Biosynthesis of grandlure,the pheromone of the boll weevil,Anthonomus grandis,from acetate,mevalonate, and glucose

The steam-distilled faeces of adult male boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis, that had been injected with acetate-1¹⁴C, acetate-2¹⁴C, mevalonic acid-2¹⁴C, or glucose¹⁴C(U) showed by column and gas chromatography that approximately 0·02 per cent of the administered radioactivity was incorporated into the volatile fraction. Also, 4 components of the pheromone comprised 57 to 80 per cent of the radioactivity of the volatiles but only 39 per cent of the total content of volatiles. Thus, evidence was obtained for de novo synthesis of the components. Although the boll weevil is essentially an obligate insect of cotton, this insect does not appear to require any specific component in cotton for biosynthesis of the pheromone.     

On the ability of four flavonoids, baicilein, luteolin, naringenin, and quercetin, to suppress the fenton reaction of the iron-ATP complex

Four flavonoids, baicilein, luteolin, naringenin, and quercetin were investigated for their ability to suppress the Fenton reaction characteristic of the iron-ATP complex. Absorption spectroscopy indicates that under the conditions of 18.75% aqueous methanol, 0.0625 mM HEPES pH 7.4 buffer and 1.5:1 quercetin/iron-ATP ratio a mix ligand complex formed. All four flavonoids were found to interfere with the voltammetric catalytic wave associated with the iron-ATP complex in the presence of H₂O₂. Quercetin and luteolin were able to completely suppress the catalytic wave of the iron-ATP/H₂O₂ system when a minimum ratio of 1.5:1 of the flavonoid to iron-ATP was reached. At this ratio, the ability of the studied series of flavonoids to suppress the Fenton reaction characteristic of iron-ATP follows as quercetin luteolin > naringenin baicilein. Both quercetin and luteolin contain catechol on the B ring, which may enhance the iron chelation of these species over baicilein and naringenin. The common structural feature of all of these flavonoids is the 4-keto, 5-hydroxy region, which may also contribute to the chelation of iron.     

Incrimination of the mosquito,Aedes taeniorhynchus,as the primary vector of heartworm,Dirofilaria immitis,in coastal Yucatan,Mexico

Mosquito collections were carried out on microfilaraemic dogs, positive for Dirofilaria sp., for 18 consecutive nights in the coastal town of Celestún, Yucatan, southeast Mexico, during the rainy season (August) of 2007. A total of 292 female mosquitoes representing 12 species of dipteran Culicidae were collected: Anopheles albimanus (Wiedemann); Anopheles crucians (Wiedemann); Anopheles pseudopunctipennis (Theobald); Culex coronator (Dyar & Knab); Culex interrogator (Dyar & Knab); Culex nigripalpus (Theobald); Culex quinquefasciatus (Say); Culex salinarius (Coquillett); Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus); Aedes scapularis (Rondani); Aedes sollicitans (Walker), and Aedes taeniorhynchus (Wiedemann). Aedes taeniorhynchus and Cx. quinquefasciatus were the species found most commonly feeding on the dogs. Filarial nematodes were observed by microscopy in nine of the mosquito species collected; however, third‐instar larvae were only observed in Ae. taeniorhynchus and An. crucians. Of 76 Ae. taeniorhynchus specimens found positive for Dirofilaria sp. by dissection, 14 were confirmed to be positive for Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The resulting infection rate for D. immitis confirmed by PCR (6.2%) is higher than any infection rate for Ae. taeniorhynchus previously reported from the Americas.     

Formation of pyrophosphate,tripolyphosphate, and phosphorylimidazole with the thioester,N, S-diacetylcysteamine,as the condensing agent

Summary Reaction of 0.20M orthophosphate with 0.20M N,S-diacetylcysteamine in 0.40M imidazole at pH 7.0 or 8.0 under drying conditions at 50°C for 6 days yields pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate in the presence and absence of 0.10M divalent metal ion. The efficiency of utilization of N,S-diacetylcysteamine in the formation of pyrophosphate linkages ranges from 3 – 8% under the above conditions. The thioester, N,S-diacetylcysteamine, and imidazole are required for phosphoanhydride formation.Reaction of 0.40M orthophosphate with 0.20M N, S-diacetylcysteamine in 0.40M imidazole at ambient temperature for 6 days yields phosphorylimidazole in the absence or presence of 0.05M MgCl₂. Phosphorylimidazole and pyrophosphate are formed in the presence of 0.05M CaCl₂; pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate are formed with 0.15M CaCl₂. The efficiency of utilization of N,S-diacetylcysteamine in the formation of pyrophosphate linkages is roughly 7% at 6 days of reaction with 0.15M CaCl₂. The thioester, N,S-diacetylcysteamine and imidazole are required for the formation of phosphoanhydrides. The significance of these reactions to molecular evolution is discussed.Abbreviations P₁ orthophosphate - P₂ pyrophosphate - P₃ tripolyphosphate - ImP phosphorylimidazole - Ac-Csa(Ac) N, S-diacetylcysteamine - Im imidazole     

