毛蚶与青蚶精子超微结构及其所反映的蚶科进化关系

应用透射电镜技术,比较研究了毛蚶与青蚶精子的超微结构。毛蚶精子顶体为圆锥形,约为核长的1／2;精核无核前窝,具核后窝;中段横切面常见5个(偶见4个)线粒体环绕于中心粒周围;精子末段由轴丝及包绕轴丝的质膜组成,轴丝为典型的“9 2”结构。青蚶精子顶体轴向纵切面呈伞状,覆盖于细胞核前端,约为核长的1／3;精核具核前窝和核后窝;中段横切面常见有5个(偶见6个)线粒体环绕于中心粒周围;末段结构同毛蚶。顶体的形态、核前窝和核后窝的有无、中段线粒体的数量等是探索蚶科动物种间进化关系的线索。     

泥蚶谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶基因的全长克隆与表达分析

为了探讨谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（Glutathione peroxidase,GPx）基因在泥蚶应激反应中的作用,研究采用RACE技术克隆了泥蚶GPx基因（TgGPx）cDNA全长,其cDNA全长1195 bp,包含45 bp 5’-UTR,639 bp开放阅读框（ORF）和511 bp 3’-UTR。ORF编码212个氨基酸残基,预测蛋白分子量为24.3 kD,理论等电点为8.33,其中,第53个氨基酸U是由密码子202UGA204编码的硒代半胱氨酸（Se-Cys）。在3’-UTR上存在一段序列,形成一种独特的茎环结构,即SECIS元件。SECIS元件在密码子UGA翻译为Se-Cys的过程中起决定性作用。通过序列比对与系统进化分析,发现软体动物中也存在不同种类的GPx基因,TgGPx与GPx1和GPx2的亲缘关系较近。利用qRT-PCR技术对TgGPx在泥蚶的不同组织以及重金属刺激后的表达量进行分析,结果表明,TgGPx在泥蚶的5个组织中都有表达,但存在组织特异性,在外套膜中的表达量最高,在血细胞中的表达量最低。用重金属铅、铜、镉刺激后,TgGPx在肝胰脏中的表达量显著升高,表明TgGPx在维护机体正常功能方面及泥蚶抵御外界刺激的应激反应中发挥作用。     

5个泥蚶群体遗传多样性的RAPD分析

采用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)技术 ,对 5个泥蚶群体的遗传多样性进行了研究。在选择的 2 0个随机引物中共检测到 15 4个扩增片段 ,长度在 30 0bp～ 2 30 0bp之间 ,每个个体扩增条带在 1～ 11条不等。利用Popgen3.2和PHILIP统计软件 ,获得实验数据 ,确立了 5个群体间的亲缘关系。结果表明 :( 1)泥蚶的 5个地理群体分化不明显 ,没有形成不同的地理种群 ;( 2 )聚类分析显示 ,韩国群体与浙江群体亲缘关系最近 ,然后依次为山东群体和福建群体 ;( 3) 5个群体无论是在多态位点比例还是在平均遗传杂合度上都处于较高水平 ,说明泥蚶当前种质资源状况良好 ,遗传多样性水平较高 ,泥蚶养殖有很好的发展前景 ;( 4)与韩国野生群体相比 ,其他 4个泥蚶群体在多态位点比例和遗传平均杂合度上都有不同程度的降低 ,表明人为等因素已经开始影响到泥蚶的种质资源状况。因此 ,为持续发展泥蚶养殖业 ,必须加强保护泥蚶现有的种质资源并制定相应的渔业管理措施。     

基于线粒体COI基因序列探讨泥蚶的遗传分化

采用PCR技术对我国沿海地区7个泥蚶群体的线粒体COI基因部分序列进行了测定和遗传分析。在来自7个群体的38个泥蚶样本均得到660 bp的COI基因片段序列,共103个多态位点,组成17种单倍型;数据分析表明：7个群体形成了二大类群：福建以北(包括福建)的5个群体（江苏盐城、浙江奉化、浙江乐清养殖和自然群体、福建福鼎）形成一个类群,类群内的遗传距离为0.0016;福建以南的类群（广东湛江、海南海口）形成一个类群,遗传距离为0.0006;二个类群之间的遗传距离为0.1529,表现为高度的分化。因此我国沿海泥蚶已分化形成福建以南和以北二大类群,二大类群之间的遗传分化已达到亚种水平。     

不同群体毛蚶rDNA转录间隔区RFLP及序列分析

对3个地理种群毛蚶核糖体ITS区进行RFLP分析,并对其ITS-1端进行序列分析.未见ITS区具有限制性片段长度多态性,在ITS-1端564 bp的序列中多态位点为3.37%,表明毛蚶的遗传多样性很低,但3个群体的遗传多样性由高到低为塘沽、大连和宁波样本.依据564 bp序列构建的NJ聚类图显示大连和塘沽样本的亲缘关系相对较近.564 bp序列中C、G、A和T的含量平均分别为24.90%、26.89%、22.18%和26.09%.     

