Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated plant transformation is a versatile tool for plant genetic engineering following its discovery nearly half a century ago.Numerous modifications were made in its application to increa...Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated plant transformation is a versatile tool for plant genetic engineering following its discovery nearly half a century ago.Numerous modifications were made in its application to increase efficiency,especially in the recalcitrant major cereals plants.Recent breakthroughs in transformation efficiency continue its role as a mainstream technique in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing and gene stacking.These modifications led to higher transformation frequency and lower but more stable transgene copies with the capability to revolutionize modern agriculture.In this review,we provide a brief overview of the history of Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation and focus on the most recent progress to improve the system in both the Agrobacterium and the host recipient.A promising future for transformation in biotechnology and agriculture is predicted.展开更多
The acute myocardial infarction(AMI)and sudden cardiac death(SCD),both associated with acute cardiac ischemia,are one of the leading causes of adult death in economically developed countries.The development of new app...The acute myocardial infarction(AMI)and sudden cardiac death(SCD),both associated with acute cardiac ischemia,are one of the leading causes of adult death in economically developed countries.The development of new approaches for the treatment and prevention of AMI and SCD remains the highest priority for medicine.A study on the cardiovascular effects of chronic hypoxia(CH)may contribute to the development of these methods.Chronic hypoxia exerts both positive and adverse effects.The positive effects are the infarct-reducing,vasoprotective,and antiarrhythmic effects,which can lead to the improvement of cardiac contractility in reperfusion.The adverse effects are pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.This review presents a comprehensive overview of how CH enhances cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion.It is an in-depth analysis of the published data on the underlying mechanisms,which can lead to future development of the cardioprotective effect of CH.A better understanding of the CH-activated protective signaling pathways may contribute to new therapeutic approaches in an increase of cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion.展开更多
Background In contrast to protein-rich insect meal,the feed potential of insect fat is generally less explored and knowledge about the suitability of insect fat as a fat source specifically in broiler diets is still l...Background In contrast to protein-rich insect meal,the feed potential of insect fat is generally less explored and knowledge about the suitability of insect fat as a fat source specifically in broiler diets is still limited.In view of this,the present study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effect of partial(50%) and complete replacement of soybean oil with insect fat from Hermetia illucens(HI) larvae in broiler diets on performance,fat digestibility,cecal microbiome,liver transcriptome and liver and plasma lipidomes.Thus,100 male,1-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were randomly assigned to three groups and fed three different diets with either 0(group HI-0,n cens(HI) larvae fat for 35 d.= 30),2.5%(group HI-2.5,n %(HI-5.0,n = 35) or 5.0= 35) Hermetia illuResults Body weight gain,final body weight,feed intake,and feed:gain ratio during the whole period and apparent ileal digestibility coefficient for ether extract were not different between groups.Cecal microbial diversity did not differ between groups and taxonomic analysis revealed differences in the abundance of only four low-abundance bacterial taxa among groups;the abundances of phylum Actinobacteriota,class Coriobacteriia,order Coriobacteriales and family Eggerthellaceae were lower in group HI-5.0 compared to group HI-2.5(P < 0.05).Concentrations of total and individual short-chain fatty acids in the cecal digesta were not different between the three groups.Liver transcriptomics revealed a total of 55 and 25 transcripts to be differentially expressed between groups HI-5.0 vs.HI-0 and groups HI-2.5 vs.HI-0,respectively(P < 0.05).The concentrations of most lipid classes,with the exception of phosphatidylethanolamine,phosphatidylglycerol and lysophosphatidylcholine in the liver and cholesterylester and ceramide in plasma(P < 0.05),and of the sum of all lipid classes were not different between groups.Conclusions Partial and complete replacement of soybean oil with HI larvae fat in broiler diets had no effect on growth performance and only modest,but no adverse effects on the cecal microbiome and the metabolic health of broilers.This suggests that HI larvae fat can be used as an alternative fat source in broiler diets,thereby,making broiler production more sustainable.展开更多
Rapeseed(Brassica napus,AACC)was formed by hybridization between progenitor species Brassica rapa(AA)and Brassica oleracea(CC).As a result of a limited number of hybridization events between specific progenitor genoty...Rapeseed(Brassica napus,AACC)was formed by hybridization between progenitor species Brassica rapa(AA)and Brassica oleracea(CC).As a result of a limited number of hybridization events between specific progenitor genotypes and strong breeding selection for oil quality traits,rapeseed has limited genetic diversity.The production of resynthesized B.napus lines via interspecific hybridization of the diploid progenitor species B.rapa and B.oleracea is one possible way to increase genetic variation in rapeseed.However,most resynthesized lines produced so far have been reported to be meiotically unstable and infertile,in contrast to established B.napus cultivars.This hinders both maintenance and use of this germplasm in breeding programs.We characterized a large set of 140 resynthesized lines produced by crosses between B.rapa and B.oleracea,as well as between B.rapa and wild C genome species(B.incana,B.hilarionis,B.montana,B.Bourgeaui,B.villosa and B.cretica)for purity(homozygosity),fertility,and genome stability.Self-pollinated seed set,seeds per ten pods as well as percentage pollen viability were used to estimate fertility.SNP genotyping was performed using the Illumina Infinium Brassica 60K array for 116 genotypes,with at least three individuals per line.Most of the material which had been advanced through multiple generations was no longer pure,with heterozygosity detected corresponding to unknown parental contributions via outcrossing.Fertility and genome stability were both genotypedependent.Most lines had high numbers of copy number variants(CNVs),indicative of meiotic instability,and high numbers of CNVs were significantly associated with reduced fertility.Eight putatively stable resynthesized B.napus lines were observed.Further investigation of these lines may reveal the mechanisms underlying this effect.Our results suggest that selection of stable resynthesized lines for breeding purposes is possible.展开更多
Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s,respectively,and in part owing to their f lavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide...Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s,respectively,and in part owing to their f lavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide.The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges(e.g.disease pressures),as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics.Unfortunately,molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops.Here,we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry.Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity,including the presence-absence variation of 48.4%genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0%genes in cranberry.Auxiliary genes,those not shared by all cultivars,are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites,including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits.The discovery of thousands of genes,not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry,will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts.The pangenome,as a multiple-sequence alignment,as well as individual annotated genomes,are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium-a curated and integrated web-based relational database.Lastly,the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.展开更多
Aim: To investigate age-related inflammatory events in the male genital tract. Methods: In a total of 4 265 randomly collected patients attending the andrological outpatient clinic of the Center for Dermatology and ...Aim: To investigate age-related inflammatory events in the male genital tract. Methods: In a total of 4 265 randomly collected patients attending the andrological outpatient clinic of the Center for Dermatology and Andrology, University of Giessen, Germany, ejaculate volume, pH-value, sperm concentration, total and progressive sperm motility, concentration of polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase, number of peroxidase-positive cells and fructose were measured and correlated with patient's age. Results: While ejaculate volume, motility and fructose all correlated negatively with age, sperm concentration, PMN elastase and the pH-value showed a positive correlation. The prevalence of male genital tract inflammation (as defined by PMN elastase 〉 250 ng/mL) and its severity increased significantly. PMN elastase did not correlate with sperm motility. Fructose as a marker of seminal vesicle function showed a significant negative relationship with the PMN elastase levels, the number of peroxidase-positive cells and sperm motility. Conclusion: The significant increases of PMN elastase levels as marker of male genital tract inflammation in older men appear to be indicative of age-related changes in local immunoregulatory mechanisms. Because there is no association of PMN elastase with sperm motility, a direct inhibitory effect of this enzyme can be excluded.展开更多
The majority of multinational enterprises(MNEs) traditionally originate from developed countries.In the last ten years,however,there has been dramatic growth in foreign direct investment(FDI) from China.It is a compar...The majority of multinational enterprises(MNEs) traditionally originate from developed countries.In the last ten years,however,there has been dramatic growth in foreign direct investment(FDI) from China.It is a comparatively new phenomenon that challenges the classic FDI theories.In this paper,we review the pros and cons of two important theories,known as the Ownership-Location-Internalization(OLI) model and Linkage-Leverage-Learning(LLL) model,and use the statistical data and company case studies from China to test the plausibility of these two models.We believe that neither of them suits totally: the OLI model is quite useful for understanding FDI from China to developing economies,while the LLL model is more powerful for explaining the FDI to developed economies.We argue that the companies from China attain a very advantageous position as intermediates in the global economy.They may catch up with the first movers if they integrate OLI-led and LLL-led FDI within one firm.This combination can bring together the most advanced knowledge acquired in developed economies with the knowledge about adaptation needs and the needs for cost reduction in production as expressed in developing economies.It may also accelerate the knowledge transfer globally.We thus fill a gap in research into the geographical pattern of Chinese FDI and offer a deeper understanding of the internationalization of Chinese MNEs and revolving knowledge transfer.展开更多
Owing to the demographic development, the aging male will require more consideration in future. In contrast to arapid decline of estradiol during menopause in women, the process of aging in the male is retarded and su...Owing to the demographic development, the aging male will require more consideration in future. In contrast to arapid decline of estradiol during menopause in women, the process of aging in the male is retarded and subject to highindividual variations. Impairment of spermatogenesis is observed as a continuous process occurring over decades. How-ever, only about 50% of men in their eighties show complete loss of fertility. In principle, spermatogenesis may be re-tained well into senescence. Of importance for the individual health condition is the fact that the number of Leydig cellsdeclines with advancing age. Thus, altered sex hormone concentrations in aging men result from both functional distur-bances and a gradual reduction in Leydig cells. Furthermore, an impaired feed-back mechanism of the pituitary-gonadalaxis occurs, with disappearance of the circadian testosterone (T) rhythm. LH and FSH levels are increased, and a re-duced bioavailability of sex hormones is observed. Lower total testosterone concentrations in men over 60 years are ac-companied by clinical signs of reduced virility, such as decreased muscle mass and strength as well as reduced sexualhair growth and libido. An age-related decline in androgen secretion and plasma testosterone levels therefore suggeststhe use of androgen supplementation. However, there is a lack of risk-benefit long-term studies. Increased research inthe male is mandatory to meet the requirements of the aging population. This should include the availability of preciseepidemiological data about the frequency of partial androgen deficiency in aging males (PADAM).(Asian J Androl 2001 Mar; 3: 1-7)展开更多
