Molecular cloning, characterization and mRNA expression of peroxiredoxin in Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri

Peroxiredoxin V (PRX V) is known as an atypical 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin that protects the organisms against various oxidative stresses and functions in signal transduction. The cDNA of a PRX V gene (designated as CfPRX) was cloned from scallop Chlamys farreri. The full-length sequence of CfPRX cDNA was of 2,179 bp with a 564 bp open reading frame encoding a peptide of 187 amino acids. Sequence comparison showed that CfPRX shared higher identities with PRX Vs than that with other isoforms of PRX, indicating CfPRX was a member of the PRX V family. Fluorescent real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed the presence of CfPRX transcripts in gill filaments, adductor muscle, heart, gonad, kidney and hemocytes, and the stimulation of Listonella anguillarum significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the mRNA expression of CfPRX in hemocyte. These results indicated that CfPRX was a constitutive and inducible acute-phase protein which was involved in the immune resistance to L. anguillarum stimulation.

Features of Late Cenozoic Deepwater Sedimentation in Southern Qiongdongnan Basin, Northwestern South China Sea

Based on high resolution 2D and 3D seismic data acquired in recent years, using sequence stratigraphy analysis and geophysical methods, we discuss the features of Late Cenozoic deepwater sedimentation in the southern Qiongdongnan (sic) basin. The study area entered a bathyal slope environment in the Miocene. The channel developed in the Sanya (sic) Formation was controlled by a fault break, and its shingled seismic characteristics represent multiple erosion and fill, which may indicate that turbidite current developed in the slope environment. The polygon faults found in mudstone of the Meishan (sic) Formation represent the deepwater hungry sedimentary environment. The large-scale channels developed on the top of Huangliu (sic) Formation could be the result of a big sea level drop and an increase of sediment supply. The fantastic turbidite channel developed in Late Quaternary in the slope environment has "fan-like" body and long frontal tiny avulsion channel. The analysis of these features suggests that the sediment supply of the study area in the post-rifting period was dominant from the Vietnam uplift in the southwest. These deepwater sedimentary features could be potential reservoirs or migration pathways for deepwater petroleum systems.

cDNA cloning and mRNA expression of a selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase from Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri

The glutathione peroxidases are essential enzymes of the cellular antioxidant defence system. In the present study, the full-length cDNA sequence encoding an extracellular glutathione peroxidase (designated CfGPx3) was isolated from Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri. The complete cDNA was of 1194 bp, containing a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 50 bp, a 3' UTR of 490 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 654 bp encoding a polypeptide of 217 amino acids. CfGPx3 possessed all the conserved features critical for the fundamental structure and function of glutathione peroxidase, such as the selenocysteine encoded by stop codon UGA, the GPx signature motif ((96)LGVPCNQFI(103)) and the active site motif ((WNFEKF184)-W-179). The high similarity of CfGPx3 with GPx from other organisms indicated that CfGPx3 should be a new member of the glutathione peroxidase family. By fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR, the CfGPx3 mRNA was universally detected in the tissues of haemocytes, gill, gonad, muscle and hepatopancreas with the highest expression in hepatopancreas. After scallops were challenged by Listonella anguillarum, the expression level of CfGPx3 transcript in haemocytes was significantly up-regulated (P<0.05) at 8 h post challenge. These results suggested that CfGPx3 was potentially involved in the immune response of scallops and perhaps contributed to the protective effects against oxidative stress. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization and mapping of expressed sequence tags isolated from a subtracted cDNA library of Litopenaeus vannamei injected with white spot syndrome virus

