雌性凹耳蛙生育力与体型参数间相关性及其配对模式

为了探究雌性凹耳蛙(Odorrana tormota)生育力与体型参数之间是否存在相关性,测量了黄山浮溪地区23只排卵后雌蛙的体重、体长、头长、头宽、前臂宽、前肢及指长、前肢长、后肢全长、胫长等9个体型参数,并计数每只雌蛙的窝卵数。相关性分析显示,雌蛙的窝卵数和9个体型参数值均呈正相关性(P 0.05),体长和其他8个体型参数值均呈现正相关性(P 0.05),以体长为控制变量,偏相关分析显示,窝卵数和体重呈正相关性(P 0.05),故具有较长的体长、较重的体重特征的雌蛙,可以携带更多的卵,具有更强的生育能力。不同雌蛙个体间的窝卵数差异较大,平均窝卵数为(646.5±37.6)枚(590～706枚)。大个体雌蛙具有更强的生育力、更大的繁殖输出,可能是导致凹耳蛙两性间异形程度较大(雌大雄小)的重要驱动力。为了探究抱对雌、雄凹耳蛙之间的配对模式,测量了21对抱对雌、雄蛙的上述9个体型参数,分析显示,抱对雌、雄间9个体型参数值均不存在相关性(P 0.05),未发现凹耳蛙在性选择的过程中采用选型配对模式,雌性凹耳蛙可能倾向雄蛙非体型的品质特征,比如鸣叫声等。     

繁殖盛期雄性普通东方小蛙的个体大小不影响交配成功率

通过比较抱对和非抱对普通东方小蛙(Crinia signifera) 的吻尾干骨长(体长) 和检测个体较大或状态较好的雄体是否为成功繁殖个体, 检测雌蛙体长与交配成功的雄蛙的体长和相对状态(体重/体长) 之间是否存在线形关系, 评估交配与个体大小之间的关系。在实验室内, 令未交配雌体选择随机选出的雄体, 观测雌体是否与最大的雄体交配; 将抱对的蛙暴露于其它雄蛙, 观测其它较大或较小的雄蛙是否取代已抱对的雄蛙。结果表明: 抱对雄蛙和雌蛙的个体大小无显著的关系, 成功交配的雄蛙并不比未交配的雄蛙大, 其它雄蛙不能取代已抱对的雄蛙。在这一C. signifera种群中, 繁殖盛期雄性个体的大小似乎不影响交配成功率, 在此期间即便存在配偶选择, 亦决定于与雄性个体大小无关的其它因素。在更长的繁殖期内, 雄性个体大小则与交配成功率有关, 这是该种的典型特征。     

蛙类抱对的生物学意义

蛙类在繁殖季节里,雄蛙爬伏在雌蛙背上,前肢紧抱着雌蛙的胁部(腋后)。这种行为叫做拥抱配对,简称抱对。有人把青蛙的这种行为称为“交配”,这是不确切的。因为“交配”是雌雄两性生殖器官交接配合的行为动作。     

多疣狭口蛙昆明种群雌雄配对行为及形态适应选择

测量和比较采自昆明东北郊的24对抱对多疣狭口蛙(Kaloulaverrucosa)标本,同时野外观察其繁殖行为。配对雌雄蛙的体长、体重和头宽3个形态特征的Pearson相关系数大于0·5;择体长和体重作回归分析,结果表明,雌雄蛙体长选择和雌雄蛙体重配对都呈良好的线性关系。雌蛙选择雄蛙体长为自身体长的(81·8±5·7)%、体重为自身体重的(53·1±10·7)%的个体为最适配偶。雌蛙选择体长较长而体重较轻的雄蛙作为配偶,这样有利于形成较好的空间(雄性胸腹部皮肤腺长度,雌雄抱对时泄殖孔位置等)配对关系。多疣狭口蛙属于雌性选择模式,即雄蛙鸣叫,雌蛙受吸引,主动接近雄蛙,如果雄蛙条件适合则形成配对。     

多疣狭口蛙昆明种群雌雄配对行为及形态适应选择

测量和比较采自昆明东北郊的24对抱对多疣狭口蛙(Kaloula verrucosa)标本，同时野外观察其繁殖行为。配对雌雄蛙的体长、体重和头宽3个形态特征的Pearson相关系数大于0.5；择体长和体重作回归分析，结果表明，雌雄蛙体长选择和雌雄蛙体重配对都呈良好的线性关系。雌蛙选择雄蛙体长为自身体长的(81.8±5.7)%、体重为自身体重的(53.1±10.7)%的个体为最适配偶。雌蛙选择体长较长而体重较轻的雄蛙作为配偶，这样有利于形成较好的空间(雄性胸腹部皮肤腺长度，雌雄抱对时泄殖孔位置等)配对关系。多疣狭口蛙属于雌性选择模式，即雄蛙鸣叫，雌蛙受吸引，主动接近雄蛙，如果雄蛙条件适合则形成配对。     

