To study the bioactive metabolites produced by sponge-derived uncultured symbionts, a metagenomic DNA library of the symbionts of sponge Gelliodes gracilis was constructed. The average size of DNA inserts in the libra...To study the bioactive metabolites produced by sponge-derived uncultured symbionts, a metagenomic DNA library of the symbionts of sponge Gelliodes gracilis was constructed. The average size of DNA inserts in the library was 20 kb. This library was screened for antibiotic activity using paper disc assaying. Two clones displayed the antibacterial activity against Micrococcus tetragenus. The metabolites of these two clones were analyzed through HPLC. The result showed that their metabolites were quite different from those of the host E. coli DNA and the host containing vector pHZ132. This study may present a new approach to exploring bioactive metabolites of sponge symbionts.展开更多
Through several waves of technological research and un‐matched innovation strategies,bio‐catalysis has been widely used at the industrial level.Because of the value of enzymes,methods for producing value‐added comp...Through several waves of technological research and un‐matched innovation strategies,bio‐catalysis has been widely used at the industrial level.Because of the value of enzymes,methods for producing value‐added compounds and industrially‐relevant fine chemicals through biological methods have been developed.A broad spectrum of numerous biochemical pathways is catalyzed by enzymes,including enzymes that have not been identified.However,low catalytic efficacy,low stability,inhibition by non‐cognate substrates,and intolerance to the harsh reaction conditions required for some chemical processes are considered as major limitations in applied bio‐catalysis.Thus,the development of green catalysts with multi‐catalytic features along with higher efficacy and induced stability are important for bio‐catalysis.Implementation of computational science with metabolic engineering,synthetic biology,and machine learning routes offers novel alternatives for engineering novel catalysts.Here,we describe the role of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering in catalysis.Machine learning algorithms for catalysis and the choice of an algorithm for predicting protein‐ligand interactions are discussed.The importance of molecular docking in predicting binding and catalytic functions is reviewed.Finally,we describe future challenges and perspectives.展开更多
AIM: To determine serum leptin levels and investigate their correlations with anthropometric and metabolic parameters and biochemical liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and their...AIM: To determine serum leptin levels and investigate their correlations with anthropometric and metabolic parameters and biochemical liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and their potential clinical implications.METHODS: Forty-two chronic HCV-infected patients without anti-viral treatment were enrolled in this study, 30 patients had chronic hepatitis C, 10 had cirrhosis, and 2 had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thirty age- and sex-matched healthy individuals served as controls. Serum leptin levels were determined by ELISA. The biochemical liver function and serum lipids were determined at the same time. The height and body weight of patients and controls were measured, and body mass index (BMI) and body fat were calculated simultaneously. The correlations of serum leptin levels with anthropometric and metabolic parameters and biochemical liver function were assessed statistically.RESULTS: The mean of serum leptin levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C, HCV-associated cirrhosis, HCVassociated HCC and control groups was (6.13±3.94),(5.25±4.21), (4.17±0.28), and (3.59±3.44) ng/mL, respectively. The serum leptin level in patients with chronic hepatitis C was significantly higher than that in controls. The serum leptin levels between cirrhotic patients and controls and between male and female cirrhotic patients had no significant difference. Serum leptin levels were positively-correlated with body fat, BMI, and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) in patients with chronic HCV infection. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were closelycorrelated with BMI in patients with chronic hepatitis C. CONCLUSION: HCV infection interferes with fat and lipid metabolism in patients with chronic HCV infection and leptin may play a role in hepatosteatosis.展开更多
Tropical mountain ecosystems are usually colonized by numerous invasive plant species and represent an ideal‘natural laboratory’to study the effects of altitude on plant invasion.The aim of this study was to investi...Tropical mountain ecosystems are usually colonized by numerous invasive plant species and represent an ideal‘natural laboratory’to study the effects of altitude on plant invasion.The aim of this study was to investigate the soil chemical and microbiological properties along an altitudinal gradient on a mountain colonized by the invader Ageratina adenophora.Rhizosphere soil of A.adenophora was collected over an altitudinal gradient(1400–2400 m)in Ailao Shan,China.We determined soil organic carbon(C),nutrient contents,enzyme activities,bacterial community composition as well as C and nitrogen(N)contents of the plant roots.Ecoenzymatic stoichiometric indices were calculated to estimate the relative C,N or P limitations of the microbial community.There was a significant effect of altitude on soil organic C in the rhizosphere,and a turning point in these measured variables was detected at an altitude of 2000 m.At low elevations,the rapid growth of invasive plants depleted the deficient phosphorus(P)in tropical soils,leading to microbial P limitation;at high elevations,microbes invested more energy to obtain C from resistant litter,leading to microbial C limitation.Bacterial beta diversity and soil pH contributed most to the altitudinal differences in ecoenzymatic stoichiometry,and Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla that determined the nutrient uptake status of microorganisms.These results demonstrate how microbial nutrient acquisition belowground of A.adenophora along an altitudinal gradient,which could contribute to further knowledge about the effects of altitude on biological invasion.展开更多
基金This work was supported by High Tech R&D Program of China(Grant Nos.2002AA628130 and 2003AA624020)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30171102)+2 种基金the Fund for Cheung Kong Scholar from the Cheung Kong Scholar Program of Ministry of Education of Chinathe Fund from the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(No.Z2001C01)the High Tech R&D Program of Shandong Province(No.0121100107).The authors would like to thank Professor Li Jinhe of Institute of 0ceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,for the identification of the sponge.
