Analysis of the genetic diversity of Bemisia tabaci populations in Shanxi province, China☆

Five different primer combinations were used for the analysis of 152 B biotype Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) individuals and five Trialeurodes vaporairiorum individuals collected from 19 counties and seven host plants in Shanxi province in China, respectively. The main objective of the present study was to use AFLP markers to determine the genetic diversity of B. tabaci populations collected from Shanxi Province. The use of these primer combinations allowed the identification of 127 polymorphic bands (52.26%) from 60 to 500 bp. The average number of polymorphic bands per primer was 25.4 while the range for the five primers was 20–32. The average degree of heterozygosity was 0.251, while the range for the five primers was 0.204–0.289. The results suggested definite genetic diversity among different B. tabaci populations. Cluster analysis showed that B. tabaci populations were firstly scattered to three genetic groups according to the regions, then every genetic group was scattered to several subgroups according to the host plants, which revealed the genetic variability of B biotype B. tabaci populations has been not only among different regions, but also among different host plants in Shanxi Province.     

The use of the fluorescent probe α-parinaric acid to determine the physical state of the intracytoplasmic membranes of the photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

α-Parinaric acid has been used to determine the degree of ordering of the hydrocarbon region of purified intracytoplasmic membranes of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. The usefulness of α-parinaric acid as a probe of membrane fluidity was established by comparison of its fluorescent properties in phosphatidylcholine vesicles with those of the more commonly used fluorescent probe, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. Both fluorescent probes were shown to monitor similar environments in the phosphatidylcholine vesicles when the phospholipids were maintained at temperatures above their phase transition temperature.The rotational mobility of α-parinaric acid in the intracytoplasmic membranes was determined from 0 to 50°C, a region where no phase transitions were detectable. The rotational mobility of α-parinaric acid dissolved in vesicles formed from total extracted intracytoplasmic membrane phospholipids, was 2–3-fold greater than that measured in the intact intracytoplasmic membranes; demonstrating that the presence of protein greatly reduces the mobility of the phospholipid acyl chains of the intracytoplasmic membranes. Due to the high protein content of these membranes, the perturbing effect of protein on acyl chain mobility may extend to virtually all the intracytoplasmic membrane phospholipid.     

A solid-phase immunosorbent assay to determine the proteinase binding capacity of α2-macroglobulin using 125I-trypsin as indicator proteinase

Hyperimmune sera against human α₂macroglobulin were raised in rabbits following immunization with ‘s’ α₂-macroglobulin⁷ over half a year. Immunoglobulins were prepared by DEAE-Sephacel anion exchange chromatography. The immunoglobulin preparations showed a remarkably high and equal titer for ‘s’ and ‘f’ α₂-macroglobulin (plasma α₂-macroglobulin fully saturated with pig pancreas trypsin), which amounted to 6.4·10^?6 as revealed by passive hemagglutination. Immunoimmobilization experiments revealed that at equilibrium, ‘s’ α₂-macroglobulin and both ‘f’ α₂-macroglobulins (27 and 82% saturation of ‘s’ α₂-macroglobulin with trypsin) had been bound to the same degree from the fluid phase to the monospecific antibodies that had been adsorbed to polystyrene tubes. Comparison of quantitative gel scans for disappearance of the intact α₂-macroglobulin subunit (M_r 182 000) with ¹²⁵I-labeled trypsin binding capacity of immunoimmobilized α₂-macroglobulin-trypsin complexes showed conspicuous agreement. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis did not give significant differences between ‘s’ α₂-macroglobulin and ‘f’ α₂-macroglobulin. In the fluid phase, a binding ratio of 2.4 mol trypsin/mol α₂-macroglobulin was observed. Saturation of solid phase immunoimmobilized ‘s’ α₂-macroglobulin with trypsin could be accomplished by incubation with a 100–200-fold molar excess of enzyme for 10 min. The solid-phase experiments showed a binding ratio of 2.0 mol trypsin/mol α₂-macroglobulin. The high molar excess of trypsin needed to saturate solid-phase immunoimmobilized α₂-macroglobulin, which binds 20% less trypsin than in the liquid phase, is partially explained by an enhancement of the negative cooperativity of trypsin binding to α₂-macroglobulin found in the liquid-phase system. Assessment of the trypsin-binding capacity of α₂-macroglobulin immunoadsorbed from synovial fluids (n = 19) of patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis yielded an inactive α₂-macroglobulin of 0–53% when compared to the trypsin-binding capacity of normal plasma α₂-macroglobulin.     

