互补交配型配对诱导蛹虫草有性子实体形成

前期我们获得了优良性状蛹虫草Cordyceps militaris野生菌株W141436,其子实体虫草素含量高达3.72 mg/kg干重,子实体多糖高达6.7 g/100 g干重,但在大规模应用中发现它发生退化。针对蛹虫草人工栽培退化问题,我们提出蛹虫草子实体形成是有性生殖过程,其两种交配型发生交配是蛹虫草子实体形成的必要条件。本文基于交配型基因分子标记研究了优良性状蛹虫草野生菌株W141436的退化机制。具体地,采用单孢子分离的方法对蛹虫草野生分离株W141436的子囊孢子进行分离,得到了72个单孢菌株。进一步采用PCR方法对单孢菌株及亲本菌株进行了交配型基因类型鉴定。在72个单孢菌株中,28株为Mat1-1类型交配基因型,31株为Mat1-2类型交配基因型,13株含有与亲本相同的交配型基因。根据鉴定结果,对2株Mat1-1型(SP28、SP33)和2株Mat1-2型(SP15、SP32)菌株进行了栽培实验。结果表明,形成子实体的栽培用亲本菌株同时含有Mat1-1和Mat1-2两种交配类型基因,即只有含不同交配型基因的菌株具有发育为子实体的能力,而含同种交配型基因的菌株则不能发育为子实体。本研究为防止蛹虫草在大规模种植中退化提供了理论依据。     

The Genomes of Oryza sativa: a history of duplications

We report improved whole-genome shotgun sequences for the genomes of indica and japonica rice, both with multimegabase contiguity, or almost 1,000-fold improvement over the drafts of 2002. Tested against a nonredundant collection of 19,079 full-length cDNAs, 97.7% of the genes are aligned, without fragmentation, to the mapped super-scaffolds of one or the other genome. We introduce a gene identification procedure for plants that does not rely on similarity to known genes to remove erroneous predictions resulting from transposable elements. Using the available EST data to adjust for residual errors in the predictions, the estimated gene count is at least 38,000–40,000. Only 2%–3% of the genes are unique to any one subspecies, comparable to the amount of sequence that might still be missing. Despite this lack of variation in gene content, there is enormous variation in the intergenic regions. At least a quarter of the two sequences could not be aligned, and where they could be aligned, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rates varied from as little as 3.0 SNP/kb in the coding regions to 27.6 SNP/kb in the transposable elements. A more inclusive new approach for analyzing duplication history is introduced here. It reveals an ancient whole-genome duplication, a recent segmental duplication on Chromosomes 11 and 12, and massive ongoing individual gene duplications. We find 18 distinct pairs of duplicated segments that cover 65.7% of the genome; 17 of these pairs date back to a common time before the divergence of the grasses. More important, ongoing individual gene duplications provide a never-ending source of raw material for gene genesis and are major contributors to the differences between members of the grass family.     

Tartronate semialdehyde reductase defines a novel rate-limiting step in assimilation and bioconversion of glycerol in Ustilago maydis

Background

Glycerol is a by-product of biodiesel production. Currently, it has limited applications with low bioconversion efficiency to most metabolites reported. This is partly attributed to the poor knowledge on the glycerol metabolic pathway in bacteria and fungi.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We have established a fast screening method for identification of genes that improve glycerol utilization in Ustilago maydis. This was done by comparing the growth rates of T-DNA tagged mutant colonies on solid medium using glycerol as the sole carbon source. We present a detailed characterization of one of the mutants, GUM1, which contains a T-DNA element inserted into the promoter region of UM02592 locus (MIPS Ustilago maydis database, MUMDB), leading to enhanced and constitutive expression of its mRNA. We have demonstrated that um02592 encodes a functional tartronate semialdehyde reductase (Tsr1), which showed dual specificity to cofactors NAD⁺ and NADP⁺ and strong substrate specificity and enantioselectivity for _D-glycerate. Improved glycerol assimilation in GUM1 was associated with elevated expression of tsr1 mRNA and this could be phenocopied by over-expression of the gene. Glycolipid accumulation was reduced by 45.2% in the knockout mutant whereas introduction of an extra copy of tsr1 driven by the glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase promoter increased it by 40.4%.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results demonstrate that tartronate semialdehyde reductase (TSR) plays an important role in glycerol assimilation in U. maydis and defines a novel target in genetic engineering for improved conversion of glycerol to higher value products. Our results add significant depth to the understanding of the glycerol metabolic pathway in fungi. We have demonstrated, for the first time, a biological role of a eukaryotic TSR.     

改良剂对酸性土壤上伴矿景天铝毒缓解作用及镉锌吸收性的影响

为探究不同改良剂对酸性土壤铝(Al)胁迫条件下镉(Cd)锌(Zn)超积累植物伴矿景天Sedum plumbizincicola生长以及镉和锌吸取修复效率的影响,分别添加不同种类改良剂(钙镁磷肥(CMP)、MgCO3、KH2PO4)和不同浓度CMP进行温室盆栽试验。结果表明,CMP能够一定程度上提高土壤pH值并降低土壤交换性Al的浓度,MgCO3能够显著提高土壤pH值和降低土壤交换性Al的浓度,KH2PO4能够降低土壤中交换性Al浓度但未改变土壤pH值。施用适量的CMP(9.39 mg/kg)能够提高伴矿景天生物量和Cd、Zn吸取修复效率,用量过高会抑制伴矿景天生长和Cd、Zn修复效率;施用MgCO3可增大伴矿景天生物量和Cd、Zn修复效率,施用KH2PO4反而抑制了伴矿景天生长。酸性土壤上施用适量的CMP和MgCO3能够缓解伴矿景天的铝毒作用,维持较高的重金属吸收效率。     

