Sequence analysis of a 101-kilobase plasmid required for agar degradation by a Microscilla isolate.

An agar-degrading marine bacterium identified as a Microscilla species was isolated from coastal California marine sediment. This organism harbored a single 101-kb circular DNA plasmid designated pSD15. The complete nucleotide sequence of pSD15 was obtained, and sequence analysis indicated a number of genes putatively encoding a variety of enzymes involved in polysaccharide utilization. The most striking feature was the occurrence of five putative agarase genes. Loss of the plasmid, which occurred at a surprisingly high frequency, was associated with loss of agarase activity, supporting the sequence analysis results.     

Winter food availability limits winter survival of Mongolian gerbils (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Meriones unguiculatus</Emphasis>)

Food availability is important to the dynamics of animal social organizations or populations. However, the role of winter food availability in animal population dynamics is still controversial. We carried out an experimental study to test Lack’s hypothesis that reduced food in winter limits survival and spring numbers of breeding individuals of social groups, using the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) as model species. We established 24 gerbil social groups in 24, 10 × 10 m, pens in September 2008. We provided wheat seeds as supplemental food in 12 enclosures from September 2008 to March 2009; the other 12 enclosures, not provided with supplemental food, served as controls. We live-trapped gerbils at a 2-week interval from September to April. Supplemental food during winter increased biweekly survival by 10% relative to that in control groups. Only four control social groups survived to the end of our study whereas all 12 food-supplemented social groups survived through our study period. Supplemental food also increased cumulative numbers of recruits and group sizes of gerbils. We conclude that winter food availability limits winter survival and spring social groups or population sizes of Mongolian gerbils.     

Phylogenetics of Tribe Collabieae (Orchidaceae,Epidendroideae) Based on Four Chloroplast Genes with Morphological Appraisal

Collabieae (Orchidaceae) is a long neglected tribe with confusing tribal and generic delimitation and little-understood phylogenetic relationships. Using plastid matK, psaB, rbcL, and trnH-psbA DNA sequences and morphological evidence, the phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Collabieae were assessed as a basis for revising their tribal and generic delimitation. Collabieae (including the previously misplaced mycoheterotrophic Risleya) is supported as monophyletic and nested within a superclade that also includes Epidendreae, Podochileae, Cymbidieae and Vandeae. Risleya is nested in Collabiinae and sister to Chrysoglossum, a relationship which, despite their great vegetative differences, is supported by floral characters. Ania is a distinct genus supported by both morphological and molecular evidence, while redefined Tainia includes Nephelaphyllum and Mischobulbum. Calanthe is paraphyletic and consists four clades; the genera Gastrorchis, Phaius and Cephalantheropsis should be subsumed within Calanthe. Calanthe sect. Ghiesbreghtia is nested within sect. Calanthe, to which the disputed Calanthe delavayi belongs as well. Our results indicate that, in Collabieae, habit evolved from being epiphytic to terrestrial.     

A comparative analysis of photosynthetic characteristics of hulless barley at two altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau

To determine the photosynthetic characteristics of C₃ plants and their sensitivity to CO₂ at different altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau, hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ssp. vulgare) was grown at altitudes of 4,333 m and 3,688 m. Using gas-exchange measurements, photosynthetic parameters were simulated, including the maximum net photosynthesis (P _max) and the apparent quantum efficiency (α). Plants growing at higher altitude had higher net photosynthetic rates (P _N), photosynthesis parameters (P _max and α) and sensitivities to CO₂ enhancement than plants growing at lower altitude on the Tibetan Plateau. The enhancements of P _N, P _max, and α for plants growing at higher altitude, corresponding with 10 μmol(CO₂) mol⁻¹ increments, were approximately 0.20∼0.45%, 0.05∼0.20% and 0.12∼0.36% greater, respectively, than for plants growing at lower altitude, respectively, where CO₂ levels rose from 10 to 170 μmol(CO₂) mol⁻¹. Therefore, on the Tibetan Plateau, the changes in the photosynthetic capacities and the photosynthetic sensitivities to CO₂ observed in the C₃ plants grown above 3,688 m are likely to increase with altitude despite the decreasing CO₂ partial pressure.     

