Starch grains reveal early root crop horticulture in the Panamanian tropical forest

Native American populations are known to have cultivated a large number of plants and domesticated them for their starch-rich underground organs. Suggestions that the likely source of many of these crops, the tropical forest, was an early and influential centre of plant husbandry have long been controversial because the organic remains of roots and tubers are poorly preserved in archaeological sediments from the humid tropics. Here we report the occurrence of starch grains identifiable as manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz), yams (Dioscorea sp.) and arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.) on assemblages of plant milling stones from preceramic horizons at the Aguadulce Shelter, Panama, dated between 7,000 and 5,000 years before present (BP). The artefacts also contain maize starch (Zea mays L.), indicating that early horticultural systems in this region were mixtures of root and seed crops. The data provide the earliest direct evidence for root crop cultivation in the Americas, and support an ancient and independent emergence of plant domestication in the lowland Neotropical forest.     

The limits of selection during maize domestication

The domestication of all major crop plants occurred during a brief period in human history about 10,000 years ago. During this time, ancient agriculturalists selected seed of preferred forms and culled out seed of undesirable types to produce each subsequent generation. Consequently, favoured alleles at genes controlling traits of interest increased in frequency, ultimately reaching fixation. When selection is strong, domestication has the potential to drastically reduce genetic diversity in a crop. To understand the impact of selection during maize domestication, we examined nucleotide polymorphism in teosinte branched1, a gene involved in maize evolution. Here we show that the effects of selection were limited to the gene's regulatory region and cannot be detected in the protein-coding region. Although selection was apparently strong, high rates of recombination and a prolonged domestication period probably limited its effects. Our results help to explain why maize is such a variable crop. They also suggest that maize domestication required hundreds of years, and confirm previous evidence that maize was domesticated from Balsas teosinte of southwestern Mexico.     

玉米候选抗病相关基因片段的克隆

根据已经克隆的植物抗病基因和候选抗病基因的保守序列P-loop、Kinase-2及GLPLAL设计一系列简并引物，利用同源序列扩增法，对玉米的基因组DNA进行PCR扩增，并对5个扩增产物的克隆进行测序．测序结果在Gen—Bank内进行BLAST检索，发现A9克隆序列与玉米BAC库中的206C17克隆的部分序列有很高的相似性，并且距离GenBank内注册的玉米抗锈病基因rpl位点中的rpl-3基因、rpl-4基因分别约有66Kb、20Kb，且A9克隆序列在玉米基因组中是单拷贝的．这为玉米抗锈病性状的分子标记辅助选择和抗锈病基因的克隆奠定了良好的基础。     

新疆小拟南芥ApCBF1基因的克隆及其过量表达转基因的研究

利用同源克隆法,克隆了小拟南芥的CBF1基因的cDNA（FJ491244）,比对分析结果表明,ApCBF1的cDNA序列的A252,在拟南芥的AtCBF1的cDNA是T252,但翻译的氨基酸均是Ala,表明ApCBF1和AtCBF1翻译的氨基酸序列完全一致。构建了过量表达载体：p35S：ApCBF1,通过花滴法转入小拟南芥中。RT-PCR检测结果表明,转基因T0代AtCBF1基因过量表达。     

ptr-MIR156a启动子克隆及特征分析

miR156a在火炬松、烟草、拟南芥中的表达与病原菌侵染密切相关。为了研究miR156a在杨树与病原菌互作过程中分子机制,以毛果杨全基因组DNA为材料,预测ptr-MIR156a启动子的大概区域,设计特异性PCR引物,克隆了ptr-MIR156a上游启动子区500、1 000和1 500 bp片段,并进行顺式作用元件分析,然后分别构建了绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)报告基因植物表达载体,最后通过原生质体的瞬时表达体系对其进行了活性检测。结果表明,1 500 bp片段活性最高,1 000 bp片段次之,500 bp片段活性最低。     

Large differences in tropical aerosol forcing at the top of the atmosphere and Earth's surface

