Identification of a phytoplasma associated with pomegranate little leaf disease in Iran

During 2012–2014 surveys for the presence of phytoplasma diseases in Fars province (Iran), pomegranate little leaf symptoms were observed in several orchards in Khafr and Neyriz areas. Samples collected from symptomatic plants positively reacted in nested PCR assays using P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 primer pairs producing the expected 1,250 bp DNA fragments. Real and virtual RFLP analysis showed that the sequences of phytoplasma strains from Khafr and Neyriz (KPLL and NPLL strains, respectively) were identical to each other and belong to 16SrII phytoplasma group, subgroup D. Phylogenetic analysis of the R16F2n⁄R16R2 DNA region confirmed that KPLL and NPLL phytoplasmas were enclosed in the same clade as other 16SrII-D subgroup phytoplasmas. This is the first reported occurrence of a 16SrII phytoplasma infecting pomegranate trees.     

Effects of Jiedu-Qingfei mixture on NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathways in lung tissues of rats with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

AIM: To observe the therapeutic effect of Jiedu-Qingfei mixture on Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-infected rat lung tissues and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: SD rats (n=40) were randomly divided into 4 groups:blank control group, model group, Jiedu-Qingfei group and positive control group, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in experimental groups were slowly dripped with 1×10⁹ CFU/L MP solution into their nostrils for 4 d. One rat in each group was sacrificed for MP nucleic acid detection at the second day after inoculation, and the other rats were given gavage therapy. The rats in blank control group and model group were intragastrically given the same volume of normal saline, the rats in Jiedu-Qingfei group were given 8 mL/kg Jiedu-Qingfei mixture daily for 4 weeks, and the rats in psoitive control group were given dexmethasone sodium phosphate (0.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1). After the experiment, the rats were killed. The serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected for detecting the levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-13 and TNF-α by ELISA. The right lung tissues were used for pathological observation and HE staining, while the left lung tissues were used to detect the expression of NF-κB p50, I-κBα and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) at mRNA and protein levels. RESULTS: The results of MP nucleic acid detection showed that all the rats except blank control group were MP nucleic acid positive, indicating that the rat model of MP infection was successfully established. On the 1st day of the treatment, the pathological scores of the lung tissues in model group and Jiedu-Qingfei group were significantly higher than those in blank control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the pathological scores of the lung tissues in mo-del group were significantly higher than those in blank control group and Jiedu-Qingfei group. The levels of IL-12 in the serum and BALF in model group were significantly lower than those in blank control group after MP infection (P<0.05), while those after treatment with Jiedu-Qingfei mixture were significantly higher than those in model group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-13 and TNF-α in the serum and BALF of MP-infected rats were increased significantly, while those after treatment with Jiedu-Qingfei mixture were significantly lower than those in model group (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of NF-κB p50 and p38 MAPK in model group were increased significantly (P<0.01). After treatment, the mRNA expression levels of NF-κB p50 and p38 MAPK were decreased significantly compared with model group (P<0.01). The mRNA expression level of I-κBα in model group was significantly lower than that in control group. After treatment, the mRNA expression of I-κBα in Jiedu-Qingfei group was significantly higher than that in model group (P<0.05). The protein levels of NF-κB p50 and p38 MAPK in the lung tissues of model group were significantly higher than those of blank control group. After treatment, the protein expression of NF-κB p50 and p38 MAPK was decreased significantly. The protein level of I-κBα in model group was significantly lower than that in blank control group, and after treatment with Jiedu-Qingfei mixture, the protein expression level of I-κBα was increased significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Jiedu-Qingfei mixture may attenuate lung tissue inflammation caused by MP through NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathways.     

β-carotene attenuates weaning-induced apoptosis via inhibition of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK signalling pathways in piglet jejunum

Weaning may cause oxidative injury, immune response impairment, apoptosis and other injuries in piglets. Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) can elicit inflammatory responses, and persistent oxidative and ERS also may lead to apoptotic cascades, which is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. β-carotene, a natural carotenoid, has potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. However, the effect of β-carotene on apoptosis in weaned piglets and the detailed molecular mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we found that β-carotene decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in piglet serum. β-carotene could inhibit the mRNA levels of caspase-3 significantly, but had no significant inhibitory effect of the mRNA levels of caspase-9 and caspase-12 in the piglet jejunum. In addition, β-carotene decreased the activation of GRP78, CHOP, and JNK/p38 MAPK and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, β-carotene had a significant influence on the activation of ERS and apoptosis-related signals in TG-induced IPEC-J2. In the present study, β-carotene pre-treatment attenuated the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and prevented TG-induced increases in the level of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK pathway activation in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these findings indicate that β-carotene may protect weaning-induced apoptosis through inhibiting ERS.     