Age,growth and reproductive biology of the silky shark,Carcharhinus falciformis,and the scalloped hammerhead,Sphyrna lewini,from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Synopsis The silky shark, Carcharhinus falciformis, and scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini, represent >80% of the shark by-catch of the winter swordfish/tuna longline fishery of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. This catch represents a potential supplemental fishery, yet little is known of the life histories of the two species. This report relates reproductive biology data to age and growth estimates for 135 C. falciformis and 78 S. lewini. Unlike other regional populations, C. falciformis in the Gulf of Mexico may have a seasonal 12 month gestation period. Males mature at 210–220 cm TL (6–7 yr); females at >225 cm TL (7–9 yr). Application of age at length data for combined sexes produced von Bertalanffy growth model parameter estimates of L_∞ = 291 cm TL, K = 0.153, t₀ = −2.2 yr. Adult male S. lewini outnumbered adult females in catches because of differences in the distributions of the sexually segregated population. Males mature at 180 cm TL (10 yr); females at 250 cm TL (15 yr). von Bertalanffy parameter estimates for combined sexes of this species were L_∞ = 329 cm TL, K = 0.073, t_o = −2.2 yr.     

Speciation,phenotypic plasticity,or ontogeny,the case of the genus Galkinius (Pyrgomatidae,Cirripedia, Crustacea)

Barnacles of the genus Galkinius occupy a large spectrum of host corals, making it one of the least host‐specific genera within the Pyrgomatidae. Molecular analyses show that within the genus Galkinius there are highly supported clades, suggesting that the genus Galkinius is a complex of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). The morphology of the opercular valves has been used as the basis for the separation of species of Galkinius. In this study, morphological variability was found both between specimens within ESUs extracted from different host species and between specimens extracted from the same colony. Identifications based on the opercular valves cannot therefore be assigned to different species despite being genetically distinguishable. It is proposed that in many cases the differences between valve morphology of different species of Galkinius are the outcome of ontogeny. Allometric growth of the valves has resulted in differences in the proportions of the parts of the valve. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London     

Yeasts of the Miami,Florida, Area

The examination of a total of 301 yeast cultures collected from 22 water samples in the Miami River has demonstrated the presence of 18 different yeasts, including 6 sporogenous and 12 asporogenous species.The more frequent species were Sacch. carlsbergensis (100%), Cand. tropicalis (31%), Pichia fermentans (22%) Torulopsis glabrata (18%) and Cryptococcus albidus (18%).Comparison of Miami River studies with earlier collections made in Key Biscayne soil as well as in Biscayne Bay reveals the occurrence of common species in all three habitats.     

Morphological properties of the last primaries,the tail feathers,and the alulae of Accipiter nisus,Columba livia,Falco peregrinus,and Falco tinnunculus

We investigated the mechanical properties (Young's modulus, bending stiffness, barb separation forces) of the tenth primary of the wings, of the alulae and of the middle tail feathers of Falco peregrinus. For comparison, we also investigated the corresponding feathers in pigeons (Columba livia), kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), and sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus). In all four species, the Young's moduli of the feathers ranged from 5.9 to 8.4 GPa. The feather shafts of F. peregrinus had the largest cross‐sections and the highest specific bending stiffness. When normalized with respect to body mass, the specific bending stiffness of primary number 10 was highest in F. tinnunculus, while that of the alula was highest in A. nisus. In comparison, the specific bending stiffness, measured at the base of the tail feathers and in dorso‐ventral bending direction, was much higher in F. peregrinus than in the other three species. This seems to correlate with the flight styles of the birds: F. tinnunculus hovers and its primaries might therefore withstand large mechanical forces. A. nisus has often to change its flight directions during hunting and perhaps needs its alulae for this maneuvers, and in F. peregrinus, the base of the tail feathers might need a high stiffness during breaking after diving. J. Morphol. 276:33–46, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Fate of bacteria, Aeromonas caviae, in the midgut of the housefly, Musca domestica

