The roles of rare and abundant microbial species in the primary succession of biological soil crusts are differentiated in metal tailings ponds with different states.

Tailings ponds formed by long-term accumulation of mineral processing waste have become a global environmental problem. Even worse, tailings ponds are often simply abandoned or landfilled after they cease to be used. This allows pollution to persist and continue to spread in the environment. The significance of primary succession mediated by biological soil crusts for tailings pond remediation has been illustrated by previous studies. However, the process of primary succession may not be the same at different stages during the lifetime of tailings ponds. Therefore, we investigated the environmental differences and the successional characteristics of microbial communities in the primary successional stage of tailings ponds at three different states. The results showed that the primary succession process positively changed the environment of tailings ponds in any state of tailings ponds. The primary successional stage determined the environmental quality more than the state of the tailings pond. In the recently abandoned tailings ponds, abundant species were more subjected to heavy metal stress, while rare species were mainly limited by nutrient content. We found that as the succession progressed, rare species gradually acquired their own community space and became more responsive to environmental stresses. Rare species played an important role in microbial keystone species groups.

Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria enhance microbial carbon utilization by modulating the microbial community composition in paddy soils of the Mollisols region.

Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (NFC) are photosynthetic prokaryotic microorganisms capable of nitrogen fixation. They can be used as biofertilizers in paddy fields, thereby improving the rice tillering capacity and yield. To reveal the microbiological mechanisms by which nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria alter soil carbon storage, we conducted a field experiment using NFC as a partial substitute for nitrogen fertilizer in paddy fields in the Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China's Mollisols region. Using metagenomic sequencing technology and Biolog Ecoplate™ carbon matrix metabolism measurements, we explored the changes in the soil microbial community structure and carbon utilization in paddy fields. The results indicated that the replacement of nitrogen fertilizer with NFC predisposed the soil microbial community to host a great number of copiotrophic bacterial taxa, and Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were closely associated with the metabolism of soil carbon sources. Moreover, through co-occurrence network analysis, we found that copiotrophic bacteria clustered in modules that were positively correlated with the metabolic level of carbon sources. The addition of NFC promoted the growth of copiotrophic bacteria, which increased the carbon utilization level of soil microorganisms, improved the diversity of the microbial communities, and had a potential impact on the soil carbon stock. The findings of this study are helpful for assessing the impact of NFC on the ecological function of soil microbial communities in paddy fields in the black soil area of Northeast China, which is highly important for promoting sustainable agricultural development and providing scientific reference for promoting the use of algal-derived nitrogen fertilizers.

Integrated evaluation of the impact of water diversion on water quality index and phytoplankton assemblages of eutrophic lake: A case study of Yilong Lake.

Water diversion has been widely utilized to enhance lake water quality and mitigate cyanobacterial blooms. However, previous studies have mainly focused on investigating the effects of water diversion on water quality or aquatic ecological health. Consequently, there is limited research investigating the combined impact of water diversion on the water quality and the ecological health of eutrophic lakes, and whether the WQI and phytoplankton assemblages demonstrate similar patterns following water diversion. In this study, the effects of water diversion on the ecosystem health of eutrophic lakes were comprehensively evaluated based on the WQI indices and phytoplankton assemblages during the NWDP-21 and WDP-22. The results showed that the annual mean of WQI increased from 52.02 to 54.36 after water diversion, which improved the water quality of the lake, especially NH3-N and TN decreased by 58.6% and 15.2%, respectively. The phytoplankton assemblages changed significantly before and after water diversion, and we observed that the total biomass of phytoplankton decreased by 12.3% and phytoplankton diversity indices (Shannon-Wiener diversity, Pielou evenness, and Simpson index) increased by 8.6%-8.9% after water diversion, with an improvement in the connectivity and stability of the phytoplankton. Notably, enhanced adaptations of rare sub-communities for resource use in water diversion environments, and water diversion inhibited the dispersal ability of dominant functional groups, and the effects of hydrological disturbances on the structure of phytoplankton assemblage favored the ecological health of eutrophic lakes. VPA analysis further reveals that water diversion alters the drivers of phytoplankton functional group biomass and phytoplankton diversity. The results of the PLS-PM analysis clarify that water diversion indirectly impacts the total phytoplankton biomass and phytoplankton diversity primarily by modifying light availability. Significant correlations are observed between the dominant functional groups biomass and diversity indices of WQI. The trends in changes observed in water quality indices and phytoplankton following water diversion align with the evaluation of water ecological health. This study provides valuable guidance for the ecological management of the diversion project in Yilong Lake and serves as a reference for similar projects in other lakes.

