沙冬青抗冻组份的分离纯化和afp基因克隆的尝试

本文用三种方法分离纯化沙冬青（Ammopiptanthus mongolicus）叶片抗冻蛋白质。从70%硫酸铵沉淀后的上清液中得到了一种碱性的小分子物质，UiS，具有较高的溶解度( 260 mg/ml)和较强的降低溶液冰点的能力（200 mg/ml，冰点小于-20℃）：从10%硫酸铵和26%氯化铵共沉淀物中分离到一种抗冻蛋白-B3，B3分子量为39.8 kDa，热滞活性为0.45℃(10 mg/ml)：从沙冬青叶片热稳定蛋白质中用双向电泳一电泳回收法分离到afp,其分子量为40 kDa,pl为9.0。热滞活性为0.9℃(20 mg/ml)，和其他抗冻蛋白质进行比较，没有发现相同的类型。afp和uis在叶片含量都很高，可能是沙冬青抗冻生理过程中两种主要物质，它们对于沙冬青抵御-20℃左右的冷冻温度具有重要的意义。afp N端序列为SDDL SFTF NKFV PCQT DILF，据此合成了六段5’引物和一段3’引物，用RT - PCR方法从叶片中扩增出一段200 bp左右的片段。

果实对酵母拮抗菌和外源水杨酸诱导的抗病性应答机理

用生物和非生物因子来进行采后病害的防治，是一个非常有效的方法。诱导抗性作为控制果蔬采后病害的生物技术，已成为该领域的一个研究热点。然而诱导抗性的机制非常复杂，涉及到寄主、病原菌、激发子之间的相互作用关系。本研究主要利用酵母拮抗菌Pichia membranefaciens和SA处理果实，观察其抗性诱导表达和对采后青霉病菌（Penicillium expansum）的抑制作用，并从蛋白质组学水平上对诱导抗性的机理进行了分析。研究结果表明： 1、酵母拮抗菌P. membranefaciens (5 × 107 cells·ml-1)和SA(0.5 mM)处理采后甜樱桃果实，能够明显地降低病害的发病率和病斑直径。酵母菌和SA处理影响到了果实抗氧化酶的活性，同时还改变了POD同工酶谱和甜樱桃果实的总蛋白含量，并诱导了新的蛋白质条带产生。用光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜技术观察发现，在in vitro条件下P. membranefaciens能够紧密地结合与病原菌的菌丝，而在in vivo条件下这种结合较为松散。 2、借鉴其它模式植物的方法，我们建立了一整套适用于多汁类植物材料的蛋白质组学研究方法。对于芒果，桃，甜樱桃、苹果以及冬枣等果实，都取得了重复性非常好的2-D图谱。我们应用该技术进一步研究了P. membranefaciens (1 × 108 cells·ml-1)以及SA (0.5 mM)处理对桃果实蛋白质组的诱导影响。结果显示，两种激发子处理都能够诱导桃果实产生抗性，从而减轻青霉病引起的腐烂。在诱导处理1 d以后，酵母拮抗菌和SA分别诱导22和16个蛋白的差异表达。质谱鉴定的蛋白属于6大类：代谢，防御反应，转录，能量途径以及细胞结构。有6个蛋白受到两种激发子的共同调控。其中，4种蛋白(包括glutathione peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase precursor, catalase和methionine sulfoxide reductase) 属于抗氧化蛋白，涉及到活性氧代谢。另2个蛋白（Major allergen Pru av 1和peroxidase）是病程相关蛋白，直接参与植物的防御反应。同时一些磷酸化酶和转录因子也受到两种激发子的调节从而参与果实的抗病反应。酶学测定和Northern杂交的结果表明，拮抗菌与SA处理均能影响过氧化氢酶活性及其基因的表达。 3、采前用较高浓度SA (2 mM) 短时间（10s）处理不同成熟期的甜樱桃果实，能够明显降低果实青霉病的病斑直径，并能减轻较低成熟度果实的发病率。在没有接菌的情况下，SA诱导了33个差异表达的蛋白，其中用质谱鉴定出了26个。而在接种病原菌的情况下，SA诱导了19个差异表达的蛋白，并鉴定出了其中的12个。这些蛋白分别涉及到代谢、防御反应、转录、能量途径、信号转导等过程。在没有接种病原菌的情况下，SA处理诱导了Putative DnaJ heat shock protein, PR1-like protein, Peroxidase, Major allergen Pru av 1 (Pru a 1)和Catalase等与抗病有关的蛋白。而在接种病原菌的情况下，诱导了PR1-like protein, Peroxidase和Catalase蛋白的差异表达。通过酶活性测定以及对细胞学定位的研究，我们发现在没有接种病原菌的情况下，POD的活性受到SA的诱导。但是在接种病原菌以后，诱导效果不明显。