Abstract. The role of houseflies as agents in the spread of bacterial diseases has been thoroughly investigated, yet the fate of bacteria ingested by flies has not. We examined the physical location of the bacterial enteropathogen Aeromonas caviae in the midgut of laboratory‐reared adult houseflies. Food ingested by houseflies was separated from the midgut epithelium by a double‐layered peritrophic matrix (PM). The inner PM intimately enveloped the food as fecal pellets (food boluses), while the outer PM appeared as a long continuous tube. In flies fed a suspension of A. caviae, live bacteria were not observed within the inner PM, but were compartmentalized between folds of the PM in the inter‐PM space. Similar observations were made for flies fed a suspension of Serratia liquefaciens and for highly contaminated feral flies. Isolates of both A. caviae and S. liquefaciens were chitinolytic (as demonstrated by clearing zones on chitin agar), but the potential role of bacterial enzymes in the alteration of PM morphology or formation needs further investigation.     

Analysis of the Promoter of the Auxin-Inducible Gene, parC, of Tobacco

The auxin-responsive region (AuxRR) in the promoter of the parCgene was analyzed in transgenic tobacco plants in which the5' flanking region of the parC promoter was placed upstreamof the gene for rß-glucuronidase (GUS). The AuxRRwas located between nucleotides (nt) –226 and –54.Detailed dissection of this segment revealed that the presenceof the non-contiguous sequences from nt –226 to –151and from nt –84 to –54 was required for the expressionof the auxin responsiveness of the parC promoter. The sequencefrom nt –226 to –151 was found to contain a sequencewhich resembles the as-1 element in the 35S promoter of cauliflowermosaic virus (CaMV). Although it has been reported that theas-1 element is involved in auxin responsiveness [Liu and Lam(1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269: 668], we showed that introductionof a point mutation into the as-1-like sequence completely eliminatedauxin responsiveness, a result that suggests that the sequenceis indispensable for auxin responsiveness. However, the presenceof the as-1-like sequence alone was not sufficient for auxinresponsiveness, since the segment (nt –226 to –84)that included the as-1-like sequence failed to confer auxinresponsiveness on the core promoter. It is possible that thetwo separately located sequences play specific roles in interactionswith trans-factors that are required for the expression of theauxin responsiveness of the parC promoter. (Received March 11, 1996; Accepted July 9, 1996)     

Expression of the autofluorescent protein, DsRed2, in the recombinants of the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete, Suillus grevillei, generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

Recombinants were generated from the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete, Suillus grevillei, through agroinfection using a binary vector carrying the hygromycin B resistance and the autofluorescent protein, DsRed2, markers. DsRed2 was driven by a cis-regulatory region of the glyceraldeyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (gpd) from the wood-rotting basidiomycete, Coriolus hirsutus, which contains promoters and 5′ gpd sequences with first through fourth exons and expressed for the first time in Suillus spp. The transformation system and recombinants expressing an autofluorescent protein may be useful in genetic analysis of the symbiosis.     

Age, growth, maturity, and mortality of the Alaska skate, Bathyraja parmifera, in the eastern Bering Sea

The Alaska skate, Bathyraja parmifera, is the most abundant species of skate on the eastern Bering Sea shelf, accounting for over 90% of total skate biomass. However, little is known regarding the life history of this species despite its common occurrence as bycatch in several Bering Sea fisheries. This is the first study to focus on the age and growth of B. parmifera. From 2003 to 2005, more than one thousand specimens were collected by fisheries observers and on scientific groundfish surveys. Annual banding patterns in more than 500 thin sections of vertebral centra were examined for age determination. Caudal thorns were tested as a potentially non-lethal ageing structure. Annual band pair deposition was verified through edge and marginal increment analyses. A three-parameter von Bertalanffy growth function and a Gompertz growth function were fit to observed length-at-age data. Both models provided significant fits, although the Gompertz function best described the overall pattern of growth in both males and females, based upon statistical criteria and parameter estimates. Age and size at 50% maturity were 9 years and 92 cm TL for males and 10 years and 93 cm TL for females. The maximum observed ages for males and females were 15 years and 17 years, respectively. Estimates of natural mortality (M) ranged from 0.14 to 0.28, and were based on published relationships between M and longevity, age at maturity, and the von Bertalanffy growth coefficient. Due to these life history characteristics and a lack of long-term species-specific stock data, a conservative management approach would be appropriate for B. parmifera.     

