Microbial community functional structure in response to micro-aerobic conditions in sulfate-reducing sulfur-producing bioreactor

Limited oxygen supply to anaerobic wastewater treatment systems had been demonstrated as an effective strategy to improve elemental sulfur(S0) recovery, coupling sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation. However, little is known about the impact of dissolved oxygen(DO) on the microbial functional structures in these systems. We used a high throughput tool(GeoChip) to evaluate the microbial community structures in a biological desulfurization reactor under micro-aerobic conditions(DO: 0.02–0.33 mg/L). The results indicated that the microbial community functional compositions and structures were dramatically altered with elevated DO levels. The abundances of dsrA/B genes involved in sulfate reduction processes significantly decreased(p 0.05, LSD test) at relatively high DO concentration(DO: 0.33 mg/L). The abundances of sox and fccA/B genes involved in sulfur/sulfide oxidation processes significantly increased(p 0.05, LSD test) in low DO concentration conditions(DO: 0.09 mg/L) and then gradually decreased with continuously elevated DO levels. Their abundances coincided with the change of sulfate removal efficiencies and elemental sulfur(S0) conversion efficiencies in the bioreactor. In addition, the abundance of carbon degradation genes increased with the raising of DO levels, showing that the heterotrophic microorganisms(e.g., fermentative microorganisms) were thriving under micro-aerobic condition. This study provides new insights into the impacts of micro-aerobic conditions on the microbial functional structure of sulfatereducing sulfur-producing bioreactors, and revealed the potential linkage between functional microbial communities and reactor performance.     

稻田落干过程砷甲基化效率变化与关键影响因素分析

研究稻田落干过程砷甲基化效率变化规律,分析关键环境和生物因素的影响,为今后水稻直穗病防控提供科学依据.开展室内培养模拟稻田落干过程,以采集自贵州兴仁（XR）和广西南丹（ND）的两种砷污染水稻土壤为供试土壤,各土壤设置添加（RS）和不添加（CK）水稻秸秆处理,分析自然落干0、24、36、48和60 h过程中Eh、pH、孔隙水总有机碳（TOC）、砷形态、砷甲基化功能基因（arsM）、硫酸盐还原菌（dsrA,砷甲基化相关微生物）、产甲烷菌（mcrA,砷去甲基化相关微生物）丰度和arsM功能微生物多样性变化.稻田落干过程土壤Eh由完全淹水状态下的-300~-200 mV向落干后的-150~-50 mV变迁,而pH值变化规律不明显;孔隙水无机砷（iAs）和二甲基砷（DMAs）浓度随落干过程变化更为显著,总体呈现增加趋势,且RS处理DMAs浓度显著高于CK,ND土壤孔隙水比XR土壤孔隙水DMAs浓度更高;随落干时间延长,XR-CK和XR-RS处理土壤砷甲基化效率有一定提升,但变化不显著,而ND-CK和ND-RS处理土壤砷甲基化效率显著增加.当培养为60 h时,ND-CK和ND-RS处理砷甲基化效率相比培养初期分别提高约61.8%和23.2%;随落干时间延长arsM和dsrA基因拷贝数明显增加,而mcrA基因拷贝数显著下降.秸秆添加后显著提高全细菌和arsM、dsrA和mcrA基因丰度;进一步基于多因素方差分析和冗余分析发现,供试土壤、秸秆添加、落干时间和其交互作用对于各砷形态、砷甲基化效率和关键基因丰度变化影响显著,TOC、Eh和砷甲基化相关基因与甲基态砷呈正向关联,而与无机砷iAs呈负向关联;基于arsM微生物测序发现,伴随落干过程还发生着砷甲基化功能微生物群落的更替.研究结果有助于提升稻田落干过程中砷甲基化变化的理论认知,为今后水稻直穗病科学防控提供指导.     