The effect of radiative forcing by anthropogenic aerosols is one of the largest sources of uncertainty in climate predictions. Direct observations of the forcing are therefore needed, particularly for the poorly understood tropical aerosols. Here we present an observational method for quantifying aerosol forcing to within +/-5 per cent. We use calibrated satellite radiation measurements and five independent surface radiometers to quantify the aerosol forcing simultaneously at the Earth's surface and the top of the atmosphere over the tropical northern Indian Ocean. In winter, this region is covered by anthropogenic aerosols of sulphate, nitrate, organics, soot and fly ash from the south Asian continent. Accordingly, mean clear-sky solar radiative heating for the winters of 1998 and 1999 decreased at the ocean surface by 12 to 30 Wm(-2), but only by 4 to 10 Wm(-2) at the top of the atmosphere. This threefold difference (due largely to solar absorption by soot) and the large magnitude of the observed surface forcing both imply that tropical aerosols might slow down the hydrological cycle.     

Effect of 5'-deletion of Arabi-dopsis profilin2 promoter on its vascular specific expression

Based on the published sequence of profilin2 promoter of Arabidopsis thaliana, a full-length promoter (1667 bp) was amplified by PCR. The 5' -end deletion fragments with length of 1380, 1153, 969 and 597 bp were then fused with gus (uidA.) gene respectively. Constructed plant expression vectors were individually transferred into Kalan-choe laciniata and transgenic plants regenerated. GUS his-tochemical assay confirmed that the full-length promoter Pfn1.7 was vascular-specific. Deletion assays showed that profilin2 promoter could be divided into three parts. Deletion of fragment 1 ( -1667--1380 bp) resulted in constitutive expression, suggesting that element(s) responsible for vascular-specific expression might exist in this region. Fragment 2 located at -1153 - -597 bp strongly inhibited gus gene expression. Fragment 3 ( -597 - -1 bp) is considered as a basic domain of profilin2.     

Wet periods in northeastern Brazil over the past 210 kyr linked to distant climate anomalies

The tropics are the main source of the atmosphere's sensible and latent heat, and water vapour, and are therefore important for reconstructions of past climate. But long, accurately dated records of southern tropical palaeoclimate, which would allow the establishment of climatic connections to distant regions, have not been available. Here we present a 210,000-year (210-kyr) record of wet periods in tropical northeastern Brazil--a region that is currently semi-arid. The record is obtained from speleothems and travertine deposits that are accurately dated using the U/Th method. We find wet periods that are synchronous with periods of weak East Asian summer monsoons, cold periods in Greenland, Heinrich events in the North Atlantic and periods of decreased river runoff to the Cariaco basin. We infer that the wet periods may be explained with a southward displacement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This widespread synchroneity of climate anomalies suggests a relatively rapid global reorganization of the ocean-atmosphere system. We conclude that the wet periods probably affected rainforest distribution, as plant fossils show that forest expansion occurred during these intermittent wet intervals, and opened a forest corridor between the Amazonian and Atlantic rainforests.     

环境因子对滇西北地区植物多样性分布格局的影响

利用一元回归分析和偏回归分析,探讨了滇西北地区温、热带植物的分布格局及其控制因素.结果表明,温带植物多样性的高值主要出现在研究区域北部,而热带植物多样性则未呈现明显的纬度趋势.热带植物比重高值主要出现在研究区域南部,而温带植物比重高值主要出现在北部.生境异质性对温带植物多样性的解释率明显高于对热带植物多样性的解释率.这意味着,生境异质性对多样性格局的影响力可能在一定程度上取决于植物的生物地理分布区性质.气候因子对温、热带植物比重的解释率明显高于对温、热植物多样性的解释率.相比气候因子与温、热带植物多样性的关系,气候因子与温、热带植物比重之间关系可能更能反映滇西北地区温、热带植物的生态位保守性.     

