Impacts of Catastrophic Earthquakes on the Insect Communities in Estuarine Mangroves, Northern Taiwan

As a catastrophic earthquake is unpredictable and occurs only occasionally, impacts on biotic communities are seldom known. Monthly changes in insect communities in the mangroves along the Danshui Estuary were monitored for more than 3 years from before and after two catastrophic earthquakes in Taiwan the Chi–Chi earthquake (M_L = 7.3) of September 21, 1999 and the 3–31 earthquake (M_L = 6.8) of March 31, 2002. Here we show that the Chi–Chi earthquake not only caused large declines in total individual number but also total species number of insects. It also resulted in greater variability among samples, and shifts in insect communities. Non-biting midges and rove beetles, whose immatures inhabited the riparian underground or aquatic sediments, were most severely affected. By 7 months after the Chi–Chi earthquake, the insect communities had recovered to a level comparable to that before the earthquake. However, the influence of the 3–31 earthquake on the insect communities was less severe. It is concluded that the more-severe impacts of the Chi–Chi earthquake than the 3–31 earthquake can be attributable to differences in ground shaking, occurrence time, biodiversity, and growing conditions of insects at those times.     

MAGIC-SPP: a database-driven DNA sequence processing package with associated management tools

Background  

Processing raw DNA sequence data is an especially challenging task for relatively small laboratories and core facilities that produce as many as 5000 or more DNA sequences per week from multiple projects in widely differing species. To meet this challenge, we have developed the flexible, scalable, and automated sequence processing package described here.     

Membrane-spanning domain of bovine foamy virus transmembrane protein having cytotoxicity

Foamy viruses (FVs) have broad cellular tropism infecting vertebrates from fish to human being, which indicates that Env protein has a high capability for membrane fusion. Conservative features in all FV transmembrane (TM) proteins include a region of hydrophobic domain called membrane-spanning domain (MSD), which contains several stretches of hydrophobic amino acids. To investigate whether these features were associated with the cytotoxicity effect of TM on Escherichia coli, a series of mutants were constructed and expressed in the E. coli BL21 (DE3) using pET-32a (+) as expressing vector. The results showed that only TM3 without MSD was expressed in E. coli, whereas the other two containing full or part of the MSD (TM1 and TM2) could not be expressed. Furthermore, the bacterial amount and living bacteria analysis revealed that the cytotoxicity of TM was dependent on its MSD, especially on the stretches of hydrophobic amino acids. Western blotting analysis showed that TM3 protein was purified with affinity purification. __________ Translated from Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Nankaiensis, 2005, 38(2): 49–53 [译自: 南开大学学报 (自然科学版), 2005, 38(2): 49–53]     

Carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide: gaseous messengers in cerebrovascular circulation.

This review focuses on two gaseous cellular messenger molecules, CO and H2S, that are involved in cerebrovascular flow regulation. CO is a dilatory mediator in active hyperemia, autoregulation, hypoxic dilation, and counteracting vasoconstriction. It is produced from heme by a constitutively expressed enzyme [heme oxygenase (HO)-2] expressed highly in the brain and by an inducible enzyme (HO-1). CO production is regulated by controlling substrate availability, HO-2 catalytic activity, and HO-1 expression. CO dilates arterioles by binding to heme that is bound to large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels. This binding elevates channel Ca2+ sensitivity, that increases coupling of Ca2+ sparks to large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel openings and, thereby, hyperpolarizes the vascular smooth muscle. In addition to dilating blood vessels, CO can either inhibit or accentuate vascular cell proliferation and apoptosis, depending on conditions. H2S may also function as a cerebrovascular dilator. It is produced in vascular smooth muscle cells by hydrolysis of l-cysteine catalyzed by cystathione gamma-lyase (CSE). H2S dilates arterioles at physiologically relevant concentrations via activation of ATP-sensitive K+ channels. In addition to dilating blood vessels, H2S promotes apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells and inhibits proliferation-associated vascular remodeling. Thus both CO and H2S modulate the function and the structure of circulatory system. Both the HO-CO and CSE-H2S systems have potential to interact with NO and prostanoids in the cerebral circulation. Much of the physiology and biochemistry of HO-CO and CSE-H2S in the cerebral circulation remains open for exploration.     

