The nature and consequences of co-infections in tilapia: A review

Co-infections commonly arise when two or multiple different pathogens infect the same host, either as simultaneous or as secondary concurrent infection. This potentiates their pathogenic effects and leads to serious negative consequences on the exposed host. Numerous studies on the occurrence of the bacterial, parasitic, fungal and viral co-infections were conducted in various tilapia species. Co-infections have been associated with serious negative impacts on susceptible fish because they increase the fish susceptibility to diseases and the likelihood of outbreaks in the affected fish. Co-infections can alter the disease course and increase the severity of disease through synergistic and, more rarely, antagonistic interactions. In this review, reports on the synergistic co-infections and their impacts on the affected tilapia species are highlighted. Additionally, their pathogenic mechanisms are briefly discussed. Tilapia producers should be aware of the possible occurrence of co-infections and their effects on the affected tilapia species and in particular of the clinical signs and course of the disease. To date, there is still limited information regarding the pathogenicity mechanisms and pathogen interactions during these co-infections. This is generally due to low awareness regarding co-infections, and in many cases, a dominant pathogen is perceived to be of vital importance and hence becomes the target of treatment while the treatment of the co-infectious agents is neglected. This review article aimed at raising awareness regarding co-infections and helping researchers and fish health specialists pay greater attention to these natural cases, leading to increased research and more consistent diagnosis of co-infectious outbreaks in order to improve control strategies to protect tilapia when infected with multiple pathogens.     

植物寄生线虫效应蛋白调控寄主防卫反应分子机制研究进展

 在植物寄生线虫与寄主互作过程中,线虫分泌器官如食道腺细胞分泌的效应蛋白在寄主细胞壁修饰和调控寄主免疫反应以及取食位点形成和维护中发挥着关键作用。解析植物寄生线虫关键效应蛋白的功能及其与寄主互作机制将为探索植物寄生线虫防控新策略提供重要的理论基础。本文从效应蛋白降解寄主细胞壁、调控寄主基础免疫反应、诱导免疫反应机制和介导翻译后修饰调控寄主免疫反应以及植物激素代谢途径的调控机制等方面进行了概述。     

Exploiting chemical ecology to manage hyperparasitoids in biological control of arthropod pests

Insect hyperparasitoids are fourth trophic level organisms that commonly occur in terrestrial food webs, yet they are relatively understudied. These top‐carnivores can disrupt biological pest control by suppressing the populations of their parasitoid hosts, leading to pest outbreaks, especially in confined environments such as greenhouses where augmentative biological control is used. There is no effective eco‐friendly strategy that can be used to control hyperparasitoids. Recent advances in the chemical ecology of hyperparasitoid foraging behavior have opened opportunities for manipulating these top‐carnivores in such a way that biological pest control becomes more efficient. We propose various infochemical‐based strategies to manage hyperparasitoids. We suggest that a push‐pull strategy could be a promising approach to ‘push’ hyperparasitoids away from their parasitoid hosts and ‘pull’ them into traps. Additionally, we discuss how infochemicals can be used to develop innovative tools improving biological pest control (i) to restrict accessibility of resources (e.g. sugars and alternative hosts) to primary parasitoid only or (ii) to monitor hyperparasitoid presence in the crop for early detection. We also identify important missing information in order to control hyperparasitoids and outline what research is needed to reach this goal. Testing the efficacy of synthetic infochemicals in confined environments is a crucial step towards the implementation of chemical ecology‐based approaches targeting hyperparasitoids. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Early interspecific dynamics,dry matter production and nitrogen use in Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium) – alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) mixed intercropping

ABSTRACT

The global interest in growing perennial grain crops such as intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) (Kernza) for production of food and feed is increasing. Intercropping Kernza with legumes may be a sustainable way of supplying nitrogen to soil and associated intercrop. We determined the competitive interactions between intercropped Kernza (K) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (A) under three inorganic nitrogen (N) rates N0, N1, N2 (0, 200, 400 kg ha^?1) and five species relative frequencies (SRF) (100%K:0%A, 75%K:25%A, 50%K:50%A, 25%K:75%A and 0% K:100%A) in mixed intercrops (MI) in a greenhouse pot experiment. After 11 weeks of growth. Kernza dry matter yield (DM) and N accumulated (NACC) were low, but alfalfa DM and NACC high at 0 kg N ha^?1. 200 and 400 kg N ha^?1 fertiliser application increased the competitive ability (CA) of Kernza and reduced the CA of alfalfa. SRF had large impacts on alfalfa DM, NACC and NFIX only at 0 kg N ha^?1 fertiliser, and insignificant impacts on Kernza at all N fertiliser levels, indicating that adjustment of SRF may not be an effective way to modulate the interspecific competition of Kernza. Further research on the other factors that influence the interspecific competition are warranted.     

马链球菌兽疫亚种烯醇化酶对小鼠肺泡巨噬细胞吞噬功能的影响

旨在研究马链球菌兽疫亚种（Streptococcus equi ssp.zooepidemicus，SEZ）烯醇化酶（enolase，Eno）对小鼠肺泡巨噬细胞（RAW264.7）吞噬能力的影响。通过构建原核表达质粒获得重组烯醇化酶（rEno），采用台盼蓝活细胞计数法，判定在不同处理浓度和时间下rEno蛋白对RAW264.7细胞的细胞毒性。将rEno蛋白与RAW264.7细胞共孵育后，用SEZ作用于细胞并检测细胞吞菌数量，判断RAW264.7细胞对SEZ的吞噬活性。进一步通过活细胞稳定同位素标记技术（SILAC）和蛋白质谱分析技术（LC-MS/MS），筛选到RAW264.7细胞中可能与SEZ Eno存在相互作用的候选蛋白。结果发现，10 μg·mL^-1 rEno蛋白处理对RAW264.7细胞有明显的细胞毒性，且10 μg·mL^-1 rEno蛋白处理RAW264.7细胞2和4 h可显著抑制其对SEZ的吞噬作用（P<0.01、P<0.05）。初步筛选到RAW264.7细胞中动力蛋白激活蛋白亚单位蛋白（dynactin subunit protein 2，Dctn）、整合素α-M蛋白（integrin alpha-M）等17种可能与Eno发生互作的蛋白。本研究获得了rEno重组表达蛋白，发现rEno可减少RAW264.7细胞对SEZ的吞噬，互作蛋白的初步筛选也为进一步揭示Eno在SEZ抗吞噬中的作用机制奠定了基础。     

