Diversity of symbiotic algae of the genus Symbiodinium in scleractinian corals of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea

Symbiotic algae （Symbiodinium sp.） in scleractinian corals are important in understanding how coral reefs will respond to global climate change. The present paper reports on the diversity of Symbiodinium sp. in 48 scleractinian coral species from 25 genera and 10 families sampled from the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, which were identified with the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism （RFLP） of the nuclear ribosomal DNA large subunit gene （rDNA）. The results showed that： （i） Symbiodinium Clade C was the dominant zooxanthellae in scleractinian corals in the Xisha Islands; （ii） Symbiodinium Clade D was found in the corals Montipora aequituberculata, Galaxea fascicularis, and Plerogyra sinuosa; and （iii） both Symbiodinium Clades C and D were found simultaneously in Montipora digitata, Psammocora contigua, and Galaxeafascicularis. A poor capacity for symbiosis polymorphism, as uncovered by RFLP, in the Xisha Islands indicates that the scleractinian corals have low adaptability to environmental changes. Further studies are needed to investigate zooxanthellae diversity using other molecular markers.     

Fragment Propagation and Colonization Ability Enhanced and Varied at Node Level after Escaping from Apical Dominance in Submerged Macrophytes

Aquatic plants develop strong fragment propagation and colonization ability to endure the natural disturbances. However, detailed research of ability to endure the natural disturbances has been lacking to date. Therefore, reproduction （shoot） and colonization （root） of shoot fragments of Potamogeton crispus L. with or without apices were investigated for the effect of apical dominance, and the growth of decapitated shoot fragments at three lengths （2, 4, 6 cm） was compared. Meanwhile, fragment propagation at levels of bud position was studied for bud position effect after escaping from apical dominance. The results showed significant increases occurred in the outgrowth of lateral branches on fragments decapitated compared with the fragments with apices, implying that apical dominance exists. Different lengths of fragments showed little difference in biomass allocations, but significant differences were noted in their propagation. Meanwhile, the effect of bud position was verified, due to the significant difference of average reproduction per node among the three length groups. Thus, the present study has made progress in the current understanding of aquatic plant dispersion among natural systems and contributes to improve methods of in vitro propagation for re-implantation purposes.     

AFLP分子标记及其应用

扩增片段长度多态性(Amplified fragment length polymorphism,AFLP),是Zabeau等(1992)发展的一种新DNA指纹技术。该技术原理简单,引物设计巧妙,既具有RFLP技术的可靠性又具有RAPD技术的高效性,被称为“最有力的分子标记”。系统介绍了AFLP分子标记的基本原理、技术流程和优化措施,对AFLP标记在植物居群生物学、保护生物学、分子系统学等领域中的应用作了简要介绍,并对其应用前景进行了展望。     

秦岭兰科一新记录属--虎舌兰属

虎舌兰属(Epipogium Gmelin ex Borkhausen)隶属于兰科(Orchidaceae)树兰族(Epidendreae),为一寡种属,分布于欧亚大陆、亚洲热带、非洲热带和大洋洲等地区。本属植物有3种,俱为腐生草本。     

The correlation between iron homeostasis and telomere maintenance

Eukaryotic organisms require iron to sustain genome stability, cell proliferation and development. Chromosomes contain telomeres to ensure complete replications and avoid fusions. Numerous evidences reveal that iron can act directly or indirectly on telomere maintenance. In human, disruption of systemic or cellular iron homeostasis is reportedly to cause serious health problems such as iron overload （hereditary hemochromatosis）, iron deficiency anemia, carcinogenesis and acceleration of aging process. These processes commonly associate with abnormal telomere length. Additionally, cells containing mutations in iron-containing proteins such as DNA polymerases （Pola, g, and ~）, regulator of telomere length 1 （RTEL1） and the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductases （RNRs） have abnormal telomere length. This review briefly summarizes current understandings on iron homeostasis and telomere maintenance in cancer and aging process, followed by discussing their direct and indirect correlation, and the possible regulatory mechanisms.     

高通量测序技术在可选择性多聚腺苷酸化研究中的应用

可选择性多聚腺苷酸化(alternative polyadenylation,APA)在基因表达调控中起着重要的作用。位于最后一个外显子的APA可以产生具有不同3'UTR长度的mRNA异构体,在细胞中可影响信使RNA(messager RNA,mRNA)的稳定性、翻译效率、转运及亚细胞定位等。随着第二代高通量测序技术的发展,研究人员近年来发展了许多高通量测序文库制备方法,对全基因组APA进行测序和分析。综述了当前研究全基因组水平APA的技术,并且总结了APA与一系列关键生物现象的关系,包括免疫应答、神经反应、胚胎发育和肿瘤发生等。随着APA研究的深入,APA越发成为新的基因转录与翻译调控的研究热点。     

水稻土中铁还原菌多样性

微生物介导的异化Fe(III) 还原是非硫厌氧环境中Fe(III) 还原生成Fe(II) 的主要途径,然而相关的铁还原菌还不是很清楚,特别是在水稻土中.本文采用富集培养的方法,以乙酸和氢气作为电子供体,水铁矿和针铁矿作为电子受体,通过末端限制性片段长度多态性（T-RFLP）技术和16S rRNA基因克隆测序相结合的分子生物学方法研究了水稻土中铁还原菌的多样性.结果表明：无论是以乙酸或氢气为电子供体,水铁矿或针铁矿为电子受体,地杆菌（Geobacter）和梭菌（Clostridiales）是富集到的主要微生物群落;乙酸为电子供体时,富集到的主要微生物群落还包括红环菌（Rhodocyclaceae）;因此,除地杆菌外,梭菌和红环菌很可能也是水稻土中重要的铁还原菌.     

米兰山小橘(芸香科)的分类订正

对芸香科山小橘属米兰山小橘进行了分类订正,根据模式标本查阅及原始文献相关特征描述,该种属于楝科割舌树属已知种类,将其处理为割舌树的异名.     

cDNA-AFLP技术在植物表达分析上的应用

阐述了一种mRNA指纹图谱技术,即cDNA_AFLP技术的原理和程序; 该技术具有重现性高、准确可靠、效率高等特点,可广泛应用于植物遗传标记分析、基因表达特性研究以及分离植物基因等,具有良好的发展前景。