Genetic fingerprinting of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] and its wild relatives using RAPD markers

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used for the identification of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] cultivars and their related wild species. The use of single primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence resulted in the selective amplification of DNA fragments that were unique to individual accessions. The level of polymorphism among the wild species was extremely high, while little polymorphism was detected within Cajanus cajan accessions. All of the cultivars and wild species under study could be easily distinguished with the help of different primers, thereby indicating the immense potential of RAPD in the genetic fingerprinting of pigeonpea. On the basis of our data the genetic relationship between pigeonpea cultivars and its wild species could be established.NCL Communication No. 6062     

INFLUENCE OF FLUCTUATING PHOSPHATE SUPPLY ON THE REGULATION OF PHOSPHATE UPTAKE BY THE BLUE-GREEN ALGA ANACYSTZS NIDULANS1

The blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans Drouet (Synechococcus leopoliensis Raciborski) cultivated under phosphate-limited conditions adopts a threshold value in the nanomolar range below which uptake ceases. In this study, we investigated the influence of phosphate pulses on the regulation of uptake behavior during reestablishment of the threshold value. Short-term pulses had only a slight effect on uptake kinetics and, hence, on the threshold value, even if the population had been exposed several times to elevated concentrations above the steady-state level in the growth medium. The threshold value was also practically insensitive to the amount of phosphate stored during these short-term fluctuations. Long-term phosphate pulses resulted in a transition to a metastable state that was characterized by a severalfold higher threshold value. This transition, apparently an adaptation to the transiently elevated phosphate concentrations, was further studied by following the influx of ³²P-phosphate at constant external concentrations and was shown to be complete after a period of 10–20 min. After adaptation to pulses, the uptake behavior followed a linear flow-force relation over a wide range of external concentrations. This behavior was explained by the simultaneous operation of at least two uptake systems with different, but coordinated kinetic parameters. This linear flow-force relation facilitated a direct determination of the threshold value from uptake measurements. For applicability in the field the force-flow relation can be a diagnostic tool to assay for fluctuating phosphate and to establish threshold values below the normal measurable range .     

Antiplasmodial activity study of angiotensin II via Ala scan analogs

Angiotensin II (AII) as well as analog peptides shows antimalarial activity against Plasmodium gallinaceum and Plasmodium falciparum, but the exact mechanism of action is still unknown. This work presents the solid‐phase synthesis and characterization of eight peptides corresponding to the alanine scanning series of AII plus the amide‐capped derivative and the evaluation of the antiplasmodial activity of these peptides against mature P. gallinaceum sporozoites. The Ala screening data indicates that the replacement of either the Ile⁵ or the His⁶ residues causes minor effects on the in vitro antiplasmodial activity compared with AII, i.e. AII (88%), [Ala⁶]‐AII (79%), and [Ala⁵]‐AII (75%). Analogs [Ala³]‐AII, [Ala¹]‐AII, and AII‐NH₂ showed antiplasmodial activity around 65%, whereas the activity of the [Ala⁸]‐AII, [Ala⁷]‐AII, [Ala⁴]‐AII, and [Ala²]‐AII analogs is lower than 45%. Circular dichroism data suggest that AII and the most active analogs adopt a β‐fold conformation in different solutions. All AII analogs, except [Ala⁴]‐AII and [Ala⁸]‐AII, show contractile responses and interact with the AT₁ receptor, [Ala⁵]‐AII and [Ala⁶]‐AII. In conclusion, this approach is helpful to understand the contribution of each amino acid residue to the bioactivity of AII, opening new perspectives toward the design of new sporozoiticidal compounds. Copyright © 2014 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,biological evaluation,and molecular docking studies of novel 2-styryl-5-nitroimidazole derivatives containing 1,4-benzodioxan moiety as FAK inhibitors with anticancer activity

A series of 2-styryl-5-nitroimidazole derivatives containing 1,4-benzodioxan moiety (3a–3r) has been designed, synthesized and their biological activities were also evaluated as potential antiproliferation and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitors. Among all the compounds, 3p showed the most potent activity in vitro which inhibited the growth of A549 with IC₅₀ value of 3.11 μM and Hela with IC₅₀ value of 2.54 μM respectively. Compound 3p also exhibited significant FAK inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.45 μM). Docking simulation was performed for compound 3p into the FAK structure active site to determine the probable binding model.     

