Genetic variation in captive population of chinese alligator, Alligator sinensis, revealed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)

Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is an endemic species in China. The likely extinction of it in the wild has been recognised. To prevent this species becoming extinct, the Anhui Research Centre of Chinese Alligator Reproduction (ARCCAR) was established in Xuanzhou, Anhui Province in 1979, where has been established the largest captive population of Chinese alligator (XZSP) in the world. Another farm (CXSP) was established by villagers in Changxin, Zhejiang Province. The results of an investigation of the two captive subpopulation structures by genetic analysis are presented in this paper. We examined the genetic variation in the two captive subpopulations using RAPDs. Thirty-one random primers were selected among 199 random primers screened. A total of 193 reproducible RAPD fragments were scored among 43 individuals, of which 21 (10.88%) were polymorphic. The genetic distances between 43 individuals ranged from 0 to 0.0376 with average of 0.0104±0.0055 S.E. The genetic similarity in CXSP (0.9948±0.0029 S.E.) was higher than that in XZSP (0.9894±0.0055 S.E.). The founder effect is a possible explanation for very low genetic variation in CXSP. Analysis of the RAPD data showed that the mean phenotypic band frequencies of each polymorphic loci was 0.6656±0.3730 S.E. The lowest phenotypic band frequency (0.0233) was found in four of those polymorphic loci. There was no genetic difference between the two subpopulations (D_ij=0.0009). According to the dendrogram and the distribution of polymorphic fragments in two subpopulations, CXSP originated genetically from XZSP. This paper summarises a preliminary research on genetic structure in populations of Chinese alligator. Although there is higher genetic similary (0.9896±0.0055 S.E.) in captive population of A. sinensis, we did not determine whether or not loss of genetic variation had occurred in relation to a wild control population. The data of malformed offspring will be collected carefully, and wild samples be added to set up a control population in future study.     

Genetic characterization of 2 novel feline caliciviruses isolated from cats with idiopathic lower urinary tract disease

Feline caliciviruses (FCVs) are potential etiologic agents in feline idiopathic lower urinary tract disease (I-LUTD). By means of a modified virus isolation method, we examined urine obtained from 28 male and female cats with nonobstructive I-LUTD, 12 male cats with obstructive I-LUTD, and 18 clinically healthy male and female cats. All cats had been routinely vaccinated for FCV. Two FCVs were isolated; I (FCV-U1) from a female cat with nonobstructive I-LUTD, and another (FCV-U2) from a male cat with obstructive I-LUTD. To determine the genetic relationship of FCV-U1 and FCV-U2 to other FCVs. capsid protein gene RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA, amplified, and sequenced. Multiple amino acid sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees were constructed for the entire capsid protein, hypervariable region E, and the more conserved (nonhypervariable) regions A, B, D, and F. When compared to 23 other FCV isolates with known biotypes, the overall amino acid sequence identity of the capsid protein of FCV-U1 and FCV-U2 ranged from 83 to 96%; identity of hypervariable regions C and E ranged from 58 to 85%. Phylogenetically, FCV-U1 clearly separated from other FCV strains in phenograms based on nonhypervariable regions. In contrast, FCV-U2 consistently segregated with the Urbana strain in all phenograms. Clustering of isolates by geographic origin was most apparent in phenograms based on nonhypervariable regions. No clustering of isolates by biotype was apparent in any phenograms. Our results indicate that FCV-UI and FCV-U2 are genetically distinct from other known vaccine and field strains of FCV.     

Scale dependence of tree abundance and richness in a tropical rain forest,Malaysia

Abundance and richness are the two fundamental components of speciesdiversity. They represent two distinct types of variables of which the formerisadditive when aggregated across scales while the latter is nonadditive. Thisstudy investigated the changes in the spatial patterns of abundance andrichnessof tree species across multiple scales in a tropical rain forest of Malaysiaandtheir variations in different regions of the study area. The results showedthatfrom fine to coarse scales abundance had a gradual and systematic change inpattern, whereas the change in richness was much less predictable and ahotspot in richness at one scale may become acoldspot at another. The study also demonstrated that differentmeasures of diversity variation (e.g., variance and coefficient of variation)can result in different or even contradictory results which further complicatedthe interpretation of diversity patterns. Because of scale effect the commonlyused measure of species diversity in terms of unit area (e.g.,species/m²) is misleading and of little use in comparing speciesdiversitybetween different ecosystems. Extra care must be taken if management andconservation of species diversity have to be based on information gathered at asingle scale.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

鸽源冠状病毒PSH株纤突蛋白基因的遗传变异分析

对鸽源冠状病毒PSH株纤突蛋白基因进行了RT—PCR扩增、克隆和测序。结果表明，PSH株S基因由3504个核苷酸组成，编码1条由1167个氨基酸残基组成的多肽。S基因编码产物裂解后形成的S1和S2亚单位分别由541和626个氨基酸残基组成。PSH株S蛋白切割识别位点为精氨酸-精氨酸-苯丙氨酸-精氨酸-精氨酸（RRFRR），与多数鸡传染性支气管炎病毒（IBV）切割识别位点相似（RRF／SRR）。与GenBank中其他冠状病毒毒株S基因的推导氨基酸序列相比较，PSH株与IBV参考毒株的同源性为79．3％～99．6％，而与其他冠状病毒包括火鸡蓝冠病病毒和SARS病毒的同源性均小于37．8％。表明，鸽源冠状病毒PSH株属于第3抗原群冠状病毒，且与IBV亲缘关系较近。     

拔节孕穗期水分胁迫对水稻生理特性的影响

采用盆栽试验研究了水稻拔节孕穗期水分胁迫复水后的光合特性和生理活性。结果表明,胁迫后复水叶片净光合速率日变化为双峰曲线,有明显的光合午休,对照则为单峰曲线。轻度5 d胁迫处理的叶片在复水后其净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(Cs)均高于对照;轻度10 d和重度5 d处理在午前较低而在午后高于对照,但重度10 d处理则低于对照。轻度胁迫处理复水后叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b、类胡萝卜素(CAR)含量和叶绿素(a b)总量均可超过对照,表现出超补偿效应,而重度水分胁迫处理则低于对照。复水短期内胁迫处理丙二醛(M DA)浓度均低于对照,后期则高于对照。长历时水分胁迫降低了水稻的产量和干物质累积量,而短历时胁迫处理与对照接近。     

胶东果园土壤电导率的时空分布特征及Kriging 估值

应用传统统计学和地统计学方法,分析了2005年4~11月期间烟台农科院苹果园土壤电导率的空间变异性,并进行了Moran’s I系数分析和Kriging估值。结果表明:土壤电导率具有明显的空间变异性,半方差函数和Moran’s I系数分析说明了4月30日、6月29日和11月16日的空间自相关范围较大,相关性较强;4月20日、7月14日和8月16日的变程偏小,空间相关性较弱。土壤电导率的均值和变异系数随时间变化总体上近似呈现出先增加后减小的趋势,在空间分布上不同时期果园表层土壤电导率分布格局差异较大,土壤电导率的破碎化比较严重。     

中国半湿润、半干旱、干旱地区某些土壤的氧化还原状况

用新的电化学方法原位考察了褐土、灰钙土、棕漠土、黑土、风沙土、灌淤土、盐土、碱土、亚高山草甸土、灰褐土、水稻土和旱地土壤的氧化还原状况.综合已有原位测定结果,地带性土壤的电位(Eh)由南向北的空间分异与其水平地带谱相应;亚高山草甸土和灰褐土的氧化还原状况随山体高度和植物群落而呈垂直分异趋势.比较了自然土壤、旱作土壤和水稻土的电位(Eh)差异和特征,水稻土中的氧化还原过程远较自然土壤和旱作土壤中者为甚,其强度和速度不逊于南方地区水稻土.新的电化学方法的原位测定贴近于自然.     

内蒙古典型草原区植被动态与植被恢复——以锡林郭勒盟典型草原区为例

内蒙古草原植被是一个极脆弱的生态系统,易受干旱等自然灾害影响。自1999年以来,全区大部分地区连续三年干旱和虫害(蝗灾),造成严重的草原退化和沙化。2002年后,内蒙古天然植被整体上有不同程度好转,草原生态环境有所改善。本文以锡林郭勒1999至2004年MODIS和TM影象数据和地面样点数据为依据,从宏观和微观两方面揭示了锡林郭勒草地植被动态规律和变化趋势,并系统分析了草地植被发生的变化原因、驱动因素和机理,阐明了锡林郭勒盟典型区草地所面临的问题,以期为我区草原植被恢复应采取的对策和措施提供依据。     

Genetic variation and population structure of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum in Australia

Genetic variation among 348 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (Fov) collected from diseased cotton plants in 31 fields in six cotton-growing regions in New South Wales and Queensland in 2002 and 2004 was analysed using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Twenty-eight haplotypes were identified based on 146 polymorphic bands generated with four Eco RI and Mse I and four Hind III and Mse I primer combinations. The haplotypes separated into two distinct groups (37% similarity), with 21 in group I and seven in group II. The two unique vegetative compatibility groups of Fov known to occur in Australia (VCG 01111 and VCG 01112) were correlated to the two AFLP groups, with both VCG 01111 reference isolates being included in group I and both VCG 01112 reference isolates in group II. Group I was widespread, occurring in all regions sampled and all but one of the fields, while group II was limited to three fields in the Boggabilla region. Group I was further divided into two subgroups. The two haplotypes in subgroup I-B (I-20 and I-21) may represent the emergence of a new form of Fov based on their marked genetic discrimination from the subgroup I-A haplotypes. No spatial population differentiation was discernible at the national level, as only 3·9% of total genetic variation was attributed to differences among regions ( P =  0·4868). When each region was analysed separately, clear differentiation was found in the Boggabilla region, with 86·3% of total genetic variation resulting from differences among fields ( P <  0·0001).     

口蹄疫重组鸡痘病毒活载体疫苗在豚鼠、猪体内的毒性、分布及抗体消长规律

利用临床观察、病理解剖、PCR、RT-PCR、ELISA、中和抗体检测等方法,对口蹄疫(FMD)重组鸡痘病毒(FPV)在豚鼠、仔猪体内的毒性、分布以及抗体消长规律进行研究。结果表明,FMD重组鸡痘病毒免疫的动物在整个试验期间,未表现出明显的临床症状和不良反应;病理组织切片检测无明显的组织学变化;PCR、RT-PCR检测证明,豚鼠、猪免疫FMD重组鸡痘病毒后,在心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏、肌肉、脑、肠系膜淋巴结内检测到FPVDNA和FMDV DNA,且在大部分组织能存在3 d左右;FMD重组鸡痘病毒均可诱导免疫动物产生较高水平的抗FMDV特异性抗体和中和抗体,验证了所构建重组FPV的生物安全性及良好的免疫原性,为其他哺乳动物实验提供了必要的基础数据。