应用稳定同位素技术构建胶州湾食物网的连续营养谱

根据2011年春季和秋季在胶州湾进行的渔业资源综合调查,应用稳定同位素示踪技术,分析了胶州湾主要渔业生物的碳、氮稳定同位素比值(δ13C,δ15N),并计算其营养级,进而构建胶州湾食物网的连续营养谱。分析的生物种类包括浮游植物、浮游动物、大型无脊椎动物和鱼类,其生物量之和占总渔获量的95%。结果表明,胶州湾食物网的δ13C值范围是-25.63‰—-17.16‰,跨度为8.47‰,平均值为(-19.42±1.80)‰;δ15N值范围是4.15‰—14.11‰,跨度为9.96‰,平均值为(11.98±1.77)‰。胶州湾食物网中的主要生物种类可以划分为4个营养组群,即初级生产者、初级消费者、次级消费者以及顶级捕食者。δ15N值分析显示,胶州湾主要生物种类的营养级范围是1.10—4.03。与文献中基于胃含物分析计算的营养级相比较,37个种类中有29种的营养级分析结果基本一致(在0.5个营养级的误差范围之内)。因此,氮稳定同位素法是一种研究水生生态系统食物网营养位置的有效方法。其中,有8种鱼类的营养级与历史文献相比有所下降,分析方法的不同可能是原因之一,此外,这些鱼种摄食饵料生物营养级的下降也是导致其营养级降低的另一个主要原因。根据营养级计算的结果,构建了胶州湾食物网的连续营养谱,胶州湾食物网中,绝大多数生物种类都属于初级和中级肉食性种类。     

草海湿地食物链稳定碳氮同位素特征与食物链结构

以国家级自然保护区贵州威宁草海为研究对象,利用稳定同位素技术,分析草海湿地食物链碳(δ~(13)C)、氮(δ15N)同位素特征,计算各生物类群营养级别,建立草海食物链结构。结果表明:草海湿地生态系统中δ13C比值范围为-27.56‰～-13.25‰(均值±标准差,-21.52‰±3.61‰);δ15N值范围为0.32‰～15.14‰(8.69‰±3.92‰),δ13C与δ15N呈显著负相关(r=-0.423,P0.01)。草海湿地食物链中消费者营养级处于0.8～3.7,其中:鱼类营养级为0.8～2.5,相对其他地区偏低;底栖动物营养级为2.0～2.8,鸟类营养级为1.0～3.7。鱼类和底栖动物的营养级别均表现为肉食性杂食性植食性。草海食物链结构复杂,主要的两条碳流动途径分别为:底泥和浮游植物→浮游动物→鱼类→鸟类以及水生植物→鱼类和鸟类。     

应用碳氮稳定同位素技术研究江豚(Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp. sunameri)食性

稳定同位素技术已广泛地用于分析生态系统中食物网的食物来源和营养级关系,但在海洋哺乳动物食性方面应用较少。通过分析2012年4—6月在辽东湾沿岸海域搁浅而死亡的江豚样本和同时期(6月)取自辽东湾海域主要渔获物的碳氮稳定同位素比值,研究了江豚(Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp.sunameri)及其可能摄食饵料的碳氮稳定同位素组成。结果表明:江豚δ13C值为(-18.4±0.3)‰,δ15N值为(13.8±0.4)‰。28种可能生物饵料的δ13C值的范围为-19.5‰—-17.0‰,δ~(15)N值的范围为11.4‰—14.0‰。江豚的营养级为4.5,高于传统胃含物分析法的研究结果。28种测试生物的营养级位于3.8—4.6之间。江豚的食物来源主要以鱼类为主,对食物种类的喜食顺序为中上层鱼类中下层鱼类底层鱼类头足类虾类蟹类,其平均贡献率分别为43.9%、18.2%、13.1%、10.0%、8.8%、6.0%。江豚碳氮稳定同位素比值与体长无明显的线性关系,碳营养源较为稳定,氮营养源复杂多变。     

应用碳、氮稳定同位素研究鄱阳湖枯水末期水生食物网结构

稳定碳、氮同位素比值分析技术是研究生态系统中物质循环与能量流动的有效技术.δ13C值常用来分析消费者食物来源,δ15N值常用来确定生物在食物网中的营养位置.应用稳定同位素技术分析了鄱阳湖北部湖口县、都昌县、星子县、吴城镇4个采样点95条鱼和其他食物网成分样品的碳、氮稳定同位素比值,构建了鄱阳湖枯水期末期水生食物网.结果表明,不同水域颗粒有机物(POM)的δ13C值不同,范围为-27.5‰～-24.6‰可以区分赣江、修水、鄱阳湖、长江和鄱阳湖湖交汇处水体的颗粒有机物特征.江西鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区受人类活动干扰少,核心区生物δ15N相对较低,而周边人类活动频繁的星子、都昌两县附近水域生物体内的δ15N偏高,反映了人类活动引起的营养输入对系统的影响.在湖区不同位置捕获的相同品种水生生物δ13C值不同,反映了其不同的食物来源,用δ15N值计算发现其所占据的相对营养位置较为一致.     