植物分子伴侣热休克蛋白90（Hsp90）的分子作用机理及抗逆基因工程研究

热激蛋白90是广泛存在于各类细菌和真核生物中的一类高度保守的分子伴侣，它对维持细胞生命是绝对必需的。对Hsp90的相关认知主要来源于对动物和酵母细胞的研究，植物Hsp90的研究甚少。由于植物的特殊性，因此对植物Hsp90的研究是对Hsp90未知功能的有力补充。拟南芥中有7个Hsp90蛋白，其中AtHsp90-1、AtHsp90-2、AtHsp90-3和AtHsp90-4定位在细胞质中，AtHsp90-5、AtHsp90-6和AtHsp90-7分别定位在叶绿体、线粒体和内质网中。本文对拟南芥中的AtHsp90-1、AtHsp90-2、AtHsp90-5、AtHsp90-6和AtHsp90-7五个基因进行了克隆，并分别利用酵母互补、双杂交和拟南芥过表达体系几个层面进行了功能分析。 我们利用酵母穿梭载体p416GPD构建了五个AtHsp90基因的酵母表达载体，将其转入Hsp90基因点突变和条件型缺失的酵母菌株iG170D和R0005中。酵母功能互补实验表明细胞质定位的AtHsp90-1和AtHsp90-2可以在各种胁迫条件下互补酵母Hsp90的功能，而定位于细胞器中的AtHsp90-5、 AtHsp90-6和AtHsp90- 7则在任何条件下都不能互补酵母Hsp90的功能。我们还对转基因酵母进行了液体培养的动态观测和细胞膜完整性检测，其结果和固体培养的结果一致。这说明细胞质Hsp90的功能具有一定的保守性，细胞器Hsp90的功能有其特殊性。 热激蛋白90在执行其生物功能时，需要和大量的辅助因子相互作用，因此我们利用酵母双杂交体系检测了AtHsp90-1、AtHsp90-2、AtHsp90-5、AtHsp90-6和AtHsp90-7五个Hsp90蛋白和Hsp70、p23、Cyp40、NOS等几个辅助因子之间的相互作用情况。双杂交结果显示AtHsp90-1和AtHsp90-2几乎不和所选的这几个辅助因子相互作用，AtHsp90-5可以和所有的辅助因子相互作用、AtHsp90-6可以和除Hsp70以外的辅助因子相互作用，AtHsp90-7也可以和所有的辅助因子相互作用但和Hsp70及Hsp70t-2和互作较其他辅助因子弱一些。可以看出胞质Hsp90和细胞器Hsp90在和辅助因子相互作用时有一定的差异。 为了进一步了解拟南芥个Hsp90基因在抗非生物逆境中的作用，我们又将AtHsp90-2、AtHsp90-5、AtHsp90-7基因插入植物表达载体pBI121，用农杆菌介导的浸蕾法将这三个基因转入拟南芥并在其中过量表达，并研究了这些基因的过表达植株的种子和幼苗对多种模拟非生物逆境的响应。结果显示，转基因种子和幼苗对ABA、盐(NaCl)、干旱(甘露醇)、高温、氧化、高钙等非生物逆境都表现出了敏感，转细胞器Hsp90的种子和幼苗比转细胞质Hsp90的更为敏感。但在高浓度钙离子胁迫下，幼苗表现情况与盐、旱和氧化等非生物逆境处理下的情况正好相反，转细胞器Hsp90的幼苗比转细胞质Hsp90的长得健壮。这些结果表明Hsp90参与了植物抵抗非生物逆境的反应，其作用可能是通过ABA和Ca2+途径实现的，然而体内Hsp90的动态平衡可能才是植物抵抗非生物逆境的关键。

Induction of mitotic and meiotic gynogenesis and production of genetic clones in rohu, Labeo rohita Ham.

