多花水仙WRKY转录因子的克隆与序列分析

以‘黄花水仙2号’和‘金盏银台’为材料,根据课题组已克隆出的多花水仙转录因子WRKY基因片段设计特异引物,通过RACE技术分别从2个水仙品种中克隆出2个不同的WRKY基因,命名为Nt WRKY40a和Nt WRKY40b,开放阅读框(ORF)长度分别为945和951个碱基。序列分析结果表明,两序列均含有WRKYGQK保守结构域;‘黄花水仙2号’与‘金盏银台’、拟南芥、葡萄、青蒿、小麦和粳稻的相似系数分别为:97.27%、45%、43%、47%、41%和43%。Real-time PCR分析结果表明:WRKY基因在花瓣和副冠开花过程中的表达量发生变化,说明其可能参与多花水仙花朵的衰老过程。     

中国水仙NtPI基因的克隆与表达分析

采用RACE技术从中国水仙‘金盏银台’(Narcissus tazetta var.chinensis)花芽中获得1个与花器官发育有关的MADS-box基因,命名为NtPI(GenBank登录号:JQ326272).该基因全长804 bp,含有1个618 bp的开放阅读框,编码205个氨基酸,具有典型的MADS结构域和K结构域,与仙客来水仙(Narcissus cyclamineus)同源性最高,达98％.系统进化树显示,NtPI属于B类MADS-box基因家族的PI/GLO类基因.半定量RT-PCR分析表明,该基因在‘金盏银台’和‘玉玲珑’2种水仙花朵的各个部位均有表达,但表达的水平有所不同.在‘金盏银台’中,雄蕊和雌蕊的表达量大于花瓣和副冠,而在‘玉玲珑’花瓣和副冠中,表达丰度远远大于雄蕊和雌蕊.     

漳州水仙花瓣和副冠类胡萝卜素成分分析及合成途径基因表达研究

采用高效液相色谱（HPLC）分析漳州水仙‘金盏银台’花瓣和副冠中主要类胡萝卜素成分。结果显示,黄色副冠的主要色素成分是叶黄素,含量为3.73×104 μg/g ,β-胡萝卜素的含量很低,仅2.7 μg/g;白色花瓣中各种类胡萝卜素的含量都极低。同时,采用RT-PCR方法分析类胡萝卜素合成途径结构基因PSY、PDS、ZDS、LYCE、LYCB、BCH在‘金盏银台’白色花瓣、黄色副冠,洋水仙‘粉红魅力’白色花瓣、红色花副冠,洋水仙‘嘹亮’黄色花瓣、橙黄色副冠中的表达情况。结果表明,花瓣与同一品种副冠间结构基因     

中国水仙NtSTK基因的克隆、序列和组织表达分析

MADS-box基因在植物花发育中发挥着重要的作用。为了研究D类MADS-box基因在中国水仙花发育中的功能,本实验采用RACE和RT-PCR技术从中国水仙‘金盏银台’中分离到1个MADS-box基因,命名为NtSTK。该基因含有1个705 bp的开放阅读框,编码234个氨基酸,并且该基因在3个不同类型的中国水仙中序列差异较小。系统进化树显示NtSTK属于D类MADS-box基因。荧光定量分析表明该基因在‘金盏银台’和‘玉玲珑’的雌蕊和子房中表达水平较高,在根和叶片中低水平表达,在花被和雄蕊及鳞茎中不表达。     

多花水仙花期类胡萝卜素物质和类黄酮物质的含量变化

为了解多花水仙在开花过程中色素物质含量的变化,以多花水仙‘金盏银台’和‘黄花水仙2号’4个花期副冠和花被为材料,采用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)测定2种类胡萝卜素物质和11种类黄酮物质的含量.结果表明:多花水仙在花蕾期已经有大量色素物质积累;黄花水仙2号主要色素物质是芦丁和叶黄素,金盏银台的主要色素物质是芦丁、柚皮苷、阿魏酸和叶黄素;花期2个品种副冠和花被中芦丁、柚皮苷和阿魏酸的含量变化趋势基本一致,均表现为花蕾期含量最高,始花期、盛花期有所降低,衰败期又升高的趋势,而叶黄素含量变化不尽相同;经t测验分析,花期不同品种同一部位中芦丁、柚皮苷、阿魏酸和叶黄素的含量差异显著,同一品种不同部位中叶黄素和阿魏酸的含量差异显著,芦丁、柚皮苷的含量差异不显著.     

