Molecular characterization and physico-chemical analysis of a new giant embryo mutant allele (ge t) in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The rice embryo is rich in lipid and protein bodies, bioactive chemicals such as dietary fiber, phytic acids, vitamin B and E, and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) than the endosperm. In this paper, we report a new giant embryo mutant,ge ^t, induced from somaclonal variation derived by anther culture in rice. Sequence analysis of Cytochrome P450 of the get mutant revealed thatge ^t is a new allele of theGE gene with a single point mutation with substitution of amino acid, W³⁹⁵ to L³⁹⁵. The weight of thege ^t mutant embryo was 3.7 times higher than normal embryo. Tocopherol and mineral content were also higher than the previously reported giant embryo rice variety, Keunnun. These results indicated that this new giant embryo rice (ge ^t) offers a promising source of genetic material in improving nutritional quality of rice especially tocopherol, essential minerals, and GABA.     

Ultrastructural changes associated with UV irradiation in the "germinal plasm" of Xenopus laevis

To detect structural changes following UV irradiation in the “germinal plasm,” ultrastructure of the “germinal plasm” was studied in normal and UV-irradiated eggs of Xenopus laevis at the following stages: prior to fertilization, early 2-cell, 32-cell, and late blastula. It was revealed that ultrastructural features of the “germinal plasm” were essentially common between Xenopus laevis and Rana pipiens. That is, the “germinal plasm” is composed primarily of a large aggregation of mitochondria and distinctive electron dense bodies (germinal granules). Irregularly shaped cylinderlike granules (giant germinal granules), having the same internal characteristics as the germinal granules, were found in the “germinal plasm” of all eggs examined.Comparison between normal and UV-irradiated eggs has demonstrated that UV irradiation causes swelling and vacuolation of mitochondria and fragmentation of germinal granules. The suggestion is that the integrity of certain UV-sensitive factor(s), which is involved in maintaining normal structure of germinal granules, is indispensable for the determination of the primordial germ cells.     

特种稻不育系巨胚813A的选育与研究

用350Gy剂量的Co^60-γ射线照射水稻三系保持系813B种子,获得巨胚突变体,命名为巨胚813B（简称813geB）。用巨胚813B回交813A育成特种稻不育系——巨胚813A（简称813geA）。对巨胚813B及巨胚813A的生物学特性进行研究,结果表明：巨胚813A与813A的主要农艺性状、雄性不育性及产量构成因素均无明显差异。巨胚813B与813B具有相似的农艺性状,但绝对胚重由0．61mg提高到1．36mg,相对胚重由2．70％提高到6．96％。巨胚813B糙米的蛋白质、粗脂肪、粗纤维及必需氨基酸含量均比813B高。其中蛋白质含量9．77％,比813B提高了8．80％;粗脂肪含量5．28％,比813B提高了87．23％;8种必需氨基酸含量均有提高。利用巨胚恢复系与巨胚813A可纽配成巨胚杂交稻。     

不同类型特种稻种质营养及功能性成分含量的差异

本研究以具有有色种皮、巨胚、甜味、香味、糯性等单一特殊性状或2个以上特殊性状聚合于一体的新创制特种稻种质39份和1份白米种质(对照)为试验材料,进行了黑米、黑褐米、红米、香糯米、黑巨胚糯米、红巨胚糯米、巨胚糯米、黑甜米、红甜米、白甜米等不同类型特种稻种质的营养及功能性成分含量的差异评价。结果表明,供试特种稻类型在大部分氨基酸含量和矿质元素含量上与白米差异不显著,只在个别氨基酸和矿质元素含量上与白米呈显著或极显著差异。黑褐米、红米、黑巨胚糯米、红巨胚糯米、巨胚糯米、红甜米和白甜米等7种类型的赖氨酸含量显著或极显著高于白米,高2.91%~24.68%;黑米、黑褐米、红米、香糯米、黑巨胚糯米和红甜米等6种类型的铁含量显著或极显著高于白米,高17.62%~68.09%;黑褐米、红米、黑巨胚糯米、红巨胚糯米、黑甜米、红甜米、白甜米等7种类型的钙含量显著或极显著高于白米,高23.56%~49.46%;黑米、黑褐米、红米、黑甜米、红甜米、白甜米等6种类型的锌含量显著或极显著高于白米,高12.21%~55.87%。由此表明,具有有色种皮、巨胚、甜味、香味、糯性等单一特殊性状或2~3个特殊性状的聚合对赖氨酸含量与铁、钙和锌含量的提高方面具有一定的增加效应,认为在今后以赖氨酸、铁、钙和锌含量为目标性状的功能性水稻育种中,多个特殊性状的聚合将是增加上述功能性成分含量的有效途径之一。通过鉴定评价,从创新种质中还筛选出一些功能性成分含量相对较高的优异种质,白甜米1553和红巨胚糯米1476的赖氨酸含量较高,比白米分别高29.37%和23.42%;红米1439和红米1440的铁含量较高,比白米分别高99.05%和80.00%;黑甜米1511和黑甜米1515的硒含量较高,比白米分别高194.14%和136.48%;白甜米1551和香糯米1446的γ-氨基丁酸含量较高,比白米分别高14.56%和11.83%;黑巨胚糯米1464和黑米1432的花色苷含量较高,比供试18份有色稻米的平均值分别高253.23%和248.83%。这些新创制的功能性成分含量较高的水稻种质有待于今后在育种、生态适应性鉴定与产业化中进一步得到利用。     

