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March 15,2011
Volume 4,Issue 5
Pages -
Subject Area:Cognitive Psychology,Biophysics,Animal Histology,Entomology,Ecology,Botany

Title: Changes of sucrose synthase and its relation with the content of sucrose and cellulose in cotton fiber under low temperature condition

Authors: WANG Youhua, ZHENG Mi, CHEN Binglin, SHU Hongmei, ZHOU Zhiguo
PP: 475-482
Abstract: With cotton cultivar KM-1 as material, specific enzyme activity, protein content and gene expression manner of sucrose synthase in the fiber cells were examined, and their relationship with sucrose and cellulose content were analyzed by dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrum analysis. Data showed that, both the protein content and the specific enzyme activity were the lowest on 10 d, and the highest on 15 d, while the gene expression density was higher on both 10, 15 d and lower on 20 d. Low temperature environment could induce the gene expression and protein accumulation. Sucrose content decreased from 10 d to 20 d, while cellulose content increased in this stage. Low temperature could alleviate the changing rate for both sucrose and cellulose content. The results indicated that, low temperature could induce the expression of sucrose synthase coding gene, while it could reduce the transformation of sucrose to cellulose, which was catalyzed by sucrose synthase, and then resulted in the enhancement of sucrose content and the decline of cellulose content. The sensitivity of fiber development to low temperature was majored due to the sensitivity of sucrose synthase to low temperature.
Keywords: Crop cultivation and farming system; Gossypium hirsutum L.; sucrose synthase; sucrose; cellulose

Title: A computer simulation on Chinese characters learning of primary school children

Authors: WANG Xiaojuan, SHU Hua, YANG Jianfeng
PP: 469-474
Abstract: Three models were trained by real corpus from primary textbook to capture 2nd, 4th and 6th grade’s reading performance. After training, the regularity effect was found in all three grades models, but the consistency effect just showed difference in 4th grade and reached significant in 6th grade. The result was consistent both with corpus analysis and children’s development. It revealed a general mechanism both for skilled reading and its development, in which the difference of reading in different stage came from the statistic learning on the properties of input corpus. It also suggested that skilled reading was the stable stage of reading development.
Keywords: psycholinguistics; reading development; connectionist; regularity; consistency

Title: Expression and identification of membrane protein Bax inhibitor-1 in BEVS, tagged with Polh

Authors: BAI Shuwan, SHU Tejun, CHEN Jianqing, ZHANG Yaozhou
PP: 459-468
Abstract: The Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1) is an anti-apoptotic protein that is located in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes. It’s a neotype regulating factor concerned with cell death which controlled by Bcl2 and Bax. When screening silkworm cDNA library, the authors found a gene which has a higher homology with Bax inhibator-1, named BmBI-1 (Bombyx mori Bax inhibator-1) after bioinformatics analysis. Baculoviral polyhedrin was used as a novel fusion partner for facilitating expression of BmBI-1 in Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system. The baculovirus transfer vector pFastBac HTb-Polh-BmBI-1 and pFastBac HTb-BmBI-1 were constructed. The recombinant transfer plasmid was transformed into the BmDH10Bac competent cells, and inserted into the bacmid DNA by transposition. The recombinant virus vBmPolh-BmBI-1 and vBmBmBI-1 were constructed.The BmN insect cells were infected with the two kinds of recombinant viruses respectively. The result of Western blotting showed that the BmBI-1 fused with Polh can express in infected BmN cell, but only BmBI-1 can not express. The silkworm larvae and pupa were infected with the recombinant virus vBmPolh-BmBI-1, and the aimed 59 ku protein expressed in pupa and the fifth instars larvae was identified with Western blot. The result of real-time quantitative PCR indicated that the mRNA of Polh-BmBI-1 was highest at 72 h infection by recombinant virus.
Keywords: biochemistry and molecular biology; Bombyx mori; Bax inhibitor-1; baculovirus expression vector system; polyhedrin

Title: Preliminary determination of toxic region of sterile gene in maize CMS-S by site-directed mutagenesis

