Spectrum structures and biological functions of 8-mers in the human genome

The spectra of k-mer frequencies can reveal the structures and evolution of genome sequences. We confirmed that the trimodal spectrum of 8-mers in human genome sequences is distinguished only by CG2, CG1 and CG0 8-mer sets, containing 2,1 or 0 CpG, respectively. This phenomenon is called independent selection law. The three types of CG 8-mers were considered as different functional elements. We conjectured that (1) nucleosome binding motifs are mainly characterized by CG1 8-mers and (2) the core structural units of CpG island sequences are predominantly characterized by CG2 8-mers. To validate our conjectures, nucleosome occupied sequences and CGI sequences were extracted, then the sequence parameters were constructed through the information of the three CG 8-mer sets respectively. ROC analysis showed that CG1 8-mers are more preference in nucleosome occupied segments (AUC > 0.7) and CG2 8-mers are more preference in CGI sequences (AUC > 0.99). This validates our conjecture in principle.     

Characterization and antioxidant activity of an exopolysaccharide produced by Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides JF17 from juçara fruits (Euterpe edulis Martius)

Juçara palm tree is considered an important species in the Atlantic forest ecosystem and the exploitation of its fruits is a main sustainable strategy adopted to its maintenance. Among several microorganisms in the juçara fruits, were found lactic acid bacteria (LAB) highly capable of synthesizing exopolysaccharides (EPS). Thus, the EPS synthesized by Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides JF17 was characterized according to its chemical structure, physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity. HPLC analysis showed that the EPS consisted of a homopolysaccharide composed of glucose units, FT-IR spectroscopy revealed a dextran, confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra which showed the composition of the polysaccharide, d-glucose units bound by α-(1→6). The EPS showed high water retention capacity, 507.812 ± 47.471 %, and may be related to the porous structure revealed by SEM images. Thermal analysis indicated that the EPS had excellent thermal stability with degradation temperature of 320.8 °C and melting point at 279.81 °C, with the enthalpy of 106.557 J/g. The EPS also presented sequestration ability on different free radicals tested, indicating high antioxidant activity. The results suggest that L. pseudomesenteroides JF17 might be widely used in the production of dextran which has potential qualities for applications in the food industry.     

小麦倒春寒研究现状与进展

由于全球气候变暖,近年来小麦低温灾害事件频发,尤其是拔节-孕穗期的倒春寒灾害已成为制约小麦产量和品质的重要因素之一。本文综述了小麦倒春寒灾害的发生特点(鉴定与分级、时空特征),倒春寒对小麦生理特性(叶片、茎秆、穗部、根系)和产量、质量的影响,总结了抗倒春寒小麦育种、倒春寒危害的分子生物学机制及灾害的监测预警与风险评估等方面的研究进展,并从小麦抗倒春寒遗传基础、倒春寒危害小麦评价体系和防控技术体系等方面进行了展望,以期为抗倒春寒小麦品种的遗传改良和栽培调控新措施的建立提供理论依据。     

热风干燥温度对荷叶离褶伞干燥特性及挥发性风味物质的影响

为探究不同热风干燥温度对荷叶离褶伞干燥特性及挥发性风味物质的影响。本研究比较了8种常见干燥动力学模型对荷叶离褶伞干燥过程拟合的适用性,采用GC-IMS技术,对不同干燥温度处理下荷叶离褶伞的挥发性风味物质进行测定。结果表明：荷叶离褶伞热风干燥为典型的降速干燥,Midilli-Kucuk模型可以较好地描述其热风干燥过程（R²>0.99791,RMSE<0.0152,χ²<2.31×10^-4）;温度对荷叶离褶伞风味物质影响显著,在5个干燥温度处理下的荷叶离褶伞中共鉴定到47种挥发性风味物质,包括醛类13种、酮类8种、醇类13种、酯类5种和其他类8种。随着干燥温度升高（55-75℃）,醛类物质相对含量呈下降趋势,而醇类、酮类以及其他物质（乙酸等）略有上升趋势。     

遮荫对彩叶植物矾根夏季适应性表型的影响

以彩叶植物矾根(Heuchera micrantha)‘蜜桃’(‘Georgia Peach’)、‘小珍珠’(‘Petite pearl fairy’)、‘花毯’ (‘Tapestry’)为材料,研究不同遮荫处理对矾根观赏特征、高温半致死温度以及成活率的影响。结果表明,在遮荫条件下,三个矾根品种株高增加、叶面积变大、花序变长、开花推迟,‘蜜桃’和‘小珍珠’花期延长,‘花毯’花期缩短。遮荫引起‘蜜桃’和‘小珍珠’叶绿素含量、类胡萝卜素含量显著上升,花色素苷含量明显下降,叶色由红、紫色向灰绿色转变,叶片彩化度下降;‘花毯’的叶绿素、类胡萝卜素和花青素含量均随遮荫度增加显著上升,其叶色由浅绿转为深绿,叶脉紫红色加重,彩化度提高,观赏性增强。随着遮荫度提高,三个矾根品种的高温半致死温度明显升高,成活率显著上升。相关性分析表明,三个矾根品种的成活率与最高气温、最大光强、气温、光强分别存在极显著负相关关系,与相对湿度以及该品种的高温半致死温度分别存在极显著正相关关系。多元逐步回归分析表明,高光强是引起‘蜜桃’成活率下降的关键因素,‘小珍珠’的成活率主要取决于高温半致死温度,‘花毯’的成活率主要受极端高温的影响。     

