Cytological and mapping analysis of a novel male sterile type resulting from spontaneous floral organ homeotic conversion in marigold (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tagetes erecta</Emphasis> L.)

A male sterile line was isolated in marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) and cytological analysis determined this to be a novel genic male sterility trait (Tems). Through the use of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and bulked segregant analysis (BSA), tightly linked markers of Tems were identified with a view towards a map-based cloning strategy. It was found that spontaneous homeotic conversion of floral organs was the underlying cause of the male sterility in this marigold line. Thus, petals of male sterile plants resembled sepal-like structures and the stamens were partially converted to styles, although without the full characteristics or function of the true style organs. We have constructed a fine marker-based map for the Tems gene. This is intended to provide a tool for marker assisted selection (MAS) strategies in hybrid breeding and map-based cloning strategies for the male sterility locus. We discuss the significance of this spontaneously derived genic male sterility trait relating to the homeotic conversion of floral organs in marigold.     

Stable isotopic signatures of carbon and nitrogen in soil aggregates following the conversion of natural forests to managed plantations in eastern China

Plant and Soil - Land cover change (LCC) from natural forest (NF) to plantations (PF) has occurred worldwide over the past several decades. However, the different LCC effects on soil aggregate C...     

Responses of soil chemical and biological properties to nitrogen addition in a Dahurian larch plantation in Northeast China

Soil microbial properties play a key role in belowground ecosystem functioning, but are not well understood in forest ecosystems under nitrogen (N) enrichment. In this study, soil samples from 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers were collected from a Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) plantation in Northeast China after six consecutive years of N addition to examine changes in soil pH, nutrient concentrations, and microbial biomass and activities. Nitrogen addition significantly decreased soil pH and total phosphorus, but had little effect on soil total organic carbon (TOC) and total N (TN) concentrations. The NO ₃ ^? -N concentrations in the two soil layers under N addition were significantly higher than that in the control, while NH ₄ ⁺ -N concentrations were not different. After six years of N addition, potential net N mineralization and nitrification rates were dramatically increased. Nitrogen addition decreased microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN), and MBC/TOC and MBN/TN in the 0–10 cm soil layer, but MBC/MBN was increased by 67% in the 0–10 cm soil layer. Soil basal respiration, microbial metabolic quotient (qCO₂), and β-glucosidase, urease, acid phosphomonoesterase and nitrate reductase activities in the two soil layers showed little change after six years of N addition. However, soil protease and dehydrogenase activities in the 0–10 cm layer were 41% and 54% lower in the N addition treatment than in the control, respectively. Collectively, our results suggest that in the mid-term N addition leads to a decline in soil quality in larch plantations, and that different soil enzymes show differentiated responses to N addition.     

The CD16+ monocyte subset is more permissive to infection and preferentially harbors HIV-1 in vivo

HIV-1 persists in peripheral blood monocytes in individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with viral suppression, despite these cells being poorly susceptible to infection in vitro. Because very few monocytes harbor HIV-1 in vivo, we considered whether a subset of monocytes might be more permissive to infection. We show that a minor CD16+ monocyte subset preferentially harbors HIV-1 in infected individuals on HAART when compared with the majority of monocytes (CD14highCD16-). We confirmed this by in vitro experiments showing that CD16+ monocytes were more susceptible to CCR5-using strains of HIV-1, a finding that is associated with higher CCR5 expression on these cells. CD16+ monocytes were also more permissive to infection with a vesicular stomatitis virus G protein-pseudotyped reporter strain of HIV-1 than the majority of monocytes, suggesting that they are better able to support HIV-1 replication after entry. Consistent with this observation, high molecular mass complexes of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G) were observed in CD16+ monocytes that were similar to those observed in highly permissive T cells. In contrast, CD14highCD16- monocytes contained low molecular mass active APOBEC3G, suggesting this is a mechanism of resistance to HIV-1 infection in these cells. Collectively, these data show that CD16+ monocytes are preferentially susceptible to HIV-1 entry, more permissive for replication, and constitute a continuing source of viral persistence during HAART.     

