Dot-blot hybridization and RT-PCR detection of extra small virus (XSV) associated with white tail disease of prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The availability of specific and reliable detection methods is essential for monitoring the health status of farmed species, particularly for viral diseases. Extra small virus (XSV), a virus-like particle, is associated with Macrobrachium rosenbergii Noda virus (MrNV) in white tail disease (WTD) of M. rosenbergii. We developed 2 genome-based detection methods for the identification of XSV, namely dot-blot hybridization and a single-step RT-PCR. Detection limits were established and are ca. 2.5 pg and 5 fg of viral RNA for dot-blot hybridization and RT-PCR, respectively. Application of the methods to field samples indicated that some animals positively diagnosed with MrNV did not contain XSV, at least within the detection limit of the methodology. This raises the question of the actual role of XSV and its interactions with MrNV in WTD of M. rosenbergii.     

YY1抑制效应的破坏可促进人乳头瘤病毒16型癌基因的转录

人乳头瘤病毒１６型（ＨＰＶ１６）癌基因的表达受病毒早期启动子Ｐ９７的控制。位于ＬＣＲ上ＹＹ１蛋白结合位点的破坏可明显提高Ｐ９７的活性。为了观测ＹＹ１位点破坏在全基因组范围内对病毒ｅ６／ｅ７基因转录的影响,将构建的带有ＬＣＲ特异性突变的重组ＨＰＶ１６全基因组ＤＮＡ和ＨＰＶ１６野毒株ＤＮＡ转染至培养细胞,同时组建ＨＰＶ１６Ｅ６反向序列ＲＮＡ体外转录质粒。ＲＮａｓｅ保护试验证实,突变ＨＰＶ１６ＤＮＡ在短     

Osmotic Shock Inhibits Insulin Signaling by Maintaining Akt/Protein Kinase B in an Inactive Dephosphorylated State

We have previously reported that insulin and osmotic shock stimulate an increase in glucose transport activity and translocation of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter isoform GLUT4 to the plasma membrane through distinct pathways in 3T3L1 adipocytes (D. Chen, J. S. Elmendorf, A. L. Olson, X. Li, H. S. Earp, and J. E. Pessin, J. Biol. Chem. 272:27401-27410, 1997). In investigations of the relationships between these two signaling pathways, we have now observed that these two stimuli are not additive, and, in fact, osmotic shock pretreatment was found to completely prevent any further insulin stimulation of glucose transport activity and GLUT4 protein translocation. In addition, osmotic shock inhibited the insulin stimulation of lipogenesis and glycogen synthesis. This inhibition of insulin-stimulated downstream signaling occurred without any significant effect on insulin receptor autophosphorylation or tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1). Furthermore, there was no effect on either the insulin-stimulated association of the p85 type I phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase regulatory subunit with IRS1 or phosphotyrosine antibody-immunoprecipitated PI 3-kinase activity. In contrast, osmotic shock pretreatment markedly inhibited the insulin stimulation of protein kinase B (PKB) and p70S6 kinase activities. In addition, the dephosphorylation of PKB was prevented by pretreatment with the phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and calyculin A. These data support a model in which osmotic shock-induced insulin resistance of downstream biological responses results from an inhibition of insulin-stimulated PKB activation.     

An ordered EST catalogue and gene expression profiles of cassava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Manihot esculenta</Emphasis>) at key growth stages

A cDNA library was constructed from the root tissues of cassava variety Huanan 124 at the root bulking stage. A total of 9,600 cDNA clones from the library were sequenced with single-pass from the 5′-terminus to establish a catalogue of expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Assembly of the resulting EST sequences resulted in 2,878 putative unigenes. Blastn analysis showed that 62.6% of the unigenes matched with known cassava ESTs and the rest had no ‘hits’ against the cassava database in the integrative PlantGDB database. Blastx analysis showed that 1,715 (59.59%) of the unigenes matched with one or more GenBank protein entries and 1,163 (40.41%) had no ‘hits’. A cDNA microarray with 2,878 unigenes was developed and used to analyze gene expression profiling of Huanan 124 at key growth stages including seedling, formation of root system, root bulking, and starch maturity. Array data analysis revealed that (1) the higher ratio of up-regulated ribosome-related genes was accompanied by a high ratio of up-regulated ubiquitin, proteasome-related and protease genes in cassava roots; (2) starch formation and degradation simultaneously occur at the early stages of root development but starch degradation is declined partially due to decrease in UDP-glucose dehydrogenase activity with root maturity; (3) starch may also be synthesized in situ in roots; (4) starch synthesis, translocation, and accumulation are also associated probably with signaling pathways that parallel Wnt, LAM, TCS and ErbB signaling pathways in animals; (5) constitutive expression of stress-responsive genes may be due to the adaptation of cassava to harsh environments during long-term evolution.     

