Andrastone A From the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Penicillium allii-sativi Acts as an Inducer of Caspase and RXRα-Dependent Apoptosis.

Two new (1, 2) and one known (3) meroterpenoids were isolated from the deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium allii-sativi. The relative structures of new compounds were determined on the basis of an extensive analysis of the NMR and MS data, and the absolute configurations were established by ECD calculations. Andrastone A (1) is a rare andrastin bearing an unusual cyclopentan-1,3-dione. It shows a selectively antiproliferative effect against HepG2 tumor cells with an IC50 value of 7.8 µM. Mechanism study showed that apoptosis via Caspase and RXRα pathways are responsible for the inhibitory effect.

Antioxidative or prooxidative effect of 4-hydroxyquinoline derivatives on free-radical-initiated hemolysis of erythrocytes is due to its distributive status.

7-Chloro-4-hydroxyquinoline (CQ) is an antitumor drug but its efficiency is not very satisfactory. This fact motivates us to study the relationship between the structure of 4-hydroxyquinoline with various substituent and its antioxidant effect against free-radical-initiated peroxidation: the hemolysis of human erythrocyte initiated thermally by water-soluble initiator, 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH), acts as an experimental system. 7-Fluoro-4-hydroxyquinoline (FQ) and CQ can be synthesized by decarboxylation of 7-fluoro-4-hydroxyquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (FQCA) and 7-chloro-4-hydroxyquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (CQCA), respectively, and FQCA and CQCA are prepared by hydrolysis of ethyl 7-fluoro-4-hydroxyquinoline-3-carboxylate (FQCE) and ethyl 7-chloro-4-hydroxyquinoline-3-carboxylate (CQCE), respectively. The inhibitory concentration of 50% inhibition (IC(50)) of AAPH-induced hemolysis of the erythrocyte has been studied and found that all these chemicals dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) can inhibit the free-radical-induced peroxidation. To clarify the relationship between the distributive status of the chemicals and their antioxidant effect, the chemical has been dissolved in the vesicle of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) by sonication and suspended in the reaction system. It is found that FQCE, CQCE, FQCA and CQCA act as prooxidants either used alone or used in combination with alpha-tocopherol (TOH), demonstrating that FQCE, CQCE, FQCA and CQCA play a prooxidative role when they are packaged in the DPPC vesicle. This can be understood that the electron-attracting group, i.e. -COOC(2)H(5), -COOH, at the ortho position to the hydroxy group of quinoline makes the phenoxy radical of quinoline derivatives active by attracting negative charge from the electron-deficient radical site. These unstable free radicals preserved in DPPC vesicle can initiate additional propagation of lipid peroxidation and cause hemolysis. However, FQ and CQ without electron-attracting group are antioxidants even in DPPC vesicle either used alone, or mixed with TOH. Moreover, the antioxidative activity of FQ is much better than CQ either used alone or in combination with TOH, indicating that FQ has the potential to replace CQ to be an antioxidant drug. Therefore, the antioxidant/prooxidant effect is not only correlated with the molecular structure but also the distributive status in the reaction system.

[Differences in seed kernel quality and related enzyme activities of different quality type peanut cultivars].

Taking high-protein peanut cultivar KB008, high-fat peanut cultivar Hual7 (H17), and high-oleic acid/linoleic acid (O/L) peanut cultivar Nongda818 as test materials, a field experiment was conducted in 2010 and 2011 to study the differences in the contents of protein, fat, and their components of the seed kernels, and the differences in the activities of the carbon and nitrogen metabolism enzymes related to the quality synthesis in the blades. As compared with that of H17 and Nongda818, the seed kernel of KB008 had significantly higher protein content but significantly lower soluble sugar content and O/L ratio, and the contents of the amino acid components, especially glutamic acid and lysine, in the seed kernel of KB008 were significantly higher. During the whole growth period, the activities of nitrate reductase (NR) , glutamine. synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) in the blades of the three cultivars were in the order of KB008>H17> Nongda818. At pod setting stage, the activities of PEPCase and RuBPCase in the blades of the three cultivars were ranked as KB008>H17> Nongda818. The higher PEPCase and RuBPCase activities of KB008 facilitated the protein synthesis and accumulation. The sucrose synthase (SS) activity in the blades was in the order of H17 > Nongda818 >KB008. The sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity of KB008' s blades was significantly lower than that of the other two cultivars, while the SPS activity of H17' s blades was still higher even in the 60 days after anthesis, suggesting that the higher activities of SS and SPS in the blades were in favor of the fat formation in peanut seed kernel.

[Effects of applying calcium on peanut physiological characteristics, its yield and kernel quality under cadmium stress].

Taking high-oil peanut cultivar Yuhua15 and high-protein peanut cultivar XB023 as test materials, a pot experiment was conducted in both 2009 and 2010 to study the effects of applying different concentration calcium (Ca) on the vegetative growth, leaf chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, and protective enzyme activities, as well as the yield and kernel quality of the cultivars under cadmium (Cd) stress. Applying Ca alleviated the inhibitory effects of Cd on the height growth of peanut main stem and the length growth of the branches, resulting in the increase of plant dry mass, and mitigated the Cd damage on peanut leaf, manifesting in the increase of leaf chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catlase (CAT) activities, and soluble protein content, and the decrease of leaf malondialdeyde (MDA) content. Under the application of Ca, both the pod yield and the kernel yield increased, mainly because of the increase of pod number per plant and of the kernel number per pod. Applying Ca also promoted the transformation of soluble sugar into fat and protein in peanut kernel, increased the kernel fat and protein contents, and improved the kernel quality under Cd stress. Ca application decreased the kernel Cd content of the cultivars, with better effect on Yuhua15 than on XB023.

