Identification of novel juvenile-hormone signaling activators via high-throughput screening with a chemical library

Juvenile hormone (JH) is an insect-specific hormone that regulates molting and metamorphosis. Hence, JH signaling inhibitors (JHSIs) and activators (JHSAs) can be used as effective insect growth regulators (IGRs) for pest management. In our previous study, we established a high-throughput screening (HTS) system for exploration of novel JHSIs and JHSAs using a Bombyx mori cell line (BmN_JF&AR cells) and succeeded in identifying novel JHSIs from a chemical library. Here, we searched for novel JHSAs using this system. The four-step HTS yielded 10 compounds as candidate JHSAs; some of these compounds showed novel basic structures, whereas the others were composed of a 4-phenoxyphenoxymethyl skeleton, the basic structure of several existing JH analogs (pyriproxyfen and fenoxycarb). Topical application of seven compounds to B. mori larvae significantly prolonged the larval period, suggesting that the identified JHSAs may be promising IGRs targeting the JH signaling pathway.     

过表达ZmIBH1-1提高玉米苗期抗旱性

【目的】干旱是严重影响玉米生长发育进程的一个重要因素。挖掘玉米抗旱相关基因,通过转基因功能验证和转录组分析,解析关键基因在响应干旱胁迫过程中的分子调控机制,为抗旱分子育种和遗传改良提供理论依据。【方法】以玉米自交系B104（WT）为背景材料,利用农杆菌介导方法构建过表达ZmIBH1-1转基因株系（ZmIBH1-1-OE）;通过对转基因植株进行草铵膦抗性筛选、标记基因和目的基因PCR检测,以及运用实时荧光定量PCR检测目的基因的表达情况,鉴定阳性植株和株系;以WT和ZmIBH1-1-OE转基因株系为材料,通过干旱处理（20% PEG6000）,进行表型鉴定和耐旱生理生化指标测定,验证ZmIBH1-1的抗旱功能;通过对干旱胁迫下玉米4叶期转录组的比较分析,鉴定出差异表达的基因（differentially expressed genes,DEGs）;结合DAP-seq（DNA affinity purification sequencing）分析,初步确定ZmIBH1-1蛋白直接调控与抗旱相关的下游靶基因,利用基因组可视化软件IGV（integrative genomics viewer）分析ZmIBH1-1蛋白结合候选靶基因的位置,然后通过Dual-Luciferase试验验证ZmIBH1-1蛋白与靶基因的调控关系。【结果】通过玉米遗传转化获得12个转化事件;T₃代中,能同时检测到标记基因Bar和目的基因ZmIBH1-1的植株有458个,实时荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,ZmIBH1-1-OE中ZmIBH1-1的表达量显著高于WT,株系3和株系8表达量最高,将其自交获得T₄代转基因株系用于后续试验。在干旱胁迫条件下,ZmIBH1-1-OE株系存活率、叶片相对含水量、叶绿素含量、可溶性蛋白含量及其生理生化指标（超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶活性）均显著高于WT,说明玉米中过量表达ZmIBH1-1赋予玉米更高的耐旱性。转录组分析结果表明,WT与ZmIBH1-1-OE株系在干旱胁迫下有1 214个差异表达基因;Gene Ontology（GO）功能富集分析结果表明,差异表达基因主要涉及生物过程、细胞组分和分子功能,如在生物过程中主要涉及到光合作用、应激响应、脱水响应等;KEGG富集分析表明,差异表达基因主要参与植物激素信号传导、新陈代谢等过程。结合转录组显著差异表达基因和DAP-Seq分析所得到ZmIBH1-1蛋白的靶基因,初步确定ZmIBH1-1蛋白直接调控与抗旱相关的11个候选靶基因,包括2个钙信号相关基因、3个半胱氨酸代谢相关基因、1个bHLH转录因子、1个应激响应蛋白、1个谷胱甘肽转移酶、1个氧化还原过程蛋白和2个乙烯响应因子;基因组可视化结果显示ZmIBH1-1蛋白可以结合靶基因启动子区;随后通过Dual-Luciferase试验进一步表明,ZmIBH1-1蛋白可以直接作用于11个候选靶基因,其中,ZmIBH1-1蛋白可以促进ZmCa-M、ZmSYCO、ZmbHLH54、ZmGlu-r1、ZmCLPB3和ZmP450-99A2的表达,抑制ZmAGD12、ZmCYS、ZmCYSB、ZmERF-107和ZmEIN3的表达。此外,在干旱胁迫下NAC、WRKY、MYB等转录因子在ZmIBH1-1-OE和WT株系中也存在差异表达。【结论】ZmIBH1-1的过表达可以增强玉米苗期的耐旱性;ZmIBH1-1蛋白通过直接调控乙烯信号通路中的ZmERF-107和ZmEIN3的表达提高玉米的耐旱性;ZmIBH1-1蛋白通过直接调控钙信号相关基因ZmCa-M和ZmAGD12增强玉米的耐旱性;ZmIBH1-1蛋白可能通过间接调控NAC、WRKY、MYB等转录因子响应干旱胁迫。     

天然植物生长调节剂芸苔素的生物活性及应用浅析

天然芸苔素属于甾体类植物内源生物活性物质,其骨架为甾醇,其中芸苔素内酯生物活性最强,被称为第六类植物激素,是高效、广谱、无毒的植物生长调节剂(PGR)。为更好地将芸苔素推广应用于农业生产,本文概括了芸苔素内酯的生物活性及在粮食、果蔬等作物上的应用。探讨了芸苔素内酯在提高种子活力,促进作物生长,大幅度促进产量提升以及品质改善,提升作物抗逆性,缓解农药对作物影响的研究概况及取得的进展,指出了芸苔素内酯的应用是作物增产增收的关键途径,同时,能够减少化肥、农药的施用量,减少作物种植成本与减轻环境污染,将带来显著的经济效益。     

油松侧枝的节间特征及其变异规律

【目的】为阐明油松侧枝的节间特征及其变异规律,了解当年生节间枝条和针叶的异速生长关系,揭示侧枝空间构型、活力和光合产物分配的主要影响因子。【方法】本研究在35 a生油松林内选取了5株标准木的标准枝,通过枝条解析截取了372个节间,采用统计分析和模型模拟等方法对相关问题进行了研究。【结果】结果表明:油松枝条多分为3级,近90%的节间分布在2级和3级枝,直径生长周期为1~4 a、具有针叶着生和光合功能的节间占节间总数的83%;节间直径和长度均随枝级增加而显著下降,均随节间生长周期(或形成时间)的增加而显著增加,后者在枝级间及枝级内的变异均远高于前者,后者受枝级和着生位置光照环境的影响明显高于前者。全枝70%以上的枝条生物量分布在1级枝节间,80%以上的针叶分布在2级和3级枝节间;1级和2级枝的生物量以枝条为主,3级枝以针叶为主。直径生长周期为1~3 a的节间生物量以叶为主,4 a的以枝条为主,4 a以上的以完全以枝条为主。当年生节间的不同特征变量间均成显著的异速生长关系,而非成比例变化。【结论】节间是侧枝的基本单元,其数量、质量、生长发育及其在不同枝级和形成时间的变异,以及其主要构件的异速生长关系是影响侧枝空间构型、活力和光合产物分配的主要因子。     

干旱处理对不同玉米品种叶片光合速率和抗氧化特性及产量的影响

玉米是对干旱比较敏感的粮食作物,不同品种应对干旱胁迫的能力存在差异。以6个普通玉米品种为材料,在北京市郊区大田条件下,采用裂区设计,以灌溉处理为对照,分析干旱处理对不同玉米品种叶片光合速率（P_n）和抗氧化特性及产量的影响。结果表明,与对照相比,干旱处理下不同品种玉米P_n降低幅度为京农科728（15.63%）相似文献   

饲粮精料水平和蛋氨酸铬添加剂量对舍饲滩羊生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质和脂肪沉积的影响