Production characteristics of interferon-α using an l-arabinose promoter system in a high-cell-density culture

 Using high-cell-density culture of Escherichia coli under the control of an l-arabinose promoter (P_araB), several factors affecting the production of recombinant protein and the formation of inclusion bodies were studied. The inducer, l-arabinose, showed a maximal induction level above 10.7 mM in the final concentration. The concentration of inducer also affected the partition of interferon-α (IFN-α) into the soluble form and inclusion bodies. Induction kinetics of the rate of accumulation of IFN-α on the P_araB promoter showed a slower rate than those of other promoter systems, for example T7, lac or tac. These innate characteristics of P_araB enabled cells to grow continuously in spite of the metabolic burden induced by the expression of foreign protein. The duration time of induction could control the expression of both soluble and insoluble protein. The ratio of yeast extract to glycerol (N/C ratio) in feeding media significantly affected both the production level of recombinant protein and inclusion body formation. The reason for decreasing specific bioactivity during induction can be explained by the increased proportion of inclusion bodies in the total expressed IFN-α. Received: 21 May 1999 / Received last revision: 16 August 1999 / Accepted: 2 September 1999     

Expression of the plasmid pKM101-determined DNA repair system in recA? and lex? strains of Escherichia coli

Summary pKM101, a plasmid R factor of the N compatibility group increases methylmethane sulfonate mutagenesis and diminishes UV-killing in recA ⁺ lex ⁺ and recA ⁺ lex ^– strains, but not in recA ^– lex ⁺ strains. The induction of a reclex dependent colicin is not present in lex ^– strains carrying the pKM101 factor. These facts indicate that pKM101 acts through an error-prone DNA repair system, which is recA ⁺ dependent, but not lex ⁺ dependent.This paper is published on the occasion of Dr. C. Callerio's seventy-fifth birthday     

Bionomics dynamic model of a class of competition systems ☆

Differential equation problem is an important research topic in the international academia. In accordance with certain ecological phenomena, previous research was conducted based on simple observational and statistical data. But this approach does not effectively study the essence of the ecological phenomena. Recently, one dynamic approach has been proposed for the study of ecology in the international academia. According to this approach, first of all, the ecology is reduced to the differential equation model which represents the essential phenomenon, and then the dynamic law and rules of mathematics and biology will be studied. Currently, an extensive research is conducted on the differential equation problem. This paper primarily explores a type of competitive ecological model, which is a system of differential equation with infinite integral. we first study the existence of positive periodic solution to this model, and then present sufficient conditions for the global attractivity of positive periodic solutions.     

Which factors determine plant invasions in man-made habitats in the Czech Republic?

Factors determining the invasibility of different types of anthropogenic vegetation were studied in the Czech Republic. A data set of 3420 vegetation plots recorded between 1945 and 2005, containing 913 species, was used. A set of climatic variables (mean annual temperature and precipitation, together with elevation), propagule pressure (substituted by human population density) and local habitat conditions (substituted by values of CSR life strategies and Ellenberg indicator values of native species) was obtained for each plot. All species were classified as native, archaeophytes (i.e. alien species introduced before 1500), and neophytes (i.e. aliens introduced after 1500) and their relative proportion was calculated for each plot. Regression tree models were used to determine the ecological characteristics of the most invasible man-made habitats in the Czech Republic. The plots contained on average 31.9% archaeophytes and 7.3% neophytes. Correlation between the proportions of archaeophytes and neophytes was positive and significant. Both archaeophytes and neophytes were found predominantly in strongly disturbed habitats with a high nutrient supply located at low elevations in warmer climatic areas of the Czech Republic. Archaeophytes are more influenced by local habitat conditions and preferentially colonize sunny and dry man-made habitats with higher soil reaction. Neophytes have no special preferences for local habitat conditions and their highest proportion was found mainly in disturbed habitats at low elevations. Our results show that for anthropogenic vegetation in the Czech Republic, ecological and habitat characteristics are more important factors for plant invasions than different land use in the surrounding area.     

On the formation of rho? petites in yeast

Summary The inheritance of an extrakaryotic mutation conferring temperature-sensitive growth on nonfermentable substrates and a high frequency of mutation to rho^– has been studied. Multifactorial crosses (rho⁺xrho⁺) involving this mutation T ₈ ^S and mitochondrial mutations conferring resistance to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, oligomycin or paromomycin revealed: a) Mutation T ₈ ^S is localized on the mitDNA, referring to a new gene locus TSM1. b) Locus TSM1 appears to be weakly linked to the locus PAR1 and to the loci RIB1 and RIB3 but unlinked to the locus OLI1. c) The position of TSM1 is between PAR1 and the two closely linked loci RIB1 and RIB3, OLI1 is outside and not linked to the segment PAR-TSM-RIB. d) Mutation T ₈ ^S does not significantly influence the process of mitochondrial recombination and its control by the mitochondrial locus .     

