高山植物扁蕾的延迟自交机制

扁蕾(Gentianopsis barbata)具有鲜艳的花和显著的腺体,并且花开放的前5 d柱头和花药始终处于不同的位置(雌雄异位),这些花综合征表明该植物应为异花传粉。为检验这一假设,我们对青藏高原植物扁蕾的海北站种群进行了3年的传粉生物学研究实验。与花综合征所表明的繁育系统相反,两年的野外观察发现昆虫的访花频率十分低,不去雄并隔离昆虫处理也能产生大量种子,说明这一种群的繁殖主要是依赖于自花传粉。尽管利用种子结实评价的柱头可授性从花开放4 d后开始下降,但随着花的发育进程,雄蕊的伸长能使得花药与柱头完全接触。实验也证明,柱头可授性和花粉活力都超过5 d,说明花药和柱头的接触能够发生自花授粉。扁蕾的这种自花传粉机制应属于典型的延迟自交类型。自花授粉发生在单花花期快要结束前,自交之前仍然保持异交传粉机制,这种延迟自交避免了自交与异交竞争造成的花粉或者种子折损,并为扁蕾在青藏高原极端环境下由于访花昆虫缺乏造成的异交失败提供了繁殖保障。     

栽培红花山玉兰的传粉生物学

研究了栽培红花山玉兰（Ｍａｇｎｏｌｉａｄｅｌａｖａｙｉ）的开花生物学和传粉生物学特性,并探讨了红花山玉兰只开花而不结实的原因以及提高其结实率的技术措施。红花山玉兰的花被片为９,呈３轮排列。外轮花被片先张开,而内２轮花被片仍紧密地包裹着雌雄蕊群,约２４ｈ后,内２轮花被片才张开。在外轮花被片张开而内２轮花被片未张开时,柱头就有授粉能力,但雄蕊尚未成熟。因内２轮花被片紧密地包裹着雌雄蕊群而阻碍了传粉者进入花内传粉。当内２轮花被片张开时,雄蕊成熟,花药裂开而散发花粉;柱头外露,但此时的柱头已变棕红色,完全失去了授粉能力。若外轮花被片刚张开时,去掉全部花被片,蜜蜂可成为有效传粉者,其结果率可达到５３．３％;若去掉全部花被片,并施以人工异花授粉,其结果率可高达１００％。研究结果表明,红花山玉兰是雌雄异熟的,且异花授粉是亲和;其开花生物学特性适合甲壳虫携带花粉进入花内传粉。红花山玉兰只开花而不结实的原因可能是其开花生物学特性所要求的携带花粉进入花内传粉的甲壳虫无法进入花内传粉或者缺乏。     

短命植物甘新念珠芥（Neotorularia korolkovii）和宽翅菘蓝（Isatis violascens）的物候与性表达特征

甘新念珠芥（Neotorularia korolkovii）和宽翅菘蓝（Isatis violascens）是两种广泛分布于新疆准噶尔荒漠的十字花科早春短命植物。对其物候与性表达特征研究结果表明：(1) 二者种子均在3月下旬萌发,5月下旬和6月上旬果实完全成熟,生活周期分别为62d和71d,其中营养生长期约占1/3、生殖生长期约占2/3。(2) 花均为两性,四强雄蕊,单花开放时间较短,长雄蕊的花药开裂早于短雄蕊,但短雄蕊花药中的花粉数较长雄蕊的多。(3) 长、短雄蕊花药中花粉可育率均达90%以上,花粉活力的变化曲线基本相同,柱头可授期分别为9.0h和4.5h,花粉寿命及柱头可授期均短于单花花期,花粉活力最高的时期正是其柱头的最佳授粉期。柱头可授期与花粉活力及寿命在时间上的高度吻合,增加了在不可预测环境中授粉的机会与效率,从而保障生殖成功。(4) 二者的P/O（花粉/胚珠）值分别为108.07±17.17、992.10±272.16,属于自交繁育系统;对其传粉过程、套袋实验及荧光显微观察的结果也证明它们主要以自花传粉的方式来进行交配。(5) 两种植物从物候、花部性表达以及交配式样上均存在与其严酷荒漠环境相适应的特点,是长期适应准噶尔荒漠特殊生态环境的结果,对于保证繁殖成功并扩大种群具有重要的意义。     

