Improved age constraint for pre‐ and post‐Anglian temperate‐stage deposits in north Norfolk,UK, from analysis of serine decomposition in Bithynia opercula

The ‘new glacial stratigraphy’ (NGS) of Britain postulates that deposits hitherto assigned to the Anglian glaciation in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12 represent MIS 16, 12, 10 and 6. This controversial idea can be tested at Sidestrand in north Norfolk, where fossiliferous temperate‐stage deposits underlie the oldest and overlie the youngest of the glacial deposits. Previous work has considered biostratigraphy and amino acid dating of these temperate‐stage deposits, but did not achieve tight age constraint using the amino acid evidence alone. The total hydrolysable amino acid fraction in intra‐crystalline protein from Bithynia tentaculata opercula has previously been analysed for concentrations of serine and alanine. Statistical screening of these data gives alanine/serine ratios of 4.572 ± 0.114 for the Sidestrand Hall Member (beneath the glacial deposits) and 3.564 ± 0.091 for the Sidestrand Cliff Formation (overlying the glacial deposits). These ratios imply ages of MIS 13a and 11c, respectively, indicating the latest Cromerian and early Hoxnian interglacials and invalidating the NGS. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Amino‐acid geochronology and the British Pleistocene: secure stratigraphical framework or a case of circular reasoning?

Aminostratigraphy is central to the recently revised correlation of Quaternary deposits in the British Isles, providing a link between terrestrial deposits and marine Oxygen Isotope Stages. The central tenet of British aminostratigraphy, however, that shells from the same interglacial yield very similar ratios, so that the characteristic ratios from different interglacials are distinct, remains uncertain. The data available suggest that amino‐acid ratios from different interglacials do not fall into discrete groups, but overlap considerably. It is therefore not valid to assign individual shells to Oxygen Isotope Stages simply on the basis of their amino‐acid ratios, which means that filtering data to remove high or low values, on the assumption that they represent reworked shells, is unacceptable. The range of ‘characteristic ratios’ assigned to British warm stages may have been underestimated and the degree of separation between them overestimated. Amino‐acid ratios should be treated as sample data that are naturally variable. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Amino acid diagenesis in the marine bivalve Arctica islandica Linné from northwest European sites: Only time and temperature?

Collections of the molluscan species Arctica islandica from seven sites in Norway, Scotland and the North Sea, ranging in age from recent to Early Pleistocene, have been sampled for amino acid analyses. The shells were sampled in profiles through the valves at different distances from the umbo. In the fossil material a general trend of increasing degree of isoleucine (lle) epimerisation and decreasing amino acid concentrations were found going from the inner part of the valve to the outer. Although less pronounced, there is a similar trend from the central part of the valve to the margin. As the concentration of alloisoleucine (alle) remains nearly constant, the observed changes in alle/lle ratios are a result of variations in the amount of isoleucine. The amino acid composition is fairly uniform in recent shells and the observed gradients are established in mid-Holocene samples. Therefore, it is suggested that the gradients are established during rapid early degradation of the protein, possibly due to microbiological activity. Differences in alle/lle ratios observed in molluscs from sites of the same age and same thermal history could be explained by differences in the exposure to amino-acid-consuming microorganisms during the very early stage of diagenesis.     

The amino acid composition of estuarine colloidal material

Amino acids were determined in estuarine colloidal and particulate material from near surface waters ranging from fresh to brackish water (12 g kg^?1 salinity). The hydrolizable amino acids and associated ammonia account for an average of 80% of the nitrogen present in colloidal samples, and approximately 75% of the nitrogen from particulate fractions of the same samples. The relative proportions of these amino acids are similar to those of a cultured estuarine diatom. There are no significant amounts of D amino acids, or non-protein amino acids characteristic of bacteria in sediments and soil. A single deep-water sample (25 m) shows some evidence of bottom mud resuspension by the presence of a possible aspartic acid-hydroxyproline dimer.     

