METHODS IN GEOMETRIC MORPHOMETRICS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN ONTOGENETIC AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY OF ANIMALS

简要回顾了几何形态学的发展历史,介绍了30多年来该领域使用的主要方法及其在生物发育与进化研究中的实际应用.除目前应用最为广泛的标点法和轮廓线法外,基于三维数据的表面特征分析和有限元分析也在该领域得到推广.这些方法可运用于分析两性分化、异速生长、种群分化、种上进化以及复杂功能结构的形态集成等科学问题.几何形态学与生物信息学的综合运用还将有利于探讨表型变化与遗传物质变化的相关性.随着生物成像技术和海量数据计算技术的进步,几何形态学将由目前以二维数据为主的研究向三维重建和分析的方向发展.     

鄂西南亚高山不同覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地甲烷排放特征及其环境影响因子

沼泽湿地是大气甲烷(CH₄)的重要来源, 但有关亚热带亚高山沼泽湿地CH₄排放的研究却鲜有报道, 特别是对不同覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放量的精确估算及其与环境因子的关系尚不清楚。该研究选择鄂西南亚高山泥炭藓沼泽湿地为研究区域, 于2018年11月-2019年10月间, 使用静态箱-气相色谱仪法原位测定3种覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄通量, 同步记录大气和地下5 cm土壤的温度以及地下水位变化。结果表明: (1)光照下, 裸露地(B)、泥炭藓(Sphagnum paluster)(S)、金发藓(Polytrichum commune)(P) 3种覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄-C通量全年变化范围分别为: 0.012-1.372、0.022-1.474、0.027-3.385 mg·m^-2·h^-1; 遮光处理下, B、S、P 3种覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄-C通量的全年变化范围分别为: 0.012-1.372、0.009-1.839、0.017-2.484 mg·m^-2·h^-1, 均为CH₄排放源。同时, 光照条件下不同覆被泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放量略大于黑暗条件, 但差异不明显。(2)不同覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放存在明显的季节变化规律, 即: 夏季>秋季>春季>冬季, 其中夏季CH₄排放量显著大于其他季节, 占全年的57%-84%。该研究发现泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄通量均与气温和地下5 cm土壤温度极显著相关, 且CH₄排放量随温度升高呈指数增加, 表明温度是影响泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放时间变化的主要环境因子。(3) 3种覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地的年平均和年累计CH₄排放量均依次为: P > S > B, P显著大于B。该研究发现植被类型与泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放量存在显著相关性, 表明覆被类型是影响泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放量空间变异的主要因子。(4) 3种覆被类型泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放量均与地下水位变化不相关。该研究进一步丰富了泥炭藓沼泽湿地CH₄排放规律, 同时也为区域碳循环提供了详实的基础数据。     

中国四种鼯鼠的头骨形态学(英文)

针对长期以来有关鼯鼠分类地位的争议,该研究基于查看、测取60号鼯鼠成体头骨(每号头骨测取26个可量性状)共计1560个数据,运用多变量、单变量分析方法,对鼯鼠属(Petaurista)中的P.yunanensis,P.philippensis,P.hainana以及P.petaurista头骨可测量数据进行了统计学分析,以探讨上述4种鼯鼠的头骨形态差异以及P.yunanensis和P.hainana的分类地位。结果显示:(1)上述可测量头骨性状在该4种鼯鼠中不存在性二型现象;(2)上述4种鼯鼠在所测量的头骨性状上两两间均存在显著差异;(3)P.philippensis与P.hainana之间的头骨形态差异程度远大于P.yunanensis与P.philippensis之间的差异。该结果在宏观统计分析水平上为上述4种鼯鼠的种地位有效性提供了佐证,与前人基于分子水平(mtDNA)的种地位有效性研究结果相似。     

Expression and characteristic of the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene from the insect parasitizing fungus Cordyceps militaris

A Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene was characterized from Cordycepes militaris by gene cloning, heterogeneous expression and function analysis. This 154-aa SOD (CmSOD) was deduced from a 465-bp gene cloned, showing 72–95?% sequence identity to Cu/Zn-SODs from other fungi. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA is highly similar to Beauveria bassiana (95?%), Isaria tenuipes (94?%) and Claviceps purpurea (88?%), respectively. The SOD gene of C. militaris spin 589?bp and consisted of two introns and three exons. The CmSOD coding region sequence was inserted into plasmid pQE-30 in order to construct prokaryotic expression vector, then transformed into Escherichia coli M15 cells for expression, and a mass of rCmSOD was obtained by IPTG induction. The enzyme activity of the purified rCmSOD was approximately 714.48 U/mg after the assay. The study provided a way for in-depth research on the expression and regulation of the CmSOD, and the molecular mechanism of anti-oxidative effect in C. militaris.     

