Characterization of Leptospira infection in suckling and weaning rat pups

Rats are known to be the most important reservoirs of Leptospira spp. However, the leptospiral dose and age at which rats become resistant to Leptospira infection are not yet well elucidated. Aimed to characterize leptospirosis in rat pups, we found that suckling pups (4-, 7-, and 14-day old) are susceptible to leptospires and resistance starts from the weaning age (23-day old). Susceptibility of rat pups was also affected by the infecting dose of the organisms. Jaundice, decrease in body weight, and neurological symptoms prior to moribundity was evident in infected suckling pups. However, 23-day-old infected pups did not manifest any pathological changes and were able to survive the infection similar to adult rats. Based on these results, we propose the suckling rat pup as a novel animal model of human leptospirosis to investigate pathogenesis, development of host resistance, and the mechanisms involved in rats becoming maintenance hosts for leptospires.     

对小麦白粉病菌生理小种三个鉴别寄主的抗性基因分析

采用基因推导法分析了三个鉴别寄主的抗性基因：白免３号和肯贵阿１号含有Ｐｍ４ａ：小白冬麦的抗性受一对隐性基因的控制，其抗谱不同于所有供试单基因系的抗谱。     

Levels of host plant resistance to banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in African Musa germplasm

Forty-five Musa clones, including endemic and introduced cultivars plus hybrids, were evaluated for resistance against the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, in a field trial in Uganda. The predominant groups of staple crops, East African highland bananas (Musa spp. AAA) and plantains (Musaspp. AAB), as well as plantain-derived hybrids (AAB × AA), showed the highest levels of susceptibility to this pest. These were followed by dessert bananas (Musa spp. AAA), exotic bananas (Musa spp. ABB) and finally diploids of M. acuminata (AA). Hybrids of banana origin were highly resistant. Some East African highland cultivars, especially brewing types (e.g., Kabula, Bagandeseza, Ediirira), showed intermediate levels of resistance. Among the non-highland bananas, high levels of resistance were observed in Yangambi-Km5 (AAA), Cavendish (AAA), Gros Michel (AAA), Kayinja (ABB, Pisang Awak subgroup), Ndiizi (AB, Ney Poovan subgroup)and Kisubi (Ney Poovan subgroup). The highest resistance was observed in banana hybrids TMB2×7197-2, TMB2×8075-7 and the wild banana Calcutta-4 (AA). These were considered the best sources of resistance for a weevil resistance-breeding programme with the two hybrids commonly used as improved male parents. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli MT78 invades chicken fibroblasts

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) are responsible for extraintestinal diseases, called colibacillosis, in avian species. The most severe manifestation of the disease is colisepticemia that usually starts at the respiratory tract and may result in bird death. However, it is not yet clear how APEC cross the respiratory epithelium and get into the bloodstream. In this work, we studied the interaction between 8 APEC strains (UEL31, UEL17, UEL13, UEL29, MT78, IMT5155, IMT2470, A2363) and a chicken non-phagocytic cell, the fibroblast CEC-32 cell line. We investigated the association profile, the invasion capability, the cytotoxicity effect and the induction of caspase-3/7 activation in an attempt to understand the way the pathogen gains access to the host bloodstream. Association to cells was determined after 1 h of infection, while cell invasion was determined after 4 and 24 h of infection. The cytotoxic effect of bacterial infection was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and the activation of the apoptotic program was verified by caspase-3/7 activation. Also, the presence of genes for adhesins, invasins and other related virulence-associated factors was verified by PCR. All bacterial strains showed similarity in relation to adhesion, LDH release and caspase-3/7 activation. However, one APEC strain, MT78, showed high invasion capability, comparable to the invasive Salmonella typhimurium strain SL1344. Since an APEC strain was capable of invading non-phagocytic cells in vitro, the same may be happening with the epithelial cells of the avian respiratory tract in vivo. CEC-32 monolayers can also provide a useful experimental model to study the molecular mechanisms used by APEC to invade non-phagocytic cells.     

多主棒孢菌在黄瓜、番茄和茄子寄主上致病力的分化

 对从山东、辽宁和北京蔬菜栽培地采集的黄瓜、番茄及茄子发病组织上分离的31株多主棒孢菌,和从海南橡胶上分离的10株多主棒孢菌,采用喷雾接种的方法,测定其在盆栽黄瓜、番茄和茄子上的致病力。试验结果表明,不同寄主来源菌株的致病力间存在明显的差异,寄主来源同致病力分化之间具有显著的相关性,从而证明多主棒孢菌的种内菌株存在寄主专化性的特征。相同寄主和相同地理来源的病原菌群体中致病力也存在强、中、弱的差异,说明多主棒孢菌具有明显的致病力分化现象。     

Infection processes and soft wheat response to root rot and crown rot caused by Fusarium culmorum

An isolate of the fungus Fusarium culmorum constitutively expressing green fluorescent protein was used to investigate the infection process and host response of primary seedling roots and stem base leaf sheaths of soft wheat cv. Genio. Disease progress was assessed macroscopically by visual symptoms, microscopically by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and via gene expression analysis of fungal and wheat genes by real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR. In the roots, CLSM investigations revealed an initial intercellular and subsequent intracellular colonization by fungal hyphae. The fungus invaded the rhizodermal layer and cortex but was not seen to colonize the stele. The fungus consistently expressed TRI5 (24, 48 and 96 h post‐inoculation), indicating that trichothecenes were being synthesized throughout this phase of infection and colonization. The expression of the six host defence‐associated genes (Wheatwin 1‐2, PR1, Chitinase, PAL, WIR1 and LOX) increased early in infection and decreased during later stages. In the stem base, CLSM observations revealed the fungus sequentially penetrating though the first, second and third basal leaf sheaths. Expression of TRI5 was initiated early in the infection of each leaf sheath. The expression of the host defence‐associated genes varied over time and across leaf sheaths, and all were also expressed in leaf sheaths which had not yet been in contact with the fungus. Expression of LOX and WIR1 were particularly enhanced in the third leaf sheath.     

河北园林蚧虫名录

本文报道了河北地区为害园林植物的蚧虫8科42属73种,同时对其寄主、为害程度及分布作了介绍。     

臭椿、新疆杨混交林对光肩星天牛选择寄主行为的影响

利用3年生臭椿、新疆杨在室内建立混交林进行光肩星天牛成虫放飞试验.结果表明:臭椿、新疆杨混交林对天牛成虫的寄主选择有显著影响,天牛成虫的交尾行为只在新疆杨植株上进行;天牛成虫在林内植株上着落的总虫次随新疆杨株数的减少而下降,交尾次数也减少;臭椿、新疆杨植株数量在林分中所占比例在一定范围时,天牛成虫在新疆杨和臭椿上着落的虫次比均趋于稳定;新疆杨与臭椿以行状3:2和2:3混交时林分的抗虫效果较好.     

紫胶虫优良寄主植物久树的繁殖技术

综述了紫胶虫优良寄主植物及久树繁殖技术的研究进展，特别是久树的种类、生物学、生理学和生态学的研究与进展，提出了寄主植物无性繁殖研究的思路和对策，展望了寄主植物的研究发展方向。