The Mohnian-Luisian boundary in the Coccolithus miopelagicus subzone, with new and related species of forminifers.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnal, R.E.

1984-01-01

New information obtained from samples colleced in a 1979 cruise is presented for the Luisian-Mohnian (Miocene) boundary. In some areas of the S California Borderland, the early Mohnian-Luisian boundary apparently occurs within the Coccolithus miopelagicus subzone. To suppor this statement, the location of the samples and a list of the diagnostic foraminifers are provided for each sample in part I of this report. Fifteen species and one variety of new or undescribed benthic foraminifers which were observed in the course of this and other studies of the foraminiferal content of Dart core samples from the S California Borderland are reported and described in part II. The genus Bolivina is represented by 3 new species and 1 species previously undescribed. There are also 2 new species each of Uvigerina, Siphogenerina, Cassidulina, and Ehrenbergina; one undescribed species and a new variety of Megastomella; and one new species each of Epistominella and Concavella. -from Author

Expanding the Benefits of Seattle's Green Stormwater Infrastructure

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report identifies and values a subset of previously undescribed environmental and socioeconomic effects of the existing inventory of GSI facilities in Seattle as well those of potential future GSI efforts in the city.

Biogeographical patterns of bacterial and archaeal communities from distant hypersaline environments.

PubMed

Mora-Ruiz, M Del R; Cifuentes, A; Font-Verdera, F; Pérez-Fernández, C; Farias, M E; González, B; Orfila, A; Rosselló-Móra, R

2018-03-01

Microorganisms are globally distributed but new evidence shows that the microbial structure of their communities can vary due to geographical location and environmental parameters. In this study, 50 samples including brines and sediments from Europe, Spanish-Atlantic and South America were analysed by applying the operational phylogenetic unit (OPU) approach in order to understand whether microbial community structures in hypersaline environments exhibited biogeographical patterns. The fine-tuned identification of approximately 1000 OPUs (almost equivalent to "species") using multivariate analysis revealed regionally distinct taxa compositions. This segregation was more diffuse at the genus level and pointed to a phylogenetic and metabolic redundancy at the higher taxa level, where their different species acquired distinct advantages related to the regional physicochemical idiosyncrasies. The presence of previously undescribed groups was also shown in these environments, such as Parcubacteria, or members of Nanohaloarchaeota in anaerobic hypersaline sediments. Finally, an important OPU overlap was observed between anoxic sediments and their overlaying brines, indicating versatile metabolism for the pelagic organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

New clinical and histological patterns of acute disseminated histoplasmosis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

PubMed

Ollague Sierra, Jose E; Ollague Torres, Jose M

2013-04-01

Histoplasmosis has attained increasing relevance in the past 3 decades because of the appearance of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In most immunocompetent persons, the infection is asymptomatic or can produce a respiratory condition with symptoms and radiological images similar to those observed in pulmonary tuberculosis; in non-HIV+ immunocompromised patients, it can cause respiratory symptoms or evolve into a disseminated infection. The same can occur in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. We have observed a series of HIV+ patients with AIDS who presented with cutaneous histoplasmosis and in whom the clinical and histopathological features were highly unusual, including variable mucocutaneous lesions that were difficult to diagnose clinically. These patients displayed unusual, previously undescribed, histological patterns, including lichenoid pattern, nodular pseudomyxoid pattern, pyogenic granuloma-like pattern, perifollicular pattern, and superficial (S), mid (M), and deep perivascular dermatitis; and more commonly encountered patterns, such as histiocytic lobular panniculitis and focal nodular dermatitis. The novel histopathological patterns of cutaneous involvement by histoplasmosis seen in these patients resembled other common inflammatory and infectious conditions and required a high level of suspicion and the application of special stains for organisms for confirmation. These new, clinical, and histological findings do not seem to be commonly encountered in HIV- patients infected with the fungus but seem to be displayed most prominently in HIV+ patients with AIDS.

Extreme gender flexibility: using a phylogenetic framework to infer the evolution of variation in sex allocation, phylogeography, and speciation in a genus of bidirectional sex changing fishes(Lythrypnus, Gobiidae).

PubMed

Maxfield, Jessica M; Van Tassell, James L; St Mary, Colette M; Joyeux, Jean-Christophe; Crow, Karen D

2012-09-01

The genus Lythrypnus is a group of marine gobies that exhibit extreme gender flexibility as bidirectional sex changers. The genus consists of 20 described species and several undescribed species that are distributed in the Americas. Five species have been characterized with respect to sex allocation and gonad morphology. The hormonal, morphological, and behavioral aspects of sex change have been studied extensively for one species, L. dalli. These data, however, have not been interpreted in an evolutionary context because a phylogenetic hypothesis has not previously been proposed for the genus Lythrypnus. We propose the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus based on molecular data from three mitochondrial genes (12s, ND2, and Cytb), one nuclear gene (Rag1) and one nuclear intron (S7). We also include three previously undescribed Lythrypnus species. Our results support the monophyly of the genus with L. heterochroma, an Atlantic species, as the basal taxon. After the divergence of L. heterochroma, there are two main clades, one comprised of species distributed in the Atlantic, the other comprised of species distributed in the Pacific. These data indicate an Atlantic origin for the genus, followed by divergence after the closure of the Isthmus of Panama. Our data also support the monophyly of three previously described species complexes, the L. rhizophora complex and L. dalli complex in the Pacific, and the L. mowbrayi complex in the Atlantic. We mapped patterns of sex allocation within this genus onto the fully resolved and supported topology, and found that sexual plasticity and gender flexibility is likely a synapomorphy for the genus. Overall our results create a well-supported framework to understand the phylogeography of the genus, and to interpret the evolution of sex allocation in Lythrypnus gobies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Severe mental deficiency, proportionate dwarfism, and delayed sexual maturation. A distinct inherited syndrome.

PubMed

Cantú, J M; Sánchez-Corona, J; García-Cruz, D; Fragoso, R

1980-01-01

Two 46,XY brothers were found to have a previously undescribed syndrome characterized by severe mental deficiency, proportionate dwarfism, and delayed sexual development. A recessive mode of inheritance, either autosomal or X-linked, is assumed.

Molecular patterns of X chromosome-linked color vision genes among 134 men of European ancestry.

PubMed Central

Drummond-Borg, M; Deeb, S S; Motulsky, A G

1989-01-01

We used Southern blot hybridization to study X chromosome-linked color vision genes encoding the apoproteins of red and green visual pigments in 134 unselected Caucasian men. One hundred and thirteen individuals (84.3%) had a normal arrangement of their color vision pigment genes. All had one red pigment gene; the number of green pigment genes ranged from one to five with a mode of two. The frequency of molecular genotypes indicative of normal color vision (84.3%) was significantly lower than had been observed in previous studies of color vision phenotypes. Color vision defects can be due to deletions of red or green pigment genes or due to formation of hybrid genes comprising portions of both red and green pigment genes [Nathans, J., Piantanida, T.P., Eddy, R.L., Shows, T.B., Jr., & Hogness, D.S. (1986) Science 232, 203-210]. Characteristic anomalous patterns were seen in 15 (11.2%) individuals: 7 (5.2%) had patterns characteristic of deuteranomaly (mild defect in green color perception), 2 (1.5%) had patterns characteristic of deuteranopia (severe defect in green color perception), and 6 (4.5%) had protan patterns (the red perception defects protanomaly and protanopia cannot be differentiated by current molecular methods). Previously undescribed hybrid gene patterns consisting of both green and red pigment gene fragments in addition to normal red and green genes were observed in another 6 individuals (4.5%). Only 2 of these patterns were considered as deuteranomalous. Thus, DNA testing detected anomalous color vision pigment genes at a higher frequency than expected from phenotypic color vision tests. Some color vision gene arrays associated with hybrid genes are likely to mediate normal color vision. Images PMID:2915991

A dehydration-inducible gene in the truffle Tuber borchii identifies a novel group of dehydrins

PubMed Central

Abba', Simona; Ghignone, Stefano; Bonfante, Paola

2006-01-01

Background The expressed sequence tag M6G10 was originally isolated from a screening for differentially expressed transcripts during the reproductive stage of the white truffle Tuber borchii. mRNA levels for M6G10 increased dramatically during fruiting body maturation compared to the vegetative mycelial stage. Results Bioinformatics tools, phylogenetic analysis and expression studies were used to support the hypothesis that this sequence, named TbDHN1, is the first dehydrin (DHN)-like coding gene isolated in fungi. Homologs of this gene, all defined as "coding for hypothetical proteins" in public databases, were exclusively found in ascomycetous fungi and in plants. Although complete (or almost complete) fungal genomes and EST collections of some Basidiomycota and Glomeromycota are already available, DHN-like proteins appear to be represented only in Ascomycota. A new and previously uncharacterized conserved signature pattern was identified and proposed to Uniprot database as the main distinguishing feature of this new group of DHNs. Expression studies provide experimental evidence of a transcript induction of TbDHN1 during cellular dehydration. Conclusion Expression pattern and sequence similarities to known plant DHNs indicate that TbDHN1 is the first characterized DHN-like protein in fungi. The high similarity of TbDHN1 with homolog coding sequences implies the existence of a novel fungal/plant group of LEA Class II proteins characterized by a previously undescribed signature pattern. PMID:16512918

Functional Metagenomics Reveals Previously Unrecognized Diversity of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Gulls

PubMed Central

Martiny, Adam C.; Martiny, Jennifer B. H.; Weihe, Claudia; Field, Andrew; Ellis, Julie C.

2011-01-01

Wildlife may facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR) between human-dominated habitats and the surrounding environment. Here, we use functional metagenomics to survey the diversity and genomic context of AR genes in gulls. Using this approach, we found a variety of AR genes not previously detected in gulls and wildlife, including class A and C β-lactamases as well as six tetracycline resistance gene types. An analysis of the flanking sequences indicates that most of these genes are present in Enterobacteriaceae and various Gram-positive bacteria. In addition to finding known gene types, we detected 31 previously undescribed AR genes. These undescribed genes include one most similar to an uncharacterized gene in Verrucomicrobium and another to a putative DNA repair protein in Lactobacillus. Overall, the study more than doubled the number of clinically relevant AR gene types known to be carried by gulls or by wildlife in general. Together with the propensity of gulls to visit human-dominated habitats, this high diversity of AR gene types suggests that gulls could facilitate the spread of AR. PMID:22347872

Occurrence and distribution of Heterorhabditid populations in the Hawaiian Islands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A survey of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) in the Hawaiian Islands recovered Heterorhabditis indica and previously undescribed Heterorhabditis species. Using Galleria bait, morbid larvae were recovered from 187 of the 275 samples collected within 100 m of the ocean. Entomopathogenic nematodes were...

Reciprocal uniparental disomy in yeast.

PubMed

Andersen, Sabrina L; Petes, Thomas D

2012-06-19

In the diploid cells of most organisms, including humans, each chromosome is usually distinguishable from its partner homolog by multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms. One common type of genetic alteration observed in tumor cells is uniparental disomy (UPD), in which a pair of homologous chromosomes are derived from a single parent, resulting in loss of heterozygosity for all single-nucleotide polymorphisms while maintaining diploidy. Somatic UPD events are usually explained as reflecting two consecutive nondisjunction events. Here we report a previously undescribed mode of chromosome segregation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in which one cell division produces daughter cells with reciprocal UPD for the same pair of chromosomes without an aneuploid intermediate. One pair of sister chromatids is segregated into one daughter cell and the other pair is segregated into the other daughter cell, mimicking a meiotic chromosome segregation pattern. We term this process "reciprocal uniparental disomy."

NMR-based phytochemical analysis of Vitis vinifera cv Falanghina leaves. Characterization of a previously undescribed biflavonoid with antiproliferative activity.

PubMed

Tartaglione, Luciana; Gambuti, Angelita; De Cicco, Paola; Ercolano, Giuseppe; Ianaro, Angela; Taglialatela-Scafati, Orazio; Moio, Luigi; Forino, Martino

2018-03-01

Vitis vinifera cv Falanghina is an ancient grape variety of Southern Italy. A thorough phytochemical analysis of the Falanghina leaves was conducted to investigate its specialised metabolite content. Along with already known molecules, such as caftaric acid, quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide, kaempferol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and kaempferol-3-O-β-d-glucuronide, a previously undescribed biflavonoid was identified. For this last compound, a moderate bioactivity against metastatic melanoma cells proliferation was discovered. This datum can be of some interest to researchers studying human melanoma. The high content in antioxidant glycosylated flavonoids supports the exploitation of grape vine leaves as an inexpensive source of natural products for the food industry and for both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies. Additionally, this study offers important insights into the plant physiology, thus prompting possible technological researches of genetic selection based on the vine adaptation to specific pedo-climatic environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functional and immuno-reactive characterization of a previously undescribed peptide from the venom of the scorpion Centruroides limpidus.

PubMed

Olamendi-Portugal, Timoteo; Restano-Cassulini, Rita; Riaño-Umbarila, Lidia; Becerril, Baltazar; Possani, Lourival D

2017-01-01

A previously undescribed toxic peptide named Cl13 was purified from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides limpidus. It contains 66 amino acid residues, including four disulfide bonds. The physiological effects assayed in 7 different subtypes of voltage gated Na + -channels, showed that it belongs to the β-scorpion toxin type. The most notorious effects were observed in subtypes Nav1.4, Nav1.5 and Nav1.6. Although having important sequence similarities with two other lethal toxins from this scorpion species (Cll1m and Cll2), the recently developed single chain antibody fragments (scFv) of human origin were not capable of protecting against Cl13. At the amino acid sequence level, in 3 stretches of peptide Cl13 (positions 7-9, 30-38 and 62-66) some differences with respect to other similar toxins are observed. Some of these differences coincide with contact points with the human antibody fragments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) rumen microbiome.

PubMed

Roggenbuck, Michael; Sauer, Cathrine; Poulsen, Morten; Bertelsen, Mads F; Sørensen, Søren J

2014-10-01

Recent studies have shown that wild ruminants are sources of previously undescribed microorganisms, knowledge of which can improve our understanding of the complex microbial interactions in the foregut. Here, we investigated the microbial community of seven wild-caught giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), three of which were fed natural browse and four were fed Boskos pellets, leafy alfalfa hay, and cut savanna browse, by characterizing the 16S rRNA gene diversity using 454 FLX high-throughput sequencing. The microbial community composition varied according to diet, but differed little between the ruminal fluid and solid fraction. The giraffe rumen contained large levels of the phyla of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes independent of diet, while Prevotella, Succinclasticium, and Methanobrevibacter accounted for the largest abundant taxonomic assigned genera. However, up to 21% of the generated sequences could not been assigned to any known bacterial phyla, and c. 70% not to genus, revealing that the giraffe rumen hosts a variety of previously undescribed bacteria. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

A previously undescribed potyvirus isolated and characterized from arborescent Brugmansia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 1969, a suspected virus disease was identified from an arborescent Brugmansia x candida Pers.(syn. Datura) candida Pers. tree. The disease was aphid transmissible at low rates, which declined following multiple mechanical passages. The viral particles were purified and analyzed, and purified viri...

Emai Sentence Complements in Typological Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaefer, Ronald P.; Egbokhare, Francis O.

This paper explores the syntactic and semantic character of previously undescribed sentence complements (SCs) in Emai, a Benue-Congo language of Nigeria's Edoid group. Data come from ongoing documentation incorporating oral narrative texts as well as dictionary and grammar descriptions. To delineate the grammatical properties of SCs, the paper…

Detection of oxygen isotopic anomaly in terrestrial atmospheric carbonates and its implications to Mars.

PubMed

Shaheen, R; Abramian, A; Horn, J; Dominguez, G; Sullivan, R; Thiemens, Mark H

2010-11-23

The debate of life on Mars centers around the source of the globular, micrometer-sized mineral carbonates in the ALH84001 meteorite; consequently, the identification of Martian processes that form carbonates is critical. This paper reports a previously undescribed carbonate formation process that occurs on Earth and, likely, on Mars. We identified micrometer-sized carbonates in terrestrial aerosols that possess excess (17)O (0.4-3.9‰). The unique O-isotopic composition mechanistically describes the atmospheric heterogeneous chemical reaction on aerosol surfaces. Concomitant laboratory experiments define the transfer of ozone isotopic anomaly to carbonates via hydrogen peroxide formation when O(3) reacts with surface adsorbed water. This previously unidentified chemical reaction scenario provides an explanation for production of the isotopically anomalous carbonates found in the SNC (shergottites, nakhlaites, chassignites) Martian meteorites and terrestrial atmospheric carbonates. The anomalous hydrogen peroxide formed on the aerosol surfaces may transfer its O-isotopic signature to the water reservoir, thus producing mass independently fractionated secondary mineral evaporites. The formation of peroxide via heterogeneous chemistry on aerosol surfaces also reveals a previously undescribed oxidative process of utility in understanding ozone and oxygen chemistry, both on Mars and Earth.

Detection of oxygen isotopic anomaly in terrestrial atmospheric carbonates and its implications to Mars

PubMed Central

Shaheen, R.; Abramian, A.; Horn, J.; Dominguez, G.; Sullivan, R.; Thiemens, Mark H.

2010-01-01

The debate of life on Mars centers around the source of the globular, micrometer-sized mineral carbonates in the ALH84001 meteorite; consequently, the identification of Martian processes that form carbonates is critical. This paper reports a previously undescribed carbonate formation process that occurs on Earth and, likely, on Mars. We identified micrometer-sized carbonates in terrestrial aerosols that possess excess 17O (0.4–3.9‰). The unique O-isotopic composition mechanistically describes the atmospheric heterogeneous chemical reaction on aerosol surfaces. Concomitant laboratory experiments define the transfer of ozone isotopic anomaly to carbonates via hydrogen peroxide formation when O3 reacts with surface adsorbed water. This previously unidentified chemical reaction scenario provides an explanation for production of the isotopically anomalous carbonates found in the SNC (shergottites, nakhlaites, chassignites) Martian meteorites and terrestrial atmospheric carbonates. The anomalous hydrogen peroxide formed on the aerosol surfaces may transfer its O-isotopic signature to the water reservoir, thus producing mass independently fractionated secondary mineral evaporites. The formation of peroxide via heterogeneous chemistry on aerosol surfaces also reveals a previously undescribed oxidative process of utility in understanding ozone and oxygen chemistry, both on Mars and Earth. PMID:21059939

Combined atresia of one left-sided and one right-sided cardiac valve in a premature newborn.

PubMed

Roberts, William C; Sing, Alan C; Guileyardo, Joseph M

2017-10-01

Described herein is the heart of a 2-day-old newborn, the product of a 25-week gestation, with atresia of two cardiac valves, one on the right side and one on the left side, apparently a previously undescribed entity.

Sotos syndrome, failure to thrive and parotitis

PubMed Central

Thomas, Megan R

2011-01-01

Sotos syndrome is characterised by excessive pre and postnatal growth, a variable degree of learning difficulties and a recognisable facial appearance. This report highlights the difficulty in making the diagnosis where failure to thrive is the presenting feature and documents a previously undescribed association with recurrent parotitis. PMID:22715272

Stemphylium leaf spot of parsley in California caused by Stemphylium vesicarium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

From 2009 through 2011, a previously undescribed disease occurred on commercial parsley in coastal (Ventura County) California. Symptoms of the disease consisted of circular to oval, tan to brown leaf spots and resulted in loss of crop quality and hence reduced yields. A fungus was consistently isol...

Susceptibility of selected potato varieties to zebra chip potato disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Zebra chip (ZC), an emerging and serious disease of potato has caused millions of dollars in losses to the potato industry in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand. The disease has recently been associated with a previously undescribed species of liberibacter tentatively named ...

Distinct sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids from in Salvadoran and Peruvian Celastraceae species.

PubMed

Callies, Oliver; Núñez, Marvin J; Perestelo, Nayra R; Reyes, Carolina P; Torres-Romero, David; Jiménez, Ignacio A; Bazzocchi, Isabel L

2017-10-01

As part of a bioprospecting program aimed at the discovery of undescribed natural products from Salvadoran and Peruvian flora, the phytochemical investigations of four Celastraceae species, Celastrus vulcanicola, Maytenus segoviarum, Maytenus jeslkii, and Maytenus cuzcoina, were performed. The current study reports the isolation and structural characterization of five previously undescribed macrolide sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids, named vulcanicoline-A, cuzcoinine, vulcanicoline-B, jelskiine, and vulcanicoline-C, along with sixteen known alkaloids. The structures of the alkaloids were established by spectrometric and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, including COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and ROESY experiments. The absolute configurations of alkaloids were proposed based on optical rotation sign, and biogenetic considerations. This study represents the first phytochemical analysis of Maytenus segoviarum. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel widespread cryptic species and phylogeographic patterns within several giant clam species (Cardiidae: Tridacna) from the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Huelsken, Thomas; Keyse, Jude; Liggins, Libby; Penny, Shane; Treml, Eric A; Riginos, Cynthia

2013-01-01

Giant clams (genus Tridacna) are iconic coral reef animals of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, easily recognizable by their massive shells and vibrantly colored mantle tissue. Most Tridacna species are listed by CITES and the IUCN Redlist, as their populations have been extensively harvested and depleted in many regions. Here, we survey Tridacna crocea and Tridacna maxima from the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans for mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (ITS) sequence variation and consolidate these data with previous published results using phylogenetic analyses. We find deep intraspecific differentiation within both T. crocea and T. maxima. In T. crocea we describe a previously undocumented phylogeographic division to the east of Cenderawasih Bay (northwest New Guinea), whereas for T. maxima the previously described, distinctive lineage of Cenderawasih Bay can be seen to also typify western Pacific populations. Furthermore, we find an undescribed, monophyletic group that is evolutionarily distinct from named Tridacna species at both mitochondrial and nuclear loci. This cryptic taxon is geographically widespread with a range extent that minimally includes much of the central Indo-Pacific region. Our results reinforce the emerging paradigm that cryptic species are common among marine invertebrates, even for conspicuous and culturally significant taxa. Additionally, our results add to identified locations of genetic differentiation across the central Indo-Pacific and highlight how phylogeographic patterns may differ even between closely related and co-distributed species.

Immune response of the Caribbean sea fan, Gorgonia ventalina, exposed to an Aplanochytrium parasite as revealed by transcriptome sequencing

PubMed Central

Burge, Colleen A.; Mouchka, Morgan E.; Harvell, C. Drew; Roberts, Steven

2013-01-01

Coral reef communities are undergoing marked declines due to a variety of stressors including disease. The sea fan coral, Gorgonia ventalina, is a tractable study system to investigate mechanisms of immunity to a naturally occurring pathogen. Functional studies in Gorgonia ventalina immunity indicate that several key pathways and cellular components are involved in response to natural microbial invaders, although to date the functional and regulatory pathways remain largely un-described. This study used short-read sequencing (Illumina GAIIx) to identify genes involved in the response of G. ventalina to a naturally occurring Aplanochytrium spp. parasite. De novo assembly of the G. ventalina transcriptome yielded 90,230 contigs of which 40,142 were annotated. RNA-Seq analysis revealed 210 differentially expressed genes in sea fans exposed to the Aplanochytrium parasite. Differentially expressed genes involved in immunity include pattern recognition molecules, anti-microbial peptides, and genes involved in wound repair and reactive oxygen species formation. Gene enrichment analysis indicated eight biological processes were enriched representing 36 genes, largely involved with protein translation and energy production. This is the first report using high-throughput sequencing to characterize the host response of a coral to a natural pathogen. Furthermore, we have generated the first transcriptome for a soft (octocoral or non-scleractinian) coral species. Expression analysis revealed genes important in invertebrate innate immune pathways, as well as those whose role is previously un-described in cnidarians. This resource will be valuable in characterizing G. ventalina immune response to infection and co-infection of pathogens in the context of environmental change. PMID:23898300

Nitrogen-mediated effects of elevated CO2 on intra-aggregate soil pore structure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While previous elevated atmospheric CO2 research has addressed changes in belowground processes, its effects on soil structure remain virtually undescribed. This study examined the long-term effects of elevated CO2 and N fertilization on soil structural changes in a bahiagrass pasture grown on a san...

Blepharophimosis, ptosis, polythelia and brachydactyly (BPPB): a new autosomal dominant syndrome?

PubMed

Wittebol-Post, D; Hennekam, R C

1993-10-01

A father and two sons with blepharophimosis, ptosis, polythelia and brachydactyly are presented, apparently without other abnormalities. The features do not fit into any previously described syndrome. This condition may represent a hitherto undescribed syndrome, although resemblance with the blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome exists. Inheritance is probably autosomal dominant.

A particular case of deafness-oligodontia syndrome.

PubMed

Marlin, S; Denoyelle, F; Busquet, D; Garabedian, N; Petit, C

1998-06-01

Two previous case reports described two sibs affected with both sensorineural hearing loss and oligodontia. Here, we report a similar syndrome in a male patient with an, as yet, undescribed vestibular aqueduct enlargement on tomodensitometry. The analysis of the parent's audiograms is consistent with the suggested autosomal recessive mode of inheritance of this disorder.

Syndrome of mental retardation, seizures, hypotonic cerebral palsy and megalocorneae, recessively inherited.

PubMed

Neuhäuser, G; Kaveggia, E G; France, T D; Opitz, J M

1975-07-01

A previously apparently undescribed "syndrome" is reported in which megalocornea and iris anomalies are accompanied by minor facial and skeletal anomalies, severe mental retardation, hypotonia, and seizures. The condition was found in 3 siblings of one family and in 4 sporadic cases; it is thought to be recessively inherited.

Fly Reservoir Associated with Wohlfahrtiimonas Bacteremia in a Human

PubMed Central

Tran, Michael; Dykstra, Elizabeth A.; Eckmann, Kaye; Bell, Melissa E.; Leadon, Michael; Sixberry, Melissa; Glover, William A.

2018-01-01

Wohlfahrtiimonas species bacteria were isolated from the bloodstream of a patient with septicemia and wound myiasis. Environmental investigations identified a Wohlfahrtiimonas sp. among insects in the Americas and in a previously undescribed vector, the green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata). The isolates possibly represent a new species within the genus Wohlfahrtiimonas. PMID:29350147

Geologic constraints on the macroevolutionary history of marine animals

PubMed Central

Peters, Shanan E.

2005-01-01

The causes of mass extinctions and the nature of taxonomic radiations are central questions in paleobiology. Several episodes of taxonomic turnover in the fossil record, particularly the major mass extinctions, are generally thought to transcend known biases in the geologic record and are widely interpreted as distinct macroevolutionary phenomena that require unique forcing mechanisms. Here, by using a previously undescribed compilation of the durations of sedimentary rock sequences, I compare the rates of expansion and truncation of preserved marine sedimentary basins to rates of origination and extinction among Phanerozoic marine animal genera. Many features of the highly variable record of taxonomic first and last occurrences in the marine animal fossil record, including the major mass extinctions, the frequency distribution of genus longevities, and short- and long-term patterns of genus diversity, can be predicted on the basis of the temporal continuity and quantity of preserved sedimentary rock. Although these results suggest that geologically mediated sampling biases have distorted macroevolutionary patterns in the fossil record, preservation biases alone cannot easily explain the extent to which the sedimentary record duplicates paleobiological patterns. Instead, these results suggest that the processes responsible for producing variability in the sedimentary rock record, such as plate tectonics and sea-level change, may have been dominant and consistent macroevolutionary forces throughout the Phanerozoic. PMID:16105949

Bishop pine (Pinus muricata) of inland Marin County, CA

Treesearch

Constance I. Millar

1986-01-01

The locations and characteristics of five, small, previously undescribed stands of bishop pine (Pinus muricata) in central Marin Co., California, are reported. Three stands lie on dry sites in the Kent Lake Drainage north of Mt. Tamalpais: San Geronimo Ridge, a spur ridge above Little Carson Cr., and Oat Hill. These stands are anomalous in occurring...

Deep resequencing of Trichinella spiralis reveals previously un-described single nucleotide polymorphisms and intra-isolate variation within the mitochondrial genome.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic roundworm that infects domestic swine, rats and humans. Ingestion of infected pork by humans can lead to the potentially fatal disease trichinellosis. The phylogeny and historical dispersal of Trichinella spp. have been studied, in part, by sequencing portions of...

Unique method of tooth replacement in durophagous placodont marine reptiles, with new data on the dentition of Chinese taxa

PubMed Central

Neenan, James M; Li, Chun; Rieppel, Olivier; Bernardini, Federico; Tuniz, Claudio; Muscio, Giuseppe; Scheyer, Torsten M

2014-01-01

The placodonts of the Triassic period (˜252–201 mya) represent one of the earliest and most extreme specialisations to a durophagous diet of any known reptile group. Exceptionally enlarged crushing tooth plates on the maxilla, dentary and palatine cooperated to form functional crushing areas in the buccal cavity. However, the extreme size of these teeth, combined with the unusual way they occluded, constrained how replacement occurred. Using an extensive micro-computed tomographic dataset of 11 specimens that span all geographic regions and placodont morphotypes, tooth replacement patterns were investigated. In addition, the previously undescribed dental morphologies and formulae of Chinese taxa are described for the first time and incorporated into the analysis. Placodonts have a unique tooth replacement pattern and results follow a phylogenetic trend. The plesiomorphic Placodus species show many replacement teeth at various stages of growth, with little or no discernible pattern. On the other hand, the more derived cyamodontoids tend to have fewer replacement teeth growing at any one time, replacing teeth unilaterally and/or in functional units, thus maintaining at least one functional crushing area at all times. The highly derived placochelyids have fewer teeth and, as a result, only have one or two replacement teeth in the upper jaw. This supports previous suggestions that these taxa had an alternative diet to other placodonts. Importantly, all specimens show at least one replacement tooth growing at the most posterior palatine tooth plates, indicating increased wear at this point and thus the most efficient functional crushing area. PMID:24517163

Rich bacterial assemblages from Maritime Antarctica (Potter Cove, South Shetlands) reveal several kinds of endemic and undescribed phylotypes.

PubMed

Landone Vescovo, Ignacio A; Golemba, Marcelo D; Di Lello, Federico A; Culasso, Andrés C A; Levin, Gustavo; Ruberto, Lucas; Mac Cormack, Walter P; López, José L

2014-01-01

Bacterial richness in maritime Antarctica has been poorly described to date. Phylogenetic affiliation of seawater free-living microbial assemblages was studied from three locations near the Argentinean Jubany Station during two Antarctic summers. Sixty 16S RNA cloned sequences were phylogenetically affiliated to Alphaproteobacteria (30/60 clones), Gammaproteobacteria(19/60 clones), Betaproteobacteria and Cytophaga-Flavobacteriia-Bacteroides (CFB), which were (2/60) and (3/60) respectively. Furthermore, six out of 60 clones could not be classified. Both, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, showed several endemic and previously undescribed sequences. Moreover, the absence of Cyanobacteria sequences in our samples is remarkable. In conclusion, we are reporting a rich sequence assemblage composed of widely divergent isolates among themselves and distant from the most closely related sequences currently deposited in data banks. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes of geographic variants of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, reveals a previously undescribed genotypic entity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L., is one of the most destructive forest pests in the world. While the subspecies established in North America is the European gypsy moth (L. dispar dispar), whose females are flightless, the two Asian subspecies, L. dispar asiatica and L. dispar japonica, have flig...

Identification, transmission and genomic characterization of a new member of the family Caulimoviridae causing a flower distortion disease of Rudbeckia hirta

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A disease of Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan), characterized by severe flower deformation, was observed in Minnesota during 20010-2016. A previously undescribed virus, named Rudbeckia flower distortion virus (RuFDV), was determined to be the causal agent of the disease. Symptoms induced by RuFDV i...

Forced Suffocation of Infants with Baby Wipes: A Previously Undescribed Form of Child Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krugman, Scott D.; Lantz, Patrick E.; Sinal, Sara; De Jong, Allan R.; Coffman, Kathryn

2007-01-01

Background: Foreign body aspiration in children is commonly seen in emergency departments and carries a significant mortality. Abusive foreign body suffocation is not well described. Methods: We present a case-series of four infants who presented with aspiration of a baby wipe. Results: Each child was found to be a victim of child physical abuse…

A new Zanclognatha from eastern North America and a preliminary key to the larvae of the genus (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Herminiinae)

PubMed Central

Wagner, David L.; McCabe, Timothy L.

2011-01-01

Abstract The adult of a widespread but previously undescribed species of Zanclognatha Lederer is described from eastern North America. Images of the mature larva and life history datafor Zanclognatha dentata sp. n. are included, along with a preliminary key to the larvae of ten eastern North American Zanclognatha species. PMID:22207796

Camponotus ustus Forel and two similar new species from Puerto Rico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Treesearch

R.R. Snelling; J.A. Torres

1998-01-01

Although Camponotus ustus Forel, originally described from St. Thomas, now a part of the American Virgina Islands, has been long considered common in Puerto Rico, we found that such specimens are misidentified and actually represent two distinct species, both previously undescribed. These are described herein as C. kaura and C. taino. Based on the types and additional...

Molecular characterization of a distinct monopartite begomovirus associated with betasatellites and alphasatellites infecting Pisum sativum in Nepal.

PubMed

Shahid, M S; Pudashini, B J; Khatri-Chhetri, G B; Briddon, R W; Natsuaki, K T

2017-04-01

Pea (Pisum sativum) plants exhibiting leaf distortion, yellowing, stunted growth and reduction in leaf size from Rampur, Nepal were shown to be infected by a begomovirus in association with betasatellites and alphasatellites. The begomovirus associated with the disease showed only low levels of nucleotide sequence identity (<91%) to previously characterized begomoviruses. This finding indicates that the pea samples were infected with an as yet undescribed begomovirus for which the name Pea leaf distortion virus (PLDV) is proposed. Two species of betasatellite were identified in association with PLDV. One group of sequences had high (>78%) nucleotide sequence identity to isolates of Ludwigia leaf distortion betasatellite (LuLDB), and the second group had less than 78% to all other betasatellite sequences. This showed PLDV to be associated with either LuLDB or a previously undescribed betasatellite for which the name Pea leaf distortion betasatellite is proposed. Two types of alphasatellites were identified in the PLDV-infected pea plants. The first type showed high levels of sequence identity to Ageratum yellow vein alphasatellite, and the second type showed high levels of identity to isolates of Sida yellow vein China alphasatellite. These are the first begomovirus, betasatellites and alphasatellites isolated from pea.

Identification of a previously undescribed divergent virus from the Flaviviridae family in an outbreak of equine serum hepatitis.

PubMed

Chandriani, Sanjay; Skewes-Cox, Peter; Zhong, Weidong; Ganem, Donald E; Divers, Thomas J; Van Blaricum, Anita J; Tennant, Bud C; Kistler, Amy L

2013-04-09

Theiler's disease is an acute hepatitis in horses that is associated with the administration of equine blood products; its etiologic agent has remained unknown for nearly a century. Here, we used massively parallel sequencing to explore samples from a recent Theiler's disease outbreak. Metatranscriptomic analysis of the short sequence reads identified a 10.5-kb sequence from a previously undescribed virus of the Flaviviridae family, which we designate "Theiler's disease-associated virus" (TDAV). Phylogenetic analysis clusters TDAV with GB viruses of the recently proposed Pegivirus genus, although it shares only 35.3% amino acid identity with its closest relative, GB virus D. An epidemiological survey of additional horses from three separate locations supports an association between TDAV infection and acute serum hepatitis. Experimental inoculation of horses with TDAV-positive plasma provides evidence that several weeks of viremia preceded liver injury and that liver disease may not be directly related to the level of viremia. Like hepatitis C virus, the best characterized Flaviviridae species known to cause hepatitis, we find TDAV is capable of efficient parenteral transmission, engendering acute and chronic infections associated with a diversity of clinical presentations ranging from subclinical infection to clinical hepatitis.

Highly variable cutis laxa resulting from a dominant splicing mutation of the elastin gene.

PubMed

Graul-Neumann, Luitgard M; Hausser, Ingrid; Essayie, Maximilian; Rauch, Anita; Kraus, Cornelia

2008-04-15

Autosomal dominant congenital cutis laxa (ADCL) is genetically heterogeneous and shows clinical variability. Only seven ADCL families with mutations in the elastin gene (ELN) have been described previously. We present morphological and molecular genetic studies in a cutis laxa kindred with a previously undescribed highly variable phenotype caused by a novel ELN mutation c.1621 C > T. The proband presented with severe cutis laxa, severe congenital lung disease previously undescribed in ADCL and pulmonary artery disease, which is often seen in ARCL but rare in ADCL. He also developed infantile spasms (OMIM 308350; West syndrome), which we consider a coincidental association although recessive cutis laxa or even digenic inheritance cannot be excluded. Electron microscopy of the proband's dermis revealed only mild rarefication of elastic fibers (in contrast to most recessive cutis laxa types). Apart from mild elastic fiber fragmentation, dermal morphology of the proband's father was within normal range. Molecular analysis of the ELN gene using genomic DNA from blood and RNA from cultured skin fibroblasts indicated a novel splice site mutation in the proband and his clinically healthy father. Analysis of ELN expression in fibroblasts provided evidence for a dominant-negative effect in the child, while due to an unknown mechanism, the father showed haploinsufficiency which might explain the significant clinical variability. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Non-canonical TAF complexes regulate active promoters in human embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Maston, Glenn A; Zhu, Lihua Julie; Chamberlain, Lynn; Lin, Ling; Fang, Minggang; Green, Michael R

2012-11-13

The general transcription factor TFIID comprises the TATA-box-binding protein (TBP) and approximately 14 TBP-associated factors (TAFs). Here we find, unexpectedly, that undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) contain only six TAFs (TAFs 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 11), whereas following differentiation all TAFs are expressed. Directed and global chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses reveal an unprecedented promoter occupancy pattern: most active genes are bound by only TAFs 3 and 5 along with TBP, whereas the remaining active genes are bound by TBP and all six hESC TAFs. Consistent with these results, hESCs contain a previously undescribed complex comprising TAFs 2, 6, 7, 11 and TBP. Altering the composition of hESC TAFs, either by depleting TAFs that are present or ectopically expressing TAFs that are absent, results in misregulated expression of pluripotency genes and induction of differentiation. Thus, the selective expression and use of TAFs underlies the ability of hESCs to self-renew.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00068.001.

A previously unreported, dominantly inherited syndrome of shortness of stature, ear malformations, and hip dislocation: the coxoauricular syndrome--autosomal or X-linked male-lethal.

PubMed

Duca, D; Pană, I; Ciovirnache, M; Simionesu, L; Ispas, I; Maxililian, C

1981-01-01

We reported an apparently previously undescribed syndrome, designated the coxoauricular syndrome, in a mother and her 3 daughters, all of whom shared in variable manner shortness of stature, minor vertebral and pelvic changes, dislocated hip(s), and microtia with corresponding hearing loss. The oldest daughter had coincidental Ullrich-Turner syndrome with 46, Xdel(X)(q 13) chromosome constitution. Inheritance of the trait in this family is dominant, either autosomal or X-linked, with hemizygote lethality.

Pestaloquinols A and B, isoprenylated epoxyquinols from Pestalotiopsis sp.

PubMed

Ding, Gang; Zhang, Fan; Chen, Hong; Guo, Liangdong; Zou, Zhongmei; Che, Yongsheng

2011-02-25

Two new isoprenylated epoxyquinol derivatives, pestaloquinols A (2) and B (3), and their putative biosynthetic precursor, cytosporin D (1), were isolated from the crude extract of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis sp. The structures of these compounds were elucidated primarily by NMR experiments. Pestaloquinols A (2) and B (3) possess a previously undescribed nonacyclic ring system and showed cytotoxicity against HeLa cells.

Studies in Phlebotomine Sand Flies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-30

Phlebotomus duboscqi, a vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis, was developed in Kenya at a site where Leishmania major has been isolated from rodents , A...fauna. Addi- tional species, including 2 undescribed taxa, were studied from Ecuador, Peru and Surinam. The reference collection of New World...was discovered in Kenya at a site where Leishmania a has been isolated from rodents . A paper describing the previously unknown male of Sergentomyia

Non-peristaltic patterns of motor activity in the guinea-pig proximal colon.

PubMed

Hennig, G W; Gregory, S; Brookes, S J H; Costa, M

2010-06-01

The guinea-pig proximal colon contains semi-solid feces which are propelled by intermittent neural peristaltic waves to the distal colon, where solid pellets are formed. Between propulsive periods, complex motor patterns underlie fluid re-absorption and mixing of contents. Spatio-temporal analysis of video recordings were used to investigate neural and myogenic patterns of non-peristaltic motor activity. At low distension (6 cmH(2)O), two major motor patterns were seen. Narrow rings of constriction (abrupt contractions) occurred at 19 cpm. These previously undescribed contractions occurred, almost simultaneously, at many points along the preparation, with a calculated propagation velocity of 110 mm s(-1). They were abolished by hexamethonium and by tetrodotoxin, indicating they were neurally mediated. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase resulted in increased frequency of 'abrupt contractions' suggesting ongoing inhibitory modulation by endogenous nitric oxide. After tetrodotoxin, another distinct motor pattern was revealed; 'ripples'(1) consisted of shallow rings of contraction, occurring at 18 cpm and propagating at 2.7-2.9 mm s(-1) orally or aborally from multiple initiation sites. The frequency of 'ripples' increased as intraluminal pressure was raised, becoming very irregular at high distensions. L-type calcium channel blockers and openers affected the amplitude of 'ripples'. No frequency gradient of 'ripples' along the proximal colon was detected. This absence explains the multiple initiation sites which often shifted over time, and the oral and aboral propagation of 'ripples'. The interaction of myogenic 'ripples' with neurogenic 'abrupt contractions' generates localized alternating rings of contractions and dilatation, well suited to effective mixing of contents.

A new worm infiltrating the human cornea: A report of three cases.

PubMed

McBurney-Lin, Shan; Khorram, David; Gee, Stephen; Hoberg, Eric P; Klassen-Fischer, Mary K; Neafie, Ronald C

2018-03-01

To characterize a new species of parasitic nematode that triggers uveitis. Three previously healthy, relatively young people each contracted a corneal stromal nematode that, upon surgical removal and examination, did not match any known nematodes. Clinical ocular findings included corneal opacification, visible corneal worms, conjunctival injection, and uveitis. The three cases presented here represent a previously undescribed parasitic infection of the cornea by an unidentified nematode. These findings may represent a previously unrecognized zoonotic infection from wildlife sources and potentially a newly documented nematode requiring description. Future clinical findings regarding this newly described nematode are needed to further develop our understanding of the disease.

Virgatolides A-C, benzannulated spiroketals from the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis virgatula.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Li, Li; Si, Yikang; Jiang, Xuejun; Guo, Liangdong; Che, Yongsheng

2011-05-20

Virgatolides A-C (1-3), unique metabolites with a 3',4',5',6'-tetrahydrospiro[chroman-2,2'-pyran] core, were isolated from cultures of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis virgatula. Compounds 1-3 possess two previously undescribed skeletons originating from a benzannulated 6,6-spiroketal and one (2 and 3) and two (1) γ-lactone units, respectively. The structure of 1 was secured by X-ray crystallography.

Siblicide, splayed-toes-flight display, and grappling in the Saker Falcon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, D.H.; Whitlock, P.L.; Tsengeg, Pu; Nelson, R.W.

1999-01-01

We observed two incidents of novel social behavior in the saker falcon (Falco cherrug) in Mongolia. First, we provide an account of a two-week-old saker falcon chick killing its nest mate, the first direct observation of siblicide in the genus Falco. We also report aerial combat between three adult saker falcons including observations of talon grappling, whirling, and Splayed-toes-flight, a previously undescribed social display.

Brucella pelvic tubo-ovarian abscess mimicking a pelvic malignancy.

PubMed

Seoud, Muhiedine A F; Kanj, Suha S; Habli, Munira; Araj, George F; Khalil, Ali M

2003-01-01

A 57-y-old woman presented with recurrent abdominal and pelvic pain of 6 months' duration with low-grade fever. A computed tomographic scan indicated an ovarian tumor. Laparotomy revealed a pelvic abscess. Her symptoms resolved following surgery and antibiotic therapy. Pathology revealed an extensive inflammatory process. Tissue culture grew Brucella sp. The diagnosis and management of this previously undescribed pelvic tubo-ovarian abscess present a particular challenge.

Distal trisomy 10q syndrome, report of a patient with duplicated q24.31 – qter, autism spectrum disorder and unusual features

PubMed Central

Al-Sarraj, Yasser; Al-Khair, Hakam Abu; Taha, Rowaida Ziad; Khattab, Namat; El Sayed, Zakaria H; Elhusein, Bushra; El-Shanti, Hatem

2014-01-01

Key Clinical Message We report on a patient with distal trisomy 10q syndrome presenting with a few previously undescribed physical features, as well as, autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We recommend that patients with distal trisomy 10q syndrome should have a behavioral evaluation for ASD for the early institution of therapy. PMID:25614812

Myxoid atypical fibroxanthoma: a previously undescribed variant.

PubMed

Patton, A; Page, R; Googe, P B; King, R

2009-11-01

Atypical fibroxanthomas (AFX) are dermal-based cutaneous tumors typically found in sun-damaged skin of the elderly. Histologic variants include spindle cell, clear cell, osteoid, osteoclastic, chondroid, pigmented, and granular cell. To date, myxoid change in AFX, has not been described. Four cases were retrieved from the consultation and surgical pathology files of Knoxville Dermatopathology Laboratory, Knoxville, Tennessee during a 4-year period. The clinical and histologic findings were reviewed and Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain and panel of immunohistochemical stains was obtained. All 4 lesions occurred as solitary lesions in elderly males on the head and neck (2 cases) and upper extremity (2 cases). Histologically all tumors demonstrated a well-circumscribed, cellular lesion centered in the dermis and composed of a mix of atypical pleomorphic and spindle cells in a prominent myxomatous background. A junctional component was absent and the tumors did not arise from the epidermis or adnexal structures. Subcutaneous involvement was absent in all cases. Tumor cells were negative for melanocytic and epithelial markers. Positive staining was noted with CD10 (3/4 cases) and vimentin (4/4 cases). Myxoid change in AFX is rare and previously undescribed in the English literature. Myxoid change may be a prominent finding in benign and malignant cutaneous tumors and awareness of this variant of AFX will avoid misdiagnosis.

Oleanane triterpenes with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity from aerial parts of Lantana camara collected in Indonesia and Japan.

PubMed

Abdjul, Delfly B; Yamazaki, Hiroyuki; Maarisit, Wilmar; Rotinsulu, Henki; Wewengkang, Defny S; Sumilat, Deiske A; Kapojos, Magie M; Losung, Fitje; Ukai, Kazuyo; Namikoshi, Michio

2017-12-01

During the search for new protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B inhibitors, EtOH extracts from the aerial parts of Lantana camara L. (lantana) collected at Manado (Indonesia) and two subtropical islands in Japan (Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands, Okinawa) exhibited potent inhibitory activities against PTP1B in an enzyme assay. Four previously undescribed oleanane triterpenes were isolated together with known triterpenes and flavones from the Indonesian lantana. The EtOH extracts of lantana collected in Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands exhibited different phytochemical profiles from each other and the Indonesian lantana. Triterpenes with a 24-OH group were isolated from the Indonesian lantana only. Five known triterpene compounds were detected in the Ishigaki lantana, and two oleanane triterpenes with an ether linkage between 3β and 25 were the main components together with five known triterpenes as minor components in the Iriomote lantana. The structures of previously undescribed compounds were assigned on the basis of their spectroscopic data. Among the compounds obtained in this study, oleanolic acid exhibited the most potent activity against PTP1B, and is used as a positive control in studies on PTP1B. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression and Localization of CLC Chloride Transport Proteins in the Avian Retina

PubMed Central

McMains, Emily; Krishnan, Vijai; Prasad, Sujitha; Gleason, Evanna

2011-01-01

Members of the ubiquitously expressed CLC protein family of chloride channels and transporters play important roles in regulating cellular chloride and pH. The CLCs that function as Cl−/H+ antiporters, ClCs 3–7, are essential in particular for the acidification of endosomal compartments and protein degradation. These proteins are broadly expressed in the nervous system, and mutations that disrupt their expression are responsible for several human genetic diseases. Furthermore, knock-out of ClC3 and ClC7 in the mouse result in the degeneration of the hippocampus and the retina. Despite this evidence of their importance in retinal function, the expression patterns of different CLC transporters in different retinal cell types are as yet undescribed. Previous work in our lab has shown that in chicken amacrine cells, internal Cl− can be dynamic. To determine whether CLCs have the potential to participate, we used PCR and immunohistochemical techniques to examine CLC transporter expression in the chicken retina. We observed a high level of variation in the retinal expression levels and patterns among the different CLC proteins examined. These findings, which represent the first systematic investigation of CLC transporter expression in the retina, support diverse functions for the different CLCs in this tissue. PMID:21408174

Tyrosine sulfation in a Gram-negative bacterium

PubMed Central

Han, Sang-Wook; Lee, Sang-Won; Bahar, Ofir; Schwessinger, Benjamin; Robinson, Michelle R.; Shaw, Jared B.; Madsen, James A.; Brodbelt, Jennifer S.; Ronald, Pamela C.

2015-01-01

Tyrosine sulfation, a well-characterized post-translation modification in eukaryotes, has not previously been reported in prokaryotes. Here we demonstrate that the RaxST protein from the Gram-negative bacterium, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, is a tyrosine sulfotransferase. We used a newly developed sulfotransferase assay and ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry (UVPD) to demonstrate that RaxST catalyzes sulfation of tyrosine 22 of the Xoo Ax21 (activator of XA21-mediated immunity). These results demonstrate a previously undescribed post-translational modification in a prokaryotic species with implications extending to host immune response and bacterial cell-cell communication system. PMID:23093190

Congenital capillary proliferation of the kidney: a distinctive renal vascular lesion of childhood.

PubMed

Cajaiba, Mariana M; North, Paula E; Gong, Shunyou; Dickman, Paul S; Mroczek-Musulman, Elizabeth; Sauer, David A; Perlman, Elizabeth J

2017-08-01

Renal vascular lesions (RVL) are rare, and their morphological spectrum remains largely unknown, particularly in children. In this study, we characterize the clinicopathological features of RVL in a cohort of 12 children. Seven lesions were classified as previously recognized entities: vascular malformations (4), papillary endothelial hyperplasia (2), and pyogenic granuloma (lobular capillary hemangioma; 1). An eighth lesion showed nonspecific findings, which were interpreted as reactive during our review. The remaining 4 cases presented either prenatally, at birth, or shortly after birth and were morphologically similar. These were characterized by a peculiar pattern of capillary proliferation with entrapment of native renal structures, variable amounts of extramedullary hematopoiesis and reactive lymphocytes, foci of infarction and hemorrhage, and the presence of feeding and draining vessels at their periphery. To our knowledge, this represents a previously undescribed congenital vascular lesion involving the kidney, which we have descriptively and provisionally termed congenital capillary proliferation of the kidney (CCPK). While it is unclear whether CCPK represents a malformation or neoplastic proliferation, it shows overlapping features with congenital hemangioma of the liver (solitary congenital hepatic hemangioma) and congenital nonprogressive hemangioma (CNH) of the skin and soft tissue, suggesting a possible common pathogenesis among these 3 entities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uncommon endocytic and trafficking pathway of the natural killer cell CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptor.

PubMed

Masilamani, Madhan; Narayanan, Sriram; Prieto, Martha; Borrego, Francisco; Coligan, John E

2008-06-01

The CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptor, expressed by natural killer and T cells, is constantly exposed to its HLA-E ligand expressed by surrounding cells. Ligand exposure often induces receptor downregulation. For CD94/NKG2A, this could potentiate activation receptor(s) induced responses to normal bystander cells. We investigated CD94/NKG2A endocytosis and found that it occurs by an amiloride-sensitive, Rac1-dependent macropinocytic-like process; however, it does not require clathrin, dynamin, ADP ribosylation factor-6, phosphoinositide-3 kinase or the actin cytoskeleton. Once endocytosed, CD94/NKG2A traffics to early endosomal antigen 1(+), Rab5(+) early endosomes. It does appear in Rab4(+) early/sorting endosome, but, in the time period examined, fails to reach Rab11(+) recycling or Rab7(+) late endosomes or lysosome-associated membrane protein-1(+) lysosomes. These results indicate that CD94/NKG2A utilizes a previously undescribed endocytic mechanism coupled with an abbreviated trafficking pattern, perhaps to insure surface expression.

Pathologic childhood aerophagia: a recognizable clinical entity.

PubMed

Gauderer, M W; Halpin, T C; Izant, R J

1981-06-01

Pathologic childhood aerophagia is a rarely recognized, often poorly treated entity that has remained almost undescribed in either the surgical or pediatric literature. In only 1 of 9 children the condition was recognized at presentation. The initial diagnosis of the others was Hirschsprung's disease (2), malabsorption syndrome (3), gastric outlet syndrome (1), constipation (1), and esophagitis (1). Five were hospitalized and two underwent surgical procedures. History disclosed a remarkably constant triad: previous normal stooling pattern, visible and often audible air swallowing and excessive flatus. Physical examination often demonstrated a markedly or intermittently distended and tympanitic abdomen. Abdominal musculature was thinned in children with chronic aerophagia. Roentgenographic evaluation showed massively distended loops of intestine throughout without associated air-fluid levels. There was marked compression of the diaphragm with limited excursion in some. Laboratory and malabsorption testing was normal. Treatment is limited to recognition of the problem, nasogastric decompression in severe cases and psychologic counseling when symptoms persist in the older child. The recognition of this condition may lead to a better understanding of its pathophysiology and will reduce the number of unnecessary admissions or surgical procedures.

Non-canonical TAF complexes regulate active promoters in human embryonic stem cells

PubMed Central

Maston, Glenn A; Zhu, Lihua Julie; Chamberlain, Lynn; Lin, Ling; Fang, Minggang; Green, Michael R

2012-01-01

The general transcription factor TFIID comprises the TATA-box-binding protein (TBP) and approximately 14 TBP-associated factors (TAFs). Here we find, unexpectedly, that undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) contain only six TAFs (TAFs 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 11), whereas following differentiation all TAFs are expressed. Directed and global chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses reveal an unprecedented promoter occupancy pattern: most active genes are bound by only TAFs 3 and 5 along with TBP, whereas the remaining active genes are bound by TBP and all six hESC TAFs. Consistent with these results, hESCs contain a previously undescribed complex comprising TAFs 2, 6, 7, 11 and TBP. Altering the composition of hESC TAFs, either by depleting TAFs that are present or ectopically expressing TAFs that are absent, results in misregulated expression of pluripotency genes and induction of differentiation. Thus, the selective expression and use of TAFs underlies the ability of hESCs to self-renew. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00068.001 PMID:23150797

An enlarged parietal foramen in the late archaic Xujiayao 11 neurocranium from Northern China, and rare anomalies among Pleistocene Homo.

PubMed

Wu, Xiu-Jie; Xing, Song; Trinkaus, Erik

2013-01-01

We report here a neurocranial abnormality previously undescribed in Pleistocene human fossils, an enlarged parietal foramen (EPF) in the early Late Pleistocene Xujiayao 11 parietal bones from the Xujiayao (Houjiayao) site, northern China. Xujiayao 11 is a pair of partial posteromedial parietal bones from an adult. It exhibits thick cranial vault bones, arachnoid granulations, a deviated posterior sagittal suture, and a unilateral (right) parietal lacuna with a posteriorly-directed and enlarged endocranial vascular sulcus. Differential diagnosis indicates that the perforation is a congenital defect, an enlarged parietal foramen, commonly associated with cerebral venous and cranial vault anomalies. It was not lethal given the individual's age-at-death, but it may have been associated with secondary neurological deficiencies. The fossil constitutes the oldest evidence in human evolution of this very rare condition (a single enlarged parietal foramen). In combination with developmental and degenerative abnormalities in other Pleistocene human remains, it suggests demographic and survival patterns among Pleistocene Homo that led to an elevated frequency of conditions unknown or rare among recent humans.

Chronic cerebral herniation in shunted Dandy-Walker malformation.

PubMed

Naidich, T P; Radkowski, M A; McLone, D G; Leestma, J

1986-02-01

A review of serial computed tomography (CT) scans of 25 patients with the Dandy-Walker malformation revealed six patients with chronic downward transincisural herniation of the cerebrum after shunt decompression of the posterior fossa cyst or malfunction of a lateral ventricular drainage catheter, or both. Chronic cerebral herniation was detected postmortem in a seventh patient with the Dandy-Walker malformation. The CT findings and autopsy appearance of this previously undescribed feature of shunted Dandy-Walker malformation are illustrated.

Nominalization and Alternations in Biomedical Language

PubMed Central

Cohen, K. Bretonnel; Palmer, Martha; Hunter, Lawrence

2008-01-01

Background This paper presents data on alternations in the argument structure of common domain-specific verbs and their associated verbal nominalizations in the PennBioIE corpus. Alternation is the term in theoretical linguistics for variations in the surface syntactic form of verbs, e.g. the different forms of stimulate in FSH stimulates follicular development and follicular development is stimulated by FSH. The data is used to assess the implications of alternations for biomedical text mining systems and to test the fit of the sublanguage model to biomedical texts. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined 1,872 tokens of the ten most common domain-specific verbs or their zero-related nouns in the PennBioIE corpus and labelled them for the presence or absence of three alternations. We then annotated the arguments of 746 tokens of the nominalizations related to these verbs and counted alternations related to the presence or absence of arguments and to the syntactic position of non-absent arguments. We found that alternations are quite common both for verbs and for nominalizations. We also found a previously undescribed alternation involving an adjectival present participle. Conclusions/Significance We found that even in this semantically restricted domain, alternations are quite common, and alternations involving nominalizations are exceptionally diverse. Nonetheless, the sublanguage model applies to biomedical language. We also report on a previously undescribed alternation involving an adjectival present participle. PMID:18779866

A novel human autoimmune syndrome caused by combined hypomorphic and activating mutations in ZAP-70

PubMed Central

Chan, Alice Y.; Punwani, Divya; Kadlecek, Theresa A.; Cowan, Morton J.; Olson, Jean L.; Mathes, Erin F.; Sunderam, Uma; Man Fu, Shu; Srinivasan, Rajgopal; Kuriyan, John; Brenner, Steven E.; Weiss, Arthur

2016-01-01

A brother and sister developed a previously undescribed constellation of autoimmune manifestations within their first year of life, with uncontrollable bullous pemphigoid, colitis, and proteinuria. The boy had hemophilia due to a factor VIII autoantibody and nephrotic syndrome. Both children required allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), which resolved their autoimmunity. The early onset, severity, and distinctive findings suggested a single gene disorder underlying the phenotype. Whole-exome sequencing performed on five family members revealed the affected siblings to be compound heterozygous for two unique missense mutations in the 70-kD T cell receptor ζ-chain associated protein (ZAP-70). Healthy relatives were heterozygous mutation carriers. Although pre-HCT patient T cells were not available, mutation effects were determined using transfected cell lines and peripheral blood from carriers and controls. Mutation R192W in the C-SH2 domain exhibited reduced binding to phosphorylated ζ-chain, whereas mutation R360P in the N lobe of the catalytic domain disrupted an autoinhibitory mechanism, producing a weakly hyperactive ZAP-70 protein. Although human ZAP-70 deficiency can have dysregulated T cells, and autoreactive mouse thymocytes with weak Zap-70 signaling can escape tolerance, our patients’ combination of hypomorphic and activating mutations suggested a new disease mechanism and produced previously undescribed human ZAP-70–associated autoimmune disease. PMID:26783323

Association of aortic and main left coronary aneurysms with severe aortic insufficiency in Takayasu's arteritis.

PubMed

Schafranski, Marcelo Derbli; Ferraz de Freitas, Marcelo; Valladão de Carvalho, Marcelo

2011-05-16

Takayasu's arteritis is a granulomatous vasculitis of unknown etiology that affects mainly the aorta and its branches. As a result of intimal fibroproliferation, segmental stenosis, occlusion, dilatation, and aneurysmal formation of the involved vessels may develop. It is an uncommon disease and usually affects young Asian female patients during the second and third decades of life. Coronary arteries are exceptionally affected and coronary aneurysm formation is a very rare finding. We describe a case of a previously healthy 26-year-old Caucasian female whose Takayasu's arteritis presented as a previously undescribed association of aortic and main left coronary aneurysms with severe aortic insufficiency.

Biogeographic patterns in below-ground diversity in New York City's Central Park are similar to those observed globally

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Kelly S.; Leff, Jonathan W.; Barberán, Albert; Bates, Scott Thomas; Betley, Jason; Crowther, Thomas W.; Kelly, Eugene F.; Oldfield, Emily E.; Shaw, E. Ashley; Steenbock, Christopher; Bradford, Mark A.; Wall, Diana H.; Fierer, Noah

2014-01-01

Soil biota play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, however, compared to our knowledge of above-ground plant and animal diversity, the biodiversity found in soils remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we present an assessment of soil biodiversity and biogeographic patterns across Central Park in New York City that spanned all three domains of life, demonstrating that even an urban, managed system harbours large amounts of undescribed soil biodiversity. Despite high variability across the Park, below-ground diversity patterns were predictable based on soil characteristics, with prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities exhibiting overlapping biogeographic patterns. Further, Central Park soils harboured nearly as many distinct soil microbial phylotypes and types of soil communities as we found in biomes across the globe (including arctic, tropical and desert soils). This integrated cross-domain investigation highlights that the amount and patterning of novel and uncharacterized diversity at a single urban location matches that observed across natural ecosystems spanning multiple biomes and continents. PMID:25274366

Confirmation of Two Undescribed Fungal Species from Dokdo of Korea Based on Current Classification System Using Multi Loci

PubMed Central

Lee, Hye Won; Nguyen, Thi Thuong Thuong; Mun, Hye Yeon; Lee, Haengsub; Kim, Changmu

2015-01-01

Using dilution plating method, 47 fungal isolates were obtained from a soil sample collected from Dokdo in the East Sea of Korea in 2013. In this study, two fungal isolates, EML-MFS30-1 and EML-DDSF4, were confirmed as undescribed species, Metarhizium guizhouense and Mortierella oligospora in Korea based on current classification system using multi loci including rDNA internal transcribed spacer, large subunit, small subunit, and β-tubulin (BTUB) genes. Herein, detailed morphological descriptions on characters of the undescribed fungal species as well as their molecular phylogenetic status are provided with comparisons to related species. PMID:26839498

Nonlinear system theory: another look at dependence.

PubMed

Wu, Wei Biao

2005-10-04

Based on the nonlinear system theory, we introduce previously undescribed dependence measures for stationary causal processes. Our physical and predictive dependence measures quantify the degree of dependence of outputs on inputs in physical systems. The proposed dependence measures provide a natural framework for a limit theory for stationary processes. In particular, under conditions with quite simple forms, we present limit theorems for partial sums, empirical processes, and kernel density estimates. The conditions are mild and easily verifiable because they are directly related to the data-generating mechanisms.

New Lethal Skeletal Dysplasia with Dandy-Walker Malformation, Congenital Heart Defects, Abnormal Thumbs, Hypoplastic Genitalia, and Distinctive Facies

PubMed Central

Stevens, Cathy A.; Lachman, Ralph S.

2011-01-01

We report on two sibs with a lethal form of bone dysplasia with distinctive skeletal findings including rhizomelic and mesomelic limb shortening, hooked clavicles, dumbbell femurs, and absence of talus and calcaneus ossification. Other clinical features include Dandy-Walker malformation, congenital heart defects, joint contractures, genital hypoplasia, and distinctive facial features. These sibs appear to have a previously undescribed skeletal dysplasia, which is most likely inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. PMID:20602491

Bilateral persistent fetal vasculature due to a mutation in the Norrie disease protein gene

PubMed Central

Payabvash, Seyedmehdi; Anderson, Jill S

2015-01-01

We report a case of a 7-week-old boy with bilateral leukocoria and asymmetric microphthalmia who was found to have Norrie disease. Symmetrically hyperdense globes with no evidence of calcification were seen on CT scan. The MRI showed bilateral retinal hemorrhages resulting in conical vitreous chambers—narrow at the optic disc and widened toward the lens—characteristic of persistent fetal vasculature. Genetic evaluation revealed a previously undescribed mutation in the Norrie disease protein gene. PMID:26459204

Bilateral persistent fetal vasculature due to a mutation in the Norrie disease protein gene.

PubMed

Payabvash, Seyedmehdi; Anderson, Jill S; Nascene, David R

2015-12-01

We report a case of a 7-week-old boy with bilateral leukocoria and asymmetric microphthalmia who was found to have Norrie disease. Symmetrically hyperdense globes with no evidence of calcification were seen on CT scan. The MRI showed bilateral retinal hemorrhages resulting in conical vitreous chambers-narrow at the optic disc and widened toward the lens-characteristic of persistent fetal vasculature. Genetic evaluation revealed a previously undescribed mutation in the Norrie disease protein gene. © The Author(s) 2015.

Stability and phylogenetic correlation in gut microbiota: lessons from ants and apes.

PubMed

Sanders, Jon G; Powell, Scott; Kronauer, Daniel J C; Vasconcelos, Heraldo L; Frederickson, Megan E; Pierce, Naomi E

2014-03-01

Correlation between gut microbiota and host phylogeny could reflect codiversification over shared evolutionary history or a selective environment that is more similar in related hosts. These alternatives imply substantial differences in the relationship between host and symbiont, but can they be distinguished based on patterns in the community data themselves? We explored patterns of phylogenetic correlation in the distribution of gut bacteria among species of turtle ants (genus Cephalotes), which host a dense gut microbial community. We used 16S rRNA pyrosequencing from 25 Cephalotes species to show that their gut community is remarkably stable, from the colony to the genus level. Despite this overall similarity, the existing differences among species' microbiota significantly correlated with host phylogeny. We introduced a novel analytical technique to test whether these phylogenetic correlations are derived from recent bacterial evolution, as would be expected in the case of codiversification, or from broader shifts more likely to reflect environmental filters imposed by factors such as diet or habitat. We also tested this technique on a published data set of ape microbiota, confirming earlier results while revealing previously undescribed patterns of phylogenetic correlation. Our results indicated a high degree of partner fidelity in the Cephalotes microbiota, suggesting that vertical transmission of the entire community could play an important role in the evolution and maintenance of the association. As additional comparative microbiota data become available, the techniques presented here can be used to explore trends in the evolution of host-associated microbial communities. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A test of color-based taxonomy in nudibranchs: Molecular phylogeny and species delimitation of the Felimida clenchi (Mollusca: Chromodorididae) species complex.

PubMed

Padula, Vinicius; Bahia, Juliana; Stöger, Isabella; Camacho-García, Yolanda; Malaquias, Manuel António E; Cervera, Juan Lucas; Schrödl, Michael

2016-10-01

Traditionally, species identification in nudibranch gastropods relies heavily on body color pattern. The Felimida clenchi species complex, a group of brightly colored Atlantic and Mediterranean species in the family Chromodorididae, has a history of exceptional controversy and discussion among taxonomists. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that the complex includes four species (Felimida clenchi, F. neona, F. binza and F. britoi), each with a characteristic body color pattern. In this study, we investigated the taxonomic value of coloration in the Felimida clenchi complex, using molecular phylogenetics, species-delimitation analyses (ABGD, GMYC, PTP), haplotype-network methods, and the anatomy of the reproductive system. None of our analyses recovered the traditional separation into four species. Our results indicated the existence of three species, a result inconsistent with previous taxonomic hypotheses. We distinguished an undescribed species of Felimida and redefined the concepts of F. clenchi and F. binza, both highly polychromatic species. For the first time, molecular data support the existence of extreme color polymorphism in chromatic nudibranch species, with direct implications for the taxonomy of the group and its diversity. The polychromatism observed in the F. clenchi complex apparently correlates with the regional occurrence of similar color patterns in congeneric species, suggesting different mimicry circles. This may represent a parallel in the marine environment to the mechanisms that play a major role in the diversification of color in terrestrial and fresh-water chromatic groups, such as heliconian butterflies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Granulomatous lobular mastitis: report of a case with previously undescribed histopathological abnormalities.

PubMed

Axelsen, R A; Reasbeck, P

1988-10-01

A 41-yr-old multiparous woman presented with a discrete breast lump which proved histologically to be an example of granulomatous lobular mastitis. The clinical and histological features were similar to those noted in previous reports. Additional histological features in the present case were an intense mononuclear cell infiltration of lobular and ductal epithelium, associated with nuclear fragments morphologically suggestive of apoptosis. These appearances, which have not previously been described, are illustrated, together with the more classical features of the condition well demonstrated by the present case. The novel histological features noted here suggest that the development of granulomatous lobular mastitis may be at least in part immunologically mediated, and that the cellular infiltrates seen may be a manifestation of cell-mediated destruction of mammary epithelium.

Isolation and characterisation of 13 pterosins and pterosides from bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn) rhizome.

PubMed

Mohammad, Rizgar Hassan; Nur-E-Alam, Mohammad; Lahmann, Martina; Parveen, Ifat; Tizzard, Graham J; Coles, Simon J; Fowler, Mark; Drake, Alex F; Heyes, Derren; Thoss, Vera

2016-08-01

Systematic phytochemical investigations of the underground rhizome of Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (Dennstaedtiaceae) afforded thirty-five pterosins and pterosides. By detailed analysis of one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and high-resolution mass spectrometric data, thirteen previously undescribed pterosins and pterosides have been identified. Interestingly, for the first time 12-O-β-D-glucopyranoside substituted pterosins, rhedynosides C and D, and the sulfate-containing pterosin, rhedynosin H, alongside the two known compounds, histiopterosin A and (2S)-pteroside A2, were isolated from the rhizomes of subsp. aquilinum of bracken. In addition, six-membered cyclic ether pterosins and pterosides, rhedynosin A and rhedynoside A, are the first examples of this type of pterosin-sesquiterpenoid. Additionally, the three previously reported compounds (rhedynosin I, (2S)-2-hydroxymethylpterosin E and (2S)-12-hydroxypterosin A) were obtained for the first time from plants as opposed to mammalian metabolic products. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was applied to the previously undescribed compounds (2R)-rhedynoside B, (2R)-pteroside B and (2S)-pteroside K, yielding the first crystal structures for pterosides, and three known pterosins, (2S)-pterosin A, trans-pterosin C and cis-pterosin C. Rhedynosin C is the only example of the cyclic lactone pterosins with a keto group at position C-14. Six selected pterosins ((2S)-pterosin A, (2R)-pterosin B and trans-pterosin C) and associated glycosides ((2S)-pteroside A, (2R)-pteroside B and pteroside Z) were assessed for their anti-diabetic activity using an intestinal glucose uptake assay; all were found to be inactive at 300 μM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of aortic and main left coronary aneurysms with severe aortic insufficiency in Takayasu’s arteritis

PubMed Central

Schafranski, Marcelo Derbli; Ferraz de Freitas, Marcelo; Valladão de Carvalho, Marcelo

2011-01-01

Takayasu’s arteritis is a granulomatous vasculitis of unknown etiology that affects mainly the aorta and its branches. As a result of intimal fibroproliferation, segmental stenosis, occlusion, dilatation, and aneurysmal formation of the involved vessels may develop. It is an uncommon disease and usually affects young Asian female patients during the second and third decades of life. Coronary arteries are exceptionally affected and coronary aneurysm formation is a very rare finding. We describe a case of a previously healthy 26-year-old Caucasian female whose Takayasu’s arteritis presented as a previously undescribed association of aortic and main left coronary aneurysms with severe aortic insufficiency. PMID:24765288

Development of novel murine mammary imaging windows to examine wound healing effects on leukocyte trafficking in mammary tumors with intravital imaging

PubMed Central

Sobolik, Tammy; Su, Ying-Jun; Ashby, Will; Schaffer, David K.; Wells, Sam; Wikswo, John P.; Zijlstra, Andries; Richmond, Ann

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT We developed mammary imaging windows (MIWs) to evaluate leukocyte infiltration and cancer cell dissemination in mouse mammary tumors imaged by confocal microscopy. Previous techniques relied on surgical resection of a skin flap to image the tumor microenvironment restricting imaging time to a few hours. Utilization of mammary imaging windows offers extension of intravital imaging of the tumor microenvironment. We have characterized strengths and identified some previously undescribed potential weaknesses of MIW techniques. Through iterative enhancements of a transdermal portal we defined conditions for improved quality and extended confocal imaging time for imaging key cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment. PMID:28243517

Development of novel murine mammary imaging windows to examine wound healing effects on leukocyte trafficking in mammary tumors with intravital imaging.

