Two Rubisco activase isoforms may play different roles in photosynthetic heat acclimation in the rice plant

Studies on some plant species have shown that increasing the growth temperature gradually or pretreating with high temperature can lead to obvious photosynthetic acclimation to high temperature. To test whether this acclimation arises from heat adaptation of ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco, EC 4.1.1.39) activation mediated by Rubisco activase (RCA), gene expression of RCA large isoform (RCA_L) and RCA small isoform (RCA_S) in rice was determined using a 4‐day heat stress treatment [40/30°C (day/night)] followed by a 3‐day recovery under control conditions [30/22°C (day/night)]. The heat stress significantly induced the expression of RCA_L as determined by both mRNA and protein levels. Correlative analysis indicated that RCA_S protein content was extremely significantly related to Rubisco initial activity and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) under both heat stress and normal conditions. Immunoblot analysis of the Rubisco–RCA complex revealed that the ratio of RCA_L to Rubisco increased markedly in heat‐acclimated rice leaves. Furthermore, transgenic rice plants expressing enhanced amounts of RCA_L exhibited higher thermotolerance in Pn and Rubisco initial activity and grew better at high temperature than wild‐type (WT) plants and transgenic rice plants expressing enhanced amounts of RCA_S. Under normal conditions, the transgenic rice plants expressing enhanced amounts of RCA_S showed higher Pn and produced more biomass than transgenic rice plants expressing enhanced amounts of RCA_L and wild‐type plants. Together, these suggest that the heat‐induced RCA_L may play an important role in photosynthetic acclimation to moderate heat stress in vivo, while RCA_S plays a major role in maintaining Rubisco initial activity under normal conditions.     

Broadening the avenue of intersubgenomic heterosis in oilseed Brassica

Accumulated evidence has shown that each of the three basic Brassica genomes (A, B and C) has undergone profound changes in different species, and has led to the concept of the “subgenome”. Significant intersubgenomic heterosis was observed in hybrids between traditional Brassica napus and first generation lines of new type B. napus. The latter were produced by the partial introgression of subgenomic components from different species into B. napus. To increase the proportion of exotic subgenomic components and thus achieve stronger heterosis, lines of first generation new type B. napus were intercrossed with each other, and subjected to intensive marker-assisted selection to develop the second generation of new type B. napus. The second generation showed better agronomic traits and a higher proportion of introgression of subgenomic components than did the first generation. Compared with the commercial hybrid and the hybrids produced with the first generation new type B. napus, the novel hybrids showed stronger heterosis for seed yield during the 2 years of field trials. The extent of heterosis showed a significant positive correlation with the introgressed subgenomic components in the parental new type B. napus. To increase the content of the exotic subgenomic components further and to allow sustainable breeding of novel lines of new type B. napus, we initiated the development of a gene pool for new type B. napus that contained a substantial amount of genetic variation in the A^r and C^c genome. We discuss new approaches to broaden the avenue of intersubgenomic heterosis in oilseed Brassica.     

Silicon enhances growth independent of silica deposition in a low-silica rice mutant, lsi1

To examine whether silica bodies are essential for silicon-enhanced growth of rice seedlings, we investigated the response of rice, Oryza sativa L., to silicon treatment. Silicic acid treatment markedly enhanced the SPAD (soil plant analytical development) values of leaf blades and the growth and development of leaves and lateral roots in cvs. Hinohikari and Oochikara, and a low-silicon mutant, lsi1. Combination of ethanol–benzene displacement and staining with crystal violet lactone enabled more detailed histochemical analysis to visualize silica bodies in the epidermis under bright-field microscopy. Supply of silicon induced the development of motor cells and silica bodies in epidermal cells in Hinohikari and Oochikara but not or marginal in lsi1. X-ray analytical microscopy detected silicon specifically in the leaf sheath, the outermost part of the stem, and the leaf blade midrib, suggesting that silicon is distributed to tissues involved in maintaining rigidity of the plant to prevent lodging, rather than being passively deposited in growing tissues. Silicon supplied at high dose accumulated in all rice seedlings and enhanced growth and SPAD values with or without silica body formation. Silicon accumulated in the cell wall may play an important physiological role different from that played by the silica deposited in the motor cell and silica bodies.     

