Coactivation of Hydrogen Peroxide Using Pyrogenic Carbon and Magnetite for Sustainable Oxidation of Organic Pollutants.

Pyrogenic carbon and magnetite (Fe3O4) were mixed together for the activation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), aiming to enhance the oxidation of refractory pollutants in a sustainable way. The experimental results indicated that the straw-derived carbon obtained by pyrolysis at 500-800 °C was efficient on coactivation of H2O2, and the most efficient one was that prepared at 700 °C (C700) featured with abundant defects. Specifically, the reaction rate constant (kobs) for removal of an antibiotic ciprofloxacin in the coactivation system (C700/Fe3O4/H2O2) is 12.5 times that in the magnetite-catalyzed system (Fe3O4/H2O2). The faster pollutant oxidation is attributed to the sustainable production of •OH in the coactivation process, in which the carbon facilitated decomposition of H2O2 and regeneration of Fe(II). Besides the enhanced H2O2 utilization in the coactivation process, the leaching of iron was controlled within the concentration limit in drinking water (0.3 mg·L-1) set by the World Health Organization.

N,S-codoped biochar outperformed N-doped biochar on co-activation of H2O2 with trace dissolved Fe(â ¢) for enhanced oxidation of organic pollutants.

Co-activation of H2O2 with biochar and iron sources together provides an attractive strategy for efficient removal of refractory pollutants, because it can solve the problems of slow Fe(Ⅱ) regeneration in Fenton/Fenton-like processes and of low •OH yield in biochar-activated process. In this study, a wood-derived biochar (WB) was modified by heteroatom doping for the objective of enhancing its reactivity toward co-activation of H2O2. The performance of the co-activated system using doped biochars and trace dissolved Fe(Ⅲ) on oxidation of organic pollutants was evaluated for the first time. The characterizations using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectra and electrochemical analyses indicate that heteroatom doping introduced more defects in biochar and improved its electron transfer capacity. The oxidation experiments show that heteroatom doping improved the performance of biochar in the co-activated process, in which the N,S-codoped biochar (NSB) outperformed the N-doped biochar (NB) on oxidation of pollutants. The reaction rate constant (kobs) for oxidation of sulfadiazine in NSB + Fe + H2O2 is 2.25 times that in NB + Fe + H2O2, and is 72.9 times that in the Fenton-like process without biochar, respectively. The mechanism investigations indicate that heteroatom doping enhanced biochar's reactivity on catalyzing the decomposition of H2O2 and on reduction of Fe(Ⅲ) due to the improved electron transfer/donation capacity. In comparison with N-doping, N,S-codoping provided additional electron donor (thiophenic C-S-C) for faster regeneration of Fe(Ⅱ) with less amount of doping reagent used. Furthermore, co-activation with NSB maintained to be efficient at a milder acidic pH than Fenton/Fenton-like processes, and can be used for oxidation of different pollutants and in real water. Therefore, this research provides a novel, sustainable and cost-efficient method for oxidation of refractory pollutants.

Influence of acid rain and root reinforcement coupling factors on disintegration characteristics of expansive soil.

The effect of soil fixation and anti-scour instability of slope vegetation generally depends on the strength and anti-disintegration ability of slope soil due to increase of root system. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to study the disintegration characteristics of expansive soil related to slope instability under acidic conditions (simulated acid rain). In this paper, the response surface method (RSM) was used with the pH value, root diameter, root length, root coefficient, and distribution as independent variables, and the disintegration amount of root-soil (DARS) after 60min as the response value. Then X-ray diffractometer (XRD) was used to analyze the mineral composition changes of the sample under this environment. Simultaneously, the plasticity index of expansive soil at different values of pH was studied to discuss the disintegration mechanism of root compound expansive soil in an acid environments. The results show that the root system improves the anti-disintegration characteristics of the root-soil, and the effects of various factors on the amount of disintegration were as follows: root length > pH value > root distribution > root amount > root diameter. The DARS with a length of 20mm increased by 26.67% and 41.56% compared to the 30mm and 40mm. Compared to the horizontal distribution and horizontal + slant distribution, the DARS with slant distribution was increases by 11.39% and 20.24% respectively. The DARS with 2 roots is increased by 9.92% and 16.75% compared to 4 and 6 roots respectively. The 1mm diameter DARS is 6.65% and 15.49% higher than the 2mm and 3mm, respectively. In addition, an acidic environments can lead to an increase in the amount of disintegration or rate of disintegration. The disintegration at pH = 4.2 was increased by 11.4% and 22.4% compared to pH = 5.6 and pH = 7, respectively. The acidity affects soil disintegration is due to the hydrophilic minerals in the expansive soil react with H+ ion in the acid solution to form soluble salts. Due to the dissociation and leaching of free quartz and metal oxides in the soil to varying degrees, the ability of expansive soil to accumulate is reduced. The intensity of erosion and leaching decreases with increasing pH. In addition, the pH value can affects the plasticity index of the soil, which increases with the increasing pH, thus affects the disintegration properties of the expansive soil.

