<Emphasis Type="Italic">Nibribacter flagellatus</Emphasis> sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hibiscus syriacus</Emphasis> and emended description of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nibribacter</Emphasis>

A Gram-stain negative, aerobic, motile by flagella, rod-shaped strain (THG-T16^T) was isolated from rhizosphere of Hibiscus syriacus. Growth occurred at 10–40 °C (optimum 28–30 °C), at pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum 7.0) and at 0–1.0% NaCl (optimum 0%). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the near phylogenetic neighbours of strain THG-T16^T were identified as Nibribacter koreensis KACC 16450^T (98.6%), Rufibacter roseus KCTC 42217^T (94.7%), Rufibacter immobilis CCTCC AB 2013351^T (94.5%) and Rufibacter tibetensis CCTCC AB 208084^T (94.4%). The DNA G+C content of strain THG-T16^T was determined to be 46.7 mol%. DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain THG-T16^T and N. koreensis KACC 16450^T, R. roseus KCTC 42217^T, R. immobilis CCTCC AB 2013351^T, R.tibetensis CCTCC AB 208084^T were 33.5?±?0.5% (31.7?±?0.7% reciprocal analysis), 28.1?±?0.2% (25.2?±?0.2%), 17.1?±?0.9% (10.2?±?0.6%) and 8.1?±?0.3% (5.2?±?0.1%). The polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminophospholipids, an unidentified aminolipid and three unidentified lipids. The quinone was identified as MK-7 and the polyamine as sym-homospermidine. The major fatty acids were identified as C_16:1 ω5c, C_17:1 ω6c, iso-C_15:0, summed feature 3 (C_16:1 ω7c and/or C_16:1 ω6c) and summed feature 4 (iso-C_17:1 I and/or anteiso-C_17:1 B). On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis, chemotaxonomic data, physiological characteristics, and DNA–DNA hybridization data, strain THG-T16^T represents a novel species of the genus Nibribacter, for which the name Nibribacter flagellatus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is THG-T16^T(=?KACC 19188^T?=?CCTCC AB 2016246^T).     

Linkages of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Firmicutes</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacteroidetes</Emphasis> populations to methanogenic process performance

To identify potential linkages between specific bacterial populations and process performance in anaerobic digestion, the dynamics of bacterial community structure was monitored with high-throughput sequencing in triplicate anaerobic digesters treating animal waste. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were found as the two most abundant populations, however, with contrasting population dynamics in response to organic overloading. Firmicutes dominated the bacterial community during stable process performance at low organic loading rate, representing over 50 % of the bacterial abundance. In contrast, the onset of organic overloading raised the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes from 20 ± 2.6 to 44 ± 3.1 %. In addition to the significant negative correlation between the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, populations of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were found to be linked to process parameters including organic loading rate, volatile fatty acids concentration, and methane production. Therefore, the population abundance ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B ratio) was suggested as a potential indicator for process performance. The interactions between Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes populations could be exploited to develop strategies for the prevention of performance perturbation in anaerobic digestion processes.     

Distribution and habitats of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phengaris</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Maculinea</Emphasis>) butterflies and population ecology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phengaris</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">teleius</Emphasis> in China

Many species of the butterfly genus Phengaris are regarded as endangered in many parts of their distribution. Several species are also widely distributed across northern China. Due to land use change and overgrazing, their habitats are declining and many patches have been lost. This paper investigates the distribution and habitats of the Chinese Phengaris species (of the subgenus Maculinea). Shrub-grassland near forests seem the most frequent habitat for Phengaris, while flat open grasslands are mostly over-grazed and thus survival for Phengaris butterflies there seems difficult. Throughout Europe, P. teleius is an endangered species, while there is still no information on its status in China. To improve the knowledge on the population ecology of P. teleius, its population structure, adult behaviour and movement were studied through mark–release–recapture methods in the Qinling Mountains of Taibai County. Eight grassland patches which were potentially suitable were found in the area in 2013. In total, 480 individuals (274 females) were marked, resulting in an overall recapture rate of 16 %. The average daily population size was 44 butterflies (±23 SD) during the adult flight period. Sixty-seven percent of the females and 38 % of the males moved less than 50 m, and 17 % of recaptured females and 38 % of males moved more than 200 m. The mean movement distance was 107 ± 177 m for males and 182 ± 122 m for females. The majority of the recaptures (86 %) were made within the patches, only a few individuals (14 %) moved between patches. Due to human disturbance and destruction, all of the eight potentially suitable patches are becoming smaller and increasingly isolated, thus these populations of P. teleius may face an increasing risk of extinction, which may well be a tip of the iceberg of habitat loss and fragmentation of P. teleius in Taibai County and possibly beyond. Hence we hope our initial study of P. teleius could have positive impacts on the conservation of Phengaris butterflies in China.     

