The composition of the coastal fish fauna around Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica)

The composition of the coastal fish fauna around Elephant Island (northern South Shetland Islands) was investigated during seven bottom trawl surveys of FRV “Walther Herwig”, FV “Polarstern” and FRV “Yuzhmorgeologiya” from 1981 to 1998. Low-Antarctic (or lesser or peri-Antarctic) fish species were the predominant element of the coastal fish fauna. Large-scale fishing from 1978 to 1981 reduced stock sizes of the most abundant species Champsocephalus gunnari and Notothenia rossii to the extent that only a small fraction of the initial stock remained. After the period of intensive fishing, Gobionotothen gibberifrons became the most abundant species around the island. The by-catch species, which had probably been less affected by harvesting, recovered by the end of the 1980s/beginning of the 1990s. Fish biomass was highest in the 100- to 400-m depth range. An MDS plot revealed the existence of five groups of species that overlapped in their distribution to some extent. One important factor that separated the five groups was depth. Other factors that might have been important in structuring the vertical distribution of the fish fauna, such as bottom topography and sediment type, could not be investigated. Species composition was dominated by a few abundant low-Antarctic species. In four of the five groups, G. gibberifrons was by far the most abundant species, after C. gunnari and N. rossii had been largely eliminated due to fishing. Only in the 100- to 200-m depth range was C. gunnari more abundant than G. gibberifrons. In the 400- to 500-m depth stratum, a high-Antarctic species, Chionodraco rastrospinosus, and Lepidonotothen squamifrons, a species of Patagonian origin which lacks antifreeze glycopeptides, gained some importance. Species richness showed a positive trend with increasing depth. Evenness and Hill's N1 index were highest in the shallowest and deepest depth strata. Hill's N2 index was lowest in depth strata 3 and 4, which had the most even distribution of the abundant fish species. Accepted: 21 May 2000     

The detection and monitoring of early pregnancy in the vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) with the use of ultrasound and correlation with reproductive steroid hormones

Twenty early pregnancies were diagnosed and monitored in vervet monkeys by ultrasonography. Non-gravid uteri became increasingly echogenic from cycle days 7 to 26. The first definite sign of pregnancy was a gestational cavity of 2 mm (+/- 0.80) at 33.0 (+/- 1.48) days menstrual age, which was also used to date all subsequent features. Earlier signs, such as an endometrial line swelling or endometrial 'pregnancy' ring, as reported for other non-human primate species, could not be reliably and consistently used to diagnose pregnancy in vervet monkeys. A rapid increase of the gestational cavity size from days 37 to 49 corresponded closely to a rapid increase in plasma progesterone concentration from day 39 to 49. The first yolk sac was recognizable at 38.0 days (+/- 3.10) and measured 3.3 mm (+/- 0.40) in diameter. A heart beat could be detected at 45.5 (+/- 1.73) days and the size of the first measurable embryo at 35 days was 2 mm. The dating of most features was within the range reported for other non-human primate species.     

Home-range Use by a Large Horde of Wild <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mandrillus sphinx</Emphasis>

The predicted relationship between home-range size and group mass in primates developed by Clutton-Brock and Harvey (1977) has proved extremely robust in describing the use of space by most primate species. However, mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) are now known to have an extreme group mass in the wild, far larger than that of the species used originally to generate that relationship, and so it was unknown whether this relationship would be robust for this species. We investigated the home-range size and use of a wild horde of ca. 700 mandrills in Lopé National Park, Gabon, using radiotelemetry. The total area the horde used over a 6-yr period [100% minimum convex polygon (MCP)] was 182 km², including 89 km² of suitable forest habitat. Mandrills used gallery forests and isolated forest fragments with high botanical diversity far more intensively that the continuous forest and completely avoided savanna and marsh. Peeled polygons and fixed kernel contours revealed multiple centres of use, with the horde spending more than half its time in <10% of the total documented range, typical of a frugivore using a patchy environment. Home-range size and internal structure varied considerably between years, but total home range fitted the predicted relationship between group mass and home range size, despite being an outlier to the dataset. We discuss the conservation implications of the species’ space requirements, in light of current pressures on land use in their range.     

Do grazing caddisfly larvae of Melampophylax mucoreus (Limnephilidae) use their antennae for olfactory food detection?

Abstract. The behaviour of larvae of Melampophylax mucoreus (Limnephilidae; Trichoptera) is studied to test their capacity for food detection over long distances by olfaction. In aquaria experiments with stagnant water, the larvae rapidly accumulate on a biofilm-covered stone (offered food patch) but not on control stones without biofilm-cover. Larvae in an artificial flow channel (flume), with uni-directional flow between an arrangement of stones covered with biofilm and stones without biofilm, can find food patches upstream from their location more rapidly than downstream. Stimuli transported towards the larvae by the water current might assist food location. However, no significant differences could be found in the movement of larvae with intact antennae compared with larvae without antennae. The results lead to the conclusion that the larvae of M. mucoreus find food patches mainly by random movement, which is assisted by their high mobility. Long-distance olfactory orientation towards food patches, mediated by antennae, can be precluded. Gustatory stimuli appear to play an important role in contact-chemoreception to identify biofilm patches on stone surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy studies of the larval head reveal that the antennae of M. mucoreus are small pegs (50 µm in length) with an apical plate (15 µm in diameter). The mouthparts of the larvae, especially the maxillary palps, show a variety of different sensilla types that are possibly used for contact-chemoreception. These sensilla also could be responsible for the orientation towards a food resource upstream of the larvae.     

