亚硝酸盐型甲烷厌氧氧化微生物特性研究进展

亚硝酸盐型甲烷厌氧氧化(nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation,N-DAMO)是新近发现的生物反应,是偶联碳氮循环的关键环节,是环境领域和微生物领域的重大发现.N-DAMO的发现对于完善碳氮生物地球化学循环、丰富微生物学内容和研发新型生物脱氮除碳工艺均具有巨大的推动作用.催化N-DAMO反应的微生物为Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera(M.oxyfera),其隶属于一新发现的细菌门——NC10门.近年来,M.oxyfera的生物学研究取得了许多突破性进展,如初步探明了其个体形态特征、细胞化学组分特征、富集培养特征、生理生化特征及生态学特征,最突出的例子包括发现了M.oxyfera独特的细胞(星状)形态及特殊的脂肪酸(10Me C16∶1Δ7)组分等.最近,N-DAMO的机制研究方面也有了突破性进展:发现了地球上第4种生物产氧途径.目前认为,M.oxyfera具有内产氧功能,其首先将NO-2还原为NO,然后将2分子NO进行歧化反应生成N2和O2,最后利用生成的O2对甲烷进行氧化.本文系统地介绍了M.oxyfera各方面的微生物特性.     

呼伦贝尔沙区土壤细菌群落结构与功能预测

以呼伦贝尔沙区裸沙地、草地、沙地樟子松（Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica）人工林和沙地樟子松天然林四种生境土壤为研究对象,采用野外调查、16S rRNA基因高通量测序和PICRUSt功能预测相结合的研究方法比较分析不同生境土壤细菌群落结构和潜在功能组成特征.结果显示：呼伦贝尔沙区沙地樟子松天然林土壤细菌多样性最高,人工林土壤细菌多样性最低,Shannon指数分别为（8.623±0.193）和（7.432±0.028）,不同生境土壤细菌alpha和beta多样性存在显著差异.草地、沙地樟子松人工林和天然林土壤中变形菌门（Proteobacteria）相对丰度最高,均值分别为29.83%±1.14%、34.73%±1.99%、31.95%±0.21%,裸沙地土壤放线菌门（Actinobacteria）相对丰度最高,均值为26.13%±0.43%.不同生境土壤细菌主要优势属为慢生根瘤菌属（Bradyrhizobium）、RB41,其相对丰度在四种生境中的均值分别为5.29%±2.24%、4.22%±1.23%.PICRUSt功能预测共得到6个一级功能层,40个二级功能层,土壤细菌功能较为丰富,土壤细菌群落在环境信息处理、代谢、遗传信息处理和有机系统方面功能活跃.沙地樟子松天然林核苷酸代谢、酶家族、氨基酸代谢、碳水化合物代谢功能基因较为丰富,保证了沙地樟子松天然林土壤细菌的存活,使其具有较高的多样性.呼伦贝尔沙区不同生境土壤细菌功能基因丰度波动,反映了四种生境的土壤细菌群落组成及多样性的变化,指示了不同生境功能基因对土壤细菌群落的影响规律,可为预测和理解沙区土壤细菌代谢潜力和功能提供参考借鉴.     

The enemies within: intergenomic conflict, interlocus contest evolution (ICE), and the intraspecific Red Queen

Different loci within the genome of a single species can potentially coevolve in a manner that is analogous to the Red Queen process among species. The major factor driving this antagonistic coevolution among loci is intergenomic conflict, i.e., discord between individuals that is mediated by two or more gene products that are derived from different gene loci. We conclude that antagonistic coevolution is common among loci that code for social interactions, and that it has broad evolutionary implications, especially in the context of speciation and sex chromosome evolution. Received: 15 January 1997 / Accepted after revision: 14 April 1997     

Prenatal detection of fetal hemoglobin E gene from maternal plasma

In order to provide a noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of the hemoglobin E (Hb E) related disorder, we have evaluated the possibility of identifying the fetal β^E-globin gene in maternal plasma. The analysis was performed during 8 to 18 weeks of gestation using DNA extracted from 200 µL of plasma from pregnant women whose husbands carried Hb E. The β^E-globin mutation in maternal plasma was detected by a nested PCR amplification followed by the Mnl I restriction analysis. The result was compared with that of routine analysis of the CVS specimens. Among the five pregnant women examined, the fetal β^E-globin gene was identified in maternal plasma in three of them and the result was completely concordant with the conventional CVS analysis. This simple noninvasive prenatal detection of the fetal β^E-globin gene should prove useful in a prevention and control program of Hb E/β-thalassemia in countries where the β^E-globin gene is prevalent. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.