A single microcystin in a toxic Microcystis bloom from the river Río de la Plata (Argentina)

Microcystis is one of the most common bloom-forming cyanobacteria genera in diverse ecosystems. More than 80% of its strains are toxic, mainly due to their ability to produce metabolites known as microcystins (MC). Here we report on a M. aeruginosa bloom that appeared in the summer of 2001 at a site of the Río de la Plata, within the city of Buenos Aires. The symptoms in mice indicated that the bloom was hepatotoxic. LC-PDA analysis revealed a similar high concentration (0.9–1?mg?g^–1?d w) of just one MC in the bloom biomass during the 3-month study period. During this period most of the MC (ca. 98 %) was found intracellularly, and the content remained almost the same. The molecular mass of the bloom MC was 1036?Da, as deduced from LC-ESI-MS data. Fragment ion analysis by LC-IT-MS-MS allowed identifying 6 out of the 7 amino acids, as well as their position in the molecule. The molecular mass of the unidentified amino acid residue was 155?Da. According to the data obtained, the MC under study was MC-XR, X representing the unidentified amino acid. This is the first report both on the characterisation of MCs in an urban site of the Río de la Plata waters, and on an Argentinean bloom exhibiting only one MC variant.     

Toward the Rational Design of Galactosylated Glycoclusters That Target Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lectin A (LecA): Influence of Linker Arms That Lead to Low‐Nanomolar Multivalent Ligands

Anti‐infectious strategies against pathogen infections can be achieved through antiadhesive strategies by using multivalent ligands of bacterial virulence factors. LecA and LecB are lectins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa implicated in biofilm formation. A series of 27 LecA‐targeting glycoclusters have been synthesized. Nine aromatic galactose aglycons were investigated with three different linker arms that connect the central mannopyranoside core. A low‐nanomolar (K_d=19 nm , microarray) ligand with a tyrosine‐based linker arm could be identified in a structure–activity relationship study. Molecular modeling of the glycoclusters bound to the lectin tetramer was also used to rationalize the binding properties observed.     

Sequence analysis of the Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB-912 phytochrome gene supports positive selection in cyanobacteria

The phytochrome gene from Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB-912,isolated from algal blooms in Taihu Lake in China,was sequenced and found to code for a wavelength transition light receptor protein.The gene was composed of five distinct domains:a PAS fold domain,a GAF domain,a phytochrome domain,a His Kinase A(phosphoacceptor) domain,and a histidine kinase domain.Red-absorbing phytochrome,far-red-absorbing phytochrome,and photoconversion kinetics were monitored via the spectral characteristics of the protein.To detect positive selection,homologous sequences from cyanobacterium phytochrome genes were obtained from GenBank.Potential selective pressure was identified by phylogenetic analysis with maximum likelihood analyses.The frequency of the phytochrome gene being subjected to selective constraints suggests that positive selection is a potentially important mechanism that promotes the evolution of the cyanobacteria phytochrome gene.The sites identified in this study provide targets for further research on the structural-functional role of these residues,and on the correlation with the mechanism of algal blooms.     

铜绿微囊藻营养动力学研究

铜绿微囊藻是中国湖泊，水库及其他水域生太系统发生，形成富营养化危害的主要藻类。营养盐磷含量及不同温度对铜绿微囊藻生长效应的实验结果表明，氮含量２０ｍｇ．Ｌ＾－＾１条件下，该藻的内禀增长率和生物量随培养液中磷浓度０；０．００１８；０．０１８；０．１８和１．８ｍｇ．Ｌ＾－＾１的升而增加。同时，实验也揭示了细胞内和细胞外高浓度磷营养盐的促进机理。这些结果较好地说明洋河水库的铜绿微囊藻种群从早春到晚秋持续     

福建色球藻目(Chroococcales)新植物

此文描述了色球藻目的五新种、四变种。其中,巨大蓝柄藻是继中国蓝柄藻、紫色蓝柄藻之后,在我国发现的蓝柄藻属的又一个新种,为该属在世界上的第四个新种。     

Liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric detection of the 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy) alkanoic acid precursors of rhamnolipids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures

A series of pseudomolecular and fragment ions attributed to 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy)alkanoic acids (HAAs) were detected by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry among the rhamnolipids observed in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 57RP supernatant. The fragmentation mechanism leading to the formation of the fragment ions was determined by a deuterium exchange experiment and by using a standard HAA mixture obtained from the mild acidic hydrolysis of rhamnolipids of known composition. The structure and the response factor of these free HAAs were determined. The HAAs relative composition differs between free HAAs and those present in rhamnolipids, the former being enriched in lower molecular mass congeners and depleted in the heavier ones. Within an isomeric pair, the isomer with the shortest 3-hydroxyalkaloyl residue at the hydroxyl end was more abundant than the one with the heavier 3-hydroxyalkaloyl acid at this position, and the ratios of their relative abundances were similar for free HAAs and those in rhamnolipids. Experiments with deuterium-labeled rhamnolipids demonstrated that free HAAs are part of a pool used for rhamnolipid biosynthesis and are not rhamnolipid degradation products.     

铜绿微囊藻对凡纳滨对虾低盐度养殖的危害研究

通过池塘陆基围隔实验,研究了铜绿微囊藻对凡纳滨对虾低盐度养殖的危害。实验结果铜绿微囊藻在2‰~6‰低盐度养殖水体中可大量爆发,形成单一优势种,种群增长快、持续时间长,种群密度和优势度高达5.39×107个.L-1和88.9%。铜绿微囊藻毒性表现为时间和密度双重效应。对虾养殖期,微囊藻作为优势种持续时间30 d以上,平均密度达到1.0×107个.L-1或优势度达到35%,均致养殖对虾发病,并随密度升高和持续时间延长,对虾病情加重;平均密度低于4.0×106个.L-1或优势度低于15%,对虾养殖正常,平均密度低于2.0×106个.L-1或优势度低于6%对虾养殖安全。微囊藻为主要优势种,对虾养殖成活率平均为16.6%,体长和体质量平均生长速度为1.21 mm/d和0.15 g/d,对虾养殖成活率和生长速度显著降低。     

High variability of the gvpA-gvpC region in Microcystis

Gas vesicles provide buoyancy to Microcystis and other common cyanobacterial bloom-forming species. gvpA and gvpC are structural genes encoding gas vesicle proteins. Phylogenetic analyses of 10 Microcystis strains/uncultured samples showed that gvpC and each intergenic segment of the gvpA-gvpC region can be divided into two types. The combination of different types of gvpC and intergenic segments is an important factor that diversifies this genomic region. Some Microcystis strains isolated in China possess a 172 to 176 bp sequence tag in the intergenic segment between gvpA and gvpC. The gvpA-gvpC region in Microcystis can be divided into at least 4 classes and more numbers of subclasses. Compared to rbcLX and other regions, the high variability of the gvpA-gvpC region should be more useful in identifying geographical isolates or ecotypes of Microcystis.     

绿脓杆菌MSHA茵毛株菌苗与白血病免疫应答反应

绿脓杆菌(MSHA)菌苗是一种具有广谱抗感染效果的免疫调节剂。我们观察了20例白血病患者多次疫苗主动免疫的免疫应答反应,14例病人血中广谱抗体效价升高,临床上有很好的治疗反应,6例抗体效价无变化,而临床症状加重,最后均死于败血症。上述结果提示白血病病人对疫苗的免疫应答反应,在白血病缓解中起着重要作用,对临床早期准确判断白血病患者的预后很有意义。     

激光诱导荧光光谱快速检测食源性致病菌

近年来,由微生物污染引起的食品安全问题对人类健康构成威胁。微生物的快速检测对食品安全具有重要意义。目前,微生物快速检测技术存在操作困难,成本高的不足。激光诱导荧光光谱(LIFS)具有灵敏度高、操作方便、设备相对便宜等优点,为微生物的快速检测提供了一种潜在技术。利用便携式405 nm激光激发三种常见食源性致病菌(粪肠球菌、鼠伤寒沙门氏菌和铜绿假单胞菌)的荧光,并利用微光纤光谱仪检测光谱。通过调节激光器功率(10～100 mW)得到粪肠球菌的荧光强度,验证了激光器功率(Power,P)与细菌荧光强度的关系,结果表明最佳激光器功率范围为50～80 mW。测量了在激光器功率P=50 mW时细菌样品的荧光光谱,并讨论了细菌种类和荧光光谱之间关系。结合文献分析粪肠球菌在528 nm处出现黄酮的荧光峰,铜绿假单胞菌中的原卟啉发射634 nm荧光峰。实验结果表明：(1)铜绿假单胞菌在634和703 nm处的荧光峰,可作为直接识别特征;(2)基于多元统计,将粪肠球菌和鼠伤寒沙门氏菌的光谱划分为9个特征区,采用动态聚类法得到粪肠球菌和鼠伤寒沙门氏菌的识别率均达到100%。结果表明,激光诱导荧光光谱法可有效检测铜绿假单胞菌、粪肠球菌和鼠伤寒沙门氏菌。相较于其他微生物快速检测技术,LIFS方法操作方便,检测速度快,识别率高,对食源性致病菌的快速检测具有重要的应用价值。