Expression of glucoamylase gene usingSUC2 promoter inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary The cloning of glucoamylase geneSTA using theSUC2 promoter intoSaccharomyces cerevisiae was performed. The signal sequence ofSTA gene was used for the secretion of glucoamylase protein. The plasmid constructed in this way was named YEpSUCSTA and its expression was identified. The expression of YEpSUCSTA was repressed in the presence of glucose in growth medium, but derepressed when glucose became depleted. YEpSUCSTA showed the similar efficiency of glucoamylase secretion as YEpSTA-F which has the entireSTA gene. Glucoamylase activity in starch-glucose medium was largely increased because cell mass and plasmid stability were high in biosynthesis phase compared to extracellular glucoamylase activities in media which starch or glucose was the only carbon source.     

Induced feeding preferences in dicofol-resistant two-spotted spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Preadult rearing conditions affected the behavior of dicofol-resistant two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae). Resistant spider mites reared on dicofol-treated leaves initiated a significantly greater number of feeding bouts on dicofol-treated leaves than did genetically identical spider mites reared on residue-free leaves. Therefore the prior exposure of resistant spider mites resulted in induced feeding preferences that could exacerbate the potential outcome of the resistance by resulting in greater amounts of feeding by resistant individuals on dicofol-treated areas. Since resistant individuals that had not experienced dicofol in their lifetime did not display this feeding preference, avoidance of this phenomenon of induced feeding preference may be an undescribed value of rotations of pesticides.     

Effects of snout dimensions on the hydrodynamics of suction feeding in juvenile and adult seahorses

Seahorses give birth to juveniles having a fully functional feeding apparatus, and juvenile feeding behaviour shows striking similarities to that of adults. However, a significant allometric growth of the snout is observed during which the snout shape changes from relatively short and broad in juveniles to relatively long and slender in adults. Since the shape of the buccal cavity is a critical determinant of the suction performance, this snout allometry will inevitably affect the suction feeding ability. To test whether the snout is optimised for suction feeding throughout an ontogeny, we simulated the expansion of different snout shapes varying from extremely long and slender to short and broad for juvenile and adult snout sizes, using computational fluid dynamic models. Our results showed that the snout diameter at the start of the simulations is involved in a trade-off between the realizable suction volume and expansion time on the one hand (improving with larger initial diameters), and maximal flow velocity on the other hand (improving with smaller initial diameters). Moreover suction performance (suction volume as well as maximal attainable flow velocity) increased with decreasing snout length. However, an increase in snout length decreases the time to reach the prey by the cranial rotation, which may explain the prevalence of long snouts among syngnathid fishes despite the reduced suction performance. Thus, the design of the seahorse snout revolves around a trade-off between the ability to generate high-volume suction versus minimisation of the time needed to reach the prey by the cranial rotation.     

沼液对蒙古黄芪抗逆生理指标及药用活性成分含量的影响

以一年生蒙古黄芪苗为实验材料,设置4个沼液浓度(0%、50%、80%和100%)和1个化肥浓度处理,通过盆栽实验,研究不同浓度沼液基施(作基肥施入)和配施(基肥+2次叶面喷洒)对黄芪苗生长、生理指标及药用有效成分含量的影响。结果显示：(1)配施50%沼液、配施或者基施80%沼液及基施100%沼液均有助于增加蒙古黄芪生物量,但沼液施用效果不如基施化肥明显。(2)配施低浓度沼液(50%)和基施高浓度沼液(80%)均可显著提高黄芪叶片叶绿素、游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖含量,并显著优于基施化肥的效果。(3)配施50%沼液能促进蒙古黄芪叶片SOD、CAT活性,基施80%沼液能促进SOD活性,而配施80%沼液能促进POD、CAT活性,但100%沼液却使各保护酶活性均迅速下降;黄芪SOD活性对沼液处理较敏感,而POD、CAT活性对基施化肥处理较敏感;黄芪叶片MDA含量在适宜沼液浓度和施用方式下显著较低,但在基施80%沼液处理下显著较高。(4)黄芪根内黄芪甲苷和毛蕊异黄酮葡萄糖苷含量随沼液浓度增加呈先增后降趋势;黄芪甲苷含量以80%沼液基施处理较高,比对照显著增加57.44%;毛蕊异黄酮葡萄糖苷含量以80%沼液配施较高,显著高出对照24.06%;与同浓度化肥处理相比,沼液处理的黄芪甲苷含量显著增加了74.47%,而毛蕊异黄酮葡萄糖苷显著降低了42.16%。研究发现,合理的沼液浓度及施用方式能有效促进黄芪苗的生长、抗逆生理指标及药用有效成分含量的提高,并以80%沼液基施处理的黄芪苗生长更好,药用活性成分含量更高。     

