The Verticillium dahliae Sho1-MAPK pathway regulates melanin biosynthesis and is required for cotton infection

Verticillium dahliae is a soil-borne fungus that causes vascular wilt on numerous plants worldwide. The fungus survives in the soil for up to 14 years by producing melanized microsclerotia. The protective function of melanin in abiotic stresses is well documented. Here, we found that the V. dahliae tetraspan transmembrane protein VdSho1, a homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sho1, acts as an osmosensor, and is required for plant penetration and melanin biosynthesis. The deletion mutant ΔSho1 was incubated on a cellophane membrane substrate that mimics the plant epidermis, revealing that the penetration of ΔSho1 strain was reduced compared to the wild-type strain. Furthermore, VdSho1 regulates melanin biosynthesis by a signalling mechanism requiring a kinase-kinase signalling module of Vst50-Vst11-Vst7. Strains, ΔVst50, ΔVst7 and ΔVst11 also displayed defective penetration and melanin production like the ΔSho1 strain. Defects in penetration and melanin production in ΔSho1 were restored by overexpression of Vst50, suggesting that Vst50 lies downstream of VdSho1 in the regulatory pathway governing penetration and melanin biosynthesis. Data analyses revealed that the transmembrane portion of VdSho1 was essential for both membrane penetration and melanin production. This study demonstrates that Vst50-Vst11-Vst7 module regulates VdSho1-mediated plant penetration and melanin production in V. dahliae, contributing to virulence.     

The Gossypium hirsutum TIR-NBS-LRR gene GhDSC1 mediates resistance against Verticillium wilt

Improving genetic resistance is a preferred method to manage Verticillium wilt of cotton and other hosts. Identifying host resistance is difficult because of the dearth of resistance genes against this pathogen. Previously, a novel candidate gene involved in Verticillium wilt resistance was identified by a genome-wide association study using a panel of Gossypium hirsutum accessions. In this study, we cloned the candidate resistance gene from cotton that encodes a protein sharing homology with the TIR-NBS-LRR receptor-like defence protein DSC1 in Arabidopsis thaliana (hereafter named GhDSC1). GhDSC1 expressed at higher levels in response to Verticillium wilt and jasmonic acid (JA) treatment in resistant cotton cultivars as compared to susceptible cultivars and its product was localized to nucleus. The transfer of GhDSC1 to Arabidopsis conferred Verticillium resistance in an A. thaliana dsc1 mutant. This resistance response was associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and increased expression of JA-signalling-related genes. Furthermore, the expression of GhDSC1 in response to Verticillium wilt and JA signalling in A. thaliana displayed expression patterns similar to GhCAMTA3 in cotton under identical conditions, suggesting a coordinated DSC1 and CAMTA3 response in A. thaliana to Verticillium wilt. Analyses of GhDSC1 sequence polymorphism revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference between resistant and susceptible cotton accessions, within the P-loop motif encoded by GhDSC1. This SNP difference causes ineffective activation of defence response in susceptible cultivars. These results demonstrated that GhDSC1 confers Verticillium resistance in the model plant system of A. thaliana, and therefore represents a suitable candidate for the genetic engineering of Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton.     

林分因子对云顶山不同人工林林下植物多样性的影响

该研究采用典型抽样法,以成都云顶山5种人工林——柏木 枫杨林(BF)、银杏 楠木林(YN)、光皮梾木 香樟林(GZ)、枫杨 桤木林(FQ)、柏木林(CB)为研究对象,分析不同人工林的林下植物组成与多样性特征,并确定影响林下植物多样性的主导林分因子,为当地人工林经营管理提供理论依据。结果表明：(1)研究区共记录林下植物168种,隶属于62科130属;5种人工林灌木层与草本层的科属种数均以GZ最多。(2)5种不同人工林灌木层与草本层的优势种数分别为7、4、7、6、4种和5、4、9、9、10种,数量都较少。(3)5种人工林的Shannon Wiener多样性指数(H)、Simpson优势度指数(H′)、物种丰富度指数(D)、Pielou均匀度指数(J_sw) 均基本表现为草本层>灌木层,BF、GZ灌木层的D略高;灌木层的H、H′、D值均以GZ最大,但不同人工林的J_sw差异不显著;草本层的H、H′、D、J_sw均基本呈现CB>FQ>GZ>BF>YN趋势,GZ的D值略高于FQ。(4)6个林分因子对灌木层4个物种多样性指数的影响均无显著差异;林分平均树高、平均枝下高、平均胸径、平均冠幅和林分密度是影响草本层H、D的主要因子,但各林分因子对草本层H′、J_sw的影响差异不显著。研究认为,林分结构对林下草本层物种多样性的影响更大,平均树高、平均枝下高、平均胸径、平均冠幅、林分密度对草本层多样性有显著影响。     

