Serine protease HtrA2/Omi and cell death or survival

The serine protease HtrA2/Omi is released from the mitochondrial intermembrane space following apoptotic stimuli.Once in the cytosol,HtrA2/Omi has been implicated in promoting cell death in caspase-dependent or caspase-independent pathway.On the other hand,HtrA2/Omi can refold and degrade misfolded proteins in the mitochondria during cell stress.     

N-terminal domain including conserved flg22 is required for flagellin-induced hypersensitive cell death in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Flagellin in Pseudomonas syringae is a potent elicitor of defense responses including hypersensitive cell death in dicot plants. The oligopeptides flg22 consisting of 22 conserved amino acids near the N-terminus of flagellins is reported to induce plant defense responses. Because glycosylation of the central domain of flagellin affects its elicitor activity, we investigated whether any peptide sequence in addition to flg22 is required for flagellin-induced hypersensitive reaction. A study of recombinant flagellin polypeptides indicated that the N-terminal domain including the conserved flg22 is required for flagellin-induced hypersensitive cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana.     

Complementary host–pathogen genetic analyses of the role of fumonisins in the Zea mays–Gibberella moniliformis interaction

Zea mays often is colonized with the fungus Gibberella moniliformis, which produces fumonisin toxins. The role of fumonisins in seedling colonization and blight was studied using complementary genetic analyses of host and pathogen. Only one of two fumonisin B1 (FB1)-insensitive maize backcross lines was more resistant than the FB1-sensitive parent to seedling blight, indicating that the increase in FB1-insensitivity was not associated with an increase in resistance. FB1-producing and nonproducing isogenic fungal strains did not differ in ability to cause seedling blight, but the FB1-producing strain was more effective in systemic colonization of seedlings in reciprocal strain challenge tests. Together, these and previous results indicate that the role of fumonisins depends on complex environmental and genetic contexts in this host–pathogen interaction.     

三化螟卵块寄生蜂-螟卵啮小蜂研究概况

螟卵啮小蜂Tetrastichus schoenobii Ferriere是一种寄生三化螟Trypoyyza incertulas(Walker)卵块的重要天敌。本文总结了其生物学、形态学、生态学以及应用研究等方面的研究概况,并对其开发利用提出新的思路。     

日本《外来入侵物种法》及对我国外来物种管理立法和科研的启示

日本政府于2004年6月颁布了《外来入侵物种法》,10月环境省制定的《预防外来入侵生物对生态系统造成不利影响的基本政策》通过内阁决议,该法案于2005年6月1日起生效。本文简要介绍了日本外来生物管理有关策略和基本政策,并针对我国现状提出了外来物种管理立法及科研方面的建议:(1)成立国家级外来物种管理委员会及外来物种专家委员会,统筹外来物种管理工作;(2)对现有法律法规体系进行系统评估,加强外来物种管理立法;(3)加强对外来物种的科学研究,特别是加强外来入侵物种环境风险评估系统建设;(4)进一步加强建立国家级、一站式的外来物种数据库和外来物种数据交换所,促进信息交流。     

甲酸乙酯对米象乙酰胆碱酯酶和羧酸酯酶的影响

报道了甲酸乙酯对米象[Sitophilus oryzae(Linnaeus)]乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)和羧酸酯酶(CarE)的活性影响,甲酸乙酯对米象表现出很高的毒力,25℃下熏蒸处理24 h的LC₅₀为28.65μL/L。亚致死剂量的甲酸乙酯可以使米象成虫体内AChE的比活力显著下降,用20μL/L的浓度处理24 h,AChE的比活力由15.684 nmol/mg.min下降至9.530 nmol/mg.min;酶动力学研究表明,甲酸乙酯可使米象成虫体内AChE的K_m值明显增加。对于羧酸酯酶,在活体条件下表现为先抑制后激活的规律,离体条件下则主要表现为抑制作用,且随着药剂浓度的增大抑制率也增大。     

