The M43 domain-containing metalloprotease RcMEP1 in Rhizoctonia cerealis is a pathogenicity factor during the fungus infection to wheat

Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) is an important staple crop for global human. The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is the causal pathogen of sharp eyespot, a devastating disease of wheat. Herein, we identified RcMEP1, a zinc metalloproteaseencoding gene from R. cerealis genomic sequences, and characterized its pathogenesis function. RcMEP1 expressed at markedly-high levels during R. cerealis infection process to wheat. The predicted protein RcMEP1 comprises of 287 amino acid residues and contains a signal peptide and a M43 metalloprotease domain harboring the active site motif(HEVGHWLGLYH). The assays of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves indicated that RcMEP1 is an apoplastic elicitor of cell death, and that the predicted signal peptide functions and is required for secretion and cell death-induction. The purified RcMEP1 protein and its M43 domain peptide were individually able to induce plant cell death and H2 O2 accumulation, and to inhibit expression of host chitinases when infiltrated into wheat and N. benthamiana leaves, while the M43 domain-deleting peptide and negative control lacked the capacity. Moreover, compared with the control pretreatment, the purified RcMEP1 protein or its M43-domain peptide resulted in enhanced pathogenesis in the inoculated wheat, whereas the M43 domain-deleting peptide failed. These results suggest that RcMEP1 acted as an important pathogenicity factor during R. cerealis infection to wheat and that its signal peptide and M43 domain are required for the secretion and pathogenesis of RcMEP1. This study provides insights into pathogenesis role of M43 domain-containing metalloproteases during R. cerealis infection to wheat.     

南海大顶苦瓜规范化栽培技术

为了发挥广东省佛山市的传统特色蔬菜——大顶苦瓜的产品优势,提高农户的规范化栽培技术水平,在改良南海大顶苦瓜品种的基础上,制定出配套的规范化栽培技术措施,内容包括品种特性、产地环境要求、育苗、田间管理措施和采收,旨在进一步提高南海大顶苦瓜的生产效益,大力推广这一传统特色蔬菜品种。     

心尖锚的力学分析

设计了一种六齿镍钛合金锚钩用于封堵器等二尖瓣、三尖瓣返流修复系统的心尖固定,并对其力学特性进行研究.通过分析心脏结构及解剖数据,确定锚钩形状和可控尺寸设计变量,利用Solidworks建立锚钩3D模型,运用Abaqus软件对23个不同尺寸锚钩模型的入鞘过程进行有限元计算,分析锚钩入鞘过程中的最大入鞘力、最大冯米塞斯应变和入鞘轨迹的影响因素.制作了一种规格锚钩实物,与计算结果进行对比分析.结果表明:鞘部长度、鞘部角度及齿宽对应力、应变的影响最大,可以通过减小鞘部长度、鞘部角度及齿宽,有效降低最大应力、应变值;厚度、曲率半径及齿宽对入鞘力起到决定性作用,而根长和角度对入鞘力的影响很小;轴向刺入深度主要通过控制鞘部长度及鞘部角度来定义,径向刺入深度则由曲率半径的大小所决定.研究可为需心尖固定的心脏介入产品设计提供一定的借鉴意义.     

利用酵母双杂交系统筛选与草莓镶脉病毒移动蛋白P1互作的寄主因子

 构建感染草莓镶脉病毒(SVBV)森林草莓的酵母cDNA文库,利用酵母双杂交系统,筛选出与SVBV P1蛋白互作的15种寄主因子。生物信息学分析发现,这15种寄主因子参与茉莉酸途径、泛素化、光合作用、抗病抗逆、蛋白修饰、蛋白运输和氧化还原等多种生物过程。另外,这些寄主因子还具有其他分子功能,包括氧化还原酶活性、蛋白二硫化物异构酶活性和金属离子结合活性等。本研究初步探讨了P1与寄主因子的互作机理,为揭示SVBV侵染森林草莓以及SVBV在寄主中扩展的分子机制提供理论依据。     

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural exports

The COVID-19 outbreak has shocked the world's economies in the year of 2020. As this pandemic spreads around the globe, many experts feared that the global food supplies might start running short, especially if supply chains were disrupted. COVID-19 also added to the uncertainty of the business operation. Therefore, it is critical to understand how COVID-19 pandemic affected global food supply and market. In this study, we investigate the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural export companies in China using a unique firm-level survey data. We found that although on average agricultural businesses experienced declines in the exports, exports of some agricultural products especially grain and oil held strong and even increased, implying the essential demand for staple food during the pandemic. Not surprisingly, exports of medicinal herb also increased significantly during the pandemic. However, exports of goods such as edible fungus and horticultural products sharply decreased. Our results also showed that in general, impact of COVID-19 on smaller firms was more severe than that on larger firms. The results of this study can provide useful guidance and implications for agricultural businesses and policy makers on their COVID-19 mitigation efforts to navigate this global pandemic.     

