CROP-WEED HYBRIDIZATION IN RADISH (RAPHANUS SATIVUS): EFFECTS OF DISTANCE AND POPULATION SIZE

Crop-weed hybridization rates between an agricultural plot of cultivated radish and surrounding stands of wild radish (both Raphanus sativus L.) were measured. The crop and weed were fixed for alternate isozyme alleles to allow for identification of hybrids through progeny testing. Weed populations were planted in three sizes (one, two, and nine plants) and at three distances (1, 200, and 400 m) from the crop. Hybridization rates declined with increasing linear distance between crop and weeds. When observed rates of hybridization were corrected for frequency of recipient weeds, the potential level of hybridization actually increased with distance. The effect of population size on rate of hybridization was significant; the direction of the effect was dependent on crop-weed distance. The observed relationship between population size and hybridization rates was not predictable according to current pollination ecology theory.     

FERTILIZATION DYNAMICS AND PARENTAL EFFECTS UPON FRUIT DEVELOPMENT IN RAPHANUS RAPHANISTRUM: CONSEQUENCES FOR SEED SIZE VARIATION

Seed weight varies significantly within and among fruits of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum). To determine sources of this variation, we studied fertilization and seed development following controlled pollinations. Within fruits, central ovules were fertilized prior to distal ovules and attained greater seed size. Ninety-seven percent of the variation in mean seed wt per fruit was explained by an analysis of variance incorporating parental effects, pollination date, and the number of seeds per fruit. We document strong maternal effects on the number of ovules per ovary, the number of fertilized ovules per ovary, the number of seeds per fruit, and mean individual seed wt per fruit. Across females, pollen donor had a slight but significant effect on seed wt; no paternal effects on fertilization rate, zygote number, or seed number per fruit were detected. Within females, with one exception, pollen donor had no significant effect on these components of seed development. Stronger maternal main effects may be due to donor x recipient interactions, cytoplasmic factors, the genetic inequity within triploid endosperm, and/or strict maternal control over resource allocation. The large maternal effects relative to paternal effects may limit the rate at which natural selection acts on paternal traits expressed prior to seed maturation.     

白萝卜提取物对病毒感染的保护作用

我们曾报道,葫芦科的丝瓜等食用植物组织的提取物有明显的抗病毒感染作用,并证明这些提取物为干扰素诱生剂。为了解其它种类植物是否也含有类似的物质,我们从十字花科植物——白萝卜(Raphanus sativus,white color,long form)成功地提取到类似物质。     

PARENTAL EFFECTS ON SEED DEVELOPMENT AND SEED YIELD IN RAPHANUS RAPHANISTRUM: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATURAL AND SEXUAL SELECTION

The possibility that sexual selection operates in angiosperms to effect evolutionary change in polygenic traits affecting male reproductive success requires that there is additive genetic variance for these traits. I applied a half-sib breeding design to individuals of the annual, hermaphroditic angiosperm, wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum: Brassicaceae), to estimate paternal genetic effects on, or, when possible, the narrow-sense heritability of several quantitative traits influencing male reproductive success. In spite of significant differences among pollen donors with respect to in vitro pollen tube growth rates, I detected no significant additive genetic variance in male performance with respect to the proportion of ovules fertilized, early ovule growth, the number of seeds per fruit, or mean individual seed weight per fruit. In all cases, differences among maternal plants in these traits far exceeded differences among pollen donors. Abortion rates of pollinated flowers and fertilized ovules also differed more among individuals as maternal plants than as pollen donors, suggesting strong maternal control over these processes. Significant maternal phenotypic effects in the absence of paternal genetic or phenotypic effects on reproductive traits may be due to maternal environmental effects, to non-nuclear or non-additive maternal genetic effects, or to additive genetic variance in maternal control over offspring development, independent of offspring genotype. While I could not distinguish among these alternatives, it is clear that, in wild radish, the opportunity for natural or sexual selection to effect change in seed weight or seed number per fruit appears to be greater through differences in female performance than through differences in male performance.     

KINETICS OF CELL PROLIFERATION IN THE PRE-IMPLANTED MOUSE EMBRYO IN VIVO AND IN VITRO

The cell proliferation of pre-implanted mouse embryos was investigated after development in vivo and in vitro. The studies were started at the pronuclear stage, 2 h post conception (p.c.) and continued until the hatching of blastocysts, 120–144 h p.c. The number of cell nuclei, the DNA content of each nucleus, the mitotic index and the labelling index were determined. From these data it was possible to calculate the length of the cell generation cycle and its various phases. With the exception of the first cell cycle the S-phase was constant. The G₁- as well as the G₂-phase varied in length during the different cell cycles. From 31–72 h p.c. the increase in cell number was exponential. After cultivation in vitro this increase was smaller than in vivo. At later periods the proliferation rate decreased with proceeding development. In late blastocysts most of the cells were in the G₁-phase. The development of the embryos was somewhat faster in vivo than in vitro. But in principle conditions were comparable.     

