Sex ratios under asymmetrical local mate competition in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis

Sex ratio theory has proved remarkably useful in testing theadaptive nature of animal behavior. A particularly productivearea in this respect is Hamilton's theory of local mate competition(LMC), which has been extended in numerous directions to includegreater biological realism, allowing more detailed tests inspecific organisms. We have presented one such extension, termedasymmetrical LMC, which occurs when egg laying by females ona patch is asynchronous, and emerging males do not disperse,resulting in the extent of LMC on a patch varying over time.Our aim here is to test whether the parasitoid wasp Nasoniavitripennis responds to variation in the degree of asymmetricalLMC. Specifically, we show that females adjust their offspringsex ratios in response to (1) variation in the amount of asynchronyin emergence between broods on a patch and (2) the number andproportion of previously parasitized hosts on the patch. Ourresults provide qualitative support for the predictions of theory,suggesting new levels of complexity in the sex ratio behaviorof this much-studied organism. However, our results do not alwaysprovide quantitative support for theory, suggesting furthercomplexities that must be clarified.     

Serine esterases: structural conservation during animal evolution and variability in enzymic properties in the genus Drosophila

Both general esterases and acetylcholinesterases have been shown to be members of a homologous superfamily of serine esterases. A comparison of N-terminal sequences demonstrates that esterase-4 and-5 from Drosophila mojavensis belong to this family as well, with esterase-6 and esterase-P from D. melanogaster being the closest relatives. In order to investigate the presence of immunologically related esterases in other Drosophila species, crude larval extracts from five species were applied to two immunoaffinity columns with antibodies directed against esterase-4 and esterase-5 from D. mojavensis. The substrate preference for either 1- or 2-naphthyl acetate was determined. Both esterase-4 and esterase-5 from D. mojavensis are normally specific for 2-naphthyl esters, but at least three of the cross-reacting esterases from the other species have a preference for 1-naphthyl esters. This difference in substrate preference is another example of the variability observed with Drosophila esterases.     

某冶炼厂周围8种植物对重金属的吸收与富集作用

采用野外采样系统分析法,研究了沈阳冶炼厂的8种植物对重金属(Pb、Zn、Cu和Cd)的吸收与富集作用以及可能的耐性机制.结果表明,植物对重金属的吸收和富集,因植物种类、部位及重金属种类而不同.茼麻(Abutilon theophrasti)对Pb的吸收和富集能力较强,小白酒花(Conyza canadensis)、三裂叶豚草(Ambrosia trifida)、酸模叶蓼(Polygonum lapathifolium)、茼麻、龙葵(Solanum nigrum)、绿珠藜(Chenopodium acuminatum)和菊芋(Helianthus tuberosus)对Zn的吸收和富集效果较好,绿珠藜和茼麻对Cu的吸收和富集能力较强,龙葵、绿珠藜、茼麻、酸模叶蓼和小白酒花对Cd的吸收和富集能力较强.这些植物向地上部转移某些重金属的能力很强,转移系数大于1,可用于植物提取方式的污染土壤修复.其他转移系数小于1的植物,适合于重金属污染土壤的植物稳定.     

高等植物金属抗性中有机酸的作用及其机理

植物的金属抗性可通过避性和耐性途径获得。具有螯合能力的有机酸在植物的金属外部排斥(避性)机制和内部耐受(耐性)机制中均具有重要作用。在金属的外部排斥过程中,植物根系分泌有机酸,与金属离子形成稳定的复合体,降低土壤金属的移动性,达到体外解毒的目的。超积累型植物的内部耐受机制主要体现在,有机酸可与金属元素发生螯合作用,将离子态的金属转变成低毒或无毒的螯合态,从而降低细胞内金属离子的毒害效应。有机酸的种类受植物种类、金属类型等因素的影响。     

Pretreatment efficiency and structural characterization of rice straw by an integrated process of dilute-acid and steam explosion for bioethanol production

The combined pretreatment of rice straw using dilute-acid and steam explosion followed by enzymatic hydrolysis was investigated and compared with acid-catalyzed steam explosion pretreatment. In addition to measuring the chemical composition, including glucan, xylan and lignin content, changes in rice straw features after pretreatment were investigated in terms of the straw's physical properties. These properties included crystallinity, surface area, mean particle size and scanning electron microscopy imagery. The effect of acid concentration on the acid-catalyzed steam explosion was studied in a range between 1% and 15% acid at 180°C for 2 min. We also investigated the influence of the residence time of the steam explosion in the combined pretreatment and the optimum conditions for the dilute-acid hydrolysis step in order to develop an integrated process for the dilute-acid and steam explosion. The optimum operational conditions for the first dilute-acid hydrolysis step were determined to be 165°C for 2 min with 2% H(2)SO(4) and for the second steam explosion step was to be carried out at 180°C for 20 min; this gave the most favorable combination in terms of an integrated process. We found that rice straw pretreated by the dilute-acid/steam explosions had a higher xylose yield, a lower level of inhibitor in the hydrolysate and a greater degree of enzymatic hydrolysis; this resulted in a 1.5-fold increase in the overall sugar yield when compared to the acid-catalyzed steam explosion.     

