昆虫生物钟分子调控研究进展

昆虫生物钟节律的研究是人类了解生物节律的重要途径。昆虫在生理和行为上具有广泛的节律活动,如运动、睡眠、学习记忆、交配、嗅觉等节律活动,其中昼夜活动行为节律的研究广泛而深入。昆虫乃至高等动物普遍具有保守的昼夜节律系统,昼夜生物钟节律主要包括输入系统:用于接受外界光和温度等环境信号并传入核心振荡器,使得生物时钟与环境同步;核心时钟系统:自我维持的昼夜振荡器;输出系统:将生物钟产生的信号传递出去而控制生物行为和生理的节律变化。早期分子和遗传学研究主要关注昼夜节律振荡器的分子机制及神经生物学,阐明了昼夜生物钟节律的主要分子机制及相关神经网络。最近更多的研究关注生物钟信号是如何输入和输出。本文以果蝇运动节律的相关研究为主要内容,围绕生物钟输入系统、振荡器、输出系统这3个组成部分对昆虫生物钟研究进展进行总结。     

生物节律与生物钟 上

一、生物定时与生物周期现象大约60多年前,有位习惯在阳台上用早餐的学者,一天偶然看到有蜜蜂飞上阳台,叮在早餐的甜食上。在此后的几天里,他留心观察,发现蜜蜂几乎每天都在同一时间里飞来。接着他做了一个实验,从第五天起餐桌上不再放有甜食,结果连续两天蜜蜂仍每天按时飞来。这说明蜜蜂并不是无意间因餐桌上甜食的招引才飞来的。这种现象被称为生物定时(Biochroni-ze)。     

生物钟基因与脂质代谢紊乱

生物钟是生物适应环境节律变化形成的特殊生理机制,具有一定的节律性。生物钟基因被证实参与调节多种生物生理活动,如生物的各种代谢活动、细胞的凋亡与坏死、肿瘤的发生与发展和炎症反应等。其中,脂质代谢作为一项重要的代谢活动,其紊乱可能诱发高血脂症、动脉粥样硬化等疾病。脂质代谢的调节受生物钟相关基因的调节。本文就有关生物钟的生理机制及生物钟基因参与脂质代谢调节的研究进行综述。     

生物钟作用机制及其对动物年节律产生的影响

生物钟几乎存在于所有生命体,是生物适应外界环境的每日周期性变化而产生的内部活动。生物钟在体内受转录-翻译-负反馈环路调控,能调节组织、器官的活动,其正常维持对生物的健康、生长、繁殖等具有重要意义。与之相对,由于环境的四季变化,生物也形成了体内的年周期生理变化,如季节性发情、昆虫滞育等。生物的年节律在外部主要受光周期为主的环境因素影响,在体内则与基因表达、激素含量和细胞组织形态的变化有关。褪黑素是识别外部光周期变化的重要信号,而生物钟在垂体解析褪黑素信号并调控下游信号变化中扮演着重要角色,对环境年度变化的识别和机体年节律的产生具有重要指导作用。本文通过介绍昆虫和哺乳动物的昼夜节律和年节律产生的机制,并结合鸟类的年节律,综述了生物钟对年节律产生影响的作用机制研究进展,以期为今后研究年节律的影响机制提供更广泛的思路。     

糖尿病和高血糖与生物钟紊乱有关

一个由多国科学家组成的研究小组近日发现。糖尿病和高血糖可能与人体生物钟和睡眠模式的异常有关。相关论文12月7日在线发表于《自然-遗传学》。     

生物钟与衰老的相关研究进展

众所周知,从单细胞生物到人,几乎所有生物体在生理和行为上都表现出昼夜节律。内源性生物钟是产生昼夜节律的物质基础,由母钟和子钟组成,母钟位于下丘脑视交叉上核（SCN）,子钟位于各个外周组织（肝脏、心脏等）。随着机体的逐渐衰老,反应生物钟输出信号的生理昼夜节律在振荡幅度、振荡周期和表达时相等方面发生了相应的变化。另一方面,生物钟控制的生理昼夜节律影响衰老的进程,生物钟功能紊乱会严重加速机体的衰老。本文概述了衰老与生物钟之间的相关研究进展,为进一步认识衰老机制及其对机体的影响提供了线索。     

哺乳动物卵巢生物钟的研究进展

近年来,越来越多的研究发现生物钟系统在许多生理活动中,包括心血管、内分泌、免疫、生殖等系统的生理,都起着重要作用。随着2006年卵巢生物钟的发现,生殖系统生物钟成为新的研究热点。研究发现卵巢生物钟不仅影响排卵,而且还控制类固醇激素的释放。卵巢生物钟属外围生物钟,受到中央生物钟(SCN)神经内分泌信号的调控。还发现下丘脑-垂体-卵巢(HPG)轴上各水平都存在生物钟,HPG轴上各生物钟失同步影响生殖能力,这可能导致一些疾病发生的病因。本文总结近十年的关于卵巢生物钟的研究,列举哺乳动物卵巢生物钟存在的证据,并阐述生物钟在雌鼠正常生殖生理过程,及在生殖系统疾病病理过程中的作用及其分子机制。     

