Project description:Jellyfish blooms represent a significant, but largely overlooked, source of labile organic matter (jelly-OM) in the ocean, characterized by high protein content with a low C:N ratio. The bloom-decay cycle of jellyfish in coastal waters are important vehicles for carbon export to the ocean’s interior. To accurately incorporate them into biogeochemical models, the interactions between microbes and jelly-OM have yet to be fully characterized. We conducted jelly-OM enrichment experiments to simulate the scenario experienced by the coastal microbiome after the decay of a jellyfish bloom. We combined metagenomics, endo- and exo-metaproteomic approaches to obtain a mechanistic understanding on the metabolic network operated by the jelly-OM degrading bacterial consortium.
Project description:The scyphozoan jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai are common blooming species in China.The venomous characteristics of jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai is largely attributed to their complex and elaborate venom delivery system: the stinging cells, or nematocytes. These specialized cells synthesize and secrete unique intracellular organelles called nematocysts. Nematocysts with heterogeneous sizes and morphologies may contain different toxic components that exert diverse pharmacological and physiological activities such as hemolysis, cytolysis and proteolysis for defense and prey capture. We modified the previous method of nematocyst preparation using density centrifugation to purify undischarged nematocysts from jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai tentacles. Ultimately, isorhiza-type were successfully purified.Then we used purified nematocysts for proteomic study to identify sting-related toxins in Nemopilema nomurai nematocysts.
Project description:The scyphozoan jellyfish Cyanea capillata are common blooming species in China.The venomous characteristics of jellyfish Cyanea capillata is largely attributed to their complex and elaborate venom delivery system: the stinging cells, or nematocytes. These specialized cells synthesize and secrete unique intracellular organelles called nematocysts. Nematocysts with heterogeneous sizes and morphologies may contain different toxic components that exert diverse pharmacological and physiological activities such as hemolysis, cytolysis and proteolysis for defense and prey capture. We modified the previous method of nematocyst preparation using density centrifugation to purify undischarged nematocysts from jellyfish Cyanea capillata tentacles. Ultimately, mastigophore-type nematocysts were successfully purified.Then we used purified nematocysts for proteomic study to identify sting-related toxins in Cyanea capillata nematocysts.
Project description:The decline of brain function during aging is associated with epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation. Lifestyle interventions can improve brain function during aging, but their influence on age-related epigenetic changes is unknown. Using genome-wide DNA methylation sequencing, we here show that experiencing a stimulus-rich environment counteracted age-related DNA methylation changes in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of mice. Specifically, environmental enrichment prevented the aging-induced CpG hypomethylation at target sites of the methyl-CpG-binding protein Mecp2, which is known to control neuronal functions. The genes at which environmental enrichment counteracted aging effects have described roles in neuronal plasticity, neuronal cell communication and adult hippocampal neurogenesis and are dysregulated with age-related cognitive decline in the human brain. Our results highlight the rejuvenating effects of environmental enrichment at the level of DNA methylation and give molecular insights into the specific aspects of brain aging that can be counteracted by lifestyle interventions.