PubMed

Sobolik, Tammy; Su, Ying-Jun; Ashby, Will; Schaffer, David K; Wells, Sam; Wikswo, John P; Zijlstra, Andries; Richmond, Ann

2016-01-01

We developed mammary imaging windows (MIWs) to evaluate leukocyte infiltration and cancer cell dissemination in mouse mammary tumors imaged by confocal microscopy. Previous techniques relied on surgical resection of a skin flap to image the tumor microenvironment restricting imaging time to a few hours. Utilization of mammary imaging windows offers extension of intravital imaging of the tumor microenvironment. We have characterized strengths and identified some previously undescribed potential weaknesses of MIW techniques. Through iterative enhancements of a transdermal portal we defined conditions for improved quality and extended confocal imaging time for imaging key cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment.

Curvulamine, a new antibacterial alkaloid incorporating two undescribed units from a Curvularia species.

PubMed

Han, Wen Bo; Lu, Yan Hua; Zhang, Ai Hua; Zhang, Gao Fei; Mei, Ya Ning; Jiang, Nan; Lei, Xinxiang; Song, Yong Chun; Ng, Seik Weng; Tan, Ren Xiang

2014-10-17

The white croaker (Argyrosomus argentatus) derived Curvularia sp. IFB-Z10 produces curvulamine as a skeletally unprecedented alkaloid incorporating two undescribed extender units. Curvulamine is more selectively antibacterial than tinidazole and biosynthetically unique in the new extenders formed through a decarboxylative condensation between an oligoketide motif and alanine.

Trans-ethnic Meta-analysis and Functional Annotation Illuminates the Genetic Architecture of Fasting Glucose and Insulin.

PubMed

Liu, Ching-Ti; Raghavan, Sridharan; Maruthur, Nisa; Kabagambe, Edmond Kato; Hong, Jaeyoung; Ng, Maggie C Y; Hivert, Marie-France; Lu, Yingchang; An, Ping; Bentley, Amy R; Drolet, Anne M; Gaulton, Kyle J; Guo, Xiuqing; Armstrong, Loren L; Irvin, Marguerite R; Li, Man; Lipovich, Leonard; Rybin, Denis V; Taylor, Kent D; Agyemang, Charles; Palmer, Nicholette D; Cade, Brian E; Chen, Wei-Min; Dauriz, Marco; Delaney, Joseph A C; Edwards, Todd L; Evans, Daniel S; Evans, Michele K; Lange, Leslie A; Leong, Aaron; Liu, Jingmin; Liu, Yongmei; Nayak, Uma; Patel, Sanjay R; Porneala, Bianca C; Rasmussen-Torvik, Laura J; Snijder, Marieke B; Stallings, Sarah C; Tanaka, Toshiko; Yanek, Lisa R; Zhao, Wei; Becker, Diane M; Bielak, Lawrence F; Biggs, Mary L; Bottinger, Erwin P; Bowden, Donald W; Chen, Guanjie; Correa, Adolfo; Couper, David J; Crawford, Dana C; Cushman, Mary; Eicher, John D; Fornage, Myriam; Franceschini, Nora; Fu, Yi-Ping; Goodarzi, Mark O; Gottesman, Omri; Hara, Kazuo; Harris, Tamara B; Jensen, Richard A; Johnson, Andrew D; Jhun, Min A; Karter, Andrew J; Keller, Margaux F; Kho, Abel N; Kizer, Jorge R; Krauss, Ronald M; Langefeld, Carl D; Li, Xiaohui; Liang, Jingling; Liu, Simin; Lowe, William L; Mosley, Thomas H; North, Kari E; Pacheco, Jennifer A; Peyser, Patricia A; Patrick, Alan L; Rice, Kenneth M; Selvin, Elizabeth; Sims, Mario; Smith, Jennifer A; Tajuddin, Salman M; Vaidya, Dhananjay; Wren, Mary P; Yao, Jie; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Ziegler, Julie T; Zmuda, Joseph M; Zonderman, Alan B; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Adeyemo, Adebowale; Boerwinkle, Eric; Ferrucci, Luigi; Hayes, M Geoffrey; Kardia, Sharon L R; Miljkovic, Iva; Pankow, James S; Rotimi, Charles N; Sale, Michele M; Wagenknecht, Lynne E; Arnett, Donna K; Chen, Yii-Der Ida; Nalls, Michael A; Province, Michael A; Kao, W H Linda; Siscovick, David S; Psaty, Bruce M; Wilson, James G; Loos, Ruth J F; Dupuis, Josée; Rich, Stephen S; Florez, Jose C; Rotter, Jerome I; Morris, Andrew P; Meigs, James B

2016-07-07

Knowledge of the genetic basis of the type 2 diabetes (T2D)-related quantitative traits fasting glucose (FG) and insulin (FI) in African ancestry (AA) individuals has been limited. In non-diabetic subjects of AA (n = 20,209) and European ancestry (EA; n = 57,292), we performed trans-ethnic (AA+EA) fine-mapping of 54 established EA FG or FI loci with detailed functional annotation, assessed their relevance in AA individuals, and sought previously undescribed loci through trans-ethnic (AA+EA) meta-analysis. We narrowed credible sets of variants driving association signals for 22/54 EA-associated loci; 18/22 credible sets overlapped with active islet-specific enhancers or transcription factor (TF) binding sites, and 21/22 contained at least one TF motif. Of the 54 EA-associated loci, 23 were shared between EA and AA. Replication with an additional 10,096 AA individuals identified two previously undescribed FI loci, chrX FAM133A (rs213676) and chr5 PELO (rs6450057). Trans-ethnic analyses with regulatory annotation illuminate the genetic architecture of glycemic traits and suggest gene regulation as a target to advance precision medicine for T2D. Our approach to utilize state-of-the-art functional annotation and implement trans-ethnic association analysis for discovery and fine-mapping offers a framework for further follow-up and characterization of GWAS signals of complex trait loci. Copyright © 2016 American Society of Human Genetics. All rights reserved.

Elucidation of the trigonelline degradation pathway reveals previously undescribed enzymes and metabolites.

PubMed

Perchat, Nadia; Saaidi, Pierre-Loïc; Darii, Ekaterina; Pellé, Christine; Petit, Jean-Louis; Besnard-Gonnet, Marielle; de Berardinis, Véronique; Dupont, Maeva; Gimbernat, Alexandra; Salanoubat, Marcel; Fischer, Cécile; Perret, Alain

2018-05-08

Trigonelline (TG; N- methylnicotinate) is a ubiquitous osmolyte. Although it is known that it can be degraded, the enzymes and metabolites have not been described so far. In this work, we challenged the laboratory model soil-borne, gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 (ADP1) for its ability to grow on TG and we identified a cluster of catabolic, transporter, and regulatory genes. We dissected the pathway to the level of enzymes and metabolites, and proceeded to in vitro reconstruction of the complete pathway by six purified proteins. The four enzymatic steps that lead from TG to methylamine and succinate are described, and the structures of previously undescribed metabolites are provided. Unlike many aromatic compounds that undergo hydroxylation prior to ring cleavage, the first step of TG catabolism proceeds through direct cleavage of the C5-C6 bound, catalyzed by a flavin-dependent, two-component oxygenase, which yields ( Z )-2-(( N- methylformamido)methylene)-5-hydroxy-butyrolactone (MFMB). MFMB is then oxidized into ( E )-2-(( N- methylformamido) methylene) succinate (MFMS), which is split up by a hydrolase into carbon dioxide, methylamine, formic acid, and succinate semialdehyde (SSA). SSA eventually fuels up the TCA by means of an SSA dehydrogenase, assisted by a Conserved Hypothetical Protein. The cluster is conserved across marine, soil, and plant-associated bacteria. This emphasizes the role of TG as a ubiquitous nutrient for which an efficient microbial catabolic toolbox is available.

Molecular systematics and undescribed diversity of Madagascan scolecophidian snakes (Squamata: Serpentes).

PubMed

Nagy, Zoltán T; Marion, Angela B; Glaw, Frank; Miralles, Aurélien; Nopper, Joachim; Vences, Miguel; Hedges, S Blair

2015-11-10

We provide an updated molecular phylogenetic analysis of global diversity of typhlopid and xenotyphlopid blindsnakes, adding a set of Madagascan samples and sequences of an additional mitochondrial gene to an existing supermatrix of nuclear and mitochondrial gene segments. Our data suggest monophyly of Madagascan typhlopids, exclusive of introduced Indotyphlops braminus. The Madagascar-endemic typhlopid clade includes two species previously assigned to the genus Lemuriatyphlops (in the subfamily Asiatyphlopinae), which were not each others closest relatives. This contradicts a previous study that described Lemuriatyphlops based on a sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene from a single species and found this species not forming a clade with the other Malagasy species included. Based on our novel phylogenetic assessment we include all species in this endemic typhlopid clade in the genus Madatyphlops and in the subfamily Madatyphlopinae and consider Lemuriatyphlops as junior synonym. Within Madatyphlops, we identify several candidate species. For some of these (those in the M. arenarius complex), our preliminary data suggest sympatric occurrence and morphological differentiation, thus the existence of undescribed species. We also comment on the genus-level classification of several non-Madagascan typhlopids. We suggest that African species included in Madatyphlops (Afrotyphlops calabresii, A. cuneirostris, A. platyrhynchus, and Rhinotyphlops leucocephalus) should not be included in this genus. We furthermore argue that recent claims of Sundatyphlops, Antillotyphlops, and Cubatyphlops being "undiagnosable" or "not monophyletic" were based on errors in tree reconstruction and failure to notice diagnostic characters, and thus regard these three genera as valid.

A 90-Kilodalton Endothelial Cell Molecule Mediating Lymphocyte Binding in Humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmi, Marko; Jalkanen, Sirpa

1992-09-01

Interactions between leukocyte surface receptors and their ligands on vascular endothelial cells control lymphocyte traffic between the blood and various lymphoid organs, as well as extravasation of leukocytes into sites of inflammation. A heretofore undescribed 90-kilodalton human endothelial cell adhesion molecule (VAP-1) defined by a monoclonal antibody 1B2 is described. The expression pattern, molecular mass, functional properties, and an amino-terminal amino acid sequence define VAP-1 as an endothelial ligand for lymphocytes. VAP-1 helps to elucidate the complex heterotypic cell interactions that direct tissue-selective lymphocyte migration in man.

Detection of CFTR function and modulation in primary human nasal cell spheroids.

PubMed

Brewington, John J; Filbrandt, Erin T; LaRosa, F J; Ostmann, Alicia J; Strecker, Lauren M; Szczesniak, Rhonda D; Clancy, John P

2018-01-01

Expansion of CFTR modulators to patients with rare/undescribed mutations will be facilitated by patient-derived models quantifying CFTR function and restoration. We aimed to generate a personalized model system of CFTR function and modulation using non-surgically obtained nasal epithelial cells (NECs). NECs obtained by curettage from healthy volunteers and CF patients were expanded and grown in 3-dimensional culture as spheroids, characterized, and stimulated with cAMP-inducing agents to activate CFTR. Spheroid swelling was quantified as a proxy for CFTR function. NEC spheroids recapitulated characteristics of pseudostratified respiratory epithelia. When stimulated with forskolin/IBMX, spheroids swelled in the presence of functional CFTR, and shrank in its absence. Spheroid swelling quantified mutant CFTR restoration in F508del homozygous cells using clinically available CFTR modulators. NEC spheroids hold promise for understanding rare CFTR mutations and personalized modulator testing to drive evaluation for CF patients with common, rare or undescribed mutations. Portions of this data have previously been presented in abstract form at the 2016 meetings of the American Thoracic Society and the 2016 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. Copyright © 2017 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Description of a new kinorhynch species, Paracentrophyes sanchezae n. sp. (Kinorhyncha: Allomalorhagida) from the Gulf of Mexico, with differential notes on one additional, yet undescribed species of the genus.

PubMed

Sørensen, Martin V; Landers, Stephen C

2017-03-09

A new kinorhynch species, Paracentrophyes sanchezae n. sp., is described from the Gulf of Mexico. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by its relatively low number of perispinal setae. In addition to the new species, the existence of one undescribed species of Paracentrophyes in the Gulf of Mexico is also reported. This undescribed species has very short lateral terminal spines, and the number of perispinal setae is lower than in any other known species of Paracentrophyes. Diagnostic notes are provided for this unnamed species, but the available material is too limited to provide a formal description.

Biogeographic patterns in below-ground diversity in New York City's Central Park are similar to those observed globally.

PubMed

Ramirez, Kelly S; Leff, Jonathan W; Barberán, Albert; Bates, Scott Thomas; Betley, Jason; Crowther, Thomas W; Kelly, Eugene F; Oldfield, Emily E; Shaw, E Ashley; Steenbock, Christopher; Bradford, Mark A; Wall, Diana H; Fierer, Noah

2014-11-22

Soil biota play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, however, compared to our knowledge of above-ground plant and animal diversity, the biodiversity found in soils remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we present an assessment of soil biodiversity and biogeographic patterns across Central Park in New York City that spanned all three domains of life, demonstrating that even an urban, managed system harbours large amounts of undescribed soil biodiversity. Despite high variability across the Park, below-ground diversity patterns were predictable based on soil characteristics, with prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities exhibiting overlapping biogeographic patterns. Further, Central Park soils harboured nearly as many distinct soil microbial phylotypes and types of soil communities as we found in biomes across the globe (including arctic, tropical and desert soils). This integrated cross-domain investigation highlights that the amount and patterning of novel and uncharacterized diversity at a single urban location matches that observed across natural ecosystems spanning multiple biomes and continents. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

An unidentified filarial species and its impact on fitness in wild populations of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes).

PubMed

Wisely, Samantha M; Howard, JoGayle; Williams, Steven A; Bain, Odile; Santymire, Rachel M; Bardsley, Katherine D; Williams, Elizabeth S

2008-01-01

Disease can threaten the restoration of endangered species directly by substantially decreasing host survival or indirectly via incremental decreases in survival and reproduction. During a biomedical survey of reintroduced populations of the highly endangered black-footed ferret from 2002 to 2005, microfilariae discovered in the blood were putatively identified as Dirofilaria immitis, and widespread screening was initiated using a commercially available antigen-based ELISA test. A subset of animals (n = 16) was screened for D. immitis using a highly sensitive PCR-based assay. Microfilariae were also molecularly and morphologically characterized. Of 198 animals at six reintroduction sites, 12% had positive results using the ELISA test. No antigen-positive animals which were screened via PCR (n = 11) had positive PCR results, and all antigen-positive animals (n = 24) were asymptomatic. No significant differences were found in body mass of antigen-positive (male: 1223 +/- 82 g [mean +/- SD], female: 726 +/- 75 g) vs. antigen-negative (male: 1,198 +/- 119 g, female: 710 +/- 53 g) individuals (P = 0.4). Antigen prevalence was lower in juveniles (3%) than adults (12%; P = 0.03), and higher in in situ, captive-reared individuals (33%) than wild-born individuals (10%; P = 0.005). Morphologic analysis of microfilariae revealed they were neither D. immitis nor any other previously characterized North American species. PCR amplification of the 5S spacer region of rDNA revealed that the filarial sequence shared only 76% identity with D. immitis. This previously unidentified filarial sequence was present in all antigen positive animals (11 of 11 tested). It appears that black-footed ferrets were infected with a previously undescribed species of filaria whose antigen cross-reacted with the ELISA assay, although further analysis is needed to make a conclusive statement. Nonetheless, this previously undescribed filaria does not appear to threaten recovery for this highly endangered mammal.

The biological soil crusts of the San Nicolas Island: Enigmatic algae from a geographically isolated ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flechtner, V.R.; Johansen, J.R.; Belnap, J.

2008-01-01

Composite soil samples from 7 sites on San Nicolas Island were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively for the presence of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae. Combined data demonstrated a rich algal flora with 19 cyanobacterial and 19 eukaryotic microalgal genera being identified, for a total of 56 species. Nine new species were identified and described among the cyanobacteria and the eukaryotic microalgae that were isolated: Leibleinia edaphica, Aphanothece maritima, Chroococcidiopsis edaphica, Cyanosarcina atroveneta, Hassallia californica, Hassallia pseudoramosissima, Microchaete terrestre, Palmellopsis californiens, and Pseudotetracystis compactis. Distinct distributional patterns of algal taxa existed among sites on the island and among soil algal floras of western North America. Some algal taxa appeared to be widely distributed across many desert regions, including Microcoleus vaginatus, Nostoc punctiforme, Nostoc paludosum, and Tolypothrix distorta, Chlorella vulgaris, Diplosphaera cf. chodatii, Myrmecia astigmatica, Myrmecia biatorellae, Hantzschia amphioxys, and Luticola mutica. Some taxa share a distinctly southern distribution with soil algae from southern Arizona, southern California, and Baja California (e.g., Scenedesmus deserticola and Eustigmatos magnus). The data presented herein support the view that the cyanobacterial and microalgal floras of soil crusts possess significant biodiversity, much of it previously undescribed.

Morphological responses of macrobenthic polychaetes to low oxygen on the Oman continental slope, NW Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamont, Peter A.; Gage, John D.

2000-01-01

Morphological adaptation to low dissolved oxygen consisting of enlarged respiratory surface area is described in polychaete species belonging to the family Spionidae from the Oman margin where the oxygen minimum zone impinges on the continental slope. Similar adaptation is suggested for species in the family Cossuridae. Such morphological adaptation apparently has not been previously recorded among polychaetes living in hypoxic conditions. The response consists of enlargement in size and branching of the branchiae relative to similar species living in normal levels of dissolved oxygen. Specimens were examined in benthic samples from different depths along a transect through the oxygen minimum zone. There was a highly significant trend shown to increasing respiratory area relative to body size in two undescribed spionid species with decreasing depth and oxygen within the OMZ. Yet the size and number of branchiae are often used as taxonomic characters. These within-species differences in size and number of branchiae may be a direct response by the phenotype to intensity of hypoxia. The alternative explanations are that they either reflect a pattern of differential post-settlement selection among a highly variable genotype, or represent early genetic differentiation among depth-isolated sub-populations.

The Larson Blue coat color phenotype in Holsteins: Characteristics and effects on body temperature regulation and production in lactating cows in a hot climate.

PubMed

Dikmen, S; Dahl, G E; Cole, J B; Null, D J; Hansen, P J

2017-03-01

Here we report a previously undescribed coat color phenotype in Holstein cattle. Larson Blue Holsteins, located on a dairy in south Florida, exhibit a coloration pattern that is similar to that of black and white or red and white Holsteins except that, instead of being black or red, darker regions of the body vary in color from gray to taupe. The Larson Blue phenotype was readily apparent in young calves. The phenotype is not due to inheritance of known mutations causing coat color variation in cattle, including dominant red, Telstar, silver color dilutor, or Dun color. Three variants with moderate effects on the () gene were identified in 2 Larson blue cows. Despite being lighter in color, there was no difference in daily variation in vaginal temperature between Larson Blue and other Holsteins when recorded during the summer for cows housed in free-stall barns with shade, fans, and sprinklers. Similarly, there was no effect of the Larson Blue phenotype on seasonal variation in milk yield. Therefore, the phenotype confers no advantage in terms of response to heat stress when cattle are housed in facilities with extensive cooling.

Intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channels modulate summation of parallel fiber input in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

PubMed

Engbers, Jordan D T; Anderson, Dustin; Asmara, Hadhimulya; Rehak, Renata; Mehaffey, W Hamish; Hameed, Shahid; McKay, Bruce E; Kruskic, Mirna; Zamponi, Gerald W; Turner, Ray W

2012-02-14

Encoding sensory input requires the expression of postsynaptic ion channels to transform key features of afferent input to an appropriate pattern of spike output. Although Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels are known to control spike frequency in central neurons, Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels of intermediate conductance (KCa3.1) are believed to be restricted to peripheral neurons. We now report that cerebellar Purkinje cells express KCa3.1 channels, as evidenced through single-cell RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, pharmacology, and single-channel recordings. Furthermore, KCa3.1 channels coimmunoprecipitate and interact with low voltage-activated Cav3.2 Ca(2+) channels at the nanodomain level to support a previously undescribed transient voltage- and Ca(2+)-dependent current. As a result, subthreshold parallel fiber excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) activate Cav3 Ca(2+) influx to trigger a KCa3.1-mediated regulation of the EPSP and subsequent after-hyperpolarization. The Cav3-KCa3.1 complex provides powerful control over temporal summation of EPSPs, effectively suppressing low frequencies of parallel fiber input. KCa3.1 channels thus contribute to a high-pass filter that allows Purkinje cells to respond preferentially to high-frequency parallel fiber bursts characteristic of sensory input.

Contrasting catastrophic eruptions predicted by different intrusion and collapse scenarios.

PubMed

Rincón, M; Márquez, A; Herrera, R; Alonso-Torres, A; Granja-Bruña, J L; van Wyk de Vries, B

2018-04-18

Catastrophic volcanic eruptions triggered by landslide collapses can jet upwards or blast sideways. Magma intrusion is related to both landslide-triggered eruptive scenarios (lateral or vertical), but it is not clear how such different responses are produced, nor if any precursor can be used for forecasting them. We approach this problem with physical analogue modelling enhanced with X-ray Multiple Detector Computed Tomography scanning, used to track evolution of internal intrusion, and its related faulting and surface deformation. We find that intrusions produce three different volcano deformation patterns, one of them involving asymmetric intrusion and deformation, with the early development of a listric slump fault producing pronounced slippage of one sector. This previously undescribed early deep potential slip surface provides a unified explanation for the two different eruptive scenarios (lateral vs. vertical). Lateral blast only occurs in flank collapse when the intrusion has risen into the sliding block. Otherwise, vertical rather than lateral expansion of magma is promoted by summit dilatation and flank buttressing. The distinctive surface deformation evolution detected opens the possibility to forecast the possible eruptive scenarios: laterally directed blast should only be expected when surface deformation begins to develop oblique to the first major fault.

Analysis of gene expression in single live neurons.

PubMed Central

Eberwine, J; Yeh, H; Miyashiro, K; Cao, Y; Nair, S; Finnell, R; Zettel, M; Coleman, P

1992-01-01

We present here a method for broadly characterizing single cells at the molecular level beyond the more common morphological and transmitter/receptor classifications. The RNA from defined single cells is amplified by microinjecting primer, nucleotides, and enzyme into acutely dissociated cells from a defined region of rat brain. Further processing yields amplified antisense RNA. A second round of amplification results in greater than 10(6)-fold amplification of the original starting material, which is adequate for analysis--e.g., use as a probe, making of cDNA libraries, etc. We demonstrate this method by constructing expression profiles of single live cells from rat hippocampus. This profiling suggests that cells that appear to be morphologically similar may show marked differences in patterns of expression. In addition, we characterize several mRNAs from a single cell, some of which were previously undescribed, perhaps due to "rarity" when averaged over many cell types. Electrophysiological analysis coupled with molecular biology within the same cell will facilitate a better understanding of how changes at the molecular level are manifested in functional properties. This approach should be applicable to a wide variety of studies, including development, mutant models, aging, and neurodegenerative disease. Images PMID:1557406

The radiographic assessment of spinal flexibility in scoliosis: a study of the efficacy of the prone push film.

PubMed

Kleinman, R G; Csongradi, J J; Rinksy, L A; Bleck, E E

1982-01-01

The use of a "prone push" posteroanterior radiograph of the spine was reviewed in 58 patients with scoliosis (82 curves) who underwent Harrington instrumentation and spinal fusion. The technique is previously undescribed and is accomplished by applying manual pressure to the apices of each curve with the patient prone on the X-ray table. The average correction obtained for all 82 curves was 21.1 degrees, as measured on the push films and 21.8 degrees postoperatively. The difference between these values was not statistically significant. The close relationship between push film and immediate postoperative correction was not altered by the location of the curve, the sex or age of the patient, the presence of a single- or double-major curve pattern, the type of instrumentation employed, nor the etiology of the scoliosis. This method is an alternative to the commonly employed supine lateral bending radiographs. An estimate of spinal flexibility is important for determination of structural change in the spine, the rigidity of curves considered for instrumentation, the curves requiring fusion, the length of fusion necessary, and the amount of correction that is safely possible.

Hidden diversity of Nycteribiidae (Diptera) bat flies from the Malagasy region and insights on host-parasite interactions.

PubMed

Ramasindrazana, Beza; Goodman, Steven M; Gomard, Yann; Dick, Carl W; Tortosa, Pablo

2017-12-29

We present information on Nycteribiidae flies parasitizing the bat families Pteropodidae, Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae from the Malagasy Region, contributing insight into their diversity and host preference. Our phylogenetic analysis identified nine clusters of nycteribiid bat flies on Madagascar and the neighbouring Comoros Archipelago. Bat flies sampled from frugivorous bats of the family Pteropodidae are monoxenous: Eucampsipoda madagascariensis, E. theodori and Cyclopodia dubia appear wholly restricted to Rousettus madagascariensis, R. obliviosus and Eidolon dupreanum, respectively. Two different host preference patterns occurred in nycteribiids infecting insectivorous bats. Flies parasitizing bats of the genera Miniopterus (Miniopteridae) and Myotis (Vespertilionidae), namely Penicillidia leptothrinax, Penicillidia sp. and Nycteribia stylidiopsis, are polyxenous and showed little host preference, while those parasitizing the genera Pipistrellus and Scotophilus (both Vespertilionidae) and referable to Basilia spp., are monoxenous. Lastly, the inferred Bayesian phylogeny revealed that the genus Basilia, as currently configured, is paraphyletic. This study provides new information on the differentiation of nycteribiid taxa, including undescribed species. Host preference is either strict as exemplified by flies parasitizing fruit bats, or more relaxed as found on some insectivorous bat species, possibly because of roost site sharing. Detailed taxonomic work is needed to address three undescribed nycteribiid taxa found on Pipistrellus and Scotophilus, tentatively allocated to the genus Basilia, but possibly warranting different generic allocation.

Lanostane triterpenoids from Tricholoma pardinum with NO production inhibitory and cytotoxic activities.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuai-Bing; Li, Zheng-Hui; Stadler, Marc; Chen, He-Ping; Huang, Ying; Gan, Xiao-Qing; Feng, Tao; Liu, Ji-Kai

2018-05-11

Eight undescribed lanostane triterpenoids, pardinols A‒H, along with one previously reported lanostane triterpenoid, namely saponaceol B, were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma pardinum. Their structures and stereoconfigurations were established via combination of extensive spectroscopic analyses, alkaline methanolysis method and TDDFT/ECD calculations. Pardinols B and E-H exhibited certain inhibition activities of nitric oxide (NO) production with IC 50 value ranging from 5.3 to 14.7 μM, as well as cytotoxicities against human cancer cell-lines. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear system theory: Another look at dependence

PubMed Central

Wu, Wei Biao

2005-01-01

Based on the nonlinear system theory, we introduce previously undescribed dependence measures for stationary causal processes. Our physical and predictive dependence measures quantify the degree of dependence of outputs on inputs in physical systems. The proposed dependence measures provide a natural framework for a limit theory for stationary processes. In particular, under conditions with quite simple forms, we present limit theorems for partial sums, empirical processes, and kernel density estimates. The conditions are mild and easily verifiable because they are directly related to the data-generating mechanisms. PMID:16179388

Hair follicle nevus of the abdominal skin: an unusual extracephalic presentation.

PubMed

Jedrych, Jaroslaw; Akilov, Oleg; Gehris, Robin; Ho, Jonhan

2014-01-01

Hair follicle nevus (HFN) is a rare hamartoma typically diagnosed on the face of infants, where it may clinically mimic an accessory tragus. We report a 6-month-old boy who presented with a congenital fleshy, bilobed papule in the midline of his upper abdomen that upon excision was classified as an HFN based on detailed histopathologic examination. Our report documents a previously undescribed extracephalic location of the HFN and therefore expands the spectrum of clinical presentations of this rare hamartoma. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Orange juice-induced hyperkalemia in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Berk, David R; Conti, Paul M; Sommer, Barbara R

2004-01-01

Some fruit juices have very high potassium content. However, only several cases of juice-induced hyperkalemia have been reported that involved non-psychiatric, diabetic outpatients with renal compromise. We present a highly unusual case of a 66-year-old non-diabetic, schizophrenic woman with psychogenic polydipsia and normal renal function who developed hyperkalemia secondary to excessive orange juice consumption while an inpatient. In addition to demonstrating this previously undescribed medical comorbidity of schizophrenia, this case highlights the need for careful attention when communicating with both nursing and patients when managing psychogenic polydipsia.

Powdery mildews on lilac in western North America include Phyllactinia syringae, sp. nov.

PubMed

Larsen, Harold J; Braun, Uwe; Blomquist, Cheryl; Woods, Patrick; Mohan, S Krishna

2017-01-01

Two powdery mildews, Erysiphe syringae and the previously undescribed Phyllactinia syringae, sp. nov., occur on lilac in western North America. Phyllactinia syringae is found on common lilac, whereas E. syringae is found on Chinese lilac and, occasionally, common lilac. Infection by P. syringae is extremely unobtrusive until formation of a hypophyllous mycelial mat with chasmothecia in late fall. Infection by E. syringae in late summer is conspicuous, with its thick, superficial mycelial mat on the leaf upper surface detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the bush.

Eosinophilic fasciitis associated with hypereosinophilia, abnormal bone-marrow karyotype and inversion of chromosome 5.

PubMed

Ferguson, J S; Bosworth, J; Min, T; Mercieca, J; Holden, C A

2014-03-01

We report the case of a male patient presenting with eosinophilia, pulmonary oedema and eosinophilic fasciitis (EF). He had the classic clinical appearance and magnetic resonance imaging of EF. Cytogenetic analysis of the bone marrow revealed a previously undescribed pericentric inversion of chromosome 5. Overall, the presentation was consistent with a diagnosis of chronic eosinophilic leukaemia, not otherwise specified (CEL-NOS). Dermatologists should consult a haematologist in cases of EF, in order to rule out possible haematological malignancies. © 2013 British Association of Dermatologists.

Pyogranulomatous Pneumonia in Goats Caused by an Undescribed Porphyromonas Species, “Porphyromonas katsikii”

PubMed Central

Filioussis, George; Petridou, Evanthia; Karavanis, Emmanouel

2014-01-01

A yet-undescribed bacterial species, tentatively named “Porphyromonas katsikii,” was isolated from individuals of a small goat herd with pyogranulomatous pneumonia during an outbreak of acute respiratory disease. The isolated bacteria grew in the form of black-pigmented colonies after 14 days of incubation under anaerobic conditions at 37°C on a tryptic soy blood agar medium. The bacteria were identified as a yet-undescribed Porphyromonas species by determination of the nucleotide sequence of the rrs 16S rRNA gene, and this species was tentatively named Porphyromonas katsikii. PCR amplification with specific primers for this yet-undescribed species revealed the presence of P. katsikii in the lung tissue of all affected animals, while no PCR signals were evidenced from the lungs of healthy goats or from goats with pasteurellosis caused by Mannheimia haemolytica. These data indicate P. katsikii as the causative agent of acute respiratory distress. P. katsikii is phylogenetically related to Porphyromonas somerae and Porphyromonas levii, which cause pathologies in humans and animals, respectively. P. katsikii was not detected by PCR from samples of the gingival pockets or of the faces of healthy goats. PMID:25540395

Genetic structure of populations of Legionella pneumophila.

PubMed Central

Selander, R K; McKinney, R M; Whittam, T S; Bibb, W F; Brenner, D J; Nolte, F S; Pattison, P E

1985-01-01

The genetic structure of populations of Legionella pneumophila was defined by an analysis of electrophoretically demonstrable allelic variation at structural genes encoding 22 enzymes in 292 isolates from clinical and environmental sources. Nineteen of the loci were polymorphic, and 62 distinctive electrophoretic types (ETs), representing multilocus genotypes, were identified. Principal coordinates and clustering analyses demonstrated that isolates received as L. pneumophila were a heterogeneous array of genotypes that included two previously undescribed species. For 50 ETs of L. pneumophila (strict sense), mean genetic diversity per locus was 0.312, and diversity was equivalent in ETs represented by isolates recovered from clinical sources and those collected from environmental sources. Cluster analysis revealed four major groups or lineages of ETs in L. pneumophila. Genetic diversity among ETs of the same serotype was, on average, 93% of that in the total sample of ETs. Isolates marked by particular patterns of reactivity to a panel of nine monoclonal antibodies were also genetically heterogeneous, mean diversity within patterns being about 75% of the total. Both Pontiac fever and the pneumonic form of legionellosis may be caused by isolates of the same ET. The genetic structure of L. pneumophila is clonal, and many clones apparently are worldwide in distribution. The fact that L. pneumophila is only 60% as variable as Escherichia coli raises the possibility that isolates recovered from clinical cases and man-made environments are a restricted subset of all clones in the species as a whole. PMID:4030689

A review of the razorfishes (Perciformes: Labridae) of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Victor, B C; Wellington, G M; Caldow, C

2001-07-01

Several new species of the razorfish genus Xyrichtys have been discovered recently in the tropical eastern Pacific region. The taxonomy of this group of fishes is not clear, since juveniles, females, and males often have different color patterns and morphologies, and some species descriptions are incomplete. We review the members of this genus in this region based on our recent collections and describe the juvenile, initial, and terminal phase color patterns of the Cape razorfish, Xyrichtys mundiceps. We question the validity of Xyrichtys perlas, which appears to represent the initial phase of X. mundiceps. We conclude that six species of Xyrichtys are present in the tropical eastern Pacific, including one undescribed species we have collected from the Galapagos Islands and one uncollected new species from the Revillagigedos Islands. Xyrichtys mundiceps is found in Baja California and in Panama Xyrichtys pavo is a large species found throughout the Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific. Xyrichtys victori is a colorful species native to the Galapagos and Cocos Islands, and Xyrichtys wellingtoni is apparently endemic to Clipperton Atoll. The undescribed species is known only from the Galapagos Islands and has a dark-colored juvenile with extended first dorsal fin rays that are not separated from the remainder of the fin. The terminal phase of this species is unknown. We present keys to the known juvenile and initial phase stages of five species. In addition, we document the allometric growth of the head of razorfishes and show that the head shape of small individuals of Xyrichtys razorfishes is no different from that of the razorfish genus Novaculichthys, and therefore we suggest caution in using this character to distinguish these genera.

Arabidopsis thaliana type I and II chaperonins.

PubMed

Hill, J E; Hemmingsen, S M

2001-07-01

An examination of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence led to the identification of 29 predicted genes with the potential to encode members of the chaperonin family of chaperones (CPN60 and CCT), their associated cochaperonins, and the cytoplasmic chaperonin cofactor prefoldin. These comprise the first complete set of plant chaperonin protein sequences and indicate that the CPN family is more diverse than previously described. In addition to surprising sequence diversity within CPN subclasses, the genomic data also suggest the existence of previously undescribed family members, including a 10-kDa chloroplast cochaperonin. Consideration of the sequence data described in this review prompts questions about the complexities of plant CPN systems and the evolutionary relationships and functions of the component proteins, most of which have not been studied experimentally.

The first 4p euchromatic variant in a healthy carrier having an unusual reproductive history.

PubMed

Rodríguez, L; Zollino, M; Mansilla, E; Martínez-Fernández, M L; Pérez, P; Murdolo, M; Martínez-Frías, M L

2007-05-01

We report on the molecular cytogenetics studies in a healthy couple who had had three pregnancies which ended in a termination of pregnancy (TOP). In two of them, prenatal sonogram showed fetal dwarfism and in the third one, a chromosome alteration was found in the amniocentesis. A previous pregnancy ended in a healthy girl. A high-resolution G-band karyotype (550-850 bands), together with Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) techniques, detected in the father a 4p interstitial euchromatic duplication. This chromosome duplication appears to be a previously undescribed euchromatic variant (EV). We discuss the possibility that the 4p paternal EV could be involved in the clinical and genetic findings of the three TOPs.

Characterization of Actinomyces Isolates from Infected Root Canals of Teeth: Description of Actinomyces radicidentis sp. nov.

PubMed Central

Collins, Matthew D.; Hoyles, Lesley; Kalfas, Sotos; Sundquist, Goran; Monsen, Tor; Nikolaitchouk, Natalia; Falsen, Enevold

2000-01-01

Two strains of a previously undescribed Actinomyces-like bacterium were recovered in pure culture from infected root canals of teeth. Analysis by biochemical testing and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell proteins indicated that the strains closely resembled each other phenotypically but were distinct from previously described Actinomyces and Arcanobacterium species. Comparative 16S rRNA gene-sequencing studies showed the bacterium to be a hitherto unknown subline within a group of Actinomyces species which includes Actinomyces bovis, the type species of the genus. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, we propose that the unknown bacterium isolated from human clinical specimens be classified as Actinomyces radicidentis sp. nov. The type strain of Actinomyces radicidentis is CCUG 36733. PMID:10970390

A novel taxon within the genus Actinobacillus isolated from alpaca (Vicugna pacos) in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Hunt, Brian; Bidewell, Cornelia; Koylass, Mark S; Whatmore, Adrian M

2013-05-03

Members of the genus Actinobacillus comprise a diverse group of bacteria associated with mammals and birds including both pathogens and commensals. Here we describe the isolation of a previously undescribed Actinobacillus-like organism from seven epidemiologically unrelated infections of alpaca. The isolates are phenotypically and genotypically distinct from any previously described Actinobacillus species but 16S rRNA analysis unequivocally places the isolates as a novel lineage within the Actinobacillus sensu stricto. The clinical relevance of the organism requires further study however isolation in pure culture from organs of some cases suggests it may be associated with septicaemia in juvenile alpaca. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Whipworm diversity in West African rodents: a molecular approach and the description of Trichuris duplantieri n. sp. (Nematoda: Trichuridae).

PubMed

Ribas, Alexis; Diagne, Christophe; Tatard, Caroline; Diallo, Mamoudou; Poonlaphdecha, Srisupaph; Brouat, Carine

2017-04-01

Whipworms were collected from rodents (Muridae) from six West African countries: Burkina-Faso, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and the Republics of Benin, Guinea, Mali and Senegal. Molecular sequences (ITS-1, 5.8S and ITS-2 of the ribosomal DNA gene) and morphometric characters were analysed in Trichuris (Nematoda: Trichuridae) specimens found in seven host species: Arvicanthis niloticus, Gerbilliscus gambianus, Gerbillus gerbillus, G. tarabuli, Mastomys erythroleucus, M. huberti and M. natalensis. Phylogenetic analyses revealed three clades, one recognised as Trichuris mastomysi, previously recorded in M. natalensis from Tanzania, and the other two previously undescribed. A new species named Trichuris duplantieri n. sp., found in Gerbillus spp. from Mauritania, was characterised using molecular and morphometric methods.

Trifasciatosides A-J, Steroidal Saponins from Sansevieria trifasciata.

PubMed

Teponno, Rémy Bertrand; Tanaka, Chiaki; Jie, Bai; Tapondjou, Léon Azefack; Miyamoto, Tomofumi

2016-01-01

Four previously unreported steroidal saponins, trifasciatosides A-D (1-4), three pairs of previously undescribed steroidal saponins, trifasciatosides E-J (5a, b-7a, b) including acetylated ones, together with twelve known compounds were isolated from the n-butanol soluble fraction of the methanol extract of Sansevieria trifasciata. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis, including (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, (1)H-(1)H correlated spectroscopy (COSY), heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC), heteronuclear multiple bond connectivity (HMBC), total correlated spectroscopy (TOCSY), nuclear Overhauser enhancement and exchange spectroscopy (NOESY), electrospray ionization-time of flight (ESI-TOF)-MS and chemical methods. Compounds 2, 4, and 7a, b exhibited moderate antiproliferative activity against HeLa cells.

Two new species of ground-dwelling Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) from the Mysore Plateau, south India.

PubMed

Agarwal, Ishan

2016-11-15

Two new species of ground-dwelling geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) are described from the Mysore Plateau, in southern India. The new species are members of the C. collegalensis species complex, with 8.7 % uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence from each other and greater than 10 % divergence from described members of the C. collegalensis complex, from which they differ in subtle aspects of colour pattern and morphometric ratios. The type localities of the new species are ~ 130 km apart, and 100 km and 225 km from the type locality of C. collegalensis in the Biligiriranga Hills. The discovery of these new species in isolated mountains within a small area suggests other high elevation areas in the region may have undescribed species, and a redefinition of biodiversity patterns in peninsular India.

Patterns of diversity in soft-bodied meiofauna: dispersal ability and body size matter.

PubMed

Curini-Galletti, Marco; Artois, Tom; Delogu, Valentina; De Smet, Willem H; Fontaneto, Diego; Jondelius, Ulf; Leasi, Francesca; Martínez, Alejandro; Meyer-Wachsmuth, Inga; Nilsson, Karin Sara; Tongiorgi, Paolo; Worsaae, Katrine; Todaro, M Antonio

2012-01-01

Biogeographical and macroecological principles are derived from patterns of distribution in large organisms, whereas microscopic ones have often been considered uninteresting, because of their supposed wide distribution. Here, after reporting the results of an intensive faunistic survey of marine microscopic animals (meiofauna) in Northern Sardinia, we test for the effect of body size, dispersal ability, and habitat features on the patterns of distribution of several groups. As a dataset we use the results of a workshop held at La Maddalena (Sardinia, Italy) in September 2010, aimed at studying selected taxa of soft-bodied meiofauna (Acoela, Annelida, Gastrotricha, Nemertodermatida, Platyhelminthes and Rotifera), in conjunction with data on the same taxa obtained during a previous workshop hosted at Tjärnö (Western Sweden) in September 2007. Using linear mixed effects models and model averaging while accounting for sampling bias and potential pseudoreplication, we found evidence that: (1) meiofaunal groups with more restricted distribution are the ones with low dispersal potential; (2) meiofaunal groups with higher probability of finding new species for science are the ones with low dispersal potential; (3) the proportion of the global species pool of each meiofaunal group present in each area at the regional scale is negatively related to body size, and positively related to their occurrence in the endobenthic habitat. Our macroecological analysis of meiofauna, in the framework of the ubiquity hypothesis for microscopic organisms, indicates that not only body size but mostly dispersal ability and also occurrence in the endobenthic habitat are important correlates of diversity for these understudied animals, with different importance at different spatial scales. Furthermore, since the Western Mediterranean is one of the best-studied areas in the world, the large number of undescribed species (37%) highlights that the census of marine meiofauna is still very far from being complete.

Landscape maturity, fold growth sequence and structural style in the Kirkuk Embayment of the Zagros, northern Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obaid, Ahmed K.; Allen, Mark B.

2017-10-01

The Kirkuk Embayment is located in the southwest of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt of Iraq. Like fold-and-thrust belts worldwide, the Zagros is conventionally understood to have grown sequentially towards the foreland. Here we use landscape maturity analysis to understand anticline growth in the embayment. Digital Elevation Model (DEM)-based geomorphic indices Hypsometric Integral (HI), Surface Roughness (SR) and their combination Surface Index (SI) have been applied to quantify landscape maturity. The results inform new ideas for the sequence of anticline growth. Maturity indices are highest for the QaraChauq Anticline in the center of the Embayment, then Makhool/Himreen to the south and lastly, the Kirkuk Anticline to the north. The pattern suggests the growth sequence is not classical 'piggy back' thrusting. This result fits the exhumation record, which is loosely constrained by the stratigraphic exposure level. Favored hypotheses for fold growth order are either i) the folds have grown at different times and out of sequence (QaraChauq first, then Makhool/Himreen, and Kirkuk last), or, ii) the growth occurred with different rates of exhumation but at broadly the same time. There are few constraints from available data on syn-tectonic sedimentation patterns. Fold growth across much of the Embayment might have begun within a limited timeframe in the late Miocene-Pliocene, during the deposition of the Mukdadiyah Formation. Another hypothesis is that folds grew in sequence towards the foreland with different rates of exhumation, but we consider this less likely. We also construct a new cross-section for the Embayment, which indicates limited Cenozoic strain: 5% shortening. Analysis of topography and drainage patterns shows two previously-undescribed anticlines with hydrocarbon trap potential, between the Makhool and QaraChauq anticlines.

Domestication of the donkey: Timing, processes, and indicators

PubMed Central

Rossel, Stine; Marshall, Fiona; Peters, Joris; Pilgram, Tom; Adams, Matthew D.; O'Connor, David

2008-01-01

Domestication of the donkey from the African wild ass transformed ancient transport systems in Africa and Asia and the organization of early cities and pastoral societies. Genetic research suggests an African origin for the donkey, but pinpointing the timing and location of domestication has been challenging because donkeys are uncommon in the archaeological record and markers for early phases of animal domestication are hard to determine. We present previously undescribed evidence for the earliest transport use of the donkey and new paleopathological indicators for early phases of donkey domestication. Findings are based on skeletal data from 10 ≈5,000-year-old ass skeletons recently discovered entombed in an early pharaonic mortuary complex at Abydos, Middle Egypt, and a concurrent study of 53 modern donkey and African wild ass skeletons. Morphometric studies showed that Abydos metacarpals were similar in overall proportions to those of wild ass, but individual measurements varied. Midshaft breadths resembled wild ass, but midshaft depths and distal breadths were intermediate between wild ass and domestic donkey. Despite this, all of the Abydos skeletons exhibited a range of osteopathologies consistent with load carrying. Morphological similarities to wild ass show that, despite their use as beasts of burden, donkeys were still undergoing considerable phenotypic change during the early Dynastic period in Egypt. This pattern is consistent with recent studies of other domestic animals that suggest that the process of domestication is slower and less linear than previously thought. PMID:18332433

A brief look at the Odonata from the Páramo ecosystems in Colombia, with the descriptions of Oxyallagma colombianum sp. nov. and Rhionaeschna caligo sp. nov. (Odonata: Coenagrionidae, Aeshnidae, Libellulidae).

PubMed

Bota-Sierra, Cornelio Andrés

2014-08-22

Here I present the results of field work and collections of Odonata made in several páramos of Colombia between 2007 and 2014. Two undescribed species, in the genera Oxyallagma Kennedy, 1920, and Rhionaeschna Förster, 1909, respectively, were found, as well as two species not previously recorded from Colombia: Rhionaeschna peralta (Ris, 1918) and Oxyallagma dissidens (Selys, 1876). Descriptions and diagnoses of the new species, photographs, maps, illustrations, natural history notes, and comments on morphological plasticity are presented.

Two new triterpenoid saponins from the leaves of Bupleurum lancifolium (Apiaceae).

PubMed

Achouri, Amel; Derbré, Séverine; Medjroubi, Kamel; Laouer, Hocine; Séraphin, Denis; Akkal, Salah

2017-10-01

Chemical investigation of the leaves of Bupleurum lancifolium led to the isolation and identification of two triterpenoid saponins previously undescribed named 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 → 4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl] echinocystic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1) and 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1 → 4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl] oleanolic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2) along with the two known compounds isorhamnetin 3-rutinoside (3) and rutin (4). Their structures were elucidated by different spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS analysis as well as 1D and 2D NMR experiments.

Selfish DNA in protein-coding genes of Rickettsia.

PubMed

Ogata, H; Audic, S; Barbe, V; Artiguenave, F; Fournier, P E; Raoult, D; Claverie, J M

2000-10-13

Rickettsia conorii, the aetiological agent of Mediterranean spotted fever, is an intracellular bacterium transmitted by ticks. Preliminary analyses of the nearly complete genome sequence of R. conorii have revealed 44 occurrences of a previously undescribed palindromic repeat (150 base pairs long) throughout the genome. Unexpectedly, this repeat was found inserted in-frame within 19 different R. conorii open reading frames likely to encode functional proteins. We found the same repeat in proteins of other Rickettsia species. The finding of a mobile element inserted in many unrelated genes suggests the potential role of selfish DNA in the creation of new protein sequences.

NS5A resistance leading to failure of 24-week therapy with sofosbuvir/ledipasvir and ribavirin for the treatment of hepatitis C genotype 1a infection in a HIV-1 co-infected patient.

PubMed

Sevastianova, Ksenia; Dean, Jonathan; Bannan, Ciaran; Coghlan, Miriam; Farrell, Gillian; Murray, Catherine; De Gascun, Cillian F; Bergin, Colm

2016-09-01

Herein we report a previously undescribed case of treatment-emergent non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) resistance mutations, Q30H and Y93C, leading to a failure of 24-week course of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir+ribavirin therapy for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1a in interferon-experienced, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) co-infected patient with cirrhosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cesarean section scar as a cause of abnormal vaginal bleeding: diagnosis by sonohysterography.

PubMed

Thurmond, A S; Harvey, W J; Smith, S A

1999-01-01

A previously undescribed cause of abnormal uterine bleeding is presented. Nine of 310 women evaluated by sonohysterography for abnormal bleeding demonstrated an 8 to 17 mm gap in the anterior lower uterine segment myometrium at the site of prior cesarean deliveries. All women were premenopausal and had a history of 2 to 12 days of postmenstrual spotting. Presumably a lack of coordinated muscular contractions occurs around the cesarean scar, allowing the defect to collect menstrual debris. Subsequently, the debris leaches out through the cervix for several days after the majority of menstrual flow has ceased.

A distinct type of hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

PubMed

Halal, F; Setton, N; Wang, N S

1991-03-15

Four individuals from 2 generations of a family had a hidrotic type of ectodermal dysplasia (ED). Males and females were similarly affected. They had trichodysplasia, with absent eyebrows and eyelashes; normal teeth, onychodysplasia; normal sweating; mild retrognathia; abnormal dermatoglyphics; and mental retardation. Additional variable manifestations included irregular menses, high implanted or prominent ears, café-au-lait spot, keratosis pilaris, supernumerary nipple, and mild hearing loss. Their previously undescribed condition could be classified as an ED of 1-3 (trichoonychial) subgroup of group A according to Freire-Maia's classification and is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.

Arabidopsis thaliana type I and II chaperonins

PubMed Central

Hill, Janet E.; Hemmingsen, Sean M.

2001-01-01

An examination of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence led to the identification of 29 predicted genes with the potential to encode members of the chaperonin family of chaperones (CPN60 and CCT), their associated cochaperonins, and the cytoplasmic chaperonin cofactor prefoldin. These comprise the first complete set of plant chaperonin protein sequences and indicate that the CPN family is more diverse than previously described. In addition to surprising sequence diversity within CPN subclasses, the genomic data also suggest the existence of previously undescribed family members, including a 10-kDa chloroplast cochaperonin. Consideration of the sequence data described in this review prompts questions about the complexities of plant CPN systems and the evolutionary relationships and functions of the component proteins, most of which have not been studied experimentally. PMID:11599560

Digital preparation and osteology of the skull of Lesothosaurus diagnosticus (Ornithischia: Dinosauria).

PubMed

Porro, Laura B; Witmer, Lawrence M; Barrett, Paul M

2015-01-01

Several skulls of the ornithischian dinosaur Lesothosaurus diagnosticus (Lower Jurassic, southern Africa) are known, but all are either incomplete, deformed, or incompletely prepared. This has hampered attempts to provide a comprehensive description of skull osteology in this crucial early dinosaurian taxon. Using visualization software, computed tomographic scans of the Lesothosaurus syntypes were digitally segmented to remove matrix, and identify and separate individual cranial and mandibular bones, revealing new anatomical details such as sutural morphology and the presence of several previously undescribed elements. Together with visual inspection of exposed skull bones, these CT data enable a complete description of skull anatomy in this taxon. Comparisons with our new data suggest that two specimens previously identified as Lesothosaurus sp. (MNHN LES 17 and MNHN LES 18) probably represent additional individuals of Lesothosaurus diagnosticus.

Description of Eurystomatella sinica n. gen., n. sp., with establishment of a new family Eurystomatellidae n. fam. (Protista, Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia) and analyses of its phylogeny inferred from sequences of the small-subunit rRNA gene.

PubMed

Miao, Miao; Wang, Yangang; Song, Weibo; Clamp, John C; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S

2010-02-01

Recently, an undescribed marine ciliate was isolated from China. Investigation of its morphology and infraciliature revealed it as an undescribed species representing a new genus, Eurystomatella n. gen., the type of the new family Eurystomatellidae n. fam. The new family is defined by close-set, apically positioned oral membranelles and a dominant buccal field that is surrounded by an almost completely circular paroral membrane. The new genus is defined by having a small oral membranelle 1 (M1), bipartite M2 and well-developed M3, a body surface faintly sculptured with a silverline system in a quadrangular, reticulate pattern and a cytostome located at the anterior third of a large buccal field. The type species of the new genus, Eurystomatella sinica n. sp., is a morphologically unique form that is defined mainly by the combination of a conspicuously flattened body, several caudal cilia, extremely long cilia associated with the buccal apparatus and a contractile vacuole located subcaudally. According to phylogenetic analyses of small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences, Eurystomatella clusters with the genus Cyclidium, as a sister group to the family Pleuronematidae. The great divergence in both buccal and somatic ciliature between Eurystomatella and all other known scuticociliates supports the establishment of a new family for Eurystomatella.

Dynamic Cluster Analysis: An Unbiased Method for Identifying A + 2 Element Containing Compounds in Liquid Chromatographic High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometric Data.

PubMed

Andersen, Aaron John Christian; Hansen, Per Juel; Jørgensen, Kevin; Nielsen, Kristian Fog

2016-12-20

Dynamic cluster analysis (DCA) is an automated, unbiased technique which can identify Cl, Br, S, and other A + 2 element containing metabolites in liquid chromatographic high-resolution mass spectrometric data. DCA is based on three features, primarily the previously unutilized A + 1 to A + 2 isotope cluster spacing which is a strong classifier in itself but improved with the addition of the monoisotopic mass, and the well-known A:A+2 intensity ratio. Utilizing only the A + 1 to A + 2 isotope cluster spacing and the monoisotopic mass it was possible to filter a chromatogram for metabolites which contain Cl, Br, and S. Screening simulated isotope patterns of the Antibase Natural Products Database it was determined that the A + 1 to A + 2 isotope cluster spacing can be used to correctly classify 97.4% of molecular formulas containing these elements, only misclassifying a few metabolites which were either over 2800 u or metabolites which contained other A + 2 elements, such as Cu, Ni, Mg, and Zn. It was determined that with an interisotopic mass accuracy of 1 ppm, in a fully automated process, using all three parameters, it is possible to specifically filter a chromatogram for S containing metabolites with monoisotopic masses less than 825 u. Furthermore, it was possible to specifically filter a chromatogram for Cl and Br containing metabolites with monoisotopic masses less than 1613 u. Here DCA is applied on (i) simulated isotope patterns of the Antibase natural products databases, (ii) LC-QTOF data of reference standards, and (iii) LC-QTOF data of crude extracts of 10 strains of laboratory grown cultures of the microalga Prymnesium parvum where it identified known metabolites of the prymnesin series as well as over 20 previously undescribed prymnesin-like molecular features.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of the cranial and anterior spinal nerves in early tadpoles of Xenopus laevis (Pipidae, Anura).

PubMed

Naumann, Benjamin; Olsson, Lennart

2018-04-01

Xenopus laevis is one of the most widely used model organism in neurobiology. It is therefore surprising, that no detailed and complete description of the cranial nerves exists for this species. Using classical histological sectioning in combination with fluorescent whole mount antibody staining and micro-computed tomography we prepared a detailed innervation map and a freely-rotatable three-dimensional (3D) model of the cranial nerves and anterior-most spinal nerves of early X. laevis tadpoles. Our results confirm earlier descriptions of the pre-otic cranial nerves and present the first detailed description of the post-otic cranial nerves. Tracing the innervation, we found two previously undescribed head muscles (the processo-articularis and diaphragmatico-branchialis muscles) in X. laevis. Data on the cranial nerve morphology of tadpoles are scarce, and only one other species (Discoglossus pictus) has been described in great detail. A comparison of Xenopus and Discoglossus reveals a relatively conserved pattern of the post-otic and a more variable morphology of the pre-otic cranial nerves. Furthermore, the innervation map and the 3D models presented here can serve as an easily accessible basis to identify alterations of the innervation produced by experimental studies such as genetic gain- and loss of function experiments. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extreme Spindles and Leukoencephalopathy after Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment: An Undescribed Association.

PubMed

Kanda, Paulo Afonso Medeiros; Kanda, Rafael Guimarães; Mei, Paulo Afonso; Cury, Ivan José

2015-12-01

We report a case of a child whose EEG demonstrated extreme spindles (ES) after acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment. This finding has not been reported previously. In 1962, Gibbs and Gibbs described the ES EEG pattern due to its high amplitude (200 to 400 μV). ES are a rare spindle variant that is found in EEGs of 0.05% of normal children (average age, 3 years, with a range of 1 to 12 years), and are even rarer after 11 years. Moreover due to changes in the white matter of the frontal lobe, ES have been associated with such conditions as cerebral palsy and mental retardation, residual brain damage, undefined infections, infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, Menkes' kinky-hair syndrome, congenital muscular dystrophy, hydrocephalus, porencephaly, epilepsy, progressive cerebellar degeneration, and mycoplasma encephalitis. Methotrexate has a notably toxic effect on the central nervous system, with leukoencephalopathy being the most common form. In our case, frontocentral ES were associated with hyperintense lesions in the white matter of the frontal lobe. Lesional deafferentation can be the substrate for an almost continuous ES, since both initiation and termination of spindle oscillations are thought to originate in thalamocortical neurons. Thus, we postulate that in some cases a partial functional cortical differentiation could generate ES.

A unique Middle Miocene European hominoid and the origins of the great ape and human clade

PubMed Central

Moyà-Solà, Salvador; Alba, David M.; Almécija, Sergio; Casanovas-Vilar, Isaac; Köhler, Meike; De Esteban-Trivigno, Soledad; Robles, Josep M.; Galindo, Jordi; Fortuny, Josep

2009-01-01

The great ape and human clade (Primates: Hominidae) currently includes orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. When, where, and from which taxon hominids evolved are among the most exciting questions yet to be resolved. Within the Afropithecidae, the Kenyapithecinae (Kenyapithecini + Equatorini) have been proposed as the sister taxon of hominids, but thus far the fragmentary and scarce Middle Miocene fossil record has hampered testing this hypothesis. Here we describe a male partial face with mandible of a previously undescribed fossil hominid, Anoiapithecus brevirostris gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Miocene (11.9 Ma) of Spain, which enables testing this hypothesis. Morphological and geometric morphometrics analyses of this material show a unique facial pattern for hominoids. This taxon combines autapomorphic features—such as a strongly reduced facial prognathism—with kenyapithecine (more specifically, kenyapithecin) and hominid synapomorphies. This combination supports a sister-group relationship between kenyapithecins (Griphopithecus + Kenyapithecus) and hominids. The presence of both groups in Eurasia during the Middle Miocene and the retention in kenyapithecins of a primitive hominoid postcranial body plan support a Eurasian origin of the Hominidae. Alternatively, the two extant hominid clades (Homininae and Ponginae) might have independently evolved in Africa and Eurasia from an ancestral, Middle Miocene stock, so that the supposed crown-hominid synapomorphies might be homoplastic. PMID:19487676

Genetic diversity and evolution of Pneumocystis fungi infecting wild Southeast Asian murid rodents.

PubMed

Latinne, Alice; Bezé, François; Delhaes, Laurence; Pottier, Muriel; Gantois, Nausicaa; Nguyen, Julien; Blasdell, Kim; Dei-Cas, Eduardo; Morand, Serge; Chabé, Magali

2017-11-09

Pneumocystis organisms are airborne-transmitted fungal parasites that infect the lungs of numerous mammalian species with strong host specificity. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and host specificity of Pneumocystis organisms infecting Southeast Asian murid rodents through PCR amplification of two mitochondrial genes and tested the co-phylogeny hypothesis among these fungi and their rodent hosts. Pneumocystis DNA was detected in 215 of 445 wild rodents belonging to 18 Southeast Asian murid species. Three of the Pneumocystis lineages retrieved in our phylogenetic trees correspond to known Pneumocystis species, but some of the remaining lineages may correspond to new undescribed species. Most of these Pneumocystis species infect several rodent species or genera and some sequence types are shared among several host species and genera. These results indicated a weaker host specificity of Pneumocystis species infecting rodents than previously thought. Our co-phylogenetic analyses revealed a complex evolutionary history among Pneumocystis and their rodent hosts. Even if a significant global signal of co-speciation has been detected, co-speciation alone is not sufficient to explain the observed co-phylogenetic pattern and several host switches are inferred. These findings conflict with the traditional view of a prolonged process of co-evolution and co-speciation of Pneumocystis and their hosts.

Identification of a novel BRCA2 and CHEK2 A-C-G-C haplotype in Turkish patients affected with breast cancer.

PubMed

Haytural, Hazal; Yalcinkaya, Nazli; Akan, Gokce; Arikan, Soykan; Ozkok, Elif; Cakmakoglu, Bedia; Yaylim, Ilhan; Aydin, Makbule; Atalar, Fatmahan

2013-01-01

Many breast cancers are caused by certain rare and familial mutations in the high or moderate penetrance genes BRCA1, BRCA2 and CHEK2. The aim of this study was to examine the allele and genotype frequencies of seven mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2 and CHEK2 genes in breast cancer patients and to investigate their isolated and combined associations with breast cancer risk. We genotyped seven mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2 and CHEK2 genes and then analyzed single variations and haplotype associations in 106 breast cancer patients and 80 healthy controls. We found significant associations in the analyses of CHEK2- 1100delC (p=0.001) and BRCA1-5382insC (p=0.021) mutations in breast cancer patients compared to controls. The highest risk was observed among breast cancer patients carrying both CHEK2-1100delC and BRCA2- Met784Val mutations (OR=0.093; 95%CI 0.021-0.423; p=0.001). We identified one previously undescribed BRCA2 and a CHEK2 four-marker haplotype of A-C-G-C which was overrepresented (?2=7.655; p=0.0057) in the patient group compared to controls. In this study, we identified a previously undescribed BRCA2 and CHEK2 A-C-G-C haplotype in association with the breast cancer in our population. Our results further suggest that the CHEK2-1100delC mutation in combination with BRCA2-Met784Val may lead to an unexpected high risk which needs to be confirmed in larger cohorts in order to better understand their role in the development and prognosis of breast cancer.

Distinct signatures of diversifying selection revealed by genome analysis of respiratory tract and invasive bacterial populations.

PubMed

Shea, Patrick R; Beres, Stephen B; Flores, Anthony R; Ewbank, Amy L; Gonzalez-Lugo, Javier H; Martagon-Rosado, Alexandro J; Martinez-Gutierrez, Juan C; Rehman, Hina A; Serrano-Gonzalez, Monica; Fittipaldi, Nahuel; Ayers, Stephen D; Webb, Paul; Willey, Barbara M; Low, Donald E; Musser, James M

2011-03-22

Many pathogens colonize different anatomical sites, but the selective pressures contributing to survival in the diverse niches are poorly understood. Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a human-adapted bacterium that causes a range of infections. Much effort has been expended to dissect the molecular basis of invasive (sterile-site) infections, but little is known about the genomes of strains causing pharyngitis (streptococcal "sore throat"). Additionally, there is essentially nothing known about the genetic relationships between populations of invasive and pharyngitis strains. In particular, it is unclear if invasive strains represent a distinct genetic subpopulation of strains that cause pharyngitis. We compared the genomes of 86 serotype M3 GAS pharyngitis strains with those of 215 invasive M3 strains from the same geographical location. The pharyngitis and invasive groups were highly related to each other and had virtually identical phylogenetic structures, indicating they belong to the same genetic pool. Despite the overall high degree of genetic similarity, we discovered that strains from different host environments (i.e., throat, normally sterile sites) have distinct patterns of diversifying selection at the nucleotide level. In particular, the pattern of polymorphisms in the hyaluronic acid capsule synthesis operon was especially different between the two strain populations. This finding was mirrored by data obtained from full-genome analysis of strains sequentially cultured from nonhuman primates. Our results answer the long-standing question of the genetic relationship between GAS pharyngitis and invasive strains. The data provide previously undescribed information about the evolutionary history of pathogenic microbes that cause disease in different anatomical sites.

Bisindole alkaloids from Tabernaemontana corymbosa.

PubMed

Zhang, Bing-Jie; Lu, Jing-Song; Bao, Mei-Fen; Zhong, Xiu-Hong; Ni, Ling; Wu, Jing; Cai, Xiang-Hai

2018-05-11

Continued study in bioactive monoterpenoid alkaloids led to the isolation of nine undescribed alkaloids, taberyunines A-I, together with 32 known ones from the aerial parts of Tabernaemontana corymbosa Roxb. ex Wall (Apocynaceae). Among the undescribed alkaloids, taberyunines A-G and H-I were assigned to Aspidosperma-Aspidosperma and Vobasinyl-Ibogan type bisindoles, respectively. Their structures were determined by NMR spectra, MS data and X-ray diffraction. Taberyunine B showed significant cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A transitional snake from the Late Cretaceous period of North America.

PubMed

Longrich, Nicholas R; Bhullar, Bhart-Anjan S; Gauthier, Jacques A

2012-08-09

Snakes are the most diverse group of lizards, but their origins and early evolution remain poorly understood owing to a lack of transitional forms. Several major issues remain outstanding, such as whether snakes originated in a marine or terrestrial environment and how their unique feeding mechanism evolved. The Cretaceous Coniophis precedens was among the first Mesozoic snakes discovered, but until now only an isolated vertebra has been described and it has therefore been overlooked in discussions of snake evolution. Here we report on previously undescribed material from this ancient snake, including the maxilla, dentary and additional vertebrae. Coniophis is not an anilioid as previously thought a revised phylogenetic analysis of Ophidia shows that it instead represents the most primitive known snake. Accordingly, its morphology and ecology are critical to understanding snake evolution. Coniophis occurs in a continental floodplain environment, consistent with a terrestrial rather than a marine origin; furthermore, its small size and reduced neural spines indicate fossorial habits, suggesting that snakes evolved from burrowing lizards. The skull is intermediate between that of lizards and snakes. Hooked teeth and an intramandibular joint indicate that Coniophis fed on relatively large, soft-bodied prey. However, the maxilla is firmly united with the skull, indicating an akinetic rostrum. Coniophis therefore represents a transitional snake, combining a snake-like body and a lizard-like head. Subsequent to the evolution of a serpentine body and carnivory, snakes evolved a highly specialized, kinetic skull, which was followed by a major adaptive radiation in the Early Cretaceous period. This pattern suggests that the kinetic skull was a key innovation that permitted the diversification of snakes.

A previously undescribed syndrome combining fibular agenesis/hypoplasia, oligodactylous clubfeet, anonychia/ungual hypoplasia, and other defects.

PubMed

Santos, Silvana C; Pardono, Eliete; Ferreira da Costa, Maria Ione; de Melo, Aurea Nogueira; Graciani, Zodja; de Albuquerque e Souza, Alessandra Cavalcanti; Lezirovitz, Karina; Thiele-Aguiar, Renata Soares; Mingroni-Netto, Regina Célia; Opitz, John M; Kok, Fernando; Otto, Paulo A

2008-12-15

We describe an apparently new genetic syndrome in six members of a family living in a remote area in Northeastern Brazil. This syndrome comprises: short stature due to a marked decrease in the length of the lower limbs (predominantly mesomelic with fibular agenesis/marked hypoplasia), grossly malformed/deformed clubfeet with severe oligodactyly, upper limbs with acromial dimples and variable motion limitation of the forearms and/or hands, severe nail hypoplasia/anonychia sometimes associated with mild brachydactyly and occasionally with pre-axial polydactyly. This syndrome is apparently distinct from the syndrome of brachydactyly-ectrodactyly with fibular aplasia or hypoplasia (OMIM 113310), the syndrome of fibular aplasia or hypoplasia, femoral bowing and poly-, syn-, and oligodactyly (OMIM 228930), and from other previously described conditions exhibiting fibular agenesis/hypoplasia. Copyright (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Lissencephaly with brainstem and cerebellar hypoplasia and congenital cataracts.

PubMed

Abumansour, Iman S; Wrogemann, Jens; Chudley, Albert E; Chodirker, Bernard N; Salman, Michael S

2014-06-01

Classical lissencephaly may be associated with cerebellar hypoplasia and when significant cerebellar abnormalities occur, defects in proteins encoded by TUBA1A, RELN, and very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) genes have been reported. We present a neonate with a severe neurologic phenotype associated with hypotonia, oropharyngeal incoordination that required a gastric tube for feeding, intractable epilepsy, and congenital cataracts. Her brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed classical lissencephaly, ventriculomegaly, absent corpus callosum, globular and vertical hippocampi, and severe cerebellar and brainstem hypoplasia. She died at 6 weeks of age. No specific molecular diagnosis was made. This likely represents a previously undescribed genetic lissencephaly syndrome. © The Author(s) 2013.

Subspectacular nematodiasis caused by a novel Serpentirhabdias species in ball pythons (Python regius).

