一种东亚钳蝎碱性神经毒素的纯化和初步晶体学研究

经ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－５０和ＳＰ－ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＣ－２５两次柱层析,从河南淅川马氏钳蝎毒素中分得一种碱性神经毒素ＢｍＫＭＩ８．等电聚焦和ＳＤＳ电泳显示单一组分,其ｐＩ为９．１,Ｍｒ为７１００．毒性测试结果表明,该组分对小白鼠有较强的毒性,对昆虫也有一定的毒性,已获得该毒素的两种晶型的大单晶,并测定其空间群为Ｐ２＿１２＿１２＿１,晶胞参数为：ＢｍＫＭＩ８－Ａ：ａ＝３６．７,ｂ＝２６．６,ｃ＝５２．０,ＢｍＫＭＩ８－Ｂ：ａ＝３６．６４Ａ,ｂ＝３７．３１,ｃ＝３７．９５,已收集了ＢｍＫＭＩ８－Ｂ分辨率为１．７４的Ｘ射线单晶衍射数据。     

KM－1d突变株小鼠的模型建立及遗传分析

在饲养经剖腹产净化后的ＫＭ种群时,我们发现了一些后肢畸形的动物、通过挑选后已成为一个稳定遗传的突变株,由于此群体产生的后代１００％均为后肢畸形动物,因此可以认定为１ｄ／１ｄ纯合子动物。命名为ＫＭ—１ｄ小鼠。将ＫＭ－１ｄ纯合子动物与近交系ＤＢＡ／２小鼠杂交得到Ｆ１代,再经Ｆ１代互交或与双亲回交。通过对后代的形态学观察及遗传方式的分析,证明为常染色体隐性单基因遗传。另外,对１３８只ＫＭ－１ｄ畸形小鼠进行解剖观察还发现有４２％的动物在骨骼畸形的同时伴有左侧泌尿系统畸形。因此可以认定ＫＭ－１ｄ小鼠是一种患有骨－肾先天性畸形综合症的动物模型。     

先天性骨—肾畸形综合征小鼠（KM—1d）致病基因ld的染色体定位

对ＫＭ－１ｄ小鼠的致病基因ｌｄ进行染色体定位,采用异构蛋白及同功酶电泳技术和体外扩增技术对同源导入近交系小鼠Ｃ５７ＢＬ／６．ＫＭ－ｌｄ２０对染色上的１４个笔化标记基因位点和６１个ＳＳＬＰ位点进行筛选,发现ｌｄ基因与２号染色体上的Ｄ２Ｍｉｔ３０、Ｄ２Ｍｉｔ６２和Ｄ２ｉｔ６３３个ＳＳＬＰ位点连锁,从而把ｌｄ基因初步定位于２号染色体,为进一步对ｌｄ基因准确定位,培育了８６只（Ｃ５７ＢＬ／６＊ＫＭ－１在＊     

一种东亚钳蝎碱性神经毒素的纯化和初步晶体学研究

经ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－５０和ＳＰ－ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＣ－２５两次柱层析,从河南淅川马氏钳蝎毒素中分得一种碱性神经毒素ＢｍＫＭＩ８。等电聚聚焦和ＳＤＳ电泳显示单一组分,其ＰＩ为９．１,Ｍｒ为７１００,毒性测试结果表明,该组分对小白鼠有较强的毒性,对昆虫也有一定的毒性。已获得该毒素的两种晶全型的大单晶,并测定其空间群为Ｐ２１２１２１,晶胞参数为：ＢｍＫＭＩ８－Ａ：ａ＝３６．７Ａ,ｂ＝２６．６Ａ,ｃ＝５２     

冻干口服霍乱rBS—WC菌苗安全及保护效果评价的小鼠模型探讨

本文仿照人口服免疫程序用小鼠为模型对冻干口服霍乱ｒＢＳ－ＷＣ菌苗制品进行了安全及保护率评价。给ＫＭ小鼠口服三种不同剂量的ｒＢＳ－ＷＣ菌苗后,无发病,无体重减轻,无死亡现象,表明该菌苗安全,无毒副作用。免疫组与安慰剂组小鼠用肠结扎攻毒试验评价保护效果,两组小鼠用吴江－２及滨－４３活菌攻击后,免疫组显示良好保护作用（Ｐ＜０．０５）。此法可以用于口服型ｒＢＳ－ＷＣ菌苗的评价,但也存在需要动物数较多,个体间差异较大,手术较麻烦的问题。     

