鸡粪有机肥对设施菜地土壤重金属和微生物群落结构的影响

通过田间试验,研究在设施菜地上施用不同剂量的鸡粪有机肥对土壤-植物系统中重金属的累积、重金属有效性和土壤微生物群落结构的影响,进一步探讨土壤微生物群落结构与土壤重金属之间的相关关系。结果表明,与对照相比,施用有机肥可提高小白菜地上部生物量,其中施肥量为60 t/hm²时值最大,增幅为59.92%;小白菜地上部Cd、Cr、Cu、Zn和As含量均大幅增加,但Pb含量无明显变化。土壤重金属Cd、Cr、Cu、Zn和As的全量均随鸡粪有机肥施加量的增加而增大,最高增幅分别为21.30%、21.58%、17.40%、19.40%和17.43%,出现明显的累积现象;施用有机肥均增加了土壤Cd、Cr、Cu、Zn和As的有效态含量,而Pb的全量和有效态含量无显著变化;除重金属Pb外,不同重金属元素全量与有效态含量均显著正相关,其中元素Zn的全量与有效态含量相关性最强。磷脂脂肪酸（PLFA）分析结果表明,土壤中含量较高的PLFA为16：0、18：1ω7c、10Me16：0和18：1ω9c,土壤微生物总PLFA和各类群PLFA含量均呈现M0.5 > M1 > CK > M2 > M4;相关性分析结果表明,土壤Cu、As全量和Cd、Cr、Cu、As有效态含量与微生物总PLFA和各类群PLFA含量均呈现显著负相关关系,其中有效态Cr和Cu含量对微生物群落结构的影响最为显著。     

Roles of mouse sperm‐associated alpha‐L‐fucosidases in fertilization

Sperm‐associated α‐L ‐fucosidases have been implicated in fertilization in many species. Previously, we documented the existence of α‐L ‐fucosidase in mouse cauda epididymal contents, and showed that sperm‐associated α‐L ‐fucosidase is cryptically stored within the acrosome and reappears within the sperm equatorial segment after the acrosome reaction. The enrichment of sperm membrane‐associated α‐L ‐fucosidase within the equatorial segment of acrosome‐reacted cells implicates its roles during fertilization. Here, we document the absence of α‐L ‐fucosidase in mouse oocytes and early embryos, and define roles of sperm associated α‐L ‐fucosidase in fertilization using specific inhibitors and competitors. Mouse sperm were pretreated with deoxyfuconojirimycin (DFJ, an inhibitor of α‐L ‐fucosidase) or with anti‐fucosidase antibody; alternatively, mouse oocytes were pretreated with purified human liver α‐L ‐fucosidase. Five‐millimolar DFJ did not inhibit sperm–zona pellucida (ZP) binding, membrane binding, or fusion and penetration, but anti‐fucosidase antibody and purified human liver α‐L ‐fucosidase significantly decreased the frequency of these events. To evaluate sperm‐associated α‐L ‐fucosidase enzyme activity in post‐fusion events, DFJ‐pretreated sperm were microinjected into oocytes, and 2‐pronuclear (2‐PN) embryos were treated with 5 mM DFJ with no significant effects, suggesting that α‐L ‐fucosidase enzyme activity does not play a role in post‐fusion events and/or early embryo development in mice. The recognition and binding of mouse sperm to the ZP and oolemma involves the glycoprotein structure of α‐L ‐fucosidase, but not its catalytic action. These observations suggest that deficits in fucosidase protein and/or the presence of anti‐fucosidase antibody may be responsible for some types of infertility. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80: 273–285, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Specific root length as an indicator of environmental change

Abstract

Specific root length (SRL, m g^?1) is probably the most frequently measured morphological parameter of fine roots. It is believed to characterize economic aspects of the root system and to be indicative of environmental changes. The main objectives of this paper were to review and summarize the published SRL data for different tree species throughout Europe and to assess SRL under varying environmental conditions. Meta-analysis was used to summarize the response of SRL to the following manipulated environmental conditions: fertilization, irrigation, elevated temperature, elevated CO₂, Al-stress, reduced light, heavy metal stress and physical disturbance of soil. SRL was found to be strongly dependent on the fine root classes, i.e. on the ectomycorrhizal short roots (ECM), and on the roots <0.5 mm, <1 mm, <2 mm and 1 – 2 mm in diameter SRL was largest for ECM and decreased with increasing diameter. Changes in soil factors influenced most strongly the SRL of ECM and roots <0.5 mm. The variation in the SRL components, root diameter and root tissue density, and their impact on the SRL value were computed. Meta-analyses showed that SRL decreased significantly under fertilization and Al-stress; it responded negatively to reduced light, elevated temperature and CO_2. We suggest that SRL can be used successfully as an indicator of nutrient availability to trees in experimental conditions.     

Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA

Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is generally observed in many eukaryotes. Sperm-derived paternal mitochondria and their mtDNA enter the oocyte cytoplasm upon fertilization and then normally disappear during early embryogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying this clearance of paternal mitochondria has remained largely unknown. Recently, we showed that autophagy is required for the elimination of paternal mitochondria in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Shortly after fertilization, autophagosomes are induced locally around the penetrated sperm components. These autophagosomes engulf paternal mitochondria, resulting in their lysosomal degradation during early embryogenesis. In autophagy-defective zygotes, paternal mitochondria and their genomes remain even in the larval stage. Therefore, maternal inheritance of mtDNA is accomplished by autophagic degradation of paternal mitochondria. We also found that another kind of sperm-derived structure, called the membranous organelle, is degraded by zygotic autophagy as well. We thus propose to term this allogeneic (nonself) organelle autophagy as allophagy.     