本试验旨在探究饲粮精料水平和蛋氨酸铬(Cr-Met)添加剂量对舍饲滩羊生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质和脂肪沉积的影响。采用2×3双因素试验设计,2个因素分别为饲粮精料水平和Cr-Met添加剂量,其中饲粮精料水平分别设为35%(低精料饲粮,饲粮精粗比为35∶65)和55%(高精料饲粮,饲粮精粗比为55∶45),Cr-Met添加剂量分别设为0、0.75和1.50 g/(d·只)。将60只雄性滩羊羔羊[平均体重为(21±1)kg]随机分配到6个试验组,每组10只。试验期为80 d,其中预试期15 d,正试期65 d。结果显示:1)与低精料饲粮组相比,高精料饲粮组滩羊的平均日增重、屠宰率、背膘厚度、肌内脂肪含量和后腿肉比重显著增加(P<0.05),但料重比与肌肉蒸煮损失、剪切力、pH、亮度(L*)值、红度(a*)值和黄度(b*)值则显著降低(P<0.05)。2)低精料饲粮组滩羊背膘厚度、皮下脂肪厚度、肌内脂肪含量和后腿肉比重随Cr-Met添加剂量的增加而线性降低(P<0.05),但肌肉pH则线性升高(P<0.05)。3)高精料饲粮组滩羊肋肉比重、腰肉比重以及肌肉剪切力和pH随Cr-Met添加剂量的增加而线性升高(P<0.05),而肌内脂肪含量和肌肉a*值则线性降低(P<0.05)。综合本试验测定指标,建议在滩羊养殖中选择精粗比为55∶45的高精料饲粮,Cr-Met的适宜添加剂量为1.50 g/(d·只),且不建议在精粗比为35∶65的低精料饲粮中添加Cr-Met。     

小型西瓜生育特性与保护地栽培技术

小型西瓜生育特性、种植模式与普通西瓜不同,种植过程中容易出现问题。基于小西瓜的生育特性,综述北方地区保护地栽培的主要技术要点,为提高小型西瓜的产量和品质提供参考。     

Role of PhoPR in the response to stress of Mycobacterium bovis

PhoP is part of the two-component PhoPR system that regulates the expression of virulence genes of Mycobacteria. The goal of this work was to elucidate the role of PhoP in the mechanism that Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, displays upon stress. An analysis of gene expression and acidic growth curves indicated that M. bovis neutralized the external acidic environment by inducing and secreting ammonia. We found that PhoP is essential for ammonia production/secretion and its role in this process seems to be the induction of asparaginase and urease expression. We also demonstrated that the lack of PhoP negatively affected the synthesis of phthiocerol dimycocerosates. This finding is consistent with the role of the lipid anabolism in maintaining the redox environment upon stress in mycobacteria. Altogether the results of this study indicate that PhoP plays an important role in the response mechanisms to stress of M. bovis.     

Screening and identification of soybean varieties with high phosphorus efficiency at seedling stage

In order to simplify the workload and find a reliable method for screening soybeans with different phosphorus(P)efficiencies,47 soybean varieties were screened from 90 varieties according to yield under normal phosphorus,and 10 indicators including root phenotype,phosphorus utilization efficiency at the seedling stage and yield were measured.Through single-index cluster analysis,the performance value and relative value of the abovementioned indexes under low-phosphorus conditions were analyzed,and then,the combined indexes were analyzed by principal components method.The membership function method and the cluster analysis method was used to calculate and analyze the comprehensive score value.Three indexes of root P utilization efficiency(X₁),relative value of root P utilization efficiency(X₂),and root volume(X₃)under low P at the seedling stage were selected as the most consistent with the yield screening results under low P condition,and the mathematical model of the comprehensive score value was obtained:D=1.218X₁t 0.320X₂t 0.007X₃-0.664(P=0.000,R²=1.000).The comprehensive score can screen and identify the P efficiency of soybeans with fewer indexes in the early growth stages,which provides a more rapid and reliable mathematical model for screening and identifying a larger number of germplasm resources for P efficiency.     

Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.