文摘To study the bioactive metabolites produced by sponge-derived uncultured symbionts, a metagenomic DNA library of the symbionts of sponge Gelliodes gracilis was constructed. The average size of DNA inserts in the library was 20 kb. This library was screened for antibiotic activity using paper disc assaying. Two clones displayed the antibacterial activity against Micrococcus tetragenus. The metabolites of these two clones were analyzed through HPLC. The result showed that their metabolites were quite different from those of the host E. coli DNA and the host containing vector pHZ132. This study may present a new approach to exploring bioactive metabolites of sponge symbionts.
文摘Through several waves of technological research and un‐matched innovation strategies,bio‐catalysis has been widely used at the industrial level.Because of the value of enzymes,methods for producing value‐added compounds and industrially‐relevant fine chemicals through biological methods have been developed.A broad spectrum of numerous biochemical pathways is catalyzed by enzymes,including enzymes that have not been identified.However,low catalytic efficacy,low stability,inhibition by non‐cognate substrates,and intolerance to the harsh reaction conditions required for some chemical processes are considered as major limitations in applied bio‐catalysis.Thus,the development of green catalysts with multi‐catalytic features along with higher efficacy and induced stability are important for bio‐catalysis.Implementation of computational science with metabolic engineering,synthetic biology,and machine learning routes offers novel alternatives for engineering novel catalysts.Here,we describe the role of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering in catalysis.Machine learning algorithms for catalysis and the choice of an algorithm for predicting protein‐ligand interactions are discussed.The importance of molecular docking in predicting binding and catalytic functions is reviewed.Finally,we describe future challenges and perspectives.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30170842
文摘AIM: To determine serum leptin levels and investigate their correlations with anthropometric and metabolic parameters and biochemical liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and their potential clinical implications.METHODS: Forty-two chronic HCV-infected patients without anti-viral treatment were enrolled in this study, 30 patients had chronic hepatitis C, 10 had cirrhosis, and 2 had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thirty age- and sex-matched healthy individuals served as controls. Serum leptin levels were determined by ELISA. The biochemical liver function and serum lipids were determined at the same time. The height and body weight of patients and controls were measured, and body mass index (BMI) and body fat were calculated simultaneously. The correlations of serum leptin levels with anthropometric and metabolic parameters and biochemical liver function were assessed statistically.RESULTS: The mean of serum leptin levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C, HCV-associated cirrhosis, HCVassociated HCC and control groups was (6.13±3.94),(5.25±4.21), (4.17±0.28), and (3.59±3.44) ng/mL, respectively. The serum leptin level in patients with chronic hepatitis C was significantly higher than that in controls. The serum leptin levels between cirrhotic patients and controls and between male and female cirrhotic patients had no significant difference. Serum leptin levels were positively-correlated with body fat, BMI, and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) in patients with chronic HCV infection. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were closelycorrelated with BMI in patients with chronic hepatitis C. CONCLUSION: HCV infection interferes with fat and lipid metabolism in patients with chronic HCV infection and leptin may play a role in hepatosteatosis.
基金supported by Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects(202101AU070150)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31870524,32071663,32071661).
文摘Tropical mountain ecosystems are usually colonized by numerous invasive plant species and represent an ideal‘natural laboratory’to study the effects of altitude on plant invasion.The aim of this study was to investigate the soil chemical and microbiological properties along an altitudinal gradient on a mountain colonized by the invader Ageratina adenophora.Rhizosphere soil of A.adenophora was collected over an altitudinal gradient(1400–2400 m)in Ailao Shan,China.We determined soil organic carbon(C),nutrient contents,enzyme activities,bacterial community composition as well as C and nitrogen(N)contents of the plant roots.Ecoenzymatic stoichiometric indices were calculated to estimate the relative C,N or P limitations of the microbial community.There was a significant effect of altitude on soil organic C in the rhizosphere,and a turning point in these measured variables was detected at an altitude of 2000 m.At low elevations,the rapid growth of invasive plants depleted the deficient phosphorus(P)in tropical soils,leading to microbial P limitation;at high elevations,microbes invested more energy to obtain C from resistant litter,leading to microbial C limitation.Bacterial beta diversity and soil pH contributed most to the altitudinal differences in ecoenzymatic stoichiometry,and Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla that determined the nutrient uptake status of microorganisms.These results demonstrate how microbial nutrient acquisition belowground of A.adenophora along an altitudinal gradient,which could contribute to further knowledge about the effects of altitude on biological invasion.