Screening of extracts of Japanese woods for melanin biosynthesis inhibition

The effects of 120 methanol extracts prepared from bark and heartwood of 69 types of Japanese wood on the melanin production of B16 melanoma cells were examined. The melanin content of B16 melanoma cells was determined spectrophotometrically at 405nm. The extracts were also examined for their effects on cell viability. We found that the methanol extracts of Fagus crenata (buna, wood, 100μg/ml), Sapium sebiferum (Nankinhaze, wood, bark, 10μg/ml), and Zelkova serrata (keyaki, wood, 10μg/ml) greatly inhibited the melanin production of B16 melanoma cells without significant cytotoxicity. However, these extracts did not inhibit tyrosinase activity at the concentration of 100μg/ml. These findings indicate that the depigmenting mechanism of these extracts involves the suppression of some pigmenting signals in stimulating melanogenesis rather than the inhibition of tyrosinase activity. Part of this study was presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Fukuoka, Japan, March 2003     

Hypoxia inducible factor 1α expression and effects of its inhibitors in canine lymphoma

Hypoxic conditions in various cancers are believed to relate with their malignancy, and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) has been shown to be a major regulator of the response to low oxygen. In this study, we examined HIF-1α expression in canine lymphoma using cell lines and clinical samples and found that these cells expressed HIF-1α. Moreover, the HIF-1α inhibitors, echinomycin, YC-1 and 2-methoxyestradiol, suppressed the proliferation of canine lymphoma cell lines. In a xenograft model using NOD/scid mice, echinomycin treatment resulted in a dose-dependent regression of the tumor. Our results suggest that HIF-1α contributes to the proliferation and/or survival of canine lymphoma cells. Therefore, HIF-1α inhibitors may be potential agents to treat canine lymphoma.     

脲酶/硝化抑制剂配施氮肥对春玉米农田氨排放的影响

通过两年田间定位试验,探讨脲酶/硝化抑制剂配施氮肥在黑土区玉米体系中的氨减排及氮素增效效果.设置两种耕作模式(条耕和旋耕)和3种氮肥类型(常规尿素、添加脲酶抑制剂尿素、添加硝化抑制剂尿素).结果 表明,条耕产量和氮素利用率分别为8631 kg/hm2和33.4％,明显低于旋耕;氨挥发总量为20.6 kg/hm2,明显高...     

三种新型化合物对草地贪夜蛾海藻糖与几丁质代谢及生长发育的影响

[目的]几丁质是昆虫外骨骼和围食膜的主要成分,其合成始于海藻糖酶(trehalase,TRE),终于几丁质合成酶(chitin synthase,CHS),蜕皮与外表皮重塑过程则需要依靠几丁质酶(chitinase,CHT)完成.本研究通过注射3种新型化合物,检测草地贪夜蛾(Spodoptera frugiperda)...     

土壤脲酶抑制剂正丁基硫代磷酰三胺的作用基团研究

土壤脲酶抑制剂正丁基硫代磷酰三胺(nBPT)是抑制土壤中尿素水解的最有效的化合物之一。分析大连工业大学合成的土壤脲酶抑制剂nBPT抑制脲酶活性的影响因素及作用机理,结果表明:在50°C,pH=5.91时,nBPT的抑制活性达到最大值;在nBPT各结构基团中,正丁基(-NH(CH2)3CH3)、硫基(-S)对nBPT与脲酶的结合起辅助作用,胺基(-NH2)是nBPT与脲酶结合的关键基团,与脲酶活性部位巯基(-SH)结合。土壤脲酶抑制剂nBPT与脲酶的具体结合机理还有待继续研究。     

Effects of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide on soil mineral N, pasture yield, nutrient uptake and pasture quality in a grazed pasture system

Recent lysimeter studies have demonstrated that the nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), can reduce nitrate (NO) leaching losses from cow urine patches in grazed pasture systems. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of fine particle suspension (FPS) DCD on soil mineral N components, pasture yield, nutrient uptake and pasture quality under grazed pasture conditions. A field study was conducted on the Lincoln University dairy farm, Canterbury, New Zealand, from 2002 to 2006. FPS DCD was applied to grazed pasture plots at 10 kg ha^?1 in early May in addition to applied cow urine patches at a nitrogen (N) loading rate of 1000 kg N ha^?1, with DCD reapplied in early August. Soil mineral N levels in the urine patches were monitored. Pasture yield, N and cation concentrations and uptake were measured in treatment urine patches and inter‐urine areas of the pasture. Comparisons were made with control plots which did not receive DCD. NO levels under the DCD‐treated urine patches (0–7.5 cm) were in the order of 10 kg N ha^?1 compared with 40–80 kg N ha^?1 under untreated patches, and soil ammonium (NH) levels were consistently higher under the DCD‐treated patches. The DCD significantly and consistently increased pasture yield in both the urine patches, and inter‐urine areas of the pasture in all 4 years of the trial. Mean annual dry matter (DM) yields over 4 years were inter‐urine areas, 10.3; inter‐urine + DCD, 12.4; urine, 12.4 and urine +DCD 16.0 t DM ha^?1, representing an average DM yield increase of 20 and 29% in inter‐urine and urine patch areas, respectively. On a whole paddock basis, the increase in annual DM yield resulting from DCD application was estimated to be 21%. N, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) concentrations in pasture were unaffected by treatment with DCD; however, total annual uptake of these nutrients by pasture was significantly higher in all years where DCD had been applied. Pasture DM, protein, carbohydrate, metabolizable energy and fibre levels and sward clover content were not affected by treatment with DCD. The results demonstrate the agronomic value of the DCD treatment in addition to the environmental benefits in a grazed pasture system.     

