《中国植物志》增补：白玉Zan科

作为即将完成的《中国植物志》的补充 ,描述了白玉簪科、白玉簪属以及中华白玉簪 ,并扼要地讨论了该科已知的 3个属的区别特征及其地理分布状况。     

A new scorpion fossil from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). New phylogenetic implications

A fossil scorpion belonging to a new family, genus and species, Chaerilobuthus complexus gen. n., sp. n., is described from Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). This is the third species and the fourth scorpion specimen to have been found and described from Burmese amber. The new family seems quite distinct from the family Archaeobuthidae Lourenço, 2001 described from Cretaceous amber of Lebanon.     

Comparative modeling methods: application to the family of the mammalian serine proteases

Comparative modeling methods are described that can be used to construct a three-dimensional model structure of a new protein from knowledge of its sequence and of the experimental structures and sequences of other members of its homology family. The methods are illustrated with the mammalian serine protease family, for which seven experimental structures have been reported in the literature, and the sequences for over 35 different protein members of the family are available. The strategy for modeling these proteins is presented, and criteria are developed for determining and assigning the reliability of the modeled structure. Criteria are described that are specially designed to help detect cases in which it is likely that the local structure diverges significantly from the usual conformation of the family.     

Hematozoa of the avian family Brachypteraciidae (the ground-rollers)

The Brachypteraciidae is an avian family endemic to Madagascar. Members of this family were mist-netted in Madagascar, and blood smears were made to screen for the presence of hematozoa. Smears were stained with Giemsa and examined at x100, x160, and x1000 for hematozoa. Three new species of avian hematozoa from wild-caught ground-rollers in Madagascar are described. Haemoproteus goodmani n. sp. is found in the pitta-like ground-roller (Atelornis pittoides), whereas Haemoproteus forresteri n. sp. and Leucocytozoon frascai n. sp. are from the rufous-headed ground-roller (Atelornis crossleyi). These represent the first hematozoa described from this family.     

New Eoblattida from the Permian of Russia and the United States and the origin of earwigs (Insecta: Eoblattida,Forficulida)

New taxa of the order Eoblattida are described from the Lower Permian of the United States and Russia. Pryg absurdus gen. et sp. nov. of the family Prygidae fam. nov. is described from the Leonardian of Elmo (Kansas, United States). Parapryg alogus gen. et sp. nov. of the same family is described from the Vyatkian of Nedubrovo (Vologda Region, Russia). Kamamica promota gen. et sp. nov. of the family Tillyardembiidae is described from the Ufimian of Tyul’kino (Perm Region, Russia). The similarity of the new family with Tillyardembiidae and with basal earwigs, especially Bardacoleidae, is discussed. A hypothesis is proposed about the monophyletic origin of all three groups from spanioderids or other eoblattids close to them.     

Deep-sea asellote isopods of the north-east Atlantic: the family Dendrotionidae and some new ectoparasitic copepods

A new species of Dendromunna and two new species of Dendrotion are described from abundant material collected in the Rockall Trough region of the north-east Atlantic. The taxonomy of the little known benthic deep-sea asellote isopod family Dendrotionidae is reviewed and keys provided for genera and species. Also diagnosed and described are two new species belonging to a new genus of siphonostomatoid copepod found as ectoparasites on the walking legs of the new Dendromunna. The new parasites belong in the Rhizorhina group of genera within the family Nicothoidae.     

The brachiopod family Linoproductidae stehli from the lower Moscovian of the Middle Carboniferous of the Moscow Region

The phylogeny and taxonomy of the brachiopod family Linoproductidae are revised. The change in the distributional pattern of spines and distinctive structure of the median lobe of the cardinal process are shown to be the main apomorphies in the family evolution. A new subfamily, Linispininae, and the included new genera, Linispinella and Linispinus, are described. In the nominotypical subfamily Linoproductinae, a new genus Linoproductoides and two new species included in this genus are described from the Vereiskian deposits of the Moscow Region. The new species Linispinus riparius (Trautschold), L. longus sp. nov., and L. staricensis (Ivanov) are described from the Kashirskian deposits. Another new species is tentatively described as “Linoproductus” kabanovi.     

Bacterial 5S rRNA-binding proteins of the CTC family

The presence of CTC family proteins is a unique feature of bacterial cells. In the CTC family, there are true ribosomal proteins (found in ribosomes of exponentially growing cells), and at the same time there are also proteins temporarily associated with the ribosome (they are produced by the cells under stress only and incorporate into the ribosome). One feature is common for these proteins — they specifically bind to 5S rRNA. In this review, the history of investigations of the best known representatives of this family is described briefly. Structural organization of the CTC family proteins and their occurrence among known taxonomic bacterial groups are discussed. Structural features of 5S rRNA and CTC protein are described that predetermine their specific interaction. Taking into account the position of a CTC protein and its intermolecular contacts in the ribosome, a possible role of its complex with 5S rRNA in ribosome functioning is discussed.     

