Evaluation of a new method for quantification of heat tolerance in different wheat cultivars

Heat stress seriously affects wheat production in many regions of the world. At present, heat tolerance research remains one of the least understood fields in wheat genetics and breeding and there is a lack of effective methods to quantify heat stress and heat tolerance in different wheat cultivars. The objective of this study was to use various wheat cultivars to evaluate stress intensity(δ) and a new method for quantification of heat tolerance and compare this technique with three other currently utilized methods. This new parameter for heat tolerance quantification is referred to as the heat tolerance index(HTI) and is an indicator of both yield potential and yield stability. Heat treatments were applied in a controlled setting when anthesis had been reached for 80% of the wheat. The stress intensity evaluation indicated heat shock was the main factor associated with kernel weight reduction while grain yield reduction was mainly associated with chronic high temperature. The methods evaluation showed that a temperature difference of 5°C from natural temperatures was a suitable heat treatment to compare to the untreated controls. HTI was positively correlated with yield under heat stress(r=0.8657, δ_(2010)=0.15, in 2009–2010; r=0.8418, δ_(2011)=0.20, in 2010–2011; P0.01), and negatively correlated with yield reduction rate(r=–0.8344, in 2009–2010; r=–0.7158, in 2010–2011; P0.01). The results of this study validated the use of HTI and temperature difference control for quantifying wheat heat tolerance that included the yield potential and the stability of different wheat cultivars under heat stress. Additionally, 10 wheat cultivars showed high HTI and should be further tested for their heat confirming characteristics for use in wheat heat tolerance breeding.     

Bulked Segregant Analysis to Detect QTL Related to Heat Tolerance in Rice （Oryza sativa L.） Using SSR Markers

The study was undertaken to assess the genetic effect of quantitative trait loci （QTLs） conferring heat tolerance at flowering stage in rice. A population consisting of 279 F2 individuals from the cross between 996, a heat tolerant cultivar and 4628, a heat-sensitive cultivar, was analyzed for their segregation pattern of the difference of seed set rate under optimal temperature condition and high temperature condition. The difference of seed set rate under optimal temperature condition and high temperature condition showed normal distribution, indicating the polygenic control over the trait. To identify main effect of QTL for heat tolerance, the parents were surveyed with 200 primer pairs of simple sequence repeats （SSR）. The parental survey revealed 30% polymorphism between parents. In order to detect the main QTL association with heat tolerance, a strategy of combining the DNA pooling from selected segregants and genotyping was adopted. The association of putative markers identified based on DNA pooling from selected segregants was established by single marker analysis （SMA）. The results of SMA revealed that SSR markers, RM3735 on chromosome 4 and RM3586 on chromosome 3 showed significant association with heat tolerance respectively, accounted for 17 and 3% of the total variation respectively. The heat tolerance during flowering stage in rice was controlled by multiple gene. The SSR markers, RM3735 on chromosome 4 and RM3586 on chromosome 3 showed significant association with heat tolerance respectively, accounted for 17 and 3% of the total variation respectively. The two genetic loci, especially for RM3735 on chromosome 4, can be used in marker-assistant-selected method in heat tolerance breeding in rice.     

Expression of HSP72 in Mouse Preimplantation Embryos with Heat Shock

The objective of the paper was to detect HSP72 expression and HSP72 gene sequence in heat shocked mouse preimplantation embryos and the effects of different thermo conditions on hatching rates of embryos. The mouse blastocysts cultured in vitro were heat treated at 40℃ and 38℃ for 1 h, 2 h and 3 h and then recovered at 370C for 3 h, 2 h and 1 h, respectively, to detect their HSP72 gene expression by using RT-PCR after the total R.NA extraction. The hatching rate of the blastocysts for different treated groups was recorded and the expression of liSP72 in the blastocysts was determined by Western blot. The results showed that all the groups of blastocysts, including the control, had the expression of HSP72 gene. The expression of HSP72 protein had the highest level in the embryos stressed at 38℃ for 2 h, and it was significantly higher than that in the control group. The expression of HSP72 in the groups of blastocysts treated at 40℃ was not significantly different from that in the control group. The embryos with induction of mild heat shock at 38℃ for 2 h, then subjected to heat shock at 40℃ for 2 h, had a significant higher （P〈0.05） hatching rate of 54.74% compared to 47.85% in the embryos treated directly at 40℃ for 2 h. The above results indicated that the mouse blastocysts were sensitive to heat shock and a mild heat shock induced HSP72 gene expression. Induction of HSP72 expression with mild heat shock helped embryos to tolerate more severe heat shocks.     

