Single copy DNA homology in sea stars

Summary The sequence homology in the single copy DNA of sea stars has been measured. Labeled single copy DNA fromPisaster ochraceus was reannealed with excess genomic DNA fromP. brevispinus, Evasterias troschelii, Pycnopodia helianthoides, Solaster stimpsoni, andDermasterias imbricata. Reassociation reactions were performed under two criteria of salt and temperature. The extent of reassociation and thermal denaturation characteristics of hybrid single copy DNA molecules follow classical taxonomic lines.P. brevispinus DNA contains essentially all of the sequences present inP. ochraceus single copy tracer whileEvasterias andPycnopodia DNAs contain 52% and 46% of such sequences respectively. Reciprocal reassociation reactions with labeledEvasterias single copy DNA confirm the amount and fidelity of the sequence homology. There is a small definite reaction of uncertain homology betweenP. ochraceus single copy DNA andSolaster orDermasterias DNA. SimilarlySolaster DNA contains sequences homologous to approximately 18% ofDermasterias unique DNA. The thermal denaturation temperatures of heteroduplexes indicate that the generaPisaster andEvasterias diverged shortly after the divergence of the subfamilies Pycnopodiinae and Asteriinae. The twoPisaster species diverged more recently, probably in the most recent quarter of the interval since the separation of the generaPisaster andEvasterias.     

Leaf flavonoids of Amborella trichopoda

The leaf flavonoids of Amborella trichopoda were examined and two kaempterol glycosides were detected. Procyanidin was also present. These results are similar to the flavonoid pattern in other families of the Laurales and it is suggested that simple flavonol glycosides are a primitive feature in the order.     

Polyacetylenes as systematic markers in dicotyledons

In the sequence of superorders Rutiflorae-Santaliflorae-Araliiflorae-Asteriflorae an increase in the mean oxidation state for each series of C_n-polyacetylenes and an extension in the range of the carbon atoms of these polyacetylenes in the direction of smaller numbers are observed. These trends of polyacetylene evolution also seem to be operative at lower hierarchic levels in the family Asteraceae.     

Indole alkaloids as systematic markers of the Apocynaceae

Indole alkaloids can be characterized by skeletal specialization (S), determined upon consideration of their relative position on a biogenetic map and the number of their naturally occurring substitutional derivatives, as well as by oxidation level (O). The mean (S) and (O) for contained alkaloids of a given plant taxon are taken to represent evolutionary advancement parameters, respectively EA_s and EA_o.A correlation of these EA_s/EA_o values for tribes of the Apocynaceae-Plumerioideae reveals a chemical gradient, given by gradually increasing EA_s and EA_o values, to link Carisseae-Alstonieae-Rauvolfieae-Tabernaemontaneae.     

Alkaloid evolution and angiosperm systematics

The correlation of biosynthetic steps leading to the primary precursors of the shikimate pathway with the distribution of derived alkaloids on dahlgren's system of classification of angiosperm orders suggests that evolution paralleled gradual blocking of these steps. Phenylalanine-derived alkaloids, with the centre of radiation situated in the magnoliales, are of widespread occurrence in angiosperms, an indication of the antiquity of the character. Anthranilic acid-derived alkaloids, with the centre of radiotion in the rutales, are less widespread. Orders in which such alkaloids co-occur with the former biogenetic group are considered to be of more recent origin. Finally, mevalonate-derived iridoid alkaloids, with the centre of radiation in the gentianales, are even less widespread. Orders in which such alkaloids co-occur with the former biogenetic groups should thus be of still more recent origin. These concepts are summarized bg a phylogenetic tree, which illustrates the divergence of three major groups of angiosperm superorders.     

Posttranslational Regulation of Fatty Acyl-CoA Reductase 1, Far1, Controls Ether Glycerophospholipid Synthesis

Plasmalogens are a major subclass of ethanolamine and choline glycerophospholipids in which a long chain fatty alcohol is attached at the sn-1 position through a vinyl ether bond. This ether-linked alkyl bond is formed in peroxisomes by replacement of a fatty acyl chain in the intermediate 1-acyl-dihydroxyacetone phosphate with a fatty alcohol in a reaction catalyzed by alkyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase. Here, we demonstrate that the enzyme fatty acyl-CoA reductase 1 (Far1) supplies the fatty alcohols used in the formation of ether-linked alkyl bonds. Far1 activity is elevated in plasmalogen-deficient cells, and conversely, the levels of this enzyme are restored to normal upon plasmalogen supplementation. Down-regulation of Far1 activity in response to plasmalogens is achieved by increasing the rate of degradation of peroxisomal Far1 protein. Supplementation of normal cells with ethanolamine and 1-O-hexadecylglycerol, which are intermediates in plasmalogen biosynthesis, accelerates degradation of Far1. Taken together, our results indicate that ether lipid biosynthesis in mammalian cells is regulated by a negative feedback mechanism that senses cellular plasmalogen levels and appropriately increases or decreases Far1.     