A large number of polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) or microsatellites are needed to develop a genetic map for shrimp. However, developing an SSR map is very time-consuming, expensive, and most SSRs are not specifically linked to gene loci of immediate interest. We report here on our strategy to develop polymorphic markers using expressed sequence tags (ESTs) by designing primers flanking single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeats. A subtracted cDNA library was prepared using RNA from specific pathogen-free (SPF) Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles (similar to 1 g) collected before (0) and after (48 h) inoculation with the China isolate of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). A total of 224 clones were sequenced, 194 of which were useful for homology comparisons against annotated genes in NCBI nonredundant (nr) and protein databases, providing 179 sequences encoded by nuclear DNA, 4 mitochondrial DNA, and 11 were similar to portions of WSSV genome. The nuclear sequences clustered in 43 groups, 11 of which were homologous to various ESTs of unknown function, 4 had no homology to any sequence, and 28 showed similarities to known genes of invertebrates and vertebrates, representatives of cellular metabolic processes such as calcium ion balance, cytoskeleton mRNAs, and protein synthesis. A few sequences were homologous to immune system-related (allergens) genes and two were similar to motifs of the sex-lethal gene of Drosophila. A large number of EST sequences were similar to domains of the EF-hand superfamily (Ca2+ binding motif and FRQ protein domain of myosin light chains). Single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeats were found in approximately 61 % of the 179 nuclear sequences. Primer sets were designed from 28 sequences representing 19 known or putative genes and tested for polymorphism (EST-SSR marker) in a small test panel containing 16 individuals. Ten (53%) of the 19 putative or unknown function genes were polymorphic, 4 monomorphic, and 3 either failed to satisfactorily amplify genomic DNA or the allele amplification conditions need to be further optimized. Five polymorphic ESTs were genotyped with the entire reference mapping family, two of them (actin, accession #CX535973 and shrimp allergen arginine kinase, accession #CX535999) did not amplify with all offspring of the IRMF panel suggesting presence of null alleles, and three of them amplified in most of the IRM F offspring and were used for linkage analysis. EF-hand motif of myosin light chain (accession #CX535935) was placed in ShrimpMap's linkage group 7, whereas ribosomal protein S5 (accession #CX535957) and troponin I (accession #CX535976) remained unassigned. Results indicate that (a) a large number of ESTs isolated from this cDNA library are similar to cytoskeleton mRNAs and may reflect a normal pathway of the cellular response after im infection with WSSV, and (b) primers flanking single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeats from shrimp ESTs could be an efficient approach to develop polymorphic markers useful for linkage mapping. Work is underway to map additional SSR-containing ESTs from this and other cDNA libraries as a plausible strategy to increase marker density in ShrimpMap.

Fine-scale vertical distribution of bacteria in the East Pacific deep-sea sediments determined via 16S rRNA gene T-RFLP and clone library analyses

Although the deep-sea sediments harbor diverse and novel bacteria with important ecological and environmental functions, a comprehensive view of their community characteristics is still lacking, considering the vast area and volume of the deep-sea sedimentary environments. Sediment bacteria vertical distribution and community structure were studied of the E272 site in the East Pacific Ocean with the molecular methods of 16S rRNA gene T-RFLP (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism) and clone library analyses. Layered distribution of the bacterial assemblages was detected by both methods, indicating that the shallow sediments (40 cm in depth) harbored a diverse and distinct bacterial composition with fine-scale spatial heterogeneity. Substantial bacterial diversity was detected and nine major bacterial lineages were obtained, including Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, and the candidate divisions OP8 and TM6. Three subdivisions of the Proteobacteria presented in our libraries, including the alpha-, gamma- and delta-Proteobacteria. Most of our sequences have low similarity with known bacterial 16S rRNA genes, indicating that these sequences may represent as-yet-uncultivated novel bacteria. Most of our sequences were related to the GenBank nearest neighboring sequences retrieved from marine sediments, especially from deep-sea methane seep, gas hydrate or mud volcano environments. Several sequences were related to the sequences recovered from the deep-sea hydrothermal vent or basalt glasses-bearing sediments, indicating that our deep-sea sampling site might be influenced to certain degree by the nearby hydrothermal field of the East Pacific Rise at 13A degrees N.

