Outcrossing potential between 11 important genetically modified crops and the Chilean vascular flora

The potential impact of genetically modified (GM) crops on biodiversity is one of the main concerns in an environmental risk assessment (ERA). The likelihood of outcrossing and pollen‐mediated gene flow from GM crops and non‐GM crops are explained by the same principles and depend primarily on the biology of the species. We conducted a national‐scale study of the likelihood of outcrossing between 11 GM crops and vascular plants in Chile by use of a systematized database that included cultivated, introduced and native plant species in Chile. The database included geographical distributions and key biological and agronomical characteristics for 3505 introduced, 4993 native and 257 cultivated (of which 11 were native and 246 were introduced) plant species. Out of the considered GM crops (cotton, soya bean, maize, grape, wheat, rice, sugar beet, alfalfa, canola, tomato and potato), only potato and tomato presented native relatives (66 species total). Introduced relative species showed that three GM groups were formed having: a) up to one introduced relative (cotton and soya bean), b) up to two (rice, grape, maize and wheat) and c) from two to seven (sugar beet, alfalfa, canola, tomato and potato). In particular, GM crops presenting introduced noncultivated relative species were canola (1 relative species), alfalfa (up to 4), rice (1), tomato (up to 2) and potato (up to 2). The outcrossing potential between species [OP; scaled from ‘very low’ (1) to ‘very high’ (5)] was developed, showing medium OPs (3) for GM–native relative interactions when they occurred, low (2) for GMs and introduced noncultivated and high (4) for the grape‐Vitis vinifera GM–introduced cultivated interaction. This analytical tool might be useful for future ERA for unconfined GM crop release in Chile.     

转基因作物的安全性争论及其对策

本文介绍了最近国际上对转基因植物安全性的争论情况,争论的本质并不纯粹是科学问题,而是政治和贸易问题,作者认为中国作为发展中国家应有自己的观点,并提出了相应的对策建议。     

转基因作物与非转基因作物的共存立法动态研究——以美、日、欧应对基因污染事件为视角

随着基因工程技术的运用与发展,越来越多的转基因作物基因污染事件的发生也引起了世界各国对转基因作物与非转基因作物之间的和谐发展问题的高度重视。以美、日、欧为代表,世界各国对转基因作物与非转基因作物的共存问题都进行了积极地探索。借鉴美、日、欧转基因与非转基因作物共存法律制度,以期为我国转基因与非转基因作物共存法律制度的构建提供参考。     

人抑癌基因PTEN的原核表达载体的构建及融合表达

为研究抑癌因子PTEN蛋白的抑癌机理,掏建了PTEN cDNA的原核表达载体并进行融合表达。将含有PTEN cDNA的质粒pMD-PTEN经EcoR Ⅰ和Sal Ⅰ双酶切,回收PTEN基因片段与经相同酶切的高效原核表达载体pET-44a连接,经序列测定,证实融合型表达载体pET-Nus-PTEN构建成功。转化表达宿主BL21(DE3)后,IPTG诱导表达。经12％SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳,获得118kD的特异蛋白条带。目的蛋白占细菌总蛋白的17％。结果表明：PTEN基因和Nus基因融合表达成功,获得可溶性Nus-PTEN蛋白。该研究为PTEN蛋白的抑癌机理和基因工程药物的研究打下了基础,这是国内PTEN蛋白在原核细胞中成功表达的首次报道。     

Weakened purifying selection leads to elevated mutation load under environmental sex determination

In many gonochoristic taxa, sex is influenced by developmental environment, a system that can lead to temporal fluctuations in offspring sex ratio. Demographic models suggest that only short‐lived species with environmental sex determination (ESD) are negatively impacted by sex‐ratio fluctuations, yet these models fail to account for the potential mutation load associated with reductions in genetically effective population sizes. In this study, we developed a series of individual‐based simulation models that explore the fixation rates of mildly deleterious alleles under different sex‐determining systems and examine the impacts of variation in lifespan and offspring sex ratio. Populations with ESD exhibited increases in fixation rates in both short‐ and long‐lived populations, but substantial increases were limited to populations characterized by a combination of high sex‐ratio variation and short lifespan. Fixation rates were negatively associated with effective population size, indicating that purifying selection operates less efficiently under ESD relative to genotypic sex determination. Reductions in effective population size could be attributed to both intragenerational forces (unequal sex ratio) and intergenerational forces (variable census population sizes). Levels of temporal sex‐ratio variation calculated from wild populations of ESD species were capable of yielding large increases in fixation rates, although this relationship was strongly mediated by lifespan. Our results may help to explain the limited phylogenetic distribution of ESD in short‐lived taxa.     

