Probiotic preparation reduces the faecal water genotoxicity in chickens fed with aflatoxin B1 contaminated fodder

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of a probiotic preparation on the genotoxicity of faecal water of broiler chickens fed with a fodder contaminated with aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) at 1 or 5 mg per kg. Human blood lymphocytes were exposed to chicken’s faecal water samples and DNA damage was measured using the comet assay. Genotoxicity of faecal water did not depend on the AFB₁ concentration in the fodder. The mean DNA damage, measured as the percentage of DNA in the tail of the comets, for chickens fed with fodder with AFB₁ at 1 mg/kg was 16.80 ± 0.66, at 5 mg/kg – 16.73 ± 1.51 and in the controls – 12.79 ± 0.66. The supplementation of fodder with the probiotic preparation decreased the extent of DNA damage to 10.02 ± 0.39 for 1 mg/kg AFB₁ and to 11.89 ± 0.72 for 5 mg/kg.     

The impact of weight loss on circulating cytokines in Beagle dogs

Chronic low-grade inflammation in obesity is characterized by an increased production of pro-inflammatory and chemotactic cytokines that are contributing to insulin resistance and related co-morbidities. Cytokines act in networks and exhibit pleiotropic effects so we investigated the circulating levels of a wide array of cytokines (pro and anti-inflammatory, chemotactic and growth factors) in a canine model of weight loss. The dogs served as their own control in order to study the impact of weight loss independent of potential confounding factors, such as history of excess weight or gender. While low-grade inflammation had been previously investigated in obese dogs by measuring changes in adipokines, acute phase proteins and key pro-inflammatory cytokines, to the best of our knowledge this is the first study to evaluate how weight loss impacts a wide array of circulating cytokines.Eighteen overweight Beagle dogs were recruited (six spayed females and 12 neutered males), and none of them were grossly obese according to the body condition score (BCS). All the dogs reached an ideal weight by the end of the program. Parameters were assessed before (baseline), at mid-point (month 3) and at end-point (month 6). Plasma GM-CSF, IL-2, Il-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, IL-18, IFNγ, IP-10, TNFα, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), keratinocyte chemokine (KC) were measured with canine multiplex immunoassays. Fat mass was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorption (DEXA).Several cytokines decreased throughout the weight loss program (p < 0.01) and were correlated with the percentage of fat measured by DEXA (p < 0.05): chemotactic (MCP-1), growth factors (GM-CSF, IL-7 and IL-2), and pro-inflammatory (KC and IL-18). We could not show trends for several cytokines, possibly because their level may be lower than the assay sensitivity: anti-inflammatory (IL-4 and IL-10), and pro-inflammatory (IL-6 and TNFα).In conclusion, while our findings for several pro-inflammatory and chemotactic cytokines are in accordance with human and rodent studies, we may have identified additional cytokines, such as growth factors, related to obesity-induced low-grade inflammation. Considering the weight loss was enabled by an adjusted diet, the role of this association of cytokines in insulin resistance and related co-morbidities needs to be clarified. Our results could help better understand the cytokine biology in dogs, and as such are relevant for further elucidating the relationship between immune function and metabolism/nutrition.     

Effect of miR-181b on cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-2 and SP1 in HepG2 cells

AIM: To investigate the role of miR-181b in the expression of Bcl-2 and SP1 at mRNA and protein levels in the human hepatoma G2 cells (HepG2), and to explore the effect of miR-181b on the regulation of HepG2 cell proliferation. METHODS: The synthetic double-strand complementary DNA based on the sequence of miR-181b was inserted into the vector of miRNASelect^TM pEGP-miR. The microRNA high-expression plasmid was cloned, and the sequences were identified. The miR-181b plasmid was transfected into HepG2 cells with liposomes. The stable cell line was screened by puromycin. The mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2 and SP1 were measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was used to analyze the proliferation of HepG2 cells. RESULTS: The Western blotting results showed that miR-181b inhibited the protein expression of Bcl-2 and SP1. The result of RT-PCR also indicated that the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and SP1 was suppressed. Compared with the control, the growth rate of HepG2 with high expression of miR-181b was significantly decreased.CONCLUSION: miR-181b inhibits the proliferation of HepG2, which may be related to the down-regulation of Bcl-2 and SP1.     

猪抗酶基因1(AZ1)5’调控区单核甘酸多态性与屠宰性状的相关性分析

通过PCR-RFLP方法检测了长白与蓝塘猪F2代群体抗酶基因1(AZ1)5’调控区-792～-433单核苷酸多态性,共获得3个SNP:-731C＞T,-584A＞C和-476G＞A.-713位点处T为优势等位基因,频率为0.777,优势基因型TT频率为0.598;-584位点处A为优势等位基因,频率为0.769,优势基...     

Negligible contribution from roots to soil-borne phospholipid fatty acid fungal biomarkers 18:2ω6,9 and 18:1ω9

The phospholipid fatty acid biomarkers 18:1ω9, 18:2ω6,9 and 18:3ω3,6,9 are commonly used as fungal biomarkers in soils. They have, however, also been found to occur in plant tissues, such as roots. Thus, the use of these PLFAs as fungal biomarkers in sieved soil, which may still contain small remains of roots, has been questioned. We used data from a recent beech tree girdling experiment to calculate the contribution of roots to these biomarkers and were able to demonstrate that not more than 0.61% of 18:1ω9 and 18:2ω6,9 in sieved soil samples originated from roots (but 4% of 18:3ω3,6,9). Additionally, the abundance of the biomarker 18:2ω6,9 in the soil was found to be highly correlated to ectomycorrhizal root colonization, which further corroborates its fungal origin. PLFA biomarkers were substantially reduced in vital roots from girdled trees compared to roots of control trees (by up to 76%), indicating that the major part of PLFAs measured in roots may actually originate from ectomycorrhizal fungi growing inside the roots. We calculated, that even a near to 50% reduction in fine root biomass - as observed in the girdling treatment - accounted for only 0.8% of the measured decrease of 18:2ω6,9. Our results demonstrate that both 18:1ω9 and 18:2ω6,9 are suitable biomarkers for detecting fungal dynamics in soils and that especially 18:2ω6,9 is a reliable biomarker to study mycorrhizal dynamics in beech forests.     

