Sex expression in EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta (Thymelaeaceae) populations

The sex expression inThymelaea hirsuta was assessed in five habitats in the western Mediterranean desert of Egypt. The survey over two main flowering periods indicated that the sexual expression of this plant is complex and labile. Beside the dioecious male and female states, five monoecious states were detected. The dioecious states are more abundant and less labile. There is a clear shift from monoecious towards dioecious states and in general favour of males from the first (late autumn) to the second (late winter) flowering period. These results are discussed in view of the adaptive theories and evolution.     

Activation of the Na-K(NH4)-2Cl-cotransporter from rat submandibular glands in response to VIP

A cellular suspension from rat submandibular glands was prepared with collagenase. The intracellular pH (pH_i) was estimated with 2′,7′-bis-(2-carboxy-ethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). After exposure to NH₄Cl, the pH_i transiently increased (diffusion of NH₃) and then dropped (influx of NH₄⁺). Isoproterenol increased 2.5-fold the rate of NH₄⁺ influx; bumetanide, an inhibitor of the Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl⁻-cotransporter blocked the response to isoproterenol, confirming that the beta-adrenergic agonist stimulated the cotransporter. Forskolin (1 μmol/L) mimicked the response to isoproterenol. VIP (1 nmol/L-1 μmol/L) also increased the activity of the cotransporter. Cyclic AMP rather than calcium was the mediator of this activation since 1) carbachol which increased the [Ca²⁺]_i fivefold increased the uptake of NH₄⁺ by only 50%; 2) only high concentrations of VIP significantly increased the [Ca²⁺]_i; 3) incubation in the presence of EGTA had no effect on the response to VIP; 4) low concentrations (nmol/L) of the neuropeptide increased the intracellular level of cAMP; and 5) the stimulation of the cotransporter by VIP, forskolin, and isoproterenol was inhibited by H8, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. It is concluded that the Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl⁻-cotransporter of rat submandibular glands is activated by isoproterenol, forskolin, and neuropeptides of the VIP family by a mechanism involving cAMP-dependent processes. The activation of the cotransporter by VIP could partly explain the potentiating effect of VIP on the response to sialagogues like substance P or muscarinic agonists.¹     

Identification of SNARE and cell trafficking regulatory proteins in the salivary glands of the lone star tick,Amblyomma americanum (L.)

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) stimulates secretion of tick salivary gland proteins via a phosphoinositide signaling pathway and mobilization of intracellular Ca(2+) (). Highly conserved intracellular SNARE (soluble NSF attachment protein receptors) complex proteins are associated with the mechanism of protein secretion in vertebrate and invertebrate neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Proteins in the salivary glands of partially fed female lone star ticks cross-react individually with antibodies to synaptobrevin-2 (vesicle (v)-SNARE), syntaxin-1A, syntaxin-2 and SNAP-25 (target (t)-SNAREs), cytosolic alpha/beta SNAP and NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein), Ca(2+) sensitive synaptotagmin, vesicle associated synaptophysin, and regulatory cell trafficking GTPases Rab3A and nSec1. V-SNARE and t-SNARE proteins form an SDS-resistant, boiling sensitive core complex in the salivary glands. Antibodies to SNARE complex proteins inhibit PGE(2)-stimulated secretion of anticoagulant protein in permeabilized tick salivary glands. We conclude that SNARE and cell trafficking regulatory proteins are present and functioning in the process of PGE(2)-stimulated Ca(2+) regulated protein secretion in tick salivary glands.     

棉褐带卷叶蛾安徽种群不同日龄雌蛾性信息素的个体变异

采用单个性信息素腺体分析技术对棉褐带卷叶蛾安徽种群６个不同日龄,雌蛾性信息素二元组分进行了定量分析。结果表明各日龄组雌蛾的性信息素含量差异显（Ｐ＜０．０１）,随着雌蛾日龄的增加,性信息素含量呈现由低到高,再由高到低的变化曲线。二元组分中Ｚ－１１－１４：Ａｃ的比例具有较狭窄的个体变异范围（ＣＶ％＝６．４３）;而Ｚ－９－１４：Ａｃ的ＣＶ％＝１５．９１。羽化当天和１天的雌蛾性信息素中Ｚ－９－１４：Ａｃ     

Temporally changing male reproductive success and resource allocation strategy in protandrousHeracleum lanatum (Apiaceae)

Few observations have been made on temporal changes in the siring success of flowers in the male stage. In this study, we estimated both male and female contributions to fitness for 21 plants of protandrous andromonoeciosHeracleum lanatum with differing dates of first flowering. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that total male fitness significantly increases with the advance of the first-flowering date but does not depend upon plant size, whereas female fitness increases with plant size but does not depend upon the first-flowering date. We also showed that the earlier-flowering plants have more late-blooming male flowers in their secondary umbels. Based on these results, we suggest that polymorphism of the early- and late-bloomers may be maintained by frequency-dependent selection through temporally changing male reproductive success.     