Authors: WANG Feng, YU Jianghua, ZHAO Yanxin, XIAO Hailin
PP: 453-458
Abstract: Five mutated sequences of orf355-orf77 were obtained via random mutation mediated by error-prone PCR and site-directed mutation mediated by overlap extension PCR. The mutated orf355-orf77 sequences were transformed into E.coli and their toxicity was detected. Three mutated sequences could encode peptides without toxicity to E.coli. The mutated nucleotides of these non-toxic sequences all located in the orf355 region, indicating that the peptide encoded by orf355 was toxic to E.coli, while the orf77 didn’t show this kind of toxicity.
Keywords: molecular biology; CMS-S; point mutation; toxic region

Title: Cloning, expression and characterization of a novel β-glucosidase of GH3 family from marine microbial metagenome

Authors: LIU Juanjuan, FANG Zemin, FANG Wei, HONG Yuzhi, PENG Hui, ZHANG Xuecheng, XIAO Yazhong
PP: 445-452
Abstract: In the present study, a metagenome library of the marine microbes from the surface water of the South China Sea was screened for β-glucosidase. One positive clone named as pSB16D15 was obtained. It was subcloned and further analyzed in sequence. The results showed that there was an open reading frame (ORF) coding for a novel β-glucosidase of GH3 family member, which was nominated as bgl3. Further analysis showed that the 2 535-nucleotide-long ORF had a G+C content of 43.03%. The deduced product of bgl3 consisted of 844 amino acids (aa) with the predicted molecular masses of about 90, 807 u, sharing the highest homology with β-glucosidases from Glaciecola sp. HTCC2999 and Alteromonas macleodii with 98% and 61% identity, respectively. Using pET22b(+) as vector and E.coli BL21(DE3) as host, Bgl3 was overexpressed recombinantly, with substantial enzymic activity obtained. The recombinant protein (rBgl3) was purified with Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and further biochemically characterized. With pNPG as substrate, the optimum pH and temperature for the hydrolytic activity of rBgl3 were determined as 6.5~7.0 and 45℃, respectively. The recombinant protein maintained the highest activity at pH range of 7.0~9.0. Distinguished from most other β-glucosidase, rBgl3 remained 90% of the initial activity after heat treatment at 35℃ for 1 h. Under the optimum conditions, rBgl3 hydrolyzed pNPG with an activity of 17.07 IU·mg-1, a Km of 1.80 mmol/L and a Vmax of 0.81 μmol·min-1·mg-1. The activity of rBgl3 was completely inhibited by Fe3+, Cu2+, Fe2+ of 10 mmol/L, as well as EDTA, while 10 mmol/L K+ had a little effect on it. Glucose and ethanol suppressed the activity of rBgl3, with 80% of the original activity lost in 10 mmol/L glucose and 50% lost in 5% ethanol.
Keywords: molecular biology; β-glucosidase; GH3 family; metagenome

Title: Packing materials selection for a biotrickling filter to bio-oxidize methane in coal mine gas

Authors: HUANG Xia, TAO Xiuxiang, LIU Wei
PP: 441-444
Abstract: For bio-oxidizing methane (with concentration 0~30% ) in coal mine gas with a biotrickling filter, four kinds of packing materials, such as activated carbons, filtration porcelain balls, plastic balls and ceramic Pall rings, were studied in the biofilter. The results indicate that the biotrickling filter with the ceramic Pall rings has the biggest capability to oxidize methane with its proper specific surface area, grain diameter and density, and is the most optimum one as the packing material for the biofilter to oxidize methane in coal mine gas. Based on this, the form-film time is 25 d, and the methane removal efficiency is 85%.
Keywords: microbiology; methanotrophic bacteria; biotrickling filter; coal mine gas; packing materials; biofilm

Title: Copper ions promote neurotoxic aggregation of PrP

Authors: WU Di, ZHANG Wentao, LUO Kan, WANG Wenxi, HUANG Liqin, CHEN Rui, HUANG Tao, XIAO Gengfu
PP: 435-440
Abstract: It was indicated that Cu2+ was a vital factor involved in the aggregation of cellular prion protein (PrP). Cu2+ triggered structural conversion revealed by circular dichroism (CD) spectra and fluorescence measurement. Scattering results confirmed the aggregation of PrP. MTT assay demonstrated that PrP aggretates induced significant damage of SK-N-SH cells. It was indicated that at physiological acidic environment Cu2+ promoted the aggregation of PrP, which were cytotoxic to neuron cells. And these researches may offer some clues for Cu2+ in prion diseases.
Keywords: microbiology; prion; copper ion; physiological acidic environment; aggregation; cytotoxicity

