In vitro tuberization in white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir)

Nodal cuttings of white yam were induced to produce microtubers on a MS-revised medium supplemented with various concentrations of sucrose, 20 mgl^–1 L-cysteine, 0.5 mgl^–1 kinetin and 0.7% agar. The frequency of tuberization was affected by the daylength, which is optimal at 12 and 16 h of light depending on the sucrose concentration. The microtubers were planted in a seed bed and grown to maturity. The importance of in vitro tuberization of yam as a means of international germplasm distribution or exchange as well as for the propagation of planting material is discussed.     

肿瘤抑制基因APCmRNA在豚鼠脑中的分布

APC基因是1991年被发现的一类肿瘤抑制基因,它被定位于人第5号染色体5q21处。APC基因如发生缺失或突变,则易患直肠肿瘤,并伴有部分先天痴呆的病例。本工作在孟帆已获得的APC基因在豚鼠中的同源cDNA的基础上,完成了对它的亚克隆,并利用原位杂交和RNA酶保护分析的方法,对它在脑中的分布进行了研究。发现APCmRNA主要在海马、大脑和小脑中表达;嗅球中杂交信号稍弱,脑干中最弱。海马中阳性细胞主要是锥体细胞,小脑中则主要是内层颗粒细胞。在一个月大的豚鼠胚胎的脑中也观察到相似的表达型式。进一步的研究有助于我们更好地了解神经发育和先天痴呆发生的分子机制。     

Effect of cobalt-60 irradiation on the infectivity of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae.

A study was made to observe the effect of cobalt-60 irradiation on the viability of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae in Sinopotamon chekiangense crabs. The crabs were collected in mountain regions of the Zhejiang Province of China in which paragonimiasis is endemic. Adult cats and albino mice were infected with metacercariae irradiated at different doses. Dissection of the host animals was conducted 90 or 30 days, respectively, after infection for recovery of lung flukes. Anti-metacercariae antibody in infected mice was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed that metacercariae were unable to grow into adult worms in cats after exposure to gamma irradiation at a dose of 0.10 kGray. However, a small number of metacercariae exposed to a dose of 2.0 kGray excysted and survived in 1 mouse for 30 days. No worm was recovered from mice when the metacercariae were irradiated at a dose of 2.5 kGray. Seropositive results by ELISA were obtained when the mice were infected with metacercariae irradiated at doses ranging from 2.0 to 3.5 kGray.     

B→O血型转变工具酶α-半乳糖苷酶cDNA克隆及表达

 α-半乳糖苷酶是实现 B→O血型转变、制备通用型血的关键工具酶 .利用反转录 PCR方法从中国海南 Catimor咖啡豆中克隆α-半乳糖苷酶 c DNA,插入嗜甲基酵母 P.pastoris分泌表达载体 p PIC9K中 ,转化 P.pastoris GS1 1 5,筛选高表达重组菌株 .经甲醇诱导表达 7d后 ,发酵液总蛋白分泌量约 1 .2 mg/ml,SDS- PAGE呈现约 41 k D特异表达带 ,与专一性底物对 -硝基 -苯基 -α- D-吡喃半乳糖苷反应证明 ,表达产物具有 α-半乳糖苷酶活性 ,最高达到 1 8U/ml.初步实验表明 ,表达的 α-半乳糖苷酶可酶解 B型红细胞 ,成功实现 B→O血型转变 .     

Effects of size,neighbors, and site condition on tree growth in a subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad‐leaved mixed forest,China

Successful growth of a tree is the result of combined effects of biotic and abiotic factors. It is important to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect changes in forest structure and dynamics under environmental fluctuations. In this study, we explored the effects of initial size [diameter at breast height (DBH)], neighborhood competition, and site condition on tree growth, based on a 3‐year monitoring of tree growth rate in a permanent plot (120 × 80 m) of montane Fagus engleriana–Cyclobalanopsis multiervis mixed forest on Mt. Shennongjia, China. We measured DBH increments every 6 months from October 2011 to October 2014 by field‐made dendrometers and calculated the mean annual growth rate over the 3 years for each individual tree. We also measured and calculated twelve soil properties and five topographic variables for 384 grids of 5 × 5 m. We defined two distance‐dependent neighborhood competition indices with and without considerations of phylogenetic relatedness between trees and tested for significant differences in growth rates among functional groups. On average, trees in this mixed montane forest grew 0.07 cm year^?1 in DBH. Deciduous, canopy, and early‐successional species grew faster than evergreen, small‐statured, and late‐successional species, respectively. Growth rates increased with initial DBH, but were not significantly related to neighborhood competition and site condition for overall trees. Phylogenetic relatedness between trees did not influence the neighborhood competition. Different factors were found to influence tree growth rates of different functional groups: Initial DBH was the dominant factor for all tree groups; neighborhood competition within 5 m radius decreased growth rates of evergreen trees; and site condition tended to be more related to growth rates of fast‐growing trees (deciduous, canopy, pioneer, and early‐successional species) than the slow‐growing trees (evergreen, understory, and late‐successional species).     

