Effects of Melatonin on Growth,Physiology and Gene Expression in Rice Seedlings Under Cadmium Stress

Melatonin (MLT) is a hormonal substance found in many organisms and can improve plant stress resistance. In this study, the japonica rice variety Y32 and indica rice variety NJ6 were cultivated in hydroponics under different concentrations of CdCl₂ at the two-leaf stage. The growth, physiological and biochemical responses of the seedlings and the expression of cadmium (Cd)-related genes under exogenous melatonin (MLT) treatment were assessed. The results indicated that Cd stress destroyed the dynamic balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and removal, resulting in ROS accumulation, membrane lipid peroxidation, and impaired growth and development. Following the application of exogenous MLT to rice seedlings, increases in plant biomass including both underground and above-ground areas were observed. MLT also scavenged the inhibition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in a concentration dependent manner in response to Cd stress. Catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) expression also decreased following MLT treatment. Amongst the six Cd-related genes assessed, five genes were down-regulated and one was up-regulated in response to MLT treatment. Taken together, these data demonstrate that MLT improves the resilience of rice seedlings at the biochemical, physiological, and molecular levels, and diminishes the damage caused by Cd stress.     

Priming xylem for stress recovery depends on coordinated activity of sugar metabolic pathways and changes in xylem sap pH

Some plant species are capable of significant reduction of xylem embolism during recovery from drought despite stem water potential remains negative. However, the functional biology underlying this process is elusive. We subjected poplar trees to drought stress followed by a period of recovery. Water potential, hydraulic conductivity, gas exchange, xylem sap pH, and carbohydrate content in sap and woody stems were monitored in combination with an analysis of carbohydrate metabolism, enzyme activity, and expression of genes involved in sugar metabolic and transport pathways. Drought resulted in an alteration of differential partitioning between starch and soluble sugars. Upon stress, an increase in the starch degradation rate and the overexpression of sugar symporter genes promoted the efflux of disaccharides (mostly maltose and sucrose) to the apoplast. In turn, the efflux activity of the sugar‐proton cotransporters caused a drop in xylem pH. The newly acidic environment induced the activity of apoplastic invertases leading to the accumulation of monosaccharides in the apoplast, thus providing the main osmoticum necessary for recovery. During drought and recovery, a complex network of coordinated molecular and biochemical signals was activated at the interface between xylem and parenchyma cells that appeared to prime the xylem for hydraulic recovery.     

Roles of plant volatiles in defence against microbial pathogens and microbial exploitation of volatiles

Plants emit a large variety of volatile organic compounds during infection by pathogenic microbes, including terpenes, aromatics, nitrogen‐containing compounds, and fatty acid derivatives, as well as the volatile plant hormones, methyl jasmonate, and methyl salicylate. Given the general antimicrobial activity of plant volatiles and the timing of emission following infection, these compounds have often been assumed to function in defence against pathogens without much solid evidence. In this review, we critically evaluate current knowledge on the toxicity of volatiles to fungi, bacteria, and viruses and their role in plant resistance as well as how they act to induce systemic resistance in uninfected parts of the plant and in neighbouring plants. We also discuss how microbes can detoxify plant volatiles and exploit them as nutrients, attractants for insect vectors, and inducers of volatile emissions, which stimulate immune responses that make plants more susceptible to infection. Although much more is known about plant volatile–herbivore interactions, knowledge of volatile–microbe interactions is growing and it may eventually be possible to harness plant volatiles to reduce disease in agriculture and forestry. Future research in this field can be facilitated by making use of the analytical and molecular tools generated by the prolific research on plant–herbivore interactions.     

四种鳞翅目害虫精氨酸激酶基因的表达谱及基于RNAi的功能分析

【目的】精氨酸激酶(arginine kinase, AK)(EC 2.7.3.3)是昆虫体内重要的磷酸原激酶(能量代谢调节因子),也是唯一能够形成有效ATP的磷酰基供体,起着与脊椎动物中肌酸激酶相同的作用。本研究旨在了解鳞翅目害虫AK基因的表达和功能。【方法】利用qRT-PCR方法测定AK基因在大螟Sesamia inferens、二化螟Chilo suppressalis、甜菜夜蛾Spodoptera exigua和斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura 这4种鳞翅目害虫不同发育阶段和3龄幼虫不同组织中的表达谱;通过终点法检测了这4种害虫不同发育阶段和幼虫不同组织中的AK酶活性;采用RNAi技术抑制该基因的表达并分析其功能。【结果】AK基因在大螟、二化螟、甜菜夜蛾和斜纹夜蛾这4种鳞翅目昆虫的不同发育阶段和3龄幼虫不同组织中均有表达,说明该基因的表达不具有发育时期和组织特异性。不同发育时期和3龄幼虫不同组织中AK酶活性与基因表达量变化趋势大体一致。注射以AK基因为靶标的dsRNA 6 d后,4种害虫体内AK基因的mRNA表达下降30%~50%,AK酶活性降低30%左右;14 d后幼虫的死亡率达50%左右,显著高于对照组幼虫的死亡率。【结论】AK基因在上述4种鳞翅目害虫中为组成型表达,RNAi抑制AK基因的表达可导致4种害虫的幼虫死亡,研究结果为开发以AK基因为靶标的鳞翅目害虫防治新技术提供了理论依据。     

