Temperature-dependent development and population growth of Tetraneura nigriabdominalis (Homoptera: Pemphigidae) on three host plants

The root aphid Tetraneura nigriabdominalis (Sasaki) (Homoptera: Pemphigidae) is a pest of many Gramineae species; however, little is known about its biology and relationships with host plants. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effects of temperature on development, longevity, fecundity, and population growth of T. nigriabdominalis and to assess the effects of host plant on development of T. nigriabdominalis. The effects of temperature on performance of this root aphid were determined at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 +/- 1 degrees C on rice roots, Oryza sativa L. Nymphal stages from birth to adult decreased from 46.3 d at 10 degrees C to 8.5 d at 30 degrees C. Aphid survival and development were lowest at 35 degrees C, and no aphid produced progeny at this temperature. Average adult longevity decreased from 23.3 d at 15 degrees C to 8.2 d at temperatures up to 35 degrees C. Average number of nymphs produced per female was highest at 25 degrees C; averaging near 30 nymphs per female, but it dropped to near zero at both 10 and 35 degrees C. The highest intrinsic rate of increase (r(m)) was 0.241 at 30 degrees C. Net reproductive rate (R(0)) ranged from 29.8 at 25 degrees C to 0.2 at 10 degrees C. The generation time (GT) decreased with increasing temperatures from 60.3 d at 10 degrees C to 13.8 d at 30 degrees C. In addition, root aphids reared at 30 degrees C on three host plants [O. sativa, Zea mays L. and Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] revealed that the developmental time of the nymphal stages averaged 6.9 d when reared on O. sativa and 10.7 d when reared on Z. mays. Comparison of the nitrogen content of the three host plants indicated that the root nitrogen content was highest in O. sativa. The effect of nitrogen content on aphid performance, however, is still not clear. Other factors, such as plant secondary chemistry, may play a role in affecting aphid performance.     

The Drosophila caspase Ice is important for many apoptotic cell deaths and for spermatid individualization, a nonapoptotic process

Caspase family proteases play important roles in the regulation of apoptotic cell death. Initiator caspases are activated in response to death stimuli, and they transduce and amplify these signals by cleaving and thereby activating effector caspases. In Drosophila, the initiator caspase Nc (previously Dronc) cleaves and activates two short-prodomain caspases, Dcp-1 and Ice (previously Drice), suggesting these as candidate effectors of Nc killing activity. dcp-1-null mutants are healthy and possess few defects in normally occurring cell death. To explore roles for Ice in cell death, we generated and characterized an Ice null mutant. Animals lacking Ice show a number of defects in cell death, including those that occur during embryonic development, as well as during formation of adult eyes, arista and wings. Ice mutants exhibit subtle defects in the destruction of larval tissues, and do not prevent destruction of salivary glands during metamorphosis. Cells from Ice animals are also markedly resistant to several stresses, including X-irradiation and inhibition of protein synthesis. Mutations in Ice also suppress cell death that is induced by expression of Rpr, Wrinkled (previously Hid) and Grim. These observations demonstrate that Ice plays an important non-redundant role as a cell death effector. Finally, we demonstrate that Ice participates in, but is not absolutely required for, the non-apoptotic process of spermatid differentiation.     

Gene expression profile in immunologically injured liver cell of mice

To study the gene expression profiles between immunologically injured liver cell and normal liver cell of mice and to screen on a large scale the differentially expressed genes associated with the formation of liver injury, the experimental mice were randomly divided into the normal group for controlling and the immunologically liver-injured group induced by BCG and LPS. The liver mRNA of the two groups were extracted respectively and reversely-transcribed to cDNA with the incorporation of different fluorescence (Cy3, Cy5) labeled dUTP as the hybridization probes. The mixed probes were hybridized to the cDNA microarray chips. The fluorescent signal results were acquired by scanner ScanArray 4000 and analyzed with software GenePix Pro 3.0. Among the 14112 target genes, 293 genes were found to be significantly differentially expressed, in which 188 genes were up-regulated and 105 genes were down-regulated. Based on the analysis of biological functions of those differentially expressed genes, it was indicated that the occurrence and development of mouse liver damage induced by BCG and LPS were highly correlated with the processes of immune reactions, cell synthesis, metabolism, apoptosis and transportation in liver cell, which might be quite important for elucidating the regulatory network of gene expression associated with the liver damage, also important for finally discovering the pathogenic mechanisms of immunological liver damage.     

芦苇光合生理特性动态变化及其影响因子分析

以杭州湾滨海滩涂湿地自然生长的芦苇群落为研究对象,于芦苇生长季(5～11月份)采用LI-6400光合作用测定系统研究其光合生理指标变化规律及其与影响因子的关系.结果发现,芦苇最大净光合速率(Pmax)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)和光补偿点(LCP)在生长季节内均表现为先增加后降低的变化过程,且均在7月份分别达到其最大值27.42、3.02和58.85 μmol*m-2*s-1,而表观量子效率(AQE)的变化无明显规律;芦苇Pmax的动态变化主要受叶绿素含量(包括叶绿素a和叶绿素总量)和环境因子(主要包括大气温度、光合有效辐射和相对湿度)的影响,其次是叶片营养元素P、N含量.     