Joint statistical distribution of two-point sea surface elevations in finite water depth

Based on the second-order random wave solutions of water wave equations in finite water depth, a joint statistical distribution of two-point sea surface elevations is derived by using the characteristic function expansion method. It is found that the joint distribution depends on five parameters. These five parameters can all be determined by the water depth, the relative position of two points and the wave-number spectrum of ocean waves. As an illustrative example, for fully developed wind-generated sea, the parameters that appeared in the joint distribution are calculated for various wind speeds, water depths and relative positions of two points by using the Donelan and Pierson spectrum and the nonlinear effects of sea waves on the joint distribution are studied. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

滤食性贝类筏式养殖对浅海生态环境影响的基础研究

近年来，由于对海区不合理的开发，我国浅海贝类筏式养殖接连遭受重创，这亟需从理论上和实践中确定养殖容量和养殖模式。本文在我国北方典型养殖海湾四十里湾对筏式养殖的贝类开展了现场生理生态学研究，对贝类对浮游植物等悬浮颗粒物的处理过程即贝类对颗粒有机物及营养元素C、N、P的摄食、吸收、排泄、排粪和生长进行了剖析，分析了贝类在沿岸养殖生态系中的物质和营养循环中所扮演的角色，为海区贝类养殖容量和养殖模式的最终确定提供了基础数据。另外，本文还对海水、沉积物及生物体中磷的分析方法进行了大量的实验工作。主要结果如下：① 比较系统地评述了双壳贝类的生物沉积(biodeposition)的原理、测定方法及其生态效应。贝类通过生物沉积在沿岸生态系中的物质和营养循环中扮演着重要的角色。国际上已有不少研究专门报道了贝类在海区现场的生物沉积。而在我国，这方面的研究却罕见。② 综述了双壳贝类各种形态的 N 和 P 排泄及其生态效应。对于我国广泛养殖 的栉孔扇贝、海湾扇贝和牡蛎等双壳贝类的TDN、TP排泄尚未见报道。 ③ 在6～7月，在四十里湾的不同养殖海区(8个站位)对扇贝的生物沉积进行了现场测定。在整个四十里湾海区，一龄栉孔扇贝(壳高 41.1±4.1mm，软体干重 0.48±O.10 g/ind))每个每天所产生生物沉积物干重平均为59.9mg，对颗粒有机质(POM)、颗粒有机碳(POC)、颗粒有机氮(PON)和颗粒有机磷(POP)的生物沉积速率范围及平均值分别为： 6.88、3.09、0.392 和 0.022mg/ind·d。还在一个站位测定了海湾扇贝(壳高 24.6±2.3mm；软体干重 O.14g/ind)的生物沉积速率为 24.3mg/ind·d，或179.2mg/g·d。不同站位一龄栉孔扇贝的生物沉积速率有较大变化，这主要与饵料浓度不同有关。