剑麻斑马纹病菌EST-SSR标记开发与评价

剑麻斑马纹病是剑麻生产中具有破坏性的一种真菌病害。本研究从Gen Bank(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucest)中随机下载10 525条寄生疫霉EST序列,经过去冗余处理后得到5 519条无冗余EST。利用MISA(MIcro SAtellite identification tool)软件进行SSR发掘,从中共搜索到199个1~6碱基SSR,其中三核苷酸重复基元类型最多,共鉴定到55个,占SSR总数的27.6%;其次是二核苷酸重复基元类型和单核苷酸重复基元类型,分别鉴定到51和47个,各占所鉴定SSR总数的25.6%和23.6%。进一步分析表明,AG/CT二核苷酸重复基元类型为优势重复类型,占二核苷酸SSR总数的76.5%。而AAG/CTT和AGC/CTG 2个基元类型在三核苷酸中出现频率最多,分别为15和11次,分别占三核苷酸SSR总数的27.3%及20.0%。从鉴定的199个SSR中,选取含有SSR的合适区段设计了22对引物,并通过18个剑麻斑马纹病菌菌株的基因组DNA进行了评价,结果只有其中9对引物能从剑麻斑马纹病菌基因组DNA中有效扩增,其扩增移效率为40.9%。由此表明,利用此方法来开发剑麻斑马纹病菌的分子标记具有可行性,只是存在一个转移效率问题。     

芒果转录组中SSR位点信息分析与引物筛选

利用MicroSAtellite软件分析筛选芒果转录组中的SSR位点。结果表明,在54 207条Unigene中共搜索得到4 103个SSR位点,出现频率为7.57％。其中,三核苷酸重复为主导重复类型,占SSR总数的38.19％,其次是单核苷酸重复（26.91％）。AG/CT和AAG/CTT分别是二核苷酸和三核苷酸重复的优势基元。根据SSR侧翼序列共设计6 915对SSR引物,随机挑选了230对进行PCR检测,获得93对多态性引物。由此可见,芒果转录组数据可以作为大量开发SSR标记的资源,这些SSR标记也将有助于芒果遗传多样性和种质资源鉴定的研究。     

甘蔗EST序列的SSR信息分析

从NCBI公共数据库获得262 113条甘蔗EST,通过前处理和聚类拼接得到全长为50 058.89 kb的无冗余Unigene 62 565条。在这些序列中搜索出9 482个SSRs,出现频率是15.15%;平均5.28 kb出现1个SSR。三核苷酸重复是主要的类型,占总SSRs的45.92%。CT和CGC是二、三核苷酸中的优势重复类型,分别占二、三核苷酸重复的21.22%和8.18%。此外还对筛选出的SSR进行多态性预测,得到了长度在20 bp以上的低级基元一、二、三核苷酸EST-SSR共1 405条,占长度20 bp以上的SSR总数的59.16%。结果为甘蔗EST-SSR标记的开发和相关分子生物学研究提供资料和奠定基础。     

基于转录组测序的油梨 EST-SSR 引物开发

利用转录测序技术,开发油梨表达序列标签-简单重复序列（EST-SSRs）,为 SSR 标记在油梨种质资源鉴定、品种选育及遗传连锁图谱构建奠定基础。采用 Illumina 二代测序的技术,共获得 37 639 条无冗余的序列,对其进行 SSR搜索,共获得 6 419 条简单序列重复（SSR）。利用 Primer 3.0 软件设计 SSR 引物,并以 11 份油梨种质筛选多态性引物。基于转录组序列开发出的 EST-SSR 的分布频率为 17.05%。在油梨 EST-SSR 中,单核苷、二核苷和三核苷的重复占主导,占总数的 99.07%。单、二、三核苷酸重复单元分别占总 SSR 的 37.47%、31.80%和 29.80%;出现频率最高的二核苷酸重复基元是 AG/CT,占总数的 29.15%,出现最高的三核苷酸重复基元为 AAG/CTT,占 12.01%。随机选择 315 个SSR 位点合成引物,经 11 份油梨种质筛选鉴定,227 对引物可扩增获得产物,有效扩增率为 72.06%;其中 34 对引物表现出良好多态性,占有效引物的 12.78%,占总引物的 10.79%。在 34 对多态性引物中,每对引物扩增等位基因数 2~12个。利用高通量测序开发 SSR 引物有较好的实性,开发获得的 34 个具有多态性的油梨 SSR 标记可用于研究油梨及其相关近缘物种的遗传变异。     

