Synergistic and additive interactions among components of food-based baits underlie female fruit fly attraction

Attraction of tephritid fruit flies to some food sources can be enhanced by the presence of ammonia derivatives, compounds that are perceived as volatile cues for protein-rich food sources. Using a comparative approach, we (1) evaluated the behavioral responses of females of three invasive fruit fly species, Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) cucurbitae (Coquillett), Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (all Diptera: Tephritidae) to trub (a protein-rich waste brewer’s yeast product generated during the production of beer), Concord grape juice (a protein-deficient material), and ammonium acetate, and (2) identified synergistic and additive interactions between low- and high-attractiveness materials and ammonium acetate. We established the attractiveness of fresh trub, grape juice, and ammonium acetate when tested singly to females of all three fly species. Although ammonium acetate did not enhance significantly the response of females of any species to fresh trub, the most attractive material, ammonium acetate, did significantly enhance females’ level of response to aged trub (a comparatively less attractive material) and to grape juice. Our research found a synergistic interaction between diluted grape juice and ammonium acetate for B. cucurbitae, as well as between aged trub and ammonium acetate for B. dorsalis. For C. capitata, additive effects among food attractants and ammonium acetate were identified. Our findings increase our understanding of fruit fly female olfactory-driven behavior in response to food-based materials and the extent to which ammonium acetate modulates female response to protein-rich and protein-deficient materials.     

新型甘露聚糖酶-乙酰酯酶双功能酶的功能和结构域协同研究

[目的] 分析鉴定高效木质纤维素降解菌群EMSD5来源的新型甘露聚糖酶-乙酰酯酶双功能酶44884,解析催化域间的协同关系,以及碳水化合物结合模块（CBM）对催化域特性的影响,拓展对该类双功能酶的认识,为甘露聚糖酶的升级改造和应用提供依据。[方法] 通过大肠杆菌异源表达甘露聚糖酶-乙酰酯酶双功能酶44884,并构建截短和定点突变的突变体,利用TLC和DNS法比较野生型和突变体的酶学性质。[结果] 成功对44884全长和突变蛋白进行克隆表达,并发现44884中2个催化域能够彼此促进各自产物的释放,而且以双功能酶形式存在时,这种促进效果更为明显。44884中的2个CBM65均有甘露聚糖和结晶纤维素结合活性,且CBM65的存在并不改变甘露聚糖酶和乙酰酯酶的最适反应条件和水解模式。虽然CBM65显著降低了2个催化域的热稳定性,但水解天然底物时,2个CBM65对各自临近催化域的水解具有明显的促进效果。[结论] 本研究首次发现并探究了新型甘露聚糖酶和乙酰酯酶形成的双功能酶44884的功能,解析了催化域之间高效的协同效应,以及新型甘露聚糖结合模块CBM65对双功能酶水解的促进作用。     

绿僵菌与3种杀虫剂混配对樟巢螟的协同作用

采用定量喷雾法测定了绿僵菌、白僵菌以及3种杀虫剂对樟巢螟Orthaga achatina低龄幼虫的室内毒力,并测定了金龟子绿僵菌Ma09与3种杀虫剂混配后的协同作用。结果显示：4种昆虫病原菌菌株均对樟巢螟2~3龄幼虫具有较好的致死效果,用绿僵菌和白僵菌孢悬液处理后,死亡高峰期在3~4 d;白僵菌GDLY9的防治效果最好,处理浓度为1×109孢子/mL下LT50和LT90分别为3.01、3.95 d,金龟子绿僵菌Ma09、3297效果相当,黄绿绿僵菌Mf985的LT50相对低一些,但是LT90优于金龟子绿僵菌Ma09和3297。金龟子绿僵菌Ma09与苯氧威、除虫脲和短稳杆菌混配后均表现出增效作用,协同指数分别为20.43、27.53和33.13。     

Improvement of corn stover bioconversion efficiency by using plant glycoside hydrolase

Plant cell wall is the most abundant substrate for bioethanol production, and plants also represent a key resource for glycoside hydrolase (GH). To exploit efficient way for bioethanol production with lower cellulase loading, the potential of plant GH for lignocellulose bioconversion was evaluated. The GH activity for cell wall proteins (CWPs) was detected from fresh corn stover (FCS), and the synergism of which with Trichoderma reesei cellulase was also observed. The properties for the GH of FCS make it a promising enzyme additive for lignocellulose biodegradation. To make use of the plant GH, novel technology for hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation was developed with corn stover as substrate. Taking steam-exploded corn stover as substrate for hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation, compared with T. reesei cellulase loaded alone, the final glucose and ethanol accumulation increased by 60% and 63% respectively with GH of FCS as an addition.     

Evaluation of Solanum xanthocarpum extract as a synergist for cypermethrin against larvae of the filarial vector Culex quinquefasciatus (Say)

Cypermethrin and crude extracts of Solanum xanthocarpum were both observed for their larvicidal activity against Culex quinquefasciatus. Petroleum ether extract with lethal concentration (LC)₅₀ and LC₉₀ of 41.28 and 111.16 p.p.m. after 24 h and LC₅₀ 38.48 and LC₉₀ 80.83 p.p.m. after 48 h, respectively, was found to be the most effective, followed by carbon tetrachloride and methanol extracts. LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ for cypermethrin were 0.0027 and 0.0097 p.p.m. after 24 h and 0.0013 and 0.0092 p.p.m. after 48 h of exposure, respectively. Combined formulations were evaluated for synergistic activity and a 1:1 ratio of cypermethrin and petroleum ether extract was observed to be more effective than 1:2 and 1:4 ratios. Combinations of S. xanthocarpum extracts and cypermethrin demonstrated higher larvicidal activity, indicating synergistic activity. These results demonstrate the need for further studies on the effectiveness and toxicity to humans and animals, particularly aquatic forms.     

