Biosynthesis of cyanogenic glycosides

Cyanogenic glycosides are secondary plant compounds that occur widely in the plant kingdom. They are the source of HCN which can render the plant toxic if it is taken as food. The enzymes responsible for production of the HCN have long been known. More recent biosynthetic studies have established certain protein amino acids as precursors of the aglycones, and indicate N-hydroxyamino acids, aldoximes, nitriles and α-hydroxynitriles as intermediates. In sorghum the several biosynthetic enzymes catalyzing the flow of carbon atoms from l-tyrosine through such nitrogenous intermediates are located in a membrane fraction and may be capable of metabolic channeling.     

Deoxyribonucleotide synthesis and the emergence of DNA in molecular evolution

DNA replication requires monomeric deoxyribonucleotides, which cannot be regarded as primary products of organic syntheses on a primitive earth. However, the present biosynthetic pathway — reductive elimination of the 2′-OH group from ribonucleotides, catalyzed by ribonucleotide reductases and thioredoxins — suggests an early, polyphyletic combination of protein-nucleotide interactions and metal catalysis. That key process had to precede the upcome of RNA-DNA dualism on the way from RNA-protein protocells to true organisms.     

Pflanzliche Zellkulturen in der Arzneimittelforschung

Plant cell cultures are an alternative method to produce natural products. Some cultures can be manipulated to yield concentrations of metabolites which exceed the differentiated plant. Cell cultures can also be a source of products with potential pharmacological interest which are not found in differentiated plants. To study biosynthetic processes the metabolically very active cell cultures are especially suitable; biosynthetic intermediates which normally do not accumulate may also show pharmacological activities.     

嗜盐菌相溶物质合成与转运调节机制

嗜盐菌是极端环境微生物的重要类群之一,作为新型微生物资源,为微生物生理、遗传分类及生命科学和相关学科许多领域的研究提供新的课题.文章综述了嗜盐菌的嗜盐渗透压分子调节机理中,相溶物质胞外吸收转运与胞内生物合成途径涉及的结构基因、主要酶类的相关研究进展,并对后续研究进行讨论与展望.     

A new C12 alcohol identified as a sex pheromone and a trail-following pheromone in termites: the diene (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>)-dodeca-3,6-dien-1-ol

The diunsaturated C12 alcohol (Z,Z)-dodeca-3,6-dien-1-ol (dodecadienol) has been characterized by GC-MS and FTIR as a novel releaser pheromone in termites. This alcohol identified in Ancistrotermes pakistanicus (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) possesses a double pheromonal function which again illustrates the chemical parsimony of termites compared with other social insects. In workers, dodecadienol elicits trail-following at a very low concentration (activity threshold at 0.1 pg/cm of trail); in male alates it induces trail-following at a low concentration (1–10 pg/cm) and sexual attraction at a higher concentration (about 1 ng). Traces of the monounsaturated C12 alcohol (Z)-dodec-3-en-1-ol (dodecenol), known as a trail pheromone of several Macrotermitinae, were also found in the sternal gland extracts of A. pakistanicus, although only dodecadienol was present at the surface of the sternal gland. Workers of A. pakistanicus are not sensitive to dodecenol, but they are as sensitive to dodecatrienol as to dodecadienol. However, in the study area (Vietnam), A. pakistanicus is living in sympatry only with those Macrotermitinae using dodecenol as a trail pheromone, the foraging populations therefore being well isolated through their respective trail pheromones. The presence of three types of unsaturated C12 alcohols as releaser pheromones in the only Macrotermitinae subfamily is discussed, and a possible biosynthetic pathway from linoleic acid is proposed for dodecadienol.     

