Distinct influence of trimethylamine N-oxide and high hydrostatic pressure on community structure and culturable deep-sea bacteria

Trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO) is one of the most important nutrients for bacteria in the deep-sea environment and is capable of improving pressure tolerance of certain bacterial strains.To assess the impact of TMAO on marine microorganisms,especially those dwelling in the deep-sea environment,we analyzed the bacterial community structure of deep-sea sediments after incubated under different conditions.Enrichments at 50 MPa and 0.1 MPa revealed that TMAO imposed a greater influence on bacterial diversity and community composition at atmospheric pressure condition than that under high hydrostatic pressure(HHP).We found that pressure was the primary factor that determines the bacterial community.Meanwhile,in total,238 bacterial strains were isolated from the enrichments,including 112 strains a ffiliated to 16 genera of 4 phyla from the Yap Trench and 126 strains a ffiliated to 11 genera of 2 phyla from the Mariana Trench.Treatment of HHP reduced both abundance and diversity of isolates,while the presence of TMAO mainly af fected the diversity of isolates obtained.In addition,certain genera were isolated only when TMAO was supplemented.Taken together,we demonstrated that pressure primarily defines the bacterial community and culturable bacterial isolates.Furthermore,we showed for the first time that TMAO had distinct influences on bacterial community depending on the pressure condition.The results enriched the understanding of the significance of TMAO in bacterial adaptation to the deep-sea environment.     

Enhancing effect of Fe2+ on the formaldehyde production from trimethylamine N-oxide decomposition catalyzed by the extract of Harpadon nehereus kidney

The effects of Fe2+ on the trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) demethylating activity of the Harpadon nehereus kidney extract were studied in this research.The activity of the kidney extract was presumably inhibited by ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA),which indicates that the kidney extract contains an enzyme or enzyme system with metal cations as activator.Activity of the kidney extract was enhanced significantly when Fe2+ was added into the model system in vitro.As the concentration of Fe2+ increased,the decomposing rate of TMAO increased rapidly until TMAO decomposed completely.The activity of the kidney extract was also enhanced by reductant such as ascorbic acid.Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) was employed to determine the content of total iron in a number of fishery products.Significant positive correlation between the contents of total iron and endogenous formaldehyde (FA) was found,especially in marine products.     

Screening and characterization of proteases produced by deep-sea cold seep bacteria

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - Fifty protease-producing strains were screened from sediment of deep-sea cold seep, and divided into four different categories: Bacillus, Pseudoalteromonas,...     

Molecular survey of sulphate-reducing bacteria in the deep-sea sediments of the west Pacific Warm Pool

The sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) community in the deep-sea sediments of the west Pacific Warm Pool (WP) was surveyed by molecular phylogenetic analyses using primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene fragments of SRB. Specific 16S rRNA gene libraries from five sediment layers (1-cm, 3-cm, 6-cm, 10-cm and 12-cm layer) of the 12-cm core of WP-0 were constructed. The clones in the five libraries were differentiated by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and representative clones were selected to sequence. It was found that the clones fell into four groups, which were closest related to Desulfotomaculum, Desul- facinum, Desulfomonile and Desulfanuticus. Desulfacinum-like clones were only detected in the upper layers of the sediment core, whereas Desulfomonile-like clones were only present in the deeper layers. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was further carried out to visualize and count the SRB and bacteria in the five sediment layers. It was found that SRB constituted only a small proportion of the bacteria community (0.34%-1.95%), it had the highest content in the 3-cm layer (1.95%) and had a depth- related decreasing tendency along the 12- cm core.     