Many of our major crop species are polyploids, containing more than one genome or set of chromosomes. Polyploid crops present unique challenges, including difficulties in genome assembly, in discriminating between mul...Many of our major crop species are polyploids, containing more than one genome or set of chromosomes. Polyploid crops present unique challenges, including difficulties in genome assembly, in discriminating between multiple gene and sequence copies, and in genetic mapping, hindering use of genomic data for genetics and breeding. Polyploid genomes may also be more prone to containing structural variation, such as loss of gene copies or sequences(presence–absence variation) and the presence of genes or sequences in multiple copies(copynumber variation). Although the two main types of genomic structural variation commonly identified are presence–absence variation and copy-number variation, we propose that homeologous exchanges constitute a third major form of genomic structural variation in polyploids. Homeologous exchanges involve the replacement of one genomic segment by a similar copy from another genome or ancestrally duplicated region, and are known to be extremely common in polyploids. Detecting all kinds of genomic structural variation is challenging, but recent advances such as optical mapping and long-read sequencing offer potential strategies to help identify structural variants even in complex polyploid genomes. All three major types of genomic structural variation(presence–absence, copy-number, and homeologous exchange) are now known to influence phenotypes in crop plants, with examples of flowering time, frost tolerance, and adaptive and agronomic traits. In this review,we summarize the challenges of genome analysis in polyploid crops, describe the various types of genomic structural variation and the genomics technologies and data that can be used to detect them, and collate information produced to date related to the impact of genomic structural variation on crop phenotypes. We highlight the importance of genomic structural variation for the future genetic improvement of polyploid crops.展开更多
Background:The hypothesis was tested that insect meal(IM)as protein source influences intermediary metabolism of growing pigs.To test this,30 male,5-week-old crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 10 pig...Background:The hypothesis was tested that insect meal(IM)as protein source influences intermediary metabolism of growing pigs.To test this,30 male,5-week-old crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 10 pigs each with similar body weights(BW)and fed isonitrogenous diets either without(CON)or with 5%IM(IM5)or 10%IM(IM10)from Tenebrio molitor L.for 4 weeks and key metabolic tissues(liver,muscle,plasma)were analyzed using omics-techniques.Results:Most performance parameters did not differ across the groups,whereas ileal digestibilities of most amino acids were 6.7 to 15.6%-units lower in IM10 than in CON(P<0.05).Transcriptomics of liver and skeletal muscle revealed a total of 166 and 198,respectively,transcripts differentially expressed between IM10 and CON(P<0.05).Plasma metabolomics revealed higher concentrations of alanine,citrulline,glutamate,proline,serine,tyrosine and valine and a lower concentration of asparagine in IM10 than in CON(P<0.05).Only one out of fourteen quantifiable amino acid metabolites,namely methionine sulfoxide(MetS),in plasma was elevated by 45%and 71%in IM5 and IM10,respectively,compared to CON(P<0.05).Plasma concentrations of both,major carnitine/acylcarnitine species and bile acids were not different across groups.Lipidomics of liver and plasma demonstrated no differences in the concentrations of triacylglycerols,cholesterol and the main phospholipids,lysophospholipids and sphingolipids between groups.The percentages of all individual phosphatidylcholine(PC)and phosphatidylethanolamine(PE)species in the liver showed no differences between groups,except those with 6 double bonds(PC 38:6,PC 40:6,PE 38:6,PE 40:6),which were markedly lower in IM10 than in CON(P<0.05).In line with this,the percentage of C22:6n-3 in hepatic total lipids was lower in IM10 than in the other groups(P<0.05).Conclusions:Comprehensive analyzes of the transcriptome,lipidome and metabolome of key metabolic tissues indicate that partial or complete replacement of a conventional protein source by IM in the diet has only a weak impact on the intermediary metabolism of growing pigs.Thus,it is concluded that IM from Tenebrio molitor L.can be used as a dietary source of protein in pigs without causing adverse effects on metabolism.展开更多
A field experiment with rice-rice rotation was conducted since 2002 in southeast China for investigating the response of soil microbial properties to intensive nitrogen fertilizer application. The tested soil was a su...A field experiment with rice-rice rotation was conducted since 2002 in southeast China for investigating the response of soil microbial properties to intensive nitrogen fertilizer application. The tested soil was a subtropical paddy soil derived from Quaternary red clay. Differences between treatments existed in different application rates of urea when the experiment was designed. Urea was applied in five rates, i.e., 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 U, equivalent to 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 times the local average amount of urea application (900 kg urea ha-~ yr-~, equivalent to 414 kg N ha-1 yr-~). In 2007, soil total nitrogen, available nitrogen, and soil organic carbon contents were increased by 10.2-27.9, 8.0-16.0, and 10.2-30.6%, respectively, in treatments with urea application rates of 0.5 to 2 U compared to control (0 U). Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were also increased by 3.1-30.8 and 1.3-13.9%, respectively, in treatments with urea application. Basal respiration in treatments with urea input were 9.4-29.1% higher than that in control. However, changes of bacterial functional diversity had different trends. Urea fertilization enhanced bacterial functional diversity until treatment of 1 U, but re-decreased it from treatment of 1.5 U. Principal components analysis indicated that there were intimate relationships among soil organic matter, nitrogen nutrient, microbial biomass, and respiration. Nevertheless, microbial diversity was related to soil moisture contents after urea application. We conclude here that the application of N fertilizer improved soil microbial biomass and respiratory activity. But, microbial diversity was reduced when excessive urea was applied in the tested paddy soil.展开更多
Determination of markers of sperm function, accessory sex gland secretion and silent male genital tractinflammation is of considerable diagnostic value in the evaluation of male infertility. The introduction of bioche...Determination of markers of sperm function, accessory sex gland secretion and silent male genital tractinflammation is of considerable diagnostic value in the evaluation of male infertility. The introduction of biochemicaltests into the analysis of male factor has the advantage that standardized assays with a coefficient of variationcharacteristic of clinical chemistry are performed, in contrast to biological test systems with a large variability.Biochemical parameters may be used in clinical practice to evaluate the sperm fertilizing capacity (acrosin, aniline blue,ROS), to characterize male accessory sex gland secretions (fructose, α-glucosidase, PSA), and to identify men withsilent genital tract inflammation (elastase, C'3 complement component, coeruloplasmin, IgA, IgG, ROS).展开更多