生物法合成纳米铁的研究进展

纳米铁颗粒的制备技术发展迅速,方法多种多样。生物法因其具有原料来源广,反应条件温和,产物纳米级颗粒不易团聚,以及有毒副产物少等特点,成为学者们争相研究的对象。对近几年国内外采用微生物、植物提取物等合成纳米铁材料的方法及机理进行了阐述,综述了纳米铁在环保领域的应用,并对今后深入研究生物法合成纳米铁的前景进行了展望。     

Critical review of EPS production, synthesis and composition for sludge flocculation

Extracellular polymeric substances(EPS) produced by microorganisms represent biological macromolecules with unfathomable potentials and they are required to be explored further for their potential application as a bioflocculant in various wastewater sludge treatment. Although several studies already exist on biosynthetic pathways of different classical biopolymers like alginate and xanthan, no dedicated studies are available for EPS in sludge. This review highlights the EPS composition, functionality, and biodegradability for its potential use as a carbon source for production of other metabolites. Furthermore, the effect of various extraction methods(physical and chemical) on compositional, structural, physical and functional properties of microbial EPS has been addressed. The vital knowledge of the effect of extraction method on various important attributes of EPS can help to choose the suitable extraction method depending upon the intended use of EPS. The possible use of different molecular biological techniques for enhanced production of desired EPS was summarized.     

The steroids of hexactinellid sponges

The Hexactinellida ('glass sponges') are commonly considered to be the most basic metazoans. Steroids of 20 species from different taxa were studied for chemotaxonomy and biosynthetic implications. All Hexactinellida contain cholest-5-en-3#-ol (cholesterol) and/or its saturated derivative 5!(H)-cholestan-3#-ol, along with their C-24-alkylated homologues. Where 5!(H)-stanols are present, they regularly co-occur with their 3-keto analogues. The steroid concentrations generally decrease with increasing carbon numbers, similar to sterol distributions typically found in marine sediments. These features argue against de novo sterol biosynthesis operating in hexactinellid sponges. Rather, we suggest a dietary uptake of (⁵-stenols and their stereoselective transformation via 3-keto intermediates to 5!(H)-stanols.     

青藏高原北部土壤正构烷烃氢同位素及物源意义

采用正构烷烃及其单体氢同位素组成特征相结合的方法研究了青藏高原北部多年冻土区表层土壤正构烷烃（C₂₁~C₃₃）的生物来源.研究表明：表层土壤中正构烷烃呈双峰型和三峰型的分布特征,表明其具有多个生物来源.长链长正构烷烃（C₂₅~C₃₃）主要来源于陆源高等植物.表层土壤中长链长正构烷烃（C₂₅~C₃₃）中奇碳数正构烷烃的δD值比偶碳数的整体偏轻,原因可能是两者的生物合成途径不同.对中等链长正构烷烃聚类分析后分为两种类型,类型I的中等链长正构烷烃（C₂₁~C₂₄）主要来源于陆源高等植物,类型Ⅱ的中等链长正构烷烃主要来源于细菌等微生物降解的产物.表层土壤样品（FHS-10、TG2-10和TG3-10）中等链长的正构烷烃δD值最轻,应为δD值偏轻的水源和细菌等微生物降解共同作用的结果.     

Accelerated biodegradation of nitrophenols in the rhizosphere of Spirodela polyrrhiza

We investigated the biodegradation of 2-nitrophenol (2-NP), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), and 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) in the rhizosphere of Spirodela polyrrhiza plants by conducting degradation experiments with three river water samples supplemented with each nitrophenol (NP). We then isolated NP-degrading bacteria both from the S. polyrrhiza roots and from the river water. In the river water samples, removal of the three NP was accelerated in the presence of S. polyrrhiza plants. The three NPs persisted in an autoclaved solution with sterile plants suggests that NP removal was accelerated largely by bacterial NP biodegradation rather than by adsorption and uptake by the plants. We isolated 8 strains of NP-degrading bacteria: 6 strains from the S. polyrrhiza roots and 2 strains from river water without the plants. The 2-NP- and 2,4-DNP-degrading bacteria were isolated only from the S. polyrrhiza roots. The 4-NPdegrading bacteria different from those isolated from the river water samples were also found on S. polyrrhiza roots. The 2-NP- and 4-NP-degrading strains isolated from the roots utilized the corresponding NP (0.5 mmol/L) as the sole carbon and energy source. The 2,4-DNP-degrading strains isolated from the roots showed substantial 2,4-DNP-degrading activity, but the presence of other carbon and energy sources was required for their growth. The isolated NP-degrading bacteria from the roots must have contributed to the accelerated degradation of the three NPs in the rhizosphere of S. polyrrhiza. Our results suggested that rhizoremediation with S. polyrrhiza may be effective for NP-contaminated surface water.     

