Male Drosophila melanogaster show adaptive mating bias in response to female infection status

Given the non-trivial cost of reproduction for males and substantial variation in female quality, males have been predicted to show mating bias as an evolved strategy. Using a large outbred population of Drosophila melanogaster, we test this prediction and show that males may adaptively bias their mating effort in response to the infection status of females. Given a simultaneous choice between females infected with pathogenic bacteria and sham infected females, males preferentially mated with the latter, who had a higher reproductive output compared to infected females. This may provide evidence for pre-copulatory male mate choice. Assessment of the reproductive behaviour ensured that the observed pattern of mating bias was not due to differences in receptivity between females infected with pathogenic bacteria and sham infected females. Further, there was no evidence for post-copulatory male mate choice measured in terms of copulation duration.     

八种广西特有报春苣苔属植物开花生物学特性研究

广西是报春苣苔属植物的世界分布中心,特有种较多。该研究针对线叶报春苣苔(Primulina linearifolia)、条叶报春苣苔(P. ophiopogoides)、刺齿报春苣苔(P. spinulosa)、大根报春苣苔(P. macrorhiza)、线萼报春苣苔(P. linearicalyx)、癞叶报春苣苔(P. leprosa)、桂中报春苣苔(P. guizhongensis)、百寿报春苣苔(P. baishouensis),八种广西特有种的开花物候期、开花动态、子房发育情况、花粉活性等开花生物学特性进行了研究。结果表明:(1)八种广西特有报春苣苔属植物在野外及人工环境下部分种在花期、单株开花量、单花开放持续时间具有显著性差异。人工栽培植株在单株开花量、单花开放持续时间要优于野生植株。(2)不同物种的单花花期长短不同,为3～14 d。雄蕊在花蕾阶段已经基本完成生长。雌雄蕊成熟期不一致,雄蕊先于雌蕊成熟。(3)花冠半开放至完全打开阶段的花粉活性最高,均在90%以上。(4)花冠完全开放阶段的柱头可授性最强。(5)自花授粉不能结实,异花授粉可正常结实,自交种子发芽率在80%以上。综上结果不仅为解决珍稀物种的繁殖障碍和保存种质资源提供了数据支持,而且对后续提高报春苣苔属的杂交育种成功率具有重要意义。     

桂林唇柱苣苔和百寿唇柱苣苔的开花动态及花粉活力和柱头可授性的比较

对桂林唇柱苣苔的两个居群(YZ居群和DB居群)和百寿唇柱苣苔的开花动态、花粉活力和柱头可授性进行了比较研究。结果表明,桂林唇柱苣苔的两个居群花期、单花持续期存在明显差异,DB居群的花期较YZ居群晚,但花期长于后者。YZ居群的花期、单花持续期与百寿唇柱苣苔的花期、单花持续期相近。三者开花过程相似。花粉活性和柱头可授性达最大的时间、持续时间在桂林唇柱苣苔的两个居群以及百寿唇柱苣苔之间具有明显差异。     

滇重楼和毛重楼花粉活力和柱头可授性的研究

用TTC法测定了滇重楼和毛重楼花粉的活力,用联苯胺—过氧化氢法测定了其柱头的可授性。结果表明滇重楼的花粉活力在散粉后第1天活力较高以后则逐渐下降,在第2天和第19天花粉活力则急剧下降,但能维持20～23d,在整个花期中基本都具有活力。毛重楼的花粉寿命约为4d,第2天花粉活力达到最大值,第3天后花粉活力急剧下降,总体活力较低。滇重楼和毛重楼的柱头在整个花期中几乎都具可授性,但滇重楼在11～13d时柱头可授性最强,毛重楼在第5天可授性最强。两种重楼植物花粉活力较高的时期与柱头可授性较强的时期不一致,但柱头可授性较强的时间与分泌黏液较多的时间基本一致。     

观赏海棠品种间的杂交亲和性研究和亲本选择

为筛选出优质亲本及杂交组合,确定最佳授粉时期,探究观赏海棠品种间的杂交亲和性,为观赏海棠的新品种培育提供参考,该研究以15个性状互补的海棠品种为供试材料,用离体培养法测定花粉活力、悬液法测定花粉含量并对其雄性育性进行评价;联苯胺-过氧化氢法测定其不同开花时期的柱头可授性;荧光显微观察法观察授粉后花粉管的生长及受精情况;人工控制授粉法研究5个杂交组合的坐果动态变化情况。结果显示,(1)根据花粉活力可将15个海棠品种的雄性育性分为不育型、较低型、中等型、优质型4类,其中‘印第安之夏’、‘冬红’等6个品种为优质父本。(2)海棠从开花前1 d至第6天的柱头可授性呈现“弱—强—弱”的变化规律,开花第3天时的柱头可授性最强。(3)授粉后4～8 h花粉开始萌发,48～96 h完成受精。(4)花粉育性和柱头可授性与杂交坐果率、种子饱满率间均存在显著的正相关性。授粉后2个月内是落果集中期,此后至果实成熟坐果率基本趋于稳定。‘冬红’ב印第安之夏’、‘草莓果冻’ב印第安之夏’为高坐果率杂交组合。研究表明,海棠雌雄蕊存在发育不同步现象,选择育性优质的亲本是杂交取得成功的关键,而受精后障碍是本研究中海棠杂交...     

