玉米淀粉分支酶基因的克隆和反义载体的构建

应用聚合酶链式反应技术(PCR)扩增了玉米淀粉分支酶的cDNA基因片段,并将其克隆到pMD18-Tvector载体上,对重组子进行PCR检测和限制性内切酶分析,并测定了DNA全序列.结果表明:克隆片段全长为1 698 bp.将该基因反向插入到pCAMBIA1301的CaMV35S启动子之后,构建了反义表达载体.     

酿酒酵母ADH2基因沉默表达载体的构建

利用重叠延伸PCR获得酿酒酵母基因沉默组件SADH2,经酶切与酿酒酵母穿梭质粒pYES2.0连接,构建酿酒酵母ADH2基因沉默表达载体。经酶切及测序鉴定成功构建了ADH2基因沉默表达载体pSADH2。     

草莓NCED基因正反义表达载体和RNAi载体的构建

根据草莓（Fragaria ananassa Duch）NCED基因序列（GenBank： HQ399498），克隆NCED基因开放阅读框，将该片段插入植物表达载体pBI 121的CaMV 35S 启动子和NOS 终止子之间，构建了正义表达载体pBI 121NCED。克隆NCED基因正义、反义片段和作为内含子的gusA基因片段，以植物表达载体pBI 121为基础，以pCAMBIA2301作为中间载体，通过多次酶切和连接，成功构建了草莓NCED基因RNAi表达载体pBI 121NCEDRNAi和反义表达载体pBI 121NCEDF。经PCR、限制性内切酶酶切和测序鉴定后，成功将pBI 121NCED、pBI 121NCEDF和pBI 121NCEDRNA 3个重组表达质粒导入农杆菌EHA105中。研究结果为进一步研究草莓NCED基因的功能奠定了基础。     

成团肠杆菌几丁质酶活性和抑真菌活性的遗传调控

通过3亲本交配，将供体菌株携带外源调节基因的质粒转移到植病生防细菌成团肠杆菌（E.agglomerans)IC1270中，得到4个衍生菌株。几丁质的消解能力均显著高于亲本菌株，以携带gacA或rpoD衍生菌株的活性最高。离体抗抗真菌颉抗实验表明，携带gacA或rpoD衍生菌株比亲本菌株对核盘菌和立枯丝核菌的抑制效果显著增强，其它衍生菌株无明显提高。     

酸性蛋白酶pepB基因植物表达载体的构建及在玉米中的转化

以黑曲霉基因组DNA为模板,利用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)技术扩增了酸性蛋白酶pepB基因序列,并将其克隆到pMD18-T Vector上,对重组子进行了PCR检测和限制性内切酶分析并测序.DNA序列分析表明:克隆片段长为1340bp,与已发表的pepB基因序列同源性达99.85%.将pepB基因片段插入到带有耐盐基因的表达载体pCAMBIA1301-BADH上,构建了无抗生素选择标记的重组质粒pB-pepB-35S,从而得到了植物表达载体,该载体利用耐盐基因BADH替代抗生素基因作为筛选标记.通过花粉管通道法将其导入玉米自交系,获得了转基因植株,并得到了转化植株的种子.     

茶树咖啡因合成酶基因RNA干涉表达载体构建

咖啡因合成酶（TCS）是茶树咖啡因生物合成途径中的一个关键酶,催化7-甲基黄嘌呤转变为可可碱和可可碱转变为咖啡因。抑制TCS基因表达是培育低咖啡因茶树的最有效途径。用RT-PCR方法扩增茶树TCS基因的两个cDNA片段,并克隆入T-载体中。干涉载体和TCS基因片段的T克隆经限制性内切酶两次双酶切与连接,将两个TCS基因片段分别反向重复插入到干涉载体pFGC5941,构建了TCS基因的RNA干涉载体,分别命名为pFGC5941-TCS02和pFGC5941-TCS03。经PCR和DNA测序获得验证。TCS基因RNA干涉载体的构建为培育低咖啡因茶树奠定了基础。     

