Simultaneous LC-MS/MS Analysis of Glyphosate,Glufosinate, and Their Metabolic Products in Beer,Barley Tea,and Their Ingredients

Glyphosate and glufosinate are non-selective herbicides that have been extensively used worldwide. Their ionic and water-soluble characteristics often make it difficult to analyze them, especially in food components. A method was developed in this study for the simultaneous analysis of glyphosate, glufosinate, and three metabolic products in beer, barley tea, and their ingredients (malt and corn). The analytical samples were extracted with H₂O, purified with a strong anion-exchange solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge, and then analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with an anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column. This method enabled a rapid and sensitive analysis [limit of quantification (LOQ) = 10 µg/kg] of the herbicides to be achieved.     

Pre-harvest retting of flax with glyphosate: effects of novel methods of spray application on penetration of the canopy and uniformity of deposition

Four methods of spray application were compared in 1986 with the recommended method of glyphosate application for pre-harvest retting of flax (Linum usitatissimum). Sampling individual plants immediately after application of glyphosate and dye demonstrated that spray penetration through the crop canopy, measured as dye deposition on the lower stem as a percentage of total deposition per plant, was the same for all methods of application. None of the methods of application improved the uniformity of dye deposition.
The following year, effects of deseeding prior to spraying and of using an air-assisted sprayer were investigated. Deseeding increased dye deposition on the lower stem but did not improve the efficacy of glyphosate. Application with an air-assisted sprayer increased the proportion of spray deposited on the lower stem but not the absolute amount deposited or the efficacy of glyphosate. Dye deposition on individual plants varied greatly for all methods of application and, when glyphosate was applied using the same methods, undesiccated plants occurred in all plots.
Considerable improvements in spray penetration and uniformity of spray deposition appear necessary for successful pre-harvest retting of flax with glyphosate.     

除草剂草甘膦对中华大蟾蜍的慢性毒性

为揭示除草剂对农林生态系统中脊椎动物天敌潜在的、长期的慢性毒性,测定了草甘膦对中华大蟾蜍（Bufo gargarizans Cantor）蝌蚪生长发育和运动频率的影响以及对中华大蟾蜍成体空胃率的影响。结果表明,亚致死剂量的草甘膦溶液对中华大蟾蜍蝌蚪的生长发育和运动频率具有明显的抑制作用,蝌蚪体长、体宽、尾长、尾宽和体质量的增长率均与草甘膦浓度呈极显著负相关;蝌蚪的运动频率亦与草甘膦浓度显著负相关。同时,草甘膦的喷施对中华大蟾蜍成体的捕食造成负面影响,其空胃率与草甘膦浓度呈极显著正相关,即使在草甘膦的推荐使用浓度范围之内．中华大蟾蜍（成体）处理组亦出现30％～60％的空胃率。     

抗草甘膦转基因大豆PCR的检测

目的:建立快速、有效的鉴别转基因作物与非转基因作物及其产品的检测方法体系。方法:用抗草甘膦转基因大豆中的外源CaMV35S启动子和CP4-EPSPS基因引物,应用PCR方法,从中扩增出预期大小的DNA片段,将扩增产物回收后测序。结果:经同源性分析,扩增产物为CaMV35S启动子和CP4-EPSPS基因的一部分序列。结论:初步建立了转基因大豆的检测方法,同时讨论了PCR检测过程中假阴性和假阳性的原因。     

Evaluation of three herbicide resistance genes for use in genetic transformations and for potential crop protection in algae production

Genes conferring resistance to the herbicides glyphosate, oxyfluorfen and norflurazon were developed and tested for use as dominant selectable markers in genetic transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and as potential tools for the protection of commercial‐scale algal production facilities against contamination by organisms sensitive to these broad‐spectrum herbicides. A synthetic glyphosate acetyltransferase (GAT) gene, when fitted with a strong Chlamydomonas promoter, conferred a 2.7×‐fold increase in tolerance to the EPSPS inhibitor, glyphosate, in transgenic cells compared with progenitor WT cells. A mutant Chlamydomonas protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox, PPO) gene previously shown to produce an enzyme insensitive to PPO‐inhibiting herbicides, when genetically engineered, generated transgenic cells able to tolerate up to 136× higher levels of the PPO inhibitor, oxyfluorfen, than nontransformed cells. Genetic modification of the Chlamydomonas phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene‐based gene sequences found in various norflurazon‐resistant organisms allowed production of transgenic cells tolerant to 40× higher levels of norflurazon than nontransgenic cells. The high efficiency of all three herbicide resistance genes in producing transgenic cells demonstrated their suitability as dominant selectable markers for genetic transformation of Chlamydomonas and, potentially, other eukaryotic algae. However, the requirement for high concentrations of glyphosate and its associated negative effects on cell growth rates preclude its consideration for use in large‐scale production facilities. In contrast, only low doses of norflurazon and oxyfluorfen (~1.5 μm and ~0.1 μm , respectively) are required for inhibition of cell growth, suggesting that these two herbicides may prove effective in large‐scale algal production facilities in suppressing growth of organisms sensitive to these herbicides.     

