Cloning and expression of a putative cytochrome P450 gene that influences the colour of Phalaenopsis flowers

Anthocyanins are responsible for reds through blues in flowers. Blue and violet flowers generally contain derivatives of delphinidin, whereas red and pink flowers contain derivatives of cyanidin or pelargonidin. Differences in hydroxylation patterns of these three major classes of anthocyanidins are controlled by the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase, a member of the cytochrome P450 family, is the key enzyme in the synthesis of 3',5'-hydroxylated anthocyanins, generally required for blue or purple flowers. Here we report on the isolation of a cDNA clone of a putative flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase gene from Phalaenopsis that was then cloned into a plant expression vector. Transient transformation was achieved by particle bombardment of Phalaenopsis petals. The transgenic petals changed from pink to magenta, indicating that the product of the putative flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase gene influences anthocyanin pigment synthesis.     

不同保鲜剂对香石竹切花的保鲜效果

3种保鲜剂均能不同程度地增加切花鲜重,增大花径,改善切花体内的水分状况,降低过氧化物酶(POD)活性,延长瓶插寿命,其中以保鲜剂3(40mg·L~(-1)苯甲酸+50mg·L~(-1)AgNO_3+3％蔗糖+200mg·L~(-1)8-HQ)的保鲜效果最好。     

长白落叶松生殖生物学特性研究──Ⅰ．球花芽分化与早期发育

本文研究了长白落叶松（ＬａｒｉｘｏｌｇｅｎｓｉｓＨｅｎｒｙ）大小孢子叶球的分化及其分布规律．获得如下结果：（１）６月下旬芽鳞形成期终止,７月初进入小孢子叶分化期,７月未至８月上旬小孢子叶分化期结束．８月上旬进入小孢子囊分化期,８月下旬出现造孢细胞,９月中旬形成小孢子母细胞．１０月底小孢子母细胞保持在细线期阶段,小孢子叶球进入冬季休眠期．（２）９月初苞片原基开始形成,９月中旬珠鳞原基形成;１０月上旬出现胚珠原始体,１０月下旬大孢子母细胞形成,１０月底大孢子叶球芽进入冬季休眠．（３）小孢子叶球芽主要分布在树冠的中、下部．数量上远远大于大孢子叶球芽的数量,约为大孢子叶球芽的１９倍。大孢子叶球芽主要集中分布在树冠中部,而且树冠下部多于树冠上部。     

Alterations in osteoclast morphology following osteoprotegerin administration in the magnesium-deficient mouse

In the present study, we used osteoprotegerin (OPG), which blocks osteoclastogenesis, to correct and thus explain the hypercalcemia that is seen during dietary Mg deficiency in the mouse. Control and Mg-deficient mice received injections for 12 days of either OPG or vehicle only. Serum Ca was similar in Mg-deficient mice treated with OPG and in control mice receiving OPG (9.2±0.3 mg/dl vs. 9.2±0.5). Both groups had significantly higher serum Ca than controls or Mg-deficient animals receiving vehicle alone. Surprisingly, Mg-depleted mice that received OPG in doses that inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption remained hypercalcemic. Because mature osteoclasts still present in the marrow might be hyperactive, we examined osteoclast morphology at the light microscopic and ultrastructural level. Light microscopic examination of trabecular bone showed few osteoclasts in OPG-treated mice. Ultrastructural examination revealed that osteoclasts in OPG-treated mice have decreased contact with the endosteal bone surface and absence of a ruffled border. Because the morphology of the existing pool of mature osteoclasts did not enhance resorption, another mechanism, such as increased intestinal absorption of Ca in Mg-deficient mice, likely contributes to the hypercalcemia observed during Mg deficiency.     

Intestinal caveolin-1 is important for dietary fatty acid absorption

How dietary fatty acids are absorbed into the enterocyte and transported to the ER is not established. We tested the possibility that caveolin-1 containing lipid rafts and endocytic vesicles were involved. Apical brush border membranes took up 15% of albumin bound ³H-oleate whereas brush border membranes from caveolin-1 KO mice took up only 1%. In brush border membranes, the ³H-oleate was in the detergent resistant fraction of an OptiPrep gradient. On OptiPrep gradients of intestinal cytosol, we also found the ³H-oleate in the detergent resistant fraction, separate from OptiPrep gradients spiked with ³H-oleate or ³H-triacylglycerol. Caveolin-1 immuno-depletion of cytosol removed 91% of absorbed ³H-oleate whereas immuno-depletion using IgG, or anti-caveolin-2 or -3 or anti-clathrin antibodies removed 20%. Electron microscopy showed the presence of caveolin-1 containing vesicles in WT mouse cytosol that were 4 fold increased by feeding intestinal sacs 1 mM oleate. No vesicles were seen in caveolin-1 KO mouse cytosol. Caveolin-1 KO mice gained less weight on a 23% fat diet and had increased fat in their stool compared to WT mice. We conclude that dietary fatty acids are absorbed by caveolae in enterocyte brush border membranes, are endocytosed, and transported in cytosol in caveolin-1 containing endocytic vesicles.     

