Effects of Insufficient Investment and Overproduction on Iran＇s Oil Production Trend

This paper, using multiple-Hubbert model, forecasts oil production trend of Iran with special focus on Iran＇s insufficient investment for developing recently discovered oilfields and overproduction from mature oilfields. This is mostly due to Iran＇s political and technical limitations to carry out oil and gas projects. The trend of Iran＇s oil production has been forecasted based on a multi-cycle modified Hubbert. Three different scenarios have been assumed. In the first scenario, it is assumed that Iran does not have any limitations to carry out oil and gas projects and develop its oilfields. International sanctions and lack of foreign investment have been taken into account in the second scenario. Overproduction from currently producing mature oilfields and its effect on production trend is investigated in the third scenario. The most important parameter to forecast oil production trend is URR （ultimate recoverable resource）. URR of Iran has been estimated by parabolic fractal curve. Here, based on the plotted parabolic fractal curve for the oil fields, amount of URR of Iran has been calculated that is around 200 Gb. First scenario has two peaks while the second and third scenarios have three peaks. All of the scenarios have forecasted Iran＇s first peak in 1975 at annual production rate of 2 Gb/Year. Based on first scenario, Iran＇s second peak will occur in 2029 at 2.334 Gb/Year. Second scenario has forecasted Iran＇s second and third peaks in 2011 at 1.575 Gb/Year and in 2064 at 2.205 Gb/Year respectively, and third scenario＇s peaks have been estimated to occur in 2011 at 1.573 Gb/Year and in 2061 at 2.030 Gb/Year.

Increased expression of human calcium-activated chloride channel 1 is correlated with mucus overproduction in the airways of Chinese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is usually complicated with mucus overproduction in airway. Recently the increased expression of the human calcium-activated chloride channel 1 （CaCC1） was found to play an important role in mucus overproduction in the asthmatic airways. To investigate the relationship of CaCC1 and mucus overproduction in the airway of Chinese patients with COPD, the expressions of CaCC1, MUC5AC and mucus in bronchial tissues were examined. Methods Bronchial tissues were obtained from fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchial biopsy in West China Hospital from April to July in 2004. Twenty-five patients were diagnosed as the patients with COPD overproduction, and other 20 were the control subjects. The expressions of CaCC1, MUC5AC and mucin in bronchial tissues were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）, in situ hybridization with digoxigenin （DIG）-Iabeled RNA probe, immunohistochemical and alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff （AB-PAS） staining, respectively. Results Compared with the control group, the stronger expressions of CaCC1 were further detected throughout the bronchial tissues from patients with COPD （P〈0.01）. Furthermore, the stronger expressions of the CaCC1 mRNA were related to the severity of airflow obstruction. Samples from COPD showed a stronger staining for MUC5AC than those in control subjects （P〈0.01） and AB-PAS staining revealed more mucins in COPD patients＇ submucosal gland comparing with that in control subjects （P〈0.01）. Expression levels of the CaCC1 mRNA were respectively negatively correlated with the patients＇ forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV~） / forced vital capacity （FVC） data, FEV1% predicted data, V50% predicted data, V25% predicted data （r=-0.43, r=-0.43, r=-0.35, r=-0.36, P〈0.01, P〈0.01, P〈0.05, P〈0.05）. While the expression levels of the CaCC1 mRNA were well correlated with the expression levels of the MUC5AC mRNA of airway epithelium and the PAS-AB stained area of submucosal glands （r=0.39, r=0.46, P〈0.05, P〈0.01）. Expression levels of the MUC5AC mRNA were negatively correlated with the patients＇ FEV1/FVC data （P=0.01）, FEV1% pred data （P=-0.01）, V50% predicted data, V25% predicted data（r=-0.53, r=-0.53, r=-0.48, r=-0.43, P〈0.01, P〈0.01, P〈0.01, P〈0.01）. While the expression levels of the MUC5AC mRNA were well correlated with the positively PAS-AB stained area of submucosal gland （P〈0.05）, and the correlation coefficients were 0.43. Conclusion These results suggest that the stronger gene expression of CaCC1 exists, complicated with mucus overproduction in the airwav of Chinese patients with COPD.

