Collagen gene construction and evolution

Summary Collagen genes appear to have been assembled by the tandem repetition of homologous primary (9 base pair), secondary (54 base pair), and tertiary (702 base pair) modules. In vertebrate interstitial collagen genes many of the secondary modules are separated by introns, but in invertebrate collagen genes the non-coding sequences lie near the ends of supposed tertiary modules and are therefore about 702 (54×13) base pairs apart. The genes for vertebrate interstitial collagens (types I–III) seem to have been constructed by the tandem repetition of five tertiary modules, three of which were subsequently shortened by internal deletions. This shortening of the gene resulted in the non-integral relationship between the period of the fibrils and the length of the molecules of vertebrate collagens, and was therefore responsible for the mechanical properties of the completed product. Comparisons of the amino acid sequences of various collagens indicate that the main types of collagen evolved about 800–900 million years ago, a date that agrees well with the fossil record of primitive Metazoa.     

Information analysis by the paper wasp,Polistes fuscatus,during nest construction (Hymenoptera,Vespidae)

Summary The building decision process of the paper wasp,Polistes fuscatus, was studied by 1) analyzing the search pattern of the wasps prior to the addition of pulp to different areas of the nest, 2) comparing the pulp addition needs of the cell chosen for lengthening to those of other cells in the nest, and 3) presenting the wasps with eight types of dichotomous building choices, which provided information about the relative influence of different building cues. Wasps conduct a hierarchical search prior to pulp addition, which means that they search the comb face and petiole disproportionately more often and more thoroughly than the comb back and sides. Once a particular nest area triggers closer scrutiny, comparisons are made with adjoining areas. The most needy location is then chosen based on nest cues. When lengthening a cell, the development of the brood and relative cell length have a strong influence on which cell is chosen at all times, while distance of the brood from the cell mouth becomes important during the later stages of brood development. The results indicate that there is no simple hierarchical weighting of cues. The decision process involves comparisons among multiple cues, which for the most part have an additive influence when variation in relative cue strength is considered.     

Promises and limits of an agency perspective in evolutionary developmental biology

An agent-based perspective in the study of complex systems is well established in diverse disciplines, yet is only beginning to be applied to evolutionary developmental biology. In this essay, we begin by defining agency and associated terminology formally. We then explore the assumptions and predictions of an agency perspective, apply these to select processes and key concept areas relevant to practitioners of evolutionary developmental biology, and consider the potential epistemic roles that an agency perspective might play in evo devo. Throughout, we discuss evidence supportive of agential dynamics in biological systems relevant to evo devo and explore where agency thinking may enrich the explanatory reach of research efforts in evolutionary developmental biology.     

山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和修复工程与景观生态学

我国山水林田湖草沙生命共同体及其保护和修复工程的理论研究和实践正逐渐开展,需要系统的学科理论支撑,景观生态学作为地理学和生态学的交叉科学,能够以其宏观空间理论和技术体系满足这一需求。本文将景观生态学作为山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和修复工程的支撑学科,首先,明确了山水林田湖草沙生命共同体是镶嵌的异质景观、具有景观的所有特征并遵循景观生态学原理;其次,阐述了景观生态建设理论如何应用于山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和修复工程的规划和评价;最后,总结景观生态建设研究的新趋势,提出待解决的理论和实践问题,并论述山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和修复工程如何为解决这些问题提供广阔的研究空间。景观生态学和山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和修复工程实践相结合,将为实现我国乃至全球生态、经济、社会可持续发展提供极为有效的途径。     

我国生态治理体制构建、政策演进逻辑与治理现代化

纵观我国生态治理与环境保护实践历程,在探索、重构、深化中建立了具有中国特色的生态治理政策体系。在生态与经济发展新旧动能转换的关键时期,理清生态治理体制构建策略与政策演进逻辑,推进生态治理现代化建设,实现长效地人与自然和谐共生,具有重要的理论与现实意义。通过Citespace可视化图谱对1973-2022年间710份国家重要决策及政策法规文件深入梳理发现:(1)生态治理体制构建策略从初期的“一对一”污染问题治理导向、简单垂直的线性关系联动机制,到逐步形成生态理念导向、交叉互动的网络关系协同机制,总体上由单一部门主导决策的“上重下轻”转变为以顶层生态行政单位为核心,多领域部门参与执行的“上下联动”均衡态势;(2)生态治理政策先后经历“观念启蒙探索时期:环境污染末端管控(1973-1991年)”-“可持续发展时期:生态协同综合治理(1992-2011年)”-“生态文明时期:发展理念体系建设(2012-2022年)”的逻辑演化;(3)从机制完善、利益重构、多元统筹三个维度阐述并讨论生态治理现代化体系与改进路径,以期为相关领域的深入研究提供借鉴与参考。     

