不同饵料对魁蚶稚贝生长和存活的影响

在温度23.5～24.0 ℃和盐度29.5～30.0条件下,研究了球等鞭金藻、小球藻、牟氏角毛藻和新月菱形藻4种单细胞藻类单独及组合投喂24 d后对魁蚶稚贝生长与存活的影响.结果表明: 不同饵料投喂条件下,稚贝存活率均在95%以上,不同处理组间差异不显著.单一饵料投喂组中,球等鞭金藻组的稚贝生长最快,小球藻组的稚贝生长最慢.组合投喂组中,球等鞭金藻与其他3种单胞藻混合(1∶1)投喂组稚贝壳长及特定生长率均优于其他组,其中与小球藻混合投喂的效果最好,稚贝壳长和壳高的特定生长率分别为5.6%·d^-1和6.4 %·d^-1.研究结果可为魁蚶人工苗种培育技术的优化提供参考依据.
     

哲罗鱼稚鱼最佳投喂策略

为探讨哲罗鱼稚鱼的最佳投喂策略,设置了饥饿再投喂试验、饥饿再投喂恢复试验以及日投喂频率试验.结果表明: 饥饿再投喂试验中,各饥饿组未表现出补偿生长现象.但在饥饿再投喂恢复试验中,各饥饿组表现出不同程度的补偿生长,其中S_1/2组(饥饿1/2 d投喂1/2 d)体质量的增加量与对照组接近,表现出完全补偿生长.表明在哲罗鱼早期稚鱼阶段(体质量0～2 g,水温9～15.3 ℃),S_1/2是可以考虑使用的投喂方法.日投喂频率试验中,T₃组(日投喂3次)体长、体质量的增加量以及特定生长率均最高,饵料转化率也相对较高.表明在哲罗鱼后期稚鱼阶段(体质量2～21 g,水温8.8～15.5 ℃),以日投喂3次为宜.     

哲罗鱼稚鱼最佳投喂策略

为探讨哲罗鱼稚鱼的最佳投喂策略,设置了饥饿再投喂试验、饥饿再投喂恢复试验以及日投喂频率试验.结果表明: 饥饿再投喂试验中,各饥饿组未表现出补偿生长现象.但在饥饿再投喂恢复试验中,各饥饿组表现出不同程度的补偿生长,其中S_1/2组(饥饿1/2 d投喂1/2 d)体质量的增加量与对照组接近,表现出完全补偿生长.表明在哲罗鱼早期稚鱼阶段(体质量0～2 g,水温9～15.3 ℃),S_1/2是可以考虑使用的投喂方法.日投喂频率试验中,T₃组(日投喂3次)体长、体质量的增加量以及特定生长率均最高,饵料转化率也相对较高.表明在哲罗鱼后期稚鱼阶段(体质量2～21 g,水温8.8～15.5 ℃),以日投喂3次为宜.     

花群珊瑚对两种微藻的摄食

以花群珊瑚为材料,采用碳清除率测定、PCR分子营养标记和组织学观察的方法,研究花群珊瑚是否摄食亚心形扁藻和球等鞭金藻。结果表明: 花群珊瑚对球等鞭金藻的碳清除率显著高于亚心形扁藻,分别为0.44和0.11 pg·mL^-1·polyp^-1·h^-1。球等鞭金藻烯酰基载体蛋白还原酶基因片段作为分子标记在投喂组珊瑚组织中可扩增出目的片段。亚心形扁藻18S rRNA基因的引物在相应投喂组珊瑚组织中也可扩增出目的片段。组织学观察发现: 投喂组珊瑚水螅体内部隔膜较宽,隔膜与体壁的胃层都存在大量食物泡。亚心形扁藻投喂组在体壁胃层的食物泡中和口道沟处均发现未消化完全的亚心形扁藻。球等鞭金藻投喂组则在隔膜胃层和体壁胃层内的食物泡中发现所摄食金藻。因此,碳清除率、分子营养标记以及组织学观察均表明花群珊瑚对亚心形扁藻与球等鞭金藻存在摄食现象。     

