盐分和温度对盐节木种子萌发的影响

采用多因素交叉试验设计,探讨了不同盐分类型、盐分浓度以及温度对盐节木(Halocnemum strobilaceum)种子萌发的影响。结果表明:15~25℃范围是盐节木种子萌发的最适温度范围,5~15℃和25~35℃的变温不利于种子萌发;最适温度下,单盐和土盐浓度分别小于0.96%和0.6%(电导率小于9.375dS/m)时可促进种子萌发,当浓度分别高于0.96%和0.6%(电导率大于9.375dS/m)时,单盐处理下的种子萌发率随浓度升高而降低,土盐处理下的种子萌发率随浓度升高表现为先升高后下降,但2种盐处理下的平均种子萌发率差异不显著(P>0.05),非最适温度下,2种盐处理下的平均种子萌发率差异显著(P<0.05)。由此得出:盐分浓度和温度是影响盐节木种子萌发的关键因素,土盐对种子萌发的抑制作用较单盐的小。     

不同温度对迷人杜鹃种子萌发与幼苗生长及生理特性的影响

该研究利用实验室不同恒温和变温控制试验,考察了不同温度[恒温(15℃、25℃、35℃)和变温(25℃/15℃、30℃/20℃,高温12 h,低温12 h)]处理对迷人杜鹃种子萌发、幼苗形态指标和生理生化指标的影响,探讨温度对迷人杜鹃种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响机制。结果表明:(1)迷人杜鹃种子在25℃/15℃变温条件下萌发率(87.69%)和萌发指数(8.65)均最高。(2)25℃/15℃变温有利于迷人杜鹃幼苗的地径、苗高、平均根长和萌枝数的增加,以及根、茎、叶生物量的积累。(3)25℃/15℃变温处理下幼苗叶片的总叶绿素、可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白含量最高,而MDA含量、CAT活性和SOD活性较低。研究认为,迷人杜鹃种子萌发和幼苗生长的最适宜温度条件为25℃/15℃(昼/夜),而在高温(35℃)和低温(15℃)环境下均会受到显著抑制。     

光照和温度对飞机草种子萌发的影响

通过在人工培养箱内模拟环境条件,探讨了不同光照和变温对飞机草种子萌发的影响。结果表明:在有光照状况下,飞机草种子在15℃/10℃～40℃/35℃条件下均能萌发,飞机草种子萌发的最适变温为30℃/25℃,萌发率达47.5%;而黑暗条件下,飞机草种子在15℃/10℃时不能萌发;在20℃/15℃～35℃/30℃范围内,温度越高,飞机草种子萌发高峰的出现时间越早;在15℃/10℃～30℃/25℃范围内,飞机草种子的萌发率随温度的升高而升高,超过30℃/25℃后,萌发率下降,而适当的光照有利于飞机草种子的萌发。飞机草成为入侵种并迅速扩散与其种子萌发对光照和温度的适应性密切相关。     

储藏和萌发温度对青藏高原东缘12种灌木种子萌发的影响

研究了青藏高原东缘2个储藏条件下的12种灌木种子在10、15、20、25℃恒温培养下和5/25℃变温培养下的萌发特性及其与种子大小和生境的关系。结果表明:12种灌木室内干储种子在5/25℃变温培养下种子平均萌发率最高、萌发速率最快,室外埋藏种子10℃、5/25℃下种子平均萌发率相近且最高,但萌发速率5/25℃最快,10℃下最慢,4个恒温下的室内干储和室外埋藏种子的萌发速率均随温度升高而变快;10、15、20和25℃恒温培养下的室外埋藏种子平均萌发率、平均萌发速率均高于室内储藏,而5/25℃变温下则是室外埋藏种子平均萌发率、平均萌发速率均低于室内储藏;室内干储的12种灌木种子在5/25℃变温下的萌发率、萌发速率与种子大小呈显著负相关,而室外埋藏的种子在10℃以及5/25℃变温下的萌发率、萌发速率与种子大小均呈显著负相关,20℃下,只有萌发速率与种子大小呈显著负相关;其他储藏和温度下的萌发率、萌发速率与种子大小均没有显著相关;无论室内干储还是室外埋藏,阳坡灌丛物种在5个温度下的萌发率、萌发速率均显著高于阴坡灌丛物种,阴坡灌丛种子萌发率随温度升高而降低;变温有利于种子萌发,贮藏条件对种子的萌发特性的影响具有变温依赖性,种子的萌发特性与种子大小以及生境的关系具有明显的培养温度和储存条件依赖性。     

