A multi-generation analysis of the stability of transgenic virus resistance in doubled-haploid tobacco lines

Plants can be genetically engineered for virus resistance by transformation with a viral gene. We transformed tobacco with the tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) nucleocapsid gene from the Hawaiian L isolate in order to obtain TSWV resistant breeding lines. Doubled-haploid lines were produced from primary transgenic plants that were selected for resistance to the virus. Several of these lines showed very high levels of resistance and were symptomless after inoculation with the Hawaiian L isolate of TSWV. The accumulation of only low levels of full-length transgene RNA and protein observed in these lines is consistent with an RNA-mediated mechanism of resistance. The lines that were highly resistant to the Hawaiian L isolate of TSWV were also found to be highly resistant to several other isolates of TSWV, while lines that were only moderately resistant to the Hawaiian L isolate were often susceptible to the other isolates. The highly resistant lines were advanced over several generations by self-pollination. Although these lines were fully homozygous, several lines lost resistance in later generations, indicating that the resistance was unstable. Selection for resistance in these unstable lines did not prevent the occurrence of susceptible progeny in subsequent generations. Therefore, testing over several generations is required to determine the stability of resistance when breeding crops with transgenic virus resistance.     

西藏拉萨地区三叠系诺利阶牙形石分带及其国际对比

麦龙岗剖面位于西藏拉萨地区达孜县麦龙岗村 (N2 9°5 6′0 6″ ,E91°2 7′5 5″)。麦龙岗组中共发现牙形石 7属 :Epigondolella ,Hindeodella ,Priniodella ,Xaniognathodus,Lonchodina ,Metalonchodina和Enantiognathus属。其中Epigondolella属有 9种 ,包括 1新种和 1未定种 ,它们是E .primitia ,E .spiculata ,E .cf.spiculata ,E .tozeri,E .violinformissp .nov .,E .cf.triangularisuniformis,E .postera ,E .bidentata ,E .sp .。基于本次发现的化石材料 ,对西藏林周地区麦龙岗组进行新的牙形石带划分。自下而上划分为 :?Epigondolellaprimitia ,E .spiculata ,E .tozer i,E .postera和E .bidentata等带。与毛力等 (1987)、Orchard(1983,1991,1994 )和Krystyn(1977)的划分方案进行对比和讨论     

New pollen classification of Chenopodiaceae for exploring and tracing desert vegetation evolution in eastern arid central Asia

Members of the Chenopodiaceae are the most dominant elements in the central Asian desert. The different genera and species within this family are common in desert vegetation types. Should it prove possible to link pollen types in this family to specific desert vegetation, it would be feasible to trace vegetation successions in the geological past. Nevertheless, the morphological similarity of pollen grains in the Chenopodiaceae rarely permits identification at the generic level. Although some pollen classifications of Chenopodiaceae have been proposed, none of them tried to link pollen types to specific desert vegetation types in order to explore their ecological significance. Based on the pollen morphological characters of 13 genera and 24 species within the Chenopodiaceae of eastern central Asia, we provide a new pollen classification of this family with six pollen types and link them to those plant communities dominated by Chenopodiaceae, for example, temperate dwarf semi‐arboreal desert (Haloxylon type), temperate succulent halophytic dwarf semi‐shrubby desert (Suaeda, Kalidium, and Atriplex types), temperate annual graminoid desert (Kalidium type), temperate semi‐shrubby and dwarf semi‐shrubby desert (Kalidium, Iljini, and Haloxylon types), and alpine cushion dwarf semi‐shrubby desert (Krascheninnikovia type). These findings represent a new approach for detecting specific desert vegetation types and deciphering ecosystem evolution in eastern central Asia.     

A transgenic plant cell‐suspension system for expression of epitopes on chimeric Bamboo mosaic virus particles

We describe a novel strategy to produce vaccine antigens using a plant cell‐suspension culture system in lieu of the conventional bacterial or animal cell‐culture systems. We generated transgenic cell‐suspension cultures from Nicotiana benthamiana leaves carrying wild‐type or chimeric Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) expression constructs encoding the viral protein 1 (VP1) epitope of foot‐and‐mouth disease virus (FMDV). Antigens accumulated to high levels in BdT38 and BdT19 transgenic cell lines co‐expressing silencing suppressor protein P38 or P19. BaMV chimeric virus particles (CVPs) were subsequently purified from the respective cell lines (1.5 and 2.1 mg CVPs/20 g fresh weight of suspended biomass, respectively), and the resulting CVPs displayed VP1 epitope on the surfaces. Guinea pigs vaccinated with purified CVPs produced humoral antibodies. This study represents an important advance in the large‐scale production of immunopeptide vaccines in a cost‐effective manner using a plant cell‐suspension culture system.     

