Low-Temperature Scanning Electron Microscope Observations of the Meloidogyne incognita Egg Mass: The Gelatinous Matrix and Embryo Development

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita was cultured monoxenically on excised tomato roots. Galls and egg masses were observed daily using a light microscope. Two phases were distinguished in the gelatinous matrix of the egg mass: a translucent, amorphous material on the surface of the egg mass and a denser, layered phase in which nematode eggs were deposited. Egg masses were also cryofixed, fractured, and observed as frozen, hydrated specimens on a cold stage in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In the SEM, the layered phase appeared as a meshwork of fibrils that became more loosely associated as the gelatinous matrix aged: Small pearl-like bodies were observed along the fibers of gelatinous matrix. The egg shell surface and several stages of embryo development, including the one-cell stage, initial cleavages, blastula, gastrula, tadpole stage, elongation, and molt of the first-stage juvenile within the egg shell, were observed and photographed with this technique. The developmental events observed were consistent with those described in other nematode species with different techniques.     

Survey of Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae (Rhabditida,Nematoda) in Western Canada

A survey was done in the summer months along the Alaska Highway, in other parts of British Columbia, in northern Alberta, and in the Yukon Territory for steinernematid and heterorhabditid nematodes occurring in the top 10 cm of soil. Steinernema feltiae and Steinernema spp. were found at 18 and Heterorhabditis megidis at 7 sites of 125 sampled. Most nematodes were found where visible insect infestation occurred and where human influence on the habitat was substantial (e.g., agricultural, forested and bush-hedgerow habitats); none was found in grassland or virgin forests. Heterorhabditis megidis occurred in only the southern, warmer, drier region of British Columbia. In the laboratory some steinernematid isolates and H. megidis killed Galleria mellonella larvae at 13 and 22 C, whereas some isolates of Steinernema killed the larvae at only 13 C. Steinernema spp. from three high altitude sites with low, average July temperatures (13-14 C) are cold-active in that they produced infective juveniles at 13 C and killed G. mellonella at 6 C.     

On the role of ß-carotene in the reaction center chlorophyll a antennae of photosystem I

Absorption and low temperature fluorescence emission spectra were measured on chloroplast thylakoids and on purified reaction center chlorophyll a-protein complexes of photosystem I, CP-a₁. A clear association between the presence of ß-carotene and the occurrence of far red absorbing and emitting chlorophyll a components of the reaction center antennae of photosystem I was demonstrated. For this study chloroplasts and CP-a₁ were obtained from normal and carotenoid deficient plant material of various sources. The experimental material included 1) lyophilized pea chloroplasts extracted with petroleum ether, 2) the carotenoid deficient mutant C-6E of Scenedesmus obliquus and 3) wheat chloroplasts derived from normal and SAN-9789 treated plants. Removal of carotenoids, most likely principally ß-carotene, caused a loss of long wavelength absorbing chlorophylls in chloroplasts and purified CP-a₁, and the loss or diminution of the long wavelength peak seen in the low temperature fluorescence emission spectrum. This association between ß-carotene and special chlorophyll a forms may explain both the photoprotective and antenna functions ascribed to ß-carotene. In the absence of carotenoids in wheat and in the Scenedesmus mutant, the chlorophyll a antenna of photosystem I was extremely photosensitive. A triplet-triplet resonance energy transfer from chlorophyll a to ß-carotene and a singlet-singlet energy transfer from excited ß-carotene to chlorophyll would explain the photoprotective and antenna functions, respectively. The role of this association in determining some of the fluorescence properties of photosystem I is also discussed.     

三株芽胞杆菌菌株对松材线虫低温存活与繁殖的影响

为明确细菌在松材线虫生态适应性中的作用,本研究选择与致病相关的松材线虫伴生细菌GD1、马尾松内生细菌GD2以及具有杀松材线虫活性的湿地松内生细菌NJSZ-13为试验对象,测定经这3株芽胞杆菌菌株3个浓度低温驯化10、15和20 d后,在冷冻条件下松材线虫强毒虫株AMA3、中毒虫株AA3和弱毒虫株YW4的存活率和繁殖量。结果表明：低温驯化15 d和20 d后3株菌株对不同毒力线虫的活力影响较驯化10 d后的更显著。在低温驯化15 d、-20℃冷冻处理1 h后,5×10⁶ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理下,虫株AMA3、AA3和YW4的存活率分别为77.22%、83.68%和84.26%,与对照差异显著;5×10⁵ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理下,虫株AMA3、AA3和YW4的存活率分别为75.76%、80.67%和81.50%,与对照差异显著。5×10⁶ CFU/mL和5×10⁵ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD2处理下,与GD1处理组结果相似,菌株NJSZ-13处理组则与菌株GD1和GD2的结果相反。低温驯化15 d、-20℃冷冻处理1 h后,5×10⁶ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理下,虫株AMA3、AA3和YW4的繁殖量分别为7 530、9 317和12 793条/皿,与对照（3 192、3 840和5 823条/皿）差异显著;5×10⁵ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理时,3个虫株的繁殖量均与对照差异显著。而菌株GD2和NJSZ-13处理后,3个虫株的繁殖量均无显著变化。表明不同芽胞杆菌对松材线虫的低温适应性影响存在差异,松材线虫伴生细菌GD1和马尾松内生细菌GD2能增强其低温适应性,而湿地松内生细菌NJSZ-13菌株则相反。     

