Effects of genes increasing the number of spikelets per panicle,TAW1 and APO1, on yield and yield-related traits in rice

The genes TAWAWA1 (TAW1) and ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION1 (APO1) increase the number of spikelets per panicle (SN). In the present study, we examined the effects of these genes on morphological traits, yield, and yield-related traits including yield components using the near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the genetic background of a japonica rice variety, Koshihikari – NIL-taw1, NIL-apo1-D3, and NIL-apo1-D4 – in a field experiment. The SN and total number of spikelets per area of the three NILs were larger than those of Koshihikari. However, the yield of the three NILs did not exceed that of Koshihikari due to their low filling ability. Interestingly, our field experiments indicated that TAW1 did not affect the diameter of internodes and the PN, whereas APO1 decreased the PN and increased the diameter of internodes. These results suggest that TAW1 and APO1 differently affect yield-related traits.     

Dietary α‐linolenic acid affects lipid metabolism and tissue fatty acid profile and induces apoptosis in intraperitoneal adipose tissue of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

A 56‐day feeding trial was conducted to elucidate the effects and mechanism action of dietary α‐linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n‐3) on lipid accumulation and fatty acid profile of muscle, hepatopancreas and intraperitoneal fat (IPF) in juvenile grass carp using three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic semi‐purified diets containing 0.0% (control group), 1.0% and 2.0% ALA, respectively. The lowest intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio was found in 2.0% group. In the muscle, hepatopancreas and IPF, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3) contents increased with the increase in dietary ALA. In the IPF, caspase 3, caspase 8 and caspase 9 showed the highest activities in 2.0% group, while the value of Bcl‐2/Bax (B‐cell leukaemia 2/Bcl‐2‐associated X protein) reached the lowest. Meanwhile, swelling of the IPF mitochondria was observed in 2.0% group. The gene expressions of fatty acid desaturase (FAD) and fatty acid elongase (ELO) in the hepatopancreas and muscle showed significantly higher levels in the treatment groups, whereas an opposite trend was existed in the IPF. Fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c) in the IPF and hepatopancreas reached the lowest in 2.0% group. Overall, dietary ALA could promote n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) synthesis and suppress the accumulation of lipid by decreasing the expression of related genes and promoting the apoptosis in IPF.     

Replication of neurovirulent equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) in CD172a+ monocytic cells

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is responsible for respiratory disorders, abortion and myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in horses. Two pathotypes of EHV-1 strains are circulating in the field: neurovirulent (N) and non-neurovirulent (NN). For both strains, CD172a⁺ monocytic cells are one of the main carrier cells of EHV-1 during primary infection, allowing the virus to invade the horse’s body. Recently, we showed that EHV-1 NN strains showed a restricted and delayed replication in CD172a⁺ cells. Here we characterize the in vitro replication kinetics of two EHV-1 N strains in CD172a⁺ cells and investigate if the replication of these strains is similarly silenced as shown for EHV-1 NN strains. We found that EHV-1 N replication was restricted to 7–8% in CD172a⁺ cells compared to 100% in control RK-13 cells. EHV-1 N replication was not delayed in CD172a⁺ cells but virus production was significant lower (10^3.0 TCID₅₀/10⁵ inoculated cells) than in RK-13 cells (10^8.5 TCID₅₀/10⁵ inoculated cells). Approximately 0.04% of CD172a⁺ cells produced and transmitted infectious EHV-1 to neighbour cells compared to 65% of RK-13 cells. Unlike what we observed for the NN strain, pretreatment of CD172a⁺ cells with histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACi) did not influence the replication of EHV-1 N strains in these cells. Overall, these results show that the EHV-1 replication of N strains in CD172a⁺ cells differs from that observed for NN strains, which may contribute to their different pathogeneses in vivo.     

保护地黄瓜新品种唐杂6 号的选育

唐杂6 号是以雌性系S16 为母本，以自交系S26 为父本配制的强雌型黄瓜一代杂种。生长势强，商品瓜短棒状， 瓜长12～14 cm，横径4.0～4.3 cm，非特异性环境下雌花率95% 以上，瓜皮嫩绿有光泽，白刺，刺瘤稀小，平均单瓜质量 131.8 g 左右，高抗霜霉病，抗细菌性角斑病，耐白粉病；春保护地栽培平均产量可达8 000 kg·（667 m²） ^-1，秋冬保护地栽 培产量可达6 500 kg·（667 m²） ^-1；适合河北、北京、天津及东北地区春、秋保护地种植。     

苦瓜新品种淮农青1号的选育

为了选育早熟、产量高、抗病性强、微苦的苦瓜新品种,以B19强雌系为母本,以B118苦瓜自交系为父本,进行杂交、分离后,经系统选育,培育出苦瓜新品种——淮农青1号。其早熟,果皮翠绿色,长纺锤形,口感脆嫩;前期平均667 m2产量1 126.2 kg,比对照增产25.5%,平均667 m~2总产量达2 740.8 kg,比对照增产26.3%;中抗白粉病,适合江苏省春季大棚栽培。     

