乳糖诱导重组别藻蓝蛋白(rAPC)在大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)中的表达

采用廉价的乳糖替代IPTG诱导重组别藻蓝蛋白(rAPC)在大肠杆菌(Escherichiacoli)JM109中表达,对诱导产物表达的培养基、培养条件、诱导剂的浓度和诱导时机进行了优化,将优化条件用于5L自控发酵罐进行高密度培养。结果表明,对rAPC表达的条件进行优化后,乳糖诱导rAPC的表达率可达26.8%,与IPTG的诱导结果接近;在高密度培养中,OD600最大达21.8。研究结果可为乳糖替代IPTG大规模生产rAPC奠定基础。     

Impact of urban stormwater runoff on estuarine environmental quality

Urban stormwater runoff could contribute to the deterioration of water quality of a receiving water body. In this research, field studies and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the microbial contamination resulting from urban stormwater runoff into the Lake Pontchartrain estuary. Fecal coliform, Escherichia coli and enterococci were used as indicator organisms. The specific objectives of the research were to examine the distribution of the indicator organisms in different environmental elements (water column, suspended particles and sediment) and to further investigate the mechanisms related to their fate. Results of the research indicated satisfactory water quality at the study sites during dry weather periods. However, a significant increase was observed in the concentrations of the indicator organisms in the water columns and sediment at specific study sites following a given stormwater event. Three to seven days were needed for the elevated indicator organisms to return back to their background levels in the water column and sediment, respectively. The mechanism of sedimentation contributed to a reduction in the microbial concentration in the water column, as the indicator organisms were found to attach to the suspended particles in the stormwater. The percentage of fecal coliform, E. coli and enterococci attached to the suspended particles was found to be within the range of 9.8–27.5%, 21.8–30.4%, and 8.4–11.5% of the total indicator organisms in the stormwater loaded into the estuary, respectively. About 75–80% of the total indicator organisms remained free-floating for some distance in the water column before dying off.     

乳糖诱导重组别藻蓝蛋白基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

以重组别藻蓝蛋白表达工程菌JM109（DE3）／pET28-APC作为研究对象，对于JM109（DE3）菌株在乳糖诱导下表达重组蛋白的规律进行了研究。比较分析了不同生长阶段进行诱导，最佳乳糖浓度、诱导持续时间和诱导温度等参数对重组蛋白表达的影响。实验结果表明，采用JM109（DE3）为宿主菌，经过条件优化，乳糖诱导重组蛋白的表达量可以达到IPTG诱导的水平；较低的诱导培养温度能有效提高可溶性重组蛋白的表达。最后在摇瓶发酵结果的基础上，实现了乳糖诱导工程菌的5L全自动发酵罐培养。研究结果为在大肠杆菌大规模发酵中，运用廉价、无毒的乳糖作为诱导剂提供了一定的借鉴。     

溶藻弧菌asp基因在大肠杆菌中表达活性研究及条件优化

为进一步研究溶藻弧菌碱性丝氨酸蛋白酶(ASP)蛋白生物学活性和功能,将构建的pET23d-asp在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中表达,对表达产物进行纯化分析,并优化表达条件。结果表明:在咪唑洗脱缓冲液浓度为100 mmol/L时,表达的可溶性ASP被大量洗脱,纯化的ASP相对分子质量约为42 000,具有蛋白活性;在诱导温度28℃、异丙基-β-D硫代半乳糖苷(Isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside,IPTG)浓度1 mmol/L及诱导时间16 h时,表达的活性ASP蛋白最多。     