Fire and flood management of coastal swamp enabled first rice paddy cultivation in east China

The adoption of cereal cultivation was one of the most important cultural processes in history, marking the transition from hunting and gathering by Mesolithic foragers to the food-producing economy of Neolithic farmers. In the Lower Yangtze region of China, a centre of rice domestication, the timing and system of initial rice cultivation remain unclear. Here we report detailed evidence from Kuahuqiao that reveals the precise cultural and environmental context of rice cultivation at this earliest known Neolithic site in eastern China, 7,700 calibrated years before present (cal. yr bp). Pollen, algal, fungal spore and micro-charcoal data from sediments demonstrate that these Neolithic communities selected lowland swamps for their rice cultivation and settlement, using fire to clear alder-dominated wetland scrub and prepare the site for occupation, then to maintain wet grassland vegetation of paddy type. Regular flooding by slightly brackish water was probably controlled by 'bunding' to maintain crop yields. The site's exploitation ceased when it was overwhelmed by marine inundation 7,550 cal. yr bp. Our results establish that rice cultivation began in coastal wetlands of eastern China, an ecosystem vulnerable to coastal change but of high fertility and productivity, attractions maximized for about two centuries by sustained high levels of cultural management of the environment.     

基于cpDNA trn L-F 序列数据分析海南陆均松种群的冰期后扩张

针对热带树种陆均松Dacrydium pierrei de Laubenfels分布在海南的12个天然种群进行取样,测定了叶绿体DNA(cpDNA) trn L-F非编码区序列.序列长度介于868～876 bp,显示出长度多态性.碱基组成A T含量较高,百分比值为64.17%～64.95%.通过统计简约算法共鉴定出30个单倍型.根据种群间分化度FST(=0.00)、基因流Nm(介于1.92～2.50)、AMOVA(24.17%的遗传变异发生在种群间,P＞0.05)以及邻接树中单倍型的分支式样,发现海南的陆均松种群尚未发生遗传分化.另一方面,依统计简约算法构建的单倍型网图具"星状"特征,而且邻接树中多数单倍型合并于树的顶端.这些基因谱系结果提示海南陆均松种群在近期历史上发生过种群扩张.Tajima的 D 检验和错配分析结果也支持这种推测.结合地质和古孢粉学证据,认为残存于"避难所"的陆均松种群在全新世时,伴随全球气候转暖,在海南岛内可能实行了扩张.     

越南植物区系与中国热带和西马来西亚植物区系的关系

越南植物区系以热带分布的科和属为其主体成分,是热带性质的植物区系,属于热带亚洲植物区系的一部分,但带有大陆东南亚热带北缘性质和特点,与热带亚洲核心区植物区系有一定差异.在与中国热带北缘和马来西亚地区植物区系的比较上,越南植物区系与海南植物区系科相似性达90.8%,属相似性达85.7%,与马来半岛植物区系科相似性达94%,属相似性达69.4%.无论在优势科还是在代表科的组成上,越南植物区系都与中国热带北缘植物区系最接近,同属于热带亚洲植物区系的热带北缘类型.     

某电解铅厂周边农田土壤和玉米中铅污染评价及同位素溯源研究

为探究铅在土壤-玉米-大气中的迁移转化行为,以某电解铅厂周边农田土壤和玉米为研究对象,采集距排烟口50 m、110 m、300 m、500 m、700 m、900 m和3 000 m处的土壤和玉米样品,利用原子吸收光谱仪(AAS)和电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)分别测定土壤、玉米和大气样品的铅含量和同位素比值。结果表明:电解铅厂周边的玉米均受到铅的污染,玉米根中的铅主要来自土壤,籽粒中的铅很有可能大部分来自大气,少部分来自土壤,茎中的铅很可能来自土壤而不是叶面传输;籽粒中的铅与叶片中的铅具有显著的相关关系(P0.01),相关方程为y=-0.0002x~2+0.0461x-0.4643,R=0.966 7。     

干旱胁迫下开花期玉米消减文库的构建及分析

分别以1d干旱和7d干旱处理的开花期玉米顶叶cDNA为tester，正常生长的玉米顸叶cDNA为driver，利用抑制性差减杂交技术构建了两个干旱胁迫下开花期玉米消减文库．两个文库的重组率均高于95％，插入片段集中在300—600bp之间．对两个文库部分克隆进行测序发现，文库中含有脱水素、蔗糖合成酶、甜菜碱醛脱氢酶。DRE结合因子等大量的抗旱相关基因，说明两个干旱胁迫下开花期玉米抑制性消减文库已经构建成功。且具有重要意义．     

