Identification and quantification of anthocyanins in different coloured cultivars of ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC)

Anthocyanins are responsible for the colour of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and coloured-leaved trees. Ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) is widely cultivated for its colourful inner leaves. To investigate the relationship between the degree of colouration and anthocyanin distribution, content, and composition in ornamental kale, the authors studied the pigment characteristics of five cultivars with different coloured leaves (white, pink, red, purple, and purple-black). Microscopy observation, spectrophotometer, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis of fresh inner leaves revealed that pink, red, and purple colourations were associated with high levels of anthocyanin, while purple-black was the result of the combination of anthocyanins and chlorophyll. In the coloured cultivars, anthocyanins were abundant mainly in the first and second cell layers below the epidermis in both the hypocotyls and inner leaves. No anthocyanin was found in the white-leaved phenotype cultivar. Anthocyanin content increased as leaf colour deepened from pink, red, to purple cultivars, which had little chlorophyll and carotenoid. The authors identified eight anthocyanins in the four coloured cultivars, including one non-acylated, four monoacylated, and three diacylated cyanidin glycosides. Cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)(feruloyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin in the four coloured cultivars followed by cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside. The analysis of anthocyanin accumulation characterisation provides important information on evaluating colouration patterns in coloured plants, and will be helpful for breeding desired leaf colours in ornamental kale.     

芝麻的核型与系统演化

对１０份粒色不同的栽培和野生芝麻的染色体组型研究表明，栽培芝麻染色体数目一致，核型基本相同：２ｎ＝２６＝１２ｍ＋１２Ｓｍ＋２Ｓｔ随着粒色的变浅，核型的不对称性加强，有两对随体染色体。野生芝麻核型与栽培芝麻相似：２ｎ＝２６＝１２ｍ＋１２Ｓｍ（４ＳＡＴ）染色体数目有２ｎ＝２６，２ｎ＝３２，２ｎ＝５８或２ｎ＝６４．芝麻可能是由对称核型向不对称核型演化，其趋势为：野生（２ｎ＝２６）－黑粒－褐袜－黄粒－白粒     

Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey)

Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of 18 (13–14 kg body weight) and three (145–226 kg body weight) Mekong giant catfish (MGC) (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey) reared in earthen ponds in Chiang Mai and from the Mekong River in Chiang Rai, Thailand, respectively, were investigated. The hormonal profiles were determined from blood samples of the fish by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay during May to August in 2000. The highest testosterone levels of 0.06 ng mL^?1 in both sexes and the highest oestradiol of 47.8 and 14.23 pg mL^?1 in females and males, respectively, were observed in May. The gonadosomatic index was found to be 0.07 for males and 0.38 for females from ponds in comparison with 2.27 for males and 8.29 for females from the Mekong River. Higher development stages of spermatocytes and oocytes of the cultured fish in May than in February and November were demonstrated. No mature germ cells were obtained from either the males or females, indicating no sexual maturity. The average age of fish was determined from the annual rings of the cross‐section of the pectoral fins by a stereomicroscope. The average age of fish in earthen pond determined from the annual ring was 8 years, which agreed with the actual culture records, while those from the Mekong River were 21 years. This information will be beneficial for the breeding programmes and conservation of the MGC.     

Sex‐dependent responses of perch to changes in water clarity and temperature

Rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency of lakes have strong wide ranging effects on fish. Fish responses to various changes in the environment are usually species‐dependent, but responses may also vary within species. In general, large individuals are considered to be more sensitive to environmental variation due to higher energy demand, than smaller individuals. Similarly, large individuals require more food to maintain bodily functions and are thus more sensitive to resource and food scarcity. These size‐specific responses to environmental gradients are also sex‐dependent in species that exhibit sexual size dimorphism (SSD). We studied in enclosures with short‐term experiments how rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency regulate the feeding rates of female and male European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). To explore experimental results, we calculated perch SSD in nine lakes with varying environmental conditions using previously collected field data. The results of the experiments revealed that the combined effect of water transparency and temperature on the feeding rate of fish is gender‐dependent: feeding rate of females decreased more than that of males. The experimental results were also supported by field data that revealed a negative relation between water transparency and the magnitude of SSD in perch. Our results suggest that rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency may potentially decrease fish size in a sex‐dependent manner. As female size is one of the main demographic traits determining the reproductive success of a fish population, changing environments may have unexpected and far‐reaching consequences on fish population dynamics.     

