辽西北票四合屯早白垩世土城子组三段孢粉组合及其意义

本文研究了辽西北票四合屯脊椎动物化石产地附近土城子组三段的孢粉组合,共计32属9种及25未定种。孢粉组合以松柏类两气囊花粉占绝对优势,三缝孢子含量低。当前组合中见有Cicatricosisporites,Lygodioisporites,Jiaohepollis,Rugubivesiculites等早白垩世特征分子,同时未见被子植物花粉,推测其时代为早白垩世早期,这与同位素测年结果相一致。这一孢粉组合以松柏类两气囊花粉的高含量及Classopollis的低含量为特征,明显不同于以往报道的土城子组的孢粉组合,却与辽西地区义县组下部层段的孢粉组合非常相似,表明辽西地区土城子组沉积的末期区域植物群面貌与义县组已无本质差别,尽管两套地层在岩相和沉积上差异明显。这一发现提示我们,土城子组的横向对比对于正确重建中国北方侏罗纪—白垩纪早期的沉积演化史十分关键,有必要在后续研究中进一步开展其他地区土城子组的孢粉等生物地层及区域间的对比工作。     

辽宁义县金家沟义县组砖城子层孢粉组合

辽宁义县金家沟义县组砖城子层的孢粉组合是以无肋双囊类花粉为主(占组合的70%左右),伴以少量Cicatricosisporites,Jugella,Ephedripites,Jiaohepollis等为特征,其基本面貌与北票黄半吉沟义县组尖山沟层的孢粉组合类似,时代同属早白垩世贝利亚斯期,反映温暖湿润的气候环境。     

吉林安图县早白垩世屯田营组孢粉组合

吉林省安县明月镇屯田营组上部的孢粉化石组合以含大量松柏类各种两气囊花粉,伴以少量Schizaeoisportes,Fixisporites,Cicatricosisporites等属孢子为特征,组合面貌与辽西义县组下部尖山沟层的组合一致,时代属早白垩世贝利亚斯期,整个屯田营组只相当于义县组的下部,缺乏与义县组上部相当的地层。     

依兰-伊通地堑北部早白垩世孢粉组合新发现

近年来,在汤原断陷钻井地层中发现了较丰富的早白垩世孢粉化石,本文依据汤原断陷汤D7井458.0-1100.0m井段新发现的孢粉化石,建立了3个孢粉化石组合,即：Cyathidites-Pilosisporites-Cardioangulina组合,Taxodiaceaepollenites-Pinuspollenites-Cyathidites组合和Cyathidites-Cicatricosisporites-Triporoletes-Pilosisporites组合。孢粉组合完全可以与松辽盆地登娄库组对比,其时代为早白垩世阿普第一阿尔必期。     

北羌塘盆地中部笙根地区索瓦组上段的孢粉型化石组合及时代

报道北羌塘盆地笙根地区前人划分的上侏罗统索瓦组的上部发现了具有典型意义的、代表早白垩世的Dicheiropollis花粉。表明在该地区索瓦组上部是以前未能识别的下白垩统。根据该套地层中Dicheiropollis花粉的出现及孢粉组合中大量出现的Cyathidites和Classopollis,以及较为丰富的Gonyaulacysta jurassica与多类型沟鞭藻化石组合特征,确定索瓦组上部时代归属为早白垩世早期。这不仅为北羌塘盆地笙根地区早白垩世海相地层的存在提供了依据,而且为进一步分析和完善北羌塘中生代盆地演化史提供了有意义的线索。     