Mechanism of overproduction of plasma prostacyclin in portal hypertensive rats

Abstract Objective To evaluate the role of increased portal pressure and portosystemic shunting in elevated level of prostacyclin (PGI 2) in portal hypertension. Methods Thirty six male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: prehepatic portal hypertension (PHPH, 8 rats), intrahepatic portal hypertension (IHPH, 9), end to side portacaval shunt (PCS, 8), and sham operated controls (SO, 11). Two weeks after surgery, free portal pressure (FPP) was measured; systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics was studied by radioactive microsphere technique and blood sample from the femoral artery was obtained to measure the level of plasma 6 keto PGF 1 α with radio immunoassay. Results The FPP (mmHg) in IHPH, PHPH, PCS and SO rats was 13.10±1.02, 12.10±1.52, 3.0±0.82 and 6.86±0.69, respectively. The value of FPP was significantly increased in IHPH, PHPH rats and significantly decreased in PCS rats when compared to SO rats. Cardiac index (CI) and portal venous inflow (PVI) were in the order of PCS>PHPH>IHPH>SO rats. Portosystemic shunting (PSS) in PCS, PHPH, IHPH was 99.7±0.29%, 76.02±20.62% and 30.34±10.18%, respectively. The concentrations of plasma 6 keto PGF 1α (ng/ml) in PHPH, IHPH, PCS and SO rats were 6.93±2.43, 5.09±2.27, 2.36±1.01 and 1.56±0.61, respectively. The concentrations of plasma PGI 2 in PHPH, IHPH and PCS rats were significantly higher than those in SO rats. Furthermore, the concentrations of plasma PGI 2 in PHPH and IHPH rats were also significantly higher than those in PCS rats. Moreover, a closed positive correlation existed between plasma PGI 2 and FPP (r=0.67, P<0.001). Conclusions The results of the present study suggest that the elevated PGI 2 in portal hypertension is mainly due to the overproduction of PGI 2 in vascular epithelium cells induced by increased portal pressure, whereas portosystemic shunting and liver dysfunction play a secondary role. In addition, the results of this study do not support that PGI 2 mediated the hyperhemodynamics in portal hypertension.

Complete genome sequence of high-yield strain S. lincolnensis B48 and identification of crucial mutations contributing to lincomycin overproduction

The lincosamide family antibiotic lincomycin is a widely used antibacterial pharmaceutical generated by Streptomyces lincolnensis,and the high-yield strain B48 produces 2.5 g/L lincomycin,approximately 30-fold as the wild-type strain NRRL 2936.Here,the genome of S.lincolnensis B48 was completely sequenced,revealing a^10.0 Mb single chromosome with 71.03%G+C content.Based on the genomic information,lincomycinrelated primary metabolism network was constructed and the secondary metabolic potential was analyzed.In order to dissect the overproduction mechanism,a comparative genomic analysis with NRRL 2936 was performed.Three large deletions(LDI-III),one large inverted duplication(LID),one long inversion and 80 small variations(including 50 single nucleotide variations,13 insertions and 17 deletions)were found in B48 genome.Then several crucial mutants contributing to higher production phenotype were validated.Deleting of a MarRtype regulator-encoding gene slinc377 from LDI,and the whole 24.7 kb LDII in NRRL 2936 enhanced lincomycin titer by 244%and 284%,respectively.Besides,lincomycin production of NRRL 2936 was increased to 7.7-fold when a 71 kb supercluster BGC33 from LDIII was eliminated.As for the duplication region,overexpression of the cluster situated genes lmbB2 and lmbU,as well as two novel transcriptional regulator-encoding genes(slinc191 and slinc348)elevated lincomycin titer by 77%,75%,114%and 702%,respectively.Furthermore,three negative correlation genes(slinc6156,slinc4481 and slinc6011)on lincomycin biosynthesis,participating in regulation were found out.And surprisingly,inactivation of RNase J-encoding gene slinc6156 and TPR(tetratricopeptide repeat)domain-containing protein-encoding gene slinc4481 achieved lincomycin titer equivalent to 83%and 68%of B48,respectively,to 22.4 and 18.4-fold compared to NRRL 2936.Therefore,the comparative genomics approach combined with confirmatory experiments identified that large fragment deletion,long sequence duplication,along with several mutations of genes,especially regulator genes,are crucial for lincomycin overproduction.

A combined strategy for the overproduction of complex ergot alkaloid agroclavine

Microbial cell factories(MCFs)and cell-free systems(CFSs)are generally considered as two unrelated approaches for the biosynthesis of biomolecules.In the current study,two systems were combined together for the overproduction of agroclavine(AC),a structurally complex ergot alkaloid.The whole biosynthetic pathway for AC was split into the early pathway and the late pathway at the point of the FAD-linked oxidoreductase EasE,which was reconstituted in an MCF(Aspergillus nidulans)and a four-enzyme CFS,respectively.The final titer of AC of this combined system is 1209 mg/L,which is the highest one that has been reported so far,to the best of our knowledge.The development of such a combined route could potentially avoid the limitations of both MCF and CFS systems,and boost the production of complex ergot alkaloids with polycyclic ring systems.

Overproduction Is No Issue

China's rapid growth is feeding growing concern that its economy may be faced with a crisis of overproduction. In an article published in the 21st Century Business Herald, Wang Jian, Deputy Secretary General of the China Macro-Economic Society, gives an upbeat analysis. His main ideas follow: In 2005, the investment rate in China went up to 43.3 percent, while that of consumption dropped to 38.2 percent. In the first quarter of this year, the investment volume rose 27.7 percent, double the rate of increa...

