湿热河谷芭蕉群落优势物种空间分布格局与竞争对称性研究

竞争关系的对称性是塑造植物物种空间分布格局和影响物种共存重要机制之一,对其开展研究不仅对于揭示植物群落构建机制具有重要意义,也有助于解析群落演替的驱动力。在贵州赤水湿热河谷内的芭蕉群落中建设固定样地,对1989棵植物个体进行空间定位和物种识别并记录胸径等个体属性。采用对数相关函数和标记变异系数分析（marked variogram）等空间统计方法检测优势种的空间分布格局和竞争对称性,结果如下：（1）芭蕉（Musa sp.）,粗糠柴（M.philippensis）,粗叶木（L.chinensis）,川钓樟（L.pulcherrima）,红果黄肉楠（A.cupularis）等5种优势种均表现为小尺度下的种内聚集分布,其中芭蕉主要采用克隆繁殖,其重要值达33.6%,且种内聚集度最大。（2）芭蕉种群在5 m尺度下呈现出显著的种内对称性竞争,这一竞争过程减少了种群自疏作用并推动种内聚集分布格局的形成,增加了该种群在森林中的生存力。（3）芭蕉与其余4种优势种之间的不对称竞争过程导致了种间负关联。结果表明,不同优势种在种间竞争对称性上的差异说明了植物种群繁殖和扩散方式是群落构建的重要影响因素之一,相比于有性繁殖过程,采用无性克隆繁殖的植物个体可通过种内对称竞争机制来减少自疏以增加种群生存力,并通过与相邻异种个体的不对称竞争过程来提升种群获取有限资源的能力,进而成为演替中的优势个体。研究结果可为今后制定植物物种多样性保护政策提供科学参考。     

Do intrinsically dominant and subordinate species exist? A test statistic for field data

Abstract. We propose a new method to obtain information about processes that structure plant communities. We analysed the relationship between the presence and dominance of species across a range of habitats. A simple regression model was used to describe this relationship for each species. Based on the regression parameters, we distinguished globally dominant species, which dominate in the same proportion of plots within a habitat as in which they occur, locally dominant species, which reach dominance only when present in almost every plot of a habitat, and intrinsically subordinate species, which never attain dominance. We tested this method using a large data set of species occurrences across a range of salt marsh habitats. The relationships between presence and dominance could be described well by the regressions, and showed large differences between the species. Global dominants occurred later in the succession and higher on the elevational gradient than intrinsically subordinate species. Local dominants were characteristic of early successional stages. These patterns are discussed in the light of colonisation-competition and tolerance-competition trade-offs.     

Generalized stable population theory

In generalizing stable population theory we give sufficient, then necessary conditions under which a population subject to time dependent vital rates reaches an asymptotic stable exponential equilibrium (as if mortality and fertility were constant). If x ₀(t) is the positive solution of the characteristic equation associated with the linear birth process at time t, then rapid convergence of x ₀(t) to x ₀ and convergence of mortality rates produce a stable exponential equilibrium with asymptotic growth rate x ₀–1. Convergence of x ₀(t) to x ₀ and convergence of mortality rates are necessary. Therefore the two sets of conditions are very close. Various implications of these results are discussed and a conjecture is made in the continuous case.     

Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa-associated gene PRPF8 is essential for hypoxia-induced mitophagy through regulating ULK1 mRNA splicing

Aged and damaged mitochondria can be selectively degraded by specific autophagic elimination, termed mitophagy. Defects in mitophagy have been increasingly linked to several diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic diseases and other aging-related diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of mitophagy are not fully understood. Here, we identify PRPF8 (pre-mRNA processing factor 8), a core component of the spliceosome, as an essential mediator in hypoxia-induced mitophagy from an RNAi screen based on a fluorescent mitophagy reporter, mt-Keima. Knockdown of PRPF8 significantly impairs mitophagosome formation and subsequent mitochondrial clearance through the aberrant mRNA splicing of ULK1, which mediates macroautophagy/autophagy initiation. Importantly, autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP)-associated PRPF8 mutant R2310K is defective in regulating mitophagy. Moreover, knockdown of other adRP-associated splicing factors, including PRPF6, PRPF31 and SNRNP200, also lead to ULK1 mRNA mis-splicing and mitophagy defects. Thus, these findings demonstrate that PRPF8 is essential for mitophagy and suggest that dysregulation of spliceosome-mediated mitophagy may contribute to pathogenesis of retinitis pigmentosa.     

