Antibacterial Activity and Mechanisms of Ethanol Extracts from <i>Scutellaria baicalensis</i> Georgi and <i>Magnolia officinalis</i> against <i>Phytophthora nicotianae</i>

Phytophthora nicotianae causes substantial economic losses in most countries where tobacco is produced. At present, the control of P. nicotianae mainly depends on chemical methods, with considerable environmental and health issues. We investigated the effects of ethanol extracts from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SBG) and Magnolia officinalis (MO). On mycelial growth, sporangium formation, and zoospore release of P. nicotianae. Both extracts inhibited the growth of P. nicotianae, with mycelial growth inhibition rates of 88.92% and 93.92%, respectively, at 40 mg/mL, and EC50 values of 5.39 and 5.74 mg/mL, respectively. The underlying mechanisms were the inhibition of sporangium formation, the reduction of zoospore number, and the destruction of the mycelium structure. At an SBG extract concentration of 16.17 mg/mL, the inhibition rates for sporangia and zoospores were 98.66% and 99.39%, respectively. At an MO extract concentration of 2.87 mg/mL, the production of sporangia and zoospores was completely inhibited. The hyphae treated with the two plant extracts showed different degrees of deformation and damage. Hyphae treated with SBG extract showed adhesion and local swelling, whereas treatment with MO extract resulted in broken hyphae. Mixture of the extracts resulted in a good synergistic effect.     

Subcellular Distribution and Chemical Forms of Cadmium in the Medicine Food Homology Plant <i>Platycodon grandiflorum</i> (Jacq.) A.DC.

Although Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A.DC. is a renowned medicine food homology plant, reports of excessive cadmium (Cd) levels are common, which affects its safety for clinical use and food consumption. To enable its Cd levels to be regulated or reduced, it is necessary to first elucidate the mechanism of Cd uptake and accumulation in the plant, in addition to its detoxification mechanisms. This present study used inductively couple plasma-mass-spectrometry to analyze the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd in different tissues of P. grandiflorum. The experimental results showed that Cd was mainly accumulated in the roots [predominantly in the cell wall (50.96%–61.42%)], and it was found primarily in hypomobile and hypotoxic forms. The proportion of Cd in the soluble fraction increased after Cd exposure, and the proportion of insoluble phosphate Cd and oxalate Cd increased in roots and leaves, with a higher increase in oxalate Cd. Therefore, it is likely that root retention mechanisms, cell wall deposition, vacuole sequestration, and the formation of low mobility and low toxicity forms are tolerance strategies for Cd detoxification used by P. grandiflorum. The results of this study provide a theoretical grounding for the study of Cd accumulation and detoxification mechanisms in P. grandiflorum, and they can be used as a reference for developing Cd limits and standards for other medicine food homology plants.     

Nitric Oxide Enhances Salt Tolerance in Tomato Seedlings by Regulating Endogenous S-nitrosylation Levels

Salinity impairs plant growth and development, thereby leading to low yield and inferior quality of crops. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as an essential signaling molecule that is involved in regulating various physiological and biochemical processes in plants. In this study, tomato seedlings of Lycopersicum esculentum L. “Micro-Tom” treated with 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) conducted decreased plant height, total root length, and leaf area by 25.43%, 24.87%, and 33.67%, respectively. While nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) pretreatment ameliorated salt toxicity in a dose-dependent manner and 10 µM GSNO exhibited the most significant mitigation effect. It increased the plant height, total root length, and leaf area of tomato seedlings, which was 31.44%, 20.56%, and 51.21% higher than NaCl treatment alone, respectively. However, NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide potassium (cPTIO) treatment reversed the positive effect of NO under salt stress, implying that NO is essential for the enhancement of salt tolerance. Additionally, NaCl?+?GSNO treatment effectively decreased O^2? production and H₂O₂ content, increased the levels of soluble sugar, glycinebetaine, proline, and chlorophyll, and enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the content of antioxidants in tomato seedlings in comparison with NaCl treatment, whereas NaCl?+?cPTIO treatment significantly reversed the effect of NO under salt stress. Moreover, we found that GSNO treatment increased endogenous NO content, S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) activity, GSNOR expression and total S-nitrosylated level, and decreased S-nitrosothiol (SNO) content under salt stress, implicating that S-nitrosylation might be involved in NO-enhanced salt tolerance in tomatoes. Altogether, these results suggest that NO confers salt tolerance in tomato seedlings probably by the promotion of photosynthesis and osmotic balance, the enhancement of antioxidant capability and the increase of protein S-nitrosylation levels.

     

Immunogold-silver staining and epipolarized light microscopic detection of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glycogen phosphorylase in rat liver

The subcellular distribution of enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism was determined in sections of paraformaldehyde fixed and polyethylene glycol-1540-embedded rat liver and in cryostat sections. For this purpose, goat anti-rat phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) serum and rabbit anti-rat glycogen phosphorylase (GP) serum were used as primary antibodies to localize the corresponding antigens. The primary antibodies were localized by 5 nm colloidal gold labeled secondary antibodies (either rabbit anti-goat IgG for PEPCK or goat anti-rabbit IgG for GP), and the gold particles were enhanced by silver staining using appropriate development reagents. The silver enhanced gold particles were detected by epipolarized light microscopy. PEPCK and GP immunoreactive molecules were found only in glycogen-containing areas of the cytosome of hepatocytes, and not in other cells. No immunocytochemical staining of hepatocytes was found when normal serum replaced the primary antibody in the procedures. Visio-Bond semithin (0.35–1.0 m) sections provided higher resolution for subcellular immunostaining of PEPCK and GP than cryosections of 10 m. Epipolarized light microscopy provided detection at high sensitivity of the gold-labeled antibody, and combined with transmitted light, allowed simultaneous visualization of the tissue morphology.     

