Effects of pollen load size on seed paternity in wild radish: the roles of pollen competition and mate choice

For sexual selection to be important in plants, it must occur at pollen load sizes typical of field populations. However, studies of the impact of pollen load size on pollen competition have given mixed results, perhaps because so few of these studies directly examined the outcome of mating when pollen load size was varied. We asked whether seed paternity after mixed pollination of wild radish was affected by pollen load sizes ranging from 22 to 220 pollen grains per stigma. We examined the seed siring abilities of 12 pollen donors across 11 maternal plants. Seed paternity was statistically indistinguishable across the pollen load sizes even though, overall, the pollen donors sired different numbers of seeds. This lack of effect of pollen load size on seed paternity may have occurred because fruit abortion and early abortion or failure of fertilization of seeds increased as load size decreased. Thus, failures of fruits and seeds sired by poorer pollen donors may keep seed paternity constant across pollen load sizes.     

萝卜花药愈伤组织诱导与分化影响因素的研究

以5个萝卜品系为材料探讨了不同培养方式、激素与基因型对花药愈伤组织诱导的影响．结果表明固液双层培养较固体与液体培养效果好,0．2mg／L 2,4-D与4．0mg／LKT＋0．2mg／LNAA对花药愈伤诱导率较高,4．0mg／L KT＋0．2mg／L NAA的激素组合愈伤组织生长快,NAA为2．0mg／L时根分化明显,各种激素处理均未见芽的分化．5个品系中NAU,Yb．03与NAU—Dy-13,03对激素反应较为敏感;NAU,Dq-03在所有的处理中均未见愈伤组织的形成．     

Characterization of the interaction of diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 with the endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets

Acyl CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (DGAT2) is an integral membrane protein that catalyzes the synthesis of triacylglycerol (TG). DGAT2 is present in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and also localizes to lipid droplets when cells are stimulated with oleate. Previous studies have shown that DGAT2 can interact with membranes and lipid droplets independently of its two transmembrane domains, suggesting the presence of an additional membrane binding domain. In order to identify additional membrane binding regions, we confirmed that DGAT2 has only two transmembrane domains and demonstrated that the loop connecting them is present in the ER lumen. Increasing the length of this short loop from 5 to 27 amino acids impaired the ability of DGAT2 to localize to lipid droplets. Using a mutagenesis approach, we were able to identify a stretch of amino acids that appears to have a role in binding DGAT2 to the ER membrane. Our results confirm that murine DGAT2 has only two transmembrane domains but also can interact with membranes via a previously unidentified helical domain containing its active site.     

A simple and universal ligation mediated fusion of genes based on hetero-staggered PCR for generating immunodominant chimeric proteins

We developed a simple T4 DNA ligase mediated strategy for inframe splicing of two or more cohesive genes generated by hetero-staggered PCR and directionally cloning the spliced product bearing sticky overhangs in to a correspondingly cut vector. For this, two pairs of primers are used in two different parallel PCRs, for generation of each cohesive gene product. We exemplified this strategy by splicing two major super-antigen genes of Staphylococcus aureus, namely, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (sea), and toxic shock syndrome toxin (tsst-1) followed by its directional cloning into pre-digested pRSET A vector. The fusion gene encoding chimeric recombinant SEA-TSST protein (32 kDa) was expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) host strain. The recombinant chimeric protein retained the antigenicity of both toxins as observed by the strong immunoreactivity with commercial antibodies against both SEA and TSST-1 toxin components by Western blot analysis. We observed that the present method for gene splicing with cohesive ends is simple since it does not require elaborate standardization and a single fusion product is obtained consistently during nested PCR with forward primer of first gene and reverse primer of second gene. For comparison, we fused the same genes using splicing by overlap extension PCR (SOE-PCR) and consistently obtained DNA smearing and multiple non-specific bands even after several rounds of PCRs from gel excised product. Moreover, the newly described method requires only two to six complimentary sticky ends between the genes to be spliced, in contrast to long stretch of overlapping nucleotides in case of SOE-PCR.     

