不同BR施用方式诱导黄瓜幼苗对Ca(NO_3)_2胁迫抗性的研究

为探讨外源油菜素内酯(brassinosteroid,BR)诱导黄瓜幼苗对Ca(NO3)2胁迫抗性的效果,研究了3种外源BR施用方法(0.01mg·L-1 BR浸种、0.1mg·L-1 BR喷叶及其二者结合施用)对Ca(NO3)2胁迫(60mmol·L-1)下黄瓜幼苗生长、生理活动以及光合作用的影响。结果表明:(1)3种外源BR方法处理后,Ca(NO3)2胁迫下的黄瓜幼苗株高、茎粗、展开叶片数、叶面积、干重含水量均显著提高,同时其叶片游离脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量上升,过氧化物酶活性提高,而其丙二醛(MDA)含量趋于无Ca(NO3)2胁迫对照的水平;(2)外源BR处理还提高了Ca(NO3)2胁迫下黄瓜幼苗的净光合速率、蒸腾速率和气孔导度,却抑制了Ca(NO3)2胁迫下胞间CO2浓度的升高。研究认为,适宜浓度的外源BR浸种和喷叶处理均可有效增强黄瓜幼苗渗透调节能力,降低细胞膜质过氧化伤害程度,提高抗氧化酶活性和光合效率,从而表现出对Ca(NO3)2胁迫的抗性,并以操作简便、用量极低的0.01mg·L-1 BR浸种方法效果最佳。     

刚毛柽柳液泡膜H~+-PPase基因的克隆与胁迫下的表达分析

通过对刚毛柽柳转录组分析,鉴定获得1个液泡膜H~+-PPase基因的cDNA序列,命名为ThVP1。该cDNA序列全长3 022bp,开放阅读框为2 298bp,编码765个氨基酸,编码蛋白相对分子质量80.37kD,理论等电点5.25。ThVP1编码蛋白的疏水性较强,含有13个跨膜区。氨基酸多序列比对结果显示,ThVP1具有典型的液泡膜H~+-PPase家族3个高度保守片段(CS1、CS2和CS3),与大豆VP1氨基酸序列一致性最高,为93%。系统进化分析表明,ThVP1属于I型液泡膜H~+-PPase基因。实时荧光定量RT-PCR分析显示,NaCl和PEG胁迫下,ThVP1在柽柳根和叶中均呈现明显上调表达,表达量最高达到对照的20.9倍,暗示ThVP1可能在刚毛柽柳抗旱耐盐过程中发挥重要作用。     

干旱胁迫对枇杷生理特性及生长的影响

以3年生‘大五星’枇杷嫁接苗为试验材料,通过盆栽控水试验设置4个水分处理梯度:对照(CK)、轻度胁迫(LS)、中度胁迫(MS)和重度胁迫(SS),研究不同程度土壤干旱对枇杷幼树的生长和生理特性的影响。结果显示:(1)枇杷的株高、地上和地下生物量随干旱胁迫的增强呈下降趋势。(2)在轻度和中度胁迫下叶片叶绿素含量增加,随着土壤水分的减少,叶绿素含量和叶片相对含水量(LRWC)均显著下降。(3)叶片净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和气孔导度(Gs)随着干旱胁迫的加剧均显著下降,其中Gs下降幅度最大,而胞间CO2浓度(Ci)则表现为先下降后上升,重度胁迫时叶片的水分利用率(WUE)最低。(4)干旱的加重使叶片超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)的活性呈现先增加后降低的趋势,过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性在轻度胁迫下最为活跃但在重度胁迫时显著降低,丙二醛(MDA)含量在中度胁迫第10天开始显著升高。(5)随干旱胁迫的加剧游离脯氨酸(Pro)含量增加且在重度胁迫第10天达到最大值,而可溶性蛋白(SP)含量在胁迫后期与对照无显著差异,可溶性糖(SS)含量在重度胁迫后期达到峰值且与对照差异显著。研究表明,在轻度和中度干旱胁迫下,枇杷叶片光合作用受到抑制,但能够积极调控抗氧化酶的活性和渗透调节物质的含量等来增强耐受性,而重度胁迫下,叶片膜系统和光合系统受到损伤,枇杷生长受到严重抑制。     

Effects of urban noise on song and response behaviour in great tits

Acoustic communication is fundamental in avian territory defence and mate attraction. In urban environments where sound transmissions are more likely to be masked by low-frequency anthropogenic noise, acoustic adaptations may be advantageous. However, minor modifications to a signal could affect its efficacy. While recent research has shown that there is divergence between songs from noisy and quiet areas, it is unknown whether these differences affect the response to the signal by its receivers. Here, we show that there is a difference in spectral aspects of rural and urban song in a common passerine, the great tit Parus major, at 20 sites across the UK. We also provide, to our knowledge, the first demonstration that such environmentally induced differences in song influence the response of male territory holders. Males from quiet territories exhibited a significantly stronger response when hearing song from another territory holder with low background noise than from those with high background noise. The opposite distinction in response intensity to homotypic versus heterotypic song was observed in males from noisy territories. This behavioural difference may intensify further signal divergence between urban and rural populations and raises important questions concerning signal evolution.     

