The real objective of Mendel's paper: A response to Monaghan and Corcos

Mendel's work in hybridization is ipso facto a study in inheritance. He is explicit in his interest to formulate universal generalizations, and at least in the case of the independent segregation of traits, he formulated his conclusions in the form of a law. Mendel did not discern, however, the inheritance of traits from that of the potential for traits. Choosing to study discrete non-overlapping traits, this did not hamper his efforts.     

Oviposition response of Simulium reptans (Diptera: Simuliidae) to the presence of conspecific eggs

Abstract.

• 1 The oviposition behaviour of Simulium reptans L. is described from two sites on the River Spey, Scotland. Female aggregations were observed immediately downstream of oviposition sites and were composed mainly of gravid flies (range 60–80%0) together with smaller numbers that were either freshly bloodfed (range 2–17%) or infected with mermithid nematodes (range 0–30%).
• 2 The time from landing on the oviposition sites to the onset of oviposition was recorded. The time in the presence of greater than 1-day-old eggs did not significantly differ from sites with no eggs present. However, the presence of freshly laid or I-day-old eggs significantly shortened the time to onset of oviposition. The cues that elicit oviposition are unknown but it is speculated that they may involve a pheromone.

     

溶液流动对等电溶菌酶晶体生长的影响

本文对等温自由生长和强制性溶液生长的等电溶菌酶的晶体形态进行了研究,发现这些形态变化与溶液相的流动密切相关,指出生物晶体生长停止是由于生长晶体周围的溶质贫乏造成的;通过某些手段减薄或消除这一溶质贫乏区,就可以保证晶体的持续生长。本文的研究对改善大尺寸晶体的生长提供了一条途径。     

One-step generation of multiple transgenic mouse lines using an improved Pronuclear Injection-based Targeted Transgenesis (i-PITT)

Background

The pronuclear injection (PI) is the simplest and widely used method to generate transgenic (Tg) mice. Unfortunately, PI-based Tg mice show uncertain transgene expression due to random transgene insertion in the genome, usually with multiple copies. Thus, typically at least three or more Tg lines are produced by injecting over 200 zygotes and the best line/s among them are selected through laborious screening steps. Recently, we developed technologies using Cre-loxP system that allow targeted insertion of single-copy transgene into a predetermined locus through PI. We termed the method as PI-based Targeted Transgenesis (PITT). A similar method using PhiC31-attP/B system was reported subsequently.

Results

Here, we developed an improved-PITT (i-PITT) method by combining Cre-loxP, PhiC31-attP/B and FLP-FRT systems directly under C57BL/6N inbred strain, unlike the mixed strain used in previous reports. The targeted Tg efficiency in the i-PITT typically ranged from 10 to 30%, with 47 and 62% in two of the sessions, which is by-far the best Tg rate reported. Furthermore, the system could generate multiple Tg mice simultaneously. We demonstrate that injection of up to three different Tg cassettes in a single injection session into as less as 181 zygotes resulted in production of all three separate Tg DNA containing targeted Tg mice.

Conclusions

The i-PITT system offers several advantages compared to previous methods: multiplexing capability (i-PITT is the only targeted-transgenic method that is proven to generate multiple different transgenic lines simultaneously), very high efficiency of targeted-transgenesis (up to 62%), significantly reduces animal numbers in mouse-transgenesis and the system is developed under C57BL/6N strain, the most commonly used pure genetic background. Further, the i-PITT system is freely accessible to scientific community.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1432-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Studies of gonadal sex differentiation

Gonadal differentiation has a determinative influence on sex development in human embryos. Disorders of sexual development (DSD) have been associated with persistent embryonal differentiation stages. Between 1998 and 2015, 139 female patients with various (DSD) underwent operations at the Scientific Center of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perynatology in Moscow, Russia. Clinical investigations included karyotyping, ultrasound imaging, hormonal measurement and investigations of gonadal morphology. The male characteristics in the embryo are imposed by testicular hormones. When these are absent or inactive, the fetus may be arrested at between developmental stages, or stay on indifferent stage and become phenotypically female. A systematic analysis of gonadal morphology in DSD patients and a literature review revealed some controversies and led us to formulate a new hypothesis about sex differentiation. Proliferation of the mesonephric system (tubules and corpuscles) in the gonads stimulates the masculinization of gonads to testis. Sustentacular Sertoli cells of the testes are derived from mesonephric excretory tubules, while interstitial Leydig cells are derived from the original mesenchyme of the mesonephros. According of the new hypothesis, the original mesonephric cells (tubules and corpuscles) potentially persist in the ovarian parenchyma. In female gonads, some mesonephric excretory tubules regress and lose the tubular structure, but form ovarian theca interna and externa, becoming analogous to the sustentacular Sertoli cells in the testis. The ovarian interstitial Leydig cells are derived from intertubal mesenchyme of the mesonephros, similar to what occurs in male gonads (testis). Surprisingly, the leading determinative factor in sexual differentiation of the gonads is the mesonephros, represented by the embryonic urinary system.     

