Adapt,move or die – how will tropical coral reef fishes cope with ocean warming?

Previous studies hailed thermal tolerance and the capacity for organisms to acclimate and adapt as the primary pathways for species survival under climate change. Here we challenge this theory. Over the past decade, more than 365 tropical stenothermal fish species have been documented moving poleward, away from ocean warming hotspots where temperatures 2–3 °C above long‐term annual means can compromise critical physiological processes. We examined the capacity of a model species – a thermally sensitive coral reef fish, Chromis viridis (Pomacentridae) – to use preference behaviour to regulate its body temperature. Movement could potentially circumvent the physiological stress response associated with elevated temperatures and may be a strategy relied upon before genetic adaptation can be effectuated. Individuals were maintained at one of six temperatures (23, 25, 27, 29, 31 and 33 °C) for at least 6 weeks. We compared the relative importance of acclimation temperature to changes in upper critical thermal limits, aerobic metabolic scope and thermal preference. While acclimation temperature positively affected the upper critical thermal limit, neither aerobic metabolic scope nor thermal preference exhibited such plasticity. Importantly, when given the choice to stay in a habitat reflecting their acclimation temperatures or relocate, fish acclimated to end‐of‐century predicted temperatures (i.e. 31 or 33 °C) preferentially sought out cooler temperatures, those equivalent to long‐term summer averages in their natural habitats (~29 °C). This was also the temperature providing the greatest aerobic metabolic scope and body condition across all treatments. Consequently, acclimation can confer plasticity in some performance traits, but may be an unreliable indicator of the ultimate survival and distribution of mobile stenothermal species under global warming. Conversely, thermal preference can arise long before, and remain long after, the harmful effects of elevated ocean temperatures take hold and may be the primary driver of the escalating poleward migration of species.     

Evolutionary and environmental determinants of freshwater fish thermal tolerance and plasticity

Understanding the extent to which phylogenetic constraints and adaptive evolutionary forces help define the physiological sensitivity of species is critical for anticipating climate‐related impacts in aquatic environments. Yet, whether upper thermal tolerance and plasticity are shaped by common evolutionary and environmental mechanisms remains to be tested. Based on a systematic literature review, we investigated this question in 82 freshwater fish species (27 families) representing 829 experiments for which data existed on upper thermal limits and it was possible to estimate plasticity using upper thermal tolerance reaction norms. Our findings indicated that there are strong phylogenetic signals in both thermal tolerances and acclimation capacity, although it is weaker in the latter. We found that upper thermal tolerances are correlated with the temperatures experienced by species across their range, likely because of spatially autocorrelated processes in which closely related species share similar selection pressures and limited dispersal from ancestral environments. No association with species thermal habitat was found for acclimation capacity. Instead, species with the lowest physiological plasticity also displayed the highest thermal tolerances, reflecting to some extent an evolutionary trade‐off between these two traits. Although our study demonstrates that macroecological climatic niche features measured from species distributions are likely to provide a good approximation of freshwater fish sensitivity to climate change, disentangling the mechanisms underlying both acute and chronic heat tolerances may help to refine predictions regarding climate change‐related range shifts and extinctions.     

The heat is on: Genetic adaptation to urbanization mediated by thermal tolerance and body size

Worldwide, urbanization leads to tremendous anthropogenic environmental alterations, causing strong selection pressures on populations of animals and plants. Although a key feature of urban areas is their higher temperature (“urban heat islands”), adaptive thermal evolution in organisms inhabiting urban areas has rarely been studied. We tested for evolution of a higher heat tolerance (CT_MAX) in urban populations of the water flea Daphnia magna, a keystone grazer in freshwater ecosystems, by carrying out a common garden experiment at two temperatures (20°C and 24°C) with genotypes of 13 natural populations ordered along a well‐defined urbanization gradient. We also assessed body size and haemoglobin concentration to identify underlying physiological drivers of responses in CT_MAX. We found a higher CT_MAX in animals isolated from urban compared to rural habitats and in animals reared at higher temperatures. We also observed substantial genetic variation in thermal tolerance within populations. Overall, smaller animals were more heat tolerant. While urban animals mature at smaller size, the effect of urbanization on thermal tolerance is only in part caused by reductions in body size. Although urban Daphnia contained higher concentrations of haemoglobin, this did not contribute to their higher CT_MAX. Our results provide evidence of adaptive thermal evolution to urbanization in the water flea Daphnia. In addition, our results show both evolutionary potential and adaptive plasticity in rural as well as urban Daphnia populations, facilitating responses to warming. Given the important ecological role of Daphnia in ponds and lakes, these adaptive responses likely impact food web dynamics, top‐down control of algae, water quality, and the socio‐economic value of urban ponds.     

农杆菌介导的大豆高频遗传转化

大豆(Glycine max(L.)Merrill)遗传转化目前常用的两种方法为农杆菌介导的子叶节转化系统和基因枪介导的体细胞胚转化,但这两种转化系统都存在转化频率低、难于重复及依赖于特定的基因型等问题.为了提高农杆菌介导的大豆子叶节的转化频率,采用了一种基于bar基因作为筛选标记基因的固体-液体筛选系统,与农杆菌共培养3d的大豆子叶节在MS添加2 mg/L 6-BA和5 mg/L的glufosinate的筛选培养基培养2周后,再转到含有0.01 mg/L TDZ和2mg/L glufosinate的液体培养基中筛选,并每周更换一次培养液.得到的再生芽首先经GUS分析为阳性后再转入生根培养基得到完整转化植株,然后通过Southern杂交分析证实外源基因整合到大豆基因组,转化植物含有1～2个基因拷贝数.该转化系统具有转化频率高、转化周期短以及不依赖于大豆基因型等优点,对影响该转化系统的一些因子进行了讨论.     

