A gene cluster that regulates both heterocyst differentiation and pattern formation in Anabaena sp strain PCC 7120

Wild-type Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120, a filamentous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, produces single heterocysts at semi-regular intervals. asr0100 (patU5) and alr0101 (patU3) are homologous to the 5' and 3' portions of patU of Nostoc punctiforme. alr0099 (hetZ) overlaps the 5' end of patU5. hetZ, patU5 and patU3 were all upregulated, or expressed specifically, in proheterocysts and heterocysts. Mutants of hetZ showed delayed or no heterocyst differentiation. In contrast, a patU3 mutation produced a multiple contiguous heterocyst (Mch) phenotype and restored the formation of otherwise lost intercalary heterocysts in a patA background. Decreasing the expression of patU3 greatly increased the frequency of heterocysts in a mini-patS strain. Two promoter regions and two principal, corresponding transcripts were detected in the hetZ-patU5-patU3 region. Transcription of hetZ was upregulated in a hetZ mutant and downregulated in a patU3 mutant. When mutants hetZ::C.K2 and hetZ::Tn5-1087b were nitrogen-deprived, P-hetC-gfp was very weakly expressed, and in hetZ::Tn5-1087b, P-hetR-gfp was relatively strongly expressed in cells that had neither a regular pattern nor altered morphology. We conclude that the hetZ-patU5-patU3 cluster plays an important role in co-ordination of heterocyst differentiation and pattern formation. The presence of homologous clusters in filamentous genera without heterocysts is suggestive of a more general role.

Induction and preliminary characterization of a novel halophage SNJ1 from lysogenic Natrinema sp F5

Halophage SNJ1 was induced with mitomycin C from Natrinema sp. strain F5. The phage produces plaques on Natrinema sp. strain J7 only. The phage has a head of about 67 nm in diameter and a tail of 570 nm in length and belongs morphologically to the family Siphoviridae. The phage is strongly salt dependent; NaCl concentration affects the integrity of SNJ1, phage adsorption, and plaque formation. The optimal NaCl concentration for phage adsorption and plaque formation is 30% and 25%, respectively.

Phycobilisome-Deficient Strains of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Have Reduced Size and Require Carbon-Limiting Conditions to Exhibit Enhanced Productivity.

Reducing excessive light harvesting in photosynthetic organisms may increase biomass yields by limiting photoinhibition and increasing light penetration in dense cultures. The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 harvests light via the phycobilisome, which consists of an allophycocyanin core and six radiating rods, each with three phycocyanin (PC) discs. Via targeted gene disruption and alterations to the promoter region, three mutants with two (pcpcT→C) and one (ΔCpcC1C2:pcpcT→C) PC discs per rod or lacking PC (olive) were generated. Photoinhibition and chlorophyll levels decreased upon phycobilisome reduction, although greater penetration of white light was observed only in the PC-deficient mutant. In all strains cultured at high cell densities, most light was absorbed by the first 2 cm of the culture. Photosynthesis and respiration rates were also reduced in the ΔCpcC1C2:pcpcT→C and olive mutants. Cell size was smaller in the pcpcT→C and olive strains. Growth and biomass accumulation were similar between the wild-type and pcpcT→C under a variety of conditions. Growth and biomass accumulation of the olive mutant were poorer in carbon-saturated cultures but improved in carbon-limited cultures at higher light intensities, as they did in the ΔCpcC1C2:pcpcT→C mutant. This study shows that one PC disc per rod is sufficient for maximal light harvesting and biomass accumulation, except under conditions of high light and carbon limitation, and two or more are sufficient for maximal oxygen evolution. To our knowledge, this study is the first to measure light penetration in bulk cultures of cyanobacteria and offers important insights into photobioreactor design.

Difflugia mulanensis nov spec., a freshwater testate amoeba from Lake Mulan, China

Testate amoebae are an important and abundant component of aquatic ecosystems. Our knowledge of their distribution and the species inventory in Asia is still limited. This paper describes a new planktonic Difflugia from Lake Mulan, province of Hubei, China. These findings are of taxonomic, as well as biogeographic significance because Difflugia mulanensis nov. spec. is a rare and perhaps the only locally distributed member of the well-known urceolate division within this most species-rich genus of lobose testate amoebae. We have studied its morphology and biometry with light and scanning electron microscopical methods. D. mulanensis differs from related species by its very large wide funnel-shaped apertural collar which normally exceeds the width of the test, a relatively long neck, its rounded apical end and the presence of only one nucleus. All shell parameters are normally distributed with low variability. Only the collar height is more variable. This shows that D. mulanensis is a size-monomorphic species. (c) 2005 Elsevier GrnbH. All rights reserved.

Reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes activity of Anabaena sp PCC 7120 (Cyanobacterium) under simulated microgravity

It was found that reactive oxygen species in Anabaena cells increased under simulated microgravity provided by clinostat. Activities of intracellular antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase were higher than those in the controlled samples during the 7 days' experiment. However, the contents of gluathione, an intracellular antioxidant, decreased in comparison with the controlled samples. The results suggested that microgravity provided by clinostat might break the oxidative/antioxidative balance. It indicated a protective mechanism in algal cells, that the total antioxidant system activity increased, which might play an important role for algal cells to adapt the environmental stress of microgravity. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

pkn22 (alr2502) encoding a putative Ser/Thr kinase in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp PCC 7120 is induced by both iron starvation and oxidative stress and regulates the expression of isiA

In cyanobacteria, the isiA gene is required for cell adaptation to oxidative damage caused by the absence of iron. We show here that a putative Ser/Thr kinase gene, pkn22 (alr2052), is activated by iron deficiency and oxidative damage in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. A pkn22 insertion mutant is unable to grow when iron is limiting. pkn22 regulates the expression of isiA (encoding CP43') but not of isiB (encoding flavodoxin) and psbC (CP43). Fluorescence measurement at 77 K reveals the absence of the typical signature of CP43' associated with photosystem I in the mutant under iron-limiting conditions. We propose that Pkn22 is required for the function of isiA/CP43' and constitutes a regulatory element necessary for stress response. (C) 2003 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A TPR-family membrane protein gene is required for light-activated heterotrophic growth of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

The unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 can grow heterotrophically in complete darkness, given that a brief period of illumination is supplemented every day (light-activated heterotrophic growth, LAHG), or under very weak ( < 0.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1)) but continuous light. By random insertion of the genome with an antibiotic resistance cassette, mutants defective in LAHG were generated. In two identical mutants, sll0886, a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-family membrane protein gene, was disrupted. Targeted insertion of sll0886 and three downstream genes showed that the phenotype was not due to a polar effect. The sll0886 mutant shows normal photoheterotrophic growth when the light intensity is at 2.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1) or above, but no growth at 0.5 mumol m(-2) s(-1). Homologs to sll0886 are also present in cyanobacteria that are not known of LAHG. sll0886 and homologs may be involved in controlling different physiological processes that respond to light of low fluence. (C) 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Taxonomic studies of parasitic nyctotherans from chinese Anura amphibians IV. Spirocytopharynxa gen. nov and Macrocytopharynxa gen. nov.

Lian-Xiang U, Jian-Guo Wang and Wu-Han Xiao (2002) Taxonomic studies of parasitic nyctotherans from Chinese Anura amphibians IV. Spirocytopharynxa gen. nov. and Macrocytopharynxa gen. nov. Zoological Studies 41(1): 77-84. This paper describes 2 new genera and 5 new species of nyctotherans from Anura amphibians distributed in southern China. Based on the composition of the upper and bottom flaps, the number and position of sutural lines, the length of the oral groove, and the morphology and position of the end of the cytopharynx, the adoral zone of the membranelle (AZM), and the macronucleus, two new genera were established. The 3 new species, Spirocytopharynxa sinensis, S. guangxiensis, and S. quadranus, belong to the new genus Spirocytopharynxa, Another 2 species, Macrocytopharynxa (Nyctotheroidae Nie, 1932) pyriformis n. comb. and M. lingchuanensis n. sp., belong to the new genus Macrocytopharynxa. The characteristics for diagnosis of the 2 new genera and 5 new species are described in this paper.

Anisotropic Zeeman splitting and Stark shift of In1-yMnyAs1-xNx oblate quantum dots

The electronic structure, Zeeman splitting, and Stark shift of In1-yMnyAs1-xNx oblate quantum dots are studied using the ten-band k center dot p model including the sp-d exchange interaction between the carriers and the magnetic ion. The Zeeman splitting of the electron ground states is almost isotropic. The Zeeman splitting of the hole ground states is highly anisotropic, with an anisotropy factor of 918 at B=0.1 T. The Zeeman splittings of some of the electron and hole excited states are also highly anisotropic. It is because of the spin-orbit coupling which couples the spin states with the anisotropic space-wave functions due to the anisotropic shape. It is found that when the magnetic quantum number of total orbital angular momentum is nearly zero, the spin states couple with the space-wave functions very little, and the Zeeman splitting is isotropic. Conversely, if the magnetic quantum number of total orbital angular momentum is not zero, the space-wave functions in the degenerate states are different, and the Zeeman splitting is highly anisotropic. The electron and hole Stark shifts of oblate quantum dots are also highly anisotropic. The decrease of band gap with increasing nitrogen composition is much more obvious in the smaller radius case because the lowest conduction level is increased by the quantum confinement effect and is closer to the nitrogen level. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