二龄栉孔扇贝(壳高60.9±8.2mm；软体干重1.91±0.32 g/ind)的生物沉积速率平均为 112.7mg/ind·d，对POM、POC、PON和POP的沉积速率分别是一龄扇贝的1.85倍、1.68倍、1.77倍和2.33倍。养殖海区与非养殖海区比较，前者近海底沉积速率是后者的 1.51～3.47 倍。根据以上数据，作者计算了中等规格栉孔扇贝(用壳高 41.1±4.8mm 扇贝估算)在四十里湾在夏季每天的生物沉积量达 162 吨(干重)，或18.6tPOM、8.37tPOC、1.06tPON和60kgPP。在四十里湾的贝类筏式养殖海区，可以估计贝类每年因生物沉积的生产而循环427tN和98.OtP(包括20.0t OP的贡献)，它们能分别满足浮游藻类生产所需求N和P的17.0％和28.3％(其中OP贡献 6.9％)。可见，贝类在养殖生态系的物质和营养盐循环中扮演着重要的角色。高密度、大面积的贝类养殖使大量的生物沉积物聚集于海底，可能对海区环境产生冲击。作者分析，98年8月份烟台养殖区赤潮的发生很可能与海底生物沉积物营养盐的快速释放以及栉孔扇贝大面积死亡而使浮游藻类失去了摄食控制有关，而风平浪静和养殖笼对水流的阻挡也为赤潮的发生提供了有利条件。④ 采用半现场流水系统法测定了栉孔扇贝在不同养殖密度、不同养殖模式(扇贝单养、贝藻混养、贝藻参混养)中的生物沉积。实验时间尺度大，前后计80天。结果说明扇贝的生物沉积速率与其养殖密度呈反比关系。养殖密度的高低影响饵料浓度的变化(两者呈负相关的对数函数关系)，而饵料浓度的高低直接决定着扇贝的生物沉积速率的高低，两者呈正相关关系(生物沉积速率与POC和叶绿 a 分别呈对数和指数函数关系)。不仅生物沉积物的数量与养殖密度(或饵料浓度)有关，生物沉积物的质量同样与养殖密度(或饵料浓度)有关。栉孔扇贝的养殖使沉积物的有机质含量及C、N 和 P 含量降低，且密度越高，它们的含量越低。这反映了扇贝对环境的适应能力。在海带和扇贝的混养模式中，海带对扇贝生物沉积物的数量和质量不构成影响，当然这是在海带不影响浮游植物数量的前提下得出的结果。而实际上在自然海区两者可能是竞争关系。⑤ 对从海区取回到实验室的多种滤食性动物，包括经济双壳贝类(栉孔扇贝、海湾扇贝、长牡蛎、贻贝、菲律宾蛤仔等)和养殖中的污损动物(栖海鞘、玻璃海鞘、藤壶、玟斑稜蛤)的 N 和 P 排泄进行了测定，包括排泄成分和排泄速率。在N排泄中，NH_4-H 占主要部分，如笼式养殖的双壳贝类 NH_4-N 占总N排泄的70％以上，平均值范围为70.8～80.1％。氨基酸是第二大排泄成分，平均占总N排泄的10～25％。其它形态的N，如尿素、亚硝酸盐和硝酸盐也有检出，如双壳贝类尿素氮在总氮排泄中占 2～5％。但在双壳贝类中未检出尿酸氮。比较而言，海鞘、藤壶的尿素氮相对高一些。在P排泄中，OP约占TDP排泄的15～27％。栉孔扇贝TDP排泄速率为0.281μmol/h·ind。作者以实验室测定结果计算，在整个四十里湾的夏季，所养殖的双壳贝类每天将排泄4.54t总溶解氮，其中NH_4-N 3.36t、Amino-N 0.69t、Urea-N 0.2t。 同时每天磷的排泄为0.57t TDP，其中OP O.15t。对面积为1.3 * 10~4hm~2的海区而言，贝类的N、P排泄分别能满足浮游植物生产所需N、P的44％和40％。尽管Urea-N所占比例有限，但也能满足海区浮游植物所需 N 的 2％左右。以上说二月高密度的贝类养殖对海区生态系统营养盐循环的影响是很显著的。附着动物(柄海鞘等)的N、P 排泄也不容忽视，它们分别能满足浮游藻类生产所需 N、P 的 ll％和 12％。它们一方面通过排泄和排粪加速营养盐和物质的循环对浮游植物的生长产生刺激作用；另一方面，对藻类产生摄食控制，如果海区中滤食性动物太多，即使营养盐再丰富也难以使浮游植物大量繁殖，这无疑将影响滤食性动物的生长速率。⑥ 运用近年来发展起来的生物沉积法对四十里湾半现场流水系统中贝类的滤水率、吸收率、生长率、生态效率等生理生态学参数进行了测定。栉孔扇贝(收获时规格0.194～0.412g软体干重/ind)滤水率平均为3.65 1/ind·h。扇贝放养密度和饵料浓度没有显著关系。扇贝的总摄食率平均为3.98mg/ind·h，对POM、POC、PON的 摄食率范围为0.84～1.87、0.335～0.748、0.0515～O.1293mg/ind·h。扇贝的摄食率随放养密度的升高而降低，与POM呈正相关关系。扇贝的吸收速率受密度和饵料浓度的影响不明显。扇贝对N的吸收效率较C、P稍高，对总有机质的吸收效率为75.9±4.1％，如此高的吸收效率与低饵料浓度有关。扇贝氨基酸泄漏所损失的能量高于排氨的能量损失。代谢能与吸收能呈明显的正相关关系。SFG与饵料浓度呈正相关关系。总生长效率K1(* 100)变化较大，范围为20～49；净生长效率K，K_2(* 100)随POM的升高而升高。扇贝对N的总生态效率范围为6.2～12.8％(平均9.9％)，这高于对C(平均5.9％)和P(平均4.1％)的总生态效率。扇贝对POC、PON和PP的生长余力(SFG_C、SFG_N、SFG_P)平均分别为197、46.8和6.2μg/ind·h，它们分别与POC、PON和PP呈正比关系。扇贝对N的净生长率高于对C和P的净生长率。在N的预算中，如果仅考虑NH_4-N的排泄而忽视其它形态氮的排泄，将会产生很大偏差(平均约20％)。扇贝贝壳生长所需的能量在整个扇贝生长所需能量的9.0～15.1％(平均 11.2％)；贝壳C、N和P在扇贝生长中所占的比例分别为10.5～17.8％、9.4～16.1％和8.7～15.O％。可见，贝壳不管在能量预算还是在元素预算中都不应该被忽视。理论计算而得到的SFG和SFG_C、SFG_N、SFG_P与扇贝的实际生长和扇贝C、N、P的实际增长量之间呈正相关关系，但前者明显过高地估计了扇贝的生长。⑦ 运用生物沉积法在四十里湾养殖海区现场对栉孔扇贝的生理生态学特征进行了研究。不同海区扇贝的滤水率有变化，一龄扇贝(41.1±4.1mm，软体干重 0.48±O.10g/ind)滤水率变化范围为 0.72～2.54(平均 1.27)1/ind·h 或 1.65～5.97(平均 2.61)1/g·h。与半现场研究结果一致，滤水率与TPM没有明显关系，而摄食率却与TPM呈正相关关系。二龄扇贝(软体干重 1.91±0.32g/ind)滤水率为 2.09～3.99(平均 3.10)1/ind·h。吸收速率与POM(或TDM)呈正相关关系，与饵料质量(POM/TPM)无明显的相关关系。吸收效率AE_(POM)与TPM(或POM)没有相关关系，却与饵料质量呈明显 的正相关关系。扇贝对POC、PON和PP的吸收效率平均分别为68.9％、64.0％和63.6％。不同海区SFG差别很大。一龄扇贝SFG范围为-O.174～24.08 J/ind·h，SFG与饵料浓度POM呈正相关关系。SFG负值的出现主要与低饵料浓度有关。SFG_C、SFG_N、SFG_P分别与POC、PON和PP呈正相关关系。在N的生长余力计算中，如果仅考虑NH_4-N排泄，而不考虑其它形态N的排泄，就可能产生相当大的偏差，偏差范围为11～360％，这高于半现场的偏差值，显然SFG_N越低，产生的偏差就越大。这说明在饵料不足、扇贝生长受到限制的环境下进行N生长余力的计算时必须考虑其它形态N的排泄。⑧ 对四十里湾养殖海区一些双壳贝类和藻类的化学组成和有机净生产量进行了讨论。不同双壳贝类的软体有机碳含量差别不大，而N含量差异较大。栉孔扇贝N含量最高(占软体干重的12.36％)，而牡蛎、毛蚶软体N含量相对较低，为 8～9％。从双壳贝类贝壳的组成来看，贻贝和菲律宾蛤仔贝壳中N含量最高，分别为 0.55％ 和 0.56％；而栉孔扇贝贝壳N含量相对较低，在 O.1％左右。贻贝贝壳有机磷含量 (308ppm) 也明显高于栉孔扇贝贝壳(62.1 ppm)。不同海区海带的 C/N 比值较高，变化明显，范围为17.36～30.23。石莼与此相似。大型藻类高 C/N 比值说明海区营养元素N的不足。海带的不同部位N含量差别很大，中带部和边叶在不同海区有较大变化，即对环境的营养状况比较敏感。紫贻贝贝壳中C、H、N 和 P 的含量在整个贻贝中占有相对大的比例，分别为 30.4％、30.2％、31.8％和 29．6％。

