Oleosome-Associated Protein of the Oleaginous Diatom Fistulifera solaris Contains an Endoplasmic Reticulum-Targeting Signal Sequence

Microalgae tend to accumulate lipids as an energy storage material in the specific organelle, oleosomes. Current studies have demonstrated that lipids derived from microalgal oleosomes are a promising source of biofuels, while the oleosome formation mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Oleosome-associated proteins have been identified from several microalgae to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of oleosome formation, although understanding their functions is still in infancy. Recently, we discovered a diatom-oleosome-associated-protein 1 (DOAP1) from the oleaginous diatom, Fistulifera solaris JPCC DA0580. The DOAP1 sequence implied that this protein might be transported into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) due to the signal sequence. To ensure this, we fused the signal sequence to green fluorescence protein. The fusion protein distributed around the chloroplast as like a meshwork membrane structure, indicating the ER localization. This result suggests that DOAP1 could firstly localize at the ER, then move to the oleosomes. This study also demonstrated that the DOAP1 signal sequence allowed recombinant proteins to be specifically expressed in the ER of the oleaginous diatom. It would be a useful technique for engineering the lipid synthesis pathways existing in the ER, and finally controlling the biofuel quality.     

硅藻指示水体金属污染研究进展

金属元素进入水体后,威胁水体安全,水生生态系统功能受损。常规的金属离子浓度测试,反应了金属污染强度,但不能反应金属污染对当地生态系统的影响,因此,建立金属污染生物指示系统至关重要。硅藻是水生生态系统中的重要初级生产者,因其种类多、代时短、对环境因子敏感,在发达国家已广泛应用于常规水质监测。在金属胁迫下,硅藻在单个细胞水平与群落结构水平产生应答,基于此发展了一系列指标如生物量、指示物种、群落结构多样性、硅藻畸形率、植物螯合肽等应用于指示金属污染。对近几年硅藻应用于金属污染指示取得的进展予以综述,并提出系统性整合各项指示技术,根据室内与野外模拟结果分配各项指标权重,将是应用硅藻指示水体金属污染的重要途径。     

Nualgi营养素、硅藻藻种对池塘水质和浮游植物的短期效应研究

为探讨短期内Nualgi营养素对池塘水质和藻类群落结构的影响,本研究在池塘中的不透水有底帆布围隔内共设计了4个试验组,依次分别添加Nualgi营养素(M1组)、补充硅藻藻种(M2组)、同时添加Nualgi营养素并补充硅藻藻种(M3组)、不做任何处理的空白对照(C组)。经过近一个月的试验,结果显示:各组的pH值、DO、TN、TP之间没有显著性差异;Nualgi可以显著降低水体中IP的含量,M1组和M3组的IP显著低于M2组和C组;M1组、M2组和M3组中的NH_4~+-N、NO_2~--N和CODMn含量显著低于C组,表明Nualgi和硅藻藻种都可以显著降低水体中NH_4~+-N、NO_2~--N和CODMn的含量,对养殖水质具有显著的调控效果。试验各组的藻类种群极为丰富,试验期间共检出浮游植物7门109属186种,其中绿藻门47属86种,硅藻门26属48种,蓝藻门18属27种,裸藻门11属17种,甲藻门3属3种,隐藻门2属3种,金藻门2属2种。结果显示:添加Nualgi和补充硅藻藻种都可以有效提高水体中硅藻的生物量并抑制绿藻和蓝藻的生长,同时可以改变水体中浮游植物的群落结构,试验进行到第20天时,M1组、M2组和M3组中硅藻的生物量均显著高于C组,绿藻和蓝藻的生物量显著低于C组。试验中,颗粒直链藻在M1组、M2组和M3组中成为优势藻种,但并未在C组中成为优势藻种,小空星藻和四足十字藻仅在C组中成为优势藻种,四尾栅藻在M1组、M2组和C组中均成为优势藻种。在试验期内,各试验组之间的多样性指数没有显著差异,香农-威纳指数均在2.00以上,表明Nualgi和硅藻藻种并没有影响到水体中藻类的多样性。     

密度及饵料对鲍苗生长与成活率的影响

研究了后期面盘幼虫不同采苗密度、不同底栖硅藻与稚鲍不同培育密度,对鲍苗的生长与成活率的影响。认为最佳采苗密度应为2万个／m2后期面盘幼虫;当地底栖硅藻混合种的饵料效果优于纯种,剥离后稚鲍的培育密度不直超过4000粒／m2。在640m2水面中有出壳长1．2～1．5cm鲍苗201．6万粒,平均出苗量3150粒／m2。专家鉴定认为,本课题在皱纹盘鲍不同育苗密度、不同饵料对育苗效果的研究方面居国内领先水平。     

2015-2016年汉江中下游硅藻水华发生成因分析

为了探究汉江中下游多年春季易发生硅藻水华的成因,2015年和2016年早春水华发生期在汉江干流布设8个点位（黄家港、襄阳、皇庄、沙洋、兴隆闸、泽口、仙桃、蔡甸）,进行密集的浮游植物定性定量监测,同时监测总氮、总磷、硅酸盐、水温、pH和溶解氧等水质理化指标,并搜集水华期汉江中下游干流各水文站的流量数据,分析理化指标与水华细胞密度之间的相关性以及流量与水华细胞密度之间的关系。结果表明,自皇庄以下,水华发生期浮游植物密度高于107个/L,优势种为冠盘藻（Stephanodiscus）,达总生物量的95%以上;各样点浮游植物细胞密度与硅酸盐浓度、硅氮比均呈显著正相关（P<0.01）;在考虑上下游点位距离和时间推移的交互作用下,通过逐步向前回归方法拟合多元线性回归模型,结论显示,采样时间和采样点位间距与细胞密度呈极其强烈的显著正相关（P<0.001）,流量与细胞密度呈极其强烈的显著负相关（P<0.001）。由此可见,适宜的早春气候条件、较高的硅氮比、低流量是汉江中下游硅藻水华发生的原因,因此在控源截污的基础上,应注意早春时节对重要站点的流量监控,适时地下泄流量以防控硅藻水华的发生。     