Arthrobacter terrae sp. nov., a psychrophilic actinobacterium with multi copies of capA gene isolated from Antarctic soil

A Gram-staining-positive, non-spore-forming, non-flagellated, ellipsoidal, strain Z1-20 ^T belonging to the genus Arthrobacter was isolated from a soil sample collected from the Zhongshan station, Antarctic. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences and phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain Z1-20 ^T formed a unique single cluster in the genus Arthrobacter and shared high 16S rRNA sequence similarities of 97.1% and 96.9% with A. glacialis HLT2-12-2 ^T and A. psychrochitiniphilus GP3^T, respectively. Values of Digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) between strain Z1-20 ^T against A. glacialis HLT2-12-2 ^T and A. psychrochitiniphilus GP3^T were 20.3% and 13.8%, respectively. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) score between strain Z1-20 ^T against A. glacialis HLT2-12-2 ^T and A. psychrochitiniphilus GP3^T were 72.5% and 72.1%, respectively. Genes for the synthesis of the osmoprotectant glycine betaine and higher copies of capA gene encoding cold shock protein were found in genome of Z1-20 ^T that may help Z1-20 ^T in cold-adaptation. Strain Z1-20 ^T comprised lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. Based on the results of phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features, strain Z1-20 ^T represents a novel species of a novel taxon of genus Arthrobacter, for which the name Arthrobacter terrae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed.

     

Externally Supplied Mannitol and Trehalose Boost Phloroglucinol Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology - Biosynthesis of phloroglucinol, an important polyketide compound, has been achieved in engineered Escherichia coli. However, the high level of inherent...     

A Putative Adhesin-encoding Gene AOL_s00007g5 is involved in the Mycelial Growth and Development of Nematode-trapping Fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora

Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology - Arthrobotrys oligospora is one of the most commonly studied fungi that can form abundant traps to capture and consume nematodes at the parasitic stage....     

水稻耐储藏特性三年动态鉴定与QTL分析

种子耐储藏特性是粮食作物的特殊农艺性状之一, 耐储藏性能对种子生产和种质资源保存有重要意义。以粳型超级稻龙稻5 (LD5)和高产籼稻中优早8 (ZYZ8)杂交衍生的重组自交系(RILs)群体(共180个株系)为实验材料, 自然高温高湿条件下放置1年、2年和3年后, 对不同储藏时段种子发芽率进行比较, 并利用223个分子标记的遗传图谱进行动态QTL鉴定。结果表明, 不同储藏时段龙稻5的发芽率均显著低于中优早8, 株系间耐储性存在较大差异; 不同储藏时段发芽率显著相关, 相邻存储时段发芽率关系紧密。共检测到17个耐储性相关的QTLs, 3个老化时段分别检测到5、4和3个, 检测到5个动态条件QTLs, 单一QTL解释5.60%-32.76%的表型变异, 加性效应在-16.78%-16.95%范围内。主效QTL簇qSSC2、qSSC6、qSSC7和qSSC8能调控不同储藏时段的发芽率, qSSC6具有明显降低发芽率的效应。共检测到26对上位性互作位点, 主效QTL qSS1和qSS4参与上位性互作, 这表明上位性互作是调控耐储藏性状的重要遗传组成。研究结果为水稻(Oryza sativa)耐储性相关QTL的精细定位奠定基础, 同时丰富了耐储性分子标记辅助选择育种的基因资源。     

FAR gene enables the brown planthopper to walk and jump on water in paddy field

Many insects can live on water and survive being caught in the rain. Current research has shown that insect cuticular hydrocarbons(CHC) confer desiccation resistance to maintain water balance. In this study, we identified a fatty acyl-CoA reductase gene(NlFAR) of the rice brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens that is essential for the production of CHCs, and found that NlFAR is essential for N. lugens to walk and jump on water when moving from one rice plant to another in paddy fields. NlFAR was mainly expressed in the integument at the beginning of each molt. Cuticular surface analysis by scanning electron microscopy and characterization of CHC extracts indicated that N. lugens with knockdown of NlFAR using RNA inference(RNAi)had a neater epicuticle layer and a significant decrease in CHC contents. Knockdown of NlFAR did not influence the desiccation resistance of N. lugens, but the ds NlFAR-treated insects were easily adhered and moistened by water droplets or their own secreted honeydew and unable to walk or jump on water. These results suggested that NlFAR is a crucial enzyme for CHC biosynthesis and cuticle waterproofing, but not for water retention of N. lugens, which may provide a potential strategy for pest management.