芽孢杆菌B1、B2对豌豆尖镰孢菌抗菌机理的研究

同、异步培养结果表明：芽孢杆菌B1、B2对豌豆尖孢镰孢菌(Fusarium oxysporum Schl f．sp．pisi)有很强的抑菌作用。经B1、B2无菌液处理后的病原菌由灰白色变为白色,气生菌丝增多且纠结成团。抗菌显微特征是：导致病菌孢子和菌丝体膨大、畸形、原生质凝聚、孢子不萌发或萌发异常、菌丝生长点产生大量泡囊、生长受阻,后期菌丝体断裂、泡囊破裂、原生质外泄。B1、B2无菌液中蛋白含量分别为1795．53μg/mL和1345．93μg／mL,各含一种抗菌蛋白,其分子量分别为103．5kD(B1)和127．6kD(B2)。     

Effect of antimicrobial activity of Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil on antagonistic potential of Pleurotus species against Trichoderma harzianum in dual culture

Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil was investigated for its “in vitro” ability to control Trichoderma harzianum, a fungal contaminant that causes extensive losses in the cultivation of Pleurotus species. The antifungal activity of M. alternifolia essential oil and antagonist activities between Pleurotus species against three T. harzianum strains were studied in dual-culture experiments on an agar-based medium in which different concentrations of essential oil were incorporated. M. alternifolia essential oil at a concentration of 0.625 μL/mL, inhibited T. harzianum mycelial growth by 5.9–9.0%, depending on the strain. At the same concentrations P. ferulae and P. nebrodensis stimulated mycelial growth by 5.2–8.1%. All strains of T. harzianum were antagonistic to the Pleurotus species in the control. When essential oil was added to the substrate cultural, the antagonistic activity of T. harzianum against the Pleurotus species was weak (0.0625 μL of essential oil) or non-existent (0.125 μL of essential oil). M. alternifolia essential oil could be an alternative to the synthetic chemicals that are currently used to prevent and control T. harzianum in mushroom cultivation.     

Paradoxical interactions among estrogen receptors, estrogens and SERMS: mutual annihilation and synergy

The phenomenon of mutual annihilation of action between 17β estradiol (E₂) and a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), previously described in prepubertal rat diaphysis, epiphysis and uterus, has been investigated in ROS 17/2.8 rat osteoblastic cells and in transiently co-transfected cells in culture. In ROS 17/2.8 cells, the estrogen-induced marker enzyme creatine kinase B (CKB) was stimulated by raloxifene, tamoxifen and tamoxifen methiodide to a specific activity equal to or greater than that induced by 10 nM E₂. However, when a fully inhibitory dose of any of these SERMS was given simultaneously with E₂, no stimulation of CK activity resulted. Therefore, SERMS can be full agonists when acting alone, but complete antagonists to a super-physiological dose of estrogen. It is expected that excess tamoxifen would prevent the action of a SERM, but that the agonist activity of a SERM is abolished by 1000-fold less estrogen is a phenomenon without obvious explanation by classical pharmacology of competitive inhibition. To probe the mechanism of this interaction further, a ckb-CAT reporter plasmid, plus the human receptor expression plasmid, HEO, was transfected transiently into several cell types. In MCF-7 cells, a 1:10 ratio of E₂ to tamoxifen produced mutual annihilation, but the same ratio in ROS 17/2.8 or HeLa cells led to synergistic stimulation. In HeLa cells, co-transfected with the more efficient wild-type estrogen receptor plasmid, HEGO, synergy was demonstrated only at sub-saturation levels of HEGO. We speculate that, in the presence of estradiol and a SERM, not only active homodimers would be formed, but also hetero-dimers of estrogen-liganded and tamoxifen-liganded receptor monomers, depending on the molar ratio of their ligands and their relative affinities. The resulting hetero-dimer conformation would change the specific receptor surface for interactions with the growing number of co-activators and co-repressors, structural changes which could help to explain the mutual annihilation and synergy phenomena and their cell selectivity.     

