Species identification method for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scombrops boops</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scombrops gilberti</Emphasis> based on polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of mitochondrial DNA

ABSTRACT:   Gnomefish Scombrops boops and Scombrops gilberti are commercially important fishes in Japan, but these species are often confused in the markets because of their morphological similarity. To identify these two species, we performed nucleotide sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and the control region in mitochondrial DNA. Five and 12 nucleotide substitutions were observed between species in the 777-bp 16S rRNA gene and 471-bp control region, respectively. Diagnostic restriction sites for discriminating between S. boops and S. gilberti were found in the 16S rRNA gene, but not in the control region. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–RFLP analysis using two enzymes, Eco NI and Mva I, clearly discriminated between S. boops and S. gilberti identified by meristic characters. The PCR–RFLP analysis identified most of the 168 Scombrops young caught in the coastal waters of the Izu and Miura peninsulas as S. boops , suggesting that S. gilberti juveniles are rare in this area.     

Recreational fishery as a conservation tool for endemic Dolly Varden <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus malma miyabei</Emphasis> in Lake Shikaribetsu,Japan

Recreational angling is a popular leisure activity globally and can be a threat or useful conservation tool depending on the management strategy. Miyabe charr Salvelinus malma miyabei is an endemic fish that inhabits Lake Shikaribetsu, and a management program was established to harmonise recreational fishery and conservation. To examine the suitability of this program, population assessment was conducted with the cooperation of anglers. The population size in 2014 as assessed by tag-and-release angling was estimated to be 105,300 [95% confidence interval (CI) 37,300–178,600], much higher than the reported estimate in 1995. Further, angling mortality was estimated to be quite low. Moreover, no decreasing population trend was detected on analysing 8 years of anglers’ catch data. Consequently, angling has facilitated stock assessments of Miyabe charr under the current program. This case is a good example of recreational angling acting as a conservation tool under appropriate management.     

Guanine-cytosine contents of the host and symbiont cDNA in a symbiotic coral

ABSTRACT:   Hermatypic (reef-building) corals harbor dinoflagellate endo-symbionts Symbiodinium spp. In studying gene expression in such symbiotic corals, problems arise regarding how to distinguish the coral and symbiont mRNA, and how to estimate their fractions in the mRNA population of the holobiont (symbiotic complex of the coral and Symbiodinium cells). In this study, these issues were addressed using juveniles of hermatypic coral Acropora tenuis in symbiosis with Symbiodinium cells of strain PL-TS-1. First, the guanine-cytosine (GC) contents were determined in expressed sequence tags (EST) from PL-TS-1 cells cultured in vitro and symbiont-free larvae of A. tenuis , and their average GC contents were found to be significantly different. The average GC content of the EST from the holobiont was much closer to that of A. tenuis larvae, suggesting that the majority (>90%) of mRNA isolated from the holobiont originated in the host. In protein-coding sequences, little overlap was observed between the GC-content distributions of PL-TS-1 cells and A. tenuis larvae. All of the coding sequences ( n  = 59) found in the A. tenuis EST had GC contents below 0.5, whereas the GC content exceeded 0.5 in the majority (43/44) of coding sequences from the nuclear genome of PL-TS-1 cells.     

翅碱蓬生态化学计量内稳性对模拟氮磷沉降的响应

生物有机体元素组成内稳性是生态化学计量学核心概念之一,研究植物N、P生态化学计量内稳性及N、P分配可以明确其生态策略和适应性、竞争性。采用室内盆栽方法,研究了翅碱蓬(Suaeda heteroptera)N、P内稳性与生长对模拟N、P沉降增加的响应。结果表明,N沉降增加情况下,翅碱蓬吸收积累N表现为"绝对"的生态化学计量内稳性;P沉降增加情况下,翅碱蓬吸收积累P呈现一定的生态化学内稳性,调节系数HP为0.754,HN∶P为0.792。N沉降增加促进了翅碱蓬积累P,翅碱蓬生长可能受N限制。N、P沉降增加情况下,翅碱蓬株重、P吸收积累量与株高间均表现为异速生长。N沉降增加,翅碱蓬株重生长比株高快,P积累相对减慢。P沉降增加,翅碱蓬株高生长比株重快,P积累也相对更快。     

Effects of mangrove deforestation on fish assemblage at Pak Phanang Bay,southern Thailand