中国水仙NtMYB1基因的克隆及表达分析

为研究调控花青素合成机制,利用RT-PCR和RACE技术从中国水仙‘金盏银台’（Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis‘Jinzhan Yintai’.）的花瓣和副冠中克隆得到一个MYB基因的cDNA序列,命名为NtMYB1,在GeneBank上登录号为KC763973。序列分析表明,NtMYB1基因全长842 bp,其中开放阅读框长681 bp,编码226个氨基酸,推测的蛋白分子量为25.2 ku,理论等电点为7.94。NtMYB1具有明显的R2R3-MYB结构域,且在R3结构域的下游含有一个相对保守的PDLNLDLSIG氨基酸基序。同源性分析表明,其编码的氨基酸序列与陆地棉、甜樱桃的MYB蛋白相似性分别达到65％和63％。利用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测NtMYB1基因在中国水仙花不同发育时期和部位的表达水平,分析结果表明,NMYB1基因在中国水仙成花不同时期均有表达,但表达量具有明显差异,其中NtMYB1基因在花蕾期的相对表达量约为花苞期的40倍,且其表达量在花瓣要高于副冠。推测NtMYB1可能参与调控花青素合成基因的转录沉默。     

水杨酸对雕刻水仙观赏性状的影响

为进一步验证最适水杨酸浓度能提高中国水仙观赏性。 以中国水仙 ‘金盏银台’ 为材料, 研究不同浓度的水杨酸溶液对雕刻水仙观赏性状的影响。 结果表明： 雕刻水仙在水杨酸喷雾处理诱导下株型紧凑、 叶片直挺、提高开花率, 可避免出现藏花现象从而提高了观赏价值, 其中浓度为 3 mmol/L 时效果较好。     

三倍体茶树‘西莲1号’叶绿体基因组特征及系统发育分析

三倍体茶树品种‘西莲1号’是桑植白茶产业发展的主推品种，与湖南现有茶树品种相比具有很强的特异性。为揭示‘西莲1号’的分类和演化地位，项目采用叶绿体（Chloroplast,cp）全基因组测序技术进行了‘西莲1号’全基因组测序，并对其所有的SSR标记进行了开发与筛选。结果表明：（1）‘西莲1号’叶绿体基因组全长为157 038 bp,GC含量为37.30%，为一个四分体结构，包括1个大的单拷贝（LSC）、一个小的单拷贝（SSC）和一对反向重复序列（IR），长度分别为86 612 bp、18 282 bp和26 072 bp。cpDNA共注释得到132个基因，其中unigenes有114个，包含80个编码基因，30个tRNA基因和4个rRNA基因。（2）共鉴定出245个简单序列重复（SSR），通过筛选有15个SSR具有较高的多态性。获得了cpDNA基因组20个氨基酸的偏好密码子，‘西莲1号’密码子偏好以A/T碱基结尾。（3）基因选择压力分析表明，与茶组其他资源相比，6个基因（accD、ndhC、petB、rpl16、rpoC1、rpoC2）可能处于正选择状态。（4）基于叶绿体基因组序列构建...     

杨酸对雕刻水仙观赏性状的影响

为进一步验证最适水杨酸浓度能提高中国水仙观赏性.以中国水仙‘金盏银台'为材料,研究不同浓度的水杨酸溶液对雕刻水仙观赏性状的影响.结果表明:雕刻水仙在水杨酸喷雾处理诱导下株型紧凑、叶片直挺、提高开花率,可避免出现藏花现象从而提高了观赏价值,其中浓度为3mmol/L时效果较好.     

Mineral composition of some traditional Mexican teas

Teas of plant origin traditionally consumed by the Mountain Pima of Chihuahua, Mexico, were analyzed for mineral nutritional content. Fe, Cu, Zn, Ca, and Mg composition was determined for native teas made from shoots ofTagetes lucida, T. filifolia, Elytraria imbricata, andHolodiscus dumosus, and from root xylem ofCeanothus depressus andPhaseolus ritensis. Native uses of these teas are also described.     