PubMed

Hausmann, J C; Mans, C; Dreyfus, J; Reavill, D R; Lucio-Forster, A; Bowman, D D

2015-01-01

Subspectacular nematodiasis was diagnosed in three captive-bred juvenile ball pythons (Python regius) from two unrelated facilities within a 6-month period. The snakes were presented with similar lesions, including swelling of facial, periocular and oral tissues. Bilaterally, the subspectacular spaces were distended and filled with an opaque fluid, which contained nematodes and eggs. Histopathology showed nematodes throughout the periocular tissue, subspectacular space and subcutaneous tissue of the head. The nematodes from both facilities were morphologically indistinguishable and most closely resembled Serpentirhabdias species. Morphological characterization and genetic sequencing indicate this is a previously undescribed rhabdiasid nematode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new species of Dystacta Saussure, 1871 from Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda (Insecta, Mantodea, Dystactinae).

PubMed

Tedrow, Riley; Nathan, Kabanguka; Richard, Nasasira; Svenson, Gavin J

2014-01-01

A recent targeted entomological survey in the Republic of Rwanda has produced two conspecific male and female specimens of an undescribed species of praying mantis (Mantodea). The specimens were collected in Nyungwe National Park in May of 2013. The species is closest morphologically to Dystacta alticeps (Schaum, 1853). Therefore, a new species is described, Dystacta tigrifrutex sp. n., along with the first instar nymphs and ootheca. In addition, the previously monotypic genus Dystacta Saussure, 1871 is re-described to provide a broader definition of the genus group. Habitus images, measurement data, a key to species, natural history information, and locality data are provided.

Triterpenoid Saponins from Anemone rivularis var. Flore-Minore and Their Anti-Proliferative Activity on HSC-T6 Cells.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-Yang; Gao, Hui; Xie, Xiao-Jie; Jurhiin, Jirimubatu; Zhang, Mu-Zi-He; Zhou, Yan-Ping; Liu, Rui; Ning, Meng; Han, Jin; Tang, Hai-Feng

2018-02-23

Five previously undescribed triterpenoid saponins ( 1 - 5 ), along with eight known ones ( 6 - 13 ), were isolated from the whole plants of Anemone rivularis var. flore-minore . Their structures were clarified by extensive spectroscopic data and chemical evidence. For the first time, the lupane-type saponins ( 3 and 12 ) were reported from the Anemone genus. The anti-proliferative activity of all isolated saponins was evaluated on hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6). Saponins 12 and 13 , which possess more monosaccharides than the others, displayed potent anti-proliferative activity, with IC 50 values of 18.21 and 15.56 μM, respectively.

A preliminary account of the fruit fly fauna of Timor-Leste (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae).

PubMed

Bellis, Glenn A; Brito, Americo A; Jesus, Hipolito DE; Quintao, Valente; Sarmento, Joaquim C; Bere, Apolinario; Rodrigues, João; Hancock, David L

2017-12-05

Opportunistic monitoring using baited fruit fly traps throughout Timor-Leste revealed the presence of 16 species of Bactrocera and one species of Dacus, all of which are previously reported from the region. Sampling of a range of commercial fruit species detected an additional species, B. latifrons, and revealed that nine species are attacking commercial fruits and vegetables. A key for separating these species is provided. New host records were found for B. minuscula, B. floresiae and B. bellisi. Variation in the morphology of B. minuscula, B. floresiae and an undescribed species and within B. albistrigata confounded attempts at accurate identification of some specimens.

Ecology of parasite Sycophilomorpha sp. on Ficus altissima and its effect on the fig-fig wasp mutualism.

PubMed

Peng, Y Q; Zhao, J B; Harrison, R D; Yang, D R

2010-11-01

Figs and their pollinating wasps are a classic example of an obligate mutualism. In addition, figs are parasitized by a suite of non-mutualistic wasps whose basic ecology is largely undescribed. Sycophilomorpha (subfamily Epichrysomallinae) fig wasps are ovule gallers and the genus contains only 1 described species. An undescribed Sycophilomorpha species parasitized Ficus altissima at Xishuangbana, Southwestern China. The wasp was observed ovipositing on the tiny immature figs that were still concealed beneath the involucral bracts. A Sycophilomorpha wasp oviposited on more than 1 fig and spent long time-periods to lay large clutches on a single fig. The wasps naturally occurred on all 7 sampled trees, but the occurrence of wasps was significantly different among trees, crops and months. These wasps were able to prevent unpollinated figs from being aborted, and their offspring were able to develop in the figs that otherwise had no pollinator wasps or seeds. The Sycophilomorpha wasp had a detrimental effect on the fig-fig wasp mutualism. Figs in which Sycophilomorpha wasps were present, produced significantly fewer seeds, pollinators and cheaters. However, the abundance of Sycophilomorpha in a fig was only significantly negatively correlated with pollinator production and not seed or cheater production. Our study illustrates a previously unknown fig wasp niche and expands our understanding of factors that can affect the fig-fig wasp interaction.

Analysis of RDR1/RDR2/RDR6-independent small RNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana improves MIRNA annotations and reveals unexplained types of short interfering RNA loci.

PubMed

Polydore, Seth; Axtell, Michael J

2018-06-01

Plant small RNAs (sRNAs) modulate key physiological mechanisms through post-transcriptional and transcriptional silencing of gene expression. Small RNAs fall into two major categories: those are reliant on RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs) for biogenesis and those that are not. Known RDR1/2/6-dependent sRNAs include phased and repeat-associated short interfering RNAs, while known RDR1/2/6-independent sRNAs are primarily microRNAs (miRNA) and other hairpin-derived sRNAs. In this study we produced and analyzed sRNA-seq libraries from rdr1/rdr2/rdr6 triple mutant plants. We found 58 previously annotated miRNA loci that were reliant on RDR1, -2, or -6 function, casting doubt on their classification. We also found 38 RDR1/2/6-independent sRNA loci that are not MIRNAs or otherwise hairpin-derived, and did not fit into other known paradigms for sRNA biogenesis. These 38 sRNA-producing loci have as-yet-undescribed biogenesis mechanisms, and are frequently located in the vicinity of protein-coding genes. Altogether, our analysis suggests that these 38 loci represent one or more undescribed types of sRNA in Arabidopsis thaliana. © 2018 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Novel Virus Discovery and Genome Reconstruction from Field RNA Samples Reveals Highly Divergent Viruses in Dipteran Hosts

PubMed Central

Bass, David; Moureau, Gregory; Tang, Shuoya; McAlister, Erica; Culverwell, C. Lorna; Glücksman, Edvard; Wang, Hui; Brown, T. David K.; Gould, Ernest A.; Harbach, Ralph E.; de Lamballerie, Xavier; Firth, Andrew E.

2013-01-01

We investigated whether small RNA (sRNA) sequenced from field-collected mosquitoes and chironomids (Diptera) can be used as a proxy signature of viral prevalence within a range of species and viral groups, using sRNAs sequenced from wild-caught specimens, to inform total RNA deep sequencing of samples of particular interest. Using this strategy, we sequenced from adult Anopheles maculipennis s.l. mosquitoes the apparently nearly complete genome of one previously undescribed virus related to chronic bee paralysis virus, and, from a pool of Ochlerotatus caspius and Oc. detritus mosquitoes, a nearly complete entomobirnavirus genome. We also reconstructed long sequences (1503-6557 nt) related to at least nine other viruses. Crucially, several of the sequences detected were reconstructed from host organisms highly divergent from those in which related viruses have been previously isolated or discovered. It is clear that viral transmission and maintenance cycles in nature are likely to be significantly more complex and taxonomically diverse than previously expected. PMID:24260463

Coordinated regulation of accessory genetic elements produces cyclic di-nucleotides for V. cholerae virulence.

PubMed

Davies, Bryan W; Bogard, Ryan W; Young, Travis S; Mekalanos, John J

2012-04-13

The function of the Vibrio 7(th) pandemic island-1 (VSP-1) in cholera pathogenesis has remained obscure. Utilizing chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing to map the regulon of the master virulence regulator ToxT, we identify a TCP island-encoded small RNA that reduces the expression of a previously unrecognized VSP-1-encoded transcription factor termed VspR. VspR modulates the expression of several VSP-1 genes including one that encodes a novel class of di-nucleotide cyclase (DncV), which preferentially synthesizes a previously undescribed hybrid cyclic AMP-GMP molecule. We show that DncV is required for efficient intestinal colonization and downregulates V. cholerae chemotaxis, a phenotype previously associated with hyperinfectivity. This pathway couples the actions of previously disparate genomic islands, defines VSP-1 as a pathogenicity island in V. cholerae, and implicates its occurrence in 7(th) pandemic strains as a benefit for host adaptation through the production of a regulatory cyclic di-nucleotide. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative Genomics Reveals the Diversity of Restriction-Modification Systems and DNA Methylation Sites in Listeria monocytogenes.

PubMed

Chen, Poyin; den Bakker, Henk C; Korlach, Jonas; Kong, Nguyet; Storey, Dylan B; Paxinos, Ellen E; Ashby, Meredith; Clark, Tyson; Luong, Khai; Wiedmann, Martin; Weimer, Bart C

2017-02-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that is found in a wide variety of anthropogenic and natural environments. Genome sequencing technologies are rapidly becoming a powerful tool in facilitating our understanding of how genotype, classification phenotypes, and virulence phenotypes interact to predict the health risks of individual bacterial isolates. Currently, 57 closed L. monocytogenes genomes are publicly available, representing three of the four phylogenetic lineages, and they suggest that L. monocytogenes has high genomic synteny. This study contributes an additional 15 closed L. monocytogenes genomes that were used to determine the associations between the genome and methylome with host invasion magnitude. In contrast to previous findings, large chromosomal inversions and rearrangements were detected in five isolates at the chromosome terminus and within rRNA genes, including a previously undescribed inversion within rRNA-encoding regions. Each isolate's epigenome contained highly diverse methyltransferase recognition sites, even within the same serotype and methylation pattern. Eleven strains contained a single chromosomally encoded methyltransferase, one strain contained two methylation systems (one system on a plasmid), and three strains exhibited no methylation, despite the occurrence of methyltransferase genes. In three isolates a new, unknown DNA modification was observed in addition to diverse methylation patterns, accompanied by a novel methylation system. Neither chromosome rearrangement nor strain-specific patterns of epigenome modification observed within virulence genes were correlated with serotype designation, clonal complex, or in vitro infectivity. These data suggest that genome diversity is larger than previously considered in L. monocytogenes and that as more genomes are sequenced, additional structure and methylation novelty will be observed in this organism. Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis, a disease which manifests as gastroenteritis, meningoencephalitis, and abortion. Among Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria-causing the most prevalent foodborne illnesses-infection by L. monocytogenes carries the highest mortality rate. The ability of L. monocytogenes to regulate its response to various harsh environments enables its persistence and transmission. Small-scale comparisons of L. monocytogenes focusing solely on genome contents reveal a highly syntenic genome yet fail to address the observed diversity in phenotypic regulation. This study provides a large-scale comparison of 302 L. monocytogenes isolates, revealing the importance of the epigenome and restriction-modification systems as major determinants of L. monocytogenes phylogenetic grouping and subsequent phenotypic expression. Further examination of virulence genes of select outbreak strains reveals an unprecedented diversity in methylation statuses despite high degrees of genome conservation. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Patterns of Diversity in Soft-Bodied Meiofauna: Dispersal Ability and Body Size Matter

PubMed Central

Curini-Galletti, Marco; Artois, Tom; Delogu, Valentina; De Smet, Willem H.; Fontaneto, Diego; Jondelius, Ulf; Leasi, Francesca; Martínez, Alejandro; Meyer-Wachsmuth, Inga; Nilsson, Karin Sara; Tongiorgi, Paolo; Worsaae, Katrine; Todaro, M. Antonio

2012-01-01

Background Biogeographical and macroecological principles are derived from patterns of distribution in large organisms, whereas microscopic ones have often been considered uninteresting, because of their supposed wide distribution. Here, after reporting the results of an intensive faunistic survey of marine microscopic animals (meiofauna) in Northern Sardinia, we test for the effect of body size, dispersal ability, and habitat features on the patterns of distribution of several groups. Methodology/Principal Findings As a dataset we use the results of a workshop held at La Maddalena (Sardinia, Italy) in September 2010, aimed at studying selected taxa of soft-bodied meiofauna (Acoela, Annelida, Gastrotricha, Nemertodermatida, Platyhelminthes and Rotifera), in conjunction with data on the same taxa obtained during a previous workshop hosted at Tjärnö (Western Sweden) in September 2007. Using linear mixed effects models and model averaging while accounting for sampling bias and potential pseudoreplication, we found evidence that: (1) meiofaunal groups with more restricted distribution are the ones with low dispersal potential; (2) meiofaunal groups with higher probability of finding new species for science are the ones with low dispersal potential; (3) the proportion of the global species pool of each meiofaunal group present in each area at the regional scale is negatively related to body size, and positively related to their occurrence in the endobenthic habitat. Conclusion/Significance Our macroecological analysis of meiofauna, in the framework of the ubiquity hypothesis for microscopic organisms, indicates that not only body size but mostly dispersal ability and also occurrence in the endobenthic habitat are important correlates of diversity for these understudied animals, with different importance at different spatial scales. Furthermore, since the Western Mediterranean is one of the best-studied areas in the world, the large number of undescribed species (37%) highlights that the census of marine meiofauna is still very far from being complete. PMID:22457790

Structure Predictions of Two Bauhinia variegata Lectins Reveal Patterns of C-Terminal Properties in Single Chain Legume Lectins

PubMed Central

Moreira, Gustavo M. S. G.; Conceição, Fabricio R.; McBride, Alan J. A.; Pinto, Luciano da S.

2013-01-01

Bauhinia variegata lectins (BVL-I and BVL-II) are single chain lectins isolated from the plant Bauhinia variegata. Single chain lectins undergo post-translational processing on its N-terminal and C-terminal regions, which determines their physiological targeting, carbohydrate binding activity and pattern of quaternary association. These two lectins are isoforms, BVL-I being highly glycosylated, and thus far, it has not been possible to determine their structures. The present study used prediction and validation algorithms to elucidate the likely structures of BVL-I and -II. The program Bhageerath-H was chosen from among three different structure prediction programs due to its better overall reliability. In order to predict the C-terminal region cleavage sites, other lectins known to have this modification were analysed and three rules were created: (1) the first amino acid of the excised peptide is small or hydrophobic; (2) the cleavage occurs after an acid, polar, or hydrophobic residue, but not after a basic one; and (3) the cleavage spot is located 5-8 residues after a conserved Leu amino acid. These rules predicted that BVL-I and –II would have fifteen C-terminal residues cleaved, and this was confirmed experimentally by Edman degradation sequencing of BVL-I. Furthermore, the C-terminal analyses predicted that only BVL-II underwent α-helical folding in this region, similar to that seen in SBA and DBL. Conversely, BVL-I and -II contained four conserved regions of a GS-I association, providing evidence of a previously undescribed X4+unusual oligomerisation between the truncated BVL-I and the intact BVL-II. This is the first report on the structural analysis of lectins from Bauhinia spp. and therefore is important for the characterisation C-terminal cleavage and patterns of quaternary association of single chain lectins. PMID:24260572

Structure predictions of two Bauhinia variegata lectins reveal patterns of C-terminal properties in single chain legume lectins.

PubMed

Moreira, Gustavo M S G; Conceição, Fabricio R; McBride, Alan J A; Pinto, Luciano da S

2013-01-01

Bauhinia variegata lectins (BVL-I and BVL-II) are single chain lectins isolated from the plant Bauhinia variegata. Single chain lectins undergo post-translational processing on its N-terminal and C-terminal regions, which determines their physiological targeting, carbohydrate binding activity and pattern of quaternary association. These two lectins are isoforms, BVL-I being highly glycosylated, and thus far, it has not been possible to determine their structures. The present study used prediction and validation algorithms to elucidate the likely structures of BVL-I and -II. The program Bhageerath-H was chosen from among three different structure prediction programs due to its better overall reliability. In order to predict the C-terminal region cleavage sites, other lectins known to have this modification were analysed and three rules were created: (1) the first amino acid of the excised peptide is small or hydrophobic; (2) the cleavage occurs after an acid, polar, or hydrophobic residue, but not after a basic one; and (3) the cleavage spot is located 5-8 residues after a conserved Leu amino acid. These rules predicted that BVL-I and -II would have fifteen C-terminal residues cleaved, and this was confirmed experimentally by Edman degradation sequencing of BVL-I. Furthermore, the C-terminal analyses predicted that only BVL-II underwent α-helical folding in this region, similar to that seen in SBA and DBL. Conversely, BVL-I and -II contained four conserved regions of a GS-I association, providing evidence of a previously undescribed X4+unusual oligomerisation between the truncated BVL-I and the intact BVL-II. This is the first report on the structural analysis of lectins from Bauhinia spp. and therefore is important for the characterisation C-terminal cleavage and patterns of quaternary association of single chain lectins.

Viability and infectivity of Ichthyophonus sp. in post-mortem Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kocan, Richard M.; Hart, Lucas M.; Lewandowski, Naomi; Hershberger, Paul

2014-01-01

Ichthyophonus-infected Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii, were allowed to decompose in ambient seawater then serially sampled for 29 days to evaluate parasite viability and infectivity for Pacific staghorn sculpin, Leptocottus armatus. Ichthyophonus sp. was viable in decomposing herring tissues for at least 29 days post-mortem and could be transmitted via ingestion to sculpin for up to 5 days. The parasite underwent morphologic changes during the first 48 hr following death of the host that were similar to those previously reported, but as host tissue decomposition progressed, several previously un-described forms of the parasite were observed. The significance of long-term survival and continued morphologic transformation in the post-mortem host is unknown, but it could represent a saprozoic phase of the parasite life cycle that has survival value for Ichthyophonus sp.

Transcriptome analysis of the planarian eye identifies ovo as a specific regulator of eye regeneration

PubMed Central

Lapan, Sylvain W.; Reddien, Peter W.

2013-01-01

Summary Among the millions of invertebrate species with visual systems, the genetic basis of eye development and function is well understood only in Drosophila melanogaster. We describe an eye transcriptome for the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. Planarian photoreceptors expressed orthologs of genes required for phototransduction and microvillus structure in Drosophila and vertebrates, and optic pigment cells expressed solute transporters and melanin synthesis enzymes similar to those active in the vertebrate retinal pigment epithelium. Orthologs of several planarian eye genes, such as bestrophin-1 and Usher syndrome genes, cause eye defects in mammals when perturbed and were not previously described to have roles in invertebrate eyes. Five previously undescribed planarian eye transcription factors were required for normal eye formation during head regeneration. In particular, a conserved, transcription factor-encoding ovo gene was expressed from the earliest stages of eye regeneration and was required for regeneration of all cell types of the eye. PMID:22884275

Unusual Microtopography on an Apollo 12 Soil Grain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Keprta, N. T.; Clemett, S. J.; Berger, E. L.; Rahman, Z.; McKay, D. S.; Gibson, E. K.; Wentworth, S. J.

2014-01-01

We have observed the presence of a previously undescribed microtopography in several regions on the surface of a lunar grain from Apollo regolith sample 12070,29. This microtopography consists of flattened triangular prisms, henceforth referred to as denticles, set in an orderly arrangement. We propose three possible processes to describe the presence of these structures: (1) radiation; (2) aqueous activity; or (3) impact. Radiation—the surface of the Earth’s moon is subject to energetic ion and photon irradiation which can produce a multitude of morphological effects on grain surfaces including erosion/sputtering, vesicle formation, and amorphization of crystalline phases. Under certain conditions surface erosion can result in the formation of well-ordered nanostructures including mounds, dots, wave-shaped, rippled or corrugated features typically <10s nm in size and organized into pattered arrays. However larger pyramid-shaped features up to approx. 300 nm at the base, similar in shape to lunar denticles, were produced on Cu substrates ex-posed to ion beam sputtering.. Aqueous alteration—recent reports of purported water on the Moon imply the possibility of brief, limited exposure of surface materials to aqueous fluids. Aqueous corrosion of silicates can result in the formation of crystallographically controlled denticulated features, up to 10s of micron at the base, arranged in a patterned formation. Impact—the surface of the moon is impacted by meteorites, particularly by micron-size particles, resulting in the formation of a variety of crater types. While it is difficult to envision a scenario in which a patterned array could be formed by impact, fracturing along planes of crystallographic structural weakness due to external stress could explain these features.

Characterization of Mus musculus Papillomavirus 1 Infection In Situ Reveals an Unusual Pattern of Late Gene Expression and Capsid Protein Localization

PubMed Central

Handisurya, Alessandra; Day, Patricia M.; Thompson, Cynthia D.; Buck, Christopher B.; Pang, Yuk-Ying S.; Lowy, Douglas R.

2013-01-01

Full-length genomic DNA of the recently identified laboratory mouse papillomavirus 1 (MusPV1) was synthesized in vitro and was used to establish and characterize a mouse model of papillomavirus pathobiology. MusPV1 DNA, whether naked or encapsidated by MusPV1 or human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) capsids, efficiently induced the outgrowth of papillomas as early as 3 weeks after application to abraded skin on the muzzles and tails of athymic NCr nude mice. High concentrations of virions were extracted from homogenized papillomatous tissues and were serially passaged for >10 generations. Neutralization by L1 antisera confirmed that infectious transmission was capsid mediated. Unexpectedly, the skin of the murine back was much less susceptible to virion-induced papillomas than the muzzle or tail. Although reporter pseudovirions readily transduced the skin of the back, infection with native MusPV1 resulted in less viral genome amplification and gene expression on the back, including reduced expression of the L1 protein and very low expression of the L2 protein, results that imply skin region-specific control of postentry aspects of the viral life cycle. Unexpectedly, L1 protein on the back was predominantly cytoplasmic, while on the tail the abundant L1 was cytoplasmic in the lower epithelial layers and nuclear in the upper layers. Nuclear localization of L1 occurred only in cells that coexpressed the minor capsid protein, L2. The pattern of L1 protein staining in the infected epithelium suggests that L1 expression occurs earlier in the MusPV1 life cycle than in the life cycle of high-risk HPV and that virion assembly is regulated by a previously undescribed mechanism. PMID:24067981

Requirement for CD4 T Cell Help in Generating Functional CD8 T Cell Memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shedlock, Devon J.; Shen, Hao

2003-04-01

Although primary CD8 responses to acute infections are independent of CD4 help, it is unknown whether a similar situation applies to secondary responses. We show that depletion of CD4 cells during the recall response has minimal effect, whereas depletion during the priming phase leads to reduced responses by memory CD8 cells to reinfection. Memory CD8 cells generated in CD4+/+ mice responded normally when transferred into CD4-/- hosts, whereas memory CD8 cells generated in CD4-/- mice mounted defective recall responses in CD4+/+ adoptive hosts. These results demonstrate a previously undescribed role for CD4 help in the development of functional CD8 memory.

Horner syndrome in glandular fever: a case report.

PubMed

West, E V; Sheerin, F; Bates, J E H M

2016-02-01

This study aimed to present and discuss the case of a patient with known glandular fever who presented with Horner syndrome. A 35-year-old patient with known glandular fever developed acute unilateral Horner syndrome, a previously undescribed complication of this common illness. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography showed that enlarged intra-carotid sheath lymphoid tissue was likely to be the underlying cause of sympathetic nerve disruption. The case is described, the anatomy of the sympathetic chain is discussed and possible alternative pathophysiological mechanisms are reviewed. This is the first report in the worldwide literature of Horner syndrome arising as a result of compression from enlarged lymph nodes in glandular fever.

Engineering and Application of Zinc Finger Proteins and TALEs for Biomedical Research.

PubMed

Kim, Moon-Soo; Kini, Anu Ganesh

2017-08-01

Engineered DNA-binding domains provide a powerful technology for numerous biomedical studies due to their ability to recognize specific DNA sequences. Zinc fingers (ZF) are one of the most common DNA-binding domains and have been extensively studied for a variety of applications, such as gene regulation, genome engineering and diagnostics. Another novel DNA-binding domain known as a transcriptional activator-like effector (TALE) has been more recently discovered, which has a previously undescribed DNA-binding mode. Due to their modular architecture and flexibility, TALEs have been rapidly developed into artificial gene targeting reagents. Here, we describe the methods used to design these DNA-binding proteins and their key applications in biomedical research.

Purification and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from the Caribbean frog, Leptodactylus validus (Anura: Leptodactylidae).

PubMed

King, Jay D; Leprince, Jérôme; Vaudry, Hubert; Coquet, Laurent; Jouenne, Thierry; Conlon, J Michael

2008-08-01

Peptidomic analysis of norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions from the Caribbean frog Leptodactylus validus Garman, 1888 led to the identification of three peptides with previously undescribed sequences that were structurally similar to those of antimicrobial peptides isolated from other species of leptodactylid frogs. These paralogs have been termed ocellatin-V1 (GVVDILKGAGKDLLAHALSKLSEKV.NH(2)), ocellatin-V2 (GVLDILKGAGKDLLAHALSKISEKV.NH(2)), and ocellatin-V3 (GVLDILTGAGKDLLAHALSKLSEKV.NH(2)). The very low antimicrobial potency (MIC>200microM) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus associated with the peptides is probably a consequence of their lack of amphipathicity and reduced cationicity compared with active members of the ocellatin family from related species.

Viruses in Antarctic lakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kepner, R. L. Jr; Wharton, R. A. Jr; Suttle, C. A.; Wharton RA, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Water samples collected from four perennially ice-covered Antarctic lakes during the austral summer of 1996-1997 contained high densities of extracellular viruses. Many of these viruses were found to be morphologically similar to double-stranded DNA viruses that are known to infect algae and protozoa. These constitute the first observations of viruses in perennially ice-covered polar lakes. The abundance of planktonic viruses and data suggesting substantial production potential (relative to bacteria] secondary and photosynthetic primary production) indicate that viral lysis may be a major factor in the regulation of microbial populations in these extreme environments. Furthermore, we suggest that Antarctic lakes may be a reservoir of previously undescribed viruses that possess novel biological and biochemical characteristics.

Magnetic superlattices and their nanoscale phase transition effects

PubMed Central

Cheon, Jinwoo; Park, Jong-Il; Choi, Jin-sil; Jun, Young-wook; Kim, Sehun; Kim, Min Gyu; Kim, Young-Min; Kim, Youn Joong

2006-01-01

The systematic assembly of nanoscale constituents into highly ordered superlattices is of significant interest because of the potential of their multifunctionalities and the discovery of new collective properties. However, successful observations of such superlattice-associated nanoscale phenomena are still elusive. Here, we present magnetic superlattices of Co and Fe3O4 nanoparticles with multidimensional symmetry of either AB (NaCl) or AB2 (AlB2). The discovery of significant enhancement (≈25 times) of ferrimagnetism is further revealed by forming previously undescribed superlattices of magnetically soft–hard Fe3O4@CoFe2O4 through the confined geometrical effect of thermally driven intrasuperlattice phase transition between the nanoparticulate components. PMID:16492783

Critically endangered blonde capuchins fish for termites and use new techniques to accomplish the task

PubMed Central

Souto, Antonio; Bione, Camila B. C.; Bastos, Monique; Bezerra, Bruna M.; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Schiel, Nicola

2011-01-01

We report the spontaneous modification and use of sticks to fish for termites, above the ground, in wild blonde capuchins (Cebus flavius). These critically endangered Neotropical primates inhabit remnants of the Atlantic Forest. They used two previously undescribed techniques to enhance their termite capture success: nest tapping and stick rotation. The current ecologically based explanation for tool use in wild capuchins (i.e. terrestrial habits and bipedalism) must be viewed cautiously. Instead, remarkable manual skills linked to a varied diet seem important in promoting tool use in different contexts. The repertoire of tool-using techniques employed by wild capuchins has been expanded, highlighting the behavioural versatility in this genus. PMID:21389018

A new species of Dystacta Saussure, 1871 from Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda (Insecta, Mantodea, Dystactinae)

PubMed Central

Tedrow, Riley; Nathan, Kabanguka; Richard, Nasasira; Svenson, Gavin J

2014-01-01

Abstract A recent targeted entomological survey in the Republic of Rwanda has produced two conspecific male and female specimens of an undescribed species of praying mantis (Mantodea). The specimens were collected in Nyungwe National Park in May of 2013. The species is closest morphologically to Dystacta alticeps (Schaum, 1853). Therefore, a new species is described, Dystacta tigrifrutex sp. n., along with the first instar nymphs and ootheca. In addition, the previously monotypic genus Dystacta Saussure, 1871 is re-described to provide a broader definition of the genus group. Habitus images, measurement data, a key to species, natural history information, and locality data are provided. PMID:24899847

Dispatch from the field II: the mystery of the red and blue Opadometa male (Araneae, Tetragnathidae, Opadometa sarawakensis)

PubMed Central

Freund, Christian; Rambonnet, Liselotte; Koets, Lianne; Barth, Nadine; van der Linden, Corné; Geml, József; Schilthuizen, Menno; Burger, Richard; Goossens, Benoit

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Males of Opadometa are difficult to associate with conspecific females, and sex-matching errors may persist in the taxonomic literature. Recommended best practices for definitive sex matching in this genus suggest finding a male in the web of a female, or better yet, mating pairs. New information A male Opadometa was observed hanging on a frame line of the web of a female Opadometa sarawakensis, a species for which the male was previously undescribed. This occurred during a tropical ecology field course held at the Danau Girang Field Centre in Sabah, Malaysia. A taxonomic description was completed as a course activity. PMID:29674940

Characters and phylogenetic relationships of nectar-feeding bats, with descriptions of new Lonchophylla from western South America (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Lonchophyllini)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodman, N.; Timm, R.M.

2006-01-01

The Neotropical Lonchophyllini (Chiropter: Phyllostomidae) currently comprise four genera and thirteen species of nectar-feeding bats. These species often are separated into larger-bodied (eight species) and smaller-bodied (five species) forms to aid in identification. Our morphological and morphometrical analyses of the smaller Lonchophyllini revealed the existence of two distinctive, previously undescribed species of bats of the genus Lonchophylla from western South America. We describe a new form from Amazonian Peru as Lonchophylla pattoni and one from western Colombia as Lonchophylla cadenai. Phyllogenetic analysis of the Lonchophyllini based primarily on morphological characters indicates that these two new species are closely related to Lonchophylla thomasi.

First full-length genome sequence of the polerovirus luffa aphid-borne yellows virus (LABYV) reveals the presence of at least two consensus sequences in an isolate from Thailand.

PubMed

Knierim, Dennis; Maiss, Edgar; Kenyon, Lawrence; Winter, Stephan; Menzel, Wulf

2015-10-01

Luffa aphid-borne yellows virus (LABYV) was proposed as the name for a previously undescribed polerovirus based on partial genome sequences obtained from samples of cucurbit plants collected in Thailand between 2008 and 2013. In this study, we determined the first full-length genome sequence of LABYV. Based on phylogenetic analysis and genome properties, it is clear that this virus represents a distinct species in the genus Polerovirus. Analysis of sequences from sample TH24, which was collected in 2010 from a luffa plant in Thailand, reveals the presence of two different full-length genome consensus sequences.

A previously undescribed autosomal recessive multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation (MCA/MR) syndrome with fronto-nasal dysostosis, cleft lip/palate, limb hypoplasia, and postaxial poly-syndactyly: acro-fronto-facio-nasal dysostosis syndrome.

PubMed

Richieri-Costa, A; Colletto, G M; Gollop, T R; Masiero, D

1985-04-01

We describe two sibs born to a consanguineous couple. Among other clinical findings both have mental retardation, short stature, facial and skeletal abnormalities characterized by hypertelorism, broad notched nasal tip, cleft lip/palate, campto-brachy-poly-syndactyly, fibular hypoplasia, and marked anomalies of foot structures. Facial signs of the reported patients resemble those present in the fronto-nasal "dysplasia" syndrome; however, the whole clinical picture in the present patients suggests a true MCA/MR syndrome, most likely inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Clinical and genetic aspects of the present family are discussed.

Colonization of maritime glacier ice by bdelloid Rotifera.

PubMed

Shain, Daniel H; Halldórsdóttir, Katrín; Pálsson, Finnur; Aðalgeirsdóttir, Guðfinna; Gunnarsson, Andri; Jónsson, Þorsteinn; Lang, Shirley A; Pálsson, Hlynur Skagfjörð; Steinþórssson, Sveinbjörn; Arnason, Einar

2016-05-01

Very few animal taxa are known to reside permanently in glacier ice/snow. Here we report the widespread colonization of Icelandic glaciers and ice fields by species of bdelloid Rotifera. Specimens were collected within the accumulation zones of Langjökull and Vatnajökull ice caps, among the largest European ice masses. Rotifers reached densities up to ∼100 individuals per liter-equivalent of glacier ice/snow, and were freeze-tolerant. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that glacier rotifers are polyphyletic, with independent ancestries occurring within the Pleistocene. Collectively, these data identify a previously undescribed environmental niche for bdelloid rotifers and suggest their presence in comparable habitats worldwide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of admiration and compassion

PubMed Central

Immordino-Yang, Mary Helen; McColl, Andrea; Damasio, Hanna; Damasio, Antonio

2009-01-01

In an fMRI experiment, participants were exposed to narratives based on true stories designed to evoke admiration and compassion in 4 distinct categories: admiration for virtue (AV), admiration for skill (AS), compassion for social/psychological pain (CSP), and compassion for physical pain (CPP). The goal was to test hypotheses about recruitment of homeostatic, somatosensory, and consciousness-related neural systems during the processing of pain-related (compassion) and non-pain-related (admiration) social emotions along 2 dimensions: emotions about other peoples' social/psychological conditions (AV, CSP) and emotions about others' physical conditions (AS, CPP). Consistent with theoretical accounts, the experience of all 4 emotions engaged brain regions involved in interoceptive representation and homeostatic regulation, including anterior insula, anterior cingulate, hypothalamus, and mesencephalon. However, the study also revealed a previously undescribed pattern within the posteromedial cortices (the ensemble of precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, and retrosplenial region), an intriguing territory currently known for its involvement in the default mode of brain operation and in self-related/consciousness processes: emotions pertaining to social/psychological and physical situations engaged different networks aligned, respectively, with interoceptive and exteroceptive neural systems. Finally, within the anterior insula, activity correlated with AV and CSP peaked later and was more sustained than that associated with CPP. Our findings contribute insights on the functions of the posteromedial cortices and on the recruitment of the anterior insula in social emotions concerned with physical versus psychological pain. PMID:19414310

Genomic complexity and dynamics of clonal evolution in childhood acute myeloid leukemia studied with whole-exome sequencing.

PubMed

Masetti, Riccardo; Castelli, Ilaria; Astolfi, Annalisa; Bertuccio, Salvatore Nicola; Indio, Valentina; Togni, Marco; Belotti, Tamara; Serravalle, Salvatore; Tarantino, Giuseppe; Zecca, Marco; Pigazzi, Martina; Basso, Giuseppe; Pession, Andrea; Locatelli, Franco

2016-08-30

Despite significant improvement in treatment of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 30% of patients experience disease recurrence, which is still the major cause of treatment failure and death in these patients. To investigate molecular mechanisms underlying relapse, we performed whole-exome sequencing of diagnosis-relapse pairs and matched remission samples from 4 pediatric AML patients without recurrent cytogenetic alterations. Candidate driver mutations were selected for targeted deep sequencing at high coverage, suitable to detect small subclones (0.12%). BiCEBPα mutation was found to be stable and highly penetrant, representing a separate biological and clinical entity, unlike WT1 mutations, which were extremely unstable. Among the mutational patterns underlying relapse, we detected the acquisition of proliferative advantage by signaling activation (PTPN11 and FLT3-TKD mutations) and the increased resistance to apoptosis (hyperactivation of TYK2). We also found a previously undescribed feature of AML, consisting of a hypermutator phenotype caused by SETD2 inactivation. The consequent accumulation of new mutations promotes the adaptability of the leukemia, contributing to clonal selection. We report a novel ASXL3 mutation characterizing a very small subclone (<1%) present at diagnosis and undergoing expansion (60%) at relapse. Taken together, these findings provide molecular clues for designing optimal therapeutic strategies, in terms of target selection, adequate schedule design and reliable response-monitoring techniques.

Eye, nose, hair, and throat: external anatomy of the head of a neonate gray whale (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Eschrichtiidae).

PubMed

Berta, Annalisa; Ekdale, Eric G; Zellmer, Nicholas T; Deméré, Thomas A; Kienle, Sarah S; Smallcomb, Meghan

2015-04-01

Information is scarce on gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) anatomy and that of mysticetes in general. Dissection of the head of a neonatal gray whale revealed novel anatomical details of the eye, blowhole, incisive papilla with associated nasopalatine ducts, sensory hairs, and throat grooves. Compared to a similar sized right whale calf, the gray whale eyeball is nearly twice as long. The nasal cartilages of the gray whale, located between the blowholes, differ from the bowhead in having accessory cartilages. A small, fleshy incisive papilla bordered by two blind nasopalatine pits near the palate's rostral tip, previously undescribed in gray whales, may be associated with the vomeronasal organ, although histological evidence is needed for definitive identification. Less well known among mysticetes are the numerous elongated, stiff sensory hairs (vibrissae) observed on the gray whale rostrum from the ventral tip to the blowhole and on the mandible. These hairs are concentrated on the chin, and those on the lower jaw are arranged in a V-shaped pattern. We confirm the presence of two primary, anteriorly converging throat grooves, confined to the throat region similar to those of ziphiid and physeteroid odontocetes. A third, shorter groove occurs lateral to the left primary groove. The throat grooves in the gray whale have been implicated in gular expansion during suction feeding. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chlamydia trachomatis serotype A infections in the Amazon region of Brazil: prevalence, entry and dissemination.

PubMed

Ishak, Marluísa de Oliveira Guimarães; Costa, Maurimélia Mesquita; Almeida, Núbia Caroline Costa de; Santiago, Angélica Menezes; Brito, William Botelho de; Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário; Azevedo, Vânia Nakauth; Ishak, Ricardo

2015-01-01

Chlamydia infection is associated with debilitating human diseases including trachoma, pneumonia, coronary heart disease and urogenital diseases. Serotypes of C. trachomatis show a fair correlation with the group of diseases they cause, and their distribution follows a well-described geographic pattern. Serotype A, a trachoma-associated strain, is known for its limited dissemination in the Middle East and Northern Africa. However, knowledge on the spread of bacteria from the genus Chlamydia as well as the distribution of serotypes in Brazil is quite limited. Blood samples of 1,710 individuals from ten human population groups in the Amazon region of Brazil were examined for antibodies to Chlamydia using indirect immunofluorescence and microimmunofluorescence assays. The prevalence of antibodies to Chlamydia ranged from 23.9% (Wayana-Apalai) to 90.7% (Awa-Guaja) with a mean prevalence of 50.2%. Seroreactivity was detected to C. pneumoniae and to all serotypes of C. trachomatis tested; furthermore, we report clear evidence of the as-yet-undescribed occurrence of serotype A of C. trachomatis. Specific seroreactivity not only accounts for the large extent of dissemination of C. trachomatis in the Amazon region of Brazil but also shows an expanded area of occurrence of serotype A outside the epidemiological settings previously described. Furthermore, these data suggest possible routes of Chlamydia introduction into the Amazon region from the massive human migration that occurred during the 1,700s.

Neural correlates of admiration and compassion.

PubMed

Immordino-Yang, Mary Helen; McColl, Andrea; Damasio, Hanna; Damasio, Antonio

2009-05-12

In an fMRI experiment, participants were exposed to narratives based on true stories designed to evoke admiration and compassion in 4 distinct categories: admiration for virtue (AV), admiration for skill (AS), compassion for social/psychological pain (CSP), and compassion for physical pain (CPP). The goal was to test hypotheses about recruitment of homeostatic, somatosensory, and consciousness-related neural systems during the processing of pain-related (compassion) and non-pain-related (admiration) social emotions along 2 dimensions: emotions about other peoples' social/psychological conditions (AV, CSP) and emotions about others' physical conditions (AS, CPP). Consistent with theoretical accounts, the experience of all 4 emotions engaged brain regions involved in interoceptive representation and homeostatic regulation, including anterior insula, anterior cingulate, hypothalamus, and mesencephalon. However, the study also revealed a previously undescribed pattern within the posteromedial cortices (the ensemble of precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, and retrosplenial region), an intriguing territory currently known for its involvement in the default mode of brain operation and in self-related/consciousness processes: emotions pertaining to social/psychological and physical situations engaged different networks aligned, respectively, with interoceptive and exteroceptive neural systems. Finally, within the anterior insula, activity correlated with AV and CSP peaked later and was more sustained than that associated with CPP. Our findings contribute insights on the functions of the posteromedial cortices and on the recruitment of the anterior insula in social emotions concerned with physical versus psychological pain.

Comparative developmental analysis of Drosophila and Tribolium reveals conserved and diverged roles of abrupt in insect wing evolution.

PubMed

Ravisankar, Padmapriyadarshini; Lai, Yi-Ting; Sambrani, Nagraj; Tomoyasu, Yoshinori

2016-01-15

Morphological innovation is a fundamental process in evolution, yet its molecular basis is still elusive. Acquisition of elytra, highly modified beetle forewings, is an important innovation that has driven the successful radiation of beetles. Our RNAi screening for candidate genes has identified abrupt (ab) as a potential key player in elytron evolution. In this study, we performed a series of RNA interference (RNAi) experiments in both Tribolium and Drosophila to understand the contributions of ab to the evolution of beetle elytra. We found that (i) ab is essential for proper wing vein patterning both in Tribolium and Drosophila, (ii) ab has gained a novel function in determining the unique elytron shape in the beetle lineage, (iii) unlike Hippo and Insulin, other shape determining pathways, the shape determining function of ab is specific to the elytron and not required in the hindwing, (iv) ab has a previously undescribed role in the Notch signal-associated wing formation processes, which appears to be conserved between beetles and flies. These data suggest that ab has gained a new function during elytron evolution in beetles without compromising the conserved wing-related functions. Gaining a new function without losing evolutionarily conserved functions may be a key theme in the evolution of morphologically novel structures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrophysiological Mapping of Novel Prefrontal – Cerebellar Pathways

PubMed Central

Watson, Thomas C.; Jones, Matthew W.; Apps, Richard

2009-01-01

Whilst the cerebellum is predominantly considered a sensorimotor control structure, accumulating evidence suggests that it may also subserve non-motor functions during cognition. However, this possibility is not universally accepted, not least because the nature and pattern of links between higher cortical structures and the cerebellum are poorly characterized. We have therefore used in vivo electrophysiological methods in anaesthetized rats to directly investigate connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (prelimbic subdivision, PrL) and the cerebellum. Stimulation of deep layers of PrL evoked distinct field potentials in the cerebellar cortex with a mean latency to peak of approximately 35 ms. These responses showed a well-defined topography, and were maximal in lobule VII of the contralateral vermis (a known oculomotor centre); they were not attenuated by local anaesthesia of the overlying M2 motor cortex, though M2 stimulation did evoke field potentials in lobule VII with a shorter latency (approximately 30 ms). Single unit recordings showed that prelimbic cortical stimulation elicits complex spikes in lobule VII Purkinje cells, indicating transmission via a previously undescribed cerebro-olivocerebellar pathway. Our results therefore establish a physiological basis for communication between PrL and the cerebellum. The role(s) of this pathway remain to be resolved, but presumably relate to control of eye movements and/or distributed networks associated with integrated prefrontal cortical functions. PMID:19738932

Mutational characterization of the P3H1/CRTAP/CypB complex in recessive osteogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Barbirato, C; Trancozo, M; Almeida, M G; Almeida, L S; Santos, T O; Duarte, J C G; Rebouças, M R G O; Sipolatti, V; Nunes, V R R; Paula, F

2015-12-03

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disease characterized by bone deformities and fractures. Most cases are caused by autosomal dominant mutations in the type I collagen genes COL1A1 and COL1A2; however, an increasing number of recessive mutations in other genes have been reported. The LEPRE1, CRTAP, and PPIB genes encode proteins that form the P3H1/CRTAP/CypB complex, which is responsible for posttranslational modifications of type I collagen. In general, mutations in these genes lead to severe and lethal phenotypes of recessive OI. Here, we describe sixteen genetic variations detected in LEPRE1, CRTAP, and PPIB from 25 Brazilian patients with OI. Samples were screened for mutations on single-strand conformation polymorphism gels and variants were determined by automated sequencing. Seven variants were detected in patients but were absent in control samples. LEPRE1 contained the highest number of variants, including the previously described West African allele (c.1080+1G>T) found in one patient with severe OI as well as a previously undescribed p.Trp675Leu change that is predicted to be disease causing. In CRTAP, one patient carried the c.558A>G homozygous mutation, predicted as disease causing through alteration of a splice site. Genetic variations detected in the PPIB gene are probably not pathogenic due to their localization or because of their synonymous effect. This study enhances our knowledge about the mutational pattern of the LEPRE1, CRTAP, and PPIB genes. In addition, the results strengthen the proposition that LEPRE1 should be the first gene analyzed in mutation detection studies in patients with recessive OI.

The Slugs of Britain and Ireland: Undetected and Undescribed Species Increase a Well-Studied, Economically Important Fauna by More Than 20%

PubMed Central

Rowson, Ben; Anderson, Roy; Turner, James A.; Symondson, William O. C.

2014-01-01

The slugs of Britain and Ireland form a well-studied fauna of economic importance. They include many widespread European species that are introduced elsewhere (at least half of the 36 currently recorded British species are established in North America, for example). To test the contention that the British and Irish fauna consists of 36 species, and to verify the identity of each, a species delimitation study was conducted based on a geographically wide survey. Comparisons between mitochondrial DNA (COI, 16S), nuclear DNA (ITS-1) and morphology were investigated with reference to interspecific hybridisation. Species delimitation of the fauna produced a primary species hypothesis of 47 putative species. This was refined to a secondary species hypothesis of 44 species by integration with morphological and other data. Thirty six of these correspond to the known fauna (two species in Arion subgenus Carinarion were scarcely distinct and Arion (Mesarion) subfuscus consisted of two near-cryptic species). However, by the same criteria a further eight previously undetected species (22% of the fauna) are established in Britain and/or Ireland. Although overlooked, none are strictly morphologically cryptic, and some appear previously undescribed. Most of the additional species are probably accidentally introduced, and several are already widespread in Britain and Ireland (and thus perhaps elsewhere). At least three may be plant pests. Some evidence was found for interspecific hybridisation among the large Arion species (although not involving A. flagellus) and more unexpectedly in species pairs in Deroceras (Agriolimacidae) and Limacus (Limacidae). In the latter groups, introgression appears to have occurred in one direction only, with recently-invading lineages becoming common at the expense of long-established or native ones. The results show how even a well-studied, macroscopic fauna can be vulnerable to cryptic and undetected invasions and changes. PMID:24740519

Marine Biodiversity in Japanese Waters

PubMed Central

Fujikura, Katsunori; Lindsay, Dhugal; Kitazato, Hiroshi; Nishida, Shuhei; Shirayama, Yoshihisa

2010-01-01

To understand marine biodiversity in Japanese waters, we have compiled information on the marine biota in Japanese waters, including the number of described species (species richness), the history of marine biology research in Japan, the state of knowledge, the number of endemic species, the number of identified but undescribed species, the number of known introduced species, and the number of taxonomic experts and identification guides, with consideration of the general ocean environmental background, such as the physical and geological settings. A total of 33,629 species have been reported to occur in Japanese waters. The state of knowledge was extremely variable, with taxa containing many inconspicuous, smaller species tending to be less well known. The total number of identified but undescribed species was at least 121,913. The total number of described species combined with the number of identified but undescribed species reached 155,542. This is the best estimate of the total number of species in Japanese waters and indicates that more than 70% of Japan's marine biodiversity remains un-described. The number of species reported as introduced into Japanese waters was 39. This is the first attempt to estimate species richness for all marine species in Japanese waters. Although its marine biota can be considered relatively well known, at least within the Asian-Pacific region, considering the vast number of different marine environments such as coral reefs, ocean trenches, ice-bound waters, methane seeps, and hydrothermal vents, much work remains to be done. We expect global change to have a tremendous impact on marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Japan is in a particularly suitable geographic situation and has a lot of facilities for conducting marine science research. Japan has an important responsibility to contribute to our understanding of life in the oceans. PMID:20689840

Anti-proliferative ambuic acid derivatives from Hawaiian endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis sp. FT172.

PubMed

Li, Chun-Shun; Yang, Bao-Jun; Turkson, James; Cao, Shugeng

2017-08-01

Five previously undescribed ambuic acid derivatives, pestallic acids A-E and three known analogs were isolated from the cultured broth of Pestalotiopsis sp. FT172. The structures of the pestallic acids A-E were determined through the analysis of HRMS and NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations (ACs) of pestallic acids B-E were assigned by comparison of the experimental electric circular dichroism (ECD) spectra or the optical rotations with those in the literature. All compounds were tested against A2780 and cisplatin resistant A2780 (A2780CisR) cell lines. Pestallic acid E and (+)-ambuic acid showed potent activities with IC 50 values from 3.3 to 17.0 μM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and functional characterization of a novel bipartite nuclear localization sequence in ARID1A.

PubMed

Bateman, Nicholas W; Shoji, Yutaka; Conrads, Kelly A; Stroop, Kevin D; Hamilton, Chad A; Darcy, Kathleen M; Maxwell, George L; Risinger, John I; Conrads, Thomas P

2016-01-01

AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 1A (ARID1A) is a recently identified nuclear tumor suppressor frequently altered in solid tumor malignancies. We have identified a bipartite-like nuclear localization sequence (NLS) that contributes to nuclear import of ARID1A not previously described. We functionally confirm activity using GFP constructs fused with wild-type or mutant NLS sequences. We further show that cyto-nuclear localized, bipartite NLS mutant ARID1A exhibits greater stability than nuclear-localized, wild-type ARID1A. Identification of this undescribed functional NLS within ARID1A contributes vital insights to rationalize the impact of ARID1A missense mutations observed in patient tumors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bacteria facilitate prey retention by the pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Bacteria are hypothesized to provide a variety of beneficial functions to plants. Many carnivorous pitcher plants, for example, rely on bacteria for digestion of captured prey. This bacterial community may also be responsible for the low surface tensions commonly observed in pitcher plant digestive fluids, which might facilitate prey capture. I tested this hypothesis by comparing the physical properties of natural pitcher fluid from the pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica and cultured ‘artificial’ pitcher fluids and tested these fluids' prey retention capabilities. I found that cultures of pitcher leaves' bacterial communities had similar physical properties to raw pitcher fluids. These properties facilitated the retention of insects by both fluids and hint at a previously undescribed class of plant–microbe interaction. PMID:27881762

Bacteria facilitate prey retention by the pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica.

PubMed

Armitage, David W

2016-11-01

Bacteria are hypothesized to provide a variety of beneficial functions to plants. Many carnivorous pitcher plants, for example, rely on bacteria for digestion of captured prey. This bacterial community may also be responsible for the low surface tensions commonly observed in pitcher plant digestive fluids, which might facilitate prey capture. I tested this hypothesis by comparing the physical properties of natural pitcher fluid from the pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica and cultured 'artificial' pitcher fluids and tested these fluids' prey retention capabilities. I found that cultures of pitcher leaves' bacterial communities had similar physical properties to raw pitcher fluids. These properties facilitated the retention of insects by both fluids and hint at a previously undescribed class of plant-microbe interaction. © 2016 The Author(s).

Glycosides of naphthohydroquinones and anthraquinones isolated from the aerial parts of Morinda parvifolia Bartl. ex DC (Rubiaceae) increase p53 mRNA expression in A2780 cells.

PubMed

Su, Xianming; Zhang, Jian; Li, Changkang; Li, Fenghua; Wang, Hongqing; Gu, Haifeng; Li, Baoming; Chen, Ruoyun; Kang, Jie

2018-05-11

Eight previously undescribed naphthohydroquinone glycosides, namely morindaparvins H-O, together with four known anthraquinone glycosides were isolated from the n-BuOH extract of the aerial parts of Morinda parvifolia Bartl. ex DC (Rubiaceae). The structures of morindaparvins H-O were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation of quinone glycosides from the plant M. parvifolia. The results showed that all 12 compounds at the concentration of 50 μM significantly increased p53 mRNA expression in A2780 cells compared with the blank control group. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Actinomyces cardiffensis sp. nov. from Human Clinical Sources

PubMed Central

Hall, Val; Collins, Mattew D.; Hutson, Roger; Falsen, Enevold; Duerden, Brian I.

2002-01-01

Eight strains of a previously undescribed catalase-negative Actinomyces-like bacterium were recovered from human clinical specimens. The morphological and biochemical characteristics of the isolates were consistent with their assignment to the genus Actinomyces, but they did not appear to correspond to any recognized species. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed the organisms represent a hitherto unknown species within the genus Actinomyces related to, albeit distinct from, a group of species which includes Actinomyces turicensis and close relatives. Based on biochemical and molecular genetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown isolates from human clinical sources be classified as a new species, Actinomyces cardiffensis sp. nov. The type strain of Actinomyces cardiffensis is CCUG 44997T. PMID:12202588

Single left coronary artery with separate origins of proximal and distal right coronary arteries from left anterior descending and circumflex arteries--a previously undescribed coronary circulation.

PubMed

Kaul, Pankaj; Javangula, Kalyana

2007-04-20

A single left coronary artery with right coronary artery arising from either left main stem (LMS) or left anterior descending artery (LAD) or circumflex artery (Cx) is an extremely rare coronary anomaly. This is the first report of separate origins of proximal and distal RCA from LAD and circumflex arteries respectively in a patient with a single left coronary artery. This 57 year old patient presented with unstable angina and severe stenotic disease of LAD and Cx arteries and underwent urgent successful quadruple coronary artery bypass grafting. The anomalies of right coronary artery in terms of their origin, number and distribution are reviewed.

Chorea-acanthocytosis

PubMed Central

Walker, Susan; Dad, Rubina; Thiruvahindrapuram, Bhooma; Ullah, Muhammed Ikram; Ahmad, Arsalan; Hassan, Muhammad Jawad; Scherer, Stephen W.

2018-01-01

Objective To determine a molecular diagnosis for a large multigenerational family of South Asian ancestry with seizures, hyperactivity, and episodes of tongue biting. Methods Two affected individuals from the family were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq X platform, and rare variants were prioritized for interpretation with respect to the phenotype. Results A previously undescribed, 1-kb homozygous deletion was identified in both individuals sequenced, which spanned 2 exons of the VPS13A gene, and was found to segregate in other family members. Conclusions VPS13A is associated with autosomal recessive chorea-acanthocytosis, a diagnosis consistent with the phenotype observed in this family. Whole-genome sequencing presents a comprehensive and agnostic approach for detecting diagnostic mutations in families with rare neurologic disorders. PMID:29845114

Trichosporon Species Isolated from Guano Samples Obtained from Bat-Inhabited Caves in Japan

PubMed Central

Sugita, Takashi; Kikuchi, Ken; Makimura, Koichi; Urata, Kensaku; Someya, Takashi; Kamei, Katsuhiko; Niimi, Masakazu; Uehara, Yoshimasa

2005-01-01

Yeasts from caves have rarely been examined. We examined yeasts collected from bat guano samples from 20 bat-inhabited limestone and volcanic caves located in 11 prefectures in Japan. Of ∼700 yeast-like colonies, nine Trichosporon species were recovered from 15 caves. Two of these were known species, and the remaining seven are potentially novel species, based on molecular phylogenetic analyses. In addition to Trichosporon species, identifiable strains of eight ascomycetous yeasts and one basidiomycetous yeast were recovered at frequencies of 5 to 35%. Our findings suggest that Trichosporon spp. are the major yeast species in bat guano in Japan and that bat guano is a potentially rich source of previously undescribed yeast species. PMID:16269819

Trichosporon species isolated from guano samples obtained from bat-inhabited caves in Japan.

PubMed

Sugita, Takashi; Kikuchi, Ken; Makimura, Koichi; Urata, Kensaku; Someya, Takashi; Kamei, Katsuhiko; Niimi, Masakazu; Uehara, Yoshimasa

2005-11-01

Yeasts from caves have rarely been examined. We examined yeasts collected from bat guano samples from 20 bat-inhabited limestone and volcanic caves located in 11 prefectures in Japan. Of approximately 700 yeast-like colonies, nine Trichosporon species were recovered from 15 caves. Two of these were known species, and the remaining seven are potentially novel species, based on molecular phylogenetic analyses. In addition to Trichosporon species, identifiable strains of eight ascomycetous yeasts and one basidiomycetous yeast were recovered at frequencies of 5 to 35%. Our findings suggest that Trichosporon spp. are the major yeast species in bat guano in Japan and that bat guano is a potentially rich source of previously undescribed yeast species.

Characterization of Paecilomyces variotii and Talaromyces amestolkiae in Korea Based on the Morphological Characteristics and Multigene Phylogenetic Analyses

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thi Thuong Thuong; Paul, Narayan Chandra

2016-01-01

During fungal diversity surveys of the order Eurotiales in Korea, two fungal strains, EML-DG33-1 and EML-NCP50, were isolated from samples of rat dung and fig tree leaf collected at a garden located in Gwangju in 2014. To complete the National Species List of Korea, it is a prerequisite to verify whether many questionable species, which were previously recorded but not confirmed, indeed present in Korea. Herein, the isolates were confirmed as undescribed species, Paecilomyces variotii and Talaromyces amestolkiae based on the combination of morphological and phylogenetic analyses of multigenes including the rDNA internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, and RNA polymerase II subunit 2. PMID:28154482

Transverse myelitis caused by hepatitis E: previously undescribed in adults

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Pamela; Morgan, Catherine; Ijaz, Samreen

2015-01-01

We report the case of a 62-year-old Caucasian woman who was admitted with urinary retention and lower limb paraesthesia following a week's prodromal illness of headache and malaise. Liver function tests showed a picture of acute hepatocellular dysfunction. She developed reduced lower limb power, brisk reflexes, extensor plantars, a sensory level at T8 and reduced anal sphincter tone, establishing a clinical diagnosis of transverse myelitis. A spinal MRI showed no evidence of cauda equina or spinal cord compression. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed raised protein and raised white cell count. Hepatitis E IgM and IgG were positive and hepatitis E virus was found in her CSF. She was treated with methylprednisolone and is slowly recovering with physiotherapy. PMID:26150621

Bacterial Infection of Fly Ovaries Reduces Egg Production and Induces Local Hemocyte Activation

PubMed Central

Brandt, Stephanie M.; Schneider, David S.

2009-01-01

Summary Morbidity, the state of being diseased, is an important aspect of pathogenesis that has gone relatively unstudied in fruit flies. Our interest is in characterizing how bacterial pathogenesis affects various physiologies of the fly. We chose to examine the fly ovary because we found bacterial infection had a striking effect on fly reproduction. We observed decreased egg laying after bacterial infection that correlated with increased bacterial virulence. We also found that bacteria colonized the ovary in a previously undescribed manner; bacteria were found in the posterior of the ovary, adjacent to the lateral oviduct. This local infection in the ovary resulted in melanization and activation of the cellular immune response at the site of infection. PMID:17400292

New data on Rhyacophila (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae) from West Malaysia and Indonesia (Lombok and Bali) with descriptions of two new species.

PubMed

Ivanov, Vladimir D; Melnitsky, Stanislav I

2013-01-01

A new species, Rhyacophila langkawia sp. n., belonging to the R. curvata Group sensu Schmid (1970) is described. The samples provide also material of the previously undescribed species cited by Schmid (1970) as R. schmidi, a nomen nudum; this species is described as R. schmidirossia sp. n., also in the R. curvata Group. Other sampled species were Rhyacophila curvata Morton, recorded for the first time from Negeri Sembilan (West Malaysia) and Lombok (Indonesia); Rhyacophila stheneboia Malicky & Prommi (Pahang and Negeri Sembilan, West Malaysia), and Rhyacophila anakbatukau Malicky, recorded for the first time from Lombok (Indonesia). Updated lists of the Rhyacophila species found in West Malaysia and Indonesia are provided.

Double Aortic Arch With Previously Undescribed Head and Neck Vessel Branching.

PubMed

Hashemi, Sassan; Parks, W James; Sallee, Denver; Slesnick, Timothy

2017-04-01

Vascular ring in the form of a double aortic arch is a rare anomaly that can cause airway compression. It occasionally occurs with unusual head and neck vessel branching. A 5-year-old boy with chronic respiratory symptoms was referred because of a tracheal indentation on his chest x-ray. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a double aortic arch with arch origins of a common carotid, vertebral, and subclavian on the right and internal and external carotids, vertebral, and subclavian arteries on the left. Our case represents, to our knowledge, the first report of a double aortic arch with 7 separate vessels arising from the transverse arches. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brief communication: predatory bird damage to the Taung type-skull of Australopithecus africanus Dart 1925.

PubMed

Berger, Lee R

2006-10-01

In this issue of the Journal, McGraw et al. ([2006] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 000:00-00) present new data on the taphonomic signature of bone assemblages accumulated by crowned hawk eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus), including characteristic talon damage to the inferior orbits of primates preyed upon by these birds. Reexamination of the Taung juvenile hominin specimen (the type specimen of Australopithecus africanus Dart 1925) reveals previously undescribed damage to the orbital floors that is nearly identical to that seen in the crania of monkeys preyed upon by crowned hawk eagles (as reported by McGraw et al., this issue). This new evidence, along with previously described aspects of the nonhominin bone assemblage from Taung and damage to the neurocranium of the hominin specimen itself, strongly supports the hypothesis that a bird of prey was an accumulating agent at Taung, and that the Taung child itself was the victim of a bird of prey.

A unique H2A histone variant occupies the transcriptional start site of active genes.

PubMed

Soboleva, Tatiana A; Nekrasov, Maxim; Pahwa, Anuj; Williams, Rohan; Huttley, Gavin A; Tremethick, David J

2011-12-04

Transcriptional activation is controlled by chromatin, which needs to be unfolded and remodeled to ensure access to the transcription start site (TSS). However, the mechanisms that yield such an 'open' chromatin structure, and how these processes are coordinately regulated during differentiation, are poorly understood. We identify the mouse (Mus musculus) H2A histone variant H2A.Lap1 as a previously undescribed component of the TSS of active genes expressed during specific stages of spermatogenesis. This unique chromatin landscape also includes a second histone variant, H2A.Z. In the later stages of round spermatid development, H2A.Lap1 dynamically loads onto the inactive X chromosome, enabling the transcriptional activation of previously repressed genes. Mechanistically, we show that H2A.Lap1 imparts unique unfolding properties to chromatin. We therefore propose that H2A.Lap1 coordinately regulates gene expression by directly opening the chromatin structure of the TSS at genes regulated during spermatogenesis.

Whole-genome landscape of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.

PubMed

Scarpa, Aldo; Chang, David K; Nones, Katia; Corbo, Vincenzo; Patch, Ann-Marie; Bailey, Peter; Lawlor, Rita T; Johns, Amber L; Miller, David K; Mafficini, Andrea; Rusev, Borislav; Scardoni, Maria; Antonello, Davide; Barbi, Stefano; Sikora, Katarzyna O; Cingarlini, Sara; Vicentini, Caterina; McKay, Skye; Quinn, Michael C J; Bruxner, Timothy J C; Christ, Angelika N; Harliwong, Ivon; Idrisoglu, Senel; McLean, Suzanne; Nourse, Craig; Nourbakhsh, Ehsan; Wilson, Peter J; Anderson, Matthew J; Fink, J Lynn; Newell, Felicity; Waddell, Nick; Holmes, Oliver; Kazakoff, Stephen H; Leonard, Conrad; Wood, Scott; Xu, Qinying; Nagaraj, Shivashankar Hiriyur; Amato, Eliana; Dalai, Irene; Bersani, Samantha; Cataldo, Ivana; Dei Tos, Angelo P; Capelli, Paola; Davì, Maria Vittoria; Landoni, Luca; Malpaga, Anna; Miotto, Marco; Whitehall, Vicki L J; Leggett, Barbara A; Harris, Janelle L; Harris, Jonathan; Jones, Marc D; Humphris, Jeremy; Chantrill, Lorraine A; Chin, Venessa; Nagrial, Adnan M; Pajic, Marina; Scarlett, Christopher J; Pinho, Andreia; Rooman, Ilse; Toon, Christopher; Wu, Jianmin; Pinese, Mark; Cowley, Mark; Barbour, Andrew; Mawson, Amanda; Humphrey, Emily S; Colvin, Emily K; Chou, Angela; Lovell, Jessica A; Jamieson, Nigel B; Duthie, Fraser; Gingras, Marie-Claude; Fisher, William E; Dagg, Rebecca A; Lau, Loretta M S; Lee, Michael; Pickett, Hilda A; Reddel, Roger R; Samra, Jaswinder S; Kench, James G; Merrett, Neil D; Epari, Krishna; Nguyen, Nam Q; Zeps, Nikolajs; Falconi, Massimo; Simbolo, Michele; Butturini, Giovanni; Van Buren, George; Partelli, Stefano; Fassan, Matteo; Khanna, Kum Kum; Gill, Anthony J; Wheeler, David A; Gibbs, Richard A; Musgrove, Elizabeth A; Bassi, Claudio; Tortora, Giampaolo; Pederzoli, Paolo; Pearson, John V; Waddell, Nicola; Biankin, Andrew V; Grimmond, Sean M

2017-03-02

The diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PanNETs) is increasing owing to more sensitive detection methods, and this increase is creating challenges for clinical management. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 102 primary PanNETs and defined the genomic events that characterize their pathogenesis. Here we describe the mutational signatures they harbour, including a deficiency in G:C > T:A base excision repair due to inactivation of MUTYH, which encodes a DNA glycosylase. Clinically sporadic PanNETs contain a larger-than-expected proportion of germline mutations, including previously unreported mutations in the DNA repair genes MUTYH, CHEK2 and BRCA2. Together with mutations in MEN1 and VHL, these mutations occur in 17% of patients. Somatic mutations, including point mutations and gene fusions, were commonly found in genes involved in four main pathways: chromatin remodelling, DNA damage repair, activation of mTOR signalling (including previously undescribed EWSR1 gene fusions), and telomere maintenance. In addition, our gene expression analyses identified a subgroup of tumours associated with hypoxia and HIF signalling.

A pathway of targeted autophagy is induced by DNA damage in budding yeast

PubMed Central

Eapen, Vinay V.; Waterman, David P.; Bernard, Amélie; Schiffmann, Nathan; Sayas, Enrich; Kamber, Roarke; Lemos, Brenda; Memisoglu, Gonen; Ang, Jessie; Mazella, Allison; Chuartzman, Silvia G.; Loewith, Robbie J.; Schuldiner, Maya; Denic, Vladimir; Klionsky, Daniel J.; Haber, James E.

2017-01-01

Autophagy plays a central role in the DNA damage response (DDR) by controlling the levels of various DNA repair and checkpoint proteins; however, how the DDR communicates with the autophagy pathway remains unknown. Using budding yeast, we demonstrate that global genotoxic damage or even a single unrepaired double-strand break (DSB) initiates a previously undescribed and selective pathway of autophagy that we term genotoxin-induced targeted autophagy (GTA). GTA requires the action primarily of Mec1/ATR and Rad53/CHEK2 checkpoint kinases, in part via transcriptional up-regulation of central autophagy proteins. GTA is distinct from starvation-induced autophagy. GTA requires Atg11, a central component of the selective autophagy machinery, but is different from previously described autophagy pathways. By screening a collection of ∼6,000 yeast mutants, we identified genes that control GTA but do not significantly affect rapamycin-induced autophagy. Overall, our findings establish a pathway of autophagy specific to the DNA damage response. PMID:28154131

A pathway of targeted autophagy is induced by DNA damage in budding yeast.

PubMed

Eapen, Vinay V; Waterman, David P; Bernard, Amélie; Schiffmann, Nathan; Sayas, Enrich; Kamber, Roarke; Lemos, Brenda; Memisoglu, Gonen; Ang, Jessie; Mazella, Allison; Chuartzman, Silvia G; Loewith, Robbie J; Schuldiner, Maya; Denic, Vladimir; Klionsky, Daniel J; Haber, James E

2017-02-14

Autophagy plays a central role in the DNA damage response (DDR) by controlling the levels of various DNA repair and checkpoint proteins; however, how the DDR communicates with the autophagy pathway remains unknown. Using budding yeast, we demonstrate that global genotoxic damage or even a single unrepaired double-strand break (DSB) initiates a previously undescribed and selective pathway of autophagy that we term genotoxin-induced targeted autophagy (GTA). GTA requires the action primarily of Mec1/ATR and Rad53/CHEK2 checkpoint kinases, in part via transcriptional up-regulation of central autophagy proteins. GTA is distinct from starvation-induced autophagy. GTA requires Atg11, a central component of the selective autophagy machinery, but is different from previously described autophagy pathways. By screening a collection of ∼6,000 yeast mutants, we identified genes that control GTA but do not significantly affect rapamycin-induced autophagy. Overall, our findings establish a pathway of autophagy specific to the DNA damage response.

Genome sequence and plasmid transformation of the model high-yield bacterial cellulose producer Gluconacetobacter hansenii ATCC 53582

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florea, Michael; Reeve, Benjamin; Abbott, James; Freemont, Paul S.; Ellis, Tom

2016-03-01

Bacterial cellulose is a strong, highly pure form of cellulose that is used in a range of applications in industry, consumer goods and medicine. Gluconacetobacter hansenii ATCC 53582 is one of the highest reported bacterial cellulose producing strains and has been used as a model organism in numerous studies of bacterial cellulose production and studies aiming to increased cellulose productivity. Here we present a high-quality draft genome sequence for G. hansenii ATCC 53582 and find that in addition to the previously described cellulose synthase operon, ATCC 53582 contains two additional cellulose synthase operons and several previously undescribed genes associated with cellulose production. In parallel, we also develop optimized protocols and identify plasmid backbones suitable for transformation of ATCC 53582, albeit with low efficiencies. Together, these results provide important information for further studies into cellulose synthesis and for future studies aiming to genetically engineer G. hansenii ATCC 53582 for increased cellulose productivity.

Transcriptome analysis of the planarian eye identifies ovo as a specific regulator of eye regeneration.

PubMed

Lapan, Sylvain W; Reddien, Peter W

2012-08-30

Among the millions of invertebrate species with visual systems, the genetic basis of eye development and function is well understood only in Drosophila melanogaster. We describe an eye transcriptome for the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. Planarian photoreceptors expressed orthologs of genes required for phototransduction and microvillus structure in Drosophila and vertebrates, and optic pigment cells expressed solute transporters and melanin synthesis enzymes similar to those active in the vertebrate retinal pigment epithelium. Orthologs of several planarian eye genes, such as bestrophin-1 and Usher syndrome genes, cause eye defects in mammals when perturbed and were not previously described to have roles in invertebrate eyes. Five previously undescribed planarian eye transcription factors were required for normal eye formation during head regeneration. In particular, a conserved, transcription-factor-encoding ovo gene was expressed from the earliest stages of eye regeneration and was required for regeneration of all cell types of the eye. Copyright © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Isolation drives increased diversification rates in freshwater amphipods.

