Quantitative trait loci for fruit size and flowering time-related traits under domestication and diversifying selection in cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

In cucumber, the genetic basis of traits under domestication and/or diversifying selection is not well understood. Here, we reported QTL mapping for flowering time and fruit size-related traits with segregating populations derived from a cultivated × wild cross. Phenotypic data of flowering time (FT), fruit size (FS), fruit number (FN) and fruit weight per plant (FW) were collected in multiple environments. QTL analysis identified 19 QTL for these traits. We found that the major-effect QTL FT1.1 played an important role in regulating flowering time in cultivated cucumber, whereas the minor-effect QTL FT6.3 contributed to photoperiod sensitive flowering time during domestication. Two novel consensus FS QTL, FS1.4 and FS2.3, seem to be the targets of selection during breeding for the US processing cucumber. All other FS QTL were co-localized with previously detected QTL using populations derived from cultivated cucumbers, suggesting that they were under selection during both initial domestication and subsequent improvement. Results from this study also suggested that the wild cucumber is a useful resource for capturing positive transgressive segregation and novel alleles that could be explored in cucumber breeding.     

Variation and heritability of morphological and physiological traits among Leymus chinensis genotypes under different environmental conditions

Intraspecific trait variation and heritability in different environmental conditions not only suggest a potential for an evolutionary response but also have important ecological consequences at the population, community, and ecosystem levels. However, the contribution of quantitative trait variation within a grassland species to evolutionary responses or ecological consequences is seldom documented. Leymus chinensis is an important dominant species in semi-arid grasslands of China, which has seriously suffered from drought and high temperature stresses in recent decades. In the present study, we measured variation and heritability of 10 quantitative traits, namely the number of tillers, maximum shoot height, number of rhizomes, maximum rhizome length, rhizome mass, aboveground mass, root mass, maximum net photosynthetic rate(Pmax), specific leaf area(SLA), and leaf length to leaf width ratio(LL/LW), for 10 genotypes of L. chinensis under one non-stress(Ck) condition and three environmental stress conditions(i.e., drought(Dr), high temperature(Ht), and both drought and high temperature(DrHt)). Result indicated that(1) the interaction of genotype and environmental condition(G×E) was significant for 6 traits but not significant for the other 4 traits as shown by two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA), suggesting that different selection forces were placed for different traits on the factors dominating phenotypic responses to different environmental conditions. Moreover, these significant G×E effects on traits indicated significantly different phenotypic adaptive responses among L. chinensis genotypes to different environmental conditions. Additionally, individuals could be grouped according to environmental condition rather than genotype as shown by canonical discriminant analysis, indicating that environmental condition played a more important role in affecting phenotypic variation than genotype;(2) by one-way ANOVA, significant differences among L. chinensis genotypes were found in all 10 traits under Ck and Dr conditions, in 8 traits under Dr Ht condition and only in 4 traits under Ht condition; and(3) all 10 traits showed relatively low or non-measurable broad-sense heritability(H_2) under stress conditions. However, the lowest H_2 value for most traits did not occur under DrHt condition, which supported the hypothesis of 'unfavorable conditions have unpredictable effects' rather than 'unfavorable conditions decrease heritability'. Results from our experiment might aid to improve predictions on the potential impacts of climate changes on L. chinensis and eventually species conservation and ecosystem restoration.     

Identification and verification of quantitative trait loci for eating and cooking quality of rice (Oryza sativa)

This study was conducted to identify new quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that have stable effects for eating and cooking quality (ECQ) of rice. Three recombinant inbred line populations of indica rice were each planted in two years. Three traits for ECQ, amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC) and alkali spreading value (ASV), were measured for QTL analysis. A total of 13 QTLs were detected, including four for AC, six for ASV and three for GC. Two QTLs, qGC4 in the interval RM16252–RM335 on the short arm of chromosome 4 and qGC6.2 in the Alk region, were validated in a population derived from a residual heterozygote that was homozygous at the major locus Wx. In the absence of segregation at the Wx locus, qGC4 and qGC6.2 had additive effects of 2.46 and 8.18 mm, respectively, offering a potential for improving GC property of rice varieties. Comparison between qGC4 and previous results suggests that qGC4 is likely a new QTL for GC, providing a candidate for gene cloning and functional characterization.     

