OBJECTIVETo identified the resistance of Coix to Ustilago coicis and screen the high disease-resistance Coix germplasm.

METHODField and laboratory biochemical methods were used for the resistance identification. Ninteen germplasms collected from 7 provinces in southern of China such as Yunnan, Zhejiang, Fujian etc. were inoculated with chlamydospore of U. coicis, respectively. The incidence of a disease in field was investigated and the level of resistance was evaluated. The PAL activity dynamic changes in different level resistant germplasms were further determined.

RESULTThe result of field test showed 1 germplasm was immune, 1 germplasm was high resistance which incidence rate was under 20%, 6 germplasms were moderate resistance with the average incidence rates ranged within 20% - 40%, 11 of 19 germplasms that average incidence rates above 40% were identified as sensitive resistance. The value of PLA activity peak of resistant germplasm in seedling was significant higher and appeared earlier than that of the sensitive ones after inoculating.

CONCLUSIONMost collected C. lacryma-jobi germplasms are sensitive to smut in our investigation; the PAL activity may play important role in Coix germplasm for resistance to smut and the biochemical method may be as an aiding method to resistance identification of Coix germplasm.

China ; Coix ; immunology ; microbiology ; Immunity, Innate ; Plant Diseases ; immunology ; microbiology ; Ustilago ; physiology

The 21-24 nucleotides small RNA that generated from double strands RNA can trigger two types of epigenetic gene silencing in plants. One is Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS), characterized by cleavage of homologous mRNA in cytoplasm. Transcriptional Gene Silencing (TGS) is another one, in which transcription inhibition is obtained through small RNA-directed DNA methylation of homologous promoter region. Here we summarized the relationship and differences between PTGS and TGS, the current achievement in the study of RNA silencing spreading, as well as the discrepancy of exogenous and endogenous gene silencing, and discussed the underlying reasons in the end.
DNA Methylation ; genetics ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; physiology ; Genome, Plant ; genetics ; Plant Immunity ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Plant ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic ; genetics

Rheumatoid arthritis( RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic and aggressive polyarthritis. The innate immunity mechanism plays a key role in the pathogenesis of RA. Tripterygium wilfordii and its extracts have regulatory effects on innate immune cells including macrophages,dendritic cells,neutrophils,mast cells,NK cells,NKT cells,etc.,as well as a variety of innate immune molecules including cytokines,adhesion molecules,patterns recognition receptor( PRR) and the complement molecules,showing a regulatory effect in the pathogenesis of RA innate immunity. In this paper,the recent domestic and foreign researches on the pathogenesis of RA with innate immunity involved were reviewed and the research status of T. wilfordii and its extracts on the regulation of innate immunity involved in RA was summarized.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

Studies have shown that transgenic plants expressing antiapoptotic genes from baculovirus and animals increase resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. However, the mechanism under these resistances is conjectural, or in some cases even controversy. In the present study, the p35 gene from baculovirus Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) was expressed in tobacco, and for the first time P35 protein was detected in transgenic plants by Western blotting. Inoculation of T1 transgenic tobacco leaves with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) showed enhanced resistance, and DNA laddering was observed after TMV infection in control but not in transgenic plants. DAB staining showed that TMV infection did not affect peroxide induction of transgenic plants, Western blotting analysis of PR1 protein also showed no difference of control and transgenic plants. Inoculation of fungus (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) using a detached leaf assay showed enhanced resistance of transgenic leave tissue. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that p35 gene expression induced earlier expression of PR1 gene after S. sclerotiorum infection. Taken together, our results suggest that the mechanism under enhanced disease resistance by P35 protein is possibly related to the activation of PR-related proteins in addition to the inhibition of programmed cell death, depending on the pathogens challenged.
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Immunity, Innate ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; immunology ; virology ; Tobacco ; genetics ; immunology ; virology ; Tobacco Mosaic Virus ; Transformation, Genetic ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

A wheat stripe rust resistance gene was screened out from Aegilops tauschii which is relative genera of wheat species, broadening the genetic basis of the anti-disease character of wheat species. By hybridizing diversed Ae. Tauschii species, which is either resistant or susceptible to wheat stripe rust, a dominant wheat stripe rust resistance gene was detected from Ae. Tauschii (Coss.) Schmal Y206. The novel gene was temporarily designated as YrY206. By bulk segregation analysis, four microsatellite markers Wmc11a, Xgwm71c, Xgwm161 and Xgwm183 were found to be linked to YrY206 with genetic distances of 4.0, 3.3, 1.5 and 9.3 cM, respectively. According to the locations of the linked markers, the resistance gene was located on chromosome 3DS. Based on the chromosomal location and the resistance pattern of the gene, YrY206 should be a novel stripe rust resistance gene.
Basidiomycota ; pathogenicity ; Chromosome Mapping ; Immunity, Innate ; genetics ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; microbiology ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Poaceae ; genetics ; microbiology ; Triticum ; genetics ; microbiology