Co‐expression of GR79 EPSPS and GAT yields herbicide‐resistant cotton with low glyphosate residues

Glyphosate‐resistant (GR) crops have been adopted on a massive scale by North and South American farmers. Currently, about 80% of the 120 million hectares of the global genetically modified (GM) crops are GR crop varieties. However, the adoption of GR plants in China has not occurred at the same pace, owing to several factors including, among other things, labour markets and the residual effects of glyphosate in transgenic plants. Here, we report the co‐expression of codon‐optimized forms of GR79 EPSPS and N‐acetyltransferase (GAT) genes in cotton. We found five times more resistance to glyphosate with 10‐fold reduction in glyphosate residues in two pGR79 EPSPS‐pGAT co‐expression cotton lines, GGCO2 and GGCO5. The GGCO2 line was used in a hybridization programme to develop new GR cottons. Field trials at five locations during three growing seasons showed that pGR79‐pGAT transgenic cotton lines have the same agronomic performance as conventional varieties, but were USD 390‐495 cheaper to produce per hectare because of the high cost of conventional weed management practices. Our strategy to pyramid these genes clearly worked and thus offers attractive promise for the engineering and breeding of highly resistant low‐glyphosate‐residue cotton varieties.     

根癌农杆菌介导的转aroAM12基因棉花植株的草甘膦抗性

以中棉35无菌苗下胚轴为外植体,采用农杆菌介导法将含有通过基因优化技术获得的草甘膦抗性突变基因aroAM12导入棉花中.以aroAM12为选择标记,利用草甘膦直接筛选获得65棵再生植株.PCR和Southerablot分析表明,经过草甘膦筛选出的To代植株均整合有aroAM12基因.Western blot分析表明整合进的aroAM12基因得到了有效表达,且不同植株之间的表达不尽相同.大棚喷洒的实验结果表明To代转化植株具有很高的草甘膦抗性.对T1代棉花的草甘膦抗性遗传分析表明,aroAM12基因以孟德尔方式遗传.     

抗草甘膦抗虫植物表达载体的构建及其转基因烟草的分析

构建了含草甘膦抗性突变基因（aroAM12）和人工合成重组Bt抗虫基因（Bts1m）的植物表达载体pCM12_s1m。aroAM12基因的表达由CaMV35S启动子控制,Bts1m基因的表达由2E_CaMV35S启动子和Ω因子控制。通过农杆菌介导,将aroAM12和Bts1m基因转化到烟草中,转基因烟草通过在含草甘膦的MS培养基上筛选而获得。Southern blot分析表明所有经过草甘膦筛选出的转化植株都整合有aroAM12基因,约70%的转化植株同时整合有aroAM12和Bts1m基因。Northern blot、Immunodot blot分析进一步证明整合的两个基因在转录、翻译水平上均进行了表达,不同植株之间表达存在着差异。草甘膦抗性和虫试实验证明,获得的转基因烟草对草甘膦和烟青虫具有很强的抗性。     

Comparison of the Structures of the Metal-thiolate Binding Site in Zn(II)-, Cd(II)-, and Hg(II)-Metallothioneins Using Molecular Modeling Techniques

Abstract

The first fully energy-minimized structures for a series of structurally related metal complexes of the important mammalian metal binding protein metallothionein are described. The structures were calculated based on structural information obtained from existing spectroscopic and crystallographic data, and minimized using molecular mechanics (MM2) techniques. A two domain structure, with stoichiometrics of M(II)₃?(S_cys)₉ and M(II)₄?(S_cys)₁₁ where M = zinc(II), cadmium(II), and mercury(II), was assembled and minimized. The resultant three-dimensional structure closely resembled that of rat liver Cd₅Zn₂?MT 1 obtained by analysis of x-ray diffraction data [A. H. Robbins, D. E. McRee, M. Williamson, S. A. Collett, N. H. Xuong, W. F. Furey, B. C. Wang and C. D. Stout, J. Mol. Biol. 221, 1269–1293 (1991)]. Minimized structures for Zn₇?MT, Cd₇?MT, and Hg₇?MT are reported. Deep crevices that expose the metal-thiolate clusters are seen in each structure. However, for the mercury-containing protein, much of the mercury-thiolate structure is visible and it is proposed that this provides access for extensive interaction between solvent water molecules and the mercury(II), resulting in the observed distortion away from tetrahedral geometry for Hg₇MT. Volume calculations are reported for the protein metallated with 7 Zn(II), Cd(II), or Hg(II). A series of structural changes calculated for the step-wise isomorphous replacement of Zn(II) by Cd(II) and Hg(II) in the Zn₄S₁₁ α domain are shown.     

Glyphosate as a management tool in carp fisheries

Glyphosate was evaluated for use as a novel management tool to improve the efficiency of intensive carp (Cyprinus carpio) production in Poland. The survival and growth of the carp fry was greatest in ponds in which natural vegetation had been treated with glyphosate prior to flooding, which favoured the natural development of food organisms. The yield was greater than merely flooding the vegetation or the alternative technique of maintaining a bare fallow prior to flooding. Using glyphosate as part of the pond management programme proved cost effective and had no deleterious effect on the carp fry or their food organisms.