Sexual Hieracium pilosella plants are better inter-specific,while apomictic plants are better intra-specific competitors

Apomixis, asexual reproduction through seeds, occurs in over 40 plant families. This widespread phenomenon can lead to the fixation of successful genotypes, resulting in a fitness advantage. On the other hand, apomicts are expected to lose their fitness advantage if the environment changes because of their limited evolutionary potential, which is due to low genetic variability and the potential accumulation of deleterious somatic mutations. Nonetheless, some apomicts have been extremely successful, for example certain apomictic accessions of Hieracium pilosella L. from New Zealand, where the plant is invasive. Here, we investigate whether the success of these apomictic accessions could be due to a fitness advantage by comparing the vegetative competitiveness of apomictic H. pilosella from New Zealand with sexual accessions of H. pilosella from Europe. Sexual and apomictic plants were grown either (A) alone (no competition), (B) in competition with the other type (intra-specific competition), (C) in competition with the grass Bromus erectus (inter-specific competition), and (D) in competition with the other type and the grass B. erectus (intra- and inter-specific competition). To distinguish effects of apomixis and the region of origin, different H. pilosella lineages were compared. Furthermore, experiments were carried out to investigate effects of the ploidy level. We show that sexual plants are better inter-specific competitors than apomicts in terms of vegetative reproduction (number of stolons) and vegetative spread (stolon length), while apomicts do better than sexuals in intra-specific competition. The magnitude of the effect was in some cases dependent on the ploidy levels of the plants. Furthermore, apomicts always produced more stolons than sexuals, suggesting potential displacement of sexuals by apomicts where they co-occur.     

入侵植物银胶菊对不同氮、磷水平的繁殖适应性

通过模拟野外生境,研究了入侵植物银胶菊（Parthenium hysterophorus L.）在不同氮、磷养分水平下的繁殖特征,探讨其对土壤养分增加的繁殖适应性及繁殖能力。结果表明：在一定范围内,随氮水平的增加,银胶菊分枝数、头状花序数、繁殖器官的生物量及其比例、结实率等显著增加;对于磷养分来说,仅株高和种子千粒重明显增加,其余参数未见明显增加。银胶菊主要通过提高种子产量适应氮养分丰富的生境,而通过提高种子质量才能适应磷养分丰富的生境。土壤氮、磷养分的增加,提高了其繁殖能力,使其具有根据环境养分调节繁殖特性的能力,实现对不同养分资源生境的入侵。     

Role of fascin in the proliferation and invasiveness of esophageal carcinoma cells

Fascin, an actin-bundling protein, induces membrane protrusions and increases cell motility in various transformed cells. The overexpression of fascin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has been described only recently, but the roles and mechanism still remained unclear. Here, by using RNA interference (RNAi), we have stably silenced the expression of the fascin in EC109 cells, an ESCC cell line. Down-regulation of fascin resulted in a suppression of cell proliferation and as well as a decrease in cell invasiveness. Furthermore, we revealed that fascin might have functions in regulating tumor growth in vivo. The effect of fascin on cell invasiveness correlated with the activation of matrix metalloproteases such as MMP-2 and MMP-9. We examined that fascin down-expression also led to a decrease of c-erbB-2 and beta-catenin at the protein level. These results suggested that fascin might play crucial roles in regulating neoplasm progression of ESCC.     

紫茎泽兰和飞机草的形态和光合特性对磷营养的响应

比较研究了紫茎泽兰和飞机草的生长、形态、生物量分配和光合特性对磷营养的可塑性反应,及与其入侵性的关系.结果表明,两种入侵植物对磷营养变化表现出很强的可塑性和适应性.低磷时,两种植物的根生物量比增大,利于养分吸收;高磷时,两种植物的比叶面积、最大净光合速率、光饱和点、单位面积的叶绿素和类胡萝卜素含量增大,同化面积和同化能力增强,利于碳积累.相比之下,紫茎泽兰对磷的适应性更强.随供磷量的增加,紫茎泽兰和飞机草的相对生长速率、总生物量、株高、分枝数、叶面积指数和最大净光合速率均显著增大,过量磷素对上述参数抑制较小,表明两种入侵植物偏好较高的磷环境,土壤磷含量升高有利于其入侵,并在高磷时,通过增大株高、分枝数和叶面积指数荫蔽排挤本地种.在本地种基本停止生长的干季,紫茎泽兰和飞机草仍维持较高的相对生长速率.这也与其入侵性密切相关.     

