A comparative cytogenetic analysis of five pine species from North America, Pinus banksiana, P. contorta, P. monticola, P. resinosa, and P. strobus

The genus Pinus comprises more than 100 species, which are widely distributed in the Northern hemisphere. Cytogenetic information on North American pines is very limited despite their economic importance. In the present study, a detailed comparative cytogenetic analysis is presented for five pine species from North America, P. resinosa, P. monticola, P. contorta, P. banksiana, and P. strobus. Morphometric analysis and physical mapping of rDNA probes were performed. The karyotype of P. monticola was considered ancestral with small difference in relative chromosome lengths. P. banksiana, P. contorta, and P. strobus karyotypes were considered semi-asymmetrical and less ancestral type. P. banksiana showed five secondary constrictions, P. strobus six, and P. contorta eight. P. resinosa karyotype was semi-asymmetrical and derived with 14 secondary constrictions identified on eight different chromosomes. Karyological data were consistent with molecular cytogenetic information. A significant association was observed between the number and locations of secondary constrictions and the 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA sites detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The two methods were used to establish a reliable comparative karyotype of the selected pines. In general, karyotype and chromosome evolution were not related to genetic relationships among pine species studied.     

Hybridization and recombination in the yeasts Pichia alni, P. bimundalis, P. finlandica, P. glucozyma, P. henricii, P. hostii, P. minuta var. nonfermentans, P. muscicola

A collection of genetic lines in 8 reproductively isolated Pichia species has been created. The above data have permitted realizing intraspecific hybridization and showing normal meiotic segregation of auxotrophic markers.     

Comparative genome mapping among Populus adenopoda, P. alba, P. deltoides, P. euramericana and P. trichocarpa

Among the genus Populus, the sections Populus (white poplar), Aigeiros Duby (black poplar) and Tacamahaca Spach contain many tree species of economical and ecological important properties. Two parental maps for the inter-specific hybrid population of Populus adenopoda × P. alba (two species of Populus section) were constructed based on SSR and SRAP markers by means of a two-way pseudo-test cross mapping strategy. The same set of SSR markers developed from the P. trichocarpa (belonging to Tacamahaca section) genome which were used to construct the maps of P. deltoides and P. euramericana (two species of Aigeiros section) was chosen to analyze the genotype of the experimental population of P. adenopoda × P. alba. Using the mapped SSR markers as allelic bridges, the alignment of the white and black poplar maps to each other and to the P. trichocarpa physical map was conducted. The alignment showed high degree of marker synteny and colinearity and the closer relationship between Aigeiros and Tacamahaca sections than that of Populus and Tacamahaca. Moreover, there was evidence for the chromosomal duplication and inter-chromosomal reorganization involving some poplar linkage groups, suggesting a complicated course of fission or fusion in one of the lineages. A poplar consensus map based on the comparisons could be constructed will be useful in practical applications including marker assisted selection.     

A HPTLC densitometric determination of flavonoids from Passiflora alata, P. edulis, P. incarnata and P. caerulea and comparison with HPLC method

A high-performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method was developed in order to determine quantitatively the flavonoids in leaves of Passiflora alata, P. edulis, P. caerulea and P. incarnata. The content of orientin and isoorientin was determined, and the results were compared with those obtained using a quantitative HPLC-UV method. The latter employed rutin as standard and was developed to analyse flavonoid content from Passiflora leaves for the purpose of ensuring the quality of Passiflora phytomedicines. The results obtained using the two methods indicate that there are qualitative and quantitative differences in the flavonoids of the reference Passiflora species studied. The two methods were also employed to analyse commercial samples to illustrate their application in qualitative ('fingerprint') and quantitative determination, demonstrating their feasibility in the quality control of flavonoids from crude Passiflora drugs and phytomedicines. The HPLC conditions used are also suitable for the quantitative analysis of aqueous extracts (Passiflora infusions).     

Monogeneans from Pangasiidae (Siluriformes) in Southeast Asia: IV. Five new species of Thaparocleidus Jain, 1952 (Ancylodiscoididae) from Pangasius krempfi,P. kunyit,P. mekongensis and P. sabahensis

The examination of gill parasites from Pangasius krempfi Roberts & Vidthayanon, 1991; P. kunyit Pouyaud et al., 1999; P. mekongensis Gustiano et al., in press and P. sabahensis Gustiano et al., in press (Siluriformes, Pangasiidae) in Southeast Asia revealed the presence of six species of Monogenea, all belonging to the genus Thaparocleidus Jain, 1952 (Monogenea, Ancylodiscoididae) as defined by Lim (1996) and Lim et al. (2001). One has been previously described (T. vietnamensis Pariselle et al., 2002), five are considered as new species: T. humerus n. sp. and T. culter n. sp. on P. kunyit; T. mehurus n. sp. and T. culteroides n. sp. on P. sabahensis; and T. phuongi n. sp. on the four studied host species. The latter one, due to slight morphometric differences linked to geographical origin of hosts, is described as made up of three sub-species: T. phuongi phuongi n. sub-sp., T. phuongi malaysiensis n. sub-sp. and T. phuongi indonesiensis n. sub-sp.     

