Phospholipase Dε enhances Braasca napus growth and seed production in response to nitrogen availability

Phospholipase D (PLD), which hydrolyses phospholipids to produce phosphatidic acid, has been implicated in plant response to macronutrient availability in Arabidopsis. This study investigated the effect of increased PLDε expression on nitrogen utilization in Brassica napus to explore the application of PLDε manipulation to crop improvement. In addition, changes in membrane lipid species in response to nitrogen availability were determined in the oil seed crop. Multiple PLDε over expression (PLDε‐OE) lines displayed enhanced biomass accumulation under nitrogen‐deficient and nitrogen‐replete conditions. PLDε‐OE plants in the field produced more seeds than wild‐type plants but have no impact on seed oil content. Compared with wild‐type plants, PLDε‐OE plants were enhanced in nitrate transporter expression, uptake and reduction, whereas the activity of nitrite reductase was higher under nitrogen‐depleted, but not at nitrogen‐replete conditions. The level of nitrogen altered membrane glycerolipid metabolism, with greater impacts on young than mature leaves. The data indicate increased expression of PLDε has the potential to improve crop plant growth and production under nitrogen‐depleted and nitrogen‐replete conditions.     

鄱阳湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构特征

鄱阳湖是中国第一大淡水湖,具有"丰水为湖,枯水为河"的独特特点。为探讨鄱阳湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构及其时空分布的特征,于2009年全年采集其不同季节、不同水位期的浮游甲壳动物样品进行定量分析。结果显示,鄱阳湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构总体与河流浮游甲壳群落具有相似性。无节幼体、象鼻溞、剑水蚤等河流优势类群在鄱阳湖浮游甲壳动物中占优势;而哲水蚤和溞属仅在低水位季节占优势,枝角类丰度仅在高温、高水位、流速缓的季节高过桡足类。丰水期浮游甲壳动物平均丰度和生物量远远高于枯水期,可达枯水期的50倍,差异极其显著(P0.01)。温度和水位变化引起的环境因子改变是导致鄱阳湖浮游甲壳动物发生季节演替的主要原因;而营养盐对浮游甲壳动物的影响并不显著。空间上浮游甲壳动物群落构成明显不同,年均丰度最高和最低的点均出现在河口地区。因此:对于换水周期短,水交换速率快的水体,应该充分考虑水文条件对生物的影响。     

Caspase-like proteases regulate aluminum-induced programmed cell death in peanut

Recent evidence has proved that caspase protease activities are detected in both mammals and plants during programmed cell death (PCD). The characteristics and functions of caspase-like proteases play important roles in understanding the mechanisms of PCD in plants. In this work, we report firstly the involvement of caspase-like protease activities and effects in aluminum (Al) stress in two contrasting peanut genotypes. Caspase-like activities in the root tip cells of ‘Zhonghua 2’ (Al-sensitive) and ‘99-1507’ (Al-tolerant) were detected using synthetic caspase substrates during Al-triggered PCD. Caspase-1-, -2-, -3-, -4-, -5-, -6-, -8- and -9-like proteases were found in peanut root tip cells. VDQQDase (caspase-2-like) and WEHD (caspase-5-like) were the first detected in the plants, and almost all of the caspase-like proteases were activated during Al-induced PCD, especially caspase-3-like and caspase-1-like, which was higher in ‘Zhonghua 2’ than in ‘99-1507’. The highest activity levels of caspase-3- and caspase-1-like proteases occurred 8 and 4 h after 100 µM Al treatment, respectively. Compared with 100 µM AlCl₃ treatment alone, specific caspase-3 protease inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO inhibited the increase of caspase-3-like protease activity, Al content, Hsr203j expression, cell death and DNA fragmentation, and the decrease in root growth induced by 100 µM AlCl₃ treatment, but it was more obvious in ‘Zhonghua 2’ than in ‘99-1507’. In conclusion, there were different caspase-like proteases in root tips of peanut, and caspase-3-like protease was a crucial executioner in Al-induced PCD. Its effects in the ‘Zhonghua 2’ genotype were higher than in ‘99-1507’. An improved model of the mechanism of Al-induced PCD and Al tolerance differences in different genotypes is proposed.     

Effect of exogenous abscisic acid on cold acclimation in two Magnolia species

In northern China, freezing injury is observed frequently in the rare species Magnolia wufengensis but not in the more common species Magnolia denudata. To investigate the role of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) on frost tolerance in these two species, exogenous ABA was applied to the seedlings and then physiological and biochemical responses were measured during cold acclimation. Shoot growth cessation was stimulated by ABA in M. wufengensis but not in M. denudata. Abscisic acid inhibited shoot growth in M. wufengensis but not in M. denudata. Treatment with ABA stimulated leaf senescence in both species, and this effect was greater in M. denudata. For both species, ABA-treated plants exhibited bud dormancy sooner and had an increased tolerance to freezing, decreased water content and increased accumulation of proline, glucose, and fructose in shoots. These effects were generally greater for M. denudata. Freezing tolerance was significantly correlated with content of water, proline, glucose, and fructose for both species, but freezing tolerance was significantly correlated with raffinose content only in M. wufengensis. We conclude that exogenous ABA could increase cold acclimation and improve cold hardiness of both Magnolia species, although M. denudata was more responsive to ABA than M. wufengensis, which might result from a greater dehydration and accumulation of proline and certain soluble sugars.     

