The potential role of PR-8 gene of apple fruit in the mode of action of the yeast antagonist,Candida oleophila,in postharvest biocontrol of Botrytis cinerea

Several pathogenesis-related (PR) genes of apple have been cloned and their response to different pathogens has been studied. Different PR genes, however, may have a variable response depending on the specific organ or tissue as well as microbe. The objective of the current study was to characterize the expression of specific apple PR genes in fruit tissues in response to the antagonistic yeast, Candida oleophila (a common postharvest biocontrol agent), and the fungal pathogen, Botrytis cinerea (a major postharvest pathogen). Apple PR-5 and PR-8 gene expression was characterized in fruit in response to C. oleophila and B. cinerea. Results indicated that PR-8 expression was significantly elevated in response to both fungi. In contrast, neither C. oleophila nor B. cinerea treatment markedly affected PR-5 expression. The PR-8 gene was then synthesized and cloned into a Pichia pastoris expression system to study the antifungal activity of the PR-8 protein against B. cinerea both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, the PR-8 gene of apple is associated with the response to B. cinerea infection, and may play a role in the mechanism by which C. oleophila effectively inhibits B. cinerea disease in apple fruit, namely by the induction of this specific host PR gene.     

Potential use of lymphocyte blastogenic responses in diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis

A comparison of in vitro lymphocyte responses and delayed type tuberculin skin test responses was made in an animal experimentally exposed to a Mycobacterium bovis-infected animal and in cattle naturally infected with M. bovis. Tuberculin skin tests did not suppress in vitro lymphocyte responses to M. bovis PPD and to M. avium PPD tuberculin. The whole blood test used in these studies provided for considerable savings in time as compared to use of purified lymphocytes for evaluating in vitro cellular responses. Variations in the responsiveness of lymphocytes to specific mycobacterial antigens was observed, therefore, it is recommended that profiles be established using three or more tests conducted at 14-day intervals.     

精确计算链传动垂度方法的研究

给出了精确计算链传动垂度的方法，指出了链传动的垂度与链条和链轮的啮合位置有关，首次考虑了链传动垂度的变量性质，并利用此法求出了链传动垂度变化量的最大值和最小值以及松边两端的张力。     

Antifungal substances produced by fungal strain Kyu-W63 from wheat leaf and its taxonomic position

Fungal strain Kyu-W63 from a wheat leaf suppressed the development of wheat powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that Kyu-W63 produced two volatile substances: 5-pentyl-2-furaldehyde and 5-(4-pentenyl)-2-furaldehyde. Although the two are known to be nematicidal substances, the antifungal activity of 5-(4-pentenyl)-2-furaldehyde was first confirmed in the present study. Culture experiments revealed that synthesized 5-pentyl-2-furaldehyde had antifungal activity against three other pathogens – Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Colletotrichum fragariae, Botrytis cinerea – with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2–4µg/ml. The two fractionated substances were also inhibitory against C. fragariae. Because the absence of spores in strain Kyu-W63 made its identification difficult, the sequence in the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of Kyu-W63 was compared with that of Irpex lacteus, which is known to produce these substances. Strain Kyu-W63 completely agreed with I. lacteus in terms of the ITS sequences, so strain Kyu-W63 was inferred to be I. lacteus. Two other strains of I. lacteus tested also produced the two furaldehydes and suppressed the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Both Kyu-W63 and additional strains produced the two furaldehydes on potato dextrose agar but not on water agar.The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ databases under accession numbers AB079264, AB079265, AB079266, and AB079267     

Comparative antifungal activities and biochemical effects of monoterpenes on plant pathogenic fungi

The antifungal activity of twelve monoterpenes, camphene, (R)-camphor, (R)-carvone, 1,8-cineole, cuminaldehyde, (S)-fenchone, geraniol, (S)-limonene, (R)-linalool, (1R,2S,5R)-menthol, myrcene and thymol was evaluated against four plant pathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Penecillium digitatum and Asperigallus niger by using mycelial growth inhibitory technique. (S)-limonene and thymol were examined for their inhibitory effects on pectin methyl esterase (PME), cellulase and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) of tested fungi. Thymol was the most potent antifungal compound against the four test fungi with EC₅₀ values of 33.50, 50.35, 20.14 and 23.80 mg/L on R. solani, F. oxysporum, P. digitatum and A. niger, respectively. The antifungal activity of thymol was comparable to a reference fungicide, carbendazim. (S)-limonene and 1,8-cineole exhibited pronounced antifungal activity against the four tested fungi. The most effective antifungal compounds thymol and (S)-limonene showed strong inhibitory effect on the activity of PME and cellulase but revealed no inhibitory effect on PPO. The results showed that PME was more sensitive than cellulase to thymol and (S)-limonene. This is the first report on the inhibitory effects of monoterpenes thymol and (S)-limonene on PME, cellulase and PPO. The results indicated that monoterpenes may cause their antifungal activity by inhibiting PME and cellulase. The strong antifungal activity of thymol, (S)-limonene and 1,8-cineole reported in this study indicated that these compounds have a potential to be used as fungicides.     

