复齿鼯鼠生态的初步研究

复齿鼯鼠(Trogopterus xanthipes Milne-Edwards)为我国特有种,其粪便即五灵脂,为中医常用药。近年来,山西、河北二省已有饲养(王福麟,1981,1981a),其饲养方法亦有报道(高士贤等,1977;单宏权等,1980),但对其生态报道甚少,本文于此加以补充。 我们自1978年9月进行了复齿鼯鼠的家、野生态观察。家养观察在3个饲养点进行,介休县榛树公社兴地大队;平定县东回公社互岭大队;灵石县小柏沟生产队。野外工作地在介休县棉山黄士湾;灵石县北大沟、石板沟。     

甘肃安西荒漠伯劳的繁殖生态

2010年4～8月在甘肃安西极旱荒漠国家级自然保护区,采用样点法对荒漠伯劳(Lanius isabellinus isabellinus)的繁殖生态进行了研究,采用单因素方差分析(ANVON)对荒漠伯劳卵体积与卵序之间的关系进行了研究,用二元Logistic回归对雏鸟生长曲线进行拟合。结果表明,荒漠伯劳的繁殖时间为4月底至8月初,每巢产卵3～6枚,平均窝卵数为4.67±0.57(n=21),卵体积为(3.14±0.32)cm3(n=95),卵鲜重(3.48±0.20)g(n=20),卵体积随着产卵顺序显著减小(R=-0.427,P=0.021,n=29),其采取的是"窝雏减少"的繁殖策略。雌鸟产首枚卵后即开始孵卵,雄鸟负责情饲及警戒。温度自动记录仪测量平均孵卵温度为(38.19±0.77)℃(n=2),雌鸟在巢率为93.95%。平均孵卵时间为(15.33±0.52)d(n=6)。荒漠伯劳雏鸟留巢期12～15 d,幼鸟离巢后亲鸟继续饲喂幼鸟,整个育雏期最长达31 d。研究地区荒漠伯劳种群的孵卵率为82.50%(n=80),卵成功率为46.25%(n=80),雏鸟离巢率为56.06%(n=66),巢成功率58.62%(n=29)。在2010年环志标记的12对繁殖鸟中只有1对繁殖了第二窝。     

食物源距离对中华姬鼠贮藏策略的影响

在围栏条件下, 检验食物源距离对中华姬鼠贮藏策略的影响,并检验根据快速隔离假说和最优贮藏空间分布模型做出的两个预测：（1）3个释放点无论距离远近,种子均先被大量分散贮藏在各个释放点周围;（2）随着释放点远离巢穴,种子被集中贮藏的比例下降。结果发现: 分散贮藏是中华姬鼠的主要贮藏方式,3个释放点种子被分散贮藏的数量无显著差异,这个结果支持预测（1）;3个种子释放点（1m,5m,13m）被集中贮藏的比例分别为(1m: 6.25%; 5m: 1.88%; 13m: 1.25%),说明被集中贮藏的种子数量随种子释放点与巢穴距离的增大而逐渐减少,这个结果支持预测（2）。本研究表明中华姬鼠应对捕食风险升高的策略是降低取食量和贮藏量。     

Comparison of fractionation proteomics for local SWATH library building

For data‐independent acquisition by means of sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra (SWATH), a reference library of data‐dependent acquisition (DDA) runs is typically used to correlate the quantitative data from the fragment ion spectra with peptide identifications. The quality and coverage of such a reference library is therefore essential when processing SWATH data. In general, library sizes can be increased by reducing the impact of DDA precursor selection with replicate runs or fractionation. However, these strategies can affect the match between the library and SWATH measurement, and thus larger library sizes do not necessarily correspond to improved SWATH quantification. Here, three fractionation strategies to increase local library size were compared to standard library building using replicate DDA injection: protein SDS‐PAGE fractionation, peptide high‐pH RP‐HPLC fractionation and MS‐acquisition gas phase fractionation. The impact of these libraries on SWATH performance was evaluated in terms of the number of extracted peptides and proteins, the match quality of the peptides and the extraction reproducibility of the transitions. These analyses were conducted using the hydrophilic proteome of differentiating human embryonic stem cells. Our results show that SWATH quantitative results and interpretations are affected by choice of fractionation technique. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD006190.     

Once in a lifetime: strategies for preventing re-replication in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

DNA replication is an extremely accurate process and cells have evolved intricate control mechanisms to ensure that each region of their genome is replicated only once during S phase. Here, we compare what is known about the processes that prevent re-replication in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells by using the model organisms Escherichia coli and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as examples. Although the underlying molecular details are different, the logic behind the control mechanisms is similar. For example, after initiation, crucial molecules required for the loading of replicative helicases in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes are inactivated until the next cell cycle. Furthermore, in both systems the beta-clamp of the replicative polymerase associates with enzymatic activities that contribute to the inactivation of the helicase loaders. Finally, recent studies suggest that the control mechanism that prevents re-replication in both systems also increases the synthesis of DNA building blocks.     

