氨氧化古菌的生态学研究进展

上百年来细菌一直被认为是地球氨氧化过程的主要驱动者,2005年海洋中分离到迄今唯一的非极端环境泉古菌,发现其氧化氨态氮获得能源生长,是氨氧化古菌。氨氧化古菌和细菌对地球氨氧化过程的相对贡献率,是目前全球氮循环研究最重要的微生物生态学问题之一。已有的证据表明古菌在海洋氨氧化过程中发挥了重要作用,细菌则是土壤氨氧化过程的主要驱动者。本文重点探讨了原位自然环境下氨氧化古菌的生态学研究进展。     

水果中阿斯巴甜的研究

采用高效液相色谱-三重四级杆串联质谱(HPLC-QQQ-MS/MS)对橙等8种水果中的苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸和阿斯巴甜进行测定,采用气相顶空(HS-GC)对水果中的甲醇进行测定,并进行阿斯巴甜的模拟合成实验,研究在水果中是否存在阿斯巴甜及合成阿斯巴甜所必须的苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸和甲醇以及它们之间的浓度关系。实验结果表明:8种水果中均含有阿斯巴甜、苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸和甲醇。其中阿斯巴甜的含量为23.4～117μg/kg,天冬氨酸含量为8.72～186 mg/kg,苯丙氨酸含量为1.84～84.2 mg/kg,甲醇含量为1.81～248mg/kg。不同水果中阿斯巴甜含量差异不大,而苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸和甲醇的含量差异较大。阿斯巴甜的含量与苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸和甲醇的含量无明显相关性。     

北方冬小麦/夏玉米轮作体系土壤氨挥发的原位测定

采用通气法测定了北方冬小麦／夏玉米轮作体系田间土壤的原位氨挥发。结果表明,与冬小麦施用基肥相比,夏玉米追肥后土壤的氨挥发速率很快升高,但军发高峰期持续时间较短,最大氨挥发速率亦低于冬小麦,冬小麦拨节期追肥,氨挥发速率低且呈波动变化,未出现高峰值,从整个生长季节来看,冬小麦不施氮和每公顷施氮120、240、360kg时的累计挥发量分别为4．4、6．9、13．0、38．4kgN/hm^2,夏玉米为8．4、15．1、20．0、26．1kgN/hm^2。按我国北方冬小麦／夏玉米播种面积1864．4万hm^2计,每年由氨挥发向大气排放的氨素达23．8－120．2万t,其中17．2－96．4万t来自氮肥,相当于氮肥投入的2．1％－9．5％。     

Lactoferrin-melanin interaction and its possible implications in melanin polymerization: crystal structure of the complex formed between mare lactoferrin and melanin monomers at 2.7-A resolution

The concentration of melanin determines the intensity of colors of the skin and hair of animals. Melanin pigments are tyrosine-based polymers formed in melanocytes within specialized organelles called melanosomes. In order to understand the mechanism of melanin polymerization, lactoferrin, a basic protein with a pI value of 9.0, has been used to produce melanin. Lactoferrin is a monomeric iron-binding protein with a molecular weight of 80 kDa. The crystals of lactoferrin were soaked in a solution containing dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and tyrosinase enzyme. These crystals were used for X-ray intensity data collection. The intensity data were collected to 2.7-A resolution to an overall completeness of 91% with an R(sym) of 0.071. The crystals belong to orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with cell dimensions: a = 85.0 A, b = 99.8 A, c = 103.4 A. The structure was determined by molecular replacement method, using the model of diferric mare lactoferrin, and refined to an R-factor 0.215 (R(free) = 0.287) for all the data to 2.7-A resolution. The final model comprises 5,281 protein atoms from 689 amino acids, 2Fe(3+), 2CO(2-)(3) ions, 2 indole-5,6-quinone molecules (IQ), and 73 water molecules. Two IQ molecules, one in each lobe, bind to lactoferrin. In the C-lobe, the IQ binds in the iron-binding cleft, whereas in the N-lobe, it is located in the side pocket between two alpha-helices, filled with solvent molecules in the native iron-saturated mare lactoferrin. The IQ molecules interact with protein molecule mainly through glutamic acid in both lobes, without significant perturbation to the protein structure. The orientation of N- and C-lobes in the present structure is similar to that observed in the native iron-saturated protein. However, as a result of the binding of IQ molecules, the orientations of the domains N1, N2 and C1, C2 in the two cases differ slightly.     

