Overexpression of parathion hydrolase in Escherichia coli stimulates the synthesis of outer membrane porin OmpF

Parathion hydrolase (PH), also known as organophosphorus acid anhydrase, hydrolyses the triester linkage found in organophosphates including organophosphate pesticides and the nerve gas sarin. The enzyme is reported to be membrane-associated and the immature protein has a signal sequence of 29 amino acids. In experiments designed to examine the post-translational processing of the enzyme and to assess the distribution of the precursor and mature forms of the protein, we induced expression of the Flavobacterium balustinum PH structural gene, opd, in Escherichia coli strain BL21. Western blotting revealed that the induced PH was predominantly membrane-associated in E. coli but a protein band equivalent in size to mature PH was also found to be induced specifically in periplasmic fractions. This periplasmic protein was not PH, as it did not cross-react in Western blots, and N-terminal sequencing of the induced protein showed it to have 100% homology to the outer membrane protein OmpF.     

不同基质传代白僵菌对桑天牛幼虫的侵染力与寄主血淋巴酚氧化酶活性的关系

以诱集自土壤中、对桑天牛Apriona germari幼虫具有较高致病性的球孢白僵菌Beauveria bassiana Bb00为出发菌株R0,经反复接种桑天牛幼虫分别获得菌株R1、R2、R3和R4,而通过反复在普通查氏培养基上传代分别获得菌株M1、M2、M3和M4。分别用R0、R2、R4和M2、M4接种桑天牛幼虫,发现在普通培养基上传代会导致菌株致病力降低,而通过桑天牛幼虫传代培养可提高菌株的致病力。桑天牛幼虫感染白僵菌后,其免疫互作使酚氧化酶活性先迅速上升,随后因菌株的适应性增强而开始下降。用菌株M2、M4接种桑天牛幼虫后,其血淋巴酚氧化酶活性比接种R2和R4的高。各菌株引起的桑天牛幼虫酚氧化酶活性出现高峰值的时间与其LT50值具有一定的相关性,反映了各菌株不同的侵染速度;同时各菌株引起的酚氧化酶活性高峰值也与其LC50值高度相关。说明桑天牛幼虫血淋巴中酚氧化酶活性与不同菌株对桑天牛幼虫的毒力具有一定的相关性,同时酚氧化酶活性也可作为反映菌株毒力的一个重要参考指标。     

芽胞杆菌CQBS03抑菌蛋白TasA基因的克隆及原核表达

为了探讨柑桔溃疡病生防菌芽胞杆菌Bacillus CQBS03菌株TasA基因的功能,采用PCR方法从CQBS03基因组DNA中扩增出编码TasA基因的全长DNA序列,并构建pEASY-E1/TasA原核表达载体,经大肠杆菌Escherichia coli表达获得TasA基因的融合表达蛋白,纸碟法检验融合蛋白对柑桔溃疡病菌Xanthomonas citri citri的抑制作用。结果显示,CQBS03菌株的TasA基因包含1个786 bp的完整开放阅读框（GenBank登录号为JQ309841）,编码261个氨基酸残基;该序列与来源于解淀粉芽胞杆菌B.amyloliquefaciens的1个已知同源TasA基因序列FJ713580的相似性达99.75%。原核表达产物经SDS-PAGE分析,检测到约31 kD的融合蛋白;纯化后的融合蛋白对柑桔溃疡病菌有明显的抑制作用,72 h后抑菌圈直径达11.5 mm。研究表明TasA基因是生防菌芽胞杆菌CQBS03抑制柑桔溃疡病菌的功能基因之一,并且该基因对原核表达宿主没有抑制作用,具有较好的开发利用前景。     

Plumbagin as a new natural herbicide candidate for Sicyon angulatus control agent with the target 8-amino-7-oxononanoate synthase