珠江河口渔业生物稳定同位素营养级分析

于2015年8月采集珠江河口东、西口门水域39种主要渔获物(30种鱼类,5种虾类和4种贝类),分析其稳定碳、氮同位素组成(δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N)和营养级谱。结果表明:珠江口东口门水域主要渔业生物δ13C范围为-31.92‰~-19.34‰(均值-23.65‰),δ~(15)N值范围为9.57‰~17.14‰(均值13.48‰);西口门水域主要渔业生物δ~(13)C范围为-26.75‰~-16.36‰(均值-21.19‰),δ15N范围为9.01‰~16.49‰(均值12.72‰),两区域生物群落δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N均值差异显著(δ~(13)C:P0.001,δ~(15)N:P=0.036);对东、西口门两水域主要渔业生物群落营养级采用不同的基线生物计算,发现两水域生物群落营养级范围相近,范围为2.0~4.7,包括植食性、杂食性、低级肉食性、中级肉食性和高级肉食性5个类群;其中,底、顶端营养级生物种类少,而中间层次种类多;与Fishbase数据库记录比较发现,约43%的种类营养级均值位于Fishbase营养级范围内,约33%低于Fishbase低阈值,余下的23%高于Fishbase高阈值。初步建立了珠江河口主要渔业生物营养级谱,可为当地渔业资源的利用和管理提供依据。     

应用稳定性同位素(δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N)技术研究长江中游干流主要鱼类的营养级

应用稳定性同位素(δ13C、δ15N)技术对2011年3月至2013年12月采自长江中游干流宜昌、荆州、石首、监利、城陵矶、鄂州、九江和湖口江段的44种鱼类及3种水生无脊椎动物进行了营养级研究。长江中游干流鱼类的δ13C值范围﹣33.83‰(鳙Aristichthys nobilis)~﹣17.36‰(南方鲇Silurus meridionalis),δ15N值范围4.83‰(泥鳅Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)~15.13‰(翘嘴鲌Culter alburnus)。以梨形环棱螺(Bellamya purificata)的δ15N均值5.48‰作为营养级基准线(营养级=2),计算出该江段水生动物的营养级处于2.42~4.88,主要集中在2.83~3.61之间,鱼类平均营养级为3.28。营养级大于2.83的鱼类种类数量占了总生物种数的80.85%。大刺鳅(Mastacembelus armatus)和长春鳊(Parabramis pekinensis)营养级最低,分别为2.42±0.49和2.56±0.52,营养层级大于4.0的高级消费者为太湖新银鱼(Neosalanx taihuensis)、短颌鲚(Coilia brachygnathus)、鳙和长蛇(Saurogobio dumerili),分别为4.88±0.01、4.37±0.27、4.32±0.35和4.09±0.78,小黄黝鱼(Micropercops swinhonis)、(Elopichthys bambusa)、鳜(Siniperca chuatsi)、翘嘴鲌、青鱼(Mylopharyngodon piceus)和南方鲇的营养级分别3.99、3.92±0.16、3.89±0.27、3.87±0.62、3.59±0.69和3.59±0.57。本研究旨为长江中游渔业资源评估及其合理利用提供基础科学资料,为进一步研究长江中游干流渔业资源营养结构的动态变化及受人为活动干扰影响等提供科学参考依据。     

