Sexing adult Northern Shrikes using DNA, morphometrics, and plumage

ABSTRACT.   Northern Shrikes ( Lanius excubitor ) are predatory songbirds found primarily in taiga regions throughout their Holarctic breeding range. The species is poorly known, especially in North America, and is generally thought to be sexually monomorphic. From 2004 to 2007, we captured 50 adults in northern Wisconsin during the nonbreeding season (December–March) and determined sex using DNA extracted from feather samples. Males had significantly longer wings, longer tails, and less black in the outer rectrix than females, but body mass did not differ between the sexes. A discriminant function equation using tail length and extent of black on the outer rectrix correctly assigned the sex of 97.4% of captured adults. Plumage dimorphism was also evident, with males having paler gray heads and backs without brown tones, whiter underparts with lighter barring, and a more distinct and horizontal border at the base of the sixth primary feather. The ability to accurately determine sex will provide opportunities to examine possible inter- and intrasexual differences in the behavior and ecology of adult Northern Shrikes.     

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: It is time for dispersal experiments

The experimental study of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function has mainly addressed the effect of species and number of functional groups. In theory, this approach has mainly focused on how extinction affects function, whereas dispersal limitation of ecosystem function has been rarely discussed. A handful of seed introduction experiments, as well as numerous observations of the effects of long‐distance dispersal of alien species, indicate that ecosystem function may be strongly determined by dispersal limitation at the local, regional and/or global scales. We suggest that it is time to replace biodiversity manipulation experiments, based on random draw of species, with those addressing realistic scenarios of either extinction or dispersal. Experiments disentangling the dispersal limitation of ecosystem function should have to take into account the probability of arrival. The latter is defined as the probability that a propagule of a particular species will arrive at a particular community. Arrival probability depends on the dispersal ability and the number of propagules of a species, the distance a species needs to travel, and the permeability of the matrix landscape. Current databases, in particular those in northwestern and central Europe now enable robust estimation of arrival probability in plant communities. We suggest a general hypothesis claiming that dispersal limitation according to arrival probability will have ecosystem‐level effects different from those arising due to random arrival. This hypothesis may be rendered more region‐, landscape‐ or ecosystem‐specific by estimating arrival probabilities for different background conditions.     

Analyses of reaction norms reveal new chromosome regions associated with tick resistance in cattle

Despite single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) availability and frequent cost reduction has allowed genome-wide association studies even in complex traits as tick resistance, the use of this information source in SNP by environment interaction context is unknown for many economically important traits in cattle. We aimed at identifying putative genomic regions explaining differences in tick resistance in Hereford and Braford cattle under SNP by environment point of view as well as to identify candidate genes derived from outliers/significant markers. The environment was defined as contemporary group means of tick counts, since they seemed to be the most appropriate entities to describe the environmental gradient in beef cattle. A total of 4363 animals having tick counts (n=10 673) originated from 197 sires and 3966 dams were used. Genotypes were acquired on 3591 of these cattle. From top 1% SNPs (410) having the greatest effects in each environment, 75 were consistently relevant in all environments, which indicated SNP by environment interaction. The outliers/significant SNPs were mapped on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26 and 28, and potential candidate genes were detected across environments. The presence of SNP by environment interaction for tick resistance indicates that genetic expression of resistance depends upon tick burden. Markers with major portion of genetic variance explained across environments appeared to be close to genes with different direct or indirect functions related to immune system, inflammatory process and mechanisms of tissue destruction/repair, such as energy metabolism and cell differentiation.     

The Negative Binomial Distribution of Order k and Some of Its Properties

The negative binomial distribution of order k is introduced and briefly studied. First it is shown that it is a proper probability distribution. Then its probability generating function, mean and variance are derived. Finally it is shown that the number of trials until the rth kth consecutive success (r ≧ 1, k ≧ 1) in independent trials with constant success probability p (0 < p < 1) is distributed as negative binomial distribution of order k. The present paper generalizes results of SHANE (1973), PHILIPPOU and MUWAFI (1982), and PHILIPPOU, GEORGHIOU and PHILIPPOU (1982).     