细辛挥发油抗植物病原真菌活性初步研究

从天然产物包括植物中开发新的高效低毒环境友好型杀虫杀菌剂，是农药领域重要的研究内容。细辛（Asarum）为马兜铃科（Aristolochiaceae）草本植物，是我国特有的传统中药，中医用于治疗风寒头痛、痰饮咳喘、关节疼痛、鼻塞、牙痛、胃炎以及口腔糜烂等。有文献报道，细辛提取物对黄曲霉（Aspergillus sp．）、黑曲霉（Aspergillusr sp．）、人类致病菌白色念珠菌（Candida sp．）、伤寒杆菌（Salmonella sp．）有抑菌作用；对人参黑斑病菌（Alternaria panax）、人参根疫病菌（Phytophthora cactorum）、腐皮镰孢（Fusarium solani）和番茄灰霉病菌（Botrytis cinerea）等植物病原菌具有较好的抗菌效果。有关细辛抗菌机制的研究尚未见报道。本文选择9属16种植物病原真菌进行生物测定，探讨细辛挥发油抗菌的广谱性，并以Alternaria humicola为研究对象，对其抗菌机理进行初步研究，以便为开发新型植物杀菌剂提供理论依据。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spongospora subterranea</Emphasis> soil contamination and its relationship to severity of powdery scab on potatoes

We investigated soil contamination by Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea (Sss) and disease severity of powdery scab in 29 potato fields in Hokkaido, Japan, using a hydroponic culture method with tomato seedlings as bait plants. The quantity of Sss infection on the roots of bait plants was evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and expressed in terms of the infection potential in the soil. The infection potential was positively correlated with the disease severity of harvested tubers, whereas the spore ball density determined using PCR had an indistinct relationship with disease severity. The infection potential can be useful in evaluating soil contamination and in applying countermeasures against powdery scab.     

Molecular characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phoma tracheiphila</Emphasis>, causal agent of Mal secco disease of citrus,in Israel

Mal secco disease of citrus caused by Phoma tracheiphila is a devastating disease in the Mediterranean basin. Susceptible citrus species include lemon, citron, lime and others. Trees attacked by the fungus show characteristic symptoms; the smallest twigs die first, followed by the larger branches. Eventually, the whole tree is killed. The symptoms are clear in the orchards but by the time they are visible the disease is already well established. The need for a sensitive, reliable and rapid diagnostic method for the early identification of the fungus in trees and fruit exists. We have developed a PCR-based method for the identification of P. tracheiphila from plant tissues including fruit. Any such method must take into account the genetic variability in the pathogen population. Molecular methods were used to compare different isolates of P. tracheiphila. This study found no significant differences between different isolates from different citrus species from different parts of Israel.     

烟碱乙酰胆碱受体及其与新烟碱类相互作用的研究进展

对烟碱乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)的结构与功能、配体结合部位、门控机理以及与新烟碱类的相互作用进行了综述,并对nAChRs亚基基因突变和敲除对新烟碱类和多杀菌素敏感性的影响进行了讨论。nAChRs在脊椎动物和昆虫的胆碱能突触的快速神经传递中起着重要作用,其在昆虫中仅存在于中枢神经系统(CNS)中,而在脊椎动物中同时存在于CNS和神经肌肉连接处。nAChRs是新烟碱类杀虫剂、多杀菌素和杀螟丹的作用靶标。肌肉和CNS中的nAChRs是一个由两个α和三个非α(β,γ和δ)亚基组成的异数五聚体,该受体主要有三部分:一个在细胞外发现的区域(胞外区)、一个位于膜内的区域(跨膜区),另一个是位于细胞内的区域(胞质区)。每个亚基(从N-C端)都具有一个包含乙酰胆碱(ACh)结合部位的细胞外结构域;4个跨膜结构域(M1~4),其中M2的大部分氨基酸位于离子通道的内壁;一个胞质噜扑(loop)和一个胞外C端。通道门位于孔道内的疏水区。ACh结合部位位于天然和功能受体的两个亚基的界面,是由一个亚基的3个噜扑(A-C)和另一个亚基的3个噜扑(D-F)构成。每当受体与ACh(或其他激动剂)分子结合时,M2 α螺旋体的构象发生改变,使通道开启,处于阳离子传导状态,直至一个或两个激动剂分子从结合口袋解离,通道才关闭。如果激动剂一直存在,并反复结合,则通道处于脱敏状态。nAChRs与新烟碱类的各种选择性作用取决于新烟碱类的结构以及nAChRs的亚基组成。