Evolutionary breakdown of distyly to homostyly is accompanied by reductions of floral scent in Primula oreodoxa

Reproductive traits that function in pollinator attraction may be reduced or lost during evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to selfing. Although floral scent plays an important role in attracting pollinators in outcrossing species, few studies have investigated associations between floral scent variation and intraspecific mating system transitions. The breakdown of distyly to homostyly represents a classic example of a shift from outcrossing to selfing and provides an opportunity to test whether floral fragrances have become reduced and/or changed in composition with increased selfing. Here, we evaluate this hypothesis by quantifying floral volatiles using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in two distylous and four homostylous populations of Primula oreodoxa Franchet, a perennial herb from SW China. Our analysis revealed significant variation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among populations of P. oreodoxa. Although there was no difference in VOCs between floral morphs in distylous populations as predicted, we detected a substantial reduction in VOC emissions and the average number of scent compounds in homostylous compared with distylous populations. A total of 12 compounds, mainly monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, distinguished homostylous and distylous morphs; of these, (E)-β-ocimene was the most important in contributing to the difference in volatiles, with significantly lower emissions in homostyles. Our findings support the hypothesis that the transition from outcrossing to selfing is accompanied by the loss of floral volatiles. The modification to floral fragrances in P. oreodoxa associated with mating system change might occur because high selfing rates in homostylous populations result in relaxed selection for floral attractiveness.     

西方蜜蜂Lozenge基因的克隆鉴定及时空表达分析

Lozenge蛋白（Lz蛋白）是昆虫的重要转录因子,在昆虫胚胎发育过程中发挥重要作用。为研究Lozenge在西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera中的作用,本研究克隆了Lozenge基因,并对其进行生物信息学分析,同时基于荧光定量PCR技术检测该基因在西方蜜蜂不同发育时期（卵期、幼虫期、蛹期和成年蜂）和10日龄哺育蜂各组织的表达谱。生物信息学分析结果显示,Lozenge基因的开放阅读框（ORF）为1 554 bp,共编码517个氨基酸,预测分子量为54.63918 kDa,等电点为6.08;结构域预测分析发现Lozenge蛋白含有一个Runt结构域,多物种蛋白序列对比发现该蛋白同源性高。时期表达谱表明,该基因在第1日卵和第2日卵的表达量远高于其他时期,在卵期表达量随时间依次递减,幼虫期表达量极低,蛹期表达量呈先增后减的趋势,而成年蜂中均有表达;组织表达谱显示,该基因在哺育蜂头部、上颚腺中的表达量较高,而在腹部的表达量低。这些结果表明,Lozenge基因可能在西方蜜蜂胚胎期细胞发育过程、哺育蜂蜂王浆合成和分泌过程中发挥重要作用,这些结果为该基因功能的深入研究提供了重要的理论参考。     

EFFECTS OF HELPER PROTEINS ENCODED BY p19 AND orf1-orf2 GENES ON Cyt1Aa PROTEIN EXPRESSION IN ACRYSTALLIFEROUS STRAIN OF BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

A series of plasmids were constructed to examine the effects of p19 and orf1‐orf2 genes from Bacillus thuringiensis on Cyt1Aa synthesis and inclusion formation. The plasmids expressed the cyt1Aa gene along with either p19 or orf1‐orf2, or each of them coordinatively with p20 in the acrystalliferous strain of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis 4Q7. No effect on the expression of Cyt1Aa protein was found when P19 or Orf1‐Orf2 co‐expressed with Cyt1Aa. However, when including p20 gene, the constructs with p19 or orf1‐orf2 gene produced lower yield of Cyt1Aa proteins than without p19 or orf1‐orf2 gene. Electron microscopy observation and bioassay showed that P19 and Orf1‐Orf2 have no influence on the crystal size and toxicity of Cyt1Aa protein. It is presumed that P19 and Orf1‐Orf2 might have negative effects on Cyt1Aa synthesis in B. thuringiensis.     

