Functional receptors for the insulinotropic hormone glucagon-like peptide-I(7-37) on a somatostatin secreting cell line.

For the first time, a pectin lyase (poly(methoxygalacturonide)lyase; EC 4.2.2.10) from a member of the generus Penicillium was isolated, purified to homogeneity and characterized. The monomeric enzyme from Penicillium italicum CECT 2294 culture filtrates showed a molecular mass of 34 kDa after SDS-electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gradient gels, and the isoelectric point was 8.6 as determined by isoelectric focusing. The optimum pH (9.0), the high pH and temperature stabilities, the ability to degrade pectins from different sources and with a wide range of degrees of esterification (from 37% to 86%) as well as the importance of this type of biocatalysts in the food industry make this enzyme an interesting subject of study.     

入侵植物刺苍耳在新疆的分布及其群落特征

刺苍耳是原产于南美洲的菊科植物,2009年首次在新疆的伊宁县发现。于2010～2011年对新疆南北疆近40个县(市)中刺苍耳可能出现的区域进行调查,并采用样方法,对不同生境中刺苍耳分布相对集中的23个样地所有物种的多度、频度和重要值进行了观测和分析,以明确刺苍耳在新疆的分布区及其群落特征,为有效防治其扩散提供依据。结果显示:(1)刺苍耳分布于新疆的昌吉市、伊宁市、伊宁县、巩留县、特克斯县、新源县、察布查尔县、霍城县和尼勒克县,分布区海拔597～1 834m,生境类型包括荒漠草原和绿洲。(2)刺苍耳在荒漠草原和绿洲生境中的相对多度均处于首位,且在绿洲中达到最大值,为入侵区域最重要的物种;刺苍耳在2种生境中的相对盖度均为第一,且绿洲(46.83%)大于荒漠草原(43.00%)。(3)刺苍耳在2种生境中的综合适应力均最强,在绿洲中尤为突出,是其最易入侵的区域。研究表明,刺苍耳在新疆荒漠草原生境中尚处于局部危害阶段,但在绿洲中已处于蔓延期。     

Evaluation of common cocklebur Xanthium strumarium leaf extract as post‐harvest grain protectant of black gram against pulse beetle Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) and isolation of crude compound

The pulse beetle Callosobruchus chinensis L. is considered the most important stored grain pest of black gram Vigna mungo Hepper in Bangladesh and other tropical and subtropical countries. Bioactive compounds derived from plants can be used to control of the pulse beetle as a potential alternative to synthetic insecticides. Therefore, aqueous extracts of common cocklebur Xanthium strumarium L. leaf was examined for insecticidal properties against C. chinensis. The extracts showed toxicity, repellent properties, inhibited fecundity and adult emergence of the insects, and protected grains. Insect mortality was accounted highest (72.6%) with 4% extract at 4 days after treatment. The beetles showed highest repellency rate (58.0%) with 4% concentration at 1 hour exposure; however insect repellency decreased with time. The beetles exerted the lowest fecundity and grain damage and produced the lowest number of offspring when they were reared on grains treated with 4% extract. The insecticidal compounds present in common cocklebur leaf were extracted in chloroform and ethanol, and isolated by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and spectral studies (¹H‐NMR and IR), which identified the presence of aromatic ester, n‐hexyl salicylate or o‐hydroxy‐n‐hexyl‐benzoate and a long‐chain ketone. Therefore, naturally occurring X. strumarium and its derivatives may be potential components for integrated management of C. chinensis.     

镉胁迫对瘤突苍耳、苍耳及其杂合体种子萌发与幼苗生长的影响

入侵种与本地种杂交可能会改变其某些性状,影响其生理生化过程,增强其对一些重金属的耐受性。镉是目前造成土壤污染的主要重金属元素之一,为探讨杂交是否能够增强植物对重金属镉的耐受性,采用培养皿滤纸法比较了不同浓度镉(0,10,40,80和120 mg/L)处理下瘤突苍耳(Xanthium strumarium)、苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)及二者杂合体(X.strumarium♀×X.sibiricum♂,X.sibiricum♀×X.strumarium♂)种子萌发与幼苗生长情况。结果表明:1)入侵种瘤突苍耳与本地种苍耳之间存在杂交现象;2)镉促进了杂交瘤突苍耳(X.strumarium♀×X.sibiricum♂)种子的萌发,当镉浓度为80 mg/L时,其萌发率、发芽势、发芽指数最高;3)杂交瘤突苍耳在80、120 mg/L镉处理下根长和叶绿素含量低于瘤突苍耳,但子叶受到的氧化胁迫并未高于瘤突苍耳。研究结果显示,杂交有可能提高了瘤突苍耳在高浓度镉胁迫时对重金属镉的转运能力,幼苗根系吸收大量的镉并向上运输给子叶,导致根系生长受到抑制、子叶叶绿素含量下降,抗氧化酶系统可能在降低子叶氧化程度上发挥了作用。     

Two Phytotoxins Isolated from the Pathogenic Fungus of the Invasive Weed Xanthium italicum

Alternariol and altenuisol were isolated as the major phytotoxins produced by an Alternaria sp. pathogenic fungus of the invasive weed Xanthium italicum. Altenuisol exhibited stronger phytotoxic effect compared with alternariol. At 10 μg/mL, alternariol and altenuisol promoted root growth of the monocot plant Pennisetum alopecuroides by 11.1 % and 75.2 %, respectively, however, inhibitory activity was triggered by the increase of concentration, with root elongation being suppressed by 35.5 % and 52.0 % with alternariol and altenuisol at 1000 μg/mL, respectively. Alternariol slightly inhibited root length of the dicot plant Medicago sativa at 10–1000 μg/mL, whereas altenuisol stimulated root growth by 51.0 % at 10 μg/mL and inhibited root length by 43.4 % at 200 μg/mL. Alternariol and altenuisol did not exert strong regulatory activity on another dicot plant, Amaranthus retroflexus, when tested concentration was low, however, when the concentration reached 1000 μg/mL, they reduced root length by 68.1 % and 51.0 %, respectively. Alternariol and altenuisol exerted similar effect on shoot growth of three tested plants but to a lesser extent. It is noteworthy to mention that this is the first report on the phytotoxicity of altenuisol.     