Challenges of deep-sea biodiversity assessments in the Southern Ocean

Despite recent progress in deep-sea biodiversity assessments in the Southern Ocean （SO）, there remain gaps in our knowledge that hamper efficient deep-sea monitoring in times of rapid climate change. These include geographical sampling bias, depth and size-dependent faunal gaps in biology, ecology, distribution, and phylogeography, and the evolution of SO species. The phenomena of species patchiness and rarity are still not well understood, possibly because of our limited understanding of physiological adaptations and thresholds. Even though some shallow water species have been investigated physiologically, community-scale studies on the effects of multiple stressors related to ongoing environmental change, including temperature rise, ocean acidification, and shifts in deposition of phytoplankton, are completely unknown for deep-sea organisms. Thus, the establishment of long-term and coordinated monitoring programs, such as those rapidly growing under the umbrella of the Southern Ocean Observing System （SOOS） or the Deep Ocean Observing Strategy （DOOS）, may represent unique tools for measuring the status and trends of deep-sea and SO ecosystems.     

Extracellular enzymatic activities of cold-adapted bacteria from polar oceans and effect of temperature and salinity on cell growth

The potential of 324 bacteria isolated from different habitats in polar oceans to produce a variety of extracellular enzymatic activities at low temperature was investigated. By plate assay, lipase, protease, amylase, gelatinase, agarase, chitinase or cellulase were detected. Lipases were generally present by bacteria living in polar oceans. Protease-producing bacteria held the second highest proportion in culturable isolates. Strains producing amylase kept a relative stable proportion of around 30% in different polar marine habitats. All 50 Arctic sea-ice bacteria producing proteases were cold-adapted strains, however, only 20% were psychrophilic. 98% of them could grow at 3% NaCl, and 56% could grow without NaCl. On the other hand, 98% of these sea-ice bacteria produced extracellular proteases with optimum temperature at or higher than 35℃, well above the upper temperature limit of cell growth. Extracellular enzymes including amylase, agarase, cellulase and lipase released by bacteria from seawater or sediment in polar oceans, most expressed maximum activities between 25 and 35℃. Among extracellular enzymes released by bacterial strain BSw20308, protease expressed maximum activity at 40℃, higher than 35℃ of polysaccharide hydrolases and 25℃ of lipase.     

Influence of simulating deep-sea environmental factors on cathodic performance of seawater battery

A metal-dissolved oxygen seawater battery(SWB) uses metal and dissolved oxygen as the reactants,and it is ideal for use as a long-time low-power distributed power supply in deep sea,due to its advantages of open structure in service without electrolyte.However,several simulating deep-sea environmental factors,such as flow rate,dissolved oxygen concentration,and temperature of seawater may af fect the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) rate and the stability of electrochemically modified polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber brush(MPAN-CFB) cathode,which was studied by steady-state polarization and galvanostatic discharge methods.In addition,the scales formed on MPAN-CFB surface were characterized by SEM and XRD.Results show that the ORR rate increased quickly with the increase of the seawater flow rate up to 3 cm/s,and then gradually stabilized.Moreover,the ORR rate was largely af fected by dissolved oxygen concentration,and the concentration of 3 mg/L was favorable.Compared with surface layer temperature of 15℃,the low temperature of deep sea(4℃) has a negligible ef fect on ORR rate.When the working current is too high,it will lead to the formation of CaCO_3 scales(aragonite) of at the cathodic surface,resulting in the decrease of ORR rate,and consequently the damage to the long-time stability of MPAN-CFB.     

技术要素按贡献参与分配的探讨

分析了技术要素按贡献参与分配的基本依据和存在问题 ,提出了技术要素按贡献参与分配的建议 :1.在企业分配领域 ,鼓励技术要素以多种形式参与收益分配 ,鼓励体制创新 ,推进技术股份化。 2 .在政府分配领域 ,政府财政科技投入比例与其科技发展对经济贡献增长率挂钩 ,科技财税政策与产业政策、税源经济吻合 ,营造科技奖励的软环境。 3.在社会分配领域 ,充分发挥技术评估部门和行业管理部门的作用 ,对进入技术市场的技术的成熟度和科技含量进行有效的测试和监管 ,保证技术商品的品质 ;技术交易当事人应具诚信态度和法制观念 ;重视中介的作用 ,把技术市场搞活。     

Identification and characterization of endosymbiosis-related immune genes in deep-sea mussels Gigantidas platifrons

