昆虫口腔分泌物效应子及其在害虫防治中基于RNAi技术的应用展望

昆虫口腔分泌物(oral secretion, OS),又称返吐液,是昆虫唾液腺分泌的唾液和肠道分泌物的混合液。昆虫取食寄主植物过程中,OS随之分泌至植物中,并影响植物的防御反应。RNA干扰(RNAinterference, RNAi)是研究昆虫基因功能有价值的反向遗传学工具,也是目前最有可能应用于害虫防治的新技术。本文主要综述了昆虫OS对寄主植物防御的影响、昆虫OS效应子的鉴定和OS效应子基于RNAi技术在害虫防治中可行性及应用前景。昆虫OS对寄主植物防御的影响主要表现为干扰植物的茉莉酸信号通路、筛管阻塞、Ca²⁺通路等防御反应,进而促进昆虫摄取食物。目前,昆虫OS效应子主要鉴定手段是通过昆虫唾液腺转录组分析和OS蛋白组分析;而已鉴定的OS效应子主要来源于刺吸式口器昆虫,在咀嚼式口器昆虫中的报道甚少;功能研究发现昆虫OS效应子在寄主植物中的表达会影响昆虫存活率、繁殖力和取食能力及昆虫和植物的其他重要生理指标,并通过鉴定OS效应子与植物防御机制的相互作用关系,进而证明OS效应子在昆虫与寄主植物关系中的重要性。基于RNAi技术,通过注射、饲喂和植物介导RNAi等方法在多种昆虫中产生了OS效应子基因下调和生长发育受影响的现象,由此说明OS效应子基因已具备作为RNAi靶标的条件。虽然目前研究尚处于实验室阶段,但已证明其应用于害虫防治方面具有一定的可行性。昆虫口腔分泌物是研究昆虫与寄主植物相互作用机制的新方向。最后,对OS未来潜在的研究方向进行了展望,以期对我国害虫防治的研究提供理论指导。     

Molecular docking of potential inhibitors with the mTOR protein

The mTOR (mammalian or mechanistic Target of Rapamycin) is linked with oral cancer. Therefore, it is of interest to study the molecular docking-based binding of paclitaxel (a FDA approved drug for oral cancer) and its analogues with mTOR. Hence, we report the binding features of 10-Deacetyltaxol, 7-Epi-10-deacetyltaxol, 7-Epi-Taxol and 6alpha-Hydroxypaclitaxel with mTOR for further consideration.     

Isolation of tremelloid yeasts on glucuronate medium

D-Glucuronate-containing agar is suggested for evaluating the population density and diversity of tremelloid yeasts in natural cenoses. This medium is superior to the commonly used wort agar on which many representatives of tremelloid yeasts cannot be revealed.     

Th2 polarization enhanced by oral administration of higher doses of antigen

Although oral administration of a soluble proteinantigen can induce various immune responses, theeffect of the dosage of oral antigen on thepredominance of Th2-type cytokine and antibodyresponses has not been well clarified yet. In thepresent study, we fed T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic(tg) mice various amounts of chicken ovalbumin (0.1,5, and 250 mg) and examined the resulting immuneresponses to this antigen. In these TCR tg mice, theresponses of antigen-specific T cells were greatlyamplified concomitantly with significantantigen-specific cytokine secretion. We found that ahigh dose (250 mg) of antigen significantlyupregulated the serum antigen-specific IgG1 and IgAantibody responses in mice later intraperitoneallyinjected with antigen plus adjuvant. The miceadministered the same oral dose but not immunizedshowed upregulation of Th2-type IL-4 and IL-5secretion and downregulation of Th1-type IL-2 andIFN-. This enhancement of Th2-type cytokineand antibody responses was more marked when largerdoses of antigen orally administered. These resultsdemonstrated that antigen feeding induces thedevelopment of T cells secreting Th2-type cytokines ina dose-dependent manner and that these T cells have ahelper function for the production of antibodies ofthe Th2-type isotypes. This experimental system shouldbe useful to screen foods and other substances thatcan modulate Th2-type responses relating to allergy.     