R-藻红蛋白的结构、功能及其应用

R-藻红蛋白是最重要类型的藻红蛋白,为许多藻类的前级捕光色素蛋白,在光的激发下,能发出桔红色荧光。现对R-藻红蛋白的三维结构与功能的关系、R-藻红蛋白离体的光学活性在肿瘤光动力学治疗(PDT)中作为光敏剂和荧光免疫检测等领域作为荧光探针分子的应用进行综述。     

丝状真菌瑞氏木霉外源基因表达系统的构建

采用PCR技术体外扩增获得了瑞氏木霉外切葡聚糖纤维二糖水解酶Ⅰ (CBHⅠ )启动子和终止子序列 .并以大肠杆菌质粒pUC1 9为骨架 ,在该启动子和终止子序列间加入多克隆位点 ,构建了瑞氏木霉强表达整合型载体pTRIL .以质粒pAN7 1为模板 ,体外扩增了带有潮霉素磷酸转移酶(hph)基因的DNA片段 ,将hph插入pTRIL的cbh1启动子和终止子序列之间 ,构建了Pcbh1 hph Tcbh1表达盒 .用此表达盒转化瑞氏木霉C30原生质体 ,在潮霉素平板上得到 1 5株抗性转化子 .对其中的H1转化子进行了PCR和Southern印迹分析 ,证实hph基因确实整合到转化子染色体DNA上 ,并在Pcbh1 启动子控制下进行高效表达 .转化子H1对潮霉素抗性达 1 5 0mg L ,比出发菌株提高 2倍 .瑞氏木霉强表达整合型载体pTRIL的构建成功为开展瑞氏木霉分子生物学研究以及进一步的工程菌株构建工作奠定了基础     

Urban development and sustainability challenges chronicled by a century of construction material flows and stocks in Tiexi,China

Construction materials are considerable forces of global environmental impacts, but their dynamics vis‐à‐vis urban development are poorly documented, in part because their long lifespans require elusive and sometimes nonexistent decade‐long high‐resolution data. This study analyzes the construction material flow and stock trends that shaped and were shaped by the development, decline, and renewal of the Tiexi district of Shenyang, a microcosm of China's urban transformations since the early 20th century. Chronicling building‐by‐building the material flows and stock accumulations involved in the buildup of this area, we shed light on the physical resource context of its socioeconomic history. We find that 42 million tonnes of construction materials were needed to develop the Tiexi district from 1910 to 2018, and 18 million tonnes of material outflows were generated by end‐of‐life building demolition. However, over 55% of inflows and 93% of outflows occurred since 2002 during a complete redevelopment of the district. Only small portions of end‐of‐life materials could have been reused or recycled because of temporal and typological mismatches of supply and demand and technical limitations. Our analysis reveals a dramatic decrease in median building lifetimes to as low as 6 years in the early 21st century. These findings contribute to the discussion of long‐term environmental efficiency and sustainability of societal development through construction and reflect on the challenges of urban renewal processes not only in China but also in other developing and developed countries that lost (or may lose) their traditional economic base and restructure their urban forms. This article met the requirements for a Silver/Silver JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges .     

pUC19K质粒的构建及其在布鲁氏菌突变株构建中的应用

突变株的构建是细菌基因功能研究的前提。本研究构建了一个可用于布鲁氏菌突变株构建的自杀质粒。在pUC19质粒的多克隆位点插入卡那霉素抗性基因,在该基因两侧添加多个酶切位点,构建成为pUC19K。利用该质粒,我们构建了布鲁氏菌外膜蛋白Omp25基因的突变株。结果表明,利用该自杀质粒,通过一轮筛选即可得到目标基因被抗性基因替换的突变株。pUC19K质粒的构建及成功应用,为布鲁氏菌突变株的构建提供了一个快速有效的手段,也为布鲁氏菌的基因功能研究奠定了基础。     

Leaf traits of natural populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Adiantum reniforme</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">sinensis</Emphasis>, endemic to the Three Gorges region in China

Leaf mass per unit area (LMA), carbon and nitrogen contents, leaf construction cost, and photosynthetic capacity (P _max) of Adiantum reniforme var. sinensis, an endangered fern endemic to the Three Gorges region in southwest China, were compared in five populations differing in habitat such as soil moisture and irradiance. The low soil moisture and high irradiance habitat population exhibited significantly higher LMA, area-based leaf construction (CC_A), and carbon content (C_A), but lower leaf nitrogen content per unit dry mass (N_M) than the other habitat populations. The high soil moisture and low irradiance habitat populations had the lowest CC_A, but their cost/benefic ratios of CCA/P _max were similar to the medium soil moisture and irradiance habitat population due to their lower leaf P _max. Hence A. reniforme var. sinensis prefers partially shaded, moist but well-drained, slope habitats. Due to human activities, however, its main habitats now are cliffs or steeply sloped bare rocks with poor and thin soil. The relatively high energy requirements and low photosynthetic capacity in these habitats could limit the capability of the species in extending population or interspecific competition and hence increase its endangerment.