Secondary metabolism — evolution and function: Products or processes?

Summary The distinguishing characteristics of secondary metabolism and its associated metabolites are outlined. Current theories relating to the function of secondary metabolism in plants and micro-organisms are enumerated and the view that consideration of the processes rather than the products may best explain the origins of secondary metabolism is discussed.     

Courtship display by great frigatebirds, Fregata minor: an energetically costly handicap signal?

We used detailed time-budget observations, mark-resight data, and doubly labeled water estimates of energy expenditure to test whether energy spent on courtship display by male frigatebirds functions as a sexually selected handicap signal. During a 2-day period of time budget observations, males displayed on average 29.5% of the time (range 0–100% for 15 different males), and this value was correlated with an index of season-long display effort. Season-long display effort was strongly predictive of pairing success. Average field metabolic rate (FMR) during the 2-day time budget period was 676.5 kJ/day (range 464.8–1035.0), substantially lower than the mass-specific FMR predicted from studies of other seabirds during incubation or chick-rearing. Despite a low overall FMR, display effort could function as an energetic handicap, either if FMR correlates positively with the amount of courtship performed or if high-quality males display at a high rate because they pay a lower energy cost per unit of display than do low-quality males. We found no relationship between FMR and display rate, despite good power for doing so. We also did not find a significant difference in energy spent divided by courtship time for males that were or were not chosen by females (inferred to be high- and low-quality males, respectively), though the medians differed in the predicted direction (preferred males having lower relative costs than non-preferred males) and the confidence interval on the difference between groups was very wide. Thus, we found evidence that male courtship effort is predictive of pairing success, we rejected one mechanism by which energetic cost of display could function as a handicap, and our test of the alternate energetic handicap mechanism was equivocal.     

Shinella zoogloeoides BC026对吡啶的降解特性研究

从首钢焦化厂的污水处理系统中分离1株能以吡啶为唯一碳、氮源的细菌BC026,它具有自絮凝特性,对卡那霉素、氨苄青霉素和壮观霉素具有抗性,可在阿须贝无氮培养基中良好生长.通过16S rRNA序列分析和Biolog微生物鉴定系统鉴定,确定该菌为Shinella zoogloeoides.纯菌对单基质的降解实验表明,在30℃、180 r/min和pH为7的条件下,当投菌量为0.1 g/L时,BC026可在17 h内将400 mg/L吡啶完全降解;在吡啶初始浓度为99～1 806 mg/L的无机盐培养基中,BC026均能保持降解活性,较高初始浓度的吡啶对BC026的生长产生一定抑制,但BC026在适应后对吡啶的降解速率较快;降解最适温度为30～35℃,最适pH为8.BC026对吡啶的代谢途径研究表明：降解的第一步是断开吡啶的2条C—N链,生成氨氮和戊二醛,随后戊二醛被氧化为戊二酸,并最终转化为二氧化碳和水;吡啶中的氮有59.5%转化成氨氮.     

Isolation and characteristics of a novel biphenyl-degrading bacterial strain, Dyella ginsengisoli LA-4

A novel biphenyl-degrading bacterial strain LA-4 was isolated from activated sludge. It was identified as Dyella ginsengisoli according to phylogenetic similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequence. This isolate could utilize biphenyl as sole source of carbon and energy, which degraded over 95 mg/L biphenyl within 36 h. The major metabolites formed from biphenyl, such as 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid (HOPDA) and benzoic acid, were identified by LC-MS. The crude cell extract of strain LA-4 exhibited the activity of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (2,3-DHBD) and the kinetic parameters were Km= 26.48 μmol/L and Vmax= 8.12 μmol/mg protein. A conserved region of the biphenyl dioxygenase gene bphA1 of strain LA-4 was amplified by PCR and confirmed by DNA sequencing.     

Enterobacter sp.CV-v对孔雀石绿的脱色特性及机理研究

采用单因素实验研究了各种操作因素对菌株Enterobacter sp.CV-v降解孔雀石绿的影响.结果表明,在供试碳源中,葡萄糖对脱色的促进效果最为显著,而供试氮源中,酵母粉对脱色的促进效果最优;同时,供试金属离子中,锰离子对脱色的促进效果最优.在p H=3.0~10.0、温度20~50℃之间时,菌株CV-v对孔雀石绿的12 h脱色率在90%以上.此外,该菌株可在6 h内完全脱色浓度低于500 mg·L-1的孔雀石绿.动力学实验结果表明,该菌株对孔雀石绿脱色的动力学数据与一级动力学模型拟合度最好(R2=0.9755).酶分析实验结果表明,锰过氧化物酶和孔雀石绿还原酶可能与菌株CV-v降解孔雀石绿相关.此外,代谢产物分析实验结果表明,菌株CV-v降解孔雀石绿的主要产物为二甲氨基二苯甲酮和4-羟基-N,N-二甲基苯铵.     

