Cryopreservation of flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm with a practical methodology

A simple and convenient protocol for the cryopreservation of the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) sperm was established for "on the spot" cryopreservation of large quantities of semen. The use of three cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), glycerol (Gly) and methanol was tested in the method. The percentage of motile sperm present in semen after it had been frozen and thawed in the presence of DMSO, Gly or methanol was 60.5 +/- 3.6, 79.17 +/- 4.5 and 13.25 +/- 4.7%, respectively. The fertilization rates of this sperm were 67.06 +/- 15.1, 76.20 +/- 10.0 and 44.93 +/- 22.6%, while the hatching rates of eggs fertilized with this sperm were 37.40 +/- 8.3, 48.18 +/- 25.7 and 23.35 +/- 10.8%, respectively. It was found that Gly and DMSO were better cryoprotectants than methanol, with Gly giving the best overall results. Under scanning electron microscopy, it could be seen that while the majority of the frozen-thawed sperm remained morphologically normal, some exhibited lost or dilated mitochondria, swollen mid-pieces, broken tails, or damaged cell membrane, which probably caused the decrease in motility and fertility of the frozen-thawed sperm. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

普通烟草与毛曼陀罗族间体细胞杂交的研究

采用PEG／DMSO融合法，从普通烟草(Nicotiana tabacum L.cv.Xanthi nc)叶肉和毛曼陀罗(Datura innoxia Mill.)茎或叶愈伤组织原生质体融合获得I5株花盆中健康生长的族间体细胞杂种植株;其中11株是在没有选择压力的条件下获得，4株则是在有IOA和R6G选择系统存在下获得。同时获得一株试管开花且形态异常的植株和一株花盆中生长的嵌合植株。lOmM IOA和I5μ g／ml R6G均能分别有效地抑制烟草叶肉和毛曼陀罗愈伤组织原生质体的分裂;10% DMSO能显著提高原生质体融合率;PEG种类并不重要，但浓度则很重要;BAP较ZT，KT对植株分化有更好的诱导效果。杂种的形态、细胞、同工酶、Southern杂交，花粉育性分析结果如下：1、l5株杂种较双亲普遍株型矮小，生长缓慢，形态接近烟草但不很正常，根据形态特征可分为两种类型：(1)共有8株，其叶片大小、形状、颜色、开花习惯、花类型（单花）等均与毛曼陀罗接近，但子房败育;(2)共有7株，其株型、叶片形状、颜色、光滑度、花形状、类型（圆锥状花序）、颜色更接近烟草，但少数杂种开单花或先单花后圆锥状花序或先单花后两种花并存，且开花时间不一，部分子房败育。2、杂种染色体数目大都在60～90之间，个别者较少(48条)或较多(125条)，没有一株为双二倍体(2n=96)，并全部为混倍体。3、15株杂种植株均有双亲的细胞色素氧化酶同工酶特征谱带;大部分都有双亲的过氧化物酶同工酶特征谱带，少都仅具烟草的谱带。4、Hae Ⅲ／水稻rDNA的Southern杂交分析表明杂种1较双亲多一条谱带，杂种2较双亲也多一条弱带，其它杂种尚待定。5、花粉活力测定表明毛曼陀罗（种子再生而来）的为99%，烟草（原生质体再生而来）为80～90%，而杂种的为24～61%，育性普遍低于双亲。

