Dancing to the rhythms of geological time: the biorhythm capabilities of Polychaeta in a geological context

Summary

Errant polychaete worms in the Orders Eunicida (family Eunicidae) and Phyllodocida (families Nereidae and Polynoidae) exhibit a highly developed biorhythmic capability. The Pacific palolo worms are well known for a precisely timed annual breeding event in which mass spawning occurs at a particular time of day, on one day per year, that day having a fixed relationship to the lunar period. Nereidae and Polynoidae exhibit photoperiodic responses that determine the breeding season by regulation of oocyte growth. Nereis virens shows short-term cycles of foraging activity; automated recording of these patterns has revealed four distinct behaviour rhythm phenotypes: circadian, tidal, lunidian and arrhythmic, the last phenotype being expressed during the photoperiod induced growth diapause. The Eunicids and Phyllodocids are represented in the fossil record by scolecodonts, their fossilised jaws. There was a major radiation of these polychaetes during the Ordovician and the earliest suggested polychaete fossils are from the Cambrian. The simultaneous expression of tidal and circadian rhythmicity is characteristic of intertidal animals and it is likely that this complex behavioural repertoire was found in the ancestors of modern terrestrial forms, such as tetrapods and arthropods, prior to their emergence onto land during the Carboniferous and Silurian periods at least 400 Ma. The period of the earth's rotation, and hence day length and tidal period, has long been known to be increasing, and additionally the moon to be retreating from the earth, due to the phenomenon of tidal friction caused by the gravitational interactions between the moon and the earth. These changes are significant over a geological time scale. Consequently, the length of day was substantially less (and the number of days in a year more) than at present in the Cambrian and Ordovician periods. Recent theoretical analysis of the period of the earth's rotation suggests that the day length prior to a critical period (t _crit ) around 1800 Ma may have been stable, with a length of only 4 h. At that time a period of more rapid change in the dynamics of the rotation was initiated. The implications of this theory for the evolution of the biological clock are discussed.     

Effects of copper and other metals on fertilization,embryo development,larval survival and settlement of the polychaete Nereis (Neanthes) virens

Summary

Nectochaete larvae of the ecologically and economically important ragworm, Nereis virens, were exposed to cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and zinc dissolved in seawater to nominal concentrations ranging from 0 to 5000 μg l^?1. Copper was the most toxic (mean LC50 of 76.5 μg l^?1 ± 95% CI 73.8–79.2 after 96 h exposure) and so was used for subsequent experiments. Exposure of gametes to greater than 500 μg l^?1 copper for 2 or 4 h at 10°C prior to fertilization, or a 10 min exposure during fertilization, significantly reduced embryo developmental success. The effect of copper on larval settlement was also assessed using sediment spiked to a range of concentrations (0, 50, 250, 500, 1000 mg kg!1 dry weight). Significantly fewer larvae were found in sediment of $250 mg kg!1 in comparison to the control or the 50 mg kg!1 treatment. Assessment of living larvae also confirmed a significant reduction in settlement, but in all treatments compared to the control, although the number of dead larvae also increased as the concentrations increased. These effects may have important implications for reproductive success and recruitment of N. virens to polluted sediments.     

Gliocladium deliquescens NRRL 1086对偏诺皂苷元的生物转化研究(英文)

在前期研究基础上,本实验考察了Gliocladium deliquescens NRRL 1086对偏诺皂苷元皂苷元C-3位的微生物糖基化能力。利用IR、HR-ESI-MS、NMR等方法,确定G.deliquescens NRRL 1086可以将偏诺皂苷元转化为偏诺皂苷元3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷。同时研究表明G.deliquescens NRRL 1086不能在另外5种甾体皂苷元C-3位上引入糖基取代。实验结果进一步验证了G.deliquescens NRRL 1086对甾体皂苷元的选择性糖基化能力。     

PCR-based Specific Detection of Ustilaginoidea virens and Ephelis japonica

A PCR‐based technique for detection of clavicipitaceous pathogens in rice and related grasses was developed. The target pathogens were Ustilaginoidea virens, which causes rice false smut, and Ephelis japonica, which causes rice udbatta disease and black choke in grasses. To design specific primers, a comparison was made on genetic diversity on the rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and the 5.8S rRNA gene of U. virens, Ephelis japonica, as well as some other clavicipitaceous fungi. Each fungus was successfully detected by using a specific primer set with high sensitivity. Species‐specific primers designed here were capable of detecting these pathogens in plant tissues. The PCR detection was consistent with conventional histological observation. This nested PCR assay was sensitive and reliable for the detection of U. virens and E. japonica, and thus can be a used to study disease cycles and early prediction of false smut and udbatta‐disease incidence in fields.     

Survival of Conidia of Clonostachys rosea on Stored Barley Seeds and Their Biocontrol Efficacy Against Seed-borne Bipolaris sorokiniana

Survival and biocontrol activity of Clonostachys rosea (isolate IK726) conidia during storage on barley seeds were investigated. The initial density of colony forming conidia on seed was 4 &#50 10 3 to 9 &#50 10 4 colony forming units (cfu)/seed. After 5 months storage at 4°C, the density decreased by less than one order of magnitude and the biocontrol efficacy against seedling blight caused by seed-borne Bipolaris sorokiniana was maintained at a significantly high level ( > 80% disease reduction) for > 5 months. Conidial survival on seeds stored at 20°C declined more rapidly than at 4°C, and biocontrol efficacy was significantly reduced after 3-5 months. However, conidia produced on solid media over 20 days survived better than conidia produced in liquid culture and conidia from solid media produced over 12 days. In contrast, when seeds treated with conidia were packed with silica gel and stored at 20°C, the cfu density decreased by less than one order of magnitude after 5 months and the biocontrol efficacy was still high after 6 months. A dose-response curve revealed that 103 cfu/seed were needed for 80% control of seedling blight. Similar control was obtained in storage experiments when approximately 103 cfu/seed were recovered from seed, indicating that conidia which survived also retained a high ability to control disease.     