Identification and Expression Profiles of Putative Soluble Chemoreception Proteins from Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) Antennal Transcriptome.

The cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), is a destructive stored product pest worldwide. Adult cigarette beetles are known to rely on host volatiles and pheromones to locate suitable habitats for oviposition and mating, respectively. However, little is known about the chemosensory mechanisms of these pests. Soluble chemoreception proteins are believed to initiate olfactory signal transduction in insects, which play important roles in host searching and mating behaviors. In this study, we sequenced the antennal transcriptome of L. serricorne and identified 14 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 5 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), and 2 Niemann-Pick C2 proteins (NPC2). Quantitative realtime PCR (qPCR) results revealed that several genes (LserOBP2, 3, 6, and 14) were predominantly expressed in females, which might be involved in specific functions in this gender. The five LserOBPs (LserOBP1, 4, 8, 10, and 12) that were highly expressed in the male antennae might encode proteins involved in specific functions in males. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the olfactory system in this stored product pest and will assist in the development of efficient and environmentally friendly strategies for controlling L. serricorne.

Influence of vetiver root on strength of expansive soil-experimental study.

Grassroots have received more attention than the traditional method as soil reinforcement materials, especially the use of vetiver and other vegetation protection methods to treat expansive soil slope, have been tried and applied. To study the influence of grassroots on the strength properties of expansive soil, the laws of vetiver root growth over time and its vertical distribution of root content(δ) were firstly investigated by the experiment of planting vetiver. Then different δ and depth of planted soil were obtained. Simultaneously different δ and water content(ω) of grafted soil were made. With the direct shear test, the shear strength parameters of root-soil with different δ were analyzed. The shear test on root-soil composites with different δ was carried out to compare the strength characteristics of planted and grafted soil. The results showed that the δ of vetiver decreased with the increase of depth, and the δ of each layer increased with the growth period. The δ of 180d was 70.5% higher than that of 90d. The cohesion(c) of root-soil can be increased by more than 97%, and internal friction angle(φ) can be increased by more than 15.4% after 180 days. The c of 90 d vetiver root system can be increased by more than 18%, and the φ can be increased by more than 1.5%. At each depth, the c and φ of composite soil increases with the increase of δ, and the increment of cohesion (Δc) and the increment of internal friction angle (Δφ) increase with the increment of δ. But the increase in the ω will weaken the shear strength parameters of root-soil. Under the condition of the planted root system and grafted root system, the influence degree of δ on strength parameter of root-soil is different, and the law of strength parameters versus δ of grafted soil of 365d is similar to that of planted soil of 90d. And the root reinforcement of grafted soil is weaker than planted soil. Hence the grafted soil can´t accurately reflect the root-soil interaction of the existing root system.

Simulation study of the pH sensitive directed self-assembly of rheins for sustained drug release hydrogel.

The hydrogel formed by the directed self-assembled rhein molecules at an appropriate pH value for sustained drug release has been reported recently. Although the application in drug therapy has been experimentally verified, the research on the mechanism of the self-assembly by rhein is still incomplete. In this study, we provide a new insight of the pH-induced self-assembly mechanism employing the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) as well as multiscale molecular simulations. It comes to the conclusion that protonated rheins incline to aggregate, so spherical, columnar, and membrane-shaped aggregated micelles can be observed with the mounting drug concentrations. However, the thermodynamic solubility of these structures is relatively weak, which ultimately causes the system to precipitate. While, driven by the better hydrophilicity and charge effect of the deprotonated rheins, the self-assembly conformation of deprotonated rheins grows through a sphere, wormlike, long wormlike manner, resulting in a host of discontinuous and highly dispersive morphologies. Those structures, having good thermodynamic solubility though, cannot provide the required mechanical properties, thus the rhein system can only exist in the aqueous solution state. Only when the value of pH is moderate (the corresponding degree of deprotonation is 36 %-60 %), could a continuous network self-assembled structure be obtained, leading to the formation of hydrogel to meet the clinical requirements.

