Seed germination in Gactaceae

The mode of germination of representatives of 89 genera of the Cactaceae, 4 genera of Portulacaceae and 1 genus of Phytolaccaceae was studied. Most of the species of the Cactaceae germinate by means of a seed lid (operculum). In the Cactaceae studied 11 kinds of germination could be distinguished, 3 of which were with, and 8 without, operculum formation.
Opercula are restricted in their occurrence to the subfamilies Cactoideae (Cereoideae) and Pereskioideae and are not found in the subfamily Opuntioideae. Within the subfamily Cactoideae operculum formation was found to occur in all tribes and in all investigated subtribes. Opercula were also found in two genera of the related family of the Portulacaceae. In the Phytolaccaceae no operculum formation was observed.     

Evolutionary analysis of hepatitis C virus gene sequences from 1953

Reconstructing the transmission history of infectious diseases in the absence of medical or epidemiological records often relies on the evolutionary analysis of pathogen genetic sequences. The precision of evolutionary estimates of epidemic history can be increased by the inclusion of sequences derived from ‘archived’ samples that are genetically distinct from contemporary strains. Historical sequences are especially valuable for viral pathogens that circulated for many years before being formally identified, including HIV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, surprisingly few HCV isolates sampled before discovery of the virus in 1989 are currently available. Here, we report and analyse two HCV subgenomic sequences obtained from infected individuals in 1953, which represent the oldest genetic evidence of HCV infection. The pairwise genetic diversity between the two sequences indicates a substantial period of HCV transmission prior to the 1950s, and their inclusion in evolutionary analyses provides new estimates of the common ancestor of HCV in the USA. To explore and validate the evolutionary information provided by these sequences, we used a new phylogenetic molecular clock method to estimate the date of sampling of the archived strains, plus the dates of four more contemporary reference genomes. Despite the short fragments available, we conclude that the archived sequences are consistent with a proposed sampling date of 1953, although statistical uncertainty is large. Our cross-validation analyses suggest that the bias and low statistical power observed here likely arise from a combination of high evolutionary rate heterogeneity and an unstructured, star-like phylogeny. We expect that attempts to date other historical viruses under similar circumstances will meet similar problems.     

鞘翅目高级阶元分子系统学： 研究现状及存在的问题

鞘翅目是世界上物种最丰富的类群, 分为原鞘亚目（Archostemata Kolbe, 1908）、 藻食亚目（Myxophaga Crowson, 1955）、 肉食亚目（Adephaga Schellenberg, 1806）和多食亚目（Polyphaga Emery, 1886）。随着分子生物学的发展,分子系统学的技术被广泛应用于鞘翅目系统学研究中。本文综述了鞘翅目高级阶元的分子系统学的研究进展及存在问题。基于分子生物学手段, 分子分类学家提出了关于鞘翅目高级阶元分子系统学很多假说, 分子分析结果支持鞘翅目的4个亚目各为单系, 而亚目间的系统关系还不统一。基于分子手段对于亚目内的系统发育关系的研究也有了一定的进展, 比如： 分子系统学结果支持肉食亚目的水生类群和陆生类群分别为单系, 水生类群为一次起源。目前, 鞘翅目高级阶元分子系统学的研究还不够成熟和完善, 主要表现为： 材料选择有限且不均衡、 基因数目和适合度不理想, 以及一些关键节点研究的欠缺。     

The alphaD-globin gene originated via duplication of an embryonic alpha-like globin gene in the ancestor of tetrapod vertebrates

Gene duplication is thought to play an important role in the co-option of existing protein functions to new physiological pathways. The globin superfamily of genes provides an excellent example of the kind of physiological versatility that can be attained through the functional and regulatory divergence of duplicated genes that encode different subunit polypeptides of the tetrameric hemoglobin protein. In contrast to prevailing views about the evolutionary history of the alpha-globin gene family, here we present phylogenetic evidence that the alpha(A)- and alpha(D)-globin genes are not the product of a single, tandem duplication of an ancestral globin gene with adult function in the common ancestor of extant birds, reptiles, and mammals. Instead, our analysis reveals that the alpha(D)-globin gene of amniote vertebrates arose via duplication of an embryonic alpha-like globin gene that predated the radiation of tetrapods. The important evolutionary implication is that the distinct biochemical properties of alpha(D)-hemoglobin (HbD) are not exclusively derived characters that can be attributed to a post-duplication process of neofunctionalization. Rather, many of the distinct biochemical properties of HbD are retained ancestral characters that reflect the fact that the alpha(D)-globin gene arose via duplication of a gene that had a larval/embryonic function. These insights into the evolutionary origin of HbD illustrate how adaptive modifications of physiological pathways may result from the retention and opportunistic co-option of ancestral protein functions.     

Changed betaxanthin pattern in violet flowers of Portulaca grandiflora after the feeding of DOPA

The administration of DOPA to violet flowers of Portulaca grandiflora led to the biosynthesis of betaxanthins not present in untreated plant material. Among them vulgaxanthin II but no dopaxanthin could be identified. DOPA serves as a precursor of the dihydropyridine moiety of the new betaxanthins. Its role as an elicitor of betaxanthin biosynthesis is discussed.     

毛茛科分子系统发育研究进展

毛茛科(Ranunculaceae)在被子植物的系统演化中占有十分重要的地位,其系统位置和科下演化关系一直备受争议。近20多年的分子系统学研究表明,以往基于形态学的分类系统与分子系统学研究结果存在巨大差异。通过形态学性状界定的绝大多数亚科都没有得到分子系统学支持。此外,通过形态学确定的一些属如升麻属(Cimicifuga)、黄三七属(Souliea)、獐耳细辛属(Hepatica)、白头翁属(Pulsatilla)和水毛茛属(Batrachium)等,根据分子系统学研究均应予以归并。而分子系统学研究也确立了一些类群的属级地位,如露蕊乌头属(Gymnaconitum)等。以中国分布的毛茛科植物为例,通过以往分子系统学研究,共有10个属被归并,2个属新被确立。然而,毛茛科分子系统学研究对于科下许多类群之间的关系目前仍然没有得到很好的解决,如毛茛亚科和翠雀族等类群的系统发育关系仍需要进行深入研究后方能确定。该文对近年来国内外有关毛茛科的分子系统学研究进展进行了综述,并对该科尚存的一些问题和未来的研究方向进行了讨论。     

中国西藏土壤中节格孢属真菌的三个新种

从中国西藏土壤中分离到3种节格孢属Scytalidium真菌,据形态学特征和分子系统学分析,他们不属于该属中任何已知种,遂在本文中作为新种加以描述和发表,它们是：具有多纵隔膜的中国节格孢S. chinense、能产红色色素的西藏节格孢S. tibetense和孢子与菌丝均具瘤突的具瘤节格孢S. tuberculatum。新种的模式标本（干制培养物）分别保藏在山东农业大学植物病理学标本室（HSAUP）和中国科学院菌物标本馆（HMAS）。