泛素化结合酶E2抑制剂对草菇15 ℃保鲜的影响

为了改进草菇低温保鲜方法,在15 ℃贮藏条件下,采用泛素化结合酶E2 (UBEV2)抑制剂对草菇子实体进行处理,并开展相关生理指标和基因表达检测。结果表明,使用100 μmol/L的UBEV2抑制剂L345-0044维持了草菇较好的品质,提高了草菇可溶性糖的含量。低温明显提升抑制剂处理下的碱性蛋白酶和中性蛋白酶活力,并证实了低温胁迫显著提高了抑制剂处理下的一种类型蛋白酶肽基赖氨酸金属内肽酶的表达。本研究证实了草菇可溶性糖和高活性的冷诱导金属内肽酶对于延长草菇的低温保鲜时间是必须的。     

一种来源于Phialophora attae的玉米赤霉烯酮内酯水解酶ZHD11F的酶学表征和结构特点

玉米赤霉烯酮(zearalenone,ZEN)是一种雌激素类真菌毒素,可以与动物的雌激素受体竞争性结合,导致动物生殖系统内的激素紊乱。ZEN内酯水解酶(ZEN lactone hydrolase,ZHD)可以水解ZEN中的内酯键,进而使其转化为无雌激素毒性的产物。【目的】利用生物信息学分析以及酶学性质探索,鉴定出一个具有新特性的ZEN内酯水解酶。【方法】构建pET28a-zhd11f表达载体,在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中诱导表达ZHD11F,利用Ni-NTA纯化得到ZHD11F,对其酶学性质进行分析,并通过结构模拟和分子动力学分析阐明ZHD11F低温活性的机制。【结果】ZHD11F以ZEN为底物,比酶活为40.04 U/mg,最适反应温度与pH值分别为35 °C和8.0,在pH 6.0–9.5的范围内具有超过60%的酶活力,在35 °C以下具有较好的热稳定性,能够耐受多种金属离子。ZHD11F在10 °C和20 °C时,其活性分别保持20%和40%。更多的loop区增加了结构的柔韧性是该酶稳定性较差、在低温活性比较高的主要原因。【结论】Phialophora attae是瓶霉属的一种真菌,目前此真菌来源的酶极少被鉴定。关于本研究将Phialophora attae来源的ZEN内酯水解酶ZHD11F,在大肠杆菌中成功可溶性表达并得到纯酶,表征分析显示该酶是目前报道的第一个低温ZEN内酯水解酶,为研究此类酶的耐冷机制、广温度范围提供了候选,同时拓展了Phialophora attae来源酶的功能研究。     

冷藏对美洲斑潜蝇蛹期发育和生存的影响

【目的】美洲斑潜蝇Liriomyza sativae Blanchard自20世纪90年代入侵我国后已经成为蔬菜和观赏植物的重要害虫。然而,近些年该昆虫已经逐渐成为研究植物和昆虫、昆虫抗寒性和寄主适应性等热点课题的模式种类。因此,为了实验室条件下更好保藏该虫的种群,本文研究了冷藏(世代发育起点温度8℃)对该斑潜蝇蛹发育和生存的影响。【方法】以化蛹后第3天的蛹为实验对象,8℃低温冷藏,并以冷藏时间(0、7、14、21、28和35 d)为参试因子研究了冷藏时间对美洲斑潜蝇蛹羽化率的影响;化蛹后每24 h解剖观察一次蛹并对蛹期发育阶段进行划分;根据划分的蛹期阶段,对处理中未羽化的蛹进行解剖比对,得到对低温最敏感的蛹期。【结果】随着冷藏时间的增长,美洲斑潜蝇的蛹羽化率逐渐降低。超过14 d后,羽化率明显下降。冷藏至35 d时羽化率为零。解剖正常发育的美洲斑潜蝇的蛹,将蛹期分为预蛹期、隐头蛹期、显头蛹初期、半透明眼期、浅黄色到琥珀色眼期、红褐色眼期、鬃毛蛹期。不同冷藏时间条件下,未羽化的蛹死亡时间主要为鬃毛蛹期,且鬃毛蛹期死亡的蛹的数量与贮藏时间呈正比例关系。【结论】在室内冷藏美洲斑潜蝇时,3日龄蛹8℃贮藏少于14 d为宜;鬃毛蛹期(10~11日龄蛹)对低温比较敏感,冷藏过程中,应避免鬃毛蛹期的蛹。     

Cell-wall lectins during winter wheat cold hardening

The polypeptide composition and functional activity of cell-wall lectins from roots of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Mironovskaya 808) seedlings during cold hardening were studied. Several phases of lectin activity changes were observed, which indicates their involvement in the development of general adaptation syndrome of the cell. After 0.5-h low-temperature treatment, marked alterations occurred in the profile of protein elution: lectins with mol wts of 78 and 42.5 kD disappeared and new ones with mol wts of 72, 69, 37, and 34.5 kD appeared. It was established that 17.5-and 69-kD lectins and most lectins eluted with glucose were arabinogalactan proteins (AGP), which permitted a supposition that these lectins were involved in the interaction between the cell wall and cytoskeleton. After 7-day-long hardening, total protein content reduced and lectins with mol wts of 69 and 37 kD disappeared, which corresponded to reduced lectin activity by the end of hardening. A transient appearance of 37-and 69-kD lectins, which are AGP, might indicate their involvement in the triggering the development of plant-cell defense responses.