唐家河自然保护区高山姬鼠和中华姬鼠夏季生境选择的比较

为揭示影响高山姬鼠和中华姬鼠夏季空间分布的生态因素,采用样线法和样方取样法,于2009年6—8月在四川省唐家河国家级自然保护区内对两种姬鼠的生境选择进行了比较研究。结果表明:两种姬鼠主要利用坡度平缓,郁闭度、落叶层盖度、乔木胸径和高度较小,灌木、竹子和草本密度适中而草本盖度较大的生境;高山姬鼠频繁出现在海拔较低(1400 m左右)、草本植物较大(平均高度为16—30 cm)的生境中,而中华姬鼠频繁出现在海拔较高(1900 m左右)、草本植物较小(平均高度<15 cm)的生境中。此外,高山姬鼠频繁出现在竹林较矮(平均高度<1 m)、水源距离较近(<50 m)、植被演替阶段较低(小树林)的常绿-落叶阔叶混交林中,而中华姬鼠对这4种生态因子无明显的选择性。两种姬鼠在对生境的利用上虽具一定重叠性,但对诸多生境变量选择上的差异表明各自具有不同的生境利用模式。海拔、植被演替阶段、郁闭度和草本高度4个生境变量判别函数系数的绝对值明显大于其他变量,表明高山姬鼠和中华姬鼠在生境上的分割可能主要与这4个变量有关。生境利用模式的不同有助于两种姬鼠同域共存。     

陕西凤县春季林麝生境的初步分析

2006年4～5月,在陕西凤县共设置41个20 m×20 m的样方和14个生态因子,并以此为基础数据,分析结果表明,林麝春季喜欢选择在海拔1700～2100 m、灌木盖度、竹子密度、倒木密度、树桩密度、动物干扰程度均较低、坡度≥ 40°、半阴半阳坡、远离人类生产活动、有土质覆盖的生境.其他生态因子郁闭度、隐蔽级、乔木密度、灌木密度均以适中为准.因子分析的结果表明,前7个公共因子的累计贡献率达到76.63%,基本上反映了林麝春季栖息地的特征.在前7个公共因子中,占有较高信息载荷系数的变量依次为灌木盖度、树桩密度、乔木密度、活动基底、隐蔽级、人为干扰、竹子密度.     

银星竹鼠(Rhixomys pruinosus Blyth)的生态调查

通过对湖南省宜章县溶家洞银星竹鼠进行的实地调查 ,获得了银星竹鼠栖息环境、洞穴结构和食性方面的数据 ,发现银星竹鼠一般生活在海拔 10 0 0m以下 ,生长着竹类或芒类 ,附近有水源的环境中 ,主要以竹类和芒类的根和茎为食 ,营洞穴生活 ,洞穴有夏季和冬季之分 ,由洞口、洞口外土堆、洞道 (走廊、取食道、避难道 )、窝、厕所 5个部分组成 .     

四川白水河国家级自然保护区野外藏酋猴活动初步调查

2006年4～12月,以白水河自然保护区的锅圈岩、回龙沟、龙漕沟、玉石沟和九峰山5个区域为野外重点观察区域,结合保护区地理信息系统的资料,对藏酋猴的活动进行了初步观察.共遇见藏酋猴29群639只,以九峰山、回龙沟等区域较多,主要在1300～2000 m活动.藏酋猴喜欢选择山坡中部、均匀坡上和阳光比较好的大于40°以上凸坡上、落叶阔叶林下、郁闭度比较适中的森林中活动,主要为植物性食物,尤其喜欢取食树皮、藤本表皮、果实、嫩枝叶等,白天比较活跃.     

