High frequency embryogenic callus induction and plant regeneration from mature caryposis of big bluestem and little bluestem

Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michaux) Nash.] are native to the North America and are important forage grasses and ornamental grasses. Both grasses are proposed as ideal biomass producers for cellulosic ethanol production. To apply genetic transformation, which is an important tool for incorporating desirable agronomic traits into plants to both species, however requires an efficient and reproducible regeneration protocol. We used mature caryopses from big and little bluestem as explants and tested the effect of various combinations of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 mg l⁻¹) and kinetin (KT) (0, 0.1 or 0.2 mg l⁻¹) on embryogenic callus induction with LS as the basal medium. The highest percentage of embryogenic calli induction occurred on medium containing 2, 4-D alone at 2 mg l⁻¹ for ‘Bison’ and on medium containing 4 mg l⁻¹ 2, 4-D alone for ‘Bonilla’ big bluestem. For little bluestem, the highest percentage of embryogenic callus induction occurred on medium containing 3 mg l⁻¹ 2, 4-D plus 0.1 mg l⁻¹ kinetin, suggesting that addition of KT is beneficial. Shoot regeneration took place on LS basal medium without any plant growth regulator for both species, although the addition of KT increased both regeneration frequency and the number of shoots produced per callus. Rooting of shoots reaching about 2 cm long occurred readily with or without α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Rooted plantlets were all successfully established in the soil.     

In ovo embryotoxicity of α-endosulfan adversely influences liver and brain metabolism and the immune system in chickens

There is a lack of laboratory-based embryonic chicken toxicity studies with the ecologically relevant low dose/s of endosulfan that utilizes a more practical approach such as the chorioallontoic membrane (CAM) injection. In this investigation, 2μg AR grade α-endosulfan/egg (40% of LD₅₀ for embryos) was injected through the CAM in 12-day-old chicken embryos and the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase, EC 3.1.3.9), fructose 1,6-diphosphatase (FDPase, EC 3.1.3.11), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase, EC 3.6.1.3) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH, EC 1.3.99.1) and DNA and RNA content in liver and brain tissues and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) in the latter were determined at 24, 48, and 72 h post-exposure. The wet weight of the embryos did not differ between groups. Following endosulfan exposure, except increase in the hepatic ATPase activity (P < 0.01), there was a significant decrease in the following parameters: G6Pase activity in both the liver and brain (P < 0.01), SDH activity in the brain (P < 0.01), brain overall DNA and RNA concentration (P < 0.05), brain AChE activity (P < 0.01). Exposure of 18-day-old embryos to 2-μg endosulfan for 24 h caused decrease (P < 0.01) in the lymphocyte count and IgG content. Histopathology of thymus and bursa of Fabricius revealed a reduction in the population of thymic follicles, smaller thymocytes with the clear vacuoles in cytoplasm and fewer bursocytes accompanied by infiltration of erythrocytes in lymphoid follicles of the endosulfan-treated embryos. It was inferred that in ovo injection of 0.041 μg/g egg weight of α-endosulfan suppress gluconeogenesis (main energy source in embryonic life), nerve transmission, and immunity.     

In vitro high frequency direct plant regeneration from whole leaves of blackberry

High frequency and direct (without callus) plant regeneration was achieved from whole leaf explants of thornless blackberry (Rubus hybrid) cv. Black Satin (EC No. 381258; PI No. 553272) in vitro. Leaf blade explants from 1-, 3- and 5-month-old mother cultures were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with thidiazuron (TDZ), N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BAP), indol-3-butyric acid (IBA) and α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), alone or in combination. Three-month explants cultured on 0.02 mg l⁻¹ TDZ produced a high regeneration frequency (91.7%) and the most shoots/leaf explant (17.3). The shoot primordia developed within 3 weeks from the point of detachment of the petiole from the leaf blade. The age of the explant source significantly affected the shoot regeneration potential of the leaf explants. Leaves excised from 3-month-old in vitro-cultured shoots performed better than those from 1- and 5-month-old shoots. Shoots rooted best on half-strength MS basal medium with 0.5 mg l⁻¹ IBA and 90% of the plantlets survived acclimatization. The regenerated plantlets were morphologically similar to the mother plants.     

