Impact of oceanic upwelling on morphometric and molecular indices of an intertidal fish Scartichthys viridis (Blenniidae)

Upwelling is a determinant factor for intertidal community structure on all coasts where it occurs. Most of the evidence has been obtained from sessile species or those with limited mobility and it is still unknown whether nutrients are transferred from primary producers to upper trophic levels in upwelling systems. We studied a fish species from two localities in Central Chile, Quintay, and Las Cruces, the former affected by upwelling and the latter not as evidenced by sea surface temperatures. Specimens of the herbivorous fish Scartichthys viridis, from the two sites were compared for weight–length relationships and RNA?:?DNA ratio in muscle tissue. The results showed that in the upwelling zone, fish increase their weight faster and have greater RNA?:?DNA ratios than those from the non-upwelling zone. This suggests that nutrient subsidies can alter the performance of key intertidal vertebrates such as S. viridis. The consequences of this effect on community structure and dynamics are not known.     

常压室温等离子体快速诱变绿色糖单孢菌筛选 木聚糖酶高产菌株及其酶学性质研究

[目的]利用常压室温等离子体快速诱变绿色糖单孢菌,筛选耐热耐碱木聚糖酶高产菌株,并对其进行酶学性质分析,确保其适用于生物制浆漂白工艺.[方法]采用刚果红平板水解圈法结合摇瓶发酵胞外酶测定法进行菌株筛选,并通过DNS木聚糖酶活性测定等方法对来源于不同突变株的木聚糖酶进行酶学性质分析对比.[结果]筛选出遗传稳定性良好的两株木聚糖酶高产菌株AT24和AT22-2,以麦草浆为诱导底物的粗酶液中,突变株AT24及AT22-2所产的木聚糖酶活性分别为512.74、552.70U/mL,分别为原始菌株S.v的16和17倍的.来源于突变株AT22-2的木聚糖酶的最适反应pH为9.5,最适反应温度为90℃,在50℃-90℃温度范围内具有良好的热稳定性,在100℃条件下处理30 min剩余酶活仍为68％;突变株AT24所产木聚糖酶的最适反应温度为60℃,最适pH为10.0,在60℃-80℃的高温环境下,突变株AT24所产的木聚糖酶具有良好的热稳定性.[结论]突变株AT22-2所产具有耐碱耐高温性质的木聚糖酶,在应用领域尤其在纸浆造纸行业具有较大的潜在应用价值.     

PHYLOGENY AND SYSTEMATICS OF EUGLENA (EUGLENACEAE) SPECIES WITH AXIAL,STELLATE CHLOROPLASTS BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA—NEW TAXA,EMENDED DIAGNOSES,AND EPITYPIFICATIONS1

Morphological and molecular studies, as well as original literature reexamination, necessitate establishment of five Euglena species with a single axial, stellate chloroplast [Euglena viridis (O. F. Müller) Ehrenberg 1830 , Euglena pseudoviridis  Chadefaud 1937 , Euglena stellata  Mainx 1926 , Euglena pseudostellata sp. nov., and Euglena cantabrica  Pringsheim 1956 ], three species with two chloroplasts (Euglena geniculata Dujardin ex Schmitz 1884 , Euglena chadefaudii  Bourrelly 1951 , and Euglena pseudochadefaudii sp. nov.), and one species with three chloroplasts (Euglena tristella  Chu 1946 ). The primary morphological features, allowing distinction of the considered species are the presence and the shape of mucocysts, as well as the number of chloroplasts. Spherical mucocysts occur in E. cantabrica and E. geniculata, while spindle‐shaped mucocysts are present in E. stellata, E. pseudostellata, E. chadefaudii, E. pseudochadefaudii, and E. tristella. No mucocysts are observed in E. viridis and E. pseudoviridis. Two new species (E. pseudochadefaudii sp. nov. and E. pseudostellata sp. nov.) differ from the respective species, E. chadefaudii and E. stellata, only at the molecular level. Molecular signatures and characteristic sequences are designated for nine distinguished species. Emended diagnoses for all and delimitation of epitypes for seven species (except E. viridis and E. tristella) are proposed.     