唐家河国家级自然保护区川金丝猴冬季栖息地选择

2009年12月至2010年2月,对唐家河自然保护区内的一群(约60只)川金丝猴群采用直接跟踪观察,并结合植物样方调查对该猴群冬季栖息地选择进行了初步研究。根据猴群的活动位点,设置了75个20m×20m的植物样方,测定了12个生态因子(植被类型、乔木的胸径、郁闭度、乔木的高度、海拔、坡度、坡向、坡位、坡形、距水源距离、乔木密度、灌木盖度)。研究发现,冬季猴群主要在海拔2000～2500m、乔木平均胸径11～30cm、乔木平均树高为10～29m、乔木密度为20～40棵/20m×20m之间的落叶阔叶林和针阔混交林的阳坡中活动,还偏好在郁闭度为25%～49%、坡度为6°～20°、坡形为凸坡和复合坡、坡位为脊中部和下部、距水源距离0～300m的生境中活动。研究表明,冬季的食物资源、气候条件是影响川金丝猴群栖息地选择的主要生态因子。     

桂林岩溶石山落叶阔叶林种类组成及其环境解释

为了解落叶阔叶林森林植被的群落类型和组成结构,该文在桂林阳朔县和灵川县岩溶生境典型的落叶阔叶林内设置49个20 m×20 m的随机样方,在野外调查基础上进行群落数量分类和排序,对其群落类型进行划分,并对不同类型的群落种类组成、结构及其分布与环境因子的耦合关系进行分析。结果表明:(1)桂林岩溶石山落叶阔叶林可划分为3个群丛组类型,即群丛组A:南酸枣-喜树+巴豆群丛组(ASS.Choerospondias axillaris-Camptotheca acuminata+Croton tiglium),群丛组B:光皮梾木-喜树群丛组(ASS. Swida wilsoniana-Camptotheca acuminata),群丛组C:麻栎-檵木群丛组(ASS. Quercus acutissima-Loropetalum chinense)。(2)不同群落类型中常绿和落叶物种的丰富度、多度、胸高断面积及重要值的变化:在乔木层中,3个群丛组均为落叶物种占优势;在灌木层中,群丛组A、B以落叶物种占优势,群丛组C以常绿物种占优势。(3)在1～5 cm和5～10 cm径级内,群丛组A、B的落叶物种在4个度量指标上均大于常绿物种,群丛组C除物种丰富度外,均为常绿物种大于落叶物种;在≥10 cm径级中,除群丛组B的物种丰富度外,3个群丛组中的各项指标均为落叶物种占主导地位。(4)岩石裸露率、海拔、坡向、土壤含水量、土壤pH、土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮、速效钾、林冠开阔度和人为干扰是影响研究区不同类型群落分布的主要环境因子。     

唐家河国家级自然保护区林麝排便点偏好

林麝（Moschus berezovskii）是重要的资源动物,也是生态系统中的重要一员,由于过度捕猎和栖息地破碎化等导致其种群急剧下降。恢复林麝种群的根本方法是保护和恢复其栖息地。林麝的排便点分布在其整个活动区内,且有很好的指示作用。本研究通过分析林麝排便点位置,了解林麝栖息地选择偏好。在唐家河国家级自然保护区内不同海拔梯度布置17个1 km × 1 km的样方,每个样方内至少1条样线,样线每隔400 m设置搜索样线,以发现排便点为中心设置1个10 m × 10 m 利用样方,若未发现排便点,在搜索样线中部设置1个10 m × 10 m 对照样方,并记录样方内的生境因子。采用Ivlev的选择性指数、广义线性模型及多重对应法分析林麝对生境因子的偏好。结果发现,林麝最为偏好的植被类型为针阔混交林（E = 0.528）,而规避常绿阔叶林（E =﹣1）、次生落叶阔叶林（E =﹣0.816）和常绿落叶阔叶林（E =﹣0.585）。此外,海拔、灌丛盖度和坡度也显著影响林麝栖息地偏好,其排便点集中分布在海拔2 000 ~ 2 600 m区间,并且偏好有一定灌丛盖度且坡度陡的生境。     

