Al<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Fe<Superscript>2+</Superscript> toxicity reduction potential by acid-resistant strains of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodopseudomonas palustris</Emphasis> isolated from acid sulfate soils under acidic conditions

This research aimed to evaluate the capacity of acid-resistant purple nonsulfur bacteria, Rhodopseudomonas palustris strains VNW02, TLS06, VNW64, and VNS89, to resist Al³⁺ and Fe²⁺ and to investigate their potential to remove both metals from aqueous solutions using exopolymeric substances (EPS) and biomasses. Based on median inhibition concentration (IC₅₀), strain VNW64 was the most resistant to both metals under conditions of aerobic dark and microaerobic light; however, strain TLS06 was more resistant to Al³⁺ under aerobic dark conditions. High metal concentrations resulted in an altered cellular morphology, particularly for strain TLS06. Metal accumulation in all tested PNSB under both incubating conditions as individual Al³⁺ or Fe²⁺ was in the order of cell wall?>?cytoplasm?>?cell membrane. This was also found in a mixed metal set only under conditions of aerobic dark as microaerobic light was in the degree of cytoplasm?>?cell wall?>?cell membrane. Of all strains tested, EPS from strain VNW64 had the lowest carbohydrate and the highest protein contents. Metal biosorption under both incubating conditions, EPS produced by strains VNW64 and TLS06, achieved greater removal (80 mg Al³⁺ L^?1 and/or 300 mg Fe²⁺ L^?1) than their biomasses. Additionally, strain VNW64 had a higher removal efficiency compared to strain TLS06. Based on the alteration in cellular morphology, including biosorption and bioaccumulation mechanisms, R. palustris strains VNW64 and TLS06 demonstrated their resistance to metal toxicity. Hence, they may have great potential for ameliorating the toxicity of Al³⁺ and Fe²⁺ in acid sulfate soils for rice cultivation.     

Vanadium Oxide Nanowire–Carbon Nanotube Binder‐Free Flexible Electrodes for Supercapacitors

Vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) layered nanostructures are known to have very stable crystal structures and high faradaic activity. The low electronic conductivity of V₂O₅ greatly limits the application of vanadium oxide as electrode materials and requires combining with conducting materials using binders. It is well known that the organic binders can degrade the overall performance of electrode materials and need carefully controlled compositions. In this study, we develop a simple method for preparing freestanding carbon nanotube (CNT)‐V₂O₅ nanowire (VNW) composite paper electrodes without using binders. Coin cell type (CR2032) supercapacitors are assembled using the nanocomposite paper electrode as the anode and high surface area carbon fiber electrode (Spectracarb 2225) as the cathode. The supercapacitor with CNT‐VNW composite paper electrode exhibits a power density of 5.26 kW Kg^?1 and an energy density of 46.3 Wh Kg^?1. (Li)VNWs and CNT composite paper electrodes can be fabricated in similar manner and show improved overall performance with a power density of 8.32 kW Kg^?1 and an energy density of 65.9 Wh Kg^?1. The power and energy density values suggest that such flexible hybrid nanocomposite paper electrodes may be useful for high performance electrochemical supercapacitors.     

籼稻稻米碾磨与外观品质性状的QTL定位

文章利用籼籼交组合特青/IRBB衍生的重组自交系群体, 在2个环境下对稻米碾磨品质和外观品质进行QTL定位。共计检测到控制稻米碾磨品质的QTL 12个和控制外观品质的QTL 18个, 包括糙米率8个、精米率2个、整精米率2个、粒长7个、粒宽5个和长宽比6个, 这些QTL分布于除第4和12染色体外的其他10条染色体上。其中, 第3染色体涵盖粒形基因GS3的区域对粒长、长宽比、糙米率和整精米率具有较大效应, 其献率分别为56.71%、42.23%、10.05%和4.91%; 第5染色体涵盖粒宽基因GW5的区域对粒宽、长宽比、糙米率和精米率具有较大效应, 表型变异贡献率分别为59.51%、36.68%、19.51%和4.56%。此外, 第6染色体涵盖直链淀粉含量基因Wx的区域对糙米率和精米率具有较小效应。GS3和GW5对糙米率和粒形具有重要作用。     

Sulfate-reducing bacteria in rice field soil and on rice roots.

