长穗偃麦草DREB类基因EeAP2.2 的克隆与序列分析

由于一些基因的特殊碱基序列限制,使得应用一种技术获得基因的全长cDNA序列比较困难。本研究结合RACE和Genome Walking技术从十倍体长穗偃麦草（Elytrigia elongata,2n=70）中克隆了AP2家族的一个全长cDNA序列,命名为EeAP2.2。序列分析表明,该基因具有一个837bp的开放阅读框,编码279个氨基酸残基,含有一个保守的AP2结构域,是AP2大家族的一个新成员。该基因编码的氨基酸序列与GenBank已有的普通小麦AP2家族两个同源基因编码蛋白TaDREB1和TaDREBW50（登录号分别为：AAL01124.1和AAY44605.1）具有98%的氨基酸序列一致性, 与大麦AP2蛋白HvDREB1-a（登录号AAY25517.1）,高羊茅AP2蛋白FaDREB2A （登录号CAG30547.1） 及水稻OsDREB2.2（登录号AY064403）的氨基酸序列一致性分别为 93%、86%、69%。说明该基因与小麦AP2家族基因的同源性最高。本研究除获得了长穗偃麦草一个重要抗逆转录因子基因EeAP2.2的全长cDNA序列外,也提供了一种快速、有效克隆功能基因的方法。     

独行菜LaAP2基因克隆、生物信息学分析及表达分析

AP2/ERF是广泛存在于植物中一类重要的转录因子,调控一些参与非生物胁迫相关基因的表达,帮助植物提高逆境胁迫能力。为了深入探讨LaAP2在独行菜耐受低温萌发及幼苗耐受低温生长中的功能,该研究基于前期对独行菜(Lepidium apetalum)转录组数据库分析,克隆获得一个显著上调表达的AP2/ERF家族序列LaAP2。该基因cDNA全长为1 005 bp,编码氨基酸序列包含一个AP2和一个B3结构域,属于AP2/ERF转录因子RAV亚家族。推定的LaAP2蛋白分子量为37.744 67 kD,等电点为9.49。该蛋白氨基酸序列同亚麻荠、拟南芥、油菜等物种显示出较高同源性,系统进化分析结果表明与拟南芥亲缘关系较近。氨基酸序列分析预测表明,LaAP2基因所编码的蛋白不具备信号肽区段,无跨膜区,不属于分泌蛋白,可能为亲水性蛋白;定位于细胞质的可能性为56.5%,定位于细胞核的可能性为21.7%;其主要二级结构元件为无规则卷曲、延伸链、α-螺旋。Real-time PCR分析独行菜幼苗中LaAP2在低温4℃处理下的表达,显示LaAP2表达受低温胁迫呈先下降后升高趋势。这表明LaAP2在独行菜幼苗抵抗低温胁迫中起调控作用。     

香蕉MaARF19-1基因的克隆及序列分析

利用PCR方法从香蕉中克隆了一个生长素响应因子基因,命名MaARF19-1,并对其进行序列分析。结果表明,该基因全长3 411 bp,编码1 136个氨基酸,分子量为126 578.50 u,理论等电点pI为6.26;MaARF19-1蛋白的氨基酸组成中,Gln占比13.12%为最高,Trp占比1.06%为最低,其亲水性氨基酸均匀分布在整个肽链中,多于疏水性氨基酸;通过Motif Search工具发现了B3、Auxin_resp、AUX_IAA family3个结构域,序列观察还发现一段Q-富集区,表明该蛋白为具有转录激活功能的生长素响应因子;多序列比对和进化树分析表明,MaARF19-1编码的蛋白与其他植物中ARF19编码的蛋白具有较高的一致性。     

毕氏海蓬子SbDREB基因的克隆与表达分析研究

以毕氏海蓬子的基因组为模板,通过PCR技术扩增到一个编码DREB蛋白AP2保守结构域的基因片段;根据该片段序列设计引物,以毕氏海蓬子经NaCl处理的植株肉质茎cDNA为模板,应用RACE技术获得该基因的cDNA全长,命名为SbDREB(GenBank登录号:JF894301)。SbDREB基因cDNA全长1206bp,包含一个编码284个氨基酸的完整开放阅读框。对氨基酸序列比对分析表明,该蛋白在靠近N端具有典型的AP2/EREBP保守结构域,且该结构域与一些高等植物DREB类转录因子的AP2区域具有高度同源性。进化树分析表明SbDREB属于DREB亚家族中的A-6亚族。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示:干旱、高盐和ABA能够诱导其表达,而低温则使其表达下调,表明该基因在毕氏海蓬子植株对干旱、盐和低温等非生物胁迫的应答中起作用。     

