[The differential expression of the genes of the key enzymes involved in phenolic compound metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under different nitrogen supply].

Differential expression of the key genes controlling phenolic metabolism in allelopathic and non-allelopathic rice accessions was investigated under two nitrogen supply levels (lower and normal) using fluorescence quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) (Figs.2, 3). The results indicated that 9 key enzyme genes concerned were mediated by lower nitrogen level (Table 2). All of the nine genes (Table 1, Fig.4), were up-regulated by 1.9-5.4 times of the relative gene expression amounts in allelopathic rice accession, 'PI312777' under the lower nitrogen condition compared with their controls, of which PAL gene showed the highest relative gene expression amount with 5.4 times of the relative gene expressions compared with the control, while in non-allelopathic rice Lemont, seven genes were down-regulated by 29%-72% under lower nitrogen supplies compared with their controls and only two genes, i.e., phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and cinnamoyl-CoA genes were up-regulated, which however were a decrease of 22% and 74% over those in allelopathic rice accession (Table 2). These findings strongly suggest that the increase of allelopathic potential induced by 1/4 nutrient stress was responsible for enhanced phenolic compound synthesis metabolism.

Species Distribution and In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibility of Vulvovaginal Candida Isolates in China.

BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) was a common infection associated with lifelong harassment of woman's social and sexual life. The purpose of this study was to describe the species distribution and in vitroCandidaCandida spp.) isolated from patients with VVC over 8 years. METHODS: Species which isolated from patients with VVC in Peking University First Hospital were identified using chromogenic culture media. Susceptibility to common antifungal agents was determined using agar diffusion method based on CLSI M44-A2 document. SPSS software (version 14.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for statistical analysis, involving statistical description and Chi-square test. RESULTS: The most common strains were Candida (C.) albicans, 80.5% (n = 1775) followed by C. glabrata, 18.1% (n = 400). Nystatin exhibited excellent activity against all species (<4% resistant [R]). Resistance to azole drugs varied among different species. C. albicans: clotrimazole (3.1% R) < fluconazole (16.6% R) < itraconazole (51.5% R) < miconazole (54.0% R); C. glabrata: miconazole (25.6% R) < clotrimazole (50.5% R) < itraconazole (61.9% R) < fluconazole (73.3% R); Candida krusei: clotrimazole (0 R) < fluconazole (57.7% R) < miconazole (73.1% R) < itraconazole (83.3% R). The susceptibility of fluconazole was noticeably decreasing among all species in the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Nystatin was the optimal choice for the treatment of VVC at present. The species distribution and in vitroCandida spp. isolated from patients with VVC had changed over time.

[Diversity of bacterial community in rhizosphere soils under effects of continuously planting burley tobacco].

By using T-RFLP approach, this paper studied the dynamic changes of bacterial community in the rhizosphere soils under continuously planting burley tobacco for 1, 2 and 4 years. With the increasing of continuous planting years, the Shannon index and Margalef index of bacterial community in the rhizosphere soils decreased after an initial increase. After 4-year continuous planting, the diversity of the bacterial community decreased significantly, and the community structure became simple. The similarity coefficient of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere soils of continuously planting burley tobacco for 1 and 2 years and of the control was decreased with increasing year of continuous planting. Actinobacteria were predominant in the soils under 1 and 2 years continuous planting and in the control, but decreased in the soil continuously planted with burley tobacco for 4 years, in which, Bacilli of Firmicute was the dominant. It was suggested that continuously planting burley tobacco could result in the decrease of beneficial microbes such as Sphingomonas and Streptomyces while increase the species of pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus cereus in rhizosphere soil, which in return, could lead to the imbalance of bacterial community and deteriorate the micro-ecological conditions in rhizosphere soil.

[Regulation effect of exogenous salicylic acid on weed suppression and molecular physiological characteristics of allelopathic rice].

To investigate the feasibility of using exogenous salicylic acid (SA) to regulate the allelopathic weed suppression of rice, this paper studied the effects of different concentrations exogenous SA on the weed-suppression and physiological-biochemical characteristics of allelopathic rice PI312777, and the relative expression quantity of gene ZB8 in the rice by real time quantitative RT-PCR (FQ-PCR). The results showed that exogenous SA induced the enhancement of the allelopathic potential of donor rice in suppressing target weed plants, and this inducing effect was SA dose and treatment time dependent. After foliar spraying SA, the inhibitory effect of PI312777 on barnyardgrass increased significantly, and the root vigor and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities of PI312777 increased, while its catalase (CAT) activity decreased. The reverse was true for the target weed barnyardgrass. At the same time, the phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) activity of PI312777 increased significantly, leading to an increase of the total content of phenols. Among the test concentrations of SA, 0.2 mmol x L(-1) had the best inducing effect, under which, the relative expression quantity of ZB8 increased first and decreased then, with a peak at 24 hours after treatment.