远交系小鼠胚胎干细胞系的建立及嵌合鼠的获得

ＥＳ细胞（ＥｍｂｒｙｏｎｉｃＳｔｅｍＣｅｌｌｓ）是来源于小鼠早期胚胎的多潜能干细胞,它可以在体外大量培养。并以单细胞的形式注射到早期胚胎里,发育为嵌合体。到目前为止,通常使用的１２９小鼠品系是来源于近交系（ｉｎｂｒｅｄ）小鼠的胚胎．与之相比,远交系小鼠应当具有较强的生命力和抗病能力。曾有人报道过建成了远交系小鼠胚胎干细胞系,但是尚没有见到获得嵌合鼠的报道。有人甚至认为：由于不同品系小鼠所具有的遗传背景不同,有的小鼠不能建成ＥＳ细胞系。最近,本实验室在这方面做了有益的探索,成功地建成了远交系小鼠胚胎干细胞系,并在这里报导首例用远交系小鼠胚胎干细胞系培育成功嵌合体小鼠。采用源于Ｓｗｉｓｓ小鼠远交群的昆明（ＫＭ）品系小鼠囊胚建成了三个小鼠胚胎干细胞系（ＫＥ１．ＫＥ２．ＫＥ５）。核型正常率均达到７０％以上。自第八代起分批冻存,复苏后,培养至第１２代,消化成单细胞,通过囊胚显微注射,将其注射到６１５品系小鼠胚胎。在幸存的幼鼠中获得了一只来源于ＫＥ１细胞的嵌合鼠（Ｔａｂｌｅ１）．其毛色表现为受体鼠（６１５）的白色中嵌合有供体鼠（ＫＭ）的黑褐色（ＰｌａｔｅＩ－Ａ）．嵌合鼠与受体鼠的杂交后代鼠中仍然出现了受体鼠的毛色类型（     

百脉根愈伤组织原生质体再生植株

百脉根无菌苗幼茎在含２．０ｍｇ／Ｌ－,２,４－Ｄ,０．１ｍｇ／Ｌ２－ｉｐ的ＭＳ培养基上诱导和继代培养愈伤组织。选取绿色松散颗粒愈伤组织分离原生质体。原生质体培养在调整珠ＫＭ８Ｐ,Ｖ－ＫＭ,ＭＳ和ＳＨ培养基上「含３００ｍｇ／Ｌ,ＣＨ,２％ＣＷ,２％蔗糖,６％葡萄糖,２．０ｍｇ／Ｌ,２,４－Ｄ,０．５ｍｇｇ／Ｌ,ＢＡ,５ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＭＥＳ」,原生质体再生细胞均能分裂,并形成小愈伤组织,但以ＫＭ８０为     

自发性高胆固醇血症近交系NJS小鼠主动脉形态学研究

观察自发性高胆固醇血症近交系ＮＪＳ小鼠的主动脉形态学特征,了解该品系主动脉粥样硬化发病情况。对主动脉作光镜和电镜观察,并通过图像分析仪分析主动脉内膜的粥样硬化病变面积。该品系８～１０月龄小鼠均见阳性病灶,阳性区域主要分布在动脉弓起始部,胸主动脉各分布的升口处,病变区域多数呈点状,少量呈线状分布。显微镜下内膜层内可观察到少数泡沫细胞聚集,电镜下可见内膜泡沫细胞有较多的细胞突起,胞浆丰富,浆内内质网及溶酶体丰富,脂滴大小不一,核形态不规则,浆内有明确肌丝或致密斑。图像分析计算其主动脉粥样硬化病变面积占主动脉面积的比例为２．０４６±０．２５３％。２～３月龄小鼠中均未见明显病变。近义系ＮＪＳ小鼠８月龄后主动脉能发生脂纹期病变,该品系可作为动脉粥样硬化研究的动物模型。     