黄鳝排尿器官的解剖学研究

应用铸型技术等方法研究了黄鳝排尿器官的解剖学结构。结果见到,黄鳝2条中肾管在中肾末端与所谓退化性腺（亦即膀胱）相连,并与该“退化性腺”之间存在着明显的通道关系,而“退化性腺”直接通于尿孔。此外,组织学的研究也支持了解剖学结果,并证实中肾管在“退化性腺”中存在着2种开口类型;单口型和双口型。研究结果为作者先前提出的有关黄鳝“退化性腺”是膀胱的结论提供了直接的形态学证据。     

采前高浓度赤霉素处理对贵妃芒果色泽发育的抑制效应

以10年生贵妃芒果树为实验材料,研究不同浓度（0、0.5g/L、1.0g/L、2.0g/L、3.0g/L）赤霉素（GA3）处理果树对采后芒果果实色泽变化的影响。于果树的盛花期、幼果期和果实膨大期三次进行GA3喷洒处理。结果表明：与对照组相比,不同浓度的赤霉素处理对果皮色度a*值均具有明显影响,浓度越高,抑制a*值增大的效果越显著;赤霉素处理可以显著抑制果皮叶绿素(Chl)的降解,降低类胡萝卜素及花青素的合成;高浓度赤霉素对叶绿素酶（Chlase）、查尔酮异构酶(CHI)活性增加、5-氨基乙酰脱氢酶(ALAD)活性的降低具有明显的抑制效果。综上表明：采前GA3处理可以抑制采后贵妃芒果果皮色泽的转变, 浓度越高对果皮转色的抑制效果越显著。     

薏苡紫色柱头性状的遗传分析

为研究薏苡紫色柱头性状的遗传规律,利用4份材料做亲本构建4个杂交组合,观察并记录其F 1、F 2植株的性状特征和分离比例。结果显示,紫色柱头相对于白色为显性,各F 2群体植株的柱头颜色分离比皆符合3∶1比例,说明紫色柱头是由1对显性等位基因控制。     

三角帆蚌HcTyr基因内壳色性状相关SNP筛选及图谱定位

为研究三角帆蚌HcTyr基因与内壳色性状的相关性,本实验根据已分离的三角帆蚌HcTyr基因进行引物设计和片段扩增,并用144只三角帆蚌对其多态性进行筛选和验证,卡方检验分析了SNP位点和三角帆蚌内壳色相关性,并对HcTyr基因进行了图谱定位。结果显示,在HcTyr基因上筛选出8个SNP位点,其中有7个SNP位点与三角帆蚌内壳色L、a及d E呈显著相关性,用这7个SNP位点做单倍型构建和分析,发现Ⅱ、Ⅲ及Ⅳ这3种单倍型在白色群体中出现的频率极显著高于在紫色群体中出现的频率,而Ⅴ和Ⅶ这2两种单倍型在紫色群体中出现的频率极显著高于白色群体。进一步在商业养殖群体中验证发现,Ⅳ和Ⅶ这2种单倍型可分别作为白色和紫色群体的优势单倍型。研究表明,三角帆蚌HcTyr基因可作为内壳色相关的候选基因,其部分SNP位点可用于三角帆蚌分子辅助育种。另外本实验还将HcTyr基因定位在三角帆蚌LG16连锁群上,这为进一步解析该基因调控珍珠颜色形成的分子机制奠定了基础。