Direct and indirect effects of a thrips‐transmitted Tospovirus on the preference and fitness of its vector,Frankliniella fusca

Phytoviruses including tospoviruses are known to affect the behavior and fitness of their vectors both positively and negatively. In this study, we investigated the effects of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) (family Bunyaviridae, genus Tospovirus) infection on the fitness and feeding ability of tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) using peanut, Arachis hypogaea L. (Fabaceae), as a host. Potentially viruliferous F. fusca laid more eggs than non‐viruliferous F. fusca. In contrast, fewer potentially viruliferous F. fusca developed into adults and required a longer developmental time than non‐viruliferous F. fusca, indicating a direct negative effect of the virus on thrips fitness. In addition, no‐choice feeding tests indicated that non‐viruliferous F. fusca fed more rapidly than potentially viruliferous F. fusca. Typically, phytovirus infections are known to enhance the availability of vital nutrients such as free amino acids in infected host plants and to affect other important physiological processes negatively. Free amino acids are known to play a vital role in egg production and development. Further investigations in this study revealed that leaflets of infected plants had ca. 15 times more free amino acids than non‐infected leaflets. TSWV‐infected leaflets were used to rear potentially viruliferous thrips. Higher amino acid levels in TSWV‐infected leaflets than in non‐infected leaflets could have contributed to increased oviposition by potentially viruliferous F. fusca compared to non‐viruliferous F. fusca. Taken together, these results suggest that increased concentrations of free amino acids in TSWV‐infected plants might serve as an incentive for thrips feeding on otherwise unsuitable hosts, thereby facilitating TSWV acquisition and transmission.     

Oleosin is bifunctional enzyme that has both monoacylglycerol acyltransferase and phospholipase activities

In plants, fatty oils are generally stored in spherical intracellular organelles referred to as oleosomes that are covered by proteins such as oleosin. Seeds with high oil content have more oleosin than those with low oil content. However, the exact role of oleosin in oil accumulation is thus far unclear. Here, we report the isolation of a catalytically active 14 S multiprotein complex capable of acylating monoacylglycerol from the microsomal membranes of developing peanut cotyledons. Microsomal membranes from immature peanut seeds were solubilized using 8 m urea and 10 mm CHAPS. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, we identified 27 proteins in the 14 S complex. The major proteins present in the 14 S complex are conarachin, the major allergen Ara h 1, and other seed storage proteins. We identified oleosin 3 as a part of the 14 S complex, which is capable of acylating monoacylglycerol. The recombinant OLE3 microsomes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been shown to have both a monoacylglycerol acyltransferase and a phospholipase A(2) activity. Overexpression of the oleosin 3 (OLE3) gene in S. cerevisiae resulted in an increased accumulation of diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols and decreased phospholipids. These findings provide a direct role for a structural protein (OLE3) in the biosynthesis and mobilization of plant oils.     

土壤类型与作物基因型对花生籽实镉积累的影响

以花生主产区的棕壤和潮土为供试土壤,以种植面积最大的白沙1016、花育22和湛油27基因型花生(Arachis hypogaea)为供试作物,采用不添加Cd(对照)和添加Cd(1.5 mg·kg^-1)处理进行盆栽试验,研究土壤类型和作物基因型对花生籽实Cd积累的影响.结果表明：两种土壤对照处理的3种基因型花生籽实Cd含量均低于国家食品安全标准,而Cd处理下均高于食品安全标准. 同种土壤Cd处理3种基因型花生籽实Cd含量显著高于对照,不同基因型间表现为湛油27＞白沙1016＞花育22,棕壤花生籽实Cd含量及总量均高于潮土. 对照处理3种基因型花生籽实Cd生物富集系数均大于1.0,Cd处理下多小于1.0,表明花生籽实对土壤中Cd的累积能力较强,土壤Cd含量进一步增加时,其生物富集能力降低.     

Prenylated stilbenes from peanut root mucilage

Seven prenylated stilbenes were identified by combined HPLC-PAD-APCI/MSn analysis of an extract of mucilage isolated from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) root tips. The principal constituent was assigned the structure 4-(3-methyl-but-1-enyl)-3, 5-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxy-trans-stilbene. The common name mucilagin A is proposed for this novel compound. Its concentration in the mucilage was estimated at 250 microg/g (wet weight basis). The large body of literature on the anti-microbial properties of plant-derived stilbenes suggests that compounds detected in peanut mucilage may play a role in regulating root-soil pathogen interactions.     

