湖南发现四川竹叶青蛇

2020年7月30日,在湖南壶瓶山国家级自然保护区石碾子沟（30°00′46″N,110°32′18″E,海拔615 m）采集到1号蛇类标本,经形态鉴定和分子系统关系比较,确定为四川竹叶青蛇（Trimeresurus sichuanensis）,为湖南省蛇类分布新记录种,该标本（CSUFTHPS2007080）存放于中南林业科技大学动物标本室。此次发现增补了四川竹叶青蛇的生物学信息,也表明该物种在武陵山脉及其延伸地区可能有着更为广泛的地理分布。建议进一步开展该物种种群生态学的研究,以便为该特有种种群和栖息地保护提供参考。     

滇绒鼠在四川的分类与分布厘定

2019至2023年,在四川省珙县（104°50′05″E,27°54′27″N,海拔1 331 m）和叙永县（105°32′05″E,28°13′51″N,海拔1370m）分别采集到2号和4号绒鼠类成体标本。这些标本个体较小,尾长约为体长的41%,形态鉴定属于滇绒鼠（Eothenomys eleusis）。对所采标本的Cyt b基因进行PCR扩增和测序,并结合从GenBank下载的绒鼠属物种序列构建贝叶斯基因树,结果显示：所采标本与滇绒鼠指名亚种（E. e. eleusis）聚为一个支系（贝叶斯后验概率为1.0）,遗传距离为0.8%,与滇绒鼠aurora亚种（E.e.aurora）的遗传距离为2.5%。根据标本形态、头骨特征,结合分子生物学证据,确定所采6号标本为滇绒鼠,是该物种在四川省的首次确认分布记录。标本现存于四川省林业科学研究院动物标本馆（编号分别为SAF19843、SAF19844、SAF220125、SAF220131、SAF23176和SAF23177）。     

湖南省爬行动物新纪录——华西腹链蛇及其系统发育分析

2023年5月24日于湖南省高望界国家级自然保护区(28°41′36″N, 110°09′30″E; 212 m)采集到东亚腹链蛇属(Hebius)一雌性物种标本,经形态特征比较,符合华西腹链蛇(Hebius maximus)形态描述;基于线粒体cytb基因构建的东亚腹链蛇属部分物种的贝叶斯系统发育树显示,该标本与华西腹链蛇(H. maximus)聚为一支,其遗传距离为1.7%～2.2%。综合形态数据与系统发育分析,确定此次采集到的标本为华西腹链蛇。同时,根据已有研究对华西腹链蛇在中国分布情况的报道,确定该标本系湖南省分布新纪录。本研究将湖南省东亚腹链蛇属种类提升至8种。     

湖南南山国家公园发现花坪角蟾

2023年6月12日,在湖南省城步县南山国家公园（110°11′42″E,26°11′54″N）采集到无尾目（Anura）角蟾科（Megophryidae）布角蟾属（Boulenophrys）雌性标本1号（标本号NS20230612）,现保存于湖南师范大学生命科学学院脊椎动物学实验室。该标本背部皮肤光滑有痣粒,两侧皮肤松弛,有刺疣,背部灰褐色,背中央有深色“X”形斑,与花坪角蟾（B. mirabilis）形态鉴别特征一致。基于线粒体16Sr RNA和COI基因片段进行的系统发育分析结果显示,该标本与花坪角蟾聚为一支;平均遗传距离为0.28%,远小于布角蟾属物种间的遗传距离。结合形态特征比较与系统发育关系重建,鉴定该标本为角蟾科布角蟾属花坪角蟾,查阅相关文献资料,确认花坪角蟾为湖南省两栖纲分布新记录种。该物种的发现丰富了南山国家公园的两栖爬行动物物种多样性,同时为该物种分类及谱系地理学研究提供了参考资料。     

贵州发现昆明钝头蛇

2020年8月在贵州省普安县（25°47′02″N,105°01′07″E,海拔1 636 m）采集到3号蛇类标本。它们在形态上与昆明钝头蛇（Pareas niger）相似。基于线粒体细胞色素b(Cytb)基因序列构建的系统发育树显示,此次采集的钝头蛇标本与昆明钝头蛇的1号地模标本序列聚为一支,它们之间的遗传距离为0.4%,远小于钝头蛇属物种之间的遗传距离（5.60%～23.90%）。综合形态比较和分子系统发育分析结果,确定此次采集到的钝头蛇标本为昆明钝头蛇,为贵州省爬行动物分布新记录种。     

湖北省蛇类新记录种——华西腹链蛇

2022年8月,在湖北省恩施土家族苗族自治州利川市（109°13′E,30°4′N,海拔1 179 m）采集到1号蛇亚目Serpentes水游蛇科Natricidae东亚腹链蛇属Hebius物种标本。经形态特征比较,并基于线粒体cyt b基因片段构建的东亚腹链蛇属部分物种分子系统发育树,鉴定该标本为华西腹链蛇H. maximus,为湖北省爬行动物新记录。本研究扩大了华西腹链蛇已知分布范围,并讨论了湖北省东亚腹链蛇属的多样性与分布情况。     

湖南省蛇类新纪录——龙胜小头蛇

2008年7月,在湖南省莽山自然保护区内(24°58′N, 112°52′E,1000 m)采集到蛇类标本1号,经鉴定,该蛇为龙胜小头蛇Oligodon lungshenensis,是湖南省蛇类新纪录.标本保存于西华师范大学生命科学学院标本室.     

