Soil Enzyme Activity Changes in Different-Aged Spruce Forests of the Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Activities of selected soil enzymes (invertase, acid phosphatase, proteinase, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase) were determined under different spruce forests with restoration histories of 5, 13, 18, 23, 27 years and an old growth forest over 400 years old in the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, and their possible use as indicators of ecosystems health were analyzed. Plots 10 × 10 m with 4 replications were established to investigate three hypotheses: soil enzyme activities a) would increase with the restoration process; b) would be greater in surface soils than at lower depths; and c)would be correlated to selected physicochemical properties. Results showed that as the forests developed after restoration,invertase and peroxidase activities usually increased up to the 23 year point. Also soil enzyme activities were associated with surface soils and decreased with depths, suggesting that in earlier restoration stages surface addition of organic fertilizer to soils might be more effective than additions at depth. In the 0-20 cm soil, there were significant correlations (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05) between some soil enzyme activities and some selected chemical properties. Therefore, temporal changes in enzyme activities should be included as an indicator when evaluating sustainable forest management practices.

Accumulation of heavy metals in four grasses grown on lead and zinc mine tailings

A field experiment was conducted to compare the growth and metal accumulation of Vetiveria zizanioides, Paspalum notatum, Cynodon dactylon and Imperata cylindraca var. major on the tailings, amended with 10 cm domestic refuse + complex NPK fertilizer(Treatment A), 10 cm domestic refuse(Treatment B) and complex NPK fertilizer(Treatment C) respectively, and without any amendment used as control(Treatment D). The results indicated that V. zizanioides was a typical heavy metal excluder, because the concentrations in shoots of the plants were the lowest among the four plants tested. The most of metal accumulated in V. zizanioides distributed in its root, and transportation of metal in this plant from root to shoot was restricted. Therefore, V. zizanioides was more suitable for phytostabilization of toxic mined lands than P. notatum and C. dactylon, which accumulated a relatively high level of metals in their shoots and roots. It was also found that I. cylindraca var. major accumulated lower amounts of Pb, Zn and Cu than C. dactylon and P. notatum, and could also be considered for phytostalilisaton of tailings. Although the metal(Pb, Zn and Cu) concentrations in shoots and roots of V. zizanioides were the lowest, the total amounts of heavy metals accumulated in shoots of V. zizanioides were the highest among the four tested plants due to the highest dry weight yield of it. The results indicated that V. zizanioides was the best choice among the four species used for phytoremediation(for both phytostabilization and phytoextraction) of metal contaminated soils.

A New Anthranquinone Glycoside from the Seeds of Cassia obtusifolia

A new anthraquinone glycoside, emodin-1-O-β-gentiobioside 1, together with threeknown compounds, chrysophanol-1-O-β-gentiobioside 2, physcion-8-O-β-gentiobioside 3, andchrysophanol-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside4 was isolated from the seeds of Cassia obtusifolia. Its structure was elucidated on the basis ofspectroscopic evidence.

Effects of litter removal on plant species diversity: a case study in tropical Eucalyptus forest ecosystems in South China

The removal of litterfall in the Eucalyptus plantations in South China affected the plant biodiversity in these ecosystems was found based on the field observation and lab analysis. The protection times of species diversity of three Eucalyptus communities were different (Community Ⅰ with no protection, Community Ⅱ with 7-year-protection, Community Ⅲ with 35-year-protection). The total numbers of species in these communities (from Community Ⅰ to Ⅱ to Ⅲ) are 1, 6, and 17, respectively. The results showed that the protection of litterfall from being taken out of the ecosystem is important and can increase plant species diversity. This study combined biomass data, the chemical and physical properties of the soil, and the diversity of microbes in the communities. It is concluded that the mechanism of the effects of litter removal on biodiversity includes three factors: removing the suitable habitat of microbe and animal, decreasing the soil nutrient, and changing the special habitat for the germination and growth of invading plants. These results should have important implications for managing these Eucalyptus forest ecosystems in South China.