投喂卤虫对方斑东风螺稚螺生长及存活的影响

在温度(29±1)℃、盐度28.5±0.5条件下,研究了卤虫、蟹类、虾类、贝类4种饵料单独及混合投喂20d后对方斑东风螺稚螺(壳高1.5～2.0 mm)生长及存活的影响。结果表明:单独投喂卤虫组(62.65%)存活率显著高于其它各组(p0.05),卤虫+贝类组(40.09%)存活率高于单独投喂贝类组(34.36%),但无显著性差异(p0.05)。单独投喂卤虫组壳高、壳宽最低,单独投喂贝类组壳宽、壳高特定生长率最高(6.02%/d,6.67%/d),但与卤虫+贝类组差异不显著。卤虫组壳高、壳宽变异系数低于其它各组,其中壳高变异系数显著低于其它各组,壳宽变异系数与其它各组无显著性差异(p0.05)。试验结果说明投喂卤虫有利于提高方斑东风螺稚螺存活率及个体大小整齐度。     

微胶囊饲料对马氏珠母贝生长性状和矿化基因表达的影响

本研究分析了微胶囊饲料S1和S2对马氏珠母贝的生长性状与矿化基因nacrein与pif177表达量的影响。实验共设置了5个组合(EG1,EG2,EG3,EG4和CG),其中EG1和EG2分别单投喂饵料S1和S2,EG3和EG4分别投喂S1+亚心形扁藻与S2+亚心形扁藻,CG投喂扁藻。经过60 d的养殖后,比较了各组的生长率及nacrein与pif177的相对表达量的差异。结果表明,各组间的壳宽、壳高绝对增长率与相对增长率均存在显著性差异(p0.05),EG4具有最大的壳宽、壳高绝对与相对增长率,单喂饲料的EG1和EG2的壳宽与壳高增长率均小于CG或投喂混合饲料的EG3和EG4。各组间外套膜nacrein相对表达量存在显著性差异(p0.05);EG4中央膜nacrein相对表达量显著高于EG1、EG2和EG3(p0.05);EG4边缘膜的nacrein相对表达量显著高于EG1和EG3(p0.05)。各组间外套膜pif177相对表达量存在显著性差异(p0.05),EG4中央膜和边缘膜的pif177相对表达量均显著高于EG1和EG3组(p0.05)。壳宽与壳高的增长率与矿化基因的表达量存在正相关性。本研究结果表明研发的胶囊饲料能替代部分单胞藻饵料,为进一步研发珍珠贝人工饲料及开展工厂化养殖提高了参考依据。     

饥饿和再投喂对青蛤(Cyclina sinensis)幼虫生长、存活及变态的影响

在温度18.2～20.6℃,盐度23～25,pH 7.96～8.14 的条件下,研究了饥饿和再投喂对青蛤幼虫生长、存活及变态的影响.结果表明:在饥饿状态下,幼虫具有生长现象,且随着饥饿时间的延长,壳长逐渐接近一个常值而不再生长;幼虫可以由面盘幼虫发育到足面盘幼虫.随饥饿时间延长存活率下降;且足面盘幼虫及其变态规格、单水管稚贝规格随着饥饿时间延长而减小;幼虫的不可逆点(PNR)为12.48d;延迟变态时间长达12.7d.饥饿后再投喂相同的时间,幼虫能够恢复生长,存活的幼虫能够变态;稚贝表现出补偿生长现象,以壳长作为衡量标准,完全补偿生长能力依次为:S10＞S11＞S12＞S1＞S2＞S3;超补偿生长能力依次为:S9＞S8＞S7＞S6＞S5＞S4.     

