An Improved PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) Method for the Identification of cry1-Type Genes

The cry1-type genes of Bacillus thuringiensis represent the largest cry gene family, which contains 50 distinct holotypes. It is becoming more and more difficult to identify cry1-type genes using current methods because of the increasing number of cry1-type genes. In the present study, an improved PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method which can distinguish 41 holotypes of cry1-type genes was developed. This improved method was used to identify cry1-type genes in 20 B. thuringiensis strains that are toxic to lepidoptera. The results showed that the improved method can efficiently identify single and clustered cry1-type genes and can be used to evaluate cry1-type genes in novel strain collections of B. thuringiensis. Among the detected cry1-type genes, we identified four novel genes, cry1Ai, cry1Bb, cry1Ja, and cry1La. The bioassay results from the expressed products of the four novel cry genes showed that Cry1Ai2, Cry1Bb2, and Cry1Ja2 were highly toxic against Plutella xylostella, whereas Cry1La2 exhibited no activity. Moreover, Cry1Ai2 had good lethal activity against Ostrinia furnacalis, Hyphantria cunea, Chilo suppressalis, and Bombyx mori larvae and considerable weight loss activity against Helicoverpa armigera.     

Improvement of antibody immobilization using hyperbranched polymer and protein A

For the construction of a well-defined antibody surface, protein A was used as a binding material to immobilize antibodies onto gold-derivatized transducers. The traditional method tends to assemble protein A directly onto the gold-derivatized transducers. In this paper, we tried to indirectly bind protein A onto sensors through hyperbranched polymer (HBP) which was synthesized from p-phenylenediamine and trimesic acid. The three-dimensional structure of HBP and the characteristics including orientation control and biocompatibility of protein A led to highly efficient immunoreactions and enhanced detection system performance. With this strategy, cysteamine monolayer was first assembled onto Au electrodes associated with the piezoelectric quartz crystal; secondly, the cysteamine-modified gold electrode was further modified by the activated HBP; thirdly, protein A was immobilized onto the HBP film; and finally, antibodies were immobilized onto the surface of protein A film for detecting the corresponding antigen. The quartz crystal microbalance immunosensor thus fabricated was applied to detect hepatitis B surface antigen in solutions that ranged from 0.71 to 300 μg mL⁻¹. The detection limit was estimated to be 0.53 μg mL⁻¹. The immunosensor holds good selectivity, sensitivity, and repeatability.     

Biochemical characteristics support the recently described species Karlodinium zhouanum (Gymnodiniales,Dinophyceae)

The small athecate dinoflagellate Karlodinium zhouanum is a species recently described in the coastal waters of China. K. zhouanum is morphologically similar to Karlodinium veneficum, a typical ichthyotoxic blooming karlotoxin‐producing species, and it is impossible to distinguish between these two species based on light microscopy. In this study, strains of K. zhouanum isolated from the East China Sea were studied. By analyzing toxins, toxicity, lipid characteristics and typical molecular and physiological traits of this species, K. zhouanum was shown to be nontoxic to brine shrimp and widely spread over the coastal waters of China. No karlotoxin‐like toxin was detected by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Instead of gymnodinosterol, the critical sterol in toxic K. veneficum, 27(nor)‐24S‐4α‐Methyl‐5α‐ergosta‐8(14)‐en‐3β‐ol ( NEE ) was dominant in K. zhouanum, while gymnodinosterol was absent. These sterol characteristics may provide not only support for the species separation between toxic and nontoxic species of Karlodinium but also environmental survey tools to differentiate the contribution of nontoxic Karlodinium strains, which has been unclear until now.     

Particle Erosion Resistance of Bionic Samples Inspired from Skin Structure of Desert Lizard, Laudakin stoliczkana

In order to improve the particle erosion resistance of engineering surfaces,this paper proposed a bionic sample which is inspired from the skin structure of desert lizard,Laudakin stoliczkana.The bionic sample consists of a hard shell (aluminum) and a soft core (silicone rubber) which form a two-layer composite structure.The sand blast tests indicated that the bionic sample has better particle erosion resistance.In steady erosion period,the weight loss per unit time of the bionic sample is about 10％ smaller than the contrast sample.The anti-erosion mechanism of the bionic sample was studied by single particle impact test.The results show that,after the impact,the kinetic energy of the particle is reduced by 56.5％ on the bionic sample which is higher than that on the contrast sample (31.2％).That means the bionic sample can partly convert the kinetic energy of the particle into the deformation energy of the silicone rubber layer,thus the erosion is reduced.     

寄螨科四新种记述(蜱螨亚纲,革螨股)

记述寄螨科4新种:短胸常革螨Vulgarogamasus brachysternalis sp.nov.,长囊常革螨Vulgarogamasus longascidiformis sp.nov.,河南新革螨Neogamasus henanensissp.nov.和树状钝革螨Amablygamasus dendriticus sp.nov..     

