沙漠生境白沙蒿(Artemisia sphaerocephala)根围丛枝菌根真菌多样性

在腾格里沙漠东南缘的沙坡头地区设立样地,于2007年4、7和10月从白沙蒿(Artemisia sphaerocephala)根围0～10、10～20、20～30、30～40和40～50cm土层采集土样,分离其丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhiza,AM)真菌并测定相关土壤因子,研究了白沙蒿根围AM真菌的时空分布。结果表明:AM真菌在白沙蒿根系菌丝定殖率达90.5%,其根围AM真菌孢子密度平均5.4ind.g-1土,随季节变化有明显的时空差异,并与土壤微环境显著相关;共分离鉴定出5属21种AM真菌,白沙蒿根围优势菌种为光壁无梗囊霉(Acaulospora laevis),7月AM真菌物种丰富度最大;AM真菌孢子密度与土壤有机质呈极显著正相关;AM真菌种的丰富度与土壤速效磷呈极显著负相关,与土壤温度和孢子密度呈极显著正相关,与菌丝定殖率呈显著正相关。分析表明,白沙蒿与AM真菌有良好的共生关系,AM真菌增强了白沙蒿对恶劣沙生环境的抵抗力,有助于维护荒漠土壤生态系统的完整性和稳定性。     

Study of artemisinin and sugar accumulation in Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia dracunculus “hairy” root cultures

We studied the effect of genetic transformation on biologically active compound (artemisinin and its co-products (ART) as well as sugars) accumulation in Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia dracunculus “hairy” root cultures. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, and mannitol were accumulated in A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus “hairy” root lines. Genetic transformation has led in some cases to the sugar content increasing or appearing of nonrelevant for the control plant carbohydrates. Sucrose content was 1.6 times higher in A. vulgaris “hairy” root lines. Fructose content was found to be 3.4 times higher in A. dracunculus “hairy” root cultures than in the control roots. The accumulation of mannitol was a special feature of the leaves of A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus control roots. A. vulgaris “hairy” root lines differed also in ART accumulation level. The increase of ART content up to 1.02?mg/g DW in comparison with the nontransformed roots (up to 0.687?mg/g DW) was observed. Thus, Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation can be used for obtaining of A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus “hairy” root culture produced ART and sugars in a higher amount than mother plants.     

葡萄BRX基因家族生物信息学分析

BRX基因家族是一类植物特有的转录因子家族,在拟南芥中参与调节根细胞的增殖与伸长。利用生物信息学方法对葡萄基因组中存在的BRX基因家族进行了电子克隆,并对其进行了基因组的定位、蛋白质的结构、理化性质、二级结构及亚细胞定位的预测与分析,并对其与其它植物进化的亲缘关系进行了研究。基因组定位结果发现:葡萄基因组中6个BRX基因集中分布在3条染色体上,其中Vv BRX1和Vv BRX2分布在第2条染色体上,Vv BRX3和Vv BRX4分布在第9条染色体上,Vv BRX5和Vv BRX6分布在第11条染色体上;编码蛋白的氨基酸数目为360~560个,Vv BRX5的相对分子量(61 884.4)和理论等电点(9.38)均最大,而Vv BRX1的相对分子量(40 239.1)和理论等电点(6.23)均最小。研究显示,不同成员间氨基酸数目、氨基酸序列间存在一定的差异,但都为疏水性蛋白;α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为6个BRX氨基酸序列的主要组成部分;均不存在跨膜域及信号肽。基因结构分析表明,6个BRX基因都含有外显子和内含子结构。亚细胞定位分析表明:6个Vv BRX基因均定位于细胞核。系统进化分析结果表明,Vv BRX1、Vv BRX2基因与胡杨的亲缘关系最近,相似性达96%;Vv BRX3、Vv BRX4与蓖麻、麻疯树、柑橘、可可、大豆聚为一类,说明其进化关系较近;Vv BRX5与其它Vv BRX基因明显分开;Vv BRX6基因与莲的亲缘关系最近。试验结果为葡萄BRX基因家族的克隆和功能分析奠定了一定的研究基础。     

β-Cyclodextrins enhance artemisinin production in Artemisia annua suspension cell cultures

Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene antimalarial compound produced, though at low levels (0.1–1% dry weight), in Artemisia annua in which it accumulates in the glandular trichomes of the plant. Due to its antimalarial properties and short supply, efforts are being made to improve our understanding of artemisinin biosynthesis and its production. Native β-cyclodextrins, as well as the chemically modified heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin (DIMEB) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrins, were added to the culture medium of A. annua suspension cultures, and their effects on artemisinin production were analysed. The effects of a joint cyclodextrin and methyl jasmonate treatment were also investigated. Fifty millimolar DIMEB, as well as a combination of 50 mM DIMEB and 100 μM methyl jasmonate, was highly effective in increasing the artemisinin levels in the culture medium. The observed artemisinin level (27 μmol g⁻¹ dry weight) was about 300-fold higher than that observed in untreated suspensions. The influence of β-cyclodextrins and methyl jasmonate on the expression of artemisinin biosynthetic genes was also investigated.     

Germination Inhibitor in Citrus unshu Fruit Peelings: (+)-Abscisyl β-D-Glucopyranoside

(+)-Abscisyl β-D-glucopyranoside was isolated from mature Citrus unshu peelings as a germination inhibitor component. This is the first report of the direct isolation of (+)-abscisyl β-D-glucopyranoside from this source.     

高温胁迫对Bt棉铃壳中Bt蛋白含量及氮代谢的影响

以Bt基因来源于中国的棉花品种泗抗1 号(常规种)、泗抗3 号(杂交种)和来源于美国的棉花品种99B(常规棉)、岱杂1 号(杂交棉)为材料,研究了不同高温水平下Bt 棉盛铃期铃壳中Bt 蛋白含量变化及氮代谢生理特征.结果表明: 铃壳中Bt 蛋白含量随温度升高而降低,与对照相比(32 ℃),常规棉品种在38 ℃、杂交棉品种在40 ℃以上时,铃壳中Bt 蛋白含量大幅度下降.其中,常规种泗抗1号和99B在38 ℃时分别下降53.0%和69.5%;杂交种泗抗3号和岱杂1号在40 ℃时下降64.8%和54.1%.铃壳Bt 杀虫蛋白含量下降显著时,其可溶性蛋白含量明显下降,游离氨基酸含量明显提高,GPT活性显著下降,蛋白酶活性显著增加.高温影响铃壳的氮代谢引起Bt蛋白的分解加剧,合成减弱,从而造成Bt蛋白含量减少,抗虫性下降.     

Creative Activities in Music – A Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis

Creative activities in music represent a complex cognitive function of the human brain, whose biological basis is largely unknown. In order to elucidate the biological background of creative activities in music we performed genome-wide linkage and linkage disequilibrium (LD) scans in musically experienced individuals characterised for self-reported composing, arranging and non-music related creativity. The participants consisted of 474 individuals from 79 families, and 103 sporadic individuals. We found promising evidence for linkage at 16p12.1-q12.1 for arranging (LOD 2.75, 120 cases), 4q22.1 for composing (LOD 2.15, 103 cases) and Xp11.23 for non-music related creativity (LOD 2.50, 259 cases). Surprisingly, statistically significant evidence for linkage was found for the opposite phenotype of creative activity in music (neither composing nor arranging; NCNA) at 18q21 (LOD 3.09, 149 cases), which contains cadherin genes like CDH7 and CDH19. The locus at 4q22.1 overlaps the previously identified region of musical aptitude, music perception and performance giving further support for this region as a candidate region for broad range of music-related traits. The other regions at 18q21 and 16p12.1-q12.1 are also adjacent to the previously identified loci with musical aptitude. Pathway analysis of the genes suggestively associated with composing suggested an overrepresentation of the cerebellar long-term depression pathway (LTD), which is a cellular model for synaptic plasticity. The LTD also includes cadherins and AMPA receptors, whose component GSG1L was linked to arranging. These results suggest that molecular pathways linked to memory and learning via LTD affect music-related creative behaviour. Musical creativity is a complex phenotype where a common background with musicality and intelligence has been proposed. Here, we implicate genetic regions affecting music-related creative behaviour, which also include genes with neuropsychiatric associations. We also propose a common genetic background for music-related creative behaviour and musical abilities at chromosome 4.     