Changes in soil diversity and global activities following invasions of the exotic invasive plant, Amaranthus viridis L., decrease the growth of native sahelian Acacia species

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the invasive plant Amaranthus viridis influenced soil microbial and chemical properties and to assess the consequences of these modifications on native plant growth. The experiment was conducted in Senegal at two sites: one invaded by A. viridis and the other covered by other plant species. Soil nutrient contents as well as microbial community density, diversity and functions were measured. Additionally, five sahelian Acacia species were grown in (1) soil disinfected or not collected from both sites, (2) uninvaded soil exposed to an A. viridis plant aqueous extract and (3) soil collected from invaded and uninvaded sites and inoculated or not with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradices . The results showed that the invasion of A. viridis increased soil nutrient availability, bacterial abundance and microbial activities. In contrast, AM fungi and rhizobial development and the growth of Acacia species were severely reduced in A. viridis -invaded soil. Amaranthus viridis aqueous extract also exhibited an inhibitory effect on rhizobial growth, indicating an antibacterial activity of this plant extract. However, the inoculation of G. intraradices was highly beneficial to the growth and nodulation of Acacia species. These results highlight the role of AM symbiosis in the processes involved in plant coexistence and in ecosystem management programs that target preservation of native plant diversity.     

绿色巴夫藻脂肪酸去饱和酶的克隆和初步研究

在高等植物中,Δ9 脂肪酸去饱和酶引入第一个双键到饱和的脂肪酸链中,导致单不饱和脂肪酸的形成。我们通过RT-PCR、RNA ligase mediated RACE (RLM-RACE) and Overlap-PCR方法从海洋微藻绿色巴夫藻中克隆到一个命名为PvfadA的脂肪酸去饱和酶候选基因。通过将PvfadA基因在大肠杆菌表达系统中成功表达,PvFadA可以特异性地将C18:0脂肪酸转变成C18:1脂肪酸。PvFadA的氨基酸序列中存在一个存在于acyl-ACP去饱和酶的特异性金属离子结合区段(D/E)X2HX-100(D/E)X2H。通过同源模建PvFadA的3D结构显示,其包含了11个α螺旋,其中α3、α4、α6和α7组成了一个4个螺旋桶的核心结构,预测其可能是酶的活性中心。PvFadA的3D结构类似于蓖麻和结核分枝杆菌H37Rv的acyl-ACP去饱和酶。     

狗尾草蒸腾特性与水分利用效率对模拟光辐射增强和CO2浓度升高的响应

 在人工控制光照强度和CO2浓度条件下,测量了禾本科C4植物狗尾草（Setaria viridis）的光合速率（Pn）,蒸腾速率（Tr）,胞间CO2浓度（Ci）,气孔导度（Gs）和叶面饱和水汽压亏缺（Vpdl）对不同模拟光辐射（SPR）强度与CO2浓度的响应。结果表明：Pn, Tr 及Gs均随SPR的升高而增大,增幅趋缓,最终趋于动态平衡。SPR增强的起始阶段,水分利用率（WUE）逐渐增大,在SPR为1200 μmol·m-2·s-1时达到最大值,然后逐渐降低。Ci与Vpdl则随SPR的增强而减小,SPR高于600 μmol·m-2·s-1之后,两者均达到平衡状态。CO2浓度从300增至600 μmol·mol-1的过程中,狗尾草Pn逐渐增大,从600增至1 000 μmol·mol-1过程中,其Pn逐渐降低。Ci、Vpdl和WUE随CO2浓度的升高而增大,Gs和Tr则随CO2浓度的升高而减小。即禾本科一年生C4植物的光合作用对CO2浓度升高响应不敏感,水分蒸腾消耗的减少和WUE的提高对CO2浓度升高的响应极显著。可见,CO2浓度升高对C4植物光合作用的直接促进作用有限,但是却能从提高现有水分利用效率途径促进植物的第一性生产。     

Phenotypic plasticity of life history characteristics: quantitative analysis of delayed reproduction of green foxtail (Setaria viridis) in the Songnen Plain of China

Green foxtail (Setaria viridis L,) is a common weed species in temperate regions. Research on the effect of delayed reproduction on the phenotypic plasticity and regularity of the vegetative and reproductive growth is of vital significance for understanding population regulation and control of the weed in the growing season, Green foxtail seeds were sown every 10 days from 25 June to 24 August of 2004. The growth and production metrics were measured via harvesting tufts and statistical analysis was carried out. The results showed that the reproductive tillers, seed number, seed biomass and one thousand-seed weight of plants at the first sowing (25 June) approximately increased 28.8, 7827.0, 1104.0 and 12.3 times compared with that at the last sowing (24 August), respectively. Total tillers, reproductive tillers and height increased linearly as the reproductive period delayed, however, biomass increased exponentially. Quadratic equations best explained the relationships between the delayed reproductive period and seed number, Inflorescence length, one thousand-seed weight, seed biomass. Based on the quantity and quality of seed production, weeding young seedlings emerging before July can be the most effective weed-control strategy in the Songnen Plain.     

