银合欢和“新银合欢”

近年来,在国内一些书刊、树木(苗木)名录上,把Leucaena glauca(Willd.)Benth.称为银合欢;而把L.leucocephala(Lam.)de Wit称作“新银合欢”。把这两个拉丁学名看成是两种植物是不对的,它只是异名与正名的关系,所谓“新银合欢”,实际上就是银合欢。此外,还有中名冠以地名的银合欢,如“萨尔瓦多(新)银合欢”、“菲律宾银合欢”等,也都是银合欢这个种,只不过是类型、品系或来源地不同而已。     

新银欢品种抗榕片圆蚧的选择研究

通过引进新银合欢品系６个品种在相同环境条件下,同一时间,同一林地内种植,５年后经调查比较,结果表明,新银合欢６个品种抗榕片片圆蚧的能力有明显的差异,其中以Ｋ１５６最强,Ｋ１９１最差,排序为：Ｋ１５６〉Ｋ６７〉Ｋ１９２〉Ｋ８〉１９１。Ｋ１５６是金沙江干热河谷抗虫、速生、丰产的优良树种。     

元谋干热河谷苏门答腊金合欢、新银合欢人工林天然更新初步研究

通过样地调查,比较了苏门答腊金合欢、新银合欢的林分结实量、种子散布格局、种子密度及幼苗、幼树数量,并对影响天然更新的因素以及树种的适应性进行了分析;同时,使用灰色关联度法对两树种天然更新状况进行了综合评价.结果表明,相同年龄新银合欢树种的单株结实量为1 199粒/株,苏门答腊金合欢为566粒/株,同一树种单株平均结实量为混交林高于纯林;天然更新的新银合欢林单株结实量介于新银合欢和苏门答腊金合欢之间.随着距母树距离的增加,林地苏门答腊金合欢种子密度减少的幅度较新银合欢小,新银合欢种子的传播距离为90 m、苏门答腊金合欢为110 m.苏门答腊金合欢人工林、新银合欢人工林及天然更新的新银合欢林关联系数分别为0.7269、0.6000和0.6000,苏门答腊金合欢天然更新效果稍好.     

元谋干热河谷地区新银合欢天然更新的初步调查

通过2005年6和10月对元谋干热河谷地区新银合欢人工林的调查,发现新银合欢林下幼苗数量较多,经过对幼苗刨根后,发现林下的新银合欢幼苗均为种子实生苗,表明新银合欢是通过种子繁殖来完成天然更新。新银合欢单株结实量在602~1513粒,树体高大的结实量多;其林下幼苗生长良好,更新密度最低为368株·m-2,最高达960株·m-2;新银合欢林缘幼苗最远扩散距离为58·3m,幼苗的扩散范围主要集中在距离林缘10m的区域内,种子受风力和流水的影响,可以沿沟谷传播很远。     

NaC1胁迫对4种豆科树种幼苗生长和K+、Na+含量的影响

以合欢、刺槐、国槐和皂英4种豆科树种盆栽实生幼苗为试验材料,研究了NaC1胁迫下4个树种幼苗的生长、耐盐临界浓度和Na+、K+含量的变化,并对其耐盐性进行了比较.结果表明:NaC1胁迫抑制了4个树种幼苗的生长,苗木的干物质积累量减小、根冠比增大,尤其对合欢和皂荚的影响较大;以相对干质量降至对照组50%时的NaC1浓度作为生长临界NaC1浓度(C50)指标,4个树种的耐盐强弱顺序为:刺槐(5.0‰)＞国槐(4.5‰)＞皂荚(3.9‰)＞合欢(3.0‰);随NaC1浓度的增加,各树种幼苗根、茎、叶中Na+含量逐渐增加,K+含量先增加后减小(合欢根除外),而K+/Na+差异较大.相同浓度NaC1胁迫下,幼苗器官的Na+分布为根＞茎＞叶,K+因树种和NaC1浓度不同而各异,以叶片中较多,K+/Na+为叶＞茎＞根.NaC1胁迫下,刺槐的K+含量和K+/Na+较高,地上部分Na+含量较低,幼苗干物质量大,耐盐性较强;而合欢的K+/Na+较小,高浓度NaC1胁迫下地上部分的Na+含量较高,幼苗干物质量小,耐盐性较差.苗木地上部分对K+的积累和根部对Na+的滞留是影响豆科树种耐盐性能的主要因素.     