EGFR配体生物学效应的多样性

表皮生长因子受体（epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR）的配体作为一类重要的信号分子参与了细胞功能的调节,并且和机体发育、器官形成、组织修复与稳态维持,以及疾病的发生密切相关。虽然这些信号分子具有序列和结构上的相似性,但由于这些信号分子结构上的细微差异以及它们受体信号传导上的复杂性,造成了这些信号分子（配体）生物学效应的多样性。目前,从结构和机制上,对于单个信号分子的生物学效应已有较为深入的研究,但这些信号分子之间以及信号分子与受体之间的调控网络较为复杂,并且这种调控网络对信号的精细、有序和多样化转导至关重要。本文对EGFR配体的结构及配体生物学效应多样性的分子机制进行回顾,并对未来的研究方向提出展望。     

与医学相关的营养与代谢方面的新概念

近年来,与医学相关的营养与代谢的研究出现不少新的认识与新发现。本文总结了以下5个方面的新概念：供能的营养物质不仅是供能,还需注意他们对健康的影响;以构成蔗糖分子一半的果糖为例,它竟然是促成代谢综合征、心脑血管病等疾病的因素;食物纤维是极其重要不可或缺的营养素;应高度重视维护正常肠道菌群,因为它与人体的健康与多种疾病密切相关;全食物营养不仅能维持生命,还能增强体质、避免和减少疾病;植物营养素具有抗氧化、抗炎症及抗癌等作用,是全食物营养不可或缺的组成部分。人体营养与物质代谢研究的终极目标是：增强体质,预防和减少疾病,健康长寿。希望本文能够带给读者一些启发。     

细胞因子在ARDS发病机制中的作用

细胞因子是由多种细胞产生的多肽或低分子糖蛋白,在人体内含量极微,在pg水平就发挥作用。作为特异性免疫反应和非特异性免疫反应的蛋白质,细胞因子以自分泌、旁分泌、或内分泌方式产生,与相应的细胞表面受体结合,在局部或全身发挥复杂的生物学效应,它们的代谢异常和疾病的发生、发展有着密切的关系。有些细胞因子已应用于临床的生物学治疗,具有深远的临床应用价值,故对细胞因子的研究将是一个越来越重要的课题。急性肺损伤(ALI)/急性呼吸窘迫综合征(ARDS)发病机制错综复杂,大量临床和实验室研究证明多种效应细胞释放的炎症介质是造成ARDS的"中心环节",其中TNF-α、IL-1、IL-8、IL-10、CXC趋化因子等细胞因子在ARDS发病中的作用尤为重要。本文就细胞因子在ARDS发病机制中的作用做一综述。     

水曲柳腋芽离体快繁研究初报

以水曲柳带顶芽、腋芽茎段为外植体进行离体培养,研究其适宜的灭菌方法、基本培养基种类和激素对腋芽萌发、丛芽产生、芽苗增殖的影响。结果表明,水曲柳的腋芽茎段为快繁的适宜外植体,茎段灭菌以用0.05%HgCl₂处理2 min最好。在萌芽培养中,BA和2ip均可促进腋芽萌发,但以8 mg·L^-1 BA处理时萌发效果最好,萌发率达100％;将腋芽萌发后长成的新枝转入添加ZT的培养基中,出现丛芽,在添加1.0 mg·L^-1的ZT的培养基中增殖效果最好,增殖系数达到3.0。无论在萌芽培养还是增殖培养中均发现WPM培养基最适合水曲柳腋芽的离体快繁。     

Correlation between haplotype of apolipoprotein B gene and natural longevity persons in Uygur Nationality

This paper investigated the correlation between polymorphisms and haplotypes in the apolipoprotein B (apoB) gene (SP-I/D, XbaI-RFLP, VNTR) and natural longevity persons among the Uygur people in Xin-jiang. For this purpose, 191 healthy Uygur individuals aged above 90 from Hetian area of Xinjiang were recruited, and another 53 persons aged 65—70 from the same nationality, the same region and with the same gender ratio, served as the control group. Genotyping was performed by PCR-SSP, PCR-RFLP and PCR-sequencing methods. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the frequencies of X X genotype, M and L alleles and the genetypes composed of M and L were significantly higher in the longevity group than in the control group. In haplotype analyses, we found that, in the long-lived people, the frequency of haplotypes composed of the X and M alleles was significantly higher whereas the frequency of haplotypes composed of the X- and S alleles was significantly lower (both P<0.05) I than those of their controls. These results indicated that the S allele, SS genotype and X -S, D-S, D-X -S haplotypes were the possible adverse factors, whereas the M, L alleles, X X , MM, ML, LL genotypes and I-X -M, X -M haplotypes were the possibe protective factors for the naturally long-lived Uygur people in China.     

花灌木种质资源及其遗传多样性研究

综述了国内外关于花灌木种质资源在形态学、细胞学、酶、DNA等水平的多样性研究,探讨了目前花灌木种质资源遗传多样性研究中存在的一些问题和建议。