PubMed

Adams, Nicole E; Inoue, Kentaro; Seidel, Richard A; Lang, Brian K; Berg, David J

2018-06-14

Vicariance and dispersal events affect current biodiversity patterns in desert springs. Whether major diversification events are due to environmental changes leading to radiation or due to isolation resulting in relict species is largely unknown. We seek to understand whether the Gammarus pecos species complex underwent major diversification events due to environmental changes in the area leading either to radiation into novel habitats, or formation of relicts due to isolation. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that Gammarus in the northern Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico and Texas, USA are descendants of an ancient marine lineage now containing multiple undescribed species. We sequenced a nuclear (28S) and two mitochondrial (16S, COI) genes from gammarid amphipods representing 16 desert springs in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. We estimated phylogenetic relationships, divergence time, and diversification rates of the Gammarus pecos complex. Our results revealed that the region contained two evolutionarily independent lineages: a younger Freshwater Lineage that shared a most-recent-common-ancestor with an older Saline Lineage ∼66.3 MYA (95.6 - 42.4 MYA). Each spring system generally formed a monophyletic clade based on the concatenated dataset. Freshwater Lineage diversification rates were 2.0 - 9.8 times higher than rates of the Saline Lineage. A series of post-Cretaceous colonizations by ancestral Gammarus taxa was likely followed by isolation. Paleo-geological, hydrological, and climatic events in the Neogene-to-Quaternary periods (23.03 MYA - present) in western North America promoted allopatric speciation of both lineages. We suggest that Saline Lineage populations represent two undescribed Gammarus species, while the Freshwater Lineage shows repetition of fine-scale genetic structure in all major clades suggesting incipient speciation. Such ongoing speciation suggests that this region will continue to be a biodiversity hotspot for amphipods and other freshwater taxa. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A new oomycete species parasitic in nematodes, Chlamydomyzium dictyuchoides sp. nov.: developmental biology and phylogenetic studies.

PubMed

Beakes, Gordon W; Glockling, Sally L; James, Timothy Y

2014-07-01

The genus Chlamydomyzium is a little studied holocarpic oomycete parasite of nematodes of uncertain phylogenetic and taxonomic position. A new holocarpic species, Chlamydomyzium dictyuchoides, is described which has usually refractile cytoplasm and a dictyuchoid pattern of spore release. This new species infects bacteriotrophic rhabditid nematodes and was isolated from diverse geographical locations. Infection was initiated by zoospore encystment on the host surface and direct penetration of the cuticle. A sparsely branched, constricted, refractile thallus was formed which eventually occupied almost the entire host body cavity, often accompanied by complete dissolution of the host cuticle. Walled primary cysts formed throughout the thallus and each cyst released a single zoospore via an individual exit papillum, leaving a characteristic dictyuchoid wall net behind. At later stages of infection some thalli formed thick-walled stellate resting spores in uniseriate rows. Resting spore formation appeared to be parthenogenetic and was not accompanied by the formation of antheridial compartments. These spores had ooplast-like vacuoles and thick multi-layered walls, both of which suggest they were oospores. The maximum likelihood tree of sequences of the small ribosomal subunit (SSU) gene placed this new isolate in a clade before the main saprolegnialean and peronosporalean lines diverge. A second undescribed Chlamydomyzium sp., which has direct spore release forms a paraphyletic clade, close to C. dictyuchoides and Sapromyces. The fine structure of other documented Chlamydomyzium species was compared, including an undescribed (but sequenced) isolate, SL02, from Japan, Chlamydomyzium anomalum and Chlamydomyzium oviparasiticum. Chlamydomyzium as currently constituted is a paraphyletic genus that is part of a group of phylogenetically problematic early diverging clades that lie close to both the Leptomitales and Rhipidiales. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

North American velvet ants form one of the world's largest known Müllerian mimicry complexes.

PubMed

Wilson, Joseph S; Jahner, Joshua P; Forister, Matthew L; Sheehan, Erica S; Williams, Kevin A; Pitts, James P

2015-08-17

Color mimicry is often celebrated as one of the most straightforward examples of evolution by natural selection, as striking morphological similarity between species evolves in response to a shared predation pressure. Recently, a large North American mimetic complex was described that included 65 species of Dasymutilla velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). Beyond those 65 species, little is known about how many species participate in this unique Müllerian complex, though several other arthropods are thought to be involved as Müllerian mimics (spider wasps) and Batesian mimics (beetles, antlions, and spiders; see references in). Müllerian mimicry is similarity in appearance or phenotype among harmful species, while Batesian mimicry is similarity in which not all species are harmful. Here, we investigate the extent of the velvet ant mimicry complex beyond Dasymutilla by examining distributional and color pattern similarities in all of the 21 North American diurnal velvet ant genera, including 302 of the 361 named species (nearly 84%), as well as 16 polymorphic color forms and an additional 33 undescribed species. Of the 351 species and color forms that were analyzed (including undescribed species), 336 exhibit some morphological similarities and we hypothesize that they form eight distinct mimicry rings (Figure 1A; Supplemental Information). Two of these eight mimicry rings, red-headed Timulla and black-headed Timulla, were not documented in earlier assessments of mimicry in velvet ants, and are newly described here. These findings identify one of the largest known Müllerian mimicry systems worldwide and provide a novel system to test hypotheses about aposematism and mimicry, especially those regarding the evolution of imperfect mimicry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two new species of callanthiid fishes of the genus Grammatonotus (Percoidei: Callanthiidae) from Pohnpei, western Pacific.

PubMed

Anderson, William D Jr; Johnson, G David

2017-03-13

In late July/early August 2015, ichthyologists from the Bishop Museum collecting fishes off Pohnpei in the Caroline Islands group, western Pacific Ocean, obtained specimens of two undescribed species of Grammatonotus. One of the new species, G. xanthostigma, closely resembles the recently described G. brianne, differing most strikingly in the shape of the caudal fin. The other, G. pelipel, is distinctive in having the following combination of characters: disjunct lateral line, barred pattern of coloration (most distinctive in small individuals), and caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate in small specimens, but with upper and lower lobes produced in largest example known. Herein we provide characters that distinguish callanthiids from other percoids and that distinguish Grammatonotus from Callanthias, the other genus in the family Callanthiidae, along with descriptions of the new species.

Dressed in black. A New Ansonia Stoliczka, 1870 (Lissamphibia: Anura: Bufonidae) from Gunung Murud, Sarawak, East Malaysia (Borneo).

PubMed

Hertwig, Stefan T; Min, Pui Yong; Haas, Alexander; Das, Indraneil

2014-06-10

A new species of stream toad of the genus Ansonia is described from Gunung Murud, Pulong Tau National Park, of northern Sarawak, Malaysia, Borneo. Ansonia vidua, sp. nov., is morphologically distinguished from its Bornean congeners by the following combination of characters: medium size (SVL of adult females 33.5-34.4 mm); body uniformly black-brown in life; absence of a visible pattern on dorsum or limbs; presence of two low interorbital ridges; shagreened skin on dorsum, sides and upper surfaces of the limbs with numerous homogeneously small, rounded warts; first finger shorter than second; reduced webbing between the toes and an absence of a sharp tarsal ridge. Uncorrected genetic distances between related taxa of > 4.3% in 16S rRNA gene support its status as a hitherto undescribed species.

Multilocus molecular phylogeny of the ornamental wood-eating catfishes (Siluriformes, Loricariidae, Panaqolus and Panaque) reveals undescribed diversity and parapatric clades.

PubMed

Lujan, Nathan K; Cramer, Christian A; Covain, Raphael; Fisch-Muller, Sonia; López-Fernández, Hernán

2017-04-01

Approximately two-dozen species in three genera of the Neotropical suckermouth armored catfish family Loricariidae are the only described fishes known to specialize on diets consisting largely of wood. We conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis of 10 described species and 14 undescribed species or morphotypes assigned to the wood-eating catfish genus Panaqolus, and four described species and three undescribed species or morphotypes assigned to the distantly related wood-eating catfish genus Panaque. Our analyses included individuals and species from both genera that are broadly distributed throughout tropical South America east of the Andes Mountains and 13 additional genera hypothesized to have also descended from the most recent common ancestor of Panaqolus and Panaque. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses of two mitochondrial and three nuclear loci totaling 4293bp confirmed respective monophyly of Panaqolus, exclusive of the putative congener 'Panaqolus' koko, and Panaque. Members of Panaqolus sensu stricto were distributed across three strongly monophyletic clades: a clade of 10 generally darkly colored, lyretail species distributed across western headwaters of the Amazon Basin, a clade of three irregularly and narrowly banded species from the western Orinoco Basin, and a clade of 11 generally brown, broadly banded species that are widely distributed throughout the Amazon Basin. We erect new subgenera for each of these clades and a new genus for the morphologically, biogeographically and ecologically distinct species 'Panaqolus' koko. Our finding that perhaps half of the species-level diversity in the widespread genus Panaqolus remains undescribed illustrates the extent to which total taxonomic diversity of small and philopatric, yet apparently widely distributed, Amazonian fishes may remain underestimated. Ranges for two Panaqolus subgenera and the genus Panaque overlap with the wood-eating genus Cochliodon in central Andean tributaries of the upper Amazon Basin, which appear to be a global epicenter of wood-eating catfish diversity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new mutation in the COL4A3 gene responsible for autosomal dominant Alport syndrome, which only generates hearing loss in some carriers.

PubMed

Rosado, Consolación; Bueno, Elena; Fraile, Pilar; García-Cosmes, Pedro; González-Sarmiento, Rogelio

2015-01-01

Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is a characteristic feature of Alport syndrome, which is always linked to renal manifestations so they have a parallel evolution and prognosis, and deafness helps to identify the renal disease. We report a family that suffers an autosomal dominant Alport syndrome caused by a previously undescribed mutation in the COL4A3 gene, in which several members have hearing impairment as the only clinical manifestation, suggesting that in this family deafness can occur independent of renal disease. This mutation is also present in a patient with anterior lenticonus, an observation only found in families with recessive and sex-linked Alport disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Use of a powered shaver to remove multiple oral cavity papillomas.

PubMed

Miller, Robert Sean; Tami, Thomas A

2005-05-01

We report a previously undescribed method of removing multiple oral papillomas, which we performed on 5 men with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Patients were brought to the operating room and placed under general anesthesia. In addition, 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine was injected under and around the lesions. We then removed the lesions with a Tricut laryngeal blade attached to a handheld powered shaver Postoperatively, patients were sent home on clindamycin, a pain medication, and Peridex. At the 1-week follow-up, patients reported only minimal pain, and their wounds were well healed. We observed no adverse events associated with the shaving procedure. Our method expedites the process of removing multiple oral cavity papillomas while reducing the morbidity generally associated with other procedures.

[The new eubacterium Roseomonas baikalica sp. nov. isolated from core samples collected by deep-hole drilling of the bottom of Lake Baĭkal].

PubMed

Andreeva, I S; Pechurkina, N I; Morozova, O V; Riabchikova, E I; Belikov, S I; Puchkova, L I; Emel'ianova, E K; Torok, T; Repin, V E

2007-01-01

Microbiological analysis of samples of sedimentary rocks from various eras of the geological history of the Baikal rift has enabled us to isolate a large number of microorganisms that can be classified into new, previously undescribed species. The present work deals with the identification and study of the morphological, biochemical, and physiological properties of one such strain, Che 82, isolated from sample C-29 of 3.4-3.5 Ma-old sedimentary rocks taken at a drilling depth of 146.74 m. As a result of our investigations, strain Che 82 is described as a new bacterial species, Roseomonas baikalica sp. nov., belonging to the genus Roseomonas within the family Methylobacteriaceae, class Alphaproteobacteria.

Anti-inflammatory steroidal glycosides from the berries of Solanum nigrum L. (European black nightshade).

PubMed

Xiang, Limin; Wang, Yihai; Yi, Xiaomin; He, Xiangjiu

2018-04-01

Seven previously undescribed steroidal glycosides, along with three known congeners were isolated from the unripe berries of Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae). Their structures were elucidated on basis of 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data and GC analysis after acid hydrolysis. The potential inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW 264.7 cell line and the anti-proliferative activities against five cancer cell lines (HL-60, U-937, Jurkat, K562 and HepG2) were evaluated. Seven compounds exhibited inhibition activities on NO production with IC 50 values ranging from 11.33 to 49.35 μM. Structure-activity relationships of the isolated compounds were also discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extremely low Plasmodium prevalence in wild plovers and coursers from Cape Verde and Madagascar.

PubMed

Martínez-de la Puente, Josué; Eberhart-Phillips, Luke J; Cristina Carmona-Isunza, M; Zefania, Sama; Navarro, María José; Kruger, Oliver; Hoffman, Joseph Ivan; Székely, Tamás; Figuerola, Jordi

2017-06-08

Relatively little is known about the prevalence of blood parasites in shorebirds, especially those breeding in the tropics. The prevalence of blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon was assessed in blood samples from Kentish plovers and cream-coloured coursers in Cape Verde, and samples of Kittlitz's plovers, Madagascar plovers and white-fronted plovers in Madagascar. Only two of these samples were positive for Plasmodium: a Kittlitz's plover was infected by a generalist lineage of Plasmodium that has already been reported in Europe and Africa, while in a white-fronted plover direct sequencing revealed a previously un-described Plasmodium lineage. Potential explanations for the low prevalence of blood parasites include the scarcity of vectors in habitats used by these bird species and their resistance to parasitic infections.

Lead Toxicosis in a Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri in South Africa.

PubMed

Koeppel, Katja N; Kemp, Lucy V

2015-12-01

The southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) has been classified as globally vulnerable and, in South Africa, regionally endangered, with a negative population trend. Factors contributing to the population decline in South Africa are poisoning, electrocution, and illegal capture for trade, coupled with slow reproductive rates and extensive habitat requirements. Lead toxicosis is a previously undescribed threat for the population. An adult southern ground hornbill presented with acute lead toxicosis due to lead particles in the gizzard, which required intensive treatment. Two other hornbills were likely exposed. The source of the lead in these cases was likely a carcass of a porcupine that was killed with lead shot. This report highlights the importance of the use of lead-free ammunition within the habitat of the southern ground hornbill in South Africa.

Anaerostipes caccae gen. nov., sp. nov., a new saccharolytic, acetate-utilising, butyrate-producing bacterium from human faeces.

PubMed

Schwiertz, Andreas; Hold, Georgina L; Duncan, Sylvia H; Gruhl, Barbel; Collins, Matthew D; Lawson, Paul A; Flint, Harry J; Blaut, Michael

2002-04-01

Two strains of a previously undescribed Eubacterium-like bacterium were isolated from human faeces. The strains are Gram-variable, obligately anaerobic, catalase negative, asporogenous rod-shaped cells which produced acetate, butyrate and lactate as the end products of glucose metabolism. The two isolates displayed 99.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to each other and treeing analysis demonstrated the faecal isolates are far removed from Eubacterium sensu stricto and that they represent a new subline within the Clostridium coccoides group of organisms. Based on phenotypic and phylogenetic criteria, it is proposed that the two strains from faeces be classified as a new genus and species, Anaerostipes caccae. The type strain of Anaerostipes caccae is NCIMB 13811T (= DSM 14662T).

Phylogeny of deepwater snappers (Genus Etelis) reveals a cryptic species pair in the Indo-Pacific and Pleistocene invasion of the Atlantic.

PubMed

Andrews, Kimberly R; Williams, Ashley J; Fernandez-Silva, Iria; Newman, Stephen J; Copus, Joshua M; Wakefield, Corey B; Randall, John E; Bowen, Brian W

2016-07-01

Evolutionary genetic patterns in shallow coastal fishes are documented with dozens of studies, but corresponding surveys of deepwater fishes (>200m) are scarce. Here we investigate the evolutionary history of deepwater snappers (genus Etelis), comprised of three recognized Indo-Pacific species and one Atlantic congener, by constructing a phylogeny of the genus with two mtDNA loci and two nuclear introns. Further, we apply range-wide Indo-Pacific sampling to test for the presence and distribution of a putative cryptic species pair within E. carbunculus using morphological analyses and mtDNA cytochrome b sequences from 14 locations across the species range (N=1696). These analyses indicate that E. carbunculus is comprised of two distinct, non-interbreeding lineages separated by deep divergence (d=0.081 in cytochrome b). Although these species are morphologically similar, we identified qualitative differences in coloration of the upper-caudal fin tip and the shape of the opercular spine, as well as significant differences in adult body length, body depth, and head length. These two species have overlapping Indo-Pacific distributions, but one species is more widespread across the Indo-Pacific, whereas the other species is documented in the Indian Ocean and Western Central Pacific. The dated Etelis phylogeny places the cryptic species divergence in the Pliocene, indicating that the biogeographic barrier between the Indian and Pacific Oceans played a role in speciation. Based on historic taxonomy and nomenclature, the species more widespread in the Pacific Ocean is E. carbunculus, and the other species is previously undescribed (referred to here as E. sp.). The Atlantic congener E. oculatus has only recently (∼0.5Ma) diverged from E. coruscans in the Indo-Pacific, indicating colonization via southern Africa. The pattern of divergence at the Indo-Pacific barrier, and Pleistocene colonization from the Indian Ocean into the Atlantic, is concordant with patterns observed in shallow coastal fishes, indicating similar drivers of evolutionary processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new mesophotic goby, Palatogobius incendius (Teleostei: Gobiidae), and the first record of invasive lionfish preying on undescribed biodiversity.

PubMed

Tornabene, Luke; Baldwin, Carole C

2017-01-01

A new species of deep-reef fish in the goby genus Palatogobius is described from recent submersible collections off Curaçao and Dominica. Video footage of schools of this species reveal predation by the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the first record of undescribed fauna potentially being eaten by lionfish outside of its native range. We present molecular phylogenetic data for all valid species of Palatogobius and related genera, as well as a taxonomic key to the species of Palatogobius and a generic key to Palatogobius and related genera in the western Atlantic. Lastly, we discuss ecological and behavioral aspects of some deep-reef fishes in light of potential threats from invasive lionfish.

Unaspis lansivora sp. n. (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), a new pest of Lansium domesticum (Meliaceae), and a key to Unaspis species.

PubMed

Watson, Gillian W

2015-01-13

Since 2004, an undescribed species of Unaspis (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) has become a damaging pest on Lansium domesticum Corrêa in the Philippines. Its attack on the leaves causes premature senescence and defoliation, resulting in the production of few, underdeveloped, sour fruit and sometimes killing the trees. The scale was misidentified initially as Lepidosaphes ulmi (Linnaeus) and then as Unaspis citri (Comstock), but further study indicated that it was an undescribed species of potential plant quarantine significance. The pest is described as U. lansivora sp. n. and an identification key to all 19 species of Unaspis is provided. Its distribution, host range and prospects for its biological control are discussed.

An undescribed Rhipicephalus species associated with field paralysis of Angora goats.

PubMed

Fourie, L J; Horak, I G; Marais, L

1988-03-01

Paralysis of Angora goat kids caused by adult ticks, which most probably belong to an undescribed species of the Rhipicephalus pravus group, is described. Confirmed cases of paralysis occurred in the south-western Orange Free State between the second half of September and the first half of November as well as during the first half of February. The mean female tick burdens (mean = 21.4) of paralysed Angora kids were significantly higher than those of healthy kids (mean = 4.4). The predilection attachment site of the adult ticks was the ears of the goats. The elephant shrew Elephantulus myurus is a preferred host of the immature stages whereas the scrub hare Lepus saxatilis serves as an important host for the adult ticks.

RAD-Seq analysis of typical and minor Citrus accessions, including Bhutanese varieties

PubMed Central

Penjor, Tshering; Mimura, Takashi; Kotoda, Nobuhiro; Matsumoto, Ryoji; Nagano, Atsushi J.; Honjo, Mie N.; Kudoh, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Masashi; Nagano, Yukio

2016-01-01

We analyzed the reduced-representation genome sequences of Citrus species by double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) using 44 accessions, including typical and minor accessions, such as Bhutanese varieties. The results of this analysis using typical accessions were consistent with previous reports that citron, papeda, pummelo, and mandarin are ancestral species, and that most Citrus species are derivatives or hybrids of these four species. Citrus varieties often reproduce asexually and heterozygosity is highly conserved within each variety. Because this approach could readily detect conservation of heterozygosity, it was able to discriminate citrus varieties such as satsuma mandarin from closely related species. Thus, this method provides an inexpensive way to protect citrus varieties from unintended introduction and to prevent the provision of incorrect nursery stocks to customers. One Citrus variety in Bhutan was morphologically similar to Mexican lime and was designated as Himalayan lime. The current analysis confirmed the previous proposition that Mexican lime is a hybrid between papeda and citron, and also suggested that Himalayan lime is a probable hybrid between mandarin and citron. In addition to Himalayan lime, current analysis suggested that several accessions were formed by previously undescribed combinations. PMID:28163596

Injuries to the Collateral Ligaments of the Metacarpophalangeal Joint of the Thumb, Including Simultaneous Combined Thumb Ulnar and Radial Collateral Ligament Injuries, in National Football League Athletes.

PubMed

Werner, Brian C; Belkin, Nicole S; Kennelly, Steve; Weiss, Leigh; Barnes, Ronnie P; Rodeo, Scott A; Warren, Russell F; Hotchkiss, Robert N

2017-01-01

Thumb collateral ligament injuries occur frequently in the National Football League (NFL). In the general population or in recreational athletes, pure metacarpophalangeal (MCP) abduction or adduction mechanisms yield isolated ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and radial collateral ligament (RCL) tears, respectively, while NFL athletes may sustain combined mechanism injury patterns. To evaluate the incidence of simultaneous combined thumb UCL and RCL tears among all thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries in NFL athletes on a single team. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A retrospective review of all thumb injuries on a single NFL team from 1991 to 2014 was performed. All players with a thumb MCP collateral ligament injury were included. Collateral ligament injuries were confirmed by review of both physical examination findings and magnetic resonance imaging. Player demographics, surgical details, and return-to-play data were obtained from the team electronic medical record and surgeons' records. A total of 36 thumbs in 32 NFL players were included in the study, yielding an incidence of 1.6 thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries per year on a single NFL team. Of these, 9 thumbs (25%) had a simultaneous combined UCL and RCL tear injury pattern confirmed on both physical examination and MRI. The remaining 27 thumbs (75%) were isolated UCL injuries. All combined UCL/RCL injuries required surgery due to dysfunction from instability; 63.0% of isolated UCL injuries required surgical repair ( P = .032) due to continued pain and dysfunction from instability. Repair, when required, was delayed until the end of the season. All players with combined UCL/RCL injuries and isolated UCL injuries returned to play professional football the following season. Simultaneous combined thumb UCL and RCL tear is a previously undescribed injury pattern that occurred in 25% of thumb MCP collateral ligament injuries on a single NFL team over a 23-year period. All players with combined thumb UCL/RCL injuries required surgical repair, which was significantly higher compared with players with isolated UCL injuries. Team physicians and hand surgeons treating elite football players with suspected thumb collateral ligament injuries should examine for RCL and UCL instability and consider MRI if any concern exists for a combined ligament injury pattern, as this injury is likely frequently missed.

Central anatomy of individual rapidly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors innervating the "hairy" skin of newborn mice: early maturation of hair follicle afferents.

PubMed

Woodbury, C J; Ritter, A M; Koerber, H R

2001-07-30

Adult skin sensory neurons exhibit characteristic projection patterns in the dorsal horn of the spinal gray matter that are tightly correlated with modality. However, little is known about how these patterns come about during the ontogeny of the distinct subclasses of skin sensory neurons. To this end, we have developed an intact ex vivo somatosensory system preparation in neonatal mice, allowing single, physiologically identified cutaneous afferents to be iontophoretically injected with Neurobiotin for subsequent histological analyses. The present report, centered on rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors, represents the first study of the central projections of identified skin sensory neurons in neonatal animals. Cutaneous afferents exhibiting rapidly adapting responses to sustained natural stimuli were encountered as early as recordings were made. Well-stained representatives of coarse (tylotrich and guard) and fine-diameter (down) hair follicle afferents, along with a putative Pacinian corpuscle afferent, were recovered from 2-7-day-old neonates. All were characterized by narrow, uninflected somal action potentials and generally low mechanical thresholds, and many could be activated via deflection of recently erupted hairs. The central collaterals of hair follicle afferents formed recurrent, flame-shaped arbors that were essentially miniaturized replicas of their adult counterparts, with identical laminar terminations. The terminal arbors of down hair afferents, previously undescribed in rodents, were distinct and consistently occupied a more superficial position than tylotrich and guard hair afferents. Nevertheless, the former extended no higher than the middle of the incipient substantia gelatinosa, leaving a clear gap more dorsally. In all major respects, therefore, hair follicle afferents display the same laminar specificity in neonates as they do in adults. The widely held misperception that their collaterals extend exuberant projections into pain-specific regions of the dorsal horn during early postnatal life is shown to have multiple, deep-rooted underpinnings.

Non-cohesive silt turbidity current flow processes; insights from proximal sandy-silt and silty-sand turbidites, Fiordland, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strachan, Lorna J.; Bostock, Helen C.; Barnes, Philip M.; Neil, Helen L.; Gosling, Matthew

2016-08-01

Silt-rich turbidites are commonly interpreted as distal marine deposits. They are associated with interlaminated clay and silt deposition from the upper and rear portions of turbidity currents. Here, multibeam bathymetry and shallow sediment core data from the intra-slope Secretary Basin, Fiordland, New Zealand, located < 10 km from shore, are used to describe a suite of late Holocene proximal sandy-silt and silty-sand turbidites that contain negligible clay and a wide variety of vertical grading patterns. The steep, rugged catchment to the Secretary Basin is dominated by a complex tributary turbidite channel network that feeds the low gradient Secretary Basin floor intra-slope lobe. Sediment core T49 is located within the lobe and positioned between shallow channels that are prone to deposition from decelerating, silty-sand and sandy-silt turbidity currents. The wide variety of sedimentary structures and vertical grading patterns, dominated by inversely graded beds, implies a range of non-cohesive flow processes, with deposition from multiphase, mixed mode (turbulent and laminar) flows that have undergone a variety of up-dip flow transformations. Most flows were initially erosive followed by deposition of partitioned 2- or 3- phase mixed mode flows that include high-density transitional and laminar flows that can be fore- or after-runners to low-density turbulent flow sections. Turbulence is inferred to have been suppressed in high-density flows by increasing flow concentration of both sands and silts. The very fine and fine sand modal grain sizes of sandy-silt and silty-sand turbidites are significantly coarser than classical abyssal plain silt turbidites and are generally coarser than overbank silt turbidites. While the low percentage of clays within Secretary Basin sandy-silt and silty-sand turbidites represents a fundamental difference between these and other silt and mud turbidites, we suggest these beds represent a previously undescribed suite of proximal continental slope deposits.

Partial characterization of a putative new growth factor present in pathological human vitreous.

PubMed

Pombo, C; Bokser, L; Casabiell, X; Zugaza, J; Capeans, M; Salorio, M; Casanueva, F

1996-03-01

Several growth factors have been implicated in the development of proliferative eye diseases, and some of those are present in human vitreous (HV). The effects of HV on cellular responses which modulate proliferative cell processes were studied. This study describes the partial characterization of a vitreous factor activity which does not correspond to any of the previously reported growth factors in pathological HV. Vitreous humour was obtained from medical vitrectomies, from patients with PDR and PVR. The biological activity of the vitreous factor was determined by its ability to increase cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), increase production of inositol phosphates, and induce cell proliferation in the cell line EGFR T17. In some experiments other cell lines, such as NIH 3T3, 3T3-L1, FRTL5, A431, PC12, Y79, and GH3, were also employed. Measurement of [Ca2+]i in cell suspensions was performed using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2. The activity of the factor present in HV was compared with other growth factors by means of: (a) [Ca2+]i mobilization pattern, (b) sequential homologous and heterologous desensitization of receptors, (c) effects of phorbol esters on their action, and (d) inactivation after treatment with different proteolytic enzymes. The HV-induced cell proliferation and increases in [Ca2+]i concentration were characterized by a peculiar time pattern. The different approaches used ruled out its identity with PDGF, bFGF, EGF, TGF-beta, IGFs, TNF-alpha, NGF, and other compounds such as ATP, angiotensin I, and bradykinin. Vitreous factor actions are mediated by specific receptors apparently regulated by PKC. This factor is able to induce [Ca2+]i mobilization in most of the cell lines studied, indicating that its effects are not tissue specific. These results suggest the presence of a growth factor activity in pathological HV which may be due to the presence of an undescribed growth factor in the eye.

Antimicrobial polyketide furanoterpenoids from seaweed-associated heterotrophic bacterium Bacillus subtilis MTCC 10403.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Kajal; Thilakan, Bini; Raola, Vamshi Krishna

2017-10-01

Brown seaweed Anthophycus longifolius (Turner) Kützing (family Sargassaceae) associated heterotrophic bacterium Bacillus subtilis MTCC 10403 was found to be a potent isolate with broad range of antibacterial activity against important perceptive food pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, and Aeromonas hydrophila. This bacterium was positive for polyketide synthetase gene (KC589397), and therefore, was selected to bioprospect specialized metabolites bearing polyketide backbone. Bioactivity-guided chromatographic fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the seaweed-associated bacterium segregated four homologous polyketide furanoterpenoids with potential antibacterial activities against clinically important pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay showed that the referral antibiotics tetracycline and ampicillin were active at 25 μg/mL against the test pathogens, whereas the previously undescribed (4E)-methyl 13-((16-(furan-2-yl) ethyl)-octahydro-7-hydroxy-4-((E)-23-methylbut-21-enyl)-2H-chromen-6-yl)-4-methylpent-4-enoate (compound 1) and methyl 3-(hexahydro-9-((E)-3-methylpent-1-enyl)-4H-furo[3,2-g]isochromen-6-yl) propanoate (compound 3) displayed antibacterial activities against the test pathogens at a lesser concentration (MIC < 7 μg/mL). The title compounds were characterized by comprehensive nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopic experiments. Polyketide synthase catalyzed putative biosynthetic mechanism additionally corroborated the structural ascriptions of the hitherto undescribed furanoterpenoids from seaweed-associated bacterial symbiont. The electronic and hydrophobic parameters appeared to hold a conspicuous part in directing the antibacterial properties of the compounds. Seaweed-associated B. subtilis MTCC 10403 demonstrated to represent a potential source of antimicrobial polyketides for pharmaceutical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection and molecular characterization of Babesia, Theileria, and Hepatozoon species in hard ticks collected from Kagoshima, the southern region in Japan.

PubMed

Masatani, Tatsunori; Hayashi, Kei; Andoh, Masako; Tateno, Morihiro; Endo, Yasuyuki; Asada, Masahito; Kusakisako, Kodai; Tanaka, Tetsuya; Gokuden, Mutsuyo; Hozumi, Nodoka; Nakadohzono, Fumiko; Matsuo, Tomohide

2017-06-01

To reveal the distribution of tick-borne parasites, we established a novel nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system to detect the most common agents of tick-borne parasitic diseases, namely Babesia, Theileria, and Hepatozoon parasites. We collected host-seeking or animal-feeding ticks in Kagoshima Prefecture, the southernmost region of Kyusyu Island in southwestern Japan. Twenty of the total of 776 tick samples displayed a specific band of the appropriate size (approximately 1.4-1.6kbp) for the 18S rRNA genes in the novel nested PCR (20/776: 2.58%). These PCR products have individual sequences of Babesia spp. (from 8 ticks), Theileria spp. (from 9 ticks: one tick sample including at least two Theileria spp. sequences), and Hepatozoon spp. (from 3 ticks). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that these sequences were close to those of undescribed Babesia spp. detected in feral raccoons in Japan (5 sequences; 3 sequences being identical), Babesia gibsoni-like parasites detected in pigs in China (3 sequences; all sequences being identical), Theileria spp. detected in sika deer in Japan and China (10 sequences; 2 sequences being identical), Hepatozoon canis (one sequence), and Hepatozoon spp. detected in Japanese martens in Japan (two sequences). In summary, we showed that various tick-borne parasites exist in Kagoshima, the southern region in Japan by using the novel nested PCR system. These including undescribed species such as Babesia gibsoni-like parasites previously detected in pigs in China. Importantly, our results revealed new combinations of ticks and protozoan parasites in southern Japan. The results of this study will aid in the recognition of potential parasitic animal diseases caused by tick-borne parasites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Primate malarias: Diversity, distribution and insights for zoonotic Plasmodium.

PubMed

Faust, Christina; Dobson, Andrew P

2015-12-01

Protozoans within the genus Plasmodium are well-known as the causative agents of malaria in humans. Numerous Plasmodium species parasites also infect a wide range of non-human primate hosts in tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide. Studying this diversity can provide critical insight into our understanding of human malarias, as several human malaria species are a result of host switches from non-human primates. Current spillover of a monkey malaria, Plasmodium knowlesi , in Southeast Asia highlights the permeability of species barriers in Plasmodium . Also recently, surveys of apes in Africa uncovered a previously undescribed diversity of Plasmodium in chimpanzees and gorillas. Therefore, we carried out a meta-analysis to quantify the global distribution, host range, and diversity of known non-human primate malaria species. We used published records of Plasmodium parasites found in non-human primates to estimate the total diversity of non-human primate malarias globally. We estimate that at least three undescribed primate malaria species exist in sampled primates, and many more likely exist in unstudied species. The diversity of malaria parasites is especially uncertain in regions of low sampling such as Madagascar, and taxonomic groups such as African Old World Monkeys and gibbons. Presence-absence data of malaria across primates enables us to highlight the close association of forested regions and non-human primate malarias. This distribution potentially reflects a long coevolution of primates, forest-adapted mosquitoes, and malaria parasites. The diversity and distribution of primate malaria are an essential prerequisite to understanding the mechanisms and circumstances that allow Plasmodium to jump species barriers, both in the evolution of malaria parasites and current cases of spillover into humans.

Temperate pine barrens and tropical rain forests are both rich in undescribed fungi.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Walsh, Emily; Naik, Abhishek; Zhuang, Wenying; Zhang, Keqin; Cai, Lei; Zhang, Ning

2014-01-01

Most of fungal biodiversity on Earth remains unknown especially in the unexplored habitats. In this study, we compared fungi associated with grass (Poaceae) roots from two ecosystems: the temperate pine barrens in New Jersey, USA and tropical rain forests in Yunnan, China, using the same sampling, isolation and species identification methods. A total of 426 fungal isolates were obtained from 1600 root segments from 80 grass samples. Based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and morphological characteristics, a total of 85 fungal species (OTUs) belonging in 45 genera, 23 families, 16 orders, and 6 classes were identified, among which the pine barrens had 38 and Yunnan had 56 species, with only 9 species in common. The finding that grass roots in the tropical forests harbor higher fungal species diversity supports that tropical forests are fungal biodiversity hotspots. Sordariomycetes was dominant in both places but more Leotiomycetes were found in the pine barrens than Yunnan, which may play a role in the acidic and oligotrophic pine barrens ecosystem. Equal number of undescribed fungal species were discovered from the two sampled ecosystems, although the tropical Yunnan had more known fungal species. Pine barrens is a unique, unexplored ecosystem. Our finding suggests that sampling plants in such unexplored habitats will uncover novel fungi and that grass roots in pine barrens are one of the major reservoirs of novel fungi with about 47% being undescribed species.

Examining Relationships Among Several Oyster Pathogens in the Genus Bonamia Using Molecular Data, in Phylogenetic Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, D.; Burreson, E.

2006-12-01

Bonamiasis is a disease that affects oyster stocks around the world and is caused by intracellular protozoan parasites. Bonamia species can rapidly spread through oyster stocks and cause clinical disease in the host. The type species in the genus, Bonamia ostreae, was described from the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis. Since that time, several bonamia-like species have been observed in the following oyster hosts: Crassostrea ariakensis deployed in North Carolina, USA, Ostrea pulchana from Argentina, Ostrea chilensis from Chile, and in Ostrea angasi from Australia. There is, however, much debate over the species identity of these undescribed Bonamia parasites. An hypothesis that I will test is whether the species of Bonamia that occurs in the aforementioned oysters are representative of one species of Bonamia, Bonamia exitiosa, or are representative of different, currently undescribed, species of Bonamia. To test this hypothesis, molecular techniques to include the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and simultaneous bi-directional sequencing (SBS) reactions were utilized to target the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA gene complex for each of the undescribed Bonamia species and for Bonamia exitiosa. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced data in addition to pertinent morphological data, geographic distribution information, and possible host dispersals are included in this study to provide additional information for testing hypotheses developed based on molecular data.

A new mesophotic goby, Palatogobius incendius (Teleostei: Gobiidae), and the first record of invasive lionfish preying on undescribed biodiversity

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Carole C.

2017-01-01

A new species of deep-reef fish in the goby genus Palatogobius is described from recent submersible collections off Curaçao and Dominica. Video footage of schools of this species reveal predation by the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.), the first record of undescribed fauna potentially being eaten by lionfish outside of its native range. We present molecular phylogenetic data for all valid species of Palatogobius and related genera, as well as a taxonomic key to the species of Palatogobius and a generic key to Palatogobius and related genera in the western Atlantic. Lastly, we discuss ecological and behavioral aspects of some deep-reef fishes in light of potential threats from invasive lionfish. PMID:28542432

ABCG-like transporter of Trypanosoma cruzi involved in benznidazole resistance: gene polymorphisms disclose inter-strain intragenic recombination in hybrid isolates.

PubMed

Franco, Jaques; Ferreira, Renata C; Ienne, Susan; Zingales, Bianca

2015-04-01

Benznidazole (BZ) is one of the two drugs for Chagas disease treatment. In a previous study we showed that the Trypanosoma cruzi ABCG-like transporter gene, named TcABCG1, is over-expressed in parasite strains naturally resistant to BZ and that the gene of TcI BZ-resistant strains exhibited several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as compared to the gene of CL Brener BZ-susceptible strain. Here we report the sequence of TcABCG1 gene of fourteen T. cruzi strains, with diverse degrees of BZ sensitivity and belonging to different discrete typing units (DTUs) and Tcbat group. Although DTU-specific SNPs and amino acid changes were identified, no direct correlation with BZ-resistance phenotype was found. Thus, it is plausible that the transporter abundance is a determinant factor for drug resistance, as pointed out above. Sequence data were used for Bayesian phylogenies and network genealogy analysis. The network showed a high degree of reticulation suggesting genetic exchange between the parasites. TcI and TcII clades were clearly separated. Tcbat sequences were close to TcI. A fourth clade clustered TcABCG1 haplotypes of TcV, TcVI and TcIII strains, with closer proximity to TcI. Analysis of the recombination patterns indicated that hybrid strains contain haplotypes that are mosaics most likely derived by intragenic recombination of parental sequences. The data confirm that TcII and TcIII as the parentals of TcV and TcVI DTUs. Since genetic fingerprint of TcI was found in TcIII, we sustain the previously proposed "Two Hybridization model" for the origin of hybrid strains. Among the twenty best BLASTP hits in databases, orthologues of TcABCG1 transporter were found in Leishmania spp. and African trypanosomes, though their function remains undescribed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single-Cell RNA-Seq Reveals the Transcriptional Landscape and Heterogeneity of Aortic Macrophages in Murine Atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Cochain, Clément; Vafadarnejad, Ehsan; Arampatzi, Panagiota; Jaroslav, Pelisek; Winkels, Holger; Ley, Klaus; Wolf, Dennis; Saliba, Antoine-Emmanuel; Zernecke, Alma

2018-03-15

Rationale: It is assumed that atherosclerotic arteries contain several macrophage subsets endowed with specific functions. The precise identity of these subsets is poorly characterized as they ha ve been defined by the expression of a restricted number of markers. Objective: We have applied single-cell RNA-seq as an unbiased profiling strategy to interrogate and classify aortic macrophage heterogeneity at the single-cell level in atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of total aortic CD45 + cells extracted from the non-diseased (chow fed) and atherosclerotic (11 weeks of high fat diet) aorta of Ldlr -/- mice. Unsupervised clustering singled out 13 distinct aortic cell clusters. Among the myeloid cell populations, Resident-like macrophages with a gene expression profile similar to aortic resident macrophages were found in healthy and diseased aortae, whereas monocytes, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDC), and two populations of macrophages were almost exclusively detectable in atherosclerotic aortae, comprising Inflammatory macrophages showing enrichment in I l1b , and previously undescribed TREM2 hi macrophages. Differential gene expression and gene ontology enrichment analyses revealed specific gene expression patterns distinguishing these three macrophage subsets and MoDC, and uncovered putative functions of each cell type. Notably, TREM2 hi macrophages appeared to be endowed with specialized functions in lipid metabolism and catabolism, and presented a gene expression signature reminiscent of osteoclasts, suggesting a role in lesion calcification. TREM2 expression was moreover detected in human lesional macrophages. Importantly, these macrophage populations were present also in advanced atherosclerosis and in Apoe -/- aortae, indicating relevance of our findings in different stages of atherosclerosis and mouse models. Conclusions: These data unprecedentedly uncovered the transcriptional landscape and phenotypic heterogeneity of aortic macrophages and MoDCs in atherosclerotic and identified previously unrecognized macrophage populations and their gene expression signature, suggesting specialized functions. Our findings will open up novel opportunities to explore distinct myeloid cell populations and their functions in atherosclerosis.

Some American Jurassic ammonites of the genera Quenstedticeras, Cardioceras, and Amoeboceras, family Cardioceratida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeside, John B.

1919-01-01

The species cordiforme Meek and Hayden, distans Whitfield, canadense Whiteaves, and dubium Hyatt (probably including whitneyi J. P. Smith), variously assigned to the genera Amaltheus, Quenstediceras, Amoeboceras, and Cardioceras, and subtumidum Whitfield and Hovey, assigned to Aegoceras, include all the previously described species of Jurassic ammonites that are considered in this paper. Material accumulated in the National Museum at Washington, mainly through the efforts of field parties of the United States Geological Survey, has shown, however, the presence of a number of undescribed forms of considerable scientific interest. These new species were obtained mainly from the Sundance formation of Wyoming. One comes from the Ellis formation of Montana, one from Jurassic beds near Lillooet, British Columbia, and three from the Cardioceras-bearing beds near the base of the Naknek formation of Alaska.

Modulation of surgical fibrosis by microbial zwitterionic polysaccharides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Perez, Begonia; Chung, Doo R.; Sharpe, Arlene H.; Yagita, Hideo; Kalka-Moll, Wiltrud M.; Sayegh, Mohamed H.; Kasper, Dennis L.; Tzianabos, Arthur O.

2005-11-01

Bacterial carbohydrates have long been considered T cell-independent antigens that primarily induce humoral immune responses. Recently, it has been demonstrated that bacterial capsules that possess a zwitterionic charge motif can activate CD4+ T cells after processing and presentation by antigen-presenting cells. Here we show that these zwitterionic polysaccharides can prevent T helper 1-mediated fibrosis by signaling for the release of IL-10 from CD4+ T cells in vivo. IL-10 production by these T cells and their ability to prevent fibrosis is controlled by the inducible costimulator (ICOS)-ICOS ligand pathway. These data demonstrate that the interaction of the zwitterionic polysaccharides with T cells results in modulation of surgical fibrosis in vivo and suggest a previously undescribed approach to "harnessing" T cell function to prevent inflammatory tissue disorders in humans. IL-10 | microbial polysaccharides | inducible costimulator

Gill bacteria enable a novel digestive strategy in a wood-feeding mollusk

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O’Connor, Roberta M.; Fung, Jennifer M.; Sharp, Koty H.

In animals, gut microbes are essential for digestion. Here in this paper, we show that bacteria outside the gut can also play a critical role in digestion. In shipworms, wood-eating marine bivalves, endosymbiotic bacteria are found within specialized cells in the gills. We show that these endosymbionts produce wood-degrading enzymes that are selectively transported to the shipworm’s bacteria-free gut, where wood digestion occurs. Because only selected wood-degrading enzymes are transported, the shipworm system naturally identifies those endosymbiont enzymes most relevant to lignocellulose deconstruction without interference from other microbial proteins. Furthermore, this work expands the known biological repertoire of bacterial endosymbiontsmore » to include digestion of food and identifies previously undescribed enzymes and enzyme combinations of potential value to biomass-based industries, such as cellulosic biofuel production.« less

Gill bacteria enable a novel digestive strategy in a wood-feeding mollusk

DOE PAGES

O’Connor, Roberta M.; Fung, Jennifer M.; Sharp, Koty H.; ...

2014-11-10

In animals, gut microbes are essential for digestion. Here in this paper, we show that bacteria outside the gut can also play a critical role in digestion. In shipworms, wood-eating marine bivalves, endosymbiotic bacteria are found within specialized cells in the gills. We show that these endosymbionts produce wood-degrading enzymes that are selectively transported to the shipworm’s bacteria-free gut, where wood digestion occurs. Because only selected wood-degrading enzymes are transported, the shipworm system naturally identifies those endosymbiont enzymes most relevant to lignocellulose deconstruction without interference from other microbial proteins. Furthermore, this work expands the known biological repertoire of bacterial endosymbiontsmore » to include digestion of food and identifies previously undescribed enzymes and enzyme combinations of potential value to biomass-based industries, such as cellulosic biofuel production.« less

Plague dynamics are driven by climate variation.

PubMed

Stenseth, Nils Chr; Samia, Noelle I; Viljugrein, Hildegunn; Kausrud, Kyrre Linné; Begon, Mike; Davis, Stephen; Leirs, Herwig; Dubyanskiy, V M; Esper, Jan; Ageyev, Vladimir S; Klassovskiy, Nikolay L; Pole, Sergey B; Chan, Kung-Sik

2006-08-29

The bacterium Yersinia pestis causes bubonic plague. In Central Asia, where human plague is still reported regularly, the bacterium is common in natural populations of great gerbils. By using field data from 1949-1995 and previously undescribed statistical techniques, we show that Y. pestis prevalence in gerbils increases with warmer springs and wetter summers: A 1 degrees C increase in spring is predicted to lead to a >50% increase in prevalence. Climatic conditions favoring plague apparently existed in this region at the onset of the Black Death as well as when the most recent plague pandemic arose in the same region, and they are expected to continue or become more favorable as a result of climate change. Threats of outbreaks may thus be increasing where humans live in close contact with rodents and fleas (or other wildlife) harboring endemic plague.

Phase-dependent noise in Josephson junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheldon, Forrest; Peotta, Sebastiano; Di Ventra, Massimiliano

2018-03-01

In addition to the usual superconducting current, Josephson junctions (JJs) support a phase-dependent conductance related to the retardation effect of tunneling quasi-particles. This introduces a dissipative current with a memory-resistive (memristive) character that should also affect the current noise. By means of the microscopic theory of tunnel junctions we compute the complete current autocorrelation function of a Josephson tunnel junction and show that this memristive component gives rise to both a previously noted phase-dependent thermal noise, and an undescribed non-stationary, phase-dependent dynamic noise. As experiments are approaching ranges in which these effects may be observed, we examine the form and magnitude of these processes. Their phase dependence can be realized experimentally as a hysteresis effect and may be used to probe defects present in JJ based qubits and in other superconducting electronics applications.

Arteriosclerosis in the ventral aorta and epicarditis in the bulbus arteriosus of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L).

PubMed

Dalum, A S; Kristthorsdottir, K H; Griffiths, D J; Bjørklund, K; Poppe, T T

2017-06-01

Spontaneous mortality of seemingly healthy, farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) is an increasing problem in Norwegian aquaculture. In this study, we present a morphological study of the previously undescribed syndrome of arteriosclerosis of the ventral aorta and epicarditis of the adjacent bulbus arteriosus found in farmed Atlantic salmon, with wild-captured fish as a control group. Both the ventral aorta and epicardium are vital for correct arterial compliance and vascular resistance in the respiratory capillaries of the gills. We discuss the possible implications of ventral aorta arteriosclerosis and epicarditis for blood vascular health and in particular for the increasing frequency of spontaneous gill bleeding in farmed salmon. As both these conditions primarily occur in farmed salmon, we suggest that they should be considered pathological. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

TRPV1 channels and the progesterone receptor Sig-1R interact to regulate pain.

PubMed

Ortíz-Rentería, Miguel; Juárez-Contreras, Rebeca; González-Ramírez, Ricardo; Islas, León D; Sierra-Ramírez, Félix; Llorente, Itzel; Simon, Sidney A; Hiriart, Marcia; Rosenbaum, Tamara; Morales-Lázaro, Sara L

2018-02-13

The Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel is expressed in nociceptors where, when activated by chemical or thermal stimuli, it functions as an important transducer of painful and itch-related stimuli. Although the interaction of TRPV1 with proteins that regulate its function has been previously explored, their modulation by chaperones has not been elucidated, as is the case for other mammalian TRP channels. Here we show that TRPV1 physically interacts with the Sigma 1 Receptor (Sig-1R), a chaperone that binds progesterone, an antagonist of Sig-1R and an important neurosteroid associated to the modulation of pain. Antagonism of Sig-1R by progesterone results in the down-regulation of TRPV1 expression in the plasma membrane of sensory neurons and, consequently, a decrease in capsaicin-induced nociceptive responses. This is observed both in males treated with a synthetic antagonist of Sig-1R and in pregnant females where progesterone levels are elevated. This constitutes a previously undescribed mechanism by which TRPV1-dependent nociception and pain can be regulated.

The external morphology of adult female Egrasilus labracis as shown using hexamethyldisilazane treated, uncoated specimens for scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Murray, Harry M; Hill, Stephen J; Ang, Keng P

2016-07-01

The description and application of a modified Scanning Electron Microscope preparation technique using hexamethyldisilazane for small parasitic copepods was demonstrated though a high resolution depiction of individuals of Ergasilus labracis sampled from three spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in Bay D'Espoir, Newfoundland during summer 2015 and from archival samples retrieved from Atlantic salmon par (Salmo salar) stored at the Atlantic reference centre, St. Andrews, New Brunswick. The specimens were very well preserved showing high quality detail of important features and verifying those previously described using light microscopy by Hogans. Additionally the technique allowed excellent in situ demonstrations of mouth parts, swimming legs, and unusual and previously undescribed features of the second antenna including prominent striations and pore-like structures found to define the claw. It is thought that this technique will become a quick and efficient tool for describing important taxonomic features of small parasitic copepods like E. labracis or other similar small aquatic organisms. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:657-663, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Exploration of Deinococcus-Thermus molecular diversity by novel group-specific PCR primers

PubMed Central

Theodorakopoulos, Nicolas; Bachar, Dipankar; Christen, Richard; Alain, Karine; Chapon, Virginie

2013-01-01

The deeply branching Deinococcus-Thermus lineage is recognized as one of the most extremophilic phylum of bacteria. In previous studies, the presence of Deinococcus-related bacteria in the hot arid Tunisian desert of Tataouine was demonstrated through combined molecular and culture-based approaches. Similarly, Thermus-related bacteria have been detected in Tunisian geothermal springs. The present work was conducted to explore the molecular diversity within the Deinococcus-Thermus phylum in these extreme environments. A set of specific primers was designed in silico on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, validated for the specific detection of reference strains, and used for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of metagenomic DNA retrieved from the Tataouine desert sand and Tunisian hot spring water samples. These analyses have revealed the presence of previously undescribed Deinococcus-Thermus bacterial sequences within these extreme environments. The primers designed in this study thus represent a powerful tool for the rapid detection of Deinococcus-Thermus in environmental samples and could also be applicable to clarify the biogeography of the Deinococcus-Thermus phylum. PMID:23996915

Distribution and diagenesis of microfossils from the lower Proterozoic Duck Creek Dolomite, Western Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knoll, A. H.; Strother, P. K.; Rossi, S.

1988-01-01

Two distinct generations of microfossils occur in silicified carbonates from a previously undescribed locality of the Lower Proterozoic Duck Creek Dolomite, Western Australia. The earlier generation occurs in discrete organic-rich clasts and clots characterized by microquartz anhedra; it contains a variety of filamentous and coccoidal fossils in varying states of preservation. Second generation microfossils consist almost exclusively of well-preserved Gunflintia minuta filaments that drape clasts or appear to float in clear chalcedony. These filaments appear to represent an ecologically distinct assemblage that colonized a substrate containing the partially degraded remains of the first generation community. The two assemblages differ significantly in taxonomic frequency distribution from previously described Duck Creek florules. Taken together, Duck Creek microfossils exhibit a range of assemblage variability comparable to that found in other Lower Proterozoic iron formations and ferruginous carbonates. With increasing severity of post-mortem alteration, Duck Creek microfossils appear to converge morphologically on assemblages of simple microstructures described from early Archean cherts. Two new species are described: Oscillatoriopsis majuscula and O. cuboides; the former is among the largest septate filamentous fossils described from any Proterozoic formation.

Descriptive Anatomy and Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Skull of the Early Tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari Jarvik, 1952

PubMed Central

Porro, Laura B.; Rayfield, Emily J.; Clack, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

The early tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari is an iconic fossil taxon exhibiting skeletal morphology reflecting the transition of vertebrates from water onto land. Computed tomography data of two Acanthostega skulls was segmented using visualization software to digitally separate bone from matrix and individual bones of the skull from each other. A revised description of cranial and lower jaw anatomy in this taxon based on CT data includes new details of sutural morphology, the previously undescribed quadrate and articular bones, and the mandibular symphysis. Sutural morphology is used to infer loading regime in the skull during feeding, and suggests Acanthostega used its anterior jaws to initially seize prey while smaller posterior teeth were used to restrain struggling prey during ingestion. Novel methods were used to repair and retrodeform the skull, resulting in a three-dimensional digital reconstruction that features a longer postorbital region and more strongly hooked anterior lower jaw than previous attempts while supporting the presence of a midline gap between the nasals and median rostrals. PMID:25760343

An empirical assessment of the focal species hypothesis.

PubMed

Lindenmayer, D B; Lane, P W; Westgate, M J; Crane, M; Michael, D; Okada, S; Barton, P S

2014-12-01

Biodiversity surrogates and indicators are commonly used in conservation management. The focal species approach (FSA) is one method for identifying biodiversity surrogates, and it is underpinned by the hypothesis that management aimed at a particular focal species will confer protection on co-occurring species. This concept has been the subject of much debate, in part because the validity of the FSA has not been subject to detailed empirical assessment of the extent to which a given focal species actually co-occurs with other species in an assemblage. To address this knowledge gap, we used large-scale, long-term data sets of temperate woodland birds to select focal species associated with threatening processes such as habitat isolation and loss of key vegetation attributes. We quantified co-occurrence patterns among focal species, species in the wider bird assemblage, and species of conservation concern. Some, but not all, focal species were associated with high levels of species richness. One of our selected focal species was negatively associated with the occurrence of other species (i.e., it was an antisurrogate)-a previously undescribed property of nominated focal species. Furthermore, combinations of focal species were not associated with substantially elevated levels of bird species richness, relative to levels associated with individual species. Our results suggest that although there is some merit to the underpinning concept of the FSA, there is also a need to ensure that actions are sufficiently flexible because management tightly focused on a given focal species may not benefit some other species, including species of conservation concern, such of which might not occur in species-rich assemblages. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Reproductive Manipulators in the Bark Beetle Pityogenes chalcographus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)—The Role of Cardinium, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, and Wolbachia

PubMed Central

Schebeck, Martin; Feldkirchner, Lukas; Marín, Belen; Krumböck, Susanne; Schuler, Hannes; Stauffer, Christian

2018-01-01

Abstract Heritable bacterial endosymbionts can alter the biology of numerous arthropods. They can influence the reproductive outcome of infected hosts, thus affecting the ecology and evolution of various arthropod species. The spruce bark beetle Pityogenes chalcographus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) was reported to express partial, unidirectional crossing incompatibilities among certain European populations. Knowledge on the background of these findings is lacking; however, bacterial endosymbionts have been assumed to manipulate the reproduction of this beetle. Previous work reported low-density and low-frequency Wolbachia infections of P. chalcographus but found it unlikely that this infection results in reproductive alterations. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of an endosymbiont-driven incompatibility, other than Wolbachia, reflected by an infection pattern on a wide geographic scale. We performed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening of 226 individuals from 18 European populations for the presence of the endosymbionts Cardinium, Rickettsia, and Spiroplasma, and additionally screened these individuals for Wolbachia. Positive PCR products were sequenced to characterize these bacteria. Our study shows a low prevalence of these four endosymbionts in P. chalcographus. We detected a yet undescribed Spiroplasma strain in a single individual from Greece. This is the first time that this endosymbiont has been found in a bark beetle. Further, Wolbachia was detected in three beetles from two Scandinavian populations and two new Wolbachia strains were described. None of the individuals analyzed were infected with Cardinium and Rickettsia. The low prevalence of bacteria found here does not support the hypothesis of an endosymbiont-driven reproductive incompatibility in P. chalcographus. PMID:29771340

Life in the Aftermath of Mass Extinctions.

PubMed

Hull, Pincelli

2015-10-05

The vast majority of species that have ever lived went extinct sometime other than during one of the great mass extinction events. In spite of this, mass extinctions are thought to have outsized effects on the evolutionary history of life. While part of this effect is certainly due to the extinction itself, I here consider how the aftermaths of mass extinctions might contribute to the evolutionary importance of such events. Following the mass loss of taxa from the fossil record are prolonged intervals of ecological upheaval that create a selective regime unique to those times. The pacing and duration of ecosystem change during extinction aftermaths suggests strong ties between the biosphere and geosphere, and a previously undescribed macroevolutionary driver - earth system succession. Earth system succession occurs when global environmental or biotic change, as occurs across extinction boundaries, pushes the biosphere and geosphere out of equilibrium. As species and ecosystems re-evolve in the aftermath, they change global biogeochemical cycles - and in turn, species and ecosystems - over timescales typical of the geosphere, often many thousands to millions of years. Earth system succession provides a general explanation for the pattern and timing of ecological and evolutionary change in the fossil record. Importantly, it also suggests that a speed limit might exist for the pace of global biotic change after massive disturbance - a limit set by geosphere-biosphere interactions. For mass extinctions, earth system succession may drive the ever-changing ecological stage on which species evolve, restructuring ecosystems and setting long-term evolutionary trajectories as they do. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Individual Patterns of Complexity in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Microbiota, Including Predator Bacteria, over a 1-Year Period

PubMed Central

de Dios Caballero, Juan; Vida, Rafael; Cobo, Marta; Máiz, Luis; Suárez, Lucrecia; Galeano, Javier; Baquero, Fernando; Cantón, Rafael

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung microbiota composition has recently been redefined by the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) tools, identifying, among others, previously undescribed anaerobic and uncultivable bacteria. In the present study, we monitored the fluctuations of this ecosystem in 15 CF patients during a 1-year follow-up period, describing for the first time, as far as we know, the presence of predator bacteria in the CF lung microbiome. In addition, a new computational model was developed to ascertain the hypothetical ecological repercussions of a prey-predator interaction in CF lung microbial communities. Fifteen adult CF patients, stratified according to their pulmonary function into mild (n = 5), moderate (n = 9), and severe (n = 1) disease, were recruited at the CF unit of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital (Madrid, Spain). Each patient contributed three or four induced sputum samples during a 1-year follow-up period. Lung microbiota composition was determined by both cultivation and NGS techniques and was compared with the patients’ clinical variables. Results revealed a particular microbiota composition for each patient that was maintained during the study period, although some fluctuations were detected without any clinical correlation. For the first time, Bdellovibrio and Vampirovibrio predator bacteria were shown in CF lung microbiota and reduced-genome bacterial parasites of the phylum Parcubacteria were also consistently detected. The newly designed computational model allows us to hypothesize that inoculation of predators into the pulmonary microbiome might contribute to the control of chronic colonization by CF pathogens in early colonization stages. PMID:28951476

Origin and ecological selection of core and food-specific bacterial communities associated with meat and seafood spoilage

PubMed Central

Chaillou, Stéphane; Chaulot-Talmon, Aurélie; Caekebeke, Hélène; Cardinal, Mireille; Christieans, Souad; Denis, Catherine; Hélène Desmonts, Marie; Dousset, Xavier; Feurer, Carole; Hamon, Erwann; Joffraud, Jean-Jacques; La Carbona, Stéphanie; Leroi, Françoise; Leroy, Sabine; Lorre, Sylvie; Macé, Sabrina; Pilet, Marie-France; Prévost, Hervé; Rivollier, Marina; Roux, Dephine; Talon, Régine; Zagorec, Monique; Champomier-Vergès, Marie-Christine

2015-01-01

The microbial spoilage of meat and seafood products with short shelf lives is responsible for a significant amount of food waste. Food spoilage is a very heterogeneous process, involving the growth of various, poorly characterized bacterial communities. In this study, we conducted 16S ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing on 160 samples of fresh and spoiled foods to comparatively explore the bacterial communities associated with four meat products and four seafood products that are among the most consumed food items in Europe. We show that fresh products are contaminated in part by a microbiota similar to that found on the skin and in the gut of animals. However, this animal-derived microbiota was less prevalent and less abundant than a core microbiota, psychrotrophic in nature, mainly originated from the environment (water reservoirs). We clearly show that this core community found on meat and seafood products is the main reservoir of spoilage bacteria. We also show that storage conditions exert strong selective pressure on the initial microbiota: alpha diversity in fresh samples was 189±58 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but dropped to 27±12 OTUs in spoiled samples. The OTU assemblage associated with spoilage was shaped by low storage temperatures, packaging and the nutritional value of the food matrix itself. These factors presumably act in tandem without any hierarchical pattern. Most notably, we were also able to identify putative new clades of dominant, previously undescribed bacteria occurring on spoiled seafood, a finding that emphasizes the importance of using culture-independent methods when studying food microbiota. PMID:25333463

Origin and ecological selection of core and food-specific bacterial communities associated with meat and seafood spoilage.

PubMed

Chaillou, Stéphane; Chaulot-Talmon, Aurélie; Caekebeke, Hélène; Cardinal, Mireille; Christieans, Souad; Denis, Catherine; Desmonts, Marie Hélène; Dousset, Xavier; Feurer, Carole; Hamon, Erwann; Joffraud, Jean-Jacques; La Carbona, Stéphanie; Leroi, Françoise; Leroy, Sabine; Lorre, Sylvie; Macé, Sabrina; Pilet, Marie-France; Prévost, Hervé; Rivollier, Marina; Roux, Dephine; Talon, Régine; Zagorec, Monique; Champomier-Vergès, Marie-Christine

2015-05-01

The microbial spoilage of meat and seafood products with short shelf lives is responsible for a significant amount of food waste. Food spoilage is a very heterogeneous process, involving the growth of various, poorly characterized bacterial communities. In this study, we conducted 16S ribosomal RNA gene pyrosequencing on 160 samples of fresh and spoiled foods to comparatively explore the bacterial communities associated with four meat products and four seafood products that are among the most consumed food items in Europe. We show that fresh products are contaminated in part by a microbiota similar to that found on the skin and in the gut of animals. However, this animal-derived microbiota was less prevalent and less abundant than a core microbiota, psychrotrophic in nature, mainly originated from the environment (water reservoirs). We clearly show that this core community found on meat and seafood products is the main reservoir of spoilage bacteria. We also show that storage conditions exert strong selective pressure on the initial microbiota: alpha diversity in fresh samples was 189±58 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but dropped to 27±12 OTUs in spoiled samples. The OTU assemblage associated with spoilage was shaped by low storage temperatures, packaging and the nutritional value of the food matrix itself. These factors presumably act in tandem without any hierarchical pattern. Most notably, we were also able to identify putative new clades of dominant, previously undescribed bacteria occurring on spoiled seafood, a finding that emphasizes the importance of using culture-independent methods when studying food microbiota.

Temperate Pine Barrens and Tropical Rain Forests Are Both Rich in Undescribed Fungi

PubMed Central

Luo, Jing; Walsh, Emily; Naik, Abhishek; Zhuang, Wenying; Zhang, Keqin; Cai, Lei; Zhang, Ning

2014-01-01

Most of fungal biodiversity on Earth remains unknown especially in the unexplored habitats. In this study, we compared fungi associated with grass (Poaceae) roots from two ecosystems: the temperate pine barrens in New Jersey, USA and tropical rain forests in Yunnan, China, using the same sampling, isolation and species identification methods. A total of 426 fungal isolates were obtained from 1600 root segments from 80 grass samples. Based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and morphological characteristics, a total of 85 fungal species (OTUs) belonging in 45 genera, 23 families, 16 orders, and 6 classes were identified, among which the pine barrens had 38 and Yunnan had 56 species, with only 9 species in common. The finding that grass roots in the tropical forests harbor higher fungal species diversity supports that tropical forests are fungal biodiversity hotspots. Sordariomycetes was dominant in both places but more Leotiomycetes were found in the pine barrens than Yunnan, which may play a role in the acidic and oligotrophic pine barrens ecosystem. Equal number of undescribed fungal species were discovered from the two sampled ecosystems, although the tropical Yunnan had more known fungal species. Pine barrens is a unique, unexplored ecosystem. Our finding suggests that sampling plants in such unexplored habitats will uncover novel fungi and that grass roots in pine barrens are one of the major reservoirs of novel fungi with about 47% being undescribed species. PMID:25072783

Population genetic analysis of oral treponemes by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis.

PubMed

Dahle, U R; Olsen, I; Tronstad, L; Caugant, D A

1995-10-01

Seventeen treponemes recently isolated from necrotic pulps, periodontal and periapical infections and 17 previously well characterized oral treponemal strains were analyzed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. Ten genetic loci were characterized on the basis of the electrophoretic mobilities of their enzymatic products. All loci were polymorphic. The average number of alleles per locus was 7.8. The genetic diversity among the electrophoretic types at each locus ranged from 0.624 to 0.836 with a mean genetic diversity per locus of 0.751. The 34 strains represented 34 electrophoretic types, constituting 6 main divisions (I-VI) separated at genetic distances greater than 0.75. Several of the previously characterized treponemes revealed multiple bands of enzyme activity at several loci, indicating that they were not pure. The characterized strains usually clustered within established species, whereas fresh clinical isolates overlapped species borders. There was a large genetic difference between some reference and clinical strains, indicating that the latter may contain undescribed species. Treponema socranskii and Treponema denticola strains clustered in distinct divisions (IV and V, respectively), with the exception of T. denticola strain FDC 51B2 and T. socranskii subsp. paredis strain VPI D46CPE1, both previously well described. This indicated that the taxonomic assignment of these 2 strains should be reconsidered.

Morphology-based phylogeny of the suckermouth armored catfishes, with emphasis on the Neoplecostominae (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Loricariidae).

PubMed

Pereira, Edson H L; Reis, Roberto E

2017-05-11

A phylogenetic study of the Loricariidae with emphasis on the Neoplecostominae is presented based on a maximum parsimony analysis of 268 phenotypic characters encompassing osteology, arthrology, and external morphology. Results support previous hypotheses of the monophyly of the Neoplecostominae and each of the included genera: Hirtella, Isbrueckerichthys, Kronichthys, Neoplecostomus, Pareiorhaphis, and Pareiorhina. In addition, previously undiscovered diversity was revealed within the subfamily as an additional genus-level taxon, herein described as Euryochus. Relationships among neoplecostomine genera are: (Kronichthys (Euryochus ((Hirtella + Pareiorhaphis) (Pareiorhina (Isbrueckerichthys + Neoplecostomus))))). Additional undescribed diversity was also detected among most neoplecostomine genera and the Hypoptopomatinae. In addition, recently discovered genera Nannoplecostomus and Microplecostomus were included in the analysis, and were identified as sequential sister-taxa to Neoplecostominae + Hypoptopomatinae, which are currently not included in any subfamily and regarded as incertae sedis in Loricariidae. The three species of Lithogenes were included in an encompassing phylogenetic analysis for the first time, and were identified as a monophyletic unit and sister group to all remaining loricariids. The other loricariid subfamilies were also corroborated as monophyletic, and presented the following interrelationships (Lithogeninae (Delturinae (Loricariinae (Hypostominae (Nannoplecostomus (Microplecostomus (Hypoptopomatinae + Neoplecostominae). The Neoplecostominae and its genera are phylogenetically diagnosed, and hypothesized relationships are compared to those of previous morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies.

Genome-wide association study identifies two new susceptibility loci for atopic dermatitis in the Chinese Han population.

PubMed

Sun, Liang-Dan; Xiao, Feng-Li; Li, Yang; Zhou, Wen-Ming; Tang, Hua-Yang; Tang, Xian-Fa; Zhang, Hui; Schaarschmidt, Heidi; Zuo, Xian-Bo; Foelster-Holst, Regina; He, Su-Min; Shi, Mei; Liu, Qiang; Lv, Yong-Mei; Chen, Xi-Lan; Zhu, Kun-Ju; Guo, Yi-Feng; Hu, Da-Yan; Li, Ming; Li, Min; Zhang, Yan-Hong; Zhang, Xin; Tang, Jian-Ping; Guo, Bi-Rong; Wang, Hua; Liu, Yuan; Zou, Xiao-Yan; Zhou, Fu-Sheng; Liu, Xiao-Yan; Chen, Gang; Ma, Lin; Zhang, Shu-Mei; Jiang, Ai-Ping; Zheng, Xiao-Dong; Gao, Xing-Hua; Li, Pan; Tu, Cai-Xia; Yin, Xian-Yong; Han, Xiu-Ping; Ren, Yun-Qing; Song, Shun-Peng; Lu, Zhi-Yong; Zhang, Xing-Lian; Cui, Yong; Chang, Jing; Gao, Min; Luo, Xiao-Yan; Wang, Pei-Guang; Dai, Xing; Su, Wei; Li, Hui; Shen, Chun-Pin; Liu, Sheng-Xiu; Feng, Xiao-Bo; Yang, Chun-Jun; Lin, Guo-Shu; Wang, Zai-Xing; Huang, Jian-Qing; Fan, Xing; Wang, Yan; Bao, Yi-Xiao; Yang, Sen; Liu, Jian-Jun; Franke, Andre; Weidinger, Stephan; Yao, Zhi-Rong; Zhang, Xue-Jun

2011-06-12

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing form of inflammatory skin disorder that is affected by genetic and environmental factors. We performed a genome-wide association study of atopic dermatitis in a Chinese Han population using 1,012 affected individuals (cases) and 1,362 controls followed by a replication study in an additional 3,624 cases and 12,197 controls of Chinese Han ethnicity, as well as 1,806 cases and 3,256 controls from Germany. We identified previously undescribed susceptibility loci at 5q22.1 (TMEM232 and SLC25A46, rs7701890, P(combined) = 3.15 × 10(-9), odds ratio (OR) = 1.24) and 20q13.33 (TNFRSF6B and ZGPAT, rs6010620, P(combined) = 3.0 × 10(-8), OR = 1.17) and replicated another previously reported locus at 1q21.3 (FLG, rs3126085, P(combined) = 5.90 × 10(-12), OR = 0.82) in the Chinese sample. The 20q13.33 locus also showed evidence for association in the German sample (rs6010620, P = 2.87 × 10(-5), OR = 1.25). Our study identifies new genetic susceptibility factors and suggests previously unidentified biological pathways in atopic dermatitis.