Network Analysis Indicates Microbial Assemblage Differences in Life Stages of Cladophora.

Cladophora represents a microscopic forest that provides many ecological niches and fosters a diverse microbiota. However, the microbial community on Cladophora in brackish lakes is still poorly understood. In this study, the epiphytic bacterial communities of Cladophora in Qinghai Lake were investigated at three life stages (attached, floating, and decomposing). We found that in the attached stage, Cladophora was enriched with chemoheterotrophic and aerobic microorganisms, including Yoonia-Loktanella and Granulosicoccus. The proportion of phototrophic bacteria was higher in the floating stage, especially Cyanobacteria. The decomposing stage fostered an abundance of bacteria that showed vertical heterogeneity from the surface to the bottom. The surface layer of Cladophora contained mainly stress-tolerant chemoheterotrophic and photoheterotrophic bacteria, including Porphyrobacter and Nonlabens. The microbial community in the middle layer was similar to that of floating-stage Cladophora. Purple oxidizing bacteria were enriched in the bottom layer, with Candidatus Chloroploca, Allochromatium, and Thiocapsa as the dominant genera. The Shannon and Chao1 indices of epibiotic bacterial communities increased monotonically from the attached stage to the decomposing stage. Microbial community composition and functional predictions indicate that a large number of sulfur cycle-associated bacteria play an important role in the development of Cladophora. These results suggest that the microbial assemblage on Cladophora in a brackish lake is complex and contributes to the cycling of materials. IMPORTANCE Cladophora represents a microscopic forest that provides many ecological niches fostering a diverse microbiota, with a complex and intimate relationship between Cladophora and bacteria. Many studies have focused on the microbiology of freshwater Cladophora, but the composition and succession of microorganisms in different life stages of Cladophora, especially in brackish water, have not been explored. In this study, we investigated the microbial assemblages in the life stages of Cladophora in the brackish Qinghai Lake. We show that heterotrophic and photosynthetic autotrophic bacteria are enriched in attached and floating Cladophora, respectively, whereas the epiphytic bacterial community shows vertical heterogeneity in decomposing mats.

Geosmin disrupts energy metabolism and locomotor behavior of zebrafish in early life stages.

Geosmin has been commonly detected both in various aquatic environments and biota, but its exact toxicological mechanisms to organisms need further experimentation. In the present study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to geosmin at nominal concentrations of 50, 500 and 5000 ng/L for 120 h post-fertilization (hpf), followed by locomotor activity and biochemical parameter examination, and multi-omics investigation of the transcriptome and metabolome. The results showed that geosmin exposure significantly reduced the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes I-V, ATP content and mitochondrial respiration and suppressed the locomotor behavior of zebrafish larvae. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that the transcripts of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, and lipid metabolism were significantly affected, indicating that geosmin disrupts energy metabolism. Furthermore, metabolomics results showed that 3 classes of lipids, namely glycerophospholipids (GPs), sphingolipids (SLs) and fatty acyls (FAs) were significantly decreased after geosmin exposure. This study provides novel insight into the underlying mechanisms of geosmin-induced energy metabolism and highlights the need for concern about geosmin exposure.

ß-Ionone causes endocrine disruption, hyperpigmentation and hypoactivity in zebrafish early life stages.

In nature, the odorous substance ß-ionone has been widely detected in aquatic ecosystems. However, little is known about its ecotoxicological effects on freshwater vertebrates. In this study, we aimed to assess the acute toxicity of ß-ionone in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos from 2 to 120 h post fertilization (hpf) and investigate embryo development, locomotor behavior and pigmentation under different concentrations. The results showed that exposure to ß-ionone had an acute toxicity to early life stages of zebrafish and induced a decrease in hatching rate and an increase in the mortality and malformation rate. The median lethal concentration (LC50) of ß-ionone at 96 h was observed as 1321 µg/L. In addition, ß-ionone not only affected the body length of zebrafish larvae but also regulated the transcription of genes and the levels of hormones involved in the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes. Moreover, exposure to ß-ionone induced significant decreases in locomotor activity and catecholamine neurotransmitters levels. Furthermore, ß-ionone stimulated pigmentation via regulation of tyrosinase activity and melanin-related gene expression. Overall, this research could provide new insights into the potential risk of odorants to aquatic organisms.

