Effects of Light Stress on Oxygen Evolution and Photochemical Energy Stor age of Hybrid Poplar Clones Determined by Photoacoustic Technique

The oxygen evolution, thermal dissipation, and photochemical energy storage of three hybrid poplar clones, namely the triploid clone B342, the diploid clone B11 [(Populus alba×P. glandulosa)×(P.tomentosa×P.bolleana)], and the triploid clone B346 [(P.tomentosa×P. bolleana)×(P. alba×P.glandulosa)], under light stress were studied using photoacoustics. The oxygen evolution signal and photochemical energy storage varied negatively with the pretreatment_PFD (photon flux density), whereas the thermal signal varied positively with the pretreatment_PFD. Photochemical energy storage was reallocated to PSⅡ more than to PSⅠ, while the photochemical energy storage in PSⅠ was more stable than that in PSⅡ when subjected to light stress. The inhibitors streptomycin (SM), dithiothreitol (DTT) and sodium fluoride (NaF) could all affect the oxygen evolution signal. Clones B11 and B342 were more resistant to light stress than clone B346.

Genetic variation of height growth rhythm between clones of Larix kaempferi × L. gmelini based on logistic models

Fifty-three larch interspecific hybrid clones（Larix kaempferi × L.gmelini） and their parent clones were used for growth curve analysis of height variations.The growth curves of the 55 clones were ＇S＇-shaped and 36 exhibited similar curves as the male parent.The coefficients of the logistic models were higher than 0.943,indicating that our results were effective in the simulation of the growth curves.ANOVA analysis showed significant differences in height of different clones （P／0.01）.Average date of maximum height growth was Day 173,and average duration of rapid growth lasted for 50 days.Annual average increase in height was 9.7cm d^（-1） and daily average increase was 0.2 cm.The ratio of GR to the total annual increase in height ranged from 51.2 to 68.8%,with the average being 59.8%.There was a positive correlation between k values and plant heights which benefited from the evaluation of early plant height.There was also a positive correlation between GR（growth stage）,GD（plant height） and annual increase in height.These results are informative to the evaluation of the elite clone selection and provide a theoretical basis for breeding and management.

Growth variations and stability analyses of seven poplar clones at three sites in northeast China

Growth characteristics have complex inheritance patterns and genotype(G) by environment(E) interaction make predicting tree response to environmental changes difficult.In this study,the growth of seven poplar clones at three different sites was taken as the research focus,and heights and basal diameters were investigated in the second growing season.An ANOVA showed that all main effects,site,clone number and their interactions were highly significant in the overall F-tests.The coefficients of variation and repeatability of different traits ranged from 15.5 to 43.9%and from 0.549 to 0.912,respectively.AMMI(Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction) analysis results showed that genotype,environment and G × E interaction were significantly highly correlated.The stability analysis indicated that different clones showed different growth traits on different sites,which suggests that elite clones should be selected separately for different sites.Based on the growth traits,under a 10% selection rate,three clones were selected for different sites and the genetic gains of growth traits ranged from 4.7 to 11.2%.The three selected clones could be used to establish plantations in the future in different sites.

Clones No 1333 of Populus alba×P.davidiana and No 1132 of P.davidiana×P.alba×P.daviana

The hybridization experiment was initiated in 1975, in which the parents of P davhaana were collectedfrom Dailing, Heilongiiang Province, P. suaveolens were from Baicheng, P. simonii from Zhaodong of Heilongjiang Prov-ince, and P. tremula from Shanxi Province. Clones No 1333 of P. Alba x P. davidiana and No 1132 of P davidiana x (Palba x P. davidiana F1) had greater genetic variation and heritability in clones tested.