东亚钳蝎神经毒素在大肠杆菌中的表达

以山西风陵渡东亚钳蝎（ＢｕｔｈｕｓｍａｒｔｅｎｓｉＫａｒｓｃｈ）的尾腺总ＲＮＡ为模板,根据已知的蝎神经毒素保守氨基酸序列设计引物,利用ＰＣＲ技术,扩增并克隆了两个蝎神经毒素基因．序列分析表明,由两个基因导出的氨基酸序列（ＢｍＫＭｍ１和ＢｍＫＭｍ２）与已知的蝎神经毒素ＢｍＫⅠ、ＢｍＫⅡ、ＢｍＫⅢ、ＢｍＫＭ１、ＢｍＫＭ９有很高的同源性．将ＢｍＫＭｍ２基因重组到大肠杆菌分泌型表达载体ｐＥｘＳｅｃ１中进行表达．ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ证明表达产物被分泌到细胞周间质及培养液中．经ＩｇＧ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ纯化后的蛋白质注射小白鼠表明表达产物有生物学活性     

三种微生物学级别的SSB小鼠生长和繁殖性能的比较

本文对无菌，清洁和普通三种微生物学级别的近交系ＳＳＢ小鼠核心群的生长，繁殖性能的观察结果进行比较分析。在哺乳期风无菌小鼠生长优于清洁级和普通级小鼠；而在离乳后育成初期体重增长又慢于者。计算机统计分析表明：三种级别种鼠的各胎次胎间隔无显著差异。清洁和无菌种鼠的产仔数和离乳率均无显著差异；而普通种鼠的繁殖性能不如清洁和无菌种鼠。     

Genetic variability, body characteristics and reproductive parameters of neighbouring rural and urban common kestrel (Falco tinnuculus) populations

We tested the genetic and ecological differences between neighbouring urban and rural populations of common kestrels (Falco tinnuculus) in southern Bohemia. The aims were to (1) assess the genetic variability of the studied kestrel populations using microsatellite markers, (2) check the genetic relatedness of individuals within the urbanization gradient, and (3) compare possible gradients of body characteristics and reproductive parameters on the urbanization gradient. The mean expected allelic polymorphism did not differ among the studied populations, which were not genetically separated (F _ST  = 0.0003, P = 0.781). Also, an individual assignment test did not show a separation of these populations. Urban kestrels that bred in the city centre were indicatively more related than others, and no relationship was found in the rural kestrel population. Kestrel females were heavier towards the city centre, but males did not show this relationship. Nest distance from the city centre had no significant effect on any of the tested reproductive parameters. Our results do not support the notion of genetic differentiation between rural and urban kestrels, but revealed trends in body characteristics and genetic relatedness along the urbanization gradient.     

Seasonal monogamy and multiple paternity in a wild population of a territorial reptile (tuatara)

Investigating the mating system of a population provides insight into the evolution of reproductive patterns, and can inform conservation management of threatened or endangered species. Combining behavioural and genetic data is necessary to fully understand the mating system and factors affecting male reproductive success, yet behavioural data are often difficult to collect for threatened species. In the present study, we use behavioural data and paternity analyses to characterize the mating system of a high density population of a long-lived, ancient reptile (tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus ). We further investigate the phenotypic traits (including body size, body condition, tail length, and ectoparasite load) that affect male reproductive success. Our behavioural data reflect a seasonally monogamous system with low levels of polyandry and polygyny that are consistent with male mate guarding. Male reproduction is highly skewed (only 25–30% of males are successful), and body size is the primary predictor of male reproductive success. Based on the genetic data, multiple paternity was found in only 8% of clutches, and the results of the paternity analyses showed monandrous clutches from socially polyandrous females. Our behavioural and genetic results revealed complexities in female mating patterns that support the potential for cryptic female choice or sperm competition. This warrants further experimental investigation into the mechanisms underlying reptile fertilization and the disparities between social and genetic polyandry in wild populations.  © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2009, 98 , 161–170.     

The impact of ten years at -20°C on gas exchange in five lichen species

Summary We examined the relative ability of multiple factors to explain variation in two interrelated life-history traits, interclutch interval and annual reproductive success, in feral pigeons. Seasonal influences, brood size, and female body mass and tarsus length explained significant amounts of variation in interclutch interval in this population, while female plumage phenotype was insignificant. These results are discussed in terms of resource allocation and responses to environmental heterogeneity. Multivariate selection analysis revealed strong directional fecundity selection on body mass, and correlated selection response on bill length. A prospective selection analysis based on estimates of the genetic variance-covariance matrix revealed that the mean change in a trait often differed in sign from the directional selection estimate. The relationship between annual reproductive success and these two traits was found only in melanic females, suggesting that selection differentials may covary with plumage pattern.     

