石麦15细菌人工染色体文库构建与鉴定

为给小麦功能基因研究提供参考信息,以冬小麦栽培品种石麦15(Triticum aestivum L.)为试材,从暗培养7~10d的黄化幼苗地上部提取高分子量基因组DNA,使用载体pCC1BAC的HindⅢ位点构建了六倍体小麦细菌人工染色体文库。该文库由1 000 000个以上克隆组成,保存在1 020个混合池中,克隆插入片段平均大小为85kb,空载率为2.5%;覆盖小麦基因组5倍以上;挑取7个克隆培养5d后,经HindⅢ完全酶切检测,其指纹图谱稳定一致。石麦15细菌人工染色体文库的构建为小麦基因克隆、调控序列克隆以及比较基因组学研究奠定了基础。     

细菌人工染色体(BAC)文库及其在小麦中的应用

细菌人工染色体（BAC）具有容量大、遗传稳定、易于操作等优点，在基因组研究和基因功能分析等方面得到了广泛应用。对BAC文库克隆载体的类型、小麦BAC文库的构建及其应用进行了综述，并对其前景进行了展望。细菌人工染色体载体是由大肠杆菌的F-因子发展而来，第一代BAC克隆载体pBAC1081能容纳300kb的片段，但它只具有转化选择标记．没有重组选择标记。第二代载体是将LacZ基因插入到多克隆位点中形成具有重组选择标记类型的载体如pBeloBACll，在该载体的基础上经过改造和改进又发展了一些特殊用途的载体，如富集基因类型和遗传转化类型的载体。近年来利用这些载体构建了小麦二倍体、四倍体、六倍体基因组BAC文库以及小麦特定染色体BAC文库，井以单克隆或混合池的形式保存。这些小麦BAC文库对于小麦基因克隆、基因组及基因区物理图谱的构建以及比较基因组学等方面的研究具有重要的意义。     

新疆野生油菜BAC文库的构建

本实验以新疆野生油菜18号的基因组DNA为材料构建了其BAC(bacterial artificial chromosome)文库。该文库共有14592个克隆,插入片段在50-300kb之间,平均插入片段105kb,空载率低于5%,覆盖了新疆野生油菜基因组约4.0倍。新疆野生油菜基因组BAC文库的构建,为进一步研究其基因组结构及功能基因的利用等奠定了基础。     

同一SSR引物在不同棉种BAC文库中的筛选及其FISH分析

本实验室前期利用SSR引物NAU1201筛选海岛棉Pima 90-53 BAC文库，其中BAC克隆299N22含有特殊的重复序列。本试验用SSR引物NAU1201分别在阿非利加棉文库和达尔文氏棉文库中筛选到3个和1个阳性BAC克隆。这些BAC克隆在A（亚）组所有的染色体上均有弥散的杂交信号，而在D（亚）组所有的染色体上几乎没有杂交信号，这与海岛棉文库BAC克隆299N22的FISH结果一致。相似的FISH杂交信号说明这些BAC克隆极有可能均含有相同的重复序列。这些BAC克隆的获得为研究该重复序列在不同棉种基因组中的分布情况以及序列差异提供了物质基础。     

玉米磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶基因高效表达载体构建及其导入小麦的研究

为获得具有C4光合特征的高光效转基因小麦材料,利用从玉米中克隆的磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶(PEPC)基因(pepc,GenBank接受号为FJ415327)构建高效双元表达载体,通过基因枪介导法将其导入小麦品种(系)中,利用Real-time PCR方法分析外源基因在转基因植株中的拷贝数.PCR和双酶切鉴定表明,玉米PEPC cDNA序列已插入双元表达载体pCAMBIA3301中,命名为p3301-pepc;对获得的抗性再生植株进行PCR扩增,其中有342株扩增出目的条带;在选取的15株转基因植株中7株拷贝数为1,3株拷贝数为2,2株拷贝数为3,拷贝数为5、8和17的分别为1株.初步证明玉米pepc基因已整合到小麦基因组中,且外源基因在转基因植株中既有单拷贝插入,也有多拷贝插入,这为进一步研究该基因在小麦基因组中的功能表达提供了试验材料.     

