Leaf lifespan as a determinant of leaf structure and function among 23 amazonian tree species

Summary The relationships between resource availability, plant succession, and species' life history traits are often considered key to understanding variation among species and communities. Leaf lifespan is one trait important in this regard. We observed that leaf lifespan varies 30-fold among 23 species from natural and disturbed communities within a 1-km radius in the northern Amazon basin, near San Carlos de Rio Negro, Venezuela. Moreover, leaf lifespan was highly correlated with a number of important leaf structural and functional characterisues. Stomatal conductance to water vapor (g) and both mass and area-based net photosynthesis decreased with increasing leaf lifespan (r²=0.74, 0.91 and 0.75, respectively). Specific leaf area (SLA) also decreased with increasing leaf lifespan (r²=0.78), while leaf toughness increased (r²=0.62). Correlations between leaf lifespan and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were moderate on a weight basis and not significant on an area basis. On an absolute basis, changes in SLA, net photosynthesis and leaf chemistry were large as leaf lifespan varied from 1.5 to 12 months, but such changes were small as leaf lifespan increased from 1 to 5 years. Mass-based net photosynthesis (A/mass) was highly correlated with SLA (r²=0.90) and mass-based leaf nitrogen (N/mass) (r²=0.85), but area-based net photosynthesis (A/area) was not well correlated with any index of leaf structure or chemistry including N/area. Overall, these results indicate that species allocate resources towards a high photosynthetic assimilation rate for a brief time, or provide resistant physical structure that results in a lower rate of carbon assimilation over a longer time, but not both.     

Relationships of leaf dark respiration to leaf nitrogen, specific leaf area and leaf life-span: a test across biomes and functional groups

Based on prior evidence of coordinated multiple leaf trait scaling, we hypothesized that variation among species in leaf dark respiration rate (R _d) should scale with variation in traits such as leaf nitrogen (N), leaf life-span, specific leaf area (SLA), and net photosynthetic capacity (A _max). However, it is not known whether such scaling, if it exists, is similar among disparate biomes and plant functional types. We tested this idea by examining the interspecific relationships between R _d measured at a standard temperature and leaf life-span, N, SLA and A _max for 69 species from four functional groups (forbs, broad-leafed trees and shrubs, and needle-leafed conifers) in six biomes traversing the Americas: alpine tundra/subalpine forest, Colorado; cold temperate forest/grassland, Wisconsin; cool temperate forest, North Carolina; desert/shrubland, New Mexico; subtropical forest, South Carolina; and tropical rain forest, Amazonas, Venezuela. Area-based R _d was positively related to area-based leaf N within functional groups and for all species pooled, but not when comparing among species within any site. At all sites, mass-based R _d (R _d-mass) decreased sharply with increasing leaf life-span and was positively related to SLA and mass-based A _max and leaf N (leaf N _mass). These intra-biome relationships were similar in shape and slope among sites, where in each case we compared species belonging to different plant functional groups. Significant R _d-mass−N _mass relationships were observed in all functional groups (pooled across sites), but the relationships differed, with higher R _d at any given leaf N in functional groups (such as forbs) with higher SLA and shorter leaf life-span. Regardless of biome or functional group, R _d-mass was well predicted by all combinations of leaf life-span, N _mass and/or SLA (r ²≥ 0.79, P < 0.0001). At any given SLA, R _d-mass rises with increasing N _mass and/or decreasing leaf life-span; and at any level of N _mass, R _d-mass rises with increasing SLA and/or decreasing leaf life-span. The relationships between R _d and leaf traits observed in this study support the idea of a global set of predictable interrelationships between key leaf morphological, chemical and metabolic traits. Received: 23 May 1997 / Accepted: 16 December 1997     

Molecular basis of bacterial resistance to chloramphenicol and florfenicol

Chloramphenicol (Cm) and its fluorinated derivative florfenicol (Ff) represent highly potent inhibitors of bacterial protein biosynthesis. As a consequence of the use of Cm in human and veterinary medicine, bacterial pathogens of various species and genera have developed and/or acquired Cm resistance. Ff is solely used in veterinary medicine and has been introduced into clinical use in the mid-1990s. Of the Cm resistance genes known to date, only a small number also mediates resistance to Ff. In this review, we present an overview of the different mechanisms responsible for resistance to Cm and Ff with particular focus on the two different types of chloramphenicol acetyltransferases (CATs), specific exporters and multidrug transporters. Phylogenetic trees of the different CAT proteins and exporter proteins were constructed on the basis of a multisequence alignment. Moreover, information is provided on the mobile genetic elements carrying Cm or Cm/Ff resistance genes to provide a basis for the understanding of the distribution and the spread of Cm resistance--even in the absence of a selective pressure imposed by the use of Cm or Ff.     