[Soil microbial biomass and respiration rate under effects of different planting patterns of peanut].

A field experiment with randomized design was conducted to study the effects of six planting patterns of peanut, i.e., spring sowing and plastic film mulching, spring sowing and open cultivation, summer sowing and plastic film mulching, summer sowing and open cultivation, intercropped in wheat field, and control of intercropped in wheat field, on soil microbial biomass C, soil active microbial biomass, and soil respiration rate. The results showed that the growth stage and planting pattern of peanut had significant effects on soil microbial biomass and respiration rate. With the prolonged time after anthesis, soil microbial biomass C, active microbial biomass, and respiration rate increased gradually, peaked at pod-setting stage, and decreased then. Open cultivation enhanced soil microbial biomass C and respiration rate but reduced soil active microbial biomass, being unfavorable to soil nutrient transformation and nutrient availability, while plastic film mulching increased soil active microbial biomass, and consequently, promoted soil nutrient transformation and nutrient availability. Comparing with intercropped in wheat field and open cultivation, intercropped in wheat field and plastic film mulching increased soil microbial biomass C, active microbial biomass, and respiration rate, which immobilized more soil nutrients and was not conducive to peanut growth.

[Construction of nano-granule titanium film and study of its surface topography].

OBJECTIVE: To construct four different micro- and nano-phase titanium film models and investigate the characteristics of their surface micro-topography. METHODS: Four different titanium films were prepared on commercial titanium discs, by direct current magnetron sputtering, at ambient, 100, 250, 380 degrees C substrate temperature, respectively. Their surface topography and crystal sizes were investigated using atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The size of granule and surface roughness in different group was calculated and compared. RESULTS: All samples were covered by a thin film consisting of dense round or ovaloid granules. The granules and crystals was growing as the substrate temperature increasing. The Ti substrate had greater effect on the surface topography of film compared with Si substrate. This kind of complex topography caused the surface roughness of Ti substrate group decreased as the granules growing. CONCLUSION: In our study, four different micro- and nano-phase titanium film models were constructed for our coming investigation of their topographical influence on biological reaction of proteins and cells. Basic data on surface features was obtained for next in vitro and in vivo experiment.

[Effects of different application amount of N, P, K fertilizers on physiological characteristics, yield and kernel quality of peanut].

The field experiment was executed with peanut cv. Fenghua No. 1 from 2004 to 2005 in the experimental station of Shandong Agricultural University to study the effects of N, P, K fertilizers application amount on physiological characteristics, yield and kernel quality of peanut. The results showed that, compared with no fertilization, application N, P, K fertilizers increased the content of chlorophyll and soluble protein, enhanced photosynthetic rate and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catlase (CAT), and reduced malondialdeyde (MDA) accumulation amount in peanut leaves. The effects of applying N 300-450 kg x hm(-2), P5O2, 150-225 kg x hm(-2) and K2O 300-450 kg x hm(-2) treatments were the most significant. The improvement effect of N fertilizer on photosynthesis properties was mainly at early stage, and that of P was at middle-later stage, K was at whole stage. Applying N, P, K fertilizers increased the pod yield of peanut remarkably, and with the increasing of N application amount the pod yield enhanced, the pod yields were highest when P and K application were at middle amount rates (P5O2, 150 kg x hm(-2) K2O 300 kg x hm(-2)). The increasing effect on pod yield of K fertilizer was greater than that of N and P fertilizers. Applying a small amount of P and K fertilizers (P2O5 75 kg x hm(-2), K2O 150 kg x hm(-2)) could significantly increase the contents of fat and protein in peanut kernel, applying a small amount of N fertilizer (N 150 kg x hm(-2)) could significantly increase the content of protein in peanut kernel, but applying a large amount of N fertilizer (N 450 kg x hm(-2)) could significantly increase the content of fat in peanut kernel. Applying P fertilizer obviously increased fat and protein content, applying N fertilizer mainly enhanced protein content, and applying K fertilizer mainly raised the content of soluble sugar. In addition, the application of N, P and K fertilizers also increased the contents of lysine and methionine which were inadequate in the protein fractions of peanut kernel, enhanced the contents of oleic acid and linoleic acid, raised the ratio of oleic acid to linoleic acid, improved nutritional quality of peanut, and pronged the shelf life of peanut products.

[Effects of irrigation amount at seedling stage on physiological characteristics and yield of peanut].

Taking two peanut varieties with different drought-resistance Luhua 11 and Nongda 818 as test crops, the effects of different irrigation amount at seedling stage on their physiological characteristics and yield were studied from 2003 to 2004. The results showed that with decreasing irrigation amount, the leaf photosynthesis rate of test varieties decreased, while malondialdeyde (MDA) content increased. Watering 60-80 mm ( suitable drought) enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) , peroxidase (POD) and catlase (CAT) , and increased the content of soluble protein. After re-watering by the end of treatments, the activities of SOD, POD and CAT and the contents of soluble protein and MDA decreased significantly, while photosynthesis rate increased obviously. The pod and kernel yield decreased with decreasing irrigation amount, and Luhua 11 had a greater loss than Nongda 818, indicating that Nongda 818 was more drought-tolerant than Luhua 11. It was suggested that under water-saving culture, the irrigation amount at seedling stage could not be less than 80 mm for Luhua 11, and less than 60 mm for Nongda 818.