长日光周期对水稻幼穗发育的影响及其对光敏核不育水稻育性转换的作用研究

光敏核不育水稻晚粳农垦58S具有长日照下不育、短日照下可育的特点，是目前二系法杂交水稻应用的基础。对于其长日光周期引起雄性败育的特性已得到很多实验的支持，但这种光周期反应特性是光敏不育材料所特有，还是在水稻穗发育中普遍存在，目前尚不清楚。对这一问题的认识涉及到对光敏不育性本质的了解及对这一性状的有效利用，本文对此进行了系统的研究分析。 本研究以24种水稻品种包括光敏核不育系及常规水稻品种为材料，在控制光周期下进行。即利用16h长日照处理(LD)和l0h短日照处理(SD)及其不同组合，以抽穗期、叶龄、抽穗叶片总数、花粉育性、结实率、穗长、穗粒密度为指标，结合光敏不育系幼穗发育的形态解剖学特征，探讨了在整个水稻发育中包括叶片生长、幼穗分化以及穗发育等过程中，不同材料的光周期反应特征，尤其是二次枝梗期后的穗发育过程中的光周期反应特征。此外还分析了温度与光周期反应的关系及温度在光敏不育现象中的作用，并研究了代谢抑制剂对光敏不育特征的影响。 研究表明，光周期对水稻的出叶速度基本没有影响，但对水稻的抽穗叶龄有影响，长日照使抽穗叶龄增加而延迟其穗分化及抽穗。光周期还对幼穗分化后的穗发育过程有抑制延迟，作用，影响大小因品种而异，以对早稻、籼稻的影响最弱，对晚稻、粳稻的影响最强，与其穗分化中的感光性有明显的相关性。 除对抽穗期有影响外，穗发育阶段的长日光周期还影响着穗发育的其它性状，如使穗长增加，芒较长、稳粒密度降低，花粉育性降低，结实率下降。此外植株发育的其它性状也可受到影响，如剑叶发育不良表现为叶片缺少仅有叶鞘、倒二叶生长旺盛、植株较高等。同时几组不同组合的光周期处理结果均表明，长日光周期对水稻穗发育的影响主要发生在穗发育的前5-10天即颖花原基分化期、雌雄蕊原基分化期至花粉母细胞形成期。这些结果表明水稻的光周期反应不仅表现在茎端从营养生长向生殖生长的转换上（幼穗分化），而且还表现在幼穗分化完成后的穗发育过程中。长日光周期对晚稻穗发育均有抑制效应，且日长对稳发育的影响时期与光敏核不育水稻的‘育性转换敏感期’完全一致。因此在农垦58S中引起‘光敏不育’的原因很可能不是一种特殊的光周期反应，而是该材料雄性器官发生过程不能对长日光周期做出适当的反应。 对24种不同品种水稻的光周期反应表明，不同材料光周期反应特性不同。光敏不育系农垦58S与农垦58在对长日照的反应上也有较大不同，表现为前者在短日照下穗分化较快，在自然日照下抽穗较早。这表明除了育性不同外，农垦58S与农垦58在光周期反应特征上也有所不同，然而我们认为这种不同不是农垦58S表现光敏不育的主要原因。因为本研究中还发现，光敏不育系农垦58S与其可育回复突变体农垦58S(r)在抽穗期等光周期反应特征上相当一致，但在育性反应上却有较大不同，长日照下农垦58S(r)表现为雄性可育，而农垦58S表现为雄性败育。根据上述几方面的比较，我们认为光敏不育的机制很可能在于农垦58S突变体其雄性器官发育对环境不利信号的反应能力的变弱所致。 在本研究中发现，温度对水稻穗发育的影响表现在两个方面：一方面是通过影响光周期反应强弱而起作用，如高温可加强短日照下的穗分化和发育过程，高温亦可加强长日照对穗分化发育的抑制作用;另一方面是直接对器官发生过程产生影响，如在对短日照下光敏不育系和常规稻不同温度条件下处理时的结实率比较分析发现，常规稻的结实率与其抽穗扬花期的平均温度显著负相关，而光敏核不育水稻的结实率虽与抽穗扬花期的温度有一定相关性，但更与穗发育期的平均温度呈显著负相关，二者在受温度影响的作用时期上有显著差异，因此温度也可直接对雄性器官发育起作用。区分温度对光敏不育的两方面影响，同时考虑到光敏不育机制更有可能在于光敏不育系农垦58S雄性器官发育对环境信号反应能力的变弱的假设。我们就可以较好地理解农垦58S‘光敏不育’性状经杂交转育到对光周期弱感的籼稻中所出现的‘温敏不育性’。 核酸代谢抑制剂5-FU，2-TU对SD下的幼穗分化有较强抑制作用，使幼穗分化被迟滞，而2-BrDU和蛋白质合成抑制剂CHX、CL对其影响较小。抑制剂处理也不能诱导LD下的穗分化。 短日照下，5-FU可对穗发育有强烈抑制作用，可使常规品种农垦58及光敏不育系农垦58S穗畸形，颖花减少并发育不良，穗长缩短，枝梗减少，花粉败育甚至无花粉，结实率显著降低，其有效作用时期为穗发育的二次枝梗分化期至雌雄蕊原基分化期，与长日照诱导农垦58S败育的作用时期也完全吻合，5-FU对SD下穗发育的影响还可被核酸抑制剂的恢复剂乳清酸所部分恢复。其它代谢抑制剂如2-TU、CHX、CL等也可使农垦58S育性明显降饭，而所有这些抑制剂对常规可育的农垦58及农垦58S(r)的育性影响较小，表明它们与光敏不育系对抑制信号的反应能力有显著不同。 长日照下5-FU对LD下的农垦58S的幼穗发育也有很强的抑制作用，使稳长缩短，颖数减少，但它还可使部分LD下处理植株抽穗期较LD对照明显提前，并可使农垦58S育性部分恢复而有结实，说明5-FU还可对LD的抑制作用有抑制，通过对LD抑制作用的抑制使LD下的育性转换有部分恢复。其它代谢抑制剂在穗发育前期处理LD下农垦58S叶片均可看到植株在抽穗期较LD下提前5—8天的同时，其花粉育性有不同程度的提高，在高温长日下甚至有一定程度的结实率，表明各种抑制剂均可对穗发育中的光周期作用产生影响。 总之，本研究结果表明，短日植物水稻的光周期反应不仅存在于幼穗分化上，还存在于幼穗发育和花器官发生等发育过程中。幼穗发育的光周期效应表现为抽穗期、穗长、穗粒密度、结实率等多方面的变化，作用时期以穗发育早期的花器官发生阶段影响最大。作用强弱因品种不同而异，以粳稻和晚稻中作用较强。光敏不育突变的更主要变化可能在于农垦58S的雄性器官分化发育时对环境不利信号的反应能力变弱，导致其正常发育受阻，育性不能正常表达。温度在水稻穗发育上既可通过影响光周期反应而起作用，还可直接对穗器官发育产生影响而对育性表达起作用。此外我们还发现农垦58S与农垦58不仅在雄性育性上有显著不同，而且其光周期反应特性也有较大的差异。抑制剂处理结果也支持光敏不育系农垦58S的雄性器官发生过程较农垦58更易受抑制剂影响而育性降低，而抑制剂对长日光周期抑制作用的部分解除，可以使其育性有一定程度的恢复，也表明光周期对雄性育性的影响最为显著。这些结果可以帮助我们更加全面地认识光敏不育水稻的基本特性，从而为进一步开展光敏不育的转育及应用研究提供可靠的科学依据。