Title: Comparison of two methods in constructing phylogenetictree: the composition vector approach and the method based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA

Authors: YE Yuannong, GUO Fengbiao
PP: 427-434
Abstract: In this paper, two methods, one based on small subunit ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequence and the other on composition vector, were adopted for constructing phylogenetic trees. In the top branch (kingdom), phylogenetic analysis for 115 species showed that three kingdoms were separated properly by composition vector when K-string length equaled 5 or 6, as well as by 16S rRNA sequence. However, the composition vector approach was not so good as the other on the lower branch. Further more, 27 strains of Escherichia coli were selected for a more detailed lower branches (species) analysis and found that the composition vector approach (best classification achieved when K=4) was better than the method based on 16S rRNA.
Keywords: biophysics; phylogenetic tree; small subunit ribosomal RNA; 16S rRNA; composition vector approach; CVTree

Title: Anatomical and histochemical features of prostate in Bactrian camel (Camelus bavtrianus)

Authors: LUO Yiwei, LIU Yaoyao, WANG Jianlin
PP: 422-426
Abstract: Anatomical and histochemical features of the corpus prostate in the Bactrian camel were observed by histological and histochemical methods, and also by light microscope and transmission electron microscope. The prostate in Bactrian camel was situated on the dorsal aspect of the urethra, overhanged the neck of the urinary bladder. The prostate is tubuloalveolar gland, containing many lobules. Each lobule composed of several acinus and excretory ducts, which were lined by single epithelial cells with basal nucleus. Epithelial cells contain secretory granules taking neutral mucosubstances as main components. The ultrastructure of epithelial cells were varies in different shape of the cells. The columnar cells contained a lot of epithelial cells, while the pyramidal cells contained little.
Keywords: zoology; Bactrian camel; prostate; anatomy; histochemistry

Title: Review of the genus Subulatus Yang & Zhang, with description of a new species from China（Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae）

Authors: ZHANG Xinmin, WEI Cong, ZHANG Yalin
PP: 417-421
Abstract: In the present paper, the genus Subulatus Yang & Zhang is reviewed with description of one new species, S. sangzhiensis sp. nov.. In addition, a key to species of the genus is provided. The type specimens are deposited in The Entomological Museum, Northwest A&F Univertsity (NWAFU), Yangling, China.
Keywords: agricultrual entomology and pest control; insecta; taxonomy; Hemiptera; Cicadellidae; Evacanthinae; new species; China

Title: Effects of long-term forced exercise training on metabolic rate and energy intake in Eothenomys miletus

Authors: ZHU Wanlong, ZHANG Lin, WANG Zhengkun
PP: 411-416
Abstract: Maintaining a stable body weight requires a balance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Exercise which can increase energy expenditure, is one of the most important factor affecting energy balance for animals. In order to understand the physiological effects of exercise, changes of body mass, metabolic rate and energy intake were measured in Eothenomys miletus during 8-weeks of forced exercise training with treadmill. The results showed that exercise training had no significant effects on body mass, but the metabolic rate and energy intake were increased during 8-weeks exercise training, rest metabolic rate increased 29.9% and locomotor maximal metabolic rate increased 10.7%, respectively. All results indicated that increasing the metabolic rate and energy intake was the main way to regulate the body mass and energy balance in Eothenomys miletus during long-term forced exercise training. Moreover, the increase ratio of locomotor maximal metabolic rate was lower during long-term forced exercise training, it might be related to its ability of locomotion, and it was also related to its distribution only in Hengduan mountains region, not diffusing to other area. Its mechanism of lower ability of locomotion needs further study.
Keywords: ecology; Eothenomys miletus; metabolic rate; energy intake