Preparation and properties of monoclonal antibodies to myelin basic protein and its peptides

Techniques are described which have enabled the production and characterisation of monoclonal antibodies to myelin basic protein. These are shown by enzyme immunoassay to react with six different epitopes. Two of these are to peptide 82–91, a region claimed to be present in the spinal fluid of patients with demyelinating disease. One of these, an IgG_2a, is shown to react only with peptides in which the 91–92 phe-phe bond has broken. The other, an IgM, also reacts with whole myelin basic protein. The IgG_2a antibody is shown to have an affinity suitable for use in immunoassay of peptide 82–91. The enzyme immunoassay procedures described help to minimise the work load involved in the preparation and characterisation of monoclonal antibodies to this protein.     

Expression ofCHS, CHI, andDFR genes in response to light in small radish seedlings

The expression patterns of the genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and the changes in anthocyanin content were investigated in small radish (Raphanus sativus L. varsativus) seedlings during light treatment. Anthocyanin content increased until day 4, reaching about 100-fold greater than the control plants, then decreased.CHS (chalcone synthase) mRNA reached a maximum level at 4 h, remained at relatively high levels until day 3, and then decreased rapidly. TheCHI (chalcone isomerase) andDFR (dihydrofolate reductase) mRNA levels reached maximum at 6 h and day 2, respectively, but were decreased rapidly thereafter. All the genes were expressed strongly in hypocotyls, but were either expressed weakly in roots or not expressed at all in cotyledons. Genomic hybridization showed that theCHS gene belonged to a small multigene family, while theCHI andDFR genes were present in one copy per haploid genome.     

The effects of daminozide on the levels of Indol-3yl-acetic acid and gibberellins in radish (Raphanus sativus L.) in relation to the control of storage root growth

The levels of indol-3yl-acetic acid and gibberellins were determined in shoots and storage roots of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) at various times during the vegetative growth cycle of control plants and plants in which the root to shoot ratio was modified by daminozide treatment. In control plants the onset of storage organ growth was preceded by a change in the hormone root to shoot ratio to favour the root. There was a general reduction in hormone levels in daminozide-treated plants but the pattern of their distribution in roots and shoots was very similar to that in control plants. Thus the effects of daminozide on increased storage root growth cannot be explained in terms of altered root to shoot hormone ratios.     

Synthesis and cytokinin activity of (R)-(+)- and (S)-(−)-dihydrozeatins and their ribosides

(R)-(+)- and (S)-(?)-dihydrozeatins [(R)-(+)- and (S)-(?)-6-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutylamino)purines, 1a and 1b] and their ribosides {(?)-6-[(R)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbutylamino]- and (?)-6-[(S)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-butylamino]-9-β-D-ribofuranosylpurines, 3a and 3b} were synthesized and tested for their cytokinin activity by four bioassay systems, the growth of tobacco callus, the seed germination of lettuce, the fr. wt increase of excised radish cotyledons and the retardation of chlorophyll degradation in radish cotyledons. In tobacco callus bioassay, 1a was more active than 1b. The ribosides 3a and 3b were not less active than their corresponding aglycones 1a and 1b. In other bioassays used the activity followed the order: 1a >3a >1b >3b. In tobacco callus bioassay and lettuce seed germination, trans-zeatin [6-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-trans-2-enylamino)purine] showed stronger cytokinin activity than 1a.     

正常豚鼠耳蜗核一氧化氮合酶阳性神经元的投射

本文采用辣根过氧化物酶（ＨＲＰ）逆行追踪技术结合硫辛酰胺脱氨酸（ＮＡＤＰＨ－ｄ）组织化学方法,研究正常豚鼠耳蜗核一氧化氮合酶（ＮＯＳ）阳性神经元的上行投射特点。探讨耳蜗核ＮＯＳ阳性神经元在听觉信号传递中的可能作用。结果表明,一侧上橄榄复合体加压注射ＨＲＰ后,两侧耳蜗核均出现ＨＲＰ标记细胞,同侧耳蜗核ＮＯＳ－ＨＲＰ双标细胞较多占８２．６３％,并可见ＨＲＰ阳性纤维和终末包绕ＮＯＳ阳性胞体,对侧耳蜗核ＮＯＳ－ＨＲＰ双标细胞相对较少,仅占１４．８７％。一侧下丘加压注入ＨＲＰ后两侧耳蜗核均无ＨＲＰ－ＮＯＳ双标细胞。结果提示,耳蜗核ＮＯＳ阳性神经元向上橄榄复合体投射,可能具有调节听觉声信号传递的作用