Postnatal exposure to finasteride causes different effects on the prostate of male and female gerbils

The development and maintenance of prostate function depend on a fine balance between oestrogen and androgen levels. Finasteride inhibits 5α‐reductase, which is responsible for the conversion of testosterone into its most active form, dihydrotestosterone. Enzymes that metabolize these hormones have a highly relevant role in both the normal prostate metabolism and in the occurrence of pathological conditions. There are few studies on the impact of finasteride on male prostate development and fewer studies on the female prostate and possible intersexual differences. Therefore, we treated male and female gerbils from 7 to 14 days in postnatal life with a high dose of finasteride (500 μg/kg/day); the prostate complexes were then removed and submitted to immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and three‐dimensional reconstruction. In addition, hormonal serum dosages were administered. Treatment with finasteride resulted in an increased thickness of the periductal smooth musculature in the prostate of both male and female gerbils, such as well as a reduction in the thickness of developing prostate alveoli in both sexes. In addition, intersexual differences were observed as increased epithelial proliferation and decreases in the number of developing alveoli in females. Together, the data indicate that postnatal exposure to finasteride causes greater changes in the female gerbil prostate than in the male.     

沼泽湿地恢复演替过程中朝天委陵菜间隔子性状与分枝强度的关系

间隔子和分株影响克隆植物的空间分布和资源获取,二者之间关系的研究有助于理解克隆植物的生态适应机制。按照恢复时间设置I(5a)、II(15a)、III(25a)3个梯度,研究了永昌北海子国家湿地公园沼泽湿地恢复演替过程中朝天委陵菜(Potentilla supina)间隔子长度、直径与分枝强度之间的关系。结果表明:随着沼泽湿地恢复演替的进行,湿地群落的高度、盖度和生物量逐渐增大,土壤含水量、有机质逐渐增大,土壤容重逐渐降低;湿地群落的优势植物种群由朝天委陵菜转为黑麦草;朝天委陵菜间隔子长度和直径增大,分株数减小;间隔子长度、直径与分枝强度均呈显著负相关关系(P0.05)。沼泽湿地恢复演替过程中,朝天委陵菜由选择垄断区域资源转向逃避或忍耐不利生境,体现了湿地克隆植物在异质性生境中独特的适应性。     

青藏高原东部高寒灌丛生物量分配对模拟增温的响应

植物生物量分配特征的变化反映了不同环境条件下植物的适应策略,全球气候变暖正在改变青藏高原高寒生态系统植被动态和生物量分配格局。然而,到目前为止,有关青藏高原高寒灌丛生物量分配特征对气候变暖的响应研究较少。为了探究气候变暖对高寒灌丛生物量分配的影响,以青藏高原东部典型的窄叶鲜卑花高寒灌丛为研究对象,分析了高寒灌丛灌木层、草本层和群落水平生物量分配特征对开顶式生长室（OTC）模拟增温的响应。研究结果表明：整个生长季节,模拟增温使空气温度和表层土壤温度分别升高0.6℃和1.2℃,使表层土壤水分含量下降2.7%。模拟增温使草本层和群落地上生物量显著增加57.8%和7.2%,使灌木层、草本层和群落根系生物量显著增加42.5%、105.6%和45.6%。然而,模拟增温没有显著影响灌木层地上生物量。同时,模拟增温使灌木层、草本层和群落总生物量显著增加25.6%、85.7%和28.4%,使灌木层、草本层和群落根冠比显著增加33.2%、30.4%和36.0%。由此可见,模拟增温在促进高寒灌丛生物量生产的同时将显著提高向地下根系部分的分配比例。Pearson相关分析表明,高寒灌丛生物量分配与空气温度、土壤温度和土壤硝态氮含量呈显著正相关关系;多元线性回归分析结果也表明,空气温度、土壤温度和土壤硝态氮含量解释了高寒灌丛生物量分配变异的50.8%以上。这些结果表明,青藏高原东部高寒灌丛植被能够通过调节生物量分配模式应对未来气候变暖。     

谷子茎尖体外遗传转化体系的建立与优化

以谷子(Seteria italica)豫谷一号为实验材料, 建立了一套简便、稳定的体外茎尖遗传转化体系。通过根癌农杆菌(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)介导的茎尖转化法, 对转化受体采取不同的处理方式, 待拟转化株长到三叶期后进行PCR鉴定。探明了草丁膦(Basta)喷施处理用于谷子转基因幼苗筛选的最适浓度, 以及2种不同检测方式(直接PCR和喷施Basta+PCR)鉴定转基因植株的效果。在上述基础上, 对影响谷子遗传转化体系的多种因素进行优化。结果表明, 菌液浓度(OD₆₀₀)=1.4、侵染液中乙酰丁香酮浓度为800 μmol∙L ^-1、侵染压强为0.05 MPa、侵染40分钟有利于谷子茎尖的遗传转化。同时, 采用上述优化系统获得谷子转SiCBL4基因植株, 通过喷施草丁膦和实时荧光定量PCR对T₂代转基因植株进行遗传稳定性分析, 可节约检测时间。综上, 该研究初步建立了稳定的谷子体外茎尖遗传转化体系, 并开发了一种便捷的检测后代转基因植株的组合方法。     