The genetic polymorphisms of melanocortin-4 receptor gene are associated with carcass quality traits in a Chinese indigenous beef cattle breed.

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) was considered as an essential modifiers in feelings intake, the regulation of metabolism and body weight. This study aimed at identifying polymorphisms in MC4R gene that might associate with carcass quality traits in Chinese indigenous beef cattle breed. qPCR analysis showed that the MC4R gene was widely expressed in various tissues, with predominantly expression levels in heart. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, including a mutation (g.85A > G) in 5'untranslated regions (UTR) and two mutations (g.927C > T and g.1069C > G) in exon 1. Based on the χ2 test, both g.927C > T and g.1069C > G loci fitted with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P > .05). Population genetic analysis showed that except for g.85A > G, the other detected SNPs strongly affected the bovine back fat thickness and intramuscular fat content (P < .05). The individuals with Hap1/4 diplotypes (ACC-ATG) were highly significantly associated with carcass quality traits than the other diplotypes (P < .01 or P < .05). Results indicated that the bovine MC4R gene polymorphisms were implicated as genetic markers of potential importance in marker-assisted selection (MAS) strategies to improve carcass quality in Chinese Qinchuan cattle.

Association of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) gene polymorphisms with the intramuscular fat content in two Chinese beef cattle breeds.

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) was considered as an essential enzyme in glucolipid metabolism. It has been proposed to be a lead candidate gene for genetic markers of lipid deposition in livestock. The aim of this study was to identify sequence variants (SVs) of the bovine HSL gene and evaluate the relations to intramuscular fat in two indigenous Chinese beef cattle breeds. Expression analysis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) indicated that expression levels of bovine HSL gene were highest in the perirenal fat and heart within two different age stage (adult and calf), respectively. Five SVs were identified by direct DNA sequencing, which included four missense mutations (g.16563C>T, g.16734G>A, g.16896A>G, g.17388G>T) in exon 8 and a synonymous mutation (g.17402C>T) in exon 9. Population genetic analysis showed that except for g.16563C>T and g.17402C>T, all the other detected SVs strongly affected the bovine intramuscular fat content (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The individuals with Hap5/5 diplotypes (CC-GG-GG-GG-CC) was highly significantly associated with intramuscular fat content than the other diplotypes (P < 0.01). The above results suggested that the HSL gene can used as potential candidate markers gene for the beef breed improvement through marker assisted selection in Chinese cattle breeds.

Detection of polymorphisms in the bovine leptin receptor gene affects fat deposition in two Chinese beef cattle breeds.

Leptin receptor (LEPR) gene play a pivotal role in the regulation of fat deposition and energy homeostasis. This study investigated the presence and frequency of polymorphisms of bovine LEPR gene and determine whether the polymorphisms are associated with the fat deposition in two Chinese beef cattle breeds. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions identified that the expression of LEPR gene was highest in the liver and subcutaneous fat. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified including g.24169C > T, g.24256T > A, g.24267 G > C and g.24413T > A. A greater backfat thickness was associated with the AA genotype of g.24256T > A compared to the TT genotype. A greater intramuscular fat content was associated with the GG genotype of g.24267 G > C compared to the CC genotype. Both g.24169C > T and g.24413T > A were not correlated with fat deposition. These results indicated that the SNP g.24256T > A and g.24267 G > C of LEPR gene may be useful markers for genetic improvement of fat deposition in Chinese beef cattle breeds.

Root-Bacteria Associations Boost Rhizosheath Formation in Moderately Dry Soil through Ethylene Responses.

The rhizosheath is a layer of soil around the root that provides a favorable environment for soil microbe enrichment and root growth. Rice (Oryza sativa) roots form rhizosheaths under moderate soil drying (MSD) conditions, but how the rhizosheath forms associations with microbes is unclear. To investigate rice rhizosheath formation under MSD, we employed a multiphasic approach, integrating data from high-throughput sequencing and root-bacteria interactions. Rice roots formed a pronounced rhizosheath under MSD, but not under continuous flooding regimens. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae were enriched in rhizosheaths of two different rice varieties, 'Gaoshan 1' (drought tolerant) and 'Nipponbare' (drought sensitive). RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that the ethylene pathway was induced in the rhizosheath-root system under MSD. Enterobacter aerogenes, a bacterium isolated from the rhizosheath, degrades the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, thereby increasing rhizosheath formation. Furthermore, a 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase-deficient mutant of E. aerogenes failed to enhance rice rhizosheath formation. Our results suggest that root-bacteria associations substantially contribute to rhizosheath formation in rice under MSD conditions by mechanisms that involve the ethylene response. These data inform strategies to reduce water consumption in rice production, one of the most water-intensive human activities.

