Amino acid absorption and protein synthesis responses of turbot Scophthalmus maximus to lysine and leucine in free,dipeptide and tripeptide forms

The study aimed to investigate the effects of crystalline Lys and Leu, Lys‐Leu dipeptide and Lys‐Leu‐Lys/Leu‐Lys‐Leu tripeptide, on growth, postprandial Lys and Leu concentrations, gene expression of peptide and amino acid (AA) transporters and related gene expression of protein synthesis pathway in turbot. Three diets (CAA, Di and Tri) contained Lys and Leu as free (Lys and Leu), dipeptide (Lys‐Leu) and tripeptide (Lys‐Leu‐Lys/Leu‐Lys‐Leu) forms, respectively. Improved growth was observed in the Di group compared with the CAA group. For peptide and AAs transporters, PepT1, B⁰AT1 and y⁺LAT2 mRNA levels were affected in proximal intestine by dietary treatments. Free Lys and Leu concentrations in the CAA group were significantly higher than that of the Di and Tri groups at 6 hr postfeeding in serum and at 2, 6 and 24 hr postfeeding in muscle. For protein synthesis pathway in muscle, Akt2, TOR and S6k1 gene expression were the highest in the Di group and the lowest in the CAA group, whereas MuRF1 relative expression was the highest in the Tri group. In conclusion, dietary Lys‐Leu dipeptide was utilized more efficiently than free Lys and Leu or Lys‐Leu‐Lys/Leu‐Lys‐Leu tripeptide for turbot by regulating AAs transport, postprandial AAs concentration and the synthesis of muscle proteins.     

界首市泉河小流域农业面源污染调查与评价

为了解界首市泉河小流域农业面源污染现状和特征，制定相应的农业面源防控措施，对流域内农业面源污染情况进行了调查分析和评价。通过对该典型小流域内陶庙镇、王集镇、代桥镇、泉阳镇4个乡镇的11个行政村的农田污染源、养殖污染源及人居生活污染源进行实地走访，调查数据应用等标污染负荷法进行评价分析。结果表明，界首市泉河小流域内4个乡镇的农业面源污染排放源中，农田污染源的污染物总量和污染负荷率分别是17.44 t和4.68％；养殖污染物排放总量和污染源负荷分别是99.31 t和26.63％；生活源污染物的排放量和污染负荷率最大，分别达到256.19 t和68.69％；在COD、TN、TP 3个主要评价因子中，污染负荷率最高的是COD，达80.22％，TN污染负荷率为9.22％，TP的污染负荷率为10.56％；养殖业污染和人居生活污染源是界首市泉河小流域农业面源污染的主要来源，也是该小流域农业面源污染防控的重点。在治理该小流域农业面源污染时，应大力发展绿色、生态、循环农业，严格控制畜禽养殖污染，加大农村人居环境整治，强化政府在农业面源污染治理中的统筹引导作用等。     

Bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) spawning tactics in an upwelling environment

Successful recruitment in small pelagic fish populations inhabiting upwelling zones is subject to variation in fecundity and is driven by spatial and temporal fluctuations in environmental conditions, that is, mainly sea surface temperature, salinity and food availability. These fluctuations in abiotic factors have stimulated small pelagic fish populations to exhibit specifically adapted spawning tactics. To better understand to what extent a short‐lived exploited fish species such as bonga shad Ethmalosa fimbriata has adapted to an upwelling environment, we have investigated the interrelationship between upwelling intensity as a proxy for productivity and population fecundity by means of a virtual population analysis. We found that females of intermediate size contributed significantly more eggs to the population's fecundity than smaller or larger ones. Our model results further indicate that E. fimbriata exhibits a spawning preference at water temperatures of around 25°C and upwelling intensities of around 2.5 m³ s^?1 m^?1. Hence, we hypothesize that climate change‐driven increases in sea temperatures and modifications of upwelling‐favourable winds could significantly impact the species’ reproductive biology. To understand how climate change might impact fisheries, spawning tactics of small pelagic fishes are important to assess as well as their recruitment success. Such information is particularly relevant in countries where the fishery is critical at socio‐economic level, to better implement fisheries management addressing multiple stressors.     

