A systematic approach to determine the impact of elevated CO2 levels on the chemical composition of wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Two wheat genetic lines (responsive and non-responsive to elevated CO₂) grown under ambient and free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) conditions were compared using fuzzy chromatography mass spectrometry (FCMS) metabolite fingerprinting. A more comprehensive survey of the changes in their chemical composition was made on selected samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) metabolomic profiling with high resolution accurate mass/tandem mass spectrometry (HRAM/MSⁿ). Principal component analysis (PCA) of the metabolite fingerprints showed four clusters for the two genetic lines (responsive and non-responsive) and the two CO₂ levels (ambient and elevated) in score plots. Metabolite profiling of representative samples for each of the four clusters identified 25 and 16 compounds from negative and positive data, respectively, including amino acids, saccharides, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and lipids. Loading plots demonstrated that some saccharides and lipids were responsible for discriminating between not only two genetic lines but also two CO₂ levels. Analysis of free amino acids (not bound) showed a clear pattern of reduced concentration for both lines with elevated CO₂. After acid hydrolysis, the responsive line 6 (41% increase in yield) showed the same pattern observed for free amino acids, but the non-responsive line 5 (6% increase in yield) showed different trends in concentrations of amino acids with elevated CO₂.     

Predicting the degree of phosphorus saturation using the ammonium acetate–EDTA soil test

As a result of the important role played by phosphorus (P) in surface water eutrophication, the susceptibility of soils to release P requires evaluation. The degree of phosphorus saturation, assessed by oxalate extraction (DPS_ox), has been used as an indicator. However, most laboratories do not include DPS_ox in routine soil tests because of cost and time. This study evaluates the suitability of the ammonium acetate extraction in the presence of EDTA (AAEDTA), the standard soil test P (STP) in Wallonia (Southern Belgium), to predict DPS_ox; we also compared it with the Mehlich 3 extraction. Ninety‐three topsoil samples were collected in agricultural soils throughout Wallonia. Good correlations were found between the AAEDTA and the Mehlich 3 methods for P, Fe and Al (r = 0.85, 0.77 and 0.86, respectively). An exponential relationship was found between P_AAEDTA and DPS_ox. Results of principal component analysis and regression demonstrated that STP can be used to predict DPS_ox (r = 0.93) after logarithmic transformation. Soil test Al was also a good indicator of the P sorption capacity (PSC_ox) of soils (r = 0.86). Including the clay fraction in regression equations only slightly improved the prediction of PSC_ox (r = 0.90), while other readily available data (such as pH or organic carbon) did not significantly improve either DPS_ox or PSC_ox predictions.     

高效液相色谱法测定海洋生物中牛磺酸的含量

[目的]建立牛磺酸的高效液相色谱分析方法,并通过该方法测定不同海洋生物中牛磺酸的含量。[方法]应用邻苯二甲醛(OPA)柱前衍生法,研究流动相比例、流速、衍生剂比例、衍生时间等因素对牛磺酸检测的影响。[结果]当牛磺酸∶OPA=1∶2,衍生时间2 min,流动相乙腈∶水=15∶85,流速为0.5 mL/min,检测波长为360 nm时,牛磺酸浓度为10~400μg/mL时具有良好的线性关系(R~20.99),平行样品的相对标准偏差为2.9%~7.4%。利用该方法检测不同海产品中牛磺酸的含量,所选择的海洋贝类、甲壳类、鱼类中均含有牛磺酸,其中海瓜子中含量最高,达11.2 mg/g。不同组织比较,鱼肉中牛磺酸含量较高,而鳃中较低。[结论]该研究结果丰富了海洋生物中牛磺酸含量的数据,为进一步研究牛磺酸在不同组织中的合成机制提供了参考。     

Hepatic lipidosis: Liver characteristics and acute phase proteins in affected turkeys

The hepatic lipidosis (HL) in fattening turkeys is a disease has been known for a long time, but the cause and pathogenesis is still not clarified. A recent study reported unexplained high levels of iron in liver tissue of fattening turkeys suffering from HL. In this study, the iron status, possible infectious or inflammatory influences in form of an acute phase reaction and the analysis of fatty acid pattern in liver tissue of turkeys affected by HL were examined. Three cases of HL on three different fattening turkey farms were investigated during the outbreak of the disease. Clinically affected and non-affected animals were subjected to a pathological examination, where the diagnosis HL or non-affected was made. In total, 70 birds were examined (40 with HL, 30 without HL) and blood and liver samples were taken. Additionally, samples from 15 slaughtered birds were taken as a further control group. In liver tissue, the iron content and the content of long-chain fatty acids were determined; in blood samples, ferritin and transferrin were measured. The iron content in liver tissue was more than three times higher for animals with HL than among non-affected animals and the control group. The transferrin levels were lowest for animals with HL, highest in the control group and in between for non-affected animals. The fatty acid pattern in liver tissue of affected animals indicated a shift from polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids compared to the control group and the non-affected animals. Overall, the non-affected animals of a flock affected by HL were similar to the healthy animals of the abattoir. The low acute phase protein levels for animals with HL together with high iron contents could indicate a previous malnutrition/starvation period and/or severe liver damage for those animals suffering from HL.     