引进巨胚稻与普通稻的米质和营养成分分析比较

对引进的巨胚稻进行引种栽培并对其米质和营养成分进行全面分析.结果表明,巨胚稻的胚重是普通水稻胚重的3～5倍,多项营养成分如蛋白质、钙、磷、钾、钠、锰、VE、VB6和膳食纤维等的含量比普通稻米要高得多,这个结果表明巨胚稻是加工婴幼儿食品非常好的原料.     

Intestinal Enterochromaffin Cells in Branchiostoma lanceolatum,Studied by Fluorescence and Electron Microscopy

Using the Falck-Hillarp method for demonstration of biogenic amines, the presence of indole alkylamine (possibly 5-hydroxytryptamine) containing enterochromaffin cells in strongly ciliated areas of the lancelet intestine was confirmed. An electron microscopic investigation of these areas, i.e. the “lateral ciliated tract” and the “dorsal ciliated tract”, revealed two cell types. 1. Mucous cells, equipped with tall cilia and giant rootlets, constitute the dominating type. 2. Enterochromaffin cells, containing numerous electron dense granules, are sparsely scattered among the mucous cells. The intestinal indole alkylamine is believed to be involved in the regulation of ciliary activity.     

Transport of naturally occurring amino acids and alpha-amino isobutyric acid by normal and diapausing mouse blastocysts

Uptake of ¹⁴C-labelled α-amino isobutyric acid and a mixture of naturally occurring amino acids by normal mouse preimplantation blastocysts was found to be twice that of delayed implantation blastocysts. With both groups of embryos concentration of the amino acids against a gradient occurred. The results may explain, in part, the lower amino acid incorporation rates found with diapausing vs. normal blastocysts and open the question of “metabolic dormancy” of the diapausing embryo.     

Quality and safety evaluation of genetically engineered rice with soybean glycinin: analyses of the grain composition and digestibility of glycinin in transgenic rice

The composition of nutritionally and physiologically important molecules in transgenic rice with the soybean glycinin gene was determined and compared with that of a non-transgenic control. Except for the levels of protein, amino acids and moisture, no marked differences were found between the two kinds of rice. The protein content of the transgenic rice was about 20% higher than the control (control, 6.5 g/100 g; transgenic, 8.0 g/100 g) with a concomitantly lower moisture content. This increased protein content mainly resulted from the increased glycinin expressed in the transgenic rice, and the protein was susceptible to gastric and intestinal digestion juices. In parallel with the increased protein content, some important amino acids lacking in quantity in normal rice were replenished.     