紫茎泽兰和飞机草的形态、生物量分配和光合特性对氮营养的响应

比较研究了紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)和飞机草(Chromolaena odorata)的形态、生物量分配、生长和光合特性对氮营养的可塑性反应,探讨其与入侵性的关系。结果表明:1) 两种入侵植物对氮营养变化表现出很高的可塑性。随供氮量的增加,两种植物的根冠比、根生物量比降低,叶生物量比(LMR)、叶面积比和叶根比升高。低氮时,增加吸收器官的生物量分配,有利于养分吸收;高氮时,更多的生物量投入同化器官,有利于碳积累。相比之下紫茎泽兰对氮素的适应性更强。2) 两种入侵植物偏好较高的氮营养环境,土壤氮含量升高利于紫茎泽兰和飞机草的入侵。在较大的氮范围内,其相对生长速率(RGR)、总生物量、株高、分枝数、叶面积指数、最大净光合速率和光合色素含量都随供氮量的增加而显著增加,过量氮素对上述参数的抑制不显著。在本地种基本停止生长的干季,紫茎泽兰和飞机草仍维持较高的RGR,这与它们的入侵性密切相关。3) 在决定RGR对氮营养的响应过程中,平均叶面积比和净同化速率同等重要。LMR对两种植物的RGR有重要的影响,是决定处理间和种间RGR差异的重要因素。随氮素的增加,紫茎泽兰的比叶面积(SLA)降低,飞机草的SLA升高,但在所有氮水平下,前者的SLA都高于后者,紫茎泽兰SLA的变化规律更利于植物适应氮环境。     

Heterologous Expression and Functional Characterization of Matrix Metalloproteinase-11 From Canine Mammary Tumor

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are reported to be involved in tumor growth, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion, and development of metastases. These are zinc containing metalloproteases, known for their role in extracellular matrix degradation. MMP-11 (stromelysin3) is reported to be highly expressed in breast cancer, therefore it may act as marker enzyme for breast cancer progression. The present work was carried out to produce recombinant canine (Canis lupus familiaris) MMP-11 lacking the signal and propeptide in E. coli by optimizing its expression and purification in biologically active form and to functionally characterize it. A bacterial protein expression vector pPROEX HTc was used. The MMP-11 mature peptide encoding gene was successfully cloned and expressed in E. coli and the purified recombinant enzyme was found to be functionally active. The recombinant enzyme exhibited caseinolytic activity and could be activated by Trypsin and 4-Amino phenyl mercuric acetate (APMA). However Ethylene diamine tertra acetate (EDTA) inhibited the enzyme's caseinolytic activity. The recombinant enzyme degraded extracellular matrix constituents and facilitated migration of MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney) cells through BD Biocoat Matrigel invasion chambers. These results suggest that in vivo MMP-11 could play a significant role in the turnover of extracellular matrix constituents.     

Hybridization and the colonization of novel habitats by annual sunflowers

Although invasive plant species often have a hybrid ancestry, unambiguous evidence that hybridization has stimulated the evolution of invasive behaviors has been difficult to come by. Here, we briefly review how hybridization might contribute to the colonization of novel habitats, range expansions, and invasiveness and then describe work on hybrid sunflowers that forges a direct link between hybridization and ecological divergence. We first discuss the invasion of Texas by the common sunflower and show that the introgression of chromosomal segments from a locally adapted species may have facilitated range expansion. We then present evidence that the colonization of sand dune, desert floor, and salt marsh habitats by three hybrid sunflower species was made possible by selection on extreme or “transgressive” phenotypes generated by hybridization. This body of work corroborates earlier claims regarding the role of hybridization in adaptive evolution and provides an experimental and conceptual framework for ongoing studies in this area.     