繁茂膜海绵清除大肠杆菌的过程

通过分析海绵清除大肠杆菌的过程,研究海绵净化细菌的机理。作者利用荧光显微镜和激光共聚焦显微镜观测等手段,监测和分析了绿色荧光大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)在繁茂膜海绵(Hymeniacidon perlevis)体内、体外水环境中数量变化过程。在1 L含有3×107个/m L绿色荧光大肠杆菌的海水中放入鲜重(1.02±0.11)g的繁茂膜海绵24块,处理7 h,海水中的荧光大肠杆菌数量逐渐降低;而海绵体内荧光大肠杆菌数量在2 h时内逐渐增多,之后的2 h趋于稳定,4 h以后开始逐渐减少。水体中大肠杆菌不仅进入海绵体内,而且进入海绵细胞内。含有荧光大肠杆菌的海绵块转入无菌海水中后,海绵体内及细胞中大肠杆菌逐渐消失,而且大肠杆菌没有被释放到环境海水中。分析表明,繁茂膜海绵能够以摄食的方式净化水环境中的大肠杆菌。     

Prevalence and distribution of fecal indicator organisms in South Florida beach sand and preliminary assessment of health effects associated with beach sand exposure

Fecal indicator levels in nearshore waters of South Florida are routinely monitored to assess microbial contamination at recreational beaches. However, samples of sand from the surf zone and upper beach are not monitored which is surprising since sand may accumulate and harbor fecal-derived organisms. This study examined the prevalence of fecal indicator organisms in tidally-affected beach sand and in upper beach sand and compared these counts to levels in the water. Since indicator organisms were statistically elevated in sand relative to water, the study also considered the potential health risks associated with beach use and exposure to sand. Fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, somatic coliphages, and F(+)-specific coliphages were enumerated from sand and water at three South Florida beaches (Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Hobie Beach) over a 2-year period. Bacteria were consistently more concentrated in 100g samples of beach sand (2-23 fold in wet sand and 30-460 fold in dry sand) compared to 100ml samples of water. Somatic coliphages were commonly recovered from both sand and water while F(+)-specific coliphages were less commonly detected. Seeding experiments revealed that a single specimen of gull feces significantly influenced enterococci levels in some 3.1m(2) of beach sand. Examination of beach sand on a micro-spatial scale demonstrated that the variation in enterococci density over short distances was considerable. Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the physical and chemical parameters monitored in this study could only minimally account for the variation observed in indicator densities. A pilot epidemiological study was conducted to examine whether the length of exposure to beach water and sand could be correlated with health risk. Logistic regression analysis results provided preliminary evidence that time spent in the wet sand and time spent in the water were associated with a dose-dependent increase in gastrointestinal illness.     

cDNA cloning and expression of a cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) gene from the hermaphroditic fish Rivulus marmoratus

We previously described the genomic structure of the cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) gene from the hermaphroditic fish Rivulus marmoratus [Kim, I.-C., Kim, Y.J., Yoon, Y.-D, Kawamura, S., Lee, Y.-S., Lee, J.-S., 2004a. Cloning of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) genes from the hermaphroditic fish Rivulus marmoratus and the Japanese medaka Oryzias latipes. Mar. Environ. Res. 58, 125–129]. To further characterize R. marmoratus CYP1A, we cloned the cDNA sequence of a CYP1A gene from this species and also expressed its recombinant protein in an E. coli system. We exposed R. marmoratus to 4-nonylphenol, and found a small induction of CYP1A mRNA in the treated animals. In this paper, we discuss the characteristics of R. marmoratus CYP1A gene as well as its potential use in a biomonitoring assay.     

Faecal indicator bacteria in New Zealand freshwater fish: a pilot study

Recent studies have suggested that poikilothermic animals, such as fish, may represent a previously overlooked source of the faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) used for the assessment of water quality. However, quantitative studies of FIB in poikilotherms are scarce. We investigated the presence of FIB in the faeces of five freshwater fish species. E. coli and enterococci were detected in 71 and 76% of faecal samples, respectively. Concentrations were highly variable, with maximum concentrations (2.1?×?10⁴ E. coli and 1.3?×?10⁶ enterococci per gram of faecal material) up to four orders of magnitude higher than present in the water column. FIB were not detected in faecal samples from marine fish. Our findings suggest that FIB ingested from the environment may be capable of replication within the fish gut, making fish a potential source and transport mechanism for FIB in New Zealand freshwaters. This may have implications for water quality monitoring.     

