The activation effect of maize pollen polysaccharides on human thoracic cavity macrophages

AIM: To study the activation effects of maize pollen polysaccharides(PPM) on human thoracic cavity macrophage (hTMΦ). METHODS: Activities of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) and acid phosphatase (ACP) in the hTMΦ were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer, and the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6) in the hTMΦ was analyzed by radioimmunoassay, after hTMΦ were cultured with 0.312, 0.625, 1.250, 2.500, 5.000 mg/mL PPM-RPMI 1640 for 24 and 48 hours in vitro. RESULTS: The activities of LDH and ACP increased in the hTMΦ induced by PPM, and the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the hTMΦ induced by PPM increased markedly too. And the induced expression effect of TNF-α and IL-6 is associated with the concentration of PPM, and time for PPM inducing. CONCLUSION: PPM can induce cytokines secretion in hTMΦ, and activate hTMΦ in vitro.     

Isolation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose from different precursor materials

Nanocrytalline cellulose (NCC) was isolated using cellulose extracted from two different precursor materials: Eucalyptus globulus and rice straw. The two ground precursor materials were autoclaved with a 10 % NaOH solution at 120 °C for 3 h. The alkali-treated precursor materials were bleached using sodium chlorite/acetic acid and sodium hypochlorite. The bleached precursor materials were acid-hydrolyzed in 65 % (w/w) sulfuric acid at 45 °C for 30-120 min. The changes in the chemical composition of the two precursor materials were studied before and after bleaching by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy according to the NREL report and TAPPI standards. Hydrolyzates were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, thermogravimetric analysis, Zeta-potential analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed that the physical properties of NCC were strongly dependent on the acid-hydrolysis time.     

Development of male-specific markers and identification of sex reversal mutants in papaya

Papaya is a productive and nutritious fruit grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide. It is polygamous with three sex types: female, male and hermaphrodite. Sex determination in papaya is controlled by an XY sex chromosome system with two slightly different Y chromosomes, Y for males and Y^h for hermaphrodites. Comparative analysis of the hermaphrodite-specific region of Y^h chromosome (HSY) and male-specific region of Y chromosome (MSY) revealed 99.6% sequence identity, which explains why DNA markers that amplify for both males and hermaphrodites have easily been developed, but not for the male trait specifically. We examined the 0.4% sequence differences, and found 1887 indels and 21,088 SNPs between MSY and HSY. The vast majority of indels are single nucleotide or few base pairs. A large male-specific retrotransposon insertion of 8396 bp was used to develop two papaya male-specific markers, PMSM1 and PMSM2 that amplify 585 and 548 bp fragments, respectively. These two markers were tested in 11 gynodioecious and four dioecious varieties along with autosomal DNA marker 71E and male/hermaphrodite marker W11, and the results showed clear separation of male from hermaphrodite and female. PMSM1 and PMSM2 were also used to test the sex type of six sex male-to-hermaphrodite reversal mutants which are crucial materials for validating candidate genes for sex determination in papaya. Our result showed all six mutants were positive for the male-specific markers. These male-specific markers can be used to distinguish gynodioecious and dioecious cultivars in papaya seed market, and facilitate genetic and genomic research for papaya improvement.     

Interspecific cross‐hybrids of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. (gla.) S ‘K326’ with Nicotiana alata

In order to introduce the Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) resistance from Nicotiana alata into Nicotiana tabacum, a cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) line of N. tabacum (N. tabacum L. cv. (gla.) S ‘K326’), was successfully crossed with N. alata. Despite a high DNA content variability, F₁ hybrids could be classified in two subgroups, a major one encompassing fertile hybrids morphologically similar to their tobacco maternal parent but TSWV sensitive, and a minor one displaying sterile hybrids showing an intermediate phenotype and TSWV resistant. In order to elucidate the unexpected fertility recovery of the fertile F₁ plants, some N. alata fertility restoration ppr genes were cloned and were shown to be differentially expressed between parental lineages as well as between both F₁ subgroups, suggesting that N. alata contains fertility restoring allele able to overcome the CMS of N. tabacum.     

