Y-SNP haplogroups related to the Yqh+ heteromorphism in the Mexican northwestern population

Morphological variation of the Y chromosome has been observed in different populations. This variation is mostly related to the heteromorphic Yq12 band, which is composed of a variable block of constitutive heterochromatin. The Yqh+ heteromorphism has a worldwide frequency of 2.85% and is considered clinically innocuous. The aim of this study was to identify the ancestry of the Yqh+ heteromorphism present in individuals from western Mexico. For this purpose, 17 Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms were analysed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction and SNaPshot assays. In 28 Yqh+ males, only five haplogroups were observed; with a haplogroup diversity of 0.4841 ± 0.1094, which was less than that observed in a study of unselected Mexican mestizo population. Differences were specifically conferred by the high frequencies of haplogroups R1b1 and P*(xQ,R), and by the absence of the Amerindian haplogroup Q (Q*(xQ1a3a) plus Q1a3a) from the Yqh+ group. This study suggests a post-1492 incorporation for Yqh+ chromosomes into the Mexican northwestern population.     

Partial immunological characterization of heat-stable proteinases from Pseudomonas spp. of dairy origin

A homogeneous extracellular heat-stable proteinase from Pseudomonas fluorescens AH-70 was used to prepare antiserum in rabbits. The rabbit antiserum was used to study the antigenic relationship of the proteinases from 26 psychrotrophic Pseudomonas spp. isolated from raw milk. The inhibition of the proteinases by the antiserum, the gel precipitin reactions and the use of a double-antibody sandwich ELISA, revealed that proteinase AH-70 is immunologically related to proteinases from 8/26 other Pseudomonas strains. These results also indicate that the immunological techniques for the detection of proteolytic enzymes in raw milk require antibody preparations of broader specificity.     

KCNE1 is an auxiliary subunit of two distinct ion channel superfamilies

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Caracterización morfológica y molecular del antagonismo entre el endofito Diaporthe sp. aislado de frailejón (Espeletia sp.) y el fitopatógeno Phytophthora infestans

Endophytic fungi produce a great variety of secondary metabolites both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we characterized the ability of a sterile-mycelium endophytic fungus isolated from Espeletia sp. to control the growth of Phytophthora infestans in Petri dishes. Sequence from the ITS regions (internal transcribed spacer) of the endophyte showed 94% similarity to Diaporthe phaseolorum's. The antagonistic interaction between Diaporthe sp. and P. infestans was evaluated in three different culture media. Diaporthe sp. showed an antagonistic effect towards P. infestans, with some variation depending on which medium was used. In an attempt to identify possible genes involved in this antagonism, we detected a gene from the endophyte encoding an amylase, which was differentially expressed during this biotic interaction.     

Ichtyotoxic activity of extracts from Mexican marine macroalgae

Seventy-three species of macroalgae from the Mexican Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean coast were screened for ichtyotoxic activity. Ethanolic, acetonic and aqueous extracts were prepared and tested against the fish Carassius auratus. The extracts were classified on the basis of their effects as: toxic if the fish died in two hours or less; moderately toxic, if the organism behaved abnormally but death did notoccur, and non-toxic if the fish did not display any change. 79% species were ichtyotoxic to some degree. Extracts of 39 species were toxic, with at least one extract with lethal effects, 19 were moderately toxic and 15 species were non-toxic. Only the extracts ofDictyota bartayresiana, Dictyota cervicornis,Lobophora variegata, Bryothamnion triquetrum and Laurencia obtusa were toxic in all three solvents. The acetone and ethanol extracts were more active, and therefore are more suitable for extraction of toxic substances. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Simplicity or complexity? Important aspects of high nature value grassland management in nature conservation

Biodiversity and Conservation - Local, adaptive traditional grassland management systems have played a fundamental role in the creation, maintenance and conservation of high nature value (HNV)...     

Transport and regulative properties of phenylacetic acid

The mode of transport and regulative properties of phenylacetic acid (PAA) were studied in 11-cm long segments of pea epicotyls capable of growth. The transport of PAA m both the basipetal and aeropetal direction was limited to tissues situated immediately below and/or above the site of its application. PAA was able to promote the flow of¹⁴C-ABA in the acropetal direction. PAA-initiated thickening growth was probably the cause of this promotion. Influence of Auxin-like Substances upon the Transport of¹⁴C-ABA in Long Pea Epicotyl Segments Part III.     

Water inputs across a tropical montane landscape in Veracruz,Mexico: synergistic effects of land cover,rain and fog seasonality,and interannual precipitation variability

Land‐cover change can alter the spatiotemporal distribution of water inputs to mountain ecosystems, an important control on land‐surface and land‐atmosphere hydrologic fluxes. In eastern Mexico, we examined the influence of three widespread land‐cover types, montane cloud forest, coffee agroforestry, and cleared areas, on total and net water inputs to soil. Stand structural characteristics, as well as rain, fog, stemflow, and throughfall (water that falls through the canopy) water fluxes were measured across 11 sites during wet and dry seasons from 2005 to 2008. Land‐cover type had a significant effect on annual and seasonal net throughfall (NTF <0=canopy water retention plus canopy evaporation; NTF >0=fog water deposition). Forest canopies retained and/or lost to evaporation (i.e. NTF<0) five‐ to 11‐fold more water than coffee agroforests. Moreover, stemflow was fourfold higher under coffee shade than forest trees. Precipitation seasonality and phenological patterns determined the magnitude of these land‐cover differences, as well as their implications for the hydrologic cycle. Significant negative relationships were found between NTF and tree leaf area index (R²=0.38, P<0.002), NTF and stand basal area (R²=0.664, P<0.002), and stemflow and epiphyte loading (R²=0.414, P<0.001). These findings indicate that leaf and epiphyte surface area reductions associated with forest conversion decrease canopy water retention/evaporation, thereby increasing throughfall and stemflow inputs to soil. Interannual precipitation variability also altered patterns of water redistribution across this landscape. Storms and hurricanes resulted in little difference in forest‐coffee wet season NTF, while El Niño Southern Oscillation was associated with a twofold increase in dry season rain and fog throughfall water deposition. In montane headwater regions, changes in water delivery to canopies and soils may affect infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration, with implications for provisioning (e.g. water supply) and regulating (e.g. flood mitigation) ecosystem services.