‘Plantibodies’: a flexible approach to design resistance against pathogens

Engineering resistance against various diseases and pests is hampered by the lack of suitable genes. To overcome this problem we started a research program aimed at obtaining resistance by transfecting plants with genes encoding monoclonal antibodies against pathogen specific proteins. The idea is that monoclonal antibodies will inhibit the biological activity of molecules that are essential for the pathogenesis. Potato cyst nematodes are chosen as a model and it is thought that monoclonal antibodies are able to block the function of the saliva proteins of this parasite. These proteins are, among others, responsible for the induction of multinucleate transfer cells upon which the nematode feeds. It is well documented that the ability of antibodies to bind molecules is sufficient to inactivate the function of an antigen and in view of the potential of animals to synthesize antibodies to almost any molecular structure, this strategy should be feasible for a wide range of diseases and pests.Antibodies have several desirable features with regard to protein engineering. The antibody (IgG) is a Y-shaped molecule, in which the domains forming the tips of the arms bind to antigen and those forming the stem are responsible for triggering effector functions (Fc fragments) that eliminate the antigen from the animal. Domains carrying the antigen-binding loops (Fv and Fab fragments) can be used separately from the Fc fragments without loss of affinity. The antigen-binding domains can also be endowed with new properties by fusing them to toxins or enzymes. Antibody engineering is also facilitated by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A systematic comparison of the nucleotide sequence of more than 100 antibodies revealed that not only the 3′-ends, but also the 5′-ends of the antibody genes are relatively conserved. We were able to design a small set of primers with restriction sites for forced cloning, which allowed the amplification of genes encoding antibodies specific for the saliva proteins ofGlobodera rostochiensis. Complete heavy and light chain genes as well as single chain Fv fragments (scFv), in which the variable parts of the light (V_L) and heavy chain (V_H) are linked by a peptide, will be transferred to potato plants. A major challenge will be to establish a correct expression of the antibody genes with regard to three dimensional folding, assembly and intracellular location.     

A Fluorite Isotype of SnO2 and a New Modification of TiO2: Implications for the Earth's Lower Mantle

The existence of a cubic fluorite-type SnO(2) and a hexagonal TiO(2) (which may be related to the fluorite structure) have been demonstrated by an in situ x-ray diffraction study in which a diamond-anvil pressure cell was used after the samples had been heated by a continuous yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. At room temperature, the lattice parameter for SnO(2) (fluorite) is a = 4.925 +/- 0.005 angstroms and those for TiO(2) (fluorite-related) are a = 9.22 +/- 0.01 angstroms and c = 5.685 +/- 0.006 angstroms at about 250 kilobars. The volume change associated with the transition from rutile to fluorite (or related structure) is about -8 percent for SnO(2) and -10.5 percent for TiO(2) at transition. Upon release of pressure, both the fluorite-type SnO(2) and the TiO(2) reverted to the alpha-PbO(2) structure at room temperature. The hypothesis that the earth's lower mantle is composed of oxide phases might be feasible if it were possible for SiO(2) to possess the fluorite structure or its related forms at high pressure, as shown for SnO(2) and TiO(2) in this study. The oxide hypothesis proposed here differs from that postulated by Birch in that the primary coordination of silicon is 6 for Birch's hypothesis and 8 for the hypothesis presented here.     

应用灰色关联度分析法综合评价高羊茅品种初探

应用灰色关联度分析法,对2000～2002年本院引进的13个高羊茅品种的适应性鉴定结果进行评估,其评估结果与品种的实际表现基本一致,说明应用关联度分析法综合评价草坪品种是可行的。分析结果:皇后、贝克、上南都的关联系数与理想品种最接近,是种植高羊茅草坪的首选品种。     

Effect of infections with barley yellow dwarf virus and Fusarium spp. on assimilation of 14CO2 by flag leaves and translocation of photosynthates in wheat

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The effects of infections of Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum alone as well as double infections of BYDV and...     

5种国兰( Cymbidium ) 的光合特性

 通过气体交换和叶绿素荧光分析等方法研究了5种国兰(Cymbidium ) 的光合特性。其光饱和点、光补偿点、CO₂ 补偿点和CO₂ 饱和点表明它们具有C3 植物特征; 光合速率在3.0 ～5.9 μmol·m^{- 2} ·s^{- 1}之间, 在低于2 000 μmol·mol^{- 1} CO₂ 浓度下, 光合速率受CO₂ 浓度影响较大; 5种国兰的光合能力、表观量子效率、羧化效率等都有所差异; 光饱和点在350～650μmol·m^{- 2} ·s^{- 1}之间, 属于喜阴植物,其中春兰、建兰耐阴性相对较低, 墨兰、春剑耐阴性相对较高, 蕙兰居中。从暗处暴露到强光下, 5种国兰的光化学反应启动差异较大, 启动后的光化学效率差异也较大, 这可能与国兰不同种起源地的生态环境,适应性及进化有关。     

花椰菜新品种———津品55

 ‘津品55’为秋中早熟花椰菜一代杂种, 成熟期约60 d, 内叶合抱护球, 花球较紧, 洁白,单球质量1.0 kg左右, 产量30000 kg/hm² 左右, 比对照品种‘丰花60’增产26.0% ～43.3% , 生长势强,抗病性好。     

番茄不同部位中糖含量和相关酶活性的研究

 试验将番茄光合产物运转途径上叶片(源) 、运输系统以及果实(库) 区分开, 分别测定其糖的组成和含量以及糖代谢相关酶的活性。结果表明: 番茄光合产物运转途径上从“源”到“库”各部位糖的组成和含量不同。叶肉中果糖的含量最高, 蔗糖的含量最低; 中筋中以果糖和葡萄糖为主; 叶柄维管束中葡萄糖含量最高, 蔗糖含量次之, 果糖含量最低。节间和果柄维管束中主要含有蔗糖。果实维管束以及果实内各部位中则主要含有葡萄糖和果糖, 且两者含量无显著差异, 蔗糖含量很低。萼片中葡萄糖含量最高, 蔗糖含量最低; 果蒂中3种糖含量均较高且无显著差异。番茄叶肉及光合产物运转组织中转化酶活性很低, 而在库器官的非维管组织中转化酶活性较高。果蒂中的蔗糖合成酶( SS) 活性最高, 其次是叶肉和运转组织, 果实内各部位中SS活性较低。在合成蔗糖的器官—叶肉中, 有较高的蔗糖磷酸合成酶( SPS) 活性, 运转组织中的SPS活性较叶肉中降低, 但果柄维管束和果实维管束中则表现出较高SPS活性, 果肉、果胶质胎座及心室隔壁中的SPS活性最低。     

不同施肥期沾化冬枣对15N的吸收、分配及利用特性

 盆栽条件下利用¹⁵N示踪技术, 研究不同时期施15N - 尿素, 对沾化冬枣¹⁵N的吸收利用及分配特性的影响。结果表明: 生长季前期(萌芽前和花前) 施用¹⁵N - 尿素, 经根系吸收后, ¹⁵N优先分配到贮藏器官(包括主干、多年生枝和粗根) 中, 然后外运用于树体新生器官(包括枣吊及其叶片、新生营养枝、细根及果实) 的形成, 果实采收后¹⁵N开始向贮藏器官回流; 果实硬核期¹⁵N直接用于树体营养生长和生殖生长, 而不是先贮藏再利用; 果实速长期¹⁵N优先向贮藏器官中积累; 萌芽前施¹⁵N在树体内的运转规律符合落叶果树贮藏N营养分配规律, 优先转运到生长中心。随着施肥期的后延, 植株对¹⁵N - 尿素的当季利用率逐渐下降。     

红千层的离体培养及快速繁殖

 研究了红千层离体快繁的若干影响因素。结果表明: 叶片在MS + 6-BA 115 mg·L ^{- 1}+NAA015 mg·L ^{- 1}中的愈伤组织诱导率43% , 并可直接从愈伤组织表面分化出不定芽, 分化率为69.2%; 腋芽启动培养基为MS + 6-BA 1～1.5 mg·L ^{- 1} + NAA 0.5 mg·L ^{- 1} , 萌动率为77%; 继代和增殖培养基为MS + 6-BA 1 mg·L ^{- 1} +NAA 0.25 mg·L ^{- 1} , 平均增殖系数为16.7; 生根壮苗培养基为1 /2MS +NAA 0.25 mg·L ^{- 1} , 生根率96.1%; 试管苗生根培养30～35 d移栽, 成活率最高可达90%以上。     

蝴蝶兰组织培养中的褐化控制研究

 系统研究了吸附剂(活性炭、PVP) 与柠檬酸、半胱氨酸、谷胱甘肽、维生素C和硫代硫酸钠5种抗氧化剂对蝴蝶兰组培中褐化的影响。结果表明: 活性炭能有效控制褐化和促进生长, 但不利于分化; 谷胱甘肽控制褐化的效果虽不及活性炭, 但综合效果最佳。