退化高寒草甸关键生态属性对多途径恢复措施的响应特征

高寒草甸是青藏高原的主体植被类型，但退化态势较为严峻，严重威胁青藏高原生态屏障的战略地位。退化高寒草甸的复健是世界性难题，治理效果也因退化状态、恢复措施及气候环境而异。以春季休牧、秋季休牧、畜群结构优化、减畜轮牧、围栏封育及翻耕改建等典型多途径恢复措施下的退化高寒草甸为对象，系统探讨主要生态要素和生态功能的响应特征及潜在过程。结果表明，典型恢复措施下退化高寒草甸的植被生产力、土壤有机碳密度及土壤饱和持水量等生态要素都得到一定程度的提升，而恢复效果与实施年限及恢复措施密切相关。围栏封育和翻耕改建下土壤有机碳密度及饱和持水量随恢复年限均表现为对数饱和型的响应特征，退化高寒草甸固碳持水功能的基本恢复年限约为6—10年。春季休牧、秋季休牧、畜群结构优化、减畜轮牧、围栏封育等放牧管理恢复措施应适用于轻度退化至重度退化的高寒草甸，而翻耕改建则是极度退化高寒草甸的适宜治理措施。由于多途径恢复措施的关注目标不同，今后研究应集中在恢复措施的组合优化和综合评价等方面。     

Construction of Mutant Genes for a Non-Toxic Verotoxin 2 Variant (VT2vp1) of Escherichia coli and Characterization of Purified Mutant Toxins

The gene encoding a Verotoxin 2 variant, VTvp1, was mutated by oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis. Among 6 mutant toxins encoded by the mutated genes, E167Q-R170L (glutamic acid at position 167 and arginine at position 170 from N-terminus of the A subunit were replaced by glutamine and leucine, respectively) was found to have markedly decreased activities; inhibition of protein synthesis, Vero cell cytotoxicity and mouse lethality of the purified E167Q-R170L were 1/1,900, 1/125,000 and 1/2,000, respectively, of those of the purified wild-type VT2vp1. Since the antigenic property of the E167Q-R170L was demonstrated to be similar to that of the wild-type VT2vp1 by Ouchterlony double gel diffusion test and by neutralization test of Vero cell cytotoxicity of the VT2vp1, a possibility to use the mutant VT2vp1, E167Q-R170L, as a toxoid is discussed.     

MicroRNA‐183‐5p is stress‐inducible and protects neurons against cell death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of motor neurons. A fundamental pathogenesis of ALS is the prolonged cell stress in neurons, which is caused by either accumulation of protein aggregates or reactive oxygen species. However, the mechanistic link between stress sensing and cell death is unsettled. Here, we identify that miR‐183‐5p, a neuron‐enriched miRNA, couples stress sensing and cell death programming in ALS. miR‐183‐5p is immediately induced by hydrogen peroxide, tunicamycin or TNF‐α in neurons. The overexpression of miR‐183‐5p increases neuron survival under stress conditions, whereas its knockdown causes neuron death. miR‐183‐5p coordinates apoptosis and necroptosis pathways by directly targeting PDCD4 and RIPK3, and thus protects neurons against cell death under stress conditions. The consistent reduction of miR‐183‐5p in ALS patients and mouse models enhances the notion that miR‐183‐5p is a central regulator of motor neuron survival under stress conditions. Our study supplements current understanding of the mechanistic link between cell stress and death/survival, and provides novel targets for clinical interventions of ALS.     

青藏高原高寒湿地GPP变化特征及对生长季积温的响应

基于涡度相关系统,利用2004-2016年的涡度相关系统观测资料,做了青藏高原高寒湿地生长季总初级生产力（GPP）在不同时间尺度上对生长季有效积温（GDD）响应的研究。结果表明：高寒湿地生态系统在生长季的日GPP、GDD与月际GPP、GDD都表现为先增大后减小的单峰变化趋势,都在7月或8月达到峰值,在5月达到最小值。在整个生长季尺度上,GPP与GDD变异性较大,没有明显的变化趋势。2004-2016年整个生长季GPP与GDD的均值分别为（458.82±25.78）gC m^-2季^-1和（1060.89±84.07）℃。在日尺度、月尺度、生长季尺度上,GPP与GDD都呈极显著正相关关系（P < 0.01）。但是,通过比较生长季分别每个月GPP与GDD的关系发现,5、9月的GPP与GDD没有显著相关性（P > 0.05）,而在7月相关性最为显著（P < 0.01）。整体上看,高寒湿地生态系统植被的总初级生产力与热量条件表现为正相关关系,由此说明在全球气候变暖的背景下,将会提高青藏高原高寒湿地生态系统植被的光合生产能力。     

Scale‐dependent effects of neighborhood biodiversity on individual tree productivity in a coniferous and broad‐leaved mixed forest in China

