<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cocconeis nanoburyatica</Emphasis> sp. nov.—a new monoraphid diatom species from Lake Baikal

The new monoraphid diatom species C. nanoburyatica sp. nov. is described from Lake Baikal. This taxon differs from closely related taxa C. neodiminuta Krammer, C. neothumensis Krammer, and C. pseudothumensis Reichard by less developed striae, a very large axial area, and broader rounded ends.     

Genistella Léger etGauthier vs.Genistella Ortega; a nomenclatural note

The nameLegeriomyces Pouz. is proposed forGenistella Léger etGauthier (Trichomycetes), which is a later homonym ofGenistella Ortega (Papilionaceae). Simultaneously the family nameLegeriomycetaceae Pouz. is proposed to replace the family nameGenistellaceae Léger etGauthier.     

Establishment and application of a microsatellite-based parentage identification method for Oreochromis niloticus,O. aureus,and O. niloticus × O. aureus

In genetic fish breeding research, clear pedigree information is of great significance for breeding and parental management. In order to establish a stable, highly accurate, and widely applicable parentage identification method for tilapia, 13 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci within populations of Oreochromis niloticus, O. aureus, O. niloticus × O. aureus, and their mixed population were screened. Four groups of fluorescent-labeled multiple capillary electrophoresis were established for allelic genotyping. The assignment success rate reached 100% when 7, 9, 8 and 12 loci were used in the population of O. niloticus, O. aureus, O. niloticus × O. aureus, and their mixed population, respectively. All 175 progeny individuals of “Yuemin No. 1” tilapia were exclusively assigned to their parental pairs when the 12 loci for the mixed population were used. This study established a fluorescent-labeled microsatellite-based parentage assignment method for O. niloticus, O. aureus, O. niloticus × O. aureus, and their mixed population with high identification accuracy and efficiency, which lays a foundation for pedigree information and population genetic management in tilapia breeding.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Nonomuraea aegyptia</Emphasis> sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from a sand dune

The taxonomic position of an unknown actinomycete isolated from a sand dune soil sample collected at Borg El-Arab in Egypt was established using a combination of genotypic and phenotypic data. Isolate S136(T) had chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with its classification in the genus Nonomuraea and formed a distinct phyletic line in the Nonomuraea 16S rRNA gene tree. It was most closely related to the type strains of Nonomuraea helvata, Nonomuraea kuesteri and Nonomuraea turkmeniaca, sharing 16S rRNA gene similarities with these species of 97.1, 97.2 and 97.3%, respectively. The organism was distinguished from representatives of validly described Nonomuraea species using a range of phenotypic properties. It is apparent that the isolate belongs to a novel Nonomuraea species. The name proposed for this taxon is Nonomuraea aegyptia sp. nov., the type strain is S136(T) (=CGMCC 4.2054(T) = DSM 45082(T)).     

Development of microsatellite markers for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myracrodruon urundeuva</Emphasis> (F.F. &amp; M.F. Allemão), a highly endangered species from tropical forest based on next-generation sequencing

Myracrodruon urundeuva is a tree species of high economic importance due the strength and durability of its wood. Threatened of extinction in Brazil, it is present only in a few forest remnants, mostly in conservation units. Currently, there is little information on the genetic diversity of natural populations in Brazil and even less information about the genome of this species. Here, new species-specific microsatellite loci were developed based on next-generation sequencing (Illumina). More than 100,000 loci were identified in the run, with di- to hexanucleotides motifs. Of these, 20 loci were selected for validation in 30 individuals, with 15 successfully polymorphic loci detected. The number of alleles ranged among loci from 3 to 16, with an average of 7.73, expected (H _e ) and observed (H _o ) heterozygosity ranged from 0.246 to 0.902 and from 0.103 to 0.867, respectively. These results point out that these new set of markers has a great potential for use in population genetic studies for genetic conservation of the species.     

