增强UV-B辐射对高山植物歪头菜生长及内源激素变化的影响

以青藏高原野生豆科牧草歪头菜(Vicia unijuga A.Br.)为材料,模拟甘南夏季晴朗无云天空平流层臭氧衰减9%的UV-B辐射强度(6.4 kJ/m²),分析增强UV-B辐射条件下植株内源激素水平和全氮含量随时间变化及其与生长特性的关系。结果显示:(1)来自高寒地区野生歪头菜在增强UV-B辐射的最初阶段(10 d左右)会产生对紫外胁迫的应激性响应,其内源生长激素吲哚乙酸(IAA)、玉米素(ZT)、赤霉素类(GAs)和6-苄氨基嘌呤(6-BA)含量水平以及全氮含量均明显高于对照,生长指标也相应升高。(2)随着处理时间延长,歪头菜内源生长激素含量开始迅速降低,并于处理后30 d时降至最低,处理后40 d时全氮含量也显著低于对照;同时,随着生长激素和全氮含量降低,植株生长也受到强烈抑制。(3)在处理后40 d时歪头菜内源ABA才被检测到,说明细胞膜伤害发生的时间相对较晚。研究表明,来自高寒环境的植物种歪头菜经历长期自然选择和适应,形成了对强UV-B辐射的应激响应机制,使辐射伤害延迟,内源激素含量变化与该应激响应有密切关系。     

Modular genetic control of innate behaviors

Many complex behaviors are genetically hardwired. Based on previous findings on genetic control of mating and other behaviors in invertebrate and mammalian systems, I suggest that genetic control of complex behaviors is modular: first, dedicated genes specify different behavioral patterns; secondly, separable genetic networks govern distinct behavioral components. I speculate that modular genetic encoding of complex behaviors may in part reflect modularity in brain development and function. Editor's suggested further reading in BioEssays From songs to synapses: Molecular mechanisms of birdsong memory Abstract     

鼻咽癌恶性转化基因Tx核苷酸序列分析

从人类鼻咽癌细胞系CNE2基因组DNA文库中克隆一个恶性转化基因Tx转染小鼠JB6 + 细胞 ,使细胞恶性转化 ,宿主细胞具有停泊非依赖生长的特性 .已经报道的Tx中一个 3 0kb片段(Tx3 0 )的序列分析结果表明 ,Tx包含人类免疫球蛋白κ轻链完整的J区 .进一步对Tx全长进行亚克隆和测序 ,并采用生物信息学方法进行分析表明 ,Tx包含人类Igκ完整的J区、C区基因片段、还有 5个重组信号序列 ,1个核基质结合序列和 1个N segment的插入 .Tx与正常人IgκJ、C区比较只是在某些位点存在碱基的缺失、插入或置换 ,二者同源性高达 98% ,其电子定位于 2p11 2 ,这与人Igκ的染色体定位是一致的 .可以认为 ,Tx是一个缺乏V区的异常的人类免疫球蛋白kappa轻链基因     

Expression of functional recombinant human lysozyme in transgenic rice cell culture

Using particle bombardment-mediated transformation, a codon-optimized synthetic gene for human lysozyme was introduced into the calli of rice (Oryza sativa) cultivar Taipei 309. The expression levels of recombinant human lysozyme in the transformed rice suspension cell culture approached approximately 4% of total soluble protein. Recombinant human lysozyme was purified to greater than 95% homogeneity using a two-step chromatography process. Amino acid sequencing verified that the N-terminus of the mature recombinant human lysozyme was identical to native human lysozyme. This indicates that the rice RAmy3D signal peptide was correctly cleaved off from the human lysozyme preprotein by endogenous rice signal peptidase. Recombinant human lysozyme was found to have the same molecular mass, isoelectric point and specific activity as native human lysozyme. The bactericidal activity of recombinant human lysozyme was determined by turbidimetric assay using Micrococcus lysodeikticus in 96-well microtiter plates. The bactericidal activity of lysozyme on Gram-negative bacteria was examined by adding purified lysozyme to mid-log phase cultures of E. coli strain JM109. In this study, significant bactericidal activity was observed after E.coli cells were exposed to recombinant human lysozyme for 60min. Both native and recombinant human lysozyme displayed the same thermostability and resistance to degradation by low pH. The potential for using rice-derived lysozyme as an antimicrobial food supplement, particularly for infant formula and baby foods, is discussed.     

