Genetic Dissection of Wheat Kernel Hardness Using Conditional QTL Mapping of Kernel Size and Protein-Related Traits

Kernel hardness (KH) is one of the primary quality parameters for common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and has a major impact on milling, flour quality, and end-product properties. In addition to Puroindoline (Pin) mutations and differences in Pin expression, other factors, such as kernel size and protein-related traits, play noticeable roles in determining hardness, but at the quantitative trait locus (QTL) level, the influence of these factors remains unclear. In this study, genetic relationships between KH and kernel size traits and between KH and protein-related traits were demonstrated by unconditional and conditional mapping using a wheat 90K genotyping assay with a segregating population of 173 recombinant inbred lines in four environments. Eight additive QTL for KH were detected using unconditional QTL mapping analysis; these QTL were primarily distributed on chromosomes 4B, 5A, 5B, and 6D, with phenotypic variation that ranged from 0.2 to 17.7%. In addition, one pair of epistatic QTL (QKH3B.4-65/QKH4B.6-2) was identified by unconditional mapping, and this pair accounted for 1.6% of the phenotypic variation. Through conditional mapping, after excluding the influences of kernel size and protein-related traits, 14 QTL were discovered and accounted for 0.6–18.5% of the phenotypic variation. Of them, the stable QTL QKH4B.4-17 made the largest contribution, which was partially contributed by the kernel length (KL), kernel thickness (KT), and dry gluten content (DGC). Furthermore, QKH4B.4-17 was crucially contributed by the kernel width (KW), kernel diameter (KD), kernel protein content (KPC), and wet gluten content (WGC) and was independent of the sedimentation volume (SV) and gluten index (GI). Another major QTL, QKH5B.10-63, was independent of the KW and KT; partly due to the variations in KL, KD, DGC, and WGC; and conclusively contributed by the KPC, SV, and GI. Seven additional QTL were only detected in the conditional analysis and were crucially contributed by kernel size or protein-related traits. These results demonstrated that kernel size and protein-related traits play significant roles in determining KH. The present study increases the understanding of the relationships between KH and kernel size and between KH and protein-related traits at the QTL level.     

HSCCC分离纯化未成熟罗汉果皂苷类化合物

为建立高速逆流色谱分离未成熟罗汉果中皂苷类化合物的方法,该研究将罗汉果粗提物先经过大孔树脂富集皂苷类化合物,再采用高速逆流色谱分离罗汉果皂苷。结果表明:以氯仿-甲醇-正丁醇-水(5∶6∶1∶4,v/v/v/v)作为两相溶剂系统,上相为固定相,下相为流动相,在主机转速为860 r·min~(-1),流速为2.5 mL·min~(-1),检测波长为203 nm的条件下,一次性制备得到4个化合物,即11-O-罗汉果皂苷Ⅱ(Ⅰ)、罗汉果皂苷ⅡE(Ⅱ)、11-O-罗汉果皂苷Ⅲ(Ⅲ)和罗汉果皂苷Ⅲ(Ⅳ),经高效液相色谱检测纯度分别为95.5%、98.2%、80.1%和97.6%。该方法实现了未成熟罗汉果皂苷快速有效的分离,具有样品回收率高、损失少、避免样品失活等优点,提高了分离效率。该研究结果为更多的罗汉果皂苷化合物的分离纯化奠定了基础,补充与优化了罗汉果皂苷类化合物的分离方法。     

表达马铃薯Y病毒外壳蛋白的转基因烟草的抗病性研究

将马铃薯Ｙ病毒中国分离物（ＰＶＴ－Ｃ）的外壳蛋白（ＣＰ）基因,在土壤农杆菌ＬＢＡ４４０４的介导下,转化烟草生产品种ＮＣ８９,获得了６个烟草株系。通过抗性分析发现,６个株系中有一个株系在２００μｇ／ｍｌＰＶＹ－Ｃ的攻毒下,仍未发病,分子检测发现,转基因植物中抗性产生的程度并不是同ＰＶＹ－Ｃ外壳蛋白的表达水平成正相关。     

Structures of Foot-and-mouth Disease Virus with neutralizing antibodies derived from recovered natural host reveal a mechanism for cross-serotype neutralization

The development of a universal vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is hindered by cross-serotype antigenic diversity and by a lack of knowledge regarding neutralization of the virus in natural hosts. In this study, we isolated serotype O-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) (F145 and B77) from recovered natural bovine hosts by using the single B cell antibody isolation technique. We also identified a serotype O/A cross-reacting NAb (R50) and determined virus-NAb complex structures by cryo-electron microscopy at near-atomic resolution. F145 and B77 were shown to engage the capsid of FMDV-O near the icosahedral threefold axis, binding to the BC/HI-loop of VP2. In contrast, R50 engages the capsids of both FMDV-O and FMDV-A between the 2- and 5-fold axes and binds to the BC/EF/GH-loop of VP1 and to the GH-loop of VP3 from two adjacent protomers, revealing a previously unknown antigenic site. The cross-serotype neutralizing epitope recognized by R50 is highly conserved among serotype O/A. These findings help to elucidate FMDV neutralization by natural hosts and provide epitope information for the development of a universal vaccine for cross-serotype protection against FMDV.     

Long non-coding RNA Mirt2 relieves lipopolysaccharide-induced injury in PC12 cells by suppressing miR-429

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of spinal cord injury (SCI). This study investigated the...     