广西木论保护区喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林优势种空间格局及其相关性

基于广西木论国家级自然保护区喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林1hm2样地调查数据,采用点格局方法分析了混交林4个优势种群空间格局,及种内和种间的相关关系.结果表明:木论常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层Ⅰ亚层以小栾树为主,Ⅱ亚层和Ⅲ亚层均以东女贞、铁榄和广西密花树为主;4个优势种群不同林层的空间分布格局在10m尺度上呈显著的聚集分布,25m尺度呈随机分布,有些尺度呈均匀分布,10～25m尺度内则为聚集分布向随机分布过渡,且不同树种聚集分布向随机分布转化的临界尺度不同.Ⅰ亚层小栾树与Ⅱ亚层4个优势种的相关性较弱;Ⅲ亚层各优势种与Ⅱ亚层4个优势种中,小栾树与4个优势种相关关系波动较大,东女贞50m尺度内呈显著正相关,铁榄与4个优势种没有明显的相关性,广西密花树在20m尺度没有相关性,而在20～50m尺度上呈显著负相关.     

中国西南干旱河谷植物群落的数量分类和排序分析

中国西南干旱河谷植被是我国西南横断山区特有的植被类型, 目前关于西南干旱河谷植被还没有整体性的群落类型划分研究。根据对甘肃、四川、云南三省九条主要河流的干旱河谷段野外调查和文献来源的1,339个植物群落样方数据, 采用自适应仿射传播聚类方法, 对我国西南干旱河谷的植物群落进行数量分类, 并采用典范对应分析方法进行排序分析。结果表明: (1)调查样方的植物群落分为7个植被型(稀树草原、肉质灌丛、常绿阔叶灌丛、暖性落叶阔叶灌丛、常绿硬叶林、落叶阔叶林和暖性针叶林), 24个群系, 31个群丛类型。暖性落叶阔叶灌丛是本植被区的代表性植被类型; 分布最广的群系为鞍叶羊蹄甲灌丛(Form. Bauhinia brachycarpa, 样方比例50.9%)、黄茅灌草丛(Form. Heteropogon contortus, 样方比例11.9%)、孔颖草灌草丛(Form. Bothriochloa pertusa, 样方比例5.6%)、黄荆灌丛(Form. Vitex negundo, 样方比例4.2%)、知风草灌草丛(Form. Eragrostis ferruginea, 样方比例3.8%)、车桑子灌丛(Form. Dodonaea viscosa, 样方比例3.4%)、云南松疏林(Form. Pinus yunnanensis, 样方比例3.3%)。(2)冬季低温和降水的季节性是限制干旱河谷植物群落分布的主要气候因子。稀树草原、肉质灌丛是典型的干热河谷植被类型; 暖性落叶阔叶灌丛、常绿硬叶林、常绿阔叶灌丛是干暖河谷植被的优势类型; 暖性针叶林、落叶阔叶林则主要在干温河谷环境占优势。     