Inhibition study of red rice polyphenols on pancreatic α-amylase activity by kinetic analysis and molecular docking

This study sought to investigate the possible inhibition mechanism of red rice polyphenols (RRP) on pancreatic α-amylase (PA) activity. RRP showed strong inhibition against PA activity and the half-inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value was 3.61 μg/mL. The fluorescence quenching of PA by RRP was a combination of static quenching and dynamic quenching. RRP could aggregate with PA and the physiochemical properties of the aggregates were closely related to the concentration of RRP. Kinetic analysis suggested that the inhibition mode of RRP on PA was reversible inhibition, which was a mixing of competitive inhibition and noncompetitive inhibition. Molecular docking speculated that RRP could form hydrogen bonds with PA by binding to the catalytic active sites (ASP197, GLU233 and ASP300) and the microenvironments of TRP58 and TRP59 were altered, thus inhibiting PA activity.     

不同盐碱胁迫对土壤细菌群落结构的影响

【目的】 研究盐碱胁迫对土壤细菌群落多样性及群落组成的影响。【方法】试验设置(NaCl、Na₂SO₄和Na₂CO₃+NaHCO₃)三种盐碱胁迫类型和盐(碱)度。【结果】不同盐碱胁迫对土壤细菌群落α-多样性Shannon和Simpson指数影响不大,Na₂SO₄和Na₂CO₃+NaHCO₃胁迫土壤Chao1和Ace丰富度指数显著降低。NaCl轻度盐化土壤细菌群落β-多样性与对照无明显差异,其它盐碱胁迫土壤细菌群落结构变化显著。各处理土壤细菌优势门类均为变形菌门、芽单胞菌门、放线菌门、酸杆菌门和拟杆菌门。盐碱胁迫土壤细菌的拟杆菌门、浮霉菌门增加;而放线菌门、硝化螺旋菌门减少。NaCl胁迫土壤绿弯菌门、厚壁菌门相对丰度增加,Na₂SO₄胁迫土壤芽单胞菌门、热微菌门增加,Na₂CO₃+NaHCO₃碱胁迫土壤酸杆菌门、疣微菌门增加。【结论】土壤细菌群落通过调节物种组成来适应盐碱胁迫,不同盐碱类型和盐碱度胁迫下,土壤细菌群落会形成显著差异的物种。     

胸腺素α_1对墟岗黄鸡免疫器官组织学结构的影响

本试验研究了不同剂量的胸腺素α1(Tα1)对墟岗黄母鸡免疫器官指数和组织学结构的影响。结果表明:0.015mg/kg体重剂量的Tα1可显著提高鸡免疫器官指数,可使胸腺皮质增宽,髓质胸腺小体数和胸腺细胞数增加;脾脏胸腺依赖区和法氏囊依赖区细胞增殖;高剂量Tα1则引起法氏囊髓质局部细胞变性和坏死。     

Hybridization and in vitro culture of an orchid hybrid Ascocenda ‘Kangla’

The present study focuses on hybridization program involving two species belonging to two different vandaceous genera, viz., Ascocentrum ampullaceum (Roxb.) Schltr. var. auranticum, a narrow endemic orchid of Manipur and Vanda coerulea Griff., an endangered orchid of Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), to synthesize the primary hybrid genus with intermediate and improved characters in the F₁ generation. Observations on the crossability in the present bigeneric cross between V. coerulea and A. auranticum had been achieved with 60% success when V. coerulea was taken as female parent. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium at half-strength was effective for the development of the hybrid seedlings of V. coerulea × A. auranticum followed by Vacin and Went (VW) and Knudson C (KC) media. The best response of seedling growth was observed on MS medium at half-strength supplemented with 2.3 μM kinetin + 0.5 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid with maximum shoot height (2.7 cm), leaf number (4.6) and root number (4.1) after 150 days of inoculation. The survival percentage and growth performance of the seedlings were found to be higher (80% survival) in potting substrate consisting of brick:charcoal in the ratio 2:1 mulched with moss (Sphagnum sp.) than in potting substrate consisting of brick:charcoal:tree fern in the ratio 2:1:1. The first flowering was observed in the hybrid seedlings of V. coerulea × A. auranticum after 2 years of transfer to the ex vitro environment. Morphologically, the flowers differed from that of the parents clearly showing the success of the hybridization experiment. Registration of the hybrid has been made with the Royal Horticultural Society with the nomenclature Ascocenda ‘Kangla’ (No. T128725).     