西黑冠长臂猿雄性取代前后鸣叫行为的变化

本文通过长时间的野外监测,首次报道了西黑冠长臂猿的一次雄性取代行为。一个研究群体(G3)中的1 只亚成年雄性长臂猿在10 岁左右取代了相邻群体(G2)中的成年雄性。整个取代过程持续了15 d时间。雄性取代发生前,G2 中雌雄的配对关系已经不稳固,这为雄性取代提供了机会。而G2 与G3 群的一次长时间冲突可能消耗了G2 中成年雄性大量体能,这为G3 中的亚成年雄性打败并取代G2 中的成年雄性创造了机会。本研究在取代发生后,对新形成群体的鸣叫行为进行了连续4 个月的监测。结果表明与处于稳定时期的G2 群相比,新形成群体的鸣叫频次更高,但每次二重唱中雌性的平均激动鸣叫次数降低。这证明了Geissmann (1986)提出的假说,新配对的群体应该在尽量短的时间内多练习二重唱,这样导致新配对群体的鸣叫频率明显升高。虽然经历了4 个月的合唱练习,新形成群体的激动鸣叫次数仍然偏低,并且两只雌性同时激动鸣叫的频次也比较低。这说明新形成的配对之间配合依然不默契,或者说明配对之间的关系还不稳定。     

池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹雄体生长和性腺发育规律

池塘养殖是三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)的主要养殖方式,但关于池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹雄体的生长和性腺发育规律尚不清楚。本研究通过定点连续采样,首先系统研究池塘养殖过程中三疣梭子蟹雄体的生长和成熟雄体生殖系统的外观及组成的变化,其次研究池塘养殖三疣梭子蟹雄体性腺发育过程中性腺各部分组织学特征及其指数的变化,以及不同月份雄体性腺发育的情况和比例。结果表明:(1)三疣梭子蟹雄体的体重和壳宽增长率及特定增长率均在8月份最高,且体重与壳宽呈显著正相关关系。(2)三疣梭子蟹成熟雄体的生殖系统由体外(阴茎、交接器)和体内(精巢、输精管)两部分构成。(3)根据精巢和输精管的外观、组织学特征及其指数的变化,可将三疣梭子蟹雄体性腺发育分为3期。精子发生期,即精巢内主要细胞类型是精原细胞和初级精母细胞,精巢指数为0.07%～0.16%,此时输精管呈透明状,肉眼很难发现;精荚形成期,精巢内主要细胞类型为次级精母细胞和精子细胞,精巢指数为0.10%～0.51%,输精管内有大量精荚和分泌物,输精管指数为0.01%～0.41%;成熟期,精巢内主要细胞类型是精子细胞和成熟精子,精巢指数为0.10%～0.41%,输精管进一步膨大,输精管指数为0.20%～0.65%。(4)在雄体性腺发育期间,性腺指数和输精管指数呈显著上升趋势,而精巢指数呈现先上升后下降的趋势,且统计分析发现性腺指数与肝胰腺指数无明显的相关性。(5)池塘养殖雄体性腺发育不同步,7月份主要处于精子发生期,8月底,有76%的雄体性腺发育达到精荚形成期,至9月底,达到成熟期雄体的比例为47%,此后雄体性腺发育趋于成熟,10月中下旬至12月份池塘养殖雄体均主要处于成熟期。     

宁夏贺兰山斑子麻黄种群的性比及雌雄空间格局

性比、空间分布格局及关联性对雌雄异株种群的繁殖、进化与发展具有重要影响。斑子麻黄是雌雄异株且狭域分布的国家二级保护植物,在维持贺兰山荒漠生态系统稳定性和多样性发挥着重要作用,但有关斑子麻黄种群性比的研究未见报道。研究分析了宁夏贺兰山4个不同海拔(S₁、S₂、S₃、S₄)斑子麻黄天然种群性比、空间分布格局及关联性。结果表明：(1)斑子麻黄性比与生长环境条件密切相关。4个种群都偏雄,生长环境严酷的S₃、S₄种群性别显著偏雄(P<0.05);不同龄级分析显示由于环境的异质性,斑子麻黄种群偏雄发生在不同阶段,生境条件好的S₁、S₂种群在幼龄和成年阶段显著偏雌或有偏雌趋势,偏雄发生在老年阶段;而生长环境严酷的S₃、S₄种群偏雄发生在幼龄阶段,成年和老年阶段有偏雄的趋势。(2)雌雄种群的空间关联性会决定种群的发展。S₁、S₃、S