Bacterial leaf streak 1 encoding a mitogen-activated protein kinase confers resistance to bacterial leaf streak in rice

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS) is a major bacterial disease of rice. Utilization of host genetic resistance has become one of the most important strategies for controlling BLS. However, only a few resistance genes have been characterized. Previously, a recessive BLS resistance gene bls1 was roughly mapped on chromosome 6. Here, we further delineated bls1 to a 21 kb region spanning four genes. Genetic analysis confirmed that the gene encoding a mitogen-activated protein kinase (OsMAPK6) is the target of the allelic genes BLS1 and bls1. Overexpression of BLS1 weakened resistance to the specific Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) strain JZ-8, while low expression of bls1 increased resistance. However, both overexpression of BLS1 and low expression of bls1 could increase no-race-specific broad-spectrum resistance. These results indicate that BLS1 and bls1 negatively regulate race-specific resistance to Xoc strain JZ-8 but positively and negatively control broad-spectrum resistance, respectively. Subcellular localization demonstrated that OsMAPK6 was localized in the nucleus. RGA4, which is known to mediate resistance to Xoc, is the potential target of OsMAPK6. Overexpression of BLS1 and low expression of bls1 showed increase in salicylic acid and induced expression of defense-related genes, simultaneously increasing broad-spectrum resistance. Moreover, low expression of bls1 showed increase an in jasmonic acid and abscisic acid, in company with an increase in resistance to Xoc strain JZ-8. Collectively, our study provides new insights into the understanding of BLS resistance and facilitates the development of rice host-resistant cultivars.     

Unusual lipids and acylglucosylsterols from the roots of Livistona chinensis

A 70% ethanol extract from the roots of Livistona chinensis has been investigated, led to the isolation of 18 compounds, including two new 6′-O-acyl-β-d-glucosyl-β-sitosterols, 6′-O-(2″-hydroxyheptadecanoyl)-β-d-glucosyl-β-sitosterol (1) and 6′-O-(icosa-9″Z,12″Z-dienoyl)-β-d-glucosyl-β-sitosterol (2), two new keto esters, ethyl 16-(dodeca-4″′Z,7″′Z-dienyl)-29-oxo-15-(tetradeca-5″Z,8″Z,11″Z-trienyl) triacontanoate (7), and 16-hydroxy-8-oxohexadecyl tetradecanoate (9), a new unsaturated fatty acid, tetracosa-(11Z,14Z,18Z)-trienoic acid (8), as well as a new fatty alcohol, 10-decylnonadecane-1,19-diol (10). The structures of new compounds were elucidated, based on spectroscopic and chemical methods. The antiproliferative activity against four human tumor cell lines (K562, HL-60, HepG2, and CNE-1) was evaluated. Four compounds (1–3, 5) showed potent antiproliferative effects with the IC₅₀ of 10–100 μM. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of 6′-O-acyl-β-d-glucosyl-β-sitosterol and 3-O-acyl-β-sitosterol in the genus Livistona. Keto fatty acids and their esters are also rare in higher plant.     

Rapid detection of Chattonella marina by PCR combined with dot lateral flow strip

Journal of Applied Phycology - In this study a novel technique referred to as PCR combined with dot lateral flow strip (PCDS) is proposed and its application to the detection of harmful microalgae...     

黄河下游平原不同非农生境中植物多样性

自然、半自然等非农生境是区域农业景观的重要组成部分,对区域生物多样性保护具有重要意义。黄河下游平原区是典型的农业景观,农田是最主要的景观类型,林地、树篱等景观要素散布其中,为研究区内非农生境中生物多样性及其生态效应,采用典型样地法对区内典型农业景观中林地、树篱、田间道路和沟渠等主要非农生境中的植物群落进行调查研究。结果显示:区内植物组成以菊科、禾本科等为主;区内植物科的地理成分以世界分布和泛热带分布为主,各生境间有一定的差异,属的地理成分复杂,具有中国15个种子植物属分布型中的13个,以温带分布、世界分布和泛热带分布为主,总体上区内的植物组成以广布种为主,优势科属明显,特有种缺乏;各非农生境中的植物多样性存在一定的差异,林地和树篱生境具有较高的物种丰富度和多样性,显著高于田间道路,沟渠、林地和树篱生境中的物种均匀度和群落盖度均显著高于田间道路;β多样性分析表明田间道路生境中的群落组成分化程度在各样点间最大(β多样性指数最高);树篱、林地和田间道路等生境间群落相似性均较高,但其群落结构和优势种组成方面却存在显著的差异,沟渠作为一种特殊生境与其它生境间的群落相似性相对较低。研究表明,在黄河下游平原典型农业景观中,作为非农生境存在的林地和树篱在物种多样性维持中具有重要地位,沟渠为水生和湿生植物提供了庇护所,意义重大;各生境间高的群落相似性仅是物种组成名录相似性的反映,其空间格局和优势种群间差异明显,各生境植物群落的生态功能差异巨大。未来区内生物多样性的保护应重在生态系统过程、功能的加强以及生态系统服务的维持和提高,且需进一步在景观水平上探讨各非农景观要素的空间构型对其生态效益的影响机制及其调控和管理策略。     