Lepidostroma vilgalysii, a new basidiolichen from the New World

The lichenized basidiomycete Lepidostroma vilgalysii from Mexico is described based on morphological analyses. The species is only the second representative of the family Lepidostromataceae documented from the New World, and is one of the few described lichens with an inverted morphology, with the algae in a layer at the base of the thallus. Molecular sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal LSU locus are used to confirm the placement of the holotype in Lepidostroma and to evaluate the molecular distinctiveness of the species from all other described species in the family and genus.     

Hairpin elements, the first family of foldback transposons (FTs) in Arabidopsis thaliana

We report here on the identification in Arabidopsis thaliana of a new family of transposable elements named Hairpin. These elements are related to foldback transposons (FTs), a large and heterogeneous group of transposable elements first described in Drosophila and recently in Solanaceae. Hairpin elements are the first family of FTs reported in Arabidopsis thaliana and the first family of FTs of type 3 to be described in the plant kingdom. In contrast to previous FTs described, Hairpin appears to be a homogeneous family in size (238 +/- 7 bp) as well as in structure. Hairpin elements are dispersed in the Arabidopsis genome and Southern hybridization revealed that they are present in relatively low copy numbers. Finally, we discuss the potential usefulness of these elements in studying the phylogenetic relationship between Arabidopsis ecotypes.     

Four trematode cercariae from the New Zealand intertidal snail Zeacumantus subcarinatus (Batillariidae)

Abstract

The cercariae and sporocysts (or rediae) of four trematode species are described from the intertidal snail Zeacumantus subcarinatus: a distome xiphidiocercaria assigned to the genus Renicola (family Renicolidae); a monostome xiphidiocercaria belonging either to the genus Microphallus or Megalophallus (family Microphallidae); a magnacercous cercaria of the genus Galactosomum (family Hetero‐phyidae); and a cercaria of the genus Philophthalmus (family Philophthalmidae). The morphological features of these cercariae are compared to previously described cercariae of the same genera. In addition, since the philophthalmid cercaria encysts readily on artificial substrates in the laboratory, the metacercaria of this species is also described. These cercariae are part of a diverse community of at least six digenean species parasitising the snail Z. subcarinatus that, together, have a major impact on the ecology and evolution of this snail.     

Expansion of the zinc metallo-hydrolase family of the beta-lactamase fold

Recently, the zinc metallo-hydrolase family of the beta-lactamase fold has grown quite rapidly, accompanied by the accumulation of sequence and structure data. The variety of the biological functions of the family is higher than expected. In addition, the members often have mosaic structures with additional domains. The family includes class B beta-lactamase, glyoxalase II, arylsulfatase, flavoprotein, cyclase/dehydrase, an mRNA 3'-processing protein, a DNA cross-link repair enzyme, a DNA uptake-related protein, an alkylphosphonate uptake-related protein, CMP-N-acetylneuraminate hydroxylase, the romA gene product, alkylsulfatase, and insecticide hydrolases. In this minireview, the functional and structural varieties of the growing protein family are described.     

Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Metrichia Ross from Argentina (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Ochrotrichiini)

Metrichia cuniapiru, sp. n. (tribe Ochrotrichiini, family Hydroptilidae) from Misiones Province is described. Main characters useful for recognition of females of different species of Metrichia and keys for the males and larvae are provided. The pupa of M. neotropicalis is also described.     

Heterobranchia (Gastropoda) from the Jurassic Deposits of Russia

Small gastropods from the Jurassic deposits of the European Russia, united into the lower Heterobranchia or Allogastropoda, are described. The families of Ampezzanildidae, Cimidae, Cornirostridae, Ebalidae, and Stuoraxidae are distinguished, and a set of taxa is given without reference to a definite family. The family Ampezzanildidae from the Jurassic deposits is described for the first time on the basis of the mass material, ascribed to the new genus Zizipupa gen. nov. with the sole species of Z. costata sp. nov. The family Cimidae includes the genera of Cristalloella, Rotfanella, Urlocella, and Unzhispira gen. nov. with species C. spiralocostata (Gründel, 1998), R. gerasimovi sp. nov., R. reticulata sp. nov., Urlocella undulata sp. nov., and Unzhispira minuta sp. nov. The genus Heteronatica gen. nov. is included into the family Cornirostridae. This genus is the first siphonostomatous representative of the given family including the sole long-living species H. globosa sp. nov., which is subdivided into subspecies H. globosa globosa and H. globosapromota subsp. nov. The family Ebalidae is represented by the genus Ebala, shells of which are distributed from the Middle Oxfordian to the Middle Volgian. The family Stuoraxidae is described based on two genera Stuoraxis and Aneudaronia gen. nov., including species of S. crassa sp. nov. and A. elegans sp. nov. The genus Doggerostra, which fits into different families of Heterobranchia in terms of shell morphology is represented by the species D. riedeli Gründel, 1998, which was previously known from the Bathonian and Callowian deposits in Poland and Germany, as well as form the Upper Jurassic interval in the Russian Plate. The Middle Volgian subspecies D. riedeli affinis subsp. nov. is distinguished in the composition of this species. In addition, the genus Masaevia gen. nov. with the sole species of M. sinistra sp. nov. is described. Due to so specific shell morphology of this genus, its position in the Heterobranchia system is unclear. It is not improbable that we deal with small planktonic gastropods of protoconchs of unknown group of planktonic or benthic gastropods.     

