固始鸡1日龄和36周龄下丘脑高丰度差异性MiRNA的鉴定及功能预测分析

为鉴定鸡下丘脑发育相关特异性表达miRNA,基于固始鸡1日龄和36周龄下丘脑小RNA的Solexa测序数据,共鉴定到266种2个发育阶段共表达的miRNA,其中157种miRNA的表达水平被显著下调,22种被显著上调.聚类分析显示,鸡下丘脑高丰度差异性miRNA主要集中于let-7、mir-181、mir-30、mir-99、mir-1和mir-17等基因家族.另外,预测了10种高丰度差异性miRNA的靶基因,并进行了相应的GO分析和KEGG通路分析.结果显示,预测靶基因在发育过程、代谢过程、细胞过程和生物学过程调节等4个生物学过程以及细胞周期、粘着斑、TGF-beta信号通路和MAPK信号通路等通路中显著富集.研究结果为进一步揭示miRNA调控鸡下丘脑发育的分子机制提供了有益线索.     

Diencephalo-telencephalic changes of tyrosine hydroxylase in rats and grass frogs after sleep deprivation

Based on sleep deprivation-produced changes of electrographic parameters of the wakefulness-sleep cycle (WSC) in rats and frogs (Rana temporaria), dynamics of activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the key enzyme of dopamine synthesis, was studied immunohistochemically in substantia nigra and nigrostriatal pathway in rats and in striatum, paraventricular organ, and extrahypothalamic pathways in frogs. Changes in dynamics of tyrosine hydroxylase in rats and in frogs are revealed after the 6-h sleep deprivation and after 2 h of postdeprivation sleep. This allows determining the degree of participation of corticostriatal neuroregulatory and hypothalamo-pituitary neurosecretory systems and their role in regulation of WSC. Possible evolutionary peculiarities of morphofunctional differences in homoiothermal and poikilothermal animals are discussed.     

Isotope signatures in winter moulted feathers predict malaria prevalence in a breeding avian host

It is widely accepted that animal distribution and migration strategy might have co-evolved in relation to selection pressures exerted by parasites. Here, we first determined the prevalence and types of malaria blood parasites in a breeding population of great reed warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus using PCR. Secondly, we tested for differences in individual feather stable isotope signatures (delta (13)C, delta (15)N, deltaD and delta (34)S) to investigate whether malaria infected and non-infected birds had occupied different areas in winter. We show that birds moulting in Afro-tropical habitats with significantly higher delta (13)C and delta (15)N but lower deltaD and delta(34)S values were more frequently infected with malaria parasites. Based on established patterns of isotopic distributions, our results indicate that moulting sites with higher incidence of malaria are generally drier and situated further to the north in West Africa than sites with lower incidence of malaria. Our findings are pertinent to the general hypothesis that animal distribution and particularly avian migration strategy might evolve in response to selection pressures exerted by parasites at different geographic scales. Tradeoffs between investment in energy demanding life history traits (e.g. migration and winter moult) and immune function are suggested to contribute to the particular choice of habitat during migration and at wintering sites.     

Display of avian influenza virus nucleoprotein on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> cell surface using CTC as a fusion partner

The S-layer protein CTC surface display system of Bacillus thuringiensis was used to test the possibility of displaying avian influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) on the cell surface of B. thuringiensis. By fusing np with the anchoring motif of ctc, four recombinant plasmids were constructed. They harbored fusion gene ctc-np, csa-ctc-np (csa representing csaAB operon, very important in anchoring S-layer protein on cell surface), ctc-npp (npp representing the part fragment of np), and csa-ctc-npp, respectively. Five recombinant strains were obtained by transferring recombinant plasmids to B. thuringiensis plasmid-free derivative strain BMB171. The vegetative cells of five strains were used as agglutinogens for slide agglutination assays. The assays showed recombinant NP proteins successfully displayed on the cell surface of five strains. After immunization of chickens with spores by oral route, all five strains elicited a humoral response to NP and exhibited immunogenicity as indicated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ELISA also showed that one of five strains, CN (bearing csa-ctc-npp), exhibited the highest immunogenicity among five strains, which suggested that the best way of constructing ctc fusion gene was the csa-ctc-npp. The strategy developed in this study suggests the possibility of generating a heat-stable and oral veterinary vaccine with B. thuringiensis surface display system.     