73例中国人血友病甲基因突变的分析

我们用Southern blotting、PCR、变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)和DNA测序等方法对73例血友病甲患者(经上海瑞金医院测定血浆FVⅢ:C和vWF:Ag诊断,其中无亲缘关系患者65例,按FVⅢ:C水平分为轻、中、重三型。FVⅢ:C< 2%为重型,共47例;FVⅢ:C 2%-5%为中型,共9例;FVⅢ:C5%-25%为轻型,共1 7例)进行FVⅢ基因突变检测。共检出内含子22倒位23例,均为重型,约占重型的49%,与国外报道相似。余下50例(其中无亲缘关系者45)用PCR-DGG E分析所有外显子及其侧翼内含子序列,发现异常条带则进行DNA测序。在17例患者中检出突变13种,其中无义突变5种,均为重型;错义突变6种,除1例外都是轻中型;小缺失2例,都是重型;其中,AA466Lys(AAG)-Thr(ACG)、719Tyr(TAC)-Stop(TAG)、AA826 Asp(GAC)-Glu(GAA)、312Ile(ATC)-xxC及AA1551-1552del(AGAA)为新发现的突变。有亲缘关系的患者都有相同的基因突变,而在无亲缘关系患者未发现相同突变。基因突变与临床表现基本相符。 Abstract:We use Southern blotting,PCR,denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE)and DNA sequencing to detect gene mutations of haemophilia A in Chinese population.73 cases(47 severe)(FVIII:C<2%),9 moderate(FVIII:C 2%~5%),17 mild(FVIII:C 5%~25%)of haemophilia A were first screened with Southern blotting,23 were found to be the intron 22 inversion type,all being severe cases.The remaining 50 cases without intron 22 in version were examined with PCR-DGGE.Genomic DNA were amplified using GC-clamped primers covering all the exons and all flanking intron regions.Abnormal bands were sequenced.13 different mutations were identified,including 5 nonsense mutations,6 missense mutations and 2 small deletions.5 mutations,AA466Lys(AAG)-Thr(ACG),AA719Tyr(TAC)-Stop(TAG),AA826Asp(GAC)-Glu(GAA),AA312Ile(ATC)-xxC and AA1551-1552del(AGAA)have not been reported before.Generally the genetic defects correspond to the clinical conditions.     

Comparison of the effects of symmetric and asymmetric temperature elevation and CO2 enrichment on yield and evapotranspiration of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Under the changing climate, asymmetric warming pattern would be more likely during day and night time, instead of symmetric one. Concurrently, the growth responses and water use of plants may be different compared with those estimated based on symmetric warming. In this work, it was compared with the effects of symmetric (ETs) and asymmetric (ETa) elevation of temperature alone, and in interaction with elevated carbon dioxide concentration (EC), on the grain yield (GY) and evapotranspiration in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) based on pot experiment in the North China Plain (NCP). The experiment was carried out in six enclosed‐top chambers with following climate treatments: (1) ambient temperature and ambient CO₂ (CON), (2) ambient temperature and elevated CO₂ (EC), (3) elevated temperature and ambient CO₂ (ETs; ETa), and (4) elevated temperature and elevated CO₂ (ECETs, ECETa). In symmetric warming, temperature was increased by 3°C and in asymmetric one by 3.5°C during night and 2.5°C during daytime, respectively. As a result, GY was in ETa and ETs 15.6 (P < 0.05) and 10.3% (P < 0.05) lower than that in CON. In ECETs and ECETa treatments, GY was 14.9 (P < 0.05) and 9.1% (P < 0.05) higher than that in CON. Opposite to GY, evapotranspiration was 7.8 (P < 0.05) and 17.9% (P < 0.05) higher in ETa and ETs treatments and 7.2 (P < 0.05) and 2.1% (P > 0.05) lower in ECETs and ECETa treatments compared with CON. Thus, GY of wheat could be expected to increase under the changing climate with concurrent elevation of CO₂ and temperature as a result of increased WUE under the elevated CO₂. However, the gain would be lower under ETa than that estimated based on ETs due to higher evapotranspiration.     

