Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 as a potential biological control agent for carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia: susceptibility of non‐target species

Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is a pest species in Australian waterways, and cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) is being considered as a potential biological control (biocontrol) agent. An important consideration for any such agent is its target specificity. In this study, the susceptibility to CyHV‐3 of a range of non‐target species (NTS) was tested. The NTS were as follows: 13 native Australian, and one introduced, fish species; a lamprey species; a crustacean; two native amphibian species (tadpole and mature stages); two native reptilian species; chickens; and laboratory mice. Animals were exposed to 100–1000 times the approximate minimum amount of CyHV‐3 required to cause disease in carp by intraperitoneal and/or bath challenge, and then examined clinically each day over the course of 28 days post‐challenge. There were no clinical signs, mortalities or histological evidence consistent with a viral infection in a wide taxonomic range of NTS. Furthermore, there was no molecular evidence of infection with CyHV‐3, and, in particular, all RT‐PCRs for viral mRNA were negative. As a consequence, the results encourage further investigation of CyHV‐3 as a potential biocontrol agent that is specific for carp.     

设施农田土壤重金属污染评价及分区阈值研究

设施农田高强度的耕作模式使土壤重金属累积日益加重，因地制宜地确定其土壤重金属目标值与筛选值对设施农田可持续生产意义重大。本文以石家庄、衡水与唐山为研究区，基于土壤重金属污染风险和生态风险评价，用熵权法得出综合风险等级并确定重金属污染分区阈值。结果表明土壤Cd、Cu、Zn污染最严重，高风险区占比达40.57%。研究区设施农田土壤Cd、Cu、Pb、Zn全量与有效态的目标值分别为0.12、40.17、19.23、116.03 mg·kg^-1与0.02、4.19、0.59、8.80 mg·kg^-1；筛选值分别为0.40、90.27、38.33、170.68 mg·kg^-1与0.11、11.77、1.55、14.24 mg·kg^-1。基于综合评价结果反推分区阈值的方法简单便捷，重金属全量与有效态的目标值及筛选值的确定为研究区设施农田重金属污染的预防提供了多方位的指导。     

mTOR kinase inhibitor CC-223 suppresses human breast cancer cell viability

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of CC-223, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase, on the viability of human breast cancer cells and its mechanism. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of CC-223 on the viability of MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. The cell cycle distribution of breast cancer cells was examined by flow cytometry. The expression of cell cycle-related proteins and oncoproteins c-Myc and survivin was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: CC-223 significantly inhibited the viability of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0.05). CC-223 induced cell cycle arrest in both G₁ phase and G₂/M phase in the MCF-7 cells (P<0.05). However, low concentration of CC-223 treatment resulted in the accumulation of MDA-MB-231 cell cycle in the G₂/M phase, and the cell number in G₁ phase was unaffected. Treatment with CC-223 for 24 h clearly inhibited the protein levels of cyclin B1, cyclin D1 and phosphorylated cell division cycle protein 2 in the breast cancer cells (P<0.05). CC-223 suppressed the expression of c-Myc and survivin in both MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CC-223 inhibits cell viability by blocking cell cycle progression and down-regulating expression of c-Myc and survivin in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells.     

‘越心’草莓组培突变体着色差异的分子机理初探

初步探讨了在‘越心’草莓（Fragaria × ananassa‘Yuexin’）茎尖离体培养再生植株中发现的稳定变异突变体着色差异的分子机理。分析结果显示，突变体与‘越心’在植株形态、始花期、始果期、始熟期、单果质量、平均株产、果形、风味等方面均无明显差异；而突变体外果皮色泽较淡，L*值较高，a*值较低，H色度角值较大，颜色指数CIRG显著小，且果肉不着色（‘越心’果肉红色）。突变体果实总花青苷含量为‘越心’的13.2%，其中以天竺葵素–3–O–葡萄糖苷（Pg3G）含量差异最大，突变体Pg3G含量仅为‘越心’的12.9%。花青苷合成途径结构基因FaF3H、FaCHS、FaDFR、FaANS、FaCHI、Fa3GT的表达水平在突变体中显著降低，这可能是突变体成熟果实花青苷水平显著低于‘越心’的直接原因。FaMYB10和FaMYB1在突变体中的表达水平显著下降，且FaMYB10在几个主成分中的特征向量绝对值均显著较高，进一步证实了MYB10是草莓成熟过程中花青苷合成的类黄酮或苯丙烷类化合物途径主要调节因子之一。提取叶片基因组DNA进行基于KASP标记的基因分型结果显示，74对KASP引物在‘越心’草莓及其突变体中的基因分型不存在差异。本结果初步证实突变导致参与调控花青苷合成途径的关键基因表达发生显著下调从而使花青苷积累显著减少，果实着色变淡。     

柠檬新品种‘黄绣球’

‘黄绣球’是从沃尔卡姆柠檬芽变培育而来的柠檬新品种。树姿呈开张状，春梢刺少且刺长度适中；嫩叶中间绿色，外缘淡红色；部分成熟叶外缘黄色，中间绿色。果实圆形且表面光滑，幼果果面呈黄绿相间带状条纹，转色期绿色部分变为橙色，果面橙黄相间，完全成熟后果面以黄色为主，留红色斑点。具有较高的观赏价值，适合制作盆景。     

H9N2禽流感病毒全基因组密码子使用偏好性及影响因素分析

【目的】探究H9N2禽流感病毒(AIV)全基因组的密码子使用偏好性及影响因素。【方法】选取2010—2018年国内H9N2 AIV流行毒株的全基因组为研究对象,分析其碱基组成特性、最优密码子、密码子使用偏好性的影响因素以及病毒对宿主密码子使用模式的适应性。【结果】H9N2 AIV的全基因组中AU含量高于GC。大部分最优密码子以A或U结尾,有效密码子数(ENC)平均值为52.86,提示存在密码子使用偏好性但偏好性较低。密码子使用偏好性主要受到突变压力和自然选择的共同作用,其中自然选择(所占比例为61.79%～76.15%)作用大于突变压力(所占比例为23.85%～38.21%)。H9N2 AIV对人Homo sapiens的密码子适应指数平均值为0.739～0.741,提示H9N2AIV禽流感病毒可能已适应人类的密码子使用模式。【结论】本研究为H9N2 AIV的基因进化分析、已有疫苗的密码子优化和新型疫苗(密码子去优化疫苗)研制提供了理论依据。     

Plant somatic mutations in nature conferring insect and herbicide resistance

Because of the role of the meristem in plant growth and reproduction, somatic mutations in plants have long been suspected of conferring herbivore and pathogen resistance on individual plants and, in the case of trees, individual branches within single plants. A few instances of resistance to phytophagous insects owing to somatic mutations have been reported in the literature. More recently, a striking example has demonstrated how somatic mutations confer resistance to an herbicide on an invasive plant, Hydrilla verticillata. The array of new methods for manipulating genomes (e.g., gene‐editing) plus existing examples of somatic mutation‐associated resistance suggest that such mutations might be useful in silviculture, agriculture, and horticulture. Answering several general questions about somatic mutations in plants would facilitate such applications: Why are so few examples reported? Do other cases exist but go undetected for want of adequate attention or methods? Under what circumstances do somatic mutations enter gametophytes? © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry