花生成熟花粉的超微结构

花生（Arachis hypogaea L．）成熟花粉为二细胞型,具3个萌发沟,少数有4个。外壁呈蜂窝状。花粉壁由覆盖层、基粒棒、外壁内层及内壁构成。线粒体嵴密集、相互平行,脂体被粗面内质网包围。粗面内质网与外核膜相连,亦与线粒体相连。高尔基体甚少。营养核无核仁及染色质,与生殖细胞相连形成雄性生殖单位（male germ unit）。生殖细胞锤形、有壁,见一末端延伸成长尾状（长8μm）。细胞质含核糖体、线粒体、微管,未见体。在有些生殖细胞核内观察到具双层膜、少量嵴及深色内含物的球形结构,其米来源及本质尚不知,有待进一步研究确定。     

SUBOPTIMAL VIRULENCE OF AN INSECT-PARASITIC NEMATODE

Recent considerations of parasite virulence have focused on the adverse effects that parasites can have on the survival of their hosts. Many parasites, however, reduce host fitness by an equally deleterious but different means, by causing partial or complete sterility of their hosts. A model of optimal parasite virulence is developed in which a quantity of host resources can be allocated to either host or parasite reproduction. Increases in parasite reproduction thus cause reductions in host fertility. The model shows that under a wide variety of ecological conditions, such parasites should completely sterilize their hosts. Only when opportunities for horizontal transmission are very limited should the parasites appropriate less than all of a host's reproductive resources. Field and laboratory evidence shows that the nematode parasite Howardula aoronymphium is relatively avirulent to one of its principal host species, Drosophila falleni, whereas it is much more virulent to D. putrida and D. neotestacea, suggesting that there may be substantial vertical transmission in D. falleni. However, epidemiological studies in the field and laboratory assays of host specificity strongly suggest that the three host species share a single parasite pool in natural populations, indicating that parasites in all three host species experience high levels of horizontal transmission. Thus, the low virulence of H. aoronymphium to D. falleni is not consistent with the model of optimal parasite virulence. It is proposed that this suboptimal virulence in D. falleni is a consequence of populations of H. aoronymphium being selected to exploit simultaneously several different host species. As a result, virulence may not be optimal in any one host. One must, therefore, consider the full range of host species in assessing a parasite's virulence.     

Quantitative cytology of the alfalfa generative cell and its relation to male plastid inheritance patterns in three genotypes

Summary Studies utilizing restriction analysis of plastid DNA, as well as those employing chlorophyll-deficient mutants, have shown a high frequency of paternal plastid transmission in alfalfa. Recent research has also shown that plastid inheritance patterns among alfalfa genotypes and are under genetic control. In a previous study we were unable to detect any correlations between qualitative, three-dimensional ultrastructure of generative cells and male plastid transmission strength in certain genotypes. In the present study we used serial ultrathin sectioning, computerized reconstruction and quantitation, and stereology to further analyze generative cells within mature pollen. Measurements included volumes and surface areas of cells, nuclei, and organelles, as well as organelle number and distribution. Three genotypes were investigated, one that is a strong transmitter of male plastids (genotype 301), one that is a weaker transmitter of male plastids (genotype 7W), and a third that is an even weaker male plastid transmitter (genotype MS-5). Our results show that genotype MS-5 has significantly fewer plastids/generative cell than either of the other genotypes, which may account for it being a relatively poor transmitter of male plastids. However, plastid number does not explain known differences in male plastid inheritance between genotypes 301 and 7W, since plastid number does not differ significantly between these two genotypes. Regarding the other features of generative cells measured in this study, no consistent correlations were found that might account for differences in male plastid inheritance patterns between genotypes. Plastid distribution is equal in each end of the spindle-shaped generative cell in all genotypes studied. Similar relative results were found with regard to mitochondria within generative cells; however, comparative genetic data are not available on mitochondrial transmission patterns in alfalfa genotypes.     

Conformational transmission in ATP synthase during catalysis: Search for large structural changes

Escherichia coli ATP synthase has eight subunits and functions through transmission of conformational changes between subunits. Defective mutation at Gly-149 was suppressed by the second mutations at the outer surface of the subunit, indicating that the defect by the first mutation was suppressed by the second mutation through long range conformation transmission. Extensive mutant/pseudorevertant studies revealed that / and / subunits interactions are important for the energy coupling between catalysis and H⁺ translocation. In addition, long range interaction between amino and carboxyl terminal regions of the subunit has a critical role(s) for energy coupling. These results suggest that the dynamic conformation change and its transmission are essential for ATP synthase.     

The Sec1 Family: A Novel Family of Proteins Involved in Synaptic Transmission and General Secretion

Abstract: The Sec1 family, a novel family of proteins involved in synaptic transmission and general secretion, is described. To date, 14 members of this family have been identified: four yeast proteins, Sec1, Sly1, Slp1/Vps33, and Vps45/Stt10; three nematode proteins, Unc-18 and the homologues of Sly1 and Slp1; the Drosophila Rop; and six mammalian proteins, the rat Munc-18/n-Sec1/rbSec1A and rbSec1B, the mouse Munc-18b/muSec1 and Munc-18c, and the bovine Munc-18 and mSec1. The mammalian proteins share 44–63% sequence identity with the nematode Unc-18 and Drosophila Rop proteins and 20–29% with the yeast proteins and their nematode homologues. The Sec1 proteins are mostly hydrophilic and lack a transmembrane domain. Nevertheless, Sec1 proteins are found as membrane-bound proteins. Some of them are also found as soluble, cytoplasmic proteins. Binding of the rat brain Sec1 to the presynaptic membrane may be due to strong interaction with syntaxin, an integral component of this membrane. The rat brain Sec1 is also bound to Cdk5, a neural cyclin-dependent kinase. The Sec1 proteins play a positive role in exocytosis. Loss of function mutations in SEC1 , SLY1 , or SLP1 result in blocking of protein transport between distinct yeast subcellular compartments. Inactivation of unc-18 and rop results in inhibition of neurotransmitter release and, in the case of rop , inhibition of general secretion as well. In addition, studies of Rop and n-Sec1 indicate that they also play a negative role in synaptic transmission, mediated by their interaction with syntaxin. A working model addressing the dual regulative role of the Sec1 proteins in secretion is presented.     