Objective:To investigate the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs) in vivo by analysing intestinal sections from experimentally Eimeria bovis-and naturally Eimeria arloingi-infected animals.Methods:Intestin...Objective:To investigate the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs) in vivo by analysing intestinal sections from experimentally Eimeria bovis-and naturally Eimeria arloingi-infected animals.Methods:Intestinal samples of Eimeria arloingi-and Eimeria bovis-infected animals were analysed by using immunohistochemical and fluorescence approach by using monoclonal antibodies.Results:Classical NET components were confirmed by co-localization of extracellular DNA being decorated with neutrophil elastase and histones in Eimeria-infected tissue samples.Here,extrusion of NETs was exclusively detected in intestinal polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltrating Eimeria-infected sites.In vivo NETs were either found in close proximity or in direct contact to different Eimeria stages suggesting a stage-independent process.NETs were also found within the gut lumen driven by polymorphonuclear neutrophils that were contacting released oocysts.Conclusions:We postulate that NETs might play an important role in innate defence reactions in coccidiosis therefore significantly altering the outcome of infection.展开更多
Extensive exotic introgression could significantly enlarge the genetic distance of hybrid parental populations to promote strong heterosis.The goal of this study was to investigate whether genome-wide prediction can s...Extensive exotic introgression could significantly enlarge the genetic distance of hybrid parental populations to promote strong heterosis.The goal of this study was to investigate whether genome-wide prediction can support pre-breeding in populations with exotic introgressions.We evaluated seed yield,seed yield related traits and seed quality traits of 363 hybrids of Brassica napus (AACC) derived from two parental populations divergent on massive exotic introgression of related species in three environments.The hybrids presented strong heterosis on seed yield,which was much higher than other investigated traits.Five genomic best linear unbiased prediction models considering the exotic introgression and different marker effects (additive,dominance,and epistatic effects) were constructed to test the prediction ability for different traits of the hybrids.The analysis showed that the trait complexity,exotic introgression,genetic relationship between the training set and testing set,training set size,and environments affected the prediction ability.The models with best prediction ability for different traits varied.However,relatively high prediction ability (e.g.,0.728 for seed yield) was also observed when the simplest models were used,excluding the effects of the special exotic introgression and epistasis effect by5-fold cross validation,which would simplify the prediction for the trait with complex architecture for hybrids with exotic introgression.The results provide novel insights and strategies for genome-wide prediction of hybrids between genetically distinct parent groups with exotic introgressions.展开更多
<abstract>Aim: To investigate the human sperm oxygen/energy consumption and zinc content in relation to motility. Methods: In washed spermatozoa from 67 ejaculates, the oxygen consumption was determined. Followi...<abstract>Aim: To investigate the human sperm oxygen/energy consumption and zinc content in relation to motility. Methods: In washed spermatozoa from 67 ejaculates, the oxygen consumption was determined. Following calculation of the total oxygen consumed by the Ideal Gas Law, the energy consumption of spermatozoa was calculated. In addition, the zinc content of the sperm was determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The resulting data were correlated to the vitality and motility. Results: The oxygen consumption averaged 0.24μmol/106 sperm×24 h, 0.28μmol/106 live sperm×24 h and 0.85μmol/106 live & motile sperm×24 h. Further calculations revealed that sperm motility was the most energy consuming process (164.31 mJ/106 motile spermatozoa×24 h), while the oxygen consumption of the total spermatozoa was 46.06 mJ/106 spermatozoa×24 h. The correlation of the oxygen/ energy consumption and zinc content with motility showed significant negative correlations (r= -0.759; P<0.0001 and r=-0.441; P<0.0001, respectively). However, when correlating sperm energy consumption with the zinc content, a significant positive relation (r=0.323; P=0.01) was observed. Conclusion: Poorly motile sperm are actually wasting the available energy. Moreover, our data clearly support the 'Geometric Clutch Model' of the axoneme function and demonstrate the importance of the outer dense fibers for the generation of sperm motility, especially progressive motility.展开更多
Aim: To investigate if the phytoestrogen, genistein, affects essential functions of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. Methods: The effect of genistein upon motility was assessed by computer-assisted motion analysis....Aim: To investigate if the phytoestrogen, genistein, affects essential functions of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. Methods: The effect of genistein upon motility was assessed by computer-assisted motion analysis. Hemizona assay was performed to detect the ability of spermatozoa binding to the zona pellucida. The inducibility of the acrosome reaction using progesterone and ZP3-6 peptide was analysed by fluorescein-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA)/Hoechst 33258 double staining. Capacitation after incubation with genistein was assessed by the chlortetracycline (CTC) assay. Immunoblots showed the pattern of protein tyrosine phosphorylation of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. Results: Immunodetection of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins showed that genistein did not affect tyrosine phosphorylation in cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. However, genistein significantly reduced the progesterone- and ZP3-6 peptide-mediated induction of the acrosome reaction and led to a dose-dependent inhibition of sperm-zona pellucida binding; while sperm motility and capacitation were not affected by this phytoestrogen, as indicated by computer-assisted sperm motion analysis and the CTC assay, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that in cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa, genistein affects a protein tyrosine phosphorylation-independent signal transduction pathway that is involved in sperm capacitation, the acrosome reaction and sperm-zona pellucida binding.展开更多
financially supported by the Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province of China (20152ACF60010);the Key Projects of Hunan Science and Technology Support Program of China (Application research of Guiye A male sterile lin...financially supported by the Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province of China (20152ACF60010);the Key Projects of Hunan Science and Technology Support Program of China (Application research of Guiye A male sterile line);the Research Project of Humanities and Social Sciences in Universities of Jiangxi Province, China(JC1315);supported by Emmy Noether DFG grant MA 6473/1-1展开更多
基金financial assistance provided by the High-End Foreign Expert Recruitment Program(G2022051003L)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32201878)+3 种基金Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Lab(B21HJ0215)Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of CAAS(CAASZDRW202002,CAAS-ZDRW202201)Hebei Natural Science Foundation(C2021205013)Long Mao is also a“Yellow River Delta Scholar”in Sino-Agro Experimental Station for Salt Tolerant Crops(SAESSTC),Dongying,Shandong,China.