暗期干扰对环带锦斑蛾滞育诱导的影响

在短日照条件下,环带锦斑蛾Pseudopidorus fasciata以4龄幼虫进入冬季滞育,其滞育诱导的临界暗长为10.5 h。本文系统测试了暗期干扰实验［即在暗期采用单一的光（亦称光脉冲）干扰光周期反应的实验］对环带锦斑蛾幼虫滞育的抑制影响。幼虫孵化后在25℃,短日照L9∶D15(光9 h∶暗15 h),L10∶D14、L11∶D13及L12∶D12暗期的不同时段给予1 h或30 min光脉冲干扰。结果表明： 滞育是否被抑制主要取决于暗期的长度,当光脉冲干扰前的暗长（D₁）或光脉冲干扰后的暗长（D₂）超过临界暗长（10.5 h）时,100%的幼虫被诱导进入滞育;当D₁和D₂都短于（或等于）临界暗长时,滞育不同程度被抑制,抑制的效果则取决于所干扰的光周期、光脉冲的长度和光脉冲落入的位点。结果说明该虫滞育诱导的暗期干扰反应是基于临界暗长的时间测量。     

Temperature tolerances in the Namib Desert dune ant, Camponotus detritus

The mean preferred temperature of workers and brood of Camponotus detritus was 35°C at 100% r.h. and 31–33°C at 30% r.h. The critical maximal temperature of workers was 53°C at both 100% r.h. and 30% r.h. while the critical minimal temperature was 4.57°C at 100% r.h. Workers tolerated ?1°C and 95% r.h.; 45°C and 95% r.h. and 45°C and 45% r.h. for 24 h.     

Experience‐dependent regulation of TrkB isoforms in rodent visual cortex

Within primary visual cortex (V1), brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling through its high‐affinity receptor TrkB is important for normal development and experience‐dependent plasticity. TrkB is expressed in several alternatively spliced isoforms, including full‐length TrkB (TrkB.FL), and several truncated isoforms (TrkB.T1, TrkB.T2, and TrkB.T4) that lack the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. These isoforms are important components of BDNF signaling, yet little is known about the developmental or experience‐dependent regulation of their expression. Using immunohistochemistry, we found TrkB.FL and TrkB.T1 expressed in interneurons and pyramidal neurons within V1, but not in cortical astrocytes. We used real‐time PCR to quantify the changes in mRNA expression of BDNF, the four TrkB isoforms, and the low‐affinity receptor P75^NTR during normal development, and in response to visual deprivation at two different ages. BDNF expression increased between postnatal days 10 (P10) and P30, and was rapidly down‐regulated by 3 days of visual deprivation during both the pre‐critical period (P14‐P17) and the critical period (P18‐P21). Over the same developmental period, expression of each TrkB isoform was regulated independently; TrkB.T1 increased, TrkB.FL and TrkB.T2 decreased, and TrkB.T4 showed transient changes. Neither brief visual deprivation nor prolonged dark‐rearing induced changes in either TrkB.FL or TrkB.T1 expression. However, TrkB.T4 expression was reduced by brief visual deprivation, whereas TrkB.T4, TrkB.T2 and P75^NTR were up‐regulated by prolonged dark‐rearing into the critical period. Our data indicate that TrkB isoform expression can be selectively regulated by visual experience, and may contribute to experience‐dependent cortical plasticity. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2009     

A proteomic view of the facultatively chemolithoautotrophic lifestyle of Ralstonia eutropha H16

Ralstonia eutropha H16 is an H₂‐oxidizing, facultative chemolithoautotroph. Using 2‐DE in conjunction with peptide mass spectrometry we have cataloged the soluble proteins of this bacterium during growth on different substrates: (i) H₂ and CO₂, (ii) succinate and (iii) glycerol. The first and second conditions represent purely lithoautotrophic and purely organoheterotrophic nutrition, respectively. The third growth regime permits formation of the H₂‐oxidizing and CO₂‐fixing systems concomitant to utilization of an organic substrate, thus enabling mixotrophic growth. The latter type of nutrition is probably the relevant one with respect to the situation faced by the organism in its natural habitats, i.e. soil and mud. Aside from the hydrogenase and Calvin‐cycle enzymes, the protein inventories of the H₂‐CO₂‐ and succinate‐grown cells did not reveal major qualitative differences. The protein complement of the glycerol‐grown cells resembled that of the lithoautotrophic cells. Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase was present under all three growth conditions, whereas PEP carboxylase was not detectable, supporting earlier findings that PEP carboxykinase is alone responsible for the anaplerotic production of oxaloacetate from PEP. The elevated levels of oxidative stress proteins in the glycerol‐grown cells point to a significant challenge by ROS under these conditions. The results reported here are in agreement with earlier physiological and enzymological studies indicating that R. eutropha H16 has a heterotrophic core metabolism onto which the functions of lithoautotrophy have been grafted.