氮磷比对蛋白核小球藻和湛江等鞭金藻种间竞争的影响

为了了解饵料微藻的种间竞争关系,通过微藻共培养的方法,以NaNO3和KH2PO3作为氮源和磷源,研究了氮磷比对蛋白核小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)和湛江等鞭金藻(Isochrysis zhanjiangensis)种间竞争的影响。结果表明:在单养模式下,蛋白核小球藻生长适宜的N/P为4~22,N/P22时其生长受抑制,而湛江等鞭金藻生长受N/P影响不明显;共养模式可促进蛋白核小球藻的生长,而抑制湛江等鞭金藻的生长;蛋白核小球藻具有明显的竞争优势,且N/P为13和16时其种群竞争优势最明显;在蛋白核小球藻大规模生产性培养时可接入等生物量或少量湛江等鞭金藻,一方面利用共养模式提高蛋白核小球藻的产量,另一方面可根据养殖生产需要适时采收混合藻类饵料用于投喂。     

投喂水平对长吻 仔稚鱼生长和存活的影响

以长吻(鱼危)仔鱼为实验对象, 探讨不同投喂水平对7-14日龄阶段和21-29日龄阶段的长吻(鱼危)仔稚鱼存活、生长以及鱼体组成的影响。7-14日龄阶段设计6个投喂水平, 分别为: 20、30、40、50、60和70 % IBW/d(IBW: initial body weight); 21-29日龄阶段设计6个投喂水平: 10、20、30、40、50、60 % IBW/d。实验结果表明: (1)投喂水平显著影响长吻(鱼危)仔稚鱼的存活和生长(P0.05)。7-14日龄阶段, 投喂水平为30%-60% IBW/d处理组的仔鱼存活率显著高于20%与70 % IBW/d投喂组(P0.05)。特定生长率随投喂水平的增加显著上升, 以60% IBW/d投喂组最高(P0.05)。21-29日龄期间, 10% IBW/d投喂组存活率显著低于50% IBW/d投喂组(P0.05), 特定生长率(SGR)则显著低于其他各处理组(P0.05); (2)鱼体体长体重变异系数未受投喂水平的显著影响。鱼体产出与饲料投入之比、鱼体水分含量随投喂水平升高显著下降(P0.05), 粗蛋白含量则显著上升(P0.05); 粗脂肪和粗灰分含量无显著差异; (3)分别通过存活率和投喂水平做一元二次回归、特定生长率与投喂水平做折线回归得到7-14日龄阶段的仔鱼最适投喂水平为43 % IBW/d; 通过仔鱼存活率和特定生长率与饲料投喂水平做折线回归得到21-29日龄阶段的仔鱼最适投喂水平分别为30.62% IBW/d和28.41% IBW/d。       

饥饿和再投喂对虎斑乌贼幼体存活、生长和消化酶活力的影响

本文探究了饥饿胁迫与饥饿后再投喂对虎斑乌贼幼体存活率、生长、行为、肝体比、摄食率以及消化酶活力的影响.在室内控制条件下开展了幼体(初始体质量为4.95±0.48 g)的饥饿(0、1、2、3、4、5、6 d)和再投喂(15 d)试验.结果表明: 不同饥饿时间对虎斑乌贼的幼体存活率、体质量降低率、肝体比和消化酶活力影响显著.随着饥饿胁迫时间的增加,其存活率、肝体比呈下降趋势,其中饥饿3 d后,存活率开始明显下降,体质量降低率明显增大,幼体出现喷墨、互相残杀等异常行为;4种消化酶活力呈先下降后上升的趋势,淀粉酶活力以饥饿4 d组最低 (0.07±0.02 U·mg^-1·prot^-1);脂肪酶活力以饥饿2 d组最低(18.47±2.07 U·g^-1·prot^-1),饥饿6 d组最高(57.60±3.98 U·g^-1·prot^-1),胃蛋白酶活力和胰蛋白酶活力以饥饿5 d组(1.98±0.59 U·mg^-1·prot^-1)和饥饿4 d(186.68±20.72 U·mg^-1·prot^-1) 最低.饥饿处理结束后,经15 d再投喂,各试验组存活率、特定生长率、肝体比和摄食率差异显著,幼体的存活率、特定生长率、肝体比和摄食率均与饥饿处理时间呈负相关;饥饿1和2 d组与对照组的存活率、特定生长率和肝肝体比无显著差异,而饥饿3～6 d组显著低于对照组;饥饿1～2 d组的摄食率明显高于对照组,而饥饿6 d组的摄食率明显小于对照组;各组淀粉酶与脂肪酶活力无显著差异,胃蛋白酶与胰蛋白酶活力差异显著,均以对照组最高(胃蛋白酶活力7.06±0.64 U·mg^-1·prot^-1,胰蛋白酶活力914.67±26.54 U·mg^-1·prot^-1),饥饿6 d组最低(胃蛋白酶活力3.21±0.57 U·mg^-1·prot^-1,胰蛋白酶活力660.04±37.92 U·mg^-1·prot^-1).说明虎斑乌贼的幼体饥饿不可逆点(PNR)为第6天,且不能补偿生长.     

