Eutrophication and Dreissena Invasion as Drivers of Biodiversity: A Century of Change in the Mollusc Community of Oneida Lake

Changes in nutrient loading and invasive species are among the strongest human-driven disturbances in freshwater ecosystems, but our knowledge on how they affect the biodiversity of lakes is still limited. We conducted a detailed historical analysis of the mollusc community of Oneida Lake based on our comprehensive lakewide study in 2012 and previous surveys dating back to 1915. In the early 20th century, the lake had a high water clarity, with abundant macrophytes and benthic algae, and hosted the most diverse molluscan community in New York State, including 32 gastropod and 9 unionid species. By the 1960s, lake turbidity increased during a period of anthropogenic eutrophication, resulting in a 38% decline in species richness and a 95% reduction in abundance of native gastropods grazing on benthic algae. Following the invasion of Dreissena spp. in 1991 and subsequent increases in water clarity, native gastropod species richness expanded by 37% and abundance increased 20-fold by 2012. In contrast, filter-feeding unionids were unaffected by increased turbidity during the period of eutrophication but were extirpated by dreissenids. Through contrasting effects on turbidity, eutrophication and Dreissena spp. have likely driven the observed changes in native grazing gastropods by affecting the abundance of light-limited benthic algae. Given the high species richness and ecological importance of benthic grazers, monitoring and managing turbidity is important in preserving molluscan diversity.     

Impacts of rewetting on peat,hydrology and water chemical composition over 15 years in two finished peat extraction areas in Sweden

Restoration of wetlands is a high priority world-wide. Peat extraction areas can be restored by rewetting, however affecting the environment. It could be expected to turn the drained peat-cutover area from a source to a sink of most elements. This study examined effects of such rewetting on peat, hydrology and water chemistry over 15 years at two sites in Sweden; the nutrient-poor Porla peatland and the nutrient-rich Västkärr peatland. Rewetting caused minor changes to peat chemistry, but at the Västkärr site ammonium concentrations increased in superficial peat layers while nitrate decreased. In terms of hydrology, rewetting of the Porla site decreased annual runoff and both high and low discharges. Water pH at the Porla site stayed fairly stable, but at the Västkärr site pH, after an initial 4 years dip, gradually increased to higher values than before rewetting. Water colour and organic matter content were fairly stable, but slightly lower values were found after 15 years than in initial 4–5 years. The concentrations of base cations and of inorganic N were lower after rewetting, while total P was higher. However, these impacts could change from an initial phase as the wetlands in the long-term perspective develop into mires.     

Triploidy—Observations in 154 Diandric Cases

Hydatidiform moles (HMs) are abnormal human pregnancies with vesicular chorionic villi, imposing two clinical challenges; miscarriage and a risk of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). The parental type of most HMs are either diandric diploid (PP) or diandric triploid (PPM). We consecutively collected 154 triploid or near-triploid samples from conceptuses with vesicular chorionic villi. We used analysis of DNA markers and/or methylation sensitive-MLPA and collected data from registries and patients records. We performed whole genome SNP analysis of one case of twinning (PP+PM).In all 154 triploids or near-triploids we found two different paternal contributions to the genome (P1P2M). The ratios between the sex chromosomal constitutions XXX, XXY, and XYY were 5.7: 6.9: 1.0. No cases of GTN were observed. Our results corroborate that all triploid human conceptuses with vesicular chorionic villi have the parental type P1P2M. The sex chromosomal ratios suggest approximately equal frequencies of meiosis I and meiosis II errors with selection against the XYY conceptuses or a combination of dispermy, non-disjunction in meiosis I and meiosis II and selection against XYY conceptuses. Although single cases of GTN after a triploid HM have been reported, the results of this study combined with data from previous prospective studies estimate the risk of GTN after a triploid mole to 0% (95% CI: 0–1,4%).     

Aspects of cAMP Signaling in Epileptogenesis and Seizures and Its Potential as Drug Target

Neurochemical Research - Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions. Today, close to 30 different medications to prevent epileptic seizures are in use; yet, far from all...     

Chemical modification of cysteine and tyrosine residues in formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase from Clostridium thermoaceticum

The chemical modification of cysteine and tyrosine residues in formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase from Clostridium thermoaceticum has been examined relative to enzymatic activity and reactivity of these groups in the native protein. 4,4′-Dipyridyl disulfide, dansylaziridine, and fluorescein mercuric acetate all reacted with just one of six sulfhydryls per enzyme subunit, resulting in activities of 100, 95 and 70%, respectively. The K_m values for MgATP, formate, and tetrahydrofolate were unaltered in the modified enzymes. ATP did produce a 2.5-fold reduction in the rate of reaction between the enzyme and 4,4′-dipyridyl disulfide. Tetranitromethane reacted most rapidly with a single sulfhydryl group per subunit to produce a 20–30% loss in activity. Subsequent additions of tetranitromethane modified 2.2 tyrosines per subunit which was proportional to the loss of the remaining enzymatic activity. Folic acid, a competitive inhibitor, protected against modification of the tyrosines and the associated activity losses; however, the oxidation of the single sulfhydryl group and the initial 20–30% activity loss were unaffected. In the presence of folic acid, higher concentrations of tetranitromethane produced a loss of the remaining activity proportional to the modification of 1.2 tyrosines per subunit. It is proposed that at least 1 tyrosine critical for enzymatic activity is located at or near the folic acid/tetrahydrofolate binding site.     

NO and N2O transformations of diverse fungi in hypoxia: evidence for anaerobic respiration only in Fusarium strains

Fungal denitrification is claimed to produce non-negligible amounts of N₂O in soils, but few tested species have shown significant activity. We hypothesized that denitrifying fungi would be found among those with assimilatory nitrate reductase, and tested 20 such batch cultures for their respiratory metabolism, including two positive controls, Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium lichenicola, throughout the transition from oxic to anoxic conditions in media supplemented with . Enzymatic reduction of (NIR) and NO (NOR) was assessed by correcting measured NO- and N₂O-kinetics for abiotic NO- and N₂O-production (sterile controls). Significant anaerobic respiration was only confirmed for the positive controls and for two of three Fusarium solani cultures. The NO kinetics in six cultures showed NIR but not NOR activity, observed through the accumulation of NO. Others had NOR but not NIR activity, thus reducing abiotically produced NO to N₂O. The presence of candidate genes (nirK and p450nor) was confirmed in the positive controls, but not in some of the NO or N₂O accumulating cultures. Based on our results, we conclude that only the Fusarium cultures were able to sustain anaerobic respiration and produced low amounts of N₂O as a response to an abiotic NO production from the medium.