GFAJ-1 is an arsenate-resistant, phosphate-dependent organism

The bacterial isolate GFAJ-1 has been proposed to substitute arsenic for phosphorus to sustain growth. We have shown that GFAJ-1 is able to grow at low phosphate concentrations (1.7 μM), even in the presence of high concentrations of arsenate (40 mM), but lacks the ability to grow in phosphorus-depleted (<0.3 μM), arsenate-containing medium. High-resolution mass spectrometry analyses revealed that phosphorylated central metabolites and phosphorylated nucleic acids predominated. A few arsenylated compounds, including C6 sugar arsenates, were detected in extracts of GFAJ-1, when GFAJ-1 was incubated with arsenate, but further experiments showed they formed abiotically. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of phosphorus in nucleic acid extracts, while arsenic could not be detected and was below 1 per mil relative to phosphorus. Taken together, we conclude that GFAJ-1 is an arsenate-resistant, but still a phosphate-dependent, bacterium.     

Comment on "A bacterium that can grow by using arsenic instead of phosphorus"

Wolfe-Simon et al. (Research Articles, 3 June 2011, p. 1163; published online 2 December 2010) reported that bacterium GFAJ-1 can substitute arsenic for phosphorus in its macromolecules, including DNA and proteins. If such arseno-DNA exists, then much of the past century of work with arsenate and phosphate chemistry, as well as much of what we think we know about metabolism, will need rewriting.     

A bacterium that can grow by using arsenic instead of phosphorus

Life is mostly composed of the elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Although these six elements make up nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids and thus the bulk of living matter, it is theoretically possible that some other elements in the periodic table could serve the same functions. Here, we describe a bacterium, strain GFAJ-1 of the Halomonadaceae, isolated from Mono Lake, California, that is able to substitute arsenic for phosphorus to sustain its growth. Our data show evidence for arsenate in macromolecules that normally contain phosphate, most notably nucleic acids and proteins. Exchange of one of the major bio-elements may have profound evolutionary and geochemical importance.     

pH和磷酸根对砷(Ⅴ)在棕壤上吸附解吸的影响

研究了pH以及As(Ⅴ)、P的加入顺序和P浓度对As(Ⅴ)和P在棕壤上吸附的影响。结果表明,As(Ⅴ)和P的加入顺序对其在棕壤上的吸附影响很大。As(Ⅴ)和P在棕壤上的吸附表现为相互抑制。在As(Ⅴ)和P共同存在的体系中,As(Ⅴ)对P吸附的抑制率要大于P对As(Ⅴ)的抑制。当P/As较低(P/As<5)时,P浓度的增加会明显降低土壤对As(Ⅴ)的吸附,As(Ⅴ)的解吸量随P浓度的提高迅速增加;而当P/As>5时,As(Ⅴ)解吸量的增加趋于缓慢。     

离子强度和磷酸盐对铁铝矿物及土壤吸附As（V）的影响

选用针铁矿、赤铁矿、水铁矿、水铝矿4种铁铝矿物以及性质差异较大的黑土、紫色土和红壤3种土壤,研究离子强度和磷酸盐对其吸附As(V)的影响。结果表明,在0.01、0.1、1mol.L-13种离子强度下,矿物和土壤对As(V)的吸附量无明显差异或随离子强度增大而增大,其对砷的吸附以专性吸附为主。磷酸盐对矿物和土壤吸附砷的影响与其添加顺序及摩尔浓度比有关。水铝矿和水铁矿在这3种添加顺序下的砷吸附量无明显差异,仅在P/As摩尔比较大时表现出下降趋势;而在针铁矿和赤铁矿两种矿物上,先添加砷时的砷吸附量高于先添加磷时或两者同时添加时,且砷吸附量随P/As摩尔比的增加而逐渐下降。在黑土、紫色土和红壤上,先添加砷比先添加磷或两者同时添加时的砷吸附量均要高,尤其是在紫色土上。随P/As摩尔比升高,土壤对砷的吸附量表现出下降趋势。     

磷和砷专性吸附对砖红壤胶体动电电位的影响

不同Na_2HPO_4和NaH_2AsO_4浓度及其配比的试验表明,磷酸根离子和砷酸根离子专性吸附都会显著地降低砖红壤胶体的ζ电位及其等电点(IEP),但后者的吸附对动电性质(ζ电位和IEP)的影响比前者的影响更大.磷和砷的专性吸附对砖红壤表面电荷的影响是很相似的.     