Environmental factors associated with the filamentous green algae Cladophora blooms: A mesocosm experiment in a shallow eutrophic lake.

The process of ecological restoration in eutrophic lakes, often results in the blooming of the filamentous green algae Cladophora. This consequently affects the growth of submerged plants and the restoration of vegetation. However, the blooming process of Cladophora and the environmental factors affecting their growth are poorly understood. This has become a difficult problem in the management of lakes. The study therefore focused on succession process of Cladophora blooms and their driving factors through mesocosm experiments in Caohai Lake. The results of our experiment indicated that Cladophora growth was mainly affected by water temperature, turbidity and soluble reactive phosphorus concentration of the habitat where Elodea nuttallii and Cladophora coexist. Nuisance Cladophora was mainly affected by turbidity (>19.24 NTU) when the water temperature was above 15.7 °C. With increasing Cladophora biomass and decreasing turbidity (<4.88 NTU), Cladophora biomass accumulation was mainly limited by the soluble reactive phosphorus concentration (<3.2 µg/L). Recorded turbidity range of 9.54-13.19 NTU was found to cause dramatic changes in the biomass of Cladophora. The results also showed that the outbreak of Cladophora blooms was mainly attributed to turbidity when the water temperature was appropriate in eutrophic lakes. These findings suggest that successful management efforts should strengthen the monitoring of transparency change in addition to controlling the phosphorus concentration to limit the Cladophora overgrowth on lake ecological restoration.

Physiological and transcriptomic changes of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos-larvae in response to 2-MIB exposure.

2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB), a natural odorous substance, is widely distributed in water environment, but there is a paucity of information concerning its systemic toxicity. Herein, we investigated the effects of 2-MIB exposure on developmental parameters, locomotive behavior, oxidative stress, apoptosis and transcriptome of zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos exposed to different concentrations (0, 0.5, 5 and 42.8 µg/L) of 2-MIB showed no changes in mortality, hatchability, and malformation rate, but the body length of zebrafish larvae was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner, and accompanied by the changes of growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis genes. Moreover, the swimming activity of zebrafish larvae increased, which may be due to the increase of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Meanwhile, 2-MIB caused oxidative stress and apoptosis in zebrafish larvae by altering the NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and mitochondrial signaling pathways, respectively. Transcriptome sequencing assay showed that the phototransduction signaling pathway was significantly enriched, and most of the genes in this pathway exhibited enhanced expression after exposure to 2-MIB. These findings provide an important reference for risk assessment and early warning to 2-MIB exposure.

Environmentally relevant concentrations of geosmin affect the development, oxidative stress, apoptosis and endocrine disruption of embryo-larval zebrafish.

Geosmin (trans-1, 10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol), a volatile organic compound, has been widely detected in aquatic ecosystems. However, the ecological effects of geosmin are not clear. Here, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo as a model, we investigated biological activity effects of environmentally relevant concentrations (50, 500, 5000 ng/L) of geosmin on the developing zebrafish starting from 2 h post-fertilization (hpf) to 96 hpf. Results showed geosmin had no effect on hatchability, malformations and mortality. However, we observed that geosmin exposure significantly increased zebrafish body length in a concentration dependent manner. This effect was possibly due to up-regulation of expression of genes along the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. In addition, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and catalase (CAT) activities significantly increased at 96 hpf when the embryos were exposed to 500 and 5000 ng/L of geosmin. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities decreased significantly after the exposure to 5000 ng/L geosmin. Simultaneously, exposure to geosmin resulted in significant increase in cell apoptosis, mainly in the heart area. The mRNA levels of the genes related to oxidative stress and apoptosis were also altered significantly after geosmin exposure. These findings indicated that geosmin can simultaneously induce multiple responses during zebrafish embryonic development, including oxidative stress, apoptosis, and endocrine disruption.

Characteristics and kinetic studies of Hydrilla verticillata pyrolysis via thermogravimetric analysis.

