Diel vertical migration of the bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus), a species possessing orbital retia mirabilia

The bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus, Lowe 1841) is one of three sharks in the family Alopiidae, which occupy pelagic, neritic, and shallow coastal waters throughout the altropics and subtropics (Gruber and Compagno, 1981; Castro, 1983). All thresher sharks possess an elongated upper caudal lobe, and the bigeye thresher shark is distinguished from the other alopiid sharks by its large upward-looking eyes and grooves on the top of the head (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1948). Our present understanding of the bigeye thresher shark is primarily based upon data derived from specimens captured in fisheries, including knowledge of its morphological features (Fitch and Craig, 1964; Stillwell and Casey, 1976; Thorpe, 1997), geographic range as far as it overlaps with fisheries (Springer, 1943; Fitch and Craig, 1964; Stillwell and Casey, 1976; Gruber and Compagno, 1981; Thorpe, 1997), age, growth and maturity (Chen et al., 1997; Liu et al., 1998), and aspects of its reproductive biology (Gilmore, 1983; Moreno and Moron, 1992; Chen et al., 1997).

Age and growth of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) in waters off eastern Taiwan

Age and growth of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) in waters off eastern Taiwan were examined from counts of growth rings on cross sections of the fourth spine of the first dorsal fin. Length and weight data and the dorsal fin spines were collected monthly at the fishing port of Shinkang (southeast of Taiwan) from July 1998 to August 1999. In total, 1166 dorsal fins were collected, of which 1135 (97%) (699 males and 436 females) were aged successfully. Trends in the monthly mean marginal increment ratio indicated that growth rings are formed once a year. Two methods were used to back-calculate the length of presumed ages, and growth was described by using the standard von Bertalanffy growth function and the Richards function. The most reasonable and conservative description of growth assumes that length-at-age follows the Richards function and that the relationship between spine radius and lower jaw fork length (LJFL) follows a power function. Growth differed significantly between the sexes; females grew faster and reached larger sizes than did males. The maximum sizes in our sample were 232 cm LJFL for female and 221 cm LJFL for male.

Growth, recruitment, and abundance of juvenile striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) in South Carolina estuaries

Growth, recruitment, and abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) in estuarine habitats in South Carolina from 1998 to 2000 were examined and compared to historical data (1986–91) of growth, recruitment, and abundance. Daily growth increments from the sagittal otoliths of juvenile striped mullet were validated by using fish immersed in oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC) for five hours from the Charleston Harbor Estuary system. The distribution of back-calculated birthdates indicated that striped mullet spawn from October to late April and estuarine recruitment occurs from January through May. Juveniles were more abundant in mesohaline and polyhaline salinity regimes but were found throughout the estuary. Juvenile growth after recruitment into the estuary can be described by the relationship Total length (mm) = 0.341 (Age)1.04 (r2=0.741, P=0.001). Growth of juveniles according to the analysis of size-frequency data from historical surveys (1986 to 1991) in the same estuaries gave the relationship Total length (mm) = 8.77 (month)1.12 (r2=0.950, P=0.001). The similarity in the growth curves for both groups of fish suggests that juvenile striped mullet in South Carolina have consistent annual growth during the first year of life.

一种小G蛋白TaRAN1在植物细胞周期和发育过程中的功能研究

　　小G蛋白作为信号转导中重要的分子开关， 进化相当保守，与许多不同的调控因子和效应器分子相互作用，产生细胞功能的多样性。近年来，人们不断发现植物中小G蛋白家族的新成员，也不断揭示小G蛋白的新功能，许多植物特有的信号途径和功能需要小G蛋白这个重要的分子开关来完成，使它越来越成为人们研究的热点问题。但是，有关植物中Ran GTPase及其编码基因的研究工作报道很少，对与之相互作用的调控蛋白研究进展也刚刚开始。 　　TaRAN1 (AF488730) 是小麦来源的Ran同源蛋白编码基因，全长1055 bp, 编码221个氨基酸，它在植物发育过程中的功能还没有任何报道。本论文在验证了它是小G蛋白Ran家族的成员后，从分子水平上还发现它在植物细胞周期调控、对生长素以及胁迫应答信号转导过程中都起着重要作用，这也说明了它可能作为信号转导过程中重要的转换因子，参与了很多细胞的基本生理过程。 　　利用原核表达系统及亲和色谱的方法纯化了TaRAN1融合蛋白，并用放射性标记的GTP和竞争实验证实了它具有特异的GTP结合活性。TaRAN1的转录产物在小麦幼茎和花芽等分生组织活动旺盛的器官表达较多，而在老叶中表达较少。利用洋葱表皮瞬时表达系统分析表现，TaRAN1蛋白主要定位于细胞核，但其没有典型的核定位信号。 　　细胞周期一直是生物学领域中的热门问题，人们虽然在动物细胞中取得了很大进展，但在植物细胞中的研究远落后于动物。裂殖酵母（Schizosaccharomyces pombe）是研究细胞形态和细胞周期的良好系统，利用此系统发现超表达TaRAN1的酵母细胞表现出许多新的细胞学表型，例如G2细胞周期延滞、染色体对紫外线敏感、细胞超长或多隔细胞的出现等;反义表达TaRAN1的酵母细胞呈近圆型、具有高度凝集的核并且生长速度缓慢、核质混合和无核细胞的数目明显增加。流式细胞仪检测实验也证实其细胞周期的异常。这些结果推测TaRAN1蛋白可能参与细胞周期的有丝分裂过程和发育的调控机制，并且在维持染色体结构稳定和完整性方面起着重要的作用。通过免疫荧光实验观察表明，超表达转基因酵母的微管多呈异常的狭小扇形结构，反义表达TaRAN1的酵母微管不能形成丝状结构，推测TaRAN1还可能参与微管（包括纺锤体）的结构形成过程。最后，我们用超表达TaRAN1的转基因拟南芥和水稻也证实了它的功能，其生长点表现出分生组织增多的原基、根生长点的有丝分裂指数有所改变、出现异常的细胞分裂时相等有关细胞周期异常的现象，更进一步说明了TaRAN1确实参与着细胞周期的调控过程，推测其与细胞周期从G2期进入M期的过程有关。 　　TaRAN1基因受IAA的诱导表达，且随着浓度的增加表达量增强。超表达的TaRAN1植株（包括拟南芥和水稻）的根表现出对外源生长素异常敏感，侧根显著变少，地上部分表现出生长素过量的表现型，顶端优势减弱，分蘖增多，生长周期延长等。HPLC测定转基因植物的IAA含量，明显高于对照。所以，TaRAN1可能还参与了复杂的生长素信号转导过程。TaRAN1基因还受各种胁迫处理的诱导表达，并且超表达植株对胁迫的忍受能力有明显提高，这说明TaRAN1还参与了胁迫信号应答的相应机制。Ran蛋白这些新功能目前还未见到其它报道。

Anchorage of air bladder with the interspinous bone of the anal fin in Lactarius lactarius (Bloch and Schneider, 1801)

Specimens of the false trevally (Lactarius lactarius ), 127 to 221 mm in total length, were studied for the mode of anchorage of the air-bladder with the interspinous bone of the anal fin. The 1st and 2nd interspinous bones are fused together into a single piece (named here as the anchor bone) which pierces through the air-bladder, dividing it into two intercommunicating chambers at its upper end, and ultimately articulates with the 10th vertebral bone. The lower end of the bone is broad, fan like with one side affording articulation with the 1st and 2nd anal spines. This is an unique feature of great taxonomical importance to L. lactarius, the only species in the family Lactariidae. The anal fin counts (23-27) and vertebral counts (23) are also given.