Grain Quality as Affected by Down-regulation of Expression of Different ALK Alleles in indica Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

【Objective】Gelatinization temperature (GT) is one of the key physicochemical properties in rice quality, which is mainly regulated by ALK (SSII-3) gene. In general, there are two ALK alleles among indica cultivars. To detect their functional differentiation in indica rice,【Method】Zhenshan 97B (a high GT variety carrying ALKc allele) and Longtefu B (a low GT variety carrying ALKb allele), were used as receptors for the generation of transgenic rice with down-regulation of ALK expression by RNA interference (RNAi).【Result】Down-regulation of ALK gene significantly decreased the GT of the transgenic lines. Due to the difference of original GT between the two receptors, the GT of transgenic rice lines derived from Zhenshan 97B (a high GT variety) decreased significantly, but it is slightly decreased in transgenic plants derived from Longtefu B (a low GT variety). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the initial temperature of RNAi transgenic rice was significantly lower than the corresponding control and the transgenic lines were gelatinized in advance. The peak value of GT(Tp) in RNAi rice grains was significantly lower than that of the control under Zhenshan 97B background. However, Tp of RNAi rice grains under Longtefu B background was significantly lower than the control to a lesser extent. Also, down-regulation of ALK expression had a significant effect on rice physical-chemical characteristics. An increase of apparent amylose content in RNAi transgenic plants was detected due to the decreased expression of ALK gene. Besides, the pasting properties showed that down-regulation of ALK gene had obvious effects on peak viscosity and breakdown value, improving the taste of the transgenic rice. The gel consistency was significantly different among Zhenshan 97B RNAi lines and their parents, but no difference was found in Longtefu-derived transgenic lines.【Conclusion】RNA interference to ALK allele expression had a significant effect on rice quality, especially the gelatinization characters. Down-regulated expression level of ALKc allele would cause larger variation of physical-chemical characteristics between transgenic rice and their parent than that of ALKb allele.     

不同的干燥工艺对荷花蜂花粉功能成分的影响

探讨了5种干燥工艺对荷花蜂花粉功能成分的影响。微波干燥的干燥效率最高,60%火力处理540s可使水分从31.41%降到6.42%;干燥方式对荷花蜂花粉蛋白质影响较小;微波干燥后总黄酮提取率最高,为13.20mg/g;真空冷冻干燥后维生素C和过氧化氢酶含量最高,分别为48.89mg/100g和29.86mg/g·min。总的来说,真空冷冻干燥对荷花蜂花粉的功能成分影响最小;常压恒温干燥对功能成分影响较小、工艺简单、对设备要求低,宜于大规模应用于实际生产中。     

Comparison of Metabolic Energy Content of Organic Cereal Grains for Chickens and Turkeys

Although there is an extensive database on the nutrient content of conventionally produced feedstuffs, there is very little published research on the nutrient content of feedstuffs that are organically grown. Industrial and organic crop production differ in both crop and soil management. There are data to suggest that these differences may result in differences in the nutrient content of organic grown feedstuffs. The purpose of this study was to determine the ME content of organically grown amaranth, buckwheat, white corn, yellow corn, and wheat samples obtained from the University of Minnesota's organic research farm. Both chickens and turkeys were used in the assays to compare the ME content for these 2 species. The TME_n content, on an as-fed basis, of amaranth, buckwheat, yellow corn, white corn, and wheat for chickens were found to be 3,146, 3,072, 3,603, 3,324, and 3,592 kcal/kg, respectively. The TME_n content of the same samples, on an as-fed basis, determined with turkeys were found to be 2,748, 2,227, 2,810, 2,757, and 2,959 kcal/kg, respectively. True ME content of the organically grown feed ingredients was found to be greater when chickens were used in the bioassay as compared with turkeys and differed significantly from published values for the same cereals grown using conventional means.     

中蜂对不同蜂花粉的取食偏好

以来自不同地区的10个蜂花粉,在云南及重庆两地的缺粉季节饲喂中蜂蜂群,探索中蜂对花粉取食的偏好。研究结果显示中蜂蜂群对来自不同地方不同种类的花粉有选择偏好性,对同种花粉选择差异性不显著,发现中蜂对所用的山东茶花粉的取食量最大。     

Evaluation of the carryover effect of antibiotic,bee pollen and propolis on growth performance,carcass traits and splenic and hepatic histology of growing rabbits

Sixty‐four nulliparous female rabbits were distributed among eight groups (eight animals/group). Group one was the unsupplemented control group; the other seven groups were supplemented with zinc bacitracin (ZnB) at 100 mg, or bee pollen (BP) and/or propolis (Pro) at 150 and 300 mg in a capsulated form, three times a week, day after day, continuously all over the experimental period. The experiment was run for eight parties; at each parity, 28 kids of each doe group (a total of 224 rabbits) were divided into two subgroups weaned, respectively, at 24 and 30 days of age. Thus, for each parity, there were 16 groups (eight does treatments × two weaning age, 14 rabbits per group). The growing rabbits fed the standard diets without supplements. The growth performance, the carcass traits, the liver and the spleen histology of rabbits were checked up to 90 days of age to find possible carryover effects of the supplements. The supplements had no significant effect on most of the growth performance at 90 days of age, but BP150 and BP+Pro300 increased the growth rate in comparison with ZnB group. The liver weight in the control, BP300 and Pro300 groups was higher than the ZnB one. The spleen weight was higher in the groups ZnB, BP150, Pro300 and BP+Pro300, followed by the control, BP300 and BP+Pro150 and thus Pro150. The heart % in the BP150 and Pro300 groups was higher than ZnB and BP+Pro150 groups. A lymphoid hyperplasia of splenic white pulp was observed in the BP+Pro groups, while propolis alone showed a mild activation of lymphobiosis. The Pro and BP groups showed the same picture of the control group exhibiting a hydropic degeneration of mostly hepatic cells, while the ZnB group exhibited adverse effect on the bile ducts featuring portal periductal inflammatory cells infiltration with epithelial hyperplasia reflecting chronic cholangitis.     