Synthesis of a new Ni-phenanthroline complex and its application as an electrochemical probe for detection of nucleic acid

A new DNA sensor using a nickel(II) phenanthroline complex ([Ni(phen)(2)PHPIP]·2ClO(4)) as the electrochemical probe was developed. The sensor is very sensitive and selective for calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) detection in aqueous medium. The Ni-phenanthroline probe was synthesized by a two-step preparation using p-hydroxy-phenylimidazo-1,10-phenanthroline (PHPIP) as the ligand and characterized with IR, UV and MS. Some interesting electrochemical properties of the Ni-complex and the interactions of the complex with ctDNA were reported. The calculated dynamics parameters of the electrode process indicate that there are obvious interactions between the probe and the ctDNA in aqueous solution. Under constant potential conditions, the redox current peak of the probe (Ni-complex) decreases obviously as the probe interacts/binds with ctDNAs. This unexpected electrochemical behavior may suggest that a new adduct through the binding of Ni-phenanthroline complex with ctDNA is formed electrochemically. By estimation, the binding ratio of the probe and ctDNA was found to be 1:1 with a binding constant β=4.29×10(5) mol L(-1) in aqueous solution at room temperature.     

Root-induced soil acidification and cadmium mobilization in the rhizosphere of Sedum plumbizincicola: evidence from a high-resolution imaging study

Plant and Soil - Plant roots can significantly alter soil pH and the chemical concentration and distribution of different elements in the rhizosphere environment. Here we ask whether cadmium (Cd)...     

Improved dominant selection markers and co-culturing conditions for efficient Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Ustilago scitaminea

Ustilago scitaminea is the causal agent of sugar-cane smut disease. There is, however, no genetic transformation method for it. Here we report the development of an efficient mutagenesis method based on Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. To improve transformation efficiency, a range of conditions, including the codon-usage preference of the selection marker gene, promoters and the culture conditions for transformation were optimized. A strong promoter to drive marker gene expression, optimized codon usage of selection marker gene, controlled water content and pH of co-culture medium were critical factors affecting transformation efficiency. Our findings provide a useful tool for genetic analysis of this important plant pathogen.     

Targeting FoxO1 with AS1842856 Suppresses Adipogenesis

Hyperplasia (i.e., increased adipogenesis) contributes to excess adiposity, the hallmark of obesity that can trigger metabolic complications. As FoxO1 has been implicated in adipogenic regulation, we investigated the kinetics of FoxO1 activation during adipocyte differentiation, and tested the effects of FoxO1 antagonist (AS1842856) on adipogenesis. We found for the first time that the kinetics of FoxO1 activation follows a series of sigmoid curves, and reveals the phases relevant to clonal expansion, cell cycle arrest, and the regulation of PPARγ, adiponectin, and mitochondrial proteins (complexes I and III). In addition, multiple activation-inactivation transitions exist in the stage of terminal differentiation. Importantly, persistent inhibition of FoxO1 with AS1842856 almost completely suppressed adipocyte differentiation, while selective inhibition in specific stages had differential effects on adipogenesis. Our data present a new view of FoxO1 in adipogenic regulation, and suggest AS1842856 can be an anti-obesity agent that warrants further investigation.     

TRANSPARENT TESTA2 regulates embryonic fatty acid biosynthesis by targeting FUSCA3 during the early developmental stage of Arabidopsis seeds

TRANSPARENT TESTA2 (TT2) regulates the biosynthesis of proanthocyanidins in the seed coat of Arabidopsis. We recently found that TT2 also participates in inhibition of fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis in the seed embryo. However, the mechanism by which TT2 suppresses the accumulation of seed FA remains unclear. In this study, we show that TT2 is expressed in embryos at an early developmental stage. TT2 is directly bound to the regulatory region of FUSCA3 (FUS3), and mediates the expression of numerous genes in the FA biosynthesis pathway. These genes include BCCP2, CAC2, MOD1 and KASII, which encode proteins involved in the initial steps of FA chain formation, FAD2 and FAD3, which are responsible for FA desaturation, and FAE1, which catalyzes very‐long‐chain FA elongation. Loss of function of TT2 results in reduced expression of GLABRA2 but does not cause a significant reduction in the mucilage attached to the seed coats, which competes with FA for photosynthates. TT2 is expressed in both maternal seed coats and embryonic tissues, but proanthocyanidins are only found in wild‐type seed coats and not in embryonic tissues. The amount of proanthocyanidins in the seed coat is negatively correlated with the amount of FAs in the embryo.     

甘蓝型油菜千粒重性状的QTL定位分析

该研究利用油菜双单倍体株系(348份)群体和已构建的遗传连锁图谱,采用复合区间作图法,对2009~2013年连续5年的千粒重性状表型数据进行QTL初步定位和分析,结果共获得46个显著性千粒重QTL,主要分布在A7、C1和C6等11条染色体上;其中qTSW-09 DL11-1的表型变异最高(19.63%),qTSW-11 DL9的表型变异最小(2.73%)。通过元分析方法将所获得的46个QTL进行整合,结果显示:cqTSW-C1-2的表型变异最大(10.64%),并发现多个整合后的一致性QTL能够在连续多年试验中被检测到,其中cqTSW-C1-3连续5年被检测到,表明控制千粒重的QTL在种植环境中能够稳定表达;同时,新发现位于C1染色体上的千粒重主效QTL cqTSW-C1-2,解释表型变异达到10.64%。油菜千粒重性状的QTL分析和主效QTL的获得,为进一步实现油菜大籽粒的分子育种和高产新品种的培育提供了重要的理论指导。