N-acetyl-D-galactosamine/N-acetyl-D-glucosamine--recognizing lectin from the snail Cepaea hortensis: purification, chemical characterization, cloning and expression in E. coli

From the albumin gland of the snail Cepaea hortensis we isolated and characterized a new N-acetyl-D-galactosamine/N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GalNAc/GlcNAc) specific lectin (CHA-II) which was purified by a combination of affinity chromatography on GalNAc-agarose and gel filtration. The purified native lectin was found to be a multimeric protein, as revealed by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analysis. In SDS-PAGE the denatured and reduced lectin showed two bands of molecular masses with 17 and 15.5 kDa which reacted equally with anti-CHA-II rabbit antiserum. The lectin was O- and N-glycosylated with [(Gal)2-Man]2-Man-GlcNAc-GlcNAc-Asn as a probable structure for the oligosaccharide. Isoelectric focusing revealed a heterogeneous protein of at least four bands around pH 8.7. Tryptic peptides of CHA-II were N-terminally sequenced and highly degenerated gene specific oligonucleotide primers (GSPs) had been constructed. Using total RNA isolated from albumin glands, cDNAs were produced by the running race technique. Specific PCR fragments were obtained by PCR using GSPs, the universal primer and 5'- or 3'-RACE-cDNAs. The amplified fragments were cloned into the vector pDrive and were sequenced. The resulting total cDNA sequence consisted of 496 base pairs including an open reading frame of 360 base pairs which encoded a protein of 120 amino acids. The protein carried a putative signal peptide. The mature protein was predicted to comprise 99 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 11,239 Da. The PCR fragment encoding the mature protein was cloned into the vector pQE30 and expressed in E. coli. Recombinant CHA-II lectin was produced as inclusion bodies and extracted by 6 M guanidine hydrochloride. After refolding, the recombinant CHA-II agglutinated specifically human red blood cells of groups A and AB. In immunodiffusion experiments using rabbit antiserum raised against the native lectin, the protein showed a precipitation line of identity with the native lectin.     

Mapping the distribution of 3-hydroxy oxylipins in the ascomycetous yeast Saturnispora saitoi

The distribution of 3-hydroxy oxylipins in Saturnispora saitoi was mapped using immunofluorescence microscopy. Fluorescence was observed on aggregating ascospores, indicating the presence of 3-hydroxy oxylipins on the surface or between ascospores. The oxylipin was identified as 3-hydroxy 9:1 using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Furthermore, ultrastructural studies using scanning and transmission electron microscopy on ascospores revealed a clear equatorial ledge surrounding oval-shaped ascospores.     

Targeted tumor therapy with the TGF-beta 2 antisense compound AP 12009

TGF-beta overexpression is a hallmark of various malignant tumors. This is due to the pivotal role of TGF-beta as it regulates key mechanisms of tumor development, namely immunosuppression, metastasis, angiogenesis, and proliferation. We have developed a new immunotherapeutic approach for the treatment of malignant tumors based on the specific inhibition of TGF-beta2 by the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide AP 12009. After providing preclinical proof of concept, we assessed safety and efficacy of AP 12009 in clinical phase I/II open-label dose escalation studies in high-grade glioma patients. Median survival time after recurrence exceeded the up to date literature data for chemotherapy. A phase I/II study in pancreatic carcinoma and malignant melanoma is currently ongoing. Our results implicate targeted TGF-beta2 suppression as a promising therapeutic approach for malignant tumor therapy.     

Sciadonic acid modulates prostaglandin E2 production by epithelial cells during infection with C. albicans and C. dubliniensis

Candida albicans is an important opportunistic pathogen in humans. During infection, arachidonic acid (ω6) is released from host phospholipids, leading to the production of host and yeast derived prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). This stimulates yeast hyphal formation, is immunomodulatory and causes cell damage during infection. Although supplementation of mammalian cells with ω3 fatty acids has received attention due to their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities, increased production of ω3 fatty acid metabolites could lower the host's ability to combat infections. Since mammalian cells cannot produce PGE(2) from sciadonic acid (SA), a non-methylene interrupted ω6 fatty acid (NMIFA), supplementation of cells with SA may decrease the production of PGE(2) without increasing levels of ω3 fatty acid metabolites. Our study evaluated PGE(2) production by SA supplemented epithelial cells in response to Candida albicans and C. dubliniensis. We show that PGE(2) production during infection can be modulated by incorporation of SA into host lipids and that this does not influence the levels of ω3 fatty acids in the epithelial cells.     

Variation in yeast mitochondrial activity associated with asci

An increase in mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) and mitochondrially produced 3-hydroxy (3-OH) oxylipins was experienced in asci of the nonfermentative yeasts Galactomyces reessii and Lipomyces starkeyi and the fermentative yeasts Pichia farinosa and Schizosaccharomyces octosporus. Strikingly, asci of Zygosaccharomyces bailii showed no increase in mitochondrial activity (DeltaPsim and oxylipin production). As expected, oxygen deprivation only inhibited ascus formation in those yeasts with increased ascus mitochondrial activity. We conclude that ascus formation in yeasts is not always dependent on mitochondrial activity. In this case, fermentation may provide enough energy for ascus formation in Z. bailii.