文摘Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated plant transformation is a versatile tool for plant genetic engineering following its discovery nearly half a century ago.Numerous modifications were made in its application to increase efficiency,especially in the recalcitrant major cereals plants.Recent breakthroughs in transformation efficiency continue its role as a mainstream technique in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing and gene stacking.These modifications led to higher transformation frequency and lower but more stable transgene copies with the capability to revolutionize modern agriculture.In this review,we provide a brief overview of the history of Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation and focus on the most recent progress to improve the system in both the Agrobacterium and the host recipient.A promising future for transformation in biotechnology and agriculture is predicted.
基金supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant 22-15-00048The section dedicated to the role of kinases in the cardioprotective effect of CH is framed within the framework of state assignments 122020300042-4.
文摘The acute myocardial infarction(AMI)and sudden cardiac death(SCD),both associated with acute cardiac ischemia,are one of the leading causes of adult death in economically developed countries.The development of new approaches for the treatment and prevention of AMI and SCD remains the highest priority for medicine.A study on the cardiovascular effects of chronic hypoxia(CH)may contribute to the development of these methods.Chronic hypoxia exerts both positive and adverse effects.The positive effects are the infarct-reducing,vasoprotective,and antiarrhythmic effects,which can lead to the improvement of cardiac contractility in reperfusion.The adverse effects are pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.This review presents a comprehensive overview of how CH enhances cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion.It is an in-depth analysis of the published data on the underlying mechanisms,which can lead to future development of the cardioprotective effect of CH.A better understanding of the CH-activated protective signaling pathways may contribute to new therapeutic approaches in an increase of cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion.
基金Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEALfinancially supported by H. Wilhelm Schaumann foundation。
文摘Background In contrast to protein-rich insect meal,the feed potential of insect fat is generally less explored and knowledge about the suitability of insect fat as a fat source specifically in broiler diets is still limited.In view of this,the present study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effect of partial(50%) and complete replacement of soybean oil with insect fat from Hermetia illucens(HI) larvae in broiler diets on performance,fat digestibility,cecal microbiome,liver transcriptome and liver and plasma lipidomes.Thus,100 male,1-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were randomly assigned to three groups and fed three different diets with either 0(group HI-0,n cens(HI) larvae fat for 35 d.= 30),2.5%(group HI-2.5,n %(HI-5.0,n = 35) or 5.0= 35) Hermetia illuResults Body weight gain,final body weight,feed intake,and feed:gain ratio during the whole period and apparent ileal digestibility coefficient for ether extract were not different between groups.Cecal microbial diversity did not differ between groups and taxonomic analysis revealed differences in the abundance of only four low-abundance bacterial taxa among groups;the abundances of phylum Actinobacteriota,class Coriobacteriia,order Coriobacteriales and family Eggerthellaceae were lower in group HI-5.0 compared to group HI-2.5(P < 0.05).Concentrations of total and individual short-chain fatty acids in the cecal digesta were not different between the three groups.Liver transcriptomics revealed a total of 55 and 25 transcripts to be differentially expressed between groups HI-5.0 vs.HI-0 and groups HI-2.5 vs.HI-0,respectively(P < 0.05).The concentrations of most lipid classes,with the exception of phosphatidylethanolamine,phosphatidylglycerol and lysophosphatidylcholine in the liver and cholesterylester and ceramide in plasma(P < 0.05),and of the sum of all lipid classes were not different between groups.Conclusions Partial and complete replacement of soybean oil with HI larvae fat in broiler diets had no effect on growth performance and only modest,but no adverse effects on the cecal microbiome and the metabolic health of broilers.This suggests that HI larvae fat can be used as an alternative fat source in broiler diets,thereby,making broiler production more sustainable.
基金funded by the German Research Council(DFG grant MA6473/2-1,awarded to AM)The Mason lab is partially funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG,German Research Foundation)under Germany’s Excellence Strategy-EXC 2070-390732324.
文摘Rapeseed(Brassica napus,AACC)was formed by hybridization between progenitor species Brassica rapa(AA)and Brassica oleracea(CC).As a result of a limited number of hybridization events between specific progenitor genotypes and strong breeding selection for oil quality traits,rapeseed has limited genetic diversity.The production of resynthesized B.napus lines via interspecific hybridization of the diploid progenitor species B.rapa and B.oleracea is one possible way to increase genetic variation in rapeseed.However,most resynthesized lines produced so far have been reported to be meiotically unstable and infertile,in contrast to established B.napus cultivars.This hinders both maintenance and use of this germplasm in breeding programs.We characterized a large set of 140 resynthesized lines produced by crosses between B.rapa and B.oleracea,as well as between B.rapa and wild C genome species(B.incana,B.hilarionis,B.montana,B.Bourgeaui,B.villosa and B.cretica)for purity(homozygosity),fertility,and genome stability.Self-pollinated seed set,seeds per ten pods as well as percentage pollen viability were used to estimate fertility.SNP genotyping was performed using the Illumina Infinium Brassica 60K array for 116 genotypes,with at least three individuals per line.Most of the material which had been advanced through multiple generations was no longer pure,with heterozygosity detected corresponding to unknown parental contributions via outcrossing.Fertility and genome stability were both genotypedependent.Most lines had high numbers of copy number variants(CNVs),indicative of meiotic instability,and high numbers of CNVs were significantly associated with reduced fertility.Eight putatively stable resynthesized B.napus lines were observed.Further investigation of these lines may reveal the mechanisms underlying this effect.Our results suggest that selection of stable resynthesized lines for breeding purposes is possible.
