Preliminary Purification and Characterization of Adhesive Proteins from Freshwater Mussels

In this study, freshwater mussel adhesive proteins (FMAPs) were extracted by different solvents and preliminarily purified using differential precipitation with ammonium sulphate and acetone. FMAPs extracted by the fourth method (M4) were further purified by twice column chromatography and characterized in terms of isoelectric point, gel electrophoresis, and amino acid composition. Results showed that 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) solution containing 1 M NaCl exhibited better extraction efficiency for FMAPs. The purity of FMAPs got further enrichment after column chromatography, and two purified FMAPs fraction I and fraction II with hydroxyl amino acid of higher content (>43.3%) were obtained. Amino acid analysis demonstrated that DOPA contents in fraction I and fraction II were 13.04% and 12.02%, respectively. The isoelectric point of FMAPs was close to pH 9.5.     

嵊泗县贝类生产海域贻贝和环境监测的研究

实验研究了嵊泗三个海域的贻贝中大肠杆菌、菌落总数、铅和镉的含量情况,并对贻贝的生长环境的水质进行了检测。结果表明,抽检的贻贝大肠杆菌、菌落总数符合农业部一类贝类生产养殖区标准。其铅、镉含量也符合《食品中污染物限量》(GB 2762-2012)要求。同时,水质样品铅和镉的含量符合《中华人民共和国渔业水质标准(GB 11607-1989)》的限量要求。     

冷冻调理贻贝的加工工艺

通过对冷冻调理贻贝加工工艺参数的筛选试验,确定了冷冻调理贻贝的调味料配方、浆液浓度、食用时油炸温度及油炸时间等工艺参数。经分析检测,在-18℃下冻藏6个月后,冷冻调理贻贝仍符合卫生质量要求。     

蚌肉肽—锌螯合物制备工艺及其保肝作用研究

以蚌肉为原料,采用优化酶解工艺制备蚌肉肽。以螯合率为指标,对蚌肉肽的富锌工艺进行优化并评价其溶液保肝作用。结果显示,蚌肉肽—锌的最佳螯合工艺参数为螯合温度70℃,螯合pH 8.0,蚌肉肽与锌溶液质量浓度比21 (g/mL),螯合反应1.5h。该工艺条件下螯合率为58.55%;制备的富锌蚌肉肽保肝作用显著,当灌胃剂量为400mg/kg·BW时,SOD与GSH-Px的活性分别为(142.78±7.73),(258.16±8.52)IU/L。     

Comparative Genomics Reveals 13 Different Isoforms of Mytimycins (A-M) in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Mytimycins are cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides that show antifungal properties. These peptides are part of the immune network that constitutes the defense system of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The immune system of mussels has been increasingly studied in the last decade due to its great efficiency, since these molluscs, particularly resistant to adverse conditions and pathogens, are present all over the world, being considered as an invasive species. The recent sequencing of the mussel genome has greatly simplified the genetic study of some of its immune genes. In the present work, we describe a total of 106 different mytimycin variants in 16 individual mussel genomes. The 13 highly supported mytimycin clusters (A–M) identified with phylogenetic inference were found to be subject to the presence/absence variation, a widespread phenomenon in mussels. We also identified a block of conserved residues evolving under purifying selection, which may indicate the “functional core” of the mature peptide, and a conserved set of 10 invariable plus 6 accessory cysteines which constitute a plastic disulfide array. Finally, we extended the taxonomic range of distribution of mytimycins among Mytilida, identifying novel sequences in M. coruscus, M. californianus, P. viridis, L. fortunei, M. philippinarum, M. modiolus, and P. purpuratus.     

Additional deepwater sampling of prey fish in Lake Michigan annual bottom trawl survey reveals new insights for depth distribution dynamics

Beginning in 2013, sites at the 128-m bottom depth contour were added to the sampling design of the annual Lake Michigan bottom trawl survey for prey fish, which has been conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) each fall since 1973, to better assess fish depth distributions in a changing ecosystem. The standard sampling design included bottom depths from 9 to 110 m, although the GLSC also sporadically conducted bottom trawl tows at the 128-m bottom depth contour during 1973–1988. Enactment of this new sampling design in 2013 revealed that mean biomass density of deepwater sculpins (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) at the 128-m depth exceeded the sum of mean biomass densities at shallower depths, indicating that the bulk of the deepwater sculpin population is residing in waters deeper than 110 m. Thus, our findings supported the hypothesis that the depth distribution of the deepwater sculpin population had shifted to deeper waters beginning in 2007, thereby explaining, at least in part, the marked decline in deepwater sculpin abundance since 2006 based on the standard sampling design. In contrast, our results did not support the hypothesis that the slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) population had shifted to deeper waters sometime after 2000. A portion of the burbot (Lota lota) population may have also shifted in depth distribution to waters deeper than 110 m after 2007, based on our results. Our findings have served as an impetus to further expand the range of depths sampled in our bottom trawl survey.     

