荒漠草原人工柠条林对冠下草本植物群落的保育作用

以宁夏盐池县荒漠草原人工柠条（Caragana intermedia）林为研究对象,分别选取柠条林冠下东侧（SE）,冠下西侧（SW）及带间（Gap）为研究样地,从群落水平探讨柠条对冠下草本植物群落结构、物种多样性及功能群分布的影响。结果表明：（1）在3种微生境中均鉴定出12种植物,SW以蒙古冰草为优势种,SE以蒙古冰草和中亚白草为优势种,Gap则以蒙古冰草和牛枝子为优势种。（2）与Gap相比,SW和SE植物群落的平均高度分别增加了41.06%和81.75%,地上生物量分别增加了40.88%和38.73%。SW和SE中,禾本科植物地上生物量分别占地上总生物量的67.10%和58.40%,显著高于Gap （P<0.05）。（3）柠条冠层效应使得草本植物的物种丰富度指数增加,但Shannon-Winner指数、Simpson指数和Pielou指数显著差异（P>0.05）,变化范围分别为1.620-1.756、0.701-0.730和0.775-0.878。（4）冗余分析表明：土壤温度、空气相对湿度及土壤有机碳是影响草本植物物种多样性及生物量的主要因子,解释量分别为42.70%,11.70%和8.80%。研究表明,柠条对冠下草本植物群落尤其是禾本科植物具有一定的保育作用,该效应的产生主要是由于柠条冠下微气候及土壤环境因子的改善为草本植物的生长发育提供了有利条件。柠条对草本植物的保育作用对荒漠草原生态环境的保护与恢复具有重要意义。     

Effects of an exotic invasive macrophyte (tropical signalgrass) on native plant community composition,species richness and functional diversity

1. The issue of freshwater species being threatened by invasion has become central in conservation biology because inland waters exhibit the highest species richness per unit area, but apparently have the highest extinctions rates on the planet. 2. In this article, we evaluated the effects of an exotic, invasive aquatic grass (Urochloa subquadripara– tropical signalgrass) on the diversity and assemblage composition of native macrophytes in four Neotropical water bodies (two reservoirs and two lakes). Species cover was assessed in quadrats, and plant biomass was measured in further quadrats, located in sites where tropical signalgrass dominated (D quadrats) and sites where it was not dominant or entirely absent (ND quadrats). The effects of tropical signalgrass on macrophyte species richness, Shannon diversity and number of macrophyte life forms (a surrogate of functional richness) were assessed through regressions, and composition was assessed with a DCA. The effects of tropical signalgrass biomass on the likelihood of occurrence of specific macrophyte life forms were assessed through logistic regression. 3. Tropical signalgrass had a negative effect on macrophyte richness and Shannon and functional diversity, and also influenced assemblage composition. Emergent, rooted with floating stems and rooted submersed species were negatively affected by tropical signalgrass, while the occurrence of free‐floating species was positively affected. 4. Our results suggest that competition with emergent species and reduction of underwater radiation, which reduces the number of submersed species, counteract facilitation of free‐floating species, contributing to a decrease in plant diversity. In addition, homogenisation of plant assemblages shows that tropical signalgrass reduces the beta diversity in the macrophyte community. 5. Although our results were obtained at fine spatial scales, they are cause for concern because macrophytes are an important part of freshwater diversity.     

Prevalence of antibodies to Francisella tularensis in forest workers from different regions of Poland

In the present study we evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to F. tularensis in 480 serum samples obtained from healthy forest workers from different regions of Poland. The investigations were performed using the tube agglutination test and ELISA. The cut-off limit of serum antibodies was set at mean antibody titre determined in the sera of 115 blood donors exceeded by three standard deviations. In none serum samples we detected antibodies to F. tularensis by tube agglutination test. Of the 480 tested sera IgA antibodies were detected by ELISA in 4.6%, antibodies IgG in 3.8% and antibodies IgM in 2.70% serum samples. The results of our study showed that antibodies to F. tularensis were slightly, but not statistically significant, more often diagnosed in healthy forest workers than healthy blood donors.     

