GS6, A Member of the GRAS Gene Family,Negatively Regulates Grain Size in Rice

Grain size is an important yield-related trait in rice. Intensive artificial selection for grain size during domestication is evidenced by the larger grains of most of today’s cultivars compared with t...     

葡萄球菌肠毒素A全长基因的克隆和序列测定

分析和克隆超抗原（SAg）葡萄球菌肠毒素A（SEA）全长基因,为进行SAg基因应用于肿瘤导向治疗和基因治疗的研究奠定基础。设计并合成一对针对SEA全长基因的特异性引物,用PCR反应从产SEA的标准葡萄球菌菌株的基因组中扩增出SEA全长基因。PCR产物与克隆载体pGEM-T连接后进行基因序列测定。成功地从标准葡萄球菌菌株的基因组中扩增出一条约770bp的条带。基因序列测定表明,与巳发表的SEA全长基国序列完全一致。     

Development of an innovative one-step nested PCR strategy for virus detection using the LNA technique

<正>Dear Editor,Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular diagnostic technique that has been widely used for diagnosing viral diseases. Nested PCR (N-PCR) is a variation on the standard PCR technique that involves two amplification steps, yielding greater sensitivity and specificity. But there are two main disadvantages:the protocol is more complex than conven-     

An Ipomoea batatas Iron-Sulfur Cluster Scaffold Protein Gene,IbNFU1, Is Involved in Salt Tolerance

Iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis involving the nitrogen fixation (Nif) proteins has been proposed as a general mechanism acting in various organisms. NifU-like protein may play an important role in protecting plants against abiotic and biotic stresses. An iron-sulfur cluster scaffold protein gene, IbNFU1, was isolated from a salt-tolerant sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) line LM79 in our previous study, but its role in sweetpotato stress tolerance was not investigated. In the present study, the IbNFU1 gene was introduced into a salt-sensitive sweetpotato cv. Lizixiang to characterize its function in salt tolerance. The IbNFU1-overexpressing sweetpotato plants exhibited significantly higher salt tolerance compared with the wild-type. Proline and reduced ascorbate content were significantly increased, whereas malonaldehyde (MDA) content was significantly decreased in the transgenic plants. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and photosynthesis were significantly enhanced in the transgenic plants. H₂O₂ was also found to be significantly less accumulated in the transgenic plants than in the wild-type. Overexpression of IbNFU1 up-regulated pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS) and pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) genes under salt stress. The systemic up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging genes was found in the transgenic plants under salt stress. These findings suggest that IbNFU1gene is involved in sweetpotato salt tolerance and enhances salt tolerance of the transgenic sweetpotato plants by regulating osmotic balance, protecting membrane integrity and photosynthesis and activating ROS scavenging system.     

Neuroprotective and Antioxidative Effect of Cactus Polysaccharides In Vivo and In Vitro

Cactus polysaccharides (CP), some of the active components in Opuntia dillenii Haw have been reported to display neuroprotective effects in rat brain slices. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective properties of CP and their potential mechanisms on brain ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats, and on oxidative stress-induced damage in PC12 cells. Male Sprague–Dawley rats with ischemia following middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion were investigated. CP (200 mg/kg) significantly decreased the neurological deficit score, reduced infarct volume, decreased neuronal loss in cerebral cortex, and remarkably reduced the protein synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase which were induced by ischemia and reperfusion. Otherwise, the protective effect of CP was confirmed in in vitro study. CP protected PC12 cells against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) insult. Pretreatment with CP prior to H₂O₂ exposure significantly elevated cell viability, reduced H₂O₂-induced apoptosis, and decreased both intracellular and total accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, CP also reversed the upregulation of Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA ratio, the downstream cascade following ROS. These results suggest that CP may be a candidate compound for the treatment of ischemia and oxidative stress-induced neurodegenerative disease.     