Studies were undertaken to produce genetic clones derived from all homozygous mitotic gynogenetic individuals in rohu, Labeo rohita Ham. ln view of this, attempts were made to interfere with the normal functioning of the spindle apparatus during the first mitotic cell division of developing eggs using heat shocks, there by leading to the induction of mitotic gynogenetic diploids in the F1 generation. Afterwards, viable mitotic gynogenetic alevins were reared and a selected mature female fish was used to obtain ovulated eggs which were fertilized later with UV-irradiated milt. Milt was diluted with Cortland’s solution and the sperm concentration was maintained at 10⁸/ml. The UV-irradiation was carried out for 2 minutes at the intensity of 200 to 250 µW/cm² at 28± 1°C. The optimal heat shock of 40°C for 2 minutes applied at 25 to 30 minutes a.f. was used to induce mitotic gynogenesis in first (F1) generation and at 3 to 5 minutes a.f. to induce meiotic gynogenesis in the second (F2) generation. The results obtained are presented and the light they shed on the timing of the mitotic and meiotic cell division in this species is discussed.

Estimation of ploidy and hybridization status by erythrocyte and nucleus size analysis in carps

The present experiment was designed to observe whether the nuclear volume and area are affected by the ploidy and hybrid status of the individual. Polyploidy was induced by heat shock treatment given at 44 ± 0.5°C for 30 seconds and 45 seconds which was found to be most effective (64.7%) for induction of triploidy in Cyprinus carpio. Cell and nuclear volume and cell and nuclear area varied significantly in triploid fishes as compared to those of controls. Triploid fishes showed significantly higher growth compared to diploid counterparts. It was also observed that catla x rohu hybrid and its parents showed significant difference in the nuclear volume and area of their erythrocytes. Except nuclear volume, all the parameters were significantly different between catla and catla x rohu hybrid. The hybrids showed a closer relationship with catla as compared to rohu.

Production of triploid African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), using chromosome manipulation techniques

An experiment was conducted to induce triploidy in African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, using heat shock and cold shock techniques. Cold shock at a temperature of 0± 1°C and 5±1°C for a duration of 15, 30, 45 and 60 min and heat shock at a temperature of 40±0.5°C and 41 ±OS C for a duration of 1, 2 and 3 min was given to induce triploidy 5 min after fertilization. Maximum percentage of triploids (91.4%) were obtained in the heat shock at a temperature of 40±0SC for a duration of 1 min whereas cold shock at 0± 1 C for a duration of 60 min yielded 90% of triploids. Chromosome analysis revealed that diploids have 54 chromosomes and triploids have 81 chromosomes. The erythrocyte measurements of the minor axis and major axis were 1.17 times larger in treated fish than in controls. The growth studies showed that the growth rate was not significantly affected in triploids.

Molecular cloning and stress-induced expression of paralichthys olivaceus heme-regulated initiation factor 2 alpha kinase

The heme-regulated initiation factor 2 alpha kinase (HRI) is acknowledged to play an important role in translational shutoff in reticulocytes in response to various cellular stresses. In this study, we report its homologous cDNA cloning and characterization from cultured flounder embryonic cells (FEC) after treatment with UV-inactivated grass carp haemorrhagic virus (GCHV). The full-length cDNA of Paralichthys olivaceus HRI homologue (PoHRI) has 2391 bp and encodes a protein of 651 amino acids. The putative PoHRI protein exhibits high identity with all members of eIF2 alpha kinase family. It contains 12 catalytic subdomains located within the C-terminus of all Ser/Thr protein kinases, a unique kinase insertion of 136 amino acids between subdomains IV and V, and a relatively conserved N-terminal domain (NTD). Upon heat shock, virus infection or Poly PC treatment, PoHRI mRNA and protein are significantly upregulated in FEC cells but show different expression patterns in response to different stresses. In healthy flounders, PoHRI displays a wide tissue distribution at both the mRNA and protein levels. These results indicate that PoHRI is a ubiquitous eIF2a kinase and might play an important role in translational control over nonheme producing FEC cells under different stresses. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

