The ecdysoid RH5849 induces yolk polypeptide synthesis in male flies

Summary

RH5849 is a benzoyl hydrazine analog which has been reported to mimic several effects of the arthropod steroid hormone ecdysone to which it is chemically totally unrelated. In adult Diptera, ecdysone is the hormone that triggers vitellogenin synthesis. We report here that RH5849, upon oral ingestion, is able to induce vitellogenin synthesis in male Drosophila, Neobellieria, Phormia and Lucilia. This contrasts to data in the literature which showed that RH5849 could not mimic the pupariation-inducing effect of ecdysone in last instar fly larvae. RH5849 neither exerts a juvenile hormone mimicking effect nor behaves as an anti-juvenile hormone in both the Colorado potato beetle and Galleria.     

Unravelling mitochondrial retrograde regulation in the abiotic stress induction of rice ALTERNATIVE OXIDASE 1 genes

Mitochondrial retrograde regulation (MRR) is the transduction of mitochondrial signals to mediate nuclear gene expression. It is not clear whether MRR is a common regulation mechanism in plant abiotic stress response. In this study, we analysed the early abiotic stress response of the rice OsAOX1 genes, and the induction of OsAOX1a and OsAOX1b (OsAOX1a/b) was selected as a working model for the stress‐induced MRR studies. We found that the induction mediated by the superoxide ion (O_2·^‐)‐generating chemical methyl viologen was stronger than that of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The addition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers demonstrated that the stress induction was reduced by eliminating O_2·^‐. Furthermore, the stress induction did not rely on chloroplast‐ or cytosol‐derived O_2·^‐. Next, we generated transgenic plants overexpressing the superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene at different subcellular locations. The results suggest that only the mitochondrial SOD, OsMSD, attenuated the stress induction of OsAOX1a/b specifically. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that abiotic stress initiates the MRR on OsAOX1a/b and that mitochondrial O_2·^– is involved in the process.     

噬菌体与宿主菌间的角逐

噬菌体和它们的宿主菌组成了地球上教目最庞大的微生物种群,噬菌体靠寄生宿主菌来扩增繁衍。但在漫长的进化中,噬菌体与宿主菌间不单是捕食关系,它们间还形成了复杂的相互对抗机制,其中抵抗防御机制的抗防御机制也会促使抗．抗防御机制的产生。从生态学角度来看,噬菌体和宿主菌间的共进化保持着动态平衡。本文综述近年来这一领域的研究,为更清楚地了解噬菌体与宿主菌间的关系和应用提供了参考。     

越南荨麻科楼梯草属和赤车属植物新记录

报道了7个楼梯草属和赤车属植物(荨麻科)新纪录,它们分别为锐齿楼梯草(E. cyrtandrifolium),变黄楼梯草(E. xanthophyllum),对叶楼梯草(E. sinense),宽叶楼梯草(E. platyphyllum),托叶楼梯草(E. nasutum),短叶赤车(P. brevifolia)和华南赤车(P. grijsii)。列出了各个物种的标本引证和地理分布情况。     

蕤核的花粉形态及叶片微观结构

运用光学显微镜和扫描电镜对蕤核的花粉形态及叶片微观结构进行了观察。结果表明:蕤核花粉体积小,近球形,辐射对称,具三沟,外壁具条纹状纹饰。上下表皮均有角质层,但形态不同。下表皮有气孔分布,气孔略下陷,气孔密度每平方毫米200～300个,气孔存在三种状态。叶片为异面叶,栅栏组织细胞由2～3层柱状细胞构成,排列紧密,海绵组织由管状细胞构成,细胞间隙大。蕤核虽属于中生植物,但叶片微观结构趋近于旱生植物的特征。     

青藓科中国新记录种——短尖拟青藓

该文报道了短尖拟青藓［Sciuro-hypnum ornellanum (Molendo) Ignatov & Huttunen］在新疆阿尔泰山的分布,这是该种在中国的首次记录。详细介绍了拟青藓属［Sciuro-hypnum （Hampe） Hampe］的由来,讨论了短尖拟青藓的形态特征及其地理分布,对其与形态相近种进行了比较分析,并提供了中国拟青藓属分种检索表。该种的发现不仅为中国青藓科植物研究提供了新资料,同时也进一步佐证了中国新疆植物区系与俄罗斯、中亚及欧洲的密切联系。     

越南苦苣苔科植物四新记录种

报道了4个苦苣苔科(Gesneriaceae)植物在越南的分布新记录,其中1种为半蒴苣苔属(Hemiboea)的红苞半蒴苣苔(H.rubribracteata),2种为报春苣苔属(Primulina Hance)的文采报春苣苔(P.wentsaii)和疏花报春苣苔(P.laxi flora),还有1种为吊石苣苔属(Lysionotus)的桂黔吊石苣苔(L.aesch ynanthoides)。文中列出了每个种的标本引证和地理分布情况。     

花椒果皮中总黄酮与多酚的积累及其抗氧化活性研究

以7年生花椒为试材,研究不同生长时期花椒果皮的总黄酮、总多酚含量的变化以及二者与抗氧化能力的关系.结果显示:(1)在花椒果实发育过程中,花椒果皮黄酮与多酚均有积累,总黄酮含量随果实的成熟程度不断增加,于成熟期(8月1日)黄酮含量达到最大值(164.14 mg/g);但多酚含量在果实发育早期迅速上升,于6月30日达到最大值(77.17 mg/g)后快速下降,至成熟期(8月1日)多酚含量为46.23 mg/g.(2)不同时期的花椒果皮均具有还原力及羟基自由基清除能力,且二者随果实生长的增加而提高,且总黄酮、多酚含量均与还原力和羟基自由基清除能力之间呈显著正相关关系,相关系数分别为0.977、0.960和0.917、0.933.研究表明,成熟花椒果皮中总黄酮含量达到最高,多酚含量也较高,而且黄酮和多酚类物质是花椒果皮抗氧化活性的主要功效成分.     

新疆12种黄芩属植物叶表皮微形态结构的研究

应用光学显微镜和扫描电镜技术对新疆12种黄芩属植物叶片上的微形态特征进行观察。结果表明:该属植物叶的上表皮细胞形状及垂周壁式样有多种形式;而下表皮细胞形状均为不规则形,垂周壁式样均为深波形,不具分类学意义,但叶片两面分布的气孔器,在不同种间气孔大小、气孔密度、气孔指数、气孔外拱盖内缘等方面都存在着显著差异;其表皮角质层纹饰和表皮毛的微形态也各有不同;大多数植物叶片表面具腺点,其大小、分布及疏密程度也有不同。植物叶表皮上的这些微形态特征,可为探讨本属种间的分类学及亲缘关系提供一定的佐证。