CREB在拟黑多刺蚁不同品级脑部mRNA水平的定位

为探讨CREB在拟黑多刺蚁(Polyrhachis vicina)不同品级脑部mRNA水平的表达,采用地高辛标记法原位杂交技术对拟黑多刺蚁工蚁、雌蚁、雄蚁3个品级脑部CREB mRNA的表达进行了定位研究。结果显示,CREB mRNA在拟黑多刺蚁不同品级脑部均有广泛表达。阳性反应主要分布在蕈形体冠部的Kenyon细胞、视叶和嗅叶等部位。在3个不同品级蚂蚁的脑部中,工蚁的嗅球和蕈形体内有较明显的CREB mRNA阳性反应,雄蚁的视叶具有较强的阳性反应,与工蚁和雄蚁相比,雌蚁脑部各个部位的阳性表达都较弱。推断CREB可能在视觉和嗅觉信息的获取与整合中起着重要作用,且与不同品级蚂蚁的行为相关。     

热驯化对鼎突多刺蚁热适应和运动行为的影响

为比较恒温和变温驯化对鼎突多刺蚁（Polyrhachis vicina Roger）热适应和运动行为的影响,将鼎突多翅蚁分别在15℃恒温和13.4～21.6℃变温下进行驯化,定量分析两种驯化温度对鼎突多翅蚁热适应和运动行为的影响.结果表明,恒温和变温驯化对鼎突多刺蚁的最适温度、逃避高温、运动中的停顿频率、疾跑速度、最大持续运动距离均有显著影响（p＜0.01）,而对逃避低温的影响不显著（p=0.343）;变温驯化后鼎突多刺蚁的最适温度仅有一个峰值,这不符合最适性模型的预测;恒温和变温驯化下鼎突多刺蚁的疾跑速度与最大持续运动距离都呈显著的正相关（分别为p=0.017和p＜0.001）,且经过变温驯化的鼎突多刺蚁的运动能力明显强于恒温驯化下个体的运动能力.     

热驯化和实验温度对鼎突多刺蚁运动能力的影响

以鼎突多刺蚁为实验对象,研究了热驯化和实验温度对其运动能力的影响。将成年的鼎突多刺蚁随机分成2组,分别置于20 ℃和30 ℃下驯化4周。经过驯化的动物分别在20 ℃或30 ℃观察、统计它们的运动能力指标——停顿频率、疾跑速度、最大持续运动距离。结果表明：驯化温度、实验温度以及二者的交互作用极显著影响了鼎突多刺蚁的运动速率;经过特定温度驯化的鼎突多刺蚁在该特定温度下的运动能力,相对于经过不同温度驯化而在相同温度下实验个体的运动能力有所提高。上述研究结果支持驯化有益假说。     

鼎突多刺蚁蚁群的空间和时间动态

本文对鼎突多刺蚁野外群体的空间格局、蚁群品级结构及其时间动态等方面作了研究。     

鼎突多刺蚁热适应及运动行为的热依赖性

将鼎突多刺蚁(Polyrhachis vicina)分别置于15、20、25和30℃的恒温恒湿培养箱内,对其热适应及运动行为的热依赖性进行了研究。驯化2周后,采用温度梯度仪测量其热适应参数,并选用停顿频率(PF)、疾跑速度(SS)和最大持续运动距离(MDCCL)来衡量其运动能力。结果表明,驯化温度对鼎突多刺蚁的热适应和运动行为有极显著影响(P<0.01)。最适温度(PT)、临界低温(CLT)、临界高温(CHT)随驯化温度(AT)的升高而增大,最终适温为30.54℃,临界低温不低于3℃,临界高温不高于45℃;经过高温驯化的鼎突多刺蚁的运动能力显著大于经过低温驯化的个体运动能力,驯化温度与疾跑速度、最大持续运动距离呈显著的正相关,而与停顿频率呈极显著的负相关。     

蚂蚁食品简介

蚂蚁在动物界中属于节肢动物门（Ａｒｔｈｒｏｐｏｄ）,昆虫纲（Ｉｎｓｅｃｔａ）,膜翅目（ｈｙｍｅｎｏｐｔｅｒａ）,蚁科（Ｆｏｒｍｉｃｉｄａｅ）。我国民间常作食疗用的蚂蚁主要是蚁亚科（Ｆｏｒｍｉｃｉｎａｅ）多刺蚁属（Ｐｏｌｙｒｈａｃｈｉｓ）中的拟黑多刺蚁...     

