Phylogeny of the Altingiaceae based on cpDNA matK, PY-IGS and nrDNA ITS sequences

 Phylogenetic relationships of the three genera of the family Altingiaceae, i.e., Altingia, Liquidambar and Semiliquidambar, based on matK sequences and the intergenic spacer between the psaA and ycf3 genes (PY-IGS) of cpDNA, and on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nrDNA were studied. Phylogenetic trees based on the three data sets (matK, PY-IGS and ITS) were generated using Hamamelis japonica and Mytilaria laosensis (Hamamelidaceae), Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Cercidiphyllaceae), and Daphniphyllum calycinum (Daphniphyllaceae) as outgroups. The partition-homogeneity tests indicated that the three data sets and the combined data are homogeneous. A combined analysis also generated a strongly supported phylogeny. The phylogenetic trees show that the North American and western Asian species, L. styraciflua and L. orientalis, respectively, form a monophyletic group which is sister to the clade including all Asian species in the family. The genus Liquidambar is paraphyletic with Altingia and Semiliquidambar nested within. Phylogenetic analyses of the molecular data indicate that taxonomic reexamination of the generic delimitation in the Altingiaceae is needed. Received December 20, 2000 Accepted June 25, 2001     

Vector competence of Culicoides bolitinos and C. imicola for South African bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 3 and 4

Abstract .The susceptibility of field-collected Culicoides bolitinos to infection by oral ingestion of bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 3 and 4 (BLU 1, 3 and 4) was compared with that of field-collected C. imicola and laboratory reared C. variipennis sonorensis . The concentration of the virus per millilitre of bloodmeal was 10^5.0 and 10^6.0TCID₅₀ for BLU 4 and 10^7.2TCID₅₀ for BLU 1 and 3. Of 4927 C. bolitinos and 9585 C. imicola fed, 386 and 287 individual midges survived 10 days extrinsic incubation, respectively. Midges were assayed for the presence of virus using a microtitration assay on BHK-21 cells and/or an antigen capture ELISA. Infection prevalences for the different serotypes as determined by virus isolation ranged from 22.7 to 82.0% in C. bolitinos and from 1.9 to 9.8% in C. imicola; infection prevalences were highest for BLU 1, and lowest for BLU 4 in both species. The mean log₁₀ TCID₅₀ titre of the three BLU viruses per single fly was higher in C. bolitinos than in C. imicola . The results suggested that C. bolitinos populations are capable vectors of the BLU viruses in South Africa. A high correlation was found between virus isolation and ELISA results for the detection of BLU 1, and less for BLU 4; the ELISA failed to detect the presence of BLU 3 in infected flies. The C. v. sonorensis colonies had a significantly lower susceptibility to infection with BLU 1, 3 and 4 than C. bolitinos and C. imicola . However, since infection prevalence of C. v. sonorensis was determined only by ELISA, this finding may merely reflect the insensitivity of this assay at low virus titres, compared to virus isolation.     

Effect of Chlorsulfuron on Morphogenetic and Disordered Cell Division in Cultures of Passiflora edulis

We examined the effects of a sulfonylurea herbicide, chlorsulfuron, which is known as a potent inhibitor of plant cell division, on morphogenetic cell division and disorganized cell division using the culture system of multiple shoot primordia and callus of Passiflora edulis. The multiple shoot primordia tissue treated with chlorsulfuron failed to achieve shoot morphogenesis, and a large part of the tissue was necrotized during the posttreatment culture, even when it was washed and transferred to chlorsulfuron-free medium. The inhibition of Passiflora shoot morphogenesis by chlorsulfuron was not reversed by the simultaneous addition of branched amino acids, which are known to reverse the inhibitory effect of chlorsulfuron. In contrast, the same treatment of chlorsulfuron on the callus did not kill the cells, although the growth resumption was retarded by a prolonged lag period. The addition of branched amino acids enhanced the recovery growth of the chlorsulfuron-treated callus. These results suggest that the inhibition of disorganized cell division (callus growth) by chlorsulfuron is reversible, whereas morphogenetic cell division (shoot morphogenesis), which is under complex regulation, is inhibited irreversibly by chlorsulfuron. Qualitative differences between morphogenetic cell division and disordered simple proliferative cell division are discussed. Received November 17, 1997; accepted June 4, 1998     

Low-dose Ad26.COV2.S protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in rhesus macaques

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Malathion biodegradation by a psychrotolerant bacteria Ochrobactrum sp. M1D and metabolic pathway analysis

An organophosphorus pesticide malathion biodegradation was investigated by using the bacteria Ochrobactrum sp. M1D isolated from a soil sample of peach orchards in Palampur, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh (India). The bacterium was able to utilize malathion as the sole source of carbon and energy. The isolated bacterium was found psychrotolerant and could degrade 100% of 100 mg l⁻¹ malathion in minimal salt medium at 20°C, pH 7·0 within 12 days with no major significant metabolites left at the end of the study. Through GCMS analysis, methyl phosphate, diethyl maleate, and diethyl 2-mercaptosuccinate were detected and identified as the major pathway metabolites. Based on the GCMS profile, three probable degradation pathways were interpreted. The present study is the first report of malathion biodegradation at both the psychrophilic and mesophilic conditions by any psychrotolerant strain and also through multiple degradation pathways. In the future, the strain can be explored to bio-remediate the malathion contaminated soil in the cold climatic region and to utilize the enzymatic systems for advanced biotechnology applications.     