燕辽地区土城子组古生物组合与陆相侏罗系-白垩系界线年代地层

土城子组是一套广泛发育于燕辽地区的陆相红色碎屑沉积岩系,为中国陆相侏罗系-白垩系(J/K)界线研究的典型。由于陆相化石记录的不完备,以及生物地层划分与同位素年代学的矛盾,使该地层时代归属不定。该组所含生物门类比较丰富,但化石层位较少,可以识别出叶肢介、介形类、孢粉等化石组合,但是前人对其时代意见不一。国内外学者在土城子组及其上下地层获得大量同位素测年资料,指示该组年龄处于156—139 Ma之间,属于晚侏罗世—早白垩世,因此J/K界线就划定在土城子组内部。尽管传统的生物地层学研究积淀正被日渐积累的年代地层学数据引发各种挑战,但毋庸置疑的是,年代地层单元和地质历史的划分必然需要有可供区域对比的标志,生物演化始终是地球发展阶段划分的依据。在土城子组生物地层研究精度尚待提高之时,本文尝试提出一粗略的J/K界线划分方案,以晚侏罗世叶肢介Pseudograpta-Monilestheria-Sinograpta(P-M-S)组合、介形类Cetacella substriata-Mantelliana alta-Darwinula bapanxiaensis (C-M-D)组合与早白垩世叶肢介Yanshanoleptestheria-Pingquania-Lingyuanella(Y-P-L)组合、介形类Djungarica yangshulingensis-Mantelliana reniformis-Stenestroemia yangshulingensis (D-M-S)组合为界线划分依据。近期孢粉的研究结果显示, J/K界线可以Cicatricosisporites-Lygodioisporites-Jiaohepollis组合的出现为标志。根据化石组合发育特征分析, J/K界线位置大致在土城子组2段与3段之间,年龄为～145 Ma。建议将北票巴图营乡剖面作为对比标准。由此提出下白垩统底部"巴图营阶"的工作模型,为中国陆相白垩纪年代地层的建阶工作提供参照。     

内蒙古开鲁盆地早白垩世阜新组孢粉组合

开鲁盆地陆家堡坳陷白垩系十分发育,富含各门类生物化石。根据坳陷内钻井所采样品,系统研究了早白垩世阜新组孢粉化石,建立以Cicatricosisporites Laevigatosporites Tricolpopollenites 为代表的孢粉组合。根据典型分子时代分布及横向组合对比,确定其地质时代为巴列姆—阿普第期,孢粉植物群反映的气候特征为潮湿的亚热带。     

辽河盆地大民屯凹陷沈249井早白垩世九佛堂组孢粉组合

沈249井九佛堂组孢粉材料是目前所知辽河盆地孢粉类型最丰富、数量最多且保存最完好,可确定63属,包括蕨类植物孢子40属和裸子植物花粉23属;根据孢粉组合特征,可称其为Cicatricosisporites Concavissimi sporites Classopollis孢粉组合,具有裸子植物花粉相对含量明显较高、分异性较低,而蕨类植物孢子分异性明显较高、相对含量较低的特点;该组合与辽西九佛堂组、内蒙古二连盆地赛汉塔拉组一段的孢粉组合具有很强的一致性。本文资料可弥补辽河盆地九佛堂组孢粉组合的空白,并为深入认识我国北方区九佛堂组沉积时期植物群特征提供重要的帮助。     

辽宁凌源及内蒙古宁城地区下白垩统义县组脊椎动物生物地层

辽宁凌源及相邻内蒙古南部宁城地区义县组发现多个重要脊椎动物化石地点,通过岩 石地层、脊椎动物生物地层和同位素年代地层对比,建立了该地区义县组地层层序。凌源一宁 城地区义县组有 ２个脊椎动物化石层位：下部道虎沟层含 Ｌｙｃｏｐｔｅｒａｅｒ Ｉｃｈｔｈｙｏｆａｕｎａ, Ｐｓｉｔｔａｃｏｓａｕｒｕｓ Ｆａｕｎａ和Ｃｏｎｆｕｃｉｕｓｏｒｎｉｓ Ａｖｉｆａｕｎａ等３个动物群,可以与北票尖山沟层的四合 屯脊椎动物化石群对比,层位相当于义县组一、三段;上部大王杖子（大新房子）层含 Ｌｙｃｏｐｔｅｒａ Ｉｃｈｔｈｙｏｆａｕｎａ和Ｌｉａｏｘｉｏｒｎｉｓ Ａｖｉｆａｕｎａ等２个动物群,为义县组中部沉积,在四合屯地 区缺失。冀北丰宁四岔口－森吉图地区义县组脊椎动物化石层对应于凌源大王杖子层;滦平 大北沟组为义县组最下部沉积,其上覆的大店子组相当于宁城道虎沟层和北票四合屯义县组 一、三段。热河群义县组和九佛堂组发现３个连续的鸟类群;义县组下部Ｃｏｎｆｕｃｉｕｓｏｒｎｉｓ Ａｖｉｆａｕｎａ、义县组中部Ｌｉａｏｘｉｏｒｎｉｓ Ａｖｉｆａｕｎａ和九佛堂组Ｃａｔｈａｙｏｒｎｉｓ－Ｃｈａｏｙａｎｇｉａ Ａｖｉｆａｕｎａ。义 县组和九佛堂组Ｌｙｃｏｐｔｅｒａ　Ｉ     