Characterization of the human patatin-like phospholipase family

Several publications have described biological roles for human patatin-like phospholipases (PNPLAs) in the regulation of adipocyte differentiation. Here, we report on the characterization and expression profiling of 10 human PNPLAs. A variety of bioinformatics approaches were used to identify and characterize all PNPLAs encoded by the human genome. The genes described represent a divergent family, most with a highly conserved ortholog in several mammalian species. In silico characterization predicts that two of the genes function as integral membrane proteins and are regulated by cAMP/cGMP. A structurally guided protein alignment of the patatin-like domain identifies a number of conserved residues in all family members. Quantitative PCR was used to determine the expression profile of each family member. Affymetrix-based profiling of a human preadipocyte cell line identified several members that are differentially regulated during cell differentiation. Cumulative data suggest that patatin-like genes normally expressed at very low levels are induced in response to environmental signals. Given the observed conservation of the patatin fold and lipase motif in all human PNPLAs, a single nomenclature to describe the PNPLA family is proposed.     

New spiders in Upper Cretaceous amber from New Jersey in the American Museum of Natural History (Arthropoda: Araneae)

The oldest described fossils of the extant spider family Araneidae (Araneinae; gen. et sp. indet.), the extant genus Orchestina (Oonopidae; O. sp. indet.) and the new fossil genus Palaeosegestria (Segestriidae; P. lutzzii gen. et sp. nov.) are presented from Upper Cretaceous amber of New Jersey. The known fossil range of the extant family Araneidae is extended approximately 50 myr from the previously oldest described araneid from the Middle Eocene oil shales of the Messel pit in Hesse, Germany. The fossil range of the extant genus Orchestina is also extended 50 myr from the previously oldest described specimen in Eocene Baltic amber.     

Oxidative protein folding in the plant endoplasmic reticulum

For most of the proteins synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), disulfide bond formation accompanies protein folding in a process called oxidative folding. Oxidative folding is catalyzed by a number of enzymes, including the family of protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs), as well as other proteins that supply oxidizing equivalents to PDI family proteins, like ER oxidoreductin 1 (Ero1). Oxidative protein folding in the ER is a basic vital function, and understanding its molecular mechanism is critical for the application of plants as protein production tools. Here, I review the recent research and progress related to the enzymes involved in oxidative folding in the plant ER. Firstly, nine groups of plant PDI family proteins are introduced. Next, the enzymatic properties of plant Ero1 are described. Finally, the cooperative folding by multiple PDI family proteins and Ero1 is described.     

First record of the mygalomorph spider family Paratropididae (Arachnida,Araneae) in North America with the description of a new species of Paratropis Simon from Mexico,and with new ultramorphological data for the family

A new species of the genus Paratropis is described from North America: Paratropis tuxtlensis sp. n., from a tropical rainforest in Veracruz, Mexico. This is the fifth Paratropis and the tenth paratropidid species described and the first North American record of this Neotropical family. The species is described based on adult males and females, and juveniles. The juveniles show ontogenetic variation in the number of cuspules on the labium and endites, and in the number and position of leg trichobothria. This is the second Paratropis species, and the third paratropidid known from both sexes. The scanning electron photographs (SEM) reveal new morphological data and contribute to the knowledge of the family.     

New mayflies (Insecta: Ephemerida = Ephemeroptera) from the intertrappean deposits of the Tunguska Basin, Siberia

Two new monotypic mayfly genera from Permian-Triassic deposits of the Khungtukun-2 and Khungtukun-4 localities on the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River, Evenkia are described; one, Tunephemera tungussica Sinitshenkova gen. et sp. nov., is based on a wing fragment and assigned to the family Sharephemeridae Sinitshenkova, 2002; and the other, Khungtukunia sibirica Sinitshenkova gen. et sp. nov., is based on nymphs and assigned to the family Vogesonymphidae Sinitshenkova et Papier, 2005. The mayflies described suggest Early Triassic rather than Late Permian age of the deposits.