Integrating Horizontal Gene Transfer and Common Descent to Depict Evolution and Contrast It with “Common Design”1

ABSTRACT. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and common descent interact in space and time. Because events of HGT co‐occur with phylogenetic evolution, it is difficult to depict evolutionary patterns graphically. Tree‐like representations of life's diversification are useful, but they ignore the significance of HGT in evolutionary history, particularly of unicellular organisms, ancestors of multicellular life. Here we integrate the reticulated‐tree model, ring of life, symbiogenesis whole‐organism model, and eliminative pattern pluralism to represent evolution. Using Entamoeba histolytica alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (EhADH2), a bifunctional enzyme in the glycolytic pathway of amoeba, we illustrate how EhADH2 could be the product of both horizontally acquired features from ancestral prokaryotes (i.e. aldehyde dehydrogenase [ALDH] and alcohol dehydrogenase [ADH]), and subsequent functional integration of these enzymes into EhADH2, which is now inherited by amoeba via common descent. Natural selection has driven the evolution of EhADH2 active sites, which require specific amino acids (cysteine 252 in the ALDH domain; histidine 754 in the ADH domain), iron‐ and NAD⁺ as cofactors, and the substrates acetyl‐CoA for ALDH and acetaldehyde for ADH. Alternative views invoking “common design” (i.e. the non‐naturalistic emergence of major taxa independent from ancestry) to explain the interaction between horizontal and vertical evolution are unfounded.     

草莓高效离体叶片再生体系的建立

以草莓'明宝(Meiho)'和'红颊(Benihope)'的叶片为外植体,研究了不同基本培养基、暗培养时间、植物生长调节剂、叶龄、不同放置方式对其不定芽再生的影响.结果表明:各品种叶片不定芽离体再生的最佳条件不同.'明宝'叶片的最佳不定芽再生培养基为MS+2.5 mg/L TDZ+0.1 mg/L IBA+0.1 mg/L 2,4-D,叶片再生的最佳叶龄为30～40 d,再生率可达82.8%;'红颊'叶片的最佳不定芽再生培养基为MS+2.0 mg/L TDZ+0.1 mg/L IBA+0.1 mg/L 2,4-D,叶片再生的最佳叶龄在10～20 d,再生率可达79.8%.2个品种叶片暗培养14 d可以提高不定芽再生率;叶片正放比反放再生效果好;添加8 mg/L AgNO3和1 000 mg/L活性炭可有效提高再生率.     

挂榜山小鲵早期胚胎发育初步观察

2005年1～2月,在Nikon体视镜下对挂榜山小鲵的早期胚胎发育过程进行了观察,对不同发育时期进行了数码拍照。根据胚胎发育的外部形态及典型特征将挂榜山小鲵早期胚胎发育过程分为21个时期。在水温6．5～10℃的条件下,受精卵历时1134h孵化出膜,初孵幼鲵全长约16．50mm。     

湖南鱼类新记录4种

2004年8月～2005年7月,在湖南安化进行鱼类资源调查期间,发现湖南鱼类新记录4种：漓江副沙鳅、盎堂拟鲿、越南鲇和司氏（鱼央）.     

一株嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌裂解性噬菌体的分离及生物学特性

【背景】嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌是一种广泛存在于医院和自然环境中的条件致病菌,其分离率与耐药率逐年增加。噬菌体是一类能特异性感染并杀灭细菌的病毒。【目的】分离一株新型嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌噬菌体,为临床嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌感染及防控提供补充手段。【方法】以临床分离的嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌为宿主菌,用点板法从医院污水中分离鉴定噬菌体;用双层平板法测定噬菌体效价及一步生长曲线等生物学特性;用透射电镜观察噬菌体形态;提取噬菌体基因组DNA进行全基因组测序,拼接噬菌体基因组并进行注释。【结果】分离到一株嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌裂解性噬菌体,命名为v B＿Sma S＿P11。该噬菌体感染宿主菌的潜伏期小于5 min,快速增殖60 min后达到平稳期,暴发量为100 PFU/cell。透射电镜观察该噬菌体为长尾噬菌体,具有典型的二十面体头和不可收缩的尾部。基因组测序结果表明,该噬菌体基因组全长44 600 bp,GC含量为63.7%,无抗生素耐受基因、毒力基因和t RNA,与NCBI数据库中所有已知嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌噬菌体相比同源性很低。基因组注释显示该噬菌体含有66个开放阅读框(open reading frame,ORF),其...     

