Tri-trophic interactions between Bt cotton, the herbivore Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae), and the predator Chrysopa pallens (Rambur) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Tri-trophic impacts of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton GK12 and NuCOTN 99B were studied using a predator, the great lacewing Chrysopa pallens (Rambur), and its prey, the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover, in laboratory feeding experiments. The parental nontransgenic cotton cultivar of GK12 was used as control. The predator was fed with uniform (aphids from a single cultivar) or mixed prey (aphids from the three cotton cultivars provided on alternate days). Mortality and development of the immature stages, pupal body mass, adult sex ratio, fecundity, and egg viability of C. pallens were measured. When fed GK12-originated aphid prey, pupal body mass of C. pallens was significantly higher than that of the control, more females emerged, and these females laid significantly more eggs. Other parameters were not impacted. Females emerging from larvae maintained on NuCOTN 99B-originated prey laid fewer eggs than those maintained on GK12. Other measurements did not differ significantly between the two Bt cotton cultivars. Compared with the control, mixed feeding significantly prolonged pupal development time and increased pupal body mass and percentage of females but did not affect other parameters. These results indicate that C. pallens is sensitive to aphid prey from different cotton cultivars. Transgenic Bt cotton GK12-originated aphid prey has no adverse impact on survival, development, and fecundity of C. pallens. Between the two Bt cotton cultivars, NuCOTN 99B-originated aphid prey provided to C. pallens in the larval stage may lower female fecundity. Mixed feeding of C. pallens with the two Bt cotton-originated prey and non-Bt prey may have some adverse impacts on pupal development.     

Interactions of B-class complex proteins involved in tepal development in Phalaenopsis orchid

In our previous studies, we identified four DEFICIENS (DEF)-like genes and one GLOBOSA (GLO)-like gene involved in floral organ development in Phalaenopsis equestris. Revealing the DNA binding properties and protein-protein interactions of these floral homeotic MADS-box protein complexes (PeMADS) in orchids is crucial for the elucidation of the unique orchid floral morphogenesis. In this study, the interactome of B-class PeMADS proteins was assayed by the yeast two-hybrid system (Y2H) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assays. Furthermore, the DNA binding activities of these proteins were assessed by using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). All four DEF-like PeMADS proteins interacted individually with the GLO-like PeMADS6 in Y2H assay, yet with different strengths of interaction. Generally, the PeMADS3/PeMADS4 lineage interacted more strongly with PeMADS6 than the PeMADS2/PeMADS5 lineage did. In addition, independent homodimer formation for both PeMADS4 (DEF-like) and PeMADS6 (GLO-like) was detected. The protein-protein interactions between pairs of PeMADS proteins were further confirmed by using a GST pull-down assay. Furthermore, both the PeMADS4 homodimer and the PeMADS6 homodimer/homomultimer per se were able to bind to the MADS-box protein-binding motif CArG. The heterodimeric complexes PeMADS2-PeMADS6, PeMADS4-PeMADS6 and PeMADS5-PeMADS6 showed CArG binding activity. Taken together, these results suggest that various complexes formed among different combinations of the five B-class PeMADS proteins may increase the complexity of their regulatory functions and thus specify the molecular basis of whorl morphogenesis and combinatorial interactions of floral organ identity genes in orchids.     

Two different genes encoding acetylcholinesterase existing in cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii).

Two acetylcholinesterase (AChE) genes, Ace1 and Ace2, have been cloned from cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technique. To the best of our knowledge, this should be the first direct molecular evidence that multiple AChE genes exist in insects. The Ace1 gene was successfully amplified along its full length of 2371 bp. The open reading frame is 2031 bp long and encodes 676 amino acids (GenBank accession No. AF502082). The Ace2 gene was amplified as a mega-fragment of 2130 bp lacking part of 5'-end untranslated region (UTR). The open reading frame is 1992 bp long and ecodes a protein of 664 amino acids (GenBank accession No. AF502081). Both genes have the conserved amino acids and features shared by the AChE family, but share only 35% identity in amino acid sequence. The Ace1 gene is highly homologous to the AChE gene of Schizaphis graminum (AF321574) with 95% identity, and Ace2 to that of Myzus persicae (AF287291) with 92% identity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the two cloned AChEs of A. gossypii are different in evolution. The phylogenetic tree generated by the PHYLIP program package inferred that AChE2 of A. gossypii is a more ancestral form of AChE. Homology modeling of structures using Torpedo californica (2ACE_) and Drosophila melanogaster (1Q09:A) native acetylcholinesterase structure as main template indicated that the two AChEs of Aphis gossypii might have different three-dimensional structures. Alternative splicing of Ace1 near the 5'-end resulting in two proteins differing by the presence or absence of a fragment of four amino acids is also reported.     

Effects of Electro-Acupuncture on IGF-I Expression in Spared Dorsal Root Ganglia and Associated Spinal Dorsal Horn in Cats Subjected to Adjacent Dorsal Root Ganglionectomies

The effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) expression in the spared dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and associated spinal dorsal horns were explored in cats subjected to unilateral removal of L₁–L₅ and L₇–S₂ DRG, sparing the L₆ DRG. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of IGF-I immunoreactive products in the L₆ DRG neurons and some neurons and glial cells in the spinal cord. Western blot demonstrated that the level of IGF-I was significantly up-regulated both in the spared DRG and the dorsal horns of L₃ and L₆ cord segments at both 7 and 14 days post operation following EA. The present findings demonstrated the association between neuroplasticity and IGF-I expression, suggesting the possible role of IGF-I in EA promoted spinal cord plasticity.     

