Incubation of sperm heads impairs fertilization and early embryo development following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) by decreasing oocyte activation in mice

When intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is performed in mice, isolation of sperm heads is usually performed prior to injections in order to increase the efficiency of the procedure. Consequently, the isolated sperm heads undergo an inevitable incubation in vitro. However, little is known about the effects of this incubation step on fertilization and embryo development following ICSI. When we incubated sperm heads at 37 °C, there was a significant time-dependent decrease in fertilization and blastocyst formation. Moreover, the DNA integrity of the sperm heads was maintained over 12 h incubation. Using assisted oocyte activation, these defects in fertilization and embryo development were rescued. Taken together, incubation of sperm heads following isolation can affect the oocyte-activating capacity of sperm thereby compromising fertilization and embryo development associated with ICSI.     

大中型鸟类标本修复翻新方法探索

本文报道一种修复与翻新大中型鸟类标本的方法,包括以下步骤:1.拆标本;2.皮张回软、清洗;3.皮张修复缝合;4.涂抹防腐剂;5.支撑架制作与固定;6.填充与缝合;7.整形与标本固定.皮张回软时,利用药液浸泡可使皮张保持弹性,保证翻新后皮张仍保持完好形态.珍珠棉水果网作为填充物,既环保又可免招虫蛀,亦能使做出的标本形态更加逼真.     

植物侧根发育的研究进展

侧根是植物根系的重要组成部分,其发生和发育受到内源植物激素和外界环境因素的共同影响。生长素在侧根发生起始、侧根原基的发育和侧根突破母体表皮等阶段均发挥关键作用。研究侧根的发育和形态解剖结构以及信号调控途径等,都具有重要的理论和实践意义。本文结合近年来的研究进展,综述了拟南芥和水稻侧根发育的详细过程和影响因素,重点关注生长素在侧根原基发生和发育过程中的作用。     

Sequence analysis of human cytomegalovirus US28 gene in low-passage clinical isolates from children and AIDS patients

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is often a dangerous opportunistic pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in newborn children and immunocompromised patients. The different symptoms and tissue tropisms of HCMV infection may result from genetic polymorphism. This study investigated the sequence variability of the HCMV US28 ORF, which shows sequence homology to the G protein-coupled receptor. HCMV isolated from suspected pediatric cases and isolates from AIDS patients were compared in order to examine the possible associations between polymorphisms and pathogenesis. Seventy children with suspected congenital HCMV infection, who suffered from jaundice (47), megacolon (10), and microcephaly (13), and 17 AIDS patients, were studied. Mutation was prevalent among the sequences of US28, with a focus on the two ends of US28. The important functional groups of US28 are highly conserved. An unrooted tree showed that all sequences from suspected congenitally infected infants and AIDS patients were divided into three groups. Comparison showed that most of the sequences (12/17) from pediatric patients were included in the first group (G1), whereas most of the sequences (11/17) from AIDS patients were included in the third group (G3). The specific high mutation sites in US28 from children were located at the C terminus of the protein, whereas those from AIDS patients were located at the N terminus. We demonstrated the existence of polymorphisms among the US28 genes of clinical isolates of HCMV from infants with suspected congenital infection. Comparison of US28 sequences from AIDS patients with those from children showed that both sequences have their own specific high mutation points.     

Construction and characterization of Lactobacillus pentosus expressing the D antigenic site of the spike protein of Transmissible gastroenteritis virus

This study explored the feasibility of Lactobacillus pentosus as a live vehicle to deliver and express antigen. First of all, L.?pentosus transformed by electroporation with the plasmids pg611-6D (anchored) and pg612-6D (secretory) based on the xylose operon generated the recombinant strains rLppg611-6D and rLppg612-6D, respectively, expressing the D antigenic site of the spike (S) protein of Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), for intragastric administration in mice. Secondly, we collected serum, fecal, nasal, ophthalmic, and vaginal samples from pre-immune mice and after the first immunization (on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42) that were used to analyze the levels of immunoglobulins G and A against TGEV by using ELISA. In addition, a plaque reduction assay was performed using sera from groups pg611, pg612-6D, pg11-6D, and phosphate-buffered saline (blank control) to analyze TGEV-neutralizing antibody activity in vitro. A statistically significant difference in serum tests between groups demonstrated that rLppg612-6D induced better immunogenicity than rLppg611-6D, making rLppg612-6D the better candidate for oral vaccine. Taken together, L. pentosus possessed the potential to become a novel vector for mucosal vaccine in the future.     

