Overview on current criteria for heavy metals and its hint for the revision of soil environmental quality standards in China

Following rapid social and economic development over the past several decades, soil pollution by heavy metals (HMs) has been both serious and widespread in China. The Soil Environmental Quality Standards (SEQSs) in China (GB 15618-1995) have been introduced to encourage and enforce sustainable soil HM management. However, in recent years, HM contents in soils have frequently been found to exceed their associated standard values, while the crops growing on them might still meet regulatory standards, and vice versa. There is thus growing awareness that GB 15618-1995 does not effectively regulate current soil HM pollution, as it has encountered bottlenecks, and disappointing outcomes caused by poor execution along with deficiencies and gaps in the policies. However, due to the deficiency of scientific research about relationships between soil HM concentrations and their ecological or human health effects, the development of SEQSs in China is still greatly restricted. This paper discusses international SEQSs of HMs as well their development in China over time, then examines current Chinese SEQSs to demonstrate their potential regulatory deficiencies by referring to international SEQSs. The corresponding legislative policies are described, and scientific information or responses are outlined for maintaining soil environmental quality. China's experience has shown that policy and science can be linked to work in tandem to better understand and manage soil quality issues.     

基于转录组测序挖掘仿刺参“化皮病”相关基因

为了寻找仿刺参(Apostichopus japonicus)养殖期间的"化皮病"关键调控基因,并分析这些基因所参与的信号通路,对本课题组前期已获得的仿刺参"化皮"I期(早期)、II期(中期)和III期(后期)3个阶段的病变及其同一个体正常体壁组织之间的差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes,DEGs)进行进一步分析。主成分分析(principal component analysis,PCA)结果显示,"化皮"II期病变组织与正常组织之间的差异最小,"化皮"I期与III期表达关系比较接近,"化皮"II期是一个"转折期"。KEGG富集分析结果显示,补体与凝血级联(Complement and coagulation cascades)通路和细胞外基质受体(ECM-receptor interaction)通路在"化皮"3个阶段都显著改变。通过构建"化皮"过程关键差异表达基因调控网络,发现Ig GFc-binding protein(Fc GBP)基因和Tenascin(TN)蛋白家族基因在"化皮"不同阶段参与到发生显著变化的信号通路。q RT-PCR验证结果显示,5个DEGs在仿刺参"化皮"不同阶段表达趋势与RNA-Seq结果一致,皮尔逊相关系数r值为0.7714。"化皮"过程关键调控基因的筛选将为抗逆品种选育以及"化皮病"的防控提供科学依据。     

Effects of Estradiol and Testosterone on the Expression of Growth‐related Genes in Female and Male Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia exhibits strong sexual growth dimorphism. The potential role of sex steroid hormones in sexual growth dimorphism is not fully understood. We investigated the effects of estradiol (E₂) and testosterone (T) on growth rate, plasma sex hormones, and expression of growth hormone (GH)‐insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) axis genes and muscle regulatory factor (MRF) genes in female and male Nile tilapia. The results revealed that serum concentrations of E₂ and T were significantly higher after correlative injection (P < 0.05). Compared to male fish, female fish had lower growth rates. E₂ increased growth performance in females with no significant effects on males, whereas T significantly increased growth performance in males, with no significant effects on females. In females, E₂ significantly increased expression of ghr1, ghr2, igf1, and igf2, while T decreased igf2 and increased ghr1 and ghr2 expression. In males, T increased expression of igf1, igf2, ghr1, and ghr2, and E₂ decreased expression of igf1, ghr1, and ghr2. Additionally, E₂ and T enhanced the expression of MRF genes (myod1, myod2, myog, and myf5) in female and male fish, respectively. The results suggest that sex steroid hormones play a role in sexual growth dimorphism by regulating the expression of GH‐IGF axis and MRF genes.     

青蒿非分泌型腺毛特异TPS7基因启动子的克隆及功能分析

研究运用基因组步移法克隆了长度为1 167bp的青蒿启动子proTPS7,经生物信息学分析发现了proTPS7中的多个顺式调控元件。构建启动子与GUS融合载体,稳定转化青蒿并对转基因植株进行GUS染色实验,结果表明该启动子能驱动报告基因在非分泌型腺毛中的特异表达。对转基因青蒿喷洒甲基茉莉酸和脱落酸,3h后GUS基因表达水平有所上调,说明proTPS7能受到上述2种激素的诱导。     

The importance of regulatory data protection or exclusive use and other forms of intellectual property rights in the crop protection industry

In order for a chemical plant protection product to be authorised for sale a registration dossier has to be assembled to demonstrate safety and efficacy to the satisfaction of government regulators. These studies and tests are protected for a period of 10 years in Europe, North America and some other jurisdictions from the date of first product authorisation so that only the data owner can gain commercial benefit from the data. Subsequent regulatory reviews which require new studies should not result in further periods of regulatory data protection exclusive use for the new data but compensation should be payable to the data generator. © 2016 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

