Effect of maturity and storage temperature on the development of peteca in lemons (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. F.) cv. Eureka

To evaluate the effect of maturity and storage temperature on the development of the physiological disorder peteca, lemons cv. Eureka were harvested from a grove with northern exposure located in Mallarauco (33°45′ Latitude South) Metropolitan Region of Chile, at 2 levels of maturity (silver or yellow). After storage for 60 d at 3 or 7 °C, under 90% R.H., fruits were evaluated visually for incidence of epidermal and subepidermal peteca. At that time, the concentration of galacturonic acid and degree of methylation were measured in the albedo, and calcium, hydrogen peroxides and total oxalate concentrations, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activities were determined in the juice and albedo. Yellow lemons at 3 °C developed more epidermal peteca than fruit stored at 7 °C, and that silver fruit stored at 3 and 7 °C, with these last lemons presenting a higher pectin quality than fruit stored at 3 °C. Maturity and temperature interacted significantly on the concentrations of peroxide and calcium in the albedo, which in average were much higher than in the juice, while for PPO and peroxidases, this interaction was highly significant both in juice and albedo, with higher activity in the albedo. These biochemical evaluations suggest that peteca is a result of some kind of stress on the fruit. It is concluded that yellow lemons are more prone to develop peteca than silver fruit. They will develop greater incidence of the disorder when stored at temperatures as low as 3 °C for 60 d, and that this condition affects the degree of methylation in the albedo, which would end up altering the quality of pectins.     

内蒙古根河14种野生大型经济真菌生物活性测定

对内蒙古根河市14种野生大型经济真菌的抗菌活性及凝集素、蛋白酶、磷酸酶等生物活性进行了测定。结果表明在被测的14个样品中,具有蛋白酶活性的有4种、具有凝集素活性的有7种、具有抗植物病原真菌活性的有3种,开发和利用这些野生大型经济真菌将取得巨大的经济效益和社会效益。     

Purification and characterization of a 630 kDa bacterial killing metalloprotease (KilC) isolated from plaice Pleuronectes platessa (L.), epidermal mucus

Antibacterial chemicals in the mucus of fish such as lysozyme, lectins, peptides and proteases provide an efficient first line of defence against pathogens. This study shows that there are at least three antibacterial proteins in plaice skin mucus in addition to lysozyme. One of these proteins is responsible for approximately 74% of the antibacterial activity and is a 630 kDa protease complex designated KilC (bacterial killing metalloprotease C). Purified KilC kills the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa efficiently. The protease activity of KilC is dependent upon the divalent cation Mg(2+) and shows pH dual optima of 5.0 and 8.0. The enzyme has a temperature optimum of 25 degrees C and is made up of at least five different sized peptides. Studies with protease inhibitors show that the catalytic site of KilC may be cysteine- or serine protease-like. KilC may kill bacterial cells by acting directly upon the bacteria or by producing low molecular weight bioactive compounds such as peptides.     

Seminal plasma proteins of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.)

Protein content and properties in the seminal plasma of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) were assayed using spectrophotometric and electrophoretic methods. The protein concentration ranged from 6.4 ± 3.1 to 19.4 ± 3.4 mg ml⁻¹ and anti-proteolytic activity from 585.2 ± 104.6 to 2912.4 ± 367.4 U l^−l. A high correlation between anti-proteolytic activity and protein concentration (r = 0.95), and between sperm concentration and osmolality was found (r = 0.92). There was a significant decrease in anti-proteolytic activity from the first to the second sampling, but not in protein concentration. Anti-proteolytic activity and protein concentration were significantly affected by variations in individual males. Electrophoresis revealed four anti-proteolytic bands and individual differences in bands of proteolytic activity, which were subsequently characterized as metalloproteases and serine proteases.     

Interactions between fishing strategies of Nephrops trawlers in the Bay of Biscay and Norway lobster diel activity patterns

Abstract  Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L.), in the Bay of Biscay exhibited diel activity patterns with more individuals outside their burrows at dawn and dusk, increasing catchability at these times. Data from an on board observer programme on Nephrops trawlers between 2002 and 2005 were used to assess variability in catchability in commercial catches. Catch numbers per haul varied spatially and between months, but no signal for diel variations was found. Fishing strategies developed by the Nephrops trawlers had several components. On a seasonal level, they started around sunrise. On a haul level, haul duration decreased from haul to haul, with the longest hauls taking place at the time of the highest catchability. By-catch of hake, Merluccius merluccius (L.), increased more than proportionally with haul duration.     