Stress,adaptation, and speciation in the evolution of the blind mole rat,Spalax, in Israel

Environmental stress played a major role in the evolution of the blind mole rat superspecies Spalax ehrenbergi, affecting its adaptive evolution and ecological speciation underground. Spalax is safeguarded all of its life underground from aboveground climatic fluctuations and predators. However, it encounters multiple stresses in its underground burrows including darkness, energetics, hypoxia, hypercapnia, food scarcity, and pathogenicity. Consequently, it evolved adaptive genomic, proteomic, and phenomic complexes to cope with those stresses. Here I describe some of these adaptive complexes, and their theoretical and applied perspectives. Spalax mosaic molecular and organismal evolution involves reductions or regressions coupled with expansions or progressions caused by evolutionary tinkering and natural genetic engineering. Speciation of Spalax in Israel occurred in the Pleistocene, during the last 2.00–2.35 Mya, generating four species associated intimately with four climatic regimes with increasing aridity stress southwards and eastwards representing an ecological speciational adaptive trend: (Spalax golani, 2n = 54 → S. galili, 2n = 52 → S. carmeli, 2n = 58 → S. judaei, 2n = 60). Darwinian ecological speciation occurred gradually with relatively little genetic change by Robertsonian chromosomal and genic mutations. Spalax genome sequencing has just been completed. It involves multiple adaptive complexes to life underground and is an evolutionary model to a few hundred underground mammals. It involves great promise in the future for medicine, space flight, and deep-sea diving.     

On the distribution of the Slow Worm,Anguis fragilis,and the European Glass Lizard,Ophisaurus apodus,in Turkey

Abstract

The two subspecies of Ophisaurus apodus represent different ecotypes: thracicus is a coastal type, which occurs in Turkey along all coasts (but only local along the Black Sea coast), whereas nominate apodus is an inland type which is found in Turkey only in the extreme east. Anguis fragilis is confined to areas in which the monthly mean precipitation is above 20 mm.     

Biochemical documentation of allelic variation of the I-E antigens of the d,k, p,r, and u haplotypes

The extent of allelic variation of the E and E polypeptide chains of the I-E antigens from the H-2> ^d ,H-2 ^k , H-2 ^p , H-2 ^r , and H-2 ^u haplotypes is described. E and E chains were individually labeled with arginine or lysine and compared by tryptic peptide analysis. The results indicate minimum variability among the E polypeptides encoded by the d, k, p, and r haplotypes. However, the E ^u chain differed significantly from the other allelic E gene products. On the other hand, the E alleles demonstrated substantial variability with the E ^d being notably less similar to the other alleles than they are to each other. These findings are consistent with a number of observations regarding the serology and functions of the I-E antigens.Abbreviations MHC major histocompatibility complex - NMS normal mouse serum - NP-40 Nonidet P-40 - NTS 0.25% NP-40, 10 mM Tris-Cl, 0.15 M NaCl (pH 7.4) - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate - SDS-PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of SDS     

Effect of the stem blight pathogen, Phomopsis emicis, and the weevil, Perapion antiquum, on the weed Emex australis

The stem blight pathogen, Phomopsis emicis, and the weevil, Perapion antiquum, are two potential biological control agents for the annual weed, Emex australis. Neither pathogen nor weevil affected the development of rosette (5-wk-old) E. australis, but both significantly reduced stem length and number of new fruits in mature plants (10-wk-old) in growth room experiments. Stems grew two-thirds less than controls in plants attacked by weevils, had no net increase when both weevils and fungus were present, and collapsed in the presence of the fungus alone. Attack by weevils elicited a host response that slowed the development of the disease. Phomopsis emicis and Perapion antiquum reduced the ability of E. australis to produce new fruits by 77% and 68%, respectively. Pathogen and weevil together reduced the number of new fruits by 83%. Perapion antiquum did not carry or provide infection sites for P. emicis. The lack of damage by pathogen and weevil to rosettes could compromise their effectiveness as biological control agents.     

