Skeletal and muscular pelvic morphology of hillstream loaches (Cypriniformes: Balitoridae)

The rheophilic hillstream loaches (Balitoridae) of South and Southeast Asia possess a range of pelvic girdle morphologies, which may be attributed to adaptations for locomotion against rapidly flowing water. Specifically, the connectivity of the pelvic plate (basipterygium) to the vertebral column via a sacral rib, and the relative size and shape of the sacral rib, fall within a spectrum of three discrete morphotypes: long, narrow rib that meets the basipterygium; thicker, slightly curved rib meeting the basipterygium; and robust crested rib interlocking with the basipterygium. Species in this third category with more robust sacral rib connections between the basipterygium and vertebral column are capable of walking out of water with a tetrapod-like lateral-sequence, diagonal-couplet gait. This behavior has not been observed in species lacking direct skeletal connection between the vertebrae and the pelvis. The phylogenetic positions of the morphotypes were visualized by matching the morphological features onto a novel hypothesis of relationships for the family Balitoridae. The morphotypes determined through skeletal morphology were correlated with patterns observed in the pelvic muscle morphology of these fishes. Transitions towards increasingly robust pelvic girdle attachment were coincident with a more anterior origin on the basipterygium and more lateral insertion of the muscles on the fin rays, along with a reduction of the superficial abductors and adductors with more posterior insertions. These modifications are expected to provide a mechanical advantage for generating force against the ground. Inclusion of the enigmatic cave-adapted balitorid Cryptotora thamicola into the most data-rich balitorid phylogeny reveals its closest relatives, providing insight into the origin of the skeletal connection between the axial skeleton and basipterygium.     

Normal vision can compensate for the loss of the circadian clock

Circadian clocks are thought to be essential for timing the daily activity of animals, and consequently increase fitness. This view was recently challenged for clock-less fruit flies and mice that exhibited astonishingly normal activity rhythms under outdoor conditions. Compensatory mechanisms appear to enable even clock mutants to live a normal life in nature. Here, we show that gradual daily increases/decreases of light in the laboratory suffice to provoke normally timed sharp morning (M) and evening (E) activity peaks in clock-less flies. We also show that the compound eyes, but not Cryptochrome (CRY), mediate the precise timing of M and E peaks under natural-like conditions, as CRY-less flies do and eyeless flies do not show these sharp peaks independently of a functional clock. Nevertheless, the circadian clock appears critical for anticipating dusk, as well as for inhibiting sharp activity peaks during midnight. Clock-less flies only increase E activity after dusk and not before the beginning of dusk, and respond strongly to twilight exposure in the middle of the night. Furthermore, the circadian clock responds to natural-like light cycles, by slightly broadening Timeless (TIM) abundance in the clock neurons, and this effect is mediated by CRY.     

Ferricyanide reductase of rose plasma membranes is regulated by nitrogen supply

Summary The ability of suspension-cultured rose (Rosa damascena Mill. cv Gloire de Guilan) cells to reduce ferricyanide is decreased by 50% during an overnight incubation in a low-nutrient (1 mM CaCl₂, 0.1 mM KCl) solution. This loss is not observed when nitrate and/or glutamate is added to the low-nutrient medium, but it occurs in medium containing all the components needed for normal growth except nitrate plus glutamate. Thus, the cells possess both constitutive and inducible enzymes for the reduction of ferricyanide, and nitrate or glutamate is both necessary and sufficient to stimulate the production of the inducible enzyme.     

Systematics within Gyps vultures: a clade at risk

Background  

Populations of the Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) have declined by over 95% within the past decade. This decline is largely due to incidental consumption of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory veterinary pharmaceutical diclofenac, commonly used to treat domestic livestock. The conservation status of other Gyps vultures in southern Asia is also of immediate concern, given the lack of knowledge regarding status of their populations and the continuing existence of taxonomic uncertainties. In this study, we assess phylogenetic relationships for all recognized species and the majority of subspecies within the genus Gyps. The continuing veterinary use of diclofenac is an unknown but potential risk to related species with similar feeding habits to Gyps bengalensis. Therefore, an accurate assessment of the phylogenetic relationships among Gyps vultures should aid in their conservation by clarifying taxonomic uncertainties, and enabling inference of their respective relatedness to susceptible G. bengalensis.     

Regeneration of Triticum aestivum apical explants after microinjection of germ line progenitor cells with DNA

A highly efficient method of regenerating fertile, phenotypically normal plants from shoot apex cultures of T. aestivum was developed. The hypodermal layer (L2) of the vegetative apex containing germ line precursor cells could be located with bright field microscopy and targeted for microinjection. Fluorescently labelled dextrans were used as markers to develop a microinjection procedure which did not disrupt nuclear or cytoplasmic structure. This procedure was used to inject plasmid DNA into L2 cells. Capillary microinjection did not shear the plasmid DNA and delivery of DNA was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of DNA isolated from injected apices. The significance of these findings in relation to the development of cereal transformation systems will be discussed.     

Similar and opposite effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and insulin on glucose metabolism in adipose tissue

The effects of N⁶-2′-O-dibutyryl cyclic AMP on glucose metabolism and lipolysis in fragments of rat epididymal adipose tissue were studied. Measurements were made of glucose uptake, conversion of glucose carbon to CO₂ and tissue fatty acids and glyceride-glycerol, lactate production, and glycerol release. Low concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (0.1–0.5 mM) increased all parameters of glucose metabolism and inhibited glycerol release in tissue from both normally fed and fasted rats. Higher concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (3–5 mM) diminished glucose utilization and greatly accelerated lipolysis. Insulin, 50 μunits/ml, accelerated glucose metabolism in the presence of either low or high concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP though the effect of insulin was greatly reduced by 3 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Tissue exposed to concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP which inhibited glucose metabolism (5 mM), then rinsed and reincubated without dibutyryl cyclic AMP, displayed increased glucose utilization. The results of these experiments emphasize the need for caution in interpretation of the effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP on adipose tissue metabolism and the need for further research to elucidate the role of cyclic AMP in the regulation of glucose metabolism.