籼稻稻米蛋白质含量与外观品质性状间不同遗传体系的条件遗传相关分析

选用稻米蛋白质含量等品质差异较大的7个籼型不育系(A)及相应的保持系(B)与5个籼型恢复系(R)杂交,组成7×5不完全双列杂交组合。应用包括胚乳、细胞质和母体植株基因的遗传主效应以及基因型×环境互作效应的数量性状遗传模型及非条件和条件分析方法,研究了籼稻稻米蛋白质含量与外观品质性状间的遗传相关性,进一步揭示了籼稻糙米重、稻米直链淀粉含量对稻米蛋白质含量与外观品质性状间遗传相关性的影响。非条件分析的结果表明,除了与糙米厚的相关性未达到显著水平以外,蛋白质含量与其它稻米外观品质性状间的遗传相关性均达极显著水平,其中与糙米宽间的相关性表现为正值,其余为负向相关。条件分析的结果显示,糙米重和直链淀粉含量对稻米蛋白质含量与外观品质性状间的遗传相关性均可产生较大的影响。糙米重主要通过基因型×环境互作效应影响蛋白质含量与外观品质性状间的遗传相关性,其中对蛋白质含量与糙米长、糙米宽、糙米厚间遗传相关性的影响主要表现为负向作用,而对蛋白质含量与糙米长宽比、糙米长厚比间遗传相关性的影响则表现为正向作用。稻米直链淀粉主要通过细胞质遗传主效应和母体加性效应影响蛋白质含量与糙米长、糙米长宽比、糙米长厚比间的遗传相关性,而对蛋白质含量与糙米宽间的相关性影响主要表现为负向作用。     

Breeding and application of Jiafuzhan, a new elite early indica rice cultivar in China

After 20 years of dedicated research,Jiafuzhan has been successfully developed under the new technologies in breeding high-quality early indica rice cultivars.Its rice quality has almost reached the A-level Editable Rice of Agriculture Department of China,and its average production reaches 400-500 kg/(666.7 m2).This new cultivar also has other characteristics such as enhanced resistance of blast and fallen,steady productivity,and strong adaptability.Jiafuzhan has been put into production of over 11.4×104 hm2 in Fujian Province and has been introduced and extended in other Provinces like Jiangxi,Guangdong,and Guangxi,China.The successes of breeding Jiafuzhan is a solution to the existing perennial problems in the rice industry,such as poor grain quality of big-grain rice and early indica rice,low productivity,and poor blast resistance of elite rice.     

Two types of HKT transporters with different properties of Na+ and K+ transport in Oryza sativa

It is thought that Na+ and K+ homeostasis is crucial for salt-tolerance in plants. To better understand the Na+ and K+ homeostasis in important crop rice (Oryza sativa L.), a cDNA homologous to the wheat HKT1 encoding K+-Na+ symporter was isolated from japonica rice, cv Nipponbare (Ni-OsHKT1). We also isolated two cDNAs homologous to Ni-OsHKT1 from salt-tolerant indica rice, cv Pokkali (Po-OsHKT1, Po-OsHKT2). The predicted amino acid sequence of Ni-OsHKT1 shares 100% identity with Po-OsHKT1 and 91% identity with Po-OsHKT2, and they are 66-67% identical to wheat HKT1. Low-K+ conditions (less than 3 mM) induced the expression of all three OsHKT genes in roots, but mRNA accumulation was inhibited by the presence of 30 mM Na+. We further characterized the ion-transport properties of OsHKT1 and OsHKT2 using an expression system in the heterologous cells, yeast and Xenopus oocytes. OsHKT2 was capable of completely rescuing a K+-uptake deficiency mutation in yeast, whereas OsHKT1 was not under K+-limiting conditions. When OsHKTs were expressed in Na+-sensitive yeast, OsHKT1 rendered the cells more Na+-sensitive than did OsHKT2 in high NaCl conditions. The electrophysiological experiments for OsHKT1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes revealed that external Na+, but not K+, shifted the reversal potential toward depolarization. In contrast, for OsHKT2 either Na+ or K+ in the external solution shifted the reversal potential toward depolarization under the mixed Na+ and K+ containing solutions. These results suggest that two isoforms of HKT transporters, a Na+ transporter (OsHKT1) and a Na+- and K+-coupled transporter (OsHKT2), may act harmoniously in the salt tolerant indica rice.     