落叶收集法测定叶面积指数的快速取样方法

叶面积指数(LAI)是植被冠层结构的一个重要参数,它不仅是许多生态和气候模型的重要输入变量,而且是生态系统动态变化监测的一个重要指标。LAI可通过各种间接和直接的手段来观测,而间接观测的LAI值常常需要直接的观测数据来校验。落叶收集法是一种广泛使用的直接观测LAI的方法,过去的研究还未发现有涉及落叶收集的取样技术及其观测精度的内容。对长白山和北京地区落叶阔叶林的落叶进行了3a的观测,每年一次性收集落叶样品分析,研究结果表明:①不同层次落叶的含水量差异巨大,且落叶含水量的日变化明显。上下层落叶的含水量绝对值差异高达10%以上,日变化绝对值差异高达20%以上。因此,在野外收集落叶样本时,为减小落叶含水量变化所导致的LAI观测误差,应从上到下直到地面进行取样,且尽可能多地收集落叶样本。②在落叶阔叶人工林和天然林里,无论样地的大小(1hm2或30m×30m样地),无论取样单元的大小(1m2或25m2分辨率),林内的LAI分布很不均匀,LAI介于0-15.5(1m2分辨率的1hm2样地)或者2.6-9.1(25m2分辨率的30m×30m样地)。③要准确测定落叶林的LAI,收集落叶的样地面积越大越好,且尽量选择地势平坦的样地。对于1hm2或者30m×30m大小的样地,可随机布设一个10m×10m的小样地来观测,精度分别可达85%、80%。④10m×10m小样地的LAI观测,可将其分为4个相邻的5m×5m小样进行取样。对每个5m×5m小样,快速的取样方法是:Ⅰ.随机布设6个1m2取样,这样取样可以保证在99%概率水平上,100m2、30m×30m和1hm2样地的LAI观测精度分别为90%、75%、70%左右。Ⅱ.随机布设11个1m2取样。可以保证在99%概率水平上,100m2、30m×30m和1hm2样地的LAI观测精度分别为94%、80%、75%左右。     

中国小竹鼠生态的初步研究

小竹鼠在我国仅分布于云南西部热带亚热带地区。主要生活于山坡稀树灌丛、阔叶林、橡胶园及居民点附近。在盈江县分布于海拔300-950米地带。取食、休息、繁殖主要在洞道内。洞系由洞口、取食道、趋避道、窝及“厕所”组成。食物主要有棕叶芦、芦竹及三叶橡胶等18种,尤喜食橡胶树主根,因而对橡胶树危害很大。13号标本中雌7雄6。在盈江每胎2-3只,以2只为多。成年小竹鼠过独居生活,雌雄各有自己的洞系。     

Aromatic residues surrounding the active site tunnel of TfCel48A influence activity,processivity, and synergistic interactions with other cellulases

Cel48A of Thermobifida fusca (TfCel48A) is a processive exocellulase that contains an active site tunnel and digests lignocellulosic biomass via synergistic interactions between different cellulases. Cel48A possesses a number of aromatic amino acids lining the tunnel entrance, which are highly conserved across a diverse number of microbial species and appear to play a role in the selection and threading of individual strands of cellulose from highly recalcitrant substrates. In this study, we sought to further elucidate the roles of these tunnel entrance aromatic amino acids by creating a series of double mutants and examining their effect on TfCel48A activity, processivity, and synergistic interactions with the well-studied processive endocellulase TfCel9A. Our results provide further insight concerning the mechanism of Cel48A kinetics with soluble and insoluble substrates and could play an influential role in the application of Cel48A and other exocellulases for industrial purposes.     

Analysis of forces of ACL reconstructions at the tunnel entrance: is tunnel enlargement a biomechanical problem?

Bone tunnel enlargement is a common phenomenon following reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Biomechanical and biological factors have been reported as potential causes of this problem. However, there is no analysis of forces between the graft and bone, as the graft changes direction at the bone tunnel entrance. The purpose of this study was to study these 'redirecting forces'. Magnetic resonance images of 10 patients with an ACL reconstruction (age: 26+/-6.8 years) were used to determine the angle between graft and drill holes. Vector analysis was used to calculate the direction and magnitude of the perpendicular component of the force between the bone tunnel and the graft at the entrance of the bone tunnel. Force components were projected into the radiographically important sagittal and coronal planes. Tension of ACL reconstructions was recorded during passive knee motion in 10 cadaveric knee experiments (age: 28.9+/-10.6 years) and the tension multiplied with the force component for each plane. Results are reported for the coronal and sagittal planes, respectively: For -10 degrees of extension, the percentages of graft tension were determined to be 17+/-7 (max: 26; min: 7%) and 26+/-9 (max: 39; min: 16%) for the tibia. They were 59+/-6 (max: 66; min: 48%) and 99+/-1 (max: 1.00; min: 99%) for the femur. Force components were 14.68+/-6.54 and 25.73+/-12.96 N for the tibial tunnel. For the femoral tunnel, they were 52.48+/-19.03 and 90.77+/-32.06 N. Percentages of graft tension and force components were significantly higher for the femoral tunnel compared with the tibial tunnel. Moreover, in the sagittal direction, force components for the femoral tunnel were significantly higher compared with the coronal plane (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.01). The differences in force components calculated in this study corresponds with the amount of tunnel enlargement in the radiographic planes in the literature providing evidence that biomechanical forces play a key role in postoperative tunnel expansion.     