银合欢叶作氮源栽培食用菌研究

以银合欢叶作氮源全部或部分取代基质中米糠或麸皮,栽培毛木耳、凤尾菇、金针菇、黑木耳、香菇和佛罗里达侧耳6种食用菌。结果表明,银合欢叶能促进菌丝生长。栽培中发现,含10%银合欢叶和17%麸皮的基质能使金针菇获得增产,而含10%或20%银合欢叶的基质可使其它5种食用菌产量提高11.4%~39.1%。     

凉山州新银合欢根瘤菌的共生有效性及遗传多样性

【目的】研究分离自四川凉山州新银合欢根瘤菌的遗传多样性和共生有效性。【方法】采用16S rRNA RFLP、BOX-PCR、AFLP、多位点持家基因序列的联合分析及无氮水培法对33株供试新银合欢根瘤菌的遗传多样性和共生有效性进行研究。【结果】分析表明,3种方法在属水平的分群结果具有较好的一致性,有1个Mesorhizobium属的菌株、3个Bradyrhizobium属的菌株、3个Rhizobium属的菌株,26个相似度较高的菌株属Sinorhizobium。16S rRNA-recA-atpD-glnII序列联合构建的新银合欢根瘤菌系统发育树表明,SCAU203、SCAU211可能分别是Rhizobium和Bradyrhizobium的新类群,另外3个代表菌株分别位于Sinorhizobium、Mesorhizobium、Bradyrhizobium分支,分别与S.americanum、M.Plurifarium、R.huautlense亲缘关系最近。无氮水培接种试验筛选出2个共生固氮效果好、与不接种对照处理差异达显著水平的菌株SCAU229和SCAU307,有3个菌株不仅不具共生有效性,甚至不利于宿主的生长,其余84%的供试菌为低效或无效菌株。【结论】凉山州新银合欢根瘤菌具有丰富的遗传多样性,分布于4个属:Rhizobium、Bradyrhizobium、Mesorhizobium、Bradyrhizobium,79%为Sinorhizobium属的菌株,优势菌群为Sinorhizobium。该区的新银合欢根瘤菌大多数的共生有效性差。     

元谋干热河谷20年生人工恢复植被生物量分配与空间结构特征

采用分层收获法,对元谋干热河谷20年生赤桉、新银合欢纯林及其混交林的生物量分配与空间结构进行对比研究.结果表明:混交林林分生物量(82.99t·hm-2)介于赤桉纯林(60.64t·hm-2)与新银合欢纯林(127.79t·hm-2)之间;混交林内赤桉单株平均生物量(44.32kg)较其纯林(29.58kg)提高了49.8%.新银合欢纯林的枝叶生物量分配比例(25.4%)显著高于赤桉纯林(8.9%),且地上部生物量分配比例(78.0%)显著高于赤桉纯林(73.4%).新银合欢纯林及混交林中新银合欢的根系主要分布于0～40cm土层,赤桉纯林及混交林中赤桉的根系则主要分布于0～80cm和0～60cm土层.混交林中新银合欢的侧根(中根、小根和细根)分配比例均高于其纯林,而赤桉则相反.新银合欢的引入在一定程度上可促进赤桉生长,尤其是增加其地上部生物量及表层土壤(0～20cm)中的侧根生物量,对该地区的水土保持具有重要意义.     

元谋干热河谷不同人工林中鞘翅目甲虫多样性比较

在元谋干热河谷采用网扫法调查了云南松林、桉树林、新银合欢林、桉树＋新银合欢林、印楝林及多树种混交的人工林鞘翅目昆虫多样性。结果表明,鞘翅目甲虫标本925号,计71种,分属18个科,其中叶甲科种类最丰富,象甲科数量最丰富。人工林鞘翅目昆虫群落物种丰富度在7～23,Shannon—Wiener多样性指数在1．249～2．562,昆虫多样性总体较低。各样地鞘翅目群落之间为不相似水平。云南松林鞘翅目昆虫群落物种丰富度、Shannon—Wiener指数、Simpson指数及Pielou指数分别为20、2．562、0．104和0．855,其多样性最高,多树种混交林较高,印楝林较低,而桉树林、新银合欢林、桉树＋新银合欢林多样性极低。多树种混交的恢复对昆虫多样性提高有显著促进作用。     

