‘Green tides’ are overwhelming the coastline of our blue planet: taking the world’s largest example

A broad spectrum of events that come under the category of green tide are recognized world-wide as a response to elevated levels of seawater nutrients in coastal areas. Green tides involve a wide diversity of sites, macroalgal species, consequences, and possible causes. Here we review the effect of natural and man-induced environmental fluctuations on the frequency and apparent spread of green tides. This article highlights the need for interdisciplinary research aimed at shedding light on the basic mechanisms governing the occurrence and succession of green algae in coastal seas. This will result in more effective management and mitigation of the effects of green tides, thus safeguarding the intrinsic and commercial value of coastal marine ecosystems.     

Crystal structure of a beta-catenin/Tcf complex

The Wnt signaling pathway plays critical roles in embryonic development and tumorigenesis. Stimulation of the Wnt pathway results in the accumulation of a nuclear beta-catenin/Tcf complex, activating Wnt target genes. A crystal structure of beta-catenin bound to the beta-catenin binding domain of Tcf3 (Tcf3-CBD) has been determined. The Tcf3-CBD forms an elongated structure with three binding modules that runs antiparallel to beta-catenin along the positively charged groove formed by the armadillo repeats. Structure-based mutagenesis defines three sites in beta-catenin that are critical for binding the Tcf3-CBD and are differentially involved in binding APC, cadherin, and Axin. The structural and mutagenesis data reveal a potential target for molecular drug design studies.     

中国荷斯坦牛IL8基因遗传多态性与泌乳性状以及体细胞评分的关联

以上海某奶牛场30个公牛家系的610头中国荷斯坦牛为试验材料,采用聚合酶链式反应-单链构象多态性(PCR-SSCP)技术对Interleukin-8(IL8)基因的遗传多态性进行了分析,采用混合动物模型分析了IL8基因突变位点与测定日产奶量、测定日乳脂率、测定日乳蛋白率、305d校正产奶量、305d乳脂量、305d乳蛋白量及测定日体细胞评分7个性状的相关性,寻找可用于生产实际的分子标记。共检测到KK、KA和AA3种基因型,频率分别为0.187、0.451和0.362,等位基因K和A的频率分别为0.412和0.588。该位点突变对测定日产奶量、305d乳蛋白量、305d校正产奶量和305d乳脂量以及体细胞评分影响达到极显著水平(P0.01),对测定日乳蛋白率的影响达到显著水平(P0.05),对测定日乳脂率影响不显著(P0.05)。多重比较表明:KK基因型对测定日产奶量、305d校正产奶量、305d乳蛋白量和305d乳脂量极显著高于AA和KA基因型(P0.01)。KK基因型的体细胞评分(SCS)最小二乘均值极显著低于KA、AA基因型(P0.01)。对于测定日的乳蛋白率AA基因型显著低于KA、KK型(P0.05)。IL8基因遗传突变对中国荷斯坦牛泌乳性状和乳房炎抗性有较大的遗传效应,可用于中国荷斯坦牛的分子标记辅助选择。     

转C4光合酶基因水稻的CO2交换和荧光特性

用转PEPC、PPDK、NADP-ME、PEPC+PPDK酶基因水稻(Oryza sativa L.)及原种为材料 ,研究了光合作用对光照、温度、CO2的响应和光抑制条件下的叶绿素荧光特性,结果如下: 1.转C4光合酶基因水稻的饱和光合速率比原种高,其中转PEPC、PEPC+PPDK双基因水稻的光饱和点比原种高200 μmol*m-2*s-1,饱和光合速率比原种分别高51.6%和 58.5%;转PEPC基因水稻的羧化效率比原种高49.3%,CO2补偿点降低26.2%;在高温(35 ℃)下,转PEPC基因水稻的光合速率比原种高17.5%.2.经光抑制处理8 d后,转PEPC、PEPC +PPDK酶基因水稻的PSⅡ光化学效率(Fv/Fm)和光化学猝灭(qP)下降20%- 30%,非光化学猝灭(qN)增加了约30%;但原种的Fv/Fm和qP下降了5 0%多,qN变化不明显,表明转C4光合基因水稻耐光抑制能力增强.这些结果为用生物技术提高水稻光合效率研究提供了新的依据和途径.     