Differentiation of F1 hybrids P. nigra J. F. Arnold × P. sylvestris L., P. nigra J. F. Arnold × P. densiflora Siebold et Zucc., P. nigra J. F. Arnold × P. thunbergiana Franco and their parental species by needle volatile composition

The volatile composition of needles from three F₁ hard pine hybrids produced by the controlled hybridization and their parental species were researched with gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to explore the utility of terpenes in hybrid identification (their differentiation from the parental species) as well as confirmation of hybridity. The analysed hybrids were: 1. Pinus nigra J. F. Arnold × Pinus sylvestris L. (= nisy), 2. P. nigra × Pinus densiflora Siebold et Zucc. (= nide) and 3. P. nigra × Pinus thunbergiana Franco (= nith). A total of 55 compounds were identified. All identified compounds were terpenes, except trans-2-hexenal.Three analysed F₁ hybrids showed the same qualitative pattern of the needle volatile composition as their parental species. However, there were quantitative differences in several major terpenes. The volatile composition of the needles from the hybrids nisy were equally similar to both parents, the hybrids nide were more similar to the female parent (P. nigra), whereas the hybrids nith were more similar to the male parent (P. thunbergiana). According to the content of germacrene D, as the specific component of P. nigra (female parent of the three analysed F₁ hybrids), all hybrids were intermediary in relation to the parental species. The content of Δ-3-carene (the specific component of P. sylvestris) in the hybrids nisy was also intermediary. The hybrids nide had a higher content of thunbergol (specific component of P. densiflora) than the other analysed hybrids. In view of the content of β-pinene, the specific component of P. thunbergiana, the hybrids nith were intermediary to the parental species and that content was considerably higher than in the other analysed hybrids. The intermediary quality of F₁ hybrids for these specific components in relation to the parental species confirms their hybrid character.The needle volatile composition analysis as well as the previous morphometric analysis confirm the hybrid character of three F₁ hybrids, whose female parent is P. nigra, and male parents are P. sylvestris, P. densiflora, i.e. P. thunbergiana.     

A. A. Ukhtomskiĭ and I. P. Pavlov: a controversy or a dialogue?

Pavlov's concept of conditioned reflexes and Ukhtomskii theory of dominanta fall within the biological line in physiology. They unravel the integral adaptive and active nature of the organism behavior in the environment. It is impossible to develop modern concepts about the determinants of goal-directed behavior of animals and voluntary activity of humans without in-depth study of the achievements of these Russian physiological schools which not only formed the methodological basis for the current studies but also directed the way for their further development.     

Micropropagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glossonema varians</Emphasis> (Stocks) Benth. ex Hook.f.—a rare Asclepiadeae of Indian Thar Desert

In the present study, an in vitro regeneration protocol for Glossonema varians (Stocks) Benth. ex Hook.f. of family Asclepiadaceae was optimized. Cotyledonary nodes of in vitro cultured seedlings were used as explants for activation of axillary shoot buds. Axillary shoot buds were initially activated on 0.1 mg L^?1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and then multiplied on 0.05 mg L^?1 BAP. Shoots were rooted in vitro on 1/4 strength Murashige and Skoog medium containing 0.1 mg L^?1 2-naphthoxyacetic acid and 100 mg L^?1 activated charcoal. The cultures were maintained in a 12 h photoperiod at 40–50 μmol m^?2 s^?1 spectral flux photon, 25–30?±?2°C, and 60% relative humidity (RH). Up to 80% of in vitro regenerated plantlets were acclimatized on soilrite in cotton-plugged culture tubes in the greenhouse. This protocol can be a useful method to mass propagate and conserve this rare plant to balance biodiversity in the desert ecosystem.     

Erythrophyllopsis perlaticosta M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez (Pottiaceae) a new species from the Peruvian Andes

Introduction. Over the last years we have been engaged in studies of the South American Pottiaceae. Among the bryophyte specimens collected by us in central and northern Peru, some samples of a puzzling Pottiaceae were found. In this paper, we present our arguments for recognising these plants as a new species and its inclusion in Erythrophyllopsis Broth.

Key Results. It differs most saliently from other species of Erythrophyllopsis by the combination of its oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaves, with usually fragile apex, leaf margins papillose-crenulate from apex to lower third, sometimes erose or crenate, lamina unistratose, occasionally bistratose in patches, costa broad, usually ending below the apex, without dorsal stereids near the apex where they are replaced by cells similar to those of the lamina, and short and straight peristome teeth.