Phenolics and the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, phenol-β-glucosyltransferase and β-glucosidase in cucumber roots as affected by phenolic allelochemicals

Seven-day-old seedlings of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cv. Wisconsin were treated with 0.1 mM solutions of cinnamic acid (ferulic and p-coumaric acids) and benzoic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic and vanillic acids) derivatives as stressors. The content of free and glucosylated soluble phenols and the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (E.C.4.3.1.5), phenol-β-glucosyltransferase (E.C.2.4.1.35.), and β-glucosidase (E.C.3.2.1.21.) in seedling roots as well as their length and fresh weight were examined. Changes in glucosylated phenolic content and phenol-β-glucosyltranspherase activity were observed under the influence of all phenolics applied. Treatment with ferulic and p-coumaric acids stimulated the increase of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and β-glucosidase activity and slightly inhibited cucumber root growth.     

Optimization of free ammonia concentration for nitrite accumulation in shortcut biological nitrogen removal process

A shortcut biological nitrogen removal (SBNR) utilizes the concept of a direct conversion of ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrogen gas. A successful SBNR requires accumulation of nitrite in the system and inhibition of the activity of nitrite oxidizers. A high concentration of free ammonia (FA) inhibits nitrite oxidizers, but unfortunately decreases the ammonium removal rate as well. Therefore, the optimal range of FA concentration is necessary not only to stabilize nitrite accumulation but also to achieve maximum ammonium removal. In order to derive such optimal FA concentrations, the specific substrate utilization rates of ammonium and nitrite oxidizers were measured. The optimal FA concentration range appeared to be 5–10 mg/L for the adapted sludge. The simulated results from the modified inhibition model expressed by FA and ammonium/nitrite concentrations were shown very similar to the experimental results.     

酸碱胁迫对不同体质量尼罗罗非鱼幼鱼能量代谢的影响

利用6×3析因试验设计,设置6组pH(5.0、6.0、7.0、8.0、9.0和10.0)和3组体质量(1.02、5.13和10.31 9),在试验室条件下研究了酸碱胁迫对不同体质量尼罗罗非鱼幼鱼的呼吸、排泄、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)和Na+-K+ATPase活力的影响.结果表明:尼罗罗非鱼幼鱼的耗氧率和排氨率随pH值的升高先上升后下降,在pH7.0～8.0时达到最高值.耗氧量与排氨量随体质量的增加而增加并呈幂函数相关.体质量的一次和pH的一次、二次效应对尼罗罗非鱼幼鱼的耗氧率和排氨率有极显著的影响(P＜0.0l);体质量与pH之间无互作效应(P＞0.05);建立了pH与体质量对耗氧率、排氨率之间的回归方程,决定系数分别达到0.942和0.936;体质量对氧氮比(O:N)值有显著影响(P＜0.01),酸碱胁迫使尼罗罗非鱼幼鱼的能源物质利用模式发生改变.高pH条件不利于LDH活力的增加,但有利于Na+-K+ ATPase活力的上升,pH的一次和二次效应对酶活有极显著影响(P＜0.01),体质量对Na+-K+ ATPase活力没有显著影响,且pH与体质量对酶活无互作效应(P＞0.05).     

小麦PAL基因的克隆及赤霉菌诱导下的表达分析

利用苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL,phenylalanine ammonia-lyase)基因保守区域从小麦抗赤霉病材料苏麦3号中克隆获得4个PAL基因,分别命名为Ta PAL1、Ta PAL2、Ta PAL3、Ta PAL4。4个基因的开放阅读框(ORF,open reading frame)长度分别为2142 bp、2016 bp、2118 bp和2139 bp,分别编码714个、672个、706个和713个氨基酸。基因序列比对发现其相似性达到88.35%,所编码的氨基酸相似性为91.92%,氨基酸序列分析表明4个基因都包含HAL-PAL结构域及PAL结构域。通过接种禾谷镰刀菌,利用荧光定量PCR对PAL基因进行表达分析发现,4个PAL基因全部为上调表达,其中Ta PAL2、Ta PAL3和Ta PAL4最为明显。PAL基因的上调表达,说明PAL基因在小麦抵抗赤霉病菌侵染的机制中可能起着重要作用。     

森林火旋风研究进展

火旋风是林火蔓延过程中的特殊火行为现象,与树冠火和飞火关系密切.火旋风的发生机理在于旋转涡的生成和发展.构建室内火旋风模拟发生装置是当前火旋风研究的常用方法.在室内模拟试验中,红外热像和热电偶可用于测量火焰温度,高速摄影、三维激光多普勒和皮托管用于测量火旋风的转速.基于室内实验数据,可构建模拟火旋风发生发展的三维模型.