鼎突多刺蚁(Polyrhachis vicina Roger)蚁群的采收与恢复效应

通过对鼎突多刺蚁（Polyrhachis vicina Roger)野生资源的不同采收技术试验,研究采收季节,采收方式、采收强度和人为增加食物源的措施对蚁群恢复程度的影响,结果表明,夏季为最佳采收季节;以采收副巢为主,适当保留主巢有利于蚁群的恢复;在采收中以野生蚁群的25%-35%采收强度采集为宜;人为地在蚂蚁资源较为丰富的山地种植一些能产蜜露昆虫的经济作物,既为蚁群的快速恢复提供了食物保证,也增加额外的经济收入。     

养殖蚂蚁开辟致富路

养殖蚂蚁开辟致富路北京市房山区黄辛村将蚂蚁列为新资源食品开发项目,在村内已成功地在大棚内办起了“拟黑多刺Ⅱ号药用大种蚁”养殖场。已养殖“拟黑多刺Ⅱ号药用大种蚁５０００多窝。每窝种蚁５０００～７０００只,每窝种蚁售价５００元。（闻佳摘自《健康报》１９９...     

鼎突多刺蚁群体结构和生活史的研究

本文报告了鼎突多刺蚁(Polyrhachis vicina Roger)的群体结构和生活史。通过研究表明,鼎突多刺蚁一年发生一代,以蚁后、雄蚁、工蚁、幼虫和卵越冬。卵和幼虫在冬天发育停滞(或极慢)。到了春天,随着气温的上升,卵和幼虫又恢复正常发育。据室内人工饲养观察,卵的发育历期为23.8±2.5天(平均温度26℃)幼虫为20.4±4.4天(26℃),工蚁蛹为19.8±5.5天(27℃)。成长工蚁在5—11月出现;8—11月,雄蚁从蛹中羽化;10月,雌蚁从蛹中羽化。雌蚁分飞交尾后,进入邻近蚁巢或回到原巢,脱翅成为蚁后。蚁巢内存在着多后现象。     

云南紫胶虫种群数量对地表蚂蚁多样性的影响

为了弄清云南紫胶虫种群数量对地表蚂蚁多样性的影响,于2009年12月至2010年5月,采用陷阱法调查了云南省墨江县雅邑乡不同紫胶虫种群数量样地(样地Ⅰ有效枝条寄生率为60%、样地Ⅱ为30%、样地Ⅲ为10%、样地Ⅳ不放养紫胶虫)地表蚂蚁多样性。1)物种组成及相对多度:在样地Ⅰ中采集蚂蚁标本1136头,26种,常见种为棒刺大头蚁(Pheidole spathifera)、伊大头蚁(Pheidole yeensis)和贝卡盘腹蚁(Aphaenogaster beccarii),样地Ⅱ中共采集蚂蚁标本984头,24种,常见种为中华小家蚁(Monomorium chinensis)、棒刺大头蚁、伊大头蚁和皮氏大头蚁(Pheidole pieli),样地Ⅲ中采集蚂蚁标本607头,24种,常见种为粗纹举腹蚁(Crematogaster macaoensis)、中华小家蚁和棒刺大头蚁,样地Ⅳ中采集蚂蚁标本419头,12种,常见种为横纹齿猛蚁(Odontoponera transversa)、中华小家蚁和伊大头蚁;2)多样性:相对多度大小为Ⅰ>Ⅱ>Ⅲ>Ⅳ;蜜露仅提高地表蚂蚁个体数及出现频次,而对物种丰富度无显著影响;3)群落相似性:不同紫胶虫种群数量影响地表蚂蚁群落结构组成;4)指示物种:样地Ⅰ中指示物种为长足光结蚁(Anoplolepis gracilipes)和沃尔什铺道蚁(Tetramorium walshi),样地Ⅲ中指示物种为二色狡臭蚁(Technomyrmex bicolor),样地Ⅱ和Ⅳ中无指示物种。紫胶虫种群通过蜜露资源能维持较高的地表蚂蚁多度,并影响地表蚂蚁活动,改变地表蚂蚁群落结构。     

Organizational and activational effects of hormones on insect behavior

The concepts of hormone organization and activation provide a framework for thinking about the influence of hormones on development, brain, and behavior in vertebrates. There is good evidence for activational effects of hormones on the nervous system and behavior in insects, but organizational effects are almost never discussed in the insect literature. This paper explores the utility of the concepts of hormonal organization and activation of behavior in insects. We describe the two concepts as developed from studies of vertebrates, review some insect examples that appear to fit this classification scheme, and consider how explicit use of the concept of organization might benefit studies of the insect brain and behavior.     

