Dietary potassium requirement of juvenile grass shrimp Penaeus monodon

ABSTRACT: A feeding trial was conducted to estimate the minimal dietary potassium (K) requirement for juvenile grass shrimp Penaeus monodon . Purified diets with seven levels (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, 2.0 g/100 g) of supplemental potassium were fed to P. monodon (mean initial weight 0.75 ± 0.01 g) for 8 weeks. Each diet was fed to three replicate groups of shrimp. The rearing water contained 360 mg/L potassium. Weight gain and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of shrimp improved as dietary potassium supplementation level increased up to 1.5 g K/100 g diet and thereafter declined significantly ( P < 0.05). Feed efficiency (FE) of shrimp also showed a similar trend. However, whole body K concentration of the shrimp kept an increasing trend up to 2.0 g K/100 g diet. Analysis of the weight gain (percent) and PER of the shrimp by polynomial regression indicate that the minimal dietary potassium requirement in growing P. monodon is approximately 1.2 g/100 g.     

Cloning, tissue distribution and hormonal regulation of stearoyl-CoA desaturase in tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus

The stearoyl-CoA desaturase cDNA in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was cloned by RT-PCR and RACE, and it was compared with those in grass carp, common carp and milkfish. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the full length of cDNA (1172 bp) clone encompasses 1008 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 336 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence shares 78–82% identity with the teleosts and 64–66% with mammals compared, and like these fish, the cloned tilapia stearoyl-CoA desaturase amino acid sequence conserves three histidine cluster motifs (one HXXXXH and two HXXHH), which functioned as non-heme iron binding sites, essential for stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity. RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis reveal that tilapia stearoyl-CoA desaturase is expressed only in liver, but the stearoyl-CoA desaturase expression in multiple tissues was observed in milkfish, grass carp and carp. Further, the hormonal regulation of stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene expression was investigated by a single injection of 17β-estradiol and testosterone. The results showed that the administration of 17β-estradiol to tilapia led to a greater increase in desaturase activity than testosterone, and higher doses of steroids produced greater increases in enzyme activity. The comparative RT-PCR analysis showed that the stearoyl-CoA desaturase mRNA level increased significantly in 17β-estradiol treated animals, especially in the groups receiving a single injection of 50 mg 17β-estradiol. This was reflected in the decrease in the saturated fatty acids and the increase in the monounsaturated fatty acids. The proportion of the polyunsaturated fatty acids was not affected.     

Using Bacillus subtilis E20‐fermented soybean meal as replacement for fish meal in the diet of orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides,Hamilton)

The potential of Bacillus subtilis E20‐fermented soybean meal (FSBM) as a partial alternative component of fish meal (FM) in fed diets of orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) was evaluated in this study. An FM‐based diet and seven diets containing 10%, 20% and 30% and 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of FM replaced by soybean meal (SBM) and FSBM, respectively, were fed to grouper for 84 days to evaluate possible substitution levels of FM by tracking growth performance, digestive enzyme activity and morphological changes in the liver and distal intestine. No significant differences in survival and muscle composition of grouper were found between controls and treatments. Growth performance and feed efficiency of fish fed diets with FM replaced by FSBM up to 30% were not significantly different from controls, whereas significantly decreased growth performance and feed efficiency occurred with diets containing >20% of SBM. Based on the feed efficiency, the maximum substituted levels of FM by SBM and FSBM in grouper diets were 18.36% and 29.32%, respectively, based on broken‐line analyses. Histopathological changes in the liver and distal intestine, and significantly lower activity levels of digestive enzymes, including pepsin in the stomach and trypsin, chymotrypsin, amylase and lipase in the distal intestine, were found in fish fed a diet containing 30% of FM replaced by SBM. However, these parameters were improved by the substitution of FSBM. It is therefore believed that FSBM has great potential to be used as a protein source in grouper diets in partial replacement of FM.     

