苹果园中凹唇壁蜂和紫壁蜂的生态位比较研究

本文对凹唇壁蜂Osmia excavata Alfken和紫壁蜂O.jacoti Cockerell的时间、空间、营养和筑巢生态位进行了研究。结果表明,在苹果园内人工释放和管理条件下,两种壁蜂在不同的资源序列上具有不同的生态位宽度、生态位重叠和不同程度的竞争关系。其中在营养上的竞争最为激烈,生态位重叠值和种间竞争系数分别高达0.9690和0.9994。日活动时间生态位竞争次之,其重叠值和种间竞争系数分别为0.7960和0.9350;时间生态位(季节)和空间生态位重叠值则分别为0.6500和0.6710,种间竞争系数为0.8213和0.8234;并且在人工巢管的选择上竞争性最小,生态位重叠值仅为0.4930,种间竞争系数为0.6052。凹唇壁蜂在营养生态位和时间生态位上较高的专一性均表现出其比紫壁蜂对苹果传粉作用更为显著。紫壁蜂在苹果开花后期的传粉作用较强。     

Comparative proteomic analysis of cysteine oxidation in colorectal cancer patients

Oxidative stress promotes damage to cellular proteins, lipids, membranes and DNA, and plays a key role in the development of cancer. Reactive oxygen species disrupt redox homeostasis and promote tumor formation by initiating aberrant activation of signaling pathways that lead to tumorigenesis. We used shotgun proteomics to identify proteins containing oxidation-sensitive cysteines in tissue specimens from colorectal cancer patients. We then compared the patterns of cysteine oxidation in the membrane fractions between the tumor and non-tumor tissues. Using nano-UPLC-MS^E proteomics, we identified 31 proteins containing 37 oxidation-sensitive cysteines. These proteins were observed with IAM-binding cysteines in non-tumoral region more than tumoral region of CRC patients. Then using the Ingenuity pathway program, we evaluated the cellular canonical networks connecting those proteins. Within the networks, proteins with multiple connections were related with organ morphology, cellular metabolism, and various disorders. We have thus identified networks of proteins whose redox status is altered by oxidative stress, perhaps leading to changes in cellular functionality that promotes tumorigenesis.     

Alternative strategies of seed predator escape by early-germinating oaks in Asia and North America

Early germination of white oaks is widely viewed as an evolutionary strategy to escape rodent predation; yet, the mechanism by which this is accomplished is poorly understood. We report that chestnut oak Quercus montana (CO) and white oak Q. alba (WO) (from North America), and oriental cork oak Q. variabilis (OO) and Mongolian oak Q. mongolica (MO) (from Asia) can escape predation and successfully establish from only taproots. During germination in autumn, cotyledonary petioles of acorns of CO and WO elongate and push the plumule out of the cotyledons, whereas OO and MO extend only the hypocotyls and retain the plumule within the cotyledons. Experiments showed that the pruned taproots (>6 cm) of CO and WO acorns containing the plumule successfully germinated and survived, and the pruned taproots (≥12 cm) of OO and MO acorns without the plumule successfully regenerated along with the detached acorns, thus producing two seedlings. We argue that these two distinct regeneration morphologies reflect alternative strategies for escaping seed predation.     

Highly luminescent hybrid SiO2‐coated CdTe quantum dots: synthesis and properties

