Combination treatment of elevated UVB radiation,CO2 and temperature has little effect on silver birch (Betula pendula) growth and phytochemistry

Elevations of carbon dioxide, temperature and ultraviolet‐B (UBV) radiation in the growth environment may have a high impact on the accumulation of carbon in plants, and the different factors may work in opposite directions or induce additive effects. To detect the changes in the growth and phytochemistry of silver birch (Betula pendula) seedlings, six genotypes were exposed to combinations of ambient or elevated levels of CO₂, temperature and UVB radiation in top‐closed chambers for 7 weeks. The genotypes were relatively similar in their responses, and no significant interactive effects of three‐level climate factors on the measured parameters were observed. Elevated UVB had no effect on growth, nor did it alter plant responses to CO₂ and/or temperature in combined treatments. Growth in all plant parts increased under elevated CO₂, and height and stem biomass increased under elevated temperature. Increased carbon distribution to biomass did not reduce its allocation to phytochemicals: condensed tannins, most flavonols and phenolic acids accumulated under elevated CO₂ and elevated UVB, but this effect disappeared under elevated temperature. Leaf nitrogen content decreased under elevated CO₂. We conclude that, as a result of high genetic variability in phytochemicals, B. pendula seedlings have potential to adapt to the tested environmental changes. The induction in protective flavonoids under UVB radiation together with the positive impact of elevated CO₂ and temperature mitigates possible UVB stress effects, and thus atmospheric CO₂ concentration and temperature are the climate change factors that will dictate the establishment and success of birch at higher altitudes in the future.     

陆地棉新型核雄性不育系21A的初步研究

利用辐射诱变和回交育种成功培育出21A雄性不育系,经遗传分析和等位性测验发现,该不育性受1对隐性基因控制,它与国内发现的msc1、msc2、msc3、msc74个陆地棉隐性不育基因彼此是非等位基因;采用NCⅡ遗传交配设计,用21A不育系作母本,5个常规棉品种作父本,配制杂交组合,对10个组合的F1产量和品质性状的竞争优势和配合力进行分析,结果表明,该不育系杂种优势明显,一般配合力高,易于筛选优良的杂交组合,在生产优质杂交种方面具有很大的利用价值。     

Synthesis and SAR of 2-arylbenzoxazoles, benzothiazoles and benzimidazoles as inhibitors of lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase-beta

2-Arylbenzoxazoles, benzothiazoles and benzimidazoles were identified as new classes of potent, isoform specific inhibitors of lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase-beta (LPAAT-beta). Effects of selected inhibitors on proliferation of tumor cells in vitro were investigated.     

An eukaryotic translation initiation factor,AteIF5A‐2, affects cadmium accumulation and sensitivity in Arabidopsis

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic elements and can be accumulated in plants easily; meanwhile, eIF5A is a highly conserved protein in all eukaryotic organisms. The present work tried to investigate whether eIF5A is involved in Cd accumulation and sensitivity in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L.) by comparing the wild‐type Columbia‐0 (Col‐0) with a knockdown mutant of AteIF5A‐2, fbr12‐3 under Cd stress conditions. The results showed that the mutant fbr12‐3 accumulated more Cd in roots and shoots and had significantly lower chlorophyll content, shorter root length, and smaller biomass, suggesting that downregulation of AteIF5A‐2 makes the mutant more Cd sensitive. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction revealed that the expressions of metal transporters involved in Cd uptake and translocation including IRT1, ZIP1, AtNramp3, and AtHMA4 were significantly increased but the expressions of PCS1 and PCS2 related to Cd detoxification were decreased notably in fbr12‐3 compared with Col‐0. As a result, an increase in MDA and H₂O₂ content but decrease in root trolox, glutathione and proline content under Cd stress was observed, indicating that a severer oxidative stress occurs in the mutant. All these results demonstrated for the first time that AteIF5A influences Cd sensitivity by affecting Cd uptake, accumulation, and detoxification in Arabidopsis.     

Concepts and analysis of mass extinction with the late Ordovician event as an example

Twelve groups of fossils, including graptolites, brachiopods, nautiloids, trilobites, corals, crinoids, bryozoans, conodonts, ostracods, gastropods, chitinozoans, and acritarchs expired in different but substantial magnitude and global extent during the late Caradoc to latest Ashgill. It indicates a multiple‐episodic mass extinction containing the possible Prologue (late Caradoc), Climax episode (Rawtheyan) and Epilogue (late Hirnantian). The main causes of this mass extinction are recognized as a global sea‐level lowering in the climax and remarkable rapid rise at the final, and global cooling. The Chinese data, especially from the South China Paleoplate, are evaluated first. They are significant for explaining this global bioevent.     

Overcoming host- and pathogen-mediated resistance in tomato and tobacco maps to the M RNA of Tomato spotted wilt virus

A viral genetic system was used to map the determinants of the ability of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) to overcome the R gene (Sw-5) in tomato and the resistance conferred by the nucleocapsid gene of TSWV (N gene) in tobacco. A complete set of reassortant genotypes was generated from TSWV isolates A and D. TSWV-A was able to overcome the Sw-5 gene in tomato and the TSWV N gene in tobacco, whereas TSWV-D was repressed by both forms of resistance. The ability to overcome both forms of resistance was associated with the M RNA segment of TSWV-A (M(A)). Overcoming the Sw-5 gene was linked solely to the presence of M(A), and the ability of M(A) to overcome the TSWV N gene was modified by the L RNA and the S RNA of TSWV-A, which is consistent with previous reports that suggest that the nucleocapsid gene is not the primary determinant for overcoming the nucleocapsid-mediated resistance. Sequence analysis of the M RNA segment of TSWV-A, -D, and the type isolate BR-01 revealed multiple differences in the coding and noncoding regions, which prevented identification of the resistance-breaking nucleotide sequences.     

The Chimonanthus salicifolius genome provides insight into magnoliid evolution and flavonoid biosynthesis

Chimonanthus salicifolius, a member of the Calycanthaceae of magnoliids, is one of the most famous medicinal plants in Eastern China. Here, we report a chromosome‐level genome assembly of C. salicifolius, comprising 820.1 Mb of genomic sequence with a contig N50 of 2.3 Mb and containing 36 651 annotated protein‐coding genes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that magnoliids were sister to the eudicots. Two rounds of ancient whole‐genome duplication were inferred in the C. salicifolious genome. One is shared by Calycanthaceae after its divergence with Lauraceae, and the other is in the ancestry of Magnoliales and Laurales. Notably, long genes with > 20 kb in length were much more prevalent in the magnoliid genomes compared with other angiosperms, which could be caused by the length expansion of introns inserted by transposon elements. Homologous genes within the flavonoid pathway for C. salicifolius were identified, and correlation of the gene expression and the contents of flavonoid metabolites revealed potential critical genes involved in flavonoids biosynthesis. This study not only provides an additional whole‐genome sequence from the magnoliids, but also opens the door to functional genomic research and molecular breeding of C. salicifolius.