INVITED SPECIAL PAPER: History of the botanical teaching laboratory in the United States

The establishment of teaching laboratories for botany in the United States was strongly influenced in the early part of the 19th century by the founding of a laboratory of natural history at the Rensselaer School by Amos Eaton who inspired numerous educators, particularly women. By midcentury and later, botany programs were established at land-grant colleges and the so-called “new Botany” movement spread from them. In the latter part of the century additional changes were brought about by the influence of German laboratory activity and botanists’ reactions to the introduction of the Huxley-Martin biology programs to America. During these times, Americans were improving their own manufactured microscopes, laboratory supplies, and equipment capabilities. By the beginning of the 20th century, laboratory teaching of botanical subjects was widely accepted as normal in universities and colleges, as well as in some high schools.     

Environmental conditions during glycerol bioconversion affect 3-hydroxypropionic acid bioproduction by Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is a platform molecule whose biological production was carried out by the bacterium Limosilactobacillus reuteri according to a two-step process: first, a growth phase in batch mode on glucose, then a glycerol bioconversion into 3-HP in fed-batch mode. With the objective of improving 3-HP bioproduction, this study aimed at defining the operating conditions during the bioconversion phase that increases the bioproduction performance. A central composite rotatable design allowed testing various pH levels and specific glycerol feeding rates. By establishing response surfaces, optimal conditions have been identified that were different depending on the considered output variable (final 3-HP quantity, 3-HP production yield and production rate). Of them, 3-HP final quantity and 3-HP production yield were maximized at pH 6.0 and at specific glycerol feeding rates of 60 and 55 mg_gly g_CDW⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The specific 3-HP production rate was the highest at the upper limit of the specific substrate feeding rate (80 mg_gly g_CDW⁻¹ h⁻¹) but was not affected by the pH. An additional experiment was carried out at pH 6.0 and a specific glycerol feeding rate of 80 mg_gly g_CDW⁻¹ h⁻¹ to validate the previous observations. In conclusion, the results showed a significant improvement of 3-HP concentration by 13%, of specific production rate by 34% and of 3-HP volumetric productivity by 39%, as compared to the initial values.     

Comparative LCA studies of simulated HMF biorefineries from maize and miscanthus as an example of first- and second-generation biomass as a tool for process development

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a versatile platform chemical for a fossil free, bio-based chemical industry. HMF can be produced by using fructose as a feedstock. Using edible, first-generation biomass to produce chemicals has been questioned in terms of potential competition with food supply. Second-generation biomass like miscanthus could be an alternative. However, there is a lack of information if second-generation lignocellulosic biomass is a more sustainable feedstock to produce HMF. Therefore, a life cycle assessment was performed in this study to determine the environmental impacts of HMF production from miscanthus and to compare it with HMF from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS from either Hungary or Baden-Württemberg (Germany) was considered. Compared to the HFCS biorefineries the miscanthus concept is producing less emissions in all impact categories studied, except land occupation. Overall, the production and usage of second-generation biomass could be especially beneficial in areas where the use of N fertilizers is restricted. Besides, conclusions for the further development of the on-farm biorefinery concept were elaborated. For this purpose, process simulations from a previous study were used. Results of the previous study in terms of TEA and the current LCA study in terms of environmental sustainability indicate that the lignin depolymerization unit in the miscanthus biorefinery has to be improved. The scenario without lignin depolymerization performs better in all impact categories. The authors recommend to not further convert the lignin to products like phenol and other aromatic compounds. The results of the contribution analyses show that the major impact in the HMF production is caused by the auxiliary materials in the separation units and the required heat. Further technical development should focus on efficient heat as well as solvent use and solvent recovery. At this point further optimizations will lead to reduced emissions and costs at the same time.     

Les Rhynchonelles du Bathonien du domaineprovencal: Liaison entre l'installation des peuplements et les modalités de la transgression bathonienne dans les Alpes-Maritimes

In the Maritime Alps, the Middle and Upper Bathoniancorresponds to a transgressive episode on the Provençal platform. The advancement of the marine invasion is very noticeable between Grasse and Antibes. The sediment shows the existence of a shallow marine environment in which benthic organisms were predominant.The deposits are at first varied: marly layers withbivalves (burrowers for the most part) and calcareous layers with monospecific populations of brachiopods (Burmirhynchia mediterranea nov. sp. in a calm environment, and B. turgidaBuckman in a more turbulent environment).The deposits then become uniform and show theexistence of very shallows environments: B. decorata kiliani nov. subsp. is the only representative of macrofauna in the micritic limestones that can be attributed to the Upper Bathonian.The Rhynchonellids, as on the other Bathonian carbonateplatforms of Western Europe, seem to be the only organisms likely to stay alive and proliferate in the specific environments in which entirely carbonate sediments are deposited in shallow water. Due to their relationships to those existing in other platforms, the species described in this article permit the clarification of biostratigraphic correlations.     