藻类批量培养中的比增长率最大值

批量培养谷皮菱形藻、莱茵衣藻、粉核小球藻、斜生栅藻、羊角月牙藻和铜绿微囊藻等六种藻类,在对数生长期,逐日计数而确定比增长率最大值（μｍａｒ）,发现（μｍａｒ）值出现的时间在各种藻类中不同。同时讨论了每种藻类的（μｍａｒ）与营养物质、光强、温度和起始浓度之间的关系。铜绿微囊藻的（μｍａｒ）在一定的总磷（ＴＰ）浓度范围内随ＴＰ浓度呈上升趋势。根据获得增大率最大值的条件,对它们在浮游植物群落中的生态位作     

特异性卵黄抗体(IgY)对小鼠大肠杆菌败血症的保护作用

目的:研究特异性IgY对小鼠大肠杆菌败血症的保护作用.方法:以灭活的E.coli O111免疫产蛋母鸡,抗体经水稀释及盐析分离纯化.ELISA法检测大肠杆菌特异性IgY对大肠杆菌及LPS的结合活性.腹腔注射E.coli O111(1011cfu/mL)建立小鼠败血症模型,攻毒剂量为0.1mL/10g体重.小鼠随机分为5组,分别给药保护:空白组(生理盐水)、阴性对照组(非特异性IgY,20mg/mL)、阳性对照组(头孢哌酮20mg/mL)、高剂量组(特异性IgY,40mg/mL),低剂量组(特异性IgY,20mg/mL).给药剂量为:攻毒前,0.15mL/10g体重,每天一次,共两天;攻毒后,0.25mL/10g体重,每天一次,共七天.观察小鼠临床表现、体重变化、白细胞(WBC)和血小板(PLT)数变化及各组小鼠的死亡率.结果:特异性IgY与E.coli O111和LPS均有体外结合活性.大肠杆菌攻毒后,小鼠体重下降,各组小鼠外周血中WBC和PLT数均有不同程度的下降.特异性IgY保护组各项指标较快恢复到正常水平,其他组恢复缓慢.各组小鼠七天内的死亡率分别为:空白组与阴性对照组都为100%;阳性对照组60%;低剂量IgY组30%;高剂量IgY组10%.结论:特异性IgY对小鼠大肠杆菌败血症有保护作用.     

艾滋病猴特异性细胞免疫的胞内细胞因子检测方法优化与应用

目的 为准确检测艾滋病猴模型特异性细胞免疫,优化、确定胞内细胞因子染色(ICS)影响因素和条件.方法 使用三种多克隆激活剂分别刺激SIV感染猴外周血单个核细胞(PBMC),确定最佳阳性刺激物和刺激时间;然后使用五种浓度SIVmac239混合肽库分别刺激SIV感染猴PBMC,体外培养,不同时间点进行细胞染色和流式检测,确定肽库的最适刺激浓度和最佳刺激时间.最后,初步应用该方法检测SIV感染猴细胞免疫水平.结果 PMA+离子霉素组合可用作本实验的阳性刺激物;2μg/mL肽库,37℃5％ CO2培养16 h,能更有效的刺激T细胞分泌TNF-α、IL-2、IFN-γ.结论 该方法的优化对艾滋病药物的临床前评价和疫苗研发等研究具有重要意义.     

Functional expression of human pyruvate carboxylase for reduced lactic acid formation of Chinese hamster ovary cells (DG44)

To investigate the effect of human pyruvate carboxylase (hPC) on lactate formation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines, FLAG-tagged hPC was introduced into a dihydrofolate-deficient CHO cell line (DG44). Three clones expressing high levels of hPC, determined by Western blotting using an anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody, and a control cell line were established. Immunocytochemistry revealed that a substantial amount of expressed hPC protein was localized in the mitochondria of the cells. hPC expression did not impair cell proliferation. Rather, it improved cell viability at the end of adherent batch cultures with the serum-containing medium probably because of reduced lactate formation. Compared with control cells, specific lactate production rate of the three clones was decreased by 21–39%, which was because of a decreased specific glucose uptake rate and yield of lactate from glucose. Reduced lactate formation by hPC expression was also observed in suspension fed-batch cultures using a serum-free medium. Taken together, these results demonstrate that through the expression of the hPC enzyme, lactate formation in CHO cell culture can be efficiently reduced.     

