Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Amiota apodemata and Amiota sinuata species groups (Diptera: Drosophilidae), with descriptions of four new species

The phylogenetic relationships among the East Asian species of the apodemata and sinuata species groups of the genus Amiota were investigated based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene. A total of 23 samples of 12 species were employed as in‐group taxa, and one sample for each of four other Amiota species were used as out‐groups. The results suggested with strong confidence the monophyly of both the apodemata and the sinuata groups, whereas the monophyly of the ‘apodemata group + sinuata group’ cluster was less supported. Based on its geographical distribution, the origin of the sinuata group is supposed to be southern China. Four new species were described from Guangxi and Yunnan, China: Amiota reikae Xu & Chen sp. nov. , Amiota guiensis Xu & Chen sp. nov. , Amiota hesongensis Xu & Chen sp. nov. , and Amiota polytreta Xu & Chen sp. nov. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

外源NO对铝毒下水稻根系生长和抗氧化系统的影响

以水稻品种‘浙辐802’为材料,采用水培法研究铝毒下外源NO对幼苗根系生长、活性氧产生和抗氧化酶活性的影响,探讨外源NO提高水稻耐铝性的生理生化机制。结果显示:(1)0.05mmol/L Al显著抑制水稻根系生长,促使根尖Al、胼胝质、过氧化氢(H2O2)和超氧阴离子自由基(O-·2)含量显著增加;而外源0.1mmol/L的NO供体亚硝基铁氰化钠(sodium nitroprusside,SNP)预处理能使铝毒下水稻幼苗根相对伸长率及根尖NO含量分别增加34.96%和12.86%,根尖Al和相对胼胝质含量分别下降83.04%和31.93%,表明NO可部分缓解铝毒害,且这种作用与内源NO含量变化有关。(2)外源NO同时使铝毒下水稻幼苗根尖H2O2和O-·2含量分别下降15.43%和12.93%,使超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性显著上升,且外源NO的该种作用可以被0.075mmol/L NO清除剂(carboxy-PTIO,cPTIO)所逆转。研究表明,外源NO在调节活性氧代谢以维持细胞膜结构稳定,进而有效减轻Al对水稻根系的损伤上起着重要作用。     

尺度变化对关帝山庞泉沟云杉次生林空间分布格局的影响

林分空间格局研究对认识和理解森林群落结构的生态学过程具有重要作用。适宜的样地尺度不仅可以有效降低工作和时间成本,也可以提高林分属性的精确估计。同时,抽样尺度的适宜程度对科学评价林分空间结构调整也具有重要的现实意义。以关帝山庞泉沟4 hm²云杉次生林固定监测样地为研究对象,运用样地划分法和空间点格局的K2函数,评估了林分主要树种空间格局随样地面积变化的规律。结果表明:通过重要值排序,选取云杉(青杄+白杄)、华北落叶松、桦树(白桦+红桦)+其它阔叶树(花楸+辽东栎+山杨+山楂)作为主要树种(组)。随着样地尺度的减小(从4 hm²到0.25 hm²),空间分布格局主要表现为较小尺度(≤ 4 m)的聚集分布过度为随机分布与均匀分布,以及聚集和随机分布交替出现。所有树种的次级样地与参考样地的一致性指数差异显著,云杉和华北落叶松组合1 hm²样地一致性指数最高,而桦树和其它阔叶树完整1 hm²样地一致性指数最高;此外,云杉、华北落叶松和桦树0.25 hm²样地与组合1 hm²样地空间格局一致性指数组间差异显著。研究认为1 hm²样地尺度可以作为该地区云杉次生林空间分布格局的最小尺度。研究为探索云杉次生林空间格局的变化规律及样地抽样尺度的选取方面,提供了一定的理论基础和技术依据。     

The asymmetric function of Dph1–Dph2 heterodimer in diphthamide biosynthesis

JBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry - Diphthamide, the target of diphtheria toxin, is a post-translationally modified histidine residue found in archaeal and eukaryotic translation...     

Molecular characteristics of two new <Emphasis Type="Italic">waxy</Emphasis> mutations in China waxy maize

The waxy gene mutation causes waxy maize grain to have a sticky quality. China has numerous waxy maize landraces and is thought to be the place of origin of waxy maize. The most abundant waxy maize resources in China are located in the Yunnan province and its surrounding areas. We collected 57 waxy maize landraces from Yunnan province and cloned and sequenced the waxy gene from its fourth to eighth exon. Two new waxy gene mutations, named wx-Cin4 and wx-124, were identified. The wx-Cin4 mutation is a 466-bp retrotransposon inserted into exon six. The wx-124 mutation is a 116-bp miniature inverted-repeat transposable element inserted into exon seven. This is the first time a 124-type mutation has been found in a maize waxy gene. The discovery of the two specific waxy mutations from landraces collected in Yunnan province provides new evidence supporting the hypothesis that China is the origin area for waxy maize.     

红松、白桦的氮营养行为及其种间分异

对红松、白桦的吸收空间和吸收N素的时间(季节)、数量、形态的研究表明,在混交情况下,白桦表现出较典型的浅根性特征,吸收根主要集中在土壤表层;红松则具有深根性趋势,其吸收根在下层土壤空间的分布明显增加.白桦吸收N素养分的季节比较集中,具有明显的峰期;而受白桦庇荫的红松则在整个生长季中一直比较平缓地吸收N素,峰期不甚明显.白桦对N的消耗量较大;而红松对N的消耗量则相对较小,N利用效率比白桦高34%.在对N素养分化学形态的偏向选择性方面,白桦较喜NO₃^--N,而红松则较偏好NH₄⁺-N.     

Integrative Proteomics and Tissue Microarray Profiling Indicate the Association between Overexpressed Serum Proteins and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Clinically, the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be improved by the early detection and risk screening among population. To meet this need, here we describe the application of extensive peptide level fractionation coupled with label free quantitative proteomics for the discovery of potential serum biomarkers for lung cancer, and the usage of Tissue microarray analysis (TMA) and Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays for the following up validations in the verification phase. Using these state-of-art, currently available clinical proteomic approaches, in the discovery phase we confidently identified 647 serum proteins, and 101 proteins showed a statistically significant association with NSCLC in our 18 discovery samples. This serum proteomic dataset allowed us to discern the differential patterns and abnormal biological processes in the lung cancer blood. Of these proteins, Alpha-1B-glycoprotein (A1BG) and Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG1), two plasma glycoproteins with previously unknown function were selected as examples for which TMA and MRM verification were performed in a large sample set consisting about 100 patients. We revealed that A1BG and LRG1 were overexpressed in both the blood level and tumor sections, which can be referred to separate lung cancer patients from healthy cases.