Phenotypic selection on flowering phenology and pollination efficiency traits between Primula populations with different pollinator assemblages

Floral traits have largely been attributed to phenotypic selection in plant–pollinator interactions. However, the strength of this link has rarely been ascertained with real pollinators. We conducted pollinator observations and estimated selection through female fitness on flowering phenology and floral traits between two Primula secundiflora populations. We quantified pollinator‐mediated selection by subtracting estimates of selection gradients of plants receiving supplemental hand pollination from those of plants receiving open pollination. There was net directional selection for an earlier flowering start date at populations where the dominant pollinators were syrphid flies, and flowering phenology was also subjected to stabilized quadratic selection. However, a later flowering start date was significantly selected at populations where the dominant pollinators were legitimate (normal pollination through the corolla tube entrance) and illegitimate bumblebees (abnormal pollination through nectar robbing hole which located at the corolla tube), and flowering phenology was subjected to disruptive quadratic selection. Wider corolla tube entrance diameter was selected at both populations. Furthermore, the strength of net directional selection on flowering start date and corolla tube entrance diameter was stronger at the population where the dominant pollinators were syrphid flies. Pollinator‐mediated selection explained most of the between‐population variations in the net directional selection on flowering phenology and corolla tube entrance diameter. Our results suggested the important influence of pollinator‐mediated selection on floral evolution. Variations in pollinator assemblages not only resulted in variation in the direction of selection but also the strength of selection on floral traits.     

An aspartate ring at the TolC tunnel entrance determines ion selectivity and presents a target for blocking by large cations

The TolC protein of Escherichia coli comprises an outer membrane beta-barrel channel and a contiguous alpha-helical tunnel spanning the periplasm, providing an exit duct for protein export and multidrug efflux. It forms a single transmembrane pore that is open to the outside of the cell but constricted at the peri-plasmic tunnel entrance. This sole constriction is lined by a ring of six aspartate residues, two in each of the three identical monomers. When these were replaced by alanines, the resulting TolC(DADA) protein reconstituted normally in black lipid membranes but showed altered electrophysiological characteristics. In particular, it had lost the strong pH dependence of the wild type and had switched ion selectivity from cations to anions. The function of wild-type TolC as a membrane pore was severely inhibited by divalent and trivalent cations entering the channel tunnel from the channel ("extracurricular") side. Divalent cations bound reversibly to effect complete blocking of the transmembrane ion flux. Trivalent cations were more potent. Hexamminecobalt bound at nanomolar concentrations allowed visualization of single blocking events, whereas the smaller Cr(3+) cation bound irreversibly and could also access the cation binding site via the tunnel entrance. The inhibitory cations had no effect on the mutant TolC(DADA), supporting the view that the aspartate ring is the cation binding site. The electronegative entrance is widely conserved throughout the TolC family, which is essential for efflux and export my Gram-negative bacteria, suggesting that it could present a general target for drugs.     

