Ovine bones are the major by-products after slaughtered.  The present study was conducted to extract and characterize acid soluble collagens (ASC) and pepsin soluble collagens (PSC) from ovine bones (Ujumuqin sheep).  Ovine bones collagen were identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as type I collagen.  The results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra analysis testified the existence of triple superhelical structure in both ASC and PSC, showing pepsin did not disrupt the triple helical structure of ovine bones collagen.  Glycine, accounting for one-third of total amino acids, was the major amino acid for ovine bones collagen.  Higher imino acid content was responsible for higher thermal denaturation temperature of ovine bones collagen compared to fish collagens.  The isoelectric point of ASC was lower than PSC due to the higher content of acidic amino acids.  Therefore, this study provides the potential reference for collagen extraction and application of ovine bones by-procduct.

      The microscopic investigation of the floral development of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L. cv. Hongdeng) from a warm winter climate (Shanghai) and cold winter climate (Tai’an, Shandong Province, China) was conducted to explore the reason of low fruit set. The effect of hydrogen cyanamide (HCN) on floral development under warm winter conditions was also investigated. Trees grown in Shanghai with insufficient chilling accumulation exhibited little difference in the progression of microspore development compared to trees in Tai’an that accumulated adequate chilling, but showed substantial delays in ovule and embryo sac development. The growth of nucelli did not proceed beyond the macrospore mother cell and macrospore stages with abortion rates of 13, 15 and 45% by 6, 3 and 0 d before full bloom, respectively. These abnormalities in the ovule and embryo sac in the Shanghai-grown trees were eliminated by HCN application. These results suggest that chilling regulates the development of female floral organs in winter dormancy; therefore, insufficient chilling accumulation, causing abnormality of the female floral organs, restricts the cultivation of sweet cherry in warm winter regions. Interestingly, HCN application, which decreased the chilling requirements for Hongdeng, may be a potential strategy for sweet cherry cultivation in warm winter regions.

To decipher the relationship between the inhibited shoot growth and expression pattern of key enzymes in nitrogen metabolism under root restriction, the effects of root restriction on diurnal variation of expression of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS1-1, GS1-2, GS2) and glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT, NADH-GOGAT) genes and nitrogen levels were evaluated in two-year-old Jumeigui grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.×Vitis labrusca L.) when significant differences in shoot growth were observed between treatments at expansion stage (22 days after anthesis). Grapevines were planted in root-restricting pits as root restriction and in an unrestricted field as the control. Results showed that root restriction significantly reduced shoot growth, but promoted the growth of white roots and fibrous brown roots and improved the fruit quality. (NO3 –+NO2 –)-N concentration in all plant parts, NH4 +-N concentration in white roots and total N concentration in leaves and brown roots were significantly reduced under root restriction. Gene expression analysis revealed that mRNA levels of genes related to the GS1/NADH-GOGAT pathway were lower in root-restricted than in control petioles, whereas genes involved in the GS2/Fd-GOGAT pathway were up-regulated under root restriction. Root restriction also resulted in downregulation of genes involved in nitrogen metabolism in leaves, especially at 10:00, while transcript levels of all these genes were enhanced in root-restricted white and brown roots at most time points. This organ-dependent response contributed to the alteration in NO3 – reduction and NH4 + assimilation under root restriction, leading to less NO3 – transported from roots and then assimilated in root-restricted leaves. Therefore, this study implied that shoot growth inhibition in grapevines under root restriction is closely associated with down-regulation of gene expression in nitrogen metabolism in leaves.