mc-Si : H/c-Si solar cell prepared by PECVD

Hetero-junction solar cells with an me-Si: H window layer were achieved. The open voltage is increased while short current is decreased with increasing the mc-Si:H layer's thickness of emitter layer. The highest of V-oc of 597 mV has obtained. When fixed the thickness of 30 nm, changing the N type from amorphous silicon layer to micro-crystalline layer, the efficiency of the hetero-junction solar cells is increased. Although the hydrogen etching before deposition enables the c-Si substrates to become rough by AFM images, it enhances the formation of epitaxial-like micro-crystalline silicon and better parameters of solar cell can be obtained by implying this process. The best result of efficiency is 13.86% with the V-oc of 549.8 mV, J(sc) of 32.19 mA center dot cm(-2) and the cell's area of 1 cm(2).

Isolation and Characterization of a Methomyl-Degrading Paracoccus sp mdw-1

Methomyl, an extremely toxic pesticide, is widely used in agriculture. A strain named mdw-1 capable of degrading methomyl rapidly was successfully isolated from activated sludge in this study. It could utilize methomyl as the sole carbon or nitrogen source. The optimal temperature and medium pH for its growth and methomyl biodegradation were 30 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. It was identified as a Paracoccus sp. according to its morphological features, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and phylogenetic analysis based on the sequence of 16S rDNA. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that methomyl could be completely transformed to S-methyl-N-hydroxythioacetamidate in 10 h of incubation with the isolate mdw-1.

UASB反应器处理维生素C���产废水研究

维生素C���产废水有机物浓度高、成分复杂、排放量大，是一种亟待处理的典型工业废水。本研究分别采用实验室规模和中试规模的升流式厌氧颗粒污泥床反应器（UASB）对该制药工业废水的厌氧生物处理工艺进行了较为深入的研究。同时采用两种不依赖于纯培养的分子生物学手段—变性梯度凝胶电泳（DGGE）和扩增核糖体DNA限制性分析（ARDRA）技术揭示了UASB反应器不同运行阶段污泥中微生物群落多样性组成及变化。此外，首次研究了零价铁（Fe0）在厌氧消化过程中对反应器运行及微生物群落结构的影响。 采用城市污水处理厂厌氧消化池絮状污泥和处理啤酒废水的颗粒污泥混合接种，小试中温（35±1℃）UASB反应器在其运行的第65天启动成功。反应器稳定运行阶段，在进水COD浓度为9000mg/L、水力停留时间为12h、容积负荷为13.6 kgCOD/m3.d条件下，其COD去除率稳定在85~90%之间，沼气产率达到4.5 m3/m3.d，沼气甲烷含量平均为72%。中试UASB反应器的接种污泥为厌氧消化污泥，其启动时间相对较长，为90天。在稳定运行期，反应器的进水COD浓度为8000~10000mg/L，水力停留时间和容积负荷分别保持在12~16h和10.6~14.2 kgCOD/m3.d范围，该阶段反应器的平均COD去除率稳定在85%左右，沼气产率平均为5.2m3/m3.d，沼气中甲烷含量为69%。上述结果表明中温UASB工艺用于维生素C���产废水处理是高效、可行的。 与对照反应器相比，添加Fe0的小试UASB反应器的COD去除率和沼气产量分别提高了6.5%和10.2%。同时，磷酸盐平均去除率为79%，比对照提高了64%，目前尚未见类似研究报道。在中试规模的UASB反应器中补充一定量的Fe0可缩短反应器启动时间，促进颗粒污泥的形成，该结果可能具有重要的应用价值。培养试验进一步表明，Fe0可以作为产甲烷菌还原CO2生成甲烷的电子供体。培养实验还表明，当系统中存在硝酸盐（0.40 mM）和硫酸盐（0.26 mM）时，Fe0促产甲烷过程受到一定程度的抑制。 采用细菌通用引物968F/1401R和341F/907R获得的PCR-DGGE指纹图谱均表明UASB反应器不同运行阶段细菌种群结构变化明显。小试和中试稳定期污泥的微生物多样性均高于各自初始接种污泥。产甲烷菌通用引物340F/519R的PCR-DGGE结果显示，虽然接种污泥中产甲烷菌的丰富度系数略低于稳定期，但总体而言，反应器运行期间产甲烷菌的种群组成相对稳定。 通过构建不同处理和不同运行阶段污泥样品的16S rRNA基因文库并对克隆基因进行限制性内切酶消化、测序分析。结果表明，稳定期两个反应器微生物群落结构相似，但与各自接种污泥差异明显。小试UASB反应器接种污泥中细菌的优势菌群分别为变形菌纲的δ亚纲（28.7%）和β亚纲（17.4%），至稳定运行期则演替为革兰氏阳性低GC���群（21.9%）和变形菌纲的δ亚纲（14.0%）。中试反应器接种污泥Green non-sulfer bacteria（25.9%）和变形菌纲的δ亚纲（16.4%）类群占优势，而稳定期Green non-sulfer bacteria类群（17.9%）、革兰氏阳性低GC���群（16.2%）和变形菌纲的δ亚纲（15.4%）为优势菌群。 产甲烷菌的优势克隆为SRJ 230、SRJ 26和SRJ 583，前两者分别与Methanosaeta concilii和未培养的Methanobacteria-like克隆Gran7M4的同源性达到97%和98%，后者与Methanomethylovorans. sp���源性为99%。接种污泥中上述类群占总克隆数量的比例较低。小试、中试接种污泥中产甲烷菌分别占7.8%和3.0%，但稳定运行期，该比例明显增加，分别达到21.9%和18.8%。上述结果表明启动期与稳定期污泥产甲烷菌种群组成相对稳定，但各类群数量明显增加。 添加Fe0的UASB反应器稳定运行期污泥中产甲烷菌比例（31.2%）高于对照反应器（24.2%）, 革兰氏阳性低GC���群、变形菌纲的δ亚纲比例差异不明显，而变形菌纲β亚纲（6.0%）和Green non-sulfer bacteria（9.2%）的比例均分别低于对照反应器（13.1%和17.1%）。该结果表明，添加Fe0使反应器内微生物群落多样性发生了显著变化。 此外，在添加Fe0的UASB反应器中检测到特异性的克隆SRJ 341和SRJ 320，两者分别同磷酸盐去除和铁氧化有关的克隆子Orbal D41和Clone195的序列相似性达95%和96%。这两个类群可能分别与磷酸盐去除及铁促产甲烷作用密切相关。这一结果尚未见报道。