A natural compound plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) was isolated from the leaves of Plumbago auriculata and found to inhibit the enzyme, 8-amino-7-oxononanoate synthase (AONS, also known as 7-keto-8-aminopelargonate synthase, KAPAS) an IC₅₀ of 2.1 μM in vitro. Biotin supplement significantly rescued the plant injury caused by the plumbagin treatment, and this result confirmed the target site, AONS. Foliar application of 1000 ∼ 2000 μg/mL plumbagin in a greenhouse condition showed lethal activity against eight species of weeds, containing three grass species of Sorghum bicolor, Echinochloa crus-galli, Digitaria sanguinalis and five broad leaf species of Solanum nigrum, Aeschynomene indica, Abutilon avicennae, Xanthium strumarium, Calystegia japonica. Field trial of foliar application with plumbagin 2000 μg/mL have successfully controlled 10 ∼ 15 leaf-stages and 2 ∼ 3 m vine lengths of Sicyos angulatus at the natural habitats around riparian zone in the Nam-Han River in Korea. Visual symptom of desiccation might be induced by the physiological cellular leakage which was significantly dose dependent on the plumbagin treatment regardless of light.     

四川58个小麦品种苗期抗条锈基因推导及成株期抗性表现

为了解四川小麦品种所含抗条锈基因及其在田间的抗性表现,将29个毒性谱各异的小麦条锈菌鉴别菌株于苗期接种35个已知抗条锈基因载体品系和58份四川小麦品种（系）,通过抗病谱对比分析和各品种（系）系谱分析,推导了四川小麦品种（系）的抗条锈基因型。在田间,选用中国小麦条锈菌优势小种CY32、CY33、Su-4和对Yr10、Yr24和Yr26致病的贵农22致病类型田间突变株进行混合接种,在乳熟期对各品种（系）的抗条锈性进行了鉴定。结果显示,Yr2、Yr5、Yr7、Yr9、Yr10、Yr24、Yr27、YrSpp、YrAlba等9个基因以单基因或基因组合的形式存在于44个四川小麦品种（系）中。有6个品种（系）含有Yr9基因,10个品种（系）含有Yr10基因,11个品种（系）含有Yr24基因,其中1个同时含有Yr10和Yr24基因。23个品种（系）含有未知基因及其组合。共有19个小麦品种（系）成株期对包含上述混合菌种在内的田间流行菌系表现抗病,其中5个品种抗性受成株抗性基因控制。     

The role of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in the different responses to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl in annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) and short awned foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis Sobol.)

Herbicide resistance or tolerance in weeds mediated by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase is a considerable problem. However, cytochrome P450 mediated resistance or tolerance in weeds was less studied. Thus, in this work, the role of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase in the different responses of Poa annua and Alopecurus aequalis to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl was studied. We found that the effect of fenoxaprop-P-ethyl could be synergized by piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in P. annua, but not by malathion. After being treated with fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (containing mefenpyr-diethyl), the contents of cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b₅ in P. annua increased significantly compared to plants treated with mefenpyr-diethyl only or untreated plants. However, the increase was less in A. aequalis, which was susceptible to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl. The activities of ρ-nitroanisole O-demethylase (PNOD), ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), ethoxycoumarin oxidase (ECOD) and NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase mediated by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase increased in P. annua after treatment with fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, especially the activities of ECOD and cytochrome P450 reductase. Besides this, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity toward fenoxaprop-P-ethyl in P. annua increased significantly compared to untreated or treated with mefenpyr-diethyl plants and treated or untreated A. aequalis. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase may play an important role in the different responses to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl in P. annua and A. aequalis.     

普通小麦-柔软滨麦草易位系M97抗条锈基因的遗传分析和分子作图

为了明确M97抗条锈性遗传规律,在苗期用7个小麦条锈菌系对M97与感病品种铭贤169的杂交后代F1、F2、F3和BC1代进行抗条锈性遗传分析,并对M97抗Sun11-4的抗条锈基因进行SSR分子标记。M97对Sun11-4和Sun11-11的抗病性均由1对显性基因控制,对CY29、CY30、CY33的抗病性由1显1隐2对基因共同控制,对CY31的抗病性由2对显性基因独立或重叠作用控制。以接种Sun11-4的F2代分离群体构建作图群体,筛选到Xwmc222、Xwmc147、Xbarc229和Xwmc339等4个与抗病基因连锁的SSR标记,其遗传距离分别为3.4、4.8、7.6和12.1 cM。将该抗病基因定位于小麦1DS染色体,且该基因不同于已知的抗条锈基因,暂命名为YrM97。用YrM97两侧遗传距离最近的2个标记Xwmc222和Xwmc147对42个黄淮麦区主栽小麦品种进行分子检测,仅有9.5%的品种具有与YrM97相同的标记位点。     