甘蓝型油菜种子特异性表达 fad2基因的ihpRNA载体构建

旨在通过转基因途径诱导油菜种子中fad2基因发生转录后基因沉默,本文构建了fad2基因的ihpRNA 植物表达载体。通过PCR扩增分离到甘蓝型油菜种子特异性表达的Nap in启动子序列(1147bp)以及油酸脱饱和 酶基因( fad2)的一个537bp的片段,并将它们分别克隆到pGEM - T easy载体中。利用中间载体pHurrican构建 fad2基因的反向重复框。将fad2基因片段以正向的方式连接在一个可剪切的内含子的5’末端,而以反向的方式 连接到该内含子的3’末端;然后将Nap in启动子序列连接到该反向重复框的5’端,而在其3’端接有一个nos终止 子序列;最后将fad2基因的反向重复表达框分两步克隆到植物双元载体pCAMB IA2300的pUC18多克隆位点,构建 具有种子特异性表达的fad2基因的ihpRNA表达载体pCNF IRnos。限制性内切酶酶切对载体作了鉴定分析。     

基因枪介导甘蔗遗传转化研究初报

将从灰树花（Grifola frondosa）中分离克隆到的海藻糖合酶cDNA以正向插入植物表达载体pBI121/BamHI Sst1位点，获得一植物表达载体pBT；又用Ubi-L启动子插入植物表达载体pBI121/HindⅢ＋Xbal位点，获得重组质粒pUB,再把海藻糖合酶cDNA正向插入pUB/BanHI SstI位点，获得另一植物表达载体pUBT。然后通过基因枪法分别用植物表达载体pBT和pUBT转化甘蔗。再生植株的点杂交和PCR－Southern杂交表明海藻糖合酶基因已整合进甘蔗的基因组中。     

酸性蛋白酶pepB基因植物表达载体的构建及在玉米中的转化

以黑曲霉基因组DNA为模板, 利用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)技术扩增了酸性蛋白酶pepB基因序列,并将其克隆到pMD18-T Vector上,对重组子进行了PCR检测和限制性内切酶分析并测序。DNA序列分析表明：克隆片段长为1 340 bp,与已发表的pepB基因序列同源性达99.85%。将pepB基因片段插入到带有耐盐基因的表达载体pCAMBIA1301-BADH上,构建了无抗生素选择标记的重组质粒pB-pepB-35S,从而得到了植物表达载体,该载体利用耐盐基因BADH替代抗生素基因作为筛选标记。通过花粉管通道法将其导入玉米自交系,获得了转基因植株,并得到了转化植株的种子。     

Studies on natural repellents against potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller) in country stores

Summary The effects of the leaves of five plant species, one from each of the generaAmbrosia, Anemone, Eupatorium, Eucalyptus andLantana, on potato tuber moth were investigated under indigenous storage conditions at the Central Potato Research Station, Shillong (1800 m above sea level). Their action was compared with that of a biological insecticide (spores ofBacillus thuringiensis), a chemical insecticide (carbaryl), and an untreated control. The data collected after six months storage on tuber damage, sprout damage and the rotting indicated that the leaves ofLantana aculeata provided most protection to the tubers, reducing damage from over 70% in the check to below 5%, and sprout damage from over 45% to below 3%. Next best wasEucalyptus globulus followed byB. thuringiensis. They may be used on tubers stored for table use or for seed as they had no adverse effect on germination or on the yield of a subsequent crop.     

Comparative Assessment of the Efficacy of Various Nitrogen Fertilizers

Summary

The efficiency of N fertilizers is usually poor; often less than 50% of the applied N is taken up by the crop. This review focuses on various N fertilizers with respect to the significance of different N loss pathways, namely (i) ammonia volatilization, (ii) dinitrogen and nitrogen oxide emissions, and (iii) nitrate leaching. Further, the significance of biological N immobilization, ammonium fixation and, finally, the impact of nitrate vs. ammonium uptake on crop yield are also discussed. The reviewed literature shows that N fertilizers may differ markedly in their susceptibility to losses. There is, however, considerable scope to improve N efficiency of each N source by proper N management practices.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of different accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. from Uruguay

Summary The in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. collected in the south of Uruguay was investigated against five microorganisms including the pathogenRalstonia solanacearum. A total of 30 extracts corresponding to organic and aqueous extracts were studied. Interestingly, most of the positive results for growth inhibition were againstR. solanacearum. The extracts were also analyzed for the presence of glycoalkaloids and lectins. Six of the ten aqueous extracts showed lectin presence and a wide variation in the type and amounts of glycoalkaloids, was found. Results indicate that there is no clear relationship between the antimicrobial activity against the five microorganisms screened and the presence or amounts of lectins and glycoalkaloids, traditionally regarded as possible antimicrobial metabolites in theSolanum genus, which indicates the presence of as yet unidentified antimicrobial compounds.     