咪唑烟酸在土壤中的微生物降解及其代谢物分析

通过分析咪唑烟酸在4种典型土壤中灭菌和非灭菌条件下的降解动力学差异,初步探讨了土壤中的微生物对其降解的贡献率。结果表明,咪唑烟酸在非灭菌条件下的半衰期为29～44d,在灭菌条件下的半衰期为81～134d,在非灭菌条件下的降解速率比灭菌条件下提高1 3～3 4倍。在小粉土中微生物降解的理论半衰期约为48d,为灭菌条件下的近3倍,充分说明了土壤中的微生物在咪唑烟酸的降解中起着非常重要的作用。运用LC-ESI-MS检测到4种微生物降解产物,它们的分子量分别为219,222,201和149,并由此推断了咪唑烟酸在土壤中降解转化的主要途径为:首先被微生物转化成更为稳定的氨盐产物,然后再进一步脱甲基、羧基和异丙基及咪唑啉酮环的开裂和重排等。      

不同曝气方式对人工湿地细菌多样性、代谢活性及功能的影响

细菌在人工湿地去除污染物过程中起着非常关键的作用.基于DNA和RNA高通量测序技术探讨了不同曝气强化方式影响下的人工湿地单元内细菌多样性、代谢活性和功能.结果发现:①养殖废水和人工湿地处理组共检测到细菌4 042个操作分类单元(OTUs),其中α-变形菌、γ-变形菌和拟杆菌为多样性最高的类群,且人工湿地曝气强化方式会在...     

一株发酵纤维素产丁酸菌及其代谢动力学特性

为开发降解纤维素产丁酸菌的种子资源,从牛粪、猪粪堆肥、玉米地土壤和腐木混合物的富集样品中分离得到一株厌氧降解纤维素产丁酸菌.该菌株细胞呈杆状,长7.1~9.1μm,直径1.2μm左右,经鉴定为丁酸梭菌(Clostridium butyricum),命名为C. Butyricum DCB.在35℃条件下,菌株DCB在纤维二糖液体培养基中的最大比生长速率为0.6536h^-1,世代时间为1.06h,纤维二糖降解速率为0.1g/(L·h),丁酸生成速率为0.06g/(L·h).该菌株利用纤维素发酵产丁酸的转化率高达0.23g/g,具有良好的开发前景.     

Mutagenicity of polyaromatic hydrocarbons by chemical models for cytochrome P450 in Ames assay

DNA damage is an important step in carcinogenesis. The Ames assay is a short-term screening of carcinogens that induce DNA damage. Most carcinogens require enzymatic activation through oxidation by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) in the presence of S9 mix. A combination of iron (Fe)(III) porphyrin and an oxidant is also able to oxidize compounds as an alternative metabolic pathway to CYP450. Previously it was reported that a chemical model containing a water-soluble 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium4-yl)porphyrinatoiron(III) chloride (4-MPy) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) activated aromatic amines and amides. In this study, a chemical model composed of an Fe porphyrin, water-insoluble 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinatoiron(III) chloride (F₅P) or water-soluble 4-MPy was optimized with an oxidant – t-BuOOH, magnesium monoperoxyphthalate (MPPT), or iodosylbenzene (PhIO). Subsequently the mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and chrysene in Salmonella typhimurium TA strains was compared. B[a]P was activated by a combination of F₅P or 4-MPy plus MPPT or PhIO in S. typhimurium TA1538. The B[a]P-induced mutagenicity with F₅P plus oxidant was higher than 4-MPy plus oxidant. Mutagenicity of chrysene, a tetracyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, was not detected in the presence of F₅P/PhIO in S. typhimurium TA98, but was activated in the presence of F₅P/MPPT. The F₅P/MPPT activated other polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the S. typhimurium TA98 assay including dibenz[a,c]anthracene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, 3-methylcholanthrene, and benzo[a]anthracene. The results indicated that the F₅P/MPPT was the most efficient model for detecting PAH-induced mutagenicity in the Ames assay.     

TCP的污泥减量效果及其对出水水质的长期影响

向倒置A2/O中试系统中投加2,4,5-三氯苯酚(TCP),研究TCP对污泥的减量效果及进入处理系统后对系统出水水质长期影响。研究结果表明:与参照组相比,加药组投加TCP 2 mg/L时,污泥减量达62.5%,出水TN比参照组平均高0.8 mg/L,137 d后出水TP超过0.5 mg/L。TCP对污泥的减量效果好,需要加除磷药剂进行辅助除磷。