Application of good laboratory practice (GLP) to culture collections of microbial and cell cultures

Although the principles and the necessity for good laboratory practice (GLP) guidelines to confirm the credibility, integrity, and quality of non-clinical laboratory studies have been known for more than a decade, culture collection activities are not subject to them. Because of recent advances in biotechnology, culture collections face increased demands not only for quality cultures but also current information. When applied in culture collections, GLP guidelines prove to be an excellent management tool as well as a cost-effective system of providing authentic and reliable microbial and cell cultures and associated data.     

Elevated ozone decreases the multifunctionality of belowground ecosystems

Elevated tropospheric ozone (O₃) affects the allocation of biomass aboveground and belowground and influences terrestrial ecosystem functions. However, how belowground functions respond to elevated O₃ concentrations ([O₃]) remains unclear at the global scale. Here, we conducted a detailed synthesis of belowground functioning responses to elevated [O₃] by performing a meta-analysis of 2395 paired observations from 222 publications. We found that elevated [O₃] significantly reduced the primary productivity of roots by 19.8%, 16.3%, and 26.9% for crops, trees and grasses, respectively. Elevated [O₃] strongly decreased the root/shoot ratio by 11.3% for crops and by 4.9% for trees, which indicated that roots were highly sensitive to O₃. Elevated [O₃] impacted carbon and nitrogen cycling in croplands, as evidenced by decreased dissolved organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, total soil nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, microbial biomass nitrogen, and nitrification rates in association with increased nitrate nitrogen and denitrification rates. Elevated [O₃] significantly decreased fungal phospholipid fatty acids in croplands, which suggested that O₃ altered the microbial community and composition. The responses of belowground functions to elevated [O₃] were modified by experimental methods, root environments, and additional global change factors. Therefore, these factors should be considered to avoid the underestimation or overestimation of the impacts of elevated [O₃] on belowground functioning. The significant negative relationships between O₃-treated intensity and the multifunctionality index for croplands, forests, and grasslands implied that elevated [O₃] decreases belowground ecosystem multifunctionality.     

The interaction of rockphosphate,Bradyrhizobium, vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae and phosphate-solubilizing microbes on soybean grown in a sub-Himalayan mollisol

A factorial design 2³ × 4 with two levels of Mussorie rockphosphate (RP) with or without vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and four treatments of phosphate-solubilizing microbes (PSM) Pseudomonas striata, Bacillus polymyxa, Aspergillus awamori was employed using Patharchatta sandy loam soil (Typic Hapludoll). The observations included mycorrhization, nodulation, grain and straw yield, N and P uptake, available soil P and the PSM population in the soil after crop harvest. Inoculation with endophytes alone caused about 70% root colonization. Addition of rockphosphate or inoculation with PSM, except B. polymyxa, stimulated root infection of native as well as introduced VAM endophytes. Application of RP or inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, mycorrhizal fungi or phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms significantly increased nodulation, N uptake, available soil P and the PSM population in the soil after the crop harvest. The grain and straw yields did not increase following RP addition or mycorrhizal inoculation but increased significantly after inoculation wit Bradyrhizobium or PSM. In general, the application of RP, Bradyrhizobium, VAM and PSM in combinations of any two or three resulted in significant increases in nodulation, plant growth, grain yield and uptake of N and P. Among the four factor interactions, rockphosphate, Bradyrhizobium and P. striata in the absence of VAM resulted in maximal nodulation, grain and straw yields and N uptake by soybean. The highest P uptake by soybean grain was recorded with Bradyrhizobium and A. awamori in the absence of rockphosphate and VAM. Generally, available soil P and PSM population after crop harvest were not significantly increased by the treatment combinations giving the maximal uptake of nutrients. However, they increased significantly in response to PSM, which produced no significant increase in total uptake of nutrients.Research paper no. 7498     

Examination of thirteen petroliferous formations for hydrocarbon-utilizing sulfate-reducing microorganisms

Virgin cores and production fluids were obtained from seven wells, ranging in depth from 805 ft to 14 492 ft, and examined for the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) using Rosenfeld's sulfate-reducing medium modified by using crude oil in place of lactate. Cores from an additional six wells, ranging in depth from 1160 ft to 13 337 ft were tested for SRB using the modified Rosenfeld medium and API-sulfate-reducing medium. Produced waters from five of the six wells were tested also. All of the eleven produced water samples were positive for SRB while H₂S production was not detected from the core samples.     

Potential and pitfalls of trying to extend symbiotic interactions of nitrogen-fixing organisms to presently non-nodulated plants,such as rice

It has been a long-standing goal in the field of biological nitrogen fixation to extend nitrogen-fixing symbioses to presently non-nodulated cereal plants, such as rice. A number of researchers have recently described the induction of nodule-like structures on the roots of cereals primarily by rhizobia, in either the presence or absence of plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes or plant hormones. We briefly review this research and discuss the potential problems associated with the introduction of nitrogen-fixing microbes in novel physiological environments, such as rice roots. The results of experiments carried out in China on the induction of nodule-like structures on rice roots by rhizobia are highlighted. In addition, we present preliminary results of a series of experiments designed to repeat and evaluate these results using a variety of microscopic techniques and molecular genetic approaches.     

