mTOR kinase inhibitor CC-223 suppresses human breast cancer cell viability

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of CC-223, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase, on the viability of human breast cancer cells and its mechanism. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of CC-223 on the viability of MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. The cell cycle distribution of breast cancer cells was examined by flow cytometry. The expression of cell cycle-related proteins and oncoproteins c-Myc and survivin was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: CC-223 significantly inhibited the viability of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0.05). CC-223 induced cell cycle arrest in both G₁ phase and G₂/M phase in the MCF-7 cells (P<0.05). However, low concentration of CC-223 treatment resulted in the accumulation of MDA-MB-231 cell cycle in the G₂/M phase, and the cell number in G₁ phase was unaffected. Treatment with CC-223 for 24 h clearly inhibited the protein levels of cyclin B1, cyclin D1 and phosphorylated cell division cycle protein 2 in the breast cancer cells (P<0.05). CC-223 suppressed the expression of c-Myc and survivin in both MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CC-223 inhibits cell viability by blocking cell cycle progression and down-regulating expression of c-Myc and survivin in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells.     

Abnormal development of genital organs in offspring male mice exposed to finasteride during pregnancy

AIM: To investigate the effects of finasteride exposure during pregnancy on the development of reproductive organs in offspring male mice. METHODS: CD-1 mice were treated with finasteride from 0 to 17 d after conception. The development of reproductive organs in the offspring male mice were observed by macroscopy, anatomical analysis and histological staining. The spermatogenesis was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Macroscopic observation showed that fenasteride exposure during pregnancy resulted in external genital malformations in the offspring male mice, which were manifested as incomplete scrotal fusion and penile malformation. In addition, the anogenital distance was significantly shortened (P<0.01). Histological staining showed that the length of penis at each stage was significantly shortened (P<0.01), the density of seminiferous tubules in testis and mature spermatozoa in seminiferous tubules were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the luminal space size of seminiferous tubules and interstitial space size of testises were significantly increased (P<0.01). Immunofluorescence staining showed that the densities of Sertoli cells, Leydig cells and spermatogonium in testis were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the fluorescence intensity of caspase-3 in spermatogenic tubule cells was increased significantly (P<0.01). However, the fluorescence intensity of Ki67 and desert hedgehog (Dhh) was decreased significantly (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Finasteride exposure during pregnancy results in abnormal development of reproductive organs in offspring male mice and affects spermatogenesis.     

朱顶红幼嫩花梗胚性愈伤组织诱导和高效植株再生

为建立高效的朱顶红植株再生和种苗繁育技术体系,以幼嫩花梗为外植体开展胚性愈伤组织诱导和植株再生研究。对2,4-D和噻苯隆（TDZ）浓度、外植体发育时期及大小进行了筛选,结果表明：将切片厚度为1 mm的幼嫩花梗外植体置于添加0.5 mg ? L-1 TDZ 和2.0 mg ? L-1 2,4-D的MS固体培养基上培养8周,胚性愈伤组织诱导率最高,达85.3%。将胚性愈伤组织转移至相同的培养基上,每月继代1次,平均每月增殖10.6倍。在不含任何生长调节剂的MS培养基上,胚性愈伤组织的植株再生率达98.0%,平均每块愈伤组织可再生出12.3个小植株。经过36次（3年）继代培养后,胚性愈伤组织的增殖和植株再生效率没有显著变化。幼苗移栽至温室驯化,成活率达97.5%。再生植株移栽到田间,没有发现明显的表型变异。对随机选择的再生植株和母株进行简单序列重复区间（ISSR）扩增分析,证实再生植株没有发生DNA水平变异。     

不同光质照射下真姬菇的生长发育与光受体的响应表达

采用 5 种不同光质光源,分别对真姬菇（Hypsizygus marmoreus）的菌丝、原基和子实体进行照射,检测菌丝生长速度、原基形成数量、子实体菌柄长度、菌柄直径、菌盖直径以及产量等。结果显示：真姬菇菌丝在黑暗和红光下生长较快,在红绿蓝复合光下生长最慢;在蓝光下形成的原基数量最多,而在红光下原基数量最少;子实体阶段,黑暗下菌柄的长度及直径最大,绿光下菌柄长度及直径最小;而在蓝光和红绿蓝复合光下菌盖直径最大。相同培养时间,真姬菇在黑暗和蓝光下产量较高,在绿光下产量最低。进一步检测真姬菇光受体基因 WC1 和 WC2 在不同光质条件下的差异表达。结果表明,在菌柄中 WC1 在黑暗下表达量最高,WC2 在蓝光下表达量最高;而在菌盖中 WC1 和 WC2 均在蓝光下表达量最高。     

红掌新品种‘夏焰’

