番茄潜叶蛾卵黄原蛋白受体基因TaVgR在生殖发育调控中的作用

【目的】本研究旨在明确卵黄原蛋白受体(vitellogenin receptor, VgR)在番茄潜叶蛾Tutaabsoluta生殖发育过程中的功能,为潜叶类害虫的绿色防控提供候选靶标。【方法】基于番茄潜叶蛾转录组数据,采用RT-PCR扩增TaVgR基因cDNA全序列,并进行生物信息分析;通过RT-qPCR分析TaVgR在番茄潜叶蛾不同发育阶段(1-4龄幼虫、1-7日龄雌蛹和雌成虫)和雌成虫不同组织(头、体壁、前肠、中肠、后肠、卵巢、脂肪体和马氏管)中的表达模式;进一步利用RNAi抑制番茄潜叶蛾雌蛹体内TaVgR的表达,并观测沉默TaVgR基因后番茄潜叶蛾卵巢发育及繁殖力的变化。【结果】克隆获得番茄潜叶蛾TaVgRcDNA(GenBank登录号: MZ682118)序列,其开放阅读框序列长5 496 bp,编码1 831个氨基酸,推测的蛋白分子量约为206 kD,等电点为5.17,信号肽包含N-端前18个氨基酸残基,并具有典型LDLR家族蛋白保守功能域。RT-qPCR结果显示,TaVgR转录水平随着番茄潜叶蛾龄期的增加逐渐上升,雌成虫羽化后达到最高水平;TaVgR在番茄潜叶蛾雌成虫的卵巢中表达量最高。TaVgR RNAi对初期雌蛹中TaVgR的表达抑制率为62.04%~72.55%,导致卵黄蛋白在卵巢中的沉积受阻,卵巢管和卵粒长度缩短,成虫10日单雌总产卵量及后代卵孵化率降低,最终引起番茄潜叶蛾繁殖力下降。【结论】TaVgR基因在番茄潜叶蛾雌成虫和卵巢中高表达,且沉默该基因严重阻碍其卵巢发育和降低繁殖力。本研究为开发以VgR基因作为靶标的鳞翅目害虫防治新技术奠定了理论基础。     

Distribution and Characterization of Salmonella enterica Isolates from Irrigation Ponds in the Southeastern United States

Irrigation water has been implicated as a likely source of produce contamination by Salmonella enterica. Therefore, the distribution of S. enterica was surveyed monthly in irrigation ponds (n = 10) located within a prime agricultural region in southern Georgia and northern Florida. All ponds and 28.2% of all samples (n = 635) were positive for Salmonella, with an overall geometric mean concentration (0.26 most probable number [MPN]/liter) that was relatively low compared to prior reports for rivers in this region. Salmonella peaks were seasonal; the levels correlated with increased temperature and rainfall (P < 0.05). The numbers and occurrence were significantly higher in water (0.32 MPN/liter and 37% of samples) than in sediment (0.22 MPN/liter and 17% of samples) but did not vary with depth. Representative isolates (n = 185) from different ponds, sample types, and seasons were examined for resistance to 15 different antibiotics; most strains were resistant to streptomycin (98.9%), while 20% were multidrug resistant (MDR) for 2 to 6 antibiotics. DiversiLab repetitive extragenic palindromic-element sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) revealed genetic diversity and showed 43 genotypes among 191 isolates, as defined by >95% similarity. The genotypes did not partition by pond, season, or sample type. Genetic similarity to known serotypes indicated Hadar, Montevideo, and Newport as the most prevalent. All ponds achieved the current safety standards for generic Escherichia coli in agricultural water, and regression modeling showed that the E. coli level was a significant predictor for the probability of Salmonella occurrence. However, persistent populations of Salmonella were widely distributed in irrigation ponds, and the associated risks for produce contamination and subsequent human exposure are unknown, supporting continued surveillance of this pathogen in agricultural settings.     

Unusual Biosynthesis and Structure of Locillomycins from Bacillus subtilis 916

Three families of Bacillus cyclic lipopeptides—surfactins, iturins, and fengycins—have well-recognized potential uses in biotechnology and biopharmaceutical applications. This study outlines the isolation and characterization of locillomycins, a novel family of cyclic lipopeptides produced by Bacillus subtilis 916. Elucidation of the locillomycin structure revealed several molecular features not observed in other Bacillus lipopeptides, including a unique nonapeptide sequence and macrocyclization. Locillomycins are active against bacteria and viruses. Biochemical analysis and gene deletion studies have supported the assignment of a 38-kb gene cluster as the locillomycin biosynthetic gene cluster. Interestingly, this gene cluster encodes 4 proteins (LocA, LocB, LocC, and LocD) that form a hexamodular nonribosomal peptide synthetase to biosynthesize cyclic nonapeptides. Genome analysis and the chemical structures of the end products indicated that the biosynthetic pathway exhibits two distinct features: (i) a nonlinear hexamodular assembly line, with three modules in the middle utilized twice and the first and last two modules used only once and (ii) several domains that are skipped or optionally selected.