Stable expression of foot-and-mouth disease virus protein VP1 fused with cholera toxin B subunit in the potato (Solanum tuberosum).

The expression vector, pBI121CTBVP1, containing the fusion of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) VP1 gene and the cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) gene was constructed by fused PCR and transferred into potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transformed plants were obtained by selecting on kanamycin-resistant medium strictly and regenerated. The transgenic plantlets were identified by PCR, Southern-blot and the production of fused protein was confirmed and quantified by Western-blot and ELISA assays. The results showed that the fused genes were expressed stablely under the control of specific-tuber patatin promoter. The expressed fused proteins have a certain degree of immunogenicity.

[Clinical effect of the concentrated suture fixation method on skin transplantation in the jaw and neck region].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of the concentrated suture fixation method on skin transplantation on deep burn wound or wound of cicatricial deformity after burn in the jaw and neck region. METHODS: One hundred and fourteen patients, hospitalized from April 2002 to December 2011, with deep burn or cicatricial deformity after burn in the jaw and neck region, were divided into packaging group and concentrated suture group according to the random number table. Each group had 57 patients including 48 cases with deep burn and 9 cases with cicatricial deformity. Traditional suture-package fixation method and concentrated suture fixation method were respectively used in packaging group and concentrated suture group to fix the autologous medium split-thickness skin in transplantation on wounds or scars. On post operation day (POD) 14, the skin microcirculatory perfusion flow of skin graft was measured, and the occurrence of ecchymoma, infection, and necrosis of skin in operative region were observed. The elasticity and contracture of grafted skin and scar hyperplasia on wound edge were observed 6 months after operation. Measurement data were processed with u test, while enumeration data with Fisher's exact test or Chi-square test. RESULTS: (1) On POD 14, the skin microcirculatory perfusion flow in concentrated suture group [(2.86 +/- 0.8) V] was significantly higher than that in packaging group [(2.33 +/- 0.15) V, u = 17.776, P < 0.05]. (2) Ecchymoma occurred in 4 patients of packaging group and 3 patients of concentrated suture group, but the difference between two groups was not statistically significant (chi 2 = 0.152, P > 0.05). (3) Infection in operative region was observed in 1 patient of packaging group, while no patient in concentrated suture group showed this symptom. The difference between two groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). (4) Grafted skin in 6 patients of packaging group showed foliated necrosis, which was not observed on those of patients in concentrated suture group. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). (5) Centipede leg-like scar hyperplasia on wound edge occurred in 21 patients in packaging group and 6 patients in concentrated suture group, and the difference between two groups was statistically significant (chi 2 = 10.920, P < 0.05). (6) Poor elasticity of grafted skin was detected in 17 patients of packaging group and 4 patients of concentrated suture group, and the difference between two groups was statistically significant (chi 2 = 9.865, P < 0.05). (7) Obvious contracture of grafted skin was observed in 15 patients of packaging group and 4 patients of concentrated suture group, and the difference between two groups was statistically significant (chi 2 = 11.684, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Concentrated suture fixation method is suitable for application in transplantation of big sheet skin on wound in the jaw and neck region. It has high survival rate and is convenient for postoperative observation.

The dynamic changing of Ca2+ cellular localization in maize leaflets under drought stress.

Maize cultivar zhengdan958 was selected as materials. The sub-cellular distribution of soluble calcium at different phases was shown by the potassium-pyroantinonate-precipitation method and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the deposits of calcium antimonate as the indicator for Ca(2+) localization were mainly concentrated within the vacuoles and intercellular spaces without PEG treatment. Firstly, when the leaf was treated with PEG, the Ca(2+) level increased remarkably in the cytoplasm, but considerably decreased in vacuoles and intercellular gaps. Meanwhile, the level of Ca(2+) also increased in chloroplast and nucleus. When the treatment continued, the level of Ca(2+) in chloroplasts and nucleus continued to increase and some cells and chloroplasts finally disintegrated, showing that there is a relationship between the distribution of Ca(2+) and the super-microstructure of cells. Ca(2+) plays a role in the plant drought resistance. The changes of cytosolic Ca(2+) localization in cells treated by ABA, EGTA, Verapamil and TFP were investigated too. The increase of cytosolic calcium induced by ABA was mainly caused by calcium influx. Calmodulin participated in ABA signal transduction, which was indicated by the variation of cytosolic Ca(2+)/CaM concentration change induced by ABA. The above results provided a direct evidence for calcium ion as an important signal at the experimental cellular level.