Phenotypic selection on the staminal lever mechanism in Salvia digitaloides (Labiaceae)

The staminal lever mechanism of pollination in Salvia has been considered as a key innovation, which was proposed to contribute to adaptive radiation of the genus. Considering its sophisticated interaction with pollinators, we hypothesized that relevant floral traits in the lever mechanism might be subject to intense selection in natural populations. In the present study, Salvia digitaloides was employed to investigate phenotypic selection on the floral traits. The results indicated that there were large variations in the floral structural traits and spatial position of the stigma. No significant selection was detected on the plausible key trait, i.e. the stamen lever length. Strong stabilizing selection acted consistently on the size of corolla entrance; that is, the intermediate corolla entrance was at a selective advantage. Both corolla length and style exsertion were subject to opposite directional selection in both years; and corolla entrance height was subject to disruptive selection, which was attributed to divergent adaptation of the trait to different body-sized pollinators. Furthermore, correlational selection acted on a few pairs of traits which described corolla entrance size and stigma position. Flower production was consistently subject to significantly positive directional selection in both years. In conclusion, it was most likely that floral traits involved in the staminal lever mechanism evolved in a functionally integrated manner for the enhancement of pollination efficiency in the natural population of S. digitaloides.     

Modification of activity and specificity of haloalkane dehalogenase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis UT26 by engineering of its entrance tunnel

Structural comparison of three different haloalkane dehalogenases suggested that substrate specificity of these bacterial enzymes could be significantly influenced by the size and shape of their entrance tunnels. The surface residue leucine 177 positioned at the tunnel opening of the haloalkane dehalogenase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis UT26 was selected for modification based on structural and phylogenetic analysis; the residue partially blocks the entrance tunnel, and it is the most variable pocket residue in haloalkane dehalogenase-like proteins with nine substitutions in 14 proteins. Mutant genes coding for proteins carrying all possible substitutions in position 177 were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. In total, 15 active protein variants were obtained, suggesting a relatively high tolerance of the site for the introduction of mutations. Purified protein variants were kinetically characterized by determination of specific activities with 12 halogenated substrates and steady-state kinetic parameters with two substrates. The effect of mutation on the enzyme activities varied dramatically with the structure of the substrates, suggesting that extrapolation of one substrate to another may be misleading and that a systematic characterization of the protein variants with a number of substrates is essential. Multivariate analysis of activity data revealed that catalytic activity of mutant enzymes generally increased with the introduction of small and nonpolar amino acid in position 177. This result is consistent with the phylogenetic analysis showing that glycine and alanine are the most commonly occurring amino acids in this position among haloalkane dehalogenases. The study demonstrates the advantages of using rational engineering to develop enzymes with modified catalytic properties and substrate specificities. The strategy of using site-directed mutagenesis to modify a specific entrance tunnel residue identified by structural and phylogenetic analyses, rather than combinatorial screening, generated a high percentage of viable mutants.     

Theoretical Investigations of Nitric Oxide Channeling in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Truncated Hemoglobin N

Mycobacterium tuberculosis group I truncated hemoglobin trHbN catalyzes the oxidation of nitric oxide (•NO) to nitrate with a second-order rate constant k ≈ 745 μM⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 23°C (nitric oxide dioxygenase reaction). It was proposed that this high efficiency is associated with the presence of hydrophobic tunnels inside trHbN structure that allow substrate diffusion to the distal heme pocket. In this work, we investigated the mechanisms of •NO diffusion within trHbN tunnels in the context of the nitric oxide dioxygenase reaction using two independent approaches. Molecular dynamics simulations of trHbN were performed in the presence of explicit •NO molecules. Successful •NO diffusion from the bulk solvent to the distal heme pocket was observed in all simulations performed. The simulations revealed that •NO interacts with trHbN at specific surface sites, composed of hydrophobic residues located at tunnel entrances. The entry and the internal diffusion of •NO inside trHbN were performed using the Long, Short, and EH tunnels reported earlier. The Short tunnel was preferentially used by •NO to reach the distal heme pocket. This preference is ascribed to its hydrophobic funnel-shape entrance, covering a large area extending far from the tunnel entrance. This funnel-shape entrance triggers the frequent formation of solvent-excluded cavities capable of hosting up to three •NO molecules, thereby accelerating •NO capture and entry. The importance of hydrophobicity of entrances for •NO capture is highlighted by a comparison with a polar mutant for which residues at entrances were mutated with polar residues. A complete map of •NO diffusion pathways inside trHbN matrix was calculated, and •NO molecules were found to diffuse from Xe cavity to Xe cavity. This scheme was in perfect agreement with the three-dimensional free-energy distribution calculated using implicit ligand sampling. The trajectories showed that •NO significantly alters the dynamics of the key amino acids of Phe⁶²(E15), a residue proposed to act as a gate controlling ligand traffic inside the Long tunnel, and also of Ile¹¹⁹(H11), at the entrance of the Short tunnel. It is noteworthy that •NO diffusion inside trHbN tunnels is much faster than that reported previously for myoglobin. The results presented in this work shed light on the diffusion mechanism of apolar gaseous substrates inside protein matrix.     