肾素(原)受体在大鼠肾小球系膜细胞和肾脏的表达

近年发现的肾素（原）受体（renin／prorenin receptor,RnR）已被证明具有生物学功能,在心、肾及多种细胞表达。本文旨在观察RnR在体外培养的大鼠肾小球系膜细胞（mesangial cells,MCs）和肾脏中是否表达,及其表达的细胞部位,并用RnR的多肽阻断剂肾素原“柄区肽”（handle region peptide,HRP）与RnR结合后观察受体复合物进入细胞的过程与定位。结果显示,RnR主要存在于大鼠肾脏皮质肾小球系膜区和体外培养的MCs的细胞核周围胞浆和细胞膜。将FITC标记的HRP（FITC-HRP）加入细胞培养液后30S到30min期间,可观察到FITC-HRP由培养液转移到胞浆内并进入细胞核。用免疫荧光和激光共聚焦技术观察到,HRP与RnR的共定位主要位于细胞膜和细胞核周围胞浆;在30min时,一部分HRP已进入细胞核,而RnR没有进入细胞核内,仍主要位于细胞核周围胞浆。上述结果提示,RnR与其配基结合后进入细胞内并发挥生物学效应。     

Directional tunings independent of orientation in the primary visual cortex of the cat

A family of moving 'random-line' patterns was developed and used to study the directional tuning of 91 single units in cat primary visual cortex (V1). The results suggest that, in addition to the well-known orientation-dependent mechanism, there is also some kind of orientation-independent mechanism underlying the direction selectivity. The directional tuning of the neurons varies in accordance with the increase of orientation or non-orientation element in the stimulus.     

南京市正常人群NQO1、CYP1A1、mEH基因的多态性研究

应用PCR技术,对南京市正常人群中NQO1、CYP1A1、Meh-外显子3、Meh－外显子4基因型多态性进行了研究。88例样本中,相关基因野生型纯合子（wt/wt ）、杂合子（wt/vt）、突变型纯合子（vt/vt）三种基因型的频率分布及基因频率分别是：NQO1 29.5%（0.304）,51.1%(0.495)和19.3%(0.202);CYP1A1 35.2%(0.329)、44.3%(0.489)和20.5%(0.181);Meh－外显子3为26.1%(0.297),56.8 %(0.496),17.0%(0.207);Meh－外显子4为83.0% (0.826),15.9%(0.165),1.1%(0.00 8)。以上结果与国外的有关报道存在一定差异,在不同地区中国人群的频率分布特征基本一致,种族差异可能是造成有关基因型分布差异的重要原因。     

粗纤维调节素对小鼠成纤维细胞Ⅰ型前胶原基因表达的影响

为了确定粗纤维调节素（Ｕｎ） 是否具有促进成纤维细胞Ⅰ型胶原合成的作用, 我们采用地高辛原位杂交和斑点杂交技术, 观察了Ｕｎ 对小鼠成纤维细胞（ＮＩＨ／３Ｔ３） Ⅰ型前胶原ｍ ＲＮＡ转录的影响; 结果发现Ｕｎ 对体外培养的３Ｔ３ 细胞Ⅰ型前胶原基因转录具有促进作用; 提示Ｕｎ 不仅作为一种细胞外基质而存在, 并且还有促进胶原合成的功能。     

应用硫氧还蛋白促进外源蛋白在大肠杆菌的可溶性表达

为了观察硫氧还蛋白（ＴｒｘＡ）促进外源蛋白在大肠杆菌中可溶性表达的作用,我们从质粒ｐＥＴ－３２ａ（＋）上克隆了ｔｒｘＡ基因,构建了ＴｒｘＡ表达质粒ｐＴ－ＴｒｘＡ。将该质粒与其它蛋白基因的表达质粒共同转化Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ并同时获得表达。结果表明,共表达ＴｒｘＡ可以明显促进外源蛋白,如甲状旁腺激素相关蛋白（ＰＴＨｒＰ）、ＰＴＨｒＰ受体（ＰＴＨｒＰ－Ｒ）的血管内皮生长因子（ＶＥＧＦ）的可溶性表达。说明共表达     

非复制重组痘苗病毒表达人免疫缺陷病毒Bostwana C亚型Nef蛋白及免疫效果的观察

从含人类免疫缺陷病毒Ⅰ型(HIV-1)Bostwana C亚型全基因的质粒pJM4-HIV中克隆了nef基因,并利用非复制型痘苗病毒载体构建表达Nef蛋白的重组病毒NTVJ1175nef,经PCR和Southern blot鉴定,nef基因正确整合到痘苗病毒基因组的J片段上;感染人源细胞后,经Western blot和免疫荧光检测表明,重组病毒能很好地表达Nef蛋白,并定位于细胞质中.NTVJ1175nef免疫BALB/c小鼠后,经Pep-IFN-'γ-Assay法检测,可诱导产生针对表位肽P1特异的可分泌IFN-'γ的C 8 T细胞(占脾细胞总数0.20%);经乳酸脱氮酶(LDH)法检测证实,诱导的细胞毒性T细胞(CTL)可特异性地杀伤表位肽P1特异P815靶细胞.这些结果表明,NTVJ1175nef具有良好的细胞免疫原性,为下一步构建表达包含HIV早期抗原的多组分重组痘苗病毒候选疫苗奠定了免疫学基础.