Can Batesian mimicry help plants to deter herbivores?

Several authors have suggested that edible plants could avoid herbivory by mimicking olfactory cues of toxic plants. However, very few studies have been carried out to test this hypothesis. The aims of the present study were to identify the volatiles of three clover species and to test whether a species lacking chemical defences, such as red clover, could avoid being grazed by rabbits by mimicking the volatiles of the cyanogenic white clover. Two main volatiles were identified in all three clover species, and a further two volatiles were present in white clover only. Rabbits presented with a choice between white clover, red clover and red clover sprayed with white clover extract ate significantly more red clover than white or white-flavoured red clover. The results suggest that the volatiles of toxic plants could be used and exploited as a source of natural, safe and effective repellents to control the impact of pest herbivores on plants.     

MicroRNA及其对哺乳动物繁殖的影响

卵巢功能的正常维持有赖于卵巢生殖细胞和体细胞之间的相互作用及若干卵巢自分泌和旁分泌的调节.这些调节物质调控卵巢内不同的细胞活动,包括细胞生长、分化和凋亡,从而对卵泡的发育起着至关重要的作用.Micro-RNAs(miRNAs)是一种小的、非编码、21～25 nt长的单链小分子RNA,近年来科学家们发现其在基因表达转录后水平的调控发挥了重要作用.鼠上的研究显示,miRNAs在卵母细胞成熟和卵巢卵泡发育过程中有调控功能.人上的研究也表明,miRNAs影响颗粒细胞中特定的基因表达,并参与卵巢癌的形成和发展.本文将对miRNAs的生物合成,及其在哺乳动物繁殖系统中的表达,正常和病理情况下miRNAs在繁殖系统中可能的调控作用作一综述.     

The activity and expression of chitinase in the equine lung and its activity in normal horses and animals with recurrent airway obstruction

Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a chronic inflammatory condition in equine lung, which may share a common immunological basis with human asthma, in which dysregulated Th2 responses occur. Mammals express chitinases and chitinase-like proteins, two of which are active enzymes, chitotriosidase and acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase). Both enzymes are upregulated in a range of inflammatory conditions, including asthma. We investigated the activity of chitinase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from horses with and without RAO in response to organic dust challenges. No significant differences were found in activity, although in one study RAO animals had elevated chitinase activity that fell short of statistical significance. The pH optimum and pH lability of the activity was consistent with the presence of chitotriosidase. RT-PCR amplification of the mRNA encoding chitotriosidase and AMCase in normal equine lung showed that chitotriosidase, but not AMCase, is expressed in trachea, bronchi, and peripheral lung tissue. The gene for chitotriosidase was identified from the Equus caballus (horse) genome 1.1 database and its similarity to the same genes from other species was determined. The results of this study indicate that the involvement of chitotriosidase in RAO is uncertain.     

哺乳动物的克隆技术——哺乳动物克隆的原理、方法、影响因素及存在的问题

哺乳动物细胞克隆是20世纪末生命科学领域最引人注目的高新技术,该技术对于优良种畜的复制、减少试验用动物数目、动物遗传多样性保存及濒危动物挽救、转基因动物培育等方面具有重要意义。近年来克隆技术发展迅速,多种哺乳动物相继克隆成功,但也存在克隆效率太低、克隆动物表型正常而实质异常的问题。作者阐述了动物克隆的基本原理、操作方法及其相关影响因素,提出了解决相关问题的关键。     

牦牛源正呼肠孤病毒2型的检测和分离鉴定

旨在调查川西北牦牛哺乳动物正呼肠孤病毒(MRV)的感染情况并分离病毒.采用RT PCR方法,对采自川西北15个牧场的72份牦牛腹泻粪便样本和其中5个牧场的15份腹泻牦牛血清样本进行MRV检测,阳性样本进一步用分型PCR确定其血清型.结果 显示,粪便样本中MRV检出率为20.83％(15/72),血清2型的比例为60％(...     

影响体细胞核移植效率的因素

哺乳动物体细胞核移植 (克隆 )是近年来迅速发展起来的一项新技术 ,对濒危动物保护、优良种畜快速扩群以及核质关系的研究、药物试验等诸多领域都具有重大意义。但体细胞核移植是一项程序繁杂的工作 ,每一步操作所采用的试剂、材料和方案等都会影响到核移植效率 ,因而其影响因素十分众多。文章根据目前已有资料 ,论述了卵母细胞来源、卵母细胞与供体细胞的胞质容量、卵母细胞的去核方案、体细胞供体动物的年龄、供体细胞的组织来源与传代次数及供体细胞的冷藏、冷冻和所处的细胞周期阶段对核移植效率的影响。另外 ,对重组胚的融合 -激活方案、核移植方案及重构胚的培养方案对核移植效率的影响也作了简要论述。     

哺乳动物生殖细胞冷冻保存对其DNA甲基化影响的研究进展

哺乳动物生殖细胞和胚胎冷冻保存在辅助生殖技术中得到了广泛的应用,同时在保存物种的多样性方面发挥着巨大的作用。但是,冷冻引起的DNA甲基化对其印记基因缺陷性疾病的发生和后代生理功能的差异会有很大的影响。作者就冷冻保存技术对配子（精子和卵子）和胚胎的DNA甲基化的影响以及冷冻引起的DNA甲基化对后代的影响进行了综述,以期对配子的冷冻保存和辅助生殖技术的发展提供参考。