石油污染土壤生物修复过程中氮循环功能基因的动态检测

氮循环相关功能微生物在土壤发挥其生态功能中起着重要的作用.为定量分析其中的固氮细菌、反硝化细菌和硝化细菌在石油污染土壤生物修复过程中的演变情况,采用了实时定量PCR技术对其相关功能基因nifH、narG和amoA的拷贝数进行检测.结果表明,污染土壤中nifH、narG和amoA基因拷贝数及其占总16S rRNA基因拷贝数的比例远低于正常土壤,修复后土壤中的同类分析结果与正常土壤接近.表明石油污染物破坏了氮循环相关菌落结构,而生物修复则使其得以恢复.进一步分析了不同修复方式下氮循环功能基因的恢复情况以及土壤中石油烃降解率.也表明同时添加秸秆和菌剂具有最好的修复效果,处理40 d后其nifH、narG和amoA基因拷贝数（以干土计）分别恢复到2.68×106、1.71×106和8.54×104g-1,石油烃降解率达到48%.投加真菌-细菌复合菌剂的效果优于只投加细菌菌剂的效果.本研究结果表明氮循环功能基因的动态监测可以从基因和物种水平上反映土壤修复的效果,为土壤修复的监控和效果评估提供参考.     

崇明东滩夏季沉积物厌氧氨氧化菌群落结构与空间分布特征

为探索长江口崇明东滩表层沉积物中是否存在厌氧氨氧化菌以及厌氧氨氧化菌的群落结构与空间分布特征,以崇明东滩高、中、低潮滩夏季表层沉积物中总DNA为模板,PCR扩增沉积物样品中厌氧氨氧化菌特异性16S rDNA片段,通过克隆、测序,构建相应基因文库,将文库中有效克隆序列分别提交到GenBank中进行相似序列搜索,并利用MEGA5绘制系统发育树.分析结果发现,克隆序列CM-L-7和CM-L-18与已发现厌氧氨氧化菌Candidatus"Scalindua sp."同源性达98%,CM-L-13与Candidatus"Scalindua wagneri"同源性达94%,CM-M-6与Candidatus"Kuenenia sp."同源性达94%,CM-M-22与Anaerobicammonium-oxidizing planctomycete JMK-1的同源性达95%,CM-H-15与Candidatus"Kuenenia stuttgartiensis"的同源性达94%.表明,崇明东滩高、中、低潮滩表层沉积物中均存在厌氧氨氧化菌,但所属菌属不同,低潮滩以Candidatus"Scalindua"为主,中、高潮滩以Candidatus"Kuenenia"为主.相比之下,中潮滩厌氧氨氧化菌群落结构较为复杂.部分克隆序列与已发现厌氧氨氧化菌存在较大进化距离,表明崇明东滩可能还存在其他具有潜在厌氧氨氧化功能的细菌.     

基于引物的湖泊沉积物氨氧化细菌PCR扩增策略比较

PCR扩增是检测环境中β-变形杆菌纲氨氧化细菌(β-AOB)群落的主要方法,但是引物的敏感性和特异性对结果具有关键影响.本研究首先比较了2组常用的β-AOB 16S rRNA基因引物,结果显示,在扩增一组不同性质湖泊沉积物样品时,βAMO引物均获得明亮的单一条带,但CTO引物则未能全部扩增.克隆及序列分析证实,βAMO引物扩增获得的序列均不属于β-AOB所在的Nitrosomonadales目,而CTO引物扩增获得的序列来自β-AOB中的Nitrosomonas europaea/"Nitrosococcus mobilis"分支.采用变性梯度凝胶电泳方法,对4种不同引物组合PCR策略扩增所得产物进行分析,发现以βAMO或16S rRNA通用引物结合CTO引物的巢式方案可以提高扩增的效率,且β-AOB的群落轮廓与CTO引物直接扩增方案高度相似.这些结果表明βAMO引物具有较高的敏感性但特异性较低,而CTO引物则相反.因此,特定巢式扩增方案既可提高扩增的效率,也能真实反映湖泊沉积物中β-AOB的群落轮廓,是较为理想的β-AOB研究方法.     

