Soybean leaf responses to threecornered alfalfa hopper petiole girdling

Specific leaf weight, percent moisture, and free sugar, starch, and amino nitrogen content of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) leaves were measured at 1, 3, 7, and 10 day(s) after petiole girdling by threecornered alfalfa hopper,Spissistilus festinus (Say) (Homoptera: Membracidae) nymphs. Leaf starch was increased at 1, 3, and 7 day(s) after girdling and largely accounted for corresponding increases in specific leaf weight and decreases in percent moisture, free sugars, and amino nitrogen. Specific leaf weight was increased at 10 days after girdling despite no increase in starch. Amino nitrogen content was decreased 10 days after girdling. When leaf dry weights were corrected for starch, free sugar content was not affected by girdling, and amino nitrogen content was reduced only at 3 and 10 days. The amino nitrogen: free sugar ratio was reduced only at 10 days after girdling. Changes in leaf starch indicated a rapid but reversible effect of girdling on leaf carbohydrate metabolism.     

The nucleotide sequence of a nodule-specific gene,Nms-25 of Medicago sativa: its primary evolution via exon-shuffling and retrotransposon-mediated DNA rearrangements

We present the primary structure of a nudule-specific gene, Nms-25 from Medicago sativa L. cultivar Nagyszénási. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of Nms-25 revealed that this gene shows all the characteristics of an interrupted plant gene consisting of 13 exons and 12 introns. The promoter region of Nms-25 contains the common promoter elements of plant genes as well as motifs which are supposed to be involved in nodule-specific expression. There are two exon-like sequences in the gene named PE1 and PE2 which are not present in the cDNA clones of Medicago sativa cultivar Cardinal. Intron 9 carries a retrotransposon-like element, Tms1, which might be responsible for downstream deletion events in which a heptanucleotide, ATTAGCT, might have been involved. Most of the exons, exept 1, 12 and 13, are similar to each other both in length (54 bp) and sequence (up to 94% sequence similarity). All exons are interrupted by introns in the same phase (type I). It is suggested that exon-shuffling based on illegitimate recombination in which the ATTAGCT motif might have played an active role, and retrotransposon-mediated DNA rearrangements were the primary events in the molecular evolution of the Nms-25 gene. The nucleotide sequence of the genomic clone of Nms-25 from Medicago sativa is available from the EMBL/GenBank/DDBJ Nucleotide Sequence Databases under the accession number X13287.     

Recovery of protein and chlorophyll from alfalfa by simultaneous lactic acid fermentation and enzyme hydrolysis (ENLAC)

Simultaneous lactic acid fermentation and enzyme hydrolysis by cell wall degrading enzymes (ENLAC for short) was tested for improving the recovery of cell content, such as protein and chlorophyll, from alfalfa. Alfalfa was ensiled with the addition of 1.0% (wet weight) of a variety of commercial enzymes or enzyme cocktails. The best result was achieved by the addition of a 1:1 mixture of Novo Viscozyme (containing mainly hemicellulases, cellulases, and pectinases) and Novo Celluclast 1.5 L or Genencore Cellulase 150 L (containing T. reesei cellulases). ENLAC improved the recovery of protein by 160%, chlorophyll by 240%. The same enzyme treatment in a 24-h reaction without ensiling resulted in only a 14% increase in protein recovery. ENLAC provided optimal acidic conditions for enzyme action, and due to the preservation of the plant material during ensiling, it made possible the efficient use of a low concentration of enzymes during a longer reaction time, compared to conventional 24-h enzyme treatments.     

Growth and betaine formation in Medicago sativa tissue cultures

Static and suspension tissue cultures of Medicago sativa were initiated from sterile seedlings, excised roots and aerial portions of the seedlings. Flask suspension cultures containing chlorophyll were also established. The various tissues were harvested after 30 days, growth rates were determined, and the tissue was later lyophilized. The lyophilized tissues from various batches were extracted separately with 70% EtOH. The betaine mixture was isolated from these extracts and from seeds of the plant as their tetraphenylborate salts. The betaines were separated from the latter complex via ion exchange and column chromatography and were identified by standard procedures. All of the tissues, regardless of origin, produced choline. Only chlorophyllous tissue biosynthesized stachydrine.     