Deep-sea mussels of the subfamily Bathymodiolinae are common and numerically dominant species widely distributed in cold seeps and hydrothermal vents.During long-time evolution,deep-sea mussels have evolved to be well adapted to the local environment of cold seeps and hydrothermal vents by various ways,especially by establishing endosymbiosis with chemotrophic bacteria.However,biological processes underlying the establishment and maintenance of symbiosis between host mussels and symbionts are largely unclear.In the present study,Gigantidasplatifrons genes possibly involved in the symbio sis with methane oxidation symbionts were identified and characterized by Lipopoly saccharide(LPS) pull-down and in situ hybridization.Five immune related proteins including Toll-like receptor 2(TLR2),integrin,vacuolar sorting protein(VSP),matrix metalloproteinase 1(MMP1),and leucine-rich repeat(LRR-1) were identified by LPS pull-down assay.These five proteins were all conserved in either molecular sequences or functional domains and known to be key molecules in host immune recognition,phagocyto sis,and ly so some-mediated digestion.Furthermore,in situ hybridization of LRR-1,TLR2 and VSP genes was conducted to investigate their expression patterns in gill tissues of G.platifrons.Consequently,LRR-1,TLR2,and VSP genes were found expressed exclusively in the bacteriocytes of G.platifrons.Therefore,it was suggested that TLR2,integrin,VSP,MMP1,and LRR-1 might be crucial molecules in the symbiosis between G.platifrons and methane oxidation bacteria by participating in symbio sis-related immune processes.     

Mitochondrial phylogenomics reveal the origin and adaptive evolution of the deep-sea caridean shrimps(Decapoda:Caridea)

The deep-sea is considered as the most extensive ecosystem on the Earth.It is meaningful for elucidating the life origins by exploring the origin and adaptive genetic mechanisms of the large deepsea organisms.Caridean shrimps have colonized and successfully adapted to deep-sea environments.They provide an ideal model to analyze the origin and adaptive evolution of modern deep-sea fauna.Here,we conducted the phylogenetic analyses of mitocho ndrial genomes(mitogenomes) from carideans,including 11 newly sequences reported in this investigation to explore the habitat origins,divergence times,and adaptive evolution of deep-sea(seamounts and hydrothermal vents) caridean shrimps.The results showed that the species of deep-sea Caridea formed a monophyletic group.Phylogenetic analysis supported that the deepsea caridean shrimps may originated from shallow sea.The hydrothermal vents alvinocaridid shrimps and Lebbeus shinkaiae from Thoridae underwent a second range expansion from seamounts to vent ecosystems.Estimates of divergence time showed that the caridean shrimps invaded into deep-sea at 147.75 Ma.The divergence of most of the modern seamount and hydrothermal vent species are in the late Cretaceous/early Tertiary.This may associate with the geological events of the Western Pacific,the climate change,and the global deep-water anoxic/dysoxic events during this period.Twenty-two potentially important adaptive residues were detected in the deep-sea shrimp lineage,which were located in atp6,atp8,cox1,cox3,cytb,nad2,nad4 l,and nad5.This investigation adds our understanding of the evolutionary history of deep-sea caridean shrimps,and provides insights into the mitochondrial genetic basis of deep-sea adaptation in this group.     

Accumulation and exploration of gas hydrate in deep-sea sediments of northern South China Sea

The large deep-sea area from the southwestern Qiongdongnan Basin to the eastern Dongsha Islands,within the continental margin of northern South China Sea,is a frontier of natural gas hydrate exploration in China.Multiform of deep-sea sedimentations have been occurred since late Miocene,and sediment waves as a potential quality reservoir of natural gas hydrate is an most important style of them.Based on abundant available data of seismic,gravity sampling and drilling core,we analyzed the characteristics of seismic reflection and sedimentation of sediment waves and the occurrence of natural gas hydrate hosted in it,and discussed the control factors on natural gas hydrate accumulation.The former findings revealed the deep sea of the northern South China Sea have superior geological conditions on natural gas hydrate accumulation.Therefore,it will be of great significance in deep-sea natural gas hydrate exploration with the study on the relationship between deep-sea sedimentation and natural gas hydrate accumulation.     