几种保护性耕作措施在黄土高原旱作农田的实践

自2001年起,甘肃农业大学的研究者在甘肃省定西市安定区李家堡镇布设了不同保护性耕作措施下春小麦→豌豆和豌豆→春小麦轮作系统的定位试验,以研究免耕不覆盖(NT)、传统耕作秸秆还田(TS)、免耕秸秆覆盖(NTS)、传统耕作地膜覆盖(TP)和免耕地膜覆盖(NTP)等保护性耕作措施在黄土高原旱作农田生态系统中的效应。本文就近10年依托该试验获取的相关研究结果进行综述,重点阐述特定土壤、气候、农作制度下土壤理化性状、土壤微生物及其酶活性、土壤温室气体排放、作物生理生态等对上述几种保护性耕作措施的响应。初步得到免耕秸秆覆盖措施有助于形成良好的土壤结构、减少土壤侵蚀、改善土壤持水特性、提高土壤养分利用效率、改善土壤微生物区系、增强作物光合效能、增加作物产量等结论,对筛选出当地适宜的耕作模式、改善区域土壤质量、促进农业可持续发展有重要意义。在此基础上,提出目前该项研究存在的问题和今后重点关注的方向:1)保护性耕作土壤碳循环机理;2)覆盖方式的创新;3)温室气体排放测量方法的改进与完善。     

农杆菌介导海岛棉茎尖遗传转化体系的建立

为建立高效的海岛棉遗传转化体系,本实验以新疆海岛棉(Gossypium barbadense L.)品种新海13号、新海14号、新海16号茎尖为转化受体,采用农杆菌介导法,研究不同苗龄茎尖、菌液浓度、侵染时间及共培养时间对基因转化的影响,建立了农杆菌介导海岛棉茎尖遗传转化体系。最佳转化体系为:将生长4 d的无菌苗茎尖浸入农杆菌(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)菌液浓度OD600为0.5的菌液中,浸染10 min,共培养48~72 h后,移至卡那霉素浓度为150 mg/L的选择培养基进行筛选,25 d后转移到生根培养基培养,获得抗性苗,经嫁接或者直接移栽,获得29株抗性植株;经过PCR和RT-PCR检测,初步证明抗除草剂5-烯醇丙酮莽草酸-3-磷酸合酶基因(5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase,EPSPS)已导入海岛棉基因组中。该转化体系的建立为海岛棉的转基因育种提供了技术支持。     

Influence of planting papaya ringspot virus resistant transgenic papaya on soil microbial biodiversity

To investigate the influence of papaya ringspot virus resistant transgenic papaya on soil microorganisms, upper (0-15 cm) and lower layers (15-30 cm) of soil samples were collected around transgenic papaya planting area and nontransgenic papaya planting area and from soils in which plants had not been grown. The moisture content, pH value, total organic carbon content, and total nitrogen content were not significantly different among groups. The populations of total count, fungi, and actinomycete were highest in upper layer soils around transgenic papaya planting area and lowest in lower layer soils in which plants had not been grown. The microbial populations were all higher in upper layer of soils. Amplified fragment length polymorphism, amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analyses indicated that the similarity of soil microorganisms of upper layer soils around transgenic papaya planting area and around nontransgenic papaya planting area was >80%. A similar result was observed in lower layer soils. Thus, planting transgenic papayas does have a limited impact on soil microorganisms.     

Mechanism and characteristics of protein release from lactitol-based cross-linked hydrogel

Lactitol-based cross-linked hydrogel was synthesized, and model proteins (alpha-chymotrypsin, beta-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and gamma-globulin) were incorporated into the cross-linked hydrogel. The larger-molecular-weight proteins have lower diffusivity (D(e)) in the hydrogel. Increasing temperature accelerated the diffusion rate of proteins; however, the diffusion did not follow the Arrhenius equation at temperatures above 37 degrees C. The swelling ratio of the hydrogel was slightly decreased after heating for 2 h at 37 and 45 degrees C, and significantly reduced after 1 h at 60 degrees C. Therefore, diffusion of beta-lactoglobulin and BSA may be decreased by hydrogel shrinking at temperature over 37 degrees C. The model proteins have high affinities to buffer solution compared to the hydrogel network structure, resulting in high partition coefficients (K > 1) which do not affect the calculation of D(e) values. Incorporated protein release follows the theory of hindered diffusion.     

