Proteomic Analysis of Interactions Between the Generalist Herbivore <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera exigua</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

In this study, comparative proteomics was used to investigate the interaction of Spodoptera exigua and Arabidopsis thaliana. By using 2-D electrophoresis of differentially expressed proteins, combined with high-throughput matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS, the changes in the abundance of proteins induced by insect feeding were studied in A. thaliana. More than 1,100 protein spots were reproducibly detected on each gel. The intensities of 30 protein spots in particular changed significantly, showing differences in volume of at least twofold. Among these, 17 protein spots were upregulated, and 13 were downregulated following an 8-h insect feeding period. Nineteen insect-feeding-responsive proteins were identified, all of which were involved in metabolic regulation, binding functions or cofactor requirement of protein, cell rescue, and defense and virulence, as assessed by Munich Information Center for Protein Sequences function category. About 50% of these were involved in metabolism, including transketolase, S-adenosylmethionine synthase 3, 2,3-biphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase, beta-ureidopropionase, GDP-d-mannose 3′,5′-epimerase, and fatty acid synthase. The identification of insect-feeding-responsive proteins on Arabidopsis provides not only new insights into insect stress but also a good start for further investigation of their functions. Understanding how the plant responses to insects in the proteomic level will provide tools for a better management of insect pest in the field.     

用气相色谱法检测甲型肝炎减毒活疫苗中三氯甲烷含量

用气相色谱法检测甲型肝炎减毒活疫苗中的三氯甲烷含量。以正丙醇作内标,用峰高代替峰面积,采用HP INNOW_(ax)毛细管柱,程序升温方法,准确定量甲型肝炎减毒活疫苗中的三氯甲烷含量。结果显示,色谱法优于限量法,能准确定量,快速灵敏。色谱法可用于实际检测分析。     

Solid Phase Synthesis of Phosphopeptides Incorporating 2,2-Dimethyloxazolidine Pseudoproline Analogs: Evidence for <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis> Leu-Pro Peptide Bonds in Stat3 Inhibitors

To answer the question of whether the conformation of the Leu-Pro bond is cis or trans in Ac-pTyr-Leu-Pro-Gln-Thr-Val-NH₂ when complexed with the SH2 domain of Stat3, we substituted 2,2-dimethyloxazolidines derived from serine (Ser(Ψ^Me,Mepro)) and threonine (Thr(Ψ^Me,Mepro)) for proline. The 2,2-dimethyloxazolidine and 2,2-dimethylthiazolidine pseudoproline (ΨPro) analogs induce predominantly cis Xxx-ΨPro peptide bonds. As these ΨPro analogs are acid-labile, the phosphopeptides were synthesized using Fmoc-based SPPS using unprotected phosphotyrosine and 4-hydroxybenzoate as the linker that allowed release from the support by alkaline ammonolysis, conditions that kept the oxazolidine rings intact. Incorporation of Ser(Ψ^Me,Mepro) resulted in 69% cis Leu-ΨPro bond content in aqueous solution whereas that for Thr(Ψ^Me,Mepro) analog was 63%. Affinities for Stat3 were 3–5 fold lower than the lead compound and were inversely correlated with cis content. Thus we conclude that the Leu-Pro peptide bond is trans when the peptide is bound to Stat3.     

西芹种子浸提液处理后黄瓜枯萎病菌弱毒菌株的筛选

研究了西芹种子浸提液对黄瓜枯萎病菌菌落生长的抑制作用及浸提液处理后病菌致病力的变化.结果表明:在连续5代浸提液作用下,50 mg·mL-1的西芹种子乙醇、丙酮浸提液处理与其对照相比,显著抑制了黄瓜枯萎病菌菌落的生长;50 mg·mL-1的西芹种子蒸馏水浸提液处理在1～3代培养过程中,显著抑制了黄瓜枯萎病菌菌落的生长,而在4～5代培养过程中,与其对照相比,抑制菌落生长的差异不显著;用各代经西芹不同浸提液处理的黄瓜枯萎病菌接种到黄瓜上进行致病力测定,并于1周开始发病后调查病情,西芹种子丙酮、乙醇和蒸馏水浸提液处理的病情指数分别由第1代的26.7％、20.8％和22.5％降为第5代的17.5％、3.3％和18.3％;3种浸提液与其对照相比,其病情指数也表现降低,其中,乙醇浸提液处理与其对照差异达显著水平;接种至第5代时,乙醇浸提液处理的病情指数为3.3％,病菌毒力的致弱作用最强.综上所述,西芹种子浸提液不但抑制黄瓜枯萎病菌菌落的生长,而且还能弱化病菌的毒力.实验通过浸提液的连续处理获得了黄瓜枯萎病菌的弱毒菌株.     

