Analysis of the serotype-specific epitopes of avian infectious bronchitis virus strains Ark99 and Mass41.

The Ark and Mass serotype-specific epitopes of infectious bronchitis virus were studied by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation of mutant and recombinant spike glycoproteins (S protein) expressed in mouse L cells. Serotype-specific monoclonal antibodies could bind to the recombinant proteins of Ark99 and Mass41 expressed from the chimeras in which the N-terminal thirds of the S1 sequences were reciprocally exchanged. Therefore, it appears that the respective serotype-specific epitopes of both strains were localized within the C-terminal two-thirds of the S1 proteins. Deletion and insertion of a five-amino-acid fragment on the S1 proteins of Ark99 and Mass41, altered the serotype-specific epitopes. This result implies that the five-amino-acid insertion on the S1 protein of the Ark serotype was involved in determining the conformation of the protein, probably acting as a spacer. In addition, it appears that an interaction between sequences of the N-terminal third and the remaining portion of the S1 protein determines the tertiary structure of the protein as well as the conformation of the serotype-specific epitope.     

Effects of social conditions on Juvenile Hormone mediated reproductive development in Bombus terrestris workers

Abstract. During the annual life cycle of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris (L.) colony, there is a stage characterized by worker reproduction in the presence of the queen. It has been proposed that this is a result of a decrease in queen inhibition. This hypothesis was examined by studying the effects of queens taken from colonies at different stages of development on several aspects of worker physiology and behaviour: rates of Juvenile Hormone (JH) release in vitro , ovary development, and behaviour associated with reproduction. After optimizing and validating the radiochemical assay for JH release for bumble bee workers, we found that queenless workers had significantly more developed ovaries and higher rates of release of JH than did queenright workers, confirming and extending previous findings that suggest that bumblebee ovarian development is under JH control. Mated queens, separated from their colony and brood, can have the same inhibitory effect on the reproductive development of callow workers. In contrast, workers confined with virgin queens or in queenless groups demonstrated a significantly higher rate of release of JH, overt aggression and threatening behaviours. However, there were no differences in rates of release of JH between workers confined in groups in the laboratory with queens taken from colonies either before or after the onset of worker reproduction. Furthermore, overt aggression and threatening behaviours were similar and low in both types of groups. These results gave no support to the hypothesis that a decrease in queen inhibition is associated with the onset of worker reproduction. We also show that young workers reared in colonies either before or after worker reproduction occurs, or in queenless colonies, all demonstrated similar, low rates of release of JH. These results suggest that older workers may inhibit the corpora allata of younger workers in queenless colonies.     

RFLP-based maps of the homoeologous group-6 chromosomes of wheat and their application in the tagging of Pm12, a powdery mildew resistance gene transferred from Aegilops speltoides to wheat

Genetic maps of the homoeologous group-6 chromosomes of bread wheat, Triticum aestivum, have been constructed spanning 103 cM on 6A, 90 cM on 6B and 124 cM on 6D. These maps were transferred to a Chinese Spring (CS) x line #31 cross to locate a dominant powdery mildew resistance gene, Pm12, introgressed into line #31 from Aegilops speltoides. Pm12 was shown to lie on the short arm of translocation chromosome 6BS-6SS.6SL in line #31, but could not be mapped more precisely due to the lack of recombination between the 6S Ae. speltoides segment and chromosome 6B. Possible strategies to reduce the size of the alien segment, which probably encompasses the complete long arm and more than 82% of the short arm of chromosome 6B, are discussed.     

On the existence of stable pairing distributions

We formulate and analyze pair-formation models for multiple groups with general pairing rates and arbitrary mixing probabilities. Under the assumption of constant recruitment rates and equal average duration of all types of partnerships, we have shown that the dynamics are relatively simple because of the monotonicity properties of the dynamical system associated with the pairing/mixing of heterogeneous populations of male and female individuals. In fact, we have shown that the corresponding asymptotic stable paired distribution is given precisely by the asymptotic values of the matrices that prescribe the mixing/contact structure. In other words, if the sizes of the mixing subpopulations of males and females are asymptotically constant and if the average durations of partnerships are about the same regardless of type, then the matrices that describe the mixing between subpopulations also characterize the distribution of paired types. Alternatively, if the distribution of the average duration of relationships between individuals has a large variance then it may be impossible to detect any relationship between the mixing/contact structure and the observed distribution of paired types. The study of models with constant per-capita recruitment rates give rise to homogeneous systems of degree one. The analysis of the dynamics of pairs for models with exponentially growing populations of singles is complicated. So far, we are only able to classify the stability of all non-strictly positive boundary exponential solutions. From our incomplete analysis, it is not possible to detect necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and stability of strictly interior exponential solutions. We cannot rule out the possibility of oscillations. The mathematical problems associated with the stability of exponential solutions of dynamical systems of degree one are of relevance in demography, epidemiology, and population dynamics.On leave from University of Alabama in Huntsville     

