Pea extracellular Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase responsive to signal molecules from a fungal pathogen

We previously reported that the release of O₂ ⁻ from isolated pea cell walls was enhanced by a 70-kDa glycoprotein elicitor but was suppressed by mucin-type glycopeptide suppressors (supprescins A and B) prepared from pycnospore germination fluid of Mycosphaerella pinodes, causal agent of Mycosphaerella blight of pea. Here, we show that superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the apoplast fluid/cell wall of pea seedlings responds to the fungal elicitor and suppressor molecules. In a pharmacological study and with internal amino acid sequencing, the apoplastic SOD in a pea cultivar Midoriusui was found to be a Cu/Zn type SOD. We cloned a full-length cDNA of the Cu/Zn-SOD and designated it as PsCu/Zn-SOD1. An increase in PsCu/Zn-SOD1 mRNA and the PsCu/Zn-SOD1 protein was induced by treatment with the elicitor more intensively than by wounding. Such induction by the elicitor or wounding, however, was inhibited by the concomitant presence of supprescins. The SOD activity of recombinant PsCu/Zn-SOD1 was regulated directly by these signal molecules in a manner similar to their effect on the SOD activity in the apoplastic fluid and in the cell wall-bound proteins. Based on these findings, we discuss a role for PsCu/Zn-SOD1 in the pea defense response. The nucleotide sequence data of PsCu/Zn-SOD1 reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession number AB189165.     

Control of soil rot of sweet potato by the incorporation of the fresh aerial tissue of Geranium carolinianum L. into the soil

In a previous study, we found that a 70% aqueous ethanol extract of the fresh aerial tissue of Geranium carolinianum L. showed antimicrobial activity against the pathogen causing soil rot of sweet potato. As the appropriate time for cultivation of sweet potato and the growing period of G. carolinianum do not overlap in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, the fresh aerial tissue is available in order to control soil rot of sweet potato. Thus, we examined the control effect of fresh aerial tissue against soil rot of sweet potato. The various trials (a single repetition of 20 m²) were performed in fields that had undergone 8 years of continuous cropping of sweet potato at Okinawa Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station, Horticultural branch. After harvest, when the disease severity was evaluated by determining the necrotic area of the storage root, the incorporation of fresh aerial tissue (5000 kg 1000 m^-2) into the soil was considered to be highly effective, with a protective value of 75.4. This result shows that G. carolinianum could be used as a biological agent for the control of soil rot of sweet potato.     

Pathogenesis-related gene expression in rice is correlated with developmentally controlled Xa21-mediated resistance against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Disease resistance mediated by the resistance gene Xa21 is developmentally controlled in rice. We examined the relationship between Pathogenesis Related (PR) defense gene expression and Xa21-mediated developmental disease resistance induced by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). OsPR1a, OsPR1b, and OsPR1c genes were cloned and their induction was analyzed, in addition to the OsPR10a gene, at the juvenile and adult stages in response to a wildtype Xoo strain that induces a resistance response (incompatible interaction) and an isogenic mutant Xoo strain that does not (compatible interaction). We found that the adult stage leaves are more competent to express these OsPR1 genes and that the Xa21 locus is required for the highest levels of induction.     

Biological activity and characterization of nucleopolyhedrovirus isolates ofSpodoptera litura

Geographical isolates ofSpodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpltNPV), collected from different parts of India and maintained at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, were compared for their biological activity and subjected to Restriction Endonuclease (REN) analysis. Neonate and second instar bioassay studies revealed similarity in biological activity as shown by the overlapping fiducial limits of LC₅₀ values. However, there were differences in yield among isolates: significantly higher yields were obtained from isolates UAS and CBE than from the BARC isolate. REN analysis of the four isolates withPst I,Hind III,Bam HI andEco RI enzymes indicated genotypic variation among the isolates. Based on the commonality of the bands, the isolates could be broadly divided into two groups: isolates AU and CBE formed one group, and the other group comprised UAS and BARC based on genetic relatedness. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 21, 2005.     

Lipid metabolism in tomato and bean as a sensitive monitor for biocontrol of wilt diseases

The lipids metabolism of tomato and bean plants during biological control of wilt pathogens (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.lycopersici andF. oxysporum f.sp.phaseoli, respectively) byBacillus subtilis was investigated. The interaction of wilt pathogens with both tomato and bean caused an imbalance and drastic reduction in total lipids, triacylglycerol, sterol and all phospholipd fractions except phosphatidic acid. The application of a formulated biocontrol agent,B. subtilis, eliminated the detrimental effect of both wilt pathogens and consequently prevented catabolism of lipid fractions in both tomato and bean. Moreover, the changes in the lipid fractions as a sensitive monitor for biocontrol of wilt diseases suggest a positive correlation between the application ofB. subtilis and improvement in the host metabolism towards anabolism. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Sept. 20, 2006.     

