Sensory cues for the gradual frequency fall responses of the gymnotiform electric fish, Rhamphichthys rostratus

The sensory cues for a less known form of frequency shifting behavior, gradual frequency falls, of electric organ discharges (EODs) in a pulse-type gymnotiform electric fish, Rhamphichthys rostratus, were identified. We found that the gradual frequency fall occurs independently of more commonly observed momentary phase shifting behavior, and is due to perturbation of sensory feedback of the fish's own EODs by EODs of neighboring fish. The following components were identified as essential features in the signal mixture of the fish's own and the neighbor's EOD pulses: (1) the neighbor's pulses must be placed within a few millisecond of the fish's own pulses, (2) the neighbor's pulses, presented singly at low frequencies (0.2–4 Hz), were sufficient, (3) the frequency of individual pulse presentation must be below 4 Hz, (4) amplitude modulation of the sensory feedback of the fish's own pulses induced by such insertions of the neighbor's pulses must contain a high frequency component: sinusoidal amplitude modulation of the fish's own EOD feedback at these low frequencies does not induce gradual frequency falls. Differential stimulation across body surfaces, which is required for the jamming avoidance response (JAR) of wave-type gymnotiform electric fish, was not necessary for this behavior. We propose a cascade of high-pass and low-pass frequency filters within the amplitude processing pathway in the central nervous system as the mechanism of the gradual frequency fall response.Abbreviations EOD electric organ discharge - f frequency of EOD or pacemaker command signal - JAR jamming avoidance response - S ₁ stimulus mimicking fish's own EOD - f ₁ frequency of S₁ - S ₂ stimulus mimicking neighbor's EOD - f ₂ frequency of S₂     

以异源四倍体体细胞杂种为父本杂交培育三倍体柑桔植株的研究

以 3个柑桔原生质体融合而来的四倍体体细胞杂种为父本 ,与二倍体单胚性种柚子 (Citrusgrandis)以及单多胚混合型品种“华农本地早”桔 (C.reticulata)有性杂交 ,授粉后 90 d,发现种子干瘪 ,大部分种子的胚败育。将干瘪种子在 MT附加 1mg/L GA3 或 50 0 mg/L麦芽浸出物的培养基中 ,经培养抢救 ,有 2 5.6%的种子萌发成苗或继续进行胚的生长 ,后者进一步诱导能形成丛芽 ,经试管嫁接或诱导生根形成完整植株。共获得 6个组合 73棵完整植株 ,染色体数检查表明 ,2 0株为三倍体 (2 n=3x=2 7) ,32株为二倍体 (2 n=2 x=18) ,8株为非整倍体 ,其它 13株还有待于进一步检查。     

团藻目新资料

本文报道湖北省武汉市团藻目7个属的5个新种,2个新变种,2个中国新记录。     

新疆亚鳞木（比较种）角质层特征

报道了产自江苏宜兴晚泥盆世五通组新疆亚鳞木（比较种）Ｓｕｂｌｅｐｉｄｏｄｅｎｄｒｏｎ ｃｆ． ｘｉｎｊｉａｎｇｅｎｓｅＳｕｎ）的表皮角质层用荧光分析显示的特征．该种茎干表皮角质层覆于叶座及叶座间隔带,其中间隔带角质层厚于叶座．表皮细胞在间隔带与叶座表现特征不同．间隔带中部,表皮细胞呈纵长的多边形,其纵长方向与茎干延伸方向相同,细胞壁略有弯曲．间隔带靠近叶座之表皮细胞,细胞壁直,形状类似于前者;但大小仅为前者的１／２左右,且其纵长方向逐渐向叶座边缘偏转．叶座表皮细胞呈近等多边形,有胞间隙．该种茎表皮无气孔     

Altered drug translocation mediated by the MDR protein: Direct,indirect, or both?