内蒙古东南部开鲁盆地晚白垩世嫩江组孢粉植物群

开鲁盆地白垩系发育,至今已有200余口探井钻遇到上白垩统,其中嫩江组滨浅湖相沉积地层厚度稳定,分布广泛,含较丰富的孢粉化石。通过对嫩江组孢粉化石的系统研究,建立了以Schizaeoisporites-BeaupreaiditesLythraites为代表的孢粉组合。孢粉组合和岩石组合的对比表明,开鲁盆地缺失松辽盆地嫩江组中上部地层。根据沉积特征和孢粉植物群面貌,对古植被、古气候和古环境进行了讨论,认为本区晚白垩世处于东北中生孢粉植物区南缘,孢粉植物群具有过渡性质,反应了偏干的暖温带—亚热带气候特征。     

Serology and systematics of the Ebenales and the Theales

The systematic position ofthe Ebenaceae, Sapotaceae, Styracaceae, Ochnaceae, Stachyuraceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Clusiaceae and Hypericaceae has been investigated using serological comparisons of sets of antigenic determinants. The results show that the Sytracaceae and Sapotaceae are undoubtedly more closely associated with the Actinidiaeceae and Theaceae, respectively, than with each other. We found no corresponding determinants betnween antigen systems from the Ebenaceae and systems from any other family whose relations to this family have been proposed. As discovered previously, investigations of antigen systems from the Ochnaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Stachyuraceae, Clusiaceae and Hypericaceae are against the idea of a natural order “Theales” in which these families, or at least some of them, are combined with the Theaceae and Actinidiaceae. This paper completes our previous investigations which largely support a superorder Ericanae sensu Ehrendorfer and Takhtajan. We propose to include the Actinidiaceae and Theaceae in this superorder, assigning them a central position laong with the Sapotaceae and Sytracaeae on one side and the Primulales and Ericales on the other. Another most interesting finding is that there are corresponding determinants between antigen systems from the members of the Ericanae and representatives of the Polemoniaceae and Loasaceae.     

On the structure and dynamics of the complex of the nucleosome and the linker histone

Several different models of the linker histone (LH)–nucleosome complex have been proposed, but none of them has unambiguously revealed the position and binding sites of the LH on the nucleosome. Using Brownian dynamics-based docking together with normal mode analysis of the nucleosome to account for the flexibility of two flanking 10 bp long linker DNAs (L-DNA), we identified binding modes of the H5-LH globular domain (GH5) to the nucleosome. For a wide range of nucleosomal conformations with the L-DNA ends less than 65 Å apart, one dominant binding mode was identified for GH5 and found to be consistent with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments. GH5 binds asymmetrically with respect to the nucleosomal dyad axis, fitting between the nucleosomal DNA and one of the L-DNAs. For greater distances between L-DNA ends, docking of GH5 to the L-DNA that is more restrained and less open becomes favored. These results suggest a selection mechanism by which GH5 preferentially binds one of the L-DNAs and thereby affects DNA dynamics and accessibility and contributes to formation of a particular chromatin fiber structure. The two binding modes identified would, respectively, favor a tight zigzag chromatin structure or a loose solenoid chromatin fiber.     

Biophysics and Structure of the Patch and the Gigaseal

Interpreting channel behavior in patches requires an understanding of patch structure and dynamics, especially in studies of mechanosensitive channels. High resolution optical studies show that patch formation occurs via blebbing that disrupts normal membrane structure and redistributes in situ components including ion channels. There is a 1-2 μm region of the seal below the patch where proteins are excluded and this may consist of extracted lipids that form the gigaseal. Patch domes often have complex geometries with inhomogeneous stresses due to the membrane-glass adhesion energy (E_a), cytoskeletal forces, and possible lipid subdomains. The resting tension in the patch dome ranges from 1-4 mN/m, a significant fraction of the lytic tension of a bilayer (∼10 mN/m). Thus, all patch experiments are conducted under substantial, and uneven, resting tension that may alter the kinetics of many channels. E_a seems dominated by van der Waals attraction overlaid with a normally repulsive Coulombic force. High ionic strength pipette saline increased E_a and, surprisingly, increased cytoskeletal rigidity in cell-attached patches. Low pH pipette saline also increased E_a and reduced the seal selectivity for cations, presumably by neutralizing the membrane surface charge. The seal is a negatively charged, cation selective, space with a resistance of ∼7 gigohm/μm in 100 mM KCl, and the high resistivity of the space may result from the presence of high viscosity glycoproteins. Patches creep up the pipette over time with voltage independent and voltage dependent components. Voltage-independent creep is expected from the capillary attraction of E_a and the flow of fresh lipids from the cell. Voltage-dependent creep seems to arise from electroosmosis in the seal. Neutralization of negative charges on the seal membrane with low pH decreased the creep rate and reversed the direction of creep at positive pipette potentials.     

