Contents of Volume 53

Plant Molecular Biology -     

INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION AND THE ROLE OF SUPERPARASITISM IN DIAPAUSE INDUCTION OF TRICHOGRAMMA EVANESCENS WEST-WOOD*

Abstract The diapause of two populations of Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (T. evanescens A and T. evanescens B), collected from different Iranian insect pests, was studied. T. evunescens A in the eggs of Corcyra cephalonica was easily induced to stable diapause with constant 8°C, 15 % and fluctuating temperature (11–23) C -11C. T. evanescens B could not be induced to diapause with the same temperatural regime and host. The experiments showed that the host of maternal generations and the ability of avoiding super-parasitism may play an important role in intraspecific variation of T. evunescens in diapause induction.     

Membrane-trafficking RabA4c involved in the effect of glycine betaine on recovery from chilling stress in Arabidopsis

Glycine betaine (GB) can confer tolerance to several types of stress at low concentrations, either after application to plants or in transgenics engineered to overproduce GB. Based on earlier studies on levels of GB in plants and evidence for effects on gene expression, we hypothesized that at least part of this effect could be ascribed to the activation of the expression of stress tolerance genes. Using a strategy based on high-throughput gene expression analysis with microarrays followed by confirmation with northern blots, we identified Arabidopsis genes upregulated in roots that reinforce intracellular processes protecting cells from oxidative damage and others that appear to be involved in reinforcing a scavenging system for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cell walls. Upregulated genes in roots include those for the membrane-trafficking RabA4c, the root-specific NADPH-dependent ferric reductase (FRO2) localized to the plasma membrane, mitochondrial catalase 2 and the cell wall peroxidase ATP3a. Comparative studies with wild-type Arabidopsis and knockout mutants for the membrane-trafficking RabA4c gene demonstrated that the mutants respond only slightly to GB, if at all, compared with wild-type in relation to root growth recovery after chilling stress, demonstrating the role of RabA4c in relation to the GB effect. The results point toward links between oxidative stress, gene expression, membrane trafficking and scavenging of ROS such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in relation to GB effects on chilling tolerance in plants.     

Characterization of cDNA of lycopene beta-cyclase responsible for a high level of beta-carotene accumulation in Dunaliella salina.

Lycopene beta-cyclase (Lyc-B) is the key enzyme in the catalysis of linear lycopene to form cyclic beta-carotene, an indispensable part of the photosynthetic apparatus and an important source of vitamin A in human and animal nutrition. Studies showing that the microalga Dunaliella salina can accumulate a high level of beta-carotene are lacking. We hypothesize that D. salina is closely involved with the catalytic mechanism of Lyc-B and the molecular regulation of its gene. In this study, we used RT-PCR and RACE-PCR to isolate a 2475 bp cDNA with a 1824 bp open reading frame, encoding a putative Lyc-B, from D. salina. Homology studies showed that the deduced amino acid sequence had a significant overall similarity with sequences of other green algae and higher plants, and that it shared the highest sequence identity, up to 64%, with Lyc-B of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Codon analysis showed that synonymous codon usage in the enzyme has a strong bias towards codons ending with adenosine. Two motifs were found in the Lyc-B sequence, one at the N terminus, for binding the hypothetical cofactor FAD, and the other was a substrate carrier motif in oxygenic organisms shared by an earlier carotenogenesis enzyme, phytoene desaturase, and Lyc-B. A tertiary structure prediction suggested that the catalytic or binding site structure within LycB from D. salina is superior to that of both H. pluvialis and C. reinhardtii. The LycB protein from D. salina was quite removed from that of H. pluvialis and C. reinhardtii in the phylogenetic tree. Taken as a whole, this information provides insight into the regulatatory mechanism of Lyc-B at the molecular level and the high level of beta-carotene accumulation in the microalga D. salina.     

染色体辐射效应的微机检测 Ⅱ断片率 微核率与细胞畸变率间的相关性检测

本文继前文后,按照设计的线性回归程序在“IBM—PC/XT”微型计算机上,进一步检测了断片率、微核率与细胞畸变率之间的相关性,肯定了微核测定法,断片测定法可以替代染色体畸变分析法。     

Location of a synergistic factor in the capsule of a granulosis virus of the armyworm, Pseudaletia unipuncta

A synergistic factor (SyF), which enhanced the infection of nuclear polyhedrosis viruses, was purified from capsules of a Pseudaletia unipuncta granulosis virus (Hawaiian strain) by immune affinity chromatography. The isolated SyF consisted primarily of a protein with molecular mass 98 kDa. The recovery rate depended on the alkali used to dissolve the capsules: the highest rate occurred with 0.05 M Na2CO3-0.05 M NaCl, followed in turn with 0.02-0.05 M NaOH and 0.04 M NaOH-0.05 M glycine. The solubilized components from untreated capsules contained 98- and 100-kDa proteins in addition to the matrix protein (29 kDa) and its decomposed products, while those from heat-treated capsules contained only the 100-kDa protein. Virons liberated from the capsules with the glycine buffer contained three proteins (33, 98, and 100 kDa) serologically related to the SyF. Immunoelectron microscopy of infected tissue and purified virions revealed the localization of the SyF antigens on the viral envelope.     