云南省藤黄属植物的地理分布及其区系特征

云南省产藤黄属植物13种,占中国总种数的65.0%,是中国藤黄属植物种类最丰富的地区,因此是进行该属植物研究的典型区域.以文献和标本为基础资料,通过聚类和相似性分析,研究了云南省藤黄属植物的地理分布及其区系特征.结果表明:①藤黄属植物在云南的水平分布分区包括:滇东南至滇西南、滇南、滇东南偏滇南至滇西南、滇南偏滇西南和滇西南至滇西北独龙江等5个区.垂直分布分区为:丘陵至低山地带、低山至近低亚中山地带和亚中山地带等3个地带;②云南省藤黄属植物特有现象显著,其中,有8种(61.54%)属于中国特有分布区类型,5种(38.64%)属于热带亚洲(印度-马来西亚)分布区类型;③藤黄属主要分布于600～1 500 m的滇东南、滇南至滇西南的低山和近低亚中山地带,属于热带分布区类型;④藤黄属植物在云南的分布具有明显的地理替代现象;⑤与相邻省区的比较表明,云南藤黄属植物区系与广西联系最为密切.     

Interdecadal variation in the extent of South Pacific tropical waters during the Younger Dryas event

During the Younger Dryas event, about 12,000 years ago, the Northern Hemisphere cooled by between 2 and 10 degrees C (refs 1, 2) whereas East Antarctica experienced warming. But the spatial signature of the event in the southern mid-latitudes and tropics is less well known, as records are sparse and inconclusive. Here we present high-resolution analyses of skeletal Sr/Ca and 18O/16O ratios for a giant fossil Diploastrea heliopora coral that was preserved in growth position on the raised reef terraces of Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu, in the southwestern tropical Pacific Ocean. Our data indicate that sea surface temperatures in Vanuatu were on average 4.5 +/- 1.3 degrees C cooler during the Younger Dryas event than today, with a significant interdecadal modulation. The amplified annual cycle of sea surface temperatures, relative to today, indicates that cooling was caused by the compression of tropical waters towards the Equator. The positive correlation in our record between the oxygen isotope ratios of sea water and sea surface temperatures suggests that the South Pacific convergence zone, which brings 18O-depleted precipitation to the area today, was not active during the Younger Dryas period.     

脱落酸受体及其基因的分子免疫学研究(英文)

发展了研究脱落酸（ＡＢＡ）结合蛋白的两类免疫探针。其一,用ＡＢＡ－Ｃ１－ＢＳＡ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ亲和层析柱纯化出ＡＢＡ结合蛋白,聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳显示该蛋白分子量为５６ＫＤ的一条带,它具有特异结合ＡＢＡ的能力（Ｋｄ＝２．０×１０－９ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）。当用蛋白水解酶Ｋ水解该蛋白,并用１％琼脂糖凝胶电泳时,发现其中存在约３００个核苷酸的ｒＲＮＡ分子。用识别ＡＢＡ结合蛋白的抗体筛选ｃＤＮＡ表达文库,从２００,０００个独立噬斑中获得１２０个编码玉米１７ｓＲＮＡ的ｃＤＮＡ克隆和１个ｃＤＮＡ编码结合蛋白的ｃＤＮＡ克隆（２４ｃＤＮＡ）。２４ｃＤＮＡ有１０７５个碱基对,含编码２５４个氨基酸的开放阅读框架。其二,制备了识别抗ＡＢＡ单克隆抗体的独特型抗体（ａｎｔｉ－Ｉｄ）,它具有模拟并竞争ＡＢＡ的能力。用上述两类免疫探针定位了植物细胞中的ＡＢＡ结合蛋白。发展了研究脱落酸（ＡＢＡ）结合蛋白的两类免疫探针。其一,用ＡＢＡ－Ｃ１－ＢＳＡ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ亲和层析柱纯化出ＡＢＡ结合蛋白,聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳显示该蛋白分子量为５６ＫＤ的一条带,它具有特异结合ＡＢＡ的能力（Ｋｄ＝２．０×１０－９ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）。当用蛋白水解酶Ｋ水解该蛋?