Comparative Analysis of Nutrient Composition of Caulerpa lentillifera from Different Regions

This study investigated the difference of nutrient composition in Caulerpa lentillifera collected from different regions.The nutrient compositions of C.lentillifera from China's Hainan and Shandong provinces were determined and compared with those from Semporna(Malaysia),Sabah(Malaysia),Petchburi(Thailand),and two other species of seaweeds(Malaysia).The results showed that the polysaccharide and protein contents of C.lentillifera from Hainan(44.82%±0.98%and 12.5%±0.70%),Shandong(43.22%±1.42%and 14.7%±0.72%),Petchburi(59.27%±2.31%and 12.49%±0.30%),and Sabah(44.02%±2.01%and 19.38%±1.48%)were higher than those of Eucheuma cottonii(26.49%±3.01%and 9.76%±1.33%)and Sargassum polycystum(33.49%±1.70%and 5.40%±0.07%),respectively.The polyunsaturated fatty acid contents in C.lentillifera from Hainan(29.98%)and Shandong(22.11%)were higher than that in Semporna(16.76%±0.27%),Sabah(9.49%),and S.polycystum(20.34%±0.43%),but lower than that in E.cottonii(51.55%±0.57%).In Caulerpa lentillifera of Hainan and Shandong provinces,the essential amino acid(EAA)/total amino acid(TAA)ratios were 35.22%and 38.78%,respectively;and the EAA/ETAA ratios were 54.36%and 63.35%,respectively.The EAA composition of C.lentillifera was close to the ideal model of Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization.C.lentillifera was rich in mineral elements,including calcium((3315.85±127.55)mg(100 g)^-1 and(3728.35±92.38)mg(100 g)^-1),magnesium((6715.74±82.58)mg(100 g)^-1 and(8128.59±242.72)mg(100 g)^-1),and trace elements,including iron((510.65±5.47)mg(100 g)^-1 and(1972.97±183.35)mg(100 g)^-1),selenium((1.04±0.08)mg(100 g)^-1 and(0.83±0.15)mg(100 g)^-1),and zinc((33.90±0.13)mg(100 g)^-1 and(11.75±2.05)mg(100 g)^-1).These results showed that C.lentillifera was more nutritious than S.polycystum or E.cottonii in terms of polysaccharide,protein,and fatty acid contents.Furthermore,both C.lentillifera species collected from Hainan and Shandong provinces show more basic nutrients.Therefore,C.lentillifera has important development and application prospects.     

摘除眼柄对中华绒鳌蟹肝脏结构及其氨基酸含量影响的研究

报道摘除中华绒鳌蟹眼柄对其肝脏结构及其氨基酸含量的影响。实验分成两组,即摘除眼柄和对照组。摘除眼柄使中华绒鳌蟹肝脏中Ｂ细胞明显增多,Ｆ细胞和Ｅ细胞减少,促使肝脏物质的分泌和肝脏中储存的物质向精巢转移,对肝脏氨基酸含量有一定的影响。     

太湖典型植物氨基酸组成特征及其对水环境的影响

在太湖两个不同湖区(东太湖和贡湖)各选择了8种不同类型的典型水生植物和1种陆生植物全株作为研究对象,采用邻苯二甲醛柱前衍生-反相高效液相色谱法对其中15种氨基酸的组成特征进行了分析,并探讨了植物来源氨基酸对湖泊水环境的影响.结果表明东太湖区域植物体中总可水解氨基酸(THAAs)的平均含量为861.6±182.96μmol/g,贡湖区域植物体中THAAs平均含量为700.0±232.3μmol/g;不同类型植物体中THAAs的含量大小依次为:沉水植物、浮叶植物挺水植物陆生植物;其中天冬氨酸、谷氨酸、精氨酸、丙氨酸和赖氨酸是THAAs的主要组成部分,这5种氨基酸的摩尔浓度占氨基酸总量的50%以上;太湖植物中THAAs所含的氮元素对植物总氮的贡献在30.7%~94.7%之间,是植物体氮元素的主要组分,也是内源氮输入的主要来源.东太湖区域采集的植物样品中各氨基酸的浓度比例与东太湖水体氨基酸组成差异较大,但与沉积物氨基酸组成较吻合,表明东太湖植物来源的有机质和氨基酸是沉积物中有机质和氨基酸的重要来源.     