Correlation Analysis on Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of CAPN1 Gene and Meat Quality and Carcass Traits in Chickens

The selection of meat quality has received considerable focus in chicken breeding. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of CAPN1 gene on meat quality traits in chicken populations. Primer pairs for 3 UTR in CAPN1 were designed from database of chicken genomic sequence. Polymorphisms were detected using PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing. A mutation at position 9 950 nt （G/A, locus A） was found among individuals in each population. The allele and genotype frequencies significantly differed among eight lines with higher frequencies of allele A2 and genotype AIA2 （P〈0.01）. The least square analysis showed that there was significant difference （P 〈 0.05） in muscle fiber density and some carcass traits among genotypes and that the breast muscle fiber density （BFD） of birds ofAIA1 genotype was significantly higher （P〈0.05） than that of birds ofA2A2 genotype. It was concluded that the CAPN1 gene was the major gene affecting the muscle fiber traits of chicken or was linked with the major gene. These results were useful for studying the molecular mechanism that influences meat traits and were used as the base of molecular-assisted selection to meat quality traits. So, this site may be a potential marker affecting the muscle traits of chickens.     

Role of TRP channels and HSPs in thermal stress response in the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus asychis(Hymenoptera:Aphelinidae)

Aphelinus asychis is an important aphid endoparasitoid. Under field and greenhouse conditions, high temperature is one of the factors limiting the application of A. asychis for biological pest control. To explore the potential role of transient receptor potential(TRP) channels and heat shock proteins(HSPs) in this process, we identified 11 genes encoding TRP channels and nine genes encoding HSPs. Three proteins(AasyTRPA5, AasyPyrexia, AasyPainless) that belong to transient receptor potential ankyrin(TRPA) subfamily and nine HSPs are involved in the response to high temperature. We also investigated the survival of A. asychis and the response of the identified TRP channels and HSPs to high temperature. The results showed that the maximum temperature that allowed A. asychis survival was approximately 41℃; females had higher survival rates than that of the males at 40 and 41℃. Short-term heat-shock resulted in increased expression of Aasyshsp in males, and Aasyhsp40, Aasyhsp68, Aasyhsp70-4, Aasyhsp70-5 and Aasyhsp90 were upregulated and then downregulated, whereas Aasyhsp70-3 was upregulated at 41℃. Moreover, Aasyhsp40 and Aasyhsp90 showed higher expression levels in females, while Aasyshsp and Aasyhsp70-3 presented opposite expression patterns. At temperature above 35℃, expression of AasyPyrexia in females was significant higher than that in males, whereas AasyPainless and AasyTRPA5 presented higher expression in males at 40 and 41℃, respectively. Altogether, these results indicate that protection against thermal stress in A. asychis is coordinated by TRP channels and HSPs. These findings provide a basis for understanding the potential mechanism of A. asychis in response to high temperatures.     

Artificial induction of androgenetic diploid in Yellow catfish （Pelteobagrus fulvidraco）

Androgenesis was the especial zoogamy that the germ plasma of offspring was from the agnate.In this study the eggs of Yellow catfish(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)were irradiated by UV suspending in the synthetic ovarian fluid(OF),and the total dosage of UV irradiation was 220 mJ·cm~(-2).Diploid could be induced by heat shock(40℃,2 min,3 min)with different time period after fertilization(15-37 min).The result showed that heat shock with 2 min was better than 3 min;there were two apices of induction in 17-21 min and 27-31 min after fertilization.The highest hatching rate was 3.30% at 29 min after fertilization,and the difference between two apices of induction was unobvious.     