小兴安岭谷地云冷杉林土壤酶活性的异质性

利用传统统计学与地统计学相结合的方法对小兴安岭谷地不同死亡程度云冷杉林表层土壤（0~20cm）酶活性空间异质性和格局进行研究。结果表明：①土壤脲酶变异函数曲线的理论模型符合线性模型,土壤转化酶、碱性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶的理论模型符合指数模型或球状模型。②土壤酶活性各项指标的空间变异主要是由结构性因素引起,土壤碱性磷酸酶活性和过氧化氢酶活性指标的空间自相关程度均属较强以上（空间结构比均在75%以上）,土壤转化酶为中等（空间结构比均在25%以上）,土壤脲酶在较弱到中等之间变化。③云冷杉林表层土壤过氧化氢酶的自相关范围最大（0.58~3.08 m）,转化酶和碱性磷酸酶分别为1.41~3.98 m和0.91~4.29 m,而土壤脲酶自相关范围最小（15.426~16.673 m）。④土壤转化酶、碱性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶活性的空间格局明显,土壤转化酶、碱性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶和土壤脲酶的分数维分别为1.930~1.990,1.910~1.986,1.923~1.997和1.936~1.970。     

广东陈香茶后发酵过程中主要微生物种群和酶类活性变化的研究

以岭头单丛茶树品种晒青毛茶为材料进行后发酵加工陈香茶,重点跟踪研究后发酵过程不同阶段的微生物种群、主要生化成分及主导酶类的变化并进行鉴定和分析。结果表明,在陈香茶后发酵过程中,微生物以产黄青霉和黑曲霉为主。茶多酚、茶黄素、茶红素、游离氨基酸等茶叶品质成分含量均呈下降趋势,而茶褐素逐步增加;果胶酶、纤维素酶等促进茶叶品质形成的酶类在后发酵一翻（4 d）时活力到达最高峰,多酚氧化酶在整个过程中活性较低。     

HXKs基因在香蕉果实后熟过程中功能初探

香蕉是世界主要水果之一,对乙烯非常敏感,属于呼吸跃变型果实。目前,香蕉果实后熟机理还未完全探明,后熟过程中己糖激酶(HXK)与乙烯的关系还不清楚。通过BLAST比对从香蕉基因组数据库中发现HXK基因家族的11个成员,经克隆获得这些基因的序列,并研究HXKs基因在香蕉果实自然后熟过程中的转录表达谱,重点研究乙烯利、甘露糖、NAG和1-MCP对HXKs基因表达、HXK酶活和内源乙烯生物合成的影响。结果表明:在香蕉果实后熟过程中HXKs基因呈现差异性表达,乙烯利上调大多数HXKs基因的表达和HXK酶活,1-MCP的作用正好相反,这表明外源乙烯正作用于HXK。另一方面,甘露糖加快内源乙烯生物合成,NAG却推迟内源乙烯生物合成,这说明HXK正作用于内源乙烯生物合成。所以,在香蕉果实后熟过程中乙烯和HXK之间存在相互促进的关系。这将为进一步阐明香蕉果实后熟机制提供理论依据,也将为香蕉果实保鲜新技术的挖掘提供新思路。     

Resistance Evaluation to Sheath Blight in Transgenic Rice Lines

Resistance of forty-one homozygous rice lines transformed with chitinase gene (RC24) and β-1,3 -glucanse gene β-1,3-Glu) to sheath blight was analyzed by inoculation. Among different lines, the resistance had significant differences according to the result by cluster analysis. The lines could be categorized into resistant, moderately resistant, moderately susceptible and susceptible types, while 92.1% of which belonging to moderately resistant or moderately susceptible type. For different resistant or susceptible lines, the resistance to rice sheath blight was remarkable correlated with the chitinase activity of transgenic lines except resistant type lines, in which enzyme activity coded by target gene was lower than moderately resistant type. The chitinase activity of transgenic lines tested at different time after inoculation or different organs of the same plant was uniform, which suggested that the expression of chitinase gene was constitutive in nature. Check varieties chitinase activity would change at different time after inoculation and reach a peak at sometime, but it had no difference at various pans of the same plant.