Growth and phosphorus removal by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus elongatus</Emphasis> co-immobilized in alginate beads with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis>

This study examined the co-immobilization of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense in alginate beads and its potential application for the removal of phosphorus from aquaculture wastewater. Co-immobilization of both microorganisms significantly increased the cell density of S. elongatus (2852.5?×?10⁴ cells mL^?1) compared with that of immobilization of cyanobacteria alone (1325.2?×?10⁴ cells mL^?1). Chlorophyll a content was similar in co-immobilized (11.1?±?3.5 pg cell^?1) and immobilized S. elongatus (14.5?±?4.9 pg cell^?1). Azospirillum brasilense showed continuous growth until day 2, after which its cell concentration declined until the end of the assay. Co-immobilized S. elongatus removed more phosphorus (44.8 %) than immobilized cyanobacteria cells alone (32.0 %). In conclusion, phosphate removal was greater with free cells of S. elongatus but overlapped with the values that were obtained with the treatment of co-immobilization of cells. Our results demonstrate that A. brasilense enhances the growth of S. elongatus and improves its removal of phosphorus when they are co-immobilized in alginate beads compared with only immobilization of cyanobacteria cells alone.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Adh</Emphasis> locus and adaptation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">cn</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">vg</Emphasis> mutants in experimental populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila melanogaster MEIG</Emphasis>

A complex study on the adaptation of cn and vn mutants and the allozymes of alcoholdehydrogenase (ADH) was carried out in initially pure lines, and their panmixia populations during exchange of the mutant genotype with that of wild-type flies (C-S) and D) through saturating crossings. The relative adaptation of the genotypes was estimated by their effect on reproductive efficiency in the experimentally obtained population. Fecundity, lifespan, and the resistance of the studied genotypes to hyperthermia were investigated individually. It was shown that the high level of adaptation of the cn mutants and the low level of adaptation of the vg mutants was correlated with the presence of different ADH allozymes. In the studied population, the F-allozyme of ADH accompanied the vg mutation, while the S-allozyme of the enzyme was detected in cn mutants. Saturating crossings of C-S(Adh ^S)×vg(Adh ^F) and D(Adh ^F) × cn(Adh ^S), along with the parallel determination of the allele composition of the Adh locus, demonstrated that the complete substitution of the F-allozyme of ADH in the vg mutants by the S-allozyme in D flies, as well as the substitution of the S-allozyme of ADH in the cn mutants by the F-allozyme in D flies was realized only after the 15th–20th backcrosses. These results favor the coadaptation of cn and vg marker genes with alleles of the Adh locus and indicate the important role of the latter in the adaptation of genotypes. In the studied population, selection acted primarily against the vg mutants, which were inferior to the cn mutants, and heterozygote genotypes in indices of the main adaptation components.     

Endophytic yeasts in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Malus domestica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyrus communis</Emphasis> fruits under anthropogenic impact

Yeast abundance and species diversity on the surface and in inner tissues of Malus domestica and Pyrus communis fruits under high anthropogenic impact in the city of Moscow (Russia) were studied. Results demonstrated that abundance of epiphytic yeasts on the fruits increased gradually, reaching the maximum of 3.2 × 10⁴ CFU/g on mature fruits. During summer, abundance of endophytes did not change significantly (variation near 2.5 × 10³ CFU/g) until complete maturation, while in September their numbers increased to 10⁴ CFU/g. Basidiomycetous yeasts (Filobasidium wieringae, F. magnum, Rhodotorula glutinis, and Rhodosporidiobolus colostri) predominated on the fruit surface. Ascomycetous species were the most diverse group inside the fruits, which quantitatively increased through maturation. It was found that the share of opportunistic species Candida parapsilosis in internal tissues was significant during the entire period of fruit formation and development under anthropogenic impact in the city. Specific properties of epiphytic and endophytic yeast communities developing in natural ecological niches under synanthropic conditions and anthropogenic impact are discussed.     