Timeless与生物钟基因

综述了timeless基因的发现、多态性和重要功能。timeless是最先被发现的两个生物钟基因之一。生物钟的昼夜节律由PER、TIM、CLOCK和CYCLE4个生物钟齿轮组成的正负反馈回路进行调节。其中TIM可以受光因子调控,它还可以与PER形成异二聚体,通过正负调控方式调节果蝇的昼夜节律行为。     

生物钟的分子机制研究进展

RecentDevelopmentsinMolecularMechanismsofBiologicalClockHouBingkai(DepartmentofBiology,ShandongUniversity,Jinan250100)YuHuimin(DepartmentofBiochemistry,ShandongEducationCollege,Jinan250013)生物的昼夜节奏表现,从单细胞生物到多细胞生物,从原校生物到真核生物都曾被描述过。由于这种现象在生物界广泛存在,关于它的特征、意义和机理的研究日益受到人们重视。其中最重要和最吸引人的方面是它的测时系统—一生物钟（biologicalclock）,也称生物振荡器（oscillators）。近年来,人们从分子水平对生物钟的研究比较活…     

生物钟与衰老的相关研究进展

众所周知,从单细胞生物到人,几乎所有生物体在生理和行为上都表现出昼夜节律.内源性生物钟是产生昼夜节律的物质基础,由母钟和子钟组成,母钟位于下丘脑视交叉上核(SCN),子钟位于各个外周组织(肝脏、心脏等).随着机体的逐渐衰老,反应生物钟输出信号的生理昼夜节律在振荡幅度、振荡周期和表达时相等方面发生了相应的变化.另一方面,生物钟控制的生理昼夜节律影响衰老的进程,生物钟功能紊乱会严重加速机体的衰老.本文概述了衰老与生物钟之间的相关研究进展,为进一步认识衰老机制及其对机体的影响提供了线索.     

昆虫钟基因研究进展

昆虫进化形成了内在的生物钟机制以协调行为、生理及代谢节律与外部环境信号同步,从而更有效地利用资源并获得适应性优势。行为、生理及代谢昼夜调控的协调对于昆虫有效应对可预见的生理上的挑战至关重要。生化过程和代谢变化与外部环境的昼夜节律同步性受基因表达的控制,钟基因在昆虫的重要生理过程如中枢及外围生物钟机制、光周期信号传导、光周期介导的外围组织调控、代谢以及免疫中发挥着重要作用。根据信号转导过程中的作用,昆虫钟基因分为3类——信号输入基因、信号震荡起搏器和信号输出基因,它们通过相互作用形成了复杂的转录-翻译反馈回路并参与调控昆虫昼夜节律和光周期事件。本文针对昆虫钟基因的鉴定、分类和功能,作用分子机制以及研究方法和挑战等方面作了总结,并展望了昆虫钟基因未来的研究方向,这将为昆虫钟基因的进一步功能研究及开发利用提供信息参考。     

Status of insects as a biological resource in Korea

In the last decade there has been a growing awareness of biological resources worldwide. The Korean Government initiated a plan to elevate insect resources as a new industry in 2010. The current situations on the use of biological resources and of insect‐related industries in Korea are presented.     

What do we know about biological nitrogen fixation in insects? Evidence and implications for the insect and the ecosystem

Many insects feed on a low‐nitrogen diet, and the origin of their nitrogen supply is poorly understood. It has been hypothesized that some insects rely on nitrogen‐fixing bacteria (diazotrophs) to supplement their diets. Nitrogen fixation by diazotrophs has been extensively studied and convincingly demonstrated in termites, while evidence for the occurrence and role of nitrogen fixation in the diet of other insects is less conclusive. Here, we summarize the methods to detect nitrogen fixation in insects and review the available evidence for its occurrence (focusing on insects other than termites). We distinguish between three aspects of nitrogen fixation investigations: (i) detecting the presence of potential diazotrophs; (ii) detecting the activity of the nitrogen‐fixing enzyme; and (iii) detecting the assimilation of fixed nitrogen into the insect tissues. We show that although evidence from investigations of the first aspect reveals ample opportunities for interactions with potential diazotrophs in a variety of insects, demonstrations of actual biological nitrogen fixation and the assimilation of fixed nitrogen are restricted to very few insect groups, including wood‐feeding beetles, fruit flies, leafcutter ants, and a wood wasp. We then discuss potential implications for the insect's fitness and for the ecosystem as a whole. We suggest that combining these multiple approaches is crucial for the study of nitrogen fixation in insects, and argue that further demonstrations are desperately needed in order to determine the relative importance of diazotrophs for insect diet and fitness, as well as to evaluate their overall impact on the ecosystem.     