山地麻蜥生态的初步研究

山地麻蜥主要栖息在市郊海拔大于100m的山丘上部及山顶。研究结果表明,山地麻蜥正常密度大约为1只／100m^2,其数量与山丘土石状况、植被盖度及海拔高度有一定关系,与植被类型关系不大。山地麻蜥似乎有一定的“护洞”行为。主食昆虫和蜘蛛,春季食物生态位宽度大于秋季,食物生态位重叠度为0．61。性比变化较大,出蛰仞期和冬眠前期雄多雌少;而5～10月份期间,性比接近1。幼体至成体发育期间,雄性生长快于雌性;但成年期后,雌性头体部分的生长快于雄性,可能与怀卵有关。山地麻蜥种群可分为4个年龄组,个体数量比约为幼年：亚成年：成年A：成年B≈1．8：1．9：3．1：1,但成体与非成体的数量比约为1．2：1,应属于稳定型种群。个体自然寿命约为5.5～6周年。人类干扰是山地麻蜥种群下降的原因之一。     

携带靶向性可调控自杀基因的重组相关腺病毒载体的构建及其活性检测

目的:构建携带受Tet-On以及VEGF启动子双调控自杀基因HSVtk的重组腺相关病毒载体,研究其在乳腺癌细胞MCF-7中的可调控表达.方法:用PCR方法扩增VEGF启动予,将其插入pAAV/TRE/HSVtk/Tet-On中形成重组载体pAAV/VEGF/TRE/HSVtk/Tet-On质粒.进行病毒包装后得到了rAAV/VEGF/TRE/HSVtk/Tet-On重组腺相关病毒.用重组腺相关病毒感染乳腺癌细胞株MCF-7和正常乳腺HBL-100细胞,用MTT法及RT-PCR检测在Dox诱导下,GCV对rAAV感染的MCF-7细胞和HBL-100细胞的杀伤作用以及HSVtk基因在MCF-7细胞内的表达情况.结果:在rAAV+Dox+GCV组,GCV对rAAV感染的MCF-7细胞的杀伤作用明显高于rAAV+Dox组,rAAV+Dox组以及HBL-100组,并且RT-PCR结果显示经Dox诱导HSVtk表达较明显.结论:成功构建了携带双调控自杀基因的重组腺相关病毒载体,该病毒载体能有效的感染乳腺癌细胞MCF-7,并能联合GCV治疗,抑制肿瘤细胞生长,而且具有靶向性.     

Life sciences and biotechnology in China

Life science and biotechnology have become a top priority in research and development in many countries as the world marches into the new century. China as a developing country with a 1.3 billion population and booming economy is actively meeting the challenge of a new era in this area of research. Owing to support from the government and the scientific community, and reform to improve the infrastructure, recent years have witnessed a rapid progress in some important fields of life science and biotechnology in China, such as genomics and protein sciences, neuroscience, systematics, super-hybrid rice research, stem cell and cloning technology, gene therapy and drug/vaccine development. The planned expansion and development of innovation in related sectors and the area of bioethics are described and discussed.     

水稻花药绒毡层特异表达基因RA39的克隆与表达特性分析

利用cDNA减法杂交、差异杂交筛选和RACE等技术,从水稻(Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica)中克隆了一个新的绒毡层特异性cDNA,其编码基因被命名为RA39.该cDNA长1 013 bp, 编码由298个氨基酸残基组成的多肽.RA39是一个单拷贝基因,在绒毡层细胞中特异性表达,在小孢子母细胞减数分裂期的绒毡层细胞中有较高的表达活性.用PSORT和PPSEARCH软件进行的结构分析揭示出RA39蛋白的N端是一个由17个氨基酸残基组成的信号肽,该蛋白包含一个跨膜区和一个胞质尾区两个主要结构域以及多个蛋白激酶的磷酸化位点.     

亚洲玉米螟神经肽羽化激素基因cDNA的克隆及组织表达

羽化激素对调节昆虫的蜕皮和发育起关键作用。亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis是亚洲农业重要害虫之一,本实验研究了亚洲玉米螟羽化激素基因cDNA的分子结构和表达模式。利用兼并性引物RT-PCR技术,克隆了亚洲玉米螟羽化激素基因cDNA的中间片段,然后再用RACE方法,获得羽化激素基因的 cDNA全长序列。结果表明： 亚洲玉米螟羽化激素基因cDNA全长986 bp（GenBank登录号： DQ668369）,开放阅读框为267 bp,编码88个氨基酸的前体蛋白,其中包括前26个氨基酸组成的信号肽和62个氨基酸的成熟肽。亚洲玉米螟羽化激素基因与烟草天蛾、棉铃虫和家蚕已报道同源基因的同源性较高,分别为79.5%、77.3%和67.0%,与黑腹果蝇同源基因的同源性最低,仅45.5%。亚洲玉米螟羽化激素基因mRNA只在脑中表达,在咽下神经节、胸神经节、腹神经节等神经组织中检测不到,在非神经组织如中肠、脂肪体和表皮中也不表达。