Influence of neem on susceptibility of Beauveria bassiana and investigation of their combined efficacy against sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci on eggplant

A study on the compatibility of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana with neem was conducted against sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, on eggplant. Initially, three concentrations of neem (0.25%, 0.5% and 1.0%) were used to investigate the physiological responses of B. bassiana. Thereafter, above three concentrations of neem along with three concentrations of B. bassiana (10⁶, 10⁷ and 10⁸ conidia/ml) were used to investigate combined deterrence index, DI under two application methods (foliar and soil) of B. tabaci. Significant differences were observed among neem concentrations on all variables- germination percentage, vegetative growth, number of conidia, amount of biomass and proteolytic activity of B. bassiana. The reduction percentage of germination, vegetative growth, sporulation, biomass production and proteolytic activity of B. bassiana were as high as 12%, 13%, 35%, 38%, and 34%, respectively, to neem. Significant differences were also observed on deterrence index, DI (adult and oviposition) of B. tabaci. The current study investigated that the highest adult DI (80.15) and oviposition DI (88.25) occurred when 1.0% neem was combined with 10⁸ conidia/ml of B. bassiana. As the results show, neem is compatible with B. bassiana; and soil application of neem along with foliar application of B. bassiana might be useful for the control of B. tabaci.     

Effect of Melia azedarach extract on the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and cholinesterase in insects

The effect of Melia azedarach extract on the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and cholinesterase was studied in Spodoptera frugiperda. Larvae were fed an artificial diet containing fruit extract and their midgut was used for enzyme determination. As compared to the control, consumption of the extract containing diet resulted in a 31% inhibition of the cholinesterase activity and a 34% activation of the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. In the cockroach Leucophaea maderae, the effect on reductase activity was even more pronounced (43%).     

短小芽胞杆菌抑菌相关基因的高效克隆

为有效挖掘生防短小芽胞杆菌Bacillus pumilus的抑菌相关基因,对DX01菌株进行了Solexa基因组扫描,并选取其中2个代表性基因TasA和Surf2,以DX01基因组DNA为模板,采用PCR方法对其进行克隆、序列比对及系统进化分析。结果表明,DX01菌株共得到4 267个基因,有3 145个具有明确生物学功能的蛋白。其中,与短小芽胞杆菌抑菌活性相关的基因（簇）有84个,包括2个细菌防御酶基因、2个细菌生物膜形成相关基因、1个信号转导基因、27个细胞壁降解或水解酶基因、15个抗生素合成或转运基因、4个抑菌蛋白基因、1个次生代谢物合成基因簇及32个细菌鞭毛生物合成与调控相关基因。TasA基因在芽胞杆菌属细菌中具有高度的保守性,各同源基因的序列相似性在92%以上;而Surf2基因的同源基因在该属细菌中具有一定的变异性,有的序列相似性低至73%。     

Amino acid substitutions conferring insecticide insensitivity in Ace-paralogous acetylcholinesterase

Since insecticide insensitivity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was, found about 40 years ago, a cause of the resistance to organophosphates in the spider mite, more than 30 insect and Acarus species have added to the instance. Based on the 3-dimensional analysis of Torpedo AChE structure and sequencing of Drosophila AChE gene (Ace), amino acid substitutions conferring the insensitivity have been found in Drosophila melanogaster. However, no amino acid substitution responsible for the AChE insensitivity had been found in insects and Acari except Brachicera flies until the second type of AChE paralogous to Ace was discovered in Schizaphis graminus and Anopheles gambiae. Sequencing of Ace-paralogous AChE cDNAs has been followed in insect species of various orders. Now, various amino acid substitutions are found and correspond to different biochemical properties of insensitive AChEs in relation to the function of substituted amino acids in the 3-dimensional structure. Existence of two AChE genes raises questions about differentiation of the two genes, site of gene expression, and function of each enzyme.     

Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a phi-type glutathione S-transferase from Oryza sativa

The structural gene for glutathione S-transferase in Oryza sativa was successfully cloned from a cDNA library by the polymerase chain reaction method. The deduced amino acid sequence of this gene showed 44-66% similarity to the sequences of the class phi GSTs from Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays. This gene was expressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system and the gene product was purified to homogeneity by GSH-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The expressed OsGSTF3-3 was a homo-dimer composed of 24 kDa subunit and its pI value was approximately 7.3. The OsGSTF3-3 was retained on GSH affinity column and its K_m value for GSH was 0.28 mM. The OsGSTF3-3 displayed high activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a general GST substrate and also had high activities towards acetanilide herbicides, alachlor, and metolachlor. The OsGSTF3-3 was highly sensitive to inhibition by benastatin A and S-hexyl-GSH. From these results, the expressed OsGSTF3-3 is a phi class GST and seems to play an important role in the conjugation of the chloroacetanilide herbicides.     

Mutated sodium channel genes and elevated monooxygenases are found in pyrethroid resistant populations of Sri Lankan malaria vectors

The present status of pyrethroid resistance in vectors of malaria; Anopheles culicifacies and Anopheles subpictus, was tested in two malarious Districts, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee, of Sri Lanka. Both species were resistant to permethrin and susceptible to cypermethrin and cyfluthrin. An. subpictus were resistant to deltamethrin. λ-Cyhalothrin and etofenprox resistance was shown only by Anuradhapura An. subpictus. Although there were no differences among the populations for esterase and glutathione S-transferase activities, increased monooxygenase levels were found among Trincomalee populations. The voltage-gated sodium channel gene, the target site gene of pyrethroids, was partially sequenced to screen for mutations previously associated with insecticide resistance. The classic leucine to phenylalanine substitution, TTA to TTT, was detected in An. subpictus. It appears that both kdr type and monooxygenase resistance underlie pyrethroid resistance in these two malaria vectors of Sri Lanka.     

Sequence variation in the two-component histidine kinase gene of Botrytis cinerea associated with resistance to dicarboximide fungicides

The complete two-component histidine kinase gene (Bos1) was sequenced from eight dicarboximide-resistant (D^R) and six-sensitive (D^S) field isolates of Botrytis cinerea. Comparisons in the predicted amino acid sequences of Bos1 showed that each two D^R isolates had a single point mutation at amino acid position 365 from an isoleucine to serine (I365S) or to an asparagine (I365N). Three D^R isolates were characterized with a change from glutamine to proline at position 369 (Q369P) as well as an asparagine to serine at the position 373 (N373S). These mutations located within the 90-amino-acid repeats of Bos1 have been reported previously. One new mutation, however, was found in the D^R isolate 65-E8. In this isolate, a null mutation at the amino acid position 1040 in the Bos1 was detected. Inoculation tests showed that this isolate was nearly nonpathogenic to cucumber. After the Bos1 gene from the sensitive isolate 38B1 was transferred into the resistant isolate 65-E8, all transformants tested were sensitive to iprodione and capable of infecting cucumber. DNA fingerprint generated by micro-satellite primed-PCR showed that isolates were not clustered based on their sensitivity to iprodione. Results from this study indicate that mutations in the Bos1 gene associated with dicarboximide resistance are diverse in B. cinerea, and the Bos1 gene is associated with virulence of B. cinerea.     

Mosquito larvicidal activity of alkaloids from Zanthoxylum lemairei against the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

Four alkaloids, 10-O-demethyl-17-O-methylisoarnottianamide 1, 6-acetonyl-N-methyl-dihydrodecarine 2, nitidine 3, and chelerythrine 4 were isolated from the plant Zanthoxylum lemairei (Rutaceae) and evaluated for mosquito larvicidal activity against the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. The mortalities of the larvae were determined after 24 h. The results of the larvicidal tests demonstrated that compounds 1 and 2 were the most potent with mortality rates of 96.7% and 98.3% at a concentration of 250 mg/L, respectively. Compound 3 was less potent with a mortality of 28.3% at the same concentration. The percent mortality of 100% was observed at a concentration of 500 mg/L. The least potent of the four alkaloids was compound 4, which achieved 100% mortality at 1000 mg/L. These findings could be useful in the research for newer more selective, biodegradable and natural larvicidal compounds or can be used as lead compounds for the development of larvicides.     