中国谷子主产区谷子近缘种狗尾草的遗传多样性

用同工酶淀粉凝胶电泳技术分析了在中国北方谷子主产区采集与收集的谷子、谷子近缘野生种青狗尾草(包括谷莠子)和金狗尾草的代表群体。分析了12种等位酶(AAT、ADH、AMP、DIA、GDH、IDH、MDH、ME、PGD、GPI、PGM、SKD)的21个等位酶位点的数据。结果表明：青狗尾草同其它以自花授粉为主的一年生植物相比表现更高的遗传变异性。AAT—3、PGD、PGM在所有供试材料中均表现单态,而在金狗尾草中缺失(沉默)IDH-l。不同地理来源的青狗尾草同谷子的亲缘关系存在一定的差异,而且青狗尾草间的遗传差异同地理区域相关。本研究结果支持把谷子和青狗尾草划为一个种的观点。     

Glutathione redox system,GSH-Px activity and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in tadpoles of R.r.ridibunda and B.viridis

Total glutathione (t-GSH), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulphide (GSSG) levels, t-GSH/GSSG ratio, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were investigated during the development period of a predominantly aquatic amphibian R.r.ridibunda and a predominantly terrestrial amphibian B. viridis. While t-GSH and GSH showed a similar trend, GSSG concentration increased significantly (p<0.05) during the larval stages in R.r.ridibunda larvae. In contrast to R.r.ridibunda larvae, there was no significant (p>0.05) change between 1 and 5 weeks in the t-GSH and GSH concentrations of B. viridis. t-GSH and GSH concentrations of B. viridis larvae became sharply elevated after the fifth week, GSSG levels increased 3.25-fold during the metamorphosis. The t-GSH/GSSG ratio fluctuated and the lowest t-GSH/GSSG ratios were observed at the third week for both species. GSH-Px activities for both species increased significantly (p<0.05) during the growing period. The highest GSH-Px activities in R.r.ridibunda and B.viridis were observed at the eighth week and they were 3.45 +/- 0.17 and 4.1 +/- 0.21 IU mg(-1), respectively. The membrane LPO levels in the R.r.ridibunda and B. viridis tadpoles significantly (p<0.001) decreased from 206 +/- 10.3 to 146 +/- 7.3 and from 198 +/- 9.9 to 23 +/- 1.15 nmol MDA g(-1) w.w., respectively.     

PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE GENUS EUGLENA (EUGLENOPHYCEAE) WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE TYPE SPECIES EUGLENA VIRIDIS1

Euglena viridis (subgenus Euglena) serves as the type species for the genus Euglena. In this study, molecular phylogenetic analyses using a small subunit (SSU) and a combined SSU–partial large subunit rDNA data set for members of the genus Euglena showed that strains identified as E. viridis on the basis of morphology are distributed between two separate nonsister clades. Although all the E. viridis strains examined were morphologically indistinguishable and possessed spherical mucocysts and stellate chloroplasts with one paramylon center, there was a high degree of sequence divergence between the E. viridis strains in different clades, making this a cryptic species. Like E. viridis, all taxa from the subgenus Euglena are characterized by having one or more stellate chloroplasts with paramylon grains clustered around the center of the chloroplast. These additional taxa were divided into four clades in all the molecular analyses. Strains of Euglena stellata formed two nonsister clades whose members had a single aggregate chloroplast with paramylon center and spindle‐shaped mucocysts. A geniculata clade included species with one or two stellate chloroplasts with paramylon centers and spherical mucocysts, and the cantabrica clade had members with one stellate chloroplast with paramylon center and spherical mucocysts often arranged in spiral rows. Interspersed among these were three additional clades bearing taxa from the subgenus Calliglena that contains members with discoid plastids and pyrenoids that may or may not be capped with paramylon. These taxa formed a laciniata clade, mutabilis clade, and gracilis clade. This study demonstrates that E. viridis and E. stellata are cryptic species that can only be distinguished at the molecular level. Because E. viridis is the designated type species for the genus Euglena, we designated an epitype for E. viridis.