Novel food and non-food uses for sorghum and millets

Sorghum and millets have considerable potential in foods and beverages. As they are gluten-free they are suitable for coeliacs. Sorghum is also a potentially important source of nutraceuticals such antioxidant phenolics and cholesterol-lowering waxes. Cakes, cookies, pasta, a parboiled rice-like product and snack foods have been successfully produced from sorghum and, in some cases, millets. Wheat-free sorghum or millet bread remains the main challenge. Additives such as native and pre-gelatinised starches, hydrocolloids, fat, egg and rye pentosans improve bread quality. However, specific volumes are lower than those for wheat bread or gluten-free breads based on pure starches, and in many cases, breads tend to stale faster. Lager and stout beers with sorghum are brewed commercially. Sorghum's high-starch gelatinisation temperature and low beta-amylase activity remain problems with regard to complete substitution of barley malt with sorghum malt . The role of the sorghum endosperm matrix protein and cell wall components in limiting extract is a research focus. Brewing with millets is still at an experimental stage. Sorghum could be important for bioethanol and other bio-industrial products. Bioethanol research has focused on improving the economics of the process through cultivar selection, method development for low-quality grain and pre-processing to recover valuable by-products. Potential by-products such as the kafirin prolamin proteins and the pericarp wax have potential as bioplastic films and coatings for foods, primarily due to their hydrophobicity.     

Extreme resistance to infection by potato virus X in genotypes of wild tuber-bearingSolanum species

Summary Clones derived from thirty-one different accessions (nineteen of Argentine origin) belonging to eightSolanum species were screened for resistance to infection by potato virus X strain cp (PVX cp) by mechanical inoculation of plantlets that had been micropropagated in vitro. Estimates of PVX multiplication obtained by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and slot blot nucleic acid hybridization allowed the identification of resistant clones derived from five accessions belonging toS. commersonii S. oplocense, S. sparsipilum andS. tuberosum andigena. Resistant genotypes supported PVX concentrations 5 to 15 times smaller than did the susceptible control cultivar Spunta. Graft inoculation test confirmed the presence of extreme resistance similar to that conferred by the ‘immunity’ gene X¹ (also called RX_act).     

Marine Pharmacology in 2009–2011: Marine Compounds with Antibacterial,Antidiabetic, Antifungal,Anti-Inflammatory,Antiprotozoal, Antituberculosis,and Antiviral Activities; Affecting the Immune and Nervous Systems,and other Miscellaneous Mechanisms of Action ?

The peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature from 2009 to 2011 is presented in this review, following the format used in the 1998–2008 reviews of this series. The pharmacology of structurally-characterized compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is discussed in a comprehensive manner. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral pharmacological activities were reported for 102 marine natural products. Additionally, 60 marine compounds were observed to affect the immune and nervous system as well as possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 68 marine metabolites were shown to interact with a variety of receptors and molecular targets, and thus will probably contribute to multiple pharmacological classes upon further mechanism of action studies. Marine pharmacology during 2009–2011 remained a global enterprise, with researchers from 35 countries, and the United States, contributing to the preclinical pharmacology of 262 marine compounds which are part of the preclinical pharmaceutical pipeline. Continued pharmacological research with marine natural products will contribute to enhance the marine pharmaceutical clinical pipeline, which in 2013 consisted of 17 marine natural products, analogs or derivatives targeting a limited number of disease categories.     

Recent Modifications of Chitosan for Adsorption Applications: A Critical and Systematic Review

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012–2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase).     

Pharmacokinetics of Marine-Derived Drugs

Marine organisms represent an excellent source of innovative compounds that have the potential for the development of new drugs. The pharmacokinetics of marine drugs has attracted increasing interest in recent decades due to its effective and potential contribution to the selection of rational dosage recommendations and the optimal use of the therapeutic arsenal. In general, pharmacokinetics studies how drugs change after administration via the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). This review provides a summary of the pharmacokinetics studies of marine-derived active compounds, with a particular focus on their ADME. The pharmacokinetics of compounds derived from algae, crustaceans, sea cucumber, fungus, sea urchins, sponges, mollusks, tunicate, and bryozoan is discussed, and the pharmacokinetics data in human experiments are analyzed. In-depth characterization using pharmacokinetics is useful for obtaining information for understanding the molecular basis of pharmacological activity, for correct doses and treatment schemes selection, and for more effective drug application. Thus, an increase in pharmacokinetic research on marine-derived compounds is expected in the near future.