High-throughput screening reveals small molecule modulators inhibitory to Acidovorax citrulli

Acidovorax citrulli is a seed-transmitted gram-negative bacterium that can cause substantial economic yield loss in watermelon and melon production worldwide. Four small-molecule libraries containing 4,952 compounds were selected for high-throughput screening against A. citrulli wild-type strain Xu3-14 by evaluation of growth inhibition. One hundred and twenty-seven molecules (2.5% hit rate) were identified as bactericidal or bacteriostatic against A. citrulli at 100 μM. Secondary screens indicated that 27 candidate compounds were more effective against A. citrulli Group II strains than Group I strains (classified using repetitive element PCR). Several compounds were inhibitory to other pathogenic bacteria, including Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, but did not affect the growth of plant beneficial bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis. More than half of the compounds did not inhibit germination of Arabidopsis or watermelon seeds. The effect of small molecules on A. citrulli seed-to-seedling transmission was evaluated by applying each compound to inoculated watermelon seeds and assessing seedling infection. Nine compounds were chosen for further investigation based on their reduction of percentage seedling infection and compiling scores on their specificity, sensitivity, and phytotoxicity obtained in the secondary screens. The five best compounds were selected (thiamphenicol, nadifloxacin, pipemidic acid, ciclopirox, and zinc pyrithione) for greenhouse tests and were found to effectively reduce the seed-to-seedling transmission of A. citrulli in both artificially and naturally infested seeds. These top five compounds provide a basis for future development of an A. citrulli-specific bactericide.     

有机质对大型富营养化浅水湖泊沉积物磷吸附特征的影响

以大型浅水湖泊（太湖和巢湖）为研究对象,系统分析了沉积物有机质（OM）含量和组成、磷吸附参数、磷形态及间隙水溶解反应性磷（SRP）浓度在水平方向上的分布。吸附解吸平衡浓度（EPC0）与SRP浓度的比较结果表明,在太湖北部与巢湖南淝河入湖口等污染较严重的区域,沉积物仍表现出吸附磷的功能;OM与土壤有效磷（Olsen-P）、磷吸附指数和碱性磷酸酶活性均显著正相关,有机质分解所产生的小分子物质可增加磷的吸附容量;添加小分子有机质的室内模拟试验进一步证实了上述假设,糖类主要影响磷的吸附能,而氨基酸主要增加最大吸附量。有机质自身及其降解产物以不同方式影响沉积物对磷的吸附能力,并据此调节湖泊富营养化过程。     

不同浓度NH_3对富营养化湖泊水体硝化作用的影响

通过室内培养试验,研究了不同浓度非离子态氨（NH3）条件下富营养化湖泊——太湖梅粱湾水体硝化作用的2个过程,即氨氧化和亚硝酸盐氧化的发生情况。结果表明,在试验设计的NH3浓度范围内,颗粒态氨氧化和自由态氨氧化速率都随着NH3浓度的升高而显著增加,同时在高浓度NH3（0.65和0.85mg/L）下,颗粒态氨氧化速率在总氨氧化速率中所占比例也显著增加。而亚硝酸盐氧化过程的发生却具有明显的阶段性,当NH3浓度从0.05增加到0.15mg/L时,自由态亚硝酸盐氧化速率有一定的降低,但是颗粒态亚硝酸盐氧化速率却显著增加,导致总亚硝酸盐氧化速率也显著上升;当NH3浓度从0.15增加到0.85mg/L,自由态亚硝酸盐氧化速率随着NH3浓度的升高而进一步降低,同时颗粒态亚硝酸盐氧化速率也随着NH3浓度的增加开始显著降低,导致总亚硝酸盐氧化速率急剧降低。