Cross-resistance profile of mesosulfuron-methyl-resistant Italian ryegrass in the southern United States

Diclofop-resistant Lolium species (ryegrass) is a major weed problem in wheat production worldwide. This study was conducted to determine the resistance pattern of diclofop-resistant ryegrass accessions from the southern United States to mesosulfuron-methyl, a recently commercialized herbicide for ryegrass control in wheat; to determine the cross-resistance pattern of a Lolium multiflorum Lam. (Italian ryegrass) accession, 03-1, to acetolactate synthase (ALS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors; and to determine the resistance mechanism of Italian ryegrass to mesosulfuron-methyl. Seventeen ryegrass accessions from Arkansas and Louisiana, including standard resistant and susceptible accessions, were used in this experiment. Fourteen of the 17 accessions were more resistant (four- to > 308-fold) to diclofop than the standard susceptible biotype. One accession, 03-1, was resistant to mesosulfuron-methyl as well as to other ALS inhibitor herbicides such as chlorsulfuron, imazamox and sulfometuron. Accession 03-1, however, did not show multiple resistance to the ACCase inhibitor herbicides diclofop, fluazifop, clethodim, sethoxydim and pinoxaden, nor to glyphosate. The in vivo ALS activity of the 03-1 biotype was less affected by mesosulfuron-methyl than the susceptible biotype. This indicates that the resistance mechanism of Italian ryegrass to mesosulfuron-methyl is partly due to an alteration in the target enzyme, ALS. It is concluded that diclofop-resistant ryegrass in the southern United States can be generally controlled by mesosulfuron-methyl. However, mesosulfuron-methyl must be used with caution because not all ryegrass populations are susceptible to it. There is a need for more thorough profiling of ryegrass resistance to herbicides.     

Propanil and swep inhibit 4-coumarate:CoA ligase activity in vitro

4-Coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL, EC 6.2.1.12) in the phenylpropanoid pathway in plants has attracted interest as a novel target for developing effective plant growth inhibitors (PGIs). In a previous study in which the 4CL inhibitory activity of 28 existing herbicides was investigated using an optimized in vitro screening assay, 4CL activity was found to be strongly inhibited by propanil and swep at 100 microM. Here, further experimental evidence is provided to substantiate the previous result. Using 4-coumaric acid as substrate, tobacco 4CL activity was inhibited by propanil or swep in a concentration-dependent manner, with 50% inhibition concentrations (I(50)) of 39.6 and 6 microM respectively. These herbicides also exhibited uncompetitive inhibition towards 4-coumaric acid. Furthermore, 4CLs from several plant species were inhibited by the herbicides within a range from 1 to 50 microM. It is proposed that these herbicides have another site of action as a result of the inhibition of 4CL in the phenylpropanoid pathway, and this enzyme represents a new target site for the development of PGI.     

氮素调控对玉米氮素同化过程及产量的影响

氮素调控措施与作物氮素吸收利用和产量密切相关,但目前关于不同氮素调控措施对玉米主要生育期氮素同化过程的影响仍不清楚。以郑单958为试验材料,设置不施氮肥（CK）、传统施肥（CN）、氮肥+生物炭（SN）和氮肥+硝化抑制剂DMPP（DN）4个处理,分析不同氮素调控对玉米氮素同化过程中铵态氮和硝态氮含量、硝酸还原酶（NR）和谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）活性、游离氨基酸和可溶性蛋白含量以及氮素利用率和产量的影响。结果表明：DN和SN处理较传统施肥处理均可以提高玉米植株体内硝态氮和铵态氮含量、NR和GS活性;DN和SN处理显著提高灌浆期谷氨酸、游离氨基酸和可溶性蛋白含量;DN处理成熟期籽粒的氮素积累量显著高于SN和CN处理,分别显著增加18.4%和30.0%;DN处理产量最高,SN次之,二者并无显著差异,但相较CN处理分别显著增产1 483.0和1 154.2 kg·hm^-2。两种氮素调控均促进了玉米对氮素的吸收,显著提高氮肥吸收利用率,其中硝化抑制剂处理氮肥吸收利用率最高且显著高于其他处理。综上,生物炭或硝化抑制剂配施氮肥,可以促进玉米氮素同化和转运过程,显著提高玉米产量和氮肥利用效率,综合产量、籽粒氮素积累量和氮肥吸收利用率,硝化抑制剂配施氮肥可作为淮河流域玉米高产高效的栽培措施。     

重金属铊胁迫下水稻（Oryza sativa L.）根系草酸含量与铊吸收的关系

铊（Tl）作为一种非必需、高毒性重金属元素,会干扰植物的正常发育,并在食物链中引起严重的毒性积累。根系分泌有机酸在抗重金属污染中起着重要作用。为研究铊胁迫下的植物根系有机酸分泌特征与重金属吸收的关系,利用水培法对Tl胁迫下水稻（Oryza sativa L.）植株草酸分泌和Tl分布特征进行检测和分析,研究不同抑制剂对水稻草酸含量及Tl含量的影响,并分析水稻内部草酸含量与Tl吸收及分布的相关性。结果显示,Tl胁迫浓度从10 μmol·L^-1提高到25 μmol·L^-1,水稻根系外分泌的草酸量呈上升趋势;但随着铊胁迫时间的延长,草酸分泌量又逐渐减少。阴离子通道抑制剂苯基乙二醛（PG）和尼氟酸（NIF）显著抑制根系外泌草酸含量,NIF的抑制作用强于PG。根比叶积累更多的Tl,其中根细胞质是储存Tl的主要部位。水稻根系内草酸含量与植株Tl含量呈极显著正相关（r=0.923,P<0.01),表明水稻根系内部草酸含量对水稻植株耐受Tl具有重要作用。