CHANGES IN GROWTH AND GENE EXPRESSION INDUCED BY SULFUR DEFICIENCY IN GARLIC

ABSTRACT

Sulfur deficiency in garlic Allium sativum L. caused a reduction in growth together with chlorosis and necrosis of leaves. Large differences in shoot sulfur and sulphate concentrations between deficient and high sulfur treatments were only observed after 54 days growth. Using the mRNA differential display technique, a novel cDNA was isolated from shoots grown in sulfur depleted nutrient solution for 24 days. This novel cDNA was constitutively expressed in the shoots during further growth in sulfur depleted solution, but it was undetectable following 30 days recovery with sulfur supplementation. The cDNA sequence demonstrated a high degree of identity with a coat protein gene of a garlic latent carlavirus. The results suggest a possible relationship between low plant sulfur status and the induction of a latent carlavirus in garlic.     

Estimation of Soil Evaporation During Fallow Seasons to Assess Water Balances for No‐Tillage Crop Rotations

Abstract Estimates of soil evaporation and available soil water of no‐tillage fields under farm conditions are important to assess soil water status at sowing of rainfed grain crops. The objective of this study was to predict stored soil water of no‐tillage fields during the fallow periods following soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and maize (Zea mays L.) crops by accounting for decreased soil evaporation as a result of the residues left on the soil surface. Three simple phenomenological models were used to simulate stored soil water under field conditions at seven locations in Argentina. Two models calculated decreased soil evaporation based on crop residue mass, and the third assumed a constant fractional decrease in bare soil evaporation. All models gave good estimates of soil water content during the fallow periods following a soybean crop. In cases with large quantities of maize residue, however, the models resulted in more water retention in the soil than observed as a consequence of underprediction of soil evaporation. These results indicate that full benefit of crop residue was not being achieved in these fields, probably due to a failure to finely chop and uniformly distribute the crop material on the soil surface.     

改性沥青混凝土原材料质量控制及配合比组成设计

本文结合依宝公路大个岭至万宝公园段施工实例,着重阐述了改性沥青在严寒地区的应用中其材料管理、配合比组成设计两方面的具体实施的经验及体会.     

Overcoming the Stressful Effect of Low pH on Soybean Root Hair Curling using Lipochitooligosacharides

Abstract

Signal molecules are among the major factors required for the legume–bacteria symbiosis. The excretion of signal molecules by plants stimulates the bacterial Nod genes resulting in the production of lipochitooligosacharides (LCOs). LCOs cause root hair deformation (RHD) and induction of nodule cells division, leading to the formation of nodules. The chemical structure of LCOs determines their biochemical activities; for example, removal of the sulfate group can significantly reduce the morphogenic activities of LCOs. Stressful conditions interrupt the excretion of signal molecules by the legumes' roots and consequently the inhibition of LCO production by the bacteria. This research has studied the effect of different concentrations of LCOs on RHD of two soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] cultivars, AC Bravour and Maple Glen, under acidity stress. In the first experiment, two different concentrations of LCO (10^?7 and 10^?6M) and in the second experiment, three different concentrations of LCO (10^?7, 10^?6, and 10^?5M) were added to the soybean roots subjected to the pH levels of 4, 5, 6, and 7 for 24 h. By microscopy observation, the ratios of RHD were determined. Addition of LCOs resulted in RHD in both cultivars. Maple Glen roots responded similarly to different concentrations of LCO, whereas roots of AC Bravour responded differently. The concentration of 10^?5M LCO could inhibit the stressful effect of pH 4 on RHD compared with pH 7 in both cultivars. The significant interaction between LCO and pH suggests that the effect of LCO on RHD may be more significant under higher levels of acidity.     

Amplification,Sequence Analysis and Tissue Expression Detection of FUT2 Gene Coding Regions of Dongchuan Pigs

Porcine alpha (1,2) fucosyltransferase (FUT2) gene was importance in glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-globo series, potentially played a regulatory role during Escherichia coli (E. coli) F18 infection process in weaned piglets. In order to explore sequence structure of porcine FUT2 gene and its biological function, this test amplified FUT2 gene CDS sequence of Dongchuan pigs by PCR, forecasted and analyzed the protein sequences and functional regions of FUT2 gene, its expression level was detected in 11 tissues of 8 Dongchuan weaned piglets in 35 days old at the meantime. The results showed that the CDS sequence of FUT2 gene was 1 023 bp, which encoded 340 amino acids. FUT2 protein was fat-soluble hydrophilic protein, which the structure was not stable, including a transmembrane helix structure, but without signal peptide that suggested the FUT2 protein was a membrane protein;FUT2 protein included 2 N-glycosylation sites (No. 185 and No. 305 amino acids), without O-glycosylation sites, there were 14 potential phosphorylation sites, included 6 Ser, 2 Thr and 6 Tyr, analyzing the functional regions found that the FUT2 protein had a superfamily of conserved domains:FUT1-FUT2-like (58-319 amino acids). The phylogenetic tree result showed that the relative relationship between swine and cattle was relatively close, but was distant from chimpanzee, human, mouse and rat. FUT2 gene was expressed in all 11 tissues of Dongchuan weaned piglets, there were higher expression in digestive tract and immune tissues. The present results suggested that FUT2 gene might play a role to resistance to E. coli F18 in weaned piglets, and might indirectly against E. coli F18 through the synthesis of fucosyltransferase.     

