生物膜中水平基因转移及其促成的生物强化作用

阐述了生物膜系统中与降解基因有关的水平基因转移的研究进展,表明生物膜中致密的群落结构增加了细菌间水平基因转移的效率.近年发展起来的研究策略和新的分子生物学方法使人们能对自然和人工模拟状态下的水平基因转移进行更精细的分析,降解基因在环境中的水平传播促进了难降解有机物的生物降解,尤其是携带降解基因的接合质粒向原位细菌种群中的转移在生物强化中具有巨大的潜力.参23     

抗生素及其抗性基因在环境中的污染、降解和去除研究进展

随着抗生素及其抗菌产品的广泛应用,自然和人工环境中的抗生素残留带来的危害引起人们关注.本文基于最新文献,综述了国内外抗生素及其抗性基因的污染水平和来源、它们之间的关系和传播机理以及这类污染物的降解和去除技术.现有研究表明,抗生素及其抗性基因的污染已遍布水、土壤、大气等介质,而在以污水处理厂和固废填埋场为代表的人工环境中,其污染水平更高.抗生素残留诱导产生抗性基因,其在环境中传播扩散与水平基因转移(Horizontal Gene Transfer,HGT)和微生物群落结构组成有关.抗生素和抗性基因在环境中自然降解过程受基质类型、光照、温度和微生物种群等因素的影响,其中光照是影响其降解的重要因子;而在人工处理系统中,紫外消毒和生化降解对抗生素及其抗性基因有较好的去除效果,但并非全部有效.建议今后加强对特定环境中抗生素和抗生素抗性基因的扩散规律和高效降解去除等方面的机理和工艺研究,进而有效控制其环境含量,降低其污染水平.     

石油烃厌氧降解关键基因masD和bamA的实时荧光定量PCR检测方法与应用

masD和bamA是控制石油烃厌氧降解的关键基因,利用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测masD和bamA基因具有简便快速和易操作等优点.但目前所用方法存在扩增效率低,方法灵敏度较差的问题.本文根据引物设计原则,利用Allele ID6软件重新设计了扩增masD和bamA的实时荧光定量PCR引物,将质粒DNA进行8次10倍梯度稀释后构建实时荧光定量PCR标准曲线.优化后的体系（20μL）为：FastStart Essential DNA Green Master 10.0μL,上下游引物各0.4μL,RNase-Free Water 4.2μL,5.0μL DNA模板.利用新设计的引物扩增masD和bamA基因的最适退火温度分别为61℃和57℃.优化后的检测方法扩增效率提高至97.5%和71.2%,比文献报道的方法提高了7.6%—44.5%,具有更高的重复性和灵敏度.利用设计的引物对陕北5个地区石油污染土壤中的masD和bamA基因进行定量检测结果表明,石油污染土壤中普遍存在着控制石油烃厌氧降解的关键基因,所测定的土壤中bamA降解基因的拷贝数远高于masD降解基因.     

生物炭添加对土壤中抗生素和抗性基因的环境行为影响研究进展

近年来,土壤抗生素和抗性基因污染已成为我国新兴的环境问题,生物炭作为土壤改良剂施用到土壤后会影响抗生素和抗性基因的环境行为.本文从我国土壤中抗生素和抗性基因污染现状和潜在风险出发,概述了生物炭添加土壤对抗生素的吸附、解吸及老化的影响,分析了生物炭特性、土壤类型、抗生素种类,和温度、pH值、共存物质等吸附条件对生物炭添加土壤吸附抗生素的影响,阐述了生物炭添加对土壤中抗生素和抗性基因迁移、消散、生物有效性,以及酶和微生物的影响,并对生物炭控制土壤中抗生素和抗性基因的研究前景进行了展望,拟为土壤中生物炭调控技术的发展提供参考.     