应用分子标记技术改良京作1号的稻瘟病抗性

稻瘟病是危害水稻产量的重要生物胁迫之一。实践证明,解决这一问题的最有效方法是培育具广谱、持久稻瘟病抗性的品种并推广种植。本研究以优质、高产、感稻瘟病的京作1号为轮回亲本,与稻瘟病抗性基因Pi9、Pigm和pi21的供体材料进行杂交、回交和复交,结合分子标记辅助选择和农艺性状筛选,培育不同的单基因导入系和聚合系。苗期人工接种多个稻瘟病菌的结果显示,Pi9抗性改良系的抗性频率达到100%,Pigm抗性改良系平均为90%,均极显著高于轮回亲本京作1号的抗性频率,且农艺性状与京作1号基本一致。pi21抗性改良系的抗性水平与京作1号没有明显差异,单株产量极显著低于京作1号。与轮回亲本相比,Pi9和pi21聚合系的抗性频率极显著提高,达到93.33%,但单株产量明显降低。研究结果证实了Pi9和Pigm基因在大幅度提高抗瘟性的同时对主要农艺性状影响小,都具有较大的育种利用价值。基因pi21抗谱较窄,抗性不强,且可能存在对产量的负效应,不宜单独用来改良水稻品种的稻瘟病抗性,需要与抗性强的主基因聚合,通过多次回交和自交打破该基因与产量的不利连锁累赘。     

Alpha-synuclein overexpression negatively regulates insulin receptor substrate 1 by activating mTORC1/S6K1 signaling

Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) is a major component of Lewy bodies, a pathological feature of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases collectively known as synucleinopathies. Among the possible mechanisms of α-Syn-mediated neurotoxicity is interference with cytoprotective pathways such as insulin signaling. Insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 is a docking protein linking IRs to downstream signaling pathways such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K)1; the latter exerts negative feedback control on insulin signaling, which is impaired in Alzheimer's disease. Our previous study found that α-Syn overexpression can inhibit protein phosphatase (PP)2A activity, which is involved in the protective mechanism of insulin signaling. In this study, we found an increase in IRS-1 phosphorylation at Ser636 and decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation, which accelerated IRS-1 turnover and reduced insulin-Akt signaling in α-Syn-overexpressing SK-N-SH cells and transgenic mice. The mTOR complex (C)1/S6K1 blocker rapamycin inhibited the phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser636 in cells overexpressing α-Syn, suggesting that mTORC1/S6K1 activation by α-Syn causes feedback inhibition of insulin signaling via suppression of IRS-1 function. α-Syn overexpression also inhibited PP2A activity, while the PP2A agonist C2 ceramide suppressed both S6K1 activation and IRS-1 Ser636 phosphorylation upon α-Syn overexpression. Thus, α-Syn overexpression negatively regulated IRS-1 via mTORC1/S6K1 signaling while activation of PP2A reverses this process. These results provide evidence for a link between α-Syn and IRS-1 that may represent a novel mechanism for α-Syn-associated pathogenesis.     

不同年份油桃园三种主要害虫与其天敌的关系

为了科学施药,合理保护和利用自然天敌进行油桃害虫的综合防治,用灰色系统分析方法、生态位分析方法和空间格局聚集强度指数分析方法,对2008年及2009年春-夏季油桃园桃蚜、小绿叶蝉和山楂叶螨与其主要捕食性天敌在数量、时间和空间格局等方面关系进行分析,两年春-夏季综合排序的结果是,桃蚜主要捕食性天敌依次是黑带食蚜蝇、异色瓢虫、三突花蟹蛛;小绿叶蝉主要捕食性天敌依次为三突花蟹蛛、锥腹肖蛸和草间小黑蛛;山楂叶螨主要捕食性天敌依次为草间小黑蛛、八斑球腹蛛和三突花蟹蛛。2008年秋季桃蚜的主要天敌依次是八斑球腹蛛、中华草蛉和锥腹肖蛸;小绿叶蝉的主要天敌依次是草间小黑蛛、锥腹肖蛸和黑带食蚜蝇;山楂叶螨的主要天敌依次为八斑球腹蛛、异色瓢虫和中华草蛉。两年春-夏季之间3种害虫及天敌数量差异均不显著。