Moderate water stress in rice induces rhizosheath formation associated with abscisic acid and auxin responses.

The rhizosheath is known to be beneficial for drought resistance in many plants, but the regulation of rhizosheath formation in rice plants is unclear. Here, we investigate rhizosheath formation in different rice varieties and root hair mutants. Our results showed that moderate water stress in rice induced rhizosheath formation. The soil porosity and water content were higher in the rice rhizosheath than in the rice bulk soil under moderate water stress. Additionally, rhizosheath formation in short root hair mutants was lower than in wild-type rice under moderate water stress. Moreover, transcriptomic results indicated that abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin were involved in root and root hair responses in rhizosheath formation. Further, blocking ABA and auxin pathways in wild type and in rhl1-1, the shortest root hair mutant, rhizosheath formation and root hair length were significantly decreased under moderate water stress. However, wild type plants maintained a higher root ABA content, root basipetal auxin transport, root hair length, and amount of rhizosheath than did rhl1-1. Our results suggest that moderate water stress in rice induces rhizosheath formation by modulating the ABA and auxin responses to regulate root and root hair growth, which may be used to breed rice varieties resistant to drought.

Combining Irrigation Scheme and Phosphorous Application Levels for Grain Yield and Their Impacts on Rhizosphere Microbial Communities of Two Rice Varieties in a Field Trial.

Root and rhizosphere is important for phosphorus (P) uptake in rice plants. However, little is known about the detailed regulation of irrigation regimes, especially frequently alternate wetting and drying (FAWD), on P usage of rice plants. Here, we found that compared with normal water and P dose, FAWD with a reduced P dose maintained the grain yield in two rice varieties. Compared to rice variety Gaoshan1, rice variety WufengyouT025 displayed a higher grain yield, shoot P content, rhizosphere acid phosphatase activity, abundance of bacteria, and bacterial acid phosphatase gene of rhizosphere. Moreover, the FAWD regime may increase the abundance of bacteria with acid phosphatase activity to release available phosphorus in the rhizosphere, which is associated with rice varieties. Our results suggest that an optimized management of irrigation and phosphorous application can enhance both water and phosphorus use efficiency without sacrificing the yield, which may contribute significantly to sustainable agriculture production.

Host Plant Salinity Stress Affects the Development and Population Parameters of Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

Salinization is one of the most critical abiotic stress factors for crops and a rising setback in agro-ecosystems. Changes in weather, land usage, and the salinization of irrigation water are increasing soil salinity of many farmlands. Increased soil salinity alters the plant quality, which subsequently may trigger bottom-up effects on herbivorous insect. We examined the bottom-up effect of salinity stress on population parameters of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens through rice (Oryza sativa L.) plant. The results revealed that salinity interfered with egg hatching of BPH. The nymphal development period, adult longevity, and oviposition were also influenced by salinity. Notable differences appeared in the intrinsic growth rate (r), the finite increase rate (λ) and the net reproduction rate (R0) of BPH, and a concentration-dependent effect was detected. Although salinity adversely affected BPH development, population projection predicted a successful growth of the BPH population in a relatively short time under the treatment of low and medium levels of salinity (6, 8, and 10 dS/m of NaCl), whereas higher salt concentrations (12 and 14 dS/m) lead to significant fitness costs in BPH populations. Our study predicts that BPH could become a problem in areas with lower and medium salinity and that those planthoppers may exacerbate the negative effects of salinity for rice production. This study will provide valuable information for understanding the field abundance and distribution of BPH on saline rice field, thus contributing to the development of eco-friendly strategies to manage this pest in saline ecosystems.

[Effects of nitrogen addition on the structure of rhizosphere microbial community in Pinus tabuliformis plantations on Loess Plateau, China]. / æ°®æ·»åŠ å¯¹é»„åœŸä¸˜é™µåŒºæ²¹æ¾äººå·¥æž—æ ¹é™ åœŸå£¤å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç¾¤è½ç»“æž„çš„å½±å“.