Effect of dietary calcium or phosphorus deficiency on bone development and related calcium or phosphorus metabolic utilization parameters of broilers from 22 to 42 days of age

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary calcium (Ca) or phosphorus (P) deficiency on bone development and related Ca or P metabolic utilization parameters of broilers from 22 to 42 days of age based on our previous study, which indicated that dietary Ca or P deficiency impaired the bone development by regulating related Ca or P metabolic utilization parameters of broilers from 1 to 21 days of age. A total of 504 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments with 7 replicates in a completely randomized design, and fed the normal control and Ca- or P-deficient diets from 1 to 21 days of age. At 22 days of age, the broilers were further fed the normal control diet (0.90% Ca+0.35% non-phytate P (NPP)), the P-deficient diet (0.90% Ca+0.18% NPP), the Ca-deficient diet (0.30% Ca+0.35% NPP) or the Ca and P-deficient diet (0.30% Ca+0.18% NPP), respectively. The results showed that dietary Ca or P deficiency decreased (P<0.05) tibia bone mineral density (BMD), bone breaking strength (BBS), ash content, tibia ash Ca content and serum P content on days 28 and 42, but increased (P<0.05) tibia alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of broilers on day 42 compared with the control group. Furthermore, the broilers fed the P-deficient diet had the lowest (P<0.05) tibia BMD, BBS, ash content, serum P content and the highest (P<0.05) serum Ca content on day 28 compared with those fed the Ca-deficient or Ca and P-deficient diets. The results from the present study indicated that the bone development and related Ca or P metabolic utilization parameters of broilers were the most sensitive to dietary P deficiency, followed by dietary Ca deficiency or Ca and P-deficiency; dietary Ca or P deficiency impaired the bone development possibly by regulating serum Ca and P contents as well as tibia Ca content and ALP activity of broilers from 22 to 42 days of age.     

灌溉方式与基施磷素对设施黄瓜产量的影响

以黄瓜为试材,采用小区试验对比的方法,研究了滴灌和畦灌条件下不同磷素用量对秋季大棚黄瓜产量的影响,以期为提高秋季大棚黄瓜产量提供参考依据。结果表明:滴灌大棚的黄瓜生长状况明显好于畦灌大棚,商品黄瓜产量显著提高(P0.05),各阶段用水总量278.3 mm,节水达41%。畦灌条件下,不施磷肥处理黄瓜果实产量显著低于磷肥处理(P0.05);滴灌条件下,过量的磷肥施用(P2O5100 kg·hm~(-2))导致黄瓜果实产量和品质显著下降(P0.05)。由此可见,滴灌条件下合理施用磷肥能够降低水资源消耗,提高磷肥利用效率,有利于黄瓜品质和产量的提升。     

miR-204 inhibits proliferation of Hodgkin lymphoma cells by targeting Sirt1/p53 signaling pathway

AIM: To investigate the effect of microRNA-204 (miR-204) on the proliferation of Hodgkin lymphoma cells and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The expression of miR-204 and Sirt1 mRNA in Hodgkin lymphoma tissues was detected by RT-qPCR. After transfection with miR-204 mimic, Sirt1 siRNA and miR-204 mimic+pcDNA3.1-Sirt1 into the L428 cells, the cell viability and BrdU incorporation were measured by CCK-8 assay and BrdU assay, respectively. The protein levels of Sirt1 and acetylated p53 (ac-p53) were determined by Western blot.The targeting relationship between miR-204 and Sirt1 was verified by double luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: The low expression of miR-204 and the high mRNA expression of Sirt1 were found in the Hodgkin lymphoma tissues. Compared with control group, the cell viability, BrdU incorporation and the protein levels of Sirt1 and ac-p53 were significantly decreased after L428 cells were transfected with miR-204 mimic or Sirt1 siRNA (P<0.05). Compared with miR-204 mimic alone group, the cell viability, BrdU incorporation and the protein levels of Sirt1 and ac-p53 were increased after L428 cells were co-transfected with miR-204 mimic and pcDNA3.1-Sirt1 (P<0.05). The results of double luciferase reporter assay confiermed that Sirt1 was the target gene of miR-204. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effect of miR-204 on the proliferation of L428 cells may be achieved by inhibiting the expression of Sirt1 and promoting the up-regulation of ac-p53.     

香蕉与B基因组相关的SCAR标记研究

香蕉(Musa L.)是由2个二倍体野生种Musa acuminata Colla(AA基因型)和Musa balbisiana Colla(BB基因型)种内或种间杂交进化而来,其B基因组中带有重要的优良基因。利用与香蕉B基因组相关的gypsy-IRAP分子标记,成功开发了一对SCAR引物,适用于鉴定尖叶蕉(AAw)、长梗蕉(BB)、香牙蕉(AAA)、贡蕉(AAcv)、大蕉、粉蕉(ABB)、粉大蕉(ABB)、龙牙蕉(AAB)以及四倍体香蕉(AAAB)等是否含有B基因组。     

Effect of proline-spirooxindole on viability and apoptosis of non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells

AIM:To investigate the effect of proline-spirooxindole on the viability and apoptosis of human non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells. METHODS:The effect of proline-spirooxindole on the viability of A549 cells was determined by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. The effects of proline-spirooxindole on the expression of PARP and p53 and the phosphorylation of mTOR were determined by Western blot. RESULTS:After A549 cells were treated with proline-spirooxindole (25, 50 and 100 mg/L), the cell viability was decreased (P<0.01) compared with DMSO control group. The apoptotic rate was increased compared with DMSO control group (P<0.01). The protein expression of p53 was up-regulated, the increased apoptotic protein cleaved PARP was observed, and the phosphorylation of mTOR was inhibited (P<0.01). CONCLUSION:Proline-spirooxindole inhibits the viability of A549 cells and induces apoptosis, which may be related to the phosphorylation of mTOR.