Assessing the effects of vegetation and precipitation on soil erosion in the Three-River Headwaters Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Soil erosion in the Three-River Headwaters Region (TRHR) of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China has a significant impact on local economic development and ecological environment. Vegetation and precipitation are considered to be the main factors for the variation in soil erosion. However, it is a big challenge to analyze the impacts of precipitation and vegetation respectively as well as their combined effects on soil erosion from the pixel scale. To assess the influences of vegetation and precipitation on the variation of soil erosion from 2005 to 2015, we employed the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model to evaluate soil erosion in the TRHR, and then developed a method using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index model (LMDI) which can exponentially decompose the influencing factors, to calculate the contribution values of the vegetation cover factor (C factor) and the rainfall erosivity factor (R factor) to the variation of soil erosion from the pixel scale. In general, soil erosion in the TRHR was alleviated from 2005 to 2015, of which about 54.95% of the area where soil erosion decreased was caused by the combined effects of the C factor and the R factor, and 41.31% was caused by the change in the R factor. There were relatively few areas with increased soil erosion modulus, of which 64.10% of the area where soil erosion increased was caused by the change in the C factor, and 23.88% was caused by the combined effects of the C factor and the R factor. Therefore, the combined effects of the C factor and the R factor were regarded as the main driving force for the decrease of soil erosion, while the C factor was the dominant factor for the increase of soil erosion. The area with decreased soil erosion caused by the C factor (12.10×10³ km²) was larger than the area with increased soil erosion caused by the C factor (8.30×10³ km²), which indicated that vegetation had a positive effect on soil erosion. This study generally put forward a new method for quantitative assessment of the impacts of the influencing factors on soil erosion, and also provided a scientific basis for the regional control of soil erosion.     

黄羽肉鸡ACSL1基因多态性与腹脂性状的相关性研究

长链酯酰辅酶A合成酶(ACSLs)是长链脂肪酸通过硫代酯化进而合成酰基辅酶A衍生物所必需的酶,也是脂肪酸代谢的第一步。哺乳动物ACSL家族由ACSL1、ACSL3、ACSL4、ACSL5和ACSL65个不同的成员组成,ACSL1是主要的异构体之一。为探讨黄羽肉鸡ACSL1基因作为腹脂性状分子标记的可行性,本实验采用PCR-直接测序技术对黄羽肉鸡ACSL1基因进行遗传多态性分析。结果显示:黄羽肉鸡ACSL1基因第17到第18外显子区域(1295 bp)SNPs位点较丰富,T32126C、C32013T、A31958G这3个位点的等位基因频率符合哈代-温伯格平衡,且A31958G突变位点、T32126C突变位点与腹脂重、腹脂率不相关,C32013T突变位点对鸡的腹脂重与腹脂率有显著影响,提示能够利用C32013T突变位点对黄羽肉鸡腹脂重进行分子标记辅助选择。     