Blue-White Colony Selection of Virus-Infected Isogenic Recipients Based on a Chrysovirus Isolated from Penicillium italicum

Mycoviruses have been found to infect more than 12 species of Penicillium, but have not been isolated from Penicillium italicum(P. italicum). In this study, we isolated and characterized a new double-stranded RNA(ds RNA) virus, designated Penicillium italicum chrysovirus 1(Pi CV1), from the citrus pathogen P. italicum HSPi-YN1. Viral genome sequencing and molecular characterization indicated that Pi CV1 was highly homologous to the previously described Penicillium chrysogenum virus. We further constructed the mutant HSPi-YN1 Dpks P defective in the polyketide synthase gene(pks P), which is involved in pigment biosynthesis, and these mutants formed albino(white) colonies. Then we applied hyphal anastomosis method to horizontally transmit Pi CV1 from the white virus-donors(i.e., HSPi-YN1 mutants) to wild-type recipients(i.e., P.italicum strains HSPi-CQ54, HSPi-HB4, and HSPi-HN1), and the desirable Pi CV1-infected isogenic recipients, a certain part of blue wild-type strains, can be eventually selected and confirmed by viral genomic ds RNA profile analysis. This bluewhite colony screening would be an easier method to select virus-infected P. italicum recipients, according to distinguishable color phenotypes between blue virus-recipients and white virus-donors. In summary, the current work newly isolated and characterized Pi CV1, verified its horizontal transmission among dually cultured P. italicum isolates, and based on these, established an effective and simplified approach to screen Pi CV1-infected isogenic recipients.     

气候变化情景下外来入侵植物刺苍耳在新疆的潜在分布格局模拟

明确区域尺度上外来入侵种的潜在分布格局及其对气候变化的响应对入侵种的预防和控制具有重要意义。以外来入侵植物刺苍耳(Xanthium spinosum L.)为研究对象,以其扩散蔓延的新疆地区为研究区域,结合中国国家气候中心开发的BCC—CSM1—1模式下的将来气候条件,应用MaxEnt模型和ArcGIS空间分析技术构建了未来不同气候变化情景(RCP4.5,8.5)下2050s和2070s的刺苍耳适宜生境预测模型,定量的展示了气候变化情景下刺苍耳在新疆的扩散趋势及其适宜生境的面积空间变化和分布区中心移动轨迹。结果表明:年降雨量、下层土壤有机碳含量、上层土壤pH值、年温度变化范围、降雨量的季节性变化和年平均温度是影响刺苍耳地理分布的主导环境因子;博州、塔城、阿勒泰西北部、哈密中部、巴州北部、克州中部、阿克苏北部、奎屯市、克拉玛依市、五家渠市、喀什市等地为高危入侵风险区;两种气候模式下刺苍耳的各级适生区面积和总适生面积均呈持续增加的变化趋势,且在RCP8.5情景(最高温室气体排放情景)下响应更为敏感;总体上看,刺苍耳在新疆的分布未达到饱和,呈现以塔城中部为中心,向天山北麓和塔克拉玛干北缘方向辐射状扩散,且两种气候变化情景下至2070s分布区中心均向伊犁州奎屯方向移动。     

Do floral odor profiles geographically vary with the degree of specificity for pollinators? Investigation in two sapromyophilous Arum species (Araceae)

We compared floral odour profiles among populations of two Arum species which show different degrees of specificity for their fly pollinators. Insects were collected from inflorescences in four populations of Arum italicum and two populations of Arum maculatum. In six Arum populations, we compared inflorescences odour profiles collected by Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) and analysed by gas chromatography. We confirmed that from a pollination point of view, A. italicum is an opportunist species, as it is mainly pollinated by insects of the families Psychodidae, Chironomidae and Sciaridae, whereas A. maculatum is a specialist species, as it is 90% pollinated by Psychodidae. In all populations, Arum italicum was less attractive to pollinators than Arum maculatum. Floral odour profiles of A. italicum were not geographically structured among populations, suggesting a high gene flow or adaptation to a fluctuant guild of pollinators. On the contrary, odour profiles of A. maculatum varied between the two populations studied suggesting a lower gene flow or adaptation to different local pollinator preferences     

Accumulation of 6-Azauridine by Mutants of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes

From the inosine producing mutants of Brevibacterium ammoniagenes, KY 13761 was selected as a strain which produced 6-azauridine from 6-azauracil.

The conditions for the conversion were examined and the intermitent feeding of 6-azauracil was found effective for the accumulation.

In order to increase the accumulation, prototrophic revertants were induced from KY 13761 and KY 13021 was selected. By intermitent feeding of 6-azauracil of a final concentration of 6 mg per ml, a maximal accumulation, 12.4 mg/ml, of 6-azauridine was obtained with KY 13021.