闸坡蚶类的初步调查

广东省阳江市闸坡港的蚶类资源丰富,经鉴定得7属16种,其中7种在闸坡尚未有记载。蚶科种类主要分布在潮间带中、低潮区至浅海,毛蚶属的种类为其中优势种类。     

雷州地区马尾藻系统进化分析

通过PCR扩增测序及种间比对,对获得的6种马尾藻18SrRNA、COI和ITS基因部分同源序列进行分析,结果显示:(1)18S rRNA基因同源序列长度为1 673 bp,其中保守位点1 668个,可变位点3个,简约信息位点1个,单变异多态位点2个;T、C、A、G的平均含量分别为26.4％、21.4％、24.4％、27.8％.(2)COI同源序列长度为643 bp,其中保守位点567个,可变位点76个,简约信息位点28个,单变异多态位点47个;T、C、A、G的平均含量分别为40.0％、17.6％、19.1％、23.3％.(3)ITS同源序列长度为1 539 bp,其中保守位点1 272个,可变位点193个,简约信息位点55个,单变异多态位点138个;T、C、A、G的平均含量分别为23.5％、26.5％、17.1％、32.9％.(4)基于Kimnra双参数模型计算遗传距离,选用褐藻纲部分物种为外源,构建18S rRNA,COI和ITS基因序列系统发育树.用COI和ITS基因构建的发育树与利用形态学进行的分类较为一致,真马尾藻亚属(Sargassum)的张氏马尾藻(Sargassum zhangii)、全缘马尾藻(Sargassum integerrimum)、匍枝马尾藻(Sargassum polycystum)、亨氏马尾藻(Sargassum henslowianum)、灰叶马尾藻(Sargassum cinereum)亲缘关系较近,先聚为一支,再与反曲叶亚属的半叶马尾藻(Sargassum hemiphyllum)聚为一支,然后与其他亚属的聚为一大支;而用18S rRNA基因构建的发育树中,亨氏马尾藻先与半叶马尾藻聚为一支,后与真马尾藻亚属的聚为一支,最后与其他亚属的聚为一大支.从序列的保守度分析,18SrRNA基因具有高度保守性,可用于属以上单元鉴别分类;COI和ITS基因多态性较高,可用于种间分类.     

海参核糖体基因间隔区2(ITS2)的克隆及序列分析

为探讨刺参科海参和海参科海参的系统进化关系,本研究通过PCR技术获取19种刺参科和海参科海参的ITS2序列,从NCBI上获取瓜参(C. salma)的ITS2序列。结果表明ITS2序列具有长度多态性,从318 bp (绿刺参)到591 bp (白尼参属)。海参属的ITS2序列长度多态性高,ITS2的GC含量从56.7%(糙海参)到70.6%(瓜参)。海参ITS2序列保守性不高,仅有48个保守位点,其余均为变异位点。基于ITS2的系统进化树结果显示进化树主要分成两支,一支包括海参科的4个属:海参属、白尼参属、辐肛参属和格皮氏海参属。辐肛参属和格皮氏海参属为姐妹关系,二者聚在一起后与白尼参属聚为一支,随后再与海参属聚在一起。白尼参属和辐肛参属为单系,海参属为复系。另一支为C. salma和刺参科。梅花参属与刺参属聚为一支后,再与仿刺参属聚在一起,3个属都是单系。在20种海参中,S. naso与B. argus的遗传距离最大(6.415)。刺参属中,S. monotuberculatus和S. horrens遗传距离最近(0.012),海参属中,糙海参与H. fuscopunctata的遗传距离最大(3.24)。本研究为从分子水平上研究海参科和刺参科之间的系统进化关系奠定了基础。     