Homodimeric PHD Domain-containing Rco1 Subunit Constitutes a Critical Interaction Hub within the Rpd3S Histone Deacetylase Complex

Recognition of histone post-translational modifications is pivotal for directing chromatin-modifying enzymes to specific genomic regions and regulating their activities. Emerging evidence suggests that other structural features of nucleosomes also contribute to precise targeting of downstream chromatin complexes, such as linker DNA, the histone globular domain, and nucleosome spacing. However, how chromatin complexes coordinate individual interactions to achieve high affinity and specificity remains unclear. The Rpd3S histone deacetylase utilizes the chromodomain-containing Eaf3 subunit and the PHD domain-containing Rco1 subunit to recognize nucleosomes that are methylated at lysine 36 of histone H3 (H3K36me). We showed previously that the binding of Eaf3 to H3K36me can be allosterically activated by Rco1. To investigate how this chromatin recognition module is regulated in the context of the Rpd3S complex, we first determined the subunit interaction network of Rpd3S. Interestingly, we found that Rpd3S contains two copies of the essential subunit Rco1, and both copies of Rco1 are required for full functionality of Rpd3S. Our functional dissection of Rco1 revealed that besides its known chromatin-recognition interfaces, other regions of Rco1 are also critical for Rpd3S to recognize its nucleosomal substrates and functionin vivo. This unexpected result uncovered an important and understudied aspect of chromatin recognition. It suggests that precisely reading modified chromatin may not only need the combined actions of reader domains but also require an internal signaling circuit that coordinates the individual actions in a productive way.     

新疆地区小麦白粉病菌寄主范围的研究

用小麦白粉病菌11个生理小种的混合菌种,对新疆地区的小麦近缘植物的7个属22个种的47份材料进行接种,除6份免疫外,其余均接种成功.用其中6个属19个种的29份小麦近缘植物产生的白粉病菌,对小麦回接,参试的29份材料全部回接成功.小麦白粉病菌对小麦近缘植物的寄生像在小麦上一样,有明显的寄生专化性.感病的小麦近缘植物的78.0%对小麦白粉病菌的感病性,随生育期增长而急剧下降.文中并对小麦白粉病中间寄主的作用进行了讨论.     

The adjuvanticity of a mannosylated antigen reveals TLR4 functionality essential for subset specialization and functional maturation of mouse dendritic cells

The evidence that dendritic cell (DC) subsets produce differential cytokines in response to specific TLR stimulation is robust. However, the role of TLR stimulation in Ag presentation and phenotypic maturation among DC subsets is not clear. Through the adjuvanticity of a novel mannosylated Ag, mannosylated dendrimer OVA (MDO), as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern Ag, we characterized the functionality of GM-CSF/IL-4-cultured bone marrow DC and Flt3 ligand (Flt3-L) DC subsets by Ag presentation and maturation assays. It was demonstrated that both bone marrow DCs and Flt3-L DCs bound, processed, and presented MDO effectively. However, while Flt3-L CD24(high) (conventional CD8(+) equivalent) and CD11b(high) (CD8(-) equivalent) DCs were adept at MDO processing by MHC class I and II pathways, respectively, CD45RA(+) plasmacytoid DCs presented MDO poorly to T cells. Successful MDO presentation was largely dependent on competent TLR4 for Ag localization and morphological/phenotypic maturation of DC subsets, despite the indirect interaction of MDO with TLR4. Furthermore, Toll/IL-1 receptor-domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-beta, but not MyD88, as a TLR4 signaling modulator was indispensable for MDO-induced DC maturation and Ag presentation. Taken together, our findings suggest that DC subsets differentially respond to a pathogen-associated molecular pattern-associated Ag depending on the intrinsic programming and TLRs expressed. Optimal functionality of DC subsets in Ag presentation necessitates concomitant TLR signaling critical for efficient Ag localization and processing.     

我国东北地区发现姬鼩鼱分布

2014年在黑龙江省横道河子地区(44°48′44″N,129°02′04″E,海拔约740 m)采集到1只鼩鼱(标本编号为CH5)。2015年在内蒙古自治区达赉湖地区(48°37′20″N,117°53′17″E,海拔约720 m)采集2只鼩鼱(标本编号为DE7和DE12)。这些新获标本经鉴定为姬鼩鼱(Sorex minutissimus)。《小鼩鼱(食虫目:鼩鼱科)辽宁省新纪录》文中的标本(080910,090920)经重新鉴定也为姬鼩鼱。利用mt DNA的Cyt b基因全序列构建系统进化树,结果揭示,小鼩鼱聚为一支,姬鼩鼱聚为另一支,新获标本(CH5、DE7、DE12)和待厘定标本(080910、090920)都聚在姬鼩鼱一支,进一步支持形态学鉴定结果。2015年采集的姬鼩鼱为内蒙古自治区新纪录,而《小鼩鼱(食虫目:鼩鼱科)辽宁省新纪录》文中的小鼩鼱(Sorex minutus)(标本号:080910,090920)更正为辽宁省姬鼩鼱新纪录。     

西藏小昌都黑白仰鼻猴的雄婴照料:能量胁迫导致?

雄猴照料婴猴行为通常都是从雄猴的角度来分析该行为具有何种适应功能,很少有研究关心为什么雌猴会让雄猴参与照料活动。该文通过西藏小昌都黑白仰鼻猴群的系统观察取样,采用回归分析雄婴照料行为季节变动与婴猴年龄及生态因子（环境温度、食物供应）之间的关系,试图分析是否由于能量胁迫导致雌猴让雄猴参与照料活动,并通过分析高能量胁迫季节（环境温度低、食物缺乏,婴猴年幼需要雌猴携带多）与低能量胁迫季节（环境温度高、食物丰富,婴猴年长需要雌猴携带少）雄婴照料行为差异检验了能量胁迫假说。结果表明雄婴照料行为与温度呈负相关函数,而雌猴照料婴猴行为与温度呈正相关函数;在高能量胁迫的季节,雄猴参与照料行为多,而在低能量胁迫的季节雄猴照料行为少。因此,作者认为是能量胁迫迫使雌猴放弃部分照料婴猴的机会,雄猴利用照料机会获得了其他利益。