梨树腐烂病抗性种质筛选及相关生理生化特性研究

以46份不同类型梨树种质资源的休眠期枝条为试材,连续2年分析枝条的腐烂病抗病性,并测定枝条韧皮部组织POD、SOD活性,以及总酚含量和组织疏松度;采用酶联免疫分析法(ELISA)测定抗病品种‘秋白’和感病品种‘茌梨’枝干中内源水杨酸(SA)和茉莉酸(JA)的含量;并依据转录组文库中SA和JA合成相关基因(PAL、ICS、AOS和AOC)片段的序列信息,通过实时荧光定量(qRT-PCR)技术分析基因的相对表达量。结果表明:(1)不同类型的梨树种质资源之间腐烂病发病程度表现出较大的差异和多样性,并以秋子梨种类抗性最强,西洋梨抗性最弱。(2)梨树种质资源种类腐烂病发病程度与其枝条韧皮部POD、SOD活性和组织疏松度无显著相关性,与枝条韧皮部总酚含量呈显著正相关关系。(3)在病菌接种情况下,抗病品种‘秋白’枝干中SA和JA含量显著上升,同时其相关合成酶基因PAL和AOS表达量也显著升高,而感病品种‘茌梨’枝干中SA和JA含量变化不明显,相关合成酶基因PAL、ICS、AOS和AOC的表达量则显著下降。研究发现,梨树不同类型种质的腐烂病抗性有明显差异,其发病程度与枝条韧皮部总酚含量呈显著正相关关系;内源SA和JA可能参与抗病梨树种质资源对腐烂病的抵御过程。     

贵州野生茶树种质资源生化多样性分析

为了发掘茶树新的种质资源,对贵州省25个县(市)境内53份树龄约100年以上的野生茶树资源的主要生化成分进行了测定评价和遗传多样性分析。结果表明53份野生茶树资源的生化成分变异幅度大,存在丰富的多样性。53份资源的氨基酸、茶多酚、咖啡碱含量及酚氨比平均变异系数为27.55%,遗传多样性指数(H’)变幅为1.88~2.08、均值为2.00。53份资源中的28份资源儿茶素组分的平均变异系数和平均遗传多样性指数分别为37.10%、1.82。有13份资源的酚氨比小于8,28份资源的酚氨比在8~15之间,12份资源的酚氨比大于15。聚类分析发现,当欧氏距离为17时,53份资源聚类可分为3大类复合组,无独立组存在。并从中初步筛选出高茶多酚资源5份、潜在优良种质资源1份及其他特殊资源20份。     

中国猕猴桃种质资源的研究与利用

全世界猕猴桃属植物共有66种,中国分布有62种,种质资源极为丰富。猕猴桃属植物中经济栽培价值较高的是中国特有的美味猕猴桃、中华猕猴桃、软枣猕猴桃和毛花猕猴桃等。以此为主要对象,对其起源、栽培历史及利用价值、种类与分布、品种资源与特异种质、种质保存、花粉形态、染色体数目与倍性、同工酶分析以及DNA分子标记等研究利用现状作一综述,并讨论了中国猕猴桃种质资源今后的研究展望。这将有助于猕猴桃种质资源的可持续利用和品种改良。     

苜蓿抗乙硫氨酸愈伤组织的筛选和特性

用乙硫氨酸为筛选剂,通过幼苗和组织培养筛选得到乙硫氨酸抗性愈伤组织。该愈伤组织在含乙硫氨酸的培养基上表现出较高的半抑制剂量和相对生长量。作为天门冬氨酸途径的产物,甲硫氨酸、异亮氨酸和赖氨酸在所筛选的愈伤组织中分别增加到对照的两倍多,但苏氨酸保持正常水平,另外酪氨酸、半胱氨酸和亮氨酸也有所增加,而在所筛选的愈伤组织中缬氨酸浓度却下降。说明在所筛选愈伤组织中存在一个以上与氨基酸合成相关的酶发生改变。同工酶分析表明,该愈伤组织中出现对照中没有的分子量为44kD的超氧化物歧化酶和分子量为45kD的酯酶谱带。