Association between <Emphasis Type="Italic">cagA</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">vacAi</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">dupA</Emphasis> genes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> and gastroduodenal pathologies in Chilean patients

In addition to the already known cagA gene, novel genetic markers have been associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) virulence: the dupA and vacAi genes. These genes might play an important role as specific markers to determine the clinical outcome of the disease, especially the vacAi gene, which has been expected to be a good marker of severe pathologies like gastric adenocarcinoma. In the present study, the association of cagA, dupA, and vacAi genes with gastroduodenal pathologies in Chilean patients was studied. One hundred and thirty-two patients positive for H. pylori were divided into two groups—non-severe and severe gastric pathologies—and investigated for the presence of cagA, dupA, and vacAi H. pylori virulence genes by PCR. The cagA gene was detected in 20/132 patients (15.2%), the vacAi1 gene was detected in 54/132 patients (40.9%), the vacAi2 gene was detected in 26/132 patients (19.7%), and the dupA gene was detected in 50/132 (37.9%) patients. Logistic regression model analysis showed that the vacAi1 isoform gene in the infected strains and the severity of the diseases outcome were highly associated, causing severe gastric damage that may lead to gastric cancer (p < 0.0001; OR = 8.75; 95% CI 3.54–21.64). Conversely, cagA (p = 0.3507; OR = 1.62; 95% CI 0.59–4.45) and vacAi2 (p = 0.0114; OR = 3.09; 95% CI 1.26–7.60) genes were not associated with damage, while the dupA gene was associated significantly with non-severe clinical outcome (p = 0.0032; OR = 0.25; 95% CI 0.09–0.65). In addition, dupA gene exerts protection against severe gastric pathologies induced by vacAi1 by delaying the outcome of the disease by approximately 20 years.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">HMG1A</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">PPARG</Emphasis> are differently expressed in the liver of fat and lean broilers

The expression of nine functional candidates for QT abdominal fat weight and relative abdominal fat content was investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the liver, adipose tissue, colon, muscle, pituitary gland and brain of broilers. The high mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMG1A) gene was up-regulated in liver with a ratio of means of 2.90 (P?≤?0.01) in the «fatty» group (relative abdominal fat content 3.5?±?0.18%, abdominal fat weight 35.4?±?6.09 g) relative to the «lean» group (relative abdominal fat content 1.9?±?0.56%, abdominal fat weight 19.2?±?5.06 g). Expression of this gene was highly correlated with the relative abdominal fat content (0.70, P?≤?0.01) and abdominal fat weight (0.70, P?≤?0.01). The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene was also up-regulated in the liver with a ratio of means of 3.34 (P?≤?0.01) in the «fatty» group relative to the «lean» group. Correlation of its expression was significant with both the relative abdominal fat content (0.55, P?≤?0.05) and the abdominal fat weight (0.57, P?≤?0.01). These data suggest that the HMG1A and PPARG genes were candidate genes for abdominal fat deposition in chickens. Searching of rSNPs in regulatory regions of the HMG1A and PPARG genes could provide a tool for gene-assisted selection.     

The diversity of rhizobia nodulating the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Medicago</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melilotus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonella</Emphasis> inoculation group in Egypt is marked by the dominance of two genetic types

Twenty four rhizobial strains were isolated from root nodules of Melilotus, Medicago and Trigonella plants growing wild in soils throughout Egypt. The nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequence from each strain showed that 12 strains (50 %) were closely related to the Ensifer meliloti LMG6133^T type strain with identity values higher than 99.0 %, that 9 (37.5 %) strains were more than 99 % identical to the E. medicae WSM419^T type strain, and that 3 (12.5 %) strains showed 100 % identity with the type strain of N. huautlense S02^T. Accordingly, the diversity of rhizobial strains nodulating wild Melilotus, Medicago and Trigonella species in Egypt is marked by predominance of two genetic types, E. meliloti and E. medicae, although the frequency of isolation was slightly higher in E. meliloti. Sequencing of the symbiotic nodC gene from selected Medicago and Melilotus strains revealed that they were all similar to those of the E. meliloti LMG6133^T and E. medicae WSM419^T type strains, respectively. Similarly, nodC sequences of strains identified as members of the genus Neorhizobium were more than 99 % identical to that of N. galegae symbiovar officinalis HAMBI 114.     