生物强化技术及其在污水处理中应用研究评述

在传统废水生物处理过程中,难降解有机污染物的存在和外界环境的变化会抑制土著微生物的活性,从而影响废水处理效果。生物强化技术是向生物处理系统中引入特定的高效降解功能微生物,通过微生物自身所具备的降解机制对污染物质进行降解,达到有效处理废水的目的。相较于传统生物处理法,生物强化技术能更好地提高难降解污染物处理效果,维持系统的稳定性,减少污泥的产生,缩短系统的启动时间,并可以使系统表现出良好的抗冲击负荷能力。目前生物强化技术研究主要集中在高效菌群对难降解有机污染物的高效降解作用和优势菌种对于极端环境的耐受能力等方面。文章综述了生物强化技术的作用机理,主要有高效菌通过自身携带的降解基因或分泌的降解酶对污染物质的直接降解作用、微生物的共代谢作用和群体感应作用;介绍了生物强化技术中优势菌种的3种获取方式,分别是从自然界中直接进行驯化筛选、构造基因工程菌以及通过水平基因转移获取的方式;论述了生物强化技术的作用形式,包括直接将微生物投加到目标水体中、应用微生物固定化技术和研制生物强化菌剂进行投加的3种方式;另外还总结了近几年来生物强化技术在景观水体、土壤修复、产能和水处理等方面的应用,最后阐述了生物强化技术研究存在问题和新路径。     

多溴联苯醚微生物降解过程与机理的研究进展

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)属溴代阻燃剂,曾因其优良的阻燃性能而广泛应用于电子电器、石油化工和建材纺织等工业产品中.然而,随着大量生产和使用,PBDEs已成为大气、水体、土壤和生物体等多环境介质中普遍检出且极具生态风险的有机污染物.因此,开展微生物降解研究对于典型环境中PBDEs污染风险消除和污染修复,具有重要的科学意义.本文从PBDEs环境归趋行为及其暴露风险出发,综述了PBDEs微生物厌氧降解和好氧降解的最新研究动态,比较分析了两种降解过程的降解特性与影响因素,并针对微生物,尤其是好氧微生物降解机理,阐述了bph A或etb A功能基因及其编码酶对PBDEs好氧降解过程的调控作用,同时就PBDEs微生物高效降解菌种选育、降解机理等方面的研究趋势进行了展望.     

生产过程中抗生素与抗药基因的排放特征、环境行为及控制

世界卫生组织在2000年的报告中将抗生素抗性列为本世纪人类在健康领域面临的最大挑战之一,有关抗药基因传播机制与控制技术的研究已经成为国际环境科学领域的一个前沿问题.本文以生产量大、使用历史长的几种发酵类和化学合成类生素为对象,以典型城市污水厂为对照系统,全面评估抗生素生产及废水处理过程中抗生素与抗药基因的排放特征;把传统的筛选培养方法与高通量测序技术及生物信息学手段有机结合,深入研究抗生素胁迫下整合子对抗性基因的重组作用及质粒介导的结合转移作用,以揭示抗药基因在抗生素压力驱动下主要的水平转移机制;构建多通道生物膜流动暴露系统进行抗生素最小选择浓度评价;研究针对抗生素生产全过程的抗生素及抗药基因控制多级屏障技术,为抗药基因的污染控制与管理提供全面系统的科学基础.     

难降解有机物污染底质原位修复技术研究进展

随着水环境外污染源得到有效控制,底质污染逐渐成为人们关注的焦点.底质中的污染物尤其是难降解有机物可通过生物富集和生物放大等过程,进一步影响陆生生物和人类的健康.因此,对底质中难降解有机物的修复是目前所迫切需要解决的环境问题之一.基于异位修复成本较高易造成二次污染等缺点,文章针对难降解有机物污染底质,探讨了原位修复技术的研究进展,自然修复成本较低,对生态环境不产生干扰,但不适用于高浓度污染底质;植物修复操作简单,能有效防止污染底质再悬浮,但对高浓度难降解有机物耐受性较低;微生物修复适用范围广,修复效果较为显著,但菌体易流失,对环境的适应性较差.于是,固定化修复技术应运而生,固定化技术能解决传统的微生物修复存在的很多问题,但固定化载体的重复可利用性和再生性问题仍有待解决.文章最后对今后难降解有机物污染底质的研究方向进行了展望,由于污染底质多为复合污染,各取所长的联合修复技术将成为未来的研究热点.     