Division of labor of anthers in heterantherous plants: flexibility of bee pollen collection behavior may serve to keep plants honest

Heteranthery is thought to reflect a division of labor, with some anthers serving a pollinator-feeding function and others serving a pollinating function. Mutualism theory predicts that each participant should try to maximize the benefit it receives from its partner: plants should allocate more pollen to pollination, and pollinators should collect more pollen. Accordingly, plant and pollinator may engage in a ‘tug of war’ with respect to pollen from each anther type, resulting in incomplete division of labor. Here, we explored this idea by conducting a fully factorial manipulation of the availability of pollen in long and short anthers of staminate flowers of Solanum houstonii. We found the following: (1) Bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) preferred to sonicate (collect pollen from) short anthers over long anthers, consistent with a role as feeding and pollinating anthers, respectively; (2) Blocking short anther pores alone increased sonication of long anthers and resulted in collection of pollen from long anthers; (3) Blocking long anther pores alone did not influence sonication of short anthers; (4) The increase in sonication of long anthers, when short anther pores are blocked, was greater when pollen was available in long anthers; (5) Despite shifting sonication effort to long anthers, bees do not move their bodies closer to long anther pores where pollen could be collected more effectively; and (6) analysis of the growth of corbicular loads over time spent buzzing indicates that significant amounts of pollen are collected from long anthers as well as short anthers. We conclude that bees can flexibly increase pollen collection from pollinating anthers, but are constrained from fully exploiting this pollen. This results in checks and balances between plant and bee that may help maintain heteranthery.     

Functional expression of human pyruvate carboxylase for reduced lactic acid formation of Chinese hamster ovary cells (DG44)

To investigate the effect of human pyruvate carboxylase (hPC) on lactate formation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines, FLAG-tagged hPC was introduced into a dihydrofolate-deficient CHO cell line (DG44). Three clones expressing high levels of hPC, determined by Western blotting using an anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody, and a control cell line were established. Immunocytochemistry revealed that a substantial amount of expressed hPC protein was localized in the mitochondria of the cells. hPC expression did not impair cell proliferation. Rather, it improved cell viability at the end of adherent batch cultures with the serum-containing medium probably because of reduced lactate formation. Compared with control cells, specific lactate production rate of the three clones was decreased by 21–39%, which was because of a decreased specific glucose uptake rate and yield of lactate from glucose. Reduced lactate formation by hPC expression was also observed in suspension fed-batch cultures using a serum-free medium. Taken together, these results demonstrate that through the expression of the hPC enzyme, lactate formation in CHO cell culture can be efficiently reduced.     

云南药用野生稻BIBAC文库混合克隆池制备及筛选

在已构建完成的云南药用野生稻BIBAC( binary bacterial artificial chomosome)文库的基础上,将文库制备成一、二、三级混合克隆池,各级混合池的数量分别为3 360、140和14个.根据Xa21抗病基因序列设计1对特异引物,利用4步PCR法对文库混合克隆池进行逐级筛选,初步确定了3个抗病基因阳性克隆.为今后以PCR法高效利用云南药用野生稻BIBAC文库挖掘其优异基因奠定了良好的基础.     

剪接因子1N端1-320氨基酸片段的原核表达及纯化

目的:通过扩增剪接因子1(SF1)的N端1-320氨基酸(aa)片段对应的cDNA,构建His融合蛋白原核表达质粒pET-28a(+)/SF1(1-320aa),在大肠杆菌中诱导表达并进行亲和纯化。方法:PCR扩增SF1的1-320 aa片段对应的cDNA,扩增产物和载体pET-28a(+)经酶切回收,连接载体和目的片段,获得重组质粒,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,挑取克隆、酶切鉴定、测序,将测序正确的重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PAGE和West-ern印迹分析蛋白表达情况,亲和纯化His-SF1(1-320aa)。结果:SF1片段以正确的读框插入pET-28a(+),IPTG可以诱导大肠杆菌表达重组蛋白,SDS-PAGE和Western印迹证实得到相对分子质量约为40×103的蛋白,亲和纯化得到高纯度蛋白质。结论:构建了His融合蛋白原核表达质粒pET-28a(+)/SF1(1-320aa),并获得His-SF1(1-320aa)融合蛋白,为进一步研究SF1和U2AF65之间的相互作用及对剪接体形成的影响提供了基础。     

Genetic and potential non-genetic benefits increase offspring fitness of polyandrous females in non-resource based mating system

Background  

The adaptive significance of female polyandry is currently under considerable debate. In non-resource based mating systems, indirect, i.e. genetic benefits have been proposed to be responsible for the fitness gain from polyandry. We studied the benefits of polyandry in the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) using an experimental design in which the material investments by the sires and maternal environmental effects were controlled.