Catalytic resonance scattering spectral determination of ultratrace horseradish peroxidase using rhodamine S

A highly sensitive and selective resonance scattering spectral assay was proposed for the determination of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), based on its catalytic effect on the H₂O₂ oxidation of KI to form I₃^?. The I₃^? combined respectively with rhodamine (Rh) dye such as rhodamine S (RhS), rhodamine 6G (Rh6G), rhodamine B (RhB) and butyl‐rhodamine B (b‐RhB), to form association particles (Rh‐I₃)_n. The four Rh systems all exhibit a stronger resonance scattering (RS) peak at 424 nm. For the RhS, Rh6G, RhB and b‐RhB systems, HRP concentration in the range of 3.2 × 10^?12 to 4.8 × 10^?9, 2 × 10^?11 to 3.2 × 10^?9, 1.6 × 10^?11 to 3.2 × 10^?9 and 1.6 × 10^?11 to 4 × 10^?9 g/mL was linear to its RS intensity at 424 nm, with a detection limit of 2.2 × 10^?12, 2.5 × 10^?12, 4.4 × 10^?12 and 2.6 × 10^?12 g/mL, respectively. This RhS system was most sensitive and stable, and was applied for the determination of HRP in the hepatitis B surface antibody labeling HRP and water samples, with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Recombination Hotspot in a Schizophrenia-Associated Region of GABRB2

Background

Schizophrenia is a major disorder with complex genetic mechanisms. Earlier, population genetic studies revealed the occurrence of strong positive selection in the GABRB2 gene encoding the β₂ subunit of GABA_A receptors, within a segment of 3,551 bp harboring twenty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and containing schizophrenia-associated SNPs and haplotypes.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In the present study, the possible occurrence of recombination in this ‘S1–S29’ segment was assessed. The occurrence of hotspot recombination was indicated by high resolution recombination rate estimation, haplotype diversity, abundance of rare haplotypes, recurrent mutations and torsos in haplotype networks, and experimental haplotyping of somatic and sperm DNA. The sub-segment distribution of relative recombination strength, measured by the ratio of haplotype diversity (H_d) over mutation rate (θ), was indicative of a human specific Alu-Yi6 insertion serving as a central recombining sequence facilitating homologous recombination. Local anomalous DNA conformation attributable to the Alu-Yi6 element, as suggested by enhanced DNase I sensitivity and obstruction to DNA sequencing, could be a contributing factor of the increased sequence diversity. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis yielded prominent low LD points that supported ongoing recombination. LD contrast revealed significant dissimilarity between control and schizophrenic cohorts. Among the large array of inferred haplotypes, H26 and H73 were identified to be protective, and H19 and H81 risk-conferring, toward the development of schizophrenia.

Conclusions/Significance

The co-occurrence of hotspot recombination and positive selection in the S1–S29 segment of GABRB2 has provided a plausible contribution to the molecular genetics mechanisms for schizophrenia. The present findings therefore suggest that genome regions characterized by the co-occurrence of positive selection and hotspot recombination, two interacting factors both affecting genetic diversity, merit close scrutiny with respect to the etiology of common complex disorders.     

Contribution to the knowledge of seed-beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) in Xinjiang,China

Nineteen species of seed-beetles belonging to the subfamily Bruchinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) were collected in Xinjiang, China. Of these, the following four were new records for China: Bruchus affinis Frolich, 1799, Bruchus atomarius L., 1761, Bruchus loti Paykull, 1800 and Kytorhinus kergoati Delobel & Legalov, 2009. We provide an annotated checklist, illustrations and a key to the 19 species.     

基于两个不同资源轴上苔藓植物生态位分析

分别以群丛类型和生长基质类型(包括树生、石生、土生)作为资源轴,对小秦岭56个样方中苔藓植物的生态位特征进行分析和对比。结果表明:(1)两种资源轴上苔藓物种的生态位特征存在一定差异,不同资源轴上,苔藓物种生态位宽度排序发生一定改变。两种资源轴上,青藓属(Brachythecium)均具有较大的生态位宽度,而酸土藓属(Oxystegus)和叶苔属(Jungermania)在不同资源轴上生态位宽度差异较大。(2)对比两种资源轴上的生态位重叠值,生长基质类型明显高于群丛类型;在不同资源轴上,个别物种生态位重叠值排序还会发生明显改变。树平藓属(Homaliodendron)与金灰藓属(Pylaisiella)在两种资源轴上表现出完全相反结果。(3)与维管植物相似,生态位宽度较大的苔藓物种生态位重叠值高,生态位宽度小的苔藓物种也会有较大生态位重叠。     

白云山国家森林公园不同人为干扰强度的群落冠层结构和光照特征

为探究森林冠层结构与林下光照的变化规律及其相关性,在河南省白云山国家森林公园选取人工林、择伐林、皆伐林和老龄林建立四块面积为1 hm²（100 m×100 m）的固定监测样地,利用半球面影像技术获取冠层结构及林下光照数据。研究发现：1）随着人为干扰强度降低,冠层覆盖度与叶面积指数呈增加趋势,林下散射辐射与直接辐射呈减少趋势;2）择伐林冠层覆盖度与叶面积指数最大,平均叶倾角与透光比最小,林下光照（直接辐射、散射辐射）与冠层覆盖度和叶面积指数都呈显著负相关,林下散射辐射与冠层覆盖度和叶面积指数的负相关关系最强;3）处于不同干扰强度的群落由于冠层结构的差异,形成了不同群落内特定的光照环境。研究结果丰富了暖温带-亚热带生态过渡区森林冠层结构与林下光照动态变化研究资料,同时也为该区域森林的恢复与重建等提供科学的依据。     