Conclusions. A new moss species, Erythrophyllopsis perlaticosta M.J.Cano & J.A.Jiménez, is described and illustrated from the Andean highlands in central and northern Peru. A revised identification key for the species of Erythrophyllopsis is also provided. This species grows in crevices or fissures of calcareous rocks or banks between 3050 and 4700?m. The principal distinctive characters that separate it from the nearest species of Erythrophyllopsis and related genera such as Bryoerythrophyllum P.C.Chen and Mironia R.H.Zander are discussed.     

Description of “<Emphasis Type="Italic">Desulfotomaculum nigrificans</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">salinus</Emphasis>” as a New Species, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Desulfotomaculum salinum</Emphasis> sp. nov.

This study focused on the physiological, chemotaxonomic, and genotypic characteristics of two thermophilic spore-forming sulfate-reducing bacterial strains, 435^T and 781, of which the former has previously been assigned to the subspecies “Desulfotomaculum nigrificans subsp. salinus”. Both strains reduced sulfate with the resulting production of H₂S on media supplemented with H₂ + CO₂, formate, lactate, pyruvate, malate, fumarate, succinate, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, butyrate, valerate, or palmitate. Lactate oxidation resulted in acetate accumulation; butyrate was oxidized completely, with acetate as an intermediate product. Growth on acetate was slow and weak. Sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, and elemental sulfur, but not nitrate, served as electron acceptors for growth with lactate. The bacteria performed dismutation of thiosulfate to sulfate and hydrogen sulfide. In the absence of sulfate, pyruvate but not lactate was fermented. Cytochromes of b and c types were present. The temperature and pH optima for both strains were 60–6°C and pH 7.0. Bacteria grew at 0 to 4.5–6.0% NaCl in the medium, with the optimum being at 0.5–1.0%. Phylogenetic analysis based on a comparison of incomplete 16S rRNA sequences revealed that both strains belonged to the C cluster of the genus Desulfotomaculum, exhibiting 95.5–98.3% homology with the previously described species. The level of DNA–DNA hybridization of strains 435^T and 781 with each other was 97%, while that with closely related species D. kuznetsovii 17^T was 51–52%. Based on the phenotypic and genotypic properties of strains 435^T and 781, it is suggested that they be assigned to a new species: Desulfotomaculum salinum sp. nov., comb. nov. (type strain 435^T = VKM B 1492^T).     

Four Cases of Syncarpy or ‘Double-Capsules’ in a Population of Bryum atropurpureum W. & M.

Abstract

Four cases of syncarpy are described from a single population of Bryum atropurpureum W. & M. A short discussion follows concerning the way in which this type of abnormality may arise, and it is suggested that an early cleavage in the young sporophyte affords the most reasonable explanation. The cases described are briefly compared with others that have been reported in the literature. Several species, belonging to unrelated genera, are instanced in this connexion.     

Taxonomy of the Cryptopygus complex. I. Pauropygus -?a new worldwide littoral genus (Collembola,Isotomidae)

In this paper, we describe the new genus Pauropygus gen. n. which includes three minute species, blind and unpigmented, living in interstitial littoral habitats in tropical or subtropical countries. Two of these species are new to science (type species Pauropygus projectus sp. n. from New Caledonia and Pauropygus pacificus sp. n. from China); the third one, originally described in the genus Cryptopygus (Cryptopygus caussaneli Thibaud, 1996), has a larger pantropical distribution. We synonymize here Cryptopygus riebi Barra, 1997 from South Africa with Pauropygus caussaneli. Two paratypes of the Mexican species Cryptopygus axayacatl Palacios & Thibaud, 2001 turned also to be Pauropygus caussaneli, while the holotype and remaining paratypes of this species support its placement in Proisotomodes. Among the Cryptopygus complex, Pauropygus gen. n. is easily recognized by characters of mouthparts (presence of two large projections on pleural fold, basolateral field with 6 chaetae, modified mouthparts) and reduced sensillar chaetotaxy (tergal sensilla 2-3,0-1/0-1,0-1,1-2,1-2,1-3, microsensilla reduced in number: 00/0-100, with sensilla situated in p-row on the abdomen). Small size, absence of eyes and pigment are also shared by all its species. The three species belonging to the genus differ by sensillar chaetotaxy.     