Biosynthesis of the defensive alkaloid cicindeloine in Stenus solutus beetles

To protect themselves from predation and microorganismic infestation, rove beetles of the genus Stenus produce and store bioactive alkaloids like stenusine, 3-(2-methyl-1-butenyl)pyridine, and cicindeloine in their pygidial glands. The biosynthesis of stenusine and 3-(2-methyl-1-butenyl)pyridine was previously investigated in Stenus bimaculatus and Stenus similis, respectively. Both molecules follow the same biosynthetic pathway, where the N-heterocyclic ring is derived from l-lysine and the side chain from l-isoleucine. The different alkaloids are finally obtained by slight modifications of shared precursor molecules. The piperideine alkaloid cicindeloine occurs as a main compound additionally to (E)-3-(2-methyl-1-butenyl)pyridine and traces of stenusine in the pygidial gland secretion of Stenus cicindeloides and Stenus solutus. Feeding of S. solutus beetles with [D,¹⁵N]-labeled amino acids followed by GC/MS analysis techniques showed that cicindeloine is synthesized via the identical pathway and precursor molecules as the other two defensive alkaloids.     

海冰与孤立桩柱碰撞破碎模型

本文对辽东湾冰原冰与孤立桩相互作用过程进行了研究，根据高速率下冰原冰的非开裂挤压脆性破坏过程特点，将整个冰与桩柱相互作用过程分为三个阶段，通过一些适当的简化和假设，提出了这三个不同阶段孤立桩前冰的破碎过程模型，利用此破碎过程模型结合相应的力学模式计算冰与桩柱相互作用力随时间的变化。实测资料与模拟计算值比较，其结果符合较好，因此该破碎过程模型具有较好的可实用性。     

Isolated choroid plexus cysts—the need for routine offer of karyotyping

The management of isolated fetal choroid plexus cysts remains controversial. We have prospectively studied 15 565 pregnancies at two large obstetric units for the presence of choroid plexus cysts. In all cases where cysts were present at 19 weeks' gestation or greater, and were multiple, bilateral or solitary and greater than 5 mm maximum diameter, women were offered amniocentesis or placental biopsy, irrespective of the presence or absence of other abnormalities. Choroid plexus cysts were present in 152 (0·98 per cent) of cases. Four cases (2·6 per cent) of autosomal trisomy (three of trisomy 18, one of trisomy 21) were detected on prenatal karyotyping. In all cases, choroid plexus cysts were the only detectable prenatal anomaly. This study and a review of other large studies do not support the view that isolated choroid plexus cysts are a benign variant, the risk of trisomy being 1 in 82. Until further evidence is available, we recommend that cases of isolated fetal choroid plexus cysts at 19 weeks' gestation or greater should be offered prenatal karyotyping.     

Multimodular biocatalysts for natural product assembly

Nonribosomal peptides and polyketides represent a large class of natural products that show an extreme structural diversity and broad pharmacological relevance. They are synthesized from simple building blocks such as amino or carboxy acids and malonate derivatives on multimodular enzymes called nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs), respectively. Although utilizing different substrates, NRPSs and PKSs show striking similarities in the modular architecture of their catalytic domains and product assembly-line mechanism. Among these compounds are well known antibiotics (penicillin, vancomycin and erythromycin) as well as potent immunosuppressive agents (cyclosporin, rapamycin and FK 506). This review focuses on the modular organization of NRPSs, PKSs and mixed NRPS/PKS systems and how modules and domains that build up the biosynthetic templates can be exploited for the rational design of recombinant enzymes capable of synthesizing novel compounds.     