温度对高山植物紫花针茅种子萌发特性的影响

温度是影响种子萌发的重要因子,在气候变暖和草地退化的背景下,认识温度变化对紫花针茅（Stipa purpurea） 种子萌发的影响有重要意义。作者系统研究了6个恒温条件（5、10、15、20、25、30℃）和3个变温条件（5/15、10/20、15/25℃）对不同居群紫花针茅种子萌发特性的影响。结果表明,紫花针茅种子适宜的萌发温度范围为15~25℃,低于10℃或高于30℃的温度都会抑制种子的萌发;与对应的恒温条件相比,变温条件不能起到促进紫花针茅种子萌发的作用;不同居群紫花针茅种子萌发对温度的响应既有相同点,也有不同点;海拔高度与种子萌发率存在极显著负相关关系,种子萌发季土壤温度与种子萌发存在显著负相关关系。本研究将为合理的保护和恢复紫花针茅草地提供一定科学依据。     

胡杨种子萌发对温光条件和盐旱胁迫的响应特征

以胡杨(Populus euphratica)种子为材料,分别设置光照(连续光照、12h光照/12h黑暗、连续黑暗)温度(10/15℃、15/20℃、20/25℃、25/30℃、30/35℃和35/40℃)试验、PEG6000渗透胁迫(0、-0.1、-0.2、-0.4、-0.6、-0.8、-1.0、-1.2、-1.4和-1.6MPa)试验和NaCl胁迫(0、0.05、0.10、0.20、0.30、0.40、0.60和0.80mol/L)试验,考察室内种子萌发对温度、光照和盐旱胁迫的敏感性,揭示胡杨种子萌发阶段对生境资源的适应策略。结果显示:(1)胡杨种子在温度(10℃/15℃~35℃/40℃)与连续光照、连续黑暗和12h光照/12h黑暗组合处理条件下均能萌发,且最终种子萌发率均能达到77%以上;3种光照条件下,种子萌发的最适温度范围均为25℃/30℃~30℃/35℃,在该温度范围种子萌发表现出快速、集中的特点,且3种光照条件对种子萌发的影响无显著差异。(2)胡杨种子可以在-1.4~0 MPa渗透势溶液中萌发,而在-1.0~0 MPa间最终萌发率均达到90%以上,且相互之间无显著差异;但当渗透势低于-0.4 MPa时胡杨种子萌发进程和萌发速率受到显著影响,当溶液渗透势低于-1.2 MPa时种子萌发受到显著抑制。(3)胡杨种子可以在0~0.80mol/L NaCl溶液中萌发,而最终萌发率、萌发速率均随着NaCl溶液浓度的增高逐渐降低,但在0~0.20mol/L范围内无显著差异;当NaCl溶液浓度大于0.20mol/L时,种子最终萌发率、种子萌发进程和萌发速率均受到显著抑制,萌发高峰期逐渐向后推移。研究结果表明,胡杨种子萌发时温度比较宽泛,对光照无严格要求,适宜温度下萌发快速集中,且萌发时对盐旱胁迫具有一定程度的忍耐性。这些特性有助于胡杨种子充分利用有限的水分条件而快速完成萌发,是胡杨种子萌发对干旱荒漠地区干旱少雨环境的一种生态适应策略。     