New emergy indices for sustainable development

The emergy indices for the evaluation of system's sustainable development ability were studied. Results indicated that the emergy indices are simplified and merged, and a new emergy index for sustainable development(EISD) is deduced. Employing EISD, two cases are conducted. The first one is to compare three different dike pond agro ecological engineering modes, which are: melon melon cabbage four domestic fishes(mode Ⅰ), melon melon cabbage pig four domestic fishes (mode Ⅱ) and melon melon cabbage pig four domestic fishes combined with Siniperca chuatsi B. ( mode Ⅲ). The result is that the EISD of mode Ⅰ is 0.53. ModeⅡ's EISD is 5.26 times of mode Ⅰ, and mode Ⅲ's EISD is 6.83 times of mode Ⅰ. The second one is to evaluate the development of Zhongshan City, Pearl Delta, during 1996 to 2000. The result indicated that the EISD of Zhongshan had appreciably declined from 1996 to 1998, and quickly improved from 1998 to 2000, partly because of its environment protection and product construction. Both of the two cases studies showed that EISD can assessment the sustainable development ability more roundly, with the consideration of environmental impact and social\|economic effect at the same time.

Cloning and Expression Analysis of an XET cDNA in the Peel and Pulp of Banana Fruit Ripening and Softening

Xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (XET) is thought to be involved in fruit softening throughdisassembly of xyloglucan, which is the predominant hemicellulose of cell wall. To study the relationshipbetween fruit softening and XET during banana (Musa acuminata Colla cv. Grand Nain) fruit ripening, a fulllength cDNA (1 095 bp) encoding an XET, MA-XET1, was isolated from ripening banana fruit using RT-PCRand RACE-PCR (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) methods. Sequence analysis showed that the cDNAcontains 5' untranslated region of 66 bp, 3' untranslated region of 189 bp and ORF of 840 bp, encoding apredicted polypeptide of 280 amino acids, including DE|DFEFL motif, which is a presumptive catalyticdomain conserved in XETs. DNA gel blot analysis demonstrated that MA-XET1 is encoded by a multi-copyfamily in the banana genome. RNA gel blot analysis revealed that the level of MA-XET1 transcript in thepulp was undetectable, increased and decreased slightly at the preclimacteric, climacteric and postclimactericstages, respectively. In the peel, accumulation of MA-XET1 transcript was low, increased dramatically andthen decreased rapidly, at preclimacteric, climacteric and postclimacteric stages, respectively. Treatmentof fruit with propylene, an analog of ethylene, decreased the firmness and enhanced the accumulation ofMA-XET1 transcript in the peel and pulp. These results suggest that MA-XET1 is involved in softening ofthe peel and pulp during banana fruit ripening and its expression is regulated by ethylene at transcriptionallevel.

Measured Sap Flow and Estimated Evapotranspiration of Tropical Eucalyptus urophylla Plantations in South China

During the period of September 12, 1999 to September 24, 2000, we measured sap flow ofeucalyptus (Euca/yptus urophylla S.T. Blake) plantations using heat pulse technique, and the relevantenvironmental vaiables, such as soil evaporation and canopy interception, etc, at Hetou and Jijia sites,Leizhou Peninsula, Guangdong Province. Based on the measurements of sap flow and estimates ofevapotranspiration, the following can be concluded: (1) the maximum of diurnal xylem sap flux density (SFD)at Hetou, where covered with coarse-textured soils formed on Quaternary sediments, was almost twice ofthat at Jijia, where located on clay-rich soils derived from basalt; (2) SFD was highly correlated to watervapor pressure deficit (VPD) of ambient air near the canopy layer, (3) the correlation between SFD and airtemperature also depends on soil properties and soil water potential; (4) the relative differences betweenmeasured and modeled evapotranspiration were small, being 5.26% at Hetou and 6.14% at Jijia; (5) theplantation transpiration accounted for 62.2% and 51.3% of the evapotranspiration at Hetou and Jijia,respectively; and (6) the averaged SFD per unit leaf area (ASPULA) was a good index to estimate theamount of water consumption of tree species.

Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Expansin Genes from Litchi chinensis Fruit

Using PCR degenerate primers, designed with reference to the sequences of the conserved amino acids of known expansins, to amplify cDNA fragments in litchi fruit by RT-PCR, two different cDNA fragments , named as Lc-Exp1 and Lc-Exp2 , were cloned. Lc-Exp1 and Lc-Exp2 was respectively composed of 531 bp encoding 177 amino acids and 537 bp encoding 179 amino acids. Eight cysteine residues and three tryp-tophan residues, which is supposed to be the characteristics of expansins, are conserved in both Lc-Exp1 and c-Exp2. In addition, the homology between the two expansins is 71. 6% at nucleotide acid sequences and 76.3% at amino acid sequences. The homology of Lc-Exp1 with Fa-Exp2 or Pp-Exp1 was 92.7% or 92.1%, but that of Lc-Exp2 with Fa-Exp2 or Pp-Exp1 was only 77. 4% or 76.3% at amino acid sequences.

Pollination Ecology of Caesalpinia crista （Leguminosae： Caesalpinioideae）

The flowering phenology, pollination ecology and breeding system of Caesa/pinia crista L.were studied in Dinghushan Nature Reserve, Guangdong, China. The species started blooming in Februaryor March, then last till late April. It took about one week from first flower appearance to its full blooming,which lasted for 2-4 d. The pollen-ovule ratio was 18 000~500. The breeding system was self-incompatible,and protogynous xenogamy. Hymenoptera constituted the major group of pollinators. The pollination typeis ambophily, the species could be pollinated by wind if the pollinators were unavailable: this is the firstrecord of ambophily in the genus Caesalpinia. The floral structure adaptation to the pollinating behavior ofcarpenter bees was described. The influences of artificial treatments in pollination biological studies onthe flowering and fruiting of the plants were also discussed.

Pollen Morphology of Artemisia L. and Its Systematic Significance

The pollen of 57 species representing 7 sections ofArtemisia was examined by light microscope and scanning microscope for the purpose to elucidate the systematic relationships of the genus. The examination indicates that the pollen grains present high concordance which is characterized by the globular or the approximate shape, 3-lobed circular from polar view while granular or ellipse sphere from tropical plate with tricolporate structure. The exine of pollen has an obvious double structure of inner and outer layers (including the tectum and columnar layers) where the outer is thicker than the inner and the sculpture of exine degenerates into small spinules easily distinguishable from other genera of the Compositae. Based on exine sculpture. the pollen grains ofArtemisia can be divided into two types: Myriantha type and Mongolica type, which possesses 4 subtypes according to the distribution forms of spinule: (1) Sacrorum subtype, (2) Oligocarpa subtype, (3) Lavandulaefolia subtype, (4) Anomale subtype.

Distribution of the Classification Traits in the F_2 Progeny of Two Crosses of indica/japonica in Rice (Oryza sativa)

Comparison of seed setting rate, plant height and Cheng's morphological traits were made between the F_2 progeny of indica-japonica hybrids, 02428/Pei'ai 64 and Taichung 65/Teqing. There existed resemblance normal distribution in plant height, and the distribution had no relationship with the seed setting rate and plant height in F_1 progeny, suggesting that there were no gametic selection for the plant height in the F_2 progeny of indica-japoniea hybrids. An average seed setting rate of the F_2 was equal to the F_1 populations in the recombination of 02428/Pei'ai 64 in which there was an excellent cross compatibility, but the remarkable increase in the seed setting rate from the F_1 to F_2 in Taichung 65/Teqing, indicating that gametic selection only took place in the indica-japonica crosses with low cross compatibility while null or little in the hybrids with high compatibility. There were many intermediate types among the leaf pubescence, color of hull at heading, and length of the first and second panicle internode, and these Cheng's morphological traits was distributed normally; there were also a little intermediate types in hull hairness and phenol reaction with bi-peak distribution; while length to width ratio of grain was inclined to the japonica types obviously showing a skewed distribution in the F2 population. Although Cheng's morphological traits in F_2 populations had inconsistent distribution types, Cheng's morphological traits index showed normal distribution, which suggested that intermediate types, i.e. indicalinous or japonicalinous, were primary in F_2 population.

