Non‐spherical pearl layers in the Polynesian ‘black‐lipped’ Pinctada margaritifera: The non‐nacreous deposits compared to microstructure of the shell growing edge

Cultivated pearls frequently exhibit morphological irregularities making obvious that mineral deposition was irregularly distributed onto nucleus surface. Taking advantage of experimental cultivations with short durations (from 10 days to few months), these irregular deposits predating occurrence of the nacre were investigated in Polynesian pearls by biochemical characterizations and a series of physical methods. Diversity in the resulting data suggests that various in‐depth alterations of the biomineralization mechanism may have occurred during the grafting process, leading to diversity in the biochemical pathways to nacreous deposition. This allows a precise discussion of current views about pearl formation. The “reversed shell theory” is formally disproved through point to point comparison with development of the shell growing edge. Similarity of pearl formation with “regeneration” or “shell repair” is also discussed, emphasizing the differences between these concepts.     

竹材生物矿化形成纳米结构二氧化硅的研究

生物矿化是指生物体内形成矿物质(生物矿物)的过程.生物细胞和细胞膜内本身就存在着纳米级的结构组织,生物体利用有机大分子可控制无机物生长、成核,最后生物矿化形成纳米结构材料.     

On the deep origin of the depressed rings on pearl surface illustrated from Polynesian Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus 1758)

Among the various defects that contribute to depreciate the commercial value of pearls, the occurrence of depressed rings is the most spectacular. Through a series of structural, physical and chemical characterizations of the pearl layer, this paper reveals that the origin and initial stages of these essentially superficial defects are to be found in the earliest stages of pearl formation. The disturbance in growth of the nacreous envelopes is the physical cause of the occurrence of these depressed areas. Attention is also drawn on the unexpected relationship between these large morphological alterations of the pearl surfaces and more punctual defects primarily well visible in the strongly coloured Polynesian pearls. An understanding of the actual origin of these very negative patterns opens the way to reduce their statistical occurrence by paying attention to the grafting practice.     

一株氧化木糖无色杆菌对Cd的固定作用

【目的】研究一株氧化木糖无色杆菌LAX2对镉(Cd)的碳酸盐矿化作用及其对Cd污染稻田土壤的修复效果。【方法】将LAX2接种于含0~40mg/L Cd2+的牛肉膏蛋白胨液体培养基中,测定LAX2对Cd的耐受性。在LAX2发酵液中加入0.1mol/L CdCl2放置12h,利用X-射线衍射、红外光谱、扫描电镜和能谱对菌株LAX2矿化固结Cd的产物特征进行分析,并通过水稻盆栽试验验证菌株LAX2对Cd污染土壤的修复效果。【结果】菌株LAX2对Cd2+的耐受能力较强,当溶液中Cd2+质量浓度达35 mg/L时,其生长不受明显影响;但当Cd2+质量浓度为40mg/L时,LAX2生长受到明显抑制。矿化产物特征分析结果表明,菌株LAX2可通过碳酸盐矿化作用将Cd矿化为呈小颗粒团聚体的CdCO3晶体。Cd污染稻田土壤经菌株LAX2发酵液、无菌发酵液和菌体细胞修复后,水稻根部Cd含量分别下降了35.3%,19.4%和12.5%,茎叶Cd含量分别降低了26.7%,15.6%和8.4%,水稻籽粒中Cd含量分别降低了28.7%,16.4%和7.5%,土壤有效态Cd含量分别下降了56.9%,34.5%和21.0%。【结论】菌株LAX2可通过碳酸盐矿化作用固结土壤中的有效态Cd,从而减少水稻对Cd的吸收。     

An Overview of the Medical Applications of Marine Skeletal Matrix Proteins

In recent years, the medicinal potential of marine organisms has attracted increasing attention. This is due to their immense diversity and adaptation to unique ecological niches that has led to vast physiological and biochemical diversification. Among these organisms, marine calcifiers are an abundant source of novel proteins and chemical entities that can be used for drug discovery. Studies of the skeletal organic matrix proteins of marine calcifiers have focused on biomedical applications such as the identification of growth inducing proteins that can be used for bone regeneration, for example, 2/4 bone morphogenic proteins (BMP). Although a few reports on the functions of proteins derived from marine calcifiers can be found in the literature, marine calcifiers themselves remain an untapped source of proteins for the development of innovative pharmaceuticals. Following an overview of the current knowledge of skeletal organic matrix proteins from marine calcifiers, this review will focus on various aspects of marine skeletal protein research including sources, biosynthesis, structures, and possible strategies for chemical or physical modification. Special attention will be given to potential medical applications and recent discoveries of skeletal proteins and polysaccharides with biologically appealing characteristics. In addition, I will introduce an effective protocol for sample preparation and protein purification that includes isolation technology for biopolymers (of both soluble and insoluble organic matrices) from coralline algae. These algae are a widespread but poorly studied group of shallow marine calcifiers that have great potential for marine drug discovery.     