光照和温度对沙芥和斧翅沙芥植物种子萌发的影响

研究了生长于不同生境下的沙芥(Pugionium cornutum(L.)Gaertn.)和斧翅沙芥(Pugionium dolabratum Maxim.)种子萌发对光照和温度的响应。结果表明:沙芥和斧翅沙芥种子在光下萌发受到显著(P0.05)的抑制作用,其中沙芥种子萌发受光的抑制作用强于斧翅沙芥种子。在黑暗10—40℃恒温条件下,沙芥和斧翅沙芥种子在15—35℃范围内均可萌发,在15℃和35℃下沙芥种子的萌发要优于斧翅沙芥种子;其种子分别在25℃和30℃下达到最佳的萌发响应,在此条件下斧翅沙芥种子的萌发特性优于沙芥种子。在黑暗变温条件下,沙芥和斧翅沙芥种子在20/30℃(12h/12h)下达到最佳的萌发响应,此处理下的萌发率高于其各自最佳恒温处理下的萌发率,其萌发后幼苗下胚轴和胚根的长度较最佳恒温处理有明显的下降,但它们的干重却差异较小,说明变温处理有利于两种种子的萌发和形成强壮的幼苗。综上所述,沙芥和斧翅沙芥种子在黑暗和20/30℃变温条件下有利于种子萌发和幼苗建成。     

假酸浆种子发芽特性研究

在不同温度、不同贮藏时间和方法下,对来源于印度尼西亚的假酸浆种子发芽特性进行研究。结果表明:不同温度对假酸浆种子萌发的影响差异极显著,在15/25℃变温条件下种子发芽率最高,为84.3%,发芽快且整齐;假酸浆种子采收后立即播种其发芽率非常低,室温下贮藏6～9个月时在25℃恒温或15/25℃变温条件下均有较高发芽率,说明假酸浆种子有休眠性,通过延长贮藏时间能打破休眠,促进种子发芽;但室温贮藏15个月后,种子活力下降非常明显。低温冷藏在一定条件下能提高假酸浆种子萌发能力,能延长种子寿命。     

温度和水分及盐分胁迫对银沙槐种子萌发的影响

利用控制实验研究了温度、湿度、干旱和盐分胁迫等生态因子对银沙槐种子萌发的影响,以探索银沙槐种子对各种生态因子的适应性。结果显示:(1)银沙槐种子在20℃、25℃恒温和15℃/25℃、20℃/30℃、10℃/20℃变温环境中的发芽率较高且无显著差异,其在20℃恒温、15℃/25℃、20℃/30℃变温条件下的发芽指数较高,但差异不显著。(2)土壤含水量在1%～5%之间,各水分处理间种子发芽率差异显著(P<0.05),而在5%～25%间种子发芽率变化不显著。(3)盐胁迫和水分胁迫对银沙槐种子的萌发均有明显的抑制作用,可显著降低种子萌发率(P<0.05);种子发芽指数和活力指数均随渗透势和NaCl浓度增大而显著减小(P<0.05);恢复萌发率随渗透势和NaCl浓度的增加而显著增加(P<0.05)。研究发现,银沙槐种子萌发最适温度为20℃恒温和15℃/25℃变温,最适土壤含水量为10%～25%;种子萌发对盐分和干旱胁迫表现出不同程度的耐受性,萌发过程中主导抑制因素为渗透胁迫,离子毒害作用甚微;银沙槐种子休眠机制和萌发特征表现出它对生境的良好适应性。     

准噶尔荒漠异苞滨藜(Atriplex micrantha)的种子二型性及其萌发行为

异苞滨藜的果实(种子)存在二型性,这两种类型的果实在形状、大小、颜色及包被其苞片的大小上均有差异。黑色果实果皮光滑,有光泽,直径1.481mm±0.186mm,包被果实的苞片较小;褐色果实扁平,直径2.642mm±0.254mm,包被果实的苞片较大。以异苞滨藜的两种果实(种子)为材料,在3个变温条件(5/25℃、5/15℃、15/25℃,暗12h/光12h)下进行萌发实验,褐色种子成熟后即具有一定的萌发能力,最终萌发率都在80%以上。黑色种子仅在低的夜间温度(5℃)和高的昼间温度(25℃)条件下有较高的萌发率(>70%),而在5/15℃、15/25℃条件下,种子的最终萌发率较低(<20%),2星期的低温层积处理能够有效地加速和提高黑色种子在3个变温条件下的萌发,划破果皮和种皮也能不同程度的加速和促进黑色种子的萌发,表明黑色种子处于非深度生理休眠状态。苞片中盐含量低,苞片对褐色种子萌发无抑制作用。异苞滨藜的果实(种子)二型性及其萌发行为是对荒漠异质环境的适应。     