大脑皮层信息传输和精神分裂症

本工作用脑电图为测试手段,比较了正常人与精神分裂症病人的大脑皮层的信息传输。我们发现精神分裂病人的大脑皮层信息传输有非常特殊的现象。正常人在睁眼时大脑皮层信息传输比较活跃,当闭眼时信息传输相对减少。而精神分裂症病人则恰好相反。闭眼时信息传输很活跃而睁眼对它们产生抑制,严重的情况可与正常人深度睡眠时类似。经过近三百多例的统计分析这种差别是非常显著的。我们认为这种方法可能作为诊断精神分裂症的客观指标。     

High levels of congenital transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in a commercial sheep flock

Our current understanding of congenital transmission of Toxoplasma gondii from ewe to lamb dictates that infection frequently results in abortion and the death of the developing foetus, that the birth of live infected lambs occurs rarely and that the cat is the predominant source of infection in ewes. Using direct polymerase chain reaction detection of T. gondii, we report high levels of congenital transmission occurring in a commercially managed sheep flock. We sampled foetal-derived placental tissue and tissues from aborted lambs and showed that congenital transmission was detected in these tissues from 61% of all pregnancies. Where pregnancies resulted in the death of one or more lambs, T. gondii was detected in the lamb tissue for all but one of 18 (94%) pregnancies. Of the successful pregnancies resulting in the birth of live lambs we were able to detect T. gondii in foetal-derived placental tissue from 37 of 70 (42%) pregnancies. These results show that congenital transmission is occurring in a high percentage of lambings including normal healthy lambings, at this farm, suggesting that this route of transmission from generation to generation may be much more significant than that reported previously. These results may have implications for sheep husbandry and future epidemiological studies of T. gondii.     

Information about transmission opportunities triggers a life-history switch in a parasite

Many microbial pathogens can switch to new hosts or adopt alternative transmission routes as environmental conditions change, displaying unexpected flexibility in their infection pathways and often causing emerging diseases. In contrast, parasitic worms that must develop through a fixed series of host species appear less likely to show phenotypic plasticity in their transmission pathways. Here, I demonstrate experimentally that a trematode parasite, Coitocaecum parvum, can accelerate its development and rapidly reach precocious maturity in its crustacean intermediate host in the absence of chemical cues emanating from its fish definitive host. Juvenile trematodes can also mature precociously when the mortality rate of their intermediate hosts is increased. Eggs produced by precocious adults hatch into viable larvae, capable of pursuing the parasite's life cycle. In the absence of chemical cues from fish hosts, the size of eggs released by precocious trematodes in their intermediate hosts becomes more variable, possibly indicating a bet-hedging strategy. These results illustrate that parasitic worms with complex life cycles have development and transmission strategies that are more plastic than commonly believed, allowing them to skip one host in their cycle when they perceive limited opportunities for transmission.     

Cell structural changes in the needles of Norway spruce exposed to long-term ozone and drought

Effects of ozone and/or drought on Norway spruce needles werestudied using light microscopy and electron microscopy. Saplingswere exposed to ozone in open-top chambers during 1992–1995and also to drought in the late summers of 1993–1995.Samples from current and previous year needles were collectedfive times during 1995. Ozone increased the numbers of peroxisomesand mitochondria, which suggests that defence mechanisms againstoxidative stress were active. The results from peroxisomes suggestthat the oxidative stress was more pronounced in the upper sideof the needles, and those from mitochondria that defence wasmore active in the younger needle generation. Possibly due tothe good nitrogen status and the active defence, no ozone-specificchloroplast alterations were seen. At the end of the season,older needles from ozone treatments had smaller central vacuolescompared with other needles. Cytoplasmic vacuoles around thenucleus were increased by ozone in the beginning of the experiment,and did not increase towards the end of the season as in thecontrols. These results from vacuoles may indicate that ozoneaffected the osmotic properties of the cells. Decreased numberand underdevelopment of sclerenchyma cells and proliferationof tonoplast were related to nutrient imbalance, which was enhancedby drought. Larger vascular cylinders and more effective starchaccumulation before and after the drought periods compensatedfor the reduced water status. Numbers of peroxisomes and mitochondriawere increased in the drought-exposed needles before the onsetof drought treatments of the study year, i.e. these changeswere memory effects. Interactions between ozone and droughtwere few.     

丙型病毒性肝炎母婴传播的现状、进展及未来

丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)可引起急性和慢性病毒性肝炎,可发展成肝纤维化、肝硬化,甚至肝细胞癌。HCV经典的传播途径为经血液或血液制品传播,但1992年后献血员HCV的筛检已使输血后肝炎大为减少。在发达国家,HCV传播途径正在发生改变,儿童非血液制品的丙肝日渐增多。母婴间宫内、分娩时及产后感染已成为当前及今后的重要研究课题。研究证实,HCV可经胎盘引起胎儿感染,宫内感染是HCV传播的一条重要途径。尽管人们对HCV母婴传播中所涉及的风险因素逐渐明确,但到目前为止对具体的传播机制和传播时机仍知之甚少。我们就丙型病毒性肝炎母婴传播的现状、进展及未来做简要综述。