2008年永福县早稻田稻纵卷叶螟发生动态及虫源性质

2008年通过调查和雌蛾卵巢解剖研究广西区永福县早稻田稻纵卷叶螟Cnaphalocrocis medinalis(Guenée)的发生动态和田间种群的虫源性质。结果表明,稻纵卷叶螟在永福县早稻田可发生4代。稻纵卷叶螟第1、2代属于基本迁入型;第3代性质较为复杂,属于本地繁殖型,既有迁入又有迁出;第4代为本地繁殖、大部分迁出型。对暴雨期间稻纵卷叶螟田间蛾量消长的研究表明,短时期的暴雨水淹对全县稻纵卷叶螟的田间蛾量消长总的影响不明显,但不同水淹情况的田块间虫量存在显著差异。还分析讨论2008年永福县早稻田稻纵卷叶螟暴发成灾的原因。     

Requirements of myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2A in zebrafish cardiac contractility

Myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) regulates a broad range of fundamental cellular processes including cell division, differentiation and death. Here, we tested the hypothesis that MEF2A is required in cardiac contractility employing zebrafish as a model organism. MEF2A is highly expressed in heart as well as somites during zebrafish embryogenesis. Knock-down of MEF2A in zebrafish impaires the cardiac contractility and results in sarcomere assembly defects. Dysregulation of cardiac genes in MEF2A morphants suggests that sarcomere assembly disturbances account for the cardiac contractile deficiency. Our studies suggested that MEF2A is essential in cardiac contractility.     

Indigenous Knowledge and Use of Anisodus tanguticus in Pastoral Communities of Eastern Tibet,China, and Its Implications for Local Adaptation

Wild plant resources and related indigenous knowledge often play important role in facilitating human societies to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters and climate variability. We present a case study of using a traditional herb, Anisodus tanguticus, in a novel way by local pastoralists on the eastern Tibetan Plateau in coping with extreme winter events. Interviews of 13 key informants were carried out in seven villages, and in depth household surveys were conducted in two villages covering all the pastoral dependent households. Participatory observation has also been employed. We found that local herders applying dried above ground part of Atanguticus as a supplementary feed to livestock in winter, with the purpose of helping animals to overcome cold events and snow disasters. According to local communities, time of harvesting and type of animal to be fed are key factors of using this toxic plant. Local communities have accumulated a rich repository of knowledge about Atanguticus, including its habitat, life history, uses, and health enhancing effects. They developed an informal tenure system and benign management practices on this plant. This paper demonstrates that indigenous knowledge evolved from long term human nature interaction is important in preventing climate induced damages and lowering the risk aroused from climate uncertainties.     

GSK1702934A and M085 directly activate TRPC6 via a mechanism of stimulating the extracellular cavity formed by the pore helix and transmembrane helix S6

Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels, as important membrane proteins regulating intracellular calcium (Ca²⁺_i) signaling, are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Activation and regulation of TRPC are more dependent on membrane or intracellular signals. However, how extracellular signals regulate TRPC6 function remains to be further investigated. Here, we suggest that two distinct small molecules, M085 and GSK1702934A, directly activate TRPC6, both through a mechanism of stimulation of extracellular sites formed by the pore helix (PH) and transmembrane (TM) helix S6. In silico docking scanning of TRPC6 identified three extracellular sites that can bind small molecules, of which only mutations on residues of PH and S6 helix significantly reduced the apparent affinity of M085 and GSK1702934A and attenuated the maximal response of TRPC6 to these two chemicals by altering channel gating of TRPC6. Combing metadynamics, molecular dynamics simulations, and mutagenesis, we revealed that W679, E671, E672, and K675 in the PH and N701 and Y704 in the S6 helix constitute an orthosteric site for the recognition of these two agonists. The importance of this site was further confirmed by covalent modification of amino acid residing at the interface of the PH and S6 helix. Given that three structurally distinct agonists M085, GSK1702934A, and AM-0883, act at this site, as well as the occupancy of lipid molecules at this position found in other TRP subfamilies, it is suggested that the cavity formed by the PH and S6 has an important role in the regulation of TRP channel function by extracellular signals.     

Anti-<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-actinin antibodies in relation to new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of anti-α-actinin antibodies in patients with new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thirty-six patients with SLE, 16 of whom had lupus nephritis (LN), and 53 healthy controls were included. The clinical and laboratory parameters of patients were collected from medical records or by questionnaire. Serum anti-α-actinin Abs was measured by competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results show that the OD value of serum anti-α-actinin Abs in SLE patients was significantly lower than that in normal controls (1.212 ± 0.244 vs. 1.364 ± 0.202, P = 0.002); seven of 36 SLE patients were seropositive for anti-α-actinin Abs, which was significantly higher than in normal controls (19.4 vs. 3.8%, P = 0.028). There were no significant differences of clinical parameters between the anti-α-actinin Abs-positive patients and the negative patients. The positive rate of the term urine casts, elevated IgM and IgA in anti-α-actinin Abs-positive patients were higher than that in the negative patients. The OD values of serum anti-α-actinin Abs negatively correlated with disease activity (R _s = −0.352, P = 0.035). Anti-α-actinin Abs may be a useful marker of the disease activity of SLE; in addition, it may be used as a complementary parameter to differentiate LN from SLE without nephritis.