Monogeneans from Pangasiidae (Siluriformes) in Southeast Asia: I. Five new species of Thaparocleidus Jain, 1952 (Ancylodiscoidinae) from Pangasius pangasius, P. kinabatanganensis, P. rheophilus and P. nieuwenhuisii

The examination of gill parasites from Pangasius pangasius (Hamilton, 1822); P. kinabatanganensis Roberts & Vidthayanon, 1991; P. rheophilus Pouyaud & Teugels, 2000 and P. nieuwenhuisii (Popta, 1904) (Siluriformes, Pangasiidae) in Southeast Asia revealed the presence of six species of Thaparocleidus Jain, 1952 (Monogenea, Ancylodiscoidinae). One has been previously described from P. pangasius: T. pangasi (Tripathi, 1957). The other five are new species: T. chandpuri n. sp. from P. pangasius; T. bahari n. sp. and T. sabanensis n. sp. from P. kinabatanganensis; T. redebensis n. sp. from P. rheophilus and T. mahakamensis n. sp. from P. nieuwenhuisii.     

A clarification of two congeners,Pseudodiaptomus lobipes and P. binghami (Calanoida,Pseudodiaptomidae) from India,with description of P. mixtus sp.n. from Bangladesh

Two closely related and often confused species of Pseudodiaptomus from the Lobus-species group, P. lobipes and P. binghami are redescribed from various locations along the east coast of India. These species predominately occur in freshwater though they can survive temporary periods of increased salinity. The distinctive features of the species are found on: female caudal ramal setae, female and male urosome 1–2 spinulation patterns, and fifth legs. A new species P. mixtus from Bangladesh is described.     

Plant regeneration from cultured cell-derived protoplasts of Pelargonium aridum,P. x hortorum and P. peltatum

Cultured protoplasts from cell suspensions of Pelargonium aridum, P.x hortorum and P. peltatum divided and formed callus. On agar-solidified regenerative medium, such protoplast-derived calli (p-calli) underwent plant regeneration at frequencies approaching 100% for P. aridum and 10% for P.x hortorum. Under similar conditions shoot primordia arose in 5% of P. peltatum p-calli, but these never developed into normal shoots. However, following a liquid-shake culture regime, whole plants were induced in 20% of P. peltatum p-calli. This approach also improved regeneration of P.x hortorum to 60%.Abbreviations NAA napthaleneacetic acid - 6-BAP 6-benzylaminopurine     

Morphology of two new marine peritrich ciliates from Yellow Sea,Pseudovorticella dingi nov. spec. and P. wangi nov. spec., with supplementary descriptions of P. plicata,P. banatica and P. anomala (Ciliophora,Peritrichia)

Two new marine peritrich ciliates, Pseudovorticella dingi nov. spec. and Pseudovorticella wangi nov. spec. were collected from coastal waters of Qingdao, China. Their living morphology, infraciliature and silverline system were studied using light microscopy and silver staining methods. Pseudovorticella dingi is characterized mainly by the apically located contractile vacuole and the presence of pellicular granules. There are 28–36 and 13–18 transverse silverlines above and below the trochal band, respectively. Infundibular polykinety 3 is composed of three rows, with row 1 conspicuously shorter than the other two. P. wangi is distinguished mainly by having two ventrally located contractile vacuoles. There are 17–20 and 9–11 transverse silverlines above and below the trochal band, respectively. Abstomal end of row 1 of infundibular polykinety 3 diverges from the other two and ends alongside row 3 of infundibular polykinety 2. Pseudovorticella plicata, P. banatica, and P. anomala have been described in Sun et al. (2009); we supplement morphometric data and photographs from life and after silver staining of these three species in the present study.     

Phylogenetic relationships among Puccinia hemerocallidis, P. funkiae, and P. patriniae (Uredinales) inferred from ITS sequence data

Puccinia hemerocallidis and P. funkiae resemble each other morphologically; however, they are biologically and taxonomically distinct, with telia of the former being restricted to species of Hemerocallis and the latter to Hosta species. However, both fungi share a macrocyclic and heteroecious life cycle with Patrinia villosa as the spermogonial and aecial host. An additional microcyclic rust fungus, P. patriniae, is also known on P. villosa. This microcyclic fungus is similar to the two macrocyclic fungi in its telial structure and teliospore morphology. These similarities in morphology and host relationships suggest the three fungi may also share a close evolutionary relationship. To determine the phylogenetic relationships of the three species, a portion of the nuclear ribosomal DNA repeat encoding the ITS and 5.8S subunit regions was amplified by PCR, sequenced, and analyzed. The resulting phylogenetic trees showed that P. hemerocallidis and P. funkiae share a recent common ancestor and that P. patriniae is closely allied with P. hemerocallidis. The results suggest a possible evolutionary derivation of microcyclic P. patriniae from macrocyclic heteroecious P. hemerocallidis, which fits the evolutionary interpretation of correlated species known as Tranzschel's law.