Influence of Nematodes and Light Sources on Growth and Nodulation of Soybean

The influence of nematodes on nodulation of soybean varied according to their modes of parasitism. In the greenhouse, nodule formation was stimulated by the endoparasites, Meloidogyne hapla and Pratylenchus penetrans, but was inhibited slightly by the ectoparasite, Belonolaimus longicaudatus. In an experiment under controlled conditions in a phytotron, Heterodera glycines severely inhibited nodule formation, whereas plants inoculated with B. longicaudatus and P. penetrans had more nodules per g root than nematode-free plants. Nitrogen-fixing capacity, however, was inhibited by all three nematode species. Different light sources used in the phytotron experiment also influenced growth and nodulation of soybean. A fluorescent plus incandescent light regime resulted in plants with the greatest shoot weight, pod number, and nodules per g root. Plants grown under Lucalox lamps had excessive stem elongation.     

Relationships of plant pathogenic enterobacteria based on partial atpD, carA, and recA as individual and concatenated nucleotide and peptide sequences

Relationships of the genera in the Enterobacteriaceae containing plant pathogenic species: Brenneria, Dickeya, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Pantoea, Pectobacterium, and Samsonia, were investigated by comparison of their nucleotide and peptide sequences of atpD, carA, recA, and the concatenated sequences. Erwinia spp. and Pantoea spp., with Pectobacterium cypripedii, formed a group distinct from other pathogenic taxa. Pectobacterium, Brenneria, Dickeya, and Samsonia formed a contiguous clade. Samsonia was usually concurrent with Pectobacterium. Most Brenneria were also close to Pectobacterium, suggesting that these three taxa might be better represented as a single genus. Brenneria quercina was not closely associated with other members of this genus and may represent a separate genus. The sequences representing Dickeya were distinct, further supporting the generic status of the taxon. Plant pathogenic Enterobacter spp. display such sequence variability that few definite conclusions as to their specific placement could be made. These data highlight the difficulty of drawing reliable and robust taxonomic conclusions based on comparative analysis of sequence data without some independent criterion to calibrate a scale for diversity.     

Frequency of ace, epa and elrA Genes in Clinical and Environmental Strains of Enterococcus faecalis

Surface proteins play an important role in the pathogenesis of enterococcal infections. Some of them are candidates for a vaccine, e.g., the frequency of endocarditis in rats vaccinated with Ace protein was 75 % as 12 opposed to 100 % in those who weren’t. However, there are other components of enterococcal cells, such as Epa antigens or internalin-like proteins, which may be used in the prophylaxis of infections caused by them. However, also other virulence factors and resistance to antibiotics are important during enterococcal infection. Therefore, the relevance of ace, epa, elrA, other virulence genes, as well as resistance to antibiotics was investigated. 161 Enterococcus faecalis strains isolated from teaching hospitals in Lodz, cultured according to standard microbiological methods, were investigated for the presence of genes encoding surface proteins by PCR. Results were analyzed with χ² test. The elrA gene was found in all clinical and environmental strains, the ace gene was also widespread among E. faecalis (96.9 %). Both tested epa genes were found in the majority of isolates (83.25 %). There was correlation between the presence of esp and ace genes (p = 0.046) as well as between epa and agg genes (p = 0.0094; χ² test). The presence of the genes encoding surface proteins investigated in our study in the great majority of isolates implies that they would appear to be required during E. faecalis infection. Therefore, they could be excellent targets in therapy of enterococcal infections or, as some studies show, candidates for vaccines.     

