Embryogenic callus formation,growth and regeneration in callus and suspension cultures of Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda Giganteus' as affected by proline

The effects of proline additions to culture systems of Miscanthus x ogiformis Honda Giganteus' were investigated. Proline was added in concentrations of 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 or 300 mM to the callus induction and suspension culture media containing either Murashige and Skoog or N6 basal salts and 22.6 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Shoot apices and leaves from in vitro-propagated shoots, and immature inflorescences from greenhouse-grown plants were used as explants for callus induction and formation. Suspension cultures initiated from embryogenic callus of immature inflorescences were used to test the effect of proline in suspension cultures. The proline additions affected the formation of embryogenic callus and the growth of suspension cultures. Improvements depended on the proline concentration and the basal salts of the medium. Addition of 12.5 to 50 mM proline to callus induction medium with Murashige and Skoog salts increased embryogenic callus formation on shoot apices and leaf explants while proline had no effect on embryogenic callus formation in medium with N6 salts. Increased growth with increasing proline concentration was obtained in suspension aggregates grown in medium with N6 salts, whereas proline only increased growth of suspension aggregates grown in medium with Murashige and Skoog salts at concentrations of 12.5 or 25 mM. A stimulating effect of proline on plant regeneration was observed in short-term cultures of callus as well as in long-term cultures of suspension aggregates. An optimum proline concentration for plant regeneration was found at 12.5 mM. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

杂交水稻结实率的研究

对杂交水稻常规水稻在结实期间剑叶和谷粒中的蔗糖含量的变化,穗上不同部位的结实情况,实粒率和千粒重的动态变化以及它们之间的关系,结实率对有机营养供应变化的反应等方面进行了比较研究。结果表明,杂交水稻结实率较低主要是由于穗的中、下部尤其是稳下部出现较多的秕粒造成的;与常规水稻比较,杂交水稻在灌浆的前中期,剑叶和籽粒中的蔗糖含量高,籽粒增重快,后期则相反;穗上部和下部的结实率和千粒重皆差异大;在实粒增加过程中,千粒重与常规水稻相同时,实粒率低,在灌浆后期,实粒率对有机营养应给的变化较敏感,早、晚季及“库”“源”关系变化时,结实率和千粒重的变化幅度大。本文还对杂交水稻结实率较低和较不稳定的原因进行了探讨。     

Characterisation of grain yield and nitrogen level in relation to flag leaf senescence of wheat varieties

Three wheat cultivars ( Triticum aestivum L.), Splendeur, Hobbit and Maris Huntsman grown in pots were compared. Especially when compared to Splendeur, the flag leaf senesced most rapidly in Maris Huntsman, which presented the most rapid loss of moisture, chlorophyll and nitrogen. The uptake of exogenous nitrogen during the post-anthesis period was lower in the rapidly than in the slowly senescing variety. A higher concentration of free amino nitrogen in the flag leaf at a given sampling date was associated with a lower percentage decrease of soluble proteins at the following date. Acid proteinase activity in the flag leaf was inversely related to moisture percentage and free amino nitrogen level, but unrelated to the nitrogen loss of the flag leaf. Acid proteinase activity in the flag leaf was directly related to grain nitrogen percentage, but inversely related to grain yield. Grain yield was also directly related to the mean soluble protein content of the flag leaf through senescence.     

