Complete nucleotide sequences of seven eubacterial genes coding for the elongation factor Tu: functional,structural and phylogenetic evaluations

The nucleotide sequences of cloned genes coding for the elongation factor Tu of seven eubacteria have been determined. These genes were fiom Anacystis nidulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bacteroides fragilis, Deinonema spec., Pseudomonas cepacia, Shewanella putrefaciens and Streptococcus oralis. The primary structures of the genes were compared to the available sequences of prokaryotic elongation factors Tu and eukaryotic elongation factors 1 alpha. A conservation profile was determined for homologous amino acid residues. Sites of known or putative functions are usually located at highly conserved positions or within highly conserved sequence stretches. The aligned 24 amino acid sequences were used as basis for a phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree corroborates the kingdom as well as phylum concept deduced from 16S rRNA data.Abbreviations EF-Tu elongation factor Tu - GDP guanosine 5-diphosphate - GTP guanosine 5-triphosphate; tuf gene, gene coding for elongation factor Tu     

Assessing the Effects of Climate Change on Waterborne Microorganisms: Implications for EU and U.S. Water Policy

Despite advances in water treatment, outbreaks of waterborne diseases still occur in developed regions including the United States and Europe Union (EU). Water quality impairments attributable to elevated concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria, and associated with health risk, are also very common. Research suggests that the impact of such microorganisms on public health may be intensified by the effects of climate change. At present, the major regulatory frameworks in these regions (i.e., the US Clean Water Act [CWA] and the EU Water Framework Directive [WFD]), do not explicitly address risks posed by climate change. This article reviews existing U.S. and EU water quality regulatory legislation for robustness to climate change and suggests watershed modeling approaches to inform additional pollution control measures given the likely impacts on microbial fate and transport. Comprehensive analysis of future climate and water quality scenarios may only be achievable through the use of watershed-scale models. Unless adaptation measures are generated and incorporated into water policy, the potential threat posed to humans from exposure to waterborne pathogens may be amplified. Such adaptation measures will assist in achieving the aims of the EU WFD and US CWA and minimize impacts of climate change on microbial water quality.     

Urban plant ecology patterns and processes: a case study of the flora of the City of Plymouth, Devon, U. K.

Aim Using a large database that has been created over the past 5 years with the RECORDER package, presence/absence data for 829 species of vascular plants in the 103 1-km² squares that cover the city of Plymouth (pop. 243,373) have been analysed by two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN ) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to establish the major species assemblages and to examine their spatial distribution across the city in relation to variation in land use. Location The City of Plymouth. Methods Nine groupings of squares emerged and their distribution was mapped across the city. Interpretation of those groups and their variation in relation to the land use ordination axes showed that TWINSPAN groups lying along the first axis of variation correlated floristic variation with the process of urban development and the historical evolution of urban structure. The second axis appeared to be related to particular remnant semi-natural habitats within the city that could be regarded as ‘hot-spots’ for survival of many plant species. Species were categorized into four types on the basis of their recency and mode of arrival in the city and by using the historical flora of Plymouth produced by T. R. Archer-Briggs in 1880. Variations in the sources of species in relation to the TWINSPAN classification groups were then examined. A second ordination was also computed; this time with geological, altitudinal and distance variables. TWINSPAN groups were then superimposed on the ordinations using polygons to assist with biogeographical interpretation. Results and conclusions The results of both the multivariate analyses and distribution of species by source are then discussed in the context of previous research into urban plant ecology, particularly in Central Europe. The problems of inferring process from pattern in this meso-scale study are reviewed and suggestions are made for further research into urban ecology and biogeography in the city.     