What are the characteristics of cycling cells in the adult central nervous system?

Many regions of the adult central nervous system contain cycling cells. Such cells comprise a relatively small fraction of the total population of the CNS. Work over decades has attempted to determine the normal fates of these cells and their fates under pathological conditions. The recent interest in "stem" cells and "progenitors" in the adult CNS has sparked a much revived exploration into the nature of these cells and in the signals by which they may be induced to differentiate into mature neurons or glia. This population has not yet been fully characterized, although it has become clear that this is a heterogeneous group of cells, differing in morphology, antigen expression, migratory capacity, and potential fates.     

Issues in using the WinRHIZO system to determine physical characteristics of plant fine roots

Image analysis systems have facilitated rapid measurements of fine root length (RL), diameter (RD), volume (RV), etc. The WinRHIZO system is unlike other image analysis systems in that it can detect, and make corrections for, areas of root overlap. It is designed to be capable of using both Regent’s non-statistical method (WinRHIZO method) and Tennant’s statistical method (line-intersect method), and can simultaneously output the root measurements by both methods when they are chosen at the same time. This study tested: (1), the efficacy of the overlap correction function in the WinRHIZO system; and (2), the consistency of fine root measurements between the WinRHIZO and Tennant methods with two sets of root measurement data from winter wheat (Triticum aestivium L.). The results showed that there were significant differences in RL, RD and RV between small root samples with and without stumps. The impact of root stumps outweighed the overlap correction efficacy in WinRHIZO. The values from the Tennant method are significantly different from those using the WinRHIZO method, although both results are statistically closely correlated. This indicated how critical it was to use without-stump root samples when using image analysis systems to measure RL, RD, RV, etc., and to keep in mind that a significant difference in root measurements may be methodologically related when comparing the results of various experiments from these two methods. Our research results bear important implications for the study of root ecology.     

土壤养分空间异质性与植物根系的觅食反应

植物在长期进化过程中,为了最大限度地获取土壤资源,对养分的空间异质性产生各种可塑性反应．包括形态可塑性、生理可塑性、菌根可塑性等．许多植物种的根系在养分丰富的斑块中大量增生,增生程度种间差异较大,并受斑块属性(斑块大小、养分浓度)、营养元素种类和养分总体供应状况的影响．植物还通过调整富养斑块中细根的直径、分枝角、节问距以及空间构型来实现斑块养分的高效利用．根系的生理可塑性及菌根可塑性可能在一定程度上影响其形态可塑性．生理可塑性表现为处于不同养分斑块上的根系迅速调整其养分吸收速率,从而增加单位根系的养分吸收,对在时间上和空间上变化频繁的空间异质性土壤养分的利用具有重要意义,可在一定程度上弥补根系增生反应的不足．菌根可塑性目前研究较少,一些植物种的菌根代替细根实现在富养斑块中的增生．菌根增生的碳投入养分吸收效率较高、根系增生对增加养分吸收的作用较复杂,取决于养分离子在土壤中的移动性能以及是否存在竞争植物;对植物生长(竞争能力)的作用因种而异,一些敏感种由此获得生长效益,而其它一些植物种受影响较小．植物个体对土壤养分空间异质性反应能力和生长差异,影响其在群落中的地位和命运,最终影响群落组成及其结构．     

Vertical distribution of fine roots in relation to soil factors in Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. forest of the Loess Plateau of China

Growth and vertical distribution of fine root closely depend on soil resource availability. Better understanding of relationships of root profile with vertical distribution of available soil resource and soil characteristics can allow ecologists to predict the fine root distribution on the scales ranging from individual plants to vegetation communities. The objective of the study was to understand the fine root mass density (FRMD), fine root length density (FRLD), fine root area density (FRAD), mean root diameter and specific root length (SRL), vertical distribution in soil profile and their relation with soil environment factors in semiarid and arid Loess Plateau of China. The vertical fine root distribution and soil bulk density, soil moisture and soil inorganic N in 0-60 cm soil profile (0–15, 15–30, 30–45 and 45–60 cm intervals) were investigated by soil coring methods in three Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. forests chosen at three locations. The fine root density parameters (FRMD, FRLD and FRAD) and SRL peaked in the most upper soil layer (0–15 cm interval) and decreased with increased soil depth. The results provided a strong support that soil water rather than soil inorganic N is a key control on fine root distribution in the Loess Plateau. With increased soil moisture, the root mass, length and SRL increased and the mean root diameter decreased. The effects of soil bulk density on the fine root parameters were consistent with those of the soil water. An unexpected result was obtained about the relationships between soil organic N and the root distributions and occurrences because of no differences among the soil depth intervals in soil inorganic N content. It might be associated with severe soil water deficit limiting soil nitrogen utilization efficiency in arid Loess Plateau.     