Alterations of rx1 and pax6 expression levels at neural plate stages differentially affect the production of retinal cell types and maintenance of retinal stem cell qualities

rx1 and pax6 are necessary for the establishment of the vertebrate eye field and for the maintenance of the retinal stem cells that give rise to multiple retinal cell types. They also are differentially expressed in cellular layers in the retina when cell fates are being specified, and their expression levels differentially affect the production of amacrine cell subtypes. To determine whether rx1 and pax6 expression after the eye field is established simply maintains stem cell-like qualities or affects cell type differentiation, we used hormone-inducible constructs to increase or decrease levels/activity of each protein at two different neural plate stages. Our results indicate that rx1 regulates the size of the retinal stem cell pool because it broadly affected all cell types, whereas pax6 regulates more restricted retinal progenitor cells because it selectively affected different cell types in a time-dependent manner. Analysis of rx1 and pax6 effects on proliferation, and expression of stem cell or differentiation markers demonstrates that rx1 maintains cells in a stem cell state by promoting proliferation and delaying expression of neural identity and differentiation markers. Although pax6 also promotes proliferation, it differentially regulates neural identity and differentiation genes. Thus, these two genes work in parallel to regulate different, but overlapping aspects of retinal cell fate determination.     

Analysis of the molecular cascade responsible for mesodermal limb chondrogenesis: Sox genes and BMP signaling

Here, we have studied how Sox genes and BMP signaling are functionally coupled during limb chondrogenesis. Using the experimental model of TGFbeta1-induced interdigital digits, we dissect the sequence of morphological and molecular events during in vivo chondrogenesis. Our results show that Sox8 and Sox9 are the most precocious markers of limb cartilage, and their induction is independent and precedes the activation of BMP signaling. Sox10 appears also to cooperate with Sox9 and Sox8 in the establishment of the digit cartilages. In addition, we show that experimental induction of Sox gene expression in the interdigital mesoderm is accompanied by loss of the apoptotic response to exogenous BMPs. L-Sox5 and Sox6 are respectively induced coincident and after the expression of Bmpr1b in the prechondrogenic aggregate, and their activation correlates with the induction of Type II Collagen and Aggrecan genes in the differentiating cartilages. The expression of Bmpr1b precedes the appearance of morphological changes in the prechondrogenic aggregate and establishes a landmark from which the maintenance of the expression of all Sox genes and the progress of cartilage differentiation becomes dependent on BMPs. Moreover, we show that Ventroptin precedes Noggin in the modulation of BMP activity in the developing cartilages. In summary, our findings suggest that Sox8, Sox9, and Sox10 have a cooperative function conferring chondrogenic competence to limb mesoderm in response to BMP signals. In turn, BMPs in concert with Sox9, Sox6, and L-Sox5 would be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the cartilage differentiation program.     

At least two regions of the oncoprotein Tre2 are involved in its lack of GAP activity

The product of the human Tre2 oncogene is structurally related to the Ypt/Rab GTPase-activating proteins (Ypt/Rab GAPs). Particularly, the oncoprotein shares with the yeast proteins Msb3p and Msb4p, and with the human protein RN-tre the highly conserved TBC domain, forming the catalytically active domain of Ypt/Rab GAPs. Yet, the Tre2 oncogene seems to encode a nonfunctional Rab GAP. As regions flanking the TBC domain may be crucial for catalytic activity, regions located N- and C-terminally with respect to this domain were explored. For this, chimeric proteins created by sequence exchanges between the Tre2 oncoprotein and RN-tre were tested for their ability to replace functionally the Msb3p and Msb4p proteins in double-mutant yeast cells. These complementation experiments revealed, in addition to the TBC domain, a second Tre2 region involved in the oncoprotein's lack of GAP activity: a 93-aa region flanking the TBC domain on the C-terminal side.     

