2,3-Dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase gene was first discovered in Arthrobacter sp. strain PJ3

Bacterium strain PJ3,isolated from wastewater and identified as Arthrobacter sp. bacterium based on its 16S rDNA gene,could use carbazole as the sole carbon,nitrogen and energy source. The genomic library of strain PJ3 was constructed and a positive clone JM109(pUCW402) was screened out for the expression of dioxygenase by the ability to form yellow ring-fission product. A 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase(23DHBD) gene of 933 bp was found in the 3360 bp exogenous fragment of pUCW402 by GenSCAN software and BLAST analysis. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 23DHBD from strain PJ3 formed a deep branch separate from a cluster containing most known 23DHBD in GenBank. Southern hybridization confirmed for the first time that the 23DHBD gene was from the genomic DNA of Arthrobacter sp. PJ3. In order to test the gene function,recombinant bacterium BL21(pETW-8) was constructed to express 23DHBD. The expression level in BL21(pETW-8) was highest compared with the recombinant bacteria JM109(pUCW402) and strain PJ3. We observed that 23DHBD was not absolute specific. The enzyme activity was higher with 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl as a substrate than with catechol. The substrate specificity assay suggested that 23DHBD was essential for cleavage of bi-cyclic aromatic compounds during the course of aromatic compound biodegradation in Arthrobacter sp. strain PJ3.     

A new species of Munromyia Bezzi (Diptera: Tephritidae) reared from Chionanthus battiscombei (Oleaceae) in northern Kenya

Munromyia marsabitensis sp. nov. is described from the isolated mountains of Marsabit in northern Kenya. It can be distinguished from the two known congeners by the thoracic and abdominal colour patterns, structure of the male and female terminalia, and host plants. Larvae are seed predators, developing within the green, aborted fruits of Chionanthus battiscombei. Over 70% of sampled fruits (n?=?74) were infested with larvae, but nearly all of the individually infested fruits (96.1%) produced only one adult tephritid. Bactrocera biguttula, but not M. marsabitensis, was reared from ripe fruits of the same plant.     

Structure assignments of two new C-18-oxygenated steroidal ketals isolated from a pacific soft coral of the genusSinularia

Summary Two new C-18-oxygenated sterols possessing a spiroketal function (1 and2) have been isolated from a soft coral of the genusSinularia. The proposed structures are based on spectral data.     

A new species of the genus Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 from Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae)

ABSTRACT

A new species of Liopeltis from central Vietnam is described based on morphological and molecular differences. Liopeltis pallidonuchalis sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: one single (or missing) loreal; one single nasal shield; dorsal scales in 15–15-15 rows, all smooth; 1 preocular, 2 postoculars and 1 + 2 temporals; 7 supralabials, of which 3^rd and 4^th in contact with the eye; 8 infralabials; nasal contacting internasal; prefrontal touching or separated from supralabials; ventral scales 126–138; subcaudal scales 67–73, paired; relative tail length about 0.274–0.301; an uniform bronze body colouration; a thin postocular stripe extending from eye to end of the neck becoming indistinct posteriorly. The new species differs from the morphologically closest species Liopeltis frenata by the lower number of ventrals and subcaudals, by characteristic colouration and significant divergence in cytochrome b mtDNA gene sequences (p = 15.3–15.6%). The new species is currently known from northen and central parts of the Annamite (Truong Son) Mountains, central Vietnam, and was recorded from montane evergreen tropical forests of Kon Tum–Gia Lai Plateau (Gia Lai and Thua Thien–Hue provinces, Da Nang City) at elevations of 950–1010 m asl to karst tropical forests in Quang Binh Province in the north at elevation 150 asl. We suggest the new species should be considered as Vulnerable (VU) following the IUCN’s Red List categories. An updated taxonomic key to the Liopeltis species is provided.     

A new shield-bug species Piezodorus grossi (Het.: Pentatomidae) from the Australasian region previously confused with P. hybneri (Gmelin)

Material previously identified as Piezodorus hybneri (Gmelin) from the Australasian region is here described as a new species, P. grossi sp. nov. The two species can be distinguished on the basis of the aedeagus in the male and spermathecal proximal duct in the female.     