Purification, biochemistry and molecular cloning of an insect glycosylasparaginase from Spodoptera frugiperda

Glycosylasparaginase (EC 3.5.1.26 [EC] ) from Sf9 cells (Spodopterafrugiperda) was purified to homogeneity with a specific activityof 2.1 unit/mg. The enzyme is composed of two non-identical     

双水相电泳分离蛋白质的研究

近几年来,随着生物技术的迅速发展,制备型电泳技术的研究得到了重视。然而由于技术上的原因,大规模的制备型电泳技术的研究还未能取得突破。阻碍电泳放大的一个主要问题是由于电加热作用而导致的热对流对电泳分离的破坏。为解决这一问题,人们提出了许多方法。例如,在太空的微重力环境下进行电泳,应力稳定自由流动电泳,循环等电聚焦和区带电泳,色谱电泳和等电膜等电聚焦等。这些方法在电泳放大上都取得了一定的进展,但各有其局限性。最近,Clark提出利用双水相的液液界面阻止热对流的设想,为开发大规模的制备型电泳技术开辟了一条新途径、Raghava Rao等在两种双水相体系上施加电场后成倍地缩短了分相时间。Levine和Bier采用U型管电泳装置研究了双水相体系中血红蛋白的电泳迁移率,观测到界面有阻滞作用。Clark在柱型电泳装置中进行了一组双水相萃取肌红蛋白的简单实验。在10mA的恒电流下电泳40min之后,肌红蛋白的分配系数为7.5,而当电场反向后,分配系数变为0.04,界面阻力并不显著,两者结论并不一致。     

固定化细胞分布对动力学影响的模型化研究

通过对固定化Gluconobacter oxydans和Bacillus cereus的活细胞系统的研究,提出了固定化细胞不均匀分布模型,将此类分布与均匀分布(最劣分布模型)进行比较,分析了它们对固定化细胞内部的基质浓度分布、有效速率因子和选择率的影响,指出不均匀分布和均匀分布对于该固定化活细胞系统的动力学行为无显著影响,这一模型分析结果在实验中得以验证。通过无因次化分析,建立了适用于固定化生物催化剂动力学研究的模型方法。     

磷脂DMPC Langmuir－Blodgett膜晶格结构的原子力显微镜研究

用原子力显微镜（ＡＦＭ）研究了磷脂ＤＭＰＣ三层Ｌａｎｇｍｕｉｒ－Ｂｌｏｄｇｅｔｔ（ＬＢ）膜的分子排列结构,结果表明：在磷脂ＬＢ膜的两相（液体压缩相Ｌｉｑｕｉｄ－ｃｏｎｄｅｎｓｅｄｐｈａｓｅ和液体扩张相Ｌｉｑｕｉｄ－ｅｘｐａｎｄｅｄｐｈａｓｅ）共存时,液体压缩相中的磷脂分子排列紧密,取向一致,分子间作用力较大,因而能够得到分子图像。而液体扩张相中的磷脂分子排列松散,取向混乱。分子间的作用力较弱,难于得到分子图像。在液体压缩相中磷脂分子以单斜晶格结构排列,分子间隔为０．７２ｎｍ．分子高度为２．１ｎｍ。这一结果和ＤＭＰＣ的单晶结构进行了比较。     

不同激素及其不同配比对绞股兰愈伤组织诱导的统计学分析

绞股兰的茎段和叶碎片外植体可在合适的激素调节诱导下形成愈伤组织．通过含有不同水平激素的MS培养基对绞股兰愈伤组织诱导试验,经统计学分析,可以找出对绞股兰脱分化形成愈伤组织细胞影响显著的激素及其适宜的激素水平．     

鹅掌楸雌配子体败育对生殖的影响

胚珠和雌配子体败育是限制鹅掌楸生殖成功的一个重要因素。中国东部和西部鹅掌楸种群在雌配子体发育的各阶段上的败育程度有差异,以西部种群的发育较好。西部分布区较合适的生境促进了胚囊的发育,一定温度和湿度的环境可以活化珠心细胞输送营养物质供给雌配子体发育,提高受精和结籽的能力