Growth of Neural Crest Cells In Vitro Is Enhanced By Extracts From Silky Fowl Embryonic Tissues

In the Silky Fowl (SF) breed of chicken, most of the internal organs are infiltrated with melanocytes. Previous studies have shown that this generalized mesodermal pigmentation is not due to a cell autonomous abnormality of the melanocytes but to environmental factors able to promote both the homing of pigment cell precursors in abnormal embryonic sites and their proliferation and differentiation. To analyse the mode of these environmental cues, we tested the effect of SF embryo extract (SFEE) on cultured quail neural crest cells as compared with that of EE from normal chickens of the JA57 strain (JA57EE). We found that SFEE enhances crest cell proliferation as judged by ³H-TdR incorporation and cell counting. In contrast, no effect of SFEE was observed either on the proportion of cultured cells that are engaged into the melanocytic differentiation pathway or on the amount of melanin produced by each differentiated pigment cell. The simple observation, however, reveals that SFEE has a significant effect on pigmentation of the cultured quail neural crest cells. This effect has therefore to be accounted for by the general increase in cell number induced by SFEE. The question is raised as to whether the in vivo SF phenotype is generated exclusively by this mechanism.     

双价抗病基因导入籽瓜的遗传转化研究

以籽瓜主栽品种新籽瓜2号、五原籽瓜等为研究材料,用苗龄1-3d的子叶切块作外植体,不定芽诱导培养基为MS 6-BA2mg/L IBA 0.1mg/L,芽伸长培养基为MS KT0．2mg／L,诱导生根的培养基是MS IAA0．5mg／L。籽瓜遗传转化研究结果表明农杆菌感染时间以10min,共培养时间以2d为合适。共获得抗卡那霉素100mg／L的试管苗41个,PCR检测呈阳性的有15株,转化率为34．9％。该研究初步建立了籽瓜的遗传转化体系和转化体的检测体系。     

我国奶牛乳房炎致病性金黄色葡萄球菌血清型分布

本试验采用玻片凝集法对从临床型乳房炎病乳中分离获得的56株金黄色葡萄球菌进行血清型分型。结果表明336型占67.9%(38/56),5型占7.1%(4/56),8型占3.6%(2/56)。     

Reduced genetic diversity, increased isolation and multiple introductions of invasive giant hogweed in the western Swiss Alps

The giant hogweed ( Heracleum mantegazzianum ) has successfully invaded 19 European countries as well as parts of North America. It has become a problematic species due to its ability to displace native flora and to cause public health hazards. Applying population genetics to species invasion can help reconstruct invasion history and may promote more efficient management practice. We thus analysed levels of genetic variation and population genetic structure of H. mantegazzianum in an invaded area of the western Swiss Alps as well as in its native range (the Caucasus), using eight nuclear microsatellite loci together with plastid DNA markers and sequences. On both nuclear and plastid genomes, native populations exhibited significantly higher levels of genetic diversity compared to invasive populations, confirming an important founder event during the invasion process. Invasive populations were also significantly more differentiated than native populations. Bayesian clustering analysis identified five clusters in the native range that corresponded to geographically and ecologically separated groups. In the invaded range, 10 clusters occurred. Unlike native populations, invasive clusters were characterized by a mosaic pattern in the landscape, possibly caused by anthropogenic dispersal of the species via roads and direct collection for ornamental purposes. Lastly, our analyses revealed four main divergent groups in the western Swiss Alps, likely as a consequence of multiple independent establishments of H. mantegazzianum .     

Involvement of the cylindrical inclusion (CI) protein in the overcoming of an eIF4E-mediated resistance against Lettuce mosaic potyvirus

The capacity of Lettuce mosaic virus to overcome the lettuce resistance conferred by the mo1¹ and mo1² alleles of the gene for eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) was analysed using reverse genetics. Mutations in the virus genome-linked protein (VPg) allowed mo1¹ only to be overcome, but mutations in the C-terminal portion of the cylindrical inclusion (CI) protein allowed both alleles to be overcome. Site-directed mutagenesis pinpointed a key role of the amino acid at position 621 in the virulence. This is the first example of the involvement of a potyviral CI protein in the breaking of an eIF4E-mediated resistance.     

多效唑（MET）对啤酒花试管苗生长和移栽的影响

在培养基中加入0.1-0.2mg/L浓度的多效唑（MET）,啤酒花试管苗植株矮壮,单株生根数量增加、移栽成活率提高13％。0．5－2．0mg/L时,试管苗基部愈伤组织增多,枝叶失绿,生长受到抑制。初步发现多将唑对啤酒花试管苗的效力与葡萄糖用量呈正相关。