The pyrolysis characteristics and kinetic of Hydrilla verticillata (HV) have been investigated using non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the pyrolysis behavior of HV can be divided into two independent stages. The kinetics of Stage I was investigated using a distributed activation energy model (DAEM) with discrete 99 first-order reactions. Stage II was an independent stage which corresponds to the decomposition of calcium oxalate, whose kinetics was studied using iso-conversional method together with compensation effect and master-plots method. The activation energies ranged from 92.39 to 506.17 and 190.42 to 222.48 kJ/mol for the first and second stages respectively. Calculated data gave very good fit to the experimental data.

Distribution and population dynamics of potential anatoxin-a-producing cyanobacteria in Lake Dianchi, China.

The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms is often accompanied by a variety of toxic secondary metabolites known as cyanotoxins. Anatoxin-a (ATX-a) is a highly toxic cyanobacterial neurotoxin synthesized by numerous species (e.g., Aphanizomenon, Anabaena and Oscillatoria) that has received much public attention. In this study, we used molecular methods (PCR and qPCR) to track the presence and dynamics of ATX-a-producing cyanobacteria, Aphanizomenon and Anabaena in Lake Dianchi, China based on the anaC and cpcBA-IGS genes over a 23-month period (from June 2010 to April 2012). Results revealed that Aphanizomenon was the major potential ATX-a producer in Lake Dianchi and that they were most abundant in early spring and least abundant in summer, coinciding with observed Aphanizomenon blooms. It was found that the proportion of ATX-a toxigenic cells was lower in the northern part of the lake (2.1%) than the middle (16.7%) and southern parts (19.2%). The information on the spatio-temporal distributions of ATX-a-producing cyanobacteria obtained in this study will help to build management strategies to improve water quality for public health.

Submerged vegetation removal promotes shift of dominant phytoplankton functional groups in a eutrophic lake.

Historical data indicate that the dominance of submerged plants in Dianchi Lake in the 1960s was characterized by low algal density with dominance of non-toxic group J (Scenedesmus, Pediastrum, etc.). The removal of submerged plants, which began in the 1970s, resulted in the expansion of bloom-forming Microcystis (group M). Laboratory experiments suggested that Microcystis aeruginosa was inclined to grow and develop at elevated temperatures. The growth of Scenedesmus obliquus was slower than that of co-cultivated M. aeruginosa in the absence of Ceratophyllum demersum, especially at higher temperatures. The existence of submerged plant C. demersum could inhibit the growth of the harmful algae M. aeruginosa and this inhibitory effect by C. demersum was enhanced with an increase in temperature. Instead, with C. demersum, the growth of S. obliquus was not inhibited, but the co-cultivated M. aeruginosa was eliminated in a short time. Combined with the historical data and laboratory experiments, it was indicated that the submerged plants might play important roles in the dominance of the non-toxic group J in the historical succession. Consequently, the introduction of the submerged plant such as C. demersum might alter the dominant phytoplankton functional groups from M to J and benefit the restoration of the eutrophic lake.

Silver nanoparticles induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species and alteration of antioxidant systems in the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used commercially because of their antibacterial properties. Oxidative stress is known to be involved in the toxicity of AgNPs to bacteria, animals, and algae. The authors used Spirodela polyrhiza to investigate whether AgNPs can induce oxidative stress in higher plants. Results showed that there was a dose-dependent increase in levels of reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity, and the antioxidant glutathione content in 6-nm AgNP treatments. Catalase activity and malondialdehyde content in 6-nm AgNP treatments was significantly higher than the control at silver concentrations of 5 mg L(-1) . Superoxide dismutase and catalase activity and antioxidant glutathione and malondialdehyde content were not significantly different at 10 mg L(-1) of AgNPs (6 nm and 20 nm). Treatment with 20 µg L(-1) Ag(+) (the amount almost equal to 10 mg L(-1) AgNPs released) did not change the reactive oxygen species level or antioxidant enzymes activity. Micron-sized Ag particles had no effect on S. polyrhiza. Transmission electron microscopy showed that, compared with the control, chloroplasts in S. polyrhiza treated with 6-nm and 20-nm AgNPs accumulated starch grains and had reduced intergranal thylakoids. These results clearly indicate that AgNPs are able to cause oxidative stress and affect the chloroplast structure and function of S. polyrhiza, and this effect was not caused by Ag(+) released from particles.

Zebrafish neurotoxicity from aphantoxins--cyanobacterial paralytic shellfish poisons (PSPs) from Aphanizomenon flos-aquae DC-1.

