Biomarkers of toxicity in Clarias gariepinus exposed to sublethal concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Physiological, biochemical and histological indices in Clarias gariepinus broodstock, and teratogenic indices in embryos exposed to sublethal concentrations of naphthalene, phenanthrene and pyrene were investigated in 2014 using a static-renewal bioassay protocol. Phenanthrene (1.41 mg l^?1) was the most toxic, followed by pyrene (1.53 mg l^?1) and naphthalene (7.21 mg l^?1), based on 96 h LC50 values. Hepatosomatic indices were significantly higher in naphthalene- and pyrene-treated males compared with solvent controls, whereas fecundity in females was significantly lower by factors of 2.4 (naphthalene), 2.8 (phenanthrene) and 2.4 (pyrene), compared with controls. Catalase levels were lower in female phenanthrene-treated fish compared with controls. Histological alterations observed in PAH-treated fish include oedema, inflammatory cells, epithelial lifting and hyperplasia in the gills, vacuolation, haemosiderin pigments and sinusoidal congestion in the liver, and degenerated zona radiata in the ovary. Teratogenic effects were not observed, as evidenced by the lack of histological alterations in embryos spawned from pre-exposed broodstock. Sex-specific responses and the utility of biomarkers at cellular and individual levels of organisation are therefore demonstrated for holistic evaluations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ecotoxicological studies.     

Endonuclease Activity of MutL Protein of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodobacter sphaeroides</Emphasis> Mismatch Repair System

We have purified the MutL protein from Rhodobacter sphaeroides mismatch repair system (rsMutL) for the first time. rsMutL demonstrated endonuclease activity in vitro, as predicted by bioinformatics analysis. Based on the alignment of 1483 sequences of bacterial MutL homologs with presumed endonuclease activity, conserved functional motifs and amino acid residues in the rsMutL sequence were identified: five motifs comprising the catalytic site responsible for DNA cleavage were found in the C–terminal domain; seven conserved motifs involved in ATP binding and hydrolysis and specific to the GHKL family of ATPases were found in the N–terminal domain. rsMutL demonstrated the highest activity in the presence of Mn²⁺. The extent of plasmid DNA hydrolysis declined in the row Mn²⁺ > Co²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Cd²⁺; Ni²⁺ and Ca²⁺ did not activate rsMutL. Divalent zinc ions inhibited rsMutL endonuclease activity in the presence of Mn²⁺ excess. ATP also suppressed plasmid DNA hydrolysis by rsMutL. Analysis of amino acid sequences and biochemical properties of five studied bacterial MutL homologs with endonuclease activity revealed that rsMutL resembles the MutL proteins from Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

免疫耐受的形成机制

免疫系统如何识别“自己”和“非己”,这是免疫学理论的核心问题。由于在胚胎期自身反应性细胞克隆被排斥,即形成对自身抗原的耐受;但对外源性“非己”成分能产生免疫应答予以清除,此即免疫系统识别“自己”和“非己”的机制。近年来研究证实外周成熟淋巴细胞中存在着自身反应性T细胞,但处于功能失活状态;谓之外周耐受。目前已明确免疫耐受的形成涉及多种机制的参与,包括免疫细胞的相互作用、免疫细胞的分子识别、信号传递、基因表达等不同层次的调节。对免疫耐受机理的研究可为阐明免疫应答及免疫调节的机制提供依据,必将推动免疫学基础理论研究的发展。     

玉米19kD醇溶贮藏蛋白基因启动子种子特异性表达控制区段的分析

为研究玉米（Ｚｅａｍａｙｓ　Ｌ．）１９ｋＤ醇溶贮藏蛋白（ｚｅｉｎ）基因启动子种子特异性表达的控制区段,将全长６９４ｂｐ的启动子进行５’端缺失,共得到６个缺失突变体,长度分别为４８８ｂｐ、３７８ｂｐ、３０２ｂｐ、１５２ｂｐ、１２４ｂｐ和８５ｂｐ。将６个片段分别与报告基因ｇｕｓ连接构建成表达载体ｐＤＧＢ系列,经土壤农杆菌（Ａｇｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍ）介导转化,引入烟草。ＧＵＳ活性检测证明,４８８ｂｐ启动子片段能促使ｇｕｓ基因在种子中特异表达。３７８ｂｐ、３０２ｂｐ、１５２ｂｐ和１２４ｂｐ片段启动子引导的ｇｕｓ基因在烟草根、叶柄、种子中均可表达。     

基于陈述性偏好法的三江平原湿地生态保护价值比较

陈述性偏好法是当前用于评估环境物品非市场价值的主要方法,包括条件价值评估法(CVM)和选择实验(CE).本文利用陈述性偏好法对三江平原湿地的生态保护价值进行评估,基于随机效用理论构建陈述性偏好方法的支付意愿评价模型,求出基于CVM与CE的三江平原湿地生态保护价值的支付意愿(WTP).结果表明: 基于CE的平均支付意愿为每年379元,不同选择属性的边际支付意愿分别是水源涵养为每年114.00元,湿地面积为每年72.55元,自然景观为每年59.55元,生物多样性为每年37.09元;CVM的平均支付意愿为每年134元.分析支付意愿的影响因素,并对受访者拒绝支付原因进行探讨.CE方法得到受访者的支付意愿显著高于CVM方法,社会经济属性中受教育程度和个人平均年收入与受访者的支付意愿呈显著正相关,而拒绝支付原因没有显著差异.CE可以进行多属性、多水平分析,求出湿地各选择属性的支付意愿,因此CE比CVM更能揭示受访者的偏好信息,其评估结果更接近于实际.     

泥河湾盆地葡萄园旧石器遗址

本文报道的葡萄园石制品79件,发现在泥河湾盆地东端河北省阳原县官厅村北小长梁更新世早期旧石器遗址东侧的后石山基部,文化层由下更新统湖滨相冲-洪积砾石层构成,层位与小长梁文化层大致相当,位于Matsuyama负极性时的Jaramillo正极性亚时层段之下,而靠近Olduvai正极性亚时层段顶面,推断其年龄为150~160万年。     

水稻早世代稳定相关的SSR标记

以具有早世代稳定特性的9个水稻品系和7个栽培稻进行杂交得到130个杂交组合。发现在同一个组合的F2群体中除出现孟德尔式分离株系外还出现性状整齐一致的稳定株系,在F2群体中出现了32个不同农艺性状的稳定株系。SSR标记结果表明：稳定株系F2与其F1单株的标记一致,都是纯合的,且双亲的标记在后代都有出现,双亲的标记位点在后代的染色体上同时出现,说明稳定株系为真杂种;分离株系F2与其F1单株SSR标记均为杂合;大部分稳定株系在RM276、RM258、RM248、RM1这4个标记位点都较高频率地出现非父母带型。推测出现变异的配子激活杂种合子体细胞减数分裂,合子经过减数分裂后,4个单倍体细胞经过胚胎发育选择,其中一个细胞染色体加倍而发育为纯合的二倍体植株。     

链霉素对鸟听觉毒性作用的研究

目的：了解链霉素对鸟听觉毒性的作用。方法：选33只健康成年虎皮鹦鹉,不同剂量的链霉素肌肉注射15日,脑干听觉诱发电位测试外周的听觉敏度和听觉通路中神经的传导和传递能力。结果：链霉素对鸟听觉有毒性作用。结论：用链霉素处理鸟可以制作聋鸟模型。