Effects of dietary Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance,immune response and intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets

The present study investigated the effects of Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance, immune response and intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.15 kg were divided into four diets for 28 days. The treatments were basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (20 mg/kg colistin sulphate and 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc, AT), probiotics (400 mg/kg Bacillus coagulans ≥5 × 109 CFU/g, BC) or yeast hydrolysate (5000 mg/kg yeast hydrolysate, YH). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were improved by AT and YH diets (p < 0.05), while BC diet only increased ADG (p < 0.05). The complement 3 (C3), lysozyme (LZM) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in serum were increased in BC diet (p < 0.05). Feeding AT and YH caused the increase of jejunal villus height (p < 0.05), and a higher ratio of villus height/crypt depth was observed in AT, BC and YH groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal mucosa was up-regulated by AT, BC and YH diets (p < 0.05). Dietary AT, BC or YH inclusion decreased the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentration and TNF-α mRNA expression (p < 0.05), and YH supplementation even down-regulated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 expressions (p < 0.05). In summary, the dietary administration of BC or YH both improves growth performance through promoting the intestinal barrier function, indicating both of them can serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics growth promoters for the piglet production.     

灰铸铁生产技术的一些新进展

对灰铸铁的研究现状和生产中的一些新技术做了评述。重点介绍了高强度薄壁灰铸铁的生产现状以及先进的制造工艺和先进的制造手段在灰铸铁生产中应用所取得的技术成果。     

Construction and Identification of Yeast Surface Display Libraries of Ovis aries DRA Gene Exon 2

The specific primers were designed according to Ovis aries DRA gene sequence deposited in GenBank and the multiple cloning site of the plasmid pYD1,which was a vector used for protein surface display on Saccharomyces cerevisiae.The gene encoding DRA was amplified by PCR using the genomic RNA of Ovis aries.The 762 bp fragment was cloned and released in GenBank and registration number was KR422362.The PCR product was inserted into the yeast surface display plasmid vector pYD1 by double enzyme digestion.It was indicated that DRA gene was successfully integrated into the genome.Dot mutation was made at both ends of exon 2 in DRA gene for making restriction enzyme cutting site and design the exon 2 specific primers according to mutated Ovis aries DRA gene sequence.Sequenced exon 2 amplification products based on DNA pooling of sheep large sample template was analyzed the polymorphic loci.The polymorphic exon 2 246 bp fragment was obtained by double enzyme digestion and connected to surface display restructuring mutation carriers pYD1-DRA by the same double enzyme digestion,and then we successfully constructed yeast surface display libraries.We transformed it into Saccharomyces cerevisiae EBY100 cell.Yeast monoclone was identified by PCR amplification and sequencing,and we confirmed that DRA gene had been integrated into Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome.After galactose induced,it was detected that DRA gene library had been successfully demonstrated on the yeast cell surface under the fluorescence microscope by immunofluorescence method.     

甘薯新品种“龙薯9号”高产生理特性研究

甘薯新品种龙薯9号具有高产、抗病、耐旱等特点。试验结果表明,其高产机理在于光合面积大、光合能力强、T/R值进展合理、同化物分配到块根的比率高。     

Mineral absorption in the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) as compared with the domestic horse

To test whether mineral recommendations for horses are likely to guarantee adequate mineral provision for black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis), we investigated the apparent absorption (aA) of macro- and microminerals in eight black rhinoceroses from three zoological institutions in a total of 32 feeding trials with total faecal collection, with additional data from three unpublished studies (18 feeding trials). Feeds and faeces were analysed for Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Co. The resulting aA coefficients, and the linear relationships of apparently absorbable dietary mineral content to total dietary mineral content [per 100 g dry matter (DM)], were compared with data for domestic horses. Rhinoceroses had significantly higher aA coefficients for Ca and Mg (because of a higher calculated 'true' absorption), and lower ones for Na and K (because of calculated higher endogenous faecal losses). High absorption efficiency for divalent cations is hypothesized to be an adaptation to a natural diet of particularly high Ca:P ratio (approximately 14:1); an effective removal of Ca from the ingesta guarantees sufficient P availability at the fermentation site in the hindgut. Higher faecal losses of Na and K are hypothesized to be linked to a higher faecal bulk per DM intake in black rhinoceroses as compared with horses because of a generally lower digestive efficiency. There were no relevant differences in the absorption patterns of microminerals. In particular, there were no discernable differences in Fe absorption within the rhinoceroses for diets with and without tannin supplementation. Several of the zoo diets assessed in this study were deficient in Cu, Mn or Zn, and most contained excessive levels of Fe when compared with horse requirements. The findings of this study indicate that differences in mineral absorption between occur even between species of similar digestive anatomy; that in particular, Ca absorption might vary between hindgut fermenters with Ca:P ratio in their natural diet; that Na might be a particularly limiting factor in the ecology of free-ranging rhinoceroses; that moderate doses of tannins do not seem to markedly influence mineral absorption; and that diets for captive animals should contain adequate, but not excessive mineral levels.     

葡萄VvSUC12基因启动子的克隆及上游调控因子鉴定

枝干病害葡萄溃疡病近年来严重限制了葡萄产业发展。研究表明葡萄蔗糖转运蛋白参与寄主植物和病原菌的互作过程。为解析蔗糖转运蛋白VvSUC12在葡萄免疫反应过程中的功能,本研究克隆了VvSUC12基因翻译起始位点上游1 500 bp的启动子区,通过生物信息学分析发现该区域包含4个Dof转录因子结合序列(A/TAAAG)及多种激素调节与防御相关的顺式元件。实时荧光定量分析显示,接种可可毛色二孢菌显著诱导VvSUC12和VvDof19基因的表达。通过酵母单杂交实验筛选得到与VvSUC12启动子互作的转录因子VvDof19。酵母双杂交实验证实VvDof19具有自激活活性;进一步通过烟草瞬时表达发现Dof19-GFP的相对GUS活性约为对照GFP的9倍,表明转录因子VvDof19能够激活VvSUC12基因的表达。研究结果为深入研究蔗糖转运蛋白在葡萄免疫反应中的功能奠定基础。