Novel hybrid SiO₂‐coated CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were created using CdTe QDs coated with a hybrid SiO₂ shell containing Cd²⁺ ions and a sulfur source via a sol–gel process in aqueous solution. Aqueous CdTe QDs with tunable emitting color created through a reaction between cadmium chloride and sodium hydrogen telluride was used as cores for the preparation of hybrid SiO₂‐coated CdTe QDs. In our experiments we found that the surface state of the cores and preparation conditions that affect the formation of the hybrid SiO₂ shell also greatly affect photoluminescence of the hybrid SiO₂‐coated CdTe QDs. The generation of CdS‐like clusters in the vicinity of the CdTe QDs, caused the quantum size effect of the QDs to be greatly reduced, which changes photoluminescence properties of the hybrid QDs fundamentally. Namely, the novel hybrid SiO₂ shell played an important role in generating a series of specific optical properties. In addition, the novel hybrid SiO₂ shell can be created if no CdTe QD is added. In order to gain an insight into the inter structure of the hybrid shell, we characterized the hybrid SiO₂‐coated CdTe QDs using X‐ray diffraction analysis and discuss the formation mechanism of such a hybrid structure. This work is significant because the novel hybrid SiO₂‐coated CdTe QDs with its excellent properties can be used in many applications, such as biolabeling and optoelectronic devices. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding Streaming in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dictyostelium discoideum</Emphasis>: Theory Versus Experiments

Recent experimental work involving Dictyostelium discoideum seems to contradict several theoretical models. Experiments suggest that localization of the release of the chemoattractant cyclic adenosine monophosphate to the uropod of the cell is important for stream formation during aggregation. Yet several mathematical models are able to reproduce streaming as the cells aggregate without taking into account localization of the chemoattractant. A careful analysis of the experiments and the theory suggests the two major features of the system which are important to stream formation are random cell motion and chemotaxis to regions of higher cell density. Random cell motion acts to reduce streaming, whereas chemotaxis to regions of higher cell density reinforces streaming. With this understanding, the experimental results can be explained in a manner consistent with the theoretical results. In all the experiments, alterations in the two main factors of random motion and chemotaxis to regions of higher cell density, not the localization of the release of the chemoattractant, can explain the results as they relate to streaming. Additionally, a comparison of results from a mathematical model that simulates cells which localize the chemoattractant and cells which do not shows little difference in the streaming patterns.     

There are abundant antimicrobial peptides in brains of two kinds of Bombina toads

It is well-known that there is a large amount of antimicrobial peptides in amphibian skins but few antimicrobial peptides are found in amphibian brains. Twenty-two and four antimicrobial peptides were purified and characterized from the brain homogenate of Bombina maxima and B. microdeladigitora, respectively. One hundred fifty-eight cDNA clones encoding 79 antimicrobial peptides were isolated from brain cDNA libraries of B. maxima and B. microdeladigitora. These antimicrobial peptides belong to two peptide groups (maximin and maximin-H). Twenty of them are identical to previously reported antimicrobial peptides (maximin 1-8, 10, 11, maximin H1, 3-5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16) from B. maxima skin secretions. Fifty-nine of them are novel antimicrobial peptides. Some of these antimicrobial peptides showed strong antimicrobial activities against tested microorganism strains including Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and fungi. The current diversity in peptide coding cDNA sequences is, to our knowledge, the most extreme yet described for any animal brains. The extreme diversity may give rise to interest to prospect the actual functions of antimicrobial peptides in amphibian brains.     

The moss genes <Emphasis Type="Italic">PpSKI1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">PpSKI2</Emphasis> encode nuclear SnRK1 interacting proteins with homologues in vascular plants

The yeast Snf1, animal AMPK, and plant SnRK1 protein kinases constitute a family of related proteins that have been proposed to serve as metabolic sensors of the eukaryotic cell. We have previously reported the characterization of two redundant SnRK1 encoding genes (PpSNF1a and PpSNF1b) in the moss Physcomitrella patens. Phenotypic analysis of the snf1a snf1b double knockout mutant suggested that SnRK1 is important for the plant’s ability to recognize and adapt to conditions of limited energy supply, and also suggested a possible role of SnRK1 in the control of plant development. We have now used a yeast two-hybrid system to screen for PpSnf1a interacting proteins. Two new moss genes were found, PpSKI1 and PpSKI2, which encode highly similar proteins with homologues in vascular plants. Fusions of the two encoded proteins to the green fluorescent protein localize to the nucleus. Knockout mutants for either gene have an excess of gametophores under low light conditions, and exhibit reduced gametophore stem lengths. Possible functions of the new proteins and their connection to the SnRK1 kinase are discussed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphingomonas humi</Emphasis> sp. nov., isolated from soil

A Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, small, orange, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from soil in South Korea and characterized to determine its taxonomic position. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence examination revealed that strain PB323^T belongs to the family Sphingomonadaceae. The highest degree of sequence similarity was found with Sphingomonas kaistensis PB56^T (98.9%), followed by Sphingomonas astaxanthinifaciens TDMA-17^T (98.3%). Chemotaxonomic characteristics (the G+C content of the genomic DNA 69.0 mol%, Q-10 quinone system, C_18:1 ω7c/ω9t/ω12t, C_16:1 ω7c/C_15:0 iso 2OH, C_17:1 ω6c, and C16:0 as the major fatty acids) corroborated assignment of strain PB323^T to the genus Sphingomonas. Results of physiological and biochemical tests clearly demonstrate that strain PB323^T represents a distinct species and support its affiliation with the genus Sphingomonas. Based on these data, PB323^T (=KCTC 12341^T =JCM 16603T =KEMB 9004-003^T) should be classified as a type strain of a novel species, for which the name Sphingomonas humi sp. nov. is proposed.     

小鼠骨髓造血干细胞、外周血组成随年龄的变化趋势及其相关性分析

造血干细胞是具有自我更新能力并能分化为血液中各种血细胞组分的多能干细胞。近来研究显示,不同造血干细胞表面标志物标记的造血干细胞具有分化为不同血细胞的趋势,但是这种分化的内在关系仍不清楚。对小鼠CD34~-/Sca-1~+骨髓造血干细胞、外周血组成随小鼠年龄增长的变化情况进行了分析,结果显示:随着年龄的增长,骨髓中的CD34~-/Sca-1~+骨髓造血干细胞比率显著增加;而外周血各组分则随年龄变化呈现不同的趋势。对不同年龄段小鼠的骨髓造血干细胞及其他组分与外周血组分的同步分析发现,外周血中血小板密度变化趋势与CD34~-/Sca-1~+骨髓造血干细胞变化情况相关系数为0.804 8;外周血中淋巴细胞密度变化趋势与CD34~+/Sca-1~-骨髓细胞的变化情况相关系数为0.947 97;外周血中白细胞密度变化趋势与CD34~+/Sca-1~+骨髓细胞变化情况相关系数为0.763 1(大于0.9为极度相关,0.7到0.9为高度相关)。     

Overexpression of Tamarix albiflonum TaMnSOD increases drought tolerance in transgenic cotton

Drought is a major environmental stress that limits cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production worldwide. TaMnSOD plays a crucial role as a peroxidation scavenger. In this study, TaMnSOD cDNA of Tamarix albiflonum was overexpressed in the cotton cultivar fy11 by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The transformed plants were assessed by gDNA PCR, RT-PCR and DNA gel blot analysis. The physiological and biochemical characters of two independent transgenic lines and control plants were tested and compared, and the morphological traits (biomass, root and lateral root length, leaf number) were also detected after recovery from water-withholding stress. When water was withheld from pot-grown 6-week-old seedlings for 18 days (watering to 8 % of field capacity), transgenic cotton plants accumulated more proline and soluble sugar than wild-type plants (WT). The activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and peroxidase was enhanced in transgenic plants under drought stress. Cell membrane integrity was also considerably improved under water stress, as indicated by reduced malondialdehyde content relative to control plants. Furthermore, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were increased in transgenic plants compared with wild type. Transgenic cotton showed increases in biomass as well as root and leaf systems compared with WT after 2 weeks recovery from stress. These results suggest that TaMnSOD transgenic cotton plants acquired improved drought tolerance through enhanced development of the root and leaf system and the regulation of superoxide scavenging.