南靖亚热带雨林美刺亮大蚊栖息

在南靖和溪亚热带雨林中分布有数种大蚊,美刺亮大蚊(Limonia (Euglochina) sp.)是雨林中唯一观察到在圆蛛科蜘蛛网上栖息的大蚊.因此我们对美刺亮大蚊和圆蛛科蜘蛛在蜘蛛网上的同现行为进行了观察研究.借助扫描电镜技术,在比较了其他大蚊、蜘蛛等节肢动物前跗节超微结构的基础上,对美刺亮大蚊栖息于蜘蛛网行为学的形态学机制进行了初步解析.文中也对美刺亮大蚊的聚集行为与雨林温湿度的关系进行了记录.     

苯酚处理海洋微藻生物学效应的研究

主要探讨了在培养液中添加不同质量浓度(0、10、20、30、40、50、60 mg/L)的苯酚后,培养单细胞微藻(塔胞藻)产生的生物学效应.结果发现,苯酚对细胞繁殖有明显的抑制作用,特别是当苯酚质量浓度达到40 mg/L以上时,在前2轮培养的微藻的繁殖能力与对照相比均表现显著差异,个别处理甚至出现极显著差异.另外,苯酚处理后还降低藻细胞内的多种内含物(如蛋白质、叶绿素、多糖等)含量.但是,当连续培养多代后,藻细胞对不良环境就产生了一定的适应能力.     

植物颗粒剂对蜗牛和蛞蝓诱杀作用初报

利用药用植物的粉碎物配合对蜗牛和蛞蝓有引诱作用的食物引诱素及成型剂等原料制成的植物颗粒剂在室内和菜地进行诱杀实验，结果表明：植物颗粒剂对蜗牛和蛞蝓都有较强的诱杀效果，防效分别达到83．4％和67．8％，显示了一定的实用性。植物颗粒杀虫剂对环境无污染，对人畜及害虫天敌无毒害，是一种新型的低毒植物源农药。     

福州市郊分棘四棱线虫病的流行情况与中间宿主

本文报道分棘四棱线虫两种新的中间宿主：介形虫和蚤蝇，确定了介形虫为福州市郊分棘四棱线虫病的主要传播媒介，通过剖检得出，麻鸭、半番鸭的感染率达５３．２％和１１．１％，平均感染强度分别为３８．１只和１０．７只，文中从流行病学的角度探讨了该病的控制方法。     

拉恩氏菌LRP3诱导形成碱式磷酸锌沉淀及其在Zn污染土壤修复中的作用

采用批式和土壤培养实验考察拉恩氏菌LRP3对Zn的磷酸盐矿物诱导及其在Zn污染土壤修复中的作用, 并进行X射线衍射、 扫描电子显微镜、 能谱及Fourier变换红外光谱分析. 结果表明, 菌株LRP3对Zn²⁺的最大耐受质量浓度为120 mg/L; 对溶液中Zn²⁺的去除率为菌体细胞（97.4%）>发酵液（88.2%）>无菌发酵液（81.6%）; 菌株LRP3的发酵液可通过生物矿化作用诱导形成结晶良好的立方体状Zn₂(OH)PO₃矿物晶体; 菌株LRP3的发酵液加入土壤后可快速降低DTPA-Zn的质量比, 培养5 d后DTPA-Zn的质量比平均下降784%, 培养6 d后土壤中Zn的弱酸提取态和可氧化态的质量比分别下降72.5%和562%, 可还原态和残渣态的质量比分别增加85.1%和14.8%. 因此, 菌株LRP3对Zn²⁺具有较强的抗性和吸附能力, 可通过降解植酸释放磷酸根, 进一步诱导形成碱式磷酸锌矿物晶体, 从而降低土壤中Zn的生物有效性, 可用于Zn污染土壤的绿色可持续修复.