Drag force and reconfiguration of cultivated Saccharina latissima in current

The design of aquaculture systems requires an understanding of the drag forces on cultivated kelp. This study measured the drag on line segments of cultivated Saccharina latissima in a towing tank. The drag on segments of farm line with full kelp bundles and with stipes alone (fronds removed) was measured at tow speeds of 0.10 to 0.50 m/s. The drag on individual fronds cut from the line was also measured. Video images were collected to evaluate the plant reconfiguration. Both kelp blades and stipes contributed to the total drag force on the line bundle. Within the velocity range of our experiments, the kelp blades were essentially horizontal. However, the pronation of kelp stipes increased as flow velocity increased. The reconfiguration of kelp stipes was observed to decrease the vertical extent of the kelp bundle. Due to this reconfiguration, the measured force, $F$, increased with velocity, $U$, at a rate slower than quadratic, and was consistent with scaling laws derived for reconfiguration. Specifically, $F\sim U^{\alpha }$ with $\alpha =1.35\pm 0.17$.     

卢氏绿壳蛋鸡壳色性状的AY493302标记

卢氏鸡是我国唯一片羽型的可产绿壳蛋的地方鸡种,壳色有绿壳和褐壳2种颜色。本研究采集131只卢氏绿壳蛋鸡,45只卢氏褐壳蛋鸡及18只地方白壳蛋鸡的血液,提取基因组DNA,用微卫星AY493302标记探讨了这3种壳色的基因型差异。结果表明,微卫星AY493302在卢氏绿壳蛋鸡、卢氏褐壳蛋鸡以及地方白壳蛋鸡之间基因型分布差异极显著,基因型AA（225bp/225bp）在卢氏鸡中的频率为0.396 9,且只在卢氏绿壳蛋鸡中出现。其A基因频率在卢氏绿壳蛋鸡、卢氏褐壳蛋鸡和地方白壳蛋鸡中分别为0.698 5,0.500 0,0.500 0。进一步进行测序发现,卢氏绿壳蛋鸡AA基因型在19bp处碱基和217bp处碱基均为G,但卢氏绿壳蛋鸡AB基因型在19bp处碱基却为C,在217bp处碱基与绿壳蛋鸡AA基因型同为G。卢氏褐壳蛋鸡AB基因型和地方白壳蛋鸡的AB基因型则表现在19bp处碱基为C,217bp处碱基为T。AA基因型的序列与NCBI数据库中红色原鸡比较,达99%同源的序列有V00425.1、J02015.1和NW_003763484.1,均位于鸡的1号染色体上。该微卫星标记的群体杂合度、群体多态信息含量在卢氏绿壳蛋鸡中都低于卢氏褐壳蛋鸡和地方白壳蛋鸡。尽管在所研究的卢氏绿壳群体中只有39.7%的个体表现为纯合AA基因型,但卢氏褐壳蛋鸡和地方白壳蛋鸡中没有该基因型,故而认为微卫星AY493302的纯合AA基因型可以作为对卢氏绿壳蛋鸡进行分子标记辅助选择的基因型。     

参考群筛选方法及规模对基因型填充准确性的影响

为探究基于A矩阵期望遗传关系最大化（maximizing the expected genetic relationship for matrix A,RELA）、基于A矩阵目标群体遗传方差最小化（minimized the target population genetic variance for matrix A,MCA）、平均亲缘关系最大化（the highest mean kinship coefficients,KIN）、随机选择（random selection,RAN）、共同祖先筛选（common ancestor,CA）等不同参考群筛选方法及参考群规模对基因型填充准确性的影响。本研究使用矮小型黄羽肉鸡作为试验群体,采用鸡600K SNP芯片（Affymetrix Axion HD genotyping array）进行基因分型,测定435羽子代公鸡45、56、70、84、91日龄体重。利用Beagle软件将低密度SNP芯片填充为高密度SNP芯片数据,比较不同参考群筛选方法、参考群规模对基因型填充准确性的影响,以及填充芯片基因组预测准确性。结果表明,使用Beagle 4.0结合系谱信息进行填充效果最佳,其次为Beagle 4.0,而Beagle 5.1填充效果最差。使用MCA方法筛选参考群进行基因型填充准确性最高,使用RAN方法筛选参考群进行基因型填充准确性最低,MCA、RELA、CA 3种方法基因型填充准确性差别较小。相比其他方法,使用MCA方法筛选个体作为参考群将低密度SNP芯片填充至高密度SNP芯片进行基因组选择的预测准确性较高,与真实高密度SNP芯片的基因组预测准确性相差甚微。随着参考群规模增大,基因型填充准确性也随之增加,但增速逐渐下降,最后趋于平缓。综上所述,可以通过参考群筛选方法构建参考群以及控制参考群规模,以保证基因型填充和基因组预测准确性并节省成本,本研究为基因型填充在畜禽遗传育种中的应用提供技术参考。     