A Sensitive and Versatile Multiplex PCR System for the Rapid Detection of Enterotoxigenic (ETEC), Enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) and Enteropathogenic (EPEC) Strains of Escherichia coli

Although Escherichia coli is widely distributed in the marine environment, only a small percentage are pathogenic to humans. Nonetheless, the widespread occurrence of waterborne infections of E. coli origin in humans has become one of the major health problems worldwide. To date, several types of enterovirulent E. coli have been recognized as the aetiologic agents of various gastrointestinal infections in humans. The most commonly encountered are those belonging to the enterotoxigenic (ETEC), enteroinvasive (EIEC), enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) subtypes. In order to better determine the health risks that are associated with exposure to some of these specific subtypes, we have developed a very sensitive multiplex PCR system for the rapid detection and typing of ETEC, EHEC and possibly EPEC strains of E. coli in the aquatic environment. The target genes chosen for this investigation included: the PHO-A housekeeping gene (present in all E. coli); the LT1, LT2 and ST1 genes of ETEC; the VT1 and VT2 verotoxin, and EAE virulence genes of EHEC and EPEC, respectively. Six pairs of oligonucleotide primers were designed to simultaneously amplify internal fragments of these genes by multiplex PCR to generate PCR products that could be analysed and confirmed with relative ease by gel electrophoresis and HincII enzyme digestion. The results showed that the six sets of PCR primers were highly specific for their target genes and produced specific amplimers of the expected size from several control strains of E. coli – ATCC 35401 (LT1+/ST1+); SA53 (LT2+/VT2+); and O157 (VT1+/VT2+/EAE+). The detection sensitivity of the multiplex PCR system for the six target genes in an E. coli cell mixture was optimized and enhanced by preincubating serially diluted cells in Luria-Bertani broth for 6 h prior to PCR analysis. The results obtained indicated a detection sensitivity of 10° CFU (of each strain) per 100 μl reaction. Multiplex PCR analysis of seawater samples collected from four sewage-polluted sites in Hong Kong indicated the presence in all four samples of E. coli bacteria that were positive for LT1, ST1, VT1 and EAE virulence genes. Overall, the data indicated that the multiplex PCR system described in this study is a potentially very useful and powerful method for routine monitoring and risk assessment of water quality.     

Physico-chemical,bacteriological and health hazard effect analysis of the water in Taladanda Canal,Paradip area,Odisha, India

The physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters of the water in Taladanda canal and associated water-borne diseases,from which the dwellers have suffered,were studied,by using statistical method. Overuse and the addition of the wastes with sources from urbane industrial sectors,as well as the decrease in water level have caused the canal water quality declined drastically and subsequently led to extensive eutrophication and bacterial contamination. According to the water sample analytical results,the water is lightly acidic with the pH value of 4.5~6.7. The measured indexes,such as total dissolved solid (TDS),electrical conductivity (EC),total suspended solid (TSS),Mn,Zn,Al,Fe,Cu,Cr,and Hg etc,mostly have very high concentrations which are higher than permissible limit,indicating that the canal water is completely unsuitable for human consumption. Furthermore,the biological analysis shows that the total coliform (TC) is in the range of 45.9~30.2 in per 100 mL water in April,30.5~25.3/100 mL in July and 52.9~35.4/100 mL in December,respectively. Similarly,fecal coliform (FC) ranges from 12.8 to 10.1,10.5~7.5 and 13.1~6.4 per 100 mL water in the months of April,July and December respectively. As a result,people who use the water have suffered from different water-borne diseases. On the basis of disease data derived from hospital observations in a period of three years,there had been 4 284 people affected by different water-borne diseases from 2016 to 2018.