Colonization ability as an indicator of enhanced biocontrol capacity—An example using two Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains and Botrytis cinerea infection of tomatoes

An understanding of biocontrol activities is important when developing microorganism‐based alternatives to conventional fungicides. From our bacterial collection, we selected two strains (BBC023 and BBC047) for their outstanding antagonistic capacity against fungal phytopathogens and growth‐promoting abilities towards Arabidopsis thaliana. According to physiological and molecular characterizations, both strains were classified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and were tested against Botrytis cinerea in vitro and in a tomato. Both strains secrete lipopeptide‐like compounds that contribute to their in vitro antagonism. SEM‐images showed altered B. cinerea mycelial structures that were consistent with previous reports of the direct action of lipopeptides against fungal hyphae. The strains were applied to the roots (R), leaves (foliar ‐ F) or root/leaves (R/F) on tomato plants. All treatments significantly reduced the severity of B. cinerea infection (measured as a control index). However, only root applications (R and R/F) led to growth promotion in the tomato plants. We detected the production of indole acetic acid (IAA) and 2,3‐butanediol as growth promotion traits in the two strains. For both strains, the R/F treatment showed the highest control index, suggesting a synergic effect of direct antagonism against B. cinerea and resistance induction in the plant. In addition, in vitro antagonism of BBC023 and BBC047 against B. cinerea was similar; whereas in the F application, strain BBC047 significantly improved plant resistance and maintained a higher population density over time on tomato leaves, compared to BBC023. BBC047 was also able to produce a complex and robust biofilm in Msgg medium compared with that of BBC023. We linked the reduced biocontrol of BBC023 on leaves with its limited ability to generate robust biofilms and colonize the phylloplane. At last, we highlight the potential of the native Bacillus strains as promising alternatives for the development of bioproducts for sustainable agriculture.     

Hypothalamic Circuits for Predation and Evasion

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Exploring the multifaceted roles of heat shock protein B8 (HSPB8) in diseases

HSPB8 is a member of ubiquitous small heat shock protein (sHSP) family, whose expression is induced in response to a wide variety of unfavorable physiological and environmental conditions. Investigation of HSPB8 structure indicated that HSPB8 belongs to the group of so-called intrinsically disordered proteins and possesses a highly flexible structure. Unlike most other sHSPs, HSPB8 tends to form small-molecular-mass oligomers and exhibits substrate-dependent chaperone activity. In cooperation with BAG3, the chaperone activity of HSPB8 was reported to be involved in the delivery of misfolded proteins to the autophagy machinery. Through this way, HSPB8 interferes with pathological processes leading to neurodegenerative diseases. Accordingly, published studies have identified genetic links between mutations of HSPB8 and some kind of neuromuscular diseases, further supporting its important role in neurodegenerative disorders. In addition to their anti-aggregation properties, HSPB8 is indicated to interact with a wide range of client proteins, modulating their maturations and activities, and therefore, regulates a large repertoire of cellular functions, including apoptosis, proliferation, inflammation and etc. As a result, HSPB8 has key roles in cancer biology, autoimmune diseases, cardiac diseases and cerebral vascular diseases.     

刺激大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质诱发的脊髓背根电位及其传出途径的分析

电刺激大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG),在腰5(L_5)背根可记录到—稳定的负性背根电位(DRP),简称 PAG-DRP。PAG-DRP 具有空间和时间总和性质,沿背根作电紧张性扩布,且能被 GABA 能拮抗剂印防己毒素(Picrotoxin)所抑制。电解损毁中缝大核(NRM)对刺激背侧 PAG 诱发的 PAG-DRP 无明显影响,而可使刺激腹侧 PAG 诱发的 PAG-DRP电位幅值降低40%左右。结果表明,PAG 下行抑制作用中有突触前抑制参与;NRM 参与腹侧 PAG-DRP 的产生,背侧 PAG-DRP 则可能由 NRM 以外的其他核团中继。     

Coccidiosis in wild grey kangaroos

Deaths occurred among wild grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) whose habitat was subject to flooding. A sample of the involved juvenile animals was hypoproteinaemic, and extensive haemorrhagic enteritis, associated with the presence of coccidial life cycle stages was found in the small intestine at necropsy. Masses of small schizonts infected cells of the lamina propria; large schizonts occupied clusters of hypertrophied cells; macrogametes and microgametocytes were observed in cells of the lamina propria. The species of coccidia involved could not be determined, although oocysts of Eimeria cunnamullensis and E. kogoni were found in faeces. Overcrowding, food shortage, damp conditions and possibly feed supplementation with hay on the ground were considered probable epizootiological factors contributing to an outbreak of coccidiosis among juvenile animals.     