Kinetics of aerobic biodegradation of benzene and toluene in sandy aquifer material

Monod's equation adequately described aerobic biodegradation rates of benzene and toluene by the microbial population of a sandy aquifer when these compounds were initially present at concentrations lower than 100 mg/l each. Concentrations higher than 100 mg/l were inhibitory, and no benzene or toluene degradation was observed when these compounds were initially present at 250 mg/l each. The Monod coefficients were calculated as k = 8.3 g-benzene/g-cells/day and Ks = 12.2 mg/l for benzene, and k = 9.9 g-toluene/g-cells/day and Ks = 17.4 mg/l for toluene. Specific first-order coefficients would be 0.68 l/mg.day for benzene and 0.57 l.mg.day for toluene.     

不同生境草鱼肠道微生物组成和群落特征分析

[目的]分析不同生境来源的草鱼前肠、中肠和后肠的微生物组成和群落特征.[方法]利用16S rRNA高通量测序技术比较河流、湖泊、高密度池塘养殖与水库低密度养殖4种不同生境来源的草鱼其前、中、后肠的微生物组成和群落特征.[结果]Venn图、稀释性曲线和Alpha指数分析结果显示,前肠微生物群落多样性以养殖生境草鱼更高,而...     

北京市三个功能区空气微生物中值直径及粒径分布特征

空气中微生物对人类健康的危害除了与微生物的种类和浓度有关外,还与微生物粒子的大小密切相关,并且不同粒径的空气微生物对人们健康影响的作用机理不同。通过定点试验调查,运用国产安德森生物粒子取样器着重研究北京市3个功能区(文教区-中国科学院生态环境研究中心所在区域、交通干线-西直门和公园绿地-北京植物园)空气微生物的中值直径和粒径分布。结果表明,不同功能区空气微生物的粒径分布相同,空气细菌,真菌与放线菌的粒径分布各不相同。空气细菌粒径呈偏态分布,空气真菌呈对数正态分布,空气放线菌的分布特征与空气真菌相反,主要分布在>8.2μm和<2.0μm级中。不同属真菌的粒径分布也不相同,枝孢属、青霉属和曲霉属呈对数正态分布,链格孢属和无孢菌为偏态分布。空气细菌的中值直径明显大于空气真菌和放线菌。交通干线和公园绿地空气细菌和真菌粒子中值直径明显大于文教区,放线菌粒子中值直径交通干线明显高于文教区和公园绿地。空气微生物中值直径在一年各月中没有明显的变化规律。     

覆膜对春小麦农田微生物数量和土壤养分的影响

研究了黄绵土区不同覆膜时期对旱作麦田土壤微生物数量及其与土壤碳、氮、磷含量的关系。丰水的 1 999年 ,土壤微生物数量增长早 ,延续时间长 ,覆膜 60 d微生物数量最高 (3 3 .93 8× 1 0 6 /g dry soil) ,其次为全程覆膜 (3 2 .2 5 9× 1 0 6 ) ;干旱的 2 0 0 0年微生物平均数量只有 1 999年的 3 6.5 % ,在后期有一定降水后微生物数量才出现高峰 ,以全程覆膜数量最高(1 4.83 6× 1 0 6 ) ,覆膜 60 d次之 (1 1 .5 2 9× 1 0 6 )。 1 999年各类群微生物数量同土壤有机碳之间均呈显著或极显著负相关。2 0 0 0年相关系数几乎全面下降 ,氨化细菌、硝化细菌和反硝化细菌 ,甚至微生物总量同土壤有机碳之间都已不再显著相关。 1 999年土壤全氮同氨化细菌、硝化细菌、亚硝化细菌、解磷细菌及微生物总量均呈显著或极显著负相关 ,2 0 0 0年只与氨化细菌、亚硝化细菌、微生物总数显著负相关。土壤速效磷含量在 1 999年与解磷细菌显著负相关 ,而在 2 0 0 0年相关已不再显著。两年试验结束后 ,全程覆膜处理有机质下降 2 1 .2 % ,覆膜 60 d处理下降 1 7.2 % ,覆膜 3 0 d和不覆膜处理下降相对较小 (4 .3 %和 6.7% )。由于施用化肥 ,土壤全氮有明显升高。速效磷在 1 999生长季和随后的休闲期都有升高 ,在干旱的 2 0 0 0     

动物及其肠道菌群的协同进化研究

动物自身合成一些关键营养物质的能力缺失,转而依赖体内的共生物来完成相应功能,如动物体内共生细菌能帮助宿主从食物中提取营养物质,并能合成一些关键代谢反应的化合物。结合国内外在动物及其肠道菌群的协同进化的研究进展,从三个方面进行了归纳:(1)动物及其肠道微生物组成与功能的协同进化研究;(2)动物行为与肠道微生物的关系;(3)共生肠道微生物在人类或动物自身消化食物、营养获取、健康和疾病方面发挥的重要作用。