禽流感发生后青海湖水鸟的种群现状

于2006年和2007年4~9月,在青海湖对水鸟的资源状况进行了调查。结果表明,青海湖地区迁徙水鸟的多样性呈季节性变化。春季迁徙期水鸟多样性较高,水鸟的种类和数量都较为丰富;进入繁殖期以后,各地点的水鸟多样性趋于下降;随着秋季迁徙期的来临,水鸟多样性又再度升高,水鸟的种类和数量接近或超过春季迁徙期。在春季迁徙期,布哈河口、铁卜恰河口、泉湾和尕日拉的斑头雁(Anser indicus)、棕头鸥(Larus brunnicephalus)、渔鸥(L.ichthyaetus)、普通鸬鹚(Phalacro coraxcarbo)和赤麻鸭(Tadorna ferruginea)5种水鸟的数量都较多,致使种间相遇几率也较高;进入繁殖期以后,尕日拉的种间相遇率降低,而蛋岛和黑马河的种间相遇率有所增加,其余如布哈河口、铁卜恰河口和泉湾仍维持较高的水平;秋季迁徙期5种水鸟大多以集群的方式进行活动,主要集中在少数几个地点,如布哈河口、泉湾和黑马河,因此这三处的种间相遇率随之增加。最后,有针对性地提出了禽流感监测和保护管理建议。     

Effect of oral diazepam on feeding behavior and activity of Hawai’i ’amakihi (Hemignathus virens)

Feeding behavior and activity during captivity were studied in wild-caught Hawai’i ’amakihi, Hemignathus virens, to evaluate diazepam's hyperphagic and anxiolytic effects. Birds were captured in mist nets, given either oral diazepam (1 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume per weight of lactated Ringer's solution orally, and held in captivity for 6 h. Thirteen-minute focal animal samples were videotaped at the beginning of each hour. Feeding behaviors, grooming and picking events, changes in position, and body weights were recorded. Mean duration of feeding, percentage of time spent feeding, and number of feeding events were significantly higher for treatment birds than for controls, and significantly increased over time. Feeding duration was significantly correlated to weight change. Weight change was not significantly different between groups, but on average treatment birds lost less weight than control birds. No significant differences in grooming behaviors were found between the groups, but there was a session effect of increased grooming over time in both groups. Also, a significant session effect in movement events was apparent, with control birds becoming less active and treatment birds becoming more active over time. Results indicate diazepam increased feeding behaviors and movement in this passerine species during a short period of captivity.     

Defeating pathogen drug resistance: guidance from evolutionary theory

Many of the greatest challenges in medicine and public health involve the evolution of drug resistance by pathogens. Recent advances in the theory of natural selection suggest that there are two broad classes of pathogen traits that can be targeted by drugs or vaccines. The first class, consisting of traits that benefit the individual organisms bearing them, causes a strong evolutionary response and the rapid emergence of drug resistance. The second class, consisting of traits that benefit groups of pathogen organisms including the individual provider, causes a weaker evolutionary response and less drug resistance. Although most previous drug development has targeted the first class, it would be advantageous to focus on the second class as targets for drug and vaccine development. Specific examples and test cases are discussed.     

猪下丘脑和垂体中生长激素受体、胰岛素样生长因子1型受体的发育性变化

GH和IGF-1可作用于垂体或/和下丘脑负反馈性地调节垂体GH的分泌,而这种负反馈作用必须通过下丘脑或垂体的GHR和IGF-1R来实现.为研究猪垂体GH分泌负反馈调节的发育性变化和品种特点,分别在0、3、20、30、90、120和180日龄随机选取纯种雄性二花脸猪和大白猪各4头,屠宰并取下丘脑及垂体,用相对定量RT-PCR分析下丘脑和垂体GHR和IGF-1R mRNA水平.结果表明下丘脑GHR mRNA表达呈明显的时序性变化,在0到120日龄期间呈逐渐上升趋势,180日龄时显著下降(P＜0.05),提示在快速生长期,GH负反馈调控机制逐渐加强.下丘脑GHR mRNA表达还表现明显的品种间差异,在0到180日龄期间大白猪均显著高于二花脸猪(P＜0.05);而垂体GHR mRNA表达相对稳定,品种和年龄间差异不显著,提示GH的负反馈作用位点可能主要在下丘脑.IGF-1R与GHR的表达发育模式不同.下丘脑IGF-IR mRNA的表达相对稳定,无显著的年龄、品种间差异;而在垂体,大白猪和二花脸猪IGF-1R mRNA水平在出生时均较高,随后显著下降(P＜0.05),20日龄后逐渐上升至90日龄的较高水平,随后再次下降.大白猪垂体IGF-1 mRNA表达在30日龄和90日龄时显著高于二花脸猪(P＜0.05),而180日龄时二花脸猪垂体IGF-1R mRNA水平却显著高于大白猪(P＜0.05).结果提示,IGF-1长环负反馈作用位点可能不在下丘脑,而主要在垂体.     

海南大田国家级自然保护区鸟类考察初报

2001年10月至2002年9月,采用晨昏沿样带观察及用鸟网捕捉的方法对海南大田国家级自然保护区进行了鸟类资源考察。本次考察共记录鸟类75种,分属于12目30科,加上以往文献记载,该地区总计有鸟类13目36科92种,约占全国鸟类总数的6．97％。其中东洋界鸟类71种,古北界鸟类4种,广布种17种;繁殖鸟类65种(包括留鸟和夏候鸟),冬候鸟和旅鸟23种,居留期不清或迷鸟4种。该区域有许多被保护的鸟类,其中Birds to Watch收录2种,CITES收录5种,中国濒危物种红皮书收录10种,中国重点保护动物名录收录15种。