The relationship between biodiversity and productivity has stimulated an increasing body of research over the past decades, and this topic still occupies a central place in ecology. While most studies have focused on biomass production in quadrats or plots, few have investigated the scale‐dependent relationship from an individual plant perspective. We present an analysis of the effects of biodiversity (species diversity and functional diversity) on individual tree growth with a data set of 16,060 growth records from a 30‐ha temperate forest plot using spatially explicit individual tree‐based methods. A significant relationship between species diversity and tree growth was found at the individual tree level in our study. The magnitude and direction of biodiversity effects varies with the spatial scale. We found positive effects of species diversity on tree growth at scales exceeding 9 m. Individual tree growth rates increased when there was a greater diversity of species in the neighborhood of the focal tree, which provides evidence of a niche complementarity effect. At small scales (3–5 m), species diversity had negative effects on tree growth, suggesting that competition is more prevalent than complementarity or facilitation in these close neighborhoods. The results also revealed many confounding factors which influence tree growth, such as elevation and available sun light. We conclude that the use of individual tree‐based methods may lead to a better understanding of the biodiversity‐productivity relationship in forest communities.     

吉林蛟河针阔混交林林层结构对生产力的影响

探讨不同林层物种多样性和林分结构与森林生产力之间的关系,为森林可持续经营管理策略优化提供理论支持。以吉林蛟河30 hm²针阔混交林固定监测样地中的38432株木本植物的野外调查数据为研究对象,利用结构方程模型探讨了不同林层物种多样性和林分结构多样性对森林生产力的作用机制。结果表明：（1）林冠层林分结构多样性和生产力之间呈负相关关系,路径系数为-0.138;林下层林分结构多样性和生产力之间呈正相关关系,路径系数为0.083。（2）林冠层物种多样性和生产力之间呈正相关关系,路径系数为0.099;林下层物种多样性和生产力之间关系不显著,且物种多样性在林冠层和林下层呈正相关关系,路径系数为0.147。物种多样性和林分结构多样性与森林生产力之间不存在唯一的关系,这种关系的大小、方向和潜在机制与林层有关。为此,在森林经营过程中要充分考虑不同林层物种多样性和林分结构多样性与森林生产力之间的关系。     

放牧践踏对黄蒿功能性状的影响

植物功能性状是构成植物个体的基础,从性状角度揭示植物个体特征的变化机制尤为重要。该研究以半干旱沙质草地优势草本植物黄蒿为研究对象,探讨不同践踏强度在生长季早期对其功能性状的影响。结果表明：(1)在群落水平上,放牧践踏显著降低了生长季早期植物群落高度;而在个体水平上,黄蒿株高不是响应放牧践踏的敏感性状。(2)黄蒿的叶长、叶宽随践踏强度增加呈先增加后减少的趋势,在中度践踏强度下达到最高;茎直径随践踏强度的增加而增加;根系和全株性状随践踏强度增加无显著差异。(3)黄蒿的叶片长度、叶片宽度、单叶面积随叶片厚度的增加而减小,且叶片与一级根数目、根茎叶生物量之间均呈显著正相关关系;放牧践踏会影响黄蒿茎直径,但对其他表型性状没有显著影响;在生长发育过程中,黄蒿通过不同表型性状的非对称变化进行性状之间的权衡,践踏强度的增加对生长季早期黄蒿根茎叶生物量积累的影响很小。研究认为,黄蒿在生长季早期对放牧践踏具有较强的抵抗力,这对生长季早期半干旱沙地放牧压力的选择和物种保护具有重要的指导意义。     

PRPF6 promotes androgen receptor/androgen receptor-variant 7 actions in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells

Androgen receptor (AR) and its variants play vital roles in development and progression of prostate cancer. To clarify the mechanisms involved in the enhancement of their actions would be crucial for understanding the process in prostate cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancer transformation. Here, we provided the evidence to show that pre-mRNA processing factor 6 (PRPF6) acts as a key regulator for action of both AR full length (AR-FL) and AR variant 7 (AR-V7), thereby participating in the enhancement of AR-FL and AR-V7-induced transactivation in prostate cancer. In addition, PRPF6 is recruited to cis-regulatory elements in AR target genes and associates with JMJD1A to enhance AR-induced transactivation. PRPF6 also promotes expression of AR-FL and AR-V7. Moreover, PRPF6 depletion reduces tumor growth in prostate cancer-derived cell lines and results in significant suppression of xenograft tumors even under castration condition in mouse model. Furthermore, PRPF6 is obviously highly expressed in human prostate cancer samples. Collectively, our results suggest PRPF6 is involved in enhancement of oncogenic AR signaling, which support a previously unknown role of PRPF6 during progression of prostate cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancers.