Functional characterization of the heterooligomeric EbrAB multidrug efflux transporter of Bacillus subtilis

The Bacillus subtilis genome contains two tandem genes, ebrA and ebrB, which encode two homologues of the SMR family of multidrug efflux transporters. The sequences of EbrA and EbrB are highly similar to each other and to that of EmrE, the prototypical SMR transporter of Escherichia coli. Drug resistance profiling and drug binding experiments showed that the presence of both EbrA and EbrB is required for proper transport function. EbrA and EbrB directly interact and combine to form a functional transporter. They likely form a heterodimer in analogy to the EmrE homodimer. Mutagenesis experiments indicate that the conserved membrane-embedded glutamates in the first transmembrane helices of both EbrA and EbrB are required for multidrug efflux activity. However, the two glutamates are nonequivalent since EbrA E15 is required for substrate binding while EbrB E14 is not. Our studies support a model in which functional residues in EbrAB are relegated to at least two sets that participate in distinct steps of the active drug transport process.     

长城北京段风景区植被特征及植物多样性

为了对长城北京段风景区的植被景观恢复重建和生物多样性的保育提供科学依据,探讨旅游开发对风景区生物多样性的影响,对长城北京段八达岭、慕田峪、司马台风景区的植物多样性进行了样方调查。结果表明：八达岭、慕田峪、司马台分别含维管植物459、626、437种,41个群系;植物向菊科、禾本科、豆科等世界性大科集中;八达岭与司马台物种相似性较大,但与慕田峪群系相似性较大。根据海拔、坡度、坡向、坡位因子对群落进行除趋势典范对应分析（DCCA）,发现海拔是决定植物群落类型分布的主要因子,但群落物种多样性与海拔没有明显的关系;用Wilson指数和群落结构变异指数对荆条、油松等常见群落β多样性测度发现,旅游影响降低了风景区内局部地区如海拔420、490、620m等处物种多样性;八达岭、司马台景区内森林群落还处于森林植被恢复演替初期,群落不稳定,应加强封育、抚育。同时,根据长城景区植物多样性、植被及旅游管理现状提出了相关保护建议。     

Enantioselective Degradation of Chiral Insecticide Dinotefuran in Greenhouse Cucumber and Soil

The enantioselective degradation behavior of the chiral insecticide dinotefuran in cucumber and soil was investigated under greenhouse conditions based on the method established with a normal‐phase high‐performance chromatography (HPLC) on a ChromegaChiral CCA column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm, ES Industries). The linearity range, matrix effect, precision, and accuracy of the method were evaluated and the method was then successfully applied for the enantioselective analysis of dinotefuran in cucumber and soil. Significant enantioselectivity of degradation was observed in soil according to the results. The (+)‐dinotefuran was more persistent in soil with half‐life of 21.7 d, which is much longer than that of (–)‐dinotefuran (16.5 d). In cucumber, the (–)‐dinotefuran also tended to be preferentially degraded both in foliar and douche treatment. However, the statistical analysis indicated the enantioselectivity of degradation in cucumber was not significant. The research provides the first report concerning the enantioselective degradation of dinotefuran enantiomers and the results can be used for understanding the insect‐controlling effect and food safety evaluation. Chirality 27:137–141, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Host‐induced gene silencing of an essential chitin synthase gene confers durable resistance to Fusarium head blight and seedling blight in wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Fusarium seedling blight (FSB) of wheat, caused by Fusarium pathogens, are devastating diseases worldwide. We report the expression of RNA interference (RNAi) sequences derived from an essential Fusarium graminearum (Fg) virulence gene, chitin synthase (Chs) 3b, as a method to enhance resistance of wheat plants to fungal pathogens. Deletion of Chs3b was lethal to Fg; disruption of the other Chs gene family members generated knockout mutants with diverse impacts on Fg. Comparative expression analyses revealed that among the Chs gene family members, Chs3b had the highest expression levels during Fg colonization of wheat. Three hairpin RNAi constructs corresponding to the different regions of Chs3b were found to silence Chs3b in transgenic Fg strains. Co‐expression of these three RNAi constructs in two independent elite wheat cultivar transgenic lines conferred high levels of stable, consistent resistance (combined type I and II resistance) to both FHB and FSB throughout the T₃ to T₅ generations. Confocal microscopy revealed profoundly restricted mycelia in Fg‐infected transgenic wheat plants. Presence of the three specific short interfering RNAs in transgenic wheat plants was confirmed by Northern blotting, and these RNAs efficiently down‐regulated Chs3b in the colonizing Fusarium pathogens on wheat seedlings and spikes. Our results demonstrate that host‐induced gene silencing of an essential fungal chitin synthase gene is an effective strategy for enhancing resistance in crop plants under field test conditions.     

中国姜花属十九个分类群的细胞学研究

采用压片法对中国姜花属十八个分类群进行了体细胞染色体计数,对白姜花减数分裂终变期I的染色体数目和形态进行了观察。结果显示:包括白姜花在内的十九个分类群中有六个二倍体,一个三倍体,十二个四倍体,其中十二个分类群的体染色体数目为首次报道,显示中国姜花属植物具有较高比例的多倍体类型;姜花属的染色体基数为n=17,染色体组可能是多倍体起源的。     

浙江普陀山岛鸟类区系研究

2004年5月至2005年6月采用路线统计和定点统计相结合的方法对普陀山岛鸟类进行了调查.结果 表明普陀山岛有鸟类7目23科60种,其中留鸟30种,夏候鸟10种,冬候鸟16种,旅鸟4种;优势种4种,常见种13种,偶见种43种.黑鸢Milvus lineatus、雀鹰Accipiter nisus、赤腹鹰A.soloensis为国家Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类.东洋界种22种,古北界种24种,广布种14种.从繁殖鸟地理型分析看,东洋界种与古北界种比例为2.8:1,东洋界种占优势.苍鹭Ardea cinerea rectirostris等26种为普陀山岛鸟类新纪录.经与22年前资料比较,白鹭Egretta garzetta、黑鸢等20种相同,而青头潜鸭Aythya baeri、黑卷尾Dicrurus macrocercus、秃鼻乌鸦Corvus frugilegus、黑枕黄鹂Oriolus chinensis等19种在本次调查中未发现,旅游开发且长期受人为干扰,可能是导致部分鸟类减少的原因.     

Molecular cloning of maltooligosyltrehalose trehalohydrolase gene from Nostoc flagelliforme and trehalose-related response to stresses

A genomic DNA fragment encoding a putative maltooligosyltrehalose trehalohydrolase (NfMTH) for trehalose biosynthesis was cloned by the degenerate primer- PCR from cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme. The ORF of NfMTH is 1,848 bp in length and encodes 615 amino acid residues, constituting a 70 kDa protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of NfMTH contains 4 regions highly conserved for MTHs. By expression of NfMTH in E. coli, the function of this protein was demonstrated, where the recombinant protein catalyzed the hydrolysis of maltooligosyl trehalose to trehalose. The expressions of MTH and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase in the filaments of N. flagelliforme were upregulated significantly under dehydration stress, NaCl stress, and high temperature-drought stress. The accumulations of both trehalose and sucrose in the filaments of N. flagelliforme were also improved significantly under the above stresses. Furthermore, trehalose accumulated in smaller quantities than sucrose did when under NaCl stress, but accumulated in higher quantities than sucrose did when under temperature-drought stress, indicating that both trehalose and sucrose were involved in N. flagelliforme adapted to stresses and different strategies conducted in response to various stress conditions.