What are extremophiles
Extremophiles are best suited to live in extreme environments microbes collectively, including thermophilic, psychrophilic, eosinophils, basophils, piezophilic, addicted to gold, anti-radiation, anti-drying and extreme anaerobic and other types.
Scientists believe that the extreme left to the human organism is the planet's biological resources unique and extremely valuable research material. Research extremophiles, for revealing the mysteries of the origin of the biosphere, to clarify the formation mechanism of biological diversity, understanding of the law such as the limits of their lives interacting with the environment, have a very important scientific significance. Adaptive mechanisms found in extremophiles, will become human search for extraterrestrial life in space theory. Results of the study extremophiles, will greatly facilitate the use of microorganisms in the field of environmental protection, human health and biotechnology, etc..
Our study of microorganisms than 20 years of history, research resources investigations involving extremophiles, species analysis and physiological ecology studies. In recent years, it has made important progress in the extreme microbial molecular biology, genomics and proteomics, etc..
Gui times than the purple membrane
Purple membrane, is the purple membrane, is a substance that grows in extreme Halophile plasma membrane containing the visual rhodopsin similar proteins in the international gold market price is equivalent to 10,000 times.
Purple membrane fragments halophilic bacteria in the form of plasma membrane, a diameter of about 0.5 microns and a thickness of 5 nm (equivalent to 10-9 m), which rest with the plasma membrane of the red film surface. Only fragments of bacterial protein rhodopsin in the form of three-dimensional hexagonal lattice arrangement in natural purple membrane, the purple membrane protein accounted for 75% of the dry weight%, the remaining 25%% of lipids. Lattice size of 14 nm, two proteins of about 1.5 nanometers from the center, each fragment has 100,000 bacterial rhodopsin molecule. Each bacterial rhodopsin molecule consists of 248 amino acid residues of the peptide chains with a molecular weight of 26,000. The peptide chain is folded to form the curl in a space 7 transmembrane helix column, n-side outside the cell, c ends of the inside of the membrane, the membrane is substantially perpendicular to the helical column. Each combination of a bacterial rhodopsin chromophore retinal, located on the 216 lysine, is close to the inside of the cell membrane peptide side chains c.
Currently, there are a large number of researchers engaged in research work in the world of purple membrane, once a breakthrough, it will bring revolutionary change.
In June, the chief scientist Xu Zhiqin Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Engineering Academy revealed to the media, Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project has drilled 3,787 meters underground, and still find plenty of extremophiles in extreme conditions 2000 meters deep underground. The news once again raises concerns about extreme phenomena of life.
Study of microbes in extreme environments has 20 years of history, 863 projects of young scientists from the Institute of Microbiology Chinese researcher auspices of the "Ocean extreme halophilic archaea genetic construct the operating system", is the current study of extremophiles One important issue. The main content of this project is to isolate and clone the ancient oceans extreme halophilic bacteria endogenous plasmids and gene expression regulatory elements, archaea study chromosomal replication mechanism factor and archaeal gene expression and regulation law, building extremely addicted Salt archaea-specific expression cloning system for genetic analysis of extremophiles and Exploitation of the important functions of providing material tool platform independent intellectual property rights.
The work, to be the host of the project known as Dr. Xiang Hua --- build extremophiles "cell factory."
Archaea extremely rich in extreme halophilic enzymes, biological surface active substances, important biological nanomaterials "purple membrane" and biodegradable plastics precursors pha
"Living in extreme natural environments microorganisms is the miracle of life. Them a wealth of information implies the course of evolution of life, represents life's ultimate ability to adapt to the environment, is a treasure trove of genetic and functional diversity, but also the understanding of the nature of human life an important way. "to China, told reporters.
It is based on this understanding, after 2001, returning to China took the extreme microbial genetic operating system to build this banner and put their eyes on the ocean extreme archaea.
"Extreme archaea are widely found in the sea salt production fields, a large class of extremophiles Salt Lake and even ancient marine sediments high salt concentration environment, including about 18 genera." To Jieshao said, "extreme archaea the rich in the extreme halophilic enzymes, specific lipids, biological surfactant protein antibiotics (halophilic streptozotocin), as well as important biological nanomaterials 'purple membrane' and biodegradable plastics precursors pha etc. The purpose of our work is now widely used genetic manipulation to build a platform in archaea in the extreme, and the development, modification and use of extreme Archaea important function of substance. "
Completed the full genetic sequencing and analysis of the first international basophils extreme halophilic archaea plasmid clones successfully constructed a number of expression vectors with independent intellectual property rights
"We have extreme archaea molecular biology, especially in the field of genetic manipulation platform made significant progress." Revealed to China, a number of researchers have been isolated from different groups of the extreme plasmid archaea, make a Detailed analysis of the molecular mechanisms, and successfully constructed a number of cloning and expression vectors with independent intellectual property rights, has applied for national invention patents.