陕西关中地区小麦田禾谷缢管蚜对7种杀虫剂的抗性监测

为明确陕西关中地区麦蚜田间种群对杀虫剂的抗药性现状,采用浸叶法测定了兴平、礼泉、凤翔、岐山、扶风地区麦田禾谷缢管蚜种群对高效氯氰菊酯、溴氰菊酯、吡虫啉、异丙威、毒死蜱、阿维菌素、氟啶虫胺腈等7种杀虫剂的抗性水平。结果表明,禾谷缢管蚜对高效氯氰菊酯的抗性水平最高,其中凤翔种群对高效氯氰菊酯达到高水平抗性(抗性倍数为72.5),岐山和扶风种群对该药产生中等水平抗性(抗性倍数分别为31.4、29.9);5个地区的禾谷缢管蚜对溴氰菊酯、吡虫啉、毒死蜱、异丙威和阿维菌素的抗性水平较低,表现为敏感、敏感性下降或者低抗性;5个地区的试虫对氟啶虫胺腈均表现为敏感。分析认为,高效氯氰菊酯不适合用于关中地区禾谷缢管蚜防治,氟啶虫胺腈作为一种新型杀虫剂,可以在该虫防治中推广使用,吡虫啉、阿维菌素等其他几种杀虫剂可以在禾谷缢管蚜的防治中交替使用。     

云南省元阳县籼/粳型稻瘟病菌无毒基因Avr-Pia、Avr-Pita1和Avr-Pii多样性分析

为明确云南省元阳县籼/粳型稻瘟病菌中无毒基因的多样性及差异,采用接种鉴别品种方法和PCR技术对9株粳型菌株和21株籼型菌株中无毒基因Avr-Pia、Avr-Pita1和Avr-Pii的多样性进行分析。结果显示,30株稻瘟病菌菌株中无毒基因Avr-Pia、Avr-Pita1和Avr-Pii的平均出现频率分别为33.3%、76.7%和0,Avr-Pia、Avr-Pita1在籼型菌株和粳型菌株中的出现频率分别为4.8%和100.0%、66.7%和100.0%。Avr-Pia主要为存在/缺失的多样性,籼/粳型菌株对水稻品种Achiasahi(Pia)的致病率分别为100.0%和11.1%;Avr-Pita1可划分为3个类群,除菌株CH1195属于PO类群外,籼型菌株均属于J1类群,粳型菌株则属于J2/J3类群;籼/粳型菌株对水稻品种K1(Pita)的致病率分别为100.0%和0,且籼/粳型菌株Avr-Pita1蛋白序列在第83位和第192位氨基酸差异明显。Avr-Pii在30株稻瘟病菌菌株中均未检出,籼/粳型菌株对水稻品种Fujisaka No. 5(Pii)的致病率分别为100.0%和0。表明Avr-Pia和Avr-Pita1在粳型菌株中的出现频率高于籼型菌株且变异程度低,粳型菌株中可能存在其它无毒基因使其不能侵染Fujisaka No. 5。     

氯虫苯甲酰胺拌种对稻纵卷叶螟的防治效果及安全性评价

为减少水稻抽穗前田间稻纵卷叶螟的化学防治次数及用药量,降低对天敌的伤害及农药残留,最终实现稻纵卷叶螟的简约化防控,采用氯虫苯甲酰胺对水稻种子进行拌种处理,室内测定了药剂拌种对种子发芽的安全性,并结合不同栽培模式下的田间试验,评价了不同用量下氯虫苯甲酰胺拌种对稻纵卷叶螟的控制时长及保叶效果,明确了药剂拌种对天敌蜘蛛的影响及最终残留情况。结果表明:当氯虫苯甲酰胺按有效成分用量30~120 g/hm2拌种时,对种子的发芽率及出苗均无影响。直播稻模式下,氯虫苯甲酰胺按有效成分60 g/hm2拌种,播种后110 d,其保叶效果仍高达97.13%;旱育手栽秧模式下,氯虫苯甲酰胺按有效成分90 g/hm2拌种,播种后108 d保叶效果为82%以上,旱育机插秧模式下按有效成分90~120 g/hm2拌种,播种后90 d保叶效果仍在95%以上;3种模式下拌种处理的保叶效果及持效期均远优于常规喷雾防治。研究表明,利用氯虫苯甲酰胺对水稻种子进行拌种处理,可有效控制水稻前期及中期稻纵卷叶螟的为害,降低后期田间虫口基数,并且对田间天敌蜘蛛安全性高,同时在收获的稻谷中未检出氯虫苯甲酰胺残留(残留量低于定量限0.000 8 mg/kg)。在江苏省丘陵地区粳稻区应用氯虫苯甲酰胺拌种处理,可确保水稻直至抽穗初期无需再进行稻纵卷叶螟的防治,并可显著减少后期稻纵卷叶螟虫源基数,实现稻纵卷叶螟的简约化防治。