Sampling methods for NMR-based metabolomics of Staphylococcus aureus

To select an appropriate sampling method for comparison of metabolite profiles between planktonic and biofilm Staphylococcus aureus using NMR techniques, we evaluated three methods: quenching-centrifugation (QC), filtration-quenching (FQ) and filtration-quenching-lyophilization (FQL). We found differences in metabolite loss, yield, reproducibility and metabolite profile. QC caused severe metabolite leakage and possible decomposition of nucleotides. FQ achieved high yields and reproducibility, although it had the disadvantages of long filtration and rinse times before quenching. FQL resulted in a loss of a few metabolites and a lower yield due to lyophilization. Although the biomarkers discovered by each method were nearly the same and seemed insensitive to technical variances, we conclude that FQ is the most appropriate sampling method because of its high yield and reproducibility.     

Production of fuel ethanol from bamboo by concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by continuous ethanol fermentation

An efficient process for the production of fuel ethanol from bamboo that consisted of hydrolysis with concentrated sulfuric acid, removal of color compounds, separation of acid and sugar, hydrolysis of oligosaccharides and subsequent continuous ethanol fermentation was developed. The highest sugar recovery efficiency was 81.6% when concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis was carried out under the optimum conditions. Continuous separation of acid from the saccharified liquid after removal of color compounds with activated carbon was conducted using an improved simulated moving bed (ISMB) system, and 98.4% of sugar and 90.5% of acid were recovered. After oligosaccharide hydrolysis and pH adjustment, the unsterilized saccharified liquid was subjected to continuous ethanol fermentation using Saccharomycescerevisiae strain KF-7. The ethanol concentration, the fermentation yield based on glucose and the ethanol productivity were approximately 27.2 g/l, 92.0% and 8.2 g/l/h, respectively. These results suggest that the process is effective for production of fuel ethanol from bamboo.     

A pair of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein monoclonal antibodies shows high specificity and sensitivity for diagnosis

Highlights
1. Seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein are produced, which can be applied in ELISA, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining.
2. A pair of mAbs, 2G11/bio-1C7, can detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein as low as 15 pg/well in the double sandwich ELISA.
3. The mAb, 2G11, shows 97.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity for diagnosing the human blood samples.     

中国东部亚热带森林土壤呼吸的时空格局

土壤呼吸是陆地碳循环中仅次于全球总初级生产力的第二大碳通量途径, 揭示土壤呼吸的时空格局对整个陆地碳循环具有重要意义。该文在中国东部亚热带季风气候区, 按纬度梯度由南向北选取深圳梧桐山、杨东山十二度水保护区、宁波天童山3个区域作为研究对象, 于2009年8月至2010年10月测定了不同季节各个区域内代表性植被类型的土壤呼吸速率及地下5 cm处土壤温度, 旨在初步了解中国东部亚热带森林地区土壤呼吸的时空格局及其影响因素。结果显示: 3个区域的土壤呼吸速率均存在显著的季节变化, 其变幅为2.64-6.24 μmol CO₂·m ^-2·s^-1, 总体趋势和地下5 cm处土壤温度的季节变化一致, 均为夏季最高冬季最低; 土壤温度的变化可以解释不同样地土壤呼吸季节变化的58.3%-90.2%; 各样地全年的Q₁₀值从1.56到3.27; 通过离样地最近的气象站点的日平均气温与试验样地地下5 cm处土壤温度之间的线性正相关关系推算出日土壤温度的变化, 利用土壤呼吸速率和地下5 cm处土壤温度之间的指数关系, 估算出各样地全年的土壤CO₂通量为1 077-2 058 g C·m^-2·a^-1, 在全球所有生态系统类型中处于较高水平。     

西双版纳地区龙脑香科植物根围的AM真菌

调查了版纳地区龙脑香科植物根围的丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhizae,AM)真菌的资源状况.共分离鉴定出Acaulospora属9种,Archaeospora属2种,Glomus属23种,Paraglomus属1种,Scutellospora属2种,其中Acaulospora rehmii,Glomus convolutum,Glomus magnicaule 3种为我国的新记录种.     

不同菌根类型的森林净初级生产力对气温变化的响应

菌根是由土壤中的菌根菌与植物根系形成的互惠共生体, 在植物生产力和生态系统碳循环过程中发挥着重要的作用。该文基于全球森林数据库, 建立了包括全球森林菌根类型、净初级生产力(net primary productivity, NPP)和年平均气温等指标的新数据库。在此基础上, 分析了6种菌根类型(丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhiza, AM)、AM +外生菌根(ectomycorrhiza, ECM)、AM + ECM +内外生菌根(ectendomycorrhiza, EEM)、ECM、ECM + EEM和ECM + EEM +无菌根(nonmycorrhiza, NM))森林的总NPP、地上和地下NPP、树木主干NPP、树叶NPP, 以及树木细根NPP对年平均气温变化的响应。结果表明, 不同菌根类型的森林总NPP、地上和地下NPP虽然都随气温的升高呈现上升的趋势, 但其响应程度因菌根类型的不同而有所差异。除AM和AM + ECM + EEM类型的森林外, 其他4种菌根类型的森林总NPP都随年平均气温的增加而显著增加; 随着菌根类型的不同, 地上和地下NPP对年平均气温变化的响应程度也存在差异, 在AM + ECM类型的森林中, 气温对地上NPP变异的解释率最高, 达到57.27%, 而地下NPP仅在ECM类型和ECM + EEM类型的森林中呈现出与年平均气温显著的回归关系。树木主干、树叶和细根的NPP则随菌根类型的不同而变化, 与气温变化呈现正、负相关关系。从AM与ECM类型的森林的NPP来看, 无论是总NPP还是各个组成部分的NPP, ECM类型的森林的NPP对气温的响应总是较AM类型更为敏感。可见, 不同类型的菌根通过影响森林不同部分的NPP对气温变化的响应程度而影响到森林NPP对气温变化的响应。这表明菌根类型是预测气温变化对森林NPP影响的重要指标。     

接种AM真菌对短命植物生长发育及矿质养分吸收的影响

 采用分室培养方法研究接种幼套球囊霉(Glomus etunicatum,BEG168)、摩西球囊霉(G. mosseae, BEG167)、混合菌剂(M)对两种沙漠早春短命植物小车前(Plantago minuta)和尖喙牻牛儿苗（Erodium oxyrrhynchum）生长发育及矿质养分吸收的影响。结果表明,接种AMF处理的小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗根系形成了典型的菌根结构,侵染率为22 %～60%;接种AMF提高了小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗两种植物的生物量、株高及N、P养分吸收量。小车前单独接种BEG167、BEG168以及混合接种都显著提高了单株种子数量,其增幅分别 为67%、50%和78%。上述结果说明,在极端贫瘠和干旱的古尔班通古特沙漠中,丛枝菌根真菌对于早春短命植物小车前和尖喙牻牛儿苗的生态适应性的贡献表现为促进营养生长、提高后代（种子）繁殖数量。