miR-106b-5p靶向KLF4调控山羊肌内前体脂肪细胞分化

旨在明确miR-106b-5p对山羊肌内前体脂肪细胞分化的影响，并确定这种作用是通过靶向KLF4来实现的。本研究利用实时荧光定量PCR （quantitative real-time PCR，qRT-PCR）技术检测miR-106b-5p在山羊肌内前体脂肪细胞分化过程中的表达模式，通过脂质体转染技术将miR-106b-5p mimic和miR-106b-5p inhibitor转入体外培养的山羊肌内前体脂肪细胞，油红O染色法从形态学验证miR-106b-5p对脂肪细胞中脂滴积聚的影响，qRT-PCR检测预测的靶标基因KLF4和脂肪分化标志基因的表达情况，利用双荧光素酶报告系统鉴定miR-106b-5p与KLF4的靶标关系。qRT-PCR结果显示，miR-106b-5p在山羊肌内前体脂肪细胞诱导分化第3天时表达量最高。在山羊肌内脂肪细胞中干扰miR-106b-5p后油红O染色显示脂滴聚积减少，过表达miR-106b-5p后脂滴聚积增加。在山羊肌内前体脂肪细胞中转染miR-106b-5p inhibitor后PPARγ表达量显著降低（P<0.05），而KLF4表达量极显著升高（P<0.01）；转染miR-106b-5p mimic后LPL和PPARγ表达量极显著升高（P<0.01）。荧光素酶活性试验结果显示，过表达miR-106b-5p可显著抑制KLF4荧光活性。miR-106b-5p通过靶向并负调节KLF4的表达促进山羊肌内脂肪细胞分化。     

微生物菌群培养组学在动物医学中的应用

实验室条件下可培养的微生物约占自然界中微生物总数的1%，这限制了人们对99%未知微生物的认识和利用，而研究表明，那些“不可培养的微生物”是可以被开发和利用的，未能被纯培养的微生物才是未知微生物的主体。微生物培养组学探索利用多种培养条件和长时间的培养，结合基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱法（MALDI-TOF-MS）和16S核糖体RNA（rRNA）测序可以大规模鉴定各种微生物，同时利用全基因组测序和宏基因组测序手段对未知微生物进行深入分析。本文综述了国内外近年来微生物菌群培养组学在反刍动物胃肠道、禽类盲肠及家畜鼻腔微生物菌群研究中的最新进展，探讨将动物体内菌群培养组学方法应用于动物疾病防治领域的可行性。作为一个新兴的研究方法，尽管该培养组学还存在一些不够成熟的方面，但它的发展前景十分广阔，微生物菌群培养组学方法和其他研究方法的互补已经逐渐成为发展兽医微生物学新的突破口。     

荔枝FKBP16-2基因启动子的克隆与瞬时表达分析

前期研究中发现了一个果肉低表达而叶片中高表达的荔枝基因FKBP16-2。本文克隆了该基因1 578 bp的启动子片段并对其功能进行了初步分析,结果表明:荔枝FKBP16-2基因启动子序列中含有大量的TATA-box和CAAT-box保守元件,以及TCA-element,ARE,HSE,GCN4_motif,O2-site等各种转录调控相关的顺式作用元件。该启动子能驱动GUS基因在荔枝的花、叶、根、果皮以及种子中表达而在果肉中不表达,表达具有组织特异性。     

Vineyard soil bacterial diversity and composition revealed by 16S rRNA genes: Differentiation by geographic features

Here, we examine soil-borne microbial biogeography as a function of the features that define an American Viticultural Area (AVA), a geographically delimited American wine grape-growing region, defined for its distinguishing features of climate, geology, soils, physical features (topography and water), and elevation. In doing so, we lay a foundation upon which to link the terroir of wine back to the soil-borne microbial communities. The objective of this study is to elucidate the hierarchy of drivers of soil bacterial community structure in wine grape vineyards in Napa Valley, California. We measured differences in the soil bacterial and archaeal community composition and diversity by sequencing the fourth variable region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (16S V4 rDNA). Soil bacterial communities were structured with respect to soil properties and AVA, demonstrating the complexity of soil microbial biogeography at the landscape scale and within the single land-use type. Location and edaphic variables that distinguish AVAs were the strongest explanatory factors for soil microbial community structure. Notably, the relationship with TC and TN of the <53 μm and 53–250 μm soil fractions offers support for the role of bacterial community structure rather than individual taxa on fine soil organic matter content. We reason that AVA, climate, and topography each affect soil microbial communities through their suite of impacts on soil properties. The identification of distinctive soil microbial communities associated with a given AVA lends support to the idea that soil microbial communities form a key in linking wine terroir back to the biotic components of the soil environment, suggesting that the relationship between soil microbial communities and wine terroir should be examined further.     

