A cytogenetic study of R. constantinopolitanus and R. sericeus (Ranunculaceae) in Iran

With 600 species Ranunculus is the largest genus in Ranunculaceae, and has a broad global distribution. We studied the karyotypes of R. constantinopolitanus and R. sericeus species of Ranunculaceae and identified their symmetry level. New chromosome numbers of 2n = 21 (Nodeh woods population) and 2n ca. 63 (Javaherdeh population) are reported for R. constantinopolitanus. Two different populations of R. sericeus had two different chromosome results. We investigated morphological and karyological studies along with pollens micromorphology. Different populations of R. constantinopolitanus and R. sericeus, with different chromosome numbers showed morphological and micromorphological differences. Therefore, we considered the two populations of R. sericeus as cytotypes. There was a correlation between the studied morphological characters and pollen size with ploidy levels in the two R. constantinopolitanus populations.     

Class I Myosins Have Overlapping and Specialized Functions in Left-Right Asymmetric Development in Drosophila

The class I myosin genes are conserved in diverse organisms, and their gene products are involved in actin dynamics, endocytosis, and signal transduction. Drosophila melanogaster has three class I myosin genes, Myosin 31DF (Myo31DF), Myosin 61F (Myo61F), and Myosin 95E (Myo95E). Myo31DF, Myo61F, and Myo95E belong to the Myosin ID, Myosin IC, and Myosin IB families, respectively. Previous loss-of-function analyses of Myo31DF and Myo61F revealed important roles in left–right (LR) asymmetric development and enterocyte maintenance, respectively. However, it was difficult to elucidate their roles in vivo, because of potential redundant activities. Here we generated class I myosin double and triple mutants to address this issue. We found that the triple mutant was viable and fertile, indicating that all three class I myosins were dispensable for survival. A loss-of-function analysis revealed further that Myo31DF and Myo61F, but not Myo95E, had redundant functions in promoting the dextral LR asymmetric development of the male genitalia. Myo61F overexpression is known to antagonize the dextral activity of Myo31DF in various Drosophila organs. Thus, the LR-reversing activity of overexpressed Myo61F may not reflect its physiological function. The endogenous activity of Myo61F in promoting dextral LR asymmetric development was observed in the male genitalia, but not the embryonic gut, another LR asymmetric organ. Thus, Myo61F and Myo31DF, but not Myo95E, play tissue-specific, redundant roles in LR asymmetric development. Our studies also revealed differential colocalization of the class I myosins with filamentous (F)-actin in the brush border of intestinal enterocytes.     

Detecting cryptic species in sympatry and allopatry: analysis of hidden diversity in Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Modern multilocus molecular techniques are a powerful tool in the detection and analysis of cryptic taxa. However, its shortcoming is that with allopatric populations it reveals phylogenetic lineages, not biological species. The increasing power of coalescent multilocus analysis leads to the situation in which nearly every geographically isolated or semi‐isolated population can be identified as a lineage and therefore raised to species rank. It leads to artificial taxonomic inflation and as a consequence creates an unnecessary burden on the conservation of biodiversity. To solve this problem, we suggest combining modern lineage delimitation techniques with the biological species concept. We discuss several explicit principles on how genetic markers can be used to detect cryptic entities that have properties of biological species (i.e. of actually or potentially reproductively isolated taxa). Using these principles we rearranged the taxonomy of the butterfly species close to Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) ripartii. The subgenus Agrodiaetus is a model system in evolutionary research, but its taxonomy is poorly elaborated because, as a rule, most of its species are morphologically poorly differentiated. The taxon P. (A.) valiabadi has been supposed to be one of the few exceptions from this rule due to its accurately distinguishable wing pattern. We discovered that in fact traditionally recognized P. valiabadi is a triplet of cryptic species, strongly differentiated by their karyotypes and mitochondrial haplotypes.     

岱衢洋大黄鱼染色体核型分析

为补充岱衢洋海域产大黄鱼(Pseudosciaena crocea)的细胞遗传学数据,采用植物血球凝集素(8~10μg/g)及秋水仙素(1~2μg/g)活体腹腔注射培养,头肾细胞制片、空气干燥法制作染色体标本,显微观察象山港网箱养殖的岱衢洋产大黄鱼的染色体核型,用Micromeasure3.3软件测量染色体相对长度与臂比。结果显示,岱衢洋大黄鱼二倍体染色体数目为48,核型公式为2n=24st+24t,NF=48,染色体相对长度最长为5.53,最短为2.60,未发现异型染色体和随体。本研究的岱衢洋产大黄鱼染色体核型与以往报道的大黄鱼核型存在差异。     

Assessing Methods for Developing Phosphorus Desorption Isotherms from Soils using Anion Exchange Membranes

Developing desorption isotherms for inorganic phosphorus (P) is a time-consuming and non-standardized procedure. Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) have been successfully used in studies of P desorption kinetics and total membrane-desorbable P, but rarely have they been used for developing P desorption isotherms. Our study had two objectives: (1) to evaluate the suitability of using multiple strips of AEMs (termed the Multiple AEM Method) to develop P desorption isotherms; and (2) to compare the Multiple AEM Method with a sequential-extraction approach using AEMs (termed the Sequential AEM Method) to determine if the manner in which AEMs were used would influence the slope of the desorption isotherm, i.e. the partition coefficient. Both methods yielded well-defined, but numerically different desorption isotherms for all levels of sorbed P. However, estimated K _d values among methods were equivalent in the low and medium levels of P sorbed. The Multiple AEM method was quicker than the Sequential AEM method, but both gave similar K _d values in an agriculturally significant range of soil solution concentrations. These methods should be tested on a range of soil type to determine their suitability in developing P desorption isotherms and to move toward method standardization for desorption isotherms.     

