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.     

甜菜BvGSTU9基因的生物信息学及在镉胁迫下的表达分析

为了进一步研究甜菜谷胱甘肽转移酶BvGSTU9 (LOC104894060)在重金属胁迫过程中的功能。本研究以‘780016B/12优’为实验材料,对该基因序列特征、结构、功能进行预测分析,并利用qPCR检测该基因在不同浓度镉胁迫下的表达量变化。结果显示甜菜BvGSTU9基因全长925 bp,开放阅读框675 bp,编码了由224个氨基酸组成的不稳定膜外蛋白。BvGSTU9与菠菜、藜麦的氨基酸序列相似性较高,与系统发育进化树分析结果基本相符。二级和三级结构预测表明该基因主要由α-螺旋、β-折叠、延伸链及无规则卷曲组成。qPCR显示BvGSTU9基因在不同浓度的镉胁迫下均受到不同程度的诱导,因此可以推断甜菜BvGSTU9基因无论从结构还是功能上,与镉逆境胁迫存在着一定的应答关系。研究结果也为甜菜耐重金属镉机制研究提供参考依据。     

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.     

外源硅调控葡萄生理特性对低温胁迫的响应

本研究以大田葡萄品种‘梅鹿辄’为试材,采用大田喷施硅酸钾与室内低温处理相结合的方法,测定不同温度下葡萄叶片生理指标的变化,研究外源硅酸钾调控葡萄生理特性对低温胁迫的响应,探讨其提高葡萄抗寒性可能的作用机制。结果表明:低温胁迫下葡萄Inv活性被抑制,而其它指标则升高;喷施硅酸钾可显著降低低温胁迫下葡萄叶片的MDA含量,且当硅酸钾浓度为0.75%时对低温的损伤缓解作用最大;而脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖含量、Inv、SPS活性及SS净活性均随硅酸钾浓度的升高而显著提高,但是可溶性蛋白含量在硅酸钾浓度为0.50%时最大,其它指标均在浓度为0.75%时最大;通过葡萄叶片各抗寒指标的隶属度值与综合评价指标看出,始花期0.75%的硅酸钾处理后葡萄抗寒性最强。综合分析,喷施硅酸钾可提高低温胁迫下葡萄叶片渗透调节物质含量,加快蔗糖转运及代谢速率,缓解活性氧累积,增强其耐寒性。     

我国云南、湖北和山东葡萄产区霜霉病菌对甲霜灵的抗性检测

为明确我国云南省宾川县、湖北省公安县和山东省烟台市葡萄产区霜霉病菌对甲霜灵的抗性发生态势,采用叶盘漂浮法测定了这3个产区共127株葡萄霜霉病菌对甲霜灵的抗性频率及抗性水平。结果显示,不同区域间病菌的抗性频率和抗性水平均存在差异。其中,湖北省公安县霜霉病菌的抗性频率和抗性水平均较高,抗性频率达92.0%,高抗菌株占76.0%,低抗菌株占16.0%,敏感菌株占8.0%;山东省烟台市霜霉病菌的抗性频率为74.0%,低抗菌株占64.0%,高抗菌株占10.0%,敏感菌株占26.0%;云南省宾川县霜霉病菌的抗性频率和抗性水平均较低,抗性频率为29.6%,敏感菌株占70.4%,低抗菌株占29.6%,无高抗菌株。     

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.     

我国黄瓜抗病品种选育技术研究进展

黄瓜在我国蔬菜产业中占有重要地位,然而连片种植、重茬栽培等条件下容易滋生病菌,尤其是随着我国保护地蔬菜生产规模的扩大,棚室内的温湿度条件更利于病害的发生与流行,黄瓜生产上面临着严重的病虫害威胁,包括生理性病害、感染性病害及虫害等。本文从抗病品种选育的角度分析了黄瓜病害抗病品种选育技术,并简要介绍了其他防治方法,展望了相关研究的发展方向,为黄瓜病虫害的防治提供参考。     

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。