Dreissenid colonization during the initial invasion of the quagga mussel in the largest Central European shallow lake,Lake Balaton,Hungary

The colonization progress of the invasive bivalve dreissenids, the formerly dominant Dreissena polymorpha and the recently (2008) introduced Dreissena rostriformis bugensis was studied between 2009 and 2013 in the largest Central European shallow lake, Lake Balaton, Hungary. The density of dreissenid planktonic veligers, new settlers (post-veligers and early juveniles), and the population structure (density, length frequency, relative abundance) of the two species were monitored on experimentally introduced natural stone substrata, on different time scales. Dreissenids started dynamic settling following a sudden veliger bloom. As substratum saturation progressed, competition between species for places was suggested, which, after two years, led to an increased number of large individuals (> 20 mm) and also recruits of D. r. bugensis. By contrast, the population of D. polymorpha was confined to middle size (11–18 mm) individuals of the first settler generation. On local substrata, where the benthic community was already established, the replacement of D. polymorpha by D. r. bugensis took longer, but it happened in a similar way. The invasion speed of D. r. bugensis in Lake Balaton resembled the speed obtained in other European water bodies where D. r. bugensis, similar to Lake Balaton, was introduced much later than D. polymorpha. However, a longer replacement process was found in North America, where both species invaded new habitats at the same time. This suggests that the speed, and probably the success, of D. r. bugensis invasion depends on new surface availability, and whether the two dreissenid species are introduced together or at different times.     

Association of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs and zebra mussels,Dreissena polymorpha,within the littoral zone of Lake Winnipeg

While nutrient loading has affected all levels of Lake Winnipeg’s ecology, its greatest influence has likely been on the microbial community. In addition to eutrophication, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have recently invaded the ecosystem and threaten food web dynamics. Their filter-feeding predation and association with bacteria, specifically phototrophs, was investigated. A sampling trip to Lake Winnipeg in October 2017, focused on the isolation, enumeration, and identification of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in littoral water, sediment, and tissues of mussels. Gimli, Patricia, and Grand beaches, separated by >15 km across the South Basin, had similar bacterial counts when cultivated on rich organic, BG-11, purple non-sulphur, and K₂TeO₃-supplemented media. Culture-based enumeration on rich organic medium revealed 1.74% of heterotrophs from littoral waters were aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs, and represented 13.98% within sediments. In contrast, 0.48, 1.15, and 0.16% of cultured heterotrophs were aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs within zebra mussel gill, gut, and gonadal tissues, respectively. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S V4 rDNA maintained similar trends in respective bivalve organs, where 0.22, 1.13, and 0.20% of total 16S genes belonged to these phototrophs. Several Sphingomonadaceae isolates were recovered from gut tissues, all with filamentous morphology large enough for predation. Bioaccumulation of metals was also studied in D. polymorpha. All tested associated aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs were capable of resisting the metalloid oxide tellurite. The consistent distribution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs within microbial communities across Lake Winnipeg, and their predominance in the gut tissues of zebra mussels suggested bacterial consumption by this invasive species.     

Mussel‐Inspired Hydrogels for Self‐Adhesive Bioelectronics

Wearable and implantable bioelectronics are receiving a great deal of attention because they offer huge promise in personalized healthcare. Currently available bioelectronics generally rely on external aids to form an attachment to the human body, which leads to unstable performance in practical applications. Self‐adhesive bioelectronics are highly desirable for ameliorating these concerns by offering reliable and conformal contact with tissue, and stability and fidelity in the signal detection. However, achieving adequate and long‐term self‐adhesion to soft and wet biological tissues has been a daunting challenge. Recently, mussel‐inspired hydrogels have emerged as promising candidates for the design of self‐adhesive bioelectronics. In addition to self‐adhesiveness, the mussel‐inspired chemistry offers a unique pathway for integrating multiple functional properties to all‐in‐one bioelectronic devices, which have great implications for healthcare applications. In this report, the recent progress in the area of mussel‐inspired self‐adhesive bioelectronics is highlighted by specifically discussing: 1) adhesion mechanism of mussels, 2) mussel‐inspired hydrogels with long‐term and repeatable adhesion, 3) the recent advance in development of hydrogel bioelectronics by reconciling self‐adhesiveness and additional properties including conductivity, toughness, transparency, self‐healing, antibacterial properties, and tolerance to extreme environment, and 4) the challenges and prospects for the future design of the mussel‐inspired self‐adhesive bioelectronics.     

Bioinspired Ultratough Hydrogel with Fast Recovery,Self‐Healing,Injectability and Cytocompatibility

Inspired by the mussel byssus adhesiveness, a highly hydrated polymeric structure is designed to combine, for the first time, a set of interesting features for load‐bearing purposes. These characteristics include: i) a compressive strength and stiffness in the MPa range, ii) toughness and the ability to recover it upon successive cyclic loading, iii) the ability to quickly self‐heal upon rupture, iv) the possibility of administration through minimally invasive techniques, such as by injection, v) the swelling ratio being adjusted to space‐filling applications, and vi) cytocompatibility. Owing to these characteristics and the mild conditions employed, the encapsulation of very unstable and sensitive cargoes is possible, highlighting their potential to researchers in the biomedical field for the repair of load‐bearing soft tissues, or to be used as an encapsulation platform for a variety of biological applications such as disease models for drug screening and therapies in a more realistic mechanical environment. Moreover, given the simplicity of this methodology and the enhanced mechanical performance, this strategy can be expanded to applications in other fields, such as agriculture and electronics. As such, it is anticipated that the proposed strategy will constitute a new, versatile, and cost‐effective tool to produce engineered polymeric structures for both science and technology.