RFLP tagging of a salt tolerance gene in rice

A salt tolerant rice mutant (M-20) was obtained through selection in vitro. Its tolerance was stably inherited over eight generations and most traints between M-20 and its sensitive original 77–170 (Oryza sativa) were very similar. By deriving an F₂ population of M-20 × 77–170 and splitting every F₂ individual into two parts, with one part planted in normal conditions and another part in saline conditions, the inheritance of salt tolerance in rice was studied. Under normal conditions, there was no apparent segregation among F₂ individuals. Under saline conditions, however, the segregation of traits was obvious. According to our standards, the ratio of salt sensitive:moderately-tolerant:tolerant plants was 25:42:18, in accordance with a 1:2:1 ratio. It suggested that the improvement of salt tolerance in our materials was induced by the mutation of a major tolerant gene which showed incomplete dominance. By use of 130 RFLP probes distributed throughout the rice genome, the gene was tagged by a single copy DNA probe, RG4, which was located on chromosome 7. The genetic distance between the salt tolerant gene and RG4 was 7.0 ± 2.9 cM. Based on the split method, a method which could be currently used to evaluate the damage of salt stress in rice was proposed.     

内蒙古早三叠世的Scalaroxylon及其演化意义

描述产于内蒙古下三叠统老龙头组木化石梯纹木属的一个新种ScalaroxylonjalaidqienseZhangetZhengsp.nov.及一个新联合种S.multiforium(ZhengetZhang)ZhangetZhengcomb.nov.。Scalaroxylon原产于德国上三叠统考依波层,当前报道的产自内蒙古的新材料是该类型化石在中国的首次发现。该属以次生木质部为代表,生长轮不存在,它的主要特征是管胞径向壁纹孔全为梯纹纹孔;木射线1至多列,异形;射线细胞的水平壁无孔,端壁通常具孔,弦向壁多数具孔。根据次生木质部管胞的纹孔类型和木射线构造特征对该属在植物系统演化上的意义进行了初步探讨,认为它代表了种子蕨类到苏铁类之间的中间环节。     

宽额螯蜂的幼期形态及生物学特性研究

宽额螯蜂Dryinus latus Olmi在山东商河寄生恶性席瓢蜡蝉Sivaloka damnosus Chouet Lu若虫,具有捕食和寄生的双重控制作用。首次明确该蜂寄主,记述其幼期形态特征、生活史、生活习性。在山东商河1年发生2代,以4龄老熟幼虫在茧内越冬。翌年4月下旬至5月上旬为化蛹盛期,5月中旬越冬代成虫开始出现,捕捉寄主若虫补充营养。成虫主要产卵于恶性席瓢蜡蝉3～5龄若虫前后翅芽下紧贴体背的淡绿色组织上。第1代卵历期平均78.1h,幼虫孵化至脱囊平均历时209.5h,产卵至脱囊平均历时280.0h,蛹期平均386.4h。幼虫作茧于枝条、叶片或地面枯叶上,茧外缀有枝条表皮或叶片碎屑。7月下旬至8月上旬出现第1代成虫,第2代幼虫8月上旬开始脱囊结茧越冬。野外寄生率27.8%～45.7%,控制作用显著。     

A review of recent advances in the study of early angiosperms from northeastern China

The last 10 years (1998–2007) were very productive and important in the study of early angiosperms in northeastern China. The new discoveries of the earliest well-documented records of angiosperms such as Archaefructus, as well as Hyrcantha decussata (= Sinocarpus decussatus), provided fresh knowledge for better understanding the primitive characters of the ancient angiosperms and also their aquatic (or wet) habitat and their herbaceous nature. Some new approaches such as the combination of molecular and morphological characters joined together to place Archaefructus in the angiosperm phylogenetic framework. These fossils demonstrate that we should expect more ancient angiosperms to be found in the pre-Cretaceous which will continue to add important new understanding to the nature of the origin and evolution of the angiosperms.     

植物分子生态学进展(Ⅰ)——遗传结构和杂交(英)

从物种遗传结构和杂交的角度介绍了当前植物分子生态学研究的新进展。对于物种遗传结构,文章分析了物种生物学特性、生态因子对它的影响,强调了种群不同世代遗传结构研究的重要性。而在杂交研究领域,文章揭示了分子生物学手段有着比传统形态分析方法更多的优越性。     

Dichloroacetophenones targeting at pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 with improved selectivity and antiproliferative activity: Synthesis and structure-activity relationships

Dichloroacetophenone is a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) inhibitor with suboptimal kinase selectivity. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of novel dichloroacetophenones. Structure-activity relationship analyses (SARs) enabled us to identify three potent compounds, namely 54, 55, and 64, which inhibited PDK1 function, activated pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and reduced the proliferation of NCI-H1975 cells. Mitochondrial bioenergetics assay suggested that 54, 55, and 64 enhanced the oxidative phosphorylation in cancer cells, which might contribute to the observed anti-proliferation effects. Collectively, these results suggested that 54, 55, and 64 could be promising compounds for the development of potent PDK1 inhibitors.     