Bee pollen and propolis as dietary supplements for rabbit: Effect on reproductive performance of does and on immunological response of does and their offspring

To evaluate the effect of bee pollen (BP) and/or propolis (Pro) supplementation on rabbit does, 64 nulliparous NZW rabbits does were distributed among eight groups (eight animals/group). One unsupplemented group was the control; the other seven groups were supplemented, respectively, with zinc bacitracin (ZnB) at 100 mg, BP at 150 and 300 mg, Pro at 150 and 300 mg, BP+Pro at 150 and 300 mg of each three times/week, day after day continuously along eight parities. The BP300, Pro300 and BP+Pro150 groups had higher body weight of litter at birth and number of kids born alive. The BP supplementation at 150 mg increased plasma total protein and albumin than the control group. The BP or Pro at 150 mg decreased plasma T₃ than the other groups except for BP+Pro150. The ZnB group had significantly greater T₃/T₄ ratio compared to BP, Pro and BP+Pro at 150 mg. The BP+Pro150 group had less ALT than the control; BP300 and Pro 300 mg resulted in lower plasma AST than the groups Pro150 with or without BP and the control group. The plasma alkaline phosphatase of BP at 150 or 300 mg and BP+Pro150 was significantly greater than that of the Pro150 group. The BP+Pro300 group had higher WBCs than the other groups. In contrast, the lymphocytes were greater in the Pro and BP+Pro300 groups than in BP, Pro and BP+Pro at 150 mg. The groups supplemented with BP and BP+Pro at 150 and 300 mg had significantly greater SRBCs of doe rabbits and their offspring compared to the control and the ZnB group. The BP at 300 mg increased the serum albumin and α₁‐globulin than the control group. The Pro300 group had greater serum α₂‐globulin and β‐globulin than the control group. The total globulin was significantly greater for the 300 mg propolis‐supplemented groups than the control.     

反刍动物饲用高产蛋白酵母菌株的分离和筛选

青贮饲料和酒糟饲料富含酵母菌,从中分离优化筛选出高产蛋白菌株可作为反刍动物饲用酵母菌。作者通过正交试验,对分离菌株进行培养条件的优化,从中筛选出1株高产蛋白菌株为酿酒酵母菌（saccharomyces cerevisiae）,在温度30℃、初始pH为5、葡萄糖浓度2%、大豆蛋白胨浓度1%、麦芽汁粉0.3%、酵母膏0.3%、接菌量3%,转速180 r/min时,生物产量达到最高,细胞蛋白达到60.54 mg N/dl,菌体细胞达到1.7×10⁹个/ml。     

Perennial ground cover plants as floral resources for urban pollinators: A case of Geranium species

Urban green areas, due to their high plant diversity, can be supportive as floral resources (nectar and/or pollen) to wild and managed pollinating insects. This research aims towards understanding the contribution of ornamental ground cover perennials as a food source for urban pollinators. We compare floral phenology and abundance, nectar and pollen production, and insect visitation to flowers of Geranium macrorrhizum, G. platypetalum and G. sanguineum, planted in the botanical garden of Lublin, SE Poland. The investigation revealed that the studied hardy geraniums exhibit many features valuable for pollinators, including large floral display (G. macrorrhizum and G. platypetalum), extended flowering period (G. sanguineum) and ample nectar and pollen reward (G. macrorrhizum). They can supply urban pollinators with a high quality food during spring and early summer time, i.e. the period of high food demand by many bee species. Moreover, hardy geraniums might be valuable plants for urban beekeeping as they are eagerly visited by honeybees. The investigated ground cover plants could therefore be considered in future city plantings.     

Phylogenetic and expression analysis of the magnesium transporter family in pear,and functional verification of PbrMGT7 in pear pollen

The magnesium ion (Mg²⁺) is the most abundant divalent cation in living cells, and it plays essential roles in various cellular functions. Mg²⁺ homeostasis in plant cells is crucial for plant growth. The MRS2/MGT family of proteins localise to various membranes, and they function during Mg²⁺ transport in plants, but their functions are largely unknown in fruit trees. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis to identify the MGT gene family members in the pear Pyrus bretschneideri. Sixteen MGT genes were identified. Analysis of the activity of pear pollen showed that a low-concentration magnesium ion treatment was beneficial for pollen germination and pollen tube growth. None of the 16 MGT genes were expressed in any unique tissue, including pollen, and their expression in magnesium-treated pollen varied greatly, where PbrMGT7 was the most sensitive and it was tested as a representative. PbrMGT7 could functionally complement a bacterial strain deficient in Mg²⁺, thereby indicating a role in magnesium transport. A co-localisation experiment confirmed that PbrMGT7 was localised in the mitochondria, which suggests that PbrMGT7 could mediate Mg-trafficking between the mitochondria and cytosol. Overall, these results suggest that PbrMGT7 is related to Mg²⁺ homeostasis during pear pollen tube growth.??     

小麦穗粒结构与品质的关系分析

通过研究得出:粗蛋白、淀粉、湿面筋含量和沉淀值与穗粒结构之间是非线性的关系;粗蛋白、湿面筋含量和沉淀值之间是正相关,他们与淀粉含量之间是反相关,所以可用其中一项指标作为品质指标;基本苗控制在240万/hm2左右最容易取得高产优质。