Protective role of reactive oxygen species in endotoxin-induced lung inflammation through modulation of IL-10 expression

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by NADPH oxidase are generally known to be proinflammatory, and it seems to be counterintuitive that ROS play a critical role in regulating the resolution of the inflammatory response. However, we observed that deficiency of the p47(phox) component of NADPH oxidase in macrophages was associated with a paradoxical accentuation of inflammation in a whole animal model of noninfectious sepsis induced by endotoxin. We have confirmed this observation by interrogating four separate in vivo models that use complementary methodology including the use of p47(phox-/-) mice, p47(phox-/-) bone marrow chimera mice, adoptive transfer of macrophages from p47(phox-/-) mice, and an isolated perfused lung edema model that all point to a relationship between excessive acute inflammation and p47(phox) deficiency in macrophages. Mechanistic data indicate that ROS deficiency in both cells and mice results in decreased production of IL-10 in response to treatment with LPS, at least in part, through attenuation of the Akt-GSK3-β signal pathway and that it can be reversed by the administration of rIL-10. Our data support the innovative concept that generation of ROS is essential for counterregulation of acute lung inflammation.     

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of ascarid nematodes from twenty-one species of captive wild mammals based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequences

SUMMARY Although ascarid nematodes are important parasites of wild animals of public health concern, few species of ascarids from wild animals have been studied at the molecular level so far. Here, the classification and phylogenetic relationships of roundworms from 21 species of captive wild animals have been studied by sequencing and analysis of parts of the ribosomal 18S and 28S genes and the mitochondrial (mt) 12S gene. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred by 3 methods (NJ/MP/ML) based on the data of single gene sequences and concatenated sequences. Homology analysis indicated that the 18S sequences were conserved among roundworms from all 21 species and that 28S showed interspecies variability. Divergence levels displayed in 12S suggested that 12S appears to be either intra- or interspecifically variable. Evolutionary trees indicated that the ascarids split into 2 families, 4 genera and 7 species, with high bootstrap support for each clade. Combined trees suggested that Baylisascaris ailuri is more closely related to B. transfuga than to B. schroederi. This study provides useful molecular markers for the classification, phylogenetic analysis and epidemiological investigation of roundworms from wild animals.     

Stochastic hybrid delay population dynamics: well-posed models and extinction

Nonlinear differential equations have been used for decades for studying fluctuations in the populations of species, interactions of species with the environment, and competition and symbiosis between species. Over the years, the original non-linear models have been embellished with delay terms, stochastic terms and more recently discrete dynamics. In this paper, we investigate stochastic hybrid delay population dynamics (SHDPD), a very general class of population dynamics that comprises all of these phenomena. For this class of systems, we provide sufficient conditions to ensure that SHDPD have global positive, ultimately bounded solutions, a minimum requirement for a realistic, well-posed model. We then study the question of extinction and establish conditions under which an ecosystem modelled by SHDPD is doomed.     

不同盐渍化生境野生乌拉尔甘草土壤细菌群落结构及功能预测分析

【目的】探究典型盐生药用植物野生乌拉尔甘草在不同盐渍化生境下土壤细菌群落多样性、组成和功能特征,有助于建立土壤盐分与甘草生长发育、药材品质形成相关的微生物组之间的联系,对栽培甘草药材品质提高具有重要意义。【方法】从野生乌拉尔甘草的6个主分布区采集原生境土壤,采用高通量测序技术比较非盐渍(un-salinization, US)、轻度盐渍(light salinization, LS)、中度盐渍(moderate salinization, MS)以及重度盐渍(heavy salinization, HS)生境中土壤细菌群落多样性、组成及功能的差异,并挖掘不同生境中优势细菌。【结果】野生乌拉尔甘草原生境土壤细菌群落丰富度和多样性在轻度盐渍(LS)组和中度盐渍(MS)组中明显高于非盐渍(US)组、重度盐渍(HS)组,且重度盐渍(HS)组最低。主成分分析(principal component analysis, PCA)表明不同盐渍程度组间的野生乌拉尔甘草土壤细菌群落组成和功能具有显著差异(P<0.05);冗余分析(redundancy analysis, RDA)表明,土壤盐分(total salt, TS)既是影响原生境土壤细菌群落组成也是影响群落功能的重要因子。属水平,非盐渍(US)组和轻度盐渍(LS)组中的显著优势细菌相同,均为植物有益菌,包括类诺卡氏菌属(Nocardioides)、链霉菌属(Streptomyces)、栖大理石菌属(Marmoricola);重度盐渍(MS)组中显著优势属既包括有益菌未鉴定_酸杆菌属(unidentified_Acidobacteria),也包括嗜盐菌盐单胞菌属(Halomonas)、海杆菌属(Marinobacter);重度盐渍(HS)组中显著优势细菌以嗜盐菌或耐盐菌为主,包括盐单胞菌属(Halomonas)、海杆菌属(Marinobacter)、楚帕氏菌属(Truepera)、别样矿生菌属(Aliifodinibius)、盐坑微菌属(Salinimicrobium)和需盐杆菌属(Salegentibacter)。PICRUSt功能预测分析强调非盐渍(US)组、轻度盐渍(LS)组和中度盐渍(MS)组中的土壤细菌群落与植物互作方面的潜力,表明非盐渍、轻度盐渍和中度盐渍生境中的有益菌对野生乌拉尔甘草生长发育、品质形成具有重要影响。PICRUSt功能预测同时也强调了重度盐渍(HS)组在自我修复适应高盐环境以及参与野生乌拉尔甘草耐盐性提高方面具有潜能,表明重度盐渍生境中的嗜盐菌和耐盐菌对乌拉尔甘草抗盐能力具有重要作用。中度盐渍生境兼具以上二者优势菌群的特征,是值得关注的类型。【结论】野生乌拉尔甘草土壤细菌群落多样性和丰富度在轻度盐渍和中度盐渍生境中明显高于非盐渍和重度盐渍生境;细菌群落的组成和功能在非盐渍和轻度盐渍生境中具有相似性,并与重度盐渍生境存在显著差异,中度盐渍生境兼具以上二者的特征。