Shift of grain protein composition in bread wheat under summer drought events

Climate change bears the risk of more frequent drought stress in the northern hemisphere with more frequent early summer drought events affecting main grain crops. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is susceptible for such drought events at the flowering and grain filling stages. After drought, the grain yield decrease of three hybrids was about 20% lower compared to three wheat lines analyzed. Wheat grain proteins are classified into four main components such as albumin and globulin, gliadin, and glutenin. The latter two are closely related to the baking quality of flour and might be affected by drought. However, detailed knowledge about the influence of drought on the synthesis of specific storage protein fractions is scarce. By analyzing the grain protein fractions by means of SDS‐PAGE technique, we detected an increase in grain protein content as well as in HMW and some LMW glutenin sub‐fractions. The glutenin fraction seems to be most variable in gene expression under different environmental scenarios such as drought. However, the protein yield as well as the grain yield may be strongly decreased, which might be not acceptable in practice.     

大豆表观接触弹性模量的测定

利用质构仪按照美国农业与生物工程师协会ASAE S368.4DEC2000(R2006)标准,结合大豆的生理结构特点,对2011年东北黑龙江产大豆样品分别从长(L),宽(W),高(H)对应的Z、Y、X三个方向进行了压缩实验,测量了加载载荷与对应变形量的关系,运用SPSS软件对数据进行分析处理.得到大豆的表观接触弹性模量、最大破坏力、最大破坏能、破坏点的变形量、破坏点的变形百分比。     

大豆萌发过程中谷氨酸脱羧酶活性变化研究

研究了大豆在浸泡、萌发两个过程中谷氨酸脱羧酶(GAD)的活力变化。通过测定大豆中γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)的含量变化,间接测定大豆中GAD的活性。结果表明,大豆在25℃,浸泡10h,大豆中的GAD活性达到浸泡中最高水平,酶活性为2.45U。浸泡后的大豆在30℃,萌发40h时,酶活性达到萌发中最高水平,为1.28U。大豆在浸泡和萌发两个状态下,GAD活性较储藏期都有很大提高,且浸泡时酶活总体水平高于萌发期酶活总体水平,其中大豆GAD在25℃,浸泡10h时活性最高,为2.45U。     

Repression of SFRP5 promoter activity by hepatitis B virus X protein

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanism that hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) inhibits the promoter activity of secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5). METHODS: Serial truncated fragments of SFRP5 promoter were amplified and cloned into luciferase reporter vector pGL3-Basic. LO2 cells were transfected with recombinants, and then infected with the adenoviral vector expressing HBx protein (Ad-HBx) or the analogous adenovirus expressing green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP) for control. The infection efficiency was examined under a fluorescence microscope and the activity of SFRP5 promoter was measured by luciferase assay. RESULTS: Truncated fragments of SFRP5 promoter were successfully constructed. Compared with the pGL3-Basic control, the luciferase activity was 6.32±0.04 of the -478 bp~+47 bp fragment, 5.79±0.32 of the -811 bp~+47 bp fragment, 3.59±0.34 of the -1 235 bp~+47 bp fragment, 3.86±0.39 of the -1 677 bp~+47 bp fragment and 3.26±0.42 of the -2 072 bp~+47 bp fragment, respectively. Overexpression of HBx inhibited the activity of SFRP5 promoter. The average inhibitory rates were 44% for -478 bp~+47b, 46% for -811 bp~+47 bp, 28% for -1 235 bp~+47 bp, 24% for -1 677 bp~+47 bp and 40% for -2 072 bp~+47 bp, respectively. CONCLUSION: HBx suppresses the activity of SFRP5 promoter, leading to down-regulation of SFRP5 expression.     

日粮蛋白质水平对松辽黑仔猪生长性能的影响

选用80±3日龄、体重为22.7±1.1kg的松辽黑仔猪27头,随机分为3个处理,每个处理3个重复,每个重复3头仔猪。通过测量日增重、日采食量、料肉比、腹泻程度及日粮蛋白质消化率,分析日粮蛋白质水平对松辽黑仔猪生长性能的影响。实验表明,在日采食量方面3组日粮无显著差异。日增重方面,1周和2周时对照组与实验组有差异,在整个实验期3组日粮无显著差异。料肉比方面,1周时对照组与实验组有差异,在整个实验期3组饲料的料肉比无显著差异。腹泻方面,17.7%组和14.7%组的腹泻情况优于对照组。蛋白质消化率方面,1d、2周、3周时对照组与实验组有差异,在整个实验期3组日粮差异不显著。实验表明,当日粮蛋白含量为17.7%时松辽黑仔猪有较低的腹泻率和较好的生长性能及蛋白质消化率,并能较好的体现松辽黑猪的种质特性。