Breeding for increased grain protein and micronutrient content in wheat: Ten years of the GPC-B1 gene

To provide food and nutrition security for a growing world population, continued improvements in the yield and nutritional quality of agricultural crops will be required. Wheat is an important source of calories, protein and micronutrients and is thus a priority to breed for improvements in these traits. The GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT-B1 (GPC-B1) gene is a positive regulator of nutrient translocation which increases protein, iron and zinc concentration in the wheat grain. In the ten years since it was cloned, the impacts of GPC-B1 allelic variation on quality and yield traits have been extensively analyzed in diverse genetic backgrounds in field studies spanning forty environments and seven countries. In this review, we compile data from twenty-five studies to summarize the impact of GPC-B1 allelic variation on fifty different traits. Taken together, the results demonstrate that the functional copy of the GPC-B1 gene is associated with consistent positive effects on grain protein, Fe and Zn content with only marginally negative impacts on yield. We conclude that the GPC-B1 gene has the potential to increase nutritional and end use quality in a wide range of modern cultivars and environments and discuss the possibilities for its application in wheat breeding.     

Transgenic sorghum with suppressed synthesis of kafirin subclasses: Effects on flour and dough rheological characteristics

Arising from work showing that conventionally bred high protein digestibility sorghum types have improved flour and dough functionality, the flour and dough properties of transgenic biofortified sorghum lines with increased protein digestibility and high lysine content (TG-HD) resulting from suppressed synthesis of several kafirin subclasses, especially the cysteine-rich γ-kafirin, were studied. TG-HD sorghums had higher flour water solubility at 30 °C (p < 0.05) and much higher paste viscosity (41% higher) than their null controls (NC). TG-HD doughs were twice as strong as their NC and dynamic rheological analysis indicated that the TG doughs were somewhat more elastic up to 90 °C. CLSM of doughs and pastes indicated that TG-HD had a less compact endosperm protein matrix surround the starch compared to their NC. The improved flour and dough functional properties of the TG-HD sorghums seem to be caused by reduced endosperm compactness resulting from suppression of synthesis of several kafirin subclasses which modifies protein body and protein matrix structure, and to improved protein-starch interaction through hydrogen bonding specifically caused by reduction in the level of the hydrophobic γ-kafirin. The improved flour functionality of these transgenic biofortified sorghums can increase their commercial utility by complementing their improved nutritional quality.     

棉铃虫膨胀线粒体基因组的鉴定与分析

以已公布的棉铃虫线粒体DNA序列对来自4头棉铃虫雄蛹的DNA的三代测序数据进行筛选,获得了11条与线粒体DNA有同源性的三代read序列,并根据其中的read 66003鉴定出了一种膨胀的线粒体基因组。该线粒体基因组大小为27 113 bp,其保守区域包含13个蛋白编码基因、2个rRNA基因、22个tRNA基因以及1个AT富集区,与已公布的棉铃虫线粒体基因组的结构相似。膨胀区域位于cox1基因编码区内部,大小为11 467 bp,经预测含有一个完整的真核基因(依赖ATP的RNA解旋酶)以及多种转座元件的片段,但与线粒体DNA无同源性,也无I类或Ⅱ类内含子存在的证据。对田间和室内棉铃虫DNA样品的PCR扩增未能检测到膨胀线粒体基因组的存在。以上结果表明膨胀片段可能是细胞核DNA序列通过偶然的水平转移事件而整合到线粒体基因组中的,且该种膨胀方式的发生概率极低。本文报道的膨胀线粒体基因组为日后动物线粒体基因组学的研究提示了一种独特的变异方式。     

"自杀性"DNA疫苗研究进展

DNA疫苗作为第三代全新的疫苗,具有传统疫苗和其他基因工程苗不可比拟的优点.但由于其安全性方面存在着一些尚待解决的问题,使得实际应用受到限制."自杀性"DNA疫苗是基于常规的DNA疫苗和自主复制型RNA疫苗而发展起来的一种新型疫苗.由于其制备原理和过程与常规DNA疫苗相类似,所以它具备常规DNA疫苗在制作、运输储存以及免疫等各方面的优点.同时由于它以甲病毒复制子为基础能诱导转染细胞自主凋亡,故比常规DNA疫苗更为安全有效.文章针对"自杀性"DNA疫苗载体的构建、作用机理、优点以及国内外研究情况作一介绍.     