A comprehensive analysis of root morphological changes and nitrogen allocation in maize in response to low nitrogen stress

The plasticity of root architecture is crucial for plants to acclimate to unfavourable environments including low nitrogen (LN) stress. How maize roots coordinate the growth of axile roots and lateral roots (LRs), as well as longitudinal and radial cell behaviours in response to LN stress, remains unclear. Maize plants were cultivated hydroponically under control (4 mm nitrate) and LN (40 μm ) conditions. Temporal and spatial samples were taken to analyse changes in the morphology, anatomical structure and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio in the axile root and LRs. LN stress increased axile root elongation, reduced the number of crown roots and decreased LR density and length. LN stress extended cell elongation zones and increased the mature cell length in the roots. LN stress reduced the cell diameter and total area of vessels and increased the amount of aerenchyma, but the number of cell layers in the crown root cortex was unchanged. The C/N ratio was higher in the axile roots than in the LRs. Maize roots acclimate to LN stress by optimizing the anatomical structure and N allocation. As a result, axile root elongation is favoured to efficiently find available N in the soil.     

可持续生计框架下连片特困区发展机理——以宁夏限制开发生态区为例

生计资本与农户收支有着密切关系,决定农户的生计策略,影响区域的发展机理与发展模式.基于参与式农村评估和数理统计方法,分民族、地形、农户类型对宁夏限制开发生态区农户生计资本与农户收支状况进行定量评估,创建农户非农性指数,揭示生计资本与农户收支和非农性指数的关系,结合研究区实际对农户可持续生计进行研究,探讨区域发展机理.结果表明: 研究区农户生计资本量整体偏低,其中,回族略高于汉族、川道农户高于山地农户、兼业户和非农业户显著高于农业户;区域发展与非农性指数和人力、物质等资本显著正相关,与自然资本显著负相关,需着力提升农户的非农性指数和人力、物质等资本量,同时引导农户对农业生产资料进行流转,促进自然资本两极分化.     

大气颗粒物污染对土地覆盖变化的响应

土地利用-覆盖变化(LUCC)直接或间接影响颗粒物污染。了解颗粒物污染对LUCC的响应,对维护和改善生态环境具有重要的意义。基于卫星遥感技术,从广域的空间尺度分析颗粒物污染对LUCC的响应。使用MODIS数据分别提取与颗粒物污染相关性较高的城市用地、林地等土地利用类型,确定土地利用类型的变化趋势,利用长时间序列MODIS气溶胶光学厚度(AOD,Aerosol optical depth)产品分析颗粒物污染与土地利用类型的变化的相关性。以山东省青岛市、淄博市、济南市3个典型城市为例,研究了AOD随土地利用类型的变化趋势。同时,考虑并分析了颗粒物污染对土地利用变化响应的敏感性,以及城市区域变化对环境的影响。研究结果表明,不同的城市类型,由于决定环境变化主导因素的差异,颗粒物污染对LUCC的响应具有明显的差异。青岛市地区,由于受海洋影响显著,大气颗粒物污染与LUCC的相关性较低,如中度污染天气与林地的相关系数为-0.451;而淄博市和济南市的相关系数分别为-0.473、-0.507。     

大鼠胰岛分离、培养条件的优化及miR-126表达的检测方法比较

目的:优化SD大鼠胰岛细胞的分离、纯化和培养方法与条件,为研究miR-126在Ⅱ型糖尿病中的作用机制提供活性与功能良好的胰岛细胞及miR-126表达的检测方法。方法:水合氯醛腹腔注射麻醉SD大鼠,采用8 mL胶原酶Ⅴ(含DNaseⅠ100 U)逆行注射、原位消化后Hitopaque-1077梯度离心分离纯化SD大鼠胰岛细胞,从培养后的胰岛细胞中提取总RNA,分别用加尾法和茎环法进行miR-126的反转录,实时定量PCR(qPCR)检测miR-126的表达量。结果:用该方法可从每只SD大鼠中分离、纯化得到胰岛细胞372±45个,胰岛细胞纯度90%,胰岛细胞存活率95%;用加尾法和茎环法qPCR检测miR-126的Cp值分别为34.56±2.56和32.47±2.01。结论:胶原酶Ⅴ(含DNaseⅠ100 U)逆行注射、原位消化可有效避免因消化时胶状物质的产生而导致的胰岛细胞分离失败,Hitopque-1077梯度离心分离方法具有操作简单、便捷、成功率高等特点,可得到活性与功能较好的胰岛细胞;与加尾法相比,茎环法能够更灵敏地检测胰岛细胞miR-126的表达量。