银合欢和苏门答腊金合欢根瘤菌的分离和回接

从银合欢和苏门答腊金合欢的根瘤各分离出三个快生型的根瘤菌,对其形态作了初步的观察。这些根瘤菌可能是同一族的,它们对其寄主植物进行回接和互接均能引起银合欢和苏门答腊金合欢结根瘤,互接形成的根瘤形态与寄主植物的根瘤相同;箭舌豌豆和武宁苕子的根瘤菌不能引起银合欢和苏门答腊金合欢植株结根瘤;分离得到的根瘤菌对银合欢和苏门答腊金合欢均有反馈的增益作用,几个生物学指标均比对照的高;在无菌条件下,全氮培养抑制了根瘤菌对寄主植物结瘤,琼脂固体培养的植株根瘤固氮活性比沙培、水培的高。     

Identification and analysis of conserved sequence motifs in cytochrome P450 family 2. Functional and structural role of a motif 187RFDYKD192 in CYP2B enzymes

Using a multiple alignment of 175 cytochrome P450 (CYP) family 2 sequences, 20 conserved sequence motifs (CSMs) were identified with the program PCPMer. Functional importance of the CSM in CYP2B enzymes was assessed from available data on site-directed mutants and genetic variants. These analyses suggested an important role of the CSM 8, which corresponds to(187)RFDYKD(192) in CYP2B4. Further analysis showed that residues 187, 188, 190, and 192 have a very high rank order of conservation compared with 189 and 191. Therefore, eight mutants (R187A, R187K, F188A, D189A, Y190A, K191A, D192A, and a negative control K186A) were made in an N-terminal truncated and modified form of CYP2B4 with an internal mutation, which is termed 2B4dH/H226Y. Function was examined with the substrates 7-methoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin (7-MFC), 7-ethoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin (7-EFC), 7-benzyloxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin (7-BFC), and testosterone and with the inhibitors 4-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazole (4-CPI) and bifonazole (BIF). Compared with the template and K186A, the mutants R187A, R187K, F188A, Y190A, and D192A showed > or =2-fold altered substrate specificity, k(cat), K(m), and/or k(cat)/K(m) for 7-MFC and 7-EFC and 3- to 6-fold decreases in differential inhibition (IC(50,BIF)/IC(50,4-CPI)). Subsequently, these mutants displayed 5-12 degrees C decreases in thermal stability (T(m)) and 2-8 degrees C decreases in catalytic tolerance to temperature (T(50)) compared with the template and K186A. Furthermore, when R187A and D192A were introduced in CYP2B1dH, the P450 expression and thermal stability were decreased. In addition, R187A showed increased activity with 7-EFC and decreased IC(50,BIF)/IC(50,4-CPI) compared with 2B1dH. Analysis of long range residue-residue interactions in the CYP2B4 crystal structures indicated strong hydrogen bonds involving Glu(149)-Asn(177)-Arg(187)-Tyr(190) and Asp(192)-Val(194), which were significantly-reduced/abolished by the Arg(187)-->Ala and Asp(192)-->Alasubstitutions, respectively.     

Regulation of thioredoxin peroxidase activity by C-terminal truncation.

Thioredoxin peroxidase is a member of peroxiredoxin (Prx) family, which uses a thioredoxin (Trx) as an immediate electron donor for the reduction of peroxide. We have identified C-terminal truncated TPx from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and also have found the truncated form is significantly tenacious against the inactivation of H2O2 than the intact form. Peroxidase assay of a series of recombinant C-terminal truncation mutants (Delta192, Delta191, Delta188, Delta184, Delta176, and Delta165) revealed that TPx could be inactivated (Delta192), reactivated (Delta191-Delta176) and reinactivated (Delta165) by serial truncation from C-terminus. We did not find any significant kinetic difference among reactivated forms; however, distinctive loss of affinity to H2O2 (K(m) = 5 microM) than that of the intact form (<5 microM, undeterminable) was monitored. Characterization of a series of Lys(191) point mutants manifested that the loss of affinity caused by a deprivation of positive charge born in Lys(191) and the loss of affinity resulted in the resistibility to H2O2. Disk inhibition assay with S. pombe cells overexpressing wild-type, Delta192 and Delta191 mutants evidenced that the truncated forms functioning in vitro as well as in vivo.     

