Search

Pink bollworms severely affect the production of cotton. The method currently used for pink bollworm control is the planting of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) protein-expressing transgenic cotton. However, pink bollworms can develop strong resistance to Bt proteins in transgenic cotton because of the large planting area and long planting time of this crop, which severely affects the control of pink bollworms. Intestinal microorganisms play very important roles in insect growth, development and Bt resistance. However, the effect of intestinal microorganisms on pink bollworm Bt resistance is still unclear. The current study aimed to analyze the effect of intestinal microorganisms on the Bt resistance of pink bollworms. Intestinal microorganisms associated with Bt resistance were initially screened through Illumina MiSeq sequencing and analysis. The results showed that feeding with a mixture of gentamicin, Cry1Ac and an artificial diet could significantly increase the mortality of pink bollworm larvae compared with feeding with of a mixture of Cry1Ac and an artificial diet or an artificial diet alone. The microbial diversity, community structure and composition of the pink bollworm larval intestine were significantly influenced by feeding with a mixture of gentamicin, Cry1Ac and an artificial diet. Several intestinal bacteria with significantly altered abundances after treatment with gentamicin were preliminarily screened as potential resources for addressing Bt toxicity. This study provides useful strategies for addressing the Bt resistance of pink bollworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Tartary Buckwheat Huangjiu, one of the oldest wines in China, has unique health‐promoting properties. One of its specific ingredients is rutin, which has antioxidative and anti‐ageing activities and plays important roles in the treatment of human diseases. During Tartary buckwheat Huangjiu brewing, however, rutin is degraded by fungi in wheat Qu, thereby leading to a decrease in the wine's nutritional value. The consequent aim of this study was to identify effective rutin‐degrading fungi and degrading enzyme genes in the Tartary buckwheat Huangjiu brewing process. Among these fungi isolated from wheat Qu, only Aspergillus niger exhibited rutin‐degrading ability. Following protein purification, SDS‐PAGE, mass spectrometry, Blast analysis and clone verification, we ultimately identified glucoamylase and α‐L‐rhamnosidase encoding genes were related to rutin degradation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of rutin‐degrading enzyme genes in Tartary buckwheat Huangjiu. Our results provide insights for regulating the nutritional value of Tartary buckwheat Huangjiu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmopara viticola (Berk.et Curtis) Berl. Et de Toni is the pathogen that causes grape downy mildew, which is an airborne disease that severely affects grape yield and causes huge economic losses. The usage of effective control methods can reduce the damage to plants induced by grape downy mildew. Biocontrol has been widely used to control plant diseases due to its advantages of environmental friendliness and sustainability. However, to date, only a few comprehensive reviews on the biocontrol of grape downy mildew have been reported. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics of P. viticola and its infection cycle, followed by a detailed overview of current biocontrol agents, including bacteria and fungi that could be used to control grape downy mildew, and their control effects. Furthermore, potential control mechanisms of biocontrol agents against grape downy mildew are discussed. Lastly, suggestions for future research on the biocontrol of grape downy mildew are provided. This review provides the basis for the application of grape downy mildew biocontrol.

The baijiu fermentation environment hosts a variety of micro-organisms, some of which still remain uncultured and uncharacterized. In this study, the isolation, cultivation and characterization of three novel aerobic bacterial strains are described. The cells of strain REN20 T were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, motile and grew at 26-37 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of 0-5.0   % (w/v) NaCl. The cells of strain REN29 T were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, motile and grew at 15-30 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of 0-10.0   % (w/v) NaCl. The cells of strain REN33 T were Gram-positive, strictly aerobic, motile and grew at 15-37 °C, at pH 5.0-10.0 and in the presence of 0-7.0   % (w/v) NaCl. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity by orthology values between type strains in related genera and REN20 T (20.3-36.8 % and 79.8-89.9  %), REN29 T (20.3-36.8  % and 74.5-88.5  %) and REN33 T (22.6-48.6  % and 75.8-84.2  %) were below the standard cut-off criteria for the delineation of bacterial species, respectively. Based on polyphasic taxonomy analysis, we propose three new species, Bosea beijingensis sp. nov. (=REN20 T =GDMCC 1.2894 T =JCM 35118 T ), Telluria beijingensis sp. nov. (=REN29 T =GDMCC 1.2896 T =JCM 35119 T ) and Agrococcus beijingensis sp. nov. (=REN33 T =GDMCC 1.2898 T =JCM 35164 T ), which were recovered during cultivation and isolation from baijiu mash.