束花石斛的繁育生物学特性

为了探究束花石斛（Dendrobium chrysanthum）的繁育生物学特性,对其开花习性、花粉活力、柱头分泌特性、人工授粉结实率、自然结实种子育性和贮藏特性进行研究,结果表明：（1）束花石斛花芽萌动期为19d,现蕾期为23 d,群体花期为28 d,单花寿命10～15 d;(2)开花1～3 d花粉活力保持在90%左右,开花至第9天时花粉活力仅为23.7%,初始3 d开花的花粉活力与其他时间取样的活力差异均达极显著水平（P<0.01）,花粉活力随开花时间延长呈由强到弱的趋势;（3）束花石斛的柱头腔从开花第2天开始有分泌物,第6 d时分泌物最多,柱头过氧化氢染色结果表明在开花5～6 d时柱头可授性最强,柱头可授性随开花时间延长呈由弱到强再到弱的趋势;（4）选取花朵开放4 d的花粉和柱头人工授粉,同株异花和同花授粉未见结实。野外结实果质量2.02～4.83 g,种子长0.628～0.845 mm,宽0.082～0.110 mm,长宽比为7.798,成胚率达97.35%,种子活力为90.80%,室温条件保存6个月的种子活力维持在73.20%。上述结果说明,束花石斛单花花期不长,开花初...     

Obligatory ontogenetic colour change correlated with sexual maturity in adult Chrysoperla congrua (Walker) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Soon after pupal eclosion, adult Chrysoperla congrua undergo obligatory ontogenetic colour change. This phenomenon, unique among lacewings to C. congrua , is investigated further and its functional significance is discussed. Four to 5 days after eclosion, adult C. congrua undergo obligatory ontogenetic colour change from yellow-brown to green, which corresponds with maturation of gonads in both sexes. Courtship displays by both sexes involving abdominal tremulation (calling) always occurred soon after colour change. I propose that colour change in adult C. congrua serves not only as camouflage in a dynamic habitat, as suggested by previous authors, but may also serve as a visual cue to conspecifics of sexual maturity and receptiveness to a potential mate.     

白杨派树种雌蕊柱头可授性及其检测方法的研究

以银腺杨、毛新杨和银毛杨为材料,采用定期授粉观察以及联苯胺-过氧化氢染色等方法,对白杨派树种雌蕊柱头可授性进行了研究,结果表明:在温室水培条件下,白杨树种雌蕊柱头的可授期一般在1~3 d内,其中毛新杨雌蕊柱头可授期比银腺杨和银毛杨相对短些.但3个树种进入最佳授粉时期时的柱头开裂角度约为180°,此时柱头发亮且表面有大量分泌物存在;在适宜授粉时期内,用联苯胺-过氧化氢染色后柱头变蓝,并有气泡产生。在育种实践中,可根据柱头形态以及联苯胺-过氧化氢染色后柱头颜色变化和气泡产生情况及时判别有关白杨派树种最佳授粉时期。     

The effect of fludrocortisone on the uterine receptivity partially mediated by ERK1/2-mTOR pathway

Implantation of embryos needs endometrial receptivity. Mineralocorticoids is one of the causes influencing the implantation window. This study targeted to evaluation fludrocortisone different properties on endometrial receptivity. The objective of this study was to assess whether treatment with fludrocortisone could impact the expression of diverse genes and proteins that are involved in uterine receptivity in mice. In this study, 40 female adult BALB/c mice were used. The samples were allocated to four groups of ten. Control group (C) received: vehicle; fludrocortisone group (FCA): received 1.5 mg/kg fludrocortisone; PP242 group (PP242): received 30 mg/kg PP242; fludrocortisone+PP242 group (FCA+PP242): received fludrocortisone and PP242. Mice were killed on window implantation day after mating and confirmed pregnancy. The endometrial epithelium of mouse was collected to assess mRNA expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), mucin-1 (MUC1), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), (Msx.1), miRNA Let-7a, and miRNA 223-3p as well as protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in the uterine using real-time PCR and western blot, respectively. In comparison with the control group, fludrocortisone administration upregulated the expression of LIF, HB-EGF, Msx.1, miRNA Let-7a, ERK1/2, and mTOR in the epithelial endometrium. The PP242-treated group demonstrated a significant rise in the expression of MUC1, miRNA 223-3p and a remarkable decline in ERK1/2 and p-4E-BP1 levels in comparison with the control group. Combination therapy of (FCA+PP242) resulted in a remarkable rise in LIF, Msx-1, HB-EGF, ERK1/2, and mTOR levels, in comparison with the PP242 group. Furthermore, combination therapy of (FCA+PP242) downregulated the expression of MUC1 in comparison with the PP242-treated group. According to the results, fludrocortisone affected uterine receptivity possibly by means of modulating the expression of genes involved in the uterine receptivity and activation of the ERK1/2-mTOR pathway.     

Development of a high-throughput assay for human proprotein convertase 5/6 for detecting uterine receptivity

Embryo implantation requires a healthy embryo and a receptive uterus. In women, the inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium, remains in a hostile state and becomes receptive for embryo implantation for only a short period during each menstrual cycle. Determining endometrial receptivity is vital in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment because the timing of embryo transfer needs to be synchronized with endometrial receptivity. We have previously demonstrated that proprotein convertase 5/6A (PC6) is highly expressed in the receptive endometrium and that PC6 is critical for receptivity establishment in women. Furthermore, endometrial PC6 is secreted into the uterine fluid, and levels correlate with receptivity status. Detection of PC6 in uterine fluids, therefore, would provide a nonsurgical assessment of endometrial receptivity. However, to date no assays are available for human PC6. In this study, we produced three PC6 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and developed a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for PC6 detection in human uterine fluids. The PC6 mAbs were confirmed to be highly specific to PC6, and the ELISA detected PC6 in human uterine fluids with a significantly higher level during the receptive phase. This newly established PC6 ELISA provides an important tool in the development of noninvasive strategies to detect endometrial receptivity in women.