iTRAQ Protein Profiling of Adventitious Root Formation in Mulberry Hardwood Cuttings

The ability to form mature adventitious roots (AR) provides a competitive advantage for clonal multiplication of elite genotypic plant species, because high economic losses occur as a result of insufficient rooting. To better understand potential mechanisms involved in AR formation, we utilized an iTRAQ-based proteomic approach on mulberry hardwood cuttings. A total of 4427 proteins were identified from the base of cuttings, of which 595 and 231 proteins showed differential accumulations in the two periods of rooting, respectively. Three differentially expressed enzyme proteins were validated by an enzyme assay and qPCR. Functional annotation analysis showed that dysregulated proteins were involved in glucose metabolism, flavonoids biosynthesis, cell wall modification, and hormone regulation, indicating potential contributions to adventitious rooting. These results provide fundamental and important information for research on the molecular mechanism of AR development in mulberry cuttings and facilitate rooting efficiency in agricultural practice.     

Protective effects of intermittent hypoxic adaptation on myocardium and its mechanisms.

Intermittent hypoxic adaptation offers as many beneficial effects in protecting against myocardial injuries as chronic continuous hypoxic adaptation. However, chronic continuous hypoxic adaptation readily causes some adverse effects on the organism, which may be prevented by intermittent hypoxic adaptation. As an approach to potentiate the protective effects, intermittent hypoxic adaptation is also much easier to apply to subjects who are not living at high altitude. The mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of intermittent hypoxic adaptation are less understood, although great similarities exist between chronic continuous and intermittent hypoxic adaptation. The participation of several factors, such as myocardial vascularity, coronary blood flow, and cardiomyoglobin, which comprise the oxygen uptake system is not apparent, while the more efficient energetic metabolism after intermittent hypoxic adaptation may be a mechanism for cardioprotection. The possible roles of several signaling transduction pathways, including adrenoceptors, prostaglandins, and the adenosinergic system, in the beneficial effects of intermittent hypoxia are compared to those of chronic continuous hypoxic adaptation. Antioxidant enzymes and stress proteins may also be part of the mechanisms contributing to the cardioprotection of the intermittent hypoxic adaptation. As the cardioprotective effects of intermittent hypoxic adaptation employ multifold mechanisms, their clear elucidation needs more efforts.     

Caspase-8 mediates caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release during singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells.

We reported previously that singlet oxygen, generated by irradiation of rose bengal with visible light, induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. However, the mechanism of apoptosis caused by this reactive oxygen species is unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that singlet oxygen induced caspase-3 activation and Z-DEVD-FMK, a caspase-3 inhibitor, blocked apoptosis induction, while caspase-1 activity was not detectable and the caspase-1 inhibitor Z-YVAD-FMK had a very limited effect on apoptosis. This suggests that the activation of caspase-3 by singlet oxygen is essential for the commitment of cells to undergo apoptosis. Further studies showed that singlet oxygen induced an increase in caspase-8 activity and a reduction in mitochondrial cytochrome c. Time course analysis indicated that the cleavage of caspase-8 precedes that of caspase-3. In addition, blockade of caspase-8 by Z-IETD-FMK inhibited cleavage of pro-caspase-3 and prevented loss of mitochondrial cytochrome c. These results suggest that caspase-8 mediates caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release during singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.     

Ultrastructure and Lipase Activity of Cotyledon cell During Pod Development in Peanut

A series of significant changes of the ultrastructure and lipase activity of cotyledon cell were found in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) during pod development. In he initial stage of cotyledon development there were many plastids which kept producing starch grain and there were low lipase activity and very few lipid and protein bodies in the cell. In the middle stage of cotyledon development, a great number of larger lipid bodies were seen in the cell and a lot of protein bodies formed in the vacuoles and continued to increase in size. Lipase activity increased in the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, protein bodies, plasmalemma and intercellular space. In the later stage of cotyledon development, the lipid bodies did not increase in number but became slightly larger. The protein bodies continued to increase both in number and in size. Lipase acttvity was even hegher in the cytoplasm. In the final stage the protein bodies became irregular in shape and some of them tended to disintegrate with their content entered into the space around the lipid bodies. The lipase activity in the cell declined. The results indicated that the lipid body originated in the cytoplasm and the protein body originated in the vacuole; that the accumulation of oil and protein in peanut cotyledon resulted from the formation and development of lipid and protein bodies in the cell, and that the changes of plasmid and lipase activity in the cell played a role in the development of lipid body during the development of cotyledon.     

大型溞生长、生殖和种群增长的研究

年龄6±6小时的纯系大型溞培养在25±1℃静置换水条件下,饲以斜生栅藻,其平均寿命为68.40±9.82天。龄期(x)和年龄(t,天)之间呈曲线迴归关系:t=-2.245+1.510x+0.035x2(r=0.99,p3.86-0.131t)(式中Y为累计生殖量个数,t为天数)。       

六六六对大型溞生态学的影响

在实验室条件下,测定了六六六对大型溞(Daphnia magna Straus)存活、生长和生殖的影响。在25℃时,以心跳停止为死亡标准,六六六(以丙体计)对大型溞48小时LC50及其95%可信限为1.32±0.30ppm。以存活、生长和生殖为毒性标准,未觉察反应浓度(NOEC)为150ppb,最低觉察反应浓度(LOEC)为200ppb,其应用因子在0.11-0.15之间。内禀增长能力(rm)是更为敏感的指标,六六六浓度要降低至50ppb才无明显影响。       

Electron-Microscope Observation on the Pollen Development of Male Sterility Wheat Induced by Ethrel

The pollen development of male sterility wheat induced by Ethrel was studied in comparison with that of normal wheat by transmission and scanning electron-microscope. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. The primary morphological changes of abortive wheat pollen after treatment with Ethrel took place in the vacuole stage. The materials of cytoplasm were rarefied. All kinds of the cell organelles and vacuoles became degenerated and disorganized. Inside a small number of cell nuclei, chromatin granules coagulated irregularly. The number and the activity of the Ubisch bodices became reduced evidently. 2. In the mature stage, the differences between the treated wheat and normal wheat became even more striking. The normal pollens were spherical in sharp, and full of starch granules. The treated pollen were monstrous. There was a large empty vacuole in every abortive pollen cell, in which the starch granules were smaller and fewer than these in the normal ones. The nuclei and cytoplasm in some of the abortive pollens were degenerated, leaving only the cell walls. 3. Under scanning electron microscope, it was discovered that the normal wheat pollen were spherical or oval. The germinated pores jutted. The round-openings of the pores could be clearly seen. The abortive pollen induced by Ethrel looked like some shrunken balls, and became deformed and were blocked up. 4. On discussion of the mechanism of the Ethrel-induced male sterility in wheat, the authors suggest that special attention should be paid to the changes of the Ubisch bodies and the vacuoles.     

缺氧对体外培养大鼠海马神经元Bcl—2表达的影响

采用免疫组化方法,观察缺氧对体外培养大鼠海马神经元Bcl-2表达的影响。结果显示,缺氧2h时Bcl-2免疫反应阳性神经元的平均光密度较缺氧前明显增强,但缺氧4h和重新恢复供氧后24—72h时,Bcl-2免疫反应阳性神经元的平均光密度又逐渐减弱。缺氧后Bcl-2免疫反应阳性神经元数和阳性率亦随神经元存活数的下降而逐渐减少。本结果提示,缺氧早期Bcl-2免疫染色阳性神经元的免疫反应增强可能是脑细胞在缺氧条件下的自我保护机制,Bcl-2可能对海马神经元缺氧损伤具有一定调控作用。