Rice plants that were grown in flooded rice soil microcosms were examined for their ability to exhibit sulfate reducing activity. Washed excised rice roots showed sulfate reduction potential when incubated in anaerobic medium indicating the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Rice plants, that were incubated in a double-chamber (phylloshpere and rhizosphere separated), showed potential sulfate reduction rates in the anoxic rhizosphere compartment. These rates decreased when oxygen was allowed to penetrate through the aerenchyma system of the plants into the anoxic root compartment, indicating that sulfate reducers on the roots were partially inhibited by oxygen or that sulfate was regenerated by oxidation of reduced S-compounds. The potential activity of sulfate reducers on rice roots was consistent with MPN enumerations showing that H2-utilizing sulfate-reducing bacteria were present in high numbers on the rhizoplane (4.1 x 10(7) g-1 root fresh weight) and in the adjacent rhizosperic soil (2.5 x 10(7) g-1 soil dry weight). Acetate-oxidizing sulfate reducers, on the other hand, showed highest numbers in the unplanted bulk soil (1.9 x 10(6) g-1 soil dry weight). Two sulfate reducing bacteria were isolated from the highest dilutions of the MPN series and were characterized physiologically and phylogenetically. Strain F1-7b which was isolated from the rhizoplane with H2 as electron donor was related to subgroup II of the family Desulfovibrionaceae. Strain EZ-2C2, isolated from the rhizoplane on acetate, grouped together with Desulforhabdus sp. and Syntrophobacter wolinii. Other strains of sulfate-reducing bacteria originated from bulk soil of rice soil microcosms and were isolated using different electron donors. From these isolates, strains R-AcA1, R-IbutA1, R-PimA1 and R-AcetonA170 were Gram-positive bacteria which were affiliated with the genus Desulfotomaculum. The other isolates were members of subgroup II of the Desulfovibrionaceae (R-SucA1 and R-LacA1), were related to Desulforhabdus sp. (strain BKA11), Desulfobulbus (R-PropA1), or culstered between Desulfobotulus sapovorans and Desulfosarcina variabilis (R-ButA1 and R-CaprA1).     

Dynamic viscoelasticity of protease-treated rice batters for gluten-free rice bread making

Papain (cysteine protease), subtilisin (Protin SD-AY10, serine protease), and bacillolysin (Protin SD-NY10, metallo protease) increased the specific volume of gluten-free rice breads by 19–63% compared to untreated bread. In contrast, Newlase F (aspartyl protease) did not expand the volume of the rice bread. In a rheological analysis, the viscoelastic properties of the gluten-free rice batters also depended on the protease categories. Principal component analysis (PCA) analysis suggested that the storage and loss moduli (G′ and G″, respectively) at 35 °C, and the maximum values of G′ and G″, were important factors in the volume expansion. Judging from the PCA of the viscoelastic parameters of the rice batters, papain and Protin SD-AY10 improved the viscoelasticity for gluten-free rice bread making, and Protin SD-NY effectively expanded the gluten-free rice bread. The rheological properties differed between Protin SD-NY and the other protease treatments.     

The presence and the content of Monacolins in Red Yeast rice prepared from Thai glutinous rice