北疆地区15种豆科植物种子对绵羊消化道作用的响应

为揭示北疆地区豆科植物种子对绵羊消化道作用的响应, 采集了北疆地区天然草地中常见的15种豆科植物种子。首先测定种子的长、宽、厚和质量, 并计算种子的形状指数。其次, 用种子饲喂绵羊, 收粪试验在种子摄食后的第6、12、24、36、48和72 h进行, 测定种子经绵羊消化道作用后的回收率、种子在绵羊消化道内的平均滞留时间以及消化道作用前后种子的萌发行为, 并研究了种子大小及形状指数对平均滞留时间和种子回收率的影响。结果如下: 15种植物种子质量在1.50-37.68 mg之间, 形状指数在0.001-0.12之间, 均为中等或较大类型的球(圆)形种子; 种子被绵羊采食后的排放动态符合高斯模型: Y = 0.02 + 0.74e ^{-0.5(( X - 29.61)/9.41)2}, 种子排放高峰期集中在采食后的24-36 h时间段内; 种子回收率最大的是洋甘草(Glycyrrhiza glabra)(39.25%), 最小的是草木犀(Melilotus officinalis)(4.28%); 平均滞留时间最长的是草木犀(37.19 h), 最短的是新疆棘豆(Oxytropis sinkiangensis)(22.33 h); 种子回收率与种子大小和形状指数之间分别具有符合形如Y = 6.45 + 2.05X - 0.04X ²和Y = 2.59 + 36.97e ^{-24.47 X}的函数关系模型; 平均滞留时间与种子大小和形状指数之间分别具有符合形如Y = 12.48 + 37.44e ^{-0.07 X}和Y = 3.93 + 2055.33X - 21757.99X ²的函数关系模型, 此结果表明, 较大、较小和形状不规则的豆科种子较易被绵羊消化和排泄。经绵羊消化道作用后, 多叶锦鸡儿(Caragana pleiophylla)种子的萌发率由消化前的96.22%显著降低至35.17%, 野火球(Trifolium lupinaster)和狐尾黄耆(Astragalus alopecurus)种子萌发率和消化前相比差异不显著, 其余12种种子的萌发率均显著提高(p < 0.05)。     

Local adaptation to different phytogeographic regions: habitat‐related variations in seed germination in response to temperature and salinity for two medicinal Salvia species from Jordan

Salvia spinosa L. and Salvia syriaca L. are perennial medicinal herbs that occur in the Mediterranean, Irano‐Turanian and Saharo‐Arabian phytogeographic regions of Jordan. With respect to the seed germination requirements, prevailing environmental conditions in each phytogeographic region may promote local adaptation and consequently affect the distribution range of the species. Using seeds of both species collected from populations across the three regions, we tested responses to variations in temperature and salinity under laboratory conditions. Both species showed significant differences in cumulative germination percentages and germination rates (modified Timson Index) with temperature, while origin only significantly affected S. spinosa seeds. Both species germinated best under the highest temperature regime (32/20°C). The low temperature regime (8/4°C) completely inhibited germination in S. syriaca, wheras it led to 80% to 95% germination in S. spinosa, with significant variation being recorded between the phytogeographic regions. For both species, salt solutions of 0, 25 and 50 mM NaCl yielded the highest germination percentages and rates, which sharply and significantly declined at higher concentrations (100 and 200 mM NaCl). Our results provide evidence of local adaptation of the study species to salinity and temperature in the respective maternal environments, particularly in the Irano‐Turanian and Saharo‐Arabian regions. Such differentiation should be accounted for in future conservation planning.     

水稻柱头外露率的QTL分析

利用高柱头外露率的籼稻窄叶青8号(ZYQ8)和极低外露率的粳稻京系17(JX17)以及由它们构建的加倍单倍体(DH)群体,在海南对各DH株系的柱头外露率进行调查,并使用该群体的分子连锁图谱进行数量性状座位(QTL)分析。共检测到2个控制水稻柱头外露率的QTL(qPES-2,qPES-3),分别位于第2、第3染色体;并发现控制柱头单边外露率的QTL与柱头外露率完全一致,而控制柱头双边外露率的QTL在第2染色体上检测到;其增效基因均来源于ZYQ8。同时定位的控制穗粒数的QTL位于第6染色体和第8染色体上,与柱头外露率之间没有连锁关系。     

玉米种子老化过程中EST同工酶变化与染色体畸变的研究

对玉米自交系Mo17种子分别进行58℃热水和45℃恒温老化处理并对种子老化过程中种子发芽率、EST同工酶酶谱变化与染色体畸变规律进行了研究。结果显示：Mo17玉米种子萌发一天的种子胚EST酶谱共表现为14条清晰条带,58℃热水处理30min后,有四条酶带(Rf值为0．44、0．47、0．77、0．80)消失,酶带号为1、2、6、7、9的五条酶带着色变浅。由一、二级酶带变为二、三级酶带。45℃恒温老化处理60d后,Mo17种子EST酶谱中编号为2和5的两条酶带(Rf值为0．33、0．39)消失。处理70d后,种子发芽率降至39％,醇带号为11、12、13、14的四条酶带消失。随着老化时间延长。老化程度不断加重,发芽率低的玉米种子其根尖染色体畸变率相对较高,单桥、双桥、断片、落后及其它染色体畸变类型均被观察到。58℃热水老化其发芽率降至5％时,染色体畸变率上升为12．22％。     