Effects of early horn growth on reproduction and hunting mortality in female chamois

1.?Environmental conditions during early development can affect the growth patterns of vertebrates, influencing future survival and reproduction. In long-lived mammals, females that experience poor environmental conditions early in life may delay primiparity. In female bovids, annual horn growth increments may provide a record of age-specific reproduction and body growth. Horn length, however, may also be a criterion used by hunters in selecting animals to harvest, possibly leading to artificial selection. 2.?We studied three populations of chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) in the western Alps to explore the relationships between female horn length and early growth, age of primiparity and age-specific reproduction. We also compared the risk of harvest to reproductive status and horn length. 3.?Early horn growth was positively correlated with body mass in pre-reproductive females and with reproduction in very young and senescent adults. Females with strong early horn growth attained primiparity at an earlier age than those with weak early growth. Horn length did not affect hunter selection, but we found a strong hunter preference for nonlactating females. 4.?Our research highlights the persistent effects of early development on reproductive performance in mammals. Moderate sport harvests are unlikely to affect the evolution of phenotypic traits and reproductive strategies in female chamois. A policy of penalizing hunters that harvest lactating females, however, may increase the harvest of 2-year-old females, which have high reproductive potential.     

Intra-specific variation of sperm length in the malaria vector <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anopheles gambiae</Emphasis>: males with shorter sperm have higher reproductive success

Background

Intra-specific variation in sperm length influences male reproductive success in several species of insects. In males of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, sperm length is highly variable but the significance of this variation is unknown. Understanding what determines the reproductive success of male mosquitoes is critical for controlling malaria, and in particular for replacing natural populations with transgenic, malaria-resistant mosquitoes.

Methods

A laboratory population of A. gambiae males was tested for intra-specific variation in sperm length. A full-sib quantitative genetic design was used to test for a genetic component of sperm length in A. gambiae males and estimate its heritability. This study also tested for a relationship between sperm length and male reproductive success in A. gambiae. Male reproductive success was measured as the proportions of inseminated and ovipositing females.

Results

There was intra-specific variation of sperm length in A. gambiae. There was no significant genetic variation in sperm length and its heritability was low (h² = 0.18) compared to other insects. Sperm length was correlated with male body size (measured as wing length). Males with short sperm had significantly higher reproductive success than males with long sperm and this was independent of body size.

Conclusion

This is the first study to demonstrate intra-specific variation in sperm length in A. gambiae and that males with short sperm have higher reproductive success. That sperm length influences female oviposition is important for any strategy considering the release of transgenic males.

     

Genetic merit for milk production and reproductive success in dairy cows

The effect of genetic merit for milk production traits - fat, protein and milk yield - in dairy cows on milk production, body condition, blood metabolites, reproductive hormones, feed intake and reproductive performance was studied over a period of 2 years. Cows were grouped into two categories, based on calculated pedigree indices using multiple-trait across country evaluation (MACE). Cows of high genetic merit (HGM, n = 48 in year 1 and n = 46 in year 2) had a mean predicted difference +/- standard deviation for milk production of 475 +/- 76kg. The cows of medium genetic merit (MGM, n = 48 in both years) had a mean predicted difference for milk production of 140 +/- 68kg.The cows calved between January and April, and were offered grass silage ad libitum plus 9kg concentrates per cow per day, irrespective genetic merit, from calving to turnout in March, when they were subjected to one of three grazing systems. Cows were available for rebreeding from late April until late July of each year.High genetic merit cows had higher milk production, incurred greater body condition loss between calving and first service and had lower plasma glucose and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations than medium genetic merit cows. Furthermore, HGM cows had lower first and second service and overall conception rates, and required more services per conception than the MGM cows.Cows that did not conceive to first service were retrospectively compared to those that conceived to first service within each genetic merit group. There were no significant differences between the HGM cows that did not conceive to first service and those that conceived to this service in terms of milk production, body condition score change between calving and first service, feed intake at first service, or in plasma concentrations of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) or IGF-1. Medium genetic merit cows that did not conceive to first service lost more body condition between calving and first service than did those that conceived to this service.In the present study, HGM cows had higher milk production and reduced reproductive performance in comparison with MGM cows. However, reproductive performance was not associated with milk production, feed intake or plasma concentrations of glucose, NEFA or IGF-1 between calving and first service, since there were no significant differences in these variates between high or medium genetic merit cows that did not conceive to first service and those that conceived to this service. Therefore, these variates are unlikely to be useful predictors of reproductive performance, under the conditions of the present study.     