High frequency plantlet regeneration from callus and artificial seed production of rock plant Pogonatherum paniceum (Lam.) Hack. (Poaceae)

Pogonatherum paniceum (Lam.) Hack. is a rock plant with good potential for vegetative recovery on naked lands. A high frequency in vitro regeneration system was developed for P. paniceum. Calli were induced from explants of mature seeds, seedlings, young leaves, and stem segments on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2.0 mg L⁻¹ α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 0.2 mg L⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). High induction rates (59.57%) and regeneration rates (100%) were obtained from mature seed explants; calli were sub-cultured for over 2 years and still retained a high regenerative capacity. One seed explant resulted in 69,997 plants in 1 year. Shoot buds derived from calli were used for encapsulation in liquid MS medium containing 3% sucrose and two different alginate matrices (3% sodium alginate (w/v) + MS medium containing 3% sucrose and 3% sodium alginate + 1% activated carbon (w/v) + MS medium containing 3% sucrose) with a 20-min exposure to 2% CaCl₂ and 0.3% bavistin (w/v). The capsule with 3.0% sodium alginate (w/v) and 1% activated carbon (w/v) showed a higher conversion rate (61.58%) and stronger plantlets under non-aseptic conditions. These systems are useful for the rapid clonal propagation and dissemination of artificial seed material of P. paniceum for eco-recovery.     

小鼠感染肝片吸虫早期IL-4/IFN-γ及M2巨噬细胞标记分子的变化

为弄清肝片吸虫感染早期的主要细胞免疫类型及选择性激活巨噬细胞(M2或AAMΦ)标记分子的变化,本试验采用肝片吸虫囊蚴为感染源,经口分别感染雌性BALB/c野生型小鼠,运用特异性PCR鉴定成功感染小鼠后用间接ELISA对腹腔中IL-4和IFN-γ的水平进行测定,并对细胞因子IL-4、转录因子GATA3和M2的标记蛋白Relm a、Ym1分子的mRNA进行荧光定量PCR检测.结果显示,在感染后1,3,5,7周,从所获取肝脏组织中扩增的ITS2片段条带清晰,大小正确,测序后确定为肝片吸虫ITS2序列,表明肝片吸虫感染成功.对腹腔中IL-4和IFN-γ的水平测定表明感染组IL-4在感染后1,3,5周比对照组的显著增加(P=0.013,P＜0.01,P=0.02),但在第7周时无显著差异.IL-4的水平显著高于IFN-γ(P=0.011),而在第7周两者间无显著差异；对腹腔中IL-4、GATA3、Relm α和Ym1 mRNA水平的测定结果表明,感染后IL-4和GATA3 mRNA水平在第3周达到最高峰；于感染后1,3,5,7周,IL-4和GATA3 mRNA水平都分别显著高于对照组(IL4:P=0.01,P=0.012,P=0.023,P=0.014;GATA3:P=0.011,P＜0.01,P=0.032,P=0.014),但IL-4和GATA3间无显著差异；Relm α和Ym1mRNA水平都分别显著高于对照组(Relm α:P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P=0.011;Ym1:P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P=0.012),且二者间无显著差异,并随时间推移mRNA水平都呈下降趋势,于第7周达到最低水平.本研究成功利用肝片吸虫-小鼠模型研究蠕虫感染早期细胞免疫类型及M2标记分子的变化,发现在肝片吸虫感染小鼠早期主要引起Th2为主的细胞免疫.IL-4和M2巨噬细胞标记分子Relm α和Ym1在感染后1,3,5,7周都显著增加且具有相似的变化趋势,但nelmα和Ym1在第1周的高表达可能受诸多因素的影响还有待深入研究.     

Relationship between rate of infection and markers of inflammation/immunity in Holy Birman cats with feline coronavirus

The aim of this study was to assess whether Holy Birman cats (HB) have a peculiar immune profile and a higher rate of infection by feline coronaviruses (FCoV). Leucocyte and lymphocyte subsets, antibody titers, α₁-acid glycoprotein (AGP), globulin fractions, IL-4, IL-12 and IFN-γ in blood and fecal FCoV excretion were determined in HB (n = 75) and in cats from other breeds (n = 94). Significantly higher CD4/CD8 ratio, IFN-γ concentration and IL12/IL4 ratio and significantly lower IL-4 concentration and proportion of shedders were found in HB than in other breeds. No other differences were found. In conclusion, this study did not provide evidence of peculiar immune profiles in HB, except for a prevalent Th1 profile, that may explain why in our caseload the rate of shedders was lower in HB than in other breeds.