Preliminary Study on the Activity of Phycobiliproteins against Botrytis cinerea

Phycobiliproteins (PBPs) are proteins of cyanobacteria and some algae such as rhodophytes. They have antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activity at the human level, but there is a lack of knowledge on their antifungal activity against plant pathogens. We studied the activity of PBPs extracted from Arthrospira platensis and Hydropuntia cornea against Botrytis cinerea, one of the most important worldwide plant-pathogenic fungi. PBPs were characterized by using FT-IR and FT-Raman in order to investigate their structures. Their spectra differed in the relative composition in the amide bands, which were particularly strong in A. platensis. PBP activity was tested on tomato fruits against gray mold disease, fungal growth, and spore germination at different concentrations (0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, and 4.8 mg/mL). Both PBPs reduced fruit gray mold disease. A linear dose–response relationship was observed for both PBPs against disease incidence and H. cornea against disease severity. Pathogen mycelial growth and spore germination were reduced significantly by both PBPs. In conclusion, PBPs have the potential for being also considered as natural compounds for the control of fungal plant pathogens in sustainable agriculture.     

鲢鱼对淡水浮游植物的抑制作用研究

为分析滤食性鲢鱼对浮游植物的控制作用,分别在室内(30L水箱)和室外(2m×2m×1.5m试验池)对鲢鱼的滤食作用进行了试验研究。结果表明,鲢鱼对蓝藻和桡足类浮游动物均具有一定的抑制作用;室内27～35g.m-3,室外50g.m-3的鲢鱼投放密度使蓝藻在浮游植物中所占比例明显下降;鲢鱼对浮游植物的摄食率随藻类密度增大而升高。投放鲢鱼是控制富营养化水体中蓝藻水华的有效措施之一。     

蓝细菌与福建苏铁(Cycad revoluta)的侵染性重组的研究

将苏铁珊瑚状根及根周围的土壤中分离的蓝细菌分离物与福建苏铁(Cycas revoluta)在实验室条件下进行重组。通过比较重组前后蓝细菌分离物的STRR指纹图谱和16S rRNA的序列得蓝细菌分离物RZHA4能重新侵染苏铁的珊瑚状根。通过NCBI比对,蓝细菌分离物RZHA4的16S rRNA序列与蓝细菌NostocaceaeIL13-1的相似性为99%。     

抗除草剂固氮蓝藻研究进展

分析了近10年来国内外的相关文献,对抗除草剂固氮蓝藻研究进行综述.重点介绍了除草剂对固氮蓝藻生长和固氮能力的影响,探讨了固氮蓝藻抗除草剂的机理,并就今后的研究内容和方向进行展望.     

Extracellular Polymeric Substances Produced by the Thermophilic Cyanobacterium Gloeocapsa gelatinosa: Characterization and Assessment of Their Antioxidant and Metal-Chelating Activities

Cyanobacteria, particularly thermophilic strains, represent an important potential source of EPSs, harboring structural complexity that predicts diverse and specific bioactive potential. The thermophilic cyanobacteria Gloeocapsa gelatinosa, isolated from a natural hot source in Ain Echfa (Tunisia), was cultivated in a cylindrical reactor, and the production of biomass and EPSs was investigated. Results revealed that the strain is amongst the most efficient EPSs producers (0.89 g L⁻¹) and that EPSs production was not correlated with the growth phase. EPSs were sulfated heteropolysaccharides containing carbohydrates (70%) based on nine different monosaccharides, mainly mannose (22%), and with the presence of two uronic acids. EPSs were formed by two polymers moieties with a molecular weight of 598.3 ± 7.2 and 67.2 ± 4.4 kDa. They are thermostable in temperatures exceeding 100 °C and have an anionic nature (zeta potential of −40 ± 2 mV). Atomic force microscopy showed that EPSs formed multimodal lumps with 88 nm maximum height. EPSs presented high water holding capacity (70.29 ± 2.36%) and solubility index (97.43 ± 1.24%), and a strong bivalent metal sorption capacity especially for Cu²⁺ (91.20 ± 1.25%) and Fe²⁺ (75.51 ± 0.71%). The antioxidant activity of G. gelatinosa EPSs was investigated using four methods: the β-carotene-bleaching activity, DPPH assays, iron-reducing activity, and metal-chelating activity. EPS has shown high potential as free radicals’ scavenger, with an IC₅₀ on DPPH (0.2 g L⁻¹) three-fold lower than ascorbic acid (0.6 g L ⁻¹) and as a metal chelating activity (IC₅₀ = 0.4 g L⁻¹) significantly lower than EDTA. The obtained results allow further exploration of the thermophilic G. gelatinosa for several biotechnological and industrial applications.     