High-efficient <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated <Emphasis Type="Italic">in planta</Emphasis> transformation in black gram (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna mungo</Emphasis> (L.) Hepper)

In vitro culture and genetic transformation of black gram are difficult due to its recalcitrant nature. Establishment of gene transfer procedure is a prerequisite to develop transgenic plants of black gram in a shorter period. Therefore, genetic transformation was performed to optimize the factors influencing transformation efficiency through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated in planta transformation using EHA 105 strain harbouring reporter gene, bar, and selectable marker, gfp-gus, in sprouted half-seed explants of black gram. Several parameters, such as co-cultivation, acetosyringone concentration, exposure time to sonication, and vacuum infiltration influencing in planta transformation, have been evaluated in this study. The half-seed explants when sonicated for 3 min and vacuum infiltered for 2 min at 100 mm of Hg in the presence of A. tumefaciens (pCAMBIA1304– bar) suspensions and incubated for 3 days co-cultivation in MS medium with 100 µM acetosyringone showed maximum transformation efficiency (46 %). The putative transformants were selected by inoculating co-cultivated seeds in BASTA^® (4 mg l^?1) containing MS medium followed by BASTA^® foliar spray on 15-day-old black gram plants (35 mg l^?1) in green house, and the transgene integration was confirmed by biochemical assay (GUS), Polymerase chain reaction, Dot-blot, and Southern hybridisation analyses.     

Efficiency of spinosad, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichogramma brassicae</Emphasis> against the tomato leafminer in greenhouse

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of three eco-friendly control agents, either singly or in a pairwise combination, for the control of the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lep: Gelechiidae). They include the naturally derived pesticide spinosad, a commercially available formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki (Bt), and a native population of Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko (Hym: Trichogrammatidae). Tomato plants containing the T. absoluta were treated with one of the seven following treatments in a greenhouse: (1) a single release of T. brassicae against the eggs; (2) two applications of Bt (2 kg ha^?1); (3) and (4) one application of spinosad at two rates (60 and 120 g a.i. ha^?1); (5) T. brassicae release?+?Bt spray; (6) T. brassicae release?+?spinosad spray; and (7) spinosad spray?+?Bt spray. The highest mortality rate was recorded for the spinosad?+?Bt (88.33?±?1.43%) and T. brassicae?+?spinosad (78.33?±?3.74%) combinations, respectively; while the lowest mortality rate was obtained through the single application of T. brassicae (31.67?±?4.84%). Based on our results, the Bt and spinosad seem to be suitable candidates for combination with other biological and cultural techniques towards an integrated management of the tomato leafminer.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">angora</Emphasis> gene weakens the effect of interaction of the mutant genes <Emphasis Type="Italic">wellhaarig</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">waved alopecia</Emphasis> in mice

The interaction of the mutant genes wellhaarig (we) and waved alopecia (wal) in mice was earlier demonstrated in our laboratory. The we gene significantly accelerates the appearance of alopecia in double we/wewal/wal homozygotes as compared to that in single +/+wal/wal homozygotes. It has been found in this work that the mutant gene angora-Y (Fgf5 ^go-Y ) weakens the effect of interaction of the we and wal genes. The first signs of alopecia appear in mice of the we/wewal/wal genotype at the age of 14 days, in triple Fgf5 ^go-Y /Fgf5 ^go-Y we/wewal/wal homozygotes alopecia is observed seven days later, i. e., in 21-day-old animals. The progression of alopecia in triple homozygotes is expressed to a lesser degree than in double +/+we/wewal/wal homozygotes. A single dose of the Fgf5 ^go-Y gene also decreases the effect of interaction of the we and wal genes, but less than a double dose of this gene. The first signs of alopecia in mice of the +/Fgf5 ^go-Y we/wewal/wal genotype appear only three days later than in double +/+we/wewal/wal homozygotes. The data obtained demonstrate that the Fgf5 ^go-Y gene is a powerful modifier of mutant genes determining the process of alopecia.     