不同种源厚朴苗期性状变异及主成分分析

基于厚朴（Magnolia officinalis）作为一种传统中药植物及分布区域广、环境异质化程度明显的现象,采用田间种源实验,对分布在中国7个省的14个种源厚朴苗期的生长性状进行了观测分析。结果表明,不同种源厚朴的苗期生长性状差异显著。种源遗传力分析表明,苗高和单株叶面积两个性状的遗传力较高,分别为0.93、0.79,可认为以苗高和单株叶面积为主的种源多性状综合选择改良潜力巨大。相关性分析表明各性状间遗传相关、表型相关、环境相关均存在一定的相关关系,单株叶面积和地上部生长性状的遗传相关程度高于地下部生长性状,表型显著相关的性状组合数量和程度低于遗传相关。厚朴苗期种源选择的首选因子为各生物量及单数叶面积性状,辅助因子为苗高和地径。通过系统聚类分析,初步选定景宁、武夷山、龙胜、开县、城固、宁强及洋县的种源为优良厚朴种源。     

556例多发伤患者的急诊救治临床分析

目的探讨多发伤患者的救治策略。方法回顾分析我科2000年1月至2008年5月急诊抢救的556例多发伤患者的临床资料。结果 16例患者经抢救无效死亡,死亡率2.88%;其余患者均经紧急抢救及行必要实验室检查,病情稳定,好转率达97.12%。平均抢救时间为(1.37±1.05)h。结论强化多发伤的急诊科早期救治,树立创伤急救"黄金1 h"观念,是提高多发伤患者生存率及降低死亡率的关键。     

斜纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒BamHI—J片段序列分析

报道了斜纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒（SpltMNPV)BamHI-J片段的序列结构。该片段定位于SpltMNPV基因组25.8-29.9图单位（msp unit）,包括4个完整的开放读码框,几丁质酶基因（chiA）的3′端部分序列和一个同源区（hr）的部分序列。4个完整的读码框包括lef-8基因,杆状病毒J结构域蛋白基因（baculovirus J domain protein gene,bjdp),ORF570和ORF165。序列分离表明：ORF570与毒蛾核型多角体病毒（Lymantria dispar MNPV）的解旋酶－2基因有31％的氨基酸同源性。ORF165为SpltMNPV特有。J结构域蛋白在其他杆状病毒基因组中尚未见报道,其氨基酸序列N端存在J结构域,推断该蛋白质具有与DnaJ蛋白类似特征。lef-8基因编码的氨基酸与已报道的杆状病毒基因组中的lef-8基因编码的氨基酸具有高的同源性,且其C端具有与其他杆状病毒LEF－8类似的保守序列CIKICGIHGQKG。     

Vip3A is responsible for the potency of Bacillus thuringiensis 9816C culture supernatant against Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera exigua

Culture supernatant of Bacillus thuringiensis 9816C had high toxicity against Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera exigua. However, it lost insecticidal activities after being bathed in boiling water for 5 min. Acrystalliferous mutants of Bt9816C (Bt9816C-NP1 and Bt9816C-NP2) cured of its endogenous plasmids no longer possessed vip3A gene and toxicity. The 89 kD protein which existed in Bt9816C supernatant disappeared in the two mutants' supernatant; nevertheless, the two mutants still exhibited hemolytic and phospholipase C activity as Bt9816C did. The vip3A gene of Bt9816C, vip3Aa18, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. Bioassay demonstrated that the recombinant E. coli had high toxicity against S. exigua. Taken together, it suggested that Vip3A protein was responsible for the toxicity of Bt9816C culture supernatants.     

Identification of Up-Regulated Genes After Complete Spinal Cord Transection in Adult Rats

Spinal cord injury (SCI) initiates a cascade of events and these responses to injury are likely to be mediated and reflected by changes in mRNA concentrations. As a step towards understanding the complex mechanisms underlying repair and regeneration after SCI, the gene expression pattern was examined 4.5 days after complete transection at T8-9 level of rat spinal cord. Improved subtractive hybridization was used to establish a subtracted cDNA library using cDNAs from normal rat spinal cord as driver and cDNAs from injured spinal cord as tester. By expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing, we obtained 73 EST fragments from this library, representing 40 differentially expressed genes. Among them, 32 were known genes and 8 were novel genes. Functions of all annotated genes were scattered in almost every important field of cell life such as DNA repair, detoxification, mRNA quality control, cell cycle control, and signaling, which reflected the complexity of SCI and regeneration. Then we verified subtraction results with semiquantitative RT-PCR for eight genes. These analyses confirmed, to a large extent, that the subtraction results accurately reflected the molecular changes occurring at 4.5 days post-SCI. The current study identified a number of genes that may shed new light on SCI-related inflammation, neuroprotection, neurite-outgrowth, synaptogenesis, and astrogliosis. In conclusion, the identification of molecular changes using improved subtractive hybridization may lead to a better understanding of molecular mechanisms responsible for repair and regeneration after SCI.