Solid cultures of thrips-pathogenic fungi Isaria javanica strains for enhanced conidial productivity and thermotolerance

Entomopathogenic fungi have great potential to control agricultural and horticultural insect pests, however optimizing conidial production systems to demonstrate high productivity and stability still needs additional efforts for successful field application and industrialization. Although many virulent entomopathogenic fungal isolates have been viewed as potential candidates in a laboratory environment, very few of the isolates are being used in practice for application in agricultural fields as commercial products. I. javanicus is an entomopathogenic fungus that is parasitic to various diverse coleopteran and lepidopteran insects and thought good candidate as biopesticdes. In this work, the basic characteristics of two entomopathogenic fungi, I. javanica FG340 and Pf04, were investigated in morphological examinations, genetic identification, and virulence against Thrips palmi, and then the feasibility of various grains substrates for conidial production was assessed, particularly focusing on conidial productivity and thermotolerance. Isaria javanica FG340 and Pf04 conidia were solid-cultured on 12 grains for 14?days in a Petri dish. Of the tested Italian millet, perilla seed, millet and barley-based cultures showed high conidial production. The four-grain media yielded >1?×?10⁹ conidia/g of I. javanica FG340 and Pf04. Pf04 strain had enhanced thermotolerance up to 45?°C when cultured on Italian millet. In application, it was easy to make a conidial suspension using the cultured grains, and several surfactants were tested to release the conidia. This work suggests several possible inexpensive grain substrates by which to promote conidial production combined with enhanced stability against exposure to high temperature.     

3种滨藜属牧草苗期叶片解剖结构及生理特性对干旱的响应

通过盆栽控水试验,设置5个干旱胁迫水平,分别为最大田间持水量的80%(CK)、60%(轻度胁迫)、45%(中度胁迫)、30%(重度胁迫)、20%(极重度胁迫),并同步设计充足灌水后自然干旱实验,测定干旱胁迫对3种滨藜属牧草叶片形态解剖结构、叶片相对含水量、叶绿素含量、净光合速率、可溶性糖含量、质膜相对透性和丙二醛含量等生理生化指标的影响,以明确3种滨藜属牧草的抗旱特性,并探索其抗旱机理。结果表明:(1)3种滨藜属牧草均具有适应旱生环境的典型叶片结构特征,即在干旱胁迫条件下叶片组织结构形态表现为叶片栅栏组织逐渐变薄,而海绵组织在胁迫早期先变薄后增厚的现象,叶肉组织结构紧密度也出现了先降低后增高的规律。(2)随着干旱胁迫的加剧,叶片的可溶性糖含量增加,而其相对含水量减少,3种滨藜属牧草在土壤含水量很低的情况下叶片仍能保持高于52%的相对含水量。(3)在干旱胁迫下,3种滨藜属牧草叶片的叶绿素含量、净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率都发生显著变化,细胞膜受到的伤害程度有明显差异。(4)3种滨藜属牧草抗旱能力均较强,在干旱胁迫下其抗旱性综合表现为灰白滨藜变种1灰白滨藜变种2四翅滨藜。     

基于动力学模型的法夫酵母发酵生产虾青素的补料策略优化

对法夫酵母的不同补料发酵方式进行了研究.基于底物抑制模型,提出了一种优化的两阶段补料策略,用于法夫酵母产虾青素的高密度发酵.在发酵的延迟期和对数生长期早期,糖浓度控制在25 g/L左右,在此条件下,生物量可以达到最大,且时间缩短.在对数生长期后期及稳定期,糖浓度控制在5 g/L,虾青素的合成时间可以有效延长.与传统的补料方式相比,采用此补料策略取得了较好的发酵效果.发酵终点细胞干重达到23.8g/L,虾青素产量达到29.05 mg/L,分别比分批发酵提高了52.8%和109%.     

Genetic variations in humans associated with differences in the course of hepatitis C

The outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection varies among individuals, but the genetic factors involved remain unknown. We conducted a population-based association study in which 238 Japanese individuals positive for anti-HCV antibody were genotyped for 269 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 103 candidate genes that might influence the course of infection. Altogether, 50 SNPs in 32 genes were listed. Genetic polymorphisms in IL4, IL8RB, IL10RA, PRL, ADA, NFKB1, GRAP2, CABIN1, IFNAR2, IFI27, IFI41, TNFRSF1A, ALDOB, AP1B1, SULT2B1, EGF, EGFR, TGFB1, LTBP2, and CD4 were associated with persistent viremia (P < 0.05), whereas those in IL1B, IL1RL1, IL2RB, IL12RB1, IL18R1, STAT5A, GRAP2, CABIN1, IFNAR1, Mx1, BMP8, FGL1, LTBP2, CD34, and CD80 were associated with different serum alanine aminotransferase levels in HCV carriers (P < 0.05). The sorted genes allow us to draw novel hypotheses for future studies of HCV infection to ultimately identify bona fide genes and their variations.     