沼水蛙繁殖习性与食性的初步研究

报道了广东省韶关地区沼水蛙(Hylarana)的生态习性,该蛙在韶关地区的繁殖期为3—5月,繁殖期雌雄性比为1：2．02;雄蛙个体一般小于雌蛙个体,具备繁殖能力的雄蛙最小体长为61．18mm,平均体长为71．73mm,雌性最小体长为63．57mm,平均体长为73．38mm;雌蛙卵巢内有两种不同大小的卵球。沼水蛙的主要食物为鞘翅目、直翅目、鳞翅目的昆虫。     

凹耳蛙的两性异形

测量和比较采自黄山的凹耳蛙成体标本(雌雄各20个),统计结果表明成年雌雄蛙的体长、头宽、吻长、鼻间距、眼间距、眼径、鼓膜宽、前臂及指长、前臂宽等两性形态学指标存在显著性差异。对与体长显著相关的形态特征,以体长为协变量的协方差分析表明凹耳蛙雌雄两性在头宽、眼间距、眼径、鼓膜宽存在显著差异。凹耳蛙两性异形比达到0.418,雌性平均体长对雄性平均体长的比达到1.716。头宽、眼间距、眼径、鼓膜宽等局部形态特征与体长的线性回归分析表明,雌性斜率大于雄性斜率,说明雌性凹耳蛙上述局部特征随体长的生长速率明显大于雄性。雌性体长的繁殖力选择能够很好地解释凹耳蛙的两性异形。     

同一噪音环境下武夷湍蛙与凹耳蛙的求偶鸣声特征比较及其适应策略

为了解同域分布的两种无尾两栖类动物武夷湍蛙(Amolops wuyiensis)和凹耳蛙(Odorrana tormotus)在高噪音环境下的求偶鸣声特征及其适应策略,该研究利用超声录音设备录制并分析了繁殖季节武夷湍蛙和凹耳蛙雄性个体在同一噪音环境下的求偶鸣声。结果显示,繁殖期武夷湍蛙在不同时段均能发出3~6个音节数不等的单一鸣声,每个音节由2~10个声脉冲组成,鸣声平均持续时间为2198.20ms,主频为2231.90Hz,信噪声强差为33.00dB,且鸣声不含超声组分,不具备超声通讯的基础。凹耳蛙在每天的18:00—21:00有集中鸣叫行为,鸣声平均持续时间为331.80ms,主频为6665.50Hz,信噪声强差为37.00dB,且鸣声谐波包含超声组分,与前人描述一致。经进一步分析发现,武夷湍蛙和凹耳蛙的鸣声主频和声强均高于背景噪音,噪音不会对其鸣声产生掩蔽作用。通过比较分析得知,武夷湍蛙鸣声主频率<凹耳蛙,推测其声信号传播距离相对后者更远,该蛙在噪音环境下有可能通过调整自身的发声策略(即采用多音节鸣叫声、增加鸣叫时长和鸣叫频次等)来完成种内通讯,并通过改变鸣声时长来体现雄性自身的品质,以便提高对雌性的吸引力。而相同噪音环境下的凹耳蛙则可能采用较为节约能量的方式提高声信号频率的通讯策略,完成种内竞争和交流。     

松墨天牛是否存在雌性接触信息素?

将松墨天牛MonochamusalternatusHope的身体不同部位切除之后的交配试验显示,分别剪去头部、鞘翅以及前胸部后仍然可以正常交配,用雄虫的腹部代替雌虫的腹部后,仍然能够引起雄虫的交配趋势动作,但不能完成真正交配,因此推测雌性接触信息素如果存在,主要集中在雌虫身体后半部,尤其是中后胸部位。但是冻死后的雌虫不再引起雄虫的交配行为,而且冻死的雌虫与活雌虫同时放入培养皿中,雄虫喜欢与活雌虫交配,不选择冻死的雌虫,因此推测视觉在其松墨天牛的交配过程中扮演着重要的角色,而接触性信息素有可能并不存在。将雄虫的触角分别从第5~6节和第1节剪去的试验结果显示,雄虫仍然可以很快地找到雌虫,发生交配行为。这有2种可能的解释一是雄虫不仅仅靠触角来感受雌虫的接触信息素,头部下颚须和下唇须上或者足上也有可以感受信息素的感受器;二是雌虫不存在接触信息素,雄虫通过视觉就可以找到对方,完成交配过程。浸泡致死的雌虫不再引起雄虫的交配行为,并且将正己烷和乙醚的浓缩液滴加在浸泡致死的雌虫以及玻璃棒和鹅卵石的生测试验结果显示,都没有引起雄虫的交配行为。这进一步说明,松墨天牛可能并不存在体表接触信息素。性成熟后的松墨天牛雌雄成虫是靠衰弱寄主的强烈的挥发性气味聚集到寄主树干上,在树干这个较为狭小的环境里,有可能是通过视觉找到配偶,完成交配过程。     

视觉能触发沟渠豹蛛雄蛛对雌蛛的求偶行为

以沟渠豹蛛Pardosa laura成熟雄蛛的求偶延迟时间和触肢伸展次数作为参数,观察研究了雄蛛通过视觉与处女雌蛛拖丝单独和共同诱导情况下的求偶反应,发现视觉是触发雄蛛求偶行为的主要信号,而雌蛛的拖丝则不能单独激发雄蛛的求偶行为,表明雄蛛能够通过视觉接受雌蛛的信号。在此基础上,又测定了雄蛛通过视觉接受亚成体雌蛛、处女雌蛛和交配未产卵雌蛛信号时的求偶反应,发现雄蛛对处女雌蛛和交配未产卵雌蛛的求偶动作次数显著多于亚成体雌蛛,表明雄蛛能够通过视觉区分雌蛛是否成熟,但是仅依靠视觉无法判断雌蛛是否已经交配。本实验表明视觉在沟渠豹蛛雄蛛对雌蛛识别过程中起着非常重要的作用,再次证实狼蛛的视觉比较发达。     

信号肽与蛋白质的分选转运

蛋白质一般在位于细胞质中的核糖体内合成,但是它们发挥生理功能的地点却分布在细胞的不同区域,这些区域通常由蛋白质所不能自由透过的脂膜所包裹。因此,细胞质中新合成的蛋白质必须进行准确的定向运输才能保证各项生命活动的正常运行。研究发现,一般情况下,新生蛋白通常在位于其N端的信号肽的指引下到达细胞特定区域,并由其介导跨膜转运。本文重点介绍信号肽的结构、功能及作用机制等的研究成果。     

The functions of multiple visual signals in a fiddler crab

In many species, it is common for animals to have multiple signals within one channel of communication. Multiple signals may, however, be inefficient if they are redundant in nature. Identifying the functional significance of these multiple signals is therefore important if we are to understand the evolution of such elaborated behaviours. We proposed to identify the roles of movement-based multiple signals in a model animal system. Male fiddler crabs wave their sexually dimorphic enlarged claw during social interactions. Some species present multiple signals, where the level of complexity of the movement changes. Males of Austruca mjoebergi can perform a double wave consisting of a high- followed by a low-elevation lifting of the claw, or a single wave consisting of the high-elevation movement alone. We first investigated structural differences between the double and single wave types, and found that single waves were lower in elevation than double waves. We then explored the adaptive meaning of the wave types by manipulating the social context in which males wave. We found that double waves were given in all contexts and in higher proportions at long distances, suggesting a function of broadcasting male location. Single waves, on the other hand, were mainly given at close range and in the presence of conspecifics, suggesting intraspecific communication. Female presence elicited the highest number and proportion of single waves, a likely result of a female preference for higher wave rates. Finally, we point out that there is an element of interaction between wave types that deserves future attention. This paper is an important contribution to expand our understanding of the adaptive meaning of multiple visual signals and help reach a unified theory of their evolution.     

Global Regulation of a Differentiation MAPK Pathway in Yeast

Cell differentiation requires different pathways to act in concert to produce a specialized cell type. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergoes filamentous growth in response to nutrient limitation. Differentiation to the filamentous cell type requires multiple signaling pathways, including a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. To identify new regulators of the filamentous growth MAPK pathway, a genetic screen was performed with a collection of 4072 nonessential deletion mutants constructed in the filamentous (Σ1278b) strain background. The screen, in combination with directed gene-deletion analysis, uncovered 97 new regulators of the filamentous growth MAPK pathway comprising 40% of the major regulators of filamentous growth. Functional classification extended known connections to the pathway and identified new connections. One function for the extensive regulatory network was to adjust the activity of the filamentous growth MAPK pathway to the activity of other pathways that regulate the response. In support of this idea, an unregulated filamentous growth MAPK pathway led to an uncoordinated response. Many of the pathways that regulate filamentous growth also regulated each other’s targets, which brings to light an integrated signaling network that regulates the differentiation response. The regulatory network characterized here provides a template for understanding MAPK-dependent differentiation that may extend to other systems, including fungal pathogens and metazoans.     