魁蚶幼贝对筒柱藻滤食效应的初步研究

采用实验生态学方法和"捕食者-猎物"的捕食模型,研究了黑暗条件下魁蚶(Anadara broughtonii)幼贝对筒柱藻(Cylindrotheca fusiformis)的滤食效应,测定了5种藻液浓度(30×107~150×107cells/L)及4个温度梯度(10℃、15℃、20℃和25℃)下魁蚶对饵料生物的滤食能力、功能反应类型和滤藻效应特征,并分别建立Holling圆盘方程。同时研究了水温20℃时魁蚶个体间的滤食干扰反应,建立了藻液浓度和魁蚶自身密度的联合反应方程。实验发现,水温20℃条件下,魁蚶幼贝对筒柱藻的平均滤食速率随着藻液浓度的增加而显著增大(P0.05),且0~4 h时段内的滤食速率显著高于其他时段。魁蚶滤食筒柱藻的功能反应属Holling-Ⅱ型,拟合圆盘方程为Na=1.0195N_0/1+0.002039N_0滤食功能系数为1.019 5,极限法推出壳长30~35 mm的魁蚶对筒柱藻的日均最大滤食量约为500×107 cells/L;10~25℃条件下,魁蚶的平均滤食速率和滤食功能反应系数随温度升高呈现先升高后下降的变化趋势,并于20℃时达到最大值,推测20℃是其最佳摄食温度。魁蚶的滤食效应存在较强的个体间干扰反应,平均滤食量和滤食作用率均随幼贝密度的增加而下降,且魁蚶滤食筒柱藻的功能反应与幼贝密度的关系可用幂函数方程E=0.730 8P﹣1.068表示,由此建立了魁蚶幼贝密度与筒柱藻藻液浓度之间的联合反应方程N_a=0.7451P~(-0.0684)N_0/1+0.0020N0。结果表明,水温20℃时,魁蚶幼贝具有较强的潜在滤食能力,其平均滤食量和滤食作用率与幼贝密度间存在明显的"负密度效应"特征。     

基于叶绿体DNA ndhA和nrDNA ITS序列变异分析栽培柿及其近缘种亲缘关系

以柿属植物（Diospyros spp.）中与柿近缘的8种共30个基因型为试材,进行核糖体DNA(nrDNA)内转录间隔区（ITS）和叶绿体DNA ndhA序列变异分析,并通过软件计算两个序列及合并后的进化模型,依据进化模型采用ML法(maximum likelihood method)分析进化关系。为进一步弄清柿属植物种间亲缘关系和供试柿（Diospyros kaki Thunb.）种内分子差异提供了理论依据。结果表明：（1）ndhA序列长度变异范围在1 492~1 511,14个信息位点;ITS序列长度变异范围在660~761,56个信息位点。ITS、ndhA和ndhA+ITS（ndhA和ITS合并）最适碱基进化模型分别为（TrN+I+G）、（F81+I）和（GTR+I+G）。综合ITS和ndhA序列分析表明：柿与油柿和云南野毛柿亲缘关系最近,与美洲柿和乌柿最远。（2）21份柿品种材料的ITS长度均为730,包括4个变异位点,据此4个变异位点对供试柿种内21个品种进行聚类分析。研究认为,ndhA和ITS能较清楚解释了柿与其近缘种间的亲缘关系,并通过柿品种ITS的差异位点分析鉴别出栽培柿种内的差异。     

A novel anticoagulant protein from Scapharca broughtonii

An anticoagulant protein was purified from the edible portion of a blood ark shell, Scapharca broughtonii, by ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, Sephadex G- 75, DEAE-Sephacel, and Biogel P-100. In vitro assays with human plasma, the anticoagulant from S. broughtonii, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and inhibited the factor IX in the intrinsic pathway of the blood coagulation cascade. But, the fibrin plate assay did not show that the anticoagulant is a fibrinolytic protease. The molecular mass of the purified S. broughtonii anticoagulant was measured to be about 26.0 kDa by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-75 column and SDSPAGE under denaturing conditions. The optimum activity in the APTT assay was exhibited at pH 7.0-7.5 and 40-45 degrees C in the presence of Ca(2+).     