Characteristics of fruit ripening in tomato mutant epi

The characteristics of fruit ripening and expression of ripening-related genes were investigated in epi, an ethylene overproduction mutant of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The epi produces apparently more ethylene than its wild type VFN8 at every stage of vegetative and fruit growth and ripening; compared to VFN8, the epi fruit showed higher CO2 evolution, faster descending of chlorophyll, slightly quicker increase of carotenoid and lycopene, and faster reduction in pericarp firmness during maturation and ripening; and the mRNAs of three ripening-related genes including E8, pTOM5 and pTOM6 were at higher levels in epi. The ripening-related characteristics changing of the fruit are consistent with the increase of ethylene production and ripening-related genes expression. These results suggest that epi mutation possibly did not affect the ethylene perception and signaling during fruit ripening, and that the modified characteristics of fruit ripening possibly resulted from the ethylene over- production and increased expression of ripening-related genes.

Comparative functional genomics of the acarbose producers reveals potential targets for metabolic engineering

Theα-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose is produced in large-scale by strains derived from Actinoplanes sp.SE50 and used widely for the treatment of type-2 diabetes.Compared with the wild-type SE50,a high-yield derivative Actinoplanes sp.SE50/110 shows 2-fold and 3–7-fold improvement of acarbose yield and acb cluster transcription,respectively.The genome of SE50 was fully sequenced and compared with that of SE50/110,and 11 SNVs and 4 InDels,affecting 8 CDSs,were identified in SE50/110.The 8 CDSs were individually inactivated in SE50.Deletions of ACWT_4325(encoding alcohol dehydrogenase)resulted in increases of acarbose yield by 25%from 1.87 to 2.34 g/L,acetyl-CoA concentration by 52.7%,and PEP concentration by 22.7%.Meanwhile,deletion of ACWT_7629(encoding elongation factor G)caused improvements of acarbose yield by 36%from 1.87 to 2.54 g/L,transcription of acb cluster,and ppGpp concentration to 2.2 folds.Combined deletions of ACWT_4325 and ACWT_7629 resulted in further improvement of acarbose to 2.83 g/L(i.e.76%of SE50/110),suggesting that the metabolic perturbation and improved transcription of acb cluster caused by these two mutations contribute substantially to the acarbose overproduction.Enforced application of similar strategies was performed to manipulate SE50/110,resulting in a further increase of acarbose titer from 3.73 to 4.21 g/L.Therefore,the comparative genomics approach combined with functional verification not only revealed the acarbose overproduction mechanisms,but also guided further engineering of its high-yield producers.

Phosphate limitation increases coenzyme Q10 production in industrial Rhodobacter sphaeroides HY01

Coenzyme Q10(CoQ10)is an important component of the respiratory chain in humans and some bacteria.As a high-value-added nutraceutical antioxidant,CoQ10 has excellent capacity to prevent cardiovascular disease.The content of CoQ10 in the industrial Rhodobacter sphaeroides HY01 is hundreds of folds higher than normal physiological levels.In this study,we found that overexpression or optimization of the synthetic pathway failed CoQ10 overproduction in the HY01 strain.Moreover,under phosphate-limited conditions(decreased phosphate or in the absence of inorganic phosphate addition),CoQ10 production increased significantly by 12%to220 mg/L,biomass decreased by 12%,and the CoQ10 productivity of unit cells increased by 27%.In subsequent fed-batch fermentation,CoQ10 production reached 272 mg/L in the shake-flask fermentation and 1.95 g/L in a 100-L bioreactor under phosphate limitation.Furthermore,to understand the mechanism associated with CoQ10 overproduction under phosphate-limited conditions,the comparatve transcriptome analysis was performed.These results indicated that phosphate limitation combined with glucose fed-batch fermentation represented an effective strategy for CoQ10 production in the HY01.Phosphate limitation induced a pleiotropic effect on cell metabolism,and that improved CoQ10 biosynthesis efficiency was possibly related to the disturbance of energy metabolism and redox potential.

cDNA Cloning of c33-c Antigen Gene Derived From NS3 Region of Chinese HCV Genome, Expression in Escherichia coli and Development of HCV EIA Second-Generation Diagnostic Kit