Game Vertebrate Densities in Hunted and Nonhunted Forest Sites in Manu National Park, Peru

Manu National Park of southern Peru is one of the most renowned protected areas in the world, yet large-bodied vertebrate surveys conducted to date have been restricted to Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a research station covering <0.06 percent of the 1.7Mha park. Manu Park is occupied by >460 settled Matsigenka Amerindians, 300-400 isolated Matsigenka, and several, little-known groups of isolated hunter-gatherers, yet the impact of these native Amazonians on game vertebrate populations within the park remains poorly understood. On the basis of 1495 km of standardized line-transect censuses, we present density and biomass estimates for 23 mammal, bird, and reptile species for seven lowland and upland forest sites in Manu Park, including Cocha Cashu. We compare these estimates between hunted and nonhunted sites within Manu Park, and with other Neotropical forest sites. Manu Park safeguards some of the most species-rich and highest biomass assemblages of arboreal and terrestrial mammals ever recorded in Neotropical forests, most likely because of its direct Andean influence and high levels of soil fertility. Relative to Barro Colorado Island, seed predators and arboreal folivores in Manu are rare, and generalist frugivores specializing on mature fruit pulp are abundant. The impact of such a qualitative shift in the vertebrate community on the dynamics of plant regeneration, and therefore, on our understanding of tropical plant ecology, must be profound. Despite a number of external threats, Manu Park continues to serve as a baseline against which other Neotropical forests can be gauged.