皱皮香猪HAS2基因SNPs的鉴定及生物信息学分析

为了探究皱皮香猪全身性皮肤褶皱是否与透明质酸合成酶2（hyaluronan synthase 2,HAS2）基因变异有关,本研究以普通香猪为对照,采用特异性PCR方法克隆HAS2基因的外显子编码区,应用生物信息学方法分析测定基因编码区的碱基变异,检测变异位点在群体中的分布频率。结果显示,皱皮香猪HAS2基因中检测到4个SNPs位点：位于外显子1的T221A错义突变（导致亮氨酸替换为赖氨酸）和A228G同义突变,位于外显子2的T183C和外显子4的C537T同义突变。生物信息学分析发现,T221A和A228G位点构成4种单倍型,其中T-A为皱皮香猪群体的主要单倍型（27.5%）,且在皱皮香猪群体中紧密连锁（r²=0.253）,而且T221A和A228G突变可引起mRNA自由能和蛋白质结构发生变化,TA组合的自由能为-573.29 kJ·mol^-1,TG组合的自由能为-580.89 kJ·mol^-1,AG组合的自由能为-572.66 kJ·mol^-1;AA组合的自由能为-571.03 kJ·mol^-1;蛋白序列中亮氨酸替换为赖氨酸后,α螺旋由35.52%降为32.97%,自由卷曲由43.17%升至44.51%,同时引起蛋白序列三级结构的改变。位点T221A和A228G在香猪群体中呈现出丰富的多态性,均表现出3种基因型;关联分析结果显示,皱皮香猪T221A位点的A等位基因频率显著高于普通香猪（P<0.05）,A228G位点中皱皮香猪的G等位基因频率极显著高于普通香猪（P<0.01）。T183C位点的C等位基因频率和C537T位点的T等位基因频率在皱皮香猪和普通香猪间未达到显著性差异（P>0.05）。研究结果揭示,HAS2基因的外显子1中发生的两个碱基变异可能影响基因转录后mRNA的稳定性以及蛋白的三维结构,影响HA的合成量,并与皱皮香猪体侧皮肤不均匀增厚且发生褶皱有关。     

Identification of the core motif of the BRCA2 C-terminal RAD51-binding domain by comparing canine and human BRCA2

Mammary tumors are the most common tumors in women and non-spayed female dogs. One of the reasons for mammary tumors is mutations of the tumor suppressor gene, BRCA2. BRCA2 participates in homologous recombination repair by interacting with the RAD51 recombinase. BRCA2 has two RAD51-binding domains, consisting of BRC repeats and the C-terminal RAD51-binding domain, respectively. Although several studies have addressed the function of the C-terminal RAD51-binding domain of human BRCA2, the amino acid sequences required for the RAD51-interaction activity remain unclear. In this study, the C-terminal RAD51-binding domains of canine and human BRCA2 were compared; the canine domain displayed a weaker interaction with RAD51. This difference was attributed to the C-terminal portion of the domain via a comparison between canine and human domains. Furthermore, peptides shorter than those previously reported displayed RAD51-interacting activity, and a core motif of this domain consisting of 25 amino acids was identified. Since a mutation (S3323N) was reported in the core motif of this domain, the effect of this mutation was evaluated. The mutant exhibited similar RAD51-binding activity as that of the wild-type protein, suggesting that the mutation was functionally neutral. These data suggested that the C-terminal portion of the BRCA2 C-terminal RAD51-binding domain influenced its RAD51-interaction activity, and a minimum core motif of 25 amino acids was identified in this domain. These data may help clarify BRCA2 function, as well as the tumorigenic effects of BRCA2 mutation.     

Isolation and Identification of BPIV3 Genotype C

To identify the infection agents from Ningxia Hui Autonomous region, where feedlot cattle indicated bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC), the M gene of the bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 was amplified by RT-PCR.The PCR product was ligated to pMD18-T vector and cloned to E.coli DH5α.The positive clones were sequenced and compared with the reference strains in GenBank by the molecular biology software.Sequence alignment results showed that a BPIV3 strain was isolated from the samples and named NX49, the M gene of NX49 included 1 056 nucleotides.Evolutionary analysis showed that the NX49 belonged to BPIV3 C genotype and shared 99.4% nucleotide identity with that of the SD0835 isolated in Shandong province.The characterization of the NX49 demonstrated that it was sensitive to temperature, acid and organic matter.The presence of Mg²⁺ showed no protection against the treatment at high temperature.The HA test suggested that the NX49 enables to agglutinate the guinea pig RBC at 4 ℃ and the titer was 1∶4.The study isolated a BPIV3 genotype C strain successfully, which facilitate the study of molecular evolution and epidemiology of BPIV3 in China.     

Predicting Acceptability of Jaguars and Pumas in the Atlantic Forest,Brazil

Jaguars and pumas are threatened species in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, especially at the borders of protected areas. This article assessed the influence of emotions, attitudes, existence value, and agency credibility on acceptability of big cats among rural residents living adjacent to two protected areas in this forest. Data from self-administrated questionnaires (n = 326) indicated those with positive attitudes toward big cats (β = .28, p < .001), those who valued the existence of big cats (β = .14, p < .05), those who would feel sorrow if big cats disappeared (β = .21, p < .001), and those who considered the managing agency as credible (β = .16, p = .002) were more accepting of big cats. The model provided theoretical and practical insights into large carnivore conservation. For example, given the significance of agency credibility, a positive relationship between park authorities and residents is crucial for big cat conservation.     

短花针茅荒漠草原物种间关系的多度不对称性对载畜率的响应

目前物种的相对多度与种间关系的内部联系如何影响物种共存仍不清楚。为探讨植物群落物种间关系强度的多度不对称性及其对载畜率的响应,本研究以内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原植物群落为对象,分析了对照、轻度、中度及重度放牧下群落物种的多度及其频率。结果表明：随载畜率的增大,物种数呈现出降低的趋势。不同载畜率下同分布指数CO均存在明显的多度依赖性;常见种(如短花针茅、无芒隐子草(Cleistogenes songorica)及刺穗藜(Chenopodum aristatum))对其他物种的作用强度普遍较强。不同载畜率下短花针茅对无芒隐子草及刺穗藜的作用强度均高于其二者对短花针茅的强度,表现出种间强度的不对称性。此外,放牧使得短花针茅对无芒隐子草的作用强度呈现出增大的趋势,使得无芒隐子草对短花针茅的作用强度呈现出降低的趋势。因此,物种间存在多度的不对称性,而放牧进一步造成其物种间作用强度的变化。