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.     

Redox Status and Neuro Inflammation Indexes in Cerebellum and Motor Cortex of Wistar Rats Supplemented with Natural Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Astaxanthin: Fish Oil,Krill Oil,and Algal Biomass

Health authorities worldwide have consistently recommended the regular consumption of marine fishes and seafood to preserve memory, sustain cognitive functions, and prevent neurodegenerative processes in humans. Shrimp, crabs, lobster, and salmon are of particular interest in the human diet due to their substantial provision of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3/PUFAs) and the antioxidant carotenoid astaxanthin (ASTA). However, the optimal ratio between these nutraceuticals in natural sources is apparently the key factor for maximum protection against most neuro-motor disorders. Therefore, we aimed here to investigate the effects of a long-term supplementation with (n-3)/PUFAs-rich fish oil, ASTA-rich algal biomass, the combination of them, or krill oil (a natural combination of both nutrients) on baseline redox balance and neuro-inflammation indexes in cerebellum and motor cortex of Wistar rats. Significant changes in redox metabolism were only observed upon ASTA supplementation, which reinforce its antioxidant properties with a putative mitochondrial-centered action in rat brain. Krill oil imposed mild astrocyte activation in motor cortex of Wistar rats, although no redox or inflammatory index was concomitantly altered. In summary, there is no experimental evidence that krill oil, fish oil, oralgal biomass (minor variation), drastically change the baseline oxidative conditions or the neuro-inflammatory scenario in neuromotor-associated rat brain regions.     

Potential of dry fractionation of wheat bran for the development of food ingredients,part II: Electrostatic separation of particles

Wheat bran is a composite material made of several layers, such as pericarp, testa and aleurone. It could be fractionated into purified fractions, which might either be used as food ingredients, or serve as a starting material for extraction of bioactive compounds. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of using electrostatic separation as a way to obtain purified fractions from wheat bran. Ultrafine-ground bran obtained either by cryogenic grinding or by grinding at ambient temperature was used as starting material. The ultrafine bran was then charged by tribo-electrification and introduced in a chamber containing two high voltage electrodes, where bran particles were separated depending on their acquired charge, allowing positively and negatively charged fractions to be collected separately. The particle size distribution, microstructure and biochemical composition of the obtained fractions were studied. The charge of the particles was influenced by their biochemical composition: particles rich in highly branched and cross-linked arabinoxylans (pericarp) were separated from particles rich in β-glucan, ferulic acid and para-coumaric acid (aleurone cell walls). The testa and the intracellular compounds from aleurone were not highly charged, neither positively nor negatively. The most positively charged fraction represented 34% of the initial bran, and contained 62% of the ferulic acid present in the initial bran. The yield of the separation process was good (5.4% loss), and could be further increased.     

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.     

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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pulque</Emphasis>, An Alcoholic Drink from Rural Mexico,Contains Phytase. Its <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> Effects on Corn Tortilla

Pulque is made by fermenting the agave sap or aguamiel of Agave atrovirens with a whole array of microorganisms present in the environment including several lactic acid bacteria and yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ascorbic acid was determined in pulque and aguamiel, respectively. Phytase activity in lees, liquid and freeze-dried pulque was assayed by measuring the appearance of phosphate from phytate by a colorimetric method likewise phosphate from phytate present in fresh corn tortilla was measured after in vitro incubation with pulque. Iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and selenium contents were measured in pulque and corn tortilla as well as in nixtamalized corn flour (NCF), the latter is used to make instant tortilla, since corn provides most of the energy as well as most of the phytate in the Mexican rural diet. Pulque showed phytase activity but much less ascorbic acid and iron than previously reported; additionally, phytase in pulque hydrolyzed most of phytate’s corn tortilla. Lees, which is mostly made of pulque’s microbiota, significantly accumulated iron and zinc but no selenium. NCF was fortified with iron by the manufacturers but poorly blended. There were significant differences on selenium content between tortillas samples, apparently some soils in central Mexico are selenium deficient. Moderate pulque intake appears to increase the bioavailability of iron and zinc bound by phytate in corn.