Overexpression of the MDR protein, or p-glycoprotein (p-GP), in cells leads to decreased initial rates of accumulation and altered intracellular retention of chemotherapeutic drugs and a variety of other compounds. Thus, increased expression of the protein is related to increased drug resistance. Since several homologues of the MDR protein (CRP, ltpGPA, PDR5, sapABCDF) are also involved in conferring drug resistance phenomena in microorganisms, elucidating the function of the MDR protein at a molecular level will have important general applications. Although MDR protein function has been studied for nearly 20 years, interpretation of most data is complicated by the drug-selection conditions used to create model MDR cell lines. Precisely what level of resistance to particular drugs is conferred by a given amount of MDR protein, as well as a variety of other critical issues, are not yet resolved. Data from a number of laboratories has been gathered in support of at least four different models for the MDR protein. One model is that the protein uses the energy released from ATP hydrolysis to directly translocate drugs out of cells in some fashion. Another is that MDR protein overexpression perturbs electrical membrane potential () and/or intracellular pH (pH_i) and therebyindirectly alters translocation and intracellular retention of hydrophobic drugs that are cationic, weakly basic, and/or that react with intracellular targets in a pH_i, or -dependent manner. A third model proposes that the protein alternates between drug pump and Cl^– channel (or channel regulator) conformations, implying that both direct and indirect mechanisms of altered drug translocation may be catalyzed by MDR protein. A fourth is that the protein acts as an ATP channel. Our recent work has tested predictions of these models via kinetic analysis of drug transport and single-cell photometry analysis of pH_i, , and volume regulation in novel MDR and CFTR transfectants that have not been exposed to chemotherapeutic drugs prior to analysis. This paper reviews these data and previous work from other laboratories, as well as relevant transport physiology concepts, and summarizes how they either support or contradict the different models for MDR protein function.     

Outline structure of the human L1 cell adhesion molecule and the sites where mutations cause neurological disorders.

The L1 cell adhesion molecule has six domains homologous to members of the immunoglobulin superfamily and five homologous to fibronectin type III domains. We determined the outline structure of the L1 domains by showing that they have, at the key sites that determine conformation, residues similar to those in proteins of known structure. The outline structure describes the relative positions of residues, the major secondary structures and residue solvent accessibility. We use the outline structure to investigate the likely effects of 22 mutations that cause neurological diseases. The mutations are not randomly distributed but cluster in a few regions of the structure. They can be divided into those that act mainly by changing conformation or denaturing their domain and those that alter its surface properties.     

Combinatorial interplay of promoter elements constitutes the minimal determinants for light and developmental control of gene expression in Arabidopsis.

Higher plants are able to integrate environmental and endogenous signals to regulate gene expression for optimal development. To define the minimal sequence requirement sufficient to integrate light and developmental signals in controlling promoter activity, we carried out a systematic analysis of the roles of four well-conserved 'light-responsive elements (LREs)' common to many nuclear-encoded photosynthetic genes. A gain-of-function assay using basal promoter-reporter fusions in stable transgenic Arabidopsis was employed to demonstrate that pairwise combinations of the LREs, but not the individual elements alone, can confer light-inducible expression to the reporter gene independently of the basal promoter context and the light-triggered morphological changes. The activity of the synthetic promoters with the paired LREs can be modulated at least by the phytochrome system. Further, those synthetic light-regulated promoters confer a photosynthetic cell-specific expression pattern and respond to the chloroplast development state. Our data suggest that distinct combinatorial interactions of LREs can serve as minimal autonomous promoter determinants which integrate light and developmental signals and modulate promoter activity.     

High-frequency embryogenesis inBrassica campestris microspore culture

Microspore culture is a very important and useful tool in plant breeding for haploid production and has been developed for many years.Brassica campestris (Brassica rapa L. ssp.oleifera) is an important oilseed crop, but it is relatively recalcitrant in tissue culture including microspore culture. The microspore culture in our laboratory is based on the Canadian protocol. Thirty genotypes ofB. campestris were included in this study; twenty produced embryos. The highest yield was 5930 embryos per 100 buds from Canadian genotype Cv-2, this result was one of the best that had been reported in microspore culture inB. campestris. The buds measuring 2.0 mm to 3.9 mm in length responded best to produce embryos, the optimum timing for microspore culture was confirmed to be during the mid-late to very-late uninucleate stage. The buds could be removed from either the main raceme or lateral racemes. Activated charcoal (150 mg l^-1) was added to the liquid NLN medium, it promoted embryogenesis significantly; embryo development was faster and the embryo yield was significantly higher than those cultures without activated charcoal. The donor plant condition was considered an important factor influencing embryogenesis; older donor plants (older than five weeks) and a cold treatment are recommended.