Foraging costs drive female resistance to a sensory trap

Male ornaments can evolve through the exploitation of female perceptual biases such as those involved in responding to cues from food. This type of sensory exploitation may lead to confusion between the male signals and the cues that females use to find/recognize food. Such interference would be costly to females and may be one reason why females evolve resistance to the male ornaments. Using a group of species of viviparous fish where resistance to a sensory trap has evolved, we demonstrate that females exposed to an ornament that resembles food have a diminished foraging efficiency, that this effect is apparent when foraging on a food item with which the ornament shares visual attributes, and that not all species are equally affected by such confusion. Our results lend support to the model of ornamental evolution through chase-away sexual conflict.     

络合型含铁材料对砷胁迫下水稻生理生化特性及砷累积的影响

土壤重金属与农产品质量息息相关.本研究通过设置砷胁迫条件下水稻种植盆栽试验,分析络合型含铁材料不同施用时期和不同施用量对水稻SPAD值、抗氧化酶(SOD、POD、CAT)活性以及水稻砷吸收、累积的影响.结果表明,砷胁迫对水稻SOD、POD、CAT活性有着不同程度的抑制作用,添加络合型含铁材料可以降低水稻MDA含量,缓解砷对水稻光合作用和SOD、POD、CAT活性的抑制;同时能减少水稻对土壤砷的吸收和累积.与移栽前添加络合型含铁材料相比,选择水稻孕穗期前添加络合型含铁材料,水稻砷吸收的抑制效果较好;水稻植株地上部砷含量与络合型含铁材料的添加浓度呈显著负相关,孕穗期前添加0.2 g·kg-1络合型含铁材料对水稻植株砷的吸收抑制效果最好,水稻植株地上部砷含量降低59.22%.     

抗生素对溶藻弧菌SXT/R391元件转移频率的影响北大核心CSCD

【目的】研究萘啶酸、诺氟沙星、卡那霉素3种抗生素对溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus)SXT/R391元件ICEVal A056-1转移频率的影响。【方法】利用PCR检测溶藻弧菌A056中ICEVal A056-1的自我剪切、转移潜力。通过溶藻弧菌A056与大肠杆菌菌株VB111的接合实验,研究溶藻弧菌分别在含不同浓度萘啶酸、诺氟沙星、卡那霉素的LB培养基中培养15 min或30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率的变化规律。【结果】溶藻弧菌A056细胞中有环状形式的ICEVal A056-1分子存在,具有水平转移潜力;溶藻弧菌A056在含40μg/m L萘啶酸的LB中培养30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率是对照组的19.59倍;在含50μg/m L诺氟沙星的LB中培养15 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率是对照组的31.25倍;在含不同浓度卡那霉素的LB中培养30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率与对照组没有显著差别。【结论】部分抗生素的使用可以明显促进溶藻弧菌ICEVal A056-1向大肠杆菌的转移,因此海洋环境中抗生素的滥用及随意排放很可能加剧ICEs(integrating conjugative elements)从溶藻弧菌到其他细菌的传播。     

Structure of the human dimeric ATM kinase

DNA-double strand breaks activate the serine/threonine protein kinase ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) to initiate DNA damage signal transduction. This activation process involves autophosphorylation and dissociation of inert ATM dimers into monomers that are catalytically active. Using single-particle electron microscopy (EM), we determined the structure of dimeric ATM in its resting state. The EM map could accommodate the crystal structure of the N-terminal truncated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a closely related enzyme of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related protein kinase (PIKK) family, allowing for the localization of the N- and the C-terminal regions of ATM. In the dimeric structure, the actives sites are buried, restricting the access of the substrates to these sites. The unanticipated domain organization of ATM provides a basis for understanding its mechanism of inhibition.     

Quantitative structure-activity relationship of hydroxyl-substituent Schiff bases in radical-induced hemolysis of human erythrocytes

The major objective of this work was to explore the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) of hydroxyl-substituent Schiff bases in protecting human erythrocytes against 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH)- induced hemolysis, in which 10 Schiff bases including 4-phenyliminomethylphenol (PIH); 4-((4-hydroxybenzylidene) amino)phenol (PAH); 2-methoxy-4-((4-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl)phenol (PMH); 4-((furan-2-ylmethylene)amino) phenol (FAH); 4-((4-N,N-dimethylaminobenzylidene)amino)phenol (PDH); 2-((4-N,N-dimethylaminobenzylidene)amino) phenol (ODH); 2-(naphthalene-1-yliminomethyl)phenol (NAH); 2-(benzyliminomethyl)phenol (BPH); 1,4-di((2-hydroxyphenylimino) methyl)benzene (DOH); 1,4-di((4-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl)benzene DPH, were available for this in vitro experimental system. The results revealed that the radical-scavenging activity of the --OH attached to the para position of methylene in Schiff base was much lower than that attached to the ortho position of the N atom. The large conjugate system and low steric hindrance in the framework of Schiff base benefit the Schiff base to trap radicals. Meanwhile, since a Schiff base, even without any substituent, can also play an antioxidative role in this experimental system, the QSAR results suggest that hydroxyl-substituent Schiff bases are potential drugs in the treatment of radical-related diseases, and provide more information for designing novel drugs.     

Defense reactions of mosquitoes to filarial worms: potential mechanism for avoidance of the response by Brugia pahangi microfilariae

The melanization response of Aedes trivittatus and the black-eyed Liverpool (LVP) and Rocke-feller (RKF) strains of Aedes aegypti against intrathoracically inoculated Brugia pahangi microfilariae (mff) that previously had penetrated LVP, RKF, or A. trivittatus midguts in vitro was assessed at 1, 3, and 5 days postinoculation (PI). LVP and RKF midgut-derived mff almost totally avoided the melanization response and developed normally in LVP strain A. aegypti, and although over 90% of these mff died by 5 days PI in RKF mosquitoes, the majority of these were not melanized. A. aegypti midgut-derived mff also were able to avoid the response of A. trivittatus in 33–43% of the cases. Penetration through A. trivittatus midguts, however, did not significantly affect the ability of mff to avoid the melanization response in any of the mosquitoes examined. Allogeneic and xenogeneic tissue inplants were accepted by all three mosquito species examined. Data presented support the hypothesis that mff avoid immune recognition in compatible mosquitoes by coating themselves with midgut material(s) during penetration of the midgut in their migration to the hemocoel.     

Effects of proteasome inhibitor, MG132, on proteasome activity and oxidative status of rat liver

In vivo effects of N-benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz)-Leu-Leu-leucinal (MG132) on chymotryptic-like (ChT-L), tryptic-like, and post-glutamyl peptide hydrolytic-like proteasome activities, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation (LP), glutathione (GSH) level, as well as on the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione-reductase) in the rat liver were studied. The possibility of MG132 provoking the formation of free oxygen radicals was also assayed in primary hepatocytes. The following results were obtained: (1) In vivo, MG132 did not change the spontaneous LP, but increased Fe-induced LP and the amount of oxidized proteins; it decreased the GSH level in liver. From the proteasome activities studied in liver cytosol only ChT-L activity was significantly decreased after MG132 administration. Furthermore, MG132 increased antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px. (2) In vitro, MG132 increased free radical oxygen species in hepatocytes; this effect disappeared in the presence of CAT or mannitol. In conclusion, since nowadays proteasome inhibitors are entering into the swing of laboratory and clinical practice, the present data could provide useful information for MG132 action. Consequently, future in vivo experiments with MG132 could highlight the possibility of its use at different pathological conditions.