Genetics and mechanisms of hepatic cystogenesis

Polycystic liver disease (PLD) is a heterogeneous genetic condition. PKD1 and PKD2 germline mutations are found in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease (ADPLD) is associated with germline mutations in PRKCSH, SEC63, LRP5, and recently ALG8 and SEC61. GANAB mutations are found in both patient groups. Loss of heterozygosity of PLD-genes in cyst epithelium contributes to the development of hepatic cysts. A genetic interaction network is implied in hepatic cystogenesis that connects the endoplasmic glycoprotein control mechanisms and polycystin expression and localization. Wnt signalling could be the major downstream signalling pathway that results in hepatic cyst growth. PLD in ADPLD and ADPKD probably results from changes in one common final pathway that initiates cyst growth. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cholangiocytes in Health and Diseaseedited by Jesus Banales, Marco Marzioni, Nicholas LaRusso and Peter Jansen.     

MicroRNAs and extracellular vesicles in cholangiopathies

Cholangiopathies encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders affecting biliary epithelial cells (i.e. cholangiocytes). Early diagnosis, prognosis and treatment still remain clinically challenging for most of these diseases and are critical for adequate patient care. In the past decade, extensive research has emphasized microRNAs (miRs) as potential non-invasive biomarkers and tools to accurately identify, predict and treat cholangiopathies. MiRs can be released extracellularly conjugated with lipoproteins or encapsulated in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Research on EVs is also gaining attention since they are present in multiple biological fluids and may represent a relevant source of novel non-invasive biomarkers and be vehicles for new therapeutic approaches. This review highlights the most promising candidate miRs and EV-related biomarkers in cholangiopathies, as well as their relevant roles in biliary pathophysiology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cholangiocytes in Health and Disease edited by Jesus Banales, Marco Marzioni, Nicholas LaRusso and Peter Jansen.

Valosin‐containing protein VCP/p97 is essential for the intracellular development of Leishmania and its survival under heat stress

Valosin‐containing protein (VCP)/p97/Cdc48 is one of the best‐characterised type II cytosolic AAA+ ATPases most known for their role in ubiquitin‐dependent protein quality control. Here, we provide functional insights into the role of the Leishmania VCP/p97 homologue (LiVCP) in the parasite intracellular development. We demonstrate that although LiVCP is an essential gene, Leishmania infantum promastigotes can grow with less VCP. In contrast, growth of axenic and intracellular amastigotes is dramatically affected upon decreased LiVCP levels in heterozygous and temperature sensitive (ts) LiVCP mutants or the expression of dominant negative mutants known to specifically target the second conserved VCP ATPase domain, a major contributor of the VCP overall ATPase activity. Interestingly, these VCP mutants are also unable to survive heat stress, and a ts VCP mutant is defective in amastigote growth. Consistent with LiVCP's essential function in amastigotes, LiVCP messenger ribonucleic acid undergoes 3'Untranslated Region (UTR)‐mediated developmental regulation, resulting in higher VCP expression in amastigotes. Furthermore, we show that parasite mutant lines expressing lower VCP levels or dominant negative VCP forms exhibit high accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and increased sensitivity to proteotoxic stress, supporting the ubiquitin‐selective chaperone function of LiVCP. Together, these results emphasise the crucial role LiVCP plays under heat stress and during the parasite intracellular development.     

Factors determining distributions of tree species and plant functional types

Plant functional types have been identified by the International Geosphere Biosphere Program as functionally similar basic plant types, especially trees, as needed for global ecological modeling. Based to some extent on an earlier set of pheno-physiognomically defined plant types, a Global Biome Model was produced but has not satisfied all the desired functional criteria posed by IGBP physiologists and modelers. This paper asks two questions: what are the main environmental factors which limit terrestrial plant types, especially tree types; and how many types of potential vegetation are needed to cover the world's terrestrial vegetation patterns? Based on the main environmental factors recognized, a model of world potential dominant vegetation types was produced and used to estimate the minimal number of vegetation types needed. The resulting set of 40 potential dominant vegetation types may serve as an initial basis for a structural-functionally based set of world plant functional types.