中国荷斯坦牛HSF1基因microRNA SNPs 与耐热性能的相关性研究

 【目的】分析638头中国荷斯坦牛HSF1基因多态性与耐热性的关系,以期为中国耐热奶牛分子育种提供参考依据。【方法】设计引物扩增HSF1基因,通过DNA测序、PCR-SSCP和PCR-RFLP技术筛查SNPs并分型,利用miRBASE数据库定位microRNA SNPs,利用SHEsis软件进行配对连锁不平衡分析和单倍型构建,利用SAS软件对不同基因型和单倍型组合个体耐热指标包括红细胞钾浓度、产奶量下降率、直肠温度和耐热系数进行相关分析。应用荧光定量RT-PCR技术研究热应激状态下HSF1 mRNA的转录水平。【结果】发现2个microRNA种子序列新 SNPs,T909C和G4693T。其中909位碱基距离microRNA种子序列5'端3 bp,4 693位突变直接使microRNA种子序列破坏。909位点CC、CT基因型奶牛耐热性能显著高于TT基因型（P＜0.05）;4693位点TT基因型奶牛耐热性能显著高于GG基因型（P＜0.05）。共构建出4种单倍型、发现10种单倍型组合。其中H2H4单倍型组合红细胞钾浓度和直肠温度显著低于H1H3单倍型组合（P＜0.05）,耐热系数显著高于H1H3组合（P＜0.05）,H2H4组合个体产奶量下降率显著低于H1H1组合个体（P＜0.05）,H2H4为耐热单倍型组合。热应激状态下HSF1 mRNA的转录水平在不同组织中存在差异,在心脏中最高,是肌肉中的11.24倍（P＜0.05）。【结论】HSF1基因microRNA SNPs可作为奶牛抗热应激的候选分子标记应用于育种实践。     

热激蛋白与植物耐热性关系的研究进展

热激蛋白是一类响应逆境胁迫并且大量表达在生物体中的蛋白质。植物热激蛋白在减缓高温胁迫引起的伤害和提高植物对高温胁迫的耐受性中起着关键作用。近年来,植物热激蛋白在高温胁迫下的产生、分类与定位,热激蛋白及基因表达的调控以及热激蛋白的生物学功能等方面的研究取得较大进展,讨论了今后热激蛋白与植物耐热性关系的研究重点。     

植物热激蛋白研究进展

热激蛋白是一类在有机体受到高温等逆境刺激后大量表达的蛋白, 是植物对逆境胁迫短期适应的必需组成成分, 对减轻逆境胁迫引起的伤害有很大的作用 有机体在受到逆境胁迫后, 体内变性蛋白急剧增加, 热激蛋白可以与变性蛋白结合, 维持它们的可溶状态, 在有Mg2+和ATP的存在下使解折叠的蛋白质重新折叠成有活性的构象 文中主要综述和讨论植物热激蛋白的产生与类型、存在与定位, 论述了热激反应的特点、基因表达调控及其功能的研究进展, 并提出热激蛋白与树木耐旱性关系的研究展望     

水稻HSF基因OsHsf-like的生物信息学和转录表达分析

植物热激转录因子主要调控植物热激蛋白基因的转录表达,对植物的耐热性起着重要的作用.我们利用生物信息学技术鉴定出1个新的水稻HSF基因OsHsf-like,该基因编码1条719个氨基酸的预测肽链,肽链中包含1个HSF DNA结合域和1个由2个疏水的七肽重复序列(HR-A/B)构成的寡聚域.OsHsf-like的DNA结合域具有典型的HSF DNA结合域的次级结构和三级结构.对寡聚域的结构分析和系统进化分析将OsHsf-like归于B类HSFs.OsHsf-like在水稻穗部低水平转录表达.表达水平不受热激影响.     

HSP70/HSP27对免疫细胞保护作用的研究进展

热休克蛋白（Heat shock proteins,HSPs）作为一类重要的非特异性细胞保护蛋白,在免疫细胞应激耐受和应激保护中发挥着重要作用,其分子伴侣和抗细胞凋亡作用对于维持免疫细胞生存和内环境的稳定具有重要意义.热休克蛋白70（HSP70）和小分子热休克蛋白（Small heat shock proteins,sHSPs）中的HSP27是HSPs家族中的重要成员,也是近年来被广泛关注的研究对象,已经证实在参与调解细胞的增殖、分化和细胞凋亡过程中起到重要的作用.文章就HSP70/HSP27在热应激条件下对免疫细胞的保护作用进行了综述,对该领域中存在的问题进行了回顾,并对其发展前景进行了展望.     

昆虫热休克蛋白研究概况

生物体在受到刺激时会产生应激反应,生成热休克蛋白抑制正常蛋白的合成。通过对昆虫热休克蛋白HSPs研究,对了解昆虫的一些主要生理生化特性,如抗寒性、耐热性等有着重要的意义。对昆虫热休克蛋白的研究现状和应用进行了综述。     

热休克对小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞CaM mRNA和HSF活性的影响

试验分别以38、40和42℃对原代培养的小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞进行热休克处理,采用半定量PCR方法和凝胶迁移阻滞(EMSA)对CaM mRNA和HSF活性进行检测,并与对照组(37℃)比较,以确定热休克对小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞CaM mRNA和HSF活性的影响。结果表明,38℃热休克处理组小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞的CaMmRNA表达...