基于转录组测序的油梨 EST-SSR 引物开发

利用转录测序技术,开发油梨表达序列标签-简单重复序列（EST-SSRs）,为 SSR 标记在油梨种质资源鉴定、 品种选育及遗传连锁图谱构建奠定基础。采用 Illumina 二代测序的技术,共获得 37 639 条无冗余的序列,对其进行 SSR 搜索,共获得 6 419 条简单序列重复（SSR）。利用 Primer 3.0 软件设计 SSR 引物,并以 11 份油梨种质筛选多态性引物。 基于转录组序列开发出的 EST-SSR 的分布频率为 17.05%。在油梨 EST-SSR 中,单核苷、二核苷和三核苷的重复占主 导,占总数的 99.07%。单、二、三核苷酸重复单元分别占总 SSR 的 37.47%、31.80%和 29.80%;出现频率最高的二核 苷酸重复基元是 AG/CT,占总数的 29.15%,出现最高的三核苷酸重复基元为 AAG/CTT,占 12.01%。随机选择 315 个 SSR 位点合成引物,经 11 份油梨种质筛选鉴定,227 对引物可扩增获得产物,有效扩增率为 72.06%;其中 34 对引物 表现出良好多态性,占有效引物的 12.78%,占总引物的 10.79%。在 34 对多态性引物中,每对引物扩增等位基因数 2~12 个。利用高通量测序开发 SSR 引物有较好的实用性,开发获得的 34 个具有多态性的油梨 SSR 标记可用于研究油梨及 其相关近缘物种的遗传变异。     

木荷基因组 SSR 位点开发及初步分析

为开发木荷分子标记,采用高通量测序技术获得木荷基因组原始数据,经生物信息学软件对木荷基因组序列进行序列拼接、组装和对比,共获得 308 418 条 Contig 序列和 459 984 条 Scafford 序列。采用 MISA 软件搜索木荷基因组序列中微卫星（Microsatellite）位点,共得到 334 843 个 SSR 序列,总长度 5 074 708 bp,占木荷基因组大小的 0.98%,木荷基因组 SSR 序列平均长度为 15.2 bp,平均分布频率为 644 个/Mb。木荷 SSR 序列中,单核苷酸序列数量最多,共 188 217 个,占木荷 SSR 序列总数的 56.21%,其次是二核苷酸（23%）>三核苷酸（13%） >四核苷酸（5%）>五核苷酸（2%）>六核苷（1%）。木荷全基因组 SSR 序列中共包括 400 种重复基元,其中单核苷酸重复基元 A 和二核苷酸重复基元 AT 是主要重复基元,分别占总 SSR 的 56%和 11%,SSR 基元的重复次数分布在 4~40 次,主要分布在 4~25 次。本研究丰富了木荷分子标记类型,为进一步群体遗传结构和遗传多样性分析提供了基础数据。     

花生EST资源的SSR信息分析

微卫星或简单重复序列(simple sequence repeats,SSR)存在于表达序列标签(expressedsequence tags,ESTs)中。为了在花生中开发EST-SSR功能性标记,利用生物信息学对NCBI公共数据库中的41501条花生ESTs序列进行EST-SSRs特征分析。剔除冗余序列,得到全长为5125.94kb的无冗余EST8391条。在这些序列中搜索出1109个SSR,分布于946条EST中,出现频率是11.27%。这些EST-SSR的平均长度为18.16bp,平均分布频率1/4.62kb。在1～6bp的重复基元中,三核苷酸重复基元的SSRs出现频率最高(49.23%),其次是二核苷酸(32.83%)、单核苷酸(14.88%)。AG/CT和AAG/CTT是二、三核苷酸中的优势重复基元,分别占二、三核苷酸重复的71.43%和31.50%。本研究为开发多态性花生微卫星标记提供了候选序列。     