龙珠果茎段离体培养和组培苗耐盐性分析

为建立龙珠果(Passiflora foetida)的快繁再生体系,以实生苗茎段为外植体,研究了植物生长调节剂对丛生芽诱导、壮苗生根的影响,同时对组培苗的耐盐性进行研究。结果表明,MS+6-BA 0.5 mg/L+NAA 0.05 mg/L培养基有利于诱导丛生芽并促进芽的生长;MS+6-BA 3.0 mg/L+NAA 0.3 mg/L培养基有利于诱导愈伤组织;1/2 MS+IBA 0.2 mg/L培养基适合小芽壮苗生根。组培苗移栽至泥炭土∶蛭石∶珍珠岩(2∶1∶1)的基质中,成活率可达92.6%,且植株生长良好。0～200 mmol/L NaCl处理的组培苗生长不受影响;超过200 mmol/L NaCl处理,植株出现矮化、叶片萎蔫、变黄等现象。随NaCl浓度升高,叶片的SOD活性逐渐升高,POD、CAT和APX活性则呈先升高后降低的趋势。这为龙珠果的种苗繁育、海滨生态修复提供了技术支持。     

Kip-related protein 3 is required for control of endoreduplication in the shoot apical meristem and leaves of Arabidopsis

The cell cycle plays an important role in the development and adaptation of multicellular organisms; specifically, it allows them to optimally adjust their architecture in response to environmental changes. Kip-related proteins (KRPs) are important negative regulators of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which positively control the cell cycle during plant development. The Arabidopsis genome possesses seven KRP genes with low sequence similarity and distinct expression patterns; however, why Arabidopsis needs seven KRP genes and how these genes function in cell cycle regulation are unknown. Here, we focused on the characterization of KRP3, which was found to have unique functions in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) and leaves. KRP3 protein was localized to the SAM, including the ground meristem and vascular tissues in the ground part of the SAM and cotyledons. In addition, KRP3 protein was stabilized when treated with MG132, an inhibitor of the 26S proteasome, indicating that the protein may be regulated by 26S proteasome-mediated protein degradation. KRP3-overexpressing (KRP3 OE) transgenic plants showed reduced organ size, serrated leaves, and reduced fertility. Interestingly, the KRP3 OE transgenic plants showed a significant reduction in the size of the SAM with alterations in cell arrangement. In addition, compared to the wild type, the KRP3 OE transgenic plants had a higher DNA ploidy level in the SAM and leaves. Taken together, our data suggest that KRP3 plays important regulatory roles in the cell cycle and endoreduplication in the SAM and leaves.     

A novel enzymatic process for glycogen production

Two well-established methods to prepare glycogen are available: (1) extraction from natural resources such as shellfish and animal tissues; (2) synthesis from glucose-1-phosphate using two enzymes, α-glucan phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1) and branching enzyme (EC 2.4.1.18). We have developed a novel enzymatic process for glycogen production, in which short-chain amylose is first prepared from starch or dextrin by using isoamylase (EC 3.2.1.68), and then branching enzyme and amylomaltase (EC 2.4.1.25) are added to synthesize glycogen. Our enzymatic process, using isoamylase, branching enzyme and amylomaltase, is currently the most efficient for glycogen production. Furthermore, the molecular weight of glycogen is controllable in a range of 3.0×10⁶ to 3.0×10⁷ by adjusting some parameters of the reaction.     

A set of Arabidopsis thaliana miRNAs involve shoot regeneration in vitro

Plant miRNAs, the critical regulator of gene expression, involve many development processes in vivo. However, the roles of miRNAs in plant cell proliferation and redifferntiation in vitro remain unknown. To determine better the molecular mechanism of these processes, we have recently reported that a set of miRNAs with different expression patterns between cells of totipotent and non-totipotent Arabidopsis calli. Some of these were specifically up- or downregulated during callus formation or shoot regeneration, and other development. Among them, miR160, and one of its target genes, ARF10, regulated Arabidopsis in vitro shoot regeneration via WUS, CLV3 and CUC1/2. The miR160-overexpressing, 35S transgenic lines, exhibited reduced shoot regeneration efficiency. The mARF10, a miR160-resistant form of ARF10, showed a high level of shoot regeneration ability. In the transgenic, expression of the above shoot meristem-specific genes was elevated, which is consistent with the improved shoot regeneration. In contrast, the ARF10 deficient knockout mutant produced fewer regenerated shoot. However, overexpressors of ARF10 were only marginally more efficient than the wild type with the respect to shoot regeneration. Our observation strongly supports that proper shoot regeneration from in vitro cultured cells requires the miR160-directed negative influence of ARF10. The enhanced expression of ARF10 is likely to have contributed to the improved regeneration ability.