In vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo acute and chronic toxicity of Xanthii Fructus and its processed product.

Xanthii Fructus (XF), the fruit of Xanthium sibiricum Patr., was used in the treatment of rhinitis and related nasal disease. Adverse effects of Xanthii Fructus are frequently reported these years.

Cloning and characterization of a FLO/LFY ortholog in Gossypium hirsutum L.

Key Message: GhLFY was cloned from G. hirsutum L. Its expression, subcellular localization, and function were analyzed, as well as the in vivo regulation of GhLFY by the MADS-box protein SOC1 (GhSOC1).

[Development and appraisement of functional molecular marker: intron sequence amplified polymorphism (ISAP)].

Molecular markers are playing an increasingly important role in map construction, QTL analysis, gene mapping and marker-assisted selection. Researchers hope the target gene and locus are as close as possible, one locus can present one gene, or linked with some important trait, then, individuals with useful trait can be selected through molecular markers selecting, and it's the functional molecular marker. PCR-based molecular markers such as RAPD, SSR, AFLP amplified non-coding regions, or the whole genome randomly, the locus is far away from the gene of targeted trait, this limit the ap-plication of these molecular markers.

Cloning and expression of the chloroplast copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase gene in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

A full-length 1,043-base-pair cDNA clone encoding a chloroplast copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) of upland cotton was first isolated by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) from the leaves of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) variety 'CRI36'. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the clone revealed that it contained the complete coding sequence of the mature SOD isozyme subunit, along with a 60-amino acid transit peptide at N-terminal.