Molecular cytogenetic evidence of hybridization in the “purple corolla clade of the genus Capsicum” (C. eximium × C. cardenasii)

Abstract

A hybrid individual between two taxa from “the Purple Corolla clade of the genus Capsicum”, C. eximium × C. cardenasii (2n = 24) was found during a cytogenetic study of a population belonging to C. cardenasii cytotype 1, from Bolivia. 5S and 45S rDNA probes were located on mitotic chromosomes by fluorescent in situ hybridization. The hybrid haploid karyotype length was an average value of the two taxa; the hybrid presented 24 45S loci in the diploid complement, 18 45S sites belonged to C. cardenasii cytotype 2, and six came from C. eximium cytotype 2, although this cytotype of C. eximium has been mentioned only for Argentina. Whereas hybrids were previously reported in the purple flower group, their existence has not been cytologically corroborated. This finding constitutes the first molecular cytogenetic evidence of hybridization between two taxa from this group.     

Cu污染土壤中溪荪和花菖蒲的生长状况及对Cu的积累及转运能力

采用土壤栽培方法,研究了在Cu添加量为0(CK)、200、400、600、800和1 000μg·g-1的土壤中溪荪(Iris sanguinea Donn es Horn.)和花菖蒲(I.ensata Thunb.var.hortensis Makino et Nemoto)叶和根的数量、长度及生物量(干质量)6个生长指标的变化趋势,并对叶和根中的Cu含量和积累量、全株的Cu积累量、Cu的富集系数及转运系数进行了比较分析.结果表明:随土壤中Cu添加量的提高,溪荪的根数逐渐降低且显著低于对照;而溪荪的其余5个生长指标和花菖蒲的6个生长指标均总体呈现出在Cu添加量较低的条件下逐渐增加并显著高于对照、在Cu添加量较高的条件下逐渐减小且显著小于对照的变化趋势;其中在Cu添加量1 000μg·g-1的土壤中2种植物的生长均受到显著抑制(P＜0.05);而添加400和600μg·g-1Cu则分别对2种植物的生长有一定的促进作用.随土壤中Cu添加量的增加,溪荪和花菖蒲叶及根中的Cu含量均逐渐提高;溪荪对Cu的富集系数和转运系数以及花菖蒲对Cu的富集系数均显著小于对照,而花菖蒲对Cu的转运系数则呈现在Cu添加量较低的条件下高于对照、Cu添加量较高的条件下低于对照并逐渐减小的趋势;在添加了Cu的土壤中,溪荪叶、根和全株对Cu的积累量均低于花菖蒲,但均显著高于对照,且2种植物根的Cu含量及积累量均大于叶片,表明溪荪和花菖蒲均具有一定的Cu积累能力,且主要积累在根中,花菖蒲对Cu的积累能力优于溪荪.综合分析结果显示:溪荪和花菖蒲不是Cu超积累植物,但对Cu胁迫均具有一定的耐性,且花菖蒲的耐性略强于溪荪;溪荪和花菖蒲分别适宜栽植于Cu含量400和600μg·g-1以下的土壤中,可用于轻度和中度Cu污染土壤的植物修复和环境美化.     

崇明水仙根尖体细胞染色体的观察和核型分析

以崇明水仙(Narcissus tazetta L.var.chinensis Roem.)根尖体细胞为实验材料,对适宜于崇明水仙细胞学研究的前处理液和前处理时间进行了筛选,在此基础上,应用根尖压片法对重瓣花型和单瓣花型崇明水仙体细胞染色体数、核型及倍性进行了比较分析.结果显示:适宜的前处理液是对二氯苯饱和溶液,适宜的前处理时间为12 h.重瓣花型和单瓣花型崇明水仙的染色体核型差异较小,相同点为:不对称二型核型,染色体基数x=10,三倍体,体细胞染色体数2n=3x=30,第7号染色体的短臂具随体,核型均属于"3B"型,臂比大于2的染色体比率为90%.不同点为:重瓣花型的第7号和第8号染色体分别为sm和st型,单瓣花型的第7号和第8号染色体分别为st和sm型;前者的核型不对称系数(76.48%)略小于后者(76.71%);前者的相对长度系数为12L+6M2+12S,后者的相对长度系数为12L+3M1+3M2+12S;前者的最长染色体与最短染色体长度的比值(3.10)略小于后者(3.19).重瓣花型的核型公式为2n=3x=30=15st+15sm(3SAT),单瓣花型的核型公式为2n=3x=30=15st(3SAT)+15sm,崇明水仙根尖体细胞染色体的平均核型公式为2n=3x=30=15st(3SAT)+15sm.根据研究结果初步推测崇明水仙为节段异源三倍体.     

种植条件下海滨盐土理化性状与生物学特征

以苏北海滨盐土种植实验区7个不同特征的地块为对象,研究了海滨盐土基本理化性状及其生物学特征的季节变化,以及其与植物种植和植被条件的关系.结果表明:海滨盐土的土壤性状随种莓年限和植被状况的不同有较大的变异性,种植耐盐植物地块平均土壤电导率(0.95 dS·m-1)低于自然植被地块(2.77 dS·m-1),但部分地块电导率水平较种植前有所升高;土壤肥力普遍较低,水解性氮含量平均低于50 mg·kg-1,有效磷含量(除施肥地块)平均低于3 mg·kg-1,有机质含量低于1%,种植耐盐植物地块因施肥而有所改善.土壤电导率和养分水平是影响盐土植被生长与分布的主要因素,前者尤为关键;土壤氮磷含量与微生物数量密切相关.不同植被和干扰状况下土壤性状的季节变化差异明显,植被盖度高、人为干扰少的土壤环境相对稳定,反之则波动剧烈.