Field evaluation of insect-resistant transgenic Populus nigra trees

The performance of insect-resistant transgenic poplar trees (Populusnigra) expressing a Cry1Ac gene from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Kurstaki HD-1 against poplar defoliators was evaluated in the field at the Manas Forest Station in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region during1994–1997. The results showed that the average percentage of highly damaged leaves on the transgenic trees was 10% while that on the control trees in nearby plantations reached 80–90%. The average number of pupae per m² of soil at 20cm depth in transgenic poplar plantation was 18 which was only 20% of that found in the non-transgenic control field. The number of pupae and the leaf-damage on transgenic trees described above are all far below the threshold set for chemical protection measures. The non-transformed poplar trees grown in the same plantation with the transgenic trees were also protected indicating that cross protection occurred between these two kinds of trees. Insect-resistant transgenic poplar trees have a potential application value in afforestation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

亲环素基因在烟草不同器官及叶片不同发育时期的表达规律研究

通过对烟草中3个亲环素家族基因（CyPl、CyP2、CyP40）表达模式的研究,结果显示：在不同发育时期中,CyPI在烟草移栽后40、50、60d时表达量较高,CyP2则是在移栽后30、40、60d表达量较高,而CyP40只在移栽后60d表达量较高。在不同组织部位及器官的表达中,3个亲环素家族基因在中部叶和下部叶中表达均较强。在烟草根中主要表达CyPl和CyP40基因,CyP40还在花中表达较高,而CyP2基因的主要表达器官为叶片。     

Body weight of newborn and suckling piglets affects their intestinal gene expression

Modern hyperprolific sows must deal with large litters (16–20 piglets) which reduce piglet birthweight with a concomitant increase in the proportion of small and intrauterine growth retarded piglets. However, larger litters do not only have a greater variation of piglet weights, but also a greater variation in colostrum and milk consumption within the litter. To further understand the impact that body weight has on piglets, the present study aimed to evaluate the degree of physiological weakness of the smallest piglets at birth and during the suckling period (20 d) compared to their middle-weight littermates through their jejunal gene expression. At birth, light piglets showed a downregulation of genes related to immune response (FAXDC2, HSPB1, PPARGC1α), antioxidant enzymes (SOD2m), digestive enzymes (ANPEP, IDO1, SI), and nutrient transporter (SLC39A4) (P < 0.05) but also a tendency for a higher mRNA expression of GBP1 (inflammatory regulator) and HSD11β1 (stress hormone) genes compared to their heavier littermates (P < 0.10). Excluding HSD11β1 gene, all these intestinal gene expression differences initially observed at birth between light and middle-weight piglets were stabilized at the end of the suckling period, when others appeared. Genes involved in barrier function (CLDN1), pro-inflammatory response (CXCL2, IL6, IDO1), and stress hormone signaling (HSD11β1) over-expressed compared to their middle-weight littermates (P < 0.05). In conclusion, at birth and at the end of suckling period, light body weight piglets seem to have a compromised gene expression and therefore impaired nutrient absorption, immune and stress responses compared to their heavier littermates.     

Short term soil priming effects and the mineralisation of biochar following its incorporation to soils of different pH

The aim of this work was to determine the magnitude of the priming effect, i.e. short-term changes in the rate (negative or positive) of mineralisation of native soil organic carbon (C), following addition of biochars. The biochars were made from Miscanthus giganteus, a C4 plant, naturally enriched with ¹³C. The biochars were produced at 350 °C (biochar350) and 700 °C (biochar700) and applied with and without ryegrass as a substrate to a clay-loam soil at pH 3.7 and 7.6. A secondary aim was to determine the effect of ryegrass addition on the mineralisation of the two biochars.After 87 days, biochar350 addition caused priming effects equivalent to 250 and 319 μg CO₂-C g⁻¹ soil, in the low and high pH soil, respectively. The largest priming effects occurred at the start of the incubations. The size of the priming effect was decreased at higher biochar pyrolysis temperatures, which may be a way of controlling priming effects following biochar incorporation to soil, if desired. The priming effect was probably induced by the water soluble components of the biochar. At 87 days of incubation, 0.14% and 0.18% of biochar700 and 0.61% and 0.84% of biochar350 were mineralized in the low and high pH soil, respectively. Ryegrass addition gave an increased biochar350 mineralisation of 33% and 40%, and increased biochar700 at 137% and 70%, in the low and high pH soils, respectively. Certainly, on the basis of our results, if biochar is used to sequester carbon a priming effect may occur, increasing CO₂-C evolved from soil and decreasing soil organic C. However, this will be more than compensated for by the increased soil C caused by biochar incorporation. A similar conclusion holds for accelerated mineralisation of biochar due to incorporation of fresh labile substrates. We consider that our results are the first to unequivocally demonstrate the initiation, progress and termination of a true positive priming effect by biochar on native soil organic C.     