Interactive effects of elevated CO2 and drought stress on leaf water potential and growth in Caragana intermedia

We studied the responses of leaf water potential (Ψ_w), morphology, biomass accumulation and allocation, and canopy productivity index (CPI) to the combined effects of elevated CO₂ and drought stress in Caragana intermedia seedlings. Seedlings were grown at two CO₂ concentrations (350 and 700 μmol mol⁻¹) interacted with three water regimes (60–70%, 45–55%, and 30–40% of field capacity of soil). Elevated CO₂ significantly increased Ψ_w, decreased specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf area ratio (LAR) of drought-stressed seedlings, and increased tree height, basal diameter, shoot biomass, root biomass as well as total biomass under the all the three water regimes. Growth responses to elevated CO₂ were greater in well-watered seedlings than in drought-stressed seedlings. CPI was significantly increased by elevated CO₂, and the increase in CPI became stronger as the level of drought stress increased. There were significant interactions between elevated CO₂ and drought stress on leaf water potential, basal diameter, leaf area, and biomass accumulation. Our results suggest that elevated CO₂ may enhance drought avoidance and improved water relations, thus weakening the effect of drought stress on growth of C. intermedia seedings.     

我国商业化SPF级小鼠病原体污染分析

目的按现行国标《实验动物微生物学检测方法》和《实验动物寄生虫学检测方法》对我国商品化的无特殊病原体（specific pathogen free,SPF）小鼠进行微生物状况检测,为生产高质量的实验动物提供依据。方法对五家主要实验动物生产单位生产的ICR、KM、C57BL/6、BALB/c及BALB/c-nu品系的SPF级小鼠进行随机抽检。检测抽检小鼠所携带的微生物和寄生虫情况。结果在抽检的SPF级小鼠中,病毒污染主要包括呼肠孤病毒Ⅲ型（Reo-3）、小鼠肺炎病毒（PVM）和多瘤病毒（POLY）;主要细菌污染为肺炎克雷伯杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和绿脓杆菌。这些微生物病原体中,除条件性致病菌绿脓杆菌外,其他病原体对小鼠本身和实验研究均具有一定的影响。     

猪胰岛素启动子调控EGFP表达载体的优化及体外验证

目的获得猪胰岛素启动子调控外源基因的高效表达载体,为制备转基因猪胰岛特异性表达目的基因奠定基础。方法利用猪胰岛素启动子（PIP,包含5＇调控区、第一外显子、第一内含子及第二外显子ATG前的序列共1.5 kb）构建表达载体,连接PIP和EGFP的酶切位点HindⅢ设计在起始密码子前,命名为PIP-Hind IIIEGFP。鉴于酶切位点的插入位置可能会影响外源基因的表达效率,对载体进行了优化：将Hind III酶切位点删除,实现PIP和EGFP无缝连接,载体命名PIP-EGFP;将第一内含子3＇端的内含子剪接受体位点（splicing acceptor site,SA）突变为Hind III内切酶识别位点,命名为PIP-SA（M）-EGFP。三种载体分别电转染小鼠胰岛素瘤β细胞株MIN-6细胞、猪耳成纤维细胞以及猪肾细胞,48 h后通过荧光强度、流式分析、RT-PCR及Western blot检测,验证载体的表达效率。结果转染细胞后,三种载体都仅在MIN-6胰岛β细胞表达绿色荧光。RT-PCR及其产物测序结果显示三种载体的胰岛素启动子第一内含子的剪切存在差异：载体PIP-Hind III-EGFP和PIP-EGFP的内含子存在剪切和不剪切两种情况,剪切不稳定;载体PIP-SA（M）-EGFP的SA位点突变后内含子不剪切,流式细胞及Western blot检测显示,与另外两种载体相比,该载体目的蛋白的表达量最高。结论通过突变胰岛素启动子第一内含子的3＇端的剪接受体位点,成功获得了胰岛β细胞的高效表达载体,可用于制备胰岛特异表达外源基因的转基因猪。