香蕉枯萎病菌myosin-1基因的功能分析及外施dsRNA介导的抗性评估

 香蕉枯萎病是由尖孢镰刀菌古巴专化型(Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense,Foc)引起的香蕉毁灭性土传病害,其中 4号生理小种(Foc4)能感染几乎所有的香蕉品系,危害最严重。SMART在线软件分析myosin-1基因具有肌球蛋白马达蛋白(myosin motor domain, MMD),肌动蛋白尾结构TH1(myosin tail)和 Src家族同源结构域SH3(src homology domain 3),与禾谷镰刀菌中氰烯菌酯靶标基因myosin-5具高度的蛋白同源性,相似性高达83%。利用Split-marker基因重组技术获得Foc4的myosin-1基因敲除突变体,Δmyosin-1突变株丧失了对氰烯菌酯的敏感性,菌丝生长缓慢,产孢量减少且孢子畸形,对香蕉致病力严重下降,证实myosin-1是氰烯菌酯在Foc4中的作用靶标基因。外施靶向myosin-1体外转录的dsRNA,能抑制菌丝的生长,降低菌丝活性;菌丝膨胀扭曲分枝增多,出现典型的球状结构,与氰烯菌酯处理后的表型一致。在盆栽活体人工接种实验中,体外施用dsRNA可以明显抑制枯萎病外部症状的发展,推迟发病时间,赋予寄主抗性,结果说明体外施用dsRNA可以作为新型杀菌剂防治香蕉枯萎病。综上,myosin-1基因作为氰烯菌酯在Foc4中的靶标基因具有高度的序列保守,在调控菌丝生长发育,产孢以及致病力等方面发挥重要作用,而外施dsRNA具有防治香蕉枯萎菌的巨大潜力。     

Construction and Virulence of Filamentous Hemagglutinin Protein B1 Mutant of Pasteurella multocida in Chickens

Pasteurella multocida, a Gram-negative nonmotile coccobacillus, is the causative agent of fowl cholera, bovine hemorrhagic septicemia, enzoonotic pneumonia and swine atropic rhinitis. Two filamentous hemagglutinin genes, fhaB1 and JhaB2, are the potential virulence factors. In this study, an inactivationfhaB1 mutant ofP. multocida in avian strain C48-102 was constructed by a kanamycin-resistance cassette. The virulence of thefhaB1 mutant and the wild type strain was assessed in chickens by intranasal and intramuscular challenge. The inactivation offhaB1 resulted in a high degree of attenuation when the chickens were challenged intranasally and a lesser degree when challenged intramuscularly. ThefhaB1 mutant and the wild type strain were investigated their sensitivity to the antibody-dependent classical complement-mediated killing pathway in 90% convalescent chicken serum. ThefhaB1 mutant was serum sensitive as the viability has reduced between untreated serum and heat inactivated chicken serum （P〈0.007）. These results confirmed that FhaB1 played the critical roles in the bacterial pathogenesis and further studies were needed to investigate the mechanism which caused reduced virulence of the fhaB1 mutant.     

非洲菊品种间杂交主要观赏性状在F1代的遗传表现

 以14个切花非洲菊品种配制成16个杂交组合，研究了切花的6个观赏性状在F₁代的遗传表现。结果发现：(1) 所有观赏性状在F₁代都发生了广泛分离，这意味着无性繁殖使亲本品种保持着高度的杂合性；(2) 花色、瓣型两个质量性状表现为倾母性遗传，绿心表现为隐性遗传；(3) 花径、花梗长、舌状花瓣数3个性状在F₁代总体上呈明显衰退，但因变异幅度大，仍有超亲个体存在。     

茄子新品种湘杂早红的选育

以南县紫圆茄的自交系92147为母本，陕西汉中紫茄的自交系96267为父本配制成一代杂种湘杂早红。从定植到始收约35d（天），果实紫红色，卵圆形，果肉白色，肉质细嫩，单果质量250g左右。对青枯病和绵疫病的抗性比湘早茄强。每667m^2产量3000—4500kg，适合春栽。     

黑甜糯玉米新品种黑甜糯639的选育

黑甜糯639是以糯玉米自交系HNF为母本,以甜玉米自交系D91为父本配制而成的黑甜糯玉米一代杂种。生育期为91 d(天),株高263 cm,穗位151 cm,雄穗主轴与分枝角度中等,一级分枝18～23个,果穗筒型,籽粒黑紫色,甜糯籽粒比例为1∶3,籽粒可溶性糖含量为12.5%,支链淀粉占总淀粉含量的98.1%,口感佳。高抗丝黑穗病、茎腐病、大斑病,抗穗腐病和矮花叶病,平均每667 m~2鲜穗产量900 kg左右。适宜在山西省鲜食糯玉米主产区种植。