温压条件对非饱和低渗透砂岩中CH4突破压力影响的实验研究

突破压力在气藏开采和盖层封闭性评价中起着重要的作用。为模拟地层温度压力变化对低渗透性砂岩中CH₄突破压力的影响,采用逐步法对取自鄂尔多斯盆地早二叠世非饱和低渗透砂岩,进行了不同温压组合条件下的CH₄突破压力实验。结果表明:随着温度或压力的升高,CH₄突破压力和突破时间均呈下降趋势,且压力变化对CH₄突破过程的影响更加显著。分析发现,温度压力对CH₄突破压力的影响,是由于温压变化改变了界面张力和接触角的大小,进而控制突破压力的大小;另外,突破压力随着两相黏度比的增大而减小,且温度压力越高,黏度比对突破压力的影响越小。因此,实验温压范围内,对于非饱和低渗透砂岩储层,温度和压力越高越有利于气藏开采;对于非饱和低渗透砂岩盖层,温度和压力越低,盖层封闭性越好且越安全。      

The ecological distributions of N, P utilizing bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria in the moderate hypoxia zone of the Changjiang Estuary

The distributions of N utilizing bacteria (denitrifying bacteria and ammonifying bacteria), P utilizing bacteria (organic phosphobacteria and inorganic phosphobacteria) and heterotrophic bacteria in the Changjiang Estuary, and the roles of main environmental factors in distributing bacteria, are explored with observations from two cruises in June and August 2006. Comparisons between the two important periods of initial hypoxia phase (June) and developed hypoxia phase (August) show differences in both bacterial distributions and the associated main environmental factors. First, the primary group of ammonifying bacteria has larger magnitude with spatial maximum value in the hypoxic stations related to sediment in August. The phosphobacterial abundance and detection rates in August are much lower than those in June, but the denitrifying bacterial abundance becomes greater in August. However, the difference of heterotrophic bacterial abundance between June and August is not obvious. Second, main environmental factors influencing bacteria vary from initial hypoxia phase to developed hypoxia phase. Two parameters (salinity and NO₃ ^?) in surface water and five environmental parameters (pH, salinity, PO₄ ^3?, NO₃ ^? and temperature) in bottom water and surface sediment play major roles in the bacterial abundance in June, while different parameter combinations (salinity and PO₄ ^?) in surface water and different parameter combinations (DO, DOC, NO₃ ^?, PO₄ ^3? and pH) in bottom water and surface sediment play major roles in August. Moreover, the bottom bacteria distributions in area south of 31°N are related to the position of the Taiwan Warm Current in June. The bacterial abundance and distribution may respond to the environmental change in the hypoxia processes of initial phase and developed phase. During the hypoxia processes, the whole structure of bacterial functional groups probably turns to different states, causing the recycling of nutrient regeneration and aggravating hypoxia regionally.     

Contribution of oceanic circulation to the polewar heat flux

Oceanic contribution to the poleward heat flux in the climate system includes two components: the sensible heat flux and the latent heat flux. Although the latent heat flux has been classified as atmospheric heat flux exclusively, it is argued that oceanic control over this component of poleward heat flux should play a critically important role. The so-called swamp ocean model practice is analyzed in detail, and the critical role of oceanic circulation in the establishment of the meridional moisture transport is emphasized.     

Contribution of Oceanic Circulation to the Poleward Heat Flux

Oceanic contribution to the poleward heat flux in the climate system includes two components： the sensible heat flux and the latent heat flux. Although the latent heat flux has been classified as atmospheric heat flux exclusively, it is argued that oceanic control over this component of poleward heat flux should play a critically important role. The so-called swamp ocean model practice is analyzed in detail, and the critical role of oceanic circulation in the establishment of the meridional moisture transport is emphasized.     