不同施氮水平下灌水量对小麦水分利用特征和产量的影响

在田间高产条件下,研究了不同施氮水平［180 kg·hm^-2（N₁₈₀）和240 kg·hm^-2（N₂₄₀）］下灌水量对小麦耗水特征和旗叶水分生理特性及产量的影响.结果表明：不灌水的W₀处理100 cm以下土层的土壤贮水消耗量低于各灌水处理,W₁（灌底墒水60 mm）和W₂（灌底墒水和拔节水各60 mm）处理100～200 cm土层和0~200 cm土层土壤贮水消耗量高于W₃（灌底墒水、拔节水和开花水各60 mm）处理;N₂₄₀处理0～80 cm土层土壤贮水消耗量、开花至成熟阶段耗水模系数和农田耗水量高于N_180. W₂和W₃处理灌浆中后期旗叶相对含水量和水势高于W₀和W₁处理;灌浆后期旗叶相对含水量和水势为N₂₄₀W₀和N₂₄₀W₁处理分别高于N₁₈₀W₀和N₁₈₀W₁处理,N₂₄₀W₂和N₂₄₀W₃处理与N₁₈₀W₂和N₁₈₀W₃处理之间无显著差异.施氮180 kg·hm^-2,底墒水和拔节水分别灌60 mm的W₂处理籽粒产量、水分和氮素利用效率高,农田耗水量较低;增加灌水量,籽粒产量无显著变化,农田耗水量增高,土壤贮水消耗量、水分利用效率、灌溉水利用效率和灌溉效益降低.     

Degradation of proteinaceous substrates by xylotrophic basidiomycetes

The ability of various xylotrophs to produce extracellular proteolytic enzymes has been studied, with emphasis on medium-related factors regulating their secretion. Direct measurement of proteolytic activity in the culture liquid and postelectrophoresis determination of protease activity in polyacrylamide gel copolymerized with gelatin demonstrated that the secreted enzymes are quantitatively and qualitatively diverse. Activity levels of extracellular proteolytic enzymes strongly depend on pH and contents of protein and carbohydrate in the medium. All secreted proteases notably differed in molecular weight (of 51 kDa or higher and in excess of 95 kDa) and belonged mostly to two classes of proteolytic enzymes (serine proteases and metalloproteinases).     

Genetic diversity of phenazine- and pyoluteorin-producing pseudomonads isolated from green pepper rhizosphere

The genetic diversity among indigenous phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA)-producing and pyoluteorin (Plt)-producing isolates of pseudomonads screened from green pepper rhizosphere was exploited in this study. A total of 48 bacterium isolates producing one or both of these antibiotics were screened from green pepper rhizosphere in diverse regions in China. Among these isolates, 45 could produce PCA, 3 could produce both PCA and Plt, and none could produce Plt only. Based on the restriction patterns of partial 16S and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) PCR fragments generated by enzyme HaeIII or HinfI, these isolates fell into 19 or 17 distinct groups respectively, indicating that there was a significant diversity among them. Polygenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA and 16S-23S ITS sequence from the representative in each group in the context of similar sequence from previously described bacterial species indicated that most isolates were closely related to the species of Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Some of these representatives of these isolates, then, are likely to be novel strains or species in these two genera. The GenBank accession numbers for DNA sequences of the partial 16S rDNA with ITS region in each isolate determined in this study were: GP30 DQ003219; GP127 DQ003220; GP83 DQ003221; GP42, DQ003222; GP59 DQ003223; GP50 DQ003224; GP36 DQ003225; GP110 DQ003226; GP26 DQ003227; GP37 DQ003228; GP60 DQ003229; GP31 DQ003230; GP57 DQ003231; GP75 DQ003232; GP115 DQ003233; GP65 DQ003234; GP32 DQ003235; GP76 DQ003236; GP78 DQ003237.     