Contributions of active site residues to the partial and overall catalytic activities of human S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase

Residues glutamate 156 (E156), aspartate 190 (D190), asparagine 181 (N181), lysine 186 (K186), and asparagine 191 (N191) in the active site of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase have been mutated to alanine (A). AdoHcy hydrolase achieves catalysis of AdoHcy hydrolysis to adenosine (Ado) and homocysteine (Hcy) by means of a redox partial reaction (3'-oxidation of AdoHcy at the beginning and 3'-reduction of Ado at the end of the catalytic cycle) spanning an elimination/addition partial reaction (elimination of Hcy from the oxidized substrate and addition of water to generate the oxidized product), with the enzyme in an open NAD(+) form in the ligand-free state and in a closed NADH form during the elimination/addition partial reaction. Mutation K186A reduces the rate of a model enzymatic reaction for the redox partial reaction by a factor of 280000 and the rate of a model reaction for the elimination/addition partial reaction by a factor of 24000, consistent with a primary catalytic role in both partial reactions as a proton donor/acceptor at the 3'-OH/3'-keto center. Secondary roles for N181 and N191 in localizing the flexible side chain of K186 in a catalytically effective position are supported by rate reduction factors for N181A of 2500 (redox) and 240 (elimination/addition) and for N191A of 730 (redox) and 340 (elimination/addition). A role of D190 in orienting the substrate for effective transition-state stabilization is consistent with rate reduction factors of 1300 (redox) and 30 (elimination/addition) for D190A. Residue E156 may act to maintain K186 in the desired protonation state: rate deduction factors are 1100 (redox) and 70 (elimination/addition). The mutational increases in free energy barriers for k(cat)/K(M) are described by a linear combination of the effects for the partial reactions with the coefficients equal to the fractional degree that each partial reaction determines the rate for k(cat)/K(M). A similar linear equation for k(cat) overestimates the barrier increase by a uniform 5 kJ/mol, probably reflecting reactant-state stabilization by the wild-type enzyme that is abolished by the mutations.     

Differential activation of polymorphisms of the formyl peptide receptor by formyl peptides

We have investigated the role of two polymorphic sites (R190W and N192K) on the binding and activation of the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) by viral and formyl peptides. WEDWVGWI, a peptide with antiviral activity derived from the membrane proximal region of feline immunodeficiency virus, binds with high affinity to FPR. The three tryptophans in the peptide are all essential for FPR binding, just as they were essential for antiviral activity [S. Giannecchini, A. Di Fenza, A.M. D'Ursi, D. Matteucci, P. Rovero, M. Bendinelli, Antiviral activity and conformational features of an octapeptide derived from the membrane-proximal ectodomain of the feline immunodeficiency virus transmembrane glycoprotein, J. Virol. 77 (2003) 3724]. Formyl-NleWEDWVGWI behaved as a weak partial agonist with FPR W190/N192 but a stronger partial agonist with FPR R190/K192 and FPR R190/N192. Formyl-NleNleWEDWVGWI behaved as a full agonist toward all three FPRs but exhibited a much higher EC(50) with W190/N192 FPR (300+/-45 nM) than for R190/K192 FPR (40+/-3 nM) or R190/N192 (60+/-8 nM). Formyl-MYKWPWYVWL preferentially activated R190/K192 and R190/N192 FPRs by>5 fold compared to W190/N192 FPR. Formyl-MFEDAVAWF, a peptide derived from a protein in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and formyl-MFTFEPFPTN, a peptide derived from the N-terminus of chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus with an added N-terminal formyl-methionine exhibited the greatest selectivity for R190/K192 and R190/N192 FPRs with approximately 10 fold lower EC(50)s than that observed with FPR W190/N192. Thus, individuals with the W190 polymorphism may display a reduced ability to detect certain formyl peptides.     