贵州威宁发现景东臭蛙

2020年8月6日在贵州省威宁县雪山镇（27°04′09″N,104°04′44″E,海拔2 218 m）采集到6号两栖动物标本,经形态特征比较,与景东臭蛙（Odorrana jingdongensis）相似;基于线粒体16S rRNA构建臭蛙属（Odorrana）部分物种系统发育树,此次采集的臭蛙标本与景东臭蛙聚为一支,且具有较高的支持率（0.97/92,贝叶斯法/最大似然法）;基于Kimura双参数模型估算本次采集的臭蛙标本与景东模式产地标本间的遗传距离为0%,远小于臭蛙属物种间的遗传距离（1.3%～9.5%）。综合形态特征和分子系统发育比较,确定此次采集到的臭蛙标本为无尾目（Anura）蛙科（Ranidae）臭蛙属的景东臭蛙,系贵州省两栖动物分布新记录种。     

上海市发现钝尾两头蛇

正2017年9月8日,在上海市大金山岛的南坡中段(30°41′30″N,121°25′04″E,海拔40 m)距山脚约30 m和40 m处,采集到2号蛇类尸体标本。经查阅文献(浙江动物志委员会1990,赵尔宓1999,2006)和鉴定,确认为游蛇科(Colubridae)两头蛇属(Calamaria)的钝尾两头蛇(C.septentrionalis),系上海市首次发现。标本现保存于上海自然博物馆的两栖爬行类标本库房。     

湖南省两栖类新记录——桂北琴蛙及其系统发育分析

2023年4月21日,在湖南南山国家公园开展野生动物多样性调查过程中,于白云湖(26°18′36.23″N,110°20′05.43″E;海拔606 m)采集到2号蛙类标本(1雌1雄),经初步形态鉴定,其与桂北琴蛙(Nidirana guibeiensis)特征相似。对采集标本的线粒体16S r RNA进行PCR扩增测序后,构建琴蛙属(Nidirana)部分物种贝叶斯系统发育树,结果显示该蛙类标本与桂北琴蛙聚为一支,且具有较高的支持率(1.00);基于Kimura双参数模型估算,该标本与广西兴安县采集的桂北琴蛙标本间的遗传距离为0,远小于琴蛙属不同种间的遗传距离(3.2%～8.7%)。经形态特征鉴定和系统发育分析,确定该蛙类标本为无尾目(Anura)蛙科(Ranidae)琴蛙属(Nidirana)桂北琴蛙,为湖南省两栖动物新记录种。     

Recent advances in the study of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus replication and pathogenesis

It has now been over twenty years since a novel herpesviral genome was identified in Kaposi's sarcoma biopsies. Since then, the cumulative research effort by molecular biologists, virologists, clinicians, and epidemiologists alike has led to the extensive characterization of this tumor virus, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus(KSHV; also known as human herpesvirus 8(HHV-8)), and its associated diseases. Here we review the current knowledge of KSHV biology and pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis on new and exciting advances in the field of epigenetics. We also discuss the development and practicality of various cell culture and animal model systems to study KSHV replication and pathogenesis.     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

The structure, reproduction and taxonomy of Vidalia and Osmundaria (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae)

Comprises species occurring mostly in subtidal habitats in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate areas of the world. An analysis of the type species, V. spiralis (Sonder) Lamouroux ex J. Agardh, a species from Australia, establishes basic characters for distinguishing species in the genus. These characters are (1) branching patterns of thalli, (2) flat blades that may be spiralled on their axis, (3) width of the blade, (4) primary or secondary derivation of sterile and fertile branchlets and (5) position of sterile and fertile branchlets on the thalli. Application of the latter two characters provides an important basic method for separation of species into three major groups. Osmundaria , a genus known only in southern Australia, was studied in relation to Vidalia , and its separation from the Vidalia assemblage is not accepted. Species of Vidalia therefore are transferred to the older genus name, Osmundaria. Two new species, Osmundaria papenfussii and Osmundaria oliveae are described from Natal. Confusion in the usage of the epithet, Vidalia fimbriala Brown ex Turner has been clarified, and Vidalia gregaria Falkenberg, described as an epiphyte on Osmundaria pro/ifera Lamouroux, is revealed to be young branches of the host, Osmundaria prolifera.     

New or rare chromosome counts in Artemisia L. (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) and related genera from Kazakhstan

Fifteen chromosome counts of six Artemisia taxa and one species of each of the genera Brachanthemum, Hippolytia, Kaschgaria, Lepidolopsis and Turaniphytum are reported from Kazakhstan. Three of them are new reports, two are not consistent with previous counts and the remainder are confirmations of very scarce (one to four) earlier records. All the populations studied have the same basic chromosome number, x = 9, with ploidy levels ranging from 2x to 6x. Some correlations between ploidy level, morphological characters and distribution are noted.