走进内蒙

2015年8月1日,我们每一个人收拾好行囊,整装待发,在邓涛老师带领下踏上了去往内蒙古的征程,拉开了探索灰色生命之旅的序幕. 队伍由两辆车、8人组成,我们早晨7点从中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所出发,披着清晨的阳光,摆脱城市的拥挤,缓缓地“逃离”了北京城.直到抵达张北之后我们的车子才能像矫健的马儿一样驰骋在广袤的公路上,沿途没有了城市的喧闹,没有了交通的堵塞,伴随我们的只有那一眼望去蓝蓝的天空、随风摆动的小草,以及那迷人的风景,偶尔打开车窗,一股凉爽的清风扑面而来,沁人心脾.经过一路的颠簸,我们在傍晚时刻到达锡林浩特,当地文物保护站的同志为我们安顿好了一切.     

高山栎组化石——喜马拉雅山隆升的证据

巍峨的青藏高原,雄踞于地球之巅,这片既古老而又年轻的大地,以其独特的地理景观,丰富的自然资源和悠久的地域文化,曾召唤着来自不同国度和年龄段的科学工作者致力于以“青藏高原的隆起及其对自然环境和人类活动的影响”为主题的科学研究。他(她)们在这片惊险而又充满神秘色彩的雪域高原的崎岖山路上,留下了其足迹,取得的研究成果,为青藏高原综合研究的主题增添了耐人寻味的古生物学证据。翻开亚洲新生代地质历史,喜马拉雅山的上升被认为是最重要的地质事件。由于这条东西长2400余km,南北宽200~350km的山峦重迭、群峰林立的山系隆起,不仅制约…     

昆虫孤雌生殖中中心体的组装和意义

中心体是动物细胞主要的微管组织中心(microtubule organizing center, MTOC), 负责组织纺锤体.近年来, 关于昆虫卵母细胞减数分裂后中心体形成的深入研究对阐明昆虫孤雌生殖的过程和机制以及了解孤雌生殖的进化和形成具有重要意义.综述了第一次有丝分裂纺锤体的形成、中心体的装配以及中心体对于昆虫孤雌生殖的意义, 表明昆虫孤雌生殖的普遍模式就是在没有精子提供中心粒的情况下, 卵子通过新形成的中心体进行有丝分裂, 中心体自我组装限制的解除可能是进行孤雌生殖的转折点.     

沉水植物光合作用测定的电化学方法

光合作用速率测定是植物光合作用研究的重要基础,沉水植物由于所处生境的特殊性,难以应用在陆生植物光合作用研究中发展起来的速率测定方法.在对水体中二氧化碳的基本特征进行详细描述的基础上,介绍了在沉水植物光合作用研究中广泛应用的电化学方法--pH-stat法和pH-drift法的原理,并给出了应用实例.这两种测定水生植物光合作用的电化学方法所依据的溶液无机碳浓度的变化可以利用Gran滴定法方便地计算出来.     

进化论系列讲座(一)自古以来的问题——我们从哪里来?

今天,当我们谈起进化论的时候,没有人不知道达尔文的鼎鼎大名.没错,正是达尔文根据自己20多年的考察、研究和思考,在1859年出版了影响世界的《物种起源》一书,创立了以自然选择为机制的生物进化理论体系.这个理论就像一盏明灯,照亮了当时那个被《圣经》的教义笼罩得黑沉沉的人类精神世界,使越来越多的人看清了有着更为客观之来龙去脉的世间万物更为真实的面目,同时也给整个科学界和人类的认识领域开启了一个全新的视野.对于生物学这支科学的舰队而言,进化论就象指南针一样,引导着代表各个分支学科的航船向着更远的方向协调前进.当这支舰队已经驶入诸如“人类基因组计划”和“克隆”技术这些现代领域的时候,回顾航迹我们发现,如果没有进化论,这个乘风破浪的远征是无法想象的.     

微生物在水环境污染物降解中的应用

每年有大量来自工业、农业、养殖业和城市污水处理厂的废水被排入到水环境中,因此,地球上的水环境面临大量来自生活废水、工农业废水、非法排放的废水及其它废水的污染物质(如抗生素、杀虫剂,除草剂、烃等)的严重挑战,特别是近年来随着集约化养殖的发展,废水污染问题日益突出,并且随着分析手段的进步,能够检测到被排入水环境中的化学污染物质也越来越多,这些化学污染物对水环境中的生物产生有害影响.但是,微生物在污染控制上具有许多重要的作用.因此,本文对微生物在水环境污染物降解中的应用进行了评论.结果表明微生物主要是应用在水产养殖水中,而在其它的水体系(如河、湖、海)的应用较少.     

