A cDNA, named Dd-ace-2, encoding an acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC3.1.1.7), was isolated from sweet-potato-stem nematode, Ditylenchus destructor. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences among different nematode species were compared and analyzed with DNAMAN5.0, MEGA3.0 softwares. The results showed that the complete nucleotide sequence of Dd-ace-2 gene of Ditylenchus destructor contains 2425 base pairs from which deduced 734 amino acids (GenBank accession No. EF583058). The homology rates of amino acid sequences of Dd-ace-2 gene between Ditylenchus destructor and Meloidogyne incognita, Caenorhabditis elegans, Dictyocaulus viviparous were 48.0%, 42.7%, 42.1% respectively. The mature acetylcholinesterase sequences of Ditylenchus destructor may encode by the first 701 residues of deduced 734 amino acids.The conserved motifs involved in the catalytic triad, the choline binding site and 10 aromatic residues lining the catalytic gorge were present in the Dd-ace-2 deduced protein. Phylogenetic analysis based on AChEs of other nematodes and species showed that the deduced AChE formed the same cluster with ACE-2s.
Acetylcholinesterase ; genetics ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Genes, Helminth ; genetics ; Ipomoea batatas ; parasitology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nematoda ; enzymology ; genetics ; Plant Stems ; parasitology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, Protein

Endophytic fungi strains (n = 81) were isolated from the leaves, barks, and fruits of Camellia oleifera from Hunan province (China) to delineate their species composition and potential as biological control agents of C. oleifera anthracnose. The fungi were identified by morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Fungal colonization rates of the leaves, barks, and fruits were 58.02, 27.16, and 14.81%, respectively. The isolates were identified as 14 genera, belonging to two subdivisions, Deuteromycotina and Ascomycotina; 87.65% of all isolates belonged to Deuteromycotina. The dominant species, occurring with a high relative frequency, were Pestalotiopsis sp. (14.81%), Penicillium sp. (14.81%), and Fusarium sp. (12.35%). The Simpson’s and Shannon’s diversity indices revealed the highest species diversity in the leaves, followed by the barks and fruits. The similarity index for the leaves versus barks comparison was the highest, indicating that the number of endophytic fungal species shared by the leaves and barks was higher than barks and fruits or leaves and fruits. Based on the results of dual culture experiments, only five strains exhibited antifungal activity against C. oleifera anthracnose pathogen, with isolate ty-64 (Oidium sp.) generating the broadest inhibition zones. Our results indicate that the endophytes associated with C. oleifera could be employed as natural agents controlling C. oleifera anthracnose.
Biological Control Agents ; Camellia* ; Colon ; Endophytes ; Fruit ; Fungi* ; Fusarium ; Penicillium

Rat models of liver fibrosis were made by carbon tetrachloride, and the serum levels of AST, ALT, γ-GT, MDA, GSH-px, SOD were detected, serum markers of PCⅢ, IV-C, LN, HA were detected by ELISA method. HE and Masson staining were conducted in hepatic tissues to observe pathological variations. Collagen Ⅲ, TGF-β, α-SMA, E-cadherin were detected by Western blot. The curative effect of the extract of Ornithogalum caudatum on rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl4was observed and the mechanism was discussed. The experiment results showed that the extract of O. caudatum (50, 150, 500 mg•kg⁻¹) obviously decreased the serum levels of AST, ALT, γ-GT, MDA, increased the serum levels of GSH-px, SOD, decreased the expression of serum markers of PCⅢ, IV-C, LN, HA, and improved the liver pathological variations of fibrotic rats. The experiment proved that the extract of O. caudatum could treat the liver fibrogenesis induced by CCl4 in rats. The positive medicine may inhibit accumulation of extracellular and activate hepatic stellate cell and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.