Chemical profile of the secondary metabolites produced by a deep-sea sediment-derived fungus Penicillium commune SD-118

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extract from Penicillium commune SD-118, a fungus obtained from a deep-sea sediment sample, resulted in the isolation of a known antibacterial compound, xanthocillin X (1), and 14 other known compounds comprising three steroids (2-4), two ceramides (5 and 6), six aromatic compounds (7-12), and three alkaloids (13-15). Xanthocillin X (1) was isolated for the first time from a marine fungus. In the bioassay, xanthocillin X (1) displayed remarkable antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HepG2, H460, Hela, Du145, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Meleagrin (15) exhibited cytotoxicity against HepG2, Hela, Du145, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. This is the first report of the cytotoxicity of xanthocillin X (1).     

Experimental study on the distribution of velocity and pressure near a submarine pipeline

As a transport means of oil and gas the submarine pipeline has many merits, such as continuous delivery, large conveying capacity, convenient management, etc. A tube was chosen in our study to simulate the submarine pipeline in the experiments. A high accuracy instrument ADV and high precision point-type pressure sensors were used to measure the parameters of the flow field, including the pressure distribution, velocities at seven cross sections near the submarine pipeline with five different clearance ratios, and twelve dynamic pressure values around the pipeline. The pressure distributions and velocity changes around the pipe under different flow velocities and clearance ratios were analyzed. These results might be useful for further study of submarine pipeline erosion and protection.     

Screening on DHA-producing Antarctic bacteria N- 6 and its cultural conditions

1 IntroductionPolyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have remained as a natural product due to thesynthetic difficulty of reproducing the methylene interrupted double bond sequence by in-dustrial chemistry. Their significance to animals and humans lies in th…     

Predicting the sinkage of a moving tracked mining vehicle using a new rheological formulation for soft deep-sea sediment

The sinkage of a moving tracked mining vehicle is greatly af fected by the combined compression-shear rheological properties of soft deep-sea sediments. For test purposes, the best sediment simulant is prepared based on soft deep-sea sediment from a C-C poly-metallic nodule mining area in the Pacific Ocean. Compressive creep tests and shear creep tests are combined to obtain compressive and shear rheological parameters to establish a combined compressive-shear rheological constitutive model and a compression-sinkage rheological constitutive model. The combined compression-shear rheological sinkage of the tracked mining vehicle at dif ferent speeds is calculated using the Recur Dyn software with a selfprogrammed subroutine to implement the combined compression-shear rheological constitutive model. The model results are compared with shear rheological sinkage and ordinary sinkage(without consideration of rheological properties). These results show that the combined compression-shear rheological constitutive model must be taken into account when calculating the sinkage of a tracked mining vehicle. The combined compression-shear rheological sinkage decrease with vehicle speed and is the largest among the three types of sinkage. The developed subroutine in the Recur Dyn software can be used to study the performance and structural optimization of moving tracked mining vehicles.     

Effect of soil salinity on cold tolerance of mangrove Kandelia candel

Analysis of cold tolerance on mangrove Kandelia candel leaf growing in different soil salinity along Jiulong River Estuary in South China showed that the cold tolerance decreased as the increase of soil salinity. The lethal temperatures of K. candel leaf were-10.4,-9.9 and-8.6℃ in Liaodong, Baijiao and Aotou, respectively. Under 1-2℃ cold stress treatment on detached leaves of K. candel, their caloric value gradually decreased, while electrolyte leakage gradually increased. The leaf＇s caloric value and electrolyte leakage in Aotou with higher soil salinity varied more largely than those in Liaodong with lower soil salinity. In K. candel leaf, total water content lowered a little, bound water content rose significantly and free water content dropped significantly with duration of cold stress. At the same time, reduction sugar, soluble sugar and starch content gradually decreased and sucrose content gradually increased. Bound water, free water and sucrose content in K. candel leaf from Aotou with higher soil salinity changed more slowly than those from Liaodong with lower soil salinity, but reduction sugar, soluble sugar and starch content in K. candel leaf from Aotou had faster variations than those from Liaodong. These data indicated that soil salinity can reduce cold tolerance of K.candel leaf by increasing negative effect of salt ions in cell membrane, inhibiting variations of water content, and aggravating consumption of material and energy.