Oxidation reaction of Scapharca inaequivalvis hemoglobins with nitrite

The oxidation reaction with nitrite of the dimeric and tetrameric hemoglobins from the mollusc Scapharca inaequivalvis has been studied kinetically and at equilibrium. In line with previous findings obtained with ferricyanide as oxidant, in both proteins the stable oxidation product is a hemichrome, although the nitrite-methemoglobin complex is formed in significant amount when excess nitrite is employed. The reaction kinetics are characterized by a lag period followed by an autocatalytic phase, as in the case of human hemoglobin. However, with respect to human hemoglobin, in the two molluscan proteins the lag phase is prolonged significantly due to the instability of their met-form, an obligatory intermediate for the onset of autocatalysis. All the data obtained in spectrophotometric, EPR and sedimentation velocity experiments under a variety of experimental conditions conform to the reaction mechanism proposed for human hemoglobin (Spagnuolo et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 911 (1987) 59-63) provided hemichrome formation and nitrite binding are taken into account.     

Oxidized dimeric Scapharca inaequivalvis. Co-driven perturbation of the redox equilibrium

The dimeric hemoglobin isolated from Scapharca inaequivalvis, HbI, is notable for its highly cooperative oxygen binding and for the unusual proximity of its heme groups. We now report that the oxidized protein, an equilibrium mixture of a dimeric high spin aquomet form and a monomeric low spin hemichrome, binds ferrocyanide tightly which allows for internal electron transfer with the heme iron. Surprisingly, when ferricyanide-oxidized HbI is exposed to CO, its spectrum shifts to that of the ferrous CO derivative. Gasometric removal of CO leads to the oxidized species rather than to ferrous deoxy-HbI. At equilibrium, CO binds with an apparent affinity (p50) of about 10-25 mm of Hg and no cooperativity (20 degrees C, 10-50 mM buffers at pH 6.1). The kinetics of CO binding under pseudo-first order conditions are biphasic (t1/2 of 15-50 s at pH 6.1). The rates depend on protein, but not on CO concentration. The nitrite-oxidized protein is not reduced readily in the presence of CO unless one equivalent of ferrocyanide, but not of ferricyanide, is added. We infer that ferrocyanide, produced in the oxidation reaction, is tightly bound to the protein forming a redox couple with the heme iron. CO shifts the redox equilibrium by acting as a trap for the reduced heme. The equilibrium and kinetic aspects of the process have been accounted for in a reaction scheme where the internal electron transfer reaction is the rate-limiting step.     

Nucleotides modulate the activity of aspartate racemase of Scapharca broughtonii

The activity of -aspartate racemase purified from Scapharca broughtonii has been found to depend markedly on some nucleotides. Purine nucleoside monophosphates enhanced the enzyme activity, which was, on the contrary, lowered by purine nucleoside triphosphates and not affected by pyrimidine nucleotides. AMP produced the highest increase of seven-fold in the enzyme activity at 6 mM and a half-maximum increase at approximately 3.8 mM. ATP caused a half-maximum decrease in the activity at approximately 1.4 mM and the remaining activity was lower than 7% at saturating ATP concentrations. AMP and ATP both brought about changes in V_max and not in K_m. Analysis of the effect of AMP and ATP suggests that each of them has its own primary binding site, which is different from the substrate-binding site. In view of these effects of the nucleotides, the roles of the racemase and -aspartate in energy metabolism under anoxic conditions are discussed.     

A cooperative hemoglobin with directly communicating hemes. The Scapharca inaequivalvis homodimer

The unique functional properties of the homodimeric hemoglobin (HbI) extracted from the Arcid blood clam Scapharca inaequivalvis are discussed in the light of the unusual assembly of this protein. At variance with vertebrate hemoglobins, in S. inaequivalvis HbI, the heme-carrying E and F helices form the subunit interface and bring the heme groups almost into direct contact. This creates a new pathway for transferring information about the ligation state of the heme from one subunit to the other which allows cooperativity in the binding of heme ligands to be displayed by a homodimer. The tight coupling between the two subunits and the two heme groups also manifests itself in other reactions that are cooperative in S. inaequivalvis HbI, but not in human hemoglobin, namely, the cleavage of the proximal histidine-heme iron bond and the modification of specific residues located at the subunit interface.     

Ligand migration and binding in the dimeric hemoglobin of Scapharca inaequivalvis

Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy combined with temperature derivative spectroscopy (TDS) at cryogenic temperatures, we have studied CO binding to the heme and CO migration among cavities in the interior of the dimeric hemoglobin of Scapharca inaequivalvis (HbI) after photodissociation. By combining these studies with X-ray crystallography, three transient ligand docking sites were identified: a primary docking site B in close vicinity to the heme iron, and two secondary docking sites C and D corresponding to the Xe4 and Xe2 cavities of myoglobin. To assess the relevance of these findings for physiological binding, we also performed flash photolysis experiments on HbICO at room temperature and equilibrium binding studies with dioxygen. Our results show that the Xe4 and Xe2 cavities serve as transient docking sites for unbound ligands in the protein, but not as way stations on the entry/exit pathway. For HbI, the so-called histidine gate mechanism proposed for other globins appears as a plausible entry/exit route as well.     