Red yeast rice which is a product of solid fermentation was prepared from several kinds of Thai glutinous rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Korkor 6 (RD6), Kam (Kam), and Sanpatong1 (SPT1). Monascus purpureus CMU001 isolated from available Chinese red yeast rice was used as the fermentation starter. The analysis for the presence and the content of monacolins, the cholesterol-lowering compounds, were carried out using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The presence of the monacolins was confirmed by the retention time of the reference compounds and LC-MS. The results were compared to those obtained from the Chinese red yeast rice and Thai non-glutinous rice (O. sativa L. cv. Mali105). The chromatograms show the presence of monacolin K acid form (MKA), compactin (P1), monacolin M acid form (MMA), monacolin K (MK), monacolin M (MM), and dehydromonacolin K (DMK). A large peak of a compound with the molecular weight of 358 was also detected but could not be identified. The amount of two important monacolins, compactin, and monacolin K, were determined. It was found that the highest amount of compactin and monacolin K were 21.98 and 33.79 mg/g, respectively, when using Thai rice varity O. sativa L. cv. RD6 which was fermented without adding soybean milk.     

Carbon footprints of rice production in five typical rice districts in China

Five provinces located in the five main rice-growing regions in China were selected as study areas, which were Jiangsu, Heilongjiang, Sichuan, Guangdong and Hunan province respectively in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, northern, southwest, southern and central rice districts. Carbon footprints of rice production in these five provinces were calculated through the life cycle assessment method using governmental statistical data, industrial standards and relevant technical data separately. Material and energy consumptions were estimated, key stages of energy consumptions and carbon emissions were identified as well. Moreover, improving measurements had been suggested correspondingly. The results indicated that: the energy consumptions of rice production in these five provinces ranked as following (high to low): Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Hunan, Sichuan and Jiangsu. The carbon footprints of rice production were 2504.20 kg carbon dioxide equation per ton rice (kgCO₂-eq./t) (Guangdong province), 2326.47 kgCO₂-eq./t (Hunan province), 1889.97 kgCO₂-eq./t (Heilongjiang province), 1538.90 kgCO₂-eq./t (Sichuan province) and 1344.92 kgCO₂-eq./t (Jiangsu province) respectively. Reducing the quantities of urea and using the intermittent irrigation method could decrease energy consumption as well as carbon footprint.     

Genetic engineering of rice to resist rice tungro disease

Rice tungro disease (RTD), caused by the co-infection of rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and rice tungro spherical virus, is one of the most important viral diseases of rice in South and Southeast Asia. The disease remains one of the major threats to sustainable rice production in many countries. The lack of resistance genes to RTBV—the causal agent of tungro disease—makes it even more difficult to manage RTD. In this review, we summarize previous and current research efforts to genetically engineer rice in order to increase the crop’s resistance to tungro disease, including the use of pathogen-derived resistance and of host genes that confer RTD resistance and/or that restrict feeding by the insect vector. The prospects of developing rice cultivars with durable resistance to RTD are also discussed.     

Plant-mediated interactions between the rice water weevil and fall armyworm in rice

Greenhouse studies were conducted to investigate plant-mediated interactions between an above-ground and a below-ground herbivore when sharing a common host plant, rice (Oryza sativa L). Two common pests of rice were used: the rice water weevil (RWW), Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, as the root herbivore, and the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) as the foliage-feeding herbivore. Rice water weevil larval performance was assessed by measuring larval density and average weight in response to different levels of defoliation by FAW larvae. The reciprocal experiment was done to evaluate FAW performance (growth rate) in response to RWW feeding. Severe defoliation by FAW decreased RWW densities by 32% and reduced larval weights by 48% compared to larvae on roots of non-defoliated plants. Effects in the converse experiments were not as strong. FAW growth rates were reduced 9–37% when feeding on rice leaves from plants damaged by RWW compared to larvae feed leaves from the no damage treatment. These reciprocal negative effects show that RWW and FAW are potential competitors when sharing a rice plant. Because RWW and FAW did not interact directly, competition was plant-mediated.     