干旱区不同降雨模式对藻结皮覆被区土壤碳释放的影响

[目的]探究干旱区不同降雨模式对藻结皮覆被区土壤碳释放的影响,为精确估算干旱区生态系统土壤碳释放量提供科学依据。[方法]以乌兰布和沙漠为例,通过人工增雨和改变降雨频率来模拟全球气候变化,对藻结皮覆被区土壤碳释放量进行长期野外监测。[结果]降雨能够刺激藻结皮覆被区土壤呼吸速率迅速大幅度提升,并在1 h内达到峰值,12 h左右降至较低水平。但随着干湿交替次数的不断增大,土壤再湿润后所产生的呼吸脉冲逐渐减弱,最后1次降雨与第1次相比土壤呼吸峰值降低了40%～60%。在降雨后16 h累积碳释放量、总碳释放量都随着降雨量的增大而增大,但当降雨量增大到一定程度后,其对土壤碳释放量的促进作用不再明显。就单次降雨而言,低频率、大雨量的降雨事件所引起的碳释放量明显高于高频率、小雨量的降雨事件。但总降雨量一致的情况下,则是高频率的小降雨事件所释放的总碳量最高,其次为低频率的大降雨事件,正常降雨频率下最小。[结论]气候变化所引起的降雨量增加和降雨频率的变化将会增加藻结皮覆被区的碳排放量,在预测碳收支时,也应将藻结皮的碳排放量变化作为考虑因素之一。     

Effects of salinity on the growth and proximate composition of selected tropical marine periphytic diatoms and cyanobacteria

Marine periphytic cyanobacteria and diatoms have been examined as a potential source of feed supplement for rearing aquatic larvae in the aquaculture industry. Culture of the periphytic diatom Amphora sp., Navicula sp., Cymbella sp. and the cyanobacteria Oscillatoria sp. at different salinities showed significant changes in biomass and specific growth rates. Diatoms growth was significantly higher at 35 g L⁻¹, while for cyanobacteria growth was better at 25 g L⁻¹. Significantly higher levels of protein and lipid were found in diatoms at low salinities (15–25 g L⁻¹) and an increase in carbohydrate at high salinities (30–35 g L⁻¹). Conversely, cyanobacteria showed a significantly higher lipid content at 30–35 g L⁻¹ compared with other salinity levels but no significant changes were observed in the protein and carbohydrate contents at different salinity levels. The present findings can be taken into consideration when culturing marine periphytic Amphora sp., Navicula sp., Cymbella sp. and Oscillatoria sp. to provide appropriate levels of protein, lipid and carbohydrate as feed supplement as well as for bioremediation in aquaculture.     

Characterization of aerosols containing microcystin

Toxic blooms of cyanobacteria are ubiquitous in both freshwater and brackish water sources throughout the world. One class of cyanobacterial toxins, called microcystins, is cyclic peptides. In addition to ingestion and dermal, inhalation is a likely route of human exposure. A significant increase in reporting of minor symptoms, particularly respiratory symptoms was associated with exposure to higher levels of cyanobacteria during recreational activities. Algae cells, bacteria, and waterborne toxins can be aerosolized by a bubble-bursting process with a wind-driven white-capped wave mechanism. The purposes of this study were to: evaluate sampling and analysis techniques for microcystin aerosol, produce aerosol droplets containing microcystin in the laboratory, and deploy the sampling instruments in field studies. A high-volume impactor and an IOM filter sampler were tried first in the laboratory to collect droplets containing microcystins. Samples were extracted and analyzed for microcystin using an ELISA method. The laboratory study showed that cyanotoxins in water could be transferred to air via a bubble-bursting process. The droplets containing microcystins showed a bimodal size distribution with the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 1.4 and 27.8 mum. The sampling and analysis methods were successfully used in a pilot field study to measure microcystin aerosol in situ.     

Low-density silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) polyculture does not prevent cyanobacterial off-flavours in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) were co‐cultured with channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) in 0.4 ha earthen ponds to determine the impacts of carp grazing on pond phytoplankton communities and cyanobacterial off‐flavours in catfish. Carp were stocked at densities of 0, 75, or 250 fish ha^?1 in seven replicate ponds per treatment. The mean chlorophyll a concentrations (a measure of phytoplankton standing crop) steadily increased in all treatments from about 100 μg L^?1 in April to more than 400 μg L^?1 by mid‐October. Silver carp had no affect (P>0.1) on chlorophyll a concentrations across all sampling dates (April though October) or for sampling dates late in the growing season (August–October) when the prevalence of cyanobacterial off‐flavours among catfish populations is usually greatest. Silver carp did not eliminate odour‐producing cyanobacteria from pond phytoplankton communities: on sampling dates in September and October, three to six ponds in all treatments contained populations of the odour‐producing cyanobacteria Oscillatoria perornata, Anabaena spp., or both. Failure of silver carp to eliminate odour‐producing cyanobacteria resulted in a relatively high incidence in all treatments of ponds with off‐flavoured catfish. On sampling dates in September and October, catfish in three to five ponds in each treatment were tainted with either musty (2‐methylisoborneol) or earthy (geosmin) off‐flavours. The presence of silver carp had no obvious effect on off‐flavour intensity: on each sampling date, at least three ponds in each treatment contained catfish described as distinctly to extremely off‐flavored. Apparently, hypertrophic conditions in catfish ponds overwhelm the effect of silver carp grazing at the low carp densities used in this study.