Effects of larval competition on survival and growth in Mediterranean fruit flies

1. Larval success was compared when one, two, or three egg clutches were laid in kumquat fruits (≈ 10 ml in volume) either successively on the same day or at the rate of one clutch per day. 2. Increased clutch density was associated with a significant decrease in larval survival rate and non‐significant decreases in larval growth rate and pupal mass. 3. Larval and pupal parameters showed significantly larger variance when clutches were laid on successive days than on the same day, suggesting a competitive advantage for older larvae over younger larvae. 4. The results suggest that, in small fruit, reduced fitness due to larval competition may act against possible fitness benefits due to social facilitation among adult females, hence reducing the likelihood of non‐linear population dynamics caused by processes such as the Allee effect.     

Phosphorylation and ubiquitination of dynamin-related proteins (AtDRP3A/3B) synergically regulate mitochondrial proliferation during mitosis

The balance between mitochondrial fission and fusion is disrupted during mitosis, but the mechanism governing this phenomenon in plant cells remains enigmatic. Here, we used mitochondrial matrix‐localized Kaede protein (mt‐Kaede) to analyze the dynamics of mitochondrial fission in BY‐2 suspension cells. Analysis of the photoactivatable fluorescence of mt‐Kaede suggested that the fission process is dominant during mitosis. This finding was confirmed by an electron microscopic analysis of the size distribution of mitochondria in BY‐2 suspension cells at various stages. Cellular proteins interacting with Myc‐tagged dynamin‐related protein 3A/3B (AtDRP3A and AtDRP3B) were immunoprecipitated with anti‐Myc antibody‐conjugated beads and subsequently identified by microcapillary liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (CapLC Q‐TOF) MS/MS. The identified proteins were broadly associated with cytoskeletal (microtubular), phosphorylation, or ubiquitination functions. Mitotic phosphorylation of AtDRP3A/AtDRP3B and mitochondrial fission at metaphase were inhibited by treatment of the cells with a CdkB/cyclin B inhibitor or a serine/threonine protein kinase inhibitor. The fate of AtDRP3A/3B during the cell cycle was followed by time‐lapse imaging of the fluorescence of Dendra2‐tagged AtDRP3A/3B after green‐to‐red photoconversion; this experiment showed that AtDRP3A/3B is partially degraded during interphase. Additionally, we found that microtubules are involved in mitochondrial fission during mitosis, and that mitochondria movement to daughter cell was limited as early as metaphase. Taken together, these findings suggest that mitotic phosphorylation of AtDRP3A/3B promotes mitochondrial fission during plant cell mitosis, and that AtDRP3A/3B is partially degraded at interphase, providing mechanistic insight into the mitochondrial morphological changes associated with cell‐cycle transitions in BY‐2 suspension cells.     

Selection for High Oridonin Yield in the Chinese Medicinal Plant Isodon (Lamiaceae) Using a Combined Phylogenetics and Population Genetics Approach

Oridonin is a diterpenoid with anti-cancer activity that occurs in the Chinese medicinal plant Isodon rubescens and some related species. While the bioactivity of oridonin has been well studied, the extent of natural variation in the production of this compound is poorly known. This study characterizes natural variation in oridonin production in order to guide selection of populations of Isodon with highest oridonin yield. Different populations of I. rubescens and related species were collected in China, and their offspring were grown in a greenhouse. Samples were examined for oridonin content, genotyped using 11 microsatellites, and representatives were sequenced for three phylogenetic markers (ITS, rps16, trnL-trnF). Oridonin production was mapped on a molecular phylogeny of the genus Isodon using samples from each population as well as previously published Genbank sequences. Oridonin has been reported in 12 out of 74 species of Isodon examined for diterpenoids, and the phylogeny indicates that oridonin production has arisen at least three times in the genus. Oridonin production was surprisingly consistent between wild-collected parents and greenhouse-grown offspring, despite evidence of gene flow between oridonin-producing and non-producing populations of Isodon. Additionally, microsatellite genetic distance between individuals was significantly correlated with chemical distance in both parents and offspring. Neither heritability nor correlation with genetic distance were significant when the comparison was restricted to only populations of I. rubescens, but this result should be corroborated using additional samples. Based on these results, future screening of Isodon populations for oridonin yield should initially prioritize a broad survey of all species known to produce oridonin, rather than focusing on multiple populations of one species, such as I. rubescens. Of the samples examined here, I. rubescens or I. japonicus from Henan province would provide the best source of oridonin.     