Effect of sleep deprivation on rhythms of clock gene expression and melatonin in humans

This study investigated the impact of sleep deprivation on the human circadian system. Plasma melatonin and cortisol levels and leukocyte expression levels of 12 genes were examined over 48?h (sleep vs. no-sleep nights) in 12 young males (mean?±?SD: 23?±?5 yrs). During one night of total sleep deprivation, BMAL1 expression was suppressed, the heat shock gene HSPA1B expression was induced, and the amplitude of the melatonin rhythm increased, whereas other high-amplitude clock gene rhythms (e.g., PER1-3, REV-ERBα) remained unaffected. These data suggest that the core clock mechanism in peripheral oscillators is compromised during acute sleep deprivation.     

昆虫的雌雄嵌合现象

探讨了昆虫雌雄嵌合体的类型、类群、发生机制、对昆虫生物学的影响 ,以及其在胚胎发育学、比较形态学、神经系统调控机理上的应用。并对 1 980～ 2 0 0 0年《动物学记录》中收入的雌雄嵌合体记录进了行整理 ,共发现 1 3目 69科昆虫有雌雄嵌合体记载。文中还整理了中国现有的雌雄嵌合体记录     

Rhythmic changes in metabolism of dopamine in the chick retina: the importance of light versus biological clock

Rhythmic changes in dopamine (DA) content and metabolism were studied in retinas of chicks that were adapted to three different lighting conditions: 12-h light : 12-h dark (LD), constant darkness (DD) and continuous light (LL). Retinas of chicks kept under LD conditions exhibited light-dark-dependent variations in the steady-state level of DA and the two metabolites of DA, i.e. 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanilic acid (HVA). Concentrations of DA, DOPAC and HVA were high in light hours and low in dark hours of the LD illumination cycle. In retinas of chicks kept under DD, the content of DA, DOPAC and HVA oscillated in a rhythmic manner for 2 days, with higher values during the subjective light phase than during the subjective dark phase. The amplitudes of the observed oscillations markedly and progressively declined compared with the amplitudes recorded under the LD cycle. In retinas of chicks kept under LL conditions, levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA were similar to those found during the light phase of the LD cycle. Changes in the retinal contents of DA and HVA did not exhibit pronounced daily oscillations, while on the first day of LL the retinal concentrations of DOPAC were significantly higher during the subjective light phase than during the subjective dark phase. Acute exposure of chicks to light during the dark phase of the LD cycle markedly increased DA and DOPAC content in the retina. In contrast, light deprivation during the day decreased the retinal concentrations of DA and DOPAC. It is suggested that of the two regulatory factors controlling the level and metabolism of DA in the retina of chick, i.e. light and biological clock, environmental lighting conditions seem to be of major importance, with light conveying a stimulatory signal for the retinal dopaminergic cells.     

定量评价天敌昆虫控害功能的稳定同位素方法

天敌在区域性多作物农田景观系统中辗转捕食害虫,对调节和控制害虫种群数量发挥着非常重要的作用。明确天敌昆虫的食物来源和扩散规律是定量评价其控害功能的重要环节。其中,稳定同位素标记方法是追溯生物个体的食物来源和探究其运动规律的重要手段。本文首先介绍该标记方法的基本原理,接着以天敌昆虫龟纹瓢虫Propylea japonica(Thunberg)为例,应用稳定同位素碳标记方法追溯其在棉花和玉米农田景观系统中取食来源与食物比例;最后叙述了稳定同位素方法的应用前景和存在的问题。     

Threat and management strategies of potentially invasive insects in China

The Global Invasive Species Database, GISD, comprises 27 species of the most significant invasive alien insects in the world (through November, 2005), 6 of which are originally native to China, 11 are established in China, and 10 have a potential invasion threat to China. This paper discusses these species in terms of distribution, harmfulness and dispersal ways, and finds that: (i) Information regarding invasive insects in the GISD remains inadequate. Such harmful invasive species as Opogona sacchari (Bojer), Oracella acuta (Lobdell), and Dendroctonus valens LeConte are not included. (ii) Ten species of invasive insects, particularly Lasius neglectus Van Loon and Linepithema humile (Mayr) which become established in areas near China, have the potential to become established in China. (iii) Special attention should be paid to species from Asia and the Americas because of their greater likelihood of becoming established in China. Finally, some management strategies including legislation, quarantine, early warning, prevention and control are suggested.