Using leaf tip necrosis as a phenotypic marker to predict the presence of durable rust resistance gene pair <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lr34</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">Yr18</Emphasis> in wheat

Fifty wheat varieties along with Jupateco-73 and Morocco were studied for the expression of leaf tip necrosis (LTN), a trait linked with the durable rust resistance gene pair Lr34/Yr18. LTN was frequent (i.e., ≥6) in nine replications of a field experiment over 3 years in 17 genotypes, and the varieties were considered positive for LTN. In molecular analyses of these varieties, having relative severity values up to 78 for yellow rust and 45 for leaf rust, the 150-bp Lr34/Yr18-linked allele was consistently amplified. Expression of LTN in six of nine replications is an appropriate threshold for predicting the presence of Lr34/Yr18 gene pair, and genotypes can be selected using this trait.     

北京地区西瓜枯萎病生理小种分化研究

对在北京大兴、顺义、通县等西瓜主产区采集，经单孢分离得到的８个西瓜枯萎病菌株进行了生理小种分化研究。应用国际通用的３个鉴别寄主ＳｕｇａｒＢａｂｙ、ｃｈａｒｌｅｓｔｏｎＧｒａｙ、ｃａｌｈｏｕｒＧｒａｙ和国内京欣１号、苏蜜１号２个品种，采用全国协作组统一的苗期抗病鉴定方法，进行人工接种鉴定。结果表明北京地区西瓜枯萎病菌株均系同一生理型，为西瓜枯萎病生理小种１号。     

No effect of exogenous melatonin on development of cryopreserved metaphase II oocytes in mouse

Background

This study was conducted to investigate effect of exogenous melatonin on the development of mouse mature oocytes after cryopreservation.

Results

First, mouse metaphase II (MII) oocytes were vitrified in the open-pulled straws (OPS). After warming, they were cultured for 1 h in M₂ medium containing melatonin at different concentrations (0, 10⁻⁹, 10⁻⁷, 10⁻⁵, 10⁻³ mol/L). Then the oocytes were used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels (fluorescence microscopy), and the developmental potential after parthenogenetic activation. The experimental results showed that the ROS level and cleavage rate in 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin group was significantly lower than that in melatonin-free group (control). The GSH levels and blastocyst rates in all melatonin-treated groups were similar to that in control. Based on the above results, we detected the expression of gene Hsp90aa1, Hsf1, Hspa1b, Nrf2 and Bcl-x1 with qRT-PCR in oocytes treated with 10⁻⁷, or 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin and untreated control. After warming and culture for 1 h, the oocytes showed higher Hsp90aa1 expression in 10⁻⁷ mol/L melatonin-treated group than in the control (P < 0.05); the Hsf1, Hsp90aa1 and Bcl-x1 expression were significantly decreased in 10⁻³ mol/L melatonin-treated group when compared to the control. Based on the above results and previous research, we detected the development of vitrified-warmed oocytes treated with either 10⁻⁷ or 0 mol/L melatonin by in vitro fertilization. No difference was observed between them.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the supplementation of melatonin (10⁻⁹ to 10⁻³ mol/L) in culture medium and incubation for 1 h did not improve the subsequent developmental potential of vitrified-warmed mouse MII oocytes, even if there were alteration in gene expression.     

Rice <Emphasis Type="Italic">terpene synthase 18</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">OsTPS18</Emphasis>) encodes a sesquiterpene synthase that produces an antibacterial (<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>)-nerolidol against a bacterial pathogen of rice

Plant volatile compounds, including terpenes, are known to be involved in the rice defense system. In the present analysis of a terpene synthase, OsTPS18, in rice, we found that OsTPS18 was localized in the cytoplasm and synthesized the sesquiterpenes (E)-nerolidol and (E)-β-farnesene. The amounts of (E)-nerolidol and (E)-β-farnesene increased after jasmonic acid (JA) treatment. (E)-Nerolidol had significant antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). These results suggest that (E)-nerolidol plays an important role in JA-induced resistance against Xoo and that it functions as an antibacterial compound in rice.     

Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus Carrying Aphrocallistes vastus Lectin (oncoVV-AVL) Enhances Inflammatory Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Aphrocallistes vastus lectin (AVL) is a C-type marine lectin derived from sponges. Our previous study demonstrated that oncolytic vaccinia virus carrying AVL (oncoVV-AVL) significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of oncoVV in cervical cancer, colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma through the activation of Ras/ERK, MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. In this study, the inflammatory response induced by oncoVV-AVL in a hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HCC) model was investigated. The results showed that oncoVV-AVL increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α through activating the AP-1 signaling pathway in HCC. This study provides novel insights into the utilization of lectin AVL in the field of cancer therapy.     

