Crop milk protein is synthesised following activation of the IRS1/Akt/TOR signalling pathway in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia)

1. The experiment was conducted to study whether insulin receptor substance 1 (IRS1) / Protein kinase B (Akt)/target of the rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway activation stimulates crop milk protein synthesis in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia).

2. Crop milk was collected from ten 1-d-old squabs and analysed for nutrient content. During the non-breeding period and the first day of lactation, blood samples were collected from 5 pairs of breeding pigeons and the levels of prolactin and insulin were determined.

3. Crop samples were collected from 5 pairs of breeders at d 14 and 16 of the incubation period and d 1, 3 and 7 of the lactation period. Crop samples were evaluated for changes in crop weight and thickness and changes in the expression patterns of IRS1/Akt/TOR signalling pathway–related proteins.

4. The results demonstrated that prolactin induces a gradual increase in the relative weight and thickness of the crop, with crops reaching a maximum size at the third day of lactation.

5. Pigeon crop milk contains 64.1% crude protein and 29.7% crude fat based on dry weight.

6. Serum prolactin and insulin levels in the lactation period were significantly higher than those in the non-breeding period. Compared with non-breeding pigeons, the expression of the phosphorylated IRS1 phosphorylated Akt, phosphorylated TOR, phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 kinase, phosphorylated S6, phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E were significantly up-regulated in the crop of pigeons in the lactation period.

7. In conclusion, prolactin might induce changes in crop tissue and form the physiological structure for crop milk synthesis. Furthermore, the synthesis of crop milk protein is regulated by activation of the IRS1/Akt/TOR signalling pathway.

     

Pyruvate kinase is necessary for Brucella abortus full virulence in BALB/c mouse

Brucellosis, caused by a facultative intracellular pathogen Brucella, is one of the most prevalent zoonosis worldwide. Host infection relies on several uncanonical virulence factors. A recent research hotpot is the links between carbon metabolism and bacterial virulence. In this study, we found that a carbon metabolism-related pyruvate kinase (Pyk) encoded by pyk gene (locus tag BAB_RS24320) was associated with Brucella virulence. Determination of bacterial growth curves and resistance to environmental stress factors showed that Pyk plays an important role in B. abortus growth, especially under the conditions of nutrition deprivation, and resistance to oxidative stress. Additionally, cell infection assay showed that Pyk is necessary for B. abortus survival and evading fusion with lysosomes within RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, animal experiments exhibited that the Pyk deletion significantly reduced B. abortus virulence in a mouse infection model. Our results elucidated the role of the Pyk in B. abortus virulence and provided information for further investigation of Brucella virulence associated carbon metabolism.     

Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter of the ovine myostatin gene (MSTN) and their effect on growth and carcass muscle traits in New Zealand Romney sheep

Myostatin is a negative regulator of muscle growth and development in mammals, and variation in ovine myostatin gene (MSTN) has been demonstrated to be associated with variation in the muscularity of sheep. Polymerase chain reaction–single‐stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR–SSCP) was used to look for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a 304‐bp amplicon from the promoter region of ovine MSTN. Sequence analyses revealed two previously identified SNPs (c.?2449G/C and c. ?2379T/C) that resulted in three haplotypes (H₁ (c.[?2449G; ?2379C]), H₂ (c.[?2449C; ?2379C]) and H₃ (c.[?2449G; ?2379T]). The effect of these SNPs on growth and carcass traits was investigated in 357 NZ Romney lambs. General linear mixed‐effect models revealed that sheep with the genotype c.?2449GC had a higher loin meat yield (p = 0.032) and proportion loin yield (p = 0.028), than those with the genotype c.?2449GG. The genotype c.?2379CC was associated with an increase in three weight traits: birthweight (p = 0.003), tailing weight (p = 0.009) and weaning weight (p = 0.028), when compared with the genotype c.?2379TC, but it was not found to have an association with growth rate. This suggests that c.?2379T/C has an effect that originates at, or before birth. Haplotype H₃ was associated with a decrease in birthweight (p = 0.002), tailing weight (p = 0.003) and weaning weight (p = 0.011). Haplotype H₂ was associated with increased loin yield (p = 0.012) and proportion loin yield (p = 0.002). The SNPs may have value as genetic markers for improved Romney breeding.     