半乳糖寡糖在体内和体外对双歧杆菌生长的影响

目的:利用固定化产β-半乳糖苷酶的嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌连续合成的产物。方法:经柱层析分离纯化得到了纯半乳糖三寡糖和半乳糖四寡糖,用于体外双歧杆菌培养和动物试验。结果:证实了半乳糖寡糖能高效、专一地促进双歧杆菌的生长繁殖。结论:半乳糖寡糖具有改善小鼠肠道内菌群分布,降低小鼠盲肠内pH值的生理功能。     

ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENETIC MATERNAL EFFECTS ON SEED CHARACTERS IN NEMOPHILA MENZIESII

Nuclear genetic, maternal genetic and maternal environmental effects on seed characters were estimated in the California native annual plant Nemophila menziesii using two greenhouse crosses. In one cross, according to a nested mating design, the narrow sense heritability of seed weight was small (3.9%). A subset of full-sib progenies produced in this cross was grown singly and in competition with the introduced grass Bromus diandrus. In a second cross, these plants were used as mothers (dams) and were each mated to the same three sires. Seeds produced by mothers competing with B. diandrus showed a significant reduction in weight, increase in time to germination, and increase in the incidence of dormancy, when compared to seeds from mothers grown singly. Significant sire components were found for time to germination and incidence of dormancy. Maternal genetic variation for seed weight was largely expressed as maternal genotype by maternal environment interaction, and showed no significant maternal genetic main effect. Time to germination and dormant fraction showed a relatively large maternal genetic effect. Evolution of seed characters in N. menziesii is more likely to occur via indirect response to selection among maternal plants than among the seeds themselves. Maternal genotype by maternal environment interaction could potentially contribute to the maintenance of maternal genetic variation in seed weight, but this does not appear likely for dormancy.     

吩噻嗪衍生物在体内外对肠道细菌的作用

本工作测试了７种吩噻嗪衍生物在体外对５株好氧或兼性厌氧菌和８９株厌氧菌的最小抑菌浓度,结果表明,吩噻嗪衍生物对细菌（尤其是球菌和厌氧菌）具有一定的抑制作用,但携带可拮抗艰难梭菌肠道定植屏障菌群的悉生小鼠接受２周或４周的Ｃｈｌｏｒｐｒｏｍａｚｉｎｅ（０．２ｍｇ／小鼠／天）并不会使菌群屏障遭破坏。     

EFFECTS OF MATERNAL AND PATERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND GENOTYPE ON OFFSPRING PHENOTYPE IN SOLIDAGO ALTISSIMA L.

To predict the possible evolutionary response of a plant species to a new environment, it is necessary to separate genetic from environmental sources of phenotypic variation. In a case study of the invader Solidago altissima, the influences of several kinds of parental effects and of direct inheritance and environment on offspring phenotype were separated. Fifteen genotypes were crossed in three 5 × 5 diallels excluding selfs. Clonal replicates of the parental genotypes were grown in two environments such that each diallel could be made with maternal/paternal plants from sand/sand, sand/soil, soil/sand, and soil/soil. In a first experiment (1989) offspring were raised in the experimental garden and in a second experiment (1990) in the glasshouse. Parent plants growing in sand invested less biomass in inflorescences but produced larger seeds than parent plants growing in soil. In the garden experiment, phenotypic variation among offspring was greatly influenced by environmental heterogeneity. Direct genetic variation (within diallels) was found only for leaf characters and total leaf mass. Germination probability and early seedling mass were significantly affected by phenotypic differences among maternal plants because of genotype ( genetic maternal effects ) and soil environment ( general environmental maternal effects ). Seeds from maternal plants in sand germinated better and produced bigger seedlings than seeds from maternal plants in soil. They also grew taller with time, probably because competition accentuated the initial differences. Height growth and stem mass at harvest (an integrated account of individual growth history) of offspring varied significantly among crosses within parental combinations ( specific environmental maternal effects ). In the glasshouse experiment, the influence of environmental heterogeneity and competition could be kept low. Except for early characters, the influence of direct genetic variation was large but again leaf characters (= basic module morphology) seemed to be under stricter genetic control than did size characters. Genetic maternal effects, general environmental maternal effects, and specific environmental maternal effects dominated in early characters. The maternal effects were exerted both via seed mass and directly on characters of young offspring. Persistent effects of the general paternal environment ( general environmental paternal effects ) were found for leaf length and stem and leaf mass at harvest. They were opposite in direction to the general environmental maternal effects, that is the same genotypes produced “better mothers” in sand but “better fathers” in soil. The general environmental paternal effects must have been due to differences in pollen quality, resulting from pollen selection within the male parent or leading to pre- or postzygotic selection within the female parent. The ranking of crosses according to mean offspring phenotypes was different in the two experiments, suggesting strong interaction of the observed effects with the environment. The correlation structure among characters changed less between experiments than did the pattern of variation of single characters, but under the competitive conditions in the garden plant height seemed to be more directly related to fitness than in the glasshouse. Reduced competition could also explain why maternal effects were less persistent in the glasshouse than in the garden experiment. Evolution via selection of maternal effects would be possible in the study population because these effects are in part due to genetic differences among parents.     

