A LONG-SNOUTED DYROSAURID (CROCODYLIFORMES, MESOEUCROCODYLIA) FROM THE PALEOCENE OF MOROCCO: PHYLOGENETIC AND PALAEOBIOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract:  New material of a long-snouted dyrosaurid has been discovered in the Paleocene of Morocco. It consists of a well-preserved skull with embedded mandible and four dorsal vertebrae. The particularly elongate snout, proportionally the longest of all known dyrosaurids, allows precise identification of this material as Atlantosuchus coupatezi Buffetaut, 1979 a , and presentation of an emended diagnosis for this species previously known only from a mandibular symphysis. A phylogenetic analysis of the dyrosaurids indicates a close relationship between A. coupatezi and Rhabdognathus . It also confirms a previous hypothesis that Congosaurus is distinct from Hyposaurus . It is more closely related to Atlantosuchus than Hyposaurus . The analysis also allows palaeobiogeographic interpretations to be made. Dyrosaurids ranged from North Africa to other areas. They were rare during the Maastrichtian and endemic to each continent at this time. Competition with large marine reptiles, such as mosasaurs, limited their dispersal during the Late Cretaceous. The disappearance of these rivals during the 'K-T crisis' enabled their diversification and widespread dispersal during the Paleocene, with the same genera present on several continents.     

The Secondary Metabolite Euplotin C Induces Apoptosis-Like Death in the Marine Ciliated Protist Euplotes vannus

ABSTRACT. The sesquiterpenoid euplotin C is a secondary metabolite produced by the ciliated protist Euplotes crassus and provides a mechanism for damping populations of potential competitors. Indeed, E. crassus is virtually resistant to its own product while different non-producer species representing an unbiased sample of the marine, interstitial, ciliate diversity are sensitive. For instance, euplotin C exerts a marked disruption of different homeostatic mechanisms in Euplotes vannus . We demonstrate by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay that euplotin C quickly decreases viability and mitochondrial function of E. vannus with a very high efficacy and at micromolar potency. In addition, euplotin C induces apoptosis in E. vannus as 4,6-diamino-2-phenylindole and terminal transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining show the rapid condensation and fragmentation of nuclear material in cells treated with euplotin C. These effects occur without detectable permeabilisation or rupture of cell membranes and with no major changes in the overall morphology, although some traits, such as vacuolisation and disorganized microtubules, can be observed by transmission electron microscopy. In particular, E. vannus show profound changes of the mitochondrial ultrastructure. Finally, we also show that caspase activity in E. vannus is increased by euplotin C. These data elucidate the pro-apoptotic role of euplotin C and suggest a mechanism for its impact on natural selection.     

百合组织培养和遗传转化的研究进展

百合是单子叶球茎类观赏花卉,具有食用和药用的作用。本文综述了国内外百合组织培养和遗传转化研究进展。包括营养器官、生殖器官和原生质体再生系统的建立。详细介绍了基因转化的方法,例如农杆菌、基因枪、电激穿孔等。浅析百合外源基因的表达,例如GUS、半夏凝集素基因、几丁质酶基因等。同时,讨论了百合遗传转化中存在的问题,以期为百合基因工程方面的研究提供依据。     

核仁骨架(核仁基质)的结构与成分——肌动蛋白与fibrillarin是核仁骨架的主要成分

将分离纯化的HeLa细胞核仁经非离子去垢剂、核酸酶、低盐及高盐选择性抽提结合DGD包埋去包埋技术 ,在电镜下显示了HeLa细胞的核仁骨架呈精细网络结构 .BHK -2 1细胞及小鼠肝细胞的核仁骨架与HeLa细胞的核仁骨架结构相类似 .对HeLa细胞的核仁骨架的蛋白成分进行了分析 .结果表明核仁骨架蛋白组成与核基质及染色体骨架有明显差异 .HeLa细胞核仁骨架的蛋白成分主要包括分子量为48,43,36及 33ku左右的 6～ 7种多肽 .证明分子量为 43ku的肌动蛋白与 36ku的fibrillarin是构成核仁骨架的两种主要蛋白成分     

祁连山西段草地土壤温度、水分变化特征

研究土壤水热要素对合理预测祁连山气候变化特征及建立气候预警系统有重要意义。采用18套土壤温、湿度自动记录仪(HOBOU30)对祁连山西段草地进行3a连续定位监测,旨在探索分析该区土壤水热变化特征,阐明土壤水热互作效应及耦合机制。表明:1)冷期(1—3、11—12月)占全年的42%,暖期(4—10月)占58%;7月前土壤均温随月份增大而增大,月份增大1月土壤均温增大3.53℃,水分增大3.23%;7月后随月份增大而减小,月份增大1月土壤均温降低4.73℃,水分下降2.55%。2)日变化16:00前土壤均温为7.45℃,水分为16.26%,16:00后均温为9.1℃,水分为16.79%,16:00后比前均温高1.65℃,水分高0.54%。3)土温、水分与海拔均呈线性正相关,前者差异显著(P0.05),后者不显著(P0.05)。4)土温逐层(0—120 cm)平均递增0.07℃,水分递减0.58%;土温与土层深度呈显著线性正相关(P0.05,R2=0.99),水分呈显著线性负相关(P0.05,R2=0.97)。5)该区土温与水分呈显著线性负相关。因此,祁连山西段草地土温变幅较小,水分变幅大,两者在空间上变化均呈二次函数,时间上均呈一次函数。     

Symbiotic streptomycetes in antennal glands of the South American digger wasp genus Trachypus (Hymenoptera,Crabronidae)

Several insect taxa have evolved symbioses with actinobacteria that protect the host or its nutritional resources against pathogens. Digger wasps of the genus Philanthus (‘beewolves’; Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) cultivate ‘Candidatus Streptomyces philanthi’ (Ca. S. philanthi) in specialized antennal glands and transfer them to subterranean brood cells, where the symbionts provide protection for the beewolf larva against pathogens by producing a cocktail of antibiotic substances. The present study investigates the occurrence of antennal symbionts in two species of the genus Trachypus, which is the closest relative to Philanthus. Cross sections of the antennae from females of both Trachypus denticollis and Trachypus boharti reveal bacteria‐containing gland reservoirs that are morphologically very similar to those found in Philanthus spp. Polymerase chain reaction‐based screens with specific primers, sequencing of the partial 16S rRNA gene, and fluorescence in situ hybridization confirm the presence of close relatives of ‘Ca. S. philanthi’ in T. denticollis and T. boharti. However, 16S rRNA sequence divergence between Trachypus spp. and Philanthus spp. symbionts is much higher for T. boharti than for T. denticollis, suggesting that horizontal transmission and/or de novo uptake of symbionts from the environment occurs occasionally. The results obtained indicate that the protective symbiosis with antennal actinobacteria is older and more widespread than previously recognized and occurs in at least two genera of digger wasps that comprise approximately 170 species.     

Mitochondrial DNA structure and organization of the control region of South American camelids

This work presents the mitochondrial DNA molecular organization of the control region (CR) of South American camelids. Sequencing of five individuals each of guanaco, llama, alpaca and vicuna species showed that this region spans 1060 bp including three conserved sequence blocks (CSB I–III) adjacent to the tRNAPhe gene, a conserved central domain and one extended termination‐associated sequence in the 3′ domain of the CR close to the tRNAPro gene. A repeated array formed by three units of 26 bp was detected between CSB I and II. Alignment of the CR sequences from the four species shows a 337‐bp segment that includes most of the nucleotide variability with 10 polymorphic sites. We suggest the use of this segment as a molecular marker to infer data on camelid genetic relationships and population diversity studies.     

剑花蟹蛛的雄性新发现(蜘蛛目:蟹蛛科)

描述了采自中国四川的剑花蟹蛛Xysticus sicus Fox,1937,其雄性系首次发现。标本保存于河北大学博物馆。