用点杂交方法定量检测植物病毒RNA负荷量

用RNA点杂交与用放射性成像仪直接读取放射性活度相结合的方法定量测定植物病毒RNA相对负荷量 ,检测了 0 0 0 1～ 1 0ppm浓度范围内二氢茉莉酸丙酯(PDJ)对烟草组织中烟草花叶病毒 (TMV)RNA的影响。结果表明 :在PDJ处理 3d时 ,与对照相比低浓度 ( 0 0 0 1ppm)PDJ处理的TMVRNA病毒负荷量无明显差异 ,但随着浓度的升高 ,PDJ对TMVRNA的复制和积累具有促进作用 ;浓度越高 ,促进作用越显著。同时用传统的枯斑接种法验证了上述结果。两种方法相比 ,点杂交结合放射性成像仪读取放射性活度的方法所受的人为误差干扰较小 ,能够相对精确地定量测定植物组织中病毒RNA负荷量。     

耐辐射奇球菌Deinococcus radiodurans中非编码RNA

耐辐射奇球菌(Deinococcus Radiodurans)对电离辐射、紫外线以及强氧化剂等方面具有惊人的抗性。非编码RNA(non-coding RNA,ncRNA)在参与转录调控、RNA的加工与修饰、mRNA的转录、蛋白质的运输与稳定性调节等方面具有非常明显的作用。本文通过概率上下文无关算法(Stochastic ContextFree Grammar,SCFG),对耐辐射奇球菌R1菌株的基因间序列进行相似二级结构预测,结果发现,在耐辐射奇球菌R1基因组的非编码区存在28个非编码RNA家族。其中IRE家族成员最多,其次是Histone3、tRNA和SECIS家族。所发现的DicF与ctRNA_pGA1t、mRNA等家族成员为细菌所特有。与其他生物比较分析结果显示,可以用这些非编码RNA来研究耐辐射奇球菌的生物学功能,并为进一步研究其DNA损伤与修复分子机制提供依据。     

Long‐term effects of fertilization on some soil properties under rainfed soybean‐wheat cropping in the Indian Himalayas

This study aims to examine the effects of long‐term fertilization and cropping on some chemical and microbiological properties of the soil in a 32 y old long‐term fertility experiment at Almora (Himalayan region, India) under rainfed soybean‐wheat rotation. Continuous annual application of recommended doses of chemical fertilizer and 10 Mg ha^–1 FYM on fresh‐weight basis (NPK + FYM) to soybean (Glycine max L.) sustained not only higher productivity of soybean and residual wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop, but also resulted in build‐up of total soil organic C (SOC), total soil N, P, and K. Concentration of SOC increased by 40% and 70% in the NPK + FYM–treated plots as compared to NPK (43.1 Mg C ha^–1) and unfertilized control plots (35.5 Mg C ha^–1), respectively. Average annual contribution of C input from soybean was 29% and that from wheat was 24% of the harvestable aboveground biomass yield. Annual gross C input and annual rate of total SOC enrichment from initial soil in the 0–15 cm layer were 4362 and 333 kg C ha^–1, respectively, for the plots under NPK + FYM. It was observed that the soils under the unfertilized control, NK and N + FYM treatments, suffered a net annual loss of 5.1, 5.2, and 15.8 kg P ha^–1, respectively, whereas the soils under NP, NPK, and NPK + FYM had net annual gains of 25.3, 18.8, and 16.4 kg P ha^–1, respectively. There was net negative K balance in all the treatments ranging from 6.9 kg ha^–1 y^–1 in NK to 82.4 kg ha^–1 y^–1 in N + FYM–treated plots. The application of NPK + FYM also recorded the highest levels of soil microbial‐biomass C, soil microbial‐biomass N, populations of viable and culturable soil microbes.