Rac1 is necessary for capacitation and acrosome reaction in guinea pig spermatozoa

Actin cytoskeleton remodeling is a critical process for the acquisition of fertilizing capacity by spermatozoa during capacitation. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates this process has not been fully elucidated. In somatic cells, Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 protein (Rac1) promotes the polymerization of actin by participating in the modeling of two structures: lamellipodia and adhesion complexes linked with the plasma membrane. Rac1 is expressed in mammalian spermatozoa; however, the role of Rac1 in sperm physiology is unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the participation of Rac1 in capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR). Rac1 was found to be dispersed throughout the acrosome and without changes in the middle piece. After 60 minutes of capacitation, Rac1 was found in the apical region of the acrosome only, which concurred with an increase in Rac1-GTP. Rac1 inhibition prevented such changes. In the middle piece, Rac1 localization remained unchanged. Besides, Rac1 inhibition blocked capacitation and AR. The present study demonstrates that Rac1 participates only in the actin cytoskeleton remodeling that occurs in the acrosomal apical region during capacitation, a region where a large amount of actin is polymerized and shaped in a diadem-like structure. Our data also show that this actin cytoskeleton organized by Rac1 interacts with filamin-1, and such interaction was blocked by the inhibition of Rac1, which led to a different organization of the actin cytoskeleton. All these outcomes imply that the formation of an F-actin cytoskeleton in the acrosomal apical region is a necessary event for capacitation and AR, and which is Rac1 driven.     

甘蔗联合固氮的研究进展及应用潜力

在农业生产中,化学氮肥的投入大幅度增加了粮食产量,然而过量或不合理的施肥措施对农业生态环境造成了严重破坏。因此,挖掘植物自身的生物学特性,寻求其他有效的氮素来源,对农业减肥增效至关重要。其中,植物与微生物之间的生物固氮作用,能为宿主提供大量的清洁氮源,在农业生产中发挥着不可替代的作用。本文以甘蔗为代表,综述了植物联合固氮的研究进展和应用潜力,包括联合固氮作用的提出、联合固氮菌的筛选、侵染机制及功能研究,并总结了联合固氮复合菌在甘蔗生产中的应用,以期为作物养分高效的品种改良及推动生物固氮作用在农业生产中的实践提供理论依据和参考。     

Subtractive phage display technology identifies zebrafish marcksb that is required for gastrulation

In the present study, we used a phage display technique to screen differentially expressed proteins from zebrafish post-gastrula embryos. With a subtractive screening approach, 6 types of single-chain Fv fragments (scFvs) were screened out from an scFv antibody phage display library by biopanning against zebrafish embryonic homogenate. Four scFv fragments (scFv1, scFv3, scFv4 and scFv6) showed significantly stronger binding to the tailbud embryos than to the 30%-epiboly embryos. A T7 phage display cDNA library was constructed from zebrafish tailbud embryos and used to identify the antigens potentially recognized by scFv1, which showed the highest frequency and strongest binding against the tailbud embryos. We acquired 4 candidate epitopes using scFv1 and the corresponding genes showed significantly higher expression levels at tailbud stage than at 30%-epiboly. The most potent epitope of scFv1 was the clone scFv1-2, which showed strong homology to zebrafish myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate b (Marcksb). Western blot analysis confirmed the high expression of marcksb in the post-gastrula embryos, and the endogenous expression of Marcksb was interfered by injection of scFv1. Zebrafish marcksb showed dynamic expression patterns during embryonic development. Knockdown of marcksb strongly affected gastrulation movements. Moreover, we revealed that zebrafish marcksb is required for cell membrane protrusion and F-actin alignment. Thus, our study uncovered 4 types of scFvs binding to zebrafish post-gastrula embryos, and the epitope of scFv1 was found to be required for normal gastrulation of zebrafish. To our knowledge, this was the first attempt to combine phage display technique with the embryonic and developmental study of vertebrates, and we were able to identify zebrafish marcksb that was required for gastrulation.     

The acrosome in ascidians. I. Pleurogona

Summary

A vesicle which contains moderately electron-dense material has been found at the apex of mature spermatozoa in all representatives of three pleurogonan families: in Styela clava, Cnemidocarpa finmarkiensis and Botryllus schlosseri (family Styelidae), in Boltenia villosa and Herdmania momus (family Pyuridae), and in Molgula manhattensis (family Molgulidae). The vesicle described here resembles the acrosome of Ciona intestinalis spermatozoa. The Ciona acrosome shows structural changes at fertilization (Fukumoto, M., J. Ultrastruct. Res., 87 (1984) 252–262). This suggests that pleurogonan spermatozoa also have an acrosome. Some speculations are presented on ascidian fertilization.     

PATERNITY PROTECTION CAN PROVIDE A KICK‐START FOR THE EVOLUTION OF MALE‐ONLY PARENTAL CARE

Sperm competition and uncertainty of paternity hamper the evolution of male parental care. Thus, maternal care predominates in most taxa. What if males can, however, limit cuckoldry by guarding the eggs postmating? Here, we show that this provides a reason to reconsider an old and nowadays rather discredited hypothesis: that external fertilization is associated with male care because the parent who releases its gametes first can depart leaving the other in a “cruel bind,” having to care for the offspring. In our model, protection of paternity provides an additional incentive for the male to stay associated with its young. When we then assume that offspring survive better if guarded, paternity protection proves enough to kick‐start the evolution of male‐only parental care from a scenario with no care. This fits with data from fishes, where male‐only care is associated with external fertilization, whereas female‐only care almost always evolves after an initial transition to internal fertilization. Our model unifies disparate hypotheses regarding parental care roles and provides support for the idea that care roles can be influenced by sex differences in selection to be physically close to the offspring, including selection that is initially not based on offspring survival.