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.     

甜瓜种皮颜色控制基因CmSC1的精细定位及候选基因分析

【目的】通过对甜瓜种皮颜色进行遗传分析及基因精细定位,并推测其候选基因和开发特异分子标记,为下一步该基因的功能研究及合理利用奠定基础。【方法】利用白色种皮材料HP22和黄色种皮材料B8、B150分别配制杂交组合,获得后代遗传分离群体并进行种皮颜色的表型调查及遗传分析,通过基因图位克隆方法完成基因的精细定位。通过对定位区间内注释基因进行编码区序列和功能分析确定关键候选目的基因。【结果】甜瓜白色种皮对黄色种皮为显性,由单显性基因CmSC1控制并表现延迟遗传效应。利用368个黄色种皮F₂单株最终将CmSC1精细定位于第5号染色体分子标记S27和S28之间物理距离约95 kb区间内,共包含12个注释基因。其中一个为拟南芥AtTT8同源的编码bHLH转录因子蛋白的MELO3C014406,经序列变异位点分析,黄色种皮材料B8和B150分别在该基因ATG下游第47位碱基处插入碱基A以及在第260位碱基处缺失14 bp导致翻译蛋白提前终止,致使后面功能结构域完全缺失,进而通过开发特异分子标记YS及序列分析,发现65份黄色种皮材料均发生这两种突变形式中的一种,推测MELO3C014406即为控制种皮颜色CmSC1的目的基因。【结论】本研究将控制种皮颜色的CmSC1精细定位于第5染色体95 kb区间内,推测MELO3C014406为最终目的基因,并开发了特异分子标记YS。     

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。     

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。     

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。     

Expression of Anti-Lipopolysaccharide Factor Isoform 3 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Showing High Antimicrobial Activity

Antimicrobial peptides are a class of proteins with antibacterial functions. In this study, the anti-lipopolysaccharide factor isoform 3 gene (ALFPm3), encoding an antimicrobial peptide from Penaeus monodon with a super activity was expressed in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which would develop a microalga strain that can be used for the antimicrobial peptide production. To construct the expression cluster, namely pH2A-Pm3, the codon optimized ALFPm3 gene was fused with the ble reporter by 2A peptide and inserted into pH124 vector. The glass-bead method was performed to transform pH2A-Pm3 into C. reinhardtii CC-849. In addition to 8 μg/mL zeocin resistance selection, the C. reinhardtii transformants were further confirmed by genomic PCR and RT-PCR. Western blot analysis showed that the C. reinhardtii-derived ALFPm3 (cALFPm3) was successfully expressed in C. reinhardtii transformants and accounted for 0.35% of the total soluble protein (TSP). Furthermore, the results of antibacterial assay revealed that the cALFPm3 could significantly inhibit the growth of a variety of bacteria, including both Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria at a concentration of 0.77 μM. Especially, the inhibition could last longer than 24 h, which performed better than ampicillin. Hence, this study successfully developed a transgenic C. reinhardtii strain, which can produce the active ALFPm3 driven from P. monodon, providing a potential strategy to use C. reinhardtii as the cell factory to produce antimicrobial peptides.     

程序性细胞死亡因子10抑制Ⅰ型干扰素表达并促进FMDV复制

旨在探究宿主蛋白程序性细胞死亡因子10（programmed cell death factor 10，PDCD10）通过抑制Ⅰ型干扰素表达进而促进口蹄疫病毒（foot-and-mouth disease virus，FMDV）的复制。首先，本研究验证了过表达和沉默PDCD10对FMDV复制的影响，接着利用双荧光素酶报告系统探究PDCD10对Ⅰ型干扰素信号通路活化的影响，最后，利用实时荧光定量PCR探究PDCD10对Ⅰ型干扰素通路下游刺激基因（IFN-stimulated genes，ISGs）转录的影响。结果表明，过表达PDCD10显著促进FMDV的复制，沉默PDCD10显著抑制FMDV的复制。与对照相比，过表达PDCD10后感染仙台病毒（Sendai virus，SeV）的细胞培养液上清液显著促进FMDV复制，进一步，PDCD10显著抑制SeV诱导的IFN-β启动子以及NF-κB的激活且呈剂量依赖性，并且PDCD10负调控Ⅰ型干扰素通路信号分子转录，最后还发现PDCD10负调控Ⅰ型干扰素下游ISGs转录。本研究结果为深入探究PDCD10在抗病毒天然免疫中的作用积累了资料。     

Effects of three methionine sources in diets on temporal B0AT1 and ASCT2 mRNA expression in different intestinal segments of cobia,Rachycentron canadum

A 4‐week feeding trial was conducted using five groups of hybrid grouper (61.15 ± 0.15 g) to explore the potential effects of three methionine (Met) sources. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated that included a fishmeal (FM) diet; nonsupplemented (NS) diet; or NS diets with the addition of the L‐methionine (L‐Met), DL‐methionine (DL‐Met), or coated Met (Co‐Met) to obtain the same Met level as the FM diet. Fish were randomly distributed into sea cages (30 fish per cage). Weight gain and specific growth rate in the DL‐Met group and FM group were significantly higher than those in all other groups (p < .05). In the proximal and distal intestines, of the 20 gene and time combinations (10 per gene), there were 14 combinations (70%) in which there were no significant differences in gene expression levels between the FM and DL‐Met groups (p > .05). The main reason for the same growth effect between the DL‐Met and FM groups may be attributed to the synchronized absorption at most time points after feeding, which had similar expression patterns of B⁰AT1 and ASCT2 of the proximal and distal intestines between two groups.