电刺激猫中脑导水管周围灰质和中缝大核对脊髓背角神经元伤害性感受反应的抑制

1.在氯醛糖麻醉的猫上,观察了电刺激中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)和中缝大核(NRM)对脊髓腰段背角神经元传入活动的影响。2.按照对刺激的反应型式,在背角记录到非伤害性低阈值传入、广动力范围、伤害性热敏以及高阈值传入诱发的自发放电抑制等四类神经元。3.刺激 PAG和 NRM对记录到的多数背角神经元皮肤传入反应有明显抑制效应,而对自发放电抑制性神经元产生去抑制。4.比较刺激两脑区的抑制效应:NRM 作用较PAG 强;PAG 活动对背角伤害性反应抑制的选择性较 NRM强;阿片肽拮抗剂-纳洛酮拮抗NRM刺激的抑制。5.这些结果提示PAG和NRM对脊髓的下行抑制,可能有一部分是通过不同神经机制实现的。     

电针对青霉素所致大脑皮层痫样放电的抑制作用

青霉素置于大鼠大脑皮层感觉运动区所诱发的皮层痫样放电,可被一些“穴位”电针所抑制,表现为放电频率、振幅及时程之减少。青霉素使逆向刺激锥体束所产生的感觉运动皮层表面负波减小,而电针则促进其恢复。因此电针制痫与它促进回返抑制的恢复有关。将微量纳洛酮注入腹腔、脑室及中脑导水管周围灰质、伏隔核均能翻转电针的作用。将纳洛酮直接注入放置青霉素处的皮层感觉运动区,针效亦被阻断。这表明电针制痛中有内啡肽参与。电刺激中脑导水管周围灰质及伏隔核有显著制痫作用。     

Growth, nutrition, and nitrogen fixation in grey alder at varied rate of nitrogen addition

Seedlings of grey alder (Alnus incana Moench), nodulated or unnodulated, were investigated at varied relative addition rate of nitrogen. Nitrogen fixation alone, without addition of mineral nitrogen, resulted in an almost optimum nitrogen status but only about half the maximum relative growth rate, probably mainly because of energy costs of nodulation and fixation. The growth deficit due to nodulation was much more than can be explained by the theoretical energy requirement for the amount of nitrogen fixed. Thus, the nitrogen fixation process was not very efficiently used. The nitrogen fixation rate was strongly stimulated by increasing nitrogen addition rate up to high levels. The fixation rate decreased rapidly close to optimum (maximum relative growth rate) and was negligible at maximum growth. A feed-back of mineral nitrogen on photosynthesis increased fixation rate with time, and the relative importance of fixation over mineral nitrogen nutrition increased. However, nitrogen fixation, also at maximum rate, supplied only a small proportion of the nitrogen amount required for maximum growth. The optimum nutrient solutions contained comparatively high nitrogen concentrations to secure free access to nitrogen. The nodules were damaged by this treatment, and it is concluded that the nitrogen additions must be adjusted to the current consumption of the plants to avoid an increased external nitrogen concentration. Strong linear regressions were found between relative growth rate, nitrogen status expressed as percentage content of fresh weight, and relative growth rate in unnodulated seedlings. There was a greater variability in nodulated seedlings than in unnodulated ones, because of the nitrogen fixation. The reactions of unnodulated grey alder were largely the same as previously reported for birch seedlings, but the maximum growth capacity was lower in grey alder. During an initial period of change in the internal nitrogen status, deficiency symptoms appeared, especially in unnodulated seedlings. As in birch, the leaves turned green again at stable nitrogen status, independent of level. The results are in sharp contrast to data from the literature where the external nitrogen concentration was used as the driving variable for the internal nitrogen status. The measured fixation rates for grey alder are much higher than those previously reported. Still, the maximum fixation rate observed is small compared to the total nitrogen uptake rate required for maximum growth, in contrast to reported relationships. These comparisons indicate that increased external nitrogen concentration obscures the real relations between mineral and fixed nitrogen, on one hand because of rapid inhibition of nitrogen fixation and, on the other hand, because of failure to obtain stable optimum nutrition and maximum growth by means of this treatment variable.     

灰色局势决策在林下间作作物组合优化中的应用

一、前言混农林业是遵循生态学原理,按照人们的经营目的,将组成系统的各单元有机地结合起来,以协调系统的总体功能,最大限度地发挥系统的综合效益而建立的复合系统。近年来,尤其在发展中国家,由于人口急增,粮食短缺,环境恶化,滥伐森林,耕地锐减,水土流失,农、林业争地矛盾突出。为了充分、合理利用自然资源,提高土地利用率和光能利用率,农、林业科学工作者总结了传统的混农林     

家兔伏核注射吗啡引起的镇痛可被中脑导水管周围灰质注射纳洛酮或甲啡肽抗体所阻断

本实验室以往的资料表明,在家兔中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)到伏核之间存在一条与镇痛有夫的神经通路,该通路以5-羟色胺(5-HT)和甲啡肽(ME)为其递质。本工作进一步探讨从伏核到PAG的下行镇痛通路。 以辐射热照射家兔嘴侧部皮肤,测量其躲避反应的潜伏期(ERL)作为痛反应阈,简称痛阈。通过预先埋植的慢性套管向伏核内微量注射吗啡,20min后向PAG内双侧注射纳洛酮(NX)或脑啡肽抗血清,观察ERL的变化。(1)伏核内注射吗啡20μg/1μl,引起ERL升高80％以上,作用持续50min以上。(2)PAG内注射NX(每侧0.5、1.0或2.0μg)可不同程度地阻断伏核内注射吗啡的镇痛效应,且呈明显的剂效关系。(3)PAG内注入甲啡肽抗血清(每侧1μl)可部分阻断伏核内注射吗啡的镇痛效应,而注入亮啡肽抗血清或正常兔血清则无效。 实验结果提示,从伏核到PAG存在一条下行镇痛通路,在PAG内可能以ME为其递质。该通路与PAG到伏核的上行镇痛通路构成一个环形的“中脑边缘镇痛回路”,并在针刺镇痛和吗啡镇痛中发挥重要作用。