Nitrosothiol Formation and Protection against Fenton Chemistry by Nitric Oxide-induced Dinitrosyliron Complex Formation from Anoxia-initiated Cellular Chelatable Iron Increase

Dinitrosyliron complexes (DNIC) have been found in a variety of pathological settings associated with ^•NO. However, the iron source of cellular DNIC is unknown. Previous studies on this question using prolonged ^•NO exposure could be misleading due to the movement of intracellular iron among different sources. We here report that brief ^•NO exposure results in only barely detectable DNIC, but levels increase dramatically after 1–2 h of anoxia. This increase is similar quantitatively and temporally with increases in the chelatable iron, and brief ^•NO treatment prevents detection of this anoxia-induced increased chelatable iron by deferoxamine. DNIC formation is so rapid that it is limited by the availability of ^•NO and chelatable iron. We utilize this ability to selectively manipulate cellular chelatable iron levels and provide evidence for two cellular functions of endogenous DNIC formation, protection against anoxia-induced reactive oxygen chemistry from the Fenton reaction and formation by transnitrosation of protein nitrosothiols (RSNO). The levels of RSNO under these high chelatable iron levels are comparable with DNIC levels and suggest that under these conditions, both DNIC and RSNO are the most abundant cellular adducts of ^•NO.     

广西窄腹茧蜂属一新种：膜翅目：茧蜂科：茧蜂亚科

茧蜂亚科已知有123个属(Quicke,1987),其中窄腹茧蜂属Angustibracon Quicke是Quicke(1987)根据分布在印度的1个种Bracon leptogaster Cameron重新组合为1个新属而建立,迄今已定名种仅此1种。我们整理广西茧蜂标本时,鉴定出该属1新种。这是本属种类在我国分布的首次报道,现将该属属征和新种形态记述如下。新种模式标本存湖南农学院昆虫标本室。     

利血平和丘脑下部促黄体素释放激素类似物(LHRH-A)对大鳞副泥鳅促性腺激素细胞的分泌活动和排卵的促进作用

利血平能使神经分泌细胞的儿茶酚胺贮存量减少甚至消耗殆尽,导致多巴胺作为GRIF的作用减弱,从而显著增强LHRH-A促进GtH分泌和诱导排卵的效应。对大鳞副泥鳅,利血平和LHRH-A同时注射或者利血平比LHRH-A提前3小时注射,都能激活GtH细胞,显著增强其分泌活动并诱导排卵。利血平的最低有效剂量为1—5微克/克体重。利血平(25微克/克体重) LHRH-A(0.05微克/克体重)的催产效果和多巴胺拮抗物pimozide(1微克/克体重) LHRH-A(0.05微克/克体重)的催产效果一样,排卵率都达到了100％。     

管花马兜铃化学成分的研究

从管花马兜铃中分得马兜铃酸-A,7-甲氧基马兜铃酸-A,马兜铃内酰胺-β-D-葡萄糖甙,尿囊素和Eupomatenoid-7。     

微管的冷稳定性与植物抗寒性关系的研究

利用间接免疫荧光的细胞化学技术对番茄、黄瓜、菠菜、甜菜及小麦等不同抗寒性植物微管的冷稳性进行了比较研究。结果指出,不抗寒的喜温性植物番茄和黄瓜的气孔保卫细胞的微管在0℃—1℃冷处理3小时即解聚;属于中等抗寒性植物的菠菜和甜菜幼苗经秋季低温锻炼后,其气孔保卫细胞的微管在0℃和—5℃低温处理3小时,均不发生解聚;具有较强抗寒性的冬小麦品种农大139幼苗在2—3℃低温锻炼期间,微管结构保持完整,经过15天低温锻炼的幼苗在-8℃冰冻处理3小时,微管也不受破坏。这些结果表明,微管的冷稳性与植物的抗寒性成正相关。     

丝孢酵母高甲硫氨酸突变株的选育及营养调控

以丝孢酵母(Trichosporon Behr)ST851为原始菌株,经紫外线诱变,在含乙硫氨酸的双层平板上筛选到多株抗乙硫氨酸突变株。其中ST851-10株抗乙硫氨酸浓度达到350μg/ml,其菌体蛋白质含量由40.5％提高到44.3％,菌体甲硫氨酸含量由20.45mg/g-DCW增加到29.32mg/g-DCW。在以苹果渣为碳源、尿素为氮源、硫酸镁作硫源的最适培养条件下,固态发酵24h后,蛋白质和甲硫氨酸含量较原始菌株分别提高了15.8％和44.9％。培养基中C/N值低有利于甲硫氨酸的合成,C/N值高则适合于菌体生长。在苹果渣固态发酵过程中,适当补加氮源既有利于菌体生长和甲硫氨酸的合成,又可起到调节培养基pH值的作用。