Deletion of the gliP gene of Aspergillus fumigatus results in loss of gliotoxin production but has no effect on virulence of the fungus in a low-dose mouse infection model

Gliotoxin is a secondary metabolite produced by several fungi including the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. As gliotoxin exerts immunosuppressive effects in vitro and in vivo, a role as a virulence determinant in invasive aspergillosis has been discussed for a long time but evidence has not been provided until now. Here, by the use of different selection marker genes A. fumigatus knock-out strains were generated that are deficient for the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase GliP, the putative key enzyme of the gliotoxin biosynthesis. Deletion of the gliP gene resulted in loss of gliotoxin production, as analysed by high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. No differences in morphology or growth kinetics between wild-type and gliP-deletion strains were observed. In vitro, the culture supernatant of the gliP-deficient strains showed a reduced cytotoxic effect on both macrophage-like cells and T cell lines. In a low-dose murine infection model of invasive aspergillosis, gliotoxin was detected in the lung and absent when mice were infected with the gliP deletion strain. However, gliP deletion strains showed no difference in virulence compared with the corresponding wild-type strains. Taken together, the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase GliP is essential for gliotoxin production in A. fumigatus. Gliotoxin is not required for pathogenicity of the fungus in immunocompromised mice, despite the fact that a reduced cytotoxicity of the culture supernatant of gliP deletion strains was demonstrated.     

DNA damage in the early primordial anther is closely correlated with stamen arrest in the female flower of cucumber (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis sativus</Emphasis> L.)

To investigate the regulatory mechanisms of sex expression in cucumber, morphological observations and biochemical analyses were carried out on inappropriate stamen development of female flowers of cucumber. It was found that developmental arrest of the inappropriate stamen mainly occurs at the anther primordium. This arrest is closely correlated with DNA damage, as detected by TUNEL assay, and might result from anther-specific DNase activation. It was also found that the DNA damage does not lead to cell degeneration, although chromatin condensation is observed in the anther primordia.Abbreviations DAPI 4,6-diamidine-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride - MTT 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide - PCD programmed cell death - TUNEL TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling     

抗人B7-H1单克隆抗体的制备和鉴定

目的:采用杂交瘤技术制备抗人B7-H1单克隆抗体,并对其进行鉴定。方法:经抗原免疫的小鼠脾细胞与小鼠骨髓瘤细胞以常规方法融合;用间接ELISA法筛选分泌抗体的杂交瘤细胞株;阳性克隆用有限稀释法获得稳定分泌抗人B7-H1单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株;扩增杂交瘤细胞注射进小鼠腹腔后制备腹水;纯化腹水中的单克隆抗体并对其亚型进行鉴定;用间接ELISA法测抗体效价;将肺癌组织制成石蜡切片,用抗人B7-H1抗体进行免疫组化染色。结果:获得1株稳定分泌抗人B7-H1单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株,所分泌的单抗类型为IgG1;抗体效价为1×108,纯化后的抗体含量为6.76g/L;免疫组化实验中,单抗可与肺癌组织表面的B7-H1蛋白特异地结合。结论:制备了人B7-H1单克隆抗体,为B7-H1检测试剂盒的研制奠定了基础。     