浙江西门岛海洋特别保护区大型底栖动物功能群特征及其与环境的关系

为研究浙江西门岛海洋特别保护区大型底栖动物功能群的变化规律及其与环境因子的关系,作者分别于2010年4月(春季)、11月(秋季),2011年8月(夏季)和2012年2月(冬季)进行了4个航次的大型底栖动物调查,共鉴定出大型底栖动物78种,根据其食性类型划分为浮游生物食者、植食者、肉食者、杂食者、碎屑食者5种功能群.各功能群平均密度从高到低依次为浮游生物食者＞肉食者＞植食者＞碎屑食者＞杂食者,平均生物量从高到低依次为浮游生物食者＞碎屑食者＞肉食者＞杂食者＞植食者.单因素方差分析结果表明,大型底栖动物各功能群的密度和生物量季节间均无显著性差异.典范对应分析结果表明,影响大型底栖动物功能群的主要环境因子包括温度、溶解氧、溶解态无机磷和表层沉积物的中值粒径,排序轴对功能群-环境关系的贡献率计算结果表明环境变量可以较好地解释功能群的变化情况.     

双眼和单眼视觉剥夺猫外膝体细胞的图形适应

为测定丘脑外膝体细胞的图形适应是否依赖于早期视觉经验,在细胞外记录了双眼和单眼缝合的猫外膝体中断细胞对手工时间运动光栅刺激的反应。在双眼剥夺猫,占６８％的记录到的细胞在３０ｓ内反应下降到稳定值,其平均反应值下降３３％,适应程度较正常猫显著。在单眼剥夺猫,记录到的剥夺眼驱动的和非剥夺眼驱动的细胞中,分别有占５３％和４４％的细胞显示图形适应,两者差别不大。研究表明,早期视剥夺能增强或保持图形适应,提示     

N- and O-methylation of sphingomyelin markedly affects its membrane properties and interactions with cholesterol

We have prepared palmitoyl sphingomyelin (PSM) analogs in which either the 2-NH was methylated to NMe, the 3-OH was methylated to OMe, or both were methylated simultaneously. The aim of the study was to determine how such modifications in the membrane interfacial region of the molecules affected interlipid interactions in bilayer membranes. Measuring DPH anisotropy in vesicle membranes prepared from the SM analogs, we observed that methylation decreased gel-phase stability and increased fluid phase disorder, when compared to PSM. Methylation of the 2-NH had the largest effect on gel-phase instability (T(m) was lowered by ~7°C). Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations showed that fluid phase bilayers with methylated SM analogs were more expanded but thinner compared to PSM bilayers. It was further revealed that 3-OH methylation dramatically attenuated hydrogen bonding also via the amide nitrogen, whereas 2-NH methylation did not similarly affect hydrogen bonding via the 3-OH. The interactions of sterols with the methylated SM analogs were markedly affected. 3-OH methylation almost completely eliminated the capacity of the SM analog to form sterol-enriched ordered domains, whereas the 2-NH methylated SM analog formed sterol-enriched domains but these were less thermostable (and thus less ordered) than the domains formed by PSM. Cholestatrienol affinity to bilayers containing methylated SM analogs was also markedly reduced as compared to its affinity for bilayers containing PSM. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed further that cholesterol's bilayer location was deeper in PSM bilayers as compared to the location in bilayers made from methylated SM analogs. This study shows that the interfacial properties of SMs are very important for interlipid interactions and the formation of laterally ordered domains in complex bilayers.     

Autotoxic potential of cucurbit crops

Soil sickness is often observed in cucurbit crops such as Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus, but not in cucurbit crops such as Cucurbita moschata, Lagenaria leucantha and Luffa cylindrica. Results showed that root aqueous extracts of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus were autotoxic, but those of Cucurbita moschata, Momordica charantia and Luffa cylindrica were less autotoxic to the radicle elongation of respective species. Plant growth of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus were greatly inhibited by autotoxic substances released from powered root tissue at a rate of 1 g per seedling. Root exudates of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus were autotoxic to radicle elongation and seedling growth of respective species. However, root exudates of Citrullus lanatus did not inhibit radicle elongation of Cucurbita ficifolia, which is commonly used as rootstock for the grafting of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus to decrease soil-borne diseases in commercial production. It seems possible to overcome autotoxicity in cucurbit crops by grafting on Cucurbita ficifolia. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nicotianamine,a Novel Enhancer of Rice Iron Bioavailability to Humans

Background

Polished rice is a staple food for over 50% of the world''s population, but contains little bioavailable iron (Fe) to meet human needs. Thus, biofortifying the rice grain with novel promoters or enhancers of Fe utilization would be one of the most effective strategies to prevent the high prevalence of Fe deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in the developing world.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We transformed an elite rice line cultivated in Southern China with the rice nicotianamine synthase gene (OsNAS1) fused to a rice glutelin promoter. Endosperm overexpression of OsNAS1 resulted in a significant increase in nicotianamine (NA) concentrations in both unpolished and polished grain. Bioavailability of Fe from the high NA grain, as measured by ferritin synthesis in an in vitro Caco-2 cell model that simulates the human digestive system, was twice as much as that of the control line. When added at 1∶1 molar ratio to ferrous Fe in the cell system, NA was twice as effective when compared to ascorbic acid (one of the most potent known enhancers of Fe bioavailability) in promoting more ferritin synthesis.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrated that NA is a novel and effective promoter of iron utilization. Biofortifying polished rice with this compound has great potential in combating global human iron deficiency in people dependent on rice for their sustenance.