Productivity and biochemical composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetradesmus obliquus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeodactylum tricornutum</Emphasis>: effects of different cultivation approaches

The present work evaluated biomass productivity, carbon dioxide fixation rate, and biochemical composition of two microalgal species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bacillariophyta) and Tetradesmus obliquus (Chlorophyta), cultivated indoors in high-technology photobioreactors (HT-PBR) and outdoors both in pilot ponds and low-technology photobioreactors in a greenhouse in southern Italy. Microalgae were grown in standard media, under nitrogen starvation, and in two liquid digestates obtained from anaerobic digestion of agro-zootechnical and vegetable biomass. P. tricornutum, cultivated in semi-continuous mode in indoor HT-PBRs with standard medium, showed a biomass productivity of 21.0?±?2.3 g m^?2 d^?1. Applying nitrogen starvation, the lipid productivity increased from 2.3 up to 4.5?±?0.5 g m^?2 d^?1, with a 24 % decrease of biomass productivity. For T. obliquus, a biomass productivity of 9.1?±?0.9 g m^?2 d^?1 in indoor HT-PBR was obtained using standard medium. Applying liquid digestates as fertilizers in open ponds, T. obliquus gave a biomass productivity (10.8?±?2.0 g m^?2 d^?1) not statistically different from complete medium such as P. tricornutum (6.5?±?2.2 g m^?2 d^?1). The biochemical data showed that the fatty acid composition of the microalgal biomass was affected by the different cultivation conditions for both microalgae. In conclusion, it was found that the microalgal productivity in standard medium was about doubled in HT-PBR compared to open ponds for P. tricornutum and was about 20 % higher for T. obliquus.     

Structural organization characteristics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">DIP1</Emphasis> gene in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila melanogaster</Emphasis> strains mutant for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">flamenco</Emphasis> gene

Molecular cloning of the DIP1 gene located in the 20A4-5 region has been performed from the following strains with the flamenco phenotype: flam ^SS (SS) and flam ^MS (MS) characterized by a high transposition rate of retrotransposon gypsy (mdg4), flam ^{py + (P)} carrying the insertion of a construction based on the P element into the region of the flamenco gene, and flamenco ⁺. The results of restriction analysis and sequencing cloned DNA fragments has shown that strains flam ^SS , flam ^MS considerably differ from flam ^{py + (P)}, and flamenco ⁺ in the structure of DIP1. Strains flam ^SS and flam ^MS have no DraI restriction site at position 1765 in the coding region of the gene, specifically, in the domain determining the signal of the nuclear localization of the DIP1 protein. This mutation has been found to consist in a nucleotide substitution in the recognition site of DraI restriction endonuclease, which is transformed from TTTAAA into TTTAAG and, hence, is not recognized by the enzyme. This substitution changes codon AAA into AAG and is translationally insignificant, because both triplets encode the same amino acid, lysine. The DIP1 gene of strains flam ^SS and flam ^MS has been found to contain a 182-bp insertion denoted IdSS (insertion in DIP1 strain SS); it is located in the second intron of the gene. The IdSS sequence is part of the open reading frame encoding the putative transposase of the mobile genetic element HB1 belonging to the Tc1/mariner family. This insertion is presumed to disturb the conformations of DNA and the chromosome, in particular, by forming loops, which alters the expression of DIP1 and, probably, neighboring genes. In strains flamenco ⁺ and flam ^{py + (P)}, the IdSS insertion within the HB1 sequence is deleted. The deletion encompasses five C-terminal amino acid residues of the conserved domain and the entire C-terminal region of the putative HB1 transposase. The obtained data suggest that DIP1 is involved in the control of gypsy transpositions either directly or through interaction with other elements of the genome.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizobium hedysari</Emphasis> sp. nov., a novel species isolated from a root nodule of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hedysarum multijugum</Emphasis> in China

A strain 5-1-2^T was isolated from a root nodule of Hedysarum multijugum collected from Zhangye city, Gansu province, north-west China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and other housekeeping genes (recA and atpD) indicated that the strain represents a novel species in the genus Rhizobium close to the strain Rhizobium subbaraonis JC85^T with similarities of 98.27, 88.92 and 89.62%, respectively. Strain 5-1-2^T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone. Our results showed that the major fatty acids were feature 8 (C_18:1 ω7c and/or C_18:1 ω6c; 38.90%). In addition, the DNA–DNA hybridizations with the type strains R. subbaraonis JC85^T and Rhizobium halophytocola YC6881^T were 39.2 ± 2.1 and 44.3 ± 1.9, respectively. Therefore, a novel species Rhizobium hedysari sp. nov. is proposed, and 5-1-2^T (=CGMCC1.15677^T = NBRC112532^T) is designated as the type strain.     