家蚕微孢子虫感染对家蚕海龟蛋白(Bmtutl)基因表达水平的影响

【目的】本研究旨在阐明家蚕微孢子虫Nosema bombycis感染不同时间对家蚕Bombyx mori幼虫不同组织中家蚕海龟蛋白(Bombyx Turtle, Bmtutl)基因表达水平的影响,为揭示家蚕微孢子虫的侵染机制奠定基础。【方法】利用生物信息学方法对家蚕海龟蛋白3种亚型Bmtutl-464, Bmtutl-519和Bmtutl-810的序列结构特征进行了分析;利用qPCR检测家蚕微孢子虫感染后12, 24, 48, 72, 96和120 h,家蚕幼虫中肠、血淋巴与脂肪体组织中Bmtutl-464, Bmtutl-519和Bmtutl-810基因表达水平的变化情况。【结果】家蚕海龟蛋白3种亚型的二级结构均主要由无规则卷曲、α螺旋、β转角和延伸链组成,其中无规则卷曲所占比例最高。但是PredictProtein分析发现,Bmtutl-464, Bmtutl-519和Bmtutl-810之间的蛋白/多核苷酸结合位点存在较大差异。qPCR结果表明,感染家蚕微孢子虫后,家蚕幼虫中肠、血淋巴与脂肪体组织中Bmtutl-464, Bmtutl-519和Bmtutl-810基因的整体表达处于被抑制状态,尤其在脂肪体中最为明显：Bmtutl-519和Bmtutl-810基因的表达在家蚕微孢子虫感染家蚕后的72 h开始受到显著抑制,特别是Bmtutl-519基因,其相对表达水平均不到对照的5.0%。【结论】家蚕海龟蛋白这3种亚型的序列结构特征存在较大差异,家蚕微孢子虫感染在一定程度抑制了家蚕幼虫中肠、血淋巴与脂肪体组织中Bmtutl-464, Bmtutl-519和Bmtutl-810基因尤其是Bmtutl-519的表达。结果说明,与其他两种家蚕海龟蛋白亚型相比,Bmtutl-519蛋白可能在家蚕微孢子虫侵染宿主的过程中起主要作用。     

灰飞虱内生病毒HiPV外壳蛋白VP1多克隆抗体的制备及在病毒检测中的应用

【目的】前期发现水稻条纹病毒(rice stripe virus, RSV)可与介体灰飞虱Laodelphax striatellus体内的HiPV病毒(Himetobi P virus, HiPV)互作。本研究旨在制备HiPV外壳蛋白VP1的多克隆抗体,并评估其在HiPV病毒检测中的可用性,以为深入研究HiPV-RSV和HiPV-灰飞虱的互作机制提供技术支持。【方法】以RT-PCR方法从灰飞虱成虫体内扩增HiPV主要外壳蛋白基因VP1,然后将VP1基因亚克隆至原核表达载体pET-32a中,构建表达载体pET-VP1。将重组质粒转化大肠杆菌Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3),经IPTG诱导、Ni²⁺-NTA亲和层析纯化,获得重组蛋白,免疫新西兰大白兔,制备抗体。【结果】从灰飞虱体内克隆到774 bp的HiPV外壳蛋白基因VP1,经原核表达、纯化,获得分子量约47.5 kD的融合蛋白,免疫新西兰大白兔后获得VP1多克隆抗体。该抗体间接ELISA效价达1∶819 200,与HiPV外壳蛋白VP1有特异性反应,而与灰飞虱蛋白无交叉反应。利用该多克隆抗体建立了检测单头灰飞虱成虫体内HiPV的Western blot和免疫捕获RT-PCR方法,检测结果显示HiPV在携带和不携带RSV的灰飞虱高亲和性群体内均广泛存在。【结论】利用制备的HiPV的VP1多克隆抗体可特异性检测灰飞虱体内HiPV。本研究为HiPV病毒的快速检测以及HiPV-RSV互作、HiPV-灰飞虱互作研究提供了技术支持。     

Gene co-expression network analysis for identifying genetic markers in Parkinson's disease - a three-way comparative approach

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder involving progressive deterioration of dopaminergic neurons. Although few genetic markers for familial PD are known, the etiology of sporadic PD remains poorly understood. Microarray data was analysed for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from PD patients and mature neuronal cells (mDA) differentiated from these iPSCs. Combining expression and semantic similarity, a highly-correlated PD interactome was constructed that included interactions of established Parkinson's disease marker genes. A novel three-way comparative approach was employed, delineating topologically and functionally important genes. These genes showed involvement in pathways like Parkin-ubiquitin proteosomal system (UPS), immune associated biological processes and apoptosis. Of interest are three genes, eEF1A1, CASK, and PSMD6 that are linked to PARK2 activity in the cell and thereby form attractive candidate genes for understanding PD. Network biology approach delineated in this study can be applied to other neurodegenerative disorders for identification of important genetic regulators.     

Ergothioneine production with Aspergillus oryzae

To establish a reliable and practical ergothioneine (ERG) supply, we employed fermentative ERG production using Aspergillus oryzae, a fungus used for food production. We heterologously overexpressed the egt-1 and -2 genes of Neurospora crassa in A. oryzae and succeeded in producing ERG (231.0 mg/kg of media, which was 20 times higher than the wild type).

Abbreviations: ERG: ergothioneine; HER: hercynine; Cys-HER: hercynylcysteine-sulfoxide; SAM: S-adenosylmethionine; SAH: S-adenosylhomocysteine; l-His: l-histidine; l-Cys: l-cysteine; LC-ESI-MS: liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry