Spatial variation in adult sex ratio across multiple scales in the invasive golden apple snail,Pomacea canaliculata

Adult sex ratio (ASR) has critical effects on behavior and life history and has implications for population demography, including the invasiveness of introduced species. ASR exhibits immense variation in nature, yet the scale dependence of this variation is rarely analyzed. In this study, using the generalized multilevel models, we investigated the variation in ASR across multiple nested spatial scales and analyzed the underlying causes for an invasive species, the golden apple snail Pomacea canaliculata. We partitioned the variance in ASR to describe the variations at different scales and then included the explanatory variables at the individual and group levels to analyze the potential causes driving the variation in ASR. We firstly determined there is a significant female‐biased ASR for this species when accounting for the spatial and temporal autocorrelations of sampling. We found that, counter to nearly equal distributed variation at plot, habitat and region levels, ASR showed little variation at the town level. Temperature and precipitation at the region level were significantly positively associated with ASR, whereas the individual weight, the density characteristic, and sampling time were not significant factors influencing ASR. Our study suggests that offspring sex ratio of this species may shape the general pattern of ASR in the population level while the environmental variables at the region level translate the unbiased offspring sex ratio to the female‐biased ASR. Future research should consider the implications of climate warming on the female‐biased ASR of this invasive species and thus on invasion pattern.     

The Spatio-temporal Distribution of Japanese Encephalitis Cases in Different Age Groups in Mainland China, 2004 – 2014

Background

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is very prevalent in China, but the incidence of JE among children has been greatly reduced by extensive promotion of vaccinations. The incidence of JE among adults, however, has increased in some parts of China.

Methods/Principal Findings

Data on JE in mainland China, in terms of incidence, gender, and age, were collected between 2004 and 2014. We conducted spatial and temporal analyses on data from different age groups. Generally, children aged 0–15 years still represent the major population of JE cases in China, despite the gradual decrease in incidence over years. However, the incidence of JE among adults in several provinces is notably higher than the national average, especially during the epidemic waves in 2006, 2009, and 2013. The JE cases in the 0–15-year-old group are distributed mainly in the area south of the Yangtze River, with peak incidence occurring from July to September. In the adult group, especially for those over 40 years old, the JE cases are concentrated mainly in the area north of the Yangtze River. JE incidence in the adult group in September and October is significantly greater compared to the other groups. Further analysis using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) reveals that the distribution of adult JE cases in the six provinces north of the Yangtze River, between north 30–35° latitude and east 110–130° longitude, is a hotspot for adult JE cases.

Conclusions/Significance

The rate of JE case increase for adults is much greater than for children and has become a public health issue. Therefore, studies on the necessity and feasibility of vaccinating adults who live in JE-endemic areas, but have never been vaccinated for JE, should become a new focus of JE prevention in the future.     

Genetic Analysis of the Role of Phytoalexin Detoxification in Virulence of the Fungus Nectria haematococca on Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Chickpea (Cicer arietium L.) produces the antimicrobial compounds (phytoalexins) medicarpin and maackiain in response to infection by microorganisms. Nectria haematococca mating population (MP) VI, a fungus pathogenic on chickpea, can metabolize maackiain and medicarpin to less toxic products. These reactions are thought to be detoxification mechanisms in N. haematococca MP VI and required for pathogenesis by this fungus on chickpea. In the present study, these hypotheses were tested by examining the phenotypes of progeny from crosses of the fungus that segregated for genes (Mak genes) controlling phytoalexin metabolism. Mak1 and Mak2, two genes that individually confer the ability to convert maackiain to its 1a-hydroxydienone derivative, were linked to higher tolerance of the phytoalexins and high virulence on chickpea. These results indicate that this metabolic reaction is a mechanism for increased phytoalexin tolerance in the fungus, which thereby allows a higher virulence on chickpea. Mak3, a gene conferring the ability to convert maackiain to its 6a-hydroxypterocarpan derivative, also increased tolerance to maackiain in strains which carried it; however, the contribution of Mak3 to the overall level of pathogenesis could not be evaluated because most progeny from the cross segregating for this gene were low in virulence. Thus, metabolic detoxification of phytoalexins appeared to be necessary, as demonstrated in the Mak1 and Mak2 crosses, but not sufficient by itself, as in the Mak3 cross, for high virulence of N. haematococca MP VI on chickpea.     

中国赫坎按蚊类群的六种按蚊的杂交和染色体的观察

本文报告了赫坎按蚊类群中的中华按蚊(ASS)、长浮按蚊(ACF)、嗜人按蚊(AAP)、大窄按蚊(ADZ)、小宽按蚊(AXK)以及四川的八代按蚊(AYS)与辽宁的AYL品系的杂交和唾腺染色体的观察。结果表明,中华按蚊和长浮按蚊,嗜人按蚊和大窄按蚊之间不存在生殖隔离。因此,长浮按蚊和大窄按蚊可能不是独立的物种:小宽按蚊和四川的八代按蚊不存在生殖隔离;小宽按蚊和辽宁的AYL品系以及AYL品系和四川的八代按蚊却存在生殖隔离。因此,AYL品系可能为新种,而小宽按蚊新种能否成立,有待进一步研究。     

Cholesterol metabolism. Effect of 26-thiacholesterol and 26-aminocholesterol, analogues of 26-hydroxycholesterol, on cholesterol synthesis and low-density-lipoprotein-receptor binding.

1. The effects of 26-aminocholesterol and 26-thiacholesterol on cholesterol synthesis and LDL (low-density lipoprotein)-receptor activity were compared with naturally occurring 26-hydroxycholesterol utilizing both human fibroblasts and hepatoma (Hep G2) cells. 2. At equimolar concentrations (0.625 microM), down-regulation of LDL-receptor activity and cholesterol synthesis was greater with human fibroblasts than with Hep G2 cells. 3. At much higher concentrations (5-20 microM) the 26-thia analogue had little effect on either cholesterol synthesis or LDL-receptor activity.     

The role of Cold‐Inducible RNA‐binding protein in respiratory diseases

Cold‐inducible RNA‐binding protein (CIRP) is a stress‐response protein that is expressed in various types of cells and acts as an RNA chaperone, modifying the stability of its targeted mRNA. Intracellular CIRP could also be released into extracellular space and once released, extracellular CIRP (eCIRP) acts as a damage‐associated molecular pattern (DAMP) to induce and amplify inflammation. Recent studies have found that eCIRP could promote acute lung injury (ALI) via activation of macrophages, neutrophils, pneumocytes and lung vascular endothelial cells in context of sepsis, haemorrhagic shock, intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury and severe acute pancreatitis. In addition, CIRP is also highly expressed in the bronchial epithelial cells and its expression is upregulated in the bronchial epithelial cells of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and rat models with chronic bronchitis. CIRP is a key contributing factor in the cold‐induced exacerbation of COPD by promoting the expression of inflammatory genes and hypersecretion of airway mucus in the bronchial epithelial cells. Besides, CIRP is also involved in regulating pulmonary fibrosis, as eCIRP could directly activate and induce an inflammatory phenotype in pulmonary fibroblast. This review summarizes the findings of CIRP investigation in respiratory diseases and the underlying molecular mechanisms.     

The regulatory function of piRNA/PIWI complex in cancer and other human diseases: The role of DNA methylation

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of short chain noncoding RNAs that are constituted by 26-30 nucleotides (nt) and can couple with PIWI protein family. piRNAs were initially described in germline cells and are believed to be critical regulators of the maintenance of reproductive line. Increasing evidence has extended our perspectives on the biological significance of piRNAs and indicated that they could still affect somatic gene expression through DNA methylation, chromatin modification and transposon silencing, etc. Many studies have revealed that the dysregulation of piRNAs might contribute to diverse diseases through epigenetic changes represented by DNA methylation and chromatin modification. In this review, we summarized piRNA/PIWI protein-mediated DNA methylation regulation mechanisms and methylation changes caused by piRNA/PIWI proteins in different diseases, especially cancers. Since DNA methylation and inhibitory chromatin marks represented by histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation frequently cooperate to silence genomic regions, we also included methylation in chromatin modification within this discussion. Furthermore, we discussed the potential clinical applications of piRNAs as a new type promising biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, as well as the significance of piRNA/PIWI protein-associated methylation changes in treatment, providing disparate insights into the potential applications of them.     

外来入侵植物意大利苍耳的传粉生态学特性

从开花物候、花粉活力、柱头可受性、传粉媒介、花粉散布距离、雄性、雌性功能以及繁育系统等方面系统地研究了意大利苍耳的传粉生态学特性,旨在为揭示该物种成功入侵的机理提供科学依据。研究结果显示:意大利苍耳种群的花期较长,雌花花期可达40d,雄花花期可达30d。其雄性和雌性功能都很强,意大利苍耳单株雄花序和花粉量分别高达3847个/株和37903037粒/株,单株雌花序和单株胚珠数高达3847个/株和7694枚/株,种群平均结实率高达80.59%,即平均每株个体能形成6200枚成熟的果实。花粉活力的日变化呈单峰型曲线,早晨和傍晚的花粉活力最低,14:00时的活力高达99%。雌蕊柱头一经伸出总苞即具有可受性,可受期长达7d,开花后的3—4d柱头的可受性最强。意大利苍耳为风媒传粉植物,在4.5km/h的微风条件下,其花粉的散布距离可达45m,大量的花粉集中分布在距花粉源0—20m的范围内,这对于往往高密度连片分布的意大利苍耳种群来说无疑是一种高效的传粉策略。意大利苍耳的交配系统灵活多样,盛花期自然结实率达到100%,套袋试验结果表明该植物自交亲和,自株自然授粉的结实率高达93%。表明较长的花期、大量的雌雄花序及花粉数量、较高的花粉活力、较长的柱头可授期、较远的花粉风媒散布距离、混合交配系统、以及较高的结实率是意大利苍耳繁殖成功的重要保障,也是其成功入侵的重要原因。     

曲霉属bHLH转录因子的研究进展

bHLH(Basichelix-loop-helix)转录因子广泛存在于真核生物中,它可以通过同源或异源二聚体的形式与基因启动子上的E-box结合来调控基因的表达。转录因子的bHLH家族由广泛涉及发育过程(包括细胞增殖和分化)的大量蛋白组成,在生物的生长发育调控过程中起着极为重要的作用。本文对包括构巢曲霉、烟曲霉、米曲霉等曲霉属中现已发现bHLH转录因子的调控过程和生物功能进行概述,以期为深入研究曲霉属的生长发育及bHLH转录因子的功能提供理论参考。