High resolution mass spectrometric alveolar proteomics: Identification of surfactant protein SP-A and SP-D modifications in proteinosis and cystic fibrosis patients

In the present study, one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with high resolution Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) have been applied as powerful approaches for the proteome analysis of surfactant proteins SP-A and SP-D, including identification of structurally modified and truncation forms, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Highly sensitive micro preparation techniques were developed for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) FT-ICR MS analysis which provided the identification of surfactant proteins at very low levels. Owing to the high resolution, FT-ICR MS was found to provide substantial advantages for the structural identification of surfactant proteins from complex biological matrices with high mass determination accuracy. Several protein bands corresponding to SP-A and SP-D were identified by MALDI-FT-ICR MS after electrophoretic separation by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and provided the identification of structural modifications (hydroxy-proline) and degradation products.

Physical and electrochemical characterizations of PtRu/C catalysts by spray pyrolysis for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol

In this paper, it was reported that the carbon-supported Pt-Ru(Pt-Ru/C) catalyst used as the anodic catalyst in the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was synthesized with a two-step spray pyrolysis (SP) method using the Pt and Ru metal salt as the precursors and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with the different molecular weights (Mw= 200,600,and 1000 analytical reagent) as cosolvent. PEG as a cosolvent plays a crucial role in producing PtRu/C catalysts. It was found that the Mw of PEG could affect the electrocatalytic activity of Pt-Ru and the morphology of the Pt-Ru particles in the Pt-Ru/C catalysts prepared with this method. When the Mw of PEG is 600, the Pt-Ru particles in the Pt-Ru/C catalyst prepared with this method possess the small average size, narrow size distribution, uniform dispersion, and high electrochemically active specific surface area. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pt-Ru/C catalyst prepared with this method using the cosolvent PEG with Mw = 600 for the methanol oxidation is much higher than that of the commercial E-TEK Pt-Ru/C catalyst. Therefore, the two-step SP method is an excellent method for the preparation of the Pt-Ru/C catalyst used in DMFCs.