Substitution of Torpedo acetylcholine receptor alpha 1-subunit residues with snake alpha 1- and rat nerve alpha 3-subunit residues in recombinant fusion proteins: effect on alpha-bungarotoxin binding.

A fusion protein consisting of the TrpE protein and residues 166-211 of the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor alpha 1 subunit was produced in Escherichia coli using a pATH10 expression vector. Residues in the Torpedo sequence were changed by means of oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to residues present in snake alpha 1 subunit and rat nerve alpha 3 subunit which do not bind alpha-bungarotoxin. The fusion protein of the Torpedo sequence bound 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin with high affinity (IC50 = 2.5 x 10(-8) M from competition with unlabeled toxin, KD = 2.3 x 10(-8) M from equilibrium saturation binding data). Mutation of three Torpedo residues to snake residues, W184F, K185W, and W187S, had no effect on binding. Conversion of two additional Torpedo residues to snake, T191S and P194L, reduced alpha-bungarotoxin binding to undetectable levels. The P194L mutation alone abolished toxin binding. Mutation of three Torpedo alpha 1 residues to neuronal alpha 3-subunit residues, W187E, Y189K, and T191N, also abolished detectable alpha-bungarotoxin binding. Conversion of Try-189 to Asn which is present in the snake sequence (Y189N) abolished toxin binding. It is concluded that in the sequence of the alpha subunit of Torpedo encompassing Cys-192 and Cys-193, Try-189 and Pro-194 are important determinants of alpha-bungarotoxin binding. Tyr-189 may interact directly with cationic groups or participate in aromatic-aromatic interactions while Pro-194 may be necessary to maintain a conformation conductive to neurotoxin binding.     

Role of nucleotidyl transferase motif V in strand joining by chlorella virus DNA ligase.

ATP-dependent DNA ligases, NAD(+)-dependent DNA ligases, and GTP-dependent RNA capping enzymes are members of a covalent nucleotidyl transferase superfamily defined by a common fold and a set of conserved peptide motifs. Here we examined the role of nucleotidyl transferase motif V ((184)LLKMKQFKDAEAT(196)) in the nick joining reaction of Chlorella virus DNA ligase, an exemplary ATP-dependent enzyme. We found that alanine substitutions at Lys(186), Lys(188), Asp(192), and Glu(194) reduced ligase specific activity by at least an order of magnitude, whereas substitutions at Lys(191) and Thr(196) were benign. The K186A, D192A, and E194A changes had no effect on the rate of single-turnover nick joining by preformed ligase-adenylate but affected subsequent rounds of nick joining at the ligase adenylation step. Conservative substitutions K186R, D192E, and E194D partially restored activity, whereas K186Q, D192N, and E194Q substitutions did not. Alanine mutation of Lys(188) elicited distinctive catalytic defects, whereby single-turnover nick joining by K188A-adenylate was slowed by an order of magnitude, and high levels of the DNA-adenylate intermediate accumulated. The rate of phosphodiester bond formation at a pre-adenylated nick (step 3 of the ligation pathway) was slowed by the K188A change. Replacement of Lys(188) by arginine reversed the step 3 arrest, whereas glutamine substitution was ineffective. Gel-shift analysis showed that the Lys(188) mutants bound stably to DNA-adenylate. We infer that Lys(188) is involved in the chemical step of phosphodiester bond formation.     

Diverse stability and catalytic properties of human tryptase alpha and beta isoforms are mediated by residue differences at the S1 pocket