Synergy between verapamil and other multidrug-resistance modulators in model membranes

Various cationic lipophilic compounds can reverse the multidrug resistance of cancer cells. Possible interaction between these compounds, which are known as modulators, has been assessed by measuring leakage of Sulphan blue from anionic liposomes, induced both by verapamil alone and by verapamil in combination with diltiazem, quinine, thior idazine or clomipramine. An equation was derived to quantify the permeation doses and Hill coefficients of the drugs and mixtures between them by simultaneous fitting of the experimental data. The interaction was tested by two methods, the competition plot and the isobole method; both showed synergy between verapamil and each of diltiazem, qui nine and thioridazine. The dose factor of potentiation for verapamil determined within membranes was 4.0 ± 0.4 with diltiazem, 3.2 ± 0.4 with quinine and 2.4 ± 0.3 with thior idazine. The results suggest that the effectiveness of reversing multidrug resistance may be increased with modulators such as verapamil and diltiazem that have a much greater effect in combination than what would be expected from their effects when considered separately.     

Activity of fungicide mixtures against Botrytis cinerea isolates resistant to benzimidazoles,strobilurins and dicarboximides

Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of grey mould in a broad range of crops, is considered a high‐risk plant pathogen for fungicide resistance development. The use of fungicide mixtures, particularly combinations with synergistic activity, can be a useful tactic to counteract resistance build‐up in pathogen populations. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different ratios of two‐way mixtures of carbendazim, iprodione, kresoxim‐methyl, tebuconazole and penconazole on four B. cinerea isolates that were sensitive or resistant to benzimidazoles, dicarboximides and strobilurins. The isolates that were resistant to benzimidazoles and strobilurins had E198A and G143A mutations in β‐tubulin and cytochrome b genes, respectively. The mixtures had different effects on each of the isolates in vitro but, in 13 combinations, the synergistic effect was observed against all or three isolates. In greenhouse experiments, 11 fungicide combinations used in decreased (EC₇₅) concentrations showed the maximum control efficiency. The two follow‐up greenhouse experiments using six selected combinations revealed they were highly effective against additional isolates with various fungicide resistance profiles. The identified mixtures‐ratios have potential for use in grey mould management programs in the greenhouse.     

Cry1Fa对Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫的毒力评价

为了防治多种鳞翅目害虫, 表达Cry1Fa的转基因玉米和棉花已在美国商业化种植。明确棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera对Cry1Fa与Cry1Ac的交互抗性及这两种杀虫蛋白之间的协同作用, 可以为表达 Cry1Fa+Cry1Ac的转双价抗虫棉花的合理应用提供依据。本实验测定了Cry1Fa对棉铃虫敏感品系（96S）及用Cry1Ac筛选的抗性品系（BtR, 抗性倍数2 194.15倍）的毒力, 发现Cry1Fa对敏感棉铃虫的毒力远低于Cry1Ac, LC₅₀值是Cry1Ac的504.80倍; 而且抗性品系BtR对Cry1Fa存在19.98倍的交互抗性。Cry1Fa与Cry1Ac混用可以提高Cry1Fa毒杀敏感棉铃虫的效果, 尤其是Cry1Fa浓度较低时, 加入Cry1Ac, 可以显著增加Cry1Fa的毒力; 但只有加入较高浓度的Cry1Fa时才能增加Cry1Ac的毒力。由于BtR品系已经对Cry1Ac产生抗性, Cry1Ac对抗性棉铃虫的毒力明显降低; 在较高浓度的Cry1Ac中加入Cry1Fa可以显著增加棉铃虫的死亡率（P=0.0015, F=6.88, df=6）, 但最高死亡率仅为58.33%。D-饱和最优试验的结果证实, Cry1Ac对于敏感棉铃虫的死亡率的影响达到显著水平（t₁=13.76﹥t_0.05）, Cry1Ac与Cry1Fa的交互作用对毒力的影响也达到显著水平（t₂₂=2.42﹥t_0.05; t₁₁=6.95﹥t_0.05; t₁₂=3.43﹥t_0.05）。Cry1Ac和Cry1Fa对抗性棉铃虫死亡率的影响都达到显著水平（t₁=3.03﹥t_0.05;t₂=2.59﹥t_0.05）, 但Cry1Ac是决定抗、 感棉铃虫死亡率的关键因素; Cry1Ac与Cry1Fa最佳浓度配比范围都是1.41~2.10 μg/cm2; 在抗性品系中, Cry1Ac和Cry1Fa的交互作用不显著。所以, 尽管Cry1F+Cry1A作物扩大了杀虫谱, 但棉铃虫对这两种蛋白存在交互抗性, 而且这两种蛋白混用对治理抗Cry1Ac棉铃虫的效果不理想, 因此不建议在中国种植表达Cry1F+Cry1A的棉花。关     

Pharmacological studies on the sedative and hypnotic effect of Kava kava and Passiflora extracts combination

Kava kava extract, Passiflora extract and a combination of both extracts, administered to mice, caused a significant decrease of the amphetamine-induced hypermotility and significant prolongation of sleeping phase induced by subcutaneous injection of barbiturates. Due to a synergism of both extracts, simultaneously administered the pharmacologically registered effect in both in vivo experiments was found to be superior over the sum of the single separately administered extracts.