青稞转录组SSR位点及其基因功能分析

为了探讨青稞转录中SSR位点信息及其所在基因的生物学功能,使用MISA软件分析青稞转录组中SSR的分布频率和重复基元的基本类型,通过BLASTX对含有SSR的Unigene与nr、COG、Swiss-Prot和KEGG等公共数据库进行比对和功能注释。结果表明,在青稞转录组拼接得到的58 065个Unigene中发现9 576条序列中含有11 930个SSR位点,SSR发生频率为16.49%,平均每6.63kb出现1个SSR位点,共有119种重复基元(motif)。青稞转录组SSR出现频率最高的是三核苷酸重复基元(64.19%),其次是二核苷酸重复基元(24.05%)。AG/CT和AGG/CCT、CCG/CGG、AGC/CTG分别是二核苷酸重复和三核苷酸重复中的优势重复基元。在转录组中SSR重复次数以5~12次为主,基序长度主要集中在12~25bp,平均长度为21.15bp。9 576个含SSR的Unigene与nr、COG、Swiss-Prot和KEGG等公共数据库进行BLASTX比对,分别得到7 987、5 559、5 588和2 077个注释。通过基因功能注释发现青稞转录组中含SSR的序列主要与生物的基础代谢相关。     

大豆EST-SSR标记开发及与Genomic-SSR的比较研究*

本研究对458220条大豆EST序列进行SSR搜索,共检测出EST-SSR序列39989条, 经拼接得到无冗余EST-SSR序列8190条,包括357种重复基元。其中二、三核苷酸重复基元类型居多,分别占无冗余EST总数的11.13%和16%,统计得到二核苷酸重复类型12种,三核苷酸重复类型60种。以含有简单重复序列的无冗余EST序列设计200对引物,其中148对引物有清晰且单一条带扩增产物,以30份大豆品种资源进行引物筛选,获得多态性引物31对。以21份大豆不同基因型的基因组DNA为模板选取30对显示多态性的大豆EST-SSR引物和30对大豆基因组SSR引物进行扩增,带型统计结果显示：大豆EST-SSR与基因组SSR在供试基因型间多态性指数均值分别为0.55 和0.44,二者揭示的多态性水平差异不大。从而说明利用生物信息学方法基于大豆EST开发SSR标记是切实可行的,大豆EST-SSR可以用于大豆遗传多样性分析,是大豆DNA分子标记体系的一个重要补充。     

基于转录组序列的火龙果SSR和SNP多态性分析

为深入挖掘火龙果SSR和SNP分子标记,以自交亲和型火龙果新种质‘黔蜜龙’转录组序列为基础,系统分析了SSR和SNP位点多态性和分布特征。转录组序列组装共获得96 800个unigene,其中28 471个unigene在数据库中得到注释,在各个数据库中均得到注释的有5 800个。从unigene中搜寻到26 167个SSR位点,出现频率为0.35个/kb。SSR重复类型共180种,单核苷酸重复最多(66.00%),其次为二核苷酸重复(23.01%)、三核苷酸重复(9.99%),其他类型较少(1.00%)。SSR长度在10~381 bp,10~11 bp的SSR有7 988条(30.53%),长度12~20 bp的有15 901条(60.77%),长度21~40 bp的有1373条(5.25%),长度大于40 bp的有905条(3.46%)。unigene中共有357 330个SNP位点,发生频率为1/204 bp,其中碱基转换位点226 165个(63.29%),碱基颠换位点141 165个(36.71%)。6种单碱基变异类型中,C/T、A/G的发生频率最高,分别占31.91%和30.38%。A/T、A/C、T/G和C/G这4种颠换类型分别占SNP总数的7.85%、7.85%、7.2%和13.09%,碱基转换类型比例高于颠换类型。火龙果转录组序列中的SSR和SNP位点丰富,筛选多态性、准确率高的引物,有望在火龙果遗传多样性分析、品种鉴定和遗传图谱构建等方面得到应用。     

Comparative Assessment of the Efficacy of Various Nitrogen Fertilizers

Summary

The efficiency of N fertilizers is usually poor; often less than 50% of the applied N is taken up by the crop. This review focuses on various N fertilizers with respect to the significance of different N loss pathways, namely (i) ammonia volatilization, (ii) dinitrogen and nitrogen oxide emissions, and (iii) nitrate leaching. Further, the significance of biological N immobilization, ammonium fixation and, finally, the impact of nitrate vs. ammonium uptake on crop yield are also discussed. The reviewed literature shows that N fertilizers may differ markedly in their susceptibility to losses. There is, however, considerable scope to improve N efficiency of each N source by proper N management practices.     

Studies on natural repellents against potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller) in country stores

Summary The effects of the leaves of five plant species, one from each of the generaAmbrosia, Anemone, Eupatorium, Eucalyptus andLantana, on potato tuber moth were investigated under indigenous storage conditions at the Central Potato Research Station, Shillong (1800 m above sea level). Their action was compared with that of a biological insecticide (spores ofBacillus thuringiensis), a chemical insecticide (carbaryl), and an untreated control. The data collected after six months storage on tuber damage, sprout damage and the rotting indicated that the leaves ofLantana aculeata provided most protection to the tubers, reducing damage from over 70% in the check to below 5%, and sprout damage from over 45% to below 3%. Next best wasEucalyptus globulus followed byB. thuringiensis. They may be used on tubers stored for table use or for seed as they had no adverse effect on germination or on the yield of a subsequent crop.     

Mineral composition of some traditional Mexican teas

Teas of plant origin traditionally consumed by the Mountain Pima of Chihuahua, Mexico, were analyzed for mineral nutritional content. Fe, Cu, Zn, Ca, and Mg composition was determined for native teas made from shoots ofTagetes lucida, T. filifolia, Elytraria imbricata, andHolodiscus dumosus, and from root xylem ofCeanothus depressus andPhaseolus ritensis. Native uses of these teas are also described.     

Novel food and non-food uses for sorghum and millets

Sorghum and millets have considerable potential in foods and beverages. As they are gluten-free they are suitable for coeliacs. Sorghum is also a potentially important source of nutraceuticals such antioxidant phenolics and cholesterol-lowering waxes. Cakes, cookies, pasta, a parboiled rice-like product and snack foods have been successfully produced from sorghum and, in some cases, millets. Wheat-free sorghum or millet bread remains the main challenge. Additives such as native and pre-gelatinised starches, hydrocolloids, fat, egg and rye pentosans improve bread quality. However, specific volumes are lower than those for wheat bread or gluten-free breads based on pure starches, and in many cases, breads tend to stale faster. Lager and stout beers with sorghum are brewed commercially. Sorghum's high-starch gelatinisation temperature and low beta-amylase activity remain problems with regard to complete substitution of barley malt with sorghum malt . The role of the sorghum endosperm matrix protein and cell wall components in limiting extract is a research focus. Brewing with millets is still at an experimental stage. Sorghum could be important for bioethanol and other bio-industrial products. Bioethanol research has focused on improving the economics of the process through cultivar selection, method development for low-quality grain and pre-processing to recover valuable by-products. Potential by-products such as the kafirin prolamin proteins and the pericarp wax have potential as bioplastic films and coatings for foods, primarily due to their hydrophobicity.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of different accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. from Uruguay

Summary The in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. collected in the south of Uruguay was investigated against five microorganisms including the pathogenRalstonia solanacearum. A total of 30 extracts corresponding to organic and aqueous extracts were studied. Interestingly, most of the positive results for growth inhibition were againstR. solanacearum. The extracts were also analyzed for the presence of glycoalkaloids and lectins. Six of the ten aqueous extracts showed lectin presence and a wide variation in the type and amounts of glycoalkaloids, was found. Results indicate that there is no clear relationship between the antimicrobial activity against the five microorganisms screened and the presence or amounts of lectins and glycoalkaloids, traditionally regarded as possible antimicrobial metabolites in theSolanum genus, which indicates the presence of as yet unidentified antimicrobial compounds.     

