Suppression of mRNAs for lipoxygenase (LOX), allene oxide synthase (AOS), allene oxide cyclase (AOC) and 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase (OPR) in pea reduces sensitivity to the phytotoxin coronatine and disease development by Mycosphaerella pinodes

Using a recently developed model pathosystem involving Medicago truncatula and Mycosphaerella pinodes, causal agent of Mycosphaerella blight on pea to understand host molecular response to a fungal suppressor, we applied the suppressor to leaves of M. truncatula and identified 151 nonredundant cDNA fragments as newly expressed genes. These included genes encoding lipoxygenase (LOX) and enoyl-CoA hydratase, which are presumably involved in jasmonic acid (JA) synthesis. Potential genes encoding plastidic enzymes, including allene oxide synthase (AOS) and allene oxide cyclase (AOC), and other peroxisomal enzymes involved in β-oxidation were predicted from the Medicago Gene Index EST database and tested for altered expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR. The coordinated expression of genes encoding both plastidic and peroxisomal enzymes showed that the suppressor likely conditions certain cellular process(es) through the JA synthesis in M. truncatula. To explore the role of JA or JA-regulated cellular process(es) in conditioning susceptibility, we used an Apple latent spherical virus (ALSV)-based virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology to silence pea genes including LOX, AOS, AOC and 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase (OPR). In LOX-, AOS-, AOC- or OPR-silenced pea plants, disease development induced by M. pinodes was remarkably reduced. Similarly, silencing of mRNA for LOX, AOS, AOC or OPR reduced the sensitivity to a phytotoxin, coronatine, which is believed to act through a JA-dependent process. On the basis of these results, it is conceivable that M. pinodes has evolved a strategy to condition susceptibility by manipulating the physiology of host cells, in particular JA-regulated cellular process(es), to promote disease development in pea.     

Occurrence of Spontaneous Tumors in the Central Nervous System (CNS) of F344 and SD Rats

In order to accurately assess the carcinogenicity of chemicals with regard to rare tumors such as rat CNS tumors, sufficient information about spontaneous tumors are very important. This paper presents the data on the type, incidence and detected age of CNS tumors in F344/DuCrlCrlj (a total of 1363 males and 1363 females) and Crl:CD(SD) rats (a total of 1650 males and 1705 females) collected from in-house background data-collection studies and control groups of carcinogenicity studies at our laboratory, together with those previously reported in F344 and SD rats. The present data on F344/DuCrlCrlj rats (F344 rats) and Crl:CD(SD) rats (SD rats) clarified the following. (1) The incidences of all CNS tumors observed in F344 rats were less than 1%. (2) The incidences of malignant astrocytoma and granular cell tumor were higher in male SD rats than in female SD rats. (3) The incidences of astrocytoma and granular cell tumor were higher in SD rats than in F344 rats. (4) Among astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma and granular cell tumor, oligodendroglioma was detected at the youngest age, followed by astrocytoma, and ultimately, granular cell tumor developed in both strains. The incidences observed in our study were almost consistent with those previously reported in F344 and SD rats.     

Cinnamon extract promotes type I collagen biosynthesis via activation of IGF-I signaling in human dermal fibroblasts

The breakdown of collagenous networks with aging results in hypoactive changes in the skin. Accordingly, reviving stagnant collagen synthesis can help protect dermal homeostasis against aging. We searched for type I collagen biosynthesis-inducing substances in various foods using human dermal fibroblasts and found that cinnamon extract facilitates collagen biosynthesis. Cinnamon extract potently up-regulated both mRNA and protein expression levels of type I collagen without cytotoxicity. We identified cinnamaldehyde as a major active component promoting the expression of collagen by HPLC and NMR analysis. Since insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is the most potent stimulator of collagen biosynthesis in fibroblasts, we examined the effect of cinnamaldehyde on IGF-I signaling. Treatment with cinnamaldehyde significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of the IGF-I receptor and its downstream signaling molecules such as insulin receptor substrate-1 and Erk1/2 in an IGF-I-independent manner. These results suggested that cinnamon extract is useful in antiaging treatment of skin.     