文蛤（Meretrix meretrix）幼虫生长发育相关基因的克隆和功能分析

贝类养殖是我国海水养殖业中最重要的组成部分之一。贝类人工大规模养殖中的关键环节是种苗的人工繁育，早期幼虫能否正常生长发育，对幼虫变态和变态后生长率及成活率有很大的影响，直接关系到生产产量和经济效益，所以，了解幼虫发育机制对于生产实践具有重要的指导意义。 文蛤（Meretrix meretrix）是一种在东亚各国沿海和滩涂地区广泛分布的双壳贝类，是我国一种重要的经济品种。本论文以文蛤幼虫为研究对象，分别对文蛤幼虫发育过程中贝壳形成相关的铁蛋白（MmeFer）、营养及变态相关的组织蛋白酶B（MmeCB）及变态过程中细胞凋亡相关的caspase三个基因进行了克隆，分析了基因及编码蛋白在担轮幼虫期（L1）、D形幼虫期（L2）、壳顶幼虫期（L3）和稚贝期（L4）的时空表达特征，解析了其可能的功能，并研究了相应酶类的特异性抑制剂作用对幼虫发育过程的影响，进行了目标蛋白的功能验证，详述如下： 研究结果显示，在文蛤胚胎发育到原肠胚时放入不含铁离子的人工海水中培养，发育成无壳的畸形，随着人工海水中铁离子添加浓度的升高，幼虫长出壳状组织接近正常状态；而发育到L1期幼虫放入不含铁离子的人工海水中培养却可以发育出正常的壳，推测铁和铁代谢相关蛋白在幼虫贝壳初始形成有重要的作用。根据构建的文蛤幼虫cDNA文库中提供的序列信息，从文蛤中克隆了与铁离子代谢密切相关的铁蛋白（MmeFer）的全长cDNA 序列；通过Real time PCR发现，MmeFer mRNA的表达量在贝壳形成前后有明显改变；整体原位杂交结果显示MmeFer mRNA在L1期的表达部位刚好是贝壳生成的起始部位，推断文蛤铁蛋白与文蛤幼虫贝壳初始形成密切相关。 利用文蛤幼虫cDNA文库中的EST信息在幼虫中克隆到文蛤组织蛋白酶B（MmeCB）全长cDNA序列；通过整体原位杂交分析发现MmeCB mRNA在L2至L4期幼虫的消化腺部位表达，而且在L2期的幼虫表皮也有表达，说明MmeCB可能和幼虫消化相关，而且可能参与幼虫从表皮摄取营养的过程。利用MmeCB特异性抑制剂（CA074Me）处理饥饿幼虫，发现其生长受到明显抑制，验证了MmeCB参与幼虫表皮营养代谢的推论。利用免疫组织化学技术，研究了MmeCB蛋白在文蛤幼虫中的时空分布，发现其在L2期幼虫表面和胃部有阳性信号，而在L3期，MmeCB在幼虫面盘基部有强烈的表达，提示MmeCB在文蛤幼虫中不仅起到营养的作用，而且可能和幼虫附着变态有关。利用CA074Me分别处理文蛤胚胎和变态期幼虫，发现抑制MmeCB的活性对胚胎发育和幼虫变态都有显著影响。研究结果提示MmeCB在幼虫发育各阶段均具有重要的生物学功能。 根据caspase在不同物种中的保守区域设计简并引物，在文蛤幼虫中扩增到cDNA序列片段；检测有活性的caspase在文蛤幼虫各发育时期的分布部位，发现其在L1至L3期幼虫中都有分布，说明整个幼虫形态变化过程中都有caspase的参与；细胞凋亡检测结果显示，幼虫主要发生细胞凋亡的部位在L3期幼虫的面盘，即变态过程中要退化的器官，说明细胞凋亡可能是文蛤幼虫变态过程中面盘退化的主要机制；用caspase特异性抑制剂处理变态前幼虫，发现幼虫变态率下降，初步验证了caspase在文蛤幼虫变态过程中的作用。 通过对上述三种基因的研究，分别探讨了文蛤幼虫发育阶段中的几个主要事件（L1期到L2期的贝壳形成、L2到L3期的幼虫营养摄食及L3到L4期的附着变态）相关的基因及其功能，为研究贝类生长发育调控的分子机理提供了新的线索。