和狗狗一起去冒险

一群雪橇犬在被冰雪覆盖的南极大陆上孤独地生活着,除了必要的觅食,还坚守着早已人去楼空的勘测站,难以想像的175天——这就是电影《南极大冒险》,一个感人至深的故事。南极大陆是令人神往的地方,圣洁的冰雪世界总给人无尽的遐想,一群科学家为了寻找火     

有機體舆生活條件的統一

在唯物主義的米丘林生物學的基本規律中,關於有機體與他的生活條件的統一這個命題,占據着中心地位。為了支配的目的而了解及掌握有機體的個別的發展及生物的質的改造——物種及變種的界限等,必須對這個命題作多方面的學習,才能達到。因此可見,在講授生物學原理時,使學生對於有機體與他的生活條件的統一的命題,獲得正確的了解,必須予以特別的注意。雖然初看時,這個命題,似乎是很簡單而明白的,然而這種看法往往是不正確的。     

能源危机与生物量

当前,世界上存在着严重的能源危机。据有关专家估计,世界原油如以目前的速度消耗,到二十一世纪中即全部告罄。在这种形势下,各国政府都采取了相应的对策,开发能源作为一个新课题,已十分紧迫地提到科研的日程上。 据调查我国煤和石油的储量不能完全满足未来经济发展的需求,我国也在注意寻找能够代替传统的煤和石油的新能源,如太阳能,风力、地热、生物动力资源……等等。 随着生物工程的飞速发展,对生物量的利用也取得很大进展。从节能与防止环境污染的角度看,利用生物量开发新能源是很有前途的。     

达尔文与米丘林生物学

70年前,1882年4月19日,关于生物界演化的唯物学说的创造者,在生物科学中完成了大革命、把生物学奠立在科学基础上的天才的学者查理士·达尔文逝去了。在将近一世纪的期间,先进的生物科学依靠于奠立在达尔史著作基础上的进步的思想,顺利地发展着,获得了日新月异的成就。反动的科学千方百计的企图颠覆达尔文主义,仍然遭受到了失败。     

巨噬细胞吞噬过程中膜磷脂流动性和受体流动性的关系

本文用ＦＲＡＰ（ｆｌｕｏｒｅｓｃｅｎｃｅｒｅｃｏｖｅｒｙａｆｔｅｒｐｈｏｔｏｂｌｅａｃｈｉｎｇ）技术,测量了静息状态和刀豆素Ａ刺激不同时间后巨噬细胞膜磷脂、ＣｏｎＡ受体扩散系数和荧光恢复率的变化。结果显示ＣｏｎＡ刺激后膜磷脂和ＣｏｎＡ受体的扩散系数和荧光恢复率均较静息状态的巨噬细胞明显降低,磷脂流动性的变化与ＣｏｎＡ受体流动性的变化呈正相关。提示受体介导内吞导致的膜磷脂流动性的降低,可能是由于配体与细胞膜上受体结合形成配体－受体复合体,增加了受体的负荷,使受体的流动性降低,进而使膜磷脂的流动性降低。巨噬细胞内吞过程中膜磷脂和ＣｏｎＡ受体流动性的降低,可能还与ＣｏｎＡ刺激后巨噬细胞胞浆ｐＨ值有关。     

Interaction of concanavalin A with lactogenic receptors in isolated membranes

Specific binding of lactogenic hormones to their receptors in membranes from lactating mouse liver is inhibited by concanavalin A (Con A). Binding to solubilized receptors is not affected by the presence of Con A in the binding reaction. However, these solubilized binding proteins are retained on Con A-Sepharose columns. Prebound hormone-receptor complexes are also retained on Con A-Sepharose. These data indicate that lactogenic receptors have a Con A binding site distinct from the hormone binding site. Moreover, once bound, the hormone is not released by the action of Con A. Somatogenic receptors do not have a Con A binding site and the binding of bovine growth hormone to hepatic membranes is not affected by the presence of Con A in the binding reaction. Inhibition of binding to lactogenic receptors by Con A occurs independently from other membrane perturbing events such as phospholipid methylation.     

