Postmating reproductive barriers contribute to the incipient sexual isolation of the United States and Caribbean Drosophila melanogaster

The nascent stages of speciation start with the emergence of sexual isolation. Understanding the influence of reproductive barriers in this evolutionary process is an ongoing effort. We present a study of Drosophila melanogaster admixed populations from the southeast United States and the Caribbean islands known to be a secondary contact zone of European‐ and African‐derived populations undergoing incipient sexual isolation. The existence of premating reproductive barriers has been previously established, but these types of barriers are not the only source shaping sexual isolation. To assess the influence of postmating barriers, we investigated putative postmating barriers of female remating and egg‐laying behavior, as well as hatchability of eggs laid and female longevity after mating. In the central region of our putative hybrid zone of American and Caribbean populations, we observed lower hatchability of eggs laid accompanied by increased resistance to harm after mating to less‐related males. These results illustrate that postmating reproductive barriers act alongside premating barriers and genetic admixture such as hybrid incompatibilities and influence early phases of sexual isolation.     

Cloning,characterization of two female-specific AFLP markers and development of PCR-based sex identification method for the half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis

Two female-specific AFLP(amplified fragment length polymorphism)markers(named CseF464 and CseF136)were isolated by using one selective primer combination(E-AGC/M-CTG)from the genomic DNA of 20 females and 20 males of the half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis.Both the markers were re-amplified,recovered from the agarose gels,cloned and sequenced.Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the length of the two markers were 468 bp and 134 bp,respectively,and the sequences showed no similarity to each othe...     

Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet production using rejuvenated tissues from serial grafting of a mature <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kalopanax septemlobus</Emphasis> tree

An effective micropropagation technique via somatic embryogenesis has been developed using tissue from serially grafted shoots generated from a mature Kalopanax septemlobus tree (~40 y old). Callus was induced from leaf segments obtained from the grafts by culturing the explants in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2,4-D and 3% w/v sucrose under darkness. The effects of sucrose, coconut water, and polyethylene glycol (PEG-3350) were evaluated as factors to promote development of somatic embryos (SEs) from embryogenic callus. More than 90% of explants formed callus; however, only 2.5%, or 20 leaf segments out of 800 explants, formed embryogenic callus after 8 wk of culture. High sucrose concentrations (3% and 5% w/v) were effective in inducing SEs. Treatment with 2–10% v/v coconut water also had a positive effect on embryo induction. A synergistic effect on SE induction was obtained using sucrose and PEG, with presence of the latter compound resulting in smaller, more uniform SEs. Embryo germination and conversion to plantlets were significantly influenced by the gelling agents. In general, gelrite-gelled medium was superior to agar-gelled medium. In gelrite-gelled medium, gibberillic acid (GA₃) enhanced embryo germination. Converted plantlets in an artificial soil mixture showed a 91% survival rate and displayed no distinct morphological variations. Our results indicate that reliable somatic embryogenesis and plant production can be achieved with rejuvenated tissues after repeated grafting of shoots derived from a mature Kalopanax septemlobus tree.     

根据野外调查资料评估鱼类的日摄食量

基于海洋渔业资源常规调查和河口定置网取样资料 ,将调查期间同一鱼种各取样时刻的消化道 (或胃 )内含物量视为发生在 2 4小时内的同一样本空间的不同事件 ,根据消化道内含物的变动确定鱼类的不摄食时段以计算排空率。为定量早期幼鱼及消化系统复杂的鱼类消化道内含物重量 ,建立了空消化道重 (EDW ) -体长(BL) -体重 (BW )经验关系式 ,即EDW =α BWBLβ δ。应用Eggers模型或Elliott Persson模型对日摄食量进行评估。研究获得以下鱼类的日摄食量 (约占体重百分比 ) :渤海大面调查所获幼鱼 ,蓝点马鲛 (Scomberomorusniphonius,16 0 1± 1 96cm ,3 0 95± 12 3 2 g ,n =159) 13 5%、黄鲫 (Setipinnataty ,7 2 6± 1 99cm ,2 89±4 0 8g ,n =2 3 9) 15%、小黄鱼 (Pseudosciaenapolyactis ,6 84± 1 41cm ,6 94± 4 0 7g ,n =2 72 ) 13 5% ,斑(Konosiruspunctatus ,9 49± 0 91cm ,10 0 8± 3 2 8g ,n =10 7) 110 % ;河口定置网所获早期幼鱼 ,斑 (1 77± 0 2 1cm ,0 0 4± 0 0 2g ,n =50 5) 40 % ,黄鳍刺虎鱼 (Acanthogobiusflavimanus ,1 82± 0 16cm ,0 0 6±0 0 1g ,n =93 0 ) 15%     

Application of protoplast technology to CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis: from single‐cell mutation detection to mutant plant regeneration

Plant protoplasts are useful for assessing the efficiency of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (Cas9) mutagenesis. We improved the process of protoplast isolation and transfection of several plant species. We also developed a method to isolate and regenerate single mutagenized Nicotianna tabacum protoplasts into mature plants. Following transfection of protoplasts with constructs encoding Cas9 and sgRNAs, target gene DNA could be amplified for further analysis to determine mutagenesis efficiency. We investigated N. tabacum protoplasts and derived regenerated plants for targeted mutagenesis of the phytoene desaturase (NtPDS) gene. Genotyping of albino regenerants indicated that all four NtPDS alleles were mutated in amphidiploid tobacco, and no Cas9 DNA could be detected in most regenerated plants.     