Daytime sampling using a seine net was conducted at Pak Phanang Bay (Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand) in February and July 2006, to determine differences in fish assemblage structures between a mangrove site and an adjacent site completely cleared of mangroves. The overall numbers of fish species and individuals were significantly higher at the mangrove site than the cleared site in both months. Although benthic crustacean feeders showed more species and individual numbers at the mangrove site in both months, the opposite was found for zooplankton feeders. A cluster analysis, based on the abundance of each species, demonstrated that the fish assemblage structures were distinctly different between the two sites. In addition, significant differences in length frequency distributions for each of the four most abundant species were found between the sites in February and/or July. Small individuals of Scatophagus argus, Ambassis nalua, and Tetraodon nigroviridis were more common at the mangrove site, and of Chelon subviridis at the cleared site. These results suggest that mangrove deforestation exerts marked effects on fish assemblages.     

茶绿色素叶绿素锌钠盐锌代工艺优化研究

采用四因素二次旋转正交回归组合设计方法对茶绿色素叶绿素锌钠盐的锌代工艺进行研究。结果表明：影响茶绿色素叶绿素锌钠盐得率最大的因素为锌代时间,其次为ZnSO₄浓度、锌代温度、及锌代溶液pH值,其最佳制备工艺为溶液pH调至3.0,在72.8℃,用21.5%的ZnSO₄溶液锌代89.6βmin,TGP_-2产品得率可达0.69%。     

Extensive Screening for Edible Herbal Extracts with Potent Scavenging Activity against Superoxide Anions

To search for edible herbal extracts with potent antioxidant activity, we conducted a large scale screening based on the superoxide scavenging activity. That is, scavenging activity against superoxide anions were extensively screened from ethanol extracts of approximately 1,000 kinds of herbs by applying an electron spin resonance (ESR)-spin trapping method. Among them we chose four edible herbal extracts with prominently potent ability to reduce the signal intensity of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO)-OOH, a spin adduct formed by DMPO and superoxide anion. They are the extracts from Punica granatum (Peel), Syzygium aromaticum (Bud), Mangifera indica (Kernel), and Phyllanthus emblica (Fruit), and are allowed to be used as foodstuffs according to the Japanese legal regulation. The ESR-spin trapping method coupled with steady state kinetic analysis showed that all of the four extracts directly scavenge superoxide anions, and that the superoxide scavenging potential of any of the extracts was comparable to that of L-ascorbic acid. Furthermore, polyphenol determination indicates that the activity is at least in part attributable to polyphenols. These results with such large scale screening might give useful information when choosing a potent antioxidant as a foodstuff.     

小黑麦萌发期耐盐性评价

为了解不同基因型小黑麦萌发期的耐盐能力,以87份小黑麦品种(系)为材料,分析了不同浓度NaCl溶液(100～250mmol·L-1)处理后小黑麦种子萌发的变化。结果表明,200～250mmol·L-1 NaCl对小黑麦种子萌发影响显著。在200mmol·L-1 NaCl胁迫下,可以鉴别不同小黑麦材料的耐盐性差异。利用200mmol·L-1 NaCl胁迫下的发芽势、发芽率、发芽指数、活力指数及幼苗干重的耐盐系数进行聚类分析,87份材料中,耐盐性较强的材料有32份,中间型有14份,盐敏感型41份。     

移栽密度对南抗9号无土苗生长发育及产量的影响

 以南抗9号为材料,探讨了不同移栽密度对棉花无土苗生长发育及产量的影响。结果表明：在1.8万~3.6万株·hm^-2范围无土苗群体总蕾数、现蕾强度、成铃数及成铃强度均随着密度的增加而增加。在2.4万株· hm^-2时,子棉产量最高,达到4284 kg· hm^-2。     

大豆种质倒伏性遗传及其与主要农艺性状的相关分析

以270个南方夏大豆种质资源为材料,分析大豆倒伏性的遗传规律及其与农艺性状的相关性。结果表明,倒伏级别同时受加性和显性效应的作用,且以显性效应为主,其狭义遗传率和广义遗传率分别是14.3%和90.3%。相关分析表明,大豆倒伏级别与株高、底荚高、主茎节数和分枝数呈极显著正相关,与单产显著负相关,与百粒重和单株粒重极显著负相关。由于株高的遗传率较高,因此可以在早代对株高进行选择能间接改良大豆的倒伏性。利用与大豆倒伏性相关的农艺性状进行抗倒伏性聚类分析,将材料划分为4类,其中第4类材料倒伏程度轻且具有高产潜力。