Cryopreservation of cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) spermatozoa in a chemically defined extender

Aim: To establish a method for cynomolgus monkey sperm cryopreservation in a chemically defined extender. Methods: Semen samples were collected by electro-ejaculation from four sexually mature male cynomolgus monkeys. The spermatozoa were frozen in straws by liquid nitrogen vapor using egg-yolk-free Tes-Tris (mTTE) synthetic extender and glycerol as cryoprotectant. The effects of glycerol concentration (1%,3%, 5%, 10% and 15% [v/v]) and its equilibration time (10 min, 30 min, 60 min and 90 min) on post-thaw spermatozoa were examined by sperm motility and sperm head membrane integrity. Results: The post-thaw motility and head membrane integrity of spermatozoa were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for 5% glycerol (42.95 +/- 2.55 and 50.39 +/- 2.42, respectively) than those of the other groups (1%: 19.19 +/- 3.22 and 24.84 +/- 3.64; 3%: 34.23 +/- 3.43 and 41.37 +/- 3.42; 10%: 15.68 +/- 2.36 and 21.39 +/- 3.14; 15%: 7.47 +/- 1.44 and 12.90 +/- 2.18). The parameters for 30 min equilibration (42.95 2.55 and 50.39 2.42) were better (P < 0.05) than those of the other groups (10 min: 31.33 +/- 3.06 and 38. 98 +/- 3.31; 60 min: 32.49 +/- 3.86 and 40.01 +/- 4.18; 90 min: 31.16 +/- 3.66 and 38.30 +/- 3.78). Five percent glycerol and 30 min equilibration yielded the highest post-thaw sperm motility and head membrane integrity. Conclusion: Cynomolgus monkey spermatozoa can be successfully cryopreserved in a chemically defined extender, which is related to the concentration and the equilibration time of glycerol.

Transport of anti-sperm monoclonal IGA and IGC into murine male and female genital tracts from blood - Effect of sex hormones

Ab levels in the genital tract may be important in fertility and in preventing sexually transmitted diseases, In this study, I-125-labeled polymer or monomer mAb IgA (C4pIgA or C4mIgA) and IgC2b (C4IgC) to murine lactate dehydrogenase C4 and a polymer mAb IgA (npIgA) not cross-reacting with mouse sperm were intravenously injected into BALB/c mice, and the relative distribution of these Abs was determined. Polymer IgA was transported much more efficiently into the genital tract, trachea, and duodenum of both sexes than C4IgG and C4 mIgA (p < 0.01), The transport of polymer IgA (C4pIgA and npIgA) into the male genital tract greatly increased following orchiectomy (p < 0.01); this change was not affected by testosterone, suggesting that the unknown regulatory factor(s) from the testis may suppress polymer IgA transport, However, the transport of polymer IgA into female genital tissues was significantly decreased by ovariectomy (p < 0.01); this decline can be rectified by P-estradiol but not progesterone treatment, suggesting that estradiol may stimulate polymer IgA transport, Furthermore, the transport of C4IgG into tissues of the Fallopian tubes and the uterus was significantly decreased by treatment with progesterone (p < 0.01). Together, these findings indicate that serum polymer IgA can be transported selectively into the genital tracts of both sexes, that this transport is strongly under the control of gonads, and that transport of Ige into the Fallopian tubes and uterus is downregulated by progesterone.

Detection of hybridization between two loach species (Paramisgurnus dabryanus and Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) in wild populations

Artificial interspecific hybrids between large scale loach P. dabryanus and tetraploid pond loach M. anguillicaudatus (Cobitidae, Cypriniformes) are viable. To detect the occurrence of possible natural hybridization, genetic analyses by using microsatellite markers were performed for natural populations of large scale loach and pond loach, the reciprocal laboratory hybrids, and "supposed hybrids" with ambiguous morphology. The fertility of the artificial hybrids was also tested. At one diagnostic microsatellite (Mac50), one out of 20 "supposed hybrids" was identified to be F-1 hybrid between the two loach species because it had the same genotype as that of the laboratory hybrids. The triploid hybrids between the two species were confirmed to be female-sterile. The results show that rare hybridization has occurred between diploid large scale loach and tetraploid pond loach in nature although it may have little effect in genetic introgression. This study is helpful for fish conservation and encourages further investigation on natural hybridization and introgression of loaches.

Ultrastructure of the Spermatozoa of the Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis)

P>Semen sample was collected from two captive adult Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis) during physical examination. One individual was aged about 9 years with body length 143 cm (total length) and body weight 46.1 kg in 2003. The age of the other was unknown and its body length was 147 cm and body weight was 43 kg in 2004. Ultrastructure of their spermatozoa was examined using scanning and transmission electron microscope. The sperm concentration was 4.17 x 10(9) spermatozoa per ml by the cytometer. The approximate dimensions of the spermatozoa were as follows: head length, 3.366 +/- 0.140 mu m (mean +/- SE, n = 15); head width, 1.896 +/- 0.099 mu m (n = 15); and neck length, 1.004 +/- 0.074 mu m (n = 10). The tail included midpiece, principal piece and terminal piece. The length of the midpiece was 1.882 +/- 0.077 mu m (n = 9). There is no apparent boundary between the principal piece and the terminal piece, so the length of the principal piece and the terminal piece was 44.612 +/- 3.485 mu m (n = 5). Total length of the spermatozoa was 53.314 +/- 4.580 mu m (n = 10). The acrosome covered approximately 45.8% of the anterior portion of the head.