石油污染生物修复研究进展

石油污染多见于油田附近的土壤污染和海上油轮泄漏造成的海域污染,自1970s便出现了利用微生物降解石油污染物的生物修复研究,总结了1970s至今的相关文献发现石油污染生物修复技术受到越来越多的关注,其目前的主要研究方向包括:添加辅助营养物质或辅助乳化剂、石油污染降解过程的生物标记研究、菌株具体降解途径、工程示范研究.而由于石油污染成分复杂,不同微生物可利用的石油底物不同,降解途径也不同,因此传统的石油污染生物修复研究存在效率不高、难以维持等问题,而随着1990s以来分子生物学技术的迅速发展,其在石油污染生物修复中得到越来越多的应用,并有效地提高了修复效率.其应用主要包括以下两方面:(1)在掌握已有石油污染物生物降解途径和降解基因的基础上,研究针对石油污染不同底物的高效降解菌株,构建高效基因工程菌或功能互补的混合菌剂.譬如石油污染物的生物降解过程中,一系列的加氧酶/羟化酶起着最重要的作用,其中包括了单加氧酶和双加氧酶等.它们一般作用于降解的加羟基或后续的开环过程.而不同的脱氢酶、脱羧基酶、辅酶A连接酶等,则对底物加氧后的降解起着重要作用.因此本文重点分析整理了一系列典型石油污染物降解途径中的加氧酶及其参考菌株.(2)由于下游多态性分析方法的进步,越来越多的研究利用PCR对修复过程中群落的重要降解基因进行扩增,譬如对芳烃开环有重要作用的儿茶酚1,2-双加氧酶(C120)、儿茶酚2,3-双加氧酶(C23O)以及对长链烷烃降解起作用的alkB,alkM等基因,并进而应用rDNA扩增及限制性位点分析、梯度凝胶电泳、末端限制性片段长度多态性分析等方法监测研究石油污染的生物降解过程.本文总结了近年来石油污染修复中应用上述方法的研究,为今后的石油污染生物修复工作提供参考.     

环境中抗药基因水平转移研究进展

抗药基因是一种新型环境污染物,一旦被致病菌获得,将导致抗生素的临床使用失效,从而危害公共健康。抗药基因可通过转移因子在细菌间传播,加剧抗药基因的扩散效应,提升了环境健康风险性,因此抗药基因水平转移受到了越来越多的关注。本文介绍了抗药基因水平转移的分子机制,总结了不同环境中各种抗药基因水平转移途径的研究现状,并对该领域将来的研究方向提出了展望,以期为环境中抗药基因的调查评估、污染控制及合理管理提供理论参考。     

Leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from dead leaves,formation of flakes from DOC,and feeding on flakes by crustaceans in mangroves

Organic matter was released into sea water from dead mangrove leaves, under both biotic and abiotic conditions. Particulate matter (flakes) formed in the leachates under both conditions. Flakes cultured in the laboratory and flakes obtained from natural environments were colonized by microbial organisms and were utilized as food by copepods, amphipods, isopods, crabs and shrimps. This suggests an alternative pathway of energy transfer to that in the classical plant-grazer-carnivore communities. Since the leaching of organic matter from plant material and the formation of particulate matter from dissolved organic carbon are faster than the grazing of fallen leaves by metazoans, the alternative pathway may result in a faster rate of energy transfer from vascular plants to higher trophic levels than is found in grazer communities.     

Aktive Stoffe als Handlungsoption gegen die Verschleppung von Organismen durch Seeschiffe?

Background and Scope

The marine shipping lanes have become the most important path for the invasion of foreign aquatic organisms. The increasing global trade results in an increase in the number of marine vessels. Without any protective measures, with every ship carrying foreign organisms the risk of biological invasions will rise.

Results

The International Martime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations developed a convention to reduce the transfer of organisms with ballast water. After the entry-into-force of this convention the fleet of the world has to be equipped with effective ballast water management technology before 2016. This article discusses potential options for action. To comply with the limit values of the ballast water convention, the current state of the art demands the use of active substances. Any decision on the approval of active substances used for ballast water treatment and the environmental impact assessment lies with the IMO. Proposed to day are UV-radiation, active chlorine, active oxygen, the creation of biocides through electrolysis and a change in gases contained in the ballast water. The technologies and the potential risks are presented.

Conclusions

Despite the introduction of an approval procedure by IMO any reliable assessment of the real risks involved in the use of biocides is impossible, as the risk assessment approaches have still to be developed. On the regulatory level, the main focus in data requirements for the risk assessment is on a comprehensive testing of the toxic potential of the biocides proposed. Strategies for the identification and evaluation of the chemical resulting from the treatment of limnic, marine and brackish water are not fully developed. An integrating assessment of risks involved in the introduction of foreign organisms versus the toxic effects of the substances used or created during treatment is still missing.     