37 例老年胃癌合并胰腺受侵围手术期的临床治疗分析

目的:探讨老年胃癌合并胰腺受侵患者围手术期合并症及并发症发生率与其他老年胃癌患者间的差异,优化老年胃癌合并胰腺受侵患者围手术期临床治疗护理策略。方法:收集2005年2月至2009年10月前来我院治疗的37名年龄>65岁的老年胃癌合并胰腺受侵患者作为研究对象,设置相同年龄胃癌无胰腺受侵患者37例作为对照,收集详细临床资料,对两组间围手术期合并症发生情况进行卡方(x2)检验,通过采取不同临床治疗护理手段进一步施行干预(包括不同的手术方式及临床监测管理模式),再次采用x2检验比较两组术后并发症发生率,最后通过随访实现Kaplan-Meier生存分析。结果:老年胃癌合并胰腺受侵组(组Ⅰ)与老年胃癌无胰腺受侵组(组Ⅱ)术前总体合并症发生率并无显著统计学差异(P>0.05);各项合并症中仅有血红蛋白降低(<100g/L)、白蛋白降低(<35g/L)以及合并糖尿病的患病人数存有统计学意义(P=0.020,P=0.032,P=0.013);根据两组患病情况不同采取不同手术方式,两组死亡人数未见统计学意义(P>0.05);组Ⅰ术后并发症发生率为70.27%,低于组Ⅱ的86.49%,但两组未见明显统计学差异(P>0.05);比较两组功能性、心血管类并发症,两者间存在显著统计学差异(P=0.036,P=0.013);两组术后5年生存率比较无统计学差异(P=0.8308)。结论:需加强对老年晚期胃癌合并胰腺患者围手术期的临床治疗护理策略,采取适宜的手术治疗方式,可减少术后并发症及死亡的发生,提高患者生活质量。     

重组质粒在减毒沙门氏菌中的稳定性及其对细菌侵袭力的影响

将含有外源基因的重组真核表达质粒pcDNA3-F和pCI-F转化减毒鼠伤寒门氏菌,探讨质粒类型和插入片段对重组质粒在细菌内的稳定性和细菌侵袭力的影响。结果表明,外源质粒可降低减毒沙门氏菌在体外的增殖能力和侵袭力,也影响细菌在鸡体内的存活力;就质粒类型而言,pCI的影响大于pcDNA3,而以携带外源基因的重组质粒影响较为显著;外源基因插入也影响质粒在宿主菌内的稳定性。提示利用减毒鼠伤寒沙门氏菌为载体传递DNA疫苗研究时,要考虑质粒类型与其在宿主菌内稳定性的关系、携带外源基因重组质粒对载体菌侵袭力和存活力的影响等问题。     

不同生境条件下紫茎泽兰化感作用的变化与入侵力关系的研究

 在紫茎泽兰(Eupatorium adenophorum)入侵地,草本层中的本地植物的多度和盖度与紫茎泽兰的多度和盖度具有显著的负相关关系,落叶阔叶林和公路边生境的紫茎泽兰相对多度和盖度为常绿阔叶林生境的3～5倍;而本地草本植物在组成种类、相对多度和盖度在落叶阔叶林和公路边生境比常绿阔叶林生境减少了30 %、50 % 和70 %。用生物检测的方法研究常绿阔叶林、落叶阔叶林、公路边——３个不同生境下的紫茎泽兰根和茎的水浸提液的化感作用表明：不同生境的紫茎泽兰茎和根的化感作用存在差异,即公路边>落叶阔叶林下>常绿阔叶林下,关联分析显示出不同生境条件下的化感作用力与本地植物的相对多度存在显著的相关关系,证明不同生境的化感作用的差异是紫茎泽兰的入侵效果的原因之一;在白菜(Brassica rapa)幼苗生物量生长抑制试验中,各样地的茎提取液处理的白菜幼苗生物量之间的差异大于各样地的根提取液处理之间的差异,说明对于不同样地的紫茎泽兰的入侵力,地上部分的化感作用比地下部分具有更大的贡献力。落叶阔叶林下和公路边的紫茎泽兰生长旺盛、现存单位面积生物量远远高于常绿阔叶林下,这将促使落叶阔叶林和公路边生境的单位面积上的紫茎泽兰种群的化感作用大于常绿阔叶林下的紫茎泽兰种群,使落叶阔叶林和公路边生境的本地植物群落比常绿阔叶林下的本地植物群落面临较大的竞争压力,加速落叶阔叶林下和公路边生境的本地植物群落的衰退。