肾素(原)受体在大鼠肾小球系膜细胞和肾脏的表达

近年发现的肾素（原）受体（renin／prorenin receptor,RnR）已被证明具有生物学功能,在心、肾及多种细胞表达。本文旨在观察RnR在体外培养的大鼠肾小球系膜细胞（mesangial cells,MCs）和肾脏中是否表达,及其表达的细胞部位,并用RnR的多肽阻断剂肾素原“柄区肽”（handle region peptide,HRP）与RnR结合后观察受体复合物进入细胞的过程与定位。结果显示,RnR主要存在于大鼠肾脏皮质肾小球系膜区和体外培养的MCs的细胞核周围胞浆和细胞膜。将FITC标记的HRP（FITC-HRP）加入细胞培养液后30S到30min期间,可观察到FITC-HRP由培养液转移到胞浆内并进入细胞核。用免疫荧光和激光共聚焦技术观察到,HRP与RnR的共定位主要位于细胞膜和细胞核周围胞浆;在30min时,一部分HRP已进入细胞核,而RnR没有进入细胞核内,仍主要位于细胞核周围胞浆。上述结果提示,RnR与其配基结合后进入细胞内并发挥生物学效应。     

四氯化碳联合二乙基亚硝胺对小鼠精巢的毒性作用

为了研究四氯化碳(CCL4)联合二乙基亚硝胺(DEN)对小鼠(Mus musculus domesticus)精巢的毒性作用。将昆明小鼠随机分为对照组与实验组,各12只个体。实验组每周2次腹腔注射含有15%CCl4的花生油溶液,同时自由饮用0.07‰的DEN溶液,连续诱导8周。对照组每周2次注射花生油,饮用蒸馏水。分别于第3、6、8周处死实验组及对照组小鼠各4只,对其精巢组织进行常规固定、包埋、切片、H.E染色,观察精巢的形态及精子数量的变化。与实验组比较,对照组小鼠体重明显增加,且实验组与对照组差异显著;与对照组相比,实验组睾丸系数以及精子存活率均显著减少。对照组小鼠精巢都具有正常的生精小管结构,管腔中存在大量精子;第3周,实验组小鼠的精巢与对照组类似,生精小管较为完整,生精细胞稍有散乱;第6周,实验组生精小管变形,生精细胞排列疏松,精子数目减少且畸形;第8周,实验组生精小管残缺不全,生精细胞和精子散乱排列,精子数量大大减少且变形更为严重。实验说明,CCl4联合DEN能够造成小鼠精巢组织的损害以及精子数目的减少和畸变。     

褐飞虱磷脂酰肌醇3激酶p85α亚基基因NlPIK3R1的克隆与功能分析

【目的】PI3K信号通路在生物体中发挥重要功能,涉及糖和脂质的代谢、细胞和组织生长以及生物个体寿命等。本研究旨在探明该通路中磷脂酰肌醇3激酶(PI3K)在褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens中的功能。【方法】根据转录组提供的PI3K p85α核心序列信息,应用c DNA末端快速克隆的技术(RACE)获得了编码PI3K p85α的基因Nl PIK3R1的全长c DNA(Gen Bank登录号为KP635379),并应用荧光定量PCR和通过给成虫喂食ds Nl PIK3R1对Nl PIK3R1进行RNA干扰(RNAi)分别对该基因的表达规律和功能进行了研究。【结果】荧光定量PCR测定结果表明,Nl PIK3R1在褐飞虱若虫和雄成虫中表达量均较低,但在怀卵雌成虫中大量表达。RNAi结果表明,给褐飞虱成虫喂食0.1和0.5μg/μL ds Nl PIK3R1均导致Nl PIK3R1的表达明显受到抑制,高浓度组的抑制效果尤为明显。喂食ds Nl PIK3R1对褐飞虱成虫具有极显著致死效果,高浓度组的褐飞虱成虫在饲喂第7天时存活率仅为37.5%,相比于空白对照组(87.00%)和ds GFP对照组(76.67%)均达到了极显著差异(P0.01)。对Nl PIK3R1的RNAi导致褐飞虱成虫羽化率下降和体重变轻。【结论】本研究结果显示,Nl PIK3R1基因对褐飞虱的生存、生长和发育具有重要作用,可以作为防治褐飞虱的潜在靶标。     

太白山锐齿栎树干基部两种蚂蚁的筑巢生态学及其蚁巢、体表真菌组成研究

本文研究了太白山锐齿栎景观林带树干基部筑巢的两种蚂蚁的筑巢生态学及其巢内真菌的组成.研究结果表明:亮腹黑褐蚁Formica gagatoides Ruzsky是锐齿栎林中的优势蚁种,可在地表及树干上活动,主要取食栎树枝条上蚜虫所分泌的蜜露及其他昆虫和植物材料;盘腹蚁Aphaenogaster sp.仅在蚁巢周围活动,捕...     

Antibody detection of SARS-CoV spike and nucleocapsid protein

Early detection and identification of SARS-CoV-infected patients and actions to prevent transmission are absolutely critical to prevent another SARS outbreak. Antibodies that specifically recognize the SARS-CoV spike and nucleocapsid proteins may provide a rapid screening method to allow accurate identification and isolation of patients with the virus early in their infection. For this reason, we raised peptide-induced polyclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV spike protein and polyclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein using 6x His nucleocapsid recombinant protein. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining showed that these antibodies specifically recognized SARS-CoV.