Separation of light-induced linear, cyclic and stroma-sourced electron fluxes to P700+ in cucumber leaf discs after pre-illumination at a chilling temperature

Pre-illumination of cucumber leaf discs at 4 degrees C with low-irradiance white light (i) led to a marked decrease in the extent of photo-oxidation of P700 (the special chlorophyll pair in the PSI reaction center) in actinic light at room temperature and (ii) hastened the post-illumination re-reduction of P700+. Quantifying the linear, cyclic and stroma-sourced electron fluxes to P700+ in two actinic light regimes, we found that there was no increase in cyclic or linear electron fluxes to account for these changes. Rather, we observed a decrease in the maximum extent of P700 photo-oxidation assayed by a strong flash superimposed on continuous, background light of wavelength 723 nm, which we interpret to represent a loss of stable charge separation in PSI due to enhanced charge recombination as a result of the pre-illumination treatment. The funneling of electrons towards fewer non-damaged PSI complexes could explain the hastened post-illumination re-reduction of P700+, aided by a slight increase in a stroma-sourced electron flux after prolonged pre-illumination at 4 degrees C. Quantifying the separate fluxes to P700+ helps to elucidate the effects of chilling of cucumber leaf discs in the light and the reasons for the hastened post-illumination re-reduction of P700+.     

植物四倍体抗性及其机理研究进展

植物四倍体是重要的育种资源,其创制和抗性研究受到越来越多的关注。针对植物四倍体的抗性研究,国内外学者开展了大量的工作。本文对近年来四倍体与二倍体植物的抗性（抗寒、抗旱、抗热、抗盐、抗病等）差异进行了总结,并从植物组织细胞结构、生理、分子应答和表观遗传组修饰等方面对其抗性机理进行了探讨。     

生物多样性与生态系统功能:进展与争论

生物多样性与生态系统功能的关系已成为当前人类社会面临的一个重大科学问题,生物多样性的空前丧失,促使人们开展了大量研究工作来描述物种多样性-生态系统功能关系,并试图揭示多样性与系统功能关系的内在机制,本文将多样性对生态系统功能作用机制的有关假说分为统计学与生物学两大类：前者是从统计学角度来解释观察到的多样性-系统功能模式,包括抽样效应,统计均衡效应等;而后者是基于多样性的生物学效应给出的,包括生态位互补,种间正相互作用,保险效应等,本文较为详细地介绍了该领域内有代表性的实验工作,包括“生态箱”实验,Cedar Creek草地多样性实验,微宇宙实验,欧洲草地实验,以及在这些实验结果解释上的激烈争论。     

重组炭疽致死因子的表达及生物活性分析

使用分泌型表达质粒,实现了重组炭疽致死因子(rLF)在大肠杆菌周质腔中的分泌表达。表达量约占菌体总蛋白的4％。经过离子交换和凝胶过滤纯化,每升诱导培养物可获得约3mg电泳纯的rLF。蛋白N端测序表明,rLF序列与天然炭疽LF一致。体外细胞毒性试验亦显示rLF具有很好的生物活性。rLF的成功表达为今后研究LF的作用机理、发展新型炭疽疫苗、筛选针对炭疽致死毒素的抑制剂打下基础。     

为苹果梨授粉的角额壁蜂与长角壁蜂的生物学特性比较

连续 2年在延边苹果梨园释放角额壁蜂OsmiacornifronsRodoszkowski和长角壁蜂O .longnicornisMor.,对其生物学特性进行观察。结果表明 :2种壁蜂都能在释放的苹果梨园中定居、营巢及繁殖后代 ;角额壁蜂日访花数为 4 1 5 8朵 ,长角壁蜂日访花数为 4 35 9朵 ;长角壁蜂个体较大 ,抗低温能力、抗风飞行能力和日访花能力等均较强 ,是较好的苹果梨授粉用昆虫。     

