Transformation of Nicotiana tabacum with a native cry1Ia5 gene confers complete protection against Heliothis armigera

A cry1Ia5 insecticidal toxin coding gene has been cloned from an Indian isolate of Bacillus thuringiensis. Sequence analyses of the cry1Ia5 gene revealed the absence of potential polyadenylation signal sequences thus making it a suitable candidate for expression in plants without extensive modification. This possibility was examined by subcloning the cry1Ia5 gene into a plant expression vector and then transferring it to Nicotiana tabacum through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Our results demonstrate that N. tabacum with a stably integrated native cry1Ia5 gene afforded complete protection against predation by Heliothis armigera. Forty three percent of the transgenic plants displayed a high level of protection against insect predation. The protection obtained in transgenic plants with the cry1Ia5 gene was comparable to that obtained with the synthetically modified cry1A(b) or cry1A(c) genes. The results demonstrate that novel insecticidal genes already exist in nature that do not require extensive modifications for efficient expression in plants.     

用转基因棉籽作平菇培养料时平菇主要害虫的发生动态

为了评估转基因棉籽对平菇害虫发生的影响,利用转Bt基因棉籽及其亲本对照棉籽配制平菇培养的菌棒,在菇棚中自然感虫,观察了平菇厉眼菌蚊、粪蚊、蚤蝇和螨类的发生情况。结果表明,含对照棉籽菌棒中平菇厉眼菌蚊和螨类发生量高于含转基因棉籽菌棒, 随着棉籽浓度的增加,对照棉和转Bt基因棉对平菇厉眼菌蚊均表现出抑制作用。对照棉籽对粪蚊的抑制作用比转Bt基因棉籽强,但随着棉籽浓度的增加,含对照棉籽菌棒中粪蚊发生量呈递增趋势。随着棉籽浓度的增加,含对照棉籽菌棒中蚤蝇发生量呈递增趋势,含转Bt基因棉籽菌棒中蚤蝇发生量递减;低含量时对照棉籽对蚤蝇的抑制作用强,而高含量时转Bt基因棉籽对蚤蝇的抑制作用强。     

Influence of Bt-plants on soil biota and pleiotropic effect of δ-endotoxin-encoding genes

The critical review of experimental conclusions stating environmental safety of transgenic plants reveals that the methods and test materials employed in some studies were inadequate to the goals pursued. A large-scale application of transgenic Bt-plants may result in long-lasting negative impact on the environment. First, the cultivation of these plants leads to accumulation of Bt-toxins in soil. Second, the decomposition of transgenic plants takes significantly longer time compared to that of isogenic lines. Third, the biological activity of soils under transgenic crops is lower than in the control plots. The transfer of δ-endotoxin-encoding genes to the genome of agricultural crops affects simultaneously several entirely different traits of genetically modified plants, thus exerting pleiotropic effects. This gives rise to a paradoxical situation: the genetically engineered crops selected on the trait of resistance to herbivorous insects of the order Lepidoptera become more attractive for herbivores from the other order, Homoptera.     

川西亚高山人工林碳氮分配格局及其随凋落叶分解的释放规律

对四川西部亚高山地区连香树、糙皮桦、云南松和云杉4种主要人工林生态系统的生物量、土壤及林木器官C、N含量进行了测定.结果表明：林木体内C的分布与器官年龄的关系不明显,而N和C/N的分布与年龄的关系较为密切.幼嫩器官中的N含量大于老化器官,老化器官中的C/N比值大于幼嫩器官,且针叶林地枯落叶中的C/N比值大于阔叶林地.C、N在土壤表层具有明显的富集作用,在整个人工林生态系统(包括林木、枯落物和土壤0～40 cm)中的积累量分别达 176.75～228.05 t·hm^-2和 11.06～16.54 t·hm^-2,在土壤-枯落物分室和林木分室中的分配比例为C （1.9～3.3）∶1,N （15.6～41.5）∶1,且针叶林的“C汇”功能大于阔叶林.阔叶林地的凋落叶分解速率一般大于针叶林地,周转期分别为2.2～3.7 a和3.9～4.2a;在凋落叶分解过程中,C在所有林地均呈超速释出态势,周转期为1.9～3.4 a;N在连香树和糙皮桦林地呈超速释出态势,周转期为1.9～3.2 a,在云南松和云杉林地呈慢速释出态势,周转期为6.7～8.5 a.     

转基因抗虫棉苗期氮代谢

以3种不同转基因抗虫棉及其亲本对照为材料,研究了盆栽条件下不同品种棉花苗期氮代谢特征。结果表明与非转基因棉花比较,转Bt基因棉Z30叶片内的硝酸还原酶活性、肽酶活性、游离氨基酸含量均没有明显变化,但转氨酶活性显著增加(增幅为14.03%),可溶性蛋白含量显著减少(降幅为26.29%)。双价转基因棉花CCRI41叶片内除可溶性蛋白含量没有明显变化,其它所测指标均发生了显著的改变。双价转基因棉花SGK321叶片内硝酸还原酶活性、转氨酶活性、氨基酸含量没有明显变化,但肽酶活性和可溶性蛋白含量均显著增加(增幅分别为7.01%和121.32%)。随着转入基因的多样化,其可能引发转基因棉花产生的非预期效应更加不确定与复杂。     