A cDNA fragment of about 860 bp corresponding to the c33-c gene in the non-structural region 3 (NS3) of HCV genome was obtained from one plasma derived from a Chinese HCV carrier who came from Tai'an of Shandong Province, China by the application of reverse transcription (RT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. After the sequence of the cDNA fragment was determined and compared with the equivalent region of. the HCV-I (HCV-US) and HCV-II (HCV-BK) genomes, the nucleotide/ amino acid sequence homologies were found to be 79. 2%/91. 3% and 91. 3%/93. 9%, respectively. The prokaryotic expression vector pBV220 was employed for the overproduction of c33-c native recombinant protein in E. coli cells. The expression products were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting with antisera of chronic hepatitis C patients, and a molecular weight 31 kD of c33-c viral protein was shown to account for 14% of the total cellular soluble proteins. This product was extracted from the bacterial lysate by lysozyme, Triton X-100 and urea treatment, and purified through ion exchange chromatography. The purified c33-c protein combined with a branch peptide MAP-C-19 representing immunodominant epitopes on the nucleocapsid region of HCV genome was used to develop a Chinese HCV EIA 2nd-generation diagnostic kit for the detection of anti-HCV antibodies. Its specifity, sensitivity and re-producibility were all in keeping with the indexes of the national standard for the quality control of the HCV diagnostic kit. The agreement rate between our kit and Abbott company's HCV EIA second-generation diagnostic kit was 99. 33% , and the identified rate of positive anti-HCV of our kit was 2% more than that of the Abbott company's kit.

Transcriptome-guided identification of a four-component system, SbrH1-R, that modulates milbemycin biosynthesis by influencing gene cluster expression, precursor supply, and antibiotic efflux

Streptomyces can produce numerous antibiotics and many other bioactive compounds.Recently,the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulators in control of antibiotic production by influencing the expression of biosynthetic gene clusters(BGCs)have been extensively studied.However,for regulators that affect both antibiotic production and cell growth,the way to influence antibiotic production may be diverse,but related studies are limited.Here,based on time-course transcriptome analysis,a four-component system,SbrH1-R,consisting of the two-component system SbrKR(SBI_03479/3478)and two hypothetical proteins SbrH1(SBI_03481)and SbrH2(SBI_03480)potentially related with the biosynthesis of milbemycins was identified in Streptomyces bingchenggensis BC-101-4.Deletion of sbrH1-R resulted in weakened cell growth but a 110%increase of milbemycin production compared with that in BC-101-4.Comparative transcriptome analyses of the sbrH1-R mutant and BC-101-4 revealed that SbrH1-R not only indirectly represses milbemycin BGC expression,but also inhibits milbemycin production by modulating expression levels of genes related to precursor supply and antibiotic efflux.Further genetic experiments identified several new targets,including five precursor supply-associated reactions/pathways(e.g.,the reaction from pyruvate to acetyl-CoA,the reaction from acetyl-CoA to citrate,the fatty acidβ-oxidation process,and the branched chain amino acid and phenylalanine acid degradation pathways)and a milbemycin exporter system(MilEX2)that can be engineered for milbemycin overproduction.These results shed new light on the understanding of regulation of milbemycin biosynthesis and provide useful targets for future metabolic engineering of the native host to improve milbemycin production.

Biofilm-overproducing Bacillus subtilis B12ΔYwcc decreases Cd uptake in Chinese cabbage through increasing Cd-immobilizing related gene abundance and root surface colonization

Biofilm-producing bacteria can decrease Cd uptake in vegetables, but mechanisms underlying this effect are poorly characterized. In this study, two mutant strains B12ΔYwcc and B12ΔSlr R were constructed from a biofilm-producing Bacillus subtilis strain B12. Then, the impacts of strain B12 and its high biofilm-producing mutant strain B12ΔYwcc and low biofilmproducing mutant strain B12ΔSlr R on Cd availability and uptake in Chinese cabbage and the related mechanisms were investigated in the Cd-polluted soil. Strain B12 and its mutants B12ΔYwcc and B12ΔSlr R increased the dry biomasses of edible tissues by 54%–130% compared with the controls. Strain B12 and its mutant B12ΔYwcc reduced the soil available Cd content by 36%–50% and root and edible tissue Cd contents by 23%–50% compared with the controls. Furthermore, the mutant strain B12ΔYwcc reduced the edible tissue Cd content by40% and increased the polysaccharide content by 23%, invertase activity by 139%, and gene copies of the cum A by 4.5-fold, eps A by 7.1-fold, and cad A by 4.3-fold, which were involved in Cd adsorption in the rhizosphere soils, respectively, compared with strain B12. The polysaccharide content and cum A, eps A, and cad A gene copy numbers showed significantly reverse correlations with the available Cd content. Notably, the mutant strain B12ΔYwcc showed better ability to colonize the vegetable root surface than strain B12. These findings demonstrated that the biofilm-overproducing mutant strain B12ΔYwcc increased the polysaccharide production and Cd-immobilizing related cum A, eps A, and cad A gene copies, resulting in lower Cd availability and accumulation in Chinese cabbage in the Cd-polluted soil.