Association patterns and kinship in female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) of southeastern Australia

Kinship has been shown to be an important correlate of group membership and associations among many female mammals. In this study, we investigate association patterns in female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) inhabiting an embayment in southeastern Australia. We combine the behavioral data with microsatellite DNA and mitochondrial DNA data to test the hypotheses that genetic relatedness and maternal kinship correlate with associations and social clusters. Mean association between females was not significantly different from a random mean, but the standard deviation was significantly higher than a random standard deviation, indicating the presence of nonrandom associates in the dataset. A neighbor-joining tree, based on the distance of associations between females, identified four main social clusters in the area. Mean genetic relatedness between pairs of frequent female associates was significantly higher than that between pairs of infrequent associates. There was also a significant correlation between mtDNA haplotype sharing and the degree of female association. However, the mean genetic relatedness of female pairs within and between social clusters and the proportion of female pairs with the same and different mtDNA haplotypes within and between clusters were not significantly different. This study demonstrates that kinship correlates with associations among female bottlenose dolphins, but that kinship relations are not necessarily a prerequisite for membership in social clusters. We hypothesize that different forces acting on female bottlenose dolphin sociality appear to promote the formation of flexible groups which include both kin and nonkin.     

Damage to DNA of e ective microorganisms by heavy metals: Impact on wastewater treatment

The research is to test the damage to DNA of effective microorganisms(EMs)by heavy metal ions As3 ,Cd2 ,Cr3 ,Cu2 ,Hg2 , Pb2 ,and Zn2 ,as well as the effects of EM bacteria on wastewater treatment capability when their DNA is damaged.The approach applied in this study is to test with COMET assay the damage of EM DNA in wastewater with different concentrations of heavy metal ions As3 ,Cd2 ,Cr3 ,Cu2 ,Hg2 ,Pb2 ,Zn2 ,as well as the effects of EM treated with As3 ,Cd2 ,Cr3 ,Cu2 ,Hg2 ,Pb2 ,and Zn2 on COD degradin...     

Does the preferential microbial colonisation of ferromagnesian minerals affect mineral weathering in soil?

Fungal activity is thought to play a direct and effective role in the breakdown and dissolution of primary minerals and in the synthesis of clay minerals in soil environments, with important consequences for plant growth and ecosystem functioning. We have studied primary mineral weathering in volcanic soils developed on trachydacite in southern Tuscany using a combination of qualitative and quantitative mineralogical and microbiological techniques. Specifically, we characterized the weathering and microbiological colonization of the magnetically separated ferromagnesian minerals (biotite and orthopyroxene) and non-ferromagnesian constituents (K-feldspar and volcanic glass) of the coarse sand fraction (250-1,000 microm). Our results show that in the basal horizons of the soils, the ferromagnesian minerals are much more intensively colonized by microorganisms than K-feldspar and glass, but that the composition of the microbial communities living on the two mineral fractions is similar. Moreover, X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscope observations show that although the ferromagnesian minerals are preferentially associated with an embryonic form of the clay mineral halloysite, they are still relatively fresh. We interpret our results as indicating that in this instance microbial activity, and particularly fungal activity, has not been an effective agent of mineral weathering, that the association with clay minerals is indirect, and that fungal weathering of primary minerals may not be as important a source of plant nutrients as previously claimed.     

废弃重组质粒DNA热处理效率的环境影响因素

为了解环境因素对质粒DNA热处理效率的影响以及热处理过程的有效性和安全性,以pET-28b质粒为材料,采用定量PCR技术结合质粒转化等方法分析了pH、NaCl、牛血清白蛋白(BSA)及EDTA浓度等因素对质粒DNA热处理的影响.结果表明,NaCl、BSA及EDTA的存在对热处理过程中的质粒DNA具有保护作用,且保护作用依次增强.在纯水中热处理30min后的质粒DNA可扩增的片段数仅是在0.1%的EDTA中热处理30min后质粒DNA可扩增片段数目的1.7%.由于生物实验室废水中通常含有上述有机或无机物质,因此,实际热处理过程中质粒DNA的降解半衰期可能远长于先前报道的2.7～4min,残留的转化活性也可能更高,这必须引起我们高度关注.但是,研究结果也表明,酸性条件下的热处理能加速质粒DNA的失活和降解,因此建议热处理过程可在弱酸性条件下完成,以强化其处理效果.     

含酚废水的处理

随着工业化的发展,排向环境中的含酚废水越来越多,由于其具有很强的毒性,目前已经受到国内外广泛关注。因此含酚废水的处理越来越受到人们的关注。本文对含酚废水的来源、危害进行了分析,概述了目前国内处理含酚废水的主要方法,展望了含酚废水处理技术的发展前景。     

Sex mosaics in a male dimorphic ant Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi

Gynandromorphy, or the development of organisms with a combination of male and female morphological features, is common in Hymenoptera. The underlying mechanism is likely associated with the sex-determination system, and studying this phenomenon should lead to a deeper understanding of both embryonic development and sex determination. The reproductive capabilities of gynandromorphs (hereafter, sex mosaics) remain unclear. We studied gynandromorphy in the Malaysian ant Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi, which has sex mosaics of queens (gynandromorphs; mosaic of queens and winged male) and workers (ergatandromorphs; mosaic of worker and wingless ergatoid male). These sex mosaics were classified into seven morphological categories. Most individuals had more male than female body areas. Behavioral observations revealed that sex mosaics behave more in accordance with the “sex” of their brain than that of the reproductive organs (gaster). Relative DNA quantities showed that both female and male regions contained haploid and diploid nuclei, irrespective of their phenotypic appearance, indicating that external appearance did not reflect internal tissues. Nearly one third of the adults were sex mosaics and they were not infected with Wolbachia. Our results suggest that the production of sex mosaics in this species does not pose a substantial cost to colonies and that the underlying causes are therefore not strongly selected against.     

可变电荷与恒电荷土壤胶体对DNA吸附与解吸特征

采用平衡法研究了红壤胶体、砖红壤胶体、潮土胶体和褐土胶体在不同pH值条件下DNA吸附与解吸特征.结果表明,在NaCl和KCl电解质体系中,4种土壤胶体在吸附过DNA后,溶液pH值均有不同程度的增加,pH增加的幅度为红壤胶体>砖红壤胶体>潮土胶体>褐土胶体;NaCl电解质体系>KCl电解质体系.土壤胶体对DNA的吸附量均随着pH值的升高而降低,在pH为2~4,不同胶体对DNA的吸附量保持最大值,约为13.1~14.8μg.mg-1.当平衡溶液pH值从4.2开始上升至8.6,在NaCl体系中,砖红壤胶体和红壤胶体上DNA的吸附量下降幅度约5.5μg.mg-1,而在KCl体系中,DNA的吸附量下降幅度约2.1μg.mg-1.2种电解质体系,潮土胶体与褐土胶体上DNA的吸附量下降幅度约为8.3~12.2μg.mg-1.DNA吸附量下降幅度为恒电荷土壤(潮土和褐土)胶体>可变电荷土壤(红壤和砖红壤)胶体.用NaOAc和NaH2PO4对土壤胶体吸附DNA的解吸时,可变电荷土壤胶体与恒电荷土壤胶体解吸规律有明显差异.在3种溶液pH值为3、5和7时,可变电荷土壤(红壤和砖红壤)胶体上NaOAc解吸率约10%~24.5%,Na...