合成生物学技术在糖胺聚糖生产中的应用

糖胺聚糖是一类直链酸性多糖,具有优良的生物相容性和生理活性,被广泛应用于临床治疗,并用作药物运输载体,其中透明质酸、 肝素和硫酸软骨素的相关研究最为深入。由于传统方式（如动物组织提取法等）制备糖胺聚糖,存在外毒素、病毒等致病因子污染的风 险,因而,利用合成生物学技术,构建重组工程菌株生产糖胺聚糖,逐渐受到研究者们的重视。主要围绕透明质酸、肝素前体及软骨素, 综述糖胺聚糖的生物合成途径,并探讨产糖胺聚糖基因工程菌的构建以及糖胺聚糖生物合成过程中分子质量调控机制,以期为构建产高 品质糖胺聚糖工程菌株提供新思路。     

猪圆环病毒2型－细小病毒－伪狂犬重组病毒免疫小鼠试验研究

为了研究表达猪2型圆环病毒ORF2基因和猪细小病毒VP2基因的重组伪狂犬病毒疫苗株SA215(D)的疫苗价值,对该病毒株安全性、免疫原性、保护力及对PRV Fa株定值进行了研究。研究结果表明重组病毒SA215（D）毒力显著低于PRV Fa强毒株,可以抵御伪狂犬病强毒Fa株的攻击,并能抵御其在小鼠体内的定植;抗体检测显示SA215（D）免疫小鼠后第2周抗PRV、PCV2和PPV的抗体水平均很低,加强免疫后第4周抗体水平大幅上升,且显著高于阴性对照组,而与阳性对照组无明显差异,表明SA215（D）可诱导小鼠产生体液免疫反应。淋巴细胞增殖试验显示SA215（D）可诱导小鼠产生较强的淋巴细胞增殖反应,与亲本株SA215组相比,差异显著(0.01     

Plant Life History and Residue Chemistry Influences Emissions of CO2 and N2O From Soil – Perspectives for Genetically Modified Cell Wall Mutants

Vascular plants have lignified tissues that transport water, minerals, and photosynthetic products throughout the plant. They are the dominant primary producers in terrestrial ecosystems and capture significant quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) through photosynthesis. Some of the fixed CO₂ is respired by the plant directly, with additional CO₂ lost from rhizodeposits metabolized by root-associated soil microorganisms. Microbially-mediated mineralization of organic nitrogen (N) from plant byproducts (rhizodeposits, dead plant residues) followed by nitrification generates another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N₂O). In anaerobic soils, reduction of nitrate by microbial denitrifiers also produces N₂O. The plant-microbial interactions that result in CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil could be affected by genetic modification. Down-regulation of genes controlling lignin biosynthesis to achieve lower lignin concentration or a lower guaiacyl:syringyl (G:S) ratio in above-ground biomass is anticipated to produce forage crops with greater digestibility, improve short rotation woody crops for the wood-pulping industry and create second generation biofuel crops with low ligno-cellulosic content, but unharvested residues from such crops are expected to decompose quickly, potentially increasing CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil. The objective of this review are the following: 1) to describe how plants influence CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil during their life cycle; 2) to explain how plant residue chemistry affects its mineralization, contributing to CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil; and 3) to show how modification of plant lignin biosynthesis could influence CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil, based on experimental data from genetically modified cell wall mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Conceptual models of plants with modified lignin biosynthesis show how changes in phenology, morphology and biomass production alter the allocation of photosynthetic products and carbon (C) losses through rhizodeposition and respiration during their life cycle, and the chemical composition of plant residues. Feedbacks on the soil environment (mineral N concentration, soil moisture, microbial communities, aggregation) affecting CO₂ and N₂O emissions are described. Down-regulation of the Cinnamoyl CoA Reductase 1 (CCR1) gene is an excellent target for highly digestable forages and biofuel crops, but A. thaliana with this mutation has lower plant biomass and fertility, prolonged vegetative growth and plant residues that are more susceptible to biodegradation, leading to greater CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil in the short term. The challenge in future crop breeding efforts will be to select tissue-specific genes for lignin biosynthesis that meet commercial demands without compromising soil CO₂ and N₂O emission goals.     

A Comparison of Soil Microbial Community Structure, Protozoa and Nematodes in Field Plots of Conventional and Genetically Modified Maize Expressing the Bacillus thuringiens is CryIAb Toxin

Field trials were established at three European sites (Denmark, Eastern France, South-West France) of genetically modified maize (Zea mays L.) expressing the CryIAb Bacillus thuringiensis toxin (Bt), the near-isogenic non-Bt cultivar, another conventional maize cultivar and grass. Soil from Denmark was sampled at sowing (May) and harvest (October) over two years (2002, 2003); from E France at harvest 2002, sowing and harvest 2003; and from SW France at sowing and harvest 2003. Samples were analysed for microbial community structure (2003 samples only) by community-level physiological-profiling (CLPP) and phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA), and protozoa and nematodes in all samples. Individual differences within a site resulted from: greater nematode numbers under grass than maize on three occasions; different nematode populations under the conventional maize cultivars once; and two occasions when there was a reduced protozoan population under Bt maize compared to non-Bt maize. Microbial community structure within the sites only varied with grass compared to maize, with one occurrence of CLPP varying between maize cultivars (Bt versus a conventional cultivar). An overall comparison of Bt versus non-Bt maize across all three sites only revealed differences for nematodes, with a smaller population under the Bt maize. Nematode community structure was different at each site and the Bt effect was not confined to specific nematode taxa. The effect of the Bt maize was small and within the normal variation expected in these agricultural systems.