1-MCP处理对“丽格”海棠果实采后生理及品质的影响

以"丽格"海棠果实为试材,研究经1.0μL/L的1-MCP处理后,室温(20±1)℃条件下贮藏的海棠果实品质和生理变化,并利用主成分对采后测定的各项生理指标进行分析。结果表明,与不加1-MCP的对照组相比,1-MCP处理可保持海棠果实硬度,抑制可溶性固形物(TSS)含量的升高,减缓VC含量的降低、果皮叶绿素的分解和过氧化物酶(POD)活性的下降,降低呼吸强度和乙烯生成速率,有效地延缓果实衰老,使海棠果更耐贮藏。主成分分析在特征值大于1时将经1-MCP处理后的海棠果实8个生理指标综合为2个因子,累积方差贡献率达到84.44%,其中第1主成分主要代表果肉硬度和叶绿素信息,第2主成分主要代表乙烯释放量信息。     

木薯(Manihot esculenta)AKT1基因的克隆及生物信息学分析

植物细胞中的K^+通道蛋白AKT1(Arabidopsis K^+transpoter 1)主要负责吸收K^+。本研究基于木薯基因组数据库信息,利用PCR技术从木薯中克隆一个MeAKT1基因,该基因全长2634 bp,编码877个氨基酸,生物信息学分析表明MeAKT1含有10个外显子和9个内含子,编码的氨基酸分子量为99.02 kD,等电点为8.43,属于稳定蛋白。MeAKT1包含有5个跨膜区域,N端含有1个Ion_trans结构域,C端有1个KHA结构域,其二级结构以α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为主,进化树分析发现MeAKT1与蓖麻RcAKT1的亲缘关系最近。通过对MeAKT1蛋白的生物信息学分析有助于下一步深入研究MeAKT1在木薯耐贫瘠过程中的功能。     

干鲜两用辣椒新品种‘安椒12’的选育

‘安椒12’是以‘m 99-6’为母本‘、538’为父本配制而成的杂交1代辣椒新品种。该品种生育期185 d左右,中早熟,始花节位8~10节;果实线形,果长22~25 cm,横径1.8~2.0 cm,平均单果质量21 g,最大单果质量36 g,连续坐果性强,最多可连续不间断坐果136个;早春栽培前期平均667 m^2产量900~1 200 kg,667 m^2总产量3 500~4 500 kg;产量高,抗性强,嫩果绿色,老果红色,适合鲜食和加工。适宜在河南、河北等省春季保护地或春季露地种植。2010年被评为河南省科技进步三等奖;2018年通过了非主要农作物品种登记。     

Growth performance of Black Bengal,Saanen, and their crossbred F1 as affected by sex,litter size,and season of kidding

The objective of the present study was to determine the factors that influenced growth performance of the goat kids of Black Bengal (BB), Saanen (SA), and their crossbred F1 (male Bengal × female Saanen [BBSA] and male Saanen × female Black Bengal [SABB]). Data for 674 kids were analyzed from 316 litters and 134 does. All kids were weekly measured on their characteristics (body weight, length, height at the withers, and chest girth) from birth to 11 weeks old. The kid’s breed and sex, litter size, and season of kidding influenced birth weight and other characteristics through the experiment. The SA and BBSA kids showed similar performance, which were higher than BB and SABB kids. Male kids had higher performance than female kids, and kids from a single litter showed the highest performance. Kids born during rainy season showed lower performance than those born in hot and cool seasons. In conclusion, the crossbred BBSA is superior to SABB or BB to raise in tropical climate Moreover, sex, litter size, and kidding season also affected growth performance during the preweaning period up to 11 weeks old.     

Notch1 promotes renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in renal tissues of diabetic mice by inhibiting autophagy through Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

AIM: To observe the changes of Notch1 expression and autophagy in the renal tissues of diabetic mice, and to explore the regulatory effect of Notch1 on tubulointerstitial fibrosis by inhibiting autophagy in diabetic nephro-pathy. METHODS: The mice were randomly divided into normal control group (db/m mice) and diabetes group (db/db mice), with 8 rats in each group. After 12 weeks of feeding, the mice were sacrificed and the corresponding biochemical indexes were measured. The protein expression of Notch1 in the renal tubular epithelial cells was observed by immunohistochemical staining. The protein levels of Notch1, PTEN, p-Akt (Thr308), Akt, p-mTOR (Ser2448), mTOR, LC3, P62, collagen type Ⅰ (Col-Ⅰ) and collagen type Ⅲ (Col-Ⅲ) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the db/m mice, the blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum creatinine, triglyceride and total cholesterol were increased in the db/db mice (P<0.01). Renal tubular epithelial cell vacuolar degeneration, renal tubular expansion and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration in db/db mouse renal tissues with HE staining were observed. The images of Masson staining showed collagenous fiber-like substance deposition in the glomerular capillaries and renal interstitium, and disarrangement of tubular structure in the renal tissues of db/db mice. The protein expression levels of PTEN and LC3-Ⅱ were decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05), while the protein levels of Notch1, P62, p-mTOR (Ser2448), p-Akt (Thr308), Col-I and Col-III were increased in the db/db mice as compared with the db/m mice (P<0.01). However, no significant change of total mTOR and Akt proteins between the 2 groups was found. CONCLUSION: Notch1 protein expression was increased, PTEN expression was significantly reduced, Akt/mTOR pathway was activated, autophagy was inhibited, and fibrosis was aggravated in the renal tissues of the diabetic mice.