The penetration of ionic lanthanum into the central nervous system of the tick, Amblyomma variegatum

ABSTRACT. The ultrastructure of the tick central nervous system resembles that of insects except that the perineurial layer of specialized glial cells is less well developed in the tick. In particular, the cells are not connected by tight or septate junctions. Probably as a consequence, ionic lanthanum penetrates the entire central nervous system of the tick, whereas it fails to penetrate the perineurium of insects. These observations suggest that ticks lack the 'blood—brain barrier' which protects the insect nervous system.     

Sensitive enzyme immunoassay for Manduca allatotropin and the existence of an allatotropin-immunoreactive peptide in Periplaneta americana

Antisera to Manduca sexta allatoropin were raised in rabbits and were used to develop a competitive enzyme immunoassay for this neuropeptide. The detection limit of the assay is less than 2 fmol/well. A useful quantification can be obtained from 2 to 30 fmol/well. No cross-reactivity was observed with several insect peptides, but the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay does recognize [Ala⁶, Leu⁷, Ser⁸]-allatotropin, a myotropin recently isolated from Locusta migratoria. The assay was used to study the distribution of allatotropin within the nervous system of Manduca sexta. The peptide is present in the retrocerebral complex, the brain, and the ventral nerve cord of this species, in quantities of respectively 0.01, 1.2, and 1.7 pmol per insect. An allatotropin-immunoreactive peptide was found in the nervous system of Periplaneta americana. It is present in the ventral nerve cord (3.3 pmol/insect), brain (1.9 pmol/insect), and retrocerebral complex (0.09 pmol/insect). These data suggest that peptides of this family are generally present in insects. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cyclic nucleotide-stimulable protein kinases in the central nervous sytem of Manduca sexta.

Cyclic nucleotide-stimulable protein kinase (EC 1.7.1.37) has been studied in crude extracts from the central nervous system of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). The insect kinase was fulfhydryl-sensitive and required Mg-2+ for optimal activity. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of supernatants demonstrated the presence of multiple kinases in the larval nerve cord. At low concentrations, cyclic AMP was a much more potent activator of soluble and particulate activities than was cyclic GMP. The specific activity of coluble kinase and the magnitude of its activations by cyclic AMP were greater in the adult than in the larval central nervous system. The exogenous protein substrate specificity of the insect enzyme was similar to that of rat brain kinase with the sole exception that protamine was more readily phosphorylated than histone by nerve cord kinase. It was observed that cyclic AMP lowered the Km of Manduca sexta kinase for ATP, a phenomenon which is apparently nervous tissue=specific in mammals. An effective inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase was prepared from the larval central nervous system.     

Distribution of tachykinin-related neuropeptide in the developing central nervous system of the moth Spodoptera litura

Neuropeptides with similarities to vertebrate tachykinins, designated tachykinin-related peptides (TRPs), have been identified in several insect species. In this investigation we have utilized an antiserum raised to one of the locust TRPs, locustatachykinin-I (LomTK-I), to determine the distribution pattern of LomTK-like immunoreactive (LTKLI) neurons in the developing nervous system of the moth Spodoptera litura. A number of LTKLI neurons could be followed from the larval to the adult nervous system: a set of median neurosecretory cells (MNCs) in the brain, a pair of brain descending neurons and a few sets on neurons in the ventral nerve cord. The distribution of LTKLI neurons in the adult brain is very similar to that seen in other insect species with prominent arborizations in the central body, antennal lobes, mushroom body calyces, optic lobe neuropils and other distinct neuropil areas in the protocerebrum and tritocerebrum. A new finding is the presence of LTKLI neurosecretory cells with axon terminals in the anterior aorta and corpora cardiaca, suggesting for the first time a neurohormonal role of tachykinin-related peptide(s) in insects. During postembryonic development the number of LTKLI neurons in the ventral nerve cord decreases somewhat, whereas the number increases in the brain. Thus the functional roles of TRPs may change to some extent during development.     

