Soybean mosaic virus Helper Component-Protease Alters Leaf Morphology and Reduces Seed Production in Transgenic Soybean Plants

ABSTRACT Transgenic soybean (Glycine max) plants expressing Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) helper component-protease (HC-Pro) showed altered vegetative and reproductive phenotypes and responses to SMV infection. When inoculated with SMV, transgenic plants expressing the lowest level of HC-Pro mRNA and those transformed with the vector alone initially showed mild SMV symptoms. Plants that accumulated the highest level of SMV HC-Pro mRNA showed very severe SMV symptoms initially, but after 2 weeks symptoms disappeared, and SMV titers were greatly reduced. Analysis of SMV RNA abundance over time with region-specific probes showed that the HC-Pro region of the SMV genome was degraded before the coat protein region. Transgenic soybean plants that expressed SMV HC-Pro showed dose-dependent alterations in unifoliate leaf morphologies and seed production where plants expressing the highest levels of HC-Pro had the most deformed leaves and the lowest seed production. Accumulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs putatively targeted by miRNAs was analyzed in leaves and flowers of healthy, HC-Pro-transgenic, and SMV-infected plants. Neither expression of SMV HC-Pro nor SMV infection produced greater than twofold changes in accumulation of six miRNAs. In contrast, SMV infection was associated with twofold or greater increases in the accumulation of four of seven miRNA-targeted mRNAs tested.     

The impact of initial concentration of selected pharmaceuticals on their early stage of dissipation in soils

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Dissipation of pharmaceutical compounds entered into the natural environment is an important process minimizing the adverse effects on the living organisms. The aim...     

Cross-reactions between crude antigens of larval Taenia solium (Cysticercus cellulosae) and other helminths of pigs

A crude antigen extract of larval Taenia solium was shown by immunodiffusion (ID) and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) to cross-react with rabbit antisera against pig serum proteins and larval T. hydatigena, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with antisera against pig serum proteins, Fasciolopsis buski, larval T. hydatigena, hydatid cyst, Hymenolepis diminuta and Dipylidium caninum. Immunoblotting demonstrated that the crude antigens extract contained epitopes of pig serum proteins of 48 and 66 kDa. The crude extract also contained a subunit of antigen B (95 kDa) which was also found in T. hydatigena and H. diminuta. Immunoperoxidase and indirect immunofluorescence studies showed that cross-reacting antigens were distributed mainly on the tegument of T. solium.     

Schisandrin B protects against solar irradiation-induced oxidative injury in BJ human fibroblasts

The effects of schisandrin B (Sch B) and its analogs on solar irradiation-induced oxidative injury were examined in BJ human fibroblasts. Sch B and schisandrin C (Sch C) increased cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) level and protected against solar irradiation-induced oxidative injury. The photoprotection was paralleled by decreases in the elastases-type protease activity and matrix-metalloproteinases-1 expression in solar-irradiated fibroblasts. The cytochrome P-450-mediated metabolism of Sch B or Sch C caused ROS production. The results suggest that by virtue of its pro-oxidant action and the subsequent glutathione antioxidant response, Sch B or Sch C may offer the prospect of preventing skin photo-aging.     

A study on construction costs per unit area of irrigation projects

The cost constructing for irrigation is often given in $/ha. In deciding whether a project is worth undertaking, it is important to weigh the anticipated benefits against the expected costs. In this study, unit area construction costs based on the way of project water supply (gravity, pump) and scheme type (classic canal, flume, pipe) were calculated for the 211 irrigation projects operated and constructed by DSI (State Hydraulic Works) in Turkey. In a case study of the 27 irrigation schemes constructed by DSI in the Büyük Menderes and West Mediterranean basins, construction costs per unit area, irrigation ratio, and amount of unproductive costs were determined. As a result, though the area of 76383 ha was constructed for irrigation schemes, this area wasn??t under irrigation services with several various reasons; therefore, 641 million $US according to water supply way, and 574 million $US to the scheme type were unproductive investment for irrigation projects researched in the basins.