杨树细根及草根的生产力与周转的研究

对北方杨树人工林0－40cm土层中杨树细根和草根（≤2mm）年生物量、分解量、死亡量、生长量和周转率进行观察研究。结果表明,杨树细根的年生物量为2．062t.hm^-2,死根生物量为0．746t.hm^-2,分解量为0．158t.hm^2,生长量为2．351t.hm^－2,周转率为每年1．14次,活草根的年生物量、死根生物量、分解量、生长量和周转率分别0．501、0．035、0．023、0．691t.hm^-2和1．38,同时给出了杨树细根干重损失随分解时间变化的方程：1nx/x0=0.9515e^-0.0014t。     

Biomass, morphology and nutrient contents of fine roots in four Norway spruce stands

Fine root systems may respond to soil chemical conditions, but contrasting results have been obtained from field studies in non-manipulated forests with distinct soil chemical properties. We investigated biomass, necromass, live/dead ratios, morphology and nutrient concentrations of fine roots (<2 mm) in four mature Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) stands of south-east Germany, encompassing variations in soil chemical properties and climate. All stands were established on acidic soils (pH (CaCl₂) range 2.8–3.8 in the humus layer), two of the four stands had molar ratios in soil solution below 1 and one of the four stands had received a liming treatment 22 years before the study. Soil cores down to 40 cm mineral soil depth were taken in autumn and separated into four fractions: humus layer, 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–40 cm. We found no indications of negative effects of N availability on fine root properties despite large variations in inorganic N seepage fluxes (4–34 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), suggesting that the variation in N deposition between 17 and 26 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ does not affect the fine root system of Norway spruce. Fine root biomass was largest in the humus layer and increased with the amount of organic matter stored in the humus layer, indicating that the vertical pattern of fine roots is largely affected by the thickness of this horizon. Only two stands showed significant differences in fine root biomass of the mineral soil which can be explained by differences in soil chemical conditions. The stand with the lowest total biomass had the lowest Ca/Al ratio of 0.1 in seepage, however, Al, Ca, Mg and K concentrations of fine roots were not different among the stands. The Ca/Al ratio in seepage might be a less reliable stress parameter because another stand also had Ca/Al ratios in seepage far below the critical value of 1.0 without any signs of fine root damages. Large differences in the live/dead ratio were positively correlated with the Mn concentration of live fine roots from the mineral soil. This relationship was attributed to faster decay of dead fine roots because Mn is known as an essential element of lignin degrading enzymes. It is questionable if the live/dead ratio can be used as a vitality parameter of fine roots since both longevity of fine roots and decay of root litter may affect this parameter. Morphological properties were different in the humus layer of one stand that was limed in 1983, indicating that a single lime dose of 3–4 Mg ha⁻¹ has a long-lasting effect on fine root architecture of Norway spruce. Almost no differences were found in morphological properties in the mineral soil among the stands, but vertical patterns were apparently different. Two stands with high base saturation in the subsoil showed a vertical decrease in specific root length and specific root tip density whereas the other two stands showed an opposite pattern or no effect. Our results suggest that proliferation of fine roots increased with decreasing base saturation in the subsoil of Norway spruce stands.     

杨树人工林下根系的氮素循环与动态特征

研究了辽宁沈阳地区人工林杨树细根及林下草本植物根系的N循环、积累和动态变化特征。结果表明,杨树人工林分条件下活细根中N储量为20．3kg·h^-2,净积累量10kg·hm^-2,吸收量14．7kg·hm^-2,年存留量和归还量分别为9．6和5．1kg·hm^-2周转期4年,整个生长季节杨树细根中N含量与土壤中水解N、NH3-N无明显相关,杨树细根中N浓度与活细根生物量的变化趋势大体一致,两者呈显著正相关。根据杨树活细根中N含量可以估测杨树活细根生物量,该林分下的草本植物根系主要吸收NH3-N,草根中N含量浓度变化与土壤中NH3-N的变化趋势相同,两者呈显著正相关。     