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of amelia

Amelia is a very rare form of limb reduction defect. The incidence of isolated amelia with or without other limb reductions is 0.4 per 100 000 births. We report a cluster of three cases diagnosed prenatally. One was isolated tri-amelia and two were isolated tetra-amelia.     

青藏铁路沿线土壤可培养微生物种群多样性分析

选择青藏铁路沿线不同海拔高度的10个地点采集土壤样品,采用3种不同的培养基分离培养其中的微生物;提取各土壤样品可培养微生物菌体基因组DNA,进行16S rDNA的PCR扩增,对可培养微生物种群多样性进行分析.结果表明,该地区可培养微生物的数量为1×106～8×106 CFU/g.16S rDNA序列分析发现,分离培养的微生物主要包括厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和变形菌门γ亚群(Gammaproteobacteria) 3个类群,分别占菌株总数的53.1%,29.6%和16.0%.其中,Bacillus sp.为优势菌属,占菌株总数的29.6%;Bacillus simplex为优势种,占菌株总数的12.3%.      

细菌降解苯胺的生态研究

通过驯化富集培养,从制药厂生化曝气池活性污泥中分离出一株降解苯胺能力强的菌株——AN12,经鉴定为假单胞杆菌属（Pseudomonas）。最适降解苯胺条件为:充分曝气供氧;温度为30℃;pH为7.0;降解时间30 h。在此条件下培养液中苯胺浓度为99 mg/L时,苯胺的降解率为82.4%      

自然水体中铁-锰氧化细菌的研究

通过在河流中悬吊自行设计的载玻片架,获取了具有由铁-锰氧化细菌产生的特异的铁锰氧化物结构的生物膜,设计了4种培养基,采用2种不同的细菌分离方法,对生物膜上的铁细菌进行分离,应用荧光X射线分析仪(XRF)分析了分离菌株产物的化学元素组成,并对分离菌株的铁锰氧化形态进行了观察.研究发现,铁细菌2号培养基为合适的分离培养基;采用平板涂布法分离出的2株氧化铁和锰的细菌,经系统发育地位的分析确定为纤发菌属;对运动纤发菌的产物分析确定无定形铁和锰为其主要金属元素;形态观察确定霍氏纤发菌呈树枝状鞘结构,而运动纤发菌呈蛛网状鞘结构.采用原位培养法分离出1株具有独特铁锰氧化物结构的细菌,经基因序列比对,确定为丛毛菌属.该实验获得的3株铁-锰氧化细菌的序列为设计针对于自然水体中的铁-锰氧化细菌FISH探针及PCR引物提供了关键数据.     

室内舒适度评价影响因素的分析

在评价数学模型中引入相似数相似权法,并利用该模型对沈阳市某个装修后的住宅居室进行实例分析,结果表明冬季该居室室内舒适度影响因素贡献程度依次为湿度,苯,受体主观因子,氨,噪声,氡,温度,甲醛,细菌,其中起主导作用的因素是湿度,而且各个因素不是孤立的,它们是相互联系的。     

Hopanoid Biosynthesis and Function in Bacteria

   Hopanoids are pentacyclic triterpenoid lipids occurring in bacteria. They are synthesized from isopentenyl units which are formed in a new biosynthetic route leading to isopentenyl diphosphate. Six C₅ units are joined to form squalene, the immediate precursor in hopanoid synthesis. In a highly complex cyclization reaction that shares considerable similarities with that of oxidosqualene to sterols, the hopane skeleton is formed from squalene by the squalene-hopene cyclase. Recent elucidation of the X-ray structure of this membrane-bound cyclase has shed some light on the properties of this unusual enzyme. The active site is located in a cavity within the enzyme. The squalene substrate diffuses through a channel structure from the membrane into this cavity and is there transformed into hopene. Polar side chains are attached to hopene resulting in the amphiphilic molecular structure of many hopanoids. These hopanoids are membrane components involved in regulating membrane fluidity and stability. However, the many structural variants of hopanoids indicate that they may have other interesting but as yet unknown functions.