Identification and Cloning of Differentially Expressed Genes Involved in the Interaction Between Potato and Phytophthora infestans using a Subtractive Hybridization and cDNA-AFLP Combinational Approach

Using a subtractive hybridization （SH）/cDNA-AFLP combinational approach, differentially expressed genes involved in the potato-Phytophthora infestans interaction were identified. These included genes potentially controlling pathogenesis or avr genes in P. infestans as well as those potentially involved in potato resistance or susceptibility to this pathogen. Forty-one differentially expressed transcript, derived fragments （TDFs）, resulting from the interaction, were cloned and sequenced. Two TDFs, suggested as potential pathogenicity factors, have sequence similarity to N-succinyl diaminopimelate aminotransferase and a transcriptional regulator, TetR family gene, respectively. Two other TDFs, suggested as potential avr genes, have sequence similarity to an EST sequence from Avr41Cf.41Avr91Cf- 9 and a P. infestans avirulence-associated gene, respectively. Genes＇ expression and origin were confirmed using Southern blots, Northern blots and qRT-PCR, he., potential resistance gene DL81 was induced at 12 hpi in the moderately resistant cultivar, whereas it was down-regulated as early as 6 hpi in the susceptible cultivar. On the other hand, DL21 was induced at 6 hpi （3.38-fold） in response to the highly aggressive isolate （US8） and strongly up-regulated thereafter （25.13-fold at 120 hpi.）, whereas it was only slightly up-regulated in response to the weakly aggressive isolate US11 （3.82-fold at 96 hpi）, suggesting its potential involvement as a susceptibility gene.

Study on specific interaction of new ferrocene-substituted carborane conjugates with hemoglobin protein

The interactions between the new organometallic complexes, ferrocenesubstituted dithioocarborane conjugates （denoted as FcSB1, FcSB2 and FcSBCO） and hemoglobin （Hb） are investigated by electrochemistry, fluorescence and UVvis absorption spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that FcSB1, FcSB2 and FcSBCO can bind to the heme iron center through the replacement of the weakly bound H20/02 in the distal heme pocket of Hb by their sulfur donor atoms, inducing the allosteric change from the R state （oxygenated conformation, relax） to T state （deoxygenated conformation, tense）. The binding affinity is in the order of FcSBCO〉FeSB2〉FeSB1. Moreover, the fluorescence study illustrates that the three ferrocenecarborane conjugates differently affect the quarterly and tertiary structures as well as the polarity in the surrounding of the Trp and Tyr residues in Hb. Typically, FcSB2 mainly induces alterations of the microenvironment around the 1337Trp residue which is located on the cql32 interface of Hb. Such distinct influences are attributed to the structural features of FcSB1, FcSB2 and FcSBCO containing hydrophobic ferrocenyl and carboranyl units as well as C=O group. Screening the proteinbinding behavior can signify the potential bioactivity of such molecules and may be helpful in the future development of promising multifunctional metallodrugs.