云南特有螺类光肋螺蛳主要生物学特征研究

光肋螺蛳（Margarya mansugi）是仅分布于云南省的特有螺类。受过度捕捞、栖息环境破坏等人为因素影响,光肋螺蛳自然种群急剧萎缩,目前已被世界自然保护联盟列为极危物种。由于光肋螺蛳的研究资料匮乏,其生物学特征尚未被完全掌握,制约了光肋螺蛳保护对策的制定。为此,通过室内人工驯养观察,记述了光肋螺蛳的形态、活动习性、食性、生长和繁殖等主要生物学特征。光肋螺蛳壳质厚且坚硬,呈长圆锥形,褐色,角质厣,螺壳一般有5~6个螺层,体螺层有4条环肋,雌螺体型一般比同龄雄螺大;喜栖息在水体底层,夜晚活动频率明显高于白天;主要以藻类为食,成螺经驯化可摄食人工配合饲料;仔螺、幼螺和成螺的生长速度顺次降低;性成熟时间需要两年以上,卵胎生,终年生产,一般在白天交配,交配时间7~10 h,分批产仔,每次产仔1~2只,观察到的一只雌螺分9批产仔,共产仔螺14只。从受精到仔螺产出需85 d以上。本研究可为光肋螺蛳基础生物学研究积累资料,同时也可为高原湖泊特有螺类的人工驯养繁育提供参考。     

In vitro micropropagation of Dracaena sanderiana Sander ex Mast: An important indoor ornamental plant

A protocol has been developed for in vitro plant regeneration from a nodal explant of Dracaena sanderiana Sander ex Mast. Nodal explant showed high callus induction potentiality on MS medium supplemented with 6.78 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) followed by 46.5 μM chlorophenoxy acetic acid (CPA). The highest frequency of shoot regeneration (85%) and number of shoots per explant (5.6) were obtained on medium supplemented with 7.84 μM N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BA). Rooting was high on MS solid compared to liquid medium when added with 7.38 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Fifty percent of the roots were also directly rooted as microcuttings on soil rite, sand and peat mixture (1:1:1). In vitro and ex vitro raised plantlets were used for acclimatization. More than 90% of the plantlets was successfully acclimatized and established in plastic pots. Ex vitro transferred plantlets were normal without any phenotypic aberrations.     

Rapid and repeatable host plant shifts drive reproductive isolation following a recent human-mediated introduction of the apple maggot fly,Rhagoletis pomonella

Ecological speciation via host-shifting is often invoked as a mechanism for insect diversification, but the relative importance of this process is poorly understood. The shift of Rhagoletis pomonella in the 1850s from the native downy hawthorn, Crataegus mollis, to introduced apple, Malus pumila, is a classic example of sympatric host race formation, a hypothesized early stage of ecological speciation. The accidental human-mediated introduction of R. pomonella into the Pacific Northwest (PNW) in the late 1970s allows us to investigate how novel ecological opportunities may trigger divergent adaptation and host race formation on a rapid timescale. Since the introduction, the fly has spread in the PNW, where in addition to apple, it now infests native black hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii, and introduced ornamental hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna. We use this “natural experiment” to test for genetic differentiation among apple, black, and ornamental hawthorn flies co-occurring at three sympatric sites. We report evidence that populations of all three host-associations are genetically differentiated at the local level, indicating that partial reproductive isolation has evolved in this novel habitat. Our results suggest that conditions suitable for initiating host-associated divergence may be common in nature, allowing for the rapid evolution of new host races when ecological opportunity arises.     

暗黑菌(Atribacteria)的环境分布和功能特征

暗黑菌门包括OP9和JS1两大分支,成员大多为未培养微生物,在自然环境中广泛分布,并且在部分环境如厌氧海洋沉积物、地热环境以及油藏中为优势微生物。基于基因组信息的研究表明,暗黑菌为严格的厌氧微生物,同时具有降解糖类、小分子酸、短链正构烷烃的能力,在地球碳循环过程中可能扮演着重要的角色。然而,由于缺乏相应代表性的纯培养菌株,对于暗黑菌的生理生化功能推测仍有待验证。文章概述了暗黑菌的发现及发展历史,分析了其环境分布和多样性,简述了目前提出的三种代谢方式,提出了未来暗黑菌的研究发展方向。