Additions to the aquatic diptera (Chaoboridae, Chironomidae, Culicidae, Tabanidae, Tipulidae) fauna of the White River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chordas, Stephen W.; Hudson, Patrick L.; Chapman, Eric G.

2004-01-01

The dipteran fauna of Arkansas is generally poorly known. A previous study of the Aquatic macroinvertebrates of the White River National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in Arkansas, reported only 12 diptera taxa out of 219 taxa collected (Chordas et al., 1996). Most of the dipterans from this study were identified only to the family level. The family Chironomidae is a large, diverse group and was predicted to be much more diverse in the refuge than indicated by previous studies. In this study, Chironomidae were targeted, with other aquatic or semiaquatic dipterans also retained, in collections designed to better define the dipteran fauna of the White River National Wildlife Refuge. Adult dipterans were collected from 22 sites within the refuge using sweep-nets, two types of blacklight traps, and lighted fan traps in June of 2001. Specimens from previous studies were retrieved and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. A total of 4,917 specimens representing 122 taxa was collected. The 122 taxa were comprised of the following: two chaoborids, 83 chironomids, 15 culicids, nine tabanids, and 13 tipulids. Of these, 46 species are new state records for Arkansas. Nine undescribed species of chironomids were collected, and eight species records represent significant range extensions.

Gene-centric Meta-analysis in 87,736 Individuals of European Ancestry Identifies Multiple Blood-Pressure-Related Loci

PubMed Central

Tragante, Vinicius; Barnes, Michael R.; Ganesh, Santhi K.; Lanktree, Matthew B.; Guo, Wei; Franceschini, Nora; Smith, Erin N.; Johnson, Toby; Holmes, Michael V.; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Karczewski, Konrad J.; Almoguera, Berta; Barnard, John; Baumert, Jens; Chang, Yen-Pei Christy; Elbers, Clara C.; Farrall, Martin; Fischer, Mary E.; Gaunt, Tom R.; Gho, Johannes M.I.H.; Gieger, Christian; Goel, Anuj; Gong, Yan; Isaacs, Aaron; Kleber, Marcus E.; Leach, Irene Mateo; McDonough, Caitrin W.; Meijs, Matthijs F.L.; Melander, Olle; Nelson, Christopher P.; Nolte, Ilja M.; Pankratz, Nathan; Price, Tom S.; Shaffer, Jonathan; Shah, Sonia; Tomaszewski, Maciej; van der Most, Peter J.; Van Iperen, Erik P.A.; Vonk, Judith M.; Witkowska, Kate; Wong, Caroline O.L.; Zhang, Li; Beitelshees, Amber L.; Berenson, Gerald S.; Bhatt, Deepak L.; Brown, Morris; Burt, Amber; Cooper-DeHoff, Rhonda M.; Connell, John M.; Cruickshanks, Karen J.; Curtis, Sean P.; Davey-Smith, George; Delles, Christian; Gansevoort, Ron T.; Guo, Xiuqing; Haiqing, Shen; Hastie, Claire E.; Hofker, Marten H.; Hovingh, G. Kees; Kim, Daniel S.; Kirkland, Susan A.; Klein, Barbara E.; Klein, Ronald; Li, Yun R.; Maiwald, Steffi; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; O’Brien, Eoin T.; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Palmas, Walter; Parsa, Afshin; Penninx, Brenda W.; Pettinger, Mary; Vasan, Ramachandran S.; Ranchalis, Jane E.; M Ridker, Paul; Rose, Lynda M.; Sever, Peter; Shimbo, Daichi; Steele, Laura; Stolk, Ronald P.; Thorand, Barbara; Trip, Mieke D.; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Verschuren, W. Monique; Wijmenga, Cisca; Wyatt, Sharon; Young, J. Hunter; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.; Bezzina, Connie R.; Boerwinkle, Eric; Casas, Juan P.; Caulfield, Mark J.; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Chasman, Daniel I.; Davidson, Karina W.; Doevendans, Pieter A.; Dominiczak, Anna F.; FitzGerald, Garret A.; Gums, John G.; Fornage, Myriam; Hakonarson, Hakon; Halder, Indrani; Hillege, Hans L.; Illig, Thomas; Jarvik, Gail P.; Johnson, Julie A.; Kastelein, John J.P.; Koenig, Wolfgang; Kumari, Meena; März, Winfried; Murray, Sarah S.; O’Connell, Jeffery R.; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.; Pankow, James S.; Rader, Daniel J.; Redline, Susan; Reilly, Muredach P.; Schadt, Eric E.; Kottke-Marchant, Kandice; Snieder, Harold; Snyder, Michael; Stanton, Alice V.; Tobin, Martin D.; Uitterlinden, André G.; van der Harst, Pim; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.; Samani, Nilesh J.; Watkins, Hugh; Johnson, Andrew D.; Reiner, Alex P.; Zhu, Xiaofeng; de Bakker, Paul I.W.; Levy, Daniel; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Munroe, Patricia B.; Keating, Brendan J.

2014-01-01

Blood pressure (BP) is a heritable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To investigate genetic associations with systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP), we genotyped ∼50,000 SNPs in up to 87,736 individuals of European ancestry and combined these in a meta-analysis. We replicated findings in an independent set of 68,368 individuals of European ancestry. Our analyses identified 11 previously undescribed associations in independent loci containing 31 genes including PDE1A, HLA-DQB1, CDK6, PRKAG2, VCL, H19, NUCB2, RELA, HOXC@ complex, FBN1, and NFAT5 at the Bonferroni-corrected array-wide significance threshold (p < 6 × 10−7) and confirmed 27 previously reported associations. Bioinformatic analysis of the 11 loci provided support for a putative role in hypertension of several genes, such as CDK6 and NUCB2. Analysis of potential pharmacological targets in databases of small molecules showed that ten of the genes are predicted to be a target for small molecules. In summary, we identified previously unknown loci associated with BP. Our findings extend our understanding of genes involved in BP regulation, which may provide new targets for therapeutic intervention or drug response stratification. PMID:24560520

Flexible colour patterns obscure identification and mimicry in Indo-Pacific Chromodoris nudibranchs (Gastropoda: Chromodorididae).

PubMed

Layton, Kara K S; Gosliner, Terrence M; Wilson, Nerida G

2018-07-01

Chromodoris is a genus of colourful nudibranchs that feed on sponges and is found across the Indo-Pacific. While this was once the most diverse chromodorid genus, recent work has shown that the genus should be restricted to a monophyletic lineage that contains only 22 species, all of which exhibit black pigmentation and planar spawning behaviour. Earlier phylogenies of this group are poorly resolved and thus additional work is needed to clarify species boundaries within Chromodoris. This study presents a maximum-likelihood phylogeny based on mitochondrial loci (COI, 16S) for 345 Chromodoris specimens, including data from 323 new specimens and 22 from GenBank, from across the Indo-Pacific. Species hypotheses and phylogenetic analysis uncovered 39 taxa in total containing 18 undescribed species, with only five of 39 taxa showing stable colour patterns and distinct morphotypes. This study also presents the first evidence for regional mimicry in this genus, with C. colemani and C. joshi displaying geographically-based variation in colour patterns which appear to match locally abundant congenerics, highlighting the flexibility of these colour patterns in Chromodoris nudibranchs. The current phylogeny contains short branch lengths, polytomies and poor support at interior nodes, which is indicative of a recent radiation. As such, future work will employ a transcriptome-based exon capture approach for resolving the phylogeny of this group. In all, this study included 21 of the 22 described species in the Chromodoris sensu stricto group with broad sampling coverage from across the Indo-Pacific, constituting the most comprehensive sampling of this group to date. This work highlights several cases of undocumented diversity, ultimately expanding our knowledge of species boundaries in this group, while also demonstrating the limitations of colour patterns for species identification in this genus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular systematics of pinniped hookworms (Nematoda: Uncinaria): species delimitation, host associations and host-induced morphometric variation.

PubMed

Nadler, Steven A; Lyons, Eugene T; Pagan, Christopher; Hyman, Derek; Lewis, Edwin E; Beckmen, Kimberlee; Bell, Cameron M; Castinel, Aurelie; Delong, Robert L; Duignan, Padraig J; Farinpour, Cher; Huntington, Kathy Burek; Kuiken, Thijs; Morgades, Diana; Naem, Soraya; Norman, Richard; Parker, Corwin; Ramos, Paul; Spraker, Terry R; Berón-Vera, Bárbara

2013-12-01

Hookworms of the genus Uncinaria have been widely reported from juvenile pinnipeds, however investigations of their systematics has been limited, with only two species described, Uncinaria lucasi from northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and Uncinaria hamiltoni from South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens). Hookworms were sampled from these hosts and seven additional species including Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis), Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus), New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri), southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), and the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). One hundred and thirteen individual hookworms, including an outgroup species, were sequenced for four genes representing two loci (nuclear ribosomal DNA and mitochondrial DNA). Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences recovered seven independent evolutionary lineages or species, including the described species and five undescribed species. The molecular evidence shows that U. lucasi parasitises both C. ursinus and E. jubatus, whereas U. hamiltoni parasitises O. flavescens and A. australis. The five undescribed hookworm species were each associated with single host species (Z. californianus, A. pusillus, P. hookeri, M. leonina and M. monachus). For parasites of otarids, patterns of Uncinaria host-sharing and phylogenetic relationships had a strong biogeographic component with separate clades of parasites from northern versus southern hemisphere hosts. Comparison of phylogenies for these hookworms and their hosts suggests that the association of U. lucasi with northern fur seals results from a host-switch from Steller sea lions. Morphometric data for U. lucasi shows marked host-associated size differences for both sexes, with U. lucasi individuals from E. jubatus significantly larger. This result suggests that adult growth of U. lucasi is reduced within the host species representing the more recent host-parasite association. Intraspecific host-induced size differences are inconsistent with the exclusive use of morphometrics to delimit and diagnose species of Uncinaria from pinnipeds. Copyright © 2013 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. All rights reserved.

Larval feeding behavior and ant association in frosted elfin, Callophrys irus (Lycaenidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albanese, G.; Nelson, M.W.; Vickery, P.D.; Sievert, P.R.

2007-01-01

Callophrys irus is a rare and declining lycaenid found in the eastern U.S., inhabiting xeric and open habitats maintained by disturbance. Populations are localized and monophagous. We document a previously undescribed larval feeding behavior in both field and lab reared larvae in which late instar larvae girdled the main stem of the host plant. Girdled stems provide a unique feeding sign that was useful in detecting the presence of larvae in the field. We also observed frequent association of field larvae with several species of ants and provide a list of ant species. We suggest two hypotheses on the potential benefits of stem-girdling to C. irus larvae: 1) Stem girdling provides phloem sap as a larval food source and increases the leaf nutrient concentration, increasing larval growth rates and providing high quality honeydew for attending ants; 2) Stem girdling reduces stem toxicity by inhibiting transport of toxins from roots to the stem.

LACTB is a tumour suppressor that modulates lipid metabolism and cell state.

PubMed

Keckesova, Zuzana; Donaher, Joana Liu; De Cock, Jasmine; Freinkman, Elizaveta; Lingrell, Susanne; Bachovchin, Daniel A; Bierie, Brian; Tischler, Verena; Noske, Aurelia; Okondo, Marian C; Reinhardt, Ferenc; Thiru, Prathapan; Golub, Todd R; Vance, Jean E; Weinberg, Robert A

2017-03-30

Post-mitotic, differentiated cells exhibit a variety of characteristics that contrast with those of actively growing neoplastic cells, such as the expression of cell-cycle inhibitors and differentiation factors. We hypothesized that the gene expression profiles of these differentiated cells could reveal the identities of genes that may function as tumour suppressors. Here we show, using in vitro and in vivo studies in mice and humans, that the mitochondrial protein LACTB potently inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Its mechanism of action involves alteration of mitochondrial lipid metabolism and differentiation of breast cancer cells. This is achieved, at least in part, through reduction of the levels of mitochondrial phosphatidylserine decarboxylase, which is involved in the synthesis of mitochondrial phosphatidylethanolamine. These observations uncover a novel mitochondrial tumour suppressor and demonstrate a connection between mitochondrial lipid metabolism and the differentiation program of breast cancer cells, thereby revealing a previously undescribed mechanism of tumour suppression.

Polyketide derivatives from a marine-sponge-associated fungus Pestalotiopsis heterocornis.

PubMed

Lei, Hui; Lin, Xiuping; Han, Li; Ma, Jian; Dong, Kailin; Wang, Xingbo; Zhong, Jialiang; Mu, Yu; Liu, Yonghong; Huang, Xueshi

2017-10-01

Twelve previously undescribed polyketide derivatives, heterocornols A-L, and seven known analogues were isolated from a culture of the fungus Pestalotiopsis heterocornis associated with sponge. Their structures were elucidated by a comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis and CD Cotton effects. These compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic and antibacterial activities in vitro. Among them, heterocornols A-C, F-H, methyl-(2-formyl-3-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate, agropyrenol, and vaccinol G exhibited cytotoxicities against four human cancer cell lines with IC 50 values 15-100 μM, and they also showed antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis with MIC values ranging from 25 to 100 μg/mL. Moreover, compounds heterocornol C, heterocornol G, agropyrenol, and vaccinol G showed weak antifungal activities against Candida parapsilosis and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC values 100 μg/mL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guanine nucleotide binding to the Bateman domain mediates the allosteric inhibition of eukaryotic IMP dehydrogenases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buey, Rubén M.; Ledesma-Amaro, Rodrigo; Velázquez-Campoy, Adrián; Balsera, Mónica; Chagoyen, Mónica; de Pereda, José M.; Revuelta, José L.

2015-11-01

Inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) plays key roles in purine nucleotide metabolism and cell proliferation. Although IMPDH is a widely studied therapeutic target, there is limited information about its physiological regulation. Using Ashbya gossypii as a model, we describe the molecular mechanism and the structural basis for the allosteric regulation of IMPDH by guanine nucleotides. We report that GTP and GDP bind to the regulatory Bateman domain, inducing octamers with compromised catalytic activity. Our data suggest that eukaryotic and prokaryotic IMPDHs might have developed different regulatory mechanisms, with GTP/GDP inhibiting only eukaryotic IMPDHs. Interestingly, mutations associated with human retinopathies map into the guanine nucleotide-binding sites including a previously undescribed non-canonical site and disrupt allosteric inhibition. Together, our results shed light on the mechanisms of the allosteric regulation of enzymes mediated by Bateman domains and provide a molecular basis for certain retinopathies, opening the door to new therapeutic approaches.

Uncovering the Legionella genus effector repertoire - strength in diversity and numbers

PubMed Central

Burstein, David; Amaro, Francisco; Zusman, Tal; Lifshitz, Ziv; Cohen, Ofir; Gilbert, Jack A; Pupko, Tal; Shuman, Howard A; Segal, Gil

2016-01-01

Infection by the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila relies on the translocation of ~300 virulence proteins, termed effectors, which manipulate host-cell processes. However, almost no information exists regarding effectors in other Legionella pathogens. Here we sequenced, assembled and characterized the genomes of 38 Legionella species, and predicted their effector repertoire using a previously validated machine-learning approach. This analysis revealed a treasure trove of 5,885 predicted effectors. The effector repertoire of different Legionella species was found to be largely non-overlapping, and only seven core-effectors were shared among all species studied. Species-specific effectors had atypically low GC content, suggesting exogenous acquisition, possibly from their natural protozoan hosts. Furthermore, we detected numerous novel conserved effector domains, and discovered new domain combinations, which allowed inferring yet undescribed effector functions. The effector collection and network of domain architectures described here can serve as a roadmap for future studies of effector function and evolution. PMID:26752266

Cell-mediated fibre recruitment drives extracellular matrix mechanosensing in engineered fibrillar microenvironments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Brendon M.; Trappmann, Britta; Wang, William Y.; Sakar, Mahmut S.; Kim, Iris L.; Shenoy, Vivek B.; Burdick, Jason A.; Chen, Christopher S.

2015-12-01

To investigate how cells sense stiffness in settings structurally similar to native extracellular matrices, we designed a synthetic fibrous material with tunable mechanics and user-defined architecture. In contrast to flat hydrogel surfaces, these fibrous materials recapitulated cell-matrix interactions observed with collagen matrices including stellate cell morphologies, cell-mediated realignment of fibres, and bulk contraction of the material. Increasing the stiffness of flat hydrogel surfaces induced mesenchymal stem cell spreading and proliferation; however, increasing fibre stiffness instead suppressed spreading and proliferation for certain network architectures. Lower fibre stiffness permitted active cellular forces to recruit nearby fibres, dynamically increasing ligand density at the cell surface and promoting the formation of focal adhesions and related signalling. These studies demonstrate a departure from the well-described relationship between material stiffness and spreading established with hydrogel surfaces, and introduce fibre recruitment as a previously undescribed mechanism by which cells probe and respond to mechanics in fibrillar matrices.

Coprosma kawaikiniensis (Rubiaceae) a new species from the Dubautia-Sadleria shrubland-fernland community on Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands

PubMed Central

Wood, Kenneth R.; Lorence, David H.; Kiehn, Michael

2016-01-01

Abstract Coprosma kawaikiniensis K.R. Wood, Lorence & Kiehn (Rubiaceae), a rare endemic tree from Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated along with a previously undescribed endemic plant community, the Dubautia-Sadleria shrubland-fernland (DSSF). The new species differs from Hawai‘i congeners by its combination of opposite, long, elliptic to narrowly elliptic or ovate-elliptic leaves with revolute margins; caducous stipules 7–10 mm long, externally glabrous, densely hirtellous-pilose near the margins of the inner surface; unbranched inflorescences with peduncles 20–28 mm long; flowers 6–8 per cluster; and persistent calyx tube with 4–8 irregular dentate lobes. Known only from the windward slopes and ridges of southeastern Kaua‘i below the Kawaikini summit, Coprosma kawaikiniensis falls into the IUCN Critically Endangered (CR) Red List category. PMID:27081342

Diversity-oriented synthesis yields novel multistage antimalarial inhibitors.

PubMed

Kato, Nobutaka; Comer, Eamon; Sakata-Kato, Tomoyo; Sharma, Arvind; Sharma, Manmohan; Maetani, Micah; Bastien, Jessica; Brancucci, Nicolas M; Bittker, Joshua A; Corey, Victoria; Clarke, David; Derbyshire, Emily R; Dornan, Gillian L; Duffy, Sandra; Eckley, Sean; Itoe, Maurice A; Koolen, Karin M J; Lewis, Timothy A; Lui, Ping S; Lukens, Amanda K; Lund, Emily; March, Sandra; Meibalan, Elamaran; Meier, Bennett C; McPhail, Jacob A; Mitasev, Branko; Moss, Eli L; Sayes, Morgane; Van Gessel, Yvonne; Wawer, Mathias J; Yoshinaga, Takashi; Zeeman, Anne-Marie; Avery, Vicky M; Bhatia, Sangeeta N; Burke, John E; Catteruccia, Flaminia; Clardy, Jon C; Clemons, Paul A; Dechering, Koen J; Duvall, Jeremy R; Foley, Michael A; Gusovsky, Fabian; Kocken, Clemens H M; Marti, Matthias; Morningstar, Marshall L; Munoz, Benito; Neafsey, Daniel E; Sharma, Amit; Winzeler, Elizabeth A; Wirth, Dyann F; Scherer, Christina A; Schreiber, Stuart L

2016-10-20

Antimalarial drugs have thus far been chiefly derived from two sources-natural products and synthetic drug-like compounds. Here we investigate whether antimalarial agents with novel mechanisms of action could be discovered using a diverse collection of synthetic compounds that have three-dimensional features reminiscent of natural products and are underrepresented in typical screening collections. We report the identification of such compounds with both previously reported and undescribed mechanisms of action, including a series of bicyclic azetidines that inhibit a new antimalarial target, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. These molecules are curative in mice at a single, low dose and show activity against all parasite life stages in multiple in vivo efficacy models. Our findings identify bicyclic azetidines with the potential to both cure and prevent transmission of the disease as well as protect at-risk populations with a single oral dose, highlighting the strength of diversity-oriented synthesis in revealing promising therapeutic targets.

A chromosomal investigation of some European Leiodidae (Coleoptera), with particular focus on Spanish subterranean Leptodirini

PubMed Central

Angus, Robert B.; Edwards, David B.; Luque, Carlos G.; Labrada, Lucia

2012-01-01

Abstract Karyotypes are shown for Leiodes calcarata (Erichson, 1845), Catops coracinus Kellner, 1846, Cantabrogeus luquei (Salgado, 1993), Espanoliella luquei Salgado & Fresneda, 2005, Fresnedaella lucius Salgado, Labrada & Luque, 2011, Notidocharis uhagoni (Sharp 1872), Quaestus (Quaesticulus) pasensis Salgado, Labrada & Luque, 2010, all of which are shown to have a diploid number of 20 autosomes plus Xy (♂) or XX (♀) sex chromosomes, as well as an as yet undescribed triploid species of the genus Cantabrogeus Salgado, 2000. These results are contrasted with published information, all on Leptodirini, which lists 10 species as having diploid numbers of 22 + Xy or XX. It is shown that the higher chromosome number (n = 11 + X or y) previously reported refers exclusively to the more derived Leptodirini (“infraflagellates”) whereas the lower number (n = 10 + X or y) refers to the less derived surface-dwelling forms and the less derived Leptodirini (“supraflagellates”). PMID:24260657

Rapid identification of genes controlling virulence and immunity in malaria parasites

PubMed Central

Xangsayarath, Phonepadith; Tang, Jianxia; Yahata, Kazuhide; Zoungrana, Augustin; Mitaka, Hayato; Acharjee, Arita; Datta, Partha P.; Hunt, Paul; Carter, Richard; Kaneko, Osamu; Mustonen, Ville; Pain, Arnab

2017-01-01

Identifying the genetic determinants of phenotypes that impact disease severity is of fundamental importance for the design of new interventions against malaria. Here we present a rapid genome-wide approach capable of identifying multiple genetic drivers of medically relevant phenotypes within malaria parasites via a single experiment at single gene or allele resolution. In a proof of principle study, we found that a previously undescribed single nucleotide polymorphism in the binding domain of the erythrocyte binding like protein (EBL) conferred a dramatic change in red blood cell invasion in mutant rodent malaria parasites Plasmodium yoelii. In the same experiment, we implicated merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) and other polymorphic proteins, as the major targets of strain-specific immunity. Using allelic replacement, we provide functional validation of the substitution in the EBL gene controlling the growth rate in the blood stages of the parasites. PMID:28704525

Craniosynostosis in the Middle Pleistocene human Cranium 14 from the Sima de los Huesos, Atapuerca, Spain.

PubMed

Gracia, Ana; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Martínez, Ignacio; Lorenzo, Carlos; Carretero, José Miguel; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Carbonell, Eudald

2009-04-21

We report here a previously undescribed human Middle Pleistocene immature specimen, Cranium 14, recovered at the Sima de los Huesos (SH) site (Atapuerca, Spain), that constitutes the oldest evidence in human evolution of a very rare pathology in our own species, lambdoid single suture craniosynostosis (SSC). Both the ecto- and endo-cranial deformities observed in this specimen are severe. All of the evidence points out that this severity implies that the SSC occurred before birth, and that facial asymmetries, as well as motor/cognitive disorders, were likely to be associated with this condition. The analysis of the present etiological data of this specimen lead us to consider that Cranium 14 is a case of isolated SSC, probably of traumatic origin. The existence of this pathological individual among the SH sample represents also a fact to take into account when referring to sociobiological behavior in Middle Pleistocene humans.

7SL RNA in Vertebrate Red Blood Cells.

PubMed

Talhouarne, Gaëlle J S; Gall, Joseph G

2018-04-23

We report that 7SL, the RNA component of the signal recognition particle (SRP), is an abundant ncRNA in mature red blood cells (RBCs) of human, mouse, and the frog Xenopus. 7SL RNA in RBCs is not associated with the canonical proteins of the SRP. Instead, it co-immunoprecipitates from a lysate of RBCs with a number of membrane-binding proteins. Human and mouse RBCs also contain a previously undescribed 68 nt RNA, sRN7SL, derived from the "S domain" of 7SL RNA. We discuss the possibility that 7SL RNA is selectively protected from nucleases by association with the RBC membrane. Because 7SL is not associated with the canonical proteins of the SRP, it could represent a non-functional remnant of the protein synthetic machinery. Alternatively, it could play a new, as yet undefined role in RBC metabolism. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

New species and phylogenetic relationships of the spider genus Coptoprepes using morphological and sequence data (Araneae: Anyphaenidae).

PubMed

Barone, Mariana L; Werenkraut, Victoria; Ramírez, Martín J

2016-10-17

We present evidence from the standard cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding marker and from new collections, showing that the males and females of C. ecotono Werenkraut & Ramírez were mismatched, and describe the female of that species for the first time. An undescribed male from Chile is assigned to the new species Coptoprepes laudani, together with the female that was previously thought as C. ecotono. The matching of sexes is justified after a dual cladistics analysis of morphological and sequence data in combination. New locality data and barcoding sequences are provided for other species of Coptoprepes, all endemic of the temperate forests of Chile and adjacent Argentina. Although morphology and sequences are not conclusive on the relationships of Coptoprepes species, the sequence data suggests that the species without a retrolateral tibial apophysis may belong to an independent lineage.

Cellular, ultrastructural and molecular analyses of epidermal cell development in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea.

PubMed

Cheng, Li-Chun; Tu, Kimberly C; Seidel, Chris W; Robb, Sofia M C; Guo, Fengli; Sánchez Alvarado, Alejandro

2018-01-15

The epidermis is essential for animal survival, providing both a protective barrier and cellular sensor to external environments. The generally conserved embryonic origin of the epidermis, but the broad morphological and functional diversity of this organ across animals is puzzling. We define the transcriptional regulators underlying epidermal lineage differentiation in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, an invertebrate organism that, unlike fruitflies and nematodes, continuously replaces its epidermal cells. We find that Smed-p53, Sox and Pax transcription factors are essential regulators of epidermal homeostasis, and act cooperatively to regulate genes associated with early epidermal precursor cell differentiation, including a tandemly arrayed novel gene family (prog) of secreted proteins. Additionally, we report on the discovery of distinct and previously undescribed secreted organelles whose production is dependent on the transcriptional activity of soxP-3, and which we term Hyman vesicles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Miocene Shark and Batoid Fauna from Nosy Makamby (Mahajanga Basin, Northwestern Madagascar)

PubMed Central

Andrianavalona, Tsiory H.; Ramihangihajason, Tolotra N.; Rasoamiaramanana, Armand; Ward, David J.; Ali, Jason R.; Samonds, Karen E.

2015-01-01

Madagascar is well known for producing exceptional fossils. However, the record for selachians remains relatively poorly known. Paleontological reconnaissance on the island of Nosy Makamby, off northwest Madagascar, has produced a previously undescribed assemblage of Miocene fossils. Based on isolated teeth, ten taxonomic groups are identified: Otodus, Carcharhinus, Galeocerdo, Rhizoprionodon, Sphyrna, Hemipristis, Squatina, Rostroraja, Himantura and Myliobatidae. Six are newly described from Madagascar for the Cenozoic (Galeocerdo, Rhizoprionodon, Sphyrna, Squatina, Rostroraja and Himantura). In association with these specimens, remains of both invertebrates (e.g., corals, gastropods, bivalves) and vertebrates (e.g., bony fish, turtles, crocodylians, and sirenian mammals) were also recovered. The sedimentary facies are highly suggestive of a near-shore/coastal plain depositional environment. This faunal association shares similarities to contemporaneous sites reported from North America and Europe and gives a glimpse into the paleoenvironment of Madagascar’s Miocene, suggesting that this region was warm, tropical shallow-water marine. PMID:26075723

First biological measurements of deep-sea corals from the Red Sea

PubMed Central

Roder, C.; Berumen, M. L.; Bouwmeester, J.; Papathanassiou, E.; Al-Suwailem, A.; Voolstra, C. R.

2013-01-01

It is usually assumed that metabolic constraints restrict deep-sea corals to cold-water habitats, with ‘deep-sea’ and ‘cold-water’ corals often used as synonymous. Here we report on the first measurements of biological characters of deep-sea corals from the central Red Sea, where they occur at temperatures exceeding 20°C in highly oligotrophic and oxygen-limited waters. Low respiration rates, low calcification rates, and minimized tissue cover indicate that a reduced metabolism is one of the key adaptations to prevailing environmental conditions. We investigated four sites and encountered six species of which at least two appear to be undescribed. One species is previously reported from the Red Sea but occurs in deep cold waters outside the Red Sea raising interesting questions about presumed environmental constraints for other deep-sea corals. Our findings suggest that the present understanding of deep-sea coral persistence and resilience needs to be revisited. PMID:24091830

Temporary Fixation Using a Long Femoral-tibial Nail to Treat a Displaced Medial Tibial Plateau Fracture in a 90-year-old Patient: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Batta, V; Sinha, S; Trompeter, A

2017-01-01

Introduction: Tibial plateau fractures are complex injuries in the elderly population. When traditional methods of fixation are not suitable, an alternative method needs to be chosen for a favorable outcome. We demonstrate a previously undescribed treatment for displaced tibial plateau fractures in the very elderly with poor soft-tissue integrity. Case Report: A 90-year-old woman suffered an open, Gustilo Grade IIIA, displaced fracture of the tibial plateau. An intramedullary knee arthrodesis, the femoral-tibial nail was used to temporarily stabilize her fracture. She was able to weight bear immediately postfixation. Conclusion: A long femoral-tibial nail allows favorable fracture and soft tissue healing, ease of nursing and immediate full weight-bearing. It shows good promise and should be considered as a management option when traditional methods are not applicable in select patients. PMID:29181350

Temporary Fixation Using a Long Femoral-tibial Nail to Treat a Displaced Medial Tibial Plateau Fracture in a 90-year-old Patient: A Case Report.

PubMed

Batta, V; Sinha, S; Trompeter, A

2017-01-01

Tibial plateau fractures are complex injuries in the elderly population. When traditional methods of fixation are not suitable, an alternative method needs to be chosen for a favorable outcome. We demonstrate a previously undescribed treatment for displaced tibial plateau fractures in the very elderly with poor soft-tissue integrity. A 90-year-old woman suffered an open, Gustilo Grade IIIA, displaced fracture of the tibial plateau. An intramedullary knee arthrodesis, the femoral-tibial nail was used to temporarily stabilize her fracture. She was able to weight bear immediately postfixation. A long femoral-tibial nail allows favorable fracture and soft tissue healing, ease of nursing and immediate full weight-bearing. It shows good promise and should be considered as a management option when traditional methods are not applicable in select patients.

Cytotoxic triterpenoid saponins from Clematis tangutica.

PubMed

Zhao, Min; Da-Wa, Zhuo-Ma; Guo, Da-Le; Fang, Dong-Mei; Chen, Xiao-Zhen; Xu, Hong-Xi; Gu, Yu-Cheng; Xia, Bing; Chen, Lei; Ding, Li-Sheng; Zhou, Yan

2016-10-01

Eight previously undescribed oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins, clematangoticosides A-H, together with eight known saponins, were isolated from the whole plants of Clematis tangutica (Maxim.) Korsh. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, in combination with chemical methods (acid hydrolysis and mild alkaline hydrolysis). Clematangoticosides D-G were found to be unusual 23, 28-bidesmosidic glycosides. The cytotoxic activities of all of the isolated saponins were evaluated against the four human cancer cell lines SGC-7901, HepG2, HL-60 and U251MG. Clematoside S, sapindoside B, kalopanax saponin A, and koelreuteria saponin A exhibited cytotoxicity against all of the test cancer cell lines with IC50 values in the range of 1.88-27.20 μM, while clematangoticoside D and F showed selective cytotoxicity against SGC-7901 with IC50 values of 24.22 and 21.35 μM, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transforming growth factor-beta controls T helper type 1 cell development through regulation of natural killer cell interferon-gamma.

PubMed

Laouar, Yasmina; Sutterwala, Fayyaz S; Gorelik, Leonid; Flavell, Richard A

2005-06-01

Interferon-gamma and interleukin 12 produced by the innate arm of the immune system are important regulators of T helper type 1 (T(H)1) cell development, but signals that negatively regulate their expression remain controversial. Here we show that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) controlled T(H)1 differentiation through the regulation of interferon-gamma produced by natural killer (NK) cells. Blockade of TGF-beta signaling in NK cells caused the accumulation of a large pool of NK cells secreting copious interferon-gamma, responsible for T(H)1 differentiation and protection from leishmania infection. In contrast, blockade of TGF-beta signaling in dendritic cells did not affect dendritic cell homeostasis or interleukin 12 production, thus indicating a previously undescribed demarcation of the function of TGF-beta in NK cells versus dendritic cells.

"Johnny Poppers": a cause of serious ocular injury.

PubMed

MacAndie, K; Kyle, P

1998-07-01

The causes of blunt ocular trauma are many and diverse. We present two cases of ocular injury caused by an unusual form of weapon called a "Johnny Popper". There follows a theoretical and experimental evaluation of the velocity of the projectiles fired by this device. A Johnny Popper was constructed under expert guidance. The elastic properties of the device were measured and this allowed calculation of a theoretical exit velocity of the projectiles fired. The weapon was subsequently fired under test conditions which permitted the exit velocity of the projectiles fired to be measured directly. The theoretical velocity of the projectiles was calculated as 80 ms-1 and the experimentally measured velocity was 57 ms-1. Johnny Poppers are a previously undescribed and unique form of home made weapon. They are intended for playful mischief, but have the potential to cause serious ocular trauma.

The global transmission network of HIV-1.

PubMed

Wertheim, Joel O; Leigh Brown, Andrew J; Hepler, N Lance; Mehta, Sanjay R; Richman, Douglas D; Smith, Davey M; Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei L

2014-01-15

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is pandemic, but its contemporary global transmission network has not been characterized. A better understanding of the properties and dynamics of this network is essential for surveillance, prevention, and eventual eradication of HIV. Here, we apply a simple and computationally efficient network-based approach to all publicly available HIV polymerase sequences in the global database, revealing a contemporary picture of the spread of HIV-1 within and between countries. This approach automatically recovered well-characterized transmission clusters and extended other clusters thought to be contained within a single country across international borders. In addition, previously undescribed transmission clusters were discovered. Together, these clusters represent all known modes of HIV transmission. The extent of international linkage revealed by our comprehensive approach demonstrates the need to consider the global diversity of HIV, even when describing local epidemics. Finally, the speed of this method allows for near-real-time surveillance of the pandemic's progression.

Timothy syndrome-like condition with syndactyly but without prolongation of the QT interval.

PubMed

Kosaki, Rika; Ono, Hiroshi; Terashima, Hiroshi; Kosaki, Kenjiro

2018-05-07

Timothy syndrome is characterized by a unique combination of a prolongation of the corrected QT interval of the electrocardiogram and bilateral cutaneous syndactyly of the fingers and the toes and is caused by heterozygous mutations in CACNA1C, a gene encoding a calcium channel. After the discovery of the CACNA1C gene as the causative gene for Timothy syndrome, patients with CACNA1C mutations with QT prolongation but without syndactyly were described. Here, we report a 5-year-old female patient with cutaneous syndactyly, developmental delay, and pulmonary hypertension. Exome analysis showed a previously undescribed de novo heterozygous mutation in the CACNA1C gene, p.Arg1024Gly. To our knowledge, this patient is the first to exhibit syndactyly and to carry a CACNA1C mutation but to not have QT prolongation, which has long been considered an obligatory feature of Timothy syndrome. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

First biological measurements of deep-sea corals from the Red Sea.

PubMed

Roder, C; Berumen, M L; Bouwmeester, J; Papathanassiou, E; Al-Suwailem, A; Voolstra, C R

2013-10-03

It is usually assumed that metabolic constraints restrict deep-sea corals to cold-water habitats, with 'deep-sea' and 'cold-water' corals often used as synonymous. Here we report on the first measurements of biological characters of deep-sea corals from the central Red Sea, where they occur at temperatures exceeding 20°C in highly oligotrophic and oxygen-limited waters. Low respiration rates, low calcification rates, and minimized tissue cover indicate that a reduced metabolism is one of the key adaptations to prevailing environmental conditions. We investigated four sites and encountered six species of which at least two appear to be undescribed. One species is previously reported from the Red Sea but occurs in deep cold waters outside the Red Sea raising interesting questions about presumed environmental constraints for other deep-sea corals. Our findings suggest that the present understanding of deep-sea coral persistence and resilience needs to be revisited.

Eukaryotic algal phytochromes span the visible spectrum

PubMed Central

Rockwell, Nathan C.; Duanmu, Deqiang; Martin, Shelley S.; Bachy, Charles; Price, Dana C.; Bhattacharya, Debashish; Worden, Alexandra Z.; Lagarias, J. Clark

2014-01-01

Plant phytochromes are photoswitchable red/far-red photoreceptors that allow competition with neighboring plants for photosynthetically active red light. In aquatic environments, red and far-red light are rapidly attenuated with depth; therefore, photosynthetic species must use shorter wavelengths of light. Nevertheless, phytochrome-related proteins are found in recently sequenced genomes of many eukaryotic algae from aquatic environments. We examined the photosensory properties of seven phytochromes from diverse algae: four prasinophyte (green algal) species, the heterokont (brown algal) Ectocarpus siliculosus, and two glaucophyte species. We demonstrate that algal phytochromes are not limited to red and far-red responses. Instead, different algal phytochromes can sense orange, green, and even blue light. Characterization of these previously undescribed photosensors using CD spectroscopy supports a structurally heterogeneous chromophore in the far-red–absorbing photostate. Our study thus demonstrates that extensive spectral tuning of phytochromes has evolved in phylogenetically distinct lineages of aquatic photosynthetic eukaryotes. PMID:24567382

Diterpenes from buds of Wikstroemia chamaedaphne showing anti-hepatitis B virus activities.

PubMed

Li, Shi-Fei; Jiao, Ying-Ying; Zhang, Zhi-Qiang; Chao, Jian-Bin; Jia, Jie; Shi, Xun-Long; Zhang, Li-Wei

2018-07-01

Phytochemical study of the buds of Wikstroemia chamaedaphne Meisn. led to the isolation of seven previously undescribed diterpenes, including one tigliane diterpene (wikstchalide A), two daphnane diterpenes (wikstroelides W-X), and four lathyrane diterpenes (laurifoliosides A-B and 2-epi-laurifoliosides A-B), along with four known diterpenes. The structures of these compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic evidence and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Wikstchalide A possesses a 5,6-epoxy ring in the tigliane skeleton. Two compounds exhibited potential anti-hepatitis B virus activities, with IC 50 values of 46.5 and 88.3 μg/mL against hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg), and six compounds showed certain inhibitory effects on HBV-DNA replication with the inhibition ratios ranging from 2.0% to 33.0% at the concentrations ranging from 0.39 to 6.25 μg/mL. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PPM-X: a new X-linked mental retardation syndrome with psychosis, pyramidal signs, and macroorchidism maps to Xq28.

PubMed Central

Lindsay, S.; Splitt, M.; Edney, S.; Berney, T. P.; Knight, S. J.; Davies, K. E.; O'Brien, O.; Gale, M.; Burn, J.

1996-01-01

We report a three-generation family manifesting a previously undescribed X-linked mental retardation syndrome. Four of the six moderately retarded males have had episodes of manic-depressive psychosis. The phenotype also includes pyramidal signs, Parkinsonian features, and macroorchidism, but there are no characteristic dysmorphic facial features. Affected males do not show fragile sites at distal Xq on cytogenetic analysis, nor do they have expansions of the CGG repeats at the FRAXA, FRAXE, or FRAXF loci. Linkage analyses were undertaken, and a maximal LOD score of 3.311 at theta = .0 was observed with the microsatellite marker DXS1123 in Xq28. A recombination was detected in one of the affected males with DXS1691 (Xq28), which gives the proximal boundary of the localization. No distal recombination has been detected at any of the loci tested. Images Figure 2 PMID:8651288

Craniosynostosis in the Middle Pleistocene human Cranium 14 from the Sima de los Huesos, Atapuerca, Spain

PubMed Central

Gracia, Ana; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Martínez, Ignacio; Lorenzo, Carlos; Carretero, José Miguel; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Carbonell, Eudald

2009-01-01

We report here a previously undescribed human Middle Pleistocene immature specimen, Cranium 14, recovered at the Sima de los Huesos (SH) site (Atapuerca, Spain), that constitutes the oldest evidence in human evolution of a very rare pathology in our own species, lambdoid single suture craniosynostosis (SSC). Both the ecto- and endo-cranial deformities observed in this specimen are severe. All of the evidence points out that this severity implies that the SSC occurred before birth, and that facial asymmetries, as well as motor/cognitive disorders, were likely to be associated with this condition. The analysis of the present etiological data of this specimen lead us to consider that Cranium 14 is a case of isolated SSC, probably of traumatic origin. The existence of this pathological individual among the SH sample represents also a fact to take into account when referring to sociobiological behavior in Middle Pleistocene humans. PMID:19332773

Nuclear and mitochondrial markers reveal evidence for genetically segregated cryptic speciation in giant Pacific octopuses from Prince William Sound, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toussaint, Rebecca K.; Scheel, David; Sage, G.K.; Talbot, S.L.

2012-01-01

Multiple species of large octopus are known from the north Pacific waters around Japan, however only one large species is known in the Gulf of Alaska (the giant Pacific octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini). Current taxonomy of E. dofleini is based on geographic and morphological characteristics, although with advances in genetic technology that is changing. Here, we used two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I), three nuclear genes (rhodopsin, octopine dehydrogenase, and paired-box 6), and 18 microsatellite loci for phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses of octopuses collected from across southcentral and the eastern Aleutian Islands (Dutch Harbor), Alaska. Our results suggest the presence of a cryptic Enteroctopus species that is allied to, but distinguished from E. dofleini in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Existence of an undescribed and previously unrecognized taxon raises important questions about the taxonomy of octopus in southcentral Alaska waters.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Enterovirus 71 Strains Isolated during Linked Epidemics in Malaysia, Singapore, and Western Australia

PubMed Central

McMinn, Peter; Lindsay, Katie; Perera, David; Chan, Hung Ming; Chan, Kwai Peng; Cardosa, Mary Jane

2001-01-01

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a frequent cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) epidemics associated with severe neurological sequelae in a small proportion of cases. There has been a significant increase in EV71 epidemic activity throughout the Asia-Pacific region since 1997. Recent HFMD epidemics in this region have been associated with a severe form of brainstem encephalitis associated with pulmonary edema and high case fatality rates. In this study, we show that four genetic lineages of EV71 have been prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region since 1997, including two previously undescribed genogroups (B3 and B4). Furthermore, we show that viruses belonging to genogroups B3 and B4 have circulated endemically in Southeast Asia during this period and have been the primary cause of several large HFMD or encephalitis epidemics in Malaysia, Singapore, and Western Australia. PMID:11462047

High prevalence of chigger mite infection in a forest-specialist frog with evidence of parasite-related granulomatous myositis.

PubMed

Alvarado-Rybak, Mario; Valenzuela-Sánchez, Andrés; Cevidanes, Aitor; Peñafiel-Ricaurte, Alexandra; Uribe-Rivera, David E; Flores, Edgardo; Cunningham, Andrew A; Soto-Azat, Claudio

2018-05-01

Amphibians are hosts for a wide variety of micro- and macro-parasites. Chigger mites from the Hannemania genus are known to infect a wide variety of amphibian species across the Americas. In Chile, three species (H. pattoni, H. gonzaleacunae and H. ortizi) have been described infecting native anurans; however, neither impacts nor the microscopic lesions associated with these parasites have been described. Here, we document 70% prevalence of chigger mite infection in Eupsophus roseus and absence of infection in Rhinoderma darwinii in the Nahuelbuta Range, Chile. Additionally, we describe the macroscopic and microscopic lesions produced by H. ortizi in one of these species, documenting previously undescribed lesions (granulomatous myositis) within the host's musculature. These findings highlight that further research to better understand the impacts of chigger mite infection on amphibians is urgently required in Chile and elsewhere.

Survey of nematodes associated with terrestrial slugs in Norway.

PubMed

Ross, J L; Ivanova, E S; Hatteland, B A; Brurberg, M B; Haukeland, S

2016-09-01

A survey of nematodes associated with terrestrial slugs was conducted for the first time in Norway. A total of 611 terrestrial slugs were collected from 32 sample sites. Slugs were identified by means of morphological examination, dissection of genitalia and molecular analysis using mitochondrial DNA. Twelve slug species were identified, representing four different slug families. Internal nematodes were identified by means of morphological analysis and the sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. Of the sample sites studied, 62.5% were found to be positive for nematode parasites, with 18.7% of all slugs discovered being infected. Five nematode species were identified in this study: Alloionema appendiculatum, Agfa flexilis, Angiostoma limacis, Angiostoma sp. and Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. Of these species, only one nematode was previously undescribed (Angiostoma sp.). This is the first record of the presence of A. appendiculatum, A. flexilis and A. limacis in Norway.

Acute ethanol responses in Drosophila are sexually dimorphic

PubMed Central

Devineni, Anita V.; Heberlein, Ulrike

2012-01-01

In mammalian and insect models of ethanol intoxication, low doses of ethanol stimulate locomotor activity whereas high doses induce sedation. Sex differences in acute ethanol responses, which occur in humans, have not been characterized in Drosophila. In this study, we find that male flies show increased ethanol hyperactivity and greater resistance to ethanol sedation compared with females. We show that the sex determination gene transformer (tra) acts in the developing nervous system, likely through regulation of fruitless (fru), to at least partially mediate the sexual dimorphism in ethanol sedation. Although pharmacokinetic differences may contribute to the increased sedation sensitivity of females, neuronal tra expression regulates ethanol sedation independently of ethanol pharmacokinetics. We also show that acute activation of fru-expressing neurons affects ethanol sedation, further supporting a role for fru in regulating this behavior. Thus, we have characterized previously undescribed sex differences in behavioral responses to ethanol, and implicated fru in mediating a subset of these differences. PMID:23213244

Cold blast furnace syndrome: a new source of toxic inhalation by nitrogen oxides.

PubMed

Tague, I; Llewellin, P; Burton, K; Buchan, R; Yates, D H

2004-05-01

To describe a new toxic inhalation syndrome in blast furnace workers. Fourteen workers developed acute respiratory symptoms shortly after exposure to "air blast" from blast furnace tuyeres. These included chest tightness, dyspnoea, rigors, and diaphoresis. Chest radiographs showed pulmonary infiltrates, and lung function a restrictive abnormality. This report includes a description of clinical features of the affected workers and elucidation of the probable cause of the outbreak. Clinical features and occupational hygiene measurements suggested the most likely cause was inhalation of nitrogen oxides at high pressure and temperature. While the task could not be eliminated, engineering controls were implemented to control the hazard. No further cases have occurred. "Cold blast furnace syndrome" represents a previously undescribed hazard of blast furnace work, probably due to inhalation of nitrogen oxides. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute toxic inhalational injuries in blast furnace workers.

Cold blast furnace syndrome: a new source of toxic inhalation by nitrogen oxides

PubMed Central

Tague, I; Llewellin, P; Burton, K; Buchan, R; Yates, D

2004-01-01

Methods: Fourteen workers developed acute respiratory symptoms shortly after exposure to "air blast" from blast furnace tuyeres. These included chest tightness, dyspnoea, rigors, and diaphoresis. Chest radiographs showed pulmonary infiltrates, and lung function a restrictive abnormality. This report includes a description of clinical features of the affected workers and elucidation of the probable cause of the outbreak. Results: Clinical features and occupational hygiene measurements suggested the most likely cause was inhalation of nitrogen oxides at high pressure and temperature. While the task could not be eliminated, engineering controls were implemented to control the hazard. No further cases have occurred. Conclusions: "Cold blast furnace syndrome" represents a previously undescribed hazard of blast furnace work, probably due to inhalation of nitrogen oxides. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute toxic inhalational injuries in blast furnace workers. PMID:15090669

Preparative separation of the polar part from the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides using a hydrophilic C18 stationary phase.

PubMed

Cai, Jianfeng; Xin, Huaxia; Cheng, Lingping; Fu, YanHui; Jiang, Dasen; Feng, Jiatao; Fu, Qing; Jin, Yu; Liang, Xinmiao

2017-09-15

The goal of this study was to develop a method that utilized a hydrophilic C18 stationary phase in the preparative high performance liquid chromatography to isolate the polar part from the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides. The results showed that an initial mobile phase of pure water for the separation could greatly increase the retention and solubility of the polar compounds at the preparative scale. Introducing polar groups on the surface of the hydrophilic C18 column together with the use of optimized mobile phase compositions improved the column separation selectivity for polar compounds. Eleven previously undescribed compounds in Anemarrhena asphodeloides were obtained, indicating that the method developed in this study would facilitate the purification and separation of the polar part of traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anti-inflammatory Flavanones and Flavanols from the Roots of Pongamia pinnata.

PubMed

Wen, Ran; Lv, Haining; Jiang, Yong; Tu, Pengfei

2018-05-18

A phytochemical study of the roots of Pongamia pinnata afforded 29 flavanones and flavanols, including 7 previously undescribed compounds. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopy data. The absolute configurations of the compounds were assigned via analysis of the specific rotations and electronic circular dichroism spectra, application of Mosher's method, and by comparing the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism spectra. The isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. All of the isolated compounds exhibited inhibitory effects against nitric oxide production, and most of them showed obvious anti-inflammatory activities (IC 50 < 20 µM), among which 26: was the most active compound with an IC 50 of 9.6 µM. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Structurally diverse natural products that cause potassium leakage trigger multicellularity in Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

López, Daniel; Fischbach, Michael A; Chu, Frances; Losick, Richard; Kolter, Roberto

2009-01-06

We report a previously undescribed quorum-sensing mechanism for triggering multicellularity in Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis forms communities of cells known as biofilms in response to an unknown signal. We discovered that biofilm formation is stimulated by a variety of small molecules produced by bacteria--including the B. subtilis nonribosomal peptide surfactin--that share the ability to induce potassium leakage. Natural products that do not cause potassium leakage failed to induce multicellularity. Small-molecule-induced multicellularity was prevented by the addition of potassium, but not sodium or lithium. Evidence is presented that potassium leakage stimulates the activity of a membrane protein kinase, KinC, which governs the expression of genes involved in biofilm formation. We propose that KinC responds to lowered intracellular potassium concentration and that this is a quorum-sensing mechanism that enables B. subtilis to respond to related and unrelated bacteria.

Precipitation of a new platelet phase during the quenching of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yong; Weyland, Matthew; Milkereit, Benjamin; Reich, Michael; Rometsch, Paul A.

2016-03-01

A previously undescribed high aspect ratio strengthening platelet phase, herein named the Y-phase, has been identified in a commercial Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Differential scanning calorimetry indicates that this phase only precipitates at temperature and cooling rate of about 150-250 °C and 0.05-300 K/s, respectively. This precipitate is shown to be responsible for a noticeable improvement in mechanical properties. Aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy demonstrates the minimal thickness (~1.4 nm) precipitate plates are isostructural to those of the T1 (Al2CuLi) phase observed in Al-Cu-Li alloys. Low voltage chemical analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy gives evidence of the spatial partitioning of the Al, Cu and Zn within the Y-phase, as well as demonstrating the incorporation of a small amount of Mg.

Cartilaginous metaplasia and overgrowth of neurocranium skull after X-irradiation in utero.

PubMed

Schmahl, W; Meyer, I; Kriegel, H; Tempel, K H

1979-01-01

Prenatal X-irradiation of mice in the late organogenesis stage either with a fractionated or a single exposure dose (3 X 160 R or 200 R) leads to remarkable, previously undescribed malformations of the skull. These malformations range from mild hyperostotic nodule formation in about 90% of the offspring to excessive formation of desmal bony tissues, which extend deep into the forebrain and are thus only detectable in histological sections. Metaplastic and hyperplastic formation of cartilage in all the neurocranial regions is observed in about 10% of the offspring. The pathogenesis of these overgrowth phenomena is presumably related to a growth disturbance of both the mesenchymal skull primordium and the brain. While malformation of the latter leads to a decrease of intracranial pressure and consequently to altered growth activity of the skull sutures, the reparative and proliferative capacities of the mesenchyme are also stimulated, in a hyperplastic direction, by X-irradiation.

Opiinae update

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Opiinae is a subfamily of koinobiont endoparasitoids of cyclorrhaphous Diptera with ~1,981 described species worldwide. The subfamily is hyperdiverse, and many species remain undescribed. Most opiines attack agromyzid or tephritid flies; they have been used to control pests in those families, partic...

Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces isolated from house dust samples collected around the world

PubMed Central

Visagie, C.M.; Hirooka, Y.; Tanney, J.B.; Whitfield, E.; Mwange, K.; Meijer, M.; Amend, A.S.; Seifert, K.A.; Samson, R.A.

2014-01-01

As part of a worldwide survey of the indoor mycobiota, dust was collected from nine countries. Analyses of dust samples included the culture-dependent dilution-to-extinction method and the culture-independent 454-pyrosequencing. Of the 7 904 isolates, 2 717 isolates were identified as belonging to Aspergillus, Penicillium and Talaromyces. The aim of this study was to identify isolates to species level and describe the new species found. Secondly, we wanted to create a reliable reference sequence database to be used for next-generation sequencing projects. Isolates represented 59 Aspergillus species, including eight undescribed species, 49 Penicillium species of which seven were undescribed and 18 Talaromyces species including three described here as new. In total, 568 ITS barcodes were generated, and 391 β-tubulin and 507 calmodulin sequences, which serve as alternative identification markers. PMID:25492981

Land-use type and intensity differentially filter traits in above- and below-ground arthropod communities.

PubMed

Birkhofer, Klaus; Gossner, Martin M; Diekötter, Tim; Drees, Claudia; Ferlian, Olga; Maraun, Mark; Scheu, Stefan; Weisser, Wolfgang W; Wolters, Volkmar; Wurst, Susanne; Zaitsev, Andrey S; Smith, Henrik G

2017-05-01

Along with the global decline of species richness goes a loss of ecological traits. Associated biotic homogenization of animal communities and narrowing of trait diversity threaten ecosystem functioning and human well-being. High management intensity is regarded as an important ecological filter, eliminating species that lack suitable adaptations. Below-ground arthropods are assumed to be less sensitive to such effects than above-ground arthropods. Here, we compared the impact of management intensity between (grassland vs. forest) and within land-use types (local management intensity) on the trait diversity and composition in below- and above-ground arthropod communities. We used data on 722 arthropod species living above-ground (Auchenorrhyncha and Heteroptera), primarily in soil (Chilopoda and Oribatida) or at the interface (Araneae and Carabidae). Our results show that trait diversity of arthropod communities is not primarily reduced by intense local land use, but is rather affected by differences between land-use types. Communities of Auchenorrhyncha and Chilopoda had significantly lower trait diversity in grassland habitats as compared to forests. Carabidae showed the opposite pattern with higher trait diversity in grasslands. Grasslands had a lower proportion of large Auchenorrhyncha and Carabidae individuals, whereas Chilopoda and Heteroptera individuals were larger in grasslands. Body size decreased with land-use intensity across taxa, but only in grasslands. The proportion of individuals with low mobility declined with land-use intensity in Araneae and Auchenorrhyncha, but increased in Chilopoda and grassland Heteroptera. The proportion of carnivorous individuals increased with land-use intensity in Heteroptera in forests and in Oribatida and Carabidae in grasslands. Our results suggest that gradients in management intensity across land-use types will not generally reduce trait diversity in multiple taxa, but will exert strong trait filtering within individual taxa. The observed patterns for trait filtering in individual taxa are not related to major classifications into above- and below-ground species. Instead, ecologically different taxa resembled each other in their trait diversity and compositional responses to land-use differences. These previously undescribed patterns offer an opportunity to develop management strategies for the conservation of trait diversity across taxonomic groups in permanent grassland and forest habitats. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

Diversity, distribution, and conservation status of the native freshwater fishes of the southern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warren, Melvin L.; Burr, Brooks M.; Walsh, Stephen J.; Bart, Henry L.; Cashner, Robert C.; Etnier, David A.; Freeman, Byron J.; Kuhajda, Bernard R.; Mayden, Richard L.; Robison, Henry W.; Ross, Stephen T.; Starnes, Wayne C.

2000-01-01

The Southeastern Fishes Council Technical Advisory Committee reviewed the diversity, distribution, and status of all native freshwater and diadromous fishes across 51 major drainage units of the southern United States. The southern United States supports more native fishes than any area of comparable size on the North American continent north of Mexico, but also has a high proportion of its fishes in need of conservation action. The review included 662 native freshwater and diadromous fishes and 24 marine fishes that are significant components of freshwater ecosystems. Of this total, 560 described, freshwater fish species are documented, and 49 undescribed species are included provisionally pending formal description. Described subspecies (86) are recognized within 43 species, 6 fishes have undescribed subspecies, and 9 others are recognized as complexes of undescribed taxa. Extinct, endangered, threatened, or vulnerable status is recognized for 28% (187 taxa) of southern freshwater and diadromous fishes. To date, 3 southern fishes are known to be extinct throughout their ranges, 2 are extirpated from the study region, and 2 others may be extinct. Of the extant southern fishes, 41 (6%) are regarded as endangered, 46 (7%) are regarded as threatened, and 101 (15%) are regarded as vulnerable. Five marine fishes that frequent fresh water are regarded as vulnerable. Our assessment represents a 75% increase in jeopardized southern fishes since 1989 and a 125% increase in 20 years. The trend for fishes in the southern United States is clear; jeopardized fishes are successively being moved from the vulnerable category to that of imminent threat of extinction.

Combinations of putative virulence markers in typical and variant enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains from children with and without diarrhoea.

PubMed Central

Elias, W. P.; Uber, A. P.; Tomita, S. K.; Trabulsi, L. R.; Gomes, T. A. T.

2002-01-01

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is defined by the ability to produce aggregative adherence (AA) to cultured cells. We analysed 128 EAEC strains, isolated from children with and without diarrhoea, regarding the presence of 11 EAEC virulence genes. Seventy strains carried and 58 lacked the EAEC probe sequence; 17 probe positive and 31 probe negative strains showed variations in the AA pattern. All EAEC probe positive strains carried at least one EAEC marker; aspU (94.3%), irp2 (91.4%), and aggR (74.3%) were the most prevalent. Conversely, among the EAEC probe negative strains, 41.4% were devoid of any marker and astA predominated (44.8%). No significant statistical difference in the prevalence of any marker between cases and controls in both EAEC probe groups or AA variants was found. We suggest that the EAEC probe positive strains may have a higher pathogenic potential or alternatively, EAEC probe negative strains may harbour virulence factors as yet undescribed. PMID:12211596

Light production by the arm tips of the deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis.

PubMed

Robison, Bruce H; Reisenbichler, Kim R; Hunt, James C; Haddock, Steven H D

2003-10-01

The archaic, deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis occurs in dark, oxygen-poor waters below 600 m off Monterey Bay, California. Living specimens, collected gently with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and quickly transported to a laboratory ashore, have revealed two hitherto undescribed means of bioluminescent expression for the species. In the first, light is produced by a new type of organ located at the tips of all eight arms. In the second, a viscous fluid containing microscopic luminous particles is released from the arm tips to form a glowing cloud around the animal. Both modes of light production are apparently linked to anti-predation strategies. Use of the tip-lights is readily educed by contact stimuli, while fluid expulsion has a much higher triggering threshold. Coelenterazine and luciferase are the chemical precursors of light production. This paper presents observations on the structure and operation of the arm-tip light organs, the character of the luminous cloud, and how the light they produce is incorporated into behavioral patterns.

Dynamics of Malaria Drug Resistance Patterns in the Amazon Basin Region following Changes in Peruvian National Treatment Policy for Uncomplicated Malaria▿ †

PubMed Central

Bacon, David J.; McCollum, Andrea M.; Griffing, Sean M.; Salas, Carola; Soberon, Valeria; Santolalla, Meddly; Haley, Ryan; Tsukayama, Pablo; Lucas, Carmen; Escalante, Ananias A.; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam

2009-01-01

Monitoring changes in the frequencies of drug-resistant and -sensitive genotypes can facilitate in vivo clinical trials to assess the efficacy of drugs before complete failure occurs. Peru changed its national treatment policy for uncomplicated malaria to artesunate (ART)-plus-mefloquine (MQ) combination therapy in the Amazon basin in 2001. We genotyped isolates collected in 1999 and isolates collected in 2006 to 2007 for mutations in the Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) genes, multidrug resistance gene 1 (Pfmdr-1), the chloroquine (CQ) resistance transporter gene (Pfcrt), and the Ca2+ ATPase gene (PfATP6); these have been shown to be involved in resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), MQ, CQ, and possibly ART, respectively. Microsatellite haplotypes around the Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, Pfcrt, and Pfmdr-1 loci were also determined. There was a significant decline in the highly SP resistant Pfdhfr and Pfdhps genotypes from 1999 to 2006. In contrast, a CQ-resistant Pfcrt genotype increased in frequency during the same period. Among five different Pfmdr-1 allelic forms noted in 1999, two genotypes increased in frequency while one genotype decreased by 2006. We also noted previously undescribed polymorphisms in the PfATP6 gene as well as an increase in the frequency of a deletion mutant during this period. In addition, microsatellite analysis revealed that the resistant Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, and Pfcrt genotypes have each evolved from a single founder haplotype, while Pfmdr-1 genotypes have evolved from at least two independent haplotypes. Importantly, this study demonstrates that the Peruvian triple mutant Pfdhps genotypes are very similar to those found in other parts of South America. PMID:19258269

Recognizing occupational effects of diacetyl: What can we learn from this history?

PubMed Central

Kreiss, Kathleen

2017-01-01

For half of the 30-odd years that diacetyl-exposed workers have developed disabling lung disease, obliterative bronchiolitis was unrecognized as an occupational risk. Delays in its recognition as an occupational lung disease are attributable to the absence of a work-related temporal pattern of symptoms; failure to recognize clusters of cases; complexity of exposure environments; and absence of epidemiologic characterization of workforces giving rise to case clusters. Few physicians are familiar with this rare disease, and motivation to investigate the unknown requires familiarity with what is known and what is anomalous. In pursuit of the previously undescribed risk, investigators benefited greatly from multi-disciplinary collaboration, in this case including physicians, epidemiologists, environmental scientists, toxicologists, industry representatives, and worker advocates. In the 15 years since obliterative bronchiolitis was described in microwave popcorn workers, α-dicarbonyl-related lung disease has been found in flavoring manufacturing workers, other food production workers, diacetyl manufacturing workers, and coffee production workers, alongside case reports in other industries. Within the field of occupational health, impacts include new ventures in public health surveillance, attention to spirometry quality for serial measurements, identifying other indolent causes of obliterative bronchiolitis apart from accidental over-exposures, and broadening the spectrum of diagnostic abnormalities in the disease. Within toxicology, impacts include new attention to appropriate animal models of obliterative bronchiolitis, pertinence of computational fluid dynamic-physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling, and contributions to mechanistic understanding of respiratory epithelial necrosis, airway fibrosis, and central nervous system effects. In these continuing efforts, collaboration between laboratory scientists, clinicians, occupational public health practitioners in government and industry, and employers remains critical for improving the health of workers inhaling volatile α-dicarbonyl compounds. PMID:27326900

Microcomputed tomography and shock microdeformation studies on shatter cones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaag, Patrice Tristan; Reimold, Wolf Uwe; Hipsley, Christy Anna

2016-08-01

One of the aspects of impact cratering that are still not fully understood is the formation of shatter cones and related fracturing phenomena. Yet, shatter cones have been applied as an impact-diagnostic criterion for decades without the role of shock waves and target rock defects in their formation having been elucidated ever. We have tested the application of the nondestructive microcomputed tomography (μCT) method to visualize the interior of shatter cones in order to possibly resolve links between fracture patterns and shatter cone surface features (striations and intervening "valleys"). Shatter-coned samples from different impact sites and in different lithologies were investigated for their μCT suitability, with a shatter cone in sandstone from the Serra da Cangalha impact structure (Brazil) remaining as the most promising candidate because of the fracture resolution achieved. To validate the obtained CT data, the scanned specimen was cut into three orthogonal sets of thin sections. Scans with 13 μm resolution were obtained. μCT scans and microscopic analysis unraveled an orientation of subplanar fractures and related fluid inclusion trails, and planar fracture (PF) orientations in the interior of shatter cones. Planar deformation features (PDF) were observed predominantly near the shatter cone surface. Previously undescribed varieties of feather features (FF), in the form of lamellae emanating from curviplanar and curved fractures, as well as an "arrowhead"-like FF development with microlamellae originating from both sides of a PF, were observed. The timing of shatter cone formation was investigated by establishing temporal relations to the generation of various shock microscopic effects. Shatter cones are, thus, generated post- or syn-formation of PF, FF, subplanar fractures, and PDF. The earliest possible time for shatter cone formation is during the late stage of the compressional phase, that is, shock wave passage, of an impact event.

Exploring quinolone resistance-determining region in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from across India.

PubMed

Sood, Seema; Agarwal, Madhav; Bala, Manju; Mahajan, Neeraj; Singh, Rajendra; Kapil, Arti; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Ram, R J; Kar, Hemanta Kumar; Sharma, Vinod Kumar

2017-07-01

Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhoea, is a subject of worldwide attention. The present study was undertaken to examine the rates of ciprofloxacin resistance, to correlate mutations in gyrA and parC genes with the level of resistance and to look for a variation in mutation pattern, if any, in isolates from across the country. A total of 113 isolates of N. gonorrhoeae collected from sexually transmitted infection patients in six centres during November 2010 to October 2013 were investigated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination was done by E-test and results interpreted as per Calibrated Dichotomous Sensitivity criteria. DNA sequence analysis of gyrA and parC genes was done. Of the 113 isolates, only three (2.6%) were susceptible whereas eight (7.07%) were less susceptible, 32 [28.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 20.4-37.6%] resistant (MIC 1-3 μg/ml) and 70 (61.9%, 95% CI: 52.2-70.7%) exhibited high-level resistance (HLR) (MIC ≥4 μg/ml) to ciprofloxacin. A S91F substitution in gyrA gene was demonstrated in all ciprofloxacin non-susceptible isolates. All resistant and HLR isolates had a double mutation in gyrA gene. However, only 5.7 per cent of HLR isolates showed double mutations in parC gene. One isolate (MIC 32 μg/ml) had a previously undescribed G85D substitution in the parC gene. A S91F substitution in gyrA gene was seen in all non-susceptible isolates of N. gonorrhoeae. It may be used as a marker for ciprofloxacin resistance for molecular surveillance approaches to complement the culture-based methods.

Recognizing occupational effects of diacetyl: What can we learn from this history?

PubMed

Kreiss, Kathleen

2017-08-01

For half of the 30-odd years that diacetyl-exposed workers have developed disabling lung disease, obliterative bronchiolitis was unrecognized as an occupational risk. Delays in its recognition as an occupational lung disease are attributable to the absence of a work-related temporal pattern of symptoms; failure to recognize clusters of cases; complexity of exposure environments; and absence of epidemiologic characterization of workforces giving rise to case clusters. Few physicians are familiar with this rare disease, and motivation to investigate the unknown requires familiarity with what is known and what is anomalous. In pursuit of the previously undescribed risk, investigators benefited greatly from multi-disciplinary collaboration, in this case including physicians, epidemiologists, environmental scientists, toxicologists, industry representatives, and worker advocates. In the 15 years since obliterative bronchiolitis was described in microwave popcorn workers, α-dicarbonyl-related lung disease has been found in flavoring manufacturing workers, other food production workers, diacetyl manufacturing workers, and coffee production workers, alongside case reports in other industries. Within the field of occupational health, impacts include new ventures in public health surveillance, attention to spirometry quality for serial measurements, identifying other indolent causes of obliterative bronchiolitis apart from accidental over-exposures, and broadening the spectrum of diagnostic abnormalities in the disease. Within toxicology, impacts include new attention to appropriate animal models of obliterative bronchiolitis, pertinence of computational fluid dynamic-physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling, and contributions to mechanistic understanding of respiratory epithelial necrosis, airway fibrosis, and central nervous system effects. In these continuing efforts, collaboration between laboratory scientists, clinicians, occupational public health practitioners in government and industry, and employers remains critical for improving the health of workers inhaling volatile α-dicarbonyl compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematics of the Madagascar Anelosimus spiders: remarkable local richness and endemism, and dual colonization from the Americas.

PubMed

Agnarsson, Ingi; Jencik, Brian B; Veve, Giselle M; Hanitriniaina, Sahondra; Agostini, Diego; Goh, Seok Ping; Pruitt, Jonathan; Kuntner, Matjaž

2015-01-01

Despite the alarming rates of deforestation and forest fragmentation, Madagascar still harbors extraordinary biodiversity. However, in many arthropod groups, such as spiders, this biodiversity remains mostly unexplored and undescribed. The first subsocial Madagascan species of the theridiid spider genus Anelosimus were described in 2005 when six new species were found to coexist in the Périnet forest fragment within Andasibe-Mantadia NP. However, this discovery was based only on a few specimens and the extent of this Madagascan radiation has remained unknown. We here report on a thorough survey of >350 colonies from Périnet, and three pilot surveys into additional Madagascar forests (Ambohitantely, Ranamofana, and Montagne d'Ambre). The morphological, molecular and natural history data from these surveys facilitated a revised taxonomy and phylogenetic hypothesis of Madagascan Anelosimus. This subsocial clade currently comprises six previously known (Anelosimusandasibe Agnarsson & Kuntner, 2005, Anelosimusmay Agnarsson, 2005, Anelosimusnazariani Agnarsson & Kuntner, 2005, Anelosimussallee Agnarsson & Kuntner, 2005, Anelosimussalut Agnarsson & Kuntner, 2005, Anelosimusvondrona Agnarsson & Kuntner, 2005) and 10 new species: Anelosimusata sp. n., Anelosimusbuffoni sp. n., Anelosimusdarwini sp. n., Anelosimushookeri sp. n., Anelosimushuxleyi sp. n., Anelosimuslamarcki sp. n., Anelosimusmoramora sp. n., Anelosimustita sp. n., Anelosimustorfi sp. n., Anelosimuswallacei sp. n.. With the exception of Anelosimusmay and Anelosimusvondrona, all other species appear to be single forest endemics. While additional sampling is necessary, these data imply a much higher local richness and endemism in Madagascan forests than in any other comparable area globally. The phylogenetic results establish a sister clade relationship between the subsocial Anelosimus in Madagascar and the American 'eximius group', and between the solitary Anelosimusdecaryi on Madagascar and a solitary American clade. These findings imply duplicate colonizations from America, an otherwise rare biogeographical pattern, calling for more detailed investigation of Anelosimus biogeography.