Bactericidal activity of peroxynitrite.

Peroxynitrite is a strong oxidant formed by macrophages and potentially by other cells that produce nitric oxide and superoxide. Peroxynitrite was highly bactericidal, killing Escherichia coli in direct proportion to its concentration with an LD50 of 250 microM at 37 degrees C in potassium phosphate, pH 7.4. The apparent bactericidal activity of a given concentration peroxynitrite at acidic pH was less than that at neutral and alkaline pH. However, after taking the rapid pH-dependent decomposition of peroxynitrite into account, the rate of the killing was not significantly different at pH 5 compared to pH 7.4. Metal chelators did not decrease peroxynitrite-mediated killing, indicating that exogenous transition metals were not required for toxicity. The hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol, ethanol, and benzoate did not significantly affect toxicity while dimethyl sulfoxide enhanced peroxynitrite-mediated killing. Dimethyl sulfoxide is a more efficient hydroxyl radical scavenger than the other three scavengers and increased the formation of nitrogen dioxide from peroxynitrite. In the presence of 100 mM dimethyl sulfoxide, 60.0 +/- 0.3 microM nitrogen dioxide was formed from 250 microM peroxynitrite as compared to 2.0 +/- 0.1 microM in buffer alone. Thus, formation of nitrogen dioxide may have enhanced the toxicity of peroxynitrite decomposing in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide.     

Bi（Ⅲ）与金属硫蛋白作用性质研究

 Ｂｉ（Ⅲ）与金属硫蛋白作用性质研究张保林,黄辉,朱凌燕,岳晟,唐雯霞（南京大学配位化学研究所,配位化学国家重点实验室,南京２１００９３）如何降低顺铂或其它抗癌铂的毒性,一直是癌症化疗中的重要课题之一,最近研究发现预先给大鼠或肺癌病人服用铋盐,可以极大...     

Effect of selenium and protein deficiency on selenium and glutathione peroxidase in rats

Twenty-four weanling male Wistar rats were divided into four groups fed diets containing adequate or deficient levels of selenium (0.5 ppm [+ Se] or <0.02 ppm [−Se] and protein (15% [+Pro] or 5% [−Pro]), but adequate levels of all other nutrients for 4 wk to determine the effects of Se deficiency and protein deficiency on tissue Se and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity in rats. Plasma, heart, liver, and kidney Se and GSHPx were significantly lower in Se-deficient groups in relation to Se-sufficient groups. In Se-deficient groups, Se and GSHPx were significantly higher in −Se−Pro rats in heart, liver, and kidney. Data analysis showed that there were significant interaction effects between dietary Se and protein on Se and GSHPx of rats. It is assumed that under the condition of Se deficiency. a low level of protein may decrease Se and GSHPx utilization, increase GSHPx synthesis, and result in Se redistribution. This could account for high levels of Se and GSHPx in the −Se−Pro rats compared to −Se+Pro rats.     

人血红细胞酪氨酸蛋白磷酸酶（PTPP）的研究Ⅱ·胞浆PTPP的分离纯化及其主要性质

人血红细胞胞浆部分经（ＮＨ_４）_２ＳＯ_４沉淀,ＤＥＡＥ－纤维素（ＤＥ５２）柱层析,磷酸纤维素柱层析（Ｐ１１）得到部分纯化的ＰＴＰＰ,产率：５．７％,提纯１０７５倍。以（３２）￣Ｐ－Ｔｙｒ－Ｐｏｌｙ（Ｇ_４：Ｔ）作底物,测得其表征Ｋｍ约为０．５－０．８μｍｏｌ／Ｌ,该酶的最适ｐＨ和最适温度分别为７．０－７．８及３７－４０℃。Ｚｎ￣（２＋）等二价金属离子及Ｎａ_３ＶＯ_４等酸根基团对其活性有明显的抑制作用;ＥＤＴＡ、甘油及ＤＴＴ、巯基乙醇等则对其有强烈激活作用;而氟化物、酒石酸等对ＰＴＰＰ活性基本无影响。此外,某些蛋白质、氨基酸、核苷酸及抗肿瘤药物等对ＰＴＰＰ活性也都有不同程度的影响。特别是一些ＰＫｓ及ＰＰｓ在体外对ＰＴＰＰ活性也具有不同的作用。