麦套夏播转Bt基因棉R93-6对昆虫群落的影响

以转Bt(Bacillusthuringiensis)基因棉品系R93-6为试验材料,以中棉所16号为对照,研究了在麦套夏播条件下转基因棉对昆虫群落的影响。结果表明,转基因棉田昆虫群落、害虫和天敌亚群落的多样性指数和均匀度指数均低于常规棉田,而优势集中性则高于常规棉田,所以转基因棉田昆虫群落、害虫和天敌亚群落的稳定性不如常规棉田,某种害虫大发生的可能性较大。对季节性变化格局的研究表明,转基因棉田昆虫群落可以划分为前期(6月初至7月下旬)、中期(7月底至8月底)和后期(9月份以后)三个发展阶段,根据不同阶段害虫和天敌发生的特点, 提出了害虫综合治理的策略。即前期害虫的防治应以生物生态调控为主;中期以化学防治为主,以生物生态调控为辅,协调好生物防治和化学防治的矛盾;后期应以生物生态调控为主,并加强农业防治。     

转基因棉种植对土壤水解酶活性的影响

转Bt基因棉和转Bt＋cpTI基因棉种植面积不断扩大,它们种植后杀虫晶体蛋白在土壤中的残留特性及对土壤水解酶活性的影响是环境风险评价的重要组成部分,本文采用盆栽实验的方法对此进行了初步研究。结果表明,转基因棉出苗后生长到30天时可向土壤中释放Bt杀虫晶体蛋白,而双抗棉种植时CpTI杀虫晶体蛋白的释放量与品种有关;转基因棉出苗后30天时,与等价基因系非转基因棉（各对照）相比,转Bt基因棉（“中30”）和双抗棉A（转Bt＋CpTI棉“中41”）的种植并未使脲酶、蛋白酶和磷酸单脂酶活性发生显著变化,而双抗棉B（转Bt＋CpTI棉“双抗321”）的种植使土壤磷酸单脂酶活性显著下降。从杀虫晶体蛋白的释放和对酶活性的影响来看,双抗棉A的种植对土壤的生物活性扰动更小。     

转Bt基因作物种植对土壤养分含量的影响

转Bt基因棉花和水稻的盆栽种植试验结果表明,与非转Bt基因原始对照相比,转Bt基因水稻短期种植30 d和转Bt基因棉花种植一个生长季后土壤中全碳和全氮以及碱解氮、速效磷、有效硫含量与对照均无显著差异,表明转Bt基因作物的种植短期内对土壤主要营养元素循环和平衡的扰动是微小的.     

Evidence of a latitudinal gradient in spider diversity in Australian cotton

The most common explanation for species diversity increasing towards the tropics is the corresponding increase in habitats (spatial heterogeneity). Consequently, a monoculture (like cotton in Australia) which is grown along a latitudinal gradient, should have the same degree of species diversity throughout its range. We tested to see if diversity in a dominant cotton community (spiders) changed with latitude, and if the community was structurally identical in different parts of Australia. We sampled seven sites extending over 20° of latitude. At each site we sampled 1–3 fields 3–5 times during the cotton growing season using pitfall traps and beatsheets, recording all the spiders collected to family. We found that spider communities in cotton are diverse, including a large range of foraging guilds, making them suitable for a conservation biological control programme. We also found that spider diversity increased from high to low latitudes, and the communities were different, even though the spiders were in the same monocultural habitat. Spider beatsheet communities around Australia were dominated by different families, and responded differently to seasonal changes, indicating that different pest groups would be targeted at different locations. These results show that diversity can increase from high to low latitudes, even if spatial heterogeneity is held constant, and that other factors external to the cotton crop are influencing spider species composition. Other models which may account for the latitudinal gradient, such as non‐equilibrium regional processes, are discussed.     

An evaluation of methods for assessing the impacts of Bt‐maize MON810 cultivation and pyrethroid insecticide use on Auchenorrhyncha (planthoppers and leafhoppers)

1 Auchenorrhyncha (Planthoppers and Leafhoppers) are not only pests of many crops, but they are also nontarget organisms with respect to Bt‐protein expressing genetically modified plants. As herbivorous arthropods, planthoppers and leafhoppers ingest Cry proteins depending on their feeding behaviour. Consequently, they are directly exposed to these entomotoxic proteins and can also serve as a source of Cry protein exposure to predatory arthropods. Therefore, it is reasonable to use Auchenorrhyncha in the risk assessment of genetically modified crops. 2 During a 2‐year field study, we evaluated four different methods in terms of their feasibility to assess the impacts of plant‐incorporated protectants from Bt‐maize and of insecticide use on this group of arthropods. Visual assessment of plants, sweep netting, yellow traps and custom made sticky traps were utilized in field plots of Bt‐maize MON810, untreated near‐isogenic maize and insecticide‐treated near‐isogenic maize and were compared with respect to their capability to reflect the diversity and abundance of Auchenorrhyncha species. 3 Zyginidia scutellaris (Herrich‐Schäffer) (Cicadomorpha: Cicadellidae) represented more than 94% of all captured individuals in both years. The analysis of Z. scutellaris data showed no consistent differences between Bt‐maize MON810 and the untreated near isogenic hybrid, demonstrating no negative impact of MON810 on this species. Insecticide treatment, on the other hand, was not equivalent to the isogenic maize in terms of Z. scutellaris densities. Based on the collected data and on practical considerations, we recommend the combined use of transect‐wise sweep netting and sticky traps for the sampling of Auchenorrhyncha in maize.