WHEN MORPHOLOGY MISLEADS: INTERPOPULATION UNIFORMITY IN SEXUAL SELECTION MASKS GENETIC DIVERGENCE IN HARLEQUIN BEETLE-RIDING PSEUDOSCORPION POPULATIONS

Differences in secondary sexual characteristics of males often provide the most conspicuous means of distinguishing between closely related species. Does this therefore imply that the absence of differentiation in exaggerated male traits between allopatric populations provides evidence of a single, genetically cohesive species? We addressed this question with a comprehensive investigation of two populations (French Guiana and Panama) of the harlequin beetle-riding pseudoscorpion, Cordylochernes scorpioides. This highly sexually dimorphic pseudoscorpion is currently described as a single species, ranging throughout the Neotropics. Our morphometric analyses detected minimal differentiation between the two populations in all nine external morphological characters measured, including sexually dimorphic traits in males. Only in traits of the spermatophore was there any appreciable level of differentiation. Behavior differentiation and prezygotic reproductive isolation were also limited: 78.3% of males successfully transferred sperm to “foreign” females, and in 63.9% of these cases, females' eggs were successfully fertilized. By contrast, extensive divergence existed in two of nine electrophoretic loci, including an essentially fixed-allele difference at the Ldh locus. Most significantly, postzygotic reproductive isolation was complete, with heteropopulation zygotes invariably aborting early in development. These results strongly suggest that the two populations are, in fact, sibling species, a conclusion supported by our recently published findings on their marked divergence in minisatellite DNA. How can such interpopulation homogeneity in male sexually dimorphic traits exist in the face of strong genetic divergence? We propose that sexual selection, oscillating between favoring small and then large males, maintains such high levels of male variability within each population that it has obscured a speciation event in which genetic divergence and postzygotic incompatibility have clearly outpaced the evolution of prezygotic reproductive isolation.     

An Ustilago maydis Mutant Partially Blocked in P45014DM Activity Is Hypersensitive to Azole Fungicides

An Ustilago maydis ergosterol biosynthesis mutant (A14) which is partially blocked in sterol 14alpha-demethylase (P45014DM) activity is described. This mutant accumulated the abnormal 14alpha-methyl sterols, eburicol, 14alpha-methylfecosterol, and obtusifoliol, along with significant amounts of ergosterol. Although the A14 mutant grew nearly as well as the wild type, it was impaired in cell extension growth, which indicated a dysfunction in apical cell wall synthesis. The mutant was also found to be hypersensitive to the azole fungicides penconazole and tebuconazole.     

Hexazonium pararosaniline as a fixative for animal tissues

Hexazonium pararosaniline is a valuable reagent that has been used in enzyme activity histochemistry for 50 years. It is an aqueous solution containing the tris-diazonium ion derived from pararosaniline, an aminotriarylmethane dye, and it contains an excess of nitrous acid that was not consumed in the diazotization reaction. Other investigators have found that immersion for 2 min in an acidic (pH 3.5) 0.0015 M hexazonium pararosaniline solution can protect cryostat sections of unfixed animal tissues from the deleterious effects of aqueous reagents such as buffered solutions used in immunohistochemistry, while preserving specific affinities for antibodies. In the present investigation hexazonium pararosaniline protected lymphoid tissue and striated muscle against the damaging effects of water or saline. The same protection was conferred on unfixed sections treated with dilute nitrous or hydrochloric acid in concentrations similar to those in hexazonium pararosaniline solutions. Model tissues (solutions, gels or films containing gelatin and/or bovine albumin) responded predictably to well known cross-linking (formaldehyde) or coagulant (mercuric chloride) fixatives. Hexazonium pararosaniline solutions prevented the dissolution of protein gels in water only after 9 or more days of contact, during which time considerable swelling occurred. It is concluded that there is no evidence for a “fixative” action of hexazonium pararosaniline. The protective effect on frozen sections of unfixed tissue is attributable probably to the low pH of the solution.     

On the threshold of dispersal: hitchhiking on a giant fly favours exaggerated male traits in a male‐dimorphic pseudoscorpion

The evolution of exaggerated male traits is frequently driven by competition between males to control resources critical for female survival and/or reproductive success. For flightless arthropods specializing on patchy habitats, dispersal agents may represent one such critical resource. The Neotropical pseudoscorpion, Semeiochernes armiger, disperses to new habitats by attaching to the giant timber fly, Pantophthalmus tabaninus, as it ecloses from pupal boreholes within decaying Ficus trees. In a study that combined field observations of mating with experimental removal of individuals from a large, pre‐dispersal population, our morphometric analyses revealed that S. armiger is among the most highly sexually dimorphic pseudoscorpions known, with males possessing unusual, triangular‐shaped pedipalpal chelae (hands) and a male‐specific, dimorphic chela peg that exhibits threshold trait expression. Several lines of evidence indicate that extreme sexual dimorphism in S. armiger results from male competition to monopolize pantophthalmid bores as strategic sites for inseminating females on the verge of dispersal. Sexually dimorphic pedipalpal characters were significantly larger in males located in and around pantophthalmid boreholes, compared with males collected at the periphery of the pantophthalmid emergence zone. Removal of pseudoscorpions resulted in a significant decline in pedipalpal size of males associated with pantophthalmid bores, followed by a rebound in size after collected individuals were returned to the tree. Most significantly, field observations of mating indicate that this competition translates into intense selection for exaggerated male traits, with all traits of the sexually dimorphic chelae exhibiting highly significant sexual selection differentials in males. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Autophagy promotes ferroptosis by degradation of ferritin

Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradation pathway that maintains homeostasis. Ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death, is characterized by a production of reactive oxygen species from accumulated iron and lipid peroxidation. However, the relationship between autophagy and ferroptosis at the genetic level remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that autophagy contributes to ferroptosis by degradation of ferritin in fibroblasts and cancer cells. Knockout or knockdown of Atg5 (autophagy-related 5) and Atg7 limited erastin-induced ferroptosis with decreased intracellular ferrous iron levels, and lipid peroxidation. Remarkably, NCOA4 (nuclear receptor coactivator 4) was a selective cargo receptor for the selective autophagic turnover of ferritin (namely ferritinophagy) in ferroptosis. Consistently, genetic inhibition of NCOA4 inhibited ferritin degradation and suppressed ferroptosis. In contrast, overexpression of NCOA4 increased ferritin degradation and promoted ferroptosis. These findings provide novel insight into the interplay between autophagy and regulated cell death.     

Economic evaluation of water loss saving due to the biological control of water hyacinth at New Year’s Dam,Eastern Cape province,South Africa

Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes is considered the most damaging aquatic weed in the world. However, few studies have quantified the impact of this weed economically and ecologically, and even fewer studies have quantified the benefits of its control. This paper focuses on water loss saving as the benefit derived from biological control of this plant between 1990 and 2013 at New Year’s Dam, Alicedale, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Estimates of water loss due to evapotranspiration from water hyacinth vary significantly; therefore, the study used three different rates, high, medium and low. A conservative raw agriculture value of R 0.26 per m³ was used to calculate the benefits derived by the water saved. The present benefit and cost values were determined using 10% and 5% discount rates. The benefit/cost ratio at the low evapotranspiration rate was less than one, implying that biological control was not economically viable but, at the higher evapotranspiration rates, the return justified the costs of biological control. However, at the marginal value product of water, the inclusion of the costs of damage to infrastructure, or the adverse effects of water hyacinth on biodiversity, would justify the use of biological control, even at the low transpiration rate.     

The Tau/A152T mutation,a risk factor for frontotemporal‐spectrum disorders,leads to NR2B receptor‐mediated excitotoxicity

We report on a novel transgenic mouse model expressing human full‐length Tau with the Tau mutation A152T (hTau^AT), a risk factor for FTD‐spectrum disorders including PSP and CBD. Brain neurons reveal pathological Tau conformation, hyperphosphorylation, mis‐sorting, aggregation, neuronal degeneration, and progressive loss, most prominently in area CA3 of the hippocampus. The mossy fiber pathway shows enhanced basal synaptic transmission without changes in short‐ or long‐term plasticity. In organotypic hippocampal slices, extracellular glutamate increases early above control levels, followed by a rise in neurotoxicity. These changes are normalized by inhibiting neurotransmitter release or by blocking voltage‐gated sodium channels. CA3 neurons show elevated intracellular calcium during rest and after activity induction which is sensitive to NR2B antagonizing drugs, demonstrating a pivotal role of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors. Slices show pronounced epileptiform activity and axonal sprouting of mossy fibers. Excitotoxic neuronal death is ameliorated by ceftriaxone, which stimulates astrocytic glutamate uptake via the transporter EAAT2/GLT1. In summary, hTau^AT causes excitotoxicity mediated by NR2B‐containing NMDA receptors due to enhanced extracellular glutamate.     

TLR4-dependent upregulation of the platelet NLRP3 inflammasome promotes platelet aggregation in a murine model of hindlimb ischemia

Platelets play a critical role in the pathophysiology of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The mechanisms by which muscle ischemia regulates aggregation of platelets are poorly understood. We have recently identified the Nod-like receptor nucleotide-binding domain leucine rich repeat containing protein 3 (NLRP3) expressed by platelets as a critical regulator of platelet activation and aggregation, which may be triggered by activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). In this study, we performed femoral artery ligation (FAL) in transgenic mice with platelet-specific ablation of TLR4 (TLR4 PF4) and in NLRP3 knockout (NLRP3^?/?) mice. NLRP3 inflammasome activity of circulating platelets, as monitored by activation of caspase-1 and cleavage of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), was upregulated in mice subjected to FAL. Genetic ablation of TLR4 in platelets led to decreased platelet caspase 1 activation and platelet aggregation, which was reversed by the NLRP3 activator Nigericin. Two weeks after the induction of FAL, ischemic limb perfusion was increased in TLR4 PF4 and NLRP3^?/? mice as compared to control mice. Hence, activation of platelet TLR4/NLRP3 signaling plays a critical role in upregulating platelet aggregation and interfering with perfusion recovery in muscle ischemia and may represent a therapeutic target to improve limb salvage.     

Plant functional types and temperature control carbon input via roots in peatland soils

Plant and Soil - During historical yield improvement in soybean, breeders have seldom considered selection for root traits, generally focusing selection on yield traits. Yet, it is not known how...