小麦LEAsm基因及其启动子的克隆与功能研究

胚胎发育晚期丰富蛋白(LEA)是一个小的高亲水性的蛋白家族,该蛋白家族在逆境胁迫下大量积累,保护植物免受逆境胁迫。LEA蛋白可分为7组,其中重复的11-氨基酸基序是第3组LEA蛋白的特征。为深入分析第3组LEA蛋白在小麦响应逆境胁迫中的作用机制,利用芯片技术从小麦表达谱中筛选出一个渗透胁迫诱导表达的第3组LEA蛋白基因TaLEAsm,然后根据该基因序列设计引物筛选石麦15的BAC文库,获得1个含有该基因的BAC单克隆,以该BAC单克隆质粒为模板,通过BAC延伸测序克隆了TaLEAsm基因及其启动子序列,并对TaLEAsm序列特征、表达模式和启动子功能进行了初步分析。结果表明,TaLEAsm基因序列仅含有1个105bp的内含子,其开放读码框长675bp,编码224个氨基酸。TaLEAsm含有10个11-氨基酸重复序列,属于第3组LEA蛋白。低温、高盐和渗透胁迫均诱导TaLEAsm基因上调表达,但在根和叶中表达模式不同。在TaLEAsm基因起始密码子上游1 500bp序列中,预测含有14个逆境响应顺式元件。在拟南芥中,TaLEAsm基因启动子能够启动GUS基因表达,渗透胁迫诱导GUS基因明显上调表达。以上结果表明,TaLEAsm为小麦脱水响应基因,其启动子为渗透胁迫诱导启动子。     

小麦基因组研究进展

本文从小麦遗传连锁图，小麦物理图谱和细胞遗传学阶梯图的构建以及小麦基因组标图和比较标图的策略等方面系统地阐述了有关小麦基因组的研究进展，目前，小麦７个部分同源群染色体的全部ＲＦＬＰ图谱，普通小麦完整的２１条染色体的遗传图谱以及圆锥小麦，粗山羊草的部分染色体的遗传加锁图的已构建，小麦１Ｂ染色体和第二，第三，第四，第五，第六，第七群染色体的物理图谱均已建立，小麦基因组标图和小麦族内以及小麦与黑麦，大麦     

六倍体小麦基因克隆方法研究进展

小麦基因组庞大,重复序列多,重要功能基因的克隆存在很大困难.目前,小麦基因的克隆方法主要有同源克隆、图位克隆、差减杂交、差异显示等.利用各种方法已经克隆出许多小麦基因,并对部分基因进行了功能研究.本文综述了目前常用的小麦基因克隆方法,比较了各种方法的优缺点和应用特点,并举出了利用这些方法得到的重要基因,希望能为从事小麦基因克隆的工作者提供参考信息.     

大豆多粒荚特异材料BAC文库的构建

利用大豆重组自交系中的一个多粒荚家系Q1001,构建了一个大豆BAC文库(bacterial artificial chromosome library)。该文库包含54912个克隆,平均插入片段达125kb,相当于大豆单倍体基因组大小的6.12倍。随机挑选4个大于100kb的克隆进行稳定性继代实验,经100代后插入的DNA片段仍然稳定存在。该BAC文库的建成,为下一步开展大豆产量相关基因的克隆打下基础。     

茶树新梢cDNA文库的构建和ESTs测序成功率初步分析

报道了国内第一个茶树cDNA文库的构建及其EST测序成功率分析。以Trizol一步法从龙井43春茶新梢中提取总RNA,分离纯化富含Poly (A)的mRNA,LD-PCR反转录合成双链cDNA,以λTripEX2为载体,构建了龙井43新梢cDNA文库。以XL1-Blue为受体菌测定原始文库的滴度为6.8×10⁵ pfu/ml,总克隆数为3.5×10⁵个,重组率为98.05%,扩增后文库总滴度为7.2×10⁹ pfu/ml。对随机挑取的噬菌斑进行PCR鉴定,表明插入片段大多分布在0.5-2.0 kb之间,绝大部分在1.0-1.5 kb左右。文库质量鉴定结果表明,构建的茶树新梢cDNA文库具有较好的库容量、较高的重组率以及较大的插入片段。对4320个克隆的序列测定表明,获得有用序列2963个,测序成功率为68.5%,剔除短序列后,首批共获得1687个茶树ESTs。     

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.     

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.     

Recent Modifications of Chitosan for Adsorption Applications: A Critical and Systematic Review

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012–2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase).