Aligning the proteome and genome of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

A technology of mass spectrometry (MS) was used in this study for the large-scale proteomic identification and verification of protein-encoding genes present in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) genome. Peptide sequences identified by MS were compared with those from an open reading frame (ORF) library of the B. mori genome and a cDNA library, to validate the coding attributes of ORFs. Two databases were created. The first was based on a 9× draft sequence of the silkworm genome and contained 14,632 putative proteins. The second was based on a B. mori pupal cDNA library containing 3,187 putative proteins of at least 30 amino acid residues in length. A total of 81,000 peptide sequences with a threshold score of 60% were generated by the MS/MS analysis, and 55,400 of these were chosen for a sequence alignment. By searching these two databases, 6,649 and 250 proteins were matched, which accounted for approximately 45.4% and 7.8% of the peptide sequences and putative proteins, respectively. Further analyses carried out by several bioinformatic tools suggested that the matches included proteins with predicted transmembrane domains (1,393) and preproteins with a signal peptide (976). These results provide a fundamental understanding of the expression and function of silkworm proteins.     

Phenotypic and genetic dissection of cadmium accumulation in roots,nodes and grains of rice hybrids

Plant and Soil - Rice accumulates higher levels of cadmium (Cd) in grain than other cereals, and hybrid rice varieties cover around half of the total rice area in China. Therefore, understanding...     

巴戟天根的结构及其与蒽醌类化合物积累的关系

应用石蜡切片法、荧光显微镜和紫外分光光度法,对不同年生巴戟天根组织结构的变化进行了观察、对蒽醌类化合物在根中的分布场所及其积累动态进行了研究。结果表明:巴戟天根的结构类似一般多年生草本植物,薄壁细胞是巴戟天根中蒽醌类化合物的分布储存场所,蒽醌类化合物含量随着根生长年限的增加而增加。由以上研究总结出巴戟天以四年或四年以上采收为好,并以根皮厚、木心细者为上品。     

High expression of Trigonopsis variabilis -amino acid oxidase in Pichia pastoris

To explore a new approach of high expression of -amino acid oxidase (DAAO) in Pichia pastoris, a gene encoding DAAO from Trigonopsis variabilis (TvDAAO gene) deleted intron was prepared by PCR amplification and cloned into the intracellular expression vector pPIC3.5K. The expression plasmid pPIC3.5K-DAAO linearized by SalI was transformed into Pichia pastoris strain GS115 (his⁻mut⁺). By means of MM and MD plates and PCR, the recombinant P. pastoris strains (his⁺mut⁺) were obtained. Activity assay and SDS-PAGE demonstrated that DAAO was intracellularly expressed in P. pastoris with the induction of methanol. The recombinant strain PD27 with the highest expression of DAAO was screened through activity assay and its high-density fermentation was carried out in a 1-l fermentor. Activity assay and SDS-PAGE demonstrated that DAAO was intracellularly expressed in P. pastoris with the induction of methanol. The recombinant cells with high expression of DAAO were screened and the high-density fermentation was carried out in a 1-l fermentor. Interestingly, the DAAO expression level reached up to 473 U/g dry cell weight in fermentation yield. Finally, 1-hexanol was used to break recombinant cells and the specific activity of DAAO was 1.46 U/mg protein in crude extraction.     

IBV S1基因和IL-2基因双顺反子DNA疫苗的免疫原性研究

为了研制更加有效的IBV DNA疫苗,将IBV的S1基因和禽白介素2(IL-2)基因插入双顺反子表达载体pIRES-EGFP/DsRed中,构建能分别或同时表达S1基因和IL-2基因的pIRES-S1、pIRES-IL2、pIRES-S1/IL-2质粒。通过脂质体转染Vero细胞,利用RT-PCR及间接免疫荧光检测表达。将构建的质粒用脂质体包裹后,通过腿部肌肉多点注射免疫7日龄雏鸡,二免后两周用IBV肾型强毒进行攻毒。结果表明,pIRES-S1/IL-2在体外能够诱导Vero细胞表达S1蛋白和IL-2;pIRES-S1/IL-2和pIRES-S1 pIRES-IL2免疫雏鸡后均能促进外周血T淋巴细胞亚群数量和血清中特异性抗体水平的增加,能明显增强IBV DNA疫苗对同型强毒的攻击保护,但pIRES-S1/IL-2免疫组要优于pIRES-S1 pIRES-IL2混合免疫组及其它对照组,差异显著或极显著。以上结果表明禽IL-2能同时加强DNA疫苗的细胞免疫和体液免疫应答;但抗原基因和IL-2共表达DNA疫苗的免疫效果明显要优于混合注射的DNA疫苗。     

Elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> ameliorated oxidative stress induced by elevated O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus mongolica</Emphasis>

Using open top chambers, the effects of elevated O₃ (80 nmol mol⁻¹) and elevated CO₂ (700 μmol mol⁻¹), alone and in combination, were studied on young trees of Quercus mongolica. The results showed that elevated O₃ increased malondialdehyde content and decreased photosynthetic rate after 45 days of exposure, and prolonged exposure (105 days) induced significant increase in electrolyte leakage and reduction of chlorophyll content. All these changes were alleviated by elevated CO₂, indicating that oxidative stress on cell membrane and photosynthesis was ameliorated. After 45 days of exposure, elevated O₃ stimulated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), but the stimulation was dampened under elevated CO₂ exposure. Furthermore, ascorbate (AsA) and total phenolics contents were not higher in the combined gas treatment than those in elevated O₃ treatment. It indicates that the protective effect of elevated CO₂ against O₃ stress was achieved hardly by enhancing ROS scavenging ability after 45 days of exposure. After 105 days of exposure, elevated O₃ significantly decreased activities of SOD, catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) and APX and AsA content. Elevated CO₂ suppressed the O₃-induced decrease, which could ameliorate the oxidative stress in some extent. In addition, elevated CO₂ increased total phenolics content in the leaves both under ambient O₃ and elevated O₃ exposure, which might contribute to the protection against O₃-induced oxidative stress as well.     

杉木人工林冰雪灾害受灾和萌生情况调查

以九龙山国家级自然保护区的主要公益林杉木人工林作为研究对象,选择具有代表性的受灾区域,自海拔700 m至900 m设置样地,共10块样地,总面积4 000 m2。分析其受2008年初严重冰雪灾害破坏及灾后萌生情况与胸径、树高、尖削度、海拔之间的关系。结果表明：1）杉木人工林损害严重,其中断冠、断干植株比例较高,而掘根和冻死植株相对较少;杉木具有极强的萌生能力,以断冠杉木的萌生能力最强。2）不同胸径、树高、尖削度的杉木对于冰雪灾害的抵御能力及萌生能力存在一定差异,小径级矮小的个体受灾较重,易被冻死和掘根,大径级的较高个体受灾相对较轻,主要表现为断冠和断干危害,且不同径级下的受灾杉木上部萌生均占较大比例。3）杉木的抵御能力和萌生能力与海拔存在一定的关系,高海拔地区杉木受灾较重,而中海拔地区的杉木萌生能力相对较强。