用RAPD技术探讨中国枣的种下划分

利用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)技术对14个枣Ziziphus jujuba 品种和1个野生种——泰山酸枣Z．spinosus的遗传变异进行了研究。从120个10-碱基随机引物中筛选出37个多态性引物用于正式扩增,共扩增出429条DNA带,其中多态性带214条,占49．88％。根据DNA扩增结果计算了品种及类型间遗传距离,并用UPGMA构建了聚类树状图。分析结果表明：龙爪枣 Z．jujuba var．tortuosa、葫芦枣 Z. jujuba var．lageniformis、无核枣 Z.jujuba var．anucleatus 等几个变种内的遗传距离大于变种间遗传距离,认为枣的变种划分是不自然的,宜并入其原变种;枣种下不宜设变种,对枣种下的众多品种,应根据品种间的遗传关系,直接划分品种群。     

Effects of tannins and related polyphenols on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) often acquires multi-drug resistance and is involved in many cases of disease in hospitals. We investigated natural substances directly effective against MRSA or that influence antibiotic resistance. Aloe-emodin, an anthraquinone, and several licorice flavonoids showed potent antibacterial effects against MRSA. Like some hydrolysable tannins (corilagin and tellimagrandin I) and a tea polyphenol [(-)-epicatechin gallate], the licorice flavonoid licoricidin also restored the effects of oxacillin, a beta-lactam antibiotic against MRSA. Further study revealed that theasinensin A, a polyphenol formed from (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, proanthocyanidins obtained from fruits of Zizyphus jujuba var. inermis, and polymeric proanthocyanidins from fruit peels of Zanthoxylum piperitum also suppressed the antibiotic resistance of MRSA.     

冬枣过氧化氢酶基因的克隆及表达分析

从冬枣半红期和全红期果实的SSH文库中筛选得到与桃树CAT1基因相似性高达88%的基因片段。根据该基因片段设计特异性引物,通过5′和3′-RACE扩增,拼接得到1 586bp序列,该序列包含了1 479bp的完整开放阅读框,编码492个氨基酸,具有CAT基因家族的保守功能域,命名为ZjCAT,GenBank登录号为JN831452。氨基酸序列分析表明,ZjCAT与桃树、陆地棉等多种植物的过氧化氢酶有很高的相似性,并属于类型Ⅲ过氧化氢酶。实时PCR分析结果显示,ZjCAT基因在冬枣不同组织和果实成熟期差异性表达,其中在冬枣半红期果实中表达量最高。表明ZjCAT基因在冬枣果实成熟衰老过程中可能具有重要的调控作用。     

Neurophysiological study on possible protective and therapeutic effects of Sidr (Zizyphus spina-christi L.) leaf extract in male albino rats treated with pentylenetetrazol

In this study, anti-convulsant effect of Sidr leaf extract was examined by using pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model on male albino rat by evaluating the changes in norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) contents in different brain regions (cerebellum, brainstem, striatum, cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and hippocampus). The administration of subconvulsive dose of PTZ (40 mg/kg i.p.) every other day for 9 days caused a significant decrease in monoamine content in different brain areas, this is may be due to the increase in nitric oxide levels, although antagonized the GABAA receptors which led to neurotransmitter release so the content is decreased. Administration of PTZ after treatment with Sidr (50 mg/kg i.p.) leaf extract for 3 weeks as a protective group and administration of Sidr leaf extract for 3 weeks after treatment of PTZ as a therapeutic group caused significant increase in NE, DA, and 5-HT contents in all tested brain regions at most of the time intervals studied. This may be due to the presence of peptide and cyclopeptide alkaloids in the extract which inhibit neurotransmitter activity which led to the inhibition of neurotransmitter release. From these results, we can say that the Sidr leaf extract has neuroprotective and therapeutic roles against pentylenetetrazol convulsant effect.