Chlorophyll fluorescence as a marker for herbicide mechanisms of action

Photosynthesis is the single most important source of O₂ and organic chemical energy necessary to support all non-autotrophic life forms. Plants compartmentalize this elaborate biochemical process within chloroplasts in order to safely harness the power of solar energy and convert it into usable chemical units. Stresses (biotic or abiotic) that challenge the integrity of the plant cell are likely to affect photosynthesis and alter chlorophyll fluorescence. A simple three-step assay was developed to test selected herbicides representative of the known herbicide mechanisms of action and a number of natural phytotoxins to determine their effect on photosynthesis as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence. The most active compounds were those interacting directly with photosynthesis (inhibitors of photosystem I and II), those inhibiting carotenoid synthesis, and those with mechanisms of action generating reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation (uncouplers and inhibitors of protoporphyrinogen oxidase). Other active compounds targeted lipids (very-long-chain fatty acid synthase and removal of cuticular waxes). Therefore, induced chlorophyll fluorescence is a good biomarker to help identify certain herbicide modes of action and their dependence on light for bioactivity.     

鹅膏菌产抑菌物质培养条件优化及安全性分析

经前期试验验证鹅膏菌菌株AV对杨树烂皮病病原菌金黄壳囊孢菌有抑制作用,通过比色法和生物量测定结果得出其抑菌物质产生的最佳营养条件。在供试营养物质中,乳糖为最佳碳源,蛋白胨为最佳氮源,方差分析结果表明,碳源是鹅膏菌AV生物量及其抑菌物质产生的最主要影响因素,与其他营养元素差异显著(α=0.05)。培养基最佳组合为:①乳糖30.0 g/L,蛋白胨0.5 g/L,MgSO41.5 g/L,KH2PO44.5 g/L;②乳糖10.00 g/L,蛋白胨0.50g/L,MgSO40.75 g/L,KH2PO44.50 g/L;③乳糖30.0 g/L,蛋白胨2.0 g/L,MgSO41.50 g/L,KH2PO43.0 g/L。液体发酵培养时,菌株AV产生抑菌活性物质的最适培养条件为:pH值5～6,温度25℃,接种量1.25%,装液量50%,摇床转数180 r/min,培养时间20 d。当温度超过75℃,pH大于9或小于4时,或者紫外照射时间超过4 h都会使抑菌物质活性降低。小鼠毒性试验结果表明,小鼠饲喂菌株AV菌丝体,LD50为418.70 mg/kg,95%可信限为453.11～386.90 mg/kg,抑菌物质控制在2 g/L以内对小鼠无影响,因此,在进行病原菌防治时,为减少对环境中其他生物的影响,菌株AV抑菌物质质量浓度应低于2 g/L。     

果蔬源胰脂肪酶抑制剂的筛选

通过从三油酸甘油酯释放油酸的释放率来判定胰脂肪酶活性的方法,研究并比较了30种果蔬乙醇提取物的减肥作用.30种果蔬70％乙醇提取物对胰脂肪酶作用的测定结果表明:青辣椒乙醇提取物对胰脂肪酶的抑制作用最强,抑制率为46.15％,山竹提取物抑制率为29.87％,白萝卜、柠檬和圣女果提取物对胰脂肪酶的抑制率均达到20％以上.大蒜提取物对胰脂肪酶有较强的促进作用(29.64％),陈皮和山楂提取物对胰脂肪酶的促进率分别为6.38％和7.66％.     

农村精英与农村公共产品供给研究

基于集体行动理论和社会资本理论,将社会资本引入农村精英与村民公共产品供给博弈分析,建立了农村精英与普通村民关于公共产品效用的收益模型,研究了社会资本对农村精英与村民的激励与相互影响。由模型得出3大推论:精英促成集体合作前提是其具有"好声誉";精英在公共产品中的"好声誉"可以降低农民"搭便车"动机;精英在公共产品中发挥组织作用,能节约集体行动过程中的交易成本。并以广州番禺顺河村为案例,对这一模型进行了解释。得出了重建社区信用、发挥农村精英在农村公共产品供给中的作用的政策建议。     

美洲大蠊药理作用及临床应用研究进展(英文)

近几年来对美洲大蠊的药理作用和药物开发研究越来越多,研究显示它具有药用价值广、不良反应低及资源丰富的特点,在医药领域中有较好的应用前景。该研究就美洲大蠊的药理作用及其临床应用的研究状况进行了综述,以期为美洲大蠊药物的进一步研究开发提供参考,为其临床合理应用提供科学依据。