蒙古沙冬青AmDREB2C基因的克隆及表达分析

蒙古沙冬青(Ammopiptanthus mongolicus)是中国西北荒漠区唯一的常绿阔叶灌木,具有很强的抗寒抗旱特性。利用PCR方法从该植物克隆到转录因子Am DREB2C的c DNA和基因组DNA的全长编码区,二者均由1191 bp组成,无内含子序列,编码由396个氨基酸残基组成的蛋白,其中含1个AP2结构域和1个核定位信号。表达分析显示,Am DREB2C的转录受低温和干旱胁迫的诱导。此外,将该基因编码区c DNA成功构建到植物表达载体p CAMBIA3300-35ST上,为后续研究其功能奠定了基础。     

梅花CBF转录因子的克隆及表达

根据GenBank中与梅花同属的桃、甜樱桃等已发表CBFs转录因子序列设计简并引物,采用PCR和RT-PCR方法,从梅花基因组DNA和cDNA中克隆CBF转录因子片段。结果表明,两种途径获得的CBF基因序列一致,基因全长821bp,编码238个氨基酸,其氨基酸序列具有典型的CBF蛋白特征,包含保守的AP2/EREB DNA结合结构域及CBF家族蛋白特征短多肽序列(PKK/RPAGRxKFxETRHP和DSAWR)。氨基酸相似性分析结果表明,该基因与欧洲甜樱桃、矮扁桃等CBF转录因子相似性较高。相对荧光定量PCR结果显示,4℃低温胁迫下,其表达量符合CBF转录因子表达特点,随着胁迫时间的增长表达量呈上升趋势,8h时达峰值,说明该基因在低温胁迫下上调表达。     

白番红花CrCBF1基因的克隆及功能分析

该研究选取新疆地区耐寒植物白番红花为研究材料,采用RT-PCR方法,从白番红花中克隆得到白番红花CBF1的全长cDNA序列,命名为CrCBF1(GenBank登录号MF681787)。结果表明,CrCBF1基因完整开放阅读框ORF长642bp,编码213个氨基酸,分子量为23.8kD,理论等电点为4.99,具有CBF家族典型的AP2保守结构域;亚细胞定位分析显示,CrCBF1基因编码的蛋白定位于细胞核;酵母自激活分析显示,CrCBF1转录因子具有转录激活活性;酵母功能验证分析显示,过表达CrCBF1基因可以明显提高酵母的抗寒性。     

毛木耳漆酶基因的克隆、序列分析及其鉴定

本文利用PCR和RACE技术首次从毛木耳AP4菌株中获得编码漆酶基因的cDNA及其基因组全长序列,基因组大小为2514 bp.通过比较该漆酶基因的cDNA和基因组DNA的全长序列,发现该基因包含14个外显子和13个内含子.cDNA序列的全长为1972 bp,其包含一个完整的ORE长度为1860 bp,编码619氨基酸,推测的分子量大小为68 kD,等电点pI为5.15.在氨基酸序列的氨基末端存在一个信号肽序列,同时该基因还包括含铜氧化酶的三个功能结构域KOG1263、SufI和pfam00394.氨基酸序列与GenBank中登录的真菌漆酶蛋白序列比对表明:该氨基酸序列与其它真菌漆酶蛋白序列有较高的同源性,氨基酸序列相同性最高达41%,相似性为58%,并且含有真菌漆酶的四个保守的Cu-bind结构域.将获得的漆酶基因lacl与毕赤酵母表达载体pPIC9K连接,构建重组质粒pYH3660,将其转化到毕赤酵母中,经甲醇诱导该基因在第10天产酶高达123 IU/L,并通过Native SDS-PAGE电泳获得预期大小的漆酶蛋白条带.结构分析和功能验证均表明:本研究获得的基因lacl为漆酶基因.     

巴西橡胶树一个AP2／EREBP转录因子的克隆及表达分析

本文采用RACE技术从巴西橡胶树中鉴定出一个AP2／EREBP转录因子。该转录因子全长cDNANl225bp,最长开放阅读框699bp,预测编码蛋白包含232个氨基酸;序列比对分析发现,该转录因子具有一段保守的AP2／EREBP结构域,与拟南芥Soloist（At4g13040）具有较高的相似性,将该基因命名HbSoloist。半定量胙PcR分析结果表明,HbSoloist在巴西橡胶树的胶乳、叶片、树皮和花中均有表达。与健康橡胶树相比,死皮树胶乳HbSoloist表达量明显下降。研究发HbSoloist表达受乙烯利、茉莉酸和低温处理调控,表明HbSoloist基因可能在巴西橡胶树乙烯、茉莉酸和低温反应中发挥作用。     