Numerical analysis of injection molding for the Syringe Barrel with optimum design and processing condition

The numerical analysis was performed to predict the potential problem, often occurring during the manufacturing process of the disposable medical device of a great volume. The cavity filling analyses were performed for the new design of the 3cc Syringe Barrel using polypropylene(PP1), and a new nucleated polypropylene(PP2) material for better clarity. These analyses have been performed for different processing conditions as well as various wall thickness designs for both materials. With the nucleated material, only the original wall thickness design has been studied at two different processing conditions for comparison purpose. This study was conducted to investigate the optimum part design and processing condition for two different materials. The most desirable design was selected with Design 3 for material utilization and reduced flow stresses by comparing the field results. The new nucleated polypropylene provided slightly better product quality and processing.     

Susceptibility of eight Algerian olive cultivars to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactrocera oleae</Emphasis> infestation – a pomological and nutritional quality perspective

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), is the major olive pest in the Mediterranean Basin, being responsible for high losses in olive production. The objective of this work was to study the influence of B. oleae infestation on the pomological parameters and nutritive value (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and ash) of eight olive cultivars (Abani, Aellah, Blanquette de Guelma, Chemlal, Ferkani, Limli, Rougette de Mitidja and Souidi) from Algeria. The results displayed different degrees of susceptibility of the studied cultivars to this pest. Fruit size (weight) and the Fruit weight / stone weight ratio are significantly correlated with the attack. The statistical treatment of the results (PCA and HAC) highlighted different behaviors from the cultivars, concerning the attack. There are some cultivars more susceptible, being the nutritional value also affected. The lipid and protein contents were positively correlated with the attack and the carbohydrates negatively, suggesting a careful choice by the B. oleae. Ovipositional preference of olive fruit fly females and the success of larval development in different olive cultivars are crucial to establishing new approaches in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) against this pest.     

Differences in bark beetle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ips typographus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pityogenes chalcographus)</Emphasis> abundance in a strict spruce reserve and the surrounding spruce forests of Serbia

Frequent windthrow in the strict reserves of spruce in the Kopaonik National Park provides much material favorable for the development of Ips typographus (L.) and Pityogenes chalcographus (L.) (Coleoptera, Scolytidae). Therefore it was assumed that the abundance of these bark beetles in the reserves was high and that they dispersed to the surrounding spruce forests. To verify this opinion, their population levels were monitored in the strict reserve Jankove Bare and the adjoining spruce forests over the period 2006–2008. I. typographus parasitoids were identified and the parasitism percent was determined in spruce forests around the reserves. Throughout the monitoring period, the abundance of I. typographus and P. chalcographus was found to be lower in the reserve than in the surrounding spruce forests. Five species of I. typographus parasitoids and a low parasitization percent were identified in spruce forests surrounding the reserve.     

河南商丘地区棉花黄萎病菌分离鉴定和致病力分析

为探讨河南商丘地区棉花黄萎病菌的致病型群体变异,对该地区棉花上分离的8株单孢菌株的菌落形态、显微结构、致病力、ITS序列、系统进化及菌体蛋白等方面进行了研究。结果表明:这些菌株均属于棉花黄萎病菌Verticilliumdahliae;系统进化树显示8株菌株并没有聚在同一进化枝上;8株黄萎菌菌株存在致病力差异,SQ4菌株致病力最强,属于落叶型,而其它致病力较弱的7个菌株属于非落叶型;不同致病力的菌株间蛋白谱带存在差异。     

Genetic analysis of ORF5 of recent Korean porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSVs) in viremic sera collected from MLV-vaccinating or non-vaccinating farms

The 23 open reading frame (ORF) 5 sequences of Korean type II porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were collected from viremic sera from the (modified live vaccine) MLV-vaccinating and non-vaccinating farms from 2007 to 2008. The samples were phylogenetically analyzed with previous ORF5 sequences, including type I Korean PRRSV, and previously reported or collected sequences from 1997 to 2008. A MN184-like subgroup of type II Korean PRRSV was newly identified in the viremic sera collected from 2007 to 2008. And of the type I PRRSVs, one subgroup had 87.2~88.9% similarity with the Lelystad virus, showing a close relationship with the 27~2003 strain of Spain. The maximum parsimony tree of type II PRRSV from 1997 to 2008 showed that they had evolved to four lineages, subgroups 1, 2, 3 and 4. Most of the recently collected type II PRRSVs belonged to subgroup 4 (48%). The region of three B-cell epitopes and two T-cell epitopes of ORF5 amino acids sequences was considerably different from the MLV in subgroups 3 and 4. In conclusion, the existence of type I PRRSV, which was genetically different from Lelystad virus (Prototype of type I PRRSV), and heterologous type II PRRSVs of viremic pigs detected even in the MLV-vaccinating farms indicated the need for new vaccine approaches for the control of PRRSV in Korea.