水稻砷污染健康风险与砷代谢机制的研究

水稻是人类主要的粮食作物之一，然而，目前稻米主要生产区（东南亚地区）的土壤和灌溉水砷污染严重，导致稻米中砷的积累；砷在稻米中的积累通过食物链传递，对人体健康构成严重威胁。所以，稻米砷污染问题已成为东南亚地区比较突出且急需解决的环境问题之一，而减少水稻对砷的吸收、控制水稻体内砷向籽粒转移、降低籽粒中砷的生物有效性是解决这一问题的关键途径。因此，深入理解水稻对砷的吸收、体内转运和转化等代谢机制非常有必要。近年来有关水稻对砷的吸收和体内砷代谢机制的研究取得了很大进展。研究表明，水稻根系通过磷吸收通道吸收五价砷（As（Ⅴ）），水通道吸收三价砷（As（Ⅲ））。进入水稻体内的砷，一部分由地下部转运到地上部，其中一部分进一步被转运到水稻籽粒中。根表铁膜能抑制水稻对As（Ⅴ）的吸收和向地上部的转运。在水稻的地下部和（或）地上部还存在着As（Ⅴ）还原、As（Ⅲ）甲基化等砷形态的转化过程。最近，水稻砷酸盐还原酶基因已经被克隆和表征。     

Alleviation of arsenic toxicity by phosphate is associated with its regulation of detoxification,defense, and transport gene expression in barley

Arsenic(As) contamination in soils has posed a severe threat to safe crop production. The previous studies showed the antagonism between phosphorus(P) and As in plant growth and As uptake, while the mechanisms of alleviating As toxicity by P is not completely clear. Due to the limiting P condition, it is imperative to understand how low P addition can be used to suppress arsenate As(V) uptake and the subsequent mechanisms involved. Thus in this study we investigated the effect of P addition on As uptake, anti-oxidative enzyme activity, and anti-oxidant content, and the relative expression of transport, defense, and detoxification genes using two barley genotypes differing in As toxicity tolerance. P addition significantly reduced As concentration in plant tissues, and caused the great changes in activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, glutathione content, and the relative expression of examined genes when the plants of the two barley genotypes were exposed to 100 μmol L~(–1) As, with ZDB160(As-tolerant) being much more affected than ZDB475(As-sensitive). The current results show that P addition can alleviate As toxicity by regulating the expression of As transport, defense, and detoxification genes to a greater extent in As tolerance of barley, suggesting the possibility of controlling As uptake and toxicity by applying low amount of P fertilizers in the As-contaminated soils.     

Cytoplasmic extraction: polyribosomes and heterogenous ribonucleoproteins without associated DNA

Two methods are described for preparing cytoplasmic extracts from sea urchin embryos. One method, involving homogenization, yields DNA structures that cosediment with polyribosomes and subribosomal ribonucleoproteins. In addition this method also yields extraneous structures containing RNA that cosediment with polyribosomes. The DNA is not associated with polyribosomes, as shown by buoyant density analysis. Furthermore, this DNA appears to be spurious, because its release into a cytoplasmic extract does not occur when a different method of cell disruption, involving passage of embryos through a hypodermic needle, is used. With this second method, polyribosomes are obtained without extraneous cosedimenting RNA structures and subribosomal ribonucleo-proteins are obtained in the virtual absence of DNA.     

Extreme reversed sexual dichromatism in a bird without sex role reversal

Brilliant plumage is typical of male birds, reflecting differential enhancement of male traits when females are the limiting sex. Brighter females are thought to evolve exclusively in response to sex role reversal. The striking reversed plumage dichromatism of Eclectus roratus parrots does not fit this pattern. We quantify plumage color in this species and show that very different selection pressures are acting on males and females. Male plumage reflects a compromise between the conflicting requirements for camouflage from predators while foraging and conspicuousness during display. Females are liberated from the need for camouflage but compete for rare nest hollows.     

ELISA法与FQ-PCR对HBV三种血清标志物检测结果的比较

为了探讨与评价联合检测乙型肝炎HBeAg和Pre-S1Ag、HBV-DNA等血清免疫标志物在乙型病毒性肝炎临床诊断、治疗中的意义,利用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）和荧光实时定量聚合酶链式反应（FQ-PCR）,对619例疑似或确诊乙肝患者的血清样本分别进行乙肝免疫标志物HBeAg、Pre-S1Ag和HBV-DNA的联合检测。结果表明,血清乙肝免疫标志物HbeAg检测为阴性时,不能完全表明患者乙肝病毒复制终止或病毒血症的消失;血清Pre-S1Ag检测结果有助于乙型肝炎的早期诊断,也可以作为乙肝病毒DNA复制的指标之一;而FQ—PCR检测血清HBVDNA结果则有助于乙型肝炎病毒的抗原或抗体血清滴度较低时肝炎的诊断。     

Effects of phosphate solubilization and phytohormone production of Trichoderma asperellum Q1 on promoting cucumber growth under salt stress

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting crop growth and yield.This study investigated the underlying mechanisms of Trichoderma asperellum Q1 in promoting cucumber growth under salt stress, including the abilities of the strain to solubilize phosphate and to produce phytohormone.The results showed that T.asperellum Q1 could solubilize inorganic or organic phosphate and the activities of phosphatases and phytase could be detected in the culture supernatant.In hydroponic experiments, the growth of cucumber seedlings was increased in the hydroponic system treated by culture filtrate of strain Q1 with tricalcium phosphate or calcium phytate under salt stress.This strain also exhibited the ability to produce indole acetic acid(IAA), gibberellic acid(GA) and abscisic acid(ABA) in liquid medium without any inducers.The levels of those three phytohormones in cucumber seedling leaves also increased after inoculated with this strain, along with increased root growth and root activities of the plant.These results demonstrated the mechanisms of T.asperellum Q1 in alleviating the suppression effect of salt stress involving the change of phytohormone levels in cucumber plant and its ability of phosphate solubilization.     