Extreme resistance to infection by potato virus X in genotypes of wild tuber-bearingSolanum species

Summary Clones derived from thirty-one different accessions (nineteen of Argentine origin) belonging to eightSolanum species were screened for resistance to infection by potato virus X strain cp (PVX cp) by mechanical inoculation of plantlets that had been micropropagated in vitro. Estimates of PVX multiplication obtained by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and slot blot nucleic acid hybridization allowed the identification of resistant clones derived from five accessions belonging toS. commersonii S. oplocense, S. sparsipilum andS. tuberosum andigena. Resistant genotypes supported PVX concentrations 5 to 15 times smaller than did the susceptible control cultivar Spunta. Graft inoculation test confirmed the presence of extreme resistance similar to that conferred by the ‘immunity’ gene X¹ (also called RX_act).     

Cyanobacteria Secondary Metabolites as Biotechnological Ingredients in Natural Anti-Aging Cosmetics: Potential to Overcome Hyperpigmentation,Loss of Skin Density and UV Radiation-Deleterious Effects

The loss of density and elasticity, the appearance of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation are among the first noticeable signs of skin aging. Beyond UV radiation and oxidative stress, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) assume a preponderant role in the process, since their deregulation results in the degradation of most extracellular matrix components. In this survey, four cyanobacteria strains were explored for their capacity to produce secondary metabolites with biotechnological potential for use in anti-aging formulations. Leptolyngbya boryana LEGE 15486 and Cephalothrix lacustris LEGE 15493 from freshwater ecosystems, and Leptolyngbya cf. ectocarpi LEGE 11479 and Nodosilinea nodulosa LEGE 06104 from marine habitats were sequentially extracted with acetone and water, and extracts were analyzed for their toxicity in cell lines with key roles in the skin context (HaCAT, 3T3L1, and hCMEC). The non-toxic extracts were chemically characterized in terms of proteins, carotenoids, phenols, and chlorophyll a, and their anti-aging potential was explored through their ability to scavenge the physiological free radical superoxide anion radical (O₂^•−), to reduce the activity of the MMPs elastase and hyaluronidase, to inhibit tyrosinase and thus avoid melanin production, and to block UV-B radiation (sun protection factor, SPF). Leptolyngbya species stood out for anti-aging purposes: L. boryana LEGE 15486 presented a remarkable SPF of 19 (at 200 µg/mL), being among the best species regarding O₂^•− scavenging, (IC₅₀ = 99.50 µg/mL) and also being able to inhibit tyrosinase (IC₂₅ = 784 µg/mL), proving to be promising against UV-induced skin-aging; L. ectocarpi LEGE 11479 was more efficient in inhibiting MMPs (hyaluronidase, IC₅₀ = 863 µg/mL; elastase, IC₅₀ = 391 µg/mL), thus being the choice to retard dermal density loss. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the data allowed the grouping of extracts into three groups, according to their chemical composition; the correlation of carotenoids and chlorophyll a with MMPs activity (p < 0.01), O₂^•− scavenging with phenolic compounds (p < 0.01), and phycocyanin and allophycocyanin with SPF, pointing to these compounds in particular as responsible for UV-B blockage. This original survey explores, for the first time, the biotechnological potential of these cyanobacteria strains in the field of skin aging, demonstrating the promising, innovative, and multifactorial nature of these microorganisms.     

Marine Pharmacology in 2009–2011: Marine Compounds with Antibacterial,Antidiabetic, Antifungal,Anti-Inflammatory,Antiprotozoal, Antituberculosis,and Antiviral Activities; Affecting the Immune and Nervous Systems,and other Miscellaneous Mechanisms of Action ?

The peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature from 2009 to 2011 is presented in this review, following the format used in the 1998–2008 reviews of this series. The pharmacology of structurally-characterized compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is discussed in a comprehensive manner. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral pharmacological activities were reported for 102 marine natural products. Additionally, 60 marine compounds were observed to affect the immune and nervous system as well as possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 68 marine metabolites were shown to interact with a variety of receptors and molecular targets, and thus will probably contribute to multiple pharmacological classes upon further mechanism of action studies. Marine pharmacology during 2009–2011 remained a global enterprise, with researchers from 35 countries, and the United States, contributing to the preclinical pharmacology of 262 marine compounds which are part of the preclinical pharmaceutical pipeline. Continued pharmacological research with marine natural products will contribute to enhance the marine pharmaceutical clinical pipeline, which in 2013 consisted of 17 marine natural products, analogs or derivatives targeting a limited number of disease categories.