青藏高原东部高寒灌丛生物量分配对模拟增温的响应

植物生物量分配特征的变化反映了不同环境条件下植物的适应策略,全球气候变暖正在改变青藏高原高寒生态系统植被动态和生物量分配格局。然而,到目前为止,有关青藏高原高寒灌丛生物量分配特征对气候变暖的响应研究较少。为了探究气候变暖对高寒灌丛生物量分配的影响,以青藏高原东部典型的窄叶鲜卑花高寒灌丛为研究对象,分析了高寒灌丛灌木层、草本层和群落水平生物量分配特征对开顶式生长室（OTC）模拟增温的响应。研究结果表明：整个生长季节,模拟增温使空气温度和表层土壤温度分别升高0.6℃和1.2℃,使表层土壤水分含量下降2.7%。模拟增温使草本层和群落地上生物量显著增加57.8%和7.2%,使灌木层、草本层和群落根系生物量显著增加42.5%、105.6%和45.6%。然而,模拟增温没有显著影响灌木层地上生物量。同时,模拟增温使灌木层、草本层和群落总生物量显著增加25.6%、85.7%和28.4%,使灌木层、草本层和群落根冠比显著增加33.2%、30.4%和36.0%。由此可见,模拟增温在促进高寒灌丛生物量生产的同时将显著提高向地下根系部分的分配比例。Pearson相关分析表明,高寒灌丛生物量分配与空气温度、土壤温度和土壤硝态氮含量呈显著正相关关系;多元线性回归分析结果也表明,空气温度、土壤温度和土壤硝态氮含量解释了高寒灌丛生物量分配变异的50.8%以上。这些结果表明,青藏高原东部高寒灌丛植被能够通过调节生物量分配模式应对未来气候变暖。     

黄土塬区不同品种玉米间作群体生长特征的动态变化

不同玉米品种间作,品种间的竞争对群体结构和产量可能有促进作用.为了明确不同密度下品种间作对不同生育期群体生长特征的影响,以及在不同生育期的变化规律,选用郑单958和沈单16两个不同株型的玉米品种在中、高两种密度条件下进行隔行间作田间试验.研究结果表明:不同密度间作群体叶面积指数(Leaf Area Index,LAI)显著增加,同密度不同品种间作LAI在生育后期显著增加,有利于形成合理的冠层结构以获得更多的光照;中等密度下品种间作单株叶面积较单作显著增加,而高密度间作显著降低了单株叶面积;中等密度下,品种间作地上部干物质积累量显著增加,郑单958尤为突出,但高密度间作时的增加幅度较小,这与高密度下株高、茎粗相对减小有关.品种株高、茎粗随间作密度的增加而有所增加,对间作竞争的响应与品种特性密切相关;在不同生育期,郑单958和沈单16号表现不同的生长规律,前者在整个营养生长过程中对间作竞争的响应明显、持续和稳定,而进入生殖期后,间作的生长优势逐渐消失;后者在营养生长期干物质积累量大,但持续时间较短,表现出较弱的竞争性.品种间作可有效改善群体冠层结构,增加群体物质生产力,更好的为增产鉴定基础.     

一种重组人α1型干扰素突变体IFN-α1/86D的纯化与鉴定

本文研究了重组人α1型干扰素突变体IFN-α1/86D在摇瓶培养和分批发酵培养的重组大肠杆菌DH5α株中的表达动态,并采用阳离子交换层析和抗α1型干扰素单克隆抗体亲和层析的两步流程对其进行了纯化,得到SDS-PAGE纯及高效液相层析(HPLC)纯的IFN-α1/86D产品,共比活性为2.3×10~7单位/毫克蛋白。N端氨基酸序列测定的结果表明,纯化产品的纯度在95％以上,但其N端不均一,产品中含有两种N端序列正确的IFN-α1/86D活性分子,即约75％为去Met分子和约25％为带Met分子。     

小秦岭森林群落数量分类、排序及多样性垂直格局

采用分层取样的方法,沿小秦岭林区海拔梯度设立56块20 m×20 m样地,用多元回归树(MRT)方法对小秦岭森林群落进行分类,采用除趋势对应分析(DCA)进行排序,用广义可加模型(GAM)研究不同生活型物种多样性沿海拔梯度分布格局。结果表明:(1)56个样地进行MRT分类,经交叉验证并依据植物群落分类和命名原则,本区植物群落可分为5类;(2)样方DCA排序明确地揭示各群落类型生境分布范围,较好地反映小秦岭自然保护区森林群落与环境因子的关系;(3)不同生活型物种多样性指数随海拔梯度变化发生一定的波动,且呈现不同的多样性格局:丰富度指数中,乔木层呈显著的单峰分布格局,灌木层在中海拔段呈明显下降趋势,草本层随着海拔的升高总体呈下降趋势;Shannon-Wiener多样性指数中,不同生活型物种随海拔变化趋势与物种丰富度变化趋势大体相同;不同生活型物种的均匀度指数随海拔变化趋势较平缓。