Study on the Structure and Genetic Polymorphism of Embryo Sac in Polyembryonic Rice Strain AP Ⅳ

By using the technology of GMA half-section the comparative studies on the structure of embryo sac between polyembryonic rice strain AP IV and haploembryonic rice cuhivar “IR36” showed: In AP IV, except 7.8% of ovaries in which the embryo sac degenerated, there were only 27.1% of ovaries in which the structure of embryo sac was similar to that of "IR36' which was of the Polygonum type; 65.1 % of ovaries were different from “IR36”, in which some changes happened in the embryo sac: Of most two kinds of variant embryo sac, referred as poly-egg apparatus embryo sac (53.3%) and double set of embryo sac (6.3%) were found. In the poly-egg apparatus embryo sac, three egg-apparatuses were the majority which could be further divided into three types, namely, 5-2-1 type, 6-2-0 type and 5-3-0 type, based on the whole structure of embryo sac. The double set of embryo sac characterized with a large embryo sac inlaid with a small embryo sac, and with the eggs far from the micropyle part. Moreover, the other variants were also found. According to the analysis, genetic polymorphism of the structure of embryo sac was found in single-panicle in AP Ⅳ.     

温光对稻米蛋白质及氨基酸含量的影响

研究水稻结实期的温、光条件对稻米蛋白质与氨基酸含量的影响,其结果表明：同一品种作为早季栽培时,稻米氨基酸含量比作晚季栽培时低,分期播种时,以结实期日平均气温为２４℃时蛋白质含量为最高;不同海拔高度种植时,以８００ｍ处蛋白质含量为最高;结实期人工高温处理,稻米蛋白质和氨基酸含量降低,低温（２１／２０℃）处理时,粳稻的氨基酸含量增加而籼稻则有所降低,籼稻氨基酸形成的适温在２４￣２６℃之间,弱光下,糙米     

A novel calmodulin-like protein gene in rice which has an unusual prolonged C-terminal sequence carrying a putative prenylation site.

A rice cDNA encoding a novel calmodulin-like protein was identified. It has 38 additional amino acids at the C-terminus of a complete, typical calmodulin (CaM) sequence of 149 amino acids. The four C-terminal amino acid residues form a CAAL motif which could be a site for protein prenylation and may subsequently cause the protein to become membrane associated. RT-PCR analysis confirmed that such a combined protein gene truly exists in rice. Sequence analysis of its genomic counterpart showed that there is an intron located at junction of the normal CaM sequence and the 38 C-terminal amino acids. This introduces a potential stop codon for normal CaM if an alternative splicing mechanism is involved. Southern blot analysis of rice genomic DNA revealed that there is only one locus for this gene. The northern blot analysis showed that this gene is highly expressed in rice roots, shoots and flowers. The distribution of this protein demonstrates the functional importance of this novel CaM-like protein in rice.     

水稻花药对高温胁迫的生理响应

为了探明水稻花药在高温胁迫下的生理反应及适应机理,以耐热水稻品系996和热敏感水稻品系4628为材料,在人工气候室进行高温（9：00-17：00,37℃;17：00-9：00,30℃）和适温处理（9：00-17：00,30℃;17：00～9：00,25℃）,研究高温胁迫对水稻花药可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白质、热稳定蛋白、维生素C含量、膜透性及内源激素含量等生理特性的影响。结果表明,高温使水稻花药中可溶性糖含量、可溶性蛋白质含量和维生素C含量下降,热稳定蛋白含量上升;热敏感品系4628花药中丙二醛含量和相对电导率在高温胁迫下增幅大于耐热品系996;高温胁迫下,水稻花药中GA3和IAA含量降低,ABA含量上升,耐热品系996花药中GA3、IAA含量降低幅度小于热敏感品系4628,ABA含量增加幅度小于热敏感品系4628。     

Extraction and composition of rice endosperm glutelin

“Crude” glutelin was prepared from milled rice (Oryza sativa) flour by sequential extraction of the albumin-globulin fraction with 0.5 M NaCl and prolamin with 70% ethanol-0.6% β-mercaptoethanol. The solvent, 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-0.6% β-mercaptoethanol, extracted 91% of the endosperm glutelin without gelatinizing starch granules, whereas chaotropic solvents such as urea and guanidine caused extensive gelatinization. The S-cyanoethyl glutelin (Ce-glutelin) prepared by SDS extraction of the “crude” glutelin (9.5% protein) of IR480-5-9 rice gave three major subunits with MW 38000, 25000 and 16000 in the ratio 2:1:1 as determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A similar preparation from “crude” glutelin of a lower protein containing rice had the corresponding subunits in the ratio of 16:3:1. The MW 38000 subunit was unique to glutelin and was not present in C3-albumin-globulin or prolamin; the subunits were only partially purified by SDS Sephadex G-150 gel-filtration. The C3-glutelin was also prepared from a crude glutelin-prolamin preparation from IR480-5-9 by NaOH extractions followed by precipitation at pH 10 and ethanol extraction of the precipitate (C3-glutelin). This preparation had the same three major subunits and in the same ratio as C3-glutelin prepared by the SDS method. The subunits of the former preparation were separated by carboxymethyl Sephadex C-50 chromatography; the MW 38000 subunit eluted between pH 6.2–8.5, the MW 25000 in an impure state at pH values above 9, and the MW 16000 subunit was eluted at pH 8.6—9.2. Amino acid composition of the Ce-glutelin preparations were similar to each other. The MW 38000 and 16000 subunits had lower lysine contents than whole C3-glutelin, whereas the MW 25000 subunit had a higher lysine content.     