Defective double-strand DNA break repair and chromosomal translocations by MYC overexpression.

PubMed

Karlsson, Asa; Deb-Basu, Debabrita; Cherry, Athena; Turner, Stephanie; Ford, James; Felsher, Dean W

2003-08-19

DNA repair mechanisms are essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity. Disruption of gene products responsible for DNA repair can result in chromosomal damage. Improperly repaired chromosomal damage can result in the loss of chromosomes or the generation of chromosomal deletions or translocations, which can lead to tumorigenesis. The MYC protooncogene is a transcription factor whose overexpression is frequently associated with human neoplasia. MYC has not been previously implicated in a role in DNA repair. Here we report that the overexpression of MYC disrupts the repair of double-strand DNA breaks, resulting in a several-magnitude increase in chromosomal breaks and translocations. We found that MYC inhibited the repair of gamma irradiation DNA breaks in normal human cells and blocked the repair of a single double-strand break engineered to occur in an immortal cell line. By spectral karyotypic analysis, we found that MYC even within one cell division cycle resulted in a several-magnitude increase in the frequency of chromosomal breaks and translocations in normal human cells. Hence, MYC overexpression may be a previously undescribed example of a dominant mutator that may fuel tumorigenesis by inducing chromosomal damage.

Phosphorylation of TNF-alpha converting enzyme by gastrin-releasing peptide induces amphiregulin release and EGF receptor activation.

PubMed

Zhang, Qing; Thomas, Sufi M; Lui, Vivian Wai Yan; Xi, Sichuan; Siegfried, Jill M; Fan, Huizhou; Smithgall, Thomas E; Mills, Gordon B; Grandis, Jennifer Rubin

2006-05-02

G protein-coupled receptors induce EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling, leading to the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells. Elucidation of the mechanism of EGFR activation by G protein-coupled receptors may identify new signaling paradigms. A gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)/GRP receptor-mediated autocrine pathway was previously described in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. In the present study, we demonstrate that TNF-alpha converting enzyme (TACE), a disintegrin and metalloproteinse-17, undergoes a Src-dependent phosphorylation that regulates release of the EGFR ligand amphiregulin upon GRP treatment. Further investigation reveals the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) as the intermediate of c-Src and TACE, contributing to their association and TACE phosphorylation. Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), a downstream target of PI3-K, has been identified as the previously undescribed kinase to directly phosphorylate TACE upon GRP treatment. These findings suggest a signaling cascade of GRP-Src-PI3-K-PDK1-TACE-amphiregulin-EGFR with multiple points of interaction, translocation, and phosphorylation. Furthermore, knockdown of PDK1 augmented the antitumor effects of the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib, indicating PDK1 as a therapeutic target to improve the clinical response to EGFR inhibitors.

Molecular phylogeny of Planaltina Böhlke (Characidae: Stevardiinae) and comments on the definition and geographic distribution of the genus, with description of a new species

PubMed Central

da Graça, Weferson Júnio; Pavanelli, Carla Simone; Avelino, Gleisy Semencio; Oliveira, Claudio

2018-01-01

A molecular phylogeny of Planaltina, including the three previously described species and an undescribed species, is presented. The monophyly of the genus, included in Diapomini, is strongly supported. Its sister group, the remaining Diapomini, includes only species without modified caudal-fin squamation in the present analysis (species of Diapoma with caudal organs were not sampled). Creagrutus is sister to Planaltina plus remaining Diapomini instead of Planaltina being sister to Creagrutus plus Diapomini, as a previous analysis had suggested. Species of Planaltina form two clades: P. britskii plus the new species, with low support (< 50%); and P. myersi plus P. glandipedis, with higher support. Planaltina is rediagnosed from all Characidae based on the morphology of the caudal organ, the absence of a humeral spot and the presence of a complete lateral line. Comments on the caudal-fin squamation of Diapoma and Lepidocharax burnsi, on the type-series of L. burnsi and on the geographic distribution of Planaltina and Lepidocharax species are provided. Finally, a formal description of the aforementioned new species and a novel identification key to Planaltina are presented. PMID:29768420

Retrograde air escape via the nasolacrimal system: a previously unrecognized complication of continuous positive airway pressure in the management of obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Singh, Narinder Pal; Walker, Robbie James Eades; Cowan, Fiona; Davidson, Arthur Craig; Roberts, David Newton

2014-05-01

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Eye-related side effects of CPAP are commonly attributed to a poorly sealed mask, allowing leaked air to blow over the eye. We present 3 cases where attended polysomnography (A-PSG) demonstrated CPAP-associated retrograde air escape via the nasolacrimal system (CRANS) in the absence of any mask leaks. Symptoms included dry eye, epiphora, air escape from the medial canthus, and eyelid flutter. Symptoms were controlled with a variety of surgical and nonsurgical techniques. CRANS represents a previously undescribed clinical entity. CRANS may be responsible for some CPAP-related eye side effects and possibly for rarer secondary eye complications, including conjunctivitis and corneal ulceration. CRANS should be suspected in any patient on CPAP complaining of eye symptoms. CRANS may be diagnosed through careful observation during A-PSG and confirmed by performing a "saline bubble test." Management options include nonsurgical (mask alternatives, humidification, nasopharyngeal airway) and surgical techniques (nasal airway surgery, inferior turbinate out-fracture and adhesion, injection of bulking agent around Hasner's valve).

Morphological and molecular characterization of a new genus and new species of parazoanthid (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) associated with Japanese Red Coral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, J. D.; Nonaka, M.; Sinniger, F.; Iwase, F.

2008-12-01

The Order Zoantharia has long been taxonomically neglected primarily due to difficulty in examining the internal morphology of sand-encrusted zoanthids. However, recent work using molecular markers has shown an unexpectedly high diversity of previously “hidden” taxa (families and genera) within Zoantharia (=Zoanthidea, Zoanthiniaria). In this study, unidentified sediment-encrusting zoanthid specimens ( n = 8) were collected from living Japanese Red Coral Paracorallium japonicum (Family Coralliidae) during precious coral harvesting by Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and manned submersible (February 2004-January 2006) at depths of 194-250 m at six locations between Ishigaki-jima Island and Kikai-jima Island, southern Japan. DNA sequences (mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA [mt 16S rDNA], cytochrome oxidase subunit I [COI], nuclear internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA [ITS-rDNA]) unambiguously place these specimens in a previously undescribed, new monophyletic lineage within the family Parazoanthidae. Corallizoanthus tsukaharai, gen. n. et sp. n. is the first reported zoanthid species associated with the family Coralliidae and unlike other described gorgonian-associated zoanthids ( Savalia spp .) does not secrete its own hard axis. Morphologically, C. tsukaharai sp. n. is characterized by generally unitary polyps and bright yellow external coloration.

Two New Cyathane Diterpenoids from Mycelial Cultures of the Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus and the Rare Species, Hericium flagellum

PubMed Central

Rupcic, Zeljka; Rascher, Monique; Kanaki, Sae; Wittstein, Kathrin

2018-01-01

Basidiomycetes of the genus Hericium are among the most praised medicinal and edible mushrooms, which are known to produce secondary metabolites with the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases. This activity has been attributed to the discovery of various terpenoids that can stimulate the production of nerve growth factor (NGF) or (as established more recently) brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in cell-based bioassays. The present study reports on the metabolite profiles of a Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) strain and a strain of the rare species, Hericium flagellum (synonym H. alpestre). While we observed highly similar metabolite profiles between the two strains that were examined, we isolated two previously undescribed metabolites, given the trivial names erinacines Z1 and Z2. Their chemical structures were elucidated by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. Along with six further, previously identified cyathane diterpenes, the novel erinacines were tested for neurotrophin inducing effects. We found that erinacines act on BDNF, which is a neurotrophic factor that has been reported recently by us to be induced by the corallocins, but as well on NGF expression, which is consistent with the literature. PMID:29509661

Two New Cyathane Diterpenoids from Mycelial Cultures of the Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus and the Rare Species, Hericium flagellum.

PubMed

Rupcic, Zeljka; Rascher, Monique; Kanaki, Sae; Köster, Reinhard W; Stadler, Marc; Wittstein, Kathrin

2018-03-06

Basidiomycetes of the genus Hericium are among the most praised medicinal and edible mushrooms, which are known to produce secondary metabolites with the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases. This activity has been attributed to the discovery of various terpenoids that can stimulate the production of nerve growth factor ( NGF ) or (as established more recently) brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF ) in cell-based bioassays. The present study reports on the metabolite profiles of a Lion's Mane mushroom ( Hericium erinaceus ) strain and a strain of the rare species, Hericium flagellum (synonym H. alpestre ). While we observed highly similar metabolite profiles between the two strains that were examined, we isolated two previously undescribed metabolites, given the trivial names erinacines Z1 and Z2. Their chemical structures were elucidated by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. Along with six further, previously identified cyathane diterpenes, the novel erinacines were tested for neurotrophin inducing effects. We found that erinacines act on BDNF , which is a neurotrophic factor that has been reported recently by us to be induced by the corallocins, but as well on NGF expression, which is consistent with the literature.

A review of the Callogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea with the description of a new species.

PubMed

Delventhal, Naomi R; Mooi, Randall D; Bogorodsky, Sergey V; Mal, Ahmad O

2016-10-31

Five species of Callogobius Bleeker have been previously reported from the Red Sea: C. amikami Goren, Miroz & Baranes, C. clarki (Goren), C. dori Goren, C. flavobrunneus (Smith), and C. maculipinnis (Fowler). Records of C. bifasciatus (Smith) in the Red Sea are referable to C. clarki. Callogobius amikami has been previously known only from a single specimen, the holotype from the Red Sea, and two photographs, a live juvenile from Oman and a live specimen at an aquarium at Coral World, Eilat. We obtained a possible additional juvenile from the Red Sea, although we are unable to definitively determine its identity. Red Sea specimens previously identified as C. maculipinnis [or C. irrasus (Smith)] represent a new species, distinguished from the latter by normally having four sets of transverse mandibular rows on each side (rather than three); this species is described here as Callogobius pilosimentum sp. nov. Four specimens of an additional, undescribed species of Callogobius, C. sp. A, have been collected from the Red Sea, but we withhold a formal description because this species is currently under study by colleagues. Callogobius sclateri (Steindachner), previously known from the Indo-West Pacific, is reported from the Red Sea for the first time. A key to all seven species is provided. Each species is photographed, habitat is described and a brief description with detailed comparisons is provided. The new species and C. clarki are endemic to the Red Sea.

VERTEBRAL DYSPLASIA IN YOUNG FISH EXPOSED TO THE HERBICIDE TRIFLURALIN

EPA Science Inventory

Sheepshead minnows, Cyprinodon variegatus Lacepede, exposed to 5-5 to 31 micrograms/l of the herbicide trifluralin, throughout their first 28 days of life, developed a heretofore, undescribed vertebral dysplasia. This dysplasia consisted of semisymmetrical hypertrophy of vertebra...

Observations of south polar landforms, Mars: a case study in Angustus Labyrinthus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, J.; Michael, G. G.; Jaumann, R.; Adeli, S.

2017-09-01

we made a detailed spatial mapping of spiders using HiRISE images in Angustus Labyrinthus of Mars. We classified them into four types including two undescribed and unidentified species and tried to explain their possible forming mechanisms.

The herpetofauna of Timor-Leste: a first report

PubMed Central

Kaiser, Hinrich; Carvalho, Venancio Lopes; Ceballos, Jester; Freed, Paul; Heacox, Scott; Lester, Barbara; Richards, Stephen J.; Trainor, Colin R.; Sanchez, Caitlin; O’Shea, Mark

2011-01-01

Abstract Fieldwork conducted throughout Timor-Leste in September 2004 and July 2009 resulted in a collection or recording of 263 herpetological specimens (100 amphibians, 163 reptiles), comprising at least seven species of frogs and toads, 20 species of lizards, seven species of snakes, two species of turtles, and one species of crocodile. Among the amphibians, the most frequently encountered species were toads (Duttaphrynus melanostictus), rice paddy frogs (genus Fejervarya), and rhacophorid treefrogs (Polypedates cf. leucomystax). All three variants of rice paddy frogs encountered represent undescribed species similar to Fejervarya verruculosa from neighboring Wetar Island. Records of Fejervarya cancrivora and Fejervarya limnocharis for Timor Island are apparently errors based on misidentification. We obtained voucher specimens for a total of 147 lizards and voucher photographs only for four specimens of Varanus timorensis. Aside from geckos frequently associated with human habitations (e.g., Gehyra mutilata, Gekko gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus, Hemidactylus platyurus), we discovered an as yet undescribed species of bent-toed gecko, genus Cyrtodactylus, in the Same valley. Our specimens of Hemidactylus platyurus are the first record of this species from Timor-Leste. Commonly encountered skinks included four-fingered skinks (genus Carlia), wedge skinks (genus Sphenomorphus), and night skinks (genus Eremiascincus). Notable among the 15 snakes collected was the frequency of pitvipers (Cryptelytrops insularis), which amounted to over 25% of all snakes. Our specimen of the wolfsnake Lycodon subcinctus is the first record of this species for Timor-Leste. Based on these findings, it appears that the biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles in this remote corner of Wallacea is much greater than previously thought, particularly with respect to scincid lizards. The detail we provide in the species accounts is designed to allow the use of this report as a preliminary field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Timor-Leste. However, survey work is ongoing. PMID:21852932

Identification of PPARgamma Partial Agonists of Natural Origin (II): In Silico Prediction in Natural Extracts with Known Antidiabetic Activity

PubMed Central

Guasch, Laura; Sala, Esther; Mulero, Miquel; Valls, Cristina; Salvadó, Maria Josepa; Pujadas, Gerard; Garcia-Vallvé, Santiago

2013-01-01

Background Natural extracts have played an important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases and are important sources for drug discovery. However, to be effectively used in these processes, natural extracts must be characterized through the identification of their active compounds and their modes of action. Methodology/Principal Findings From an initial set of 29,779 natural products that are annotated with their natural source and using a previously developed virtual screening procedure (carefully validated experimentally), we have predicted as potential peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) partial agonists 12 molecules from 11 extracts known to have antidiabetic activity. Six of these molecules are similar to molecules with described antidiabetic activity but whose mechanism of action is unknown. Therefore, it is plausible that these 12 molecules could be the bioactive molecules responsible, at least in part, for the antidiabetic activity of the extracts containing them. In addition, we have also identified as potential PPARγ partial agonists 10 molecules from 16 plants with undescribed antidiabetic activity but that are related (i.e., they are from the same genus) to plants with known antidiabetic properties. None of the 22 molecules that we predict as PPARγ partial agonists show chemical similarity with a group of 211 known PPARγ partial agonists obtained from the literature. Conclusions/Significance Our results provide a new hypothesis about the active molecules of natural extracts with antidiabetic properties and their mode of action. We also suggest plants with undescribed antidiabetic activity that may contain PPARγ partial agonists. These plants represent a new source of potential antidiabetic extracts. Consequently, our work opens the door to the discovery of new antidiabetic extracts and molecules that can be of use, for instance, in the design of new antidiabetic drugs or functional foods focused towards the prevention/treatment of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. PMID:23405231

Acute photosensitisation and mortality in a herd of dairy cattle in Tasmania.

PubMed

Golder, H M; Moss, N; Rogers, G; Jackson, B; Gannon, N; Wong, Ptw; Lean, I J

2017-01-01

A herd of Holstein, Jersey, or Holstein-Jersey cross lactating cattle of mixed ages presented with a sudden drop in milk yield in 94/678 cows on 3 October 2014 (Day 0). The herd was located in Gretna in the Derwent Valley (Tasmania, Australia) and had been grazing dryland pasture. On Day 0 the cows variably showed recumbency, peracute photosensitisation, inflamed coronary bands, conjunctival erythema, periauricular oedema, distress indicated by kicking at the flank, bruxism, discomfort, weight shifting, vocalisation indicating pain and depression. Blood samples collected on Day 4 from five clinically affected cows showed high activities of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyl transferase. Morbidity, based on the number of treated cases within 72 hours of clinical onset, was estimated at 165/678 cows (24.3%). Mortality over the first 30 days was 19/678 cows (2.8%). Necropsies of two cows on Day 4 showed marked distension of the gall bladder and extensive icterus. Necropsies of another two cows on Day 5 showed enlarged livers with severe damage and oedema of the distal abomasum. Severe ulcerative abomasal gastritis was present in both cows. Hepatic histopathology was consistent with chronic cholangiohepatitis. Fifty-five different mycotoxins were detected from a barley grass (Hordeum murinum) sample from the presumably contaminated pasture. Concentrations of B-trichothecenes, fumonisins, and zearalenone metabolites from this sample were remarkably high. The leaf smut, Jamesdicksonia dactylidis, that has not been previously reported in Tasmania, was identified from the sample of barley grass, but it is not known whether the smut can produce toxins. Probably an undescribed peracute mycotoxicosis associated with the ingestion of contaminated dryland pasture. A definitive diagnosis could not be reached in this case of acute photosensitisation and mortality in dairy cattle grazing possibly contaminated dryland pasture. The findings differed from both facial eczema and acute bovine liver disease, suggesting an undescribed mycotoxicosis.

Identification and Characterization of Novel MicroRNAs from Schistosoma japonicum

PubMed Central

Xue, Xiangyang; Sun, Jun; Zhang, Qingfeng; Wang, Zhangxun; Huang, Yufu; Pan, Weiqing

2008-01-01

Background Schistosomiasis japonica remains a major public health problem in China. Its pathogen, Schistosoma japonicum has a complex life cycle and a unique repertoire of genes expressed at different life cycle stages. Exploring schistosome gene regulation will yield the best prospects for new drug targets and vaccine candidates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a highly conserved class of noncoding RNA that control many biological processes by sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression. Although a large number of miRNAs have been identified from plants to mammals, it remains no experimental proof whether schistosome exist miRNAs. Methodology and Results We have identified novel miRNAs from Schistosoma japonicum by cloning and sequencing a small (18–26 nt) RNA cDNA library from the adult worms. Five novel miRNAs were identified from 227 cloned RNA sequences and verified by Northern blot. Alignments of the miRNAs with corresponding family members indicated that four of them belong to a metazoan miRNA family: let-7, miR-71, bantam and miR-125. The fifth potentially new (non conserved) miRNA appears to belong to a previously undescribed family in the genus Schistosome. The novel miRNAs were designated as sja-let-7, sja-miR-71, sja-bantam, sja-miR-125 and sja-miR-new1, respectively. Expression of sja-let-7, sja-miR-71 and sja-bantam were analyzed in six stages of the life cycle, i.e. egg, miracidium, sporocyst, cercaria, schistosomulum, and adult worm, by a modified stem-loop reverse transcribed polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method developed in our laboratory. The expression patterns of these miRNAs were highly stage-specific. In particular, sja-miR-71 and sja-bantam expression reach their peaks in the cercaria stage and then drop quickly to the nadirs in the schistosomulum stage, following penetration of cercaria into a mammalian host. Conclusions Authentic miRNAs were identified for the first time in S. japonicum, including a new schistosome family member. The different expression patterns of the novel miRNAs over the life stages of S. japonicum suggest that they may mediate important roles in Schistosome growth and development. PMID:19107204

Phylogenetic analysis reveals multiple introductions of Cynodon species in Australia.

PubMed

Jewell, M; Frère, C H; Harris-Shultz, K; Anderson, W F; Godwin, I D; Lambrides, C J

2012-11-01

The distinction between native and introduced flora within isolated land masses presents unique challenges. The geological and colonisation history of Australia, the world's largest island, makes it a valuable system for studying species endemism, introduction, and phylogeny. Using this strategy we investigated Australian cosmopolitan grasses belonging to the genus Cynodon. While it is believed that seven species of Cynodon are present in Australia, no genetic analyses have investigated the origin, diversity and phylogenetic history of Cynodon within Australia. To address this gap, 147 samples (92 from across Australia and 55 representing global distribution) were sequenced for a total of 3336bp of chloroplast DNA spanning six genes. Data showed the presence of at least six putatively introduced Cynodon species (C. transvaalensis, C. incompletus, C. hirsutus, C. radiatus, C. plectostachyus and C. dactylon) in Australia and suggested multiple recent introductions. C. plectostachyus, a species often confused with C. nlemfuensis, was not previously considered to be present in Australia. Most significantly, we identified two common haplotypes that formed a monophyletic clade diverging from previously identified Cynodon species. We hypothesise that these two haplotypes may represent a previously undescribed species of Cynodon. We provide further evidence that two Australian native species, Brachyachne tenella and B. convergens belong in the genus Cynodon and, therefore, argue for the taxonomic revision of the genus Cynodon. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gene-centric meta-analysis in 87,736 individuals of European ancestry identifies multiple blood-pressure-related loci.

PubMed

Tragante, Vinicius; Barnes, Michael R; Ganesh, Santhi K; Lanktree, Matthew B; Guo, Wei; Franceschini, Nora; Smith, Erin N; Johnson, Toby; Holmes, Michael V; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Karczewski, Konrad J; Almoguera, Berta; Barnard, John; Baumert, Jens; Chang, Yen-Pei Christy; Elbers, Clara C; Farrall, Martin; Fischer, Mary E; Gaunt, Tom R; Gho, Johannes M I H; Gieger, Christian; Goel, Anuj; Gong, Yan; Isaacs, Aaron; Kleber, Marcus E; Mateo Leach, Irene; McDonough, Caitrin W; Meijs, Matthijs F L; Melander, Olle; Nelson, Christopher P; Nolte, Ilja M; Pankratz, Nathan; Price, Tom S; Shaffer, Jonathan; Shah, Sonia; Tomaszewski, Maciej; van der Most, Peter J; Van Iperen, Erik P A; Vonk, Judith M; Witkowska, Kate; Wong, Caroline O L; Zhang, Li; Beitelshees, Amber L; Berenson, Gerald S; Bhatt, Deepak L; Brown, Morris; Burt, Amber; Cooper-DeHoff, Rhonda M; Connell, John M; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Curtis, Sean P; Davey-Smith, George; Delles, Christian; Gansevoort, Ron T; Guo, Xiuqing; Haiqing, Shen; Hastie, Claire E; Hofker, Marten H; Hovingh, G Kees; Kim, Daniel S; Kirkland, Susan A; Klein, Barbara E; Klein, Ronald; Li, Yun R; Maiwald, Steffi; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; O'Brien, Eoin T; Onland-Moret, N Charlotte; Palmas, Walter; Parsa, Afshin; Penninx, Brenda W; Pettinger, Mary; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Ranchalis, Jane E; M Ridker, Paul; Rose, Lynda M; Sever, Peter; Shimbo, Daichi; Steele, Laura; Stolk, Ronald P; Thorand, Barbara; Trip, Mieke D; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Verschuren, W Monique; Wijmenga, Cisca; Wyatt, Sharon; Young, J Hunter; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Bezzina, Connie R; Boerwinkle, Eric; Casas, Juan P; Caulfield, Mark J; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Chasman, Daniel I; Davidson, Karina W; Doevendans, Pieter A; Dominiczak, Anna F; FitzGerald, Garret A; Gums, John G; Fornage, Myriam; Hakonarson, Hakon; Halder, Indrani; Hillege, Hans L; Illig, Thomas; Jarvik, Gail P; Johnson, Julie A; Kastelein, John J P; Koenig, Wolfgang; Kumari, Meena; März, Winfried; Murray, Sarah S; O'Connell, Jeffery R; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Pankow, James S; Rader, Daniel J; Redline, Susan; Reilly, Muredach P; Schadt, Eric E; Kottke-Marchant, Kandice; Snieder, Harold; Snyder, Michael; Stanton, Alice V; Tobin, Martin D; Uitterlinden, André G; van der Harst, Pim; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Samani, Nilesh J; Watkins, Hugh; Johnson, Andrew D; Reiner, Alex P; Zhu, Xiaofeng; de Bakker, Paul I W; Levy, Daniel; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Munroe, Patricia B; Keating, Brendan J

2014-03-06

Blood pressure (BP) is a heritable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To investigate genetic associations with systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP), we genotyped ~50,000 SNPs in up to 87,736 individuals of European ancestry and combined these in a meta-analysis. We replicated findings in an independent set of 68,368 individuals of European ancestry. Our analyses identified 11 previously undescribed associations in independent loci containing 31 genes including PDE1A, HLA-DQB1, CDK6, PRKAG2, VCL, H19, NUCB2, RELA, HOXC@ complex, FBN1, and NFAT5 at the Bonferroni-corrected array-wide significance threshold (p < 6 × 10(-7)) and confirmed 27 previously reported associations. Bioinformatic analysis of the 11 loci provided support for a putative role in hypertension of several genes, such as CDK6 and NUCB2. Analysis of potential pharmacological targets in databases of small molecules showed that ten of the genes are predicted to be a target for small molecules. In summary, we identified previously unknown loci associated with BP. Our findings extend our understanding of genes involved in BP regulation, which may provide new targets for therapeutic intervention or drug response stratification. Copyright © 2014 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autoregulatory Characteristics of a Bacillus anthracis Serine/Threonine Kinase▿

PubMed Central

Bryant-Hudson, Katie M.; Shakir, Salika M.; Ballard, Jimmy D.

2011-01-01

BA-Stk1 is a serine/threonine kinase (STK) expressed by Bacillus anthracis. In previous studies, we found that BA-Stk1 activity is modulated through dephosphorylation by a partner phosphatase, BA-Stp1. In this study, we identified critical phosphorylation regions of BA-Stk1 and determined the contributions of these phosphodomains to autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation. The data indicate that BA-Stk1 undergoes trans-autophosphorylation within a regulatory domain, referred to as the activation loop, which carries eight putative regulatory serine and threonine residues. We identified activation loop mutants that impacted kinase activity in three different manners: regulation of autophosphorylation (T162), regulation of substrate phosphorylation (T159 and S169), and regulation of overall kinase activity (T163). Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis of the phosphorylation profile of each mutant revealed a second site of phosphorylation on the kinase that was influenced by the phosphorylation status of the activation loop. This second region of the kinase contained a single phosphorylation residue, S214. Previous work has shown S214 to be necessary for downstream substrate phosphorylation, and we have shown that this residue is subject to dephosphorylation by BA-Stp1. These findings indicate a connection between the phosphorylation status of the activation loop and phosphorylation of S214, and this suggests a previously undescribed model for how a bacterial STK shifts from a state of autophosphorylation to targeting downstream substrates. PMID:21296958

Influence of biological and social-historical variables on the time taken to describe an angiosperm.

PubMed

Cavallin, Evelin K S; Munhoz, Cássia B R; Harris, Stephen A; Villarroel, Daniel; Proença, Carolyn E B

2016-11-01

By convention, scientific naming of angiosperm species began in 1753; it is estimated that 10-20% of species remain undescribed. To complete this task before rare, undescribed species go extinct, a better understanding of the description process is needed. The South American Cerrado biodiversity hotspot was considered a suitable model due to a high diversity of plants, habitats, and social history of species description. A randomized sample of 214 species (2% of the angiosperm flora) and 22 variables were analyzed using multivariate analyses and analysis of variance. Plants with wide global distributions, recorded from many areas, and above 2.6 m were described significantly earlier than narrowly distributed, uncommon species of smaller stature. The beginning of the career of the botanist who first collected the species was highly significant, with an average delay between first collection and description of 29 yr, and between type collection and description 19 yr; standard deviations were high and rose over time. Over a third of first collections were not cited in descriptions. Trends such as scientific specialization and decline of undescribed species were highlighted. Descriptions that involved potential collaboration between collectors and authors were significantly slower than those that did not. Results support four recommendations to hasten discovery of new species: (1) preferential collecting of plants below 2.6 m, at least in the Cerrado; (2) access to undetermined material in herbaria; (3) fieldwork in areas where narrow-endemic species occur; (4) fieldwork by knowledgeable botanists followed by descriptive activity by the same. © 2016 Proenca et al. Published by the Botanical Society of America. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY-NC).

Expanding the species and chemical diversity of Penicillium section Cinnamopurpurea

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A set of isolates genetically similar to or potentially conspecific with an unidentified Penicillium isolate NRRL 735, was assembled using a Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) search of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) similarity among described (GenBank) and undescribed Penicillium isolates...

Biogeographic links between southern Atlantic Forest and western South America: Rediscovery, re-description, and phylogenetic relationships of two rare montane anole lizards from Brazil.

PubMed

Prates, Ivan; Melo-Sampaio, Paulo Roberto; Drummond, Leandro de Oliveira; Teixeira, Mauro; Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut; Carnaval, Ana Carolina

2017-08-01

Data on species ranges and phylogenetic relationships are key in historical biogeographical inference. In South America, our understanding of the evolutionary processes that underlie biodiversity patterns varies greatly across regions. Little is known, for instance, about the drivers of high endemism in the southern montane region of the Atlantic Rainforest. In this region, former biogeographic connections with other South American ecosystems have been invoked to explain the phylogenetic affinities of a number of endemic taxa. This may also be the case of the montane anole lizards Anolis nasofrontalis and A. pseudotigrinus, known from few specimens collected more than 40years ago. We combine new genetic data with published sequences of species in the Dactyloa clade of Anolis to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of A. nasofrontalis and A. pseudotigrinus, as well as estimate divergence times from their closest relatives. Based on newly sampled and previously overlooked specimens, we provide a taxonomic re-description of those two taxa. Our phylogenetic analysis recovered six main clades within Dactyloa, five of which were previously referred to as species series (aequatorialis, heterodermus, latifrons, punctatus, roquet). A sixth clade clustered A. nasofrontalis and A. pseudotigrinus with A. dissimilis from western Amazonia, A. calimae from the Andes, A. neblininus from the Guiana Shield, and two undescribed Andean taxa. We therefore define a sixth species series within Dactyloa: the neblininus series. Close phylogenetic relationships between highly disjunct, narrowly-distributed anoles suggest that patches of suitable habitat connected the southern Atlantic Forest to western South America during the Miocene, in agreement with the age of former connections between the central Andes and the Brazilian Shield as a result of Andean orogeny. The data also support the view of recurrent evolution (or loss) of a twig anole-like phenotype in mainland anoles, in apparent association with the occurrence in montane settings. Our findings stress the value of complementary genetic sampling efforts across South American countries to advance studies of mainland anole taxonomy and evolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Palaeoglaciology of the Alexander Island ice cap, western Antarctic Peninsula, reconstructed from marine geophysical and core data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Alastair G. C.; Smith, James A.

2012-03-01

The glacial history of the continental shelf northwest of Alexander Island is not well known, due mainly to a lack of targeted marine data on Antarctica's palaeo-ice sheets in their inter-ice-stream areas. Recently it has been argued that the region was ice-free at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and thus a potential site for glacial refugia. In this paper, multibeam swath bathymetry, sub-bottom profiles and sediment cores are used to map the Alexander Island sector of the Antarctic Peninsula margin, in order to reconstruct the shelf's palaeoglaciology. Sea-floor bedforms provide evidence that an independent ice cap persisted on Alexander Island through the LGM and deglaciation. We show that this ice cap drained via two major, previously-undescribed tidewater outlets (Rothschild and Charcot Glaciers) sourced from an ice dome centred over the west of the island and near-shore areas. The glaciers grounded along deep, fjord-like cross-shelf troughs to within at least ˜10-20 km of the shelf edge, and probably reached the shelf break. Only one small outer-shelf zone appears to have remained free of ice throughout an otherwise extensive LGM. During retreat, grounding-line geomorphology indicates periodic stabilisation of Charcot Glacier on the mid-shelf after 13,500 cal yrs BP, while Rothschild Glacier retreated across its mid-shelf by 14,450 cal yrs BP. The timing of these events is in phase with retreat in nearby Marguerite Trough, and we take this as evidence of a common history and forcing with the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet. The fine details of ice flow documented by our new reconstruction highlight the importance of capturing complex ice flow patterns in models (e.g. in inter-stream areas), for understanding how region-specific parts of Antarctica may change in the future. Moreover, the reconstruction shows that glacial refugia, if present, cannot have been extensive on the Alexander Island shelf at the LGM as indicated by previous biological studies; instead, we argue that any ice-free refugia were probably restricted to isolated outer-shelf pockets, that opened, closed, or were maintained through diachronous ice-sheet advance and retreat.

Update: Our morels are named!

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Preliminary investigations revealed that at least three morel species grow in Newfoundland and Labrador: Morchella importuna and two undescribed species, Mel-19 and Mel-36.1 M. importuna, the mulch morel, is known from Europe, Asia and North America.2,3 Mel-19 is cosmopolitan, known from Asia, Europ...

Hypogeous fungi at tree line in the Australian Alps

Treesearch

James M. Trappe; Andrew W Claridge

2006-01-01

The tree line of the continental Australian Alps yielded eighteen species of hypogeous fungi, all probably . forming ectomycorrhizae with Eucalyptus niphophila, the tree species characteristic of that habitat. Six of the species were undescribed. These collections represented six families and twelve genera: Boletaceae (with Chamonixia), Gallaceaceae...

NATS truffle and truffle-like fungi 10: Pachyphloeus thysellii sp. nov. (Pezizaceae, Pezizomycotina).

Treesearch

Wes III Colgan; James M. Trappe

2004-01-01

An undescribed truffle found on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation near Olympia, Washington, is described as Pachyphloeus thysellii. This new species, associated with Pseudotsuga menziesii, closely resembles Pachyphloeus prieguensis from southern Europe. It differs from the latter in having yellow veins...

New North American truffles (Tuber spp.) and their ectomycorrhizal associations

Treesearch

Gonzalo Guevara; Gregory Bonito; James M. Trappe; Efren Cázares; Gwendolyn Williams; Rosanne A. Healy; Christopher Schadt; Rytas. Vigalys

2013-01-01

Recent surveys of belowground fungal biodiversity in Mexico and USA have revealed many undescribed truffle species, including many in the genus Tuber. Here we describe seven new species: Tuber beyerlei, T. castilloi, T. guevarai, T. lauryi, T. mexiusanum, T. miquihuanense and T. walkeri. Phylogenetic analyses...

Pharyngeal mesoderm regulatory network controls cardiac and head muscle morphogenesis.

PubMed

Harel, Itamar; Maezawa, Yoshiro; Avraham, Roi; Rinon, Ariel; Ma, Hsiao-Yen; Cross, Joe W; Leviatan, Noam; Hegesh, Julius; Roy, Achira; Jacob-Hirsch, Jasmine; Rechavi, Gideon; Carvajal, Jaime; Tole, Shubha; Kioussi, Chrissa; Quaggin, Susan; Tzahor, Eldad

2012-11-13

The search for developmental mechanisms driving vertebrate organogenesis has paved the way toward a deeper understanding of birth defects. During embryogenesis, parts of the heart and craniofacial muscles arise from pharyngeal mesoderm (PM) progenitors. Here, we reveal a hierarchical regulatory network of a set of transcription factors expressed in the PM that initiates heart and craniofacial organogenesis. Genetic perturbation of this network in mice resulted in heart and craniofacial muscle defects, revealing robust cross-regulation between its members. We identified Lhx2 as a previously undescribed player during cardiac and pharyngeal muscle development. Lhx2 and Tcf21 genetically interact with Tbx1, the major determinant in the etiology of DiGeorge/velo-cardio-facial/22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Furthermore, knockout of these genes in the mouse recapitulates specific cardiac features of this syndrome. We suggest that PM-derived cardiogenesis and myogenesis are network properties rather than properties specific to individual PM members. These findings shed new light on the developmental underpinnings of congenital defects.

Language continuity despite population replacement in Remote Oceania.

PubMed

Posth, Cosimo; Nägele, Kathrin; Colleran, Heidi; Valentin, Frédérique; Bedford, Stuart; Kami, Kaitip W; Shing, Richard; Buckley, Hallie; Kinaston, Rebecca; Walworth, Mary; Clark, Geoffrey R; Reepmeyer, Christian; Flexner, James; Maric, Tamara; Moser, Johannes; Gresky, Julia; Kiko, Lawrence; Robson, Kathryn J; Auckland, Kathryn; Oppenheimer, Stephen J; Hill, Adrian V S; Mentzer, Alexander J; Zech, Jana; Petchey, Fiona; Roberts, Patrick; Jeong, Choongwon; Gray, Russell D; Krause, Johannes; Powell, Adam

2018-04-01

Recent genomic analyses show that the earliest peoples reaching Remote Oceania-associated with Austronesian-speaking Lapita culture-were almost completely East Asian, without detectable Papuan ancestry. However, Papuan-related genetic ancestry is found across present-day Pacific populations, indicating that peoples from Near Oceania have played a significant, but largely unknown, ancestral role. Here, new genome-wide data from 19 ancient South Pacific individuals provide direct evidence of a so-far undescribed Papuan expansion into Remote Oceania starting ~2,500 yr BP, far earlier than previously estimated and supporting a model from historical linguistics. New genome-wide data from 27 contemporary ni-Vanuatu demonstrate a subsequent and almost complete replacement of Lapita-Austronesian by Near Oceanian ancestry. Despite this massive demographic change, incoming Papuan languages did not replace Austronesian languages. Population replacement with language continuity is extremely rare-if not unprecedented-in human history. Our analyses show that rather than one large-scale event, the process was incremental and complex, with repeated migrations and sex-biased admixture with peoples from the Bismarck Archipelago.

Roof Plate-Derived Radial Glial-like Cells Support Developmental Growth of Rapidly Adapting Mechanoreceptor Ascending Axons.

PubMed

Kridsada, Kim; Niu, Jingwen; Haldipur, Parthiv; Wang, Zhiping; Ding, Long; Li, Jian J; Lindgren, Anne G; Herrera, Eloisa; Thomas, Gareth M; Chizhikov, Victor V; Millen, Kathleen J; Luo, Wenqin

2018-06-05

Spinal cord longitudinal axons comprise some of the longest axons in our body. However, mechanisms that drive this extra long-distance axonal growth are largely unclear. We found that ascending axons of rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors closely abut a previously undescribed population of roof plate-derived radial glial-like cells (RGLCs) in the spinal cord dorsal column, which form a network of processes enriched with growth-promoting factors. In dreher mutant mice that lack RGLCs, the lengths of ascending RA mechanoreceptor axon branches are specifically reduced, whereas their descending and collateral branches, and other dorsal column and sensory pathways, are largely unaffected. Because the number and intrinsic growth ability of RA mechanoreceptors are normal in dreher mice, our data suggest that RGLCs provide critical non-cell autonomous growth support for the ascending axons of RA mechanoreceptors. Together, our work identifies a developmental mechanism specifically required for long-range spinal cord longitudinal axons. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A deep-sea agglutinated foraminifer tube constructed with planktonic foraminifer shells of a single species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Paul N.; Expedition 363 Shipboard Scientific Party, IODP

2018-01-01

Agglutinated foraminifera are marine protists that show apparently complex behaviour in constructing their shells, involving selecting suitable sedimentary grains from their environment, manipulating them in three dimensions, and cementing them precisely into position. Here we illustrate a striking and previously undescribed example of complex organisation in fragments of a tube-like foraminifer (questionably assigned to Rhabdammina) from 1466 m water depth on the northwest Australian margin. The tube is constructed from well-cemented siliciclastic grains which form a matrix into which hundreds of planktonic foraminifer shells are regularly spaced in apparently helical bands. These shells are of a single species, Turborotalita clarkei, which has been selected to the exclusion of all other bioclasts. The majority of shells are set horizontally in the matrix with the umbilical side upward. This mode of construction, as is the case with other agglutinated tests, seems to require either an extraordinarily selective trial-and-error process at the site of cementation or an active sensory and decision-making system within the cell.

Seven new species of Spathidexia Townsend (Diptera: Tachinidae) reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

PubMed Central

Wood, D. Monty; Janzen, Daniel; Hallwachs, Winnie; Smith, M. Alex

2015-01-01

Abstract We describe seven new species of Spathidexia (Diptera: Tachinidae) reared from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. All were reared from ­various species of ACG caterpillars during an ongoing inventory of caterpillars, their food plants and their parasitoids. By coupling morphology, photographic documentation, life history and molecular data, we provide a clear and concise description of each species. All are known to be previously undescribed as a result of a comprehensive study of the genus by DMW. Spathidexia atripalpus sp. n., Spathidexia juanvialesi sp. n., Spathidexia marioburgosi sp. n., Spathidexia luisrobertogallegosi sp. n., Spathidexia luteola sp. n., Spathidexia hernanrodriguezi sp. n. and Spathidexia aurantiaca sp. n. are all authored and described by Fleming and Wood. Minthodexiopsis Townsend is proposed by Wood as a new synonym of Spathidexia. A new combination proposed by Wood as a result of the new synonymy is S. flavicornis (Brauer & Bergenstamm) comb. n. PMID:25859130

Black perithecial pigmentation in Fusarium species is due to the accumulation of 5-deoxybostrycoidin-based melanin

PubMed Central

Frandsen, Rasmus J. N.; Rasmussen, Silas A.; Knudsen, Peter B.; Uhlig, Silvio; Petersen, Dirk; Lysøe, Erik; Gotfredsen, Charlotte H.; Giese, Henriette; Larsen, Thomas O.

2016-01-01

Biosynthesis of the black perithecial pigment in the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum is dependent on the polyketide synthase PGL1 (oPKS3). A seven-membered PGL1 gene cluster was identified by over-expression of the cluster specific transcription factor pglR. Targeted gene replacement showed that PGL1, pglJ, pglM and pglV were essential for the production of the perithecial pigment. Over-expression of PGL1 resulted in the production of 6-O-demethyl-5-deoxybostrycoidin (1), 5-deoxybostrycoidin (2), and three novel compounds 5-deoxybostrycoidin anthrone (3), 6-O-demethyl-5-deoxybostrycoidin anthrone (4) and purpurfusarin (5). The novel dimeric bostrycoidin purpurfusarin (5) was found to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans with an IC50 of 8.0 +/− 1.9 μM. The results show that Fusarium species with black perithecia have a previously undescribed form of 5-deoxybostrycoidin based melanin in their fruiting bodies. PMID:27193384

Mutation in LEMD3 (Man1) Associated with Osteopoikilosis and Late-Onset Generalized Morphea: A New Buschke-Ollendorf Syndrome Variant

PubMed Central

Korman, Benjamin; Wei, Jun; Laumann, Anne; Ferguson, Polly; Varga, John

2016-01-01

Introduction. Buschke-Ollendorf syndrome (BOS) is an uncommon syndrome characterized by osteopoikilosis and other bone abnormalities, accompanied by skin lesions, most frequently connective tissue nevi. BOS is caused by mutations in the LEMD3 gene, which encodes the inner nuclear membrane protein Man1. We describe a unique case of osteopoikilosis associated with late-onset localized scleroderma and familial LEMD3 mutations. Case Report. A 72-year-old woman presented with adult-onset diffuse morphea and bullous skin lesions. Evaluation revealed multiple hyperostotic lesions (osteopoikilosis) suggestive of BOS. DNA sequencing identified a previously undescribed nonsense mutation (Trp621X) in the LEMD3 gene encoding Man1. Two additional family members were found to have osteopoikilosis and carry the same LEMD3 mutation. Conclusions and Relevance. We report a unique familial LEMD3 mutation in an individual with osteopoikilosis and late-onset morphea. We propose that this constellation represents a novel syndromic variant of BOS. PMID:27382493

Intestinal lymphangiectasia: an undescribed cause of malabsorption and incomplete immunological recovery in HIV-infected patients.

PubMed

Marco-Lattur, Maria D; Payeras, Antoni; Campins, Antoni A; Pons, Jaume; Cifuentes, Carmen; Riera, Melcior

2011-02-01

Although paradoxical virological and immunological response after HAART has been well studied, intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) in HIV-1 infected patients has not previously described. To describe HIV patients who developed IL. Clinical Case series. 4 patients with HIV and IL diagnosis based on clinical, endoscopic and pathological findings. All four cases had prior mycobacterial infections with abdominal lymph node involvement and a very low CD4 cell count nadir. They developed intestinal lymphangiectasia despite appropriate virological suppression with HAART and repeatedly negative mycobacterial cultures. Two patients were clinically symptomatic with oedemas, ascites, diarrhoea, asthenia, weight loss; but the other two were diagnosed with malabsorption as a result of laboratory findings, with hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia. Three of them were diagnosed by video capsule endoscopy. IL should be considered in HIV-1 infected patients who present with clinical or biochemical malabsorption parameters when there is no immunological recovery while on HAART. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus infection is associated with expansion of the enteric virome

PubMed Central

Handley, Scott; Thackray, Larissa B.; Zhao, Guoyan; Presti, Rachel; Miller, Andrew; Droit, Lindsay; Abbink, Peter; Maxfield, Lori F.; Kambal, Amal; Duan, Erning; Stanley, Kelly; Kramer, Joshua; Macri, Sheila C.; Permar, Sallie R.; Schmitz, Joern E.; Mansfield, Keith; Brenchley, Jason M.; Veazey, Ronald S.; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus S.; Wang, David; Barouch, Dan H.; Virgin, Herbert W.

2012-01-01

SUMMARY Pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection is associated with enteropathy which likely contributes to AIDS progression. To identify candidate etiologies for AIDS enteropathy, we used next generation sequencing to define the enteric virome during SIV infection in nonhuman primates. Pathogenic, but not non-pathogenic, SIV infection was associated with significant expansion of the enteric virome. We identified at least 32 previously undescribed enteric viruses during pathogenic SIV infection and confirmed their presence using viral culture and PCR testing. We detected unsuspected mucosal adenovirus infection associated with enteritis as well as parvovirus viremia in animals with advanced AIDS, indicating the pathogenic potential of SIV-associated expansion of the enteric virome. No association between pathogenic SIV infection and the family-level taxonomy of enteric bacteria was detected. Thus, enteric viral infections may contribute to AIDS enteropathy and disease progression. These findings underline the importance of metagenomic analysis of the virome for understanding AIDS pathogenesis. PMID:23063120

Secreted CLIC3 drives cancer progression through its glutathione-dependent oxidoreductase activity

PubMed Central

Hernandez-Fernaud, Juan R.; Ruengeler, Elena; Casazza, Andrea; Neilson, Lisa J.; Pulleine, Ellie; Santi, Alice; Ismail, Shehab; Lilla, Sergio; Dhayade, Sandeep; MacPherson, Iain R.; McNeish, Iain; Ennis, Darren; Ali, Hala; Kugeratski, Fernanda G.; Al Khamici, Heba; van den Biggelaar, Maartje; van den Berghe, Peter V.E.; Cloix, Catherine; McDonald, Laura; Millan, David; Hoyle, Aoisha; Kuchnio, Anna; Carmeliet, Peter; Valenzuela, Stella M.; Blyth, Karen; Yin, Huabing; Mazzone, Massimiliano; Norman, Jim C.; Zanivan, Sara

2017-01-01

The secretome of cancer and stromal cells generates a microenvironment that contributes to tumour cell invasion and angiogenesis. Here we compare the secretome of human mammary normal and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). We discover that the chloride intracellular channel protein 3 (CLIC3) is an abundant component of the CAF secretome. Secreted CLIC3 promotes invasive behaviour of endothelial cells to drive angiogenesis and increases invasiveness of cancer cells both in vivo and in 3D cell culture models, and this requires active transglutaminase-2 (TGM2). CLIC3 acts as a glutathione-dependent oxidoreductase that reduces TGM2 and regulates TGM2 binding to its cofactors. Finally, CLIC3 is also secreted by cancer cells, is abundant in the stromal and tumour compartments of aggressive ovarian cancers and its levels correlate with poor clinical outcome. This work reveals a previously undescribed invasive mechanism whereby the secretion of a glutathione-dependent oxidoreductase drives angiogenesis and cancer progression by promoting TGM2-dependent invasion. PMID:28198360

Identification and functional characterization of a novel bipartite nuclear localization sequence in ARID1A

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bateman, Nicholas W.; The John P. Murtha Cancer Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda 20889, MD; Shoji, Yutaka

2016-01-01

AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 1A (ARID1A) is a recently identified nuclear tumor suppressor frequently altered in solid tumor malignancies. We have identified a bipartite-like nuclear localization sequence (NLS) that contributes to nuclear import of ARID1A not previously described. We functionally confirm activity using GFP constructs fused with wild-type or mutant NLS sequences. We further show that cyto-nuclear localized, bipartite NLS mutant ARID1A exhibits greater stability than nuclear-localized, wild-type ARID1A. Identification of this undescribed functional NLS within ARID1A contributes vital insights to rationalize the impact of ARID1A missense mutations observed in patient tumors. - Highlights: • We have identified a bipartitemore » nuclear localization sequence (NLS) in ARID1A. • Confirmation of the NLS was performed using GFP constructs. • NLS mutant ARID1A exhibits greater stability than wild-type ARID1A.« less

Three-Dimensional Adipose Tissue Imaging Reveals Regional Variation in Beige Fat Biogenesis and PRDM16-Dependent Sympathetic Neurite Density.

PubMed

Chi, Jingyi; Wu, Zhuhao; Choi, Chan Hee J; Nguyen, Lily; Tegegne, Saba; Ackerman, Sarah E; Crane, Audrey; Marchildon, François; Tessier-Lavigne, Marc; Cohen, Paul

2018-01-09

While the cell-intrinsic pathways governing beige adipocyte development and phenotype have been increasingly delineated, comparatively little is known about how beige adipocytes interact with other cell types in fat. Here, we introduce a whole-tissue clearing method for adipose that permits immunolabeling and three-dimensional profiling of structures including thermogenic adipocytes and sympathetic innervation. We found that tissue architecture and sympathetic innervation differ significantly between subcutaneous and visceral depots. Subcutaneous fat demonstrates prominent regional variation in beige fat biogenesis with localization of UCP1 + beige adipocytes to areas with dense sympathetic neurites. We present evidence that the density of sympathetic projections is dependent on PRDM16 in adipocytes, providing another potential mechanism underlying the metabolic benefits mediated by PRDM16. This powerful imaging tool highlights the interaction of tissue components during beige fat biogenesis and reveals a previously undescribed mode of regulation of the sympathetic nervous system by adipocytes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hepatitis E virus ORF3 is a functional ion channel required for release of infectious particles.

PubMed

Ding, Qiang; Heller, Brigitte; Capuccino, Juan M V; Song, Bokai; Nimgaonkar, Ila; Hrebikova, Gabriela; Contreras, Jorge E; Ploss, Alexander

2017-01-31

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the leading cause of enterically transmitted viral hepatitis globally. Of HEV's three ORFs, the function of ORF3 has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that via homophilic interactions ORF3 forms multimeric complexes associated with intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived membranes. HEV ORF3 shares several structural features with class I viroporins, and the function of HEV ORF3 can be maintained by replacing it with the well-characterized viroporin influenza A virus (IAV) matrix-2 protein. ORF3's ion channel function is further evidenced by its ability to mediate ionic currents when expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Furthermore, we identified several positions in ORF3 critical for its formation of multimeric complexes, ion channel activity, and, ultimately, release of infectious particles. Collectively, our data demonstrate a previously undescribed function of HEV ORF3 as a viroporin, which may serve as an attractive target in developing direct-acting antivirals.

LEM-3 is a midbody-tethered DNA nuclease that resolves chromatin bridges during late mitosis.

PubMed

Hong, Ye; Sonneville, Remi; Wang, Bin; Scheidt, Viktor; Meier, Bettina; Woglar, Alexander; Demetriou, Sarah; Labib, Karim; Jantsch, Verena; Gartner, Anton

2018-02-20

Faithful chromosome segregation and genome maintenance requires the removal of all DNA bridges that physically link chromosomes before cells divide. Using C. elegans embryos we show that the LEM-3/Ankle1 nuclease defines a previously undescribed genome integrity mechanism by processing DNA bridges right before cells divide. LEM-3 acts at the midbody, the structure where abscission occurs at the end of cytokinesis. LEM-3 localization depends on factors needed for midbody assembly, and LEM-3 accumulation is increased and prolonged when chromatin bridges are trapped at the cleavage plane. LEM-3 locally processes chromatin bridges that arise from incomplete DNA replication, unresolved recombination intermediates, or the perturbance of chromosome structure. Proper LEM-3 midbody localization and function is regulated by AIR-2/Aurora B kinase. Strikingly, LEM-3 acts cooperatively with the BRC-1/BRCA1 homologous recombination factor to promote genome integrity. These findings provide a molecular basis for the suspected role of the LEM-3 orthologue Ankle1 in human breast cancer.

Taxonomic notes on Cretarophalis patrickmuelleri Wichard, 2017 (Insecta: Neuroptera: Nevrorthidae) from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar, and its phylogenetic significance.

PubMed

Lu, Xiumei; Xia, Fangyuan; Wang, Bo; AspÖck, Ulrike; Liu, Xingyue

2018-01-15

Nevrorthidae is a family of Neuroptera with low species diversity, disjunct geographic distributions, and a controversial phylogenetic status. Previous fossil records of the family are from the Eocene except for the recently described species Cretarophalis patrickmuelleri Wichard, 2017 from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, following earlier records of an undescribed species. However, such a significant finding of this family from Mesozoic was originally presented only with a preliminary description. Here we re-describe the species based on exquisitely preserved materials from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber that provides for a much more detailed description, in particular of the hindwing, female genitalia, and larval head. Furthermore, distinctive morphological characters of C. patrickmuelleri with significant phylogenetic relevance are discussed. The general morphology, particularly that of the larva, has changed little between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, and it reflects an evolutionary stasis that might correspond to their aquatic larval life-style. The present finding also supports the relictual nature of the modern nevrorthids.

Phylogenomics and antimicrobial resistance of the leprosy bacillus Mycobacterium leprae.

PubMed

Benjak, Andrej; Avanzi, Charlotte; Singh, Pushpendra; Loiseau, Chloé; Girma, Selfu; Busso, Philippe; Fontes, Amanda N Brum; Miyamoto, Yuji; Namisato, Masako; Bobosha, Kidist; Salgado, Claudio G; da Silva, Moisés B; Bouth, Raquel C; Frade, Marco A C; Filho, Fred Bernardes; Barreto, Josafá G; Nery, José A C; Bührer-Sékula, Samira; Lupien, Andréanne; Al-Samie, Abdul R; Al-Qubati, Yasin; Alkubati, Abdul S; Bretzel, Gisela; Vera-Cabrera, Lucio; Sakho, Fatoumata; Johnson, Christian R; Kodio, Mamoudou; Fomba, Abdoulaye; Sow, Samba O; Gado, Moussa; Konaté, Ousmane; Stefani, Mariane M A; Penna, Gerson O; Suffys, Philip N; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Moraes, Milton O; Rosa, Patricia S; Baptista, Ida M F Dias; Spencer, John S; Aseffa, Abraham; Matsuoka, Masanori; Kai, Masanori; Cole, Stewart T

2018-01-24

Leprosy is a chronic human disease caused by the yet-uncultured pathogen Mycobacterium leprae. Although readily curable with multidrug therapy (MDT), over 200,000 new cases are still reported annually. Here, we obtain M. leprae genome sequences from DNA extracted directly from patients' skin biopsies using a customized protocol. Comparative and phylogenetic analysis of 154 genomes from 25 countries provides insight into evolution and antimicrobial resistance, uncovering lineages and phylogeographic trends, with the most ancestral strains linked to the Far East. In addition to known MDT-resistance mutations, we detect other mutations associated with antibiotic resistance, and retrace a potential stepwise emergence of extensive drug resistance in the pre-MDT era. Some of the previously undescribed mutations occur in genes that are apparently subject to positive selection, and two of these (ribD, fadD9) are restricted to drug-resistant strains. Finally, nonsense mutations in the nth excision repair gene are associated with greater sequence diversity and drug resistance.

Synchronous adrenocortical neoplasms, paragangliomas, and pheochromocytomas: syndromic considerations regarding an unusual constellation of endocrine tumors.

PubMed

LeBlanc, Melissa; Tabrizi, Mohsen; Kapsner, Patricia; Hanson, Joshua Anspach

2014-12-01

The most common clinical syndromes presenting with paragangliomas and/or pheochromocytomas as their endocrine components are multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, neurofibromatosis, Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, Carney-Stratakis syndrome, Carney triad, and the recently described hereditary paraganglioma syndrome. Only Carney triad is known to also present with adrenocortical adenomas, currently representing the only described syndrome in which all 3 of the aforementioned tumors are found together. In most cases, prototypical lesions of the triad such as gastrointestinal stromal tumor and pulmonary chondromas are also seen. We present a case of a young woman with synchronous paragangliomas, adrenal/extra-adrenal cortical neoplasms, and pheochromocytoma without genetic mutations for multiple endocrine neoplasia 2, Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and succinate dehydrogenase. We speculate that this represents a previously undescribed presentation of Carney triad and, at the very least, indicates the need for monitoring for the development of other tumors of the triad. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Translocation-coupled DNA cleavage by the Type ISP restriction-modification enzymes

PubMed Central

Chand, Mahesh Kumar; Nirwan, Neha; Diffin, Fiona M.; van Aelst, Kara; Kulkarni, Manasi; Pernstich, Christian; Szczelkun, Mark D.; Saikrishnan, Kayarat

2015-01-01

Endonucleolytic double-strand DNA break production requires separate strand cleavage events. Although catalytic mechanisms for simple dimeric endonucleases are available, there are many complex nuclease machines which are poorly understood in comparison. Here we studied the single polypeptide Type ISP restriction-modification (RM) enzymes, which cleave random DNA between distant target sites when two enzymes collide following convergent ATP-driven translocation. We report the 2.7 Angstroms resolution X-ray crystal structure of a Type ISP enzyme-DNA complex, revealing that both the helicase-like ATPase and nuclease are unexpectedly located upstream of the direction of translocation, inconsistent with simple nuclease domain-dimerization. Using single-molecule and biochemical techniques, we demonstrate that each ATPase remodels its DNA-protein complex and translocates along DNA without looping it, leading to a collision complex where the nuclease domains are distal. Sequencing of single cleavage events suggests a previously undescribed endonuclease model, where multiple, stochastic strand nicking events combine to produce DNA scission. PMID:26389736

"Johnny Poppers": a cause of serious ocular injury

PubMed Central

MacAndie, K.; Kyle, P.

1998-01-01

AIMS/BACKGROUND—The causes of blunt ocular trauma are many and diverse. We present two cases of ocular injury caused by an unusual form of weapon called a "Johnny Popper". There follows a theoretical and experimental evaluation of the velocity of the projectiles fired by this device.
METHODS—A Johnny Popper was constructed under expert guidance. The elastic properties of the device were measured and this allowed calculation of a theoretical exit velocity of the projectiles fired. The weapon was subsequently fired under test conditions which permitted the exit velocity of the projectiles fired to be measured directly.
RESULTS—The theoretical velocity of the projectiles was calculated as 80 ms-1 and the experimentally measured velocity was 57 ms-1.
CONCLUSIONS—Johnny Poppers are a previously undescribed and unique form of home made weapon. They are intended for playful mischief, but have the potential to cause serious ocular trauma.

 Keywords: ocular trauma; projectiles PMID:9924377

Joint hypermobility leading to osteoarthrosis and chondrocalcinosis.

PubMed

Bird, H A; Tribe, C R; Bacon, P A

1978-06-01

We have reviewed 21 adults referred to rheumatology clinic and considered to have generalised joint hypermobility by the criteria of Carter and Wilkinson (1964), modified by Beighton et al. (1973). They fell into two categories. 5 patients had a raised plasma viscosity (PV) and in each case a definite pathology was found to account for this, superimposed on hypermobile joints. The remaining 16 had a normal PV and this group was thought to represent the late natural history of hypermobility. 5 of these (aged 32 to 54 years) had no evidence of osteoarthrosis but the remaining 11 (aged 34 to 80 years) had widespread radiological osteoarthrosis. Synovial histology was obtained at arthroscopy in 6 of these patients and 4 (aged 60 to 75) had chondrocalcinosis. This previously undescribed finding may be the end result of hypermobile joints. Hypermobile patients with joint deformity (lax connective tissue), widespread synovial thickening (traumatic), and hot joint effusions (chondrocalcinosis) may mimic rheumatoid arthritis. They must be distinguished from patients who develop rheumatoid arthritis in hypermobile joints.

Joint hypermobility leading to osteoarthrosis and chondrocalcinosis.

PubMed Central

Bird, H A; Tribe, C R; Bacon, P A

1978-01-01

We have reviewed 21 adults referred to rheumatology clinic and considered to have generalised joint hypermobility by the criteria of Carter and Wilkinson (1964), modified by Beighton et al. (1973). They fell into two categories. 5 patients had a raised plasma viscosity (PV) and in each case a definite pathology was found to account for this, superimposed on hypermobile joints. The remaining 16 had a normal PV and this group was thought to represent the late natural history of hypermobility. 5 of these (aged 32 to 54 years) had no evidence of osteoarthrosis but the remaining 11 (aged 34 to 80 years) had widespread radiological osteoarthrosis. Synovial histology was obtained at arthroscopy in 6 of these patients and 4 (aged 60 to 75) had chondrocalcinosis. This previously undescribed finding may be the end result of hypermobile joints. Hypermobile patients with joint deformity (lax connective tissue), widespread synovial thickening (traumatic), and hot joint effusions (chondrocalcinosis) may mimic rheumatoid arthritis. They must be distinguished from patients who develop rheumatoid arthritis in hypermobile joints. Images PMID:686857

In vivo CRISPR screening identifies Ptpn2 as a cancer immunotherapy target.

PubMed

Manguso, Robert T; Pope, Hans W; Zimmer, Margaret D; Brown, Flavian D; Yates, Kathleen B; Miller, Brian C; Collins, Natalie B; Bi, Kevin; LaFleur, Martin W; Juneja, Vikram R; Weiss, Sarah A; Lo, Jennifer; Fisher, David E; Miao, Diana; Van Allen, Eliezer; Root, David E; Sharpe, Arlene H; Doench, John G; Haining, W Nicholas

2017-07-27

Immunotherapy with PD-1 checkpoint blockade is effective in only a minority of patients with cancer, suggesting that additional treatment strategies are needed. Here we use a pooled in vivo genetic screening approach using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in transplantable tumours in mice treated with immunotherapy to discover previously undescribed immunotherapy targets. We tested 2,368 genes expressed by melanoma cells to identify those that synergize with or cause resistance to checkpoint blockade. We recovered the known immune evasion molecules PD-L1 and CD47, and confirmed that defects in interferon-γ signalling caused resistance to immunotherapy. Tumours were sensitized to immunotherapy by deletion of genes involved in several diverse pathways, including NF-κB signalling, antigen presentation and the unfolded protein response. In addition, deletion of the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPN2 in tumour cells increased the efficacy of immunotherapy by enhancing interferon-γ-mediated effects on antigen presentation and growth suppression. In vivo genetic screens in tumour models can identify new immunotherapy targets in unanticipated pathways.

Resequencing a core collection of upland cotton identifies genomic variation and loci influencing fiber quality and yield.

PubMed

Ma, Zhiying; He, Shoupu; Wang, Xingfen; Sun, Junling; Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Guiyin; Wu, Liqiang; Li, Zhikun; Liu, Zhihao; Sun, Gaofei; Yan, Yuanyuan; Jia, Yinhua; Yang, Jun; Pan, Zhaoe; Gu, Qishen; Li, Xueyuan; Sun, Zhengwen; Dai, Panhong; Liu, Zhengwen; Gong, Wenfang; Wu, Jinhua; Wang, Mi; Liu, Hengwei; Feng, Keyun; Ke, Huifeng; Wang, Junduo; Lan, Hongyu; Wang, Guoning; Peng, Jun; Wang, Nan; Wang, Liru; Pang, Baoyin; Peng, Zhen; Li, Ruiqiang; Tian, Shilin; Du, Xiongming

2018-05-07

Upland cotton is the most important natural-fiber crop. The genomic variation of diverse germplasms and alleles underpinning fiber quality and yield should be extensively explored. Here, we resequenced a core collection comprising 419 accessions with 6.55-fold coverage depth and identified approximately 3.66 million SNPs for evaluating the genomic variation. We performed phenotyping across 12 environments and conducted genome-wide association study of 13 fiber-related traits. 7,383 unique SNPs were significantly associated with these traits and were located within or near 4,820 genes; more associated loci were detected for fiber quality than fiber yield, and more fiber genes were detected in the D than the A subgenome. Several previously undescribed causal genes for days to flowering, fiber length, and fiber strength were identified. Phenotypic selection for these traits increased the frequency of elite alleles during domestication and breeding. These results provide targets for molecular selection and genetic manipulation in cotton improvement.

Telangiectatic oncocytoma: a previously undescribed variant of renal oncocytoma.

PubMed

Xiao, Guang-Qian; Ko, Huai-Bin Mabel; Unger, Pamela

2013-07-01

To identify, describe, and investigate the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of 8 cases of telangiectatic oncocytoma. Fifty-three consecutive renal oncocytomas were reviewed for the telangiectatic pathologic features that were subsequently correlated with the demographic, clinical, and radiographic findings. Telangiectatic oncocytoma accounted for 15% of the 53 renal oncocytomas collected in the past 7 years in our institution. On radiology, almost all presented as an enhancing mass and were suspicious for or consistent with a renal malignant tumor. Grossly, the tumors ranged from 2.4 to 6.0 cm (mean, 3.5 cm) and macroscopically were hemorrhagic spongy or multicystic masses without a central stellate scar. Microscopically, they were characterized by variably sized blood-distended spaces (<0.1-mm to 2- to 3-mm blood lakes) lined by typical oncocytoma cells and without evidence of degenerative changes. With its unique radiologic and pathologic presentations in comparison with classic renal oncocytoma, it is important to recognize this new variant of renal oncocytoma.

A novel monopartite dsRNA virus isolated from the entomopathogenic and nematophagous fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum.

PubMed

Herrero, Noemi

2016-12-01

Purpureocillium lilacinum is a ubiquitous saprophytic fungus commonly isolated from soils and widely known as a biological control agent against phytopathogenic nematodes and pest insects. Mycoviruses infect a wide number of fungal species, but the study of viruses infecting entomopathogenic fungi is still quite recent. In this study, a total of 86 P. lilacinum isolates collected from soil in natural and cultivated habitats throughout the Czech Republic were analyzed; 22 % of the isolates harbored double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) elements with viral characteristics. These results suggest that mycoviruses are common in P. lilacinum. One of the most common dsRNA elements detected in the survey was completely sequenced and corresponded to the 2,864-bp genome of a previously undescribed mycovirus, designated Purpureocillium lilacinum nonsegmented virus 1 (PlNV-1). Phylogenetic analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of PlNV-1 indicated that this virus might belong to a new taxon related to the family Partitiviridae.

Bifidobacterium breve reduces apoptotic epithelial cell shedding in an exopolysaccharide and MyD88-dependent manner

PubMed Central

Hughes, K. R.; Harnisch, L. C.; Alcon-Giner, C.; Mitra, S.; Wright, C. J.; Ketskemety, J.

2017-01-01

Certain members of the microbiota genus Bifidobacterium are known to positively influence host well-being. Importantly, reduced bifidobacterial levels are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, who also have impaired epithelial barrier function, including elevated rates of apoptotic extrusion of small intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) from villi—a process termed ‘cell shedding’. Using a mouse model of pathological cell shedding, we show that mice receiving Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 exhibit significantly reduced rates of small IEC shedding. Bifidobacterial-induced protection appears to be mediated by a specific bifidobacterial surface exopolysaccharide and interactions with host MyD88 resulting in downregulation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic responses to protect epithelial cells under highly inflammatory conditions. Our results reveal an important and previously undescribed role for B. breve, in positively modulating epithelial cell shedding outcomes via bacterial- and host-dependent factors, supporting the notion that manipulation of the microbiota affects intestinal disease outcomes. PMID:28123052

Bifidobacterium breve reduces apoptotic epithelial cell shedding in an exopolysaccharide and MyD88-dependent manner.

PubMed

Hughes, K R; Harnisch, L C; Alcon-Giner, C; Mitra, S; Wright, C J; Ketskemety, J; van Sinderen, D; Watson, A J M; Hall, L J

2017-01-01

Certain members of the microbiota genus Bifidobacterium are known to positively influence host well-being. Importantly, reduced bifidobacterial levels are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, who also have impaired epithelial barrier function, including elevated rates of apoptotic extrusion of small intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) from villi-a process termed 'cell shedding'. Using a mouse model of pathological cell shedding, we show that mice receiving Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 exhibit significantly reduced rates of small IEC shedding. Bifidobacterial-induced protection appears to be mediated by a specific bifidobacterial surface exopolysaccharide and interactions with host MyD88 resulting in downregulation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic responses to protect epithelial cells under highly inflammatory conditions. Our results reveal an important and previously undescribed role for B. breve, in positively modulating epithelial cell shedding outcomes via bacterial- and host-dependent factors, supporting the notion that manipulation of the microbiota affects intestinal disease outcomes. © 2017 The Authors.

Genome-wide protective response used by group A Streptococcus to evade destruction by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

PubMed

Voyich, Jovanka M; Sturdevant, Daniel E; Braughton, Kevin R; Kobayashi, Scott D; Lei, Benfang; Virtaneva, Kimmo; Dorward, David W; Musser, James M; DeLeo, Frank R

2003-02-18

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) evades polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) phagocytosis and killing to cause human disease, including pharyngitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating syndrome). We show that GAS genes differentially regulated during phagocytic interaction with human PMNs comprise a global pathogen-protective response to innate immunity. GAS prophage genes and genes involved in virulence, oxidative stress, cell wall biosynthesis, and gene regulation were up-regulated during PMN phagocytosis. Genes encoding novel secreted proteins were up-regulated, and the proteins were produced during human GAS infections. We discovered an essential role for the Ihk-Irr two-component regulatory system in evading PMN-mediated killing and promoting host-cell lysis, processes that would facilitate GAS pathogenesis. Importantly, the irr gene was highly expressed during human GAS pharyngitis. We conclude that a complex pathogen genetic program circumvents human innate immunity to promote disease. The gene regulatory program revealed by our studies identifies previously undescribed potential vaccine antigens and targets for therapeutic interventions designed to control GAS infections.

Advancement into the Arctic Region for Bioactive Sponge Secondary Metabolites

PubMed Central

Abbas, Samuel; Kelly, Michelle; Bowling, John; Sims, James; Waters, Amanda; Hamann, Mark

2011-01-01

Porifera have long been a reservoir for the discovery of bioactive compounds and drug discovery. Most research in the area has focused on sponges from tropical and temperate waters, but more recently the focus has shifted to the less accessible colder waters of the Antarctic and, to a lesser extent, the Arctic. The Antarctic region in particular has been a more popular location for natural products discovery and has provided promising candidates for drug development. This article reviews groups of bioactive compounds that have been isolated and reported from the southern reaches of the Arctic Circle, surveys the known sponge diversity present in the Arctic waters, and details a recent sponge collection by our group in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The collection has yielded previously undescribed sponge species along with primary activity against opportunistic infectious diseases, malaria, and HCV. The discovery of new sponge species and bioactive crude extracts gives optimism for the isolation of new bioactive compounds from a relatively unexplored source. PMID:22163194

Bacterial anoxygenic photosynthesis on plant leaf surfaces.

