Growth- and leaf-temperature effects on photosynthesis of sweet orange seedlings infected with Xylella fastidiosa

The effects of growth and leaf temperature on photosynthesis were evaluated in sweet orange seedlings ( Citrus sinensis cv. Pera) infected with Xylella fastidiosa (the bacterium that causes citrus variegated chlorosis, CVC). Measurements of leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll  a fluorescence were taken at leaf temperatures of 25, 30, 35 and 40°C in healthy and infected (without visible symptoms) seedlings submitted to two temperature regimes (25/20 or 35/20°C, day/night), not simultaneously. The CO₂ assimilation rates ( A ) and stomatal conductance ( g _s) were higher in healthy plants in both temperature regimes. Values for A and g _s of infected and healthy plants were higher in the 35/20°C regime, decreasing with leaf temperature increase. In addition, differences between healthy and infected plants were higher at 35/20°C, while no differences in chlorophyll  a fluorescence parameters were observed except for potential quantum efficiency of photosystem II, which was higher in infected plants. Low A values in infected plants were caused by low g _s and probably by biochemical damage to photosynthesis. The high alternative electron sink of infected plants was another effect of reduced A . Both high growth and high leaf temperatures increased differences in A between healthy and infected plants. Therefore this feature may be partially responsible for lower growth and/or productivity of CVC-affected plants in regions with high air temperature.     

Biology of a new virus isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants in Alaska

A new virus named Nootka lupine vein-clearing virus (NLVCV) was isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants that were confined to a relatively small area in the Talkeetna mountains of south-central Alaska. Annual surveys (2000–03) consistently found leaf symptoms of pronounced vein clearing and mosaic on 3- to 4-week-old plants in late June. Spherical particles ≈30 nm in diameter were isolated from these leaves. Virions contained a single-stranded RNA of ≈4·0–4·2 kb and one species of capsid protein estimated to be ≈40 kDa. The double-stranded RNA profile from naturally infected leaves consisted of three major bands ≈4·2, 1·9 and 1·5 kbp. Protein extractions from either sap or virions of diseased plants reacted to polyclonal antiserum made against the virions in Western blot assays. A predicted PCR product ≈500 bp was synthesized from virion RNA using primers specific to the carmovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) gene. The nucleotide sequence of the amplified DNA did not match any known virus, but contained short regions of identity to several carmoviruses. Only species belonging to the Fabaceae were susceptible to NLVCV by mechanical inoculation. Based on dsRNA profile, size of virion RNA genome and capsid protein, and similarity of the RDRP gene to that of other carmoviruses, it is suggested that NLVCV is a member of the family Tombusviridae , and tentatively of the genus Carmovirus . As the host range, RDRP gene and dsRNA profile of NLVCV are different from those of known viruses, this is a newly described plant virus.     

利用血液蛋白及酶多态性分析技术鉴定山羊亲缘关系的研究

选择血红蛋白(Hb)、运铁蛋白(Tf)、亮氨酸胺肽酶(LAP)、前白蛋白3(Pa3)、淀粉酶(Amy)对可能为同卵双生波尔山羊的亲缘关系鉴定。结果发现，除淀粉酶(Amy)和亮氨酸胺肽酶(Lap)外，其余位点均有多态性。由蛋白位点的基因型判定羔1、羔2基因型完全一致，是供体后代的概率为75G，受体后代的概率为22．8％，从而确认羔1、羔2的双亲为供体公羊和供体母羊。     

Analysis of High Reproductivity on Wild Yak Bull

Sperm concentration of wild yak bull is 2. 13 billion per milliliter. Survival time at 0-4 ℃ is 57hrs. After thawing survival time at 37 ℃ is 12 hrs. Resistance coefficient is 144,000. Abnormal sperm rate and acrosomal integrated rate of post-thawing is 9.17% and 87.53% respectively. Moving viscosity is 1. 169 cp. Total nitrogen is 1 437.7 mg/100 ml. Head of sperm is significantly shorter and end piece is significantly longer than that of domestic yak and yellow cattle. Activity of hyaluronidase is highly stronger than the domestic yak,and the activity of LDH is higher than the domestic yak by 48 %. Hence,the fertility of the wild yak bull is powerful and the artificial inseminated rate with domestic yak and yellow cattle is 88.9% and 71.58% respectively.     

肉仔鸡低血糖-尖峰死亡综合征的流行病学分析和病原初探

自2003年6月份以来，在我国北方肉鸡饲养基地普遍流行了一种主要侵害肉仔鸡的疾病，低血糖-尖峰死亡综合征(HSMS)。HSMS发病日龄集中于10～18日龄．临床表现为突然出现的高死亡率，病鸡头部震颤、运动失调、昏迷、失明、死亡。先后对黑龙江、吉林、辽宁、内蒙古、天津、河北、山东等省进行调查．发现HSMS在这几个省的很多肉鸡饲养区广泛存在。对发生该病的259个肉鸡饲养户的调查结果显示．该病与祖代种鸡没有关系．病原可能来自受污染的父母代种鸡场。平均发病率为17．9％。发病鸡群血糖浓度极显著的下降。从2个发病鸡群的病鸡肠道内容物中观察到病毒颗粒．病毒呈多形性．有囊膜，直径约80-100nm，表面有棒状纤突，长约10-20nm．与冠状病毒类似。