Cardiovascular effects of newly discovered peptide intermedin/adrenomedullin 2

Intermedin (IMD) is a novel member of the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). The present study aimed to investigate the cardiovascular effects of IMDs (IMD1-47 and IMD8-47) in rats. Intravenous administration of 150 nmol IMDs continuously decreased mean arterial pressure and inhibited cardiac function. Administration with IMDs decreased left ventricular end-systolic pressure (LVESP) and maximal rate of left-ventricle pressure development (+/-LVdp/dt(max)), and elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). Changes with IMD1-47 treatment were close to that with IMD8-47 (P>0.05). Perfusion of isolated rat hearts in vitro with IMD8-47 (10(-8) and 10(-7)mol/L) resulted in lower LVSP, by 40 and 56% (P<0.01); lower +LVdp/dt (max), by 33 and 47% (P<0.01); lower -LVdp/dt(max), by 25 and 39% (P<0.01); but higher coronary perfusion flow (CPF), by 25% (P<0.05) and 33% (P<0.01), respectively, than controls. However, both IMD8-47 and IMD1-47 (from 10(-13) to 10(-7)mol/L) relaxed preconstricted aortic rings in a dose-dependent manner. Intravenous administration of IMD1-47 and IMD8-47 (10(-7)mol/L) in vivo increased the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content by 68 and 150% (both P<0.01), respectively, in myocardia and 320 and 281% (both P<0.01), respectively, in aortas, compared with controls. Perfusion of isolated hearts with IMD1-47 and IMD8-47 (10(-7)mol/L) enhanced cAMP content by 24% (P<0.05) and 73% (P<0.01), respectively, compared with controls. IMDs inhibited 3H-Leucine incorporation in cardiomyocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. IMD1-47 and IMD8-47 (10(-7) and 10(-8)mol/L) decreased 3H-Leucine incorporation by 12-25% (P<0.01) and 14-18% (P<0.01), respectively. IMD mRNA was detected in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes and isoproterenol-induced hypertrophic myocardia but not normal myocardia of adult rats. These results suggest that IMD might be a regulatory factor for cardiovascular function and myocardial hypertrophy as a cardiovascular active peptide.     

Middle Triassic Xingyi Fauna: Showing turnover of marine reptiles from coastal to oceanic environments

The late Ladinian (Middle Triassic) Xingyi Fauna from the Zhuganpo Member of the Falang Formation yields abundant and well-preserved marine reptiles. Bed-by-bed excavation at Wusha in Xingyi of Guizhou Province reveals two marine vertebrate assemblages in a fossiliferous horizons that span 5.1 m in total thickness. The lower assemblage is marked by the near-shore sauropterygians, including the pachypleurosaur Keichousaurus, the nothosaurians Nothosaurus and Lariosaurus, with a strong paleobiogeographic affinity to western Tethys. The upper assemblage consists of oceanic ichthyosaurs and pistosaurs, including the large shastasaurid ichthyosaur Guizhouichthyosaurus, the euichthyosaur Qianichthyosaurus, pistosaurs Yunguisaurus and Wangosaurus, and the thalattosaur Xinpusaurus, with a closer paleobiogeographic affinity to North America. The coastal pachypleurosaur and nothosaurid sauropterygians disappeared in the upper assemblage, suggesting that they were replaced by an oceanic marine reptile community that emerged. The reptilian composition of the upper assemblage is similar to that of the Guanling Biota, which is of the Early Carnian (Late Triassic) in age and thus somewhat younger than the Xingyi Fauna. The ecological turnover of marine reptiles from near-shore to the open ocean community corresponds to the paleoenvironmental changes indicated by lithofacies analysis, δ¹³C and the global sea level changes.     