Transgenics and Vertebrate Cloning as Tools for Species Conservation

Abstract:  It has been suggested that transgenics and vertebrate cloning have a role to play in conservation. Now is the time to evaluate their risks and benefits, before these technologies are widely implemented in our field. Direct risks of transgenics include escape and introgression of transgenes into wild populations; weedy invasion by transgenic organisms; toxicity or pathogenicity of engineered organisms and their products; and human error in the field testing and tracking of transgenic organisms. Indirect risks include environmental effects of increased herbicide use; the danger that engineered organisms may aid the development of bioweapons; the likelihood that gene patenting will lead to the privatization of natural resources; and the diversion of support from less glamorous forms of conservation. Formal risk assessments are commonly used to evaluate transgenic procedures, but our incomplete understanding of both ecosystem processes and the action of transgenes renders most of these assessments scientifically and socially unjustified. Nevertheless, a few, low-risk applications of transgenics may be possible: for example, "super-sterile" ornamental cultivars. Vertebrate cloning poses little risk to the environment, but it can consume scarce conservation resources, and its chances of success in preserving species seem poor. To date, the conservation benefits of transgenics and vertebrate cloning remain entirely theoretical, but many of the risks are known and documented. Conservation biologists should devote their research and energies to the established methods of conservation, none of which require transgenics or vertebrate cloning.     

砷在海洋食物链中的生物放大潜力及发生机制探讨

砷是世界范围内危害最大的环境污染物之一,也是近海区域一种常见污染物。本文综述了近年来砷在海洋生态系统中累积、转化及传递的最新研究进展。海洋生物普遍具有较高含量的砷,这些砷主要为低毒性的有机砷形态。砷在许多海洋食物链/网中被生物放大,造成高营养级生物中的砷富集,可对生物与人类健康产生潜在危害;这与砷在淡水食物链/网中普遍被生物减小的现象形成鲜明对比。海洋鱼类和贝类等生物可将吸收的无机砷通过生物转化合成砷甜菜碱等有机砷形态,而有机砷比无机砷具有更高的食物链传递能力,可导致海洋鱼类富集更高浓度的砷。因此,砷在海洋生物中的有机形态可能有助于砷沿着海洋食物链/网富集,在某些情况下被生物放大。今后应该加强对不同砷形态在海洋食物链/网中传递及相应影响因素的研究,并通过室内模拟实验与野外调查相结合进行验证,从而加深对砷的生态毒理和生物地球化学作用的科学认识,对准确评估预测砷的生态风险和保障海洋生态安全有重要意义。     

Bacteriophages in water pollution control: Advantages and limitations

•Phages can be better indicators of enteric viruses than fecal indicator bacteria. •Multiple phages should be added to the microbial source tracking toolbox. •Engineered phage or phage cocktail can effectively target resistant bacteria. •In phage use, phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer cannot be ignored. •More schemes are needed to prevent phage concentration from decreasing. Wastewater is a breeding ground for many pathogens, which may pose a threat to human health through various water transmission pathways. Therefore, a simple and effective method is urgently required to monitor and treat wastewater. As bacterial viruses, bacteriophages (phages) are the most widely distributed and abundant organisms in the biosphere. Owing to their capacity to specifically infect bacterial hosts, they have recently been used as novel tools in water pollution control. The purpose of this review is to summarize and evaluate the roles of phages in monitoring pathogens, tracking pollution sources, treating pathogenic bacteria, infecting bloom-forming cyanobacteria, and controlling bulking sludge and biofilm pollution in wastewater treatment systems. We also discuss the limitations of phage usage in water pollution control, including phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer, the evolution of bacterial resistance, and phage concentration decrease. This review provides an integrated outlook on the use of phages in water pollution control.     

Defensive anointing: extended chemical phenotype and unorthodox ecology

Summary. Many animals acquire substances on their integument from heterospecifics through anointing. In active or self-anointing, animals rub against scent sources or they apply them by appendage or mouth. In passive anointing, animals adsorb emitted chemicals. Most investigators suggest that chemicals appropriated via anointing deter predators, ectoparasites, and/or microbial pathogens. Similarly, nesting birds and brood parasites of social insects acquire chemicals from and reside unmolested near or within insect colonies. The acquisition through anointing of chemicals that deter predators, ectoparasites, microbial pathogens, and other offenders, i.e. defensive anointing, constitutes an extended phenotype: the genetic machinery by which defensive compounds are synthesized does not reside with the anointing organisms, but the sensory mechanisms and/or behavioral tendencies by which chemicals are appropriated from heterospecifics do. The ecological relationships between anointing organisms and chemical donors, and between chemical donors and those responding to chemicals appropriated via anointing, may be unorthodox. Interactions between anointing organisms and chemical donors typically entail abrasive contact with or other damage to the latter. These encounters sometimes are evidenced by telltale marks on chemical donors or by chemicals deposited on the integument of anointing organisms. The organisms furnishing chemicals and those affected by them may not interact, and they may even occupy different habitats, because mobile anointing organisms are the medium by which chemicals are disseminated. Thus, in allelochemical studies where anointing is involved, species can be tested, with ecological legitimacy, using chemicals from organisms they might fail to interact with in nature. Practical implications of anointing stem from its potential importance in conservation and captive management, where consideration is given to the protection that animals derive by accessing topically acquired chemicals from heterospecifics.     