Cloning and Analyses of a Dual Specific Serine􊄯Thronine Protein Kinase Gene with High Conservative and Constitutive Expression in Oryza (OsSTK)

A cytoplasmic serine􊄯thronine protein kinase gene (OsSTK), had been cloned from Oryza genus. It was found high conservative and constitutive expression in Oryza. OsSTK gene had two exons, separated by 114 bp short intron. The open reading frame of OsSTK gene that predicted encoded a 419 amino acids protein . The amino acid sequence of OsSTK had low identities ( less than 53% ) with any other known protein kinase . The phylogenetic tree based on the partial DNA sequences of OsSTK from different species and types of wild rice and cultivated rice, was close to the taxation system ofrice . Interestingly , OsSTK had a serine, including basic amino acids and charged amino acids abundant polypeptide with a “GDGDGDGDG”sequence at N- terminal that had not been found in any other genes. OsSTK may play dual specificity that phosphorylates both serine􊄯thronine and tyrosone, because the amino acids module of VIb , VIII and XI catalytic domain have both the serine􊄯thronine and tyrosine kinase characters .     

抗植物病毒农药“病毒煞”的氨基酸成分分析

本文通过对抗植物病毒农药“病毒煞”的氨基酸成分进行分析,共含有１８种氨基酸,其中脯氨酸、谷氨酸、精氨酸和天冬氨酸含量较高,约占水解氨基酸总量的４７％;含有１９种游离氨基酸,脯氨酸含量最高,占游离氨基酸总量的５１％,说明氨基酸可能是其防病增产的有效成分之一。     

Analyses of Soluble Protein,Total and Free Amino Acids in Leaves of Different Ecotypes of Phragmites communis Growing in the Hexi Corridor

The difference of total and free amino acids and protein extracted from the leaves of four different reed ecotypes growing in Hexi corridor of Gansu Province were investigated. In all of the different reed ecotypes, the content of Asp, Glu, Gly, Leu and Ala in total amino acids were high, while the contents of Ala, Phe, Met and Thr, Pro in total amino acids varied among different reed ecotypes. Albeit Ala, Glu, Asp, Gly and Ser were the chief composition of free amino acids in leaves of all reed ecotypes, but temarkble difference was found in the content of each free amino acid from different reed ecotypes. The content of free Pro in leaves of salt meadow and salt meadow-sand dune transitional zone reed were 3.5 and 1.6 times respectively as much as in leaves of swamp reed. Swamp reed had 11 soluble proteins whereas other three reed ecotypes show that each has 13 soluble proteins. Three “salt adaptation proteins” (66 kD, 40.3 kD, 16.5 kD) were found in leaves of three reed ecotypes with varying degree of salt stress, however, the contents of 3 “salt adaptation protens” showed a negative correlation with the degree of salt stress. There was a large amount of “special protein” (11.7 kD) in leaves of sand dune reeds. These results suggest that the difference in cytogene expression takes a priority basis of adaptation of reed plants to different habitats, while a closer relationship of reeds tolerance to salt or drought stress with Pro accumulation in cells is seen than with the of accumulation stress adaptation protein.     