‘夏焰’红掌是从‘亚利桑那’为母本,‘大哥大’为父本的杂交后代中选出的盆花新品种。平均株高为48.32 cm;叶片中等大小,边缘略波皱,平均长24.45 cm,宽13.44 cm;佛焰苞红色,平展,富有光泽,平均长11.6 cm,宽9.2 cm,与花梗的角度近直角;肉穗花序平均长5.01 cm,白色至乳白色。从组培苗出瓶至成品花需16 ~ 18个月。     

树兰属新品种‘粉蝴蝶’

树兰属新品种‘粉蝴蝶’（Epidendrum‘Pink Butterfly’）是以树兰E.‘Venus Piars’为母本,E.‘Lovely Valley’为父本经人工杂交授粉选育的后代。小花紧凑,美观,花瓣粉色,易栽培,12月—翌年5月开花,单花花期20 ~ 25 d。     

茎用芥菜新品种1年2代繁育研究初报

为了探索福建省茎用芥菜1年2代繁育技术,选择6个茎用芥菜品种,分别进行冬春季正常繁育和夏秋季高山加代繁育的2代繁育试验,并对比各品种2代繁育的生育期、株高、株幅和种子产量。结果表明：所有参试茎用芥菜品种只要通过打破种子休眠、衔接好2代繁育的播种期都能完成1周年2代繁育,夏秋季高山加代繁育的全生育期比冬春季正常繁育平均缩短约50 d;冬春季繁育比夏秋季高山加代繁育株高增加31.2%～132.9%,株幅增加1.5%～21.8%,所有参试品种冬春季繁育的种子产量都极显著高于相应夏秋季高山加代繁育,种子产量增加17.8%～153.6%。     

High-throughput screening reveals small molecule modulators inhibitory to Acidovorax citrulli

Acidovorax citrulli is a seed-transmitted gram-negative bacterium that can cause substantial economic yield loss in watermelon and melon production worldwide. Four small-molecule libraries containing 4,952 compounds were selected for high-throughput screening against A. citrulli wild-type strain Xu3-14 by evaluation of growth inhibition. One hundred and twenty-seven molecules (2.5% hit rate) were identified as bactericidal or bacteriostatic against A. citrulli at 100 μM. Secondary screens indicated that 27 candidate compounds were more effective against A. citrulli Group II strains than Group I strains (classified using repetitive element PCR). Several compounds were inhibitory to other pathogenic bacteria, including Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, but did not affect the growth of plant beneficial bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis. More than half of the compounds did not inhibit germination of Arabidopsis or watermelon seeds. The effect of small molecules on A. citrulli seed-to-seedling transmission was evaluated by applying each compound to inoculated watermelon seeds and assessing seedling infection. Nine compounds were chosen for further investigation based on their reduction of percentage seedling infection and compiling scores on their specificity, sensitivity, and phytotoxicity obtained in the secondary screens. The five best compounds were selected (thiamphenicol, nadifloxacin, pipemidic acid, ciclopirox, and zinc pyrithione) for greenhouse tests and were found to effectively reduce the seed-to-seedling transmission of A. citrulli in both artificially and naturally infested seeds. These top five compounds provide a basis for future development of an A. citrulli-specific bactericide.     

植物寄生线虫效应蛋白调控寄主防卫反应分子机制研究进展

 在植物寄生线虫与寄主互作过程中,线虫分泌器官如食道腺细胞分泌的效应蛋白在寄主细胞壁修饰和调控寄主免疫反应以及取食位点形成和维护中发挥着关键作用。解析植物寄生线虫关键效应蛋白的功能及其与寄主互作机制将为探索植物寄生线虫防控新策略提供重要的理论基础。本文从效应蛋白降解寄主细胞壁、调控寄主基础免疫反应、诱导免疫反应机制和介导翻译后修饰调控寄主免疫反应以及植物激素代谢途径的调控机制等方面进行了概述。     

草地贪夜蛾对小麦的为害风险:取食为害性及解毒酶活性变化初探

为了探究草地贪夜蛾对小麦的为害风险,我们以取食玉米作为对照,开展研究取食小麦对草地贪夜蛾的存活率、取食选择性、生长量和3种解毒酶及乙酰胆碱酯酶的影响。结果表明:草地贪夜蛾初孵幼虫在小麦上的存活率与玉米并无显著差异,高达90%以上。用小麦连续饲喂3龄幼虫7 d,日均体重增加迅速,与取食玉米无显著差异(P0.05)。2龄幼虫取食选择率为小麦玉米,3龄和4龄幼虫的取食选择率为玉米小麦,但均无显著差异。值得注意的是,小麦饲喂48 h后草地贪夜蛾谷胱甘肽S-转移酶活性和多功能氧化酶含量表现为显著诱导上升,而羧酸酯酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性无显著变化。本试验结果初步表明草地贪夜蛾存在为害小麦的风险,应加强草地贪夜蛾在麦田发生情况的监测,同时应重视草地贪夜蛾取食不同寄主对药剂敏感性机制的研究。