Effects of Arsenate on Microcystin Content and Leakage of Microcystis Strain PCC7806 Under Various Phosphate Regimes

Both arsenic pollution and eutrophication are prominent environmental issues when considering the problem of global water pollution. It is important to reveal the effects of arsenic species on cyanobacterial growth and toxin yields to assess ecological risk of arsenic pollution or at least understand naturally occurring blooms. The sensitivity of cyanobacteria to arsenate has often been linked to the structural similarities of arsenate and phosphate. Thus, we approached the effect of arsenate with concentrations from 10(-8) to 10(-4) M on Microcystis strain PCC7806 under various phosphate regimes. The present study showed that Microcystis strain PCC7806 was arsenate tolerant up to 10(-4) M. And such tolerance was without reference to both content of intra- and extra-cellular phosphate. It seems that arsenate involved the regulation of microcystin synthesis and cellular polyphosphate contributed to microcystin production of Microcystis responding to arsenate, since there was a positive linear correlation of the cellular microcystin quota with the exposure concentration of arsenate when the cells were not preconditioned to phosphate starvation. It is presumed that arsenate could help to actively export microcystins from living Microcystis cells when preconditioned to phosphate starvation and incubated with the medium containing 1 mu M phosphate. This study firstly provided evidence that microcystin content and/or release of Microcystis might be impacted by arsenate if it exists in harmful algal blooms. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 24:97 94, 2009.

The role of glutathione metabolism in tolerance of tobacco BY-2 suspension cells to microcystin-RR

This study was undertaken to investigate the role of the glutathione-involved detoxifying mechanism in defending the tobacco BY-2 suspension cells against microcystin-RR (MC-RR). Analysis showed that exposure of the cells to different concentrations of MC-RR (0.1, 1 and 10 mu g/mL) for 0-6 days resulted in a time and concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability and increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) content. Reduced glutathione (GSH) and total glutathione (tGSH) content as well as glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities significantly increased after 3-4 days exposure in the highest two concentration treated groups, while decreased until reaching the control values except for GPX at day 6. Oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content markedly increased compared with control in high concentration MC-RR treated group after 6 days exposure. The GSH/GSSG ratio was much higher than control in 10 mu g/mL MC-RR treated group at day 4, but after 6 days exposure, the ratios in all treated groups were lower than that of the control group.

alpha-tocopherol is essential for acquired chill-light tolerance in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp strain PCC 6803

Unlike Escherichia coli, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 is insensitive to chill (5 degrees C) in the dark but rapidly losses viability when exposed to chill in the light (100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)). Preconditioning at a low temperature (15 degrees C) greatly enhances the chill-light tolerance of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. This phenomenon is called acquired chill-light tolerance (ACLT). Preconditioned wild-type cells maintained a substantially higher level of alpha-tocopherol after exposure to chill-light stress. Mutants unable to synthesize alpha-tocopherol, such as slr1736, slr1737, slr0089, and slr0090 mutants, almost completely lost ACLT. When exposed to chill without light, these mutants showed no or a slight difference from the wild type. When complemented, the slr0089 mutant regained its ACLT. Copper-regulated expression of slr0090 from P-petE controlled the level of et-tocopherol and ACLT. We conclude that alpha-tocopherol is essential for ACLT of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. The role of a-tocopherol in ACLT may be based largely on a nonantioxidant activity that is not possessed by other tocopherols or pathway intermediates.

Response of Microcystis to copper stress - Do phenotypes of Microcystis make a difference in stress tolerance?