质地多方面分析三个桃品种果实采后质地的变化

以鲜食桃品种"脆保"、"艳保"和"大久保"为试材,采用质构仪质地多方面分析测试法(TPA),研究3个品种果实采后不同贮藏时间的质地变化。结果表明:在室温和低温2种贮藏温度下,3个品种桃果实的硬度随着贮藏时间的延长逐渐下降,而粘附性、弹性、咀嚼性都随贮藏时间延长呈现先上升后下降的趋势,表现为"脆保""艳保""大久保";内聚性变化相对比较平缓。相关性分析表明,桃果实咀嚼性与粘附性呈极显著正相关,二者与果实硬度间亦表现为极显著正相关(P0.01)。弹性与硬度和咀嚼性之间均呈相反的线性相关关系,果肉内聚性值与其它参数值相关性较差。硬度、粘附性、弹性和咀嚼性可用于评价采后桃果实质地的变化,内聚性则反映了果实质地的细微变化。     

紫花苜蓿根际丛枝菌根真菌与土壤理化性质的相关性研究

为调查山西省大同矿区紫花苜蓿草地中丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)与根际土壤性质之间的相关性,于2014年10月采集浑源县、南郊区、大同县、矿区4块样地中不同深度的紫花苜蓿根茎和根际土壤,并分析了紫花苜蓿的菌根侵染率以及土壤的理化性质。结果表明:4块样地中紫花苜蓿根部菌根侵染率均在70%以上;除大同县规律不明显以外,其它3块样地中菌根侵染率与孢子密度均表现出随着土层深度增加而降低的规律。分析总相关性得知,菌根侵染率与有机质、硝态氮、速效磷、易提取球囊霉素(EEG)和总球囊霉素(TEG)呈显著正相关性(P0.05);TEG和EEG均与菌根侵染率、有机质、硝态氮和速效磷呈极显著正相关(P0.01)。分析同土层各因素的相关性则发现,只有在20~30cm土层,菌根侵染率和孢子密度与硝态氮、速效磷、速效钾和EEG有显著相关性(P0.05)。以上结果说明,大同地区丛枝菌根真菌与紫花苜蓿可以形成良好的共生关系,菌根真菌对土壤营养成分具有重要的作用,尤其在20~30cm土层更有效。     

岩棉育苗块持水量对番茄幼苗生长的影响

设施土壤次生盐渍化和连作障碍日益严重,岩棉无土栽培是解决诸类问题的途径之一。以"双抗1号"番茄品种为试材,在日光温室条件下,研究了岩棉块育苗期间不同相对持水量(30%、40%、50%、60%、70%)对番茄幼苗株高、茎粗、鲜重、干重的影响。结果表明:较高的岩棉块持水量对番茄幼苗株高有明显的促进作用;育苗结束时不同持水量处理对番茄幼苗茎粗的影响差异不显著;较高持水量处理能显著增加番茄幼苗地上部鲜重和干重,能明显促进根系生长,增加岩棉育苗块底面的根系密度。初步建议岩棉块培育番茄苗时宜采用60%~70%相对持水量。     

园林绿地刺吸害虫及其天敌时序动态及发生规律的研究

为有效保护园林绿地中的自然天敌,以园林植物刺吸害虫及其天敌为调查对象,采用黄板诱集法,研究了园林绿地刺吸害虫及其天敌时序动态及发生规律。结果表明:绿地中京枫多态毛蚜(Periphyllus diacerivorus)、栾多态毛蚜(P.koelreuteria)、居松长足大蚜(Cinara pinihabitans)和白皮松长足大蚜(C.bungeanae)的发生期早于桃粉大尾蚜(Hyalopterus arundimis),且5种蚜虫种群均在夏季高温和天敌共同作用下崩溃;瓢虫和寄生蜂类天敌对碧桃(Pruns perscial f.duplex)上桃粉大尾蚜及捕食螨对碧桃上山楂叶螨(Tetranychus viennensis)的跟随效应明显,而天敌对其它4种植物上蚜虫无明显跟随效应;施药虽可暂时降低阔叶植物上3种蚜虫的种群数量,却大量杀伤了害虫的天敌,停药后3种蚜虫仍爆发成灾,同时使6月后碧桃上山楂叶螨种群爆发和5月中旬后油松(Pinus tabuliformis)上针叶小爪螨(Oligonychus ununguis)种群数量较多。绿地中瓢虫、草蛉、食蚜蝇和寄生蜂类天敌的发生最高峰均位于5月下旬至6月下旬,除草蛉外,绿地中的瓢虫、食蚜蝇和寄生蜂类天敌在7—8月种群数量均极低。草蛉喜欢在五角枫(Acer mono)上栖息或搜寻寄主。     

不同树莓品种叶片解剖结构与抗旱性的关系

以树莓叶片为试材,分析了叶片的厚度气孔密度和表皮细胞、表皮毛、栅栏组织、海绵组织、保卫细胞等叶解剖结构,比较了不同树莓品种的抗旱性。结果表明:"凯欧"和"莎妮"的叶片最厚,"加拿大黑莓"次之,其次是"南方黑树莓""海尔特兹"的叶片最薄;"凯欧"的上下表皮、栅栏组织均最厚,其次是"莎妮""加拿大黑莓"和"南方黑树莓"居中,"海尔特兹"最薄;"凯欧"和"莎妮"的气孔密度均最大,"加拿大黑莓"和"南方黑树莓"居中,"海尔特兹"最小;隶属函数综合分析发现,5个树莓品种中"凯欧"的耐旱性最强,其次是"莎妮",再次是"南方黑树莓"和"加拿大黑莓";"海尔特兹"的耐旱性最弱。