Large-scale identification of expressed sequence tags involved in rice and rice blast fungus interaction

To better understand the molecular basis of the defense response against the rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe grisea), a large-scale expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing approach was used to identify genes involved in the early infection stages in rice (Oryza sativa). Six cDNA libraries were constructed using infected leaf tissues harvested from 6 conditions: resistant, partially resistant, and susceptible reactions at both 6 and 24 h after inoculation. Two additional libraries were constructed using uninoculated leaves and leaves from the lesion mimic mutant spl11. A total of 68,920 ESTs were generated from 8 libraries. Clustering and assembly analyses resulted in 13,570 unique sequences from 10,934 contigs and 2,636 singletons. Gene function classification showed that 42% of the ESTs were predicted to have putative gene function. Comparison of the pathogen-challenged libraries with the uninoculated control library revealed an increase in the percentage of genes in the functional categories of defense and signal transduction mechanisms and cell cycle control, cell division, and chromosome partitioning. In addition, hierarchical clustering analysis grouped the eight libraries based on their disease reactions. A total of 7,748 new and unique ESTs were identified from our collection compared with the KOME full-length cDNA collection. Interestingly, we found that rice ESTs are more closely related to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) ESTs than to barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and maize (Zea mays) ESTs. The large cataloged collection of rice ESTs in this study provides a solid foundation for further characterization of the rice defense response and is a useful public genomic resource for rice functional genomics studies.     

Branching in rice

Rice branching, including the formation of tillers and panicle branches, has been well investigated over the past several years because of its agronomic importance. A major breakthrough in elucidating rice tillering in the recent years was the discovery of strigolactones, a specific group of terpenoid lactones that can inhibit axillary bud outgrowth. Since that discovery, new tillering mutants, that is, dwarf 27 (d27) or dwarf14 (d14, also reported as d88 or htd2), have been identified with reduced strigolactone levels or strigolactone response. DWARF27 (D27) and DWARF14 (D14) probably act on strigolactone biosynthesis and signal transduction, respectively. Additionally, several genes controlling panicle branches have been identified recently. DEP1 and IPA1/WFP are essential dominant/semidominant regulators that determine rice panicle branches and thus affect the grain yields. More importantly, dep1 and ipa1 alleles have been shown to be applicable for the improvement of rice grain yields in molecular breeding.     

不同品种水稻群体冠层光谱特征比较研究

应用分光光谱辐射仪对不同株型水稻品种的冠层光谱辐射能进行观测和计算,比较分析了不同冠层群体光谱分布特征的差异性。结果表明,不同株型水稻品种群体冠层内太阳光谱辐射反率α,透射率β和吸收率τ及消光系数K存在明显差异,尤其以蓝光辐射（400－510nm)差异最为显著。在水稻生长后期,这些差异表现更为突出。     

A rice isoflavone reductase-like gene, OsIRL, is induced by rice blast fungal elicitor

We have isolated and characterized a rice isoflavone reductase-like gene, OsIRL, whose expression is induced by a fungal elicitor. The OsIRL cDNA contains 1203 bp with an open reading frame of 942 nucleotides encoding 314 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of OsIRL has a putative pyridine nucleotide binding domain and is 68% homologous with the maize isoflavone reductase-like gene. Southern blot analysis revealed that OsIRL belongs to a small multigene family. Expression of OsIRL was induced by treatment with a fungal elicitor and jasmonic acid as well as by inoculation with rice blast fungus. Cycloheximide (1 microM), strongly inhibited the induction of OsIRL by the fungal elicitor, indicating that new protein synthesis is required. The protein kinase inhibitor, staurosporine (1 microM), had little effect, but the phosphatase inhibitor, calyculin A (1 microM), strongly inhibited induction. Treatment with salicylic acid (SA, 5 mM) strongly inhibited expression of OsIRL in response to fungal elicitor and JA, while abscisic acid (ABA, 200 microM) also strongly antagonized OsIRL induction by JA, but had only a weak effect on induction by the fungal elicitor. These results suggest that the expression of OsIRL is positively regulated by phytohormones such as JA, and negatively by phytohormones such as SA, ABA.     