甘蔗线虫病抗性基因的PCR检测研究

以38份未经线虫病常规鉴定的甘蔗种质资源为供试材料,根据番茄抗根结线虫病基因和甜菜抗胞囊线虫病基因的保守序列区域,分别设计了2条上游引物、2条下游引物,对设计的引物进行组合后,应用PCR特异扩增从中分别筛选出各1对特异引物。用抗根结线虫基因设计的特异引物进行扩增最终获得了1条大约460 bp大小的特异片段;用抗胞囊线虫基因设计的特异引物进行扩增最终获得了1条大约690 bp大小的特异片段,进一步进行了PCR-Southern杂交,确认了该2条特异引物的真实性。     

PCR-RFLP技术检测新嘉兴黑猪氟烷基因

本试验随机抽取嘉兴地区部分猪场新嘉兴黑猪血样,通过PCR-RFLP技术进行氟烷基因检测,结果表明,37头新嘉兴黑猪基因型均为NN,未出现Nn和nn基因型。检测结果为新嘉兴黑猪品种资源保护及合理开发利用提供理论依据。     

乳铁蛋白的生物学功能及其基因工程研究进展

乳铁蛋白是一种具有多种生物活性的糖蛋白。本文主要就乳铁蛋白的生物学功能及其基因工程研究进展作一综述。     

A meta-analysis comparing the effect of PCV2 vaccines on average daily weight gain and mortality rate in pigs from weaning to slaughter

The aim of this investigation was, through a meta-analysis, to review the published literature concerning the effect of PCV2 vaccination on the average daily weight gain (ADG) and on the mortality rate in pigs from weaning to slaughter. The review was restricted to studies investigating the effect of vaccines against PCV2 published from 2006 to 2008, identified using computerised literature databases. Only studies that met the following criteria were included: commercial vaccines were used, pigs or pens were assigned randomly to vaccination versus control groups in herds naturally infected with PCV2, and vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs were housed together. Furthermore, it was a requirement that sample size, age at vaccination, and production period were stated. The levels of ADG and mortality rate had to be comparable to those seen in modern intensive swine production. In total, 107 studies were identified; 70 were excluded because they did not fulfil the inclusion criteria and 13 were identical to results published elsewhere. A significant effect of PCV2 vaccination on ADG was found for pigs in all production phases. The largest increase in ADG was found for finishing pigs (41.5g) and nursery-finishing pigs (33.6g) with only 10.6g increase in the nursery pigs. Mortality rate was significantly reduced for finishing pigs (4.4%) and nursery-finishing pigs (5.4%), but not for nursery pigs (0.25%). Herds negative for PRRS had a significantly larger increase in ADG compared to herds positive for PRRS. The PRRS status had no effect on mortality rate.     

LFA—3和IL—2对机体免疫增强作用

以绵羊红细胞膜提取的ＬＦＡ－３和猪外周血单个核细胞所产生的ＩＬ－２，同时或分别与新城疫Ⅳ系疫苗胸肌注射２２日龄雏鸡，测定鸡体ＨＩ抗体效阶及Ｅｔｇ花环形成率的变化，结果表明，ＬＦＡ－３组抗体效价与对照组差异极显著，ＩＬ－２也可显著提高ＩＶ系苗免疫后ＨＩ抗体效价，且两者的作用具有剂量依赖性。