人工混交林中杉木、桤木和刺楸细根养分迁移的初步研究

比较分析了杉木 桤木和杉木 刺楸混交林中杉木、桤木和刺楸活细根、死细根的N、P、K含量 .结果表明 ,桤木细根N迁移能力较强 ,刺楸较弱 ,杉木细根N不迁移 ;P在桤木和刺楸细根中迁移能力较强 ,而在杉木细根中基本不迁移 ;3个树种细根脱落前都将K迁移回树体内 .比较分析 2个混交林中活细根N、P、K在树种间的差异 ,发现在杉木 桤木混交林中桤木根部N可能向杉木迁移 ,而在杉木 刺楸混交林中刺楸根部K可能向杉木根部迁移 ,但迁移机制还有待于从根 土界面生态过程进行研究     

杉木,火力楠纯林及混交林细根周转的研究

系统研究了杉木、火力楠纯林及混交林细根生物量、生产力及年周转率。结果表明,杉木、火力楠纯林及混交林活细根生物量分别为８８０、３０３５和１５６０ｋｇ．ｈａ＾－１;死细根生物量为２３５、３９８和５６５ｋｇ．ｈａ＾－１;细根年周转率为１．２９、１．４２和１．４０;年生产量为１１３７、４３１８和２１７９ｋｇ．ｈａ＾－１;年死亡量为４９７．５９５和１１４９ｋｇ．ｈａ＾－１,分别相当于林分枯枝落叶年凋落量为３     

细根对降水变化响应的meta分析

细根对土壤水分含量变化十分敏感, 增加和减少降水直接影响土壤水分含量。为探索细根对降水变化的响应, 该文从48篇已发表的国内外研究论文中搜集到202组数据, 通过meta分析的方法揭示细根生物量、生产量、周转率、根长度密度、比根长及细根分解对增加和减少降水的一般响应规律, 用加权响应比评价降水对细根各指标的影响效应, 降水变化对细根分解的影响用土壤微生物生物量碳的响应比衡量。结果表明: 1)不同类型植物的细根对降水变化的响应程度不同, 灌木细根的响应强于乔木。2)细根各指标对降水变化的响应存在土层空间异质性, 并且降水变化量为50%时细根响应最显著。降水增加50%时, 显著增加20-40 cm土层的细根生物量和0-10 cm土层的细根比根长, 降水减少50%时, 显著减少20-40 cm土层的细根生产量和增加0-10 cm土层的细根根长度密度。3)降水变化实验持续时间的长短会影响细根的响应程度, 短期实验中细根通过形态适应对降水变化做出应对, 而长期实验中细根通过重新分配生物量对降水变化做出响应。4)增加降水促进了细根养分归还, 致使土壤微生物得到了充足的底物资源, 提高了自身活性, 使细根分解加快。     

核桃-小麦复合系统中细根生长动态及竞争策略

以核桃(Juglans regia)-小麦(Triticum aestivum)间作复合系统为研究对象,用微根窗和根钻相结合的方法采样,研究复合系统中核桃和小麦细根年内年际的生长动态和竞争适应策略,为农林复合系统的经营管理和竞争模型的建立提供理论依据和技术支持。结果表明,间作核桃和小麦根系均在上半年有一个大的生长高峰(5月和4月),在下半年有一个小的生长高峰(9月和11月),二者的竞争主要发生在上半年的大生长高峰期。在各年份各土层,间作核桃的根长密度均低于单作核桃,且在从第7年开始存在显著差异。在0—20 cm土层间作小麦根长密度在第3—7年间获得迅速提高,从第7年开始显著高于单作小麦,但在20 cm以下土层则相反。间作使核桃和小麦细根生态位实现了分离,11年的观察期内间作核桃比单作核桃细根的垂直分布中心下移了6.59 cm,间作小麦比单作小麦的上移了8.59 cm。在根系竞争策略方面,小麦根系是通过短期内的快速生长,迅速占据土壤空间获得竞争优势;而核桃根系是通过根系的逐年积累,逐步占据土壤空间从而获得竞争优势。可以干扰核桃根系积累过程的"竞争-干扰-再平衡"农林复合经营管理策略可以让复合系统中核桃和小麦保持各自竞争优势的情况下实现共存。在根系形态方面,自身细根直径较小者小麦在剧烈竞争区域以增加细根直径减小比根长来适应竞争,而自身细根直径较大者核桃则相反。