基金supported by Michigan State University AgBioResearch,Michigan State University Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research,NIH 5T32GM110523-10,NSF NRT-HDR 1828149 USDANIFA HATCH MICL02742,USDA-NIFA AFRI 1015241,and USDANIFA SCRI award 2019-51181-30015supported in part by the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program(DGE-1828149)to M.J.
文摘Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s,respectively,and in part owing to their f lavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide.The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges(e.g.disease pressures),as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics.Unfortunately,molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops.Here,we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry.Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity,including the presence-absence variation of 48.4%genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0%genes in cranberry.Auxiliary genes,those not shared by all cultivars,are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites,including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits.The discovery of thousands of genes,not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry,will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts.The pangenome,as a multiple-sequence alignment,as well as individual annotated genomes,are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium-a curated and integrated web-based relational database.Lastly,the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.
文摘Aim: To investigate age-related inflammatory events in the male genital tract. Methods: In a total of 4 265 randomly collected patients attending the andrological outpatient clinic of the Center for Dermatology and Andrology, University of Giessen, Germany, ejaculate volume, pH-value, sperm concentration, total and progressive sperm motility, concentration of polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase, number of peroxidase-positive cells and fructose were measured and correlated with patient's age. Results: While ejaculate volume, motility and fructose all correlated negatively with age, sperm concentration, PMN elastase and the pH-value showed a positive correlation. The prevalence of male genital tract inflammation (as defined by PMN elastase 〉 250 ng/mL) and its severity increased significantly. PMN elastase did not correlate with sperm motility. Fructose as a marker of seminal vesicle function showed a significant negative relationship with the PMN elastase levels, the number of peroxidase-positive cells and sperm motility. Conclusion: The significant increases of PMN elastase levels as marker of male genital tract inflammation in older men appear to be indicative of age-related changes in local immunoregulatory mechanisms. Because there is no association of PMN elastase with sperm motility, a direct inhibitory effect of this enzyme can be excluded.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.4097106941101120)+1 种基金State Scholarship Fund by China Scholaship CouncilMinistry of Education of the people's Republic of China(No.2009614028)
文摘The majority of multinational enterprises(MNEs) traditionally originate from developed countries.In the last ten years,however,there has been dramatic growth in foreign direct investment(FDI) from China.It is a comparatively new phenomenon that challenges the classic FDI theories.In this paper,we review the pros and cons of two important theories,known as the Ownership-Location-Internalization(OLI) model and Linkage-Leverage-Learning(LLL) model,and use the statistical data and company case studies from China to test the plausibility of these two models.We believe that neither of them suits totally: the OLI model is quite useful for understanding FDI from China to developing economies,while the LLL model is more powerful for explaining the FDI to developed economies.We argue that the companies from China attain a very advantageous position as intermediates in the global economy.They may catch up with the first movers if they integrate OLI-led and LLL-led FDI within one firm.This combination can bring together the most advanced knowledge acquired in developed economies with the knowledge about adaptation needs and the needs for cost reduction in production as expressed in developing economies.It may also accelerate the knowledge transfer globally.We thus fill a gap in research into the geographical pattern of Chinese FDI and offer a deeper understanding of the internationalization of Chinese MNEs and revolving knowledge transfer.
文摘Owing to the demographic development, the aging male will require more consideration in future. In contrast to arapid decline of estradiol during menopause in women, the process of aging in the male is retarded and subject to highindividual variations. Impairment of spermatogenesis is observed as a continuous process occurring over decades. How-ever, only about 50% of men in their eighties show complete loss of fertility. In principle, spermatogenesis may be re-tained well into senescence. Of importance for the individual health condition is the fact that the number of Leydig cellsdeclines with advancing age. Thus, altered sex hormone concentrations in aging men result from both functional distur-bances and a gradual reduction in Leydig cells. Furthermore, an impaired feed-back mechanism of the pituitary-gonadalaxis occurs, with disappearance of the circadian testosterone (T) rhythm. LH and FSH levels are increased, and a re-duced bioavailability of sex hormones is observed. Lower total testosterone concentrations in men over 60 years are ac-companied by clinical signs of reduced virility, such as decreased muscle mass and strength as well as reduced sexualhair growth and libido. An age-related decline in androgen secretion and plasma testosterone levels therefore suggeststhe use of androgen supplementation. However, there is a lack of risk-benefit long-term studies. Increased research inthe male is mandatory to meet the requirements of the aging population. This should include the availability of preciseepidemiological data about the frequency of partial androgen deficiency in aging males (PADAM).(Asian J Androl 2001 Mar; 3: 1-7)
基金supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(MA6473/1-1,MA6473/2-1)
文摘Many of our major crop species are polyploids, containing more than one genome or set of chromosomes. Polyploid crops present unique challenges, including difficulties in genome assembly, in discriminating between multiple gene and sequence copies, and in genetic mapping, hindering use of genomic data for genetics and breeding. Polyploid genomes may also be more prone to containing structural variation, such as loss of gene copies or sequences(presence–absence variation) and the presence of genes or sequences in multiple copies(copynumber variation). Although the two main types of genomic structural variation commonly identified are presence–absence variation and copy-number variation, we propose that homeologous exchanges constitute a third major form of genomic structural variation in polyploids. Homeologous exchanges involve the replacement of one genomic segment by a similar copy from another genome or ancestrally duplicated region, and are known to be extremely common in polyploids. Detecting all kinds of genomic structural variation is challenging, but recent advances such as optical mapping and long-read sequencing offer potential strategies to help identify structural variants even in complex polyploid genomes. All three major types of genomic structural variation(presence–absence, copy-number, and homeologous exchange) are now known to influence phenotypes in crop plants, with examples of flowering time, frost tolerance, and adaptive and agronomic traits. In this review,we summarize the challenges of genome analysis in polyploid crops, describe the various types of genomic structural variation and the genomics technologies and data that can be used to detect them, and collate information produced to date related to the impact of genomic structural variation on crop phenotypes. We highlight the importance of genomic structural variation for the future genetic improvement of polyploid crops.