基于Sentinel-2数据的草地植物功能多样性遥感反演及其与生产力的关系

生物多样性与生态系统功能的关系是当前生态学研究的焦点和难点。植物功能多样性是影响生态系统功能的重要指标, 开展植物功能多样性的研究对了解生物多样性与生态系统功能之间的关系有着重要意义。传统的草地植物功能多样性研究多以实地调查为主, 不仅费时费力, 而且由于受到时空的限制, 很难拓展到大尺度的研究中。遥感技术的发展为评估草地功能多样性提供了一种经济、有效的手段。该研究选取内蒙古自治区锡林郭勒盟乌拉盖管理区草甸草原为研究区, 利用Sentinel-2卫星影像和野外实测数据, 选取了波段及植被指数等46个特征变量, 探讨了逐步回归、偏最小二乘法(PLSR)和随机森林(RFR)等3种不同方法对草地植物功能丰富度(FRic)、功能均匀度(FEve)和功能离散度(FDiv)的反演精度, 并基于PLSR反演草地地上生物量, 进一步分析了研究区功能多样性与生产力的关系。研究结果表明: (1)波段B11、优化型土壤调节植被指数(OSAVI)、水波段指数(WBI)对FRic解释度最高; 波段B6、B10、B12、类胡萝卜素反射指数1 (CRI1)、双峰光学指数(D)、归一化差值指数45 (NDI45)等6个特征变量对FEve解释度最高; 波段B5、B9、B10、B11、加权差分植被指数(WDVI)、凸包面积等对FDiv解释度最高; (2)基于十折重复交叉验证, 利用逐步回归估算的FRic和FEve反演精度远高于其他两种回归方法, R²分别为0.52和0.44; 而利用PLSR方法估算的FDiv反演精度最高(R² = 0.61); (3)群落地上生物量反演精度为R² = 0.61; FRic与地上生产力的关系最好(R² = 0.40), 其次为FDiv (R² = 0.28)和FEve (R² = 0.27)。研究发现, 基于Sentinel-2卫星影像能较好地反演草地功能多样性和生产力, 为下一步能在大尺度上进行草地功能多样性估算及其与生产力关系研究提供了参考和依据。     

非洲菊花瓣总RNA提取方法的改进

利用异硫氰酸胍一步法和植物总RNA提取试剂盒（RNeasy Plant Mini Kit）提取非洲菊（Gerbera hybrida）花瓣中总RNA时存在多糖的干扰。实验中利用异硫氰酸胍一步法提取总RNA,在RNA沉淀后,再次加入适量变性液,冻融2次,再加热至45 ℃使RNA完全溶解;试剂盒提取时,适当延长各提取步骤的离心时间,并增加DEPC H2O溶解RNA的时间。通过以上操作方法的改进可排除多糖的干扰,得到高质量的总RNA。为进一步利用Northern杂交技术研究非洲菊中花色素苷基因的表达,进行花色改良提供了方便、有效的实验手段。     

BTB/TAZ protein MdBT2 integrates multiple hormonal and environmental signals to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple

BT2 is a BTB/TAZ domain protein with key roles in multiple stress responses and the plant development of Arabidopsis (Figueroa et al. 2005; Ren et al. 2007; Mandadi et al. 2009). Recent studies have demonstrated that apple MdBT2 functions as a negative regulator in diverse hormonal and environmental signal‐induced anthocyanin biosynthesis, suggesting that MdBT2 integrates stress signals and anthocyanin biosynthesis.     

Nectar production and transportation in the nectaries of the female Cucumis sativus L. flower during anthesis

Summary. In an effort to gain a greater understanding of nectar production, we studied the dynamic mechanisms of starch accumulation and transformation and nectar transportation in the Cucumis sativus L. female flower. Starch, which is the main precursor of nectar, accumulates in the epidermis and underlying parenchyma, with the most active accumulation occurring in the parenchyma cells within 3 days prior to anthesis. Thereafter, the starch was successively hydrolyzed and the hydrolyte was transported from the amyloplasts to vacuoles, suggesting that amyloplasts and vacuoles are the centers of nectar production. In addition, we observed few plasmodesmata and the presence of invaginated plasmalemma and electron-dense material in the intercellular spaces, suggesting that the apoplast system is involved in nectar transportation in an ATPase-dependent fashion.Correspondence and reprints: College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, Peoples Republic of China     

Putative PIP1 genes isolated from apple: expression analyses during fruit development and under osmotic stress

To gain insight into the function of plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) genes in apple, two genes, MdPIP1a and MdPIP1b, were isolated. MdPIP1 expression was in accordance with the volume increase during fruit development, which is a loading process of water and solutes. In addition, the expression of MdPIP1 was up-regulated in the stems by osmotic stress. These results indicate that MdPIP1 may play important roles not only in fruit expansion, but also in maintaining water homeostasis under stress conditions.