Indicative value ofPediastrum and other coccal green algae in palaeoecology

Sporopollenin layers in the cell wall of coccal green algae are responsible for the resistance of cell walls to destructive processes during fossilization as well as during chemical preparation of samples for pollen-analysis. Pollen slides of samples from limnic sediments thus also contain some algal cell walls. Although some pollen-analysts tried to stress this fact, the finds of algae in pollen slides have not been paid systematic attention yet, despite their potential use for a more accurate palaeoecological reconstruction. The article summarizes the results of palaeoecological studies showing how the algae can be used in palaeoecological reconstruction of past environments. The possibility of utilizing the indicative value of algal finds is demonstrated on examples of algal communities from fossil, subrecent and recent sediments from different longitudes, latitudes, and altitudes. The identification and indicative values of species and varieties ofPediastrum are included in a special review (Komárek &; Jankovská, Biblioth. Phycol., in press). The contemporary knowledge of ecological requirements of the given taxa, completed by information from their fossil finds, makes possible the reconstruction of trophic and temperature conditions and of the purity of the water environment of the past water biotopes.     

Wangella harbinensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family Micromonosporaceae

A novel endophytic actinomycete, designated strain NEAU-J3^T, was isolated from soybean root (Glycine max (L.) Merr) and characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that strain NEAU-J3^T fell within the family Micromonosporaceae. The strain was observed to form an extensively branched substrate mycelium, which carried non-motile oval spores with a smooth surface. The cell walls of strain NEAU-J3^T were determined to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid and galactose, ribose and glucose were detected as whole-cell sugars. The major menaquinones were determined to be MK-9(H₄) and MK-9(H₆). The phospholipids detected were phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty acids were determined to be C_16:0, C_18:1 ω9c, C_18:0, C_17:0, C_17:1 ω7c, anteiso-C_17:0, C_16:1 ω7c and C_15:0. The DNA G + C content was 62.5 mol%. On the basis of the morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and characteristic patterns of 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotides, strain NEAU-J3^T is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus within the family Micromonosporaceae, for which the name Wangella harbinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Wangella harbinensis is strain NEAU-J3^T (=CGMCC 4.7039^T = DSM 45747^T).     

Infection of human dendritic cells by a sindbis virus replicon vector is determined by a single amino acid substitution in the E2 glycoprotein

The ability to target antigen-presenting cells with vectors encoding desired antigens holds the promise of potent prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer. Toward this goal, we derived variants of the prototype alphavirus, Sindbis virus (SIN), with differential abilities to infect human dendritic cells. Cloning and sequencing of the SIN variant genomes revealed that the genetic determinant for human dendritic cell (DC) tropism mapped to a single amino acid substitution at residue 160 of the envelope glycoprotein E2. Packaging of SIN replicon vectors with the E2 glycoprotein from a DC-tropic variant conferred a similar ability to efficiently infect immature human DC, whereupon those DC were observed to undergo rapid activation and maturation. The SIN replicon particles infected skin-resident mouse DC in vivo, which subsequently migrated to the draining lymph nodes and upregulated cell surface expression of major histocompatibility complex and costimulatory molecules. Furthermore, SIN replicon particles encoding human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p55(Gag) elicited robust Gag-specific T-cell responses in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating that infected DC maintained their ability to process and present replicon-encoded antigen. Interestingly, human and mouse DC were differentially infected by selected SIN variants, suggesting differences in receptor expression between human and murine DC. Taken together, these data illustrate the tremendous potential of using a directed approach in generating alphavirus vaccine vectors that target and activate antigen-presenting cells, resulting in robust antigen-specific immune responses.     

长江流域若干水体寡毛类区系组成及相似性分析

研究了长江流域十余个水体水栖寡毛类的区系组成及分布。共鉴定水栖寡毛类53种,隶3科27属,其中仙女虫科15属31种(占58.49%);颤蚓科11属20种(占37.74%);线蚓科1属2种(占3.77%).在河流、草型湖泊和藻型湖泊这三类水体中,以草型湖泊的物种数最多,达36种;其次为长江干流,34种;藻型湖泊仅24种。对寡毛类的种间关系及不同生境寡毛类种类组成的相似性进行了聚类分析,结果表明,寡毛类的种类分布具有明显的地域性,据此可将其划分为6类(A-F组).       

甜菜碱对NaCl胁迫下小麦细胞保护酶活性的影响

本文以小麦为材料,研究甜菜碱对ＮａＣｌ胁迫下小麦幼苗细胞保护酶系统的影响。结果表明,外源甜菜碱能够提高ＮａＣｌ胁迫下小麦幼苗超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶等细胞保护酶的活性,抑制过氧化作用产物丙二醛的积累,降低叶片质膜透性和盐害对细胞膜的伤害。所有这些变化都有利于提高ＮａＣｌ胁迫下小麦幼苗细胞膜的稳定性、完整性和对ＮａＣｌ胁迫的适应性