Effect of a high strength chemical industry wastewater on microbial community dynamics and mesophilic methane generation

A high strength chemical industry wastewater was assessed for its impact on anaerobic microbial com- munity dynamics and consequently mesophilic methane generation. Cumulative methane production was 251 mL/g total chemical oxygen demand removed at standard temperature and pressure at the end of 30 days experimental period with a highest recorded methane percentage of 80.6% of total biogas volume. Volatile fatty acids （VFAs） analysis revealed that acetic acid was the major intermediate VFAs produced with propionic acid accumulating over the experimental period. Quantitative analysis of microbial communities in the test and control groups with quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction highlighted that in the test group, Eubacteria （96.3%） was dominant in comparison with methanogens （3.7%）. The latter were dominated by Methanomicrobiales and Methanobacteriales while in test groups increased over the experimental period, reaching a maximum on day 30. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profile was performed, targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Eubacteria and Archaea, with the DNA samples extracted at 3 different time points from the test groups. A phylogenetic tree was constructed for the sequences using the neighborhood joining method. The analysis revealed that the presence of organisms resembling Syntrophomonadaceae could have contributed to increased production of acetic and propionic acid intermediates while decrease of organisms resembling Pelotomaculum sp. could have most likely contributed to accumulation of propionic acid. This study suggested that the degradation of organic components within the high strength industrial wastewater is closely linked with the activity of certain niche microbial communities within eubacteria and methanogens.     

Biological effect monitoring in dab (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Limanda limanda</Emphasis>) using gene transcript of CYP1A1 or EROD—a comparison

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: Gene expression analyses with real-time (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gains importance in marine monitoring. This new technique has to be compared to the classical approaches like the well known biomarker ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) to test their suitability for monitoring programmes. The goal of the present study is to compare EROD activity and CYP1A1 mRNA expression in the important monitoring fish species dab (Limanda limanda) and to answer the question of whether these parameters reflect the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination of the fish. Further on, glyceraldehyd-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was investigated as a potential housekeeping gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female dab were caught in the summer of 2004 in the North Sea and in the Baltic. EROD activity was determined in liver samples by a kinetic fluorimetric assay according to a standard protocol. The gene expression of CYP1A (cytochrome P450 1A) and GAPDH were determined by means of RT-PCR. Results were compared to gonado somatic index and to the concentration of PAH metabolite 1OHPyr (1-hydroxypyrene) analysed in the bile fluids of the fish, respectively. RESULTS: Dab from all stations showed a considerable individual variation in the levels of both CYP1A mRNA and EROD. Highest mean values for CYP1A mRNA and EROD were detected in the northern part of the sampling area. In contrast, the PAH metabolite 1OHPyr was found at the highest concentration in fish caught near the German coast. CYP1A mRNA and EROD showed only a minor but significant correlation (r = 0.32, p < 0.05, n = 123). 1OHPyr in bile correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with the amount of GAPDH mRNA content in the liver. DISCUSSION: The significant but low correlation of CYP1A mRNA and EROD activity on an individual basis illustrates that these two parameters are apparently not closely linked. However, maximum EROD values correspond with maximum CYP1A mRNA concentrations when station means are regarded. Because EROD and CYP1A mRNA in dab follow different physiological principles, their application will lead to related but not identical monitoring results. This should be taken into account when future marine monitoring programmes are designed. The results also indicate that PAH are not the crucial factor for CYP1A and EROD levels in dab from the off-shore areas in the North Sea. This is remarkable because the PAH metabolism is known to be CYP1A-dependent and the widely used biomarker EROD has been recommended for monitoring PAH-related effects in fish from the North Sea. Due to a correlation between GAPDH and 1OHPyr, GAPDH was not suitable as housekeeping gene for dab. CONCLUSIONS: Neither the results from EROD nor from CYP1A1 mRNA measurements in dab reflected their exposure to PAH as measured by the PAH metabolite 1OHPyr. Thus, the question arises of whether EROD or CYP1A mRNA is a suitable biomarker at all to indicate PAH exposure in dab from the open North Sea. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: For future biological effect monitoring, it is advisable to measure more and predominately independent parameters by RT-PCR and to incorporate more components of the detoxification system.     