模拟淹水对枫杨和栓皮栎气体交换、叶绿素荧光和水势的影响

研究了人工模拟淹水胁迫对两年生栓皮栎(Quercus variabilis)和枫杨(Pterocarya stenoptera)树苗的影响。经过70 d的淹水处理两种植物的存活率均为100%。淹水对两种植物生理生态过程的早期影响是快速降低了二者的最大净光合速率(P_max)、气孔导度(G_s)、最大光化学量子效率(F_v/F_m)。经过7 d的淹水处理后,受淹栓皮栎的最大净光合速率是对照的39%,枫杨是对照的42%;受淹栓皮栎的气孔导度是对照的38.8%,枫杨是对照的71.9%;水淹5 d后,枫杨和栓皮栎的最大光化学量子效率分别为0.694和0.757。但经过最初的下降后,枫杨的最大净光合速率、气孔导度和最大光化学量子效率逐渐恢复,而栓皮栎的则持续下降。到淹水70 d时栓皮栎的最大净光合速率下降了94.1%,最大光化学量子效率的平均值为0.537。在试验过程中,枫杨产生了有利于吸收氧气的不定根和肥大的皮孔,而栓皮栎没有产生不定根。随淹水时间的增加枫杨的叶绿素含量与对照没有显著差异;而栓皮栎的叶绿素含量在第33 d后大幅降低,Chla/Chlb的比值下降。淹水后第10 d和第70 d测定的清晨水势,受淹栓皮栎比对照高,而受淹枫杨比对照低,因此淹水导致的叶片水势的变化可能与树种相关。以上的试验结果表明受淹的栓皮栎的光合机构运转受到了严重影响,因此栓皮栎应属于对淹水较敏感的树种。从两种植物受淹水胁迫的形态和生理变化看,枫杨比栓皮栎更耐淹,更适合库塘消落区生境。     

数字高程模型在群落内物种共存研究中的应用——以神农架米心水青冈-曼青冈群落的地形模型建立为例

地形是环境异质性产生的原因之一。受技术条件的限制, 以往研究中地形因子只能作为背景因子介入, 无法分析地形的细微变化对植物分布格局的影响。该文将数字高程模型引入群落内物种多样性研究, 以神农架米心水青冈 (Fagusengleriana) _曼青 冈 (Cyclobalanopsisoxyodon) 群落固定样地的地形分析为例, 介绍DEM的建立及地形因素的提取。摸拟 0.96hm2 样地的地形变化, 发现样地总坡向为西偏北 30°, 总坡度为 4 0.0 1°, 最大坡度为74.6°, 最小坡度为 18.2°, DEM的精度为 0.4m。选择群落中 2 4种植物与坡度、坡向及坡位等地形因素进行相关分析, 发现不同的种对地形变化的反应不同。该次研究中, DEM量化了地形数据, 使之可以参与到生物多样性研究中, 为在连续面上分析地形因素对群落内植物分布的影响提供了极大的便利。DEM在小尺度中应用的主要问题是原数据的采集, 该次研究中的地形数据为人工野外测量, 研究规模受到一定限制。     

Pollen and Resource Limitation in Veratrum nigrum L. （Liliaceae）, an Andromonoecious Herb

Pollen limitation and resource limitation were invoked to account for the pattern that flowering plants produce more flowers and ovules than fruits and seeds. This study aimed to determine their relative importance in Veratrum nigrum, a self-compatible, perennial, andromonoecious herb. In order to determine whether female production was limited by pollen grains on stigmas or by available resources, we performed supplemental hand pollination in three populations, male-flower-bud removal in three other populations, and emasculation of hermaphroditic flowers in still another population, resulting in a total of seven populations experimentally manipulated. Across the three populations, supplemental hand pollination did not significantly increase fruit set, seed number per fruit, and total seed production per individual, nor did emasculation of hermaphroditic flowers. Taken together, our results suggest that pollen grains deposited on stigmas were abundant enough to fertilize all the ovules. Male-flower-bud removal significantly increased the mean size of hermaphroditic flowers in all three populations. Female reproductive success was increased in one population, but not in the other two populations possibly due to heavy flower/seed predation. We concluded that the female reproductive success of V. nigrum was not limited by pollen grains but by available resources, which is consistent with Bateman＇s principle. Furthermore, the female reproduction increase of male-flower-bud removal individuals might suggest a trade-off between male and female sexual functions.