocean surface during heavy precipitation. The new data based on field studies indicate unequivocally that this marine vertebrate dehydrates at sea where individuals may live in a dehydrated state for possibly six to seven months at a time. This information provides new insights for understanding water requirements of sea snakes, reasons for recent declines and extinctions of sea snakes and more accurate prediction for how changing patterns of precipitation might affect these and other secondarily marine vertebrates living in tropical oceans.     

极端干旱条件下燕麦垄沟覆盖系统水生态过程

围绕极端气候条件下沟垄沟覆盖系统水文过程和水生产力变化问题开展两年的大田试验研究。以裸燕麦坝莜3号品种为材料,于2010年和2011年在甘肃定西进行,以充分灌溉为对照组,设置平地无种植、垄沟无覆膜种植、垄沟覆膜种植、裸地4个处理(此4个处理均无灌溉),测定生育期降雨、气温、0—140 cm土壤剖面水分变化、作物生长和产量等指标。结果表明,2010年和2011年分别为阶段性极端干旱和全生育期极端干旱两个类型,均导致所有处理组中土壤剖面60—100 cm的"土壤干层"现象,垄沟覆膜处理对"土壤干层"现象具有显著的缓解效应。与对照组相比,垄沟覆膜处理显著促进了收获期土壤剖面贮水量的回升,其贮水量分别提高了41.2 mm(2010年)和22.4 mm(2011年),全生育期水分利用效率和水生产力分别提高了1.7、0.4 kg·hm-2·mm-1(2010年)和6.5、9.8 kg·hm-2·mm-1(2011年)。另外,垄沟覆膜处理组的地上生物量比对照组降低了30.5%(2010年)和67.42%(2011年),但收获指数较对照分别提高了33.4%(2010年)和55.6%(2011年)。研究表明,垄沟覆膜处理促进了降水向土壤水和作物水的转化效率,显著地缓解了作物水分供需矛盾,是应对极端气候变化的重要生态策略。     

中国北方草地土壤呼吸的空间变异及成因

土壤呼吸是陆地生态系统碳循环的关键指标,决定了土壤源二氧化碳(CO₂)进入大气的通量,对预测全球气候变化背景下区域乃至全球碳循环变化具有重要意义.本文通过室内短期培养试验测定了中国北方草地样带土壤样品的呼吸速率,研究了北方草地土壤呼吸的区域尺度格局及其与主要调控因子的关系.结果表明：土壤呼吸速率自西向东随年均降水量(MAP)增加呈逐渐增加的趋势,变化范围为0.35～2.09 μg CO₂C·g^-1·h^-1.其中,MAP<100 mm时,土壤呼吸速率为0.35～0.73 μg CO₂C·g^-1·h^-1;100 mm 2C·g^-1·h^-1;MAP>300 mm时,土壤呼吸速率为0.83～2.10 μg CO₂ C·g^-1·h^-1.土壤呼吸速率与年均降水量、地上生物量、土壤有机碳氮含量呈显著正相关,而与年均温和pH值呈显著负相关.增强回归树分析显示,年均降水量、地上生物量、土壤有机碳含量和土壤有机氮含量分别解释了土壤呼吸总变异的25.5%、23.6%、18.3%和12.5%,而土壤pH和年均温仅解释了10.8%和9.2%.