海带根中alpha-葡萄糖苷酶抑制剂的提取及其酶抑制作用动力学研究

alpha-葡萄糖苷酶是一类能够催化碳水化合物alpha-1,4-糖苷键水解的酶，是动物体内许多代谢途径中的关键酶，具有多方面的靶向药理活性。研究表明，alpha-葡萄糖苷酶与糖尿病，艾滋病，恶性肿瘤、溶酶体贮积症等疾病的发生机制有重要关系，已经成为治疗这些疾病的重要靶点。 海带（Laminaria japonica） 属褐藻门、海带属植物。自二十世纪四十年代从日本引入中国以来，已成为中国沿海重要的海洋经济作物。海带藻体叶片部分大都用来提炼碘、甘露醇和藻酸盐，但其假根部分一直被当作化工工业和食品工业的废料，而未得到有效的利用。在中国的沿海一带，海带根作为一种抗糖尿病的民间药物，有很长的历史。因此从海带根中提取分离降血糖成分并研究其作用机制将具有重要的意义。 本论文第一部分进行了海带根中具有alpha-葡萄糖苷酶抑制作用的活性组分的筛选。首先我们按照海带根中所含成分的极性不同进行了提取分离，即将海带根乙醇提取物依次用石油醚、乙酸乙酯、正丁醇萃取。结果乙醇粗体物、石油醚部位、乙酸乙酯部位、正丁醇部位与水部位的酶抑制IC50分别为1589µg/L、970µg/L、 380µg/L、1616µg/L、1106µg/L。乙酸乙酯部位的酶抑制活性最强。 本论文第二部分对海带根乙酸乙酯部位的提取物的体内降糖活性进行了研究，结果表明乙酸乙酯部位可以降低糖尿病大鼠餐后血糖，与阴性对照差异极显著（P<0.01）。小鼠服药后表现出的生命体征与伺服拜糖平后表现出的生命体征类似。 在以上工作基础上我们以alpha-葡萄糖苷酶的抑制活性为导向，用天然产物化学的方法对活性成分进行追踪，通过光谱、波谱与理化性质鉴定出了具有显著alpha-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性的化合物：丁基-异丁基-邻苯酸二甲酯，并对其进行了酶抑制动力学研究。研究表明丁基-异丁基-邻苯酸二甲酯对alpha-葡萄糖苷酶表现为非竞争性抑制类型，IC50达到13.6μg/mL，且Km=2.39 g/L 本研究工作为进一步研究海带根降血糖成分的作用机理提供了研究基础。

Summer reproduction of the planktonic copepod Calanus sinicus in the Yellow Sea: influences of high surface temperature and cold bottom water

We have observed that Calanus sinicus retreated from neritic areas in the Yellow Sea and concentrated in the Yellow Sea Cold Bottom Water (YSCBW) area in summer. To investigate the summer reproductive strategy of C. sinicus in this situation, effects of high temperature on reproduction and hatching, as well as geographical variation of in situ egg production rate, were studied by onboard incubation in August 2001. Diel vertical migration (DVM) of females was investigated within and outside the YSCBW, respectively. Onboard incubation at 27 degrees C (i.e. surface temperature) resulted in lower fecundities than that at 9.8 and 12 degrees C (i.e. bottom temperature inside and outside the YSCBW) together with decreased hatching rates and increased naupliar malformation. Egg production was more active at stations outside the YSCBW than inside, where chlorophyll-a concentration was also relatively low. Females inside the YSCBW underwent DVM although they rarely entered the surface layer, but DVM was not observed outside the YSCBW. We conclude that surface temperature in summer has deleterious effects on C. sinicus egg production and hatching, and that it cannot reproduce successfully over the whole area. Inside the YSCBW, egg production is depressed by low food availability, while females outside suffer from high temperatures because of strong vertical mixing.