植物Cation/H＋反向转运蛋白研究进展

CAX是一种通过质子梯度产生的能量运输协调再分配钙离子（Ca2＋）等阳离子的转运蛋白,是Ca2＋/Cation antiporter （CaCA）大家族的一个分化枝.植物CAXs属于CAX三大类的Ⅰ型CAX.大部分植物CAXs有11个跨膜区（TM）和5个典型的功能域,即N-端自抑制区域（NRR）、C-端功能区域、Ca2＋功能域（CaD）、C功能域和D功能域.其中NRR存在于大部分CAX中,调节CAX的功能.以下综述了近年来国内外对CAX类蛋白的研究成果与进展,涉及到CAX家族的命名,亚家族的分类,CAX组织表达及亚细胞定位,特别是CAX的转运活性等研究.加强对CAX的研究对调节植物生长、提高农作物养分吸收和减轻土壤中污染物等有重要作用.     

利用植物悬浮培养细胞进行蛋白质快速定位分析的方法

稳定遗传表达分析是一种植物中常用的整体解析基因的方式。有多种转化方式可供选择,也可根据所需要的获得的转基因植物材料选择受体材料。但是由于稳定遗传转化周期较长且大部分材料不适合于进行荧光观察,所以在一些基因的研究中逐渐被瞬时表达分析系统。虽然瞬时表达分析用时短,但是转化效率受到多方面的限制,转化材料无法保存。目前由于植物悬浮培养细胞材料均一,增殖迅速并且可以满足大批量研究需求逐渐成为植物研究中的热点材料。以此同时,在亚细胞定位方面,悬浮培养细胞还是良好的应用材料。采用农杆菌介导法进行植物悬浮培养细胞的转化中方法较为成熟,但是获得纯净的转基因细胞系的转化周期较长。在本研究中针对上述问题我们建立了一种转化时间短,转化效率高的植物悬浮培养细胞稳定遗传转化体系。同时将这个体系应用到基因的亚细胞定位当中进行蛋白质快速定位分析。     

Epidemic progress of beet necrotic yellow vein virus: Evidence from an investigation in Japan spanning half a century

Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is the causal agent of rhizomania, the most serious sugar beet disease worldwide. Since the first finding in Japan in 1969, BNYVV became widespread throughout Hokkaido in a few decades and led to the introduction of Rz1-resistant sugar beet cultivars in the 1990s. Here, we report the historical progress of the BNYVV epidemic in Hokkaido from 1969 to 2019. Previous analysis on samples from 1991 showed that BNYVV isolates were classified into three strains (named O, D, and T) based on the RNA3-encoded p25 gene. The O-type viruses were widely detected in Hokkaido, while the D- and T-type viruses were detected in limited areas. The RNA5, encoding the p26 gene, was initially contained in some D- and O-type isolates but not in any T-type isolates. Interestingly, recent sample analysis revealed that RNA5-containing T-type viruses, seemingly more virulent than the other two strains, were widely detected in Hokkaido. Additionally, a small group of virus isolates harbouring a new p25 gene (named C) was found in limited areas. These results suggest that the T-type viruses, which accompanied RNA5, have been preferentially spread from a limited area to other districts over the last few decades and that this spread might be strongly associated with the recent introduction of Rz1-resistant sugar beet cultivars. BNYVV-positive samples also contained mainly beet soil-borne virus and traces of beet virus Q, both of which are the first to be recorded in Japan.     

Effects of Popping on Nutrient Contents of Amaranth Seed

Amaranth seeds can be popped by heating. The traditional method of popping in a skillet is simple, but it is difficult to control the heating time and temperature. To overcome these disadvantages, we developed a fluidized bed continuous processing system based on hot air heating for producing popped amaranth seeds in bulk. Using this system, we evaluated the effects of heat treatment at 260 °C for 15 s on the contents of B-group vitamins and essential and trace elements in amaranth seeds. The results showed that the treatment did not affect the content of B-group vitamins, and the recovery for essential and trace elements was 97–196 %. This popping system is useful for processing amaranth seeds in terms of the product quality and nutrition.     

Chiral-selective aminoacylation of an RNA minihelix

Amino acids in natural proteins have a chiral, asymmetric center at the alpha carbon that is of the L-configuration. The sugar backbone of natural RNAs are also homochiral, but of the D-configuration. Because protein synthesis requires the aminoacylation of RNA, it is this step that could have provided chiral selectivity. Here we show that an RNA minihelix was aminoacylated by an aminoacyl-phosphate-D-oligonucleotide with a clear preference for L- as opposed to D-amino acids. A mirror-image RNA system showed the opposite selectivity. These results suggest the possibility that the selection of L-amino acids for proteins was determined by the stereochemistry of RNA.