Reproductive traits of stream-dwelling brown trout Salmo trutta in contrasting neighbouring rivers of central Spain

1. Reproductive traits were studied in seven wild populations of resident brown trout in Spain. We examined whether growth, and certain environmental conditions such as water temperature or food abundance, could explain interpopulation variation in the reproductive characters.
2. The results indicated that nearby populations subjected to a wide variation in environmental conditions exhibited a similar reproductive performance.
3. Age distributions and sex ratios were not significantly different among populations. Age ranged from 0+ to 4+ years but the populations were dominated by the 0+ to 2+ groups. In all rivers females matured at age 2+ as opposed to age 1+ and 2+ for males. Mean length at the end of the growth period differed significantly among populations. However, annual growth rate was similar among rivers and was not significantly correlated with either biomass of the benthos or water temperature during the growth season.
4. Reproductive effort, body condition, fecundity and egg size did not correlate significantly with either the abundance of benthic invertebrates or water temperature. Once the effect of body length on both egg size and number was removed, a significant negative correlation was found between these two traits among populations.     

生长相关分子标记在翘嘴鳜五代中的富集

为进一步了解人工选育对翘嘴鳜生长相关遗传标记的影响作用,研究以翘嘴鳜华康1号的5代选育群体为实验材料,对具有生长相关优势基因型的5个标记的6个位点进行扩增,通过直接测序和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳两种方法分型后,统计其优势基因型个体数目在翘嘴鳜5代中的变化。结果显示,在5代群体中,2个单核苷酸多态性位点和4个微卫星位点优势基因型的数目的分布范围为0-4,从F1到F5代,这6个位点优势基因型的平均值分别为0.36、0.71、0.68、0.77和0.94,优势基因型的平均含量随选育世代的增加呈现递增趋势,从侧面反映了人工选育在一定程度上富集了优良基因。此外,对微卫星位点进行了遗传相似性和遗传距离分析,结果显示,随着选育的进行,后续世代与F1的遗传距离有明显的增大趋势,遗传相似性减小,这符合育种的客观规律。但相邻世代间的遗传距离则逐代减小,遗传相似性逐代增大,说明人工选育将遗传相似性较大的群体保留下来了,这种相似性表现在表型上包括生长快、体重大、体长增加等。F1到F5代处于中度遗传多样性的稳定状态,说明群体还存在选育空间。     

Late reproductive senescence in a rabbit line hyper selected for reproductive longevity,and its association with body reserves

The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in reproductive and body traits during successive parities between two genetic lines. The LP line was constituted by means of selection of animals having an extremely high number of parities (at least 25) and an average reproductive performance compared to the V line selected for litter size at weaning during 31 generations. The two lines were found to have an equal reproductive performance in the first three parities, but the LP line had higher reproductive performance from the fourth parturition onwards. The low reproductive performance after the third parity in the V line was suggested to be caused by constrained environmental conditions in the test station. A line by parity interaction was also observed for body weight, since body weight declined going from the third to the fourth parity in the LP line but not the V line. Thus, it was concluded that hyper selection for reproductive longevity and average prolificacy successfully delayed reproductive senescence, and that this newly founded line showed less environmental sensitivity, which might have been mediated by a higher body reserve.     

Within territory abundance of red wood ants Formica rufa is associated with the body condition of nestlings in the Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris

Studies on individual reproductive success in relation to interspecific competition between distantly related taxa are scarce. We studied whether the abundance of red wood ants Formica rufa -group is related to the breeding habitat selection, fecundity and offspring quality in the Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris, an old-growth forest passerine. The nest-box occupancy data were gathered over a five-year study period, whereas the breeding performance analyses were based on a two-year data set. The abundance of wood ants, measured within 50  m around the nest-boxes, was not related to nest-box occupancy rate, fecundity or the physiological stress of nestlings. In contrast, the abundance of wood ants was negatively related to the offspring quality and life-history traits, such as lowered body mass, subcutaneous fat reserves, and tarsus length at fledging. Our results suggest that exploitative competition between distantly related taxa may have considerable and adverse influences on nestling quality as measured by body mass, subcutaneous, fat and tarsus length. Red wood ants may decrease the fitness of treecreepers as the lower body condition of nestlings has the potential to impair recruitment into the breeding population and, additionally, impair the future reproductive effort.