Ten new highly polymorphic microsatellite loci in the blood clam Scapharca broughtonii

Ten novel microsatellite loci were isolated from blood clam Scapharca broughtonii, and the polymorphisms were examined to estimate genetic variability. The genetic variabilities varied depending on the locus. The number of alleles ranged from 11 to 23, and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.63 to 0.93 and 0.66 to 0.95, respectively. Four loci showed significant Hardy–Weinberg disequilibrium at P < 0.05 level. The high variabilities revealed in this study suggest that microsatellites should prove useful for various genetic investigations.     

An optical signal correlated with the allosteric transition in Scapharca inaequivalvis HbI

The transient absorbance change within the first 2 mus of photolysis of COHbI (from Scapharca inaequivalvis) reported by Chiancone et al. [Chiancone, E., Elber, R., Royer, W. E., Regan, R., and Gibson, Q. H. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 5711-5718] has been studied in several mutants. Evidence is presented that this change (rts) is associated with the allosteric transition between R and T states. Two different rts spectra relate to Hb2 and Hb2CO. No rts has been observed for mutants at position 97 (normally Phe). Correlation of ligand binding and rts shows that protein function changes at or near the rates of rts, typically, 2 x 10(6) s-1 (Hb2) and 5 x 10(5) s-1 (Hb2CO). Unique values of allosteric parameters for several mutants have been obtained by combining kinetic and equilibrium data. The effect of mutation on function thus may be assigned to allostery or to a change in intrinsic heme reactivity.     

Purification and characterization of aspartate racemase from the bivalve mollusk Scapharca broughtonii

High concentrations of D-aspartate occur in blood shell Scapharca broughtonii (Mollusca) tissues. We purified aspartate racemase from the foot muscle of the bivalve to electrophoretic homogeneity. The molecular mass shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel was 39 kDa, while that shown by gel filtration ranged from 51 to 63 kDa. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependency of the enzyme was demonstrated by its absorption spectrum as well as the effects of amino-oxyacetate and other reagents on the activity and spectrum. The enzyme is highly specific to aspartate and does not racemize L-alanine, L-serine and L-glutamate. It showed the highest activity at pH 8 both in the conversion of L- to D- and D- to L-aspartate, and the optimal temperature was 25 degrees C. V(max) and K(m) values for L-aspartate were 7.39 micromolmin(-1)mg(-1) and 60.4 mM and those for D-aspartate were 22.6 micromolmin(-1)mg(-1) and 159 mM, respectively.     

Dimeric and tetrameric hemoglobins from the mollusc Scapharca inaequivalvis: The oxidation reaction

The oxidation by ferricyanide of the dimeric (HbI) and tetrameric (HbII) hemoglobins from the bivalve mollusc Scapharca inaequivalvis has been studied in static and kinetic experiments. Both hemoglobins give rise to hemichromes as stable oxidation products.Oxidation of deoxyHbI yields a hemichrome by a simple bimolecular process. No intermediate Met form can be detected during the reaction even in rapid mixing experiments. The HbI hemichrome undergoes a reversible pH-dependent dissociation into monomers. A simple model has been proposed to account for the linkage between proton binding and subunit dissociation.In the case of tetrameric HbII, oxidation yields an intermediate Met form. Thus, the kinetics of the oxidation reaction are always biphasic; the fast reaction is a bimolecular process and yields the Met derivative. The slow reaction is a monomolecular process and corresponds to the conversion of the Met form into the hemichrome: its rate is independent of the state of ligation of the ferrous protein and decreases with increase of pH. The HbII hemichrome is tetrameric when newly formed: it tends to dissociate into lower molecular weight species with the same optical properties. The rate of dissociation is relatively fast at neutral pH ($\text{t}\text{1}\text{2}$ ≈ 12 min) and markedly less at alkaline pH values.The HbI and HbII hemichromes are reduced by dithionite yielding the spectra of the native deoxygenated proteins: in the case of HbII, the tetrameric structure of the native protein is re-acquired.