肿瘤耐药与心肌肥厚两种生物医学体系的比较蛋白质组学研究

随着人类基因组计划的完成，蛋白质组学研究已成为生命科学乃至自然科学中最活跃的学科领域之一。蛋白质组学将对我们理解后基因组学时代的基因功能有极大的帮助。差异表达蛋白质组学通过对不同样品蛋白质表达水平的比较，已经被广泛地应用在疾病的研究领域。P糖蛋白已经被证实参与介导了在急性粒白血病中发生的多药耐药，然而越来越多的研究结果表明，在急性粒白血病中多药耐药的机制是多因素的。为了寻找白血病肿瘤细胞中与耐药相关的靶蛋白，我们采用蛋白质组学研究技术，对多药耐药细胞系K562／A02的蛋白质表达谱进行了分析。 本研究采用蛋白质组学研究技术，对多药耐药细胞系K562／A02和药物敏感细胞系K562／S的总蛋白质进行双向凝胶电泳（2 DE）的差异分析，结果发现在K562／A02细胞中有41个蛋白质点差异显著，并用基质辅助激光解离飞行时间质谱（MALDI-MS）成功鉴定了大多数的蛋自点。在被鉴定出的差异蛋白质中，有一些是首次发现与耐药相关，包括chloride intracellular charmel，chaperonin，proteindisulfide-isomerase ER6o precursor and constitutive heat shock protein 70等。所得结果不但能够使我们更加深入的理解肿瘤耐药的病理机制，更重要的是通过找到肿瘤细胞发生耐药的标志性蛋白，可以为开发肿瘤耐药预测方法和寻找抗耐药肿瘤靶标新药的线索，同时也为计算机虚拟筛选设计抗耐药肿瘤新药奠定基础。除了详细的研究了K562／A02细胞系差异蛋白质组，我们还采用蛋白质组学的方法，以乳鼠心肌细胞为实验模型，研究在ARs激动的不同清况下心肌细胞蛋白质表达谱的变化。心肌肥厚是心脏工作超负荷的一种代偿反应。目前，越来越多的证据表明ARs在心肌肥厚的发生中起着非常重要的作用，但人们对其机制了解尚不全面。通过检测心肌肥厚时全蛋白表达的变化，将有助于我们全面、深入了解ARs在心肌肥厚中的作用机制。通过严格的2D胶图象分析，蛋白取点后胶内水解，高灵敏度的质谱鉴定及数据库检索，我们成功地进行了乳鼠心肌细胞肥厚为模型的蛋白质组学的研究。本实验通过比较研究不同肾上腺素受体激动剂norePinephrine伽E），phenylephxine（PE）and isoprenaline（ISO）诱导组与未诱导对照组的蛋白质组学变化，分析确定蛋白丰度差异在2倍以上的蛋白质点，并通过MALDI-MS进行蛋白鉴定。20个具有显著差异的蛋白质被鉴定，包括caspase-11，vimeniin，4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid dioxygenase，Modl protein，Txndcs protein等，其中一些蛋白在此之前并没发现与心肌肥厚相关，对它们在心肌肥厚中的意义和机制我们将做进一步的探讨。本研究结果将为我们更好理解肾上腺素受体之间以及肾上腺素受体与心肌肥厚之间的关系提供有益的线索，并将为最终发现可应用于临床的新的诊断和治疗心血管疾病的标志性蛋白打下基础。

The involvement of HSP22 from bay scallop Argopecten irradians in response to heavy metal stress

Heat shock protein 22 (HSP22) is an important member of small heat shock protein (sHSP) subfamily which plays a key role in the process of protecting cells, facilitating the folding of nascent peptides, and responding to stress. In the present study, the cDNA of HSP22 was cloned from Argopecten irradians (designated as AiHSP22) by rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) based on the expressed sequence tags (ESTs). The full-length cDNA of AiHSP22 was of 1,112 bp, with an open reading frame of 588 bp encoding a polypeptide of 195 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of AiHSP22 showed high similarity to previously identified HSP22s. The expression patterns of AiHSP22 mRNA in different tissues and in haemocytes of scallops exposed to Cd2+, Pb2+ or Cu2+ were investigated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The mRNA of AiHSP22 was constitutively expressed in all examined tissues, including haemocyte, muscle, kidney, gonad, gill and heart. The expression level in heart and muscle was higher than that in other tissues. The mRNA level of AiHSP22 in haemocytes was up-regulated after a 10 days exposure of scallops to Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+. However, the expression of AiHSP22 did not increase linearly along with the rise of heavy metal concentration. Different concentrations of the same metal resulted in different effects on AiHSP22 expression. The sensitive response of AiHSP22 to Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+ stress indicated that it could be developed as an indicator of exposure to heavy metals for the pollution monitoring programs in aquatic environment.