Taxonomy of some common Amphidinium species

The taxonomic status of several well known species belonging to the genus Amphidinium (Dinophyceae) has been re-examined. Studies in culture and observations on the micro-anatomy of these organisms suggest that the number of species can be reduced to two, A. klebsii and A. carterae. They may be distinguished on the basis of fundamental differences in chloroplast morphology.     

Effect of emigration on cannibalism and intraguild predation in aphidophagous ladybirds

Abstract.  1. The incidence and timing of emigration, cannibalism, and intraguild predation of larvae of three aphidophagous ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Harmonia axyridis Pallas, Coccinella septempunctata brucki Mulsant, and Propylea japonica Mulsant, relative to the presence of prey was determined in the laboratory in single- and mixed-species populations.
2. In single-species populations, 80% of the larvae of C. s. brucki emigrated prior to the extinction of the aphid population and no larvae were lost due to cannibalism; however > 80% of the larvae of the other two species were still present when the aphid became extinct and the losses due to cannibalism for H. axyridis and P. japonica were 25% and 14% respectively. Finally, 28% of the P. japonica larvae completed their development, whereas no larvae of the other two species became adult.
3. In mixed-species populations, mortality of P. japonica attributable to cannibalism or intraguild predation increased greatly to 60%, whereas that of the other two species remained about the same. Consequently, survival of H. axyridis larvae improved and survival of P. japonica worsened; however the survival of C. s. brucki larvae was not affected by the other two species. Early emigration by C. s. brucki larvae may have enabled them to escape intraguild predation by H. axyridis in this system.     

Infraspecific genetic variation in Biscutella laevigata (Brassicaceae): new focus on Irene Manton's hypothesis

 Genetic variation in 42 populations throughout the range of Biscutella laevigata L. (Brassicaceae), a morphologically variable central European species, has been investigated by enzyme electrophoresis with three loci (Amy1, Amy2, and Gpi2). Genetic identities and the Fitch-Margoliash tree suggest differentiation into four regional groups: 1) a northwestern diploid group (northern France and northern Germany), 2) a northeastern diploid group (southern Germany, Upper Austria, northern Lower Austria, Poland, and Romania), 3) a central diploid group in southern Lower Austria corresponding to subspecies austriaca, and 4) a southern tetraploid group in Alpine areas of France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Slovenia corresponding to subspecies laevigata. Geographically isolated diploid relic populations that are genetically depauperate are found in the NW and NE diploid groups. On the other hand, the diploid relic subspecies austriaca from the NE Prealps and Alps is highly variable. Subspecies laevigata appears to be a genetical autotetraploid with multiple origins involving several diploid progenitors (the NW diploids, subspecies austriaca and B. prealpina). Received April 6, 2001; accepted March 6, 2002 Published online: October 14, 2002 Addresses of the authors: Karin Tremetsberger (e-mail: k.tremetsberger@gmx.net), Christiane K?nig, Rosabelle Samuel, Tod F. Stuessy, Department of Higher Plant Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Botany, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria. Wilhelm Pinsker, Institute of Medical Biology, University of Vienna, Waehringerstra?e 10, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.     

Effects of ambient temperature on avian incubation behavior

Ambient temperature is commonly thought to influence avian incubation behavior. However, results of empirical studies examining correlationsbetween ambient temperature and bout duration are equivocal.We propose that these equivocal results can be partly explainedby developing a conceptual understanding of how we should expecttemperature to influence incubation. We demonstrate why linearcorrelation analyses across a wide range of temperatures canbe inappropriate based on development of an incubation model for small birds that incorporates how ambient temperature influencesboth embryonic development and adult metabolism. We found supportfor predictions of the model using incubation data from orange-crownedwarblers (Vermivora celata) in Arizona. Both off- and on-boutduration were positively correlated with ambient temperaturebetween 9° and 26°C, but unrelated to ambient temperature<9° and 26-40°C. Bout durations declined as ambienttemperature approached or exceeded 40°C. Incubating orange-crowned warblers appeared to avoid bouts off the nest <7 min andbouts on the nest <20 min. Time of day, duration of theprevious bout, and variation among nests all explained variationin both on- and off-bout duration. Although we found supportfor the general shape of the incubation model, temperature still explained only a small portion of the overall variation in on-and off-bout duration. Results of previous studies were generallyconsistent with the model for off-bout duration; most studiesin colder environments reported positive correlations withtemperature, and the one negative correlation reported was from a hot environment. However, the relationships between on-boutduration and temperature reported in previous studies wereless consistent with our model and our data. Although somediscrepancies could be explained by considering our model,some studies reported negative correlations in cold environments.The effect of ambient temperature on duration of on-bouts probablydiffers among species based on the amount of fat reserves females typically carry during incubation and the extent of male incubationfeeding. Additional studies of the effects of temperature onavian incubation will help improve the general model and ultimatelyaid our understanding of energetic and ecological constraintson avian incubation.