The glacial and interstadial sediments at the Burn of Benholm,Kincardineshire: evidence for onshore pre‐Devensian ice movement in northeast Scotland

Pebbly clays and diamictons containing marine shell fragments and peat lenses exposed beneath subglacially deposited Late Devensian till at the Burn of Benholm provide new insights into the glacial history of Quaternary sequences in eastern Scotland. The peat yielded pollen of interstadial affinity (including Bruckenthalia spiculifolia) and non‐finite radiocarbon dates. Comparisons with other pre‐Late Devensian pollen records in northern Scotland suggest that the peat lenses are remnants of an Early Devensian interstadial deposit, of Oxygen Isotope Substage 5c or 5a age. Reworked faunal assemblages in the shelly sediments include Quaternary marine molluscs of low boreal aspect, as well as Mesozoic and Palaeozoic microfossils. Amino acid ratios from fragments of Arctica islandica suggest that the shells are of Oxygen Isotope Stage 9 age or older. The fabric and composition of the shelly sediments are consistent with their emplacement as deformation till during the onshore movement of glacially transported rafts of marine sediment. Folded and sheared contacts between the shelly deposits, peat lenses and the overlying Late Devensian till indicate that the fossiliferous sediments were glacitectonised during the main Late Devensian glaciation, when ice moved from Strathmore and overrode the site from the southwest. British Geological Survey. © NERC 2000.     

壳聚糖碱性氨基酸衍生物的合成及抑菌活性研究

利用接枝反应,采用碱性氨基酸修饰壳聚糖,制备壳聚糖赖氨酸衍生物、壳聚糖精氨酸衍生物、壳聚糖组氨酸衍生物。通过红外(FT-IR)、核磁(~1H-NMR)、元素分析(EA)对其进行表征,并研究了不同壳聚糖氨基酸衍生物的抑菌活性。结果表明,壳聚糖赖氨酸衍生物、壳聚糖精氨酸衍生物、壳聚糖组氨酸衍生物、壳聚糖对金黄色葡萄球菌的最低抑菌浓度(MIC)分别为320、160、320、640μg/mL,对大肠杆菌的最低抑菌浓度(MIC)分别为320、320、320、640μg/mL,三种壳聚糖氨基酸衍生物的抑菌活性均明显高于未修饰壳聚糖。通过引入碱性氨基酸增加壳聚糖的正电荷有利于提高其抑菌活性。     

广东南澳岛大型海藻龙须菜与浮游植物对营养盐的竞争利用

广东南澳岛近海是我国龙须菜养殖的重要基地。为了探究龙须菜养殖对藻华防治的贡献,分别于2016年3月、5月和6月在广东南澳岛北部海域不同养殖功能海区进行采样,研究龙须菜养殖前后海水中营养盐含量和结构的变化,分析不同粒径的浮游生物对有机营养盐的水解利用,探讨龙须菜养殖对浮游植物竞争利用营养盐和生长产生的影响。结果表明,研究海区水质较清洁,无机氮磷含量较低,春季至夏季,随着龙须菜和浮游植物生物量增加,溶解无机磷(dissolved inorganic phosphorus,DIP)浓度不断下降,至6月南澳海区成为磷限制海域。在5月龙须菜生长高峰期,龙须菜养殖区和龙须菜鲍鱼混养区的DIP浓度显著低于鲍鱼区和非养殖区,龙须菜养殖区的叶绿素a浓度明显低于其他区域,亮氨酸氨肽酶(leucine amino peptide,LAP)和碱性磷酸酶(alkaline phosphatase,AP)活性显著升高,表明龙须菜养殖区浮游植物受到较为明显的营养胁迫。而龙须菜收割后,该养殖区的叶绿素a含量则显著上升,甚至高于其他区域。该结果表明在南澳岛海域,龙须菜养殖通过营养竞争关系(尤其是磷)抑制浮游植物的生长,大规模龙须菜养殖可能有助于抑制有害藻华的发生。