长期继代培养的转基因苹果外源基因遗传及表达稳定性分析

为研究长期继代培养的转基因苹果组培苗中外源基因的遗传及表达稳定性，以继代培养9年的7个转GFP(绿色荧光蛋白)基因苹果株系组培苗为试材，分析转基因株系对Kan(卡那霉素)的抗性、DNA水平、转录水平和转录后水平GFP基因的遗传及表达稳定性。结果表明，在7个苹果转基因株系组培苗中均可检测出GFP特异基因片段，并且均可在含有50 mg/L卡那霉素的培养基上正常生长；绝对定量qRT-PCR检测发现，各转化株系GFP基因拷贝数并不相同；利用相对定量qRT-PCR法检测发现7个株系中GFP基因 mRNA表达量有明显差异，同时荧光显微镜下观察各转化株系叶片，绿色荧光强度有明显差异，利用SPSS软件对7个转基因株系中GFP基因拷贝数与GFP mRNA表达量相关性分析结果呈无显著相关性。以上结果表明，外源基因可以在长期继代培养的转基因苹果组培苗中保持其遗传稳定性，但不同转化株系中外源基因的表达量有显著差异，其表达量与拷贝数无显著相关，可能与外源基因在植物基因组中的插入位点有关。     

柑橘黄龙病菌浓度对琼中绿橙果实品质的影响

为了定量衡量黄龙病菌量对琼中绿橙果实品质的影响，本实验以采自海南琼中橘园中感染了柑橘黄龙病的琼中绿橙为实验材料，用实时荧光定量PCR相对定量的方法测定果实中柑橘黄龙病菌的浓度，同时对果实品质的8个外在指标（果实纵经、横径、果形指数、单果重、果皮率、残渣率、种子数量、种子重量）和5个内在指标（果汁率、可食率、可溶性固形物含量、可滴定酸含量、固酸比）进行测定，研究黄龙病菌浓度对琼中绿橙果实品质的影响。结果表明：随着琼中绿橙果实中柑橘黄龙病菌浓度的增大，果实外观品质变化明显的指标包括果实纵经、果形指数、单果重（p<0.05），其中果实纵经呈现明显下降趋势，从64.97mm下降到57.44mm，相对较少11.59%；果形指数呈现明显上升趋势，从0.83上升到0.94，相对增多13.25%；单果重呈现下降趋势，从166.35g下降到109.66g，相对较少34.08%；果实横径、果皮率、残渣率、种子数量、种子重量等指标变化不明显。随着琼中绿橙果实中柑橘黄龙病菌浓度的增大，果实内在品质变化明显的指标为可溶性固形物含量，可溶性固形物含量呈现明显下降趋势（P<0.05），从9.65%下降到8.19%，相对减少15.13%；果汁率、可食率、可滴定酸含量和TSS/TA没有明显变化。结论：在黄龙病菌浓度增加的情况下，琼中绿橙在果实外观、内在品质等多个指标呈现下降趋势。研究结果为定量评价黄龙病对柑橘果实的影响提供参考。     

Detection and quantification of Aeromonas salmonicida in fish tissue by real‐time PCR

Furunculosis, a septicaemic infection caused by the bacterium Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, currently causes problems in Danish seawater rainbow trout production. Detection has mainly been achieved by bacterial culture, but more rapid and sensitive methods are needed. A previously developed real‐time PCR assay targeting the plasmid encoded aopP gene of A. salmonicida was, in parallel with culturing, used for the examination of five organs of 40 fish from Danish freshwater and seawater farms. Real‐time PCR showed overall a higher frequency of positives than culturing (65% of positive fish by real‐time PCR compared to 30% by a culture approach). Also, no real‐time PCR‐negative samples were found positive by culturing. A. salmonicida was detected by real‐time PCR, though not by culturing, in freshwater fish showing no signs of furunculosis, indicating possible presence of carrier fish. In seawater fish examined after an outbreak and antibiotics treatment, real‐time PCR showed the presence of the bacterium in all examined organs (1–482 genomic units mg^?1). With a limit of detection of 40 target copies (1–2 genomic units) per reaction, a high reproducibility and an excellent efficiency, the present real‐time PCR assay provides a sensitive tool for the detection of A. salmonicida.     