Enhanced hybridization rates in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">japonica</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">L. kaempferi</Emphasis> interspecific seed orchard with a single maternal clone revealed by cytoplasmic DNA markers

We identified diagnostic chloroplast DNA and mitochondrial DNA markers that can (a) discriminate between Larix gmelinii var. japonica and L. kaempferi, and (b) determine the maternal and paternal species of hybrids between them by exploiting the difference in inheritance mode between the two genomes. We also investigated the hybridization rates at a site with two types of interspecific seed orchard—a new type with rows of a single maternal clone of L. gmelinii var japonica among rows of L. kaemferi and a “traditional” type with multiple, intimately mixed clones—in 2 years using chloroplast diagnostic DNA markers. The average hybridization rates in the single maternal clone (SMC) interspecific seed orchards [84.2% (±9.4%) in 2004 and 94.1% (±3.9%) in 2005) were higher than that in the traditional interspecific seed orchards [15.9% (±13.4%) in 2004 and 30.0% (±25.5%) in 2005] because of the self-incompatibility of the L. gmelinii var. japonica clone. We detected significant differences in hybridization rates between the orchard types in both investigated years (P < 0.001, analysis of variance, ANOVA). This finding suggests that SMC interspecific seed orchards can reliably provide seeds with high proportions of hybrids. In the traditional interspecific seed orchard, there were significant differences in the proportions of hybrids among L. gmelinii var. japonica seeds between the two years (P < 0.005, ANOVA), which may have been partly due to differences in the relative amounts of pollen cones produced by L. gmelinii var. japonica and L. kaempferi.     

Characterization of a NaCl-tolerant β-N-acetylglucosaminidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphingobacterium</Emphasis> sp. HWLB1

β-N-Acetylglucosaminidases serve important biological functions and various industrial applications. A glycoside hydrolase family 3 β-N-acetylglucosaminidase gene was cloned from Sphingobacterium sp. HWLB1 and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The purified recombinant enzyme (rNag3HWLB1) showed apparent optimal activity at pH 7.0 and 40 °C. In the presence of 0.5–20.0 % (w/v) NaCl, the activity and stability of rNag3HWLB1 were slightly affected or not affected. The enzyme could even retain 73.6 % activity when 30.0 % (w/v) NaCl was added to the reaction mixture. The half-life of the enzyme was approximately 10 min at 37 °C without the addition of NaCl. However, the enzyme was stable at 37 °C in the presence of 3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A large negatively charged surface in the catalytic pocket of the enzyme was observed and might contribute to NaCl tolerance and thermostability improvement. The degree of synergy between a commercial endochitinase and rNag3HWLB1 on chitin enzymatic degradation ranged from 3.11 to 3.74. This study is the first to report the molecular and biochemical properties of a NaCl-tolerant β-N-acetylglucosaminidase.     

Lactulose biosynthesis by β-galactosidase from a newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arthrobacter</Emphasis> sp.

Lactulose, a ketose disaccharide, is used in both pharmaceutical and food industries. This study was undertaken to screen and isolate potent β-galactosidase-producing bacteria and to evaluate their enzymatic production of lactulose. Soil samples from fruit gardens were collected. One isolate designated LAS was identified whose cell extract could convert lactose and fructose into lactulose. The 16S rDNA gene analysis of LAS revealed its phylogenetic relatedness to Arthrobacter sp. The β-galactosidase produced by LAS was purified 15.7-fold by ammonium sulfate precipitation and subsequent Phenyl-Sepharose hydrophobic chromatography. The optimum pH and temperature for lactulose synthesis by this β-galactosidase were 6.0 and 20°C, respectively. The low optimum temperature of this enzyme compared to the currently used ones for lactulose production has the advantage of reducing the nonenzymatic browning in biotransformations. The results indicated that Arthrobacter could be used as a novel bacterial β-galactosidase source for lactulose production.