探索以“霍乱弧菌检测虚拟仿真实验”为载体的混合式实验教学模式

虚拟仿真实验是一种现代信息化和智慧教学的重要方法,对高等医学院校教学质量的发展起到重要的推进作用。我们自主开发建设的“霍乱弧菌检测与防控虚拟仿真实验”,既弥补了因生物安全问题不能开展的实验教学,也解决了微生物学检验实验教学中存在的操作标准化问题。采用“三步进阶”混合教学模式,实现以“学生为中心”的师生互动模式,创建“设计性实验报告”,与育人元素有机结合,培育医学生的职业使命感。细化考核标准,实现过程性评价。探索课前启发铺垫、课中内化升华、课后巩固拓展混合式实验教学模式,有效提高学生的实验技能,实现知行合一、素能共育的教学目标。     

“双一流”建设背景下民族院校微生物学课程教学改革与实践

针对民族院校不同专业学生对微生物学知识的需要,我们在教学内容、教学方式、教学资源等方面进行改革和实践,建立了系统性、针对性、前沿性和实效性相结合的"四性"教学内容,创立了理论与实践相结合、课内与课外相结合、教学与科研相结合的"三结合"教学方式,构建了"以学生为中心"的自主学习网络平台,加强学生创新能力培养,提高了教学质量。     

基于“抗疫精神”的“基因工程”课程思政教学设计与实践

课程思政是当前高校落实“立德树人”根本任务的重要形式。在抗击新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情中,中华民族同舟共济、守望相助,共同铸就了伟大的抗疫精神,为课程思政教学提供了最生动的元素。本文对“战疫”行动中的抗疫精神进行梳理和总结,将其内涵凝练为5项内容;以新型冠状病毒的“核酸检测、疫苗研制及其变异”中蕴含的“抗疫精神”为思政载体,甄选“基因工程”课程中对应的理论内容,开展聚焦抗疫精神的“基因工程”课程思政教学设计与实践研究,利用问卷法和深度访谈法对教学实施效果进行评价,旨在引导学生在学习专业理论知识的同时,感悟课程内容中蕴含的抗疫精神,并将其内化为价值追求,潜移默化中提升学生的思想意识和道德修养,同时为生物类其他专业课程思政教学提供参考和借鉴。     

Exploring the taxonomic and functional diversity of marine benthic micro-Eukaryotes along the Red Sea coast of Jeddah city

BackgroundsDiverse marine habitats along Jeddah's Red Sea coast support rich biodiversity. Few studies have been done on its diverse communities, especially its microbial counterparts. Metagenomic analysis of marine benthic micro-eukaryotic communities was performed for the first time on the Red Sea coast of Jeddah. This research looks into their community structure and metabolic potential.MethodsNext-generation sequencing was used to examine the micro-eukaryotic communities of seven sedimentary soil samples from four Jeddah coast locations. After isolating DNA from seven benthic sedimentary soil samples, the 18S rDNA V4 regions were amplified and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq. It was also verified using an Agilent Technologies 2100 Bioanalyzer with a DNA 1000 chip (Agilent Technologies, Fisher Scientific). A standard curve of fluorescence readings generated by qPCR quantification using the Illumina library was achieved using the GS FLX library. Metagenomic data analysis was used to evaluate the microbial communities' biochemical and enzymatic allocations in studied samples.ResultsBlast analysis showed that the top ten phyla were Annelida, Eukaryota, Diatomea, Porifera, Phragmoplastophyta, Arthropoda, Dinoflagellata, Xenacoelomorpha Nematoda, and uncultured. Annelida was also found in the highest percentage (93%), in the sample M followed by Porifera (64%), the most abundant in the control sample then Eukaryotes (61%), Phragmatoplastophyta (55%), Arthropoda, and Diatomea (the least common) (32%). community diversity analysis: using Shannon and inverse Simpson indices showed sediment composition to be effective. Also, PICRUST2 indicated that the most abundant pathways were pyruvate fermentation to isobutanol, pyrimidine deoxyribonucleotide phosphorylation, adenosine ribonucleotide de novo biosynthesis, guanosine ribonucleotide de novo biosynthesis, NAD salvage pathway I, the super pathway of glyoxylate bypass and aerobic respiration I (cytochrome c).ConclusionResults showed that high throughput metagenomics could reveal species diversity and estimate gene profiles. Environmental factors appear to be more important than geographic variation in determining the structure of these microbial communities. This study provides the first report of marine benthic micro-eukaryotic communities found on the Red Sea coast of Jeddah and will serve as a good platform for future research.     

对生化分离技术实验的探讨

实验教学的改进和提高,是教学改革的重要一环。阐述了作者在教学实践的过程中,对生化分离技术实验中的原料选取、处理方法、仪器设备等方面所作的改进尝试而取得的成效。     

《酶工程》教学与课程建设的探讨

酶工程是生物技术专业的主干课程,其主要内容是研究酶的生产和应用。为了使酶工程的教学适合时代发展的需要,培养合格的从事酶工程研究及生产的技术人才,以多年酶工程教学实践为基础,集中介绍该门课程教学与建设的体会及其思考。