Ecological selection of bacterial taxa with larger genome sizes in response to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons stress

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) are ubiquitous priority pollutants that cause great damage to the natural environment and health. Average genome size in a community is critical for shedding light on microbiome’s functional response to pollution stress within an environment. Here, microcosms under different concentrations were performed to evaluate the selection of PAHs stress on the average genome size in a community. We found the distinct communities of significantly larger genome size w...     

斑鳢等鱼贝类去毒相关基因的克隆

采用RT-PCR和RACE法,克隆得到斑鳢、鲢鱼CYPlA与斑鳢HSP70基因cDNA的核心序列,序列长度分别为908 bp、902 bp、684 bp,分别编码302、300、228个氨基酸;还克隆得到斑鳢、近江牡蛎GPX基因cDNA的部分序列,长度分别为720 bp、727 bp,分别编码119、232个氨基酸.多个重要养殖水生动物的去毒相关基因的成功克隆,为水产养殖动物去毒相关基因结构、功能、表达调控研究以及今后定向筛选高食用安全保障的水产品奠定基础.     

Pilot study for the neonatal screening of fragile X syndrome

An Erratum has been published for this article in Prenatal Diagnosis 23 (9), 2003, 771. Fragile X syndrome (SFX) is the commonest form of inherited mental retardation. Due to the highly variable phenotype clinical diagnosis is complicated. In nearly all cases, the disorder is caused by expansion of a CGG-repeat in the 5′-untranslated region of the FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation-1) gene. We have evaluated the feasibility, efficiency and costs of two methodologies in order to develop a simple test to screen large populations: PCR and fragile X mental retardation-1 protein (FMRP) immunodetection. We studied 100 newborn males using PCR and immunodetection (26.91 Euro). All but one amplified the CGG repeat of the FMR1 gene within the normal size range. The sample that failed to amplify showed only 28% of FMRP expression by immunodetection study; both results indicated an affected male. A further 100 males were studied only by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (7.8 Euro); all of them amplified within the normal size range. Both methodologies, PCR and immunodetection, are feasible for screening large populations, PCR being the most suitable, economical and less time-consuming. However, it is advisable to keep slides for immunodetection when PCR fails or the external control shows no amplification. Early detection of SFX-affected individuals would represent a great benefit for their maximum social integration, due to appropriate treatment and early stimulation and would permit a cascade screening in their pedigree. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prenatal prediction of childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in Turkish families

Childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is one of the most common neurodegenerative genetic disorders. SMN1 is the SMA-determining gene deleted or mutated in the majority of SMA cases. There is no effective cure or treatment for this disease yet. Thus, the availability of prenatal testing is important. Here we report prenatal prediction for 68 fetuses in 63 Turkish SMA families using direct deletion analysis of the SMN1 gene by restriction digestion. The genotype of the index case was known in 40 families (Group A) but unknown in the remaining 23 families (Group B). A total of ten fetuses were predicted to be affected. Eight of these fetuses were derived from Group A and two of these fetuses were from Group B families. Two fetuses from the same family in Group A had the SMNhyb1 gene in addition to homozygous deletion of the NAIP gene. One fetus from Group A was homozygously deleted for only exon 8 of the SMN2 gene, and further analysis showed the presence of both the SMN1 and SMNhyb1 genes but not the SMN2 gene. In addition, one carrier with a homozygous deletion of only exon 8 of the SMN1 gene was detected to have a SMNhyb2 gene, which was also found in the fetus. To our knowledge, these are the first prenatal cases with SMNhyb genes. Follow-up studies demonstrated that the prenatal predictions and the phenotype of the fetuses correlated well in 33 type I pregnancies demonstrating that a careful molecular analysis of the SMN genes is very useful in predicting the phenotype of the fetus in families at risk for SMA. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

异生型化合物生物降解及调控机理研究进展

异生型化合物是一种具有多种毒害作用的难降解污染物,因此利用微生物资源降解异生型化合物具有十分重要的意义。文章综述了异生型化合物微生物降解途径及调控机理方面的最新研究进展,同时探讨了功能基因组学、宏基因组学以及蛋白质组学技术在相关研究中的应用。