吉林省限制开发生态区绿色发展水平评价与障碍因素

以吉林省限制开发生态区为实证研究区域,基于2005、2010、2015年3期分县市区截面数据,从国土空间优化、自然资本利用、经济发展质量、社会福祉进步及环境污染治理5个维度构建绿色发展指标体系,结合熵权-TOPSIS评价法、马尔科夫链、障碍度模型等方法,测度吉林省限制开发生态区各县市区绿色发展水平,揭示绿色发展水平分异格局与转移类型,并探究绿色发展水平障碍因素。结果表明:吉林省限制开发生态区绿色发展综合水平整体处于较低水平,并呈现下降的趋势;绿色发展水平空间分布格局相对稳定,呈"西南高、东北低"特征;2005—2010、2010—2015年绿色发展水平类型转移状态较为不稳定,绿色发展水平各类型转移较为明显;科技支出比重、地均固定资产投资、建设用地比重、建设用地产出率、万人中学生人数、耕地产出率、林地产出率、化学需氧量去除率是制约绿色发展水平的主要障碍因素;最后提出构建生态型产业体系、加大绿色科技投入、提高土地集约使用效率、完善生态补偿机制等对策建议。     

有蹄类昼夜活动时空动态——以岩羊(Pseudois nayaur)为例

调整时间分配和空间利用是有蹄类应对食物资源和环境胁迫周期性波动的常见生存策略。为探索高山有蹄类对这种波动的行为响应和策略,于2018年6月-2019年8月利用红外相机对四川王朗国家级自然保护区内的岩羊（Pseudois nayaur）种群进行了调查,并利用Wilcoxon秩和检验初步分析了它们的昼夜活动时空动态（所涉及分析的数据监测时间为2018年7月底至2019年8月初）。基于前人的研究结论和观点,预测岩羊的昼夜活动在不同季节和不同空间类型将呈现显著差异。结果表明,岩羊的行为基本符合预测：（1）岩羊夏季昼间和冬季夜间较多出现在林缘（夏季昼间：43.64±3.39;冬季夜间：10.00±0.26）和林内（夏季昼间：34.21±3.21,P=0.065;冬季夜间：8.40±0.64,P=0.026）,可能与躲避极端气温有关;（2）岩羊在食物较匮乏的冬季,夜间的活动强度均显著高于其他季节（冬季：23.00±0.73;春季：2.00±0.39;夏季：4.80±1.36;秋季：15.00±1.31）,且在昼间选择易于觅食的草甸生境内活动（林缘：31.79±3.54,草甸：22.79±3.16;P=0.081）。有趣的是,岩羊冬季夜间更多选择林缘（10.00±0.26）,而非预期的林内生境（8.40±0.64,P=0.026）。岩羊在夜宿地附近（林缘）活动强度最大可能是权衡食物和环境胁迫的结果。因为,夜间集中在距离夜宿地和觅食地都比较近的环境中活动,无疑是一种经济的选择。随着近年来气候变化的加剧,高山生态系统受到的威胁越来越明显。基于本研究的发现,建议更多关注高山物种的生存状况和高山生态系统的健康程度,为认识和评价气候变化对生物多样性的影响提供参考。     

Evaluation of Antituberculosis Activity and in Silico Properties of Oxymethylene-cyclo-1,3-diones

Tuberculosis is a leading infectious disease that has infected one-third of the world's population and is more prevalent among people belonging to developing countries such as India and China. In the present study, a series of substituted oxymethylene-cyclo-1,3-diones was synthesized and screened for anti-tuberculosis activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (M. tuberculosis). The compounds were synthesized by condensation of 1,3-cyclicdione, substituted phenols/ alcohols and triethyl orthoformate. The synthesized compounds were screened for anti-tuberculosis activity against M.tuberculosis H37Rv using Middlebrook 7H9 broth assay. Results demonstrated that among the synthesized library of molecules, two compounds 2-(2-hydroxyphenoxymethylene)-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione and 5,5-dimethyl-2-(2-trifluoromethylphenoxymethylene)cyclohexane-1,3-dione were found to be most active against M. tuberculosis (MICs of 1.25 μg/mL⁻¹). The MICs of 2-(2,4-difluoro-phenoxymethylene)-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione and 2-(2-bromophenoxymethylene)-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione were found to be 5 and 10 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. Data from the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that all the four most active compounds did not exhibit cytotoxicity against human cell lines. Molecular docking studies revealed that the most active compound targets mycobacterial InhA enzyme. In summary, the present study demonstrates the methodology for the synthesis of oxymethylene-cyclo-1,3-diones and identified two potential anti-tuberculosis compounds.