应用改进的平板检测法快速筛选解钾菌

The utility of microorganisms for solubilizing the unavailable forms of potassium(K) from soil has led to renewed interest in fabrication of rapid and sensitive plate assays for their isolation and screening. The present study developed a modified plate assay and compared it with previously reported methods for the isolation and screening of K-solubilizing bacteria. The newly developed plate assay is based on improved visualization of halo zone formation around the colonies on agar plates, through inclusion of an acid-base indicator dye, bromothymol blue(BTB), to modify the previously reported Aleksandrov medium. The halo zone exhibited a significant correlation(R = 0.939) with K released in liquid medium. The visualization of potential K solubilizers was improved using this method, which would help in detection of weak/non-acid producers based on secretion of organic acids in the medium. Organic acids in plate diffuse radially and form halo zones in response to reaction with the acid-base indicator dye BTB. Furthermore, K solubilization on plates with this method can be observed within 48–72 h, against the incubation time of 4–5 d needed in the earlier method. Therefore, the newly developed protocol for the plate assay was time saving, more sensitive, and beneficial in comparison to the previously reported Aleksandrov plate assay.     

Data Mining Strategy for "Gene Prediction" with Special Reference to Cotton Genome

This paper presents an integrated approach towards solving the problem of "Gene Prediction".The "Gene Prediction" problem solving undergoes well defined stages starting with a DNA sequence as input and lab treatment and computational analysis go hands in hands throughout the process.Many bioinformatics tools are available for analysis at different stages of "Gene Prediction",but a simplified and integrated approach is needed to support and speed up the task of a life scientist.     

基于iTRAQ技术的甘蔗受黑穗病菌侵染蛋白组分析

黑穗病已成为影响甘蔗产量和含糖量的重要病害。为从蛋白质水平探讨甘蔗应答黑穗病菌的分子机制,本实验选用抗黑穗病品种桂糖29号和感黑穗病品种崖城71-374,处理组用浸渍法接种黑穗病菌,对照组用无菌水模拟接菌,在接种180 d后采取甘蔗叶片,使用iTRAQ技术对蛋白质组进行研究。结果显示,桂糖29号中有定量信息蛋白1429个,差异表达蛋白290个,其中上调表达蛋白153个,下调表达蛋白137个;崖城71-374中有定量信息蛋白1576个,差异表达蛋白125个,其中上调表达蛋白55个,下调表达蛋白70个。抗病品种桂糖29号中差异表达蛋白数多于感病品种崖城71-374,且桂糖29号在KEGG富集到的代谢通路也更多,可能被侵染后抗病品种的免疫调节机制更为复杂,涉及的调控通路网更广。经对光合作用、抗氧化系统、钙信号、苯丙烷类代谢、激素相关差异表达蛋白及共有差异表达蛋白分析,发现光合作用通路、ROS、ABA、钙信号通路相关蛋白在2个品种中多为上调表达,且桂糖29号的上调表达蛋白数多于崖城71-374,可能参与甘蔗后期对黑穗病的应答。植物抗病是一个复杂的过程,需要多种功能与途径参与调控。在本实验中没有发现苯丙烷类代谢途径及一些酶(谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶、超氧化物歧化酶、谷胱甘肽硫转移酶、过氧化氢酶)、激素(生长素、乙烯、赤霉素)参与甘蔗的抗病过程,可能与采样时间有关。     

Reproductive biology of a hillstream catfish, Glyptothorax madraspatanum (Day), from the Garhwal, Central Himalaya, India

Abstract. This paper studies maturity and spawning tendency of a hillstream catfish, Glyptothorax madraspatanum (Day), in the Western Nayar River, Garhwal, Central Himalaya, India. The fish is a protracted spawner as it spawns only once during the limited period from July to August. Fecundity ranges from 1640 to 6830 eggs and is more closely related to ovary weight and fish weight than ovary and fish length. There was a non-significant sex ratio of 1:1·24 between males and females.     

喜马拉雅山西部Askot野生动物保护区内粗木质残体沿山高度分布格局与现状

在印度Askot野生动物保护区Goriganga流域的3个分水岭(Charigad,Dogarhigad和upper Gosigad)内,沿着海拔高度900～2600m设置5条曲线调查样带(样带A、B、C、D和E),调查了粗木质残体的分布格局和状况.海拔高度每升高100 m设置一块1 hm2的样地.结果表明,不同演替阶段的粗木质残体百分比贡献率按降低顺序排列依次是:枯立木--相位Ⅰ>相位Ⅱ>相位Ⅳ>相位Ⅲ;而原木-相位Ⅲ>相位Ⅱ>相位Ⅳ.调查样带A内喜马拉雅长叶松(Pinus roxburghii)林内枯立木密度在1500m处较高,调查样带B通麦栎(Quercus lanata)林的枯立木密度在2300米处较高(10个/hm2).喜马拉雅长叶松林的枯立木和原木总获得量为13.9 t,其中枯立木和原木分别占41%和59%;而通麦栎林枯立木和原木总量仅为5.6 t,枯立木和原木分别占60%和40%.此外,粗木质残体的存在,有利于为当地生长的兰花营造良好的生长环境.在喜马拉雅长叶松林中等高度区域内,高密度的枯立木和原木导致该区内物种丰富度较低,地被物密度也较低.这主要是由于该区光线充足、土壤水分含量低,只有优势种才能占领这样生境.     