p21~(HBsAg/HBsAg)转基因小鼠肝脏病理学研究

[目的]观察p21HBsAg/HBsAg转基因小鼠肝脏病理学改变。[方法]分别选取2,6,12,18,24月龄的SPF级p21HBsAg/HBsAg转基因小鼠和p21+/+野生型小鼠,剖检进行大体观察,取肝脏及肝脏肿瘤组织,进行组织学HE染色及电镜超微结构观察。[结果]p21HBsAg/HBsAg转基因小鼠肝脏大体、光镜和电镜下均有的明显病理改变。随着月龄的增加,肝脏色暗质硬,表面有结节和肿瘤形成;光镜下,肝细胞浊肿,炎症细胞浸润,脂肪变性,点状、灶状和碎屑状坏死,非典型增生,肝细胞癌。癌细胞分化良好,类似肝细胞,形成索状和腺泡状结构。癌细胞核深染,具核分裂像。电镜下,癌细胞核变形,核膜曲折凹陷,线粒体肿胀,数目增多,脊减少。4例18月龄转基因小鼠发生肝细胞癌(4/10),6例24月龄的转基因小鼠发生肝细胞癌(6/10),其中2例发现远处转移;[结论]p21HBsAg/HBsAg转基因小鼠肝脏出现明显病理损害,18月龄小鼠开始发展成高分化的肝细胞癌,高龄小鼠形成的肝细胞癌能够转移。     

Enhanced photoluminescence of the Ca0.8Zn0.2TiO3:0.05% Pr3+ phosphor by optimized hydrothermal conditions

The red‐emitting phosphor Ca_0.8Zn_0.2TiO₃:Pr³⁺ was synthesized using an ethylene glycol (EG)‐assisted hydrothermal method. The effects of additional amounts of and order of adding EG, plus hydrothermal temperature, time, and pH on the composition, morphology and optical properties of the titanate phosphors were studied. The crystalline phases of the titanate phosphors were confirmed to be constituted of a series of co‐existing CaTiO₃, Zn₂TiO₄ and Ca₂Zn₄Ti₁₆O₃₈ compounds in various proportions that were visualized using an X‐ray diffractometer (XRD). The optical properties of the phosphors were studied using photoluminescence spectra and UV–visible spectroscopy. The results show that the impurities Zn₂TiO₄:Pr³⁺ and Ca₂Zn₄Ti₁₆O₃₈:Pr³⁺ significantly contributed to the enhancement of an absorption band around 380 nm. The optimum Ca_0.8Zn_0.2TiO₃:Pr³⁺ phosphor consisting of appropriate amounts of CaTiO₃, Ca₂Zn₄Ti₁₆O₃₈ and Zn₂TiO₄ in three phases was achieved by controlling the hydrothermal conditions, and the obtained red phosphor exhibited the highest red emission (¹D₂ → ³H₄ transition of Pr³⁺) with an ideal chromaticity coordinate located at (x = 0.667, y = 0.332) under 380 nm excitation.     

共生有生殖器官的Anomozamites的新发现

摘要：海房沟异羽叶的新联合(Anomozamites haifanggouensis(Kimura et al.)comb．nov．)是辽西和内蒙古东部中侏罗统海房沟组一种特有的本内苏铁类植物。仅发现一块标本(正、反面印痕)。标本上保存3枚营养羽叶,它们同几个苞片状的小叶和一些小孢子叶联合在一起,但球果的雌蕊群部分未被保存。标本被收集于内蒙古东部的宁城县山头乡道虎村附近,产于中侏罗统海房沟组。以往在辽西葫芦岛市的南票和白马石乡上三角城等地的同一层位中也曾发现过很多分散保存的苞片状小叶和相似的小孢子叶。它们最初被潘广(1983)认为是一种双子叶的半被子植物(Cycadicotis),并将小孢子叶视为“具皱纹的雌性种囊”。后来,又经KJlnura等(1994)详细研究,因未找到任何与被子植物有关的证据,将它们归入一个分类位置不明的形态属Panlatangia,并被描述在P．haifanggouensis种名之下。研究结果表明,本文中被研究的标本是同本内苏铁类的Anomozamites异羽叶相连,从而为这些分散保存的生殖器官的确切分类位置的确定提供了有力的证据。     

玉米CMS—S材料雄花育性不稳定性与线粒体S类质粒相关性的研究

田间鉴定了4套玉米CMS-S的同质异核杂交种和不育系的雄花育性表现。发现在保持型F_1群体中有育性部分恢复的不稳定现象。检测它们的线粒体DNA,发现均有游离态的S_1、S_2,类质粒存在。分离恢复型和育性部分恢复的近等基因型F_1植株的线粒体主DNA,经EcoRI等5种核酸内切酶酶切后,与S_1分子探针杂交,均未发现任何带型差异。正常胞质系与不同来源的S胞质不育系的线粒体主DNA经5种内切酶酶切后,与S_1分子探针杂交,带型存在明显差异。而各S胞质不育系之间的带型无差异。结果表明,所研究的CMS-S材料的育性不稳定现象可能与胞质基因无关。     

Mechanical Characteristics of Typical Plant Leaves

Plant leaf is a natural composite biomaterial, and its strength is closely related to the microstructure. In this paper, themechanical characteristics of eight species of plant leaves were investigated and analyzed. The ultimate strength of leaves andthe hardness of leaf surfaces were measured by using universal testing machine and nanoindenter tester, respectively. The tensilestrength of the parallel microstructure was investigated based on its cross-sectional mechanical model. The results of tensiontests indicate that the ultimate strength of a leaf is related to the material composition and structure. The coriaceous leavesusually exhibit higher tensile strength. For example, the Phyllostachys pubescens leaf can achieve the maximum ultimatestrength of 5.9091 N·mm^-2. It is concluded from the results of hardness tests that material components of leaf surface caninfluence the surface hardness evidently. The leaf surface composed of more lignin and cellulose materials shows a highersurface hardness than that composed of more carbohydrates materials.