Tandem duplication and divergence of a sea urchin protein belonging to the troponin C superfamily

The Spec1 and Spec2 proteins of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus are related to calmodulin, troponin C, and myosin light chains by sequence similarity in their four calcium binding domains. These domains, the EF-hands, are distinct helix-loop-helix structures of about 40 amino acids. The Spec1 and Spec2 genes are expressed specifically in aboral ectoderm cells of the developing embryo; however, the function of the Spec proteins in these cells is unknown. To find conserved regions of the proteins that might be important for structure and function, Spec homologues from Lytechinus pictus, a distantly related sea urchin, were sought. L. pictus embryos do not synthesize detectable amounts of the 14,000-17,000-Da Spec proteins as determined by two-dimensional gel electro-phoresis, but do synthesize three 34,000-Da proteins that cross-react with Spec1 antibodies and display a similar ontogenetic pattern of expression. cDNA clones were isolated by hybridization to a synthetic oligonucleotide corresponding to the EF-hand. One clone, LpS1, encodes an mRNA with developmental properties like those of the S. purpuratus Spec mRNAs. However, LpS1 contains an open reading frame for a protein of 34,000 Da rather than 17,000 Da, and antibodies raised against part of the LpS1 reading frame demonstrate that LpS1 encodes a 34,000-Da protein in L. pictus embryos. The sequence of LpS1 reveals the presence of eight EF-hand domains, which share structural homology with the Spec1 or Spec2 EF-hands; however, little else in the protein sequence is conserved. The results support the hypothesis that the LpS1 gene arose from a duplication of an ancestral Spec gene and that the overall structural features of the Spec family of proteins are more conserved than the amino acid sequences.     

咽喉部高频喷射通气调节各参数对狗肺通气效率的影响

用相关和回归处理方法,研究了8条正常狗咽喉部高频喷射通气时,调节驱动压、呼吸比和频率对喷气量、吸入气氧浓度、动脉血气及气道内压的作用。结果显示,驱动压和呼吸此对各观察指标几乎有同等重要的作用,频率的影响很小,喷气量与吸入气氧浓度、动脉血气、气道内压间存在显著的正相关关系。说明调节参数的意义主要在于改变了喷气量。     

B淋巴细胞在多向造血祖细胞生长中的地位

小鼠骨髓细胞在体外培养中,加入用流式自由电泳法分离所得的高纯度正常B淋巴细胞,可使多向祖细胞(CFU-mix)集落增加至5倍;加入小鼠B淋巴瘤细胞株的条件培基(M_(12.4.1)-CM)时,CFU-mix数也可增加至4倍。单集落形态学分析结果表明M_(12.4.1)-CM可加强CFU-GEMm及p-BFU-E等早期造血祖细胞的增殖与分化。小鼠高纯度B细胞样品在体外培养中加入1000 rad照射的骨髓细胞可出现CFU-mix集落,如果再加入适量的小鼠肺条件培基,则CFU-mix数量比对照大15倍,其集落性质为CFU-GEMm,GMm及p-BFU-E。在此培养中加不同稀释度抗小鼠IgM血清,结果CFU-mix的产率与抗IgM血清的浓度成直线反比关系,当加入1:10抗小鼠IgM血清时,CFU-mix为0。作者假设在一定培养条件下,IgM阳性的部分B细胞可返祖转化为CFU-mix。     

棉属栽培种与野生种杂交的不亲和性

本文研究了棉属栽培种与野生种杂交的不亲和性,试验材料涉及5个染色体组,包括2个栽培种(陆地棉和中棉)和5个野生种(戴维逊氏棉、瑟伯氏棉、三裂棉、阿拉伯棉和比克氏棉)。以陆地棉作母本,异己花粉管在花柱中生长缓慢,有花粉管胚珠低于10%,陆地棉×戴维逊氏棉杂种胚在子叶期坏死。以中棉作母本,不亲和性主要表现在受精后的胚胎发育过程中。