Effect of estrus synchronization protocols on plasma progesterone profile and fertility in postpartum anestrous Kankrej cows

The study was aimed at induction/synchronization of estrus in postpartum anestrous Kankrej cows of zebu cattle maintained at an organized farm. The study included use of different hormone protocols, viz., Ovsynch, CIDR (controlled internal drug release), Ovsynch plus CIDR, and Heatsynch with estimation of plasma progesterone on days 0, 7, 9/11 (artificial insemination--AI) and on day 20 post-AI following fixed time insemination. Thirty selected anestrous animals were divided into five equal groups (four treatment and one control), and the findings were compared with the normal cyclic control group of six cows. All the protocols were initiated in cows with postpartum anestrous period of more than 4 months, considering the day of first GnRH injection or CIDR insertion as day 0. The animals were bred by fixed time artificial insemination. Pregnancy was confirmed per rectum on day 60 post-AI in non-return cases. The conception rates at induced/first heat in Ovsynch, CIDR, Ovsynch + CIDR, and Heatsynch protocols were 33.33, 66.66, 50.00 and 16.67%, respectively. The corresponding overall conception rates of three cycles post-treatment were 50.00% (3/6), 100.00% (6/6), 66.66% (4/6), and 50.00% (3/6). In normal cyclic and anestrous control groups, the pooled pregnancy rates were 83.33% (5/6) and 16.67% (1/6), respectively. The pooled mean plasma progesterone (nanograms per milliliter) concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) higher on day 7 in Ovsynch (5.727 ± 1.26), CIDR (4.37 ± 0.66), Ovsynch plus CIDR (3.55 ± 0.34), and Heatsynch (5.92 ± 1.11) protocols as compared with their corresponding values obtained on days 0, 9/11 (AI), and on day 20 post-AI. In anestrous control group, the mean progesterone concentration at the beginning of experiment was 0.67 ± 0.33 ng/ml, which was at par with values of all other groups. The overall plasma progesterone levels on the day of initiating treatment were low in all groups, with smooth small inactive ovaries palpated per rectum twice at 10 days interval, suggesting that most of the animals used in the study were in anestrous phase. Mean (± SE) values of plasma progesterone (nanograms per milliliter) on day 20 post-AI were higher in conceived cows than the non-conceived cows of all the groups, but differed significantly (P < 0.05) only in normal cyclic group. These results suggest that use of different hormone protocols particularly Ovsynch, CIDR, and Ovsynch + CIDR may serve as an excellent tool for induction and synchronization of estrus and improvement of conception rate in postpartum anestrous Kankrej cows.     

Effect of powdery mildew (Erysiphe pisi) on nodulation and nitrogenase activity in pea (Pisum sativum)

The effects of powdery mildew ( Erysiphe pisi) disease of pea (Pisum sativum) on the number and size of root nodules and on nitrogenase activity were investigated in pea plants grown in pots and in the field. There were significant reductions in nodulation and in the size of root nodules as well as in nitrogenase activity in infected plants.     

Natural infection of cucumber mosaic virus on Dianthus barbatus in India

Cucumber mosaic virus (serologically closely related to strains CMV-C and CMV-D) is reported for the first time as a natural infection of Dianthus barbatus causing leaf crinkle and stunting of plants. It was mechanically transmitted to healthy D. barbatus and Vaccaria pyramidata (Caryophyllaceae) and to other herbaceous test plants, and was also aphid-transmissible from D. barbatus to D. barbatus. A convenient host for multiplication and purification of the virus was Nicotiana rustica. The presence of CMV was confirmed in D. barbatus and also in V. pyramidata by Western immunoblotting, but the concentration was too low in both the hosts to detect the virus by agar double diffusion tests.     

Comparison between ELISA and bio tin-la belled probes from cloned cDNA of potato virus X for the detection of virus in crude tuber extracts

Diseases caused by potato virus X (PVX) are of significant agronomic importance, and early detection is vital. Biotinylated DNA probes were prepared by random-primed labelling from cDNA inserts and used for the detection of PVX in crude extracts of infected tubers. The minimum detection level in these extracts is in the order of femtograms of PVX RNA. Comparison with ELISA showed that the hybridization method is 100–250 times more sensitive. Probes prepared by this method are highly specific for target RNA even in crude tuber extracts.     

Genes for race-specific resistance to yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis) in Indian wheat cultivars

Seedlings of Indian wheat cultivars (Kalyansona, Sonalika, WL711 and eight others released commercially) were tested with 13 British and four alien races of Puccinia striiformis. The data indicated the probable presence of the resistance gene Yr2 in the three cultivars named above and in six of the others. Reactions of the remaining two cultivars, PWB12 and WL2265, were consistent with the presence of the gene 177. The presence of Yr2 in Kalyansona, Sonalika and WL711 was supported by evidence from crosses between them and with Heines VII, which is known to carry Yr2. In crosses of Sonalika with a susceptible cultivar, Kharchia Local and also with WL711, tests of F1, F2 and F3 generations indicated that, in addition to Yr2 , Sonalika possesses at least two other genes. Both these genes were difficult to detect but the F3 data supported the hypothesis that there is a single partially recessive gene giving resistance to alien race 6E16 and a different, possibly complementary, gene system effective against another alien race, 39E134. The presence of resistance in addition to Yr2 was also detected in WL711 and HD2329.