型干扰素（type I interferon, IFN-I）是保护机体抵御病原微生物感染的重要防线。干扰素调节因子（IFN regulatory factor，IRF）在DNA及RNA病毒感染鸡后刺激机体产生IFN-I、建立抗感染免疫的过程中发挥重要作用。在哺乳动物体内，主要依赖IRF3和IRF7共同调节IFN-I的表达。但是，鸡先天缺乏IRF3，主要依赖IRF7调控IFN-I的表达。目前，已在哺乳动物体内鉴定出4种IRF7剪切异构体，但鸡IRF7（chicken IRF7， chIRF7）是否存在类似的剪切变异及其功能均不清楚。本研究在构建chIRF7克隆过程中，鉴定出一个新的剪切异构体，命名为chIRF7-iso。序列分析发现，与chIRF7相比，chIRF7-iso包含完整的N端DNA-结合结构域，但其C端存在14个差异氨基酸。随后，我们评估了chIRF7和chIRF7-iso对IFN-β启动子的活化能力，并以新城疫病毒弱毒疫苗株LaSota和高致病性血清4型禽腺病毒（Fowl adenovirus serotype 4, FAdV-4）作为研究对象，评估了chIRF7-iso对这两株病毒在鸡肝细胞（leghorn male hepatocellular， LMH）中复制能力的影响。结果发现，chIRF7可以促进IFN-β的高水平表达，而chIRF7-iso对IFN-β启动子活性及表达量无明显影响。此外，LaSota和FAdV-4在过表达chIRF7的LMH细胞中复制水平较低，而在chIRF7-iso转染组细胞中增殖较好。这些结果均说明，本研究新鉴定出一种chIRF7剪切异构体，且chIRF7-iso可能通过负调控IFN-β通路而影响病毒的增殖。该研究为丰富鸡天然免疫应答奠定了基础。

In this study, a rice spikelet mutant, multi-floret spikelet 1 (mfs1), which was derived from ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS)- treated Jinhui 10 (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) exhibited pleiotropic defects in spikelet development. The mfs1 spikelet displayed degenerated the empty glume, elongated the rachilla, the extra lemma-like organ and degraded the palea. Additionally, mfs1 flowers produced varied numbers of inner floral organs. The genetic analysis revealed that the mutational trait was controlled by a single recessive gene. With 401 recessive individuals from the F2 segregation population, the MFS1 gene was finally mapped on chromosome 5, an approximate 350 kb region. The present study will be useful for cloning and functional analysis of MFS1, which would facilitate understanding of the molecular mechanism involved in spikelet development in rice.

Wuschel-related homeobox (WOX) genes play essential, specific, and sometimes redundant roles in plant embryo development, shoot and root meristem maintenance, and plant development. Though much information was quickly gained with members of the WOX gene family of Arabidopsis, monocotyledonous crops, and gymnospermous conifers, little is known about perennial woody plants. In this study, we isolated the first WOX gene family member from grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon), and named it VvWOX4 based on its characteristic domains and phylogenetic analysis. The identity of VvWOX4 was validated by MALDI-TOF MS and Western blot with polyclonal antibody against Arabidopsis thaliana Wuschel. Functional analysis showed that VvWOX4 markedly increased shoot primordia structures when overexpressed under CaMV 35S promoter in tobacco. A different expression pattern was found for VvVOX4 compared with AtWUCHEL and its expression was detected in unique organs of grapevines. Besides the expression in the vegetative shoot apical meristem (SAM) of grape shoot tips, VvWOX4 is expressed in dormant winter buds, inflorescence, young leaves, and tendril tips, but not in root tips. In young leaves, the expression of VvWOX4 is strongly upregulated by wounding, and also by plant growth regulators such as 2 mg L-1 2,4-D, 1 mg L-1 NAA and 1 mg L-1 BAP treatments, while downregulation was monitored by 1 mg L-1 IBA treatment, and there was no response to 0.5 mg L-1 GA3 treatment. Together, our results revealed the first member of grape WOX gene family and indicated different roles and regulation of VvWOX4 in the perennial woody crop grapevine.