仔猪大肠杆菌病三价蜂胶灭活疫苗猪体血清抗体消长规律

采用大肠杆菌C83549(O149:K88ac)、C83644(O68:K99)、C83710(O9:987P)菌株制备抗原,以蜂胶为佐剂,研制仔猪大肠杆菌病三价蜂胶灭活疫苗,疫苗成品检验均符合相关要求。将疫苗免疫妊娠母猪并用凝集试验测定其所产仔猪的抗体消长规律,并研究疫苗免疫保护相关性。结果表明:妊娠母猪产前40d和15d各免疫1次所产仔猪母源抗体效价较高,仔猪在整个哺乳期都可以得到保护。同时也可运用产前30d和10d进行免疫接种方法。     

嗜热毛壳菌纤维素酶对小尾寒羊瘤胃代谢的影响

本试验研究不同水平嗜热毛壳菌纤维素酶对小尾寒羊瘤胃代谢的影响。试验动物为4只安装有永久性瘤胃瘘管的成年小尾寒羊公羊(平均体重为45 kg),采用4×4拉丁方试验设计,在基础日粮中分别添加0％、0．3％、0．6％和0．9％4个水平酶制剂,采集瘤胃液测pH值、氨氮浓度和挥发性脂肪酸(VFA)浓度。试验结果表明:各组试羊瘤胃液平均氨氮浓度的变化范围为10．01-12．80 mg/dL,各组之间相同时间点差异不显著(P>0．05)。瘤胃液平均pH值在6．50-6．80范围内变动,试验组pH值低于对照组(P<0．05),以0．6％水平较好。各组试羊瘤胃乙酸、丙酸及总 VFA浓度的变化规律基本相同,即喂料后逐渐上升,其中乙酸和总VFA浓度在2 h后达到最高点,丙酸浓度在4 h 达到最高点,随后平稳下降于饲喂前降至最低点,再次采食后又重复出现此规律。试验组瘤胃乙酸和总VFA浓度显著或极显著高于对照组(P<0．05或P<0．01),以0．6％水平组最高。     

鸡致病性大肠杆菌1型菌毛fimI基因克隆与序列测定

对鸡O2血清型致病性大肠杆菌1型菌毛fimI基因进行了扩增并与国外同源菌株基因序列进行了比较。结果表明：两者核苷酸同源性达98．42％，预测氨基酸顺序同源性达98．92％。fimI基因的预测氨基酸序列中仅第46位氨基酸由ALA变为THR，第76位氨基酸由SER变为ALA，其余核苷酸的变化未影响氨基酸的翻译，推测，这种改变是由分离株的差异所引起的。     

黄芩抗鸡大肠杆菌作用的研究

通过体外试验和体内试验两种方法研究了黄芩抗鸡大肠杆菌的作用。结果表明，黄芩水煎液对鸡大肠杆菌的最小体外抑菌浓度为2．5g／mL；当药物浓度为5g／mL时可使7日龄雏鸡获得90％以上的攻毒保护；药物浓度为10g／mL时可使100％雏鸡获得攻毒保护，说明黄芩可以对抗鸡大肠杆菌，用于防治鸡的大肠杆菌病。     

夏季日粮中主要营养水平对肉种母鸡生产性能的影响

为研究夏季日粮中粗脂肪、粗蛋白、赖氨酸和蛋氨酸水平对肉种鸡生产性能的影响,27周龄良凤肉用种母鸡随机分为4个处理,每个处理3个重复,每个重复为490只,处理一饲喂对照日粮(CF2.7%,CP16.5%,Lys0.83%,Met0.40%),处理二饲喂高脂肪日粮(CF5.43%),处理三饲喂高蛋白日粮(CP18.2%),处理四饲喂高赖氨酸和蛋氨酸日粮(Lys0.91%,Met0.44%),试验期共112天。结果表明,对照日粮的营养水平是适合的,在此基础上分别增加日粮的粗脂肪水平、粗蛋白水平、蛋氨酸和赖氨酸水平,都不能提高肉种母鸡的生产性能,也不能减轻夏季炎热带来的影响。