稻曲病菌毒素的活性测定、抗体制备与细胞定位

稻曲病菌在PD 液体培养基中生长良好,并能产生对植物细胞具有高度生物抑制活性的毒素。生物学活性测定袁明,用100%的甲醇能提取稻曲病菌液体培养物中的粗毒素。粗毒素对小麦胚根胚芽的生长有强烈的抑制作用。把毒素主要成分Ustiloxin A 和BSA 偶联后,制备了抗血清,ELISA 检测表明用两种偶联剂偶联所制备的抗体效价分别为1∶20000和1∶6000。进一步的免疫胶体金标记分析表明,所制备的抗体能与茼丝中分泌的毒素特异性结合,说明所获得的抗体是特异性的。     

切枝对三峡库区两种榕属乔木生物量积累和枝供给的影响

榕（Ficusmicrocarpa L.）和黄桷树（Ficus virens Ait.var.sublanceolata（Miq.）Corner）是在三峡库区广泛栽植的优良绿化树种.在三峡库区诸多公路、铁路修建和移民搬迁城镇建设等工程建设后的生态恢复和环境改善中,需要大量的榕和黄桷树.榕和黄桷树的繁殖通常采用切枝扦插的营养繁殖方式进行.因种苗培育的需要,对榕和黄桷树进行切枝时常发生,并且为了尽快获得大的种苗,通常切取榕和黄桷树植冠下部的大枝条用于种苗培育.切枝导致植株大量光合叶组织损失,对榕和黄桷树的总体光合生产和生物量积累会发生影响,同时,也会影响新枝的生长和发生数量以及植株再次提供切枝的能力.为了明确切枝对榕和黄桷树生长的影响,对切枝后榕和黄桷树的生物量积累和枝供给进行了研究,目的在于阐明在三峡库区亚热带气候条件下,生长速度比较快的榕和黄桷树是否可以在每年1次的切枝后很好恢复,从而能够可持续地提供切枝用于种苗培育.实验中对榕和黄桷树1a切枝1次,连续进行了3a.实验共设置了4个切枝强度（从植冠下部开始,分别切去植冠长度0%（对照）、20%、50%和70%范围内的所有枝条）和两个切枝处理季节（春季切枝和秋季切枝）.实验结果表明,切枝会减少榕和黄桷树地上部分生物量增量,生物量增量减少的程度与切枝强度呈正相关;并且,每年连续进行的切枝使地上部分生物量增量减少加剧.实验发现,在20%、50%和70%的3个切枝强度中,高切枝强度可以保证在第1次切枝处理中获得高的枝收获量,但并不能保证在第2次和第3次切枝处理中也能获得高的枝收获量.与春季切枝处理相比,秋季切枝处理使榕和黄桷树获得更高的地上部分生物量增量,从而获得更高的枝收获量.就植株地上部分生物量增量和枝收获量而言,切枝强度对二者的影响并不因切枝季节不同而表现出差异.研究表明,对于本实验研究中采用的榕和黄桷树植株,当切枝强度高于20%时,每年1次的切枝不能使榕与黄桷树植株的生长完全恢复.如果切枝每年进行1次,为保证能够可持续地获得切枝并且对植株的生长不造成过大影响,对于本研究中所采用的榕和黄桷树植株而言,最适的切枝强度应低于20%.     

稻绿核菌无性孢子形成过程及厚垣孢子萌发率测定

对马铃薯蔗糖人工培养基(PSA)上绿核菌(稻曲病菌)不同培养时期的产孢情况进行了系统的扫描电镜观察。研究结果表明,在培养的前期(前20d),菌落表面往往形成集结状菌丝结构,其上开始产生大量分生孢子;一些分散的菌丝上也可产生少量的分生孢子。而在培养的后期,菌落表面往往形成黄色子实体,内部集生大量厚垣孢子。说明绿核菌在人工培养基上前期以形成分生孢子为主,后期则以厚垣孢子为主,且厚垣孢子的量远远大于分生孢子。萌发试验表明,成熟的厚垣孢子会随着保存时间的延长萌发率急剧下降。因此,新鲜的成熟厚垣孢子是最为理想的接种体。     

稻曲病菌AFLP反应体系的建立及其初步应用

本研究通过一系列梯度试验建立了最佳的稻曲病菌AFLP(Amplifiedfragmentlengthpolymor-phism)反应体系,并从256对EcoRⅠ和MseⅠ引物组合中选择30对条带清晰、多态性好的引物组合分析了2003年北京昌平基地的40个稻曲病菌株的遗传多样性。     

稻绿核菌中绿色素的提取及其应用

稻绿核菌〔Ｕｓｔｉｌａｇｉｎｏｉｄｅａｖｉｒｅｎｓ(Ｃｋｅ.)Ｔａｋ.〕又名稻曲拟黑粉菌[1],其子实体即为中药的粳谷奴,治走马喉痹[2],ＳｈｉｂａｔａＳ.报道稻绿核含有稻核黑粉菌素(ｕｓｔｉｌａｇｉｎｏｉｄｉｎｓ)[3]。ＹａｂｕｔａＴ.ａｎｄＳｕｍｉｋｉＹ.检测证?..