Establishment of macro-aggregates and organic matter turnover by microbial communities in long-term incubated artificial soils

The study of interactions between minerals, organic matter (OM) and microorganisms is essential for the understanding of soil functions such as OM turnover. Here, we present an interdisciplinary approach using artificial soils to study the establishment of the microbial community and the formation of macro-aggregates as a function of the mineral composition by using artificial soils. The defined composition of a model system enables to directly relate the development of microbial communities and soil structure to the presence of specific constituents. Five different artificial soil compositions were produced with two types of clay minerals (illite, montmorillonite), metal oxides (ferrihydrite, boehmite) and charcoal incubated with sterile manure and a microbial community derived from a natural soil. We used the artificial soils to analyse the response of these model soil systems to additional sterile manure supply (after 562 days). The artificial soils were subjected to a prolonged incubation period of more than two years (842 days) in order to take temporally dynamic processes into account. In our model systems with varying mineralogy, we expected a changing microbial community composition and an effect on macro-aggregation after OM addition, as the input of fresh substrate will re-activate the artificial soils. The abundance and structure of 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) fragments amplified from total community DNA were studied by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), respectively. The formation of macro-aggregates (>2 mm), the total organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) contents, the OC and N contents in particle size fractions and the CO₂ respiration were determined. The second manure input resulted in higher CO₂ respiration rates, 16S rRNA gene and ITS copy numbers, indicating a stronger response of the microbial community in the matured soil-like system. The type of clay minerals was identified as the most important factor determining the composition of the bacterial communities established. The additional OM and longer incubation time led to a re-formation of macro-aggregates which was significantly higher when montmorillonite was present. Thus, the type of clay mineral was decisive for both microbial community composition as well as macro-aggregation, whereas the addition of other components had a minor effect. Even though different bacterial communities were established depending on the artificial soil composition, the amount and quality of the OM did not show significant differences supporting the concept of functional redundancy.     

鲍曼不动杆菌雏鸡分离株CCGGD201101的分离、鉴定及致病性研究简

试验旨在鉴定吉林省某雏鸡孵育基地病死雏鸡组织中分离出的1株致病性菌CCGGD201101株并测定其致病性。对疑似致病菌进行生理生化试验、16S rDNA测序鉴定，并人工接种昆明鼠，测定其半数致死量，验证细菌毒力。经鉴定该菌为鲍曼不动杆菌（Acinetobacter baumannii）。以鲍曼不动杆菌CCGGD201101分离株为研究对象，并以鲍曼不动杆菌标准株（ATCC 19606）为对照，测得半数致死量，进一步证明鲍曼不动杆菌病死鸡分离株CCGGD201101具有较强致病性。     

Devastation of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) crops in different agroclimatic zones of India by genetically diverse subgroups of phytoplasma

The sesame crop is highly susceptible to infection by phytoplasmas, a class of cell wall-less plant pathogenic bacteria (Mollicutes), which is responsible for widespread loss of sesame crops in both North and South India in recent years. Therefore, characterizing the pathogen population is required before the control measures can be devised and implemented. With molecular tools based on nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, sequencing, restriction profiling, and phylogenetic analysis, phyllody-affected sesame plants collected from nine different states of India were found to be infected by phytoplasmas belonging to two 16Sr groups, namely 16SrI and II. Two subgroups of phytoplasma −16SrI-B and 16SrII-D— were prevalent in symptomatic sesame samples collected from North India, whereas phytoplasma of only the 16SrII group was found in South India. However, the latter samples were diverse, belonging to three different subgroups (16SrII-A, II-C, and II-D). In addition, yearly phyllody-affected sesame samples from Delhi for 4 consecutive years (2007–2010) showed variation in the infecting phytoplasma: the subgroup 16SrII-D was detected in samples collected in 2007, and 16SrI-B was predominantly found in the samples collected in the subsequent years. The study also provides molecular evidence for the association between 16SrI-B phytoplasma and different symptoms in sesame crops such as fasciation, little leaf, and stunting. This is the first study to report the association of the phytoplasma subgroups 16SrII-A and II-D with sesame crops in India. This study provides a baseline for designing specific detection and molecular analysis strategies for quarantine purposes. It also highlights the need for examining the dynamics of seasonal or location-specific variation in vector populations to determine the pattern of infection outbreaks.