Larval metamorphosis and morphological characteristic analysis of triploid shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis (Osbeck, 1765)

Both MI and MII triploids were successfully produced by heat shock in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis. The inducing conditions for MI and MII triploids were optimized. The highest inducing rate obtained for MI triploids reached more than 90%, and that for MII triploids reached nearly 100% at the nauplius stage as evaluated using flow cytometry. Comparisons of survival rates at larval stages between triploids and diploids or diploids experiencing treatment and diploids without treatment were performed. At larval stage from nauplii to postlarvae, heat shocks lowered survival at larval stages even if the ploidy was not changed. Ploidy did not affect shrimp larvae survival, and no significant difference was found in the survival of shrimp larvae between MI and MII triploids. Highly significant differences were observed in the morphology of triploids and diploids, and no apparent difference was found in the morphology of MI and MII triploids at the grow-out stages. Discriminating formulae for triploid and diploid shrimp at grow-out stage were developed and could be used to distinguish triploids from diploids based on morphological parameters. MI and MII triploids of shrimp have the potential to be used in aquaculture.

Characterization of degQ(Vh), a serine protease and a protective immunogen from a pathogenic Vibrio harveyi strain

Vibrio harveyi is an important marine pathogen that can infect a number of aquaculture species. V. harveyi degQ (degQ(Vh)), the gene encoding a DegQ homologue, was cloned from T4, a pathogenic V. harveyi strain isolated from diseased fish. DegQ(Vh) was closely related to the HtrA family members identified in other Vibrio species and could complement the temperature-sensitive phenotype of an Escherichia coli strain defective in degP. Expression of degQVh in T4 was modulated by temperature, possibly through the sigma(E)-like factor. Enzymatic analyses demonstrated that the recombinant DegQVh protein expressed in and purified from E. coli was an active serine protease whose activity required the integrity of the catalytic site and the PDZ domains. The optimal temperature and pH of the recombinant DegQVh protein were 50 C and pH 8.0. A vaccination study indicated that the purified recombinant DegQVh was a protective immunogen that could confer protection upon fish against infection by V. harveyi. In order to improve the efficiency of DegQVh as a vaccine, a genetic construct in the form of the plasmid pAQ1 was built, in which the DNA encoding the processed DegQVh protein was fused with the DNA encoding the secretion region of AgaV, an extracellular beta-agarase. The E.coli strain harboring pAQ1 could express and secrete the chimeric DegQVh protein into the culture supernatant. Vaccination of fish with viable E. coli expressing chimeric degQ(Vh) significantly (P < 0.001) enhanced the survival of fish against V. harveyi challenge, which was possibly due to the relatively prolonged exposure of the immune system to the recombinant antigen produced constitutively, albeit at a gradually decreasing level, by the carrier strain.

Characterization of degQ(Vh), a serine protease and a protective immunogen from a pathogenic Vibrio harveyi strain

Vibrio harveyi is an important marine pathogen that can infect a number of aquaculture species. V. harveyi degQ (degQ(Vh)), the gene encoding a DegQ homologue, was cloned from T4, a pathogenic V. harveyi strain isolated from diseased fish. DegQ(Vh) was closely related to the HtrA family members identified in other Vibrio species and could complement the temperature-sensitive phenotype of an Escherichia coli strain defective in degP. Expression of degQVh in T4 was modulated by temperature, possibly through the sigma(E)-like factor. Enzymatic analyses demonstrated that the recombinant DegQVh protein expressed in and purified from E. coli was an active serine protease whose activity required the integrity of the catalytic site and the PDZ domains. The optimal temperature and pH of the recombinant DegQVh protein were 50 C and pH 8.0. A vaccination study indicated that the purified recombinant DegQVh was a protective immunogen that could confer protection upon fish against infection by V. harveyi. In order to improve the efficiency of DegQVh as a vaccine, a genetic construct in the form of the plasmid pAQ1 was built, in which the DNA encoding the processed DegQVh protein was fused with the DNA encoding the secretion region of AgaV, an extracellular beta-agarase. The E.coli strain harboring pAQ1 could express and secrete the chimeric DegQVh protein into the culture supernatant. Vaccination of fish with viable E. coli expressing chimeric degQ(Vh) significantly (P < 0.001) enhanced the survival of fish against V. harveyi challenge, which was possibly due to the relatively prolonged exposure of the immune system to the recombinant antigen produced constitutively, albeit at a gradually decreasing level, by the carrier strain.