木槿与野西瓜苗花特征和繁育系统的比较研究

为比较分析柱头裂片运动的野西瓜苗和不运动的木槿在花特征和繁育系统上的差异,对其花性状、花粉/胚珠比和不同授粉处理的座果率进行了测定。结果表明:(1)木槿与野西瓜苗在花冠大小、花瓣长及底宽、花萼长与宽、雄蕊长、最上轮雄蕊高度、雄蕊柱长及其底径、花柱长度和雌雄异位间均存在十分显著的差异(P<0.01),但二者的最下轮雄蕊高度间无显著性差异(P>0.05)。(2)木槿的花粉/胚珠比为874.90±20.79,繁育系统属兼性异交类型;野西瓜苗的花粉/胚珠比为24.72±0.68,繁育系统属专性自交类型。(3)木槿自然套袋的座果率为0%,人工自交为2.04%,人工杂交为35.85%;野西瓜苗自动自交和人工自交的座果率均为100%,人工杂交为95.30%。木槿与野西瓜苗在花性状、花粉/胚珠比及花部行为等方面形成了与其繁育系统(兼性异交vs.专性自交)相适应的花特征。     

短命植物甘新念珠芥(Neotorularia korolkovii)和宽翅菘蓝(Isatis violascens)的物候与性表达特征

甘新念珠芥（Neotorularia korolkovii）和宽翅菘蓝（lsatis violascens）是两种广泛分布于新疆准噶尔荒漠的十字花科早春短命植物。对其物候与性表达特征研究结果表明：（1）二者种子均在3月下旬萌发,5月下旬和6月上旬果实完全成熟,生活周期分别为62d和71d,其中营养生长期约占1／3、生殖生长期约占2／3。（2）花均为两性,四强雄蕊,单花开放时间较短,长雄蕊的花药开裂早于短雄蕊,但短雄蕊花药中的花粉数较长雄蕊的多。（3）长、短雄蕊花药中花粉可育率均达90％以上,花粉活力的变化曲线基本相同,柱头可授期分别为9．Oh和4．5h,花粉寿命及柱头可授期均短于单花花期,花粉活力最高的时期正是其柱头的最佳授粉期。柱头可授期与花粉活力及寿命在时间上的高度吻合,增加了在不可预测环境中授粉的机会与效率,从而保障生殖成功。（4）二者的P／O（花粉／胚珠）值分别为108．07±17．17、992.10±272．16,属于自交繁育系统;对其传粉过程、套袋实验及荧光显微观察的结果也证明它们主要以白花传粉的方式来进行交配。（5）两种植物从物候、花部性表达以及交配式样上均存在与其严酷荒漠环境相适应的特点,是长期适应准噶尔荒漠特殊生态环境的结果,对于保证繁殖成功并扩大种群具有重要的意义。     

天仙子的花部特征及延迟自交机制

通过实验观察和野外控制授粉等方法,对天仙子的自交亲和能力和自交传粉机制进行了研究。结果显示:(1)天仙子的花不完全雌性先熟,开花进程中雄蕊伸长是维持其混合交配系统的重要花部特征。(2)野外控制授粉实验证明天仙子的自交亲和性高,具有主动自交能力,主动自交发生的时间集中在晚花期,与花药和柱头接触的时间吻合。(3)在花粉活力和柱头可授期内,花药与柱头的接触能够发生自花授粉,这种依赖花药与柱头接触发生的自花授粉机制属于典型的延迟自交类型。研究表明,天仙子不仅在花结构上首先选择了适于异交的特征,而且还利用雄蕊伸长成功实现自花授粉,通过异交与延迟自交混合的交配系统为该物种提供了灵活的遗传与繁殖保障。     