Amazake made from sake cake and rice koji suppresses sebum content in differentiated hamster sebocytes and improves skin properties in humans

ABSTRACT

Amazake is a traditional Japanese health drink. Here, we examined the effects of amazake on skin in cells and humans. Treatment with sake cake or rice koji suppressed intracellular lipid accumulation in differentiated hamster sebocytes, likely through the reduced expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) mRNA. In double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, seventeen Japanese women ingested either amazake or placebo for 4 weeks. Ingestion of the amazake decreased the sebum content compared to the placebo. The questionnaires showed improvements in “face color,” “dark circles under the eyes,” “glossy hair,” and “waking up well”, only in the amazake. In accordance with the questionnaires, additional analysis revealed the change in the L* values under the eyes was statistically increased in the amazake compared to the placebo. These results indicate that amazake may decrease sebum content in cells and humans and increase the L* values under the eyes, with some additional beneficial effects in humans.     

Diversity in the Content of Some Nutritional Components in Husked Seeds of Three Wild Rice Species and Rice Varieties in Yunnan Province of China

In addition to rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, there are three wild rice species, namely O.rufipogon Griff, O. officinalis Wall and O. granulata Baill, in Yunnan Province, China. Each species has different subtypes and ecological distributions. Yunnan wild rice species are excellent genetic resources for developing new rice cultivars. The nutritional components of the husked seeds of wild rice have not been investigated thus far. Herein, we report on the contents of total protein, starch, amylose, 17 amino acids, and five macro and five trace mineral elements in husked seeds from three wild rice species and six O. sativa cultivars. The mean (± SD) protein content in the husked rice of O. rufipogon, O. officinalis, and O. granulata was (14.5 ± 0.6)%, (16.3 ± 1. 1)%, and (15.3 ± 0.5)%, respectively. O. officinalis Ⅲ originating from Gengma had the highest protein content (19.3%). In contrast, the average protein content of six O. sativa cultivars was only 9.15%. The total content of 17 amino acids of three wild rice species was 30%-50% higher than that of the six cultivars. Tyrosine, lysine, and valine content in the three wild rice species was 34%-209% higher than that of the cultivars. However, the difference in total starch content among different O. sativa varieties or types of wild rice species was very small. The average amylose content of O. rufipogon, O. officinalis,and O. granulata was 12.0%, 9.7%, and 11.3%, respectively, much lower than that of the indica and japonica varieties (14.37%-17.17%) but much higher than that of the glutinous rice cultivars (3.89%). The sulfur, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and ferrite content in the three wild rice species was 30%-158% higher than that of the six cultivars. The considerable difference in some nutritional components among wild rice species and O. sativa cultivars represents a wide biodiversity of Yunnan Oryza species. Based on the results of the present study, it is predicted that some good genetic traits, especially high protein and ideal amylose content, of Yunnan wild rice species may be useful in improving the nutritional value of rice. This is the first report regarding the amino acid, mineral element, protein and amylose content of husked seeds of some Yunnan wild rice species that have important genetic characteristics for rice quality and nutritional value.     

水分胁迫对水稻籽粒蛋白质积累及营养品质的影响

以生产上广泛使用的水稻(Oryza sativa)品种‘汕优63’、‘扬稻6号’和‘武育粳3号’为材料,研究了水分胁迫对结实期水稻籽粒蛋白质积累及营养品质的影响。结果表明:正常施氮水平下,花后10~20 d的水分胁迫提高了谷氨酰胺合成酶(Glutamine synthetase,GS)和谷氨酸合酶(Glutamate synthase,GOGAT)活性,提高了籽粒自身利用无机氮合成氨基酸的能力,从而利于籽粒内蛋白质的积累,而高氮水平下,水分胁迫降低了籽粒自身合成氨基酸的能力。以重量为基数的蛋白质含有率在整个灌浆过程中呈“V”型消长,正常施氮水平下,水分胁迫明显提高了花后15 d至成熟期蛋白质含有率,而高氮水平下,水分胁迫处理的蛋白质含有率明显低于水层灌溉。与水层灌溉相比,水分胁迫提高了正常施氮水平下精米中醇溶蛋白和谷蛋白含量,但却明显降低了高氮水平下精米中醇溶蛋白和谷蛋白含量。水分胁迫对稻米中赖氨酸含量的影响因品种、植株的氮营养水平的不同而不同,水分胁迫显著降低了两种氮肥水平下‘汕优63’中赖氨酸含量,但却明显提高‘扬稻6号’中赖氨酸含量;而‘武育粳3号’于两种氮肥水平下表现恰好相反,正常施氮水平下赖氨酸含量略有升高;而高氮水平下赖氨酸含量明显降低。