RAPD markers suggest genotypic effects on forager specialization in a eusocial wasp

Genetic variability within insect societies may provide a mechanism for increasing behavioral diversity among workers, thereby augmenting colony efficiency or flexibility. In order to assess the possibility that division of labor has a genetic component in the eusocial wasp Polybia aequatorialis, I asked whether the genotypes of workers within colonies correlated with behavioral specialization. Workers specialized by foraging for one of the four materials (wood pulp, insect prey, nectar, or water) gathered by their colonies. I collected foragers on 2 days from each of three colonies and identified the material the foragers were carrying when collected. I produced random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers from the genomic DNA of these foragers and estimated genotypic similarity of foragers based on sharing of variable RAPD marker bands. Contingency tests on 20 variable loci per colony showed statistically significant (P <0.05) biases in RAPD marker frequencies among forager types in the three colonies. Patterns of association of RAPD marker bands with specializations were constant in two colonies, but changed between collection days in one colony. RAPD marker biases suggest that division of labor among workers includes a genetic component in P. aequatorialis. Colony-level selection on variation in division of labor is a possible factor favoring the evolutionary maintenance of high genotypic variability (low relatedness) in epiponine wasp colonies and in other eusocial insects. Received: 18 July 1995/Accepted after revision: 1 October 1995     

应用RAPD方法分析厌氧氨氧化污泥驯化过程中的微生物遗传性质

采用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)方法研究了厌氧氨氧化污泥驯化过程中微生物遗传多样性的变化,并对接种物不同的3个反应器中的微生物作了聚类分析.在污泥驯化培养过程中,3个反应器内的微生物发生了较明显的遗传变异,以缺氧污泥接种的反应器中微生物在驯化过程中的Nei基因多样性指数和Shannon信息指数均较高,遗传变异较大.硝化污泥中存在与厌氧氨氧化细菌亲缘关系较近的菌种,更适宜作为接种物驯化培养厌氧氨氧化细菌.以好氧污泥作为种泥启动反应器,通过培养硝化污泥再转入厌氧氨氧化驯化,这种驯化途径优于以缺氧污泥和厌氧污泥启动反应器的途径.     

Lesch—Nyhan syndrome: Carrier and prenatal diagnosis

We report the results of carrier and prenatal diagnosis for hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) deficiency, Lesch—Nyhan syndrome, by carrier testing of 83 women and prenatal analysis of 26 pregnancies. Our diagnostic methodologies include mutation detection and linkage analysis for probands and their families and biochemical measurement of HPRT enzyme activity for at-risk pregnancies. Identification of the mutation in the index case of each family permits precise carrier diagnosis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of HPRT gene sequences and automated DNA sequencing. We demonstrate 100 per cent sensitivity for the detection of mutations in the HPRT gene of affected males and highly efficient carrier testing of at-risk females. Two other molecular methods proven to have high utility include PCR-based dosage analysis and linkage analysis by PCR amplification of a short tandem repeat (STR) in intron 3 of the HPRT gene. As a result, 45 at-risk women, 56 per cent of those tested, were identified not to be carriers of their family's HPRT gene mutation. Seven of these women were the mothers of affected males and prenatal testing for future pregnancies was recommended because of the possibility of gonadal mosaicism. Thirty-eight of these women were more distant relatives of affected males, thereby eliminating the need for future prenatal procedures. These studies illustrate the utility and precision of molecular methodologies for carrier and prenatal diagnosis of Lesch—Nyhan syndrome. These studies also illustrate that molecular diagnostic studies of affected males and carrier testing prior to pregnancy can clarify genetic risk predictions and eliminate unnecessary prenatal procedures.     

樱桃萝卜对抗生素的富集及其潜在风险

为探究土壤抗生素污染的潜在生态和健康风险,于2021年6～9月进行温室土培樱桃萝卜试验,每隔6d向土壤中施用土霉素(OTC)或链霉素(STR)污水,并对其中生长的樱桃萝卜的生物量、萝卜组织抗生素含量和菌群耐药性进行分析.同时,通过风险商法、摄入量计算和小鼠饲喂试验对萝卜植株残留的抗生素和抗性细菌的潜在人体健康风险进行评估.结果表明,与未施用抗生素对照组相比,OTC的连续施用在第74d显著促进了萝卜植株生长,使其总生物量提高了23.1%,而STR的连续施用对萝卜植株的生长并无显著影响;萝卜植株对土壤中施入的两种抗生素均有一定的富集能力,STR在组织中的残留量高于的OTC1～2个数量级,抗生素在植物生长初期主要富集在叶中,生长后期在肉质根根颈部中的富集量显著增加(P<0.05);抗生素的施用使萝卜植株组织中可培养OTC和STR抗性细菌占总可培养细菌的比率分别增加了2.48×10^-6%～5.05×10^-4%和0.19%～3.32%;食用经抗生素暴露后的萝卜肉质根根颈部可增加机体对抗生素和抗生素抗性细菌的摄入量,但其健康风险较低(评估的风险商指...     

Biochemical and histopathological ultrastructural changes caused by ZnO nanoparticles in mice

Five week-old mice were divided into a vehicle control group, and groups exposed to ZnO nanoparticles at low (0.5 g/kg), middle (1 g/kg), high (3 g/kg), and exceptionally high-dose (5 g/kg). After the first, second, third, and fourth weeks’ of exposure, blood biochemistry, histopathology, and electron microscopic ultrastructural changes in liver, kidney and spleen were investigated. Increased alkaline phosphatase activities were observed in all treated mice being statistically significant at higher dose. No changes were observed in the serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and lipid levels. During the first and second weeks of the treatment, effects on the cytoarchitecture of liver, kidney, and spleen were not perceived while during the third and fouth weeks of treatment sporadic mild effects were seen. Ultrastructural electron microscopic changes in liver, kidney, and spleen were not observed for the low-dose group on the first, second, third, and fourth weeks, suggesting that exposure to ZnO nanoparticles at low dose is safe. Long-term (i.e., more than 28 days) exposure to the exceptionally high-dose resulted in sporadic changes in nuclear chromatin condensation, irregular nuclear membrane, polymorphic mitochondria, mitochondrial swelling, and vacuolation. ZnO nanoparticles could be well tolerated and no death occurred in any group of treated mice.     

Prenatal diagnosis of two rare de novo structural aberrations of the Y chromosome: cytogenetic and molecular analysis

Two rare de novo structural aberrations of the Y chromosome were detected during routine prenatal diagnosis: a satellited non-fluorescent Y chromosome (Yqs), the first de novo Yqs to be reported in a fetus, and a terminal deletion of the Y chromosome long arm del(Y)(q11). In both cases detailed cytogenetic and molecular analyses were undertaken. In the case of the Yqs it was demonstrated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) that the satellites were derived from chromosome 15. In the case of the del(Yq), it was shown with molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of sequence-tagged sites (STS-PCR) that the deleted portion of the long arm of chromosome Y included the azoospermia factor loci, AZFb and AZFc. The clinical significance of these findings is discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.