Starch Mobilization in Ultradried Seed of Maize （Zea mays L.） During Germination

The effects of ultradry storage on the starch mobilization in maize (Zea mays L.) seed after aging were investigated. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the content of ATP, starch, and soluble sugar, as well as the activity of amylase, between ultradried seeds and seeds stored at -20℃ during germination. These results were consistent with the higher level of vigor of the ultradried seed. Sieve tube introduction of a fluorescence dye (carboxyl fluoresceindiacetate) and laser confocal microscopy were used to study the development of plasmodesmata in the ultradried seeds. The results indicated that plasmodesmata developed well in ultradried seeds. Fluorescence analysis also showed that the fluorescence intensity in the radicle of ultradried seeds was stronger than that in seeds with a higher moisture content. This suggests that ultradry treatment has no adverse effects on the seeds. After seed imbibition, cell orgaelles could be resumed. It is concluded that ultradry seed storage is beneficial for maintaining seed vigor and that starchy mobilization proceeds regularly during germination.     

Transport of Cl– across the Plasma Membrane during Pollen Grain Germination in Tobacco

The role of Cl- transport across the plasma membrane was studied in an early step of pollen grain germination in tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. The Cl- channel blockers, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and niflumic acid, completely suppress the germination with IC(50) approximately 8 micro M. At this concentration NPPB reduces the rate of Cl- efflux out of pollen grain by 1.8-fold in the interval 5-12 min, and niflumic acid reduces the rate 1.2-fold. 4,4;-Diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2;-disulfonic acid, a known inhibitor of Cl- channels and antiporters, completely suppresses germination as well (IC(50) = 240 micro M), but has no effect on the rate of Cl- efflux. Inhibitors of chloride co-transporters, such as furosemide, bumetanide, and bis(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)pentamethine oxonol, suppress the germination by less than 50%. This set of data suggests that NPPB-sensitive anion channels are involved in the activation of pollen grains in the early stage of germination.     

Salinity Induced Changes in α-Amylase Activity During Germination and Early Cotton Seedling Growth

Salinity induced changes in -amylase activity in three cotton cultivars (NIAB-Karishma, NIAB-86 and K-115) was studied during germination and early seedling growth under controlled conditions. The increase in NaCl concentration resulted in the decrease in -amylase activity and break down of starch into reducing and non-reducing sugars in all cultivars, however, it was more pronounced in NIAB-86. K-115 showed highest germination followed by NIAB-Karishma and NIAB-86.     

Localization of γ Globulin in Rice Seed and Changes in γ Globulin Content during Seed Development and Germination

Three components of γ globulins, γ₁ γ₂ and γ₃, in rice seed were investigated immunochemically. γ₁ Globulin was found to be immunochemically distinct from γ₃ globulin because the immuno-precipitin arcs crossed, while γ₂ globulin was immunochemically identical with γ₃ globulin as γ₂ globulin reacted with the anti-γ₃ globulin-serum. It was revealed by means of fluorescent-antibody technique that both γ₁ and γ₃ globulins were localized in scutellum and aleurone cells. The content of γ₁ globulin in aleurone cells was higher than that in scutellum, while the relative contents of γ₃ globulin in these tissues were in the reverse relation. During seed development, γ₁ and γ₃ globulins increased almost linearly from the 5th day to the 40th day after flowering. On the other hand, the amounts of γ₁ and γ₃ globulins decreased rapidly in the process of germination. The rate of disappearance of γ₃ globulin was greater than that of γ₁ globulin.     

人NFBD1启动子的鉴定与初步分析

NFBD1,也称MDC1,是一个参与细胞内DNA损伤后细胞应答反应的重要分子.为了进一步深入研究其转录调控机制,本研究克隆鉴定了NFBD1的启动子.首先应用5′ RACE技术鉴定了NFBD1的转录起始位点,首次发现NFBD1至少存在3种丰度和转录起始位点不同的转录变异体.然后,通过PCR定向克隆和酶切亚克隆策略,构建了覆盖NFBD1基因5′侧翼区起始密码子ATG上游5 kb区域的一系列NFBD1启动子荧光素酶报告基因重组体.启动子活性分析表明,NFBD1启动子区域定位于主要转录起始位点区域附近1.5 kb的区域内.采用转录因子结合位点预测分析软件分析表明,NFBD1启动子缺乏TATA盒,但含有典型的CCAAT盒和GC盒以及其它潜在的转录因子结合位点,提示Sp1和NF-Y等转录因子可能参与NFBD1的转录调控