TAI系列Ⅱ天兰冰草染色体上的酯酶同工酶基因定位

本文分析了小冰麦异附加系列Ⅱ,八倍体小冰麦,普通小麦和天兰冰草的叶片酯酶（ESTL）,胚乳酯酶（ESTE）,根酯酶（ESTR）和胚芽鞘酯酶（ESTG）的酶谱表型。把冰草同工酶基因Estl-Ag1,Este-Agi1,Estr-Agij,Estc-Agi1,Estl-Agi2和Este-Agi2定位到异附加系TAI－23,把基因Estr-Agi4和Estc-Agi4定位到TAI－24中的冰草染色体上,根据这些基因定位,结合某些植株形态学特征,推测TAI－23和TAI－24中的冰草染色体分别与小麦第3和6同祖群有一定的部分同源关系。     

对氨基苯甲酸酯同系物形成细胞色素P_（450）代谢中间体络合物的定量结构与活性关系

细胞色素Ｐ４５０（Ｐ４５０,Ｅｃ１．１４．１４．１）是一种十分重要的催化氧化反应的酶。本文测定了１２个对氨基苯甲酸酯同系物与Ｐ４５０相互作用而形成Ｐ４５０代谢中间体络合物的活性,用半经验分子轨道法ＭＮＤＯ－ＰＭ３计算得到了这些同系物的分子轨道指数,并用逐步多元回归分析法导出了活性与分子轨道指数及正辛醇／水分配系数的对数值（ＬｏｇＰ）之间的定量结构与活性关系（ＱＳＡＲ）。结果表明：对氨基苯甲酸脂同系物形成Ｐ４５０代谢中间体络合物的活性与原子净电荷的绝对值之和（∑Ｑ）和ＬｏｇＰ均具有很好的抛物线型相务性,同时,ＬｏｇＰ与∑Ｑ之间也存在相当好的相关性。     

云南中度退化的喀斯特天坑草地植物群落优势种种间关系

喀斯特天坑作为独特的宏大地表负地形,其坑底生境与外界环境相互独立,呈现出独特的植物群落格局及特征.本研究选取云南沾益天坑群中可进入性较强的中度退化天坑--巴家陷塘为对象,筛选出重要值大于1的优势种,结合总体关联性分析、χ²检验、AC联结系数及Spearman秩相关系数对巴家陷塘退化天坑植物群落中11种优势种的种间关联性和相关性进行研究.结果表明: 巴家陷塘退化天坑植物群落种间联结指数VR=1.377>1,总体呈显著正关联,但正负关联差异较大,阳生型植物和阴生型植物呈极显著负关联,现阶段仍具有独立的分布格局,但呈逐渐趋于稳定的趋势;Spearman分析中种间正相关对数(26对)少于种间负相关对数(29对),结合天坑微环境的差异,将退化天坑的优势物种划分为3个生态种组,群落总体呈现出一定的圈层分布规律.     

利用荧光SSR标记鉴定茶树自然杂交后代遗传背景

为研究茶树自然杂交后代遗传背景,分析不同茶树自然杂交后代遗传差异,本研究利用24对EST-SSR标记对82个茶树自然杂交后代和34个福建主要栽培品种进行分子标记,分析了茶树自然杂交后代的亲缘关系、群体遗传多样性、亲本模拟分析。结果表明：(1)24对SSR标记共检测到157个多态性位点,平均等位位点数为6.542个,Nei’s多样性指数平均为0.588,Shannon’s 信息指数平均为1.182,平均观测杂合度和期望杂合度分别为0.577和 0.591。(2)遗传距离聚类将个供试样品划分为4类,群体1主要为‘丹桂’及其自然杂交后代;群体2主要为‘丹桂’、‘黄观音’自然杂交后代与福建省乌龙茶品种;群体3主要为‘白鸡冠’及其自然杂交后代;群体4主要为福建省绿茶品种。(3)‘丹桂’、‘白鸡冠’、‘黄观音’自然杂交后代群体与福建主要栽培品种的遗传距离分别为0.079、0.117、0.107。(4)群体1亚群b内‘丹桂’自然杂交后代模拟亲本准确率为77.8%,模拟父本主要为福建乌龙茶品种,与群体2(亚群a)的遗传相似度、遗传分化系数、基因流分别为0.899、0.043、5.480。(5)AMOVA分析结果显示,有88.52%的遗传变异来自群体内部的个体间,表明遗传变异主要发生在群体内。     

Do vine species in neotropical forests see the forest or the trees?

Questions: Is the occurrence of vine species in neotropical rain forests primarily determined by properties of the forest (environmental factors), by properties of the trees (tree species or tree size) or are vines randomly distributed? Location: Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala. Methods: In five 1‐ha plots that span variation from unlogged forest to forest impacted by recurrent human disturbance we recorded the presence of all climbing vine species on every tree. The presence of all free standing vine species and 11 environmental variables were recorded in 100‐m² subplots. The relationship of host tree diameter and host tree identity on single tree vine species richness was investigated by GLM modelling. Partial redundancy analyses were used to partition the variation in vine species composition on two sources: environmental factors and tree species identity. Results: Single tree vine richness increased with increasing host tree DBH and differed significantly among host species. For climbing vines, the ratio of variation in subplot presence explained by tree species and by environmental variables was ca. 4:1 (in the most disturbed logged plots slightly lower), for free standing vines this ratio varied from 1:2 in the most disturbed logged plots to 9:1 in reserve plots, while a ratio of ca. 1:1 was found for all plots analysed together. Conclusion: Different tree species have different probabilities of being infested by vines. Vines see both the forest and the trees; the environment is more important in earlier developmental stages, properties of individual trees become more important from the time vines start to climb.