昆虫毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体研究进展

毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体（muscarinic acetylcholine receptor,mAchR）是昆虫神经系统中一种十分重要的神经递质受体,属于G蛋白偶联受体超家族,与配体结合后激活G蛋白并通过胞内第二信使产生生物学效应,参与昆虫多种神经生理功能,是农药开发的一个潜在靶标。昆虫毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体的研究,有助于提高昆虫神经生理及行为调节机制等方面的认识,并为以此为靶标的新型杀虫剂研制提供新思路。本文综述了国内外对昆虫毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱受体的研究概况,并对GenBank中已上传的昆虫mAchR序列进行了分子进化分析,最后对昆虫mAchR研究中存在的问题及前景进行了分析和展望。     

The presence and distribution of crustacean cardioactive peptide in the central and peripheral nervous system of the stick insect, Baculum extradentatum

Crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP)-like immunoreactivity was localized and quantified in the central and peripheral nervous system of the Vietnamese stick insect, Baculum extradentatum, using immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The brain, frontal ganglion, suboesophageal ganglion and ventral nerve cord displayed neurons and processes with CCAP-like immunoreactivity. The brain, in comparison to the other parts of the central nervous system, contained the greatest amount of CCAP (167 +/- 18 fmol), and showed CCAP-like staining in neurons, neuropil regions and the central complex. There were also CCAP-like varicosities and processes associated with the corpus cardiacum. The alimentary canal of B. extradentatum contained CCAP with the largest amount localized in the midgut (1110 +/- 274 fmol CCAP equivalents). The midgut contained numerous endocrine-like cells which stained positively for CCAP, whereas the foregut and hindgut revealed an extensive network of CCAP-like immunoreactive axons and varicosities. Based on physiological assays, the hindgut of the stick insect was found to be sensitive to CCAP, showing dose-dependent increases in contractions with threshold at 10(-10) M CCAP and maximal response at 5 x 10(-7) M CCAP. There were negligible quantities of CCAP in the oviducts and no CCAP-like immunoreactivity was associated with the oviducts. CCAP had no effect on spontaneous contractions of the oviducts. The presence of CCAP in the central nervous system, the stomatogastric nervous system, the corpus cardiacum and the alimentary canal, suggest broad ranging roles for CCAP in B. extradentatum.     

Molecular cloning of Bombyx cerebral opsin (Boceropsin) and cellular localization of its expression in the silkworm brain

We have cloned a cDNA for a novel opsin from the larval brain of the silkworm Bombyx mori in which the photoperiodic photoreceptor had been supposed to reside in the cephalic central nervous system (CNS). Its deduced amino acid sequence was composed of 381 amino acids and included amino acid residues highly conserved in insect visual pigments. This opsin belonged to the long wavelength photoreceptor group of insect opsins and showed the greatest degree of homology (84%) with the green visual photoreceptor in the sphingid moth. We have designated this Bombyx cerebral opsin as Boceropsin. Southern blotting experiments indicated that the Boceropsin gene is present in a single copy, and RT-PCR analysis revealed that Boceropsin mRNA is expressed in the larval brain but not in the subesophageal ganglion (Sg) or thoracic ganglion (Tg). Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that Boceropsin protein is present bilaterally in some defined cells localized in the brain of Bombyx larvae. This is the first report of expression of an opsin-based protein in CNS of an insect. The possibility that the Boceropsin functions as the photoperiodic receptive pigment in the silkworm is also discussed.     

Insights into the urbilaterian brain: conserved genetic patterning mechanisms in insect and vertebrate brain development

Recent molecular genetic analyses of Drosophila melanogaster and mouse central nervous system (CNS) development revealed strikingly similar genetic patterning mechanisms in the formation of the insect and vertebrate brain. Thus, in both insects and vertebrates, the correct regionalization and neuronal identity of the anterior brain anlage is controlled by the cephalic gap genes otd/Otx and ems/Emx, whereas members of the Hox genes are involved in patterning of the posterior brain. A third intermediate domain on the anteroposterior axis of the vertebrate and insect brain is characterized by the expression of the Pax2/5/8 orthologues, suggesting that the tripartite ground plans of the protostome and deuterostome brains share a common evolutionary origin. Furthermore, cross-phylum rescue experiments demonstrate that insect and mammalian members of the otd/Otx and ems/Emx gene families can functionally replace each other in embryonic brain patterning. Homologous genes involved in dorsoventral regionalization of the CNS in vertebrates and insects show remarkably similar patterning and orientation with respect to the neurogenic region (ventral in insects and dorsal in vertebrates). This supports the notion that a dorsoventral body axis inversion occurred after the separation of protostome and deuterostome lineages in evolution. Taken together, these findings demonstrate conserved genetic patterning mechanisms in insect and vertebrate brain development and suggest a monophyletic origin of the brain in protostome and deuterostome bilaterians.