Adaptive plasticity of egg size in response to competition in the cowpea weevil,Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Life history theory predicts that larger propagules should be produced when the offspring are expected to experience intense competition. This study tested whether female cowpea weevils responded to high larval or adult density by producing larger eggs. In a splitbrood design I measured the effect of density experienced by females at their larval stage (1 vs. 4–6 larvae/cowpea) on the size of eggs produced just after emergence. The females were then kept either at low adult density (1 female+1 male per vial), or at high adult density (10 females+10 males) for 2 days, and tested for the effect of this adult density treatment on the size of eggs laid subsequently. I measured egg length and width, as well as the diameter of the entrance tunnel made by the larva, which can be regarded as a crude measure of larval size. Females that experienced high adult density subsequently laid slightly wider eggs than those kept at low density. This difference, albeit small (about 1–4% after correction for female weight and the effect of family, depending on the statistical model used), was statistically significant and robust to alterations of the statistical model. It may be a remnant of a larger plastic response of egg size to competition that has become eroded during many generations in high-density laboratory cultures. There was no difference in egg length or the diameter of the entrance tunnel. Eggs laid just after emergence by females reared at high larval density also tended to be wider than those produced by females that had no competitors. This effect was only marginally significant, however, and sensitive to the statistical model. Both egg length and width and the diameter of the entrance tunnel increased with female weight and decreased with female age. The tunnel diameter was positively correlated with both egg length and width, but the effect of width was larger.     

Structural basis for catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms of beta-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein dehydratase (FabZ)

beta-Hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein dehydratase (FabZ) is an important enzyme for the elongation cycles of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids biosyntheses in the type II fatty acid biosynthesis system (FAS II) pathway. FabZ has been an essential target for the discovery of compounds effective against pathogenic microbes. In this work, to characterize the catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms of FabZ, the crystal structures of the FabZ of Helicobacter pylori (HpFabZ) and its complexes with two newly discovered inhibitors have been solved. Different from the structures of other bacterial FabZs, HpFabZ contains an extra short two-turn alpha-helix (alpha4) between alpha3 and beta3, which plays an important role in shaping the substrate-binding tunnel. Residue Tyr-100 at the entrance of the tunnel adopts either an open or closed conformation in the crystal structure. The crystal structural characterization, the binding affinity determination, and the enzymatic activity assay of the HpFabZ mutant (Y100A) confirm the importance of Tyr-100 in catalytic activity and substrate binding. Residue Phe-83 at the exit tunnel was also refined in two alternative conformations, leading the tunnel to form an L-shape and U-shape. All these data thus contributed much to understanding the catalytic mechanism of HpFabZ. In addition, the co-crystal structures of HpFabZ with its inhibitors have suggested that the enzymatic activity of HpFabZ could be inhibited either by occupying the entrance of the tunnel or plugging the tunnel to prevent the substrate from accessing the active site. Our study has provided some insights into the catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms of FabZ, thus facilitating antibacterial agent development.