暗纹东方鲀耐寒相关基因CIRBP、HMGB1和AFP-Ⅳ的分子特征和对低温胁迫的响应

为了探索暗纹东方鲀(Takifugu obscurus)对低温环境的响应机制,克隆了暗纹东方鲀耐寒相关基因CIRBP、HMGB1和AFP-Ⅳ的cDNA序列,并进行了基因的分子特征和功能分析。组织分布检测显示CIRBP和HMGB1在下丘脑、肝脏和肌肉中具有高表达,而AFP-Ⅳ则主要在肝脏中表达。在受到低温胁迫后, 3种基因在肝脏和下丘脑中的表达呈现不同的变化趋势,其中CIRBP基因在肝脏中于48h表达量显著增加,在下丘脑中于12h和48h有上调表达; HMGB1基因在肝脏中呈现逐渐上升的趋势,于48h达到最大值,而在下丘脑中呈现先上升后下降的趋势,处理后2h达到最大, 2—8h下降,于8h下降至最低,随后恢复至初始水平;肝脏中的AFP-Ⅳ在0—24h无显著变化,在48h上升至最大值。进一步通过大肠杆菌原核表达系统研究了AFP-Ⅳ的抗冻功能,发现AFP-Ⅳ融合蛋白在–80℃下具有抗冻活性,并且抗冻活性随着浓度的增加而提高。研究结果表明3种基因都参与了暗纹东方鲀对低温胁迫的应答过程,为深入探索暗纹东方鲀的耐低温机制奠定了基础。     

珍稀濒危植物蒜头果种子萌发特征与幼苗类型的研究

以去除果皮后阴干的珍稀濒危植物蒜头果种子为材料,在温室大棚沙池内进行层积处理,从层积处理开始至子叶出土的不同萌发阶段,考察蒜头果种子发育形态、贮藏物质积累、酶活性以及幼苗类型等变化特征,初步探讨其种子休眠形成原因。结果显示：(1)蒜头果种子从解除休眠开始至萌发形成幼苗的过程约需195 d,其中幼胚的形态发育后熟约需75 d,随后30 d内是种子集中萌发的时期,其发芽率达到最高(53.33%);依据种胚发育形态的标志特征将此过程划分为7个阶段(S1～S7阶段):S1阶段种子未萌发,S2阶段种胚“露白”,S3阶段胚根突破种皮长超过1 cm, S4阶段下胚轴与胚根连接处形成弯钩结构,S5阶段“S”型胚形成及胚根前端膨大,S6阶段种子不仅具有膨大的胚根且已有侧根的分化,S7阶段子叶脱落,胚芽出土,真叶出现。(2)蒜头果种子在湿沙层积过程中,种胚胚长和胚率从S1阶段的(5.49±1.57)mm和(19.48±5.72)%分别增加至S6阶段的(67.92±2.94)mm和(240.75±15.29)%,胚率平均增加了12.4倍,显示蒜头果种子的胚需要经历后熟过程才能萌发,属于胚后熟型种子。(3)从...     

‘凤丹’牡丹PoKAS基因的克隆及表达分析

为探究‘凤丹’牡丹(Paeonia ostii‘Feng Dan’)PoKAS基因在脂肪酸合成中的功能,从转录组数据中获得3个PoKAS基因,克隆基因全长并进行生物信息学分析,通过qRT-PCR检测它们在牡丹落花后第23、45、75、100和125天时的表达。结果显示：(1)克隆得到的3个基因序列全长分别为1 401、1 692和1 215 bp,分别编码466、563和404 aa;保守结构域分析发现,它们都含有KAS保守结构域,属于cond-enzymes超蛋白家族。(2)系统进化树将三者分为三大类,表明其在进化上相对独立,分别命名为PoKASⅠ、PoKASⅡ和PoKASⅢ(GenBank登录号分别为OP056413、OP056412和OP056414)。(3)qRT-PCR分析发现,在牡丹落花后种子发育的5个时期中,PoKASⅠ和PoKASⅡ基因在落花后75 d和45 d时的表达量分别显著高于其他发育时期;PoKASⅢ基因在落花后45～125 d时的表达量均显著高于落花后23 d,说明PoKASⅢ基因在牡丹种子脂肪酸合成的整个过程中发挥着重要作用,而PoKASⅡ基因主要在种子油脂...     

(Zn·Cd)S:Ag-KI催化的光合磷酸化

以半导体材料(Zn·Cd)S:Ag-KI为催化剂,在普通卤钨灯光照射下,成功地模拟了光合作用的光合磷酸化.文章报导了光强、照光时间、ADP浓度、Pi浓度及催化剂量等对ATP合成的影响.在合适的条件下,ADP浓度为1×10~(-3)mmolL时转化率可达到4-6°.最后有一简单讨论.     

蝉花中营养成分的研究

本文对蝉花中的氨基酸、无机元素、甘露醇以及糖类等营养成分进行了分析测定,并跟与之有亲缘关系的名贵中药冬虫夏草进行比较,为蝉花的进一步开发利用提供科学依据。     

经济杀菌灭藻剂OACL控制工业循环水中有害微生物的研究

研究了经济杀菌灭藻剂OACL对异氧菌、硫酸盐还原菌和铁细菌的杀菌作用。结果表明,在实验室条件下,其杀菌率平均为99％以上,在pH5和pH7时分别为97.8％和88％。而在现场投药试验条件下为92％以上。可以认为,OACL是一种新型的、经济的高效杀菌灭藻剂。