Enrichment and hydrogen production by marine anaerobic hydrogen-producing microflora

Acid, alkali, heat-shock, KNO3 and control pretreatment methods applied to anaerobic sludge were evaluated for their ability to selectively enrich the marine hydrogen-producing mixed microflora. Seawater culture medium was used as the substrate. The hydrogen yield of pretreated microflora was higher than that of the un-pretreated control (P < 0.05). Among the pretreatment methods studied, heat-shock pretreatment yielded the greatest hydrogen production, which was 14.6 times that of the control. When the effect of initial pH on hydrogen production of heat-shock pretreated samples was studied, hydrogen was produced over the entire pH range (pH 4-10). The hydrogen yield peaked at initial pH 8 (79 mL/g sucrose) and then steadily decreased as the initial pH increased. Sucrose consumption was high at neutral initial pH. During the process of hydrogen production, pH decreased gradually, which indicated that the acquired microflora consisted of acidogenic bacteria.

Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of a Cytosolic Hsp70 gene from Laminaria japonica (Laminariaceae, Phaeophyta)

In this study, a full-length cytosolic heat shock protein 70 complementary DNA (cDNA) of Laminaria japonica (designated as LJHsp70) was obtained by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) coupled with rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The full length of LJHsp70 cDNA was 2,918 bp, with a 5' untranslated region of 248 bp, a 3' untranslated region of 696 bp, and an open reading frame of 1,974 bp encoding a polypeptide of 657 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 72.03 kDa and an estimated isoelectric point of 4.97. There was highly repeated sequence of CAA in 5' untranslated region of LJHsp70. The result of phylogenetic tree of Hsp70s, the BLAST program, analysis and cytosolic Hsp70-specific motif of LJHsp70 verified that the cloned LJHsp70 belonged to cytosolic Hsp70 family. Three typical Hsp70 signature motifs were detected in LJHsp70 by InterPro analysis. Under different stress conditions, messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of LJHsp70 were quantified by quantitative RT-PCR. To L. japonica sporophytes kept in different temperatures for 1 h, the expression level of LJHsp70 at 30A degrees C was highest and twofold higher than that at 10A degrees C. To L. japonica sporophytes kept at 25A degrees C for different times, the mRNA expression level of LJHsp70 reached a maximum level after 7 h and then dropped progressively. The expression level of LJHsp70 at 0 or 5aEuro degrees salt concentration for 2 h was twofold higher than that at 30aEuro degrees salt concentration for 2 h. The results showed that LJHsp70 may be a kind of potential biomarker used to monitor environment conditions.

Enrichment of the hydrogen-producing microbial community from marine intertidal sludge by different pretreatment methods

To determine the effects of pretreatment on hydrogen production and the hydrogen-producing microbial community, we treated the sludge from the intertidal zone of a bathing beach in Tianjin with four different pretreatment methods, including acid treatment, heat-shock, base treatment as well as freezing and thawing. The results showed that acid pretreatment significantly promoted the hydrogen production by sludge and provided the highest efficiency of hydrogen production among the four methods. The efficiency of the hydrogen production of the acid-pretreated sludge was 0.86 +/- 0.07 mol H-2/mol glucose (mean +/- S.E.), whereas that of the sludge treated with heat-shock, freezing and thawing, base method and control was 0.41 +/- 0.03 mol H-2/mol glucose, 0.17 +/- 0.01 mol H-2/mol glucose, 0.11 +/- 0.01 mol H-2/mol glucose and 0.20 +/- 0.04 mol H-2/mol glucose, respectively. The result of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that pretreatment methods altered the composition of the microbial community that accounts for hydrogen production. Acid and heat pretreatments were favorable to enrich the dominant hydrogen-producing bacterium, i.e. Clostridium sp., Enterococcus sp. and Bacillus sp., However, besides hydrogen-producing bacteria, much non-hydrogen-producing Lactobacillus sp. was also found in the sludge pretreated with base, freezing and thawing methods. Therefore, based on our results, we concluded that, among the four pretreatment methods using acid, heat-shock, base or freezing and thawing, acid pretreatment was the most effective method for promoting hydrogen production of microbial community. (C) 2009 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.