Effects of Addition of Tissue‐Type Plasminogen Activator in In Vitro Fertilization Medium on Bovine Embryo Development and Quality

Plasminogen activators/Plasmin system plays pivotal role in regulating reproductive functions of mammals. Here, we examined the effects of modification of in vitro fertilization medium (IVF medium) with the addition of tissue‐type plasminogen activator (t‐PA), on bovine embryo development and quality, assessed by quantification of expression of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, implantation and apoptosis. In addition, plasminogen activator activity (PAA) and plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) were measured in the spent media. After conventional IVM, 2016 cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were divided into four groups with modified composition of the IVF medium containing t‐PA and/or its inhibitor epsilon‐aminocaproic acid (control, t‐PA, t‐PA+ε‐ACA, ε‐ACA). Presumptive zygotes were cultured for 8 days in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium; gene expression studies were carried out on morulae and blastocysts. t‐PA alone significantly suppressed cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, but this effect was neutralized by the addition of ε‐ACA. PAA in the treated group was significantly reduced by ε‐ACA, but without total elimination. Significant differences were detected in the expression of genes related to apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest (BAX, BCL2L1, KAT2B) between embryos produced in t‐PA‐modified media and controls, giving an overall notion that the inferior developmental competence of treated embryos may be attributed to apoptotic phenomena induced by t‐PA. In conclusion, it appears that excessive t‐PA content in the IVF media, suppresses blastocyst formation rate, possibly due to induction of apoptotic phenomena.     

Experimental evidence that tryptamine alkaloids do not cause Phalaris aquatica sudden death syndrome in sheep

The acute toxicity for sheep of 3 alkaloids that occur in Phalaris acquatica was examined by intravenous and oral administration. The lowest tested dose rates that produced clinically observed signs were, for 5-methoxy dimethyltryptamine, 0.1 mg/kg body weight intravenously and 40 mg/kg orally; for gramine, 10 mg/kg intravenously and 500 mg/kg orally; and for hordenine, 20 mg/kg intravenously and 800 mg/kg orally. All induced the clinical signs observed in the nervous form of phalaris toxicity, but none induced the cardiac, sudden death, syndrome.     

Modeling the Exchanges of Energy, Water, and Carbon Between Continents and the Atmosphere

Atmospheric general circulation models used for climate simulation and weather forecasting require the fluxes of radiation, heat, water vapor, and momentum across the land-atmosphere interface to be specified. These fluxes are calculated by submodels called land surface parameterizations. Over the last 20 years, these parameterizations have evolved from simple, unrealistic schemes into credible representations of the global soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer system as advances in plant physiological and hydrological research, advances in satellite data interpretation, and the results of large-scale field experiments have been exploited. Some modern schemes incorporate biogeochemical and ecological knowledge and, when coupled with advanced climate and ocean models, will be capable of modeling the biological and physical responses of the Earth system to global change, for example, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide.     

小麦钙调素新亚型TaCaM5的克隆及表达分析

利用RT-PCR技术,从条锈菌诱导的小麦叶片中分离出一个编码CaM基因的cDNA序列, 经氨基酸序列分析确定其为一个新的小麦CaM亚型,暂被命名为TaCaM5。TaCaM5包含一个完整450 bp的开放阅读框,编码149个氨基酸;编码的蛋白不含跨膜区、无信号肽、定位在胞内,具有4个EF-hand保守结构域。在目前已知的CaM基因中,TaCaM5与玉米CaM基因的亲缘关系最近,相似性高达97%。该基因在根、茎、叶等组织中均有不同程度的表达;并且受条锈菌诱导表达,在非亲和组合与亲和组合中,分别在接种后6 h和24 h表达量最高。外源植物激素脱落酸、茉莉酸甲酯和乙烯诱导TaCaM5上调表达,水杨酸诱导其下调表达。TaCaM5在机械伤害、干旱和低温条件下表达量上升,在高盐环境下表达量降低。表明TaCaM5可能通过茉莉酸和乙烯等信号途径参与小麦对条锈菌的防御反应,同时参与机械伤害、低温和干旱环境下的Ca²⁺-CaM信号转导途径。