Epigenetics and aging: the targets and the marks

'Aging epigenetics' is an emerging field that promises exciting revelations in the near future. Here we focus on the functional and biological significance of the epigenetic alterations that accumulate during aging and are important in tumorigenesis. Paradigmatic examples are provided by the global loss of DNA methylation in aging and cancer and by the promoter hypermethylation of genes with a dual role in tumor suppression and progeria, such as the Werner syndrome (WRN) and lamin A/C genes. Another twist is provided by sirtuins, a family of NAD-dependent deacetylases that act on Lys16 of histone H4, which are emerging as a link between cellular transformation and lifespan.     

Metamorphosis in the Cirripedia Rhizocephala and the homology of the kentrogon and trichogon

The Rhizocephala are considered to be monophyletic due to several synapomorphies in the ontogeny of the cndoparasitic phase. The various types of metamorphosis described in the Rhizocephala are discussed and compared to metamorphosis in the Cirripedia Thoracica and Acrothoracica. In males and females of the suborder Kentrogonida. the cyprid settles and metamorphoses into a new instar, in males the trichogen and in females the infective kentrogon. The kentrogon goes through yet another. incomplete moult associated with the development of the stylet. Within the three kentrogonidan families. the Iernaeodiscid-peltogastrid type of kentrogon differs from the sacculinid type in the mode of attachment to the host. in the complexity of internal anatomy. in the position and penetration of the stylet, and in whether or not the cyprid carapace must be shed prior to penetration of the stylet. In the Akentrogonida metamorphosis never results in a new instar. Where observed (Clistosaccidae and Thompsoniidae). both male and female cyprids settle and penetrate into their substrate (female parasite or new host) with one of the antennules. Using the antennule as a syringe. male cyprids inject spermatogonia while female cyprids injects embryonic cells developing into an endoparasite. By comparison with metamorphosis in the Cirripedia Thoracica and Acrothoracica it is concluded that the presence of a metamorphic moult leading to a post-cyprid instar is plesiomorphic and that the trichogon and kentrogon are homologous with the first metamorphosed juvenile in these outgroups. The abbreviated ontogeny in the Akentrogonida without metamorphic moult and post-cyprid larval instars is considered apomorphic. This contradicts the long-held supposition that the Akentrogonida are the most‘primitive’Rhizocephala and dovetails with new information that this suborder contains many advanced traits. Within the Kentrogonida. the lernacodiseid-peltogastrid type of kentrogon is considered more plesiomorphic than the sacculinid type, which resembles the clistosaccidthompsoniid type in having the antennules involved in the penetration process. The homologization of the kentrogon with a juvenile barnacle indicates that presence of a kentrogon is plesiomorphic within the Rhizocephala and that the Kentrogonida is paraphyletic.     

Phymosomatoid echinoids from the campanian and the maastrichtian of Belgium and the Netherlands

Phymosomatoid echinoids from the Campanian and the Maastrichtian of Belgium and the Netherlands are systematically revised. Ten species, belonging to four genera are identified and described. One new species is introduced:Gauthieria?mosae sp. nov.     

Baculoviruses and apoptosis: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Since 1991, when a baculovirus was first shown to inhibit apoptosis of its host insect cells, considerable contributions to our knowledge of apoptosis have arisen from the study of these viruses and the anti-apoptotic genes they encode. Baculovirus anti-apoptotic genes include p35, which encodes the most broadly acting caspase inhibitor protein known, and iap (inhibitor of apoptosis) genes, which were the first members of an evolutionarily conserved gene family involved in regulation of apoptosis and cytokinesis in organisms ranging from yeast to humans. Baculoviruses also provide an ideal system to study the effects of an apoptotic response on viral pathogenesis in an animal host. In this review, I discuss a number of interesting recent developments in the areas of apoptotic regulation by baculoviruses and the effects of apoptosis on baculovirus replication and pathogenesis.