Title: Studies on the population dynamic and spatial distribution pattern of egg and larvae of Kytorhinus immixtus

Authors: ZHANG Dazhi, FAN Yuting, CHEN Xiaowei, HE Dahan
PP: 403-410
Abstract: Some aggregation indices, Iwao and Taylor regression analysis methods were used to determine the spatial distribution pattern of egg and larvae of Kytorhinus immixtus in desert landscape of Ningxia. The results showed that the spatial distribution pattern of egg and larvae of K. immixtus fitted a negative binomial distribution and belonged to the aggregated distribution. The reason for the aggregation was analyzed according to estimation by mean aggregation (λ). The aggregation was caused by the environmental factors. Among the regression analysis, the linear related degree of Iwao and Taylor regression model was optimum. The aggregation intensity increased with density of population.
Keywords: ecology; Kytorhinus immixtus; spatial distribution pattern; aggregation indices; damage rate

Title: Functional diversity of soil microbial communities during restoration process of abandoned-fields in sub-alpine meadows

Authors: WANG Ping, LI Jinhua, KOU Shuxian, GAO Rongqing
PP: 395-402
Abstract: Using chloroform fumigation and BIOLOG-ECO technology, soil microbial biomass carbon and functional diversity were studied in the abandoned-fields of a sub-alpine meadow in the eastern Tibetan Plateau of China. The results showed that the abandoned time had a great impact on soil microbial diversity. Soil microbes of 11-year abandoned time had the highest utilization ability of carbon source and the physiological metabolic activity. Changes of average well color development (AWCD) were most significant in the 0~168 h; mass content of soil microbial carbon and organic carbon were relatively higher; the richness, evenness, and diversity index of soil microbial community were relatively higher. These indicated that 11-year abandoned time was effective to alter the structure and functional diversity of soil microbial community, which would be helpful for restoration of sub-alpine meadow.
Keywords: ecology; abandoned time; sub-alpine meadow; soil microbial community; functional diversity

Title: Phenolic acids from Halostachys caspica and their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

Authors: LIU Hao, LV Shiqiong, MOU Yan, ZHAO Jianglin, WANG Ming’an, ZHOU Ligang
PP: 387-394
Abstract: Five phenolic acids have been isolated from the aerial parts of Halostachys caspica C. A. Mey. (Chenopodiaceae) for the first time. By means of physicochemical and spectrometric analysis, they were identified as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid (1), 4-hydroxy benzoic acid (2), 2-hydroxy benzoic acid (3), 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy benzoic acid (4), and 3,4-dihydroxy benzeneacrylic acid (5). All phenol acids were evaluated to show a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity on test microorganisms including seven bacterial and one fungal species as well as pronounced antioxidant activity. Among them, 3,4-dihydroxy benzeneacrylic acid (5) was screened to have the strongest antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The results suggested that the isolated phenolic acids could be used for future development of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents, and also provided additional data for supporting H. caspica utilized as forage.
Keywords: plant science; Chenopodiaceae; Halostachys caspica; phenolic acids; antimicrobial activity; antioxidant activity

Title: Study on relationship between high salinity induced senescence associated gene and ethylene signal pathway

Authors: LI Zhonghai, PENG Jinying, GUO Hongwei
PP: 382-386
Abstract: Objective: To study the role of ethylene signal pathway in high salinity induced senescence associated gene (SAG) expression. Methods: Using microarray chip technique, Cluster analysis and treeview software to analyze the relationship between high salinity induced senescence associated gene and ethylene signal pathway. Results: Relationship between high salinity induced SAG and EIN3 categorized in detail into five types: (I) Salt up-regulated genes dependent on EIN3/EIL1; (II) Up-regulated by salt and down-regulated by EIN3; (III) Salt up-regulated genes independent of EIN3/EIL1; (IV) Down-regulated by salt and up-regulated by EIN3; (V) Salt down-regulated genes independent of EIN3/EIL1. Conclusion: Take together, relationship between those categorized into EIN3/EIL1 dependent and independent.
Keywords: plant physiology; high salinity stress; senescence: cluster analysis; microarray analysis; ethylene signal pathway

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