A putative NES mediates cytoplasmic localization of Apoptin in normal cells

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) is a small non-envelopedvirus containing a single-stranded circular DNA genome.The virus causes a disease in the newborn chickens, whichis characterized by generalized lymphoid atrophy, increasedmortality and severe anemia. CAV …     

昆虫的NF-kB信号通路

昆虫NF-kB信号通路由toll和imd两条通路组成,通过转录因子NF-kB作用于靶标基因kB位点,而调节抗菌活性物质的表达。大量实验表明它能够被细菌、真菌和病毒的侵染所激活,在昆虫体液免疫中发挥着主要作用。现就昆虫的NF-kB信号通路的主要信号元件等进行综述。     

Characterization of the cleavage of signal peptide at the C-terminus of hepatitis C virus core protein by signal peptide peptidase

Production of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein requires the cleavages of polyprotein by signal peptidase and signal peptide peptidase (SPP). Cleavage of signal peptide at the C-terminus of HCV core protein by SPP was characterized in this study. The spko mutant (mutate a.a. 189–193 from ASAYQ to PPFPF) is more efficient than the A/F mutant (mutate a.a 189 and 191 from A to F) in blocking the cleavage of signal peptide by signal peptidase. The cleavage efficiency of SPP is inversely proportional to the length of C-terminal extension of the signal peptide: the longer the extension, the less efficiency the cleavage is. Thus, reducing the length of C-terminal extension of signal peptide by signal peptidase cleavage could facilitate further cleavage by SPP. The recombinant core protein fused with signal peptide from the C-terminus of p7 protein, but not those from the C-termini of E1 and E2, could be cleaved by SPP. Therefore, the sequence of the signal peptide is important but not the sole determinant for its cleavage by SPP. Replacement of the HCV core protein E.R.-associated domain (a.a. 120–150) with the E.R.-associated domain (a.a.1–50) of SARS-CoV membrane protein results in the failure of cleavage of this recombinant protein by SPP, though this protein still is E.R.-associated. This result suggests that not only E.R.-association but also specific protein sequence is important for the HCV core protein signal peptide cleavage by SPP. Thus, our results suggest that both sequences of the signal peptide and the E.R.-associated domain are important for the signal peptide cleavage of HCV core protein by SPP. Electronic Supplementary MaterialThe online version of this article (doi: ) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Flights of fear: a mechanical wing whistle sounds the alarm in a flocking bird

Animals often form groups to increase collective vigilance and allow early detection of predators, but this benefit of sociality relies on rapid transfer of information. Among birds, alarm calls are not present in all species, while other proposed mechanisms of information transfer are inefficient. We tested whether wing sounds can encode reliable information on danger. Individuals taking off in alarm fly more quickly or ascend more steeply, so may produce different sounds in alarmed than in routine flight, which then act as reliable cues of alarm, or honest ‘index’ signals in which a signal''s meaning is associated with its method of production. We show that crested pigeons, Ocyphaps lophotes, which have modified flight feathers, produce distinct wing ‘whistles’ in alarmed flight, and that individuals take off in alarm only after playback of alarmed whistles. Furthermore, amplitude-manipulated playbacks showed that response depends on whistle structure, such as tempo, not simply amplitude. We believe this is the first demonstration that flight noise can send information about alarm, and suggest that take-off noise could provide a cue of alarm in many flocking species, with feather modification evolving specifically to signal alarm in some. Similar reliable cues or index signals could occur in other animals.     

伤害信号分子及其信号转导

伤害对于植物是一种常见的环境刺激。目前,对伤害刺激产生的防御反应及其机理都有了较为广泛的研究。简述了目前已确定的参与伤害反应的信号分子：寡糖素,系统素,脱落酸,茉莉酸,乙烯和电信号等,并初步探讨了伤害信号分子的信号转导途径。     

Slug的分子调控机制

Slug（Snail2）是一种具有锌指结构的上皮一间质转化（epithelial—mesenchymal transition,EMT）转录因子,在肿瘤EMT过程及癌细胞的迁移、侵袭、转移和干细胞样特性维持中起重要作用,多种信号分子及转导途径参与Slug的表达调控。本文综述了调节Slug降解和表达的信号分子及转导途径、Slug诱导的几种肿瘤相关分子及Slug与其EMT转录因子的关系。