To elucidate the role of phenotype in stress-tolerant bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis, two phenotypes of M. aeruginosa-unicellular and colonial strains were selected to investigate how they responded to copper stress. Flow cytometry (FCM) examination indicated that the percents of viable cells in unicellular and colonial Microcystis were 1.92-2.83% and 72.3-97.51%, respectively, under 0.25 mg l(-1) copper sulfate treatment for 24 h. Upon exposure to 0.25 mg l(-1) copper sulfate, the activities of antioxidative enzyme, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), were significantly increased in colonial Microcystis compared to unicellular Microcystis. Meanwhile, the values of the photosynthetic parameters (F-v/F-m, ETRmax and oxygen evolution rate) decreased more rapidly in unicellular Microcystis than in colonial Microcystis. The results indicate that colonial Microcystis has a higher endurance to copper than unicellular Microcystis. This suggests that the efficient treatment concentration of copper sulfate as algaecides will be dependent on the phenotypes of Microcystis. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of a gene, ccr-1 (sll1242), required for chill-light tolerance and growth at 15 degrees C in Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 exposed to chill (5 degrees C)-light (100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) stress loses its ability to reinitiate growth. From a random insertion mutant library of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a sll1242 mutant showing increased sensitivity to chill plus light was isolated. Mutant reconstruction and complementation with the wild-type gene confirmed the role of sll1242 in maintaining chill-light tolerance. At 15 degrees C, the autotrophic and mixotrophic growth of the mutant were both inhibited, paralleled by decreased photosynthetic activity. The expression of sll1242 was upregulated in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 after transfer from 30 to 15 degrees C at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 30 mu mol photons m(-2) S-1. sll1242, named ccr (cyanobacterial cold resistance gene)- 1, may be required for cold acclimation of cyanobacteria in light.

Development of tolerance against toxic Microcystis aeruginosa in three cladocerans and the ecological implications

This is the first experimental study to compare difference in the development of tolerance against toxic Microcystis among multi-species of cladocerans (Daphnia, Moina and Ceriodaphnia) pre-exposed to two M. aeruginosa PCC7820 strains (MC-containing and MC-free). Zooplankton were divided into S population (fed Scenedesmus), M-F population (fed Scenedesmus + MC-free Microcystis), and M-C population (fed Scenedesmus + MC-containing Microcystis). M-F and M-C populations were pre-exposed to Microcystis strains for 4 weeks, and their newborns were collected for experiments. A pre-exposure to MC-containing or MC-free Microcystis increased tolerance against toxic Microcystis. The marked increases in survival rate and median lethal time (LT50, 100-194% increase) in the M-C population of Ceriodaphnia suggest that small-sized cladocerans may develop stronger tolerance against Microcystis than large-sized ones when both groups are exposed to toxic Microcystis. This may explain why dominant Daphnia is usually replaced by small-sized cladocerans when cyanobacteria bloomed in summer in eutrophic lakes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salt tolerance of Microcoleus vaginatus Gom., a cyanobacterium isolated from desert algal crust, was enhanced by exogenous carbohydrates

Microcoleus vaginatus isolated from a desert algal crust of Shapotou was cultured in BG-11 medium containing 0.2mol l(-1) NaCl or 0.2mol l(-1) NaCl plus 100mg l(-1) sucrose, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) or hot water-soluble polysaccharides (HWP), respectively. Photosynthetic oxygen evolution rates, photosystem 11 activity (Fv/Fm) and dark respiration of NaCl-stressed cells were enhanced significantly by the added sucrose or EPS under salt stress conditions (0.2mol l(-1) NaCl). Compared with cells treated with salt alone, sodium contents in cells reduced significantly; the content of cellular total carbohydrate did not change, and intracellular sucrose, water-soluble sugar increased significantly following the addition of exogenous carbohydrates. Sucrose synthase (SS) activity of NaCl-stressed cells increased following the addition of sucrose, and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity of NaCl-stressed cells increased following the addition of exogenous sucrose, EPS or HWP compared with cells stressed with NaCl only. The results suggested that the extruded EPS might be re-absorbed by cells of M. vaginatus as carbon source, they could increase salt tolerance of M. vaginatus through the changes of carbohydrate metabolism and the selective uptake of sodium ions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size tolerance analysis of a 4X4 tapered multimode interference coupler in a silicon-on-insulator structure

Size tolerance of a 4X4 general interference tapered multimode interference (MMI) coupler in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is investigated by means of a 2-D finite difference beam propagation method (2D-FDBPM), together with an effective refractive index method (EIM). The results show that the tapered multimode interference coupler exhibits relatively larger size tolerance when light is launched from the edgeport than from midport, though it has much better output power uniformity when light is launched from midport. Besides that, it can reduce the device length greatly. The 4X4 general interference tapered MMI coupler has a slightly larger size tolerance compared with a conventional straight multimode interference coupler. (C) 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Silicon-on-insulator based 2 x 2 multimode interference coupler with large tolerance

We demonstrate a type of 2 x 2 multimode interference 3 dB coupler based on silicon-on-insulator. The fabrication tolerance was investigated by the effective index method and the guide mode method. The devices with different lengths were fabricated and near-held output images were obtained. Tolerances to width, length and etch depth are 2, 200 and 2 mum, respectively. The devices show a uniform power distribution.