利用荚果厚度模拟大豆鼓粒进程的研究

大豆籽粒发育可分为鼓粒期和籽粒归圆期,探究无损伤检测鼓粒进程的指标对大豆相关研究具有重要意义。本研究以青鲜819-4、冀豆17、鲁96150和V94-3971为试验材料,通过分期播种、连续测定标记花荚的荚果厚度,分期收获同日标记的大豆籽粒并进行发芽率测定,研究大豆鼓粒期荚果厚度变化。结果表明:1)鼓粒期鲜荚皮厚度基本保持恒定,因此荚果厚度可用于度量籽粒厚度的变化。荚果厚度(y)与开花后日数(x)的关系可以用二次函数(y=ax2+bx+c)进行有效模拟。利用模拟函数可以对大豆鼓粒始期、最大荚果厚度出现期、鼓粒持续期以及平均鼓粒速率等进行有效预测。荚果最大厚度可用作判定大豆籽粒开始具备发芽能力的外观指标。2)荚果厚度变化受材料特性和外界环境的共同影响。同一材料不同时期标记的花荚,荚果厚度增速趋势可能有差异,因此在大豆籽粒灌浆特性研究中,同日标记花荚是籽粒灌浆特性研究中一项必要的控制措施。3)不同材料鼓粒特性存在差异,选择鼓粒启动早、鼓粒速度快的大豆品种是可行的。荚果厚度有望成为研究大豆灌浆特性和适时早收的无损伤选择指标。     

杨树组织特异性强启动子的筛选

为了筛选到具有木质部组织特异性并有较强功能的启动子，将河北林木种质资源与森林保护重点实验室前期已获得的MDCesA启动子、JCesAP启动子、DMDCesAP启动子（含2个串联MDCesAP启动子）融合GUS报告基因的pMDCesAP-GUS、pJCesAP-GUS、pDMDCesAP-GUS这3个植物表达载体，通过农杆菌介导转化杨树，对转化后的杨树进行GUS活性的定性及荧光定量检测，以比较3个启动子在转基因植物中的表达能力和水平。筛选到的组织特异启动子与抗天牛基因融合，将提高毒蛋白在相应部位的表达量，这对天牛类蛀干害虫的防治具有重大意义。     

鼠源细胞TaqMan实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立

为对鼠源细胞进行鉴别检测,以鼠线粒体16S rRNA基因序列为靶位点设计特异性引物及探针,建立实时荧光定量PCR检测方法,并评价该方法的特异性及敏感性。结果显示,所建立的检测方法特异性好,针对鼠源细胞基因组荧光定量PCR扩增曲线良好,其他物种来源细胞基因组及生物制品原辅材料未出现特异性扩增曲线;敏感性高,基因拷贝数检出限度为45.3拷贝。本试验建立的荧光定量PCR检测方法能够有效地对鼠源细胞进行快速检测,为细胞质量控制提供了有效方法。     

Chronic progressive lymphoedema in draught horses

The objective of this review was to summarise and evaluate the current state of knowledge about chronic progressive lymphoedema in draught horses. Clinical signs of this multifactorial disorder are mainly restricted to the lower limbs, comprising progressively deteriorating skin, swelling and deformation. Although typical lesions were first reported at the beginning of the 20th century, chronic progressive lymphoedema was recognised as a specific syndrome only in 2003, and since then research has driven forward. Despite the high prevalence in some breeds and the serious economic impact, the pathogenesis is not fully understood, and the available treatment options remain symptomatic and noncurative. There is a need to improve diagnostic techniques and to develop selection tools.