山羊TNNT3基因可变剪切及其对骨骼肌细胞分化的作用

【目的】快速骨骼肌肌钙蛋白T（fast skeletal troponin T3,TNNT3）作为肌钙蛋白(troponin, Tn)家族成员,调节横纹肌收缩、参与骨骼肌的生长发育并影响家畜肉质性状。通过获得山羊TNNT3基因的可变剪切体,分析山羊TNNT3基因可变剪切的表达模式及其在肌细胞分化中的作用,深入解析TNNT3基因在山羊骨骼肌生长发育过程中的作用机制。【方法】基于NCBI已公布山羊TNNT3基因（NM_001314210.1）和牛TNNT3基因（XM_010821200）mRNA序列,使用软件Primer Premier 6.0设计引物,以简州大耳羊胚胎期和出生后7个阶段骨骼肌为试验材料,克隆测序获得山羊TNNT3基因的CDS区可变剪切体,利用软件ORF Finder、EditSeq、DNAMAN、ClustalW和MEGA_X_10.1.8等对序列进行生物信息学分析;进一步设计实时荧光定量（real-time PCR,RT-qPCR）及半定量引物,研究TNNT3基因剪切体在7个不同组织（背最长肌（longissimus dorsi muscle,LD）、半膜肌（semimembranosus muscle,SM）、心、肝、脾、肺、肾）和7个发育阶段（胚胎期E75、E90、E105和出生后B3、B45、B150、B300）肌肉组织（背最长肌和半膜肌）中表达模式;此外,对转录本TNNT3_3进行体外编码能力检测确定其具有编码蛋白的能力,并在山羊骨骼肌卫星细胞（skeletal muscle satellite cells,MuSCs）中过表达,观察细胞形态变化以及检测标志基因的表达变化,研究其对山羊MuSCs分化的作用。【结果】①TNNT3（NM_001314210.1）CDS区全序列主要含有18个外显子,其中外显子16/17相互排斥,转录后单一表达。克隆发现山羊TNNT3基因 5个新转录本（TNNT3_1—5）,其外显子数分别是15、15、20、16、14。②生物信息学分析结果显示山羊TNNT3基因核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列与绵羊、牛、猪等哺乳动物具有很高的一致性,而与鱼类和爬行类动物的一致性较低,说明TNNT3基因序列在哺乳动物高度保守。③TNNT3 mRNA在背最长肌、半膜肌、心、肝、脾、肺、肾7个组织中都有表达,其中在骨骼肌中高度富集(P < 0.01),心脏及肺次之,其余组织中较低;TNNT3 mRNA在背最长肌和半膜肌中的表达始终处于一个动态变化中,胚胎期TNNT3在半膜肌的表达量高于背最长肌（P<0.05）;出生后则背最长肌中高于半膜肌（P<0.05）。④山羊TNNT3基因转录本TNNT3_3重复出现保守的外显子9—11（138bp）,体外翻译实验显示其可编码蛋白且蛋白大小与预期基本相符（37 kD）;相较于对照组,在山羊MuSCs中过表达该转录本使肌分化标志基因Myomaker、MyoG和MyH4 mRNA极显著升高(P < 0.01)。【结论】获得了山羊TNNT3基因具有完整CDS区5个新可变剪切体,TNNT3主要在肌肉组织（背最长肌和半膜肌）中高表达,在哺乳动物中高度保守且促进成肌分化。初步表明TNNT3基因在动物肌肉生长发育中具有重要的生物学功能。     

Relationships Among the Feeding Behaviors of a Mirid Bug on Cotton Leaves of Different Ages and Plant Biochemical Substances

Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) tends to feed on young plant tissues. To explore the relationship between stylet probing behaviors of adult A. lucorum and conditions of cotton leaves, we conducted an experiment using electropenetrography (EPG). Behaviors were recorded on four cotton varieties, in relation to thickness and biochemical traits of differently-aged leaves. Cotton leaf age had a significant effect on the probing behavior of A. lucorum but cotton variety did not. One-day-old leaves of A. lucorum received the highest mean number of stylet probes (penetrations) per insect, and longest mean durations per insect of combined stylet probing or its components, cell rupture and ingestion behaviors. All of the leaf traits (thickness and biochemical substances) were similar among these four cotton varieties. Leaf thickness had a significantly negative effect on the same four variables above. Gossypol and tannin also had a negative impact on combined probing duration. Redundancy analysis showed that the four EPG variables were closely related to nutrient substances (amino acids, sugar, and water) while they had the opposite relationship with plant defense substances (gossypol and tannin). On cotton in the seedling stages, A. lucorum fed more readily on the youngest, thinnest leaves in our no-choice EPG experiments. Nutrients and chemical resistance substances determined the probing duration of A. lucorum. Our findings can contribute to better understanding of patterns of feeding and host consumption by A. lucorum, ultimately improving cotton resistance to A. lucorum.     

SSCP Marker Development and Analysis of Candidate Restorer Gene Rf1 for Cotton Cytoplasmic Male Sterility

[Objective] Locating the cotton cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) restorer gene Rf₁ is important for investigating restorer gene mechanisms and improving restorer lines. In our previous study, a gene cluster, with nine Pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR) genes and nine other genes, was found within the 160-kb Rf₁ target region in Scaffold 333. The objective here was to improve the density of Rf1-linked markers in the target region and determine the expression profiles of candidate genes. [Method] Using the sequences of the 18 genes, we designed 155 single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) primers covering all of the gene sequences to identify the polymorphic SSCP markers between the fertile and sterile pools. Additionally, real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was performed to analyze the expression profiles of eight candidate genes in the four developmental stages of buds of sterile, maintainer and restoring lines, respectively. [Result] In total, 15 polymorphic primers were identified. A genotype analysis of the F₂ population was conducted using the 15 primers and 3 other polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers. The markers were distributed in a 4.8 cM range. In addition, owing to the influence of sterile cytoplasm or restorer genes, most of the genes showed different expression patterns in the four developmental stages of the three lines' buds. [Conclusion] SSCP markers tightly linked to Rf₁ were identified and the expression profiles of candidate genes were determined. This study provides a basis for the further fine mapping of restorer genes and for candidate gene screening.     