BCAR1 plays critical roles in the formation and immunoevasion of invasive circulating tumor cells in lung adenocarcinoma

Background: We investigated the roles of breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance 1 (BCAR1/p130Cas) in the formation and immunoevasion of invasive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).Methods: Biomarkers of CTCs including BCAR1 and CD274, were evaluated by the CanPatrol method. Proteomics analysis of LUAD cells and exosomes after BCAR1 overexpression (BCAR1-OE) was performed by mass spectrometry. Cell functions and relevant signaling pathways were investigated after BCAR1 knockdown (BCAR1-KO) or BCAR1-OE in LUAD cells. Lastly, in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to confirm the roles of BCAR1 in the formation and immunoevasion of CTCs.Results:High expression of BCAR1 by CTCs correlated with CD274 expression and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). RAC1, together with BCAR1, was found to play an important role in the carcinogenesis of LUAD. RAC1 functioned with BCAR1 to induce EMT and to enhance cell proliferation, colony formation, cell invasion and migration, and anoikis resistance in LUAD cells. BCAR1 up-regulated CD274 expression probably by shuttling the short isoform of BRD4 (BRD4-S) into the nucleus. CTCs, as well as tumor formation, were prohibited in nude mice xenografted with BCAR1-KO cells. The co-expression of BCAR1/RAC1 and BCAR1/CD274 was confirmed in LUAD. BCAR1 expression in LUAD is an indicator of poor prognosis, and it associates with immunoevasion.Conclusion:BCAR1, as a new target for the treatment of LUAD, plays roles in the formation and immunoevasion of invasive CTCs. The mechanism includes triggering EMT via RAC1 signaling and up-regulating CD274 expression by shuttling BRD4-S into the nucleus.     

Effects of extreme temperature on seedling establishment of nonnative invasive plants

Climate change and plant invasion are two of the most important ecological issues facing the world today. Extreme events are likely to play an important role in plant invasion. For example, tolerance to temperature stress is critical for plant germination and survival of seedlings. Nonnative invasive species tend to differ from co-occurring native species in several traits. Increased mean temperatures are known to enhance the risk of plant invasions, but few experimental studies have linked plant invasion to both increasing mean temperature and extreme (low and high) temperatures. Ten plant species from Asteraceae (six nonnative invasive and four native species) were chosen and six temperatures (extremely low, average winter, average annual, average summer, high and extremely high) were used to test the effects of extreme temperatures on plant invasion in southern China. The results showed that nonnative invasive plant species (IS) germinated more readily and the seedlings grew better than those of native plant species (NS) at high temperatures, suggesting that global warming may facilitate invasion. Extreme temperatures decreased the seed germination rate and seedling growth of both IS and NS, although NS were more tolerant of extremely low temperatures (5/0 °C). IS, in turn, were more tolerant of extremely high temperatures (40/35 °C). Extreme high temperatures may increase the risk of plant invasion because IS seedlings are better able to become established, whereas low temperatures may hinder invasion. In addition, the species-specific differences in plant origin (IS and NS) and temperature tolerance were correlated with other climatic factors and should be considered in managing invasive species in a changing world.     

生态恢复经济学

在总结国内外关于生态恢复经济理论研究进展的基础上, 提出了生态恢复经济学的学科含义、地位、特点和研究对象.生态恢复经济学是研究退化生态系统退化过程中的经济损失、退化生态系统恢复期间的成本效益以及恢复过程中的经济价值动态变化的一门交叉性学科.它以人类可持续利用为核心,研究生态系统退化、恢复和重建过程中生态系统与经济系统之间客观运动规律及其机理的一门科学.生态恢复经济学具有综合性和实践性的特点,它是生态经济学和恢复生态学的重要分支学科,在生态经济学理论体系中具有特别重要的地位.     

薇甘菊乙醇酸氧化酶基因的克隆、序列分析和原核表达

利用SSH和RACE相结合的方法获得了薇甘菊乙醇酸氧化酶基因cDNA全长,并对该序列进行了生物信息学分析。随后将该基因的cDNA编码区克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a(+)中,构建重组表达质粒,转化到大肠杆菌Rosetta-gami(DE3)中进行表达。序列分析表明,薇甘菊乙醇酸氧化酶基因cDNA全长1 363 bp,编码369个氨基酸,命名为MmGO（GenBank登录号EU716626）,推测的MmGO分子量为40.32 kDa,等电点为8.99。系统进化分析表明,MmGO与芸苔的GO序列亲缘关系比较近。将该基因重组到pET-32a(+)中进行原核表达,经0.1 mmol·L^-1 IPTG,25℃诱导4 h,获得了具有较高表达水平的融合蛋白6×His MmGO,Western-blot证实表达的6×His-MmGO能与抗6×His的单抗发生特异性反应,分子量约为60 kDa,与预测的融合蛋白6×His-MmGO分子量相符。为进一步研究融合蛋白6×His-MmGO的活性和功能奠定了基础。