Vascular Streak Dieback of cacao in Southeast Asia and Melanesia: in planta detection of the pathogen and a new taxonomy

Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD) disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Southeast Asia and Melanesia is caused by a basidiomycete (Ceratobasidiales) fungus Oncobasidium theobromae (syn. =Thanatephorus theobromae). The most characteristic symptoms of the disease are green-spotted leaf chlorosis or, commonly since about 2004, necrotic blotches, followed by senescence of leaves beginning on the second or third flush behind the shoot apex, and blackening of infected xylem in the vascular traces at the leaf scars resulting from the abscission of infected leaves. Eventually the shoot apex is killed and infected branches die. In susceptible cacao the fungus may grow through the xylem down into the main stem and kill a mature cacao tree. Infections in the stem of young plants prior to the formation of the first 3-4 lateral branches usually kill the plant. Basidiospores released from corticioid basidiomata developed on leaf scars or along cracks in the main vein of infected leaves infect young leaves. The pathogen commonly infects cacao but there are rare reports from avocado. As both crops are introduced to the region, the pathogen is suspected to occur asymptomatically in native vegetation. The pathogen is readily isolated but cultures cannot be maintained. In this study, DNA was extracted from pure cultures of O. theobromae obtained from infected cacao plants sampled from Indonesia. The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), consisting of ITS1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA and ITS2, and a portion of nuclear large subunit (LSU) were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences placed O. theobromae sister to Ceratobasidium anastomosis groups AG-A, AG-Bo, and AG-K with high posterior probability. Therefore the new combination Ceratobasidium theobromae is proposed. A PCR-based protocol was developed to detect and identify C. theobromae in plant tissue of cacao enabling early detection of the pathogen in plants. A second species of Ceratobasidium, Ceratobasidium ramicola, identified through ITS sequence analysis, was isolated from VSD-affected cacao plants in Java, and is widespread in diseased cacao collected from Indonesia.     

Algicidal and antifungal compounds from the roots of Ruta graveolens and synthesis of their analogs

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of Ruta graveolens roots yielded rutacridone epoxide with potent selective algicidal activity towards the 2-methyl-isoborneol (MIB)-producing blue-green alga Oscillatoria perornata, with relatively little effect on the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. The diol-analog of rutacridone epoxide, gravacridondiol, which was also present in the same extract, had significantly less activity towards O. perornata. Rutacridone epoxide also showed significantly higher activity than commercial fungicides captan and benomyl in our micro-bioassay against the agriculturally important pathogenic fungi Colletotrichum fragariae, C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum, and Botrytis cineara and Fusarium oxysporium. Rutacridone epoxide is reported as a direct-acting mutagen, precluding its use as an agrochemical. In order to understand the structure-activity relationships and to develop new potential biocides without toxicity and mutagenicity, some analogs containing the (2-methyloxiranyl)-dihydrobenzofuran moiety with an epoxide were synthesized and tested. None of the synthetic analogs showed comparable activities to rutacridone epoxide. The absolute stereochemistry of rutacridone was determined to be 2'(R) and that of rutacridone epoxide to be 2'(R), 3'(R) by CD and NMR analysis.     

Patterns of plastid and nuclear variation among apomictic polyploids of Hieracium: evolutionary processes and taxonomic implications

Background and Aims

Apomictic species (with asexual seed production) make up for 20–50 % of all taxonomically recognized species in northern Europe, but the phylogenetic relationships of apomictic species and the mode of evolution and speciation remain largely unknown and their taxonomy is consequently disputed.

Methods

In the present study, plastid psbD-trnT sequences (349 accessions) and 12 nuclear microsatellite loci (478 accessions) were used to create an overview of the molecular variation in (mainly) northern European members of the most species-rich of all plant genera, Hieracium s.s. The results are discussed and interpreted in the context of morphological and cytological data on the same species.