Antifungal activity and mode of action of Galla rhois-derived phenolics against phytopathogenic fungi

Antifungal activity and target sites of methanolic extract and its constituents from the gall (Galla rhois) caused by the Chinese sumac aphid, Schlechtendalia chinensis, on the nutgall sumac tree, Rhus javanica, were examined. In tests with six phytopathogenic fungi using a whole plant bioassay, the gall extract exhibited good antifungal activity. The biologically active constituents isolated from Galla rhois were characterized as the phenolics methyl gallate and gallic acid by spectroscopic analyses. Methyl gallate was highly suppressive to Magnaporthe grisea, Botrytis cinerea, and Puccinia recondita, whereas gallic acid exhibited good antifungal activity against M. grisea and Erysiphe graminis. These two compounds were ineffective against rice sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Methyl gallate did not adversely affect conidial germination (94%) but significantly inhibited appressorium formation (7%) of M. grisea. Moderate and significant inhibition of conidial germination (64%) and appressorium formation (5%) of M. grisea, respectively, were observed with gallic acid. In complementation tests with M. grisea, cAMP and 1,16-hexadecanediol restored significantly and slightly appressorium formation inhibited by methyl gallate and gallic acid, respectively. These results indicate that methyl gallate and gallic acid acted on a cAMP-related signaling pathway regulating appressorium formation in M. grisea.     

Cloning of the acetylcholinesterase 1 gene and identification of point mutations putatively associated with carbofuran resistance in Nilaparvata lugens

Molecular mechanisms of carbofuran resistance in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål, were investigated. A carbofuran-resistant strain (CAS) showed approximately 45.5- and 15.1-fold resistance compared with a susceptible strain (SUS) and a non-selected field strain (FM), respectively. Activities of the esterase and mixed-function oxidase were approximately 2.8- and 1.6-fold higher, respectively, in the CAS strain than in the SUS strain, suggesting that these enzymes play a minor role in carbofuran resistance. Interestingly, the insensitivity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to carbofuran was approximately 5.5- and 3.7-fold higher in the CAS strain compared to the SUS and FM strains, respectively, indicating that AChE insensitivity is associated with carbofuran resistance. Western blot analysis identified two kinds of AChEs, of which the type-1 AChE (encoded from Nlace1, which is paralogous to the Drosophila AChE gene) was determined to be the major catalytic AChE in N. lugens. The open reading frame of Nlace1 is composed of 1989 bp (approximately 74 kD) and revealed 52.5% and 24.3% amino acid sequence identities to those of Nephotettix cincticeps and Drosophila melanogaster, respectively. Screening of point mutations identified four amino acid substitutions (G119A, F/Y330S, F331H and H332L) in the CAS strain that likely contribute to AChE insensitivity. The frequencies of these mutations were well correlated with resistance levels, confirming that they are associated with reduced sensitivity to carbofuran in N. lugens. These point mutations can be useful as genetic markers for monitoring resistance levels in field populations of N. lugens.     

The clone of laccase gene and its potential function in cuticular penetration resistance of Culex pipiens pallens to fenvalerate

Decreased insecticides cuticular penetration, as one of resistant mechanisms in insect, has been extensively documented. Laccases, are enzymes with p-diphenol oxidase activity, was related to the cuticular tanning in insect. In this study, one laccase 2 gene (CpLac2) was cloned from Culex pipiens pallens. The CpLac2 contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 2289 bp and encodes a putative 762 amino acid protein. The deduced protein of CpLac2 was more similar to laccase 2 than other insect laccases, and shared the highest identity with laccases from the same family mosquito, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. The developmental expression model of CpLac2 in C. pipiens pallens was measured by RT-PCR. The result showed the CpLaC2 was abundantly expressed in egg, the 4th instar larva and pupa, which suggested the role of CpLac2 for egg chorion tanning and cuticular sclerotization. Meanwhile, the expression of CpLac2 in fenvalerate-susceptible and -resistant strains of C. pipiens pallens was measured by real-time PCR. The result revealed the CpLac2 was significant higher expressed in resistant strain than in susceptible strain. The overexpression of CpLac2 in resistant strain suggested that resistance could derive from reinforcement of the cuticle, which decreased the penetration of insecticide in cuticle.