填饲对朗德鹅SCD5、SREBP2和ELOVL6甲基化和mRNA表达的影响

DNA甲基化是表观遗传学的研究热点之一.为了探索填饲是否能够引起朗德鹅Anser anser)肝脏脂类代谢中DNA甲基化水平以及基因表达量的变化和DNA甲基化修饰作用和基因表达之间的关系.本研究运用焦磷酸测序技术分析鹅肝脏硬脂酞辅酶A去饱和酶5基因(stearovl-CoA desaturase 5,SCD5)、固醇调节元件结合蛋白2基因(sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2,SREBP2)和超长链脂肪酸延伸酶6基因(elongase of very long chain fatty acids 6,ELOVL6)的甲基化水平,再运用qRT-PCR技术进行定量验证.结果显示,SCD5、SREBP2和ELOVL6各2个片段的甲基化水平均在20％以上,均属于高甲基化状态;对照组3个基因各2个片段的甲基化水平均高于填饲组,填饲组与对照组的SCD5-1S和SREBP2-1S片段甲基化差异显著(P＜0.05),SREBP2-2S片段甲基化差异极显著(P＜0.01),SCD5-2S、ELOVL6-1S和ELOLV6-2S片段甲基化差异不显著(P＞0.05);填饲组SCD5和ELOVL6的mRNA表达量均高于对照组,而SREBP2在填饲组的mRNA表达量显著低于对照组(P＜0.05).综合各项指标,填饲引起鹅肝脏组织SCD5、SREBP2和ELOVL6甲基化水平降低,SCD5和ELOVL6 mRNA表达量上升,SREBP2的mRNA表达量降低,表明SCD5和ELOVL6的甲基化修饰对mRNA的表达起反向调控的作用.本实验结果为表观遗传学上DNA甲基化研究方法提供参考,为选育鹅肥肝高产高质系提供重要的分子遗传学依据,也为人类肥胖症和脂肪肝等代谢疾病的研究提供理论依据.     

Identification of a potent immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotide from Streptococcus thermophilus lacZ

Immunostimulatory sequences of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs), such as CpG ODNs, are potent stimulators of innate immunity. Here, we identified a strong immunostimulatory CpG ODN, which we named MsST, from the lac Z gene of Streptococcus (S.) thermophilus ATCC19258, and we evaluated its immune functions. In in vitro studies, MsST had a similar ability as the murine prototype CpG ODN 1555 to induce inflammatory cytokine production and cell proliferation. In mouse splenocytes, MsST increased the number of CD80+CD11c+and CD86+CD11c+ dendritic cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. We also analyzed the effects of MsST on the expression of regulatory cytokines by real-time quantitative PCR. MsST was more potent at inducing interleukin-10 expression than the ODN control 1612, indicating that MsST can augment the regulatory T cell response via Toll-like receptor 9, which plays an important role in suppressing T helper type 2 responses. These results suggest that S. thermophilus , whose genes include a strong Immunostimulatory sequence-ODN, is a good candidate for a starter culture to develop new physiologically functional foods and feeds.     

木本植物次生维管系统形态建成的基因调控与信号转导研究进展

树木的次生生长决定着木材的产量,具有重要的经济价值.围绕着草本模式植物拟南芥和木本模式植物杨树,对近年来有关维管组织形态建成的信号机制与基因调控的研究进展进行概括,主要内容为:维管组织的功能与形成;维管形成层的细胞类型及基因表达特异性;木质部和韧皮部细胞极性的有关关键基因;维管形成层干细胞的分化机制;维管组织发育中的激素调控网络.重点对比拟南芥和杨树这2种模式物种之间的异同.     

牛Nramp1基因启动子的克隆及其活性分析

 【目的】牛Nramp1基因是主要的抗病候选基因,但其转录调控的分子机制尚不清楚。本研究欲确定牛Nramp1基因的启动子区域,找到启动子核心序列和主要的调控区,探索Nramp1基因表达机制。【方法】采用基因克隆、DNA测序、半定量RT-PCR和荧光素酶报告基因系统等技术手段,构建牛Nramp1基因5′侧翼区长片段及固定3′端的不同节段的pEGFP-N1和/或pGL3重组质粒,分别转染293T和RAW264.7细胞,并进行脂多糖(LPS)诱导,对不同片段的启动子活性进行定性和定量测定。【结果】牛Nramp1基因5′侧翼区长片段具有较强的启动子活性,+58—-89区域具有基本的启动子功能,+58—-1 748启动子活性最强。进一步研究表明,-89—-205 bp区域、 -278—-1 495 bp区域存在着正调控元件,在-205—-278 bp区域内存在着负调控元件;另外,LPS能显著增强启动子活性,其诱导牛Nramp1基因的表达具有细胞特异性和剂量依赖性。【结论】成功构建了含推测的牛Nramp1基因启动子片段的重组报告基因载体, 确定了启动子核心区域和主要的调控区域。