人工饲养蒙新河狸的发情交配行为

人工饲养的蒙新河猪其动情周期可划分为４个阶段：动情前期、动情期（发情交配期）、动情后期和停滞期（动情间隔期）。动情期间雌雄河狸均表现出活跃好动,浮躁不安,食量减小;发情交配期雌雄河狸均发出低沉嘶哑的叫声,雄性叫声频率比性略高,爬跨交配是动情期发情的高峰,动情周期各阶段的行为特征,在雌性与阴道涂片细胞学及外生殖器形态、色泽、阴道分泌物周期性变化特征相吻合,在雄性则与睾丸及阴茎形态特征吻合,在人工饲养     

RAPD分析─鉴定柑桔体细胞杂种的快速方法

本文利用改进的DNA提取方法,从Volkamer柠檬(Citrus volkameriana Ten. and Pasq.)和酸橙(C. aurantium L.)及其原生质体杂种植株的叶片中抽提总DNA,进行RAPD(Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA)分析。结果表明: 在随机选取的15种引物中,有10种可单独或与其它引物一道鉴定这一组合的体细胞杂种。与形态学性状观察、同工酶及ONA杂交分析等方法比较,RAPD分析是一种可在试管苗期即可直接、准确、快速鉴定柑桔体细胞杂种的方法。     

神经生长因子家族及其受体研究进展

过去几年在神经营养因子、受体和神经元细胞程序性死亡的研究领域中取得了几项引人注目的进展：（１）神经生长因子（ＮＧＦ）基因家族的其他一些成员包括脑源性神经营养因子（ＢＤＮＦ）、神经营养素－３（ＮＴ－３）、神经营养素－４（ＮＴ－４）、神经营养素－５（ＮＴ－５）的发现;（２）神经生长因子三维结构及功能和进化之关系的阐明;（３）定性了两种神经生长因子受体Ｐ７５＾ＮＧＦＲ和原癌基因ｐ１４０＾ｔｒｋＡ以及相关     

横断山蝗虫二新属二新种

在整理横断山综合考察队所采集的部分蝗虫标本时发现二新属。 模式标本存放在中国科学院动物研究所。 珂蝗属 Anepipodisma新属 体形中等大小,具粗刻点。头短于前胸背板。头顶低凹,侧隆线明显。复眼间头顶的宽度大于触角间颜面隆起的宽。颜面略倾斜,颜面隆起几乎全长明显,具纵沟,此纵沟向上延伸至头顶的端部,形成凹口(图1)。复眼长卵形。触角细长,到达或超过前胸背板的     

家白蚁的生物学和群体发育

家白蚁Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki的生物学和初建群体的经过,显示有如下特性:(1)在广州室温条件下,成虫配对后5至10天开始产卵,产卵盛期集中在6天至7天。当年产卵期有5个月,每头雌虫平均产卵约为46粒。雌里产卵后,如果不断将卵取走,产卵量显著提高。这时,每头雌虫平均可产卵约96粒。(2)家白蚁卵要经过成虫或工蚁用口舐触和搬动卵粒才能孵化。孵化期在室温下为31至35天,32至33天为孵化高峰期。卵的孵化期随温度而变化。(3)初步测定幼蚁共有6个龄期。1—2龄幼蚁不活跃,要靠成虫或工蚁喂养,3龄后幼蚁非常活跃并能自己取食。4龄期间出现工蚁和兵蚁的分化,拟工蚁可以产生短翅补充型。(4)蚁巢成片叶状,由成虫唾液与食物及沙土等基质组成。配对后80天腔室内开始出现巢架。(5)家白蚁生活史漫长,需8年才能完成一个周期。