Structural and functional analysis of the reducing side of photosystem I

Structural analysis of the reducing side of photosystem I (PSI) has been carried out using chemical cross-linking and monospecific antibodies. Incubation of PSI isolated from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with the hydrophilic cross-linking agent N-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino) propyl]-carbodiimide leads to cross-linking of the PSI-D subunit with the PSI-E and PSI-H subunits. In the presence of ferredoxin, cross-linking results in the formation of cross-linked products composed of PSI-D, PSI-E and ferredoxin and in a block in steady state NADP⁺ photoreduction. No cross-linking of ferredoxin occurs at elevated ionic strength or using heat-denatured ferredoxin. Cross-linking of ferredoxin does not inhibit electron transfer from plastocyanin to methyl viologen. Steady state NADP⁺ photoreduction was analyzed in PSI or thyla-koids incubated with antibodies against individual PSI subunits. Incubation with antibodies against PSI-C, -H, -I, or -L had no effect on PSI activity, whereas antibodies against PSI-D or PSI-E had similar effects and caused a large decrease in activity. The results provide evidence that the PSI-D and PSI-E subunits are localized on the reducing side of PSI, forming a barrier between PSI-C and the stroma as well as a docking site for ferredoxin. The PSI-H subunit has an exposed, stromal domain but this does not appear to contribute to the ferredoxin docking.     

A Cross-linking Mass Spectrometry Approach Defines Protein Interactions in Yeast Mitochondria

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Highlights

• •XL-MS reveals new PPIs in yeast mitochondria under glycerol and glucose condition.
• •Significant but limited results from quantitative XL-MS experiments.
• •Ndi1 participates in a CIII₂CIV₂ respiratory supercomplex.
• •Min8 promotes assembly of Cox12 into an intermediate complex IV.

     

城市景观功能的区域协调规划——以深圳市为例

城市景观功能的完善是城市可持续发展的重要保障之一,其与区域景观功能的相互协调是城市规划的重要组成部分,有利于城市和区域的整体持续发展。在分析城市景观基本特征的基础上,探讨了城市景观功能区域协调规划的基本思路,以城市景观为规划对象,以人类社会的功能需求为立足点,依据景观生态学理论,将城市景观的功能划分为生物生产功能、环境服务功能、文化支持功能和信息输运功能,对体现这些基本功能的景观类型进行区域协调规划。以深圳市为例,实证分析了其景观功能在珠江三角洲地区的协调规划。     

木聚糖酶分子结构与重要酶学性质关系的研究进展

木聚糖是一种多聚五碳糖 ,是植物细胞中主要的半纤维素成分。木聚糖酶是可将木聚糖降解成低聚木糖和木糖的水解酶 ,它在饲料、造纸、食品、能源工业和环境科学上有着广阔的应用前景。随着分子生物学、结构生物学的发展及蛋白质工程的应用 ,对木聚糖酶结构和功能的研究不断深入。这里重点阐述与酶的活性、热稳定性、作用pH、等电点、底物亲和性及催化效率等重要性质相关的分子结构研究进展 ,讨论了其进一步的研究发展方向。研究木聚糖酶结构与功能的关系 ,对进一步加深木聚糖酶作用机制的了解、指导木聚糖酶的分子改良有重要意义。     

酵母菌中谷胱甘肽的主要生理功能及其代谢调控

谷胱甘肽是生物体内一种重要的三肽小分子 ,具有广泛的生理功能。对谷胱甘肽在酵母细胞中的作用及其代谢调控机制 ,做了较为详细的介绍。这一带有基础性研究的内容 ,对于以酵母为生产菌的谷胱甘肽的生产 ,或是酵母的其他工业化生产 ,具有重要的启示。     

流感病毒神经氨酸酶不同区域的作用

神经氨酸酶(NA)是流感病毒主要表面糖蛋白之一,属于Ⅱ型膜蛋白,其单体为蘑菇形状.由胞内域、极性跨膜区、柄部、头部4部分组成,在膜上以四聚体形式存在.神经氨酸酶在流感病毒中的功能是切去感染细胞和血凝素上的N-乙酰神经氨酸,以利于子代病毒离开感染细胞,继续感染新细胞.NA的不同区域在流感病毒生活周期中具有不同的作用.NA胞内域在流感病毒生活周期中具有控制病毒颗粒形状的作用;NA跨膜区在将NA转移至内质网中起信号作用和将NA固定在膜上的作用;NA柄部连接NA的头部与跨膜区,使NA 头部远离病毒膜,以利于NA与底物结合;NA头部包含有糖基化位点、NA酶活性中心和抗原位点.对这些不同区域功能研究的深入,将有利于对神经氨酸酶在流感病毒传播中的作用的了解,并对流感病毒的预防或治疗等具有实际意义.