基金This study was financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFGGrant nos.RI 1537/6–1 and ED 70/14–1).
文摘Background:The hypothesis was tested that insect meal(IM)as protein source influences intermediary metabolism of growing pigs.To test this,30 male,5-week-old crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 10 pigs each with similar body weights(BW)and fed isonitrogenous diets either without(CON)or with 5%IM(IM5)or 10%IM(IM10)from Tenebrio molitor L.for 4 weeks and key metabolic tissues(liver,muscle,plasma)were analyzed using omics-techniques.Results:Most performance parameters did not differ across the groups,whereas ileal digestibilities of most amino acids were 6.7 to 15.6%-units lower in IM10 than in CON(P<0.05).Transcriptomics of liver and skeletal muscle revealed a total of 166 and 198,respectively,transcripts differentially expressed between IM10 and CON(P<0.05).Plasma metabolomics revealed higher concentrations of alanine,citrulline,glutamate,proline,serine,tyrosine and valine and a lower concentration of asparagine in IM10 than in CON(P<0.05).Only one out of fourteen quantifiable amino acid metabolites,namely methionine sulfoxide(MetS),in plasma was elevated by 45%and 71%in IM5 and IM10,respectively,compared to CON(P<0.05).Plasma concentrations of both,major carnitine/acylcarnitine species and bile acids were not different across groups.Lipidomics of liver and plasma demonstrated no differences in the concentrations of triacylglycerols,cholesterol and the main phospholipids,lysophospholipids and sphingolipids between groups.The percentages of all individual phosphatidylcholine(PC)and phosphatidylethanolamine(PE)species in the liver showed no differences between groups,except those with 6 double bonds(PC 38:6,PC 40:6,PE 38:6,PE 40:6),which were markedly lower in IM10 than in CON(P<0.05).In line with this,the percentage of C22:6n-3 in hepatic total lipids was lower in IM10 than in the other groups(P<0.05).Conclusions:Comprehensive analyzes of the transcriptome,lipidome and metabolome of key metabolic tissues indicate that partial or complete replacement of a conventional protein source by IM in the diet has only a weak impact on the intermediary metabolism of growing pigs.Thus,it is concluded that IM from Tenebrio molitor L.can be used as a dietary source of protein in pigs without causing adverse effects on metabolism.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program,2007CB109301)the National Key Technology R & D Program of China (2009BADC6B03)Asia-Europe Link Project (CN-Asia-Link-001,81468)
文摘A field experiment with rice-rice rotation was conducted since 2002 in southeast China for investigating the response of soil microbial properties to intensive nitrogen fertilizer application. The tested soil was a subtropical paddy soil derived from Quaternary red clay. Differences between treatments existed in different application rates of urea when the experiment was designed. Urea was applied in five rates, i.e., 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 U, equivalent to 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 times the local average amount of urea application (900 kg urea ha-~ yr-~, equivalent to 414 kg N ha-1 yr-~). In 2007, soil total nitrogen, available nitrogen, and soil organic carbon contents were increased by 10.2-27.9, 8.0-16.0, and 10.2-30.6%, respectively, in treatments with urea application rates of 0.5 to 2 U compared to control (0 U). Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were also increased by 3.1-30.8 and 1.3-13.9%, respectively, in treatments with urea application. Basal respiration in treatments with urea input were 9.4-29.1% higher than that in control. However, changes of bacterial functional diversity had different trends. Urea fertilization enhanced bacterial functional diversity until treatment of 1 U, but re-decreased it from treatment of 1.5 U. Principal components analysis indicated that there were intimate relationships among soil organic matter, nitrogen nutrient, microbial biomass, and respiration. Nevertheless, microbial diversity was related to soil moisture contents after urea application. We conclude here that the application of N fertilizer improved soil microbial biomass and respiratory activity. But, microbial diversity was reduced when excessive urea was applied in the tested paddy soil.
文摘Determination of markers of sperm function, accessory sex gland secretion and silent male genital tractinflammation is of considerable diagnostic value in the evaluation of male infertility. The introduction of biochemicaltests into the analysis of male factor has the advantage that standardized assays with a coefficient of variationcharacteristic of clinical chemistry are performed, in contrast to biological test systems with a large variability.Biochemical parameters may be used in clinical practice to evaluate the sperm fertilizing capacity (acrosin, aniline blue,ROS), to characterize male accessory sex gland secretions (fructose, α-glucosidase, PSA), and to identify men withsilent genital tract inflammation (elastase, C'3 complement component, coeruloplasmin, IgA, IgG, ROS).
