Oestrogen regulates the expression of cathepsin E-A-like gene through ER$$\upbeta $$ in liver of chicken ( Gallus gallus)

The cathepsin E-A-like, also known as ‘similar to nothepsin’, is a new member of the aspartic protease family, which may take part in processing of egg yolk macromolecules, due to it was identified in the chicken egg-yolk. Previously, studies have suggested that the expression of cathepsin E-A-like increased gradually during sexual maturation of pullets, but the exact regulation mechanism is poorly understood. In this study, to gain insight into the function and regulation mechanism of the gene in egg-laying hen, we cloned the cathepsin E-A-like gene and evaluated its evolutionary origin by using both phylogenetic and syntenic methods. The mode of the gene expression regulation was analysed through stimulating juvenile hens with \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol and chicken embryo hepatocytes with \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol combined with oestrogen receptor antagonists including MPP, ICI 182,780 and tamoxifen. Our results showed that cathepsin E-A-like was an orthologoues gene with nothepsin, which is present in birds but not in mammals. The expression of cathepsin E-A-like significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner after the juvenile hens were treated with \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol (\(P~<~0.05\)). Compared with the \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol treatment group, the expression of cathepsin E-A-like was not significantly changed when the hepatocytes were treated with \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol combined with MPP (\(P~<~0.05\)). In contrast, compared with the \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol combined with MPP treatment group, the expression of cathepsin E-A-like was significantly downregulated when the hepatocytes were treated with \(17\upbeta \)-estradiol combined with tamoxifen or ICI 182,780 (\(P~<~0.05\)). These results demonstrated that cathepsin E-A-like shared the same evolutionary origin with nothepsin. The expression of cathepsin E-A-like was regulated by oestrogen, and the regulative effect was predominantly mediated through ER-\(\upbeta \) in liver of chicken.     

Colors of night: climate–morphology relationships of geometrid moths along spatial gradients in southwestern China

Oecologia - Color lightness of insects is an important ecological trait affecting their performance through multiple functions such as thermoregulation, UV protection and disease resistance. The...     

太湖地区不同轮作模式对稻田温室气体(CH4和N2O)排放的影响

通过田间试验,研究了太湖地区不同轮作模式下稻季温室气体排放规律.结果表明: 水稻生长季CH₄排放呈先升高后降低趋势,CH₄排放主要集中在水稻生育前期,烤田后至水稻收获期间CH₄排放量较低;N₂O的排放主要集中在3次施肥及烤田期.稻季排放的CH₄对全球增温潜势(GWP)的贡献远高于N₂O,各处理所占比例为94.7%～99.6%,是温室气体减排的主要对象.不同轮作模式下,稻季CH₄排放总量及其GWP存在显著差异,表现为小麦-水稻>紫云英-水稻>休闲-水稻轮作;稻季N₂O排放总量及其GWP没有显著性差异.与不施肥处理相比,紫云英-水稻轮作模式下施加氮肥显著降低了CH₄排放量和GWP,但不同氮肥用量下的CH₄排放量和GWP没有显著性差异,而紫云英还田稻季施氮240 kg·hm^-2下的水稻产量却最高.综合经济效益和环境效益,紫云英还田稻季施氮240 kg·hm^-2下的增产减排综合效果更好,是值得当地推广的耕作制度.     

崇明东滩南部河口盐沼植物群落种间关系的数量分析

对崇明东滩南部盐沼植物群落样方进行调查,基于现有17种高等植物,特别是8种常见植物的2×2联列表和植被盖度值,利用方差比率法、χ²检验以及Spearman秩相关分析对物种关联性和相关性进行分析.结果表明: 方差比率(VR=0.61)的检验统计量W=48.61,落在 χ² 2个临界值区间之外,因此该区域盐沼植物群落内植物整体关联度表现为显著负相关;依据各优势植物对环境的适应方式和生境的主导因素,参考Spearman秩相关分析的结果,将它们划分为4个生态种组: 芦苇、糙叶苔草-藨草-水莎草、互花米草-海三棱藨草、白茅-稗草.崇明东滩南部盐沼植物群落种间关系复杂,群落表现极不稳定,植物对于环境影响较为敏感.在明确物种之间关系的基础上,针对海三棱藨草的分布现状提出了相应种群的保护措施和建议.