Temporal changes of soil physic‐chemical properties at different soil depths during larch afforestation by multivariate analysis of covariance

Soil physic-chemical properties differ at different depths; however, differences in afforestation-induced temporal changes at different soil depths are seldom reported. By examining 19 parameters, the temporal changes and their interactions with soil depth in a large chronosequence dataset (159 plots; 636 profiles; 2544 samples) of larch plantations were checked by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). No linear temporal changes were found in 9 parameters (N, K, N:P, available forms of N, P, K and ratios of N: available N, P: available P and K: available K), while marked linear changes were found in the rest 10 parameters. Four of them showed divergent temporal changes between surface and deep soils. At surface soils, changing rates were 262.1 g·kg⁻¹·year⁻¹ for SOM, 438.9 mg·g⁻¹·year⁻¹ for C:P, 5.3 mg·g⁻¹·year⁻¹ for C:K, and −3.23 mg·cm⁻³·year⁻¹ for bulk density, while contrary tendencies were found in deeper soils. These divergences resulted in much moderated or no changes in the overall 80-cm soil profile. The other six parameters showed significant temporal changes for overall 0–80-cm soil profile (P: −4.10 mg·kg⁻¹·year⁻¹; pH: −0.0061 unit·year⁻¹; C:N: 167.1 mg·g⁻¹·year⁻¹; K:P: 371.5 mg·g⁻¹ year⁻¹; N:K: −0.242 mg·g⁻¹·year⁻¹; EC: 0.169 μS·cm⁻¹·year⁻¹), but without significant differences at different soil depths (P > 0.05). Our findings highlight the importance of deep soils in studying physic-chemical changes of soil properties, and the temporal changes occurred in both surface and deep soils should be fully considered for forest management and soil nutrient balance.     

水稻飞虱的抗药性监测研究

1989-1993年选用有机磷、氨基甲酸酯和拟除虫菊酯三大粪12种常用杀虫剂,对水稻褐飞虱和白背飞虱进行了5年系统的抗药性监测研究,发现两种飞虱对药剂的敏感性年度间变化较大,分析可能与其迁飞习性有关。将我们所测的LD50与日本Nagata(1967)测定结果比较．褐飞虱对有机磷类的抗性倍数为3.22-16．12倍,对氨基甲酸酯类为5．59-9．12倍;白背飞虱对有机磷类的抗性为48．90-208.16倍．对氨基甲酸酯类为3．29-19．50倍．抗性发展速率明显高于褐飞虱。两种飞虱对菊酯类药剂的敏感性差异较大。抗马拉硫磷的褐飞虱种群对二氯苯醚菊酯表现较高交互抗性。     

植物细胞程序化死亡研究进展

细胞程序化死亡 (PCD)是一种由基因控制的、主动的细胞死亡过程 ,它在植物正常生长发育过程中起着重要作用。本文就植物PCD的近期研究进展和其分子信号调控机制作一综合阐述     

Eutrophication assessment and bioremediation strategy in a marine fish cage culture area in Nansha Bay,China

On the basis of field data measured during four cruises from January to November 2007, variations in the characteristics of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate were analyzed in Nansha marine fish cage culture area, Ningbo City, China. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was selected as the parameter to balance seaweed absorption and fish DIN production. The contents of DIN and phosphate varied with different seasons, and eutrophication index (E) value ranged from 2.41 to 15.99, indicating serious eutrophication conditions; the annual average value of N/P of 32.95 indicates a nitrogen surplus in this system. The eutrophication condition in Nansha Bay was mainly caused by the fish cage culture activities. Based on their biological characteristics, Laminaria and Gracilaria were selected as the bioremediation species in winter and spring and summer and autumn, respectively. The optimal co-cultivation proportion of fish cage to Laminaria and Gracilaria in this bay was 1 cage, 450 m² and one cage, 690 m², respectively.     

A proteomic approach in investigating the hepatoprotective mechanism of Schisandrin B: role of raf kinase inhibitor protein

To identify key proteins involved in the hepatoprotection afforded by schisandrin B (Sch B), we used a proteomic approach to screen proteins that were specifically regulated by Sch B in mouse livers and to investigate the role of the proteins in hepatoprotection. Thirteen proteins were specifically activated or suppressed by Sch B treatment. Among the 13 proteins, Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) was postulated to be the key regulator involved in the development of hepatotoxin-induced cellular damage. The results indicated that the downregulation of RKIP by antisense RKIP vector transfection led to the activation of the Raf-1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, as evidenced by increases in the level of MEK/ERK phosphorylation and the level of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 in the nucleus. The signaling effect produced by RKIP downregulation resembled that triggered by Sch B, wherein both treatments resulted in a decrease in the extent of carbon tetrachloride-induced apoptotic cell death in AML12 hepatocytes. Overexpression of RKIP by the sense RKIP transfection vector or the inhibition of MEK kinase by PD98059 was able to abrogate the cytoprotective effect of Sch B in the hepatocytes. The results indicate that Sch B triggers the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, presumably by downregulating RKIP, thereby protecting against carbon tetrachloride-induced cytotoxicity.