基于稳定同位素技术对长江口主要渔业生物营养级的研究

2014年11月至2015年10月在长江口采集到33种鱼类和9种无脊椎动物,分析了常见渔业生物的同位素组成与营养级结构。结果表明:长江口常见渔业生物的同位素变化幅度较大,其中鱼类的δ~(15)N和δ~(13)C值范围分别为9.26‰~15.39‰和-29.78‰~-14.25‰;无脊椎动物δ~(15)N和δ~(13)C值范围分别为7.73‰~13.53‰和-22.22‰~-14.84‰。以底栖动物毛蚶(Scapharca subcrenata)作为基线生物,计算出各物种相应的营养级,鱼类营养级范围为2.49~4.60,属于3个营养级,其中中华鲟(Acipenser sinensis)营养级最高(4.60±0.02),杂食性鲢(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)营养级最低(2.49±0.02);无脊椎动物营养级范围是2.00~3.84,属于2个营养级,中华绒螯蟹(Eriocheir sinensis)最高(3.84±0.02)。对棘头梅童鱼(Collichthys lucidus)、中国花鲈(Lateolabrax maculatus)和斑尾刺虾虎鱼(Acanthogobius ommaturus)3种鱼类不同体长的营养级进行分析,结果发现,随鱼体体长的增加营养级均有相应增大趋势,这可能是由于随着鱼类生长及其摄食习性发生变化导致其营养级也随之发生改变。本研究初步建立了长江口水域食物网连续营养谱,为渔业资源开发及保护提供了依据。     

应用碳、氮稳定同位素研究稻田多个物种共存的食物网结构和营养级关系

稳定碳、氮同位素比值分析技术是研究生态系统中物质循环与能量流动的有效技术。δ13C值常用来分析消费者食物来源,δ15N值常用来确定生物在食物网中的营养位置。应用稳定同位素技术分析了稻-鱼(R-F)和稻-鱼-鸭(R-F-D)两种稻作方式下,稻田多个物种共存的食物网结构和营养级关系。结果表明,R-F中SOM的δ13C值为(-27.7±0.3)‰,与R-F-D(-27.4±0.4)‰,相差不大;R-F中POM的1δ3C值为(-27.4±0.8)‰,低于稻鱼鸭共生田(-26.7±0.5)‰;δ15N值计算发现R-F内浮游动物的营养级位置在2.24±0.16,鱼的营养级位置在3.07±0.26,均高于其在R-F-D内的营养级。在R-F-D内,由于鸭的引入,和R-F相比,鱼的营养级降低为2.63±0.13。     

大宁河下游主要鱼类营养结构的时空变化

为了解大宁河下游主要鱼类食物网营养结构的时空变化特征,应用稳定同位素技术分析了大宁河下游巫山和大昌2个采样点在不同水位时期鱼类的碳、氮稳定同位素比值,并计算了δ13C-δ15N同位素生态位中的6个营养结构的量化指标。结果表明,不同水域的颗粒有机物(POM)的δ13C值随与河口距离而减小,δ15N值与河口距离无显著相关性。同种鱼类的δ13C值均无显著性差异;除了5月,巫山站点与大昌站点同种鱼类的δ15N值无显著性差异外,其他不同站点、不同水位时期同种鱼类的δ15N值均存在显著性差异。对同种鱼类组成的鱼类群落同位素量化指标比较发现,巫山站点10月鱼类群落的营养多样性指标及营养位置高于5月群落;大昌站点,不同水位时期的各指标变化趋势与巫山站相反。出现这种变化的原因可能是由于目前大宁河静水水域存在丰富的饵料导致。各鱼类群落营养结构的时空变化并未显示出处明显的规律性,可能与采样时间、鱼类种类的选择和样本量的大小有关。基于各种同位素值量化的生态指标应用于大宁河水域的鱼类食物网结构变化特征的研究,能为大宁河渔业生态调控措施以及渔业生态系统重建与修复提供理论依据。     

南海中西部海域鸢乌贼中型群和微型群的营养生态位

为了深入了解南海鸢乌贼不同种群的碳氮稳定同位素特征及营养生态位之间的关系,于2017年8月在南海中西部海域采集其中型群和微型群样品,分析不同胴长组的碳氮稳定同位素值和营养级变化,并比较其营养生态位差异.结果表明:中型群鸢乌贼的δ^13C范围在-19.54‰^-18.10‰,δ^15N范围在7.79‰~9.45‰,营养级范围在2.72~3.21,平均营养级为2.90;微型群鸢乌贼的δ^13C范围为-19.69‰^-18.43‰,δ^15N范围为8.02‰~8.99‰,营养级范围为2.79~3.08,平均营养级为2.91.两个鸢乌贼种群间δ^13C差异不显著,δ^15N差异显著.胴长显著影响了鸢乌贼的δ^13C和δ^15N值,且随着胴长的增大,δ^15N值有增大的趋势.中型群鸢乌贼的营养生态位宽幅和营养级的多样性程度都大于微型群.     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.