Azadirachtin disrupts formation of organised microtubule arrays during microgametogenesis of Plasmodium berghei

Transmission of malaria parasites from vertebrate blood to the mosquito vector depends critically on the differentiation of the gametocytes into gametes. This occurs in response to environmental stimuli encountered by the parasite in the mosquito bloodmeal. Male gametogenesis involves three rounds of DNA replication and endomitosis, and the assembly de novo of 8 motile axonemes. Azadirachtin, a plant limnoid and insecticide with an unkown mode of action, specifically inhibits the release of motile gametes from activated microgametocytes but does not inhibit growth and replication of a sexual blood stages. We have combined confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to examine the effect of azadirachtin on the complex reorganisation of the microtubule cytoskeleton during gametogenesis in Plasmodium berghei. Neither the replication of the genome nor the ability of tubulin monomers to assemble into microtubules upon gametocyte activation were prevented by azadirachtin. However, the drug interfered with the formation of mitotic spindles and with the assembly of microtubules into typical axonemes. Our observations suggest that azadarachtin specifically disrupts the patterning of microtubules into more complex structures, such as mitotic spindles and axonemes.     

芒果品种的花粉形态

用扫描电镜和光学显微镜对芒果（ＭａｎｇｉｆｅｒａｉｎｄｉｃａＬ．）１０个栽培品种的花粉形状、大小、外壁纹饰作了比较研究,结果表明：不同品种花粉粒形状、外壁纹饰等性状存在不同程度的差异,可作为区分某些品种的参考。三年芒、元江象牙、虎豹牙、红象牙、马切苏、椰香芒、大青皮、黄皮大头芒花粉外壁纹饰较为相似,可能反映出较为紧密的亲缘关系。三克里芒纹饰与以上８个品种区别较大,红光６号脊宽等性状介于二者之间     

Insect inventories in a mango‐based agroforestry area in Bangladesh: foraging behavior and performance of pollinators on fruit set

Insect species inventories along with pest prevalence, foraging behavior of pollinators and their effect on fruit set of mango were studied in a mango‐based agroforestry area in Bangladesh during January to June 2013. Of 1751 collected insects, 11 species in five orders and nine families were pests, 13 species in six orders and eight families were predators and eight species belonging to three orders and seven families were found as pollinators. The pests exerted significantly higher abundance but lower diversity than pollinator, predator and other insects. The pollinator richness was found to be lowest but showed higher as well as similar diversity to other category insects. Three pest species prevailed throughout the season and hoppers showed significant abundance. Among the predators, ants were most abundant. Sulphur butterfly and syrphid fly revealed statistically identical and higher abundance than other pollinators. During the flowering season, pests were dominant and the abundance of insects was observed to peak at 11.00 h. The pollinators differed in their landing duration on flowers and their activity led to higher levels of fruit set. This study provides baseline information on insect abundance in an agroforestry system, which stresses the importance of conservation of beneficial insects.     

13种栎属植物叶片的气孔特征及其相关性分析和分类学意义

以13种栎属(Quercus Linn.)植物〔包括产自辽宁省的槲栎组(Sect. Quercus)8种和麻栎组(Sect. Aegilops)2种以及引自北美洲的沼生栎组(Sect. Erythobalanus)2种和引自波兰的白栎组(Sect. Lepidabalanus)1种〕为试材,观察了这些种类叶片的气孔形态,并分析了气孔器和气孔的形态参数,还对各形态参数间的相关性进行了分析;在此基础上,对13种栎属植物进行了聚类分析。结果表明：栎属植物叶片的气孔仅分布于下表皮;气孔器排列属无规则型;气孔保卫细胞呈肾形,内壁加厚;气孔下陷,呈椭圆形或狭长椭圆形。供试种类的气孔和气孔器的形态参数差异明显,变异系数差异较大;气孔器的长轴长度、短轴长度和面积分别为18.24~27.46μm、14.63~23.18μm和221.56~501.70μm2,变异系数分别为7.73%~15.90%、7.10%~17.44%和14.13%~32.73%,气孔器指数为0.73~0.85;气孔的长轴长度、短轴长度、面积和密度分别为8.69~15.41μm、1.94~8.49μm、15.15~104.93μm2和462.32~984.44 mm-2,变异系数分别为12.03%~22.17%、13.65%~34.10%、27.95%~54.13%和8.10%~16.99%,气孔指数为0.22~0.57;总体上,按照多数气孔器和气孔参数从大至小的变化趋势依次排序为沼生栎组、白栎组、麻栎组、槲栎组。相关性分析结果表明：供试种类的气孔密度与气孔器和气孔的长轴及短轴长度均呈极显著(P<0.01)负相关;气孔器面积与气孔器指数和气孔指数分别呈极显著和显著(P<0.05)正相关;气孔面积与气孔器和气孔的长轴和短轴长度、气孔器指数和气孔指数呈极显著正相关,但与气孔密度呈显著负相关。聚类分析结果表明：在欧氏距离10处可将13种栎属植物分为3类,第Ⅰ类包含槲栎组的8种,第Ⅱ类包含麻栎组和白栎组的3种,第Ⅲ类包含沼生栎组的2种。研究结果显示：栎属植物叶片的气孔特征具有一定的稳定性,可作为栎属植物组间分类及亲缘关系分析的依据之一。     