PubMed

Atamna-Ismaeel, Nof; Finkel, Omri; Glaser, Fabian; von Mering, Christian; Vorholt, Julia A; Koblížek, Michal; Belkin, Shimshon; Béjà, Oded

2012-04-01

The aerial surface of plants, the phyllosphere, is colonized by numerous bacteria displaying diverse metabolic properties that enable their survival in this specific habitat. Recently, we reported on the presence of microbial rhodopsin harbouring bacteria on the top of leaf surfaces. Here, we report on the presence of additional bacterial populations capable of harvesting light as a means of supplementing their metabolic requirements. An analysis of six phyllosphere metagenomes revealed the presence of a diverse community of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria, including the previously reported methylobacteria, as well as other known and unknown phototrophs. The presence of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria was also confirmed in situ by infrared epifluorescence microscopy. The microscopic enumeration correlated with estimates based on metagenomic analyses, confirming both the presence and high abundance of these microorganisms in the phyllosphere. Our data suggest that the phyllosphere contains a phylogenetically diverse assemblage of phototrophic species, including some yet undescribed bacterial clades that appear to be phyllosphere-unique. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Global Analysis of Yeast Endosomal Transport Identifies the Vps55/68 Sorting Complex

PubMed Central

Schluter, Cayetana; Lam, Karen K.Y.; Brumm, Jochen; Wu, Bella W.; Saunders, Matthew; Stevens, Tom H.

2008-01-01

Endosomal transport is critical for cellular processes ranging from receptor down-regulation and retroviral budding to the immune response. A full understanding of endosome sorting requires a comprehensive picture of the multiprotein complexes that orchestrate vesicle formation and fusion. Here, we use unsupervised, large-scale phenotypic analysis and a novel computational approach for the global identification of endosomal transport factors. This technique effectively identifies components of known and novel protein assemblies. We report the characterization of a previously undescribed endosome sorting complex that contains two well-conserved proteins with four predicted membrane-spanning domains. Vps55p and Vps68p form a complex that acts with or downstream of ESCRT function to regulate endosomal trafficking. Loss of Vps68p disrupts recycling to the TGN as well as onward trafficking to the vacuole without preventing the formation of lumenal vesicles within the MVB. Our results suggest the Vps55/68 complex mediates a novel, conserved step in the endosomal maturation process. PMID:18216282

Plant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) B subunits confer drought tolerance and lead to improved corn yields on water-limited acres.

PubMed

Nelson, Donald E; Repetti, Peter P; Adams, Tom R; Creelman, Robert A; Wu, Jingrui; Warner, David C; Anstrom, Don C; Bensen, Robert J; Castiglioni, Paolo P; Donnarummo, Meghan G; Hinchey, Brendan S; Kumimoto, Roderick W; Maszle, Don R; Canales, Roger D; Krolikowski, Katherine A; Dotson, Stanton B; Gutterson, Neal; Ratcliffe, Oliver J; Heard, Jacqueline E

2007-10-16

Commercially improved crop performance under drought conditions has been challenging because of the complexity of the trait and the multitude of factors that influence yield. Here we report the results of a functional genomics approach that identified a transcription factor from the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family, AtNF-YB1, which acts through a previously undescribed mechanism to confer improved performance in Arabidopsis under drought conditions. An orthologous maize transcription factor, ZmNF-YB2, is shown to have an equivalent activity. Under water-limited conditions, transgenic maize plants with increased ZmNF-YB2 expression show tolerance to drought based on the responses of a number of stress-related parameters, including chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, reduced wilting, and maintenance of photosynthesis. These stress adaptations contribute to a grain yield advantage to maize under water-limited environments. The application of this technology has the potential to significantly impact maize production systems that experience drought.

Plant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) B subunits confer drought tolerance and lead to improved corn yields on water-limited acres

PubMed Central

Nelson, Donald E.; Repetti, Peter P.; Adams, Tom R.; Creelman, Robert A.; Wu, Jingrui; Warner, David C.; Anstrom, Don C.; Bensen, Robert J.; Castiglioni, Paolo P.; Donnarummo, Meghan G.; Hinchey, Brendan S.; Kumimoto, Roderick W.; Maszle, Don R.; Canales, Roger D.; Krolikowski, Katherine A.; Dotson, Stanton B.; Gutterson, Neal; Ratcliffe, Oliver J.; Heard, Jacqueline E.

2007-01-01

Commercially improved crop performance under drought conditions has been challenging because of the complexity of the trait and the multitude of factors that influence yield. Here we report the results of a functional genomics approach that identified a transcription factor from the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family, AtNF-YB1, which acts through a previously undescribed mechanism to confer improved performance in Arabidopsis under drought conditions. An orthologous maize transcription factor, ZmNF-YB2, is shown to have an equivalent activity. Under water-limited conditions, transgenic maize plants with increased ZmNF-YB2 expression show tolerance to drought based on the responses of a number of stress-related parameters, including chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, reduced wilting, and maintenance of photosynthesis. These stress adaptations contribute to a grain yield advantage to maize under water-limited environments. The application of this technology has the potential to significantly impact maize production systems that experience drought. PMID:17923671

Caecomyces sympodialis sp. nov., a new rumen fungus isolated from Bos indicus.

PubMed

Chen, Yo-Chia; Tsai, Sheng-Da; Cheng, Hsueh-Ling; Chien, Chiu-Yuan; Hu, Chun-Yi; Cheng, Tai-Yi

2007-01-01

A new anaerobic rumen fungus was isolated from the rumen fluid of a yellow cow (Bos indicus). This fungus appears to be a previously undescribed species of the genus Caecomyces, it possessing uniflagellate zoospores, a spherical holdfast, tubular sporangiophores and bulbous rhizoids. This new fungus also features distinctive multisporangiate thallus sympodially distributed on sporangiophores. The fungus resembles Caecomyces communis and C. equi in that it characterizes bulbous rhizoids and uniflagellate zoospores but differs from C. communis and C. equi in that it possesses multisporangiate and sympodial sporangia. This new fungus and Cyllamyces aberensis both reveal similar morphology during early thallus development in having a spherical holdfast, but they vary from unbranched sporangiophores and additional bulbous rhizoids. In addition, the molecular phylogenetic analyses ITS1 (internal transcribed spacer 1) also conform to the results of the morphological examinations of Caecomyces. For the mentioned reasons, this new species of fungus is described as Caecomyces sympodialis sp. nov. The genera of Neocallimasticaceae and species of Caecomyces are also keyed out.

Analytical theory for extracellular electrical stimulation of nerve with focal electrodes. I. Passive unmyelinated axon.

PubMed Central

Rubinstein, J T; Spelman, F A

1988-01-01

The cable model of a passive, unmyelinated fiber in an applied extracellular field is derived. The solution is valid for an arbitrary, time-varying, applied field, which may be determined analytically or numerically. Simple analytical computations are presented. They explain a variety of known phenomena and predict some previously undescribed properties of extracellular electrical stimulation. The polarization of a fiber in an applied field behaves like the output of a spatial high-pass and temporal low-pass filter of the stimulus. High-frequency stimulation results in a more spatially restricted region of fiber excitation, effectively reducing current spread relative to that produced by low-frequency stimulation. Chronaxie measured extracellularly is a function of electrode position relative to the stimulated fiber, and its value may differ substantially from that obtained intracellularly. Frequency dependence of psychophysical threshold obtained by electrical stimulation of the macaque cochlea closely follows the frequency dependence of single-fiber passive response. PMID:3233274

The complex aerodynamic footprint of desert locusts revealed by large-volume tomographic particle image velocimetry

PubMed Central

Henningsson, Per; Michaelis, Dirk; Nakata, Toshiyuki; Schanz, Daniel; Geisler, Reinhard; Schröder, Andreas; Bomphrey, Richard J.

2015-01-01

Particle image velocimetry has been the preferred experimental technique with which to study the aerodynamics of animal flight for over a decade. In that time, hardware has become more accessible and the software has progressed from the acquisition of planes through the flow field to the reconstruction of small volumetric measurements. Until now, it has not been possible to capture large volumes that incorporate the full wavelength of the aerodynamic track left behind during a complete wingbeat cycle. Here, we use a unique apparatus to acquire the first instantaneous wake volume of a flying animal's entire wingbeat. We confirm the presence of wake deformation behind desert locusts and quantify the effect of that deformation on estimates of aerodynamic force and the efficiency of lift generation. We present previously undescribed vortex wake phenomena, including entrainment around the wing-tip vortices of a set of secondary vortices borne of Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in the shear layer behind the flapping wings. PMID:26040598

Lanostane triterpenes from the mushroom Ganoderma resinaceum and their inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase.

PubMed

Chen, Xian-Qiang; Zhao, Jing; Chen, Ling-Xiao; Wang, Shen-Fei; Wang, Ying; Li, Shao-Ping

2018-05-01

Eighteen previously undescribed lanostane triterpenes and thirty known analogues were obtained from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma resinaceum. Resinacein C was isolated from a natural source for the first time. The structures of all the above compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparisons of their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. Furthermore, in an in vitro assay, Resinacein C, ganoderic acid Y, lucialdehyde C, 7-oxo-ganoderic acid Z 3 , 7-oxo-ganoderic acid Z, and lucidadiol showed strong inhibitory effects against α-glucosidase compared with the positive control drug acarbose. The structure-activity relationships of ganoderma triterpenes on α-glucosidase inhibition showed that the C-24/C-25 double bond is necessary for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Moreover, the carboxylic acid group at C-26 and the hydroxy group at C-15 play important roles in enhancing inhibitory effects of these triterpenes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The mitochondrial genome of Pocillopora (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) contains two variable regions: the putative D-loop and a novel ORF of unknown function.

PubMed

Flot, Jean-François; Tillier, Simon

2007-10-15

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two individuals attributed to different morphospecies of the scleractinian coral genus Pocillopora have been sequenced. Both genomes, respectively 17,415 and 17,422 nt long, share the presence of a previously undescribed ORF encoding a putative protein made up of 302 amino acids and of unknown function. Surprisingly, this ORF turns out to be the second most variable region of the mitochondrial genome (1% nucleotide sequence difference between the two individuals) after the putative control region (1.5% sequence difference). Except for the presence of this ORF and for the location of the putative control region, the mitochondrial genome of Pocillopora is organized in a fashion similar to the other scleractinian coral genomes published to date. For the first time in a cnidarian, a putative second origin of replication is described based on its secondary structure similar to the stem-loop structure of O(L), the origin of L-strand replication in vertebrates.

A monoclonal antibody for distinction of invasive and noninvasive clinical isolates of Entamoeba histolytica.

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Ruiz, A; Haque, R; Rehman, T; Aguirre, A; Jaramillo, C; Castañon, G; Hall, A; Guhl, F; Ruiz-Palacios, G; Warhurst, D C

1992-01-01

Approximately 10% of the world population is infected with Entamoeba histolytica, but only 10% of the carriers develop symptomatic amebiasis. This discrepancy could be explained by the genotypic differences between the morphologically indistinguishable invasive and noninvasive strains of E. histolytica currently identified by zymodeme analysis, a technique that is unsuitable for routine diagnostic laboratories. Here we report the production of a monoclonal antibody against E. histolytica and its use in an immunofluorescence assay to identify invasive isolates cultured from stool samples of infected patients in several regions where amebiasis is endemic: Bangladesh, Colombia, and Mexico. After testing a total of 88 E. histolytica isolates, the correlation between zymodeme characterization and the immunofluorescence assay with the invasive isolate-specific monoclonal antibody was 100%. The epitope detected by the invasive isolate-specific monoclonal antibody resides in a previously undescribed internal protein with molecular masses of 84 and 81 kDa in axenic and polyxenic E. histolytica strains, respectively. Images PMID:1452651

Pelvic and perineal anatomy of the male gorilla: selected observations.

PubMed

Oelrich, T M

1978-08-01

The anatomy of parts of the pelvic outlet and perineum is described in an adult male gorilla. Two previously undescribed muscles are presented: (1) The puborectalis muscle, completely separated from the levator ani, arises from the region of the symphysis and forms a sling for the rectum while it also substitutes for the perineal membrane. (2) The puboampullaris muscle, a paired smooth muscle, arises from the pubis and inserts into the rectum to elevate the rectum while additionally providing support for the urogenital viscera. The levator ani muscle is recounted to point out its lack of attachment to the pelvic viscera while allowing a hiatus in which the rectum is exposed within the perineum. The sphincter urethrae muscle is presented emphasizing its true sphincteric characteristics, its absence of lateral attachments and its similarity to man. Other muscles of the pelvis and perineum as well as urogenital viscera are described or modified where necessary. The manner in which these structures enter into the support of the pelvic viscera is considered.

Production of fungal and bacterial growth modulating secondary metabolites is widespread among mycorrhiza-associated streptomycetes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Studies on mycorrhiza associated bacteria suggest that bacterial-fungal interactions play important roles during mycorrhiza formation and affect plant health. We surveyed Streptomyces Actinobacteria, known as antibiotic producers and antagonists of fungi, from Norway spruce mycorrhizas with predominantly Piloderma species as the fungal partner. Results Fifteen Streptomyces isolates exhibited substantial variation in inhibition of tested mycorrhizal and plant pathogenic fungi (Amanita muscaria, Fusarium oxysporum, Hebeloma cylindrosporum, Heterobasidion abietinum, Heterobasidion annosum, Laccaria bicolor, Piloderma croceum). The growth of the mycorrhiza-forming fungus Laccaria bicolor was stimulated by some of the streptomycetes, and Piloderma croceum was only moderately affected. Bacteria responded to the streptomycetes differently than the fungi. For instance the strain Streptomyces sp. AcM11, which inhibited most tested fungi, was less inhibitory to bacteria than other tested streptomycetes. The determined patterns of Streptomyces-microbe interactions were associated with distinct patterns of secondary metabolite production. Notably, potentially novel metabolites were produced by strains that were less antagonistic to fungi. Most of the identified metabolites were antibiotics (e.g. cycloheximide, actiphenol) and siderophores (e.g. ferulic acid, desferroxiamines). Plant disease resistance was activated by a single streptomycete strain only. Conclusions Mycorrhiza associated streptomycetes appear to have an important role in inhibiting the growth of fungi and bacteria. Additionally, our study indicates that the Streptomyces strains, which are not general antagonists of fungi, may produce still un-described metabolites. PMID:22852578

Morchella tomentosa: a unique belowground structure and a new clade of morels

Treesearch

Franck O.P. Stefani; Serge Sokolski; Trish L. Wurtz; Yves Piché; Richard C. Hamelin; J. André Fortin; Jean A. Bérubé

2010-01-01

Mechanisms involved in post-fire morel fructification remain unclear. A new undescribed belowground vegetative structure of Marchella tomentosa in a burned boreal forest was investigated north of Fairbanks, Alaska. The name "radiscisclerotium" is proposed to define this peculiar and elaborate belowground vegetative structure of ...

Diurnal feeding behavior of the American Eel Anguilla rostrata

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engman, Augustin C.; Fischer, Jesse R.; Kwak, Thomas J.; Walter, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Despite potential to structure ecosystem food webs through top-down effects, the trophic interactions of the American Eel Anguilla rostrata remain largely understudied. All previous research on the trophic ecology of American Eel in inland aquatic ecosystems has been conducted in temperate continental regions of the species' range. These studies have led to a paradigm that American Eel is a nocturnally active benthic predator, which most commonly consumes benthic invertebrates. Tropical island streams and rivers have habitats and communities that are distinct from temperate counterparts, but comprise a large portion of the adult habitat in the American Eel's range. We documented a previously undescribed diurnal feeding behavior by American Eel in a Caribbean river and demonstrate that this behavior, and a shift toward more frequent daytime feeding, is linked to periodic mass migrations of postlarvae of amphidromous fish taxa, including the Sicydiine goby Sicydiumspp. Our findings indicate that periodic mass migrations of amphidromous postlarvae could function as a potentially important food source for American Eel in tropical regions of its distribution, despite the intermittence of availability. Furthermore, this suggests that the American Eel plays an important role in the structure of tropical lotic food webs through top-down effects that are potentially augmented by instream barriers.

Dominant de novo DSP mutations cause erythrokeratodermia-cardiomyopathy syndrome

PubMed Central

Boyden, Lynn M.; Kam, Chen Y.; Hernández-Martín, Angela; Zhou, Jing; Craiglow, Brittany G.; Sidbury, Robert; Mathes, Erin F.; Maguiness, Sheilagh M.; Crumrine, Debra A.; Williams, Mary L.; Hu, Ronghua; Lifton, Richard P.; Elias, Peter M.; Green, Kathleen J.; Choate, Keith A.

2016-01-01

Disorders of keratinization (DOK) show marked genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity. In most cases, disease is primarily cutaneous, and further clinical evaluation is therefore rarely pursued. We have identified subjects with a novel DOK featuring erythrokeratodermia and initially-asymptomatic, progressive, potentially fatal cardiomyopathy, a finding not previously associated with erythrokeratodermia. We show that de novo missense mutations clustered tightly within a single spectrin repeat of DSP cause this novel cardio-cutaneous disorder, which we term erythrokeratodermia-cardiomyopathy (EKC) syndrome. We demonstrate that DSP mutations in our EKC syndrome subjects affect localization of desmosomal proteins and connexin 43 in the skin, and result in desmosome aggregation, widening of intercellular spaces, and lipid secretory defects. DSP encodes desmoplakin, a primary component of desmosomes, intercellular adhesion junctions most abundant in the epidermis and heart. Though mutations in DSP are known to cause other disorders, our cohort features the unique clinical finding of severe whole-body erythrokeratodermia, with distinct effects on localization of desmosomal proteins and connexin 43. These findings add a severe, previously undescribed syndrome featuring erythrokeratodermia and cardiomyopathy to the spectrum of disease caused by mutation in DSP, and identify a specific region of the protein critical to the pathobiology of EKC syndrome and to DSP function in the heart and skin. PMID:26604139

Epigenetic Tailoring for the Production of Anti-Infective Cytosporones from the Marine Fungus Leucostoma persoonii

PubMed Central

Beau, Jeremy; Mahid, Nida; Burda, Whittney N.; Harrington, Lacey; Shaw, Lindsey N.; Mutka, Tina; Kyle, Dennis E.; Barisic, Betty; van Olphen, Alberto; Baker, Bill J.

2012-01-01

Recent genomic studies have demonstrated that fungi can possess gene clusters encoding for the production of previously unobserved secondary metabolites. Activation of these attenuated or silenced genes to obtain either improved titers of known compounds or new ones altogether has been a subject of considerable interest. In our efforts to discover new chemotypes that are effective against infectious diseases, including malaria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), we have isolated a strain of marine fungus, Leucostoma persoonii, that produces bioactive cytosporones. Epigenetic modifiers employed to activate secondary metabolite genes resulted in enhanced production of known cytosporones B (1, 360%), C (2, 580%) and E (3, 890%), as well as the production of the previously undescribed cytosporone R (4). Cytosporone E was the most bioactive, displaying an IC90 of 13 µM toward Plasmodium falciparum, with A549 cytotoxicity IC90 of 437 µM, representing a 90% inhibition therapeutic index (TI90 = IC90 A459/IC90 P. falciparum) of 33. In addition, cytosporone E was active against MRSA with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 72 µM and inhibition of MRSA biofilm at roughly half that value (minimum biofilm eradication counts, MBEC90, was found to be 39 µM). PMID:22690142

Epigenetic tailoring for the production of anti-infective cytosporones from the marine fungus Leucostoma persoonii.

PubMed

Beau, Jeremy; Mahid, Nida; Burda, Whittney N; Harrington, Lacey; Shaw, Lindsey N; Mutka, Tina; Kyle, Dennis E; Barisic, Betty; van Olphen, Alberto; Baker, Bill J

2012-04-01

Recent genomic studies have demonstrated that fungi can possess gene clusters encoding for the production of previously unobserved secondary metabolites. Activation of these attenuated or silenced genes to obtain either improved titers of known compounds or new ones altogether has been a subject of considerable interest. In our efforts to discover new chemotypes that are effective against infectious diseases, including malaria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), we have isolated a strain of marine fungus, Leucostoma persoonii, that produces bioactive cytosporones. Epigenetic modifiers employed to activate secondary metabolite genes resulted in enhanced production of known cytosporones B (1, 360%), C (2, 580%) and E (3, 890%), as well as the production of the previously undescribed cytosporone R (4). Cytosporone E was the most bioactive, displaying an IC(90) of 13 µM toward Plasmodium falciparum, with A549 cytotoxicity IC(90) of 437 µM, representing a 90% inhibition therapeutic index (TI(90) = IC(90) A459/IC(90)P. falciparum) of 33. In addition, cytosporone E was active against MRSA with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 72 µM and inhibition of MRSA biofilm at roughly half that value (minimum biofilm eradication counts, MBEC90, was found to be 39 µM).

Novel species of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with shoot blight of pistachio.

PubMed

Chen, ShuaiFei; Li, GuoQing; Liu, FeiFei; Michailides, Themis J

2015-01-01

Various species of phytopathogenic Botryosphaeriaceae were identified previously from pistachio trees worldwide. Disease symptoms caused by pathogens in Botryosphaeriaceae on pistachio include panicle and shoot blight, leaf defoliation, fruit discoloration and decay. In this study species of Botryosphaeriaceae were collected from blighted pistachio shoots in Arizona, USA, and Greece. The aims of this study were to identify these Botryosphaeriaceae isolates and to test their pathogenicity to pistachio. The fungi were identified based on comparisons of DNA sequence data of the nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), a partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF1), a partial β-tubulin gene (TUB2) and morphological characteristics. Results indicated that some isolates collected from pistachio represent two previously undescribed species, which we described here as Lasiodiplodia americana sp. nov. from the United States and Neofusicoccum hellenicum sp. nov. from Greece. Field inoculations of L. americana and N. hellenicum on branches of four pistachio cultivars showed that both L. americana and N. hellenicum are pathogenic on pistachio. The four pistachio cultivars differed in their susceptibility to the Botryosphaeriaceae species. Results of this study suggested that the two new species of Botryosphaeriaceae need to be monitored carefully to determine the distribution of these pathogens and the possible spread to other areas. © 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.

Morphologic, Pathologic, and Genetic Investigations of Bolbophorus Species Affecting Cultured Channel Catfish in the Mississippi Delta.

PubMed

Levy, M G; Flowers, J R; Poore, M F; Mullen, J E; Khoo, L H; Pote, L M; Paperna, I; Dzikowski, R; Litaker, R W

2006-12-01

Trematodes belonging to the genus Bolbophorus have recently been reported as the cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in cultured channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in Mississippi and Louisiana. Previous investigators identified only a single species, B. confusus. In this investigation, genetic techniques were used to identify all stages of the parasite in all of its hosts. The 18s rRNA genes from specimens collected in Mississippi were sequenced and compared; this analysis revealed that there are two distinct species, B. damnificus (previously identified as B. confusus) and another, undescribed species. (Phylogenetic analysis indicated that a third species, B. levantinus, is also closely related to the Mississippi species.) Species-specific polymerase chain reaction assays capable of identifying and differentiating between these two parasites were developed. Both species were found to infect the first intermediate host (the ram's horn snail Planorbella trivolvis) in commercial channel catfish ponds, but only B. damnificus was recovered from the fish themselves. The new, unidentified Bolbophorus species was determined to be highly pathogenic to a number of fish species. The contribution of B. damnificus to disease in cultured channel catfish remains undetermined. Future investigations of these parasites must now take into account the presence of two distinct species.

Morphologic, Pathologic, and Genetic Investigations of Bolbophorus Species Affecting Cultured Channel Catfish in the Mississippi Delta.

PubMed

Levy, M G; Flowers, J R; Poore, M F; Mullen, J E; Khoo, L H; Pote, L M; Paperna, I; Dzikowski, R; Litaker, R W

2002-12-01

Trematodes belonging to the genus Bolbophorus have recently been reported as the cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in cultured channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in Mississippi and Louisiana. Previous investigators identified only a single species, B. confusus. In this investigation, genetic techniques were used to identify all stages of the parasite in all of its hosts. The 18s rRNA genes from specimens collected in Mississippi were sequenced and compared; this analysis revealed that there are two distinct species, B. damnificus (previously identified as B. confusus) and another, undescribed species. (Phylogenetic analysis indicated that a third species, B. levantinus, is also closely related to the Mississippi species.) Species-specific polymerase chain reaction assays capable of identifying and differentiating between these two parasites were developed. Both species were found to infect the first intermediate host (the ram's horn snail Planorbella trivolvis) in commercial channel catfish ponds, but only B. damnificus was recovered from the fish themselves. The new, unidentified Bolbophorus species was determined to be highly pathogenic to a number of fish species. The contribution of B. damnificus to disease in cultured channel catfish remains undetermined. Future investigations of these parasites must now take into account the presence of two distinct species.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCollum, L.B.; Buchanan, J.P.; McCollum, M.B.

The Antler orogeny is a textbook example of a Paleozoic mountain building and crustal shortening event in western North America. A relatively complex geologic history of the type Antler at Battle Mountain, Nevada, is interpreted as distinct thrust plates of Lower Cambrian Scott Canyon Formation, Upper Cambrian Harmony Sandstone, and Ordovician Valmy Formation, overlain unconformably by the Middle Pennsylvanian Battle Formation. Mississippian crustal deformation and emplacement of the Roberts Mountain thrust have previously been thought to characterize the Antler orogen. Detailed sedimentology studies of the Scott Canyon and Harmony, and the relationship with the overlying Battle Formation at the typemore » section of the Antler orogeny, cast doubt on the previously accepted geologic history. The Scott Canyon is an interbedded sequence of pillow basalts, Late Devonian radiolarian cherts, and mudstone debris flows with numerous limestone olistoliths, many containing undescribed archaeocyathid fauna. The contact of the Harmony with the Battle Formation appears channeled, but otherwise conformable, and the Battle has been interpreted as an alluvial fan facies. The paleoenvironmental interpretation of these sediments is that the Scott Canyon was deposited upon a Late Devonian active continental margin setting, with prograding fan deposits of the Harmony Sandstone, overlain by Middle Pennsylvanian fanglomerates of the Battle Formation. This conformable sequence appears to preclude any major uplift within the type Antler orogen.« less

Brain Transcriptional Profiles of Male Alternative Reproductive Tactics and Females in Bluegill Sunfish

PubMed Central

Partridge, Charlyn G.; MacManes, Matthew D.; Knapp, Rosemary; Neff, Bryan D.

2016-01-01

Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) are one of the classic systems for studying male alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) in teleost fishes. In this species, there are two distinct life histories: parental and cuckolder, encompassing three reproductive tactics, parental, satellite, and sneaker. The parental life history is fixed, whereas individuals who enter the cuckolder life history transition from sneaker to satellite tactic as they grow. For this study, we used RNAseq to characterize the brain transcriptome of the three male tactics and females during spawning to identify gene ontology (GO) categories and potential candidate genes associated with each tactic. We found that sneaker males had higher levels of gene expression differentiation compared to the other two male tactics. Sneaker males also had higher expression in ionotropic glutamate receptor genes, specifically AMPA receptors, compared to other males, which may be important for increased spatial working memory while attempting to cuckold parental males at their nests. Larger differences in gene expression also occurred among male tactics than between males and females. We found significant expression differences in several candidate genes that were previously identified in other species with ARTs and suggest a previously undescribed role for cAMP-responsive element modulator (crem) in influencing parental male behaviors during spawning. PMID:27907106

Notes on the genus Tunga (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) II – neosomes, morphology, classification, and other taxonomic notes

PubMed Central

Linardi, Pedro Marcos; Beaucournu, Jean-Claude; de Avelar, Daniel Moreira; Belaz, Sorya

2014-01-01

This review focuses on the neosomes, morphology, and taxonomy of adult species of the genus Tunga, complementing the previously published data on the phylogeny, ecology, and pathogenic role. Neosomes are structures formed after penetration of adult females into the skin of hosts resulting in significant enlargement, being the most characteristic and most frequently observed form in hosts. Neosomes can be differentiated by shape, measurements, and sites of attachment to principal hosts. The taxonomic value and morphometric data of the most widely used characteristics to separate species – such as frontal curvature, head chaetotaxy, preoral internal sclerotization, ventral and dorsal genal lobes, eyes, maxillary palps, fusion of pronotum and mesonotum, metacoxae, metatarsi chaetotaxy, spermatheca (females), manubrium, basimere, telomere, and phallosome (males) – are comparatively analyzed. The sexes, individual variations, undescribed species, higher taxa, as well as a proposal for division of the genus into two subgenera (Tunga and Brevidigita) are presented (as previously given by Wang). A key for females, males, and gravid females (neosomes) also is included for identifying the 13 known species. Data on host specificity and geographical distribution may also support the identification of Tunga species because some sand fleas and their hosts may have co-evolved. PMID:25514594

Revision of the Old World Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) similis group Cladocera: Daphniidae).

PubMed

Popova, Ekaterina V; Petrusek, Adam; Kořínek, Vladimír; Mergeay, Joachim; Bekker, Eugeniya I; Karabanov, Dmitry P; Galimov, Yan R; Neretina, Tatyana V; Taylor, Derek J; Kotov, Alexey A

2016-09-02

Species of the genus Daphnia O.F. Müller, 1785 (Cladocera: Daphniidae) have become very important models in evolutionary biology research. Previous morphological and genetic evidence suggests that numerous closely related "species groups" exist within the subgenus Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) Dybowski & Grochowski, 1895, containing both described and undescribed species. The Daphnia similis group is among these species groups. The aim of the present paper is to revise the taxonomy of the Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) similis group in the Old World with both morphological and genetic evidence (based on mitochondrial COI and 12S rRNA genes). We found that there are at least four species in the Old World D. similis species group: D. similis Claus, 1876; D. sinensis Gu, Xu, Li, Dumont et Han, 2013; D. similoides Hudec, 1991 and D. inopinata sp. nov. These four taxa of the similis-group, confused previously with D. similis, have different distributional ranges in the Old World, from extremely wide, spanning several biogegraphic regions (as D. sinensis), to regional endemics (D. similoides) and even species known so far from a single locality (D. inopinata sp. nov.). The Daphnia similis group provides another example in the cladocerans whereby the study of males yields more valuable characters for taxonomy than the study of parthenogenetic females.

Discrimination of different geographic varieties of Gymnema sylvestre, an anti-sweet plant used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Pham, Ha Thanh Tung; Hoang, Minh Chau; Ha, Thi Kim Quy; Dang, Lan Huong; Tran, Van On; Nguyen, Thi Bich Thu; Lee, Chul Ho; Oh, Won Keun

2018-06-01

Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R.Br. ex Sm. (Asclepiadaceae) is a well-known Ayurvedic anti-sweet plant for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although it was previously proposed that G. sylvestre exhibits chemical variation based on geography, most research on G. sylvestre has used material originating from India. Morphological and anatomical descriptions, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 DNA sequencing, and acid hydrolysis analyses showed that G. sylvestre samples from Vietnam are distinguishable from those of Indian origin and thus suggest a dissimilarity among G. sylvestre samples with different geographic distributions. An LC-MS-guided strategy targeting 3β-glucuronide oleane-triterpenes in the Vietnamese G. sylvestre variety led to the isolation of four known compounds and nine previously undescribed compounds, named gymnemosides ND1-ND9. None of the isolated compounds were reported in the Indian sample, further supporting the geo-diversity of G. sylvestre. Three compounds, gymnemosides ND7-9, exerted significant stimulatory effects on the uptake of 2-NBDG in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells and thus have potential as lead molecules for anti-diabetes agents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of Genome Size and Complexity in Pinus

PubMed Central

Morse, Alison M.; Peterson, Daniel G.; Islam-Faridi, M. Nurul; Smith, Katherine E.; Magbanua, Zenaida; Garcia, Saul A.; Kubisiak, Thomas L.; Amerson, Henry V.; Carlson, John E.; Nelson, C. Dana; Davis, John M.

2009-01-01

Background Genome evolution in the gymnosperm lineage of seed plants has given rise to many of the most complex and largest plant genomes, however the elements involved are poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings Gymny is a previously undescribed retrotransposon family in Pinus that is related to Athila elements in Arabidopsis. Gymny elements are dispersed throughout the modern Pinus genome and occupy a physical space at least the size of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome. In contrast to previously described retroelements in Pinus, the Gymny family was amplified or introduced after the divergence of pine and spruce (Picea). If retrotransposon expansions are responsible for genome size differences within the Pinaceae, as they are in angiosperms, then they have yet to be identified. In contrast, molecular divergence of Gymny retrotransposons together with other families of retrotransposons can account for the large genome complexity of pines along with protein-coding genic DNA, as revealed by massively parallel DNA sequence analysis of Cot fractionated genomic DNA. Conclusions/Significance Most of the enormous genome complexity of pines can be explained by divergence of retrotransposons, however the elements responsible for genome size variation are yet to be identified. Genomic resources for Pinus including those reported here should assist in further defining whether and how the roles of retrotransposons differ in the evolution of angiosperm and gymnosperm genomes. PMID:19194510

[Impact of Delivery Method on Antiviral Activity of Phosphodiester, Phosphorothioate, and Phosphoryl Guanidine Oligonucleotides in MDCK Cells Infected with H5N1 Bird Flu Virus].

PubMed

Levina, A S; Repkova, M N; Chelobanov, B P; Bessudnova, E V; Mazurkova, N A; Stetsenko, D A; Zarytova, V F

2017-01-01

We have previously described nanocomposites containing conjugates or complexes of native oligodeoxyribonucleotides with poly-L-lysine and TiO2 nanoparticles. We have shown that these nanocomposites efficiently suppressed influenza A virus reproduction in MDCK cells. Here, we have synthesized previously undescribed nanocomposites that consist of TiO2 nanoparticles and polylysine conjugates with oligonucleotides that contain phosphoryl guanidine or phosphorothioate internucleotide groups. These nanocomposites have been shown to exhibit antiviral activity in MDCK cells infected with H5N1 influenza A virus. The nanocomposites containing phosphorothioate oligonucleotides inhibited virus replication ~130-fold. More potent inhibition, i.e., ~5000-fold or ~4600-fold, has been demonstrated by nanocomposites that contain phosphoryl guanidine or phosphodiester oligonucleotides, respectively. Free oligonucleotides have been nearly inactive. The antiviral activity of oligonucleotides of all three types, when delivered by Lipofectamine, has been significantly lower compared to the oligonucleotides delivered in the nanocomposites. In the former case, the phosphoryl guanidine oligonucleotide has appeared to be the most efficient; it has inhibited the virus replication by a factor of 400. The results make it possible to consider phosphoryl guanidine oligonucleotides, along with other oligonucleotide derivatives, as potential antiviral agents against H5N1 avian flu virus.

Brain Transcriptional Profiles of Male Alternative Reproductive Tactics and Females in Bluegill Sunfish.

PubMed

Partridge, Charlyn G; MacManes, Matthew D; Knapp, Rosemary; Neff, Bryan D

2016-01-01

Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) are one of the classic systems for studying male alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) in teleost fishes. In this species, there are two distinct life histories: parental and cuckolder, encompassing three reproductive tactics, parental, satellite, and sneaker. The parental life history is fixed, whereas individuals who enter the cuckolder life history transition from sneaker to satellite tactic as they grow. For this study, we used RNAseq to characterize the brain transcriptome of the three male tactics and females during spawning to identify gene ontology (GO) categories and potential candidate genes associated with each tactic. We found that sneaker males had higher levels of gene expression differentiation compared to the other two male tactics. Sneaker males also had higher expression in ionotropic glutamate receptor genes, specifically AMPA receptors, compared to other males, which may be important for increased spatial working memory while attempting to cuckold parental males at their nests. Larger differences in gene expression also occurred among male tactics than between males and females. We found significant expression differences in several candidate genes that were previously identified in other species with ARTs and suggest a previously undescribed role for cAMP-responsive element modulator (crem) in influencing parental male behaviors during spawning.

Development of the muscles associated with the mandibular and hyoid arches in the Siberian sturgeon, Acipenser baerii (Acipenseriformes: Acipenseridae).

PubMed

Warth, Peter; Hilton, Eric J; Naumann, Benjamin; Olsson, Lennart; Konstantinidis, Peter

2018-02-01

The skeleton of the jaws and neurocranium of sturgeons (Acipenseridae) are connected only through the hyoid arch. This arrangement allows considerable protrusion and retraction of the jaws and is highly specialized among ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii). To better understand the unique morphology and the evolution of the jaw apparatus in Acipenseridae, we investigated the development of the muscles of the mandibular and hyoid arches of the Siberian sturgeon, Acipenser baerii. We used a combination of antibody staining and formalin-induced fluorescence of tissues imaged with confocal microscopy and subsequent three-dimensional reconstruction. These data were analyzed to address the identity of previously controversial and newly discovered muscle portions. Our results indicate that the anlagen of the muscles in A. baerii develop similarly to those of other actinopterygians, although they differ by not differentiating into distinct muscles. This is exemplified by the subpartitioning of the m. adductor mandibulae as well as the massive m. protractor hyomandibulae, for which we found a previously undescribed portion in each. The importance of paedomorphosis for the evolution of Acipenseriformes has been discussed before and our results indicate that the muscles of the mandibular and the hyoid may be another example for heterochronic evolution. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A novel form of the RelA nuclear factor kappaB subunit is induced by and forms a complex with the proto-oncogene c-Myc.

PubMed Central

Chapman, Neil R; Webster, Gill A; Gillespie, Peter J; Wilson, Brian J; Crouch, Dorothy H; Perkins, Neil D

2002-01-01

Members of both Myc and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) families of transcription factors are found overexpressed or inappropriately activated in many forms of human cancer. Furthermore, NF-kappaB can induce c-Myc gene expression, suggesting that the activities of these factors are functionally linked. We have discovered that both c-Myc and v-Myc can induce a previously undescribed, truncated form of the RelA(p65) NF-kappaB subunit, RelA(p37). RelA(p37) encodes the N-terminal DNA binding and dimerization domain of RelA(p65) and would be expected to function as a trans-dominant negative inhibitor of NF-kappaB. Surprisingly, we found that RelA(p37) no longer binds to kappaB elements. This result is explained, however, by the observation that RelA(p37), but not RelA(p65), forms a high-molecular-mass complex with c-Myc. These results demonstrate a previously unknown functional and physical interaction between RelA and c-Myc with many significant implications for our understanding of the role that both proteins play in the molecular events underlying tumourigenesis. PMID:12027803

Primary peri-anal adenocarcinoma of intestinal type - a new proposed entity.

PubMed

Gill, Pelvender S; Wong, Newton A C S

2018-02-21

The currently recognised subtypes of anal canal/peri-anal adenocarcinoma are those arising from low rectal mucosa or columnar cuff, fistula-related tumours and anal gland carcinoma. This report presents two examples of a hitherto undescribed subtype of peri-anal adenocarcinoma with an intestinal phenotype. A 74-year-old man had a peri-anal tumour locally excised, whereas a 73-year-old female underwent an abdominoperineal resection for peri-anal Paget's disease with an underlying carcinoma. Neither patient had a history of perineal fistulae, Crohn's disease or previous gastrointestinal neoplasia, and neither showed clinical, radiological or endoscopic evidence of another abdominal or pelvic tumour. Both resection specimens contained adenocarcinoma, which were similar in demonstrating an intestinal morphology and CDX2 immunopositivity. The man has shown a disease-free outcome thus far, but the woman has suffered with nodal and pelvic recurrence within a few months of surgery. The name 'primary peri-anal adenocarcinoma of intestinal type' is proposed for this previously unrecognised subtype of perineal neoplasia. Awareness of its distinct existence - by recognising its intestinal morphology and immunophenotype while excluding metastasis from the intestinal tract - should help to collate data to determine its specific prognosis and to formulate its best management. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Novel Ilarvirus Is Associated with Privet Necrotic Ringspot Disease in the Southern United States.

PubMed

Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic, Nina; Tzanetakis, Ioannis E; Lawrence, Amanda; Stephenson, Ronald C; Sabanadzovic, Sead

2016-01-01

Necrotic ringspot disease (NRSD) is a graft-transmissible disorder of privet (synonym ligustrum), originally reported from Florida and Louisiana more than 50 years ago. In this communication we report an isometric virus isolated from Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum) collected in the southern United States displaying symptoms resembling those of NRSD. In mechanical transmission tests, the virus induced systemic infections in several herbaceous hosts. Double-stranded RNA analysis showed a pattern resembling replicative forms of members of the family Bromoviridae. The genome organization along with phylogenetic analyses and serological tests revealed that the virus belongs to subgroup 1 of the genus Ilarvirus. Pairwise comparisons with recognized ilarviruses indicated that the virus is a distinct, and as yet, undescribed member in the taxon, for which we propose the name Privet ringspot virus (PrRSV). Furthermore, the near-perfect association of PrRSV infections with symptoms, and apparent absence of any other virus(es) in studied samples, strongly suggest an important role of this virus in the etiology of NRSD of privet in the southeastern United States.

Rhombic organization of microvilli domains found in a cell model of the human intestine

PubMed Central

Grünebaum, Jonas; Schäfer, Marcus; Mulac, Dennis; Rehfeldt, Florian; Langer, Klaus; Kramer, Armin; Riethmüller, Christoph

2018-01-01

Symmetry is rarely found on cellular surfaces. An exception is the brush border of microvilli, which are essential for the proper function of transport epithelia. In a healthy intestine, they appear densely packed as a 2D-hexagonal lattice. For in vitro testing of intestinal transport the cell line Caco-2 has been established. As reported by electron microscopy, their microvilli arrange primarily in clusters developing secondly into a 2D-hexagonal lattice. Here, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed under aqueous buffer conditions on Caco-2 cells, which were cultivated on permeable filter membranes for optimum differentiation. For analysis, the exact position of each microvillus was detected by computer vision; subsequent Fourier transformation yielded the type of 2D-lattice. It was confirmed, that Caco-2 cells can build a hexagonal lattice of microvilli and form clusters. Moreover, a second type of arrangement was discovered, namely a rhombic lattice, which appeared at sub-maximal densities of microvilli with (29 ± 4) microvilli / μm2. Altogether, the findings indicate the existence of a yet undescribed pattern in cellular organization. PMID:29320535

Apparent sixth sense in theropod evolution: The making of a Cretaceous weathervane.

PubMed

Rothschild, Bruce M; Naples, Virginia

2017-01-01

Two separate and distinctive skills are necessary to find prey: Detection of its presence and determination of its location. Surface microscopy of the dentary of albertosaurines revealed a previously undescribed sensory modification, as will be described here. While dentary "foramina" were previously thought to contain tactile sensory organs, the potential function of this theropod modification as a unique localizing system is explored in this study. Dentary surface perforations were examined by surface epi-illumination microscopy in tyrannosaurine and albertosaurine dinosaurs to characterize their anatomy. Fish lateral lines were examined as potentially comparable structures. In contrast to the subsurface vascular bifurcation noted in tyrannosaurines (which lack a lateral dentary surface groove), the area subjacent to the apertures in albertosaurine grooves has the appearance of an expanded chamber. That appearance seemed to be indistinguishable from the lateral line of fish. Dentary groove apertures in certain tyrannosaurid lines (specifically albertosaurines) not only have a unique appearance, but one with significant functional and behavior implications. The appearance of the perforations in the dentary groove of albertosaurines mirrors that previously noted only with specialized neurologic structures accommodating derived sensory functions, as seen in the lateral line of fish. The possibility that this specialized morphology could also represent a unique function in albertosaurine theropods for interacting with the environment or facilitating prey acquisition cannot be ignored. It is suggested that these expanded chambers function in perceiving and aligning the body relative to the direction of wind, perhaps a Cretaceous analogue of the contemporary midwestern weathervane.

Characterisation of interface astroglial scarring in the human brain after blast exposure: a post-mortem case series.

PubMed

Shively, Sharon Baughman; Horkayne-Szakaly, Iren; Jones, Robert V; Kelly, James P; Armstrong, Regina C; Perl, Daniel P

2016-08-01

No evidence-based guidelines are available for the definitive diagnosis or directed treatment of most blast-associated traumatic brain injuries, partly because the underlying pathology is unknown. Moreover, few neuropathological studies have addressed whether blast exposure produces unique lesions in the human brain, and if those lesions are comparable with impact-induced traumatic brain injury. We aimed to test the hypothesis that blast exposure produces unique patterns of damage, differing from that associated with impact-induced, non-blast traumatic brain injuries. In this post-mortem case series, we investigated several features of traumatic brain injuries, using clinical histopathology techniques and markers, in brain specimens from male military service members with chronic blast exposures and from those who had died shortly after severe blast exposures. We then compared these results with those from brain specimens from male civilian (ie, non-military) cases with no history of blast exposure, including cases with and without chronic impact traumatic brain injuries and cases with chronic exposure to opiates, and analysed the limited associated clinical histories of all cases. Brain specimens had been archived in tissue banks in the USA. We analysed brain specimens from five cases with chronic blast exposure, three cases with acute blast exposure, five cases with chronic impact traumatic brain injury, five cases with exposure to opiates, and three control cases with no known neurological disorders. All five cases with chronic blast exposure showed prominent astroglial scarring that involved the subpial glial plate, penetrating cortical blood vessels, grey-white matter junctions, and structures lining the ventricles; all cases of acute blast exposure showed early astroglial scarring in the same brain regions. All cases of chronic blast exposure had an antemortem diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder. The civilian cases, with or without history of impact traumatic brain injury or a history of opiate use, did not have any astroglial scarring in the brain regions analysed. The blast exposure cases showed a distinct and previously undescribed pattern of interface astroglial scarring at boundaries between brain parenchyma and fluids, and at junctions between grey and white matter. This distinctive pattern of scarring may indicate specific areas of damage from blast exposure consistent with the general principles of blast biophysics, and further, could account for aspects of the neuropsychiatric clinical sequelae reported. The generalisability of these findings needs to be explored in future studies, as the number of cases, clinical data, and tissue availability were limited. Defense Health Program of the United States Department of Defense. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two new species of true morels from Newfoundland and Labrador: cosmopolitan Morchella eohespera and parochial M. laurentiana

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies of true morels (Morchella) in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) resulted in the surprising discovery of two undescribed species in the M. elata clade, which we initially distinguished by the informal designations Mel-19 and Mel-3...

Cryptolepiota, a new sequestrate genus in the Agaricaceae with evidence for adaptive radiation in western North America

Treesearch

Bradley R. Kropp; Steve Albee-Scott; Michael A. Castellano; James M. Trappe

2012-01-01

Phylogenetic analyses based on nLSU and ITS sequence data indicate that the sequestrate genus Gigasperma is polyphyletic. Gigasperma cryptica, which is known only from New Zealand, has affinities with the Cortinariaceae whereas G. americanum and two additional undescribed taxa from western North America are...

An undescribed first branchial cleft anomaly.

PubMed

Rockey, Jason Gabriel; John, D Gareth; Herbetko, John

2003-06-01

A variant of a type 2 first branchial cleft anomaly, in which accessory ossicles were found, is described. There follows a discussion of the classification of first branchial cleft abnormalities and how this particular case falls outside the standard classification. CT scanning is mentioned as the investigation that is most useful for defining these abnormalities.

The Segments and Tones of Soyaltepec Mazatec

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beal, Heather D.

2011-01-01

This dissertation describes the segments and tones of Soyaltepec Mazatec, an Oto-Manguean language of southern Mexico virtually undescribed in the literature with the exception of Pike (1956). The preliminary work done by Pike and subsequent analyses by Goldsmith (1990) and Pizer (1994) are reviewed giving evidence that the system is complex and…

Reproductive biology, hybridization, and flower visitors of rare Sclerocactus taxa in Utah's Uintah Basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The mating system and flower visitors of two threatened species of Sclerocactus (Cactaceae) were studied in the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah, an area undergoing rapid energy development. We found that both S. wetlandicus and S. brevispinus, as well as a third presumptive taxon (undescribed) which w...

Stunting of southern pine seedlings by a needle nematode (Longidorus sp.)

Treesearch

M.M. Cram; S.W. Fraedrich; J. Fields

2003-01-01

An undescribed needle nematode (Longidorus sp.) was consistently associated with stunted loblolly pine seedlings at the Flint River Nursery in south Georgia. Seedlings in affected areas had root systems that were greatly reduced in size, and lacked lateral and fine roots. In a growth chamber experiment, the needle nematode significantly reduced the...

Francisella marina sp. nov., etiologic agent of systemic disease in cultured spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) in Central America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Historically, piscine francisellosis in various warm, temperate and coldwater fish hosts has been attributed to Francisella noatunensis. From 2015-2016, an undescribed Francisella sp. was recovered during mortality events in cultured spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) off the Pacific coast of ...

Molecular characterization and development of Sarcocystis speeri sarcocysts in gamma interferon gene knockout mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the definitive host for at least three named species of Sarcocystis: S. falcatula, S. neurona, and S. speeri. It appears that there may be additional undescribed species of Sarcocystis in D. virginiana feces. The South American opossums (D. albive...

Soybean SDS in South Africa is caused by Fusarium brasiliense and a novel undescribed Fusarium sp.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) was detected in South Africa for the first time during pathogen surveys conducted in 2013-2014. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the 16 slow-growing Fusarium strains that were isolated from the roots of symptomatic plants. Molecular phylogen...

Filth fly transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica to lettuce, Lactuca sativa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Filth flies have been implicated in the dispersal of human disease pathogens; however, fly transmission parameters of human pathogens to plants are largely undescribed. The capacity of the black blow fly, Phormia regina, to acquire and subsequently release bacteria onto baby lettuce leaves was comp...

A unique Mycobacterium species isolated from an epizootic of striped bass (Morone saxatilis).

PubMed Central

Rhodes, M. W.; Kator, H.; Kotob, S.; van Berkum, P.; Kaattari, I.; Vogelbein, W.; Floyd, M. M.; Butler, W. R.; Quinn, F. D.; Ottinger, C.; Shotts, E.

2001-01-01

We isolated a Mycobacterium sp. resembling Mycobacterium marinum and M. ulcerans from diseased striped bass (Morone saxatilis) during an epizootic of mycobacteriosis in the Chesapeake Bay. This isolate may represent an undescribed Mycobacterium species, based on phenotypic characteristics and comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence. PMID:11747708

Molecular evidence of undescribed Ceratonova sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) in the freshwater polychaete, Manayunkia speciosa, from western Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malakauskas, David M.; Snipes, Robert Benjamin; Thompson, Ann M.; Schloesser, Donald W.

2016-01-01

We used PCR to screen pooled individuals of Manayunkia speciosa from western Lake Erie, Michigan, USA for myxosporean parasites. Amplicons from positive PCRs were sequenced and showed a Ceratonova species in an estimated 1.1% (95% CI = 0.46%, 1.8%) of M. speciosa individuals. We sequenced 18S, ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2 and most of the 28S rDNA regions of this Ceratonova sp., and part of the protein-coding EF2 gene. Phylogenetic analyses of ribosomal and EF2 sequences showed the Lake Erie Ceratonova sp. is most similar to, but genetically distinct from, Ceratonova shasta. Marked interspecific polymorphism in all genes examined, including the ITS barcoding genes, along with geographic location suggests this is an undescribed Ceratonova species. COI sequences showed M. speciosa individuals in Michigan and California are the same species. These findings represent a third parasite in the genus Ceratonovapotentially hosted by M. speciosa.

Ligophorus spp. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) parasitizing mullets (Teleostei: Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) occurring in the fresh and brackish waters of the Shatt Al-Arab River and Estuary in southern Iraq, with the description of Ligophorus sagmarius sp. n. from the greenback mullet Chelon subviridis (Valenciennes).

PubMed

Kritsky, Delane C; Khamees, Najim R; Ali, Atheer H

2013-12-01

The gills of three of five species of mullets (Teleostei: Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) collected from the brackish and fresh waters of southern Iraq were infected with species of Ligophorus (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) as follows: greenback mullet Chelon subviridis (Valenciennes) infected with Ligophorus lebedevi Dmitrieva, Gerasev, Gibson, Pronkina and Galli, 2012, Ligophorus bantingensis Soo and Lim, 2012, Ligophorus sagmarius n. sp., and Ligophorus fluviatilis (Bychowsky, 1949) Dmitrieva, Gerasev, Gibson, Pronkina, and Galli, 2012; Klunzinger’s mullet Liza klunzingeri (Day) with L. bantingensis, L. fluviatilis, and an apparently undescribed species of Ligophorus; and abu mullet Liza abu (Heckel) with L. bantingensis and L. fluviatilis. The keeled mullet Liza carinata (Valenciennes) and Speigler’s mullet Valamugil speigleri (Bleeker) were uninfected. L. sagmarius n. sp. is described, and L. lebedevi and L. bantingensis are redescribed. Available specimens of L. fluviatilis and the undescribed species of Ligophorus from Klunzinger’s mullet were insufficient for description.

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea within biofilters of a commercial recirculating marine aquaculture system.

PubMed

Huang, Zhitao; Jiang, Yuli; Song, Xiefa; Hallerman, Eric; Peng, Lei; Dong, Dengpan; Ma, Teng; Zhai, Jieming; Li, Wensheng

2018-02-10

While biofilters are widely used to metabolize ammonia and other wastes in marine recirculating aquaculture systems, the ammonia-oxidizing bacterial and archaeal communities have not been characterized across a diversity of production systems. Using a metagenomics approach, we characterized the ammonia-oxidizing microbiological community of biofilters in a commercial recirculating marine aquaculture system producing hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus × E. fuscoguttatus). Cloning and sequencing of the amoA gene showed that nitrifying bacteria included Nitrosomonas europea, N. stercoris, N. cryotolerans, N. eutropha, N. estuarii, eight strains of N. marina, and 15 strains not associated with described species. Nitrifying archaea included eight strains of Nitrosopumilus maritimus, N. koreensis, N. piranensis, N. adriaticus, undescribed congeners, and other undescribed archaea. The species composition of the bacterial and especially the archaeal communities was beyond that yet reported for aquaculture biofilters. While ammonia flux through the respective communities has yet to be estimated, the diverse environmental adaptations of the bacterial and archaeal communities suggest resilience of function under a range of environmental conditions.

Spatial and temporal analyses of citrus sudden death as a tool to generate hypotheses concerning its etiology.

PubMed

Bassanezi, Renato B; Bergamin Filho, Armando; Amorim, Lilian; Gimenes-Fernandes, Nelson; Gottwald, Tim R; Bové, Joseph M

2003-04-01

ABSTRACT Citrus sudden death (CSD), a new disease of unknown etiology that affects sweet orange grafted on Rangpur lime, was visually monitored for 14 months in 41 groves in Brazil. Ordinary runs analysis of CSD-symptomatic trees indicated a departure from randomness of symptomatic trees status among immediately adjacent trees mainly within rows. The binomial index of dispersion (D) and the intraclass correlation (k) for various quadrat sizes suggested aggregation of CSD-symptomatic trees for almost all plots within the quadrat sizes tested. Estimated parameters of the binary form of Taylor's power law provided an overall measure of aggregation of CSD-symptomatic trees for all quadrat sizes tested. Aggregation in each plot was dependent on disease incidence. Spatial autocorrelation analysis of proximity patterns suggested that aggregation often existed among quadrats of various sizes up to three lag distances; however, significant lag positions discontinuous from main proximity patterns were rare, indicating a lack of spatial association among discrete foci. Some asymmetry was also detected for some spatial autocorrelation proximity patterns, indicating that within-row versus across-row distributions are not necessarily equivalent. These results were interpreted to mean that the cause of the disease was most likely biotic and its dissemination was common within a local area of influence that extended to approximately six trees in all directions, including adjacent trees. Where asymmetry was indicated, this area of influence was somewhat elliptical. Longer-distance patterns were not detected within the confines of the plot sizes tested. Annual rates of CSD progress based on the Gompertz model ranged from 0.37 to 2.02. Numerous similarities were found between the spatial patterns of CSD and Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) described in the literature, both in the presence of the aphid vector, Toxoptera citricida. CSD differs from CTV in that symptoms occur in sweet orange grafted on Rangpur lime. Based on the symptoms of CSD and on its spatial and temporal patterns, our hypothesis is that CSD may be caused by a similar but undescribed pathogen such as a virus and probably vectored by insects such as aphids by similar spatial processes to those affecting CTV.

Zoogeography of epigean freshwater Amphipoda (Crustacea) in Romania: fragmented distributions and wide altitudinal variability.

PubMed

Copilaș-Ciocianu, Denis; Grabowski, Michał; Pârvulescu, Lucian; Petrusek, Adam

2014-12-08

Inland epigean freshwater amphipods of Romania are diverse and abundant for this region has a favourable geographical position between the Balkans and the Black Sea. Excluding Ponto-Caspian species originating in brackish waters and freshwater subterranean taxa, there are 11 formally recognized epigean freshwater species recorded from this country. They belong to 3 genera, each representing a different family: Gammarus (Gammaridae, 8 species or species complexes), Niphargus (Niphargidae, 2 epigean species) and Synurella (Crangonyctidae, one species). Their large-scale distribution patterns nevertheless remain obscure due to insufficient data, consequently limiting biogeographical interpretations. We provide extensive new data with high resolution distribution maps, thus improving the knowledge of the ranges of these taxa. Gammarus species display substantial altitudinal variability and patchy, fragmented distribution patterns. They occur abundantly, particularly in springs and streams, from lowlands to sub-mountainous and mountainous regions. In the light of recent molecular research, we hypothesize that the complex geomorphological dynamics of the Carpathian region during the Late Tertiary probably contributed to their allopatric distribution pattern. Contrasting with Gammarus, the genera Niphargus and Synurella exhibit low altitudinal variability, broad ecological valences and overlapping distributions, being widespread throughout the lowlands. The current distribution of N. hrabei and N. valachicus seems to be linked to the extent of the Paratethys during the Early Pliocene or Pleistocene. We further discuss the taxonomic validity of two synonymized and one apparently undescribed taxon, and provide an updated pictorial identification key that includes all taxa and forms discussed in our study. The mosaic distribution of epigean freshwater amphipod species in Romania shows that this region is particularly suitable for phylo- and biogeographical analyses of this group.

Caught in the act: Incipient speciation across a latitudinal gradient in a semifossorial mammal from Madagascar, the mole tenrec Oryzorictes hova (Tenrecidae).

PubMed

Everson, Kathryn M; Hildebrandt, Kyndall B P; Goodman, Steven M; Olson, Link E

2018-02-28

Madagascar is one of the world's foremost biodiversity hotspots, yet a large portion of its flora and fauna remains undescribed and the driving forces of in situ diversification are not well understood. Recent studies have identified a widespread, latitudinally structured phylogeographic pattern in Madagascar's humid-forest mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. Several factors may be driving this pattern, namely biogeographic barriers (i.e., rivers or valleys) or past episodes of forest contraction and expansion. In this study, we describe the phylogeographic structure of the small, semifossorial mammal Oryzorictes hova, one of Madagascar's two species of mole tenrec, found throughout Madagascar's eastern humid forest belt, from high-elevation montane forest to low-elevation forests, as well as disturbed habitat such as rice fields. Using one mitochondrial locus, four nuclear loci, and 31 craniomandibular measurements, we identified three distinct populations of O. hova associated with the northern, central, and southern regions of the island. We found little evidence of gene flow among these populations, so we treated each population as a potential species. We validated species limits using two Bayesian methods: BP&P, employing only DNA sequence data, and iBPP using both DNA and morphological data, and we assessed whether these methods are susceptible to producing false positive errors. Molecular and morphological data support the recognition of each of the three populations of O. hova as distinct species, but formal species descriptions will require additional data from type specimens. This study illustrates the importance of using integrative datasets, multiple methodological approaches, and extensive geographic sampling for species delimitation and adds evidence for a widespread phylogeographic pattern in Madagascar's humid forest taxa. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Raffaelea species (Ophiostomatales) from the USA and Taiwan associated with ambrosia beetles and plant hosts

Treesearch

D. Rabern Simmons; Z. Wilhelm de Beer; Yin-Tse Huang; Craig Bateman; Alina S. Campbell; Tyler J. Dreaden; You Li; Randy C. Ploetz; Adam Black; Hou-Feng Li; Chi-Yu Chen; Michael J. Wingfield; Jiri Hulcr

2016-01-01

Raffaelea (Ophiostomatales) is a genus of more than 20 ophiostomatoid fungi commonly occurring in symbioses with wood-boring ambrosia beetles. We examined ambrosia beetles and plant hosts in the USA and Taiwan for the presence of these mycosymbionts and found 22 isolates representing known and undescribed lineages in ...

77 FR 9618 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... received a petition dated March 4, 2011, from Chris Zinda (Friends of Hunter's Hot Springs) and Drs... to be a new undescribed species of Potamocypris at Hunter's Hot Springs (Hunter's) in southeastern... the same as P. perbrunnea, which is discussed in Brues' (1932, p. 222) paper. However, Wickstrom and...

Raffaelea lauricola, a new ambrosia beetle symbiont and pathogen on the Lauracea.

Treesearch

T.C. Harrington; Stephen Fraedrich; D.N. Aghayeva

2008-01-01

An undescribed species of Raffaelea earlier was shown to be the cause of a vascular wilt disease known as laurel wilt, a severe disease on redbay (Persea borbonia) and other members of the Lauraceae in the Atlantic coastal plains of the southeastern USA. The pathogen is likely native to Asia and probably was...

Broadening diversity in the Arostilepis species complex: Arostrilepis kontrimavichusi in the western red-backed vole Myodes californicus from temperate latitudes of the Pacific Northwest, North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Specimens originally identified provisionally as Hymenolepis horrida (= Arostrilepis horrida) in Myodes californicus from near the Pacific coastal zone of southern Oregon are revised. Specimens in western red-backed voles represent an undescribed species of Arostrilepis, contributing to recognition ...

Mycobacterium species related to M. leprae and M. lepromatosis from cows with bovine nodular thelitis.

PubMed

Pin, Didier; Guérin-Faublée, Véronique; Garreau, Virginie; Breysse, Franck; Dumitrescu, Oana; Flandrois, Jean-Pierre; Lina, Gerard

2014-12-01

Bovine nodular thelitis is a granulomatous dermatitis associated with infection with acid-fast bacteria. To identify the mycobacterium responsible for this infection, we conducted phylogenetic investigations based on partial sequencing of 6 genes. These bacteria were identified as an undescribed Mycobacterium species that was phylogenetically related to M. leprae and M. lepromatosis.

Cottus schitsuumsh, a new species of sculpin (Scorpaeniformes: Cottidae) in the Columbia River basin, Idaho-Montana, USA

Treesearch

Michael Lemoine; Michael K. Young; Kevin S. McKelvey; Lisa Eby; Kristine L. Pilgrim; Michael K. Schwartz

2014-01-01

Fishes of the genus Cottus have long been taxonomically challenging because of morphological similarities among species and their tendency to hybridize, and a number of undescribed species may remain in this genus. We used a combination of genetic and morphological methods to delineate and describe Cottus schitsuumsh, Cedar...

Mucor rot - An emerging postharvest disease of mandarin fruit caused by Mucor piriformis and other Mucor spp. in California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In recent years, an emerging, undescribed postharvest fruit rot disease was observed on mandarin fruit after extended storage in California. We collected decayed mandarin fruit from three citrus packinghouses in the Central Valley of California in 2015 and identified this disease as Mucor rot caused...

Mother and daughter with adolescent-onset severe frontal lobe dysfunction and epilepsy

PubMed Central

dos Passos, Giordani Rodrigues; Fernández, Alonso Cuadrado; Vasques, Adriana Machado; Martins, William Alves; Palmini, André

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Familial cases of early-onset prominent frontal lobe dysfunction associated with epilepsy have not been reported to date. We report a mother and her only daughter with incapacitating behavioral manifestations of frontal lobe dysfunction and epilepsy of variable severity. The possibility of a hitherto undescribed genetic condition is discussed. PMID:29213461

Meemul Tziij: An Indigenous Sign Language Complex of Mesoamerica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tree, Erich Fox

2009-01-01

This article examines sign languages that belong to a complex of indigenous sign languages in Mesoamerica that K'iche'an Maya people of Guatemala refer to collectively as Meemul Tziij. It explains the relationship between the Meemul Tziij variety of the Yukatek Maya village of Chican (state of Yucatan, Mexico) and the hitherto undescribed Meemul…

Recent occurrence of Aphanogmus dictynna (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae) in Kenya – an important hyperparasitoid of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aphanogmus dictynna (Waterston) was recently recorded in error as an undescribed species of Aphanogmus. This species is a primary parasitoid on larvae and cocoons of the bethylid Prorops nasuta Waterston, and probably a second bethylid species, Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem. Both bethylids are...

Genome sequence of Fusarium isolate MYA-4552 from the midgut of Anoplophora glabripennis, an invasive, wood-boring beetle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) is a clade of environmentally ubiquitous fungi that includes plant, animal and insect associates. Here we report the draft genome sequence of the undescribed species FSSC 6 (isolate MYA-4552), housed in the gut of the wood-boring cerambycid beetle Anoplopho...

The genus Pseudapanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae), with an emphasis on the species in Area de Conservación Guanacaste in Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pseudapanteles is a moderately diverse genus of Microgastrinae parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), endemic to the New World and with the vast majority of its species (including many undescribed) in the Neotropical region. We describe here 25 new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (...

Predictable Patterns in Planetary Transit Timing Variations and Transit Duration Variations Due to Exomoons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heller, Rene; Hippke, Michael; Placek, Ben; Angerhausen, Daniel; Agol, Eric

2016-01-01

We present new ways to identify single and multiple moons around extrasolar planets using planetary transit timing variations (TTVs) and transit duration variations (TDVs). For planets with one moon, measurements from successive transits exhibit a hitherto undescribed pattern in the TTV-TDV diagram, originating from the stroboscopic sampling of the planet's orbit around the planet-moon barycenter. This pattern is fully determined and analytically predictable after three consecutive transits. The more measurements become available, the more the TTV-TDV diagram approaches an ellipse. For planets with multiple moons in orbital mean motion resonance (MMR), like the Galilean moon system, the pattern is much more complex and addressed numerically in this report. Exomoons in MMR can also form closed, predictable TTV-TDV figures, as long as the drift of the moons' pericenters is suciently slow.We find that MMR exomoons produce loops in the TTV-TDV diagram and that the number of these loops is equal to the order of the MMR, or the largest integer in the MMR ratio.We use a Bayesian model and Monte Carlo simulations to test the discoverability of exomoons using TTV-TDV diagrams with current and near-future technology. In a blind test, two of us (BP, DA) successfully retrieved a large moon from simulated TTV-TDV by co-authors MH and RH, which resembled data from a known Kepler planet candidate. Single exomoons with a 10 percent moon-to-planet mass ratio, like to Pluto-Charon binary, can be detectable in the archival data of the Kepler primary mission. Multi-exomoon systems, however, require either larger telescopes or brighter target stars. Complementary detection methods invoking a moon's own photometric transit or its orbital sampling effect can be used for validation or falsification. A combination of TESS, CHEOPS, and PLATO data would offer a compelling opportunity for an exomoon discovery around a bright star.

Mexorchestia: a new genus of talitrid amphipod (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Talitridae) from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, with the description of a new species and two new subspecies.

PubMed

Wildish, David J; Lecroy, Sara E

2014-08-26

Two species of supralittoral Tethorchestia were reported by Bousfield (1984) to occur on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and closely adjacent waters: T. antillensis Bousfield, 1984 from Quintana Roo, Mexico and an undescribed species, Tethorchestia sp. B of Bousfield (1984), from Florida and the U.S. Gulf coast. In this paper, we rediagnose and illustrate the former taxon based on material from Goodland Bay, Florida, which represents a range extension for that species. We examined the latter taxon from many locations throughout the Gulf of Mexico using classical morphology, epidermal pigment pattern recognition and allometry, reinforced by molecular markers (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I, Radulovici 2012), determining that Tethorchestia sp. B represents a new genus and species, comprising two subspecies. The nominate subspecies, Mexorchestia carpenteri carpenteri n. gen., sp. and subsp., is described from Tiger Tail Beach, Florida, based on conventional morphological criteria and its distinctive epidermal pigment patterns. The Tiger Tail Beach ecotope of M. c. carpenteri n. gen., sp. and subsp. was distinct from that of other locations examined in Florida and was associated with epidermal pigment pattern polymorphism, absent at other locations. A second subspecies, distinguished by differences in size, number of articles in the flagellum of antenna 2, the number of marginal setae on oostegite 2 of the female and the number of distal dorsolateral robust setae on the telson, was found in samples from Belize and Mexico. This subspecies is described from material collected at Turneffe Island, Belize, as Mexorchestia carpenteri raduloviciae n. gen., sp. and subsp. Like M. c. carpenteri n. gen., sp. and subsp., this taxon is also associated with epidermal pigment pattern polymorphism. A key is provided for the three currently described species of Tethorchestia (two extant) and two new subspecies of Mexorchestia n.gen. 

Individual Patterns of Complexity in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Microbiota, Including Predator Bacteria, over a 1-Year Period.

PubMed

de Dios Caballero, Juan; Vida, Rafael; Cobo, Marta; Máiz, Luis; Suárez, Lucrecia; Galeano, Javier; Baquero, Fernando; Cantón, Rafael; Del Campo, Rosa

2017-09-26

Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung microbiota composition has recently been redefined by the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) tools, identifying, among others, previously undescribed anaerobic and uncultivable bacteria. In the present study, we monitored the fluctuations of this ecosystem in 15 CF patients during a 1-year follow-up period, describing for the first time, as far as we know, the presence of predator bacteria in the CF lung microbiome. In addition, a new computational model was developed to ascertain the hypothetical ecological repercussions of a prey-predator interaction in CF lung microbial communities. Fifteen adult CF patients, stratified according to their pulmonary function into mild ( n = 5), moderate ( n = 9), and severe ( n = 1) disease, were recruited at the CF unit of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital (Madrid, Spain). Each patient contributed three or four induced sputum samples during a 1-year follow-up period. Lung microbiota composition was determined by both cultivation and NGS techniques and was compared with the patients' clinical variables. Results revealed a particular microbiota composition for each patient that was maintained during the study period, although some fluctuations were detected without any clinical correlation. For the first time, Bdellovibrio and Vampirovibrio predator bacteria were shown in CF lung microbiota and reduced-genome bacterial parasites of the phylum Parcubacteria were also consistently detected. The newly designed computational model allows us to hypothesize that inoculation of predators into the pulmonary microbiome might contribute to the control of chronic colonization by CF pathogens in early colonization stages. IMPORTANCE The application of NGS to sequential samples of CF patients demonstrated the complexity of the organisms present in the lung (156 species) and the constancy of basic individual colonization patterns, although some differences between samples from the same patient were observed, probably related to sampling bias. Bdellovibrio and Vampirovibrio predator bacteria were found for the first time by NGS as part of the CF lung microbiota, although their ecological significance needs to be clarified. The newly designed computational model allows us to hypothesize that inoculation of predators into the lung microbiome can eradicate CF pathogens in early stages of the process. Our data strongly suggest that lower respiratory microbiome fluctuations are not necessarily related to the patient's clinical status. Copyright © 2017 de Dios Caballero et al.