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (A. flos-aquae), a cyanobacterium frequently encountered in water blooms worldwide, is source of neurotoxins known as PSPs or aphantoxins that present a major threat to the environment and to human health. Although the molecular mechanism of PSP action is well known, many unresolved questions remain concerning its mechanisms of toxicity. Aphantoxins purified from a natural isolate of A. flos-aquae DC-1 were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the major component toxins were the gonyautoxins1 and 5 (GTX1 and GTX5, 34.04% and 21.28%, respectively) and the neosaxitoxin (neoSTX, 12.77%). The LD50 of the aphantoxin preparation was determined to be 11.33 µg/kg (7.75 µg saxitoxin equivalents (STXeq) per kg) following intraperitoneal injection of zebrafish (Danio rerio). To address the neurotoxicology of the aphantoxin preparation, zebrafish were injected with low and high sublethal doses of A. flos-aquae DC-1 toxins 7.73 and 9.28 µg /kg (5.3 and 6.4 µg STXeq/kg, respectively) and brain tissues were analyzed by electron microscopy and RT-PCR at different timepoints postinjection. Low-dose aphantoxin exposure was associated with chromatin condensation, cell-membrane blebbing, and the appearance of apoptotic bodies. High-dose exposure was associated with cytoplasmic vacuolization, mitochondrial swelling, and expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum. At early timepoints (3 h) many cells exhibited characteristic features of both apoptosis and necrosis. At later timepoints apoptosis appeared to predominate in the low-dose group, whereas necrosis predominated in the high-dose group. RT-PCR revealed that mRNA levels of the apoptosis-related genes encoding p53, Bax, caspase-3, and c-Jun were upregulated after aphantoxin exposure, but there was no evidence of DNA laddering; apoptosis could take place by pathways independent of DNA fragmentation. These results demonstrate that aphantoxin exposure can cause cell death in zebrafish brain tissue, with low doses inducing apoptosis and higher doses inducing necrosis.

[Dianchi Lake macroinvertebrate community succession trends and retrogressive analysis].

Historical records and data from yield surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010 were used to investigate macroinvertebrate community succession trends in Dianchi Lake. Species richness has declined from 57 in the 1980s to 32 in 2010, representing a species loss of 44%. Among the major benthic groups, the highest rate of loss was recorded for mollusks (75%) and aquatic insects (39%). Surveys in 2009 and 2010 across the lake revealed that the total density was 1776 ind/m2, comprising oligochaetes (1706 ind/m2) and chironomids (68 ind/m2). Over a nearly twenty-year span (1992-2010), the density and biomass of oligochaetes first increased sharply (1992-2002) and then declined gradually (2002-2010). Further, chironomids have decreased gradually while the proportion of abundant species has increased. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri became the sole dominant species with an average relative abundance of 74.1%. Cosmopolitan species, such as Einfeldia sp., disappeared across the lake; instead, tolerant species such as Chironomus plumosus, Ch. attenuatus and Tanypus chinensis became the common. Mollusk community structure has become simpler and many native species have gone extinct. Species of concern include Margarya melanioides, M. mondi, M. mansugi and Cipangopaludina dianchiensis, all rated as critically endangered by the IUCN. We found that the Shannon-Wiener index declined in Dianchi Lake, particularly in Caohai Lake, from 2.70 in the 1950s to 0.30 in 2009 and 2010. Species richness and biodiversity was significantly negative correlated with total phosphorus and total nitrogen. Factors responsible for the benthic community retrogression described here include habitat destruction, lowering of water quality, outbreaks of blue-green algae, extinction of submerged plants and lack of germplasm resources.

Effects of gibberellin A(3) on growth and microcystin production in Microcystis aeruginosa (cyanophyta).