Evolution from point defects to arsenic clusters in low-temperature grown GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells

Optical transient current spectroscopy (OTCS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and excitonic electroabsorption spectroscopy have been used to investigate the evolution of defects in the low-temperature grown GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well structures during the postgrowth rapid thermal annealing. The sample was grown at 350 degrees C by molecular beam epitaxy on miscut (3.4 degrees off (001) towards (111)A) (001) GaAs substrate. After growth, the sample was subjected to 30s rapid thermal annealing in the range of 500-800 degrees C. It is found that the integrated PL intensity first decreases with the annealing temperature, then gets a minimum at 600 degrees C and finally recovers at higher temperatures. OTCS measurement shows that besides As,, antisites and arsenic clusters, there are several relatively shallower deep levels with excitation energies less than 0.3 eV in the as-grown and 500 degrees C-annealed samples. Above 600 degrees C, OTCS signals from As,, antisites and shallower deep levels become weaker, indicating the decrease of these defects. It is argued that the excess arsenic atoms group together to form arsenic clusters during annealing. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of arsenic precipitates on Fermi level in GaAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy at low temperature

A simple model is presented to discuss the effect of As precipitates on the Fermi level in GaAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy at low temperature (LT-GaAs). This model implements the compensation between point defects and the depletion of arsenic precipitates. The condition that the Fermi level is pinned by As precipitates is attained. The shifts of the Fermi level in LT-GaAs with annealing temperature are explained by our model. Additionally, the role of As precipitates in conventional semi-insulating GaAs is discussed. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)09905-9].

Arsenic clusters on the surface of vertically aligned InAs islands on GaAs substrate by annealing

The formation of arsenic clusters in a system of vertically aligned InAs quantum islands on GaAs during thermal annealing under As overpressure has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman scattering. Semicoherent arsenic clusters, identified by TEM examination, have been formed on the surface of the GaAs capping layer. The existence of arsenic precipitates is also confirmed by Raman spectra, showing new peaks from the annealed specimen at 256 and 199 cm(-1). These peaks have been ascribed to A(1g) and E-g Raman active phonons of crystalline arsenic. The phenomenon can be understood by a model of strain-induced selected growth under As overpressure. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)02045-8].

Principle of the moving-mirror-pair interferometer and the tilt tolerance of the double moving mirror

A novel type of interferometer, the moving-mirror-pair interferometer, is presented, and its principle and properties are studied. The new interferometer is built with three flat mirrors, which include two flat moving mirrors fixed as a single moving part by a rigid structure and one flat fixed mirror. The optical path difference (OPD) is obtained by the straight reciprocating motion of the double moving mirror, and the OPD value is four times the physical shift value of the double moving mirror. The tilt tolerance of the double moving mirror of the novel interferometer is systematically analyzed by means of modulation depth and phase error. Where the square aperture is concerned, the formulas of the tilt tolerance were derived. Due to the novel interferometer's large OPD value and low cost, it is very applicable to the high-spectral-resolution Fourier-transform spectrometers for any wavenumber region from the far infrared to the ultraviolet. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.

Rapid thermal annealing of arsenic implanted Si1-xGex epilayers

Rapid thermal annealing of arsenic implanted Si1-xGex was studied by secondary ion-mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and spreading resistance probe (SRP) over a wide range of Ge fractions (0-43%). Redistribution of the implanted arsenic was followed as a function of Ge content and annealing temperature. Arsenic concentration profiles from SIMS indicated that the behavior of implanted arsenic in Si1-xGex after RTA was different from that in Si, and the Si1-xGex samples exhibited box-shaped, concentration-dependent diffusion profiles with increasing Ge content. The maximum concentrations of electrically active arsenic in Si1-xGex was found to decrease with increasing Ge content. Experimental results showed that the arsenic diffusion is enhanced with increasing temperature for certain Ge content and strongly dependent on Ge content, and the higher Ge content, the faster As diffusion.