Identification of sorghum genotypes suitable for specific end uses: Semolina recovery and popping

There has always been an interest in devising breeding programs for designer foods that would benefit both the producer and consumer. The challenge today is transformation of agriculture from “subsistence farming” to “market and income generation oriented” production system for which sorghum with its diverse end uses can assume significant role. Breeding for end-use identity-specific genotypes is needed for increased profitability to the farmers. In the present study, 60 sorghum genotypes were evaluated over two years to identify genotypes suitable for semolina recovery and popping properties, i.e. popping efficiency and pop volume expansion. Semolina recovery ranged from 20.7% to 48.3%, while popping efficiency ranged from 0 to 77.5%. Semolina recovery had positive and significant association with endosperm texture (r = 0.62), grain density (r = 0.49) and grain hardness (r = 0.55) indicating that genotypes with corneous endosperm yield high semolina. Also, semolina recovery had significant positive correlation with popping efficiency (r = 0.49) indicating that genotypes suitable for semolina can also be used for popping. Genetic divergence studies indicated that out of three clusters formed, cluster II having guinea race germplasm lines are suitable for semolina and popping. The information generated and the genotypes identified will help in enhancing the demand for sorghum as an industrial crop.     

Drought and heat stress reduce yield and alter carbon rhizodeposition of different wheat genotypes

Drought and high temperature are major environmental stress factors threatening wheat production during grain filling stage resulting in substantial yield losses. Four wheat genotypes (Suntop, IAW2013, Scout and 249) were planted under two temperature levels (25 and 30°C) and two water levels (15% and 25% soil moisture content). Wheat yield, leaf δ¹³C, plant rhizodeposition, shoot biomass and root traits were examined. Low moisture (drought stress) and high temperature (heat stress) decreased the grain yield of all wheat genotypes, in particular 249, while combined drought and temperature stresses had the most pronounced negative effect on plant biomass and grain yield. Decreasing soil water availability decreased the allocation of plant‐derived C to soil organic carbon (SOC) and to microbial biomass through rhizodeposition. Leaf δ¹³C decreased with increased yield, suggesting that higher yielding genotypes were less water stressed and allocated less C to SOC and microbial biomass through rhizodeposition. Wheat genotypes with lower root/shoot ratios and thinner roots were more efficient at assimilating C to the grain, while genotypes with higher root/shoot ratios and thicker roots allocated more C belowground through rhizodeposition at the expense of producing higher yield. Therefore, improving these traits for enhanced C allocation to wheat grain under variable environmental conditions needs to be considered.     

乌桕对南方根结线虫与地上不同食性昆虫互作的光合生理响应

本文通过比较乌桕对两种地上不同食性昆虫(专食性癞皮夜蛾、广食性斜纹夜蛾)与南方根结线虫互作的光合生理响应,分析不同空间植食性生物间的互作关系及植物的响应机制。结果表明:无南方根结线虫胁迫下,2种地上不同食性昆虫对乌桕的净光合速率(P_n)、气孔导度(G_s)及胞间CO_2浓度(C_i)的影响与对照组无显著差异;而南方根结线虫胁迫下,2种地上昆虫显著降低了乌桕G_s及C_i。其中,与对照组及癞皮夜蛾处理组相比,南方根结线虫与斜纹夜蛾的共同胁迫显著降低了乌桕P_n、G_s及C_i。此外,斜纹夜蛾为害增加了乌桕叶绿素含量,南方根结线虫胁迫降低了叶绿素含量。因此,南方根结线虫与斜纹夜蛾间形成一种加性效应,并对乌桕光合生理产生了拮抗效应,而这种效应在南方根结线虫与癞皮夜蛾间并不显著。由此可见,乌桕对地上-地下植食性生物胁迫形成不足补偿机制,且具体的响应机制与植食性生物的食性相关。     

Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungivorous nematodes on the growth and arsenic uptake of tobacco in arsenic-contaminated soils

The effects of inoculation with two AM fungi (M1, Glomus caledonium; M2, Glomus spp. and Acaulospora spp.) and a fungivorous nematode Aphelenchoides sp. on growth and arsenic (As) uptake of Nicotiana tabacum L. were investigated in soils contaminated with a range of As. The reproduction of Aphelenchoides sp. was triggered by the co-inoculation of AM fungi regardless of AM fungal isolates and As levels. Stimulative effects of Aphelenchoides sp. on the development of mycorrhiza, slightly different between two AM fungi, were found particularly at the lowest As level. Irrespective of mycorrhizal inoculi, increasing soil As level decreased plant growth, but increased plant As uptake. Co-inoculation of AM fungi and Aphelenchoides sp. led plants to achieving further growth and greater As accumulation at the lowest As level. Results showed that the interactions between AM fungi and fungivorous nematodes were important in plant As tolerance and phytoextraction at low level As-polluted soil.