响应面法优化弗氏链霉菌S-221变种发酵培养基

用响应面法对弗氏链霉菌S-221变种液体发酵生产氨基酸的培养基进行了优化。首先,用全因子试验方法对相关影响因素的效应进行评价,并筛选出有显著效应的羽毛胨和蛋白胨两个因素,第2步用最陡爬坡实验逼近以上两因素最优水平。最后由中心组合设计法及响应面分析确定主要影响因素的最佳条件。在优化培养条件下,发酵液中氨基酸浓度从4.1g／100mL提高到6.412g／100mL。     

Hyperglycemia-induced activation of human T-lymphocytes with de novo emergence of insulin receptors and generation of reactive oxygen species

Upon activation by phytohemagglutine (PHA), T-lymphocytes (T-cells) express receptors for growth factors, insulin, IGF-1 and IL2 and become insulin sensitive. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is associated with in vivo emergence of these growth factor receptors without incubation with PHA. As DKA consists of multiple metabolic alterations, in addition to hyperglycemia, we investigated the in vitro effect of different concentrations of glucose (5, 15, and 30 mM) in isolated CD4 of human T-cells at various time intervals (0, 24, 48, and 72 h). Hyperglycemia, but not euglycemia, resulted in de novo emergence of growth factor receptors in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The activation was also associated with incremental changes in GLUT 4, IRS-1, proinflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress components. We propose that activation of T-cells with development of insulin receptors in hyperglycemic conditions may serve as a mechanism for control of glucose entry into these cells, thus, protecting them against glucose toxicity.     

Experimental Helicobacter pylori infection induces antral-predominant, chronic active gastritis in hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

BACKGROUND: The hispid cotton rat has proven to be an excellent animal model for a variety of human infectious disease agents. This study was performed to evaluate the use of the cotton rat as a model of Helicobacter pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight inbred cotton rats were orogastrically inoculated with a human strain of H. pylori. Twenty-eight control cotton rats were dosed with vehicle only. Animals were sacrificed at 2, 4, 12, 26, or 38 weeks after inoculation for bacterial and histologic and immunologic examinations. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori was cultured from the glandular stomach of 89% of the infected cotton rats. The level of colonization was consistently high (approximately 10(4-6) colony-forming units/g tissue). Histologically, the spiral bacteria were demonstrated on the epithelial surface and in the foveolae of the gastric mucosa with highest numbers in the antrum. H. pylori infection was associated with antral-predominant, chronic active gastritis which progressively increased in severity over time. By week 26 of infection, moderate antral gastritis had developed with frequent involvement of the submucosa and formation of lymphocytic aggregates. Splenic T cells from infected cotton rats expressed mRNAs for interferon-gamma, interleukin-4, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 following in vitro stimulation with H. pylori. Serum levels of H. pylori-specific immunoglobulin G were significantly elevated after 12 weeks of infection. CONCLUSIONS: The H. pylori-infected cotton rat represents a novel animal model that should prove useful for studies of H. pylori-induced chronic active gastritis and factors affecting gastric colonization by this pathogen.     

Methylglyoxal induces cellular damage by increasing argpyrimidine accumulation and oxidative DNA damage in human lens epithelial cells

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a cytotoxic metabolite and modifies tissue proteins through the Maillard reaction, resulting in advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can alter protein structure and functions. Several MGO-derived AGEs have been described, including argpyrimidine, a fluorescent product of the MGO reaction with arginine residues. Herein, we evaluated the cytotoxic role of MGO in human lens epithelial cell line (HLE-B3). HLE-B3 cells were exposed to 400 μM MGO in the present or absence of pyridoxamine for 24 h. We then examined the formation of argpyrimidine, apoptosis and oxidative stress in HLE-B3 cells. In MGO-treated HLE-B3 cells, the accumulation of argpyrimidine was markedly increased, and caspase-3 and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were highly expressed, which paralleled apoptotic cell death. However, pyridoxamine (AGEs inhibitor) prevented the argpyrimidine formation and apoptosis of MGO-treated HLE-B3 cells. These results suggested that the accumulation of argpyrimidine and oxidative DNA damage caused by MGO are involved in apoptosis of HLE-B3 cells.     

Defending the end zone: Studying the players involved in protecting chromosome ends

The linear nature of eukaryotic chromosomes leaves natural DNA ends susceptible to triggering DNA damage responses. Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures that comprise the “end zone” of chromosomes. Besides having specialized sequences and structures, there are six resident proteins at telomeres that play prominent roles in protecting chromosome ends. In this review, we discuss this team of proteins, termed shelterin, and how it is involved in regulating DNA damage signaling, repair and replication at telomeres.     

Adaptive foraging by predators as a cause of predator-prey cycles

Summary When foraging has costs, it is generally adaptive for foragers to adjust their foraging effort in response to changes in the population density of their food. If effort decreases in response to increased food density, this can result in a type-2 functional response; intake rate increases in a negatively accelerated manner as prey density increases. Unlike other mechanisms for type-2 responses, adaptive foraging usually involves a timelag, because foraging behaviours do not often change instantaneously with changes in food density or risks. This paper investigates predator-prey models in which there are explicit dynamics for the rate of adaptive change. Models appropriate to both behavioural and evolutionary change are considered. Both types of change can produce cycles under similar circumstances, but under some evolutionary models there is not sufficient genetic variability for evolutionary change to produce cycles. If there is sufficient variability, the remaining conditions required for cycles are surprisingly insensitive to the nature of the adaptive process. A predator population that approaches the optimum foraging strategy very slowly usually produces cycles under similar conditions as does a very rapidly adapting population.