OsGL1-3 is Involved in Cuticular Wax Biosynthesis and Tolerance to Water Deficit in Rice

Cuticular wax covers aerial organs of plants and functions as the outermost barrier against non-stomatal water loss. We reported here the functional characterization of the Glossy1(GL1)-homologous gene OsGL1-3 in rice using overexpression and RNAi transgenic rice plants. OsGL1-3 gene was ubiquitously expressed at different level in rice plants except root and its expression was up-regulated under ABA and PEG treatments. The transient expression of OsGL1-3–GFP fusion protein indicated that OsGL1-3 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane. Compared to the wild type, overexpression rice plants exhibited stunted growth, more wax crystallization on leaf surface, and significantly increased total cuticular wax load due to the prominent changes of C₃₀–C₃₂ aldehydes and C₃₀ primary alcohols. While the RNAi knockdown mutant of OsGL1-3 exhibited no significant difference in plant height, but less wax crystallization and decreased total cuticular wax accumulation on leaf surface. All these evidences, together with the effects of OsGL1-3 on the expression of some wax synthesis related genes, suggest that OsGL1-3 is involved in cuticular wax biosynthesis. Overexpression of OsGL1-3 decreased chlorophyll leaching and water loss rate whereas increased tolerance to water deficit at both seedling and late-tillering stages, suggesting an important role of OsGL1-3 in drought tolerance.     

Screening and identification of Shigella flexneri 2a virulence-related genes induced after invasion of epithelial cells

~~Screening and identification of Shigella flexneri 2a virulence-related genes induced after invasion of epithelial cells1. Jin, Q., Yuan, Z., Xu, J., Wang, Y., Shen, Y., Lu, W., Wang, J., Liu, H., Yang, J., Yang, P., Zhang, X., Zhang, J., Yang, G, Wu, H., Qu, D., Dong, J., Sun, L., Xue, Y, Zhao, A., Gao, Y., Zhu, J., Kan, B., Ding, K.. Chen, S., Cheng, H., Yao, Z., He, B., Chen, R., Ma, D., Qiang, B., Wen, Y, Hou, Y., Yu, J., Genome sequence of Shigella flexneri 2…     

农业景观中非农景观要素结构特征对植物物种多样性的影响——以封丘县为例

农业景观中的非农生境对维持与提高农业景观的生物多样性具有非常关键的作用。为了探究非农生境的相关结构属性对农业景观中植物物种多样性的影响,选择黄河下游平原区的封丘县为研究区域,对研究区内42个样点的非农生境进行植物多样性调查,并对各个样点周围1 km范围内的非农景观要素进行了提取,分析不同非农生境中植物物种组成及其景观要素的构成、结构及空间配置对植物物种多样性的影响。研究结果表明:不同类型的非农生境中,物种组成共有种相对较多,特有种或指示种较少;林地与树篱具有相对较高的物种多样性,以沟渠为生境的植物物种组成与其它两种生境类型相比存在明显差异;林地与树篱/沟渠的组成比例相当时,植物物种丰富度最高;景观指数对不同非农生境中的植物物种具有明显影响,景观破碎化及人为干扰指数的影响较为显著。未来在对本区域内农业景观进行结构优化的过程中,应从非农景观要素的改造入手。通过调整和设置非农景观要素的不同类型及比例、合理改造其结构与空间配置,为最终实现农业景观的有效管理与可持续健康发展奠定重要的研究基础。     

水稻糯性相关基因的全基因组关联分析

利用1 090 071个SNP标记, 对419份广西地方稻种资源核心种质的糯性进行全基因组关联分析。结果表明, 运用混合线性模型, 在P<4.72×10^-8 (4.72E-8)水平下, 检测到45个与糯性显著关联的SNP位点, 均位于第6号染色体上。通过筛选显著关联位点上、下游各150 kb区域内的基因, 共找到305个候选基因, 其中包含2个与淀粉合成酶相关的Wx和SSIIa基因; 同时在第6号染色体5.69-5.89 Mb区域发现4个与糯性显著关联的SNP位点, 该区域可能是影响水稻(Oryza sativa)糯性的重要候选区域。