The rules of engagement: how to defend against combinations of predators

Studies of inducible defenses have traditionally examined prey responses to one predator at a time. However, prey in nature encounter combinations of predators that should force them to produce phenotypic compromises. We examined how snails (Helisoma trivolvis) alter their phenotype in the presence of three different predator species that were presented alone and in pairwise combinations. When snails were exposed to each predator alone, they formed predator-specific defenses that reflected the differences in each predator’s foraging mode. When snails were exposed to pairwise combinations of predators, their phenotype was dependent on their ability to detect each predator, the risk posed by each predator, and the effectiveness of a given defense against each predator. Consequently, responses to combined predators were typically biased towards one of the predators in the pair. This suggests that prey facing combined predators do not form simple intermediate defenses and, as a result, may experience enhanced mortality risk when they encounter natural predator regimes.     

An essay on the evolution of cognition: Constructing a theoretical conceptual framework

In this essay we provide an interdisciplinary approach to the problem of the evolution of human cognition and suggest the theoretical framework of genetic system theory (GST) for organizing the relevant content of several disciplines. This bio-social-cultural theory is based on the assumption that organisms are dynamic systems which interact with one another and their environment and are themselves composed of dynamic internal relations at several levels. Special emphasis will be placed upon these internal cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological mechanisms of learning and memory. The human individual organism is emphasized because in its experiential activity over time it is the site of integration for social, and cultural stimuli and because of its unique properties among living things. The primary disciplines for our discussion are drawn from the biological, social, and humanistic sciences and several concrete examples are given from each science.     

Conditional knockout mice to study alternative splicing in vivo

Analysis of genomes has revealed that the total number of human genes is comparable to those of simpler organisms, and thus, the number of genes does not correlate with the complexity and functional diversity of different organisms. Multiple mechanisms, including alternative splicing, are believed to contribute to the molecular complexity in higher eukaryotes. Given the fact that more than half of human genes undergo alternative splicing, however, little is known about the biological relevance of most alternative splicing events and their regulatory mechanisms. Recent work has highlighted the power of reverse genetic approaches in addressing regulated splicing in animal models. Here, we focus on the conditional knockout approach adapted for splicing research with the intention to provide a general guide to the generation of mouse models to study regulated splicing in development and disease.     

973项目与国家重点实验室互动模式探讨

本文着重阐述了国家重点基础研究项目(973项目)与国家重点实验室互动的专业特性和管理特性,并通过以国家973创伤项目与创伤烧伤与复合伤国家重点实验室在人才、实验设备、科技资源共享方面的运行模式,初步总结其管理、合作、互动的有利建设经验,有望更好地提高国家资源的整体整合,并为适应新世纪学科发展,对加强群体创新和组织管理创新进行了有益的思考。     

Coding and decoding with dendrites

Since the discovery of complex, voltage dependent mechanisms in the dendrites of multiple neuron types, great effort has been devoted in search of a direct link between dendritic properties and specific neuronal functions. Over the last few years, new experimental techniques have allowed the visualization and probing of dendritic anatomy, plasticity and integrative schemes with unprecedented detail. This vast amount of information has caused a paradigm shift in the study of memory, one of the most important pursuits in Neuroscience, and calls for the development of novel theories and models that will unify the available data according to some basic principles. Traditional models of memory considered neural cells as the fundamental processing units in the brain. Recent studies however are proposing new theories in which memory is not only formed by modifying the synaptic connections between neurons, but also by modifications of intrinsic and anatomical dendritic properties as well as fine tuning of the wiring diagram. In this review paper we present previous studies along with recent findings from our group that support a key role of dendrites in information processing, including the encoding and decoding of new memories, both at the single cell and the network level.     

Non-swarming grasshoppers exhibit density-dependent phenotypic plasticity reminiscent of swarming locusts

Locusts are well known for exhibiting an extreme form of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity known as locust phase polyphenism. At low density, locust nymphs are cryptically colored and shy, but at high density they transform into conspicuously colored and gregarious individuals. Most of what we know about locust phase polyphenism come from the study of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål), which is a devastating pest species affecting many countries in North Africa and the Middle East. The desert locust belongs to the grasshopper genus Schistocerca Stål, which includes mostly non-swarming, sedentary species. Recent phylogenetic studies suggest that the desert locust is the earliest branching lineage within Schistocerca, which raises a possibility that the presence of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity may be a plesiomorphic trait for the whole genus. In order to test this idea, we have quantified the effect of rearing density in terms of the resulting behavior, color, and morphology in two non-swarming Schistocerca species native to Florida. When reared in both isolated and crowded conditions, the two non-swarming species, Schistocerca americana (Drury) and Schistocerca serialis cubense (Saussure) clearly exhibited plastic reaction norms in all traits measured, which were reminiscent of the desert locust. Specifically, we found that both species were more active and more attracted to each other when reared in a crowded condition than in isolation. They were mainly bright green in color when isolated, but developed strong black patterns and conspicuous background colors when crowded. We found a strong effect of rearing density in terms of size. There were also more mechanoreceptor hairs on the outer face of the hind femora in the crowded nymphs in both species. Although both species responded similarly, there were some clear species-specific differences in terms of color and behavior. Furthermore, we compare and contrast our findings with those on the desert locust and other relevant studies. We attribute the presence of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity in the non-swarming Schistocerca species to phylogenetic conservatism, but there may be a possible role of local adaptation in further shaping the ultimate expressions of plasticity.     

空心莲子草性可塑性影响下的克隆整合

植物的生活史由其有性生殖构件和营养体构件相互作用共同完成,克隆整合作为克隆植物的重要特征,其与有性生殖特征的相互作用关系却所知很少。该研究通过同质园种植实验,分析了空心莲子草的分株表型、生理、性别等与克隆整合的关系。结果表明:(1)克隆整合以及分株间是否连接对空心莲子草的表型特征、气体交换等生理性状和性别特征均有显著影响。(2)克隆整合显著缩小了雌雄同花和雄蕊心皮化两种性别植株间表型特征的差距,后代的性别特征与营养体表型特征显著相关。(3)在贫瘠的沙土基质中克隆整合明显增加了空心莲子草的营养体生长特征和气体交换等光合生理指标,但这种增加在富含有机质的塘泥基质中不明显。(4)居于不同土壤基质分株间的联系会减少分株表型特征和气体交换对生长环境的响应,并保持母体性别特征不受环境的影响,但单独居于沙土或塘泥单一土壤基质的分株性别特征却因受到环境影响而改变。因此,克隆整合有利于空心莲子草性别特征的稳定。