黄海和东海小黄鱼遗传多样性的RAPD分析

小黄鱼（Pseudosciaena polyactis）是我国近海重要经济鱼类之一。本文分析了采自黄海和东海5个海区共计48个个体小黄鱼的随机扩增DNA多态性（RAPD）。从40个10 bp引物中选取20个用于群体遗传多样性分析,共检测出145个位点,其中132个（91.03%） 显多态性。用Shannon多样性指数量化的平均遗传多态度为1.93（1.50～2.44）,群体内和群体间的遗传变异比例分别为69%和31%;群体间的平均遗传相似度和遗传距离分别为0.9139和0.0861。用非加权配对算数平均法（UPGMA）聚类分析的结果表明,所分析的5个群体可分为3个地理群系,从分子水平上支持了过去有关学者把黄海和东海的小黄鱼划分为北、中、南3个地理群系的观点。     

Community Structure Dynamics of the Hermatypic Corals on Luhuitou Fringing Reef,Hainan,China.I.Species Composition and Abundance

1IntroductionStudyoncoralcommunitysuccession,especiallytherecoveryofdisturbedcoralcommu-nities,hasreceivedagreatdealoftheoreticalandempiricalattentioninthelasttwodecades(e.g.Connell1978;Grigg1983;Fitzhardinge1985;Hughes1985,1989;HughesandJackson1985;Sammarco1985;Wallace1985a,b;Colgan1987;Doneetal.1988,1991;Phongsuwan1991,etc).However,moststudiesofhermatypiccoralsuccessionhavebeenconcentratedononlyaportionofacommunityandcoveredamuchshortertimeperiodcom-paredwiththetimetakenforacoralcommunit…     

Diet-Quality Scores and Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Population Study Using Proton-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Dietary pattern analysis is an alternative approach to examine the association between diet and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study examined the association of two diet-quality scores, namely Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) and Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) with NAFLD prevalence. Apparently healthy Chinese adults (332 male, 465 female) aged 18 years or above were recruited through a population screening between 2008 and 2010 in a cross-sectional population-based study in Hong Kong. DQI-I and MDS, as well as major food group and nutrient intakes were calculated based on dietary data from a food frequency questionnaire. NAFLD was defined as intrahepatic triglyceride content at ≥5% by proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the association between each diet-quality score or dietary component and prevalent NAFLD with adjustment for potential lifestyle, metabolic and genetic factors. A total of 220 subjects (27.6%) were diagnosed with NAFLD. DQI-I but not MDS was associated with the prevalence of NAFLD. A 10-unit decrease in DQI-I was associated with 24% increase in the likelihood of having NAFLD in the age and sex adjusted model (95% CI: 1.06–1.45, p = 0.009), and the association remained significant when the model was further adjusted for other lifestyle factors, metabolic and genetic factors [OR: 1.26 (95% CI: 1.03–1.54), p = 0.027]. Multivariate regression analyses showed an inverse association of the intake of vegetables and legumes, fruits and dried fruits, as well as vitamin C with the NAFLD prevalence (p<0.05). In conclusion, a better diet quality as characterized by a higher DQI-I and a higher consumption of vegetables, legumes and fruits was associated with a reduced likelihood of having NAFLD in Hong Kong Chinese.     

Detection of Mycolactone A/B in Mycobacterium ulcerans–Infected Human Tissue

Background

Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer) is a neglected tropical disease common amongst children in rural West Africa. Animal experiments have shown that tissue destruction is caused by a toxin called mycolactone.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A molecule was identified among acetone-soluble lipid extracts from M. ulcerans (Mu)-infected human lesions with chemical and biological properties of mycolactone A/B. On thin layer chromatography this molecule had a retention factor value of 0.23, MS analyses showed it had an m/z of 765.6 [M+Na⁺] and on MS:MS fragmented to produce the core lactone ring with m/z of 429.4 and the polyketide side chain of mycolactone A/B with m/z of 359.2. Acetone-soluble lipids from lesions demonstrated significant cytotoxic, pro-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory activities on cultured fibroblast and macrophage cell lines. Mycolactone A/B was detected in all of 10 tissue samples from patients with ulcerative and pre-ulcerative Mu disease.

Conclusions/Significance

Mycolactone can be detected in human tissue infected with Mu. This could have important implications for successful management of Mu infection by antibiotic treatment but further studies are needed to measure its concentration.     

Mepimbat tedul proujek: Indigenous knowledge of culturally significant freshwater turtles addresses species knowledge gaps in Northern Australia

Indigenous biocultural knowledge offers valuable insights for species conservation; however, like biological diversity, associated cultural knowledge is also often threatened. This paper demonstrates how Indigenous biocultural knowledge of species can contribute to addressing gaps in species occurrence data and conservation knowledge using a case study from the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area (SEAL IPA), northern Australia. Using a series of mapping workshops and interviews this collaborative project recorded Indigenous biocultural knowledge of the distribution, ecology, cultural significance and threats to freshwater turtles (freshwoda teduls in the local Indigenous language, Roper River Kriol). Based on past freshwoda tedul hunting experiences, 74 Indigenous knowledge holders identified 753 past freshwoda tedul occurrences, significantly adding to the 12 occurrences previously listed for the SEAL IPA in Australia's online species database, the Atlas of Living Australia. Importantly, these were the first ‘memory’ records of past species sightings by Indigenous people to be recognized and added to Australia's national species database. In addition, a blog summarizing this research was promoted through the Atlas of Living Australia, raising awareness of the Indigenous biocultural knowledge associated with these species. The Mepimbat tedul proujek revealed the cultural significance of freshwoda teduls and reported declines in abundance since the turn of the century, implicating invasive hard-hooved ungulates (buffalo, pig) and reduced rainfall. The addition of non-sacred Indigenous knowledge to free online species databases may offer innovative solutions for storage, interaction and sharing of indigenous knowledge, with opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural learning and broader application in conservation management and decision-making.