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition in China displays a pronounced southeast-northwest gradient, with a range of ～35 kg·hm-2·a-1 in southern and central China and ～7.55 kg·hm-2·a-1 in the northwest. With the Grain for Green project, the environment of Loess Plateau has been greatly improved in the past decades. Little is known about how nitrogen deposition impacts the soil microbial communities in plantations in this region. In order to investigate the responses of diversity and structure of soil microbial community in Pinus tabuliformis plantations to nitrogen addition on Loess Plateau, China, we used high-throughput sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA genes of bacteria and ITS genes of fungi to investigate the effects of nitrogen addition (200 kg N·hm-2·a-1) on the bacterial and fungal community over a 40-year chronosequence of coniferous P. tabuliformis plantation forests. After nitrogen addition, the Shannon diversity of both bacteria and fungi significantly increased in the 25-year-old stand, while the abundance-based coverage estimator of bacteria increased significantly in the 40-year-old stand. Nitrogen addition enhanced the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in the 40-year-old stand and that of Acidobacteria/Zygomycota in the 25-year-old stand. In contrast, the relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota was reduced by nitrogen addition in the 40-year old stand. The effects of nitrogen addition were stronger on bacterial than on fungal community structure as indicated by the results from non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis. Moreover, the effects of nitrogen addition were stronger in the 25-year-old stand than in the 40-year-old stand. These results indicated that the effects of nitrogen addition on microbial community structure diminished over time in temperate forests on Loess Plateau, China. The stronger effects of nitrogen addition was found on the community structure of bacteria than that of fungi, and on the microbial community structure in the 25-year-old stand than in the 40-year-old stand. Our findings suggested that forest ecosystem at a certain stage (～40-year old) would be less sensitive to disturbance such as nitrogen addition than young forests.

Identification and expression analysis of putative chemoreception genes from Cyrtorhinus lividipennis (Hemiptera: Miridae) antennal transcriptome.

Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important egg predator of planthoppers which are destructive rice pests. The chemosensory genes in the mirid antennae play important roles in mating and prey-seeking behaviors. To gain a better understanding of the olfaction of C. lividipennis, we sequenced the antennal transcriptomes of the predator to identify the key olfaction genes. We identified 18 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), 12 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 1 Niemann-Pick C2 protein (NPC2), 15 odorant receptors (ORs), 6 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 3 gustatory receptors (GRs) and 3 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that the relative transcript levels of three ClivORs (ClivOR6, 7 and 14) in the female antennae were 3 to 6 folds higher than that in the male antennae, indicating these genes were more related to oviposition site selection. The relative transcript levels of ClivCSP8 and ClivOR11 were 2.6 and 2.7 times higher in the male antennae than that of the female, respectively, indicating that these genes might be involved in mate searching. Moreover, the responses of dsorco treated predators to volatiles emitted from infested rice were significantly reduced, indicating these volatiles might serve as crucial cues in the host searching of C. lividipennis.

Knockdown of timeless Disrupts the Circadian Behavioral Rhythms in Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

Most living organisms developed the innate clock system to anticipate daily environmental changes and to enhance their chances of survival. timeless (tim) is a canonical clock gene. It has been extensively studied in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) as a key component of the endogenous circadian clock, but its role is largely unknown in some agriculture pests. Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), an important rice pest, exhibits a robust locomotor rhythm. In the present study, we cloned tim gene (ls-tim) from L. striatellus and investigated its function in the regulation of behavioral rhythms. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed a circadian expression pattern of ls-tim under different light conditions with a trough in the photophase and a peak in the late scotophase. After the knockdown of ls-tim via RNA interference (RNAi), the adults showed an earlier onset of locomotor activity under light/dark cycles and became arrhythmic in constant darkness. ls-tim RNAi also abolished the timing of adult emergence that normally occurs in the early photophase. These results suggest that ls-tim is essential for the light-entrained circadian rhythms in L. striatellus and provide more insights into the endogenous clock network underlying the behavioral and physiological rhythms of this insect.

Cryptochrome Regulates Circadian Locomotor Rhythms in the Small Brown Planthopper Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén).