Novel potent agonist [(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 and antagonist [Nphe1,(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 of nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor

Two novel ligands for the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) receptor (NOP), [(pF)Phe4,Aib7, Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 (peptide-1) and [Nphe1,(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 (peptide-2), have been generated by combining different modifications of N/OFQ sequence. In the present study, we investigated the actions of two analogues and compared them with those of N/OFQ in four assays. Peptide-1 mimicked N/OFQ effects in mouse vas deferens and mouse colon and showed similar maximal effects but higher potency relative to N/OFQ. The effects of peptide-1 were sensitive to NOP receptor selective antagonist ([Nphe1]N/OFQ(1-13)-NH2) but not to naloxone in vitro. Peptide-1 (25 pmol, i.c.v.) mimicked the pronociceptive action of N/OFQ (2.5 nmol, i.c.v.) in mouse tail withdrawal assay, displaying higher potency and longer lasting effects. In anesthetized rats, peptide-1 (1 nmol/kg, i.v.) produced a marked decrease in mean arterial pressure, which was comparable to that evoked by i.v. N/OFQ (100 nmol/kg). Peptide-2 did not produce any effect per se but antagonized N/OFQ actions in mouse vas deferens and mouse colon assays. Peptide-2 is active in vivo where it prevented the pronociceptive effect induced by 2.5 nmol N/OFQ i.c.v. in the mouse tail withdrawal assay. Furthermore, peptide-2 at 5 nmol produced alone a robust and long lasting antinociceptive effect. Moreover, peptide-2 (10 and 40 nmol/kg i.v.) didn't produce any effect per se but antagonized hypotensive actions produced by i.v. administration of N/OFQ. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that [(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11, Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 behaves as a highly potent NOP receptor agonist which produces long lasting effects in vivo and [Nphe1,(pF)Phe4,Aib7,Aib11,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2 acts as a pure and competitive antagonist of the NOP receptor.     

脂肪来源细胞体外增殖规律及定向诱导分化研究

脂肪组织由整形外科吸脂术获得(19例,31．5±5．8岁)。酶消化法分离抽吸物中细胞,体外扩增至第10代．测定细胞生长曲线、累计倍增数目,明确其体外生长规律和增殖能力;通过对表面抗原CD29、CD105、CD106、CD166、CD49d、CD34、CD31、3G5等的检测分析脂肪来源细胞的群体组成：分别向软骨、骨、脂肪定向诱导,进一步明确该细胞群体定向分化能力。实验表明,每300ml脂肪抽吸物平均可获得5×10~7个有核细胞,体外扩增10代,平均每代倍增数目为1．59±0．224．累计倍增数目为15．53。流式细胞学及免疫细胞化学检测显示,干细胞相关抗原CD29、CD105、CD106、CD166等表达率均＞60%,但与造血系相关的CD34、CD31表达率也分别达到7．3%、29．2%。ADC向软骨诱导可检测到Ⅱ型胶原表达;向成骨诱导可见矿化结节形成,并可检测到AKP、Osteonectin基因表达;向脂肪诱导可检测到PPARr2、GLU-4、Leptin基因表达,细胞内有脂滴形成。脂肪来源的细胞获得量大,体外增殖能力强,并含有具有多向分化潜能细胞,有可能作为组织构建的种子细胞。     

Rates of apparent photosynthesis,respiration and dry matter accumulation in maize canopies

The rates of canopy apparent photosynthesis (P_C) and canopy respiration (R_c) were studied during vegetation season in two erectophile and two planophile hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.) grown at two canopy densities [7.5 plants m^-2 (HD) and 4.5 plants m^-2 (LD)]. Large differences in P_C, R_c, R_C/P_C, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation and grain yield were found among hybrids and plant densities. Variations in P_C and R_C were associated mainly with changes in LAI. There was also found change in P_C per unit LAI with time. The average R_C/P_C was 28.9 % for all treatments throughout the vegetation season. P_C and R_C per unit dry matter were higher in LD than in HD and decreased throughout the measurement period. The HD stand had higher P_C and yield in hybrids with erectophile foliage, whereas LD stand had higher P_C after male tetrad and got higher yield in hybrids with planophile foliage. Only R_C in hybrids of the two foliage types was higher under HD than under LD throughout the vegetation period.