合浦珠母贝章鱼胺受体(OAR)基因的克隆与表达分析

章鱼胺受体(octopamine receptor,OAR)广泛存在于无脊椎动物中,具有调节神经肌源性节奏收缩、调节c AMP水平、参与磷酸化途径等多种重要功能,但其在贝类中的研究却很少。该研究克隆了合浦珠母贝(Pinctada fucata)OAR基因(pf OAR)的c DNA全长序列,比较分析了氨基酸序列的同源性,并采用荧光定量PCR技术检测了该基因在不同组织和幼体不同发育阶段的表达差异以及贝壳损伤后该基因在外套膜中表达水平的变化。结果显示:pf OAR的c DNA全长1 890 bp,开放阅读框1 659 bp,编码552个氨基酸,有7个跨膜结构域,具有G蛋白偶联受体的共性。pf OAR在6个被检测的组织中均有表达,且在外套膜中的表达水平显著高于其他组织;幼体发育过程中pf OAR表达水平逐渐升高,变态期的表达水平显著高于其他时期;人为损伤贝壳36 h后,pf OAR的表达水平显著升高。这些结果表明pf OAR在合浦珠母贝中可能具有多样化的功能,参与了贝壳的形成和修复,为进一步开展pf OAR的功能研究奠定了重要基础。     

一株氧化木糖无色杆菌对Pb的生物矿化作用及其应用效果研究

为了筛选可用于Pb污染土壤生物修复的优良菌种,研究了一株氧化木糖无色杆菌LAX2利用含尿素培养基生长的发酵液对Pb的生物矿化作用,及其对土壤中Pb的固定效果,结果表明当培养基中Pb的浓度低于105 mg·L~(-1)时,菌株LAX2的生长不受明显影响,扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射分析、傅里叶红外光谱分析和能谱分析结果表明,菌株LAX2在含有尿素的培养体系中生长产生的发酵液可通过生物矿化作用形成一种球形的Pb CO_3晶体,其最大直径可达2μm。生物矿化、菌体细胞吸附和化学沉淀对Pb~(2+)的去除率分别为86.3%、91.6%和67.4%,表明三者存在不同的作用机制。菌株LAX2发酵液添加到土壤中培养,2 d后有效态Pb的浓度开始迅速下降,第5 d开始变缓,但在30 d的培养周期内有效态Pb的浓度一直呈现下降的趋势,培养5、10、30 d后,土壤中有效态Pb的含量分别下降了56.1%、76.5%和86.8%。向Pb污染土壤中加入发酵液、无菌发酵液、菌体细胞后进行小白菜盆栽试验,与对照相比,小白菜的株高分别增加了49.4%、21.6%和9.6%;土壤中有效态Pb含量分别降低78.1%、64.2%和52.4%,小白菜中Pb的含量分别下降了56.5%、27.4%和14.5%。以上研究结果表明菌株LAX2可通过生物矿化作用形成晶体结构的Pb CO_3,进而固定土壤中的有效态Pb,降低Pb对植物的毒害及其在植物体内的积累,因此在Pb污染土壤的生物修复当中具有重要的应用价值。     

木材仿生矿化的研究现状与展望

生物矿化是指由生物体通过生物大分子调控生成无机矿物的过程，生物成因矿物具有有序排列和优异性能，是宏观性能和微观结构的有机统一，它为木材仿生功能性改良提供了新的思路和途径。综述了木材天然矿物成分的种类、分布、矿化机理，以及仿生木质复合材料如趋磁性木材、超疏水木材、仿生硅化木材等的最新研究进展，建议加强木材生物矿化机理、生物矿化工艺和仿生矿化功能等研究，实现木材的高效高值利用。     

Penicillium janthinellum菌株GXCR对Cu,Al和Zn的抗性特征及其Cu的生物矿化作用

对分离到的一株高抗Cu(200 mm ol/L CuSO4.5H2O)的P en icillium janth inellum菌株GXCR(中国微生物菌种保藏管理委员会普通微生物中心保藏号:CGM CC 1027)进行紫外诱变,获得了3株Cu抗性下降突变体,进一步测定结果表明,3个突变体对A l[A l2(SO4)3]和Zn(ZnSO4.7H2O)的抗性也显著下降;只有在含Cu的PDA上生长的菌体表面能够形成CuSO4.5H2O样的蓝色晶体。进一步的X-ray衍射的原子微量分析表明,这种蓝色晶体含Cu2 ,说明该菌具有Cu的生物矿化作用。菌体表面积累的Cu2 的量与菌株的抗Cu水平有正相关性,说明该菌对Cu的抗性很可能与Cu矿化作用有关。     

Effects of dietary guaiacol on shell biomineralization of juvenile abalone Haliotis discus hannai, Ino

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of guaiacol on shell biomineralization of abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino. Seven semi-purified diets were formulated with graded levels of guaiacol (0, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 mg kg⁻¹). Abalone (initial weight: 0.29±0.01 g; initial shell length: 8.55±0.27 mm) were fed with these diets in a re-circulated water system for 152 days. The results showed that the contents of calcite in the shell increased significantly with dietary guaiacol levels, but the aragonite content decreased significantly. Dietary guaiacol significantly decreased the contents of calcium and strontium, but significantly increased the magnesium content in the shell. The effects of dietary guaiacol on the contents of phosphorus and zinc in shell were not significant. It was obvious that the ratio of potential acidic/basic amino acids [(Asx+Glx)/(Lys+Arg+His)] in the shell was elevated by dietary guaiacol. In conclusion, dietary guaiacol has effects on both the mineralogy and the amino acid composition in the shell. Furthermore, changes in mineralogy are related to the ratio of (Asx+Glx)/(Lys+Arg+His) in the shell.