珍稀濒危植物小花木兰传粉生物学研究

基于定株观测,对小花木兰（Magnolia sieboldii）野生种群和人工栽培种的开花物候进行了研究。结果表明,小花木兰花期为5月中下旬至6月中下旬,花期20d左右,单花花期一般为5～7d,盛花期为6月1～5日;开花过程中花部表型变化明显,花粉在花开时不成熟,但雌蕊已经成熟,花开后雌蕊柄伸长,约20h后下柱头依然湿润,上柱头已萎缩变褐色,再过约40h下柱头也萎缩失去活力．此时花粉成熟,花药裂开;花的柱头接受到的花粉量由下往上依次减少。检测花粉活力、萌发率发现,小花木兰花粉在散发6d后基本失去活力和萌发能力。重力玻片法观测表明,小花木兰为虫媒传粉;花柱的授粉率不高,为65％;柱头上平均花粉量为3．5个;自然状态下结实率低,为13．5％,人工栽培为20．1％;外轮花被片全部去掉,结果率下降至11．3％;去掉雄蕊,结实率下降至10．7％;再辅以人工授粉,结果率上升至25．0％。小花木兰的访花昆虫种类较少,访花频率低,其中蜜蜂和一种蚜科（Aphididae）小昆虫对其传粉影响较大。同花期灯台附（Cornus controversa）等植物对其传粉产生昆虫竞争作用。环境因素如光照、温度、阴雨、海拔等均对其传粉产生一定影响。     

野生荞麦细柄野荞麦的繁殖生物学特性研究

该研究通过野外观察和人工控制实验相结合的方法,从开花动态、花部基本特征、繁育系统、传粉生物学及种子性状等方面对荞麦属(Fagopyrum Mill.)植物细柄野荞麦(Fagopyrum gracilipes)的繁殖生物学特性进行了探究,并分析了各性状对其繁殖的贡献。结果表明:在贵州威宁,细柄野荞麦的花果期常为每年的6—10月,单花序和单花的花期分别为13～21 d和1～3 d。花较小,直径为(3.99±0.12) mm,花柱和花药高分别为1.30和1.65 mm,花直径与花被片长和花被片宽呈显著正相关,花柱高与花药高呈极显著正相关。细柄野荞麦花粉胚珠比为371±16.40,杂交指数为2,套袋实验显示其自交、异交亲和,表明其繁育系统为兼性自交,部分异交亲和。细柄野荞麦的访花昆虫较少,主要为膜翅目(Hymenoptera)、双翅目(Diptera)和鞘翅目(Coleoptera) 7个科的9种昆虫,食蚜蝇科(Syrphidae)昆虫是其主要传粉昆虫。细柄野荞麦果实存在有翅和无翅两种类型,有利于其适应不同的传播方式,种子较小,千粒重为(1.05±0.04) g,萌发率较低,播种后30 d的累积萌发率为(19.60±2.14)%,但萌发整齐,主要集中在前5 d。综上所述,细柄野荞麦灵活的繁育系统为其产生大量种子提供了保障,多样的果实传播方式和整齐的种子萌发特性为其占据更广阔的生境成为群落优势种创造了基础。     

海韭菜的花器官发生

运用扫描电镜（SEM）观察了海韭菜（Triglochin maritimum）的花器官发生发育过程。结果表明：海韭菜花发育是典型的单子叶植物发生模式,即两轮花被片、两轮雄蕊和两轮心皮以三基数轮状交替发生,花器官是以向心向顶的方式发生的,未发现“花被片—雄蕊复合原基”。 发育后期雄蕊和与之对生的花被片之间的共同基部可能是相继向上居间生长的结果。花被片轮和雄蕊轮二者之间在发育位置、时间和速率上存在差异,内轮花被片原基和外轮雄蕊原基的不同发育时间和发育速度使得在成熟花中内轮花被片位于外轮雄蕊的内方。观察结果不支持水麦冬属植物的花是退化（或压缩）的花序侧分枝等假花的观点。     

栽培红药山玉兰的传粉生物学

研究了栽培红山玉兰（Ｍａｇｎｏｌｉａ ｄｅｌａｖａｙｉ）的开花生物学和传粉生物特性,并探讨了红花山玉兰只开花而不结实的原因以及提高其结实率的技术措施。红花山玉兰的花被片为９,呈３轮排列。外轮花被片先张开,而内２轮花被片仍紧密地包裹着雌雄蕊群,约２４ｈ后,内２轮花被片才张开。在外轮花被片张开而以２轮花被片未张开时,柱头就有授粉能力,但雄蕊尚未成熟。因内２轮花被片紧密地包裹着雌雄蕊而阻碍了传粉者进入花     

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.