Growth, ion content and photosynthetic responses of two Elytrigia Desv. species seedlings to salinity stress

Salinity is among the major abiotic stresses limiting crop production in the world. Elytrigia species, the wild relatives of wheat, are extensively used as genetic resources in wheat breeding to improve its salt tolerance. The objective of this study was to examine the responses to different NaCl treatments (0, 65, 100, 135 and 170 mM) of two Elytrigia species (Elytrigia intermedia (Host.) Nevski. and Elytrigia trichophora (Link.) Nevski.) in terms of their growth, ion content and photosynthetic productivity during the seedling stages. For E. intermedia, salt treatment led to decreases in root and shoot biomass, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (gs), and a concurrent increase in intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci). Larger reductions in the parameters occurred in E. trichophora. Our results indicated that the two species differ in their sensitivity to salinity, with E. intermedia being classified as the more salt tolerant, and E. trichophora as sensitive. The two species also differed noticeably in leaf tissue concentrations of Na+ and K+ at various NaCl treatments, although, they both showed a trend for Na+ content to increase and K+ accumulation to significantly decrease in the higher salinity treatments.Key words: Elytrigia, ion contents, photosynthesis, salinity

Growth and physiological response of tall oat grass to salinity stress

In order to evaluate the responses of tall oat grass plants to increasing salinity, we measured plant growth, ion contents, photosynthetic gas exchange, lipid peroxidation, and proline accumulation in four salt concentrations. Two tall oatgrass genotypes, ZXY03P-367 and ZXY03P-443, were grown for 14 days in greenhouse conditions and after 14 days treated with four NaCl treatments (0, 65, 100, and 135 mM ) for 21 days. Most parameters for the two genotypes were significantly different when they were subjected to 100 and 135 mM NaCl. Salt treatment led to decreases in root and shoot biomass, photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (gs), and K+ content, and a concurrent increase in Na+ content. Larger reductions in the parameters occurred in ZXY03P-443. A significant accumulation of lipid peroxidation and proline in leaves was found during the period of intensive leaf growth. These organic compounds likely played a role in leaf osmotic adjustment and in the protection of membrane stability at severe salinity levels. Our results indicated that the two tall oatgrass genotypes differ in their sensitivity to salinity, with ZXY03P-336 classified as relatively salt tolerant and ZXY03P-443 as  sensitive.Key words: Growth, physiological responses, salinity stress, tall oatgras

Identification of SNPs in chemerin gene and association with carcass and meat quality traits of Qinchuan Cattle

Chemerin is a novel adipokine that regulates adipogenesis and adipocyte metabolism via its own receptor. In this study, two novel SNPs (868A>G in exon 2 and 2692C>T in exon 5) of chemerin gene were identified by PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing technology. The allele frequencies of the novel SNPs were determined in the genetically diverse bovine breeds including six Chinese indigenous cattle breeds (Caoyuan red, Jiaxian red, Luxi, Nanyang, Qinchuan and Xia’nan cattle). We evaluated the potential association of the SNPs with traits measured by ultrasound measurement in 214 Qinchuan individuals. Furthermore, meat quality traits data gotten from carcass measurement in another 69 Qinchuan individuals were analyzed by the comparison between the genotypes and their phenotypic data. Results showed that SNP 868A>G had a significant association with the ultrasound loin-muscle area (P < 0.05), loin-eye area and water holding capability (P < 0.05). And also revealed significant effects of genotype on the ultrasound backfat thickness (P < 0.05), backfat thickness and water holding capability (P < 0.05) of SNP 2692C>T. It was shown that associations do exist between chemerin gene and carcass and meat quality traits. As a result of the small sample size of this study, it is proposed that further effort is required to validate these findings in larger populations. It could be concluded that ultrasound measurements are similar in accuracy to carcass measurements for predicting carcass and meat quality traits in cattle, and could be a useful predictor of retail yield in live animals.Keywords: Bos bovine, chemerin gene, PCR-SSCP, SNP, meat quality trait

4-Bromo-2-chloro­aniline

The title compound, C6H5BrClN, is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.018 Å). In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular N—H⋯N and weak N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds, generating sheets

EXTRACTS OF SALVIA MILTIORRHIZA BUNGE ON THE CYTOKINES OF RAT ENDOMETRIOSIS MODELS

Endometriosis is a common mysterious and fascinating gynaecological condition with diverse clinical manifestations, highly variable and unpredictable clinical course with decreased quality of life. Clinically, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SMB, Chinese Danshen) has been applied to treat endometriosis and get satisfactory results. The present study was aimed to explore the effects of the extracts of SMB (ESMB) on the serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and the levels of interleukin (IL)-13, IL-18 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the peritoneal fluids of rat endometriosis models. Three extraction methods for SMB were compared, which are the sample extracted with conventional method, the sample extracted with espresso coffee machine and the commercial condensed powder of natural products. We determined tanshinone IIA, salvianolic acid B and danshensu in the ESMB of different extraction methods. Forty female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into ESMB group, Danazol (positive control) group, model group and the sham-operation group (Sham group). After all the treatment ended, the serum levels of CA125 and the levels of IL-13, IL-18 and TNF-alpha in the peritoneal fluids of rat endometriosis models were measured using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) as directed by the manufacturer. The extraction efficiency of the ESMB samples extracted with coffee machine ranged from 600μm to 710μm was the highest. The serum levels of CA-125 and the levels of IL-18 and TNF-alpha in the peritoneal fluids of ESMB group, Danazol group and Sham group were significantly lower than those of the Model group (

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia B Cells Can Undergo Somatic Hypermutation and Intraclonal Immunoglobulin VHDJH Gene Diversification

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) arises from the clonal expansion of a CD5+ B lymphocyte that is thought not to undergo intraclonal diversification. Using VHDJH cDNA single strand conformation polymorphism analyses, we detected intraclonal mobility variants in 11 of 18 CLL cases. cDNA sequence analyses indicated that these variants represented unique point-mutations (1–35/patient). In nine cases, these mutations were unique to individual submembers of the CLL clone, although in two cases they occurred in a large percentage of the clonal submembers and genealogical trees could be identified. The diversification process responsible for these changes led to single nucleotide changes that favored transitions over transversions, but did not target A nucleotides and did not have the replacement/silent nucleotide change characteristics of antigen-selected B cells. Intraclonal diversification did not correlate with the original mutational load of an individual CLL case in that diversification was as frequent in CLL cells with little or no somatic mutations as in those with considerable mutations. Finally, CLL B cells that did not exhibit intraclonal diversification in vivo could be induced to mutate their VHDJH genes in vitro after stimulation. These data indicate that a somatic mutation mechanism remains functional in CLL cells and could play a role in the evolution of the clone