Recombinant human tryptases (rHTs) corresponding to alpha and beta isoforms were characterized. rHTbeta was similar to tryptase isolated from skin (HST); it was a tetramer, hydrolyzed model substrates efficiently, and was functionally unstable when incubated under physiological conditions. Activity was lost rapidly (t(1/2) approximately 1 min) by a reversible process similar to that observed for the spontaneous inactivation of HST. Circular dichroism (CD) and intrinsic fluorescence emission (IFE) spectra of active rHTbeta corresponded to those of active HST and upon spontaneous inactivation IFE decreased in parallel to activity loss. rHTalpha differed from HST in catalytic ability and stability. rHTalpha did not react with model substrates, an active site titrant, or a competitive inhibitor of HST/rHTbeta. IFE and CD spectra were similar to those of the active and not the spontaneously inactivated form of HST. Under physiological conditions, rHTalpha IFE decreased at a rate 900-fold slower than that observed for HST, and rHTalpha remained tetrameric when examined by size exclusion chromatography at physiological salt concentration. Thus, rHTalpha is a stable "inactive" form of HT. Three active site variants of rHTalpha, K192Q, D216G, and K192Q-D216G were characterized. Residues 192 and 216 (chymotrypsinogen numbers for residues 191 and 215 of rHTalpha) lie at the entrance to the primary specificity (S1) pocket, and the mutations converted them to the residues of HTbeta. While K192Q displayed the same properties as rHTalpha, the catalytic and stability characteristics of D216G and K192Q-D216G progressively approached those of HST. Thus, the contrasting stability/activity properties of rHTalpha and rHTbeta are largely related to differences at the S1 pocket. On the basis of the properties of the variants, we suggest that the side chain of Asp216 is blocking and stabilizing the S1 pocket and that this stabilization is sufficient to prevent spontaneous inactivation.     

Interactions between cytochrome c2 and photosynthetic reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides: changes in binding affinity and electron transfer rate due to mutation of interfacial hydrophobic residues are strongly correlated

The structure of the complex between cytochrome c(2) (cyt) and the photosynthetic reaction center (RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides shows contacts between hydrophobic residues Tyr L162, Leu M191, and Val M192 on the RC and the surface of the cyt [Axelrod et al. (2002) J. Mol. Biol. 319, 501-515]. The role of these hydrophobic residues in binding and electron transfer was investigated by replacing them with Ala and other residues. Mutations of the hydrophobic residues generally resulted in relatively small changes in the second-order electron-transfer rate k(2) (Br?nsted coefficient, alpha( )()= 0.15 +/- 0.05) indicating that the transition state for association occurs before short-range hydrophobic contacts are established. Larger changes in k(2), found in some cases, were attributed to a change in the second-order mechanism from a diffusion controlled regime to a rapidly reversible binding regime. The association constant, K(A), of the cyt and the rate of electron transfer from the bound cyt, k(e), were both decreased by mutation. Replacement of Tyr L162, Leu M191, or Val M192 by Ala decreased K(A) and k(e) by factors of 130, 10, 0.6, and 120, 9, 0.6, respectively. The largest changes were obtained by mutation of Tyr L162, showing that this residue plays a key role in both binding and electron transfer. The binding affinity, K(A), and electron-transfer rate, k(e) were strongly correlated, showing that changes of hydrophobic residues affect both binding and electron transfer. This correlation suggests that changes in distance across hydrophobic interprotein contacts have similar effects on both electron tunneling and binding interactions.     

Sequence conservation of apolipoprotein A-I affords novel insights into HDL structure-function

We performed alignment of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) sequences from 31 species of animals. We found there is specific conservation of salt bridge-forming residues in the first 30 residues of apoA-I and general conservation of a variety of residue types in the central domain, helix 2/3 to helix 7/8. In the lipid-associating domain, helix 7 and helix 10 are the most and least conserved helixes, respectively. Furthermore, eight residues are completely conserved: P66, R83, P121, E191, and P220, and three of seven Tyr residues in human apoA-I, Y18, Y115, and Y192, are conserved. Residue Y18 appears to be important for assembly of HDL. E191-Y192 represents the only completely conserved pair of adjacent residues in apoA-I; Y192 is a preferred target for site-specific oxidative modification within atheroma, and molecular dynamic simulations suggest that the conserved pair E191-Y192 is in a solvent-exposed loop-helix-loop. Molecular dynamics testing of human apoA-I showed that M112 and M148 interact with Y115, a microenvironment unique to human apoA-I. Finally, conservation of Arg residues in the α11/3 helical wheel position 7 supports several possibilities: interactions with adjacent phospholipid molecules and/or oxidized lipids and/or binding of antioxidant enzymes through cation-π orbital interactions. We conclude that sequence alignment of apoA-I provides unique insights into apoA-I structure-function relationship.