Incongruent phylogeographies in spite of similar morphology, ecology, and distribution:Phippsia algida andP. concinna (Poaceae) in the North Atlantic region

Phylogeographic and taxonomic relationships among 54 North Atlantic populations of the snowbed grass genusPhippsia were investigated based on isozymes and genetically based morphological variation. The results support recognition of two distinct species,P. algida andP. concinna, the latter with at least two subspecies. Both of these self-fertilizing arctic pioneer species were genetic allotetraploids almost without intrapopulational variation. The two species showed strikingly different phylogeographies in the North Atlantic region in spite of their similarity in morphology, habitat ecology, mating system, and dispersal ecology, and in spite of their present cooccurrence in many geographic areas, sometimes even in the same snowbeds. The same electrophoretic multilocus phenotype was observed in all populations ofP. algida, and although this species showed considerable morphological variation, the variation was unstructured geographically. Thus,P. algida showed a pattern similar to other arctic species investigated in the North Atlantic region; it has probably dispersed postglacially across the sea barriers among Greenland, Svalbard, Iceland, and Scandinavia. In contrast,P. concinna was virtually fixed for different multilocus phenotypes in the three main geographic areas analyzed (S Norway, Svalbard, Greenland), corresponding to fairly distinct divergence in morphology. This pattern suggests absence of postglacial among-area dispersal ofP. concinna in spite of all of its similarities with its congener; it may have immigrated to the North Atlantic from different source areas and/or survived the last glaciationin situ.     

Genetic Diversity of a Tropical Tree Species,Shorea leprosula Miq. (Dipterocarpaceae), in Malaysia: Implications for Conservation of Genetic Resources and Tree Improvement1

Genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Shorea leprosula was investigated using seven natural populations distributed throughout Peninsular Malaysia and one natural population from Borneo. The mean population and species level genetic diversity were exceptionally high (H_e= 0.369 ± 0.025 and 0.406 ± 0.070, respectively). Heterozygosity varied among populations, ranging from 0.326 to 0.400, with the highest values found in the populations from central Peninsular Malaysia. Correlations among ecological factors (longitude, latitude, and annual rainfall) were not significant (P > 0.05), indicating that these ecological variables were not responsible for the observed genetic differences among populations. The Bangi adult population exhibited a higher level of observed heterozygosity but lower fixation indices in comparison to its seedling population. All other seedling populations also showed positive fixation indices (f), indicating a general excess of homozygotes. This also may suggest selection against homozygotes between the seedling and adult stages. A low level of population differentiation was detected (G_ST= 0.117 with the Lambir population and GST= 0.085 without the Lambir population). Furthermore, gene flow (N_m) between populations was not significantly correlated with geographical distances for the populations within Peninsular Malaysia. Cluster analysis also did not reflect geographical proximity and gave little insight into the genetic relatedness of the populations. This may indicate that the populations sampled are part of a continuous population with fragmentation having occurred in the recent past.     

Biology and Nymph Host Range of Anchocoema bidentata and Astroma saltense (Orthoptera: Proscopiidae), Potential Biocontrol Agents for Creosotebush, Larrea tridentata (Zygophyllaceae) in the U.S.A.

Two stick-like acridids (Orthoptera: Proscopiidae) from Argentina, Anchocoema bidentata Mello-Leitao and Astroma saltense Mello-Leitao, were evaluated as potential biological control agents of creosote bush (Larrea tridentata (DC.) Coville) in the southwestern United States. Their biology, behavior and geographic distribution of those species were studied. The host plant ranges for both insects were established through nymph feeding preference and development tests in the laboratory and in the field. A total of 33 species of plants belonging to 13 families were tested. Anchocoema bidentata and A. saltense are mimetic species, having as many as three generations a year, and exhibit strong sexual dimorphism; females are larger and less mobile than males. In both species, females laid egg masses in the soil. First instars appeared in the field at the end of the spring, the second generation at mid-summer, and a third at the end of the summer. Adults of A. bidentata and A. saltense appeared in the field at the beginning of the spring. The laboratory multiple-choice feeding test showed that A. bidentata preferred Larrea divaricata Cav., whereas A. saltense preferred L. divaricata and L. cuneifolia Cav. In the nymph development test (no choice), A. bidentata was able to complete its development only on L. divaricata and L. cuneifolia, while Astroma saltense completed its development on six plant species: L divaricata, L. cuneifolia, Bulnesia retama (Gillies ex Hooker et Arnott), B. schickendantzi Hieron (all Zygophyllaceae), Zuccagnia punctata Cav., and Prosopis torquata (Cav. Ap. Lag.) (both Fabaseae). We concluded that A. bidentata could be a biocontrol agent for L. tridentata because the first instar can complete its development only on Larrea spp. Regarding A. saltense, this species showed a wide host range and should not be considered as a biological control agent of L. tridentata.