Study on activited oxygen and its protective enzyme system in rice anthers in relation to cytoplasmic male-sterility

Recently, the potential toxicity of two oxidants which are produced by all aerobic organisms has been emphasized. These are superoxide anion O2^- and HaO2, Although these oxidants are probably not reactive enough to be strikingly toxic in themselves, they are potential intermediates in the generation of hydroxyl radical(HO),

Antiviral activity of cepharanthine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in vitro

Severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) is the first severe viral epidemic we encountered his century,which once spread in more than thirty countriesin2003.1 The etiological agent of SARS has beenc onfirmed to be a novel coronavirus,namely SARS coronavirus(SARS-CoV),2,3 and the first outbreak of SARS has been successfully controlled world wide,but the identification of SARS-CoV isolated from wildanimals,the emergence of some sporadic SARS cases laterafter that outbreak,all suggest that the recurrence of such an epidemic is not unlikely in the future.In this case,development of SARS vaccines and specific drugs is undoubtedlyessential to the control and prevention from the possible outbreak.4,5

Variation analysis of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus putative non-structural protein 2 gene and construction of three-dimensional model

Background The rapid transmission and high mortality rate made severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) a global threat for which no efficacious therapy is available now. Without sufficient knowledge about the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), it is impossible to define the candidate for the anti-SARS targets. The putative non-structural protein 2 (nsp2) (3CL pro , following the nomenclature by Gao et al, also known as nsp5 in Snidjer et al) of SARS-CoV plays an important role in viral transcription and replication, and is an attractive target for anti-SARS drug development, so we carried on this study to have an insight into putative polymerase nsp2 of SARS-CoV Guangdong (GD) strain. Methods The SARS-CoV strain was isolated from a SARS patient in Guangdong, China, and cultured in Vero E6 cells. The nsp2 gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and cloned into eukaryotic expression vector pCI-neo (pCI-neo/nsp2). Then the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pCI-neo/nsp2 was transfected into COS-7 cells using lipofectin reagent to express the nsp2 protein. The expressive protein of SARS-CoV nsp2 was analyzed by 7% sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The nucleotide sequence and protein sequence of GD nsp2 were compared with that of other SARS-CoV strains by nucleotide-nucleotide basic local alignment search tool (BLASTN) and protein-protein basic local alignment search tool (BLASTP) to investigate its variance trend during the transmission. The secondary structure of GD strain and that of other strains were predicted by Garnier-Osguthorpe-Robson (GOR) Secondary Structure Prediction. Three-dimensional-PSSM Protein Fold Recognition (Threading) Server was employed to construct the three-dimensional model of the nsp2 protein.Results The putative polymerase nsp2 gene of GD strain was amplified by RT-PCR. The eukaryotic expression vector (pCI-neo/nsp2) was constructed and expressed the protein in COS-7 cells successfully. The result of sequencing and sequence comparison with other SARS-CoV strains showed that nsp2 gene was relatively conservative during the transmission and total five base sites mutated in about 100 strains investigated, three of which in the early and middle phases caused synonymous mutation, and another two base sites variation in the late phase resulted in the amino acid substitutions and secondary structure changes. The three-dimensional structure of the nsp2 protein was successfully constructed. Conclusions The results suggest that polymerase nsp2 is relatively stable during the phase of epidemic. The amino acid and secondary structure change may be important for viral infection. The fact that majority of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) are predicted to cause synonymous, as well as the result of low mutation rate of nsp2 gene in the epidemic variations, indicates that the nsp2 is conservative and could be a target for anti-SARS drugs. The three-dimensional structure result indicates that the nsp2 protein of GD strain is high homologous with 3CL pro of SARS-CoV urbani strain, 3CL pro of transmissible gastroenteritis virus and 3CL pro of human coronavirus 229E strain, which further suggests that nsp2 protein of GD strain possesses the activity of 3CL pro .