Screening and identification of binding proteins to interferon-α from a cDNA library by yeast-two hybrid system

The aim of this study is to screen proteins interacting with interferon-α （IFN-α）. The IFN-α gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction （PCR） and cloned into pGBKT-/vector, then the resulted pGBKT-/-IFN-α vector was transformed into yeast strain AH109. The transformed yeast AH109 was mated with yeast Y187 containing liver cDNA library plasmid in 2 × YPDA medium. Diploid yeast was plated on synthetic dropout nutrient medium （SD/-Trp-Leu-His-Ade and SD/-Trp-Leu-His） con- taining X-α-gal for selection. After plasmid extraction and enzyme cutting analysis, the blue colonies were subjected to sequence analysis and the results were analyzed by bioinformatics. The results showed that IFN-α was successful cloned into the pGBKT7 vector. IFN-α was expressed and there was no selfactivation and toxicity in AH109. Thirty-four positive colonies were obtained after yeast-two hybrid technique screening. After sequence analysis, eight clones were found to have a binding effect with IFN-α protein. IFN-α was successfully cloned into the pGBKT7 vector. IFN-α protein was expressed and there was no self-activation and toxicity in AH109. Eight proteins that interacted with IFN-α, including vitronectin, fibrinogen A alpha polypeptide, HIV-1 Tat interactive protein 2, arginase, NADH dehydrogenase 1 beta subcomplex, transferrin receptor 2 alpha （TFR2）, HCC-1, alcohol dehydrogenase IB （ADHIB） have been identified as IFN-α-binding proteins.

Drought tolerance in three hybrid poplar clones submitted to different watering regimes

Aims Poplars grownin North Chinamay experience water-deficient periods in their life cycle.The aim of the present paper was to quantify the response of three clones to different watering regimes and to determine whichcloneamongthe three is the best adapted to drought conditions.Methods Three hybrid poplar clones(clone DN-34,R-247 and OP-367)were used in the present experiment.The seedlings of the three clones were grown under four watering regimes:control(well watered,100%field water capacity(FC))and three drought treatments(drought stress I,50%FC;drought stress II,40%FC;drought stress III,30%FC).Changes in morphological,physical and biochemical indicators of the three hybrid poplar clones were investigated.Important Findings Drought treatment(50%,40%and 30%FC)decreased net photosynthetic rate(Pn),transpiration rate(Tr),stomatal conductance(gs),shoot height,total biomass and chlorophyll(Chl)content in all the three clones and it increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and free proline content.The highest values of the above-mentioned morphological and physiological parameters were recorded in clone OP-367 under 30%FC,followed by clone DN-34 and R-247.Relative leaf water content(RWC)and stem diameter(sd)markedly declined in clone R-247 and DN-34 under drought stress I,II and III,whereas RWC and sd declined in clone OP-367 only under drought stress II and III.Clone OP-367 had more RWC and sd than DN-34 and R-247.Only the 30%FC induced an increase in the root-to-shoot ratio(rs)and water use efficiency(WUE)in all the three clones.OP-367 was the most efficient clone in water absorption and use,for plants of the clone had the highest values of rs and WUE.Our data demonstrate that among the three clones,OP-367 was better able to maintain photosynthesis and growth and lower the damage caused by drought.

Suppression subtractive hybridization for identifying differentially expressed genes in renal cell carcinoma

Objective To construct a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cDNA subtractive library using suppression subtractive hybridization.Methods Polyadenylated RNA ［Poly (A)+ RNA］ was isolated from tissues of RCC and normal kidney, and single-strand cDNAs and double-strand cDNAs were synthesized in turn. RCC cDNAs were divided into two groups and ligated to the specific adaptors l and 2, and then hybridized with normal kidney cDNA twice with two rounds of suppression PCR. Second round PCR products were cloned to T/A plasmid vectors to set up the subtractive library. One hundred clones were randomly picked to perform enzyme digest analysis, and some underwent sequence analysis and Northern blot to identify RCC specifically expressed genes. SMART RACE procedure was operated to clone full length novel RCC specifically expressed genes.Results A human RCC subtractive library with high subtractive efficiency was successfully set up. The amplified library contains 350 positive clones. Random analysis of 100 clones with enzyme restriction showed that 85 plasmids in the clones contained 50-400?bp inserts. Sequence analysis was performed for 10 clones. All the 10 sequences were unknown before and derived from 6 unique, novel genes among which the cDNA insert RCC18 had five copies. Northern blot analysis showed that RCC18 cDNA was highly expressed in RCC, but no signal could be detected in normal kidney. Using SMART RACE technique, we obtained the full length of the novel gene RCC18.Conclusions The constructed cDNA subtractive library of human RCC is a highly efficient one and lays a solid foundation for large scale screening and cloning new and specific oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes of RCC. The novel specifically expressed genes provided an important clue for studying the mechanisms of occurrence and development of RCC.