Foldon-guided self-assembly of ultra-stable protein fibers

A common objective in protein engineering is the enhancement of the thermodynamic properties of recombinant proteins for possible applications in nanobiotechnology. The performance of proteins can be improved by the rational design of chimeras that contain structural elements with the desired properties, thus resulting in a more effective exploitation of protein folds designed by nature. In this paper, we report the design and characterization of an ultra-stable self-refolding protein fiber, which rapidly reassembles in solution after denaturation induced by harsh chemical treatment or high temperature. This engineered protein fiber was constructed on the molecular framework of bacteriophage P22 tail needle gp26, by fusing its helical core to the foldon domain of phage T4 fibritin. Using protein engineering, we rationally permuted the foldon upstream and downstream from the gp26 helical core and characterized gp26-foldon chimeras by biophysical analysis. Our data demonstrate that one specific protein chimera containing the foldon immediately downstream from the gp26 helical core, gp26(1-140)-F, displays the highest thermodynamic and structural stability and refolds spontaneously in solution following denaturation. The gp26-foldon chimeric fiber remains stable in 6.0 M guanidine hydrochloride, or at 80 degrees C, rapidly refolds after denaturation, and has both N and C termini accessible for chemical/biological modification, thereby representing an ideal platform for the design of self-assembling nanoblocks.     

Are Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) defending their nests also calling for help from their neighbours?

One hypothesized function of conspicuous mobbing of intruders by bird nest owners is to attract neighbouring birds (“calling for help” hypothesis) or third-party predators (“attract the mightier” hypothesis). These may help the nest owners by distracting and/or attacking the mobbed intruder. To date, these hypotheses have been studied solely during the mobbing of predators. Here, for the first time, I have studied mobbing attraction in the context of brood parasitism. I experimentally tested the Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), a small passerine with a highly aggressive and conspicuous nest defence behaviour. I elicited the aggressive responses of Blackcaps by presenting stuffed dummies of the brood parasitic Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) and controls near their nests. At 32% of the nests (n = 75), the responses of the Blackcaps to dummies attracted up to 15 birds per trial from 21 passerine species. Most of the attracted birds were heterospecifics and rarely participated in mobbing; thus the “calling for help” hypothesis was not supported. No potential predators of the Cuckoo were attracted despite them living in the study area and despite prolonged mobbing by Blackcaps; thus rejecting the “attract the mightier” hypothesis. I argue that this hypothesis is unlikely to apply to typical avian predators during nest predation acts because these only last for several seconds. The number of attracted birds was a positive function of the owner’s intensity of nest defence as measured by the rates of alarm calling but not visual cues (rates of attacks). Suitable and unsuitable Cuckoo hosts did not differ in their behaviour in the vicinity of defended nests. The observed pattern of the positive correlation between the intensity of nest defence and the number of attracted birds is most likely a proximate by-product of the conspicuous nest defence by Blackcaps (but may well be adaptive for recruiting neighbours themselves). Thus, the mobbing behaviour of the Blackcap is directed towards the brood parasite and not towards other audience predators or potential recruits to the mob.     

Effects of a low oxygen environment on parental effort and filial cannibalism in the male sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus

In fish, brood cycling parental males sometimes eat some orall of their eggs, a behavior termed filial cannibalism. Wetested predictions of filial cannibalism models related to thecost of parental care in the male sand goby, Pomatoschistusminutus, by increasing the parental effort (fanning expenditure)through reduced levels of dissolved oxygen to 39% in an experimentalgroup, whereas a control group had fully saturated water. Malesshowed both full-clutch cannibalism and partial-clutch cannibalismin both treatments. Giving the males one to three females tospawn with, we found that small clutches were completely eatenmore often than were larger ones, whereas partial-clutch cannibalismwas not affected by clutch size. Although treatment did notaffect filial cannibalism, it did affect a male's energy statesuch that males in the low oxygen treatment lost more body fat,indicating a greater fanning effort. This shows that males inthe low oxygen treatment allocated more energy to the presentbrood, potentially at the expense of future reproductive success.Our study strongly suggests that filial cannibalism in malesand gobies represents a strategic life-history decision asan investment in future reproductive success, and is not triggeredby a proximate need for food necessary for the male's own survival.Furthermore, males in the low oxygen treatment built nests withlarger entrances, and were less likely to rebuild their nestsafter destruction. Presumably, this makes fanning easier butthe nest more vulnerable to predators, suggesting a trade-offbetween fanning and nest defense.     

Forest fragmentation and rhinocryptid nest predation in central Chile

Fragmentation of forest landscapes can raise the intensity of nest predation by increasing the abundance and richness of generalist or introduced predators. Understory foraging birds, such as rhinocryptids, can be highly vulnerable to nest predation in fragmented landscapes because they often place their nests on the ground. Temperate deciduous forests in Chile have been intensively fragmented in the last centuries, causing changes in nest predator densities. We tested if predation of artificial nests, mimicking those of rhinocryptids, placed on and above ground was higher in the remnant fragments of central Chile due to an increase in predator abundance. The rate of nest predation in forest remnants was larger than in native continuous forest. Small mammals were the main nest predators. Despite high predation rates, the abundance of rhinocryptids is higher in forest remnants, suggesting that fragments might constitute ecological traps.