Molecular evidence for the polyphyly of Olearia (Astereae: Asteraceae)

 Analyses of ITS sequences for 49 species of Olearia, including representatives from all currently recognised intergeneric sections, and 43 species from 23 other genera of Astereae, rooted on eight sequences from Anthemideae, provide no support for the monophyly of this large and morphologically diverse Australasian genus. Eighteen separate lineages of Olearia are recognised, including seven robust groups. Three of these groups and another eight species are placed within a primary clade incorporating representatives of Achnophora, Aster, Brachyscome, Calotis, Camptacra, Erigeron, Felicia, Grangea, Kippistia, Lagenifera, Minuria, Oritrophium, Peripleura, Podocoma, Remya, Solidago, Tetramolopium and Vittadinia. The remaining four groups and three individual species lie within a sister clade that also includes Celmisia, Chiliotrichum, Damnamenia, Pleurophyllum and Pachystegia. Relationships within each primary clade are poorly resolved. There is some congruence between this molecular estimate of the phylogeny and the distribution of types of abaxial leaf-hair, which is the basis of the present sectional classification of Olearia, but all states appear to have arisen more than once within the tribe. It is concluded that those species placed within the second primary clade should be removed from the genus, but the extent to which species placed within the first primary clade constitute a monophyletic group can only be resolved with further sequence data. Received November 12, 2001; accepted April 29, 2002 Published online: November 22, 2002 Addresses of authors: Edward W. Cross, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia (E-mail: ed.cross@csiro.au); Christopher J . Quinn, Royal Botanic Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Rd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; Steven J. Wagstaff, Landcare Research, PO Box 69, Lincoln 8152, New Zealand.     

Molecular phylogeny,pigment composition,toxicology and life history of Pseudochattonella cf. verruculosa (Class Dictyochophyceae) from Wellington Harbour,New Zealand

Pseudochattonella verruculosa is a heterokont flagellate and has frequently been found associated with multi-species harmful algal blooms in Wellington Harbour. In this study the partial sequences of the nuclear encoded LSU rDNA and the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) of Pseudochattonella isolated from Wellington Harbour indicate that it is similar to P. verruculosa, while sequences of mitochondrial encoded COI, are similar to those of Pseudochattonella farcimen. As with P. farcimen, the Wellington Pseudochattonella lacked violaxanthin, lutein and anteroxanthin, three pigments detected only in P. verruculosa. The Wellington isolate also contains zeaxanthin which is absent in P. farcimen. Among all Pseudochattonella, cells of the Wellington isolate are the most variable in terms of both size and shape. Mucocysts of the Wellington Pseudochattonella also have the greatest degree of variation – from small, ‘bullet’-shape to large oval, oblong or ‘sausage’-like. In the sexual reproduction phase two gametes of the Wellington isolate fuse to form a zygote which gives rise to a large multi-nucleate cell. At times two or more of these large multi-nucleate cells fuse further to form a ‘massive’, plasmodium-like aggregate (up to 200 μm long). Positive feeding and toxicity tests on rotifers confirmed that the Wellington Pseudochattonella is cytotoxic and probably also contributed to the May 2010 fish kills. As molecular phylogenies do not conclusively support the separation of the Wellington Harbour Pseudochattonella from P. verruculosa or P. farcimen, it is tentatively named as Pseudochattonella cf. verruculosa.     

Africa Climate exchange

Golden Nightjar Caprimulgus eximius is an apparently sedentary sub-Saharan species with a breeding range extending from Senegal and Mauritania to Sudan. Although genetic studies of nightjars and related Caprimulgiformes have been published previously, none has included Golden Nightjar. In this study, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA of a Golden Nightjar found dead in Western Sahara in April 2016 was sequenced and compared with other species in the genus Caprimulgus. It was concluded with strong support that Golden Nightjar is closely related to Egyptian Nightjar C. aegyptius. It is hypothesised that Golden and Egyptian Nightjars may have arisen by splitting of a single ancestral species into migratory and sedentary populations.