Pythium contiguanum nomen novum (syn. Pythium dreschleri Paul), its antagonism to Botrytis cinerea, ITS1 region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA, and its comparison with related species

Pythium drechsleri Paul was described as a new species from soil samples taken in a salt-marsh of Arzew, Algeria [Paul, B. (1988) Une nouvelle espèce de Pythium isolée d'une saline de l'ouest Algérien. Cryptogam. Mycol. 9, 325-333]. The name of the fungus, P. drechsleri, is a nomen invalidum, as it is a later homonym of P. drechsleri Rajgopalan and Ramakrishnan [Rajagopalan, S. and Ramakrishnan, K. (1971) Phycomycetes in agricultural soils with special reference to the Pythiaceae. Madras Univ. J. Sect. B 37,38, 100-117]. A new name, Pythium contiguanum is now being given to P. drechsleri Paul. This species is characterised by its contiguous inflated type of sporangia, smooth-walled oogonia and mostly monoclinous antheridia. Although the fungus is not known to be a pathogen, it has a very well developed appressorial system comprised of both sickle shaped and coiled appressoria. Morphological features, its antagonism towards the grape-vine pathogen Botrytis cinerea, together with the sequences of the ITS1 region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA and its comparison with related species are given here.     

Interspecific combative interactions between wood-decaying basidiomycetes

Competition is the most common type of interaction occurring between wood-decaying higher fungi. Since competition for nutrients in organic resources is effectively brought about by competition for space, the common division into interference and exploitation competition is not very appropriate. Fungal competition can be divided into primary resource capture (obtaining uncolonized resources) and secondary resource capture (combat to obtain resources already colonized by other fungi). Combative mechanisms include antagonism at a distance, hyphal interference, mycoparasitism and gross mycelial contact. Interactions can result in deadlock or replacement, and a hierarchy of combative ability can be discerned amongst fungi that inhabit particular resources, but within this hierarchy there exists intransitivity, modification of outcome by other species and abiotic variables. Interactions can dramatically alter mycelial function, and have potential as biological control agents of fungal pathogens of trees and in service timber.     

In vitro antagonism of Thielaviopsis paradoxa by Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Seventy-nine Trichoderma strains were isolated from soil taken from 28 commercial plantations of Agave tequilana cv. ‘Azul’ in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Nine of these isolates produced nonvolatile metabolites that completely inhibited the growth of Thielaviopsis paradoxa on potato dextrose agar plates. These isolates were identified as Trichoderma longibrachiatum on the basis of their morphology and DNA sequence analysis of two genes (ITS rDNA and translation elongation factor EF-1α). Mycoparasitism of Th. paradoxa by T. longibrachiatum strains in dual cultures was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The Trichoderma hyphae grew alongside the Th. paradoxa hyphae, but penetration of Thielaviopsis hyphae by Trichoderma was no apparent. Aleurioconidia of Th. paradoxa were parasitized by Trichoderma. Both hyphae and aleurioconidia of Th. paradoxa lost turgor pressure, wrinkled, collapsed and finally disintegrated. In liquid cultures, all nine Trichoderma isolates produced proteases, β-1,3-glucanases and chitinases that would be responsible for the degradation of Thielaviopsis hyphae. These results demonstrate that the modes of action of T. longibrachiatum involved against Th. paradoxa in vitro experiments are mycoparasitism and the production of nonvolatile toxic metabolites.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma harzianum</Emphasis>: a biocontrol agent against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bipolaris oryzae</Emphasis>

Rice brown spot, caused by Bipolaris oryzae, can be a serious disease causing a considerable yield loss. Trichoderma harzianum is an effective biocontrol agent for a number of plant fungal diseases. Thus, this research was carried out to investigate the mechanisms of action by which T. harzianum antagonizes Bipolaris oryzae in vitro, and the efficacy of spray application of a spore suspension of T. harzianum for control of rice brown spot disease under field conditions. In vitro, the antagonistic behavior of T. harzianum resulted in the overgrowth of B. oryzae by T. harzianum, while the␣antifungal metabolites of T.␣harzianum completely prevented the linear growth of B. oryzae. Light and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations showed no evidence that mycoparasitism contributed to the aggressive nature of the tested isolate of T. harzianum against B. oryzae. Under field conditions, spraying of a spore suspension of T. harzianum at 10⁸ spore ml⁻¹ significantly reduced the disease severity (DS) and disease incidence (DI) on the plant leaves, and also significantly increased the grain yield, total grain carbohydrate, and protein, and led to a significant increase in the total photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids) in rice leaves.     

Antagonistic activity among 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp

Strains of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. that produce 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG) differ in their ability to colonize roots. In this study, we screened 47 2,4-DAPG-producing strains representing17 distinct genotypes for antagonistic activity associated with the production of bacteriocins. Upon induction, over 70% of the strains inhibited the growth of other isolates in vitro. Greenhouse assays indicated that populations of sensitive strains in wheat rhizosphere soil declined more rapidly in the presence of antagonists than when introduced alone. Antagonism can influence the ability of biocontrol agents to establish and maintain effective population densities in situ.