Engorgement of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides ticks blocked by silencing a protein inhibitor of apoptosis

Inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) are regulators of cell death and may play a role in the salivary glands of ticks during blood-feeding. We cloned the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of the IAP gene in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (RhIAP). The RhIAP ORF of 1887 bp encodes a predicted protein of 607 amino acids, which contains three baculovirus IAP repeat domains and a RING finger motif. A real-time PCR assay showed that RhIAP mRNA was expressed in all the tick developmental stages (eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults) and in all tissues examined (midgut, ovary, salivary glands, fat body, and hemolymph). Western blot showed that the protein level of RhIAP in salivary glands increased during tick blood-feeding and decreased towards the end of tick engorgement. RhIAP gene silencing in vitro experiments with salivary glands demonstrated that RhIAP could be effectively knocked down within 48 h after dsRNA treatment, and as a consequence, salivary glands displayed apoptotic morphology. RhIAP gene silencing also inhibited tick blood-feeding and decreased the engorgement rate. These data suggest that RhIAP might be a suitable RNAi target for tick control.

     

新疆哈密山区天山马鹿(Cervus elaphus songaricus)的种群数量调查*

查清新疆东部哈密山区野生天山马鹿(Cervus elaphus songaricus)种群的现状,可为有效保护与合理利用野生马鹿资源提供科学依据。我们通过截线抽样法和遥感技术,弄清哈密山区天山马鹿的栖息地范围,估算马鹿的种群数量及种群密度。在哈密山区野生天山马鹿分布区域共设计了28条样线,总长度60.1 km,遇见马鹿233头,通过计算得到该地区马鹿天山亚种种群平均密度为(2.83?1.01)头/km2。栖息地面积374.35 km2,估计马鹿总数为(1 057.56?379.71)头左右。雌雄比例2.24:1,幼体和亚成体的总数量多于成体和老体总数。研究区域内马鹿的种群密度和资源总数量比往年的调查结果有所上升;马鹿的分布海拔高度比较一致,但种群的大小具有不均匀性;从性比和年龄结构来看该研究区域的马鹿种群面向着数量的增长趋势。     

基于线粒体Cyt b基因序列变异的克孜河塔里木裂腹鱼和斑重唇鱼遗传多样性

采用线粒体细胞色素b基因(Cyt b)序列,分析了采自新疆克孜河3个群体(斯木哈纳SM、牙师YS、卡拉贝利KL)的塔里木裂腹鱼(Schizothorax biddulphi)41尾个体及1个斑重唇鱼(Diptychus maculates)群体(斯木哈纳)23尾个体的种群遗传多样性和遗传结构.结果显示,塔里木裂腹鱼检测到6个碱基变异位点,定义了4种单倍型,平均单倍型多样性指数及核苷酸多样性指数分别为0.525 4和0.001 16.分子变异分析(AMOVA)结果提示,塔里木裂腹鱼的遗传变异全部发生于群体内部;群体间Kimura-2-parameter遗传距离、分化指数(F<,st><0.085 25)和基因流(N<,m>>3.18)都显示3个群体没有种群分化,属于单一种群.斑重唇鱼检测出7个变异位点,定义了8个单倍型,平均单倍型多样性指数与核苷酸多样性指数分别为0.830 1和0.001 13.研究表明,克孜河的塔里木裂腹鱼和斑重唇鱼均处于很低的遗传多样性水平,物种维持力较弱.