Delayed development of the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and increased parasitism by Encarsia bimaculata in response to sublethal doses of piperonyl butoxide

Abstract Effects of sublethal piperonyl butoxide (PB) on parasitization of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius ) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) by Encarsia bimaculata Heraty et Polaszek (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) were evaluated both in cage and greenhouse experiments. When first, second and third instar B. tabaci nymphs were treated with PB, all but the first instar were significantly prolonged. Data indicated that sublethal PB could improve E. bimaculata parasitism rates without influencing parasitoid eclosion rates. Prolonged development increased rates of parasitism by E. bimaculata, from 17.6% to 24.7% in cages, presumably by increasing the duration of host exposure. Sublethal PB combined with E. bimaculata as an integrated approach to control B. tabaci was evaluated using life table parameters under greenhouse conditions. Indices of population trend (I) calculated from life tables were estimated at 4.6 for B. tabaci exposed to PB and parasitoids compared to 14.1 with parasitoids alone and 23.5 in untreated controls. The results showed that after PB was sprayed and parasitoids introduced, development of B. tabaci was delayed and the peak of each stage was postponed. The older nymphal stage had highest mortality, primarily due to mortality caused by parasitism by E. bimaculata.     

A cyp19a1b‐gfp (aromatase B) transgenic zebrafish line that expresses GFP in radial glial cells

Aromatase is an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of estrogen in gonads and brain. Teleost fish express aromatase (AroB) strongly in the brain facilitating its detailed examination. To understand the function of AroB in the brain, we generated transgenic zebrafish that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the brain aromatase cyp19a1b promoter. GFP was found in the radial glial cells of transgenic larvae and adult fish that overlap with AroB immunoreactivity in the correct temporal and spatial pattern. GFP was also coexpressed with radial cell marker BLBP, but was not in neurons. In addition, GFP expression in the radial glial cells was stimulated by estrogen, same as endogenous AroB expression. Thus, this transgenic line faithfully mimics the regulation of AroB expression in radial glial cells. It provides a powerful tool to further characterize progenitor radial cells in adult and developing fish and to evaluate estrogenic activities of xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens. genesis 47:67–73, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

早期人胚胎cDNA文库构建及目的基因筛选

收集受精后３、４和５周龄药物流产胚胎,用改良一步法提取总ＲＮＡ,ｏｌｉｇｏ（ｄＴ）纤维素柱纯化ｍＲＮＡ,逆转录合成一链ｃＤＮＡ,完成二链ｃＤＮＡ的合成后,经碱变性电泳检测,合成ｃＤＮＡ的大小为０．４～９．０ｋｂ之间,且主要集中在１．０～２．０ｋｂ。除去多余的接头,收集大于４００ｂｐ的ｃＤＮＡ片段,与载体ｐＳＰＯＲＴ１和和γＺｉｐＬｏｘ连接,分别得到３、４、５周龄人胚胎质粒文加和噬菌体文库。另外,采     

Arsenic degrades PML or PML-RARalpha through a SUMO-triggered RNF4/ubiquitin-mediated pathway

In acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), arsenic trioxide induces degradation of the fusion protein encoded by the PML-RARA oncogene, differentiation of leukaemic cells and produces clinical remissions. SUMOylation of its PML moiety was previously implicated, but the nature of the degradation pathway involved and the role of PML-RARalpha catabolism in the response to therapy have both remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that arsenic-induced PML SUMOylation triggers its Lys 48-linked polyubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation. When exposed to arsenic, SUMOylated PML recruits RNF4, the human orthologue of the yeast SUMO-dependent E3 ubiquitin-ligase, as well as ubiquitin and proteasomes onto PML nuclear bodies. Arsenic-induced differentiation is impaired in cells transformed by a non-degradable PML-RARalpha SUMOylation mutant or in APL cells transduced with a dominant-negative RNF4, directly implicating PML-RARalpha catabolism in the therapeutic response. We thus identify PML as the first protein degraded by SUMO-dependent polyubiquitination. As PML SUMOylation recruits not only RNF4, ubiquitin and proteasomes, but also many SUMOylated proteins onto PML nuclear bodies, these domains could physically integrate the SUMOylation, ubiquitination and degradation pathways.     

银中杨树叶化学成分研究

采用硅胶柱色谱等分离方法,对银中杨Populus alba X P.berolinensis L.树叶的化学成分进行分离纯化,依据理化性质及波谱数据分析进行结构鉴定,从中分离鉴定了12个单体化合物,分别为:邻苯二酚(1),苯甲酸(2),水杨醇(3),东莨菪素(4),咖啡酸(5),水杨酸(6),2’-苯甲酰水杨苷(7),水杨苷(8),丁二酸(9),特里杨苷(10),3’-苯甲酰水杨苷(11)和6’-苯甲酰水杨苷(12),其中化合物3,4,7,9～12为首次从该植物中分离得到。     

免疫毒素Luffin B-Ng76对人黑色素瘤细胞的体外抑制作用

用ＢｌｕｅＳｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅＣＬ－６Ｂ凝胶亲和层析法从丝瓜籽中分离纯化了单链致核糖体失活蛋白（ｒｉｂｏｓｏｍｅｉｎａｃ－ｔｉｖａｔｉｎｇｐｒｏｔｅｉｎ,ＲＩＰ）——ｌｕｆｉｎＢ。并将ｌｕｆｉｎＢ与抗人黑色素瘤细胞单抗Ｎｇ７６制成了免疫毒素,命名为ｌｕｆｉｎＢ－Ｎｇ７６,它对体外培养的黑色素瘤细胞Ｍ２１有很强的抑制作用,ＩＣ５０为２．５×１０－１１ｍｏｌ／Ｌ,毒性比游离的ｌｕｆｉｎＢ提高４０００倍,而它对非靶的ＨｅＬａ细胞的毒性较Ｍ２１细胞低１２００倍。结果提示ｌｕｆｉｎＢ用于制备免疫毒素具有良好的应用前景。