三峡库区果园生态系统效益探析 — — 以重庆市“黄新”移民高效生态农业产业带为例

简析了三峡库区果园生态系统结构和功能 ,指出库区果树分布规律和群落结构较合理 ,但果树种类面积比例和品种结构已不适应现代果业发展所需。并提出优化库区果树群落结构、品种构成及其面积比例等对策     

覆膜、沟垄作对旱作农田玉米产量和水分利用的叠加效应

为了揭示黄土高原半干旱区玉米(Zea mays L.)种植中覆膜、沟垄作的增产作用和水分利用特征, 布设大田定位试验, 包括全覆膜沟垄作、全覆膜平作、半覆膜平作和不覆膜平作4个处理。结果发现, 连续3个平水年中, 全膜沟垄作集成了全覆膜与沟垄作的优点, 产生明显的叠加效应, 较半膜平作分别增产2282.9、2460.2和2765.5 kg hm^-2, 增产率为32.3%、49.8%和46.5%。其中, 全覆膜的贡献分别为59.3%、90.3%和20.9%, 沟垄作的贡献分别为40.7%、9.7%和79.1%。叠加效应中全覆膜与沟垄作对产量的贡献呈此消彼长态势, 连作前两年, 全覆膜的作用大于沟垄作, 连作第3年, 沟垄作的作用大于全覆膜。玉米的水分利用效率, 全膜沟垄作较半膜平作的增幅为10.6%~25.2%。在同等降水条件下, 全覆膜沟垄作、全覆膜平作处理播前土壤贮水量较不覆膜平作增幅分别达6.3%~15.1%和3.5%~11.5%。收获期土壤贮水量明显低于不覆膜平作, 降幅达6.0%~12.9%和4.7%~7.5%。随着连作年限的增长, 土壤贮水量呈递减趋势, 连作第2、第3年收获期全覆膜沟垄作、全覆膜平作较连作开始土壤贮水量分别降低37.1%、44.0%和35.5%、40.9%, 连作第2年全覆膜沟垄作在50~200 cm出现干燥化现象, 第3年各处理30~200 cm土层均出现干燥化现象。综上所述, 全覆膜沟垄作具有明显的增产和提高水分利用效率的作用, 但其较高的产量以高耗水为代价, 在连续低降水条件下, 3年玉米连作会导致土壤干燥化, 存在生态安全风险。     

Investigations on the Wound Healing Potential of Tilapia Piscidin (TP)2-5 and TP2-6

Wound healing is a highly orchestrated process involving many cell types, such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells. This study aimed to evaluate the potential application of synthetic peptides derived from tilapia piscidin (TP)2, TP2-5 and TP2-6 in skin wound healing. The treatment of HaCaT keratinocytes with TP2-5 and TP2-6 did not cause cytotoxicity, but did enhance cell proliferation and migration, which could be attributed to the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. In CCD-966SK fibroblasts, although TP2-5 (31.25 μg/mL) and TP2-6 (125 μg/mL) showed cytotoxic effects, we observed the significant promotion of cell proliferation and migration at low concentrations. In addition, collagen I, collagen III, and keratinocyte growth factor were upregulated by the peptides. We further found that TP2-5 and TP2-6 showed pro-angiogenic properties, including the enhancement of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration and the promotion of neovascularization. In a murine model, wounds treated topically with TP2-5 and TP2-6 were reduced by day 2 post-injury and healed significantly faster than untreated wounds. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that both TP2-5 and TP2-6 have multifaceted effects when used as topical agents for accelerating wound healing.