巨噬细胞细胞内吞过程中膜受体流动性的测量——两种标记受体方法的比较

本文首次实现了细胞内吞过程中膜受体流动性的测量。实验选择巨噬细胞膜和伴刀豆凝集素A(ConA),分别用Con A-Biotin Avi-din-FITC(ABC法)和Con A-FITC(直接法)两种方法标记巨噬细胞膜Con A受体,比较了这两种方法标记的巨噬细胞Con A受体的荧光强度;利用FRAP(Fluorescence RecoveryAfter Rhotobleaching)技术,分别用两种标记方法测量了巨噬细胞Con A受体的流动性。结果显示Con A-Biotin Avidin-FITC标记的巨噬细胞受体的平均荧光强度比用Con A-FITC标记的平均荧光强度高大约3倍;直接标记法应用于细胞内吞过程中受体流动性的测量在方法学上存在着很大的缺陷,ABC标记法适合于测量细胞内吞过程中膜表面受体的流动性的变化,且灵敏度高、误差小;ABC方法标记受体的测量结果显示,Con A刺激后巨噬细胞膜表面Con A受体的扩散系数和荧光恢复率与静息状态相比呈下降趋势。     

Correlation between movement of concanavalin A membrane receptors and cytolysis. A scanning electron microscopy study

The present study was undertaken to test whether cytolysis induced by Concanavalin A (Con A) requires lateral mobility of membranal lectin receptor sites into caps. Treatment of interphase murine mastocytoma cells with 10(-4) M colchicine promoted cap formation by Con A in about 30% of the cells, followed by cytolysis. Pretreatment of the cells with NaN3, low temperature, or glutaraldehyde decreased the degree of capping and, to the same extent, the degree of cytolysis. The addition of antibodies to cells bound with Con A increased the appearance of capping and cytolysis. A linear relationship with a high correlation coefficient exists between the degree of capping and cytolysis, suggesting that lateral mobility of membrane Con A receptors is required for cytolysis by the lectin. The process of cap formation by Con A up to the stage of cytolysis was followed by scanning electron microscopy.     

Effect of different fixatives on Con A surface receptors of mouse peritoneal macrophages

The effects of glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, or osmium tetroxide fixation on the number of labeled Con A surface receptors on mouse peritoneal macrophages were compared. Gold-labeled Con A receptors were found to be isolatedly arranged and evenly distributed on cell surfaces independent of the fixative used. Only cells preincubated with Con A and subsequently fixed by osmium tetroxide showed arrangement of labeled receptors in clusters. Significant differences were found in the number of Con A receptors per cell depending on the fixative used. The fluorescence intensity of FITC-Con A staining was detected spectrophotometrically, the characteristic X-rays of gold-labeled Con A receptors were determined by means of electron beam-induced X-ray microanalysis. The experimental results obtained both at light and electron microscopic level pointed to formaldehyde being the best fixative also for this purpose.     

Concanavalin A receptors, immunoglobulins, and theta antigen of the lymphocyte surface. Interactions with concanavalin A and with Cytoplasmic structures

The effect of concanavalin A (Con A) on the capping of mouse lymphocyte surface immunoglobulin (surface Ig), cross-linked by rabbit anti-mouse Ig antibody, and on the capping of mouse thymocyte theta antigen, cross- linked by anti-theta alloantibody and rabbit anti-mouse Ig antibody, has been studied by immunofluorescence, using fluorescein conjugated Con A and rhodamine-conjugated anti-mouse Ig antibody, and by electron microscopy, using native or fluorescein-conjugated Con A and ferritin- conjugated anti-mouse Ig antibody. Prior incubation of the cells with Con A inhibited only partially capping os surface Ig, whereas it blocked almost completely capping of theta antigens. Both on cells with rings and on cells with caps the staining for surface Ig or theta antigen was superimposed to the staining for Con A. When Con A receptors on spleen cells were capped by Con A at concentrations of 10 mug/ml or higher, and the distribution of surface Ig was examined under noncapping conditions, all detectable surface Ig were found in the caps. As shown by electron microscopy, surface Ig remained dispersed in a layer of Con A. The ability of Con A to cap surface Ig was not altered by the presence of cohchicine or vinblastine. These results suggest that surface Ig are cross-linked by Con A to other Con A receptors. In these conditions surface Ig behave essentially as Con A receptors, as for example, in their sensitivity to cytochalasin B during inhibition or reversal of capping induced by this drug. The behavior of surface Ig parallels that of Con A receptors also in the presence of vinblastine. It is concluded that in the presence of Con A, antimitotic drugs do not modify directly the interaction between Con A receptors and surface Ig, but probably influence the capping ability of the Con A receptors or, more in general, affect the ability to elicit movements over the cell surface. The role in capping of cytochalasin- sensitive and vinblastine-sensitive structures is discussed. Both types of structures appear to play an active role in the formation of a cap, although the former probably corresponds to the main mechanical system responsible for the active displacement of cytoplasmic and surface material.     

Concanavalin A surface receptors and cytoplasmic actin in cell adhesion.