Assessing multi-taxa sensitivity to the human footprint,habitat fragmentation and loss by exploring alternative scenarios of dispersal ability and population size: a simulation approach

Quantifying the effects of landscape change on population connectivity is compounded by uncertainties about population size and distribution and a limited understanding of dispersal ability for most species. In addition, the effects of anthropogenic landscape change and sensitivity to regional climatic conditions interact to strongly affect habitat fragmentation and loss. To further develop conservation theory and to understand the interplay between all of these factors, we simulated habitat fragmentation and loss across the Western United States for several hypothetical species associated with four biome types, and a range of habitat requirements and dispersal abilities. We found dispersal ability and population size of the focal species to be equally sensitive to habitat extent, while dispersal ability is more sensitive to habitat fragmentation. There were also strong critical threshold effects where habitat connectivity decreased disproportionately to decreases in life-history traits making these species near these thresholds more sensitive to changes in habitat loss and fragmentation. Overall, grassland and forest associated species are also most at risk from habitat loss and fragmentation driven by human related land-use. These two largest biome types were most sensitive at large contiguous patch sizes which is often considered most important for metapopulation viability and biodiversity conservation. Hypothetical simulation studies such as this can be of great value to scientists in further conceptualizing and developing conservation theory, and evaluating spatially-explicit scenarios of habitat connectivity. Our results are available for download in a web-based interactive mapping prototype useful for accessing the results of this study.     

Animal movements in fire‐prone landscapes

Movement is a trait of fundamental importance in ecosystems subject to frequent disturbances, such as fire‐prone ecosystems. Despite this, the role of movement in facilitating responses to fire has received little attention. Herein, we consider how animal movement interacts with fire history to shape species distributions. We consider how fire affects movement between habitat patches of differing fire histories that occur across a range of spatial and temporal scales, from daily foraging bouts to infrequent dispersal events, and annual migrations. We review animal movements in response to the immediate and abrupt impacts of fire, and the longer‐term successional changes that fires set in train. We discuss how the novel threats of altered fire regimes, landscape fragmentation, and invasive species result in suboptimal movements that drive populations downwards. We then outline the types of data needed to study animal movements in relation to fire and novel threats, to hasten the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology. We conclude by outlining a research agenda for the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology by identifying key research questions that emerge from our synthesis of animal movements in fire‐prone ecosystems.     

Developing a vision for improved monitoring and reporting of riparian restoration projects

Representatives from agencies involved in natural resource management in the Murray‐Darling Basin gathered for a workshop in November 2010 to develop a vision for improved monitoring and reporting of riparian restoration projects. The resounding message from this workshop was that the effectiveness of riparian restoration depends on having sound, documented and agreed evidence on the ecological responses to restoration efforts. Improving our capacity to manage and restore riparian ecosystems is constrained by (i) a lack of ecological evidence on the effects of restoration efforts, and (ii) short‐termism in commitment to restoration efforts, in funding of monitoring and in expected time spans for ecosystem recovery. Restoration at the effective spatial scope will invariably require a long‐term commitment by researchers, funding agencies, management agencies and landholders. To address the knowledge gaps that constrain riparian restoration in the Basin, participants endorsed four major fields for future research: the importance of landscape context to restoration outcomes; spatio‐temporal scaling of restoration outcomes; functional effects of restoration efforts; and developing informative and effective indicators of restoration. To improve the monitoring and restoration of riparian zones throughout the Basin, participants advocated an integrated approach: a hierarchical adaptive management framework that incorporates long‐term ecological research.