Environmental factors that affect the growth and microcystin production of microcystis have received worldwide attention because of the hazards microcystin poses to environmental safety and public health. Nevertheless, the effects of organic anthropogenic pollution on microcystis are rarely discussed. Gibberellin A(3) (GA(3)) is a vegetable hormone widely used in agriculture and horticulture that can contaminate water as an anthropogenic pollutant. Because of its common occurrence, we studied the effects of GA(3) on growth and microcystin production of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) PCC7806 with different concentrations (0.001-25mg/L) in batch culture. The control was obtained without gibberellin under the same culture conditions. Growth, estimated by dry weight and cell number, increased after the GA(3) treatment. GA(3) increased the amounts of chlorophyll a, phycocyanin and cellular-soluble protein in the cells of M. aeruginosa PCC7806, but decreased the accumulation of water-soluble carbohydrates. In addition, GA(3) was observed to affect nitrogen absorption of the test algae, but to have no effect on the absorption of phosphorus. The amount of microcystin measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) increased in GA(3) treatment groups, but the stimulatory effects were different in different culture phases. It is suggested that GA(3) increases M. aeruginosa growth by stimulating its absorbance of nitrogen and increasing its ability to use carbohydrates, accordingly increasing cellular pigments and thus finally inducing accumulation of protein and microcystin.

First report of aphantoxins in China--waterblooms of toxigenic Aphanizomenon flos-aquae in Lake Dianchi.

The oligohaline cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (L.) Ralfs (A. flos-aquae) has been reported in several countries to produce paralytic shellfish poisons (PSPs) or protracted toxic effects. In the past years, A. flos-aquae blooms have occurred annually in the eutrophic Lake Dianchi (300 km(2) in area, located in southwestern China). Material from natural blooms dominated by A. flos-aquae was collected and lyophilized. Acute toxicity testing was performed by mouse bioassay using extracts from the lyophilized material. Clear symptoms of PSPs intoxications were observed. To confirm the production of PSPs, a strain of A. flos-aquae (DC-1) was isolated and maintained in culture. Histopathological effects were studied by examining the organ damages using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Slight hepatocytic damage with swollen mitochondria was found. The ultrastructural pulmonary lesions were characterized by distortied nuclei and indenting of karyotheca, together with degeneration and tumefaction of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Control animals injected with acetic acid did not exhibit histopathological damage in any organ. Toxic effects of cultured algal cells on enzymatic systems in the mouse were studied using sublethal doses of extracts. Significant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increases, together with decrease of the glutathione (GSH) level, were measured. These results indicated a potential role of PSPs intoxicating and metabolizing in the test animals. HPLC-FLD and LC/MS analysis of extracts from cultured material demonstrated the PSP toxins produced by A. flos-aquae bloom. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting chemically and toxicologically confirmed PSP toxins related to A. flos-aquae in China.

The algae-lytic ability of bacterium DC10 and the influence of environmental factors on the ability.

A lysing-bacterium DC10, isolated from Dianchi Lake of Yunnan Province, was characterized to be Pseudomonas sp. It was able to lyse some algae well, such as Microcystis viridis, Selenastrum capricornutum, and so on. In this study, it was shown that the bacterium lysed the algae by releasing a substance; the best lytic effects were achieved at low temperatures and in the dark. Different concentrations of CaCl2 and NaNO3 influenced the lytic effects; the ability to lyse algae decreased in the following order: pH 4 > pH 9 > pH 7 > pH 5.5. It was significant to develop a special technology with this kind of bacterium for controlling the bloom-forming planktonic microalgae.

Reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes activity of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 (Cyanobacterium) under simulated microgravity.

It was found that reactive oxygen species in Anabaena cells increased under simulated microgravity provided by clinostat. Activities of intracellular antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase were higher than those in the controlled samples during the 7 days' experiment. However, the contents of glutathione [correction of gluathione], an intracellular antioxidant, decreased in comparison with the controlled samples. The results suggested that microgravity provided by clinostat might break the oxidative/antioxidative balance. It indicated a protective mechanism in algal cells, that the total antioxidant system activity increased, which might play an important role for algal cells to adapt the environmental stress of microgravity.

[Lipid peroxidation in microalgae cells under simulated microgravity].

Objective. To provide direct evidences for effects of microgravity on structure and function of plasma membrane. Method. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was examined on the basis of quantitative reaction of both MDA and thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and electrolyte leaking was determined with conductometer model DDS-11A. Result. Experiments showed that under simulated microgravity, lipid peroxidation and the content of MDA increased. Meanwhile, the membrane permeability increased in cells of two microalgae: Anabaena sp PCC7120 and Synechococcus 7942. Conclusion. Our results suggest that there is some commonness between microgravity stress and certain other environmental stresses. And cellular membrane might be the site of perception of gravity in unicells without special gravity sensitive structure, such as alga cells.