Abundance estimation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ixodes</Emphasis> ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on roe deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Capreolus capreolus</Emphasis>)

Despite the importance of roe deer as a host for Ixodes ticks in central Europe, estimates of total tick burden on roe deer are not available to date. We aimed at providing (1) estimates of life stage and sex specific (larvae, nymphs, males and females, hereafter referred to as tick life stages) total Ixodes burden and (2) equations which can be used to predict the total life stage burden by counting the life stage on a selected body area. Within a period of 1½ years, we conducted whole body counts of ticks from 80 hunter-killed roe deer originating from a beech dominated forest area in central Germany. Averaged over the entire study period (winter 2007–summer 2009), the mean tick burden per roe deer was 64.5 (SE ± 10.6). Nymphs were the most numerous tick life stage per roe deer (23.9 ± 3.2), followed by females (21.4 ± 3.5), larvae (10.8 ± 4.2) and males (8.4 ± 1.5). The individual tick burden was highly aggregated (k = 0.46); levels of aggregation were highest in larvae (k = 0.08), followed by males (k = 0.40), females (k = 0.49) and nymphs (k = 0.71). To predict total life stage specific burdens based on counts on selected body parts, we provide linear equations. For estimating larvae abundance on the entire roe deer, counts can be restricted to the front legs. Tick counts restricted to the head are sufficient to estimate total nymph burden and counts on the neck are appropriate for estimating adult ticks (females and males). In order to estimate the combined tick burden, tick counts on the head can be used for extrapolation. The presented linear models are highly significant and explain 84.1, 77.3, 90.5, 91.3, and 65.3% (adjusted R ²) of the observed variance, respectively. Thus, these models offer a robust basis for rapid tick abundance assessment. This can be useful for studies aiming at estimating effects of abiotic and biotic factors on tick abundance, modelling tick population dynamics, modelling tick-borne pathogen transmission dynamics or assessing the efficacy of acaricides.     

Fecundity of the tropical catadromous eels <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla bicolor bicolor</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. bengalensis bengalensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. marmorata</Emphasis>

Maturation is one of the most important ontogenetic transitions in an individual’s life. However, the reproductive ecology of the tropical anguillid eel genus Anguilla at the onset of oceanic spawning migration is poorly understood. To understand the reproductive ecology, the fecundity of the tropical eels Anguilla bicolor bicolor, A. bengalensis bengalensis and A. marmorata was examined using advanced migrating silver eels (Stage IV and V). A close linear relationship was found between total length and fecundity in A. bengalensis bengalensis. The fecundities of A. bicolor bicolor (0.55 to 4.96 × 10⁶), A. bengalensis bengalensis (0.33–1.72 × 10⁶) and A. marmorata (0.99 × 10⁶) were within the range of those observed in temperate eels.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces ginkgonis</Emphasis> sp. nov., an endophyte from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ginkgo biloba</Emphasis>

A novel endophytic actinomycete strain, designated KM-1-2^T, was isolated from seeds of Ginkgo biloba at Yangling, China. A polyphasic approach was used to study the taxonomy of strain KM-1-2^T and it was found to show a range of phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties consistent with those of members of the genus Streptomyces. The diamino acid of the cell wall peptidoglycan was identified as LL-diaminopimelic acid. No diagnostic sugars were detected in whole cell hydrolysates. The predominant menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H₆) and MK-9(H₈). The diagnostic phospholipids were found to be phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The DNA G + C content of the novel strain was determined to be 72.9 mol%. The predominant cellular fatty acids (> 10.0?%) were identified as iso-C_14?:?0, iso-C_16?:?0, C_16?:?0 and C_17?:?0 cyclo. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the strain is closely related to Streptomyces carpaticus JCM 6915^T (99.3%), Streptomyces harbinensis DSM 42076^T (98.9%) and Streptomyces cheonanensis JCM 14549^T (98.5%). DNA-DNA hybridizations with these three close relatives gave similarity values of 39.1 ± 1.9, 35.8 ± 2.3, and 47.4 ± 2.7%, respectively, which indicated that strain KM-1-2^T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces. This is consistent with the morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic data. Cumulatively, these data suggest that strain KM-1-2^T represents a novel Streptomyces species, for which the name Streptomyces ginkgonis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain KM-1-2^T (= CCTCC AA2016004^T = KCTC 39801^T).