Evaluation of bacteria and Trichoderma for biocontrol of pre-harvest seed infection by Aspergillus flavus in groundnut

Pre- and post harvest aflatoxin contamination of groundnut caused by Aspergillus flavus is a major problem in the semi-arid tropics. Fluorescent Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Trichoderma spp. potentially antagonistic to A. flavus were isolated from the geocarposphere (pod-zone) of groundnut and used successfully for the control of pre-harvest groundnut seed infection by A. flavus. In greenhouse and field experiments, inoculation of selected antagonistic strains on groundnut resulted in significant reduction of seed infection by A. flavus, and it also reduced >50% of the A. flavus populations (as cfu) in the geocarposphere of groundnut.     

乙型肝炎表面抗原基因转化花生及其表达

构建了乙肝表面抗原主蛋白基因(SHBs)的植物表达载体,通过农杆菌介导转化花生(Arachishypogaea)并利用潮霉素筛选出抗性苗,经PCR和Southern杂交鉴定转基因植株;取植株的蛋白粗提液进行ELISA检测,结果表明,SHBs能在花生中表达,且具有免疫原性,其在新鲜叶片中的表达量约为2.41μg.g-1鲜重,占总可溶性蛋白的0.033%。     

Investigation of cationic peanut peroxidase glycans by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Cationic peanut peroxidase (CP) was isolated from peanut (Arachis hypogaea) cell suspension culture medium. CP is a glycoprotein with three N-linked glycan sites at Asn60, Asn144, and Asn185. ESI-MS of the intact purified protein reveals the microheterogeneity of the glycans. Tryptic digestion of CP gave a near complete sequence coverage by ESI-MS. The glycopeptides from the tryptic digestion were separated by RP HPLC identified by ESI-MS and the structure of the glycan chains determined by ESI-MS/MS. The glycans are large structures of up to 16 sugars, but most of their non-reducing ends have been modified giving a mixture of shorter chains at each site. Good agreement was found with the one glycan previously analyzed by (1)H NMR. This work is the basis for the future studies on the role of the glycans on stability and folding of CP and is another example of a detailed structural characterization of complex glycoproteins by mass spectrometry.     

Detection of Bradyrhizobium spp. and B. japonicum in Thailand by primer-based technology and direct DNA extraction

Total chromosomal DNAs from 20 Bradyrhizobium spp. strains (10 strains isolated from Vigna radiata and 10 from Arachis hypogaea) and 18 B. japonicum strains isolated from Glycine max were extracted. These DNAs served as templates for REP, ERIC and RAPD primers in PCR analyses. The patterns of the resulting PCR products were analyzed and highly specific for each strain, especially when grouped together with their antibiotic-resistance profiles. A method for extracting DNA directly from soil was developed. Recovery was approximately 30 g DNA g-1 soil and the procedure yielded DNA suitable for PCR amplification.     

Combining ability for resistance in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) to Peanut bud necrosis tospovirus (PBNV)

The combining abilities of field resistance to peanut bud necrosis disease (PBND) caused by Peanut bud necrosis tospovirus (PBNV) were examined to understand the type of gene action governing resistance to the disease, and to identify peanut lines suitable for use as parents in a PBND‐resistance breeding programme. The Ft and F2 progenies from a six‐parent diallel cross and their parents were evaluated under field conditions. They were assessed for disease incidence at 30, 40, 50 and 60 days after planting (DAP), and reactions of the lines to the disease could be best differentiated at 50 and 60 DAP. Results indicated highly significant general combining ability (GCA) effects for PBND incidence in F₁ and F₂ generations. Specific combining ability (SCA) and reciprocal effects were also found to be significant, but their relative contributions to variation among crosses were much less than those of GCA effects. These results suggested that the type of gene action governing resistance to PBND was mainly additive, and selection for PBND resistance in these populations should be effective. Strong correlation coefficients between parental means and GCA effects for disease incidence were seen in both Ft and F2 generations, suggesting that per se performance of the parental line could be used as a predictor of the capability of the line to transmit its PBND‐resistant attribute to progenies. The reciprocal effects were in favour of using resistant lines as female parents. The peanut lines ICGV 86388, 1C 10 and 1C 34 were found to be suitable for use in a PBND–resistance breeding programme.