Phospholipid-calcium phosphate complex: enhanced calcium migration in the presence of phosphate

In the presence of acidic phospholipids, inorganic phosphate greatly enhances the net migration of calcium ions from the aqueous phase to the organic phase, an effect that does not occur at less than the physiological pH. The calcium complex in the organic phase is shown by electron microscopy to consist of spherules, composed of stoichiometric amount of calcium, inorganic phosphate, and phospholipid. The demonstration of complex formation between calcium phosphate and acidic phospholipids adds Support to the concept that phospholipids are involved in biological mineralization.     

Serum parathyroid hormone in X-linked hypophosphatemia

Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone(IPTH) is normal in patients with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets who are not treated with phosphate salts. Phosphate raises IPTH in these patients. Endogenous IPTH does not influence the existing defect in tubular reabsorption of phosphate in male patients.     

植物磷酸运转器的结构与功能研究进展

磷酸运转器作为调节植物光合产物运转的关键蛋白之一，一直是光合作用研究的重要内容，且多集中在对其运转的生理生化功能的研究。总结了不同类型植物的质体中磷酸运转器的基因结构及其特性，同时也比较了它们的功能。磷酸运转器由核DNA编码，分子量约为36000D。不同的磷酸运转器起源于同一祖先，后相续进化而形成。同一植物不同的基因编码不同的磷酸运转器。C3植物的磷酸运转器调节磷酸（Pi）、磷酸二羟丙酮（DHAP）和3-磷酸甘油酸（3PGA）之间的反向交换运输，而2-磷酸甘油酸（2PGA）、磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸（PEP）、葡萄糖-6-磷酸（G6P）很少或根本不被运输。C4和CAM植物叶绿体中的磷酸运转器除了上面提到的代谢物以外还运输PEP，植物根质体中磷酸运转器也运输G6P。植物同一片叶子不同的细胞具有不同的叶绿体磷酸运转器。表1参36     

红壤上小麦对磷肥的响应及其机理

缺磷是酸性土壤上作物生长的重要限制因子之一,但在研究酸性土壤磷缺乏问题时大多不顾及铝毒害的问题.本试验研究了小麦在红壤上对磷肥的响应特点,并主要从磷和铝相互作用的角度对其响应特点的原因进行了探讨.结果表明,在红壤上小麦对磷肥没有明显的响应;在磷铝交替处理条件下,铝在高磷下对小麦的毒害比低磷下更严重,提高供磷水平能促进铝在小麦根系中的累积.在高磷下铝对小麦毒害更为严重可能是小麦对磷肥表现不出明显响应的原因之一.     

Was there really an Archean phosphate crisis?

During the Archean, massive amounts of iron were deposited in the form of banded iron formations. It has been suggested that sedimenting particles of ferric oxyhydroxide may have stripped dissolved phosphate from the oceans, causing a reduction in phytoplankton productivity. However, that model does not take into account the high concentration of dissolved silica that was present in seawater at that time. We show experimentally that silica effectively competes with phosphate for sorption sites on ferrihydrite particles. Furthermore, coprecipitation of silica with ferrihydrite reduces particle reactivity toward phosphate. Hence, Archean oceans probably contained considerably more phosphate than previously predicted.     

一株溶磷抑病细菌的筛选及其溶磷特性

【目的】筛选一株兼具高效利用Ca3(PO4)2、磷矿粉和卵磷脂等难溶性磷源和抑制土传病害功能的菌株。【方法】液体培养条件下测定所筛菌株对Ca3(PO4)2、磷矿粉和卵磷脂的溶磷效果,平板对峙试验研究对土传病害的拮抗作用。【结果】通过室内平板和摇瓶试验,从江苏和安徽的5种石灰性土壤中分离、筛选获得的6株溶磷菌,均能溶解Ca3(PO4)2、磷矿粉和卵磷脂。其中,菌株P1溶解Ca3(PO4)2和卵磷脂的效果最好,培养7d后水溶性磷浓度分别达到674.5和33.0μg·mL-1,其对磷矿粉的溶磷量也达132.3μg·mL-1。经过16SrDNA基因序列分析和生理生化鉴定,菌株P1为唐菖蒲伯克霍尔德氏菌。对峙试验结果表明,其对辣椒疫霉、大丽轮枝菌、烟草疫霉烟草变种和立枯丝核菌都有一定的拮抗作用。【结论】菌株P1不仅对Ca3(PO4)2、磷矿粉和卵磷脂有较好的溶解效果,对一些土传病害病原菌也有抑制作用。