A double immunofluorescence staining technique to locate concanavalin A (Con A) surface receptors and cytoplasmic actin in the same cell was applied to monolayer cultures of rat foetal fibroblasts during cell detachment induced by trypsin and during cell attachment to glass substratum. Con A receptors were demonstrated by fluorescein-isothiocyanate-labelled Con A (FITC-Con A) and actin by specific anti-actin antibody (AAA) traced with rhodamine-labelled goat anti-human globulin (R-AHG). Untreated, control cells had an elongated shape, Con A receptors restricted to cell margins and prominent actin filaments. After 2 min treatment with 0.001% trypsin the cells became angular with Con A receptors in clusters and actin in a diffuse or aggreagate staining pattern. Progressive cell rounding followed and this was accompanied by the development of long, thin, arborized cell processes, studded with Con A receptors and containing fine actin filaments. Complete cell rounding preceded cell detachment. The sites of detached cells were marked by fine aggregates containing Con A receptors and actin. In cells attaching to a glass substratum, actin was present in a diffusely stained or aggregate pattern in round cells, in filaments restricted to cell margins in partially spread cells and in numerous filaments in fully spread cells. Con A receptors were present in clusters in round cells, in clusters or caps in partially spread cells and in cell margins in fully spread cells. Binding of FITC-Con A to partially spread cells resulted in dissolution of the few, newly formed, actin filaments. We believe our observations are consistent with the idea that actin filaments, formed during cell attachment, contribute towards the maintenance of cell adhesion by helping in the preservation of cell shape and by anchorage of Con A receptors at points of cell attachment to the substratum.     

Effect of different fixatives on Con A surface receptors of mouse peritoneal macrophages

Summary The effects of glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, or osmium tetroxide fixation on the number of labeled Con A surface receptors on mouse peritoneal macrophages were compared. Gold-labeled Con A receptors were found to be isolatedly arranged and evenly distributed on cell surfaces independent of the fixative used. Only cells preincubated with Con A and subsequently fixed by osmium tetroxide showed arrangement of labeled receptors in clusters. Significant differences were found in the number of Con A receptors per cell depending on the fixative used. The fluorescence intensity of FITC-Con A staining was detected spectrophotometrically, the characteristic X-rays of gold-labeled Con A receptors were determined by means of electron beam-induced X-ray microanalysis. The experimental results obtained both at light and electron microscopic level pointed to formaldehyde being the best fixative also for this purpose.     

The effects of concanavalin A on the mobility of lymphocyte surface receptors

It has been found that concanavalin A (Con A) bound to the lymphocyte surface can either induce cap formation or inhibit cap formation of various receptors including those for Con A itself. The expression of these antagonistic activities is highly dependent on the conditions under which cells are incubated with Con A. Incubation with Con A at 37 °C resulted in cap formation in only a small percentage of the cells and inhibited patch and cap formation induced by other reagents such as anti-immunoglobulin. In contrast, incubation of cells with Con A at 4 °C, followed by removal of unbound Con A molecules and elevation of the temperature to 37 °C resulted in cap formation in more than 40 % of the cells. Quantitative analyses suggest that these effects involve cross-linkage of Con A receptors, which occur in two states, mobile and relatively immobile. A model is proposed to explain the various effects of Con A in terms of the association of these receptors with colchicine binding proteins.     

Concanavalin A inhibition of alpha-bungarotoxin binding to a nonfusing muscle cell line.

Incubation of a nonfusing muscle cell line, BC3H1, with concanavalin A (Con A) results in a maximum decrease of 35% in the cell's ability to bind alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BuTx). The Con A-induced inhibition of 125I-alpha-BuTx binding is reversible and the degree of inhibition parallels the degree of saturation of Con A binding sites on the cell surface. The maximum level of Con A-induced inhibition of 125I-alpha-BuTx binding is not affected by increasing the time of incubation in Con A, using higher concentrations of Con A or by increasing the time of incubation in the presence of 125I-alpha-BuTx. In addition, all BC3H1 cells in culture are sensitive to the Con A-induced inhibition of 125I-alpha-BuTx binding. A comparison of the pseudo-first order rate constants for 125I-alpha-BuTx binding to untreated (8.6 x 10(4) M-1 S-1) and Con A-treated (5.4 x 10(4) M-1 S-1) BC3H1 cells, however, shows that those acetylcholine receptors in Con A-treated cells which bind 125I-alpha-BuTx do so with a lowered apparent affinity. Partial inhibition of toxin-binding capacity is not a consequence of two classes of acetylcholine receptors on the cell surface. Furthermore, individual receptors experience partial inhibition of their binding capacity by Con A, resulting in receptors with at least one binding site blocked and at least one site available for alpha-BuTx binding.