Triterpane and sterane biomarkers in the YA13-1 condensates from Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

Triterpanes and steranes in condensates from the YA13-1 gas field, Qiongdongnan Basin, were monitored. The YA13-1 condensates have unusual biomarker distributions dominated by terpanes and steranes derived from higher plants. Anomalously abundant 1 got-oleanane and remarkably abundant bicadinanes are present in the YA13-1 condensates, whereas the 17alpha-hopane contents are extremely low. Taraxastane and significantly abundant 17alpha-diahopanes occur in the condensates. In addition, a number of unknown C-29 and C-30 pentacyclic triterpanes including previously unreported compounds were detected in the condensates, some of which are significantly abundant. The unknown compounds may be terrestrial biomarkers. C-29 homologues are relatively predominant among the regular and rearranged steranes. The diasterane concentrations are markedly higher than those of regular steranes. The maturity of the YA13-1 condensates is relatively high, at the peak to late oil generation stage (corresponding to 0.85-1.10% Ro), based on sterane and terpane and including bicadinane maturity parameters (i.e. T/(T-1 + R) and 2T/R bicadinane ratios). The above maturity assessment result is different from that based on diamondoid maturity parameters (%Ro = 1.60-1.70) [Org. Geochem. 25 (1996) 179], which can be explained by a contribution of hydrocarbons from two sources at different depths. The YA13-1 condensates were probably generated from the Yacheng and Lingshui coal-bearing source rocks buried both in the Qiongdongnan Basin (3400-5000 m) and in the Yinggehai Basin (>5000 m). The possible contribution of lower maturity hydrocarbons from the Yacheng and Lingshui Formations (3400-4100 m) in the Qiongdongnan Basin to the YA13-1 gases and condensates should not be neglected. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen isotopic fractionation during a simulated diatom spring bloom: importance of N-starvation in controlling fractionation

N isotope fractionation (epsilon) was first determined during ambient NO3- depletion in a simulated diatom spring bloom. After 48 h of N-starvation, NH4+ was resupplied to the diatoms in small pulses to simulate grazer-produced N and then epsilon was determined. Large variations in epsilon values were observed: from 2.0-3.6 to 14-0 parts per thousand during NO3- and NH4+ uptake, respectively. This is the first study reporting an epsilon value as low as 0 to 2 parts per thousand for NH4+ uptake and we suggest that greater N demand after N-starvation may have drastically reduced NH3 efflux out of the cells. Thus the N status of the phytoplankton and not the ambient NH4+ concentration may be the important factor controlling epsilon, because, when N-starvation increased, epsilon values for NH4+ uptake decreased within 30 h. This study may thus have important implications for interpreting the delta(15)N of particulate N in nutrient-depleted regimes in temperate coastal oceans.

Impact of microzooplankton and copepods on the growth of phytoplankton in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Dilution and copepod addition incubations were conducted in the Yellow Sea (June) and the East China Sea (September) in 2003. Microzooplankton grazing rates were in the range of 0.37-0.83 d(-1) stopin most of the experiments (except at Station A3). Correspondingly, 31-50% of the chlorophyll a (Chl a) stock and 81-179% of the Chl a production was grazed by microzooplankton. At the end of 24 h copepod addition incubations, Chl a concentrations were higher in the copepod-added bottles than in the control bottles. The Chl a growth rate in the bottles showed good linear relationship with added copepod abundance. The presence of copepods could enhance the Chl a growth at a rate (Z) of 0.03-0.25 (on average 0.0691) d(-1) ind(-1) l. This study, therefore parallels many others, which show that microzooplankton are the main grazers of primary production in the sea, whereas copepods appear to have little direct role in controlling phytoplankton.