汉江中下游硅藻水华研究进展与展望

汉江流域是多个引调水工程水源地,在国家水资源配置战略中具有重要地位,其水质安全问题一直备受关注。汉江中下游自1992年首次爆发水华以来,水华事件已累计发生10余次,给沿岸居民生产生活带来严重影响。本文系统调研了汉江水华相关研究进展,归纳分析了汉江中下游水华优势藻种及其生物学特性,统计分析了汉江中下游历次水华的发生特征,从营养盐、水文水动力、气象等条件方面归纳了现有研究成果中对于汉江中下游水华爆发成因的解释,总结了汉江中下游水华预测相关模型及水华可调控环境因子的阈值。当前汉江中下游水华防控面临新的挑战,未来仍需在环境因子对硅藻水华生消的影响机理、水华预测模型与方法、水华预警和抑制水华生态调度技术等方面继续开展深入研究。     

Influence of Nitzschia sp. on release of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediment in pond breeding sea cucumbers

Due to the tonic and nutritive virtues of sea cucumbers, increased commercial aquaculture has resulted in the expansion of breeding ponds, a primary form of sea cucumber production. Expansion of such production methods has led to increased settling of organic wastes onto the seabed, resulting in enriched sediments. Nitzschia sp. serves as an edible sea cucumber feed. Release characteristics of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from sediments in the presence of different biomass densities of Nitzschia sp. were studied via laboratory static cultures. pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) in the overlying water and biochemical components (i.e., protein, chlorophyll a) of Nitzschia sp. were assessed. When the biomass of Nitzschia sp. was more than (2–5) × 10⁴ ind/cm², the release of N and P nutrients was significantly promoted; additionally, the DO content of the overlying water was relatively high and the pH was relatively stable, which favoured the accumulation of proteins and chlorophyll a in Nitzschia sp. The results indicated that Nitzschia sp. promotes the release of N and P in sediments while absorbing them to maintain their own growth and promote the accumulation of nutrients, such as proteins, for the sea cucumbers. At the same time, the algae release oxygen, increasing the DO of the overlying water, providing a healthy breeding environment for the sea cucumbers. Application of Nitzschia sp. has the potential to reduce environmental harm caused by sea cucumber cultivation and thus achieve sustainable aquaculture.     

硅藻休眠孢子的生活史与研究意义

休眠孢子的形成是硅藻的一种繁殖方式,又是硅藻应对环境变化的一种生存适应策略。了解硅藻休眠孢子的生活史,掌握其形成条件与萌发规律,对古环境科学的研究、新型材料与能源的开发和海产养殖均有重要影响。同时,硅藻休眠孢子是诱发赤潮的直接原因之一。本文通过查阅文献,综述了硅藻休眠孢子的生活史及其在不同领域中的研究意义和经济价值。     

Significance of Mn and Fe for growth of coastal marine diatom <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thalassiosira weissflogii</Emphasis>

The significance of Mn and Fe for the growth of a coastal marine diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii was investigated by performing culture experiments containing macronutrients with either Mn or Fe, or both. Only the addition of both Mn and Fe induced the highest growth rates and maximal cell yields. Maximal growth was maintained in continuous culture media, which were repeatedly prepared by an inoculation of pre-culture and the addition of both Mn and Fe to the control culture medium containing macronutrients. In particular, it was found that the full growth recovery in Mn-sufficient medium (without added Fe) is accomplished by the addition of Fe even after several days’ incubation. On the contrary, there was no sufficient growth recovery by the addition of Mn after a long incubation time in Fe-sufficient medium but without additional Mn. These results suggest that T. weissflogii in Mn-sufficient waters retains the ability for full physiological recovery for a long time, probably resulting from the decrease in the oxidative stress of phytoplankton by the production of antioxidant enzyme Mn superoxide dismutase during a long incubation period.     

Apoptogenic Metabolites in Fractions of the Benthic Diatom Cocconeis scutellum parva

Benthic diatoms of the genus Cocconeis contain a specific apoptogenic activity. It triggers a fast destruction of the androgenic gland in the early post-larval life of the marine shrimp Hippolyte inermis, leading to the generation of small females. Previous in vitro investigations demonstrated that crude extracts of these diatoms specifically activate a dose-dependent apoptotic process in human cancer cells (BT20 breast carcinoma) but not in human normal lymphocytes. Here, a bioassay-guided fractionation has been performed to detect the apoptogenic compound(s). Various HPLC separation systems were needed to isolate the active fractions, since the apoptogenic metabolite is highly active, present in low amounts and is masked by abundant but non-active cellular compounds. The activity is due to at least two compounds characterized by different polarities, a hydrophilic and a lipophilic fraction. We purified the lipophilic fraction, which led to the characterization of an active sub-fraction containing a highly lipophilic compound, whose molecular structure has not yet been identified, but is under investigation. The results point to the possible medical uses of the active compound. Once the molecular structure has been identified, the study and modulation of apoptotic processes in various types of cells will be possible.