The effect of exogenous sugar solution and high concentration of CO_2 on the contents of sugar and protein of Betula platyphylla leaves

The content of total sugar, sucrose, fructose and protein in the leaves of3-yr.-old Betula platyphylla was measured after the treatment by three exogenous sugar solutions(sucrose, fructose, glucose) and three high concentrations of CO_2 (700, 1 400, 2 100 μL/L·L^(-1))for about a month in 1998. The results showed that spraying three exogenous sugar solutionsincreased markedly the content of sugar and protein of leaves under 700 μL·L^(-1) and 1 400μL·L^(-1) CO_2 The effect of spraying exogenous sucrose solution was the best among the threeexogenous sugars. The treatment of spraying exogenous sugar solution and 2 100 μL·L^(-1) CO_2constrained the accumulation of total sugar and protein of leaves. There was no difference inprotein content of leaves when spraying glucose and fructose solutions under 700 μL·L^(-1) and 1400 μL·L^(-1) CO_2. The treatment of 2 100 μL·L^(-1) CO_2 concentration significantly increasedthe contents of total sugar, sucrose, fructose, and protein of leaves compared with that of the 700μL·L^(-1) and 1 400 μL·L^(-1) CO_2 except the plants spraying fructose solution. There waspositive correlation between the content of sugar of leaves and CO_2 concentration when sprayingsame exogenous sugar solution.

Neomycin biosynthesis is regulated positively by AfsA-g and NeoR in Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.7387

Neomycins are a group of aminoglycoside antibiotics with both clinical and agricultural applications.To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of neomycin biosynthesis,we completed draft genome sequencing of a neomycin producer Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.7387 from marine sediments,and the neomycin biosynthesis gene cluster was identified.Inactivation of the afsA-g gene encoding a γ-butyrolactone(GBL) synthase in S.fradiae CGMCC 4.7387 resulted in a significant decrease of neomycin production.Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcriptional level of neoR and the aphA-neoGH operon were reduced in the afsA-g::aac(3)Ⅳ mutant.Interestingly,a conserved binding site of AdpA,a key activator in the GBL regulatory cascade,was discovered upstream of neoR,a putative regulatory gene encoding a protein with an ATPase domain and a tetratricopeptide repeat domain.When neoR was inactivated,the neomycin production was reduced about 40%in comparison with the WT strain.Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcriptional levels of genes in the aphA-neoGH operon were reduced clearly in the neoR::aac(3)Ⅳ mutant.Finally,the titers of neomycin were improved considerably by overexpression of qfsA-gand neoR in S.fradiae CGMCC 4.7387.

Insights into bacterial protein glycosylation in human microbiota

The study of human microbiota is an emerging research topic. The past efforts have mainly centered on studying the composition and genomic landscape of bacterial species within the targeted communities. The interaction between bacteria and hosts is the pivotal event in the initiation and progression of infectious diseases. There is a great need to identify and characterize the molecules that mediate the bacteria-host interaction. Bacterial surface exposed proteins play an important role in the bacteria-host interaction. Numerous surface proteins are glycosylated, and the glycosylation is crucial for their function in mediating the bacterial interaction with hosts. Here we present an overview of surface glycoproteins from bacteria that inhabit three major mucosal environments across human body: oral, gut and skin. We describe the important enzymes involved in the process of protein glycosylation, and discuss how the process impacts the bacteria-host interaction. Emerging molecular details underlying glycosylation of bacterial surface proteins may lead to new opportunities for designing anti-infective small molecules, and developing novel vaccines in order to treat or prevent bacterial infection.