Nanoplanktonic siliceous cysts from Antarctica are algae

Siliceous cysts, in the size range 2.0 to 5.5 m are an important component of the nanoplankton of the Antarctic seas and the sub-arctic Pacific Ocean. It has been suggested that these organisms may be cysts in the life cycle of choanoflagellates (Acanthoecidae, Protozoa). We conclude that these organisms are algae, based on finding that living cells from Prydz Bay, Antarctica, autofluoresce red, indicating the presence of chlorophyll and that transmission electron microscopy of sectioned cells shows the presence of chloroplasts.     

邻苯二甲酸酯类对水生食物链的影响研究进展

邻苯二甲酸酯类(PAEs)增塑剂被普遍用于塑料制品中,在大气、水等环境中广泛存在,其潜在危害受到关注。水环境中的PAEs,从藻类等初级生产者吸收,到浮游动物、游泳动物等通过鳃和皮肤直接接触或捕食摄取,在水生生物之间转化和传递。笔者总结了PAEs在水生食物链中不同营养级生物体的含量,分析了PAEs在食物链中富集和转化的影响因素(辛醇-水分配系数Kow、代谢转化、生长阶段等)。目前的研究表明PAEs可能在食物链中传递,最终在较高营养级生物体中富集。同时总结了5种PAEs(邻苯二甲酸二丁酯、邻苯二甲酸二乙酯、邻苯二甲酯丁苄酯、邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基)己酯和邻苯二甲酸二甲酯)对水生生物的毒性效应的研究进展,已有研究表明PAEs对藻类的细胞器和抗氧化体系,对鱼类的生殖系统、内分泌系统和抗氧化体系都有一定程度损伤。PAEs在食物链中传递和富集现象的存在会对高营养级水生生物产生潜在危害。针对目前PAEs在食物链中传递的研究数量较少、结构简单等问题,对未来研究方向做了简要分析和展望。     

The effect of intensity and quality of illumination on the photosynthesis of some tropical marine phytoplankton

Using solar energy as a source of illumination, photosynthesis in 11 species of marine plankton algae was studied as a function of light intensity. From the photosynthesis-light curve for each organism, the saturation points (I _k ) in different organisms were determined. Among the diatoms and flagellates, the highest I _k (saturation point) values were found in Rhizosolenia styliformis and Dinophysis miles respectively. When the organisms were exposed to a portion of the visible spectrum starting from 700 m, the photosynthesis was found to be related to the radiant energy. The missing portions of the spectrum produced no significant change in the rate of photosynthesis. The photosynthetic response shown by the different organisms was strikingly similar, which signifies that, despite the qualitative dissimilarities which the organisms may possess in their pigment composition, they are capable of much chromatic adaptation.     

Effects of environmental factors on radiocadmium uptake by four species of marine bivalves

Temperature, salinity, bottom-sediment type, and zinc concentration all influenced Cd uptake by 4 marine bivalves (Mya arenaria, Mytilus edulis, Mulinia lateralis and Nucula proxima) in short-term static assay systems using ¹⁰⁹Cd as a tracer. The experimental system consisted of aquaria containing 20 l of seawater maintained under controlled light and temperature conditions. The water contained either 5 or 20 g/l Cd and tracer. Distribution and kinetics of the metal were monitored in the water column and organisms. The results demonstrate that Cd uptake rates differed widely among the organisms tested. An increase in temperature increased Cd uptake rate by all test organisms. A decrease in salinity increased Cd uptake by all organisms tested. The presence of bottom sediment depresses Cd accumulation in some benthic animals. Zinc in concentrations of 0.5 mg/l substantially decreased Cd uptake by Mytilus edulis and Mulinia lateralis. It is suggested that all important species and environmental variables be considered when studying heavy-metal uptake by marine organisms or when establishing water-quality criteria.