披针叶黄华的界定

通过对标本的比较研究及广泛的野外考察,界定了披针叶黄华,承认了一个种级名称Thermopsis lupinoides（L．）Link．并组合了9个新异名。     

长春新碱诱导建立人结肠癌多药耐受性小鼠模型及MDR1和MRP1基因表达

目的建立人结肠癌多药耐受性动物模型并初步探索其耐药机制。方法结合体内外诱导方法建立人结肠癌多药耐受性动物模型,利用VCR和CTX的肿瘤抑制实验评价其MDR特性;利用real-time PCR和West-ern blotting等方法分析其P-gp/MDR1和MRP1基因和蛋白的表达。结果肿瘤抑制实验结果显示,MDR和敏感型结肠癌模型的肿瘤生长速度差异不显著,MDR结肠癌动物模型对于VCR和CTX的耐药性均有较大程度的提高;表达分析结果显示,人结肠癌MDR动物模型的P-gp/MDR1表达水平有较大提高,而MRP1表达没有显著变化。结论人结肠癌多药耐受性动物模型具有较好的多药耐受性,其多药耐受性表型主要是由于P-gp/MDR1过量表达所导致。     

用19个生化基因位点研究普通级Z:ZCLA长爪沙鼠的遗传多样性

目的调查Z:ZCLA长爪沙鼠原种群普通级长爪沙鼠的遗传多样性。方法用本实验室自行建立的长爪沙鼠19个生化基因位点的乙酸纤维素膜电泳技术并结合基本群体遗传学指标研究了普通级Z:ZCLA长爪沙鼠100个家系的遗传多态性。结果Z:ZCLA长爪沙鼠在Es-1、Car-2、Hbb、Gpi-1、Cs-1、Ce-2I、dh-l、Mod-1呈单态,在Es-2、Es-3、Es-4、Es-6、Es-8、Es-9、Es-10、pd-1、gm-1、Trf、Akp-1个位点上呈现多态性,等位基因从2~4个不等,平均等位基因数3.0,平均杂合度0.512,平均多态信息量0.455。结论提示目前本群遗传多样性水平处于中度多态。     

A modular treatment of molecular traffic through the active site of cholinesterase

We present a model for the molecular traffic of ligands, substrates, and products through the active site of cholinesterases (ChEs). First, we describe a common treatment of the diffusion to a buried active site of cationic and neutral species. We then explain the specificity of ChEs for cationic ligands and substrates by introducing two additional components to this common treatment. The first module is a surface trap for cationic species at the entrance to the active-site gorge that operates through local, short-range electrostatic interactions and is independent of ionic strength. The second module is an ionic-strength-dependent steering mechanism generated by long-range electrostatic interactions arising from the overall distribution of charges in ChEs. Our calculations show that diffusion of charged ligands relative to neutral isosteric analogs is enhanced approximately 10-fold by the surface trap, while electrostatic steering contributes only a 1.5- to 2-fold rate enhancement at physiological salt concentration. We model clearance of cationic products from the active-site gorge as analogous to the escape of a particle from a one-dimensional well in the presence of a linear electrostatic potential. We evaluate the potential inside the gorge and provide evidence that while contributing to the steering of cationic species toward the active site, it does not appreciably retard their clearance. This optimal fine-tuning of global and local electrostatic interactions endows ChEs with maximum catalytic efficiency and specificity for a positively charged substrate, while at the same time not hindering clearance of the positively charged products.     