中温和高温厌氧生物产氢反应器连续运行的研究

采用2个厌氧生物产氢反应器分别在中温(37℃)和高温(55℃)下连续运行.以河底沉积物接种,葡萄糖为基质,在CSTR中成功实现了连续中温厌氧产氢,最高产氢量达8.6L/(L·d),基质产氢摩尔比(H₂/葡萄糖)为1.98.以厌氧产甲烷颗粒污泥接种,蔗糖为基质,在UASB反应器中成功实现了连续高温厌氧产氢过程,最高产氢量达6.8L/(L·d),基质产氢摩尔比(H₂/蔗糖)为3.6.在高温UASB反应器中培养获得了灰白色的产氢颗粒污泥,平均粒径为0.8～1.2mm,沉速为30～40m/h,电镜观察发现其表层生长大量杆状细菌.对2种产氢污泥的总DNA进行提取和纯化,通过PCR扩增和DGGE分析,发现高温和中温厌氧产氢污泥中的大部分真细菌种类相同,但各自的优势菌种明显不同.     

Assessing Spatial, Temporal, and Analytical Variation of Groundwater Chemistry in a Large Nuclear Complex, USA

Statistical analyses were applied at the Hanford Site, USA, to assess groundwater contamination problems that included (1) determining local backgrounds to ascertain whether a facility is affecting the groundwater quality and (2) determining a ‘pre-Hanford' groundwater background to allow formulation of background-based cleanup standards. The primary purpose of this paper is to extend the random effects models for (1) assessing the spatial, temporal, and analytical variability of groundwater background measurements; (2) demonstrating that the usual variance estimate s ², which ignores the variance components, is a biased estimator; (3) providing formulas for calculating the amount of bias; and (4) recommending monitoring strategies to reduce the uncertainty in estimating the average background concentrations. A case study is provided. Results indicate that (1) without considering spatial and temporal variability, there is a high probability of false positives, resulting in unnecessary remediation and/or monitoring expenses; (2) the most effective way to reduce the uncertainty in estimating the average background, and enhance the power of the statistical tests in general, is to increase the number of background wells; and (3) background for a specific constituent should be considered as a statistical distribution, not as a single value or threshold. The methods and the related analysis of variance tables discussed in this paper can be used as diagnostic tools in documenting the extent of inherent spatial and/or temporal variation and to help select an appropriate statistical method for testing purposes.     

Diversity of antibiotic resistance genes and encoding ribosomal protection proteins gene in livestock waste polluted environment

The rapid development and increase of antibiotic resistance are global phenomena resulting from the extensive use of antibiotics in human clinics and animal feeding operations. Antibiotics can promote the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which can be transferred horizontally to humans and animals through water and the food chain. In this study, the presence and abundance of ARGs in livestock waste was monitored by quantitative PCR. A diverse set of bacteria and tetracycline resistance genes encoding ribosomal protection proteins (RPPs) from three livestock farms and a river were analyzed through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The abundance of sul(I) was 10³ to 10⁵ orders of magnitude higher than that of sul(II). Among 11 tet-ARGs, the most abundant was tet(O). The results regarding bacterial diversity indicated that the presence of antibiotics might have an evident impact on bacterial diversity at every site, particularly at the investigated swine producer. The effect of livestock waste on the bacterial diversity of soil was stronger than that of water. Furthermore, a sequencing analysis showed that tet(M) exhibited two genotypes, while the other RPPs-encoding genes exhibited at least three genotypes. This study showed that various ARGs and RPPs-encoding genes are particularly widespread among livestock.     

Investigation into the effect of high concentrations of volatile fatty acids in anaerobic digestion on methanogenic communities

A study was conducted to determine whether differences in the levels of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in anaerobic digester plants could result in variations in the indigenous methanogenic communities. Two digesters (one operated under mesophilic conditions, the other under thermophilic conditions) were monitored, and sampled at points where VFA levels were high, as well as when VFA levels were low. Physical and chemical parameters were measured, and the methanogenic diversity was screened using the phylogenetic microarray ANAEROCHIP. In addition, real-time PCR was used to quantify the presence of the different methanogenic genera in the sludge samples. Array results indicated that the archaeal communities in the different reactors were stable, and that changes in the VFA levels of the anaerobic digesters did not greatly alter the dominating methanogenic organisms. In contrast, the two digesters were found to harbour different dominating methanogenic communities, which appeared to remain stable over time. Real-time PCR results were inline with those of microarray analysis indicating only minimal changes in methanogen numbers during periods of high VFAs, however, revealed a greater diversity in methanogens than found with the array.