肠激酶在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达优化

肠激酶 (Enterokinase,EK) 是一类特异性识别切割DDDDK序列的丝氨酸蛋白酶,作为一种工具酶广泛应用于生物医药领域。目前,EK在毕赤酵母Pichia pastoris中的表达水平较低,难以应用。本研究比较了6种不同的信号肽SP1、SP2、SP3、SP4、SP7和SP8对毕赤酵母分泌表达EK的影响。在摇瓶水平上,与α-factor信号肽相比,SP1信号肽显著提高了EK的分泌表达 (从6.8 mg/L提高至14.3 mg/L),酶活从 (2 390±212) U/mL提高至 (4 995±378) U/mL。在此基础上,通过共表达毕赤酵母内源蛋白Kex2,EK酶活提高至 (7 219±489) U/mL。另外,N端融合WLR三个氨基酸进一步提高酶活至 (15 145±920) U/mL,比酶活为 (1 174 600±53 100) U/mg。EK在毕赤酵母中的高效分泌表达为未来应用奠定了基础。     

峨嵋山冷杉森林衰退状况研究

报道和分析了峨嵋山冷杉森林的衰退状况。对冷杉种群的受害程度、分布规律、症状特点及其与海拔、特定生境、立木径级和林型的关系进行了研究分析。指出峨嵋山冷杉森林衰退是全球森林衰退的组成部份,而不是个别的或偶然的现象;肯定了当地冷杉林衰退具有某些个性特征。由此认为,导致当地冷杉衰退的主要原因可能是某种或某些作用范围广、持续时间长、发生频率高、对全球森林系统构成威胁的因素所致。     

微生物分子生态学技术在污水处理系统中的应用

微生物分子生态学作为分子生物学与微生物生态学交叉而形成的学科,在污水处理方面广泛应用。本文从分子生态学实验技术角度,综述了目前污水处理系统中微生物群体结构、多样性及其与功能相关性的研究进展,探讨了分子生态学技术的发展与应用前景,并指出研究该体系微生物对于认识微生物系统发育地位具有重要意义。     

活性X-3B红染料在水-土壤-作物连续体中的迁移模型研究

进入环境的自学成才性X-3B红染料是一典型的持久性有机污染物（POPs)。它从水分室向土壤分室再到作物分室的迁移,是一连续的生态过程,基于此,从理论上对活性X-3B红染料在水-土壤两相,土壤-作物两相以及水-土壤-作物整个连续体中的迁移进行了定量描述与探讨,并采用棕壤-大豆、褐土-小麦,红壤-萝卜和水稻土-水稻等系统给予了实验论证,表明活性X-3B红染料通过吸附机制从水分室到土壤分室的迁移符合Langmuir模型。通过作物根系吸收机制从土壤分室到作物分室的迁移可以用对数化的作物-土壤积累因子（CSAF）模型予以定量描述。     

Early habituation of maize (Zea mays) suspension‐cultured cells to 2,6‐dichlorobenzonitrile is associated with the enhancement of antioxidant status

The cellulose biosynthesis inhibitor 2,6‐dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB) has been widely used to gain insights into cell wall composition and architecture. Studies of changes during early habituation to DCB can provide information on mechanisms that allow tolerance/habituation to DCB. In this context, maize‐cultured cells with a reduced amount of cellulose (～20%) were obtained by stepwise habituation to low DCB concentrations. The results reported here attempt to elucidate the putative role of an antioxidant strategy during incipient habituation. The short‐term exposure to DCB of non‐habituated maize‐cultured cells induced a substantial increase in oxidative damage. Concomitantly, short‐term treated cells presented an increase in class III peroxidase and glutathione S‐transferase activities and total glutathione content. Maize cells habituated to 0.3–1 µM DCB (incipient habituation) were characterized by a reduction in the relative cell growth rate, an enhancement of ascorbate peroxidase and class III peroxidase activities, and a net increment in total glutathione content. Moreover, these cell lines showed increased levels of glutathione S‐transferase activity. Changes in antioxidant/conjugation status enabled 0.3 and 0.5 µM DCB‐habituated cells to control lipid peroxidation levels, but this was not the case of maize cells habituated to 1 μM DCB, which despite showing an increased antioxidant capacity were not capable of reducing the oxidative damage to control levels. The results reported here confirm that exposure and incipient habituation of maize cells to DCB are associated with an enhancement in antioxidant/conjugation activities which could play a role in incipient DCB habituation of maize‐cultured cells.