蒙古沙冬青AmDREB2.1基因的克隆及表达分析

基于已建立的蒙古沙冬青[Ammopiptanthus mongolicus(Masxim.)Cheng f.]根的转录本数据库,分离到1个编码DREB类转录因子基因,命名为AmDREB2.1。该序列全长978 bp,包括531 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码176个氨基酸,具有典型的DREB转录因子保守的AP2结构域。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,该基因能在根、叶中表达,但对干旱、低温响应不同,AmDREB2.1主要参与根的干旱胁迫应答。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Selection with two alleles and complete dominance

For a plant selection model with frequency-independent viabilities, fertilities and selfing rates, it is shown that apart from global fixation, for certain parameter combinations a protected polymorphism and facultative fixation (either allele may become fixed according to initial frequencies) may both occur. Facultative fixation requires different selling rates for the dominant and recessive type. Protection of the polymorphism requires resource allocation for male and female function. In this connection the problem of purely genetically caused population extinction is discussed.
For general frequency dependence and regular segregation, the chances for establishment of a completely recessive gene are compared to those of a completely dominant gene. It is proven that the process of establishment of the recessive gene, despite a fitness advantage, may be considerably endangered by drift effects if random mating prevails. The recessive gene may reach the same effectivity in establishment as a dominant gene, only if the recessive homozygote mates exclusively with its own type during the period of establishment.     

Composition and diversity of bird communities in Swedish farmland–forest mosaic landscapes

CapsuleThe amount of forest (at local and landscape scales) and occurrence of residual habitats at the local scale are shown to be the major factors influencing bird community composition in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Aims To investigate the importance of local habitat and landscape structure for breeding birds in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Methods Breeding birds were censused at 292 points. A detailed habitat mapping was made within 300 m of the points. Within a 300–600 m radius only two major habitats (forests and arable fields) were identified.

Results Cluster analyses of bird communities identified three site types that also differed in habitat composition: (i) partially forested sites in forested landscapes; (ii) heterogeneous sites with residual habitats in mosaic landscapes; and (iii) field-dominated farmland sites in open landscapes. A total of 19 of 25 farmland bird species (restricted to farmland or using both farmland and forest) had the highest abundance in farmland sites with mosaics of forest and farmland, while only six farmland species had the highest abundance in field-dominated sites. The bird community changed from being dominated by farmland species to being dominated by forest species (common in forest landscapes without farmland) at small proportions (10–20%) of forest at the local scale. A major difference in habitat composition between heterogeneous and field-dominated sites was the occurrence of different residual habitats (e.g. shrubby areas and seminatural grasslands). These habitats seemed to influence bird community composition more than land-use, despite covering <10% of the area. Seminatural grasslands were important for bird community composition and species-richness, but grazing seemed to be less important. Among different land-use types, cereal crops were the least preferred fields. Set-asides with tall vegetation and short rotation coppices were positively associated with species-richness of farmland birds.

Conclusion In general, the composition of the landscape was important for bird community composition, although amount and distribution of forests, occurrence of residual habitats and land-use of fields at the local scale had the strongest influence on bird community composition. The possible implications of these patterns for managing farmland–forest landscapes are discussed.     

Chemical constituents from the fruits of Rhus typhina L. and their chemotaxonomic significance

This work describes the isolation and characterization of twenty-nine compounds from the fruits of Rhus typhina L., including eleven flavonoids (1–11), eleven phenols (12–22), two pentacyclic triterpenes (23–24), two organic acids (25–26), one lumichrome (27), one courmarin (28) and one pyrimidine (29) on the basis of their spectroscopic data. Compounds apigenin (1), daidzein (4), orobol (5), 3′, 5, 5′, 7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (6), naringenin (7), butein (8), (-)-catechin (9), quercetin-3-O-α-L-(3″-O-galloyl)-rhamnoside (11), 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (13), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (14), vanillin (15), methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (16), 3,5-dihydroxybenzamide (18), tyrosol (19), caffeic acid (20), 3-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one (21), phlorizin (22), friedelin (23), oleanolic acid (24), 4,4-dimethyl-heptanedioic acid (25), anthranilic acid (26), lumichrome (27), scoparone (28) and uracil (29) have not been recorded before in this plant. This is the first report on the occurrence of compounds 4–7, 9, 11, 13–14, 16, 18–21, 25–29 from the genus Rhus. Moreover, the chemotaxonomic significance of these isolated compounds was also summarized.