Tenascin-C and carcinoma cell invasion in oral and urinary bladder cancer

Carcinoma invasion is a complex process regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors as well. A relevant supportive condition for cancer cell migration is the reorganization of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is realized in an orchestrated multicellular manner including carcinoma cells and stromal fibroblasts. An important key player in the process of ECM reorganization is Tenascin-C (Tn-C). The molecule occurs as different isoforms generated by alternative splicing and de novo glycosylation. Large variants of Tn-C are abundantly re-expressed in the invasive front of many carcinoma types. A special role for initiating migration and accompanied epithelial to mesenchymal transition has been suggested. Here, we review the current knowledge concerning the tumor biological importance of Tn-C, the synthesis and alternative splicing during the invasive process in general, and give an overview on the impact of Tn-C in urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder (UBC) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).     

Relationship between the ability of oral streptococci to interact with platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha and with the salivary low-molecular-weight mucin, MG2

The oral streptococci Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus oralis are common aetiological agents of infective endocarditis, and their ability to adhere to and induce the aggregation of platelets is thought to be a virulence trait. The platelet glycoprotein GPIbalpha has been implicated as the adhesion receptor for S. sanguinis and S. gordonii, but it is not known if this is the case for S. oralis and other species. The aim of this study was to determine the GPIbalpha-interactive capability of a range of oral streptococci and to determine the relationship between this capability and their ability to interact with the salivary constituents that they would encounter in their normal habitat. All platelet-adhesive S. sanguinis strains and most S. gordonii strains adhered in a GPIbalpha-dependent manner, but strains of S. oralis, Streptococcus cristatus, Streptococcus parasanguinis and Streptococcus mitis had no direct affinity for platelets. Those strains that were able to bind GPIbalpha also bound to the low-molecular-weight submandibular salivary mucin, MG2, and this interaction was sialic acid-dependent. The data suggest that S. sanguinis and S. gordonii may be efficient colonizers of platelet vegetations because of their adaptation to recognize sialylated salivary mucins. In contrast, S. oralis does not interact with platelets and so is likely to colonize vegetations through an as yet unidentified mechanism.     

Microbial population dynamics on Golden Delicious apples from bud to harvest and effect of fungicide applications

The microbial population dynamics on apples cv. Golden Delicious were analysed every 15 days between bud and harvest in a fully replicated experiment in northern Spain in 1994 and 1995. The total microbial populations varied with developmental stage, and with prevailing climatic conditions. The predominant mycroflora were the filamentous fungi Cladosporium and Alternaria spp. and white and pink yeasts. Other genera isolated included mainly species of Epicoccum, Fusarium and Acremonium. However, the most important post-harvest pathogens Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea were seldom isolated from ripening apples. Maximum total filamentous fungal populations occurred after fruit set and during early ripening [2 × 10⁴cfu (colony-forming units) g^-1 approximately] while those of bacteria were maximum at bud stage (3.5 × 10⁵and 3.0 × 10⁴ cfu g^-1 in 1994 and 1995 respectively). White yeasts were more numerous than pink yeasts. Endophytic infection of apple buds by Alternaria spp., responsible for core rot, was found in almost all bud tissue. By contrast, Cladosporium spp. were initially isolated later from 12.5–50% of tissue samples during blooming and fruit set. The impact of a four-spray fungicide regime during apple development significantly decreased the total filamentous fungal populations in both years, and that of Cladosporium spp. in 1994. However, bacterial populations were often higher on apples from fungicide-treated plots. Fungicide sprays decreased populations of Cladosporium, Alternaria and white yeasts for a maximum of up to 15–30 days after application. Fungicide application had little effect on endophytic infection of apples by Alternaria spp. between bud and harvest.     

Effect of osmotic stress on the derepression of invertase synthesis in nonconventional yeasts

AIMS: The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of osmotic stress on the biosynthesis of invertase enzyme in nonconventional yeasts. METHODS AND RESULTS: Invertase activities of the nonconventional yeast species belonging to Kluyveromyces, Schwanniomyces and Pichia genus were measured either in the presence or in the absence of various amounts of NaCl. The effect of hyperosmotic stress on the glucose consumption of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia anomala were also compared. Like S. cerevisiae, derepression of invertase synthesis in Kluyveromyces lactis, Schwanniomyces occidentalis and Pichia jadinii is inhibited by hyperosmotic stress. However, derepression of invertase synthesis in P. anomala is not affected by hyperosmotic stress. In addition, low levels of osmotic stress activated invertase synthesis three- to fourfold in P. anomala and K. lactis. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that low levels of osmotic stress induces the invertase synthesis at very high levels in P. anomala and K. lactis. Glucose consumption was not influenced at significant levels by the hyperosmotic stress in P. anomala. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study shows the activation of invertase synthesis by low levels of osmotic stress in P. anomala and K. lactis.