克隆植物蛇莓基株的分子鉴定

采用随机扩增序列区间(ISSR)分子标记技术对蛇莓基株进行鉴定,结果表明6个ISSR引物在22个分株中共扩增出62个条带,每个引物扩增的条带数为4～16条,平均每个引物扩增的条带数为10.3条。采用6种引物对22个克隆分株的DNA扩增共产生28种带谱类型,其中有9种带谱为特异性带谱。综合分析这些带谱,确知这22个克隆分株分属16个基株。由带型可知,通过6个引物中的4种引物就可以把所有的基株鉴定出来,表明ISSR技术在分子水平上鉴定蛇莓的克隆基株是一种行之有效的方法。同时每个引物扩增出来的条带的多态性比例也比较高,平均达到90.3%。     

Past and present distribution, densities and movements of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean

• 1 Blue whale locations in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean were obtained from catches (303 239), sightings (4383 records of ≥8058 whales), strandings (103), Discovery marks (2191) and recoveries (95), and acoustic recordings.
• 2 Sighting surveys included 7 480 450 km of effort plus 14 676 days with unmeasured effort. Groups usually consisted of solitary whales (65.2%) or pairs (24.6%); larger feeding aggregations of unassociated individuals were only rarely observed. Sighting rates (groups per 1000 km from many platform types) varied by four orders of magnitude and were lowest in the waters of Brazil, South Africa, the eastern tropical Pacific, Antarctica and South Georgia; higher in the Subantarctic and Peru; and highest around Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Chile, southern Australia and south of Madagascar.
• 3 Blue whales avoid the oligotrophic central gyres of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, but are more common where phytoplankton densities are high, and where there are dynamic oceanographic processes like upwelling and frontal meandering.
• 4 Compared with historical catches, the Antarctic (‘true’) subspecies is exceedingly rare and usually concentrated closer to the summer pack ice. In summer they are found throughout the Antarctic; in winter they migrate to southern Africa (although recent sightings there are rare) and to other northerly locations (based on acoustics), although some overwinter in the Antarctic.
• 5 Pygmy blue whales are found around the Indian Ocean and from southern Australia to New Zealand. At least four groupings are evident: northern Indian Ocean, from Madagascar to the Subantarctic, Indonesia to western and southern Australia, and from New Zealand northwards to the equator. Sighting rates are typically much higher than for Antarctic blue whales.
• 6 South‐east Pacific blue whales have a discrete distribution and high sighting rates compared with the Antarctic. Further work is needed to clarify their subspecific status given their distinctive genetics, acoustics and length frequencies.
• 7 Antarctic blue whales numbered 1700 (95% Bayesian interval 860–2900) in 1996 (less than 1% of original levels), but are increasing at 7.3% per annum (95% Bayesian interval 1.4–11.6%). The status of other populations in the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean is unknown because few abundance estimates are available, but higher recent sighting rates suggest that they are less depleted than Antarctic blue whales.

     

A leucine-rich repeat protein is required for growth promotion and enhanced seed production mediated by the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica in Arabidopsis thaliana

Piriformospora indica, a basidiomycete of the Sebacinaceae family, promotes the growth, development and seed production of a variety of plant species. Arabidopsis plants colonized with the fungus produce 22% more seeds than uncolonized plants. Deactivating the Arabidopsis single-copy gene DMI-1, which encodes an ion carrier required for mycorrihiza formation in legumes, does not affect the beneficial interaction between the two symbiotic partners. We used cellular and molecular responses initiated during the establishment of the interaction between P. indica and Arabidopsis roots to isolate mutants that fail to respond to the fungus. An ethylmethane sulfonate mutant (Piriformospora indica-insensitive-2; pii-2), and a corresponding insertion line, are impaired in a leucine-rich repeat protein (At1g13230). The protein pii-2, which contains a putative endoplasmic reticulum retention signal, is also found in Triton X-100-insoluble plasma membrane microdomains, suggesting that it is present in the endoplasmic reticulum/plasma membrane continuum in Arabidopsis roots. The microdomains also contain an atypical receptor protein (At5g16590) containing leucine-rich repeats, the message of which is transiently upregulated in Arabidopsis roots in response to P. indica. This response is not detectable in At1g13230 mutants, and the protein is not detectable in the At1g13230 mutant microdomains. Partial deactivation of a gene for a sphingosine kinase, which is required for the biosynthesis of sphingolipid found in plasma membrane microdomains, also affects the Arabidopsis/P. indica interaction. Thus, pii-2, and presumably also At5g16590, two proteins present in plasma membrane microdomains, appear to be involved in P. indica-induced growth promotion and enhanced seed production in Arabidopsis thaliana.