Mandibular premolar and second molar root morphological variation in modern humans: What root number can tell us about tooth morphogenesis

This investigation of modern human mandibular premolar root variation tests the hypothesis that population-specific mandibular single-rooted premolar root size can predict a predisposition to root morphological complexity. Mandibular postcanines were examined and quantified from dental radiographs in a globally spread sample of 1,615 modern humans. Multirooted premolars and a fused molar root phenotype were investigated as probes into greater than, and less than, the normative root number. Twelve questions were addressed concerning root structure of mandibular premolars and second molars. A direct correlation was found between single-rooted mandibular premolar size and the predisposition to multirootedness. This correlation infers the following: 1) that postcanine primordia size during root formation predisposes to the development of more, or less, than the normative postcanine root number; and 2) that the epigenetic effect of tooth primordium size per se influences the induction of interradicular processes, which divides the root during its development. This simple developmental model helps explain the following observations: 1) population-specific variation in postcanine root number; 2) sexual dimorphism for multirooted mandibular premolar prevalence; 3) why microdont teeth are single-rooted; 4) the hierarchy of developmental canalization of interradicular processes; 5) megadont-hominin to late-hominin mandibular premolar root number transition; and 6) the fluctuation of mandibular premolar root number in primate evolutionary history.     

马铃薯甲虫两个系统性RNA干扰缺失基因cDNA的克隆、序列分析和时空表达

【目的】克隆马铃薯甲虫Leptinotarsa decemlineata(Say)两条Sid-1基因的全长并分析其时空表达。【方法】本研究通过RT-PCR和5'/3'RACE等技术从马铃薯甲虫中克隆全长序列,通过序列多重比对和系统发育分析研究序列的保守性和基因起源,通过阶段收样,组织解剖和qPCR技术获得这两个基因的时空表达。【结果】从马铃薯甲虫Leptinotarsa decemlineata的4龄幼虫中克隆得到LdeSid-1a和LdeSid-1c,其m RNA全长为2 887和3 733 bp,编码759和782个氨基酸,分子量为86.19和90.27 ku,两条蛋白质序列的相似性为59%。与其它昆虫的系统性RNA干扰缺失基因的比对结果显示,LdeSid-1a和LdeSid-1c分属于鞘翅目系统性RNA干扰缺失基因的两个分支,均具有典型的11个跨膜域结构,在蛋白质序列的N端具有4段高度保守的基序。qPCR的时序分析表明LdeSid-1a和LdeSid-1c的表达从初孵幼虫开始逐渐上升,而LdeSid-1c在卵中的表达也较高,组织中的分布结果表明,两个基因在所有组织中均表达,在前肠、中肠和后肠以及生殖系统中表达较高,在神经系统中为优势表达。LdeSid-1a和LdeSid-1c的Gen Bank登录号为KR153284和KR153285。【结论】LdeSid-1a和LdeSid-1c具有典型的系统性RNA干扰缺失基因家族的结构,时空表达和系统发育的结果均表明这两条基因可能在幼虫的高龄阶段起到重要作用。     

Between beanbag genetics and natural selection

The encounter between the Darwinian theory of evolution and Mendelism could be resolved only when reductionist tools could be applied to the analysis of complex systems. The instrumental reductionist interpretation of the hereditary basis of continuously varying traits provided mathematical tools which eventually allowed the construction of the Modern Synthesis of the theory of evolution.When genotypic as well as environmental variance allow the isolation of parts of the system, it is possible to apply Mendelian reductionism, that is , to treat the phenotypic trait as if ti causally determined by discrete genes for the trait. howeverm such a beanbag genetics approach obscures the system's eye-view. The concept of heritability, defined as the proportion of the total phenotypic variance due to (additive) hereditary variation, asserts that genetic elements have discrete effects; but by relating to the genotypic variance, it avoids the trap of reffering to genes for characters.     