茶树CsBAP1基因的克隆与非生物胁迫和激素响应分析

该研究基于茶树转录组数据,从茶树‘龙井43’cDNA中克隆获得茶树CsBAP1基因,对其蛋白质序列特征和基因表达模式以及CsBAP1在茶树不同组织、不同激素处理及不同逆境胁迫下的表达水平进行荧光定量检测。结果显示：（1）克隆得到的茶树CsBAP1基因开放阅读框长度为543 bp,编码180个氨基酸;CsBAP1蛋白为亲水性蛋白,理论相对分子质量为19 398 Da,理论等电点为9.30,含有保守的Ca²⁺依赖性的C2结构域;茶树CsBAP1蛋白二级结构由8.89％的α 螺旋、7.78％的β 转角、35.56％的β 折叠和47.78％的随机卷曲组成;三级结构分析结果显示,CsBAP1包括螺旋和折叠结构,与二级结构吻合。（2）荧光定量分析结果显示, CsBAP1基因在茶树的花、花蕾、幼叶、老叶和成熟叶中均有表达,且在老叶中的表达量最高;外源施用ABA、IAA、MeJA、GA³以及SA均能够抑制茶树CsBAP1基因的表达;在高温（38 ℃）、低温（4 ℃）、干旱（200 g·L^-1 PEG）、高盐（200 mmol·L^-1 NaCl）胁迫下,CsBAP1的表达量均有所上调,且不同时间段的表达存在显著差异。该研究为进一步研究茶树CsBAP1基因的功能奠定了基础。     

气候变化和人类活动对中国北方旱区植被变绿的定量贡献

气候变化和大规模的生态恢复使中国北方旱区植被发生了显著变化,量化气候变化和人类活动对植被动态的相对贡献,对于旱区生态系统管理和应对未来气候变化具有重要意义。目前,中国北方旱区植被变化影响因素的时间动态（2000年大规模生态恢复工程实施前后）和空间异质性（沿干旱梯度）仍需进一步的定量研究。基于多源数据,采用趋势分析、偏相关分析和随机森林模型等方法,分析了1981-2018年中国北方旱区气候和植被的时空变化规律,量化了2000年前后气候变化和人类活动对植被动态的相对贡献并分析其在干旱梯度上的空间差异性。结果表明：（1）1981-2018年期间,中国北方旱区的叶面积指数（LAI）平均增加速率为（0.0037±0.0443） a^-1,且增加速率沿干旱梯度增大。2000年前仅10.46%（P<0.05）的地区显著变绿,而2000年后达到36.84%,且植被变绿主要归因于非树木植被。（2）2000年后降水对植被变绿的正效应在不同干旱梯度均增加,而在半干旱区和亚湿润干旱区,温度对植被变绿由正向促进转为负向抑制,而辐射在干旱区由负效应转向正效应。（3）2000年前后,气候变化均主导着植被的动态,贡献率分别为96.07%和73.72%,人类活动的贡献在2000年后进一步增强（从3.93%增加到26.28%）,且沿着干旱梯度而增加,其中人类活动对植被变绿的贡献在半干旱地区增加最显著（+0.0289 m² m^-2 a^-1,P<0.05）。研究结果可为未来气候变化下中国北方旱区的植被恢复和可持续发展提供科学依据。     

There is an obstetrical dilemma: Misconceptions about the evolution of human childbirth and pelvic form

Compared to other primates, modern humans face high rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality during childbirth. Since the early 20th century, this “difficulty” of human parturition has prompted numerous evolutionary explanations, typically assuming antagonistic selective forces acting on maternal and fetal traits, which has been termed the “obstetrical dilemma.” Recently, there has been a growing tendency among some anthropologists to question the difficulty of human childbirth and its evolutionary origin in an antagonistic selective regime. Partly, this stems from the motivation to combat increasing pathologization and overmedicalization of childbirth in industrialized countries. Some authors have argued that there is no obstetrical dilemma at all, and that the difficulty of childbirth mainly results from modern lifestyles and inappropriate and patriarchal obstetric practices. The failure of some studies to identify biomechanical and metabolic constraints on pelvic dimensions is sometimes interpreted as empirical support for discarding an obstetrical dilemma. Here we explain why these points are important but do not invalidate evolutionary explanations of human childbirth. We present robust empirical evidence and solid evolutionary theory supporting an obstetrical dilemma, yet one that is much more complex than originally conceived in the 20th century. We argue that evolutionary research does not hinder appropriate midwifery and obstetric care, nor does it promote negative views of female bodies. Understanding the evolutionary entanglement of biological and sociocultural factors underlying human childbirth can help us to understand individual variation in the risk factors of obstructed labor, and thus can contribute to more individualized maternal care.     

Overexpression of Hevea brasiliensis ethylene response factor HbERF‐IXc5 enhances growth and tolerance to abiotic stress and affects laticifer differentiation

Ethylene response factor 1 (ERF1) is an essential integrator of the jasmonate and ethylene signalling pathways coordinating a large number of genes involved in plant defences. Its orthologue in Hevea brasiliensis, HbERF‐IXc5, has been assumed to play a major role in laticifer metabolism and tolerance to harvesting stress for better latex production. This study sets out to establish and characterize rubber transgenic lines overexpressing HbERF‐IXc5. Overexpression of HbERF‐IXc5 dramatically enhanced plant growth and enabled plants to maintain some ecophysiological parameters in response to abiotic stress such as water deficit, cold and salt treatments. This study revealed that HbERF‐IXc5 has rubber‐specific functions compared to Arabidopsis ERF1 as transgenic plants overexpressing HbERF‐IXc5 accumulated more starch and differentiated more latex cells at the histological level. The role of HbERF‐IXc5 in driving the expression of some target genes involved in laticifer differentiation is discussed.