A perspective on fish gonad manipulation for biotechnical applications

The gonad is an essential organ for generating sperm and ova in vertebrates. This review describes several pilot studies on gonad gene manipulation and development in fish. With antisense RNA techniques, we suppressed the gonad development, and thus the fertility, of an antisense gonadotropin-releasing hormone (sGnRH) transgenic common carp. Then, using a tissue-specific exogenous gene excision strategy with sexual compensation, we knocked out the gonad-specific transgene. Under the control of the rainbow trout protamine promoter, the transgenic fish expressed the reporter gene eGFP specifically in the spermary. These results indicate that the fish gonad is a new model organ that can improve contemporary biotechnology experiments. Herein we discuss the potential of fish gonad manipulation for resolving important biosafety problems regarding transgenic fish generation and producing the new transgenic animal bioreactor.

施肥对黄土旱塬区黑垆土土壤肥力及硝态氮累积的影响

本文以长期定位试验为依托,研究了黄土高原旱塬区黑垆土大田对比试验和长期定位施肥对土壤肥力及硝态氮累积和淋溶的影响。结果表明:长期施用有机肥能够明显增加土壤养分,氮磷和有机肥配施效果显著;和1984年土壤养分状况相比,大田对比试验土壤有机质增加了27.1%,全氮和全磷提高了84.2%和34.8%,有效氮、有效磷和速效钾增加了46.9%、540.0%和10.2%,养分水平与长期定位试验中氮磷配施相近。长期定位试验中氮磷配施或与有机肥配施能够有效地减少土壤剖面中硝酸盐的累积和淋溶,氮肥单施硝态氮累积量最大,为1006.4kg/hm2,大田对比试验土壤硝态氮总累积量较长期定位试验中施用氮肥处理的总累积量少。

土壤扩蓄增容肥对土壤养分含量及小麦产量影响的试验研究

本研究采用大田试验,分析了秸秆配方和废料配方两种土壤扩蓄增容肥对冬小麦生育期土壤有机质、主要速效养分和产量的影响。试验采用4因素(品种A、秸秆配方B、建筑垃圾配方C、灌水D)3水平正交试验设计。结果表明:施加土壤扩蓄增容肥可以有效提高土壤有机质含量达3.84g/kg;在节水条件下,能明显提高土壤速效养分的含量,增加了小麦对养分的吸收量,并优化了小麦对氮、磷、钾养分的吸收比例;并且施加土壤扩蓄增容肥较对照产量提高15%,且秸秆配方在各方面的效果均优于废料配方。

黄土丘陵区免耕条件下两种土壤酶活性变化

为了确定合理环保的耕作制度,2007~2008安塞田间定位试验黄土丘陵旱作农区大豆(Glycine maxL)、玉米(Zea maysL)、红小豆(Semen Phaseoli)、马铃薯(Solanum tuberosumLinn.)在翻耕化肥(CF)、翻耕有机肥(CM)、翻耕无肥(CN)、免耕化肥(NF)、免耕有机肥(NM)、免耕无肥(NN)等水平下的农田土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶活性。结果表明:在作物花期,大豆、玉米土壤脲酶活性较高,蔗糖酶活性较低,而红小豆、马铃薯则与之相反,差异极显著。到作物收获后,玉米土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶活性增高,增幅在83%以上,而马铃薯、红小豆、大豆三种作物土壤脲酶活性降低,降幅在10%以上,蔗糖酶活性增强,增幅在40%以上。从花期到收获后,免耕降低了土壤脲酶活性,提高了土壤蔗糖酶活性,在黄土丘陵沟壑旱作农区两种土壤酶活性表现较优的作物为大豆、玉米,较优的处理为NM玉米、NF大豆,其田间环保效应为:作物生长期间两种酶活性比较高,收获后两种酶活性则降低,有利于提高作物生长期土壤肥效利用率,减少作物收获后温室气体的排放。