The Fanconi anemia/BRCA gene network in zebrafish: embryonic expression and comparative genomics.

PubMed

Titus, Tom A; Yan, Yi-Lin; Wilson, Catherine; Starks, Amber M; Frohnmayer, Jonathan D; Bremiller, Ruth A; Cañestro, Cristian; Rodriguez-Mari, Adriana; He, Xinjun; Postlethwait, John H

2009-07-31

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetic disease resulting in bone marrow failure, high cancer risks, and infertility, and developmental anomalies including microphthalmia, microcephaly, hypoplastic radius and thumb. Here we present cDNA sequences, genetic mapping, and genomic analyses for the four previously undescribed zebrafish FA genes (fanci, fancj, fancm, and fancn), and show that they reverted to single copy after the teleost genome duplication. We tested the hypothesis that FA genes are expressed during embryonic development in tissues that are disrupted in human patients by investigating fanc gene expression patterns. We found fanc gene maternal message, which can provide Fanc proteins to repair DNA damage encountered in rapid cleavage divisions. Zygotic expression was broad but especially strong in eyes, central nervous system and hematopoietic tissues. In the pectoral fin bud at hatching, fanc genes were expressed specifically in the apical ectodermal ridge, a signaling center for fin/limb development that may be relevant to the radius/thumb anomaly of FA patients. Hatching embryos expressed fanc genes strongly in the oral epithelium, a site of squamous cell carcinomas in FA patients. Larval and adult zebrafish expressed fanc genes in proliferative regions of the brain, which may be related to microcephaly in FA. Mature ovaries and testes expressed fanc genes in specific stages of oocyte and spermatocyte development, which may be related to DNA repair during homologous recombination in meiosis and to infertility in human patients. The intestine strongly expressed some fanc genes specifically in proliferative zones. Our results show that zebrafish has a complete complement of fanc genes in single copy and that these genes are expressed in zebrafish embryos and adults in proliferative tissues that are often affected in FA patients. These results support the notion that zebrafish offers an attractive experimental system to help unravel mechanisms relevant not only to FA, but also to breast cancer, given the involvement of fancj (brip1), fancn (palb2) and fancd1 (brca2) in both conditions.

The Fanconi anemia/BRCA gene network in zebrafish: Embryonic expression and comparative genomics

PubMed Central

Titus, Tom A.; Yan, Yi-Lin; Wilson, Catherine; Starks, Amber M.; Frohnmayer, Jonathan D.; Canestro, Cristian; Rodriguez-Mari, Adriana; He, Xinjun; Postlethwait, John H.

2008-01-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genic disease resulting in bone marrow failure, high cancer risks, and infertility, and developmental anomalies including microphthalmia, microcephaly, hypoplastic radius and thumb. Here we present cDNA sequences, genetic mapping, and genomic analyses for the four previously undescribed zebrafish FA genes (fanci, fancj, fancm, and fancn, and show that they reverted to single copy after the teleost genome duplication. We tested the hypothesis that FA genes are expressed during embryonic development in tissues that are disrupted in human patients by investigating fanc gene expression patterns. We found fanc gene maternal message, which can provide Fanc proteins to repair DNA damage encountered in rapid cleavage divisions. Zygotic expression was broad but especially strong in eyes, central nervous system and hematopoietic tissues. In the pectoral fin bud at hatching, fanc genes were expressed specifically in the apical ectodermal ridge, a signaling center for fin/limb development that may be relevant to the radius/thumb anomaly of FA patients. Hatching embryos expressed fanc genes strongly in the oral epithelium, a site of squamous cell carcinomas in FA patients. Larval and adult zebrafish expressed fanc genes in proliferative regions of the brain, which may be related to microcephaly in FA. Mature ovaries and testes expressed fanc genes in specific stages of oocyte and spermatocyte development, which may be related to DNA repair during homologous recombination in meiosis and to infertility in human patients. The intestine strongly expressed some fanc genes specifically in proliferative zones. Our results show that zebrafish has a complete complement of fanc genes in single copy and that these genes are expressed in zebrafish embryos and adults in proliferative tissues that are often affected in FA patients. These results support the notion that zebrafish offers an attractive experimental system to help unravel mechanisms relevant not only to FA, but also to breast cancer, given the involvement of fancj (brip1), fancn (palb2) and fancd1 (brca2) in both conditions. PMID:19101574

Progranulin mutation causes frontotemporal dementia in the Swedish Karolinska family.

PubMed

Chiang, Huei-Hsin; Rosvall, Lina; Brohede, Jesper; Axelman, Karin; Björk, Behnosh F; Nennesmo, Inger; Robins, Tiina; Graff, Caroline

2008-11-01

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive impairment, language dysfunction, and/or changes in personality. Recently it has been shown that progranulin (GRN) mutations can cause FTD as well as other neurodegenerative phenotypes. DNA from 30 family members, of whom seven were diagnosed with FTD, in the Karolinska family was available for GRN sequencing. Fibroblast cell mRNA from one affected family member and six control individuals was available for relative quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to investigate the effect of the mutation. Furthermore, the cDNA of an affected individual was sequenced. Clinical and neuropathologic findings of a previously undescribed family branch are presented. A frameshift mutation in GRN (g.102delC) was detected in all affected family members and absent in four unaffected family members older than 70 years. Real-time polymerase chain reaction data showed an approximately 50% reduction of GRN fibroblast mRNA in an affected individual. The mutated mRNA transcripts were undetectable by cDNA sequencing. Segregation and RNA analyses showed that the g.102delC mutation, previously reported, causes FTD in the Karolinska family. Our findings add further support to the significance of GRN in FTD etiology and the presence of modifying genes, which emphasize the need for further studies into the mechanisms of clinical heterogeneity. However, the results already call for attention to the complexity of predictive genetic testing of GRN mutations.

T:G mismatch-specific thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) as a coregulator of transcription interacts with SRC1 family members through a novel tyrosine repeat motif

PubMed Central

Lucey, Marie J.; Chen, Dongsheng; Lopez-Garcia, Jorge; Hart, Stephen M.; Phoenix, Fladia; Al-Jehani, Rajai; Alao, John P.; White, Roger; Kindle, Karin B.; Losson, Régine; Chambon, Pierre; Parker, Malcolm G.; Schär, Primo; Heery, David M.; Buluwela, Lakjaya; Ali, Simak

2005-01-01

Gene activation involves protein complexes with diverse enzymatic activities, some of which are involved in chromatin modification. We have shown previously that the base excision repair enzyme thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) acts as a potent coactivator for estrogen receptor-α. To further understand how TDG acts in this context, we studied its interaction with known coactivators of nuclear receptors. We find that TDG interacts in vitro and in vivo with the p160 coactivator SRC1, with the interaction being mediated by a previously undescribed motif encoding four equally spaced tyrosine residues in TDG, each tyrosine being separated by three amino acids. This is found to interact with two motifs in SRC1 also containing tyrosine residues separated by three amino acids. Site-directed mutagenesis shows that the tyrosines encoded in these motifs are critical for the interaction. The related p160 protein TIF2 does not interact with TDG and has the altered sequence, F-X-X-X-Y, at the equivalent positions relative to SRC1. Substitution of the phenylalanines to tyrosines is sufficient to bring about interaction of TIF2 with TDG. These findings highlight a new protein–protein interaction motif based on Y-X-X-X-Y and provide new insight into the interaction of diverse proteins in coactivator complexes. PMID:16282588

Acute Inhibition of MEK Suppresses Congenital Melanocytic Nevus Syndrome in a Murine Model Driven by Activated NRAS and Wnt Signaling.

PubMed

Pawlikowski, Jeffrey S; Brock, Claire; Chen, Sheau-Chiann; Al-Olabi, Lara; Nixon, Colin; McGregor, Fiona; Paine, Simon; Chanudet, Estelle; Lambie, Wendy; Holmes, William M; Mullin, James M; Richmond, Ann; Wu, Hong; Blyth, Karen; King, Ayala; Kinsler, Veronica A; Adams, Peter D

2015-08-01

Congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN) syndrome is the association of pigmented melanocytic nevi with extra-cutaneous features, classically melanotic cells within the central nervous system, most frequently caused by a mutation of NRAS codon 61. This condition is currently untreatable and carries a significant risk of melanoma within the skin, brain, or leptomeninges. We have previously proposed a key role for Wnt signaling in the formation of melanocytic nevi, suggesting that activated Wnt signaling may be synergistic with activated NRAS in the pathogenesis of CMN syndrome. Some familial pre-disposition suggests a germ-line contribution to CMN syndrome, as does variability of neurological phenotypes in individuals with similar cutaneous phenotypes. Accordingly, we performed exome sequencing of germ-line DNA from patients with CMN to reveal rare or undescribed Wnt-signaling alterations. A murine model harboring activated NRAS(Q61K) and Wnt signaling in melanocytes exhibited striking features of CMN syndrome, in particular neurological involvement. In the first model of treatment for this condition, these congenital, and previously assumed permanent, features were profoundly suppressed by acute post-natal treatment with a MEK inhibitor. These data suggest that activated NRAS and aberrant Wnt signaling conspire to drive CMN syndrome. Post-natal MEK inhibition is a potential candidate therapy for patients with this debilitating condition.

Actinomyces gaoshouyii sp. nov., isolated from plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae).

PubMed

Meng, Xiangli; Wang, Yiting; Lu, Shan; Lai, Xin-He; Jin, Dong; Yang, Jing; Xu, Jianguo

2017-09-01

Two strains (pika_113T and pika_114) of a previously undescribed Actinomyces-like bacterium were recovered from the intestinal contents of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China. Results from biochemical characterization indicated that the two strains were phenotypically homogeneous and distinct from other previously described species of the genus Actinomyces. Based on the comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences and genome analysis, the bacteria were determined to be a hitherto unknown subline within the genus Actinomyces, being most closely related to type strains of Actinomyces denticolens and Actinomyces timonensis with a respective 97.2 and 97.1 % similarity in their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that pika_113T was well separated from any other recognized species of the genus Actinomyces and within the cluster with A. denticolens and A. timonensis. The genome of strain pika_113T displayed less than 42 % relatedness in DNA-DNA hybridization with all the available genomes of existing species of the genus Actinomyces in the NCBI database. Collectively, based on the phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic analyses results, we propose the novel isolates as representatives of Actinomyces gaoshouyii sp. nov. The type strain of Actinomyces gaoshouyii is pika_113T (=CGMCC 4.7372T=DSM 104049T), with a genomic DNA G+C content of 71 mol%.

A Longitudinal 6-Year Study of the Molecular Epidemiology of Clinical Campylobacter Isolates in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

PubMed Central

McCarthy, Noel M.; Wimalarathna, Helen L.; Colles, Frances M.; Clark, Lorraine; Bowler, Ian C. J. W.; Maiden, Martin C. J.; Dingle, Kate E.

2012-01-01

Temporal and seasonal trends in Campylobacter genotypes causing human gastroenteritis were investigated in a 6-year study of 3,300 recent isolates from Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Genotypes (sequence types [ST]) were defined using multilocus sequence typing and assigned to a clonal complex (a cluster of related strains that share four or more identical alleles with a previously defined central genotype). A previously undescribed clonal complex (ST-464) was identified which, together with ST-42, ST-45, and ST-52 complexes, showed increasing incidence. Concurrently, the incidence of ST-574, ST-607, and ST-658 complexes declined. The relative frequencies of three clonal complexes (ST-45, ST-283, and ST-42) peaked during summer and those of two (ST-353 and ST-403) peaked during winter. Nine clonal complexes (ST-22, ST-45, ST-48, ST-61, ST-257, ST-283, ST-403, ST-658, and ST-677) were significantly associated with ciprofloxacin sensitivity (P < 0.05). Seven clonal complexes (ST-49, ST-206, ST-354, ST-446, ST-460, ST-464, and ST-607) were associated with ciprofloxacin resistance (P < 0.05). Clonal complexes exhibited changing incidence and differences in seasonality and antibiotic resistance phenotype. These data also demonstrated that detailed surveillance at a single site captures information which reflects that observed nationally. PMID:22814466

Injection tube differentiation in gun cells of a haptoglossa species which infects nematodes

PubMed

Beakes; Glockling

1998-06-01

The gun cells which develop from germinating cysts in Haptoglossa produce a specialized infection apparatus, the injection tube. Upon eversion this tube fires a missile-like projectile which penetrates the host cuticle and then forms an infective sporidium within the body cavity of the nematode host. The temporal assembly of this complex cell organelle has been determined by serial-section reconstructions of maturing gun cells in a previously undescribed Haptoglossa species. The differentiation of the partially walled inverted injection tube is an unusual example of internal tube growth, in which membrane and wall assembly are temporally separated. There is no evidence that the shape of this inverted tube, which coils around the nucleus until it doubles back on itself, is dictated by the disposition of cytoplasmic microtubules. However, actin-like material was associated with the delimiting membrane of the differentiating tube, particularly in the regions of extension. From these studies it seems likely that the "head and buttress" structures previously depicted as the barbed tip of the "harpoon-like" penetration missile are part of a separate, structurally complex system which we suggest locks the "missile" into position in the invaginated injection tube. From this detailed account of cell architecture, models for the likely mechanism of infection cell firing are discussed, and unresolved questions relating to the cell biology and biochemistry of these complex organelles are highlighted. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Dominant de novo DSP mutations cause erythrokeratodermia-cardiomyopathy syndrome.

PubMed

Boyden, Lynn M; Kam, Chen Y; Hernández-Martín, Angela; Zhou, Jing; Craiglow, Brittany G; Sidbury, Robert; Mathes, Erin F; Maguiness, Sheilagh M; Crumrine, Debra A; Williams, Mary L; Hu, Ronghua; Lifton, Richard P; Elias, Peter M; Green, Kathleen J; Choate, Keith A

2016-01-15

Disorders of keratinization (DOK) show marked genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity. In most cases, disease is primarily cutaneous, and further clinical evaluation is therefore rarely pursued. We have identified subjects with a novel DOK featuring erythrokeratodermia and initially-asymptomatic, progressive, potentially fatal cardiomyopathy, a finding not previously associated with erythrokeratodermia. We show that de novo missense mutations clustered tightly within a single spectrin repeat of DSP cause this novel cardio-cutaneous disorder, which we term erythrokeratodermia-cardiomyopathy (EKC) syndrome. We demonstrate that DSP mutations in our EKC syndrome subjects affect localization of desmosomal proteins and connexin 43 in the skin, and result in desmosome aggregation, widening of intercellular spaces, and lipid secretory defects. DSP encodes desmoplakin, a primary component of desmosomes, intercellular adhesion junctions most abundant in the epidermis and heart. Though mutations in DSP are known to cause other disorders, our cohort features the unique clinical finding of severe whole-body erythrokeratodermia, with distinct effects on localization of desmosomal proteins and connexin 43. These findings add a severe, previously undescribed syndrome featuring erythrokeratodermia and cardiomyopathy to the spectrum of disease caused by mutation in DSP, and identify a specific region of the protein critical to the pathobiology of EKC syndrome and to DSP function in the heart and skin. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Accurate model annotation of a near-atomic resolution cryo-EM map

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hryc, Corey F.; Chen, Dong-Hua; Afonine, Pavel V.

Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) has been used to determine the atomic coordinates (models) from density maps of biological assemblies. These models can be assessed by their overall fit to the experimental data and stereochemical information. However, these models do not annotate the actual density values of the atoms nor their positional uncertainty. Here, we introduce a computational procedure to derive an atomic model from a cryo- EM map with annotated metadata. The accuracy of such a model is validated by a faithful replication of the experimental cryo-EM map computed using the coordinates and associated metadata. The functional interpretation of any structuralmore » features in the model and its utilization for future studies can be made in the context of its measure of uncertainty. We applied this protocol to the 3.3-Å map of the mature P22 bacteriophage capsid, a large and complex macromolecular assembly. With this protocol, we identify and annotate previously undescribed molecular interactions between capsid subunits that are crucial to maintain stability in the absence of cementing proteins or cross-linking, as occur in other bacteriophages.« less

Analyses of pea necrotic yellow dwarf virus-encoded proteins.

PubMed

Krenz, Björn; Schießl, Ingrid; Greiner, Eva; Krapp, Susanna

2017-06-01

Pea necrotic yellow dwarf virus (PNYDV) is a multipartite, circular, single-stranded DNA plant virus. PNYDV encodes eight proteins and the function of three of which remains unknown-U1, U2, and U4. PNYDV proteins cellular localization was analyzed by GFP tagging and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) studies. The interactions of all eight PNYDV proteins were tested pairwise in planta (36 combinations in total). Seven interactions were identified and two (M-Rep with CP and MP with U4) were characterized further. MP and U4 complexes appeared as vesicle-like spots and were localized at the nuclear envelope and cell periphery. These vesicle-like spots were associated with the endoplasmatic reticulum. In addition, a nuclear localization signal (NLS) was mapped for U1, and a mutated U1 with NLS disrupted localized at plasmodesmata and therefore might also have a role in movement. Taken together, this study provides evidence for previously undescribed nanovirus protein-protein interactions and their cellular localization with novel findings not only for those proteins with unknown function, but also for characterized proteins such as the CP.

Using Functional Signature Ontology (FUSION) to Identify Mechanisms of Action for Natural Products

PubMed Central

Potts, Malia B.; Kim, Hyun Seok; Fisher, Kurt W.; Hu, Youcai; Carrasco, Yazmin P.; Bulut, Gamze Betul; Ou, Yi-Hung; Herrera-Herrera, Mireya L.; Cubillos, Federico; Mendiratta, Saurabh; Xiao, Guanghua; Hofree, Matan; Ideker, Trey; Xie, Yang; Huang, Lily Jun-shen; Lewis, Robert E.; MacMillan, John B.; White, Michael A.

2014-01-01

A challenge for biomedical research is the development of pharmaceuticals that appropriately target disease mechanisms. Natural products can be a rich source of bioactive chemicals for medicinal applications but can act through unknown mechanisms and can be difficult to produce or obtain. To address these challenges, we developed a new marine-derived, renewable natural products resource and a method for linking bioactive derivatives of this library to the proteins and biological processes that they target in cells. We used cell-based screening and computational analysis to match gene expression signatures produced by natural products to those produced by siRNA and synthetic microRNA libraries. With this strategy, we matched proteins and microRNAs with diverse biological processes and also identified putative protein targets and mechanisms of action for several previously undescribed marine-derived natural products. We confirmed mechanistic relationships for selected short-interfering RNAs, microRNAs, and compounds with functional roles in autophagy, chemotaxis mediated by discoidin domain receptor 2, or activation of the kinase AKT. Thus, this approach may be an effective method for screening new drugs while simultaneously identifying their targets. PMID:24129700

Identification of a novel causative mutation in the ROR2 gene in a Lebanese family with a mild form of recessive Robinow syndrome.

PubMed

Mehawej, Cybel; Chouery, Eliane; Maalouf, Diane; Baujat, Geneviève; Le Merrer, Martine; Cormier-Daire, Valérie; Mégarbané, André

2012-02-01

Autosomal recessive Robinow syndrome (OMIM 268310) is a condition caused by mutations in the ROR2 gene, the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2. The main characteristic features are: a face resembling that of a fetus, cleft lip and palate, mesomelic limb shortening, a micropenis in males, hydronephrosis or urinary tract infections, and skeletal and vertebral anomalies. This study reports two sisters from a consanguineous Lebanese family with an autosomal recessive Robinow syndrome. Both presented with short stature, dysmorphic facial features, and mild bone abnormalities. One of the affected girls had a malformation of her right hand: a mesoaxial polydactyly combined with a syndactyly of the 3rd and 4th fingers, and a short right 3rd metacarpal bone. Molecular analysis of the ROR2 gene revealed the presence of a previously undescribed missense mutation: p.R272C (c.814C>T), in the cysteine-rich domain of the protein. These patients are compared with other cases, and a phenotype-genotype correlation is discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A yeast gene essential for regulation of spindle pole duplication.

PubMed Central

Baum, P; Yip, C; Goetsch, L; Byers, B

1988-01-01

In eucaryotic cells, duplication of spindle poles must be coordinated with other cell cycle functions. We report here the identification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of a temperature-sensitive lethal mutation, esp1, that deregulates spindle pole duplication. Mutant cells transferred to the nonpermissive temperature became unable to continue DNA synthesis and cell division but displayed repeated duplication of their spindle pole bodies. Although entry into this state after transient challenge by the nonpermissive temperature was largely lethal, rare survivors were recovered and found to have become increased in ploidy. If the mutant cells were held in G0 or G1 during exposure to the elevated temperature, they remained viable and maintained normal numbers of spindle poles. These results suggest dual regulation of spindle pole duplication, including a mechanism that promotes duplication as cells enter the division cycle and a negative regulatory mechanism, controlled by ESP1, that limits duplication to a single occurrence in each cell division cycle. Tetrad analysis has revealed that ESP1 resides at a previously undescribed locus on the right arm of chromosome VII. Images PMID:3072479

Sedimentology, stratigraphy, and depositional environment of the Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry, east-central Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Suarez, M.B.; Suarez, C.A.; Kirkland, J.I.; Gonzalez, Luis A.; Grandstaff, D.E.; Terry, D.O.

2007-01-01

The Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry, near Green River, Utah, is located at the base of the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation. The quarry preserves a nearly monospecific accumulation of a new basal therizinosauroid, Falcarius utahensis. We used field descriptions and petrographic analysis to determine the depositional environment and development of the quarry strata. Results of these analyses suggest that the quarry represents multiple episodes of bone accumulation buried by spring and overbank flood deposits. Evidence for these previously undescribed spring deposits includes calcite macroscopic structures within the quarry strata - such as pisolites and travertine fragments - and calcite micromorphologies - including radial-fibrous, feather, and scandulitic dendrite morphologies and tufa clasts. At least two episodes of bone incorporation are preserved in the quarry based on their stratigraphic position and lithologic associations. The unique depositional setting in and around the Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry appears to have been favorable for the preservation of vertebrate fossils and provides insight into early Cretaceous environments in North America. Copyright ?? 2007, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology).

Shallow water sea slugs (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from the northwestern coast of the Sea of Japan, north of Peter the Great Bay, Russia

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The coast of northern Primorye region, north of Peter the Great Bay has been sparsely studied in regards to its molluscan fauna, with just a few works reviewing the distribution of local mollusks. This work presents a survey of the shallow water heterobranch sea slugs currently occurring around Kievka Bay to Oprichnik Bay, Russia. Thirty-nine species of sea slugs were found in this study and the new species Cadlina olgae sp. nov., described herein. Most (24) of the species occurring in the area have widespread ranges in the northern Pacific Ocean. The eight species are endemic for the Sea of Japan and adjacent part of the Sea of Okhotsk. Seven other occur also in northern Atlantic and Arctic waters. Thirteen found species are not known from Peter the Great Bay but known from adjacent northern Pacific waters. The finding of a previously undescribed species emphasizes the need of further surveys, particularly in subtidal and deeper waters, in order to improve the knowledge on this neglected fauna in Primorye. PMID:27957399

A new species of pouched octopus, Cistopus Gray, 1849 (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the southwest coast of India.

PubMed

Sreeja, Vijayamma; Norman, Mark D; Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju

2015-12-16

Octopuses of the genus Cistopus Gray, 1849 are commercially valuable catches in the cephalopod fisheries of India. The primary and unique diagnostic character of this genus is the possession of eight small mucous pouches embedded in the oral faces of the webs between the bases of each arm. Historically only a single species of Cistopus, C. indicus, had been reported from Indian waters. In reviewing the octopod fauna off the Kerala coast, we have detected three species of Cistopus, of which one is described here as a new species. Cistopus platinoidus sp. nov. is distinct from Cistopus species described to date (C. indicus, C. taiwanicus and C. chinensis) on the basis of sucker counts, the number and position of enlarged suckers in males, and presence/absence of a calamus. Our studies of catch composition of Kerala octopod fisheries indicate a higher diversity of target species than previously suspected, including a number of undescribed species. Taxonomic resolution and collation of biological and distributional data are required for effective monitoring and management of these valuable fisheries.

A hematopoietic virus disease of rainbow trout and sockeye salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amend, Donald F.; Yasutake, William T.; Mead, Robert W.

1969-01-01

A previously undescribed virus disease epizootic of hatchery rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) in British Columbia, Canada is presented. In the same locality, a similar virus disease was experienced among hatchery sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Typical symptoms included flashing, fecal casts, hemorrhagic areas at the base of fins, and petechial hemorrhages on the visceral fat and membranes in the abdominal cavity. Histopathologic changes were typified by extensive degeneration and necrosis in the hematopoietic tissues of the kidney and spleen. A virus was isolated from both species of fish on tissue culture and the viruses showed cross-infectivity. Based upon the pathological changes in the hematopoietic tissue and the demonstration of a vital infection, a tentative descriptive name was designated Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis. The isolated viruses were distinctly different from the infectious pancreatic necrosis or viral hemorrhagic septicemia viruses of trout, but did show similarities to the Oregon sockeye and Sacramento River chinook viruses. Positive identification awaits further tests. The significance of these observations is the reporting of a new viral disease of rainbow trout and the extension of the geographic range of sockeye salmon viruses.

Genetic control of floral zygomorphy in pea (Pisum sativum L.).

PubMed

Wang, Zheng; Luo, Yonghai; Li, Xin; Wang, Liping; Xu, Shilei; Yang, Jun; Weng, Lin; Sato, Shusei; Tabata, Satoshi; Ambrose, Mike; Rameau, Catherine; Feng, Xianzhong; Hu, Xiaohe; Luo, Da

2008-07-29

Floral zygomorphy (flowers with bilateral symmetry) has multiple origins and typically manifests two kinds of asymmetries, dorsoventral (DV) and organ internal (IN) asymmetries in floral and organ planes, respectively, revealing the underlying key regulators in plant genomes that generate and superimpose various mechanisms to build up complexity and different floral forms during plant development. In this study, we investigate the loci affecting these asymmetries during the development of floral zygomorphy in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Two genes, LOBED STANDARD 1 (LST1) and KEELED WINGS (K), were cloned that encode TCP transcription factors and have divergent functions to constitute the DV asymmetry. A previously undescribed regulator, SYMMETRIC PETALS 1 (SYP1), has been isolated as controlling IN asymmetry. Genetic analysis demonstrates that DV and IN asymmetries could be controlled independently by the two kinds of regulators in pea, and their interactions help to specify the type of zygomorphy. Based on the genetic analysis in pea, we suggest that variation in both the functions and interactions of these regulators could give rise to the wide spectrum of floral symmetries among legume species and other flowering plants.

Identification of the meiotic life cycle stage of Trypanosoma brucei in the tsetse fly

PubMed Central

Peacock, Lori; Ferris, Vanessa; Sharma, Reuben; Sunter, Jack; Bailey, Mick; Carrington, Mark; Gibson, Wendy

2011-01-01

Elucidating the mechanism of genetic exchange is fundamental for understanding how genes for such traits as virulence, disease phenotype, and drug resistance are transferred between pathogen strains. Genetic exchange occurs in the parasitic protists Trypanosoma brucei, T. cruzi, and Leishmania major, but the precise cellular mechanisms are unknown, because the process has not been observed directly. Here we exploit the identification of homologs of meiotic genes in the T. brucei genome and demonstrate that three functionally distinct, meiosis-specific proteins are expressed in the nucleus of a single specific cell type, defining a previously undescribed developmental stage occurring within the tsetse fly salivary gland. Expression occurs in clonal and mixed infections, indicating that the meiotic program is an intrinsic but hitherto cryptic part of the developmental cycle of trypanosomes. In experimental crosses, expression of meiosis-specific proteins usually occurred before cell fusion. This is evidence of conventional meiotic division in an excavate protist, and the functional conservation of the meiotic machinery in these divergent organisms underlines the ubiquity and basal evolution of meiosis in eukaryotes. PMID:21321215

Accurate model annotation of a near-atomic resolution cryo-EM map.

PubMed

Hryc, Corey F; Chen, Dong-Hua; Afonine, Pavel V; Jakana, Joanita; Wang, Zhao; Haase-Pettingell, Cameron; Jiang, Wen; Adams, Paul D; King, Jonathan A; Schmid, Michael F; Chiu, Wah

2017-03-21

Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) has been used to determine the atomic coordinates (models) from density maps of biological assemblies. These models can be assessed by their overall fit to the experimental data and stereochemical information. However, these models do not annotate the actual density values of the atoms nor their positional uncertainty. Here, we introduce a computational procedure to derive an atomic model from a cryo-EM map with annotated metadata. The accuracy of such a model is validated by a faithful replication of the experimental cryo-EM map computed using the coordinates and associated metadata. The functional interpretation of any structural features in the model and its utilization for future studies can be made in the context of its measure of uncertainty. We applied this protocol to the 3.3-Å map of the mature P22 bacteriophage capsid, a large and complex macromolecular assembly. With this protocol, we identify and annotate previously undescribed molecular interactions between capsid subunits that are crucial to maintain stability in the absence of cementing proteins or cross-linking, as occur in other bacteriophages.

Presenilin-Based Genetic Screens in Drosophila melanogaster Identify Novel Notch Pathway Modifiers

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Matt B.; Parks, Annette L.; Ruddy, David A.; Tiong, Stanley Y. K.; Esengil, Hanife; Phan, Alexander C.; Philandrinos, Panos; Winter, Christopher G.; Chatterjee, Runa; Huppert, Kari; Fisher, William W.; L'Archeveque, Lynn; Mapa, Felipa A.; Woo, Wendy; Ellis, Michael C.; Curtis, Daniel

2006-01-01

Presenilin is the enzymatic component of γ-secretase, a multisubunit intramembrane protease that processes several transmembrane receptors, such as the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Mutations in human Presenilins lead to altered APP cleavage and early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Presenilins also play an essential role in Notch receptor cleavage and signaling. The Notch pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway that functions during the development of multicellular organisms, including vertebrates, Drosophila, and C. elegans. Recent studies have shown that Notch signaling is sensitive to perturbations in subcellular trafficking, although the specific mechanisms are largely unknown. To identify genes that regulate Notch pathway function, we have performed two genetic screens in Drosophila for modifiers of Presenilin-dependent Notch phenotypes. We describe here the cloning and identification of 19 modifiers, including nicastrin and several genes with previously undescribed involvement in Notch biology. The predicted functions of these newly identified genes are consistent with extracellular matrix and vesicular trafficking mechanisms in Presenilin and Notch pathway regulation and suggest a novel role for γ-tubulin in the pathway. PMID:16415372

Presenilin-based genetic screens in Drosophila melanogaster identify novel notch pathway modifiers.

PubMed

Mahoney, Matt B; Parks, Annette L; Ruddy, David A; Tiong, Stanley Y K; Esengil, Hanife; Phan, Alexander C; Philandrinos, Panos; Winter, Christopher G; Chatterjee, Runa; Huppert, Kari; Fisher, William W; L'Archeveque, Lynn; Mapa, Felipa A; Woo, Wendy; Ellis, Michael C; Curtis, Daniel

2006-04-01

Presenilin is the enzymatic component of gamma-secretase, a multisubunit intramembrane protease that processes several transmembrane receptors, such as the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Mutations in human Presenilins lead to altered APP cleavage and early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Presenilins also play an essential role in Notch receptor cleavage and signaling. The Notch pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway that functions during the development of multicellular organisms, including vertebrates, Drosophila, and C. elegans. Recent studies have shown that Notch signaling is sensitive to perturbations in subcellular trafficking, although the specific mechanisms are largely unknown. To identify genes that regulate Notch pathway function, we have performed two genetic screens in Drosophila for modifiers of Presenilin-dependent Notch phenotypes. We describe here the cloning and identification of 19 modifiers, including nicastrin and several genes with previously undescribed involvement in Notch biology. The predicted functions of these newly identified genes are consistent with extracellular matrix and vesicular trafficking mechanisms in Presenilin and Notch pathway regulation and suggest a novel role for gamma-tubulin in the pathway.

Dihydro-β-agarofurans from the roots of the Australian endemic rainforest tree Maytenus bilocularis act as leucine transport inhibitors.

PubMed

Wibowo, Mario; Wang, Qian; Holst, Jeff; White, Jonathan M; Hofmann, Andreas; Davis, Rohan A

2018-04-01

Phytochemical studies of the roots of the Australian plant, Maytenus bilocularis, resulted in the identification of six previously undescribed dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenoids, bilocularins D-I, along with three known natural products, namely 1α,2α,6β,15-tetraacetoxy-9β-benzoyloxydihydro-β-agarofuran, pristimerin, and celastrol. The structures of all compounds were characterized via analysis of 1D/2D NMR and MS data. The absolute configuration of bilocularin D was defined by X-ray crystallography analysis. Bilocularins D and G, 1α,2α,6β,15-tetraacetoxy-9β-benzoyloxydihydro-β-agarofuran, and celastrol inhibited leucine transport in the human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP with IC 50 values ranging from 2.5-27.9 μM, which were more potent than the L-type amino acid transporter (LAT) family inhibitor 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH). Bilocularins D-F are the first examples of dihydro-β-agarofurans bearing a hydroxyacetate group. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First molecular verification of Dixonius vietnamensis Das, 2004 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with the description of a new species from Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.

PubMed

Ziegler, Thomas; Botov, Andreas; Nguyen, Tao Thien; Bauer, Aaron M; Brennan, Ian G; Ngo, Hanh Thi; Nguyen, Truong Quang

2016-07-07

Based on near-topotypic specimens of Dixonius vietnamensis from Khanh Hoa Province in southern Vietnam genetic analyses showed that the recently described D. taoi is sister to D. vietnamensis and several separate forms exist which previously have been misidentified as D. vietnamensis and D. siamensis. The Dixonius population from Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, represents an undescribed species. Dixonius minhlei sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners based on the following diagnostic characters: small size (up to 47.5 mm SVL); 7-9 supralabials; 14-15 rows of keeled tubercles on dorsum; 20-23 ventral scale rows; 7 or 8 precloacal pores in males; a canthal stripe running from rostrum through the eye and terminating at back of head; lateral second pair of postmentals maximum one quarter the size of first pair; dorsum olive gray with more or less discernible brownish olive blotches. This is the sixth species of Dixonius known to occur in Vietnam.

The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language

PubMed Central

Kastner, Itamar; Meir, Irit; Sandler, Wendy; Dachkovsky, Svetlana

2014-01-01

This paper introduces data from Kafr Qasem Sign Language (KQSL), an as-yet undescribed sign language, and identifies the earliest indications of embedding in this young language. Using semantic and prosodic criteria, we identify predicates that form a constituent with a noun, functionally modifying it. We analyze these structures as instances of embedded predicates, exhibiting what can be regarded as very early stages in the development of subordinate constructions, and argue that these structures may bear directly on questions about the development of embedding and subordination in language in general. Deutscher (2009) argues persuasively that nominalization of a verb is the first step—and the crucial step—toward syntactic embedding. It has also been suggested that prosodic marking may precede syntactic marking of embedding (Mithun, 2009). However, the relevant data from the stage at which embedding first emerges have not previously been available. KQSL might be the missing piece of the puzzle: a language in which a noun can be modified by an additional predicate, forming a proposition within a proposition, sustained entirely by prosodic means. PMID:24917837

Accurate model annotation of a near-atomic resolution cryo-EM map

PubMed Central

Hryc, Corey F.; Chen, Dong-Hua; Afonine, Pavel V.; Jakana, Joanita; Wang, Zhao; Haase-Pettingell, Cameron; Jiang, Wen; Adams, Paul D.; King, Jonathan A.; Schmid, Michael F.; Chiu, Wah

2017-01-01

Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) has been used to determine the atomic coordinates (models) from density maps of biological assemblies. These models can be assessed by their overall fit to the experimental data and stereochemical information. However, these models do not annotate the actual density values of the atoms nor their positional uncertainty. Here, we introduce a computational procedure to derive an atomic model from a cryo-EM map with annotated metadata. The accuracy of such a model is validated by a faithful replication of the experimental cryo-EM map computed using the coordinates and associated metadata. The functional interpretation of any structural features in the model and its utilization for future studies can be made in the context of its measure of uncertainty. We applied this protocol to the 3.3-Å map of the mature P22 bacteriophage capsid, a large and complex macromolecular assembly. With this protocol, we identify and annotate previously undescribed molecular interactions between capsid subunits that are crucial to maintain stability in the absence of cementing proteins or cross-linking, as occur in other bacteriophages. PMID:28270620

A theory for the atmospheric energy spectrum: depth-limited temperature anomalies at the tropopause.

PubMed

Tulloch, R; Smith, K S

2006-10-03

The horizontal spectra of atmospheric wind and temperature at the tropopause have a steep -3 slope at synoptic scales, but transition to -5/3 at wavelengths of the order of 500-1,000 km [Nastrom, G. D. & Gage, K. S. (1985) J. Atmos. Sci. 42, 950-960]. Here we demonstrate that a model that assumes zero potential vorticity and constant stratification N over a finite-depth H in the troposphere exhibits the same type of spectra. In this model, temperature perturbations generated at the planetary scale excite a direct cascade of energy with a slope of -3 at large scales, -5/3 at small scales, and a transition near horizontal wavenumber k(t) = f/NH, where f is the Coriolis parameter. Ballpark atmospheric estimates for N, f, and H give a transition wavenumber near that observed, and numerical simulations of the previously undescribed model verify the expected behavior. Despite its simplicity, the model is consistent with a number of perplexing features in the observations and demonstrates that a complete theory for mesoscale dynamics must take temperature advection at boundaries into account.

Exploration of clinical changes following a novel mobilisation technique for treatment of chronic low back pain: A single cohort design.

PubMed

Hanson, Gail C; Jones, Bruce; Bacon, Catherine J; Moran, Robert W

2016-07-01

To explore clinical changes following a novel manual mobilisation technique, 24 participants who experienced 'moderate' to 'severe' chronic low back pain were recruited from new patients attending a suburban osteopathy clinic. The intervention was a previously undescribed side-lying mobilisation technique targeting the lumbosacral spine (median of 6 treatment sessions). After 8 weeks reductions were shown in Oswestry Disability Index of 15 points (95% CI: 9.3, 22.7; p < 0.0001 for overall ANOVA); Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale of 2.0 points (95% CI: 1.0, 3.0; p < 0.0001); and Patient Specific Functional Scale of 3.1 points (95% CI: 1.9, 4.3; p < 0.0001). The results indicate that pain intensity, disability and function improved in most participants following treatment. Further investigation is indicated using more robust research designs to compare this approach with other treatment approaches and usual care for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Invasion of two tick-borne diseases across New England: harnessing human surveillance data to capture underlying ecological invasion processes

PubMed Central

Walter, Katharine S.; Pepin, Kim M.; Webb, Colleen T.; Gaff, Holly D.; Krause, Peter J.; Pitzer, Virginia E.; Diuk-Wasser, Maria A.

2016-01-01

Modelling the spatial spread of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens maintained in enzootic transmission cycles remains a major challenge. The best available spatio-temporal data on pathogen spread often take the form of human disease surveillance data. By applying a classic ecological approach—occupancy modelling—to an epidemiological question of disease spread, we used surveillance data to examine the latent ecological invasion of tick-borne pathogens. Over the last half-century, previously undescribed tick-borne pathogens including the agents of Lyme disease and human babesiosis have rapidly spread across the northeast United States. Despite their epidemiological importance, the mechanisms of tick-borne pathogen invasion and drivers underlying the distinct invasion trajectories of the co-vectored pathogens remain unresolved. Our approach allowed us to estimate the unobserved ecological processes underlying pathogen spread while accounting for imperfect detection of human cases. Our model predicts that tick-borne diseases spread in a diffusion-like manner with occasional long-distance dispersal and that babesiosis spread exhibits strong dependence on Lyme disease. PMID:27252022

Identification of a novel interspecific hybrid yeast from a metagenomic spontaneously inoculated beer sample using Hi-C.

PubMed

Smukowski Heil, Caiti; Burton, Joshua N; Liachko, Ivan; Friedrich, Anne; Hanson, Noah A; Morris, Cody L; Schacherer, Joseph; Shendure, Jay; Thomas, James H; Dunham, Maitreya J

2018-01-01

Interspecific hybridization is a common mechanism enabling genetic diversification and adaptation; however, the detection of hybrid species has been quite difficult. The identification of microbial hybrids is made even more complicated, as most environmental microbes are resistant to culturing and must be studied in their native mixed communities. We have previously adapted the chromosome conformation capture method Hi-C to the assembly of genomes from mixed populations. Here, we show the method's application in assembling genomes directly from an uncultured, mixed population from a spontaneously inoculated beer sample. Our assembly method has enabled us to de-convolute four bacterial and four yeast genomes from this sample, including a putative yeast hybrid. Downstream isolation and analysis of this hybrid confirmed its genome to consist of Pichia membranifaciens and that of another related, but undescribed, yeast. Our work shows that Hi-C-based metagenomic methods can overcome the limitation of traditional sequencing methods in studying complex mixtures of genomes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enzymatic defenses against the toxicity of oxygen and of streptonigrin in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Hassan, H M; Fridovich, I

1977-03-01

Anaerobically grown Escherichia coli K-12 contain only one superoxide dismutase and that is the iron-containing isozyme found in the periplasmic space. Exposure to oxygen caused the induction of a manganese-containing superoxide dismutase and of another, previously undescribed, superoxide dismutase, as well as of catalase and peroxidase. These inductions differed in their responsiveness towards oxygen. Thus the very low levels of oxygen present in deep, static, aerobic cultures were enough for nearly maximal induction of the manganese-superoxide dismutase. In contrast, induction of the new superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase required the much higher levels of oxygen achieved in vigorously agitated aerobic cultures. Anaerobically grown cells showed a much greater oxygen enhancement of the lethality of streptonigrin than did aerobically grown cells, in accord with the proposal that streptonigrin can serve as an intracellular source of superoxide. Anaerobically grown cells in which enzyme inductions were prevented by puromycin were damaged by exposure to air. This damage was evidenced both as a decline in viable cell count and as structural abnormalities evident under an electron microscope.

Endocytosis as a mechanism of regulating natural killer cell function: unique endocytic and trafficking pathway for CD94/NKG2A.

PubMed

Peruzzi, Giovanna; Masilamani, Madhan; Borrego, Francisco; Coligan, John E

2009-01-01

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes generally recognized as sentinels of the innate immune system due to their inherent capacity to deal with diseased (stressed) cells, including malignant and infected. This ability to recognize many potentially pathogenic situations is due to the expression of a diverse panel of activation receptors. Because NK cell activation triggers an aggressive inflammatory response, it is important to have a means of throttling this response. Hence, NK cells also express a panel of inhibitory receptors that recognize ligands expressed by "normal" cells. Little or nothing is known about the endocytosis and trafficking of NK cell receptors, which are of great relevance to understanding how NK cells maintain the appropriate balance of activating and inhibitory receptors on their cell surface. In this review, we focus on the ITIM-containing inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A showing that it is endocytosed by a previously undescribed macropinocytic-like process that may be related to the maintenance of its surface expression.

Two new genera of Lumbriculidae (Annelida, Clitellata) from North Carolina, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fend, S.V.; Lenat, D.R.

2007-01-01

Recent benthic macroinvertebrate collections from North Carolina contained many undescribed oligochaete taxa, mostly belonging to the family Lumbriculidae. Three of the new species had arrangements of spermathecae and atria previously unreported for the family, and were assigned to new two genera. Pilaridrilus is distinguished by the location of spermathecal pores five segments behind the male pores. The single species, Pilaridrilus uliginosus, also has unusually complex penes and spermathecae. Martinidrilus is distinguished by spermathecae beginning more than two segments anterior to the atrial segment, and also by the the vasa deferentia, which join a common duct before joining the atria. The two Martinidrilus species also have unusual digitiform blood vessels in posterior segments. Martinidrilus carolinensis has lateral spermathecae in VI, and Martinidrilus arenosus has dorsolateral spermathecae in VII and VIII. Because arrangement and morphology of reproductive organs do not resemble those of described lumbriculids, the phylogenetic affinities of the new species are not clear. These new genera and species were generally collected from areas of high water quality, suggesting that lumbriculids can be useful in water quality monitoring and conservation evaluation. Copyright ?? 2007 Magnolia Press.

Accurate model annotation of a near-atomic resolution cryo-EM map

DOE PAGES

Hryc, Corey F.; Chen, Dong-Hua; Afonine, Pavel V.; ...

2017-03-07

Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) has been used to determine the atomic coordinates (models) from density maps of biological assemblies. These models can be assessed by their overall fit to the experimental data and stereochemical information. However, these models do not annotate the actual density values of the atoms nor their positional uncertainty. Here, we introduce a computational procedure to derive an atomic model from a cryo- EM map with annotated metadata. The accuracy of such a model is validated by a faithful replication of the experimental cryo-EM map computed using the coordinates and associated metadata. The functional interpretation of any structuralmore » features in the model and its utilization for future studies can be made in the context of its measure of uncertainty. We applied this protocol to the 3.3-Å map of the mature P22 bacteriophage capsid, a large and complex macromolecular assembly. With this protocol, we identify and annotate previously undescribed molecular interactions between capsid subunits that are crucial to maintain stability in the absence of cementing proteins or cross-linking, as occur in other bacteriophages.« less

Rational growth of branched nanowire heterostructures with synthetically encoded properties and function

PubMed Central

Jiang, Xiaocheng; Tian, Bozhi; Xiang, Jie; Qian, Fang; Zheng, Gengfeng; Wang, Hongtao; Mai, Liqiang; Lieber, Charles M.

2011-01-01

Branched nanostructures represent unique, 3D building blocks for the “bottom-up” paradigm of nanoscale science and technology. Here, we report a rational, multistep approach toward the general synthesis of 3D branched nanowire (NW) heterostructures. Single-crystalline semiconductor, including groups IV, III–V, and II–VI, and metal branches have been selectively grown on core or core/shell NW backbones, with the composition, morphology, and doping of core (core/shell) NWs and branch NWs well controlled during synthesis. Measurements made on the different composition branched NW structures demonstrate encoding of functional p-type/n-type diodes and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as well as field effect transistors with device function localized at the branch/backbone NW junctions. In addition, multibranch/backbone NW structures were synthesized and used to demonstrate capability to create addressable nanoscale LED arrays, logic circuits, and biological sensors. Our work demonstrates a previously undescribed level of structural and functional complexity in NW materials, and more generally, highlights the potential of bottom-up synthesis to yield increasingly complex functional systems in the future. PMID:21730174

Coriariin M, a trimeric hydrolysable tannin with dehydrodigalloyl and valoneoyl groups as linking units, and accompanying dimeric hydrolysable tannins from Coriaria japonica.

PubMed

Shimozu, Yuuki; Hirai, Takayasu; Hatano, Tsutomu

2018-07-01

Three oligomeric hydrolysable tannins, coriariins K, L, and M, which were previously undescribed, together with five known hydrolysable tannins were isolated from dried leaves of Coriaria japonica. Their structures were determined based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, HR-ESI-MS, and ECD spectroscopy experiments. Among the isolated compounds, coriariin M has a unique trimer structure where both dehydrodigalloyl and valoneoyl group linkages were found between the hydrolysable tannin monomers. Dimeric hydrolysable tannins coriariins K and L, having a dehydrodigalloyl group as the linking unit, were structurally related to coriariin A, the main hydrolysable tannin of this plant species. Additionally, the complexation of the eight hydrolysable tannins isolated in this study with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form water-soluble macromolecules was analyzed using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). A comparison of the behaviors of the oligomeric hydrolysable tannins suggested the participation of the hexahydroxydiphenoyl group and the importance of the molecular sizes of the hydrolysable tannins in the formation of macromolecules. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prosopagnosia as a Type of Conversion Disorder.

PubMed

Power, Clodagh; Hannigan, Oisin; Coen, Robert; Bruce, Irene; Gibb, Matthew; McCarthy, Marie; Robinson, David; Lawlor, Brian A

2018-01-01

Conversion disorder is a common and debilitating condition that remains poorly understood. We present a previously undescribed form of conversion disorder to highlight the complexity of the condition and consider the interplay of factors that produce conversion symptoms. A 50-year-old male presented with acquired prosopagnosia and language impairment. Neuropsychological testing indicated right temporal lobe dysfunction. Extensive work-up outruled an organic aetiology. Reactivation of childhood trauma coincided with the onset of his symptoms. Childhood trauma is known to have adverse effects on the developing brain which may affect an individual's emotional behaviour and coping style. Functional neuroimaging techniques suggest that conversion symptoms may be linked to the disruption of higher order neural circuitry involved in the integration of emotional processing and cortical functioning. We propose that our patient's adverse childhood experiences led to the development of a particular personality and coping style that "primed" him for a later abnormal emotional and behavioural response when confronted with reminders of his traumatic background. Further interdisciplinary studies are required to further elucidate the neurobiological basis for this condition.

Cleft lip and palate: an adverse pregnancy outcome due to undiagnosed maternal and paternal coeliac disease.

PubMed

Arakeri, Gururaj; Arali, Veena; Brennan, Peter A

2010-07-01

Development of orofacial component involves a complex series of events. Any insult to this significant event can lead to various orofacial cleft defects. The main categories among orofacial clefts are isolated cleft palate and cleft lip with or without cleft palate. There have been many factors implicated in the development of the anomaly. The environmental factors which contribute and the genes which predispose to the condition remain obscure despite decades of research. Though it is generally agreed that folic acid deficiency is a contributory factor for non-syndromic cleft lip and palate, fewer concerns are directed towards the role for maternal/paternal nutrition in orofacial cleft origin. However, previously undescribed, here we consider the potential influence of maternal and paternal coeliac disease on the etiology of non-syndromic cleft lip and palate as an unfavorable pregnancy outcome. We postulated this relationship based on our observation, study and an empirical survey, and could be due either to (I) folic acid mal absorption (II) a genetically mediated genomic imprinting system. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and characterization of poorly differentiated invasive carcinomas in a mouse model of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Hunter, Karen E; Quick, Marsha L; Sadanandam, Anguraj; Hanahan, Douglas; Joyce, Johanna A

2013-01-01

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are a relatively rare but clinically challenging tumor type. In particular, high grade, poorly-differentiated PanNETs have the worst patient prognosis, and the underlying mechanisms of disease are poorly understood. In this study we have identified and characterized a previously undescribed class of poorly differentiated PanNETs in the RIP1-Tag2 mouse model. We found that while the majority of tumors in the RIP1-Tag2 model are well-differentiated insulinomas, a subset of tumors had lost multiple markers of beta-cell differentiation and were highly invasive, leading us to term them poorly differentiated invasive carcinomas (PDICs). In addition, we found that these tumors exhibited a high mitotic index, resembling poorly differentiated (PD)-PanNETs in human patients. Interestingly, we identified expression of Id1, an inhibitor of DNA binding gene, and a regulator of differentiation, specifically in PDIC tumor cells by histological analysis. The identification of PDICs in this mouse model provides a unique opportunity to study the pathology and molecular characteristics of PD-PanNETs.

First report on chitinous holdfast in sponges (Porifera).

PubMed

Ehrlich, Hermann; Kaluzhnaya, Oksana V; Tsurkan, Mikhail V; Ereskovsky, Alexander; Tabachnick, Konstantin R; Ilan, Micha; Stelling, Allison; Galli, Roberta; Petrova, Olga V; Nekipelov, Serguei V; Sivkov, Victor N; Vyalikh, Denis; Born, René; Behm, Thomas; Ehrlich, Andre; Chernogor, Lubov I; Belikov, Sergei; Janussen, Dorte; Bazhenov, Vasilii V; Wörheide, Gert

2013-07-07

A holdfast is a root- or basal plate-like structure of principal importance that anchors aquatic sessile organisms, including sponges, to hard substrates. There is to date little information about the nature and origin of sponges' holdfasts in both marine and freshwater environments. This work, to our knowledge, demonstrates for the first time that chitin is an important structural component within holdfasts of the endemic freshwater demosponge Lubomirskia baicalensis. Using a variety of techniques (near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure, Raman, electrospray ionization mas spectrometry, Morgan-Elson assay and Calcofluor White staining), we show that chitin from the sponge holdfast is much closer to α-chitin than to β-chitin. Most of the three-dimensional fibrous skeleton of this sponge consists of spicule-containing proteinaceous spongin. Intriguingly, the chitinous holdfast is not spongin-based, and is ontogenetically the oldest part of the sponge body. Sequencing revealed the presence of four previously undescribed genes encoding chitin synthases in the L. baicalensis sponge. This discovery of chitin within freshwater sponge holdfasts highlights the novel and specific functions of this biopolymer within these ancient sessile invertebrates.

Unique picoeukaryotic algal community under multiple environmental stress conditions in a shallow, alkaline pan.

PubMed

Pálffy, Károly; Felföldi, Tamás; Mentes, Anikó; Horváth, Hajnalka; Márialigeti, Károly; Boros, Emil; Vörös, Lajos; Somogyi, Boglárka

2014-01-01

Winter phytoplankton communities in the shallow alkaline pans of Hungary are frequently dominated by picoeukaryotes, sometimes in particularly high abundance. In winter 2012, the ice-covered alkaline Zab-szék pan was found to be extraordinarily rich in picoeukaryotic green algae (42-82 × 10(6) cells ml(-1)) despite the simultaneous presence of multiple stressors (low temperature and light intensity with high pH and salinity). The maximum photosynthetic rate of the picoeukaryote community was 1.4 μg C μg chlorophyll a (-1) h(-1) at 125 μmol m(-2) s(-1). The assimilation rates compared with the available light intensity measured on the field show that the community was considerably light-limited. Estimated areal primary production was 180 mg C m(-2) d(-1). On the basis of the 18S rRNA gene analysis (cloning and DGGE), the community was phylogenetically heterogeneous with several previously undescribed chlorophyte lineages, which indicates the ability of picoeukaryotic communities to maintain high genetic diversity under extreme conditions.

Genotypic characterization of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Quebec, 2002-2012.

PubMed

Spinato, Joanna; Boivin, Élyse; Bélanger-Trudelle, Émilie; Fauchon, Huguette; Tremblay, Cécile; Soualhine, Hafid

2016-07-26

The increasing emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis presents a threat to the effective control of tuberculosis (TB). Rapid detection of drug-resistance is more important than ever to address this scourge. The purpose of this study was to genotypically characterize the first-line antitubercular drug-resistant isolates collected over 11 years in Quebec. The main mutations found in our resistant strains collection (n = 225) include: the S315T substitution in katG (50.2 %), the -15 C/T mutation in the inhA promoter (29 %); the S531L substitution in rpoB (43 %); the deletion 8 bp 446 / + R140S in pncA (72.9 %); the M306I (35.7 %) and M306V (21.4 %) substitutions in embB. Ten of the mutations in katG and 4 mutations identified in pncA were previously undescribed. Screening of mutations conferring resistance to first-line antituberculous drugs using DNA-sequencing approach seems to be feasible and would drastically shorten the time to determine the resistance profile compared to the proportion method.

Clinical and ERG data in a family with autosomal dominant RP and Pro-347-Arg mutation in the rhodopsin gene.

PubMed

Niemeyer, G; Trüb, P; Schinzel, A; Gal, A

1992-01-01

In a family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, documented over six generations, a previously undescribed point mutation in the rhodopsin gene could be identified. The mutation found in the six affected members examined but in none of the controls, including healthy members of the family, was a point mutation in codon 347 predicting a substitution of the amino acid arginine for proline, designated Pro-347-Arg. Six affected members from two generations were examined clinically and with ganzfeld rod and cone electroretinography. The cone and, more dramatically, the rod electroretinograms were reduced to residual b-wave amplitudes or were non-detectable as early as ages 18 to 22 years. The Pro-347-Arg mutation resulted in a subjectively and clinically homogeneous phenotype: early onset of night blindness before age 11, relatively preserved usable visual fields until about age 30, blindness at ages 40 to 60, and change from an initial apparently sine pigmento to a hyperpigmented and atrophic fundus picture between 30 and 50 years of age.

The ubiquitin ligase MuRF1 regulates PPARα activity in the heart by enhancing nuclear export via monoubiquitination

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Jessica E.; Liao, Jie-Ying; He, Jun; Schisler, Jonathan C.; Newgard, Christopher B.; Drujan, Doreen; Glass, David L.; Frederick, C.Brandon; Yoder, Bryan C.; Lalush, David S.; Patterson, Cam; Willis, Monte S.

2015-01-01

The transcriptional regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α by post-translational modification, such as ubiquitin, has not been described. We report here for the first time an ubiquitin ligase (muscle ring finger-1/MuRF1) that inhibits fatty acid oxidation by inhibiting PPARα, but not PPARβ/δ or PPARγ in cardiomyocytes in vitro. Similarly, MuRF1 Tg+ hearts showed significant decreases in nuclear PPARα activity and acyl-carnitine intermediates, while MuRF1−/− hearts exhibited increased PPARα activity and acyl-carnitine intermediates. MuRF1 directly interacts with PPARα, mono-ubiquitinates it, and targets it for nuclear export to inhibit fatty acid oxidation in a proteasome independent manner. We then identified a previously undescribed nuclear export sequence in PPARα, along with three specific lysines (292, 310, 388) required for MuRF1s targeting of nuclear export. These studies identify the role of ubiquitination in regulating cardiac PPARα, including the ubiquitin ligase that may be responsible for this critical regulation of cardiac metabolism in heart failure. PMID:26116825

Ichthyobodo salmonis sp. n. (Ichthyobodonidae, Kinetoplastida), an euryhaline ectoparasite infecting Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

PubMed Central

ISAKSEN, TROND E.; KARLSBAKK, EGIL; WATANABE, KUNINORI; NYLUND, ARE

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Phylogenetic analyses of SSU rDNA sequences have previously revealed the existence of 2 Ichthyobodo species able to infect Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Ichthyobodo necator sensu stricto (s.s.) is assumed to be a freshwater parasite, while a genetically distinct but undescribed species, Ichthyobodo sp. II sensu Todal et al. (2004) have been detected on Atlantic salmon in both fresh- and seawater. In the present study a morphological description of Ichthyobodo sp. II from the gills of salmon reared in fresh-, brackish- and seawater is presented, using both light- and electron microscopy. Comparative morphometry show that Ichthyobodo sp. II from both freshwater and seawater displays a different cell shape, and is significantly smaller than I. necator s.s. Also, ultrastructural characteristics distinguish these two species, notably differences in the attachment region and the presence of spine-like surface projections in Ichthyobodo sp. II. Based on both unique SSU rDNA sequences and morphological characteristics, we conclude that Ichthyobodo sp. II. represents a novel species for which we propose the name Ichthyobodo salmonis sp. n. PMID:21756424

Genome-wide RNA interference screen identifies previously undescribed regulators of polyglutamine aggregation

PubMed Central

Nollen, Ellen A. A.; Garcia, Susana M.; van Haaften, Gijs; Kim, Soojin; Chavez, Alejandro; Morimoto, Richard I.; Plasterk, Ronald H. A.

2004-01-01

Protein misfolding and the formation of aggregates are increasingly recognized components of the pathology of human genetic disease and hallmarks of many neurodegenerative disorders. As exemplified by polyglutamine diseases, the propensity for protein misfolding is associated with the length of polyglutamine expansions and age-dependent changes in protein-folding homeostasis, suggesting a critical role for a protein homeostatic buffer. To identify the complement of protein factors that protects cells against the formation of protein aggregates, we tested transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strains expressing polyglutamine expansion yellow fluorescent protein fusion proteins at the threshold length associated with the age-dependent appearance of protein aggregation. We used genome-wide RNA interference to identify genes that, when suppressed, resulted in the premature appearance of protein aggregates. Our screen identified 186 genes corresponding to five principal classes of polyglutamine regulators: genes involved in RNA metabolism, protein synthesis, protein folding, and protein degradation; and those involved in protein trafficking. We propose that each of these classes represents a molecular machine collectively comprising the protein homeostatic buffer that responds to the expression of damaged proteins to prevent their misfolding and aggregation. PMID:15084750

Super-complexes of adhesion GPCRs and neural guidance receptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Verity A.; Mehmood, Shahid; Chavent, Matthieu; Roversi, Pietro; Carrasquero, Maria; Del Toro, Daniel; Seyit-Bremer, Goenuel; Ranaivoson, Fanomezana M.; Comoletti, Davide; Sansom, Mark S. P.; Robinson, Carol V.; Klein, Rüdiger; Seiradake, Elena

2016-04-01

Latrophilin adhesion-GPCRs (Lphn1-3 or ADGRL1-3) and Unc5 cell guidance receptors (Unc5A-D) interact with FLRT proteins (FLRT1-3), thereby promoting cell adhesion and repulsion, respectively. How the three proteins interact and function simultaneously is poorly understood. We show that Unc5D interacts with FLRT2 in cis, controlling cell adhesion in response to externally presented Lphn3. The ectodomains of the three proteins bind cooperatively. Crystal structures of the ternary complex formed by the extracellular domains reveal that Lphn3 dimerizes when bound to FLRT2:Unc5, resulting in a stoichiometry of 1:1:2 (FLRT2:Unc5D:Lphn3). This 1:1:2 complex further dimerizes to form a larger `super-complex' (2:2:4), using a previously undescribed binding motif in the Unc5D TSP1 domain. Molecular dynamics simulations, point-directed mutagenesis and mass spectrometry demonstrate the stability and molecular properties of these complexes. Our data exemplify how receptors increase their functional repertoire by forming different context-dependent higher-order complexes.

Apparent sixth sense in theropod evolution: The making of a Cretaceous weathervane

PubMed Central

Naples, Virginia

2017-01-01

Objective Two separate and distinctive skills are necessary to find prey: Detection of its presence and determination of its location. Surface microscopy of the dentary of albertosaurines revealed a previously undescribed sensory modification, as will be described here. While dentary “foramina” were previously thought to contain tactile sensory organs, the potential function of this theropod modification as a unique localizing system is explored in this study. Method Dentary surface perforations were examined by surface epi-illumination microscopy in tyrannosaurine and albertosaurine dinosaurs to characterize their anatomy. Fish lateral lines were examined as potentially comparable structures. Result In contrast to the subsurface vascular bifurcation noted in tyrannosaurines (which lack a lateral dentary surface groove), the area subjacent to the apertures in albertosaurine grooves has the appearance of an expanded chamber. That appearance seemed to be indistinguishable from the lateral line of fish. Conclusion Dentary groove apertures in certain tyrannosaurid lines (specifically albertosaurines) not only have a unique appearance, but one with significant functional and behavior implications. The appearance of the perforations in the dentary groove of albertosaurines mirrors that previously noted only with specialized neurologic structures accommodating derived sensory functions, as seen in the lateral line of fish. The possibility that this specialized morphology could also represent a unique function in albertosaurine theropods for interacting with the environment or facilitating prey acquisition cannot be ignored. It is suggested that these expanded chambers function in perceiving and aligning the body relative to the direction of wind, perhaps a Cretaceous analogue of the contemporary midwestern weathervane. PMID:29095949

Analysis of black fungal biofilms occurring at domestic water taps. II: potential routes of entry.

PubMed

Heinrichs, Guido; Hübner, Iris; Schmidt, Carsten K; de Hoog, G Sybren; Haase, Gerhard

2013-06-01

Formation of tenacious and massive black biofilms was occasionally observed at the water-air interphase of water taps and in associated habitats at several locations in Germany. Exophiala lecanii-corni was proven to be the dominant component of these biofilms. Water utility companies were interested to understand by which route fungi building these black biofilms enter their habitat at affected sites in domestic sanitary. A wide variety of fungi is known to be common in wet indoor environments, as well as in the drinking water resources. Two possible routes of entry are therefore considered as follows: (a) distribution by the drinking water system or (b) a retrograde route of colonisation. Previous compositional analysis revealed that the black constituents of biofilms primarily belong to the herpotrichiellaceous black yeast and relatives. Therefore, a systematic search for black fungi in the drinking water system was performed using Sabouraud's glucose agar medium with chloramphenicol and erythritol-chloramphenicol agar as isolation media. Cadophora malorum was the dominant fungus in the investigated drinking water systems, and samples taken from the house connections (n = 50; 74 %, <200 cfu/L), followed by a so far undescribed Alternaria sp. (28 %; <10 cfu/L) and E. castellanii (26 %; <10 cfu/L). Of note, C. malorum was not present in any previously analysed biofilm. Since E. lecanii-corni was not found in any water sample from the distribution system tested, but represented the most abundant species in dark biofilms previously analysed, a retrograde route of contamination in case of E. lecanii-corni can be assumed.

DIVERSITY OF BAT-ASSOCIATED LEPTOSPIRA IN THE PERUVIAN AMAZON INFERRED BY BAYESIAN PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF 16S RIBOSOMAL DNA SEQUENCES

PubMed Central

MATTHIAS, MICHAEL A.; DÍAZ, M. MÓNICA; CAMPOS, KALINA J.; CALDERON, MARITZA; WILLIG, MICHAEL R.; PACHECO, VICTOR; GOTUZZO, EDUARDO; GILMAN, ROBERT H.; VINETZ, JOSEPH M.

2008-01-01

The role of bats as potential sources of transmission to humans or as maintenance hosts of leptospires is poorly understood. We quantified the prevalence of leptospiral colonization in bats in the Peruvian Amazon in the vicinity of Iquitos, an area of high biologic diversity. Of 589 analyzed bats, culture (3 of 589) and molecular evidence (20 of 589) of leptospiral colonization was found in the kidneys, yielding an overall colonization rate of 3.4%. Infection rates differed with habitat and location, and among different bat species. Bayesian analysis was used to infer phylogenic relationships of leptospiral 16S ribosomal DNA sequences. Tree topologies were consistent with groupings based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies. A diverse group of leptospires was found in peri-Iquitos bat populations including Leptospira interrogans (5 clones), L. kirschneri (1), L. borgpetersenii (4), L. fainei (1), and two previously undescribed leptospiral species (8). Although L. kirschenri and L. interrogans have been previously isolated from bats, this report is the first to describe L. borgpetersenii and L. fainei infection of bats. A wild animal reservoir of L. fainei has not been previously described. The detection in bats of the L. interrogans serovar Icterohemorrhagiae, a leptospire typically maintained by peridomestic rats, suggests a rodent-bat infection cycle. Bats in Iquitos maintain a genetically diverse group of leptospires. These results provide a solid basis for pursuing molecular epidemiologic studies of bat-associated Leptospira, a potentially new epidemiologic reservoir of transmission of leptospirosis to humans. PMID:16282313

Suitability of Southern Pines, Other Selected Crops, and Nutsedge to a Longidorus sp. Associated with Stunting of Loblolly Pine Seedlings

Treesearch

S.W. Fraedrich; M.M. Cram; Z.A. Handoo

2003-01-01

An undescribed needle nematode (Longidorus sp.) has been associated with severely stunted loblolly pine seedlings at a south Georgia nursery. Containers with selected crop and weed species were infested with 100 or 200 adults and juveniles of the Longidorus individuals to evaluate host suitability. Nematode populations increased in...

Mycobacterium Species Related to M. leprae and M. lepromatosis from Cows with Bovine Nodular Thelitis

PubMed Central

Guérin-Faublée, Véronique; Garreau, Virginie; Breysse, Franck; Dumitrescu, Oana; Flandrois, Jean-Pierre; Lina, Gerard

2014-01-01

Bovine nodular thelitis is a granulomatous dermatitis associated with infection with acid-fast bacteria. To identify the mycobacterium responsible for this infection, we conducted phylogenetic investigations based on partial sequencing of 6 genes. These bacteria were identified as an undescribed Mycobacterium species that was phylogenetically related to M. leprae and M. lepromatosis. PMID:25417797

Phylogeny and diversity of neotropical monkey lizards (Iguanidae: Polychrus Cuvier, 1817).

PubMed

Torres-Carvajal, Omar; Koch, Claudia; Venegas, Pablo J; Poe, Steve

2017-01-01

Neotropical monkey lizards (Polychrus) are arboreal lizards with compressed bodies, partially fused eyelids and strikingly long, whip-like tails. The eight currently recognized species occur in the lowlands of South and Central America. Based on the largest taxon and character sampling to date, we analyze three mitochondrial and one nuclear gene using Bayesian methods to (1) infer the phylogeny of Polychrus under both concatenated-tree and species-tree methods; (2) identify lineages that could represent putative undescribed species; and (3) estimate divergence times. Our species tree places P. acutirostris as the sister taxon to all other species of Polychrus. While the phylogenetic position of P. gutturosus and P. peruvianus is poorly resolved, P. marmoratus and P. femoralis are strongly supported as sister to P. liogaster and P. jacquelinae, respectively. Recognition of P. auduboni and P. marmoratus sensu stricto as distinct species indicates that the populations of "P. marmoratus" from the Amazon and the Atlantic coast in Brazil represent separate species. Similarly, populations of P. femoralis from the Tumbes region might belong to a cryptic undescribed species. Relative divergence times and published age estimates suggest that the orogeny of the Andes did not play a significant role in the early evolution of Polychrus.

Molecular identification and characterization of piroplasm species in Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), Japan.

PubMed

Elbaz, Elzahara; Moustafa, Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed; Lee, Kyunglee; Mohamed, Wessam Mohamed Ahmed; Nakao, Ryo; Shimozuru, Michito; Sashika, Mariko; Younis, Emad Elsayed Ahmed; El-Khodery, Sabry Ahmed; Tsubota, Toshio

2017-08-01

Babesia and Theileria species are tick-borne protozoan parasites that have a veterinary and zoonotic importance. In order to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of these parasites, a total of 269 sika deer blood DNA samples collected from Hokkaido, Japan, were examined for Babesia and Theileria species by touch-down PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene. Reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization was then used to detect 12 piroplasm species. The results revealed that 95.5% (257/269), 94.1% (253/269), 14.1% (38/269), 87.7% (236/269) and 11.5% (31/269) of the examined PCR products hybridized with the probes which were designed to detect all Babesia and Theileria spp., all Theileria spp., all Babesia spp., Theileria sp. Thrivae and Babesia divergens-like, respectively. The 18S rRNA gene partial sequences were divided into Theileria sp. Thrivae, T. capreoli, B. divergens-like and an undescribed Babesia species. This study showed the first detection of the undescribed Babesia sp. from Japan. Therefore, more studies are required to understand the ecology of the newly detected tick-borne pathogens in Hokkaido. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.