For their research through to Hua said, "We are about 30 different types of extremely thermophilic Archaea saline census plasmid isolated from a strain in which the plasmid into a new After full sequencing showed that this plasmid was about the size of To 2.5kb, contains three open reading frames, which are located on the same strand of the plasmid. "According to reports, the study completed the full genetic sequencing and analysis of the first international extreme halophilic archaea plasmid basophils , papers have been published in the International Journal of Microbiology extremely professional extremophiles; new carrier system based on the plasmid construct, has successfully transformed a variety of extreme archaea, bacteria completed the analysis of multiple receptor restriction modification system, Papers have also been published in the international journal, and applied for a national patent.
In the international arena for the first time found a halophilic streptozotocin possible resistance gene; cloned halophilic streptozotocin possible regulatory genes and gene transfer process, and finished with a current extreme archaea smallest plasmid Cloning and Sequence Determination
In another study, the staff of more than 60 strains of neutral archaea were extremely plasmid census found a new plasmid, completed the separation of cloning, sequencing and genbank full registration. Research shows that such plasmids may represent a new extreme archaea plasmid type, has a high theoretical value. As the original and a clear prospect of this work, the carrier receptor system has also been constructed to apply for national patents protect inventions.
In addition, the research group of researchers from China are still extreme and archaea found in the separation and purification of a broad spectrum antimicrobial properties of novel protein stability antibiotics, and completed its physical and chemical properties, amino acid sequence and antibacterial spectrum analyzed, and then completed the cloning and sequence determination; also recently discovered for the first time in the international halophilic avermectin possible resistance gene; archaea cloned extreme heat inducible promoter, a transcription initiation for the first bit points identified and their possible regulatory mechanisms were analyzed; research team also cloned halophilic streptozotocin possible regulatory genes and gene transfer process, and finished with a current extreme archaea smallest Cloning and plasmid Determination of the sequence.
To Jieshao said the project since its start in October 2002, the research team has built two different carriers receptor system series, two national invention patent applications; sci international professional journal published three; registered in genbank The new gene sequences in 7 groups (including approximately 12 new genes, regulatory elements 6 above). After the paper was published, has aroused the concern of the international academic field and had a positive impact, the University of Florida and the Russian Academy of two laboratories also expressed the intention to cooperate.
Market price "purple membrane" specific mutants of gold is now a million times, can only be produced by extreme improvement and archaea genetic manipulation system
"Project is to provide the results of independent intellectual property rights of extreme archaea genetic operating system, which is a high-tech research and application platform." To Hua said, "but due to the use of the results of this study also belong to the high-tech, domestic enterprise development and utilization is difficult, so far not been applied and conversion work. "he said topics will be further combined with targeted products to carry out applied basic research, technology platform and to play the role of extreme archaea cell factories, such as for bio-nano-materials" Purple film "and biodegradable plastics precursors pha other production and improved, a product will be more conducive to product conversion, creating economic benefits.
He cited an example: The platform can be used for bio-nano material "purple membrane" of genetic engineering improvements. Genetic engineering optimization of "purple membrane" mutant, is used to develop biological computer for massive information processing, holographic image storage, as well as artificial retina, optoelectronic components, such as in response to the field, the most development potential biological nanomaterials. Market price "purple membrane" specific mutants of gold is now a million times, can only be produced by extreme improvement and archaea genetic operating system. This issue is similar to the high-tech achievements localization possible. In addition, pha nature archaea excellent progress in genetic engineering will also promote significant advances in such industries.
Finally, he told reporters pleased to present the national "863" plan has been prepared to support the project rolling, further refinement of the "cell factory" at the same time, to carry out applied basic research. "We are currently using these proprietary genetic platform, conduct research and bio-engineering materials, including a variety of special features and halophilic purple membrane streptozotocin etc. optimization." Jieshao to the long-term goal, the study group is to reveal the essence of life in archaea theoretical aspects and extreme adaptation mechanism, is committed to developing high-performance applications in bio-nano material "purple membrane" mutants, development and orientation can play in the transformation of organic high salt environment extreme halophilic enzyme activity, and enhance the biological active substances and biological materials such as yield and performance pha halophilic streptozotocin and so on, eventually extremophiles "cell factory" as the basis, to achieve understanding, transformation and production of special extremophiles functional material goals. |
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