α-METHYLTRYPTOPHAN: EFFECTS ON CEREBRAL MONOOXYGENASES IN VITRO AND IN VIVO

Following administration of x-methyltryptophan (AMTP) (50 mg/kg) there was a time dependent decrease of serotonin and a concomitant increase of α-methyl-5-hydroxy-tryptamine (AM-5-HT) in most cerebral areas. AMTP is hydroxylated to α-methyl-5-hydroxytryptophan (AM-5-HTP) by cerebral tryptophan hydroxylase in vitro and in vivo. Hydroxylation of AMTP in vitro and in vivo was markedly inhibited in p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CP) treated rats. After administration of AMTP, the conversion in vivo of tyrosine to norepinephrine was inhibited. This inhibition was not apparent in p-CP pretreated animals. p-Chloroamphetamine (p-CA) (10 mg/kg) lowered serotonin and AM-5-HT levels in some areas of the brain, but unlike p-CP, alone or in combination with AMTP it did not significantly inhibit hydroxylation of tryptophan (Trp). AMTP, as substrate of tryptophan hydroxylase, has a K_m of 1.08 × 10^-4 M (using 6-MPH₄, as cofactor) and as competitive inhibitor, a K₁ of 2.09 × 10^-4M with L-Trp as substrate. AMTP becomes an uncompetitive inhibitor when its concentration is equal to or exceeds that of L-Trp. D-AMTP is neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase. DL-AM-5-HTP (K₁, 1.5 × 10^-5 M) and AM-5-HT (K¹ 4.0 × 10^-5 M) are competitive inhibitors.     

ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES AND PHENOTYPIC CORRELATES OF PETAL SIZE VARIATION IN WILD RADISH,RAPHANUS SATIVUS (BRASSICACEAE)

In this paper we examine some ecological consequences and phenotypic correlates of flower size variation in wild radish, Raphanus sativus. Mean corolla diameter varied significantly among individuals within natural populations of R. sativus in California. On the average, almost 40% of flower biomass was allocated to corolla tissue. In field experiments, pollinator visitation increased significantly with corolla size. Large flowers also accumulated more nectar when pollinators were excluded from plants. In three populations, corolla size was positively correlated with allocation to pollen per flower (either anther weight or pollen grain number), but there was usually no phenotypic relationship between corolla size and several measures of female allocation (ovule number per flower, proportion fruit set, and total seed mass per fruit). Plants growing in the field produced fewer large flowers per unit of stem, and stem biomass was negatively related to corolla size for plants grown under controlled greenhouse conditions. Male and female fitness may covary differently with allocation to attractive floral features in species such as R. sativus, where seed production is often limited by resources rather than by pollen.     

MATERNAL AND PATERNAL EFFECTS ON FOLLICLE PRODUCTION IN THE MILKWEED ASCLEPIAS SYRIACA (ASCLEPIADACEAE)

We measured follicle production from a diallel cross among ten clones of the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca, to assess the relative contributions of maternal and paternal parents. Specific parental combinations differed in the ability to set fruit, indicated by a significant nuclear specific effect accounting for 28% of the observed variance in follicle production. Several mechanisms might contribute to this effect, including shared incompatibility alleles and expression of zygotic genotypes. The nuclear general effect was not significant, however, suggesting a lack of additive genetic variation for offspring control of fruit maturation. Maternal effects also had an important effect on follicle production, as demonstrated by a significant reciprocal general effect (26% of the variance), almost entirely due to a large maternal component. The small reciprocal general variance component attributable to paternal effects, and nonsignificant reciprocal specific effect, indicating little maternal parent-zygote interaction, suggest that female choice through selective follicle maturation was not important in this experiment. The clones varied in proportion of reproductive output through female function, but a significant tradeoff between male and female success was not detected.     

CYTOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF CYTOKININ-ENHANCED GROWTH OF RADISH (RAPHANUS SATIVUS) COTYLEDONS

Light and electron microscopy revealed no stimulation of oleosome disappearance or chloroplast development associated with zeatin-enhanced growth of excised radish cotyledons. Accelerated protein body breakdown was the only detectable effect of zeatin treatment. Isocitrate lyase activity, disappearance of total lipids, and appearance of galactolipids, phospholipids, and chlorophyll were unaffected by zeatin. Results indicate that cytokinins do not accelerate conversion of radish cotyledons from storage to photosynthetic organs.     

EFFECTS OF POLLEN DONOR IDENTITY ON OFFSPRING QUALITY IN WILD RADISH,RAPHANUS SATIVUS

If pollen donor performance during mating correlates with differences in offspring growth and fitness, processes that sort among potential mates may directly improve offspring fitness. Here seeds sired by three pollen donors on ten maternal plants were grown for eight weeks in the greenhouse. The performance of the pollen donors during pollination and fertilization was known from a previous experiment. There were significant effects of paternity on two measures of early growth: leaf number and plant height. Paternal effects on three measures more closely related to fitness; final plant weight, day of first flower production, and total flower number were also significant. Under the conditions of this experiment, final plant weight was probably the best predictor of fitness. The pollen donor that sired the largest seeds in the previous experiment sired offspring that were largest after 8 weeks of growth. Half of the plants were grown under low-water conditions. Paternal effects on growth were not masked by the environmental effects. In fact, some paternal effects became stronger under stress. This suggests that paternal effects could also be important in the field. Plants sired by donor A bolted very early when water was limited and would probably have an advantage in a season that was very short due to an early and severe drought. During fertilization and seed filling, seeds sired by this donor were more frequent on water-stressed maternal plants than on control maternal plants (Marshall, 1988). The data from this experiment indicate a connection between pollen donor performance during mating and offspring growth. These results suggest that the processes that sort among potential fathers during pollination, fertilization, and seed filling, may improve offspring quality.     

FLOWER,FRUIT AND SEED ABORTION IN TROPICAL FOREST TREES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EVOLUTION OF PATERNAL AND MATERNAL REPRODUCTIVE PATTERNS

Flower, fruit and immature seed abortion was studied in seven self-incompatible species of trees in a tropical lowland semideciduous forest. The species showed considerable variability in fruit and seed set and the rate at which flowers and fruits were aborted. The amount of flower and fruit abortion also varied over time within species. Small samples of open-pollinated flowers in three species showed adequate amounts of pollen on the stigma, but it could not be determined whether the pollen was compatible or incompatible. In a species with multiseeded fruits, the aborted fruits contained significantly fewer seeds than those retained on the plant. Position of fruit within the inflorescence and of seed within the ovary also had a marked effect on abortion: fruits and seeds at certain positions had a higher probability of abortion than those at other positions. Experiments to test the effect of pollen source on abortion were inconclusive. The factors underlying abortions were evaluated in the context of three mutually non-exclusive hypotheses. It is concluded that selection for increased pollen dispersal and uncertainty in paternity of the zygotes are major factors underlying abortions.     

EFFECTS OF GAMMA-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID AND OTHER HYPNOTICS ON GLUCOSE UPTAKE IN VIVO AND IN VITRO

Abstract— (1) The effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate, imidazole-4-acetic acid and pento-barbitone on mouse brain glucose, glycogen and lactate levels have been studied. All the drugs significantly increased the brain glucose content, but did not significantly alter brain glycogen levels. The increase in brain glucose following imidazole-4-acetic acid or hypnotic doses of pentobarbitone was matched by corresponding decreases in the lactate level; this was not the case with gamma-hydroxybutyrate where the total glucose equivalents in the brain, expressed as the tissue level of (glucose) + (lactate/2), were significantly increased.
(2) All drugs except imidazole-4-acetic acid significantly decreased the rate of appearance of [¹⁴C]glucose into the bloodstream in vivo but had no effect on the uptake of glucose into rat diaphragm in vitro when present at 2·5 mM concentration.
(3) Only imidazole-4-acetic acid significantly inhibited glucose uptake into the brain in vivo but at 2·5 mM had no significant effect on glucose uptake into rat cerebral cortical slices in vitro.
(4) It is concluded that the very large increase in brain glucose level observed following the injection of hypnotic doses of gamma-hydroxybutyrate cannot be explained in terms of an increased net uptake of glucose into the brain.