With the development of structural and functional genomics, nowadays specific plant genome and transcriptome sequences can be cloned much easier and faster. Next step is to identify the functions of different genes and regulating elements to unravel the genetic mechanisms behind plant growth and development. Expression and its regulation are the language and dynamic property of genetic material, so expression and regulation analysis of target genes and sequences in plant cell is the basis for function study. Besides stable genetic transformation, plant transient expression system gains broad application in recent years, and its combination with other new technologies as gene shuffling, VIGS and RNAi plays a more and more important role in plant functional genomics.
Gene Expression Profiling ; Genome, Plant ; genetics ; Genomics ; methods ; trends ; Immunity, Innate ; genetics ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; Plants ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; RNA Interference

High-throughput transcriptomics technologies have been widely used to study plant transcriptional reprogramming during the process of plant defense responses, and a large quantity of gene expression data have been accumulated in public repositories. However, utilization of these data is often hampered by the lack of standard metadata annotation. In this study, we curated 2444 public pathogenesis-related gene expression samples from the model plant Arabidopsis and three major crops (maize, rice, and wheat). We organized the data into a user-friendly database termed as PlaD. Currently, PlaD contains three key features. First, it provides large-scale curated data related to plant defense responses, including gene expression and gene functional annotation data. Second, it provides the visualization of condition-specific expression profiles. Third, it allows users to search co-regulated genes under the infections of various pathogens. Using PlaD, we conducted a large-scale transcriptome analysis to explore the global landscape of gene expression in the curated data. We found that only a small fraction of genes were differentially expressed under multiple conditions, which might be explained by their tendency of having more network connections and shorter network distances in gene networks. Collectively, we hope that PlaD can serve as an important and comprehensive knowledgebase to the community of plant sciences, providing insightful clues to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying plant immune responses. PlaD is freely available at http://systbio.cau.edu.cn/plad/index.php or http://zzdlab.com/plad/index.php.
Arabidopsis ; genetics ; Databases, Genetic ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; Genes, Plant ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; genetics ; Oryza ; genetics ; Plant Immunity ; genetics ; Plants ; genetics ; microbiology ; Transcriptome ; genetics ; Triticum ; genetics ; User-Computer Interface ; Zea mays ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of ethyl-acetate fraction (EAF) of extracts from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et. Gilg (TDG) on immune functions of ICR mice.

METHODSICR mice were exposed to different doses of EAF for 15 or 30 days and then their immune functions were analyzed, including ConA-induced splenic lymphocyte transformation, SRBC-induced delayed type hypersensitivity response, serum hemolysin analysis, antibody-producing cells, peritoneal macrophage phagocytized chicken red blood cells, natural killer cell activity, and serum level of cytokines.

RESULTSEAF of extracts from TDG at different doses had various effects on immune functions of ICR mice. As compared with the controls, it increased the mouse spleen lymphocyte transformation induced by ConA, the left-hind voix pedis thickness and the number of plague forming cells (PFCs) at the dose of 1.82 mg/mL, 5.48 mg/mL, and 9.12 mg/mL, respectively; increased the ink clearance ability at the dose of 0.91 mg/mL, 1.82 mg/mL, 5.48 mg/mL, and 9.12 mg/mL, respectively; increased the phagocytosis index of mononuclear-macrophages and production of serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) at the dose of 5.48 mg/mL; and could promote the production of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) at the dose of 9.12 mg/mL.

CONCLUSIONEAF of extracts from TDG can regulate mouse immune functions in vivo.

Acetates ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antibody Formation ; drug effects ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunity, Cellular ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Vitaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of astragalus polysaccharide (AP) on the intestinal mucosal morphology, level of secretory IgA (s-IgA) in intestinal mucus, and distribution of T lymphocyte subsets in Peyer's patch in rats with severe scald injury.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty SD rats were divided into sham injury group (SI, sham injured, n = 10), scald group (S, n = 30), low dosage group (LD, n = 30), moderate dosage group (MD, n = 30), and high dosage group (HD, n = 30) according to the random number table. Rats in the latter 4 groups were inflicted with 30% TBSA full-thickness scald on the back. From post injury hour 2, rats in groups LD, MD, and HD were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mL AP solution with the dosage of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg each day respectively, and rats in group S were injected with 0.5 mL normal saline instead. Ten rats from group SI immediately after injury and 10 rats from each of the latter 4 groups on post injury day (PID) 3, 7, 14 were sacrificed, and their intestines were harvested. The morphology of ileal mucosa was examined after HE staining; the level of s-IgA in ileal mucus was determined with double-antibody sandwich ELISA method; the proportions of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of intestine were determined with flow cytometer, and the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was calculated. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance of factorial design, and SNK test.