Alpha-momorcharin enhances Nicotiana benthamiana resistance to tobacco mosaic virus infection through modulation of reactive oxygen species

Alpha-momorcharin (α-MMC), a member of the plant ribosomal inactivating proteins (RIPs) family, has been proven to exhibit important biological properties in animals, including antiviral, antimicrobial, and antitumour activities. However, the mechanism by which α-MMC increases plant resistance to viral infections remains unclear. To study the effect of α-MMC on plant viral defence and how α-MMC increases plant resistance to viruses, recombinant DNA and transgenic technologies were employed to investigate the role of α-MMC in Nicotiana benthamiana resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection. Treatment with α-MMC produced through DNA recombinant technology or overexpression of α-MMC mediated by transgenic technology alleviated TMV-induced oxidative damage and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during TMV-green fluorescent protein infection of N. benthamiana. There was a significant decrease in TMV replication in the upper leaves following local α-MMC treatment and in α-MMC-overexpressing plants relative to control plants. These results suggest that application or overexpression of α-MMC in N. benthamiana increases resistance to TMV infection. Finally, our results showed that overexpression of α-MMC up-regulated the expression of ROS scavenging-related genes. α-MMC confers resistance to TMV infection by means of modulating ROS homeostasis through controlling the expression of antioxidant enzyme-encoding genes. Overall, our study revealed a new crosstalk mechanism between α-MMC and ROS during resistance to viral infection and provides a framework to understand the molecular mechanisms of α-MMC in plant defence against viral pathogens.     

Design,synthesis and aromatase inhibitory activities of novel indole-imidazole derivatives

A series of novel indole-imidazole derivatives have been prepared and evaluated in vitro on the aromatase inhibitory activities. The results suggested that proton or a small electron-withdrawing group at para-position of the phenyl ring would enhance the inhibitory activities and any bulky group should be avoided in order to keep a relative small volume for this kind of molecules.     

霍氏肠杆菌对黑腹果蝇生长和发育的影响

【背景】共生菌群可以影响宿主的生理、代谢以及神经行为,黑腹果蝇是研究宿主与共生菌作用机制的优秀遗传模型。【目的】分离和鉴定黑腹果蝇体内的共生菌,并研究其对果蝇生长和发育的影响。【方法】利用YG固体培养基分离果蝇肠道菌;革兰氏染色、生化鉴定和16S rRNA基因比对鉴定菌种;体内定殖和世代传递实验验证细菌与果蝇的共生关系;建立无菌和悉菌模型,通过发育历期和生长速率来验证其促生长作用;RT-PCR检测促生长分子基因表达;免疫荧光染色检测果蝇肠道细胞的增殖;葡萄糖氧化酶法检测葡萄糖浓度。【结果】分离到一株能够明显促进果蝇生长发育的细菌,经鉴定为霍氏肠杆菌(Enterobacter hormaechei),该菌可以稳定定殖于黑腹果蝇肠道以及培养基内,而且可以世代垂直传递。该菌可明显地促进果蝇的生长,并通过加速促胸腺激素的分泌来发挥促生长作用,同时可以促进果蝇肠道细胞的增殖。霍氏肠杆菌相较于无菌果蝇可以降低体内葡萄糖水平。【结论】霍氏肠杆菌是黑腹果蝇的有益共生菌,实验证实其可以促进果蝇的生长和发育。     

Unraveling independent origins of two tetraploid Achillea species by amplicon sequencing

Allopolyploidy is a significant mechanism of plant speciation, and many allopolyploid species have arisen recurrently. However, the probability that allopolyploidization between the same two parental species could lead to the origin of different taxa has received little attention. Here we used a new progenitor‐specific amplicon sequencing method to demonstrate the independent origins of two yarrow species, Achillea alpina L. and Achillea wilsoniana Heimerl ex Hand.‐Mazz., through allotetraploidy from the same diploid progenitor species pair, Achillea acuminata (Ledeb.) Sch. Bip. and Achillea asiatica Serg. Based on the sequences of 17 nuclear genes from 21 wild populations of the four Achillea species investigated, a clear view of genetic structure and demographic history was obtained with each species. Significant genetic differentiation was evident between the two tetraploid species. Two genetically distinguishable groups were detected within one of the progenitor, A. acuminata, and ancestors belonging to those two groups contributed to the two tetraploid species. Excluding fixed heterozygosity, we detected extremely low genetic diversity in many populations of both tetraploid species. Approximate Bayesian computation indicated that both tetraploid species originated before the Last Glacial Maximum, and nearly all diploid lineages went through population declines after the allopolyploidization events. Our study indicates that independent allopolyploidization events between the same Achillea parental species have generated two genetically and ecologically distinct taxa.     

植物SABATH甲基转移酶研究进展

近年来对植物甲基转移酶（methyltransferases,MTs）的研究发现了新一类成员,并用最初发现的3个酶将其命名为SA-BATH甲基转移酶（SABATHMTs）,这3个酶分别是水杨酸羧基甲基转移酶（salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferases,SAMT）、苯甲酸羧基甲基转移酶（benzoic acid carboxyl methyltransferases,BAMT）和可可碱合酶（theobromine synthase）。SABATHMTs能对植物激素和其他一些小分子物质进行N位或O位甲基化形成相应的甲基化产物,在植物次生代谢、发育及防御中起重要作用。本文从SABATHMTs潜在底物、进化及调控等方面综述了近年来对该家族的研究。