Checklist of the species of the aseptate gregarine families Aikinetocystidae,Diplocystidae, Allantocystidae,Schaudinnellidae, Ganymedidae,and Enterocystidae

The genera and species in six families of the eugregarine suborder Aseptatorina Chakravarty, 1960, are reviewed and the presently accepted ones are listed: Aikinetocystidae Bhatia, 1930 (two genera and two species); Diplocystidae Bhatia, 1930 (one genus and eight species); Allantocystidae tocystidae Bhatia, 1930 (one genus and one species); Schaudinnellidae Poche, 1913 (one genus and one species); Ganymedidae Huxley, 1910 (one genus and one species); and Enterocystidae Codreanu, 1940 (one genus and eight species). A list of 22 synonyms and lapsi calami is also given. Species which might be of value in the biological control of disease vectors are indicated.     

Phragmoplastins,the Trentepohliales,and the Evolution of the Cytokinesis in Green Plants

Representatives of the monophyletic Trentepohliales are widely distributed in the tropics, subtropics, and temperate regions worldwide. They grow in soil, or are epilithic, epiphytic or endophytic. The family comprises approximately 70 species placed in at least four genera (Trentepohlia, Cephaleuros, Phycopeltis and Stomatochroon), with Trentepohlia sensu lato (including Printzina and Physolinum) accounting for half of the species in this family. PCR amplification and sequencing of the 18 SSU rDNA of 18 isolates of the Trentepohliaceae were used to assess the monophyly of the genus Cephaleuros and to determine the phylogenetic relationships among species of Trentepohlia sensu lato. Distance, Parsimony, and Maximum Likelihood analyses indicate that Trentepohlia sensu lato is basal and includes two species recently transferred to Phycopeltis (P. umbrina) and Printzina (P. lagenifera). In contrast, Cephaleuros is a derived monophyletic clade. Analysis of isolates of C. virescens, from the USA, Taiwan, and South Africa indicate that this taxon may consist of different species sharing a convergent morphology. The results of this study have implications for the taxonomy of the genera.     

Studies of the behaviour, dispersal, and damage potential of the almond wasp, Eurytoma amygdali

Under laboratory conditions, females of Eurytoma amygdali were attracted to almond fruit, whereas males were not. Females changed their position twice as often as males, in the absence of fruit. Almond leaves had little, if any, attraction for females; moisture had none. Outdoors, free wasps were active in and around almond trees in sunny and in overcast weather, during the morning mainly on the eastern side, and in the afternoon mainly on the western side of trees. Males were often dancing horizontally in a plane parellel to the periphery of trees. Courting and mating were observed on fruits only. 527 wasps which emerged on three focus trees equally distributed in an otherwise uninfested orchard damaged an average of about 25.8 fruits per female. 70.9% of the damaged fruits were on the focus trees, 17.4% on trees directly facing them, and 12.8% on further removed trees. In some cases, trees bordering on open spaces were more heavily infested than those between them and the focus trees. No correlation was found between the number of infested fruits and fruit load of individual trees.

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Zusammenfassung In Käfigen im Laboratorium wurden Weibchen, Männchen jedoch nicht von Mandelfrüchten angezogen. Mandelblätter und Feuchtigkeit übten kaum bezw. keine Anziehungskraft auf Weibchen aus. In Abwesenheit von Früchten änderten Weibchen ihre Position ungefähr doppelt so oft wie Männchen. Frei lebende Wespen waren in sonnigem und bewölktem Wetter aktiv, morgens an der östlichen, nachmittags an der westlichen Seite der Bäume. Männchen tanzten oft nahe der Peripherie der Baumkronen. Vor dem Beginn der Aktivität am Morgen saßen Männchen und Weibchen auf der Oberseite der Blätter. Werben und Kopulation wurden auf Früchten beobachtet. In einer vorher nicht befallenen Mandelanlage wurden in den Kronen von drei gleichmäßig verteilten Bäumen insgesamt 527 Wespen zum Schlüpfen gebracht. Diese beschädigten im Durchschnitt pro Weibchen 25.8 Früchte. 70.9% der befallenen Früchte waren auf die 3 Focusbäume, 17.4% auf die Bäume, welche die Focusbäume direkt umgaben, die restlichen 12.8% auf die übrigen Bäume der Anlage verteilt. In einigen Fällen waren Bäume, die an offenes Feld grenzten, schwerer befallen als die Bäume zwischen ihnen und den Focusbäumen. Eine Korrelation zwischen Fruchtmenge und Befall pro Baum konnte nicht festgestellt werden.

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Contribution from The Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel. 1972 Series, No. 2219-E.