MDR1基因单靶点双荧光素酶报告基因系统的建立

目的通过构建以MDR1启动子为启动序列的双荧光素酶报告基因系统并进行活性分析,为MDR1基因表达的单靶点调控研究和逆转剂的筛选提供一种有效的方法。方法从HCT-8细胞中提取DNA并克隆含有MDR1基因启动子中Y—box序列。将该序列重组到萤光素酶报告基因载体pGL-3．Basic的启动区域中,从而构建报告基因载体pGL-MDR1。将pGL-MDR1和pRL-TK载体共转染到HCT-8和HCT-8／VCR细胞中。通过调节不同载体的比例来优化转染效率。利用MDRI基因激活剂（热诱导）和抑制剂（EGCG）等处理来分析其启动转录活性受外界因素的影响。结果通过直接测序法验证了pGL-MDR1含有MDR1基因启动子Y—box序列且没有出现碱基突变。在pGL-MDR1和pRL-TK的转染比例为5：5时,转染效率最高并具有最高的萤光素酶活性。通过MDR1基因激活处理后表现为时间依赖性地激活MDR1基因的表达,而MDR1基因抑制剂的作用则相反。结论MDR1启动子为启动序列的双荧光素酶报告基因系统建立成功。该系统不但可以用于研究活体生物发光成像和MDRI基因表达的机理,而且可用于单靶点的多药耐药抑制剂的筛选。     

Genome sequencing and comparative analysis of three Chlamydia pecorum strains associated with different pathogenic outcomes

Background

Chlamydia pecorum is the causative agent of a number of acute diseases, but most often causes persistent, subclinical infection in ruminants, swine and birds. In this study, the genome sequences of three C. pecorum strains isolated from the faeces of a sheep with inapparent enteric infection (strain W73), from the synovial fluid of a sheep with polyarthritis (strain P787) and from a cervical swab taken from a cow with metritis (strain PV3056/3) were determined using Illumina/Solexa and Roche 454 genome sequencing.

Results

Gene order and synteny was almost identical between C. pecorum strains and C. psittaci. Differences between C. pecorum and other chlamydiae occurred at a number of loci, including the plasticity zone, which contained a MAC/perforin domain protein, two copies of a >3400 amino acid putative cytotoxin gene and four (PV3056/3) or five (P787 and W73) genes encoding phospholipase D. Chlamydia pecorum contains an almost intact tryptophan biosynthesis operon encoding trpABCDFR and has the ability to sequester kynurenine from its host, however it lacks the genes folA, folKP and folB required for folate metabolism found in other chlamydiae. A total of 15 polymorphic membrane proteins were identified, belonging to six pmp families. Strains possess an intact type III secretion system composed of 18 structural genes and accessory proteins, however a number of putative inc effector proteins widely distributed in chlamydiae are absent from C. pecorum. Two genes encoding the hypothetical protein ORF663 and IncA contain variable numbers of repeat sequences that could be associated with persistence of infection.

Conclusions

Genome sequencing of three C. pecorum strains, originating from animals with different disease manifestations, has identified differences in ORF663 and pseudogene content between strains and has identified genes and metabolic traits that may influence intracellular survival, pathogenicity and evasion of the host immune system.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-23) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Molecular evolution of cytochrome c oxidase: rate variation among subunit VIa isoforms

Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) consists of 13 subunits, 3 encoded in the mitochondrial genome and 10 in the nucleus. Little is known of the role of the nuclear-encoded subunits, some of which exhibit tissue-specific isoforms. Subunit VIa is unique in having tissue-specific isoforms in all mammalian species examined. We examined relative evolutionary rates for the COX6A heart (H) and liver (L) isoform genes along the length of the molecule, specifically in relation to the tissue-specific function(s) of the two isoforms. Nonsynonymous (amino acid replacement) substitutions in the COX6AH gene occurred more frequently than in the ubiquitously expressed COX6AL gene. Maximum-parsimony analysis and sequence divergences from reconstructed ancestral sequences revealed that after the ancestral COX6A gene duplicated to yield the genes for the H and L isoforms, the sequences encoding the mitochondrial matrix region of the COX VIa protein experienced an elevated rate of nonsynonymous substitutions relative to synonymous substitutions. This is expected for relaxed selective constraints after gene duplication followed by purifying selection to preserve the replacements with tissue-specific functions.