Most living organisms have developed internal circadian clocks to anticipate the daily environmental changes. The circadian clocks are composed of several transcriptional-translational feedback loops, in which cryptochromes (CRYs) serve as critical elements. In insects, some CRYs act as photopigments to control circadian photoentrainment, while the others act as transcriptional regulators. We cloned and characterized two cryptochrome genes, the Drosophila-like (lscry1) and vertebrate-like (lscry2) genes, in a rice pest Laodelphax striatellus. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that lscry1 and lscry2 expressed ubiquitously from nymph to adult stages as well as in different tissues. The transcript levels of lscry2 fluctuated in a circadian manner. Constant light led to arrhythmic locomotor activities in L. striatellus. It also inhibited the mRNA oscillation of lscry2 and promoted the transcription of lscry1. Knockdown of lscry1 or lscry2 by RNA interference (RNAi) reduced the rhythmicity of L. striatellus in constant darkness, but not in light dark cycles. These results suggested that lscry1 and lscry2 were putative circadian clock genes of L. striatellus, involved in the regulation of locomotor rhythms.

Non-Genomic Action of Androgens is Mediated by Rapid Phosphorylation and Regulation of Androgen Receptor Trafficking.

BACKGROUND: Testosterone is critical for maintaining spermatogenesis and male fertility. The accomplishment of these processes requires the synergistic actions of the classical and non-classical signaling pathways of androgens. METHODS: A murine testicular Sertoli cell line, TM4 cell was used to examine androgen actions in Sertoli cells. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay were employed to study the testosterone-induced Androgen receptor (AR) translocation. Protein phosphorylation antibody array was applied to identify the phosphorylation sites under testosterone treatment, and these findings were verified by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: We found that a physiological dose of testosterone induced fast membrane association of AR. By using a phosphorylation antibody array, several phosphorylation sites, such as MEK1/2 (Ser217/221), Akt (Ser473), and Erk1/2 (Thr202/Tyr204) were rapidly phosphorylated within 5 min of testosterone treatment. Inhibition of the MEK and Akt signaling pathways prevented AR trafficking. Blocking of AR by flutamide eliminated the stimulation effect of testosterone on kinase phosphorylation. Testosterone induced kinase Src phosphorylation, and inhibition of Src restricted AR translocation to the membrane and the nucleus. CONCLUSION: Findings suggested that the membrane association of AR was mediated by the MEK and Akt phosphorylation signaling pathways, which resulted in Src activation and was initiated by testosterone binding to the membrane-localized AR. This study provides new insights into the testosterone signaling pathway in Sertoli cells, which mediate spermatogenesis. In addition, the study can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility caused by disorders in spermatogenesis.

Identification of Candidate Odorant-Binding Protein and Chemosensory Protein Genes in Cyrtorhinus lividipennis (Hemiptera: Miridae), a Key Predator of the Rice Planthoppers in Asia.

Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important predatory natural enemy of planthopper and leafhopper eggs in Asian rice paddy fields. Cyrtorhinus lividipennis is known to rely largely on herbivore-induced plant volatiles to identify eggs embedded in rice stem tissues for feeding and on pheromones for mating. However, exactly how C. lividipennis decode these chemical information is unclear. In most insects, the odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and the chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are essential for seeking out food resources and mates. In this study, we identified 10 OBP and 5 CSP genes in C. lividipennis and investigated their expression patterns in various tissues of adult males and females by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Six OBP genes (ClivOBP1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 10) were mainly expressed in the male antennae, whereas three genes (ClivOBP3, ClivOBP7, and ClivOBP8) had high expression in the female antennae. ClivCSP1 was predominantly expressed in the male antennae. These findings suggest that most ClivOBPs and ClivCSPs are likely involved in food-searching behavior. The recognition of the pheromone molecules provides the basis for further functional studies on the chemoreception system of C. lividipennis.

[Expression characteristics of the Daxx gene in the mouse testis during spermatogenesis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression characteristic of the Daxx gene in the mouse testis and its role in spermatogenesis. METHODS: Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence were used in examining the expression characteristics of DAXX in the testis tissue from wild-type, Sertoli cell-specific androgen receptor knockout (SCARKO) and androgen receptor knockout (ARKO) mice at different postnatal weeks . RESULTS: The Daxx gene was highly expressed in the testis tissue and mainly in the nuclei of the wild-type mice at 4 postnatal weeks. Compared with the wild-type, the ARKO mice showed a markedly decreased expression of DAXX (0.299±0.026), which displayed a polar distribution in the spermatogenic cells (0.853±0.058) and exhibited no significant difference in the SCARKO mice (1.000±0.015). CONCLUSIONS: The Daxx gene expression is the highest in the middle-stage development of the mouse testis, significantly decreased in ARKO mice as compared with the wild-type, and its location influenced by specific AR knockout in Sertoli cells. DAXX may be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis in mice.