基金Supported by the German Research Foundation(DFG,Grant No.TA 219/4-1)
文摘Objective:To investigate the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs) in vivo by analysing intestinal sections from experimentally Eimeria bovis-and naturally Eimeria arloingi-infected animals.Methods:Intestinal samples of Eimeria arloingi-and Eimeria bovis-infected animals were analysed by using immunohistochemical and fluorescence approach by using monoclonal antibodies.Results:Classical NET components were confirmed by co-localization of extracellular DNA being decorated with neutrophil elastase and histones in Eimeria-infected tissue samples.Here,extrusion of NETs was exclusively detected in intestinal polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltrating Eimeria-infected sites.In vivo NETs were either found in close proximity or in direct contact to different Eimeria stages suggesting a stage-independent process.NETs were also found within the gut lumen driven by polymorphonuclear neutrophils that were contacting released oocysts.Conclusions:We postulate that NETs might play an important role in innate defence reactions in coccidiosis therefore significantly altering the outcome of infection.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC-DFG, 31861133016NSFC, 31970564)。
文摘Extensive exotic introgression could significantly enlarge the genetic distance of hybrid parental populations to promote strong heterosis.The goal of this study was to investigate whether genome-wide prediction can support pre-breeding in populations with exotic introgressions.We evaluated seed yield,seed yield related traits and seed quality traits of 363 hybrids of Brassica napus (AACC) derived from two parental populations divergent on massive exotic introgression of related species in three environments.The hybrids presented strong heterosis on seed yield,which was much higher than other investigated traits.Five genomic best linear unbiased prediction models considering the exotic introgression and different marker effects (additive,dominance,and epistatic effects) were constructed to test the prediction ability for different traits of the hybrids.The analysis showed that the trait complexity,exotic introgression,genetic relationship between the training set and testing set,training set size,and environments affected the prediction ability.The models with best prediction ability for different traits varied.However,relatively high prediction ability (e.g.,0.728 for seed yield) was also observed when the simplest models were used,excluding the effects of the special exotic introgression and epistasis effect by5-fold cross validation,which would simplify the prediction for the trait with complex architecture for hybrids with exotic introgression.The results provide novel insights and strategies for genome-wide prediction of hybrids between genetically distinct parent groups with exotic introgressions.
文摘<abstract>Aim: To investigate the human sperm oxygen/energy consumption and zinc content in relation to motility. Methods: In washed spermatozoa from 67 ejaculates, the oxygen consumption was determined. Following calculation of the total oxygen consumed by the Ideal Gas Law, the energy consumption of spermatozoa was calculated. In addition, the zinc content of the sperm was determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The resulting data were correlated to the vitality and motility. Results: The oxygen consumption averaged 0.24μmol/106 sperm×24 h, 0.28μmol/106 live sperm×24 h and 0.85μmol/106 live & motile sperm×24 h. Further calculations revealed that sperm motility was the most energy consuming process (164.31 mJ/106 motile spermatozoa×24 h), while the oxygen consumption of the total spermatozoa was 46.06 mJ/106 spermatozoa×24 h. The correlation of the oxygen/ energy consumption and zinc content with motility showed significant negative correlations (r= -0.759; P<0.0001 and r=-0.441; P<0.0001, respectively). However, when correlating sperm energy consumption with the zinc content, a significant positive relation (r=0.323; P=0.01) was observed. Conclusion: Poorly motile sperm are actually wasting the available energy. Moreover, our data clearly support the 'Geometric Clutch Model' of the axoneme function and demonstrate the importance of the outer dense fibers for the generation of sperm motility, especially progressive motility.
文摘Aim: To investigate if the phytoestrogen, genistein, affects essential functions of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. Methods: The effect of genistein upon motility was assessed by computer-assisted motion analysis. Hemizona assay was performed to detect the ability of spermatozoa binding to the zona pellucida. The inducibility of the acrosome reaction using progesterone and ZP3-6 peptide was analysed by fluorescein-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA)/Hoechst 33258 double staining. Capacitation after incubation with genistein was assessed by the chlortetracycline (CTC) assay. Immunoblots showed the pattern of protein tyrosine phosphorylation of cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. Results: Immunodetection of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins showed that genistein did not affect tyrosine phosphorylation in cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa. However, genistein significantly reduced the progesterone- and ZP3-6 peptide-mediated induction of the acrosome reaction and led to a dose-dependent inhibition of sperm-zona pellucida binding; while sperm motility and capacitation were not affected by this phytoestrogen, as indicated by computer-assisted sperm motion analysis and the CTC assay, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that in cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa, genistein affects a protein tyrosine phosphorylation-independent signal transduction pathway that is involved in sperm capacitation, the acrosome reaction and sperm-zona pellucida binding.
基金financially supported by the Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province of China (20152ACF60010)the Key Projects of Hunan Science and Technology Support Program of China (Application research of Guiye A male sterile line)+1 种基金the Research Project of Humanities and Social Sciences in Universities of Jiangxi Province, China(JC1315)supported by Emmy Noether DFG grant MA 6473/1-1
文摘financially supported by the Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province of China (20152ACF60010);the Key Projects of Hunan Science and Technology Support Program of China (Application research of Guiye A male sterile line);the Research Project of Humanities and Social Sciences in Universities of Jiangxi Province, China(JC1315);supported by Emmy Noether DFG grant MA 6473/1-1