RESULTS(1) Villi in normal form and intact villus epithelial cells were observed in rats of group SI immediately after injury, while edema of villi and necrosis and desquamation of an enormous amount of villi were observed in groups with scalded rats on PID 3, with significant infiltration of inflammatory cells. On PID 7, no obvious improvement in intestinal mucosal lesion was observed in groups with scalded rats. On PID 14, the pathology in intestinal mucosa of rats remained nearly the same in group S, and it was alleviated obviously in groups LD and MD, and the morphology of intestinal mucosa of rats in group HD was recovered to that of group SI. (2) On PID 3, 7, and 14, the level of s-IgA in intestinal mucus significantly decreased in groups S, LD, MD, and HD [(43 ± 5), (45 ± 5), (46 ± 5) µg/mL; (47 ± 5), (48 ± 5), (49 ± 6) µg/mL; (50 ± 6), (51 ± 5), (52 ± 5) µg/mL; (53 ± 6), (54 ± 5), (55 ± 5) µg/mL] as compared with that of rats in group SI immediately after injury [(69 ± 4) µg/mL, with P values below 0.05]. The level of s-IgA in intestinal mucus of rats in group MD was significantly higher than that in group S at each time point (with P values below 0.05), and that of group HD was significantly higher than that in groups S and LD at each time point (with P values below 0.05). (3) Compared with those of rats in group SI immediately after injury, the proportions of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes and CD4⁺ T lymphocytes significantly decreased in groups with scalded rats at each time point (with P values below 0.05), except for those in group HD on PID 14. The proportion of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes of rats in group LD was significantly higher than that in group S on PID 3 (P < 0.05). The proportions of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes and CD4⁺ T lymphocytes were significantly higher in groups MD and HD than in groups S and LD (except for the proportion of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes in group MD on PID 3 and 14) at each time point (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes on PID 7 and 14 and that of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes on PID 3 were significantly higher in group HD than in group MD (with P values below 0.05). Compared with that of rats in group SI immediately after injury, the proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes significantly increased in the other 4 groups at each time point (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in rats of group LD on PID 7 and 14 and groups MD and HD at each time point than in group S (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in rats of group MD on PID 7 and 14 and group HD at each time point than in group LD (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in rats of group HD on PID 7 and 14 than in group MD (with P values below 0.05). On PID 3, 7, and 14, the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was significantly lower in groups S, LD, MD, and HD (0.65 ± 0.11, 0.68 ± 0.13, 0.73 ± 0.22; 0.76 ± 0.15, 0.78 ± 0.14, 0.90 ± 0.10; 0.85 ± 0.21, 0.89 ± 0.18, 1.08 ± 0.19; 0.99 ± 0.20, 1.05 ± 0.21, 1.25 ± 0.23) as compared with that of rats in group SI immediately after injury (1.74 ± 0.20, with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was significantly higher in rats of group HD than in group MD on PID 7 (P < 0.05), and the proportion was significantly higher in these two groups than in group S at each time point (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was significantly higher in rats of group MD on PID 14 and group HD at each time point than in group LD (with P values below 0.05). Compared within each group, the proportions of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ of rats in groups LD, MD, and HD showed a trend of gradual elevation along with passage of time.

CONCLUSIONSAP can improve the injury to intestinal mucosa and modulate the balance of T lymphocyte subsets in Peyer's patch in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and it can promote s-IgA secretion of intestinal mucosa in a dose-dependent manner.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; adverse effects ; Burns ; immunology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunoglobulin A ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; physiology ; Intestine, Small ; metabolism ; Peyer's Patches ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Polysaccharides ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

Arabidopsis BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 (BIK1) is a receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase acting early in multiple signaling pathways important for plant growth and innate immunity. It is known to form a signaling complex with a cell-surface receptor FLS2 and a co-receptor kinase BAK1 to transduce signals upon perception of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Although site-specific phosphorylation is speculated to mediate the activation and function of BIK1, few studies have been devoted to complete profiling of BIK1 phosphorylation residues. Here, we identified nineteen in vitro autophosphorylation sites of BIK1 including three phosphotyrosine sites, thereby proving BIK1 is a dual-specificity kinase for the first time. The kinase activity of BIK1 substitution mutants were explicitly assessed using quantitative mass spectrometry (MS). Thr-237, Thr-242 and Tyr-250 were found to most significantly affect BIK1 activity in autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of BAK1 in vitro. A structural model of BIK1 was built to further illustrate the molecular functions of specific phosphorylation residues. We also mapped new sites of FLS2 phosphorylation by BIK1, which are different from those by BAK1. These in vitro results could provide new hypotheses for more in-depth in vivo studies leading to deeper understanding of how phosphorylation contributes to BIK1 activation and mediates downstream signaling specificity.
Amino Acids ; chemistry ; Arabidopsis ; enzymology ; Arabidopsis Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Immunity, Innate ; Mutation ; Phosphorylation ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Signal Transduction ; Threonine ; genetics