短期内15N标记的铵盐和硝酸盐在青藏高原高寒草甸中的运移规律

运用15N稳定性同位素示踪技术,对高寒草甸植物和土壤微生物固持沉降氮的能力及沉降氮在小嵩草(Kobresia pygaea)草甸中的运移规律进行了研究.施肥2周后,NO-3-15N和NH+4-15N的总恢复率分别为73.5%和78%.无论是NO-3-15N,还是NH+4-15N,植物所固持的15N总是比土壤有机质或者是土壤微生物固持的多.4周后,70.6%的NO-3-15N和57.4%的NH+4-15N被固持在土壤和植物中.其中,土壤有机质所固持的15N均下降了很多,而植物所固持的15N却变化很小.同前面的结果相比,较多的NO-3-15N为土壤微生物所固持.在施肥6周和8周后,NO-3-15N的总恢复率分别为58.4%和67%,而NH+4-15N的总恢复率分别为43.1%和49%.植物和土壤微生物所固持的NO-3-15N比NH+4-15N多.在整个实验期间,植物固持的NO-3N较多,而且比土壤微生物固持了较多的15N.由于无机氮的含量一直很低,无机氮库所固持的15N一般不超过1%.上述结果意味着短期内植物在高寒草甸中对沉降氮的去向起着决定作用.     

Cloning and characterization of novel tumor-targeting immunocytokines based on murine IL7

We generated and characterized novel antibody-cytokine fusion proteins (“immunocytokines”) based on murine interleukin-7 (IL7), an immunomodulatory protein which has previously shown anti-cancer activity in preclinical models and whose human counterpart is currently being investigated in clinical trials. The sequential fusion of the clinical-stage antibody fragment scFv(F8), specific to a tumor-associated splice isoform of fibronectin, yielded an immunocytokine (termed “F8-mIL7”) of insufficient pharmaceutical quality and in vivo tumor targeting performance, with a striking dose dependence on tumor targeting selectivity. By contrast, a novel immunocytokine design (termed “F8-mIL7-F8”), in which two scFv moieties were fused at the N- and C-terminus of murine IL7, yielded a protein of excellent pharmaceutical quality and with improved tumor-targeting performance [tumor: blood ratio = 16:1, 24 h after injection]. Both F8-mIL7 and F8-mIL7-F8 could induce tumor growth retardation in immunocompetent mice, but were not able to eradicate F9 tumors. The combination of F8-mIL7-F8 with paclitaxel led to improved therapeutic results, which were significantly better compared to those obtained with saline treatment. The study indicates how the engineering of novel immunocytokine formats may help generate fusion proteins of acceptable pharmaceutical quality, for those immunomodulatory proteins which do not lend themselves to a direct fusion with antibody fragments.     

High temperatures limit plant growth but hasten flowering in root chicory (Cichorium intybus) independently of vernalisation

An increase in mean and extreme summer temperatures is expected as a consequence of climate changes and this might have an impact on plant development in numerous species. Root chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a major crop in northern Europe, and it is cultivated as a source of inulin. This polysaccharide is stored in the tap root during the first growing season when the plant grows as a leafy rosette, whereas bolting and flowering occur in the second year after winter vernalisation. The impact of heat stress on plant phenology, water status, photosynthesis-related parameters, and inulin content was studied in the field and under controlled phytotron conditions. In the field, plants of the Crescendo cultivar were cultivated under a closed plastic-panelled greenhouse to investigate heat-stress conditions, while the control plants were shielded with a similar, but open, structure. In the phytotrons, the Crescendo and Fredonia cultivars were exposed to high temperatures (35 °C day/28 °C night) and compared to control conditions (17 °C) over 10 weeks. In the field, heat reduced the root weight, the inulin content of the root and its degree of polymerisation in non-bolting plants. Flowering was observed in 12% of the heat stressed plants during the first growing season in the field. In the phytotron, the heat stress increased the total number of leaves per plant, but reduced the mean leaf area. Photosynthesis efficiency was increased in these plants, whereas osmotic potential was decreased. High temperature was also found to induced flowering of up to 50% of these plants, especially for the Fredonia cultivar. In conclusion, high temperatures induced a reduction in the growth of root chicory, although photosynthesis is not affected. Flowering was also induced, which indicates that high temperatures can partly substitute for the vernalisation requirement for the flowering of root chicory.