Classification of common oysters from North China

Oysters are commonly found on rocky shores along China's northern coast, although there is considerable confusion as to what species they are. To determine the taxonomic status of these oysters, we collected specimens from nine locations north of the Yangtze River and conducted genetic identification using DNA sequences. Fragments from three genes, mitochondrial 165 rRNA, mitochondria! cytochrome oxidase I (COI), and nuclear 285 rRNA, were sequenced in six oysters from each of the nine sites. Phylogenetic analysis of all three gene fragments clearly demonstrated that the small oysters commonly found on intertidal rocks in north China are Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793), not C. plicatula (the zhe oyster) as widely assumed. Their small size and irregular shell characteristics are reflections of the stressful intertidal environment they live in and not reliable characters for classification. Our study confirms that the oysters from Weifang, referred to as Jinjiang oysters or C. rivularis (Gould, 1861), are C. ariakensis (Wakiya, 1929). We found no evidence for the existence of C. talienwhanensis (Crosse, 1862) and other Crassostrea species in north China. Our study highlights the need for reclassifying oysters of China with molecular data.

Chromosomal mapping of the major ribosomal RNA genes in the dwarf surfclam (Mulinia lateralis Say)

Chromosomal location of the major ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA) were studied in the dwarf surfclam (Mulinia lateralis, Say) using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). FISH probes for the rRNA genes were made by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), labeled with digoxigenin-11-dUTP and detected with fluorescein-labeled antidigoxigenin antibodies. Mulinia lateralis had a diploid number of 38 chromosomes and all chromosomes were telocentric. FISH with the rRNA probe produced positive and consistent signals on two pairs of chromosomes: Chromosome 15 with a relative length of 4.6% and Chromosome 19, the shortest chromosome. Both loci were telomeric. The rRNA location provides the first physical landmark of the M. lateralis genome.

Identification of Crassostrea ariakensis and related oysters by multiplex species-specific PCR

Genetic markers are needed for rapid and reliable identification of oysters. In this study, we developed multiplex genus- and species-specific PCR markers for the identification of oysters from China. We used the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and nuclear 28S ribosomal RNA genes for marker development. DNA sequences from different species were obtained from GenBank or by direct sequencing. Sequences were aligned, and genus- and species-specific nucleotides were identified. Primers were designed for genus/species-specific amplification to generate fragments of different sizes. A multiplex set of genus- and species-specific primers from the 28S gene was able to separate C. ariakensis and C. hongkongensis from other species and assign oysters to four genera. A set of species-specific COI primers provided positive identification of all five Crassostrea species from China, C. ariakensis, C. hongkongensis, C. angulata, C. gigas, and C. sikamea in a single PCR. The multiplex PCR assays do not require fluorescence-labeling or post-PCR enzyme digestion, providing a simple, fast and reliable method for the identification of oysters from China.

Jiangella gansuensis gen. nov., sp nov., a novel actinomycete from a desert soil in north-west China

A novel actinomycete strain, designated YIM 002(T), was isolated from a desert soil sample in Gansu Province, north-west China. This actinomycete isolate formed well-differentiated aerial and substrate mycelia. In the early stages of growth, the substrate mycelia fragmented into short or elongated rods. Chemotaxonomically, it contained LL-2,6-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. The cell-wall sugars contained ribose and glucose. Phospholipids present were phosphatidylinositol mannosides, phosphatidylinositol and diphosphatidylglycerol. MK-9(H-4) was the predominant menaquinone. The major fatty acids were anteiso C-15:0 (35.92%), anteiso C-17:0 (15.84%), iso C-15:0 (10.40%), iso C-16:0 (7.07%) and C(17:10)w8c (9.37%). The G+C content of the DNA was 70 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis and signature nucleotide data based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YIM 002(T) is distinct from all recognized genera of the family Nocardioidaceae in the suborder Propionibacterineae. On the basis of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, it is proposed that isolate YIM 002(T) be classified as a novel species in a new genus, Jiangella gansuensis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is YIM 002(T) (= DSM 44835(T) = CCTCC AA 204001(T) = KCTC 19044(T)).

华北及周边地区层析成像研究

Our study deals with the high resolution body wave tomography in North china and adjacent areas(30°N-43°N，100°E-130°E), where earthquakes occurred many times in history and has a very complicated geological structure. 6870 events recorded at 273 digital seismic stations from CDSN during 1996－2002 and stations settled by Seislab of IGCAS in Bohai Bay area, including 1382 local earthquakes and 5488 teleseismic earthquakes are used in this study. In the data we used, the average number of received stations is greater than 5, the error of picking up direct arrival time is 0.1－0.5s. Before the inversion, we use Checkerboard method to confirm the reliability of result of Local events; use Restoring Resolution Test to confirm the reliability of result of teleseismic events. We also analyzed the effect of different parameters in the inversion. Based the analysis above, the model used in this paper is divided into small blocks with a dimension of 0.33°in the latitude and longitude directions and 5km、15km、30km in depth, and initial velocity model. Using pseudobending method to calculate the ray traveling path, LSQR algorithm to inverse, finally, we got the body velocity images below 25km and above 480km in this area using Joint- inversion with local events and teleseismic events. We made the conclusion at last: (1)at top zone of the south of Sichuan Basin , there exits low velocity anomalies, below 40km is the high velocity zone extend to 300km; (2) Above the 40km of Ordos block exits low velocity zone, while below 40km until 240km, the high velocity anomalies are interlaced by low velocity anomalies. Below 300km, the anomalies are unclear any more; (3) On the whole, the velocity structure below 400km on the mantle transition zone of Eastern China area shows its changes from low velocity to high velocity.

淡水湖泊中类蛭弧菌的分离鉴定与多样性分析

类蛭弧菌(BALOs)是一种微小的，能够高速运动的革兰氏阴性捕食细菌。它通过裂解宿主细胞来获得自己生长发育所需的物质、能量。类蛭弧菌分布范围广泛，土壤、海洋、湖泊、河流、下水道的污水、水管和水池之中都有它的存在。目前将与蛭弧菌具有相似生活特性的一类细菌称为 “类蛭弧菌”。 该研究从阿哈湖、百花湖和滇池三个内陆淡水湖泊中分离鉴定了宿主菌。利用分离得出的两株宿主菌分离培养类蛭弧菌。进行了16S rRNA基因序列分析。对不同富营养化的高原湖泊中类蛭弧菌的多样性进行比较。在以下几个方面取得了一些进展： 1. 改进了对类蛭弧菌的分离培养方法。我们直接从类蛭弧菌生活的环境中去寻找并提取宿主细菌。这样可以最大程度的保证实验室条件下类蛭弧菌的生长和真实环境中的相似性。我们的实验也证明了这种方法的有效性，并且在实验中我们获得了肠杆菌和黄色假单胞菌这两种类蛭弧菌的宿主菌。 2. 用新分离出来的两种宿主菌，通过噬菌斑生成、吸光度检测，PCR扩增等一系列实验证明我们成功的从淡水湖泊中分离得到了类蛭弧菌。 3、经过对所得的类蛭弧菌的16S rRNA基因序列进行检测,获得了不同类群的类蛭弧菌，并且还发现了新的类群。 3. 构建了分离的类蛭弧菌的系统发生树，对三个湖泊中类蛭弧菌的多样性进行了分析。