Lipodystrophies: Disorders of adipose tissue biology

The adipocytes synthesize and store triglycerides as lipid droplets surrounded by various proteins and phospholipids at its surface. Recently, the molecular basis of some of the genetic syndromes of lipodystrophies has been elucidated and some of these genetic loci have been found to contribute to lipid droplet formation in adipocytes. The two main types of genetic lipodystrophies are congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) and familial partial lipodystrophy (FPL). So far, three CGL loci: 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate-O-acyltransferase 2 (AGPAT2), Berardinelli–Seip Congenital Lipodystrophy 2 (BSCL2) and caveolin 1 (CAV1) and four FPL loci: lamin A/C (LMNA), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARG), v-AKT murine thymoma oncogene homolog 2 (AKT2) and zinc metalloprotease (ZMPSTE24), have been identified. AGPAT2 plays a critical role in the synthesis of glycerophospholipids and triglycerides required for lipid droplet formation. Another protein, seipin (encoded by BSCL2 gene), has been found to induce lipid droplet fusion. CAV1 is an integral component of caveolae and might contribute towards lipid droplet formation. PPARγ and AKT2 play important role in adipogenesis and lipid synthesis. In this review, we discuss and speculate about the contribution of various lipodystrophy genes and their products in the lipid droplet formation.     

Recent advances in the in vitro cultivation and genetic manipulation of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes and germinal cells

In order to elucidate host-parasite interactions and infection strategies of helminths at the molecular level, the availability of suitable in vitro cultivation systems for this group of parasites is of vital importance. One of the few helminth systems for which in vitro cultivation has been relatively successfully carried out in the past is the larval stage of the fox-tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. Respective ‘first generation’ cultivation systems relied on the co-incubation of larval tissue, isolated from laboratory rodents, with host feeder cells. Although these techniques have been very successful in producing metacestode material for drug screening assays or the establishment of cDNA libraries, the continuous presence of host cells prevented detailed studies on the influence of defined host factors on larval growth. To facilitate such investigations, we have recently introduced the first truly axenic system for long-term in vitro maintenance of metacestode vesicles and used it to establish a technique for parasite cell cultivation. The resulting culture system, which allows the complete in vitro regeneration of metacestode vesicles from germinal cells, is a highly useful tool to study the cellular and molecular basis of a variety of developmental processes that occur during the infection of the mammalian host. Furthermore, it provides a solid basis for establishing transgenic techniques in cestodes for the first time. We consider it an appropriate time point to discuss the characteristics of these ‘second generation’ cultivation systems in comparison with former techniques, to present our first successful attempts to introduce foreign DNA into Echinococcus cells, and to share our ideas on how a fully transgenic Echinococcus strain can be generated in the near future.     

Plant-Parasitic Nematodes of South Viet Nam

Between 1974 and 1978, 2,842 identifications of plant-parasitic nematodes were made from more than 1,700 soil and plant samples collected in eight provinces of South Viet Nam. Species in nine genera—Helicotylenchus, Criconemoides, Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus, Hoplolaimus, Hirschmanniella, Xiphinema, and Rotylenchulus—comprised 96.1% of the identifications; the remaining 3.9% were species of 11 genera. Fourteen genera were associated with rice which was grown on about 2,500,000 ha in 1970. Of these, Ditylenchus, Hirschmanniella, and Meloidogyne were most important. Ditylenchus angustus caused severe damage to about 50,000 ha of flooded rice in the Mekong Delta in 1976. Hirschmanniella spp. were found in all samples examined from flooded rice fields. Meloidogyne spp. were common in rice seedbeds, upland rice, and rice not kept flooded continuously. Meloidogyne and Pratylenchus spp. were found in roots of 22 of the 32 crop plants sampled. Little or no attempt was made in South Viet Nam to control nematodes.