Detection of a broad range of potato viruses in a single assay by mechanical inoculation of herbaceous test plants

To optimize mechanical inoculation of test plants as part of the regulated post-entry quarantine testing of stolon- and tuber-forming Solanum spp. (including potato), nine test plant species have been screened for their ability to detect 22 potato-infecting viruses. These included all the common mechanically transmissible potato viruses and most of the viruses found in potato incidentally. The symptoms observed after mechanical inoculation are shown for each combination of test plant species and virus. Under given conditions, Nicotiana occidentalis -P1 and Nicotiana hesperis -67A were found to detect reliably 20 and 18 out of 22 viruses respectively. These and former results on the seed-transmissible viruses and Andean potato mottle virus demonstrate that these Nicotiana species are very suitable for post-entry quarantine testing. Addition of either Chenopodium amaranticolor or Chenopodium quinoa to these two species may slightly extend the range of viruses. Therefore, using C. amaranticolor / C. quinoa , N. hesperis -67A and N. occidentalis -P1 for the biological screening of imported Solanum spp. will improve both the efficiency and the quality of post-entry quarantine testing.     

线粒体与细胞凋亡

细胞凋亡是一种由基因控制的细胞自杀性死亡过程,是机体维持自身稳定的一种基本生理机制。机体通过细胞凋亡清除损伤、衰老与突变的细胞,维持生理平衡。通过对细胞凋亡的研究发现,线粒体在调节细胞凋亡中发挥着关键作用。尤其是被称为细胞凋亡主开关的线粒体通透性改变孔(MitochondrionPermeabilitytransitionPore,MPTP),它是细胞色素C、Smac、AIF等凋亡诱导因子的主要来源。本文以MPTP的开放、细胞色素C、AIF在细胞凋亡中的作用以及Bcl-2家族对细胞凋亡的调控做一综述,以便广大读者能系统地了解线粒体在细胞凋亡中的作用。