抗旱节水小麦分子遗传育种研究进展

干旱缺水等自然灾害会导致小麦产量年度间变幅较大,尤其在小麦主产区黄淮地区更为严重。小麦抗旱节水育种是应对干旱的重大措施。本综述对小麦抗旱节水常规育种、抗旱节水分子遗传育种相关性状QTL定位、抗旱相关功能基因克隆鉴定、转基因等方面的研究进展进行了综述。水旱亲本杂交与异地交叉选择是卓有成效的常规育种方法,通过分子标记鉴定了关于根重、根长、胚芽鞘、高水分利用效率等相关性状的大量QTL;42个抗旱相关基因被克隆并进行基因功能分析和验证,均从不同代谢通路上影响着小麦抗旱性;14个来自不同供体的抗旱相关基因被研究者导入小麦品种后,转基因小麦植株的抗旱能力均得到不同程度的提高,部分植株在产量和其它抗逆性方面也得到提高。以上研究进展为抗旱节水小麦分子设计育种提供了理论依据和发展方向。     

Genetic bases of source-,sink-,and yield-related traits revealed by genome-wide association study in Xian rice

The source-sink relationship determines the ultimate grain yield.We investigated the genetic basis of the relationship between source and sink and yield potential in rice.In two environments,we identified quantitative trait loci(QTL)associated with sink capacity(total spikelet number per panicle and thousand-grain weight),source leaf(flag leaf length,flag leaf width and flag leaf area),source-sink relationship(total spikelet number to flag leaf area ratio)and yield-related traits(filled grain number per panicle,panicle number per plant,grain yield per plant,biomass per plant,and harvest index)by genome-wide association analysis using 272 Xian(indica)accessions.The panel showed substantial variation for all traits in the two environments and revealed complex phenotypic correlations.A total of 70 QTL influencing the 11 traits were identified using 469,377 high-quality SNP markers.Five QTL were detected consistently in four chromosomal regions in both environments.Five QTL clusters simultaneously affected source,sink,source–sink relationship,and grain yield traits,probably explaining the genetic basis of significant correlations of grain yield with source and sink traits.We selected 24 candidate genes in the four consistent QTL regions by identifying linkage disequilibrium(LD)blocks associated with significant SNPs and performing haplotype analysis.The genes included one cloned gene(NOG1)and three newly identified QTL(qHI6,qTGW7,and qFLA8).These results provide a theoretical basis for high-yield rice breeding by increasing and balancing source–sink relationships using marker-assisted selection.     

混播比例和施氮肥对箭筈豌豆/燕麦草地根系特性的影响

豆科和禾本科牧草混播是栽培草地的重要模式之一,能显著改善土壤,提升系统可持续生产能力。牧草根系是土壤有机质返还的重要来源,但混播草地中牧草根系特性的变化尚不清楚。以箭筈豌豆和燕麦草地为对象,研究了不同施氮肥水平和混播比例下其根生物量、根性状的变化。结果表明:1)混播比例和施氮肥对草地根生物量和根性状有显著交互作用,混播草地根生物量显著大于单播;与高氮肥处理相比,根生物量在低、中氮肥处理下更高;高氮肥对根长、比根长、根表面积和比根面积在植物生长前期表现为抑制作用,在生长后期随混播中箭筈豌豆比例的增大,抑制作用减轻。2)混播条件下土壤硝态氮含量大于单播,而土壤铵态氮含量仅在乳熟期时大于单播,且随混播中箭筈豌豆比例增大,矿质氮含量增加;施氮肥对0~30 cm土层中的矿质氮含量有显著影响,其含量在施氮肥100 kg·hm^-2下最高,不施肥下最小。3)根生物量与土壤硝态氮含量间显著正相关,根长、根表面积、根体积与土壤硝态氮含量间显著负相关。综上,混播中箭筈豌豆比例的增加有助于改善土壤矿质氮,优化混播草地根性状。