胡杨、灰叶胡杨花空间分布及数量特征研究

研究了不同居群的胡杨、灰叶胡杨花空间分布及其数量特征。结果表明,无论是胡杨还是灰叶胡杨,其雄树的树高、最低花位、集花区下限、集花区上限、最高花位皆低于雌树,并且雌株与雄株的花序分布范围亦有着较大的重叠区域。在树体上,雄花序主要分布在树冠的中部,上部次之,下部最少;雌花序主要分布在树冠的上部,中部次之,下部最少。胡杨的单株花序量、花朵花药数、花药花粉量和花序花粉量均小于灰叶胡杨,而花序花朵数胡杨雄树的小于灰叶胡杨,雌树的大于灰叶胡杨。统计分析表明,不同居群胡杨的单株花序量、花序花朵数与花药花粉量是相对稳定的,而灰叶胡杨仅雄树的单株花序量是稳定的。     

干扰对云顶山亚高山草甸群落物种多样性的影响

放牧等干扰会对亚高山草甸群落的外貌、结构及功能造成影响。为了揭示在外界干扰下云顶山草甸群落的变化规律,对云顶山草甸进行群落学调查,共取45个样方（1×1 m）。在此基础上,应用TWINSPAN对草甸群落进行数量分类;运用丰富度指数、物种多样性指数和均匀度指数分析了不同程度干扰对草甸植物物种多样性的影响及其变化规律。结果表明：该草甸划分为6个群丛,受干扰程度中等的群丛3的丰富度、多样性以及均匀度都最高,受干扰程度轻的群丛1次之,而受干扰程度较重的群丛6最低。同时干扰对该草甸不同植物功能群及不同物种的影响趋势是不一致的。随着干扰程度加重,灌木和豆科等植物在群落中的优势地位逐渐减弱,甚至消失;禾草中的部分种如披针叶苔草（Carex lanceolata）等对干扰响应不明显;毒草和一些杂草种类在群丛中的优势地位明显上升。     

长江源区紫花针茅草原群落数量分类与排序

选择长江源地区典型的紫花针茅草原作为研究对象,以大量的群落学样方调查为基础,采用TWINS-PAN、DCA、物种多样性,相关分析等多元数量分析方法,系统研究了紫花针茅草原的群落特征、物种多样性、群落与环境因子的关系.结果表明：(1)所调查的紫花针茅草原是物种组成相对简单、菊科和禾本科植物最多、北温带分布属为主体的草原群落;(2)长江源区紫花针茅草原群落可划分为四个群丛类型：紫花针茅＋密丛棘豆群丛,紫花针茅＋梭罗草群丛,紫花针茅＋伊凡苔草群丛,紫花针茅＋弱小火绒草群丛;(3)影响群丛分布的主要环境因子首先是海拔、经纬度等空间因子,其次是湿润度、降雨量等水分因子的影响;(4)紫花针茅＋伊凡苔草群丛的物种多样性是研究区四个群丛中最高的.Simpson指数和均匀度指数受海拔、经纬度、平均降雨量、均湿润度等环境因子影响显著.该研究揭示了紫花针茅草原群落的内在规律.     

Immunological comparison of the usual and atypical human serum cholinesterase phenotypes

Antiserum prepared against highly purified usual human serum cholinesterase (the most common phenotype) cross-reacted identically with the atypical serum cholinesterase. The level of circulating atypical enzyme protein, determined immunologically, was about 30% lower when the enzyme came from an atypical rather than a usual phenotype, and the level of enzyme activity measured enzymatically atV _max with eithero-nitrophenylbutyrate or benzoylcholine as substrate showed approximately the same degree of reduction. The average specific activity (activity atV _max per microgram of enzyme protein) in sera from 28 usual and 20 atypical individuals did not differ significantly. These findings suggest that the atypical enzyme not only has altered catalytic properties (K)_mbut also might be synthesized more slowly, or clearedin vivo more rapidly, than the usual enzyme. This work was supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grants NS 15871 and GM 27028 and by a grant from the Hoffmann-La Roche Foundation.