春玉米-晚稻与早稻-晚稻种植模式碳足迹比较

量化作物生产的碳足迹有助于为农业生态系统温室气体减排提供理论依据。利用生命周期法研究了我国南方地区稻田春玉米-晚稻水旱轮作种植模式和早稻-晚稻连作种植模式下粮食生产的碳足迹,并定量分析粮食生产过程中各种碳排放源的相对贡献。结果表明,与早稻-晚稻的连作模式相比,春玉米-晚稻轮作模式的单位面积碳排放降低了6724 kg CO₂-eq/hm²,单位产量的碳足迹降低了0.56 kg CO₂-eq/kg。春玉米比早稻少排放6228 kg CO₂-eq/hm²;与早稻-晚稻模式中晚稻碳排放相比,春玉米-晚稻轮作模式晚稻碳排放降低了497 kg CO₂-eq/hm²。早稻-晚稻种植模式的碳足迹主要来源于甲烷（CH₄）,其碳排放为9776 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（54.8%）,氮肥生产和施用的碳排放为2871 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（16.1%）,灌溉电力消耗的碳排放2849 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（16.0%）。春玉米-晚稻轮作模式的碳足迹主要来源于CH₄的碳排放4442 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（39.9%）,氮肥生产和施用的碳排放2871 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（25.8%）,灌溉电力消耗的碳排放1508 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（13.6%）。该模式中晚稻的碳足迹组成情况与春玉米-晚稻模式的碳足迹相似。但是,对于春玉米而言,其碳足迹主要来源氮肥生产和施用的碳排放1436 CO₂-eq/hm²（50.1%）,氧化亚氮（N₂O）的碳排放为579 kg CO₂-eq/hm²（20.2%）,CH₄的碳排放为378 CO₂-eq/hm²（13.2%）。同时,相比于早稻-晚稻中晚稻的产量（6333 kg/hm²）,春玉米-晚稻轮作模式下的晚稻产量（7270 kg/hm²）提高了14.8%。因此,引入春玉米-晚稻轮作模式有利于提升稻田生产力,降低稻田连作系统碳排放和碳足迹。     

Relationship between trace metal concentration and antioxidative activity of ancient rice bran (red and black rice) and a present-day rice bran (Koshihikari).

Antioxidative activity and polyphenol and trace metal content in bran from ancient rice varieties (red and black rice) and a present-day variety of rice (Koshihikari) were measured. The antioxidative properties of rice bran in terms of scavenging and quenching activity for reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anion radicals (*O(2)(-)), hydroxyl radicals (*OH), singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) and lipid peroxide (LOO*), correlated well with polyphenol and trace metal content. In particular, the possibly that Mn content greatly contributes to the antioxidative properties of rice bran was revealed.     

Proteomic analysis of pathogen-responsive proteins from rice leaves induced by rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea

Proteomic approaches using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) were adopted to identify proteins from rice leaf that are differentially expressed in response to the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea. Microscopic observation of inoculated leaf with M. grisea revealed that callose deposition and hypersensitive response was clearly visible in incompatible interactions but excessive invading hypha with branches were evident in compatible interactions. Proteins were extracted from leaves 24, 48, and 72 hours after rice blast fungus inoculation. Eight proteins resolved on the 2-DE gels were induced or increased in the inoculated leaf. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight analysis of these differentially displayed proteins showed them to be two receptor-like protein kinases (RLK), two beta-1.3-glucanases (Glu1, Glu2), thaumatin-like protein (TLP), peroxidase (POX 22.3), probenazole-inducible protein (PBZ1), and rice pathogenesis-related 10 (OsPR-10). Of these proteins, RLK, TLP, PBZ, and OsPR-10 proteins were induced more in the incompatible interactions than in compatible ones. A phytohormone, jasmonic acid also induced all eight proteins in leaves. To confirm whether the expression profile is equal to the 2-DE data, seven cDNA clones were used as probes in Northern hybridization experiments using total RNA from leaf tissues inoculated with incompatible and compatible rice blast fungal races. The genes encoding POX22.3, Glu1, Glu2, TLP, OsRLK, PBZ1, and OsPR-10 were activated in inoculated leaves, with TLP, OsRLK, PBZ1, and OsPR-10 being expressed earlier and more in incompatible than in compatible interactions. These results suggest that early and high induction of these genes may provide host plants with leading edges to defend themselves. The localization of two rice PR-10 proteins, PBZ1 and OsPR-10, was further examined by immunohistochemical analysis. PBZ1 accumulated highly in mesophyll cells under the attachment site of the appressorium. In contrast, OsPR-10 expression was mainly localized to vascular tissue.     