Positive association between thrips and spider mites in seedling cotton

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Plant architectural responses in simultaneous maize/soybean strip intercropping do not lead to a yield advantage

Maize/soybean strip intercropping is a commonly used system throughout China with high crop yields at reduced nutrient input compared to sole maize. Maize is the taller crop, and due to its dominance in light capture over soybean in the intercrop, maize is expected to outperform maize in sole cropping. Conversely, soybean is the subordinate crop and intercropped soybean plants are expected to perform worse than sole soybean. Crop plants show plastic responses in plant architecture to their growing conditions to forage for light and avoid shading. There is little knowledge on plant architectural responses to growing conditions in simultaneous (non-relay) intercropping and their relationship to species yields. A two-year field experiment with two simultaneous maize/soybean intercropping systems with narrow and wide strips was conducted to characterise architectural traits of maize and soybean plants grown as intercrop and sole crops. Intercropped maize plants, especially those in border rows, had substantially greater leaf area, biomass and yield than maize plants in sole crops. Intercropped soybean plants, especially those in border rows, had lower leaf area, biomass and yield than sole soybean plants. Overall intercrop performance was similar to that of sole crops, with the land equivalent ratio (LER) being only slightly greater than one (1.03–1.08). Soybean displayed typical shade avoidance responses in the intercrop, such as greater internode elongation and changes in specific leaf area, but these responses could not overcome the consequences of the competition with the taller maize plants. Therefore, in contrast to relay intercrop systems, in the studied simultaneous maize/soybean system, plastic responses did not contribute to practically relevant increases in resource capture and yield at whole system (i.e., intercrop) level.     

The polymorphism in the promoter region of metallothionein 1 is associated with heat tolerance of scallop Argopecten irradians

Metallothioneins (MTs), a superfamily of cysteine-rich proteins, perform multiple functions, such as maintaining homeostasis of essential metals, detoxification of toxic metals and scavenging of oxyradicals. In this study, the promoter region of a metallothionein (MT) gene from Bay scallop Argopecten irradians (designed as AiMT1) was cloned by the technique of genomic DNA walking, and the polymorphisms in this region were screened to find their association with susceptibility or tolerance to high temperature stress. One insert–deletion (ins–del) polymorphism and sixteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the amplified promoter region. Two SNPs, − 375 T–C and − 337 A–C, were selected to analyze their distribution in the two Bay scallop populations collected from southern and northern China coast, which were identified as heat resistant and heat susceptible stocks, respectively. There were three genotypes, T/T, T/C and C/C, at locus − 375, and their frequencies were 25%, 61.1% and 13.9% in the heat susceptible stock, while 34.2%, 42.1% and 23.7% in the resistant stock, respectively. There was no significant difference in the frequency distribution of different genotypes between the two stocks (P > 0.05). In contrast, at locus − 337, three genotypes A/A, A/C and C/C were revealed with the frequencies of 11.6%, 34.9% and 53.5% in the heat susceptible stock, while 45.7%, 32.6% and 21.7% in the heat resistant stock, respectively. The frequency of C/C genotype in the heat susceptible stock was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than that in the heat resistant stock, while the frequency of A/A in the heat resistant stock was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than that in the heat susceptible stock. Furthermore, the expression of AiMT1 mRNA in scallops with C/C genotype was significantly higher than that with A/A genotype (P < 0.05) after an acute heat treatment at 28 °C for 120 min. These results implied that the polymorphism at locus − 337 of AiMT1 was associated with the susceptibility/tolerance of scallops to heat stress, and the − 337 A/A genotype could be a potential marker available in future selection of Bay scallop with heat tolerance.     

Intraracial harassment on campus: explaining between- and within-group differences

Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen (NLSF), we examine both between- and within-group differences in the odds of feeling intraracially harassed. Specifically, we investigate the effects of colleges’ and universities’ racial composition as well as the nature of students’ associations with non-group members, including involvement in racially homogeneous campus organizations, ethnoracial diversity of friendship networks, and interracial dating. Our findings suggest that although college racial composition appears to have little effect on experiencing intraracial harassment, the nature of students’ involvement with other-race students matters a great deal. For all groups, interracial dating increased odds of harassment. Among black and white students, more diverse friendship networks did as well. And among Asian and Latino students, involvement in any racially homogeneous campus organization was associated with increases in reports of intraracial harassment. Thus, we propose a baseline theoretical model of intraracial harassment that highlights the nature of students’ associations with outgroups.