Key Results and Conclusions

The complete psbD-trnT alignment was 1243 bp and 50 polymorphisms defined 40 haplotypes. All haplotypes found in the sections of the genus distributed in the northern European lowlands fell into one of two main groups, group H and group V, mutually separated by seven or eight polymorphisms. All accessions belonging to H. sects. Foliosa, Hieracioides (viz. H. umbellatum) and Tridentata and all but one accession of triploid species of H. sects. Oradea and Vulgata showed haplotypes of group V. Haplotypes of group H were found in all accessions of H. sects. Bifida and Hieracium and in all tetraploid representatives of H. sects. Oreadea and Vulgata. Additional haplotypes were found in accessions of the genus Pilosella and in southern European and Alpine sections of Hieracium. In contrast, the distribution of individual haplotypes in the two major groups appeared uncorrelated with morphology and current taxonomy, but polymorphisms within species were only rarely encountered. In total, 160 microsatellite alleles were identified. Levels of variation were generally high with only nine pairs of accessions being identical at all loci (in all cases representing accessions of the same species). In the neighbor-joining analysis based on the microsatellite data, accessions of the same species generally clustered together and some smaller groups of species congruent with morphology and/or current taxonomy were recovered but, except for H. sect. Oreadea, most larger groups were not correlated with morphology. Although the plastid DNA sequences show too little variation and the nuclear microsatellites are too variable to resolve relationships successfully among species or to fully understand processes of evolution, it is concluded that both species and sections as defined by morphology are largely congruent with the molecular data, that gene flow between the sections is rare or non-existent and that the tetraploid species may constitute the key to understanding evolution and speciation in this genus.     

Unification of the genera Nonlabens, Persicivirga, Sandarakinotalea and Stenothermobacter into a single emended genus, Nonlabens, and description of Nonlabens agnitus sp. nov

Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that a bacterial isolate, designated JC2678(T), represents a distinct phyletic line within the suprageneric monophyletic clade containing the genera Nonlabens, Persicivirga, Stenothermobacter and Sandarakinotalea. The polyphasic data presented in this study demonstrated that the members belonging to the Nonlabens-like clade overall constitute a single genus. Therefore, it is proposed to transfer the members of genera Persicivirga O'Sullivan et al. 2006, Stenothermobacter Lau et al. 2006 and Sandarakinotalea Khan et al. 2006 to the genus Nonlabens Lau et al. 2005. Thus, P. dokdonensis (Yoon et al. 2006) Nedashkovskaya et al. 2009, P. ulvanivorans Barbeyron et al. 2010, P. xylanidelens O'Sullivan et al. 2006, Sandarakinotalea sediminis Khan et al. 2006 and Stenothermobacter spongiae Lau et al. 2006 should be transferred to Nonlabens dokdonensis comb. nov., Nonlabens ulvanivorans comb. nov., Nonlabens xylanidelens comb. nov., Nonlabens sediminis comb. nov. and Nonlabens spongiae comb. nov., respectively. In addition, strain JC2678(T) (=KACC 14155(T)=JCM 17109(T)) is proposed to constitute a novel species belonging to the genus Nonlabens with the name of Nonlabens agnitus sp. nov.     

Recent advances in the in vitro cultivation and genetic manipulation of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes and germinal cells

In order to elucidate host-parasite interactions and infection strategies of helminths at the molecular level, the availability of suitable in vitro cultivation systems for this group of parasites is of vital importance. One of the few helminth systems for which in vitro cultivation has been relatively successfully carried out in the past is the larval stage of the fox-tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. Respective ‘first generation’ cultivation systems relied on the co-incubation of larval tissue, isolated from laboratory rodents, with host feeder cells. Although these techniques have been very successful in producing metacestode material for drug screening assays or the establishment of cDNA libraries, the continuous presence of host cells prevented detailed studies on the influence of defined host factors on larval growth. To facilitate such investigations, we have recently introduced the first truly axenic system for long-term in vitro maintenance of metacestode vesicles and used it to establish a technique for parasite cell cultivation. The resulting culture system, which allows the complete in vitro regeneration of metacestode vesicles from germinal cells, is a highly useful tool to study the cellular and molecular basis of a variety of developmental processes that occur during the infection of the mammalian host. Furthermore, it provides a solid basis for establishing transgenic techniques in cestodes for the first time. We consider it an appropriate time point to discuss the characteristics of these ‘second generation’ cultivation systems in comparison with former techniques, to present our first successful attempts to introduce foreign DNA into Echinococcus cells, and to share our ideas on how a fully transgenic Echinococcus strain can be generated in the near future.