Cytotoxic steroids from Monascus purpureus-fermented rice

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an EtOH extract of Monascus purpureus-fermented rice led to the isolation of two new steroids (22S, 23R, 24S)-20β,23α,25α-trihydroxy-16,22-epoxy-4,6,8(14)-trienergosta-3-one (1), the first example of a steroid possessing both a conjugated triene ketone system and a fused 4H-furan ring side chain within one molecule, and (22E, 24R)-3β,5α-dihydroxyergosta-23-methyl-7,22-dien-6-one (2), as well as two known compounds (22E, 24R)-3β,5α-dihydroxyergosta-7,22-dien-6-one (3) and (22E, 24R)-6β-methoxy-ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α-diol (4). Their structures were assigned by detailed interpretation of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute stereochemistry of 1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography while the absolute stereochemistry of 2 was established by CD. Compounds 1-4 showed cytotoxic activity against the lung adenocarcinoma (A549) with IC(50) values of 0.08, 0.94, 12.6 and 13.5 μM, respectively. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate activities against human ovarian cancer (A2780), with IC(50) values of 2.8 and 5.1 μM.     

Metabolite profiles of rice cultivars containing bacterial blight-resistant genes are distinctive from susceptible rice

The metabolic changes of bacterial blight-resistant line C418/Xa23 generated by molecular marker-assisted selection (n= 12), transgenic variety C418-Xa21 generated by using the Agrobacterium-mediated system (n= 12), and progenitor cultivar C418 (n= 12) were monitored using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The validation, discrimination, and establishment of correlative relationships between metabolite signals were performed by cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and partial least squares-discriminant analysis. Significant and unintended changes were observed in 154 components in C418/Xa23 and 48 components in C418-Xa21 compared with C418 (P< 0.05, Fold change > 2.0). The most significant decreases detected (P< 0.001) in both C418/Xa23 and C418-Xa21 were in three amino acids: glycine, tyrosine, and alanine, and four identified metabolites: malic acid, ferulic acid, succinic acid, and glycerol. Linoleic acid was increased specifically in C418/Xa23 which was derived from traditional breeding. This line, possessing a distinctive metabolite profile as a positive control, shows more differences vs. the parental than the transgenic line. Only succinic acid that falls outside the boundaries of natural variability between the two non-transgenic varieties C418 and C418/Xa23 should be further investigated with respect to safety or nutritional impact.     

Introduction of Wx transgene into rice wx mutants leads to both high- and low-amylose rice

The Waxy (Wx) gene encodes a granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) that plays a key role in the amylose synthesis of rice and other plant species. Two functional Wx alleles of rice exist: Wx(a), which produces a large amount of amylose, and Wx(b), which produces a smaller amount of amylose because of the mutation at the 5' splice site of intron 1. Wx(b) is largely distributed in Japonica cultivars, and high amylose cultivars do not exist in Japonica cultivars. We introduced the cloned Wx(a) cDNA into null-mutant Japonica rice (wx). The amylose contents of these transgenic plants were 6-11% higher than that of the original cultivar, Labelle, which carries the Wx(a) allele, although the levels of the Wx protein in the transgenic rice were equal to those of cv. Labelle. We also observed a gene-dosage effect of the Wx(a) transgene on Wx protein expression, but a smaller dosage effect was observed in amylose production with over 40% of amylose content in transgenic rice. Moreover, one transgenic line carrying eleven copies of the transgene showed low levels of Wx expression and amylose in the endosperm. This suggested that the integration of excessive copies of the transgene might lead to gene silencing.